Thoughts from Keith

Find me here

2010-04-14T01:35:00.002-04:00

From now on you can find me here, GreenAroundTheGlobe

Rei Training

2009-04-16T08:47:00.000-04:00

So after a good first training swim last weekend I joined the YMCA up
by my office this week and have done two 900meter training swims, both
at about 18-20 minutes each. Not to shabby of a time Yesterday I even
did an indoor brick by jumping out of the pool, rinsing off putting on
sneakers and a shirt and jumping on the stationary bike for a good
30min spin. I am begining to think I might not just finish but
actually enjoy this Triathalon.

Fantastic

2009-03-31T16:55:00.002-04:00

Check out this guy in Ohio, I think he deserves an innovation award, seriously a bar stool that goes 38mph. I am not sure the decision to drink 15 beers before driving it was a good idea.

Please Touch Museum

2009-03-01T11:24:00.004-05:00

So Amy and I went to the Please Touch Museum in it's new location in Memorial Hall in the West side of Fairmount Park yesterday. We met Michelle, Brett and Hannah there, and since Hannah is 18 months we did not look like a bunch of weird adults lurking around a kids museum.

They did have some really cool exhibits, including a model of the grounds where Memorial Hall is today from when it was built for the country's Centennial Celebration in 1876. The water works with the rubber ducks and boats was pretty cool too. Below is a picture of what Amy did when she was playing with Hannah and some magnetic letters. Very cute I know, but I wounder how many inappropriate words get spelled out on this thing by an older sibling there against their will.

Start to Vacation

2009-02-05T13:56:00.000-05:00

So I got to PHL early enough to sit and enjoy some food and a flight
of three red wines from around the world, not a bad start for the trip
to Whistler. Canadia here I come.

Best use of a cake stand ever

2009-01-17T19:00:00.002-05:00

For a party we are having tonight Amy had the great idea to us our cake stand as a way to display the three kinds of cured meats we have. I thought that the end result was worth sharing.

Now I am Committed, $150 Committed Anyway

2009-01-12T13:46:00.003-05:00

So I pulled the trigger today and registered for the Philly Sprint Triathaoln, which is a 0.9K swim, 25K bike and 5K run. The race is Saturday June 27th so feel free to set the date aside and come down and watch me attempt to finish without making myself look totally ridiculous and out of shape.

I had better start working on my transitions, it is the swim-to-bike I am most worried about, as I am not sure I will practice in the Schuylkill before hand to much.

New Years Resolution

2008-12-30T14:33:00.005-05:00

So I think I have my New Years resolution for 2009. It came to me on Monday when I was biking to work and taking advantage of the warm-ish weather we were having. I figured out that if I were to bike to work just once a week all year it is a total of 1,612 miles (52 x 31 miles). That may seem like a tremendous distance, and you would be right. It is exactly the distance from my house to the Badlands National Park, White River Visitor Center, however when broken up over a year seems very doable.

My resolution is I will bike to work an average of once per week for 2009. I had better get moving once it warms up if I have any chance of making this goal. Throughout the year I will post updated pictures of my bike computers' total odometer to show progress. But my starting point of 301.5 miles is below. What is your resolution?

Best bar sign

2008-12-28T11:15:00.001-05:00

So this sign was over the men's room door at the Monk's Cove bar in
Mt. Adams. Even though I have never ben arrested I do see the wisdom
here.

We are only going to West Philly for the movies from now on

2008-12-27T23:20:00.004-05:00

So check this story out. Apparently this guy, enraged by a noisy family at RiverView shot the father of the noisy family in the arm. Now I hate noisy kids at the movies and have felt like shooting some of those parents also, but not having a gun on me and being a rational person I never have. Either way I am pretty sure that we will ever go back there for the movies. This was the first news story I happened to read since being back in the city, and it seemed that it made national news, good job Philly. It is good to be home.

You better believe it.

2008-12-22T12:18:00.000-05:00

First lunch in Cincy.

Dead Stop

2008-12-21T12:34:00.000-05:00

Just before the Blue Mountain tunnel we are at a dead stop for no
known reason. Good times on the PA turnpike.

Happy Birthday Kristin!

2008-12-20T08:41:00.004-05:00

It is my sister Kristin's birthday today, and since she is one of 4 people that read this blog I wanted to find a special way to show her how much I care. I thought a Happy Birthday wish from a cute dog was the way to go. (See Kristin's blog for her extensive use of puppy pictures to increase her readership)

Happy Birthday Sister.

Thundersnow?

2008-12-19T07:48:00.001-05:00

So this impending storm is predicted to include thundersnow, no that
is pretty cool.

Chiristmas "Tree"

2008-12-14T15:41:00.003-05:00

Check out our Christmas Tree. Unfortunately the rosemary cones at Whole Foods sold out only a week or two after Thanksgiving this year, so we missed out on a fragrant "tree" but this mini cedar tree is a great option. While it does not have quite the delicious aroma as the rosemary, it might also live longer because I do not have a desire to constantly roast chickens and sacrifice branches for the cause.

Best Brunch Dish Ever

2008-12-14T15:27:00.003-05:00

This is a great recipe for waffle french toast. Possibly the best brunch dish ever.

100K House Tours

2008-12-13T21:36:00.008-05:00

Amy and I went to see the 100 and 120K houses today in Fishtown. And while the houses were pretty cool with great designs I am not sure that the location would work for Amy and I. It is a fair hike from downtown and while it is improving it is still a neighborhood very much for hipsters. Amy and I are not hipsters, much more yuppie than hipster. And while Postgreen is an interesting development company, since they are not taking on investors right now I think that Liberty Realty Trust stock seems to be a better investment. Huge daily volatility recently, but being a leading developer of LEED certified corporate real estate I believe that they will have a significant operational advantage in the long run.

Anyway below are some pictures from today.

Expansion at Mugshots

2008-12-12T11:19:00.001-05:00

So our local independant coffee shop has expanded in space and hours, now open until 10pm and with more seating. Good work local customers. Good to see one local business doing well.

I Heart REI

2008-12-06T12:40:00.003-05:00

So turns out that after a quick call to Burton the REI store did an exchange for the '09 Cartel bindings at zero cost to me. I am back in business. Anyone up for some night riding next week after work?

Snowboard Gods why must you smite me?

2008-12-06T11:52:00.003-05:00

So 2 hours into my trip this morning my front Burton Cartel binding baseplate shattered. And on a very easy fall on a green while I was practicing switch foot riding none the less. And now REI is telling me that I have to send it back to Burton for a replacement. Which could take 4-7 days. The other option is to return the bindings at the store and get new ones. If they will not swap it out I am going to do that with the rational that I am riding tomorrow, which I had not planned but hey for the amount of business I give REI they can eat the return and fight it out with Burton.

Imersion Blenders are Cool

2008-11-23T17:11:00.003-05:00

So Amy and I decided to make soup tonight with the butternut squash we got from the CSA last week. So after looking up a recipe with voice search on my iPhone (Google is really amazing in the pace in which they bring out innovation that makes my life easier). So we stopped at Wegman's in NJ on the way back from babysitting for Zoey last night, to pick up an onion and a couple of the other basics we needed. After simmering the ingredients the recipe called for moving to a food processor to puree. It was while contemplating the idea of pouring very hot, chunky liquid into that relatively small bowl that I remembered our immersion blender in the pantry. It is such a cool device, just plug it in and stick it in the piping hot pot of soup and after a minute or two all the squash and apple was rendered into a delicious and creamy soup that had no cream, so it is rather healthy.

In fact I am looking forward to putting some in a Nalgene, once it cools, to bring to work for lunch tomorrow. A Nalgene you might ask why I need such a heavy duty container. That would be because I am going to ride in tomorrow. In fact I am heading down to the storage unit right now to get my snowboard mittens and headlamp. That last piece of equipment is being added to the list as my return trip home last week was in near pitch black. And for the 7 miles I am on the Wissahickon trail the overhead lights are sporadic at best, resulting in significant sections where I could not see at all, made for an interesting and adrenaline filled ride.

Enjoy the short week ahead, I will be counting the days until I get to fry three turkeys for Amy's family, delicious times.

Snow I missed you!

2008-11-19T09:31:00.002-05:00

Driving on the NJ Turnpike yesterday I was very happy to see the first flurries of the year. I now have to drop off my snowboard to REI for a tune-up and dig out that season pass I won for Blue Mountain.

Top things I miss when biking to work

2008-11-17T09:01:00.002-05:00

So the top things I miss when I bike into work on a day like today (temperature at 6:30am was 36F) are in no particular order:

Heated seats, the Mazda has wonderful heated seats, the bike not so much
No wind on my hands. I had anticipated this, so I bought these fancy new wind stopper bike gloves, which are not nearly substantial enough. My hands were frozen by the Falls River Bridge. Time to break out the snowboard mittens
Being able to enjoy my travel mug of coffee on the way into work

For balance I guess I should also have a list of the things I miss when I drive to work:

The great scenery along the Wissahickon, I could technically glance at it while on Lincoln drive but taking your eyes off the road for even a second there is a death defying act
Stopping at the Valley Green Inn to have a "breakfast" of a frozen Clif bar from my pocket and some very cold water, is really quite enjoyable

The real test is going to come on the way home tonight, it will be much darker than it was this morning and I will be much more tired. The break I took for the couple of weeks before the wedding to avoid the possibility of road rash at the wedding has left me pretty out of shape. Maybe tonight I test the Regional Rail option? You will all have to wait with great suspense to find out my choice.

Advertising in Atlanta airport

2008-11-16T16:19:00.001-05:00

While I did not order these they did look delicious.

Impactful store helmet advertising

2008-11-16T16:16:00.003-05:00

Some very creative in-store advertising in a local bike shop I saw yesterday. I am a big fan of zombie movies and books so while I did not need a new helmet if I did this might have convinced me to buy. I think there is an employee there that could be a copy writer at an agency. That is better than a lot of the print headlines I have seen from agencies over the years.

Best haircut ever

2008-11-15T16:38:00.001-05:00

Saw this little guy while walking from West Philly today. I wonder how much nagging it took to get his Mom to agree to that. You go little Mr. T.

Ecuador Pictures

2008-11-13T19:32:00.005-05:00

So below is a link to a select few of the pictures from Ecuador. Check them out, I put all the effort into the captions, so I am not going to repeat that effort here...

From Ecuador

Also in case you are wondering it will be 3-4 more weeks until we have the professional pictures from the wedding. They have lots of shots to go through and process, but the photographer says there are great ones.

Wedding Drama - &% Delta

2008-10-14T07:15:00.003-04:00

So the latest wedding drama is that we got a panicked email from our travel agent yesterday. She told us that the flight we were taking home was canceled by Delta. And as you might imagine there are not multiple flight home from Quito, Ecuador. Turns out we will have to stay one more day (darn) and even though Delta will not cover the hotel, Starwood comes through. The Sheraton in Quito is only 4000 points for a night, one stay closer to platinum status.

Survey

2008-09-21T02:16:00.000-04:00

Check out the survey I added to the right.

Job I wish I had...

2008-09-17T21:38:00.004-04:00

So I totally wish I was Alton Brown. Mostly because I am watching his new series of the "feasting" shows Feasting on Waves. I am totally jealous that he gets to sail around the Caribbean and eat amazing food. Totally jealous.

Now that is targeting

2008-09-13T15:58:00.003-04:00

Amy and I were at the liquor stores today getting booze for the weeding. And while we were looking at wines I saw the wine below, now that is what I call a targeted product that knows it's audience.

On a separate note, I just tuned into the Michigan - Notre Dame game and was happy to see that only 4 minutes into the game Michigan is down by 14. While not a final that is a pretty telling start. I hope my Bucs fair better in California this evening.

Birthdays and Reflections

2008-09-09T10:25:00.003-04:00

So I turn 30 today and so far it has been a great day and I am happy to get all the well wishes, cards and calls. And being a major milestone birthday I am more reflective especially on Lew's smugness comment from yesterday's post. I have to admit that I do not want to be condescending to my suburban friends, as increasingly that is most of them. To each his own and who knows maybe Amy and I will end up in the 'burbs someday. I doubt it but anything is possible. But I will still continue to extol the virtues I see in urban living, and will leave out the digs against the suburban lifestyle.

Speaking of virtues, if it is not pouring rain tonight Amy and I will be walking to Osteria, and great Italian restaurant just up the street from our house. Delicious. I will be having a small salad for lunch today.

What's your walkable score?

2008-09-08T17:50:00.003-04:00

So there was a great article in the Ideal Bite from today that showed a website that ranks the "walkability" of your neighborhood. And Philadelphia was #5 (just behind Chi-town). Check it out, that is unless you live in the car dependant suburbs, well off to bike home.

Philly's Walk Score

How big is Hanna?

2008-09-06T09:06:00.003-04:00

Oh no the Hurricane is coming...aggghhhh. While we are expected to get a pretty good rain storm and 20-30mph gusts today from the way they are talking on the news you would think we were going to have 100mph winds and massive flooding. I am planning on using this a great excuse to spend nearly the entire day watching football. And while I did decide that going camping in the Poconos was probably not a good idea I think the local sports bar will be just fine.

59 minutes

2008-09-03T19:21:00.004-04:00

So I did it, I always had it as a goal in the back of my mind but I was not sure I would ever be able to do it on the mountain bike. 59 minutes from the first pedal in the McNeil parking lot to pulling into City View. The key was that I had other bikers to chase down for a good part of the Wissahickon and Schuylkill trails. My competitive spirit gets the best of me and I love to pass and hate to be passed. Not sure I could do that time every day but it was fun today.

down the 'shore

2008-08-31T18:28:00.003-04:00

So Amy and I made our annual trip down the 'shore (for non-Philadelphia people that means we went to the beach in New Jersey) today. We left at 9 this morning and drove down to Cape May, the southern most town in Jersey. Not a bad ride and the weather was perfect, 90 sunny and not to humid. Of course I forgot my camera so no pics, but the trip was a good one, take my word for it. I ate some seafood advertised as "fresh" but I am pretty sure it was frozen until right before it went in the fryer, but with a healthy serving of tartar sauce it was delicious.

However as is the case every year when we do this we realized that we are not 'shore people. While a trip or two is great fun (we still welcome invites to shore houses...) the thought of going down there every weekend in the summer is just a little much. Happy to be back in Philly tonight and enjoying the mostly empty city.

Welcome Back Football Saturdays

2008-08-30T12:54:00.003-04:00

A #2 in the AP ranking out of the gate and an easy win today over Youngstown State ( I know a 16-0 lead early in the 2nd is not the end of the game - but come on only Michigan loses to a Div 1-A in the season opener). Now to plan my smoked meat schedule for the rest of the fall, delicious smoked meats and football, throw in a little beer and all is right with the world.

Also just to keep up with the trend and mention the bike in every post REI was great about adjusting all of the derailleur and brake cables to get the bike back to full functionality, and even scheduled a full tune up 2 weeks from now all gratis.

Road Side Repairs

2008-08-28T09:30:00.003-04:00

On the way into work today my front derailleur jammed, and as luck would have it stuck on the big ring. For you non-bikers that makes it very had to pedal up hills. And I was still 4.5 miles from the office. So it was time to break out the alien tool and see what I could do to fix it, turns out the cable had just slipped and after a few trys I was able to get it to work, well mostly. I can shift between two of the front rings without chain rub. Looks like tomorrow I will be collecting the 100 mile tune up that REI gives you for free with a new bike purchase. I am sure that is easier than me playing with that cable for an hour to get it adjusted correctly so I can shift to all three rings and not have chain rub.

Biking certainly makes for more interesting commute than by car.

New toys for the bike

2008-08-21T11:30:00.003-04:00

For those that do not know I have not been riding to work recently for two reasons, one being I have been traveling quite a bit for work and I had a bit of an accident two weeks ago on the way home. Turns out that taking a turn from pavement to gravel at 20-25mph on city slick tires is a bad idea, so while I did not have any serious injury I did have a pretty bad case of road rash on my arm, shoulder and leg. But that is all better now, so back on the bike.

So I rode into the office again today and had a couple new toys for the bike. Performance Bike was having a summer clearance sale on gear, so I was able to pick-up a pair of panniers so I can carry my clothes with me vs. having to bring them the day before (and forget my pants) as well I got a wireless computer so I can really see what my speed and distance is. Big surprise is that my trip is 15.5 miles each way not 13. So in a round trip day I am doing 31 miles, not to shabby.

Riding Back to Back Days

2008-07-30T10:55:00.008-04:00

So I did not spill anything on my pants yesterday so I took on riding in again today. I do have to admit I was a little slower this morning. And I choose to believe it was not that my legs were tired but that I was taking in the scenery. Check out some of the pictures I took with the blackberry on the the way home last night and the way in this morning.

This is from the trail along the Wissahickon creek, in the afternoon the trail is much more crowded with other folks getting in a little exercise.
This is the Vally Green Inn, a nice nearly mid point stop on the ride. Due to the heat today I will be stopping at the water fountain there to fill up my water bottle.

And this one is from the way in this morning. I get to ride past the only covered bridge in Philadelphia county. Very scenic, how's it compare to your daily commute?

Getting Faster on the Bike

2008-07-29T12:28:00.004-04:00

So ride number three this morning was faster than previous rides by about 8 minutes or so. And while that does not seem like a lot it is a 10% improvement over my initial trip which took an hour 20. And this time I remembered to bring my pants into the office the day before so I was all set once I arrived.

I will have to take some pictures with the blackberry on a trip to give a sense of the natural setting I ride through. Maybe on the way home tonight? Also as long as I do not spill anything on these pants today (a higher probability than you might think) I may try back to back days, by riding in tomorrow. I can pack a golf shirt that will not get to wrinkled.

Wind Turbine on the move

2008-07-25T09:39:00.004-04:00

On a recent trip back from a meeting in Skillman, NJ the J&J office I used to work at, I was on the PA turnpike and saw an pretty unique over sized load. Now I have seen wind turbines in the desert in CA and there are even a couple you can see from the PA turnpike and yes they look big but seeing just one of the blades on it's side going down the highway was pretty impressive.

24 hour coast to coast

2008-07-21T07:19:00.002-04:00

So I have a business meeting tomorrow outside Seattle at 9am. I will be on a flight tonight at 6pm, arrive at 9pm local Pacific time, grab a beer with Casey and Kate (they are good sports), crash and then go to the meeting. It is then off to the airport for a 1:30pm back to the East Coast, to arrive by 10p at home. Got to love those quick turn around meetings. I wish I had been able to work a longer stay, with all the sailing and BBQ'ing that Kate and Casey are up to that would have been a good time, oh-well.

Weekend Projects

2008-07-20T21:22:00.004-04:00

After spending almost the entire weekend inside avoiding the heat and both of us doing work, Amy and I decided to get out of the house today. So a trip to Famous Dave's BBQ for lunch and then on to Ikea was planned with our friend Sandra. After a delicious lunch that consisted of a pulled pork sandwich for Sanda and I and Amy's BBQ chicken we were off to Ikea.

We went into the store looking for a new cabinet for next to the wine fridge in the living room, and to check out new blinds for the bedroom. And despite our worst fears we did not end up with any extra stuff. Below is the results of our efforts. And all for just under $200 and an afternoon with a screwdriver. Got to love those Swedes.

Ride #2

2008-07-15T12:39:00.004-04:00

So I did a second ride to work today, (Lew - I am working up to my bear hug from Al). And it was much better this time I would have to say that is probably due in large part to the great NEW bike Amy bought me for my early birthday present! Check it out below. It is a Novara Ponderosa, and I even got her to spring for a pair of slick tires. Much better than the old beater that cost me $100 fours years ago at a flea market.

Also on a really funny note, what do you think is the worst thing you can forget to pack when you bike to work, that would be pants. Yes that is right I forgot to pack work pants in the bag I brought so I am working all day in my Penn gym shorts. Sitting at my desk most of the day has not been to bad, now if I could only get up the courage to go to the cafeteria for some lunch, I am starving.

$50 Tank for my Mazda 3!

2008-07-07T12:56:00.002-04:00

That's right folks I had my first fill up today that was +$50 for my Mazda 3, now that was quite a shock. And now that my memory of the bike ride last week has faded a bit I think a trip to REI for saddle bags for the bike maybe in order. This way I can do the ride with less pre-planning of bringing a change of clothes to work the day before.

And at this rate I am very excited we live in the city where we have the option of walking to most places. How does it feel suburbanites? Feeling a little trapped in your houses?

Green Commuting - I'm a fan!

2008-07-02T08:41:00.005-04:00

I got it in my head that there were two changes I wanted to make in my life:

1) I wanted to get back to better shape, after my surgery I really took it as a huge excuse to not work out at all.
2) Commute more efficiently to save gas and $s, and in the short term I thought that meant working from home, which is a great option I am taking advantage of at least once every two weeks, technology is great.

However I realized this week there is a way I can accomplish both in one action, bike to work. So since this morning was going to be the last low humidity morning in Philly in the next 10 days, and maybe until September, and it is the last day before a holiday weekend, I thought there is no better time than the present. So I fixed the flat tire on the mountain bike last night, packed a back pack and struck out at 6:45 this morning.

My route was 15.8 miles (thank you Google Maps) I took the trail along the Kelly drive trail along the Schuylkill to Forbidden Drive along the Wissahickon Creek, up Bells Mills Lane through Flourtown and into the office, all in only 75 minutes. After a quick shower in the gym here I was at my desk earlier than I have been in months. And having my bike parked next to my desk has a certain cool factor to it. So in short if you have a bike and a desire to be more active try bike commuting, I am a fan. Although I do still have to make it home this afternoon...maybe I will take time to enjoy the scenery (code for I will be going slow b/c my legs are on fire...)

Check out my approximate route here. (Google can not map the trail along the Wissahickon as cars are not permitted)

Is there something in the water?

2008-06-17T06:25:00.003-04:00

Good work Casey. It seems that engagements are a bit contagious in the last couple of weeks, but congratulations are in order for Kate and Casey. Casey has finally pulled he trigger out in Seattle this weekend and did a great job of it from the looks of the tremendous pictures that Kate took. Best of luck to both of them as they begin planning, and it seems I will get to repay Casey the favor of planning my bachelor party by planning his. Now that should be fun.

Congrats Jenn & Chad

2008-06-09T17:38:00.002-04:00

So like Kristin I am very excited about Jenn and Chad's recent announcement. And thank you to Jenn for the 7am call while eating my breakfast. I am very happy to have more family join the wedding planning craziness. I say you should tell everyone to back off and you and Chad should enjoy a couple of weeks of your engagement before even starting to think about planning.

Congrats Again!

Waterfront Homes

2008-06-08T20:53:00.004-04:00

So Amy and I have decided that someday we should get a house on the water somewhere. And to inspire us there was a great show on HGTV today, very cleaverly called Amazing Waterfront Homes, and the Big Sur home below, has the added benefit of being very eco.

On another TV note, tonight is the first episode of the new season of ice road truckers. And they have switched the routes from diamond mines to natural gas feilds. Not nearly as exciting, expect that it is all ice, no land at all. I am excited to have some decent summer tv to watch.

Good Work Barack!

2008-06-04T09:02:00.003-04:00

So last night seems to be the final chapter in the primary. Hopefully Hillary will have the grace to exit well and we can build the overwhelming momentum for real change in the country.

Huricane Free

2008-06-02T18:07:00.002-04:00

Just wanted to let everyone know that Amy and I are doing fine, enjoying the warm, if not overcast weather in Mexico. We did get a good amount of rain yesterday but tropical depression Arthur did not materialize into much of anything, so that is the good news.

In other highlights from today I was able to wow Amy with my amazing sailing skills as I captained a mighty sunfish around the water of the Gulf. And despite threats of making a run for Cuba the only one to suffer was me with a little sunburn on my arms.

Looks like we should have no issues getting out tomorrow. Have fun a work!

Mexico!

2008-05-30T09:57:00.004-04:00

So Amy and I are off to Cancun, Mexico tomorrow for our friends Noam and Meryl's wedding. We are staying at the Moon Palace resort so it is not quite "spring break Cancun. Check out the picture I found another vacationer had taken. Be jealous, very jealous...

Memorial Day Weekend

2008-05-26T21:39:00.006-04:00

I hope that everyone had a great weekend, the weather here in Philly was excellent. And Amy and I got out and enjoyed it with lots of friends. One of the things we did that was really nice was a great dinner at the Waterworks Restaurant near the Art Museum. The weather was so perfect that we ate outside and watched the sun go down over the Schuylkill. That along with a BBQ today and Morimotos on Saturday, Amy and I had a great weekend in the city this weekend.

Below is a picture of the view after sunset from dinner on Sunday.

New Indiana Jones Flick

2008-05-24T19:29:00.003-04:00

So we went out to the new Indiana Jones movie. I my opinion it was a great movie, even through there was quite a few over the top scenes and stunts, with my favorite being when Dr. Jones walked away from being blasted by an atomic bomb in a refrigerator what looked like a couple of miles, which was quite a feat indeed.

Anyway if you get a chance and were a fan of he first three, it is a fun and entertaining movie.

DadVail Pics

2008-05-15T07:27:00.004-04:00

So last weekend I got up around 5:30am (probably was due to the fact I fell asleep at 9pm), so I took the camera and went for a walk to check out the Dad Vails.

The first one if for my cousin Allie, being a UD alumnus I am sure she was missing being in Philly this spring for the Vails.

This next one was possiable because I was able to get right down near the start by walking down to the dock they were using for the stake boaters. The best shot I got was this one from the Bucknell JV. That stroke's face is priceless, I do know that he would be stronger if he exhaled vs. holding his breath for the start. And that cox screaming brings back some memories, probably why I liked the bow so much better than stoke, it is always easier to unplug the speaker than get the cox to quite down.

Good Work NC

2008-05-06T21:53:00.004-04:00

So while I have not yet been clear with my political leanings on the blog to date I am going to come out and say that I am an Obama supporter. I am excited about the results in North Carolina, even though right now Hillary is giving a victory speech for Indiana even though CNN has not yet called the state for her. And she is making a big deal about the ridiculous gas tax relief, which nearly everyone recognizes as a complete sham, lets HOPE for better CHANGE this summer.

PA Roadtrip Picture

2008-05-06T21:45:00.002-04:00

So spring in PA is great, and we have had plenty of rain recently so on the way back from Cincinnati this weekend Amy and I took a short detour from the turnpike and drove 20 miles or so on the back roads. In fact on the way back to Philly we made quite a few stops, all in Ohio. We stopped at the outlets before Columbus, Penn Station for lunch and then Greaters in Columbus for dessert. The back roads in PA were beautiful and I had to post this picture of the green fields and barn.

Election Results

2008-04-22T21:16:00.002-04:00

Boo. Seriously how can they call the election with 8% of the vote in...

Election Day

2008-04-21T18:26:00.002-04:00

I am excited to live in PA where we will get the opportunity to vote tomorrow and help decide the democratic nominee. I hope that everyone tunes in to the news to follow the results of the sure to be record turn out. I am planning on getting to the polls right away tomorrow morning. They open at 7am. Also I find the Committee of Seventy website very helpful to see what your ballet will look like when you go into the voting booth, as well as getting plain English explanation for the ballot questions.

Amusing Campaign Sign

2008-04-18T08:10:00.002-04:00

This is an amusing side effect of Hillary using her first name on her campaign signs.

And as an update when I was headed back home 2 hours later (I had to go in for 1 meeting this morning) all the signs had been replaced with new ones. Those Hillary supporters are quick!

Greensgrow Open!

2008-04-12T13:11:00.003-04:00

So GreensGrow, the CSA (community supported agriculture) we belong to is now open. And while they do not yet have produce and meat they do have eggs, cheese honey and other wonderful local foods. If you have not looked for a local CSA, Co-op or farmers market check out Local Harvest, it is a very easy to use website that can provide you with the information on where to go.

Hope everyone is enjoying the start of spring, w just put the screens in the windows today and turned the heater off, hopefully for good.

Meet my soon-to-be Neice

2008-04-07T23:40:00.002-04:00

So this last weekend we were with Jeff, Ellyn and Zoey (my soon to be niece). And I was playing around with my camera and was able to catch her great smile right before meal time. She is really cute and a great little baby. Best of all she belongs to Jeff and Ellyn, so no diapers for me!

iWeb & GoDaddy not a bad combination

2008-03-30T22:42:00.002-04:00

So I have figured out iWeb and now have dedicated a little time into pulling together a basic informational wedding site (www.sutterwedding.com) for friends and family regarding the wedding. Feel free to check it out. Let me know if there is anything else that would be helpful to add.

Ironic?

2008-03-28T09:32:00.004-04:00

So I was a little shocked and yet happy when I opened my mail today. I had a letter from Blue Mountain, now let me pause here to remind you at this point this is the same local ski place that was the scene of the famous wrist "sprain" that turned into a break requiring 9 screws, a pin and 2 titanium plates. Which the latest thinking from the Doctors is I will set off the metal detectors for sure with this amount of hardware.

Guess I had better make sure I heal up this summer so I am ready to hit the slopes regularly next year (wrist guard equipped). At a $595 value this is probably the coolest thing I have ever won. Now I just need to be sure not to lose the letter before November.

Scars and a New Computer

2008-03-11T20:57:00.005-04:00

So I am using my new MacBook Pro (drool I know it is REALLY cool) to take easy pics of my scars on my arm. Now that the incisions have mostly healed I wanted to share the surgical aftermath. Take a look

So more about the new computer, I love this thing. It is so quick with big picture files. And I am going to the Apple store tomorrow to sign up for Pro support. Essentially for $100 you can schedule a 1hr 1-1 training session with an Apple Genius every week for a year, up to 52 hrs of help for $100. They will teach you anything you want, I already have a whole list of all the things I want to get done. I will have to keep everyone updated if it is worthwhile.

Check out my bionic metal arm

2008-03-06T10:52:00.004-05:00

So I got my stitches out today and the Dr. was great, he was filling in for Mark Rekant my surgeon, who while he is a great surgeon, is not the most patient or easy going guy. The stitches did not hurt at all coming out and he even printed out a copy of the fluoroscope (low radiation x-ray) for me to have. As you can see below I have some serious metal in my arm now. He did not think it would set off the detectors at the airport, but there is always the chance. And the doc suggested I come up with a better story than "I was snowboarding" for the airport. Anyway, despite Kristin's request I did not want to post pics of my two incisions and the 14 stitches, it was pretty gross. But once the incisions heal a little more I will post them.

Primary Today - Vote Ohio

2008-03-04T11:03:00.004-05:00

To all 3 of my devoted readers in Ohio, I hope that you are getting out to the polls today to vote. To think that Ohio will play a role in the presidential election is exciting. And who knows maybe I will even get a chance here in PA to vote. Never would have guessed that back in January. Means I would have to change my status by March 24th, unlike Ohio in PA we have to be registered with a party to be able to vote in the primary.

I am sure everyone will be tuned in with baited breath tonight with your favorite news channel to catch the results.

Post Surgery Dr. Visit

2008-02-28T18:08:00.002-05:00

So I promise to post about something else besides my arm, but after going to the Dr. today turns out everything went well, I am back in the more comfortable splint, but they did not take out the stitches, that is next week. Today was my first attempt at a day without pain meds and I think that was a bad idea. I will be taking some tonight and tomorrow.

Recovery

2008-02-22T19:23:00.001-05:00

So it turns out the surgery to insert the plates and pins hurts about 10 times more than actually breaking my arm. But the Dr. says everything went well and I should be feeling much better tomorrow. Good news is that I can take more Percocet soon. The first two hours after taking a new dose is very nice. I am also VERY glad that we got a new tv in the bedoom.

New MacBook Pro - When Already

2008-02-21T13:07:00.002-05:00

So I am really chomping at the bit for the new MacBook pros to come out already. There are lots of blog posts rumoring that it will be any day now. In fact there are rumors it will be next week in NYC. These same rumors also indicate that apple will also launch the 3G iPhone. With my contract not expiring with Verizon until 9/22 I will have awhile to wait for the upgrade.

Final Diagnosis

2008-02-14T20:55:00.002-05:00

So after 4 hours in the hand surgeons office it turns out that I broke both of the bones in my forearm, the Radius and Ulna. And I broke them in a way that will require surgery to put in 2 metal plates and screws (1 for each of the bones) to put all the pieces together again.

So next Friday I go into surgery (out-patient), and then after 5 days I get to wear just a splint. So the upside is no cast. The Doc said that once I get the metal plates in the bones will be solid, so no need for a cast. I guess there is some upside here. Anyway it seems that this was much more significant than I thought, but after some new hardware I will good as new. Looking forward to next winter already.

Update on My Medical Condition

2008-02-13T21:56:00.003-05:00

So as you can see below what I thought was a sprain was really an arm broken in two places. I need to see a hand specialist tomorrow for a final diagnosis. On a "that is amazing" note, this is the first bone(s) I have ever broken in 29 years, which really amazes most folks I tell who know me pretty well. As a side note doing things with one arm/hand really sucks, so I reco not experiencing it if you can avoid it.

Powder Day in PA

2008-02-12T19:52:00.000-05:00

So you might wonder why with this headline I posted a picture of my starting black eye and sprained wrist, that would be because I dropped into the halfpipe without knowing it and fell 15' or so landing on my face and wrist. So after 10 runs I am benched. Guess I should have looked before I leaped.

Best "Conference Call" Ever

2008-02-11T17:12:00.000-05:00

So Casey sent me the movie below. It might be the best "conference call" I have seen. I love the initial reaction to smash the laptop with the golf club.

Obesity's True Cause

2008-01-31T09:11:00.001-05:00

So it was refreshing to see that the Germans do not beat around the bush on the true cause of obesity for the majority of people, laziness. Per this news story they have found the link, less movement and activity + the same amount or more food = fat people.

And another depressing fact, I also found that the US has by far the highest % of the population with a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 30 or greater, which is the definition of obese. We come in at 34% and the next closest major country is Mexico at 26% and even cold as hell Russia is only 17%. Slightly depressing and the reason I ate salad for lunch today.

Casey and I catching our breath at Loveland Basin.

2008-01-27T19:54:00.001-05:00

So it turns out that Loveland Basin, is a great ski area on the Continental Divide and only a little over an hour from Denver is EXCELLENT! First off they have a 4 hour pass which is perfect for a Sunday morning when you have a flight out at ~4pm, and it is only $40. And secondly the terrain is great. With groomed runs, big wide open bowls, and plenty of tree runs. I highly recommend spending a morning or afternoon there when in the Denver area. And I high reco getting over to lift "8" the best trails we found all day and never a line.

Check out Casey going into the back bowls at Copper

2008-01-26T18:56:00.005-05:00

Casey shredding it up.

2008-01-26T18:56:00.003-05:00

These are the signs as you enter 'Zuma bowl at A-basin

2008-01-26T18:56:00.001-05:00

This was a pic from yesterday. Also I finally found out what it is like to board in a whiteout, in short not fun b/c you have no idea where you are going.

Enjoying the powder.

2008-01-10T14:51:00.001-05:00

8 inches powder at Vail.

2008-01-10T12:05:00.000-05:00

Drive Safe

2007-12-29T22:12:00.001-05:00

So we saw this crazy bad accident tonight on the way home from NJ. At least 10 cops and fire vehicals and a car that looked in real bad shape. Just a reminder to drive safe this holiday season...

New Ride!

2007-12-17T21:47:00.000-05:00

So check out my new board, I picked it up from REI tonight. It is a 163 Arbor Roundhouse to accommodate my big size 12s. The bindings are Burton Cartels, which are solid mid-range bindings. I am going to put the new rig to good use tomorrow night at Blue Mountain in the Poconos.

Unique Gift Idea

2007-12-07T12:14:00.001-05:00

So if you need a unique gift idea this holiday season, and there is someone on your list that:
1 - drinks water
2 - is concerned with climate change

A great option would be the 1 ton carbon offset Nalgene bottle from Native Energy you can find it here. And I will be waiting for the tree hugger comments once I post this...

You can also check out the lifestyle carbon calculator they have on the site by clicking here and you can see how much impact you are having on the environment.

National Championship!

2007-12-03T12:54:00.000-05:00

So fate has struck and the mighty BUCs will be playing in the Big Game on January 7th. I do like the image below (which I completely ripped off from espn).
On another note even through all the snow melted in Chicago yesterday morning my flight was still delayed almost 3 hours because of rain in Philly. Rain, really? That was enough for a 3 hour delay. Anyway I took the opportunity to read most of the book I AM LEGEND, originally published in the 1950's and a forth coming movie staring Will Smith. It is right up my alley with the apocalyptic/vampire/survival story line. Turns out that if you buy the book I have linked to above it is a compilation of many stories by Richard Matheson, the first 160 pages is the I AM LEGEND story, and not to ruin the movie, but if it holds true to the book it is not a happy ending...

Snow!

2007-12-01T17:23:00.001-05:00

So here is Kristin and Andy's place. And only an hour ago there was not a flake in sight. Now there is almost an inch on the ground and it is now turning to rain. Flights home tommorrow should be fun.

Fantastic Sausage

2007-12-01T17:10:00.001-05:00

So Andy took me to maybe the best food place ever, Hot Doug's. They specialize in many kinds of hot dogs and sausages, including the one here. I had to try it because how many times can you get a bacon sausage. And it was delicious. Highly recommend it if you ever get a chance.

New googe maps for your smartphone

2007-11-28T18:07:00.000-05:00

So I continue to be impressed with all the crazy cool apps that google offers for free. The lastest is version 2.0 for google maps which offers what is essentially a GPs functionality for phones without GPS. In addition the google calender which you can share with another person, such as a fiancee, it makes scheduling meetings so much easier. If only it synced with Outlook.

First turns

2007-11-25T11:45:00.001-05:00

So I got my fried turkey on Thanksgiving and I even got some turns in at Big Boulder today. With my stylin new helmet, thanks to Amy's early Christmas gift. The snow was pretty good for this early in the year. And the 165 Rossi board I rented was brand new. Not a bad holiday weekend at all, I hope it was good for you also.

Thoughts of snowboards and fried turkeys

2007-11-21T10:54:00.000-05:00

So with any luck this weekend will be an excellent one with me getting two of my most favorite things in the same weekend, fried turkey and snowboarding. The fried turkey is no big surprise, since it is Thanksgiving, but the Poconos got snow earlier this week and with cold temps Friday and Saturday I am holding my breath for one of the resorts (most likely Big Boulder) which right now has one trail open, to make snow and make it worth my while to drive up the 1.5 hours on Sunday for some early season tune-ups on the board.

We will have to wait and see if Mother Nature comes through.

For all the sad, sad Michigan Fans

2007-11-19T14:49:00.000-05:00

Well all I can say is the best team won. And the coach that has lost 4 in a row has been pushed into retirement. My take on how the post game conversation went. There is always next year for the sad little Wolverines.

Smoked Turkey

2007-11-15T11:20:00.000-05:00

So in doing my research to ensure I had the best methods for smoking turkey I found this video podcast of BBQ Bob smoking his turkey. This might be one of the best cooking "shows" ever. While being informative and educational it is also hilarious, mostly because he is BOMBED out of his mind by the end. I guess that is one of the upsides to smoking - it leaves plenty of down time in the middle that you can use for beer drinking.

Check it out here (press the green play button on the page to get the video to come up)

GO BUCS!

2007-11-14T09:05:00.000-05:00

It seems only right that I post about the game this weekend since I started this blog while watching OSU in a bowl game in 2006.

And with the shame of last weekend behind us, I am gearing up for a great Wolverine whomping this Saturday. Jim Tressel and the Buckeyes will bring a little pain to the entire mitten shaped state of Michigan. Rose Bowl here we come.

Pulled the Trigger

2007-11-07T21:19:00.000-05:00

So I finally pulled the trigger, and asked Amy to marry me. For those I have not yet spoken with I am sorry, but give me a call. I am getting lots of requests for pictures of the engagement ring, which is asscher cut with micro pave side stones, so I wanted to get one posted:

And I have been told the other relevant info is: I asked her at our house over sushi dinner with Argentinian wine, she was surprised, but not totally shocked - I had been acting suspicious since we got home from Africa, and we have no idea yet on wedding plans. Looking forward to a wonderful engagement and a happy wedding at some point that has yet to be determined.

Album of Pictures from South Africa

2007-11-06T16:10:00.001-05:00

So Amy helped out quite a bit earlier this week and got the picture highlights loaded onto a Picasa album. You can check it out by clicking here. Enjoy.

CSAs

2007-11-01T19:21:00.000-04:00

So just to let people in Philly and anywhere really b/c you can find them all over by clicking here, but CSA, community supported agriculture, is a great thing. Amy and I did GreensGrow Farms here in Philly this season and while every great once in a while you get some odd stuff (kohlrabi) 99% of it is amazing, vegetables, fruits, and meat like chicken and even ground bison. And I have to admit I was a little sad today when I picked up the last week until next spring.

Well until next year.

Home Safe and Sound

2007-10-29T20:52:00.000-04:00

So we made it home safe and sound yesterday and after downloading over 1,200 pictures from Amy and I's camera last night and I am going to be working on a slide show of the highlights of the trip. I was able to get some pictures saved down in lower res for the blog. So over the next couple of nights I will be posting pictures from the different segments of the trip. First and probably the best part of the trip was the 5 days/4 nights we spent on safari at Tanda Tula.

Below is a picture of Amy & I with Allister our ranger beside the Land Rover we rode around in the back of for 5 days. As you can see there are no windows doors or a roof. Keep in mind when viewing the animal pictures below as you can see how close we were and how easy it would be to have a lion leap into the truck with us.
Below are a couple of pictures of the "tent" we stayed in while on safari, as you can see not shabby accommodations.
And finally some of the animals we saw. And this is just the beginning, we saw not only all of the "Big Five" but we saw all five multiple times each, as well as many other very amazing and cool animals.

Baby Elephant- probably about 4 months old we were told.
Another couple of Elephants, we must have seen nearly 50-60 over the 8 game drives - very cool creatures and so different in the way they act vs. the ones you see at the zoo, which always seem to move so slowly.

Cape Buffalo - does not look like you should be afraid, since it kind of looks like a cow, but one killed a worker at another camp the week before we got there - very dangerous.
And this is one of the coolest things we saw, a leopard with an impala she had killed two days earlier in a tree.
And here is a White Rhino close up - this shot is without the zoom lens.
This one uses the 300mm lens. That bird is a red billed ox pecker.

And here is a family of warthogs that came walking up the road one afternoon as we were driving along.
We did see 2 prides of lion, here are a couple of shots. As it turns out lions for all thier fame as King of the Jungle, sleep about 22 hours a day. So catching some of them awake, even if they were laying down was pretty lucky.

And we did see Zebra, they might have been the most skittish of all the animals we saw in the bush.
And to leave Tanda Tula our first plane was on Chili Pepper Air, a 6 seat Cessna plane, Amy actually did quite well on the flight even through Ian, the pilot was text messaging during the flight.
So that is some of the very quick highlights from Safari, next is Cape Town.

Finally Pictures

2007-10-20T10:45:00.000-04:00

So finally we were able to get to somewhere that allowed us to upload some pictures. We saw all the big five and many more. Take a look at the pictures below. Will post more later, but the process is VERY slow, these two took 20 minutes. And we have better things to do.

Lens upgrade

2007-10-13T10:47:00.001-04:00

So the reservation for the lens got screwed up and they did not have another 70-200 mm image stabilized lens. Instead we got this upgrade (120-300 mm) for the same price.