Come on in, the water's fine!

This weekend was a Rotaract 'camping' trip. Being a 'member by association', I got to go. Well, for Friday night. Holly had to work Saturday, and there was dancing on Saturday night, so we left godawful early Saturday morning. Anyway, we stayed in an actual UVic biology research lab on Cowichan Lake. This building was a log cabin, with a biology lab on the main floor (kitchen adjacent...), with floor space for sleeping upstairs. Large foam mats were available for sleeping on. As Holly and I were laying out the sleeping mats, I discovered a great use for the mats... Doubled up (for added cushioning... one wasn't enough, ouch!) on the dusty floor, they make excellent sliding surfaces!! Take a running start and Superman-dive onto the mats and you go sliding across the floor. It was a lot of fun! Here I am, the oldest in the group, acting the most childish. (I won't mention the pole-dancing... not me.)

Anyway, back it up a bit. We had turned onto highway 18, off the TransCanada going up the island, and were headed to Lake Cowichan. Not long after, we passed a bag of (hot dog and hamburger) buns on the road. Not just a normal bag, a LARGE bag. What then ensued was a debate on whether or not we should have stopped to pick up said bag. This then deteriorated to a debate on how big the bag actually was. Our frame of reference? Holly. "One Holly-sized bag of buns, please!" Later that night, the debate was rehashed and Holly brought up the incident where Holly and Liz were determined to be 5 cubic feet of volume... by packing themselves into a box of said size. Yep.

So that reminded me of a couple measurement units we use on our swing team. The first one is the Byron. Byron, sav's friend, was over from Montreal and was helping to clean up our routine, do some polishing. In this case, we were looking at our spacing between couples and out of that was born the Byron unit of distance. At a practice recently, we were working on aerials, and in particular, one aerial where the guy gets to go upside-down. I weigh a metric nothing, so I'm really easy to pick up. Out of that, sav announced the Wayne unit of weight.

We're well on our way to drafting our own measurement system. We have the following units: the Holly and the Holly-Liz for volume, the Byron for distance, and the Wayne for weight.

Anyway, back to Lake Cowichan. That night, after a rousing game of Monopoly (how come we didn't play the 90210 board game?), we all went down to the lake for a midnight swim... at 2AM. Standing in the dark, on the beach, in the cool air (some might say cold), we contemplated just how cold the water would be. However, we were all pleasantly surprised to find the water was actually fine. Once submersed, it felt warmer than the air. It was a lot of fun!

That is all.

Confused? Aran?

Subtitle: "OMG! It's a Wiener Lassie!"

Wiener Lassie! The other night, Holly and I were at Butchart Gardens taking a nice stroll. The Gardens had been 'officially' closed for about 40 minutes or so, but we weren't in any hurry. We meandered our way to the main entry courtyard where the info building and gift shops are located. I noticed something up ahead and said to Holly, "OMG! It's a Wiener Lassie!" Needless to say, she was a little confused. I pointed at the dog and it all made sense. It looked like this dog was a cross between a Daschund (the 'wiener dog') and a Rough Collie (Lassie). It was Lassie in wiener dog form!


On a completely different topic, I have another guest entry. This entry is brought to you by Aran. Apparently, this happened to him last week. (I think he may have missed a dose...)

---

This could not have gone more wrong.

Yesterday evening, by the fireplace in her deceased Uncle's mansion, I proposed to her. Lindsay cried, saying she could not possibly wed and impose upon me her terrible debts, but I consoled her and vowed to take care of her affairs. We consummated our love in the master bedroom and settled down to, I thought, a blissful sleep.

I was roused during the night to the sounds of scratching or pawing downstairs, as if the cats were fighting. Curious, I kissed Lindsay on the cheek as I stood up, fastened on my robe, and crept down the spiral staircase to the atrium. Now, I write this here with trembling hands, for what I saw down there was no cat, mouse, nor anything remotely of this Earth. Perhaps it was a retarded vagrant, having crept in through a window seeking warmth from the night. But this I swear, that small shape changed form in front of me, taking the likeness of a towering, many-eyed daemon with a rotting child's head for a face, a black monstrosity the likes of which I never hope to see again.

The abhorrence leered towards me and let out a terrible bellow that shook the roof, but I could only open and close my mouth fruitlessly. Ashamedly, I soiled myself at that moment. The nightmare shambled towards me, and, by the grace of god, the survival instinct flooded my veins with fire and I fled up the stairs. Lindsay was already up, staring wide-eyed at me in shock. Screaming, I shoved her into the room and we hid under the bed.

Though we could not see it, we heard the dark horror lumber up the stairs, it's claws scraping the brass balustrade. Trembling, we awaited our fate.

It was then that I believe I passed out. I awoke in the morning naked in my bed in the residency of the UVic. When I went to Lindsay's house, it was gone. And I swear this, there were ancient trees growing where it once stood, as if it was never there.

---

That is all.

SysAdminDay

Tomorrow (Friday, July 28, 2006) is System Administrator Appreciation Day. Part of my job is sysadmin. If you have a sysadmin at your work, be sure to appreciate them tomorrow... or you may find that your account has mysteriously disappeared.

That is all.

Stick a fork in me, I'm done!

Current Paris time: Sunday, July 16, 2006, 10:00AM.

Well, I'm only beginning... My first flight just took off from Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris (after a €50 taxi ride!) and many many MANY hours later, I'll be home.

Paris was amazing. The timing was great because I was here during Bastille Day (French National Day. Think Canada Day, if you're still confused. Well, more like the American Independence Day...) on July 14. On the eve of Bastille Day, several of us spent the evening sitting on the lawns below the Eiffel Tower. It's indescribable just how cool that is! It just didn't seem real. The Tower was lit up and a light show lit up the sky on the other end of the lawns. To end the night, we took the RER/Métro (THAT was an adventure!) back to the hotel and got a drink in the bar. There, we met a group of older Aussies and a Kiwi who were rather... drunk. It was quite entertaining. After a few of us left to get a bit of sleep, apparently one of the Aussies kept asking Jason (from Brampton, Ontario) if he knew Neil Young and singing... then forgetting and asking him again. The things that happen while on vacation...


The next day (Bastille Day), we went off to the Château de Versailles... in Versailles, just outside Paris. Very nice palace, and I have a souvenir book to prove it. Afterwards, a few of us hit the Louvre... in about, oh, 30 seconds. Well, a little longer than that, but it was definitely a fast tour. It was a fast tour because it took so long to get back from Versailles. Entry was free (normally €8.50) thanks to the holiday. We saw the two most famous exhibits, the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo, and a few others. The Mona Lisa is a relatively small portrait, especially considering some of the massive paintings that cover the also massive walls of the Louvre!


After dinner (at an Italian restaurant in Paris, drinking German and Dutch beer...), we went back to the Eiffel Tower for the fireworks. OMFG, the fireworks were spectacular! They made the Canada Day fireworks (in Victoria) look like some kid with a sparkler... a sparkler that won't light. Imagine watching fireworks light up the sky, the Eiffel Tower on the side, and a giant sea of people all around. It's a unique experience.


After the fireworks, we made our way onto the lawns (we were on the side) to hang out under the Tower again and enjoy the ambiance. Firecrackers, Roman candles, and other miscellaneous fireworks were going off all around. One bottle rocket even flew a couple feet DIRECTLY over our heads!

Getting home was not so fun. Not surprisingly, getting a taxi (for five of us) was nigh impossible. I think we started wandering home at about 2AM (when a couple fights were brewing around us) and we finally got a cab on the way a couple hours later. I got into bed at about 4:30AM and was up for breakfast at about 6:30AM. Joy.

And I woke up for the worst tour ever! EVER!! We went to a perfume shop/'museum'. Museum in quotes because it consisted of a few glass cases of old bottles and other crap. Our guide spoke the worst English with French accent EVER. EVER! To make it worse (or better?), she spoke very quickly. The only good thing about the tour was that it was over in about ten minutes. Ten minutes I'll never get back. After that, she sprayed sample sticks with different scents for us to try. Another ten minutes I'll never get back... Fuck. What an utter waste of time, especially with the 30 minute wait for the coach. Take me to a winery next time!

After this, we went to climb the Eiffel Tower. The view from the top (320m) is stunning! It was a beautifully sunny day, so you could see everything (including the hazy smog). It was a free afternoon, so I walked down the stairs of the Tower and headed to the Arc de Triomphe. That's another stunning view. Watching the giant roundabout and all the streets radiating out is a great way to kill some time. And it 'only' cost €8 and 183 steps...



The Métro back to the hotel, shower, and we were off to the Moulin Rouge for dinner and a show. It was pretty expensive, but worth it. The dinner was good, but not spectacular. The show was very good. There were amazing displays of strength, agility, and comedy. The dancing and singing (mostly by half-naked women) between acts was great. What a great way to finish off a trip to Paris!

And now I'm in London waiting for a 9.5 hour flight to Vancouver. I'll see you all soon! And if you want, I can bombard you with hundreds and hundreds of pictures and video clips...

That is all.

Glad it wasn't us! Hope she's ok!

Current Calais time: Thursday, July 13, 2006, 2:57PM.

We're now in Calais, France and there's some news about the traffic jam and car accident. Apparently, it was another Contiki tour bus that was involved. A car cut-off the bus and the bus driver swerved, but clipped the car. A lorry (truck) then rear-ended the bus. The tour manager may have a broken ankle. One girl, I heard, was in shock, but that's unconfirmed. Other than that, there were no injuries. The other tour was actually on the same ferry to France as we were.

That is all.

"Bring out the Holy Hand Grenade!"

Current London time: Thursday, July 13, 2006, 10:55AM.

So here we (Contiki tour group) are, on our way to Paris via Dover, and we're stuck in a traffic jam thanks to a car accident. Joy.

Anyway... Yesterday was our last full day in London. First, I went to the Tower of London. Housed in the Tower of London, among other things, are the Crown Jewels. Not surprisingly, they're rather well guarded. In amongst the Crown Jewels are also the Royal Orbs (or whatever they're called) that are presented and used during coronations. Is it just me or do they look strikingly similar to the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch?! I had to keep myself from laughing too loudly. It was too funny, so I bought a plush replica to take home.


After the Tower of London, I walked across the Tower Bridge, the big famous bridge that many people think is the London Bridge. No, that's one bridge over and is a pretty standard looking bridge.


Crossing the bridge, I continued on to the London Dungeons; a guided 'fun house' type place detailing the gory history of London. It includes historical events like the Plague, the London fire, and Jack the Ripper. It was pretty interesting... and more amusing thanks to all the teenaged girls getting scared so often and screaming. Hehe.

At night, we went to the West End to see a showing of Blood Brothers. It was well done and entertaining. I enjoyed it. Holly was in a production of Blood Brothers back in high school. I'll have to ask her which part she played, since I kept wondering throughout the show. (Update: The narrator character was split into a choral character, of which she was a part.)

So we're through the jam and on our way to Paris again. Paris is going to be a crazy experience because it's Bastille Day tomorrow.

Now for a couple random thoughts:
- London. I've gotten used to the whole driving-on-the-left thing, but it's still very odd to do the walking-on-the-left. In the Underground, you occasionally have signs that say Keep to the Left, which is fine and makes it easy... but just walking on the street passing someone, I want to go to the right, so they get confused...
- Driving along the motorways and coachways, every so often I see horses off the side. Unfortunately, they usually go past too quickly to get a good picture for Holly, though... But every once in awhile, I get a fluke shot, like the following:


And now, we're in Dover and crossing the UK-France Frontier (Border) Control. Time to go.

That is all.

"I am Canadian"

Current London time: Tuesday, July 11, 2006, 10:55PM.

I'll start with a bit of juvenile humour. There are a great many places and names here that are inadvertantly obscene, dirty, or stupid funny, thanks to cultural differences. The first one I came across was on the Piccadilly Line of the London Underground (subway). This line runs out of Heathrow airport and goes to a station called Cockfosters. I have a picture of the second one; a tavern with a sign reading Cock Tavern - Your Friendly Local. There's also Ye Olde Cock Tavern. Yes, juvenile, but amusing nonetheless.


On a completely different subject, I went to Buckingham Palace yesterday morning. Watching the Changing of the Guards is pretty interesting. Towards the end, the band played a medley piece that included parts that were definitely swingable! Other parts had a very salsa feel. Not something I would have expected...


That night, I met up with my tour group. After dinner and a walk, a few of us (three of us Canadians and two Americans) went to a pub called The Maple Leaf. It's a Canadian-themed pub, with the interior made to look like a log house. There were Mountie uniforms on the wall, Canada flags on the ceiling, and a bear... a severely anorexic bear, but a bear all the same. This pub specialized in Canadian beers, though the selection was a little lacking. They did have Moosehead and Sleemans, though. It was a surreal experience having flown halfway around the world to end up in a "Canadian" pub in London.


Next on the surreal (or at least odd) list was Stonehenge. I've got many pictures of rocks in my collection now. I fly halfway around the world just to take pictures of rocks... albeit, large rocks. Large, famous rocks. And yet, Stonehenge was smaller than I expected...


After Stonehenge today, we headed to Bath and a tour of the Roman baths that gave the town its name. The town of Bath is an interesting place. It's a mix of modern and old; the buildings and architecture are old, yet the stores housed in the old stone are modern... like an electronics store or a Burger King.

Aside from that, there's one attraction I'll need to get back to in Bath in the future. It's a place called Fudge Kitchen. You get to watch them making the fudge, which is very cool. Even better is the free sample. After sampling, I was forced to buy some, itwas THAT good! OMFG, that was good fudge!! They have a website (http://www.fudgekitchen.co.uk) where you can buy fudge online. I wonder if they'll deliver to Canada...?
UPDATE: Looks like they have multiple locations around the UK, and yes, they DO deliver worldwide! £9.00, though.

That is all.

GOOOOOAAAAALLLLL!!!!!

Current London time: Sunday, July 9, 2006, 10:54PM.

By the time you read this, you'll probably have heard that Italy is the new World Cup Champion. However, I'm writing this about two hours after the game... and not the week or two after when I publish.

So, I'm in London. So far I've just been wandering around the city, for the most part. I like doing that. It's fun exploring a new place with no real destination, just going where your fancy leads. It's a good thing I have a good sense of direction, so I didn't get lost (without looking at a map or asking for directions). The only non-wandering I've done was to head to the British Museum. Surprisingly, it's free. It's a large museum with a lot of great exhibits. After the museum in the morning, I stumbled upon Chinatown after a lot of wandering. That was unexpected. It's near the West End of London.

There's something I really don't like about London, though. That's all the smoking. Especially since smoking is allowed inside pubs and restaurants. That just isn't right. Watching the football (soccer) match in the pub and then having dinner, I could feel my life shortening. Ugh. Stupid smokers. If you're a smoker and I've just offended you... good! That's only a tiny tiny payback for you killing me.

That is all.

"It's a parade of retards!"

Current Stockholm time: Saturday, July 8, 2006, 11:55AM.

I'm sure that'll offend someone...
Anyway, here I am, sitting by the window of the last row of seats of an Airbus A320 waiting to fly to London. My time in Herräng is over and I'm so glad I went! I'd love to stay longer, but I'm ready to go home and rest... but first, there's still London and Paris.

The plane's taxiing, so I'll continue in a bit.

So now I'm on my way to Heathrow for the second (of three) times this trip. I feel I should warn you that this will probably be another long entry.

Let's start with an observation. Dancers aren't like normal people. That's nothing new. In this case, it's clapping as an audience. I'm not talking about clapping on the two for a jam or something, but clapping in general. We'll still clap on the two. It's a surreal experience when you first realize that the entire crowd is clapping to an unheard beat. That just doesn't usually happen with non-dancers without prompting.

-----

Thursday night, there was a shim sham class being taught in one of the tents (the Savoy Ballroom). I wandered over to it with a few friends. Since we already knew the shim sham, we were just standing outside watching. I ended up demoing the Dean Collins shim sham for them (friends, not the class).

Later, when the class was finishing, we joined in for the runs. We ended up in front, facing the students, since that was where the room was. I was in front of a crowd, on vacation, and feeding off the energy of the camp, so I was dancing BIG and putting on a show. It was awesome fun! After a couple runs, class ended and people started to dissipate, and we danced a few more songs with the teachers; Gilbert, Cathy, and Todd. Dancing with the teachers, going HUGE (ginormous, even) and having an audience (all to faster music) is too much fun! I just wish I had thought to get someone to video us... and me, in particular. They (I sat out) also did the Jitterbug Stroll and the Big Apple. I've got a video of most of the Big Apple.

Later that night was the Cabaret, with acts put on by various camp-goers. It was a great show, but there's one thing I regret. At the end, all the people from the various acts did the shim sham and they asked if anybody wanted to join them on stage. I SO should have, but hesitated too long. Next time, next time...

Oh, I also regret not submitting my idea for an act, where a group of us quietly walk onto the stage, face the audience, bow, and walk off. It's a short act, but good.

-----

Friday night, my last night in Herräng. It was a big Mardi Gras party. I wore my red Herräng shirt and my Canada flag as a 'skirt' (I wore pants under.) to get the bright colours. There were some crazy and rather disturbing costumes, mostly involving a few guys exposing more than needed or wanted. One guy wore a full body stocking kind of thing. (Thank god he wore shorts underneath!)

Chazz Young was dressed as a king, and I've got a picture with me kneeling beside him. I had a little conversation with him before that so I didn't look too goofy... only mostly.


After some festivities around the tents, we formed the parade to the Folkets Hus where the dance would be held. Patrick described it as a 'parade of retards' wandering around Herräng. It seemed very apt. There were 'many' locals on the side of the roads with cameras in hand.

Ahhh, good times, good times.

That is all.

Story time with Frankie Manning and Chazz Young

Current Herräng time: Wednesday, July 5, 2006, 6:34PM.

"Hey everyone, it's Saturday night! With your host Davi..."
Uhh, make that: It's Tuesday night with your host Lennart Westerlund. After last night's meeting, we had story time with Frankie Manning and his son, Chazz Young, a (tap) legend in his own right. The stories these two told were great; very entertaining. I wouldn't have missed it for the world. It's just so fun seeing these two just acting like two big kids having fun and laughing, recounting stories of their past.

Later that night was the dance. I was standing just outside the dance floor, airing myself out, and this guy and a girl walk off the floor. They end up standing beside me, talking, so I couldn't help but eavesdrop. I'm glad I did, because it was hilarious! This guy was so hitting on her, using the 'best' pickup line/story I've ever heard.

Before I continue, I'd like to say that the only pickup lines I've used seriously are 'Hi' and 'Would you like to dance?'. Both successfully, I might add.

Anyway, back to the pickup artist. The conversation went like so:

him (artist): If you could be any kind of fruit, what would you be?
her (victim): Something about being a cherry.
<INSERT SMALL TALK HERE>
artist: Well, if I could be any kind of fruit, I would be a coconut. Why? Because you can drink the coconut water and milk, you can use the insides to make sweet things. They grow on trees, they grow under leaves, and they can fall into the ocean and I can float on the water...

Seems pretty innocuous and tame so far, doesn't it? Well sure, but I haven't told you the important part: the voice! The voice he used was the most over-the-top, contrived, practiced voice I've ever heard! Hearing him just makes you think of this guy standing in front of his mirror, practising his 'suave' voice for hours on end. I can't stress that enough. I just had to leave before I cracked up laughing... which I did very soon after.

*deep breath*

Ok, new day, new subject... well, subjects. Today was a break from dance classes as it was Cultural Day. After a late breakfast, I went on a short tour with Lennart to an old mine site. Herräng was founded as a mining town. The scenery was beautiful! The area was serene and peaceful. That really made me wish Holly was here with me! Unfortunately, no, she couldn't come.

After this, I played a couple quick games of Ultimate. That was fun, but tiring!

Now, I'm just sitting on a rock, under the shade of a couple trees, writing. Behind me, when I started, was a tap class. Tap has cool music (cool modern jazz with fun beats), but they make some serious noise! To my right, there was salsa music coming from the Savoy Ballroom tent, with people dancing the Rueda. Now, there's a hip-hop class. All this time, I've also been people watching, which is definitely a great pasttime. Herräng is great! I wish I could stay longer! (Particularly the fourth week...)

Wow, that's a long entry! At least it is in my notebook...

That is all.

Close encounter with a living legend

Current Herräng time: Monday, July 3, 2006, 7:30PM.

Legend later, but first a few random thoughts...
- As I said before, it never gets really dark here. It's pretty cool to be walking around in shorts at two in the morning, with enough natural light to see fairly well.

- There are two maps in the hallway of the Folkets Hus, the main building: one of the world and one of Europe. You take a pin (blue for males, red for females) and stick it on the map(s) where you came from. I'll post a picture of them here. There's even a pin in the middle of the Bering Strait on a small island!! Her name is Elise and I believe she lives there doing research. (Click on the images to see them full-sized.)


- As far as I know, the Communication Centre is STILL not set up. So far, I've only gotten one email out (to Holly, and to my parents via Holly) thanks to Mandi (thanks!) and her BlackBerry. Grrrr. I want a phone and email!


Onto the legend! If you know anything about swing, and lindy hop in particular, you know about Mr. Lindy Hop himself, Frankie Manning. The man is in his 90s and is still going strong. This is his 19th year teaching in Herräng.

There are daily meetings here for information and entertainment, and Frankie has said a few words at each so far, so I've seen him in person a few times already... but today, he taught one of my classes! Sweet! He's got an amazing personality and energy that makes the class truly entertaining. It seems he's still got fire in his loins, as evidenced by the jokes and innuendo and the way he was 'hitting' on the ladies. Afterwards, I got a couple pictures with him to prove it was real.

So there's my all too brief encounter with a living legend (... so far). Proof below:

That is all.

It's a giant foam mattress!

Subtitle: Land of the (almost) midnight sun.

Current Herräng time: Sunday, July 2, 2006, 1:03PM.

So last night I got into Herräng with my Canada flag draped over my shoulders like a cape. I was first greeted by Stompy Dave. Oh, and guess who my limo driver was? Raphaela! I'm wandering around Arlanda and I see Raphaela walking towards me.

Anyway, I'm in Herräng and I'm definitely getting extra attention thanks to the flag. I came across a few Vancouverites, including Stephanie. Mandi (organizer of the apartment) somehow found me, despite my amazing camoflage... The new apartment arrivals (me and Maryann) got shown the place, which is a nice, short walk from the main camp building and the school. It's definitely cozy with six people. It's about 12' x 12' with a ~4' x 5' kitchen and similar-sized washroom. The shower is downstairs. The hardwood floor looks new, but once the foam mattresses were laid, the place turned into one giant foam mattress with almost a path to walk... after the luggage. Speaking of luggage, Mandi, Patrick, and Kathy (Torontonians and three of the people I'm staying with) had all lost their luggage on the way! Thankfully it all showed up last night. They had already spent a night here...

So, Land of the (Almost) Midnight Sun. I don't know what parallel we're on (I have to look it up.) [Update: Herräng is at 60.1333N latitude. For reference, Victoria is at 48.43333N latitude.], but the sun only sets for a few hours a night. Walking around at two in the morning, it was still light enough to see! The sun was past the horizon, but was still lighting the bottom bit of the sky.

Miscellaneous observation inserted at random: It's interesting to travel halfway around the world and be amongst a mass of people doing the same things, dancewise, that you do... and especially when they have the same problems and tendencies you have in your own city.

Hmmm... when's the Communications Centre going to be set up? I want to call some people!

That is all.

What? Am I walking a marathon or something?

Current Stockholm time: Saturday, July 1, 2006, 7:19PM.

So, here I am finally, sitting in Arlanda airport near Stockholm, waiting for the other Herräng Limo Service pick-ups. Too many hours of flying and thousands upon thousands of meters of airport corridors and walkways. I probably walked a mini-marathon just going from terminal to terminal. To top it all off, I had to walk a second mini-marathon in Arlanda to get money exchanged. Oi! But, I'm here and Herräng is not far off. Interesting coincidence, Maryann is one of the Limo Service pick-ups and is also staying in the unfurnished apartment I'm sharing.

Anyway, it's Canada Day, so I have my flag ready to be worn.

But, we're heading off to Herräng now, so...

That is all.

"You're not 'travel friendly' right now."

Current Vancouver time: Friday, June 30, 2006, 4:15PM.

Apparently I'm not travel friendly... or at least I wasn't. I wore my cargos going through security in Victoria and promptly set off the metal detector. The hand-wand went off pretty much over my entire body. I suppose 500 metal zippers and buttons will do that. The security guy had to pat down all the metal bits and as soon as I was cleared, I changed to my shorts. Ten minutes of flight and I was in Vancouver. Walking through corridor after corridor, I finally got to the international gates and the British Airways check-in. This time security was a breeze, now that I had made myself 'travel friendly'. Lesson learned: don't wear my cargos when flying.

Now, I wait to fly to London. So far, so good... except I've already forgotten something: my hat. It's in my mom's car. Oh well.

That is all.

It's good to be home!

So I'm back from vacation and back at work. I have to say this was the smoothest and quickest transition out of 'vacation mode' ever. It's eery. It might be influenced by this being the longest (starting 4th year) job I've held; most of my job experience has been coop workterms, which are short.

Anyway, I've got several entries written up in my logbook that just need to be typed up. I'll be getting to those over the next while. I apologize in advance for the length of many of them... I also have about 1.5 gigs worth of videos and pictures. I'll have to sort through them and post a few good ones. I know one I'll be posting: fireworks at the Eiffel Tower on Bastille Day (Fête Nationale)!

That is all.

Greetings from Herräng!

Yo yo yo! I'm typing this from Herräng right now. The Communication Centre is FINALLY set up. The weather's been great, the dancing awesome, and the classes amazing! Frankie Manning and Chazz Young are so fricken fun! I've got multiple blog entries written up in my "Swirlies and Swing" notebook waiting to be posted, but you probably won't get those until after I get back.

I'll see you all in a couple weeks!

Current Herräng time: Wednesday, July 5, 2006, 2:21PM.

That is all.