The Circle of Life

I just heard the news of a new family member! Congratulations to Teresa and Nuno. The family keeps getting bigger all over the world.

I also heard the news of a death or Randy Pausch. My deepest sympathy to The Pausch Family! What a tragic loss! He was brave and inspiration to us all. Randy Pausch was a hero in my eyes. His book and last lecture should teach all of us not to take life for granted and to live every day as if it is our last!

Trying to stay a bit creative

I was inspired by my brother to start playing Guitar again. After about a month of practicing this is what you get. The start of the song is a little sketchy but it gets better... I think. It is a cover of "Walk On" by U2.


Cover of "Walk On" By U2 from Carlos on Vimeo.

Enjoying summer like a clam

Best Summer Wishes from Carlos on Vimeo.

Was down at the beach and I thought why not video tape a bit. Then I thought make it a video greeting card. Then I thought maybe it could be a business idea. Then I checked the web and of course someone beat me to market by one year. Video post cards was the service I found from the last posting. Oh well. Hope your summer is going well and you are enjoying it like a clam.

Kicking my butt

Send a JibJab Sendables® eCard Today!

Just What I Needed

Sometimes you need a mood adjustment and maybe even a life adjustment. Listening to some old songs is a good way to do that without doing something you might regret. A song can bring you back to a moment in time. Where it takes you depends on the song you pick. A good song can take you back to a time when all things were possible. To a moment of anticipation before a special event. Songs that you would listen to when you would go out with your buddies on the town. Times when things were much more simple. Simple perhaps because of ignorance or perhaps not.

Here are a few songs that took me back this evening:
Just What I Needed - The Cars
My Best Friend's Girl - The Cars
Everybody Wants You - Billy Squire
In A Big Country - Big Country
Call Me - Blondie
More than a feeling - Boston
Cuts Like A Knife - Bryan Adams
Should I Stay or Should I Go - The Clash
Shakin - Eddie Money

Fridays are for fun and haircuts

Here are some more shots from France. It includes a shot of the carnival rides that were by the Louvre. Ferris wheels are pretty fun. I took a shot of the Louvre from there. My daughter gave me an excellent hair cut. It was the first time she has cut anyone's hair. Thanks for the make over!

Skateboard park

2 kids jump 4 steps. Pretty Cool.



Skateboarding Video 4 steps from Carlos on Vimeo.

Balance

Some people criticize the French for not having a strong work ethic. Being there recently I think it isn't that they don't have strong work ethic. I think they have a greater understanding of life and how valuable time is. I think the reason they have this appreciation is because all around you all you see are things that are hundreds and hundreds of years old. These very old things remind you how you will be long gone very quickly and these other things will remain for many more generations of people that will live and occupy these buildings, parks, churches and streets. So when it comes to certain things they likely ask themselves the question.. is this really that important in the realm of things. Often I would expect the answer would likely be no even for items like work. People in Europe don't live to work. They work to live. Something I should remind myself of. I have one more thing I work for to educate my kids some day ;-) Here are a few of the pictures I took while in France.

Happy Fourth of July

Happy birthday America. Some traditions are invented by and become your own family traditions. Going to Crane's Castle for the fourth of July is one of ours. Although last year we weren't able to make it this year we did. The music was really good and so was the food and drink that Susan prepared for the event. I realized today it really is true what my kids have been telling me, that I am no longer cool. I was one of the parents that went off looking for his kids and rather than me finding my kids.. my daughter found me. Oh well. Here are some shots I hope you all had a great weekend.

Summers are for the beach and...

Summers are for going to the beach with the family. But.. also for getting hurt. Growing up somehow we always found a way to get hurt at the beach. At least my brother found a way to. There were several accidents. Like stepping on the hot coals from a grill that someone was stupid enough to dump on to the beach sand but not put out with water. Or perhaps going fishing and hooking your brother in the head with a huge hook that had to be pulled out by some stranger in a camper. Or perhaps the time that my brother spilled a cup of George's milk clam chowder on his stomach in the car and screamed so loud that the family walking by said did you hear that kid screaming. He had gave himself a second degree burned on his stomach. I think he still has the scars to this day. Fortunately for us none of the kids got hurt at the beach. It was a short but sweet visit to the beach. I even got some photography in.