Little Acorns

Chinese New Year: Washington DC

2007-02-18T22:16:00.000-05:00

February 18th, 2007 marks the first day of the Year of the Boar in the Chinese calendar. This was heralded in by a parade in downtown Washington DC's Chinatown neighborhood. Although the parade itself was rather short, you had to give the participants and spectators alike credit as it was a cold and blustery day for even your thickest skinned dragon dancer. Clad in black topcoat and fedora, the daper and newly sworn in DC Mayor Adrian Fenty kept good on his campaign promise of visiting all wards of the district and returned to Chinatown to give a rousing greeting of:"Gung hei faat choi!'- a traditional Chinese New Year's salution literally translated as "Congratulations and be prosperous." He disappeared soon thereafter, but most of the crowd stuck around to see the dragons dancing and firecracker ceremony. The firecrackers are set off to ward off evil spirits. Unlike the western dragon that symbolizes evil, in Chinese mythology dragons embody wealth and prosperity. In addition, in the days leading up to Chinese New Year, you are suppose to sweep out your house to further rid yourself of any evil that happens to be lying about. You're suppose to put away your broom and dustpan on the first of the year, on the off chance you sweep out any good luck. I should have read Wikipedia before I took out the trash and mopped up the snow and mud tracks from our front door today. More Chinese New Year Picture can be seen here.

Final Tribute to an Ex-President

2007-01-04T21:47:00.000-05:00

For New Years, Lisa and I spent the weekend at the Swann House Bed and Breakfast in the Adams Morgan/Dupont Circle area. On New Year's Day we went down to the U.S. Capitol where Gerald Ford was lying in state, after passing away on December 26, 2006.

The painting and caricature of Ford dancing with Breshnev were from the National Portrait Gallery that we visited the same day.

NASA Udvar-Hazy Center

2007-01-03T23:49:00.000-05:00

Stella flew into DC for the holidays. We spent Christmas at Lisa's parents house, before returning to DC. Before Stella flew out, we visited the NASA Udvar Hazy Center. This is a new Smithsonian facility that opened near Dulles Airport in Chantilly, VA. It is 2.5 football fields in length and has over 300 aircrafts including an Air France Concorde, SR-71 Blackbird, the Enola Gay, and the spaceshuttle Enterprise. The Enterprise, shown here, has an interesting history. Although it was the first NASA space shuttle, it never flew a mission in space. It was originally designed without heat shields or engines and simply was used for test flights in the atmosphere. Columbia was the first shuttle to fly amongst the stars. NASA had planned to retro-fit Enterprise with all the bells and whistles needed for an eventual space mission, but due to final design changes that had occurred when building Columbia, the cost to soup up the Enterprise was deemed to be too expensive, and it was more cost effective to build the Challenger instead. It's hard to believe the construction of Enterprise started in 1974, and its first flight took place several years later.

Click here to see more pics.

Fall 2006: Butler's Orchard Pumpkin Festival

2006-12-30T19:41:00.000-05:00

Picking out Pumpkins at the Butler Orchard Pumpkin Festival.

2006: The Year in Running

2006-12-30T19:13:00.000-05:00

For Lisa, 2006 was a banner year for her. She began running in March and was able to complete her first 10K only a month later (Pike's Peek, Rockville, Maryland). She continued to build on that and finished her longest race to date, the PriceWaterhouseCooper Half Marathon in September. She topped this off by being one of the 16,000 finishers in the Army 10 miler is October.

Things were a little more bumpy for me. I was super motivated to start getting back into shape with perhaps an optomistic goal of setting a sub-3 hour PR in the Columbus Marathon in October. Things seemed to be on target through the end of August, but I quickly found that unlike when I was younger, things tend to break a little easier than they used to. An Achilles tendinitis forced me to stop running for 6 weeks. Fortunately, it did seem that rest was the elixir, and I gingerly started back by running the Army 10 miler with Lisa in October. I cancelled the Columbus Marathon, but was able to slowly build my mileage back up over the next few weeks and ran the Philadelphia marathon in the end of November. I ran the best race that I could under the circumstances but my 3:16.14 left me 15 seconds over the qualifying time for Boston. I sent in my application anyway, and the powers that be were kind enough to let me slip in. This has done a lot to keep me motivated- I want to run a good race in order to justify my entry, when I line up in Hopkinton on Patriots Day in April 2007. It's the end of December, and I feel like I'm back in the shape I was in before my injury. We'll see what happens over the next 3.5 months...

Summer 2006: the Alps and Provence

2006-12-30T18:59:00.000-05:00

On July 15-23, 2006, Lisa and I travelled to France and witnessed a couple of epic Tour de France stages in the Alps, then spent a few days in Provence immersed in sunflowers, lavender, and the famous Provencal sun.

Photos: sunflowers south of Bedoin; turning my pedals in anger near the summit of Mt. Ventoux; Lisa and lavender near Sault). Click here to see more pictures of our trip.

2006 Tour de France

2006-12-30T18:15:00.000-05:00

The 2006 Tour de France is in the record books. Or maybe it isn't. It's 6 months later, 6 months before the next Tour de France, and it's still not clear who will be the rightful owner of the Maillot Juane. Who knew that the controversy wouldn't end after the pre-race ousting of Ullrich and Basso? The 2006 was first notable for the NON-performances. Discovery Team members weren't up for the challenge. A broken collarbone sent Caisse d'Epargne team leader and yellow jersey contender, Valverde, packing early in the race. A tepid early defense of the yellow jersey by Floyd Landis allowed the emergence of other riders who would have merely been domestiques in different circumstances, namely Sastre, Pereiro, and Kloden. On Alp d' Huez, Frank Schleck and Damian Cunego demonstrated they have what it takes to be future contenders. Landis cracked on Stage 16 giving Oscar Pereiro the opportunity to seize yellow, an event that would not have happened had Caisse d'Epargne not lost Valverde. CSC, despite the loss of Basso had a fantastic tour with Stage wins by Jens Voigt and Schleck, a Stage 14 podium finish by Christian Vande Velde, and an overall podium finish by Carlos Sastre. It was a free for all up to that point. The circus came to a temporary halt when Landis turned in what appeared to be the improbable miracle ride of the century in Stage 17, and finished it off by regaining yellow in the final time trial in Stage 19. Lisa and I watched this stage while sipping on beers in a bar in Carpentras, France. It was one of the most incredible athletic performances we had ever seen.

Then came the doping charge...

The case continues today, 6 months later. In fairness to Landis, it does appear the lab that processed his urine sample may have handled the situation improperly. Irregardless of the final verdict, there is no winner for the 2006 Tour. Landis loses either way. Pereiro rode the time trial of his life in an attempt to defend his yellow jersey and thus is a deserving winner, but even if he is awarded the Yellow Jersey, no one will remember the 2006 Tour de France for his efforts. TdF 2007 is around the corner, but it's going to take alot to get rid of the skeletons in the closet left over from this year.

American Meltdown at the Tour de France

2006-07-12T07:39:00.000-04:00

June 7, 2006. Dauphine Libere, 43km individual time trial: 1st,
Zabriskie; 2nd Landis; 3rd Leipheimer; 4th Hincapie.

July 8, 2006. Tour de France, 52km individual time trial: Zabriskie,
13th; Hincapie 24th; Leipheimer 96th; Julich, DNF

With the exception of Floyd, a good old fashioned American choke-a-rama.

Especially Levi. Not even the possiblity that he peaked too early at
the Dauphine can explain this melt down. After watching this ITT, you
realize how high Armstrong and Ullrich raised the bar in their
performances over the past 7 years. You could count on one hand the
number of bad days Ullrich and Armstrong had in the past 7 years. This past weekend, the riders who were suppose to fill their shoes, just cracked under pressure.

The only reason the 170 strong peleton shouldn't pack their bags and give the yellow
jersey to Floyd is that in a 3 week race, lots of unpredictable things
can happen, especially with these characters. The only person with any
legitamate chance to take the race to Floyd is Cadel Evans. The rest
of the so called contenders need Floyd to have an off day or for Phonak
to make a big tactical error.

I'd be psyched for Landis to win this, but I just want to see someone,
anyone, make him work for this!

Seize the moment: Hincapie steals yellow in Stage 1

2006-07-02T16:53:00.000-04:00

George is proving that I'm not a complete fool (see my pre-race predictions)

An incredible prologue left him a fraction of a second out of first place yesterday. Although he could have resigned himself to the fact that he would not wear the yellow jersey at any in time in the near future, and alert Hincapie found an opportunity to steal a 2 second time bonus at an intermediate sprint in today's Stage 1 of the Tour de France. Although at the time, I doubt he thought this would be enough to win yellow when the stage ended- the sprinter strongmen (Boonen or Huschov), would simply overpower the field at the finish to win the big time bonuses, as well as the yellow jersey. It took a strange turn of events at the final sprint, but in the end, Hincapie emerged when the dust and chaos settled with his two seconds intact, and the maillot jaune on his shoulders. although, he'll lose it tomorrow, no one deserved it more than he did today, after the performances he gave in the last two stages.

Only time will tell who will lead Team Discovery, but so far, he is proving that he deserves this opportunity.

Scandal Revised 2006 Tour de France Predictions: do you believe in miracles?

2006-07-01T00:50:00.000-04:00

24 hours before the start of the TdF, the race is rocked by one of the biggest scandals in recent times. Nothing really more can be said than what's out there. I'm disappointed not to see the showdown between Ullrich and Basso, which I felt was the match-up of the decade. The show goes on, leaving a wide open race with no clear dominant favorites. Gazing into my crystal ball, I predict an upset by an underdog of monumental proportions:

In my opinion, Landis and Leipheimer are the clear favorites now, given their strong performances in various spring races, previous experience and proven ability to race well in the Tour de France. However, what they lack is the ability to dominate the race the way that Armstrong (and Basso or Ullrich had they made the start). This is because they simply aren't that much stronger than the other contenders, and because their respective teams don't have the ability to control a race where half a dozen riders could possible win the yellow jersey.

In the absence of Ullrich and Basso, Valverde's stock rises dramatically. He now has the ability to build big time advantages in the mountains, something he couldn't do against Basso and Ullrich, again because of the strength of these vanquished riders, as well as their teams. He simply has to limit his losses in the time trials, and the yellow jersey is his, much like Marco Pantani's win in 1998.

Although CSC may have been the strongest team, they were built with one purpose in mind... to win the yellow jersey for Basso. They are now like an army without a general.

The big noise will come from Discovery. In Azevedo, Hincapie, Salvodelli, and Popovych, the have 4 riders who could potentially win this race. Although having 4 leaders in general is not a good thing, if they have the discipline and cohesion to use this to their advantage, they will win the Tour de France. their director Johan Bruyneel certainly has the knowledge to mastermind such a coup.

I see the race unfolding as follows: Hincapie will be the highest placed Discovery rider in the first ITT in Stage 7. He will become the de facto team leader, and Discovery will sit him on the wheels of Landis and Leipheimer. Discovery will send Popovych and Salvoldelli on attacks that will be coming fast and furious as the race reaches the foothills of the Pyrenees in Stage 10 into Pau. As these riders are all serious contenders, Gerolsteiner and Phonak are forced to chase. The next stage, SStage 11 to Pla de Beret, Attacks are furious on the only mountain top finish in the Pyrenees. Azevedo, Evans, Salvodelli, Valverde, Kloden, Sastre all make moves, but it is Valverde with the final say who gains yellow for his efforts. Landis and Leipheimer, playing the roles of legitimate leaders are forced on the defensive. Gerolsteiner and Phonak are placed into the red zone to limit the losses of their team leaders against these attacks. Hincapie sits patiently on Leipheimer/Landis's wheel. The next big mountain stage is Stage 15, Alp dHuez. again Valverde attacks. Leipheimer and Landis are isolated, their teams crumpling from the pressure. But this time, a unified Discovery do what they do best-- ride tempo til there is no one left. Hincapie is launched free in the final 3000m. Although he finishes 2nd to Valverdel, his time gains put him ahead of Landis and Leipheimer in the GC. discovery takes up the defensive race over the next two mountain stages in which Valverde, Landis, Leipheimer, simply lack the individual ability and teams to crack the Discovery juggarnaut. This is made more difficult because Discovery sends Azevedo, who is also high on GC, on attacks on Stage 16. Valverde, Landis, Evans, and Leipheimer are all forced to chase on more than one occasion, while Hincapie rides the wheel of popovych and salvodelli for a free ride to the summit. Hincapie rides the time trial of his life to take back his time losses from Valverde in the Stage 19 time trial. He wears yellow into Paris and onto the podium.

On the dawn of the Prologue, my new predictions, for the winner of the Tour de France:
1. Hincapie
2. Valverde
3. Leipheimer
4. Landis
5. Evans
6. Azevedo
7. Kloden
8. Sastre
9. Menchov
10.Rasmussen

Vive le Tour

Updated 2006 Tour de France predictions

2006-06-27T00:23:00.000-04:00

[My last Tour de France predictions (click here to see) were made almost a month ago. Lots have happened since then, both on and off the saddle. But just when it can't get any more confusing, my scandal revised predictions are found here, posted July 1, 2006]

With three days before the start in Strasbourg, I make my final update before the battle begins.

Ivan Basso: Nothing more needs to be said. He is ready... he has prepared well to minimize his losses in the time trial, and he and his CSC teammates will dish out pain in the mountains. Will finish no lower than 2nd. Had been my predicted winner a month ago, but...

Jan Ullrich: How could I ever have doubted this guy? Like all the other neighsayers, I questioned his form in the Giro despite his time trial win. However, his performance in the Tour de Suisse demonstrated that he is once again on track as he always has been over the past decade. Possibly more ready than he has ever been. He rode strong in the mountains, limiting his time losses. Granted none of the climbers in the Tour of Switzerland were the caliber of Ivan Basso, but nonetheless, Ullrich demonstrated that he does have the legs. Finally, he rode a flawless time trial in a blinding rainstorm to win the overall on the final day. No one has more experience in racing for the overall in the Tour de France. Sorry for not believing in you earlier Kaiser, but I believe in you now. It's a toss-up still, but I predict Jan Ullrich will win the 2006 Tour de France.

George Hincapie: Solid performance in the Dauphine, landing in top 10 on GC, and showing that he deserves serious consideration to be both Discovery team leader and contender for the overall in the TdF. He has demonstrated that he is one of the best time trialists to take the start this Saturday. His climbing is what makes him most suspect; although he has learned to ride with the best on the toughest cols, he has yet to demonstrate that he has the explosive power to make one of these stages his own. Although many people tend to blow off his win at Pla d'Adet (05 TdF) since he did no work in his role as domestique for Armstrong, the bottom line is that George had been putting himself out there for two weeks straight riding for Armstrong, but still had enough in him to ride at the front of the toughest mountain stage in the entire 2005 Tour. Next to Ullrich, no one has the wealth of knowledge of how to race a brutal 3 week stage race while gunning for the overall. In the past, this knowledge was used for the benefit of Armstrong. This year, George has been given permission to use it for himself. Although Azevedo is probably a stronger rider, George's experience will make him Discovery's team leader and will give him a legitimate shot at the podium.

Azevedo: Although he was the top Discovery rider in the Dauphine Libere, Hincapie's experience trumps Azevedo's strength, at least this year.

Popovych: Didn't have a spectacular race at the Dauphine. Has many years to improve, but 2006 will be spent riding for Hincapie or Azevedo.

Landis: What's this guy capable of? Won't know that til the race begins. Still think he is the only guy outside of Basso and Ullrich to win the 2006 outright. This will depend on how he handles himself in the mountains. His luke warm performances at the Dauphine Libere left some questions, although his team certainly tried to spin his non-performance as simply part of the master plan. Although I didn't expect him to go out and try to win stages like Ventoux, you would certainly think he would have tested himself by pushing a little harder had he been able.

Valverde: I really like this guy. He will win big in the mountains, perhaps Alp d' Huez. His time trialing prevents him from winning the overall, although he did make some improvements in this disipline as he showed in the Dauphine. the long ITT's will hurt him nonetheless and he lacks the experience and team strength to propel him to the podium

Leipheimer: His win at the Dauphine Libere was his way of telling all of us that he has been one of the most consistent riders in the last few years of the TdF. Perhaps he will remain one of the most underestimated riders capable of pulling off a really big surprise. I hope this is true, but I'll have to see it to believe it.

Cancellara: Scratch him. Didn't even make the CSC roster which is unbelievably scary... showing how talented the riders are that will be doing tempo for Basso. Cancellara will be team leader for someone down the line.

Vinoukorov: He and his team remained plagued by possible involvement in drug scandals. Perhaps this explains his mediocre performance at the Dauphine Libere, and unfortunately, is likely affecting his TdF preparations as well. If he is even allowed to start, I think the distractions will keep him from making any legitimate run at the overall. However, in typical Vinoukorov fashion, I'm sure he will defiantly make his presence known in one or two stages nonetheless.

Cadel Evans: Not on my previous list, but his win at Romandie and his strong time trial performance at the tour de suisse demonstrate that this Aussie climber is a real GC contender. Sorry to have missed you the first time Cadel.

Cunego: will finally make the start, but will simply be a side note. Still has lots to prove, but he has the time to do this if he is patient enough

Menchov: a pretender rather than a contender. He can follow wheels but that's about it, as he demonstrated in the Dauphine.

Predictions:
1. Ullrich
2. Basso
3. Landis
4. Hincapie
5. Valverde
6. Leipheimer
7. Azevedo
8. Evans
9-10 Vinokourov/Sastre/Kloden/Moreau

Running: Week minus 18 and 17 training summary*

2006-06-20T23:01:00.000-04:00

*weeks until target marathon (Columbus)

Week -18:
Mon: off
Tues: Run Track 12x400 w 200m recovery (range 77-89 sec; median 85) 6m; Avg HR 167; Max 193
Wed: Bike (spin) 40 min (3m equiv)
Thur: Off
Fri: Run (indoor track) pace; 48 min (approx 6 m+); avg HR 172; Max 191
Sat Bike (spin) 3 mile equiv HR avg 153/max 164
Sun: Run 14 m Bethesda-Union Station w excursion around monuments and East Capitol; Avg HR 156 (Approx 2 hrs)

Total miles :32

Week -17:
Mon: Run 3m easy
Tues: Off
Wed: Bike (spin) 35 min (3 mile equiv)
Thur: run track 12x200 w 200 recov. (34-40; 36 median); and 2x400 (80,82)
Fri: Off
Sat: Bike (road) 30 miles (8mile run equiv): approx 2hr, rock creek park
Sun: Run 16m KenGar north (approx 2 hours)

Total Miles 35

Weekly mileage has climbed above 30 for first time, w long run of 16

Stella's graduation

2006-06-09T02:45:00.000-04:00

Over the Memorial Day weekend, Lisa and I travelled to Los Angeles to see Stella obtain her well deserved degree in Pscychology from California State University, Long Beach. She worked hard for this, and we were absolutely thrilled to see her march at commencement. For more graduation photos, click here. View the slideshow feature while humming the opening verse of Whitney Houston's Greatest Love of All: "We believe the children our are future; teach them well, and LET THEM LEA-AD the WAAYY..."

Running: week 19 training summary*

2006-06-08T02:35:00.000-04:00

19 weeks until target marathon (Columbus)*

Mon-4m easy
Tues- Spin 30 min (3m equiv)
Wed-6m moderate
Thur- 6m, intervals on treadmill (thunderstorm). 14 x"400" (6min pace, level 10, 90 sec) with 90sec recovery
Fri-off
Sat-off
Sun-5m (5k Race 19:20, 6:15 pace)

Weekly Miles: 24. A bit on the low side, but did race on Sun instead of long run. I'm slowly getting used to speed, as it has been many years since I've done any consistent interval training or run any race shorter than 10k

Race to Replace (my old marathon PR)

2006-06-07T00:30:00.000-04:00

Primary Objective: marathon PR ( under 2:59)
Secondary Objective: Qualify for 2007 Boston Marathon (3:15)

Target Race: Columbus Marathon (OH) October 15, 2006
Weeks Until Race: 18+
Why Columbus: flat, fast. Two previous PRs set there (3:07, 2:59). Medium sized race- not crowded, but good support, lots of people to run with.

Why try?
1. Motivated by Lisa's newfound interest in running
2. Not getting any younger
3. Survived my first "chronic" injury ( hamstring) resulting from idiotic training (or lack thereof) for marathons...need to get more discipline
4. Metabolism is slooowwwing down
5. My version of a mid-life crisis

Race times (PR/Recent time)
5K 16:55 (1986); 19:20 (2006)
10K 36:10 (1986); 40:20 (2006)
10 miles 1:03 (1987); 1:10 (2006)
Marathon 2:59 (1998); 3:17 (2004)

Status of current training: 20-25 miles/week; 14 miles- current long run (7:50 pace).

Experienced Marathon Training Program with the Montgomery County Road Runners Club begins mid-July...

Time flies when you're having fun

2006-06-05T22:36:00.000-04:00

Our 7th wedding anniversary is today. It's hard to believe it's been that long. Lisa's still my best friend, and it seems that every year we spend together gets better.

2006 Tour de France predictions

2006-06-02T01:14:00.000-04:00

[Click here for my updated predictions (posted June 27, 2006), and then HERE! for my scandal revised predictions, posted July 1, 2006]

With a little over one month before the grand pepe of them all, my predictions:

Basso/Team CSC- dominated 2006 Giro d Italia like Armstrong/USPS/Discovery dominated the past 7 TdF. 2006 TdF is his to lose, although some may argue that he rode too hard/peaked to early in winning the Giro. He didn't seem to work/struggle at all in my opinion.

Ullrich- bit chubby looking in the Giro, but what else is new? Although he was clearly only trying to use the Giro for training, his win in the individual time trial can be interpreted in one of two ways: 1) he never wins anything this early, and thus is actually ahead of his training in past seasons: this bodes well for Ullrich. 2) the fact that Basso was less than a minute behind Ullrich suggests that Basso has had some serious improvement in his time trialing which suggests Ullrich won't be able to make any huge gains in this disipline during the TdF. Bodes well for Basso. Although i don't think it will happen, Ullrich will beat Basso or he won't finish in the top 3. I think he is the only person with legitimate shot to win outside of Basso, and I gotta root for him since he's been such a gracious runner up all these years.

Best of the rest (would take an interesting turn of events for one of these guys to win, but anything is possible):

Landis- road well in spring season with some big race wins, but whether he has what it takes in July has yet to be seen

Valverde- future TdF winner? in 2005 TdF, he outsprinted Armstrong in mountaintop finish at Courchevel to win stage (Armstrong got bigger prize, the yellow jersey). Lisa and I saw that stage 5K from summit. valverde has more than just climbing ability, and won some big one day classics this year to highlight his well rounded cycling skills. [PHOTO: VALVERDE PACING ARMSTRONG, RASMUSSEN, MANCEBO TO THE SUMMIT OF COURCHEVEL IN 2005 TdF]

Cancellara: also a rider of the future- well rounded, great time trialist, big win in paris roubaix this year.

Discovery Team: no clear leader but at least 3 riders who have possible podium dreams 1) Azevedo- will likely be Discovery Team leader. Podium finish is definite possibility. Win would be longshot. 2) Popovych- will likely be Discovery Team leader. Podium finish is definite possibility. Win would be longshot. Only thing he's got over Azevedo is age. Best young rider in 2005 TdF... and potential rider of the future. 3) Hincapie: looked to be in early season great shape until his handle bars separated from his bike in Paris/Roubaix, and in subsequent crash, shoulder seperated from body. Dauphine Libere which starts this week is his first race since accident and should tell whether or not he has lost any of his form. the longest of the long shots to win TdF but I'd love to see him be able to mix it up with these guys. my sentimental favorite (next to Ullrich) for being the faithful understudy who now may have a brief moment to shine in the twilight of his career

Vinoukorov: crazy? fearless? Of all the riders with possible shot to win, he will undoubtably be most aggressive. This guy is not afraid to put all his chips into the pot. Whether it is on a HC category col or on the Champs Elysees, you can guarantee Vinny will attack if he thinks he has any shot at winning. Watching this guy ride is amazing.

Leipheimer: solid rider, but I don't see him making much improvement over last year's top 10 TdF finish

My predictions:
1) Basso
2) Valverde
3) Landis
4) Ullrich
5) Vinoukorov
6) Azevedo
7) Leipheimer
8) Cancellara
9) Hincapie
10) Popovych

Things to watch:
1) Ullrich will win or will be no show
2) Team Discovery- they have potential for many stage wins. Team leader will only emerge in 2nd week of race
3) overall U.S. performance: who would have ever thought there would be so many talented americans (landis, hincapie, leiphemer, zabriskie)
4) as exciting as it was to watch Armstrong, this race is going to be much more dramatic in his absence
5) Vinoukorov: may not win, but his attacks will make everyone, including Basso and Ullrich, very nervous indeed. No one can feel safe sitting around marking the competition, when Vinny is flying up the road ahead of them.

This is how we roll

2006-05-30T01:10:00.000-04:00

[Photos: "the curtain"- seperates the riff raff in economy class from the rest of us; Lisa enjoying the fine bouquet of a crisp chardonnay while lounging in her roomy bucket seat]

We took a quick trip out to Los Angeles to see my sister this weekend. The connecting flight from Pheonix to DC was overbooked. Surprisingly instead of getting bumped off, we got bumped up into 1st class. We're usually the shmucks developing deep vein thromboses in the economy class. We were like fish out of water in 1st class. "The wine's free? In that case, just leave the bottle..." We did our best to pretend to be hot s**t as people filed past us to get to their seats in the back. Once the stewardess snapped the curtain shut to keep out the riff raff, our hedonistic journey home began. Roomy bucket seats, real wineglasses, dinner on china, attentive stewardesses... I can get used to this.

Memorial Day

2006-05-29T01:07:00.000-04:00

Today, we pay our respects to the American soldiers who have given their lives in defending our country. We can only hope our current leaders, who's decisions affect the lives of so many in our military and their families, would never put these soldiers at risk without absolute justification to do so.

Natural History Museum

2006-05-24T02:31:00.000-04:00

Lisa had an early morning meeting at work and they put her up at a hotel near metro center. We used this opportunity to spend a couple of hours viewing the bones and various creatures holed up at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum. We got separated by a few hundred million years when Lisa lingered in the Paleozoic while I evolved forward through the Pleistocene. A quick cell phone call brought us back together in a place where large mammals ad just started populating the earth.

Running with the MCRRC

2006-05-23T02:35:00.000-04:00

I managed to roll out of bed at 730am this past Sunday to meet up with the Montgomery County Road Runners Club (MCRRC) at Ken-Gar Park in Kensington, MD. Although I plan to run in their Experienced Marathoners Training Program which begins in July, I thought it would be worth coming out to meet some of the other runners who get together every weekend to put in long runs. I jogged down to the park which is a mile from our house for a warm up. Another MCRRC training program, the First Timer's Marathon (FTM) Training Program was already in full swing. There were probably a good 50-60 runners at the park when I arrived. The runners divided up into pace groups based on their current level of fitness ("there's a place for every pace" is the FTM's motto. I joined up with a pace group of 6 other runners, where we averaged 7:50 miles for 10 miles. Our actual pace was around 8 min miles for most of the run, but an enthusiastic 6:25 final mile skewed things towards the faster side.

Ken, one of the runner's in my pace group happened to have a cooler full of beer left over from a party the previous day, that he broke out to share with the other runners (unsanctioned by the MBRCC of course) so I hydrated myself with a Corona, met many of the others who had gotten this beautiful spring morning off to an early start, and jogged home.

All before 10 a.m.

Garden Flowers

2006-05-18T02:35:00.000-04:00

This was the first spring that we spent in our new house in Kensington. The couple that sold it to us were pretty good in the garden, and left us with some really amazing flowering plants. Lisa has started planting a few herself. I'm pretty clueless as to what many of these flowers are, but Lisa can name most of them. Click here to see a sampling of the colors we've enjoyed so far this spring.

DC Barbies

2006-05-16T02:38:00.000-04:00

A circulating email that I received this weekend. Not sure who claims ownership, but it's pretty funny.

Reston Barbie:
This princess Barbie is sold only at The Reston Town Center. She comes with an assortment of Coach Handbags, a Lexus SUV, a longhaired foreign dog named Honey, and a "cookie cutter" $2,000,000.00 house. Available with or without tummy tuck and face lift. Workaholic Ken sold only in conjunction with "augmented" version.

Springfield Barbie:
This modern day homemaker Barbie is available with Ford Windstar Minivan and matching gym outfit. She gets lost easily and has no full time occupation or secondary education. Traffic jamming cell phone sold separately.

Prince George's County Barbie:
This recently paroled Barbie comes with a 9mm handgun, a Ray Lewis knife, a Pontiac with dark tinted windows and a crack pipe. This model is only available after dark and must be paid for in cash (preferably small, untraceable bills). U nless you are a cop, then we don't know what you are talking about.

Great Falls Barbie:
This yuppie Barbie comes with your choice of BMW convertible or Hummer H2. Included are her own Starbucks cup, credit card and Scioto Country Club membership. Also available for this set are Shallow Ken and Private School Skipper. You won't be able to afford any of them.

Fredericksburg Barbie:
This pale model comes dressed in her own Wrangler jeans two sizes too small, a NASCAR shirt and tweety bird tattoo on her shoulder. She has a six-pack of Bud light and a Hank Williams, Jr. CD set. She can spit over 5 feet and kick mullet-haired Ken's butt when she is drunk. Purchase her pickup truck separately and get a Confederate flag bumper sticker absolutely free.

Herndon Barbie:
This collagen injected, rhinoplastic Barbie wears a leopard print o utfit and drinks cosmopolitans while entertaining friends. Percocet prescription available.

West Virginia Barbie:
This tobacco-chewing, brassy-haired Barbie has a pair of her own high-heeled sandals with one broken heel from the time she chased beer-gutted Ken out of another Barbie's house. Her ensemble includes low-rise acid washed jeans, fake fingernails, and a see through halter-top. Also available with a mobile home.

Falls Church Barbie:
This doll is made of actual tofu. She has long straight brown hair, archless feet, hairy armpits, no makeup and Birkenstocks with white socks. She prefers that you call her "Willow." She does not want or need a Ken doll, but if you purchase two Clintonville Barbies and the optional Subaru wagon, you get a rainbow flag bumper sticker for free.

SouthEast D.C. Barbie:
This Barbie now comes w ith a stroller and infant doll. Optional accessories include a GED and bus pass. Gangster Ken and his '79 Caddy were available, but are now very difficult to find since the addition of the infant.

Dupont Circle Barbie/Ken:
This versatile doll can be easily converted from Barbie to Ken by simply adding or subtracting the multiple "snap-on" parts.

Arlington Barbie:
This doll comes equipped with happy hour schedule and north face fleece. Her seemingly Republican day outfit turns into a tight pair of seven jeans and a sluttly top in the evening (but the pearl earrings stay in of course). She comes with an overpriced condo and flashy car that she never drives since the metro is a block away. Graduated Frat Boy Ken is sold separately but comes with a pair of new balance shoes, a hat from the college he graduated from, and a polo shirt with a collar you can flip up or down.

Ashburn Barbie:
No employment of any kind, various credit cards all paid off by workaholic Ken. Ashburn Barbie has 2 children who attend day care even though she doesn't work, so she can shop all day or hang out at Starbuck's with her friends. Includes BMW and a $1 million house, which was bought with an "interest only" mortgage.

Happy Mother's Day

2006-05-14T01:36:00.000-04:00

to a few mothers I met in Tanzania this past February, and to the mothers of Lisa's and my families.

Kitchen Remodeling Part 2: Santa Cecilia Arrives

2006-05-13T17:09:00.000-04:00

Two weeks ago we had our kitchen countertop demolished in order to prepare for installation of a new granite countertop. We roughed it going without a kitchen sink, dishwasher, and range during this time. It actually makes you realize how pathetically dependent we have become on the creature comforts that living in a developed society affords us. Also, why would anyone want to drop hard earned American pesos on a slab of rock that will simply be used to chop vegetables and support a toaster and coffee maker? Lisa and I justified it, to ourselves at least, by saying that if we are going to invest in anything, it may as well be upgrading our house. The DC housing market, bubble or no bubble, is still a good bet for your money.

It finally arrived: 600 lbs of Santa Cecilia granite, cut from a quarry in Brazil yesterday... an ornamental rock in a kitchen in Kensignton, MD today.

The three guys who installed it were late due to a previous job that went longer than expected. They arrived after 4pm and literally worked straight til 10pm. They didn't stop once for bathroom breaks, and barely paused to drink some Coke/water that I offered them. Unfortunately because our kitchen was out of commission, I didn't have any food to give them, so they worked straight through dinner. There were many times they actually RAN to their truck to get supples, om prder to try to be more efficient. In the end, they did an absolutely fantastic job. Oh yeah, they happen to all be hispanic. All I can say is that if you show up with that kind of work ethic, I don't care if you are American or non-American, legal or illegal, you have my business.

Endangered species

2006-05-12T20:11:00.000-04:00

Couples without kids are the endangered species of the thirty-something set. For the twenty-something individual, this distinction goes towards living life as a bachelor/ette. You just moved out of your parents house/got a job/degree and are just getting ready to enjoy the fruits of your labor in the most selfish and hedonistic fashion. You suddenly look up and realize the landscape around you has changed. Your single friends have all somehow paired up and disappeared in search of the green pasteurs of matrimonious bliss. You find yourself a single homo erectus in a world of married homo sapiens.

On that note, here's a picture of a beaming Kara and a somewhat relieved looking Rick taken right after his marriage proposal was accepted in front of Kensington Palace in London.

There's an epidemic, and it's not avian flu

2006-05-11T12:47:00.000-04:00

No she's not ours, but it does seem that once you hit your mid thirties, the peer pressure to put one of these guys in the oven increases exponentially, if you haven't done so already. Babies are everywhere amongst our friends these days.

This is the first portrait of Sandy's (Lisa's cousin in Pittsburgh) and Kurt's lovely little lady, to be named later. It's baby #2 for these guys... IN LESS THAN A YEAR. They gotta be taking steroids.

Admire me...admiring myself

2006-05-09T02:12:00.000-04:00

Cos I'm a model you know what I mean
And I do my little turn on the catwalk
Yeah on the catwalk on the catwalk
I shake my little touche on the catwalk

I'm too sexy for my cat too sexy for my cat
Poor pussy poor pussy cat
I'm too sexy for my love too sexy for my love
Love's going to leave me

Wheeling Flower Shop

2006-05-08T02:15:00.000-04:00

Lisa's father, Rod McGonigal, purchased and successfully ran the Wheeling Flower Shop for over 50 years in downtown historic Wheeling WV. Last year, he retired and sold the business to Lisa's brother Al and his wife Brenda. Brenda's putting in the muscle while Al helps her out on weekends. We were glad that the business stayed in the family after all the effort Mr. McGonigal put into it.

More photos can be found on my photosite at 2006 May: Wheeling WV; Katie's Communion

Katie's First Communion

2006-05-08T01:32:00.000-04:00

Lisa and I took a quick jaunt to Wheeling, WV to see our niece Katie's first communion. Katie and the rest of the kids were all pretty darn cute.

More photos are published on my photosite under 2006 May: Wheeling WV; Katie's Communion. Before the mass started, I wasn't sure if whipping out a 10 inch white Canon telephoto lens would be appropriate. This concern quickly disappeared when it became evident that the parent paparazzi was out in force.

Although the trip was brief, Lisa and I were both glad we were able to make it.

(Photo above: Mrs. McGonigal, Buttercups, and Lisa on the way to see Katie's first communion)
(Photos below: Katie and more Katie at St. Alphonsus)

39* 02' 37.33'N; 77* 04' 22.03"W; 323 ft above sea level

2006-05-04T23:08:00.000-04:00

[Photos: above, view from one mile above our house; below, less than 1/4 mile]

These are the coordinates to our house in Kensington, MD, it case anyone feels the need to drop a smart bomb down our chimney. The altitude refers to the highest point of the roof... so in order to really nail this one, you should key in coordinates approximately 15 feet lower.

I realize that Google Earth has been out for a while now, but the Mac version debuted only recently. I don't know if this is the coolest thing I've ever seen... or one of the scariest.

Contemplation at the Reflecting Pool

2006-05-01T00:48:00.000-04:00

Scenes from our garden, April 2006

2006-04-30T19:23:00.000-04:00

Kitchen Remodeling Part 1

2006-04-30T18:18:00.000-04:00

Pictures (top row: Mike; "Bubbles"; bottom row: before and after)

We needed to firm up the cabinets that would serve as the foundation for the 200 lb slab of Brazilian granite that we hoped to install in our kitchen. We spent the day Saturday attending to this endeavour. By "we", I mean Mike from M and L Home Services. I pretty much hung around and got in the way taking pictures, as well as asking questions like, "do you have names for all your tools?" (The level se llama "Bubbles"). According to Mike, I was actually of use to him. As he told his wife on his cell phone. "It's nice actually having someone around who will actually do stuff when I ask him to do it." Mike is a god... he is our handyman that attends to all the home repairs and upgrades that Lisa and I are clueless about. The best part is that he refrains from mocking us although we give him plenty of reasons to do this.

He did a miracle job securing the cabinets and creating a level plane that we hope will appease the granite guys when the come for measurements.

Vaccine Research Center 5th Anniversary

2006-04-26T22:56:00.000-04:00

[Photos:
Vaccine Research Center, NIH
Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease; Beatrice Hahn, University of Alabama, Birmingham
Gary Nabel, head of the NIH Vaccine Research Center;
David Baltimore, Nobel Laureate, USC
Steve Harrison, Harvard Medical School]

A symposium was held of the campus of the National Institutes of Health (Bethesda, MD) celebrating the 5th Anniversary of the Vaccine Research Center (VRC). The VRC was commissioned by President Clinton to develop and implement a vaccine against HIV infection. It opened in 2001 and its efforts soon expanded to vaccine research for other emerging or re-emerging pathogens such as West Nile, SARS, and influenza.

There has been notable progress towards developing an HIV vaccine, although this is difficult for many lay persons to see, as a true candidate vaccine still lies far in the distant future. How far, no one, including those speaking today at the symposium, is able to say.

Pikes Peek 10K

2006-04-23T17:37:00.000-04:00

[Pics: Who keeps moving the finish line? Lisa wins award for biggest smile at finish; being congratulated by the gecko; metro ride back]

Lisa and I ran the Pike's Peek 10K in Rockville, Md. this morning. It was Lisa's 1st race since she started running in earnest. She was a bit nervous at the start only having run longer than 6 miles once before the race, as well as because her training had suffered over the last couple of weeks due to severe allergies. However, once the race started, she found the going was easy and finished quite comfortably in the goal time that she had projected for herself.

Although I didn't set the road on fire, I ran a respectable time.

Boston Marathon 2006

2006-04-23T00:55:00.000-04:00

Last Monday was Patriot's Day in Massachusetts and Maine. This holiday commemorates the first skirmishes between America and Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War. It also serves as the official date of the Boston Marathon. This race has been dominated by Kenyans over the last decade, and this year was no exception. Benjamin Maiyo set off at a suicidal pace, and at the half-way mark, was 2 minutes faster than Cosmas Ndeti's Boston Marathon Open Men's Record set in 1994 (2:07.15) [as an aside, I named my first cat, Cosmo, in honor of Ndeti (not Cosmo Kramer as most people thought). Ndeti also inspired me to train for and qualify for the 100th running of the Boston Marathon, that I can say I was a part of, in 1996]. Even more amazing was that he wasn't alone. Fellow Kenyan Robert Cheruiyot and naturalized American Meb Keflezighi trailed desperately not too far in his wake. Maiyo eventually faded to finish second to a charging Cheruiyot, who set the new men's record by one second in 2:07.14. Keflezighi ran his own personal best to finish 3rd, and lead a contingent of Americans who took the 4th and 5th positions as well. Having that many Americans in the top 5 was the first time that has happened since the early 1980's.

Say NO to Automated Flushing Technology

2006-04-22T17:27:00.000-04:00

If you walk into a public restroom to find one of these bloodshot cyclops staring at you, don't turn your back; slowly back away and leave ASAP. Do not, I repeat, do not attempt to use toilet.

Lisa told me about some huge renovations on the campus of George Washington University. The public restrooms in one of the buildings were closed for an extended period while they put in automated paper towel dispensers, soap dispensers, faucets, and toilets. Within a week after the grand re-opening, the custodians were leaving paper towel rolls on the sink after the automated dispenser had broken; liquid soap dripped like waterfalls from the countertop, and the toilets appeared to have evolved minds of their own. As you sat on them, they would randomly decide it was time to flush, whether you were ready for this experience or not. Lisa said as one sat in a stall, you would hear a symphony of coordinated toilets flushing in gurgling harmony. These were no ordinary flushes. They were tropical storm category flushes, where you had to cower in the corner of the stall to avoid the maelstrom.

The scariest thing about this to me was the fact that the exact same theatrics were occurring at the place where I work, where the newly renovated bathrooms were revolting against their human users. I suspect this terror is more widespread then we are letting on to. Is Al Qaeda behind this (no pun intended)? We need to talk about this publicly, people.

If you would like to help stop this unwanted intrusion, please visit the site: No to Automated Flushing Technology

NYC Marathon 2006: Yin vs Armstrong?

2006-04-22T16:03:00.000-04:00

I started running again this year in an attempt to harness eternal youth. In this regard, I decided to apply to the NYC marathon to be held in November, 2006. This race is a massive circus with 30,000+ runners, essentially a 26.2 mile parade around the 5 boroughs of NYC. Like running the Boston marathon, its a pilgrammage many runners feel like they must try to do at some point. Unlike Boston, where there is a qualifying time that must be met before one can apply, Entry into the NYC marathon is a lottery with people all over the world trying to get one of the coveted race numbers. I was somewhat surprised when my on-line application automatically announced I had received one of these sought out spots. My initial plan was to run a marathon in October (Columbus?) and to run NYC for fun in November. However, I am considering delaying my entry (which you can do) til 2007, in order to run it with a couple of friends. Rick and Kara live and run in NYC where they are attempting to obtain guaranteed entrees for 2007 by running a minimum number of NY Road Runners Club sponsored races.

However, my ultimate decision may be influenced by Lance Armstrong's announcement that he would be running this year's NYC marathon. Said Armstrong: "I had initally planned to run Chicago, but when I heard Phil was running NYC, I decided to do it instead. I felt that I owed it to the sport of distance running to give them this match-up that they have always dreamed about. I feel racing against Phil in a marathon would be a rivalry equal to the one I had with Jan [Ullrich]." -www.SI.com

Cherry Blossom Festival, Washington DC

2006-04-03T00:38:00.000-04:00

Lisa and I were able to see the cherry blossoms this year. I ran the Cherry Blossom 10 miler and Lisa went for her longest run ever on the Mall. Afterwards, we met up to check out the blossoms which were in full bloom... a spring ritual in DC that heralds in the beginning of spring.

Piece of Cake 10K

2006-03-30T01:14:00.000-05:00

(Don and Erica showing their early season form)

I joined the Montgomery Road Runners Club this year, something I've procrastinated doing since Lisa and I moved to Maryland in 2003. Lisa has also started running for the first time and will likely join as well. This race was one of their club series races to commemorate the MCRRC birthday. It was held on a crisp morning in late March, on a rolling course in Seneca Creek State Park, MD. Although I had run several marathons over the last couple of years, my 'minimal training' program left me hobbled with my first chronic injury that, like the spirits that haunted Ebeneezer Scrooge, warned me of the horrible toll that age would take on my body if I kept up the abuse. When I was finally able to start running again in February, I swore I would change my evil ways.

This was my first 10K in 2 years;as my legs screamed for more oxygen, I couldn't help but wonder ab0ut how narrow my coronary arteries had shrunk after 30+ years of McBurger abuse. I finished with a respectable time, but more importantly my heart didn't explode. I would live to run another day.

Milan-San Remo, 2006 Edition

2006-03-22T04:51:00.000-05:00

Photo by professional photographer Graham Watson, taken from www.velonews.com.

March 18, 2006: The 2006 professional cycling season is in full swing, heralded in by the first of the traditional one day spring classic races, Milan-San Remo (MSR). This race is nearly one hundred years old, and it's not just the name that drips off the tongue. It is steeped in romantic history as well. The longest of the European Spring Classics at 300 km (180 miles), MSR delivers the riders on a journey from Milan west to the Ligurian coast to San Remo, on the Italian Riviera. Early in its history, winners have included the legendary Eddy Merckx, as well as Fausto Coppi, Tom Simpson, and Lauren Fignon. All these riders also made their mark on the longer stage races, including the Tour de France. However, in recent years, as the fitness of the riders as a whole has increased, the days of finding a rider capable of excelling in one day racing and stage racing at the same time are likely long since gone.

MSR is known as the sprinters classic... it is long and flat with little opportunity for break aways to escape from the watchful eye of the teams of the top sprinters. These teams work for the sole purpose of keeping the race together til the final straightaway, at which point they hopefully have left their top sprinter in position to challenge for the victory. This year was suppose to be a collision of the two best sprinters in the world, Tom Boonen (Belgium, team Quick Step) and Alexandro Petacchi (Italy, team Milram). These riders for the most part have somehow missed racing each other in the big races of 2005. Although MSR is a demonstration of early season fitness, the winner would certainly take the opportunity to lay claim to the title of "World's Best Sprinter." Needless to say, the spotlight was stolen from both of them Filippo Pozatto, a Quick Step teammate of Boonen, escaped in the closing kilometers. Pozatto made an improbable break from the peloton over the winding hill known as the Poggio. The Poggio is a speed bump, really. Although it was specifically incorporated into the course just for the purpose of giving riders the opportunity to make breaks from the pack, few in recent years have succeeded. This year was a notable exception. Pozatto's lead at its largerst was only seconds; the peloton rapidly closed in on him at the finish, but it was enough for him to steal the win.

The photo above says it all: Pozzato crosses the finish line with his arms raised in exaltation; behind him in the light blue jersey is Petacchi, disgusted at missing a possible win by less than a second; and Pozzato's teammate Boonen, in the rainbow jersey, arms raised while cheering his teammate's victory. The dynamics of a professional bike race is one of the hardest things for someone who doesn't follow this sport to understand: Boonen was a strong favorite to win this race, and Pozzato's job was simply to help him do it. However, the opportunity for Pozzato presented itself and he took it. Boonen was more than happy to take a backseat on this day and allow his teammate a rare moment to share the spotlight.

National Gallery of Art, Washington DC: Cezanne and Dada exhibits

2006-03-07T03:06:00.000-05:00

Lisa and I checked out two exhibits currently in temporary residence at the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC include "Cezanne in Provence" and "Dada."

The Cezanne exhibit included many paintings on loan from various museums. Although Paul Cezanne was born in Provence in 1839, he moved to Paris where he learned to paint. Ultimately he returned to southern France for good in the 1880s, where his paintings captured the landscape, people, and objects that represented his life in Provence.

The Dada exhibit provided a sharp contrast to the sensually appealling nature of the Cezanne paintings. The coldness and impersonal nature of the exhibit (sound as well as visual) is apparently exactly what the founders of this "anti-Art" movement wished to convey with their work. Dada was a movement spawned in Europe in protest to the immorality of World War I, and ultimately gave rise to surrealism.

Although the Cezanne exhibit was dominated by his landscapes, my two favorite paintings were actually portraits (shown below). The first is of his father, a stern businessman who never really gave outward approval to his son's decision to become a painter. Perhaps it was this approval from the figure captured in the painting that Paul Cezanne desperately wished to have. The second portrait was of his gardener, apparently the last work he completed before his death in 1906. You can almost imagine this weary gardener is a representation of Cezanne himself, reflecting on a life well lived.

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Washington DC: The National Archives

2006-02-25T23:09:00.000-05:00

(Photo left: Magna Carta from 1297)

Lisa and I both agreed that we needed to do a better job exploring this lovely little town of ours. A good place to start is the U.S. National Archives. When you first enter the Rotunda, you pass an original copy of the Magna Carta from 1297, the only copy currently residing in the United States. The first Magna Carta ('Great Paper') was chartered in England in 1215 which served to limit the powers of the English monarchs (King John at the time) from absolute rule. It has since served as the foundation for English common law and ultimately our own Constitution and Bill of Rights. It was reissued at various times, and the document in the U.S. National Archives is one of the oldest surviving copies.

Within the Rotunda itself lies the mosted hallowed documents of our own country, the original Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. The Declaration of Independence has faded through the years, but the defiant signature of John Hancock is still prominent in the bottom center of the parchment. The ink was still drying as the Continental Army fought off the beginning of the British assault on New York City in July 1776. The four page U.S. Constitution claims center stage in the Rotunda. On September 17, 1787, the Constitution was adopted by the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. It was later ratified by the 13 states that formed the United States of America. 220 years later, interpretation of this document continues to have profound effect not only on the lives of all Americans, but those in the rest of the world as well.

There are other documents displayed within the Rotunda pertinent to U.S. history including: papers associated with the case Marbury v. Madison, which established the precedent of Judical Review by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1803; documents pertaining to the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment which abolished slavery, and the Louisiana Purchase.

Barbera and Pizza

2006-01-29T02:28:00.000-05:00

The day before my departure for Tanzania, Kol Z hosted a homemade pizza dinner washed down with a selection of Barbera reds. Dave topped it off with a chocolate cake.

What's pizza without cards? the poker chips did come out.

See more pics on my photosite (under Friends)

NYC

2006-01-22T23:13:00.000-05:00

Top to Bottom: John and Maya at diner; Maya and Alex tearin up the rug; Lisa admires the NYC mass transit system; Radio City Music Hall; 9th Ave and mid town buildings; Kara and Rick.
See more pics by clicking here (look under 2006 Friends: NYC Maya's Party or 2006 Travel: NYC Random Pics)

Lisa and I spent the weekend in NYC. Took the Chinatown (DC) to Chinatown (NYC) bus...surprisingly very few Chinese. Mostly students, including a xanax dealer in the seat in front of us. Nonetheless, the bus was cheap and relatively efficient. Arriving late on Friday, Lisa's cousin Kara and her boyfriend Rick met us for dinner at 11pm (HK's on 39th and 9th). We finished at 1:30am... things do happen later in NYC. Lisa and I were feeding like pigs at a trough. Kara enjoyed a piece of lettuce that she split with boyfriend Rick. It wasn't until I woke up Saturday am that I realized I had stiffed them for half the bill. I will blame it on the 2 hours of sleep I had the night before. At least that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Sorry guys, we'll make it up to you, assuming you ever decide to eat dinner with us again.

Woke up at noon and managed to catch Avenue Q on playing on Broadway. Like your life, only funnier. And yes, the internet is for porn. Dinner was at a nearby Indonesian restaurant on 9th St. Killed time by walking down to the Empire State Building on 34th St. and 5th Ave. to brave tropical storm winds on the 86th floor observatory.

We walked back to our hotel on 52nd and Broadway, before taking subway uptown to surprise our friend Maya, who was having a belated apartment warming party 7 months after making the move from DC to NYC. She had a one bedroom on the 17th floor overlooking Central park on 96th and CPW. Nonetheless, she managed to cram in 30+ friends and still had room for a salsa dance floor.

On Sunday, we met Maya, her friend Alex, and her brother John for lunch. John was also visiting from DC and saved us the trouble of trying to find the bus stop in Chinatown letting us hitch a ride. Once back in DC, John took us on a tour of their family's business, The Bakery de France. Maya and her family have always been modest about their family's bakery, but Lisa and I were floored by the size of this "small business," which specializes in quality bake goods and pastries. It was an amazing operation, and we were fortunate enough to catch some croissants fresh out of the oven. We remain amazed that how their family has managed to avoid weighing 300 lbs each.

1st Poker Nite of 2006

2006-01-08T01:34:00.000-05:00

The games have re-started again... Lisa and I have hosted the first poker night of 2006. We had 8 players plus a special appearance by Dave G's brother Ben. We've finally tried to start matching up some nicknames as they present themselves. So in attendance were: 1) Kol "Mad Eye" Zarember; 2) Dave "B.O.B. (aka Bend Over Betty) " Greenberg; 3) Adrianne (Nickname to be determined) Woodworth; 4) Lisa (Nickname to be determined) McGonigal; 5) Phil (Nickname to be determined) Yin; Mike (Nickname to be determined) Liu; Adam "Sophisticat" Sherwatz; and Dave "Crazy Dave" (last name to be determined). Kol made a homemade tirimisu. Adrianne entertained us again with recaps of her favorite dating experiences. Ask her about the chiropractor or the lesbian monk the next time you see her. Dave brough some playing cards that were a little distracting. Not sure if it was the alcohol or if some old photos of George W Bush taken during the Yale years had resurfaced. Double click on this for more photos from the game (under Friends: 2006 Jan Poker Night).

2005 in review: Tour de France, July

2006-01-02T04:45:00.000-05:00

This past summer, Lisa and I were able to travel to France to watch Lance Armstrong win his 7th consecutive Tour. We decided to do this via a tour company (Duvine Adventures) since we didn't make our decision to go until it was relatively late and the logistics of the TdF were unknown to us at the time. The highlight was seeing Stage 10 up close and personal, from where we stood 5k from the summit of the alpine ski village of Courchevel. This ended up being the defining stage of the race where Armstrong, still wearing Discovery blue (photo t0p), rode to a second place finish in a four man breakaway, earning the yellow jersey which he held through the final stage in Paris.
We have plans to return again to see TdF 2006...with Armstrongs retirement, this is truely going to be an absolute slugfest amongst riders hoping to fill the vaccuum. We plan to catch some stages in the Alps, including l' Alp d'Huez, before retreating to Provence for some R and R. We've got reservations to stay at a bed and breakfast run by a wonderful lady named Georgia, who we met on a previous trip to France. She pretty much decided on a whim to uproot herself from her life here in the U.S. to pursue the Peter Mayle-ish dream of owning her own B and B in Provence (www.lelavandinprovence.com).

Post Christmas Competition

2006-01-02T03:44:00.000-05:00

Uncle Bob takes no prisoners at the ping pong table. Amy and Lisa are left slack jawed and flat footed. We fair no better at dominos... this time Aunt Sis puts on a demonstration leaving us crying for our calculators.

Christmas 2005, McGonigal style

2006-01-02T03:10:00.000-05:00

Top Row: Wheeling, WV, Christmas Day 2005,from Jean and Rod McGonigal's house in Bethlehem, WV.
Second Row: Rod and Jean M
Third Row: Katie and Tree; Amy, Katie, and Lisa
Fourth and Fifth Row: Opening presents
Sixth Row: Lisa and Amy at White House Christmas Tree, Ellipse, Washington DC

Christmas this year was spent at my in-laws (Rod and Jean). Lisa's sister Amy travelled up from South Carolina and met us in Washington, DC, before we made the trip to spend Christmas with my in-laws... appropriately in Bethlehem, WV (Wheeling)

In the beginning...

2005-12-07T16:35:00.000-05:00

(My wife, Lisa, and I, at the Mirage, Las Vegas, March 2005)

The desire to start a blog originated after I began reading other blogs while researching my future trip to Mt. Kilimanjaro. I decided to make a blog or two of my own (kilimanjarotomorrow). We'll see if I can actually keep it going longer than a month into the new year. Perhaps it can serve as my own fossilized, cyberspace footprint. Will it stand the test of time?