Reach Up For The Sunrise

The PhotoFriday theme this week is "Sunrise." It must be proof that I am not really a morning person, when this is the only sunrise photo I have. I took this from the top of an orphanage near Bangalore, India. I am excited to be able to return there in about two months. This will be my third time taking a group of students from our school to work with the children there.

Upon A Midnight Clear

Went to a concert
Swedish a capella group
Touring Korea.

Time for Christmas tunes
Over fifty-four hours
In my collection.

Less than two weeks left
The Christmas break begins
I can't hardly wait.

Heading to Europe
Because tickets were so cheap
And I hate the beach.

So if you are there
In Dublin or Basel-land
Let's get together.

Currently listening to: Hall & Oates -

Shake All The Way To The Outhouse

The theme this week at PhotoFriday is "Primitive." I have spent a lot of time in this little outhouse. While I do enjoy all the benefits of indoor plumbing, I have to admit that I do find a simple enjoyment in using an outhouse. I am not totally sure I can explain it fully. Perhaps it is the feeling of privacy, going to a seperate location to take care of business. I could lie and say it is because it is wasting less water and potentially causes less impact on the environment. Maybe it is fact that most people I know have never used on, and thus it is yet another a unique experience that makes me who I am. Although I will say that using one in the winter does make me appreciate indoor plumbing, at least for the fact that the seat is not freezing cold upon contact.

One Day I Have Ham And Bacon

As a news junkie, I usually get a good laugh at some of the odd stories out there. Unfortunately, a report of people stealing seventeen tons of ham made me cringe a little. See, before I started my world traveling ways, I spent many post college days processing meat for Rocke's Meating Haus. On a normal week I would process one to two ton of ham a week. During the holiday season, I saw two to three ton of ham pass before my eyes. To give you an idea, it would take two solid days of work for me just to pump the brine into a ton or two of ham. Then, there was the smoking, slicing and glazing to still be done. If the ham wasn't enough to occupy my time, I also would cure a large amount of turkey breasts as well. Needless to say, by the end of the holiday season, I would pretty much avoid any ham product. It was bad enough that I smelled of ham pretty much all the time, the thought of eating it was unbearable.

But to walk into work and discover that I would be having to redo all that work due to a burglary, I'd be asking for a serious pay increase and a Christmas bonus that wasn't meat related.

Currently listening to: Rick Springfield -

It's Close To Midnight

I can't believe it
A couple haiku-less weeks
Do you miss them much?

The Thriller album
It has been twenty five years
Dang I'm feeling old.

Thanksgiving weekend
Took a little get away
With some friends in Seoul.

Met some new people
They wanted to play Hold 'Em
I took their money.

With all these late nights
I'm becoming nocturnal
Just like the Lost Boys.

Currently listening to: Loverboy -

How Does It Feel When You're Alone

"Dead of Night" is the theme at PhotoFriday this week. This was taken two summers ago in Moscow. My friends had left for the airport, and I decided to wander around Red Square at midnight. One of my favorite activities when I travel is to wander major cities in the middle of night. A city changes so much when all the activity dies down, and the locals all go home. There is something about wandering around streets that are usually full of activity, but at the time are deserted. One can get the feeling of being the only survivor in a ghost town. Plus, you can save a few bucks on lodging that way.

There Were Two Sisters

PhotoFriday's theme this week is "two." I took this photo in the Philippines. This is the Two Sisters, a boat that will take you to the base of Taal volcano. There you can see the largest island in a lake on an island in a lake on an island.