Steve Barringer (Zhu Zhu) Blog...Now, New and Improved, 'blistering' with riboflavin

2009-08-11T00:22:00.005-05:00

Greetings, everyone! It has been about 7 months since I have used my Blog site and it is way overdue!

These are photos from my, well I should say "our" SM1-23 class, Jenny and I. This was a intensive summer class that was held everyday, two hours a day and for 22 days. TOUGH! Phew!

Well, I enjoyed this class and thought I should get some photos before the class ended.
Thank you all for the memories in this class and a BIG thanks to Teacher Jenny.

2009-01-14T10:41:00.000-06:00

Moments spent in Taiwan, yet again! <- Click here to see them!

2008-11-26T00:47:00.002-06:00

"I Love Taiwan Party" at Shih-Peng and Sarahs'
A party to celebrate, well....Taiwan. Enjoy!

2008-11-26T00:39:00.002-06:00

Miranda Ma as 'The Witch of Carbondale' - Halloween 2008.

2008-11-09T08:22:00.004-06:00

Well, I finished my first week teaching Linguistics 100. I really enjoyed teaching, of course, but the students I had this week are what made my class and they were a really great group of students. I will always remember this group.
Enjoy!

More Linguistics 100 photos!

2008-11-01T07:52:00.000-05:00

Linguistics Student Association's Halloween Party at Andy's and Cheryl's

2008-10-13T00:28:00.001-05:00

Linguistics Student Association's annual potluck at Evergreen Park in Carbondale,Illinois

2008-10-04T09:13:00.007-05:00

And where have I been as of late? School, work, seeing concerts and taking photos! I have been posting most all of my photos on Flickr because of the great quality.So check my photos over there please. Click on the Flickr logo! ->>>

BB King here at Carbondale Illinois <--- Click on this to link to my photos

Southern Culture On the Skids playing at Hangar 9 here at Carbondale,Illinois <--- Click on this to link to my photos

fans of Southern Culture On the Skids <--- Click on this to link to my photos

2008-09-15T10:11:00.005-05:00

Chinese Moon Festival at Carbondale Illinois

2008-09-10T19:00:00.001-05:00

Wednesday evening walk

2008-09-07T22:09:00.003-05:00

Sejong Students at both Giant City and Blue Sky Vineyards

2008-09-06T23:21:00.003-05:00

Cascade of Colors at the Carbondale Airport, September 6 2008 and....some photos at the levee in Cape Girardeau

2008-09-06T23:17:00.002-05:00

THE RAIL

2008-09-05T01:17:00.002-05:00

Me, circa March 1980, at Chanute Air Force Base. A portrait of our class while attending the Fire Department Training school. Can you guess which one is me?

2008-09-01T00:44:00.005-05:00

The last Miner's baseball game of the season. And attending that game: students from Kansai Gaidai University and students from Sejong University. Me, Cheryl and kids too!

2008-08-24T17:45:00.002-05:00

Seven wonderful students of Kansai Gaidai University enjoying themselves at the Blue Sky Vineyard 24 2008

2008-08-24T06:17:00.002-05:00

A visit to the DuQuoin Illinois State Fair.

2008-08-11T05:22:00.005-05:00

Sarah and Shih-Peng's Wedding here in America, as opposed to Taiwan.

2008-08-02T22:13:00.006-05:00

The annual Cobden Peach Festival in Cobden Illinois

2008-07-27T03:02:00.008-05:00

Skinny Jim and the Number Nine Blacktops playing at Hangar 9 in Carbondale, Illinois.
For better quality and larger sizes, click here. ZhuZhuSteve

2008-07-20T20:56:00.015-05:00

An afternoon with students from I-Shou University in Taiwan, again! This time it was at the Blue Sky Vineyard.

Note to Liz...the photo with you was not in my camera....lost?

Also, click on this site ZhuZhuSteve for images with a better resolution. Click on "all sizes" for larger or smaller sizes. Enjoy!

For more photos of the lovely Ivy (photo above and below) go to ZhuZhuSteve and click on "all sizes" for larger images.

2008-07-20T00:56:00.005-05:00

What seemed to be one of many abandoned homes along the island of Peng Hu in Taiwan.
Upon closer examination these homes had beautiful tiles and artwork incorporated into their homes. However, leaky roofs and salty sea winds seem to have eroded the basic structure, thus leaving wondrous tiles as the last testament to what once was.

A storm bearing down on a local church in Paducah Kentucky

A bridge in a city across from Danshui, Taiwan. I would enjoy living in this part of Taiwan. Right next to the ocean, close to Taipei and a market near the MRT exit.

Publish Post

Some breakers located in Tainan. Peaceful concrete warriors awaiting patiently for the wrath of the ocean.

2008-07-14T00:44:00.010-05:00

Me and Liz, from CESL, spending time with the students from I-Shou University, Kaoshiung, Taiwan. A fun evening at Giant City near Carbondale Illinios.

And here is Liz emerging from Fat Man's Squeeze at the Giant City park.

The first few seconds of lying on the swing was fun...after that....

The six that conquered Fat Man's Squeeze!!!

Waiting at the top of Fat Man's Squeeze for all six that went in....waiting...waiting

The very small exit of Fat Man's Squeeze!

Another student exiting the top of the squeeze!

2008-07-02T09:46:00.001-05:00

Some of my photos that I used editing software on...Enjoy

2008-06-29T23:06:00.003-05:00

2008-06-27T05:07:00.007-05:00

FRIENDS........

Vicky: One of the reasons I have come back to Taiwan so many times. I met her on my first visit and became inspired by her kindness. She set the tone for my visits in her country. But I can't forget others that I met during that visit, whom made realize that I need to know Taiwan better. I hope to mention them soon.

When I saw Vicky again, for only the second time, it felt like it hadn't been two years since I saw her...only days, and after talking for a short while I knew why I missed her. She is an amazing young woman that has accomplished so much since I saw her last. I am so proud to have her as a friend and I hope she can say the same of me. I hope to see her again when time permits because time with her is always exciting and.... she makes me feel alive. Good luck in your life, Vicky!

Elaine. Another friend, but it was my first time meeting her. Man, does she have an ego the size of a Cadillac! ha ha She knows that I am joking..right???

A wonderful woman who showed me parts of Taichung I had never seen before, such as the mushroom capital of Taiwan! :} I have never seen so many mushrooms before in my life!
I had such a great visit with Elaine. I had heard her laugh through Skype when we chatted, and relished it, but to hear it in person was much more warm and enjoyable and to finally see the smile that went with it was even more satisfying.I hope to see her again.

Ting: A young woman who surprised me. The first time I met her she never spoke a word of English. Little did I know..she could speak a little and did so when we meet this June...shy perhaps? She was great company while I was visiting this time and it was an honor to meet her family too! Thank you again for the kind gift.

Meow and Sally: Where do I begin with these two women? They are part of the reason I want to live in Taiwan. Their kindness, sense of humor, warmth and overall concern for me is beyond words. I feel like they are my second family, but a family which I wish I could communicate better with: I need to speak Chinese!

I look forward to the day when I can treat them as well as they have treated me. It will be a goal I hope to attain as soon as possible. Their spirit of giving is an inspiration to me.

And this group! It is so much fun to be with these gracious people and I always looked forward to doing anything with them! The Night Market and all of its wonder is magnified by being with them......so much fun and warmth, and I am not talking about the heat and Hellish humidity. :} I hope to be graced with their company again soon.

2008-06-24T08:48:00.004-05:00

2008-05-26T21:47:00.001-05:00

Photos taken during our ESP class project...at Sarah's place

2008-05-17T22:57:00.003-05:00

An interesting day at Ferne Clyffe. Plenty of freshly cooked food, that was quite tasty and after the meal, a little bit of hiking.

2008-04-26T19:43:00.004-05:00

The 35th Annual Great Cardboard Boat Regatta at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, Illinois

NOTE: In this first photo, the small green and blue balloons are 'water-balloons' caught in mid-flight. Some of the crowd was pelting the contestants as they were leaving the dock.

2008-04-18T11:58:00.005-05:00

These are photos I took almost four years ago at a salvage yard.

It seems that taking a different perspective on junked vehicles brings a new and curious look to the textures of decay. Like the material on top of a car; that are now ravaged by lack of protection and have direct exposure to the elements. Up close they now seem to resemble parched earth.

2008-04-05T22:09:00.006-05:00

I attended the 4th Annual SIU-C Iron Chef Contest last night. Plenty of good food and great people too. Not to my surprise, the Vietnamese group won the best food contest that night. Way to go Vien, Nam and Hai!!!

2008-03-30T00:31:00.009-05:00

"Well, it's Saturday night and I just got paid...."

Saturday night I went to see a Rockabilly band called, Skinny Jim and the Number 9 Black Tops. Outstanding! It was a real pleasure to see a band play "genuine" Rock N' Roll music again.

I met Skinny Jim through Brian Todd, fellow music fan, and Jim and I talked at some small length about music and anything else that we had the time to discuss, in between drunks and fans that is. I really didn't get to talk much to the other band members, but I did loan my Swiss Army knife to the bass player. There seemed to be a problem with his bass having some loose screws?

But Jim was a great guy, well grounded, nice and has quite a good musical background. And now, after meeting him and seeing him perform, he has another fan:me.

Be sure to visit his websites: Skinny Jim and the Number 9 Blacktops
and his Skinny Jim and the Number 9 Blacktops - MySpace site . Enjoy!!

2008-03-16T20:49:00.004-05:00

An afternoon at Garden of the Gods and Bell Smith Springs.

2008-03-11T18:32:00.013-05:00

OK, so I went down to Mississippi, Clarksdale specifically, and while looking for the ‘Blues’ and I decided to stay at an unusual place. Hotels can be so sterile and boring which is why I did some searching. I usually go for a bed and breakfast or something that is different, and boy, did I find a place. It is called the “Shack Up Inn”. It is a series of shacks that are decorated with about anything that seems to resemble the Blues era, and some things that are just lying around too.

My shack was the Robert Clay, not “Cray” which is what I thought it was (Robert Cray). All I recall about Robert Clay, was the owner saying was that Robert raised seven children in that condemned shack….yes, condemned. But saved from that condition and now usable for vintage thinking people like me. The shack could hold three people, and how I yearned to have two other people along, but this time, only me. Enjoy!

The "Shack Up Inn" located just outside of Clarksdale.

This is the "Robert Clay" shack. It was like stepping back in time...like the photos you see in your grandparents photo albums.

The front of my shack and a few others. Lovely neighborhood, eh?

The Blues Museum was worth the drive (290 miles), but there were many other places nearby that were steeped in Blues history. There were old buildings, signs and roads that seems to hold-on to the roots of the their musical history. You could hear nothing but Blues, nothing, only Blues. I could hear it in small hotel room, stores, restaurants and it seemed to be played with an honest tone. Since Blues is not a huge money making musical style, why not! A wonderful trip! I would love to go down there with someone that appreciates the Blues…someday soon.

The Blues Museum of Clarksdale, Mississippi.
http://www.deltabluesmuseum.org/

One of the most popular Blues clubs, "Ground Zero" Blues Club.

From what I was told, this is supposedly where Robert Johnson made his deal with the Devil. Trading his soul for the ability to play the best Blues guitar in the world. I am guessing that this crossroad must have be a little more barren back in the 1930’s and that civilization has encroached on this infamous site.

2008-03-08T20:01:00.004-06:00

Some sites during a great day with a new friend. Taken near the Ohio river and Dixon Springs Illinois. Of course, I used a little software magic to enhance the images. Enjoy!

2008-03-08T00:48:00.001-06:00

A wonderful night, with some great food and even greater people. I should have taken more photos!

2008-02-15T22:17:00.001-06:00

2008 SIU International Festival

2008-02-15T22:01:00.008-06:00

2008 SIU International Festival

I really like the photo of Miho.

2008-02-10T18:51:00.000-06:00

These are photos from a rodeo that was held in our State Fair.

2008-02-10T00:13:00.000-06:00

The Taiwanese-Chinese New Year Festival--- held at the Great Wall restaurant.

We had to make one person look like a rat...with only colored paper and what we could find.....what a fun challenge!

And, we had to fashion a rat with food from the buffet. I liked ours a lot, even though it looked like two rather nasty rats.

Sharon, as the rat for the "Sheep" group.

2008-02-03T08:45:00.000-06:00

Yet another fun weekend with the Feng Chia students. I had a change of plans (sigh) and could be with them again, which turned out to be a really wonderful time. I wish I could have taken them to other places around Southern Illinois and just spend more time with them.

NOTE: check out the sign next to Diane--- "HO Made pies"

2008-01-27T06:17:00.000-06:00

My day-trip with the students from Feng Chia University.

2008-01-19T01:21:00.000-06:00

I haven't taken any photos since I was in Taiwan, so.....more photos from Taiwan then.
Enjoy! I hope to have some new ones up from here in Southern Illinois.

2008-01-04T18:16:00.000-06:00

Photos from my recent trip to Taiwan.

2007-12-15T21:03:00.000-06:00

MY FIRST POSTING WITH MY NIKON D40. I couldn't be happier with this camera!
HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY!!!!

It was a cold gray and rainy day and making cookies with Kitty's perfect recipe couldn't have been a better idea!

A proud cookie maker!

And yet another proud cookie maker!!

Kitty was working so hard. Her efforts were greatly appreciated by me and I am sure all of those that enjoyed making those tasty cookies.

A young guest who arrived later in our cookie making day.

2007-12-09T21:46:00.000-06:00

An early birthday for Joyce! It seems that she might embarrass easily and who are Hyphen and I not to take advantage of that. Hee Hee!

On a more serious note: My two friends will be moving to Ohio next week. I will miss them dearly, but they are still close by.

And here come the waiters; singing Happy Birthday in Japanese to Joyce.

Me and Joyce. Man, that dessert was good! Ice cream in the middle of a round flaky pastry with whipped cream on the side. Yummy!! I think it was suppose to be Joyce's, but Hyphen and I helped ourselves. My nick-name is Zhu Zhu you know.

2007-12-08T20:19:00.000-06:00

Wow! I actually have a decent smile in this one. It helps when you are standing next to a beautiful woman. As most of you know, I tend to 'mug' a little when a camera is around.Oh yeah, I stole these first two photos from Vien's Facebook! :P

Now here, I am NOT taking cookies before they are suppose to be eaten, unlike like someone else I know. :}

Well, here we are at the Stone Center, waiting for Santa Claus or someone like him. Yoyo, Vien, Olivia, Me and Angela.
And here is my black-mail photo that I will always keep if I ever need a favour. :}

I'll be. He finally showed up!

2007-12-01T21:55:00.000-06:00

2007-11-17T21:00:00.000-06:00

Kitty got an early start on making Pumpkin pies. She invited Chinese students and family alike to a Pumpkin Pie making fest' and it was homemade all the way. She had them make the pie crust from shortening and flour and even the pie filling was mixed with individual ingredients. The final product was some beautiful looking pies that tasted as good as they looked.

2007-11-09T13:45:00.000-06:00

Photos (from Sharon----a big THANKS to her) from our presentation in Materials and Methods class.
Standing next to these lovely ladies makes me remember how freaking tall I am. I tend to forget things like that.
You know, I couldn’t have asked for two better partners in a class presentation. They are two brilliant ladies that will do great in their career or anything that they do!

Ah yes, the treats for the day! We had real green tea that was from Taiwan and even one of the food items were real Chinese/Taiwanese treats! The other two….well, since marshmallows look like mantou, we used those instead of the real thing. We also substituted a breakfast biscuit for the hamburger. We can get rather creative when we want to. :}

Jane was a bit nervous (weren't we all) about the presentation, but once she starting talking, she was ‘on a roll’. It was a pleasure to listen to her, and you could tell that she was genuine about her interest in teaching people Chinese-Mandarin.

The menu was a group effort that I really enjoyed, especially since I love working with Power Point. The actual menu turned out to be a colorful addition to our presentation. I wasn’t sure if the colors would turn out nice, but thanks to one of the local printers the colors where really SWEET.

2007-11-04T00:50:00.000-05:00

I spent the evening with classmates at Andy and Cheryl's for a post-Halloween party. I have never seen so many wigs in one setting! With my lack of hair, perhaps I should have grabbed a wig too!
The first two photos are courtesy of Miho. Thanks Miho!

2007-10-31T01:07:00.000-05:00

A wonderful rainy day in Taiwan. Wonderful in that we found something to do while it was raining (visit family) and it was a memory that is quite fond to me. What a great family and such beautiful children.--more information later :}

2007-10-28T09:33:00.000-05:00

The PengHu Islands in Taiwan. We were talking about the islands and I thought I would post the few photos I have of the islands.

If you look closely, you might see.....a set of eyes in the doorway. Perhaps????

2007-10-27T21:10:00.000-05:00

2007-10-06T20:20:00.000-05:00

Homecoming October 06 2007. Only two photos, but more to come....I hope!

2007-09-28T13:30:00.000-05:00

More Taiwan photos from August 2007. Enjoy!

2007-09-22T23:06:00.000-05:00

Chinese Moon Festival September 22 2007

2007-09-15T15:22:00.000-05:00

I had a wonderful time with SOOO many freinds, new and old, but one of the best parts of my vacation was meeting my ChiaYi lady :} I couldn't have asked for a more wonderful time while I was with her, except for the fact we had a typhoon all around us while I visited. I look forward to meeting her again soon.

Thank you to all my friends that I met this August! I miss you all!

2007-08-23T04:30:00.001-05:00

Photo below....(Me and two restaurant owners)
A wonderful little restaurant on Penghu Island, just a quick block from the home-stay. Great food and even better service. You couldn't ask for friendly people and to my surprise, the gentleman that was the cook, spoke pretty decent English. I say 'surprise' because he didn't say anything in English until I starting asking him about the food an hour before I was going to leave. Uh, is that shirt of mine loud or what?
If I go back to the island, I will seek out that restaurant again. I have his business card! :}

YES, I drove a motorcycle for two of the days I was there! What a blast!!!
I must have looked very odd to most of the people that saw me coming toward them, but I didn't care: I was having a blast!

I can see a joke in this photo, but.......I will leave that up to you.

As I was getting on a boat to leave Danshui (near Taipei) there was this innocent looking young girl who found me of slight interest. While looking at me, with her hands were gripping a pole in front of her, I snapped this blurry image. She looked cute, but the motion of my camera made some interesting swirls in front that cute face. Myself,I like the image.

2007-07-30T08:02:00.000-05:00

Yet another BBQ in Southern Illinois. Not much for words today, except I had a great time. Thank you everyone.

2007-07-22T18:14:00.000-05:00

So, Cheryl asked me what I was doing this Sunday...it appears that I will help drive a group of Taiwanese students to a winery. It was a perfect day for being outside and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. What more can you ask for??

2007-07-08T12:46:00.000-05:00

Interesting what you find along the road while riding a bike.

2007-07-04T22:34:00.000-05:00

Hey, the radar showed this 'front' moving to the south west, not over Evergreen Park and all of Carbondale. Man, did it rain!

2007-07-04T16:11:00.000-05:00

Ah, a wedding. It has been a long time since I've attended one, even more so for an outdoor one. Enjoy!

2007-06-25T23:35:00.000-05:00

11:00 Moon

2007-06-17T20:18:00.000-05:00

UPDATE: I found this photo of me at the same water tower, taken 31 year ago. Enjoy!

This is my brother Wes and his wife Julie (SECOND PHOTO, NOT THE FIRST--DUH). They came to Carbondale for his 50th Carbondale High School re-union. October was the last time I had seen either of them and even though it had been just over a half a year, it was good to see them again.
After a great meal at the Giant City Lodge I suggested that we head up the water tower for a nice view of the surrounding area; the view wasn't too bad. It was just pleasant to get above it all and get a different perspective on things.

2007-06-17T20:14:00.000-05:00

Well, it has been a long time since I have posted a photo or even a word; shame on me. These are photos of graffitti on the Giant City water tower in Carbondale Illinois. I guess my enjoyment of graffitti is showing again. Enjoy!

2007-05-03T09:13:00.000-05:00

Well, another wonderful day on planet Earth. Joyce, Hyphen and I went to the Fox Theatre in St.Louis to see Norah Jones on the 3rd of May. Now, I really don't listen to her music a lot because she is very mellow compared to what I normally listen to, but after last night, I will be listening to her a LOT more.

Not only does she have a beautiful voice, she had such a great stage presence: warm, funny and geniune. She is also very smart, and I say that because she surrounded herself with incredible musicians that highlighted her talent. I suggest that we all give her a listen!

Thanks to Hyphen for the photos!

Enjoy!

And here is a link to her website.... http://www.norahjones.com/

2007-04-15T10:24:00.000-05:00

Photos from the "Funky Monks" show at the Copper Dragon.

LINK to the Funky Monks .........
http://www.funkymonksmusic.com/

2007-04-13T23:59:00.000-05:00

Well, I took most of my night off from work to see a rock singer from a band called Everclear and was pleasantly surprised. The lecture was from the lead singer of the band, and his name is Art Alexakis. I was expecting to have a burnt-out rock star rambling-on about Rock N’ Roll and droning about how great Rock N’ Roll excess was: I was wrong. He turned out to be a smart man that has learned from his mistakes and shared his wealth of experiences with the audience. He was pleasant, well spoken, and treated his fans with a lot of respect. I will now have to get familiar with his music…… I just recognize his face and not his music. What a fan I am, well now I am.
http://www.everclearonline.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Alexakis

2007-03-28T11:02:00.000-05:00

A photo of one of my classmates, the ever radiant, Jung Hae... What a wonderful smile!

2007-03-04T12:18:00.000-06:00

The RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS in Champaign Illinois, March 3 2007.
I wasn't sure what to expect with these guys, but it turned out to be a really good concert. I should say more, but I have projects to work on right now. Maybe more words to follow.

2007-02-25T21:17:00.000-06:00

I had forgotten this photo of me and Bruce Campbell until recently. Bruce Campbell was doing a book signing tour and was actually at the S.I.U.-C. Student Center. Bruce was funnier in person then he is on screen. And he had the crowd in the palm of his hands! It is nice to meet a movie icon that is a great guy instead of an ego driven jerk.

2007-02-17T09:23:00.000-06:00

International Cultural Festival 2007 SIU-C.

2007-02-02T22:40:00.000-06:00

Yes, even more photos from Taiwan. When will it end???

2007-01-12T02:10:00.000-06:00

YES, even more photos from Taiwan. Enjoy!

2007-01-10T02:04:00.000-06:00

We were so high in the sky you could actually touch the clouds.
The giant crabs I was warned about.

2006-12-21T03:54:00.000-06:00

I am at a loss for words today. I can say this, the world is missing one sweet and kind woman. We'll miss you and your smiles Mother.

2006-12-17T22:41:00.000-06:00

Finally!! I got my bachelor's degree!!! Yee haa!! And I was blessed to find friends that also graduated AND some friends that were there for support. Thanks to my sister and her husband Gary!

2006-12-14T19:24:00.000-06:00

A day at the scrap metal yards, with Joyce and her father.

2006-12-14T19:16:00.000-06:00

My presentation for my Cultural Revolution class. Complete with a Chinese People's Liberation Army health care soldier :} Many thanks to Li!!!
And me, with my Chinese shirt and gung fu shoes.

2006-11-26T17:41:00.000-06:00

Yes, it has been a long time since I have posted a photo or two. School is a little intense this semester and I haven't made time to post anything since early October. So....enjoy.
Brother Mel and his wife Rosa
Pictures of the Garden of the Gods....up close and really 'in your face'

oo

2006-10-08T17:22:00.000-05:00

Photos of me. And yes, I was thin once and had more hair . I recently received these photos from my mother, and man, do they bring back the memories. Enjoy! Me at 21 years old.
Me, in my Air Force 'dress' clothes. I was visiting my family for the first time since I enlisted. 20 years old.
Me (holding a $25 bag of change) at 18 years old.
Me at about 23 years old...having a cigarette.

2006-10-08T11:51:00.000-05:00

My dad, my mother and our dog Sam. Arf!!
In the year of 1969.

2006-09-05T05:37:00.000-05:00

A nice afternoon meal with S.I.U.-C. faculty from C.O.L.A. ..Linguistics and English people abound.

2006-08-18T23:18:00.001-05:00

Our squirrel "Stubby", at Communications.
Turns out that he likes lollipops, and who are we to deprive him of this sugary treat, except the fact that we may make him fat and lethargic, thus easy prey for the hawk in the trees nearby.
...may Stubby have the grace and speed to avoid the talons of death

2006-08-16T05:33:00.000-05:00

Sights from my bike ride on August 15th 2006........................I can't recall the last time I was this close to a horse. I actually 'petted or stroked' one of the horses head and he was pretty calm about the whole thing. The other horse was not keen to be touched: his loss.

My brothers cat, Heffer.
UH..who else but JESUS

2006-08-06T07:18:00.000-05:00

2006-07-31T11:49:00.000-05:00

Sites from my bike ride on July 31 2006

Grafitti, I love it, unless it is on my property! It is an art form, free and unlimited in its style, and like on this rail car..mobile.

Some ducks near the Herrin Park. This was another place that I use to visit a lot. Fished, and hoped I would catch the legendary big fish that swam the ponds dark and nasty waters. Turns out that fish may not have existed. When they drained the pond, there were no large fish at all. But as a child, it was a dream and something that we talked about with a passion. To me, he existed.

And yes, I like the color yellow, but even more so when I am riding my bike. I like to be seen. SO...if you have any bright yellow XL long shirts to donate, email me!

I didn't see Jesus, but this is a statue of Him in a cemetery. This cemetery was near my childhood home, and back in the those days, we thought this place was haunted. This is the first time I have been back since those days: about 25 years ago. Doesn't seems all that haunted, but it did feel quite peaceful.

2006-07-25T21:34:00.000-05:00

A Day in the Life July 22 2006

And with a tip o' the hat...good day!

2006-07-16T20:58:00.000-05:00

Fun with Photoshop 7.1..even more fun with the 'flare' feature!!
I may pull the photos though. If I look back and think they're kinda 'hard' on the eyes, I'll go ahead and remove them. Sorry.

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2006-07-16T20:29:00.000-05:00

Bald Knob Cross--Alto Pass, Illinois

2006-06-26T11:39:00.000-05:00

Well, today I went for a ride, and ended up at Wolf Creek Road. I have always wondered what was beyond the bridge that I use to fish. It was about a two mile ride to the end, and when I got to the end of the road there was an observation deck. I guess I was expecting more, perhaps a pot o' gold at the end of the road: but there wasn't. ................. Took my smaller Canon camera, whose quality is a little below par, and took a few photos. I took pictures of a deer I saw, but the deer was just a blur on the image. Poop!

Also, this was my second day wearing my “nerdy” helmet. I am pretty well over the nerd look and more concerned with keeping the old brain in its container: in case I take a spill! ............... The weather has been beyond nice! In the 70’s early in the morning and only in the 80’s during the days. Sweet!
I am riding about 10 to 12 miles a day, and even went for a 20 mile ride last week. I hope to get longer trips behind me as time goes by, and perhaps set a goal for a trip to a state park or something like that.

2006-06-24T08:24:00.000-05:00

Dinner with friends---(text will be posted soon :} )

Hmmm. I shouldn't lean into the camera---the empty spot on my head causes 'glare' :}

2006-06-14T08:43:00.000-05:00

Well, I did it. I bought a ‘comfort bike’ last week. I haven’t been on a bike this nice in my entire life, and now, riding is a new and enjoyable experience!
It’s a TREK 7100, one of the lower range bikes, but hey, I don’t think I am going to drop $2100 on a bike right now. I couldn’t believe how much bicycles cost!
Anyway---So far, I have ridden my bike everyday except yesterday because I figure I needed a break to recuperate. The farthest I have ridden in one go is 9.4 miles, but I have plans on working my way up to a lot higher mileage. All for now!

2006-05-18T22:57:00.000-05:00

Just for laughs, I thought I would post some photos of me in my youth, and I do mean YOUTH.

This is a picture of me at the age of seventeen. Full of teenage angst and crap---trying to look my coolest. I have to admit that I did enjoy the long hair back then. It was fun to have it touch your shoulders, flow in the wind, and to feel like you were emulating your hero’s hairstyle.

Even if I had a full head of hair now, I wouldn’t do the long hair thing now. If I did I would look like an old liberal hippy: no thanks. I was a hippy back then (people whispered ‘hippy’, so I guess it fit) and it was fun, but now, it’s for the youngsters to represent what I enjoyed back then.

This is me at twenty years old. I was in South Korea when this photo was taken, and I didn’t know how good I had it. I was experiencing life in another culture and it left an latent imprint that didn’t reveal itself until some twenty years later.

Some of the best memories of life were during that year in Korea. Some of which I could relate publicly and then there are those stories that should be kept to myself. I believe Dickens said it best, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”
Anyway…. for those of you who know me, I hope you get a laugh out of these photos.

2006-05-14T16:36:00.000-05:00

MY VACATION IN SWITZERLAND.....

I was told by my friend in Zurich, Switzerland to visit this lake as soon as I got off the train in Thun. Me, not being the one to deny a request, decided to do just that.

I had been traveling alone for most of my trip in Switzerland and tended to do whatever pleased me at the time. And so today I felt like taking a walk in the cold, brisk, winter Thun air.
I picked up a map from a tourist station near the train depot, got my bearings and headed for the Thun Lake.

The lake seemed close enough, but after about 25 minutes of walking I didn’t think I was going to find it. Finally, after another five more minutes of walking down a twisty narrow road (that I thought was coming to an end) I saw a resort that was still under construction. Behind it was my morning’s destination:Thun Lake.

There was a slight fog that was burning off as I came to a clearing, and I could see a glimpse of the morning sun. Mountains, clouds, fog, water and wildlife, all intertwined to create a picture of beauty. It was though this beautiful site and experience was made just for me. I stood transfixed and marveled at nature composing itself. I was so focused that I nearly forgot to take pictures.

Oh yeah…here are some picture of the city Thun itself.
Enjoy!

2006-05-09T14:04:00.000-05:00

Photos from my trip with Parkson and Eva.

I had such a wonderful day. I can’t even begin to tell you which day was the best of them all. I just seem to be enjoying everyday in Taiwan as a ‘new’ day of pleasure.
Well, I could go on and on about this day, but I think I will let the pictures do the talking for me.

2006-05-07T19:54:00.000-05:00

The Vineyard Church 10th Annual Picnic.

The hotdog eating contest. Of course there were a few that didn't make it. Barfed.

My apologies to Anna---if one is needed.

I really enjoyed the smiles on Karen and Ally. Beautiful smiles indeed!

The pie eating contest for the kid. Well actually, the kids had pie pans full of whipped creme, and there were Gummi worms at the bottom of the plates. They had to stick their face into the creme filled plate and suck up as many 'Gummi worms' as they could, and spit them into a cup. Whoever had the most worms in the cup after a certain period won.