Thursday, July 30, 2009

how to (almost) miss an international flight

  1. leave three hours early
  2. not be able converse in the same language as the cab driver
  3. fail to realize that air france has two terminals in paris: international and domestic
  4. have the cab driver drop you off for your international flight at the domestic terminal
  5. discover that you cannot check in for your flight at this terminal
  6. spend 20 minutes trying to figure out why your flight is not at this terminal
  7. go to the free shuttle in order to the other terminal
  8. find out that you need a boarding pass to get on the shuttle
  9. try to get a boarding pass
  10. see # 5
  11. run to the next terminal (with luggage)
  12. stand in line
  13. find out that this line is for international flights NOT going to america
  14. try to switch lines international flights going to america
  15. discover that it is now one hour prior to your flight. they are not letting people check in anymore
  16. ask air france agent # 1 if you can please get in line.
  17. ask air france agent's manager if you can please get in line. beg. plead.
  18. talk your way into the line
  19. stand in line
  20. ask them to move you to the front of the line when it is 15 minutes before your flight departs
  21. check in
  22. run to security at 10 minutes prior to departure.
  23. listen as the security lady tries to explain how many oz of 'tonic' you can have
  24. get through security at three minutes before departure
  25. have your wife's bag held up in the x-ray machine
  26. sprint to your gate, hoping to hold the plane for your wife
  27. arrive at gate 1 minute past departure
  28. catch breath
  29. explain that your wife is on running on her way
  30. swipe boarding pass. stand behind gate agent, with one foot in the walkway, to ensure that they can't close gate door without you and your wife.
  31. walk on plane 5 minutes past departure
  32. convince stranger to switch seats so you and your wife can sit together
  33. realize that you put your book in your check-in luggage
  34. discover that they have on-demand movies, including the watchmen

Thursday, July 23, 2009

next stop: paris

leaving for paris in a few minutes (ok, first we're going to the airport).

skymiles scored us first class seats there. we will be riding in style.

we have an apt in la marais for a week.

lots of pics when we get back.

au revoir

half blood prince fully sucked

i've been waiting years for the half blood prince.

what a load of crap. by far, the worst potter movie yet. it was so bad that i don't even want to see the next two.

they added scenes that were not the book, and then took out scenes that were critical.

no memory scenes with the riddles or gaunts.

completely cut out the final battle.

continuity error in harry finding dumbledore's wand on his desk at the end. the wand is supposed to be in the coffin, where voldemort breaks in thinking it is the elder wand.

a load of shite.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

lake george

yes, we made matching t shirts (thanks to great work by dr. w)


just got back from a great vacation. family get together in plattsburgh, and then a week with the enemy of my enemy crew at lake george. to refresh your memories, this consists of 8 people with whom i've been friends since freshman year of college, plus three spouses who married into the group (dr. wintermute, grassomama, and j-watt's dude). we get together every year, and this was our eighth and longest gathering. if it weren't for j-watt and her dude not being able to join us, i would say that it was our best.

six days of grilling out, hanging on the dock, having campfires at night, cold beer, playing games (including a showdown with mcgruber and bloodninja over who had the highest midichlorian count, i.e., playing star wars trivial pursuit), and just plain relaxing.

here are all the pics.

and some highlights:


all in, including the kiddos


wintermute doing some tubing. yes, i put my face in the water. no, i didn't wear floaties.


the chief goes all out on the rope swing


bloodninja using the force to move the die as two younglings watch in awe



mgruber and bloodninja getting our nightly campfire going. thursday night included a boys night of cigars and bourbon around the fire...

...which resulted in grassomama being out cold the next day


mama cass loves romance novels and is proud of it


dinner on the deck every night


this ladies' man will be trouble, someday...


...i reminded him that this woman is taken


bloodninja takes care of grilling...and draws upon the power of grayskull