tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27723566012490782952024-02-06T23:56:04.414-05:00My Big IndecisionI Have No Idea What I'm Doing!Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14287213530711041025noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772356601249078295.post-9676968501096144712009-03-26T11:52:00.003-04:002009-03-26T12:02:47.523-04:00Can't Miss Fish<span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:lucida grande;font-size:100%;" >This recipe was of course perfected by my friend Lauren, but she is one of those people who keep recipes in their heads. I made it recently for my family and they loved it so much that they requested I write it down for them. Why stop at sharing it there? So I'm posting it.
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<br />I</span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >'ll admit salmon is </span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:lucida grande;font-size:100%;" >not my favorite fish. I rarely order it at restaurants. I guess I got a little snobby and considered it both commonplace and not all that delicious. But certain preparations of salmon wow me, and this one wowed me more than any other I've tried. It's simple and delicious! Try it; you'll like it. Really. And compliment me on my recipe-writing skillz.</span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:lucida grande;font-size:100%;" >
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<br /></span><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link style="font-family: georgia;" rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CBrooke%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype style="font-family: georgia;" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype style="font-family: georgia;" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="State"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">Simple Salmon <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Veracruz</st1:place></st1:state></p><p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">
<br /></st1:place></st1:state></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">2 tbsp olive oil</p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped</p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">2 large cloves garlic, minced</p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">Pinch red pepper flakes</p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">Pinch black pepper</p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">1 cup white wine</p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">2 14-oz cans diced tomatoes (with juice)</p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">¼ cup chopped Spanish green olives</p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">2 tbsp olive juice from the jar (or more/less to taste)</p><p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">4 salmon filets, approximately 2 lbs total
<br /></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">Salt and pepper</p><p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">Heat the oil in a large, deep pan over medium heat.<span style=""> </span>Add the onions and sauté for 1-2 minutes.<span style=""> </span>Add the garlic, red pepper, and black pepper and continue to cook until the onions are translucent (be careful not to burn the garlic).<span style=""> </span>Add the wine and deglaze the pan.<span style=""> </span>Let the wine reduce for 4-5 minutes.<span style=""> </span>Add the tomatoes and cook until tomatoes are warm.<span style=""> </span>Add the olives and the olive juice, reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until ready to eat.<span style=""> </span>(The longer it simmers, the thicker it will become.)</p><p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">Turn on broiler.<span style=""> </span>Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of salmon filets.<span style=""> </span>Broil salmon for 8-10 minutes on high.<span style=""> </span>(Or grill salmon on stovetop or outdoor grill.)</p><p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">Serve salmon with <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Veracruz</st1:place></st1:state> sauce spooned on top. Serves 4.
<br /></p>
<br />Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14287213530711041025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772356601249078295.post-77674531318257322442009-02-27T21:06:00.002-05:002009-02-27T21:08:07.838-05:00It's Time For A Little Post-MortemSo <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3905730">Brett the Jet has hung up his helMET</a>. I can't say I didn't see it coming, and I can't say I was wrong about the whole thing. I'm glad he had a decent season, though, and I wish him the best.Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14287213530711041025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772356601249078295.post-14039965770524944702009-01-13T11:10:00.006-05:002009-01-13T11:26:59.232-05:00NFL Week Whatever: This Blows<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsWulzXhhdeO_TFoERIMVhnHmKQ9QtFEuy24X6GPAZ0OAdD6usRCocYymcP8J9R6qoGUuroU-BYgBagqRgrUksYvVpenpJhfuUpSsaRy3iYAavAcDqIRS5S5yhyphenhypheneQc9AOgolcU4iutvfo/s1600-h/ihasasad.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 249px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsWulzXhhdeO_TFoERIMVhnHmKQ9QtFEuy24X6GPAZ0OAdD6usRCocYymcP8J9R6qoGUuroU-BYgBagqRgrUksYvVpenpJhfuUpSsaRy3iYAavAcDqIRS5S5yhyphenhypheneQc9AOgolcU4iutvfo/s320/ihasasad.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290813796153760738" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Yeah, I used a lolcat photo. So what?</span><br /></div><br />There's no need for me to express my disappointment over the results of the playoffs so far. Normally accurate quarterbacks are throwing more interceptions than Brett Favre (sorry). Normally awesome teams are being beat (Pittsburgh excluded) by mediocre, lucky, hot-streak teams. I have no more words on the NFL this year. If the Cardinals win it all, I don't know what I'll do with myself.<br /><br />In any case, to the relief of at least one of the two people who read this blog, I'm done with the NFL. Until next August.Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14287213530711041025noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772356601249078295.post-22110890908689616912008-12-30T10:28:00.005-05:002008-12-30T10:45:13.633-05:00NFL Week 17: But There Are Only 16 Games!<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhakSCsJIRp4N6PbF9am11eeyWbb0EJWVLHC7Jc8vignx6N5YV4syo5u1WIQscrD5ls8vmRT57mRVQNKKa05McyLhbpNTGpA6eafQMSKomTX99IZb2W6IYBAxzWdFC3OsOAA5puJQEkPuA/s1600-h/chadwhite.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 236px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhakSCsJIRp4N6PbF9am11eeyWbb0EJWVLHC7Jc8vignx6N5YV4syo5u1WIQscrD5ls8vmRT57mRVQNKKa05McyLhbpNTGpA6eafQMSKomTX99IZb2W6IYBAxzWdFC3OsOAA5puJQEkPuA/s320/chadwhite.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285608712347475506" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Oh, HELL yes!<br /></span></div><br />Wow, wow, wow. The playoff picture only became clear at the last minute! I love the suspense! This is the way football was meant to be! The 49ers won more than 5 games! The Dolphins took the AFC East! The Patriots didn't even make the playoffs! It's like the 1980s all over again!<br /><br />I'm sure Brett fans were disappointed on Sunday, but how can you not love Chad Pennington's <a href="http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/ny-spbest295981203dec29,0,2933080.column">story</a>? I couldn't have hoped for a better end to the regular season. Bring on the playoffs.<br /><br />I'm sorry to see it turn out like this for <a href="http://www.nfl.com/players/brettfavre/profile?id=FAV540222">Brett Favre</a>, who had 1 TD and a devastating 3 INTs against the Dolphins. After 16 games, here are the results of the Brett Favre Interception Watch TD/INT Tally:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">INTs: 22</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">TDs: 22</span><br /><br />Complete QB stats for the NFL can be found <a href="http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?tabSeq=1&statisticPositionCategory=QUARTERBACK&season=2008&seasonType=REG">here</a>. Gratuitous shirtless Pennington shot can be found here:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKwDPlnimc11ZW1TV3Z3hGo2aerNcl8-_xP3-LnNZK6QfIhoC-uwmjPYVihoG0qAEJJyu-Dy-SuXHSWYfZbbA7KTz5vmGU5fWECaeVloxsrsTxtSv7RC1P6TFDYLmZR4-7Fi0MADhE_Zs/s1600-h/football+chad+pennington.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 261px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKwDPlnimc11ZW1TV3Z3hGo2aerNcl8-_xP3-LnNZK6QfIhoC-uwmjPYVihoG0qAEJJyu-Dy-SuXHSWYfZbbA7KTz5vmGU5fWECaeVloxsrsTxtSv7RC1P6TFDYLmZR4-7Fi0MADhE_Zs/s320/football+chad+pennington.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285609060554596674" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">They say looking good is the best revenge. But there's something off about this photo.<br /></span></div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14287213530711041025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772356601249078295.post-23242174190896463522008-12-26T12:25:00.003-05:002008-12-26T12:33:36.083-05:00Bad Blogger!Aaaaahhhhh. I missed NFL Weeks 15 and 16, and they weren't fabulous for Brett and the Jets. They pulled off a win against the Bills but lost to -- what?! -- Seattle?! Over those two games Favre had 4 interceptions and only 1 touchdown throw. He's now at 21 TDs and 19 INTs. Pull it together, Jets! You're now in third place in your division! (Go Dolphins!) Things aren't looking good right now. One more week to go . . .Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14287213530711041025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772356601249078295.post-6504579285401676132008-12-10T17:45:00.003-05:002008-12-10T18:15:29.158-05:00NFL Week 14: Another Tumble for Brett the JetWell.<br /><br />The 49ers beat the Jets! The 49ers beat the Jets! But that's really only good news for Dolphins and Patriots fans, since the stupid Cardinals won and clinched the NFC West.<br /><br />Brett threw another INT but no TDs in a disappointing (for Gang Green anyway) loss to the 49ers. Boo hoo. The 49ers are HOT!<br /><br />Brett's tally: 20 TDs, 15 INTs.Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14287213530711041025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772356601249078295.post-22142052289232779612008-12-01T10:59:00.003-05:002008-12-01T11:17:15.438-05:00NFL Week 13: The Roll Has Been Stuffed<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpHRJkDcjbdF_jOkCxTLwsJK_9n6SIBxWqLYwSVwwh-VRBraK-m4ebFUD7YN6LSn-FmAKqQ021GZfi9Y8fOhV9Ol6X_38ZOnjk7LTGnYxjwdSbnwr2oL0t3nHG9sAx1fA522enr8ayHLI/s1600-h/thud.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 149px; height: 146px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpHRJkDcjbdF_jOkCxTLwsJK_9n6SIBxWqLYwSVwwh-VRBraK-m4ebFUD7YN6LSn-FmAKqQ021GZfi9Y8fOhV9Ol6X_38ZOnjk7LTGnYxjwdSbnwr2oL0t3nHG9sAx1fA522enr8ayHLI/s320/thud.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274852056240442770" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">You'll get back on your feet, Brett.</span><br /></div><br />Brett Favre's passing rating tumbled 40% from Week 12 to Week 13 and he threw an INT in a tough loss to the Denver Broncos. The New England Patriots, meanwhile, had their asses handed to them by the Steelers, leaving the Jets in first place in the AFC East. Personally I'm pulling for the Miami Dolphins to make an upset (or at least make the playoffs). Chad Pennington avenged!<br /><br />Brett's tally stands at 20 TDs and 14 INTs. (Drew Brees has as many INTs.) He's still looking pretty good.<br /><br />In NFC news, the 49ers became the first west coast team this season to win on the eastern seaboard when they defeated the Bills in Buffalo. Killing two birds with one stone, they also kept their hopes alive of winning (gasp!) the NFC West. Yeah, keep losing, Arizona.<br /><br />And next week, oh next week! The 49ers host the Jets at the Stick! If I had the attention span, I might live-blog it. But I don't.Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14287213530711041025noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772356601249078295.post-65436770392797782592008-11-23T19:07:00.004-05:002008-11-23T19:10:52.497-05:00Maybe Just One ThingIt sure seems like all that was standing in Brett's way was his INT competition. Ever since J.T. O'Sullivan was benched by the 49ers, Brett's QB rating has been above 100.Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14287213530711041025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772356601249078295.post-66731204740872581802008-11-23T18:56:00.004-05:002008-11-23T19:07:01.008-05:00Still RollingHere I am, dutifully reporting Brett Favre's most recent successes. After 2 TDs today and 1 INT and with a top-notch team effort, Brett led the Jets to victory over the Titans, taking away Tennessee's perfect record. The tally: 20TDs, 13 INTs.<br /><br />Elective unemployment is great and all, but when you run out of money and you're still unemployed, things get a little . . . uncomfortable. I've therefore been spending the past two weeks solidly searching for work, and it makes sitting at the computer practically unbearable. It exhausts me to the point that I don't even have anything to say with regard to Brett Favre. Or anything else for that matter. Weak!Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14287213530711041025noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772356601249078295.post-36033154884590656942008-11-15T11:29:00.002-05:002008-11-15T11:32:43.116-05:00He's On A Roll!Congrats again to Brett Favre, who had a dynamite game on Thursday night against the Pats in NFL Week 11: The Preview.* 2 more TDs and 0 INTs! That makes 18 TDs and 12 INTs, and the Jets are in 1st place in the AFC East. Wowee, Brett. Wowee.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">*Yeah, I watched the highlights. They were pretty spectacular.</span>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14287213530711041025noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772356601249078295.post-46288711802929652042008-11-11T09:39:00.003-05:002008-11-11T09:55:10.329-05:00Hey, Hey, Brett Favre!Nice work in week 10! #4 added one to his TD tally and none to his INT tally. After 10 weeks he's at 16 TDs and 12 INTs.<br /><br />Meanwhile, over in San Francisco, Shaun Hill is still at the helm while J.T. O'Sullivan sits on the bench. Brett's on his best behavior . . .Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14287213530711041025noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772356601249078295.post-2972497062804491562008-11-06T12:27:00.003-05:002008-11-06T12:30:25.195-05:00Oh BoySo the election's in the bag. What next for Barack Obama? <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/06/us/politics/06expect.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin">Preemptive damage control</a>.Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14287213530711041025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772356601249078295.post-6664050506283691342008-11-05T08:11:00.004-05:002008-11-05T08:35:11.611-05:00Dubya's Legacy?On this historic morning, I couldn't help but think of how President Bush must be feeling. I'm gonna go ahead and think of him as Lutz in this clip from "30 Rock." He must just want to shove the rest of the sandwich in his mouth and get the hell away from the raving mob.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tm_XY0erws4&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tm_XY0erws4&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br />But he probably wants to solidify his legacy, too. I've thought about some things he can do to get the White House and the presidency ready for Barack Obama, things I think he'd be very proud of himself for doing. Things that would make him chuckle like he does. Things that would show America who the real decider is. Things that would ensure he is not remembered as the worst president ever. Here they are:<br /><br />1. Pull the troops out of Iraq right now. Take that away from Obama. Give the American people the first taste of the disappointment they'll no doubt feel over and over again as Obama breaks his word!<br /><br />2. Childproof all drawers and cabinets in the White House. That's what Laura does whenever she wants to hide something from W. He'll be useless without pens, staplers, and dishes!<br /><br />3. Start misspelling Obama's name, so that when Jay Leno interviews Americans on the street and asks if they can spell their president's name, they won't have a chance. Nobody could misspell Bush.<br /><br />4. Fake Dick Cheney's and his own death. Nancy Pelosi steps into the presidency and makes history <span style="font-style: italic;">before </span>Obama! (This is also a great idea because it allows for plenty of punking opportunities featuring W. as a ghost!)<br /><br />5. Fart in the Oval Office chair. A lot.<br /><br />Yay, the election is over! I can't help but feel a little sorry for John McCain, even if I disagreed with a lot of things about his campaign. It's been a long road but the right man for right now won (timing really is everything, and it was not on McCain's side this time). Congratulations, America.Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14287213530711041025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772356601249078295.post-90822033559150739672008-11-04T21:08:00.004-05:002008-11-04T21:23:25.695-05:00Why Sarah Palin, Are Those Boot-Cut Jeans You Wore To Cast Your Vote Today?<script src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/js/2.0/video/evp/module.js?loc=dom&vid=/video/politics/2008/11/04/vo.palin.votes.cnn" type="text/javascript"></script><noscript>Embedded video from <a href="http://www.cnn.com/video">CNN Video</a></noscript><br /><br />Oh no she didn't! (But ya know, she really does rock them.)* I wonder if the McCain campaign's outlook was so bleak that they already donated those fancy duds of hers?<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">*I acknowledge that by drawing attention to her jeans-wearing, I am perpetuating the notion that we are a sexist nation incapable of taking seriously the idea that a woman could hold the office of "commander-in-chief." But seriously, Hillary wouldn't <span style="font-style: italic;">dream </span>of wearing jeans. Ever.</span>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14287213530711041025noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772356601249078295.post-6780484622224684212008-11-03T14:56:00.004-05:002008-11-03T15:09:27.773-05:00NFL Week 9: I Still Don't Believe The Giants Are All That GoodHey, the Jets won! Unfortunately for Brett, he added to his INT tally (12) but not his TD tally (15). Also unfortunately for Brett, that INT was returned for a TD. Still unfortunately for Brett, the 49ers had a bye, so J.T. O'Sullivan didn't get to throw any interceptions this week.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSZLfNCXtgQe9eVvlc9i3IwrS_gd4u8MflF5pMc8mHkG8CerLnVMC7FcRGl6LAdhhMRLLxtV9_dyFti4dg9FnR2wapn-bCUkD65sy2-2InxI10k5lHxUwio8vEWr9MveIDK3waBijaUDE/s1600-h/madden-nfl-09-brett-favre-jets-cover.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 262px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSZLfNCXtgQe9eVvlc9i3IwrS_gd4u8MflF5pMc8mHkG8CerLnVMC7FcRGl6LAdhhMRLLxtV9_dyFti4dg9FnR2wapn-bCUkD65sy2-2InxI10k5lHxUwio8vEWr9MveIDK3waBijaUDE/s320/madden-nfl-09-brett-favre-jets-cover.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264525354281656690" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Oh no! Could this explain it?</span><br /></div><br />But more importantly, are the Giants really that good? I didn't believe it last year, and I still don't. They're competent and they're well-coached, but I'm never stunned by their play. It seems to me that their opponent just plays worse than the Giants do every week, and that's why they keep winning. Yeah, Eli, that's right. I'm not impressed.Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14287213530711041025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772356601249078295.post-45522936040047291832008-11-03T14:12:00.009-05:002008-11-03T14:52:55.160-05:00Down to the Wire in the Purple StatesI've decided no longer to call them Battleground States. It may be that they're being fought over, but the other states get colors and "battleground" has a lot of syllables. So in honor of their wacky, indecisive mix of red and blue, I'm going to call them Purple States.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1YyeKY8fQLRRbnaFJumaTkECdus7xQyvpFeQ4IceWjW0XrSUzgm1VztvDV5nd5OfUZ4uQHdsvm27ArzoGa-Sj7zONdYroWpZCoLJe7H5MaEIPzOqnYgT-iSly7FjHDTmJZC70N-12bFo/s1600-h/flag-purple.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 101px; height: 75px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1YyeKY8fQLRRbnaFJumaTkECdus7xQyvpFeQ4IceWjW0XrSUzgm1VztvDV5nd5OfUZ4uQHdsvm27ArzoGa-Sj7zONdYroWpZCoLJe7H5MaEIPzOqnYgT-iSly7FjHDTmJZC70N-12bFo/s320/flag-purple.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264521275487017586" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">America, this is you.</span><br /></div><br />The election is tomorrow, and the ads aren't letting up. In fact, over the weekend they've become nastier, but it's the kind of nasty that comes off as funny. Obama's latest has creepy pictures of George W. Bush in the side and rearview mirrors of a car set to the question "Want to know where John McCain's economic plan will take the country?" The answer, of course, is revealed by looking behind us. Doesn't sound like prgoress, does it? The pro-McCain ad du jour is just plain absurd. Scary-Voiced Dude asks if we'd get on a plane with a pilot who's never flown. If we'd leave our child with someone who's never cared for children. If we'd go under with a surgeon who's never operated. Can we wait while he learns, Scary-Voiced Dude asks?<br /><br />The Washington Post has an <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/02/AR2008110202604.html?nav=rss_email/components">article</a> today about the fight-to-the-finish campaigns. Of course, the Purple States are seeing the worst of this, and it's taking a toll. With that in mind, I propose that the day after Election Day should be a holiday in all Purple States. We'll call it Purple Wednesday, and Purple Staters will get a free espresso beverage at Starbucks instead of just a plain old <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/02/starbucks-offers-free-cof_n_140087.html">free coffee</a>. Because we deserve it!Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14287213530711041025noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772356601249078295.post-6833541900240913712008-10-30T12:18:00.001-04:002008-10-30T12:29:17.393-04:00Tina Fey for . . . Mom of the Year?I adore Tina Fey with the same intensity with which I adore pork products. She's funny as hell. (I'm still not sure why she was ever considered an "unlikely" sex symbol. If she's unlikely, what with her brains, her humor, her sharpness, and her bangin' bod, I think the rest of us possessing a decent personality and even a small amount of wit should just give up. Now that everybody loves her, we may have to give up anyway since that bitch set the bar so high. But I really ought to end my parentheses now.)<br /><br />So even though it's lights-out for me at 10:00 p.m. on my new schedule and I therefore missed her appearance on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" the other day to promote the season premiere of "30 Rock" (<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">"30 Rock" premieres tonight at 9:30 on NBC!</span></span>), I caught it online and I have something to say.<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://widgets.nbc.com/o/4727a250e66f9723/4909da7e5a3d1188/4741e3c5156499a7/331fc884/-cpid/c75770ae9070a74f" id="W4727a250e66f97234909da7e5a3d1188" height="283" width="384"><param name="movie" value="http://widgets.nbc.com/o/4727a250e66f9723/4909da7e5a3d1188/4741e3c5156499a7/331fc884/-cpid/c75770ae9070a74f"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></object><br /><br />While the Bristol-Palin-as-baby-sitter-for-Fey's-toddler bit was hilarious in itself, didn't Tina and Conan miss out on one very obvious punchline, i.e. that Bristol could have used the practice? Just sayin'.<br /><br />Part 2 of the interview:<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://widgets.nbc.com/o/4727a250e66f9723/4909de4489759447/4741e3c5156499a7/c5401981/-cpid/3887ac7e9070a74f" id="W4727a250e66f97234909de4489759447" height="283" width="384"><param name="movie" value="http://widgets.nbc.com/o/4727a250e66f9723/4909de4489759447/4741e3c5156499a7/c5401981/-cpid/3887ac7e9070a74f"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></object>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14287213530711041025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772356601249078295.post-35654974430659456072008-10-30T12:04:00.002-04:002008-10-30T13:12:19.552-04:00What's Wrong With Me If . . .the first thing I think upon opening an email with a coupon and the following instructions from the friend who sent it to me is, "Don't tell me what to do!"<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Print this out and take to your Origins store for free mini facial and</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> sample products.<br /><br /></span><span>Oh, and I didn't do it, either. Yeah, suck it!</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14287213530711041025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772356601249078295.post-67784909882198806542008-10-29T14:14:00.005-04:002008-10-29T14:31:57.064-04:00Something Smells Fish: Fresh From Today's Washington PostOne of the benefits of elective unemployment is the amount of time you have to do things you never used to do: go to the gym, figure out what "On Demand" is, shower as infrequently as possible, and read the paper.<br /><br />Today's <span style="font-style: italic;">Washington Post</span> had an interesting bit of news from Japan:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Toilets a Worry if Tokyo Quakes<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">Japan's disaster prevention panel said that nearly a million people would be unable to find a toilet if a major earthquake were to hit Tokyo on a weekday. The panel studied a simulation of a magnitude-7.3 noon-time quake in the capital.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span></span>Wow. Where even to begin?<br /><br />1. WHY wouldn't they be able to find a toilet? (Jeez, <span style="font-style: italic;">Post</span>, don't forget the W's of newspaper reporting!) Is there a toilet shortage in downtown Tokyo? Shouldn't they fix that now, before disaster strikes?<br /><br />2. If all else failed, couldn't a Japanese person let go of decorum in consideration of the emergency, if only long enough to relieve him or herself behind a dumpster, or in a McDonald's?<br /><br />3. Surely bottled water is a more pressing need in a major disaster. Do they intend to fill their water bottles from toilets? Is that the problem? Seriously, why toilets?<br /><br />4. If the earth were shaking and you were huddled under your desk for protection, what could possibly make you think to leave shelter to seek out a toilet? Haven't you already soiled yourself?Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14287213530711041025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772356601249078295.post-22614082821098054952008-10-29T13:16:00.005-04:002008-10-29T18:14:13.858-04:00Life In Batttleground State Virginia: It's Getting UglyI moved out of my NYC apartment and into the folks' place in Northern Virginia. I've been here for less than a week and am still playing catch-up. As the election was heating up mid-month, I got really excited about the idea of voting in Virginia (Battleground State!), where my vote could really make a difference. Unfortunately, I had already missed the Virginia voter registration deadline and I was stuck having to arrange for an absentee New York ballot. That hasn't stopped me from taking part in all the indecisive fun here, though.<br /><br />Last week when I crossed the American Legion bridge into Virginia, I saw the usual old-school welcome sign:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwrq7XS9byWDv6PcihubCcbcNZR0d7YlJ7xTYagMJu1gblR46PLqrVoEnoiwy38emfIvvF5XoIstCW3SKLtryh29WZMUDSAqC7oqssuthxuhxh7lnGGfXDCG33KsUxK6JZQWcpQV5B7hA/s1600-h/va.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 175px; height: 131px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwrq7XS9byWDv6PcihubCcbcNZR0d7YlJ7xTYagMJu1gblR46PLqrVoEnoiwy38emfIvvF5XoIstCW3SKLtryh29WZMUDSAqC7oqssuthxuhxh7lnGGfXDCG33KsUxK6JZQWcpQV5B7hA/s320/va.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262635142642641186" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Really, Virginia? Really? Do you know it's 2008?</span><br /></div><br />Below it were symptoms of this fine state's -- er, commonwealth's -- indecision: a McCain/Palin sign and an Obama/Biden sign, right next to each other. The further into Virginia I drove (and I had about 11 miles still to go at this point), the more campaign signs I saw, not only for the number one office but also for House and Senate races. They are EVERYWHERE here. And it doesn't stop there. Every time the phone rings it's a campaign worker urging Fairfax County residents to vote one way or the other. (Apparently McCain's recorded voice itself has called here, but I haven't been home for that.) Worse yet, the other night some dude showed up at our door! Now I have to be surreptitious in ascertaining who's knocking at the door so as not to alert them of my presence within. It's either that or make a scene. I almost told the mailman to get the eff off my property today. (See, that's funny because it's not my property. And because he's the mailman and he has what I want.)<br /><br />Then of course there are the TV commercials. In New York I saw the occasional TV ad for Obama or McCain, but here you can't pass a single commercial break without at least two political campaign ads. And they're getting ugly. A popular (read: ubiquitous) one now -- which is not endorsed by John McCain -- features an empty oval office chair (um . . . so what? We're used to that.) and narration from Scary-Voiced Dude reminding us that "this crisis" will be Obama's first. Scary-Voiced Dude doesn't stop there. Oh no. He also insults Americans, chiding us for considering electing "one of the most inexperienced candidates" ever to this high office. So now in addition to being terrified I'm also being reproached. Nice.<br /><br />Another anti-Obama ad, this one approved by McCain, focuses on Joe Biden's foot-in-mouth ("Oh wait, guys, I meant tongue-in-cheek! See, it was all just a silly misunderstanding!") blunder. I mean, when Biden gives them material like that, these commercial-maker guys don't even have to work! They just print the highlights of his speech across the screen and have Scary-Voiced Dude announce at the end that Barack Obama is "untested" and "dangerous" and they've got advertising magic!<br /><br />Having just moved to the Old Dominion, I don't have much of a handle on the local House and Senate races, but their ads are no less ruthless. My favorite -- and I don't even remember whom it promotes or whom it slanders -- ends with the following: "[Candidate's name here]: too corrupt, even for Congress." Classic! Because, you know, the candidate the ad promotes has juuuuust the right amount of corruption for Congress. A regular Goldilocks.<br /><br />But they're not all malicious. Some ads just don't say anything. A current Obama ad begins with the senator narrating, "John McCain wants to scare you. I want you to know what I believe." The next 26 seconds are chock-full of idealism regulated by a steady hand, a firm resolve, and a warm smile, as close to aw shucks as Obama is ever going to get. But does it promise anything? No? And it doesn't slander the other guy either? Bo-ring. That's the thing, see. Obama is out-spending McCain by oodles (that's a precise mathematical term) on TV ads, but I can't seem to retain the content of any of them.<br /><br />With the election less than a week away, I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of final-stretch antics are pulled out. McCain doesn't buy into the polls, so Virginia is still very much up for grabs in his mind, and he wants it. Obama wants it too. But we Virginians don't show our hand easily. See, being wooed may get old, but being a tease never does.Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14287213530711041025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772356601249078295.post-77717483867393035072008-10-29T12:52:00.008-04:002008-10-29T18:09:27.966-04:00NFL Weeks 7 & 8: Brett Sighs With Relief Upon Learning I Didn't Watch<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyA2r12pQN1lHLhq_H1IR_gSSBiiZVJ8Duydhn9uZjpr0tvglb0Up7ankxQ724XNoxrRwnd3Czudhaddc4PC1l0JMXh4zXcaucwXUswfkb-PKF4zp6Qaou1ZVXbWmm8y7j3J-Cslw1q98/s1600-h/jto.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 196px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyA2r12pQN1lHLhq_H1IR_gSSBiiZVJ8Duydhn9uZjpr0tvglb0Up7ankxQ724XNoxrRwnd3Czudhaddc4PC1l0JMXh4zXcaucwXUswfkb-PKF4zp6Qaou1ZVXbWmm8y7j3J-Cslw1q98/s320/jto.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262701076335957554" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Your guys are wearing WHITE, J.T.</span><br /></div><br />It wasn't a great couple of weeks for Brett Favre, according to the stats. (I confess again to not watching, although my access to more than highlights has been essentially cut off.) In Week 7 against Oakland, he threw 2 INTs and 0 TDs. Ouch. Last week against Kansas City, where the Jets at least pulled off the win, he threw 2 TDs and 3 INTs. After Week 8, he's at 15 TDs and 11 INTs.<br /><br />All I have to say is this: Thank GOODness for J.T. O'Sullivan. He's pacing Brett on INTs (they're tied for most in the league), but he has about half as many TDs. (And that dude plays for my favorite team. Boo.)Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14287213530711041025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772356601249078295.post-14330699662775759102008-10-13T18:33:00.003-04:002008-10-13T18:38:52.957-04:00NFL Week 6: Still Not Really CaringBrett threw 2 INTs and 1 TD against the Bengals. The total is 13 TDs and 6 INTs. But more importantly:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipnPH3DUVs5aVXCqGZ-E79ZQCtvpa4N81l6Qe5MPiRIEWAk7Un140lGAbIAtLkm2Y3wl9k1xGaXmF01sfMcDHoTD7yDBhikfYpagZZZuVswgsJ7rLez6CWUaOukwZbYdNhxeHaO-8DRdA/s1600-h/belichick.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipnPH3DUVs5aVXCqGZ-E79ZQCtvpa4N81l6Qe5MPiRIEWAk7Un140lGAbIAtLkm2Y3wl9k1xGaXmF01sfMcDHoTD7yDBhikfYpagZZZuVswgsJ7rLez6CWUaOukwZbYdNhxeHaO-8DRdA/s320/belichick.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256771102172741634" border="0" /></a><br />WHY does Belichick insist on wearing that silly sweatshirt?Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14287213530711041025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772356601249078295.post-70258173236149340872008-10-10T23:50:00.001-04:002008-10-11T00:04:43.447-04:00Brett Favre Interception Watch: Weeks Three, Four, and Five? Oh, Who Cares!I just got back from Hawaii! I've been far too busy to think about Brett. I had very important things to do, like hike, swim, eat, and drink. (He's doing great, by the way -- 12 TDs and only 4 INTs!, and he's sporting his best QB rating ever. I'm being proven wrong week by week, and that's okay with me.)<br /><br />Back to my trip! I landed on Thursday evening, September 25, and was pretty much a goner. I think I was in bed sometime just after 8:00. The next day, Friday the 26th, I also took it pretty easy. I went with my aunt to the beach at the <a href="http://www.sheraton-kauai.com/">Sheraton Kauai</a> (it's one of my favorite beaches anywhere) and we had lunch and drinks there. Exhausting! That night we took in the <a href="http://mokihana.kauai.net/">Kauai Mokihana Festival</a>'s hula competition. Most of the rest of the days were more exciting and deserve their own posts, which will come in due time as I'm spending the next 5 days packing up my apartment for my move home. Regression is a good thing!<br /><br />(I'm in full-swing Elective Unemployment mode. I called to change my address with T-Mobile and the overly-perky customer service agent asked me if I was getting ready for the weekend. Honestly, I didn't even know what day it was. I think my silence made her uncomfortable. I seem to be getting worse at coming up with something to say on the spot.)<br /><br />Usually when I visit Hawaii I'll go to more than one island, but this trip was only Kauai, just like I needed it. Kauai is a very special place for me and I inevitably suffer while there from nostalgic fits of Why-Don't-I-Live-Here-ness. So what exactly is so special about Kauai, you ask? Here's a very brief listing:<br /><br />1. The wildlife. There actually isn't very much that's native to Hawaii, compared to other places. A lot of wildlife (and especially a lot of flora and fauna) was introduced both by the Polynesians who settled the Islands and the nasty Westerners who conquered them. The two introduced creatures that thrive on Kauai today are the wild chicken and the wild pig. Yup, very exotic, I know. Here are our barnyard friends:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin0U2_YydEhcQFmzIvjFHZQAyO3UXFIuF5Kryer8tLonarrBLDPKHsi5kwqFifIT4Gnla6zIRqwIDSkzeV0os3h7Uf2xS5voPHvikW3U8hmer1jkfMZd-FRWo7Wa9Lia5XPA_9hibG1zQ/s1600-h/Kauai+Fall+%2708+033.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin0U2_YydEhcQFmzIvjFHZQAyO3UXFIuF5Kryer8tLonarrBLDPKHsi5kwqFifIT4Gnla6zIRqwIDSkzeV0os3h7Uf2xS5voPHvikW3U8hmer1jkfMZd-FRWo7Wa9Lia5XPA_9hibG1zQ/s320/Kauai+Fall+%2708+033.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255733730678089266" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">My how their crowing is a bother at 2:30 am.</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_siJicdbnYOLDJzEoPqdPakHAjCLfsYt8LOop9cHnLyQR7lwNNlriXv4Dy1g0IWZXHU7CCtpaNDYznHfNkgX5vnCytOpuNJzyWKqVokKtPXdwezp-4iFrV9DZXrsK0GMfY8AGk_ivQyU/s1600-h/Kauai+Fall+%2708+155.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_siJicdbnYOLDJzEoPqdPakHAjCLfsYt8LOop9cHnLyQR7lwNNlriXv4Dy1g0IWZXHU7CCtpaNDYznHfNkgX5vnCytOpuNJzyWKqVokKtPXdwezp-4iFrV9DZXrsK0GMfY8AGk_ivQyU/s320/Kauai+Fall+%2708+155.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255733730536524818" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">The big one is actually chasing the little one to get his food.</span><br /></div><br />There are also Hawaiian monk seals in abundance sunning on local beaches and green sea turtles ("honu" in Hawaiian) in droves off the south shore of the island in Poipu. These guys are probably a little more special but somehow less novel to tourists.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFEdmcBRE6CLcnxvjyBLASQmL3HNkD0CRZMoSABDATJPHzSUMg0BQCVuV-fV6iGNXEik1CBcVaSvsGs32eM8VgkqunzItoB8WuUSQeHeeTRNwhBuGeSl4yjbyOMoXGLJ0tAaZifGa98tU/s1600-h/Kauai+Fall+%2708+187.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFEdmcBRE6CLcnxvjyBLASQmL3HNkD0CRZMoSABDATJPHzSUMg0BQCVuV-fV6iGNXEik1CBcVaSvsGs32eM8VgkqunzItoB8WuUSQeHeeTRNwhBuGeSl4yjbyOMoXGLJ0tAaZifGa98tU/s320/Kauai+Fall+%2708+187.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255733734440951170" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">A sea turtle! I swear he's there!</span><br /><br /></div>2. The buildings. Kauai's law mandates that no building can be taller than the height of a mature coconut tree (approximately 48 feet). We noticed when we spent some time at the Marriott that it was obviously built before this law took effect as even the tallest trees were shorter than the Marriott's towers. Anyway, an example of a Kauai building of typical height (but atypical message):<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvT5pqtVId-bD5_PkQNnSwu5vbDEUhEsUkrTrKmolbUOBmbjSJBwL-slN-TWIUSEid75nJCdL45z9MjRblclDxwOP3sxSCDmJD6pdLSGMgUUT_-GLgEDtU457mJWxIiI8WpfevjPajIWs/s1600-h/Kauai+Fall+%2708+147.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvT5pqtVId-bD5_PkQNnSwu5vbDEUhEsUkrTrKmolbUOBmbjSJBwL-slN-TWIUSEid75nJCdL45z9MjRblclDxwOP3sxSCDmJD6pdLSGMgUUT_-GLgEDtU457mJWxIiI8WpfevjPajIWs/s320/Kauai+Fall+%2708+147.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255733739321910610" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Soon, hopefully, is relative.</span><br /><br /></div>3. The terrain. Kauai is home to Waimea Canyon (the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific"), Kokee State Park (which houses the world's highest-elevated swamp, called Alakai, and several giant Redwood forests among other natural wonders and indigenous bird species), Mount Waialeale (alternately called "The Wettest Spot on Earth" and "One of the Wettest Spots on Earth" depending on who's fact-checking), and the Na Pali coast with its rugged cliffs and famous Kalalau Trail (which I did, and which conquered me). I'm always blown away by the diversity of the terrain. Where else can you get arid landscapes, barking sands, tropical rainforests, lazy freshwater rivers, dramatic sea cliffs, a painted canyon, all the tropical flowers you'd ever want to see or smell, huge waves for surfing, acres and acres of rich farmland, tower-like waterfalls, pristine beaches, and over 400 inches of rain per year all on one island?<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlyptoQhlf5_P9IZuDd2AF8xghIAVMc00Di9g2kPEI0Uea8oTiYWgHYoHMuy0nNa0rmUAN0jDmtYUY7FwYsGoWe0rKEeSU-QcDXI7paAnHVKKESkgT7OzmCZOaV7h-4J3hvaGdFWdRegU/s1600-h/Kauai+Fall+%2708+074.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlyptoQhlf5_P9IZuDd2AF8xghIAVMc00Di9g2kPEI0Uea8oTiYWgHYoHMuy0nNa0rmUAN0jDmtYUY7FwYsGoWe0rKEeSU-QcDXI7paAnHVKKESkgT7OzmCZOaV7h-4J3hvaGdFWdRegU/s320/Kauai+Fall+%2708+074.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255738887958867970" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Mahaulepu, on the dry south shore</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyDSwKSksbuvBAhmg3Dg_H3-R8kwE77AhI6W7P0e6IWUKQhCzDPiO5KNa2VIZ88bcnCNb8S-9rTDDMfvYFSOyWbMWiTnhwnMMtP42gHtkUsQgrfxZl_vOo54QCTMlBUVHh2Deogb6Oq9s/s1600-h/Kauai+Fall+%2708+004.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyDSwKSksbuvBAhmg3Dg_H3-R8kwE77AhI6W7P0e6IWUKQhCzDPiO5KNa2VIZ88bcnCNb8S-9rTDDMfvYFSOyWbMWiTnhwnMMtP42gHtkUsQgrfxZl_vOo54QCTMlBUVHh2Deogb6Oq9s/s320/Kauai+Fall+%2708+004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255738894606084482" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Waimea Canyon</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzBnrGxhRFyyhQ9SPEa9gyDaPs1riagVyJzwzYR1k3_bzHjkhtq-Wwwn-MnPKEPMazlKzMKjC3_tRnJAqoiVSzTCAyd05Kxhijo04m7aO8UMV63M4r1q3_CfUk7_Ka79z4pcwJr42kxBE/s1600-h/Kauai+Fall+%2708+015.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzBnrGxhRFyyhQ9SPEa9gyDaPs1riagVyJzwzYR1k3_bzHjkhtq-Wwwn-MnPKEPMazlKzMKjC3_tRnJAqoiVSzTCAyd05Kxhijo04m7aO8UMV63M4r1q3_CfUk7_Ka79z4pcwJr42kxBE/s320/Kauai+Fall+%2708+015.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255738900509209602" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">A ginger grove in the forest</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcnQso0f4pR2MYJFXk-09Izmx02zlm80nhP4mGMbeR4_CQ5AzorHzPiq_fSXbMps-1VHQ__MQGYS7zgx7fEirt-9lwVp3YtpYiDQh3AQsHWHZl9MeMri-eawwOdjRagWXXit3pg7wjTq0/s1600-h/Kauai+Fall+%2708+023.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcnQso0f4pR2MYJFXk-09Izmx02zlm80nhP4mGMbeR4_CQ5AzorHzPiq_fSXbMps-1VHQ__MQGYS7zgx7fEirt-9lwVp3YtpYiDQh3AQsHWHZl9MeMri-eawwOdjRagWXXit3pg7wjTq0/s320/Kauai+Fall+%2708+023.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255738901667326290" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Redwoods in the tropics!</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKmAk70nkZRvc1lVqK7NHvdurY2J1wtFG7gD5Jzfj48rKL3SBmTqjDthCFs0VrnfjZNMlkT4R-nP04VxNVCJevs99nL1wvEzqigJib21FuyfR0aaJtdmLBYzgYujtuWqxMQnUB1eI2omo/s1600-h/Kauai+Fall+%2708+197.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKmAk70nkZRvc1lVqK7NHvdurY2J1wtFG7gD5Jzfj48rKL3SBmTqjDthCFs0VrnfjZNMlkT4R-nP04VxNVCJevs99nL1wvEzqigJib21FuyfR0aaJtdmLBYzgYujtuWqxMQnUB1eI2omo/s320/Kauai+Fall+%2708+197.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255738905755009458" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Poipu sunset</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEARV83BTZBGux9uWjkr-Jd6xiiWJTPluDsauXpjtJsVSgnnokQ02qkAxXVQSUX99HxECd3IMdD-7y0re737PaInordKuHVH-MZVIAFtHnpv09EJf7f-wZpJaHen__0MiuXE96Dg1fqbY/s1600-h/Kauai+Fall+%2708+118.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEARV83BTZBGux9uWjkr-Jd6xiiWJTPluDsauXpjtJsVSgnnokQ02qkAxXVQSUX99HxECd3IMdD-7y0re737PaInordKuHVH-MZVIAFtHnpv09EJf7f-wZpJaHen__0MiuXE96Dg1fqbY/s320/Kauai+Fall+%2708+118.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255739902241634626" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Lumahai beach on a turbulent day</span><br /></div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14287213530711041025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772356601249078295.post-4162680140176070822008-09-14T18:55:00.005-04:002008-09-14T20:06:29.414-04:00Brett Favre Interception Watch: Week TwoI admit to failing in my vigilance. But I was busy last week, folks, and he didn't throw any (note that Week One resulted on my chewing on my own feet)! So today I dutifully watched the Jets-Patriots game in order to report the results of Brett Favre Interception Watch 2008, Week Two. And my watching was rewarded! Sort of.<br /><br />The Jets lost. Favre threw a touchdown. He also threw an interception! The funny thing, if you could call it that, was that I completely missed it. I was in the other room preparing dinner. Of all the luck -- I step out of the room for five minutes, and he throws an interception! Was it his fault? Will I ever know? There were no highlights post-game!<br /><br />Anyway, here's the tally so far in 2008:<br /><br />TDs: 3<br />INTs: 1<br /><br />He's +2 so far. Keep it up, Brett the Jet. My foot tastes good, anyway.Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14287213530711041025noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772356601249078295.post-74695250241677225482008-09-14T17:37:00.011-04:002008-09-16T11:40:54.488-04:00Blog All About ItThe past two weeks have been a whirlwind, with work being crazy as I try to tie up all my loose ends and a trip to California to see my family last week. That trip was great and relaxing, and tomorrow I begin -- with a mixture of dread, excitement, and anticipated relief -- my last week at work.<br /><br />Last Saturday I took off for San Francisco and upon landing was picked up by an old high school friend, whom I actually had not seen in 12 years. Although she was looking for "a blonde girl" (things have changed thanks to the cold and harsh northeast), I spotted her easily. We met two other long-lost friends from high school who live in the S.F. Bay Area at a restaurant in San Francisco's North Beach neighborhood called <a href="http://www.rosepistolasf.com/">Rose Pistola</a>. I had so much fun seeing my old friends, despite not being able to cope fully with the realization that we are all 'adults" now. I think the meal was pretty good. I know it was expensive. In any case I was wrecked. I got home to Grandma's late and fell into bed.<br /><br />The real highlight of my trip was our mini family reunion on the north shore of Lake Tahoe. Unfortunately, my aunt, uncle, and cousins who live in the Bay Area were unable to join us so just five of us -- my aunt and uncle from Hawaii, my divorced grandparents, and me -- went to Tahoe and stayed in a <a href="http://www.petvacationhomes.com/property/California/Lake+Tahoe/vacation-rentals/House-1908.html">house</a> we rented for four nights. Before undertaking our three-plus hour drive, we stopped to have lunch with the family members who weren't coming along. It's always so nice to see them (and swim in their pool). My aunt went all-out with the food -- we had bbq'd chicken, southwest slaw, broccoli salad, green salad, fruit salad, and lemon cheesecake, all homemade. I'm still waiting for those southwest slaw and lemon cheesecake recipes (and will post them when I get them; you'll thank me).<br /><br />After fueling up, we began the drive to the lake. We rented a gigantic SUV that somehow still didn't fit all of our stuff, so several suitcases had to be strapped on top. Oh, and I was sitting in the middle of the back seat in between my sparring grandparents. (It's all in good fun . . . I think.) When we finally arrived, everyone was ready either for bed or for a drink.<br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-gxrhkuGHWbPSqNsyYODQSSrlHbDwgSp_1_PWqrY6M5d-rBHCqW35PZGKNddZzGDB-9O-FZ9s3xBT8rynkYBxfxzV4ObZILSSpohx4GY6xhAyMnNKfE1k6r17_jHBp7d3oUFeBL8X-2M/s1600-h/Reunion+2008+007.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246017027816225378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-gxrhkuGHWbPSqNsyYODQSSrlHbDwgSp_1_PWqrY6M5d-rBHCqW35PZGKNddZzGDB-9O-FZ9s3xBT8rynkYBxfxzV4ObZILSSpohx4GY6xhAyMnNKfE1k6r17_jHBp7d3oUFeBL8X-2M/s320/Reunion+2008+007.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">We're finally here!<br /></span></div><br />The next day (Monday) we got a visit from my grandmother's niece (i.e. my aunt's first cousin and my . . . well, according to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page">Wikipedia</a> she's my <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cousin">first cousin, once removed</a>) and her husband, who live in Sparks, NV. We sat around catching up, walked to our neighborhood beach (where I, of course, took a dip), and looked at old photos cousin Chris brought of my grandmother's family. Hearing Chris's stories -- and she is a great storyteller -- about my great-grandparents and great aunts and uncles definitely piqued my interest in my genealogy (to be continued here, no doubt).<br /><br />By the way, if you ever want to piss someone from Nevada off, call it NevAHda.<br /><br />A short five-minute walk led to our local beach, small but uncrowded and perfect for swimming and exploring. One of the things that makes Lake Tahoe special is its water clarity. The water is as clear as you'd find in the Caribbean, thanks to some sort of strange science thing that prevents algae from accumulating and causing the murkiness so typical of other lakes. Lake Tahoe is also the second-deepest lake in the United States (at its deepest 1645 ft). Because of its depth, I read, Lake Tahoe never freezes in the winter (except of course at the shore where it's shallow). For facts about Lake Tahoe, click <a href="http://tahoe.usgs.gov/facts.html">here</a>. The place is stunning and a great destination any time of year (just be sure to put your turkey in early if you go for Thanksgiving).<br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQD85nndEo7-mL_YudBwUEf-_-luqzfqxZI80iOKPHUHi3fPr19Nx24JeEAPG4DlxjRpOWrKDkfO-tNoEX4_ccz1b2QNIlAfa7C1FNULh9BLjkWsBB5BentsWNTCJdINFrl2UYA8WSmFQ/s1600-h/Reunion+2008+024.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246017034353855858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQD85nndEo7-mL_YudBwUEf-_-luqzfqxZI80iOKPHUHi3fPr19Nx24JeEAPG4DlxjRpOWrKDkfO-tNoEX4_ccz1b2QNIlAfa7C1FNULh9BLjkWsBB5BentsWNTCJdINFrl2UYA8WSmFQ/s320/Reunion+2008+024.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">On the way to our local beach</span><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXWyJq_ZQiFhNMlc5jn5NesIlK69xZ00LKucR42TVIALelJrSj5CaMkxa-6x6HL-aHbtajHG25vqlwz9em9s7ek23jPmtEKSngPDi_jSuQNDpnE4Quauh4e68UxrG_JXyyRUhY6Fg8QWc/s1600-h/Reunion+2008+014.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246017033574510306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXWyJq_ZQiFhNMlc5jn5NesIlK69xZ00LKucR42TVIALelJrSj5CaMkxa-6x6HL-aHbtajHG25vqlwz9em9s7ek23jPmtEKSngPDi_jSuQNDpnE4Quauh4e68UxrG_JXyyRUhY6Fg8QWc/s320/Reunion+2008+014.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Looking west at our beach<br /></span></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoHZk1ahdAV0MgYyiT2N-5bE9RcUJAjN8TTr5V41fmF08bgtxDVKiYpqMzuBJdEL_CJqgHEoSrhulrdLLk21aYiVHmkWwzav8oiBOkY6IWVuhp6gQs5W4jaMrSZ9kZ9qrNxnYdwvSmpyk/s1600-h/Reunion+2008+066.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246024854119377186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoHZk1ahdAV0MgYyiT2N-5bE9RcUJAjN8TTr5V41fmF08bgtxDVKiYpqMzuBJdEL_CJqgHEoSrhulrdLLk21aYiVHmkWwzav8oiBOkY6IWVuhp6gQs5W4jaMrSZ9kZ9qrNxnYdwvSmpyk/s320/Reunion+2008+066.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">A choppy day at the beach and a furry friend undeterred.<br /></span></div><br />Tuesday we saw another visitor, our family friend Randy, who spent just over 8 years building his very own <a href="http://www.vansaircraft.com/public/rv-8int.htm">plane from a kit</a>. For the past few years since it's been finished, I've been wondering -- loudly, at that -- when I would get a ride in it. I even joked to Randy when I told him of our Tahoe plans that he should fly down from his Vancouver, WA home to see us and give me a ride. And he didn't disappoint.<br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibJQT_523IuXJDv2cP6SoL4KreTBG9wWv9lrVFMHGh4aeOPZT3SKvjn-3v88WVEI60Ys-GwChiZ_4lISouAI5OIPN3OcqWV0LMdlV0doUnZOJxPecPJFwfXbv22FVv2UuV6gRX8Skul7w/s1600-h/Reunion+2008+060.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246017038654693666" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibJQT_523IuXJDv2cP6SoL4KreTBG9wWv9lrVFMHGh4aeOPZT3SKvjn-3v88WVEI60Ys-GwChiZ_4lISouAI5OIPN3OcqWV0LMdlV0doUnZOJxPecPJFwfXbv22FVv2UuV6gRX8Skul7w/s320/Reunion+2008+060.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Randy's homemade plane<br /></span></div><br />It was alternately thrilling and terrifying flying with Randy. The thrills were due to his impeccable flying and the lake's natural beauty. The terrors were thanks to the strong (by my judgement) winds that day, which caused an unusually (by Randy's judgement) bumpy ride, especially over the mountains.<br /><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSl8LFD3wO5XN6B-8BI7ARhEaCrElz1H2jYYKLtJzkOuZIXD9VTYwoQ-pQRkyQPKzi1XWu0828UDGk0mnwJw5QTlStzomygHvYfTt0-XFr0pGUcPTIMWCQB4V6T3pkeRiFZi8utnsgj0s/s1600-h/Reunion+2008+034.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246023262776743954" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSl8LFD3wO5XN6B-8BI7ARhEaCrElz1H2jYYKLtJzkOuZIXD9VTYwoQ-pQRkyQPKzi1XWu0828UDGk0mnwJw5QTlStzomygHvYfTt0-XFr0pGUcPTIMWCQB4V6T3pkeRiFZi8utnsgj0s/s320/Reunion+2008+034.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Not exactly comforting to a first-time passenger.</span></div><br />A photo attempt was thwarted, in fact, by one of these bumps, but the result is pretty perfect given the circumstances.<br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7d0ULm9IIalAh9_-bFfzV-l1IiVPba0txuW_Qbsv9JK1uuF9vSAMVSb6aIM6MEoHE2DaVUh_I6dSJk2Hv0mfACOBbdWKb-6Z_rBvkj2jlOHrAtPlTdsVtiPgiwKypEWJuZftOXSPnj18/s1600-h/Reunion+2008+040.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246023261325488642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7d0ULm9IIalAh9_-bFfzV-l1IiVPba0txuW_Qbsv9JK1uuF9vSAMVSb6aIM6MEoHE2DaVUh_I6dSJk2Hv0mfACOBbdWKb-6Z_rBvkj2jlOHrAtPlTdsVtiPgiwKypEWJuZftOXSPnj18/s320/Reunion+2008+040.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Truly white knuckles.<br /></span></div><br />While we flew out over the lake, Randy and I talked through our headsets. He told me we were at about 9000 feet, or about 3000 feet above the lake (yes, I had to ask for a clarification).<br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ8r0hKGVs2uyydrzXhlz9f5NhGMuuL86LqZCfd92wv_QGUaUo8KT8GL7LbJZaMSZyXk5140rCLwezma38wIjbc4zW8xtDtw3RSKWwTSJ9kAMFWfCrDQ1vniuBYE4QVv0bKQVj4H26o_M/s1600-h/Reunion+2008+041.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246023266608295970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ8r0hKGVs2uyydrzXhlz9f5NhGMuuL86LqZCfd92wv_QGUaUo8KT8GL7LbJZaMSZyXk5140rCLwezma38wIjbc4zW8xtDtw3RSKWwTSJ9kAMFWfCrDQ1vniuBYE4QVv0bKQVj4H26o_M/s320/Reunion+2008+041.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">The ski slopes of Northstar at Tahoe<br /></span></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxc68Y0yTsUMZwcHNZpLg9tQIZ_3u9M4LZlitDXCbIjBzlZHH0krE2iKHxquDEIhw9k5xFT7GcMVnUEFdlm0SxnULOkB-Sl18mgEcfZDdp8-V-lwXexaVJJ2TxGnxJh2eZ0NQAjrJzi9M/s1600-h/Reunion+2008+046.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246023268095249922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxc68Y0yTsUMZwcHNZpLg9tQIZ_3u9M4LZlitDXCbIjBzlZHH0krE2iKHxquDEIhw9k5xFT7GcMVnUEFdlm0SxnULOkB-Sl18mgEcfZDdp8-V-lwXexaVJJ2TxGnxJh2eZ0NQAjrJzi9M/s320/Reunion+2008+046.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">A Lake Tahoe beach from the air.<br /></span></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNGEMRMFuqfM4pMIYCrAnUdg6pu8lj1G2qtzhJsWINp2WMutKxSoiwvN7K7vBJJFKTnv3umOuD3yqlxWXhIPtwKPAripkPmB96CMQoMfl1pbG8z-okXs0Jh4BkWYM6t3szkIEGMSDAXXY/s1600-h/Reunion+2008+050.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246024850176071858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNGEMRMFuqfM4pMIYCrAnUdg6pu8lj1G2qtzhJsWINp2WMutKxSoiwvN7K7vBJJFKTnv3umOuD3yqlxWXhIPtwKPAripkPmB96CMQoMfl1pbG8z-okXs0Jh4BkWYM6t3szkIEGMSDAXXY/s320/Reunion+2008+050.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">My view behind the pilot of Lake Tahoe's expanse.</span></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJMS7aojaESl8qNVjzOnwopF_RxVeFQB2ewAEmLwxRf6guUp-V1ZTn8X8o-2QbWsSdAAp7B3UIpB-TL_h_s7L1So94EPMevSLebL9RQAW5ie-DVPF9IB2QTByFLWQSD-qvJub_7mfRRLI/s1600-h/Reunion+2008+059.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246025879590640146" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJMS7aojaESl8qNVjzOnwopF_RxVeFQB2ewAEmLwxRf6guUp-V1ZTn8X8o-2QbWsSdAAp7B3UIpB-TL_h_s7L1So94EPMevSLebL9RQAW5ie-DVPF9IB2QTByFLWQSD-qvJub_7mfRRLI/s320/Reunion+2008+059.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Coming in for a landing with the runway ahead.<br /></span></div><br />Randy, like Chris, is a great storyteller, and it had been ages since any of us had seen him so we had a blast together. Sadly he had to get home before dark (a hazard of private plane travel, at least when you have an unlighted strip of grass to land on) so our visit was cut short.<br /><br />Our third and final full day in Tahoe was kind of a lazy day, so basically no different from the others. We went out to dinner and did a little gambling at the Blackjack table at the Hyatt (Lake Tahoe straddles Nevada and California; once you cross the state line to Nevada there is a marked difference in ambiance -- flashy lights, cigarette smoke, and ker-ching noises replace serenity, clean air, and the crunch, crunch of hikers walking over a bed of pine needles). Dinner was great. Gambling we won't discuss. The next day was back to the Bay Area, with a stop en route for Mexican food at my request (which turned into pleading after GPS led us to "downtown" Davis in the middle of rush hour; we ended up in much-quieter Dixon).<br /><br />I spent my last night in California at my aunt and uncle's hotel so I could walk to BART and ride the train to the airport in the morning. We drank some and reminisced a lot, and, as always, it was sad for me to leave the next morning. Even though I barely recall living in the Bay Area and can find my way around only with direction, there is always something about being there that feels like home. My family's memories seem to be around every corner.<br /><br />It was a fun few days, just long enough so that no one killed each other. Despite our differences, we inevitably unite, probably thanks to my pressure to continue doing so. I may be the only one who admits to enjoying our time together, but I'd like to think I'm not alone in feeling it. There is always tension, there are always jabs, but there are is also always a ton of laughs and good memories formed. I walk away from time with my family feeling warm and knowing that they are good people who love me. It doesn't get much better than that, as cheesy as it sounds.<br /><br />Driving home from Newark airport, I smiled to myself as I crossed an interchange of the very same I-80 we'd spent close to 7 hours on, singing, bickering, and reminiscing some 2500 miles away.Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14287213530711041025noreply@blogger.com1