Comming soon.
Really...
Friday, July 04, 2008
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Tower 11
A pinhole study of Lifeguard Tower 11
Google "pinhole" if you haven't read my explanation.
"Lens? We don't need no stinkin' lens!"
(Be sure to click to get a larger look.)
Google "pinhole" if you haven't read my explanation.
"Lens? We don't need no stinkin' lens!"
(Be sure to click to get a larger look.)
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Death of a Blogging Friend
For almost three years, I've been reading the intermittent posts of Julie Steiskal under the title "Wandering Sails."
She found my photo blog and commented. I followed back to her blog and found the writings of a young lady, discovering herself and her place in the world. I read and commented on her day to day life and watched as she discovered her own love for photography.
Today at her blog, there is a link to a memorial site dedicated to her. From the news items linked, it seems that she and a teen-aged girl (Julie was acting as a counselor for a church group) were swept away in the strong currents of a river they had entered to wash their hair. Both bodies were recovered.
From her blog header....
So sad to see such a sweet heart leave a world that can ill afford the loss.
She found my photo blog and commented. I followed back to her blog and found the writings of a young lady, discovering herself and her place in the world. I read and commented on her day to day life and watched as she discovered her own love for photography.
Today at her blog, there is a link to a memorial site dedicated to her. From the news items linked, it seems that she and a teen-aged girl (Julie was acting as a counselor for a church group) were swept away in the strong currents of a river they had entered to wash their hair. Both bodies were recovered.
From her blog header....
Even to a relative stranger such as myself, it was obvious that Julie was a person of strong faith and the convictions to live that faith.A poor torn heart, a tattered heart, That sat it down to rest, Nor noticed that the ebbing day Flowed silver to the west, Nor noticed night did soft descend Nor constellation burn, Intent upon the vision Of latitudes unknown. The angels, happening that way, This dusty heart espied; Tenderly took it up from toil And carried it to God. There,—sandals for the barefoot; There,—gathered from the gales, Do the blue havens by the hand Lead the wandering sails. -Emily Dickinson
So sad to see such a sweet heart leave a world that can ill afford the loss.
Vacation Wrap-Up
The vacation went well overall. We all had fun.
We got in early enough on Sunday that we added the Los Angeles Arboretum to the itinerary. Nice place.
We did Disney on Monday. We rode all morning then took a 3 hour break in the RV to eat/nap and then went back and stayed till 9 pm. That worked out pretty well. I have to say, Disney could teach pretty much everyone else about efficiency and customer service. They really have it together.
We got in early enough on Sunday that we added the Los Angeles Arboretum to the itinerary. Nice place.
We did Disney on Monday. We rode all morning then took a 3 hour break in the RV to eat/nap and then went back and stayed till 9 pm. That worked out pretty well. I have to say, Disney could teach pretty much everyone else about efficiency and customer service. They really have it together.
Here's a fun shot from the Autopia ride. This woman paid $110 bucks to get her and her boy in to Disney and not only does she drive, but she talks on the phone during the ride.
Butt hits seat, phone hits ear. What a maroon.
From Disney we went to Carpenteria. That's a little beach town about 10 miles South of Santa Barbara. We were able to get a spot that backed up to the ocean. We enjoyed the beach and did day trips to Santa Barbara.
We had sushi on the pier...twice, and bought fresh fish to cook back at the RV. One night was Cod and scallops cooked in foil (wonderful, sweet scallops). We rode the amphibious truck/boat for a tour of the town and the bay. No one got sick.
From Santa Barbara we went up to Monterey to see the aquarium. This was a stop we'd specifically decided not to make...to save money and time...but L wanted it badly so it's not surprising that we somehow managed to fit it in.
The aquarium was great and the kids did enjoy it. Fun as it was though, it took a day out of the trip to Sequoia, which was the part I most looked forward to.
Sequoia National Park was beautiful. Really stunning. The campground was as pretty a place as I've ever stayed. I cooked a 5 lb red snapper, bought in Santa Barbara, over an open fire...perhaps the best camp meal anyone has ever eaten.
We saw the giant trees. I have shots, but nothing really worth sharing. It's hard to capture the scale of those things. They won't let you near enough to touch them anymore. Just too many people passing through.
In many ways, this was the most successful vacation we've ever had. Of course, S managed to have at least 1 melt-down each day. All of the changes and opportunities to obsess on what he wanted or did not want to do was just too much for him. Anyone watching us might have seen him and said we were having a terrible time, but it's all relative, and for him, this went well.
Before we left, I loaded the boys' MP3 players with audio books and music. S listened to 5 books during the trip. He even got hooked on one book series that he loved so much that he's reading an actual paper book from it now.
K was enthused and happy pretty much all of the time. He has such an appreciation for life and experiencing new things that it just makes you feel great to be around him.
L and I got along better than average. Her main conflict was with the GPS. Seems there's only room in an RV for one woman to nag me with driving directions and she didn't like the competition. :-)
I had very few chances to take pictures. Mostly I have just tourist snaps. I did manage to take a few pinhole shots and will get them up after I develop the film.
Cutting time in Sequoia really killed my photo ops. The afternoon I'd set aside to hike and shoot got eaten up by S having a melt-down. It was late by the time he settled. When I finally got to go, planning on at least a short hike, I came across a black bear on the trail not far from camp. He was sitting there tearing up an old tree and eating the grubs. I waited for about 10 minutes, but he would not budge. I decided not to argue with him and headed back to the camp. Sorry, no pictures of the bear. I only had very wide angle gear with me and wasn't getting close enough to him to make that work.
The ride home was uneventful except the painful stops at the gas pumps and all the unpacking/cleaning stuff.
L and the boys are already planning next year's expedition, which I guess is as good a testimony to the success of this trip as you can get.
I'm off from work tomorrow through the weekend...so once again, it's unlikely I'll post. Thanks for sticking with me through all of this. It was a great and secret pleasure for me to sneak off a few posts, knowing that you all would be along for the ride.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Home
Hi All,
I'm back home. We made a side trip to Monterey and then finished up in the Sequoias.
I had amazingly little time for photos.
I'll be back to regular blogging in a day or two.
I missed you all.
I'm back home. We made a side trip to Monterey and then finished up in the Sequoias.
I had amazingly little time for photos.
I'll be back to regular blogging in a day or two.
I missed you all.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Monday, June 23, 2008
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Friday, June 20, 2008
Flower Friday
This week, Flower Friday celebrates the cactus flower. They're seriously in bloom right now.
This is one area where I think a digital SLR is the right tool. If I'm getting "artsy" I'd use a film camera loaded with black and white film.
I stopped taking these a few years ago. Sure, I could go out and get more good ones, but these have just gotten to be too easy to interest me.
This is one area where I think a digital SLR is the right tool. If I'm getting "artsy" I'd use a film camera loaded with black and white film.
I stopped taking these a few years ago. Sure, I could go out and get more good ones, but these have just gotten to be too easy to interest me.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Grumpy Plans
This Saturday, the iamnot family will depart for the (mostly) annual family vacation. This year we’ll be renting an RV and taking it to California. The itinerary is basically this: Disneyland to Santa Barbara to Sequoia National Forrest to home.Yes, I’ve noticed the price of gas is a bit high. Yes, I know an RV will do about 10 MPG and I know I’m going to spend about $800 on gas alone. The thing is, I’ve done the numbers on the alternatives, and in spite of gas prices, the RV is still financially in line.
Flying ain’t cheap when tickets are X4 and hotels are no bargain either. Driving one of our cars really isn’t an option because the new one has 140,000 miles on it and is too small and cramped for travel with the boys, unless I sedate them heavily.
Of course, this is going to put a crimp in my blogging. Basically, I’ll be lucky to sneak off a cell phone picture post every once in a while.
The good news is, I can fit all sorts of camera gear in an RV and I should have some decent pics to show off not long after coming home. L will, of course, resist my getting time to go off and shoot. No matter. I’m determined to make as big a pain of myself as necessary to get the shots I have in mind. I’m particularly looking forward to the Sequoias and I plan to put a few rolls through the pinhole cameras.
So, tomorrow's Flower Friday will be the last regular post till the first week in July.
I’ll miss you all, of course, and hope you won’t forget me in the 12 days or so that I’ll be mostly off line.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Helping My 9 Year Old Get Laid
Me, arriving home Monday evening. “Hey hon, what’s for dinner?” (In my best “waiting for the dog to bring my slippers and my spouse to bring my pipe” voice.)
Her, “Chicken”
Me, “Oh yea, what kind of chicken?”
Her, “It’s thawed in the sink. Cook it any way you like.”
…….
Me, “Hey K, wanna be my sous-chef?
K, “What’s a sous-chef?
Me, “He helps the chef cook the food. You’ll be the sous-chef, I’ll be the chef and Mom’s the executive chef.”
K, “What’s the executive chef do?”
Me, “She tells everyone else what to do.”
K, “Yea…”
Me, “Ok, first we’ll trim these chicken breasts then we’ll make cutlets.”
K, “I’ll do it!”
Me, “Nope, I think we’ll save the Chinese cleaver work for the chef. You’re too young to be called ‘lefty.’”
K, “What’s a cutlet?”
Me, “A small cut of meat…cut-let.”
K, “I get it.”
Me, “Good. Ok, we’re making chicken cutlets and we’re going to cook them in a really simple orange sauce. So, there’s a small can of mandarin oranges in the pantry. I need that, the bottle of oil, butter from the fridge and the honey. We’re having cauliflower on the side, so get that out of the fridge too.”
K, “Why do I get everything out?”
Me, “Em…me chef…you sous-chef. Remember?”
……
Me, Browning the chicken… “One day, you’ll need a simple meal to make that will impress some pretty young lady and you’ll make this. She’ll love it with a glass of wine. You’ll WILL call me to thank me for showing you this.
K, “Ugh. No way Dad!”
Me, “Trust me and pay attention.”
……
Me, at the diner table. “K was my sous-chef for this meal. He did the cauliflower and learned how to make the chicken.
Her, “Great job!”
Me, “Yep, I told him these were valuable skills he’ll want to use to impress the chicks later.”
K, in a thoughtfully doubtful voice “I don’t know. If I get to be a great cook, then maybe I’ll marry someone that doesn’t like to cook. Then maybe I’ll end up doing ALL the cooking.”
Me, pausing…looking for L’s reaction, “Ah…and so the student surpasses the master.”
Her, “Chicken”
Me, “Oh yea, what kind of chicken?”
Her, “It’s thawed in the sink. Cook it any way you like.”
…….
Me, “Hey K, wanna be my sous-chef?
K, “What’s a sous-chef?
Me, “He helps the chef cook the food. You’ll be the sous-chef, I’ll be the chef and Mom’s the executive chef.”
K, “What’s the executive chef do?”
Me, “She tells everyone else what to do.”
K, “Yea…”
Me, “Ok, first we’ll trim these chicken breasts then we’ll make cutlets.”
K, “I’ll do it!”
Me, “Nope, I think we’ll save the Chinese cleaver work for the chef. You’re too young to be called ‘lefty.’”
K, “What’s a cutlet?”
Me, “A small cut of meat…cut-let.”
K, “I get it.”
Me, “Good. Ok, we’re making chicken cutlets and we’re going to cook them in a really simple orange sauce. So, there’s a small can of mandarin oranges in the pantry. I need that, the bottle of oil, butter from the fridge and the honey. We’re having cauliflower on the side, so get that out of the fridge too.”
K, “Why do I get everything out?”
Me, “Em…me chef…you sous-chef. Remember?”
……
Me, Browning the chicken… “One day, you’ll need a simple meal to make that will impress some pretty young lady and you’ll make this. She’ll love it with a glass of wine. You’ll WILL call me to thank me for showing you this.
K, “Ugh. No way Dad!”
Me, “Trust me and pay attention.”
……
Me, at the diner table. “K was my sous-chef for this meal. He did the cauliflower and learned how to make the chicken.
Her, “Great job!”
Me, “Yep, I told him these were valuable skills he’ll want to use to impress the chicks later.”
K, in a thoughtfully doubtful voice “I don’t know. If I get to be a great cook, then maybe I’ll marry someone that doesn’t like to cook. Then maybe I’ll end up doing ALL the cooking.”
Me, pausing…looking for L’s reaction, “Ah…and so the student surpasses the master.”
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Fractional Gains
Although we try to make Summers fun, we do not let up on the boys completely. They’re both expected to do daily school work of some kind. That sounds like a great idea, of course, till you realize how hard it can be to get any willing effort out of S.The other day, his mom was trying to get him to tackle a few very simple word problems. S had the reaction I’m sure many of you are familiar with…”This doesn’t make any sense at all!” I know I used to feel the same way. Really though, these were not those kinds of word problems. They were very simple and designed to review the basics on fractions.
Anyway, after I finally got him about half calmed down, we went through the problem together:
Me, “S, they’re just asking you if 1/8th of a pizza is larger or smaller than 1/4th of a pizza.”
S, “Why would they ask that? The answer is so obvious! I never thought that was what they wanted!”
Me, “Well, I know it seems simple, but there’s a larger point they’re trying to make sure you understand.”
S, “But…why’d they do it like that?!?!!”
Me, “I don’t know son…but let’s go over what they want you to learn, ok?”
S, “Uhhhhhhhh.”
Me, “Ok (ripping a piece of paper in to 4 pieces). Each of these is 1/4th. If I tear one of them in half (riiiiiiip) I now have 2 pieces that are each 1/8th. See, even though each piece is smaller, the bottom number of the fraction got bigger. In fact, since I tore it in half and there are now 2 pieces where there was 1…the bottom number doubled from 4 to 8.
S, “yea…”
Me, “’Cause now, instead of taking 4 pieces to make the whole pizza, it’ll take 8 pieces.”
S, “yea…”
Me, “…and the same thing happens every time I tear this piece in half. (riiiiiip) 1/8 becomes 1/16th (riiiiip) 1/16th becomes 1/32nd (riiiip) 1/64th, (riiiip) 1/128th (riip), 1/256th (rip)….
S, “Dad….”
By this time, L is watching from the sofa and K has come in from the kitchen to see what dad is up to.
Me, “1/512th (r_p), 1/1024th (r…), 1/2048th ….” Showing the tiny piece of paper on the tip of my finger. “So, it would take 2,048 of these little babies to make 1 whole piece! The bottom number is huge, but the paper is small because that number means how many of the little things it takes to make 1!
S, “Ok, ok….” (Smiling)
We went on to finish the page with S paying attention and giving no further problems.
Me, “I don’t know son…but let’s go over what they want you to learn, ok?”
S, “Uhhhhhhhh.”
Me, “Ok (ripping a piece of paper in to 4 pieces). Each of these is 1/4th. If I tear one of them in half (riiiiiiip) I now have 2 pieces that are each 1/8th. See, even though each piece is smaller, the bottom number of the fraction got bigger. In fact, since I tore it in half and there are now 2 pieces where there was 1…the bottom number doubled from 4 to 8.
S, “yea…”
Me, “’Cause now, instead of taking 4 pieces to make the whole pizza, it’ll take 8 pieces.”
S, “yea…”
Me, “…and the same thing happens every time I tear this piece in half. (riiiiiip) 1/8 becomes 1/16th (riiiiip) 1/16th becomes 1/32nd (riiiip) 1/64th, (riiiip) 1/128th (riip), 1/256th (rip)….
S, “Dad….”
By this time, L is watching from the sofa and K has come in from the kitchen to see what dad is up to.
Me, “1/512th (r_p), 1/1024th (r…), 1/2048th ….” Showing the tiny piece of paper on the tip of my finger. “So, it would take 2,048 of these little babies to make 1 whole piece! The bottom number is huge, but the paper is small because that number means how many of the little things it takes to make 1!
S, “Ok, ok….” (Smiling)
We went on to finish the page with S paying attention and giving no further problems.
Kids, I think, have a real appreciation for the ridiculous. I find that if I can strike the right note of silly, obvious or outlandish, I can break through S’s considerable resistance and get him to come along for the ride and actually learn.
God help me though...trying to pull those tricks through an entire school year.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Friday, June 13, 2008
Flower Friday
Ending the week in pictures with another Flower Friday. How long will it go on? I don't know. Eventually, I'll have to start digging deep to find something worth posting, but at 5 picutres a week, that won't happen for a while yet.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Commie Relic
Not much of an interesting back story on this series.
As most of you know by now, I spent 6 years in the Navy (nearly 5 on a submarine). I was a Sonar Tech. The biggest part of my job was finding, tracking, and gathering intel on Soviet submarines. Naturally, I couldn’t resist the chance to tour the old Whiskey class Soviet Diesel boat that is moored next to the Queen Mary in Long Beach.
This old boat was out of date even all those years ago. Still, it was interesting to tour and a great chance to take some wide angle, low light shots.
I would note with interest that in both LA and San Diego, they've chosen to display commie submarines instead of an old American boat. I'm sure it's just good marketing and has nothing at all to do with the far left leanings of some folks in that area.
I hope you guys have been clicking on these images to enlarge them!
In case you’re interested in the technical aspects of the shots…these were taken with 400 iso film pushed to 1250 iso. The camera was a modern rangefinder, the lens was 15mm. The extra wide angle lens meant I could get the depth of field and wide view needed in the dark/small spaces.
As most of you know by now, I spent 6 years in the Navy (nearly 5 on a submarine). I was a Sonar Tech. The biggest part of my job was finding, tracking, and gathering intel on Soviet submarines. Naturally, I couldn’t resist the chance to tour the old Whiskey class Soviet Diesel boat that is moored next to the Queen Mary in Long Beach.
This old boat was out of date even all those years ago. Still, it was interesting to tour and a great chance to take some wide angle, low light shots.
I would note with interest that in both LA and San Diego, they've chosen to display commie submarines instead of an old American boat. I'm sure it's just good marketing and has nothing at all to do with the far left leanings of some folks in that area.
I hope you guys have been clicking on these images to enlarge them!
In case you’re interested in the technical aspects of the shots…these were taken with 400 iso film pushed to 1250 iso. The camera was a modern rangefinder, the lens was 15mm. The extra wide angle lens meant I could get the depth of field and wide view needed in the dark/small spaces.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Cartel Coffee
These were taken at and around a little coffee shop in Tempe (local college town). Three of my cyanotypes are hanging there for the Final Friday art walk held every month in the area. Not a big deal to be sure, but it forced me to get a few things ready to show and think about how to get things together.
Anyway…I’d planned on going for the first night and taking some pictures. Unfortunately, that was the night L had so much trouble with S. I came home from work that afternoon to find that S had left the house and was half a mile away, trying to figure out how to get to Grandma (lives 10 miles away). L had been following him in the car, so he was ok. When he calmed down, I followed him home…him walking, me in my car. Might seem harsh, but he needs to learn to live with his decisions.
So, by the time I was to leave for the art thing, L wasn’t going to be left alone with S. They ended up driving me to the coffee shop then going on to have dinner. Hey, at least they dropped me off and didn’t insist on coming in. Ok, maybe that wasn’t nice…not wanting them to come in. It’s just that I need something outside of the family and this is my thing.
The evening went pretty well, in spite of the bad start. There was a steady stream of people at the coffee shop for the 90 minutes or so that I was there. I even got an offer on my prints (the next day) but the guy was low-balling me and since I’m not a starving artist, I passed.
The first two pics are from the coffee shop. The next two from very nearby.
Anyway…I’d planned on going for the first night and taking some pictures. Unfortunately, that was the night L had so much trouble with S. I came home from work that afternoon to find that S had left the house and was half a mile away, trying to figure out how to get to Grandma (lives 10 miles away). L had been following him in the car, so he was ok. When he calmed down, I followed him home…him walking, me in my car. Might seem harsh, but he needs to learn to live with his decisions.
So, by the time I was to leave for the art thing, L wasn’t going to be left alone with S. They ended up driving me to the coffee shop then going on to have dinner. Hey, at least they dropped me off and didn’t insist on coming in. Ok, maybe that wasn’t nice…not wanting them to come in. It’s just that I need something outside of the family and this is my thing.
The evening went pretty well, in spite of the bad start. There was a steady stream of people at the coffee shop for the 90 minutes or so that I was there. I even got an offer on my prints (the next day) but the guy was low-balling me and since I’m not a starving artist, I passed.
The first two pics are from the coffee shop. The next two from very nearby.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
50 Cent Pool
I’ve been wanting to do more people shots and some low light black and white work for some time now. The problem is, I’m pretty much not allowed out by myself after dark. Ok…their isn’t any rule that says I can’t go out…it’s just that life, obligations and a jealous wife conspire to make sure I have few opportunities.
Sooo…on hitting Newport Beach, the first thing I looked for was the right locale for that kind of work. What I found was Blackie’s By the Sea. I wrote about Blackie’s last week. It’s just my kind of place…or at least, it used to be. It’s a beer and whiskey sort of place. In spite of being on the ocean, there were no fruity drinks in evidence. The crowd ranged from 25 to 55 and it was obvious that I was the only one there that was not a regular.
I sat at the bar and struck up a conversation with a guy and his barfly “date.” He declined to be photographed on grounds that his wife might see the pictures. I shot pool against a father and son tag team. I won the first 3 games, but the son finally got the best of me. Losing the table gave me an excuse to get the camera out. The young lady pictured here was playing with friends. I asked if she minded and she did not.
She wasn't nearly so hard edged as you might assume from her look. I think all of her attitude is expressed in her tattoos. I gave her one of my flickr “moo” cards and told her to check in a week or so to see if I had anything up. She followed up with an email within a couple of days and was enthusiastic about these shots when I emailed them to her.
Sooo…on hitting Newport Beach, the first thing I looked for was the right locale for that kind of work. What I found was Blackie’s By the Sea. I wrote about Blackie’s last week. It’s just my kind of place…or at least, it used to be. It’s a beer and whiskey sort of place. In spite of being on the ocean, there were no fruity drinks in evidence. The crowd ranged from 25 to 55 and it was obvious that I was the only one there that was not a regular.
I sat at the bar and struck up a conversation with a guy and his barfly “date.” He declined to be photographed on grounds that his wife might see the pictures. I shot pool against a father and son tag team. I won the first 3 games, but the son finally got the best of me. Losing the table gave me an excuse to get the camera out. The young lady pictured here was playing with friends. I asked if she minded and she did not.
She wasn't nearly so hard edged as you might assume from her look. I think all of her attitude is expressed in her tattoos. I gave her one of my flickr “moo” cards and told her to check in a week or so to see if I had anything up. She followed up with an email within a couple of days and was enthusiastic about these shots when I emailed them to her.I'm just really pleased with these shots. The black and white, the high contrast, the grain of the push processing, the limited depth of field...it all conveys the feel of the place beautifully.
I'll have more tomorrow from a shoot I actually did Friday before the trip. Yep, it's pretty much picture week at the mothandflame.
Monday, June 09, 2008
Saturday, June 07, 2008
Friday, June 06, 2008
Flower Friday
I'm back in Phoenix with another edition of "Flower Friday." How about this week we just sort of suggest flowers instead of showing them?
I really need to write a couple of trip reports...one for work and one for you guys. Give me time, I'll get it done.
Thanks for following along on my trip to LA, LA. It was more fun with you guys "with me."
I really need to write a couple of trip reports...one for work and one for you guys. Give me time, I'll get it done.
Thanks for following along on my trip to LA, LA. It was more fun with you guys "with me."
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
What I Learned at Blackie's
1. There are still bars out there with 50 cent pool tables.2. In spite of being a cliche, "Freebird" still kicks ass.
3. I still know how to pick a sea-side dive.
4. If you're going to drink 2 glasses of beer in Newport Beach, you should piss before driving to Cypress.
Lunch
Without pictures ....
Same sushi joint as yesterday, and I'll be back tomorrow. I Should eat that good every day!
Spicy tuna hand roll, plus salmon egg, spicy scallop, and shrimp regular sushi.
Today, finally, I found the young Japanese woman off of who's backside such delicacies should be eaten!
Yummy!
What I Haven't Shown You
I keep showing you my healthy lunches and dinners...what I haven't show is breakfast...and I'm not going to.
I'm staying at the Courtyard Marriott in Cypress, CA. For those of you who have never stayed at a Courtyard, they're very business traveler oriented. The rooms are nice without being so nice that your boss will think you're getting uppity. The service is at about that level too. This particular Courtyard actually has a full service restaraunt...most do not. Breakfast each morning has been a quick trip to the buffet. Now, it's a nice buffet, but the selection is limited. Basically, I've been eating eggs, corned beef, and bacon every day. I have, in fact, had more eggs, corned beef, and bacon than I indulge in in an average year or so. I have a family history of heart disease so, among other precautions, I generally avoid cholesterol laden breakfast foods.
Actually, I bought fresh fruit and cereal bars when I arrived, planning to do the right thing. I've found though that I just don't have the "right thing" in me. (I did make it to the work out room last night...just one visit for this whole trip.) I've snacked on a couple of the bananas and I'm pretty sure I can pack the cereal bars for the trip home.
Sitting at breakfast, I noticed that the crowd was pretty much what you'd expect at a business hotel. Men. Men between the ages of 30 and 55 mostly. Every one of them a bit broader than they should be. Many of them likely spend a lot of time in Courtyards...eating more eggs, corned beef, and bacon than any person concerned with longevity should.
They sit at their tables as singles or as pairs, reading the news or talking about the day's business. I haven't seen more than two women at breakfast any day this week. This morning's pair were each sitting alone, both eating what looked to be dry toasted bagels and yogurt...apparently choosing waistline and longevity over the satisfaction of eating chicken, beef and pork in one sitting.
Schedule note:
I'm cutting my trip short by one day. The last day's class covers software that we do not use. I'll take a late plane out on Tuesday.
I struggled with that one. I considered staying the extra day on the company dime and spending it at the beach. Odds are that no one would ever have known the difference...even so...I'll chose the safer bet of doing the right thing and going home.
I'm staying at the Courtyard Marriott in Cypress, CA. For those of you who have never stayed at a Courtyard, they're very business traveler oriented. The rooms are nice without being so nice that your boss will think you're getting uppity. The service is at about that level too. This particular Courtyard actually has a full service restaraunt...most do not. Breakfast each morning has been a quick trip to the buffet. Now, it's a nice buffet, but the selection is limited. Basically, I've been eating eggs, corned beef, and bacon every day. I have, in fact, had more eggs, corned beef, and bacon than I indulge in in an average year or so. I have a family history of heart disease so, among other precautions, I generally avoid cholesterol laden breakfast foods.
Actually, I bought fresh fruit and cereal bars when I arrived, planning to do the right thing. I've found though that I just don't have the "right thing" in me. (I did make it to the work out room last night...just one visit for this whole trip.) I've snacked on a couple of the bananas and I'm pretty sure I can pack the cereal bars for the trip home.
Sitting at breakfast, I noticed that the crowd was pretty much what you'd expect at a business hotel. Men. Men between the ages of 30 and 55 mostly. Every one of them a bit broader than they should be. Many of them likely spend a lot of time in Courtyards...eating more eggs, corned beef, and bacon than any person concerned with longevity should.
They sit at their tables as singles or as pairs, reading the news or talking about the day's business. I haven't seen more than two women at breakfast any day this week. This morning's pair were each sitting alone, both eating what looked to be dry toasted bagels and yogurt...apparently choosing waistline and longevity over the satisfaction of eating chicken, beef and pork in one sitting.
Schedule note:
I'm cutting my trip short by one day. The last day's class covers software that we do not use. I'll take a late plane out on Tuesday.
I struggled with that one. I considered staying the extra day on the company dime and spending it at the beach. Odds are that no one would ever have known the difference...even so...I'll chose the safer bet of doing the right thing and going home.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
