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Uploaded by sushi the great

In the M&M store in Vegas.

Uploaded by sushi the great

Seen at the Harley Cafe in Vegas.

I feel pretty hardcore. This weekend Dane and I biked to Taylor, TX, and back: a trip of about 35 miles each way. Dane had been on a couple of long rides before, but the furthest I'd ever been at once had been about 20 miles. The scenery was gorgeous. It doesn't take long until you're biking on tiny roads amidst farmland. I wish I had taken pictures on the way, but at least I managed one cameraphone snap.

We saw all sorts of cool stuff. I think I've only seen a wheat field once or twice before in real life, and it was probably from inside of a car. Biking next to a wheat field you can see how it practically shimmers in the sun and that it whispers when the wind is blowing. We also saw lots of cows, plus calves! The calves were so cute, they were still young enough to hop around and play with each other.

The ride out on Saturday was murder, with a terrible headwind the whole ride. It took us SIX HOURS to get to Taylor. There was a town fair going on, and some lovely historical buildings to see, but we were so worn out that we barely had the energy to drag ourselves out to eat. We stayed in the hotel the rest of the evening and went to bed early, fearing that we might have to call friends for a ride back the next day. Luckily the wind was calmer on Sunday, and mostly in our favor. We cut the ride down to three and a half hours. I also managed not to get sunburned, which is practically a miracle.

I feel oddly good today, and not very sore at all. I really didn't think I could do it. Now I actually would like to try another trip in the future.

Dane and I got back on Monday from a few days in Atlanta/Athens. We visited family and friends in Atlanta and then drove to Athens for a wedding (and related festivities) in which Dane was the best man. It was a lovely wedding, and congratulations go out to Scott and Amy.

Also, if someone ever offers you a layered drink (possibly called a "weekend"), don't drink it.

Introducing Two Nerd Party, a review blog that Dane and I collaborate on! We'll be reviewing food, recipes, and all manner of drinks.

We finally got Rock Band for the Xbox last night. I immediately went to download the Nine Inch Nails songpack, and what did I discover? They are offering "Still Alive". FOR FREE. Somehow, I completely missed this news. Of course, we played it a couple of times, to let both of us try out our lyrical stylings.

The rest of the game? Yeah, it's awesome. My current rocker is a total badass. I mostly played Solo Tour last night, but we did do a bit of Band Quickplay.

As much as I love Austin, I'm still not totally comfortable here. The whole attitude of the city aligns way better with me than Atlanta ever did, but there are a few things I had in Atlanta that I don't have here. It mostly comes down to having a group of friends to do stuff with. I've had a hard time meeting people here (with the exception of an excellent gaming group).

I've had no luck whatsoever finding drinking buddies. Sure, I've had a couple of casual outings for happy hour. What I need is a dedicated group to go to the Gingerman for pint glass night every week. Big bonus for people who are totally down with getting together randomly during the week, getting trashed, and watching Red vs Blue (or throwing down in Mario Party).

Next big one is a knitting group. I've been to a couple here, and while everyone has been super nice, they kinda don't "get" me. The conversation at one of them mostly centered around family stuff, and everyone's eyes sort of glazed over when I started the nerd talk. I miss the tattooed, beer-drinkin', caffeine junkie badasses I used to knit with. I hear that there's a similar group that meets downtown, but haven't checked it out. It'd also be nice if there was something near me instead of downtown.

Finally, I need somebody to go dancing with. The last time I got all gothed up was for DragonCon. YES, I'M A GOTH AT HEART AND I WANT TO GO STOMPY DANCE TO INDUSTRIAL MUSIC, OK? I also need an excuse to make more hairpieces. They're fun.

Obvious bonus points for anyone who fits into ALL of the above categories. I probably need to get out more and talk to people, as I think a Craigslist ad would just bring the creepy.