33 posts tagged “arizona”
What happens when warm air from Mexico meets a thunderstorm coming down from the mountains?
Wet, wild weather!
The center of the storm was right above Tempe, where I live. I was dry and safe in a neighborhood pub when it hit, strategizing for next weekend with my triathlon relay team and having some beers carbo-loading. We were watching the rain come down in sheets and watching people wading into the parking lot to get to their cars. The highway, in the photo above, was flooded and many cars were just sitting in the water, not able to go anywhere. Sometimes people will drive into a flooded wash thinking they can get through. Often, they can't.
So that was fun yesterday. Today we're only supposed to get to 92 degrees. I grabbed a sweater when I left my house.
The Bike of Death has been downgraded to the Bike of Maim, after we had a disagreement Saturday morning about which side of it I was trying to dismount. I won eventually, but the bike did inflict a nasty bruise on the inside of my right thigh. I'll spare you the picture, but it's a 3" x 2" blob of pinks, reds and purples.
I have to ride 24 miles at altitude, going from 6,500 ft to 7,500 ft. Or something like that. My team doesn't think I'm completely prepared for it (I'm not), but I explained it's an out-and-back course. Mathmatically, half of the course is downhill so it's really only 12 miles of actual exertion.
I've been feeding a little black stray cat for the past couple of weeks. Now he's coming up to me and begging for love and attention. What a sweetheart. I should take him to the vet to get him snipped and have a check up to see if he's healthy. I can't take him to a shelter because they are over capacity. MomH thinks I should keep him, "You need two cats."
No, I don't need two cats. Elvis does not like other cats. He hissed at Little Black Stray Cat the other night when he saw him through the screen door. I think MomH is just worried about my mental health when it is Elvis' time to leave the building, so to speak. But LBSC is a doll. Pure black with yellow eyes.
Driving in this morning past the airport, I saw Southwest's Shamu plane take off. It always makes me smile.
That's enough rambling for my Monday. I have Espanol tonight. I went to Spanish Movie Night on Friday and saw "The Motorcycle Diaries". I thought it was a great movie. One of the ladies was worried about Che surviving the swim across the Amazon and it took a while for us to convince her that this was a story about a real person who went on to work for Castro. Too funny.
Okay, NOW that's enough rambling. Later 'gators!
We had a wicked summer storm blow through last night. Thank goodness I was home, chilling on the couch with Elvis. That sounds like a country song. Hmm.
Anyway, I went outside at one point to check it out. It was so LOUD! Rain pounding down on the carports, wind blowing (up to 60 mph in some places) and water surging down the street. Some parts of Greater Phoenix are still under water. The airport closed the runways for a while. Power outages scattered throughout town as well.
When I left the house this morning there was debris everywhere. Mostly parts of trees and such. And it was 75 degrees. That's a 40 degree drop in temps from last week. Brr!
It's overcast and ominous right now. Awesome.
I drove past a bunch of people in line at the AT&T store, waiting to throw their money at the latest iPhone. Made me glad I don't care about technology.
Work is keeping me super busy. We've been in the paper a lot lately. It's always fun checking the online version of the articles to see what nastiness comes out of the mouths of anonymous bloggers. 90% of people who comment on the newspaper online are very angry, very stupid people. Rarely are there coherent thoughts to be found and the level of vitriol is astounding. I checked one person's comment stream and it seems she spews her hateful spittle on at least 10 articles a day, every day, since January 2007. Regardless of the subject. Wow. She really must be fun at a cocktail party.
Another example of how if you shout loud enough, you can silence your opposition. Kind of like a legion of Bill O'Reillys trolling the interwebs. Anyone who wants to add a bit of rational thought to the discussion won't even bother.
Going to Spanish Movie Night tonight with a gal from my Monday night class. She seems really cool, so I'm looking forward to that. I checked to make sure there were English subtitles. There are, but I still don't know what the movie is. I like to be surprised. More to the truth, I really don't care. I had nothing else going on so I may as well since it's near my house.
That's about all that's going on here in the desert. More storms this weekend. w00t - except for the baby shower/BBQ tomorrow. I guess we'll move it indoors. We never have to plan for inclement weather.
Hasta luego!
Our governor, Janet Napolitano, has decreed June 30 - July 7 as Independents Week in support of locally owned businesses! Shop local and keep your money in your community wherever you may be. It's what makes a place a place and keeps our country from turning into the United States of Generica.
I already try to spend my consumer cash in independent/local operations and even try to shop mostly in Tempe to keep my sales tax dollars in my community. See, out here each municipality has its own sales tax. It's a bit wacky, but I'll go with it.
Why should you shop local? Here's a list of reasons from Local First Arizona. I'll cut and paste them here in case you are link-averse. :-)
Why Shop Locally
The Power of Choice
Every time you make a purchase, you're exercising power of choice.
The choice is yours. You have the power to strengthen and enrich your community.
Did You Know…
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For every two jobs national retailers bring to a community, three jobs are lost as a result of local businesses closing down.
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When you shop locally-owned businesses, your money is re-circulated over and over and creates up to 75% more tax revenue to our community and state.
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Independent businesses raise the standard of living in your community because they take their profits and buy products and services from other local businesses, thus creating more and more tax revenues needed for the community to thrive.
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Millions of dollars of tax revenue subsidies handed to chains by financially-starved local governments drain even more tax revenue from our community and state.
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Blighted empty shopping areas are created in your community when chain stores re-locate to a more lucrative shopping center, or leave altogether. Literally hundreds of big stores are abandoned each year across the United States.
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Independent businesses are unique enterprises that contribute to the character of our community by offering a more diverse selections of goods and services.
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Independent businesses provide meaningful service with a personal touch. It matters to them that you are satisfied and will come back again.
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Carefully planned predatory pricing practices have allowed national chains to establish virtual monopolies as they drive local competition out of business. And then they raise their prices.
You can make a difference with a few simple steps
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Make a decision to find and patronize a locally-owned business, wherever possible.
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Dine at a local, independent restaurant and treat yourself to a unique and personal dining experience.
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When you shop online with out-of-state companies, it doesn't contribute a dime to the local economy. So check for members who offer the same products, and some even deliver.
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Look for the Arizona Chain Reaction / Local First Arizona logo when you shop and tell other independent businesses about Local First Arizona.
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Use our business directory to locate businesses offering specific goods or services, or you can view a complete list of Local First Arizona member businesses and the categories in which they are listed.
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Tell your associates, family, and friends what is happening and why. We all create our communities. Let's create strong and vibrant communities as a legacy for those who follow.
Show us an example of architecture you find interesting or inspiring.
Sure, Phoenix sprawl can be the poster child for endemic bad/boring design, but there is also a growing appreciation for distinctive architecture. Many students of that peach of a guy *cough*, Frank Lloyd Wright, have given our region - and are still building - structures that make me smile and think, "Yeah, this place can be really great."
Just to pick one example, I give you one of our shining stars and local architecture advocate, Will Bruder.
I could continue to post pics just from Will, but feel free to go to his link (above) and look around. If you are an architecture fan and want to see what other design is happening in the desert, this is a great collection of images from around town and beyond.
Show us something that's been on your mind a lot.
Allergies. I haz them.
Hay fever specifically. If it blooms, I'm doomed-s.
My nasal inhaler helps, as does eye drops and OTC zyrtek (sp).
The thing about Arizona, is this used to be the place where allergy sufferers were sent. Then Midwesterners started showing up and demanding the same grassy yards as they had back home. I won't even BEGIN on the ecological havoc that has created (grass fires in the desert where no fires ever happened before? EVER?!?).
Back to me.
Something is always in bloom. There's never really a down season. But on Fridays, the landscapers in my HOA are out in full force with their leafblowers, stirring up all the dust, debris and pollen. It's a sprint to my car on Friday mornings, holding my breath as best I can.
Just like this lady in the current campaign about Phoenix' air pollution. Seriously, this could be me!
On the way in to work today, without a touch of sarcasm:
"We have a great day in store for us in Phoenix. Currently we have cloudy skies, looking at a high of 69 and afternoon thunderstorms likely."
This takes second place in my favorite radio weather announcements. Number one remains in place, from the night time jazz DJ one summer:
"Tomorrow will be sunny and hot. Right now, it's dark and hot. Really, what else is there to say?"
I'm just happy about it being 30-40 degrees below normal. All the people going north to camp had better bring snowshoes because it's coming down.
I'm working on my Europe pics, but because my computer is sllooooow going tonight, I'm giving up before getting them all titled and flipped. I apparently like to take a lot of vertical shots.
Anyhoo, I saw this in the Frankfurt airport and had to take a picture of it. It's part of an ad for something I can't remember.
As you can see, this enterprising professional is hanging out at Monument Valley, in his crisp khaki pants, short-sleeved shirt and tie and his steamer trunk, waiting for the trusty 1958 Greyhound bus to swing through the Rez and pick him up.
You'll also see that Phoenix is in the opposite direction of success and glory. Hmm...
And geographically and successfully speaking, 46 miles from where he's standing isn't going to get him very far.
But maybe I'm just being snippy. :-P
Tuesday: Stupid hot - 107 degrees with blistering sun.
Thursday: Cold and rainy - snow in the high country, rain and hail here in metro Phoenix. Hail? Hail yes!!
Strong winds blowing outside, temps in the 60's. Sixty degrees might not be cold for some of you, but a 40 degree drop in temps is a bit of a shock to the system. Brrr!
Big storm system in just in time to ruin everyone's Memorial Day plans. Except mine. I was going to sequester myself inside my place and spend some quiet time with Elvis.
Except for when I vacuum. Then it will be noisy time without Elvis.
(All pics from reader submissions to azcentral.com. It's weather! Everyone's taking pictures!)
Team Elvis: 4
Scorpion Invaders: 0
#3 - In the kitchen, with a vegetable peeler (Friday night)
#4 - In the study, with a hockey puck. (Saturday night)
Yeah, I wasn't creative for #4, which was a repeat of #2. I went in the den and noticed a strange spot on the carpet and when I turned on the light, yep, a scorpion.
When you live with the threat of scorpions, you have every stain or discoloration of your carpet memorized. This is important when your carpet color isn't too unlike the color of your avowed foe. You also learn to visually assess your floors whenever you are walking about. Awareness is key to extreme pain avoidance.
In both weekend kills, Elvis' scorpion warning system wasn't a factor. But for next time - teh most awesome Mariser(tm) made this fantastic banner.
THANKS! You're the best!!!
Team Elvis: 2
Scorpion Invaders: 0
Hooray!
For those keeping score at home, Kill #1 was: In the patio door track, with a spoon.
It's that time of year again for scorpion sightings in Casa Amy y Elvis. Elvis is well on his way to earning his Scorpion Scout badge as he's alerted me to both interlopers. Once he knew I was on the case last night, he retreated a safe distance away until I vanquished the poisonous beast. Then he was his happy little self again.
It may freak some people out as I do this, but I think I'll keep track of this year's battle against the bugs. I've never tallied up my scorpion encounters before. Maybe it will start to freak me out. o_O
Nah. However, it may keep me from doing overly sadistic things to my captives. Like seeing how they react to waterboarding in the toilet. I'd have to actually attach them to a stick, so I guess it's for the best I don't.
