Day 277: I am now the proud owner of a smartphone! Specifically, the Motorola RAZR Maxx HD. If you're wondering why I didn't get an iPhone or a Galaxy, the answer is simple: the RAZR has, hands down and by far, the longest battery life currently on the market. For a soul who will likely one day go back to spending his days in airports traveling for work, this was my top priority. Plus, I can write apps for it. Which I will do just as soon as:
1- I discover anything that it cannot natively do
2 - that there is not already an app for
3 - that I want it to do
4 - and that I can figure out how to make it do.
It's a powerful little monster. I am certainly guilty of rolling my eyes when my peeps would get involved with their smartphones, but they're really enjoying pointing out that I do it myself now that I have access to ALL OF HUMAN KNOWLEDGE at all times.
Tonight after work we had a company dinner at a local pizza place called Pizza Rock. It's located in a super-cool district of Sacramento called The Kay (...because it's on K street). There are a couple of neat fixtures around that I got some shots of.
1- I discover anything that it cannot natively do
2 - that there is not already an app for
3 - that I want it to do
4 - and that I can figure out how to make it do.
It's a powerful little monster. I am certainly guilty of rolling my eyes when my peeps would get involved with their smartphones, but they're really enjoying pointing out that I do it myself now that I have access to ALL OF HUMAN KNOWLEDGE at all times.
Tonight after work we had a company dinner at a local pizza place called Pizza Rock. It's located in a super-cool district of Sacramento called The Kay (...because it's on K street). There are a couple of neat fixtures around that I got some shots of.
Cafe Ambrosia. I just really dig this sign. I have never actually been inside. YET! :)
A couple of neat sculptures outside the Convention Center. They are fallen icons, and the whole effect is simultaneously majestic and tragic. I love these pieces. I recognize the theme of fallen idols is a little tacky in some ways, but I like the scale of them a lot, and it's hard to be upset about fallen false false idols.
Inside Pizza Rock, they have a full-sized, fully lit Semi Tractor above the bar. For... some reason...
And the ceiling has their take on the Sistine Chapel. Because Pizza Rock RAWKS!
Also, the pizza is really first rate. We all got different pies of different styles (Sicilian, American, Classic Italian, etc), and really all of it was amazing. Two thumbs up! They also apparently have some pretty nice beers, according to my teammates.
Also, the pizza is really first rate. We all got different pies of different styles (Sicilian, American, Classic Italian, etc), and really all of it was amazing. Two thumbs up! They also apparently have some pretty nice beers, according to my teammates.
Next door to Pizza Rock is The Dive Bar, which I have heard about but have not yet seen first hand. Apparently, this is a bar/dance club type place, with actual mermaids in a tank that swim around while you're drinking and dancing.
Note: NOT actual mermaids.
Note: NOT actual mermaids.
After a pleasant evening of hanging with my work peeps, I walked a few blocks down to the gym and went for late swim in the outdoor (but admittedly heated) pool, then showered and walked the six blocks back to my apartment in the quiet spring evening.
A group of kids was playing basketball on a public court on my way home. I stopped to watch for a while, but did not join in, for a couple of reasons. Firstly, they didn't ask me to, and though they didn't mind that I was spectating, they didn't speak to me at all. Secondly, I was easily a solid foot taller than the tallest of them (if I had to take a guess, I'd say they were all ethnically Chinese, and they all had that solid, low-to-the-ground thing going on). And, of course, I'm terrible at basketball.
They were very good at playing defense against each other, and most shots missed because the shooter was contending with a similarly-sized and -built fireplug in his way. I did wait around until one of them got a basket (I was starting to worry that it was going to be a zero-zero draw, and who wants to live that life, I ask directly AMERICAN SOCCER TEAM??).
The ball (finally) went in. There was no celebration, or cheering, or even trash talk. They just bounced the ball back and started again. Serious young men, playing a serious game. Or maybe they were just too tired to cheer for the meager success of one basket in ten going in. They all know that they're never, ever, ever going to play in the NBA, but they really were working their hearts out on a cool, clear evening, and something about the simplicity of their focus touched me.
In any event, I took my leave, and walked home along the dark and beautiful streets of Sacramento, the sounds of a pounding basketball fading away behind me.
I do love this town.
Tomorrow, ADVENTURE!! :)
A group of kids was playing basketball on a public court on my way home. I stopped to watch for a while, but did not join in, for a couple of reasons. Firstly, they didn't ask me to, and though they didn't mind that I was spectating, they didn't speak to me at all. Secondly, I was easily a solid foot taller than the tallest of them (if I had to take a guess, I'd say they were all ethnically Chinese, and they all had that solid, low-to-the-ground thing going on). And, of course, I'm terrible at basketball.
They were very good at playing defense against each other, and most shots missed because the shooter was contending with a similarly-sized and -built fireplug in his way. I did wait around until one of them got a basket (I was starting to worry that it was going to be a zero-zero draw, and who wants to live that life, I ask directly AMERICAN SOCCER TEAM??).
The ball (finally) went in. There was no celebration, or cheering, or even trash talk. They just bounced the ball back and started again. Serious young men, playing a serious game. Or maybe they were just too tired to cheer for the meager success of one basket in ten going in. They all know that they're never, ever, ever going to play in the NBA, but they really were working their hearts out on a cool, clear evening, and something about the simplicity of their focus touched me.
In any event, I took my leave, and walked home along the dark and beautiful streets of Sacramento, the sounds of a pounding basketball fading away behind me.
I do love this town.
Tomorrow, ADVENTURE!! :)
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