SIL Giants

...and they called them the Giants of the Academic World:
Hey folks! So yeah, a few people from my work organized an outing to Giants' Stadium! Thirteen of us from SIL saw the SF Giants edge the Detroit Tigers in that beautiful bayside park! If you haven't been to the park, you're missing out on one of--if not THE--best parks in MLB. They host other (sometimes cheaper) events there too, including free opera tonight and a free concert tomorrow night! As you can see, us teachers and a few sig-others all huddled together for warmth, which is great for building rapport between colleagues...and perhaps a bit of funny business.

The cluster to my right includes department chairs S. Riley (Science), J. Wilmore (History...one of my 5 bosses), and A. Sarver (English...another of my 5 bosses). Also represented are the Country of Australia (R. Gowers, the very old man to my left - English, literature, history), Nick ? (math) + fiancé (Stephanie?), M. Harker (biology, Spanish) + boyfriend (?), recently departed K. Chew (science) and her friend, A. Press (literature, history, whatever), and of course my beautiful bride Kirsten (Christmas-themed blanket, center). By the profuse question marks you can see that i know all of my co-workers very well...

Behind us sat a dude who brought a nice shiny trumpet on which he showcased his skillz for crowd-riling, "CHARGE!", the Dearth Vader theme song, and other fun jingles. From Richard i learned why "Lou Seal" is the Giants' mascot instead of, well, a giant! Apparently in the days before MLB came to SF a local coast league was called the Seals and/or played at Seal Stadium and Lou Seal is an extension of that local history. Plus, as Richard also added, a seal is much cuter and not as homely and intimidating as a giant might be! Besides, how would they actually pull off a giant, anway?!?! Summer project...

For my regular readers out there: i may have already reported this, but my current job is at a place called the School for Independent Learners (SIL here and above) where i teach/keep attention focused on: Spanish, Modern American Music History, Language and Composition (English), and anything else they throw at me that i think i can handle. I hope to get a German curriculum approved for the fall so i start teaching Deutsch, too!

TTFN!

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Happy Day!

Dish Hike

So! Two Sundays ago Kirsten and i conquered the locally renowned "dish hike" at Stanford University before heading off to church at PBC. 'Twas hot and schweaty (and a little rushed), but we made it out alive!

A few days later we took on a smaller portion of it in the evening right before closing time. We found out the 2nd time from a slightly grouchy security guard (they were closing and he probably just wanted to go home) that the main dish path loop is 3.7 miles. There are some other side trails which give access from different directions around the open space and which add a bit more distance to that number.

It's really quite beautiful and if you have a chance when you're in the area you should really check it out. There are some great views of the SF Bay and peninsula (especially on clear days). Enjoy some of my photos:

Golden rolling peninsular hills, Silicon Valley below and the East Bay's Diablo Mountain Range in the distance:
Stanford University with its landmark Hoover Tower and more of the Peninsula:
The Dish from afar (there are actually at least two dishes--this is the big one):A beautiful tree in bloom:
Kirsten on the trail, oak trees, golden brown hills, and dish:Cragged oaks + hills + dish:Another wide shot:Extreme close up!On the northerly side we came across this curious round building with some solar panels on top. From a distance and even close up it looks like the roof is only three feet or so off the ground! I suppose it must go under ground--let me know if you know anything about it!

Mystery Spot

Last Friday, Kirsten took me on what was publicized as a "Mystery Date"... i should have caught on.

Anyway, the drive up into the Santa Cruz mountains was BEAUTIFUL and destination #1 was the famous Mystery Spot. Needless to say, it was and is mysterious!

I had heard of this place growing up and often saw/see the bumper stickers gallivanting about, which the Mystery Spot shamelessly distributes to each tour (IF you remember the tour guide's name at the end...or even if you don't).

It messes with your perception or your magnetism or whatever. There is, like, molten magnetic lava under the Earth's crust in that 75 foot (23 meter) radius which rotates opposite the Earth's rotation in space or there are magnetic alien spacecrafts under the soil or whatever. All i know is, both Kirsten and i felt a little dizzy and weird. Apparently compasses and other instruments don't give correct readings over the patch of ground. 'Twas great fun!

Here are some photos of the pre-tour mountain beauty:
Ah, beautiful, fragrant redwoods! In the second photo above you'll notice all the branches grow on one side of the tree only. Our guide said this was due to the mystery of the Mystery Spot (there were other leaning trees and still others with weird crooked growth patterns, probably due to abnormal magnetism or your hallucination).

And now! The Spot!
This pendulum swung further on one side and was more difficult/heavier to push that direction than the other:These are just some other random blurry people on our tour being perspecto-magnetized:
Although this last photo of us at the Spot is slightly blurry too, the blurriness is not due to the mystery, but rather our tour guide's unsteady hand and/or ineptness at taking clear photos with a digital camera!


Then we went to destination #2 which was the beach--that patch where the Boardwalk is in Santa Cruz--where we relaxed and enjoyed the crashing waves with rainbow mist being blown back off the crests.
Before we left i snapped a shot of my beautiful ballooning bride and our little baby bundle (we found out earlier that day too that it's most probably a girl--there's always that chance of error, but the ultrasound doctors seemed pretty sure!):
Destination #3 was See's Candies for a half-pound box of chocolate and at Dillon's recommendation destination #4 was Seabright Brewery where we happened to catch a cool blues band called Swing Shift in addition to some yummy eats.

All in all, a grand day!

He makes the sign of the Z!

Ye few frequenters of this blog may have noticed that i have an occasional flare for slightly gross, certainly bathroomy humor from time to time. My standard disclaimer will appear again here: if you don't want potty images, skip this and read another post!








So! This particular bathroom seems to have proven magical as this is the 2nd story inspired from within its hiney hiders--Lo! Ye Olde Menlo Park Public Library Bathroom!

Today something came out of me
that made the sign of the Z!

I thought to myself, "Self,
Zorro has been here!"

That is all.

If you want the happs, Kirsten's blog is best

Because of my newly quite busy work schedule, i have been finding less free time to ruminate on things and subsequently post about them on the 'net. However, Kirsten has recently posted a barrage of life and pregnancy related blurbs and photos on her blog, and for her part has captured pretty well how thing are going for us right now and what the happs are. Check it out!

This weekend Kirsten's dad Stan is in town visiting us and we also had our good friend from Chapman Kelly Mahon in the house Saturday. Last night we all went for an excursion up to San Francisco which included: meeting up w/former roommate of mine Chris Paizis, driving down the famed windy section of Lombard Street (i think that was my fifth or sixth time, probably--i should start keeping a tally), and dining on various delectable chowders in bread bowls at the Blue Mermaid restaurant near the water. Afterward, we witnessed several night battles between loud, obnoxious, lumbering, giant beasts. Oh yeah, and a shouting match between some angry humans. Huzzah!