February 13, 2007

Second day of the cruise. Yesterday was a long sea day spent moseying around the ship and catching up with the family.

Just briefly in New Orleans on embarkation day. From what I saw, the city is recovering, but I don’t think I’d really want to visit there anyway.

Today our port was Muhual, Mexico. For PR purposes, it’s billed as Costa Maya. Muhual is a tiny town of maybe 1000 permanent residents. JTN, DB and I spent the day at a beach bar and restaurant called Pez Quatros. Had a relaxing time sitting in the shade people watching, drinking, and just doing nothing.

While the NCL Sun is one of the poorer designed ships, the food is outstanding. This is the direct opposite of our last cruise on the RCCL Radiance. Great ship – average food.

DB has a suite on the front of the ship with a large balcony. The whole gang gathered there to watch us pulling into port. I expect that we’ll all do the same again tomorrow.

Tomorrow’s port is Santo Thomas de Castillo. I wonder if there’s a Santo Danny et Marlo Thomas de Castillo?

Routine Day

Just got back from running chores. Stopped by S&T's Soda Shoppe for a sandwich.


Then I went to Lowes Home Improvement to pick up some hangers for my new Wind Chimes. They are a really pretty color of metallic blue and the light weight aluminum catches the slightest breeze so they are singing almost all the time.


I think I need some more stuff hanging on the deck trellis.

And I stopped at the Hippie Dippie Food Co-op to get milk and a coffee. The local farm milk really does taste fresher and better. Even the low fat and skim milk tastes richer and fuller. Not watered down like the milk from the regular grocery store.


The Chatham Marketplace is located in a former textile factory and is actually a good example of a local stock ownership business venture operating in the free market without subsidies.


In the parking lot was this car. Zoom in and first note that it's a Pious Hybrid with the requisite bumper sticker. LOL


Picked up my dry cleaning and now I'm back home.

Need to pack.

Later I need to drive into Cary to pick up a gift card my sister left at nephew ADH's house. Maybe I'll pick it up on the way to the airport tomorrow.

Kind of Sad Actually

I despise 'reality' TV. Not from an intellectually superior - I'm above all that perspective. Reality TV honestly bores the heck out of me. When channel surfing I'll absorb small doses. But when people talk about celebrities or worse yet, send me emails with news links about some idiot drunken self-absorbed twit - I feel as though my time has not only been wasted in chasing the link but that a small piece of my life has been robbed from me that Ill never get back.

There is one show that when I stumble across it, I always stop to watch - The Soup on the E! cable network. It's a clip and rip show making fun of reality TV. Hilarious.

I did used to watch the Anna Nicole Smith Show. My nephew, ADH got me to watch it. As he put it - "It's like a train wreck you just can't turn away from watching".

I eventually got to where, I won't say I liked Anna Nicole Smith, but I felt kind of concerned for her. The groupie user faux friends that surrounded her and all the idiotic drama queen stuff made me wonder if she was super smart to play up that angle for the TV show - or was she really that sad and couldn't see though all the falseness and realize how she was being used? Kind of a 'little girl lost' response.

The upshot is, I felt kind of sad actually when I heard that she died this week. Normally I would feel some smug satisfaction when a self-indulgent loser 'gets what's coming to them' - but not in this case. My immediate response kind of surprised me.

Cruise

Heading out Sunday for a cruise to the Western Caribbean. Stops include Mexico, Belize and Guatemala. It's our annual winter cruise the family and I go on. The roomie JN and good friend DB are going with us.

Talked JN into going on his very first cruise last Fall. He was reluctant at first as he just couldn't see what all the big deal was about - possibly boring with a bunch of people just laying about and shopping - not that big on eating rich foods - I'm not going to wear a farking suit for dinner - etc. - the usual stuff.

When I asked him towards the end of the trip how he had liked it - he said - and I quote: "I'm not getting off the ship". LOL

This trip - he's already packed. I'm looking at his bags lined up here in the living room - ready to go - as I type this entry. His suit is hanging on the closet door for me to put into my garment bag.

I'll pack later today. Our flight leaves Sunday morning - 1100.

As one of my co-workers who also takes his family on an annual cruise puts it - "If you can't have fun on a cruise, then you just can't have fun anywhere".

That same co-worker is one of my live and die with the WolfPack buddies - so he's taking his son Clayton to the State-Maryland game while I'm gone. The other game I'll miss is Virgina Tech - State which JN's Dad and brother-in-law are going to.

The farking ship better have ESPN. And not the South America futbol feed either!

Go WolfPack!

Niikuri Hiro

I have received your many email.

I have sent many reply to your emails.

I do not think my email reply are getting to you.

I think the kanji in your address are stopping email from me to you.

Please try again.

I am fine.

Glad to know you are doing fine.

Good to hear your son is going to be a race car driver.

Google NASCAR.

LOL

I see you read blog every day.

Thank you.

Bill

How Sweet It Is

CBS Recap

I've pointed out before that we are a very thin, at best, team. From the CBS recap, you might want to note that State was able to put a total of 7 players on the floor. It used to be 6 but Atsur is slowly recovering from his season long injury and he was able to play a few minutes in this game.

UNC was able to put in 7 players from their bench.



What a great victory for Coach Sidney Lowe.

Will State get to play in the post season? Maybe squeak into the NIT?

Not Gonna Happen.

What we're doing is building a foundation for the future. Playing hard. Having fun playing. Enjoying the game. Something to show potential recruits - that they can come to NC State and play for a Coach who's fun to play for, is inventive, knows the game, and knows how to play as hard as we can - even in losses.

Odds makers had us as a 20 point underdog.

Which makes today's upset over arch rival #3 UNC all the sweeter.

What a week for Coach Lowe.

A road win Wednesday over #15 VT. Now this.

I'm so proud of these kids.

How sweet it is.

BTW

We here at NC State put the students courtside. Us Wolfpack Club members sit further away behind the students. You have to put the kids courtside because they have all the energy and cheer the team on no matter what. Here's something from a student:



Sendek

I really shouldn't do this - water over the dam and under the bridge - but here goes.

Herb Sendek at Arizona State is 6 - 16 overall and 0 - 11 in the Pac 10 conference.

Don't fret Sun Devils - Herb will have you rocketing to mediocrity in no time at all.

Bonsai

I’ve been working out of town this week: In Black Mountain, which is an outer country suburb of Asheville.

Staying in Black Mountain was a nice surprise. A combination of rural town, artist community and outdoor sports location (hiking, canoeing, hunting – not a ski resort).

Numerous great restaurants. I recommend My Father's Pizza, Black Mountain Bistro and the German Restaurant.

There’s always a photo opportunity wherever I go.

The photo above is ‘fat cat’ Zoro lounging on the sofa in front of the window of the caretaker’s cottage at the Swannanoah 4H Camp. During snow.

On Friday, I was working at the NC Arboretum. Well worth a visit. These photos are from the greenhouse.