Thursday, August 31, 2006

Sunflowers




My neighbours keep playing ice cream truck music on a keyboard. It has been like this for two days now.

Friday, August 25, 2006

Ride for Ruth

Photo: Sorry, It is a little blurry. SLR camera + Biking + middle of busy chicago road = HARD


This past weekend, three of my friends and I biked 70 miles North from East Lansing, MI to Alma, MI. The ride was dedicated to Ruth, who passed away recently at the age of 89. Until two days before her death she was riding her bike. In her memory, her granddaughter organized this ride.
Six hours after our departure we arrived at our destination to sleep the night in a little motel. The next day, we rode fifteen more miles to meet the whole family at their farm. Everyone had their helmets on and were wearing the same shirts with Ride for Ruth across their chest.
People have unique ways of remembering things. Some people sit at a coffee shop and sip on an espresso to recall something they don't want to let go, while others would rather talk to a loved one about their memories. Ruth's granddaughter chose to take three good friends on this ride. There is something about the perpetual motion of biking that it takes you to a trance-like state. After about twenty or thirty minutes you thoughts started flowing.

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Gingeraid


A perfect drink for the hot summer sun

INGREDIENTS:
2 (12 fluid ounce) cans or bottles ginger ale
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups prepared lemonade
2 cups ice


In a large punch bowl, combine the ginger ale, sugar, lemonade and ice. Stir to blend well and serve


VIA drink.allrecipes

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

Fly Away

PHOTO: Pigeons in Turkey. 2006


I heard on NPR this morning that in Lebanon 98% of the casualties have
been civilians. Also, more children have died in this war than
soldiers fighting in the war.On top of it all, Israel is still pushing for more

BBC article

"Nearly 1,000 people, most of them civilians, have been killed in the
conflict, the Lebanese government has said. More than 100 Israelis,
most of them soldiers, have also been killed."

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Smelly Dog or 007?

Photo: My nephew

Most parents put a lot of thought into naming their children. I met a lady today and her daughters were named Passion, Precious, Princess, and Pierre. As a child grows up they realize their assigned name and move through life usually without much protest. This concept always makes me wonder if we really like our names or are they just another part of life we learn to accept. Not to compare having kids with owning gerbils but, when I first got my gerbils I had a lot of trouble trying to give them a name. How was I to know if the gerbils would like me calling them by a weird human name. For about a month to satisfy my friends inquiries I told people they were called "1 and 2". As time went on, I got beyond this phase and started calling them Boris and Yeltsin .
My friend recently mailed me an article on BBC's website discussing Malaysia's recently publication discussing undesirable names. Apparently, this list was published after many Malaysian's applied to change there names. Names like "Hitler, Smelly Dog, or 007" made it on this list.

Sitemeter