HiTekRider

Remnants of the Confederacy

2009-02-15T14:48:00.001-07:00

A Sunday Drive in the South

2009-02-15T14:42:00.002-07:00

So different from my neighborhood.

You Know You're a Redneck If...

2009-02-01T09:50:00.003-07:00

Images of Augusta

2009-01-31T14:46:00.004-07:00

I know, I take pictures of the weirdest things. Went on a little walk through downtown Augusta today.

PV Beach Flyers

2009-01-27T19:22:00.004-07:00

More PV

2009-01-27T19:18:00.003-07:00

Puerto Villarta

2009-01-25T18:43:00.005-07:00

On Board the Oosterdam

2009-01-18T16:09:00.006-07:00

Mazatlan Sights

2009-01-17T18:23:00.003-07:00

Port of Mazatlan

2009-01-16T20:30:00.006-07:00

A Day at the Bay

2009-01-12T21:19:00.002-07:00

A few sights around the bay on departure day.

Cruise Ships We Saw At Sea

2009-01-11T14:41:00.008-07:00

We saw more different cruise ships this trip than we ever have. In port in San Diego we saw the Celebrity Mercury and The Carnival Elation (our ship from last year). In Mazatlan we saw the NCL Star (our cruise ship for the Acapulco trip). In Peurto Vallarta we saw the Star again as well as the Carnival Pride. In Cabo San Lucas we saw the Sapphire Princess. And of course, our ship the Oosterdam.

The Sliding Cover Indoor Pool

2009-01-11T09:27:00.007-07:00

The main pool has a movable cover that opens up in good weather. So cruising on the Oosterdam is all-weather.

Our Stateroom

2009-01-11T09:07:00.001-07:00

A Walk Around The Deck

2009-01-11T08:45:00.004-07:00

Leaving San Diego

2009-01-11T08:29:00.006-07:00

On Saturday we left the Celebrity Mercury in San Diego and headed South toward the Mexican Riviera.

Waiting for ship

2009-01-03T09:08:00.003-07:00

This gorilla from the zoo yesterday portrays how I feel waiting for the ship...

Bon Voyage

2009-01-03T09:02:00.002-07:00

Rainy morning in San Diego. This is the web cam view.

Our ship is the larger one on the right as you look at the picture. We are waiting at the hotel to hail a taxi at 11 am to go to the ship. Bon Voyage.

A Day at the San Diego Zoo

2009-01-02T20:38:00.003-07:00

Cruise Countdown

2008-12-25T12:24:00.005-07:00

One week from today we are off for our cruise vacation. We have seen the Oosterdam while on other cruises while it tendored in Cabo San Lucas. It is the blue bottomed one in the pictures. We are very excited to try a different cruise line for our sixth cruise.

Where in the world is JPE?

2008-12-24T15:25:00.008-07:00

I was able to travel to a lot of places this year. Can you name a few of them?

It's A Sickness

2008-12-22T20:09:00.004-07:00

What do you notice?

Doors 3?

2008-12-22T20:03:00.003-07:00

Doors 2

2008-12-22T20:00:00.003-07:00

Doors

2008-12-22T19:54:00.004-07:00

I love the doors. Keep your eyes open and discover.

Heidelberg Windows

2008-12-21T20:18:00.005-07:00

I loved to take walks around Heidelberg and wonder who lived behind all the window box gardens.

Heidelberg Castle at Night

2008-12-19T15:10:00.001-07:00

Mannheim Bazaar

2008-12-19T15:02:00.003-07:00

Mannheim Germany

2008-12-19T13:54:00.003-07:00

Landstuhl Germany Three

2008-12-15T17:04:00.004-07:00

Landstuhl Germany Too

2008-12-15T16:59:00.002-07:00

Landstuhl Germany

2008-12-15T16:52:00.004-07:00

First time I have been back to Landstuhl since I was born there a long, long, time ago.

More Heidelberg

2008-12-14T14:41:00.005-07:00

Heidelberg, Germany

2008-12-13T19:50:00.003-07:00

Heidelberg was beautiful. Too bad we had to work...

What is this pig smiling about?

2008-09-06T20:11:00.003-06:00

We went to the fair today. I just have one question. What is this pig smiling about?

Wedding Celebration

2008-09-05T14:27:00.003-06:00

Well, we got through the wedding of my youngest daughter. We married her off on Wednesday. It was a nice reception and a beautiful ceremony. My baby girl is married.

It is funny, I told a friend of ours at the reception, how much the event reflects my life. As I looked around the room, there was my wonderful wife and my ex-wife. My children were all there; two of them with their spouses. My eldest’s wife is expecting their first child and they had my step grandchild with them. My ex-in-laws, ex-sister-in-laws, current brother-in-law and his wife, my youngest sister and my eldest nephew were all in attendance. Other relatives included nephews and nieces from both then and now. Aunts and uncles, from both “eras,” were there too.

There were friends from now and friends from before. My kid’s three dads: me, their ex-stepdad and their current stepdad. Both of them have treated the kids well. There are so many events in my life that happened with this group of people. Mom and dad have passed away, my oldest brother passed away, and my other brothers and sisters are all across the country. My youngest sister was there and my oldest brother’s son to represent my side of the family. It was so nice to have them there. They helped so much with everything.

It was an interesting mix of people with diverse interests ranging from the extreme liberal to the ultra conservative. One person observing all those who attended commented, “I’ll bet this group doesn’t get together to do things very often.”

Probably, the most interesting observation I made at the wedding was that when I looked around and saw family, family friends, and relatives I realized that other than my best friend, my wife, there was nobody there that I could call my close friend. I only have a few good friends in this world. A couple of them are out-of-state and I have a couple here in the state, but not anybody that I can call my very best friend, the kind of person that I could sit with and spill out my heart about anything that was bothering me.

I guess that's always been lacking in my life; someone who was so close to me that I could tell them anything. Maybe that's a protection mechanism. Although I think I'm one of those people who reveals too much to people, I have only had a few, so very few, friends in my life. It's a result of my own insecurities. I have always felt that as a friend, I take more than I give, I don't have a lot to offer. Although, I do love people and I love to help people.

It was odd to me that as I looked around the room there were so many different people from my life but they were all there because of their relationships with me or they were friends of those others in the room.

Like most fathers I'm proud of my children in different ways, each of them have individual talents, each of them has very individual things they bring into the family. When I look at them and think of all the things I did wrong as a parent, I wonder what my own parents thought about me as I went through the different stages in life. I know that in helping their mom and stepmom raise them, sometimes I reacted in a certain way because that was how my parents handled it while I was growing up or reacted to it in the opposite way of how they did. Many of my parenting mistakes were in trying to do it differently than my parents did it but realizing after I failed that they did it the right way. Its too late now that they're gone to tell them all the lessons I've learned from them.

If your parents are still alive make sure they know how much you appreciate the things you learned from them, especially those things you didn't realize you learned until later life and give your kids a great big hug and kiss.

Political Thoughts

2008-08-29T21:00:00.003-06:00

I dictated a few thoughts about the presidential campaign during my morning and evening commutes. You don't have to agree. I will still like you. Well, most of you.

When I listen to the antics of the Obama campaign it makes me wonder if he is running for president or running for rock star. He's trying to reach a younger audience but everything he's doing is more rock star than presidential candidate. Getting a stadium venue to get more people and having them all text message using their own cell phones is supposed to get him “in” with the young folks.

Volunteering your cell phone number to anyone is a big gamble. I was shocked at why people would give up their cell phone number. And then I heard them announce that they would send text messages to these people over their cell phones and they wanted them to forward those messages to everyone in their calling list! Don't waste my airtime on a political advertisement. Don't forward messages to my cell phone. My cell phone number is sacred. Unlike my house phone, everybody doesn't have the number which means I don't have to constantly hang up on telemarketers. A political text message from Obama, or anybody else, is nothing more than a telemarketing call. I hate telemarketers.

The Obama campaign tries to portray Obama as youthful. Obama is no more youthful than I am. He doesn't listen to the same music; watch the same movies, read the same books or magazines as these kids he's trying to fool. His hands will be just as tied as anyone else by Congress and world situations that he will have to deal with and promises to these young people will quickly fade into campaign history.

Other world leaders want mature leaders with experience. They want someone who's been around the block who can deal with international issues.

One of my main concerns with the Democrats is that our country was strong because of our conservativeness and our fear of Godlessness. The liberalism of the Democrat's free and easy thinking scares me; I think it's tearing apart our country.

It would be wonderful to have world peace and human rights for all. If you understand some of the cultures creating chaos in the world today, their only aim is to make sure everyone in the world acts and thinks like them. I know that as Americans we want everyone in the world to receive the benefits of a democracy. But we don’t force it on anyone.

And now they've done it! The Republicans have announced a woman vice presidential candidate. That's got to be a shocker to the Democrats. And this woman didn't enter politics with the sole aim to run for president, as people like the Clintons and Obama. She was in city government prior to two very successful years as a governor. It will be very interesting what all those Hillary supporters do with a woman in the mix. And she's young too; forty four I think. I think it's a good move by the Republicans.

Battle Damage

2008-08-28T21:58:00.003-06:00

I hate the morning commute. Cars just simply cannot stay in their own lane, travel the speed limit, keep a safe distance, and get where they need to go safely. People have to dart in and out as they to try get one extra car length. And nobody seems concerned enough about the other people on the road to make sure their loads are securely tied down.

This morning I was driving along at sixty five or seventy miles an hour, keeping a safe distance from the car in front of me when all of a sudden, three cars to the right I see an object coming out from under the car and spinning end over end through the air before hitting my windshield on the right side. BOOM. It had to be a strut or a shock absorber; something of that size and shape. It put at least a two inch hole in my windshield, spraying glass shards all over me and over the inside of the car.

I didn't have time to react and be scared, it was over so quickly and the damage was already done so I just continued driving to work. If it would have hit the center of the windshield I probably would have had a disastrous accident.

It's going to cost me a couple hundred dollars to repair the windshield, which isn't that bad compared to what it would have cost me if it would have hit the center and caused a me to be in a major accident. It is possible that I wouldn't even be writing this to you today.

I can't wait until the Frontrunner commuter rail comes to town so I can drive my car down to the train station in the morning, get on the train, sleep or read on the way to work, get back on the train after work and get home cheaper, safer, and greener than if I drove. Oh, and I wouldn’t have any objects flying at me while doing 70 mph.

The funny thing is that the people around me on the interstate were probably oblivious to it. I wonder if it struck any of the cars behind me. I should've looked back. I might have seen a major accident occur as people dodged right and left to avoid the flying object.

I wonder how many others on the highway this morning were lucky enough to experience what I did.

Why Can't I Figure This Out?

2008-08-27T21:47:00.000-06:00

What is discipline and why are some people very disciplined while others, like me, can't seem to get a grasp on it. Don’t get me wrong, I am not undisciplined in all aspects of my life. There are areas in my life where I have a lot of discipline. There are some areas where I can rise up to the occasion, take the challenge, give it my all, whatever cliché you want to apply. There are a few areas where I just don't know how to get disciplined. Of course, I'm talking about weight loss.

I spent two years losing ninety pounds and felt great when I did. I got up every day and looked good in my clothes. My body didn’t require any medications or a CPAP machine to sleep at night. And then in eight short months, I seem to have forgotten everything I learned and gained most of it back.

Every morning I wake up saying this is the day. This is the day that I'm going to get back on track and eat right, exercise, drink lots of water. But by evening I'm complaining to myself about the progress that I didn't make, about that sweet treat that I ate, or that large breakfast or lunch or dinner I snarfed down. I'm complaining about being exhausted, I'm complaining about tight fitting shirts and pants that won't stay on, but I still don’t get started.

As far as exercise is concerned, it is not like I don't have the time to exercise, I have plenty of time to go out for a walk-I just don't do it A big part of our success in losing weight was to be able to walk every day. It was a good activity for Marj and me to do together. I love to walk if I'm somewhere where I can take my camera to take pictures or a place where I can see interesting people or things. I don't necessarily like walking around the track in the basement of the recreation center or walking around the buildings at work, but if I can get out and walk several miles cross country or throughout a new city a love it.

I also know that I have to get back to drinking water. I don't know what it is about water but I don't really enjoy drinking it. I do like a glass of water if it is just the right temperature and served in a glass. It's just a habit for me to open a bottle or can of Diet Coke and gulp it down. I need to get back to my regimen of drinking lots of water during the day and only one or two Diet Cokes a day. This isn't going to be easy, but the health effects are going to be fantastic. I know how good I felt and how good I looked when I lost all that weight.

What I think I need to do is take a picture of me when I had lost all the weight, one where I'm smiling and having a good time. Then make a list of things I need to do: drink water, limit Diet Coke intake, no snacks, exercise, sensible meals, and post both of them on my hotel room wall somewhere prominent. Then I need to force myself to read the list every day and actually follow it. Now that sounds like a good plan. Can I do it?

When I decide to do something I do it, how am I going to get myself to do this?

Customer Service? What's That?

2008-08-26T20:15:00.004-06:00

My rant today is about customer service in America today (or the lack thereof).

Yesterday, my daughter experienced a blowout on the freeway and needed to get some new tires on her car. She had purchased Wal-Mart tires in the past, and was pleased with them, so I went with her to Wal-Mart to get some tires. What a disappointment!

After fighting traffic in rush hour to get there, we stood at the tire and service center counter and waited for twenty minutes before getting a clerk to help us. Then we waited with the clerk behind the counter while he waited for someone in the garage to come and do something with the register so he could give us our tire quote. So we stood there, alongside the clerk, looking out into the glass of the garage and watched what seemed like a shop full of cars with only one lone mechanic doing lubes, oil changes, tires, and other jobs. We waited patiently. To be fair, the clerk behind the counter was nice, but not helpful. He was finally able to get the register open and printed out the quote for us.

The tire price was good, until you added the cost of road hazard insurance, the cost of rotating the tires, mounting, and balancing, and a new stem; now the advertised great price is up fifteen or twenty dollars a tire. But that was not bad enough. When the clerk turned to me and handed me the printed quotation he said we had to go the mechanic to write it up.

So we walked out into the garage area to the mechanic juggling four different tasks with paperwork in one hand, a pen in his mouth, and the door swung wide open on a car waiting in line for him to pull forward for an oil change. This didn’t look too promising.

He immediately told us, “I can't get to you for at least an hour and a half. If you want to wait an hour and a half, then I can help you.” With this little speech, I gathered up our quote, turned to my daughter, and said, let's go somewhere else. The clerk, who gave us the quote, quietly apologized and told us the location of a couple of tire stores nearby.

How can companies make it with this type of customer service? Actually, their LACK of customer service. Wal-Mart lost my tire sale and I'm sure several other tire sales, lube jobs, and oil changes yesterday due to a lack of mechanics and sales personnel. I’m afraid that customer service is shortly going to vanish from our vocabulary. I know it has from many of the places we choose to do business with.

And don’t get me started on the airlines that raised their prices twenty-five dollars for a piece of baggage, then fifty dollars, and to add insult to injury (nice cliché) a three dollar fee for a skycap (expecting you to be happy to add a tip to that because they don’t pay the skycap anything). United Airlines has just announced that at Dulles International, if you are going overseas there's no free food, drinks, or snacks on your flight. However, if you want something during the exhausting flight overseas, they will be happy to sell it to you.

Just one more.

I was shocked when I asked my wife to go next door to her work to the Comcast office and ask them about something on our bill. She told me she would have to go to the drive up window while it was open, or do it by telephone, because if she went inside their office it would cost almost four dollars to ask a question of a customer service representative. Has Comcast forgotten what the word customer service means? What the hell are they doing with the money we are paying them for our service?

I give up. It is time to fight back. I will find companies who want my business and want to serve me for my hard earned American Dollars.

Basal Cell Carcinoma

2008-08-25T22:12:00.002-06:00

Basal Cell Carcinoma, that's what has been growing on my arm until the doctor cut it out last week. Cancer, he called it this morning when he told me, but then added some doctors don't call it cancer. In fact, he said, and the nurse quite reassuringly agreed, “If you're going to have cancer… this is the best kind of cancer you can have!” Do we have a choice?

No matter what the doctor said it still scares me. Seeing others with cancer has always scared me. Even though, today we see many people live a long time after being treated for cancer, it's still a demon, a dark scary demon to me.

I have friends and family of friends who have battled serious types of cancer (not skin cancer) and some have won the battle while others have fought valiantly but still had to leave us. Thinking about their fights and knowing how devastating it can be, even with the doctor reassuring me that this type of cancer is “nothing to worry about,” I still had that feeling in the pit of my stomach; that “what if” that happens when people anticipate life being turned over or the possibility of a life being abruptly ended. I needed more information.

When I arrived at work, I sat down at my desk and immediately typed basal cell carcinoma into my search engine. There it was, an entry from Wikipedia explaining what it was. It was comforting to read the information written by volunteer authors and see pictures of what to expect. But the best part was reading the entry declaring what the doctor had told me, it is usually, and almost always, not fatal. A second opinion is always a comforting thing.

When I asked the nurse how you get basal cell carcinoma, she said you usually get it from exposure to the sun. But I didn't really spend that much time in the sun, with the exception of this year and I’ve had the sore for at least two years. I do have a new habit, as of this morning, SUNSCREEN when I’m outside. Funny how we can become instant advocates of things that we never paid any attention to in the past; life does that to us

I know that there are so many websites and support organizations for cancer and there are so many people that are working so hard to get rid of all kinds of cancer I take my hat off to them. I think that maybe it’s time for me to join the fight in some way.

For today, I’m just happy to be able to say I’m OK.

Please visit http://hikingforhooters.blogspot.com and help out.

Modern Technology - Does It Work?

2008-08-24T11:34:00.001-06:00

Everyone knows I have my electronic gadgets. If you know me at all you've seen me listening to music and podcasts, or watching movies on my Zune. You have probably seen me pecking away at my laptop keyboard or have endured waiting for me while I took picture after picture with my digital cameras. You may have seen me reading a book on my Sony Reader or checking my schedule on my Palm TX. You know how much I like my electronic gadgets. Some call them my toys.

Since I started this blog, I’ve found that the hardest part of being a blogger is sitting down to write each day. I take notes all day about my reactions to life or incidents that occur during the day. When I get back to my room, a lot of times, I just don't sit down to write those notes up as a blog entry. I get caught up in a movie, reading, playing a rousing game of solitaire or any distraction to keep me from having to expose myself to my readers.

The last notes I remember taking were those I jotted down on a first-class flight across the United States to Baltimore, MD. I remember taking notes religiously, on a barf bag, as I gazed out the window at the beautiful patterns and colors created by agricultural endeavors on the ground. I captured, in words, the music lulling me to sleep in my very comfortable first class seat. I can’t remember all the notes I took on that flight since that barf bag sat in my room on the table for the whole three and a half weeks I was in Baltimore and today is incinerated or buried in some land fill. I never did write it up.

So today, after thinking about doing it for some time, I picked up my newest gadget: a Sony IC voice recorder with software that transcribes your voice to text on the laptop. Am I getting lazy or what? My thoughts are that I have no trouble keeping a running commentary in my head during the day about what I see and hear around me. So, if I just take those thoughts and dictate them into a voice recorder, I can transcribe them each evening and have the beginning of the blog. From there I just have to clean up the text (if you’ve seen the results of inexpensive voice recognition software you’ll know what I mean) and add additional thoughts.

In fact, it works quite well I think. I used it for this blog. What do you think?

Baltimore Aquarium

2008-08-10T20:38:00.008-06:00

Marj and I made an early morning visit to the Baltimore Aquarium. Their web site said that showing up on a Saturday in August without tickets purchased in advance from the web site was not a good idea. With this in mind, we made sure we were there at 9 am when they opened and since we were not going to the dolphin show we were able to get in.

This was my third aquarium this year. I think the Atlanta Aquarium was my favorite because of the Beluga whales, but watching the dolphins play underwater in Baltimore was a real treat. The sharks were magnificent too.

My major disappointment was in my camera work. I just couldn't get the lighting to play fare and so I got a lot of fuzzy pictures. Do you know how hard it is to take pictures of fast moving fish through dirty plexiglass?

Here are pictures of a few of the ones I was able to catch in my viewfinder.

Home Again, Home Again

2008-08-09T22:59:00.003-06:00

Home safely. It sure makes it nice to travel first class.

You'd think with 8 round trips this year, I'd be a pro at getting through security. Well, today I reached into my computer case before I entered security and found not just one, but two of my knives inside. My luggage was already on its way so I couldn't just slip it into my suitcase.

So, the nice TSA guy helped me to place each of them into a special shipping package you can purchase ($10 each) and place them into the package drop where they can only be removed by the shipper. I felt much better that I didn't have to throw away my expensive knives.

As I reached the end of the concourse and sat down with my CPAP, computer, and another bag I noticed the TSA guy briskly coming up behind me waving my $20 bill. It seems that he didn't know that you are supposed to put the money IN the package with the knives.

Hopefully, when I call the shipper on Monday I can give them my credit card information and once again be reunited with my two knives. DOH

Play Ball!

2008-08-08T04:41:00.007-06:00

A highlight of the trip has been visits to two MLB ballparks to see the Orioles play the Reds and the Nationals play the Angels. Both home teams have been taking up space at the bottom of their divisions so I expected to see them get routed by the visitors.

The Angels are leading the league and the parent club of the Orem Owlz which is our home town rookie league team. The birds took it to them. It was a fun game even though the Angels lost. The Orioles hadn't won a Sunday game since April and were on something like a five game losing streak. Was it me? Did I jinks the Angels or just bring luck to the Orioles?

The Reds have as bad a record as the Nationals. I didn't know prior to the game that Griffey Jr. had left the Reds, but the game ended up being a very fun game. Marj was there with me and we watched the Nationals come back from behind and easily beat the Reds.

Orioles Park at Camden Yards is a beautiful ball park. The only two things questionable about it are that my wife says a woman designed it and the street that sits outside center field (to capture home run balls) is named Eutaw street. Eutaw? It's spelled Utah birdlanders.

Nationals Park is new. It doesn't have the overall effect that Camdan Yards has on me. It has a kind of utilitarian design. It works, but isn't impressive. By the way, if a vendor outside the gates tells you that you can take that 24 oz. Diet Coke she sold you into the park with you, don't believe her. You'll just cry as you toss it into the trash can at the gate.

I had a blast. Being able to go to three MLB games this year has been a treat. Here are some photos of Nationals Park.

Monumental Day

2008-08-07T17:29:00.007-06:00

On Saturday afternoon we took the DC Metro from Baltimore into the Mall. Eventually, we were going to go to the Nationals/Reds game at Nationals Park.

The day was overcast and did not lend itself to photography very well. These photos are the best I could do. We didn't make it closer to the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials because we got caught in the middle of a deluge with nowhere to go to hide. We were soaked by the time we got to the ballgame.

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

2008-07-27T20:03:00.010-06:00

I spent Sunday afternoon at Orioles Park at Camden Yards. The Angels and the Orioles were playing the last game of their three game series. The Angels took the first two and it looked like the third would be easy since the Orioles were on a 5 game losing skid and hadn't won a Sunday game since April. Wrong. Final score:Orioles 5 Angels 2.
As usual my wonderful wife got me the best seat in the house. This park is the most beautiful of those I have been to. It was an absolute pleasant experience even though there was a rain delay and parts of the game were played in rain.

Took a Little Walk

2008-07-27T18:58:00.013-06:00

I took a little walk around Baltimore Inner Harbor on Saturday. I ended up walking so far that I had to take the water taxi back. Not only the water taxi, but I had to take two of them. One only went so far and then I had to transfer at Fells Point to the next one.

I love to walk in unknown places (unknown to me).But before I took off on my jaunt, I sat down at Phillips Seafood Buffet for a little taste of the ocean. Now, if you haven't been to Phillips you are missing a culinary treat. All you can eat crab legs, shrimp, crayfish, crab cakes, mussels, etc., etc. But be prepared because the bill (along with tip) came to about $38; if I remember right. That is with the luscious strawberry and whipped cream cake and a small pitcher of diet cola. After that, I needed the walk!

Besides the tugboats, military ships, and cargo ships along the many piers, I love the seashore architecture. As in many big cities, many of the warehouses and ports have been reborn as upscale restaurants and residences. I was jealous of the inhabitants. If all I had to do was sit on one of the many balconies all day, I'd gaze at the passing sailboats, ferries, and the many ships in port as they passed me by and I would dream of the far away places they might visit while I sip my Diet Coke.

In Fells Point, there was a fish market with fresh catch on ice that reminded me of the many fish markets I visited in Korea, Mexico, and Japan. Funny how less intriguing it was being in the US. But I still enjoyed it.

The cobblestone streets and the historic register homes in Fells Point were probably the biggest treat. As we found in the Mexican ports we visited on our cruises, when I wandered more than a block into Fells Point, I got extremely uncomfortable. No longer were the inhabitants the young and ambitious residents of the waterfront condos. Instead, the working class, kitchen help, maids, mechanics, and others scurried in and out of broken down store front markets and local drinking establishments looking for dinner and a little something to forget the harshness of their meager lives.

At the end of the day, I caught the evening light rail train back to the BWI airport light rail stop and ultimately my hotel room bed. Exhausted, I spent the night traveling to far away places on those very same ships I saw on my stroll through the harbor.

Business Hotels

2008-07-25T20:37:00.004-06:00

When you live on the road for long periods of time, you want the place you live in to be nice and comfortable. The last couple hotels we have stayed at have been doing some kind of remodeling. That drives me NUTS.

So here, in Baltimore, we end up, again, the victims of a hotel remodeling. The signs all over the place asking us to, "please excuse our mess while we make things nicer for you" make me want to scream.

To top it all off, this hotels Internet wireless service dies and it takes them two days to get the service guy out here to tell them that a lightning storm toasted the wireless routers. So, we had to go to the Courtyard down the street to use their wireless Internet service. Does that suck or what.

The technician from the Internet provider could not fix our service and yet someone else in the hotel offered to look at the problem and found it to be a bad cable, not toasted routers... problem solved, but not by the people responsible for keeping it on line. That's service for you.

Pizza!

2008-07-25T20:21:00.003-06:00

One of the things I like about travelling is the variety of good restaurants you can eat at. Since we mostly travel to small town America our choices end up to be restaurant chains.

Tonight I scored. Pizzeria Uno. Great Chicago pizza.

Thick crust, but not hard, with big chunks of juicy tomatoes, sausage, and lots of chewy Mozzarella cheese. It was as good, if not better, than what I remember eating in Chicago. I an not a big pizza fan, but I love Chicago style.

Escaped

2008-07-21T17:58:00.005-06:00

I escaped the monotony of the hotel room for a dinner out by driving myself to Arundel Mall in Anne Arundel County. What strange names. I looked them up on the Internet and they actually have historic meanings. Not historic enough or interesting enough to keep my interest...

The mall is HUGE. I made the mistake of entering the door that goes into the food court so I ended up eating some crappy mall Chinese food. Lo and behold (I always wanted to say that), on the other side of the mall are many good food restaurants. I'll know next time.

As I walked around the mall, I felt like I was in a different world. East coast fashions are too hip hop for me. I have no use for flat billed NY Yankee or Boston Red Sox baseball caps in wild colors with so many graphics on them it hides the actual team logo. Neon shoes and shirts don't quite fit my look and bling is definitely out.

But there were a couple good shoe stores that carried the kind of work shoes the wife wants me to buy. They were probably even good prices. I just have this aversion to spending money on new clothes...oh, you can tell? I admit it. If I am wearing nice clothes, or more than one pair of shoes in a week, it is because I have such a good wife who takes good care of me.

I couldn't put out the cash for the shoes, but the new diamond stud earring sure looks nice. :}

Church, Eat, Sleep...

2008-07-20T20:16:00.003-06:00

Well, this day was quiet. I woke up and went into Church. We ate brunch at the club on base and then I came back to the room and slept...

With limited transportation and the distance into town, that's just the way it has to be. And of course the $27 parking fee at the inner harbor doesn't help much. I will have to figure out the public transportation by the baseball game this weekend.

We are just far enough out of DC and Baltimore to not have public transportation around the corner.

I'll figure it out. In the mean time, I will probably be up all night after napping for 5 hours today.

Oh Say Can You See

2008-07-19T19:28:00.022-06:00

We went into Baltimore Inner Harbor today. What a beautiful place. In a lot of ways it reminded me of Cabo San Lucas (although MUCH bigger).

We purchased the Historic Fleet Pass to visit four historic ships moored in the harbor: the USS Constellation, Lightship Chesapeake, USCGC Taney, and US Submarine Torsk. It also included the 7 Foot Knoll Lighthouse.

The stroll between ships and the lighthouse takes you around the inner harbor area. Lots of beautiful boats and yachts. What amazed me about the area was the endless lines to enter the aquarium. People waited hours to get in. When we passed by at 3 pm, the lady announced over the PA that tickets were being sold for the 5:45 entrance time!

As we gawked at all the people and sites to see, I missed my wonderful wife and my friend Kelli, both great traveling companions. I've done some memorable sightseeing and shopping with both of them. They are the only two people in the world who I am totally comfortable with just wandering around.

After touring all the ships and the submarine, we drove over to Ft McHenry. Of course, the fort is known for the battle (the only battle fought at the fort) fought there that inspired Francis Scott Key to write the Star Spangled Banner.

We spent some time sitting on the seawall around the fort and boat/ship watched. We were treated (at least I was) by the passing by of the Norwegian Majesty cruise ship. It, of course, made me yearn for January when Marj and I get to go on our next cruise out of San Diego.

Tanks A Lot For Reading

2008-07-18T19:54:00.007-06:00

We visited the Ft Meade Museum after work today. Although I promised myself I'd write in the blog tonight I am very tired from traveling and the first day on site so I need my sleep... instead of taking the time for writing I thought I'd just give you some tanks for reading my blog... :)

Lunch Time Memories

2008-07-14T20:58:00.002-06:00

I took a little stroll down memory lane today at lunch time. When hunger pangs struck, and I thought of all the places I could eat, I decided to go somewhere to satiate not only my physical yearnings for food, but also my great need to connect with something or someone.

I’ve worked the greater part of my professional career on both sides of the Salt Lake City airport and have spent many lunch periods with coworkers searching the Salt Lake area for exceptional lunch time culinary experiences on a tight budget (is that an oxymoron?).

Unfortunately, most of my lunch buddies no longer work in or around the airport. So I have to often, the little time I am in Salt Lake City, go to lunch by myself. Today was one of those days.

Driving down North Temple, I tried to think of someone I might have called to share my lunch half hour with. On such a short notice, nobody came to mind. As I approached the State Fair Grounds, I spotted the perfect spot to chow down: Panda Buffet; lots of food, drink, and great atmosphere on a budget (OK, maybe not the best atmosphere).

Upon entering, I was greeted by the same three Chinese (I’m assuming) ladies at the front cash register counter who met me on my first visit and every visit since. Their chattering away in Chinese tonal sounds always confuses me. The loud voices and inflections make me think they are constantly mad and yelling at each other or participating in constant arguing.

Memories? Well, besides all the going away parties, gatherings of friends, and meals with family, I have one especially fond memory.

My friend Kelli and I met at Panda Buffet for lunch on one of her trips up from AZ. While snarfing down on the chow, I found a piece of metal in one of my mushrooms. When I brought it to the attention of our waitress, I got a very curt, “So solly.” Kelli, not to be outdone, had her Diet Coke end up spilling all over the table, and got the same response, “So solly.” I guess the two incidents were only big deals to us. Because they certainly were no big deal to the waitress!

Fortune cookie news
Your fortune: A pleasant surprise is soon in store for you!
Your lucky numbers: 29, 16, 31, 37, 44, 13

Where Did John Go?

2008-06-25T18:40:00.002-06:00

I decided to go swimming on the base this past weekend. Little did I know what fate I would meet with...

Sneak Peak of our Cruise Ship - U.S.S. North Carolina

2008-06-15T18:04:00.004-06:00

We went to Wilmington, NC to take a tour of the WWII Battleship U.S.S. North Carolina. Here are some pictures of the ship and its armament.

Sneak Peak of our Cruise Ship - Recreation

2008-06-15T17:58:00.004-06:00

Here are some shots of the recreation room and the jogging lanes and other recreation areas on the deck. Can't wait!

Sneak Peak of our Cruise Ship - Dining and Kitchens

2008-06-15T17:44:00.010-06:00

Our ship has nice eating facilities. Here is one of the dining rooms and the galleys. Notice the ice cream machine. I love ice cream!

A Sneak Peak of our Cruise Ship - Stateroom and Shower

2008-06-15T17:27:00.007-06:00

While in Wilmington, NC this weekend I was able to visit the cruise ship we are going to be travelling on in January. Here are some snapshots of our stateroom and shower. Really nice!

Lessons Learned

2008-06-03T19:28:00.007-06:00

Another training class is about to come to an end as this week ends. This class will have been number 5, in the same number of months, with number 6 coming during the sixth month. If nothing else, I have learned a lot about myself.

One of the things I learned is that I need to figure out some kind of hobby or activity that I can do on the road that makes me feel like I am making some kind of progress. Sometimes I feel like I am just spinning wheels.

My friend brings a full size keyboard (the musical kind) with him and practices two hours a night. I have no musical talent so that is out of the question.

I love to take pictures, but with one car for three of us it is hard to just take off and go photo-adventuring.

I intended on writing in this blog everyday, but I have found that it is tough to come up with topics on a daily basis. I still try to write everyday, but sometimes go a few days without (especially on the days I am home spending time with the sweetheart). There isn't always something to say.

I love to read but don't feel like that is really getting me anywhere.

I have thought about going into the craft/fabric store (in disguise of course) and get one of those hoops that you use to crochet/knit/sew (whatever it is you do) scarves or stocking caps. I could do that while I watch TV, read, or listen to audio books.

I even thought about trying my hand at drawing, but I have no talent for that.

Any ideas?

Saturday Night Lights

2008-05-31T22:16:00.004-06:00

Tonight I decided to live dangerously and venture out on the town on my own. It was not that late, 7:30 pm, but I was going to forego the usual hotel room blues and go out.

I chose the venue, got the rental car from the guys, and headed out. Solitaire.

Peanut shells on the floor, loud country music, dim lights, and lots of young people drinking and having what they consider to be a good time. Several TV monitors were arranged around the room, most with some sporting event broadcast silently for all to see. One a baseball game, another a boxing match, and soccer on a couple others. It certainly was different from the usual environment I find myself in on a Saturday night.

The young ladies swirled and stomped as they line-danced to the cowboy crooners. Young men and women, both, staggered their way from table to table to talk with their friends or make their way to the restrooms. All were having what I am sure, as I said previously, they thought was a great time. Some, sadly, due to the consumption of so much alcohol won't even remember this fine evening.

What was I doing in such a crazy environment, so many miles from home and without my wife? Well, it is a wild and crazy place, Texas Road House, on a Saturday night. But I have to eat a nice steak dinner once in a while. Don't I?

TGIF

2008-05-30T20:18:00.003-06:00

Well, it's Friday. TG.

We are tired, dirty, and battered. Two and a half weeks on the road this trip. We need the weekend to recover.

But, even though I complain about the rigors of the road, there is one aspect of this job I really like: when we are on site, like we are, we are in the real world. We see equipment, aircraft, and activities that, in the plant all the time, we only read or write about.

I love that. This week was no exception. I saw two types of aircraft flying around. One I have worked extensively with in the past but have not seen for a long time and one that I've only read about. It was cool.

OK, so much for the little boy in me. Now it is time to take two days off and relax.

I Know, It Is A Dry Heat

2008-05-28T20:47:00.012-06:00

It reached 88 degrees today and we were outside all day to be scorched by the sun. It was boiling hot as we crawled all over the equipment to try and fix some irritating problems. Dry mouth, dry skin, and hard work. Every time I leaned over the water droplets streamed down my face. I looked really nerdy with a handkerchief covering my head underneath my hat. It took both (and a periodic changeover between two others as they took their turns drying in the sun) to keep the head dry.

Day over, work accomplished, I returned to the hotel exhausted.

After dinner, I decided that a good soak in the hot tub would be super on the pulsating legs, so I stepped outside to take a dip.

It was so relaxing to watch as the blue, cloudless sky changed colors from shades of blue to pink, yellow and white the closer you got to the horizon.

It is a mystery to me how the day can reach such high temperatures and yet the evening breeze is cold enough to bring on chills until I completely dried myself off. The desert is a mystery to me.

Tomorrow, it promises to reach into the 90s. Lucky us.

God's Canvas

2008-05-28T19:18:00.007-06:00

Another beautiful piece of artwork in Bisbee is the result of man invading the earth to mine for copper and other minerals. The open pit mine has colorful lines and patches from all the different minerals in the soil. I just love the red pools of water. I just wish the sun would have graced us with its presence. I am sure the colors would have been really outstanding with the sun out.

I Wish I Were Talented

2008-05-27T20:38:00.006-06:00

If only I had a real talent.

We were admiring some expensive artwork in a gallery in Bisbee this weekend when the lady working there told us to go next store and see the wonderful graffiti artwork. It was beautiful.

These artists are very talented. I wish I had a little bit of their talent. Too bad they are wasting it on graffiti.

A Visit to Old Post Ft Huachuca

2008-05-27T20:01:00.009-06:00

After about 25 years absence from Ft Huachuca, I can barely recognize the fort or Sierra Vista. It makes me wonder what the old Buffalo Soldiers who served at Ft Huachuca in the early days would think about all the changes if they returned now; over a hundred years later.
The fort has kept the old post area restored for historical reasons. The old buildings and the museums let those of us coming around in modern times see what they lived like.
They give me a nostalgic feeling when I see them. Not of having lived in them. But of every cowboy and indian movie or TV show I saw as a kid in the fifties and sixties.
Hi Ho Silver...

Borders

2008-05-27T19:46:00.003-06:00

I have visited three military museums during my travels this year. At the museum on Ft Huachuca I saw my third piece of the Berlin Wall that was torn down to further democracy in the world.

As Americans we feel this a great milestone in history. I found it ironic that two days later, as we walked toward the Mexican town of Nogales, from the US town of Nogales, we saw the wall erected to keep the illegal Mexicans from entering the US.

The Old West

2008-05-20T20:02:00.003-06:00

During lunch today we drove down by the original post area established when Ft Huachuca was an isolated western outpost. Although restored in modern times, the stables and old buildings are still in use as residences and office space.

I can remember when I was stationed here, we passed these old buildings on a 15 mile hike with weapons and ruck sacks. They were magical then and still stir the imagination.

When Marj gets here we will visit the Buffalo Museum and take in its exhibits. It is supposed to be a really good museum. I can't imagine, as I stare out into the desert around our training area, what it would have been like to have been a soldier here when the fort was first built.

We stand out in the sun for a few hours and then return to our air conditioned training room. We drive in an air conditioned car to the dining facility and eat a hot meal with cold drinks and lots of desserts available (in air conditioning). We return to a hotel where a maid has freshened up the room, pick up our clean laundry from the desk, and sleep in the comfort of air conditioning.

The old soldiers worked outside, drilled, or patrolled all day with no air conditioning anywhere to retreat to. They travelled on a rough leather saddle mounted on a dusty old horse in the heat of the sun. They probably ate pretty bland food and rolled out a bedroll at night to sleep. And often, they probably had to sleep beside that same horse, in clothes that only got washed once in a great while.

As much as I can't imagine what their lives would have been like; they would have never thought how ours would be either. Ironic.

I will blog about the museum and post pictures this weekend.

Just One Word

2008-05-19T19:32:00.001-06:00

First full day of teaching. I only have one word to explain it...HOT. HOT, HOT, HOT.

Desert Foilage

2008-05-18T15:31:00.003-06:00

Why Not Take A Little Walk

2008-05-18T15:20:00.004-06:00

When I was a young soldier here at Ft Huachuca (30 years young), I used to run everyday with my Army unit. I would also run with my wife sometimes in the evening. One Saturday some soldier friends talked me into running the equivalent of a 10K with them. It was the longest I ever ran in one time and the last time I did.

So, today I decided to WALK the same distance to celebrate the day when I was energetic enough to run at least once a day.

I started out at 9:15 am and with a stop for lunch and browsing through the local Hastings Book and Music store I returned to the hotel at about 2:15 pm. I walked from the hotel to the Main Gate of Ft Huachuca and back to the hotel.

I've posted proof with a photo of the pedometer. And also a few more photos of desert foliage from along the way (see next post).

Now, pardon me while I lay down and recover from this foolishness...

Odd Finds

2008-05-18T15:17:00.004-06:00

I love to find products with funny names. I found this at the local Target store.

There is Beauty All Around

2008-05-17T16:54:00.013-06:00

One of the things having time on your hands does is force you to notice little things. Whether it is the lack of quality programming on TV or the lack of quality restaurants, you notice.

I have spent much more time listening to good relaxing music on my Zune and taking photographs of 'things.'

In an effort to avoid the four walls of the hotel room, this afternoon I took a little walk to the mall about a half mile from the hotel. At the bookstore, I picked up the May issue of National Geographic with brilliant color photos of China and her people. I sat on a wooden bench, listening to the melodic voice of Natalie Cole, and read. It was actually quite relaxing to tune out everything around me while enjoying the controlled climate within.

On the walk back in the hot southern Arizona sun I started noticing the desert plants along the way. Even though I left my 'good' camera in the room I snapped off a few photos with the standby.

I thoroughly enjoyed their simple beauty. Ironically, since they sit in vacant lots along a busy roadway, I am probably the only person to notice their beauty which for most of them is fading as they wilt and die. And the sounds of Natalie accompanying this walk made it even more spectacular.

OK, Now What?

2008-05-17T12:44:00.003-06:00

OK, now what? We had to go in to work early this morning for 3 hours. After that, we visited several stores to buy miscellaneous supplies that we need for the three weeks. Then, back to the hotel.

It is only quarter to one. Now what do I do?

That is the dilemma on the road. I complain if we have to work on Saturday...I complain if we don't. What gives?

Since Marj is coming down for the holiday weekend, I don't want to go out adventuring this weekend. I need a pastime that I can do on the road that makes me feel productive in the off hours. Besides eating.

Knitting anyone?

Help! I Am Alone In A Grocery Store...What Do I Do?

2008-05-15T22:00:00.005-06:00

Since we are staying at the Candlewood Suites and have kitchenettes in our rooms, we decided to go grocery shopping to fill our cabinets and fridges with food for the week.

All of a sudden, I found myself standing in the middle of the potato chip aisle, all alone. I was like a five-year-old, separated from mommy. I looked around at the colorful bags full of vinegar chips, cheddar chips, jalapeno chips, Cheetos, those ones with ridges, and every other kind of deep fried potato snack you can think of...

Panic set in. Help! I cried out. What do I do now?

My job has always been to follow the wife around the grocery store and nod my head every once in a while when asked about a product selection. Then, after a few minutes I could drift off to the magazine aisle or the DVD department.

Who ever imagined I would have to fend for myself one day?

After the panic subsided, and I realized she was many miles away, I slowly came to my senses and filled the cart with groceries. I am not sure, though, what food group Hostess Cupcakes fall in. I can't figure out if M&Ms are considered a main dish or a side dish. And, is ice cream a vegetable or a fruit?

On the road....AGAIN

2008-05-15T21:43:00.009-06:00

Home for a short four days and on the road again. This time I am in southern Arizona. I was actually stationed here over 20 years ago. I am excited to see what has changed.

The trip down was ok. Flying down in one of those small CRJ commuter jet seats is not very comfortable, but that's OK. What really bothers me is the airline itself. Skywest, and Delta Connection, in my recent experience, have run down, dirty aircraft. They overbook most flights, and if the flight is full there is a good chance they will put your luggage on the next flight. It happened to me a couple trips ago and it happened to my friend this trip.

And, flying for the fifth trip since January, most of them on Delta and Delta Connection airlines, I am sick of the crackers, Bischoff cookies, and peanuts they offer in coach. Please, come up with something that actually tastes good.
I have dubbed the $25 fee for a second suitcase, the "Executive Salary Surcharge." The airline executive's exhorbitant salaries could be lowered to something realistic instead of charging us for a second bag. I know, they claim it is higher gas costs.

I guess I should just be happy they got us here safely.

I Should Have Known

2008-05-09T20:44:00.004-06:00

Microsoft informed me that a software update was available for my Zune and that Service Pack 3 was ready for Windows. Like a sucker, I automatically began the updates.

Two days later, it is now almost 11pm on the east coast, I am waiting for the last 35 files to load on my Zune.

Why do I fall for the Microsoft update scam?

Every update I think I've ever performed of a Microsoft product has caused me great headaches. My Zune could not be recognized by my PC. I had to completely wipe out everything on my Zune and then it wouldn't sync nor would it turn off. It just sat there on the instruction screen telling me to sync with my PC. Annoying.

Several hours of Internet research and computer file/registry magic I just might have come back up to normalcy.

I hope next time I get a message from Microsoft that something has an upgrade, I will be smarter and research everything that WILL go wrong, then have all the contingencies in place to make the process go smoother. At least maybe take only one day and not two to recover everything.

Thanks Bill Gates...

Signal Corp Museum

2008-05-08T17:43:00.011-06:00

We visited the Signal Corp Museum on Ft Gordon this week. I was impressed with the displays. My favorites were the piece of the Berlin Wall (like we saw at Ft Bragg) and the crucifix made by a Vietnam War POW. The crucifix was made from scrap leather and electrical wire insulation.

Military communication has come from signal flags, signal mirrors, pigeons, switchboard and telegraph wires to satellite communication.

Notice that the lizard we saw on the wall of the museum has some plastic wrapped around its body. Some how it got stuck in it and has been wearing it ever since.

Game Day Thoughts

2008-05-06T18:30:00.009-06:00

It is a fun experience to visit a big league ball park and watch the best of the best play nine innings of Major League Baseball. Names like Glavine, Jones, Griffey, and Arroyo are right there in front of you and not framed by a TV screen.

Turner Field is beautifully manicured with grandstands that seem to reach to the sky; it must be an awesome sight for the little kids to behold. Everything seems ten times its size when we are kids.

$50 for a ticket, $4o for a program and souveniers, $12 for parking, $3o for food and drink, and none of that includes the $50 worth of gas it took to get from Augusta to Atlanta and back.

Was it worth it? You bet. But it is all so impersonal.

Fans scream out, "Go get 'em Tommy" when Glavine takes the mound. They chant, "Chipper, Chipper, Chipper" when Jones takes the plate. They scream from the heights of the stands at a great distance from the players, but that is as close as they get. And most fans can't even afford to go to all the home games.

I'll take Minor League Baseball any day, where a game doesn't take a whole paycheck to get the full experience and fans call out players names because they interact with them on a personal basis. The highest seat in the stadium is still closer than most of the good seats in a major league ball park-and you can even sit in the same section as an owner or the General Manager. They may even know you.

Americans spend millions of dollars every year to sit in the nose bleed sections of arenas, rinks, racetracks, stadiums, and ballparks. It's time they looked into minor and developmental leagues.
For my money, that's where the fun is.

Game Day - Pregame Photos

2008-05-06T17:59:00.007-06:00

Game day is not only the thrill of the game, but getting to Turner Field and taking in the majesty of the ball park and pregame festivities.

Happy Birthday to Me?

2008-05-06T17:35:00.005-06:00

A 12 hour old Krispy Kreme donut, a YooHoo chocolate drink, and an ice cream sandwich; my birthday celebration.

Pork bulgogy and several assorted kim chi dishes at A-Ri-Rang Korean Restaurant in South Augusta; my birthday dinner.

Both; alone.

It was great to hear from family, kids, and my sweetheart throughout the day. Birthdays are mean't to be spent around those you love. The last two years, ironically, I have been in Georgia for my birthday. Atlanta last year and Augusta this year. Maybe next year I can arrange to be at home.

Braves 14, Reds 7

2008-05-04T19:03:00.013-06:00

I spent the day with some close friends: Chipper, Tom, and Junior. Over four hours round trip, expensive ball park drinks and food. Add some very, very hot sun. Great day. Here are a few pictures. More about the game tomorrow.

Challenge Coins

2008-05-03T19:28:00.004-06:00

We had a special surprise when the unit commander visited us today. He presented both of us instructors with a unit challenge coin. Challenge coins are a military tradition. For an explanation of what challenge coins are, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Challenge_coin.

The photos show both sides of the coin. I have purchased one from each base we have visited. This is the first one actually given to me in the traditional handshake way.

P.S. Tomorrow I drive up to Atlanta to see the Braves play the Cincinnati Reds. Gonna be a great day and game. Now if only I can sleep.

Memory Moments

2008-05-02T18:57:00.007-06:00

I find myself comparing life today with my past. Little things seem to trigger memories. Being on military bases again brings back memories.

I carry a backpack with me when we go outside to train on the equipment. It contains important notebooks full of information to assist me in teaching. It also contains a flashlight, a Leatherman tool, and a Buck knife in convenient pouches attached to the outside for easy access. Another pouch contains a spare pair of eyeglasses, my camera, and memory stick.

While getting my camera out of that pouch I noticed the tag inside, "Made in Vietnam." It is ironic that today I carry my training tools in a backpack with a pouch made in Vietnam attached to it.

I spent my youth watching neighbors and friends go to Vietnam and engage in combat. They risked, and some lost, their lives against the North Vietnamese Army. It was all in the fight against Communism. As youth we spent our young lives worrying about the time that we might have to go over and fight. Fortunately, before I could go the war ended.

Today we trade goods with the Vietnamese. Does that mean we were successful? I don't really know. What I do know is that that seeing that label inside my pack as it sat in the front seat of a military Humvee provided me one of those memory moments. Too often I wonder what I have accomplished on this earth. Memories give me feelings of having been somewhere. Memories make me think it has all been worth it.

Sacred Heart Cultural Center

2008-04-30T18:19:00.005-06:00

I stumbled across the beautiful Sacred Heart Cultural Center on my walk through downtown Augusta. The front doors were open for their annual garden festival, which is held inside and around the grounds outside, so I could see the magnificent stained glass windows inside. Unfortunately, it cost $20 to enter for the garden festival. Ask my wife how much I love garden festivals. I passed, but not before really considering paying to get to see and take pictures of all the windows. Here is a description from their website http://www.sacredheartaugusta.org/:

"Sacred Heart Catholic Church, built by Jesuit priests, held its first service December 2, 1900; after seventy years of operation the last service was held July 4, 1971. The facility was closed. The magnificent barrel-vaulted ceiling, the ninety-two stained glass windows in the building and the intricate brickwork make up this architectural gem. After enduring years of vacancy, vandalism, and near destruction, this treasured historic site was reopened in 1987 as a prized landmark and a vibrant facility for community use as a cultural center. The old Rectory building, the former Convent building, and the Sacred Heart School building (original church building, built in 1864 house the offices of local arts groups and other non-profit organizations."

A Little Friend

2008-04-29T17:54:00.003-06:00

A little friend we saw scurrying along the road at our training site.

Downtown Augusta Walk Photos 3

2008-04-29T17:23:00.005-06:00

Downtown Augusta Walk Photos 2

2008-04-29T17:18:00.001-06:00

Downtown Augusta Walk Photos 1

2008-04-29T17:10:00.004-06:00

A Stroll Along the Augusta Riverwalk

2008-04-28T17:04:00.004-06:00

A stroll down the riverwalk was quite relaxing. I loved seeing the boats and bridges along the way. I wondered who lived in the beautiful homes along the South Carolina side of the river.

When I came across the lady fishing on the banks of the river, I asked her what kind of fish were in the river.

She promptly replied, "Oh, I dunno. All kinds I guess."

Yep, I thought, just like people, it takes all kinds.

St. Paul's Episcopal Church

2008-04-27T18:39:00.018-06:00

There are some beautiful historic buildings around downtown Augusta. One of the churches is St. Paul's Episcopal Church. It was established in 1750 and is still in use today.

I love the large windows, and although I didn't have the chance to go inside I am sure the stained-glass images are gorgeous.

I would have loved to lie on my back at the base of the bell tower, framed in a beautiful blue sky with puffs of cloud, and pondered the depths of the heavens. With my restored girth, I would have been mistaken for a man in need of medical attention and caused quite a stir, so I restrained myself.

A graveyard with weathered and broken tombstones, one I noticed dated back to 1708, graced the grounds around the building. Most of the stones are illegible. The stones I could read gave me a glimpse into the people who lived in Augusta 200-300 years ago.

Church Sign Saying of the Week

2008-04-27T14:37:00.004-06:00

There are many large, mega churches in the south. Augusta is no different.

They all have signs with prophetic sayings on them. I really liked the one I saw today, "The ten commandments are a map, not a trap."

Will The South Rise Again?

2008-04-27T12:51:00.010-06:00

I love to find the remnants of the Civil War that exist in southern towns. Usually, a statue to Confederate soldiers and their sacrifices exists. On my Augusta walk I found a wonderful statue. but I was disturbed by the words still carved into one side of it. Now, I realize that this particular statue was erected in 1878, but due to these words being cast in stone, they are still here for all to see.

Am I interpreting this message incorrectly? I hope not. One man I saw, donning a straw hat and grizzly beard, drove by in his ragged old Chevy pickup possibly saying it all with his front license plate. On the plate stood a crusty old rebel soldier waving the rebel flag and announcing to all who read it, "Forget Hell."

Way to go Jazz

2008-04-26T23:25:00.002-06:00

It's bad enough that Utah Jazz playoff games don't start here on the east coast until 10:30 pm. It is even worse that they have to go down to the wire so that my heart won't stop beating in double time for another hour or more.

Game is over and in the bag for the Jazz, but it's already 1:30 am. Good thing tomorrow, I mean today, is not a work day.

Go Jazz.

Start Your Day With a Southern Breakfast

2008-04-26T16:06:00.005-06:00

I decided to treat myself to breakfast this morning away from the hotel. There are Waffle House restaurants everywhere in North Carolina and it seems like they are everywhere here in Georgia. So, I decided to have a waffle at the house before heading in to Augusta to investigate the local tourist scene.

Just to make this experience really special, I hopped up on a stool at the counter to partake of my meal.

I just wasn't prepared for the waitress to wash a sink full of cast iron skillets directly in front of me while placing them one by one on the same counter I was eating my breakfast on. Two stacks of skillets smelling like cast iron and soap. What a treat.

The waffle was quite good, although I had to stop the sunnyside eggs from running down the counter several times. I guess runny isn't the word for it. Try liquid.

And the site of the waffle irons (all four of them) with batter oozing down their sides and piles of waffle cuttings surrounding them was special too.

The name badges on the waitresses and cooks declared "Good food fast and friendly." That's stretching the truth. The food was good, I'll give them that, but it wasn't fast and the help was in a mood between grouchy and fast asleep. Bickering among themselves was popular.

I'm assuming that working at Waffle House is not a real career. My first clue was the name badges announcing "Team Member Since ...." of which most all said "Team Member Since 2006 or 2007." Hmmmm.

An unintentional "gritting" gave me a surprise. I have never liked grits. I tried them many times in the military when I was stationed in the south. Grits come with everything breakfast here and since they were on my plate I stuck the tip of a fork tine in them and brushed it against my tongue; prepared to say "Yuck." Surprise! I liked them. I ate a good portion of them and might even try them again some day.

With breakfast behind me, I fired up the old Kia Rondo rental car and hit the road to downtown Augusta. Tune in again for my adventures in Augustaland.

A Short Visit to Augusta National

2008-04-25T18:04:00.006-06:00

HOT, HUMID day to be outside all day in the sun. I melted. Drank tons of water. Yes, Marj, water.

We are in Augusta, Georgia. So it is a must that we visit the Augusta National Golf Course. Luckily I was forewarned about what we would find or I would have been majorly disappointed.

As we drove past the course, all we could see was a wall of trees alongside the road we were driving on. The course, exclusive as it is, is surrounded by tall trees and access is denied to the lowly folks like us. If you didn't know what was behind the trees; you wouldn't know what was behind the trees. Huh? Well you know what I mean.

The up side was seeing all the big, beautiful old southern houses in that area. They look like big plantation homes. I am sure that at one time they were very, very expensive homes of affluent Augusta residents. Who knows, maybe they still are.

Tomorrow I am off to the riverwalk to get pictures of Augusta. Wish me luck.

Can You Do It Everyday?

2008-04-24T18:23:00.006-06:00

Patterns, habits, discipline...whatever you want to call them, why are they so hard to get started?

I've been determined this trip to get back to some good habits I thought I had instituted in my life, but abandoned since hitting the road as a trainer.

Daily walking and reading scriptures are a couple of them. Oh, and writing in this blog. So far, two days into the trip, I have been successful. I know, "big deal, tell me about it in a month."

OK, I accept the challenge.

The weather here is humid and hot. It was supposed to reach 81 degrees F today and I am sure it did. I had to make sure to drink plenty of water and even some Gatorade.

Our pre-class tasks have been harder than usual with the extreme heat. The weight I've put on has really been felt too. Aches and pains I haven't felt in a couple of years are kicking my butt.

Someone told me the other day at home to start small. One thing at a time. I took that challenge and will keep you posted.

Happy Easter Redux

2008-04-23T17:31:00.010-06:00

Okay, it has been a few days since I wrote anything in this blog. So sue me.

I am on the road again. I arrived this afternoon in Georgia. I have been through Atlanta several times in the last four months, but never stayed. This time we took a short hop from Atlanta to Augusta.

It started early this morning at the airport in SLC. I had been awake since 5 am, but the airport was still opening its eyes and getting dressed.

The stillness of a people-less airport is almost eerie. It is almost like the quiet before the storm. Gates sit empty. The signs behind the ticket desks announce the mornings first flight still two to three hours away.

Young LDS missionaries, suitcases strewn across the floor in front of the ticket counter, remove one item at a time and weigh it on the luggage scale hoping to reduce a mere two pounds of weight. "Hmmm, how much does this towel weigh?"

Wide awake and hungry, I make my way over to Wolfgang Puck's for a breakfast pizza. Not just any breakfast pizza, but one I have been salivating for, on every pass, through every concourse, on every airport I have traveled through this year. Finally, I get to indulge my appetite with a nice, slow, munchout. It was all I thought it would be.

Bags checked, security cleared, breakfast over, and the roar of a jet engine taking off announces that the airport is in business for the day. I am on the road again...

Happy Easter

2008-03-23T07:45:00.001-06:00