I am celebrating Charlie's birthday in Denver and my room on the 12th floor of the Westin Westminster looks out on the still snow covered peaks of the Rockies. The sunrise behind me casts a beautiful light on the peaks. Down in the lobby a chocolate labador retriever named Westy is sleeping in front of the registration desk. This is a good job for a dog if you can get it. I am reminded that Charlie's early goal in life was to be a dog and he spent some time doing dog imitations.
The Strawberry Shakes are thinking right now that they didn't get a birthday blog and they will have to wait until 2011 as I let a busy work month distract me this year.
Charlie was born partially as a result of a taunt from my brother and partly due to a weak moment and a bottle of wine. Weak moments usually follow a bottle of wine. John called us nine months prior to Charlie's birth and announced that they had produced a son which as odds would have it we had not done in three pregnancies. I was always happy to have a healthy child of either sex but we are happy we have Charlie.
I tend to reminisce on the times when the kids were young and one of my favorite Charlie memories was driving through Yellowstone National Park when Charlie was still too young to read. A small dog house clearly labeled "fire hose" was on the side of the road and Charlie proudly exclaimed "dog house". The girls cried "fire hose" in unison and the chant went back and forth until Charlie was crying in frustration.
Now on the day of Charlie's birth a problem developed when Cherry decided that having babies was a difficult and uncomfortable process and that she did not think she could do this one more time. I told her I thought we were past the point of no return and she better get a better attitude. It all worked out well and we are glad we have Charlie. Have a happy birthday Charlie and thanks for all the fun times growing up. Looking forward to many happy days ahead.
Love, Dad.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
It is time to get crazy!
Did you ever get that feeling that Thelma & Louise got before they took off across country? Sometimes there are enough things going on that the only possible option is to go a little crazy. Vladamir Obama is feeling it, kicking Tory ass and firing generals who do not believe in him. Tony wants his life back. Kevin is just "perversely" happy his $24MM centrifuge is finally needed. Republican appointed judges are screwing with Vladamir's vacation from the spill at the ball game and on the links when they rule that somebody is being arbitrary and capricious. Really! Not this president! Pop quiz for the liberal media (excuse the redundancy): what is the difference between getting your life back and going on vacation? You are not the president, you are a groveling villain and you must pay. Speaking of paying let's do the math. First the facts. 97% of the beaches are clean and have no oil on them. Tourism in the four state oil spill area is doubling every week and is now estimated to be valued at $30 billion (this comes from the same folks who are selling swamp land in Florida). Have you noticed the booming economy? So let's multiply the spill effected area by the annual tourism economy: 3% x $30B = $0.9B assuming full year impact. Let's add five years of the entire Gulf Coast seafood industry at $900MM being shut down so that is $4.5B. We have a total of $5.4B. Let's round that up to $20B. This is the same way we figure out bail out packages.
Or we could just take it easy. I took a picture of the lobby dog at the Westin Westminster. His name is Westy. Go figure. This dog would be perfect as a mascot for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management formerly owned as the MMS.
iPad will not allow picture insert so imagine a brown lab laying on his side up against the check-in desk - not sure he is even breathing.
Or we could just take it easy. I took a picture of the lobby dog at the Westin Westminster. His name is Westy. Go figure. This dog would be perfect as a mascot for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management formerly owned as the MMS.
iPad will not allow picture insert so imagine a brown lab laying on his side up against the check-in desk - not sure he is even breathing.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Kauai sunrise, world cup, LongHorn Baseball
Last day in Kauai and the sun is shining and the breeze is light. I started the day in the spa between building 6 & 7. If you stay at the Westin in Kauai ask for building 6 with ocean and pool view. The Kauai sunrise is one the angels stand to admire every morning like in the Nicholas Cage movie. Half a dozen Nene were on the roof of building 6 also welcoming first light. The water in the spa was hot and the jets were providing the therapy I needed after a toss and turn night. Wait who is the old guy on the balcony? He is looking for the quacking he hears on the roof. Quick go inside and put some pants on over those skivvies. Wait a minute you are back and no pants. Throwing bread to the Nene and now all the birds are coming over due to your disturbance. Even the chickens who can't fly are waiting for some crumbs. Oh no, grandma go back inside your second floor unit and quit feeding the chickens. Look what you started old man.
After recovering from my outdoor adventure I performed the duties of Coffee Boy. This morning was different - Grande Americano with an extra shot of espresso. After breakfast and watching Texas whip TCU 14-1 in the NCAA Baseball playoffs we turned on World Cup. USA vs. England, oh yeah, Obama - shut the hell up as you have already done enough to damage the relationship with our closest ally with your xenophobic diatribe. USA gave up a quick goal and with good goalie play on our side and bad goalie play on their side we held them to a tie.
That is pretty much it. We had late checkout which essentially gave us an extra day. Now it is back to Houston and try to hold on to the beautiful scenery, gentle breezes, and signature golf holes. I am going to work on my new drinks: the 2-11 and the margarita with Serrano pepper and cilantro. I think I can duplicate those and enjoy my vacation a little longer.
Aloha.
After recovering from my outdoor adventure I performed the duties of Coffee Boy. This morning was different - Grande Americano with an extra shot of espresso. After breakfast and watching Texas whip TCU 14-1 in the NCAA Baseball playoffs we turned on World Cup. USA vs. England, oh yeah, Obama - shut the hell up as you have already done enough to damage the relationship with our closest ally with your xenophobic diatribe. USA gave up a quick goal and with good goalie play on our side and bad goalie play on their side we held them to a tie.
That is pretty much it. We had late checkout which essentially gave us an extra day. Now it is back to Houston and try to hold on to the beautiful scenery, gentle breezes, and signature golf holes. I am going to work on my new drinks: the 2-11 and the margarita with Serrano pepper and cilantro. I think I can duplicate those and enjoy my vacation a little longer.
Aloha.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Russian Forts, Smoke Monsters, and a Coconut Named Bob
We took a day off from golf to drive to the other side of the island. If you watched Lost or Gilligan's Island you know that going to the other side of the island is a required activity.
It is a long way to the other side of the island at speed limits as low as 15 mph. Our first stop was Kauai Nursery & Landscaping (aka The Orchid House on Lost). I went inside and looked at the orchids certified for export to the mainland. They claim 2-day Fedex shipping brings orchids in full bloom. The prices were reasonable and they had some rare orange oncidiums so I decided to give it a shot. While I was inside a brief deluge ensued which is why the nursery is where it is.
Next stop Poipu, a condominium and resort community on the sunny southern side of the island. The water is blue here and the waves are big when you have 15-25 knot winds. The Poipu Bay Golf Course is closed for major reconstruction. We played here two years ago and it seemed like most of the holes had ocean hazards. Kauai Lagoons near Lihue airport is also partially closed starting now for reconstruction. It is a Nicklaus course and is supposed to be really good when they are done. They were supposed to start this project two years ago but the collapse in tourism has put everything on hold here. Best golf for now is Makai and Prince on the north side near Hanalei. Golfers should avoid the resorts to the south for now.
There is one shopping enclave in Poipu that has some nice clothing stores, Na Hoku & Black Pearl & XAN jewelry, and gelato. It was warm and time for lunch so I dipped into a cherry chocolate swirl macadamia nut vanilla in a chocolate dipped cone. Enough said.
We continued our journey to a 19th century Russian Fort named Port Elizabeth after the czarina. It was built of lava rock at the mouth of the river providing fresh water and safe harbor. Cherry and I were the only visitors except for a Serbian couple from New York. It sounded like Russian when they spoke and they said the Slavic languages are similar.
Barking Sands beach is at the end of the highway and requires four wheel drive to get to the beach in Polihale State Beach Park. We opted not to drive in to the beach. We suspect that this road is not well maintained due to it's proximity to the Pacific Range Missile Facility. The PMRF is used for missile testing and I suspect they like the isolation.
MacArthur Park is named after MacArthur Dela Cruz and not the famous general. He was a community volunteer who dedicated his time to improvement of Kekaha Beach. It was on this beach that I met the smoke monster who looked very much like a sand filled whirlwind. Photo to be added later.
How I met Bob:
The day before our trip to the other side of the island we hiked down the trail from the Westin Villas to Anini Beach. The trail is steep and the tropical tree limbs intertwine off the trail into an impenetrable barrier. A stream trickles twenty feet below but will roar with the next rain. The beach below is not crowded partly because a small stream bisects the beach with limited parking off a small road on the other side. There are two houses of note. One is at ocean's edge and the other is set back in the tropical forest across a meadow. Not tsunami proof but great locations. A coconut lay beached like a whale or spawned by the stream from an inland location. He seemed healthy enough and I did not want him to end up like those white painted driveway coconuts so I heaved him into the ocean. As he bobbed happily away I knew his name. If you see Bob on his travels around the South Pacific say hello and give him an assist when needed.
Aloha from the Big Kahuna on the Garden Isle of Kauai!
It is a long way to the other side of the island at speed limits as low as 15 mph. Our first stop was Kauai Nursery & Landscaping (aka The Orchid House on Lost). I went inside and looked at the orchids certified for export to the mainland. They claim 2-day Fedex shipping brings orchids in full bloom. The prices were reasonable and they had some rare orange oncidiums so I decided to give it a shot. While I was inside a brief deluge ensued which is why the nursery is where it is.
Next stop Poipu, a condominium and resort community on the sunny southern side of the island. The water is blue here and the waves are big when you have 15-25 knot winds. The Poipu Bay Golf Course is closed for major reconstruction. We played here two years ago and it seemed like most of the holes had ocean hazards. Kauai Lagoons near Lihue airport is also partially closed starting now for reconstruction. It is a Nicklaus course and is supposed to be really good when they are done. They were supposed to start this project two years ago but the collapse in tourism has put everything on hold here. Best golf for now is Makai and Prince on the north side near Hanalei. Golfers should avoid the resorts to the south for now.
There is one shopping enclave in Poipu that has some nice clothing stores, Na Hoku & Black Pearl & XAN jewelry, and gelato. It was warm and time for lunch so I dipped into a cherry chocolate swirl macadamia nut vanilla in a chocolate dipped cone. Enough said.
We continued our journey to a 19th century Russian Fort named Port Elizabeth after the czarina. It was built of lava rock at the mouth of the river providing fresh water and safe harbor. Cherry and I were the only visitors except for a Serbian couple from New York. It sounded like Russian when they spoke and they said the Slavic languages are similar.
Barking Sands beach is at the end of the highway and requires four wheel drive to get to the beach in Polihale State Beach Park. We opted not to drive in to the beach. We suspect that this road is not well maintained due to it's proximity to the Pacific Range Missile Facility. The PMRF is used for missile testing and I suspect they like the isolation.
MacArthur Park is named after MacArthur Dela Cruz and not the famous general. He was a community volunteer who dedicated his time to improvement of Kekaha Beach. It was on this beach that I met the smoke monster who looked very much like a sand filled whirlwind. Photo to be added later.
How I met Bob:
The day before our trip to the other side of the island we hiked down the trail from the Westin Villas to Anini Beach. The trail is steep and the tropical tree limbs intertwine off the trail into an impenetrable barrier. A stream trickles twenty feet below but will roar with the next rain. The beach below is not crowded partly because a small stream bisects the beach with limited parking off a small road on the other side. There are two houses of note. One is at ocean's edge and the other is set back in the tropical forest across a meadow. Not tsunami proof but great locations. A coconut lay beached like a whale or spawned by the stream from an inland location. He seemed healthy enough and I did not want him to end up like those white painted driveway coconuts so I heaved him into the ocean. As he bobbed happily away I knew his name. If you see Bob on his travels around the South Pacific say hello and give him an assist when needed.
Aloha from the Big Kahuna on the Garden Isle of Kauai!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Birds of a Feather.....
I have been in Kauai for about five days and I like the birds here. I met Mr Albatros this morning while I was playing golf. I hit my drive near some trees and I thought at first that my ball might lie beyond the trees. It was not but I found an unmowed section of rough with little signs warning me to stay at least 15 feet from the albatross. Standing in the middle of a roughly 30 foot diameter area was a fuzzy headed albatross. Yes, he looked like the doodle of bird world. I suppose this dark grey/black creature was immature as he seemed unlikely to fly away and the picture of his mom was a pure white bird with a much better figure. Note: I called him he and that is surely a form of ugly bird profiling.
Right now I am sipping on a new concoction called the 2-11 which I promised to research in a previous discussion. As I sit here grilling some rib eye steaks I have had two visitors. A previous occupant of my space has left some food on the table. My first visitor was the Northern Cardinal. I am sure he has a hell of a story about how he ended up in Hawaii but he joined me less than a foot away for a nibble. My grandfather, Poppy, used to have a cardinal that would sit on his finger in his back yard. A second visitor was the red crested cardinal. One of those guys hopped in my golf cart a couple of days before.
This morning my spa time was interrupted by ducks and chickens walking through the pool area. Other visitors this morning were zebra doves and mynah birds. Mynah birds are all over the place here. I seem to remember a TV show starring Arthur Godfrey who had mynah birds for pets on his show. He usually wore Hawaiian shirts and played a ukulele. I think the Mynah birds could talk like a parrot. I am sure they would be offended by that comparison.
Good night.
Right now I am sipping on a new concoction called the 2-11 which I promised to research in a previous discussion. As I sit here grilling some rib eye steaks I have had two visitors. A previous occupant of my space has left some food on the table. My first visitor was the Northern Cardinal. I am sure he has a hell of a story about how he ended up in Hawaii but he joined me less than a foot away for a nibble. My grandfather, Poppy, used to have a cardinal that would sit on his finger in his back yard. A second visitor was the red crested cardinal. One of those guys hopped in my golf cart a couple of days before.
This morning my spa time was interrupted by ducks and chickens walking through the pool area. Other visitors this morning were zebra doves and mynah birds. Mynah birds are all over the place here. I seem to remember a TV show starring Arthur Godfrey who had mynah birds for pets on his show. He usually wore Hawaiian shirts and played a ukulele. I think the Mynah birds could talk like a parrot. I am sure they would be offended by that comparison.
Good night.
What makes a plume?
There is much being made of a dangerous underwater plume in the Gulf of Mexico. Apparently Obama's experts have found 0.5 ppm of oil below the surface of the water. How does this compare to other plumes? Let's consider the fecal matter in the Potomac River. EPA consistently measures 10-20 ppm of fecal matter in the Potomac River. During heavy rain there is up to 3000 ppm.
So there is 20 to 6000 ppm times as much poop in the Potomac as there is oil from the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Which body of water do you want to swim in.
Of course the Potomac is close to the White House so the source of the pollution is non stop and no one has the technology to shut it off. At least the oil spill will be stopped this summer and the water will be cleaned up.
So there is 20 to 6000 ppm times as much poop in the Potomac as there is oil from the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Which body of water do you want to swim in.
Of course the Potomac is close to the White House so the source of the pollution is non stop and no one has the technology to shut it off. At least the oil spill will be stopped this summer and the water will be cleaned up.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
The Prince is the Dragon
Every Monday should start this way. Wake up without an alarm at sunrise. Get your coffee and breakfast and head over to the golf course, in this case the Prince Course at Princeville. The course is named after Prince Albert, decended from Kamehameha the Great, and was designed by Robert Trent Jones. The Prince has numerous five star and number one rankings in Hawaii. After playing it you may agree that it is the dragon that needs to be slain. It has at least seven carries over ravines, narrow fairways, greens guarded by orange volcanic sand, jungles, streams, oceans, lakes and streams. The Wai'ala'ale and Kawaikini peaks tower overhead with water from the high elevation Alaka'i Swamp dropping over the precipice as a series of water falls. The average annual rainfall is 430 inches per annum making these misty peaks the wettest land on earth. The peaks provide beauty and a reference for which way your puts will break. The water carved out the terrain that provides the ultimate challenge in golf with monster uphill, downhill, down wind, and up wind shots required. Severe doglegs and ravines add to the challenge.
Cherry played her first round in a year and once again came through with a par 3 on her scorecard. Jerry played from the Ke'oke'o white tees and shot a 98 on par 72.1 slope 133. The dragon that lives in the land of Hanalei is still alive but we look forward to the next match.
The dragon slayer lives! Aloha!
Cherry played her first round in a year and once again came through with a par 3 on her scorecard. Jerry played from the Ke'oke'o white tees and shot a 98 on par 72.1 slope 133. The dragon that lives in the land of Hanalei is still alive but we look forward to the next match.
The dragon slayer lives! Aloha!
Mai Tais and Other Concoctions
Sleeping late in Kauai is great. We woke up at 6 AM which seems early except it is 11 AM in Houston so it was really sleeping late. It was also Sunday so no emails from work to deal with. We went to the Westin store where we acquired a cup of Starbucks for Cherry and Jerry jumped in the spa. The spa was big enough for a dozen folks but we had it all to ourselves.
Shallow pools with spouting turtles look like fun places for the little people to play. I have a policy against getting in those pools for obvious reasons.
Last time we were here the Westin had just had a soft opening. The Princeville hotel where we stayed was set to close for a remodel and rebranding as St Regis. This hotel has a location that is hard to beat. Beautiful beach next to the largest coral reef in the Hawaiian Islands offers incredible sunsets over the Napali coast line. Now that I think of it, what a great place to watch the sunset and blog on your iPad.
We wanted to see what they had done with their $79MM renovation so we walked over to the St Regis. It was 5.2 miles round trip so it was a great way to start the morning. St Regis is spruced up but it was hard to see where all the money was spent from the lobby. We entered the lobby at ground level which is floor 9. You take the elevator to the fourth floor, switch elevators and proceed to floor 2. That is how it works when you build your hotel on the side of a volcano.
The St Regis really spruced up the pool with nice tile and flagstone. Mother nature provided the scenery which is still awesome. We decided to stay and enjoy the setting with a beverage. I would have to give the St Regis Mai Tai a thumbs up. Not sure why but they just taste better on the beach in the islands.
I called the Makai golf course and reserved a tee time for 2:30 and we walked back to the Westin. Cherry dropped me off and I played 18 holes in the sun and the wind. Makai is very open off the tee but it has lots of white sand. I shot my normal 15 good holes of golf ranging from pa4 to double bogey and three bad holes and did not break 100. It is a 127 slope rating but I would say 140 in the wind.
We had reservations at Nanea for prime rib night. The food was good and we had a nice Malbec with dinner. Our waitress was named Olena which is the name of an ancient Hawaian flower whose root is used for healing. Olena was BOI of Kauai. She has a three year old daughter whose Hawaiian name means "First Light of Heaven". Olena was college educated and very passionate about native rights. She grew up with her father living off the land and sea: night diving for fish, snaring wild boar, etc. She told us about the bones of the ancestors that were being found as people were building their multi-million dollar homes on the coast. The islanders want the jobs from the wealthy residents and tourism but want more repect for their culture.
We had such a good time talking to Olena that we stayed for another round of drinks after closing our check. Cherry had another glass of wine and I spotted a drink called the 2-11. It was invented by the Nanea's bartender and it has tequila, Cointreau, and a Grand Marnier float. But it is the fruit juices that make the drink. It is all natural and I plan to research the drink more later and bring it to the mainland.
Aloha!
Shallow pools with spouting turtles look like fun places for the little people to play. I have a policy against getting in those pools for obvious reasons.
Last time we were here the Westin had just had a soft opening. The Princeville hotel where we stayed was set to close for a remodel and rebranding as St Regis. This hotel has a location that is hard to beat. Beautiful beach next to the largest coral reef in the Hawaiian Islands offers incredible sunsets over the Napali coast line. Now that I think of it, what a great place to watch the sunset and blog on your iPad.
We wanted to see what they had done with their $79MM renovation so we walked over to the St Regis. It was 5.2 miles round trip so it was a great way to start the morning. St Regis is spruced up but it was hard to see where all the money was spent from the lobby. We entered the lobby at ground level which is floor 9. You take the elevator to the fourth floor, switch elevators and proceed to floor 2. That is how it works when you build your hotel on the side of a volcano.
The St Regis really spruced up the pool with nice tile and flagstone. Mother nature provided the scenery which is still awesome. We decided to stay and enjoy the setting with a beverage. I would have to give the St Regis Mai Tai a thumbs up. Not sure why but they just taste better on the beach in the islands.
I called the Makai golf course and reserved a tee time for 2:30 and we walked back to the Westin. Cherry dropped me off and I played 18 holes in the sun and the wind. Makai is very open off the tee but it has lots of white sand. I shot my normal 15 good holes of golf ranging from pa4 to double bogey and three bad holes and did not break 100. It is a 127 slope rating but I would say 140 in the wind.
We had reservations at Nanea for prime rib night. The food was good and we had a nice Malbec with dinner. Our waitress was named Olena which is the name of an ancient Hawaian flower whose root is used for healing. Olena was BOI of Kauai. She has a three year old daughter whose Hawaiian name means "First Light of Heaven". Olena was college educated and very passionate about native rights. She grew up with her father living off the land and sea: night diving for fish, snaring wild boar, etc. She told us about the bones of the ancestors that were being found as people were building their multi-million dollar homes on the coast. The islanders want the jobs from the wealthy residents and tourism but want more repect for their culture.
We had such a good time talking to Olena that we stayed for another round of drinks after closing our check. Cherry had another glass of wine and I spotted a drink called the 2-11. It was invented by the Nanea's bartender and it has tequila, Cointreau, and a Grand Marnier float. But it is the fruit juices that make the drink. It is all natural and I plan to research the drink more later and bring it to the mainland.
Aloha!
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Kauai: Dragon Slaying and Other Adventures
Random thoughts from Kauai:
Kacie, thanks for getting up early and taking us to the airport. It makes travel so much easier.
When will we go on a trip and get more than four hours of sleep the night before? At least it makes sleeping on the plane easier.
IAH to LAX and LAX to LIH (Lihue) is a great way to get here. Breaks up the trip into 3+ and 5+ hour flights and Presidents Club has wi-fi.
Taking the dogs to the kennel: Jac & Luc got dog biscuits at the dry cleaning pick up on the way to be dropped off. Lesson learned kids: do not get in a vehicle and leave your mother when a man takes you for a ride and offers you treats. Champ was boarded at Petsmart and I ran into a business associate. It took Alan an uncomfortable second or two to recognize me. Come on Alan - fedora style golf hat and a big ungroomed doodle and you do "not recognize me out of the oil patch".
iPad: do not travel without an iPad. You can eliminate laptops, books, magazines, and newspapers and wear earbuds to listen to music and not the lady next to you or the infant crying 10 rows back.
OK, I was just kidding. You need a magazine because you have one hour per flight when you cannot have your electronic device turned on. Bring a copy of Wired magazine from home. It costs $10 per year to subscribe. Apple thinks you should pay $5 per copy to get it as an iBook. This will change although the people buying this are the same ones who put the idiots in Washington who decided the people with healthcare should pay for healthcare for people who do not want to buy it or work for it. Who can afford healthcare when you need another $600 per year for 3G and the WSJ app. But it is so cool and I get to be a couch potato.
The magazine on the plane reminded us that we are on an island and life is slower here. A 30 mile drive to the hotel is about an hour drive. It is a nice drive because everything is green and the mountains have high clouds while we are in the sun and a gentle breeze. Still I had time to contemplate the price of gasoline about 50% higher than Texas. It is a good reminder of what happens when you live on an island with no natural resources and everything is imported. We should carefully consider these things when we react to rogue behavior whether it is BP, Skilling, Madoff, or Sanford. Washington politicians are like the poor souls on Lost who were constantly fighting over leadership and believe in magical energy sources at the heart of the island. I think we should lock them in a cellar and tell them to punch a button every hour or they will blow themselves up. Let them fight over that and keep them from destroying our way of life with their political tinkering.
First whale sighting in Kauai. She was blubbery and had packed on enough fat for two females her size. From across the parking lot we heard her blow F!$&, F!$&, F!$&......until a male of her species came to her rescue. She was inebriated and sunburned and a reminder of how not to spend your vacation.
Hawaiian pigeon: I forgot that chickens were everywhere on this island. I much prefer them to the pigeons you see in most places. Since they live on the ground there is no danger of being bombed by a pigeon as I was in Piazza de San Marco.
Tiki torches: they really set the mood. I was tired last night so I had a Sapporo beer and went to bed. Tonight I am thinking Mai Tai under the wavering light of the tiki torches blowing in the gentle breeze.
Kacie, thanks for getting up early and taking us to the airport. It makes travel so much easier.
When will we go on a trip and get more than four hours of sleep the night before? At least it makes sleeping on the plane easier.
IAH to LAX and LAX to LIH (Lihue) is a great way to get here. Breaks up the trip into 3+ and 5+ hour flights and Presidents Club has wi-fi.
Taking the dogs to the kennel: Jac & Luc got dog biscuits at the dry cleaning pick up on the way to be dropped off. Lesson learned kids: do not get in a vehicle and leave your mother when a man takes you for a ride and offers you treats. Champ was boarded at Petsmart and I ran into a business associate. It took Alan an uncomfortable second or two to recognize me. Come on Alan - fedora style golf hat and a big ungroomed doodle and you do "not recognize me out of the oil patch".
iPad: do not travel without an iPad. You can eliminate laptops, books, magazines, and newspapers and wear earbuds to listen to music and not the lady next to you or the infant crying 10 rows back.
OK, I was just kidding. You need a magazine because you have one hour per flight when you cannot have your electronic device turned on. Bring a copy of Wired magazine from home. It costs $10 per year to subscribe. Apple thinks you should pay $5 per copy to get it as an iBook. This will change although the people buying this are the same ones who put the idiots in Washington who decided the people with healthcare should pay for healthcare for people who do not want to buy it or work for it. Who can afford healthcare when you need another $600 per year for 3G and the WSJ app. But it is so cool and I get to be a couch potato.
The magazine on the plane reminded us that we are on an island and life is slower here. A 30 mile drive to the hotel is about an hour drive. It is a nice drive because everything is green and the mountains have high clouds while we are in the sun and a gentle breeze. Still I had time to contemplate the price of gasoline about 50% higher than Texas. It is a good reminder of what happens when you live on an island with no natural resources and everything is imported. We should carefully consider these things when we react to rogue behavior whether it is BP, Skilling, Madoff, or Sanford. Washington politicians are like the poor souls on Lost who were constantly fighting over leadership and believe in magical energy sources at the heart of the island. I think we should lock them in a cellar and tell them to punch a button every hour or they will blow themselves up. Let them fight over that and keep them from destroying our way of life with their political tinkering.
First whale sighting in Kauai. She was blubbery and had packed on enough fat for two females her size. From across the parking lot we heard her blow F!$&, F!$&, F!$&......until a male of her species came to her rescue. She was inebriated and sunburned and a reminder of how not to spend your vacation.
Hawaiian pigeon: I forgot that chickens were everywhere on this island. I much prefer them to the pigeons you see in most places. Since they live on the ground there is no danger of being bombed by a pigeon as I was in Piazza de San Marco.
Tiki torches: they really set the mood. I was tired last night so I had a Sapporo beer and went to bed. Tonight I am thinking Mai Tai under the wavering light of the tiki torches blowing in the gentle breeze.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Shotgun Willie gets an iPad
So what if it is 1:00 AM. Shotgun Willie has a new iPad. Sitting around in his underwear and learning how to pilot this thing. I knew the Pit would need one. I told her to get one before our next long plane ride this Saturday. She had me reserve one at the Apple store near work in case her order did not come in. Well she found one and they emailed me that my order was in. Obviously they are shooting these babies out of the factory like crap through a goose. I looked at the size of her iPad and the books I was bringing on the trip and said sign me up Mr.Jobs. You are the king of cool. If wifi is not good enough and everyone 3G's there way into connectivity than AT&T is going to implode! Mr. Jobs is going to sell a ton of these and make the WSJ a ton of money to boot.
Now Chuckles I know this is a lot to digest. You knew your Mom would have to gadget up. You never thought that your Dad would give up on Balmer and Gates and the boys. Bill should be paying more attention to his business because Steve just lapped him on market cap. He might lap him again if the billion or so customers in Asia want one of these things.
Signing off from the apple orchard,
Shotgun Willie
Now Chuckles I know this is a lot to digest. You knew your Mom would have to gadget up. You never thought that your Dad would give up on Balmer and Gates and the boys. Bill should be paying more attention to his business because Steve just lapped him on market cap. He might lap him again if the billion or so customers in Asia want one of these things.
Signing off from the apple orchard,
Shotgun Willie
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