From: thousand oaks, ca
whiteville, nc
Now residing: central asia
What: back overseas!
27 April 2009, 12:04 PM
finding myself in wonder yet again...
had some new friends visit. went camping with branden this past fri-sat at a place quickly becoming my favorite local campsite (30 min drive, 90 min hike, a meadow to pitch your tent between 3 towering cliffs, and a roaring glacial river to lull you to sleep). on saturday morning we scaled one of those said cliffs to earn this view of nearby 12,000+ foot peaks, and just marveled at it all. once again - i feel terribly small in the scale of things. and that's a good thing.
we've been well. spring has arrived in all it's glory - which is days of rain and days of sun dancing opposite each other. it's raining now, which is good, at least for the garden and the new lawn in our backyard.
hope you are well too.
had some new friends visit. went camping with branden this past fri-sat at a place quickly becoming my favorite local campsite (30 min drive, 90 min hike, a meadow to pitch your tent between 3 towering cliffs, and a roaring glacial river to lull you to sleep). on saturday morning we scaled one of those said cliffs to earn this view of nearby 12,000+ foot peaks, and just marveled at it all. once again - i feel terribly small in the scale of things. and that's a good thing.
we've been well. spring has arrived in all it's glory - which is days of rain and days of sun dancing opposite each other. it's raining now, which is good, at least for the garden and the new lawn in our backyard.
hope you are well too.
18 February 2009, 11:49 AM
the mediterranean is throwing?
miranda and i went to turkey last week on business. it was raining for the entire time we were there, save one day, as pictured in this entry. no one could have ever told me that the mediterranean sea ever had tubes on its beaches... i went out and played in them for a bit (not NEARLY as cold as the pacific, but it ain't hawai'i temperatures either...) before the lack of familiarity and the rocky tear-your-feet-up shoreline got the better of me.
the steel grey color and somewhat unpredictable sets did remind me of SoCal, but this wasn't zuma by any stretch of the imagination. peak wave was MAYBE three feet per set, in two feet of water, and that was ONE wave, if you were lucky. and all due to stormy weather...
not complaining though! where i currently make home is thousands upon thousands of miles from any ocean, making 'landlocked' too simple a description.
we're back home now in central asia, and enjoying the mild winter (mid 30s at nite, lower 50s in the day). hope you are as well, wherever you are...
not complaining though! where i currently make home is thousands upon thousands of miles from any ocean, making 'landlocked' too simple a description.
we're back home now in central asia, and enjoying the mild winter (mid 30s at nite, lower 50s in the day). hope you are as well, wherever you are...
10 February 2009, 7:48 AM
back in the 'stan
actually, we've been back here for some time, just finally getting around to putting something up here. although it was an adjustment arriving from NC to central asia, the winter has turned out to be extremely mild. we did came back to snow, but not all that much snow. the picture above is from when we drove to the outskirts of town that is a little higher in elevation (and away from too much foot traffic).
back in mid-jan when we arrived in our city, our house was a chilly 32F, and it took fully 3 days to get it up to a tepid 65. thick, concrete walls and a lack of insulation in the roof pretty much prevents warmth from sticking around for too long.
it's good to be back! the house is warm now, the snow this past week was beautiful, and we're excited for this next semester.
an adventure indeed, this life...
actually, we've been back here for some time, just finally getting around to putting something up here. although it was an adjustment arriving from NC to central asia, the winter has turned out to be extremely mild. we did came back to snow, but not all that much snow. the picture above is from when we drove to the outskirts of town that is a little higher in elevation (and away from too much foot traffic).
back in mid-jan when we arrived in our city, our house was a chilly 32F, and it took fully 3 days to get it up to a tepid 65. thick, concrete walls and a lack of insulation in the roof pretty much prevents warmth from sticking around for too long.
it's good to be back! the house is warm now, the snow this past week was beautiful, and we're excited for this next semester.
an adventure indeed, this life...
16 January 2009, 12:37 PM
last day in NC
in 8 hours our plane will be taking off and heading east, WAY east, to get us back home to central Asia. today, the weather here snapped to frigid, maybe helping to make our deep-within-winter arrival not as shocking.
first task, running around the house to get the water-heater-system filled back up with water (i drained it before we left so the pipes wouldn't freeze from lack of use) and getting that coal fired up something fierce. then, rest. the body is resilient, but needs time, to comprehend the change of eleven time zones.
our time here has been incredible; thanks to our family and friends for dealing with our re-integration into American culture, and for all the unbelievable treatment we received.
loved, we feel, to great depths. we'll see you soon, yet again.
first task, running around the house to get the water-heater-system filled back up with water (i drained it before we left so the pipes wouldn't freeze from lack of use) and getting that coal fired up something fierce. then, rest. the body is resilient, but needs time, to comprehend the change of eleven time zones.
our time here has been incredible; thanks to our family and friends for dealing with our re-integration into American culture, and for all the unbelievable treatment we received.
loved, we feel, to great depths. we'll see you soon, yet again.
05 January 2009, 5:44 PM
the (politically) windy city
i've always loved chicago - the prevailing old-school architecture, the amount of sheer concrete cliffs towering all around you; there's just a lot to see (and a lot to be taken back by). on the first day of the year we showed some friends around, did the skydeck, and just enjoyed the immensity.
later that same day, they had to leave, and a friend, JD, blew in from CA. he introduced is to by far the most upper-class restaurant i've ever eaten at, the chicago firehouse. when we arrived, the lady at the door asked to take our coats - it was then that remembered JD saying it was a more 'dressy' place. whoops. i took off my hat...
amazing steak, seafood and service - a dinner i doubt i'll be able to forget. thanks man. good times, yet again.