Showing posts with label hiking and the outdoors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hiking and the outdoors. Show all posts
4.28.2018
LEIF & LEONIDAS.
It couldn’t;
The sun could not be the center,
but then it was.
It couldn’t;
The earth could not be round,
but then it was.
It could not;
No one could score eight points in the final nine seconds to win a playoff game,
but then Reggie Miller did.
It most definitely could never ever happen;
A Viking and a Spartan will never be friends,
until they are.
And then you know anything is possible,
and all will come to pass.
11.04.2017
SPEAKERS FOR THE FRINGE.
I'm sure there are more than three things I'm thankful for, but only three things popped into my head this morning, so I'll list them below (see below). They have brought so much joy to my life. If I think of other things to add, I'll try to do so later.
1. FRINGE. The most underrated science-fiction network television show of all time that drew comparisons to X-Files with its far-out speculations and conspiracies, but whose beating heart was the poignant and sometimes hilarious relationship between father and son. So good. Dr. Lee Long, you sir, have some of the best characteristics of Dr. Walter Bishop. Love ya.
2. SPEAKER FOR THE DEAD. Orson Scott Card's follow-up to Ender's Game that raised the idea of what a sequel could truly be and surpassed the original.
3. TOWELS. If I had to get out of the shower every day and completely drip-dry, it would take me a lot longer to get ready, and water could possibly end up congealing on the floor and getting underneath to the subfloor and possibly walls, and if it made its way to structural supports it could collapse our entire house and if we were inside and everything came down around us, it would be dusty and we'd have to shower and the cycle would start all over again, except for not having a house. So we'd be camping for a while, unless our tent was ruined. I'm grateful for towels.
I'm going to put some hard thought today into whether there's more I can add to the list. Will keep you appraised and apprised. In the meantime, Happy Thanksgiving, and Gwen Stefani has a new Christmas album.
A LAD, A FOREST, A MUM.
a lad’s love for mom
is magnificent to behold;
whole-hearted loyalty
full-smiled royalty
unabashed
unbridled
undisguised ecstasy at being together wherever.
two-way trail.
pretty,
pretty awesome.
9.18.2017
HE IS HEAVY, AND HE IS HIS BROTHER.
to care,
and to be cared for.
that is a balanced life.
_____
#thehollies
5.28.2017
5.21.2017
IF ONLY THERE WAS A ZIPLINE.
___
Trying to not set expectations too high...but please, please please let Wonder Woman finally be the female-led superhero film on par with the greats that I've been waiting years for...
I have a good feeling. But I've been wrong twice before.
11.14.2016
7.02.2016
THIS IS A POLITICAL POST : CHILDHOOD IN THE GORGE.
There is no better high than discovery.
- Edward O. Wilson
COUPLED WITH:
...follow the path of virtue. It will not be overcrowded.
- Lloyd Alexander*, Westmark
*one of the great underrated and frequently underappreciated authors of the 20th century
5.28.2016
4.02.2016
10.19.2015
GATEWAYS & CONVERSATION #47,319
It's difficult to say who has had more influence on me:
Gary Larson (The Far Side), in learning about science and the role of humanity amongst all living organisms,
or Bill Watterson (Calvin and Hobbes), in learning about philosophy and the role of children amongst amongst all living humans. And Zorgs.
So grateful for both. Every time I stumble upon a collection of one or the other, I end up crying myself with mirth.
____
CONVERSATION #47,319
I've always wondered,
he asked from the backseat.
how actors in movies, in really long movies,
go to the bathroom.
His sister burst in before I could reply.
They don't shoot the whole movie all at once!
she said.
They say 'cut!' when they're shooting. So they can take breaks.
Well,
he persisted.
That would interrupt the movie.
And also,
he continued.
The flushing when people go to the bathroom would interrupt the movie and make it sound not very good.
Movies,
his sister explained.
are different from plays. In a movie, you can take breaks. In a play, it's actually kind of easier, because if you were wearing a costume during the play and you had to go to the bathroom, you could just pee in your costume and nobody would probably know.
Oh.
he said,
pondering.
But,
she laughed.
Peeing would be okay, but I don't think it would probably be a good idea to poop in a costume.
10.05.2015
WHAT COLOUR ARE PARACHUTES? I HONESTLY DON’T KNOW.
Daddy?
he asked.
What do you want to be in your future career?
Huh?
I said.
What,
he persisted.
Do you want to be in your future career someday?
Hmmm…
I said.
Maybe I’ll be a quant trader.
I don’t know what that is.
he said.
A quant trader,
I said.
deals in a complicated form of stock trading in which very sophisticated mathematical algorithms are built to quantitatively analyze the market and find investing opportunities. Thus, the phrase ‘quant.’ Does that make sense?
No.
he said.
It doesn’t. But I don’t think you’d be very good at it.
Why?
I asked.
Because.
he said.
You said you have to be good at mathematics, and I have to admit that you’re not very good at mathematics.
Not cool.
I said.
Sorry,
he said.
It just seems like you’re sort of not that good with mathematics.
Okay.
I said.
For the sake of discussion, let me think of another future career…maybe I’ll think about becoming a best-selling Swedish author. Like Stieg Larsson, who wrote the Millennium trilogy.
Well,
he said.
are you even Swedish? Do you even have Swedish blood?
I’m not sure.
I said.
But I’m married to someone who does.
What does it even mean,
he asked.
to have Swedish blood in your blood? I thought you just had Tillamook in your blood.
I suppose that’s true,
I conceded.
I spent a childhood in Tillamook.
Oh.
he said.
So what’s different about Swedish blood than Tillamook blood?
Well,
I said.
We should probably review chromosomes and DNA again to really understand what makes people unique. Do you remember what DNA stands for?
INTERMISSION.
short discussion about genetics and practicing pronunciation for deoxyribonucleic acid
So,
I concluded.
The bottom line is that I have very strong and powerful blood. And another career I might consider is becoming a detective.
Oh.
he said.
I think you should be a spy instead.
Why?
I asked.
Well.
he said.
Then you could spy on people.
But who would I spy on?
I asked.
He laughed.
Lots of people! Like…your family.
Oh.
I said.
But I already do that.
Well…
he said.
You could go to downtown Portland and spy on people there.
Like who?
Like…
he thought.
…like robbers. You could spy on robbers, and then when they were doing robberies, you could call the police.
That’s actually pretty good thinking.
I said.
But who would pay me? If I do it as a career, then I should probably get paid.
He shrugged.
It’s a start. Wish me luck.
3.21.2015
JUXTAPOSITION.
Ordinary activities in extraordinary places.
Amazing the magic that can happen when you
combine a couple normal things in unique ways,
or put together two ordinary ingredients that don't belong together,
or make a spectacular deal out of something trivial,
or simply find a fresh place to do something familiar.
One of my founding beliefs of existence is that food - and beverage - pretty much always tastes better outside.
A cup of chocolate on a big rock. Or mountain, depending on your perspective and size.
Amazing the magic that can happen when you
combine a couple normal things in unique ways,
or put together two ordinary ingredients that don't belong together,
or make a spectacular deal out of something trivial,
or simply find a fresh place to do something familiar.
One of my founding beliefs of existence is that food - and beverage - pretty much always tastes better outside.
A cup of chocolate on a big rock. Or mountain, depending on your perspective and size.
8.09.2014
PLACES: Oneonta Falls
First time taking the kids on the Oneonta Falls hike out in the Gorge. Hands down, one of the THE MOST FUN hikes we have taken them on in the last three years.
A little danger, a lot of water and wet, swimming underneath waterfall...what a fantastic family expedition. Highly recommend. Exit #28 if you're coming from Portland.
Thanks fellow friends for helping make it a blast as well!
A little danger, a lot of water and wet, swimming underneath waterfall...what a fantastic family expedition. Highly recommend. Exit #28 if you're coming from Portland.
Thanks fellow friends for helping make it a blast as well!
7.08.2014
THIS IS TWO: The Packing (video)
Our daughter turns seven this week. This is a short adventure from way back when she was a kid.
4.05.2014
A COLD HIKE, A HOT CUPPA SOMETHING WARM.
No matter the weather
or where you are
or who you're with,
or what you're doing,
the day always starts off a little better with a hot cuppa something good.
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