PINDICK

Went bowling last night–the first time in well over six pin-less years–with more than favorable results. Not that the scores were high or worth mentioning, but in the spirit of sport, competition and warfare, we're proud to say the Draplindustries Design Co. Black Balls beat out both Okins' and a Josh too. The games were close and all in attendance put aside the normal "what's-uuuuuup's" and "that's-what-I'm talking-about's" to instead focus on the mental game at hand. It was hotter than a dog's breath in the musty joint, with no reprieve.

A good time was had by all, especially those Black Balls, as they slaughtered all who shared the lane.

We look forward to the next bout. A buck for shoes, and a buck a game. Real good.

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TECH TALK: The CINCO Design Office is in the process of "switching over to OS X" on our Mac machines. We like to call it "Oss Ex". Just about the whole joint is up and running in the new operating system. Shaky feet at first, but like anything that is "easy to use", the transition to a whole new ball of wax seems to be going smooth.

Goodbye, dark ages.

SWELTERTING SWELTS

Hot as fuck.

Portland swelters...damn near: 100 degrees!!!

CINCO soothes...real good: 67 degrees.

MONKEY BUSINESS

When Kong finished–a couple minutes shy of 4am–I gotta say that I felt a little deflated. The campy special effects that were state-of-the-art for 1976, feel painfully rudimentary with the hobbits and godzillas and shit of this era.

But I'll say this, up until you actually see Kong, it is an amazing movie. The anticipation that builds, it sets you up so well. The exotic quality of naive prospectors getting into trouble on a "discovered island" is the best. The dynamics that build between Jeff Bridges’ “good” scientist role and Charles Grodin’s “bad” developer role set the approach to the island up perfectly. So bold and greedy. Grodin is the perfect rat.

The gate with the large, oiled bar is one of the best shots in movie history. Wild islanders–fearing something–offering up a sacrifice through the biggest set of doors imaginable. I remember being scared shitless at this point, so long ago. What was coming out of the woods? What was so big?

I was just 3-4 years old when I this movie came out, so I don’t know if Mom and Dad took me to it. Prob’ly not. I do remember the “Kong” craze that swept the nation. I even had my own version of “King Kong face” down pat, where I would get my underbite going real sinister, up over my top lip, like Kong himself.

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While looking for Kong links I came across a interesting blip: Peter Jackson (of Lord of the Rings fame) is slated to direct a new version of King Kong, with production starting in 2005. Whoa. I can only imagine what the beast will be like this time around, doctored up with CGI and such.

GOING APESHIT

KING KONG just started. Fuck yeah.

A good night for some late night tube.

Farrar was well worth it. Fred Green and I–in all of our “suffering” glory–apprehensively approached the “big night out at the Farrar show” with a cautious ambivalence. See, Farrar isn’t known for his “stage antics” or “performer-to-crowd persona.” He plugs in, says a quick, “Hey” and plows through the tunes. Some nights you’ll sit there and the whole things feels a bit painful, tiresome and rushed.

He seemed to be enjoying himself up there. If I remember correctly, I think he may have even cracked a little smile at one point.

The show was real uplifter. The guy just has these moments that are so prolific. Great lyrics, great wordplay, great imagery. Just plain great.

Fred and I had a good time.

Tim Easton opened the night. We nodded off during his set a bit. Great pickin’ but too much of that “Dylan-esque singer/songwriter guttural inflection cliché” stuff.

And one more thing: I’d like to extend a hearty “Fuck You” to the nit-picked staff of the Aladdin Theater, especially the big gorilla who tried to grab my digi-cam from behind me, who ended up making me erase all the footage I shot of the show. The goons are too easy to talk down. Bumbling idiots trying to shoot me down with "policy talk." I just gave in. Not worth the battle. I caved in and started erasing. Oh well.

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Other than finding a couple hours to relax with Fred, things have been thick and full. CINCO never, ever lets up, not for a goddamn minute. Long meetings, a “focus group” trip to the Hood summer camps, strategizing, designing, mechanicalizing, etc. Non-stop. Ho-hum.

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Small Ange rolled into town a couple days back from Minneapolis. Now Melissa’s Portland life is complete. She’s got her little counterpart out here. Trouble should ensue. They have been catching up, cruising around town, stayin’ up late and such. It’s good to see Melissa beaming. They plan on “getting their own place” coming up here real quick. Perfect. Get those goddamn hair dispenser cats off the DDC Factory Floor once and for all.

White Minh has been sheddin’ like no other in his breed. Fuck, you just look at him and the hair falls out. Peculiar.

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Almost to August. Got a big weekend planned for D’s wedding back in Michigan. Lookin’ forward to seeing everyone, especially the parents. Real tired of being so far away from the ones I’m closest to.

TEN THINGS TO CHECK OUT

01. Coming soon. We handled the graphic design of this book.

02. Nice type, nice ephemera, nice craft can be found here.

03. Putting in an order real soon. Check out those fuckin' "turnaround times", eh?

04. I spend an amazing amount of time at other places, after spending very little time at this place.

05. I follow Mark's life more closely than 95% of the people I know. "Mark's Journal" down below is where to go for all the action.

06. Nice.

07. You look up and you just gotta wonder.

08. I miss passing by this beauty up every couple of days.

09. Nice, nice affordable items for yer desk.The sort of stuff folks pick up and go, "Whoa, where'd you find this?" This is the place.

10. Mr. Blender.

READER APPRECIATION / COLLEAUGUE CONCERN

Mr. “Whitebear”, as he goes by in the previous comment section, represents a small-but-virile percent of this gazette’s reading clientele.

Demographic-wise, this group falls into the sub section of folks who are better served hiding in the shadows…standing on the sidelines...quiet but stern, ready for the attack if need be…a faceless–but nevertheless faithful–group of readers who drop in from time to time to make peace with those who, shall we say, “run the show” on the DDC Factory Floor.

We welcome you with a firm handshake and a look dead in the eye, and challenge you and yer organization to get on here more often and “tell things like it is”, even if yer perspective is blurred with the random maple syrup hangover; a common phenomena that plagues a taken aback few in yer neck of the woods.

That’s what the world needs more of, “Straight Talk” that might be filed under “like it is” category.

We appreciate yer good words and bighearted concern.

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In closing: Mr. Whitebear, regarding my colorful MCAD brethren, I hope to God (or whoever) that Kurt does turn his pain (a bright, shimmering sort of white hot with the just the cutest little lettering) into a positive chapter in his life. I pray that Ryno finds employment and can rest assured that after a hard day of work he can come home, gaze at his misties and say to himself, “I feel good. I feel proud. Time for a cold Grainbelt.” I look up in the sky and find myself hoping that PJ is watched over with a vigilant eye, as he circumnavigates the city with “balls-wielding” gentleman on the most hellish two wheelers since the “slow” kid–who peddled his trike around our little town–hit a curb and broke a wheel off. I find solace in the fact that I know Berling is enjoying his education and more importantly that big ol’ Wisconsin summer sausage he has piled into his Diesel jeans. My mind crosses a large sea as I wonder if Andy Maniotes has kept the Netherlands up to snuff with his archetypal, stoic, stranger -to-stranger “no holds barred” code of chivalry. I hope things are okay with all of ‘em.

And for me, well, I just try to keep things “out of the red” in all matters, be it family, finance, girlstuff or otherwise.

SUMMER IMAGES

Summer Slendor, up high in those Cascades.

Summer Love, with the Okins family.

COOL DAYS, COOL NIGHTS

The summer days have been beautiful. Tales of hot, hot heat elsewhere don’t even raise an eyebrow out here. The days have been nice and cool, and the nights, even cooler. So nice.

Melissa has this to say, "Move back to the Midwest. We'll see how you handle the heat and the mosquitos." The girl brings up some good points. That humidity could be the end of me. I've got an air conditioner that is still in the box, and I'm not afraid one bit to pull it out and fire it up. Brand spankin' new, used only a couple days back in late August of 1999.

Will August rear its ugly head, unleashing some sweaty dog days? Hard to say. We’ll keep you updated.

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Putting the final touches on a “fall itinerary.” Something along the lines of: Fly into somewhere obscure, rent a rig and drive back to the see the parents, by way of Minneapolis, Chicago, etc. A trip through the Midwest…starting in say, Arkansas or Missouri, moving north towards Minneapolis, over to Michigan, down to Ohio and back to wherever I’m flying out of. We’ll see. Big plans and wide eyes.

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The house has finally cleared out. Nice to have the place back to normal. Cam came and went, leaving a trail of code and blood. We worked up some freelance, tune up the DDC site a bit and tended a life-threatening wound to his nose. He’s safe and sound, back in the big city New York working on web projects.

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Lots of Gocco intensity around CINCO. Big words, bigger stacks of paper. Ink is gonna hit the paper this weekend, you bet.

SATURDAY MORNING

Feeling fine. Got about 7 hours of sleep.

Big day ahead of us. A day filled with BBQ action at Snell’s ranch, Gocco slams, Galaga fire, window shopping, tech talk, web work, etc.
Cam is in town (been here since Tuesday) so the days have been full.
He flies out tomorrow, back to his Brookyln life.

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Regarding “summer” and it’s hot days: Fast approaching the “halfway point of those dog days of summer. July 15th is “humpday” of the summer.
It’s all downhill to that beautiful fall. Portland’s summer has been beautiful. I’m digging it. The days are bright, the nights are cool…good times.

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Farrar is coming in a couple weeks. I’ll be sure to check it out. Homage of sorts. He’s backed by a band this time around, which is should pick things up a bit. Mark Spencer on the noodle guitar is pretty good too. The man isn’t known for his “stage theatrics.”

He’s doing an in-store in at Music Millenium up on Burnside and 49th.
I WON’T be missing that one.

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SUMMERTIME: Take a walk on Honeybucket Row.

ITEMIZED TIME

Things have been real busy. Phew.

01. Lots of CINCO work going out the door...tons.
02. A fucking gargantuan pile of freelance.
03. Throw in a new site design too.
04. Almost got the 2002 "Once-A-Month" cards finished up.
05. Gocco muscle.
06. Visiting colleagues.
07. Early morning airport shuttles.
08. Hungry robins to feed every three hours.
09. Management of a fecund cat hair, near epidemic proportions.
10. Keeping the finances square.
11. Primping myself for D's wedding.

In fact, we're too busy to comment any further.

Things have been pretty busy around the house. This summer has been a seemingly non-stop array of guests droppin’ by and spending time at the house. Don’t get us wrong, it’s nice to be loved and all, but man, it is never-ending.

Melissa’s parents shoved off today. We had a good weekend complete with brewery meals, a trip to Mt. Hood and a quick loop out to Astoria and down through Seaside. Good folks, it’s always good to see Melissa so happy around them. They are on their way back to Minnesota, heading back after a couple days here in the city. One big loop out to the coast to see their daughter. They’ve had quite an adventure. Come back soon.

Cam Barrett of Camworld.com shows up in about an hour. The DDC airport shuttle will be making a run out into the night–in the wee hours–to pick him up. He’s coming out to attend a programming conference as well, do some general hangin’ around the factory floor. We’ll do some meals, roll the sleeves up on the computer and see some sights. Should be good.

Completing the cycle of “vistiing Okins” (see the “Hobo Kris” rants from a couple weeks back) will be celebrated with the arrival of little Ange; destined to arrive in a couple weeks. She’s moving out to be with her sister; hoping to start a new life out here in Portland. It’ll be good for the two of them, as they are pretty close and see eye-to-eye on a handful of issues. Plus, it means this string of rampant company will be coming to an end.

After the last dirty dog shuffles out the door, we are going to install a barbarian-style wood door latch; which will be in use well into the fall.

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In other news, Melissa's love for her cats has reached an unparalled level as she digs into some delicate investigation regarding Minh's latest bout of "hair licking." Seems that the little guy is nervous or something and has been licking little spots damn near bare on his back and hind quarters. Sure, the normal level of wafting cat hair is something to curse, but we've been noticed some abnormal clumping, much worse than the average biscuits left in the kitty litter box.

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The production involving the annual DDC "Once-A-Month" card series has moved into high gear. Those Gooco engines are firing up for one final hurrah. Coming soon. No shit.

AFTERMATH COLLECTIONS

Settle down truckers, settle down.

About the previous entry’s photo: Melissa–through forceful persuasion–combs the cats every couple days. She has to quarantine them, set ‘em down and then begins the process.

What you are seeing here is the “aftermath collection” from each cat. Those muffballs are a good two inches in diameter too. Jesus H. Christ. And this phenomena could be a daily occurrence as their healthy, thick coats could easily provide such output.

I’m thankful for her grooming efforts. I’d much rather see these little hairballs resting in the garbage; millions of nasty hairs lovingly collected in one fell swoop. Consider the alternative: All that hair could be gigantic part of the general population of existing stray hair wafting around the factory floor.

It’s a never-ending battle. Those frisky critters get into EVERYTHING, and along the way tussle and rustle just enough to leave a trail of disarray, puke, and tons of hair.

Melissa’s little sis Ange is expected for a late July arrival. They have plans of “getting a place together.” Our fingers are crossed. It’ll be better for all parties. They can enjoy the bountiful superfluity these cats give back to us humans.