Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Racing Day


We brought out the racing game on the xbox tonight after a long hiatus. The boys are becoming pretty good drivers and won a number of races. They really celebrate when they win but look very serious when they are driving. I'm not sure video games are the best things in the world for kids but they diffinately learn some good motor skills and can now press the right buttons on the controller to make the next race start or move to another race. Like Tiger Woods golf, they will soon be out driving McConnell on a regular basis.

Monday, February 26, 2007

White House

I got this shot from the church yard behind our house yesterday. We took the boys on a walk to find a good sliding hill and found our best option on the churches driveway. I was able to get a few more shots that I uploaded to flickr here. Most of the snow left us today and it will be back near 50 degrees later this week. Not much else going on this week but work and oh yeah, our 6th anniversary on Saturday.
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Sunday, February 25, 2007

Morning Snow Storm



We had a nice snow storm this morning and did a little sledding and snowball throwing. It's all melting right now but we got a good 5 inches anyway.

Saturday, February 24, 2007

Faces Visible Again

The women at the gym this morning seemed relieved that the boys finally got a haircut. It was pretty long and it probably effected their vision. They look good. Here they are lounging in front of the tv in the play room. We went to the gym today and had some bagels while mama got her toe and finger nails done. A little nap and some bike riding in the afternoon and now we are watching Flushed Away in front of a big fire. Winter weather moving back in tonight, maybe a snow day if we're lucky.

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Super Heroes

I took a lot of picture on Valentines Day trying to get the perfect shot. I was just looking at them again and figure their are a couple more worth sharing. We are all getting haircuts tomorrow. The boys are getting shaggy, I'm just slightly disheveled. I'm going with them to school tomorrow morning for Daddy's and Donuts day. Should be fun.
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Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Jamestown and Williamsburg

I posted about 75 photos from our trip south. Flickr was acting pretty strange last night and when I posted the original set, it had random pictures from other people's collections, including some fairly racey pictures. Unfortuneatly, when you tried to click on the random picture, one of my own would come up. Flickr closed down for a while last night and everything seems to be working again this morning.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/homerclees/sets/72157594546099801/

I had a good Presidents Day off and got a bunch of stuff done. It's back to a busy week of work.

Sunday, February 18, 2007

Produce right here


Produce right here
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

We stopped in Cold Harbor on the way back from Williamsburg today. This is Mark's Produce stand. I like that. We are safe and sound back in Alexandria and watching the snow fall with a big fire in the fireplace.

Colonial Williamsburg

We are getting all packed up and ready to go to Jamestown before heading home this afternoon. We had a nice three days down here and I still have another day off tomorrow. I'm not sure what I'm going to do for Presidents Day, maybe picket the Whitehouse. Jamestown is 400 years old this year and I told the boys that this is where John Smith from the Disney movie Pocahontas lived. This is basically true, except for the Pocahontas part but they diffinately want to go there now.


Saturday, February 17, 2007

USS Wisconsin

We got to Williamsburg late on Thursday night and the kids were exhausted. They still got up early and wanted to go swimming and video game playing. We visited the Maritime Museum in Norfolk yesterday and the boys had fun touching crabs and things in the kids area. We also boarded the USS Wisconsin, a Iowa class battleship they have hanging out there but it was pretty cold up on deck so the tour was quick.
Marsh and I played some golf this morning here at Fords Colony when it got warm enough and Mom and Nicole went to Colonial Williamsburg to see the parade and have lunch. It was a little cold on the golf course (36 at tee time, 50 by the time we finished) but it was good to hit the ball. I didn't score that badly either with handful of pars and nothing more than a couple double bogeys. Looks good for the season ahead. Off to dinner in a few. I have more pictures to post later or tomorrow.

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Hotel Palomar Lobby


Hotel Palomar Lobby
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

I have an all day management council meeting today then its off to Williamsburg. This is a funky little hotel on P street in the District that I didn't know existed.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Happy Valentine's Day

From the Captain Heartbreaker twins.
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Pathetic Little Snowman

We had about 5 inches of snow and sleet last night and the boys were able to piece together a decent little snowman but it wasn't the big storm everyone was talking about. I went to work a couple hours late and came home early because the roads were in rough shape. Nicole worked from home and took this picture.
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Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Fore!


Fore!
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Wishing for golf weather.

Snow on M Street


Snow on M Street
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

The dc convention center is nice. This is the first time I've been here.

ASAE Technology Conference


ASAE Technology Conference
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

I'm spending a bunch of the day at the washington convention center listening to Association types talk about technology. Its been interesting so far. Its snowing outside now but its suppose to turn to freezing rain later. Not the winter storm I was looking for.

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Monkey Boys

My meeting went well and I was back home by 3:30. The boys did end up going to the Zoo but Nicole ran out of power for her camera after one shot. Here they are playing with the Monkeys. It's suppose to snow some this week. Can you say snow day? It would be the first in a couple years.
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Glimmering Lights


Glimmering Lights
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

I have a 6 hour meeting this morning while Nicole and the boys are heading to the Zoo. Architects seem to like meeting on weekends. That's unfortunate.

Friday, February 09, 2007

Me


Me
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

In my new tux. Maya Lin just accepted the 25 year award for the Vietnam Memorial.

Hillary campaigning via video


Hillary campaigning via video
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

I guess Hilary started the Save Americas Treaures program when she was first lady. Barbara Bush is now the chairperson but she just sent a letter.

Target is a new sponsor


Target is a new sponsor
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Rich Varga, an AIA Fellow is talking now about the new Target sponsorship of the re desing your school contest being run by the American Architectual Foundation. Good to see a Minnesota company caring about architecture. They also provided an bunch of building blocks in the center of each table. The boys would have loved them.

Accent on Architecture


Accent on Architecture
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

The building museum is a fitting place for this event. Haven't found anyone I know yet but my table is near the door. Escape should be easy.

Kumie's Gone

After an AIA open house for Grassroots last night, I met up with a bunch of folks to wish Kumie so-long. She's moving to San Jose on Saturday. We all pitched in and bought he an xbox 360 so I can kick her behind in tiger woods golf remotely. I'm getting ready to get all fancy and head to the ball.

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Grassroots


Grassroots
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

I did my first real pitch on the eKnowledge application they hired me to produce to the second biggest AIA conference of the year after convention. This was the first of many I will be doing in the next 12 to 18 months. It went pretty well and I think people understand it a little better if I explain it as a Google and My Space combination for Architects. This is the conference my friend Melissa used to run when she worked for AIA 15 years ago. Funny.

Snowy drive to work


Snowy drive to work
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

We got an inch of snow or so last night and it was enough to close the schools. It was pretty driving around the tidal basen and across the mall and past the world war II memorial on the way to work.

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

I hate Microsoft

I bought the boys a new racing game for the Xbox the other day and when I stuck it in the machine tonight, it wouldn't play because the game was for the original, not the new Xbox 360 we have. Why would you build a machine that can't play versions of software build for the previous version of the machine. That just makes no sense. This is why Microsoft is getting it's behind handed to them in the entertainment field by Apple, Nintendo and everyone else. They just suck at the new frontier of technology, the living room.

Sunday, February 04, 2007

Shoe Shopping at Nordstroms


Shoe Shopping at Nordstroms
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Daddy needs new shoes for the black tie gig on Friday. Its surprising to me that so many men are out shopping on Superbowl Sunday.

Saturday, February 03, 2007

I haven't ranted in a while

So I sit in my seat and the woman in front of me had stuffed her jacket under her seat, so where my feet go. I took it out and handed it back to her explaining that my feet are going to be occupying that space and I got a look like I killed her dog. Does she not understand the concept of putting your belonging beneath the seat in front of you? I feel really bad that she had to be so inconvienced with HER jacket at her feet.

I'm on my way home and things seem to be on time. It will be good to see Nicole and the boys. Good conference yesterday and it was good to catch up with BJ and Denny.

Friday, February 02, 2007

Free Hugs


Free Hugs
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Only at Stanford. I hope I helped him out with a phychology thesis or something.

Break


Break
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

It's getting nicer out

Mobile Persuasion 2007 Begins


Mobile Persuasion 2007 Begins
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

A grey day in Palo Alto but the house is full. Had a nice dinner at Bay Wolf in Oakland with the in-laws last night, then went straight to bed. I missed Greys Anatomy but will watch it on my DVR or buy it on iTunes.

Thursday, February 01, 2007

Safe and Sound in NoCal

The planes were running on time today and I got an upgrade so it all worked out. I'm getting ready to got to dinner with Linda and Gil then heading to a tv to watch my cousin Tony in tonights episode of Gray's Anatomy. He's playing a guy that has a script name of "hurts when he pees" Should be fun.

I'm spending the day tomorrow at the Mobile Persuasion Conference at Stanford. This is being put on by BJ Fogg's Persuasive Technology Lab and who I've been working with on my Boomer, Mobile Health project. I've kind of slacked off on the my project lately but this is the type of event to that will help get it going again. BJ asked me to speak at this event but my AIA duties have been unable to really do anything new so I choose to attend and network instead. It should be fun and I'll probably have a whole slew of new ideas at the end of day.

Too bad Apple isn't sponsoring and handing out new iPhones. Maybe next year.

Frozen Lake Michigan


Frozen Lake Michigan
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Landing at ohare to change planes to Oakland I noticed a really chiily looking lake Michigan below. It must be pretty cold here. I don't remember the last time I've seen the lake with so much ice. Hopefully Palo Alto is warmer.