Garden of the Gods, Colorado
Category Archives: US travel
St. Patrick’s Day Parade, NYC
Ross and I arrived in New York the morning of St. Patrick’s Day – a mistake I will never make again. Our taxi had to drop us two blocks from the Roosevelt hotel because the streets were already blocked off. We then had to fight our way through the crowds (with our suitcases) to reach the hotel, only to find that it was too early to check in. So we left our suitcases with the bell desk and, despite exhaustion (we had woken up at 4:30 am to get our flight from Austin), went out to take pictures.
SC08 Show Floor
SuperComputing 08, held in Austin, Texas, was a huge show and a huge effort for many of us at Sun, especially Rich Brueckner. The Sun booth was humming, attractions included Scott Tokar, a magician, and Rich’s Java Chopper, complete with biker chicks.
I’ve Been to the Zoo, Zoo, Zoo…
Who’s in captivity?
This young puma paced restlessly, completely uninterested in anything outside her cage, until someone came by with a couple of small children. Then the puma’s attitude changed abruptly: it was instantly clear where she saw herself, relative to small humans, on the food chain.
I love zoos, because I love seeing the animals. But zoos also make me sad, because I’d rather see those animals in the wild (a few times in my life, I’ve had that privilege), and so many species are becoming rare outside of zoos. But zoos like this one are contributing to conservation efforts, in hopes that someday we may be able to restore wild habitats and reintroduce the animals to them.
Minnesota Hot Dish
This week I visited my colleagues in Eagan, Minnesota, to capture on film their various expertise (don’t ask me to explain what they do, I stay behind the camera for a reason). There were several other visitors, so the Eagan folks organized a traditional Minnesota potluck, with traditional Minnesota foods such as Mexican lasagna, jello salad, and other hot dishes. Those Tater Tots took me right back to childhood…
Thanks, Eagan gang, for a yummy lunch and very good company. I’ll definitely be back for your next party!