Winter Sports

I went snowboarding for the third time today. Until this winter I had never been skiing or snowboarding. The other winter I did some snowshoeing in Colorado, which I enjoyed quite a bit. The only place to snowboard around St. Louis is at Hidden Valley, which is only about thirty minutes away.

The first time I took a lesson with Landon and Levi Weuthrich after Christmas. I had a bad fall on my back near the end of the session; I was sore for about two weeks. I am spending a lot less time falling over, and starting to try some of the the blue trails. I am glad to have something to do in the winter other then ice skating. Now that it has been a few hours, I am really starting to feel the muscles that are not as in shape.

Profile Pics

I am back safe in STL, and the jetlag is wearing off.

I found this analysis of profile pictures interesting, and reviewed mine with an eye toward the data. Before some of the data depresses you, check out the graph titled "Chance a Meeting Leads To An Actual Conversation." It is reassuring that doing interesting things will lead to a more in depth discussion. Also, news flash, people really are not interested in pictures of you drinking.

LAX: 5 A.M.

It is just way too early, or too late to be at LAX.  We had a fast flight because of a tail wind.  LA is just soaking because it is the two weeks of torrential rain that falls here every year.  I will be glad to sleep in my own bed tonight, whenever that may be.

I was at : 599 World Way, Los Angeles, CA 90045,

Oahu

We are on Oahu for 12 hours.  The drive up to the Polynesian Cultural Center is breathtaking.  We had a very pleasant day learning about the Pacific islands.  I am not looking forward to the long flight home.

I was at : 55 Hawaii 83, Laie, HI 96762,

Zipline

Dad and I went a zipline tour yesterday with Skyline Eco-Adventures up on the slopes of Haleakala among the eucalyptus trees. It was a new experience, that I was glad to try. I would enjoy going again, but do not plan on going out of my way to go again. We did 5 lines, and a suspension bridge over this large gulch. The last line was the big one with a drop of about 100 feet and we got going over 40 mph.

Midweek

We went snorkling at Kapalua Bay up north this morning.  No drama, just lots of fish.  It looks like I won't go windsurfing this trip.  That is a disappointment, but I needed to plan better.  I am not in shape to go, and am not sure I would have a great time.  A van to transport the gear is also a must.  If I want to maintain the sport I need to get a roof rack for my car.  A smaller board would not hurt either.

I was at : Honoapiilani Hwy, Wailuku, HI 96793,

Whale Watching

We took a tour this morning with the Pacific Whale Foundation to see some humpback whales. I have enjoyed trips like this in the past, but it is usually just seeing them spout. Today though we got a good view of some courting behavior with a group of about 12 whales. It was amazing to see many head lunges out of the water, and quite a few good fluke dives. The group were visible from far away. As we got close they kept changing directions and circled around the boat. I was able to get a few videos using my phone, but it is hard to get really good shots. I needed some more camera savvy members of the family along with a good SLR.





I was able to upload the videos directly from the Droid, but it would only let me do it when I was connected to a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Penguins at the Haytt

The Maui Haytt has a group of penguins in the lobby.  The lobby is open with a sweeping view of the ocean.

From Drop Box

I was at : 1221 Honoapiilani Hwy, Lahaina, HI 96761,

Room With A View

Here is the view from our room at the Westin Villas on Maui.

Whale Song

The whales are at Hawaii in full force. When snorkling a quick dive reveals the whine and moo of the humpbacks. I love to just swim and listen to the ocean, whales, and my own breathing. There is such a peace when in the water.

That peace came to an abrupt end when I reached the beach. Mom was there, and Dad was nowhere in sight. I ran up and down the beach, and we eventually brought in hotel security. After half an hour, Dad swims back in and starts walking up the beach. We thank the paramedics as they interview us. He had taken a long swim south without talking to us. I am sure Mom will tell the story on Loren's Saga which is linked to on the right.

The City of Angels

If you fly into LA from the north, you pass Malibu then Santa Monica then land. Flying in from the east allows you to see just how vast this city is. The houses stretch for mile after mile, only stopped by the mountains.

I love flying over the west. The canyons, plains, mountains, and dirt roads. I don't have a desire to live in the middle of nowhere, but it is beautiful. Now I am in LAX. Nothing to see but the infinate blue from here to OGG (Maui).

Adam Savage on Failure

For a TV has some engaging videos. I enjoy the Mythbusters (it was also neat seeing the locations when I was in the Bay area. The link below is Adam Savage talking about some of the failures he has had, and what we can learn from such events. It is a little long. I am posting this from my Droid, which is very useful.

http://fora.tv/2009/05/30/MythBuster_Adam_Savages_Colossal_Failures

Planting Evidence

The best part of this story is what happened to the poor guy that had the plastic explosives planted in his luggage. The TSA would have been even more reactionary then the Irish.

You know you are a science geek when...

You are yelling at the Wall Street Journal that the surface of the moon is covered with regolith, not dirt or soil as the article keeps saying.

edit: On reading the Wikipedia entry, apparently "standard usage among lunar scientists is to ignore that distinction" between soil and regolith.

Eating Rocks and Other Past Times

I recently finished reading Salt: A World History, and really enjoyed it. Mark Kurlansky covers a huge amount of time all over the world with sequences and vignettes about salt, its production, and use. I have been on a history kick recently, and it really is amazing just how so much of what we take for granted every day has such an important history of how it got that way.

I also finished Barbarians at the Gate: The Fall of RJR Nabisco, which I had slowly gotten through over about a year. It is espicially interesting with regards to the recent Wall Street turmoil, because so many of the companies were involved then, as now. Some of them did not survive the current events.

I am also facinated by the great raconteur Eric Larson. I read Issac's storm, which was good, but not nearly as engrossing as his other two recent works. The Devil in the White City and Thunderstruck both give such an incredibly vivid description of the times and places they are in. He really brings forth the people and places, and I just enjoy that look at history.

This post is number 200. My interest in blogging ebbs and flows, I hope to keep it up, even if I am the main reader.

Up the River

The last two weekends I headed up to the Quincy, IL area to go to church and visit some friends. Two weekends ago, I went up for a Friday night singing. I got in some golf on Saturday, and visited the Quincy Museum that afternoon. Roy and Donna Grimm were kind enough to take me in for a few nights.

Last weekend was the Father and Son camp out at Mark Twain Lake west of Hannibal. Dad and I headed up after work and stayed in a hotel. We were able to spend the evening and morning sitting around talking. We brought our fishing equipment, but didn't get to use it.

Creve Coeur Lake

I headed out to Creve Coeur Lake for a few hours of windsurfing. It really is a great park to visit, and many locals make use of it. I always enjoy sailing, walking, riding, or disc golfing around the lake. Mom and Dad came out and ejoyed the perfect weather on the beach.

The Bard

Last weekend we had about 40 volunteers down to reshingle the roof at church, and we got it all done. Not having to reschedule that again is a blessing.

Last night was busy at Forest Park, with the Heritage Festival, the beautiful weather, and Shakespeare in the park. After eating dinner with Dad, I headed down to watch The Merry Wives of Windsor with some friends. I don't believe that I had ever seen a Shakespeare comedy, and it is nice to know that comedy has not changed since 1602.

Running Shoes

I found this article from the Daily Mail revealing. It turns out that expensive running shoes actually increase risk of injury. I of course like articles that confirm my preconceived notions and reaffirm my purchase of a pair of Five Fingers. I do have to say that I find the writers style lacking. His bombastic statements turn me off.

Spring Rain

I took a walk around the block this afternoon after a bit of rain. The trees are flowering and the rain really brought out the smell. It has been a long winter, and I will enjoy the spring while it lasts.