Ethan doing pushups...

Yehaw!

I think I've checked the UPS website about 40 times in the last week. Becky and I finally purchased a digitial camera. We realized that the only pictures we have from the last few years are those that have been forwarded to us from friends. So last Wednesday we took the plunge. Got a great deal on a camera on Ebay. I felt a little axious about going that route, but the guy had 99.9% positive feedback and over 7,000 transactions, so I was reassured.

So it takes 7 days for a package from New York to reach Beaverton via UPS ground. That's a long time...thus the multiple visits to the UPS tracking website. By the way, I now hate Hodgkins, Ilinois. That was the name of the town that last saw my camera before it arrived in Portland this morning at 4 am. For the last 5 days all the website told me was "Departure Scan: Hodgkins, IL, 1:33pm, Aug 25." I'm going to cancel my vacation to Hodgkins.

So now I'm sitting here...waiting the 90 minutes for the battery to charge. Then I'll try to sneak a little pic up here for your viewing pleasure!

Woohoo! Stay tuned!

PB

It's customary after I ride my bike to work for me to take a shower. I feel it's a good thing for me and for my coworkers. Normally, the gym and locker-room are quite empty when I arrive. Today - different story. As soon as I entered the doors, I saw a hundred people milling around the lobby speaking in a language that I didn't understand. Luckily, "excuse me" works pretty well accross language borders when you've got a flashing headlight and you point to where you want to go. After I navigated the sea of foreigners, I headed for the locker-room. Before I could get undressed (halfway actually...), "scuze me...you work dis?" A short European man points to his combination lock. I tried to explain the turn to the right to clear the lock - clockwise to the first number - counterclockwise past the first number to the second number - and clockwise directly to the third. The last number was 31 and I had my thumb over the 1, so I went to three and it didn't work. Great teacher. So I explained it again, but they guy looked at me blankly.

The lock was open, anyway, so I handed it to him and told him to keep the little piece of paper with the combination on it. Good luck buddy!

A few more guys (in various stages of undress) acosted me on the way to the shower (now fully undressed - with a towel, thank you) and asked for assistance. After the shower, I came back to my locker and saw little groups of 3 showing each other how to work the little machine. I'd like to think I inspired that learning. You know...like a candle light session? One lights the other and so on....

One more naked man asked me how to work the lock, and after I showed him, I asked where he was from. "The Netherlands," he said.
"But we are all European's...from all around. We are here for the Hood to Coast race. This morning we have a...how do you call it [yes he really said that]...wake up run."

I said...that's not how I call it...but good for you. No that's not what I said.

Now I'm at my desk.

Interesting morning.

PB

Inspired by Jim and Eric, I've recapped the year in blogs. Except...I don't have any fancy titles, so I had to go back and read them all. Yikes

Cliché beginning
¼ of the Timberline Trail – 6 hours
Resulting sunburn and Ned Devine
Rush Hour
Nyquil Hangover
80 (8 over par)
Body “sculpting”
“Thank You”
Golf with Jim’s friends
Biking to work with Eric
REI gear sale
Carson head fake and LOST at the Marr’s
Carson MICHAEL
Pjaks and Third Day
LOST season premier letdown
Timberline replacement plans
Golfing on a bad knee
Blue Screen of Death
Sasquatch
Freaky toe tendon
Oh sweet…Beans / free golf
REI Gear Kharma
Sleep
White Jimmy Hendrix
Getting ready to Ski
My friends the Posenjaks
Meekness
Foosball!
Maximus the merciful
Harry Potter w/Steph
Death to Anna Lucia (hopeful)
Florence with Becky and Turk and JD
Jim is better at basketball video games
Canned Food = Lift Ticket
Half-Life 2
Skiing 2-for-1
Make up the Etymology
Shower surround / Cooper Spur / My Cuz
Digging for lost gloves
Part 1 – Cooper Spur recap
Part 2 – Cooper Spur recap
Part 3 – Cooper Spur recap (including Charburger)
Intramural Basketball
Speculating on the gender of baby Marr
Prepping for the Oregon Cycle
Recapping the Oregon Cycle
Friday afternoon BBQ
Coca Cola Zero
Thankful for…
Golf Rain Gear
LOST season 2 recap
Golf…again
Appendix to Roy’s “Great Sunrises”
Tiger does really bad
I want to be writer
Father and Son in Alaska
Irritation Avoidance Glasses
Alaska in Photos

PB

How about some pics...

Safety glasses.

It seems on every power tool there is a little warning sticker that says, "do not operate without adequate eye protection." That's good advice. But I think they should be called Safety / Irritation Avoidance glasses. Last night, I was trimming the arborvitae in front of our complex. I felt very domestic. After I had sheared off the bulk of the overgrowth, I went back to fine tune the job. Then these little dusty fibers of foliage came raining down on my face. I was not wearing my Irritation Avoidance glasses, so I got a bunch in my eye. Then I was irritated.

But all is well today. Hopefully now the garbage man can see down the street when he pulls out.

PB