Today my daughter experienced her first candle light vigil. Her diving coach's son and her friend died yesterday. He was only 16 years old but in that short span he touched a vast number of people with his smile, kindness, and good natured personality.
My daughter is handling it well but I couldn't help but give her a big hug after the vigil because I cannot imagine what it is like to lose a child.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Day 58: Orange Nehi
I've been spending quite a bit of time with my daughters lately so today I decided to take Little Boy out to eat for lunch. His favorite pit stop in Richmond is The Boardwalk. But don't let this tiny and unpretentious establishment fool you. They serve the best hot dogs I've ever eaten. They even beat the dogs that are served on the hot dog carts in NYC but that's a story for another day. Anyway, my son gets the Sgt Santa dog which is as plain as they come but I on the other hand opt for the Kraut dog. The Kraut Dog is sauerkraut, spicy mustard, and swiss. Now along with our dogs, we spring for Orange Nehi to wash down our dogs and here is the bottle cap to prove it.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Day 57: Cinderella's "Glass" Slippers
I'm a lucky fella! I found Cinderella's "Glass" Slippers. I know a little princess who will be quite happy when she wakes up tomorrow and sees them.
Day 56: Concept II Rowing Machine
In December, I made my first Craigs' List purchase. As far I can tell, I got a great deal.
I don't run as much as I used to and biking in the winter is just rough so I ended up taking up rowing and I love it. They had these rowing machines when I was in college at William and Mary and I enjoyed using them then. You could imagine my surprise when I found one that was in excellent condition. It provides a great workout without all the hassles of going out in the cold or going out to the gym.
Row, row, row your boat!
I don't run as much as I used to and biking in the winter is just rough so I ended up taking up rowing and I love it. They had these rowing machines when I was in college at William and Mary and I enjoyed using them then. You could imagine my surprise when I found one that was in excellent condition. It provides a great workout without all the hassles of going out in the cold or going out to the gym.
Row, row, row your boat!
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Day 55: The Water Tower
Today we found ourselves being dwarfed by one of Henrico County's most famous landmarks. The "Welcome to Henrico County" water tower is visible from Interstate 64 but as one can see here, we could almost reach out and touch it. It quickly became a topic of conversation with my kids and the science guy in me couldn't help but talk about water pressure, lightning rods, volume, etc...
Fortunately for me they know that their dad will almost always find a way to incorporate science. I just can't help it! I have a passion the science.
Fortunately for me they know that their dad will almost always find a way to incorporate science. I just can't help it! I have a passion the science.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Day 54: My Shy Daughter
It was my daughter's first day of physical therapy today and while she was stretching, I thought I would be able to sneak a photo. Well, as you can see, I was unsuccessful or as she would tell me, "FAIL".
Anyway, I enjoyed some primo father daughter time.
Anyway, I enjoyed some primo father daughter time.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Day 53: Sleeping Beauty
Preparing the wee one for bed is one of my favorite daily rituals. We read stories, listen to music, laugh, play dolls, and eventually brush our teeth. But right before she goes to bed, she prepares a small sleeping area for me on the floor complete with cushion and blanket. Once asleep, I sometimes find myself just gazing at her because she is my princess aurora.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Day 52: Gaston is ready for spring
With a high close to 60 degrees today, one would never know that we had 3 large snowstorms in 2 months. Well we took full advantage of the warmth and Gaston had lots of play time. He loves to retrieve tennis balls but you better have a second on hand because he'll never give this one up.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Day 51: Old Fashioned Barbershop
This morning, I found myself in older section of the city. If I'm not mistaken, this part of the city is either western Jackson Ward or Carver. That said, across the street from Maggie Walker HS, was this barbershop. Now I don't have a problem going to places like Supercuts or the HairCuttery, but nothing beats a hair cut from a barber.
Do you know why the barber pole is white, red and blue?
Do you know why the barber pole is white, red and blue?
The origin of the barber pole is associated with the service of bloodletting.[1] During medieval times, barbers performed surgery on customers as well as tooth extractions. The original pole had a brass basin at the top (representing the vessel in which leeches were kept) and bottom (representing the basin which received the blood). The pole itself represents the staff that the patient gripped during the procedure to encourage blood flow.
The red and white stripes symbolize the bandages used during the procedure: red for the blood-stained and white for the clean bandages. Originally, these bandages were hung on the pole to dry after washing. As the bandages blew in the wind, they would twist together to form the spiral pattern similar to the stripes in the modern day barber pole. The barber pole became emblematic of the barber/surgeon's profession. Later the cloths were replaced by a painted wooden pole of red and white stripes. Copied from Wikipedia
Day 50: Post Fantasy Football
On Friday, 4 dads and their sons had a post fantasy football celebration. We had Krispy Kremes, OJ, and we watched football follies. Our original setup was to have each of us participate individually but next year, the dads will be teaming up with their sons for some good old fashioned father son bonding and surname bragging rights. Maybe we'll move up to bagels too.
Day 49: The Knee
Spent 3 hours at the sport medicine center at Johnston Willis. Exam and x-rays confirmed that my daughter is dealing with IT band issues and Osgood-Schlatter. With all the growing, running, and racing, it's no surprise now why my daughter's knee's hurt.
The good news is that she backed off and hasn't run in awhile which prevented any potential damage to the growth plates. She's bummed she couldn't run in the state meet but I reminded her that no one remembers what you did in 8th grade. You're better off getting the rest you need so she can race another day.
The good news is that she backed off and hasn't run in awhile which prevented any potential damage to the growth plates. She's bummed she couldn't run in the state meet but I reminded her that no one remembers what you did in 8th grade. You're better off getting the rest you need so she can race another day.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Day 48: Which way is up?
When I first started my daily photo journal journey, my children were not sure what to make of it. As I move into the 2nd month of this project, they've become curious about what the picture of the day will be and they are surprised by the different places people come from in order to view them. Today I was hoping to get a shot of the family on our way home but it just wasn't working. So to pass the time, they took my BB and started snapping pix. My son took this one and exclaimed, "wow this is pretty cool looking." And you know what, it is because it's difficult to tell which way is up.
Day 47: Melting/Freezing and an Icy Heart
The heavy snows are finally melting away, but the very cold evenings refreezes the run off that is flowing from just any and all structures and plant life. The small icicle caught my eye as I was heading to my office but it was the heart shaped ice formation just above the icicle that became my focus after I reviewed the image later in the day.
I only wish I had noticed it when I was taking the original photo b/c it would have been the focal point.
I only wish I had noticed it when I was taking the original photo b/c it would have been the focal point.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Day 46: Pretzels
When I was reaching into the UTZ barrel of pretzels for a snack, I found the texture and 3D nature of the pile of pretzel rods to be worthy of today's photo. Unfortunately, it did not come out as well as I had hoped. Perhaps a limitation of the BB's camera phone or the reflection of the flash on the walls of the barrel.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Day 44: Finish Lynx
Today was the Virginia Independent Schools State Indoor Track and Field Championships. At the finish line, we run the Finish Lynx system which takes 1000 photos/second which gives us the ability to discern time to the hundredth of a second with relative ease. In this photo, one can see the finish of the girls 3200m as they crossed the finish line. The blue lines mark where the chest crosses the plane of the finish line and the computer determines the time. Distance races are typically easier to read than sprints but at higher levels of competition, it is often necessary to have a camera on both sides of the finish should a runners be so close that 1 camera is insufficient.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Day 43: Cotillion
I believe it's a southern thing, but having grown up in the NYC, I'm new to the concept of the cotillion. Boys and girls get together and learn how to dance certain dance steps and socialize safely. In this photo, my son(on the left) and a friend just finished having dinner and they are now off to dance the night away.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Day 42: SpongeBob
Our family loves SpongeBob. We watch the cartoon, we have a SpongeBob beach towel, we've seen the movies, we have the doll as you can see, but there is rarely a weekend that goes by where we don't sing his silly songs. Who would have thought that such a silly cartoon would elicit so many smiles and laughs.
Don't believe me, listen to the F.U.N. Song @ www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.29036165 . You get to listen to 25 free songs on Rhapsody so why not give it a whirl and let him bring a smile to your face.
Don't believe me, listen to the F.U.N. Song @ www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.29036165 . You get to listen to 25 free songs on Rhapsody so why not give it a whirl and let him bring a smile to your face.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Day 41: In Need of Color
After 4 snowstorms in 2 months, I found myself in need of some color. As I was shopping for supplies, I found it so interesting that we can have fresh fruits and vegetables during the winter. It's hardly a revelation or an epiphany but when the temperature drops and there's lots of snow, ice, and wind a little color is great way to cheer things up.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Day 40: Lite Bright
When I came home from work today, there was evidence that a certain 3 year old was quite busy today. There were dolls strewn about, a tent was created between a chair and sofa with a sheet, but what caught my eye was the Lite Bright. When I asked the wee one what she had created, she said "It's a snail daddy". My bride always apologizes for the messiness but play is messy. Play time is where we learn, explore, and take risks-hopefully in a safe place.
I say we should break out the Lincoln logs too.
I say we should break out the Lincoln logs too.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Day 39: Icicles
The big thaw started today. It was 37 degrees this afternoon and it felt like spring because we started the day in the teens. As a result, there were icicles hanging off many of our buildings. Some seemed to exceed 3 feet in length and I couldn't help but consider them to be icy fingers.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Day 38: A Morning of Contrasts
I'm a morning person and this morning was no different. As I sat at my desk, the sun was peering through a frost covered window but it managed to mask the cold temperature one would experience if one were outside. The light on the other hand produced an interesting setting. The halogen desk lamp provides ample light but today, the sunlight entering the room made it appear dark.
Bright,dark, warm, and cold...any other day they probably would have canceled each other out. This morning however, it was a cozy place to catch up on some reading while drinking my morning java.
Bright,dark, warm, and cold...any other day they probably would have canceled each other out. This morning however, it was a cozy place to catch up on some reading while drinking my morning java.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Day 37: Storytime over Skype
Cabin fever is starting to set in at our home but we were able to break up the monotony with a special guest. Grandma Suka from Florida, set a time to read a few stories to our 3 year old over Skype. It was a fabulous experience for all especially since Suka doesn't get to see her grandchildren often.
Now the question I have to ask myself is why haven't we done this more often?
Now the question I have to ask myself is why haven't we done this more often?
Friday, February 5, 2010
Day 36: Paw prints in the snow
Today was a snowy day but fortunately we were spared the bulk of the frozen precipitation. That said, while on a walk with Gaston, our family dog, I couldn't help but notice how close together his paw prints were in the snow. He loves the snow and I enjoyed watching him romp around in it.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Day 35: Granny Smith Apples
Sometimes the mundane produces a fantastic opportunity and such was the case today. As we were dealing with the crowds at the grocery store, because of a pending snow/sleet event, my children asked if they could get smoothies. Fortunately, the long wait for the smoothies allowed me to take this photo of granny smith apples aka nature's sweet tart. Now all I have to do is wait for my bride to make her wonderful apple cobbler with these apples. Mmmm Mmmm Good!
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Day 34: Working Together @edSocialMedia Bootcamp
It was a fantastic day today at the edSocialMedia bootcamp. The most most impressive aspect of the workshop was the degree of collaboration that occurred among the participants. The vast quantities of content that was collected, created, and synthesized was impressive. The energy in the room was infectious and I really believe that all of our participants left with at least 1 idea that could be used on their respective campuses. A special thanks to @traviswarren, @ernestkoe, and @steveritchie for the guidance and wisdom.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Day 33: Pre edSocialMedia
Today was a busy day. We had a delayed opening because of icy conditions and I had to prepare our workspace for the edSocialMedia Bootcamp.
Also, at the development office's staff meeting, there was a great deal of excitement about the possibilities socialmedia can provide our school.
To Ernest, Steve, and Travis, welcome to Richmond and St. Christopher's School. We are looking forward to learning lots.
Also, at the development office's staff meeting, there was a great deal of excitement about the possibilities socialmedia can provide our school.
To Ernest, Steve, and Travis, welcome to Richmond and St. Christopher's School. We are looking forward to learning lots.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Day 32: Frozen Water Garden
In an attempt to avoid cabin fever, our family headed over to the Short Pump Mall for some lunch, sunshine, and a little silliness. There were so few people at this outdoor mall that I couldn't help wondering aloud about when the zombies were going to come out. This of course had my 2 older children chuckling not so much about the zombies but at the bizarre statement their father had just made.
So as we wandered around, we came upon the water garden which is typically teeming with foliage and fish but as one can see, winter has this garden in its grip. It's not quite the same but it certainly possesses its own unique beauty.
So as we wandered around, we came upon the water garden which is typically teeming with foliage and fish but as one can see, winter has this garden in its grip. It's not quite the same but it certainly possesses its own unique beauty.
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