Apple: The Choice of the Almighty

What if God were one of us? (Yes, just a slob like one of us). Well, by the looks of this, if God were one of us, he'd own a Mac. Would it be because he's just too damn busy to worry about the incessant issues on an XP computer? Could it also be that one would not need to perform an exorcism to rid the machine of viruses, malware, and other quirks in order to make it perform efficiently? Cool, I'm on God's team; we're homies.

While we're thinking about the choices of cherubs, What Would Jesus Drive? I think it would be a Prius.

Sucked In...

PBS rules! Last night, I found myself watching this show about Hudson, NY. There was a grass-roots movement to block the development of a huge cement plant, and they even won their way into the Mayor's office and town council. Very interesting, and I hope that people here can live with the same interest in and dedication to their community.

The Air Up There

How clean is that mountain air? I know that Mount Washington has done it, and the AMC expanded the same type of program to the White Mtns. Now, CNN is reporting that the ATC is taking on a similar initiative. Lets try and do something about air quality in pristine regions in the East. Lets try and remember that the White Mtns are called that because of their snow, not because of smog and haze (unlike the often-true misnomer that tags along with the Great Smoky Mtns).

Why Do We Worry?

This article is interesting. Turns out, although most of our daily activities (driving to work, influenza) are more dangerous than the exotic risks that we face (avian flu), the actions which we can control in some regard we are less fearful of, probably because we can influence the outcome, and we trust ourselves. Maybe it also has to do with the fact the media outlets, the same media outlets that wrote the article, blow a lot of these far-fetched risks out of proportion. Funny how they weren't able to point the finger back at themselves.

Talk About Inconvenience...

The truth about global warming is not convenient. What may not be convenient about it now is that our actions over the past 30+ years have put us in the current predicament, and we do not want to face consequences that we have set up for ourselves. The truth about the current global warming situation may be inconvenient, but only because the truth is inconvenient to swallow. After the truth is digested, we must then scramble to try and reverse the damage. Our retributions paid to the environment will be inconvenient.

What people may not know is that the minor inconveniences that we may suffer on the home front now may save us from some severe inconveniences in the future. It may be inconvenient now to pay a little more in their energy bill for wind energy, or to install photovoltaic cells on their roof. Those inconveniences do not compare to what may come in the future, when summers are hotter as a result of global warming, and you have to use more electricity to cool your house, at the unpredictable utility costs of the future. It may be inconvenient to trade in the SUV for a hybrid car to drive to your job in the city. Compare that to the possibility of unhealthy air quality in the same cities in the future. What may seem like a big inconvenience today will look like a big blunder in hindsight.

What else may be inconvenient for me is to sell my snowboard equipment, if snowfall is lost in the Northeast. It will be even harder to tell my children about the great snow-related activities that you could once do. It would be even harder to tell them why we cannot enjoy the snow any longer. However, I would be able to tell them that it was not for my lack of trying.

What simple changes that seem inconvenient today will compound in the future, making it even more difficult to answer to our actions (or inactions).

Who DID Kill the Electric Car?

.. and how many licks DOES it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop?

The future of the automobile is not coming; the future was already here. Although much of the blame of the demise of the EV1 Program can be placed on General Motors for creating then cremating the EV1, the creation and destruction of the Electric Car Program would not have been possible without the help of the California Air Resources Board (CARB). The Zero Emission Vehicle mandate allowed CARB to force the hand of automakers to create a clean car, if the car companies wanted to continue selling cars in California. When the auto manufacturers cried to CARB that they were not able to meet the goals of the program, CARB caved in, and effectively eliminated all forward progress that the electric car movement had accomplished.

“The Car Doctor” normally says that car dealers do not make much money on the sale of the car. Where they do make their money is in the repair shop. The internal combustion engine, despite how far it has gotten us, is terribly flawed. Parts are bound to break on a piece of machinery that has tiny explosions going on inside of it. Why make a car that you would have to maintain less, if that seriously cut into your main line of profits?

Many factors had to align correctly for the Electric Car Program to succeed, but many other factors aligned to squash the program, and any trace that it even existed. It is really sad that some quality of life boards that are supposed to look out for the public’s rights, backed down form their stance when pleaded with by automakers (albeit using exaggerated negative documentation and muffling public support).

Backlogs and Backpedaling

I have updated many unfinished blogs. Namely, our October trip to Niagara Falls.

In other news, I highly recommend that you watch 'Who Killed the Electric Car?' Its a great documentary about the genesis and genocide of what should be the next transportation milestone. On the heels of this, 'An Inconvenient Truth' is due out on DVD this Tuesday.

We will be buying our Toyota Prius as soon as we are financially able.

FallingWater

I can't believe that we actually went here. The design is incredible, as are the feelings that the site and building instill.

Lisa and I (and Tracie) are here at 7 Springs this weekend for her Mary Kay Fall Retreat. We made it here in really good time, like 3 hours. We had some time to kill, so we saw the Quecreek Mine Rescue site, some wind turbines (for my Sustainable Communities project), and we finally stopped at Fallingwater.

I want to go back in every season.

Pictures

Keep Chopping Away

Scavenger Hunt

For the second year, Lisa and I went down to Tracie's for the Halloween weekend. This year's activities include a Baltimore-area scavenger hunt. Our team, "Vectrex", was made up of myself, Lisa, Tracie, and Art. The scavenger hunt included tasks, clues, pictures, and driving. Kind of like the Amazing Race. We got a lot of points for doing our homework the night before.

Although somewhat draining, the scavenger hunt was fun. Pictures here.

New Paltz

Lisa and I went up to Joe T's in New Paltz for (what seems to be) our annual Catskill Autumn Trip. We go up there around 9 (I think), and went right out to Bacchus. Surprisingly, time took us until 1 or 2am before we got to bed.

Saturday was an outing to Woodstock NY to take a hike up Overlook Mtn, followed by some wine back at Joe's. Like many old mountain lodges, the Overlook Mountain House is no longer active/standing, due to fires, vandals, etc. We took a lot of great pictures of the ruins and the fall colors. We went to dinner at the 'Otter, and had the beer sampler. Outside the restaurant, there were bikes for rent, with the donations going to kids with cancer (not the proper title). It certainly was interesting riding the white, rental bikes back to Joe's, all in an altered state. We hung out at Joe's for a little more, then rode the bikes back to the Otter, and walked to Bacchus and the other bars. We finished the night with pizza (not "Angry Pizza", the other place).

Sunday morning brought juevos rancheros from Bacchus, and the mandatory apple picking and apple cider donuts.

Its great to have Joe back in the East. I look forward to taking some ski trips with him this winter. Weekends with Joe never disappoint.

Pictures

All's Well in Wellsboro

Lisa and I got an early start this Friday to head up to Niagara Falls. Our intended route was to go through Williamsport to Wellsboro, and visit the Pine Creek Gorge / Grand Canyon of PA, and then to Letchworth SP in NY to see the “Grand Canyon of the East” (I know, which one is the REAL Grand Canyon?), and then on to Niagara Falls by twilight to see some illuminated falls.

I think we may have found our next homestead. Wellsboro. Its really cute, and they have events like the Laurel Pageant/Parade, and the “Dickens of a Christmas” event, where everyone dresses in period garb for a town-wide Christmas event. The homes are all old Victorian homes, and the main street is lined with oil-type lamps along the grassed median. When you see people on the street, they actually smile first. Amazing.

After a mandatory pancake breakfast at the famous Wellsboro Diner, we went to find some tourist information. One lady that we spoke with at the Chamber of Commerce also owns a B&B, scrapbook store, and if you combine the two, she also holds weekend-long scrapbooking retreats. Tracie, Lisa take note. You two can scrap, and I can go hiking/biking. Upon further discussion, we found out that there are no big box stores in town, and many people love to shop along the Main Street, patronizing the local department stores and restaurants. There are also not a lot of new developments around the area, unlike Quakertown. The lady we spoke with is a transplant from the Lehigh Valley, and bought a nice big Victorian house in Wellsboro for about $100k.

We will need to come back and spend more time here. This might be a place I would consider after I’m done with graduate school. Walkable community, stable Main St. businesses, tight-knit community. We have already scoped out good recreation possibilities, with local skiing, hiking, biking, camping, and even boating at a ACOE recreation area. Its about a 3 hour drive from Quakertown (I know, further into “Canada”).

Pictures

Niagara Falls... There and Back

Lisa and I went to Niagara Falls, but not before a stop in Wellsboro. After Wellsboro, it was onto the Grand Canyon of PA (Pine Creek Gorge). We spent some time there taking pictures, hiking to the bottom of the Gorge, and then were on our way.

Our next stop was Letchworth SP in the Finger Lakes region. This place is marketed as "The Grand Canyon of the East". How can there be two? But there are. Letchworth has a narrow canyon and great waterfalls, but does not have the grand vistas that Pine Creek gave us. We took some scenic US highways to get to the Buffalo area, complete with farms (agricultural, livestock, and even wind), and wineries.

Our home for the next few nights was the Butler House B&B. Its our first time at a B&B, and it was very enjoyable. Great breakfasts, hospitality, and location. We were about a mile from the Falls, but out of the gaudiness.

The following days were occupied with visiting the Falls and other sights around the area. First, we got the necessary Falls visits out of the way on Saturday. We went to the Canadian side, and walked the walk. Its amazing how things have changed in the ~20 years since I've been there. With the casinos and big hotels, Canada looks like Las Vegas. Although the walk and views are much nicer on the CDN side, its a trade off with the development.

Actually, the NY side has to look at it all, not to mention sketchy neighborhoods. The developments have had another side-effect, possibly changing the micro-climate of the area, causing the mist to be blown onto the street and walkways.

On Sunday, we went up the Niagara River to Fort Niagara, on Lake Ontario. This fort served during many wars, and changed hands many times. As with most forts, its location proved vital to controlling the shipping channels along the river. They restored the Fort to reflect ALL stages of use, not one particular time period. Lisa loves this stuff, and the history and old buildings. I loved how the River and fort opened up to the oceanic Lake Ontario.

From there, we went to the Welland Canal Locks along the Niagara River. I remember doing this about 20 years ago too. There is a visitor's center, complete with viewing platform, to see the ships move through the locks and canal.

I had wanted to go for a hike at one of the Provincial Parks while in Canada. I did research long before out trip, and had my heart set on visiting Rock Point Provincial Park along Lake Erie. I chose this park because of a 5-mile hike leading to a point out in Lake Erie, and fossils and geology. It took a while to get there, after theological navigation and a passable map. Actually, we did not get there. It began to get dark, and we turned around. Directions were bad, daylight was waning, gas was low, as was Lisa's patience. In hindsight, we were no more than 5 or so minutes from the park. Next time (if there is a next time), we will get there. Side note: speed limits in Canada are ridiculously low.

We got back in time to see some sunset over the falls. Actually, it turned out to be backlight casinos and pink mist. I had wanted a great picture like this, but I ended up with this (see left). We traveled up to Lewiston to grab some dinner. Cute little town, compared to NF. As we traversed down the Niagara Escarpment, we were treated to views of little towns dotting the Niagara Valley, as well as the distant glow of Toronto, across the Lake.

We left Monday morning after a brief stop at Whirlpool SP. The trip home included some very scenic areas along NY17/I-86, through Binghamton and Scranton. Its a very nice ride along these roads, and I recommend them to anyone, especially in autumn.

Pictures

PA Renewable Energy Festival

On Saturday, 9/24, Lisa and I attended the 2nd Annual PA Clean Energy Festival in Kempton, PA. This is a gathering of Non-Profit groups, companies that manufacture clean energy alternatives, and other “natural” products. When we pulled up to the Kempton Community Park, we were greeted with a smile by the parking attendants. Although we could not park in the “Hybrid-Only” reserved parking area, we were still made to feel comfortable by the sounds of steel drums in the air; one of our first signs of the ideas on recycling and renewable energy that were to come during the day.

One of the seminars that we attended was the “PA Clean Energy Community Campain”, hosted by Keri Enright of Smart Power. The presentation went on to discuss the clean energy initiatives which are sponsored by the State of PA and the local power companies. Wind power is the sustainable energy option sponsored by the State of PA, mainly because of the hilly terrain of the state. This is a much more sustainable option than the 30-plus coal-fired power plans in the state.

Miss Enright also went on to explain ways in which people, companies, and even governments can purchase clean energy from power companies, through such cooperatives as Community Energy, Penn Future, the PA Energy Cooperative, and even directly from PECO, through PECO Wind. The small increase in cost you pay for renewable energy, versus non-renewable energy, goes toward the building of future clean energy sources.

Elsewhere at the festival, there were other tents, events and seminars. One event whose tent was packed was the “Build Your Sustainable home” event. I was interested in attending, but I figured I can also learn a lot about the topic in this class and the rest of the CRP Program at Temple.

In the vendor section, there were companies that sold solar panels, wind turbines, and geothermal HVAC systems. Also in attendance were comcrete companies, specializing in a aggregate-free concrete product, similar to the consistency of Rice Crispy Treats, which allowed for water penetrtation, and a reduction in impervious surface. There were representatives marketing a Milk Paint product, “green-building” construction companies, and Sun & Earth natural cleaning products for the home, realtors specializing in the sale of existing homes with “green” features, mulch products made from recycled tires.

I was amazed at the amount of farmers and large landowners in attendance. They truly had a great interest int eh options available to them, and the ability to use their land to produce their own energy, and possibly live “off the grid”. All of the food vendors also used compostable serving products. The eating utensils were made form potato starch, and the plates and cups were all made form corn products, all of which could go into the compose pile. The products were fairly sturdy, and greatly impressed me. Many other products used throught the day could also be recycled, and were also made from recycled products themselves.

Pictures

Shenandoah

Must be an ancient Native American word for "washout".

Lisa and I left mid-Friday (9/15) to head to Shenandoah NP to meet with Vijay, Colleen, and a few other people for a camping weekend. The weather forecast was iffy, but we decided to go anyway. The drive up through rural VA was really cool. Things were fine when we went to bed Friday night.

During the night on Friday, it began to rain. With 9 people in the Camp Condo, it got a little clammy inside. We began to get some condensation/leaks by the morning, and some things got a little wet. For the rest of the day on Saturday, there were showers, mist, and fog. Vijay’s attempts to adjust the guy lines on the Condo were somewhat futile, as the damage was already done, and our down sleeping bags were already wet.

After Colleen’s great chicken dinner on Saturday night, we packed up and left Shenandoah. One the way home, Lisa remembered that there were dryers at the park. Hmmm, we could have dried our stuff, and stayed, but we were well on our way.

However, we got a lot done around the house on Sunday. We were even able to get in a hike, which is more than the Shenandoah group got in. I took Lisa to Jacobsburg SP, and we visited the historic sites, museum, and took the hike around the creek/gorge area. Lisa loved the hemlock-lined section of the creek with walk-in creek access, used especially for Environmental Education classes.

Pictures

LV Wine Fest

On Sunday, 9/10, Debbie and Phil came up to join us for the Lehigh Valley Wine Festival. This was the harvest time of the year, and many wineries throughout the LV were having events. We chose to go to Pinnacle Ridge and Clover Hill wineries.

During the outing, Lisa and I figured out which kind of wines we like (after all this time). She prefers more dry wines, whereas I like the fruity and sweeter wines. We stocked up on some for our basement stash.

We enjoyed a pulled pork lunch at Pinnacle Ridge, and followed to Clover Hill, where they also had a band. Their band was a 3-piece, with the percussion being a djembe and cow bell. Sure enough, they gave us “more cow bell”, when they played “Don’t Fear the Reaper”. Definitely the highlight of the day.

Pictures

MDAT Finale

Over Labor Day (yes, that long ago), Vijay and I finally finished the MDAT. We started where we last ended, at Gathland State Park, and continued along the flat ridge for 6 miles, then descended to the C&O Canal for the final 4 into Harpers Ferry, WV.

The weather was somehwat iffy. It had rained a few inches in the preceeding days, and was misty with occasional light rain during the hike. I had anticipated sloppy trail conditions, but it was not that bad.

At the end, we were able to see trains go through the tunnel across the river from Harpers Ferry. Vijay and I capped the day off with a visit to the ATC office (the hardest part of the hike), and met up with Lisa and Tracie for lunch at the uber-international Armory Pub.

Pictures
Part 1
Part 2

The Lake House

Last Saturday, John & Lucy invited us up to their lake house on Lake Naomi in Pocono Pines. This is an incredible house. I mean, its no rinky-dink lake house. Its a fully-fledged second house! And with the house comes a membership to the Lake Naomi Club, where you can golf, swim, and play tennis. The house is a lakefront property, and the lake forms a little alcove near their frontage.

The lake is beautiful, and none of the houses are up against the lake, they all have a 100ft setback (great planning!). Some people live here and commute to NYC, and other areas along I-80. Its insane. What began as a nice retreat area has no turned into a semi-permanent community.

When we were up there, the weather was less than desirable. However, if we're invited up there again (which I hope is soon), the weather would be nice to go out on the lake and ride bikes.

I Reminisce...

The weather on these past mornings has reminded me of fall. Very crisp. It reminds me of a time (and leaves me wanting more) of when Lisa and I rode bikes in Minnewaska SP, but this time I would end the trip with a stop at the Gilded Otter... and I will get the sweet potato fries. Lisa also remembered the apple picking venture, where we gorged ourselves on apple cider donuts. Good times, good beer, good eats.

Great Hike

With Lisa out of town, I wanted to try and get in a few post-work hikes. Last night, I went to Jacobsburg SP straight from work, near the town or Wind Gap, and at the foot of the Blue Ridge and the AT. This is one gem of a park. This was intended to be a scouting trip for future outings, but will not be my last visit to the park.

I got there about 6pm, and walked until about 745. I figure that I did about 5 miles or so. The section of the park that I did have a really nice variety within the trails. I started in a gorge, and headed towards some historical structures, remains of an old settlement and gunworks. From there, I followed the trail up another hill, where it evened out in some open grasslands/fallow farmfields (great for birds!). It then went back into the woods, and finally back along Bushkill Creek, on the helmock-lined side of the ravine.

The creek has several access points, for wading, educational programs, fishing, and even dogs.

Jacobsburg is also an Environmental Education Center, which has outdoor classrooms, the afore-mentioned historical structures, and other activities. In the spring (beginning of April), they have a Woodcock Walk, where they take you into the fields to see the "sky dance" of the Woodcock. I have to remember to see this in the spring. They also have a bird blind, to hide out and watch the birds at the feeders.

The trails were nice and wide, and well maintained. Most of the trails here are multi-use, so they are double-track, and wide enough for hikers, bikers, and horses. I saw a garter snake, lots of birds (up close with a Downy Woodpecker), and lots more rabbits.

The weather cooled off nicely for the drive home, where I saw a hawk watching the median of Rt 33 from a light pole, and a hazy pink sunset over the Lehigh Valley. All this, while hearing Coldplay's "Don't Panic" on the iPod mix, was a great cap to a great outing.

Reserve Yours Today...

I saw this on the way home from Jacobsburg SP. It should say Dream Homes.

... and One AT Quitter Found in MD

At least I didn't become another statistic:
2 hikers die in Utah desert, 1 in S.D.

Find Your Spot

Lisa forwarded this site to me today.

http://www.findyourspot.com

Forget Fortune Magazine's Top Spots. This site lists places where YOU would like to live, based on what important to you. I put in my criteria, and told it to look in New England, Mid-Atlantic, and the Rockies.

Whats interesting is the amount of places in MA and VT. On top of the list is Williamstown MA. This is like 10 minutes from where Lisa and I will go with Deb and Phil in October. Sweetness. Lewisburg PA is also on the list, and I was thinking about a more mountainous PA location for my next job (post-grad), especially around here. Some excerpts:

Your Top Spots

Williamstown, Massachusetts Old New England At Its Best
This town's Clark Art Institute features one of the largest collections of Renoir and other Impressionist artists in the world...

Northampton, Massachusetts Arts Town Extraordinaire
This small town at the foot of the Berkshires has been recognized for its cultural offerings, many of which are supported by the area's five colleges…

Burlington, Vermont The Enlightened Town
Located on the banks of Lake Champlain, this small art town boasts dozens of galleries and theaters…

Middlebury, Vermont Progressive College Town
This recreationally lucky spot is located in Vermont's Champlain Valley, between the Green Mountains and Lake Champlain…

Morgantown, West Virginia Best Little City in the East
Once at the heart of the land battle between the French, Native Americans, and Colonists, this spot today is best known for it's top-notch university…

Brattleboro, Vermont The Hub of New England
England's King George II chartered this Vermont town in 1753…

Plymouth, New Hampshire New England’s Recreation Haven
After viewing the amazing ice sculptures at this spot's Main Street Ice Festival, warm up at the Festival's chili cook-off…

Lebanon, New Hampshire River Valley Town
Set at the confluence of the Connecticut and Mascoma Rivers, this town was formally chartered on July 4, 1761 by King George III of England…

Lewiston, Maine Cities on the Riverbank
This Maine town celebrates its French-American culture with its annual Festival de Joie...

Plattsburgh, New York The Lake City
This beautiful spot on the shores of Lake Champlain is the primary business hub of northern New York…

Johnstown, Pennsylvania Gem of the Alleghenies
You'll find the best traditional music and ethnic food in Pennsylvania at this town's hugely popular Folk Fest…

Lewisburg, Pennsylvania Pearl of the Susquehanna
This town on Pennsylvania's Susquehanna River is admired for its outstanding examples of Federal and Victorian architecture…

MD AT

Call me "Burgerfeet". I will get to that later.

Prologue:
On Friday morning, Lisa was leaving for her weekend in AC with her friends, and I for my Maryland Appalachian Trail trip with Vijay, but not before we went to Sine's 5 & 10 for breakfast.

I met Vijay in Harper's Ferry, and we left my car there, and shuttled ourselves up to Pen-Mar, to begin the hike. I must say that the view from Pen-Mar Park and the surrounding area is really nice. The views are to die for.

After scouting our parking and trailhead, we swung by Rocky's Pizza to get subs for dinner. This place is in the guidebooks, so we figured that the source was reliable. When we approached, not only did we see 3 Pontiac Fieros parked outside, but we also saw that there was a new banner sign outside, for CJÂ’s Pizza. When we walked in, there were no letters on the sign board, and barely any menus printed up. Vijay quipped how it reminded him of the empty 7-11 in CO. Turns out that CJÂ’s opened the night before we showed up. Talk about odd timing.

Day 1:
We started at 315p, and we continued along the 4.x miles for the next few hours until the Devil's Racecourse shelter. This was the easy destination for our first night, and we had hoped to have enough time to make it to the Cowall shelter, about another 4.x miles down the trail. We ate dinner on the trail, and made it to the Cowall shelter about 730p. We snacked, filtered water, and tried to get to bed, for our early start the next morning. Sleeping was difficult, due to the humidity, my light sleeping, and our sheltermates' need to treat water after curfew.

Day 2:
After an early wake-up at 430a, we got walking by 515a. This was our 20-mile day. The day was so long that a lot of the details seem to run together. We stopped about every 2 hours for a snack, some water, and a little rest. I had a blister by about 9am, which I repaired, and moved along.

We crossed I-70, and only got one honk. On the southern end of the bridge, the trail came up through someone's yard, where they had their own log (and cute dog). This got me to thinking about my dream of owning our "B&B on the AT".

We stopped for lunch at Dahlgren (mile 14), a supposed “hiker’s oasis”. This has an open field for camping, as well as picnic tables, well water, a bathroom, and a shower. An oasis, yes, but worthy of a zero-day, probably not. However, there was an inn/restaurant down the road (beer?). We met up with a diabetic Richard Dreyfus, who was running out of food (and $). I had extra food, and could even use to drop some pack weight, so I donated some to his cause.

This is where I noticed that my feet were beginning to turn into ground chuck. I had about 6 blisters on my feet, and my calves were overworked. Actually, I had a grape on my big toe. We only had about 7 miles left, so I knew I would be able to make it through today, but still left the next day in question. We lost another hour for lunch, water, and bandaging. I drank so much water, but sweatedatted out so much. I hardly recall urinating all day long.

We had our last, and probably worst climb after lunch. This climb totally killed me. About an hour after the climb, I told Vijay that we would have to bail out. I was shot. We called Tracie, who eagerly left from Baltimore to come and get us. She showed up at about 515p at Gathland State Park, and took us to bail out my car in HarperÂ’s Ferry. We ate at The Armory Brewpub, and then went to pick up VijayÂ’s car. As we were approaching Pen-Mar near sunset, we had another display of the scenery from this area. It was great to see the sunset, with the moist air settling in the valleys between the sequential (and sequentially-fading) ridges. I followed Vijay back to his place, where I showered, licked my wounds, and went out for some beers.

Epilogue:
I appreciate VijayÂ’s sunny outlook to my injury, and the damper that it put on the goal. However, our accomplishment places us to have only 10 miles left to finish MD (4 of which are flat on the C&O Canal). I also appreciate the beers on Saturday night, the roof over my head, and the breakfast on Sunday. Thanks to Tracie for bailing us out of a sticky situation.

As of Wednesday, my legs and feet are healing well, although still a little sore, and by LisaÂ’s account, swollen as well. I should be in good condition to tackle the next challenge that may come along.

About us finishing the hike, I hope we do it before September, when Vijay leaves for Nepal and France. We intended to stay at the Maple Tree Campground on Saturday night, but had to scrap that idea. So, we might look into staying there the night before we finish the hike. The place looks interesting. They have treehouse cottages.

Vijay's pictures.

New Photoblog

So I have decided to begin to share my interest in interesting photos by beginning a Photoblog. I will start by adding some older pictures in my inventory, then adding new ones as time and seasons come along.

-Joe

Impromptu Weekend

On Saturday, Lisa and I met up with Debbie and Phil (and the dogs) to go on a hike in Ridley Creek State Park, near Media PA. Its a pretty nice park. It has horse stables and designated horse trails, as well as hiking trails and a paved multi-use trail. There were a good amount of people running on the multi-use trail. All of the trails intersect and interweave with each other throughout the park, ensuring an endless variety of trails on multiple visits to the park.

Some of my only complaints are that the trails could have been a little better maintained. At times, the brush had taken over the trail (as is evident by when I got stuck on the thorny bush, and the constant threat of ticks), and the trail could have been better marked (only trail junctions were spray-painted on the trees).

After 4.x miles, we had our packed lunch on the picnic tables, and caught up on things. It sure was nice to have another couple to enjoy the outdoors with. We're looking forward to more outings, even up in our area.

Mom C. made dinner reservations for the four of us at Bonefish Grill in town. The food was great. Heck, I enjoy any type of seafood.

On Sunday morning, we wanted to go check out The Funplex up in Mt. Laurel. We wanted to do some go-karts, and that was about the highlight of that trip. The place is tuned more towards children. Its disappointing, because there should be more places like this for adults. I guess that what Dave & Buster's is for.

We made it back to Qtown in time to have dinner with my parents, and see the (other) dogs.

The weekend was a little exhausting, but still fulfilling.

Hike photos here.

New Blogs

I have recently posted some blogs that have been pending. I know its been some time, but I just have not been able to put it all together until recently.

Some of the recent posts still need to be finalized. I need to upload pictures, and link up with those, as well as post some pictures within the content of each post.

I appreciate your patience, and to a greater extent, I appreciate those of you who read this site.

-J

Build an Arc…

...And fill it Two by Two.

September 2004 was bad.
April 2005 was worse.
June 2006 is worse still.
Agnes in 1955 still tops them all.

Who’d have thought the residents along the Delaware River would have it so bad. I never would have thought that there could have been 3 record floods in 3 consecutive years. The River will crest at 2am Thursday, higher than what it did in April 2005.

People were just starting to settle back into their homes along the river. They were putting finishing touches on their twice-ravaged homes, thinking “this would never happen 3 times in my lifetime”. Think again. I’m interested to see what the NWS says about the climatology of the situation, when it is all over. If April 2005 was a 500-year storm event, is this a 1000-year event, or just another 500-year event? Say what you want about global warming and climate change, I’m a firm believer.

Lisa and I will be going to dinner on Thursday in Bethlehem, so we can try and check out the Lehigh and Delaware rivers then.

Pictures here.

Cabin No More

Joe & June's cabin in NH is no more. Around 13 June, Joe got a call from the local Fire Marshall in NH. The fire department responded to a call about a smoldering foundation. Nothing is left. Except memories. Very sad.
Although it is not our residence, Joe and June have been such great hosts to us that we like to think of it as a pseudo-vacation home. Lisa and I have been up there a handfull of times, including out Honeymoon. My most recent trip up there was in February 2006, when Vijay and I went on a ski trip ("Brokeback Weekend").

This fire, and recent ones as well, have been suspicious, to say the least. In the Littleton Courier this week, they wrote an article requesting information:

June 28, 2006
Officials asking for public's help with suspicious fires

TWIN MOUNTAIN—The New Hampshire State Police-Troop F and the New Hampshire Fire Marshall's Office request the assistance of the public as they investigate several suspicious fires that have occurred in western Grafton County during the past several months.

These fires have occurred in seasonal residences where no one was living at the time the fire occurred. The homes were generally located in somewhat remote areas of the county and were out of sight of a main road.

Because several recent fires appear to have questionable origins, all fires in the Grafton County area are being reviewed by the Fire Marshall's Office and the New Hampshire State Police in an effort to determine if there are any commonalities that may indicate any one person or person(s) may have been involved in one or more of these fires.

The public is being asked to be increasingly vigilant in noting any unusual behavior or activity occurring in their neighborhoods by any person or vehicle that seems to be out of place, or not belonging. A simple vehicle description with license plate number, number of occupants, description of occupants, and any other identifying features would be especially helpful to investigators as they look to develop possible leads as to who may possibly be responsible for setting one or more of these fires in the event it is determined that any of these fires are linked to one another.

Because these fires are in the investigative stage, specific case facts are not being released at this time.

Detectives are asking residents to call the New Hampshire State Police-Troop F if they see anything usual or hear of any information that they think might be of interest to investigators. Please contact Sgt. Robert Bruno at New Hampshire State Police

Troop F-Twin Mountain at 846-3333.

Nature Tally

I was eating my apple today, and looking out the window. There are berry-fruit trees outside, and all of a sudden, about 6 birds showed up. I noticed the Zorro mask on them, and remembered the berries. Guess what, it was a Cedar Waxwing. Thats the first one that I saw. They kind of look like cardinals, but are much thinner, more narrow beaks, but they have the same "tuft" of feathers on their head. They are tan, almost a pale orange. I first thought they were orioles.

They have since been back to my window at work a few more times.

More recently, I spotted an Eastern Kingbird in the same trees.

So far this year, my bird sightings have included:
Bald Eagle
Cedar Waxwing
American Goldfinch
Orchard Oriole
Eastern Kingbird
Belted Kingfisher

Bushkill Falls

Since Saturday was Matt & Lara’s wedding, we had today Sunday free. Lisa and I decided to head to Bushkill Falls in Monroe County PA. For those of you who don’t know, Bushkill Falls is kinda like a tourist trap, and its located in the Poconos. So, imagine what traffic can be like in the summer. And it lived up to the hype, in both respects. Nonetheless, it has trails that are a few miles long, and some really impressive waterfalls.

We had gotten to the area around noon, just as some churched were letting out, as well as people heading to Pocono Speedway for the Pocono 500. I forgot that the race was that weekend. Luckily, we were heading in the opposite direction, and were not backed up/stopped for 3+ miles. On the way home, we took backroads through the Shawnee Resort area, as we had done once before. Lisa did a great job with the map!

By the way, the new Forester handled great. Climate Control was awesome. By the time we got home, the car was 3 days old, and already had 500 miles on it. Ugh.

We decided to do the falls since it had rained pretty good on Friday, and the creeks would have been a little swollen. Other than the requisite number of Mullets & the like, its was a good trip. I think that we may have seen a nighthawk nesting on the rocks near one of the waterfalls (check the pictures).

It took us about an hour or so to walk the long path around the place. When I was younger, I seemed to have remembered it taking way longer. I was also way smaller then too. Cross another outing off the list.

Pictures here.

All Wheel Drive is All We’ll Drive

Say goodbye to another Subaru, and hello to yet another. Yes, I have gone through a lot of Subarus. Every time people see me, I am in a new car. Here is my list:

1993 Legacy wagon, green
1997 Impreza wagon, black
1999 Outback, white
1999 Outback Limited wagon, black
2006 Forester Premium, Steel Grey Metallic

The 99 Outback was getting up there in mileage, as well as facing a high bill for routine maintenance. We felt it was time. Besides, Lisa wanted me to have a new car, as opposed to the constant spiral of used cars, and to be happy and secure. The financing was great, as were my negotiating skills.

The 2006 Forester is great. It is 5-star safety rated, has side airbags, and handles very impressively. We also got the extended warranty, to cover other high-ticket maintenance repairs in the future. We initially thought that the mileage on the warranty would run pretty fast, but that may change…

Pictures here.

Matt's Wedding

Back on June 10 was my cousin Matt's wedding. He married Lara, the girl he has held a flame for since high school. It was sweet to finally see them together, like a happy ending and all. Once again, Fr. Jude presided over the ceremony. Once again, the weather was great. Its kinda sad to see my younger cousins growing up, and getting married and having girlfriends and all.

The reception was at The Park Savoy. Nice spread. Too much spread, not enough time. Typical for me though. I like to eat. Great to see family again, especially my cousin Tanner from OR/AK.

Pictures here.

Segway Tours

On Sunday, we all met up in Philly for some i-Glide Segway Tours. These are guided tours around the Philly Art Museum, Fairmount Park, and the Schuylkill Canal Bike Path, all the while getting around on Segways.

At first, they felt a little awkward, but you learn it really easily. Heck, Marg didn't even have any problems. We were definetly feeling far superior to those other bi-peds on the sidewalk.

It was worth the novelty to use the Segways, as well as an opportunity to check out Philly's backyard.

Tracie's Pictures

My Pictures here.

Post-Memorial Day Party

Our (2nd) annual Memorial Day BBQ was on 6/03. It was pushed back a week, because of some wedding. There was the threat of rain all day. In fact, it showered in the morning, and began to clear out in the afternoon.

Earlier in the day, I had the Richland Township Clock dedication, and Lisa tried to man our rain-thinned community garage sale.

Pictures here.

I Really Love Your... Shandles

Call them by their brand name "Keens", or their cheaper Skecher knock-offs. Whatever brand they are, you must now refer to them as "shandles" (a conjunction of shoes and sandals). Are they shoes? Are they sandles?

I thought I would be cool this weekend, and wear my new Skechers for our party. Lisa's friends were commenting about my footwear. Apparently, they are not so in tune with the chic fashion of the hiking weekend warrior. They were almost mocking my shandles. They might not understand the necessity of the shandles' function. My feet and footwear operate at a higher humidity than most normal people, so I appreciate the ventilation of the sandle. However, when I wear my Tevas, I fear that I might rip off my toenail (kinda like what the gremlins do in that toenail fungus commercial), so I appreciate the toe gauntlet of the shandles. So, mock me if you will, I love my shandles.

The height of fashion now is to wear your shandles with your cutoff jorts.
"We REALLY love your Jorts!!"

-J

HI

Hi Phil and Debbie!! Thanks for checking out our BLOG!!!
-Lisa

I would like to thank those (few) dedicated visitors to our Blog site. P&D Barnes and Vijay, we thank thee.

-J

Anje's Wedding

Anje & Phil's wedding was over Memorial Day Weekend. It was abnormally hot, but still incredibly nice. Anje looked spectacular, and everything went great. It was at The Fairwinds, and the food was incredible. It was so much fun to be able to see all that family again, and not have to worry about it being our wedding.

The tables were all labeled for toxic plants, except for one. The "Windexia" table was for all of Phil's Greek relatives.
Anje & Phil used Bernardsville Fire Department's antique fire truck as their limo from church to the reception. What a nice touch! We capped off the weekend with another BBQ at BFD, after the parade.

Pictures here (and rehersal).

W/E in MD

On Friday night (5.19.06), Lisa had a Mary Kay appointment, and we once again continued along to the DC area. This time, we were seeing Tracie in Frederick, MD. On Saturday, we joined Ryan (TC's BF) and watched The Da Vinci Code. Good movie. On Saturday evening, we ventured into Harpers Ferry, WV for some ghost tours. The ghost tours were sweet, as was the entire town. All of the old town is preserved by the National Parks Service, and there are newer, more residential parts of town. This is definetly worth another visit during the day. I suggested to Vijay that we terminate the MD AT hike here, to kill some time in town. It would be a great hikecap.

Sunday morning came around, and I met up with Vijay to do a 6.x mile hike through Catoctin Mountain Park, north of Frederick. This hike had vistas and waterfalls. It was a hike that I had been waiting to do for some time. I also found out that the Catoctin Trail (through Frederick County and the Catoctin Ridge) is only ~26 miles. I will add this to my list of must-hikes. Maybe I can do it in one day, but definetly two.

Pictures here.

-j

Natural Nature

"Hi there, Mr. Toad (Bufo americanus). Would you like to come inside and get out of the rain?" During our thunderstorms last night (we got 2.5+ inches), Lisa and I were in the basement cleaning out stuff for our garage sale. I briefly looked out the window, and there was this little face staring back in. He had somehow wandered into the window well to our basement.

After it stopped raining (briefly), we ventured outside to help him get out of the window well, so he can continue on his way. I wonder if this is the same guy that we hear almost nightly.

Just after the toad incident, as we were getting into the car to go do some errands, we heard a Northern Grey Tree Frog (Hyla versicolor). I guess they're back out again too.

-j

Wedding Pictures are up!

Hi readers! Photos that we took of Anje and Phil's wedding this past Sunday can be found under the Our Photos link on the right side of this page.. Enjoy.

It was beautiful!!!
- Lisa

Long time no blog

This weekend is Ann-Jeannette and Phil's long awaiting WEDDING!! Thus the "Dancing Avatars" to the right.. It's Joe and I all dressed as groomsman and Maid of Honor!

Joe and I are both looking forward to celebrating this special day with them and our whole family! Ann-Jeannette has done a wonderful job of long-distance planning!
They have added their own special touches to all of the weekend activities!
Tomorrow is the Rehersal and Rehersal Dinner. Looking forward to that too! Then Sunday is the big day!!!

Have I ever mentioned how much i LOVE WEDDINGS!!!!!!!!!!??? I do, i love them. For everything that they are about and what they stand for. I love to plan them, i love to go to them, i love to share in them! The food is always -ehh- but the music has always been good. It's the one (or two or three) time a years that we get to see extended family/friends all gathered in one place, that we get to kick up our heels and dance, free drinks.. all that fun stuff!

I LOVE BRIDES!! They are always so beautiful!

I'll stop ranting about weddings and how much i adore them...some people call me sick.. i accept that.. Did I mention that I LOVE to Clean too?????

-L

New Eagles

The aforementioned eagle eggs did not hatch. Turns out they were infertile. I have read that it happens from time to time. However, if you visit the link again, they have found a new nest to snoop on. This nest has eagle chicks. Pretty cool.

-J

Update:
Here are links to the pictures that Wilma & Joe took of some other baby animals:
Cranes
Buffalo
Moose

The Eagle... will Hatch!!!

This is really cool. I think that the eggs will hatch pretty soon.

Nature's Alarm Clock

A nice thunderstorm came through this morning. About 605am, with some nice lightning, and even pea-sized hail. I called in my report to NWS' Skywarn Spotters. Funny thing is that there was little noticeable increase in wind with the storm. Kind of odd, I would have expected more of an associated gust front, but I am thankful for the rain, nonetheless.

Wildlife

I've been having some good luck with wildlife as of late. Back on 4.12.06 I saw a bald eagle. This week, the American Goldfinches (Carduelis tristis) have begun showing up. I thought I heard a hawk in the trees this afternoon. Lisa and I also just purchased a nyger/thistle feeder, in order to attract/keep around our finch population. And just tonite, we heard an American Toad (Bufo americanus) in our area. He's been going all night so far, and we can even hear him while inside the house, with all the windows closed. He's sure louder than the Northern Spring Peepers (Pseudacris crucifer) that we have in our subdivision.

On another wildlife note, I think that this year might be the year of the Bear. I know that the Chinese have this year as the Year of the Dog, but I might beg to differ. Remember a few years ago, when we had the Summer of the Shark? All those shark attacks/sightings along the east coast? Well, so far there have been 2 highly publicized bear attacks in the US (Tennessee, and Washington) (not to mention one mountain lion attack as well). Maybe the bears are all confused/angry/hungry, with spring upon us and all. We shall see what the rest of the spring/summer brings.

Other people may argue that this year is turning into the Year of the Octane.

Great Few Days

What a good couple of days. I had the GREs on Friday. I did better than my first time, which should make my application move much easier. I then had another professional appointment in the afternoon, which I think went well too. I rewarded myself that night, and Lisa said I was in "rare form", probably because I was drinking Rare Vos.

On Saturday, we went with the AMC Young Members group on a hike to Ricketts Glen SP. This is an awesome park. It was once slated to become a National Park (but WWII happened). There are some 20+ waterfalls over the 7 miles Falls Trail (pdf), about 3 falls per mile! On the carpool up to the hike, we discussed the redevelopment of Bethlehem, with the condos, casinos, museums, and the like. There were some familiar faces on the hike, and some new faces as well. On the trip home, the group met at "Red's" (oops, we just passed it), for some good cheap grub.

After the hike, we continued directly to my parentals', where we spent Easter. Yesterday was a nice day as well. Relaxing. Oh yeah, I also bought a new lawnmower (Home Depot had a great deal with the financing).

Pictures are here.

The Eagle Has Landed...

Actually, it was just perched on a branch. I spotted the Haliaeetus leucocephalus as I was taking a morning walk along the D&R Canal in Frenchtown NJ. The eagle was overlooking the Delaware River, probably looking for fish, along its spring migration route. Maybe its nesting there, and I can see it again.

I tried to take some pictures with my camera phone. They did not come out well. If I were to post them, they would be inconclusive, and lumped somewhere on the beliveability scale with the JFK Zapruder Film, the Alien Autopsy, and the Patterson-Gimlin Bigfoot Film.

In the end, sure enough, it was an eagle. I walked by it twice, and even drove by it.

-J

Surprise Landing

Tracie stopped by Quakertown yesterday! Actually, she also flew over Quakertown. Tracie was working on her cross-country hours, so her and Martin (friend/instructor from AHC) flew from Frederick > Princeton NJ > NYC/Statue of Liberty > Quakertown > Frederick. They had to stop and fuel up, for the <2 hour trip back to Frederick. Tracie was nice enough to take some aerial photos of our house. We should get them really soon (look for them here). So, Lisa and I high-tailed it from work to Quakertown Airport (UKT)to see her for a little while. It was a nice surprise visit, and I hope she does it again. I can't wait until my next helicopter ride!

Tracie's pictures are here. She took pictures of Princeton, NYC (Central Park, NYC, Liberty/Ellis, Verezano), our house, and other things.


-J

Home Away from Away

We spent the weekend at home! Lisa and I woke up Saturday and Sunday in our own beds. I spent 3 hours running errands in Quakertown Saturday morning. We spent the afternoon at Moravian Tile Works in Doylestown. What a cool place. Henry Mercer made clay tiles there for over 32 years. They still operate a tile shop, which uses Henry Mercer's original designs, and a few annual special edition pieces. Its nice that the Bucks County Parks Dept. was able to save the building, and preserve the dying art. They have production/demonstrations daily. The tiles are all still made by hand, using period equipment. The only thing that has been updated is the ignition on the kilns. They even harvest the clay from Lake Towhee (another Bucks County Park), which is 5 minutes from us. The lady even had to pick bits of stone and woody debris out of the clay before pressing the mold. Impressive.

Great Falls... and Great Friends

...or maybe "Beltway Boomerang".

Marc and Jenn are moving back to CO. This was their last weekend in Reston, and we wanted to go down and visit with them one more time before they left. It might be a while before we see them again. We got down there late Friday, after Lisa's Mary Kay appointment. No worry though, since Marc & Jenn were out for another good-bye with his Jiu-Jitso friends.

We decided that we should go out to Great Falls NP for a hike/picnic. I brought my little grill from home, and we made Bubba Burgers on the grill. They were really good. A good beef burger is such a treat every now and then. We then packed up lunch and headed down the canal trail, stopping at the overlooks. We saw kayakers and whitewater. Pretty amazing scenery. We even saw a car that had both silver and gold rims. Even more amazing were the high water marks, which are even some distance above the fall line of the Potomac at that point.

We then returned home for some naps, pasta, and chilling. Lisa and I left early sunday, to get back for my basketball game.

Southern Slingshot

1 car
1 wedding
2 people
74 hours
1745 driven miles

This past weekend was Bob & Anna's wedding in Atlanta. With plane tickets $200+ from EWR/PHL, and $300+ from LVIA (ABE), plus hotel, we decided to cut the cost in 1/3 and drive the 1600 miles.

We left Thursday night, and stayed at Tracie's in Frederick as a hopping-off point. We got there in time for me to watch my NCAA bracket go down the drain, as Duke lost. We left Friday morning at about 7am, after a quick breakfast with Tracie at Waffle House. Chunked and covered please :^)

We decided to use the road trip time to see some things. We chose to drive down US 340 to Harper's Ferry, WV, and then to Skyline Drive in Shenandoah NP (the northern 1/3). Great scenery in Shenandoah. The facilities were closed, so we got a free ride, somehow. We saw lots of deer (49 per Lisa's count) along our 30 mile drive, and I even got to hike a section of the AT in VA (albeit ~1 mile). Nice trail, great park. Definitely worth another visit. I heard nothing for a while. Nothing. No cars, planes, etc. Calm wind. Just me and my tinnitus. There was light snow recently in the higher elevations, and the trail had a nice dusting of snow. If you decide to go to Shenandoah, and not stay in the park, look into Berry Patch Inn near Luray, VA. We passed this place, and the views from it were incredible.

After Shenandoah, we headed west back to I-81, and our final destination. Driving through I-81 in VA is sweet. There are mountains on either side, and the highway is buffered by farms and pastures on either side. Lots of cows. Going up and over the Blue Ridge Mtns (I-77) was pretty cool. The road is even deserving of a Runaway Truck Ramp (more), as we head into the flatter lands of NC.

We rolled into Atlanta at about 8pm. Traffic was SOOO thick heading in/out of the city. Unbelievable traffic. It makes Philly and NYC traffic look not too bad. We checked into the hotel room, and went next door to Rock Bottom Brewery for dinner/drinks/NCAA. Good beer.

====
Saturday came, and we headed out to see some sights. We chose Stone Mountain Park. Basically, its a big granite rock on the outskirts of Atlanta, complete with ultra-touristy golf course, mini amusements, laser light show, and aerial tram. It was 1.4 slickrock miles to the top. We were expecting spring conditions, but we found weather similar to Mount Washington in NH. Windy, and still cool. Windy enough that the tram was not in operation the previous day. We made it back in time to nap and prepare for the wedding.

Bob & Anna's wedding was very nice. It was a Presbyterian ceremony. Southern weddings are a little different than what we're used to. The reception had much less structure than our heavily-planned Yankee weddings. It was a buffet-style cocktail reception, with the stations and all, and with open seating. This allowed everyone to mingle more. The ceremonial dances, speeches, and cake cutting were interspersed throughout the night.

We saw some old friends, and made some new ones. It was odd being to a "Weather Wedding" . Bob works for the NWS, so his work friends were there, as were some of us from RU Wx, including Shaun, who works at NWS-Anchorage.

====
We tried to leave early on Sunday. 6:20am early. Using the open roads, I made really good time. We were on target to make it home in under 12 hours (including stops). Funny that we hit traffic at a known construction site about 40 miles from home. I rolled the dice, and decided to not take a detour. We were stuck for about 1/2 hour. On the way, Lisa and I noticed a Mary Kay Pontiac Vibe. Lisa exchanged Mary Kay pleasantries with the consultants in the Vibe, and we trudged on along I-81.

Pictures:
Bob & Anna's pictures. Incredible pictures. I love the photojournalistic style. We have some pictures, but they pale in comparrison. We also had "issues" with our pictures too.

Shenandoah

Driving

Atlanta/Stone Mtn

Bob & Anna's Wedding

LOST... new tonite!

Found this blurb on TheTailSection:

Reruns Killing Lost?
Lately, there has been a movement by ABC brass and LOST production staff to educate the rerun averse masses on the necessity of the frequent, and painful, hiatuses. The question is, does this understanding help? Should frustrated viewers feel better about the "cool off", knowing it is necessary for the networks to calculate their advertising rates?

Are the business aspects of LOST more important than presenting the story in an optimal way? LOST is, after all, a cliff-hanger styled serial.

According to the approximately six-million viewers who have tuned out, permanently, the answer seems to be no. Sadly LOST has developed an attrition in season two that is enormous. If the trend were to continue on track through season three, the show will be history by season four.

Surely, part of the drop off is due to frustration over the answers given, and what is apparently an uneven season in a sense of quality. (While consistently good, there have been a few boners this year.) The problem is compounded when one of these elements is left to resonate around the water coolers.

In averages, Fox's 24 has now surpassed LOST in loyal viewers, (around 14 million to LOST's 12), and this success is attributed largely to the networks no rerun policies.

Of course the big question is, would LOST viewers do better with a longer hiatus between seasons, and no reruns?
====

Actually, I was kind of getting tired of 24. Season after season, there are terrorists, hostages, corruption, etc. Anyone who Jack interrogates always wants "full immunity" from the President. It gets tired. Its like always pulling a Draw Four WILD card in UNO (how many are there in a deck?). Also, its always someone around Jack getting manipulated in order to derail his investigation. How many times will he say, "Damnit!" ?

Yes, we need more LOST. On the off weeks, I forget what's happening, and all the minute details that the writers so thoughtfully throw in as dork fodder (and possible spoilers).

Down to the River Below...

On Sunday, Lisa and I went to High Rocks / Ralph Stover SP / Tohickon Valley Park to check out the kayakers/rafters riding the high water from the Tohickon Dam release. I'm glad we don't kayak, it was damn cold on Sunday, and the water was even colder. They release water from Lake Nockamixon in March and November. We can see this spectacle twice a year!

I remember coming here once before. I went climbing, one summer back in college, with my cousins Matt and Andrew, and their cousin Chris. I remember Chris' old Subaru GL wagon. Really sweet. We turned off the AC to make it up inclines. Good ol' 1.8L engine. It had an oil leak too. When we stopped for gas, the car would smoke. He also introduced me to Taco Bell on that outing too.

Regardless, Lisa and I agreed that this park was worth another look. I'd like to hike the rim and river trails a little more, when its not so cold out, and when we don't have to hurry back to make a basketball game. It was fun, we picked up lunch at Wawa, and ate in the car at the park. If it were not so cold, we would have eaten outside. Next time will be just as cute, but with more hiking. I'd like to do an entire loop.

Did You Eat My Donut?... and then put it back?

Last Wednesday (3/15) was a co-worker's last day. My boss brought in donuts for her (I know, high class). Well, I was looking forward to having some leftover, partially-stale donuts Thursday morning. When the elder statesman of the office left, he said there were 3+ left.


This is what I found Thursday morning. It was like some giant rat-monster had gotten into the donuts. It looks like someone BIT INTO a donut, and LEFT IT there. So, totally grossed out, I passed on the donuts. They were now stale, since they had been broken open (essentially, their "seal" had been broken). Fair enough, I really don't need any donuts.

I had a suspect. "BC" is notorious around the office for his lack of cleanliness, lack of respect for others, and general life knowledge (the even sadder part is that BC is 45 years old, and lives in a rented mobile home... but that is another story). BC was away at a workshop all day Wednesday (and again on Thursday). I figured he took some for breakfast on his way. What aggravates me is his sorry attempt at having a "piece" of the one donut. Hell, it looks like he took a honking bite out of it, and put it back.

This is similar to the trick with the Whitman's Sampler, where you stick your thumb in the butt of the candy, to see what's inside, and then put it back if you dislike it (just use the candy-map, damnit!). Same idea with cream/jelly donuts; look at the port hole, and see what's inside. Red= jelly, yellow=cream.

So, I confronted BC about the Donut Episode. Its the principle here. He ripped apart donuts with his grimey hands, and left the scraps for others. I have had enough of his lack of respect for things and general malaise. He said he took 2 donuts Wednesday night. Fine with me. Then, he admitted to just trying to gently tear apart the other jelly donut, and have just a piece of it. He said he thought they were going to be thrown out anyway, so he could have his way with them. Then, if you think that, throw them out when you're done. Don't leave them on the table for others to discover, especially after Old Man River wrote "Good Morning Joe" on the box for me. A Good Morning it was not.

BC offered to buy me more donuts, to make up for it. Sorry, that doesn't work for me. How about YOU, BC, take more care with your cleanliness around an office environment? When we want 1/2 of something (muffin, donut, bagel, cake), we slice it evenly, with a knife. This way, other people know that the item has only been halved, and not raped and mangled (as was this case). Also, we try to handle unclaimed food as little a possible, and tearing apart food would violate that courtesy.

Thank You.

-J

Nothing New...

I know its been a few weeks. However, we've been pretty busy. What else is new. Busy, but nothing too big to write about here. All I can say is that the next few weeks will be just as busy on the weekends.

This weekend is my sister's wedding shower. Lisa put a lot of work into that, and I'm sure things will go off well. On Sunday, we plan to do some things around town. Fun stuff, like visit Moravian Tileworks, and go to High Rocks / Ralph Stover SP to see the Tohickon Dam release. Kayakers love to ride the wave produced by the water realease. Its excitement, here in Bucks County.

Anyone know anything good to do in Atlanta? We're going down there March 24-26 for my friend's wedding. We might hit Stone Mountain, and get a taste of springtime.

What Olympics?

So, I barely caught any of the Olympics. With the exception of curling, which was ALWAYS on MSNBC when I got home from work. I guess I was too busy. I missed a lot of the alpine and nordic sports, and the short track and iced chute. Around this time, I aways have aspirations to be the next old-man olympian. At one time, I was in GREAT enough shape to have been a bobsledder or XC racer. Those are the sports I'd like to try for. I don't board B2W enough to do the slalom or boarderX. I think if I were an olympian, I will have a MUCH better attitude than most of the other US reps.

Where'd the Weekend Go?

Saturday was pretty busy. We went to the Duke v. Temple game on Saturday, but not before we went to Tony Luke's. The game was good, despite Duke and JJ Redick not being as forceful with Temple as I had hoped. However, JJ did become the ACC Conference's all-time leading scorer during the game.

After the game, we went to Sotto for dinner with Debbie and Phil. I had the butterfish, to compliment my addiction to butter and all things buttery. Yes, it did taste buttery. Its like the fish is a living stick of butter, swimming in the ocean. Kind of like that episode of the Simpsons, where Homer is in the Land of Chocolate, and he bites into the chocolate dog. Oh yeah, I love chocolate too. Lisa had the black linguine w/crab (they use squid ink to dye the pasta -- interesting). She sure does love getting the crabs at every opportunity.

We spent Sunday in Hershey, helping Phil look at houses for him and my sister. I'd even consider living here. The Hershey Trust really put a lot of $ into the area, and there are great trails and parks throughout the town. It rivals what you can get around Boulder, and gives me and the Richland Twp Trails Committee something to strive for.

-J