Wired NextFest in LA

What a whirlwind, wonderful weekend! Jen and I had a great time exploring the frontiers of technology at the WIRED NextFest in Los Angeles, CA. Didn't know we were going? Neither did we until earlier in the week!

Jen was in LA all last week for more safety training with the Air Force. (She really liked the class and is enjoying all of the neat stuff she is learning at all of these various training courses.) Her plans were to come back to FL Friday night. I was planning to be out and about with Zero G flying teachers all over the east coast during the week [vid link] and then going to a personal development weekend in Sarasota (part of my Landmark Wisdom course).

I have wanted to go to NextFest for the past few years, but I have always been out of the country with SGC. Since we decided not to go to India this year, I realized this was my golden opportunity to attend!! Jen looked over the NextFest website and was excited to go too. Here's what we did: I flew out of Dulles on Friday as planned, but instead of Sarasota I went to LA! Jen changed her flight plans and stayed over an extra night in LA. We rode the Metro bus to save $$ and experience more of the real culture of Los Angeles. It was a great experience! I now understand why many people in the city don't have cars.

NextFest was a GREAT showcase of all kinds of entertainment, robotics, health, home, automotive, and space technologies. My favorites were the real human heart valve grown in a lab without stem cells and the living grass roof on the model home. Check out the pictures [here] for more neat stuff we saw and did, including the cute little restaurant we found while wandering the streets of LA.

Instead of flying out of LAX with Jen on Saturday night, I took the FlyAway bus up to Van Nyus, California for yet another Zero G flight! Turns out they needed a Flight Attendant and I was available--and close! Things worked out great.

This week it's back to work for both of us here in FL. Jen's birthday is this Tuesday (call her!) and we plan to have dinner with Mom. Things should be calm... until I head out to Las Vegas for another Zero G flight on Saturday and then off to Atlanta to make up the Wisdom course weekend.

We lead a crazy, fast, unexpected, improbable, absolutely blessed, fun and exciting life! Thanks for being on the journey with us :-)

New Orleans!

Last weekend we met up in New Orleans with our friends Shannon and Roiann for a weekend of fun and relaxation. I flew into New Orleans while Jen drove from Ft. Rucker. Shannon found the St. Pierre hotel for us right in the French Quarter! It was very cute and the perfect place to base our adventure!

We had been to New Orleans in college, but somehow we didn't get much done other than drinking on Bourbon street! This time we set goals and objectives to do all of the cool stuff we'd seen before.

Friday night:

• Arrive at the St. Pierre and park in the scary old parking garage
• Get Hurricanes at Pat O'Brien's on Bourbon Street
• Drink Hand Grenades on the street from Tropical Isle
• Eat late-night, post-drinking pizza
  

Saturday:

• Tour of Lafeyette Cemetary
• Walk through the Garden District and admire the houses
• Get some daqueris for lunch
  
• Explore the riverfront area including the fountain where Jen and I got engaged

Saturday night:

• Ghost tour on foot with "Scary Mary"!
• Absinthe at the pirate bar

Sunday:

• Breakfast at Cafe du Monde
  
• Coach tour of the French Quarter with David and Knucklehead the mule
• Explore the shops in the French Quarter
• Leave!

The city is rebuilding beautifully with all of the French Quarter up and operating. There are numerous "Help Wanted" signs around showing how many residents chose not to return. Some of the shops and restaurants closed early due to a lack of staff!

We had a great time and recommend everyone go and enjoy New Orleans!

More pictures are available online at: http://picasaweb.google.com/spacebaileys/NewOrleans2007

Christmas comes early to Titusville

The last week has been a flurry of travel activity! Jen got back from her 4-day class in California on Friday afternoon. Tom & Alice (Jen's mom & step-dad) arrived on Saturday afternoon for a week-long pre-Christmas visit. I left for a World Space Expo business trip to early on Sunday (5am!). No, I wasn't running from my in-laws. In fact, I stayed with Bill & Lynn in Hershey,PA (Jen's dad + step-mom). I love all my in-laws and was happy to see them all in the same week :-)

While I was gone,Tom and Alice visited some Frank Loyd Wright architecture in Lakeland (on the other side of FL)! When I got home, they left to go to Sabastian, FL, for a few days. (Maybe they were avoiding me? ;-) )

When we were all together we had a fun time and had an early Christmas. Tom & Alice gave us an awesome new fridge that matches the stove + microwave we'd already bought. After one false fridge (back to the store with you!) we got the working one in the kitchen and into place. Now we have a new fridge + all new food for it too! What an adventure!

Now we're all on the road again with Jen & I heading to GA and Alice & Tom on their way back to WI. Bill, Lynn, & David are also on their way to GA to have Christmas with my family before we all head down to FL.

WHEW! What a week! And mor to come...