Well it's been over a month since I've posted anything, and lets face it while that coaster from Japan was cool, It wasn't the best post I've ever done. So what have I been up to? Why haven't I blogged in over a month? Well I could say that I've been busy, which is true, but it's would be a cope out answer. The truth of the matter is, I just haven't felt like writing and I just haven't felt that interesting lately. So I'll talk about both those things a little bit.

Writing
Writing is something that I actually find very difficult. I have to reread my post over and over again to find the mistakes which there are always plenty of, but I have a good excuse, kind of, well it's an excuse. Being dsylexic I switch words a lot, and of course they are spelled correctly, they just aren't used correctly so the spell checker is of no help there. In fact the other day I send an email to a vendor. As I always start off my email to the vendor I say "Hello", but on this day, I left off the "o". I got an email reply from the manager at the vendor asking if it was a Fraudian slip. I was so embarrassed about that, but they took it in good stride and had a good laugh about it.

So with writing being so much work, sometimes I just don't feel like it. Which is kind of funny because I do the most documentation at work. I get to document processes and code and well you name it and I get to document it when it comes to our internal development practices.

Not Very Interesting
"Man, I ain't changed, but I know I ain't the same" - The Wallflowers, One Headlight. This lyric sums up how I've been feeling lately. Since Grandma K died, "Man I ain't changed but I know I'm ain't the same". Last october I had ridden a marathon fun ride and had been eating healthy and exercising and feeling a lot better, physcially and about myself, however I've had a really hard time getting back there since she died. I know that I should eat healthier and that I should exercise, but ...I don't know, it has been too cold to ride in the mornings but again that is just an excuse. Everything happened so quickly with Grandma K, that I've kind of been fighting an epicurean (eat drink and be marry for tomorrow we shall die) attitude which isn't me. I've physically been feeling the affects of getting heavier again. My asthma has been acting up way too much lately. Today however I saw a picture that just made me feel like my problems just weren't that bad, and that everything is doable. (Warning this may not be suitable for kids, while it isn't graphic, it isn't pleasant either). An unforgettable wedding photo.

Photos of Real Life
I found that photo very moving and sad. Good photos are like that you know, you have an emotional response to what you see. Everytime I look at the photo I see something new. My Beautiful Wife is very observant and has notice that photography is my winter hobby and cycling is my summer hobby. Well it is winter, so I am in the photography swing of my hobby mood. I am surprised sometimes about how passionately I feel about photography. I know that some people say that it isn't an art, you are simply making a copy of what is already there. However I strongly disagree with that.  I feel a good photographer, is an artist because they see the beauty that everyone else has walked passed. A good photo shows you how someone else sees the world and that is an amazing thing, and sometimes there is an honesty and truth about how someone feels that is strong then what they can say. I think this photo is a good example of what I mean.

I've been doing a lot of reading on black and white film and the whole process of developing the film and making prints. It's a science and an art that I would really like to learn. I know that most people have gone to digital, and there are some great digital photos, but there is something very romantic about film, about the process and the even the waiting.  I won't get into the whole film is better than digital converstation here, but you'll be seeing some black and white photos taken with film on the photoblog coming up pretty soon. (Just need to get them developed ).


Listening to: John Mayer - Waiting for the world to change.
 

Here is yet another reason to go and visit japan

Fuji-Q Highland (Fujiyoshida, Shizuoka Japan)
Number of Inversions 14 times (Guinness World Record)
maximum Speed 126 kph/78.30 mph
Lift Height 76 m/249.34 ft
Angle of Descent 89 degrees
Track Length 1,153 m/3782.81 ft

This morning we were woke up to the sounds of a electrical transformer self destructing and the blue light shows that follows. Then the lights were completely out in our house and several of our neighbors. This was at 2:00 am this morning. We were alble to get back to sleep till the Little Boy woke up, which was at about 6:00am. The Little Boy was excited about getting to use flashlights and candlelight for the first hour or so. We started a fire in the fireplace and gathered around it for warmth and light. I also happens to be really sick with some cold/flu thing that has my head about ready to explode with snot. So my mood may not have been as happy happy joy joy as it could of been, but I mananged. One of the things you have to know is that our stovetop and oven are both electric so food was a bit of a problem. So I took a bunch of meds and we went to starbucks and yes the coffee was worth the drive! Sitting there in the lights of the Starbucks, we came up with a plan of action. We would go back to the house I would take more meds and then I would take the Little Boy to the morning matinee. Well that went as well as it could. The Little Boy and I come home and the power still wasn't on. I didn't expect it to be, as Edison had told us that it wouldn't be on till about 3pm. Well this was just about 1pm when we got home, and the 21st Century Kid had what can only be described as a meltdown. Crying and angry, kicking at the dog or any other creature he could without getting in trouble. As the meltdown was starting to subside an amazing thing happened the lights came back on. And the 21st Century Kids had power again.

Did you know that when a Panda sneezes it sounds like a huge squeaky toy? Seriously

So I am born and raised here in LA, so cold is not something I am use too. Apparently our building at work. I've turn the heater up and it still like only 60 degree. All I can think is Dr. Evil saying "I'm freaking freezing in here."

So Monday was my official 5 year anniversary at work. Its amazing to me that I've been there that long. When I first started I was only suppose to be a temp for a month, but things worked out and I'm now 5 years into it. When I first started things were very different, I've been able to invoke a lot of change in how we handle the Website and Online Banking.  2001 to Present so far so good.

Tonight we were watching TV together, watching the Little Boy's favorite show AFV. Halfway though the show a commercial came on that had me laughing so hard I almost cried. However the Little Boy looked at me and said, "I don't think that is funny" at all. Apparently 6 year olds can tell when a commercial is making fun of them too!. Check it out and tell me what you think.