HBO (cable) had a docu-special on the ‘famous’ Ali – Frasier fight March, 1971. My recollection of the match, live, was that it was big. Two great, powerful men. Lot’s of money at stake. Lot’s of media frenzy slash promotion. That’s basically all it was, but history replay is quite different today. They say it was about the black man trying to rise up. Uncle Tom. Handsome and crafty, ugly and stupid. Draft dodger vs. establishment. Maybe those were east coast issues. I missed that part.
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pot calls kettle
Our FA, savvy to the left-over Krispie Kremes in the lobby kitchenette, decides to rescue a couple. They are a bit stale late in the day but 20 seconds in the microwave performs restoration. “U want one too?”,she asks the FO. “Naw —” he says. “I’d go right to my hips…” he jabs. He helps himself to some fresh fruit from a basket instead. She downs them lustily but at 0500 the next morning, when we again meet it’s breakfast. She’s has a memory like a trap. Our hapless FO has his’ self a plate full of split biscuits smothered in Chip Sausage Gravy. EuuuEeee. She’s still smarting from yesterday… Do you think she took her best shot?
work ethic
Enthusiasm is the best way to explain it. Since the announcement of ‘operation independence’, there is a decided shift in mood with all hands pitching in and going the extra mile to get the job done right. Today after having arrived late, due to ATC and traffic congestion, we got a 19 minute turn (a pitstop — from arrival to departure — deplaning, general servicing, re-fuel, and reboarding). At-a-way!
geo trace
Modern conveniences. Some people strap on their CD or MP3 walkman and tune-in. Some can actually read a paperback while doing it. How about mobile computing? This is output from my exercise routine. I carried a GPS handheld during this morning’s outing. Since the unit is portable but neither outdoor rugged nor water resistant I took care not to drip sweat into it. Set to save auto-position waypoints every 60 seconds you can track progress and then save the whole ball o’wax as a route trace. These waypoints are stored as Lat and Lons. Great Circle formulae will tell the full details of how far and how fast. Why, you say? Because it’s the geek thing to do 🙂
Clintons Folly
I’d been thinking my layover in Rochester would be a slam | click. I mean the place is on a cement island amidst freeway ramps. Might as well be holed up in my hotel room. NOT ! Did spot a greenway trail behind the building and — what a find! Miles and miles of pathway along the Erie Canal system. Great for jogging. Most of the original tow paths along the abandoned portions have been converted. You can’t see much of the canal water for the dense brush that has filled in but that’s okay. Green is good.
maui wow e
The S’man does the scuba. I’m proud of him. The second highlight was a free dive. Grabbing a lung full I pointed head down and kicked fins for the bottom. My arrival suprised a divemaster and her gang. I received silent underwater applause and, via hand signal, the depth from her wrist meter — 27 ft.
accessible by boat only
I don’t know why I was thinking our excursion today would be an lazy African Queen style sight see. The brochure didn’t specifically give away the surprise. Our Na Pali coastline exploration was aboard a HIGH SPEED Zodiac piloted by great-BIG-Polynesian guy. He gunned his twin outboards just outside of the breakwater jetty and in a flash of foaming spray we were leaping from wave to wave hanging on with both hands and a least one toe looped under a hike out line. So. This is what it’s like to be a Green Peace commando… Aside from the thrills we did see some shoreline cliffs that rated very high on our scenic beauty and splendor meters. Too bad that the famed waterfalls were mostly dry. The tour operator could have doubled their rates. The sun shone brightly on us today. What a rush!
yeehaw
…grapevine to yer right, grapevine to yer left – heel heel toe toe – heel toe – ball change – boogie woogie woogie woogie, stomp, scuff… First born child is having a swinging time LINE DANCING to her favorite country tunes. Even S’man picked up some culture this afternoon when he went to the buffet line and decided to sample the “potatoe salad”. He shoulda read the label, which didn’t mention potatoes at all — Waldorf 😮
Tabaueran
a.k.a. Fanning Island is an atoll with population 150. Their main economic link to the world was a relay station for the Trans-Pacific cable until NCL started weekly lifeline visits. The people here don’t exactly rely on the tourists who arrive like clock work every Wednesday but an anthropologist could certainly do an interesting study on how outsiders have made an impact. Especially, when the cruise line one day (now that cabotage rules are being re-written) ups and stops coming. I’d read derogatory reports about this stop on the cruise so my expectations were rather low. Never the less, first born child and I decided to brave the life boat tender for a look see. We were pleasantly surprised and enjoyed our visit to this unspoiled place afterall.
scenic route
Enjoyed an early morning shower — while jogging on upper deck. The ship penetrated a rain squall that was too large to deviate (else the skipper has a mean streak) and we got pelted. The side effect was that it cleared everyone out. Only the diehards pressed onward. The track is 400 meters and with each loop opens a different panorama. Ship’s position 04 degrees North of the equator.