February 2006

Okay, kids, here it is the day before my journal is due, and not too much in the way of excitement has happened. Don't get me wrong - I'm having a wonderful time here in Arizona, at the foot of the Superstition Mountains. Those of you who have been reading these journals for at least a year (or those who've backtracked far enough) have already heard about how beautiful it is here this time of year. And it's not that there's nothing going on... I've been to movies - Capote and King Kong to be exact, and both were very good in their own right. I've hung out with friends - Sarina (you've heard about her, too, from previous journals) just got back from Thailand, and then there are the jousters, and rennies, and townies - oh my! Suffice to say that though I've been doing a whole lotta nothing, my "nothing" has kept me quite busy. Unfortunately, what this means is that I haven't been too stalwart on the picture taking end of things.

 

Sarina loves Arizona a little too much

Even now Sarina is taking a picture of me while I work...

Angry Sarina threatens a colonoscopy with my own camera

So...what to do, what to do?

Fear not, my eager Tortugaholics; I'm not about to leave you hangin'. Even now Sarina is taking a picture of me while I work on this journal. And, that's my plan for taking care of the lack of Tortuga-friendly shots - today I'm going to take you on a Tortuga Photo Safari! Don't worry about it being too boring, either. Ronn and I are going to pick Jef up from the airport, and then we rush to lunch for a Tortuga meeting. That should be somewhat interesting, right? Right? Okay, maybe a little boring.

I've already taken some of my room and me in my jammies - ooh, fashion shots! Hell, I've gotta have a shower sometime today, maybe I could.... Naw, too much, too much. We'll see; maybe later I can find something somewhat compromising to titillate your ocular taste buds. I do know that later on Sarina and I are going shopping - and camera shopping, no less. She wants a new one. That should provide a bit of entertainment; besides, I love to shop. This way you'll get me in more of my natural habitat...the Mall!

 

Some of my clutter

Nothing beats working in your jammies

More of my damn clutter

So, that's pretty much how this journal is going to go - I hope you enjoy it. But, what else has been going on in the life of the Rikker, you ask? Things aren't as hectic this year (thankfully), what with no brand-new production or play to put out. Your friendly neighborhood Tortugas were getting just a bit frazzled from all the hustle, bustle, and rush that comes with putting on a triple-hour, multi-state Tortugapalooza. We were in mucho need of a break, and break we did! Just in the couple short weeks that we have been here, both Ronn and Jef have boot-scooted their booties across the country. Two weeks ago, Ronn went on a trip with honey Heather to Las Vegas, and just this past week Jef was back in Florida taking care of household chores with beautiful wife Sharon. By the way, that's why we're picking him up from the airport - du-uh. Make sure you check out both their journals for the skinny and pix of their collective trips.

And me? Where Have I gone? What did I do? You mean besides playing catch-up on all the Tortuga stuff I let slide while I was off gallivanting about in the Andalusia Mountains? (See last month's journal for more on that.) I stayed home, saved money, and got my finances back on track. Ooh, hold me back, party animal that I am. Okay, so I've been to the gym a few times, trying to work off my winter excess and bulk up on lost muscle mass. Sound exciting enough? No? Maybe the boys are right - maybe I should get a life.

Today was different. Today I was with my posse.

Ronn and I headed westward towards the airport, and arrived just in time to pick up our missing Tortuga. Then it was off to Mill Ave. and P. F. Chang's. Our meals were strange and delectable, with the variety running the gamut from my lamb to Ronn's scallops to Jef's tofu something-or-other. After that we traipsed up Mill Ave. to Urban Outfitters (more shopping - yay!) where we bought nothing, but wasted enough time that Ronn had to skip on home to take care of his lovely.

 

I'm here for your daughter, Chuck

Jef returns with angelic light akimbo

Valid-Business-Expense!!!

Not long after arriving back at home, Sarina and I were out and on our way to the gym. But before all that blood-pumping iron slinging could begin, we had to make a quick stop-off at a nearby camera store/fixit shop. Alas, there would be no Mall in the cards for us today...sigh. We quickly perused their wares, and then Sarina haggled a price on the fixit job for her camera. Meanwhile, I poked around and flirted with the counter help. Soon done and done, it wasn't long after that we were gymward bound once again. And, this time we made it.

For the last couple of years, we've been hitting the World Gym in Mesa, off Brown & Recker. It's a nice place and they are very rennie-friendly there. I'm sure more renaissance types would show up if it weren't located sooo far from the festival site. Ah well, what can you do? We enjoy going there, and today it was all "Back & Bi's" for Sarina and I. We hit those muscles hard enough - with six exercises for the Back, three for the Biceps, and all at 8-8-6 - that we're sure to be just a little sore come Sunday. About an hour or so and one raspberry smoothie with two scoops of protein later we were plenty pooped and headed for home.

 

Developments at the camera shop

Driver-cam!

This was posed!

In retrospect, it doesn't appear as if I've had that exciting a day, after all. Ah, but look closer and you will find that I did truly enjoy myself. I spent the day hanging out with friends and doing goofy shit - now what more could a fella ask outta life? Do not answer that! I already know the answer; I've seen the list. However, that does not negate the fact that life is still pretty fan-damn-tastic no matter what - little or grand - I do.

Tomorrow I will find myself in tights yet again, and with hundreds of people laughing with not just at me. There are a lot of other things I could be doing on a sunny Saturday, but not many I'd rather be. My wish for you that you can say the same - if not now, then at least sometime in your life.

Ciao, my Tortugaholics! May the twinkle in your eyes ignite smiles and laughter from those around you.