Positively Blessed!

George Benson at the Kennedy Center

2011-11-26T19:40:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T19:47:00.000-06:00

Well, now that we are living in Oklahoma, we miss being around my parents in Virginia. So this Thanksgiving, we are spending a week in Alexandria visiting.

We have been to Jazzercise with our old friends and Mary Taylor, DeAnna's Jazzercise mentor. Wednesday night we went to see " A Broadway Christmas Carol" in Old Towne - it was so much fun! Then Thanksgiving day, the sun came out and wind died down and we all went walking before the big feast! It is so good to be able to spend time with Mom & Dad... What a blessing this Thanksgiving!

Home

2011-05-18T12:32:00.009-05:00

OK - so it's been a while since I posted anything up here. It's been busy and we are changing many things in our lives, but it's all moving in a good direction.

DeAnna has been doing some really wonderful things with her Jazzercise - including her own regular class. She is a gifted instructor and works tremendously hard to create new routines every week. It may not be so obvious to those who have not attended a Jazzercise class, but she has to remember every move to multiple songs for an hour and then cue the audience to perform with her. As a participant sweating on the floor, it's hard enough just to follow along, but to perform and instruct at the same time is incredibly challenging. I am so proud of her!

I am now working for a new client - the Federal Emergency Management Agency. While FEMA has been in the news a lot lately given rain, floods and tornadoes, my work is in departments that plan the things you see FEMA do.

We bought a new car! After 4 years of having no cars or only having one car, we decided the time was right to get a second car.

It is a Hyundai VeraCruz which is a mid-sized SUV so DeAnna can sit up high. It is a truly beautiful vehicle with tons of appointments inside. It is a deep royal blue with tan leather interior. Right now, we love the automatic hatchback! This is a dealer picture (since I have not taken any pictures of our actual car).

So the biggest news of the past month is that we have bought a house! That's right! We are now homeowners! It is a bit of a departure from our past 12 years (not a townhouse or condo). It is a 4 bedroom house on a 1.25 acre lot with a large outbuilding (otherwise known as the man-cave). Here are some pictures...

This is the front with the circle drive and wonderful east-facing front porch.. There is beautiful landscaping all around!

The kitchen is large and welcoming with a huge pantry and lots of large windows. It directly accesses a study room and formal dining room.

This is my attempt to do a panorama of the back yard. As you can see, it is just a beautiful as the front yard with lots of mature trees. There is a large deck, a small outbuilding for yard tools and the large outbuilding is behind the small one in the picture. The rest of the acreage extends beyond the picture "into the sunset"!

So, we are getting ready to settle down and enjoy some homesteading! I personally can't wait to collect more tools and start building things again - something I haven't been able to do since 1999!

More to come as we get settled in! In the meantime, this is no less than a huge blessing from God and we credit all of this to HIM!!!

Congratulations DeAnna!

2011-02-17T15:57:00.002-06:00

After several months of practice and very, very hard work, DeAnna has passed her certification audition and is now a certified Jazzercise Instructor! I am so proud of her. She is a natural leader and instructor. Hopefully, we'll have pictures before long!

If you get the chance, congratulate her!

2011-02-07T07:24:00.003-06:00

Wow, It's been a long time since I posted on this blog. A lot has happened since that time, but in many ways, not that much to report.

I continue to work for the US Navy. We have been doing a lot of great things - most of which would be pretty banal on this blog (and I don't like to say too much about the clients for which I work here). The one big thing I can report is that I have finally brought my ideas about Capability Management and the blending of Lean, Six Sigma and Theory of Constraints together! For those who aren't asleep already, I'll continue with other subjects.

We had planned to move to Hawaii last fall, but contracts have fallen through with the continuing resolutions from congress and so I await my next assignment(s) while doing more stuff here in Virginia for the Navy. Having sold our place in September, we now reside at my dad's office apartment in Alexandria with all our stuff in storage.

So where do we go next? We have ideas, but are working our options. It is wonderful to have multiple opportunities and options. We are truly Positively Blessed!

LASIK Results & Blast From The Past

2010-09-18T13:27:00.006-05:00

For those of you who asked, my LASIK surgery went just fine and now my vision is remarkable. I still have to wear reading glasses, but that's not too much of a hassle. Now I need to go get some new sunglasses!

My parents came across this article from the October 15, 1980 KWTV newsletter. I thought you'd enjoy it. Look at the article on the left... we had just purchased a new 2-inch video tape machine! That's right, the machine I am leaning on is a top-of-the-line video tape recording and playback machine! It is actually much bigger than the picture shows, but you can see one of the reels behind me. This machine played back up to 70 minutes of programming.

Years later, the BetaMax and then VHS Tapes would storm the consumer market while TV stations downsized to 1-inch video tape and 3/4-inch UMatic portable video machines. Those UMatic machines were so small that it only took one person to carry the camera and one person to carry the video Recorder when reporters did stories on site. Today, we hardly use video tape and in many cases, the only thing capturing a signal is a computer chip!

Yep, I knew what every button and knob did on those machines!

LASIK Surgery

2010-09-10T05:45:00.002-05:00

Well, the time has come! In 15 minutes, I will be headed to the LASIK clinic to have surgery on both of my eyes. I have worn glasses for years and though I wouldn't say I have "suffered", I felt like it was time to just get the astigmatism and nearsightedness fixed.

DeAnna had PRK surgery on one eye last week and is doing well. She opted to get monovision - which leaves one eye focused on nearby objects while correcting one eye to see far away. It will take her a little while longer to fully realize the benefits (PRK takes longer to heal), but soon, both of us will be seeing better!

So a quick prayer for the surgery and I'll be home by lunch time!

...... see ya later!
:-)

East Coast Colt

2010-08-29T10:54:00.000-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, Jessica brought her oldest boy Colt to our house for several days while she went to a business meeting... What a great time I had with them - mostly Colt! When I was a young parent, I'm not sure I'd have taken Jessica on a plane when she was 18 months old by myself but that is when she did!

I met them at Dulles airport. They had a direct flight from OKC (very nice) and Colt was in a good mood. Of course, he had to check in with dad, so mom gave him his iPhone... No really... he has his own iPhone!

Colt's phone is Jessica's old iPhone. She upgraded to the iPhone4 because it has the front facing camera and she has a family video call with Owen and John each night. but he already knows how to talk on it!

We dropped off their stuff at our condo and then immediately walked down to the nearby park. Objective: see the ducks! The plane ride hadn't dimmed Colt's enthusiasm. He explored the park with enough energy that we had trouble keeping up!

Back at the house, it became apparent that Colt really like the stairs. He liked to climb the stairs and come down the stairs. He liked to do it over and over again... ALL BY HIMSELF! It was great entertainment for everyone!

Naptime was predictably unpopular, but we made the most of it.It was hard to put him down for a nap in a strange room, but it paid off later after mom got home!

On Thursday, it was stormy weather outside so we played inside most of the day. We walked around the hallway - which makes a big circle... Colt liked to test all of the doors to see if it was the right one. It was always a surprise when we got back to our door and got to open it.

In the afternoon, the Great Grandparents came over to visit and naturally, we had to show off on the stairs!

It turned out that there was actually a tornado less than a mile away that day! In fact, trees fell across the parkway and Metro tracks which caused DeAnna to be very very late.

Colt and I waited at the Metro stop for an hour and a half waiting to pick her up. Colt was strapped in his car seat the whole time and didn't get fussy at all. We sang and laughed and talked. I was so proud of him!

On Friday, I took Colt down to the park again. The weather was clear, but air was humid and the ground was wet. That didn't stop us from sliding down the slide and running in the grass!

The playground was nice and the wet grass was nicer, but as any boy will tell you, the best part about an overnight rain is the puddles that are left in the morning! And I am happy to report that I was the one to teach Colt how to throw rocks in the water!

Later that day, we all went down to the Potomac River and threw rocks just like George Washington! I think I have created a rock-throwing monster!

We joined the Great Grandparents at Primos for pizza and then went to their 21st floor condo to visit. It was the first time Colt had seen the balcony and like his mother 25 years ago, immediately went to the rail to take a look... through the rails and over the edge!
Actually, we were all prepared since mom & dad remembered the terror of when Jessica almost flew through the same rails long ago. Colt was never in any danger.... The evening was enjoyed by all!

On Saturday morning, we took Colt into Washington DC to see some sights. Though it was a really nice day, Colt had reached the end of his patience. We walked around on the mall, grabbed some lunch at the Smithsonian and then headed home.

He slept most of the way back where we packed for their trip back to Oklahoma. It was such a nice visit all around and I really enjoyed visiting with Jessica. They are an amazing family and the boys are wonderful grandchildren. I am blessed to be able to spend time with them! I am looking forward to our next visit!

Navy Clarity

2010-08-26T16:51:00.001-05:00

Here at the US Navy, we do not leave our sailors in the dark when it comes to complex operations like light switch operations. In order to ensure proper illumination, switch operation has been studied and all of the permutations of possible combinations have been documented. Sailors no longer need to suffer with errors and rework when operating room lights!

I love clarity....

Hindenburg Disaster Site

2010-08-24T08:32:00.001-05:00

I am standing at the site of the Hindenburg disaster at Lakehurst New Jersey. The hangar in the background is enormous beyond description...

DeAnna and Hubble

2010-05-22T11:52:00.001-05:00

You can see DeAnna at the bottom and the size of the Hubble in the air and space museum!

- Joe Pearson

Positively Blessed!
www.joepearson.com

Children's Bible Hour

2010-05-09T11:27:00.001-05:00

- Joe Pearson

Positively Blessed!
www.joepearson.com

More double-fisted muffins with mom

2010-05-09T09:40:00.001-05:00

Muffins with mom

2010-05-09T09:25:00.001-05:00

- Joe Pearson

Positively Blessed!
www.joepearson.com

Bubbles

2010-05-08T16:12:00.001-05:00

Aunt Julia is blowing bubbles!

- Joe Pearson

Positively Blessed!
www.joepearson.com

At the park

2010-05-08T15:53:00.001-05:00

- Joe Pearson

Positively Blessed!
www.joepearson.com

Colt runs away

2010-05-08T14:26:00.001-05:00

Colt was standing around when John called him to come read a book! Off he ran!

Bubba and Owen

2010-05-08T11:30:00.001-05:00

- Joe Pearson

Positively Blessed!
www.joepearson.com

Happy Owen

2010-05-08T10:53:00.001-05:00

Owen is the center of attention. When Colt isn't stealing the scene...

- Joe Pearson

Positively Blessed!
www.joepearson.com

Here is Owen!

2010-05-08T10:50:00.001-05:00

And here is Owen

- Joe Pearson

Positively Blessed!
www.joepearson.com

Visiting Colt

2010-05-08T10:48:00.001-05:00

I'm now in OKC and here is Colt....

- Joe Pearson

Positively Blessed!
www.joepearson.com

The End Of Our Norfolk Adventure

2010-05-02T18:54:00.003-05:00

The END is here and we have had a great time! We made this trip under the organizational watch of "Exploritas" - a company that organizes educational trips for adults. Everything from our guide the the meals and the events were top notch. We got backstage tours and meetings with some great people as well as talks on history and much more detailed information that makes the days and events so much more meaningful.

Now, back to our regular lives - the daily adventure of the normal!

The Nauticus

2010-05-02T10:21:00.007-05:00

We are touring the Wisconsin and Nauticus science museum. Like I said - she's the cutest mermaid!

I think I was born to be on the water to be captain of my own ship!

She's like a caged animal! No - wait! The cage is to keep OUT the animals... I wonder what that means!

Our Last Day

2010-05-02T09:00:00.000-05:00

We are getting ready to tour the Nauticus and walk the deck of the Battleship Wisconsin. Until then, we are enjoying the weather and the local maritime artifacts.

This mermaid is repeated all over town in various forms and decorations. I like mine the best!

Let it out!

2010-05-01T20:45:00.002-05:00

More from Joe Magnarelli on our night of funky jazz...

Joe Magnarelli

2010-05-01T19:05:00.004-05:00

Now, we aren't exactly fans of free-form jazz, but here we are spending two hours listening to four guys play together who have never played together before. Somehow, they make it work. Let's just say, they didn't get boo'd off the stage!

Jazz tonight

2010-05-01T18:42:00.001-05:00

We are at the Attucks theater getting ready for a night of jazz with Joe Magnarelli! It is an intimate setting for a quintet.... Pictures to follow.

MacArthur Memorial

2010-05-01T15:00:00.000-05:00

We are a little ahead of our group to tour the Douglas MacArthur memorial. We are enjoying the breeze and shade. Our tour guide grew up in the Philippines and he said that they studied MacArthur in grade school and high school, yet when we enlisted in the US Navy, they never mentioned MacArthur in their historical studies.

Universally hailed as a military genius, Douglas MacArthur rests in Norfolk, Virginia - a town where he wasn't born and didn't grow up. A 5-star Army General in the largest Naval shipyard in the world.

NATO Fest!

2010-05-01T12:32:00.003-05:00

All of the nations if NATO are represented at the outdoor festival and promoting their best features. Soldiers stationed at NATO headquarters manned the tents with their families. Lots of fun and lots of interesting things to learn.

The parade ends

2010-05-01T12:20:00.000-05:00

As the parade of nations cones to an end there are many flags, but none as great as our own USA!

Shenandoah

2010-05-01T09:29:00.002-05:00

We originally thought our seats were going to be across a barrier, but they turned out to be wonderful and we literally had front row seats to all the bands like this one.

But the best band was a local drum and percussion corps with kids ranging from 5 years old and up! Recipe: Let the kids take out their aggression in a positive way - beat on drums! Take a look at these guys - what fun!

Morning parade of nations

2010-05-01T09:18:00.001-05:00

It is the parade of nations in celebration of NATO!

Shenandoah & Scotland The Brave

2010-04-30T22:28:00.002-05:00

As the final songs from the closing ceremony, the entire assembled bands played and marched off stage to Shenandoah and Scotland The Brave! WOW! After the buildup of Ravel's Bolero and a rousing section of patriotic songs, including "You Raise Me Up" dedicated to the soldiers and families, the entire ensemble played their own exit. Fantastic! See for yourself...

We are coming to next year's Tattoo for sure!

Bagpipes!

2010-04-30T20:12:00.002-05:00

What else can you say about Bagpipes?

Better than the Navy band?

2010-04-30T19:40:00.003-05:00

The Navy Band was supposed to be the star of the show, but the Marine Corps band handily outperformed them. It is bad enough to be outgunned by the marines in a Navy town, but what about being show up by the Belgian Bicycle brigade! These guys played their instruments while riding on their bicycles doing tricks! The music you hear is what was actually being played AS THEY RODE! Pretty fun to watch!

The US Navy Fleet Forces Band

2010-04-30T19:38:00.002-05:00

The individual bands each plays a few tunes, mostly while marching. It is so thrilling and impressive to see and hear the music, the precision, the spirit and enthusiasm!

It has begun!

2010-04-30T18:46:00.002-05:00

The Tattoo is not a military event, but it is dedicated to the military. This year's dedication is the families of our warriors. The celebrated country this year is France and there is a large contingent of French bands to play.

Almost time...

2010-04-30T18:02:00.001-05:00

Well, the place is a whole lot more crowded than this afternoon! We have our tickets so there's no hurry.

Back Stage

2010-04-30T13:59:00.003-05:00

Before the show, this is where everyone gathers... all 950+ of them! We were told that people just strip and dress right in front of everyone... Apparently there's a show off-stage as well.

The Head Drum Major

2010-04-30T13:12:00.002-05:00

Hey, this is the man in charge of the whole thing! Pretty nifty guy and wonderful uniform! 30 years with the Army Band and now he sells real estate in Arlington Virginia. He has been doing this Tatoo now for several years. He created his own uniform and when he is out on the floor, he wears a giant bear-skin hat like the guards at Buckingham palace.

The Behind the Scenes Tour

2010-04-30T12:34:00.002-05:00

Now we are getting ready to see the Tatoo practice sessions behind the scenes! This is the Scope arena which was named thus because from the air, it looks like a kaleidoscope (not because it it sponsored by mouthwash). DeAnna has been wielding her camera a lot.

More pictures to follow!

USS ENTERPRISE!

2010-04-30T11:23:00.002-05:00

Three aircraft carriers are docked here today: The Harry Truman, the George HW Bush and the Enterprise. Here is hull number 65, the Enterprise! Unusual to have so many supercarriers in dock at the same time, but fun to see the Enterprise.

Very cool stuff.... Our tour guide continues to give us unbelievable facts about these ships. It makes you proud to be an American (song is playing in the background).

So THAT'S Where they went!

2010-04-30T10:40:00.002-05:00

The Hawaii Superferries are moored here in Norfolk! After leaving Hawaii (a very poor decision for the state, not just the Superferry company), the ferries ended up in the gulf coast shuttling supplies to Haiti after their earthquake because they are so fast. Our tourguide commented that many people are impressed with the design and specifications for the Superferries because of their speed, stability and comfort.

Now the company that built them is bankrupt and the boats are inactive... so sad, but nice to see the very same ships we used to see all the time in Hawaii!

Ready for the harbor tour!

2010-04-30T09:45:00.001-05:00

The Wisconsin is docked here and we will see her later in our trip. More photos when we get on our tour boat...

The Lecture

2010-04-30T08:00:00.002-05:00

We are now waiting for a talk on the history of the area before embarking on our your of the harbor. Everyone is friendly and excited to see the sites! We will see the Tattoo tonight.

The term "Tattoo" goes back to when the British were fighting the Dutch. At night after battles, the men would go into town to drink. Drummers from the garrison were sent out into the towns at 9:30pm each evening to inform the soldiers that it was time to return to barracks. The process was known as doe den tap toe (old-Dutch for "turn off the tap"), an instruction to innkeepers to stop serving beer and send the soldiers home for the night. The drummers continued to play until the curfew at 10:00pm.

The procession back to camp at the end of the day is said to be the origination for what we now call "Taps" which is played as flags are lowered at bases all around the world.

More later...

The Tour Group

2010-04-29T17:38:00.001-05:00

We are getting used to the tour group. It is a group of retirees and we are the youngest folks here. Everyone is very pleasant, but we are struggling to adjust to the pace... m-u-c-h s l o w e r.....

We are finding time to chat, to visit, to appreciate things. When did we get out of THAT habit? We were about 10 minutes late (talking to my mom) and that put is in the back of the buffet line and we ended up at a table by ourselves... good company, but we've heard each others stories before.

So we are finding the evening relaxing and I am really enjoying talking to DeAnna... actually talking, not just sound bites.

Oops, they are getting ready to do introductions...

Top floor view

2010-04-29T15:09:00.001-05:00

We have made it to Norfolk and we have checked in to our hotel. You can barely see part of the naval shipyards on the horizon. We will go to dinner and do a meet-n-greet to prep for events tomorrow!

Until then, we are enjoying the view!

The Virginia Fleet And Tattoo

2010-04-29T09:25:00.002-05:00

For the next 4 days, DeAnna and I will be traveling to Norfolk, Virginia to tour the US Atlantic fleet and see the annual Virginia International Tattoo! We will join a program tour and see the sites. I plan to take lots of pictures and make blog entries, so check back from time to time!

Now for the 4 hour drive to get there...

Cherry Blossom Time

2010-04-04T06:35:00.010-05:00

It's been a beautiful Spring here in the DC area. DeAnna and I went out to lunch and walked to the tidal basin on Friday to see the peak of the cherry blossoms. Though the area was insanely crowded, it was also incredibly pretty. Here is a panoramic shot of the tidal basin (you'll have to click on it and scan back and forth to see the whole thing).

We've been spending some time with my parents. Since their return from Florida, mom has been getting stronger every day. For her birthday, we joined them for cupcakes and dinner. Even after struggling with breathing problems, mom blew out all the candles! (we were secretly wondering if the oxygen might cause them to flame up, but nothing happened) This last week, she prepared dinner for us and made one of her famous chocolate cakes! They were gone on their cruise during my birthday and mom wanted to make sure I got my cake! You can see the pink flamingo candles on the cake as well.

We toured the spring tree blooming season with mom & dad yesterday. They know all the hot spots for pretty collections of trees and flowers!

Other than that, I have been preparing for a busy April. I will be returning to Hawaii next week for a conference and then going to Chicago the week following for training. Then we go to Norfolk for a few days of vacation and then I finally go to Oklahoma to see Owen! Lots of work and Jazzercise these days...

Snowmageddon Aftermath

2010-02-08T16:13:00.013-06:00

So how bad was Snowmageddon? Well, here are a few pictures from the belly of the beast! Remember - we're talking about the DC metro area here... not Minnesota! The official snowfall at the airport was 18 inches, but I measured 24 inches in our neighborhood and other places have reported around 30 inches.

For the past two days, it has been cold but sunny - just enough to make a nice slush out of the roads. Now the little snowfall that is due to arrive tomorrow has been upgraded to a major winter storm with 10 to 20 inches of MORE snow - We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Snowzilla! The week will be interesting!

Here I am right after the FIRST attempts to clear the sidewalks in the morning. At this point, the storm still had 12 hours to go.

A sidestreet with a few people out in the snow. Neighbors worked hard with each other to dig out the snow, but it only piled up again and again. The only place to put snow was in someone else's way!

You can see that the depth of this this snow was already above my knees. It was right about 10:00am when I took this picture.

Even after plowing the roads several times, there was too much more to plow. The cars in the background are not only covered in snow, but are wedged in by the snow plow drift which was 3 feet wide and 3 feet high!

So here is one of those cars I was talking about - and the storm wasn't close to being over at this point. After this, I chilled out for the afternoon and then went out as the storm was ending. You can see a few more pictures after the storm below.

Evergreens took a big hit in the storm, The snow was thick and wet. It stuck to everything and as it built up, the heavy snow just bent the trees to the ground... yes, there are also cars under those trees!

Here is a local bike trail through the woods. It is much more beautiful than the picture shows.

The sun was falling, so I used the flash for this shot. Every tree limb had snow stuck to it! Beneath the trees, the snow was only about 15 inches deep and only a few people had trekked the path.

Another side street in our neighborhood at 6:00pm. You can just barely see two guys still digging on the left behind a pile of snow. Each neighbor dug out their own driveway, but the result was 5 foot piles of snow and barely one lane for traffic.

As I said, the snow was wet and sticky - perfect for making snowballs and snowmen (and snow kittens). By mid day Sunday, many more snowmen had sprung up all over the neighborhood.

Snowmageddon!

2010-02-06T09:09:00.007-06:00

I took my camera and snapped a picture about every 15 minutes or so to document the coming "SNOWMAGEDDON". After nightfall, the temperature got low enough that snow built up and froze on the window, so I stopped around midnight. Still, it's interesting to see the snow start and accumulate!

When all was said and done, here is what the scene looked like the next morning... and the storm was only half over!

Newly Posted Pictures of New York!

2010-02-05T20:57:00.002-06:00

If you've read about our New York journey before, take another look at the new picture updates in our posts!
Enjoy...

Boarded and ready to bus home

2010-01-31T15:04:00.003-06:00

It's been very cold here but we had enjoyed our first visit to New York!

It was a great decision to go do the observation deck at Rockefeller Plaza (many people recommended it). What a great thing to do... no lines, friendly people and (duh) views of the Empire State Building! After all, it's kind of hard to see the building you're observing from...

The bus is full of quiet people... much different than the crowd Friday night. Here's our parting shot as we relax and enjoy the ride with all of our friends on the New Jersey Turnpike...

Lunch At Rockefeller Center

2010-01-31T12:06:00.004-06:00

We are wrapping up lunch in New York so we can head back to the bus...

Time to head out into the cold again!

Joe Pearson
Sent from my Android phone on the road...

Views from the top!

2010-01-31T11:00:00.005-06:00

We were scheduled to go to the Empire State Building, but decided at the last minute to instead go to the observation deck(s) of the Rockefeller Center at the recommendation of our tour guide... imagine that - taking the advice of the local expert guy. With promises of no crowds, no lines, no waiting and wonderful views OF the Empire State Building, we walked the few blocks to see.

What a wonderful recommendation! As you can see from these pictures, it was spectacular! The sky was sunny and clear, no wind and three levels of unobstructed views all around!

Here is a panorama of Lower Manhattan

And the other side with Central Park

Of course, we mugged for photos - though it was harder to do with my phone camera...

And there were plenty of friendly people on the uncrowded decks that would trade shots

So if you go to NYC - we'd recommend the Rockefeller Center observation deck! Lastly, they actually have a surprise in the elevator for you to give you an idea of how far up it really is. Take a look at this movie of the trip down!

The rock

2010-01-31T10:17:00.001-06:00

Joe Pearson
Sent from my Android phone on the road...

Radio city and Rockefeller center

2010-01-31T10:09:00.001-06:00

Joe Pearson
Sent from my Android phone on the road...

Breakfast in Bed!

2010-01-31T06:30:00.000-06:00

We're starting the day off right!

Joe Pearson
Sent from my Android phone on the road...

The night trip

2010-01-30T19:41:00.005-06:00

Well, the night trip was interesting but narrated poorly (no tip for this guy). It was extremely cold on the bus, but we managed to keep each other warm - except our feet...

There were good views but not many photo opportunities because we were in motion.

Eventually, we ended up in Brooklyn for stunning views of lower Manhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge! Here are two of the best shots...

Now we are enjoying a hot chocolate in our room before turning in (see the same picture in daylight in a previous post). It feels like we haven't been warm for days but we are really enjoying the night!

It's Saturday Night Live!

2010-01-30T16:53:00.001-06:00

We are getting ready to take a night tour of NYC. The bus has a clear roof but it is not heated so we are bundled up!

Joe Pearson
Sent from my Android phone on the road...

Did I Mention that there was also a Hershey's Store?

2010-01-30T16:38:00.002-06:00

Is New York this close to Heaven?

Times Square Toys R Us

2010-01-30T16:35:00.002-06:00

This Empire State Building is made entirely of Legos! They also have the T-Rex from Jurassic Park!

Joe Pearson
Sent from my Android phone on the road...

Times Square at 5pm

2010-01-30T15:42:00.005-06:00

Simply. Amazing!

It's even more amazing seeing DeAnna go for the perfect shot in the street!

See the lights and action of Times Square!

Joe Pearson
Sent from my Android phone on the road...

The M&M Store

2010-01-30T15:00:00.006-06:00

Yes, there is a store that has nothing but M&M stuff in it... three floors worth of M&M stuff!

It is a multimedia shopping extravaganza with loud, pulsating Euro dance music, flashing lights, celebrities and the permeating smell of chocolate.

Every color of M&M was represented by a huge statue. I thought Elvis had blue SHOES!!!

Though it was warm in the store, we were guaranteed that any M&Ms purachased would not melt in our hands nor in our mouths once we left the store!

Real coal-fired brick oven pizza!

2010-01-30T14:23:00.001-06:00

Adding fuel to the fire!

Joe Pearson
Sent from my Android phone on the road...

New York Pizza

2010-01-30T14:15:00.000-06:00

At the recommendation of our tour guide, we are at John' s Pizza on 44th St. The painting is of Manhattan island... more to come...

Joe Pearson
Sent from my Android phone on the road...

Wall Street!

2010-01-30T13:30:00.002-06:00

Well, here is the center of capitalism! Again, it's really cold but that doesn't keep us from getting the shots of the New York Stock Exchange and Trinity Church.

One World Trade has Started

2010-01-30T13:10:00.001-06:00

You can see the new building going up to replace one of the twin towers.

Joe Pearson
Sent from my Android phone on the road...

WTC Site

2010-01-30T13:06:00.006-06:00

We are now overlooking the site of the twin towers... pretty amazing...

In Battery Park, "The Sphere" from the World Trade Center Plaza is now displayed until the formal memorial is completed. You can also see the undamaged sphere before the collapse. The picture is courtesy of Wikipedia..

Joe Pearson
Sent from my Android phone on the road...

Lower Manhattan again

2010-01-30T12:25:00.002-06:00

It may not be obvious that it is 19 degrees outside and the wind is whipping across the water as we ferry back to Manhattan from Statten Island! These pictures are EARNED! :-)

The Verrazano Narrows Bridge from the frigid ferry ride!

Joe Pearson
Sent from my Android phone on the road...

Manhattan View

2010-01-30T11:49:00.003-06:00

We are on the Statten Island Ferry looking back at Manhattan... you can see the Statue of Liberty to the left, then mid town and lower Manhattan to the right. It is a grey day but this tour is very cool!

We have lots of pictures of the Statue of Liberty from afar, but I like this picture!

Looking back on the ferry - Lower Manhattan is in the background.

This is mostly what I saw of DeAnna when we were doing our photojournalism gig...

Joe Pearson
Sent from my Android phone on the road...

Statue of liberty

2010-01-30T11:43:00.001-06:00

Joe Pearson
Sent from my Android phone on the road...

Brooklyn Bridge...

2010-01-30T10:33:00.002-06:00

Stopping for lunch with great views of the East River...

This was a nice stop to relax. Of course, we took lots of pictures. Here is a panorama of the bridge... it was far too big to capture in a single shot!

It was so cold, even the seagulls kept one leg warm... You can see Governor's island in the background.

Joe Pearson
Sent from my Android phone on the road...

Flat Iron Building

2010-01-30T09:58:00.004-06:00

It's freezing outside but we are having fun!

Our best shot of the Empire State Building! DeAnna is trying to warm her fingers! We've been thinking about this sign - even though it's not allowed...

Joe Pearson
Sent from my Android phone on the road...

Strawberry Fields

2010-01-30T09:19:00.001-06:00

We are viewing central park!

Joe Pearson
Sent from my Android phone on the road...

Millennium Hotel

2010-01-30T08:49:00.002-06:00

We are in New York City for the weekend and staying at the Millennium Hotel. Right now we are aboard a tour bus getting ready to do the town! I will update these posts later with pictures. For now, we are anxiously awaiting the start of the tour while sitting in TIMES SQUARE!

Pictures From The Anniversary

2010-01-24T17:42:00.008-06:00

What a neat weekend! We totally surprised my parents by having all three boys show up. DeAnna and I have been building up this weekend since before Christmas, but we've kept the event a secret - only blocking off the time so they wouldn't plan to do something else. Mom's biggest concern was what to wear (she wanted to know if she needed a wetsuit!)

Jim came in from Indianapolis and John came in from Albuquerque. I picked them up at the airport while DeAnna went up to get mom & dad. She told them that I was parking the car while the three boys came up just a couple minutes later. We paused before bursting into the apartment and yelling "Happy Anniversary"!!! Mom & Dad were stunned and simply glowed with happiness! Mission accomplished!!!

DeAnna had brought her camera, so she was the official photographer. We took several pictures right away and then DeAnna went on home while we stayed around and chatted for a few hours - just a relaxing visit to catch up and reminisce. We hadn't actually just sat down and talked for over a decade! After a while, we headed over to Primo's Family Restaurant for dinner (here are the three boys in the back seat just like we used to be).

Primo's is our Friday night pizza tradition. Once again, DeAnna went ahead and got us a table reserved in the back room. We spent a couple of hours continuing the visit before DeAnna announced that she had strawberry shortcake at our house! So we went over to our place to finish off the evening with dessert! Once there, we showed John around and chatted while we finished off the shortcake (with whipped cream).

Mom & dad went home while Jim & John stayed overnight at our house. Sunday morning, we joined mom & dad again for church and met several good friends as we all sat on the same pew (good sermon) Afterwards, we went to Clyde's for Sunday morning brunch. DeAnna took more pictures before we left (more pictures below). Jim & John went with mom & dad, while I drove DeAnna home. John went to the airport first and the Jim.

Now, I'm enjoying a relaxing evening writing a blog and doing little else. It has been a great weekend for my parents, but I have also enjoyed seeing my brothers again. I hope we can all get together more often in the months and years to come... we all agreed to have a big shindig on the 70th anniversary!

60th Anniversary Surprise!

2010-01-24T06:53:00.001-06:00

Mom & Dad's 60th wedding anniversary was last week and for the occasion, we invited all three brothers to come this weekend and commemorate the day. So we showed up at the door and totally surprised them before spending the far of the day visiting and reminiscing. It is the first time in 15 years or so that the entire original family has gotten together! I'll have some pictures later. It's been a wonderful time!

Maybe this will help...

2010-01-04T13:40:00.001-06:00

I know I have gotten out of the habit of posting, but I got a new phone (a Droid Eris) and it has this nifty new app that is supposed to connect directly with the blog site allowing me to post on the run. So this is a test to see if that works. If it does, I will try pics and more posts and maybe this will become something beneficial. Mind you, I still don't go for the mindless "look what I'm doing now" posts I see a lot so don't get too excited...

Taking So Long to Post

2009-12-18T09:56:00.004-06:00

Well, if anyone is reading this blog any more... here is a new post after almost 2 months!

I am currently sitting in Huntsville Alabama waiting for a client. It's been such a busy, busy fall for work. Busy in the sense that I have been spending a lot of time on the computer doing brand new things and creating new stuff for my work. I think I BLOG best when I get into a routine. When my mind is filled with so many new things, it just takes all my energy.

There doesn't seem to be any hope for a normal job any time soon, though the potential exists. I have been a part of a team leading efforts to re-vamp out Lean Six Sigma offering. We are creating instruction modes, curriculum, sales material and training folks to DO the new method. I have also been working on my old Theory of Constraints stuff again since customers continue to be interested in it. No one else in our group seems to know as much as I do, so that puts me in the sights of anyone who has a question.

In addition, I've been working to help folks procure contracts for our material in Hawaii... six time zones away. It makes for a "never-ending" day with lots of e-mails and phone calls. And on top of all that, I am actually working for the US Army again (that's why I am at Redstone Arsenal this week in Huntsville).

All of this is good and very challenging. It keeps me interested in my work. Going in different directions is exciting for me, but as you know, blogging is one of the first casualties when it comes to time management. I am hoping that things will actually settle in to some degree. It's nice to help create and plan and manage, but I look forward to the day when we can actually DO this stuff!

I thought I'd spend the next two weeks getting caught up on my virtual training and back-end work while resting warmly at home, but I've been asked to do some more work next week. It's in Reston. I have to drive. Not my first, second or third choice for how to spend my pre-Christmas week... but it is work and it is helping out a friend.

The biggest snow storm in years is bearing down on our house tonight. I hope I make it home and can enjoy some serious snowfall this weekend! I look forward to spending some time with DeAnna just lounging around and watching from the 4th floor as the snow falls!

Until next post, here is a picture of Julia's visit just before Thanksgiving... a wonderful time I have yet to post about...

Fall In Virginia

2009-10-25T18:03:00.002-05:00

OK, so this is kind of random... I got a new iPod Nano last week. The new ones have a video camera built in, so I went on a walk in the fall colors and then wanted to post this to see how the movies mode from my new iPod works. There is no other reason other than the pretty fall leaves that are everywhere. The days are beautiful and the air is pleasantly cool (when it's not raining).

Watch for my next post which will describe DeAnna's 50th birthday celebration... I know I'm late in getting that posted, but I will get to it...

Dad's Birthday

2009-10-04T16:09:00.011-05:00

At the end of July, we celebrated my dad's birthday by going back to Wolf Trap to see a movie & Symphony in one! We went to see The Lord Of The Rings: Two Towers at the outdoor symphony. While the movies played on giant screens in High Definition, the Symphony Orchestra and Chorus played and sang the soundtrack. It was a wonderful evening and a fabulous event!

If ever this type of thing comes to a location near you, you should go for sure! I can't describe how interesting and how beautiful the score for the movies was and how the movies was enriched by the live performance!

I also went to Oklahoma for Colton's "Gotcha Day" Celebration. Colt is now stuck with Jessica and John... and they are so relieved and excited! Now that they are a family never to be separated, Jessica is pregnant! What a wonderful God we serve!

Writing

2009-10-04T14:25:00.006-05:00

Well, I know it's been a long time since I posted here. I tend to lose my words when I do so much writing. I've been doing a lot of writing at work lately, so the last thing I want to do is more writing when I get home...
So what have I been writing? Let me see...

In early August, I went back to Hawaii to prepare for an island-wide Lean Six Sigma conference. I visited almost all the military agencies to get a feel for their Lean Six Sigma programs and did a lot of writing to document the meetings and their concerns. I returned to Virginia to prepare my company and associates then returned again to Hawaii in mid-August to do more of the same.

I was also a feature speaker at the conference, so I spent a lot of time taking careful note of my audience and creating a speech to speak to their concerns. I spent a lot of hours re-writing and re-creating my presentation to make an impact. I also wanted to lead my friends in Hawaii to the new methods we've been developing at Accenture. Our new approach is just what they need and I am very excited about how much it can do for them.

Just after Labor Day, I went back to Hawaii with a team of my co-workers to participate in the conference. It had been 6 weeks of preparation and organizing the hosts in Hawaii and my coworkers in Washington DC. I was the last one to speak of the day, but despite the many speeches and long day, everyone seemed to receive me well. It was nice to so many of my old friends in one place from all over Oahu!

The second day of the conference was a training session that I'd organized. The training was an introduction to our new method of running Lean Six Sigma. It was so new, we hadn't even named it yet! There were only 15 people signed up, but after the first day (and I'll go ahead and say my speech helped), 35 people showed up! By the end of the training, most people hung around with lots of questions and asked us to stay in touch! That was a great outcome considering I am a contractor and everyone expects me to sell them something...

Since then, I have been in contact with several folks and I expect to be back on island sometime before Thanksgiving to do some follow-up. I have had two requests for pricing so far and that's where I've been doing more of my writing - creating descriptions and pricing of our new offering so that people could put it in the budget! All of this is very cool and now, I get to do even more cool stuff...

The first part of October, I will be working with a team in my company to formally create everything behind our new offering before we do a full demonstration the first week in November. That means even more writing! Sure I get tired of writing instead of working with people. I love to help people out and make their work - their lives better. Some day, I will be back working with the people. If things work out well, I will be back in Hawaii working with people! When? Hard to say. But it's not unreasonable to say that I'll know for sure within the next 6 months.

My company is behind me and my peers are with me. So I'm sharpening my pencil...

Late July

2009-08-16T12:00:00.007-05:00

As Summer wears on in Virgina, I have been keeping busy with a number of distractions. First, I have been working at the Federal Emergency Management Agency to support their continuous improvement initiatives. I has been a short-lived assignment that ended on July 31st. After that, I was supposed to go to work for the Army, but that changed. I'll discuss it in another blog entry.

We are still unpacking and slowly moving in. Sometimes it seems like it's taking forever, but we both work and we aren't in any hurry. We are busy at Jazzercise three times a week and have dinner at least once a week with my parents. Work in a little couple time and the weeks disappear. DeAnna is keeping the hardwood floors clean though thanks to the new "dusting slippers" my mom gave her!

We attended our first evening at the Wolftrap. It is an open-air concert location renowned for it's hot performances and steamy nights. Our night was an evening of John Williams music played by the National Symphony Orchestra. To look at this picture, you wouldn't know it was actually an outdoor location...
But if you look at this picture, you can see that it has a respectable "lawn" area for picnic goers and families to lounge on the grass. These folks are sitting on grass that has just been SOAKED by an evening thunderstorm, but they don't seem to mind. It rained and sprinkled most of the evening... where were we? Well, we were just under the enclosure between those two tan posts so we were dry!

Our evening started off in the afternoon when we arrived very early and wandered around the surrounding park. There are a number of smaller stages and performance locations. This is the theater in the park location. We had the stage to ourselves! We also had the theater to ourselves, so our dazzling performance was not appreciated by anyone else besides the squirrels and owls (who did not applaud).

Oh well, As we said, it was John Williams night and the whole second half of the concert was dedicated to his Star Wars themes. Although I did not run into Darth Vader, I managed to hob-nob with an imperial trooper. We had a great dinner out of the rain and a wonderful time enjoying the music and the scene. Later in August, we take my parents to see "Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers" movie at the Wolf Trap with live orchestration. I'm not sure how they are going to do that, but I'm sure it will be interesting... and fun!

August at work is focused on Hawaii again I will make two trips to commands all around Oahu in preparation for a Symposium in September where I will deliver a keynote speech and introduce our new training model. More to come!

Getting Caught Up

2009-07-18T18:26:00.012-05:00

I can't offer many REAL excuses like "I'm so busy, I haven't been on the computer". Nope, I've just been doing other things. So, I'm going to just add some pictures and write a few random things about each... Read on to find out what this picture means!

On July 3rd, DeAnna and I drove through the Blue Ridge Mountains on Skyline Drive. It was a warm day, until we got into the mountains and then it was actually chilly (in July no less!) Most of the time, we drove and chatted, but we occasionally got out to admire frequent overlooks. It was a wonderful way to start a long weekend.

Half way through, we stopped by Luray Caverns (I really love spelunking). It was a great way to break up the drive, but the highly visited caverns were surprisingly beautiful and remarkably well cared-for. I'll recommend it! This is a picture of mirror lake (see why?)

On the way back home, I had to stop by Yogi Bear campgrounds and get a picture (no comments on how much the human looks like the bear, please). Of course, that was just the first day of a long weekend! We also had 4th of July activities to do, so we hoofed it home and got to bed early. The next morning we went to Jazzercise and did a little house keeping before heading over to my parents house for their annual Independence Day party! It was a lot of fun but in an uncharacteristic twist, I have lost all the pictures! There were a lot of good fireworks from Washington DC too... :-/

The next weekend, we loaded up on a bus from church and went to see "Joseph and The Technicolor Dream Coat" with a bunch of new friends. The trip was fun - it was a nice bus with a really nice bunch of people. We ate lunch at the Hotel Strausburg before going over to see the play. We took this picture on the stairs at the historic hotel...

So this last weekend, DeAnna went to get her hair done and I went with her on my bike. I started riding in Old Town and rode out to Mount Vernon. Then, I rode back to Old Town and then home to Cameron Station. The trail is actually very nice even though it's got a lot of people on it. All told, the ride was 25.58 miles long (now you know what the picture means) and I rode it in 3 hours. I was wiped out! It was a very nice ride, but I think I'll take it easier next time - maybe an earlier start in the morning...

We're continuing with the last bits of cleaning up the house by throwing and giving stuff away. I only have 2 more weeks working at FEMA and then I'm told I will be working at the Army again somewhere! Next weekend, we're going to the Wolftrap for a concert to hear the greatest hits of John Williams!

Weekend With Colt

2009-07-05T17:59:00.014-05:00

On the last weekend in June, I took some time off to go to Oklahoma and see the girls. It was the first time since coming back from Hawaii and 6 months since I saw Colton shortly after he was born. I've been looking forward to seeing Julia and Jessica and John so this was going to be a great chance to get away from work and unpacking!

When I first arrived, I went to see Julia! we had a great time getting caught up and had dinner at Zio's. The temperature was over 100 degrees (you can see the sun was absolutely scorching in the picture). Julia is doing such a good job at the OU Health Sciences Center and is planning to go back to school in the fall.

I spent most of the rest of my time hanging around inside (in the cool) playing with Colt. Sure, Jessica and John were aound too and I enjoyed visiting with them as well, but let's face it, the kid is infectously cute and the most mild-mannered baby I have ever seen (after my own of course)!

On Friday morning, I went with the Andersons to Colt's 6 month doctor visit. He got several shots but the only thing that seemed to bother him was when they cleaned out his ears! The rest of the day, I got to play with him - though his naps were pretty long. I have many (many, many, many) great pictures of Colt but I'll only share a few of them here.

After the shots, we went by Jessica's office to show off Colt. It was "bring your dog to work" day. Colt was the hit and he was really great around one of the big dogs. Colt observes everything and is curious about everything. Of course, he puts everything in his mouth, so we had to keep a little distance between him and the pooch.

Colt napped on the way to the office and napped on the way home and after mom gave him lunch, he napped most of the afternoon! That was OK. It was over 100 degrees outside and I enjoyed some time chatting with Jessica. Jessica and John both have had successful careers and it is fascinating to hear about them. At the same time, coordinating a new family and work is stressful, but they seem up to it!

Lo and behold, when Colt stirred, I got to hold him again (imagine that!) You might catch a glimpse of the bandages from his shots, but nothing seemed to bother him. He is giggly and happy most of the time. He loves to play with his toys and now sits up on his own. He has an array of soft toys he likes to play with and is very contented on the living room floor - especially when he has an audience!

By now, dad returned home and it was time for Colt's second haircut! Colt had long hair when he was born and now had a rat-tail in the back, so it was time for a trim. We went to John's haircutter and Colt seemed to actually enjoy the experience! There was a lot of hair to cut for a 6-month old!

There was a lot of furious activity around his head, but Colt just relaxed and in the end, emerged with his new Tom Cruise trim! The next day, Julia came over and we all went shopping at Wal-Mart and a few other places after grabbing lunch at Steve's Ribs. Jessica bought Colt a new pool which they tried out the following weekend. You can read more about it in Jessica's blog here (too cute!)

I joined Jessica and John for church Sunday morning before heading out to the airport for home. When you check the kids in to the nursery, they tag them with a label on their back. It has all of the contact information, birth date, and any medical or feeding instructions needed. This is at a church mind you, not a daycare center! It's a little much but I know it would have made life easier when I was taking babies to church! I wish I'd thought of labeling kids when I was running 3 Girl Scout troops!

I didn't get a good picture of all of us together, so I thought I'd close with a good picture of me and Colt. It will be fun to watch him grow and now that I'm on the same continent, I hope I can visit more often!

Father / Son Father's Day

2009-06-25T09:32:00.007-05:00

I have this image of my dad going fishing with us boys over the years and while all of us were whooping it up catching fish, Dad never caught anything. The last time dad had been fishing was over 10 years ago on a deep sea fishing trip in North Carolina!

So I reserved Sunday afternoon with dad and geared up at Walmart for an afternoon of fishing in the nearby streams. I am happy to say we weren't skunked. The size and quality of the fish will not be discussed here, though the pictures witness better than words!

We caught several Bluegill, Perch and a mess of Channel Catfish. When the fish stopped biting, we figured that their mouths were sore. It was a perfect day for fishing even though we didn't have a fish fry afterwards.

We were able to enjoy some fireworks and burgers over the weekend right off Mom & Dad's balcony! All in all a great time in Virginia! I am now on my way to see Julia and Jessica, John and "the Colt"! I promise more pictures to come from the weekend!

What Has Joe Been Up To These Days?

2009-06-12T14:53:00.009-05:00

Guess What!?!? I'm not in Hawaii anymore. I've packed up the scuba gear into the back of one of our new closets and have traded in the Aloha shirts for long-sleeved shirts, ties and jackets. So what is going on these days?

Well, I've been at home in Virginia since returning from my assignment in Hawaii. I've been working at the home office most days. I attended a week-long class as well as several key trainings that I never had time for before, so it's been nice to some degree. However, I haven't been assigned to a new work project so in some ways, it's been hard to keep busy. There are a couple of things on the horizon and I'll keep you informed of where I'll be working when I know.

We have been spending some time getting the house in order. I'm still throwing stuff away! Cameron Station is a very nice place with great bike trails and beautiful streets to walk. I have joined DeAnna in Jazzercise three times a week which is getting harder to do as the humidity and temperature rises. (For those who have not done Jazzercise, I challenge you to make it through the entire hour!!!) Anyways, I'm settling in and getting used to all the greenery. In Hawaii, everyone adapted to nature. In Alexandria, we fit in lots of nature with our urban environment. Both ways are beautiful!

We've been to Washington DC and breezed through the Smithsonian American History museum. We found ourselves being rushed to get through it until we realized, "Oh, DUH.... we live here now - we can visit anytime we want!" so we relaxed some after that! The new display for the Star Spangled Banner is very, very good! I'm expecting that we'll probably go a lot more when it's off-season and there aren't so many tourists... hint: Christmas week is virtually deserted!

Here we are socializing with the natives at a walled-garden party in Alexandria (my parents invited us to go with them). We've spent some good quality time with mom & dad since arriving. We go to church with them and eat pizza Friday nights at Primo's. The annual 4th of July party is coming up. I've been looking forward to that for a long time! This weekend, we're planning on cooking out on their balcony and making ice cream!

There's always the metro system to explore. Both DeAnna and I get to work and back on the train. I even go to the airport on it and don't have to park a car or take a taxi! I can't say enough about how nice it is to jump on the train, relax (away from traffic jams) and relax until you get to your destination! Our neighborhood has a shuttle that gets us back to the apartment from the metro station, so we're rarely in the weather (and it's been really rainy this spring).

We bought my dad's 9 year old Honda Civic and it is perfect for getting us everywhere the train doesn't go. For now, it's nice to have a cheap, efficient car - that's paid off - and with low insurance! Last weekend, we hosted mom & dad for our first guests. Though we still have some more cleanup and decorating to do, we're close to having things set up like we want. After that, we'll have our open house and invite all the new friends we haven't met yet... :-/

Next week, I go to Oklahoma to see the kids and Colt. It's been 6 months since he was born and all the pictures are really cute. I can't wait to see him. Until then, my life is pretty mundane these days, but I'll keep you posted.

Aloha Oi'

2009-05-01T21:23:00.017-05:00

" Aloha Oi' " means Goodbye, until we meet again...

The last few days in Hawaii have been pleasant and rewarding. I have had time to myself to visit favourite sites, visit with friends and reflect on my time here and the future to come.

Yesterday, I went down to the beach to watch the sunrise, Kailua Beach is simply fabulous. The trade winds were blowing easily off the water and the waves were gently crumbling onto the powder fine sand.

At work, my co-workers organized a lunch at a local restaurant. It was so nice to see everybody together. A few people were actually leaving the island the same time as me... I guess that's the Army for you. My client boss (Clark) is sitting next to me on my left and my first client boss (Molly) is sitting next to him. Both are great friends and leaders.

Surprisingly, I was presented a couple of awards and plaques and several leis. Totally unexpected! I am a contractor and my time has always been intended to be temporary, so it's gratifying to be treated so warmly. It is a testament to their openness, friendliness and (I hope) the friendship we've managed to forge this past 18 months.

The guy I've worked most closely with has been Clark. I've not seen a guy that works harder or has a clearer vision than Clark. He's made my job challenging, yet easy and rewarding. He encouraged me to develop and test some new ideas that are now being applied at US Army Pacific and will also form new material for my future work with other clients called Capability Management. It was so meaningful to me that he presented me with a special picture of the motto "One Team" at historic Palm Circle.

After the lunch and after work, I drove home for the last time. When I arrived, I put on my swim suit and headed for the beach. There, I put on my beautiful leis and swam out into the deep water. I submerged and let the leis float over my head, then swam back to shore. It seemed like a nice way to honor Hawaiian custom rather than throw them away! I watched the leis from the beach for a while before heading back to the house and then taking an evening walk through the neighborhood.

So I will be returning home to Virginia and to DeAnna. I will start a new job at a new place with new people. It makes me a little bit nervous, but mostly excited. I will miss the beautiful beaches that are so easy to access. I suspected that I was a beach person at heart and this time has done well to confirm that.

I got to where I liked the weather that hardly ever changes, but I am looking forward to a good severe thunderstorm! I am now fully acclimated to the warm weather at 21 degrees latitude, so I'll be something of a weeny when it comes to winter, but I look forward to the change of seasons again. This shouldn't be a problem since I will have all summer to experience the hot, muggy weather of the mainland before the leaves turn and start to fall.

I think I've been here long enough to cast off my tourist orientation and see the side of Hawaii that residents experience. The distance and isolation can be overwhelming. There are darker elements on Oahu, but when everyone is on a tiny island, we have all managed to respect differences without too many issues. I have certainly learned of so many differences while I have been here. The Asian culture(s) really were foreign to me, but now I am a sushi eater - or maybe more like I'm not a sushi hater...

I was an Army brat growing up. I expected that many things would feel vaguely familiar. I did not expect to see how hard people work nor how much bureauacracy our soldiers must endure. From PFCs to Lt Generals, all fight a far more insidious enemy than the man with the gun. Truly, these people would rather be in battle than spending 6 weeks to get approval for new computers only to take 3 more months to actually procure them! The slow torture of aging infrastructure, pedantic protocol and burdensome processes that hinder progress will steal the life from your very soul. I met more than a few who retired out of sheer frustration with the inability to get something done.

Still, I have never had so much respect for the men and women in green! They are honorable, smart and energetic. I have no question about their ability to protect America's future or my own life. Their families and the life they lead is selfless and hard but, for the most part, everyone has a "can-do" attitude and wants to make things better. I expected command and control, but found competence and dedication. If my work does anything to make their life easier or better, then that is my reward. I hope to continue to work for the Army.

Would I come back? Sure, but I'd need to do a little more traveling back to see family and friends. It has been hard to stay so far away without any opportunity to visit. Remember, it is a small island in the middle of a really big ocean. I was even starting to get antsy to find new dive sites!

Would I live here permanently? I don't know. I think I'd have to be able to do this kind of work all the time because it is useful and necessary and ultimately rewarding. Of course, things would be different. We never really committed much to Oahu because we literally were never sure how much longer we were going to stay.

Am I excited about leaving Hawaii? Not really, but I am excited about going home to Virginia and starting another assignment! When you're in my world, you tend to see change as good - something I have appreciated as far back as 9th grade.

What will I miss when I get home? I'll miss the ocean and the weather for sure. The ethereal power and majesty of the Pacific Ocean can fascinate me for hours.I'll have to work harder at going scuba diving (I hear the visibility in the Potomac is pretty bad) but that will just mean coordinating with Kevin and Bo to take cool trips to the Carribean! I'll miss just driving around the island and seeing long, beautiful beaches with huge family gatherings every weekend. I'll miss the incredible mountain trails and rugged lava coastline for hiking. I'll miss having the windows open with a cool trade wind breeze 24x7 and the lovely fragrant flowers blooming all year long.

What will I miss the most? Of course, I'll miss the people. I'd list them, but there are so many and they know who they are. They all befriended me and invested time and concern for me and, dare I say, love. Fortunately, I have most of their e-mail addresses!

I am now at the airport waiting for my flight home to Washington Reagan Airport. The evening sky is blue, the setting sun casts a warm glow across the lush green mountains that are crowned with white clouds. The ocean is still and the indescribable blue water seems deeper than normal. It's all good. It's time to move on.

So I leave you with this last picture from Hawaii. You might think of it as the sunset of my stay, but the picture is actually of a sunrise!
. ...always looking ahead.

Aloha Oi' Hawaii....
Aloha Oi'.

A Few More Days in Hawaii

2009-04-28T03:15:00.002-05:00

It's my last work week at Fort Shafter. I am closing out things and slowly saying my goodbyes. When I drive the fabulous daily commute through tropical jungles and volcanic cliffs that are suspended above white sand beaches and crystal blue ocean water, I have to smile at what God has put before me. I hope I have served well.

It's just a job, but I must admit it's been a compelling situation here: temporary enough to not get too involved, but long enough to make good friends. Like the military folks I have been serving, I am getting ready for my next assignment.

I am excited about the things to come, but right now, I am nostalgic about this fascinating past year and a half. Hawaii has been a great place to discover the work at which I excel. While many may think I'm talking about scuba diving and exploring, I actually mean working with people and discovering new possibilities in making their jobs easier and more efficient.

I'll miss these people as much as I will miss this place but as I look back with fond admiration, I have a sense of anticipation at another new place to explore, people to meet and a new home to build. There is no doubt: I am positively blessed!

Last Weekend in Hawaii - Saturday 2

2009-04-26T01:32:00.009-05:00

After diving, I went home and laid everything out to dry. I have been cleaning out stuff and I thought it would be a nice thing to take all the dried leas that our visitors have left behind and toss them to the ocean. I gathered them up as well as all the rocks I've collected this past year and a half, and headed out.
I decided to toss them at Spitting Cave.

This is the same place that my best friend Kevin, DeAnna and I were swept into the ocean at Spitting Cave last year. Kevin almost died and DeAnna and I both were struck at how fragile life can be. We visited Spitting Cave a few times since, but have never gone back down to the water like we did. When I arrived, the water was completely calm.

I paced out to the edge of the cliff and knelt down to toss the stuff into the water. I was struck by how blessed I was and how God had not only saved my life that day, but had changed my life in so many ways... I am awakened by the future that He lays before me.

I tossed each lei and they floated on the wind away from the cliff before eventually falling into the water. I thought of the kids, the parents and friends that graced our home while we were here. A lot of wonderful memories... Then I took the rocks and tossed them one by one recalling the time and place where I picked them up - Maui, Mauna Kea, Makapu'u, Kaneohe and more.

Then, as if God was telling me, "Enough, already!" a group of crazy immortals arrived and gathered around the cliff sides as a few guys prepared to jump into the water in front of the cave. I raised my camera and watched in disbelief as a guy jumped in.

Others followed and I watched for a few more minutes, but I honestly didn't want to see any more, so I left and went to hike one of my favorite locations, Makapu'u Point.

Makapu'u is where the Dragon's Nostrils are located. I did not hike to them today. DeAnna and I first hiked here with flipflops and no sunscreen or water. It gives fabulous views of the windward side of the island and always has a nice breeze. When I need to get away from the computer, this is a great place to come, walk and drink in some of the most beautiful scenery in Hawaii.

Up at the top are great views of the lighthouse. You can see Maui and Lanai and Molokai from the tallest platform. Of course, it's sometimes hard to get everything like that in the shot, so I just take satisfaction in getting a good shot to say, "I was here".

On the way down, the sun was starting to go behind the Ko'olau Mountains and the wind was getting cool. A last spot of sunshine afforded one more picture and my last Saturday activities were over. I went to a favorite local restaurant before heading home to get prepped for Sunday Diving activities and go to bed.

I am enjoying my last few days in Hawaii. Sure, I'm taking the same pictures I've taken over and over again, but it's a good way to cement in a memory.

Last Weekend in Hawaii - Saturday 1

2009-04-26T00:44:00.007-05:00

I'm trying to make the most of the time I have left! Even as I get more and more excited about returning home, I'm not sitting still! So I got up early and - SURPRISE - went diving with the Sea Lancers dive club! After that, I went hiking on the Windward side.

Our first dive was to the Pinnacles. I was the first person down and got to see a lone spotted eagle ray. It was a deep dive and I bottomed out at 91 feet. When I first started diving, I thought deep dives would be different, but they are all pretty much the same if you don't think about the depth.

The pinnacles are a series of rock formations that rise 30 feet from from a sandy bottom, causing the current to flow in different directions. You can see how big they are in the picture. Unfortunately, it is deep and I couldn't stay down as long as I wanted. That's me swimming away from the camera...

I took many pictures and had a great time swimming around with our rather large group. One of them even offered to take my picture. They hadn't seen my nifty camera rig nor seen me goofing around using it, but it was nice and I got a good picture!

After the Pinnacles, we went to the "Diner". The current was very strong and we all had to constantly swim just to stay in place. There were tons of fish and they all seemed to want to mug for the camera. I tried to take a picture of me behind a large coral formation and the fish kept getting in the way!

Finally, I got the picture I wanted, but the current was taking a toll just trying to stay in place.A fish even got int he way of my one picture of a large shark later! The dive was 60 feet, but I was only able to stay down about 30 minutes because I used so much air. Was it fun? Of course! Everyone is planning to show up and do it again tomorrow, so I'll dry the stuff and be on the dock early Sunday morning! I'm planning to spend the afternoon somewhere else on Oahu like I did today. See the next post for my Saturday afternoon...

120 feet down!

2009-04-25T02:02:00.008-05:00

Yes folks, I took my deepest dive to date and broke through 100 feet deep! I know you're tired of all these scuba pictures, but rest assured, it will stop soon when I return to Virginia next week. When that happens, I will probably post bike rides and hikes. Until then, here are a few more diving pictures for your viewing pleasure.

Last weekend was absolutely the most perfect Hawaiian weekend weather I have seen in my entire time on Oahu. Virtually windless, flat glassy ocean, clear blue water, late season humpback whales, spinner dolphins and really great friends.

We dove several interesting sites over the weekend, but the most interesting was the Sea Tiger - a shipwreck off of Waikiki at 120 feet deep. Of course, I took my camera rig to take some self portraits and my friends were really kind of impressed with the setup in a geeky sort of way.

The Sea Tiger is a well-visited site. You can swim into the hull if you like. I did not venture inside the vessel myself, but you can see a movie of my swim-over a little bit further down this blog post. This was my first dive where the water was clear, but I was too deep to see the boat on the surface. It was a fascinating dive!

Taking pictures was (as it always is) an effort underwater. I end up breathing heavier and working harder to "get the shot". That's not good because I run out of air faster. However, at this deep, you can't stay at depth for very long or you will have to undergo decompression which forces you to stop several times while surfacing.

Decompression does limit the NEXT dive you want to take, so it's always best to surface before your decompression limit. I came up with 1/2 a tank and only got to spend 20 minutes at the Sea Tiger. Thankfully, I have a nice dive computer that guides me through the process and keeps me safe while I goof around with my camera!

Here is my short movie of my Sea Tiger swim-over. You can see my buddy Vic exploring the hold of the ship. He searches for Hawaiian Lobsters when we dive.

After the Sea Tiger, we dove another beautiful location off of Waikiki. Being so close to the tourists, the pressure was on to look professional and stylish! Here, you can see that the water was more shallow (or maybe it all looks the same by now). I have become much better at getting the picture in different poses... too bad I'm leaving!

The guys I dive with have the boat dive down to a science. Not only can you use the anchor rope as a guide for surfacing, they also drop a dive line directly to the bottom. It has a 5 pound weight (which helps you control your ascent) and a nifty dive flag to mark the spot directly below the boat. This dive was fun because it was only 40 feet deep and I could stay down longer to play around with the camera!

After diving, the weather was so nice, we cleaned off our gear and got back into the boat for an afternoon cruise along the Diamond Head corridor including Waikiki and Honolulu. Vic and his wife Anna were wonderfully gracious to invite me along for a relaxing warm afternoon. We will be going out this next weekend for one more weekend of diving. I'm looking forward to it, but no matter what happens, it will be hard to beat last weekend!

What do I do during the day?

2009-04-15T01:47:00.010-05:00

In case you were under the impression that I spent all my time diving and hiking here in Hawaii, I wanted you to see what my office looks like and what I do...

Last year, we installed 4ft by 8ft marker boards on the walls. In late February, I lead a team of innovative thinkers and spent several hours marking ideas all over the wall. When we were done, I took pictures of the diagrams, formulae and words then created electronic documentation of our work so we could continue in the following days.

The boards were erased and used over and over several more times before the team re-assembled three weeks ago. My Accenture boss and VP were here on Oahu and I sent them on their way while I worked with the team writing more and more really great stuff on the walls. Again, I took pictures and documented everything, then erased the boards.

The following week, I began summarizing everything and fleshing out additional concepts. By now, other people in the building began to stop in to see the guys who wrote on the walls. As I began to fill the walls again, my Army boss asked me not to erase anything so he could come in and mull over the ideas for his project work.

Now, I have dragged two more boards into the room, covered the windows and leaned boards against other boards because the ideas don't stop just because we're running out of boards! So this is what my office looks like these days... You can see that I use lots of markers and everything is very colorful!

I know we're making an impression when coworkers bring in strangers to show what we're doing and want me to explain how the concepts work! Now, people are using our ideas in their projects, teaching them to others and even adopting the ideas as their own. It is a wonderful way to close out my work here in Hawaii!

Easter In Hawaii

2009-04-13T01:20:00.016-05:00

How do Hawaiians spend Easter? Well, mostly like everywhere else with a bigger emphasis on family get togethers...

First, churches hold sunrise services at the beach where many people are baptized. I watched two of these churches (while attending one) at the beach in joyful celebration as new Christians were being added to the church. I lost count around 25 or so...

It was a beautiful windless, surfless, cloudless day, but it was hard to hear the music or preaching. I must confess it was not a good place for folks with ADD - way too many distractions - but I just enjoyed being there.

Of course, it's a great time to take in a sunrise hike to the nearby Lanikai Ridge. It's one of my favorite places to go for a quick hike. It's always pretty with views of the Ko'olau mountains, Molulea Islands and beautiful Kailua beach!

My nifty camera/tripod provides proof of my presence, but it doesn't give you the feeling of being there. Still, when you end up with a picture like this, you might get a small sense of how much I'll miss this location!

I saw many Easter egg hunts at the beach where large day-long family gatherings at various beaches are the order of the day (you can see the open moving van at the back end of the setup).

Here, a family showed up at sunrise and got BBQ pits, tents, a dance floor and PA system, as well as napping tents, all manner of food and beach toys ready for the rest of the extended family. When I passed by them on the way back from the hike, the kids had already done their Easter egg hunt and were trading basket contents.

I was invited to join a large gathering of friends at a small farm house near Ka'ena point. The "house" was actually a collection of small buildings, so a large table was set under a tree outdoors.

Though I did not know anyone (I'm piggybacked off of Fred & Holly from work), it was like home with Christians from around the world (really) all gathered on Oahu at this tiny place far away from everyone else.

Like I said... it was at a farm...

Even though it was Easter, it was the weekend, so I got in some diving! I'm including a couple of movies instead of more pictures. They are pretty much self-explanatory. I have many, many more pictures and movies... If you want more, just let me know...

It's been a great weekend away from the computer, away from work and away from the phone. It's now three weeks before I return home to Virginia. There's a lot yet to do at work and, of course, a lot more to do on the weekends!

A Diving Weekend!

2009-04-05T01:30:00.015-05:00

I went to Shark's Cove today. It was a little cloudy, but the water was great. There were so many scuba divers that the water looked like a Fresca! Anyway, it was fun and I saw many amazing underwater things. I will be going to dive tomorrow on the Waianae side of the island with a friend from church. He hasn't been diving in a long time, so it should be fun! In the meantime, here are a few more diving pictures!

The other divers didn't know what to think of me. I'd put the camera down on a rock, set the timer, then swim away for the picture and then swim back to pick up the camera. I think some were embarrassed...

There are a lot of caves and lava tubes at Shark's Cove. Many of them are easy to swim through, but they don't photograph very well. Here's a good one. See the large fish on the other side?

Did you ever wonder what it's like to dive with me? Now you know what DeAnna sees!

At one point, I took my camera, set it in movie mode and dropped it from 10 feet to sink to 35 feet. The other divers thought I was nuts. One guy just shook his head and swam away as I picked up the camera. Sometimes, people are just too serious...

During this last week, I've been working 16 to 18 hour days. Several Accenture guests were visiting from the mainland and I have been playing host as well as developing new intellectual capital. It's been a great day away from the phone, computer and stress. I can't wait until tomorrow (another dive)!

Trying The New Underwater Camera Mount

2009-03-29T22:49:00.016-05:00

It's been vexing that I go diving and take pictures of everyone and everything else. There isn't any evidence that I'm actually there... So with that challenge, I set out to create a camera mount that I could carry with me and use to take different kinds of pictures - including self-portraits.

DeAnna gave me a nifty new kind of camera mount for Christmas called a "Monster Pod". It consists of a cloth cover, a camera screw and a big blob of "Silly Putty" . You are supposed to stick the mount to anything and you have an instant "tripod". The application of the idea was not so useful though. After a few sticky episodes where grime got into the silly putty and the goop stuck to hot rocks and wouldn't come off, I set the Monster Pod aside. Fortunately, I didn't throw it away!

I decided to completely clean out the Monster Pod from it's gooey Silly Putty and stitch in a one-pound bag of lead shot. The hope was that it would be heavy enough to keep the camera on the bottom and not let any currents move it around. The result is this nifty-looking setup that I can pocket with me.

So I had this thing all ready to go earlier in the week but weather wasn't all that great for diving on Saturday. Fortunately, Sunday dawned beautiful on the West side, so I headed back to Electric Beach and took a very relaxing hour-long dive (along with 50 or so other divers). Here are the results!

I have many pictures of flippers or where I never even made it into the frame. The 10 second timer is OK on land, but it's a quite difficult to swim away from the camera and get into the frame before the camera goes off!

The area has a lot of fish because of the warm water from the electric plant discharge. It also attracts a lot of spearfishermen! They snorkel and dive down to catch fish. They also drag their fish around with them which makes me nervous about attracting sharks.

The discharge pipes are about 15 feet across and they spew warm water out into the ocean with impressive force. Where the pipes discharge, there are masses of fish. The water is almost always clear and the currents light at this beach so it's very easy to find scuba divers from sun-up to sun-down.

You can see that the pipes are oriented upwards a little, so it's incumbent on the diver NOT to get into the current or you can be swept upward to the surface. Not good for decompression (the bends). I stayed well clear and got a fair picture to boot!

The coral here is quite prolific and pretty. It makes for a nice portrait frame. I took this picture several times before success because I had to start the camera and swim around to the other side of the rock and up behind the coral before the camera took the picture. I used up a lot of air to get this picture!

This is the best self-portrait I got out of about 50 pictures. It's about 20 feet down with white sand surrounded by coral. Like I said, swimming around to get in the frame is much more difficult than I thought it would be but I'm happy with the new underwater camera mount!

It was a good weekend to get out and relieve some stress. This week will be very busy with several visitors from Accenture. I'm looking forward to visiting... and next weekend! :-)

Three Hours of Hiking!

2009-03-28T00:23:00.013-05:00

Saturday and the weather is not good for Scuba Diving (too much surf and it's quite windy). So I grabbed my walking stick, a backpack with some water and a PBJ and headed out to the north shore and Ka'ena Point. We've hiked the road to Ka'ena Point many times. It is a long hike along the desolate shoreline mostly inhabited by 4-wheelers and day-long fishing parties. Today was no different! It's usually dry and hot when the rest of the island is rainy and wet.

I did a lot of hiking along the shoreline and rocks down by the waves. I am fascinated by the power of the ocean. I've certainly seen my share of ocean waves! Still, I can't get enough. I will miss walking by the sea when I leave.

The tide was low and though the surf was up, it wasn't really high so it was easy to explore some interesting places near the water. When the tide is up, this place get swaves careening through the rocks to crash up on the rubble seen here.

There are plenty of places where people set up a camp for the day and go fishing. It looks like fun: chilling out with friends and family while watching the fishing poles. They often bring BBQ grills and have a 12 hour cookout! In a place like this, swimming in the ocean is problematic with the surf, rocks and currents.

Ka'ena Point is the most Western end of O'ahu and is thus bristling with old military infrastructure. I thought an old switchback road up the mountains looked like a good hike, so I started up!

The road quickly went from road to trail and shortly after that into a toe path. But it was still a nice trail to follow up and up along the face of the mountain with increasingly fabulous views!

My goal was to make it to the top of the ridge, but about 2/3rds of the way up, the trail disappeared into the underbrush. The only way up that I could see was a climb through a rip-rap field of unstable rocks. So I stopped to take in the view and take a picture before heading back down.

Some of the trail eeeks along the edge of the old road along a cliff edge. From here, I could see the entire coastline all the way back to the set of the TV show "Lost"! The wind was constant and strong which made the heat of the day a non-factor.

Of course, with all that natural beauty, it is often the human activity that provides comic relief for the day!

What's A Boy To Do?

2009-03-25T01:07:00.006-05:00

I had an appointment at Fort DeRussy in Waikiki... I arrived about 45 minutes early... so what's a boy to do?

...work under the nearest banyon tree of course!

I'm such a working nerd...

Winding Down

2009-03-24T01:25:00.008-05:00

I have about 6 weeks left on this assignment in Hawaii. These last few months have been focused on the transition from consultant-lead support to local support and ultimately, sustainability. I wish I had several more months, but it will all be over the first week of May. After that, I will return to Virginia and see where my next assignment will be.

It's a lot of work during the week but I'm also trying hard to maximize my weekends as well. Mostly, that means I'm doing my best to go Scuba Diving as often as I can. Weather this time of year often conspires against the scuba diver, but I have managed to get in at least one dive.

This past weekend, I went diving with my buddies at Hickam Air Force Base on Saturday. We went a mile or so off of Pearl Harbor down about 60 feet to a very nice coral reef with lots of fish. After the first dive though, the waves had gotten pretty large. The forecast has said 2-4 feet waves, but everyone was joking that the weather service had gone metric (2-4 meters)! Several people were seasick, so we returned to port after one dive.

Sunday, no one wanted to go diving, so I left my stuff at home and took a drive along the shoreline looking for hiking opportunities. When I arrived at Shark's Cove, I found many people diving and snorkeling. The water was smooth and very clear! I struggled with the thought to drive home and get my gear because it was already afternoon, but I decided to go for it, so I drove all the way home, dumped my gear into the car and returned.

There were still many people diving, so I just kind of joined-in along side a group. I had a wonderful 62 minute dive before driving back home around 5:00pm. So I risk providing another series of boring underwater pictures (I haven't figured out how to take pictures of myself while scuba diving yet).

At about 60 ft down, everything pretty much looks blue. The camera can only do a limited amount of color correction. Still, you can see the yellow on this fish. The coral reef is in the background as well as more fish. If you look closely, you can see some of my diving buddies behind the fish.

A large lobster trap was wedged under a rock outcropping. No lobsters, but you can see a large coral tree on top! Someone did see a small lobster - about 2 inches long. I call them crawdads...

This is as close as I can get to a self-portrait while diving. I'll keep working on it! Hopefully you can see that I am smiling because Shark's Cove is such a great diving site! Shark's cove doesn't get much deeper than 40 ft deep, so the 'blueness' is a little less pronounced.

There are many rocks and lava tubes and caves at Shark's Cove. Many have a "skylight" which makes for great pictures like this. I explored many caves from the outside because I didn't have a dedicated buddy for this dive (remember, I was just following along some other people's dive).

Needle fish are sometimes hard to see, but they are curious fish. If you swim slowly and let the current move you, they will often let you let very close. This picture was taken about 18 inches away. You can see his iridescent blue stripes down the length of his body.

It's not unusual to see schools of fish at Shark's Cove. Here, a long, large school of fish make their way to another rock to search for food. I sometimes find myself surrounded by fish who seem to consider me a moving shelter when they swim around.

So there you have it, another weekend in Hawaii. I will miss the access to stuff like this - of course, there are many new adventures awaiting me when I leave!