patrick.net

surfer-x,

Yes, that's quite a shackle...maybe we should all check out DinOR's stretch of the Phillippines. The weather is muggy and hot, but beer and housing are cheap, and you don't need a wetsuit to surf.

Aren't Filipinos the Mexicans of the South Pacific?

I'm not sure about the South Pacific part, and DinOR goes on about the Sea of Cortez...but otherwise? Sure!

Astrid...

Ok, I got all governessy for a moment. If it's interesting, go for it.

Still think it was baiting, tho...

goober,

True, there are racists everywhere, but some places are worse than others.

I never said the northeast and west coast had the answers for flyover country. But flyover country also doesn't have all the answers for the northeast and west coast.

Either way, I agree w/ surfer-x. Californians in general are way too geocentric. I think it really comes off as very condescending to non-Californians.

I call it Californiatitis - inflammation of the California.

Californians think that they're the center of the world.

When in reality, it's clearly New York. (Or maybe London again in the next few years.)

Sir X,

Any ideas for drinking game rules?

As for bashing Absolut...maybe start with the hypocrisy of exporting and advertising an overpriced and subpar product that they strongly discourage their own citizen from consuming.

I heard the Swedes (and just about everybody else) buys booze from Britain, and the Brits fly to Eastern Europe to get piss drunk...

I'm from Shanghai, where the rest of the world exist merely as abstract concepts.

Come on now, New York? Ever gotten shacked on a 7ft WNW left hand point break in NY? London? Talk to me when the sun comes out. Ever punched trough a 8ft wave at Davenport and had sunlight filter through the most beautiful aqua water you've ever seen only to come up on the other side and see otters, dolphins and whales?

Granted you can ride a subway and get a good $25 sandwich in either NYC or London. But come on now.

Any ideas for drinking game rules?

Watch 'It's a Wonderful Life" and take a shot of Jager whenever something good happens. Be prepared to vomit.

goober,

If it makes you feel any better, the bulk of my boyfriend's family lives in the Detroit and his immediate family lives in South Carolina.

Also, Washington DC is in-filled swampland. About once a year, we'll get fairly severe flooding somewhere due to the low elevation.

The reason I read this blod is because I’m trying to get out!

Free your mind, and your ass will follow.

Ever gotten shacked on a 7ft WNW left hand point break in NY?

Is that an outdoorsy term or something?

I don't like being outdoors. I went camping once in my life having moved out here. It was very disturbing. I couldn't wait to get back to concrete and steel.

Granted you can ride a subway and get a good $25 sandwich in either NYC or London.

You don't need $25 for a good sandwich in NY. You just need to go to Hero Boy:

http://www.championstamp.com/heroboy.htm

Sir-X,

Come to DC, the musuems and parks here are subsidized by the federal government. There's a subway, and it does not totally reek of urine.

DC? Where is that at?

Jager makes me want to vomit. I prefer rum and coke.

What should I get from reading this article?

http://www.insidebayarea.com/business/ci_4635986

Doom coming soon? Happy rainbows coming soon?

Shhhittt, I just put "DC" into maps.google.com and it seems that there is an East Coast the United States. Who knew.

What do you know about surfing Major? You're from God Damn New Jersey!

"DC? Where is that at?"

That's not merely the center of the world, that is the world. If you venture outside of I-495, you fall off of the face of the Earth.

Rum and a nice sweet dark rum. As a matter of fact I am drinking it right now, "whalers". Or you could add a lime and call it a Cuba' Libre.

Drinking rules? How about all girls take their clothes off?

For all its unhappy history, it's home to me. The whole Oak Alley, she-crab soup, midnight-in-the-garden lovely mess.

Doesn't prevent my enjoying Coronado or Kuala Lumpur.

astrid,

I do like rum&coke especially the one that got left on the night stand from the night before! (Maybe that's why they call it a night stand?)

There are people in Coastal California that will get this, hand make you a surfboard to your particular skill and surfing location. They are called "shapers". Hand made. Fuck me, what a concept.

Hey, I just had steamed she-crabs for dinner.

DinOR, Sir I like the way you do business.

Actually Filipinos are more like the Italians of the Orient. Family, food and drinking, in that order.

Manila and Acapulco were sister cities for about 400 years though.

Granted I did venture out of Ca for 1 brief year to work in Portland, but I never changed my plates, and moved back as soon as I could. Better to suffer in sun than live in hell.

Spainish + Natives here = Mexicans.

Spainish + Native in the philpines = Filipinos.

Therefore, they are the Mexicans of the South Pacific.

DC? Where is that at?

My local friends automatically map that to "Daly City"

They also map "Down South" to Los Angeles.

astrid,

You are right though, the weather in the P.I can be rough. No question. It's harder on the gals b/c guys don't typically give a rip if they are in a rolling sweat.

The gals? They use umbrellas to shade themselves from the sun and bring along a niece or two to fan them while shopping.

Ahhh John Daly. I only travel west and south. Never East or North. The flag, afterall, does say, "California Republic"

I just got Le Samourai from Amazon, maybe I should drink every time Alain Delan takes out a gun...

Surfer X,

So true. Some of the Jesuits were so lazy they just named entire towns "Rodriguez". There. Were finished. From this day forth you are all Rodriguez's! Now where's my rum!

(It must have killed those guys that you can't grow grapes on the equator)

DinOR,

Who needs grapes when you have sugarcane?

'For dinner' is a wiser choice than soup... it's heavenly, but also coronary thrombosis in a cup. You're a foodie, aren't you?

HARM, I sense much anger, this is good, I'm your Father. Welcome.

It was my understanding that scurvy is the new polio.

astrid,

Maybe for a 3 month "holiday" sure, no problem. When you're stationed there for three freakin' years it is not without price. After you've been there for awhile you can tell the hardcore crowd b/c they've abandoned any notion of civility.

Toward the end of your tour/mission/staute of limitations you ARE the hardcore crowd! As in starting a fist fight over? What were we pounding lumps in each other's heads for again?

To those who disrespect the Golden State all I have to say is how are your fucking winter salads?

Assholes, time to put the snow tires on.

_______________
Sarcasm off.

I agree, but if you were b/r (born raised) in Santa Cruz, went to school at Cal Poly and live in $anta barbara, exactly where else are you going to live? You have no choice but to don the knee pads and take it like a man.

Take it, man! California uber alles!