Welcome to 2006

You may have read in the news media how parts of Nevada were under water. We were...about one half a foot of water at the most and not everywhere. Folks from Louisiana and Mississippi should point and laugh at us. Technically, it's a flood, I suppose, but it's kinda of wussy. Carson City will manage to get federal disaster money out of it, somehow.

Here's a picture of the Carson City intersection mentioned in this Nevada Appeal article taken a couple hours after the worst of the water had gone away (it's a block away from our house). The Telegraph Street river was moving west to east (right to left in the picture) at a fairly good rate for a city road. It wasn't the only challenge on the west side of Carson; sand bags were put up all over the place, and crossing streets by foot and vehicle was a challenge. The west side of Carson Street, Roop, Curry and Saliman were all closed at one time or another due to water over the roadways. Those are the town's main north-west traffic arteries.

Regionally, the western Nevada/California mountain passes, including I-80, are still struggling to remain open. The Truckee River in Reno crested a few inches below the high crest mark made during the New Years Flood of 1997 and is now receding, though there is water damage through the Truckee Meadows. There's another wet front moving through tomorrow.

I'm a little ashamed that I didn't get out to help the neighborhood folks sandbag yesterday, but I was having my own kind of fun. Had a horrible night Saturday morning with my ear infection going into my sinuses, so I went out into the Carson City flood to find a doctor to examine my head. There are three urgent care centers relatively close and two were a few inches under water, and the third one was closed. So I had to choose bronchitis (I always get it when my sinuses fill up) or go to the hospital emergency room. Easy choice.

So for the fourth time in December, a Moore went to the brand-new hospital up on the hill. Nice thing about a six-inch-foot flood: people have to work really hard to injure themselves. Otherwise, they stay inside and don't do anything stupid. I was in and out of the ER in less than an hour with antibiotics and a nose spray. Went home, medicated myself, and crashed.

New Year's at the Moore's was understated to say the least. Daughters has a couple of friends over. We all woke up in time for midnight, toasted in the new era with carbonated apple juice, then we all went to bed.

Went driving around this morning to see the damage. The Carson Mall parking lot is one big muddle puddle and some streets are blocked off until the city can get some bulldozers in there to scoop up the mud. Otherwise, traffic and people seem to be moving on.

And in the category of "It's all about me," here's my 2005 summation:

1. What did you do in 2005 that you'd never done before?
Stuck to a physical fitness routine.

2. Did you keep your New Years resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Took more responsibility for losing weight. The minor success has inspired more resolutions.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Co-workers.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Grama. :-(

5. What countries did you visit?
California. It is its own special dimension.

6. What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005?
Black nano.

7. What date from 2005 will remain etched upon your memory?
October 19

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Became a bicylist and a blogger. Pretty sad.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Didn't get a full-time job that mattered.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Had my appendix out

11. What was the best thing you bought?
IPod shuffle.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
The Bush administration's's continued arrogance.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Credit card bills

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Nothing

16. What song/album will always remind you of 2005?
None.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?
Sadder

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Been a friend

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Ate

20. How did you spend Christmas?
With the family

22. Did you fall in love in 2005?
Stayed in love

23. How many one night stands in this last year?
365. (Does it count if they were with the same person?)

24. What was your favorite TV program?
Baseball

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Yes.

26. What was the best book you read?
Time Traveler's Wife

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
IPod Shuffle

28. What did you want and get?
Scrubs on DVD

29. What did you want and not get?
Best Buy gift card

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
Serenity

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
44 - got older

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Mo' money - Less Bills

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005?
Redneck Nevadan - blue jeans and leather coat

34. What kept you sane?
Doom

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you like the most?
Joss Whedon

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
There's a long list there...but the lies about torture pushed my button.

37. Who did you miss?
My grandparents and my daughter while she was gone.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
Don't think I met anyone new...

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year?
"Put your left leg, take your left leg out..." Not really. Hell if I know.

Bottom Line: 2005 sucked. 2006 will be better.