Arron's Adventures

HACKED!

2010-05-21T08:56:00.000-07:00

To anyone checking my blog, my email accounts were recently hacked. Please know that I am okay, safe and sound... and in no need of your money. What did I just say!!! Seriously, I'm fine. I hope that I have resolved whatever happened.

The end of an era

2010-05-10T16:12:00.001-07:00

For whatever reasons that I'm not in the mood to research at the moment, Australians drive on the left side of the road. As an American I was afraid this change would be hard to adjust to, especially after my 12 post rant on left lane driving. However, the change has been much easier than I thought. The hardest parts are turning, because there aren't always clear visual clues about where to go, but then that can be hard even in America if you're at a busy intersection. After a few tries behind the wheel I felt pretty confident about my skillz as a driver in Australia.

I have been very fortunate to make many great and wonderful friends since I first arrived here over a year ago. One of those gracious friends has been Brendan, who took a risk and let me drive his car. I did eventually get a Queensland driver's license, even though I don't really need one while I'm here on student visa. Having a license doesn't really help you learn to drive here though, since the process is essentially completing an application form and paying the fee. (Yes, that's really all there is to it for American's who want to have one here in Queensland.)

Well, my luck was bound to run out eventually... and that it did on a nice January day earlier this year. I was driving back to the house after having a busy day of errands and school. Although I was a little anxious to get back to begin preparing a dinner for some friends coming over, I was in good spirits. I was driving along in the right lane about 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) away from the house when suddenly the car in front of me stopped. He was responding to the car in front of him who had suddenly stopped. That car was responding to some yellow car that had suddenly decided to turn right and slammed on the brakes because there was oncoming traffic. Yes, I was the tail end of three car fender bender.

I might pause to add that while Brendan was gracious in letting me drive his car, the car he was driving was a 1992 Mitsubishi Magna that was probably on it's last legs (or wheels as the case may be.) After 18 years the old girl didn't have the reflexes of the younger more agile wheeled transportation. While I stood on the brakes she didn't come to a stop until after bumping the fender of the car in front of me. All said, I think she ended up with more damage than the other two cars, which isn't saying too much if you look at these pictures:

Not knowing what damage had been done under the hood, Brendan decided not to drive it until having it looked at by a mechanic. I encouraged him to call his insurance company, despite some disagreement over whether the person responsible should file the claim or wait until the person affected has done it. The folks at his insurance place were quick and easy to deal with, and before long a truck had come by to get the car. Here's a photo of it's last moments.

Fortunately, Brendan had already decided to get a new car. He had actually already picked out the one he wanted and just needed to get the bank loan in order. In less than month a new car was in the driveway. Here's the proud owner with the updated wheels:

So all said it actually worked out for the best. He got a better deal from the insurance company than he would have trading it in or selling it to a wreckage yard. The bad part is that I was the cause of the old girl's demise. I have only driven the new car twice because I don't want to be the cause of any more damage to vehicles while I'm here.

The art of riding roller coasters

2010-03-10T06:37:00.000-08:00

The first scary ride I can remember going on was the Zipper. The Catholic church across from my high school had a carnival every year to raise money. I remember being a bit nervous, but a friend of mine told me she would ride with me if I went. The only thing I can really remember is how funny her hair looked flatted against the padded headboard during the ride. We both laughed through the entire ride and my love for roller coasters was birthed then and there in that parking lot of the church.

I've since been to several amusement parks with roller coasters. Arizona had the former Legend City. Of course there was Disneyland, Six Flags - Magic Mountain, Knott's Berry Farm, all the major west coast attractions. In my adult years I've expanded to see Cedar Point and Hershey Park.

The last park is where a tradition was unwittingly created. A group of friends decided to ditch work and head up to Pennsylvania to enjoy the joy that is Hersey Park. We anxiously walked through the gates when the park opened and headed to the first ride we could locate, which happened to be an old wooden roller coaster. I casually cautioned one of my friends not to "scream like a girl." She seemed almost offended at the suggestion that implied she was anything less than eager to ride the coaster. Unfazed by her response I retorted, "Okay, then I will." I proceeded to scream my lungs out the entire ride making myself practically hoarse in the process. As the coaster came to a stop just in front of the boarding area I noticed many of the passengers looking back in our direction with smiles and teary eyes trying catch a glimpse of the person who seemed terrified. I realised on that ride that making people laugh and smile was not only fun, but memorable.

Fast forward to a new amusement park in another country last week. Movie World is a Warner Brothers attraction in Australia that attempts to mix the cinema industry with an amusement park setting. A little light on the cinema side if you ask me. Fortunately there were several rides to keep our interests alive. One of the guys with us isn't so hot on the scary stuff. He graciously stayed behind on some of the larger attractions to hold all the things in our pockets that were prohibited on the rides. Not one to be left out of the fun completely he identified a moderately scary ride he was willing to try. The Road Runner Roller Coaster is a ride where you can "join WILE E. COYOTE as he chases the ROAD RUNNER from the ACME Fireworks Factory through the Arizona Desert in an exciting journey of twists and turns, ups and downs. It's a fun and fast adventure for the whole family!" Of course... I screamed like a girl.

For me the irony of screaming like a girl on this ride is quite funny. The ride is designed for children after all. Needless to say my friend was hardly scared when he got off the ride, and we still laugh about it. However, we also laugh about the poor kids still standing in line. Those little guys were probably expecting to ride something made for them but because of my tradition sounded much scarier. Here's a video I took while on the ride to illustrate more effectively the results of this tradition of mine.

On writing, by Isaac Asimov

2010-03-04T05:38:00.000-08:00

"There is writing which resembles the mosaic of glass you see in stained-glass windows. Such windows are beautiful in themselves and let in the light in colored fragments, but you can't expect to see through them. In the same way, there is poetic writing that is beautiful in itself and can easily affect the emotions, but such writing can be dense and can make for hard reading if you are trying to figure out what's happening.

"Plate glass, on the other hand, has no beauty of its own. Ideally, you ought not to be able to see it at all, but through it you can see all that is happening outside. That is the equivalent of writing that is plain and unadorned. Ideally, in reading such writing, you are not even aware that you are reading. Ideas and events seem merely to flow from the mind of the writer into that of the reader without any barrier between."

Board Game Geek

2010-01-17T14:37:00.000-08:00

I've pretty much been playing games my whole life. Back in junior high school there was a club called the Gaming Society, where we'd stay after school to play games. The big thing at the time was Marshals & Myrmidons, a role playing game the teacher sponsoring the club had created. Of course the club was open for all types of games, but we didn't often play any others.

Even being in Australia I've found a group of friends who really enjoy playing games. I thought I was quite the gamer until I met these guys. Recently one of them told me about a great website called BoardGameGeek.com What is cool about it is that it has a pretty extensive database about almost every game I could think of, with a description, brief outline of rules, comments, ratings, etc. You can also create your own library of games, and then view them on your mobile phone.

Yes, I am a board game geek, but I'm sure everyone sits down to a game every now and then.

Do Not Call Lists

2010-01-16T14:56:00.000-08:00

I just got an email saying my tax forms are ready for the 2009 year. I've been sitting here going through the forms and seeing if I have to pay or fill out any forms this year since I actually haven't made any money. Turns out I don't, in case you were wondering.

The process reminded me of a funny story I thought I'd share on my little blog here. A few years back I was driving through Baltimore City with some friends when I got a phone call. (NOTE: I know you're not supposed to talk on a cell / mobile phone and drive but this was back when everyone was much more stupid... if that's possible.) Being the good, focused driver I am... and with the radio and friends in the car I didn't quite hear what the person on the phone was saying. They sounded quite business-like, and I concluded the call was some kind of telemarketing pitch.

I responded, "Oh, no thank you. Can you please add me to your do not call list?"

After a pause I clearly heard the lady respond back, "Sir. This is the IRS. We don't have 'Do not call lists." She then laughed and repeated, "Do not call list..."

I immediately pulled the car over to the side of the road so I could focus all of my attention on her. Turns out she needed a form I had not included with my tax return and was calling to give me information on where to send it so my return could be processed. I was both shocked that the IRS was actually calling me (don't they normally send letters or scary men in suits and dark glasses to your place of work...) and that they were proactively attempting to help me complete my return in an efficient manner. Some businesses I have dealt with, I'm looking at you Comcast and Verizon, were far from proactive even when I was trying to give them money.

So just in case any of you are wondering, the IRS does not have a 'Do not call list.'

Great Australian Sandstorm

2010-01-04T14:34:00.000-08:00

I guess since I don't update my blog as often as I should I probably can't expect there to be that many responses to my reader's poll. I'm happy that someone is reading it though... so easy to get lost in all that is the internet.

Australian Sandstorm it is. I've been trying to figure out how to write blog entries without them being chock-a-block of pictures, but how can you talk about something like this dust storm without pictures? (My internet miming skills are a bit rusty at this point.)

So without further adieu, here is my story. The night was dark and stormy. Winds swept through the maze of buildings that is Brisbane city, creating a faint howling sound that slowly slipped through the windows of my apartment. A solitary crow squawked in tree on the corner that could only mean something was about that happen. Sounds ominous, eh? None of that is true.

There real story is that there was really nothing unusual about the day when I woke up on the 23rd of September. I had a short list of errands to run, and some studying to do for classes at uni. I was in the midst of my morning rituals when I happened to notice the morning news a little more excited than usual. I looked up at the TV and noticed everything seemed a bit red. The news reader then told viewers "Do not adjust your set, this is an actual picture of the weather outside." To illustrate, check out this picture released after the storm on one of the news websites showing a before and after.

Fascinating. I watched for a few more minutes as they described how a storm had whipped up dust from the interior of Australia and was spreading it towards the eastern seaboard. Sydney, where most of the nationwide news broadcasts are located, was one of the first cities to be affected by the storm. According to the weathermen, Brisbane wouldn't be far behind. I then opened the blinds on my window to see if I had been mysteriously been transported to Mars during the night, and this is what I saw.

Clearly we had not yet arrived on Mars, but the sky was a bit more dusty that it typically is. Here's a picture I took shortly after getting to Brisbane to show you what I normally would see when looking out the same window.

I was a little apprehensive about venturing out into a weather event, but Arron's run errands, so I went. My first stop was to get a Queensland driver's license. As I got to the Motor Vehicles office I noticed the sky was turning more red and snapped a quick picture.

After a quick half-hour I was now the proud owner of an Australian driver's license. I ventured outside again and noticed the thick of storm was upon us. Walking through the city I took a few more pictures. These next two show you how bad it got in Brisbane. The first is the center of Queen Street Mall, and normally you can see the building that is in the second picture just under the canopy in the center. I would say the distance from me to the building is only two city blocks, which according to Google Maps is about 300 meters away.

Walking through the city the wind wasn't blowing hard, but it was blustery. I think I saw Winnie the Pooh and his pals float by at one point. What was more annoying was the constant taste of dust in my mouth, and smell of dust in my nose as every breath inoculated my senses with a very earthy flavour. I did notice there were many people taking to the streets with their cameras to take pictures, and very few of them had dust masks on. The news had said there were few health hazards to being outside during the dust storm, but cautioned elderly people and people with breathing problems to stay inside.

By late afternoon the dust was starting to thin, and the thickest part of the storm had passed. This is what the city looked like at around 5pm, which was a mere 5 hours later.

Afterwards I found this cool satellite picture of the storm. Brisbane is almost the exact center of this picture just above the border between New South Wales and Queensland.

So here's some interesting information about the storm. The theory goes that due to drought conditions in the interior parts of Australia, the wind storm swept up the dust from farmer's fields and carried it to the coasts. While Martian like landscapes were one side effect, there were many others. For one, people's homes and cars were now coated with layers of dust. Water restrictions imposed by the State government were relaxed for the week following to allow people to clean up.

The dust also created a massive canvas for people to write parting messages to others...

Another interesting side effect, from a public health point of view, was an incident believed to have been caused by the dust storm. Water samples from a nearby reservoir had been tested and found to have unusually high levels of bacteria. The working theory is that the dust, blown in from farms, contained fertilizer that happens to be full of bacteria. When the dust coated the lake it also increased the bacteria and the potential risk to those swimming in it. So far as I'm aware no one actually got sick from it.

While I've experienced many dust storms in my life growing up in the Arizona deserts, I have to say that this was the most invasive one. Mostly because it wasn't followed by rain to clear everything away. This was more like a earthy fog that swept in and lingered for a few hours, then slowly drifted away. Everything smelled like dust for a few days afterward.

Reader poll

2009-11-25T21:10:00.001-08:00

Yes, I have truly neglected this here blog of mine. Over two months with not a single update. Life has been hectic, but I won't give excuses.

The good news is that I have taken heaps of photos of the adventures I'm having here in Australia. Rather than continue to do massive pictures updates I decided to let those who may be checking my little place on the web choose what I will post next. Below you'll find a list of activities that I have pictures from, you simply have to make a comment (click the link below that says "Comments") to this post about which one you think I should elaborate. Here goes:

Ekka, you bet'ka
Tukka me in for some good grub
Daisy Hill Santuary
Binna Burra and flying foxes
Riverfire, oh how it burned
GenCon
Great Australian Sandstorm
A Queensland Aussie in President Obama's court
Italian festival
Halloween, Aussie style
Sea World, and hear it too
Bribie Island with fish and chips
The Costume Caper (see a preview on Facebook)
Moreton Island

Eeeh gad, I have neglected this thing. I'd be busy for the next 3 weeks trying to publish all of that on here. I doubt I'm funny enough to even keep you interested. We'll see which one is the most in demand. Vote now!

Bunya Mountains, no Bunyips around.

2009-09-01T06:08:00.001-07:00

Early in August some mates and I went to a place in Queensland called the Bunya Mountains. This has been an annual trip for the last three years. I was fortunate to tag along this year. We ate, played games, hiked, played with parrots, wrote stories, and just relaxed for our time there. While we had hoped for some snow, we had a pleasant burst of weather that made the trip great. Well, the location and company made the trip great, but the weather helped.

Each of the meals for the trip was assigned to a team of chefs (usually 2 people). We ate like royalty. Well, we ate like what I think royalty would eat like... maybe with fancier dinnerware and stuff. We had tons of left over food. I must say the other blokes were very generous in their food offerings. This is the very first meal, which had two lasagnas, a shrimp pasta, and a vegetarian pasta. Yes, that's FOUR pastas for the SEVEN of us.

This was the view from the large porch of our cabin. We initially had two cabins, but consolidated to the one on Monday. Did I mention that we were there from Friday night until Wednesday? Yeah, it was 5 days of fun.

There are many plants and trees unique to Australia. I'm sure most people might recognise the bottletree, but I'm also pretty sure the Bunya pine (Araucaria bidwillii) is not as familiar. The tree is very large, with the branches only towards the upper portion. The tree is most known for the huge pine cones. The nuts in the cones are edible and very tastey. In fact, Aboriginal families used to claim trees and pass them down through the family. Every three years the local tribes would gather and forget past wrongs and disputes to harvest the nuts from the trees.

Another "tree" is the strangler fig (Ficus watkinsiana). This is a vine that produces seeds that the birds eat then poop out when they land in the trees. The seed sprouts and then becomes a vine that works its way back down to the ground, using the tree it began life on as support. Eventually the vine grows larger and chokes the tree until it dies. You can see in these pictures one tree that is still hanging on to life, and in the other where the inner tree has died and decayed away leaving a hollow tube.

In between all the terrific food prepared by the other guys I managed to introduce these Aussies to the wonder that is a smore. Thanks to my sister I was able to bring some real American graham crackers. We used Aussie marshmallows, which are much better than the ones in the US. We also found some chocolate that seemed to work okay. Not much in the way of Hershey bars around these parts.

The cabin was in a gated community where heaps of wallabies lived. They were everywhere. Some of them had little joeys in their pouches like this little jill. Unfortunately I wasn't able to get any good pictures of the joeys, they turned out rather blurry. There was quite a bit of wildlife around in addition to the wallabies, like large worms (think of a hot dog wiggling across a path through the forest), an antechinus, and especially birds.

I think a highlight of the trip for me was the chance to see very colorful birds. They sell bird seed to visitors who didn't happen to pack some for the trip. Somehow the birds show up within about 5 minutes after setting it out for them. Not just one bird, mind you, but flocks of them. We had all sorts showing up for some chow, and they were tame enough to actually hop onto your arm and eat out of your hand. They even pose for pictures sometimes.

The Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans) were the most common. They'd come in groups of a dozen or more, and there'd be one or two "alpha" birds that would push the others out of the way. We were fascinated by the hierarchy of birds that came to eat the seeds, not only between species but among birds of the same species as well. The bright red and blue guys were all males, as the females have a greenish tinge.

The Red-browed finch (Neochmia temporalis) was a bit harder to photograph. These little guys are so jumpy and skittish around the larger parrot birds. For a much better photograph check out this website. They went for the smaller seeds, and actually gathered underneath the deck to pick up the seeds the larger birds dropped through the cracks.

We also had a visit from a mating pair of King parrots (Alisterus scapularis). They were the largest birds to come eat our seeds, but we only had the one pair stop by. You will note that the male has a red head, and the female is all green. I wonder why the females are more green than the males. Hmm, things to ponder.

We ended on this meal. I mean, seriously, how can I feel like a student when this is what I'm eating? For my family reading this, you have no need to worry about whether or not I'm being fed. I can't actually remember what the dishes were, but one them is vegetarian. I'll have to seek some reminder help from those who made these wonderful meals.

There were heaps of plants around that were endemic to the area. Besides the Bunya Pine, ones that were particularly distinctive were the grass trees (Xanthorrhoea glauca). These plants grew from about 4 to 10 feet tall. You could tell that they had been around for a while, because the base is just the stumps of the grass that grows on the top kinda like the way coral grows. Thanks to Monica Pawlan for explaining the following on her website:

"Xanthorrhoea plants are also known as balga grass to the Australian aborigines, which is their word for black boy. The Aborigines probably called these plants balga because after a wild fire, the bottom leaves burn away revealing a singed black trunk with long green reed like leaves extending from the top of the trunk giving the appearance of child like black figures."

I'm not sure that the wallabies can actually read, but I thought it was nice of the folks to put a sign up so they would know where to cross the road. They even considered the poor, little, illiterate wallabys by putting a picture of their kind on the sign. Since I'm just a "tourist" in Australia, I decided not to break any laws and steal the sign, but if I ever get my residency...

What a wonderful weekend we all had. Definitely something I will always remember. Ta to all the guys who were a part of it.

Love Creek, the epic-est hike so far in Australia

2009-08-19T06:56:00.000-07:00

I've been in Australia for about 6 months now. So far I have been on almost a dozen hikes to various parts of Queensland. Not all of them would be considered serious hikes, being maybe a couple of kilometers at best. Fortunately I have made friends with some serious outdoors types. I had only to exercise a measure of patience before I was called upon to join them on something worthy of an excursion into the wilds. That time had come, and the hike was called Love Creek Falls.

This is the trail head to the hike we were about to undertake. In all the hike would be about 9-10 kilometers, but required scrambling up rocks, steep slopes, and navigating dangerous trickling creek beds. The first part of the hike, Greene's Falls was much drier than the last time we had hiked this portion of the trail.

Greene's Falls, was about 1.1km into our hike along Cedar Creek (caution - this link is a PDF file). Part of the hike is on this cool boardwalk. At the end of the boardwalk is a viewing area for those casual hikers that aren't into serious adventure. Alas, our fearless group was bound for greater glories. We hopped the railing of the viewing area to commence the manly portion of our hike this day. However, the falls you see in this picture didn't have quite so much water running over them during this particular hike. I grabbed a picture from a previous hike where we weren't so manly to show you what the falls look like.

Would you like to see my impression of what a drop-bear looks like just before it falls out of a tree? Luckily we didn't run across any of them during our hike. I guess they aren't very active during the winter months.

We selected this spot for our first major break, or "morning tea." None of us had any tea so I'm a bit confused why we called it that. I actually had a banana that I remembered to open like a monkey, some mango-flavoured macadamia nuts, and some water. This was about 1.5 hours into the hike, just after Cedar Creek joins into Love Creek.

I have to admit that most of the pictures from this hike were of the creek, waterfalls, or rocks. I was particularly fascinated by this waterfall because of the reflection on the pool at the bottom. Not quite a mirrored surface, but still effective. Nothing else special other than a pretty picture.

Love Creek falls were the highlight of the trip, and took us about two hours to get there. Half way done! Woo hoo! You can see the largest waterfall tucked away in the back. Unfortunately the lighting was horrible for pictures, either too bright or too dark. I think you can get the idea in this picture though. The falls were pretty large, but I can't tell you how tall they were exactly. I tried to find the information on the internet, but apparently this is more obscure a location than I thought. I'll send a reward to anyone who can find the height of the falls (with reliable source information.)

I was fascinated by this rock formation that we scrambled up on the way to the base of the falls. An almost perfectly square passageway framed by plants. You'd think it was a movie set or something. I was expecting Indiana Jones to come hopping back down being chased by savages, but that type of adventure remained only in my head. Well now it exists for you reading this in cyberspace. Ha ha, I infected you. Moving on...

There were quite a bunch of rocks that had a deep red color to them. When they were submerged in the creek they looked almost like a raw piece of meat sitting in the water. I couldn't get a good picture of the red rocks in the creek. This rock was obviously not submerged, but I was intrigued by the colors and textures. My geologist friends would probably tell me that the red color comes from iron deposits, but I'm by no means a geologist.

So after about 4-5 hours we finished our hike, the longest one I've done since I've arrived here. Lots of scrambling up rocks, but mostly just hiking along a creek. Beautiful country here in Australia. I'm just glad this time there were no leeches. Eep!

Note: This little guy chose me the last time we hiked in the area.

Queensland's Ren Fest

2009-08-16T16:22:00.000-07:00

Last month some mates and I went to check out Queensland's answer to the Renaissance festival in the States. The Abbey Medieval festival was something cool to experience here because everyone already comes with an accent! They didn't have many fixed facilities, which I'll talk about later, except for a castle that looked like the one from Role Models.

One of the booths close to the entrance had this cool chance to make a coin. You take a round piece of metal, probably tin, and place it in a tube that sandwiches it between two stamps. Swing the hammer a couple of times and ... BAM! You got yourself a coin, buddy. I even got to do the work for a coin that is worth only the value of the metal. The guy made a dollar off me. Talk about having a license to print your own money.

We walked around looking at all the tents with stuff people had either made or brought to sell. They had heaps of food. My mate and I got this concoction, which ended up being just okay. Should have got the paella. What I liked most is the "environmentally friendly" cutlery and plates. Sure they were disposable forks, but they were made of some wood product. Fortunately I didn't get any splinters in my mouth.

We decided to check out the Turkish oil wrestling. They basically take some kind of oil (vegetable, olive, baby, motor) and pour it all over themselves. The object is to make yourself as slippery as you can so your opponent can't get a good hold of you. They wear a standard pair of shorts and end up jamming their arms into their opponents shorts and holding on to whatever they can get a grip on. The game is played a lot like wrestling where you try to pin your opponent, but you also get points for picking them up and walking three steps with them. Neither of these blokes won the day, although the guy on the left won the match.

After watching the male version of female jell-o wrestling, we wandered around to see the rest of the festival. Who'd have thought they'd have weapons at a medieval festival?

...and a big lady with a cannon. I'd post the picture I took just after she fired it, but I jumped like a morgue attendant seeing one of his customers sit up and ask for a light when I took it, and it came out all blurry.

Of course, you can't have a Medieval festival without jousting. They had balsa wood type lance, and got points depending on how many pieces their lance had shattered after ramming the opponents shield. Apparently getting three pieces is hard. This competition was unique in that half of the competitors were women. Let it not be said that Australian womens aren't tough.

The cool thing about this festival was that pretty much everything was little tents set up to show off peoples' wares. Unlike Maryland, the festival in Queensland has much more of a temporary, nomad feel to it. I liked how it seemed less commercial (although the whole festival is a commercial effort.) You had the sense people just decided to get together one weekend to relive a medieval lifestyle.

As we were walking out of the festival there was a fruit stand set up in the front of someone's home. I paid $6 (Australian) for this huge box of lovely strawberries. They had a good flavor and were pretty decently sized, a bit larger than walnuts. After a nice warm, sunny, winter day at the Medevial festival a few strawberries hit the spot.

I ended up using them to make this nice cheesecake with graham cracker crust. The blokes here loved it.

Easy No-Bake Cheesecake

1 graham cracker crust (graham crackers, sugar, butter)
1 pkg. of cream cheese (8 oz.)
1/2 cup sugar
1 pkg. of Cool Whip (8 oz.), or just whip some up using cream like I did for this.
1 tsp vanilla extract

Blend cream cheese and sugar together until smooth. Fold in Cool Whip. Again, blend until smooth. Pour mixture into ready made crust. Chill at least 2 hours. I also added some pre-made strawberry topping to the strawberries.

Byron Bay

2009-07-09T20:03:00.000-07:00

Yet another travel-blog entry. A mate of mine took me to Byron Bay, which is about 2-3 hours south of Brisbane. For readers who have been to Hawaii I would compare it to Haleiwa on Oahu. While we were there during the winter months, I'm sure the summer months would bring heaps of visitors. Fortunately not many people go to the beach here during the winter so the place was pretty quiet and easy to get around.

The first picture was taken at a place that sold the famous IQ lights. I first saw them when on vacation in Italy with my sister. They had some other lights for sale as well, and only set up shop after dark. Brilliant marketing move if you ask me... lights sell better at night.

I also took a stroll down the beach and played with the extended exposure setting on my camera to get a picture of the lighthouse, which is the brightest light you can see in this next picture. You can also spot a few stars in the sky. Don't know that I've ever been able to capture stars. The lighthouse is on the eastern-most point of Australia.

There are chock-a-block of beaches in Australia. "Of course, it's an island continent you tourist!" you say. Ah, but here's proof. This section of beach is named Tallow Beach and is what you see when you are walking up to the lighthouse and look to your right.

Of course, those of you who know me know about my intrigue with fish. Have you looked at the web address for this blog? So getting a chance to see my first whale was pretty awesome. There was a small pod of whales swimming along the coast that we could easily spot with the binoculars. Unfortunately my camera wasn't as good, but still a few noteworthy pictures were captured.

Dolphins were there too! The swam with porpoise. (What goes better with fish than cheese, eh?)

We finally did make it up to the lighthouse, which is still kept in immaculate shape. Such a striking view with steep cliffs. I chose this picture because you get more of a sense of how steep the cliffs are, but the sky isn't as blue as it is in some of the other pictures I took of the lighthouse...

...like this picture.

I already mentioned that the lighthouse sits on the eastern-most point of Australia. If I wanted to drive back to the States this is as far as I'd get. Well, I could probably get a little further with a running start, but fishing the car out of the water is expensive. That also assumes I have a car, which I don't. So for now we can just pretend that I drove here in an attempt to return to my fatherland, but was destined to look over the vast ocean of water between us and remember the good times. Wow, how romantic. Actually, I was more intrigued by the whales. WHALES!

They put a mock compass on the ground just to further emphasise the point. Yep, this way is east.

After some more eating and shopping and sightseeing we went to another beach. How can you not relax in a place like this? So peaceful. And for the record I didn't get into the water. I'm sure the water was probably warm enough, but cool breezes once you get out were too much.

That was my quick get away to Byron Bay. A great place to check out if you ever find yourself in Australia. For a great salad check out the rocket, pear, and Parmesan with sherry vinaigrette dressing at the Balcony. For a great dessert get the apple tart at the Arts Factory Buddha Bar. Hunkering for a tastey kebab, try Bay Kebabs. After that just see the sights. Good times, mate.

Walkabout Creek

2009-06-15T23:01:00.001-07:00

Of course you have the Australia Zoo, or Steve's place. North of Brisbane this is the zoo to see when you come to Queensland. The thing is that it's incredibly touristy, and quite expensive. An adult ticket is $54. Well, that is Australian dollars, which is about 79 US cents as I'm writing this, which still makes a ticket $42.77 US.

If you don't mind a more low-key local flair then I'd suggest walking about Walk-About Creek in the Brisbane Forest Park. This hidden gem is accessible by bus from downtown Brisbane. Admission is only $5.70 for adults. The website says it best:

"A visit to Walk-About Creek Wildlife Centre is a great opportunity to enjoy Queensland's wildlife. This re-created natural environment is home to a platypus, lungfish, nocturnal wildlife in a night-house, many types of birds in a walk-through aviary, wallabies and many other interesting animals."

Thanks to the Wildlife Centre I was able to see a real, living platypus for the first time. If I can figure out how to get a video linked on here I'll post it. For now you'll have to look at this picture to see if you can spot the busy little guy.

There was also an area where you can walk among wallabies. I know many of you will think these are kangaroos, but you'd be wrong. I'm not totally sure what the difference is, but they're different. My guess would be that wallabies are smaller than roos. All I can say is that I touched one. Fortunately animals in Australia don't have rabies, but I've developed this strange itch and a craving for grubs. Here's a picture of one of the little posers.

Of course a wildlife centre wouldn't be complete with at least one of the top 10 deadly snakes in the world. I think this is a black death adder. The darn thing never moved. Could it have been a rubber imposter? I wasn't about to poke it with a stick to find out. Death within 6 hours of a bite? Don't think so.

I forgot what type of freak of nature this thing is, but the picture looks hauntingly beautiful. I tried several times to take pictures of it, and it just kinda floated there.

Then there are tons of lizard-type creatures. Good thing this guy is planning a trip to Tokyo. He was a bit tired of stomping on buildings when I was visiting the centre. He was giving me the eye to make sure I didn't get too out of line with the wallabies.

Finally there was this guy, a quoll. I was told he belongs to a small group of marsupials that are carnivorous. When we first walked by his living arrangments he was a no-show. On our way out he was pretty active looking for something to eat. Many marsupials are only active during the dawn and dusk hours. I think he and the lizard-eye ran the place... at least that was the word on the path.

So that was my Sunday at the Wildlife Centre. I thought it was well worth the money. Throw in some koalas and kangaroos and you'd see just about any critter you'd be expecting when you come to Australia. The best part is that all of the animals at the centre can be found locally. Who doesn't like to support local efforts?

Video?

Eggs in Australia

2009-06-02T17:10:00.000-07:00

I've just finished a nice breakfast. Fried egg with garlic salt and herbs, sprinkled with cheddar cheese on a toasted English muffin. What a yummy way to start the day. I'm sitting here pondering how eggs are different in Australia. For one, they are not refrigerated in the grocery stores. You find eggs on a dry goods isle just like a box of brownie mix. My food inspector alter ego keeps warning me that something is wrong. Perhaps we're too cautious in Maryland.

The other difference is that the eggs are a brownish color, not bleached white. Sometimes there are stamps on the eggs, which has some significance that is lost on me. The end result is generally the same... you know the whole egg white with a yellow yolk in the center. They seem to cook slightly differently, the yolk doesn't go completely solid like I'm used to with the white/bleached eggs. Maybe the eggs in the States are not bleached at all, they just come from different types of chickens. If anyone can solve this riddle please post a comment.

I can't write a post like this without giving a shout out to my Jackie. This is for you... Egg song.

UPDATE: According to someone with expertise in this subject, eggs in Australia do not have the same form of salmonella as in the States. The difference between the two strains of bacteria mean that in Australia the germs can't get inside the egg, hence there is not as much a need to keep the refrigerated all the time.

Icey Ice Addiction

2009-05-04T22:47:00.000-07:00

I think one of the best parts about being new to a city is that you have no preconceived ideas about what is good or bad. When I got here I would just walk around and pick places that looked interesting to check out. Isn't that when you discover the best little secrets of a city?

During one of my explorations I visited this tiny shop around the block called "Icey Ice". They've taken the concept of shaved ice (not snow cones...) to a whole new level. Rather than using frozen water, they used frozen fruit juices. Let me tell you this stuff is amazing. I have been there almost once a week since I've been there. I am hooked on the banana icey ice with chocolate syrup and real bananas mixed in. I'm getting weak in the knees just writing about this.

On my last visit I discovered they have added more options to the menu. Oi! How did I miss this? I'm not too convinced the "Golden Flake" icey ice is such a good idea. Sweet corn? Seriously?

If anyone reading this ever comes to visit me, plan on a visit to my favorite sweets place.

Save Steve's place

2009-04-29T15:55:00.001-07:00

Help make a difference. Sign this petition to prevent mining from happening in a wildlife preserve that was created in northern Queensland in honor of Steve Irwin. Signing this petition will force the government to decide whether or not to allow mining permits to be issued on the preserve. Unlike other petitions you may be used to this will make a difference. I added my name and thought it was worthy enough to post on here. Just click on the image, or go to www.savestevesplace.com

Cheers, mates!

Hearts champion

2009-04-28T21:26:00.000-07:00

After 1000's of tries, and only once before in my life, I have played a perfect game of hearts on Windows. The odds are obviously stacked against you when the computer is playing three of the four players. However, playing a perfect game can happen. I believe this is the first time I've played a perfect game with more than 5 rounds. Notice that the first two I got all of the points, which happened before as well. The program is probably far from random.

Anyway, there it is. A perfect game. Now I can sleep.

Mobile Phones and Internet

2009-04-26T17:31:00.000-07:00

Moving to Australia hasn't been as dramatic a transition as I had thought it would be. I don't find myself missing certain foods, shops, or much of anything really. With this one exception. They have a different way of billing for internet and mobile (cell) phones.

Let's start with the internet since it's the easier of the two to explain. In the States when you sign up for internet service you pay based on how fast a connection you want. I upgraded from something like 2Mbps to 6Mbps before I left Baltimore. The upgrade actually cost me $3 less than I was already paying. Go Verizon!

The same holds true for Australia. You pay more for faster connections, but they take it one step further. Here you also pay for the amount you download. That's right, you have limits to how much you can use the internet. Most plans start around 1GB / month, and for heavy users can go up to 10GB / month. For anyone who likes to watch videos, you're stuffed. For a point of reference, a movie on DVD typically runs between 4-8GB. I have a plan with my mobile phone that gives me 2GB of wireless internet, and a plan with the apartment network that gives me 4Gb. That's 6GB / month. I ran out this weekend. I'm probably going to pay through the nose in overage charges.

I suppose that having limits to how much you use the internet can be a good thing. We're quite spoiled in the States with unlimited amounts of almost everything. So, I can live with internet limits. Mobile phone billing? Here's how it works:

You pay a monthly price for a service package, just like in the States. For that monthly price you get calls, texting (SMS), bonus features, etc. If you sign up for a plan you get the phone at no extra charge (depending on how much you are paying). All of this sounds pretty much like the States, eh?

Here's where it gets weird. You don't get minutes, you get money. For example, when I signed up for the $69 / month "cap" I got $650 / month of calls and texting. They then calculate how much you used by charging you per minute or per text message. So instead of doing the math for you, that is saying how many minutes $650 will buy, you have to do the math yourself. That is, if you can find how much they are charging you per minute. Obscuring the billing by adding that extra step seems so unnecessary.

This billing method is not unique to one service either. One interesting thing to note, phone services were a government service until July 1997. Just like the States has a government agency to deliver mail to all residential / business addresses, Australia had an agency that ran communications including phones. The agency became more or less a private business, and now competes with other private companies. However, since they originally owned the phone lines and networks, they have an obvious advantage in the current market (although the customer service is reportedly pretty bad.) Maybe the billing system is a result of former government control.

They told us during our international student orientation to recognize that things can be "different" without being "wrong." For the most part I think I would agree. Mobile billing, at least for the moment, is wrong.

Arron, Aaron, or Erin?

2009-04-21T04:53:00.000-07:00

You'd think I would have realized this much earlier than today, but the way I say my name gives people who are listening a picture of how to spell my name. For my entire life I thought you'd pronounce Arron, Aaron, or Erin the exact same way. Oh no. I tell everyone my name is "err-en," which apparently makes people think of the female version. I was instructed tonight that I need to say "ahh-ron." The group of my mates also added the jazz hands gesture to simulate the "Ah!" as an act of surprise.

Has anyone else been confused by the way I pronounce my name? Does anyone else think of different versions depending on how it's pronounced? I guess being in a foreign country means that even things like how you say your name can be significant.

Banana lollies

2009-04-15T20:03:00.001-07:00

These luscious beauties are banana lollies. I have always had a weakness for circus peanuts, and the easter version of chicks and rabbits. These are similar in texture, but are usually slightly stale. Hard to believe they can actually package staleness! Imagine if they did that with Peeps.

I decided to share this simple pleasure I've found in Australia for those wanting to know of the more ordinary, less exciting things I've discovered here. Funny how the little discoveries make a place special.

Koala spotting

2009-04-06T16:12:00.001-07:00

Can you see him? He's right there! Some mates and I went to Noosa State Park to check out just how much better the Sunshine Coast is compared to the Gold Coast. Honestly the whole trip was a bit of a gamble. Rain was forecast during the day, and although getting wet at the beach is kind of the point, spending the better part of a day sopping wet isn't always that much fun. Luck was on our side and the clouds parted long enough for us to enjoy some nice beach weather. Ta to my mate who was determined to check out the beach one last time before he returned to the land of the Japanese.

Getting back to my first koala sighting, we saw him hiking along a perfectly modern (interpret that paved) path to the beach. We saw this nice lady standing in the middle of the walkway staring up at a tree. Pretty leaves. Oooh. Aaah. Being human we stopped to see what she was seeing. She can't have all the fun. Without saying a word the message was conveyed. "There's a koala in these parts." As I'm typing this I am laughing to myself. On the way back we discussed how the park probably pays people to stop in the path and look up at the koala so the incoming people know where he is at. There are no signs or anything, and I'm sure they try to maintain some kind of balance of experiencing wildlife without overly obnoxious gawking.

Here's a closer view of the little guy:

To be honest, I'm not convinced it was an actual living koala. He hadn't moved an inch between the time we passed him on the way in and then a few hours later on the way out. My theory goes that the park put either a stuffed dead koala, or a stuffed animal koala in the tree to help park patrons feel more fulfilled for visiting. Either that, or the much sadder theory, the little guy died a few days ago but no one has noticed. Well, that's morbid. Let's just say that he was chill-axin' and couldn't be bothered to perform a song and dance routine for every Yankee bloke who passed by. Showtimes are at 7 and 9 don't you know? (Yes, it's early morning and I should be studying so cut me a break on the rusty humor.)

Apparently the park is well-known for it's koala population. At the entrance is a statue dedicated to a koala that was hit and killed by a car a few years back. How they got the car up the tree that far is beyond me. (Actually I just read the plaque which says Harrold died from a dog attack. Who knew that dogs climb trees too?)

After a wonderful day at the beach, we stopped to enjoy just one of the wonders of this place...

Australia is amazing.

How to eat a kangaroo

2009-03-13T21:25:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know what you're going to say. "How can you eat them? They're so cute!" Well, let me let you in on a little secret... kangaroos aren't so cute. They are vicious little beasts. Did you know they have sharp toes nails and powerful legs that could rip you to shreds? Really it's more of a matter of self-defence eating them. Either him or me, you decide.

Having already heard about how eating kangaroos is actually good for the planet, I decided to do my part. Following is an account of how it's done.

Step 1 - Buy the kangaroo meat at your local grocery store. Yes, you can actually find it. They even have kanga bangas if you should feel so inclined. I opted for the roo on a stick. Much more tender, and even a little seasoned.

Step 2 - Con a friend into grilling it for you. Everyone has their price, honestly. Depends on what friend you are getting to do the deed. Fortunately I only had to share the wealth to get my friend to help a brotha out.

Step 3 - Patience. Rome wasn't built in a day, and kangaroo isn't cooked in a few seconds. Surprisingly kangaroo meat cooks just like any other meat. Who'da thunk?

Step 4 - Presentation. Any good culinary artist knows that presentation is everything. How the food looks influences how you think it will taste. Note the simplicity of our presentation... simple white plate, roos on sticks.

Step 5 - Indulge. My first taste...

Step 6 - Evaluate. My reaction. I should note that I look much more dismayed than I was feeling. Is this how I always look when I'm contemplating something? What kind of friends are you who didn't tell me how ridiculous this looks! Seriously. I'd have told you.

Assessment - Roo is good. Tastes almost exactly like beef. No gamey taste, and other than being slightly chewy I would eat it again. Just a heads up for those who are planning to come visit... you will be required to eat roo.

Brisbane, the next great adventue

2009-02-26T17:58:00.000-08:00

I've decided that the Italy posts are dying a long death. I took so many pictures that the effort to sift through them is just too much for my complete glut of free time. Yeah, you'd think I could manage a few posts having no job. Crazy how busy things can be when you don't have work.

For those who may be reading my blog and don't get the email updates, I am now attending university in Brisbane. After spending several years in public health I decided to return to school for an official, "You have been trained in this." stamp of approval. I'm excited to move on to a new and exciting place.

Here are a few pictures I've taken from the first week of being in Australia. I'm not including pictures from my first bushwalk in the rain forest, that deserves its own post.

Here's the map when I crossed the equator for the first time.

This was the first piece of Australia that I saw from the plane. Still not sure exactly what it is, but it's OZ.

Italy - Part Three

2009-02-04T10:19:00.000-08:00

Holy gaps between posts! Lots happening, but let's get on with this Italy theme. You'll recall (and if you don't you can scroll down to catch up...) that we didn't do much the day we arrived in Italy, then booked a guided tour to Naples and Pompeii the first full day we were there. By the next day Amy was getting a cold. She wasn't feeling too well but was determined to see the sights. We decided to walk down to the Colosseum to see what all the fuss was about.

This was taken by setting my camera on a nearby post and setting the timer. We're in front of the Arch of Constantine and the Colosseum. Walking around in Rome is very surreal. I've seen pictures of these places all my life, and to finally be close enough to reach out and touch these things is pretty cool. We wanted to take a tour of the Colosseum, but the day was a bit colder and there was a line. We opted for the 5 cent tour of the outside.

After our quick walk around the Colosseum we meandered our way back to the hotel. Of course we stopped at all the little tourist souvenir shops. I noticed a cooler gladiator helmet in one of the stores and had to test it out. The thing was covered in some kind of oil or grease. I wasn't sure if that was to keep it from rusting or to act as a theft deterrent.

With Amy resting up at the hotel I decided later that night to go for a walk around the city. This shuttle bus drove past me as I got near the Colosseum, so I ran up to the stoplight to get a better picture. The snapshot still turned out a bit blurry, but you get the idea. I thought it looked pretty cool.

I've also played around with my camera and took these next few of pictures with the longer shutter speed. I headed back to the hotel to rest up for a more in depth tour the next day.

Italy - Part Two

2009-01-08T18:00:00.000-08:00

This post will be mostly pictures. We booked a tour to go to Naples and Pompeii which picked us up from our hotel at 7am. The tour was very nice. I was mostly impressed with Pompeii and how well preserved it is. The streets look like they were in use just a week ago. With most ruins you have to use a lot of imagination to see the city or town the way it was... not in Pompeii. With a little work it could easily be what it was before it was buried.

Here's some of my favorite pictures from the tour.

Italy - Part One

2009-01-05T19:52:00.000-08:00

For the holidays this year my sister and I planned a trip to Italy. Originally we were going to go on a Mediterranean cruise, but that got scrapped because plane tickets got really expensive. Plan B was 10 days in Rome. I can only wish that all my Plan B's in life can be that cool.

Other than taking off at the front edge of a snow storm to hit the east coast, which delayed us by about 2 hours, the flight over there was pretty uneventful. We did what you're not supposed to do when you arrive in another country with jet lag, took a long nap as soon as we hit the room. Since we didn't sleep on the airplane it was very needed.

We did manage to get dinner at the corner restaurant, and go for a quick walk to see a fountain in the Piazza della Repubblica. I was surprised how many restaurants were named after American places. The place we ate was called Washington Snack Bar. The pizza there was really good. Amy and I aren't used to thin crust. We both preferred it since it's not so fluffy-filling.

We ended the night by grabbing some bananas for breakfast from a street vendor. You can't quite see it in this picture, but some of the fruit vendors sell coconut, which is kept in a small box with water running over it. Unfortunately we never tried any of the coconut. I'm sure that it tastes the same as the stuff in Hawaii though.

Life in the Left Lane, Part 12

2009-01-02T17:07:00.000-08:00

Theory #12, Lane Means Distance

Man, totally forgot to post the last theory. Things have been hectic, so forgive me.

This is my final post on the topic. I saved the best for last though. After years of pondering I finally decided that this made the most sense. Obviously some of the other theories I've already proposed may come into play from time to time. However, I think the majority of drivers, at least in Maryland fall under this theory.

One thing we as citizens of the Western world appreciate is organization. What would the roads be like if there were no painted stripes or dashes telling us where to drive on the big slab of concrete or asphalt? We create laws for everything, rules for things that aren't covered by laws, and social norms for the rest. We constantly strive for order in a world of chaos.

All of this is to say that our minds are set to give meaning and function to everything around us, traffic being no exception. So when a person looks at a road, beyond the markings on it, they have certain perceptions of it. While much of society tells us that the lane on the left is for passing slower moving cars, there are alternate explanations. This theory being a strong 2nd.

In Maryland many people think the lanes are representative of the distance you intend to travel. I arrived at this after hearing a colleague explain, "I-95 is horrible. In the morning when I get onto the Interstate I just get into the left lane and go!" I thought, what an odd concept. What she had inadvertently explained to me was that if you intend to go a long distance you should indeed be in the left most lane, and in the right lane for short distances.

In some ways this makes sense. As explained in Theory 9, traveling in the left lane does provide fewer distractions from people getting on and off the interstate. On some roads the left lane is actually paved better, which also allows for a nicer trip.

The problem with this mindset is that it totally ignores the intended rate of speed for the trip. For people who perceive the road this way, distance trumps speed. I would argue that much of the conflict in how to use the left lane arises over this simple hierarchy of meaning.

While I now understand this concept, I totally don't agree with it. If half of the States in the US believe the left lane equates to speed, then that has to mean something. The real bottom line is that if you are driving on the road and everyone around you is irritated you should probably evaluate your driving habits. An ounce of consideration and respect for people around you goes a long way.

As a quick side note, MSN recently had an article about driving in the left lane. Interesting timing, eh? Here's a link: Left Lane Slowpokes Drive You Crazy?

Enough said.

2008-12-05T20:20:00.000-08:00

Playing for Change was something I first saw on PBS. The documentary is about this guy who traveled the world to see how music unites us. No matter where you live you listen to music. By focusing on what brings us together we can have hope that things aren't as bad as they can be if we go through life alone. Check out the website:

www.playingforchange.com

Life in the Left Lane, Part 11

2008-12-05T18:50:00.000-08:00

Theory #11, Limited Space

I admit this really isn't a theory. Perhaps a better description would be a qualifier. The underlying assumption to all of these posts is that driving in the left lane can be irritating to other drivers if you are doing so outside of the unspoken rules. But those same rules say that there are times when driving in the left lane isn't all that bad.

Any road will at times get so loaded with traffic that no matter what lane you are driving in you are going no where. There's just so much space. In crowded conditions no one really cares who is driving in the left lane because they are just frustrated they aren't moving. I guess you could say that there is no distinct target of frustration in a traffic jam except for the traffic as a whole.

So traffic may cause people to drive in the left lane, it happens.

Life in the Left Lane, Part 10

2008-12-04T15:41:00.000-08:00

Theory #10, Keeping up with the Jones'

Well, so far all of the theories have had practical explanations. Quite simply, this one doesn't. The theory is that people just want to be cool, like everyone else. Like the Ego theory, somehow driving in the left lane conveys a level of status that people want to have. Driving a BMW, Hummer, or Mercedes is not enough if you aren't driving in the socially hip lane.

Maybe they just want to be part of the herd. Here's an article that could apply to this theory: Understanding the Herd Mentality

I really don't have much to comment on this theory, because if this is why people are driving in the left lane they are just stupid. There's a whole road to drive on to look cool. In fact, I've heard that the really cool people actually drive on the right side. Yeah, seriously. Tell your friends.

White frosted donuts

2008-12-03T22:15:00.000-08:00

I know I am messing up my on-going rant about driving in the left lane with this post, but I think it's worthy of the interruption.

Tonight my roommate and I went to the grocery store. At Shoppers they have the most wonderful donuts. Think Dunkin Donuts only twice the size. We had to get some. They didn't have the Boston Creme filled like we both like, so he settled for a blueberry filled. I grabbed about 5 more white frosted donuts (two white frosted with Christmas colored sprinkles, a white frosted buttermilk, a marble frosted, and a plain white frosted). I don't usually prefer chocolate frosted.

I made a comment about how all of the donuts were white frosted. He responded, "Hmm. What are the odds of that?" I thought about that for a moment. After realizing I had selected all of the donuts I said, "Actually, pretty good. I did choose them." He then realized why it was funny too and we both laughed.

I think he meant that having only white frosted donuts to choose from would be odd. When you say it that way it's not so funny.

Life in the Left Lane, Part 9

2008-12-03T14:21:00.000-08:00

Theory #9, Quest for Stability

While only a few states have left lane exits, all states have right lane entrances. At least in the United States most traffic will get onto a roadway from the right side. This means that if the left lane is meant for speed and passing, the right lane is meant for slowing and merging.

Understandably, people who intend to travel a distance on the freeway may want to drive on the left to avoid the congestion and starts-and-stops of the right side. In theory, the further left you go the less interruption you would have. Well, in theory. The problem is when people choose to only drive on the left or right. For freeways, which most likely have more than two lanes, the lanes in the middle are options too. However, you have to cross through those lanes to get to either side.

Is the left lane more stable? Possibly. Should you camp out there to avoid other traffic? No. When the lanes on the right are less crowded than the lanes on the left, it's time to spread the wealth of the road real estate.

Life in the Left Lane, Part 8

2008-12-02T18:21:00.000-08:00

Theory #8 - Is Big Brother watching?

I'm back from the break. Time to finish out these theories. You'd think I have nothing better in life to do than to ponder why people love to block traffic in the left lane. My commute is about a half hour each way, so I spend an hour a day driving in traffic. Plenty of time to evaluate driving habits... but I digress.

This theory starts with a story. A friend and I went to his hometown of Erie, PA. I'd never been, so I was up for a road trip. In Maryland because so many people drive in the left lane you often have a better chance of passing on the right. I'm used to this by now. However, a weird thing happened once we crossed the state line... everyone moved to the right. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes I wouldn't have believed it. To say the event was shocking is slightly exaggerated, but gets in the realm of what I was feeling.

You might chalk it up to a one time thing. I commented about it and my friend responded that driving in the left lane when you're not passing anyone is illegal in PA. Interesting thought. We spent a few days in Erie, then headed back. When we got back to the state line another interesting thing happened. Once in Maryland everyone moved to the left. WHAT!!! Again, if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes I would have never believed it.

Odd behavior, eh? Why would a state line make any difference, much less one so dramatic? Obviously laws and regulations can make a big difference. More importantly though, enforcement of laws make all the difference. People jam on the brakes when they see a cop because speeding tickets can be expensive. Imagine how people would drive if they got tickets for hanging out in the left lane. I'm not saying there should be a law that prevents everyone from driving in the left lane, but how about driving in the left lane with a line of traffic behind you? When I grew up in Arizona I was taught that if you had more than 5 people driving behind you cops could give you a ticket. I've never seen that law, or seen a cop pull anyone over for that. I'd love to.

Props to Oklahoma for actually cracking down on this.

Life in the Left Lane, Part 7

2008-11-25T15:03:00.000-08:00

Theory #7 - Caught in the current

So up until now all of the theories have assumed that people drive slow in the left lane on purpose to spite the other drivers around them. This one throws a spin on that a bit. At some point people will move out of the left lane. Oh yes, they will... even if it's the exit after yours. However, there are times where people want to move out of the left lane but can't.

There is a phenomenon that happens when people end up in the left lane but don't intend to stay there, or realize too late that they need to move. When drivers are slow enough the quicker drivers take any chance they get to move around them. If enough drivers start passing they effectively block the exit route of the offending left-lane driver. No matter how hard the driver tries to move over they can't because the quicker moving traffic keeps moving around them. Compounding the problem is that drivers caught in this situation are typically not very assertive. That means they can't move their way into the traffic until someone decides to give them a chance again. Should they wait too long they will remain trapped on the left edges of the highway.

Maybe I've been on the East coast too long, but if you are driving on a freeway you have to be assertive. There's just too much traffic to be wishy-washy about what you are going to do. I'm not saying to drive aggressively...there's a difference. If you're a person who has a hard time making decisions (like which exit you are supposed to take...) maybe you should think twice before venturing into the left side of the road.

Life in the Left Lane, Part 6

2008-11-24T15:45:00.000-08:00

Theory #6 - LaLa Land / Distracted

As with the Ego theory, I would bet a lot of people cite this one as the reason for peoples' penchant for the left side of the road. This theory is fairly simple, these drivers don't have a clue. They are either talking on the cell phone, looking for the french fry that fell on the floor, or just jamming to some good tunes. They don't bother to look in the rear view mirror to see the line of traffic stretching on for miles. Blink your lights, honk your horn, wave with one finger all you want... they ain't gonna see you.

While the Ego theory considered people who only care about themselves, this theory differs in that these drivers aren't necessarily concerned only with themselves. They'd move over if they knew there was a line of cars behind them, but they just haven't noticed. In my opinion, these are the scariest group of drivers. My hunch is that they are more likely to be involved in accidents because they simply aren't paying attention to anything on the road, much less their time in the left lane.

In Germany drivers would never think about eating in a car, or talking on a cell phone. For Germans driving is not only a past time, but a responsibility. Maybe we could learn from the Germans. If you are behind the wheel pay attention... your driving affects everyone on the road.

Life in the Left Lane, Part 5

2008-11-23T17:53:00.000-08:00

Theory #5 - Social Justice

So this theory goes that some people take it upon themselves to keep the order in society. Many people go the legitimate route and actually become police officers or health inspectors. Others just enforce the rules unofficially in their every day lives.

On the roads this means that they will drive the speed limit regardless of the consequences to traffic conditions. I actually found a blog entry about this from a person in Canada. If they are driving in the left lane then anyone driving faster will just have to find a way around them if they are going to break the law. For them the entire road must abide by the speed limit... the left lane being no exception.

Strictly speaking, this is the law. People choosing the left lane don't have a free pass to drive over the speed limit under any conditions. However, the left lane has a reputation for a reason, that I argue has practical purposes. Take speeding out of the picture and the real reason people get annoyed is that there is no courtesy for people who want to get by. Not everyone should be forced to drive the speed limit on the road (some may choose to drive slower...) and for those that choose not to they should not block the driving style of others who may be more comfortable driving at higher speeds.

Bottom line here... leave the enforcement of the law to those who are paid to enforce it.

Life in the Left Lane, Part 4

2008-11-22T16:52:00.000-08:00

Theory #4 - Ego / Power Trip

Now this theory is meaty. I'm having a hard time explaining this though, because it's just slightly different than a few of the upcoming ones. This gist of the ego / power trip theory is that drivers in the left lane feel entitled to be there. For them, the world exists of only one person and the rest of the drivers are simply a swarm of annoyance.

You can recognize these drivers when you pull to the right to pass them. When you get about even with them they suddenly find the accelerator and speed up to prevent you from passing them. There could be a line of cars 5 miles long behind them, but as long as they are leading the pack their egos are happy.

I think the bottom line here is that the people who fall into this group care about only one thing, themselves. (I bet if you ask most people who are annoyed by left-lane drivers they will cite this as the reason for the behavior.)

Alas, people are complicated creatures. While this may explain some of the behavior there are always other reasons.

Next up, Theory #5 - Social Justice.

Life in the Left Lane, Part 3

2008-11-21T15:39:00.000-08:00

Theory #3 - Cruise Control

Alright, we've talked about political activism, and highway exit and toll logistics. This next one makes sense when you think about it. We've all done it. Cruise control helps you save gas, right? Well it's also really only useful on long stretches of road with minimal traffic. You know the drill. You're cruising along keeping up a good pace, when you get close to a major city. Suddenly the traffic gets thicker, and you have to click the cruise control off to keep from driving into the car in front of you. Sure you can move to the left to pass, but at some point you'll run out of lanes.

Here's the catch. Some people use cruise control not to help save gas for long distances, but just because they can. So to pass the guy in front, they maintain the same speed and hope to pass in the left lane without taking their car off cruise control...and they don't pass very quickly (unless the guy is going absurdly slow.) The result is that they hang out in the left lane much longer than if they were actually increasing their speed to pass like everyone else.

So you're a democrat, that can be forgiven. You have to exit or pay toll, understandable. You have your car on cruise control and you're too lazy to turn it off so you can pass quickly? Idiot.

Next up, Theory #4 - Ego / Power Trip

Life in the Left Lane, Part 2

2008-11-20T15:38:00.000-08:00

Theory #2 - Left-lane exits and EZ Pass

Maryland is one of the few places where some of the exits for other roads are actually on the left side of the road. I'm not sure why some exits are like this. Most exits are on the right side. While the impact of left exits isn't always readily apparent, in the context of the current discussion it may be more obvious. For those who ignored all of the signs telling them the exit was on the left they make a dive across all lanes of traffic to get there (slowing down all lanes of traffic and not just the left one!) On the other hand, for those anticipating the exit they often hang out in the left lane until they get there. The end result is that the left lane quickly get congested.

But left-lane exits are not the only reason you may find people on the left side. EZ Pass, a system designed to make toll collection easier for drivers on the I-95 corridor, has lanes on the left sides of the toll plazas. While many EZ Pass drivers have signed up to make traveling through the toll plazas quicker, there are many who just don't want to dig in their pockets for loose change. As with the left-lane exiters, EZ Pass just adds another reason to be in the left lane.

Both of these factors help to explain the left-lane driving when you are either near a left exit or a toll plaza, but not when either of these are no where to be found. I would hazard a guess that those annoyed by the person driving in front of them without moving over would not be annoyed by these circumstances. After all, once arriving at the exit the person would no longer be in front of you, right?

While this theory has some tangible merit, there has to be more to it than that. Stay tuned for Theory #3, Cruise Control.

Life in the Left Lane, Part I

2008-11-19T16:05:00.000-08:00

Prologue

Back when I started this blog I was intending to write an essay of sorts to explore my theories about why people so often drive in the left lane. I have now spent a good portion of my life driving on the roads, and many of those on Maryland roads. This almost ever day experience has given me time to reflect on why people do what they do.

I'm not going to lay it all out there at once, but I'm going to break it into parts, each one focusing on a different theory. So settle in and get ready to read some insightful brilliance about social behavior at its finest.

Definiton

To adequately explore this we need to understand exactly what it is that we're discussing. Left-lane-driving is when a person drives in the left lane with a line of cars behind them. They make no efforts to move to the right to allow quicker drivers to pass. Many left-lane-drivers will drive at or slightly under the speed limit, rarely driving any significant speed over the posted limit.

*Do you agree with this definition? Help me to refine it to make it better. Post your comments.

Theory #1

Let's start with my most ridiculous theory: Driving in the left lane is a reflection of one's political persuasion. At some point I considered whether Maryland's historical love affair with the left side of the political arena may possibly be seeping out into its citizens driving habits. "Choose the Left" became more than just a belief. Maryland drivers chose to display their political preference more publicly by choosing the left lane to drive in.

Obviously this theory doesn't hold much water. If one's politics affected driving preferences you'd expect to see the behavior more predominantly in States that were liberal. My experience tells me that left-lane-driving occurs in many States regardless of the prevailing political sentiment.

Theory #1 appears to be debunked. However, there is no empirical evidence to discount it completely. If anyone is interested in doing a study, check how your State voted in the most recent Presidential election and then observe how often you see left-lane drivers in your State. Post any results here.

Upcoming Theories:

Left-lane exits and EZ Pass
Cruise Control
Ego / Power Trip
Social Justice and Equality
La-La Land / Distracted
Caught in the Current
Is Big Brother watching?
Quest for stability
Keeping up with the Jones'
Limited space
Lanes mean distance

More?

Fort Wayne, Indiana

2008-11-10T21:00:00.000-08:00

One of the great benefits of having roommates and friends who work for the airline industry is the occasional free ticket. Before Todd left he was gracious enough to give me a ticket to fly anywhere Southwest flies. The "luv" airline certainly showed me some love this weekend for a quick trip to Indiana.

I had promised my friend Justin that I would come visit in October. I hadn't planned on October being as hectic as it was. I was determined not to make a promise I wasn't going to keep, and I figured this weekend was time to make good. I left the nice beautiful weather of Baltimore for the rather blustery and frigid weather of Indiana. (I'm told the weather was nice there until I arrived. What's that supposed to mean??)

Justin made the two hour trip to Indianapolis to pick me up. We met up my former roommate, Jon (#18) who had been in Indiana campaigning. We had a very nice dinner at McCormick and Schmick's.

Notice the Colts emblem in the background. Did you know the Colts were originally a Baltimore team? After assuring the people of Maryland he had no intention of moving the team, the owner Robert Irsay moved the team in the middle of the night. Scandalous! Needless to say, the people of Baltimore aren't so into the Indianapolis Colts.

There are a few things that I look forward to every time I am Indiana. At the top of the list is a visit to Steak 'n Shake. They have some of the best hamburgers and shoe-string french fries in the country. They also have a side-by-side milkshake. This trip featured a new milkshake flavor... egg nog!

The highlight of the dining experience wasn't the food. Check out the menu and see if you can spot the funny.

After the food we went back to the house to pick up Kent. The three of us went to the Fort Wayne Botanical Conservatory. None of us had ever been there, and being inside a greenhouse on a cold day seemed like a reasonable thing to do. Plus they had an "Under the Sea" exhibit with mermaids and fish! Oh baby!

This tree stood guard over the entrance to the gardens. Kent, a practicing dentist, made sure to point out that this poor guys teeth could use a few whitening sessions. The tree... not me!

How do you make a garden an undersea experience? How about some seahorse topiaries? Throw in some inflatable fish and a bubble machine and you're just about there. They had a scavenger hunt of sorts that the kids could do to find all of the decorations they had laid out in the garden. If the plants hadn't been there I would have thought I was swimming in a dry ocean!

There were two other sections of the garden, the tropical rainforest and the Sonoran desert. Hmm, Hawaii and Arizona. Why did everything seem so familiar? I had some major deja vu. Here we are in the desert section.

After the gardens we headed home, but not without taking a quick tour of Fort Wayne. I'm told this is not the original fort built in the 1700's. If you can't tell this picture was taken from inside the car as we drove past going about 120mph in the Dodge Charger.

Later that night we went out to eat with Chris and Ben at some Italian place. We then topped off the night with a game of Phase 10. Just look at how much fun Justin is having! He sure likes his cheese.

For a quick weekend trip I had lots of fun. Justin has made some wonderful friends, and I was fortunate to grow my circle of friends as well. I just wish it wasn't so cold while I was there.

Amazing hi-def wallpapers

2008-11-10T18:53:00.001-08:00

Check out this website for amazing hi-def wallpapers. If you have a MacBook Pro they look awesome on your desktop!

http://interfacelift.com/wallpaper_beta/downloads/date/any/

Oh, and here's a link to Dav's Blog where he talks about "Dav night" from last week:

http://travelindav.blogspot.com/2008/11/mexican-food-and-pool-hall.html

2008-11-02T18:01:00.000-08:00

8th Annual Pumpkin Carving Spook-tacular!

2008-10-29T21:04:00.000-07:00

Every year since I moved to Maryland I have carved pumpkins. When I finally bought a house I hosted a party to allow others to join in the fun. Besides the 4th of July I think Halloween is my favorite holiday. You can carve pumpkins, ask strangers for candy, and dress up in funny outfits. Besides all the kid stuff, I just really think it's cool that we can still trust people enough to go around and trick or treat. How sad that this tradition is fading away as we get more suspicious and fearful. I'm trying to keep the flame alive, and not just in the jack-o-lantern.

This year I decided to try to make pumpkin soup. Yeah, not so good. The recipe I tried asked for apple cider and apples in addition to pumpkins. You could taste more of the apples than the pumpkins. I knew it needed something, but couldn't figure out what it was. Oh well, I just added a dollop of sour cream and garnished with chives. Not horrible, but I think it needs to be modified if I try it again. If Mariko was here I'm sure she could have salvaged my poor attempt at soup.

Of course, soup was not the purpose of the party. We carved pumpkins! I provide the pumpkins every year. I even have the tools and templates for everyone to use. I got these cool plastic / cloth disposable table clothes that I spread out on the floor. Everyone goes at it, then I simply roll up the table cloth and throw it away with all the pumpkins guts tucked neatly inside. Brilliant!

This year was, in my opinion, the best. Everyone brought their "A" game for pumpkin carving. The jack-o-lanterns are simply amazing. Peter made a pumpkin with innards coming out of its nose. Janice spent hours working on her dragon, which I think wins this year's prize for best jack-of-lantern. See for yourself. You can also check out more pictures at Dav's blog: http://travelindav.blogspot.com/2008/10/pumpkin-carving-at-arronsphiladelphia.html

I have already decided what I'll do for next year in Australia. Let's hope they have pumpkins.

Woot... and snap!

2008-10-28T16:37:00.000-07:00

A friend told me about this cool website called woot! Basically each day they offer some cool item for a discounted price until they sell out. They also must employ someone with a wacky sense of humor, because the descriptions of the items are pretty off-the-wall.

They've had enough interesting deals to keep me going back for more. If you happen to have a moment go and check them out. Maybe you'll find something you're willing to spend a few hard-earned bucks on.

Iron Chef Night

2008-10-19T20:52:00.000-07:00

Let me start out by saying that I'd like to dedicate this post to Mariko. I look forward to reading her blog because she makes eating food seem both like an art and an event. I love how she loves food, and more importantly takes the time to enjoy it. Way to go Mariko.

This last Wednesday my friend Dav called me up to say he was in town. I randomly suggested that we have an Iron Chef night. I've done this a couple of times before, but in my version I find something in my kitchen that has been there for a while with no hopes of being used in the near future. Rather than waste food, the challenge is to find something to do with it. Dav agreed to the experiment and we raided the cabinets for the "secret ingredient."

I decided to modify the challenge a bit to further expedite the goal to consume aging food. We had to take an item from each of my shelves and then find a dish that would use all of the ingredients. This is what we came up with: diced tomatoes and peppers, couscous, chicken from a can, craisins, artichoke hearts, and parmesean cheese (from the fridge).

Now, these are pretty normal ingredients. We're not trying to make something from, say, fish eyes or pig hearts. I have two cookbooks that I got for last Christmas (thanks Grandma and Holly), and we have an internet connection. I set Dav and Peter on the internet to find recipes, and Dave and I grabbed the cookbooks to start our search. I found a recipe for a stew and some stuffing. In the end, Peter won with Onion And Wild Garlic Quiche With Parmesan In A Couscous Crust I was intrigued by the innovative use of couscous.

I sent Peter and Dave out to get a few ingredients we didn't have (i.e. onions, garlic, cilantro) and also some salad to go along with our dish. I made the couscous, and then the crust. Dav mixed together the rest of the ingredients, and BAM! We had a dinner. Dav was quick to point out that some of our ingredients, such as the mustard, were a little bit out of date. Come on, who hasn't used mustard that expired over a year ago. Does anyone check the expiration date on condiments anyway? Serious. Of course he had to post about it on his blog as well.

Here are a few extra pictures of the process:

The couscous crust (I doubled the recipe since there were 6 GUYS eating this:

The final product just prior to putting it in the oven:

The final product after cooking:

Dav commented that we could have done without the craisins. Peter also suggested that we minimize the use of onions, which after eating this was a bad choice. Chicken, couscous, and eggs don't have much flavor... so the onions would have helped it not be so bland. I didn't add nearly enough seasonings to make this work. More salt, more onions, and perhaps a nice sauce would have made this superb. I liked using couscous as a crust though, but be careful not to make it so thick it becomes the main part of the dish. I also thought salad went very well with the quiche.

Here is a side-by-side of our final plating of the Iron Chef attempt with the picture from the recipe. Notice the picture from the recipe shows way more onions and also tomatoes on top. I think more veggies in the quiche would definitely make a nice touch.

Ghetto Popeye's

2008-10-08T18:53:00.000-07:00

My roommate told me to blog about this, so here I go. Tonight I picked up Dav from his house so we could hang out. He's not in Baltimore all that often and it's nice to see him when he's here. I decided that we should go play duck pin bowling in Towson. However, the first order of bui-ness was to get dinner. Dav said he had been craving Popeye's spicy chicken all day, so I was happy to oblige. We still had the Transmorphers movie we rented for my birthday shindig anyway and the Blockbuster was right next door.

When we finally pulled up to Popeye's there was note attached to the order kiosk that said the speakers were broken and to drive to the window to place the order. I had sat at the kiosk for about a minute or two before I realized there was a note with instructions for customers. I drove forward having decided on the chicken strips, and Dav opted for a 3 piece meal without the drink. We waited behind a truck for another couple of minutes before a female employee walked past the car to deliver food to another car waiting in the parking lot. She then stopped at our car to take our order.

We gave the nice lady our order, when she quickly interrupted me to inform me that they didn't have chicken strips. I counter-offered with chicken nuggets. Nope, none of those either. She then recited off a list of what else they didn't have. Pretty much no soda, and anything else I had wanted. They had Dav's 3 piece meal. I reluctantly agreed to get chicken with bones.

What kind of crazy chicken place doesn't have boneless chickens? You might think I am getting worked up over something not worth the effort. Nay, this is the 2nd time this has happened! I was at another Popeye's in Woodlawn when they told me they had no chicken! WHAT? I may be a bit simple minded here, but how does a chicken place not have chicken?

We quickly got our nasty bone-filled greasy chickens and headed home to fill our stomachs. I was disappointed to say the least. The buttery biscuits were quite good.

I know times are tough, but come on Popeye's... get some chicken!

Transmorphers: The best bad-movie birthday movie ever

2008-10-07T20:29:00.001-07:00

I recently had another birthday. I seem to have them every year around this time. These last few years, though, I've made something of tradition of the annual celebration. I rally up the friends and head over to the nearest Fuddrucker's. In my family, the kid celebrating the birthday got to choose where to have dinner. I remember several times asking for the Fudd, mostly because they have diced onions. I'm not sure why I love diced onions so much, but I do. Enough questions already. Since moving to Maryland I have gone to Fuddrucker's for my birthday at least 5 or 6 times. I'd say the tradition is getting pretty well entrenched.

Several years ago I added another layer to the festivities. After consuming the tasty meat sandwiches we head to the homestead to watch a bad movie. Bad, in the sense that it has to be something you would not normally choose to watch (not porn, or anything you'd have to talk to a priest / bishop about.) Here's a list of what I can remember watching so far:

2002 - Killer Klowns from Outer Space
2003 - Attack of the Killer Tomatoes
2004 - Night of the Lepus
2005 - Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story
2006 - No movie
2007 - No movie
2008 - Transmorphers

So this year, after Fuddrucker's we took the trip over to Blockbuster Video to pick out a movie. On the spot I decided to let the others in the party join in the fun of the movie selection. We made a game of it. Everyone had to choose the one movie they thought was the worst in the store. After 5 - 10 minutes we would meet up again and determine which movie was worthy of the honor.

I selected A Day Without a Mexican, and Fronterz. Since it was my birthday I felt I got to pick two. Peter picked Son of Kong. Tommy picked some kind of biker chick movie. Dave picked one of the Thomas the Train series. All rightful contenders... but when Carlos presented Transmorphers, we knew we had a winner.

I can honestly say this was the worst movie I have ever seen. Had I not had the peanut gallery to make comments in MST 3000 fashion, I would have shriveled away in despair. About 20 minutes into the movie the soundtrack messes up, so the dialog is 5-10 seconds off. Add in a society of lesbian commanders and missing special effects and you get more of an idea what kind of quality movie this is. Some of the special effects (i.e. the radar graphics) were like watching some games I used to play on the Atari 2600. Not only that, but most of the acting was worse than a porno made by high school drama drop-outs. Uhm, I mean what I hear the acting in a porno would be like. I'm telling you, this was bad.

Of course, I had to own it. Today I was at the mall taking back some pants that were too tight, and getting some film developed. (What is this the 1980's?) I wandered over to the FYE to see if there was anything worth buying. Having seen Ironman twice, I knew I was going to buy it. Luckily, the movie was marked down to $19.99, and came with a $7 rebate. Not bad. I then thought, "If I'm going to get one movie I might as well buy Transmorphers." I looked around the store to see if they had it, and wouldn't you know it, they did. Tucked away behind the orphaned stacks of Transformers were two copies of this abysmal cinematic event. One was new, for $12.99, and one was used for $5.99. I obviously opted for the used version. I'm almost positive it wasn't viewed more than once.

What I didn't know, until I got to the check out counter, is that if anyone bought a sci-fi movie with Ironman they also got $5 off that movie. YES! You read that right. I got Transmorphers for $0.99. If you count in the rebate I'm getting, they actually paid me $6 to take the movie from them. How cool is that? I'll post a picture of the receipt as soon as I can get one on here.

When I was checking out the guy told me he had watched it as well. He said, "You know it's going to be bad when it is written, directed, and edited by the same person."

So if you can spare 85 minutes of your life to throw away on a good laugh, go check out Transmorphers... but please, watch it with your wittiest friends. After you do, make sure to join the Facebook group called "The Few, The Proud, Those who have survived Transmorphers"

Proposition 8 video

2008-10-06T21:10:00.001-07:00

I seem to be on a political soap box lately. I'm afraid that this post is no exception.

I got an email recently that said, "Hey everyone please check out the link on this video. It is so disturbing, it was just shocking!!!!"

I was intrigued. What could be so horrifying. The email was a forward, so here are some of the other comments:

"This is a amazing video, it goes well with Proposition 102."
"Many of you may have seen this already.....it was sent to me by two different people. It is scary what will happen if we don't vote YES on Prop 8.......watch........"
"A friend of mine sent this to me and I thought it worth passing along."

So by this point I know it's a political forward, and it has something to do with Proposition 8, which isn't on the ballot in our State. Then I get to this part:

"Regardless of your personal opinion on same-gender marriage, this issue will affect your children, or the children of someone you love. Each of us should have the right to teach our children about moral issues in our own way, in our own families, without the State getting involved.

If Prop 8 fails, all schools, both public and private, may be forced to introduce homosexual behavior - in the name of diversity - as early as Kindergarten. Watch the video below to see a scenario we may all be faced with in the near future. Please vote YES on Proposition 8. Your vote counts!"

Ah, now we're getting somewhere. This is an anti-gay marriage video message. I don't normally look at political videos, but I figured I had nothing else going on so why not. I watched the video, which said the following:

Voting no on Proposition 8 will allow gay marriage to happen.
Other states (i.e. Massachusetts) have passed gay-marriage laws and are already experiencing the effects of it.
For example, if gay marriage is legal then schools will have to talk / teach about gay marriage.
Since Kindergartens are part of school, children attending them will be taught about gay marriage.
If kids hear about gay marriage they will be gay.
Parents who choose not to allow schools talk about gay marriage will be put in jail.
Schools hate parents.

This may be an oversimplification, but I think I got the message right. Here's my problem, there's a HUGE flaw in this logic. Proposition 8 says NOTHING about schools. You can check for yourself. I went and looked up the text of the Proposition. Didn't see school, education, teach, etc. once. I did see an amendment that says that marriage will be defined as a union between a man and a woman. Not only that, but this video is actually saying (without saying it directly) that schools are going to teach kids to be gay in kindergarten. Huh? Did I miss something here?

I'm not saying that Proposition 8 is right or wrong. That's for the people in California to decide. What I am saying is videos like the one I received are propaganda designed to scare people with twisted logic. And more importantly, one of the last comments says that if gay marriage is legal then you'll have to talk about it with your kids. Are you kidding me? When did teaching your kids about the world become a bad thing?

When did schools ever take away a parents' rights to teach their children? I think parents give up those rights when they FAIL to teach their kids. As the saying goes, "If you don't someone else will." Like it or not, in our age of information children are going to learn anything they want to, from school or other kids... or heaven forbid the internet. As a parent you can choose to talk about something and help your child to understand your experience and view of the world.. or you can cover your ears, close your eyes, and pretend nothing is bad out there. You can even tell schools not to teach your kids anything about the world, but don't be surprised when they find out someday, because they will. The question is, will they be prepared and ready to understand it when they do.

Videos like this upset me because they talk about everything except the actual issue. I think I'm probably just tired of politics and moral fundamentalists dreaming up scenarios about what could happen and not talking about what does happen. Maybe I'm too much of a scientist, but since when did we go freaking out because someone says the sky is falling? I want to see a piece hit the ground before I make a decision that the end is near. (Though hopefully the whole thing doesn't hit the ground at the same time so I have time to prepare.)

Why aren't reason and logic part of our political and moral discussion anymore? And when did talking about something make it a moral issue? I thought morals were more about actions than words. You don't kill, you don't lie, you don't cheat... all actions. Words themselves, or discussions about topics aren't moral.

I'm interested to hear your comments.

By the way, I'm not posting a link to the video on purpose. I was indeed outraged, but obviously because the message of the video was taking advantage of people who would think with their feelings instead of their minds.

Congress listened!

2008-09-29T22:32:00.000-07:00

Well, they kinda listened. What a cool thing it was that representatives voted down a measure that was practically a sure thing because of the feedback they received from their constituents. Listening to the media, you would have thought they were cows being led to the slaughter. I've had it with the media. They are painting this to make it look like the general public doesn't know what we're talking about. We're the dumb idiots who don't realize the implications of our outrage at providing billions of dollars we don't have to people who took a chance and lost.

None of what is on the media gets to the point of anything. More money won't solve the problem. We are a nation of debtors. We rely on credit today more than we ever have. The whole idea of credit is pretty ridiculous. I'm reminded of Wimpy on Popeye. He was always pleading for "a burger today, that I will gladly pay you for tomorrow." Sometimes you have to suck it up and actually work for something. (Here's an article published almost a year ago, which is oddly foresightful about our current mess: http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Global_Economy/IK21Dj01.html)

Beyond the credit crisis is a deeper crisis of leadership. All of the financial markets are now victim of a thing called fear. I'm amazed that no one sees the correlation between what Wall Street thinks will happen and the prices of the stocks they trade. When the media says the Congress is going to dump a bunch of money into Wall Street, stocks go up. When the bill fails stocks go down. Why? Because people make decisions based on fear. Wall Street is no exception.

What happened to the days when the president came before the nation and said, "We have nothing to fear but fear itself." Or "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." Granted these sayings were both said by Democrats, and I hardly consider myself a staunch liberal. More to the point, both of these go beyond party politics. They reminded Americans that we are something more than the current crisis we face. We built this nation into what it is not by promising to make good on a debt sometime in the future, but by using every resource we had to make something work. We need a leader who will remind us that we can be better, that this too will pass, and that there is hope in our future. Most importantly we need someone who will do more than just pay lip service to our hopes and dreams.

I'm tired of the blame game and the currency of despair we face every day. No wonder people get discouraged by the news and politics. I think we all need to make a point to find something positive in our lives to remind ourselves that life is a beautiful thing.

Enough of my soap box. For those of you reading this, thanks for your patience while I have vented my opinions about these things.

Gunrichment

2008-09-28T18:55:00.000-07:00

Yes, that's me with a gun. My mother would not be so happy. I wasn't allowed to have any type of gun as a kid. When I finally got a small Daisy BB gun that used a small pump you had to crank to build the pressure to fire the BB, you would have thought I had a semi-automatic unlicensed weapon. Never mind that I had injured myself riding an ATV and the BB gun was consolation prize. But that's a different story.

This weekend a bunch of guys from church packed up the cars and headed to Elks Neck State park in Maryland to fire some guns at a gun range. I haven't fired anything but a .22 at scout camp, and a shot gun once. I was looking forward to expanding my horizons. I brought along Peter, Tommy, and my roommate's brother, David.

All of the guns were provided by two guys, brothers actually. Now we're not just talking guns. One of them was a 50 caliber missile launcher of a thing. That's Tommy being the first one to man-up and fire the thing. You could feel the shock wave from 20 feet away. From what I heard, the gun has hit the target from up to 2 miles away, and was designed to take out engine blocks. How can you not feel a rush of testosterone after firing this thing?

Fortunately, the wildlife / engine block pulverizer wasn't our only option. I stood on the sideline for a while biding my time for the right moment. I was apprehensive about shooting these high caliber weapons of destruction, but eventually I stepped up to the plate. I'm going to loose some man points for not knowing, but I'm not exactly sure what kind of gun I was going to shoot. The guy loaded it for me, told me how to hold it and stepped back. I released the safety, took aim, and gently squeezed the trigger. Click! Nothing happened. Yep, the bullet jammed. I called the guy over and he took a look at it. I guess it's not a good sign when he says, "Well, I've never seen this before." Since I only pulled the trigger I'm pretty sure it wasn't my fault, but I felt bad for ruining this guy's gun. After that I wasn't too keen on taking another chance on either ruining another gun or having some other kind of mishap happen.

For the rest of the day I took on the name of "Jammer." Plus I got a few cool pics of me with a cool gun. Don't let the pics fool you though, I never got to shoot any of the guns. Dab nab it!

A letter to my US Congressional representatives

2008-09-25T15:21:00.000-07:00

Rep. Sarbanes, Sen. Mikulski, Sen Cardin,

I have never before written to my representative about political matters. I feel I must write now to voice my opinion about the government bailout you are about to vote on. I, like many of those around me, feel this is an action that is taking advantage of the American people. While I do not want the economy to be worse for me or my friends and neighbors, I do not want to provide easy money to those who caused this mess.

This deal is bad all around. I'm sure you are already thinking about oversight of the spending, aid to average citizens, and salary caps for executives. Let me just add, that this money is coming from the people. When you vote please consider that you have been entrusted to speak for us. I realize you cannot speak for everyone, but as my representative I want you to know what I would like you to do... I urge you to vote against the bailout.

Thank you for taking time to listen to my voice. I wish you all the best as you work in Washington to make this world a better place.

What a crazy government we have!

2008-09-21T06:06:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure if I can speak for everyone else in the United States, but the government bailout of the financial industry currently in the works is ridiculous. Our government is getting ready to give away our money (the government gets its money from the people through taxes) to a bunch of corporations. One report estimates the bailout may be as much as $700 billion!

Let's do some easy math. As of July 2008, the estimated population of the United States was 303,824,640 people. If we take the total money the government is planning to spend for the bailout and divide that by the number of people paying the bill...

700,000,000,000 / 303,824,640 = $2303.96

This is the amount each of us are paying for this! And where does this money go? To the same companies that are paying their CEO's and other corporate officers millions of dollars. What do we get out of this? Nothing, really. We will still have mortgages to pay, because the banks aren't going to suddenly decided that the money we gave them should go towards the debts we already owe them. We won't get cheaper insurance. In the end, we won't get any kind of financial benefit other than a "safer economy" based on the opinion of those spending our money.

How about the government gives us the money. I promise to go out and spend what they give me. I'll spend every last penny. The money will still go to the companies they are trying to bail out, but at least I'll have something to show for it.

2008-09-20T07:19:00.000-07:00

Aurgasm

2008-09-16T19:39:00.001-07:00

A few years ago I happened across a great website for music. Similar to a blog, Paul Irish uses his space on the web to share a variety of music with the rest of us. Through his site I've found some great songs and artists. Whether you're looking for some chill music to have on in the background, or some dance remixes of popular songs, you'll find something on his site. You can even download the songs he has posted there for free, without the fear of legal action by the RIAA nazi's. Take a walk into the eclectic at Aurgasm.

http://aurgasm.us/

What the... Why am I peeing blue?

2008-09-15T19:48:00.000-07:00

My friend Cailin alluded to an experience I once had on her blog recently. This is one of the better pranks that I have had the fortune to be the target, so I guess I should share it here.

I attended school in Hawaii. My time there was split into three "periods." I went for two semesters before my mission, one semester after my mission, and then for four semesters after a break in Arizona. This prank happened during the second period in Hawaii.

My roommate at the time and I had made friends with several girls who lived in the Green House. The girls were awesome. For my birthday they found a pinata shaped like a fish and baked me a birthday cake. I was amazed at how considerate they were. Little did I know the birthday party was just the set-up.

A few weeks later they invited us over to their house for dinner. We had been a few times before, so didn't suspect anything unusual. During dinner they mentioned they had a special surprise for desert. You don't have to be around me long to realize that I have a very acute weakness for brownies. I was all too excited to find they had made a whole pan of brownies for us. Although there is no photographic evidence of this prank, truly a tragedy, let me try to paint a picture. We gathered in the kitchen to prepare the brownie-from-pan extraction procedure. Before sinking a knife into the chocolately goodness, I commented, "These look kinda metallic. Cool!" Hmm, you think that would be a sign for some people. Not me. I ate several large pieces of the laced brownies. I now realize that the girls were not just eating morsels because they were being girlish.

On the way home from the dinner / brownie surprise my roommate and I started having stomach cramps. We both commented on how a trip to the bathroom was clearly imminent. Still not connecting anything unusual to the brownies, we chalked it up to something from the dinner that was not sitting well. After a manly trip to the bathroom, the flushed colons provided enough relief to dispell any further suspicion, at least until the next morning.

Still groggy from an ordinary night of sleep, I made my way to the dorm bathrooms to take care of business. A moment into the ritual I noticed something that shocked me. My pee was navy blue. I found a picture of the effects of the prank on another blog:
(http://cre.ations.net/creation/body-mod---turn-your-pee-blue)

I could only wish my urine was the color in this picture! I had eaten so many brownies that my urine was a much more intense shade of blue. We're talking dark, dark blue. The initial shock of seeing something other than a more human color of urine leave my body lasted only for about 5 seconds. Fortunately I had heard my father tell stories about how he would prank his friends with urine dye in high school. After realizing what had happened I was actually enjoying the new color palate I had to paint the porcelain. My roommate later came to the room to ask if I had anything unusual happen earlier in the morning. I confirmed that we had both been punk'd.

I had eaten so much that it took about three days to clear my system. I can't remember how the first encounter with the girls post-blue-urine went down. I believe they timidly asked if we were feeling okay. I'm sure we tried to play off that we had no clue what they were talking about, but I probably bubbled over about how cool it was to pee blue for three days.

So, in case you are wondering, the secret ingredient was methylene blue. As it turns out the girls were considerate enough to call poison control prior to dosing us to ensure there would be no harmful side effects. After confirming with the operator there would be no major injuries or reactions, the operator inquired about what had happened. The girls responded by saying, "Oh nothing, we're just going to prank some of our friends." They noted enough of the operator's shocked reaction to relay to us before they hung up on her.

Where does one get methylene blue, you ask? Well, the girls found it as part of a fungicide fish dip at an aquarium shop. When I graduated I was given the remainder of the bottle as a present. Let me just say now, I've never been as good a prankster as my Hieatt ancestors have been. My retaliatory attempt at revenge was haphazard at best. I decided to mix some blue fungicide into a batch of enchiladas I had made. The problem with that is the filling is clearly blue, especially if you add the dye to the enchiladas directly after mixing the filling. Needless to say, the gig was up after the first bite, and the enchiladas were only a hit with the guys anxious to pee blue. (Nobody did.)

How did this experience become a topic of conversation on Cailin's blog? Good question. Turns out that while I was visiting the Temple's in Brooklyn over Labor Day weekend Iz found a bottle of methylene blue. He brought it back for me to add to my arsenal of mischief. Do I need to say that he was one of the ones eating the enchiladas?

Australian Ballads and Rhymes

2008-09-11T19:31:00.000-07:00

My Grandmother bought me a nifty little book for my birthday in honor of my upcoming trip to Australia. I'm thinking I am going to take this book with me to keep me company during my time in another country.

I just happened to open it up tonight and read the first page. I thought I'd share it here.

"A Voice from the Bush"

"O! mihi praeteritos..."

High noon, and not a cloud in the sky to break this blinding sun!
Well, I've half the day before me still, and most of my journey done.
There's little enough shade to be got, but I'll take what I can get,
For I'm not as hearty as once I was, although I'm a young man yet.

Young? Well, yes, I suppose so, as far as the seasons go;
Though there's many a man far older than I down there in the town below -
Older, but men to whom, in the pride of their manhood strong,
The hardest work is never too hard, nor the longest day too long.

But I've cut my cake, so I can't complain; and I've only myself to blame.
Ay! that was always their tale at home, and here it's just the same.
Of the seed I've sown in pleasure, the harvest I'm reaping in pain.
Could I put my life a few years back, would I live that life again?

Would I? Of course I would! What glorious days they were!
It sometimes seems but the dream of a dream that life could have been so fair.
So sweet, but a short time back, while now, if one can call
This life, I almost doubt at times if it's worth the living at all.

One of these poets - which is it? somewhere or another since,
That the crown of a sorrow's sorrow, is remembering happier things.
What the crown of a sorrow's sorrow may be I know not; but this I know, -
It lightens the years that are now, sometimes to think of the years ago.

(Poem continues, but not here. You have to get the book to read how it ends!)

A sister for me?

2008-09-10T04:18:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday, Sis!

We have so many stories. Since it's her birthday let me share this one:

My sister and I are 11 months apart. "Irish twins," apparently. I wasn't even a year old when she became a part of my life. Like so many of my stories about my early childhood, I don't remember the events of this one myself. I don't know that we kids were that outrageous prior to gaining our own awareness, or just that parents tend to remember crazy details to hold over you when you get older. What a perfect scenario. Just remember some stories that are impossible for your kids to remember because they are too young, then repeatedly tell them and they have no defense!

So, anyway, the story goes that I was at home when my sister came home from the hospital. As a matter of introduction they set her on the floor with me. I had been playing with some kind of bottle (probably plastic, but who knows), which I promptly used to bump her on the head. My guess is that I had just watched the Knights of King Arthur and was merely christening her into my kingdom. She obviously didn't suffer major brain damage, and you only hurt the ones you love right? Hmm, maybe hurt is a strong word. I'm going with "love tap."

I believe this story has its origins in a picture my Mom took of the two of us together. The next time I have a chance to look at the 'ole photo collection I'll have to do some investigating.

My friend sent me a different kind of survey a while back. Usually you fill out details about yourself to forward onto others. This one had questions you answer about the person who sent it to you. My sister and I exchanged surveys, and these were our responses about this particular incident.

Amy's responses:

1. What is my name? (If you get this wrong you're fired!)Arron

2. Where did we meet? At home - you hit me with a bottle!

3. Take a stab at my middle name:Carl

4. How long have you known me? 31 years, and 2 1/2 months

5. Do I smoke? No

6. What was your first impression of me upon meeting? You were a meanie

My responses:

1. What is my name? (If you get this wrong you're fired!) Amy

2. Where did we meet? At a bottle factory. I saved you from a falling pile of bottles, but unfortunately one escaped and accidentally beaned you in the head.

3. Take a stab at my middle name: Lou, Sue, Lynn

4. How long have you known me? Since you came into this world.

5. Do I smoke? Only when you cook.

6. What was your first impression of me upon meeting? Who let a baby in this bottle factory? She's gonna get beaned by a bottle!

The Rusted Buoy

2008-09-09T19:43:00.000-07:00

I went away to school in Hawaii some time ago. The beautiful island of Oahu offered not only an education, but a variety of experiences to grow from as well. One particular day some friends and I ventured down to the water's edge for a rest from our academic pursuits. Not far from the beach was a small island that had been set aside as a wildlife refuge. We saw others making the trek across the reef connecting the island to the beach, so we followed.

The little island was full of things to explore and discover. We slowly toured the island taking in all we could. We found all sorts of things that had washed up on the island's beaches and sifted through them looking for anything interesting. Eventually we came to a large shelf that was filled with water to about our ankles. We found many sea cucumbers, starfish, and sea urchins while walking along the shelf. After a few moments something greater caught our attention.

In the middle of the shelf lay a big, rusted buoy. We trudged over to the buoy to look it over more closely. We soon decided that it had been tossed onto the shelf when the waves had been much bigger. As the water calmed and receded the buoy was left stranded, waiting for us to find it. While inspecting our discovery someone suggested pushing the buoy back into the ocean. At once we were at work. We quickly rolled the buoy across the shallow pool to the edge. However, the edge of the shelf posed a much greater problem. The waves there were rough, and every now and then one would be big enough to crash onto the shelf. As the bigger waves would crash we would run away from the buoy for fear of being crushed under its weight. Not only would the waves stop our efforts, but they would also push the buoy further back onto the shelf.

We finally abandoned our attempt to free the buoy and it remained on the shelf. Despite the failure that day I succeeded in learning one of life's greatest lessons. Many people find challenges and weaknesses have become trapped in their lifes, like the buoy. With valiant efforts they struggle to overcome until, finally, they reach the edge where they are ready to cast away those difficulties. While the journey to the edge may seem easy, they soon find waves of frustration or failure pushing them back. The last step is sometimes the hardest to take.

I often find myself trying to cast off my "buoys" only to be pushed back. The more I live my life, the more I realize that I cannot do it alone. I have learned the way is much easier if I follow God, and turn to Him for help. While we must go to the edge and do all that we can to overcome, we can never truly free ourselves until we cast away our problems despite all that keeps pushing us back. I've found that just as the ocean reached past its bounds to place the buoy on the shelf, it can also reach past them to take it back.

(Modified from original story written in 1995. Posted here by request from Cailin.)

Writings

2008-09-07T19:41:00.000-07:00

These past few blog entries have reminded me why I started a blog in the first place. I like writing. I have never thought I was very effective as a writer, but I figured practice would make perfect. I have been jotting down ideas I've had about what to write about next. Who knows if any of the ideas will ever be launched into this small space on the internet, but maybe they will.

So, I decided to look back through what I've already written and see if any of it was worth posting. The bulk of my writing was when I was new to the LDS (Mormon) church and is very spiritually oriented. There are two poems I wrote which kinda stand out at the moment. Just an early warning, most of my writing is unusually hopeful. Isn't that what religion should be about? I'm including one of those "The sun'll come out tomorrow..." poems and a goofy one.

Church "Hymns"

I've always wondered why there's only church "hymns."
Isn't it wrong to have no "hers" in them?
It wouldn't be much, just a line here or there,
to balance it out and make it more fair.
I'd even help. I'd pen a few words
so they'd feel wanted as we sing like the birds.
You know, it's amazing what this would do,
not only to hymns, but all the hers too.

Mud

When you're up to your knees in mud and it seems you can't go on,
take another step ahead you'll see it won't be long.

'Till the sun will shine, its light will fill your soul.
Soon the world will dry; look up, you'll see your goal.

There's heaven beyond. Look past this dismal vale.
Let your heart sing out, listen to it's tale.

Though the rains may come and the mud, deeper, may seep,
with every step you'll earn great blessings to reap.

Up to your knees in mud? Heart of pain and despair?
Step ahead, look up, sing out. Trust the sun will be there.

Can You Play?

2008-09-06T18:47:00.000-07:00

I saw this on Cailin's blog, who saw it on Bettina Grange's blog and thought it was fun.

Here are the directions:

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you. If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments.

Labor Day Weekend with the Temple's

2008-09-06T17:49:00.000-07:00

My friend Cailin is showing me up! I've been home from my trip to Brooklyn, New York (not to be confused with Brooklyn, Maryland) for a week already. Cailin has posted not one, but two entries on her blog about the adventure. You can check them out by clicking on the links below.

http://cailiniz.blogspot.com/2008/09/butterflies-trucks-and-whalesoh-my.html
http://cailiniz.blogspot.com/2008/09/labor-day-weekend-with-arron.html

She did a great job with her posts. I should just leave it at that and not say anymore, but I won't. I had such a good time. I enjoyed every moment I got to stay with Cailin, Israel, and the boys. Keahi and Jarom are growing so quickly. I'm amazed to hear Jarom talking since he was only about a year old the last time I saw him.

Keahi is as brilliant as ever. I read a few pages from a space book with him during my visit. I was asking him questions, not like a grown-up would typically as a child. You know, like, "What are the shiny things in the sky?" No, with Keahi I was asking him why Pluto is not a planet anymore. The discussion was more like two colleagues talking about the decision of the IAU to demote Pluto to a sub-planet status. He continued on with the irony that Mercury is still a planet even though it's smaller than Pluto. (NOTE: This is really not true. See the comments for more details.) He then told me Pluto has an irregular orbit thus complicating it's bid to be an official planet. Seriously, I can't make this stuff up.

We did make it to several New York attractions. The Natural History Museum, the Bronx Zoo, the Brooklyn Labor Day Parade. I should've got a picture of drunk-head-stand guy, but was too enraptured watching the police escort him out of the parade. For a moment I thought he was his own little parade party.

My boss had told me Friday before I left that I would be lucky to get to Brooklyn in 5 hours being the holiday. I actually made it in about 4 1/2. The drive back was an easy and uneventful 3 hours. I was surprised there was no where near the volume of traffic I was expecting.

Anyway, here are a few pictures from my end that I think capture the fun of the weekend holiday.

One of the few pictures of Keahi pushing Jarom in the truck. Jarom was so happy to push Keahi, and Keahi insisted on being pushed. Little Jarom was drenched with sweat when we finally left for the museum.

Israel was quite the gentleman and let Cailin ride up front with me when we went to pick him up from work. He had to cram in the space between the two car seats in the back. He did bring us sugary donut goodness for our trip to the museum though.

Typical Keahi! He gets so excited about specific things that he doesn't care about all the stuff in between. The highlight of the Natural History Museum for him was the blue whale, whale shark, dinosaurs, and meteorites. Honestly, though, what kid or adult isn't excited about those. Israel did teach me that sperm whales (seen here) aren't really threatened by giant squids. The injuries they get from them are superficial... only flesh wounds.

Cailin posted a picture of the smoothie stand in her blog, but how about a picture of Cailin at the smoothie stand. In case you can't tell which one she is, she's the Asian girl waiting in line.

I was surprised how much the Brooklyn Labor Day Parade was made up of politicians and local leaders. Here's Mayor Bloomberg and his entourage. His appearance makes sense, but the Attorney General and his posse?

The first exhibit we saw at the Bronx Zoo was the Butterfly Garden. The "guards" announce as you enter not to touch the plants or butterflies. Keahi, ever the brilliant one, decides that blowing on the butterflies is not actually touching them. Notice Jarom helping a brother out.

Keahi and Jarom were hiding in the folds of a fake tree at the gorilla exhibit. I guess Keahi is making sure Jarom is really hiding. I think he was halfway choking the boy. This was just after Jarom spotted me sitting on a waiting bench and made a beeline towards me shouting, "Uncle Arron!" How can I not love these kids?

No trip would be right if I didn't climb something. Notice Israel in the back taking a picture. If you flip back and forth between the two it's like you're watching the Matrix.

Apparently 3 adults, 2 kids and a stroller is too much for Skyfari. This is Israel and Keahi ahead of us on the ride. Israel was smart and got a video of the whole ride. I just took pictures. You can hear Keahi ask about Mommy, and if the cab would split open if it falls. We weren't as concerned about them. Oh no.

Jarom and I pretended we were on a wild roller coaster. I told him, "Jarom lift up your hands!" and he did it. He didn't ask, "Uncle Arron, what crazy thing are you making me do?" He just did it. What a cool kid.

Thanks Cailin and Israel for sharing your family with me.

Robin's unholy fruits of hellfire

2008-09-03T18:43:00.000-07:00

I'm from Arizona. Being born and raised in a desert means that you are used to certain things. For example, seeing snow on TV and in the movies... and only on TV and in the movies. Another example is the anticipation and eventual joy that is monsoon season. Practically all of the annual rainfall occurs during a three to four week period. Everyone has their idea of what Arizona is, but I'm sure most agree on one thing, the place is hot.

Hot isn't just the temperature though. From a young age we are taught to appreciate hot flavors as well. Case and point, when I was not even old enough to walk my parents went to a Mexican buffet called Pancho's. The place is awesome! All the Mexican food you can eat, and you can raise a little Mexican flag at your table if you want more food. Tangent! Back to my story. We're sitting in Pancho's, when Dad looks over at me and sees me sitting there sucking on my pacifier. (I was a clever kid.) Having probably just dipped a chip in some salsa he suddenly decides to enroll me in a social study involuntarily. He reaches over and grabs my pacifier, dips it in the salsa and sticks it back in my mouth. Obviously I don't remember this personally, but when he recounts the story he usually says, "I figured if you cried I had milk." Gee, nevermind the fact that you just stuck salsa in your kid's mouth on purpose. However, according to Dad, I instantly noticed that my previously saliva-flavored sucking toy now had a new taste to it. I was intrigued. A puzzled look crossed my face as I tried to decide on whether this change was to my liking. After a moment of thought, and few more hits on the pacifier, I reportedly determined the change was good and continued sucking on it without further response. "That was when I decided to keep you," my Dad finishes.

All of this is to say, I'm definitely no stranger to spicy food. So, about a week ago a co-worker mentioned she had a garden and had been growing all sorts of stuff she was trying to pass on to interested people. She told me about peppers she had and asked if I wanted any. Not one to pass up on free food, I happily accepted the offer. She brought in the peppers pictured in this post last Tuesday in a crate. I grabbed about 3 of the orange ones, 3 of the green ones, the two yellow orange ones, and a small greenish one. As she gave them to me she cautioned that she had eaten a few of them over the weekend and thought they were pretty hot. She suggested cooking them to reduce the intensity.

That night I went home intending to make some sort of stir fry. I had remembered from my time in Arizona that often the seeds of the pepper are what makes it hot. I proceeded to clean out the seeds and cut them into pieces. This probably goes without saying, but I boldly performed this cooking ritual unprotected, without gloves. I had a skillet with some sesame dressing, some vinaigrette, and a small amount of soy sauce. At this point I am tossing anything I think will go well into the skillet. After the peppers I added some cubed chicken, and some cola rice I had made previously. I finished off my creation with some cabbage stuff they add to pupusas, and simmered for a few minutes.

Red flag #1. As I was cooking everything I noticed I was coughing every now and then because of the fumes. "Maybe the sauce and everything heating up is just a little smokey," I reasoned to myself. Nevermind that my roommate, helping me tear up the kitchen floor, was also coughing.

Red flag #2. I happened to brush my nose with my hand at some point in the process. What can only be described as a mix between Icy Hot and sticking your hand on a metal slide that has been sitting in the Arizona summer sun began pulsating on my tender nose parts. My nostril was on fire and rubbing it wasn't making it any better.

Red flag #3. After cooking the mix long enough to make sure it was well cooked (you have to cook out the hot in the peppers right?) , I sat down to eat my meal. The first bite was too warm to taste. "I just need to let it cool down," I again reasoned to myself. After 10 minutes the temperature of the food had not diminished and my nose was still smoldering. I decided to call it a game and not risk punishing my intestines for the next few days with what was obviously spicy food.

Having ignored all of the signs, I went on with my night thinking I had just made a meal that was a little too ambitious and hotter than I really knew I could take. If my story ended there I would have been a happy man. Oh no, I'm an idiot.

I continued my nightly rituals, checking email, watching TV, a nap of three to four hours. I woke up sometime around 1am and discovered that my contacts were dry and my vision was blurry. Yep, they had to come out. Let me pause to tell those of you who don't already know exactly why you never handle hot peppers without gloves. What makes them hot, Capsaicin, is oil based. That means you can't just wash it off with water. So when I put my pepper juice covered finger in my eye to take out my contact, the delicate surface of my eye screamed in pain. "Yeooooooooowwwww!" I groggily murmured. Unfortunately I didn't get it out with the first try.

My mind raced through the events of the night. Take peppers home. Cut open peppers. Wash out peppers with bare hands. Red flags 1, 2, and 3. Burning, tired eyes. Dry contacts. Oh crap! I paused to survey my pain, and then manned-up and went in to retrieve the contact. With one out, and a now swollen right eye, my left eye was waiting in fear. "I gotta get it out," I reasoned, though reason had clearly gone to a different home that night. The burning was much worse that the nose, now only an ember of the previous fire earlier in the night.

All said, the ordeal of getting the contacts out wasn't long lived. I restored my sight with my blessed glasses and went to bed shortly thereafter. I knew the next morning was going to be a challenge and did a quick search on the internet about ensuring the pepper juices of liquid fire were removed from my hands. I found a page where some guy had capsaicin on his hands and was barely able to tolerate the pain. A few posts suggested pouring milk on his hands for temporary relief. Another post suggested lemon juice. A few other posts unwisely suggested bleach. I also learned again of the oil-based qualities of my now immediate nemesis.

The next morning I set off to make sure my hands would be free from the pepper juice. I went downstairs to the kitchen to engage in cleaning. I first poured olive oil on my hands thinking I would get the one oil off with the other. After that I poured milk on my hands. Who knows, maybe there was some inactivating enzyme that would work its magic. Finally I poured some lemon juice. "There, clean from eye irritating oils," I concluded.

You probably already know the next part. My hands weren't the whole problem. When I took the contacts out I had smeared them up with the juices, and left them all night to soak in a water-saline solution. The oils hadn't gone anywhere. I realized this just after I put the first contact back in my eye and it swelled shut for the next 30 minutes. Having taken a step down the path of no return, I again manned-up and put the other contact in. I don't think I would be exaggerating when I say that I considered putting head through a wall to stop the pain. I had to turn off all the lights just to be able to slowly open my eyes. I grabbed some VISINE^® FOR CONTACTS^® and tried to flush things out. Surprisingly the visine was helpful, but I couldn't get enough into my eyes to actually make a huge difference.

I eventually regained enough composure to venture on to work. I wore sunglasses, like always, but had to cup my hands around the outside of them to keep the sun out. Would you believe the cool air from the AC was wonderful? I got to work and began setting up for a training I had to do. While sitting in the room one of my co-workers walked by and asked if I was crying. "Well, yes, but not for what you think," I replied.

A new word

2008-08-28T15:50:00.000-07:00

"Extra" as defined by UrbanDictionary.com:

1. over the top; excessive, dramatic behavior; way too much
2. adjective/noun: anything excessive, unnecessary, uncalled for, inappropriate, out of place, etc.; basically anything that shouldn't be there or have been said
3. adjective: to behave in a way on occassion or consistantly in a way that is deemed unnecessary or inapropriate.

I learned this gem of a word from a co-worker. She was telling us that her daughter taught it to her during one of their conversations. She was explaining something to her daughter, and got a little too carried away in her discussion. Her daughter then said, "Mom, that's extra!"

I thought it was effective and to the point. I have since tried to incorporate it into my daily vocabulary. So now I am sharing this wonderful word with you.

Addicting games, that's an understatement.

2008-08-27T19:07:00.000-07:00

If you read the last post you know I like games. I have come across some pretty nifty games on the internet, like the cows (http://scott.blazing.de/fun/game.swf) or the lasers (http://laser.narr.as). I've spent hours and a few sleepless nights trying to make my way through the levels. "This game will not get the best of me," my mind chants like a drug addict looking for his next fix.

Well, the people at Addicting Games have certainly tapped into that essence that is a gamer junkie. Check out this little game they have casually tossed out as a challenge. I haven't solved all the levels yet. This is one of those games where you think, "Oh my, I could never sit and do that!" Then the next thing you know it's 3am.

Get ready to bust out your engineering skills.

http://www.addictinggames.com/fantasticcontraption.html

Mille Bornes is awesome!

2008-08-27T00:44:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are on my email list for the Picture of the Month, you already know that I recently switched from a PC to a Mac. While I was flying back from Albany to Baltimore, I got out my MacBook Pro to type up the last PotM issue. The lady sitting next to me asked, "How do you like that thing?" I told her I loved it, and I really do.

I come from a gaming family. Some of the best family moments I can remember are when we were all playing some type of game. Plus, I think I just like games. So, when I got my new computer I was a little, emphasis on little, disappointed there weren't more games already loaded onto it. I've been looking online for a little while for some quality games to download and Monday night I found one.

Back in Hawaii I was introduced to a wonderful game I knew as "Creve!"... always said with a slightly annoyed French accent. The game is actually called Mille Bornes. The object is to play mile cards totalling 1000 miles while avoiding road hazards such as running out of gasoline, flat tires, accidents, and red lights. We had a blast in Hawaii, so I was excited to find a FREE version to download for my Mac called MacBornes. If you have a Mac you can download it from the website at http://www.timac.org/MacBornes/

Since downloading this nicely designed game I have been playing it almost non-stop. I'm excited to show it to my friends in Brooklyn this weekend, who actually are the ones who introduced it to me in Hawaii.

Creve!

Google Earth rocks!

2008-08-25T15:38:00.000-07:00

Alright, alright. So Google Earth has been out for years. I've played with it here and there, but haven't seen it lately. I use Google Maps all the time, so I figured there was nothing special beyond that. I hate to admit that technology is quick to pass you by if you are indifferent to it.

Today I came home from work and was trying to explain to my roommate how to get to Best Buy from Blockbuster. I said, "Hey, wait a minute while I grab my computer." I quickly ran upstairs and brought it down to the living room. I easily found what I was looking for on Google Maps, and realized the directions weren't all that tough now that I was looking at a map. Ain't that always the way.

I started thinking, "Self, having maps without an internet connection would be a pretty cool thing." I have been meaning to see if there was a way to download Google Maps, but just haven't been in front of a computer or had an internet connection at the same time the thought hit my head. (Yes, sometimes thoughts actually hit my head like a hefty bag full of vegetable soup hits the pavement when dropped from a 3-story building. Yuck!)

Anyway, enter Google Earth. This nifty little 100MB program actually has all that Google Maps has to offer, roads an all. Plus there's some additional features like a 3-D view of the Grand Canyon. And once you download it you no longer need to connect to the internet to find out how to get places... as long as your laptop is charged and working.

Watch out world, I will no longer be lost and wondering how to get somewhere. That is unless I don't know where I am. Then finding directions takes on a whole new challenge. Marco...

UPDATE: So, my excitement is short-lived. You have to be connected to the internet to see the road maps, unless you view them before you logout. The cache fills up quickly, so as of now I'm still looking for an offline solution. Anyone?

2008-08-24T19:52:00.000-07:00

“Well,” said Pooh, “what I like best,” and then he had to stop and think. Because although eating honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn’t know what it was called.

-A.A. Milne

Camping in New York

2008-08-24T04:43:00.000-07:00

I just got back from Lake Champlain in New York. I knew that upstate New York was beautiful, but you really have no idea until you see it in person. What an amazing part of the country. Here's just one example. (Yes, I took this picture. No Photoshop, except to crop it.)

Another issue of the Picture of the Month is coming soon!

A virtual hug from me to you

2008-08-08T21:16:00.000-07:00

Sarah Vaughn and Ella Fitzgerald's Love Child

2008-08-05T22:21:00.001-07:00

Finally, this year, I was able to attend the Billie Holiday vocal competition. This has been going for about 18 years in Baltimore to celebrate the incredible talent of Lady Day. While she was not born in Baltimore, Maryland lays claim to her. So every year a group of talented people compete to claim the honor of being the winner. This year the contest was amazing and every contestant was wonderful to hear. Personally, I think the winner, Tia Dae, was so amazing she had the contest won after her first song. I haven't found a good website or video to showcase her amazing voice....

But, I did find the website for last year's winner, Sharon Clark. This woman is amazing. If Sarah Vaughn and Ella Fitzgerald had a love child, Ms. Clarks is what you would get (besides creepy thoughts you shouldn't have for two icons of jazz). Ms. Clark sang at this competition while the organizers were counting up the judges ballots. Here's a link to her website:

http://www.chrisgrassomusic.com/sharon_clark/index.htm

Make sure you click on the videos to hear her sing. She will be performing in DC, and I'm going to try to make it to one of her shows here soon. I'm glad there are people out there keeping jazz alive.

Cixelysd! (Dsylexic)

2008-08-02T21:09:00.000-07:00

So tonight seems to be a night for reunions. I first get an email from a college friend suggesting that we meet up for an alumni fund-raising function they are having in Maryland in September. We've been trying to get together for about a year now, ever since we discovered we were living less than an hour apart from each other. I do feel a bit homesick for some Hawaiian culture, so I thought the idea was wonderful.

While reading her email, I got a text message from another college friend asking if I was going to come see him baptize his daughter. A few text messages lead to a phone call, and quick discussion about the plans.

Somehow during all of this I had sent another email to a friend about a camping trip he was planning for August. He responded back, and actually called me before the email made it to my inbox. We talked for a good while about the trip. I decided to go ahead and book a ticket. For those of you out there who may be a little like me, don't book tickets late at night. I ended up booking the trip backwards! I refer you to Exhibit A of my rapidly progressing mental decline...

Notice I am leaving from Albany and flying to Baltimore, then flying from Baltimore back to Albany. Unless my stuff and I magically move between now and then, this flight does me no good. My brain must be taking a vacation early without me. If I'm like this at 32, imagine me at 72. Heaven help you all!

Mad props to Southwest for realizing that the customer IS NOT always right, and sometimes make bone-headed mistakes. They corrected my schedule for me at no additional charge. Go Southwest!

Someone actually looked at this!

2008-08-02T05:42:00.000-07:00

So... I often look through my friends' blogs to keep up with what they've been doing. That's what blogs are for right? I didn't realize this little space on the web I had created once upon a time with good intentions had actually be spotted by someone! I guess I should cash in that check of good intentions and do something with it.

Here's another funny video I found recently. A weekend or two ago they released all of the episodes for Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog for free on the internet. I went and paid the $3.99 to download the episodes from iTunes. The series is directed by Joss Whedon, the same guy who did Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly. Neil Patrick Harris as a evil super-villan? Sign me up!

Here's the website: http://www.drhorrible.com

Richard Simmons on "Whose Line is it Anyway?"

2008-01-15T19:28:00.001-08:00

Alright, so I'm posting a link to this video because laughter is a good thing. There aren't many times where the skit is so funny that the entire audience is almost in tears. I showed the video to my roommate and made the comment that Colin Mochrie really makes it funny. Of course Richard Simmons is a good sport making light of his "implied" orientation, but Colin really takes it to another level. Why is he so funny?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTxkxG3DF4k

...and so it begins!

2008-01-08T21:38:00.000-08:00

I've been toying with the idea of creating a blog for a few weeks now. For some reason I thought that throwing some of my observations into the world of cyberspace might be a good exercise for me. We'll see how this goes. If nothing else this may be a chronicle of my path to insanity. Join me on my journey will you?