Have you seen Deltas new inflight video? It has been getting some press attention because the girl in the video (the narrator) is Chris Heiser hot. It is far to long at over 4 minutes and has a very scary end. I guess you have a captive audience and there is always someone on the plane who has no idea how to buckle a safety belt? Let me know what you think.
Looking for some place special to spend that much needed vacation. I think our friend Blanco has found it for you and me. Of course you will have to travel 24 or more hours on a plane from the US, but it will be worth it! Staying in a Hobbit Hole while visiting New Zealand, is sure to be the envy of all your friends. Think about it, fresh butter, whole goats milk and maybe even some pipeweed. I know what you are saying, where do I sign up.
4 Million dollars. That is how much it is going to cost to stay in the first space hotel. A company based in Barcelona says that by 2012 they will have an orbiting hotel fully operational. So you and your very wealthy friends can jet off to stars to see the sun rise and set 15 times in one day.
Of course it is not for the faint of heart, the ball busting ride aboard a rocket to the station is sure to send many searching for the sick bag. What awaits you once on board other than than the spectacular views is something they call the spa room. Which I invisioned as having hot alien girls rubbing exotic oils all over my body. Not the case however, the spa is really just a room filled with water and bubbles that keep you clean during your stay. Boring. I guess there is always the 60k club?
Last Thursday I headed out for a five day vacation that would include two concerts, three movies and many drinks. The best thing about taking a vacation is the build up to that day. Nothing in the world can shake you when you are about to go on vacation. Buildings can blow up, computers can stop working, people can shit on your whole being. Because all you are thinking is, tomorrow I will be on vacation and none of this shit will matter. I love it! It is better then sex, ok maybe not, but damn close.
On Thursday we saw Harry Connick Jr. It was my third time and not the best. The weather was crap, the temp was hovering around 40 degrees and gloomy. Harry played mostly new stuff and only came out for a very short encore. Dont get me wrong, it was still a great concert, just saying I have been more impressed by him.
To quote a girl at Salon I visited on Saturday, Harry Connick Jr. sings? The youths of today, clueless.
Saw three movies over the course of my little break from life. The first, Ocean 13 was pure summer fun. This is the third Ocean movie and I am sure it is not the last. Everyone one is dead on handsome in this movie and the script, while lacking some key action, was spot on funny! Paris, je t’ aime, I saw the same day as Ocean and if you have not heard of this movie click on the link and read about it. The movie is 18 short 5 minute love stories by different directors and actors from all over the world. It is just fantastic! I could go on and on about this movie, easily one of the best I have seen this year. It is still in limited release, but if you live in a good size city you should be able to find it. The third and final movie, La Vie en rose, I saw at the Breckenridge film festival. While it was a bit long, it was one of the better bio pics I have seen in recent memory. Not sure you need to rush out and see this in the theater, that is unless you are a huge Edith Piaf fan. Which means you are over 60, hi grandpa! Catch it on video, Marion Cotillard’s performance is amazing!
On Sunday night we saw the Police, no the band. I have seen Sting a number of times and his concert performances all stick out as some of the best I have ever seen. His talent is unmatched and with the reunion of his old band it is a incredible musical force. I had some doubt whether a band that has been apart for so many years could be as good as they once had been. But let me tell you I quickly put that doubt away when they rocked it non-stop for an hour and thirty minutes with three encores! The police have been a constant music favorite of mine, pretty much my whole life. Seeing them live was a surreal experience that I will never forget. Easily one of the top five concerts I have seen. If you have the chance this summer to see them, do it.
Friends, Family, Movies, Concerts, Drinks make one hell of a good vacation. Thanks to everyone that I stayed with, spent some time with and spent some money on. Lets do it again soon!
One final thought on concerts. Why do people leave early? The Police are close to the last set, right in the middle of Roxanne and people are taking off. What the hell is that about??
Here is the first set of pictures from Italy. I am guessing we will be seeing many more sets from across the pond. We all know how Chris loves to snap, snap snap. Right now it looks as though there are only 56, anyone want to put some money on the total pictures taken between Chris and his mother?
A wise man said, sometimes it is ok to just stop and look.
I am home now after just a short 20 some hours of travel. I am definitely feeling the effects of the time change, more than I did when I was in Singapore. It has been hard sleeping and I found myself up reading though the early morning hours.
Singapore was fun, clean and safe with great food and friendly people and very western. Almost too western with all its McDonald’s and 7-11 and did I mention they love KFC. But really who doesn’t love KFC?
People have been asking me today what was the best thing I did, or what my lasting impression was. I would have to say the beauty of the place. It is so green and lush and clean, which is a plus to someone like me. Germs, well I have some issues. Let’s not go into it, no Howard Hughes jokes Pop. I enjoyed the mix of culture, something that is lacking here in whitey land. The food and tastes from all over the world were fantastic. I was surprised to see my Father eat fish, or crab. You know it is good if he is eating anything from the ocean. What really stands out is service. I am huge fan of great service, but who isn’t. No Chuck not that kind of service? It didn’t matter where we went, from the small home run restaurant to up scale upper priced, the service was great. I have not been waited on like that since that time Chris and I were in that flop house in Vietnam. But that is a story for another day. One of the best things about Singapore dinning is the hot towel. Ever place you eat you are given a hot towel for your face and hands. What a joy! I wish that was something that happened here more often. In one Japanese restaurant every time you used one towel the replaced it, needless to say I went through a few. Poor girl just kept running back and forth fetching towels. Did I mention no tipping! There is a tax, but still less than 10%. They are working that hard and not getting tipped. Can you imagine what eating out in this country would be like with no tipping? Everything would be self serve.
What a wonderful time I had though! It is an experience I will never forget. It has opened my eyes to a part of the world I wasn’t sure I would see. It is funny how being away from your life allows you to refocus when you return. I feel anew again and energized, although being back at work with the lag is no fun. Being able to go somewhere with out my cell phone was a much needed break for me. It’s funny how little I missed it, although it was pretty lonely in bed. It is the vacation I have been talking about taking for the last few years. Being removed from my everyday was the break I needed!
Thanks Mom and Dad, you have proven your worth again and I swear if I ever have kids I will tell them how great you are. If you get the chance to travel to this part of the world, a part of the world without SUV’s, you should. I think every American would benefit from seeing the world outside his or her bubble. I love this country, America, but I can see leaving for another place would have its upside.
In the next couple of days I will post all of the pictures from the trip. I also have another blog I want to write, but we will see if it gets done.
PS
Hot women with really cool cell phones, big plus on this trip, big plus! I thought how one of my friends, and you know who you are, would have a hard time coming home because of all the hot Asian women.
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As we walked about today you could hear X-mas music and everything is decorated for the season. Now, I know that it is late November and less than a month till Christmas, but it 90F and 100% humidity. It feels nothing like Christmas here and every time I hear Bing Crosby belt out “White Christmasâ€, I laugh out loud.
Best part of the day was hearing Feliz Navidad on the bus to do some mid-day shopping. Nothing like listing to Spanish Christmas tunes in South Asia; it reminds you just how small a world we live in.
Hope you all have a wonderful Monday. This is my last day here in Singapore and I am sleeping, drinking, shopping and swimming, not in that order.
PS
I can’t wait to get home, all this time with my parents. I think I am starting to form thoughts like they do! I can here them in my head!!! Love you guys!
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Looking for something to eat this morning? Its times like this I wish I was eating meat!
We arrived here last evening at around 11:30 pm. It was an incredibly fun time! If you ever have the chance to spend some 20 hours on airplane, in coach, take it. Never have my legs been so happy with me. I have a nice numbing pain I feel all over my body but it is worth it, it is incredible here! Dealing with a bit of jet lag so I will keep it short, check out the first set of photos.
Here is a link to some of the first pictures from the Sing
Photos
This blog was written in the heat of it last week. I originally posted the blog after meeting my brother’s girlfriend. I think my reaction whereas founded, maybe could have been left out of the blogging world. Over the last couple of days, I have had some calls on a repost. So, here is the blog, posted last week with a few minor corrections. If you are reading this, and you know who you are, I am really a good guy.
Over the last couple of months my dear brother has been dating a new woman. Everything I have heard about her has been nothing but great! She is smart and good looking and has been taking care of my little bro. Last week my mother had come to Reno to visit and had giving this new lady rave reviews. My mother, who can be as critical as I, wonder where I got it, said she was great! Now, given that, I came into meeting her with nothing but high expectations. Even though she and my bro had been having a little tiff, I thought nothing but roses for this girl.
Today, I had the pleasure of meeting her in person. She is exactly the kind of women my brother has been bringing home his entire life, strong, big boned and pretty. The initial meet went well, then I opened my mouth and started to talk and it all went downhill. I am not going to lie to you; I can be the biggest jerk in the world. My comment to her, whereas it was well within Jim, was taken seriously and right to heart. Two things about people that I find problematic are, one; week willed and two; low confidence in themselves. Both of which she seems to have! What a combo, sad.
Needless to say, my 20 min visits with her did not go well. At one point she attacked me personally, yes personally, she doesn’t even know me. She felt, I guess that a personal attack would make her bigger than me. To quote my 8th grade teacher, “the only reason you put someone down, is to make yourself feel betterâ€. She was mean, really mean.
If my behavior was to over the top, I apologize to her, which I did in person. She has a predetermined idea of me, that is not who I really am. Her loss is my gain. She has reminded me again how important it is not to be too quick to judge. This is something, I have been trying hard to change in my life and she has given me a perfect example of how not to be. Who says the youth of American can’t teach us new tricks.
Phill, I am truly sorry to have put you through this day. I know this girl means a lot to you and for that I respect your choice. Please, except my apology and know I love you BRO!
