Thursday, July 27, 2006

DAC Attack

I had expected DAC in SF to be this brilliant mixture of work and play. Well the play bit never materialized. It's Thursday evening and I'm spent with nothing fabulous to do tonight. Fortunately, I was able to stay at the W and have a nice space to work from. But the hopefull wishes of doing something great every night were not to be. I'm like a kid in a candy store saying "this candy sucks". Something is wrong. I need to revert to my default "expect nothing and be pleasently surprised" behavior. Whaa, whaaa, whaa!

I did however meet Jerimiah and Eden at the bar and lead concierge Megan provided direction on how Susan and I can get a "Groovy Corner" next time we are out.

Sunday, July 23, 2006

July Jet Set

More densely scheduled travel this July than I can rememeber in some time. Three west coast trips in as many weeks. Just back from Park City where the braintrust of FPGA mezzanine IO gathered.

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Summer `06 is Here

Busy, busy, busy. A cascade of little dramas, tension and release, that make up life’s rich pageant. One little drama has been ye olde Ski Nautique. Now ten years old with about 450 hours, a few weeks ago my watersking experienced “22 interuptus” as a worn impeller forced a ten day hiatus just as I begun hitting -22. A few years back I would be through -22 and onto -28 in June. This year it is July. So anyhow, the new impeller goes in, probably providing more water pressure and volume to the cooling system than in several years and guess what? The heater core springs a leak! The driver gets some 150 degree water on their leg when they throttle up. So the boat is, of course, drivable, but another thing to fix or have fixed. Anyone who skis in New England knows that having heat for the driver (come September) is a really good thing.

Another sign of summer is the concert and festival season. With Bonnaroo in the rear view mirror and Vibes ahead, what is one to do? Well Phil / GRAB at Tweezer Center will do. I’ve never been a huge Phil phan, but this one sure helped the cause. Both sets were great. Joan Osborne has really found her mark and brings so much to the show. And to hear Trey voice each and every note of “St. Stephen” with his own Trey-ness is so cool.

Lots of travel for work this July: Three west-coast jaunts in as many weeks. I’m outbound on the first as I write this. But now I’m back.

We had a terrific weekend up at Stinson Mountain Lake. No evidence, er photos, to speak of. And off I go back to the left coast again tomorrow. Plan to catch Umphrey’s tonight!

Saturday, July 08, 2006

SML Retrospective

It has been seven years now that Lori has hosted her Smith Mountain Lake shindig. I seem to show up on the even years. Click through the photos below for 2000, 2002, 2004, and 2006 respectively.



Tuesday, July 04, 2006

SML 2006

I just finished spending a few days frolicking with old (and new) friends at Smith Mountain Lake. Lori’s shindig started as a reunion deal; but it has evolved (devolved?) into something more than that. This year was interesting in that there were a cadre of people who I barely knew thirty years ago when we were classmates at Onteora. Sitting here in the Roanoke airport, nearly empty on this July 4th evening, I wish I was still there feasting on Sam’s “extra-healthy” ribs and drinking my gin and tonic. Harold, Sarah, Mark, Melissa, Maureen, Laura, Chris, Mich, Sam and Lori; I love you guys. Now ask Liana and Margaret to please make my G&T at once! And where the heck was Nick (Neeek) when you needed him to make us all look good.


Saturday, July 01, 2006

Impeller Failure

I think the impeller has failed in my 1997 Ski Nautique, even though it was changed two years ago. (PCM 5.8L GT-40 engine, 450 hours) I ran the shower for the first time this season and I suspect some of the rusty water in the system went back toward the pump damaging or jamming the impeller. Or maybe the failure is just a coincidence. Regardless, no fresh water is drawn in through the clear and unobstructed Sherwood line strainer. So I’m guessing impeller failure. It's a bummer because I just started poking into -22; as is the case most every July!