The Biennial Man

Move Your Feet And Feel United

2009-01-18T07:45:00.009-06:00

Minor league baseball has a long history of promotional gimmicks to draw crowds, and this past summer the The St. Paul Saints came up with a doozie: The Larry Craig bobblefoot doll (as opposed to a bobblehead).
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For those of you who may not remember, Larry Craig is the senator from Idaho who was arrested at the MSP airport for soliciting sex from an undercover officer in the bathroom. The officer said that Mr. Craig tapped his foot in the direction of the officer's stall as a signal. Craig said that he was sitting with a wide stance. Whatever that means?
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The senator was arrested for solicitation of lewd conduct. Apparently, public restrooms are the bathhouses of the 2000's. I'm not really sure how his actions were deemed solicitation, or even why that would be a crime (no activity actually took place). Needless to say, the man was humiliated and proceeded to resign from office. He then changed his mind and fulfilled his term, but he did not run for re-election.
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So, in commemoration of this momentous event in the MSP area, The Saints came up with the bobblefoot doll. This was given away at the May 25, 2008 game. Unfortunately, I was not in attendance, but it has now made me a fan of the Saints.
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Here's to using a narrow stance and not tapping your feet. Otherwise, you may get reamed by the bathroom gestapo.

Bridge Over Troubled Water

2009-01-18T05:09:00.007-06:00

The I-35W bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis collapsed in August 2007 killing 13 people, and effectively shutting down a major traffic artery through the city. A friend from St. Louis had been working in the area at the time, and she was only a few miles on her way toward the bridge when it collapsed. MNDOT immediately began rebuilding, and the project was completed while I was working in the area.
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This is the view from the southbound lanes where the interstate was closed at the bridge.
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This view is passing next to the new bridge construction from the 10th Avenue bridge. This photo was taken in late April/early May 2008, and the two spans of the bridge are close to being connected.
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By mid-summer, the spans were connected, then the paving and finishing touches were started. This is the view from the pedestrian bridge at St. Anthony Falls at the lock & dam, just north of the new bridge.
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The new bridge opened to traffic on Sept. 18, 2008, one day less than one year from the time construction began.
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The design and construction of the new bridge is considered an engineering marvel. Even so, I still wondered if it would hold as I drove across for the first time, but even my mom should feel comfortable driving across this bridge. The Poplar Street Bridge in St. Louis is a different matter, altogether.

"The Poplar Street Bridge in St. Louis is a different matter."

Microphone swiftness is my business

2009-01-15T19:19:00.002-06:00

This is the house that Prince built. This is Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, MN. This was Prince's recording complex (he is originally from Brooklyn Center, MN), until he closed it in '96 and moved to LA. He also ran an independent label and movie studio out of here, too.
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Some of the artists that passed through these gates and recorded here:

The Time, Sheila E, The Family, Mavis Staples, George Clinton, and Carmen Electra.
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Let's take a plane to Saint Paul

2009-01-15T18:13:00.004-06:00

I really didn't spend much time in St. Paul last year. Here are a few pics from downtown.
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They have done a nice job developing the river front (on the Mississippi River, downstream from Minneapolis). St. Paul has a really nice riverwalk, where Minneapolis is mostly on bluffs.
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Charles Schulz is from St. Paul, but I didn't make it to the Peanuts museum. They do have statues of different characters around town, and this one is in the Italian neighborhood.
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This is the Xcel Center; home of the Minnesota Wild (NHL). It is the same place that Barack Obama unofficially accepted the Democratic nomination, and it was also the location of the Republican National Convention back in September.
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You're gonna make it after all

2009-01-14T19:08:00.014-06:00

Here are some photos around downtown Minneapolis. These were taken sometime over the summer.
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The Frank Gehry designed Weisman Art Museum on the University of Minnesota's campus.
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The lock & dam at St. Anthony Falls on the Mississippi River.
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The Guthrie Center.
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The Mill City Museum is housed in a flour mill that blew up several years ago.
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The evil Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.

I can't figure out the meaning of this public sculpture outside the U.S. Federal Courthouse.

The Basilica of Saint Mary - America's first basilica.

The view from Loring Park.

The Walker Art Center.

The Mary Tyler Moore statue in front of Macy's on Nicolette Mall.

The Target Center - home of the Timberwolves.

Apparently, the nexus of the universe is in Minneapolis; not in New York.

A view of part of the 23 miles of skywalk throughout downtown Minneapolis.

When It's Exactly Twelve O'Clock That Night

2009-01-13T18:28:00.005-06:00

Much belated, Feliz Ano Nuevo.

Happy New Year from Grand Rapids, MI. They had a ball drop for the first time like the Big Apple NYE. It was kind of cool... for being in Michigan.

Show me the way to go home

2008-12-05T16:20:00.002-06:00

I am very far behind on updating this blog. Sorry to all of you who check regularly, but, at the end of the day, the last thing I want to do is compose any postings or wait for pics to upload.

However, after nearly eight months (7 months, 25 days to be exact, but who's counting?), I am finally being released from this Minnesota assignment. Apr 13 - Dec 8. I sort of don't know what to do with myself. I dreaded this assignment because of the rumors that I'd heard about working here, but this has actually been a very smooth experience (despite its length). I even like the Minneapolis - St. Paul area a lot.

I have a few last postings "in the queue" that I will put up soon. I am driving home on Sunday, and then I'll be making a trip out west for my brother and his family. I'll try to update the last MN postings in the days between that I'm home.

Say a prayer for the pretender, Part 2

2008-11-03T22:04:00.002-06:00

Vote for Change in the IL 17th Congressional District

October 27, 2008

Dear Conscientious, Patriotic Voter:

I would like to introduce your write-in candidate of choice, Michael Simpson, for the Illinois' 17th Congressional District. Michael wants to offer a clear alternative to the singular option that is provided as your representative to the U.S. House of Representatives. Rep. Phil Hare has been serving out the remainder of Rep. Lane Evan's term since 2007, and he is currently running unopposed in what is sure to become the most hotly contested congressional race in the nation. Michael Simpson is looking to give you hope, by providing real change in Washington.

Michael has a distinguished career as a Commander and Naval Flight Officer in the U.S. Navy, and he is an Iraq War veteran. He has spent more than ten years putting country first. His wife of 3 years, Karen, and their 10 month old daughter, Morgan, have given Michael the inspiration to pursue this new direction in public service. He believes his pursuit for a sensible plan to government will ensure a bright future for his lovely daughter and future generations.

Please don't fall into the trap of political party factions by voting for the only choice that party leaders dictate. Join me in seeking an alternative to the status quo in Washington, and write-in your vote for Michael Simpson to the U.S. Congress. He wants to be your representative in the 111th Congress.

If you are a recipient of this e-mail, then you either reside in the Illinois' 17th District (please refer to map in link), or you may know someone in this district who would be interested in lending their support for this write-in candidate.

In this election season, don't vote for just any brother; vote for mine.

Write-in: Michael Simpson, For Representative In Congress (Seventeenth Congressional District).

Patriotically yours,
Steve Simpson
Campaign Manager
The Committee for Write-In Candidate, Michael Simpson

Say a prayer for the pretender

2008-11-03T20:44:00.005-06:00

When asked for whom I'm voting, McCain or Obama, I've been replying that I'm voting for Bob Barr. Last week (by absentee ballot), I voted for a "third party" candidate for the first time in 16 years of voting. This is probably the most confident vote I've made for anyone in that time, and I have no illusions of him winning.

I was going to explain my vote in detail, but this is my third attempt in posting tonight. So, instead, there are others who have expressed some similar sentiments here, here, here, and especially here. It's a little more complicated than that, but those views should give you an idea from where I'm coming.

So, for everyone who thinks that I wasted my vote, apparently, it's all my fault: This is pretty funny. (Thanks, Kim)

Out Ta Get Me

2008-10-20T22:25:00.001-05:00

The ‘man’ has tried to keep me down, so I’ve been laying low the last few weeks after a run-in with the law. Sometimes, I can be a creature of habit, and the cops in Maple Grove, MN decided to make an example of my meandering ways. What crime did I commit? Taking a walk, after dark …without papers.

Most nights I take a walk from my hotel over to the Town Centre mall, The Shoppes at Arbor Lakes. It’s an outdoor mall, and I usually walk to Border’s at the opposite end from my hotel and back. The rent-a-cops at the mall have never bothered me, but watch out when it comes to the real po-po. On the way back, I always cut through the well-lit parking lot of a Hampton Inn and walk the curb in front of the office building next to my hotel (there is not a sidewalk here). I took the same route I’ve taken every night for the past six months, but on this occasion a police car pulled up behind me on the curb and turned on his flashers.

Now, I had a pretty good idea at that time why he was pulling me over, but keep in mind that I had not (at least knowingly) done a single thing illegal for the entire night (and that’s difficult for anyone to do in this day and age). So, the question that immediately popped into my head is, what right does he have to stop and detain me? Remember, I am unabashedly libertarian, and I strongly believe adhering to all of our constitutional rights is essential to our liberty in this country.

Time: 9:30 pm (10/9/08). The officer got out of his car, and I asked him what he wanted. He asked why I had been in the parking lot of the Hampton Inn. I explained that I was walking back to my hotel, and I didn’t want to walk in the street. He asked me where I am staying, and I pointed next door to where I was standing. He asked me where I had been. I explained that I was returning from Border’s (I had actually gone in for a late evening macchiato). Up to this point, I had been polite with his questions, since I can tolerate a minor inconvenience – even if I feel he is violating my constitutional rights. The cop then asked for my name, and I gave him my first name only (cordiality was gone with the wind now). He took out his notebook and wrote my name, and then he asked for my last name. I gave him my last name, and then I asked why he needed my name. He asked me where I am from. That is the toughest question for me, so I answered truthfully: I am from Illinois, but I live in St. Louis (I will never be from Missouri). He asked to see my ID (Gestapo alert). I told him I didn’t have it on me, since I was only carrying my room key. I showed him my room key-card that is clearly from my hotel. He asked why I was in Minnesota, and I explained my profession and my employer. He then asked how long I am staying here, so I explained I’ve been here six months and have absolutely no idea how much longer I will be here.

During his questioning, another police car showed up behind the first one, and the new cop turned on his emergency flashers. The first officer continued his questioning and wanted my address in St. Louis. At this point, I was really annoyed (apparently all crime in Maple Grove has been solved), but I considered the alternative to not cooperating. I really wasn’t in the mood to getting tasered, since I just wanted to get back to my room and go to bed. I advised my address, and then he asked for my hotel room number. That’s where I hit the brakes, and I told him I was not giving him my room number under any circumstances. He explained there have been numerous vehicle break-ins at the hotels in the area (which is the reason I assumed he was stopping me). I explained I was aware of the break-ins, because a few people from my company have been victims. He acknowledged that I was aware of the break-ins, but I thought they probably occurred much later in the night (early morning).

He told me to wait on the curb and he would get back to me. He turned and met with the second officer, who had been standing back this entire time. The first officer got in his squad car, and I guess he had SCMODS (Blues Brothers, anyone?). The second officer just hung outside the first squad car, but then a third police car showed up from the other direction and turned on his flashers. The, very young, cop got out and nodded at me and walked to the first police car. The new cop asked me what was going on, and I told him I had no idea since I was just walking back to my hotel. The three of them talked for a few minutes, and then the third cop walked back to the front of his car and stood there. He then took a stance to be prepared if I were to run away (at what point did I become a flight risk?).

I stood there like an idiot on the curb for another fifteen minutes surrounded by three police cars, with their cherries rolling. Oh yeah, I was wearing a hoodie sweatshirt and a Cardinals hat, if that means anything. Several cars passed and stared at me; who only knows what they were thinking, but I’m just glad nobody I work with passed. The second cop finished talking with the first one, and then he got in his car and left. One down, with two to go.

The first cop came back to me and thanked me for cooperating. He told me they were stepping up patrols because of the break-ins, but I didn’t see how that meant it was okay to stop me for taking a walk. He made no mention of any recent break-ins, and I had not heard of any for a couple months. He talked with me for a few more minutes about the need to keep an eye on people, and then he let me go. I just turned and walked away without saying a word. I arrived back in my room at 10:20 pm. Fifty minutes of being detained without any probable cause. The Fourth Amendment just rolled over in its grave …again.

I suppose I should consider myself lucky, seeing as this guy ended up in cuffs for not providing an ID in his own home …to building inspectors.

I’ve gone for a walk almost every night since then around the same time, but I have not been stopped again. Yes, I’m annoyed at being stopped, but more than anything, I’m upset about the ridiculousness of the situation. There was no valid reason to stop me, and once I gave a legitimate explanation what I was doing then he should have moved along.

Do you really think the police should be able stop and detain anyone without cause? Since when is it necessary to have an ID to take a walk? What do you think he accomplished (other than pissing me off) by detaining me for nearly an hour?

It's good to touch, the green green grass of home

2008-10-02T15:38:00.002-05:00

I had a brief reprieve this past weekend for some R&R at home. I didn't get much rest or relaxation since I went to the Cardinals game on Saturday night. It was great to see the Cards have a strong finish to their season, and this team had more success than anyone predicted.

And I went to the Rams game on Sunday. I watched Scott Linehan's last day on the job, and there was no question he was getting fired after that game.

I'm back in Minnesota, and I'm apparently here for the long haul. There seems no end in sight for this assignment. Unfortunately, the White Sox beat the Twins for the AL Wild Card, so there won't be any October baseball in MSP.

Dreams walking in broad daylight

2008-10-02T15:11:00.005-05:00

This is my response in an e-mail conversation I had the other day about "the bailout."

I don't claim to have a strong economics background, by any means. However, I do try to understand. I tend to agree with Milton Friedman on most things financial and political (I'm, small L, libertarian -- non-party affiliated). "When it comes to free markets, you have to have loss for there to be gains." I believe that is what risk is all about. However, I don't think we truly have a free market here, but it's definitely not socialism (yet). So, I grudgingly agree that the government may have to help out in a situation of their making (Fannie/Freddie). I think the plan defeated yesterday was terrible, and I'm scared what they will come up with next. Bush 41 seemed to have a good plan for the S&Ls, but I don't think this is going to end as well.
My problem being that I don't own a home, and a bailout will probably make it more difficult for me to own. There is no way I would ever take an ARM, and a few years ago I couldn't afford a fixed-rate. Houses are so inflated right now, that I don't see much opportunity for me unless the people who over-extended themselves actually fail. That may be cold, but that's the reality of it. Also, I see this bailout as a temporary fix. Without bankruptcies, I think this situation will probably rear its head again down the road. There is a remedy (let the market correct itself), but people blame politicians for their own problems and politicians CYA.
I didn't make these mistakes, yet I'm going to have to pay for it. So much for managing my own risk...

Perhaps what I said was somewhat prescient. This is part of what the Senate passed yesterday:

House Republicans also welcomed a decision Tuesday by the Securities and Exchange Commission to ease rules that force companies to devalue assets on their balance sheets to reflect the price they can get on the market.

Isn't that part of what got us Enron and the accounting scandals? Now, instead of hiding losses in off-shore shell companies, now they just don't have to report it to investors. How is that fair (or accurate) for interested parties?

I tend to believe the best government action is inaction.

UPDATE: Taxpayers For Common Sense posted the Top 10 Tax Sweeteners of the Senate's "Bailout Bill."

Gotta catch you later

2008-09-08T20:14:00.006-05:00

I had a nice weekend away from Minnesota over Labor Day weekend. On Friday, the 29th, I golfed with my dad, brother, and Uncle Dave in the Jake Lessen Memorial Golf Outing. It was a beautiful day, and we had a great time remembering Jake. It was great to visit with friends and family that I haven't seen for a long time. It's too bad that I kept hitting it to the other fairways.
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As I promised, here is a photo of my two red-headed step-sisters, Janell Woolard (center), and Jenni Humphries (right). Also pictured is Biennial Fan, Cheryl Boyd (left). Of course, the day wouldn't have been complete without getting the red-headed step-child treatment. ;-)
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On Sunday, all of my siblings and their children came down to St. Louis, and we spent the day at the zoo and Forest Park. Here are some pics of my family:
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It looks like Morgan is going to be a rocker. I think I'll have to get her a jean jacket for her 16th birthday.
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Addi wasn't too sure about playing in the waterfall at the zoo, so she decided to stick close to her mommy.
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After some help from Mike, Matt finally got the courage to run into the waterfall and splash around.
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Here is a pic of all of us at the zoo.
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I returned to Minnesota on Tuesday. No changes in plan as yet, but there are some possibilities on the horizon. Right now, Fall is coming to the north. The high temp today was 60 degrees. I made a pact this weekend with a buddy up here that we will grow out our beards again if we're still here on October 1.

They took all the trees; Put em in a tree museum

2008-08-27T21:49:00.015-05:00

I made a trip to the Minnesota Arboretum in Chaska, MN a couple weeks ago. I found out an arboretum is basically just a botanical garden. It is a pretty place, but I think they charge too much (much more "than a dollar and a half to see them"). I always wanted to go to the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, IL, however I never have gone there.

Here are some pics from around the MN arboretum:

That's it for pretty pictures, for now. I'm heading 'home' tomorrow for some time with my family. I will be coming back to Minnesota on Tuesday, however we'll see what happens with Hurricane Gustav.

Sopapilla, sopapilla, penzaway

2008-08-07T09:28:00.007-05:00

I was home last week for some much needed R&R, and with 10 days off I had two days to myself. I had a lot of fun in Chicago, Nashville, Illinois and St. Louis, so it's good that things have slowed a bit here in MN. I flew home on the 24th, and then I turned around the next morning and flew to Chicago and back for a Cubs game with friends on the 25th. Then I drove to Nashville for a weekend with my friends, Scott & Natalie. After a much needed trip to the dentist, I drove to Illinois to visit family. My sister, Jennifer, and niece, Sheradan, came down this past weekend for fun in St. Louis at City Museum (I honestly think I have more fun there than my niece does). Oh, I finally got a couch for my apartment! To end my week, I went out for dinner to a new restaurant down the street from my place, Beso.

This brings me to my first restaurant review (I previously have reviewed a burger, but not the restaurant). This is the worst Mexican restaurant I've ever been, and strongly recommend never going there. They seem to be a popular sidewalk cafe downtown, but it was 98 degrees Sunday evening and I like air conditioning. So, I decided to sit at the bar, but the bartender was immediately disgruntled that I was his only customer. He also served me the wrong beer, and I had to send it back. I ordered the guacamole with chips as an appetizer, since the measure of any Mexican restaurant is as good as their guac and they claimed to make theirs fresh upon ordering. Unbelievably awful, slimy guacamole. I didn't know it was possible to screw it up that bad, but it had more cilantro than avocado. I didn't even finish it, and I believe they pretty much sealed their fate from that point forward. I ordered the pork chimichanga which was okay (but no sour cream!?), but I will say the only bright spot of the meal were the refried beans. I like beans, but these were delicious refried. There was some kind of spice mixed in that really added flavor. After all that, could it have been worse? It was. I don't think they have air conditioning, and I was dripping by the end of my meal. Dripping. I think my swass was showing on my walk home (through one of the trendiest and busiest districts in St. Louis on a game night).

The next day upon arriving back in Minnesota, I had to eat lunch at Don Pablo's to get the taste out of my mouth from the previous night. I will drive to Illinois or West County for Casa Gallardo from now on, where I've never had a bad meal (only a bad date). Also, I have since discovered that St. Louis has a Little Mexico district with supposedly great food. I'll need to check that out in the next few months.

Not to mention I will probably never try the new Senior Julio's in Union Station, since they can't even spell Senor correctly. They even included the tilde over the n, but they still added an i?

Making Love Out Of Nothing At All

2008-07-23T21:54:00.002-05:00

There has been a recent trend of bloggers posting their first 10 shuffles on their IPods as a snapshot into their musical tastes. I thought it was funny and decided to post. I’m not ashamed by the majority of my music.

First ten shuffle songs on my IPod:

1. “Come Back Home” by Pete Yorn
2. “The Goat [Outtake]” by Randy Newman
3. “Slave” by David Garza
4. “I Want To Be Free” by Elvis Presley
5. “Fool For Love” by Sandy Rogers
6. “Paralyzed” by Elvis Presley
7. “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” by The Brian Setzer Orchestra
8. “Do The Right Thing” by George Strait
9. “Could You Be Loved” by Bob Marley & The Wailers
10. “It’s Midnight Cinderella” by Garth Brooks

I swear this wasn’t edited (I thought it was kind of boring), and there are a few songs on there I skip if when they play. I have over 7500 songs in my ITunes, and I don’t even like all of them.

Radley Balko upped the ante on his blog. He pointed out that many people don’t have any truly embarrassing songs listed on their shuffle, so he challenged people to post their 5 most embarrassing songs. Believe me, I have many more than just five songs for which I’m embarrassed, but even more so the following are songs I really do enjoy listening (and that’s not easy to own up). The songs are not ranked, because they are all equally embarrassing.

5 most embarrassing guilty pleasures:

“Teardrops On My Guitar” by Taylor Swift
“Xanadu” by Olivia Newton-John
“Big Girls Don’t Cry” by Fergie
“We Belong Together” by Mariah Carey
“Rock Your Body” by Justin Timberlake

I'm not really sure that I can explain why I like these songs. This is a very small sample of music that I have, so I still feel every right to retain my man card. I have more Elvis, Frank & Willie than anything else. 'Nuff said.

Well we know where we're goin', But we don't know where we've been

2008-07-20T15:49:00.004-05:00

July 10 marked the two year anniversary in my current job. Hence the name of this blog (and the fact I suggested I'd only be doing this for 2 years), you'd think there may be some change on the horizon. ... Well, not for now, or at least nothing significant.

My job, as a catastrophe adjuster, has turned out entirely different from what I was told when hired. Most of the promises/assurances about taking on this new life have been broken, and the majority of the moves by my employer have not been particularly positive. To point, I feel I'm under-paid and quality of life sucks. The so-called perks of my job are only a mask for the difficulties. Some of this I've shared with a few of you, but I know I've never quite painted the big picture. Because, with all of the hardships I face everyday (and I do mean every day), it doesn't seem right to complain when I, in fact, love my job.

I've been working in insurance for the better part of the last 10 years, and this is the first time I've ever enjoyed my job -- in this industry (I have also enjoyed selling shoes and working in the music business). Yet, I know I have not had to work in a truly difficult situation, and (most notably) there haven't been any hurricanes since I started. I do wonder what kind of long-term future I have with my employer, but I have career goals I want to accomplish in the next few years before I cross that bridge. How and where things will happen has yet to be determined.

Despite whatever burdens may be carried, I love this cowboy life I'm living. I chose this career with the full knowledge that my way of life would change, and I have not once regretted my decision. Some days I contemplate how long I can do this, and then the next day I wonder how I could do anything else. The autonomy and responsibility I have are unmatched with any other job I've had, but more importantly (and as cliche as it may be) I'm "delivering the promise." Despite any grievances with management decisions, I truly respect the company ethos and the way we conduct our business.
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We can never plan with any certainty in life. The last two years confirmed my knowledge I don't have a clue about anything in the future. So, right now I'm only trying to get over the next hump. And, things are always subject to change.
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The following pic is another day at the office (taken at Lake Mille Lacs in Garrison, MN):

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Counted the stars on the 4th of July

2008-07-05T07:11:00.007-05:00

I went to downtown Minneapolis for the fireworks show, last night. The show didn't start until after 10 PM, because it stays light for longer up here. However, I finally got some decent pics of the skyline.
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Standing on a pedestrian bridge on the Mississippi River overlooking St. Anthony's Falls.
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Here is a video of the finale ...except for the last 10 seconds.

(video missing)

O beautiful, for heroes proved In liberating strife

2008-07-04T13:24:00.004-05:00

Please consider what our Independence means:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

Any of that seem familiar, or rather, relevant? First, I agree with the sentiments of the last paragraph and do not support an overthrow of the government. I had thought of writing a spiteful diatribe about the current state of the U.S. Government and American politics, but I figured it best to pose a few questions instead (as some of you know, I can sometimes get emotional about politics). I believe it's better to have a dialogue than to throw around accusations.

My questions are posed around the current state of liberty in this country. How are the unalienable rights to which tyranny was abolished so cavalierly cast aside by so many? There are plenty of examples of institutional tyranny under the federal, state and municipal governments.

What has happened to the belief of rights of man? Why did common law and property rights become virtually non-existent? What about our right to self-defense? These are elemental to our rights, so why have the courts (namely SCOTUS) sided with the government's assertions of more control rather than individual liberty? I thought the courts were intended to be disassociated arbiters of the law, and not agents of the government instructing juries how to rule. What happened to the presumption of innocence? How has the burden of proof shifted from the accuser to the accused, and juries are convicting (very possibly innocent) people with only a preponderance of the evidence?

The Bill of Rights was to guarantee that which is ours, but the government (admittedly, by nature) has done everything it can to whittle it down to nothing. Most grievances are directly associated to the executive branch, so why did the balance of power shift to one person? The Constitution never intended for this scenario. Isn't that how tyrants are created - whether or not they are well-intentioned?

Is this a matter of ignorance or complacency? When does it become too much as a society, and when does it become too much for you? Do you believe this will be a free country for future generations? What's your price for only the appearance of security? Do you really have that much faith in a centralized government, or even in a single person? That was the point of our independence.

Consider these scenarios. The government can kick you out of your home and sell it to another private party, and you have no recourse (other than the compensation they deem reasonable). The government can break into your home and destroy it, kill your dog, maybe kill you, and they have no culpability in a mistaken identity. The government can tell you what you can or not do with your body. These are all happening right now.

What rights? It's unfortunate that George Carlin may have been correct that we only have privileges, not rights. So, is that why we cast off despotism (for our privileges)? That doesn't seem like a very noble reason, but human nature is also selfish.

I leave you with this question: is the U.S. Constitution in force any more, or are we only subject to the laws passed by the executive/legislative branches and asserted by the judicial branch?

Is that okay with you? Please discuss.

I'm a cool rocking Daddy in the U.S.A.

2008-07-03T21:58:00.002-05:00

Do you have what it takes to become a citizen?

How's your basic knowledge of U.S. citizenship? Take this short INS quiz.

Here are my results (I didn't know the name of the INS application -- I second-guessed and changed it from the correct answer):

You answered 95% of questions correctly. Here's your rating:

0-20%: Maybe you're still thinking too much about the Old Country.

25-40%: Mmmm. Do you really want to be a citizen? This kind of performance isn't going to impress those nice immigration folks.

45-60%: Not too bad, but you really need to break out the civics books again -- word is, the INS is looking for an 80 percent score.

65-80%: Hey, you may make a good citizen yet! Look at your wrong answers and a little revision should do the trick.

85-100%: Welcome to the United States! (And, truth be told, you know more about this great land than most Americans.)

The last comment that most Americans don't know this very little much is a very sad state of our nation. More to come ...with discussion.

There ain't nothin' like 'em nowhere

2008-06-21T22:34:00.002-05:00

This is outstanding. If you like baseball, then this is well worth watching (I couldn't figure out how to embed this in a post ...it's late Saturday night).

Also, apparently, this is not the first time something like this has happened. I've never seen anything remotely like it before.

Grow me a beard just to see what the rednecks would do

2008-06-19T20:26:00.002-05:00

I shaved last night, and the beard is gone (yea, Janell!). However, I did not get anywhere near as creative as this guy. Several people did not immediately recognize me at the office today, but someone did say, "nice face." I'm going to assume she wasn't being sarcastic.

Although, I think I now look like a 12-year old boy.

Look what the river has done to this poor farmer's land

2008-06-18T20:45:00.006-05:00

Yep. It's been a long time since I've posted. Lately, last thing I've been in the mood to do is write. In honor of the midwest floods cresting tomorrow, I'm posting a picture I took (a couple months ago) of the northern Mississippi River, near Brainerd, MN.
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It doesn't look so mighty up this way.
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I received a call last night from my friends, the Ziehrs, in Iowa City. The Iowa River came within 4-5 blocks of their house, but they have not had any damage (they were also out of state all last week). Unfortunately, one of my sisters didn't have as much luck with the creek in back of her home.
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I went home this past weekend for my first weekend off in 5 weeks. I flew over Iowa and parts of the Mississippi River, and I saw a lot of the flooding from the air. As of now, I'm staying right here in Minnesota, and I'm just fine with that. There is plenty of work here for me. However, my department is going through more upheaval as of today (so who knows what will happen).
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That's all for tonight. I'll try to update again, soon.

With his feet on the ground and his head in the sky

2008-05-21T06:24:00.004-05:00

This is one of many Paul Bunyan statues around Brainerd, MN.

I still think the statue of Robert Wadlow in Alton is cooler (but that may have more to do with my family's involvement).

Burnin' with determination

2008-05-18T09:12:00.005-05:00

It's been mentioned that I promised new posts a while back, yet have done anything. Please bear with me. I'm working long hours everyday, and the last thing I feel like doing is fighting with the internet here in my hotel.
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So, to go back a few weeks, I was in search of some local fare of which I'd heard. It's called the Jucy Lucy. It's nothing like the Chef's Pride at Barrel Head in Springfield, IL. The waitresses and short order cook at Matt's wore T-shirts that said, "Don't Fear The Cheese." I should have.
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The sandwich is two burger patties sealed around cheese. It's cooked very well done and the cheese is basically boiling on the inside. My waitress asked me if I knew what I was about to bite into, and I told her I had read about it. I waited a while for it to cool, but it wasn't long enough. As soon as I bit into it, molten hot cheese slid out onto my lower lip and right hand. It burned my hand and blistered my lower lip. I had to play it cool, since she had warned me. When no one was looking, I felt my lip and rubbed some mayonnaise on it to help it cool. The blisters broke and stung. Take my word that eating salty french fries with a broken blister on your lip is not advisable.
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I suffered to finish this sandwich. I survived it, and I didn't even cry. However, it did give me a split lip for about 2 weeks. I don't have any immediate plans to try one again, but I feel that I want to conquer it. I keep telling myself that I am the master of all cheeseburgers.

Bippity... Boppety...

2008-05-08T21:31:00.002-05:00

BOO!

I'm still around with more to come. I've got a few in the queue.

Did you ever stop to notice

2008-04-22T19:44:00.005-05:00

Happy Earth Day

Great River Energy just moved in to their new building this month, and it is a couple blocks from my hotel. I can actually see it out my window. This building is supposed to be [one of] the 'greenest buildings' in the country.

The windmill rotates to face whichever direction the wind is blowing. Sometimes, I'm entertained by the simplest things.

For anyone thinking I'm going soft, then enjoy the comments section from the State-Journal Register's article on Earth Day, today. Once again, the genius' in central Illinois shine bright.

All we want is life beyond the thunderdome

2008-04-20T21:16:00.005-05:00

I went to my first Twins game today. The [Hubert H. Humphrey] Metrodome was not as impressive as I imagined. Afterall, this is the facility which beat the Cardinals in the '87 series (not necessarily the Twins, themselves). It's kind of a strange place for a ballgame, and it was my first indoors baseball game. I'm not too familiar with the Twins or the Indians, and I'm not much of a fan of American League ball. I'm disappointed I couldn't have seen Torii Hunter play here (I guess on that note, Kirby Puckett would have been cool to see, too). However, the game went 10 innings, and it got exciting after the 8th. There was a spectacular diving catch by the Twins new center-fielder, and it will probably be a webgem on ESPN tonight. The Twins ended up winning 2-1. It was kind of weird to see the team take the field like they just won the pennant.

The Twins are building a new ballpark across town. It's going to be open-air, and not even with a retractable roof! That's genius with the weather up here. Not even close to a sell-out crowd, so I may go to more games before I get released from here.

I know not everybody has got a body like you

2008-04-20T21:04:00.003-05:00

This story was on stltoday.com a few days ago, but internet connectivity in my hotel pretty much sucks. So, I may be posting infrequently unless I figure out something else.

But, this dog is an amazing story, and she came through the St. Louis Airport a few days ago. I highly recommend watching the video in the Post-Dispatch story or her own website.

We've been through it all

2008-04-16T10:36:00.003-05:00

Happy Anniversary to Mom & Dad.

27 years.

(no, I'm not a bastard; well... not exactly)

Also, Happy Anniversary for Kristi, Mike, Jennifer and me.

She saw me walking down the streets of your fine city

2008-04-13T21:21:00.003-05:00

I'm now in Minneapolis (or rather Maple Grove, MN). It appears I may be working here for the next three months (but then, always subject to change). This is my first visit to the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Please feel free to offer any suggestions if you have any experience in the area.

Since Kristi has not had any updates recently, I'll let you know both kids are adjusting fine to the move. She's been busy, but Grandma Simpson is helping out.

Just when things went right

2008-04-10T14:14:00.002-05:00

We're home, and Matt & Addi became U.S. citizens about 2:30 AM CDT this morning. I don't have any pics to post right now (we didn't take many, so I'll let their mommy post some first).

Kristi gave me the choice of which one I wanted to hold on the plane, and I either picked good or Uncle Steve is awesome. I took Addi for the flight and got her asleep right before we boarded the plane. She slept about 4 of the 4 1/2 hour flight. A few times she'd wake up, but she went back to sleep very quickly. She woke up as soon as we landed in Chicago, and I welcomed her to America. She slept through the entire descent. Kristi wasn't so lucky with Matt. He maybe slept 1/2 hour of the flight, and that was pretty restless.

I took a picture of Kristi with them in immigration, and we thought I was going to get arrested. A customs officer yelled, "PHOTO!" and came running at me to delete the pic from my camera. I thought it might be okay since I was standing by the baggage carousel away from the customs stations. I was wrong. So, no picture of them becoming citizens.

We left O'Hare after 3:00 AM, and I drove most of the way. Kristi's car is really small for me, and I had to have her finish the drive from Lincoln. I was sore and exhausted from the cramped driving conditions. They both slept most of the way, except Addi did wake up crying once.

I slept about two hours this morning, and I didn't even hear our parents come in. I'll stick around for a while, and then I'll go back home to St. Louis tonight. I had two voice-mails from yesterday telling me I've been deployed to work again. I called my boss this morning, and I'm apparently leaving on Sunday to work an old storm in Minneapolis.

Got a ticket for my destination

2008-04-09T10:29:00.006-05:00

**Updated**

I realized I hadn't posted any pics of Matt and Addi from this trip.

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I also want to show off Addi's cute shoes. This is what she was wearing when her foster family dropped her off.
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Can you see how long are Matt's eyelashes?
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We're heading home this evening, and it will be a long night of waiting at the airport, first plane ride ever flying to Chicago, muddling through immigration and customs, experiencing the weather of the Windy City at 2:30 AM, and first ever rides in car seats home to Springfield. Tomorrow, I'll be wrangling Wrigley while they all try to get used to one another.
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See you all tomorrow, stateside.

When marimba rhythms start to play

2008-04-08T16:32:00.006-05:00

The marimba is the national instrument of Guatemala. This is a short video of the marimba group at the Hotel Posada in Antigua. Their instruments were made of ants wood. It was around the corner from our table in the restaurant, but the kids slept through the music. However, while we were waiting for our shuttle driver, I was 'swaying' with with Addi around the courtyard to one of their songs.

This is a marimba/xylophone made with jade keys at the Jade, S.A. factory.

Served out his time, became a circus clown

2008-04-08T16:23:00.005-05:00

I thought this was funny. We passed this clown on a motorcycle in Guatemela City on the way to Antigua.

He actually arrived at Mayan Plaza the same time that we did.

We didn't talk to him or see him again, but you don't see that everyday. He probably would've creeped the kids out. I've never been freaked out by clowns, but I will admit there is something odd about a lot of them (i.e.: John Wayne Gacy).

Comos los que usa el ranchero

2008-04-07T20:26:00.038-05:00

Kristi and I took Matt and Addi to Antigua, which is about 45 minutes southwest of Guatemala City. Antigua is the ancient (and colonial) capital of Guatemala. Earthquakes and volcanoes necessitated the need to move the capital to Guatemala City. Antigua was originally called Santo Domingo, but the name changed to litteraly mean "antique" after the capital was moved. Please keep in mind most of the photos were taken while pushing Matt in his stroller across cobblestone streets and cobblestone sidewalks. They both were very good in their strollers the entire day, but these were not the best conditions to take good photos. Also, since I am limited in my time, this is a very long post.
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Through the streets of Guatemala City (and past the first hotel we stayed in August)...
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... and the countryside.
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Arrival in Antigua.
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First stop on the tour. One of the oldest and most important churches in Guatemala. The fusion of Christianity and Mayan tradition is reflected upon the reliefs and stuatuary on the building. The design of west to east facade has something to do with Mayan beliefs with the sun. The tall statue in the archway over the main entrance is the Virgin Mary, the most sacred saint in Central America. Abover her is an etched relief of God. There are other various saints depicted, but please don't expect me to remember them all from this tour.
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The nave of the church.
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All of the churches have some pretty detailed (and gorey) depictions of saints and Christ. This is actually a depiction of Jesus in his tomb. The lighting was difficult in the dark alcove and the bright sunlight from the entrance.
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This is the main square known as Mayan Plaza, or Royal Plaza. It's not so much a tribute to the Mexican superculture, but mayan means royal. The water comes from the women's breasts because they feed the world ...or something like that. I couldn't understand everything the guide explained (maybe Kristi understood what he was talking about).
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Next stop on the tour was the House of Jorge Posada. Actually, it's the Hotel Posada De Don Rodrigo (the Yankees catcher was my mnemonic aid for remembering the name of the hotel). Beautiful spot, and this is where we came back at the end of the tours to eat a late lunch. I had a Chile Rellenos that was outstanding, with Moza cervezas from Guatemala. The food was excellent, and the salsa was just the perfect hot for me. The rooftop patio view could see all over the rest of the city.

Walking down the street after leaving the Hotel Posada (you can see our guide's head in the lower left corner).

Apparently, this is the most famous view from Antigua, and it is used in all of their magazine and tourism promos. I've seen some of them and my pic doesn't come anywhere close to looking as nice.

This is the entrance to the old convent. Once you (that is the nuns) went in, you never came out. When the convent bought the land to the right of this arch, they built the archway as a bridge to the new property.

Nuestra Senora de la Merced. This is the main church of the convent. It is the most popular church in the country for Guatemalans to get married (Americans go to Casa Santo Domingo). The interesting tidbit I picked up about the elaborate relief on the facade is the use of images of corn. With the Mayan fusion into Christianity, corn replaced the origin of man from dust, because Mayans believed corn to be sacred (but I believe they enjoyed to eat it rather than Hindu belief with cows).

This is one of the entrances to where the bodies are buried beneath the church. I understand they aren't all that elaborate crypts, so you really are walking across their graves.
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Some street views. A lot of Americans own these homes.
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This is the workshop for the jade factory of Jade, S.A. (the official jade producer of Guatemala). They also have an informational seminar, a museum (with free coffee), and a very nice jewelry boutique. I never knew so much about jade before, but apparently the Chinese are cheaters. Guatemala is where to find the really good stuff.
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Casa Santo Domingo. This place convinced me that I need to come back here to stay and see more of the area and the country... or do nothing. With only 25 guest rooms and a spectacular setting, it is actually quite affordable.

These are the ruins of the old church at Santo Domingo. The hills beyond were beautiful to see, and our guide told me they are surrounded by coffee plantations. You can rent a horse to ride through the plantations, and tour from the fields through the factory. I'm guessing it's a more thorough tour than a day at the Anheuser-Busch Brewery.
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Everything salvageable from the old church is used in the hotel.
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My favorite part about all of the buildings (villas) in Antigua are the various nooks and passageways. It's amazing how they can fit such variety of atmospheres into these spaces.

This is the best view of the Volcano of Water (Volcano de Agua) we had for the day. It rests to the south of the city, and the Volcano of Fire (Fuego) is to the west. Fuego is still an active volcano, and you can hike up to touch the lava with a stick. Agua is so named because of the rivers that come down and flood the plantations (it is now dormant). Guatemala has several volcanoes that are part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, and Antigua sits in a bowl surrounded by volcanoes and mountains.
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A traditional indian market. We skipped it and went back to Hotel Posada for lunch before we left.

The weather, in short, was incredible. We got hot walking around (and pushing the strollers), but whenever we stopped to rest the cool Pacific breeze would be refreshing. The weather/temperature stays like that pretty much the year round. I didn't see one air conditioning unit, and I believe I wouldn't even miss it if I stayed.

Yes, I want to go back. There were so many other places around town that I would like to see, and most of the country is easily accessible from Antigua. I needed to get out of Guatemala City to realize I actually like this country.

Well I asked the judge now when's my time up

2008-04-05T21:31:00.003-05:00

For all of you who fell for being Rickrolled, here is Addi's actual passport photo.

I would move heaven and earth

2008-04-04T11:34:00.003-05:00

I went with Kristi and both children to the embassy for Matt's appointment this morning. We had hoped to have Addi's appointment rolled into the same time, but there were still a couple of obstacles. One of the problems was Addi needed a final doctor's check-up before she could get her pink slip. In order to still try and get her in today, her facilitator and I took her to the doctor's office across the street and got in right away (we were rushing to get this done before Kristi was called to her interview for Matt). Addi checked out fine and the doctor was very friendly, and he offered any help while we are staying here.

But, before we went to the doctor's office, we had to get a passport photo for Addi. We walked down a back alley behind the embassy and ducked into a small photo shop (a 5' X 8' studio and a similar sized waiting room). While I was holding Addi in the seat the radio was playing Rick Astley (Together Forever). I thought it was funny to be in a back-alley shop in a third-world country and jamming to Rick Astley. It also reminded me of the current phenomenon called Rickrolling.

Here's a link to Addi's new passport photo.

Although we had Addi's medical finished in time, we were not able to get Addi's appointment this morning. The embassy did indicate they should get us in early next week, so we're hoping for Monday. We're supposed to leave late Wednesday night, so anytime by the end of Tuesday will work for us (we have to pick-up paperwork from the embassy on the following business day after an appointment).

Cameras were not allowed this morning (no battery operated devices), so no other new pics for now.

All along the south-bound odyssey

2008-04-03T08:27:00.012-05:00

I just finished 26 hours of nearly constant travelling, and we have arrived safe in Guate. Follow me through my day.
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Here, I am leaving Augusta, GA at 5:40 AM EDT.
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I pass through Atlanta, GA at 8:00 AM EDT. If you look at the full size photo you can see the windows blown of the Westin Hotel (in the center of the pic) from the tornado 2 1/2 weeks ago.
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Then through Chattanooga at 10:00 AM EDT.
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I arrive in Nashville, TN at 11:00 AM CDT. I meet MC for lunch at the always fantastic Pancake Pantry. I actually had the lunch, for once, and it was just as good as their breakfast.
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I pass over the flooded Ohio River at 2:30 PM CDT. It's probably a mile past its banks into Kentucky.

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I arrive home in St. Louis at 5:00 PM CDT. I spent about an hour and a half unloading my work car, finishing some paperwork, showering, and packing a new bag. Then off in my car by 6:45.
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I made it to Springfield, IL at 8:20 PM CDT. I had to run a few errands, and then I made it to Kristi's around 9:00. (I realize the picture is blurry - not a steady night shot, but the bright light at the top of the pic is the state capitol dome).

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We get to O'Hare International Airport by 12:30 AM CDT, and we were checked in through security by 1:15 AM. Just in time to catch a light nap before our 3:15 AM flight.

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The flight hit some bad weather, so we didn't get our breakfast. I was able to sleep uncomfortably through most of the bad weather, and then I woke up and watched The Game Plan. Arrived at our hotel at 7:15 AM CST.

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Kristi is taking a nap before Addi gets here, and I'm wide awake.

More to come...

To a room with some lace and paper flowers

2008-04-01T21:04:00.006-05:00

Welcome to what is referred to as Gypsytown. Located in the town of Belvedere, SC is a collection of large homes built by... gypsies. Rumor has it that folks who descend from the gypsies of old have settled here. They own all the businesses in the area, and they have built these large homes. They allegedly are not friendly people, and you never see them outside of their homes. Also, they apparently are a thieving bunch. The kicker about it all is the families actually live in trailers next to these monstrous homes after they are built (as can be seen in some of these pics). They will continue to live in the trailers for about a year until "all of the bad spirits have left the house."

By the way, I promise this is not an April's Fool joke. Just some weird stuff I heard a few times down here.

Dear old southland with his dreamy songs

2008-04-01T20:23:00.019-05:00

Here are some pics from around Aiken.
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Every street in town is separated by elaborate parkways. It really is a beautiful and picturesque town.

The Aiken Steeplechase is a big deal and so are their horses. It's peculiar to drive by some of the mansions in town and see horses grazing in the front yard. Here is their Hall of Fame and tributes to some horses (a few of the many littered around town). The horse statues remind me of the Chicago cows a few years ago.
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Georgia is known for peaches, but I saw endless peach groves along Route 121 in South Carolina.

They've all faded out of view

2008-03-30T10:09:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite television shows is MythBusters on Discovery Channel. It's an incredible hour of amazing science fun, and many times it has real life applications. Two Dutch students decided to make their own version about phone books, which I'd never heard of this and it is remarkable to watch. But, they don't explain why like the Mythbusters do.

Lord, I was born a ramblin man

2008-03-28T21:49:00.009-05:00

It's a good thing that I love to travel and 'be on the move.' I'll be wrapping up early here in Georgia-South Carolina on Tuesday. On Wednesday morning, I'll be driving back to St. Louis where I'll quickly pack a new bag and then drive on to Chicago (all in a day's work). Kristi has an appointment at the embassy in Guatemala City next Friday for Matt (and hopefully Addison), and we should get to the airport just in time to check-in for our flight. We fly out of Chicago at 3:00 AM on Thursday, April 3 and we'll return at 1:45 AM on Thursday, April 10. However, my boss told me to probably expect to be re-deployed again right away after my vacation is over (after Friday, the 11th). So, we'll see where the road takes me next, but a lot can change in the next two weeks.

Speaking of the road, the land in southern South Carolina is littered with striking pine forests. I really haven't had any time to be a tourist or take photos, but I may have some time this Sunday. The best drive I've taken so far is on the Atomic Road (S.C. 125) between Augusta and Allendale, SC. It runs along the southern edge of the Savannah River Site. I thought of stopping to take some pictures, but there is strict enforcement of no stopping since it's next to a nuclear power facility. I don't think my bosses would be too understanding if I was arrested by federal agents.

Here are a couple of pics I snapped the other day (another beautiful, sunny day in the 80's).

This is one of the many red-dirt roads I've had to traverse in my van. I've bumped across a few roads where I really wish I'd been in my Jeep.

Not only has the weather been warm, but this controlled fire in a pine forest was an added incentive to roll down the windows while I drove through the forests near Edgefield, SC.

I should have more from this area in a few days.

When men on the chessboard get up and tell you where to go

2008-03-23T19:00:00.003-05:00

Just another day on the job. I'm staying in Augusta (which is not as nice as I imagined), but I've actually been working in Aiken, SC. My hotel is straight down the street from Augusta National, and it appears that I will have to move before the Masters, if I'm still working here. Aiken is a very nice town, and I'll try to post more from there later. Back to work...

Have a Happy Easter.

Goin' places that I've never been

2008-03-18T21:23:00.002-05:00

I got the call today, and I'm heading out first thing in the morning to Augusta, Georgia. I apparently have a hotel room arranged for a few days, but my management is still trying to figure out where to put us during a 10 day stretch for The Masters. I hope I can make it to at least one of the days -- maybe even watch Tiger win his first Grand Slam event this year.

If anyone has any other suggestions for things to do in the area on my occasional day off, please let me know. Thanks.

I've lost my leg.

2008-03-17T10:58:00.003-05:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day.

Some interesting tidbits about wearin' o' the green and ol' Saint Paddy himself.

We grew up together that way

2008-03-06T09:52:00.003-06:00

Domino, Domino, Domino.

My mom recently sent me this picture of our beloved Domino, our deaf dalmation.

He came to our family when I was in the sixth grade. He came from a local breeder that couldn't bring herself to put him down, but she couldn't keep him after he killed one of her peacocks. My Aunt Peg heard an ad on the radio about a free Dalmatian or he would be put down. She brought him to our house since we didn't have an outside dog at the time (she had been breeding Shar-Peis), and she was going to look for a permanent home. My mom forgot that we got out of school early that day, so when all four of us got home we decided we were keeping him. I think Kristi or Jennifer called Dad at the shoe store to tell him we got a new dog (whether he liked it or not).

Living next to the post office, Dom became the most popular dog in town, and we were known to live in "Domino's house." Many nights he would eat better than us, because we heard from all sorts of people that would bring him steak and ice cream. Many people would come to take pictures of him, such as this photo. I remember once a girl had walked into our backyard (through the gate!) to take a picture, but he was such a big dog that he knocked her down trying to play. I had been in my room and looked out to see him on top of this girl, so I had to run down and pull him off. The smart puppy was also known to like boobies, and frequently ripped girls shirts.

He was a hyper-active dog, and he was not that easy to control because he was deaf. Although, he seemed to have a natural obedience with our dad. When he had free reign of the entire yard, Mike or I would be sent outside to have him chase us around until visitors could get inside unmolested. We eventually built an interior fence to keep him in the back-yard, and the back gate is still pad-locked to this day.

There are so many stories that I alone could share about Dom, but I'm happy to hear anyone else's in the comments. I've loved all of our family pets with each of their own personalities (like my parents currently have an epileptic dog and a diabetic cat), but Dom was a force of his own nature. He was the biggest lap dog I've ever had, and my best friend growing up. He died several years ago, and I miss him still. I don't imagine I'll ever have another dog like him.

By the way, isn't he one of the best looking dogs you've ever seen. He was beautiful, and he knew it. Such vanity, he always knew when to pose for a picture.

People need the cover of another perfect wonder

2008-03-04T21:18:00.005-06:00

It was just two days ago that I had the top off of my Jeep, but today there was a snow storm in St. Louis. Does anyone else think that thunder-snow sounds funny, but thunder-sleet sounds kind of dirty?

I had a seminar in Clayton today, but my one of my friends convinced me to go sledding on Art Hill in Forest Park this evening. My sled didn't perform very well, but it was fun to get out for a little while.

Saint Louis himself keeping watch over everyone.

Unfortunately, the rest of my pictures didn't turn out well. I was testing different selector modes with the nightscape. It all came out blurry or blacked out.

Get yourself an egg and beat it

2008-03-04T21:06:00.003-06:00

This may not seem like a big deal to most people, but I baked my first cake (ever) on Sunday night. I'm rather impressed with myself, and I don't even like cake all that much. I've always been more of a pie guy.

Buttercream icing on orange-cream cake. You know you wish you had a piece.

Cause I eats me spinach

2008-03-02T22:20:00.009-06:00

What a great day! It was nice to finally have some warm weather around here, again. Which of course means it was half past time for me to get outside. I started out at Little Grand Canyon, where it is completely dangerous climbing on the wet rocks but totally fun. Though, it was strange walking on the canyon floor in shorts and a t-shirt where there was still snow on the ground. Then I enjoyed the fresh air of the open road, and I stopped to pay homage to Popeye in his hometown.
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Now, it's back to cold, wet and snowy weather, again. St. Louis has a winter storm warning through tomorrow.

Down among the reeds and rushes

2008-02-29T10:20:00.008-06:00

Happy Leap Day! I always thought this would be a cool birthday - you only have to celebrate every four years.
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I haven't posted much lately, because there really hasn't been all that much to say. My Defined Light Duty ends today, so the stress of always being on-call returns tomorrow. I feel I've been doing a whole lot of nothing, yet I seem to have spent little time at (my) home. I haven't spent a full week in my own bed in the past two months.
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I went to visit my brother and sister-in-law to see my new beautiful niece, Morgan. Here are some pics of her from my visit last weekend in Norfolk.
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Also, here is J.D. (sad sack of dog)...

and Levi (always has a ball, always)...

Feeling the amber current flowin' from my mind

2008-02-21T18:42:00.002-06:00

I haven't updated for a while. I promised my brother I would post something today. So, here is something...
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This is the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers at Cairo, IL. Kentucky is straight ahead and Missouri is on the right. This photo was taken with my cell phone last Spring.
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I'll be in Norfolk this weekend to meet my niece, Morgan. Oh, Mike and Karen will be there, too. Who's up for crab cakes?!
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For some questionable justice in the Hampton Roads area, be sure to read this.

With adverts comments they promote

2008-02-05T07:49:00.000-06:00

SUPER FAT TUESDAY (as coined by my sister, Kristi).

Anyway, in case you haven't heard all the screaming from the talking heads, it's primary/caucus day across much of the country. It's also Mardi Gras. I'm heading 'home' this morning (where I still keep my voter registration) to pull that lever ...okay, Litchfield is not a backward, country town. I'll be punching the ticket as I had previously explained. I don't know if I'll be braving Soulard tonight, though. I'm not much of a fan of large crowds.

Vote early ...and vote often!
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UPDATE:

1. The "Vote early and vote often" bit was a joke, but I almost made it a reality. When I walked in the lady identified me as my brother, Mike. I corrected her and told her I'm Steve, and I pulled out my driver's license to show as ID. Not one single election judge asked for my identification. I could have voted as my brother, and then returned this afternoon when they change judges to vote again as myself. Small town or not, they were still susceptible to voter fraud.

2. Litchfield not only does not use levers, but it also does not use punch cards anymore. They have updated to a new bubble scanner system, and I insert my ballot into the machine myself. The machine tallies how many folks had voted before me. I was the 96th person to vote in that precinct.

Grow me a beard just to see what the rednecks would do

2008-02-01T21:37:00.000-06:00

I’VE BEEN TAGGED ...by Kristi and Lisa.

I was actually tagged a long time ago on MySpace. Coincidentally, I was a little bored recently, so I decided to finally do this and posted it on my MySpace blog. It was originally 10 items, but the tags today requested only 7. If you want to know the other three things, then you’ll have to look it up on my MySpace page. Also, I have a problem saying, ‘no.’ Maybe that should have been a weird, random thing.

The rules are:

1. Link the person who sent this and leave a comment on their blog so their readers can visit yours
2. Post the rules on your blog
3. Share 7 strange/weird facts about yourself
4. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and link their blog
5. Let each person know they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

7 Random Things About Me

1. By the time the previews are over, I’ve forgotten what movie I’ve gone to see. So, when the intro for Paramount, Universal, DreamWorks, etc. comes on the screen, I have no idea what movie is about to begin.

2. Soon after starting this blog, I’ve made a point of all my posting titles to be song lyrics or titles. They all have a reference to the post, but sometimes it may not necessarily be obvious. However, if you’re curious what song is referenced, you can usually google the line to find the song and lyrics. If you still can’t figure it out, then ask me.

3. I think things like this are narcissistic. But, here I am doing this (again), even though I don’t think I’m a narcissist. So, hey, check me out!

4. I think UFOs are real, and I want to know the truth (unintentional Scully & Mulder reference).

5. I’m double-jointed in both thumbs. So, if you think that’s flexible…

6. Whenever I’m the passenger of a car and someone else is driving, I instinctively check the blind spot when changing lanes or passing. Apparently, it annoys the driver that I’m double checking them.

7. I have a tendency to get the giggles at funerals and other awkward moments (such as family members having hallucinations in the hospital). I usually try to cover it up by faking coughing fits, but my family has caught on.

My Tags (all on MySpace):

1. Scott
2. Natalie
3. Potts
4. Debbie
5. Paige
6. Frank

7. Wood

I'd kinda like to be the President, so I can show you how your money's spent

2008-01-09T22:28:00.000-06:00

You Should Probably Vote for Ron Paul

You agree with Ron Paul on most of the major issues. If you haven't looked into him yet, you probably should.

How you agree with Ron Paul:

You and Ron Paul agree that it's time to end the War on Drugs.

You and Ron Paul agree that it's time to repeal the Patriot Act.

You and Ron Paul agree that the IRS should be abolished.

You and Ron Paul agree that the US Constitution has no business defining marriage as "between one man and one woman."

You and Ron Paul agree that the government is too big. It's time to give taxpayers their money back.

How you disagree with Ron Paul:

You and Ron Paul disagree on Iraq. You don't think we should get out as quickly as possible.

Should You Vote for Ron Paul?

I've held off posting anything about this dark horse in the presidential race until after the first primaries. I've been following his campaign since he threw his hat in the ring, and I had read of him a few times through the years. Ron Paul has a large grass-roots following, and he has raised more independent money than most of the candidates (in either party). At this point in time, I plan to vote for him in the Republican primary on Feb. 5. However, there has been a very disconcerting development about his past that was revealed yesterday in The New Republic. More on that later.
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I strongly support a vast majority of his positions. I believe that Dr. Paul is the only candidate for true change. His candidacy is a shake-up to the power establishment that the rest of the candidates support. The U.S. government has continually been stealing the liberty of its citizens, but Congressman Paul has a consistent record of opposition to a ruling elite and support of federalism. The adage that "all politics is local" is true, but the federal government continually defies its own limited authority in spite of the Constitution. The Federalist approach to government is more pragmatic, because populism is susceptible to corruption (as witnessed everyday inside the Beltway).

The significant positions of his to which I disagree are immigration and the Iraq/Afghanistan wars. I believe an "open borders" approach to immigration is more in-line with American values and a profitable economy. I think "closed borders" has more to do with xenophobia than security (considering security risk is very low). In hindsight, I admit the justification and process for the Iraq War was misleading, and the war itself was severely mismanaged (if not criminal). But, I believe the U.S. has a moral and ethical responsibility not to abandon the mess of our own making. That means A LOT of changes in reconstruction management, as well as our foreign policy. Free trade is a remarkable instrument of peace (see Viet Nam). I generally support his non-interventionist foreign policy (which is NOT synonymous with isolationism), but pulling all troops home immediately could likely have as much 'blow-back' as the policies that have brought us to this point. I would think there is a more measured way to pull out of the Middle East without inciting more conflict.

Having previously mentioned xenophobia, I am well aware of the article in The New Republic yesterday attacking Ron Paul regarding bigoted views published in a newsletter bearing his name. At first, he refused to respond to questions regarding the article, which is unfortunate since he is a candidate who promotes transparency in government. Later in the day, he did issue a statement stating he did not write, nor does he support, the controversial views purported in these articles. He also "accepts moral responsibility for not paying closer attention" to what went out under his name. I don't know if that's sufficient, but I'm waiting to find out what else will be discussed.

I don't believe that anyone is perfect, and I certainly don't expect anything less than flaws from presidential candidates. So, I hope mistakes that Paul has made in the past don't overshadow the libertarian message he has been conveying. Bigotry is not accepted in the majority of libertarian circles than it is in mainstream Republican and Democratic circles. Plenty of kooks have hijacked those party platforms for their own distorted views, so these newsletters should not be associated as a fundamental aspect to libertarian philosophy. In fact, these writing are in stark contrast to classic liberalism and Dr. Paul's publicly espoused views.

Almost every pundit I've heard or read has stated that despite the significant support that Ron Paul has generated, he stands little chance and will never be president. They only refer to his campaign as a catalyst for generating stimulating debate over significant issues. I disagree. The fact that he had 10% in Iowa and 9% in New Hampshire shows strong support despite the fact he has very low name recognition across the nation (I think somewhere around 2-3%). He has had strong grass-roots support without much positive mainstream media recognition. It's still early in the campaign, and he has more money and a strong base. Just because his views are outside the "mainstream" does not make his candidacy an automatic failure.

I invite you to learn more about Ron Paul and his candidacy. If you truly want change in our government, then consider what he is saying. Perhaps his platform is supportive of issues important to you. I implore you to vote your conscience, but please don't think that support of his candidacy is a waste of time or the positions are inherently wrong by misguided associations.

Tryin to make a livin' and doin' the best I can

2008-01-06T20:50:00.000-06:00

I've always been a paper maps kind of guy. I enjoy sitting around just reading maps -- even if I'm not going anywhere (it's a genetic trait inherited from my dad). However, my work recently supplied me with a GPS. The system of choice for work is TomTom. I was leary of using it, because I've been with people who have them and don't pay attention to the area. I always enjoy going to a new city and knowing my way around (like New York City). I'm happy to say that after using this around Tulsa my fears have been appeased. Not only was I able to learn the layout of the city and surrounding towns, but I could still navigate on my own when the GPS ultimately sent me to the wrong location. Don't get me wrong, it was very convenient navigating to many of my appointments, but the rural areas need updating and I would have to figure out where I needed to go. The (female) voice telling me when to turn and distance to travel was incredibly convenient when trying to get to unknown places on time. I still miss the overview of a paper map, but the GPS was great in navigating between appointments.

So, my final verdict is GPS is good, but I still like to get around by my internal compass.

UPDATE:

This is just a recent example on the limitations of using a GPS in rural areas. However, I think it also reflects on the limitations of the user. Just because a machine tells you turn where there is not a road is not particularly good judgement.

And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called honah lee

2008-01-06T20:07:00.000-06:00

Here is the Blue Whale of Catoosa. One of my policyholders told me I needed to see this thing, since it's a big tourist attraction. Not too sure what to say about it (the title of this post probably sums up my feelings), but it was an interesting Route 66 attraction to see.

Here are some odds and ends of pics from my time in Oklahoma.

I fell in love with this Jeep farm just south of Bartlesville.

Remember to let her into your heart

2008-01-04T16:46:00.000-06:00

My beloved Aunt Judy passed away last night. She has been the one constant connection with my mom's family for the last 20 years, and a surrogate grandmother. Many of the photos I've posted from southern Illinois recently have been when I've gone to visit her. Her home in Marion was always a stopping point between Nashville and Litchfield, and every afternoon on Christmas Eve we spent with her (until this past since I missed Christmas while working in Oklahoma). Not to mention all the other times I would go see her, because I wanted to.

There's so much more I could say, but she will always have a special place in our hearts and in our family.

They took all the trees, Put em in a tree museum

2008-01-03T09:07:00.000-06:00

In another reprieve after my last appointments, I went up to Bartlesville, OK last Saturday to see the only skyscraper built that Frank Lloyd Wright designed. The Price Tower is 16 floors with a hotel, arts center, and a bar/restaurant. Unfortunately, I missed the last tour for the day, so I didn't see much of the inside beyond the lobby.

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Bartlesville is also the home of Phillips 66, now Conoco Phillips.

So you bought a candle and you lived and you learned

2008-01-03T08:56:00.000-06:00

Marine biologist was never on my list as potential career choices. And this is why...
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This guy is lucky the shark wasn't hungry or aggressive.

Less than one minute old

2008-01-01T07:38:00.000-06:00

Welcome the newest Simpson!

Morgan Jo was born last night at 7:56 PM EST. She weighed 7 lbs. 15.8 oz, and she was 20 1/2 inches long with blonde hair.

Mom and baby are doing fine.

Congratulations to Mike & Karen. She's absolutely beautiful!

UPDATE

Please Note: I am well aware that my niece is not less than a minute old in these photos. The title of the post is a line from "Isn't She Lovely" by Stevie Wonder, just as the titles for all of my posts come from lyrics or song titles. The line is an allusion to his newborn daughter (seeing as Mr. Morris didn't write the song within the first sixty seconds of his daughter's birth). Sometimes a bit of poetic licensing is used.

But a man's got to make his way

2007-12-31T18:55:00.000-06:00

I finished working in Tulsa this morning. I'm back in St. Louis tonight for a (hopefully) low-key New Year's Eve. I hope everyone has a nice and safe New Year's.

It's been an interesting year, and it was as topsy-turvy as most. I don't typically make resolutions, and tonight is no different. I just hope to make good decisions in the future... as opposed to some of the bad ones I've made in the past.

Who am I kidding?

More to come...

Now the cafe's filled with people tellin' lies

2007-12-31T18:40:00.001-06:00

The Cherry Street Market area in Tulsa is similar to the CWE in St. Louis or Hillsboro Village in Nashville.

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Relent to the devil in the cold cold ground

2007-12-31T18:09:00.000-06:00

If you ever decide to visit downtown Tulsa on a Sunday, be prepared to be the ONLY person there. Seriously, I walked 10 blocks before I saw another person walking around.
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It's even a place where impromptu car shows take place in the middle of a downtown street... and nobody cares.

Join the triumph of the skies

2007-12-30T21:42:00.000-06:00

Where is God's money?
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Last Sunday, I took the opportunity to tour Oral Roberts University, here in Tulsa. I had heard the architecture is strange, and it looks like a UFO landed in the middle of campus. I'd say that pretty much sums it up. I'm sure the design was cutting edge back in the 60's, but there is nothing timeless about the buildings.

They are having some trouble on campus these days, but it appears that Oral Roberts himself has arisen to face the allegations for his son.
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-----------------------------"In regards to Oral Roberts' claim that God

------------------------------told him that he would die unless he

------------------------------received $20 million by March, God's

------------------------------lawyers have stated that their client has

------------------------------not spoken with Roberts for several years.

------------------------------Off the record, God has stated that "If I

------------------------------had wanted to ice the little toad, I would

------------------------------have done it a long time ago."

-------------------------------------Dennis Miller, SNL News

Our Favorite Son

2007-12-30T12:43:00.000-06:00

I also worked in the small town of Oologah, OK. Oologah is the birthplace of Will Rogers (everything in this area is dedicated to him). Here are some pics from around Oologah and his home ranch (on the Oologah Reservoir).

Feel what makes him what he is

2007-12-30T11:51:00.000-06:00

I've been working in Claremore, OK for the most part... excuse me, it's Claremore!. It's the hometown of Will Rogers - or one of them communities around here that lays claim to him. But, it is the location of the Will Rogers Memorial. I took an opportunity to check it out one afternoon when I finished my appointments. I didn't know much about the man prior, but he was definitely a renaissance man.

He had a great collection of western art, including some copies of Remingtons.

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To fill the bowl and roll out the barrel, have ourselves a fling

2007-12-24T23:57:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

You say it's yer birthday

2007-12-24T05:27:00.000-06:00

It looked so green and fair, when I built my shanty there

2007-12-24T05:07:00.000-06:00

When I've thought of Oklahoma, I've always imagined pastoral settings. It has turned out just as I imagined, and I've enjoyed working in some small towns around Tulsa. Here are some pics from the area where I've worked in the last few days.

This is what they think of as lawn ornaments down here. The "horse and chicken" have been reference points used by folks when giving directions.

A mistress so impossible, so cruel yet wonderful

2007-12-20T21:09:00.000-06:00

I've been working very long hours, so I haven't had any time to be a tourist, yet. Here are some photos from the ice storm in Tulsa on December 10. There are more photos here, here, here, and here. Some of the ice looks very pretty, but the damage is apparent. Most of the ice was gone by the time I got here, and it was in the 60s today. Some of my policyholders just got power back yesterday.

Thanks to Scott Dunnam for the links.

Have you ever typed a word several times and it suddenly looks very strange? That's how the word "here" looks to me now.

The snow turned into rain...

2007-12-17T21:03:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite singer-songwriters passed away, yesterday. Dan Fogelberg became one of my favorites when I was in college. I remember the first time I heard Same Old Lang Syne on the radio in the car, I called the radio station to find out who sang it. The DJ mistakenly told me it was Gordon Lightfoot, so I was surprised after I bought Lightfoot's Greatest Hits. Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald and Sundown are great songs, but they're not quite the same. Other venerable favorites include Leader of the Band and Run For The Roses (to which I usually listen on the day of the Kentucky Derby ...or any other horse race). I even prefer his version of Rhythm of the Rain.

Fogelberg was originally from Peoria, so I've always held him in special esteem as a fellow native Illinoisan. A woman on the radio this morning, here in Tulsa, was talking about how she grew up in Peoria, and she used to shop at the Kroger where Same Old Lang Syne took place. Six degrees of separation also put one of my college roommate's dad was once Dan Fogelberg's dad's insurance agent. So...

I realize his biggest hits were over 25 years ago, but he continued to be a very popular live act (I missed a chance to see him at the Ryman Auditorium on my birthday in '97). His folk style and lyrics has always made his Greatest Hits album one of my comfort foods of music. I'll miss not getting to see him live, but I still enjoy listening to his music nearly 15 years after discovering it.

Coming home to stay

2007-12-13T23:15:00.000-06:00

My nephew, Matt, has been released from PGN! Kristi should hopefully be able to pick him up the end of next month.

Now, we're just waiting on Addi.

A place where even squares can have a ball

2007-12-13T22:36:00.000-06:00

I've been deployed to Tulsa for work, and I drove down today. I'm staying in Muskogee tonight, and I'll be moving to Tulsa tomorrow. I had an outstanding dinner at Runts BBQ this evening (the original in Muskogee).

(I did not take this picture)
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I'll be working here until the end of the month, and I should be back in St. Louis on the 31st. I'll be working a lot the next couple of weeks (including Christmas Day), so I'll update when possible.

When you feel like the only kid in town without a Christmas tree

2007-12-07T08:32:00.000-06:00

Thanks to Nancy Kay Shapiro.

Why somethin' good can hurt so bad

2007-12-04T08:26:00.000-06:00

I saw this ominous cloud (which resembles Massachusetts) hanging over Forest Park a few months ago.
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Then the Red Sox won the World Series, and now the Pats are robbing the NFL and '72 Dolphins with their cheating ways. I've never set foot in that town, but I'm now sick of Boston and hate their sports teams. I'm rooting for anyone to beat the Patriots. I don't care who (I was actually cheering for Ray Lewis last night?!), so long as they can humble Brady and Belichik (which I realize is a mighty feat).
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I hope the Celtics and Bruins continue their losing ways.

In llama-land, there is a one-man band

2007-12-03T19:15:00.000-06:00

View from the airport on our way home, yesterday.

Mi sobrino y mi sobrina

2007-12-01T23:04:00.000-06:00

Matt
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Addi

Rusty old floorboards

2007-12-01T22:53:00.000-06:00

Now, if there was ever a reason for Guatemala to join the Hague Convention and the International Criminal Court...

This kind of neglect is downright criminal. I think I'm going to try and adopt.

I'd Like To Buy The World A Coke

2007-12-01T21:38:00.001-06:00

This is the night light outside our window.

The Pepsi sign is attached to a Schlotzsky's.

But, at least we were still "in the neighborhood." (As well as with TGI Friday's, McDonald's, Burger King, Montana Steakhouse, and an Irish pub).

However, the restaurant next door to our hotel is supposed to be one of the best in Guatemala City (according to Wikipedia travel). Her unibrow leaves no question for whom the restaurant is named.
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Unfortunately, we stuck with room service for our stay -- much to Cousin Kim's chagrin. A cheeseburger is not the same everywhere. However, the guacamole was FAN-TASTIC!

Summer in the (Guatemala) City

2007-12-01T21:14:00.000-06:00

Zona Viva!

2007-12-01T14:22:00.000-06:00

I'm in Guatemala City this weekend visiting my niece and nephew. While everyone was napping, I took a stroll around the neighborhood to see a little more of the city. It's definitely a much nicer area than where we stayed this past summer (this is what I refer to as the Green Zone). Every street vendor I saw chased me down, as I apparently stood out among the crowd. However, I decided it was best to head back to the hotel after a girl tried to run me down while I crossed the street.
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Guatemala City is not known for the architecture, and some of these examples are evident.
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I have a few more pictures to post later.

"Don't yield to the fortunes...

2007-11-12T06:47:00.000-06:00

...you sometimes see as fate"

Today is x in this equation. Everything else is for me to find out.

Not quite the biggest hole on Earth.

2007-10-26T16:42:00.000-05:00

If you're getting tired of all the southern Illinois pics, this will probably be my last posting from there for a while. I discovered the Little Grand Canyon near Murphysboro, IL last spring after a day on the Great River Road. I went back to do some exploring, but I, admittedly, was spooked by a cave in a canyon wall (pictured below).

Last Sunday, I was able convince one of my buddies to be cougar bait and go explore the canyon floor with me (you don't have to be faster than the mountain lion - only faster than the person you're with). It turned out to be a lot of fun, and I hope to return again soon to climb and see more. These pictures really do lack in capturing the park, so I highly suggest visiting if you take the opportunity.

Bridge Over Troubled Highway

2007-10-26T16:04:00.000-05:00

It may not make much difference to anyone outside of Dogtown in St. Louis, but last Saturday the Tamm Bridge reopened. This is the most convenient and safest access to Forest Park from where I've been living. They blew up the last bridge at midnight while I was working in NYC this past spring. It seems like a nice bridge, as far as bridges go. One of my roommates and I went down to the festival for the reopening. As soon as we got there a middle school group started performing Grease songs, so we decided we needed to leave (plus, we were misled about there being free hot dogs).

The snake head at Turtle Park mysteriously disappeared before the bridge demolition. The artist (who lives in Dogtown) created a new head that comes up to the bridge. Speculation has been that he stole it himself.

If you like my body..

2007-10-19T11:10:00.000-05:00

You're probably not going to find this sexy. Bodyworlds 3 is opening today at the St. Louis Science Center. There has been quite a bit of controversy about these exhibits, but I may still find myself wandering around this exhibit in the next few weeks.

I went to a competing exhibit (Bodies: The Exhibition) while I was in New York City this past Spring, but it's run by a different exhibition company. While I was leery of going to something this lurid, I figured it could be really interesting and educational. I won't ever recommend for anyone to go to one of these shows, but I did find my experience to be very interesting. I won't say that I enjoyed it, but I am glad I went. There were definitely some disturbing parts of the show, but at the end of the exhibit I had the opportunity to hold a human heart and brain. The heart didn't bother me as much as holding the brain, for some reason. The preservation of the bodies and the various organs and body parts in different states of health was incredible to see.

Bodyworlds 3 appears to be much more sensationalist in its presentation of the bodies than the Bodies exhibit. I find that part to be disconcerting, but my curiosity ususally gets the best of me.

So, if you're interested, the opportunity to see this is now in St. Louis. I believe my sister, Jennifer, wants to come down and see it -- but being a nurse I suppose the macabre doesn't bother her (the same girl who wanted to practice her phlebotomy skills on me).

Still a rollin'

2007-10-15T11:03:00.000-05:00

It was a beautiful Indian summer day, yesterday. So, I made a trip to the Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois, and I finally made my first visit to Garden of the Gods (any trip before I was 5 doesn't count, Dad). I passed through Harrisburg, which was my mom's hometown. I think it'd been 25 years since I had been over there, and I was surprised to find out that Harrisburg has a larger population than Litchfield. I'll have to look around more the next time I pass through.

Here are a few pictures from Garden of the Gods. It's the 10th most popular location in the U.S. to photograph sandstone cliffs (...way to narrow it down to get into the top 10). And yes, I made a few jumps across the rocks.

I finally fulfilled a lifelong dream of visiting Simpson, IL. This is about it for the place and all 56 people who live there.

As most of you know, I like taking the scenic routes, and the road between Karber's Ridge and Elizabethtown is a great place to get lost. I'm going to have to go back and take a drive along the Ohio National Scenic By-way. There's still a lot more to see down there.

URGENT NOTICE!

2007-10-04T20:53:00.001-05:00

Please see the latest post on my sister's blog. The timetable to contact your senators and congressman has been moved up to: now. New legislation apparently has been passed in Guatemala, and the Joint Council on International Children’s Services is advising to contact as suggested by tomorrow, October 5. There is still need to add a grandfather clause for existing adoptive families. The U.S. State Department is considering getting involved. I think it would be a measure of good faith on the part of the Guatemalan government before final passage of the bill. Thank you for your help.

*****UPDATE*****

I placed calls this morning (10/5) to Sen. Barack Obama's Washington office (202-224-2854), Sen. Dick Durbin's Springfield office (217-492-4062), and Rep. John Shimkus' Washington office (202-225-5271). Blaire at Obama's office was somewhat helpful. She didn't seem too aware of the issue, and I may not have explained it that well. The lady at Durbin's office (I didn't get her name) was very helpful and understanding (the Washington line was busy and recording suggested to call back). She stated they have a staffer working on this issue. Scott at Shimkus' office was not familiar with the newest developments, and he offered for the congressman to return his thoughts in writing. I explained the pressing deadline, and he seemed disaffected of the urgency (I'll reserve my already held notions of Shimkus at this time -- actually, that applies to all three).
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I called UNICEF (212-326-7000) and was transferred to the voice mail for Kate(?) Donovan. She is in media relations, and she is out of the office until Wednesday. The recording stated if you are calling regarding Guatemalan adoptions to fax a letter to: 212-326-7518 or 212-326-7768 (different fax numbers than provided by JCICS).

MOBOT

2007-10-04T20:11:00.000-05:00

I made a short trip to the Missouri Botanical Garden this afternoon. You can't beat free (the nice lady just let me go). I hadn't been here since I was a little kid. No sign of the giant goldfish that I remembered, but the water in the lagoon is really murky.

Killer Clydesdales

2007-10-04T19:28:00.000-05:00

I took a ride along Grant's Trail today, which really has nothing to do with Ulysses S. Grant other than it goes past his old farmstead. Now, I think the Busch's live around there. The trail itself was okay (about 18 miles round trip), but there are too many intersections for a consistent ride. The trail goes past the Budweiser stables (you can't miss the sign) where the Budweiser Clydesdales are bred and raised.
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I can understand why they need to post this sign along the fenceline.

Yes, the ponies are cute.

Or are they? Did you know that Anheuser-Busch is developing a vicious breed of Clydesdales?

Seriously? I've never considered a horse to be a dangerous animal. I don't even know of rodeo broncos biting, and they have the most legitimate excuse. I'll just assume they're trying to scare stupid people from getting near the horses.

Kentucky No-Fly Zone

2007-10-03T11:41:00.001-05:00

Update: This is just a note to clarify that I took this photo on I-24 as I was passing through the stretches of Kentucky last Friday (9/28). I thought it was an interesting sight to share.

Radnor Lake

2007-10-03T11:22:00.000-05:00

I spent a couple nights in Nashville on may way back from Jacksonville, last week. I always enjoy visiting my good friends Scott & Natalie, and their son, Ford. Although I haven't lived there in 9 years, Nashville has always been a second home to me, and they have always extended me an open invitation (which could be questionable on their part).

I did take the time on Thursday to visit one of my favorite places in Middle Tennessee, Radnor Lake State Natural Area. These aren't the best pics, but I really didn't have the opportunity to catch the best light.

Have I ever mentioned my fear of deer ? (rhyme not intentional)

They're big, dumb, and spook easily. Throw in this guy's antlers and it could make for a gorey situation. However, the deer at Radnor have always been fairly friendly. There was one time I walked by one on a trail, and I could have slapped him on the rump as I past.

This next photo is the last time I saw the sun until the end of my hike.

I hadn't made it half way across this dam when it started raining. It soon turned into a torrential downpour that I couldn't see more than 10 feet ahead of me. I had to walk over a mile back to my car, and needless to say I was soaked ALL the way through. Chafing was a potential concern by the time I got to the parking lot. Of course, the rain totally stopped once I got to the lot. Thankfully, I had a complete change of clothes in the car, and the visitor's center provided the paper towels to dry off. It did take 3 days for my shoes to dry.

Radnor has a lot of great nature programs. I once took a moonlight canoe float around the lake, and apparently they have some cave programs, too. It's also a popular place for bird-watchers. They charged a user fee a few years ago, but they've gone back to being completely free. The park has various levels of difficulty for the trails, with the two most rigorous completing a 4.5 mile loop around the lake. Otter Creek Road and the Lake Trail are the easiest on the immediate edges of the lake.

Guatemala 5000

2007-10-02T11:06:00.000-05:00

As many of you know, my sister, Kristi, is adopting two babies from Guatemala. I went down there with her the first week of August to visit them for the first time, and you can see the updates from her blog (link also posted in the upper left in Favorites). The government in Guatemala is halting all international adoptions from non-Hague countries beginning January 1, 2008. The U.S. apparently will not be Hague compliant until later in the Spring (I think it may have to do with issues with the International Criminal Court).

Kristi has posted instructions on how to help. Hopefully, she will be able to get both of the kids out of PGN before the end of the year, however if there are any delays she could potentially lose either of them. Even once the U.S. becomes compliant, Guatemala will no longer be approving adoptions from single parents.

This affects 5,000 Guatemalan children and their adoptive families. The Joint Council on International Children’s Services is organizing a concentrated effort on October 9, 10, & 11 as stated here.

I'll probably post a reminder on the 9th. Thank you to all who help.

Still flying high

2007-10-01T22:38:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to my brother, Mike. After serving for a few years as a RIO in an F-14 Tomcat, he has received orders that he will begin training as a WSO in the F-18 Super Hornet (pictured above) beginning in November. He and Karen are happy they will be staying in Norfolk, and Mike gets to return to flying again.

Mike used to say that no matter who he talks to he knows he has a cooler job than they do. Brother, I think you can probably make that claim again. I'd love to take a ride, and I'm looking forward to new videos.

Skip to the Lou

2007-10-01T10:10:00.000-05:00

I'm back in the Lou. Actually, I got back on Friday afternoon, but then I left again for a quick road-trip near Chicago. Thanks to Tim & Jen for their 3rd Annual Octoberfest -- sorry I fell asleep. I was on my way to their 2nd Annual Octoberfest last year when I was deployed to Buffalo.

I've been told that I haven't posted in a while, but I do have a few new posts in the queue coming this week.

I want to wish a Happy 40th to Cousin Kim, today. You don't look a day over 39.

I'm looking forward to "not doing anything" for the next week, but then I'm sure I'll get restless and want to get out of town. Athough, I believe a stop at Rigazzi's for toasted ravioli and a fishbowl Michelob will need to be arranged soon.

I'm looking forward to heading down to Litte Egypt with the top off the Jeep while I still have some warm weather left. Three months in Florida, and I couldn't even enjoy my pride and joy (admittedly, I have a small love affair with my truck). Speaking of which, I'd like to give credit to my parents last night for taking a ride in my ride. My mom apparently does not do well with stick shifts, and my dad had to ride in the back seat. Although, this Jeep is a much nicer ride than my first, I can't imagine it was too comfortable for them. Of course, my dad hit his head on the roll-bar trying to crawl out. It was also an extremely windy day in central Illinois, and a box on wheels is not particularly aerodynamic. I did put the top back on before they got in.

Side note to my family: I did stop in Marion to visit with Aunt Judy on the way back on Friday. I played Bingo with her and several other ladies for about a half hour. She seemed to be doing better than the last couple times I've seen her, and she's still a spitfire to everyone around.

Sweet Release

2007-09-23T08:12:00.000-05:00

As many of you know, I've spent the last three months working in Jacksonville, FL (except for a brief vacation out of the country). I'm getting released from this assignment this week, and I'll be home at the end of the week.

I'm tired, and I'm ready.

Do you like Pina Coladas?

2007-09-18T06:57:00.000-05:00

Haven't we heard this story before -- about 30 years ago?

At least, there was a happy ending in the song. I think the fact they each felt betrayed by the other is ironic and funny. They apparently think the same way, so maybe they are soulmates (if you believe in that sort of thing).

Hat tip: The Agitator.

Gator Dan's got nothing on me.

2007-09-16T17:09:00.000-05:00

I took a bike ride today (a little over 33 miles) on the Jacksonville-Baldwin Trail. It's part of a Rails to Trails program here. It's a nice bike path. I was hoping to see some 'gators roaming around, but I didn't see any.

The following pics are from a nature preserve at the University of North Florida campus. This is right by my hotel in Jacksonville. There are several trails around here, and there are a lot of wildlife roaming around.

Now, I finally get to see a wild gator swimming and hanging around. The sign said "Don't Feed The Gators," but there were some people throwing bread crumbs and fishing lines at him and the turtles. I didn't get too close, but the opportunity was there for him to approach anyone.

Bullet Points

2007-09-15T08:58:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, it's the little things that I truly enjoy. I noticed it as I was reading the question, but I'm really glad he pointed it out in his response:

Q: Don't feel too comfortable with the Moss Era. Remember, in '05, Moss's first game for the Raiders, he blew past your boys, too. Moss is (a) as brittle as an 80-year-old women with osteoperosis, (2) as moody as a 50-year-old woman in menopause and (d) as devoted as a Christina Ricci's character in "Black Snake Moan." So he encompasses all ages of womanhood. Brady might be a "leader", but so was Cris Carter, Art Shell, Warren Sapp, etc., and they couldn't keep him in check. Prediction: Moss will be on IR by Week 8, and you guys will still compete with Brady throwing to your shady sideline camera men as receivers. And the country will still hate all-things annoying and Boston. -- Nema, San Fran

SG: Believe me, I will never be comfortable with Moss. My guard couldn't be more up. By the way, I loved the fact that Nema used "a," "2" and "d" as the headers for his three reasons. Nobody ever said my readers were brain surgeons.

For some reason, that was enough to make me laugh for about 10 minutes this morning.

Fort Clinch State Park

2007-09-14T08:59:00.000-05:00

This is at Fort Clinch State Park on Amelia Island, FL.

I have no idea what this is, but I thought it was interesting. It goes under the pier I was on and, at least, quite some way into the water below the surface. It doesn't appear to go anywhere above land. I don't remember seeing it last year when I was on the same pier.

Fort Clinch State Park is a great place to visit. The fort itself is a lot of fun, and I really enjoyed both times I went last year (pics below). I'm still expecting to come across some wild 'gators running around, though.