Oh, My! Was That Really Me?

When I visited my friend David (see last entry), he pulled out two photos he had taken of me more than 30 years ago!

These are the photos. In the first, mom is giving me a haircut. In the second, I'm walking in Milan with my sister.

Thank you, David! I didn't even remember my mom giving me haircuts! I hardly remember getting haircuts as a teenager!

Visiting David and Sohalia

David Mytton (at left in the first pic) was a very good friend of mine when I attended the American High School of Milan, Italy. I hadn't seen him in 30 years but the beauty of the Internet allowed us to find each other again and he and his lovely wife invited me to visit their home, which is in Palo Alto, between San Jose where I was teaching and San Francisco Airport, from where I was to fly home Friday night.

We had a wonderful time visiting, catching up, talking politics and social issues, all the while eating the homemade pizza they made. I felt as if I was back in Italy!

Now that we've seen each other, yes, it's obvious that time has passed, but at the same time, it's almost as if none has. What a wonderful thing it is to reunite with old friends!

Teaching Adobe Captivate in San Jose

Last Tuesday (Nov. 11), I taught a full-day preconference class at the eLearning Guild Conference in San Jose, California. The number of students? 54! The subject? Adobe Captivate.

It went remarkably well considering the number of students. I had to keep it slow to make sure students didn't fall behind, which happens all too easily in a class this big sometimes. I got very good evaluations on this class - yea!

More photos? Click here!

San Jose Sky

From my hotel room in San Jose this week, I took these photos. I love how the cloud cover stops at a certain point and lets the sun shine through in a bright layer. In the first photo, you can see where rain is coming down on the left.

A Very Good Philosophy

Though this is attributed to Charles Schulz, his estate has said he didn't write this. I still think it's a very good philosophy, whoever wrote it!

A Very Good Philosophy

You don't actually have to take the quiz. Just read this straight through and you'll get the point. It is trying to make an awesome point!

Here's the first quiz:

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.

2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.

3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America contest.

4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer prize.

5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.

6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

How did you do?

The facts are, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.

2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.

3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.

4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.

5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

6. Name half a dozen heroes whose stories have inspired you.

Easier?

The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care.

Steve's Leaf-Raking Party

Today my friend Steve had a leaf-raking party! Most of us brought rakes and removed all the leaves from his leaf-laden property. It was a beautiful warm fall day, and the leaves were in fact falling! Look at them fall in the second video below.

Steve had prepared some wonderful chili (which disappeared in an hour!), delicious stew and a table filled with other delicious foods. There was plenty of beer and sodas too.

Steve is one of the nicest, smartest (he won on Jeopardy and on Win Ben Stein's Money), he throws a mean frisbee and is a great 3D Animator. However, it's his great personality and loyalty that wins us friends over and make us willing to help him out whenever he needs it, just as we are sure he would do the same for us.

Thanks, Steve, for a fun day!

More photos? Click here!

House Breaks, House Fixed

A mighty wind broke our house this week. Well, at least a little piece of the house, specifically a piece of the flashing and a section of the soffit. The soffit had blown away and I had to look for it, finally finding it in my neighbor's yard.

Pic 1 - step 1. We're ready to put the piece of the soffit back in its place.
Pic 2 - Snapping the soffit section into place.


Pic 3 - Cut the flashing and starting to nail it in.


Pic 4 - ALL DONE!

House fixed! That wasn't so hard, was it?

Dogs in the Wind

Today was a gorgeous warm day and I had the windows down in the car. Of course that was the cue for my dog to stick his head out the window so that he could have the wind in his hair - and I mean the hair all over his body! So here's my question, not an original one: why do dogs love to stick their heads out of the window of a moving car but hate it when you blow air in their faces? If I blow air in the face of my dog, he immediately tries to stop me by licking my face!

In Rome

The Poster says: The World is Changing

Let's Kiss and Make Up

If these two can kiss and make up, why can't we all? McCain gave a wonderfully gracious speech last night, during which he said in all sincerity:

Senator Obama and I have had and argued our differences, and he has prevailed. No doubt, many of those differences remain. These are difficult times for our country, and I pledge to him tonight that I will do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face," McCain said. "I urge all Americans who supported me to join not only in congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and honest effort to find the necessary compromises to bridge our differences.

Let's bridge our differences.

Obama last night said in all sincerity:

Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House — a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress.

Let's bridge our differences.

America Wins!

The long campaign is over. Barack Obama is the new president-elect of the United States. In 2 1/2 months, Barack will move into the White House and start steering the United States away from the nightmare of the last eight years. It will take time and it will take our support, but he is a man of great intellect who knows how to surround himself with the right minds - that is how he won the Presidency, with intelligence and the wisdom to choose the right people to help him get there.

This is a historic moment, of course. An African-American is now President of the United States. Our history has included enslavement of those with dark skins, battles to keep slavery alive, and racism that still exists today, though luckily not at the levels seen in the past. This moment will be remembered in the history books. We will be able to talk with our children and grandchildren about how we voted during this election.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you who have helped make this happen.

Obama's Last Pre-Election Day Rally....Right Here in Virginia!

This was in Manassas, Virginia, the site of the first major land battle of the American Civil War, fought on July 21, 1861. Little more than 147 years later, it is the site of the last presidential rally by the man who will be the first African-American President of the United States. The marvel of it is that he has reached this position on his own merits, without bringing race into the picture. Others have, yes, but he has not.

The Manassas police force estimates that 100,000 people showed up - the largest crowd of people ever to gather in Prince William County!

More photos and lots of videos? Click here!

My Boss Christine

This is my "boss" Christine who has been directing my volunteer work on behalf of Obama. Though I have not had a lot of time to dedicate (very busy with work), she has been nothing but gracious and grateful for my help. She is actually a Californian helping out in Virginia, mostly on her own dime. That's dedication!

Free Starbucks Coffee Day!

Starbucks had declared that they would reward anyone who had voted today. Turns out that it's against Federal law to reward anyone for voting. So...they have declared that anyone who comes into Starbucks TODAY (Election Day) can ask for a free cup of coffee. Go for it!

Obama's Grandmother Has Died...The Day Before the Election

Barack Obama's grandmother just died of cancer, the day before the election. What a shame she wasn't able to see the grandson she helped raise win the presidency of the United States.

Obama HQ Again

Sunday before The Election. I spent another few hours helping out tat the campaign center near my house. I love these photos because they show human race - every color, every age, probably every religion. This is AMERICA. I wonder what the McCain offices look like?

More Ashburn Fall Colors

Don't you love fall? I do! I just wish it wasn't followed immediately by winter!

Drivers in Wales find translator out of the office!

Sat Nov 1, 10:03 am ET

LONDON – In English, the road sign was just fine, warning drivers that the route ahead is not suitable for heavy trucks.

But the translation in Welsh didn't work so well. "I am not in the office at the moment. Please send any work to be translated," it said.

Swansea Council says the embarrassing error occurred when officials didn't realize an e-mailed reply from a translator was a warning that he wasn't available, not the wording to be used on the sign.

Road signs in Wales and in some parts of Scotland often carry messages in English and a second language, usually without a problem.

Swansea Council spokesman Patrick Fletcher said Friday the misleading sign in Swansea, southern Wales, is being taken down and replaced.

Mich. woman: Supporting Obama? No treats for you

Sat Nov 1, 4:29 pm ET

GROSSE POINTE FARMS, Mich. – A suburban Detroit woman has decided to scare up the vote among neighborhood children by just offering treats to John McCain supporters.

Shirley Nagel of Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich., handed out candy Friday only to those who shared her support for the Republican presidential candidate and his running mate Sarah Palin. Others were turned away empty-handed.

TV station WJBK says a sign outside Nagel's house warned: "No handouts for Obama supporters, liars, tricksters or kids of supporters."

Nagel calls Democrat Barack Obama "scary." When asked about children who were turned away empty-handed and crying, she said: "Oh well. Everybody has a choice."

Fax and phone messages left at numbers for Nagel were not returned.

___

Information from: WJBK-TV, http://www.fox2detroit.com

It's November! Ashburn Fall Colors

It's November already and no complaints here because the temperature today was 73 degrees (Fahrenheit!) and the Fall colors were everywhere to be seen!

Ashburn sure is pretty this time of year!

More photos? Click here!

An Obama Day

Today I spent some time volunteering at our Ashburn Obama headquarters. For the life me, I don't remember ever feeling so energized or putting so much hope in the outcome of an election.

Watch this video!

My guinea pigs are cute and cuddly and all that but they also teach lessons on how to resolve conflicts! Watch this two minute video and see how funny they are when they struggle over a treat but how in the end they decide that cooperation is better than conflict!

Happy Halloween!

Yesterday was Halloween! As my wife had to work, I was the lucky one to hand out the candies and chocolates. We've lived in this neighborhood almost 12 years and we have seen children born and grow up, including those you see here! Aren't they cute?

I was afraid I might run out of treats to hand out and that I would have a terrible trick played on me. After all, look at how menacing these children look! But luckily, the children stopped coming before the candy ran out. We're safe for another year!