Tomorrow I'm going to the fishing expo! It's about an hour out of town, but well worth the drive I'm sure.
I've already been emailing with one factory that makes fly fishing gear and plan to buy some fly boxes. I'm going to put my logo in them and give them to people who run trips with me in March.
Speaking of March....like I said before, ill be home the 1st-31st, but I'm booked full....so probably won't have much time to kick it. Sorry, but you don't have to be tall to ball.
Looks like Sarah's passport issue is going to be fixed soon, but it's still a work in progress. We are hoping that we can get something going so we can travel, last minute, around Xmas time maybe. Thailand is out now, but maybe we can go somewhere close- find some snow!
Last thing, if you're planning on coming here to visit at some point, you need to at least know how to count to 10.....so here you go:
1- yi- sounds like E, pronounced ee like my name- cal"ee"
2- er- sounds like R, pronounced like "are" you going
3- san, like "sand" without the d
4- si- this one is tough. Hold the "s" as long as you would the word sand. It sounds like "suh"....s, and the uh like the "ou" in would. (Sorry, best I got)
5- wu- just like wu tang clan, or woohoo without the hoo. However, it's the third tone- so you start your pitch high, go low, than end high. Think roller coaster.
6- liu- just like the name Leo
7- qi- pronounced "chee" like cheese without se.
8- ba- easy. Sounds like bobber without the bber. NOT ba like baby.
9- jiu- pronounced gee-O. Like the abbreviation for National Geographic nat-geo.
10- shi- you thought it, not me. Sounds like....well without the "t".
Know these and you have it made. 11-99 are easy because they don't use any new words. It's just the numbers combined....but put 10 in the middle. Ex-
68
6, 10, 8
Liu shi ba
Peace out.
Friday, December 14, 2012
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Pop Quiz
Burn. You show up for an easy A and you get hit with a pop quiz. You're no Ferris Bueller!
For the first part of today's quiz, draw a line to connect the words or phrases that go together.
Question 1
Sarah's passport | Chae | Shanghai
Short | Very cold | Stolen
Question 2
Calee | House plant | Had for dinner
Dumplings | No motorcycle | Growing
Question 3
Fishing expo | Thank you
For Xmas gifts | This weekend
For the second part, please fill in the blanks.
Sarah had her passport stolen from her ____________.
As a result she couldn't __________ for work and visit stores around the country this week as planned.
Now we have to go to the American ___________ to report a stolen passport and apply for a new one.
We won't be spending ___________ in Thailand as planned.
Living overseas __________s.
People who steal are going to get __________ if I ever get the chance to catch them.
Ace of __________ is Jay Williams' favorite artist.
That's all for today kids. Please hand your test back to me no later than tomorrow.
For the first part of today's quiz, draw a line to connect the words or phrases that go together.
Question 1
Sarah's passport | Chae | Shanghai
Short | Very cold | Stolen
Question 2
Calee | House plant | Had for dinner
Dumplings | No motorcycle | Growing
Question 3
Fishing expo | Thank you
For Xmas gifts | This weekend
For the second part, please fill in the blanks.
Sarah had her passport stolen from her ____________.
As a result she couldn't __________ for work and visit stores around the country this week as planned.
Now we have to go to the American ___________ to report a stolen passport and apply for a new one.
We won't be spending ___________ in Thailand as planned.
Living overseas __________s.
People who steal are going to get __________ if I ever get the chance to catch them.
Ace of __________ is Jay Williams' favorite artist.
That's all for today kids. Please hand your test back to me no later than tomorrow.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Facebook Break Up
I want to start a band. Just me and a couple other dudes....maybe one chick to sing a little back up.
I want my band to be pretty famous, but not too famous. Maybe a gig a week locally....no travel outside the city or anything.
Then I want to start a Facebook page for my band. Nothing too huge- maybe 1500 followers or so.
Everything is clipping, a few of our own songs....a dabble in the recording studio, birds singing in the sun....
Then it begins. Some in the band are going to want to take it in a new direction. Maybe one person develops a drug and alcohol problem. While he's in rehab, the new guy tries to jockey his way to the top.
Now I can't control the situation, and someone goes behind my back to try to kick me out if the band. Only one thing to do- air it all out on Facebook.
The classic he said, she said Facebook break up! First, I'm going to post a few messages on the home page, maybe something about how I caught them with that girl from work....and how I'm taking the kids.
No where to go but up.
It quickly escalates to the other band members tagging photos of the band all together without me, labeling them things like "best time ever" and "me and my real friends". Things are getting ugly and now all of our friends and followers know exactly who we really are.
You've all seen it. It's the ugly side of putting your life online for everyone to see. It's what keeps me awake at night, and what makes me worry about the world we are leaving our kids. It's a throw everything out there first to get the other people involved on their heels, then go for the throat. Ugly.
Oh, turns out we'll be home in January, though Sarah has to travel to the east coast for a few days while we are there....I think the dates are January 13th-31st. Excited to see everyone!
Tune in tomorrow for a post about something legitimate....
I want my band to be pretty famous, but not too famous. Maybe a gig a week locally....no travel outside the city or anything.
Then I want to start a Facebook page for my band. Nothing too huge- maybe 1500 followers or so.
Everything is clipping, a few of our own songs....a dabble in the recording studio, birds singing in the sun....
Then it begins. Some in the band are going to want to take it in a new direction. Maybe one person develops a drug and alcohol problem. While he's in rehab, the new guy tries to jockey his way to the top.
Now I can't control the situation, and someone goes behind my back to try to kick me out if the band. Only one thing to do- air it all out on Facebook.
The classic he said, she said Facebook break up! First, I'm going to post a few messages on the home page, maybe something about how I caught them with that girl from work....and how I'm taking the kids.
No where to go but up.
It quickly escalates to the other band members tagging photos of the band all together without me, labeling them things like "best time ever" and "me and my real friends". Things are getting ugly and now all of our friends and followers know exactly who we really are.
You've all seen it. It's the ugly side of putting your life online for everyone to see. It's what keeps me awake at night, and what makes me worry about the world we are leaving our kids. It's a throw everything out there first to get the other people involved on their heels, then go for the throat. Ugly.
Oh, turns out we'll be home in January, though Sarah has to travel to the east coast for a few days while we are there....I think the dates are January 13th-31st. Excited to see everyone!
Tune in tomorrow for a post about something legitimate....
Monday, December 10, 2012
Just me and the big man.....
Went to workout this afternoon, you know how I do it....
Walked in the door of the club and knew right away something was different.
Usually the kid at the desk is asleep. At best, he's half awake and will stare at you while you sign in and then hand you a towel. The other guy that is around sometimes hides behind the desk and smokes....oh- he doubles as a personal trainer too.
Anyway, today there was a dude in a suit who promptly stood up and did the old Chinese bow when I approached. He bowed china style again when he handed me my towel. A nice surprise, thought they maybe are making some changes to the place.
I turn from the desk and head through the door to the gym. It's a combo gym- weights and cardio stuff (treadmill, bikes, etc).
I go through the door and didn't see anyone working out, not at all uncommon here....but about half the lights were off, making it darker than usual. I didn't think anything of it....turned on all the lights, put my water bottle down with my keys, and headed to the back to run on a treadmill.
About half way back to the treadmills and someone turns the lights off.
Well, I'm about the only person who uses this gym outside the "after work" window....in other words- I own it. So I turned around and walked back to the light switch and back on they all go. At this point I thought I messed something up cause there was no one around....maybe they're on a motion sensor?
Back to the treadmills I go. The treadmills are separated by a sort of floating wall. It's pretty tall but not all the way to the ceiling and open on both ends.
Off go the lights.
I walk around the wall changing music on my phone, look up, and some dudes butt is in my face! Odd since I'm standing upright.
Then it all hits me. The big man is in the building! The lights- the dude at the desk- some guy who is 7'6" tall....it all makes sense now.
I had prepared for this moment since the day we moved in. I was sure at some point I was going to catch him since we ride the same elevator.
But that was the problem. I had prepared an elevator speech, not a "lets workout together- just you and me" speech. And I blew it.
I pulled the Ralph from A Christmas Story. Just like when he sat on Santa's lap with a chance to ask for a BB gun but froze....I too froze up with my mouth open.
I walk around the wall changing music on my phone, look up, and some dudes butt is in my face! Odd since I'm standing upright. He was on his phone too, not yet on a treadmill. He looked up and said "Hi how are you" and I couldn't even return the gesture. I choked. The best I could come up with was to flick a head nod his direction....but I think my mouth was still open.
I got on a treadmill and started running hoping that if he did notice, he'd think my face was red from the workout.
He walked next to me for about 10 minutes then was joined by his trainer. It was just the three of us in the gym until they left about 45 minutes later.
Pretty cool, but the gym isn't that big- and they kept getting in my way. This place isn't big enough for the two of us.
I snapped a pic but don't think I should put it up, too paparazzi. Ill say this though- tallest dude I've ever seen by far. Also, he can throw up some serious weight. I said something to his trainer about if he could really use the giant dumbbells he was preparing and he looked at them and said "these? Oh yeah easy".....they must have been 200 pounds each!
Ill throw in a few random photos-
-David on the motorcycle I just bought....try to fit that in the trunk of a Honda Accord
- real sheep skin rug for $25
- Donkey!
Walked in the door of the club and knew right away something was different.
Usually the kid at the desk is asleep. At best, he's half awake and will stare at you while you sign in and then hand you a towel. The other guy that is around sometimes hides behind the desk and smokes....oh- he doubles as a personal trainer too.
Anyway, today there was a dude in a suit who promptly stood up and did the old Chinese bow when I approached. He bowed china style again when he handed me my towel. A nice surprise, thought they maybe are making some changes to the place.
I turn from the desk and head through the door to the gym. It's a combo gym- weights and cardio stuff (treadmill, bikes, etc).
I go through the door and didn't see anyone working out, not at all uncommon here....but about half the lights were off, making it darker than usual. I didn't think anything of it....turned on all the lights, put my water bottle down with my keys, and headed to the back to run on a treadmill.
About half way back to the treadmills and someone turns the lights off.
Well, I'm about the only person who uses this gym outside the "after work" window....in other words- I own it. So I turned around and walked back to the light switch and back on they all go. At this point I thought I messed something up cause there was no one around....maybe they're on a motion sensor?
Back to the treadmills I go. The treadmills are separated by a sort of floating wall. It's pretty tall but not all the way to the ceiling and open on both ends.
Off go the lights.
I walk around the wall changing music on my phone, look up, and some dudes butt is in my face! Odd since I'm standing upright.
Then it all hits me. The big man is in the building! The lights- the dude at the desk- some guy who is 7'6" tall....it all makes sense now.
I had prepared for this moment since the day we moved in. I was sure at some point I was going to catch him since we ride the same elevator.
But that was the problem. I had prepared an elevator speech, not a "lets workout together- just you and me" speech. And I blew it.
I pulled the Ralph from A Christmas Story. Just like when he sat on Santa's lap with a chance to ask for a BB gun but froze....I too froze up with my mouth open.
I walk around the wall changing music on my phone, look up, and some dudes butt is in my face! Odd since I'm standing upright. He was on his phone too, not yet on a treadmill. He looked up and said "Hi how are you" and I couldn't even return the gesture. I choked. The best I could come up with was to flick a head nod his direction....but I think my mouth was still open.
I got on a treadmill and started running hoping that if he did notice, he'd think my face was red from the workout.
He walked next to me for about 10 minutes then was joined by his trainer. It was just the three of us in the gym until they left about 45 minutes later.
Pretty cool, but the gym isn't that big- and they kept getting in my way. This place isn't big enough for the two of us.
I snapped a pic but don't think I should put it up, too paparazzi. Ill say this though- tallest dude I've ever seen by far. Also, he can throw up some serious weight. I said something to his trainer about if he could really use the giant dumbbells he was preparing and he looked at them and said "these? Oh yeah easy".....they must have been 200 pounds each!
Ill throw in a few random photos-
-David on the motorcycle I just bought....try to fit that in the trunk of a Honda Accord
- real sheep skin rug for $25
- Donkey!
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Congrats!
Our friends Christopher and Shuree Jones of Portland Oregon are having a baby girl!
Congratulations Chris and Shuree of Portland Oregon!
When I found out that they were having a baby, I quickly emailed them to offer my expert services in naming their child.
Overwhelmed by my generous offer, they could not respond....and so my mission to name the child began.
Prologue
Naming a child isn't easy. A name is something you carry with you from the moment you're born to the day you die. It can define you and its meaning can alter the way people see, think about, and interact with you.
It is for these reasons and many more that I took this assignment and took it very seriously. It is what drove me to work long into the night and to obsess over my role as the namer.
I greatly enjoyed this task and writing this book and I hope you do to.
The Methodology
What's in a name? This is the question I first asked myself when I began this project....and little did I know that this simple question would take me on such a journey.
A good name will carry you through life. It will accompany you through thick and thin....but what is a "good name"? Is a good name one that has deep meaning? Or is it light and soft....one that generates warm feelings? Will it make you popular? Help you get a good job or find a soulmate?
My approach will allow me to come up with a name that will do all of these things. In order for this to work the name has to be cool at precisely the right time- high school. Cause if you're cool in high school everything else will fall in place.
To aid in the process I developed what I call the "20 year" method, herby referred to as 2YM. 2YM is quite simple, every 20 years things come back into coolness. Think flare jeans in the 90's, 30's in the 50's, or 8-bit in 2000. It always comes around- and by my observation it comes around every 20.
Once I realized 2YM, it was math from there on out:
Baby born 2013. 2013-20= 1993. So 1993 is the year the name must come from right? Wrong. 2YM must be calculated from the year(s) in which the name is most critical- which in our case is high school. And don't forget the flux capacitor. Therefor, our critical years will be 14 to 18 years on a different time line back to the future!
Wait a minute doc, are you saying what I think you're saying? Are you saying that the name must come from 2007-2011? Precisely! The baby is born in 2013, which means she'll be in high school from 2027-2031. Subtract 2YM and you've got 10.21 gigawatts!
Before Coolness
You can't name a child just so they get a prom date can you? No. There is much more to consider before prom. Baby faces, grade school, junior high, the first boyfriend, first break up, soccer practice, training wheels to name a few.
A name can't make you good at soccer, or get you good grades- but it can make things a little easier....and most important of all, it MUST get you through grade school.
As we all know, grade school kids can be the meanest of mean. Your name could be Orange and a 7 year old can find a derogatory word that rhymes with it and turn it into a song. They'll stop at nothing to use your name against you in a Children Of The Corn effort to brow beat you into trading crayons.
The name I come up with will survive these challenges and flower at just the right time.
Final Verdict
Enough is enough. I know you're all dying to know what name I've decided on. Well, again....it's not that simple.
I can't seriously expect to name someone's child without their input can I? Of course I can...but I'm not going to (this time). Instead, I'm going to offer a few names and let Chris and Shuree pick one from my list (prices vary).
With my most sincere gratitude for being a part of this process I give you my list:
1. Quendra Jones (2011)
This is Kendra but spelled with a Qu. Season 3, episode 6 of Community. It screams "mom, dad don't wait up, I'll be home an hour before curfew" but can also get a C in history class just to rebel against the bias mantra of public school curriculum.
2. Iesha Jones (2007)
Ish for short, this name has been a smash hit for decades with roots in southern Oregon. A real 2007 classic but with 1993 flare.
3. Barbara Jones II (2008)
Can also be called Barbwire Jones if she ends up being a real badass. J-R is another alternative and BAJO2 could serve as a nifty online name as well.
4. Kate Jones (2009)
Simple, eloquent, but also Lost on a magic island, won't take no for an answer, can shoot to kill, jump off a cliff, take on the "others" kind of mentality. Kind of.
5. Nora Jones (2010 but really 2002)
Come away with me. I've been waiting by the something something. Don't know why I didn't something something. Don't know why something....heart is dragging something. You'll be on my mind.
The End
Sent from my iPhone
PS- this wasn't my real list. I thought it would be rude to splatter their business all over the Internet, so I'm emailing my real list.....except for Ish and Kendra with a Qu, those names are rad!
Congratulations again Chris and Shuree!
Congratulations Chris and Shuree of Portland Oregon!
When I found out that they were having a baby, I quickly emailed them to offer my expert services in naming their child.
Overwhelmed by my generous offer, they could not respond....and so my mission to name the child began.
Prologue
Naming a child isn't easy. A name is something you carry with you from the moment you're born to the day you die. It can define you and its meaning can alter the way people see, think about, and interact with you.
It is for these reasons and many more that I took this assignment and took it very seriously. It is what drove me to work long into the night and to obsess over my role as the namer.
I greatly enjoyed this task and writing this book and I hope you do to.
The Methodology
What's in a name? This is the question I first asked myself when I began this project....and little did I know that this simple question would take me on such a journey.
A good name will carry you through life. It will accompany you through thick and thin....but what is a "good name"? Is a good name one that has deep meaning? Or is it light and soft....one that generates warm feelings? Will it make you popular? Help you get a good job or find a soulmate?
My approach will allow me to come up with a name that will do all of these things. In order for this to work the name has to be cool at precisely the right time- high school. Cause if you're cool in high school everything else will fall in place.
To aid in the process I developed what I call the "20 year" method, herby referred to as 2YM. 2YM is quite simple, every 20 years things come back into coolness. Think flare jeans in the 90's, 30's in the 50's, or 8-bit in 2000. It always comes around- and by my observation it comes around every 20.
Once I realized 2YM, it was math from there on out:
Baby born 2013. 2013-20= 1993. So 1993 is the year the name must come from right? Wrong. 2YM must be calculated from the year(s) in which the name is most critical- which in our case is high school. And don't forget the flux capacitor. Therefor, our critical years will be 14 to 18 years on a different time line back to the future!
Wait a minute doc, are you saying what I think you're saying? Are you saying that the name must come from 2007-2011? Precisely! The baby is born in 2013, which means she'll be in high school from 2027-2031. Subtract 2YM and you've got 10.21 gigawatts!
Before Coolness
You can't name a child just so they get a prom date can you? No. There is much more to consider before prom. Baby faces, grade school, junior high, the first boyfriend, first break up, soccer practice, training wheels to name a few.
A name can't make you good at soccer, or get you good grades- but it can make things a little easier....and most important of all, it MUST get you through grade school.
As we all know, grade school kids can be the meanest of mean. Your name could be Orange and a 7 year old can find a derogatory word that rhymes with it and turn it into a song. They'll stop at nothing to use your name against you in a Children Of The Corn effort to brow beat you into trading crayons.
The name I come up with will survive these challenges and flower at just the right time.
Final Verdict
Enough is enough. I know you're all dying to know what name I've decided on. Well, again....it's not that simple.
I can't seriously expect to name someone's child without their input can I? Of course I can...but I'm not going to (this time). Instead, I'm going to offer a few names and let Chris and Shuree pick one from my list (prices vary).
With my most sincere gratitude for being a part of this process I give you my list:
1. Quendra Jones (2011)
This is Kendra but spelled with a Qu. Season 3, episode 6 of Community. It screams "mom, dad don't wait up, I'll be home an hour before curfew" but can also get a C in history class just to rebel against the bias mantra of public school curriculum.
2. Iesha Jones (2007)
Ish for short, this name has been a smash hit for decades with roots in southern Oregon. A real 2007 classic but with 1993 flare.
3. Barbara Jones II (2008)
Can also be called Barbwire Jones if she ends up being a real badass. J-R is another alternative and BAJO2 could serve as a nifty online name as well.
4. Kate Jones (2009)
Simple, eloquent, but also Lost on a magic island, won't take no for an answer, can shoot to kill, jump off a cliff, take on the "others" kind of mentality. Kind of.
5. Nora Jones (2010 but really 2002)
Come away with me. I've been waiting by the something something. Don't know why I didn't something something. Don't know why something....heart is dragging something. You'll be on my mind.
The End
Sent from my iPhone
PS- this wasn't my real list. I thought it would be rude to splatter their business all over the Internet, so I'm emailing my real list.....except for Ish and Kendra with a Qu, those names are rad!
Congratulations again Chris and Shuree!
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Out Of Town
I was able to get out of the city yesterday for the first time.
It was about a 2.5 hour drive the lake we fished....near the town of Yingyu.
In China, you pay to drive on the highway. You're stopped as you leave Shanghai and are given a card. This card tracks your distance travelled- and you pay according to how far you went (there and back). They don't have road taxes here....and I guess you gotta pay for it somehow.
Once outside Shanghai we hit a bridge that was 20 miles long. Longest bridge I've ever been on! At the half way point there was a restaurant/hotel built right on the water. I took a bad photo for you to enjoy!
Fishing was donkey. It was about 9 degrees F on the dock, we rented a little twink of a boat, and I'd guess it was 4 degrees on the water. I knew better than to go- you don't catch bass with a fly rod in 9 degree weather.....but I guess it was good to check out.
Here are some photos- looks like lake Shasta to me except bamboo and tea trees instead of oak and pine.
One note on the photos of the lake- anything you see on the banks of the lake that look like a house are not- they are tombs- and very old. I don't know why you would start a tea orchard around a hillside of tombs....seems like a creepy place to work.
It was about a 2.5 hour drive the lake we fished....near the town of Yingyu.
In China, you pay to drive on the highway. You're stopped as you leave Shanghai and are given a card. This card tracks your distance travelled- and you pay according to how far you went (there and back). They don't have road taxes here....and I guess you gotta pay for it somehow.
Once outside Shanghai we hit a bridge that was 20 miles long. Longest bridge I've ever been on! At the half way point there was a restaurant/hotel built right on the water. I took a bad photo for you to enjoy!
Fishing was donkey. It was about 9 degrees F on the dock, we rented a little twink of a boat, and I'd guess it was 4 degrees on the water. I knew better than to go- you don't catch bass with a fly rod in 9 degree weather.....but I guess it was good to check out.
Here are some photos- looks like lake Shasta to me except bamboo and tea trees instead of oak and pine.
One note on the photos of the lake- anything you see on the banks of the lake that look like a house are not- they are tombs- and very old. I don't know why you would start a tea orchard around a hillside of tombs....seems like a creepy place to work.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Shanghai Fabric Market
We finally made it to the fabric market! Pretty much every foreigner we've come across has told us we have to go....so finally we caved.
It is pretty sweet. You can find any kind of fabric here from rayon to cashmere to animal fur....they got it all.
You can have anything made here as well. There were numerous men being fitted for dress shirts, women trying on formal gowns, one dude I talked to had picked out a style of jacket he liked and was then picking out what kind of leather he wanted to use to make it. It takes about an hour and his jacket will be done.
We ran into the two chicks we hung out with in the Philippines and they have us some good tips.
Sarah was very impressed that every shop had very current styles of coats, dresses and shirts.....but I guess these days it's easy to get online and copy anything out there.
We were on the hunt for some fabric to use to cover the ugly couches in our living room. To give you an idea of prices- we are spending about $100. That gets you fabric for three couches and a tailor to your house to measure and sew them up.
I'm going back tomorrow with my favorite woven shirt and am going to have a few copies made.
Here are some pics of the place. It's not all fun and games though. There were some people out front selling animal furs that were colored to look like tiger stripes or other wild animals that David said are fakes. I saw the hides though and they were made of something real....as much as I hate to say it, probably dogs.
It is pretty sweet. You can find any kind of fabric here from rayon to cashmere to animal fur....they got it all.
You can have anything made here as well. There were numerous men being fitted for dress shirts, women trying on formal gowns, one dude I talked to had picked out a style of jacket he liked and was then picking out what kind of leather he wanted to use to make it. It takes about an hour and his jacket will be done.
We ran into the two chicks we hung out with in the Philippines and they have us some good tips.
Sarah was very impressed that every shop had very current styles of coats, dresses and shirts.....but I guess these days it's easy to get online and copy anything out there.
We were on the hunt for some fabric to use to cover the ugly couches in our living room. To give you an idea of prices- we are spending about $100. That gets you fabric for three couches and a tailor to your house to measure and sew them up.
I'm going back tomorrow with my favorite woven shirt and am going to have a few copies made.
Here are some pics of the place. It's not all fun and games though. There were some people out front selling animal furs that were colored to look like tiger stripes or other wild animals that David said are fakes. I saw the hides though and they were made of something real....as much as I hate to say it, probably dogs.
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