Chasing the sun

Karen and I are at the tail-end of a rather exhausting day. Austin to Tucson is one he'll of a drive, and it looks as though we'll have completed it in one day, provided this last 250 mile leg is uncomplicated.
When it's all said and done we'll have completed 892 miles in approximately 14 hours. As Karen so eloquently said, "just keep chasing the sun."

Desert Sky Wind Farm

It's about 3:00 Friday afternoon, and we're driving by the 105 windmills of the Desert Sky Wind Farm. They're massive structures produced by GE, and provide power for a company that supports San Antonio...over 200 miles away!
Four hours until El Paso. If you've never experienced a drive across West Texas, this isn't enough of an attraction to make it considerable...just a tid-bit for the day.

Luggage

Some old-school Ted Gard luggage coming in handy today. We found these two pieces while cleaning out the storage locker. Our moving boxes were donated to us by family, saving us a bundle in the process; but their size leaves a little to be desired. The circa 1970 style luggage were large enough to house our computer and monitor. #whateverworks

...and we still have more stuff

Packing the "chariot" started bright and early this morning. Half-way through the day the cargo hold is 2/3 of the way full, and we still have more stuff!

A Great Goodbye

I couldn't think of a better way to say goodbye to Lafayette than what my mom and sister had planned for Karen and I this passed Sunday night. Crawfish-etouffee, jambalaya, family, friends and some great live Cajun music courtesy of Les Freres Michot. It was truly a remarkable occassion...one that I'll think back to often over the next couple of years. I want to thank everyone who took the time to attend. It meant a great deal to us, and we'll keep in touch.


for more pics feel free to check out my mother's gallery here.

Winehouse...a damn shame

Despite the inevitability of her demise, Amy Winehouse's death came as a bit of a shock to me. I was hanging out in DFW, awaiting a flight in a bar, when my twitter feed updated me. I wasn't an avid follower from the beginning. It was only last year that I came to realize her her talent, after a friend loaned me her album, promising that I wouldn't regret giving her an hour of my time. It took hearing just "Me and Mr. Jones" and "Back to Black" (see below) to realize the validity of his words...simply amazing. It would have been nice to see her perform in a small venue, or rather any venue.

Russel Brand's column in the Guardian was eloquent enough to make you realize (if you haven't already) that this is the passing of a true talent. I'm definitely looking forward to the Economist's obit on her...sure to be inspiring.

"The awe that envelops when witnessing a genius. From her oddly dainty presence that voice, a voice that seemed not to come from her but from somewhere beyond even Billie and Ella, from the font of all greatness. A voice that was filled with such power and pain that it was at once entirely human yet laced with the divine. My ears, my mouth, my heart and mind all instantly opened. Winehouse. Winehouse? Winehouse! That twerp, all eyeliner and lager dithering up Chalk Farm Road under a back-combed barnet, the lips that I'd only seen clenching a fishwife fag and dribbling curses now a portal for this holy sound.

So now I knew. She wasn't just some hapless wannabe, yet another pissed-up nit who was never gonna make it, nor was she even a ten-a-penny-chanteuse enjoying her fifteen minutes. She was a fucking genius."

The Malaise is Intense

We can peacefully coexist

Footwear for white-water rafting

I'm heading to Colorado this afternoon for a busy weekend of soccer that'll be capped off with some company from my youngest brother who calls Denver home. An amateur tourney at Dick's Sporting Goods Park will have my attention tonight and tomorrow morning as some of the MLS crew and I will be mentoring referees coming up the pipeline. This is quickly becoming a favorite past-time of mine, and can be surmised as the reason one of the reasons that I started refereeing. Hanging out with other officials, sharing experiences, while all attempting to keep the game honest.

The game on the docket tomorrow night is Vancouver at Colorado in one of the MLS' best looking stadiums, Dick's Sporting Good Park. Televised on the MLS network, so no major TV time for me this go-around.

Now to the point of this post. Sunday morning has my brother and I hitting some major rapids for a couple of hours. This is my first experience doing this kind of water activity, and I'm pretty stoked about the adventure. My only problem is footwear. I bought these shoes a couple of years ago because they looked cool and were very comfortable...boy was I wrong on the first qualifier. I've probably worn them twice for yardwork as I've never encountered the water activities to use them properly. Should I use them with the possibility of loosing them, or stick with some old running shoes?

Serious Face Time

Hangin' out with the Gard sisters at Old Tyme