Bruce-2-Go

Introducing....

2010-08-21T21:47:00.000-05:00

...52creations. More to come.

Testing, Testing...Is this thing on?

2009-06-15T20:52:00.002-05:00

Hey, I need to write more often. I'm going to try to start. I've been having difficulty jutifying keeping up a blog when I can give updates via Twitter and Facebook. So, while I decide why I should continue to blog (or start again,) I will try to actually do it more often.

Few and Far Between

2008-12-22T04:45:00.002-05:00

Attention: I'm being a deadbeat blogger. I'll add "more blogging" to my 2009 resolutions. I know you've been concerned. :)

Ohio Bound

2008-12-05T07:13:00.000-05:00

Attention: I am going to Ohio. But don't worry, it's only for the weekend.

I'm a Master at Something!

2008-09-29T13:57:00.006-05:00

This little piece of expensive paper came in the mail today!

Sent from my iPhone.

Thank You Meijer

2008-09-28T21:28:00.004-05:00

There are so many reasons to love Meijer. They are based in Michigan. They are everywhere. They are open 24 hours. And most importantly, they are NOT Wal-Mart (bullies!)

Since July of 07, I have been trying my hardest to make better healthy living choices, including changes in my diet and exercise. Overall, I'd give myself a B--doing okay, but there is some room for improvement. During that time frame, our friends at Meijer have been making their food healthier, too.

Although I'm not entirely sure how long they've been doing it, Meijer has their own store brand of organic products cleverly called "Meijer Organics." In the past, I've always been a bit of a food snob and steered clear of "value" brands. I'm convinced--in part by reading labels--that it is not possible for store brands to be exactly like their commercial counterparts. Something...it may be small...but something, is different.

However, I have sampled dozens of Meijer Organics products and they are all great. Meijer Organics are our preferred brands, unless we find something cheaper. And, I think that is a major difference. I feel like the company is not trying to make all their organic products "value" products as well. For example, tonight I bought a different brand of organic cane sugar because it was over $1 cheaper than the Meijer brand.

For those of you that live near a Meijer, try out their Organic line. Yes, I know it costs more than other brands, but remember it's your body and so far you only get one of those. And, once you've tried a jam, jelly, ketchup or other treat that is not made with high fructose corn syrup, you will have a hard time going back.

The picture shows a few of our regular Meijer Organics purchases.

Two Weeks and Counting

2008-09-27T15:27:00.003-05:00

Jennie and I left mid-morning for a 10 mile run. As we struggled to finish 10 miles, it hit me: Chicago 2008 is only two weeks away! I'm actually pretty excited about doing the marathon October 12th. I spent my childhood watching my father leave early on weekends to run races of all sorts...5k...10K...half marathon...marathon...24 hour races (what's up with those?) I ran a little track in high school, but certainly never fancied myself a serious runner. Once, my dad bribed be into running 13 miles in exchange for a pair of speakers. I think he was a little disappointed in my performance, and I learned how far 13 miles really was.

I ran on and off in college, but taking a full load of classes and working (almost) full time made it hard to find time to run. I was really two summers ago, when I was in Geneva and had no other obligations besides going to class from 9-5 that I found time to take up the sport.

Today, I'm far from pro, but I have found that running can be enjoyable. The key is that you have to do it at least 3 times a week. Otherwise, you lose your running fitness. In other words, half the battle in running is form and breathing. Your body has to get used to these two things in order to keep going. When I was going to the gym, I would work out my leg muscles. So, my legs were strong, but my respiratory system was not trained for 2-3 hours of non-stop exercise. So, that has been the biggest difference.

These next two weeks are set up as tapering time. Our longest run is about 8 miles and during the week is 4. I want to also work on eating better. This is always a goal for me, but now that the big day is nearing, I would love to drop off another 2-4 pounds (really, 10 would be great.)

Wish me luck.

Personal Best

2008-08-10T04:33:00.002-05:00

Jennie and I just got back from running 15 miles through the parks of London! Definitely the farthest distance I've ever run, but still 11.2 miles short of a marathon. Oh well, I'm still happy we actually got up early and did it today. After just getting settled the day before here in London, it would have been very easy to have skipped out today.

Today, we'll probably rest up for a little while and then do something that doesn't involve much walking or running.

Two Swiss Summers...a Reflection

2008-08-08T03:07:00.007-05:00

It hit me last night during our "7:11" photo montage: This has been a very special experience. I'd like to think I'll do it again someday, but the reality is that our "Global Cohort" is truly a once-in-a-lifetime event. Last night, as the 500+ photos (25 minutes worth) passed by on the projector screen in our classroom, we all watched the past 12 months rush past us. I know I was not the only one who thought "wow, we've really done a lot in a year." What made is so special is that we did it together as the 7:11 Runners!

Being given the opportunity to study abroad for a Master's degree while working full-time in our 30's was a gift. Meeting 26 other amazing people along the way was a bonus. Finding 6 people who share your love for life, laughter, and travel...that's priceless.

I'm sitting here thinking about how in less than 16 hours, this group will say our goodbyes for the last time. We'll laugh a lot, cry a little, and promise to keep in touch. I hope we can manage to do that. The "cohort" is a unique blend of people--all with different strengths and weaknesses--that could really make positive strides in education if we played upon each other's strengths. I am leaving the program more dedicated than ever to the idea of using technology to make change, not only in our schools, but in our global society.

It's been a whirlwind program, but our reward--our Master's degree in Education Technology--is now less than 5 hours away.

You can watch the graduation ceremony LIVE from Geneva by going to www.umfglobal.org/graduation. It starts at 12:30 Eastern Time (6:30 our time) and will be re-played on the site later.

Jennie and I have photos of our experiences on our blogs (search back a bit) and on our SmugMug account.

More thoughts and reflections when Jennie and I return home. We leave for London tomorrow.

Alpine Adventure Photos

2008-08-04T10:57:00.010-05:00

Two things: First, a picture is worth a thousand words. Second, I don't have time to blog right now. So, here are a few photos from the trip. I'll try to add a little story in a few hours.

Enjoy!

Heading up the mountain

One of the cog railways heading down

A Swiss cow grazing near the tracks

Almost to the top of Jungfrau

At the Jungfraujoch station, aka "The Top of Europe"

Jennie perseveres over her fear of heights!

View from the top

J and I (that's not Jungfrau behind us...it's some peak that starts with an M)

An Alipne bird

Meghan and Karyn (Jungfrau in BG)

More cog trains

Moo

More moo

Jennie in Interlaken

Spiez

Castle in Spiez

Ferris wheel in Thun

River in Thun

View from Thun

Jennie

Jennie and I

Fin

Due to the eminent deadline of a research paper/project

2008-07-31T15:07:00.000-05:00

Blogs will continue to be sluggish. However, you should check out my Facebook for more current updates.

A Few Views From the Neighborhood

2008-07-24T17:34:00.007-05:00

We are leaving for a weekend along the French Riviera in a few hours, but I wanted to post a few photos of the neighborhood around the John Knox Center before we left.

The area is really a great place to spend three weeks. It's a mix of very nice homes, hills, cow pastures, sunflower fields and stunning views of the Alps and Lake Geneva. Sitting here right now, it's hard to imagine that the urban center of Geneva is less than a couple of miles away. The World Health Organization (WHO) is about 1/4 mile away and the United Nations is about a half mile. I often have to remind myself that so much is going on so closely, especially when I wake up to the sound of cow bells!

So, I want to share some of that with you. I didn't have as much time as I thought I would to take photos today, but I did snap a couple. Sorry for the spot on some of the pics. I had a spec of dust on the imager of my camera. I think it's finally cleared off.

Time to pack and sleep for a few hours. Talk to you Monday!

A nearby chateau

Small restaurant in Pregny

One of our regular running routes

I'll take this one, but the one above is nice, too!

The big white on in the middle is Mont Blanc. This view is about 1/2 mile away.

The view as you approach the John Knox Center

Welcome to Le Centre!

The road out in front of the Centre

Nearby home

Even the donkeys wear bells

Quickie Update

2008-07-23T12:29:00.002-05:00

I wanted to post a quick update before I get back to my research paper and thesis project.

We returned on Sunday to Geneva from Paris. The 7:11 runners ran/walked on Monday, 3 miles on Tuesday, 6 miles today, and we'll do another 2 tomorrow. The hills are killer and I must have forgotten how tough they were from last year. The John Knox Center is at the top of a hill, so the first couple of miles are always easy, but I know that the last will always be uphill.

Our group has been putting in a lot of time after class to do some technology updates on our website, create promotional materials and support literature, etc. That's in addition to our research!

I''m hoping to take a walking tour of our "neighborhood" and snap some photos for you to check out tonight or tomorrow morning. This Friday, the seven of us are headed to Nice on the French Riviera for a weekend on the beach. Can't wait!

The Eiffel Tower's New Blue Look

2008-07-21T04:00:00.000-05:00

Paris in Photos

2008-07-20T18:30:00.002-05:00

The Arc di Triomphe on a cloudy day

Monument Louis XV in Place de la Concorde

Jennie looking tres chic

The 7-11 ladies taking a break

J&B outside the Louvre

A intricate rose window inside Notre Dame

Row of candles near the same window

One of the two original metro entrances in Paris

A jazz band entertains the crowd

More stairs, a favorite of ours

The first view of Sacre Couer

The views as we climb the stairs to the dome

Gargoyle

Jennie and I atop Sacre Coeur

La Hopital des Invalides

An ornate clock on L'Ecole Militaire

Karyn at "La Tour"

So, where is the tower anyway? (haha)

Self-portrait

Bruce takes a load off his feet and admires the view

Eiffel close-up

Eiffel closer-up

Some of the 12,000 pieces

The Eiffel Tower on a grey day

Eiffel in her evening gown

Bruce waiting for the show

"1024 colors" painting at the Pompidou Center

"Starry Night" by Vincent VanGogh

Self-portrait

Where did this come from?

B&J by Monet

The gang (minus Tony)

Paris 2.0

2008-07-20T14:38:00.009-05:00

I'm sitting in "Salle 6" at the John Knox Center right now. It's amazing how a few minutes back in familiar surroundings makes it feel like you never left a place. It's been almost a year since we left the John Knox Center, but tonight, we're back home with our U of M family.

Our first weekend trip (this time pre-class) was to Paris with six of the seven 7:11 Runners. Robert was already committed to traveling with his wife and friends, so he couldn't make the trip. For the rest of us, it was a great time, even for someone like me who's been lucky enough to have already visited this great city 3 or 4 times.

It was hard to get up the day after we arrived in Geneva to catch our train to Paris. Coming to Europe is much more difficult than coming home. Typically, it's a red-eye flight which arrives in the morning here, which is overnight at home. You can either spend an entire day sleeping, or try to stay awake for hours. Most of us stayed up and got bed early.

We woke up early Thursday to catch the TGV. The TGV is a very fast train to Paris. It took about 3 and 1/2 hours to go from Geneva to Paris since the train travels at 200 miles per hour! When we arrived, we were able to get right into our hotel and drop our things off. Then, the walking began...

We walked from our hotel in Plaza St. Augustin to the Arc di Triomphe, down the Champs Elysses, around the Place de la Concorde, through the Jardin des Tuilieries , around the Louvre, onto the Ile de la Cite, and into Notre Dame. In all, I'd say we put in 4 miles. The evening was spent enjoying

Friday, we headed to Sacre Coeur, the church atop Montmartre.

On our third day we, well, slept in a bit and then tackled the Louvre. By the time we reached the Musee d'Orsay, they had stopped letting people in. So, we headed to the Pompidou Center, Paris' modern art Mecca, for a change of pace.

Today, we visited the Musee d'Orsay before heading back. Classes start tomorrow bright and early, so I'm off to bed. Hope to post more soon...

Return to Geneva...Return to Blogging

2008-07-16T03:44:00.003-05:00

As I sit in the dining room here at the John Knox Center, it's a little surreal to think I'm back here for another summer residency. I'm extremely happy to be back here. In some ways it's becoming like a second home, sort of. It was all very familiar: getting on the plane in Detroit, then Newark, then Geneva, then the cab to the John Knox Center, and finally our room "Chambre 1" at the back of the property. We've got our bus pass and we're ready to paint the town red. Only this time, we have the added benefit of actually knowing where we are going.

So far, everything been going according to plan. Except when we lost Tony. His connecting flight from Detroit to Newark was delayed and he missed our flight to Geneva. Rumor has it that he caught a flight to Paris and will be in a little later today. Hurry up Tony, we miss you!

Karyn, Meghan, Joachim and I all met up at Newark International Airport and headed over together. We arrived in Geneva around 8am GMT +1, which is about 2am EST. I got a little sleep on the plane and plan on staying up all day to help me adjust to the new time.

We have a busy week coming up. Tomorrow, six of the 7:11 runners are heading to Paris for 4 days. Jennie and I will serve as tour guides, since we've both been there before (last summer, in fact.) Jennie and I need to continue our training for the Chicago Marathon, so we need to run 10 miles in Paris this Saturday. I can think of worse places to do so (like 10 times around the Attica Township Park, for example.)

So, I am aware that my blog has been lackluster at best for many months. I promise that if you stop by and visit, I'll keep the posts coming! But for now, I need to unpack and meet Jennie at the airport.

Au Revoir

2008-05-30T18:26:00.000-05:00

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Birdie Check-In

2008-05-16T18:05:00.000-05:00

a through-the-glass shot of our Christmas wreath inhabitants.

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The Final Cut

2008-03-22T13:09:00.001-05:00

Working at DFC to edit "Snow Day."

MACUL

2008-03-06T08:34:00.000-05:00

Lapeer You Have (almost) Arrived.

2008-02-29T21:19:00.001-05:00

Jennie and I visited the new Starbucks that opened today in Lapeer. Needless to say, we are pleased. Now, if we only had a Target...

From Here to Yale...No Balogna!!

2008-02-24T22:13:00.005-05:00

From our house to Yale, Michigan is about 27 miles. A marathon is 26.2. So, in mid-October, I will be running, in essence, from our house in Attica to Yale!!! You heard right, I'm doing the Bank of America Chicago Marathon this year! Thanks to my wife, the registration and hotel details have already been taken care of, so there's no turning back now! I'm totally excited and a little bit nervous at the same time.

I've always wanted to run a marathon, thanks in part to my father's influence (he's a true marathoner, with a dozen or more under his belt.) But, preparing for the race will force me to prepare in a different way than I'm used to for something big. Although I've always been able to wait until the last minute to do things...and still be able to pull them off, I know that a marathon is an entirely different beast. It will take hard work and dedication and a strict training schedule. I think it'll be good for me. And, with so much time to prepare, I'm hoping I'll do well.

Anyway, the marathon date is October 12, 2008 if anyone wants to come and cheer us on!

No turning back now!

16mm Film Production @ the DFC

2008-02-09T14:25:00.000-05:00

Snow Day #4

2008-02-01T16:39:00.001-05:00

We have had some interesting snow days this year. On Tuesday, it was 45 degrees out, but due to some glazing on the back roads, we had a snow day. Today, we got about 4 inches, but meteorogists called for up to 1?. So, another day off!

*sent from my Motorola Q

Barenaked Ladies at the NAIAS

2008-01-18T21:54:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the quality...its a cell phone, after all. :)

Full Swing

2008-01-18T20:15:00.000-05:00

View from the Stage

2008-01-18T19:41:00.001-05:00

@ Honda

2008-01-18T17:52:00.001-05:00

2008-01-18T17:43:00.000-05:00

J and Me

2008-01-18T17:29:00.000-05:00

This is one of the few events Jennie comes back for each year. I think its so she can work with me. :)

Setting up...

2008-01-18T17:26:00.001-05:00

Lamborghini

2008-01-18T16:31:00.001-05:00

I'm not so sure about the color, butI suppose I could have it re-painted.

Dodge

2008-01-18T16:28:00.000-05:00

Part of the Toyota Booth

2008-01-18T16:26:00.000-05:00

Mitsubishi Concept

2008-01-18T16:21:00.001-05:00

I'll take one.

Local 4 'Home Base'

2008-01-18T16:16:00.000-05:00

Here is my assignment tonight. I will be the AD for stuff that happens on the main set.

Prepping for the Charity Preview

2008-01-18T16:14:00.000-05:00

Carmen and Devin

2008-01-13T18:07:00.000-05:00

Hummer HX

2008-01-13T16:49:00.000-05:00

Awaiting a Reveal

2008-01-13T16:38:00.001-05:00

Mazda Taiki

2008-01-13T16:33:00.000-05:00

New Ford

2008-01-13T16:32:00.001-05:00

Auto Show Begins!

2008-01-13T16:21:00.001-05:00

Chevy Groove

Breaking News From The Music World

2008-01-13T12:47:00.000-05:00

Dateline: Attica, Michigan

At approximately 2:15 this morning, Karyn Coles and Bruce & Jennie Holladay--proud members of the Skype Outs--earned the right to share their musical abilities around the world.

The musical trifecta headed to Berlin to compete in the world showcase. Grand Prize: The Airstream private jet you see in this picture. Now, the "Rock Band" group can get the heck out of Europe and play around the world. Who needs David Hasselhoff anyway?

The Skype Outs is a group composed of members of the University of Michigan Flint Geneva Cohort and their spouses (and sometimes children.) Although they have only been together since New Year's Eve 2007, the group has thousands of fans and can play many rock hits from the '60s through today. Primarily a cover band, the members say that an album of original works in imminent.

In addition to Europe, the band is currently playing in Chicago, Boston, Seattle and Los Angeles. Be sure to check out a show near you!

Pistons - Year #3

2008-01-12T20:30:00.000-05:00

Well, Sean and I have reached a milestone. We have been working Pistons games from WDIV for the last 3 years and he not manged to kill me yet. I know tha I would have been sick of me months ago!

PC Free (at last)

2008-01-10T06:02:00.000-05:00

This is from a few days ago....forgot to post it!

Since 1991, I have had at least one PC in my life (thanks to my parents for that.) As I clean up the executive offices of North 42 Media in preparation for the '08 production season, it is finally time to say goodbye to the last PC I will ever purchase: a 2004 model from Dell.

While I will continue to use them at work, I am hoping this is the last depressing little black box I have in my home. Bon Voyage, Ol' Dellie!

62 - Run Time

2008-01-07T17:25:00.000-05:00

Here is a qick snap from my phone. Jennie, Daisy and I celebrated the warm weather by going for a run.

Weekend Re-Cap

2008-01-07T12:09:00.000-05:00

It was a busy weekend once again for the Holladays. Friday night, Jennie and I met up with two of our friends from work, Marina and Katie, and their husbands for some conversation and delicious Lucky's food. It's always nice to spend time with co-workers outside of the building. Expecially so I can catch up with their husbands, who I only usually see about once a year.

Saturday, Jennie, Karyn and I continued to perfect our skiing abilities. The 7:11 Running Club has, at least temporarily, been re-named the 7:11 Ski Club. I'm still probably the worst of everyone, but I'm practicing. I fall a lot, but I'd like to think that it's because I'm being daring and trying to get better. The funny thing is that it never hurts...until about 2 days later. I think I might have fractured a rib last time...kidding...I'm just a wuss. After ski club, we went to Great Lakes Crossing for a delicious food court lunch. After I left for WDIV, J and K keep playing at GLC for a while. I hope you girls had fun!

Sunday, J and I attended our first seminar at the Detroit Film Center. "Film A-Z" was an 8 hour workshop that went over the logistics of creating a film in Michigan. There was a wide variety of people in attendance. Some want to perfect their video skills while others were interesting in funding opportunities and budgeting. I've always been into the idea of shooting on film. I've recorded countless hours of videotape, but film has a different look and takes an entirely different set of skills. It's very mechanical and scientific and I think that draws me as well. Next Saturday, I start my 12 week "Intro to 16mm film production." Awesome!

Step 1: Get The Tree Into The House!

2007-12-09T22:37:00.000-05:00

Jennie and I went to Mutch's Christmas Tree Farm today to pick up our Christmas tree. All I can say is, thank goodness for double doors. The tree is about 10 feet tall and 6 feet around. So far, we've managed to get it in the base with minimal damage to the carpet and ceiling. Also, we have not killed one another yet, another feat! :)

I am hoping that tomorrow we will be able to get the lights and other goodies on it. I'm mostly excited about pulling out my 1940s Lionel Train (complete with whistle, smoke and headlight) to put around the base. We tried getting decorations done outside over the weekend, but found other distractions (see next post!)

MSU Wins!

2007-11-24T21:07:00.000-05:00

Here is a photo I forgot to post . J and I went to the MSU/Penn State game last Saturday in East Lansing. It was a little chilly, but fun, none-the-less. It was nice to be back on campus!

Rekindling a Holiday Tradition

2007-11-24T11:26:00.001-05:00

Mom, Jeanne and Joanna attempting to recall the steps to making delicious popcorn balls. I just supervised.

You'd Think We Don't Give Them Water!

2007-10-24T18:29:00.000-05:00

Ah, Ziggie. What a character.

Disaster Averted

2007-10-09T09:47:00.000-05:00

I have to say that I am surprised...no...shocked at how well our new iMac is handling Final Cut Studio. When we bought it, the iMac was sort of a band-aid to get us through some projects we needed to finish up. However, I am no longer in a hurry to upgrade.

For starters, it's way faster than my 3-year-old G5. The new Intel chips really make it whiz and whir. In addition to the 24" built in screen, it has an DVI output to which I've attached the G5's 20" monitor. When using Final Cut Pro, it serves as a high-definition preview monitor...or a tool bank. With other applications, it's more real estate for whatever.

Listen, PCs are okay. But, Macs are great! If you are in the market for a new computer, get over the fear of learning something new and splurge for an iMac or MacBook. I'll help you set it up.
:)

Emergency Mac

2007-10-04T10:12:00.000-05:00

Well, after 3 and a half over-used years, our Power Mac G5 had its first hiccup. Something is causing it not to boot into the operating system. All of the files are on the hard drive, but I probably need to re-format it to make it work. So, we wound up getting a new iMac for our editing needs. More details coming soon...

Bon Voyage, Measel Family!

2007-09-27T13:15:00.001-05:00

Dear Erik, Carrie, Lucas, Annabelle, Grandma and Grandpa:

Have a great time at Walt Disney World!

Back To You

2007-09-27T13:08:00.000-05:00

With the departure of Studio 60, I was worried that I wouldn't get my fill of simulated television production this season. There seems to be an influx of such shows in recent television seasons (30 Rock, Studio 60.) How many of these shows can network television handle?

Enter a new candidate to the FOX lineup. Back To You, starring Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton airs Tuesdays and 9pm. Spending a good chunk of my professional career sitting in newsrooms, I have to say it's pretty well done. Of course, it's not totally accurate. For example, the show uses far too many curse words to be a real newroom, and nobody's office is that nice in a small market TV station. But aside from that, it's nice to see Kelsey Grammer back on the small screen.

So, set your TiVo for "Back To You" on FOX!

one of the joys of summer

2007-09-25T17:43:00.000-05:00

Ice cream from The Chilly Cow, an Attica original!

Editing: This DVD is Actually Good!

2007-09-25T07:23:00.000-05:00

I've been teaching video production for a while. And, over that time, I've seen a lot of bad 'educational' programs on the business. But, there is one saving grace: "The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing." This DVD was produced and distributed by Warner Brothers and is fairly current, when it comes to the films they talk about.

So, if you are interested in editing, I highly recommend this DVD. It's still kind of 'educational', but that's not all bad.

"Falling" Back Into The Blogging Routine

2007-09-23T20:46:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the first day of Fall...my favorite season. College football, apple pie, cider, donuts, crisp air, leaves...what's not to love!

So, as you know, I am not the world's best blogger. I embraced the blogging revolution early on, but with all the stuff I try to tackle everyday, something has gotta give. There are actually two things...blogging and MySpace. Followed by any sort of cleaning.

What's more, I am always looking for significant dates to tie my accomplishments to. I'm not sure why, but I want to remember momentous occasions in my life, like a return to blogging. For example, this past July 7th (07/07/07), I re-dedicated myself to the notion of being greener and living healthier. And, by golly, I've been doing a pretty good job so far with recycling (I'm trying to recycle all paper and plastic in my class, and do most quizzes and tests in a digital format,) buying organic food (have you read the crap they put in some foods???) and exercising (lost 20 pounds to date.)

So, since today is the first day of Fall, which happens to be my favorite season, I'm re-dedicating myself to blogging. I know you are all relieved!

:)

First Tank of E85

2007-08-20T12:52:00.001-05:00

Dear ABBA: We'll Have to Catch Up Next Summer...

2007-08-13T15:03:00.000-05:00

I've learned something over the past couple of days. It's always good to have a "Plan B," but it's even better to have a "Plan C" and "Plan D" ready...just in case. The following is the story of Jennie and my Scandinavian adventure, French style!

First, let me take you back a few days to Saturday morning. After an early 4am wake-up call, we left the John Knox Center and headed to the Geneva Airport. As you no doubt already know, Jennie and I were planning on leaving Geneva and bound for Stockholm, Sweden--via Paris. We would then head west to Oslo, Norway before coming back home this Thursday.

Well, when it rains, it pours, and the sprinkles started early Saturday. We got to the Geneva airport easy enough, but once we cleared customs and got to the gate, we saw that our flight was delayed about one half-hour. Now, we could have managed with a half-hour delay, but not 8 of them! That's right. The delay process continued until we were eventually 4 hours late for our EasyJet flight to Paris. Because we were flying multiple carriers, this was not good news.

Once we got into Paris, it was becoming obvious that our plans were beginning to crumble. We were supposed to fly into Paris (Orly airport) and from there take a bus to another airport to catch the Scandinavian Airlines flight to Stockholm. That was an awful lot of ground for us to cover and we decided that--with the delay--we would either just make it, or try like hell to make it and wind up missing the flight...and busting our tails to do so.

After Skyping everyone and their uncle, trying to figure out a "Plan-B" to Sweden, we finally decided that a couple of days in Paris with an early return to the USA would be fine with us. Otherwise, we were looking at a couple of thousand dollars to make it to the home of Ikea, Saab and ABBA.

So, after exhausting all options, we decided on Paris. And, forget the economy hotels, Jennie convinced me that we might as well live large. It was decided that $700 a night might be a little too much, be we found a very nice hotel for much less money. Getting there was our only challenge. I’d say that, between the two of us, we had about 200 pounds of luggage. For some reason (I think it was lack of sleep), we decided public transportation would be the best way into town. WRONG! We had way too much luggage and by the time we reached the Eiffel Tower, we were searching for the nearest taxi.

Le Hotel Pont Royal is a wonderful place. The rooms are decent sized by European standards, but the location and staff were great. We were about a 3 minute walk from the Louvre and Musee D’Orsay.

On Saturday, we took a little nap before heading out for Le Tour Eiffel. It was a nice walk along the Seine River. The lines for the lifts to the top were very long. So, we decided to hoof it up the 670 steps to the mid-section of the Tower. The views were stunning, the weather perfect. A little ice cream in our tummies, and it was time for bed.

After sleeping in until 11am, we got up, had a nice lunch and headed to The Louvre for a few hours. From there, we hiked through the Jardin de Tuileries to the Place de la Concorde, where I promptly purchased a Crepe (from the place I got my first Crepe in 1998!)

It was Sunday, but Jennie and I thought a stroll up the Champs Elysees was in order. Surprisingly, several shops were open. We weren’t used to doing anything on Sunday in Geneva. Just about everything is closed.

At the Arc de Triomphe, we added another 287 stairs to the top for another perspective of Paris.

Jennie and I woke up early this morning and ran from our hotel to Notre Dame and back before taking a taxi to the airport. At present, we're sitting in the Newark International Airport. We board our flight in about an hour. I think both of us are disappointed that our Scandinavian adventure had to be called off, but we had a great time in Paris and coming home early is not so bad either. We both have a lot to do before school starts in a couple of weeks.

I can't wait to catch up on sleep tonight!

SEE PHOTOS!!!

2007-08-10T11:38:00.001-05:00

Visit My Shutterfly Photo Collection. It's actually fairly organized!

Heidelberg and Back

2007-08-08T16:07:00.000-05:00

Down to the wire...I've got six minutes to write before I'm done for this year @ John Knox. Below is a blog I started a week or so ago, with a few amendments. I'm a lousy blogger, I know!

Well, it's been a while since I've last typed anything. There are two reasons for that. First, I've been extremely busy with class work. As everyone knows by now, we are in class from 8:30am - 4:00pm everyday. But, the work rarely stops there. We typically spend our evenings coding as well!

We are all in the process of working in our groups to develop our programs. I am in a group with Jennie, Angela Zeck and Anthony Schaaf. We are developing at website called "FlikNews," which is an online student journalism project that connects students from around the world using topics of global interest. We are still very much in the development stages, but, with the great work of my group, we will probably have something up by Friday (our last day.)

Although most of our time is spent in the classroom, we've managed to find some time for fun and relaxation. You may recall that a couple of weeks ago, a group of us travelled to Chamonix, at the base of Mt. Blanc. This past weekend, the same group headed to Heidelberg, Germany. Like our previous trip, we didn't do much planning. The day before the trip, I managed (with help from Marc at the JKC) to rent a 9 passenger van, instead of each of us playing for the train. The train was about $300 per person. After we paid for gas, it was only about $85 each for the van.

Okay....more coming soon. Out of time!

Climbing the Alps, 21st Century Style

2007-07-29T16:10:00.001-05:00

Let me catch you up on last week. The last thing I talked about here was the UMF Global Reception held here at the John Knox Center. After the reception, we continued to have class on Thursday and Friday. Both days brought special guests from important NGOs in Geneva. We also forged ahead with Ruby on Rails, the web programming language we're trying to learn over the course of these three weeks. I'm seeing some good progress with my 'test site' and am slowly remembering all the coding I'll need to create media-rich web content in the future. Practice makes perfect. Right now, I definitely need more practice.

We are also working very hard on building relationships with our NGO partners. Right now, I'm really interested in re-inventing a mothballed student journalism site. I would like to work with the IBO to make it a good fit for their goals and objectives.

On Saturday, the 7:11 Running Club took a day trip to Chamonix (pronounced sham-mon-knee) to enjoy the French countryside and climb up Mt. Blanc. Chamonix is a provencial ski village in the French Alps--about 90 minutes by bus from Geneva. The town is what I've come to expect from small town Europe--very clean, welcoming to tourists, and, well, provencial. There are a lot of natural wonders to behold while there. We decided to climb to the top of L'aiguille du Midi, which lies 3842 meters (about 13,000 feet) above the town below. We made it to the summit in about 20 minutes. As you've probably guessed, we didn't exactly climb the mountain with our ropes and crampons. But, we did pay to ride a cable car! It was quite an experience--to be dangling above the jagged rocks of the mountain in a 10X20 car packed with 75 people. Jennie was not at all thrilled. The views from the top were, well, some of the most amazing sites I've ever seen. Make sure you take a look!

Speaking of photos, I've got a lot of great photos, which you can check out either on Shutterfly or on the global program's website at photos.umfglobal.org. Click on my name on the right hand side. You can , of course, also see what others in the program are contribuiting.

I would also like to take a moment to mention that the 7:11 running club is still in effect. In fact, we all got in late last night (1:30am) and I still got up early this morning to run. I must be crazy. That, or I'm feeling good about my recent commitment to running 5 days a week. With all the hills here, it should be a piece of cake to run in my flat home-state of Michigan!

July 25, 2007

2007-07-25T19:13:00.000-05:00

I think that if you were to ask anyone here whether or not they could believe that we’ve been here three days, most would say NO WAY. The bonds and friendships we are creating with one another make it feel like it’s been so much longer. And, that’s a good thing. At least I think...

This morning, like the last two, started off with our morning jog. The 7:20 running club is now the 7:11 running club, since we were having a hard time coordinating showers and breakfast once we got back from the run. It worked out fine, but my legs are ready to fall off my lower body. I don’t think I’ve ever run in such a hilly area. The John Knox Center is at the top of a hill, so we usually go downhill for the first part and the end is always uphill battle. I’m glad to be getting out each morning, though. It’s always easier to run with a group.

Class was interesting today. We are learning to write web applications with “Ruby on Rails”. Although this was only day three, we’re moving along and actually created a very basic application today. Inspires me for more. However, my brain tends to be pretty fried by lunch.

The second half of the today, we met with Cyril Ritchie from the F.I.I.G. He is a fascinating man with a very interesting story. His office is on campus here, and he is also the president of the John Knox Center, so I’m sure we’ll be seeing him more. Tomorrow, the WFUNA comes in to speak with us. The reason we are having so many guest speakers is that we are in the process of trying to figure out what kind of project we want to work on. These guests have ties with all of the NGOs in Geneva.

Tonight was our formal reception. The Chancellor of Univeristy of Michigan-Flint—Jack Kaye—is here, along with other dignitaries from Geneva. We hooked up with Flint via IP video and had a press conference to discuss our new program. This program is brand new and very unique. I hope we were all good ambassadors.

Now, on to the important topic: The food was out of this world. There were so many great dishes, I don’t even know where to begin. It is safe to say that I, perhaps, may never eat this well again. The chef was flown in from Spain especially for the occasion.

After the reception ended, a group of us headed down to what is becoming our new hangout. It’s about an eight minute walk from the center. We enjoyed even more food and drink and most importantly, company.

It is now 1:30am. The running club is taking the morning off tomorrow to recover from our last 3 days, but we will run after class.

I now have an album I’m keeping photos in on Shutterfly. If you need in, let me know. They may wind up in other places as well at the start of next week. As we say in the broadcast business, stay tuned!

Run!

2007-07-24T01:40:00.000-05:00

Today is easy to sum up. We spent most of the day in class...then it rained all day.

BUT!

When we were all downtown for the concert last night, we decided to run as a group this morning. At 7:20am, about 6 of us (Jennie, Karyn, Robert, Joachim, Tony and I) went for a 30 minute run. One word: HILLS!

Other than that, we all basically hung out most of the day. We got a video assignment and are working in groups. My partner is Diane. Since I am a video whiz (well, I should be after 15 years in the business!), I'm making her do most of the work. With a little guidance, of course!

Short and sweet blog, tomorrow should bring more! By the way, I'm working on a photo album to share with all of you. Stay tuned!

Day Two

2007-07-22T12:00:00.000-05:00

After getting our first good night's sleep since we arrived, Jennie and I were ready to see more Swiss sites. The day before, we purchased an alarm clock for the low low cost of 2.5o (swiss francs.) This morning, we knew why it was so cheap. Our 8:30am wake up alarm never went off, so we didn't get up until about 10:30.

Since this was our last day before class, we didn't want to get too crazy, but we wanted to do something! At the time, we had no idea how long our classes would run each day, plus it looked like rain over the next couple of days and our travels may only be on weekends.

It was highly suggested that we first stay at the center for lunch, since the cooks were coming in to prepare meals, but many students were out and about during lunch. We had some chicken and mixed vegetables and then teamed up with Maxine to go to the Museum of Art and History in the Old Town part of Geneva.

We used our bus pass to hop aboard Bus #5 and headed into the city. The museum was nice, albeit a little warm inside.

We took a stroll throuh Old Town until we found a park (near Place Neuve) that had life-sized chess boards and ice cream! We sat for a little while and took in the scenery.

We were back in time for dinner and then headed back out around 8:30 to take in the music festival along the lake. Jennie, Karyn, Meghan, Robert, Tony, Joachim and I stayed out until about midnight, enjoying the balmy evening.

What a fun day!

Salut, Les Amis!

2007-07-21T13:34:00.000-05:00

Arrival.
As I stepped off the airplane in Geneva, Switzerland early this morning, I once again became the world travler I once was--or that I once considered myself to be. Okay, I'm only 30, but my global travels have slowed down in the last 3 or 4 years. As I'm finding out, growing up also means working full time, which is a change from the fancy-free college student mentality. But here I am in Switzerland. For those of you who need to catch up, Jennie and I are in a Masters program at University of Michigan - Flint. We are working on a Masters in Education with a Technology in Education specialization. We're fortunate to have found this program with a global component. More on that here.

Walking through the terminal this morning, I was suddenly surrounded by both billboards and bystanders sending me messages in French. A language with which I am familiar with, at least as far as three years of high school French can take you.

"'Au-desses', I know that word...oh...what does it mean? Hmm...I know this!"

My mind flashes back to my French classes at St. Clair High.

"Salut, Les Amis!"

This was the title of the circa 1980 textbook we used during my entire high school Francais education. We used to love to make fun of the funny caricatures used by the author to illustrate vocabulary words and concepts. If only I had that book now!

I know enough to get by, but I was never really a fluent French speaker. Vocab - yes. Long two way conversations - no. But, it is amazing how much you can remember by suddenly being immersed in a language. There are actually fewer fluent English speakers here in Geneva than you'd think. At least seems to be the case thus far. Probably a good thing, since I've been inspired to re-connect with the Language. I think being here for a month will help. Then, as I told Jennie, I want private lessons 3 times a week. Sure, like I have time for that. But seriously, I'm into brushing up.

Okay, back to our first day here. As soon as we got situated at the John Knox center, Jennie and I took a 4 hour nap in our room. Our flight left Detroit at 1:45pm Friday, stopping in Newark before our 5:55 departure from there to Geneva. Add up the 7 hours in the plane and the 6 hour time change, and we got in at 8am.

When we woke up from our little nap, the few University of Michigan people we had seen earlier that morning were gone to lunch. So, Jennie and I ventured out on our own. In search of two things: #1 - Adventure. #2 - A SIM card for my cell phone.

After a few indecisive minutes trying to decide which way to head out, we took a right and walked down to a nearby (2 km) bus stop. We hopped off at the Jardin Botanique (Botannical Garden) and walked the rest of the way into town. It's Saturday, and most of the shops on the outskirts of town were closed. However, as we continued to make our way towards the city-centre and once we got nearer to the lake, the stores were open a bit longer. Jennie got her 'chocolat' and I found the SIM card I needed for my cell phone. By the way, if you miss me (or jennie) and you want to call, email me and I will give you the number!

So, after a delicious pizza dinner on the lake, we made our way back...in the rain.

Right now (9:41pm GMT+1,) my goal is to stay awake another two hours to help cure my jet-lag. That way, we'll be able to sleep through the night soundly.

To wrap up, I'm thrilled to be here. Especially with Jennie! In the hustle and bustle of my everyday existence, it is all-to-difficult to make time to slow down and enjoy...well...life. Picking up and leaving not only Michigan, but North America should help me take a break. If only there was not all this class work to do!

Oh, photos are coming soon. We took a few on our walk today, but neither Jennie nor I remembered to make sure we had the cable to connect the camera to our computers! So, sorry for all the text on the first day!

Safety First...

2007-07-20T09:48:00.000-05:00

...that's Daisy's motto!

2007-07-09T16:22:00.000-05:00

The Great White North

2007-07-03T20:26:00.000-05:00

The one thing I have found so far is that it is hard to blog in the car! So, I'll catch you up later...

A Hybrid, of Sorts

2007-06-14T18:29:00.000-05:00

I was outside a gas station yesterday and came across this interesting vehicle. Maybe it's not a hybrid, it's more of a crossover vehicle. This new model came equipped with a rear-view mirror (attached to the handle of the mower deck), daytime driving lights and tail lights. To save on fuel costs (I'm guessing) the mower deck has been removed.

The future of travel? We'll see.

Visit from 'The Ladies'

2007-06-09T17:58:00.001-05:00

Okay, they didn't come to see me specifically...they came to see Jennie! But, it was nice to see some of my WDIV posse tonight. We tried a new place in Lapeer called Abruzzo's Piano Grille. We went in hopes of pizza, but didn't find any. The food was pretty good, none the less. Thanks for inviting me, ladies!

Updated

2007-06-03T16:26:00.000-05:00

The Blue Water post has been updated.

A Blue Water Phenomenon

2007-06-02T18:43:00.001-05:00

For most people, coming across a new-looking bag with a new-looking box of shoes inside, may seem like the find of the year. Especially, if they are your size! But for me, someone who grew up just south of Port Huron, these "great finds" are actually more like Canadian calling cards. Let me explain.

Located just north of Port Huron is an area called Fort Gratiot (it's not technically a city, probably a township.) Fort Gratiot is home to the Birchwood Mall and dozens of other big-box retailers. The Blue Water Bridge--one of the major crossings from Michigan to Canada--is also in this area. Since the mall was built in 1991, millions of Canadians have crossed the bridge looking for great buys. Even though the Canadian Dollar is much stronger now, Fort Gratiot is still the closest shopping Mecca for many Canadians. And, it seems that many are in need of new shoes.

In order to avoid paying Duty on their purchases when they cross back over the border, Canadians often come to Fort Gratiot in some of their worst looking apparel. Then, after purchasing the new goods, they simply discard their old clothes in the parking lots of the malls and stores in the area. Tacky, but very common. That's why I've become immune to seeing such 'goody bags' being left behind in the lots.

Now, I'm sure that this problem also shows up in other 'border' towns, and on principal, I guess I expect our often eco-friendly, tree hugging neighbors to the North to have a little more class. Come on all you Canadians, use the trash can!!

So, if you are ever shopping in Fort Gratiot and see a new box of shoes on the ground, leave them be---trust me!

Back in Business

2007-05-31T16:58:00.001-05:00

This lovely icon courtesy of m macbook pro.

It's all because of our ISP

2007-05-20T01:48:00.000-05:00

I noticed that my last post was May 3, 2007. That is because our Wireless Internet Service Provider--who shall remain nameless for now--SUCKS!

We've called a dozen times and still no respone. It's currently 2:50am, which is why I can finally get on!

True Champions!

2007-05-02T13:05:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, eight of my Interactive Media students, Mrs. Lieske and I went to Lansing to compete in the annual Skills USA State Contest. Skills USA is a student and professional organization that was developed to help all students be successful both in their chosen fields of study and in the world of work. Their website has more information if you're interested.

Anyway, on with the story...
The event was held Friday through Sunday. So, on Friday, we left school around 8:30 and headed for Lansing. After a stop for breakfast in Davison, we continued to downtown East Lansing. I think my students were both excited and pleased to find that our trip would only be about an hour long. Many had never been there before. Once there, the first thing we did was go shopping! After perusing the books at Barnes and Noble and checking out the sweet digs at Urban Outfitters, we decided to take a walking tour of Michigan State Univeristy. We walked through the Union, past the Library and Beaumont Tower, over the Red Cedar River and past the International Center until we reached my Alma Mater: The College of Communicaiton Arts and Sciences. I had not made any reservations for a tour, so we looked at what we could through the glass windows. Our next stop was the MSU Dairy Store for some delicious ice cream.

After our circle tour or MSU, we headed to the Holiday Inn South to check in. From there, it was Laser Tag and dinner and then the Opening Ceremonies. Students had about 2 hours for fun before they had to be back in their rooms.

Saturday morning, the vibe changed from fun to frenzy as we rushed to take care of last-minute issues in preparation for our contests. Jamie and Brittney competed in Web Design and I had three teams for TV Video Production: Matt R. & Molly, Jeff and Matt B. and Jaimie and Andrew. Keeping track of the details of two contests, while trying to run the TV Video contest proved to be a bit hectic. Luckily, they were at the same building and even in the same hallway. Also, Jill was a big help in the orchestration of people and equipment. We got to the M-TEC center at 7:30 and finally all left around 3:30pm. At least the students. Jennie and I had to organize the judges and make sure they had everything they needed to judge the videos. We were done around 6:30. At that time, I headed back to the Holiday Inn to round up my students for dinner

Because Jennie and I were in charge, we knew that evening how our teams had done. I knew it would be easy for me to play dumb, but I was worried my lovely wife would spill the beans. Surprisingly, we both held our tounges!

Sunday morning was the Awards Ceremony.

The first of my contests to be called was Web Design. I'm very proud of the hard work my ladies put in, and we both knew that they had Silvered because only two teams were competing. I was still very happy for them when they took the Silver. Most importantly, we now know how the contest is run for next year!

The second contest to be announced was TV Video Production. Once again, I had known since 6pm Saturday that one of my teams had placed...in fact...all of the teams did quite well. I had to pretend that I didn't know anything, though! I was down front taking pictures when their names were called, but I could tell they were totally thrilled to be in the top 3. Then, the words I was waiting for "The Bronze Medal Goes to Lapeer County Ed-Tech!" Followed by the words I knew were coming..."The Gold Medal goest to St. Clair TEC!" My wife and one of her teams took the gold! Out of about 22 high school teams, my teams took 3rd, 4th and 5th places. Not too bad, considering we did practically no video production in class this year.

It's funny how many people came up to me and jokingly said "I bet the converstation around the dinner table is gonna be tense tonight!" Actually, that's so very far from the truth. Jennie and I are blessed to have the best jobs ever. What's more, we teach the same thing and are both very passionate about it. I think of jennie's students as an extension of my class and I think she feels the same way about mine. In fact, we both offered input to our students on a few occasions.

What a weekend, indeed. The reason for my tardy post is that I have just now FINALLY caught up on sleep from the weekend!

Congratuations to all who participated!

California Adventure

2007-04-14T23:13:00.000-05:00

The open road calls...and I listen!

Being the adventurous sort, I decided that when I arrived in Vegas, I would immediately hop in my rented Dodge Caliber and head south and west to California's West Coast. After a few hours of shut eye, I continued my trek. It was a fun, yet brief trip. An even briefer summary starts below...

7:30am - Laguna Beach

After a few hours of shut eye overnight, I drove from Vegas to LA. More specifically, I headed for Laguna Beach, somwhere south of Los Angeles. I was temped by signs for Disneyland--and I actually drove up to the main gate. But, it was early in the morning and the park didn't open for a few more hours. So, I resisted temptation and moved on. I spent some time on the beach and enjoying the downtown area during my stay in Laguna Beach. L.B. is a place I could totally move to, it has the small town charmed combined with fabulous beaches and friendly people. If only I was independently wealthy!

10:00 am - Heading North

Time to get going. After all, I was on a strick (hardly) schedule. I went through several great little beach communities while heading up Highway 1 - aka the Pacific Coast Highway.

12:00 pm - Hollywood

Highway 1 was nice, but the closer I got to Los Angeles, the thicker the traffic was. It didn't take long for me to find myself back on the freeway dealing with the never-ending rush hour traffic. Eventually, I got to "Hollywood."

3:00 pm - The Drive Back

All good things must come to an end. This was true of my whirlwind tour of the CA pacific coast as well. Around 3pm, I started my trip back through the mountains and Mohave desert towards Las Vegas.

7:00 pm - Welcome to Caesar's Palace

Upgraded to a sweet, just for being so charming and good looking. Nice!

Touchdown...

2007-04-13T21:15:00.000-05:00

It's 9pm and I just touched down at McCarren International Airport in Las Vegas. Since the conference does not start until Sunday, my plan is to hop in the rental car and drive to California.

Out of the Box....Back in the Box

2007-04-01T12:04:00.000-05:00

Have you ever seen those stickers the Red Cross gives you if you try to give blood but, for whatever reason, cant? Well, "I Tried."

When Jennie and I were at a conference in Detroit a couple of weeks ago, we fell in love with an HP laptop that was also a tablet PC. You could open it up as a standard laptop, or spin the screen around and write on the touchscreen. A million uses ran through our heads. We could use it for productions, writing directly on the screen and taking notes. In class, I could make notations and have them show up on the projector. Etc. Etc. Etc.

But...it's 12.1" screen made it WAY too small. I think what really turned me off, though, was speed. If this had been a $700 laptop, the speed would have been okay. You get what you pay for. But for a, well, much more expensive laptop, it took forever to accomplish anything. And the pop-ups started almost immediately for me!

So, I'm staying true to my true desires. We're getting another MacBook Pro...sometime before our big trip.

A Better Blogger

2007-03-30T21:43:00.000-05:00

Alright, I'm going to try to be a better blogger from this point forward. I actually have lots to post, the only problem is that I need a personal assistant to type it in for me, since I seem to find other ways to keep myself busy.

But, I am responding to popular demand (Jennie.)

Welcome To My iTunes, Edie Brickell!

2007-03-17T15:12:00.000-05:00

As is the case most Friday nights, I was driving home from WDIV last night around 11:30pm, scanning the FM radio dial looking for some amusement. I have recently spent about every Friday night coming back from my shift at the station. During this 'late nite' drive, most Detroit radio stations are airing some sort of "Friday Night Dance Party" programming. I find this one of the most interesting times to skip around the FM dial and see what's going on. Most of the time, I'm listening to Sirius which has many great features like Song and Artist display. This feature would have been helpful last night.

I was on 93.9 (a Canadian station now called "The River"--changed from "Lite Rock") when I heard a pleasing sound, both vocally and instrumentally. Quite possibly, one of the best examples of well-balanced musical tone. The voice was female and sounded familiar, but I could not--for the life of me--figure out who I was listening to (this is where Sirius has the edge.) So, all I could do at that moment was make a mental note of the chorus..."I quit, I give up, nothing else is..."

When I got home, I Googled those few lyrics I had managed to remember and came up with the answer I was looking for. The song was called "Circle" by Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians. Hmm...a new band, perhaps? Not exactly. It appears that the band actually came on the scene in the mid-'80s. The most recognizable song is "What I am" (what I am is what I am, is that what your are or what.) After perusing the band's catalog (and Edie's solo stuff), I can honestly say that I like them. I'm not in love yet, but I appreciate what the band has to offer both musically and lyrically.

The thing that impresses me most about the song "Circle" is its Timelessness. The song is 20 years old, but can easily pass for one produced last week. Edie has one of those unique and unmistakable voices that once you hear, you immediately fall in love with. Her voice is coarse, but controlled. Which makes the experience of listening to her quite pleasant.

Interested in hearing Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians? I suggest stopping by their web site, downloading their album on iTunes or perhaps calling "The River" and making a request. You know me, I'm not one to post copyrighted music on the Internet. I'm a good boy.

Enjoy!

The Best Thing about MACUL

2007-03-15T15:28:00.001-05:00

2007-03-13T13:44:00.001-05:00

2007-03-11T17:59:00.001-05:00

Media Instructors Unite!

2007-03-09T09:02:00.001-05:00

details coming sooner

Well...

2007-02-27T07:49:00.000-05:00

So, I thought I had a post all ready to go from my Chicago trip this past weekend. However, I am sad to report that the photos apparently never made it to blogger. That means you will have to use your imagination.

Jennie and I spend our weekend in Chicago, visiting her sister, brother-in-law and two kids. Saturday evening, we attended a benefit for their Montesorri school at the East Bank Club on the Chicago River. It was a nice time. Jennie had created a looping DVD of photos that played during the event. We also offered up a photo montage set to music as an auction item. I think it brought something like $480, all of which will go towards the school.

We stopped downtown for lunch on the way out on Sunday. Jennie's mom has the "Road Food" book by the Sterns. So, we ate at the Billy Goat Tavern, home to the famous Saturday Night Live "Cheesebouger" skit.

2007-02-24T22:17:00.000-05:00

Blossom School Charity Event

2007-02-24T20:24:00.000-05:00

the lghtig isn't great but jennie and i are in chicago for this great event.

Driving Artwork

2007-02-14T23:29:00.001-05:00

I took this photo of the pretty flashing lights on my way back from Detroit a few nights ago. Enjoy!

Big Prizes for the J!

2007-02-13T13:09:00.001-05:00

Yum...this is our snack!

2007-02-12T15:54:00.001-05:00

Motor City Monday (and Tuesday)

2007-02-11T19:44:00.001-05:00

Jennie and I have just arrived in Detroit for the 2007 Conference on Career and Technical Education. We will be here tonight (Sunday) through Tuesday afternoon. This is Jennie's first year attending...my second. These type of events really help teachers keep fresh in the classroom, providing new insights on how to do things we currently do better, and giving new ideas for instruction.

This great view is from our 50th floor hotel room at the Detroit Marriott in the GM Renaissance Center. The dark area on the left is the Detroit River. Follow it up the page to see the lighted outline of the Ambassador Bridge, linking Detroit to Windsor, Ontario (Canada.) Straight ahead just up Jefferson Avenue is Cobo Center and Cobo Arena. In the bottom right-hand corner is the entrance to the Windsor Tunnel, which runs under the Detroit River.

I think we're both looking forward to our couple of days here in Detroit. Mom and Dad have Daisy through Wednesday. Thanks Mom and Dad! Consider this practice for your new puppy! Although by now, you're experts. Please don't feed Daisy too many Chicken McNuggets.

2007-02-10T21:19:00.001-05:00

Somehow, the other picture of Sean is missing from my blog. Not wanting him to feel shown up by a certain other MCR-OP (Dayna), I'm putting on this new and improved pic!

Post No. 207

2007-02-07T18:54:00.000-05:00

I was planning on throwng a big party for my 200th post on Blogger, but I missed it. It turns out I'm on 207 now! I need to go back and review some of my posts becuase I'm finding it hard to believe that I have THAT much to blog about.

Come to think of it, many of my blog posts have come from my cell phone. Ah, that makes more sense.

In other news, both Jennie and I had to return to school today after our 4 day weekend, due to the freezing temperatures. One of my schools--North Branch--was still off due to a building problem.

My students are currently working on their CIW Site Design Specialist certifications. It's a new program I'm piloting this year. I think I'm one of the first in the state to be teaching it. Jennie and I are one of the first few certified instructors in the country! I think it is going to be good, but I've got a few bumps in the road to get over in order to make it a positive experience for my students. More info is available at www.ciwcertified.com.

I have a meeting in Lansing tomorrow to get my program state approved. So, I must now invest some time into moving my Sirius Satellite Radio from the Pacifica to my Saab! It's cold, but I need it for tomorrow's trip!

No School: Day 2

2007-02-06T12:27:00.000-05:00

I would have posted yesterday (aka: No School - Day 1), but I was too busy sleeping until 11am!
:)
Sometimes life is good. Of course, the reason we didn't have school was due to the bone-chilling temperatures around here. I think the low over the past few days has been around -5. With a 10 mph wind, we're talking -25 below zero! Too cold for students to be standing outside.

So, no snow days this year, but 2 cold days so far...

Super Bowl Sunday at The Cottage Inn

2007-02-05T00:24:00.000-05:00

Jennie and I spent the early part of Sunday shooting pictures at a fire damaged home in Howell for a video/web project. Afterwards, we met up with her parents in Ann Arbor for some Cottage Inn pizza. It had been a while since we last did the Sunday Cottage Inn dinner. As usual, the pizza, salad and bread were all great! Thanks Mom and Dad Sahakian for the pizza (and left-overs!)

Daisy's New Do

2007-02-03T14:07:00.001-05:00

This horribly shot photo from my camera phone (the problem is all the white snow makes poor Daisy look dark) shows Daisy's new hair-do. Just like the old one, only shorter!