This yesterday ... jp and I were hosted at grawk manor for lunch and samplings from Dan's brewhouse. Beautiful place high on a hill overlooking rolling corn and soybean fields bordered by forest in Glen Rock, PA. First up was a grawk lemon witbeer - delicious. That followed by tastings of Alaskan Amber and a light, continuously hopped, ipa - also excellent. Lunch of fresh sweet corn and home made salsa with just the correct heat. Then Dan's youngest son kicked my ass in air hockey ("my mom's better that you") 5-1. I got a case of ipa and a six of amber to go to complete a transaction from last winter - that should slake my thirst for a while.

Great to see jp again, and thanks to Dan, Sussana (sp?), and 4 kids for a lovely visit. I look forward to seeing them at a hockey game on the return trip in Oct.

My fingers are crossed for the best outcome Naaman.

I'll say try to keep a good attitude, but I know mine would be quite pissy.

Damn that sucks Naaman! Hoping for the best.

I think we are going to see if we can reschedule the c-section, just hope she doesn't decide to come early. Due date is the 16th so it will be close.

Good luck Naaman. Hopefully everything will work out well for you and your family.

Steve, I hope that a vet can help with your dog's vision. However, with your help I'm sure he'll do fine either way.

Got fingers crossed for Steve, Naaman...

Good luck, Naaman!

Had a short, pleasant lunch with Carl, his very nice wife Bonnie, and Alex in Ft. Lauderdale, and have been sitting here half-assed doing work ever since while watching Top Shot on the History Channel.

I've been hanging out in Three Forks MT since Friday night. Got a chance to party a bit with Todd on Friday night and took him out for a ride in the Atom. He's been on a quick camping trip with his son since Saturday morning, but I'm still parked along the street around the corner from his house.

Just read a book about the Unabomber last week, written as a first hand account by his closest neighbor and friend. So I decided to check out his old haunts yesterday near Lincoln, MT and Stemple Pass since the book is so fresh on my mind and offers many references to the local terrain. Parts of the drive were quite eery and strange. How could such a deranged lunatic have lived at peace with nature in such beautiful mountain valleys for 25 years without being detected? Beware, Ted. I know where you used to live. I can come and get you any time!

went to the animation block party in fort greene to see my friends project.

koreans own animation

Took my mom to Ikea, bought some Not lamps (yes they are!). That took most of the day. Putting them together == about 5 minutes each. I Ikea.

they can keep it. ke ke ke.

I wonder how you can koreanize the simpsons

i bet that was fucking awesome.

You bet. Two days on and I'm still reeling. Bunch of heavy-hitting singers from places like the Welsh National Opera, and a 65 piece orchestra. Tiny stage in a converted barn and an audience of 480. 5th row from the front slap bang in the middle. I estimate that the Valkyries were generating well over 100dB at the beginning of Act 3. Seating was purloined from Covent Garden when they upgraded.

Staggering performance - can hardly wait for Siegfried.

Do a google for the soloists:

Jason Howard: Wotan

Alwyn Mellor: Br

I've attended two complete Ring cycles in Chicago - 1996 and 2005. They are the top musical memories of my life and I hope to attend additional cycles in the future.

I've attended two complete Ring cycles in Chicago - 1996 and 2005. They are the top musical memories of my life and I hope to attend additional cycles in the future.

You are one seriously lucky fella. Seriously envious! When Covent Garden did three complete cycles three years (Imagine Placido Domingo as Siegmund...) ago tickets sold out in an hour.

2005 had James Morris as Wotan and Placido Domingo as Siegmund as well as John Treleaven as Siegfried. I was truthfully in heaven for four nights.

Upgraded my image capture pc from 2 to 4gb RAM and my Mac mini music server at work to 2gb. The Mac mini was interesting.

Geocaching. It's my new thing.

Picked up a GPS on Craigslist for $30 and dragged the kids out.

... The Mac mini was interesting.

I know what you mean, Jim. I've replaced hard drive and memory in a mini, and it's close work.

Well technically last week.....

Right off our balcony in Laguna Beach, very restful and relaxing.

http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/5821/img0670hx.jpg' alt='img0670hx.jpg'>

lots of dolphins and sea lions too.

Edited August 3, 201015 yr by Augsburger

My sister lives in Laguna Beach on St Annes up by the high school.

I visit as often as I can. Love Laguna Beach.

She has a booth at the Sawdust (paintings of waves).

Replaced my %#$@& mailbox after some redneck smashed it. Installed a new screen in mum's front door. This was the third try to get a replacement. Apparently the door company changed specs from 2009 to 2010, and the new screen size is 1 1/4" shorter. Even after explaining this (twice) they managed to send us the wrong size (twice). Third time was the charm. Now having done my "Home Improvement" for the day, it's time for a sip of Scotch, a quick nap and some TMI later.

Voted in our primary election today.

Vacation day 2. Boated more today, and various people tried water skiing although my clever wife (who hasn't been on water skis for 30 years) was the only one to really succeed. More efforts tomorrow. After exhaustion set in, we had a late lunch then BBQ dinner with relatives and friends from around the lake at Peterson Park on Lake Michigan. Good stuff, followed by an evening tubing run in the evening and couldn't shake my son even once although he was airborne and crossed the wakes at wild angles a couple of times.

Here is Peterson Park:

Now hoping that the loft room we are in cools down so I can sleep tonight sooner than last night....

Edited August 4, 201015 yr by Voltron

Visited the Library of Congress which was a truly beautiful building.

Visited the Senate in session - was actually quite interesting.

Went to Avenue Q - ok but not worth the hype in my opinion.