Friday, May 29, 2009
My Mother's Sister's Son
This afternoon, I'm going straight from work to the train station to catch the train to Milan, where I'll meet up with my cousin, Todd. He just graduated from the University of South Carolina, so he and three of his friends are spending a few weeks travelling around Europe. They've already been to Paris and Barcelona. Tomorrow, we'll head down to the Cinque Terre for a couple days, then back here. I haven't seen Todd in six or seven years, so it will be good to catch up and hear stories. I hope to show them the best parts of northern Italy.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Almost Like A Saturday
Today was the going-away party for Major Figiera, our Operations Flight Commander. He declared that everyone in Ops would stand down for a big picnic at the rec area. There was all kinds of sports and games going on.
It was a gorgeous day, and we all had a great time relaxing, playing cards and dominoes, tossing the frisbee, eating, and seeing Major Fig and his family off in proper CE fashion.
After the presentations, there was a dessert raffle. People from our shop ended up buying the majority of sweet and tasty things, justifying it by telling everyone we'd just be bringing everything into the shop tomorrow anyway.
After that, we put on the sumo suits and wrestled. I was taken down by Corey, 2-1.
Major Fig proved to be the toughest to beat, or maybe everyone was just going easy on him because he's leaving.
After the suits came off, Corey and the Major had their own little wrestling match, and I happened to catch them in this very compromising position.
For someone whose job normally confines him to his office, it wasn't uncommon for him to visit us on job sites and make sure everything was going okay. He never hesitated to stick his neck out for us and he always had our backs. He has big shoes to fill, but we know he's going on to great things. Arrivederci, Major Fig!
It was a gorgeous day, and we all had a great time relaxing, playing cards and dominoes, tossing the frisbee, eating, and seeing Major Fig and his family off in proper CE fashion.
After the presentations, there was a dessert raffle. People from our shop ended up buying the majority of sweet and tasty things, justifying it by telling everyone we'd just be bringing everything into the shop tomorrow anyway.
After that, we put on the sumo suits and wrestled. I was taken down by Corey, 2-1.
Major Fig proved to be the toughest to beat, or maybe everyone was just going easy on him because he's leaving.
After the suits came off, Corey and the Major had their own little wrestling match, and I happened to catch them in this very compromising position.
For someone whose job normally confines him to his office, it wasn't uncommon for him to visit us on job sites and make sure everything was going okay. He never hesitated to stick his neck out for us and he always had our backs. He has big shoes to fill, but we know he's going on to great things. Arrivederci, Major Fig!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Separate, But Equal?
Yesterday was a sad day for human rights. First, the California Supreme Court upheld Proposition 8, the state's ban on same-sex marriage. (Same-sex couples married before Prop 8 took effect, however, will still be legally married.) Many will say California's residents voted to approve Prop 8, and they did by a roughly 52/48 margin. But if they had voted to racially segregate schools or take voting rights away from women, would it be any less unconstitutional?
On a more personal level, my good friend Chris was a deputy for the Uinta County Sheriff's Office in Evanston, Wyoming. A few weeks ago, he was terminated for a minor lapse in judgement. This happened just after his co-workers discovered his homosexuality. He filed a discrimination suit on the grounds that other officers had committed similar infractions, but were only given minor disciplinary measures. Unfortunately, the "Gool Ol' Boy" system won out, and yesterday, Chris was informed that after eight years of dedicated service, he wouldn't get his job back.
Also hitting close to home is this story:
I know this is an issue I've mentioned several times before, and I'm sure people are getting sick of hearing about it. But it's something I feel passionate about, and whenever I hear about a group of people being treated unfairly because of race, age, gender, religion, nationality, or sexual orientation, I feel a burn, deep in the pit of my stomach, and it makes me want to scream. Scream with me.
On a more personal level, my good friend Chris was a deputy for the Uinta County Sheriff's Office in Evanston, Wyoming. A few weeks ago, he was terminated for a minor lapse in judgement. This happened just after his co-workers discovered his homosexuality. He filed a discrimination suit on the grounds that other officers had committed similar infractions, but were only given minor disciplinary measures. Unfortunately, the "Gool Ol' Boy" system won out, and yesterday, Chris was informed that after eight years of dedicated service, he wouldn't get his job back.
Also hitting close to home is this story:
I know this is an issue I've mentioned several times before, and I'm sure people are getting sick of hearing about it. But it's something I feel passionate about, and whenever I hear about a group of people being treated unfairly because of race, age, gender, religion, nationality, or sexual orientation, I feel a burn, deep in the pit of my stomach, and it makes me want to scream. Scream with me.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Longview
This is the second day in a row I've laid on my couch, watched movies, and ate junk. Today, I didn't even bother to put a shirt on. My amazing ability to justify my actions, no matter how lazy, leaves me with no feelings of guilt or remorse. If I didn't have to go back to work tomorrow, I'd probably extend my sloth for another day. I know I'll eventually get back into a gym routine; I just don't see the need to rush things.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Sunday Slackin'
Yesterday, JoAnn hosted a little cookout at her house. The weather was a little warm, but we had a short rainstorm which cooled everything off nicely.
Deana and Stan brought Bella and Zeus; Jenni and Johnny brought Boston and Shiloh; and, of course, Daisy was there with JoAnn. There were almost as many dogs as people.
It's nice to get together with work people outside of work to talk about things other than work. The perfect way to spend a long weekend.
Deana and Stan brought Bella and Zeus; Jenni and Johnny brought Boston and Shiloh; and, of course, Daisy was there with JoAnn. There were almost as many dogs as people.
It's nice to get together with work people outside of work to talk about things other than work. The perfect way to spend a long weekend.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Could Be Worse
Yesterday, my job took me to a new low. I was the lucky guy who just happened to be in the shop when the call came in about a sink. No details were given, and I was expecting a relatively easy job. A few minutes later, I was cleaning up the mess left by a child who had thrown up in a sink. No, it wasn't fun, and I came close to creating my own mess more than once. Still, every time my job gets me down, I stop and think, "At least I'm not a cop."
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Plunged Into Chaos
It's amazing the changes that can go on in a short two-week period. I went back to work Monday to find our old boss had been moved to the command section, the boss after him had moved to a different shop for, ahem, personnel reasons, and we have a new boss who isn't even really in our career field. There are bound to be some growing pains, but I'm optimistic things will be good in due time.
I also came back to find out I'm on stand-by this week. While I was gone, some changes with rounds/stand-by were made to make things easier. We've done away with the early morning and swing shifts, and weekend duty will only take a couple hours. However, the only potential snag this week is that it's opening weekend for the pool. I spent 14 hours at work yesterday getting that thing filled and running, and I'd be surprised if I go all weekend without getting a call about something. The plus side is that I'll only be on duty Saturday and Sunday, with Monday and Tuesday off.
The third change is that we got a new guy in our shop named Rick. He and his wife moved here from Mississippi, and he's really cool and laid back. Corey will be leaving next month, so it's good to have another guy around to chat with. He's excited to be in Italy, and we're happy to have a new guy on our crew.
I also came back to find out I'm on stand-by this week. While I was gone, some changes with rounds/stand-by were made to make things easier. We've done away with the early morning and swing shifts, and weekend duty will only take a couple hours. However, the only potential snag this week is that it's opening weekend for the pool. I spent 14 hours at work yesterday getting that thing filled and running, and I'd be surprised if I go all weekend without getting a call about something. The plus side is that I'll only be on duty Saturday and Sunday, with Monday and Tuesday off.
The third change is that we got a new guy in our shop named Rick. He and his wife moved here from Mississippi, and he's really cool and laid back. Corey will be leaving next month, so it's good to have another guy around to chat with. He's excited to be in Italy, and we're happy to have a new guy on our crew.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Visitation Rights -or- Are Those Olive Trees?
We'd been planning this trip for months, but soon, it was only a few days before Mom, Dad, Sharon, and Don were on their way to Italy. They were due to arrive the morning of May 2nd, but due to plane delays in Chicago, they didn't arrive until 7 PM. Still, we made the best of our time, and I got some authentic Italian cuisine in their bellies pronto. We spent Sunday in Venice walking and then walking some more.
Monday, we took the train to the Cinque Terre, and arrived early that evening. Our room was the exact same room I stayed in during Ben's visit last November.
This was only my third time there, but I don't think I'll ever get sick of the Cinque Terre. It's breathtaking views and laid-back attitude suit me perfectly.
We spent all day Tuesday hiking all five towns, and rewarded ourselves at the end with great beer and great food.
Wednesday morning, we boarded the train for Florence, but on our way there, we took a quick stop in Pisa. I've always been told the only thing to see in Pisa is the tower, and that's pretty much the way it is. It's worth seeing, but you really only spend about 30 minutes walking around. This picture is taken from an angle that doesn't really show how much it leans, but I wanted to include the Church next to it. They're both amazing structures.
We got home from Florence Thursday evening, got a good night's sleep, and then, Friday morning, drove up to Garmisch, Germany. There's a resort there called Edelweiss, where we stayed two nights. On Saturday, we went up to Dachau, the site of the first concentration camp in Germany, followed by a stroll around Munich.
On the way back home on Sunday, we stopped in Innsbruck at the Swarovski factory, which was pretty cool. Everything was decorated in crystal, and Mom and Sharon were literally salivating.
We took Monday to relax and do some laundry, and then took the train to Sorrento on Tuesday. Wednesday, we spent the day trekking around the Amalfi Coast and the island of Capri.
The Amalfi Coast was kinda like the Cinque Terre on steroids, but it was also more hectic and expensive.
I thought Capri was really amazing. We didn't get to see too much of it, but I think if we would have spent more time there, we could have appreciated it more.
Thursday morning, we headed up to Pompeii, the ancient city destroyed by Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.
The entire site was amazing and really well-preserved. The guy in this picture is Mario, our tour guide. He was full of information.
One of the more amusing things Mario told us was about this carving in the street of a penis, which points the way toward the brothel. Apparently, they really knew how to have fun in ancient Italy.
This picture shows Mount Vesuvius in the background, but I guess, back in the day, it was much bigger, but when it blew, it about split in two. It's astounding how advanced of a civilisation they were.
Thursday afternoon, we finally made it to Rome. Our first destination was the Colosseum, which was every bit as spectacular as I had imagined.
From an engineering standpoint, I can't even imagine how smart the people who built this must have been.
The sheer size of the thing was awe-inspiring, even by today's standards. No wonder it's the most recognised symbol of Rome.
We spent Friday morning in Vatican City, touring the museum, which ended with the Sistine Chapel. After that, we walked around St. Peter's Basilica, also a jaw-droppingly large building. That afternoon, we tried our best to hit the major sights, including the Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon. The Forum closed before we got there, but I still think we made the best of our time in the Italian capital.
I know this is kinda the Cliff's Notes version of our trip, and I apologise. A lot of the trip is still kind of a blur, but if I think of any particularly humorous or applicable anecdotes, I'll be sure to post them. Also, I didn't really take as many pictures this time, mostly because I'd already been to many of the places we visited. Plus, many times photographs don't really do justice to certain places and things; you just have to see them for yourself. Regardless, if you'd like to see the entire photostream, go here.
We were hoping for a nice, relaxed visit, and even though it was hectic at times, we all still had a blast. I really can't thank Mom, Dad, Sharon, and Don enough. For visiting me, for entertaining me, for paying for everything, and doing it all with gracious hearts. You guys are the best!
Monday, we took the train to the Cinque Terre, and arrived early that evening. Our room was the exact same room I stayed in during Ben's visit last November.
This was only my third time there, but I don't think I'll ever get sick of the Cinque Terre. It's breathtaking views and laid-back attitude suit me perfectly.
We spent all day Tuesday hiking all five towns, and rewarded ourselves at the end with great beer and great food.
Wednesday morning, we boarded the train for Florence, but on our way there, we took a quick stop in Pisa. I've always been told the only thing to see in Pisa is the tower, and that's pretty much the way it is. It's worth seeing, but you really only spend about 30 minutes walking around. This picture is taken from an angle that doesn't really show how much it leans, but I wanted to include the Church next to it. They're both amazing structures.
We got home from Florence Thursday evening, got a good night's sleep, and then, Friday morning, drove up to Garmisch, Germany. There's a resort there called Edelweiss, where we stayed two nights. On Saturday, we went up to Dachau, the site of the first concentration camp in Germany, followed by a stroll around Munich.
On the way back home on Sunday, we stopped in Innsbruck at the Swarovski factory, which was pretty cool. Everything was decorated in crystal, and Mom and Sharon were literally salivating.
We took Monday to relax and do some laundry, and then took the train to Sorrento on Tuesday. Wednesday, we spent the day trekking around the Amalfi Coast and the island of Capri.
The Amalfi Coast was kinda like the Cinque Terre on steroids, but it was also more hectic and expensive.
I thought Capri was really amazing. We didn't get to see too much of it, but I think if we would have spent more time there, we could have appreciated it more.
Thursday morning, we headed up to Pompeii, the ancient city destroyed by Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.
The entire site was amazing and really well-preserved. The guy in this picture is Mario, our tour guide. He was full of information.
One of the more amusing things Mario told us was about this carving in the street of a penis, which points the way toward the brothel. Apparently, they really knew how to have fun in ancient Italy.
This picture shows Mount Vesuvius in the background, but I guess, back in the day, it was much bigger, but when it blew, it about split in two. It's astounding how advanced of a civilisation they were.
Thursday afternoon, we finally made it to Rome. Our first destination was the Colosseum, which was every bit as spectacular as I had imagined.
From an engineering standpoint, I can't even imagine how smart the people who built this must have been.
The sheer size of the thing was awe-inspiring, even by today's standards. No wonder it's the most recognised symbol of Rome.
We spent Friday morning in Vatican City, touring the museum, which ended with the Sistine Chapel. After that, we walked around St. Peter's Basilica, also a jaw-droppingly large building. That afternoon, we tried our best to hit the major sights, including the Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon. The Forum closed before we got there, but I still think we made the best of our time in the Italian capital.
I know this is kinda the Cliff's Notes version of our trip, and I apologise. A lot of the trip is still kind of a blur, but if I think of any particularly humorous or applicable anecdotes, I'll be sure to post them. Also, I didn't really take as many pictures this time, mostly because I'd already been to many of the places we visited. Plus, many times photographs don't really do justice to certain places and things; you just have to see them for yourself. Regardless, if you'd like to see the entire photostream, go here.
We were hoping for a nice, relaxed visit, and even though it was hectic at times, we all still had a blast. I really can't thank Mom, Dad, Sharon, and Don enough. For visiting me, for entertaining me, for paying for everything, and doing it all with gracious hearts. You guys are the best!
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Please, Mr. Postman
I'm making a switch. I've had my .mac e-mail account since I bought my computer in 2003. It's easy; it looks good; and, I love the way it works seamlessly with Macs. The only downfall is that it costs money. It has tons of features I don't even use, so there's really no point in paying for something I can get for free elsewhere. Plus, Apple is changing all their .mac accounts to .me accounts, and it's a little confusing. I'll always be a Mac-Head and will never own any other kind of computer. But as for e-mail, I'm moving to gmail. So, please update your address books to reflect my new address: cwsutton74@gmail.com. The .mac account will be active until July, so you've got time, but the sooner the better. As a reminder, I'm going to add a link to my sidebar, just to the right, below my picture. Thanks in advance for your cooperation and support.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
It's, Oh, So Quiet
I just got home, and it's strangely calm. Mom, Dad, Sharon, and Don boarded a plane this morning in Rome, and I took the train back here. The past two weeks have been chaotic, busy, and exhausting; but also unimaginably fun. It's gonna take a while to sort the pictures and stuff, but it will all make it's way up here eventually. But for now, I have a metric ton of laundry to do and a house to get back in order. Still, this isn't the worst part about your parents coming for a visit. It's trying to keep it together when your Mom starts crying when you hug her good-bye.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Pit Stop
Venice, the Cinque Terre, and Florence in Italy; Garmisch and Munich in Germany; and Innsbruck, Austria. We've seen quite a bit in the past week, but we're taking today off to regroup, do laundry, and relax a bit. Tomorrow, we leave for the Amalfi Coast, Pompeii, and Rome. I haven't been to southern Italy yet, so I'm just as excited about it as everyone else is.
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Set It Off
After various delays, Don, Sharon, Mom, and Dad finally landed at 7 last night. I took them to dinner, then we came back to my house for wine and cheesecake. They're all still sleeping right now, but the plan today is to hit up the canals of Venice. The rest of our two-week excursion is mostly mapped out, with room for flexibility. They're excited to be here, and I'm excited to have them.
Friday, May 01, 2009
Wind In My Hair
I had my PT test today, which is something else about which I've been stressing all week. Luckily, it went really well. In fact, I got the best run time I've ever had. Go me!
Tonight, I'm just doing a once-over on my house, making sure everything is clean and ready for Mom, Dad, Sharon, and Don. I pick them up tomorrow morning, and we're looking forward to two weeks of food, wine, and gorgeous sights.
Speaking of which, posting through the 17th will be sporadic, if at all; but as always, tons of stories and pictures will follow. Ciao!
Tonight, I'm just doing a once-over on my house, making sure everything is clean and ready for Mom, Dad, Sharon, and Don. I pick them up tomorrow morning, and we're looking forward to two weeks of food, wine, and gorgeous sights.
Speaking of which, posting through the 17th will be sporadic, if at all; but as always, tons of stories and pictures will follow. Ciao!
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