cleaning house in preparation for converting to a gallery focused jekyll install
This commit is contained in:
parent
503c411343
commit
6de20352bd
940 changed files with 17 additions and 4031 deletions
1
.gitignore
vendored
1
.gitignore
vendored
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@ -3,3 +3,4 @@ _site
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.jekyll-metadata
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.DS_Store
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Gemfile.lock
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s3_website.yml
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1
Gemfile
1
Gemfile
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@ -3,3 +3,4 @@ source 'https://rubygems.org'
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gem 'jekyll'
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gem 'exifr'
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gem 'jekyll-paginate'
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gem 's3_website'
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@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ out += "gallery-date: #{Time.now.to_s}\n"
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t += " thumb-src: /assets/#{filename}_t.jpg\n"
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t += " mid-src: /assets/#{filename}_m.jpg\n"
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t += " image-src: /assets/#{filename}.jpg\n"
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t += " mid-page: /photos/#{gallery_slug}/#{basename}/\n"
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t += " mid-page: /#{gallery_slug}/#{basename}/\n"
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if i == 0 then
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out += "gallery-key:\n"
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out += t
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10
_config.yml
10
_config.yml
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@ -10,21 +10,13 @@ title: amdavidson
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email: hello@amdavidson.com
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description: More wasted webspace...
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baseurl: "" # the subpath of your site, e.g. /blog
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url: "http://amdavidson.com" # the base hostname & protocol for your site
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url: "https://photos.amdavidson.com" # the base hostname & protocol for your site
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twitter_username: amdavidson
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github_username: amdavidson
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permalink: /:year/:month/:title/
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exclude: ['Gemfile', 'Gemfile.lock']
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gems: ['jekyll-paginate']
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# Special folders
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photos_folder: '/photos/'
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# Build settings
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markdown: kramdown
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# Pagination Settings
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paginate: 5
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paginate_path: '/page:num/'
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@ -15,9 +15,9 @@
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</div>
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<div class="footer-col footer-col-2">
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<ul class="footer-nav">
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<li><a href="/about">About</a></li>
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<li><a href="/">Blog</a></li>
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<li><a href="/photos">Photos</a></li>
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<li><a href="//www.amdavidson.com/about">About</a></li>
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<li><a href="//www.amdavidson.com">Blog</a></li>
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<li><a href="//photos.amdavidson.com">Photos</a></li>
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</ul>
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</div>
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</div>
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@ -8,5 +8,4 @@
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<link rel="stylesheet" href="{{ "/css/main.css" | prepend: site.baseurl }}">
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<link rel="canonical" href="{{ page.url | replace:'index.html','' | prepend: site.baseurl | prepend: site.url }}">
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<link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="{{ site.title }}" href="{{ "/feed.xml" | prepend: site.baseurl | prepend: site.url }}">
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</head>
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@ -5,9 +5,9 @@
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<a href="/"><img src="/static/logo.png" /></a>
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</div>
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<ul class="site-nav">
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<li><a href="/about">About</a></li>
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<li><a href="/">Blog</a></li>
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<li><a href="/photos">Photos</a></li>
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<li><a href="//www.amdavidson.com/about">About</a></li>
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<li><a href="//www.amdavidson.com">Blog</a></li>
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<li><a href="//photos.amdavidson.com">Photos</a></li>
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</ul>
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</header>
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</div>
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@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ layout: default
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</header>
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<ul>
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{% for gallery in page.galleries %}
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<li><a href="/photos/{{gallery['slug']}}">{{gallery['title']}}</a> - {{gallery['date']}}</li>
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<li><a href="/{{gallery['slug']}}">{{gallery['title']}}</a> - {{gallery['date']}}</li>
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{% endfor %}
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</ul>
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</article>
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@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ image-name:
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<article>
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<header>
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<p class="subheading">Back to <a href="/photos">Photos</a></p>
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<p class="subheading">Back to <a href="/">Photos</a></p>
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<h1 class="post-title">{{page.gallery['title']}}</h1>
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</header>
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@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ layout: default
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<article>
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<header>
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<p class="subheading"><a href="/photos">Photos</a> / <a
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<p class="subheading"><a href="/">Photos</a> / <a
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href="">{{page.photo['title']}}</a></p>
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</header>
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@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ module Jekyll
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def generate(site)
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gallery_index = Array.new()
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@galleries = site.pages.select { |page|
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page.path =~ /^photos\/(.*)\.yaml$/ }
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page.path =~ /^albums\/(.*)\.yaml$/ }
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@galleries_sorted = @galleries.sort_by { |g| g['gallery-date'] }
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@galleries_sorted.reverse.each { |gallery|
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index_record = Hash.new()
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@ -53,19 +53,19 @@ module Jekyll
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gallery_page = index_record.clone
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gallery_page['images'] = gallery['images'].sort_by{|g| g['date']}
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site.pages << GalleryPage.new(site, site.source,
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"photos/#{gallery['gallery-slug']}",
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"#{gallery['gallery-slug']}",
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gallery_page)
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gallery['images'].each_with_index { |image, i|
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gallery_photo = index_record.clone
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gallery_photo['image'] = image
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site.pages << GalleryPhoto.new(site, site.source,
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"photos/#{gallery['gallery-slug']}/#{image['basename']}",
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"#{gallery['gallery-slug']}/#{image['basename']}",
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gallery_photo)
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}
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}
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site.pages << GalleryIndex.new(site, site.source,
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'photos', gallery_index)
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'', gallery_index)
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end
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end
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end
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BIN
_posts/.DS_Store
vendored
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_posts/.DS_Store
vendored
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@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
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---
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layout: post
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status: publish
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published: true
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title: Welcome to www.AMDavidson.com
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date: '2005-02-22 00:00:25 -0500'
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categories:
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- Personal
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---
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Welcome to my little space on the web. This marks the first day of this site on the web... There probably wont be much change, but here it is anyways.
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I got this site, just so that whenever I needed to be able to post something I could, without the trouble of using yahoo or other services. It won't turn into a blog or anything like that so dont come back looking for cool things that I've posted or anything like that. My life doesnt have interesting enough happenings for me to really post anything worth reading.
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oh and p.s. ... the links at the top dont work, dont try, ill have em up later today, maybe...
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@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
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---
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layout: post
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status: publish
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published: true
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title: Alois Ruf Visit to Cal Poly
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date: '2005-05-07 00:00:42 -0400'
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categories:
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- Personal
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tags: []
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---
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[](/assets/2005-05-img_0112.jpg)
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Well today was one of those top 5 most memorable occurances in my life days... it was absolutely incredible... due to ties with an alumni of Cal Poly Alois Ruf, chief of Ruf Automobiles, came to speak at Cal Poly today. He brought along with him an original prototype CTR1 and a CTR2 and a Turbo R (the CTR2 and the Turbo R were owned by friends of his). I got to get real close up to the cars and they were spectacularly beautiful.
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If you look at the gallery of them you can see the picture we snuck where a fiend and I touched the a gasket on the back of the CTR1. We had to get proof that we were there and we [touched](/assets/2005-05-img_0174.jpg) them ;-). We were also fortunate enough to speak with Alois one on one and talk about which cars he drives and plans for the Ruf Company.
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It was really a once in a lifetime day. I was absolutely awe struck the whole time. ( and i suppose this officially makes this a blog... never planned it that way, but whatever... dont expect other entries if you're reading this, and i know at least someone is.. I've been getting weird hits from Connecticut and other places, not just random pings like the ones that I get from bots in china, these ones actually browse around.)
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@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
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---
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layout: post
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status: publish
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published: true
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title: Whistler Pics
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date: '2005-12-29 00:00:03 -0500'
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categories:
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- Personal
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tags: []
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---
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[](/assets/2005-12-whistler-2005-day-three-023.jpg)
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We had a fantastic time visiting Whistler. I whole-heartedly recommend it.
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@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
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---
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layout: post
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status: publish
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published: true
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title: XMas Pics are Up
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date: '2006-01-08 00:00:34 -0500'
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date_gmt: '2006-01-08 05:00:34 -0500'
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categories:
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- Personal
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tags: []
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---
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[](/assets/2006-01-125_2518.jpg)
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@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
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---
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layout: post
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status: publish
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published: true
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title: Naomi's 21st Pics
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date: '2006-03-04 00:00:39 -0500'
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date_gmt: '2006-03-04 05:00:39 -0500'
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categories:
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- Personal
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tags: []
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---
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[](/assets/2006-03-sig-fest-087-1.jpg)
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A quick shot from Naomi's 21st birthday party at Vallartas restaurant in San Luis Obispo.
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That's a 60 ounce magarita in front of her.
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@ -1,28 +0,0 @@
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---
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layout: post
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status: publish
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published: true
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title: Baja Competition
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date: '2006-05-15 00:00:45 -0400'
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date_gmt: '2006-05-15 04:00:45 -0400'
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categories:
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- Personal
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tags: []
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---
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[](/assets/2006-05-92060157.jpg)
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Well I just got back from the 2006 SAE Mini Baja competition yesterday and thought that I would post results and pictures from the competition.
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We got an 8th overall.
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The breakdown is as follows:
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- Design: 7th Place
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- Sales: 5th Place
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- Acceleration: 3rd Place
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- Hill Climb: 1st Place
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- Rock Crawl: not good...
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- Maneuverability: also, not good...
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- Endurance: 7th Place
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Overall, no complaints, there were some good cars there (and some bad ones), and we had our share of good and bad luck.
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@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
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---
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layout: post
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status: publish
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published: true
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title: Ouch
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date: '2006-05-26 00:00:34 -0400'
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date_gmt: '2006-05-26 04:00:34 -0400'
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categories:
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- Personal
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tags: []
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---
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Well, it finally happened... I broke my collarbone and bruised myself up real good.
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@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
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---
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layout: post
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status: publish
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published: true
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title: Frank's Valley Pics
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date: '2006-07-17 00:00:20 -0400'
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date_gmt: '2006-07-17 04:00:20 -0400'
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categories:
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- Personal
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tags: []
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---
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[](/assets/2006-07-130_3010.jpg)
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Here's a picture from our family trip to Frank's Valley.
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@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
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---
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layout: post
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status: publish
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published: true
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title: Vacation Pics Added
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date: '2006-08-13 00:00:49 -0400'
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categories:
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- Personal
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tags: []
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---
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[](/assets/2006-08-img_49881.jpg)
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A quick shot of the excitement from our trip to Dillon Beach. Ian broke his ankle skim boarding early into the vacation and was less than able to enjoy the rest of it.
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---
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layout: post
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status: publish
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published: true
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title: Baja Pic
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date: '2007-01-16 00:00:04 -0500'
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categories:
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- Personal
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tags: []
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---
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[](/assets/2007-01-bajaintacoma1.jpg)
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A long overdue mini-baja photo.
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---
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layout: post
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status: publish
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published: true
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title: Tour of California 07
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date: '2007-02-22 00:00:19 -0500'
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categories:
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- Personal
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tags: []
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---
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[](/assets/2007-02-img_0520.jpg)
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Check out a pic I took when the Amgen Tour of California had a stage that stopped in San Luis Obispo today.
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@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
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---
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layout: post
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status: publish
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published: true
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title: Baja Competition Photos
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date: '2007-05-29 00:00:20 -0400'
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categories:
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- Personal
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tags: []
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---
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Photos from this year's Baja SAE competition at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology have been posted. Check em out, I took em with my new Canon Digital Rebel, and some of the shots turned out pretty good, if I do say so myself. [Gallery link broken]
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We don't have official results from the competition yet, but we don't expect that we did as well as we did last year. We got some great results on the dynamic day, including a spectacular 3rd place overall on the dynamic day and 4th and 5th place finishes in acceleration and, astonishingly enough, rock crawl (with me driving).
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Anyways, I'll post some more results as I get them.
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@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
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---
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layout: post
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status: publish
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published: true
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title: Rock Crawl Video
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date: '2007-06-04 00:00:49 -0400'
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categories:
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- Personal
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tags: []
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---
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I wanted to post a video of my rock crawl run so that Ian could see it, but I figured I might as well just post it for all to see.
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Without further adieu...
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<del>Rock Crawl Video</del> Unfortunately, the rock crawling video has been lost to the aether.
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---
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layout: post
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status: publish
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published: true
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title: New Lens
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date: '2007-07-15 00:00:48 -0400'
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categories:
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- Personal
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tags: []
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---
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I just got a new lens for my Digital Rebel. I'm pretty excited about it. It's nothing hugely special, a Canon EF 28-135 USM.
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I went to Hearst Castle with it this morning so my first pics with it will be up a bit later.
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---
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layout: post
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status: publish
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published: true
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title: Hearst Castle Pics
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date: '2007-07-16 00:00:54 -0400'
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categories:
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- Personal
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tags: []
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---
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I just got around to adding some pics from Hearst Castle.
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Check em out! [Gallery link broken]
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---
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layout: post
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status: publish
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published: true
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title: Naomi Grad Pics
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date: '2007-07-31 00:00:26 -0400'
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categories:
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- Personal
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tags: []
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---
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I was recently reminded that I had forgotten to post Naomi's graduation photos. Well, here they are! [Gallery link broken]
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@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
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---
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layout: post
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status: publish
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published: true
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title: Alaska Pictures
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date: '2007-08-01 00:00:41 -0400'
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categories:
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- Personal
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tags: []
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---
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I added pictures from my trip to Alaska with 32 members of my family.
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It was a really fun trip and some really good pics came out of it, check it out! [Gallery link broken]
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@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
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---
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layout: post
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status: publish
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published: true
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title: DC Trip Pictures
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date: '2007-08-11 00:00:42 -0400'
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categories:
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- Personal
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tags: []
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---
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Got back from my Washington DC trip yesterday. The trip was great and I took a few good pictures, check out the gallery. [Gallery link broken]
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---
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layout: post
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status: publish
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published: true
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title: Monterey Historics
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date: '2007-08-22 00:00:13 -0400'
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categories:
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- Personal
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tags: []
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---
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I had quite a weekend at the historic races in Monterey this last weekend. Check out the pictures. [Gallery link broken]
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---
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layout: post
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status: publish
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||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Mike's New Raptor
|
||||
date: '2007-09-24 00:00:09 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
My buddy Mike went out and bought an 2008 Yamaha Raptor 700R. So this last weekend we took it out to the Pismo Dunes and he had a good time flogging it a bit. He gave a few of us rides on it as well.
|
||||
|
||||
My truck did pretty well too, much better than Ken's Jeep did although not as well as Sam's FJ-40. [Gallery link broken]
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Just a Cool Photo
|
||||
date: '2007-09-28 00:00:52 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2007-09-img_9333.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
This was actually taken by Naomi, but I keep noticing it in my Aperture library so I figured I'd post it.
|
||||
|
||||
It's a fun silhouette kinda captures the mood of the day.
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: New Job
|
||||
date: '2008-01-11 00:00:09 -0500'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
Well, it happened... I found a career to enter into when I graduate from Cal Poly towards the end of March.
|
||||
|
||||
Apple computer made me an offer that I could not refuse. Great news for me as I am already and avid Apple fan-boy.
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Scarlett Elizabeth
|
||||
date: '2008-03-09 00:00:13 -0500'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
Yesterday, David and Tanya had their baby.
|
||||
|
||||
Scarlett Elizabeth
|
||||
|
||||
She's a bit early, but she seems to be doing fine.
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,32 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Day 1 at my New Job
|
||||
date: '2008-04-01 00:00:59 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
I arrived a bit early, despite my the email that indicated that I should avoid
|
||||
doing so. It wasn't too early and the lobby had already been opened. This was
|
||||
nice because I was able to get into the line to get my badge picture taken
|
||||
early, when the line was much shorter. Before long there were 59 "Corporate
|
||||
Employees" that were here for orientation.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
Because there were so many employees orientation was delayed a bit. When the
|
||||
dust had settled from the all the badge registration we sat down in the
|
||||
orientation auditorium, and we were greeted by "PC" from the Mac vs. PC
|
||||
commercials on a large projector screen. He did an amusing little bit about how
|
||||
we were making a bad decision by working here, and asked us all to leave. The
|
||||
rest of the orientation covered basic HR stuff, corporate history, security,
|
||||
and the like.
|
||||
|
||||
After orientation I met up with a guy from a related department who had lunch
|
||||
with me and showed me to my cube where I worked on all the administrative stuff
|
||||
for the rest of the day.
|
||||
|
||||
It wasn't a particularly exciting day material wise, but I was quite excited to
|
||||
be here, and am rapidly becoming enamored with the culture and peoples'
|
||||
outlooks here, everything is very positive and energetic.
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: China Already?
|
||||
date: '2008-04-09 00:00:45 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
Well it's all happening really quick, I just learned today that in 7 days I'll
|
||||
be in China. The project I'm on has business over there, and so I have to go.
|
||||
|
||||
I had no idea that it was going to be so sudden, or this quickly into my
|
||||
employment two weeks ago, but two weeks ago, I had a lot of misperceptions
|
||||
about what life was going to be like at Apple.
|
||||
|
||||
Here goes my big adventure.
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,63 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Getting to Suzhou Part I
|
||||
date: '2008-04-14 00:00:50 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
Well, it took me about 23 hours from Joy's door to the hotel.
|
||||
|
||||
It was tiring, but really not as bad as I was expecting.
|
||||
|
||||
I'll just go through it chronologically, for the sake of my memory.
|
||||
|
||||
I woke up, went through my normal business, getting ready for the 1030 AM
|
||||
pickup from the driver, and got a text from United saying that my flight was
|
||||
going to be delayed. The first nice thing about global services / business
|
||||
class. So I called my traveling companion Matt and we decided to push our
|
||||
pickup back to 12 to give ourselves more time at home and less time sitting in
|
||||
the airport.
|
||||
|
||||
So I tooled around the house a little bit more, and sorta got everything
|
||||
sorted out and was killing time in the back room when Tanya came in and said
|
||||
that my driver was waiting outside.
|
||||
|
||||
At this point I kinda panicked because I had set up my personal cell as my
|
||||
contact point for the limo company, and had already turned off my personal
|
||||
cell forgetting that they would likely cal me on it. So I rushed out the door
|
||||
and into the Lincoln, and did not find out until later that he was waiting
|
||||
until exactly 12 to knock on my door and I had just run out and into the car
|
||||
at 1155... That was nice of him to do I suppose, but him waiting and me
|
||||
feeling bad about him waiting caused me to rush and spend about 4 hours on the
|
||||
flight going over in my head all the things that I could have forgotten.
|
||||
|
||||
No matter though, I got to the airport fine and met up with Matt and got to
|
||||
skip the *huge* lines in economy by taking the business class line (second
|
||||
nice point about business class).
|
||||
|
||||
I went into a bookstore at this point to get something to read and bought a
|
||||
book I tried to read years ago when I was probably 12, but didnt understand it
|
||||
so I ended up giving up, but I figured I'd give it another shot. The book is
|
||||
Tom Robbins' Still Life with Woodpecker. Then I hopped in the security line,
|
||||
and unfortunately at SFO there aren't special lines for business class
|
||||
(although apparently there are in Shanghai for the way back).
|
||||
|
||||
When it came turn for me to head into the metal detector, I wandered through...
|
||||
BEEP BEEP BEEP... and I realized that I still had my stainless steel watch on,
|
||||
which is heavy enough that it *had* to be the problem and I stepped back and
|
||||
put it in a bin for XRay... then stepped through again BEEP BEEP BEEP... I had
|
||||
forgotten the iPhone in my pocket... Dangit!
|
||||
|
||||
So two failures at the metal detector led to me getting the whole once over by
|
||||
the TSA... my whole person was frisked and metal detected more than once, and
|
||||
each item in my camera bag and briefcase was swabbed with a cloth and then the
|
||||
cloth was analyzed for any errant chemicals that may have been on them.
|
||||
Oh well, so Matt went on ahead and wandered the shops while I caught up with
|
||||
him. We then headed to the Business Class lounge where I munched on the food
|
||||
that was there in lieu of buying myself a real lunch.
|
||||
|
||||
And then we got on the plane.
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,73 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Getting to Suzhou Part II
|
||||
date: '2008-04-14 01:00:19 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
So then I got on the flight and immediately realized that business class is a
|
||||
whole new world... I'm not sure how I'm going to fly economy again...
|
||||
|
||||
The seats are large and comfortable, the stewardesses actually pay attention
|
||||
to you, they give you the whole can of soda. It was nice.
|
||||
|
||||
For my in flight meal(s), I had the smoked salmon for my appetizer, and the
|
||||
pork with some sort of mustard seed crust, and then chocolate cheesecake for
|
||||
desert. I still wouldn't call it gourmet, but it's about as well as I could
|
||||
have cooked any of it. Then towards the end of the flight I was served a
|
||||
pastrami/turkey/swiss cheese sandwich melt.
|
||||
|
||||
The inflight movies were kinda nice, but it was interesting how they ran
|
||||
them... all the movies started at the same time, and then they would just keep
|
||||
them running until the last movie finished, at which point they would all
|
||||
restart simultaneously... this was nice in that you could, in theory, figure
|
||||
out how long the longest movie was and then calculate when movie start times
|
||||
were, but I couldn't figure that out, and it wasn't listed in the
|
||||
"entertainment guide".
|
||||
|
||||
But I did manage to read ~150 pages in my book, watch 3 movies (Dewey Cox,
|
||||
National Treasure II, and August Rush, Dewey Cox was surprisingly good and the
|
||||
others were miserable).
|
||||
|
||||
All in all, the flight wasn't that bad... I read some emails that I had
|
||||
downloaded to my laptop, and not read yet... got some personal projects on the
|
||||
computer done... and the first 9 hours went by real fast. The last three and
|
||||
change were a little slow... but it was fine, I just read and tried to nap
|
||||
(unsuccessfully) and passed the time however I could.
|
||||
|
||||
At the airport we got through security and got our bags and got out to the
|
||||
pick up area quickly... but could not find the guy that was supposed to pick
|
||||
us up and bring us to the hotel. We wandered back and forth looking for
|
||||
someone holding a sign that had our name, or the vendor's name, or something...
|
||||
We called the vendor and our contact told us that the driver was in the
|
||||
airport. Well eventually after wandering around, Matt noticed "Catch..." on a
|
||||
rolled up piece of paper wadded in his fist, and held at his thigh. Matt
|
||||
yelled at the man, and introduced me to the "point back and forth" method of
|
||||
talking to people.
|
||||
|
||||
Basically, we don't talk to anyone... there's lots of pointing and gesturing...
|
||||
but it seems to work well enough in my first 18 or so hours here.
|
||||
|
||||
Well we got into a car with him, and went on a wild ride back and forth
|
||||
through traffic, passing on the right just as frequently as passing on the
|
||||
left... it was a phenomenally interesting drive, and is the standard... but
|
||||
there were surprisingly few close calls, everyone just expects it and deals
|
||||
with it.
|
||||
|
||||
We got to the hotel and checked in, that was easy and then went to my room,
|
||||
and crashed... I barely got my teeth brushed before hitting the bed.
|
||||
|
||||
But when I awoke, I did pay a bit of attention to the quality of the hotel,
|
||||
and it's nice... very asian styling, kinda pagoda-y. but the bathroom is all
|
||||
granite, there's an LCD TV recessed into the wall with some American channels,
|
||||
so that will be nice if there is some downtime in the evening.
|
||||
|
||||
And after that I went off to go to work at the vendor...
|
||||
|
||||
I'll update on how work actually is here after a couple of days because I am
|
||||
acclimating, but the last 4 or 5 days of work have had a great learning curve
|
||||
I'm finally starting to get up to speed with what happens here, and what my
|
||||
role is going to be in making it happen.
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,44 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Chinese Traffic
|
||||
date: '2008-04-18 00:00:10 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
Traffic laws are never obeyed here. my cabbie blew by a cop last night passing
|
||||
on the right the cut him off on the left to get in front of more traffic.
|
||||
There are people littering the streets, more people than I have ever seen in
|
||||
my life... It's like the Times Square shot when the kid is lost in New York
|
||||
and everyone is pushing him into crosswalks that he doesn't want to cross.
|
||||
|
||||
Until today, I have been amazed that there aren't constant collisions all over.
|
||||
I would venture a guess that I spend approximately 15% of my commute back and
|
||||
forth from the factory driving in the shoulder to pass cars that are driving
|
||||
slower than the flow of traffic.
|
||||
|
||||
However, on my commute to work today, our driver had an "incident". We were
|
||||
driving down a busy street on our way to getting to the highway for the 20
|
||||
minute highway ride to work. We left a bit later today being that it is Sunday.
|
||||
We decided that if we don't get a weekend, we're going to sleep in and leave at
|
||||
930... Well this decision led to commute during a time when a lot of people are
|
||||
on the road, or at least thats how it seemed.
|
||||
|
||||
As we drove down the street I saw that there were pedestrians crossing the
|
||||
street back and forth and back and forth, and eventually two of them got
|
||||
trapped on the dotted yellow line between a VW Santana, a bus, and our
|
||||
Passat... Well, the man was able to skinny up and squeeze between the cars. The
|
||||
pregnant woman with him was not so lucky, our driver clipped her with his
|
||||
mirror and ran over her heel with his tire. He then slowly crept his car for
|
||||
some distance looking out the back window as they yelled at him. Eventually,
|
||||
he stopped in the street and left the car and proceeded to yell at the
|
||||
pedestrians!
|
||||
|
||||
After much yelling and a beggar approaching them with an empty
|
||||
bowl outstretched, the driver returned to the car and pulled out his wallet and
|
||||
handed the man what looked like 200RMB (~$30). What amused me is as soon as the
|
||||
car was stopped Matt told me that this would be resolved with money and to be
|
||||
sure that I did not acknowledge that I actually had any on me. He was right on.
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,32 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Chinese Dinner
|
||||
date: '2008-05-18 00:00:25 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
The vendor was about 11 hours late on Saturday bringing us data so we sat idle all day long.
|
||||
|
||||
As a sort of "Thank you" they took us out for a Chinese dinner. The items on the menu were picked for us, and I don't know how authentic they really were, but I thought the menu was a bit interesting. So I figured I'd pass it along.
|
||||
|
||||
The dinner started off with appetizers, we were served Turnip and Lotus Root. The lotus root was sweet and kinda sticky, but good. The turnip was a little spicy, but it was good.
|
||||
|
||||
Next up came a little Juice as a beverage.. I wouldn't really call it "Juice" like they did though, it was more like someone chopped up a seedless watermelon and put it in a glass, and warm. It was only ok... but it actually might have tasted good if it was cold, like some sort of all fruit smoothie.
|
||||
|
||||
The next dish made me believe that, at least in part, Chinese food is designed to be inconvenient to eat. The next was a dish you would be more likely to see in an American Chinese restaurant, beef with shiitake mushrooms and peas in the pod. The flavors were good, but it was quite difficult to eat as the beef was still on the bone, and we were not eating with a knife and fork... there was a lot of gnawing and spitting going on at the table.
|
||||
|
||||
Next came a vegetable dish: asparagus with chickpeas and sweet onions. Good, nothing too remarkable.
|
||||
|
||||
Then we really hit the main courses. The first of which was a whole fish cooked in some sort of oil. One of our Taiwanese hosts was kind enough to take the head and the tail and the rest of us received sections of the body. The fish was good, but oily and kind of bland... Again difficult to eat as the bones were still in it, and not just a few, but every bone that fish ever had... More spitting ensued.
|
||||
|
||||
Another of the main dishes was lettuce wraps which I'm sure most of us know and love. These were good as well. The flavor was very much the same as you would get at a PF Chang's or another Chinese restaurant. As I was finishing my first wrap, one of our hosts asked if I enjoyed it, and I told him, "Yes, very much so" and he said, "You know what you're eating?" I replied positively, assuring him that I have had chicken lettuce wraps plenty of times. He looked at me quizzically and says "Chicken? No, no chicken, pigeon!" ...... Well, it tasted like chicken.
|
||||
|
||||
We wrapped up the main courses with lobster, still in the shell, very buttery and again difficult to remove from the shell for consumption with the chopsticks I had been given, but good all the same.
|
||||
|
||||
Desert was some sort of tapioca balls in blueberry sauce with peanuts in it. We dipped some sort of fried bread in it. It was good.
|
||||
|
||||
All in all, it was a good dining experience, if a bit foreign.
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Photos from China
|
||||
date: '2008-05-19 00:00:22 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
I took a couple of pictures here and thought they were amusing, but don't have enough to warrant an entire album.
|
||||
|
||||
I had no idea that "orporation" really did anything for society before seeing this sign implying that it leads to "quanlity".
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2008-05-img_53271.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
And when you're in the mood for something familiar, head for to this place for a "troditional" snack.
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2008-05-img_53311.jpg)
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,22 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Hohe Domkirche St. Peter und Maria
|
||||
date: '2008-06-09 00:00:33 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
I woke up super early this morning (5AM but I went to bed at 12:30) and just
|
||||
wandered around Cologne... Figured that I don't have many other opportunities
|
||||
to visit Cologne (or Koln in German).
|
||||
|
||||
Anyways, check out what I'm told is the oldest cathedral in Europe.
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2008-06-img_53401.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2008-06-img_53411.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,23 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Chinese Lunch
|
||||
date: '2008-06-21 00:00:59 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
Had lunch on site with the vendor again today. They have a Taiwanese chef they imported that makes the execs lunch each day, and we join them.
|
||||
|
||||
They called it Chinese Spaghetti and, for the most part, it was really good. It was like a rice based spaghetti noodle, that we put a Chicken based mixture of vegetables on. That part was all good.
|
||||
|
||||
There were additional garnishes that I did and didn't recognize, but this trip, I decided I was going to try it all, and yesterday I did the same and it was all fairly good.
|
||||
|
||||
Today however, I put a brown thing on there that looked like a sliced mushroom, but did not taste like one at all.
|
||||
|
||||
Missing from my mouth was the earthy mushroom flavor that I expected, and introduced was the delightfully gross taste of kidney from an unknown animal.
|
||||
|
||||
Gross, I won't be eating that again. We're going out for Thai tonight, from a restaurant that the vendor assures us is "very plain", so hopefully that means no kidney, liver, gizzard, or whatever.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,33 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Taiwanese Lunch
|
||||
date: '2008-06-26 00:00:14 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
So today I had Taiwanese for the first (real) time, it was interesting, thought I'd pass it along like last time.
|
||||
|
||||
Today I was daring, tried everything they put on the table. I even ate the bitter melon and clams.
|
||||
|
||||
The bitter melon was interesting... There really is no other flavor but bitter. I've never tasted anything like it, and despite me and Ethan trying to find a comparison to make, we were unable. It is a truly unique food.
|
||||
|
||||
I actually had to try it twice as I couldn't believe it the first time around. I don't think I'll be ordering it for myself, but it's an experience I recommend to others.
|
||||
|
||||
The clams were in the shell and in a soup with asparagus and string beans. They were better than I expected. I'm not usually a clam guy, but I ate a whole bunch of them. Otherwise not too remarkable, it wouldn't even be worth writing if I hadn't been so against clams for so long... Maybe I'll even give clam chowder another try.
|
||||
|
||||
Other items on the menu were fine, none too interesting.
|
||||
|
||||
- Chicken with Cashews
|
||||
- Eggplant with some sort of fishy sauce
|
||||
- Fish fried in and then crusted with a garlic-y something or another
|
||||
- Goose breast slices that were soaked in wine and served cold
|
||||
- Tofu with peppers and stuff, kinda spicy, not too bad
|
||||
- Solidified Duck Blood and Pig Intestine
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
The usual.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,25 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Artistic Blast from the Past
|
||||
date: '2008-06-27 00:00:49 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
So I finished the book that I had brought along on this trip, and went to an English bookstore today to get something else to read.
|
||||
|
||||
I got "Everything is Illuminated" as I watched the movie and was confused and heard the book was much better and explained a great deal better.
|
||||
|
||||
Anyways, what did I see playing on a TV in the "Art" section?
|
||||
|
||||
None other than Bob "Happy Trees" Ross
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2008-06-img_09661.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
Sorry that I didn't get a better picture, unfortunately as soon as I took this one, that lady in the background came running after me to tell me that no cameras were allowed... Or something that I assume to mean that, after all...
|
||||
|
||||
she was speaking Taiwanese.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,25 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Trip Around the World
|
||||
date: '2008-07-15 00:00:09 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
So I realized that I haven't posted in a while. So here goes.
|
||||
|
||||
I'm currently on a trip around the world, and it's in full steam. I just got to Taiwan last night, and so far I've had some good adventures and brought my camera with me.
|
||||
|
||||
Germany was good, we were really stacked with work stuff, but I was able to get out in the early morning and the night to explore a bit.
|
||||
|
||||
I really enjoyed my last trip there, and enjoyed this one as well. It's a fascinating place, with a lot of true history to enjoy as you wander the streets of little German towns. I found a couple of old cathedrals and town squares that were fun to explore.
|
||||
|
||||
Taiwan is always a sight to see, I had the afternoon off in Taipei, so I went to visit the tallest building in the world. It was quite a sight... The mall below it is only the 'hoity-toity-est' of stores, and after 5 floors of Cartier, Piaget, Vuitton, and others, you get to an area that lets you head up to the observation deck, which costs like $10 USD but I figured it was worth it, and it certainly was.
|
||||
|
||||
The building is amazingly high, over half a kilometer up in the sky, dwarfing anything else in the Taipei skyline. At the top you can see for miles and miles, and there was a lot of cool information about the architecture and engineering of the building which I enjoyed greatly. (If you click through to the gallery, the big yellow ball thing is a huge mass to dampen the effects of wind on the structure).
|
||||
|
||||
Anyways, it was an amazing thing to hop on a plane and leave a country known for its history, and land in a country that is as modern as they get.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,23 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Quickie Family Vacation
|
||||
date: '2008-09-06 00:00:04 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
I added some pictures from our labor day trip to Franks Valley.
|
||||
|
||||
Had a weekend off in the States and it just happened to coincide with Labor
|
||||
Day. Taking advantage, we took Friday off and headed up the hill with my
|
||||
parents to Frank's Valley for a weekend of no email, no cell phones, and
|
||||
relaxation.
|
||||
|
||||
It was a real nice weekend, did a little fishing, gold panning, shooting, and
|
||||
just general camping stuff.
|
||||
|
||||
Check out the pics! [Gallery link broken]
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Thanksgiving Pictures
|
||||
date: '2008-12-02 00:00:21 -0500'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
I posted a few pictures from last weekend's Thanksgiving festivities up in
|
||||
Nevada City / Grass Valley.
|
||||
|
||||
It was a great weekend with lots of family, food, and a bit of fun.
|
||||
|
||||
All in all, we had about 38 people at the Delgado's so it was a lot of fun to
|
||||
see some faces I haven't seen in a while.
|
||||
|
||||
Anyways check out the pictures, Thanksgiving 2008. [Gallery link broken]
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Canon 40D
|
||||
date: '2008-12-17 00:00:58 -0500'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2008-12-img_00152.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
Christmas came a little early for me this year.
|
||||
|
||||
Naomi got me a new Canon 40D to replace the 20D that I've had the last couple
|
||||
of years.
|
||||
|
||||
I haven't had a chance to really try it out, but here's a quick pic I took
|
||||
this morning.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,25 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Light Trails
|
||||
date: '2009-01-11 00:00:27 -0500'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2009-01-taiwan-2009-22.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
Got a little bored in my hotel room last night.
|
||||
|
||||
Took some shots of the light trails of the cars from my window.
|
||||
|
||||
It's not perfect, but I thought it was kinda neat. I had a bit of a time trying
|
||||
to take it as I had no tripod and this photo was a 30 second long exposure. I
|
||||
had to stack up nearly everything in my room to try and get a decent camera
|
||||
angle.
|
||||
|
||||
I had another idea for an album as well, and got the chance to take some pics
|
||||
today. I hope to have a new album together in a couple of days.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Plum Wine
|
||||
date: '2009-01-12 00:00:39 -0500'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
I had some time off on Sunday, and had a concept for an album of images around Taipei.
|
||||
|
||||
So I went around and hit a couple areas of town that I thought would work for the images. After I got to the second site, things changed a bit and I started working on a pretty different <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/amdavidson/albums/72157612832824207">album</a>.
|
||||
|
||||
I'm trying out a few new things in this album. I don't usually head out with an album idea in mind, but I liked it, so I might try it more often.
|
||||
|
||||
I also don't usually process images like it, I'm trying out a new over-processed, black and white look. I don't think I'm going to use it all the time, but I kinda like it and might play with it more in the future.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,29 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Taipei 101 New Years
|
||||
date: '2009-01-15 00:00:17 -0500'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2014-01-taiwan-2009-149.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
I've been driving back from the vendor for the last few days seeing Taipei 101
|
||||
all lit up for the new year.
|
||||
|
||||
It seemed like something interesting to take a picture of and I've been
|
||||
meaning to get out there and do it, but haven't gotten the chance... So here's
|
||||
a snap from the window of my cab on the way back.
|
||||
|
||||
The interesting thing to note in the pic is that "2009" is written on the
|
||||
building. The official year in Taiwan is 98 (98 years since the start
|
||||
of the Republic of China).
|
||||
|
||||
When first coming to Taiwan, this actually was quite confusing... A random
|
||||
batch of six numbers often starting in 97 didn't stand out as a date to me.
|
||||
|
||||
Why they chose to put up 2009 on 101 is beyond me.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,27 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Froggy
|
||||
date: '2009-01-20 00:00:35 -0500'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2014-01-academy-019.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
I took the day off on MLK day and Naomi and I headed up to SF for something to
|
||||
do.
|
||||
|
||||
After driving around quite a bit with no luck finding parking, we nabbed a
|
||||
great spot in Golden Gate Park and headed to the California Academy of
|
||||
Sciences museum.
|
||||
|
||||
As we were leaving the rain forest exhibit, Naomi noticed a cool little frog
|
||||
sitting on the glass, and it was interesting how he tucked his feet underneath
|
||||
himself. I had never noticed or realized that frogs sit like that.
|
||||
|
||||
Not the most photographically rewarding photo, but an interesting shot more
|
||||
because of the content.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: LOL
|
||||
date: '2009-01-23 00:00:05 -0500'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2014-01-cupertino-2009-8.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
Just a funny pic that I took over the weekend when I was chasing Adelaide around.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Rice Thief
|
||||
date: '2009-01-29 00:00:14 -0500'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2014-01-joy-bday-2009-20.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
I caught Addy stealing some rice on camera during Joy's birthday dinner last weekend.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Archimede Pilot T
|
||||
date: '2009-02-04 00:00:12 -0500'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2014-01-sunnyvale-2009-1.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
Here is a shot of my new birthday present!
|
||||
|
||||
It's pretty sweet... Check it out!
|
||||
|
||||
An Archimede Pilot T watch... Automatic, Titanium, German, Obscure, Awesome, not much else I could ask for.
|
||||
|
||||
Thanks Naomi!
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Archimede Pilot Timelapse
|
||||
date: '2009-02-08 00:00:00 -0500'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
I was bored in my hotel room in Shenzhen so I did a [timelapse video](https://vimeo.com/3128103) of my watch. It came out kinda interesting, so I'm posting it here. The panning is kinda neat, but in all honesty... it was an artifact of me not using a tripod and not using mirror lockup to prevent camera vibrations... My 40D just kinda shook itself along, but it makes it a bit more interesting. The video is hosted on Vimeo, and if you click here you can see the video in HD.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Moonset over Shenzhen
|
||||
date: '2009-02-11 00:00:21 -0500'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2014-01-china-2.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
Shot a picture of the moon setting over Shenzhen this morning... Smoggy, smoggy morning...
|
||||
|
||||
I bought a Gorillapod knock-off and remote shutter release over the weekend, and when I saw the pretty color of the moon over a sky scraper this morning, I had a use for it.
|
||||
|
||||
I've never shot in so much haze before, so the photo turned out different that I had hoped it would, but I still thought I'd post something up.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: BMW X5 Knock-off
|
||||
date: '2009-02-13 00:00:33 -0500'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2014-01-china-3.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
Saw a <span style="text-decoration:line-through;">BYD CEO</span> cruising in Shenzhen with fake BMW X5 badges.
|
||||
|
||||
Those crazy Chinese car knock-offs...
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Bottles
|
||||
date: '2009-03-09 00:00:08 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2014-01-china-31.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
Took a picture of some bottles in a restaurant in Shenzhen the other day.
|
||||
|
||||
I tried out a new processing technique on the pic, more of an effort to force myself to play with curves than anything else.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,31 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Identity Theft?
|
||||
date: '2009-03-10 00:00:40 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
So... here's a story.
|
||||
|
||||
I get an email from ebay.co.uk about a person trying to register amdavidson1985 on ebay.co.uk with the email address am.davidson@gmail.com...
|
||||
|
||||
I knew that gmail ignores periods in email addresses so was not surprised that this went to me... but it made me curious...
|
||||
|
||||
Then someone tries to reset my gmail password and fortunately, my alternate email address was set to my current email so I got notified.
|
||||
|
||||
This made me get a bit worried... maybe someone is trying to get away with a little identity theft.
|
||||
|
||||
So I go to change my passwords... still all secure.
|
||||
|
||||
I then went back to re read all the emails... and notice that it is addressed both to amdavidson1985 and to someone's name.
|
||||
|
||||
So I hit up a little Facebook and find a person by the name listed in the ebay email in "West Midlands" which sounded like a Britishy place to me...
|
||||
|
||||
I shoot a message and a reply comes back about 10 mins later that she was registering a new ebay account with her married name, and claims that she mistyped her email address which she has been meaning to update from her maiden name to her married name... still a little fishy, but altogether a bit understandable.
|
||||
|
||||
The internet makes it a real small world. In less than an hour, I got notices from American companies that someone in England was trying to use my email address, and I was able to track them down from a hotel room in Shanghai.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Men and Ladies
|
||||
date: '2009-03-10 00:00:43 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2014-01-china-38.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2014-01-china-39.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
Saw a couple of amusing signs for the men's and women's rooms in Chiangsu yesterday.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,23 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Make Postfix Listen to Multiple Ports
|
||||
date: '2009-03-20 00:00:28 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
If you need postfix to listen on multiple ports (like I do) add lines like the following
|
||||
(replace numbers with whatever ports you desire):
|
||||
|
||||
In `/etc/postfix/master.cf`:
|
||||
|
||||
```
|
||||
25 inet n - - - - smtpd
|
||||
26 inet n - - - - smtpd
|
||||
```
|
||||
|
||||
Make sure to open the ports in iptables as well.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,23 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Engaged
|
||||
date: '2009-04-01 00:00:01 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2014-01-img_71681.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
Well... It's finally happened.
|
||||
|
||||
Naomi and I got engaged.
|
||||
|
||||
Last week, while vacation in Maui, I popped the question. It went really well.
|
||||
|
||||
We were hiking in a bamboo grove, off the side of the Hana Highway and found a waterfall that just seemed like the perfect spot. Fortunately, I was prepared, and had a pretty little diamond ring in my pocket.
|
||||
|
||||
The pictures are posted on <a title="Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/amdavidson/sets/72157615986052896/">Flickr</a>.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,29 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Thought Processes
|
||||
date: '2009-04-13 00:00:01 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
I have no idea what goes through the head of some people in China. They have thought processes that are totally unfamiliar to me, and I'm not sure I'll ever be able to understand what causes them to do the things they do.
|
||||
|
||||
Here goes a story to elaborate on this point...
|
||||
|
||||
I spent most of the day in my hotel room yesterday. No particular place to go, so I caught up on some stuff I wanted to get done on the net and video chatted with Naomi.
|
||||
|
||||
Well right before I expected Naomi to get home, the housekeeping guy showed up and asked me to clean the room, after realizing he didn't understand "No" I threw out the little Chinese I know with a "Bu Yao" ("No Want") and he got the picture and scrammed.
|
||||
|
||||
Later on I headed out to Hua Qiang Bei, the local electronics district, and left the do not disturb sign unlit hoping that when I got back they'd clean up a bit when they come through to do the turn down service.
|
||||
|
||||
I returned to realize that this was not the case. The room looked exactly as I had left it, or so I thought.
|
||||
|
||||
I had no indication that there was anything amiss until the next morning when I went to hop in the shower and realized that my towel was missing. I'm certain that _I_ did not remove the towel, and searched the room quite extensively to locate any other towels... Settling for a hand towel as my only recourse I proceeded to hop in the shower, only to realize that in addition to my towel, they had taken all my little bottles of shampoo and soap from the shower. There was *definitely* enough in there for another round or two of bathing so I have no idea why they would have taken it.
|
||||
|
||||
What confuses me more, is if you're only going to take the towel and shampoo bottles, why even bother coming in the, admittedly messy, room? I suppose they didn't want to clean up the rest of the room because I had already refused service that day, but why take the towel and shampoo bottles and not replace them?
|
||||
|
||||
I may never understand.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,25 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Changes to Flight Plan
|
||||
date: '2009-04-14 00:00:22 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
Had a surprise change to my flight plan when leaving Shenzhen airport on China Eastern Airlines.
|
||||
|
||||
I got to the airport early, as I usually do... I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm not one of those that likes to run to the gate at the last minute. I prefer to take my time, find a little WiFi and relax before my flight.
|
||||
|
||||
Well today was not going to be one of those days.
|
||||
|
||||
I was sitting in a cafe above my gate relaxing a bit and checking some email, when, on a whim, I checked my ticket to verify the gate info and flight number. To my astonishment, the flight numbers didn't match, and worse, the departure time listed on my ticket was a full hour earlier than the flight I was booked on, and I was already 30 minutes late.
|
||||
|
||||
Fortunately for me, the flight that I had been changed to was running about 40 minutes late, so I still made it.
|
||||
|
||||
It bewilders me why a gate agent would make a change to my itinerary such as this without notifying me of the change so that I could adjust and plan ahead? Especially because the flight was already boarding by the time I got through security and got to the gate. Had I spent any more time just idly walking around I would have never made it.
|
||||
|
||||
Thanks trying to help me out with a bump to an earlier itinerary gate agent man, but *tell me* next time.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,53 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Taiwan's Treasures
|
||||
date: '2009-05-18 00:00:22 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
I had a free day this weekend while in Taipei, so I decided to do a little sight seeing.
|
||||
|
||||
After consulting with a couple of the local Apple team, I was told to head to the National Palace Museum. The history of the museum itself is pretty interesting.
|
||||
|
||||
Apparently, when the communist "insurgents" were rising up, Chiang Kai-Shek decided that it was his duty to protect all the ancient Chinese artifacts from them and shipped them all to southern China and then off to Taiwan as part of his retreat. So in the end a lot of the stuff that was originally in the Forbidden City and other historical sites in China ended up being put in a museum in Taiwan.
|
||||
|
||||
I expected it to be an awful day to go to the museum as it was like 31C and pretty humid, but I went off anyways as a day sitting in the hotel room watching bad movies on HBO Asia sounded even worse.
|
||||
|
||||
After glancing at the directions on the website for the museum, I hopped on the train and headed to the Shilin station. Unfortunately, the map at the train station of all the landmarks in the area left the National Palace Museum (the 15th most visited museum in the world according to The Economist) off the map. So I headed towards the hills because in the pictures it appeared that the museum was up in the trees rather than the city.
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2014-01-taiwan-natl-museum-17.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
After walking a few blocks, I really wasn't sure how far it was to get there and asked a group of a couple English speaking people where it was... after much debate they decided that it was 2 hours by car from where I was, and that I was "better off to go back to the hotel".
|
||||
|
||||
That wasn't quite good enough for me and after walking another block I stumbled upon a bus that had National Palace Museum written on it. Two stops and maybe ten minutes later I was on the steps of the museum.
|
||||
|
||||
The exhibits were actually pretty cool. It was interesting to see just how old Chinese culture really is. It was fascinating to see just how far ahead they were for so many years. We, as Americans, tend to think that we're the most advanced society in the world. This may be true, but if it is, it hasn't been for long.
|
||||
|
||||
On to the important part though. If the National Palace Museum is the "Smithsonian of Taiwan", the Jadeite Cabbage would be the Hope Diamond. I stood in line for at least 30 minutes to see it, and boy was it something. I have never before in my life seen a stone so accurately carved into something resembling food.
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2014-01-taiwan-natl-museum-66.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
In all reality, sure, the craftsmanship is nice, but I sure didn't get it. The enthusiasm for seeing this was beyond me. However the "Meat Shaped Stone" is a whole different level of stones carved to look like food... Amazing.
|
||||
|
||||
On the way back I decided to hoof it rather than ride the bus, and it was a good idea as I came across Chiang Kai-Shek's Shilin "Official Residence". The residence was closed for repair, but the grounds were interesting. There were the obvious places, different rose gardens, Chinese gardens, and niceties of various kinds.
|
||||
|
||||
Cooler was when I decided to get off the beaten path and take some stairs up and around the the hill overlooking the entrance to the residence. There were no signs up here, and no markers around. I don't think it's the part of the residence that the Taiwanese government likes to promote. Up on top of the hill were snipers nests pointed right<br />
|
||||
towards the entrance just out of sight from the memorial to Kai-Shek's mother.
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2014-01-taiwan-natl-museum-53.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
Coolest of all was what I saw on the hike down another route. At the bottom of the hill, in between a concrete wall and an outcropping of rock was a narrow entrance, it was peculiar looking so I checked behind it and found a gated tunnel that pointed directly towards the main residence. I'd bet my shoes that it was an escape tunnel in the event<br />
|
||||
that the Communists invaded.
|
||||
|
||||
There were no signs, and no markings to indicate this, but with two snipers nests overlooking the exit to the tunnel, and a concrete barricade between it and the road, it all just fit.
|
||||
|
||||
Cool stuff.
|
||||
|
||||
Once I got done with that, I hopped back on the train and headed to Danshui just in time to see sunset.
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2014-01-taiwan-natl-museum-54.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,35 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Cab Ride to the Airport
|
||||
date: '2009-05-23 00:00:09 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
Today I'm flying up to Shanghai, so that I can enjoy a rare weekend off up there, instead of sticking around in Shenzhen, which is sure to be less interesting.
|
||||
|
||||
I had quite a time trying to get to the airport though, and I figured I'd pass the story along.
|
||||
|
||||
As I was leaving the hotel with my luggage and a box full of samples in tow, I asked the doorman to tell the cab driver to take me to the Shenzhen Airport and also asked how long it was going to take to get there, as I knew I was low on local funds. He was polite about it and told me it would take about 15 minutes and that he had already told the driver the airport and terminal to take me to.
|
||||
|
||||
Well, unfortunately the cab ride was closer to 30 minutes, and when I got there, I was about 20RMB (about $3) short of the 90RMB ($13) fare. Well the cabbie decided to freak out about this, understandably as that much money could probably feed him pretty well for a meal or two.
|
||||
|
||||
Not knowing what else to do, I offered him all the RMB I had along with 20HKD ($2.50) and $4 (all the relevant money that I had, I didn't think he would be interested in Euro or Yen) but he still wasn't satisfied. There was no way that I was going to try and leave this cab with my luggage and samples safely locked in the trunk of his cab. So we sat there and stared at each other in silence for a moment or two, before he decided to berate me in Chinese that I'm sure I'm glad I didn't understand.
|
||||
|
||||
Eventually I called the hotel I had just left and had a lady working at the desk tell this guy that if he came *with my luggage* to an ATM, I would be happy to pay him in full. He hesitated for a minute and then double parked his cab and followed me and my luggage inside.
|
||||
|
||||
As soon as we entered the door, he was obviously excited to see a police officer standing there and asked him to come along as well. I guess he wanted to ensure that I didn't try any funny business.
|
||||
|
||||
Well we got to a Bank of China ATM and no matter what buttons I pushed, the combination of my card and that ATM did not result in money to pay the driver. I tried several times and eventually resigned to defeat pulled my card out, looked at the cabbie and shrugged.
|
||||
|
||||
Much to the confusion of myself and the policeman, the cabbie felt this was hysterical and he started laughing and laughing. It was such a reversal from the attitude he had just moments earlier I really had no idea what to think, but at least the mood was a little lighter.
|
||||
|
||||
After the first failure, the cop took us to a China Construction Bank ATM (sounds fake, but it's a real bank), and I was able to pull out enough funds to last me the rest of my trip.
|
||||
|
||||
I felt so bad about the whole situation that I paid the guy 200RMB, and he looked at me quizzically as if he couldn't make change. Then started scrambling in his pockets to find some way to make change. So I laughed and gestured for him to keep it, and his face changed dramatically. All sins had been forgiven and beyond; it looked like he was a kid on Christmas morning.
|
||||
|
||||
Anyways. That was my ride to the airport
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: My Walk in Shinjuku
|
||||
date: '2009-06-21 00:00:53 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
Had a day off in Japan, so I went for a stroll around Shinjuku. Nothing too special, had some lunch, took some photos, but here it is, documented in a Google Map.
|
||||
|
||||
If you click through to Google Maps, you can see the list of pins in order. If you're still here though, start where the two closest pins are, and then follow the trail (anti-clockwise), clicking on the dropped pins as you go to see what I did, and any pictures I may have taken. Feel free to click the pictures to get a link to larger ones on Flickr.
|
||||
|
||||
<iframe src="https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1DjwNPH1EaMdyVhM5NoGTd7F-WUE" width="600" height="400"></iframe>
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,27 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: 'My Morning Commute: Shanghai'
|
||||
date: '2009-08-11 00:00:13 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
I'm a little late posting these, but it's been a crazy week. Here's a continuation of the My Morning Commute photos I took.
|
||||
|
||||
The next stop in my travels took me to Shanghai, a city that I've been to but really have only been visiting much recently.
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2014-01-china-102.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
What has always stricken me about the city is it's glaring contrast between the modern world and the city's long history. This photo of a modern skyscraper immediately behind a historic office building is one of several scenes that I have come across that really shows that contrast.
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2014-01-china-112.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
Leaving Shanghai is a completely different contrast. Shanghai is in the top 10 largest cities in the world, but when I leave it, it doesn't seem to trail off the way that other large cities do, into a maze of suburbs. Leaving Shanghai often feels like traveling into another world.
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2014-01-china-113.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
Here's a less interesting, but frequent view that I have from the back of whatever vendor's van I'm in. China's freeway system is comprised of more tollways than anywhere else I've seen yet.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,41 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: 'My Morning Commute: Tokyo'
|
||||
date: '2009-08-18 00:00:00 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
When I stay in Tokyo, I rarely "stay" in Tokyo long. It's more of a base-of-operations, or more accurate: a place where I leave my suitcase.
|
||||
|
||||
I have not yet had a vendor that could actually call themselves, "based in Tokyo" but it's still a major hub and so it ends up being a hub of my travels in Japan.
|
||||
|
||||
This commute is not a single day's commute like the other days, instead I'm posting pictures from two days of commuting as they were drastically different.
|
||||
|
||||
Day 1:
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2014-01-japan-2009-881.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
The first day I had to visit a vendor in Toyama, which unfortunately is difficult to get to by train (mountains in the way). This meant a day flight, not my favorite.
|
||||
|
||||
It took me nearly 5 hours to make the 176km flight for a 4 hour meeting and then another 5 hours to get back to the hotel, but that's life.
|
||||
|
||||
Day 2:
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2014-01-japan-2009-961.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
On the second day, I had to visit a vendor that was outside Niigata, a ways north of Tokyo, but much more easily accessible by train.
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2014-01-japan-2009-1131.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
To get there, I took the Chue line from Shinjuku to the Tokyo Central Station then the JR Shinkansen up to the Tsubame-Sanjo Station.
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2014-01-japan-2009-981.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
And a bonus shot below, of my evening commute back to Shinjuku after a long day...
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2014-01-japan-2009-1001.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,35 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: A Fein Bunch of Guys
|
||||
date: '2009-10-04 00:00:40 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
This past weekend were the nuptials of TJ Guy and Margot Fein. It was a good opportunity to take my camera out after it being in a bag for quite some time.
|
||||
|
||||
The wedding was at the Firethorne Country Club in Charlotte, North Carolina. Margot is a native North Carolinan and TJ has been living there for the last few years working for Budweiser.
|
||||
|
||||
The Guy family and I flew out a few days early to help with preparations and to be there for all the lead up into the actual wedding Saturday evening.
|
||||
|
||||
We flew out early in the morning on inconvenient flight that we bought with points I had on Cathay Pacific's Asia Miles program. I cannot recommend the experience. Flight selection was terrible, customer service was spotty, not very pleasant at all.
|
||||
|
||||
But in the end we got to Charlotte fine, and the wedding proceedings commenced without many hiccups.
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2014-01-tj-margot-wedding-180.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2014-01-tj-margot-wedding-371.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
We had a great rehearsal outdoors, but practiced indoors just in case.
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2014-01-tj-margot-wedding-525.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
The indoor practice ended up being a good thing, it rained on the wedding day. The wedding went really well, I didn't take many pictures at all, but I did get this good shot of "The Tribe" as Joy calls them.
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2014-01-tj-margot-wedding-549.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
I've posted the rest of my photos from the trip in a "Fein Bunch of Guys" photoset on <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/amdavidson/sets/72157622385082211/">Flickr</a>. Let me know what you think.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,18 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: 'Official Google Blog: A New Approach to China'
|
||||
date: '2010-01-13 00:00:40 -0500'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Outside Content
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
[Google reconsidered their stance](http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/new-approach-to-china.html) on China's Great Firewall and decided to un-censor their search results.
|
||||
|
||||
I applaud Google on doing the right thing here, even if it does end up meaning losing a valuable marketplace.
|
||||
|
||||
However, this means there's going to be yet another thing I need VPN access for when in China.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Rob Glaser on the iPod in 2003
|
||||
date: '2010-01-15 00:00:05 -0500'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Outside Content
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
<blockquote>It's absolutely clear now why five years from now, Apple will have 3 to 5 percent of the player market.<br />
|
||||
<cite>[Rob Glaser](http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/30/magazine/the-guts-of-a-new-machine.html?sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all), CEO RealNetworks (via [Daring Fireball](http://daringfireball.net/linked/2010/01/13/glaser))</cite><br />
|
||||
</blockquote>
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,27 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: nook
|
||||
date: '2010-01-19 00:00:08 -0500'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2014-01-img_01112.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
I got my Barnes & Noble nook in the mail last night (finally…). Here are my first impressions.
|
||||
|
||||
Pros:
|
||||
|
||||
- Ergonomics are much better than my Sony Reader.
|
||||
- Page turn speeds not nearly as bad as early reviews said (running v1.1.1 software).
|
||||
- Sony Reader ebooks were easy to side-load
|
||||
|
||||
Cons:
|
||||
|
||||
- User interface is clumsy and awkward.
|
||||
- Heavier in the hand than expected (but not overly heavy).
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Booted!
|
||||
date: '2010-01-23 00:00:06 -0500'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2014-01-img_0446.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: The Apple iPad
|
||||
date: '2010-01-27 00:00:00 -0500'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2014-01-hardware-04-20100127.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
Well, the secret is out!
|
||||
|
||||
I've had to keep my mouth shut for well over a year, but the product is finally announced. It's been an exciting road, lot of travel-time, a lot of long hours (and more still to come). Let me know what you guys think.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Squaw Day
|
||||
date: '2010-01-30 00:00:51 -0500'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2010-01-img_0002-scaled500.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
Snowy but nice day at Squaw Valley.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: The iPad's Automatic Transmission
|
||||
date: '2010-01-30 00:00:35 -0500'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Outside Content
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
This seems <em>exactly</em> right to me:
|
||||
|
||||
<blockquote>Used to be that to drive a car, you, the driver, needed to operate a clutch pedal and gear shifter and manually change gears for the transmission as you accelerated and decelerated. Then came the automatic transmission. With an automatic, the transmission is entirely abstracted away. The clutch is gone. To go faster, you just press harder on the gas pedal.
|
||||
|
||||
That's where Apple is taking computing. A car with an automatic transmission still shifts gears; the driver just doesn't need to know about it.A computer running iPhone OS still has a hierarchical file system; the user just never sees it.
|
||||
|
||||
That's not to say there aren't trade-offs involved. Car enthusiasts (and genuine experts like race car drivers) still drive cars with manual transmissions. They offer more control; they're more efficient. But the vast majority of cars sold today are automatics. So too it'll be with computers. Eventually, the vast majority will be like the iPad in terms of the degree to which the underlying *computer* is abstracted away. Manual computers, like the Mac and Windows PCs, will slowly shift from the standard to the niche, something of interest only to experts and enthusiasts and developers.<br />
|
||||
<cite>[Daring Fireball](http://daringfireball.net/2010/01/various_ipad_thoughts)</cite></blockquote>
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: The iPad Microwaves, Subways, and Scissors
|
||||
date: '2010-02-01 00:00:36 -0500'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Outside Content
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
This is a great response to all the people complaining about the iPad's lack of "this" or "that":
|
||||
|
||||
<blockquote>I know, it's not everything you dreamed of... but that doesn't mean it's not awesome… It doesn't come with a keyboard. It doesn't come with a microwave either. And you're going to have to use your own subway to get it back from the store and your own scissors to get it out of the box. O woe! <cite>[squashed.tumblr.com](http://squashed.tumblr.com/post/359715990/you-cannot-use-it-effectively-with-one-hand-which), via [marco.org](http://www.marco.org/359754509).</cite></blockquote>
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: nook Verifying Update
|
||||
date: '2010-02-05 00:00:02 -0500'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2014-01-img_0477-scaled-500.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
When updating my nook it let it's Linux/Android guts show.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Shanghai Morning Stroll
|
||||
date: '2010-02-09 00:00:23 -0500'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2010-02-img_0115.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
Saw this building today when I went for a walk in Hongqiao Park, around the corner of my hotel. The architecture is do different from what one normally sees in Shanghai.
|
||||
|
||||
Most of the windows had some amount of paper covering them up and some of the pathways next to he building were boarded up.
|
||||
|
||||
I wonder if it's under renovation or just going to waste as so many buildings over here seem to.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Just Off the Main Drag
|
||||
date: '2010-02-13 00:00:04 -0500'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2010-02-img_0144.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
Well, the fabric market was closed today in honor of New Years Eve, so I took a walk down Nanjing Lu.
|
||||
|
||||
For the uninitiated, Nanjing Lu is one of the fancy shopping streets in Shanghai, closed to cars and *always* packed with people. Wild children, window shoppers, buskers, pick pockets, it's got it all.
|
||||
|
||||
What's interesting to me, and what seems to hold true anywhere I go in China, is that it is all a thin veneer. Just past the Omega dealer and the LaCoste store, you get right back into the run-down streets of the rest of Shanghai.
|
||||
|
||||
This door caught my attention today and drew me off the main drag and back into the alleys and side streets, where there always seems to be more to see.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,23 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Happy Chinese New Year from Shanghai
|
||||
date: '2010-02-14 00:00:17 -0500'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/9437183" width="640" height="480" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe>
|
||||
|
||||
Last night was Chinese New Years eve and I have to say, the fireworks last night were nothing short of amazing. The video above was a panning shot from my hotel room window on the 42nd floor of the Royal Meridien in downtown Shanghai. There’s another static shot [here](http://vimeo.com/9437089).
|
||||
|
||||
I took a few photos as well ([here](http://www.flickr.com/photos/amdavidson/4355579446/) and [here](http://www.flickr.com/photos/amdavidson/4355580890/)) but they really don’t do the display justice.
|
||||
|
||||
It started around 8PM when the sun had set and darkness had set in, and i just sat by the window watching and reading until the show started to die out around 1 in the morning. The sound of the explosions was a low thunderous rumble continuously through the evening and by the end of the night the smoke from all the powder had thickened the sky so much it was nearly impossible to make out the fireworks themselves, they had turned into a dull twinkling of lights across the sky.
|
||||
|
||||
If you ever have the opportunity to witness something like this, make it happen. It is definitely something I will not soon forget.
|
||||
|
||||
Happy Year of the Tiger everyone.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: The Bridge near Rainbow Walk
|
||||
date: '2010-02-19 00:00:13 -0500'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2010-02-img_0016.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
A shot of one of the bridges in the Suzhou Industrial Park near Rainbow Walk.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Suzhou River Cruise
|
||||
date: '2010-02-21 00:00:51 -0500'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2010-02-img_0053.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
Saw these two gentlemen cruising down a river during a walk in the Suzhou Industrial
|
||||
Park this morning.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Sunlit Water
|
||||
date: '2010-02-22 00:00:23 -0500'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2010-02-img_0056.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
A shot of the fountains outside the Crowne Plaza hotel in Suzhou.
|
||||
|
||||
An Interesting hotel; it's styled like a cruise ship, both inside and out. The
|
||||
effect permeates everything and is quite effective.
|
||||
|
||||
Unfortunately, the only shot I liked of the hotel was of the fountains out front.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
title: Good Morning Schramberg
|
||||
date: '2010-02-23 00:00:29 -0500'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2010-02-img_0074.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
I'm currently in a very small town in Germany visiting an equipment supplier.
|
||||
|
||||
This is the road leading up to my hotel. It's way off the highway and took a lot of wrong turns to get to, but it seems to be a nice enough place, which is good, because I think I'll be back here before too long.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Black Horse Swill
|
||||
date: '2010-03-08 00:00:35 -0500'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2010-03-img_1148.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
Naomi and I took a nice trip down to San Luis Obispo this weekend for our engagement photos and took some time to visit all of our old spots. I took this shot of Naomi on our first morning there as she was enjoying some of Black Horse's finest espresso-laden beverages.
|
||||
|
||||
We had a great time and [our photographer](http://www.christanp.com/) was a lot of fun. The weather was generally wonderful, except for rain during the 2 hours of our engagement shoot. Fortunately it was expected and we were prepared, and I think the photos are going to turn out well regardless. I'll try to get one or two posted once I get my hands on them.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Montana De Oro
|
||||
date: '2010-03-11 00:00:08 -0500'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2010-03-img_1214.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
Took this HDR last weekend in Montana De Oro state park.
|
||||
|
||||
I'm definitely no tonemapping / HDR expert yet but I thought it was interesting enough to post.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,23 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Motocross Practice as a Honeymoon Warm Up
|
||||
date: '2010-03-22 00:00:08 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2010-03-img_1349.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
I don't know how many people have heard, but we're planning on doing a motorcycle tour of some of the temples around Angkor Wat while in Cambodia during the honeymoon. That all sounds fine and good until one realizes that I have never ridden anything faster than a 150cc scooter and Naomi has never driven anything with a clutch, much less a motorcycle. With that in mind we set off to Livermore with David and his family and a dirt bike borrowed from a 13 year old girl.
|
||||
|
||||
After some prep and a [few minutes of lessons](http://www.flickr.com/photos/amdavidson/4455619664/) from David, Naomi took off first. *Well*... "took off" might be a little strong, she did not exactly launch out of the gate, but after a few laps around an empty parking lot she was really moving and by the end of the day she was getting a micro-second or two of [airtime off the jumps](http://www.flickr.com/photos/amdavidson/4454840621/) on the beginner track!
|
||||
|
||||
It was my turn next and I think I fared fairly well. Definitely somewhere between a toddler and [Ricky Carmichael](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricky_Carmichael). Tanya also took a spin on the bike and did great save for [one incident](http://www.flickr.com/photos/amdavidson/4454840857/).
|
||||
|
||||
All in all we had a great time. Even the girls had [fun](http://www.flickr.com/photos/amdavidson/4454839641/), though were [not all that interested](http://www.flickr.com/photos/amdavidson/4455620690/) in the motorcycles.
|
||||
|
||||
Thanks to David for the instructions and gear and sourcing the bike and thanks to Alex for taking a bunch of the photos while we were tooling around with the bike.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Sunset over Lake Geneva
|
||||
date: '2010-03-25 00:00:44 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2010-03-img_0162.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
I got into Lausanne last night for a one night stay to visit a vendor. I drove here from Zurich and found the drive to be quite beautiful.
|
||||
|
||||
That being said, Lausanne was no disappointment even after the beautiful drive down here. I had a few free hours in the evening so I took a walk down to Lake Geneva and took this sunset shot while down there. You can see a [few others](http://www.flickr.com/photos/amdavidson/sets/72157623689294058/) as well.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Burg Hohenzollern
|
||||
date: '2010-03-27 00:00:04 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2010-03-img_0193.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
I visited [Burg Hohenzollern](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hohenzollern_Castle) on my day off today, thank goodness for Germany and their stern reluctance to work on weekends.
|
||||
|
||||
One of the guys at the vendor sent me a list of things to do and one of them was to check out the Hohenzollern castle. I figured it sounded as good as any idea, being that I was in a country *with* castles, and I generally cannot say that.
|
||||
|
||||
It was a fairly quick drive from the hotel, down some fairly pretty Germany side roads through small villages and farmland. I could already see the castle up high up on a hill when I was still 10km away according to the GPS in my car.
|
||||
|
||||
I was too cheap to pay for a guided tour in German that I couldn't understand, but wandering the grounds was nice. It was smaller than I expect it to be, but it was still pretty big for a family home, even if it was for the Kings of Prussia. I posted some [other photos](http://www.flickr.com/photos/amdavidson/sets/72157623715480302/) of it that you can check out as well.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Porsche Factory Museum
|
||||
date: '2010-03-29 00:00:31 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2010-03-img_0263.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
This weekend I also visited the [Porsche Museum](http://www.porsche.com/international/aboutporsche/porschemuseum/) at their factory campus in Stuttgart. It is somewhere I have wanted to visit for years, but never really imagined I would go to.
|
||||
|
||||
It was a great sight. Unlike most museums the cars were not cordoned off with ropes and glass, a great deal of them were just sitting on the floor with people milling about. Some were [elevated slightly](http://www.flickr.com/photos/amdavidson/4468273750/in/set-72157623715589104/), but it felt as though that was more for you to be able to easily see them rather than to separate them from you.
|
||||
|
||||
I also greatly appreciated that while the cars were clearly shined up for museum duty, many of them were not truly restored, with dings and cracks in the paint from years of use as drivers. Something that all cars such as these should experience.
|
||||
|
||||
If you ever find yourself in Stuttgart (or anywhere near it) visit this automotive mecca.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Mercedes Benz Museum
|
||||
date: '2010-03-30 00:00:48 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2010-03-img_0330.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
Not to leave a minute to waste in Deutschland I also visited the [Mercedes-Benz museum](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_Museum) on their factory campus not far from [Porsche](https://amdavidson.com/blog/post/481832889/porsche-factory-museum) in Stuttgart.
|
||||
|
||||
I am not a rabid fan of Mercedes. I respect some of their early work, but don't really get the same thrill out of their later stuff. That might change in my septuagenerian years of life as it seems to do for many.
|
||||
|
||||
The museum was fun and interesting some of the cars were neat to see such as the [world's first motorcycle](http://www.flickr.com/photos/amdavidson/4468312612/in/set-72157623591112393/) and a wonderful wedge-shaped, rotary [concept car](http://www.flickr.com/photos/amdavidson/4468310412/in/set-72157623591112393/) but all in all it was much less appealing to me than the Porsche museum.
|
||||
|
||||
If you have some extra time, or are a big fan of Daimler-Benz it's worth a couple hours. But *do not* spend any amount of euros on their simulator. You do not get to drive the cars and it is a very poor simulation of much of anything.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,29 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Small Town Germany
|
||||
date: '2010-03-31 00:00:15 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
This week and part of last I have spent in a [very small town](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Sulgen+Germany&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=59.856937,85.517578&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Sulgen+Schramberg,+Rottweil,+Baden-W%C3%BCrttemberg,+Germany&t=h&z=14) in Germany.
|
||||
|
||||
I grew up in a different [small town](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Grass+Valley,+California&sll=48.222264,8.417766&sspn=0.049979,0.083513&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Grass+Valley,+Nevada,+California&t=h&z=14) in California, and in some ways it reminds me of home, but at the same time, it is ever so different.
|
||||
|
||||
[](/assets/2010-03-img_0071.jpg)
|
||||
|
||||
The hotel I am staying in has somewhere around 10 rooms. Mine is on the 3rd floor, right next to the owners’ apartment. It’s my understanding that all the employees of the hotel are family, and it appears that all, or nearly all, of them live there. Because the guy who checks you in also cooks you dinner, and the lady that brings you coffee also hooks up your internet (more on this later), it has a bed and breakfast feel.
|
||||
|
||||
The first night I stayed in this hotel, I arrived rather late after having driven all the way from Frankfurt, both GPS-less and hopelessly lost. I panicked to see that all the lights were off and the door locked. After spending a few minutes wondering who to call to resolve this (I had not made the reservation myself), I noticed that there was an intercom somewhat near the door. I rang it and was told in heavily accented english that “[I] must be Mr. Davidson, and that my key was inside on the chair and I could let myself in”. Sure enough, they unlocked the front door and my key was sitting on a chair with a hand written note with my name and room number.
|
||||
|
||||
A couple nights ago, I think I was the only guest staying in the hotel. I’m told this is commonplace during weekends as most people only come to visit the few companies here and leave for larger cities on the weekend when they are not working. I followed suit and went to Stuttgart for the day (see my earlier [museum](/2010/03/porsche-factory-museum/) [posts](/2010/03/mercedes-benz-museum/)).
|
||||
|
||||
When I returned I found that again, the lights were off and the owners nowhere to be seen. This was another inconvenience but not because I couldn’t get in (I now had my key) but because I was planning to eat at the hotel and I needed the lady to log my room onto the internet, a daily process that seems horrifically antiquated but provides a reasonably fast internet connection.
|
||||
|
||||
Fortunately, I had a remedy for the food. Earlier in the day I had asked for recommendations of good places to eat from one of the vendor’s employees and he gave me the name and address of a restaurant not far from the hotel. I plugged the info into the GPS of my new rental car and got there with no trouble. I was surprised to see that the restaurant was being run out of what appeared to be the living room of a man’s substantial home. I walked in and was again the only person in sight, besides the owner/waiter/cook. He was a nice gentleman who spoke excellent English (again fortuitous because I could not read the menu). He told me that his ‘deer medallions’ were excellent and that I should order those. They were, in fact, quite good as were his ‘black forest noodles’.
|
||||
|
||||
The internet was resolved in a different way. I took the early evening of the innkeepers as a hint and laid down with a book early.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Andy Ihnatko on Tablets before the iPad
|
||||
date: '2010-04-01 00:00:10 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Outside Content
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
<blockquote>The hardware we've seen in years past... are laptop computers with the keyboard section broken off. They're not fundamentally touch-based computers, they're the products of old thinking. When Apple looks at a fingertip, they see a warm, living thing that can feel. They don't see a poor substitute for a mouse.</blockquote>
|
||||
|
||||
<cite><a title="Andy Ihnatko's iPad Revew" href="http://www.suntimes.com/technology/ihnatko/2134139,ihnatko-ipad-apple-review-033110.article">Link</a></cite>
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Jeff Rock on the iPad Case
|
||||
date: '2010-04-09 00:00:00 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Outside Content
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
<blockquote>I'm not even sure why I bought it in the first place. I hate cases. What I want isn't a case so much as a slip. Just something that keeps the iPad covered and clean while it's traveling. This isn't about protection so much as transportation and subtlety. It's the same reason I don't strap a bra on my car. Sure, the hood will get nicked but I'll take the dings over making a BMW look like it's on its way to an S&M convention.</blockquote>
|
||||
|
||||
[Link](http://jeffrock.com/post/508286590/the-elusive-search-for-the-perfect-gadget-case)
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
layout: post
|
||||
status: publish
|
||||
published: true
|
||||
title: Valve Overrun
|
||||
date: '2010-05-04 00:00:14 -0400'
|
||||
categories:
|
||||
- Personal
|
||||
tags: []
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
Took Lucy out for a test run last night and revved the engine up to over 5k, something that I had been hesitant to do when she was in such a weak state.
|
||||
|
||||
Well, she overruns quite a bit and when you back off the throttle she dumps a big cloud of smoke.
|
||||
|
||||
Fortunately it seems to be limited to over 5k and I haven’t seen a need for that in driving her over the last week or so, so a head rebuild can wait.
|
||||
|
||||
That’s good because the suspension needs a lot of work….
|
||||
|
||||
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