Skippin' town

In order to avoid an uneventful weekend, Friday afternoon found me deciding to grab my gear and take off for the mountains. I believe it went a little something like this...

Magic at Starbucks!

Now I know you're all aware of the fact that Starbucks is a magical place. With the world's best coffee (and pastries), it's understandable that their stores can draw a crowd. However, this morning's crowd at the recently opened local Starbucks seemed a little larger than usual...

That's because this is the grand opening of a brand new Starbucks! And we all know that nothing brings out the stars like a new Starbucks. Now this isn't just any brand new Starbucks. No, sir! This is a brand new Starbucks endorsed by the second most famous MJ in sports...

That's right kids! Magic Johnson was there to welcome the community to their own lil' Starbucks! (Mind you, I passed four others while driving there.) He welcomed them to enjoy "The world's finest coffee (and pastries)" at their new hub of community interaction. In my one-on-one interview, he explained that by opening businesses like Starbucks in inner-city communities, more businesses will be drawn into the areas (and will provide the world's finest coffee (and pastries) to those who can't afford to pay $4 for a cup of coffee).

Despite what his name might suggest, he did not perform any magic tricks to the adoring crowd, although wimsey was undeniably in the air. Also, he gave 13 elementary school kids trips to go see the Lakers in LA (no, I wasn't one of them) (are there even lakes in LA?), as well as autographed jerseys. Before finishing, he was sure to once again invite everyone to enjoy "The world's finest coffee (and pastries)". At the end of the day, I was impressed. He was a classy, good-smelling, gigantic man with a kind heart (and a love of pastries).

Rockin the Sac

It's been a while since the Photocalypse has had an update. About a month and a half ago, I packed up all that I own and hit the road, leaving behind a frosty bitch of a mistress known to me only as Eugene.

First I had to swing down through the Bay Area. You want a good time? Try driving a U-Haul through Bay Area rush hour traffic in the dark. It'll really get your blood pumping. Anyway, it was good to finally return to my homeland, a place where the sun shines bright, liberalism runs rampant and the homeless perform for our enjoyment on the street corners. I speak, of course, of San Francisco.


Oh, Alfonzo came too.

After a few drunken evenings of the two of us running wild in the city, we headed east to Sacramento and moved into our sweet batchelor pad on the American River.


I began my new job as the kickass morning photographer at Sacramento's Fox affiliate. Now I gotta admit, getting up at 3 AM is indeed pretty neat, especially when I've spent the last year and a half working the nightside shift, but it certainly has it's advantages. For example, I get to cover actual news stories. I know what you're thinking... "Whaaaa?" But yes, I live in a city now where news events actually occur. Rather than sleeping in the live truck during a 3 hour 4J meeting, I get to cover news that's actually worth covering (plus American Idol updates).

For example, I spent my morning at a train trestle fire that had been burning all night. I know what you're thinking... "I never get to cover the trestle beat here in Eugene". Well that's 'cause this is the big time, baby. Anyway, this trestle mysteriously caught fire and went up like a midget on a catipult. Fortuantly, it was made of highly flamable creosote-soaked wood. It burned through the night, as the firefighters (America's heroes) realized they had to just let it burn out.

Come sunrise, this made for quite the plume.

Now I know what you're thinking... "I never get to cover the plume beat here in Eugene". Once again I must remind you... big time, baby. This fire was such a doosey that they had to fly in this dude from Ohio...

Oh, and this fire was so tits that it attracted news crews from around NorCal. A bona-fide media circus, if you will.

As you can see, it's not nearly as cool as a regular circus, although it's a bit more exciting than Piccadilly Circus... stupid Brits.

So thus you are brought up to speed. After a day of inhailing toxic smoke fumes in the name of News, I feel that I have come to a new chapter in my life. While I miss all my old pals at The Big Sleezy...





...I know that they're freezing, damp and frustrated as hell while I'm rockin it in the big time, baby. Plus I can finally reveal my dark secret... I'm the one that pissed on Nikki's chair: