All Star Wrestling


I got back from NYC around 3pm today and found the boys just waking up from their nap. We wrestled on the bed for a while, then they were off to the pool. New York was good and I had really good meetings but I'm glad to be back in the suburbs. The city kind of engulfs you after a while. Adam's flat is in a perfect location and I walked to most everything I did there but it's just, city, city, city, all the time. I actually wish I would have spent more time in the apartment because it's so nice. I took some pictures of the new lawn he had installed in the great room. Complete with teak furniture and plenty of light from the windows. It's pretty funny. Anyway, in case you don't read Nicole's blog, Dylan stuck something up his nose last night and they had to go to the emergency room to get it removed. Read all about it here. http://nikabolid.blogspot.com/

East village irish bar

East village irish bar
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

I had a good time with scott, then ran over to Mr. Denaheys in the west village for a bite. Swift is a couple blocks from Adams place. Had a quik pint and now I'm heading home. Good times.

Doin email and watchin CNN

Doin email and watchin CNN
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Had a great lunch with Phil Terry and have a bunch of good ideas to work on My dinner with Heather was a lot of fun last night and I got great ideas from that meeting too. I'm just about to leave and go to Cedars and have a drink with Scott from yahoo. Then who knows, maybe a drink with Dan but he's been working hard on his screen play today.

New york

New york
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Adam's friend Dan is staying in Adam's loft while Adam is on tour. He suggested I stay in Adam's wing. Much better view on this side of the building Off to network.

Brain Age



So I took the gamer plung and bought a new Nintendo DS Lite game player and a copy of Brain Age today. This is the newest portable game player from Nintendo and the game is aimed at aging Baby Boomers. I picked it up to help me with my mobile device, health and older adults research I'm doing with the Persuasive Technology Lab at Stanford. This game is actually suppose to keep you sharp by testing your brain on a regular basis. I've only just begun playing with it but the first quick test involves looking at the screen as colored words come up and speaking the color of the text and not what the word says. For instance, if Yellow comes up on the screen but the letters are blue, you need to say "blue". It's harder than it sounds. It also made me do 25 quick calculations. The screen will show 3x8 and you need to write the answer on the screen as quickly as possible to get a better score. It's very interesting.

It's still raining but the electricity has been on and the pumps running. The pumps only need to run when large quantities of water come down but with the ground is so saturated, an inch in a hour will get things pumping. It's suppose to end soon and a few sunny days are in the forecast. It turns out that this is the wettest June on record and beats the 1972 Anges Hurricaine floods that killed hundreds in West Virginia. If we get another inch, it will be the 2nd wettest month in this area on record ever. It's enough already...

Lighthouse Sound


These are a couple shots from the course we played on Friday in Ocean City. It's a really nice track and as you can see, we even got a little sun by the end of the round. It's still raining here and we now have 14 inches in 5 days. We just got another two and I think we have more on the way tonight and tomorrow. This is getting depressing.

Bad Place to Park


Here's a picture from the Washington Post of a car that was parked at the Courtyard Marriott about a mile from our house. The whole intersection of Telegraph Road and the beltway was flooded last night when we got 6 inches of rain in about an hour and a half. Camaron Run went over the banks and closed 495 for 8 hours and swept a bunch of cars from the Marriott and other businesses away. I tried to drive Nicole to the Metro this morning at 7 but couldn't make it. We had better luck at 10. It's raining again.

Tons of Rain

It has been raining in these parts for 5 days now and it could continue for three or four more. We've gotten over 10 inches of rain in that time frame and the pumps in the basement are working overtime tonight. Everything is dry down there but any prolonged power outage and another 3 inch downpour and I'm going to have some problems. I bought a generator a few months ago but it's still in the box and I don't have any gasoline so that won't do a lot of good.

On Wednesday, I measured 4 inches of rain in 45 minutes. It came down in sheets. Really quite amazing. We were in a the beginnings of a drought a week ago. I think we've made up the yearly deficit.

21st Street

21st Street
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

For some reason my post last night didn't work so here's a recap. We ate at the same restaurant as the night before and went way downtown to fish tails. We took the 2 dollar bus per usual and found it just as freaky as usual. No reason to drive in oc when the bus costs two bucks a day and runs constantly up and down the main drag. I reallly think their should be an oc drunk bus reality show. Its really quite amazing. Anyway, I'm home now and with the boys at the pool.

The OC

The OC
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

The water was cold, but refreshing. Its getting close to dinner time and I'm hungry. We may just go back to Liquid Assets because its that good. I'm sure I will have some stupid picture later.

casraways

casraways
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

We played a fast round of golf and are havine a few cocktails on the bay. We need to get a little rest before dinner then home to the boys in the am.

Dinner

Dinner
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

We got a dry 9 holes in at the course and actually got a little sun on the last two holes. We are at our favorite restaurant in oc right now and will probably hit some redneck bar shortly after. Its suppose to rain some more tomorrow but we have a tee time at noon anyway.

The Driver

The Driver
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

I've been hitting the ball long today. It was mikes idea to take this picture.

One rainy round

One rainy round
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

We are playing lighthouse sound and it has been raining non stop. It seems to be breaking a tad. Wish us luck.

Bittersweet!

snack

snack
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

A little late night chilli dog. Good times with jimmy t and a number of other jacks. Ben's is a dc institution.

Golf at Andrews Airforce Base

Golf at Andrews Airforce Base
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Played with Curt Moore who is retiring from AARP in 13 days. He's ready to go. We played the south course, which is really hard, made harder by every kind of military aircraft buzzing around you. The Prez's plane was no where in sight. He must have been off doing something really important. Or not.

Academic Gig

I've been talking with my friend BJ Fogg about working with his lab at Stanford the last few weeks and I think we have a topic. http://credibility.stanford.edu/captology/notebook/archives.new/2006/06/mobile_health_o.html

We both agree that this topic could yield some interesting findings and should spark interest in the mobile device and health industries if done well. More when we get things moving.

Alexandria Waterfront Festival

Another year and another festival. I think we went to our first one with Thom and Jen while Nicole was prego. It's a lovely little festival but I must say, no one was watching the band. I don't think they booked any popular acts this year and things were a little slow. Anyway, the boys loved the rides and Joseph and I had a few beers while Kumie tried to stay out of the sun. We all had dinner at Austin Grill after that and then came how to watch Herbie, Fully Loaded with Lindsey Lohan. Very hot. I've posted a few pics of the event here. http://www.flickr.com/photos/homerclees/sets/72157594168922915/

We went to the pool this morning and now it's time for the boys to nap so papa can watch some US Open Golf.

Boys love the car wash

Boys love the car wash
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Why do I feel like I'm always here. I do have some clean cars these days. Blanca is off today so its just me and the boys. We went to the gym, got some bagels and got the car washed so far. We are off to the pool soon and then to the train station. I had a great time with a bunch of the wso gang last night at the chop. Good times.

Driveway Art

Driveway Art
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

I just got back from the gym and found this on the driveway. Somehow I don't think the boys wrote it but who knows. Nicole is home sick again. Sam was up all night with some mystery pain in his teeth? He seemed fine this morning.

Movie

Well, we won't be going to another movie for a little while. They weren't totally bad but they kept screaming at the screen and didn't really use inside voices much. The theater probably only had 20 people in it and half of them were under 5 so no harm done. The boys are not ready for a prime time movies yet but that's what DVD's are for.

Joe Jackson was good last night. Just him, Graham Maby and Dave the drummer. No guitars for this show so it was pretty mellow. Still didn't get home till 1am so I'm a little tired today. Not as tired if I had to get up and go to work so I've got that going for me.

Cars

Cars
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

So we took the boys to their first movie today. We'll see if they make it through the whole thing. A bold experiment but its a 3pm matinee so it shouldn't distrurb too many people.

Joe jackson

Joe jackson
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

At the 9:30 club. Good stuff.

Astronauts don't wear pants

I've been watching the Tom Hanks series "earth to the moom" over the past week or so as I've been unpacking all the stuff from my office. It's a 12 part series on 5 dvd's and I'm only on part 6. I've been watching it on the big plasma in the basement. Sam came dow today after his nap without pants on. He wanted to know what the astronauts were doing and I told him they were going to the moon. His first question was, "to get cheese?" refering to a wallece and gromit episode. I said yes of course but then notice he had no pants on. I told him to go get some pants and he told me that "astronauts don't wear pants" I couldn't prove otherwise. Off to see Joe Jackson tonight at the 9:30 Club. Should be fun.

Joy Line Railroad

Well, we made the trip into West Virginia and made it out alive. No banjos or funny lookin guys with straw hats or anything. We also didn't stop at Kumie's favorite casino. Didn't think I should buy the boys smokes and give them a cup full of nickels for the slot machines. We did however stop at the Joy Line Railroad and model train museum. The boys loved the little train that went in a circle and really loved the hand carts. Many pictures of both in the flickr collection.

We had lunch in Harpers Ferry and then headed across the Potomac into Maryland to see a Train Museum in Brunswick and then down to White's Ferry for an old fashioned ferry ride back across the Potomac into Virginia. This journey took about 6 hours and was a good test for this summers longer trips. The boys did well and watched Shrek while rolling through some beautiful country roads in Maryland. Oh well, they loved the trains and Sam was awake for the ferry ride.

Pictures here...http://www.flickr.com/photos/homerclees/sets/72157594162947082/

Mop Heads

As you can see, the boys got their hair cut today and it was much needed. I've added a pre and post shot of them below.


We've had a pretty domestic day today. Gym in the morning, a trip to the drug store for all the new meds they have to take now and then a haircut and shopping. Tomorrow, we are off to a model railroad museum in Harpers Ferry WV. It's a short ride but it has a miniture railroad we can ride on as well. Should be fun and the weather is right for it.

I posted a few images from the pre-school graduation ceremony on Friday. The boys had singing roles in the whole thing and Dylan actually got into it. Sam was in a mood. You can find them here. http://www.flickr.com/photos/homerclees/sets/72157594161814162/

Haircut today

Haircut today
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

The boys hair was really long,papas was not.

Pre school graduation

Pre school graduation
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Waiting for the big event to start. Dylan and Sam are suppose to sing as part of the festivities. Should be entertaining.

My niece Mae is show here in her first modeling job for a Room and Board advertisement. If Sam and Dylan were in this ad, one would be diving off the chair and the other climbing into the selves. Girls are much more relaxed. Rachel and Brandt are going to have to learn how to be stage parents. Maybe they can just send Mae out to live with Tony and Bill in LA and let them handle her career. Wait, I guess we don't want her to turn into Drew Barrymore.  

Kumie's Few Days in Key West

Kumiwa just posted her pictures of Key West. Nice shots in all. She's not bad for a youngster.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/79347576@N00/sets/72157594156911313/

A Few Days in Key West

I finally got the flickr collection of photo's from Key West up. I got a few pretty good pics and in fact, I like a bunch of the pictures I took with my little Canon elf more than the Digital SLR. You can see for yourself here http://www.flickr.com/photos/homerclees/sets/72157594157642788/

Got to the driving range today between errands and working out. Never enough time to do everything even when you are job free. Jimmy T is right. The boys are looking better and not coughing as much. They went to school today and got to run through a sprinkler. Good times...

Nebathon


So Sam left and Dylan right have been back on the nebulizer the past week or so. Three times a day to kick the latest hack they picked up. Here they are enjoying the treatment while watching Thomas the Train videos. I haven't posted the key west pictures yet because I'm still tired from the whole weekend. It took a long workout before I felt human again and then I had to catch up with all the e-mail and phone calls, not to mention the other chores that have piled up. As my friend Jimmy T says, being job free is hard work. He should know, he's still in Key West.

Drag show ar Aqua

Drag show ar Aqua
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Once again, enough said.

The wedding

The wedding
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Nice spot for the nuptials. Mike and Gina are married now, so let the party begin. Oh wait, it started two days ago.

Sticking by the pool today

Sticking by the pool today
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Nicole and I walked around town this morning and bought some stuff. Its really hot out there, so its in the pool until the wedding at 5.

Fat elvis

Fat elvis
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

This dude was on duval street making an ass of himself. What do you expect of key west? We missed the sunset at Mallory Square but had a bunch if coctails on the water right afterwords. Back at Irish Kevins now. Miss the boys.

Pepe's

Pepe's
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Dinner with the jacks. We are going to get dinner in before sunset. The wedding party is heading down there after the rehearsal dinner. Its hot down here.

Nicole talking with Juju

Nicole talking with Juju
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Nice necklase and hairdo. We are getting ready for dinner at Pepe's. The jet ski trip was awsome. Good times.

Enough said

Enough said
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Off to jet ski

Mr. Jones

Mr. Jones
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

This Jack Black lookalike was pretty entertaining last night. My bags finally arrived at 11:30 last night and I went out for a couple cocktails after that. He sang a nice rendition of Mr. Jones at some point. Nice in a smoky bar kind of way. Its 85 and sunny again today. Time to get up and tan.

Green parrot

Green parrot
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Had some good beach time and are having a cocktail now. Kumie is drinking rum, be afraid. She never drinks. Shower and dinner soon.

Conch republic

Conch republic
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

We made it, my bag didn't. Its ok, I have emergency swim trunks. The bag should be here soon.

Morning cocktail with my Ninja

Morning cocktail with my Ninja
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Sitting on the plane watching the latest installment of Ask a Ninja video podcast. Today he talked about death, death, revolution as an alternative to dance, dance, revolution (the popular video game). This is the funiest free content you will ever find. Damn its funny. Anyway, the flight left on time and we hope to be on the beach by noon. Oh yeah, that is a bloody mary i'm drinking at 7:30am. It's vacation.