Oh, yeah, Helen's a happy camper.
Saturday, December 02, 2006
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Monday, September 11, 2006
9/11
September 11, 2001 was an epic event in the lives of many people around the world, especially Americans. The painful and tragic stories of the victims and their families and friends have been torturously documented and absorbed by a collective American society which continues to be divided about the causes, actions, issues and responsibilities pertaining to the event. The latest controversial firestorm centers around ABC's fictional docu-drama The Path to 9/11, which has renewed the divisive discussions.
The raw emotions of 9/11 are deep wounds that have never fully healed for many. Indeed, we don't need big scale items such as the wars in Afganistan and Iraq to keep us constantly reminiscent -- every day insignificant events such as glancing down at my watch and seeing 9:11 triggers flashbacks to our generation's "Day of Infamy."
I can't lay claim to harrowing tales of escape from the WTC, but it is human nature to imagine one's connection with the "what if's" of fate. It is probably unavoidable for all of us to think about our personal connection to 9/11, and how our lives and outlook has been changed by it. One of our friends who lives in Michigan, for instance, will forever be impacted by 9/11 even though to my knowledge she did not lose anyone. Her son's birthday happens to be September 11th, and after that day he cried and told his mother that he was afraid his birthday was never going to be a happy day again. It's been a number of years since we've spoken to this friend, and hopefully her son has been able to transcend this emotional trauma. A former colleague who lived in a high-rise near the towers was cursed with an unfortunate ringside view of the unfolding events. Whereas most of us watched from the removed separation of our television sets, he probably witnessed the horror from his window, curled up hugging his own knees and crying uncontrollably. At least that's how I imagine he saw it. Later I heard how he was permanently traumatized by seeing people jump from the towers, and how he turned more and more to alcohol and drugs, showing up to work trashed when he showed up at all. He soon left the company and dropped off everyone's radar.
Five years ago today I woke up late - around 8:45 - because Helen was scheduled for a doctor's appointment later that morning. As was my routine, I turned on the morning news while making coffee. I remember the TV signal cutting out for a few seconds, replaced by a screen of snow. Before I could finish cursing the cable company, the picture came back showing the World Trade Center with smoke coming out of one of the towers. At first there was some uncertainty about what had happened. The broadcasters talked about a plane hitting the tower. I woke Helen and we watched helplessly as the world quickly spun completely out of control and comprehension.
Just the week before I'd been laid off from my job along with 400 other people caught in the latest ripples of the tech bubble implosion. I'd signed up for an outplacement workshop to be held at the World Trade Center on September 13th, but at the last minute finagled a change to an earlier session held at a different location. I think I just wanted to get it over with as soon as possible. In the days after September 11th, I couldn't help but play through the "what if's" in my mind. What if I didn't change my outplacement session? What if there wasn't room in the earlier session and I had to keep my originally scheduled date? What if the terrorists had chosen September 13th or 14th instead of the 11th? What if on one of those days I arrived early to go up to the observation deck to take in the views or to have breakfast at Windows on the World? Although I'd lived in New York most of my life, I'd never been to the World Trade Center. It was not past the realm of possibility that I would take advantage of having to be there. My mind and imagination spent many dark hours measuring the cosmic distance between my small insignificant life and this apocalyptic event.
As everyone in New York talked about 9/11 in the months following, I heard many stories of people who were supposed to be in one of the towers that day but for one reason or another were not. These stories from the news and from people I actually knew made me realize how many had been going through the same feelings and helped to create the emotional distance necessary to bring life slowly back to something approaching normal. The road to normal was a long one for New York. There were the never-ending updates that filled the media channels. Weekly bomb scares caused evacuations of entire areas and flashbacks of panic. Every lamp post and community area had posters and pictures of missing people. New Yorkers couldn't help but talk about 9/11, and the energy and spirit of the city's people and public places were abnormally subdued for months.
I don't really remember when life returned to a sense of normal for me - probably because I left New York before it happened. I do remember that when we first arrived in Washington, everyone we met who learned that we just moved from New York wanted to talk about 9/11. They couldn't help but ask and in some odd way I felt as if we were soldiers returning from the front lines, sharing our first hand accounts. For us, it became an eerie and immediate connection to people, and reinforced the scale and reach of 9/11.
On this significant anniversary of 9/11, I was again taken back to that time by all the new and recycled documentaries and programs that seemed to fill the TV schedule. I must admit I sought them out. One of the most compelling was PBS's Faith and Doubt at Ground Zero, which examines 9/11 not through the typical lenses of intent, culpability, causal history or statistics, but rather by attempting to answer the unanswerable questions: Where was God on September 11th? What is the nature of evil? Is religion to blame, or is it all we have?
There were many many thought-provoking moments in that program, moments that shocked as well as enlightened my own belief and faith:
* Dr. David Benke, a Lutheran minister who participated in the interfaith "Prayer for America" held at Yankee Stadium on September 23, 2001 was accused of heresy and expelled from his post by the New York Area Lutheran Church. His "crime" was leading a prayer in a forum with leaders from other faiths, thereby lending credence to the notion that all religions are equal. It caused Dr. Benke to question his own religious beliefs as well as the concept of religion itself.
* Margo Adler, an NPR Correspondent, talked about a single line spoken by Vladimir Putin during an interview which chillingly epitomized how the hijackers could carry out such atrocities --
Vladimir Putin came to National Public Radio and gave an interview. And this became a big affair, and there were news articles about it all over the place. But the one thing that he said that I haven't forgotten- and it was never quoted anywhere. It was in no news story. But when I heard it, literally, the hair on the back of my wrists just stood up straight.
He was asked, "Well," you know, "what do you think about- what do you think when Regan said `the evil empire?' " You know, "What was your attitude?" And he said, "Well, I thought it was- you know, it was sort of a way of speaking. It was an exaggeration." And then the interviewer said to him, "Well," you know, "when George Bush talks about the"- you know, "Usama bin Laden as evil," you know, "do you think it's also a turn of phrase?" And Putin said, "No. I think that is really mild language. I have many words for them, but I couldn't say them on the air." And then he said, "We are as dust to them." That was the line that got me, "We are as dust to them."
So maybe what evil is, on some level, is when you get- when you believe in something so utterly that you lose your sense that a human being is a human being, when you feel that you can go into a building and kill 3,000 people and it doesn't matter because you are so focused on what you think is perfection and good, maybe that is a definition of evil. It's a kind of estrangement, though. It's an estrangement from your connection that these other human beings, the ones that are jumping out the window to the bottom, are just like you.
And that is probably the deepest religious perception that liberal religious tradition puts forward, that we are, you know, all human beings together on this planet in the same way, with certain kinds of values. And that's clearly what was lost.
* Dasha Rittenberg, a Holocaust survivor, pierced at my belief in God with unparriable words of experience --
I can only describe evil by giving you what I remember. Not what I read in books, but what I with my own eyes and ears heard and saw. Evil. What happened to my parents? They were the last people to leave the ghetto and they were taken to Auschwitz. I know that they were burned into ashes. My mother, my father, my three brothers, my younger sister, my uncles, my aunts, their children, burned into ashes. That's all I have seen in humanity is evil. I have seen hangings. I have seen shootings. I saw one man, his name was Mischka. He was a Ukranian. He was drunk. He would just go killing every single day. He had to have his blood on his hands -- Jewish blood. Evil. You want to hear more? So? All the ghetto life, the hunger, the poverty, the lice that were crawling on my body. Evil. Evil people just patting their dogs and then killing a child because it was Jewish. Evil? OK? Hitting, slapping, for no reason, because you were not even in line with the next person. Being hit by dogs and bitten -- the blood running out of your feet. Evil. People would go to sleep every night and get up in the morning and eat and drink and be evil. Were they too created in the image of God? I don't know. What does it say about God?
* I marvelled at Brian Doyle's essay and Ian McEwan's interview which showcase an inspiring ability to extract the message of love from the inconceivable horrors of seeing people jump from the burning towers.
This anniversary has affected me much more than I would have ever imagined. I have spent more time and energy in reflection and remembrance than at any time since 2001. The past few days have certainly revealed that the wound is still raw and deep. The answers are still not clear.
The raw emotions of 9/11 are deep wounds that have never fully healed for many. Indeed, we don't need big scale items such as the wars in Afganistan and Iraq to keep us constantly reminiscent -- every day insignificant events such as glancing down at my watch and seeing 9:11 triggers flashbacks to our generation's "Day of Infamy."
I can't lay claim to harrowing tales of escape from the WTC, but it is human nature to imagine one's connection with the "what if's" of fate. It is probably unavoidable for all of us to think about our personal connection to 9/11, and how our lives and outlook has been changed by it. One of our friends who lives in Michigan, for instance, will forever be impacted by 9/11 even though to my knowledge she did not lose anyone. Her son's birthday happens to be September 11th, and after that day he cried and told his mother that he was afraid his birthday was never going to be a happy day again. It's been a number of years since we've spoken to this friend, and hopefully her son has been able to transcend this emotional trauma. A former colleague who lived in a high-rise near the towers was cursed with an unfortunate ringside view of the unfolding events. Whereas most of us watched from the removed separation of our television sets, he probably witnessed the horror from his window, curled up hugging his own knees and crying uncontrollably. At least that's how I imagine he saw it. Later I heard how he was permanently traumatized by seeing people jump from the towers, and how he turned more and more to alcohol and drugs, showing up to work trashed when he showed up at all. He soon left the company and dropped off everyone's radar.
Five years ago today I woke up late - around 8:45 - because Helen was scheduled for a doctor's appointment later that morning. As was my routine, I turned on the morning news while making coffee. I remember the TV signal cutting out for a few seconds, replaced by a screen of snow. Before I could finish cursing the cable company, the picture came back showing the World Trade Center with smoke coming out of one of the towers. At first there was some uncertainty about what had happened. The broadcasters talked about a plane hitting the tower. I woke Helen and we watched helplessly as the world quickly spun completely out of control and comprehension.
Just the week before I'd been laid off from my job along with 400 other people caught in the latest ripples of the tech bubble implosion. I'd signed up for an outplacement workshop to be held at the World Trade Center on September 13th, but at the last minute finagled a change to an earlier session held at a different location. I think I just wanted to get it over with as soon as possible. In the days after September 11th, I couldn't help but play through the "what if's" in my mind. What if I didn't change my outplacement session? What if there wasn't room in the earlier session and I had to keep my originally scheduled date? What if the terrorists had chosen September 13th or 14th instead of the 11th? What if on one of those days I arrived early to go up to the observation deck to take in the views or to have breakfast at Windows on the World? Although I'd lived in New York most of my life, I'd never been to the World Trade Center. It was not past the realm of possibility that I would take advantage of having to be there. My mind and imagination spent many dark hours measuring the cosmic distance between my small insignificant life and this apocalyptic event.
As everyone in New York talked about 9/11 in the months following, I heard many stories of people who were supposed to be in one of the towers that day but for one reason or another were not. These stories from the news and from people I actually knew made me realize how many had been going through the same feelings and helped to create the emotional distance necessary to bring life slowly back to something approaching normal. The road to normal was a long one for New York. There were the never-ending updates that filled the media channels. Weekly bomb scares caused evacuations of entire areas and flashbacks of panic. Every lamp post and community area had posters and pictures of missing people. New Yorkers couldn't help but talk about 9/11, and the energy and spirit of the city's people and public places were abnormally subdued for months.
I don't really remember when life returned to a sense of normal for me - probably because I left New York before it happened. I do remember that when we first arrived in Washington, everyone we met who learned that we just moved from New York wanted to talk about 9/11. They couldn't help but ask and in some odd way I felt as if we were soldiers returning from the front lines, sharing our first hand accounts. For us, it became an eerie and immediate connection to people, and reinforced the scale and reach of 9/11.
On this significant anniversary of 9/11, I was again taken back to that time by all the new and recycled documentaries and programs that seemed to fill the TV schedule. I must admit I sought them out. One of the most compelling was PBS's Faith and Doubt at Ground Zero, which examines 9/11 not through the typical lenses of intent, culpability, causal history or statistics, but rather by attempting to answer the unanswerable questions: Where was God on September 11th? What is the nature of evil? Is religion to blame, or is it all we have?
There were many many thought-provoking moments in that program, moments that shocked as well as enlightened my own belief and faith:
* Dr. David Benke, a Lutheran minister who participated in the interfaith "Prayer for America" held at Yankee Stadium on September 23, 2001 was accused of heresy and expelled from his post by the New York Area Lutheran Church. His "crime" was leading a prayer in a forum with leaders from other faiths, thereby lending credence to the notion that all religions are equal. It caused Dr. Benke to question his own religious beliefs as well as the concept of religion itself.
* Margo Adler, an NPR Correspondent, talked about a single line spoken by Vladimir Putin during an interview which chillingly epitomized how the hijackers could carry out such atrocities --
Vladimir Putin came to National Public Radio and gave an interview. And this became a big affair, and there were news articles about it all over the place. But the one thing that he said that I haven't forgotten- and it was never quoted anywhere. It was in no news story. But when I heard it, literally, the hair on the back of my wrists just stood up straight.
He was asked, "Well," you know, "what do you think about- what do you think when Regan said `the evil empire?' " You know, "What was your attitude?" And he said, "Well, I thought it was- you know, it was sort of a way of speaking. It was an exaggeration." And then the interviewer said to him, "Well," you know, "when George Bush talks about the"- you know, "Usama bin Laden as evil," you know, "do you think it's also a turn of phrase?" And Putin said, "No. I think that is really mild language. I have many words for them, but I couldn't say them on the air." And then he said, "We are as dust to them." That was the line that got me, "We are as dust to them."
So maybe what evil is, on some level, is when you get- when you believe in something so utterly that you lose your sense that a human being is a human being, when you feel that you can go into a building and kill 3,000 people and it doesn't matter because you are so focused on what you think is perfection and good, maybe that is a definition of evil. It's a kind of estrangement, though. It's an estrangement from your connection that these other human beings, the ones that are jumping out the window to the bottom, are just like you.
And that is probably the deepest religious perception that liberal religious tradition puts forward, that we are, you know, all human beings together on this planet in the same way, with certain kinds of values. And that's clearly what was lost.
* Dasha Rittenberg, a Holocaust survivor, pierced at my belief in God with unparriable words of experience --
I can only describe evil by giving you what I remember. Not what I read in books, but what I with my own eyes and ears heard and saw. Evil. What happened to my parents? They were the last people to leave the ghetto and they were taken to Auschwitz. I know that they were burned into ashes. My mother, my father, my three brothers, my younger sister, my uncles, my aunts, their children, burned into ashes. That's all I have seen in humanity is evil. I have seen hangings. I have seen shootings. I saw one man, his name was Mischka. He was a Ukranian. He was drunk. He would just go killing every single day. He had to have his blood on his hands -- Jewish blood. Evil. You want to hear more? So? All the ghetto life, the hunger, the poverty, the lice that were crawling on my body. Evil. Evil people just patting their dogs and then killing a child because it was Jewish. Evil? OK? Hitting, slapping, for no reason, because you were not even in line with the next person. Being hit by dogs and bitten -- the blood running out of your feet. Evil. People would go to sleep every night and get up in the morning and eat and drink and be evil. Were they too created in the image of God? I don't know. What does it say about God?
* I marvelled at Brian Doyle's essay and Ian McEwan's interview which showcase an inspiring ability to extract the message of love from the inconceivable horrors of seeing people jump from the burning towers.
This anniversary has affected me much more than I would have ever imagined. I have spent more time and energy in reflection and remembrance than at any time since 2001. The past few days have certainly revealed that the wound is still raw and deep. The answers are still not clear.
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Sidewalk art
Most of you have probably seen Julian Beever's artwork on the net. Truly amazing. Something I'd love to see in person someday.
Friday, September 01, 2006
Farewell Corndawg
Friday was Jeff's last day at Cingular. Although his tenure at Cingular (and AWS before that) lasted over 3 years, Corndawg's only been with our group for little more than a year.
In that time he's proven to be industrious, creative and extremely capable. More than that, he's brought a zany energy to our group. Jeff is famous for his office wagers - not the type that involves money, but that more rare and sweetest of prizes - bragging rights. Who can forget the famous Super Bowl wager? Or the endless rounds of cubicle plinking and paper football? His cube was always like Grand Central Station - noisy, chatty, pealing with laughter, and heavily trafficked. Newly minted colleagues and oldtimers alike were instantly drawn into Jeff's circle. A visit to the Corndawg Corner guaranteed a lightening of the proverbial load, no matter what time of day or what mess needed to be solved.
In short, Jeff always brought an extra helping of fun to share with his fellow citizens of Dilbertland. He was by far the most beloved character of our little bunch. So much so that there wasn't just one, but three going away parties. We'll miss ya, Corndawg.
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Best use of a Segway
The Mariners get my vote for best use (and implementation) of a Segway transport.
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Happy Anniversary!
Yesterday was Helen and my 7th anniversary, and I've got a hunch it'll be one of our most memorable. Neither of us finds it necessary to go overboard to celebrate special days - birthdays, Valentines Day, anniversaries. We'll go out to a nice dinner or go for drinks, but my feeling is I can choose to make any day a special day, and I don't freak out if people don't make a big deal on my behalf. I'm pretty sure Helen's of the same mindset, so we weren't upset or perturbed when the latest launch was scheduled on the night of our anniversary. When we entered the Willows campus conference room a little after midnight, our colleagues gave us a round of applause and a hearty chorus of "Happy Anniversary!" J-Fo even brought us an anniversary balloon attached to a bag of candy. It was very sweet. Did I mention the team we work with is simply awesome? They are smart, hard working, dedicated, creative, and generally happy funny people who are passionate about the work but can totally pal around with you. Most of the people on our team are people I'd want to be friends with even if I didn't work with them. They are, without a doubt, the best reason I have to go to work every day.
So this is the way Helen and I spent the night of our 7th anniversary - laughing and working with a bunch of the smartest, nicest people you'd ever find in Redmond on a Tuesday night. For the first couple of hours, while we were waiting for the new code to be installed, we entertained ourselves by watching funny clips, amazing b-ball dunks, and listening to "Working Where The Sun Don't Shine" (The Colorectal Surgeon's Song). Thanks for sharing, Jeff.
As it turned out, the launch didn't go as planned, and night turned into day (look at the window in the 2 pictures at left) as we conducted a rollback.
We were all dead tired as the hours mounted and people fresh from their full night's sleep and morning Starbucks started rolling into the office. A couple of them happened into the conference room, looked at us, and backed out with a "wet puppy" look of sympathy. Or maybe they were just scared of Tish, who for some reason started to transform into the unabomber.
Besides the obviously disappointing failure to launch, there was only one other thing that was amiss - the notable absence of PJ, who had been a fixture at all of our prior launches. This time, PJ was scheduled for the "day shift" covering for all the folks who were on the night shift. With the unforseen problems during rollback, it got late (or early) enough that PJ actually made it in to commiserate with us, and to take over for the deployment team. With the rollback complete, Helen and I headed home to let Jack out and get some rest. I don't know which member of the team was the last to leave, but my bet would be on Oliver.It may not be most people's idea of a happy anniversary, but I know this is one night I'll look back on with great fondness.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Friends don't let friends watch golf
One of the Senior PGA tour stops takes place right in our neighborhood and residents get free passes to the event, so we walked over to the clubhouse and attended our first ever professional golf event. Let me tell you - as boring as golf is on television, wathing it live is 1000 times more boring. On television they use cutaways and multiple cameras allow you to see the golfers up close and see the concentration on their faces. After the action is over at one hole they can zip you over to another part of the course - editing out the long pauses between shots and the even longer wait while the players are taking their sweet time sauntering down the fairway. These guys may be able to hit the ball 300 yards, but they sure ain't breaking any track records getting to the ball for the next shot. Watching golf live you totally lose the magical benefits of technology and editing which at least has some measure of success in keeping your attention. There's probably a greater difference between golf the television experience and golf live than any sport I can think of. Maybe if it was the regular PGA tour instead of the Legends it might be more exciting.
So the lesson here kids, don't let your pals trick you into going to watch a golf tournament at least until you can officially become a member of AARP. Resist with all your might. Don't let them fool ya with the old "it's more exciting watching them live" or "it's just like going to the Mariner game." But then again, I guess it's still not as bad as getting poked in the eye with a stick. I think.
Monday, August 21, 2006
Bring out the brooms
Over the wall of my Dilbert cubicle today came Heidi's mournful voice, "The Yankees swept!" Her lament wasn't directed at me, but at Jeff - our resident sports fanatic and die-hard Mariner fan. Both native Washingtonians, they have an ingrained hatred of all New York teams, and the Yankees in particular. Of course, I dared not snicker out loud, though I couldn't help breaking out into what must have been an evil grin. Good thing for cubicle walls.I know I shouldn't revel in the misery of Sawx fans, and I'll probably go to hell, or worse, suffer the wrath of the baseball gods by swallowing a late September collapse of my beloved pinstripers. But I have to share this gem of a blog post I found on www.survivinggrady.com
Here's everything you need to know about yesterday's game in a nutshell: In the bottom of the fourth, down 3-0, we came screaming back with two walks and four straight hits -- one of them a Manny home run -- to take the lead, 4-3. We had the Unit scrambling and in the dugout, you could just see Francona snuggling up to Momentum, slowly but craftily working his hands to the buttons of her blouse. In short, everything starting to look our way. Then Kapler comes up with the bases loaded and a chance to blow it all apart... and meekly grounds into a double play to end the inning. Just like that, Momentum picks up her sweater and pocketbook and heads across the field.
Later, in the top of the sixth, the Yanks loaded the bases on three straight walks, and Jorge Posada stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and a chance to blow it all apart. And he does, smacking a triple to no man's land.
See, that's a big difference. Whenever they needed the big hit, they got it. When we did, we didn't. And it hasn't helped that our pitching has suckled the teat of crudliness for the past three games.
I knew it had the chance to be bad, this series, but I'll be honest -- I didn't expect the schoolyard beat-down that's been going on. This has been an embarassment of epic porportions, punctuated by moments of baseball so profoundly bad, I've been forced to wonder how this team has kept my hopes aloft for the better part of this season. Each subsequent game has brought horrors more ghastly and inexplicable than the previous, to the point that if Abreau and Damon simply drove a pick-up truck around the bases, mowing our players down one-by-one, I probably wouldn't flinch. This is bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad baseball. Giving up 28 walks to one of the most offensively potent line-ups in the game? No soup for you, my friends. No soup for you.
Despite my sudden urge to booze up and riot, I'll keep myself grounded with the thought that if we win the next two games, we'll be only two and a half games behind the Yankees. And we could still -- mathematically if not realistically -- catch 'em.
But, seriously, if Curt coughs up six runs in the first couple innings tonight, I'm gonna have to wash my hands of this series and just put on some porno.
So delicious.
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Giddy Up Pinstrippers
When the Red Sox - Yankees series was approaching this weekend, I couldn't have imagined a better outcome than what has transpired so far. The Bombers won both games of a double header on Friday, with prodigal son Johnny Damon returning to torment the Fenway faithful.
Saturday the Yanks followed up Friday's twin killing with another pounding of the Sox. I gleefully imbibed the self torment of Red Sox Nation by reading through a few of the numerous fan blogs.
Just when you didn't think it could get any better, Sunday night the Sox took a 5-3 lead into the 8th inning only to see it wiped out with 2 outs in the 9th on a Derek Jeter flair to right to score Melky Cabrera. Giambi and Posada followed with home runs in the 10th, and Rivera closed the deal on a most excruciating loss. Of course the pennant's not won yet, and you just know it's going to get down to the wire...but it's not a bad time to be a Yankee fan.
Saturday the Yanks followed up Friday's twin killing with another pounding of the Sox. I gleefully imbibed the self torment of Red Sox Nation by reading through a few of the numerous fan blogs.
Just when you didn't think it could get any better, Sunday night the Sox took a 5-3 lead into the 8th inning only to see it wiped out with 2 outs in the 9th on a Derek Jeter flair to right to score Melky Cabrera. Giambi and Posada followed with home runs in the 10th, and Rivera closed the deal on a most excruciating loss. Of course the pennant's not won yet, and you just know it's going to get down to the wire...but it's not a bad time to be a Yankee fan.
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Saturday, July 15, 2006
Cycling along the Sammamish River
Just as I was settling into my work routine this morning, our friend PJ called to propose a bike ride along the Sammamish River Trail. Reflecting on all the sun and fun we both missed out on last summer, I had to go for it. The weather couldn't have been nicer - mid-70's, sunny, with a slight breeze to help ventilate. Lots of folks were out with the same idea on such a gorgeous weekend, but the crowds thinned out as we made our way toward the wineries. Just before the sod farms we rode by a model air field where enthusiasts were launching their non-motorized planes. It was the first long ride of the season, so we took an easy pace to build up our "bicycle butts." What an awesome way to start the weekend.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Helen's Weekend Project
Helen's become enchanted with the large variety of birds that live in the Northwest. Since we haven't planted any trees or shrubs yet, the only birds we get are crows and finches. So Helen got a nice bird house, which she painted and put in our back yard.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
A picture is worth... (part 2)
If you're gonna call yourself Creative Girl...you gotta do better than this.
Monday, July 10, 2006
A picture is worth...
My blog friend Stella recently despaired about not having the time, energy, motivation, or a combo platter of all three to write in her blog. Stella laments that sometimes she takes the easy way out by simply posting a picture instead of crafting some rivoting observations. The truth is she puts most of us non-professional-web-pundits to shame and I'm personally in awe of her.
As you can undoubtedly surmise from my efforts, I'm a firm believer in the power of pictures (or lack of motivation - take your pick). I recently came upon a primo example to prove my thesis. So here it is - dedicated to my friend Stella.
As you can undoubtedly surmise from my efforts, I'm a firm believer in the power of pictures (or lack of motivation - take your pick). I recently came upon a primo example to prove my thesis. So here it is - dedicated to my friend Stella.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Stop the drama puh-leeze!
During the morning commute I listened to Frank Deford lament about the death of American tennis because there were no Yanks left in this year's Wimbledon tournament. Deford ascribes such significance to the event as to call it the "first crack in the edifice of the American Empire."
What sappy, self-absorbed, melodramatic crawp! Wasn't it just a couple of years ago that the Williams sisters dominated women's pro tennis? The sisters won 5 of the last 6 Wimbledons! Didn't Andy Roddick and Pete Sampras sneak in back-to-back US Open Championships just a couple of years ago? What is Deford talking about???!!! The way he makes it sound, US tennis is suffering a drought of biblical proportions. To compound his folly, Deford spends half of his commentary providing us with his reasons and excuses why American tennis has been lulled into hibernation.
It's exactly the type of sensational journalism that feeds the American stereotype. We experience a hiccup in American dominance in one of our traditionally strong sports and it's the end of the world. Frank...do us a favor - keep this type of drivel pent in until no American wins a major for at least 3 years.
What sappy, self-absorbed, melodramatic crawp! Wasn't it just a couple of years ago that the Williams sisters dominated women's pro tennis? The sisters won 5 of the last 6 Wimbledons! Didn't Andy Roddick and Pete Sampras sneak in back-to-back US Open Championships just a couple of years ago? What is Deford talking about???!!! The way he makes it sound, US tennis is suffering a drought of biblical proportions. To compound his folly, Deford spends half of his commentary providing us with his reasons and excuses why American tennis has been lulled into hibernation.
It's exactly the type of sensational journalism that feeds the American stereotype. We experience a hiccup in American dominance in one of our traditionally strong sports and it's the end of the world. Frank...do us a favor - keep this type of drivel pent in until no American wins a major for at least 3 years.
Sunday, July 02, 2006
Blue C
Helen and I took advantage of the holiday weekend by heading into Seattle. Based on our experiences in New York, we hypothesized that the city would be empty as people head out of town. We headed to U Village intending to grab some lunch, look around the shops, and catch the Yankees-Mets game at The Ram.
I'm happy to report we went 2 for 3. We did wander around the shops, all relatively empty for such a beautiful Sunday afternoon. Lunch was at the quirky "Kaiten" sushi joint Blue C. The entire place is built around a conveyor belt system which whips around bringing an assortment of dishes to every seat in the house. You just pick off what you want, or wait for the next group of dishes to roll by. The decor is simple and modern, almost Warholesque. The not-quite-subdued techno beat playing in the background was tuned just right - a few decibles below annoying but always noticeable. You could tune it out if you were talking or you could surrender to its invitation for bopping in your chair.
The food was quite good. Fresh, good quality, and enough of an assortment for both the raw buff and the sushi-squeamish. We especially enjoyed the Spider roll, Unagi roll and the Japanese cream puffs. I quite recommend a visit if you're in U Village and in the mood for a quick meal.
The Yankees-Mets game was rain delayed so I ended up watching the game from home. All in all, a most enjoyable Sunday.
Sunday, June 25, 2006
America's Got Talent
Been watching one of the spin offs from American Idol called "America's Got Talent." It's a similar formula, but almost like Idol on fast forward. The acts come out, do their stuff, get passed to the next round or buzzed off - never to return.
Lots of funny stuff, and some really incredible talent, like the guys in this video.
Lots of funny stuff, and some really incredible talent, like the guys in this video.
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Monday, June 05, 2006
Lights Out!
Sports and athletes never cease to amaze me. Here's LeBron James making some unbelievable shots at practice.
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Funniest Synopsis Ever
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Laziness...that's what it is
Man it's been a long time since I've posted anything but pictures - call it being boring, or too busy, or just plain laziness. At least the weather's getting nice and we can take Jack for some nice walks around the 'hood.
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Damn I forgot my skis!
We've had an exceptional snow year, and even though the ski areas officially closed last weekend, there's still a lot of it around. As it so happens, Jack absolutely looooves the snow, so as dutiful dog parents, we drove out to the Pass to let him get his fill.
Friday, April 14, 2006
Chasing a Rainbow
On the drive home today we got to chase a rainbow. Amazing - I've never seen the end of the rainbow before!
Monday, April 03, 2006
Reasons to visit the blog(vlog)sphere # 37
There are some seriously talented people out there. Here are two 14-year-old girls we'll be hearing on the radio some day.
Friday, March 24, 2006
Parenting quote of the month
At a party tonight, two colleagues were talking about the challenges of raising teenage kids. After swapping some stories and sharing some commiserating similarities, the inevitable question came up:
"So how many do you have?"
"Two - a boy and a girl. How many do you have?"
"We have three. With two you can handle them one-on-one...with 3 you have to play zone."
"So how many do you have?"
"Two - a boy and a girl. How many do you have?"
"We have three. With two you can handle them one-on-one...with 3 you have to play zone."
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Can we kick them out of the union?
The state of Texas is arresting people who are drunk - in bars! In an attempt to prevent disorderly conduct and drunk driving, undercover officers are going into bars and arresting anyone who is considered to be overly intoxicated. I'm all for stopping drunk drivers -- but arresting drunken people while they're in the bar???!!! What kind of sense is this?
On the news report I saw a woman who was arrested while she was partying in her hotel bar. She didn't have any intention of driving, since she'd just go upstairs to her room! A few of the folks arrested for drunk and disorderly had designated drivers with them! This is scary, and I hope these people sue the hell out of the Lone Star state. I think Texas has easily taken the lead in the dumbass state competition with this one.
On the news report I saw a woman who was arrested while she was partying in her hotel bar. She didn't have any intention of driving, since she'd just go upstairs to her room! A few of the folks arrested for drunk and disorderly had designated drivers with them! This is scary, and I hope these people sue the hell out of the Lone Star state. I think Texas has easily taken the lead in the dumbass state competition with this one.
Sunday, March 19, 2006
Spring is coming, spring is coming!
Another absolutely stunning day in Snoqualmie.
Spring is definitely in the air.
Golden girl.
Walking towards Mt. Si and home.
I guess we can put up with the winter rain if we get this three seasons out of the year.
Spring is definitely in the air.
Golden girl.
Walking towards Mt. Si and home.
I guess we can put up with the winter rain if we get this three seasons out of the year.
Thursday, March 16, 2006
One simple line of code
Today's subject: a little parable about the complexities and obtuseness of our software dependent world.
Last night during our launch we encountered a problem which provoked the decision to roll back. It wasn't that the code was horribly broken, but the discovery of the issue with only 15 minutes left before the "point-of-no-return" gave us no time to try for a fix.
Ten minutes after the roll back decision was made, the dev team announced that they'd tracked down the bug and that it was a simple one line code change. After weighing the risk against the need to come back and try again the next day, the decision was made to go for it. Everything turned out well and although it took a little longer and some stomach churn, we were able to successfully deploy.
The rub is, right at the start of our night, we'd discovered that a feature that had been working in production was suddenly not working. So during the course of the launch, our talented project manager was working that problem at the same time. All of the different network elements seemed to be working, and we were having no luck tracking down why this feature had stopped working. Early in the evening we found out that one of the gateway teams had been updating some code on the load balancers, but they didn't think that it would have caused the problem. So even after we'd successfully launched our code at 4:45, the team had to stay to work on this new issue. After 6 hours of troubleshooting with an ever growing team of folks on the conference bridge, after waking folks up at 3:00 AM, and through a shift change on some teams, it was discovered that the "one line of code" implemented on the load balancers earlier was indeed the culprit.
One simple line of code...
Last night during our launch we encountered a problem which provoked the decision to roll back. It wasn't that the code was horribly broken, but the discovery of the issue with only 15 minutes left before the "point-of-no-return" gave us no time to try for a fix.
Ten minutes after the roll back decision was made, the dev team announced that they'd tracked down the bug and that it was a simple one line code change. After weighing the risk against the need to come back and try again the next day, the decision was made to go for it. Everything turned out well and although it took a little longer and some stomach churn, we were able to successfully deploy.
The rub is, right at the start of our night, we'd discovered that a feature that had been working in production was suddenly not working. So during the course of the launch, our talented project manager was working that problem at the same time. All of the different network elements seemed to be working, and we were having no luck tracking down why this feature had stopped working. Early in the evening we found out that one of the gateway teams had been updating some code on the load balancers, but they didn't think that it would have caused the problem. So even after we'd successfully launched our code at 4:45, the team had to stay to work on this new issue. After 6 hours of troubleshooting with an ever growing team of folks on the conference bridge, after waking folks up at 3:00 AM, and through a shift change on some teams, it was discovered that the "one line of code" implemented on the load balancers earlier was indeed the culprit.
One simple line of code...
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Yay...it's almost Monday!
You may think I'm crazy but I look forward to Mondays -- because '24' is on Monday nights. Helen and I are addicted to that show - we've seen every episode since the series began.
It's hard to maintain a suspense-filled series from episode to episode, much less from season to season, so I've got to tip my hat to the series' writers. This season they've written even more twists and turns into the plot - starting by killing off 2 of the main characters from previous seasons (President David Palmer and former CTU head Michele Dessler).
In the last episode, Agent Jack Bauer, played by Keifer Sutherland, had to extract information out of a former boss by threatening to shoot him in the knee. Leave it to the dudes at Television Without Pity to come up with the funniest online poll.
It's hard to maintain a suspense-filled series from episode to episode, much less from season to season, so I've got to tip my hat to the series' writers. This season they've written even more twists and turns into the plot - starting by killing off 2 of the main characters from previous seasons (President David Palmer and former CTU head Michele Dessler).
In the last episode, Agent Jack Bauer, played by Keifer Sutherland, had to extract information out of a former boss by threatening to shoot him in the knee. Leave it to the dudes at Television Without Pity to come up with the funniest online poll.
Thursday, March 09, 2006
A rant about fortune and fate
I am saddened and shocked by the news story about a 24-year-old grad student who was brutally raped and murdered in New York. A random act of unspeakable and unimaginable violence that I normally try to block out of my life and my thoughts. It is the type of story which really hits home (literally) for me, since before moving out to Washington I spent most of my life in New York City, grew up in Brooklyn where her body was discovered, and used to play volleyball and basketball at John Jay College where she was getting her masters degree in criminology.
It is the type of news event that most tugs at my feral fears and disturbs my cloak of contentment. This is the stuff that shouldn't happen here, that shouldn't exist period. But when the objective nature of my mind is forced to contemplate this, it is obvious that this heinous event is not so rare on this planet of ours. Things like this happen every day around the world - it just doesn't usually happen here. If we look for it, we can find evidence of senseless suffering in Somalia, Bosnia, Cambodia...it can go on and on...and for most of us, we could not even begin to imagine, much less stomach.
As sad and maddening as this horrible tragedy is, what saddens me more is the knowledge that so many people who are as fortunate as I seem so oblivious to how lucky they are. For instance, there's a former colleague who seems unable to come to the realization that he's not the center of the universe, the cat's meow, or the most unique and creative individual on the face of the planet. And that it's okay to be just ordinary like the rest of us. It's not that he's lacking in intellect or talent, and it's not even that he seems to be "holding out" for the clear recognition of said talent and intellect careerwise. It's that he's been holding out for 5 years, AND totally unwilling to accept perfectly fitting work. We're not talking about flipping burgers at Mickey D's, although there's certainly no shame in that if it pays the rent.
What's probably the saddest part about this friend's state is that he continues to hold the same sanctimonious attitudes about the most silly things. For example this guy
It is the type of news event that most tugs at my feral fears and disturbs my cloak of contentment. This is the stuff that shouldn't happen here, that shouldn't exist period. But when the objective nature of my mind is forced to contemplate this, it is obvious that this heinous event is not so rare on this planet of ours. Things like this happen every day around the world - it just doesn't usually happen here. If we look for it, we can find evidence of senseless suffering in Somalia, Bosnia, Cambodia...it can go on and on...and for most of us, we could not even begin to imagine, much less stomach.
As sad and maddening as this horrible tragedy is, what saddens me more is the knowledge that so many people who are as fortunate as I seem so oblivious to how lucky they are. For instance, there's a former colleague who seems unable to come to the realization that he's not the center of the universe, the cat's meow, or the most unique and creative individual on the face of the planet. And that it's okay to be just ordinary like the rest of us. It's not that he's lacking in intellect or talent, and it's not even that he seems to be "holding out" for the clear recognition of said talent and intellect careerwise. It's that he's been holding out for 5 years, AND totally unwilling to accept perfectly fitting work. We're not talking about flipping burgers at Mickey D's, although there's certainly no shame in that if it pays the rent.
What's probably the saddest part about this friend's state is that he continues to hold the same sanctimonious attitudes about the most silly things. For example this guy
- Refuses to wear anything other than jeans and sneakers, even wielding this personal preference as an excuse to avoid obligations to attend weddings and formal events
- Holds in disdain anyone who wears khakis, because in his view they are all corporate lackeys - even if they genuinely prefer this style of dress
- Thinks that if you don't live in New York City or London you can't truly be cool
- Sneers at anyone who professes a love for family and children
Monday, February 27, 2006
Looking forward to Beijing 2008
Courtesy of Getty Images
Sadly I watched the close of the Torino Games last night. Don't know why but the end of any Olympics (or other sporting culmination) always brings out the nostalgic side of me. Maybe it's just the cathartic release of spectator tension and adrenaline.
I've always been this way. I love the drama of sport: the intensity, the oscillation of emotions, the developing storylines of individual players, the pressure of winning and losing. Sport is my theater, and the Olympic Games are the top of the Broadway heap. [Sigh] Two more years to the Beijing Olympics. I'm really looking forward to the 2008 games because I recently watched a show on the Discovery Channel about the construction of the new olympic venues. They look amazing. I recorded part of the show on my DVR but forgot to save it so it got bumped when new programs were recorded. Anyone happen to have a copy of that show?
Saturday, February 25, 2006
Monday, February 20, 2006
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Reasons to visit the Blogsphere - #84
I am an observer by nature. Many times at parties I'm perfectly content to sit amongst a group of interesting folks and just listen to them espouse their views. The world of blogs has opened up many thousands of these conversations for my voyeuristic enjoyment. I can happily and unintrusively "listen in" on conversations between people, and even participate if I so choose.
Just like in the real world, cyber conversations range from the trivial and moronic to the cosmic and philosophical. The great thing is that both acquaintances and complete strangers can share opinions and learn about each other, and you don't have to be in the same physical place. Nor do the conversations need to take place in real time. Best of all, for someone like me, I can be in on these exchanges as they happen or even after they happen. It's like little bits of people's minds floating in the digital galaxies that I can examine any time I want. It's the combination of a time machine, a mind reader, and a cosmic telephone.
One of the more interesting blogs I've come upon is Stella Nole. The posts are not always significant or deep (and not that they have to be mind you) - often it's just about a daily event. What I admire about Stella's writing is its honesty and intention to offer full exposure of her thoughts and feelings. Her writing is often funny, entertaining, and very much "in-the-moment." I'm also jealous of the relationship she has with her cadre of readers, who respond frequently and with like honesty in dialogue. An example is a recent entry about a topic which I'm sure we've all struggled with.
I've enjoyed listening in for the past few months, even though I don't really know Stella or any of the people who frequent her blog. Her willingness to share her mind, heart and soul makes me feel as if I know her. Stay well, Stella, and stay in touch.
Just like in the real world, cyber conversations range from the trivial and moronic to the cosmic and philosophical. The great thing is that both acquaintances and complete strangers can share opinions and learn about each other, and you don't have to be in the same physical place. Nor do the conversations need to take place in real time. Best of all, for someone like me, I can be in on these exchanges as they happen or even after they happen. It's like little bits of people's minds floating in the digital galaxies that I can examine any time I want. It's the combination of a time machine, a mind reader, and a cosmic telephone.
One of the more interesting blogs I've come upon is Stella Nole. The posts are not always significant or deep (and not that they have to be mind you) - often it's just about a daily event. What I admire about Stella's writing is its honesty and intention to offer full exposure of her thoughts and feelings. Her writing is often funny, entertaining, and very much "in-the-moment." I'm also jealous of the relationship she has with her cadre of readers, who respond frequently and with like honesty in dialogue. An example is a recent entry about a topic which I'm sure we've all struggled with.
I've enjoyed listening in for the past few months, even though I don't really know Stella or any of the people who frequent her blog. Her willingness to share her mind, heart and soul makes me feel as if I know her. Stay well, Stella, and stay in touch.
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Friday, February 10, 2006
The agony of defeat
Almost a week has gone by and Seattle's healed enough for me to update my fair readers on the happenings around here for SB XL. Our party was a lot of fun - until the end. We had a pretty good turnout and lots of food and drink. Helen's sweet potato and shrimp fritters were a big hit.
The game was like an Olympic wrestling match - long stretches of tense, grunting exertion with short bursts of explosive action. With so many die-hard 'Hawks fans in da house, eyes were glued to the action on the screen. There were 6 kids at the party, so they scampered around creating minor distractions for their parents, but only barely. Each time the 'Hawks made a good play, the room would fill with whoops and cheers. Plenty of high fives and "Go Hawks" passed around. Too many times though, they'd be followed by groans as questionable calls or devastating penalties would pop the bubble of excitement.
When it became clear during the last 2 minutes that the Steelers were going to be the champs, an awful empty feeling joined our merry little party. Our friends Hunter and Heidi were probably the most devastated, although pretty much everyone left within 15 minutes after the game concluded. No one wanted to watch the post game. I can imagine many parties in the Seattle area that probably ended the same way as ours.
I can only imagine the scene wherever "Corndawg" Cornwell happened to be. The week leading up to the Super Bowl, Corndawg had been psyching up for the game, even entering into "The Wager" with our colleague and Steeler fan Michael Byrd. Details of "The Wager" are depicted below, in a photo of the actual contract. Basically the loser would have to provide 20 donuts and 4 apple fritters, along with the painful and ignominious dishonor of decorating his cube with the opponent's colors, wearing the opposing team's jersey for the day, and using the tagline "Seahawks suck" or "Steelers suck" for their IM.
Here is the ugly aftermath of "The Wager" - Poor Jeff had to skulk around the office all day in a Steeler's jersey. Of course, I took a picture to properly document the whole thing for posterity. Hey Jeff, at least you guys didn't go with my suggestion for face painting. Go 'Hawks in '06.
Sunday, February 05, 2006
Here he is - India's answer to Usher!
Scouring the corners of the earth to bring you talent like you've never dreamed!
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Spelling bee fainting
A kid faints at a pressure packed spelling bee. But watch as he not only recovers, but actually spells the word correctly. Most of us couldn't do what this kid does. Keep your eye on this kid - he's going to do great things some day.
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Overheard at lunch
File under - You had to be there to appreciate it.
Jennifer (spunky colleague) :
"My cat had some eating problems too, and every time I take him to the vet they can't find anything wrong, and I'm out $400."
Prasantha (noted wisecraker):
"Next time, don't take him to the vet. Just bring him to me and I'll only charge you $300 to tell you nothing's wrong."
Helen (ever pragmatic):
"What are you saying - that you're like a 'Cat Whisperer'? That you can read its mind? I can't stand those type of shows...they are so hokey. They're totally fake."
Me (opportunistic teaser):
"Huh? What about that show you always watch -- The Dog Whisperer?"
Helen:
"Oh that's different...that's real."
Jennifer (spunky colleague) :
"My cat had some eating problems too, and every time I take him to the vet they can't find anything wrong, and I'm out $400."
Prasantha (noted wisecraker):
"Next time, don't take him to the vet. Just bring him to me and I'll only charge you $300 to tell you nothing's wrong."
Helen (ever pragmatic):
"What are you saying - that you're like a 'Cat Whisperer'? That you can read its mind? I can't stand those type of shows...they are so hokey. They're totally fake."
Me (opportunistic teaser):
"Huh? What about that show you always watch -- The Dog Whisperer?"
Helen:
"Oh that's different...that's real."
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Is this the best we can do?
Bill Wixey of Channel 13 is trying to coin a catchphrase for the Seahawks' playoff run -- Git Er Done.Must admit it's catchy - I've been using or misusing it all day. It rolls off the tongue with a certain silly nonchalance, and I find myself being able to slip it into all sorts of situations. Try it out for yourself - say it a few times while you're watching the tube, or tucking your kids into bed. It goes well when you're asking for a check from the waitress.
I thought we had a winner, but I looked up the phrase on the Urban Dictionary, and I'm thinking maybe we could do better. Any suggestions?
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Dancing with Kenny Mayne
In a previous post I poked fun at ESPN sportscaster Kenny Mayne's hoofing skills. Here's the proof - judge for yourself.
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Alert: Missing Fan PSA
So I'm having a Super Bowl party, and this looks and feels like the year for the 'Hawks, contrary to Ted's misgivings. Everyone's excited about the playoffs, and our friend Hunter is even considering going to Detroit in the middle of winter if the Seahawks make it to the big dance. I'm in direct competition with about 50,000 SB parties in King County, so it's understandable that a lot of people have other plans.It was, however, rather disturbing when my colleague Jeff informed me that he couldn't attend, and...GASP! wasn't even going to be near a television. Folks, we're talking about Jeff "I watched the Saskatchewan curling finals last night" Cornwell here. The biggest sports fan - you name it, any sport - I know.
So it wasn't really a surprise when I came across this NFL Missing Fan announcement on the internet. Good people - please help in the effort to find this wayward sports nut. Report any sightings here and we'll notify the proper authorities.
Friday, January 13, 2006
Comet - an original by Helen
About a year ago, Helen started getting an itch to paint. Old school, messy, splatter-on-the-rug art. She's always been very creative, but mostly on the digital frontier. She was doing 2D and 3D computer animation before most of us knew what that even meant, and although the samples are pretty basic compared to what can be done today, you gotta remember that Helen created those 15 years ago using a "blazing fast 40MHz" Apple IIfx with a maximum capacity of 128 MB of RAM. Incredible.
Her artistic ambition has really flowered over the past year through her exploration of colors and textures. "Comet" is her latest work and hangs in the gallery outside our bedroom. Click on the picture to see a larger image. Enjoy and feel free to offer critique by clicking on the comment link below. I'm sure she'd love to hear (or read) your thoughts.
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Goin' for the record!
This advisory is for all our friends back east:
Yes, the reports you've been hearing on the news are true - we have had 25 consecutive days of rain. Not 24/7 rain, but yes, every day. Some days are worse - like rainy days in New York, and others are cloudy with spots of rain, mostly at night. One day this week the sun even came out for a few hours. This is why Seattle has the reputation it's got.
No doubt this is the worst spell of weather we've had since we moved here, but...you know what I'm gonna say...this is the exception. Listening to a radio talk show on the way to work this morning, the hosts are talking about the Seahawks playoff game this Saturday. One of the hosts observed that if it rained during the game, it might portend good luck for the 'Hawks since earlier this season they came back to win a big game against Dallas in the rain. The surprise is that it was the first rainy Seahawks game in the new stadium which opened in 2002.
If it rains for 9 more days in a row, we'll beat a 1953 record. This is in direct contradiction to some of the tall tales we've heard about the 'hundred straight days of rain.' It is pretty amazing that we've had measurable rain 25 days in a row, and it has caused flooding, mud slides and other problems. It's even become news all around the country. I read an article on Boston.com about the record rainfall. Even so, at the conclusion of the article, the writer does point out that...
Though Seattle is famous for its rain, the city's average annual rainfall from 1970 to 2000 was 37.07 inches, compared with 49.71 inches for New York City.
Nah, I think it'll take a lot more rain to change my sunny disposition.
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Report from Snoqualmie
It's been very rainy the last few weeks, and people are starting to talk about breaking the "record" - that is, record number of consecutive days with rain - which stands at 33. We live close to Snoqualmie Falls, a famous Seattle area landmark. I haven't checked it out recently, but with all the rain it's probably a sight. Here's a picture taken during the summer from the bottom of the falls. Snoqualmie Falls is higher than Niagara, but nowhere near as wide.
Sunday, January 08, 2006
Fake Photo Booth Video
If you haven't seen this one yet, it'll bring tears to your eyes. Jay Leno and The Tonight Show rigged a fake photo booth at Universal Studios. Watch...
Thursday, January 05, 2006
What's to watch now that bowl season is over?
Last night I bid a fond adieu to the 2005 college football season, and I feel compelled to take a moment to pay homage to one of the most exciting seasons in recent memory, culminating in 4 breathtaking BCS bowl games. The final 4 games of the 2005 season built to a crescendo of pigskin rapture: starting with Ohio State exposing Notre Dame's being just a notch away from coming all the way back to national contention, followed by an overlooked West Virginia team stunning Georgia early and hanging on for a thrilling victory.
The PSU-FSU game contained the most intense play I've seen all season, with the defenses delivering knockout punch after knockout punch to overmatched offenses that somehow kept getting up off the gridiron canvas. I was completely incapable of focusing on the marketing services document I was supposed to write as I literally found myself sitting at the computer with fingers on keyboard for most of the 2nd half without typing more than 10 words. It was additionally gratifying to share the experience with my good friend Oliver via IM, who was probably doing the exact same thing I was. The game can best be described by the often used cliche "the agony and the ecstacy" as late in the game each side wasted a couple of golden opportunities to clinch the victory through the unimaginable failure of the kicking game.
After such tremendously dramatic games (even the ND-OSU game was emotional for me due to my clandestine Irish heritage), the over-hyped Championship game between USC and Texas had tremendous potential for letdown, especially if it had been a blowout. Instead it was a game decided literally in the last seconds, and filled with all the momentum and emotional swaying that was promised.
Man, I love college football. Now I've got to wait 8 months for the next season!
As I began to sink into the inevitable post-bowl depression, I happened upon something that just might provide the competitive drama to tide me over until the the Superbowl, Winter Olympics and March Madness. It's an athletic competition requiring stamina, balance and style -- it's...
The concept: Ten celebrities partner with professional ballroom dance champions to train and perform in front of judges in an elimination format. Imagine "American Idol" blended with "Celebrity Fit Club" and topped off with a pinch of "The Surreal Life." What drew me to the show, in my football withdrawal state, was the fact that Jerry Rice was one of the celebrity contestants. Even so, I thought I'd only check it out to get a quick laugh watching the greatest receiver in NFL history dancing the Cha Cha. Instead I found myself laughing hysterically at ESPN sports anchor Kenny Mayne's impression of a dancing ironing board, marveling at actress Tatum O'Neill's silly personality, and oogling WWE wrestling star Stacy Keibler's 42 inch legs. Folks, we have reached the apex of reality-celebrity-hilarity television. It doesn't get any better than this. Thursday and Friday nights at 8:00 PM on ABC. Be there. You'll thank me.
The PSU-FSU game contained the most intense play I've seen all season, with the defenses delivering knockout punch after knockout punch to overmatched offenses that somehow kept getting up off the gridiron canvas. I was completely incapable of focusing on the marketing services document I was supposed to write as I literally found myself sitting at the computer with fingers on keyboard for most of the 2nd half without typing more than 10 words. It was additionally gratifying to share the experience with my good friend Oliver via IM, who was probably doing the exact same thing I was. The game can best be described by the often used cliche "the agony and the ecstacy" as late in the game each side wasted a couple of golden opportunities to clinch the victory through the unimaginable failure of the kicking game.
After such tremendously dramatic games (even the ND-OSU game was emotional for me due to my clandestine Irish heritage), the over-hyped Championship game between USC and Texas had tremendous potential for letdown, especially if it had been a blowout. Instead it was a game decided literally in the last seconds, and filled with all the momentum and emotional swaying that was promised.
Man, I love college football. Now I've got to wait 8 months for the next season!
As I began to sink into the inevitable post-bowl depression, I happened upon something that just might provide the competitive drama to tide me over until the the Superbowl, Winter Olympics and March Madness. It's an athletic competition requiring stamina, balance and style -- it's...
The concept: Ten celebrities partner with professional ballroom dance champions to train and perform in front of judges in an elimination format. Imagine "American Idol" blended with "Celebrity Fit Club" and topped off with a pinch of "The Surreal Life." What drew me to the show, in my football withdrawal state, was the fact that Jerry Rice was one of the celebrity contestants. Even so, I thought I'd only check it out to get a quick laugh watching the greatest receiver in NFL history dancing the Cha Cha. Instead I found myself laughing hysterically at ESPN sports anchor Kenny Mayne's impression of a dancing ironing board, marveling at actress Tatum O'Neill's silly personality, and oogling WWE wrestling star Stacy Keibler's 42 inch legs. Folks, we have reached the apex of reality-celebrity-hilarity television. It doesn't get any better than this. Thursday and Friday nights at 8:00 PM on ABC. Be there. You'll thank me.
Monday, January 02, 2006
Jack loves the snow
This is from one of our hikes to Mt. Baker a couple years ago. We found a nice hill to do some butt sliding and frolic in the snow with Jack.
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