tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82275892510599220972024-03-05T20:03:38.922-08:00H.E.A.L.Updates to H.E.A.L.Eric Lemierehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14587403687992972431noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227589251059922097.post-59293128691519189102011-11-15T22:12:00.001-08:002011-11-16T20:54:25.519-08:00Name Calling<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal">I remember when I was young.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My parents used to tell me not to call people names because it was rude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Your parents probably told you the same thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I still did it though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You probably did too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Name-calling is part of our culture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I’ve been called quite a few names in my life, most of which I neither remember nor care about, but it seems to be more offensive now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’m not talking about when people call you some surface-level name like jerk or idiot, but rather, when someone calls you a name that immediately lumps your belief system in with a group… usually a group that they have already stereotyped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That seems offensive to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>For example, in recent conversations I’ve been called a hippie, a Christian, a republican, a democrat, an independent, a musician, a nerd, and probably some other things I can’t remember.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Looking at this list probably doesn’t seem too offensive, but whenever someone says, “You are a (fill in the blank),” it is always used with a negative connotation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After thinking about all of these names, I have decided to break down each one as best I can to identify or separate myself from the labels.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">HIPPIE</b> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in">I can identify with aspects of the hippie movement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I have long hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I have worn headbands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I like Pink Floyd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I love old Volkswagens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Someday I hope to wear a beard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I never wear a bra.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’m a fan of alternative forms of energy, free press, and organic farming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I like healthy food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I have ‘spiritual’ experiences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>And I think I would prefer peace to war.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>However, I do not wish to associate myself with other characteristics often attached to hippies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I do not, and have never done drugs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I do not embrace sexual revolutions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I am not a dropout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>It seems that the term <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">hippie </i>is an adaptation of the term <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">hipster</i>, which was first coined in the 1940s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Although the hipster label today is used mainly for a person’s fashion choices, it was not always so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The term <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">hip</i> apparently came from African-American culture, meaning “awareness,” so calling someone a hipster was like saying they are aware.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I feel like I’m pretty aware, so sure, call me a hippie.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">CHRISTIAN</b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in">It seems that this term is used more negatively than positively these days, and you may be surprised to find out that the original term had negative connotations as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In the Bible, the term is only used two or three times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Today, the meaning of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Christian </i>is a follower of Christ, but I learned recently that the term <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Christian</i> was meant as a sort of insult from people who were not followers of Christ in the first century.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The term actually means “little Christs” or “little Messiahs” (because Christ means Messiah), and it was used to make fun of people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in">For instance, you have probably seen a singer that you can tell really wants to be Bono, the lead singer of U2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This singer will dress like him, try to sing like him, and mimic his stage presence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After you see the singer perform, you say to your friends, “They were okay, but that singer thought he was Bono.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The implication there is that the singer was trying to be something he’s not… something he’s not as good as.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In the same way, people were saying about people who followed Jesus, “You think you are a little Christ.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I have to say that even in the negative context of being called a Christian, it is still a compliment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You are right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I am trying to be like Jesus, even though I’m not good enough to be like Jesus.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in">Now, I know that isn’t always what people are saying when they call others Christians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Often times, the implication is that the person is judgmental (which in itself is a judgment from the name caller upon the Christian).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’ll be the first to say that Christians aren’t always good at being little Christs, but I can only speak for myself and hope that you see that I’m trying.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">REPUBLICAN/DEMOCRAT<o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></b>These labels really get under my skin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As soon as you start talking about anything remotely political, you are labeled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Most of the time, it is an unfair, premature, and incorrect pigeon-holing of a person’s beliefs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>First of all, I believe that there really is no such thing as a Republican or Democrat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There used to be, but I think the lines between them have become so blurred that politicians aren’t even sure which side of the label fence they sit on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That’s why you have liberal conservatives, conservative liberals and any other oxymoron you can think of (honest politician comes to mind).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The elephant and the ass seem to be a thing of the past (that rhymes), but people still want to hold on to the idea of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Based on the mascots alone, I personally don’t see why anyone would choose to be a stubborn ass over a wise old, never-forgetting elephant, but that is a different argument.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Older generations talk about the two parties with a sort of nostalgia, as if the parties were really something to believe in at one point in time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Perhaps they were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Today, I don’t think we can put the same definitions on the parties that we once could though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Most people around my age and younger couldn’t care less about whether there is a D or an R next to someone’s name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They care about individual issues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I care about individual issues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If we talk about gun rights or most abortion laws, I’m a Republican.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If we talk about renewable energy, environmental issues, and corporate regulation, then I’m a Democrat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I would argue that most people side with more than just one party depending on the issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My point here is this: to call me one or the other is to completely limit my free thought as an individual.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>I understand that people may tend to agree with one side more than the other, but why does there have to be sides at all?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Why can’t a politician just be a person who feels certain ways about specific issues?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I tend to think that the only reason a politician sides with a party, other than the chance that they generally agree on most topics, is to get votes (and money).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I also tend to think that the only reason people side with a party is because their parents do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If everybody looked at each issue on an individual basis, rather than a party basis, we probably wouldn’t have parties.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">INDEPENDENT</b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>As soon as you say that you don’t subscribe to the above political dichotomy, people say that you must be an independent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>All that label does is springboard you to being called another name: hippie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>See above.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">MUSICIAN</b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>This is a tough one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Obviously, I am a musician… but isn’t everyone a musician nowadays?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That’s the thing with being called a musician… it isn’t like being called a doctor or a teacher or a fireman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Those people have to prove something before they can attain those titles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When it comes to being an “artist,” anyone can claim they are one without really having to prove anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It’s almost always a self-proclaimed title, which is exactly why I never claim to be a musician.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In fact, when I was touring as a musician and people would ask me what I’d been up to, I’d start off by telling them I’d been doing a lot of travelling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It wasn’t a lie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Some would accept that and move on, while others would ask why I was travelling, at which point I would tell them I was in a band.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Well, when you run in to an old acquaintance at the Longview Starbucks and tell them you are in a band, a certain stereotype comes to mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It usually includes being poor, doing a drug or two, playing local bars, and living with the parents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I suppose the last bit was true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But when a person realizes you have been travelling and getting paid, albeit little, for your musicianship, you immediately attain a higher status in a person’s mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>Back to the point…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Musicians” nowadays are anyone who can play an instrument, and it really doesn’t matter how well they can play it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Everyone is a musician.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>So, if you call me a musician, I won’t be offended; but you’ll never hear me call myself that.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">NERD</b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>I am a nerd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I like math problems, grammar, computer programming, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I don’t wear glasses though, and glasses seem to be stereotypical of nerds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I think it’s harder to tell who the nerds are nowadays then it was back when my dad was in school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Back then, they all had tape on their glasses and pocket protectors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Today, with the ever-increasing use of technology, everyone is becoming a nerd to some degree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Nerds are becoming the majority.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Nerds are taking over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Are you scared yet?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’m not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’m a nerd.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">In short, I’m an independent, artistically inclined, hippie-nerd who is doing his best to live up to the standard set by some other independent hippie named Jesus.</p> <!--EndFragment-->Eric Lemierehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14587403687992972431noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227589251059922097.post-63281849813902177152011-10-17T13:45:00.000-07:002011-10-17T13:46:59.382-07:00Brainless Bottling<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal">When<span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>I go to the sink and turn on the faucet, water comes out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>How about that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>How often do we actually think about that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Imagine if one day no water flowed out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>What would you do?</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Everyone and everything needs water on this planet, and no, I’m not talking about bottled water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Some of you may be surprised to know that few things ruffle my feathers more than bottled water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It is one of the most asinine things on the planet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Why am I so irked by this, you ask?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If you really want to know the answer, then please read on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If you would rather go on living like we live on a planet with unlimited resources, then go back to your facebook and tell everyone what you ate for lunch today… </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">First, lets talk about the plastic used for bottled water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Many of you may or may not know that plastics are made from petrol products; in other words, they are made with oil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I have done some research on this, and I found that 17 million barrels of oil are used in the production of water bottles yearly; that is enough oil to fuel 1 million cars for a year. If you imagine a <span style="mso-bidi-font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">water bottle filled a quarter of the way up with oil, that's about how much oil was needed to produce that bottle.</span> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>On top of that, we use roughly 18 million barrels of oil every year simply to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">TRANSPORT</i> bottled water to various grocery and convenience stores. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That’s 35 million barrels of oil every year for the production and transportation of bottled water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Since there are 42 gallons of oil in each barrel, that equates to almost 1.5 billion gallons of oil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Now, I know what some of you are thinking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You are thinking, “But don’t we reuse this plastic by recycling it?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The answer is yes, but only to a small degree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It turns out that only 1 in 5 plastic water bottles are recycled; the other 4 end up in landfills or in our oceans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You’d like an illustration?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Ok… </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">There are around 3 billion pounds of unrecycled water bottles around the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>An empty Boeing 747 weighs around 600,000 pounds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If you had a giant scale with all of the unrecycled water bottles on one side, you would need 5,000 Boeing 747s on the other side to even the scale out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That’s a lot of jets… and a lot of water bottles.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">While I am on the topic of the bottles, lets talk about the harmful qualities they can have on the people who drink from them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Some water bottles, especially the big 5-gallon jugs used in offices and things like that, contain a chemical called BPA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I heard a scientist say that BPA may be one of the most potent toxins known to man, and we are drinking from containers made with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>BPA has been linked to all sorts of lovely things such as breast and prostate cancer, obesity, and neurological issues.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Fortunately, most bottles are now using a chemical called PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) rather than BPA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>However, this chemical is now showing signs that it is harmful as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I hear people all the time say that they drink bottled water because then they KNOW that it is clean water, but if we insist on drinking the purest water we can get, then why do we insist on putting it in plastic bottles that have been shown to leach chemicals into the water?!?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Yes, sodas are bottled in the same kind of plastic bottles, but if you are putting soda into your body, you probably aren’t worried about the chemicals from the bottles.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:#262626"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:#262626"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:#262626">Okay, enough about the bottles… lets talk about the actual water being put into them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:20.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:#262626; mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">Some bottled water makers are actually bottling filtered tap water from city water systems, achieving the same result as any homeowner with an inexpensive home filter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>One of Auqafina’s water sources is actually the Detroit River.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The next time you buy a bottle of water (which hopefully there is no next time), take a look at the back of the label and see if you can find where it was bottled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I think all bottles will say where they are bottled, and some even print on the label that the water came from a municipal water source.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If the water was bottled in the same state that you are purchasing it in, then that water—get this—DOES NOT HAVE TO BE REGULATED BY THE FDA!!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>For example, a lot of people in Washington buy Costco’s Kirkland brand of water, and it is bottled in Washington.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Since those bottles don’t leave the state, they are not considered federal, so the water doesn’t have to be monitored in the same way. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That’s probably one of the reasons it is usually cheaper than other brands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:20.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:#262626;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:20.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:#262626;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">So should you pay a bit more for a bottle of water that is regulated by the FDA?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Well, aside from spending money on something you can get for free, it still isn’t the best idea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In the entire FDA, how many people do you think are on the committee to regulate bottled water?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Yep… you guessed it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>One.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>One person is given the task of monitoring all the companies that bottle all of the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Did I mention that this one person also wears other hats for the FDA?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That means that this person doesn’t even devote all of their time to bottled water regulation, so there is essentially <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">less</i> than one person doing the regulating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Doesn’t that make you feel good as you gulp down your “pure” water?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But, in all fairness, I don’t think the FDA really does anything anyway… don’t even get me started on beef, chicken, pesticides, Monsanto, etc…<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:20.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:#262626;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:20.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:#262626;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">Anyway, back to the purity of the water in the bottles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The water coming out of your tap is probably more closely monitored than the water being put into those plastic bottles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Federal law requires that annual testing of municipal water quality be made available to the public, but there is no such requirement for the bottled water industry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The fact is that the industry is largely self-regulated with little federal oversight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Numerous independent studies have been made on the purity of bottled water, and the findings are pretty gross… even for the big name brands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Some test showed the water had traces of disinfectants, carcinogens, and even fertilizer ingredients.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Mmmm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Pure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Don’t be fooled by the pictures of mountains on the labels or the clever names like Poland Springs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Poland Springs is not bottled from a spring in Poland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It is owned by Nestle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Don’t even get me started on Nestle…<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:#262626"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">This is just the tip of the iceberg.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There are lots of reasons not to buy and drink bottled water, but these are only a few.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Not only is it a colossal waste of money (up to 10,000 times the cost of tap water), it is a waste of natural resources. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If you truly don’t like the taste of your tap water, then buy a home filter and use a stainless steel bottle. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It will save you money, it will cut down on plastic in the landfills, and it will save oil (don’t even get me started on oil…).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Just remember that every time you purchase a bottle of water, you are placing a vote in favor of bottled water.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I encourage you all to research bottled water companies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Look up things like Suez, water privatization in 3<sup>rd</sup> world countries, Nestle in Michigan, companies pumping water during droughts, and nice things like that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Water is free, and corporations like Nestle, Coke and Pepsi are taking advantage of that by pumping hundreds of thousands of gallons a day out of local water supplies, then selling it back to the people they took it from.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The rabbit hole is deep… probably deeper than the water supplies that the companies are draining… but not as deep as their pockets.</p> <!--EndFragment-->Eric Lemierehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14587403687992972431noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227589251059922097.post-79165725891154419852011-08-25T15:17:00.000-07:002011-08-25T15:18:08.865-07:00The Squirrel is Half Empty <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal">Today as I was driving home, I saw a dead squirrel lying in the middle of the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Now, when I say middle, I mean he (we’ll assume it was a he) was lying perfectly between the two yellow lines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I thought to myself, “I wonder if that squirrel is an optimist or a pessimist.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Why would I wonder that, you say?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You’ve all heard the age-old debate about whether the glass is half full or half empty, and I’ve always been a half empty type guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Anyone reading my blog probably already knows that I’m a pessimist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>So what does that have to do with the squirrel?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Let me ask you this: do you think the squirrel made it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">all the way</i> to the middle, or do you think the squirrel made it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">only </i>to the middle?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’m thinking he ONLY made it to the middle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I bet if his family were around, they wouldn’t be saying, “Oh we are so proud of him!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He made it all the way to the middle!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>No, I think they would be grieving that he only made it halfway, because now he is dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It’s a harsh reality, but a reality nonetheless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The squirrel made it halfway and died.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>His glass is not half full.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Does this put to rest the debate about the glass?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Probably not… but I can certainly relate to the furry little guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Eric Lemierehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14587403687992972431noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227589251059922097.post-73881149307453457862011-07-08T22:38:00.000-07:002011-07-08T22:39:57.752-07:00America?<div style="text-align: left;">Well, it finally happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Amber kicked me out of the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She told me she wanted Harvard and I to go, so that’s exactly what we did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She got what she wanted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>So here I am, in my parents house, writing a blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Yesterday was our 4-year anniversary, and the night after, she kicks us out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That’s life, I guess.</div> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Okay, so it’s not as bad as I’m making it sound.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Amber is throwing a bachelorette party at our house tonight for Chalayn, and I guess “No boys allowed” is not limited to just humanoids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Harv got the boot too.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">In Amber’s preparation for the party, she brought home some Canada Dry ginger ale and I noticed something peculiar on the can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There was an advertisement for the new movie Captain America right next to the Canada Dry logo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Captain AMERICA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>CANADA Dry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Does Captain America drink Canada Dry?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That doesn’t seem very Captain-America-like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Is Canada Dry trying to seduce Captain America to head north and fight evildoers in the land of maple syrup?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Possibly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">As I was considering all of this, I had a realization (I have a lot of those).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Canadians are just as much American as I am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Canada is in North America.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Brazilians are Americans, for that matter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>South America.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Mexicans?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Yep… still Americans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had this same realization a while back about using the term “Asian” for an oriental person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Indonesians are Asians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Russians are Asians too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You get the point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>So don’t call me an American ever again, or I will be offended in the same way that a man from China would be offended if you called him an Asian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>From this point on, people from the United States should be referred to as… well, here be a few options I’ve come up with:</p> <p class="MsoNormal">United Statesian</p> <p class="MsoNormal">United Statesman (I’m sure the women’s rights activist will fight this one)</p> <p class="MsoNormal">United Stater</p> <p class="MsoNormal">United States of American</p> <p class="MsoNormal">United Staten</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Unitese</p> <p class="MsoNormal">New English</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Five-O-er (because there are 50 states)</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I don’t know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>What can you come up with?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Now, this leads me to a new point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If the aforementioned hypothetical Chinese man were to, in fact, get offended for being referred to as an Asian, does that make him racist?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Chinese man would probably argue that calling him an Asian was the racist act, but, as we all know, China is inarguably in Asia, therefore making the Chinese man by definition an Asian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I would argue that HE is the one being racist, since by saying he does not want to be referred to as Asian, he is inadvertently saying that he does not want to be put in the same category as the Indonesians or the Russians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He must be racist against non-Chinese people that live in Asia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>So there.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">From the point I just made, you can bring it back to us Americans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I guess we can no longer disassociate with Canadians, Mexicans, Chileans or Brazilians by simply saying, “I’m an AMERICAN.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Well, as I’ve clearly just pointed out, so are they.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But it is really just semantics, and now I’m starting to sound like a politician so I will stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>To wrap this up, my initial uncertainty about mixing Captain America with Canada Dry was clearly unwarranted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Captain America can, and MUST, fight the evildoers all the way from the northern-most point of North America to the southern-most point of South America.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>However, he may want to consider a wardrobe change and either incorporate all the flags of the Americas, or go for a more country neutral theme.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Moving on…Four years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Amber and Me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Thick as thieves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Two peas in a pod.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>One can short of a six-pack… wait… I don’t think that one applies… or maybe it does… you decide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Anyway, she is awesome and I’m proud to be her husband.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’ve probably been gushy enough about her in previous blogs, and this blog is already probably too long, so I will sign out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Until next time, watch out for the newest superhero movie:</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Saber Stater: The Fight for the Fifty.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Post Script:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>All this talk of Ginger Ale soda reminded me of a rather crazy night we had recently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our friend, Autumn, and my brother, Andy, came over the other night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Andy was going through some old stuff from his college days (in ’96) and found a pack of Juicy Fruit gum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He brought it over for us all to sample.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It tasted like… Juicy Fruit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The gum’s flavor did not fade over the last 16 years, but as soon as you put the gum in your mouth, the flavor fades in about 30 seconds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Explain that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I also happened to have a miniature can of Coke that my grandparents brought back from one of their European trips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The expiration date stamped on the bottom was also 1996.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It seemed fitting to crack that baby open and see how the Coke held up to the last 16 years as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It also had not changed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It probably should make you nervous about drinking Coke and chewing Juicy Fruit from now on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>By the way, if you can sing the Juicy Fruit theme song, then you are awesome and old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Andy, Autumn and I all busted out and sang the tune while Amber just stared at us.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4B9LEXONUmR3Ys23ePgMxCFPX9IFCPhyphenhyphenrhZOyQedK3sSudBEiZvEsZq0UMNE-j6vsX_YPUz1-p6TAqGvFMSoYXfucxCzlWdqoA_LPY0GGAJ7VclBVcs5TkVKvSINYLzzVsjeBrXyx1Wg/s320/photo.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627223079176836402" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Eric Lemierehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14587403687992972431noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227589251059922097.post-14566406928937330692011-06-22T20:33:00.001-07:002011-06-22T20:34:56.900-07:00Toppers<div style="text-align: left;">One year ago today, Amber’s Grandpa Bob passed away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Amber loved her Grandpa and still misses him a lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He used to take her to Toppers restaurant in Longview from time to time, where he would get his cup of coffee and she would get her hot chocolate with whipped cream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They would talk about life, and they did this from an early age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Bob would do his best to instill wisdom into the young Amber by playing jokes on her or sharing his life experiences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>One of Amber’s favorite stories is of when Grandpa Bob had her convinced that he wasn’t paying for her food and that, since Amber was only a 6-year-old (ish) with no money, she was going to have to wash the dishes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He played it well and had her so convinced that she had to go call someone to bring money.</div> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Another time they went to Toppers, Amber’s Grandpa told her that he knew where every single one of his pens were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He was a meticulous man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This impacted Amber and she too desired to be that meticulous, although I personally have not seen the fruits of that desire yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In fact, after we visited Grandpa Bob’s gravesite today with the Evald family, Amber proceeded to leave her keys and cell phone in the grass next to the head stone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Luckily, Amber’s aunt visited the gravesite shortly after and retrieved the misplaced items.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Clearly Amber has no idea where all of her pens are.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Anyway, to commemorate the passing of Grandpa Bob, Amber and I had lunch at Toppers today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As we walked in, this is what the sign said:</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiik3eoEwL3IY_PRGPYYq1V2VN1Fzq0PpOA6VC9y-bNIVcPbK17bPRiiHqqYXMaJiXooa2Y85svenDMwI17nRdOUlG5xC4WtAhdWS-4hc4d0V7r-43IapSxwruwzX7F5k_P_54Fg2uqtC4/s320/topper" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621253282440897362" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Now, I understand that it was because Father’s Day was just a few days ago, but it still was special to Amber (and her mom, to whom I sent the picture immediately).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Aside from the sentiment of the restaurant, I had mixed feelings about the place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We stood at the front counter for a couple minutes as one of the employees counted change into the register, waiting for her to acknowledge us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She did not, so we decided to seat ourselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Unimpressed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Upon doing so, I ordered a cup of coffee and got Amber her hot chocolate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>A screaming kid was running around (and I mean SCREAMING) until one of the old ladies working there yelled at him to quit running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This I actually DID find impressive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was glad that she did it, but also sad that the child’s mother didn’t feel the need to parent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I guess the old saying is correct: when you don’t want to discipline your child for being an idiot, let the waitress do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You’ve heard that saying before, right?</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The rest of our time at Toppers was uninteresting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The coffee was bad, the food was okay, and the company was great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It’s your typical family-owned, local restaurant that serves diner food, has older folks working the place, has older folks dining there, plays Taylor Swift, Kings of Leon and Coldplay over the speakers, and parents the lazy people’s children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was a nice time.</p> <!--EndFragment-->Eric Lemierehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14587403687992972431noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227589251059922097.post-62398861555120753222011-06-08T23:46:00.000-07:002011-06-08T23:58:46.354-07:00Fursts<div style="text-align: left;">A lot has happened since my last blog, so let’s take a minute to get up to speed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Last night, something weird happened to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>While at Fred Meyer, I think some teenage girls thought I was a creeper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was walking along the back of the store and needed to get to the opposite end when 2 girls came out of an aisle ahead of me, took a glance at me, and started walking in front of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>One kept glancing back at me, presumably to see if I was still “following” them, and then would whisper to her friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Finally, after about 5 aisles of this, the other girl stopped entirely and let me pass, leaving her friend to keep glancing back at me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She stopped soon after, and I kept on going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’m sure they were relieved that a creepy guy like me was no longer behind them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It made me feel kinda strange.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I came home and told Amber, and she said they probably found me attractive and wanted to see if the back of me was as good as the front.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Probably not the case, but I happen to prefer Amber’s interpretation of the event to mine.</div> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">This last weekend, Amber and I were able to get away to Cannon Beach for some much needed time together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Harvard was there too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We brought him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We think that he really loves vacation at the beach, because he was a very happy puppy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He got to sleep on the bed with us (he doesn’t get to at home), play in the ocean, run in the sand, sleep a lot, and get lots of attention from strangers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If you recall from my blog many months ago, he got lots of attention from strangers at Cannon Beach last time we were there, and everyone asked if he was a Weimaraner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I don’t think people actually believed us when we told them he was a Great Dane because they had never seen a blue one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Well, this time to the beach, only a few people asked if he was a Weimaraner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>More people knew he was a Dane… maybe because he is getting taller.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p>October 2010:</o:p></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhm5-n_zmj9Vm973bx4wLDa-3IHwLG10uM0qK_-x23LiQPqu4QunT26ukiP6EfgXQPcbLQdQby59eOsi6UI9vxvBoUa8DPWCqcn312Ti04AazCAdyXYw2ew19FEfjZQhanavY47pQwaQg/s320/cannon+10%253A10.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616109320120694658" style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">June 2011:</p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj23qqsZtJ6awudg6YJoYlq46Lrzrd2WC4zT-xYeaeAG-0qyPtC9ea50w226nTijw2AEuc8dLbtUN566IhnIFi5qRu6mfrJNFkjlI4XB29WkPcupidtBzHaYuwOXPMUyLhVOwR0VnJG4iQ/s320/ocean.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616109328353577378" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span> <p class="MsoNormal">We have some funny stories from our beach trip, but maybe the funniest was Harvard’s potty time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He did not want to go in the designated pet areas that the hotel had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He preferred the beach… nature’s gigantic litter box.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He seriously didn’t go unless he was on the beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The first time he went was hilarious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We were playing in the shallow waves when he decided to squat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Mid BM, a sneaker wave came up on him and startled him, cutting his time off before he was ready.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was sort of like the first time you ever encountered an automatic flush toilet and it flushed before you were ready for it too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It’s a bit startling.</p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7BQ5GWjiY028E5UokVWkuBVQqS3Dx2tXI1wMHm8r-Hz2dlhoaTz_NuUyWksZ6TXy5QXc7Ail7RrDi05v3GN6hqd-KstgyhMYvaafStgQtzEmW4cwCPcr8jLWlH74QicdmkR-wjbypgA/s320/IMG_6343.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616109340568268562" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The rest of the weekend was filled with relaxing, coffee, Pig’n’Pancake, walks on the beach, HGTV, Pizza a feta, talking to strangers about Great Danes, antiques (of course I got an orange lamp), etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Very fun, and very sad to be back to reality. I'm sure Harvard is sad to be back too, because he can't sleep in our bed like this...</p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS7BpoH1m6ySHeDRKky0DyEREt8F-y3jJkwEUfQsg6walyXO0A0M7Ta1bjZYT-Ge7tR1Jp9J0ns499PvXUw1RxTZhDCM3TnzORAyajMpBSBeJ2p4AqTx6F9jfuNh81S47psQdGPXWIIw4/s320/IMG_6407.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616109343297559922" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "></span> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Part of our new reality that I have failed to mention up to this point is that Amber got a new job a little over a month ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She has a full time job in the testing center at LCC, and she loves it so far.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It sounds like the people love having her there too, so it seems to be a good fit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We like to joke that she has a big girl job now (or grown up job).</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Lastly, I’ll share with you a few “firsts.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Harvard stole his first morsel of food off our table while we weren’t looking, and he ate his first bit of chocolate in the same event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our family friend, Wendy, gave us some homemade peanut butter (the clear draw for Harv’s nose) bars topped with chocolate, and Harvard thought he needed one too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was no big deal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Harvard also jumped out of my car while I was driving recently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had to take out the front seat of my Acura so that he would fit, and like any other dog, he likes his window down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We had been out and about and were just turning onto our street when he saw our house and bolted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Luckily, I wasn’t going very fast and he landed in stride and ran straight to the garage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was no big deal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Amber mowed the lawn for the first time ever!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Actually, it very well could have been the first time she’s ever even <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">touched</i> a lawn mower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There were a few funny moments when she would ask a silly question about the mower, get extremely flustered when she would run over a rock, and it was especially funny when she couldn’t get the darn thing started for a while, only to realize that she wasn’t holding the handle that allows the mower to run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was cute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She didn’t think so. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">By the way, while she was mowing, I was working too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I wasn’t just watching her. :) Here she is surveying her work...</p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxhYBW2-lWaw_P6gk7opKN90pw4aFdtOWramwKUMNmCq-4thAZUUzrKBNiDFW6a-yHM3RG0KXqJ-OqYChkhUknD1nArzWxVH07bv6BC2vFCEHpvq3hpidjPc-CY3QJP6CjQ62d4i1HkjA/s320/amber+mowed.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616109322167493266" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span> <!--EndFragment--> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div>Eric Lemierehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14587403687992972431noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227589251059922097.post-85949156610448969542011-05-10T19:07:00.000-07:002011-05-10T19:14:27.383-07:00Car Conundrum and Dog Data<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal">Amber and I have a problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>At some point in the womb, some of the wires in our brains got crossed, and yes, it happened to both of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The problem is this: we both love little cars, and big dogs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our favorite breeds of dogs are Great Danes (clearly), Mastiffs, Rottweilers, Huskies, Malamutes, Boston Terriers (not so big), Newfoundlands, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our favorite breeds of cars are roughly the same size as the dogs we like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Amber has two dream cars: a new mini cooper, and an old mini cooper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My dream cars are old Volkswagens, and of course an old Honda Civic 1200.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I think you are starting to see how these preferences could clash with one another.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Needless to say, a large vehicle would be beneficial for transporting Harvard around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Even our Subaru finds him a bit cramped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We have been searching for a vehicle that addresses our love of small cars and need for a spacious cargo area, but only a few seem to be adequate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our price range puts some restraints on the options as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Maybe someday we will get a new vehicle though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Who knows?</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Since we have been proud dog owners, Amber has been reading a lot about dogs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She has a book called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Inside of a Dog</i> that she is loving, we watch dogumentaries, and she likes to read any internet/magazine article that talks about dogs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We thought we would share a few interesting facts about dogs that we have learned over the last nine months, so sit back and get ready to appreciate the K9 even more…</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">-Dogs experience the world primarily through their noses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The amount of information they can derive from a quick butt-sniff is utterly miraculous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">-They also have the ability to re-scan a room of smells with their noses, as we do with our eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When we mere humanoids enter a room with a candle burning, we smell the candle initially, but soon the smell neutralizes to our noses and we no longer smell it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>A dog, however, can smell the candle, smell the carpet, smell the people, and then a little later, smell the candle again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It’s sort of the same as us looking at a picture in a room, looking away, and then looking at it again. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They see with their noses.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">-Most dogs will act crazy after a bath because they are trying to rub themselves on everything to regain their scent.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">-A dog’s tail is very important to their communication.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When they are walking with their tail up, they are “getting their scent out” for the world to smell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When their tail is between their legs (as when they are scared), they are trying to hide their scent so that whatever they are scared of won’t recognize them later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It’s similar to humans hiding their faces from the paparazzi because they don’t want people to know it’s them.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">-In many cases, dogs better understand communication from humans than any other animal, including chimps.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">-People that say, “It’s just a dog,” and imply that it is like any other animal doesn’t understand that humans have been domesticating them for centuries, and dogs now rely on humans in a way that no wild animal does.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">-There are more dogs than Christians in both Portland and Seattle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This does not, however, take into account the amount of dogs that <i>are</i> Christians.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">-It has been established that people who own pets live longer, have less stress, and have fewer heart attacks.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">-The typical dog costs an owner $13,350 over the span of its life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This is substantially less than the cost of a child. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I suppose that is enough information for you readers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I hope you enjoyed learning more about “man’s best friend.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In case you are wondering why dogs are considered man’s best friend, lets refer to what Allan Evald told me many moons ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He said something to the effect of this: dogs are called “man’s best friend” because if you lock your dog and your wife in the trunk of your car for a few hours, only one of them will be happy to see you when you let them out.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">*Things you may be wondering about Harvard... He is almost 10 months old. He got neutered today. He weighed 113 pounds before the surgery. He probably weighs slightly less now.</p> <!--EndFragment-->Eric Lemierehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14587403687992972431noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227589251059922097.post-58480568076433211442011-04-26T12:36:00.001-07:002011-04-26T12:38:52.658-07:00Wisdom<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPel6UH05Es_suSxuS0g3rpEqWcTeI6pri2Mjds8LXolLHkVZA94cX7HxRTt8RK5Vzlg3rLW8LOkWMpJHcqc4-Dy-m82Gm3u2HlHWepMRnVOTJe8q0syZmyOL18PAXYWNLRFURWUffU3I/s1600/card" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><p class="MsoNormal">My 29<sup>th</sup> birthday has now come and gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I wear slippers all the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I drink black coffee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’m trying to eat healthier and (dare I say) more organic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I watch documentaries more often than movies. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’m old. Everyone keeps saying I'm almost 30, which is clearly true, but I don't care. It's just a number. I think Amber probably has a harder time with my age than I do. She thinks I'm old too.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Since I am so old and wise now, I feel it is necessary to share some of it with you:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The first thing was, I learned was to forgive myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Then I told myself, “Go ahead and do whatever you want, it’s okay by me.”</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Ok, so that was actually a Deep Thought from Jack Handy that was on one of my birthday cards (thank you Zac).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I used to love deep thoughts, and my love has been rekindled recently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Just ask Shawnee McCown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’m trying to light her fire, but I think her wood is wet.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">My favorite birthday card came from my little nephew Dash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was homemade and had stamps all over it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He colored in some of the stamps, but he was really eager to show me how many times he stamped “I love you” on the card.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Probably the funniest part was when he was showing me the different stamps of “him and I” (which were a boy and a girl) and he pointed to the one pictured below and said, “That’s you and me in a bathtub.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Okay, little buddy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Clearly we are eating a giant slice of watermelon together, but I won’t correct you.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPel6UH05Es_suSxuS0g3rpEqWcTeI6pri2Mjds8LXolLHkVZA94cX7HxRTt8RK5Vzlg3rLW8LOkWMpJHcqc4-Dy-m82Gm3u2HlHWepMRnVOTJe8q0syZmyOL18PAXYWNLRFURWUffU3I/s1600/card" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPel6UH05Es_suSxuS0g3rpEqWcTeI6pri2Mjds8LXolLHkVZA94cX7HxRTt8RK5Vzlg3rLW8LOkWMpJHcqc4-Dy-m82Gm3u2HlHWepMRnVOTJe8q0syZmyOL18PAXYWNLRFURWUffU3I/s320/card" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599978528292457554" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 298px; height: 320px; " /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Speaking of watermelon, a juicer was given to me for my birthday (another indicator of my age) and I love it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Fresh juice is amazing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The only un-amazing part about the whole thing is the clean up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Tedious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In my shopping for fruits and veggies to juice, though, I came across a new discovery: dried cantaloupe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It’s delicious!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>So at least there is a LITTLE bit of wisdom that I shared with you.</p> <!--EndFragment-->Eric Lemierehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14587403687992972431noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227589251059922097.post-19460933087039360712011-03-30T10:49:00.000-07:002011-03-30T11:42:44.934-07:00It's the small things...<div style="text-align: left;">I would like to take a quick moment to talk about a few inventions that I love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>These aren’t your typical inventions, however.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It would be really easy to list things like light bulbs, cars, computers, microwaves, and things like that, but the inventions I want to discuss are of a smaller scale; things that I use often; things we probably take for granted.</div> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b>Candles</b> – I love things that smell good, and the ambiance that they provide is a plus as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In my opinion, most candles don’t smell very good, but when you find good ones, they are awesome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Amber and I have different views on candles, however.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I prefer to light them only when people are coming over to the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That way, hopefully, people will walk in and think, “Wow, it smells good in here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I can’t even tell they have a ginormous dog living in the house.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Amber, on the other hand, wants candles lit any time she is home because they (and I quote) make her “soul feel good.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Probably to a fault, I try to keep things good for as long as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That means that I won’t want a candle lit because it will “waste” it if we are just using it for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I know it’s a stupid way to view things, and I promise I’m getting better about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Sometimes when I come home and Amber is sitting in the house with no candles lit, I will make a big fuss about how her soul is and then I’ll go light a candle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b>WD40</b> – This little spray has numerous uses and, as stated above, I love things that smell good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I like how it smells.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I have considered wearing it as a cologne, but I came to the conclusion that I would probably only attract men, so I vetoed that decision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I have used this stuff for a number of things though, from fixing squeaks to removing duct tape residue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Most people probably don’t know that the WD stands for “water displacement” and the 40 indicates the 40<sup>th</sup> attempt by the creator to come up with a formula for the water displacing spray.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b>Delay Pedals</b> – As a guitar player, my playing ability, style, and taste all changed when I got my first Electro-Harmonix Memory Man delay pedal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>A whole new world was opened to me… much like when Aladdin and Jasmine went on their first magic carpet ride… with Steppenwolf.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Anyway, the way I see it, Pink Floyd was the first band to make using delay popular, and then U2 took it to a whole new level.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Edge really made delay commercial and changed the way guitar was played.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That’s how I see it at least.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I might be wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I have owned a number of different delay pedals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Let’s see… 1…2…3…4…5…6…7…8…9…10…11… at least 11 different pedals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I currently own 3 and have my eye on another one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Gotta sell something first though.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b>Oven Mitts</b> – Ok, this one is a little more obvious, I suppose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Everyone needs something to protect their hands from 350-degree metal cookie sheets and things like that… unless, of course, your name is Allan Evald (my father-in-law).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He is a master welder and his hands can handle extreme heat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Whenever I am doing something in the Evald kitchen that requires handling hot stuff, I just have “Ol’ welder hands” come and do it for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Ove Glove is actually an attempt to recreate the hands of Allan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Amber did not inherit this trait.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">So those are a few things that make my life better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Speaking of making my life better, I went to Seaside with my brother Andy, Kaed and Dash for Andy’s birthday a couple days ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We stayed overnight and had a good time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Lots of swimming, snacking and snickering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I love those guys.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUPY5xv_O_rAG07oMsqHTMT63N_p9j9mkKdW4M5Ib5HmXYoyj5jvBM2o8sEhRq2QR0OVbyZwRMEIS5rdo1ghUVOnyjQmWwRGt-2BLzWsfiJvGKFPSsYK75uMfU2S4GwZu-A1NtS21PIhI/s320/beach+boys" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589932693149776866" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Eric Lemierehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14587403687992972431noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227589251059922097.post-90763491537610139042011-02-04T18:56:00.000-08:002011-02-05T09:46:17.342-08:00Harvard Hates...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Since my last blog, I have written 3 new blogs. Amber told me the first one was too depressing, so I didn't post it. In the second one, I tried to recreate a hilarious conversation that Amber and I had, but I could do it no justice, so it also never made it online. I don't even remember what the third one was about, but I'm sure there was a good reason not to share it with my 3-5 readers.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">As for this fourth blog, it won't be much of a blog at all. I did make some videos of our dog though, so you can watch those if you want to kill some time. By the way, all the footage was taken on Amber's iPod, so the quality isn't good. Here they are...</span></div><div><br /></div><div>In this one, Harv meets my new vacuum. I love both the vacuum and the dog.</div><div><br /></div><div><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Sf9xX8nQIe0" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>This video is just some highlights from his puppyhood.</div><div><br /></div><div><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qO53Ww7pzDY" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>Eric Lemierehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14587403687992972431noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227589251059922097.post-13385431830756728652010-12-21T16:34:00.001-08:002010-12-21T16:42:09.268-08:00Missing Murdok<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">There has been a lot going on since my last blog, but that goes without saying since the last one was a couple months ago. Sorry for the hiatus. I’m sure the 3 of you that read this have really been lacking during this time. I must confess that I have </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">attempted</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> to write one, but every time I do, I just write about Harvard. I figured that not everyone is as much of a dog person as I am and you probably don’t want to hear about him all the time, so I just haven’t written anything. I will give you this update on him though:</span></div> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">He’s growing and his baby teeth are falling out. He also graduated from puppy class. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">There. That was quick. So instead of boring you with all the little stories about Harvard, I have decided to talk about a different dog. The one and only…</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Murdok</b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjulNb53PUk0iXulXjIbTTudq4luREI-2v3B_RRMXWBkjs6OK5OMAJ-X16ag9QfQtSTshHBiNAu0Hgx6le4K0gmqsBWBKjmX2c25ABGo6rzjdqb3dTQITeildBLxZSgsJQEWePsQzgTnO0/s320/IMG_0658.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553298949732345330" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px; " /></span></span></p><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></span></div> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We had to say goodbye to our good buddy this morning, and it was tough. My parents think he had a stroke, and he hasn’t been able to get up from his pillow for the last few days. It was time, but it was still really sad. However, instead of making this blog a downer, I have decided to share some pictures and stories about the little guy that always make me smile.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Story #1: When Murd lived down at Andy’s house on 23</span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">rd</span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">, he would occasionally dig his way out of the back yard and go exploring. On one particular day, he followed a guy all the way down to Home Depot AND BACK! That’s around 40 blocks of walking round trip.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Story #2: After Andy added Buster to the family, the boys would get out much more frequently. One night Andy received a call from the principal of R.A. Long saying that the dogs had wandered into the school dance (another long walk). The principal said they weren’t causing any trouble and asked if Andy would wait a little bit before coming to get them. Apparently some students would walk up to the entrance, see the dogs, and turn around and leave. They thought the boys were drug-sniffing dogs! Buster and Murdok were causing students to leave that the administration didn’t want there anyway. What good dogs.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Story #3 (Mom told me this story today): On Murdok’s first 4</span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">th</span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> of July, he stayed up at his grandparents house. My dad was out of town and Andy thought Murd would freak out because of all the fireworks, so my mom said she would take him for the night. Mom prepared a little bed for Murd on the floor of her room, and they went to bed. Around 3 in the morning, my mom woke up and found a little spooning buddy cuddled up against her back in bed with her (a big no-no), and when she rolled over, he lifted his head up and looked at her with a look of, “What’s the big deal, Grandma?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Story #4: This story still cracks me up to think about. I was still living at my parent’s place and Matt Tallbut came up to hang out. When anyone would drive in to the driveway, the boys would come to the driver’s door to see who it is, and this day was no exception. Matt got out, bent down to give them a scratch, and one of the dogs immediately jumped up and whacked him right in the sweets. Matt then shut his door and made his getaway. Attempting to get away from the boys, Matt went running for our garage and the other dog took out his legs, sending him tumbling to the gravel. This was easily one of the funniest things I had ever seen, and probably still is. Imagine the whole scene…</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">These are just a few stories that come to mind, but I’m sure Andy and my parents could add a lot more. Considering Murdok was a white boxer, he outlasted all expectations and overcame the odds. It’s amazing that he lived to almost be 10 years old when you think about all that he lived through. He jumped out of the back of Andy’s truck </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">while</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> he was driving down Mt. Brynion AND got run over by the back tire, he took down a pit bull with the help of his brother Buster, he had a softball-sized tumor removed from his side that was cancerous, and he sniffed a little too close to the rear end of a porcupine and he lived through it all. He had the heart of a champion. Murdok was an awesome dog, and he will surely be missed.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO4b1H8qlvU5uiRyu0NdIA6w6BEzO0ZvGPfd5KxIlFIhx8V31PaF7xGgOpj45ZdjmqrI55Xjc50ruaRTXc5pFh_KCryGpSRiJH62QfM60OdPD54m_HAhP7FC01y-WMLk2BDefzktSmlo8/s320/IMG_2709.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553299861895291634" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGNlmsiVIZFjOhw4COaE6JfYkQHS-lWT2kJg_dyaeopx8fvPdJsR0CuVUOAu8NxV3HZjGR01Ih5on2gWa1WtLA07NELD79-7PLfxwmOWYilvxi4iImPgpYT6Q7m-d-5WyxFPRknAuH95w/s1600/IMG_1016.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGNlmsiVIZFjOhw4COaE6JfYkQHS-lWT2kJg_dyaeopx8fvPdJsR0CuVUOAu8NxV3HZjGR01Ih5on2gWa1WtLA07NELD79-7PLfxwmOWYilvxi4iImPgpYT6Q7m-d-5WyxFPRknAuH95w/s320/IMG_1016.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553299893536477762" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtiE0TJ-a5gkhgbL5-zTDu1alSYKCvcMM_ACBKDcNQ23d7r2LsGPpf-8p5vValFShzQAucWoqLGCpYAaGBsQjlH_FFrBrzoNRBqCMZ4P8ccPaIrhs921wjyKbvTQpGtw5V81ngy4RME98/s1600/IMG_0781.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtiE0TJ-a5gkhgbL5-zTDu1alSYKCvcMM_ACBKDcNQ23d7r2LsGPpf-8p5vValFShzQAucWoqLGCpYAaGBsQjlH_FFrBrzoNRBqCMZ4P8ccPaIrhs921wjyKbvTQpGtw5V81ngy4RME98/s320/IMG_0781.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553299887070143794" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU3EK-N8v2ute6dMaFWMQEEq1z_vAMtrhdkz1IJZ6AAyblLmt7hhrEkN-JHAFSYExdOa2jGbaWcS0TVp0DYk9F9-zYLEh9ASJParAIsL5PoNUnSO_ZeVusZ0zOzyuo2D6wEX_fCT2YwSE/s1600/IMG_0454.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU3EK-N8v2ute6dMaFWMQEEq1z_vAMtrhdkz1IJZ6AAyblLmt7hhrEkN-JHAFSYExdOa2jGbaWcS0TVp0DYk9F9-zYLEh9ASJParAIsL5PoNUnSO_ZeVusZ0zOzyuo2D6wEX_fCT2YwSE/s320/IMG_0454.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553299876141939266" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigFch3MVHaCer0ZQgdK3bCivY2W7BfQScqe8J2418cz8qzmsAPfQF51issf3osGoo2KSA3xNUvbyMRoGhjHA8T3r9UlH_TF6UGH7EuZBLyV_XKNfZj3d1En73zkyhg79Wtif84jWIsA3o/s1600/IMG_2333.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigFch3MVHaCer0ZQgdK3bCivY2W7BfQScqe8J2418cz8qzmsAPfQF51issf3osGoo2KSA3xNUvbyMRoGhjHA8T3r9UlH_TF6UGH7EuZBLyV_XKNfZj3d1En73zkyhg79Wtif84jWIsA3o/s320/IMG_2333.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553299869979830786" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></p> <!--EndFragment-->Eric Lemierehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14587403687992972431noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227589251059922097.post-9864825055688323772010-10-13T23:21:00.000-07:002010-10-14T21:29:39.703-07:00Haystack Harvard<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">This last weekend, Amber and I went down to Cannon Beach for the marriage retreat that our church puts on every year.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Since Cannon Beach is so pet-friendly, we decided we would take Harvard with us to see how he liked vacations, the beach, etc.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The trip definitely had its ups and downs, but overall it was a lot of fun.</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">After taking Harvard over to meet his great-grandmother Florence on Thursday, we headed down to the beach.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">He was perfect in the back seat of our car, and even did the normal dog thing and stuck his head out the window.</span></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-HnHICjzP74YPg69G89f2lV1LzDOE9RkNgh9p1kX7tfcjrU_Od6pS3Xc9B29OPxMLMF2Zcc4yZP471JwTmdFkzk73D-7cyDxIx-tIxjNQasIdPPExlR3KHTWKsZ52BOtmm78Rh-jqQxQ/s400/IMG_6147.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527785833762912130" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">When we reached Warrenton, the three of us were all getting </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">pretty hungry so we stopped at a Dairy Queen.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">As I took the little guy into the grass to do his business, I found a wad of cash.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">A whole eight dollars!</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Almost free dinner!</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Not a bad way to start the trip.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">When we got to the hotel, they were very excited to accommodate Harvard.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">They brought him a treat, which he loved, and showed us the pet area where he was to do his thing.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">After he did his business in the grass, I grabbed a plastic bag and began the cleanup.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">As I threw the bag into the trash, the ring on my right hand slipped off and fell to its demise into the pet poo can.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I opened the lid, looked in, and decided it wasn’t worth it.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">It was a $5 ring, had no sentimental value, and didn’t warrant the dirty recovery job.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Now if it had been my wedding ring… yuck.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Harv loved our hotel room.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Long and carpeted, he was able to do his sprint exercises.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I have to say, the first night was a little difficult with him.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">He was super hyper (maybe from the puppy crack treat) and was just not being a very good dog.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I even said to Amber that I was worried he would be a bad dog when he got big… really big.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Well, apparently he heard me, because he was a saint the rest of the weekend.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I think he found Jesus.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Naturally, I baptized him with the hose when we got home (he loves the hose).</span></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-_MwhjHnM_ntQct2csJeh_6otBd2okD9YF9Eidb3D983ehhE1hEZIWKlzJb81tWS_X69yR6CwzskhuSXIzy8kZ0THkmt49WDRs8mi0RgSeyrlzV_jVCwQeUBqV33m7oQRLR9y6hZ9WfQ/s400/IMG_6083.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527785829475402706" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">We took Harvard onto the beach for about 15 minutes, and he was a little unsure of it.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Wind, sand, and waves were all somewhat troubling to him, but he did okay.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I took my camera to take some pictures of him, but alas, the battery was dead.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">All I got was this picture with my phone:</span></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmZ6YOegZZ09loCb3RgbT5lVC3BSvhauDITlDaW2nMLxnpW0wcw5fEpyWHPnglNmk3Pm8cp9BugyZFF3G0sH9cwkiwc8uYBQwa7CDszslAB32MQ0-E37LVox6A-WNx_Ko4scKn5DMjpec/s400/Haystack+Harvard" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527785832468062802" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 344px; " /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">When Amber and I adopted our Great Dane puppy, we knew he would be a topic of conversation; what we didn’t realize was how many people would want to meet him.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">As stated before, Cannon Beach is very pet friendly, so we took him down to the main street for some lunch.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">As we ate outside of Pizza a Feta, everyone who walked by wanted to meet him and know what kind of dog he was.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Upon finding out he was a Dane, they were tickled to pieces.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Apparently the blue color is puzzling to people, and they often think he is a Weimaraner or an oddly colored chocolate Lab.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></o:p></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">It was a fun little work vacation with our little family, and we of course are very proud of our little buddy.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">He even learned a new game at the beach: hide and seek.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">When he finds us, he gives us big hugs.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">It’s very cute.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">By the way, he has officially doubled in size since we got him.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Harvard is now 12 weeks old and just over 30 pounds.</span></span><!--EndFragment--><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I leave you with a picture of Harvard laughing hysterically in the back of our car...</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; font-family:Georgia, serif;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe2bWc8PnmBlZnGPx0Ery4uYrYpdAMJnemfPxVunxAgz2_SSY2qvDvVy8AhZLlj58bqoZa4A_mQjfMTyuOcYMnOKooluVCfrXewdTVclfsE5hGB1ps4tS76JBEJvje8y11z_8_vD5jHkQ/s400/IMG_6140.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527785144128783410" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></span></div></div></div>Eric Lemierehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14587403687992972431noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227589251059922097.post-12369883093466638292010-09-18T13:02:00.001-07:002010-09-18T13:02:39.458-07:00I missed you...<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica">As I was out on tour, I realized there are a few things that I missed from home that I don’t always consider.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Of course, I missed my wife, family, friends, and things like that, but the following list is not so predictable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica">My Bed – When Amber and I got married, we slept in her full size bed with a mattress that sunk to the middle like a hammock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We are not the largest people in the world, but the full size was still pretty small for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Early on in our marriage, we decided to fork out some money on a nice mattress, so we bought ourselves a Sleep Number bed and it has certainly been worth it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I often forget how nice it is until I sleep in a different bed and wake up with a sore back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Needless to say, the bus bunk and hotel beds were not what I was used to sleeping on, so when I was reunited with my mattress after 7 weeks, I sunk right in.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica">Water – I’ve always said the northwest has the best water (which is why the coffee is best here), and I was again reminded of this very convenient truth out on the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There were numerous times when I would turn on the shower and smell sulfur, or I wouldn’t be able to rinse the soap off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our water is good.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica">Toilet Paper – Most hotels and music venues buy pretty cheap toilet paper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This one doesn’t need any explanation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Just imagine notebook paper… but thinner… and without the lines.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica">Weather – I love the feeling of cold rain, so when it is hot and rainy, I get upset.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I also don’t like feeling sweaty as soon as I dry off from a shower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That’s why I enjoy the northwest.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica">Towels – Our towels are nothing special, but when you compare them to the hotel towels or the venue towels, they are a dream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Again, hotels and venues want to save money, so they buy cheap towels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>These towels are almost as thin as the toilet paper and only slightly more absorbent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica">So that is my list of the little things I missed about home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Don’t take what you have for granted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Your towels and toilet paper are a luxury.</span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Eric Lemierehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14587403687992972431noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227589251059922097.post-11785704542883663542010-09-14T10:50:00.001-07:002010-09-14T11:05:23.473-07:00Ups and Downs<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZVF_Z83vuGaEXfWllWjhuSzIGPIBLGDxuP5ILhcIE5JK_erY8hljxkYH2QZqNGuQiGZgJpmcAz0eLJJ54XEoNn9BYEfSOu-0Z_F18GBIz2f8rJ7butUI6hh0zFdryXC8gLTFGLfx0-t4/s1600/Harvard+puppy+face.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZVF_Z83vuGaEXfWllWjhuSzIGPIBLGDxuP5ILhcIE5JK_erY8hljxkYH2QZqNGuQiGZgJpmcAz0eLJJ54XEoNn9BYEfSOu-0Z_F18GBIz2f8rJ7butUI6hh0zFdryXC8gLTFGLfx0-t4/s320/Harvard+puppy+face.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516828652552522226" /></a></div><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal">When my brother, Andy, did his best man toast at my wedding, he said a bunch of nice things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>His closing line of the toast was something to the effect of:</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">“May all of your ups and downs be in private.”</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">This has certainly been a week of ups and downs, but most of them have been quite public.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>For starters, I got home from the tour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I quite enjoyed the whole thing, but also missed Amber and home terribly, so I’ve had mixed emotions upon re-entering normal life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I must say, however, that there has been nothing normal about this week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Like I said, the tour was a lot of fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I met a lot of great people and had many a fun time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It has been a number of years since I played guitar on a stage like that, so it was a good reminder of what I love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Thankfully, this tour rekindled some of the once glowing embers in my musical mind and has me excited about music again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Some of you may be aware that I used to be in a band that didn’t end well, and that whole experience really took the wind out of my sails for a long time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Now, though, I am reminded of my love for hunting for guitar pedals, and I am excited to make some of my own music again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’ve been on an extended recording hiatus for different reasons, but mostly because I was simply burnt out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Not anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Now my only enemy is time and money.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Back to the rollercoaster week… <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>On Monday night, Amber’s brother Josh and his wife Becky welcomed a little 6lbs 10oz nugget of joy into the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Becky gave birth to their first child, a daughter named Jaxyn, on Labor Day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Labor Day!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Ha!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Apparently Jaxyn got the memo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She’s a good-looking, healthy little girl, and maybe, just maybe, Josh will start his own blog someday.</p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif3j3bwJljs7eXIfeT2yTKuuKXKkFR3rq_v1isA9AFAlsDju160vWsmPaLWd722TqHEjPhjbOLNKhFwF1Q7Yxr-CK8tlg01dQSyBcIqtiKnpH6yfdGnP3LEfNYtLD-wueNROly7bPgQrQ/s320/IMG_5702.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516831530277309954" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">As soon as they were sent home from the hospital though, littlest brother Jordan decided he wanted to have his turn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Early Thursday morning, him and a couple friends decided to take a break from their World of Warcraft and head to the gas station for some energy drinks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>On their way home, one of those terrorist deer jumped in the road forcing the driver to swerve, and the boys went off-roading in a Honda Civic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The car rolled down an embankment and somehow landed on top of Jordan, who was thrown from the vehicle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Miraculously, after being pinned under the car for about an hour and being life-flighted to the hospital in Vancouver, it appears that Jordan escaped with only a big gash in his head (which has been stapled shut) and a pretty nasty concussion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>His body is pretty darn sore too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The other boys are fine; one of them getting some stitches in his arm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’d say, all in all, they were all extremely lucky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Feel free to thank the Lord for His hand in it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Our friends Judah and Becca Kirkwood also added a baby to the world this week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>His name is Noah and he is destined to be a great ship builder someday… if he chooses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Amber and I also added to our family, which can be read about in the blog below.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); ">Harvard</span> is growing up very fast and we can see the changes in his body and mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He is learning the house rules and getting bigger every day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We just realized that when he is a mere four months old, he will be as big or bigger than my parents’ boxers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Wow.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); ">Harvard</span> meets his cousin Zoe:</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO4tuM0t6rAIfFi5Wj9ele8QkkYbZIl809bnL69guC1i7s59QevRL2z8sXW92hu6BUoGYeiQi87COCokZYPhUGv1OyfVpW1FpO2GPs6xKWYhk7zIL3dsujsUsFoeqLh9pFUS-R5nBjqgg/s320/Harvard+and+Zoe.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516828671678846386" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">Sleeping <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); ">Harvard</span>:</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8jHOjS7PwVTxlVyphiaOxC5IAydA4vqkV5U4HCRnAHeEVXv1_KRsgFy4l8aHS7qSTHUWzyvsvyYfDE3f6CBFYOmDSKTpXfQR6g4YJJwVpkDM3S6hSMftvbNSQz0gEWIoiOAzqjnT9cMs/s320/Harvard+asleep.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516828687936633378" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Harvard:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFWR7rvoYcMmBp42nHTXSYCwZo-KK-lK5A0tvMtlUw4Qw41pVf5QjpRDvqHmyW-8GWcyMRjQ-yZ9akin14KjYy3BzIrkfNA2hvOS6L5yXhQzxs2ZB5h9Ay5Dt7IFB9bQ3BAvbNDdXJA3g/s320/Harvard+and+records.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516828664860614274" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div>Eric Lemierehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14587403687992972431noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227589251059922097.post-84294855180167662152010-09-11T09:03:00.000-07:002010-09-11T09:39:17.752-07:00It's A Boy!!!<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYGPy9w6qGUaM2vx9WDg4Z0sBNOu-HjGvAg0vSl11iV78-TTS_XAO3hrpd9kcVnAmslcOcHAvh9Q1chliiNRF_rXxIIDWvewcKBNcfH8JGlxmvoxa_2AY_LK28yDT6J6pQyGQkoQga37k/s1600/Harvey+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYGPy9w6qGUaM2vx9WDg4Z0sBNOu-HjGvAg0vSl11iV78-TTS_XAO3hrpd9kcVnAmslcOcHAvh9Q1chliiNRF_rXxIIDWvewcKBNcfH8JGlxmvoxa_2AY_LK28yDT6J6pQyGQkoQga37k/s320/Harvey+1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515690376584134274" /></a></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXvavHcmtLFlMLwNvb1tJ3h7M5mjltws7_2rLvr80GopqBTW_qLZ8KIqfNkMPmuc78I5fwSxyCGxbJcW4-j5LZn-g8dBeZVPU5sEGnsIw76jvscu1t8JjYb8rS18xBCnP0FypdQbfCme4/s1600/Harvey+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXvavHcmtLFlMLwNvb1tJ3h7M5mjltws7_2rLvr80GopqBTW_qLZ8KIqfNkMPmuc78I5fwSxyCGxbJcW4-j5LZn-g8dBeZVPU5sEGnsIw76jvscu1t8JjYb8rS18xBCnP0FypdQbfCme4/s320/Harvey+2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515690363409115778" /></a><br /><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal">That’s right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Amber and I have finally added to our little family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We just adopted a Great Dane yesterday, and he is awesome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>His name is Harvard, but you can call him Harvey. Now, I know what some of you are probably thinking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You are thinking, “Why a Great Dane?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Well, Amber and I love big dogs, and we wanted something with a really good temperament, so all signs pointed to the “gentle giant” that is snoring at my feet at this very moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We have been looking for a puppy for a while now, but we wanted a specific color and we wanted to do it right, so we waited until we found the right breeder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We actually went to see a different puppy a while back, but the breeder was sketchy and the puppy was not Harvey.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">We actually came across this breeder while we were at the hospital for Jordan (Amber’s little brother).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He was in a car accident (more on that in a blog to come) and his ICU nurse happened to have a blue Dane, and also happened to know that the breeder she got hers from had one male puppy left. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was fate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We contacted the breeder that day, and the next day we had Harvey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I would just like to take this opportunity to publicly thank Jordan for getting in a car accident, taking a helicopter ride to a hospital in Vancouver, suffering a major concussion, getting staples in his head, and freaking the entire family out all for the sake of Harvey joining the Lemiere family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>What a great little brother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>(he is doing well, by the way)</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">One concern we had about the puppy was that he was the last one picked, but that concern quickly dissipated like a dog fart in a windstorm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Most people choose their Danes from pictures over the Internet without meeting the puppy until it is delivered to their house, and they usually pick by the dogs markings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Even though Harvey was the last one to find a home, he is still the one we would have picked out of the litter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We got to see him with 3 of the other puppies who were shipping out on Tuesday, and he was our favorite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He is almost completely solid blue, he was the biggest of the litter, and he has the mildest temperament.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In fact, as I was crouching down to meet the dogs, the other 3 puppies were biting at my jeans and my shoe laces and Harvey was sitting between my legs with his head resting on my thigh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Temperament was our biggest concern, so his physical qualities are just icing on the cake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">On our way home, we stopped at the hospital so the Evald family could meet their new grandson/nephew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The hospital allowed us to bring him into Jordan’s room, but as we were waiting outside, we were given a glimpse as to what our lives will be like when we take Harvey into public.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Everyone that walked by commented on him and couldn’t resist petting him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Many asked if he was a Weimaraner because of his blue coat, and everyone was thrilled to find out he was a Great Dane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“I’ve never seen one so small,” was the typical comment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Don’t worry folks, he will get bigger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Much bigger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Here is a picture of Amber with Harvey’s 170 lbs dad, Apoc:</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlyWzbxAAu-AqfFVBmXuRPU0peW3jIzYP8PlBL6v6fCKhdUYLKcyR2h1e-SeWTSdBK7rlHPes-qsk91D8ioXWXFDx8vmMZn9C3LlAtsS7P5ZqeYzTRGmg6DEwNc1QFYdadSiKOYlUROhw/s320/Apoc" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515690393682008674" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">After one night of having our new son in the house, I still like him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As soon as we took him home, I instantly felt that love that only a parent can feel and finally knew what Amber’s mom is always talking about (that was for you, Sheri).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>So feel free to come visit our son and us. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My brother, Nick, recently had a son and I know that lots of people brought him and Tiff meals since they are new parents, so feel free to do the same for us. :)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Just let us know when you want to meet Harvard!!!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFR-v2LhVq6kz42R-6LLsxqVjOzKL7A5ZpsliM0QQvxz8j8HjwMfA-lPv-orlc1bKmWbhbKN8_gLJdF4Mso-1W2Gw8eohUjoUeNtqPT1TnyIV0y8Pj8OTmSsmENUM1qYtuBS7fHesyS9w/s320/good.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515690386610081282" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></span></p><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div> <!--EndFragment-->Eric Lemierehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14587403687992972431noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227589251059922097.post-75601591209714735042010-08-28T11:49:00.000-07:002010-08-28T12:03:55.566-07:00Wife Week<div style="text-align: left;">As I write this blog, I sit at a picnic table just outside our bus behind the venue at Virginia Beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It is approaching noon, and the weather is perfect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Sipping my cup of catering coffee, I reflect on the last 7 days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This has been one of the best weeks ever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Amber got to come out here on the road with me and it was a blaster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We got to hang out in New York City for a couple days, catch a few concerts, go shopping, and spend a lot of much needed time together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When we first saw each other, there was this initial feeling of, “Oh yeah… you ARE a real person and not just a voice on my phone,” but it didn’t take long to wear off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Amber amazed and surprised me with a few things: she got her hair done and got her nose re-pierced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Even after flying a red-eye, she still looked smokin’ hot.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The first day was pretty uneventful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We attempted to walk around, but after getting about ¼ of a mile from our hotel we got dumped on by the New York clouds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>At that point we decided to go back to our room and order a pizza.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Enjoy a picture of us here:</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpFwPR7DxkA0Z3nvWUFBp0UrCK1LrlyxUpoHWQXD0MnZGyWwhU4GsUpHCl5NWjgPaCicQCix1SfHDFu2eDuUJaIdvBMwDyhJX3R4IGS2gLStDg7g5VKYNnC8wqfhahh84MmbbWE-FYlNw/s320/wet" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510538049387104466" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span>The second day in New York was much more successful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We decided to take the subway everywhere instead of a cab, so we saved quite a bit of money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>For the whole day, we only spent $13.50 to get around the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was a good thing too, because we needed all the money we could get to keep the muggers from taking our phones and bags.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We only got mugged twice, but we managed to talk our way out of giving all of our stuff to them by telling them we had connections to the Chicago mob and that… ok, I’m joking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We didn’t get mugged at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>All we did was walk around, go shopping, share a couple meals together, drink coffee, and go to a concert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>A friend of mine sings in a super-duo called The Civil Wars (see video at end of this blog) and they just happened to be playing in the city on our day off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Most of you know that I’m a critical perfectionist so this next statement may come as a shock to you, but The Civil Wars were flawless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Amazing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was a great day and night with the wife of my youth.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Day three was a show day, and we played at the Jones Beach Amphitheatre.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Pretty cool venue, but poorly designed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As you can see in the picture below, it is right on the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The bad part about it is that the lower level floods all the time, and this night was no exception.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Everyone in front of the stage was standing in water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You can imagine how load-in and load-out were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Good thing there is a crew that takes care of that. :)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNe9em0DIqiVHGtifXkhTVCbkifF8m7OH_OKyrHUh4dNUzw5PMdpgTIUTzFmruDem6RwXwyd_g8RW-v6gsGL8CQOb0kLtJVoGg5kG-sZTExTmElm3O1q-apCySpWSJNLrbbjq60O2iIBE/s320/jones+beach.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510538033586823714" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 223px; " /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">The weather was still cool and wet, so I had a little hot cocoa date with this hot girl I found backstage.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO_14692g3JAMMwt3bIc4jITx6O9vzS9ftYdAhWBFsArXHAwXMA1Jl3cJyVuh1ePBpuzw6rCMg3cqtyWtGPAGIeNECWyj6xRqc_RsN16jLuIO_nFKXvPfgwgsf4tU0_czhLs41rkQ4OR0/s320/cocoa" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510538029960451154" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">After the show, Amber did her first overnight bus ride with us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Since neither of us are huge individuals, we decided to try to share a bunk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was tight, but after being apart for so many nights, we were willing to make sacrifices to make it work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Sacrifices like being able to bend my knees at all while trying to sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>By the 3<sup>rd</sup> night drive, we had the bunk sharing down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I should add here that a bunk is smaller than a twin bed, and there is only about 2-2.5 feet of clearance from top to bottom; basically, it’s like sleeping in a coffin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If I had to be stuck in a coffin with someone though, I would definitely choose Amber as my coffin-mate.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">All in all, Amber saw 7 concerts while out with us: The Civil Wars, Madi Diaz, Skillet, Creed, and Theft (3 times).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’m not sure which concert was her favorite, but I’m pretty sure I know which guitar player was her favorite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Hopefully Amber will write her own blog on here about her week with us, but I have a hard time getting her to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>All of you that have either her phone number or email address, you should bug her about it repeatedly until she does.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">To wrap this blog up, I would like to share a something I’ve learned over the years of my travelling: names of places are funny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Every morning when I wake up, I reach for my phone, open the weather channel app and see what the day has in store.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The app uses gps to locate where you are to give you the most accurate info, and when I located myself the other day I was in Coxsackie, NY.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It’s just down the road from Climax, NY.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This reminded me of other humorous towns such as Blue Ball and Intercourse, which are both in PA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Lastly, and possibly the strangest, is a state park in Kentucky: Big Bone Lick State Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It can be found where Big Bone Road intersects with Beaver Road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I kid you not.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2yZbQdWpcDg?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2yZbQdWpcDg?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WfzRlcnq_c0?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WfzRlcnq_c0?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Eric Lemierehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14587403687992972431noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227589251059922097.post-14213454317461923292010-08-22T04:32:00.001-07:002010-08-22T04:32:35.968-07:00Lovely Lady LandsThe waiting game. Lets be honest, I have been playing the waiting game for the past 26 days; but as the hour draws near, I grow restless. I have been home a total of around 80 hours in the last 936, and in that 80 you have to account for all the time spent sleeping, building the shed, and all the other little things that use up our time and cause Amber and I to be away from each other. What I’m trying to say is that I haven’t seen my beautiful wife much lately. What has been keeping me sane is a lot of time spent on the phone and iChat, making sure that Amber’s picture is the last thing I see before closing my eyes every night, and the far off thought that I will be reunited with her again in the future. Well, ladies and gentlemen, that future is in a few long, arduous hours.<br /><br />Here I am, riding on the bus while she is flying through the air, and I can’t sleep. I attempted to go to bed early, but Bo seems to be lacking when it comes to graceful driving (more on that later). Mixing a rough road with the anticipation of a hug from my not-so-rough wife makes for a very unrestful night. It’s funny to think that she could be getting better sleep sitting in her airplane seat than I am laying down in a cushy tour bus. I did get her a window seat, though. Enough about that. I need to change the subject before I go crazy with excitement.<br /><br />Please allow me now the opportunity to tell you a little bit about our new driver, Bo. He has been with us for about a week now, and the verdict is in: I miss Lem. Bo seems to be a nice guy, but he is like an unstoppable rebel force when he is driving. I don’t know if the roads are really that bumpy or if he is actually running over people that get in his way. Either way, he somehow managed to shave two hours off of a 13-hour trip a few nights ago. <br /><br />Our first encounter with him was interesting. He started driving and immediately lit up a cig. Sorry Bo… not on this bus. Suddenly the smoky hotel room smell that hit us the first time we entered the bus made sense. This was Bo’s bus. He complied with our “no smoking on the bus” rule and kept on trucking… or bussing. The second encounter was no better. He got on the bus and Matt asked him how his hotel was, and Bo responded with a string of colorful words to describe how he felt about said hotel room. Lem? Are you there? We have since found out that Bo is ex-military, he was in Vietnam, and in the winter he transports convicts on the bus. No wonder is a little “rough around the edges.” I wasn’t aware that translated into the roads though. I swear he took the bus through a skate park the other night… half-pipe and all.<br /><br />The show at Lake Winnipesauke was great the other night. It was the smallest crowd of the tour so far (somewhere in the 3000s) but we managed to sell 55 CDs… a record for Theft. After the show, the venue lit two fire pits backstage and put out all kinds of s’mores stuff. They had the traditional stuff—grams, mallows, and milk chocolate—as well as some new things, such as strawberry mallows, dark chocolate, peanut butter cups, and York peppermint patties. I tried a s’more with a peppermint patty, and I’ll tell you what… pretty darn good (excuse my language). I suggest you try it next time.<br /><br />I suppose I should try to get some rest before my lovely lady lands. Enjoy your week and don’t ever take your spouse for granted!Eric Lemierehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14587403687992972431noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227589251059922097.post-25612214566212316942010-08-20T09:59:00.000-07:002010-08-20T10:13:51.146-07:00Baby Steps<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><!--StartFragment--> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><!--StartFragment--> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Yesterday was a very relaxing day off. We are in the lovely New Hampshire, staying just off of Lake Winnipesauke. The weather here is perfect, so we took advantage of it. Here is how the day unfolded:</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">-Got off the bus around noon and went for a little run. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">-Took a dip in the pool and read poolside for about an hour.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">-Austen and I went to the pub across the street and got some lunch.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">-I walked around the shops for a bit.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">-Matt, Ryan and I went into the little town and played mini golf, rode go-carts, and played a few video games.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">-The three of us went back to the hotel and I ate my leftovers from lunch.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">-Ryan and I went in the hot tub, which had way too much chlorine in it, so when he turned on the bubbles there was about 3 inches of foam on top of the water.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">-I went back to the hotel room, cleaned up, watched TV and finished the night with talking on the phone to—you guessed it—Amber.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Doesn’t sound too bad, does it? It was like having a day of vacation. If you’ve been following our tour schedule, you may have realized we went from Scranton, PA to Lake Winnipesauke; or, maybe more appropriately, from The Office to What About Bob. Some of you will understand that…</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I leave you with a few memorable quotes from What About Bob:</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">“What if I'm looking for a bathroom, I can't find one, and my bladder explodes?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">"Roses are red, violets are blue, I'm a schizophrenic... and so am I."<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">“Isn't this a breakthrough, that I'm a sailor? I sail? I sail now?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">“</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Good morning, Gil. I said, good morning, Gil.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">“I feel good, I feel great, I feel wonderful...”</span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> <p></p> <!--EndFragment--> <p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Eric Lemierehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14587403687992972431noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227589251059922097.post-52667538093189052532010-08-18T14:06:00.001-07:002010-08-18T14:06:59.647-07:00Theft Tour: Episode II<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_w5smTJgf1Q?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_w5smTJgf1Q?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>Eric Lemierehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14587403687992972431noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227589251059922097.post-35452066204838920922010-08-17T09:10:00.001-07:002010-08-17T11:20:29.367-07:00Road Ramblings<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal">It’s been a little while since I last posted a blog, and for that I apologize.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It’s just that I haven’t felt like there is anything that has been really noteworthy in the last few days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It’s all kind of the same old thing: play a show, ride on the bus, miss Amber, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The shows have been getting better since that lighting incident.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In fact, our show last Saturday in Indiana was our best one yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We didn’t have any technical difficulties, we all played well, and the crowd was great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The only negative thing I can say about it was the weather: extremely hot and humid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Very wet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The bus travel has been getting better and worse at the same time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>At first, I was having a lot of trouble sleeping while the bus was moving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>At every bump, I would jolt awake in fear of the bus rolling… it must have something to do with that van wreck I was in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Anyway, I no longer do that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I still wake up with each bump, but it is no longer out of fear; it is simply because a bump interrupts my slumber.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I have been sleeping pretty well the last two nights though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’ll bet it’s because the humidity has been sucking the very life out of me.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The bus has gotten worse, however, in that we had to say goodbye to our bus driver, Lem, the other day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He was apparently only filling in for the guy who usually drives the bus we are in, so we now have Bo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>By the way, if you ever want to drive a tour bus, you are going to have to shorten your name down to one syllable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We were sad to see Lem go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He was a super nice, southern guy with his gray hair combed back and a black mustache who wanted nothing more than to be an Oakridge Boy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He’s actually going to be driving their bus next week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Go get em’ Lem.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">In other news, I was in Cincinnati last week and had dinner with Joel, Kristy, Nevaeh, and Jesslyn Matthews.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was fun seeing some familiar faces out on the road, and I even got a free pair of Toms out of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Actually, I haven’t tried the coupon yet, so we still have to wait and see if I will really get another pair of Toms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Since Joel manages a Trader Joe’s, he brought me 3 bags of vegetable chips for the bus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Not a bad deal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I should hang out with them more often. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Wingdings;">:)</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">That’s about all I have for you in this update.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I guess there were a few things for me to talk about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Normally I wouldn’t be able to elaborate on such weak topics, but I have been living with Amber for 3 years now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Maybe she is starting to rub off on me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>By the way, I get to see her in 5 days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Oh, what a reunion it shall be…</p> <!--EndFragment-->Eric Lemierehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14587403687992972431noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227589251059922097.post-47454016628510235152010-08-10T13:30:00.000-07:002010-08-10T14:49:00.231-07:00A Poor Performance and Personalities<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><!--StartFragment--> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Sioux City, Iowa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Hot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Humid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Stormy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Sunny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Windy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Calm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Birthplace of our worst show yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This was a show I was looking forward to because we would be playing indoor, as opposed to the outdoor arenas we have been playing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Being that we are the opening band, the sun is still out for our set so it’s not as cool as playing in only stage lighting (in my opinion).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Maybe if I just change my perspective a little and take into consideration that the sun doesn’t hang around for the other bands, it would make me feel better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The sun likes the band I’m in better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Back to the show…</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Please allow me to tell you why our show was so bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The lights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I know I’m starting to sound picky—I want stage lighting, but the lights made our show bad—but it’s a little more complicated than that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The front of the stage is lined with lights that shine up into your face, and the lighting guy decided that those were the only lights we were going to get on this night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The only problem is that they were so bright, we couldn’t see our pedal boards, our fret boards, or even the audience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There were times that I missed pedal changes and came in on wrong notes because I was literally momentarily blinded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Between songs, Matt (singer) tried to talk to the crowd, but it was useless because we couldn’t even see them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Another contributing factor to our terrible performance was at one point during one of the songs, one of the band members (I’m granting him anonymity) messed up, which caused me to get lost, so I screwed up royally and we had a momentary train wreck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We were able to salvage that, luckily.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">To top off this amazing show, those lights that I mentioned at the front of the stage started falling off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The light crew was really angry and blamed us, but fortunately I set up the flip camera behind me during the show and managed to capture the whole event happening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Watch:</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> <object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/vWhMRg3s7CI&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/vWhMRg3s7CI&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">As you can see, Matt simply stomped his foot and the lights started to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was able to show the video to the tour manager and crew, and our bacon was saved, so to speak.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Speaking of saving bacon, this next paragraph will have nothing to do with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I took a personality test yesterday for fun, and the results are in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I am an ISTJ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Reading the description of an ISTJ is like reading the blueprint that God had when he made me, according to Amber.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It is pretty funny how accurate it is though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had Amber take the test too, but hers is not as spot on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It’s still fun to read if you have some time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She is an ENFP.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Eric: http://personalitypage.com/ISTJ.html</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Amber: http://personalitypage.com/ENFP.html</p> <!--EndFragment--> <p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Eric Lemierehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14587403687992972431noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227589251059922097.post-52490432137730245252010-08-08T16:01:00.000-07:002010-08-08T16:02:28.258-07:00My Latin Translation<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal">Since today is a day off for the band, I figured it would be a good time for a day on in the blog world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This will be brief as I don’t have much to update you on, but at least it’s something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Last night, we had a show at Fort McCoy in Wisconsin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was pretty cool hanging out with some Army and Air Force troops, and we even got to share the stage with the Red Rocker himself: Sammy Hagar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Josh (brother-in-law) asked me if I could get his autograph, but, in all honesty, the only time I saw him was when he was on stage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Sorry Josh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There was no mingling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But it was cool nonetheless.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I would also like to take a moment to recognize my amazing wife for all that she does.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She has now officially completed her Bachelor’s degree from WSU, and will be graduating Suma Cum Laude… that is Latin for “Smarter than the almost all of the other graduates.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’m very proud of her, as you should be, for all of her hard work and dedication.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In fact, that is the way Amber does things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When she cares about something, she will put her whole effort into it and it will turn out great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Whether it is doing an art project or an essay, singing, dancing, coaching, tutoring, wedding planning, shower planning, being a wife, being a sister, being a daughter, being a friend… whatever she does, she’ll do it with all of her heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Many of the things she does tend to be more “behind the scenes,” which is why I’m using this blog to give her credit where credit is due.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She’s an amazing person, and she’s even learning to take care of the house stuff while I’m away.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">If you know Amber, you probably already know all this stuff, but again, I want to give her the credit she deserves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I can’t wait to see her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She’s my favorite.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Sorry to those of you who are getting sick of all this sappy stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’ll try to be funny again soon.</p> <!--EndFragment-->Eric Lemierehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14587403687992972431noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227589251059922097.post-71034667978396180242010-08-06T11:24:00.000-07:002010-08-06T11:27:06.486-07:00Week One<div>Here is a video that Austen put together from our first week of tour...</div><div><br /></div><div><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/T3udjm9wNVg&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/T3udjm9wNVg&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object></div>Eric Lemierehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14587403687992972431noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227589251059922097.post-43026438056557017752010-08-05T20:25:00.000-07:002010-08-06T11:20:27.848-07:00Missing the Mrs.<div>Right now is officially the longest period of time that Amber and I have been apart since we've been married. So what do you get when you have two days off, a computer, an amazing wife, and an incredible yearning to see said wife? You get a video that looks something like the one below. </div><div>WARNING: this is sappy and silly.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwB7vQZx5b3KDZLpfVk2D8Mw2ceItZMPIRRmSU7LecT06PBoSwB18sPT_WP2vtJm5HeyVlU6rDDsMrHqkDOGQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Eric Lemierehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14587403687992972431noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227589251059922097.post-85726388540026320762010-08-03T10:20:00.000-07:002010-08-03T10:22:10.517-07:0008.02.2010 ClipsTwo new videos for your viewing enjoyment:<div><br /></div><div><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/72ZtBe5Qiow&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/72ZtBe5Qiow&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2gb4ST52FI8&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2gb4ST52FI8&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object></div>Eric Lemierehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14587403687992972431noreply@blogger.com1