Having your flight cancelled really puts a damper on the day. Apparently the D.C. area got a bad enough snow and ice storm, which we would have to fly though, that the powers that be in their infinite wisdom decided to cancel all flights to the VA area. That includes Richmond and even Norfolk, which by the way was in the 40’s (Jennie’s father was there on business).
The good news was that we weren’t stranded at the airport like so many others. We were fortunate enough to have a bed and an excellent meal (her grandmother makes fantastic pork chops). It even gave me a chance to get some excellent photos of lake Burien, which is literally adjacent to her grandmother’s house. It was even during magic hour, the time when the sun is going down and makes everything look golden and gorgeous.
Overall, this trip was a good get-a-way from the traffic and congestion of the northern Virginia area. What’s great is that it really showed us how much we need to move. Sure we’ll miss our parents and good friends and especially evenings with the Tuesday Night Bible Study group but it’ll give us a chance to really get out on our own. To get away from the possible comfort of mom and dad being right around the corner when we need them will force us to be more than we are now ... and hopefully it’ll allow us to be better parents when the time comes.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Seattle 07 - Part IV
Now that I’m more rested I thought I’d share about an even that makes me appreciate life even more.
Back up on top of the green slopes I was about to make a right turn to continue my cautious decent, when a couple of skiers were right in front of me blocking my path. The problem is they were trying to squeeze between the trees and me. Think of it as a car speeding through a very red light as you are trying to make a right turn into an intersection. Suddenly I’m forced to make a hard right turn unexpectedly, which for a novice can lead to disaster.
I’m guessing you figuring out that nothing good came out of this encounter?
Wrong.
Soon after I turned I found myself gaining so much speed that I was unable to control myself. Jim and Joanie said that I was flying down the mountain so fast that when I rounded the corner I was gone, out of sight. What I saw was a blur of trees to both sides, and remembering how Sonny Bono left Earth I began to think I was royally screwed.
But, God had a different plan. Soon I found myself actually slowing down thanks to some much-appreciated placed inclined slopes. I was so ecstatic to have made a run like that without dieing or breaking a bone that I didn’t stop. I just kept going with a huge smile on my face, laughing hard and thanking God that I still had the chance to procreate.
Back up on top of the green slopes I was about to make a right turn to continue my cautious decent, when a couple of skiers were right in front of me blocking my path. The problem is they were trying to squeeze between the trees and me. Think of it as a car speeding through a very red light as you are trying to make a right turn into an intersection. Suddenly I’m forced to make a hard right turn unexpectedly, which for a novice can lead to disaster.
I’m guessing you figuring out that nothing good came out of this encounter?
Wrong.
Soon after I turned I found myself gaining so much speed that I was unable to control myself. Jim and Joanie said that I was flying down the mountain so fast that when I rounded the corner I was gone, out of sight. What I saw was a blur of trees to both sides, and remembering how Sonny Bono left Earth I began to think I was royally screwed.
But, God had a different plan. Soon I found myself actually slowing down thanks to some much-appreciated placed inclined slopes. I was so ecstatic to have made a run like that without dieing or breaking a bone that I didn’t stop. I just kept going with a huge smile on my face, laughing hard and thanking God that I still had the chance to procreate.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Seattle 07 - Part III
Just waking up from a rather sound sleep really stinks; especially when I can’t raise myself out of bed or, as I just found out, turn my neck more than 10 degrees to either side. I had, what my Aunt-in-law Joanie calls, a “garage sale.” That happens when you take a spill on the slopes and lose every piece of equipment you are attached to, save the boots.
I had already taken a few runs down the green (easy) slopes when we decided to go one ski lift up to the top of the highest green slope, which I think is called Queens run. As anyone who has skied before can tell you, ordinarily, the hardest part of skiing is learning new terrain. Well, I was just about to find out how true that is. As my Uncle-in-law Jim started the run down the mountain I followed as usual with Joanie taking up the lead. I wasn’t doing too bad at first but then I hit a patch of icier than usual snow which was also badly marred by numerous other ski tracks making me completely buy it. All I really can remember is landing on my back pretty hard and sliding about 50 feet. I didn’t hurt at the time but I sure do now. Somebody get me a neck brace!
I had already taken a few runs down the green (easy) slopes when we decided to go one ski lift up to the top of the highest green slope, which I think is called Queens run. As anyone who has skied before can tell you, ordinarily, the hardest part of skiing is learning new terrain. Well, I was just about to find out how true that is. As my Uncle-in-law Jim started the run down the mountain I followed as usual with Joanie taking up the lead. I wasn’t doing too bad at first but then I hit a patch of icier than usual snow which was also badly marred by numerous other ski tracks making me completely buy it. All I really can remember is landing on my back pretty hard and sliding about 50 feet. I didn’t hurt at the time but I sure do now. Somebody get me a neck brace!
Friday, February 09, 2007
Seattle 07 - Part II
We’re about to go skiing at Crystal Mountain, arguably the states best ski resort, and I haven’t skied in at least 7 years; I just hope it’s like getting back on a bike.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Seattle Vacation 07
So I’m sitting here, some odd hundred feet up in the air, on a plane bound for Seattle, Washington for a much-needed vacation with my wife and something strange is happening.
For the past few hours I’ve been listening to United’s music channels (which, excitingly, is now XM) and watching the offered movies, Marie Antoinette & Man of the Year. All the while, Jennie is watching movies on her mother’s borrowed portable Sony DVD player (and falling asleep to them) when I noticed that the music I am listening to seems to be synching up with what she is watching, in particular Garfield the movie.
This isn’t something like The Wizard of Oz and Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the moon. No, I mean everything is spot on perfectly synched. For instance, as Garfield is waking up the music changes slightly to offer a more … discovery mood (if that makes sense). Soon after, he jumps on Jon (his master); this time the music changes dramatically to introduce a mood of surprise. That was the first time I noticed the oddness.
The second was at the end of Man of the Year in which the credits are playing. This time I had actually watched the movie (which is worth a rent) and switched to an XM channel slightly before the credits started rolling. The particular channel was playing as song by The Police called King of Pain. I thought it was interesting that this song could’ve easily been used as a movies end credit track and found myself wondering if I had switched to one of the plane’s movie dubbed channels instead of an XM one, as they are in order 1-18. Instead of doing the easy thing and switching back from channel 3 to 1 in order to find out if it was, indeed, one of the songs at the end of the movie, I decided to keep listening and see if it ended with the end of the credits or faded into another song as is usual for a film these days. To my astonishment, when the last credit rolled off the screen the music came to an abrupt but musically planned end (it didn’t just cut off in the middle).
Now, to any of you who have actually heard this song you know that there is a certain point in the song where this, in fact, does occur … just not at the end of it. So as I’m waiting in the few seconds of silence afforded to me by the song I am thinking, “I guess I am on a dubbed channel,” when suddenly, I get catapulted back into the song. What a wild vacation this is already turning out to be.
Oh and by the way, to any of you thinking of getting XM. It’s completely worth it even just for the classic rock channel. The DJ’s they have play the best music you never hear on traditional FM radio. Most songs I’ve never heard before and are excellent, plus the songs I do know they play at full length. It’s great for people who get bored with their music collection even if it’s 15GB.
My only compliant is that at a scant 128kbps some music reveals the low quality of the compression … anything with loud high strings or cymbals, or a synth playing in the very upper ranges of hearing, for instance. Still, for music you would’ve never known about, it’s justified, especially when most of the time you can’t tell.
Now, what IS the name of the song I’m listening to?
For the past few hours I’ve been listening to United’s music channels (which, excitingly, is now XM) and watching the offered movies, Marie Antoinette & Man of the Year. All the while, Jennie is watching movies on her mother’s borrowed portable Sony DVD player (and falling asleep to them) when I noticed that the music I am listening to seems to be synching up with what she is watching, in particular Garfield the movie.
This isn’t something like The Wizard of Oz and Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the moon. No, I mean everything is spot on perfectly synched. For instance, as Garfield is waking up the music changes slightly to offer a more … discovery mood (if that makes sense). Soon after, he jumps on Jon (his master); this time the music changes dramatically to introduce a mood of surprise. That was the first time I noticed the oddness.
The second was at the end of Man of the Year in which the credits are playing. This time I had actually watched the movie (which is worth a rent) and switched to an XM channel slightly before the credits started rolling. The particular channel was playing as song by The Police called King of Pain. I thought it was interesting that this song could’ve easily been used as a movies end credit track and found myself wondering if I had switched to one of the plane’s movie dubbed channels instead of an XM one, as they are in order 1-18. Instead of doing the easy thing and switching back from channel 3 to 1 in order to find out if it was, indeed, one of the songs at the end of the movie, I decided to keep listening and see if it ended with the end of the credits or faded into another song as is usual for a film these days. To my astonishment, when the last credit rolled off the screen the music came to an abrupt but musically planned end (it didn’t just cut off in the middle).
Now, to any of you who have actually heard this song you know that there is a certain point in the song where this, in fact, does occur … just not at the end of it. So as I’m waiting in the few seconds of silence afforded to me by the song I am thinking, “I guess I am on a dubbed channel,” when suddenly, I get catapulted back into the song. What a wild vacation this is already turning out to be.
Oh and by the way, to any of you thinking of getting XM. It’s completely worth it even just for the classic rock channel. The DJ’s they have play the best music you never hear on traditional FM radio. Most songs I’ve never heard before and are excellent, plus the songs I do know they play at full length. It’s great for people who get bored with their music collection even if it’s 15GB.
My only compliant is that at a scant 128kbps some music reveals the low quality of the compression … anything with loud high strings or cymbals, or a synth playing in the very upper ranges of hearing, for instance. Still, for music you would’ve never known about, it’s justified, especially when most of the time you can’t tell.
Now, what IS the name of the song I’m listening to?
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