Grenada Slideshow

One of the best things to do when returning from a trip is to review photos. For me, it helps me recapture a bit of the adventure and wonder when it is usually quite needed. (Post-vacation blues is no laughing matter). I went back and forth on whether to do a slideshow set to music or a captioned, proceed-at-your-own-pace slideshow. Since I am too lazy to write clever* captions and all the fancy javascript to go along with the latter option, I opted for the former. I hope you like it. Many thanks to Maggie for letting me pull from her photos in addition to mine. Any really good photo was probably taken by her. Oh, and Sean, the star wipe at the end is just for you. Oh2, and I used Vimeo instead of YouTube this time because YouTube didn't like that I was using copyrighted music for the soundtrack. Alas.

Wednesday January 14 2009

File under: video, travel

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on Wed 14th Jan, 2009 01:38 pm PST steve said: Way cool.I think we need to hire you full time to record our journeys.Went the coolest restaurant last night-Wow ************************ on Thu 15th Jan, 2009 05:07 am PST Sara said: Very nice. Just so you know, it's -16 here, so you're continually making me jealous. :-) ************************ on Thu 15th Jan, 2009 12:37 pm PST maggie said: smiles...big, big smiles! i'm in the library so couldn't enjoy the soundtrack. love that you got a shot of the christmas lights. ************************ on Thu 15th Jan, 2009 05:47 pm PST Go! Turtle said: Ah, star wipe. Why eat hamburger when you can have steak? ************************ on Fri 16th Jan, 2009 11:23 am PST Joe said: looks like ya had a good time wren. cool slideshow. ************************ on Sat 17th Jan, 2009 10:53 am PST Sean said: Removed? No star wipe for me to view, but i do appreciate it none the less. ************************ on Tue 20th Jan, 2009 05:06 pm PST Jule said: Steve and Hope have the right idea. What a great gig! Now to just find some vacation days and get down to see them! ************************ on Tue 27th Jan, 2009 01:42 am PST katie barnes said: ha... awesome. i loved the "sand" man. ;) ************************

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FC 57 - RoShamBo...On a Higher Level

Now that I'm back home it's time to start back up with the Friday comics. I had one all lined up for last week, but I figured no one was going in to work on the Friday after New Year's Day, and since part of the idea behind the comic series is to give cubicle jockeys and others who work behinds computers a chance at a giggle, I thought I would save the comic for this week. I feel obligated to apologize for the funky color pattern stuff in this one. Windows Power Tools image resizer seems to do not nearly as good a job with .gifs as with .jpegs. Alas. (For the hard core large screen high resolution folk, you can view the slightly larger but with better color version here.) (Oh, and Andrew, don't forget about that $11 you owe me from your epic RoShamBo loss on Tuesday. Epic!)

Thursday January 8 2009

File under: comic

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on Fri 09th Jan, 2009 07:57 am PST Saxtor said: I was witness to this fact when you guys were battling it out. I kept thinking "Wow, they keep drawing the same..." ************************ on Fri 09th Jan, 2009 11:08 am PST Joe said: i can picture the sweat beads forming on your foreheads after tying for the 5th time in a row, both of you thinking "oh it's on now" and kinda shifting in your seat to get down to business. ************************ on Fri 09th Jan, 2009 01:25 pm PST gabriella said: I think it's time to commission yer ol hostess with the mostess again ************************ on Sat 10th Jan, 2009 10:57 am PST Andrew said: $11? I thought it was $1,100? ...don't make me start talking about skee-ball. ************************ on Wed 14th Jan, 2009 02:26 pm PST Jenelle said: although i like a good round of RoShamBo every now and again, i can't help but want to play Barack-Paper-Scissors for the next 4 years! Wahoo! ************************

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Racing the Waters

Of the 5 legs of this most recent journey, 4 of them have been effected by mostly weather-related delays. I guess that is part of winter travel. Luckily none of them were catastrophic and one or two of them were even for the best. This last leg, however, was by far the most adventurous. After spending a great 4 days in Portland thanks to friends new and old, I decided it was time to make my way home*. I looked forward to the train ride as a time to wind down and reflect on my trip and how incredible it was*. The weather gods, however, decided that my time on a train was not meant to be. Mud slides between Seattle and Portland had all but canceled all trains out of Portland for the next 3 days. Luckily, my travel mate and I are the unruffle-able types and took it as a adventure. We found a friend who graciously let us borrow his vehicle* and we set off northward. The top of the hour newscast, followed by calls from concerned friends and family, alerted us to what might be our next hurdle: floods were expected to close I-5, and soon. After a discussion of whether to turn back and possible contingency plans, we pressed on. Freeway off ramps were closed as we raced by because everything below the level of the freeway was underwater. We saw police and highway workers getting ready to close down the last open land route between Portland and Seattle. As we looked in the rear-view mirror after passing the worst of it, a call came on the phone announcing that the freeway is now closed. We were among the last 100 cars to get through. While the rest of the ride wasn't totally stress-free (heavy rains and dangerous puddles made for a bit of a white knuckle experience), we were glad when we crossed onto Fidalgo Island safely. Now as I listen to news of road closures, evacuation notices, and river stages I think about 1) the awesome power of Mother Nature 2) that it is good to be reminded that, despite what we want to think, we are still at the mercy of our environment 3) how glad I am to live in a place where the perennial disasters (fire, flood, drought, etc.) have so far avoided and 4) how glad I am to be home safe and sound.

Thursday January 8 2009

File under: travel

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on Thu 08th Jan, 2009 03:18 pm PST Saxtor said: Right there with you, Wren! An adventure indeed! This exit was the "nearly underwater" mentioned above. Definitely a harrowing experience, and despite my stresses as the driver, Wren did a great job keeping me grounded in what an adventure it all was. ************************ on Fri 09th Jan, 2009 11:20 am PST Joe said: wow. glad u guys made it. how exciting! crazy to hear about all the chaos goin on back home with the flooding. this weekends forecast in LA...80. ************************

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Communal Meals

The first thing I'm told when I walk in Andrew's door in Portland is "We've got dinner plans". Not being one to eschew meal plans, I dumped my bags and headed back out into the [relatively] cold northwest weather. Dinner was homemade tamales with lots of extras at a friend's house. Many people gathered together to cook, chat, eat, flirt, and discuss the finer points of converting a client-side database to be server-based. The following two meals the next day were much the same way: food gets cooked, friends descend, fun ensues. Yes, these Portland dwellers do it right*. The idea of coming together for a shared meal is one that warms me to the core. Good people combined with good food: I'm afraid that's a hard one to beat.

Tuesday January 6 2009

File under: travel, food

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on Tue 06th Jan, 2009 01:43 pm PST steve said: Hmmmmmm,sounds like Grenada!! ************************ on Tue 06th Jan, 2009 02:36 pm PST Sean said: Max thinks any type of berry is called schnozzberries when it's on a waffle. He just pointed them out looking at this pic together! ************************ on Tue 06th Jan, 2009 11:52 pm PST Saxtor said: "The schnozzberries taste like schnozzberries!"I've gotta agree, the PDX crew certainly knows how to make a bloke feel like he's part of the PDX crew. ************************ on Fri 09th Jan, 2009 11:00 am PST Joe said: meh. *shrug* they're alright i guess ;-) ************************

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Recognize This House

Do you recognize this house? Here is another view. Not right off? How about if you removed the bushes? Replaced the gravelled front yard with grass? Painted it pinkish yellow? Added a nerdy yet do-goody neighbor? Does it ring a visual bell now? (Here is a visualization). Still not seeing it? Here is your final hint. Back in 1997(ish), a house was built using T.V.'s the Simpson's home as a model. The house was then given away in some crazy promotion. I vaguely remember hearing about the contest back then. Well, on this most recent visit to the Las Vegas area, I sought it out and took my typically nerdy picture. With the change in landscape, paint color, etc. it is hardly worth being a destination in itself, but since I was just out cruising around, it was a good way to kill the time. Plus, it complements my last Las Vegas Simpsons experience well*.

Sunday January 4 2009

File under: travel

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on Mon 05th Jan, 2009 04:22 am PST Dave said: This was a fun blog post. I spent way too much time comparing the real thing versus the, um, real thing. There are at least two missing windows and the roof has issues. ************************ on Mon 05th Jan, 2009 02:29 pm PST Saxtor said: Due to the lack of punctuation in the thread title, I couldn't help but read this as a command, as in Extreme Makeover. ************************ on Mon 05th Jan, 2009 03:18 pm PST Wren said: Saxtor, whoever wrote this ghetto blog software didn't allow for any punctuation except periods and dashes in post titles. That is why I attempted to clarify the meaning in the first sentence. ************************ on Tue 06th Jan, 2009 06:38 am PST HOpe said: Island access - Cay/Quay ************************ on Tue 06th Jan, 2009 02:33 pm PST Sean said: I took it as a command and loved it. You betta recognize! ************************

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Freemont Street Experience

One thing you might not think of when thinking about Las Vegas is free shows. Sure there are pricey cirque d' soleil shows, fancy showgirls shows, and once-in-a-lifetime Bette Midler shows, but there is lots of free entertainment too, if you know where to look: the water show at the Bellagio, the pirate show at Treasure Island, the circus shows at Circus Circus, the animatronic Zeus show at Cesaer's Palace, etc. While each of them have their charm, my vote for best free show in Vegas is the Freemont Street Experience. Freemont Street in downtown* Vegas is a pedistrian mall with older (yet not unfancy) casinos lining it. Covering about 3 blocks of the mall is a giant dome* which, in the evenings, turns into a giant screen displaying what I can only describe as a crazy music video collage. We saw Don McClean's American Pie and one with the music of Queen. If you've been there, you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't, I suggest checking it out. It'll make you feel better about all that money you lost at the roulette wheel.

Friday January 2 2009

File under: travel

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on Fri 02nd Jan, 2009 08:30 am PST per said: that there is the finest barrel vault specimen North America has to offer. Yeah education! ************************ on Tue 27th Jan, 2009 01:44 am PST katie barnes said: i love the picture here! great color... ************************

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New Years Eve in Las Vegas

New Year's Eve in Las Vegas: People everywhere. Streets blocked off. More booze than usual. More lights than usual. Motorcycle stunts. Police keeping tabs on everything. Families gathered to revel together. Fireworks from everywhich direction. All in all, energy abounding: electric, chemical, and human. Or so I heard. I was in bed by 9:30 and hardly stirred when the fireworks went off right outside my hotel. Jet lag coupled with cruisers lag* left me one tired cookie. (Sleeping through the big moment also means I'm up to 11 years on my no kiss at midnight streak. Yes, ladies, that is a challenge.) Anyway, to each of you I send you my hopes for the best possible 2009 ever.

Thursday January 1 2009

File under: travel

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on Fri 02nd Jan, 2009 02:34 am PST Saxtor said: Not only that, but it appears that you get extra "apostrophe's" with your "hat's", "horn's" and "bead's". That's a Vegas-style jackpot if I ever saw one. ************************ on Mon 05th Jan, 2009 02:34 pm PST Saxtor said: Wren asked me to clarify my comment. View the "People everywhere" photo after scoping out some of the samples at this link. Good luck not having an aneurysm. ************************ on Mon 05th Jan, 2009 02:38 pm PST Saxtor said: Oh, and this. ************************

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Juggling n Travelling

A good traveler knows how to pack light. I think I am pretty good about it*. But one thing I've included in my international travel bag of late is four dube airflite juggling clubs. (For those who don't know, juggling clubs aren't small.) But for the joy they bring me and the opportunities they provide, they are totally worth it. First, juggling is a great way to past time on the beach, or a park, or a train station, or anywhere you've got time to kill. But beach juggling is the best. Also, it is a great way to meet locals. They'll see you carrying your clubs around and ask for an impromptu show and then share a smile*. Or sometimes it is a little different connection. Juggling builds bridges. Finally, you never know when a little entertainment will be called for. At the Boxing Day Jam Session, I took along my clubs and gave the gathered cruisers a bit of a show. Good times. Yep, I break a few packing rules by dragging my juggling equipment along, but it is totally worth it. (P.S. This whole post is just an elaborate excuse to post this picture of Joya trying to imitate me by balancing a club on her head. So cute!)

Monday December 29 2008

File under: travel, juggling

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on Mon 29th Dec, 2008 10:21 pm PST Joe said: hehe that's awesome. that pic with the kid doing her imitation of you is really adorable. ************************ on Tue 30th Dec, 2008 12:55 pm PST Hope said: Hey - we saw Joya and her mother at Carib Sushi today - told her about the photo and gave her the web site. She was pretty excited!Great having you here - come back againS&H ************************ on Tue 30th Dec, 2008 04:37 pm PST andrea said: that's one pretty cute kid! she's way more talented than me. ************************ on Wed 31st Dec, 2008 10:07 am PST steve said: Grenada is pretty dull now that Wren has departed the island! ************************ on Sun 04th Jan, 2009 11:19 am PST tanya said: Are you available for birthday parties? Mine is coming up. ************************

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Grenada Hash House Harriers

For the 3 of you out there that know what a hash run/race is*, please bear with me as I explain it to everyone else. Essentially, it is a hike/run/walk guided by temporary markers where misdirected paths are par for the course. In the case of the Grenada hash, the path(s) was through the jungle, along[/through] a stream, under cocoa, banana, nutmeg, and grapefruit trees, and down muddy slopes that sometimes didn't resemble a path at all. I'm so sorry I didn't bring my camera*. When I signed on, I didn't know what I was getting into. I thought it was just a hike through the woods. I figured it would be nice to get to the extreme other side of the country (luckily it is a small country) and have a nice leisurely hike. When I figured out this whole misdirection thing, I planned to lag at the back of the pack and let the hardcores figure out the true path and I'd just tag along. Somehow, however, I got sucked into the competitive spirit of it all and ended up leading for a good chunk of the way, running along tiny paths through the jungle, not really knowing where I was going, shouting to unseen competitors/collaborators about what I've found. I was pointed down a steep hill by a local fellow who I thought was helping me out, but it turns out he was just having a laugh. Climbing back up the hill not only took all my energy*, but left me out of the leading pack. I finished completely exhausted by so pleased with the experience. I'd say about 50 people participated. There were maybe 6 or 8 true locals, double that of ex-pat locals, and the rest being students, cruisers, or otherwise temporary dwellers. The division between first time hashers and veterans was split about 50/50. Unfortunately, the experience ended in such a way that my memory of the event won't reflect the wonderful time I had out on the trails with my fellow hashers. After everyone was through, a hazing ritual was performed on the first timers. Getting the scoop ahead of time what said ritual was, I chose to opt out by making myself scarce. Degradation and disrespect aren't my idea of fun. My choice of opting out wasn't respected and said hazing was directed at me. I reacted instinctively out of anger in a way I'm not proud. It was kind of a fiasco, and left a bad taste in my mouth*. But negative ending experience aside, the hash run is something I look forward to participating in again in the future. But probably not in Grenada. I don't think they would like it if I came back.

Sunday December 28 2008

File under: travel, Grenada

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on Sun 28th Dec, 2008 05:50 pm PST Dave said: Rock on, Wren! Hashing is a great way to see the local landscape.I commiserate with your thoughts on the post-run rituals. Most (in my experience) are good about letting people choose their own level of participation. It's a bummer Grenada isn't one of them. ************************ on Mon 29th Dec, 2008 10:19 pm PST Joe said: wow dude. sounds serious. sorry it was ruined by the end experience...frankly i'd like to hear what happened, maybe sometime over a drink or a game of frolf. ************************

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Friday Non-Comic - Here Vs. There

Anacortes Winter Wonderland (where I'm not): Grenada Winter Wonderland (where I am): Normally I run a comic on Friday, as part of my ongoing Friday Comic Series (you can check out past comics here) but since I find this just as funny (if not funnier), I thought I would go ahead and post it instead.

Thursday December 25 2008

File under: grenada

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on Fri 26th Dec, 2008 09:53 pm PST Mom said: How did you get so far up-beach casually juggling before the timer went off on the camera? Clever. ************************ on Sat 27th Dec, 2008 05:54 pm PST maggie said: ha-larious! ************************

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