Monday, August 22, 2011

What a lovely weekend!


I have no idea what these flowers are, I saw them on my hike, growing wild along the path. I got out to hike both days, I got out early enough to enjoy the park before it got crowded. And before it got too hot!

Happy birthday to my cousin Erik

Happy birthday to my cousin Erik

Saturday, August 20, 2011

And The Answer Is…


Plateau! Technically, a plateau is when your weight loss stalls to a loss-or-gain of less than a half-pound a week for more than three weeks running.

National Radio Day

National Radio Day

Friday, August 19, 2011

Travelogue: Australia – Arrival


It was a struggle but it was worth the struggle. I was able to stay up until ten and then, a sleeping pill and a nice soothing playlist on the iPod and I slept like the dead last night!

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Travelogue: Australia – Lunchtime


Goodbye Chicago ~ Hello Lakewood
==============================

How can it still be breakfast time? I've already crossed an ocean and half a continent (well, a third…) and still it is not really time for lunch yet. I do not care, since someone will serve me a salad, I am eating lunch!

Travelogue: Australia – Homeward Bound


Goodbye London ~ Hello Chicago
==============================
"I'm sittin' in the railway station, got a ticket for my destination
On a tour of one-night-stands, my suitcase and guitar at hand
And every stop is neatly planned for a poet and a one-man band"
From "Homeward Bound
By
Paul Simon

Okay, it’s an airport, I've checked my baggage, I haven't played the guitar in years, and I've been in one place way longer than one night. But you get the point…

Happy birthday to my friend Barbara

Happy birthday to my friend Barbara

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Travelogue: Australia – Toys


There is something to be said for technology. Although I could never muster the patience to actually do any serious writing on the new tablet I bought to take on this trip. The touch-keyboard does not have the tactile feedback that I need to be able to touch-type.

Davie Crockett's Birthday

Davie Crockett's Birthday

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Travelogue: Australia – That's How You Do It!


I really was jetlagged yesterday! Somehow I misread my clock at the office and left an hour earlier than I thought I was. Granted, it was still a full day's work, but somehow, I looked at my watch and thought "Oh, good! It's five-thirty, time to leave." Only to discover that it was five as I was leaving the train station at Kilburn Park. Oops!

Happy birthday to my friend Ginger

Happy birthday to my friend Ginger

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Travelogue: Australia – Arrival

The flight was restive, but uneventful. It passed slowly, but it passed.

Travelogue: Australia – Five Minutes Of Beauty


Goodbye Bangkok ~ Hello London
==============================
While it might be nice to sit next to a window, the five minutes of beauty is not worth being trapped on the inside for the next nine hours. I cannot sleep on planes so I am often getting up to stretch.

Travelogue: Australia – In-Flight Entertainment


Along with the standard in-flight entertainment one might expect on an intercontinental/transoceanic flight; dinner, drinks, games, movies, and music; this flight was special for the OTHER in-flight entertainment. Namely, the dear ladies across the aisle.

Happy birthday to my friend Eric

Happy birthday to my friend Eric

Happy anniversary to Tim & Stephanie

Happy anniversary to Tim & Stephanie

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Travelogue: Australia – Transfer



Goodbye Sydney ~ Hello Bangkok
==============================
Goodbye Australia

I suppose that there are places in the states where this is also true, but I cannot understand why I have to go through a second security screening to board my connection in Sydney!

Travelogue: Australia – Departure


Goodbye Canberra ~ Hello Sydney
==============================

I've been packed since early this morning, Canberra time, and have been working hard to get onto London time in preparation for my flight today. It seems to work; if I spend a couple days getting ready for the trip, moderating my diurnal cycle to more closely match the time it is in my target time zone, and then it seems to reduce the amount of time that I spend getting over the Jet lag.

Happy birthday to my cousin Greg

Happy birthday to my cousin Greg

Friday, August 12, 2011

Travelogue: Australia – Environmentalism II


Always one to give credit where credit is due, I must say that the hotel I am staying at in Canberra (the Quality Hotel Dickson) does do one thing right. They actually do follow their water-saving plan elements. If I leave a towel hung-up they leave it there; drop it on the floor and it is replaced by a fresh one.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Happy birthday to my friend Tena

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/July_23

 

Hot Enough For Ya Day

Parents' Day

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parents_Day

 

National Talk In An Elevator Day

http://www.otisworldwide.com/

 

Happy birthday to my aunt Jennifer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/July_31

 

Mutt's Day

Mutt's Day

               

Travelogue: Australia – In The News…


Thanks to the friends and family who wrote me this morning asking about my status. Thankfully, I am still in Australia, but I am watching with great interest the activities going on back in London.

Travelogue: Australia – Happy Medium


I have always had the urge to giggle when I hear the phrase "strike a happy medium." It springs always creates the image in my head of a fortune teller skipping down a lovely garden path, her crystal ball bobbing along and winking merrily in the sun when all of the sudden her fun is cut short by a muscular arm whipping out from behind a tree and clocking her right on her perky little chin! In my mind, she then gets the entire cartoon treatment… Her eyes cross as she wobbles slightly and then, stars and planets orbiting her head, she keels over backward into the daffodil-strewn clover.

Construction Begins On Statue Of Liberty 1885

Construction Begins On Statue Of Liberty 1885

Tuesday, August 09, 2011

Atomic Bombing of Nagasaki in 1945

Atomic Bombing of Nagasaki in 1945

Travelogue: Australia – …But It's A Wet Cold…


In the American southwest there is a specific city (which shall remain nameless - sorry, Phoenix, no mention for you in this week's blog) that is fond of reminding you that although their average temperature is somewhere between the temperature of an industrial blast furnace and the actual surface of the sun, at least "…it's a dry heat!"

Monday, August 08, 2011

Travelogue: Australia – Canberra

One thing that I did learn this weekend is the reason that this city seems so spread-out; it was planned that way!

Sunday, August 07, 2011

Travelogue: Australia – Wildlife (?)


The rain was apparently the harbinger of a cold front. All day long the temperature has been dropping, and whilst it is still well above freezing, it is cold enough that I decided that I needed my leather jacket for more than protection from the rain. It was a bit brisk as I set out for the city center this evening.

Travelogue: Australia – Wildlife

One of my colleagues who is here more-or-less permanently; on contract for the long-haul of the conversion, made the very kind and generous offer to take me to the wildlife park for the day. It is off to the north of the town near where the NASA Radio Communications center is. This, I was assured, would be my chance to see some of the native wildlife in its natural surroundings!

Happy birthday to my friend Bill

Happy birthday to my friend Bill

Happy birthday to my friend Cody

Happy birthday to my friend Cody

Friday, August 05, 2011

Travelogue: Australia – Be Careful What You Wish For!

Yesterday as I got into the car on the way to work, I told my colleague that "today's the day" and that I was going to get a view of a kangaroo. I really wish I had been a bit more specific. I did get a view of a kangaroo but unfortunately, it was kind-of like saying that I saw a deer on the interstate. Sadly, it was road kill.

Travelogue: Australia – Local Flavor


When I travel, I always hope to take in a little of the local flavor. I have been here and week and I am not at all sure what the local flavor might be here in Australia. I have yet to see something calling itself an Australian restaurant.

Thursday, August 04, 2011

Travelogue: Australia – Offset


For those of you who have not traveled vast distances from home, let me tell you; getting there and back is likely not to be the thing that is likely to be the toughest thing that you have to deal with. For me, the thing that is the hardest to keep straight in my mind is what time and day it is.

Happy birthday to my aunt Gina

Happy birthday to my aunt Gina

Happy birthday to my cousin Kristin

Happy birthday to my cousin Kristin

Wednesday, August 03, 2011

Travelogue: Australia – Still No Sightings


There has been very little time for sightseeing since I came to Canberra. I have had a chance to walk around the general area of the hotel but have been too busy during the days to have the energy to go too far at night.

Tuesday, August 02, 2011

Travelogue: Australia – 'Roo Crossing

You see them all over the states, those deer crossing signs; and yet, how often do you actually see deer at the crossing. (I wonder if the deer actually know where they are supposed to be crossing the highway.)

Monday, August 01, 2011

Travelogue: Australia – Jetlag


It is fairly well known to my readers, friends, and relatives that I have very little problem recovering from jetlag; at least when traveling this direction – east – around the globe. At least usually that is true. But I suppose that it doesn't matter which direction you have traveled when you make two-thirds of the circuit.

So I did everything I could to get over it. I took a nap when I got in and then stayed-up most of the day; I explored the neighborhood. Yesterday I was up only a bit earlier than usual so I made myself a bit of coffee and did a bit of reading and around sunrise I walked down to the war memorial and back, about a 10k jaunt. Other than that, I took it easy.

This morning, I am happy to report, I was asleep until practically the hour I would have slept to back home in the states. Which is good, my client meetings start today. Well, here’s hoping!

Wherever you are today, I hope that your week starts off well!

Don Bergquist – 01 August 2011 – Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia

Happy birthday to The Internet!


Happy birthday to The Internet!