Saturday - August 1, 2009
Congrats Dr. Sarah!
We're all so proud of you.
Posted by jcraven at 10:39 AM
Thursday - July 16, 2009
About time
A big congrats to my sister, Sarah who will be receiving her PhD shortly. She jumped through the last major hoop yesterday, and everything went well. We're quite proud.
Posted by jcraven at 2:34 PM
Tuesday - April 21, 2009
Boone/Grandfather Moutain
We took a long weekend and visited Boone, Blowing Rock, and Grandfather Mountain. We took a lot of pictures at Grandfather and I uploaded them as usual to Flickr.
It was nice to have a relaxing weekend for a change, and the weather was absolutely perfect.
Posted by jcraven at 1:46 PM
Thursday - April 2, 2009
Boston
We're back from Boston. Unfortunately the trip was shorter than we originally planned, but we still had a good time. The weather was pretty rough, but didn't stop us from getting out. We've uploaded our pictures here.
One special note, I had the best meal I've had in months at Atlantic Fish Co. I'd highly recommend checking it out....
Posted by jcraven at 11:34 AM
Saturday - March 28, 2009
Goodbye Blue Bear
This morning around 8:30, Blue passed away. We were there with him, and I hope we were able to comfort him in his final moments. It's a sad day, and the house will be totally different without Maggie and Blue. We feel blessed they were in our lives.
This picture was taken last this morning around 2:15.
Posted by jcraven at 8:48 PM
Friday - March 20, 2009
Sad Kitty
Blue isn't feeling well. :(
Posted by jcraven at 12:02 PM
Thursday - February 12, 2009
Back from Canada
I spent a week in Kanata, Ontario for business. I don't have a lot of pictures, but here are a couple shots to give you an idea of the amount of snow. The only major thing we did outside of work was to go skiing at Mont Cascades.
I really like the area, but I wouldn't recommend traveling to Canada during the middle of winter. :)
Posted by jcraven at 4:35 PM
Tuesday - January 20, 2009
Blizzard of '09
We actually had a nice snow storm this morning. I took a couple pictures and uploaded them here.
Posted by jcraven at 10:18 AM
Friday - January 16, 2009
Kitty Tree
Our Vet's office setup this memorial Christmas Tree over the holidays and decorated it with picture of all the kitties that passed away this year. It was very thoughtful, and they gave us Maggie's ornament to use at home next year.
Posted by jcraven at 11:51 AM
Monday - November 24, 2008
Blue says
Monday work is boring.....
Posted by jcraven at 10:27 AM
Tuesday - November 18, 2008
Let it snow
We had a little snow shower today. I'm sure the bread & milk is already sold out at grocery stores across the area.
Posted by jcraven at 1:57 PM
Friday - November 14, 2008
Happy Birthday Lara!
Posted by jcraven at 10:35 AM
Sunday - November 9, 2008
Zoo fun
Today we went to the NC Zoo in Asheboro. Lara has been wanting to go for a while now, and we finally decided to check it out. I haven't been in many years, but it's mostly unchanged. The weather was just too good to pass up. We had a good time, got a little excercise with their 5 miles of trails, and took lots of pictures. Check them out here.
Time to rest now.....
Posted by jcraven at 9:02 PM
Thursday - October 30, 2008
I'm still here
I know it's been a while..... I'll post some updates soon.
For now, I just wanted to remind everybody to go out and vote. Lara and I went to vote yesterday and had to wait in line around 30 minutes. That's not too bad.
Posted by jcraven at 7:19 PM
Thursday - September 11, 2008
Travel
Lara has finished this round of travel and is back home. Here are recent pictures from Austin, TX and Charleston, WV.
Posted by jcraven at 3:44 PM
Wednesday - August 20, 2008
Cole Edward Patton
Our nephew Cole was born today. He was 9lb. 10oz. and 20in. long. Everyone is doing well.
I've uploaded pictures here.
Posted by jcraven at 11:41 PM
Tuesday - August 19, 2008
Jury Duty
Today, I had the joy of being called for my first Jury Duty. Obviously I can't share any details, but it's actually not that bad. Unfortunately, it looks like I'll be there for another day or two though.
Posted by jcraven at 7:46 PM
Monday - August 4, 2008
Lazy weekend
We didn't do much this weekend. We watched the X Games, and did some tax-free shopping. Other than that, I think this picture sums up the weekend.
Posted by jcraven at 12:05 PM
Monday - July 21, 2008
Back to the grind
We're back from the beach. The weather was great, and we only had minor issues from Cristobal.
I have a handful of pictures here. The pictures were taken with our new Canon SD790IS. So far, I like it quite a bit. The image stabilization and facial recognition seem to work very well in my limited use. I'll post a better review once I get a little more time on it.
Posted by jcraven at 2:52 PM
Wednesday - July 2, 2008
Randy & Caroline
On Saturday we went to Salisbury to attend Randy & Caroline's Wedding. Everything was very nice. The reception was at the Historic Salisbury Station. It's still used as an Amtrak station, but also has an awesome banquet area. You can find some pictures of the area here.
Posted by jcraven at 11:58 AM
Tuesday - July 1, 2008
We're back
Last week we went down to the beach with the family. We stopped in New Bern to pick up Sarah and Daniel from the airport. The town itself is very interesting, and reminds me of Wilmington. We have quite a few pictures here.
We had lunch in New Bern, and if you're visiting the area, be sure to check out Marina Sweets Cafe & Deli. The sandwiches and black bean hummus were amazing and very reasonably priced.
We also went to the aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores. It was pretty good considering it was only $8, and only had fish native to NC. Their website can be found here. Now back to work, although thankfully it's a short week.
Posted by jcraven at 11:58 AM
Thursday - June 5, 2008
Heat Wave
I agree with Dave, the weather here sucks from late Spring to early Fall.
Right now it's 95F and the heat index is 100F. Ugh.
Posted by jcraven at 4:39 PM
Monday - May 5, 2008
Master Anglers
Yesterday, Lara and I went to Ken's pond to catch some fish. We didn't catch a ton, but we had fun. Pictures here.
Posted by jcraven at 10:41 AM
Tuesday - March 25, 2008
Flickr fully updated
I finally uploaded all of my pictures into Flickr. The link can be found at the top of the page or here. The total rounded out at 4,295 pictures totalling more than 6GB of data.
Posted by jcraven at 4:14 PM
Monday - January 28, 2008
New photo album
I'm in the process of transitioning my photo album over to Flickr. You can view the main directory here (or by clicking on the link at the top of my home page).
All of the kitty pictures, old and new, can be found here.
Reasons I'm switching:
- Unlimited storage
- Ability to have multiple resolutions available, including the original size (as long as it's less than 10MB)
- Reliable off-site backup for the pictures
Posted by jcraven at 10:25 AM
Saturday - January 26, 2008
Sad Day
Today, we said goodbye to Maggie. It's a sad day for us, and we thank everyone for their support and sympathy. We will miss our sweet kitty very much.
Posted by jcraven at 3:28 PM
Friday - January 4, 2008
Maggie is back home
Maggie is back at home, and doing well. She ate a ton last night, and seems to be pretty content. We brought her bed downstairs and it's her new favorite spot. Recent pictures here.
Posted by jcraven at 9:29 AM
Thursday - January 3, 2008
Maggie update
Previously, I mentioned that Maggie was having some gastrointestinal issues. Over the past month or so, the symptoms have increased, along with a significant weight loss. We took her for a second opinion at Morrisville Cat Hospital. Dr. Morris found several problems in Maggie's bloodwork, and also a mass in her stomach via an X-ray.
Dr. Morris was very concerned and referred her to the NCSU College of Veterinary Medicine for an ultrasound. The test showed the same mass as the X-rays. To get a clear diagnosis of the growth, they required an esophagogastroduodenoscopy. Unfortunately due to the holidays, they couldn't do all the tests immediately, but they did give her a blood transfusion and sent her home with several meds so we could care for her over Christmas/New Years. Yesterday she went back in for the scope procedure, and the findings are not good. She has multiple cancerous growths inside the stomach wall, and the only full treatment is a very invasive surgery that has a high risk of complications and low chance of full recovery.
Since she is still eating and has good energy, we will bring her back home today. At this point, all we can do is give her medicines that help relieve her symptoms and any potential pain. The doctors don't know how long she has, but we will cherish every minute.
Posted by jcraven at 2:16 PM
See ya Cam and Dom
Don't let the door hit ya' on the way out......
Posted by jcraven at 12:14 PM
Wednesday - January 2, 2008
Let it snow
Yep, it's actually snowing a little at work...... Nothing to get too excited about......
UPDATE: WRAL has the story with pics
Posted by jcraven at 12:33 PM
Monday - December 31, 2007
Happy 2008!
Hope everyone has a safe and happy new year.
Posted by jcraven at 4:57 PM
Tuesday - December 25, 2007
Merry Christmas
Hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday.......
Posted by jcraven at 10:45 PM
Thursday - November 29, 2007
Deck the Halls
We started putting up our Christmas tree yesterday. Lara did most of the work, but Maggie and Blue helped too.
Posted by jcraven at 1:20 PM
Monday - November 19, 2007
I need a vacation from my vacation
So after getting back from Miami on Thursday, we turned around and drove to Boone on Saturday to see the final regular season football game of the year. Appalachian clinched a share of their 3rd straight SoCon championship.
As for Miami, I just finished posting all of our pictures here.
Posted by jcraven at 4:46 PM
Tuesday - October 30, 2007
Mac-O-Lantern
Posted by jcraven at 11:36 AM
Tuesday - October 2, 2007
Asheville
Lara and I took a long weekend, and went to Asheville. We have pictures of Ryan and Anna along with our pictures from the Biltmore House here. Neither Lara or myself have visited the Biltmore since we were little kids, and it's still amazing.
We also have a handful of pictures from Melody and John's wedding here. The reception was at the Grove Park Inn, and was quite impressive. I think everyone had a great time. Unless something crazy happens, I believe this is the last wedding of the year.
Posted by jcraven at 9:58 AM
Monday - September 24, 2007
Wedding #432 for the year
This weekend we went to Jodi and Daniel's wedding. Lara took some really good shots, which can be found here. Be sure to check out page 3 for some awesome dancing pictures.
UPDATE: Shutterfly link for those wanting hard copies.
Posted by jcraven at 2:51 PM | Comments (1)
Monday - September 17, 2007
Weekend Trip
This weekend we went to visit Sarah and Daniel in Athens, GA. We had a good time, except for driving through Humberto on the way down.
We went to the UGA game on Saturday. It was so hot though, we retreated to indoors before halftime. They beat Western Carolina 45-16, so we didn't miss a whole lot. We caught the game at an awesome wing place called WOW Cafe & Wingery.
For the most part we just chilled and toured around Athens since this was my first visit. Overall it's a nice town, and sometime I'll go back when I have more time to stay and visit. On the way out we had brunch at Five Star Daily Cafe, where I had an "Elvis Breakfast". Yep, I had a fried peanut butter and banana sandwich.
A big thanks to Sarah and Daniel for hosting us. We'll see you soon.
Posted by jcraven at 2:03 PM
Thursday - September 6, 2007
Zombie War
I don't know why, but I'm still laughing at this.
Posted by jcraven at 2:58 PM
Tuesday - August 21, 2007
DIY Sunroof
Wow, you can really find anything on the internet. Check out this fake sunroof for your car on eBay. I have to admit it doesn't actually look that bad in the pictures, but you have to wonder who would buy such a thing. Also, be sure to check out the Question & Answer section at the bottom of the auction..... pure comedic gold.
Posted by jcraven at 8:07 PM
Monday - July 23, 2007
We're back
We're back from the beach. We didn't do anything terribly exciting, just relaxed. I'll post what few pictures I have soon. Only downside is that it seems I picked up a cold in the process.....
Posted by jcraven at 10:36 AM
Friday - July 6, 2007
Kitty update
Maggie is doing a bit better. We have her on some anti-parasite medicine to hopefully help her digestion issues. Her fur is also starting to grow back, you can see the stripes coming in already.
Blue is doing fine, and he's just as odd as ever. I took these pictures this morning (last three on the page).
Posted by jcraven at 10:23 AM | Comments (1)
Wednesday - July 4, 2007
Happy 4th of July
Be safe out there.
Posted by jcraven at 11:25 AM
Tuesday - July 3, 2007
Is there anything that Bush can't do?
OK, I don't think I've posted a single political entry in the past 3 years, but today that changes. I'm just absolutely dumfounded and a bit disturbed that Bush commuted Scooter Libby's sentence. CNN has the announcement here. On top of that, he hasn't ruled out a full pardon.
Now I don't pretend to understand everything about his case, but he was found guilty of both perjury and obstruction of justice. Where is the public outcry? Everybody was more worried about Paris getting out of her measly 45-day sentence (*cough* *cough* Dave....). Where is Al Sharpton complaining about inequality in the Justice System. I just don't get it...... Oh, and if you think he'll pay that fine out of his own pocket, I can guarantee that won't happen.
Sigh, I guess I'll just let it go:
Posted by jcraven at 10:13 PM
Wednesday - June 20, 2007
Shaved Kitty
So for the last couple weeks, Maggie has been having some digestion problems. She's had various tests run, and this week they did an ultrasound to make sure there were no internal issues. The good news is the scan came back clean. The bad news is that they shaved half her body.... she's pretty sad looking. A couple pictures here.
Posted by jcraven at 10:23 AM
Monday - June 4, 2007
Love is in the Air
Over the weekend, we attended our fourth wedding of the year. This prompted me to finally upload the pictures from the last three. Sorry, I'm lazy and didn't fix the red-eye on any of them.
Here you go. (The first wedding of the year is stuck in the Wilmington trip)
Posted by jcraven at 3:26 PM
Tuesday - May 29, 2007
Zombies stumble around San Francisco
This is pretty damn funny.
A horde of decaying zombies invaded San Francisco's downtown Apple store on Friday evening, hunting for brains, terrifying the customers, and gnawing on iMacs.
Pictures included......
Posted by jcraven at 12:22 PM
Tuesday - May 22, 2007
Foxy lady
We have some new residents at work..... these are the best pictures we could get without getting too close.
Posted by jcraven at 1:11 PM
Monday - April 2, 2007
Wilmington Pictures
The pictures from our trip have been posted here. The first couple pictures are from our hotel room, and the last couple are from Wrightsville Beach. The rest are from in or around the wedding. Yes I realize that there are more pictures of my niece than the wedding party, but Lara took all the pictures. :)
Posted by jcraven at 4:59 PM
Friday - March 30, 2007
Wilmington arrival
We have arrived in Wilmington. We're staying at the Hilton which is decent, but nothing terribly exciting. We are on the top floor though, and have a nice view of the Cape Fear river, and the USS North Carolina battleship (pictures to follow soon).
For dinner, we ate at a historic restaurant named The Pilot House. The house was originally built in the 1870's, and had a nice blend of traditional traditional Southern food with modern seafood. Lara had the jalapeno cornbread encrusted flounder, and I had the Pancetta wrapped shrimp skewers. Both were very good.
The Pilot House is beside Elijah's, and are both owned by the same person. Supposedly, Elijah's is one of the locations frequented in the television series, Dawson's Creek. Go ahead, I'm sure you can mock me for knowing that.....
Posted by jcraven at 8:13 PM | Comments (1)
Saturday - March 17, 2007
Pet food recall
Since almost everyone I know owns a pet, be sure to check out the following recall. There's almost 50 brands of dog food and 40 brands of cat food affected. Already, 10 pets have died from the tainted food. Check it out now.
Posted by jcraven at 8:39 AM | Comments (1)
Thursday - February 8, 2007
New ride
Check out the newest addition to the family. More pictures here, along with her predecessor.
Posted by jcraven at 9:17 AM
Thursday - February 1, 2007
Snow redux
We got a nice dusting of snow today, the first two pictures here are from my office. Looks like the ice problem afterwards may be minimal.Posted by jcraven at 4:13 PM
Thursday - January 25, 2007
Pet Spa
OK, as a cat owner, I know this is somewhat cruel, but I still laughed out loud..... The owner did state that they only tried it once, and decided against future washings due to the cat's trauma.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15bwhVxw-Bg
Posted by jcraven at 1:49 PM
Thursday - January 18, 2007
Bring it on
Let it snow ice! Here's a couple pictures from this morning, after it already started turning into rain.
Snow 2007
Posted by jcraven at 9:12 AM | Comments (1)
Sunday - January 14, 2007
100 Best Companies to Work For 2007
Fortune has released it's new list of best companies to work for in 2007. Interesting list, not a huge surprise that Google takes the #1 spot.
100 Best Companies to Work For 2007: Full list | FORTUNE
Posted by jcraven at 10:52 PM
Monday - January 8, 2007
500 down
This is my 501st blog post. In 2004, I would have never guessed I'd still be doing this. Since the site went live, I've had 1,124,277 hits to date (not including spider/robot hits), and the cost of hosting is fully offset by Google Ads. Hopefully I'll be around for the next 500 posts.
Posted by jcraven at 3:19 PM | Comments (2)
Wednesday - December 27, 2006
RIP Smokey
My childhood pet passed away last night in her sleep. Smokey has been a member of our family since I was 11. She lived a long life, and I couldn't have asked for a better kitty. We will miss her.
Here's a picture circa 2004:
Posted by jcraven at 3:00 PM
Monday - December 25, 2006
Merry Christmas
Posted by jcraven at 6:12 PM
Monday - November 27, 2006
Mmmmm tryptophan
Hopefully everyone had a great holiday weekend, I know we did. I need to take a vacation to recover from my vacation though. We had four family gatherings, and two birthday parties to attend over the 4-day weekend. Also, Lara went shopping from midnight-8AM on Friday morning, but I think she finally caught up on her sleep by the end of the trip. I guess I need to get serious about buying Christmas gifts now.... it will be here very soon.
Posted by jcraven at 10:10 AM
Thursday - November 9, 2006
Hawaii Part VI
We made it home OK, after a little plane trouble in Dallas. We took a couple more pictures from the hotel and on the way to the airport before we left. Check out the last batch of pictures on pages 15-16.
Posted by jcraven at 11:22 PM
Monday - November 6, 2006
Hawaii Part V
Tonight we went to a Luau down the beach at the Hyatt called "Drums of the Pacific". The show was great, but I wasn't overly impressed with the food. The kalua pork was actually the best thing on the menu, and the poi wasn't nearly as bad as everyone says it is. Unfortunately, due to the lighting we were unable to get any good pictures, but I have two videos here and here.
Posted by jcraven at 9:11 PM
Sunday - November 5, 2006
Hawaii Part IV
Today we took a helicopter tour of West Maui and Molokai with Blue Hawaiian Helicopters. Neither of us have ever been in a helicopter, and this was definitely a great way to see the islands. We saw some beautiful mountains, waterfalls, and natural reefs. Unfortunately you have to take the Big Island tour to see any active volcano/lava flow. It was very fun, and we picked up the DVD of our trip for anybody that may want to see it. We have pictures on pages 10-14.
Posted by jcraven at 9:02 PM
Saturday - November 4, 2006
Hawaii Part III
Today we went snorkeling at Molokini, on the Lahaina Princess. We started off the cruise with a nice continental breakfast. About 45 minutes after leaving the harbor, we come across a large pod of 30 or so dolphins that swam alongside the boat for about 10 minutes. This may have been the highlight of the trip.
After another 45 minutes or so, we arrive at Molokini and snorkel for about 50 minutes. We have 2 underwater cameras that need to have their film developed, but unfortunately I cracked mine and water leaked in. I have no idea if the photos are salvageable.
On the return trip, they served a nice lunch with burgers, hot dogs, and chicken that they grilled on the front of the boat. About halfway back to our harbor, we stopped at a dive spot named "Turtle Town". We snorkled for another 50 minutes or so, and two huge sea turtles approached within a couple feet. Overall, this snorkel trip was 10x better than our dive in the Bahamas 5 years ago, and I'd recommend the Princess to anyone.
Morning pictures are on Page 7.
Dolphin pictures are on Page 8.
Molokini pictures are on Page 9.
UPDATE: Lara's underwater pictures here.
Posted by jcraven at 8:26 PM
Friday - November 3, 2006
Hawaii Part II
Today, we took a day-long trip to Hana on the far eastern side of the island. To get there, you have to travel along 30+ miles of the curviest roads possible. We have a lot of nice pictures, here. The highlight of the trip was the lava fields, black sand beach, and caves outside Hana at Wai'anapanapa Park. Pictures from the park start on Page 5.
Posted by jcraven at 8:12 PM
Wednesday - November 1, 2006
Hawaii Part I
You can find them here. They're all from the hotel area, except for the one from the airplane. The waterfalls and wildlife are beside the outdoor lobby and pool areas. We'll get some better pictures of the beach on a sunny day....
Posted by jcraven at 10:21 PM
We're here
I've been up for almost 24 hours straight, but we're checked into the hotel. I'll get some pictures and such tomorrow.... must rest now.
Posted by jcraven at 1:31 AM
Monday - October 30, 2006
Aloha
Less than 24 hours, and counting.....
Posted by jcraven at 12:26 PM | Comments (1)
Candy Corn tastes like sh*t
Last night, we saw Lewis Black and his "Red, White, and Screwed" tour at Meymandi Hall in Raleigh. It was a great show, and his opening act was just as entertaining. I'd recommend checking it out if he comes by your town, as long as you're not a big fan of Dubya.....
Posted by jcraven at 12:10 PM
Friday - October 27, 2006
Time Flies
It's been 5 wonderful years......
Posted by jcraven at 7:48 PM | Comments (1)
Friday - October 20, 2006
Visitor
Look what I found in the backyard.....
Posted by jcraven at 4:26 PM
Wednesday - October 18, 2006
Boom
Sigh.... EQ is at it again:
WRAL.com - News - Explosions Reported At Apex EQ Plant
Posted by jcraven at 12:46 PM
Tuesday - October 10, 2006
Visitor
Mental note, Lara doesn't want to know things like this are in our backyard.
Posted by jcraven at 11:02 AM
Pictures of Kate
New pictures of our niece, Kate.... Click here for Shutterfly.
Posted by jcraven at 10:57 AM
Boone pictures
Finally have the pictures posted from our trip to Boone a couple weekends ago. Check them out here.
Posted by jcraven at 10:50 AM
Friday - October 6, 2006
Evacuation
Right now, we haven't been evacuated, but I'll keep you posted.
CNN.com - Thousands evacuated after fire at hazardous waste plant - Oct 6, 2006
This guy is keeping much better track than I am.... check here for local updates.
Posted by jcraven at 7:48 AM
Tuesday - October 3, 2006
Ceiling Cat
I don't know why, but this picture made me chuckle. Note: it's not appropriate for sensitive readers.
Posted by jcraven at 12:10 PM
Monday - September 11, 2006
Five years later
Posted by jcraven at 8:42 AM
Tuesday - August 22, 2006
Back from the Beach
Last week, we went to N. Myrtle Beach for a little vacation.
I uploaded the pictures here and one short movie clip here. We had a good time, but didn't do anything terribly exciting other than hang around the pool and beach. And for those wondering, the baby is my niece, Kate.
Posted by jcraven at 3:47 PM
Monday - July 31, 2006
Weird
Sometimes cats do strange things when you're not looking....
Posted by jcraven at 1:51 PM
Thursday - July 27, 2006
Salter Path
We're back from the beach. We went to Salter Path, which is a small town about halfway between Atlantic Beach and Emerald Isle. I uploaded our pictures here. As you can see, most of the time the women lounged on the pool and beach while the guys went fishing. For the most part, I caught Sheepshead, but Daniel also caught some croakers, and my Dad even caught a random shark and sting ray.
There isn't much in the area other than the actual beach, but If you happen to be near Atlantic Beach, I'd highly recommend Amos Mosquito's Restaurant. It is a nice combination of gourmet and local dining.
Posted by jcraven at 10:32 AM
Tuesday - July 18, 2006
Congrats!
Lara passed the 4th part of her CIA exam! After many nights of studying it was finally worth all the hard work. I'm very proud of her. Be sure to congratulate her next time you see her.
Posted by jcraven at 1:28 PM
Friday - July 14, 2006
Back from Boston
I returned from my trip without any problems other than a slightly delayed return flight. Unfortunately I don't have anything interesting to show you as a result. The week was pretty much packed full of meetings, and if I wasn't at work I was either eating a lavish dinner or drinking at a bar. Since the weather was pretty poor the whole time, I also didn't get to take a single picture. Maybe next time, I'll have some more free time.
Posted by jcraven at 4:17 PM
Tuesday - July 11, 2006
Big Dig
Now this is scary. 3-ton concrete panels kill woman in Big Dig tunnel
I think I'll find an alternate route back to the airport later this week......
Posted by jcraven at 8:34 AM
Beantown
I'm currently in Boston on business, but unfortunately I won't have time to see the Sox play. Oh well, if I take any exciting pictures, I'll post them asap.
Posted by jcraven at 7:12 AM
Wednesday - July 5, 2006
Hawaii bound
We finally decided on the hotel for our Hawaii trip, the The Westin Maui Resort & Spa. When looking at lodging, you basically have two types in Hawaii. There are large resorts or small 'condo' complexes. There are definitely some nice condos out there with secluded beaches, but rooms can vary within the same complex due to different owners. We decided to play it safe and go with a high-end resort. Time will tell if we made the right choice.
If anybody has any recommendations of things to see or do in Lahaina or Maui in general, post them in the comments.
Posted by jcraven at 11:38 AM
Monday - June 26, 2006
New pictures of Kate
Finally posted new pictures of my niece, Kate on shutterfly here.
Posted by jcraven at 12:10 PM
Monday - June 5, 2006
Happy Birthday Mom!
I'll leave her age off, but just wanted to wish her a Happy Birthday.
Posted by jcraven at 4:19 PM
Thursday - May 4, 2006
The Good 'ol Days
Man I wish I was still in college.......
Posted by jcraven at 12:53 PM | Comments (3)
Monday - April 17, 2006
Mr. Fix-it
For about a month now, our leather recliner has been broken. A 1.5" chunk of metal broke on the frame. Over the holiday weekend, I decided to take it to my parent's house, to see if it could be repaired. Luckily my dad was able to weld the support back together with minimal effort. It was pretty cool. Maybe I should take a class or two at Wake Tech.... it might be a fun thing to learn. They have an extensive list of welding classes here.
Posted by jcraven at 3:26 PM
Sunday - April 16, 2006
Happy Easter
Posted by jcraven at 10:38 AM | Comments (1)
Monday - April 3, 2006
Final day
My flight back to the US is late this afternoon, so I have a couple more hours left in Kanata. I'll post details of my trip along with pictures when I return. In the meantime, be sure to check out what I've been driving around the past couple days.
Posted by jcraven at 9:42 AM | Comments (1)
Thursday - March 30, 2006
O Canada
I'm on my way, wish me luck.
Posted by jcraven at 7:48 AM | Comments (1)
Wednesday - February 22, 2006
Kitties are fine
Took Maggie and Blue to the vet on Monday for their annual checkups. Everything looked good, and probably to Steve's disappointment, Maggie lost 14oz since last year. Maggie had a little eye drainage, so the doctor gave us some antibiotics just as a precaution. Well, lets just say they upset her stomach and we won't be giving her anymore......ick
Posted by jcraven at 10:43 AM
Tuesday - February 21, 2006
Legend of Zelda celebrates 20th anniversary
The original 'The Legend of Zelda' for the NES went on sale 20 years ago. PTB has a write-up here. This was the first video game I owned (other than Super Mario Brothers/Duck Hunt) and it always brings back fond memories. It's hard to believe that was 20 years ago.......
Posted by jcraven at 10:56 PM
Monday - February 20, 2006
No comment
Went to Target yesterday, and the guy in the checkout line in front of me was buying KY Lubricant and a box of Kleenex. That's it, nothing else. I'll leave that one alone.
Posted by jcraven at 8:55 AM
Wednesday - February 15, 2006
Relay for Life
My sister is once again running in the Relay For Life sponsored by the American Cancer Society. She did such a good job last year, that now she is team captain of the Microbiology Graduate Student Association's Relay for Life team at UGA. (that doesn't sound nerdy at all).
If you want to donate to a good cause, check out her site here.
Posted by jcraven at 11:35 AM
Tuesday - February 14, 2006
Happy Valentine's Day
Posted by jcraven at 10:06 AM | Comments (1)
Sunday - January 29, 2006
Happy Birthday
Today is Steve's birthday. Wish him well. He's old and stuff.......
Posted by jcraven at 12:01 AM
Monday - January 23, 2006
Update
I went back to the doctor today, and one of my eyes is still having a little bit of a problem with swelling, but is doing better than Saturday. The doctor has scaled back my eye drops, but still wants me to visit again on Wednesday. Today, I'm at work for a couple hours, and then will head back home to rest. Other than that, everything is going well. Eye tests show 20/15-20/20 in each eye.
Posted by jcraven at 11:13 AM | Comments (1)
Saturday - January 21, 2006
Everything is going well
Just wanted to post an update for anybody checking the site. The surgery went well, and I'm just resting up. I had a follow-up appointment this morning, and another on Monday. I'll post again then. Have a good weekend.
Posted by jcraven at 12:56 PM
Thursday - January 19, 2006
Tomorrow is the day
Previously, I mentioned I was thinking about LASIK. Well my appointment is tomorrow at 1PM. Wish me luck. I'll be offline for at least a couple days resting my eyes......
Posted by jcraven at 4:04 PM
Friday - January 13, 2006
Happy Birthday Sarah
Today is my sister's 24th birthday. Happy Birthday, see you soon.
Posted by jcraven at 12:04 PM
Monday - January 9, 2006
New pictures
On Friday, we took care of Kate and have the pictures to prove it. As you can see, Maggie helped out.
Also we have a handful of new pictures of Maggie and Blue here.
Posted by jcraven at 10:28 AM
Tuesday - January 3, 2006
Back.....
Back at work for the first time in almost two weeks. Feels strange......
Posted by jcraven at 8:35 AM
Sunday - January 1, 2006
Happy 2006!
Hope everyone has a safe and happy new year.
Posted by jcraven at 10:11 AM
Monday - December 26, 2005
Merry "day after" Christmas
Full post to follow later this week.....
Posted by jcraven at 9:28 PM
Monday - December 12, 2005
Recent pictures
As promised, I have pictures from Boone here.
I also have new pictures of Kate here. My personal favorite is the next to last one. That was Dan's idea.
And finally, a new picture of Maggie and Blue here. As you can tell, they were very excited to see the camera.
Posted by jcraven at 10:52 AM
Tuesday - November 29, 2005
More pictures
Just finished uploading more pictures of Kate Marie here. Sorry for the delay.
Posted by jcraven at 4:35 PM
Thursday - November 24, 2005
My favorite niece
Kate Marie Patton was born today at 3:39 PM. She weighed in at 9lbs and 21 inches. Julie (Lara's sister), Dan and Kate are all doing well. I'll post more pictures when possible.
Posted by jcraven at 8:54 PM
Monday - November 14, 2005
Happy Birthday Lara!
Today is my loving wife's birthday. Be sure to harass her.
Posted by jcraven at 11:52 AM | Comments (2)
Tuesday - November 1, 2005
Check out the new Library
Next time you're in Boone, be sure to check out the new Library. And no, I'm not talking about Belk Library, I'm talking about the The Library Food and Spirits. Unfortunately I didn't have time to check it out when we were in town last weekend, but I hear it has great food. Oh one minor detail, all the waitresses are dressed up in a modified Catholic schoolgirl uniform. Of course, there's already been protests. Judging by the crowds, a couple protests didn't hurt their business. I'll add it to my list of places to visit next time I'm in town.
Posted by jcraven at 2:44 PM
Monday - October 24, 2005
I'm back
I'm back home from San Jose. Sorry, I don't have any exciting pictures. We'll be going to Boone for ASU Homecoming next weekend, so hopefully I should make up for it then......
Posted by jcraven at 9:26 AM
Tuesday - October 18, 2005
Sunny California
Arrived in San Jose last night. I'll be here for a couple days of training. So far nothing terribly exciting, except Mike sweet talked the lady at Hertz and got us a free upgrade to a Jaguar X-Type.
Posted by jcraven at 12:54 PM
Friday - October 14, 2005
Ewwww
I was flipping through the channels, and PBS had a special about Geoduck Clams. These have to be one of the nastiest creatures on earth. Check out some pictures here. Strangely enough people actually eat these things. It is also known as the horseneck clam, and in Japanese (just for Andy) it is called mirugai.
Posted by jcraven at 8:02 AM | Comments (1)
Wednesday - October 12, 2005
Baby shower
Pictures of Julie's baby shower are posted in the Baby Patton folder.
Posted by jcraven at 9:34 AM
Tuesday - October 11, 2005
Decisions, decisions
Yesterday, I had a consultation with the Duke Center for Vision Correction. My doctor is Dr. Carlson. Supposedly he's one of the premiere eye doctors in the country. After several hours of tests, he concluded that I would be a perfect candidate for LASIK vision correction. I've scheduled my surgery for January of 2006. I'm still not 100% sure I'll go through with it, but I have a month or so to decide. Wish me luck.
Posted by jcraven at 9:33 AM | Comments (2)
Wednesday - September 28, 2005
Lara's Atlanta trip
Pictures of Lara's trip to Atlanta are posted in the Atlanta 2005 folder. Bonus points if you can name the four Canes players here.
Posted by jcraven at 12:07 PM
Wednesday - September 14, 2005
Bye bye Wisconsin
Today will be my last full day in Wisconsin. As much as I was dreading it, I actually enjoyed my little trip here to Appleton and Wausau. In a month or two, I'm sure the weather will be horrendous, but I wouldn't mind returning to the area at some point in the future. They even have a couple casinos less than an hour away, near Green Bay. I should have have planned my trip to last a little longer so I could check out some of the neighboring areas. Oh well, live and learn.
Posted by jcraven at 8:41 PM | Comments (3)
Saturday - September 10, 2005
Bread and milk time
Looks like Hurricane Ophelia is set to hit the Carolinas. Check out the latest path here. I'll actually be in Wisconsin on business, but I'll post updates as I hear them.
Posted by jcraven at 11:10 AM
Tuesday - September 6, 2005
Free Credit Report
Free Credit reports are now available nationwide via annualcreditreport.com. This is a free service offered once per year in accordance with the FACTA. The only minor downside is that they do not provide your FICO score (that costs approx $7).
Posted by jcraven at 2:09 PM
Monday - September 5, 2005
San Francisco pictures
The full set of pictures from our trip can be found here.....
Posted by jcraven at 10:19 PM | Comments (2)
Sunday - September 4, 2005
Travel fun
I've had pretty good luck in the past with my flights. Unfortunately today, on my return trip from SFO, my flight was delayed by 5 hours. Lara already had a different flight through Chicago, so she was fine. They changed Anna's flight easily at the front gate to the Chicago connection. Scott and I were still stuck, until we sought the help of a very nice lady at the gate (sorry I wish I knew her name). She was able to get us on the standby list for the Chicago connection. They start boarding the plane, and finally call us to the desk to tell us there is just barely room on the plane....YAY!. Well the catch is that the cabin is booked, so they had to put both of us in First Class. Now for those of you, like myself, have never flown FC, let me give you a rundown.
First they bring you a bowl of warm/toasted assorted nuts, not just your standard fare, but the good stuff like cashews and pistachios. To wash that down they provide any type of drink on the menu. I decided to go for my usual Rum and Coke, which turns out to be a limitless supply. Later, they bring out a meal (coach had none), where the choice was a roast beef sandwich or cheese pizza. I went with the pizza, and it also included a salad, dessert, and glass of wine. After the meal they bring around a heated towel to clean up. Also, since this was a Boeing 767, there was a TON of room. I could not kick the seat in front of me if I tried, the seat fully reclined and included a footrest. Of course there are a handful of other minor details, but you get the idea. On the second leg of the flight, we were no longer in First Class, but we did at least get the exit row for some extra room.
I'll definitely hold my allegiance to American after all their help. A+
Posted by jcraven at 10:36 PM
Monday - August 29, 2005
I Left My Heart in San Francisco
Scott and I are in San Francisco this week for a work-related conference. This is the 3rd year I've been, and we always have a good time. Later in the week, I'll try to post some pictures if we go anywhere interesting.
Posted by jcraven at 8:30 PM
Monday - August 1, 2005
Spring cleaning
Saturday, we spent most of the afternoon cleaning out the garage. You can see the amazing organization in the following two pictures.....
Posted by jcraven at 8:35 PM
Monday - July 25, 2005
Another one bites the dust
Paid of the remainder of Lara's student loans. I love seeing the $0 balance. We decided to pay them off due the huge increase in interest rates (over 5.0%). I feel sorry for any current students that are racking up that kind of interest. I realize they have to make enough money to keep afloat, but an increase this size could present a major problem for somebody on a limited income.
Posted by jcraven at 3:47 PM
Sunday - July 24, 2005
iPod flea
The NY Times has a pretty funny parody of the iPod here. Obviously this is a little extreme, but MP3 players are getting smaller and smaller. Check out the MobiBlu-DAH-1500.
Posted by jcraven at 1:06 PM
Wednesday - July 20, 2005
Is it winter yet?
Man, I hate the weather in the summer......
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RALEIGH HAS ISSUED A HEAT
ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 6 PM EDT THIS
EVENING.
HOT TEMPERATURES MOSTLY IN THE MID 90S AND HIGH HUMIDITIES ACROSS
THE ADVISORY AREAS WILL RESULT IN HEAT INDEX VALUES FROM 105 TO
108. A FEW LOCATIONS OVER THE COASTAL PLAIN AND EASTERN SANDHILLS
COULD APPROACH HEAT INDICES AS HIGH AS 110 DEGREES.
Posted by jcraven at 11:05 AM
Monday - July 18, 2005
What's the point?
So, this weekend, I stopped by Starbucks only to learn their espresso machine was broken. That's just great. That's like trying to order something from Bojangles when their deep fryer is broken. Screw em, I went to Caribou instead.
Posted by jcraven at 10:41 AM
Congrats
On Saturday, Lara went to a former coworker's wedding. Congratulations Joshua and April! Sorry, I couldn't make it.
Posted by jcraven at 8:54 AM
Sunday - July 10, 2005
More pictures
I uploaded the pictures from the disposable camera here. These are all from the Maid Of the Mist.
Posted by jcraven at 7:08 PM
Saturday - July 9, 2005
Trip recap
We're back, and glad to be back in our own bed. We had a great time. Here are all the pictures (including some not previously linked in the past entries). And here are the first and second video clips.
Posted by jcraven at 5:31 PM
Thursday - July 7, 2005
Trip Day 8
Today we drove to Pittsburgh, PA. In the afternoon, we decided to catch a baseball game at PNC Park. Since we had never been to this park, we decided to buy some nice seats in the Club Level. They have a very nice stadium, and the weather was gorgeous. If every game was like this, I would have to go more often. The Pirates beat the Phillies 2-1, in Zach Duke's first major league win. We had a great time, and this marks the end of our little whirlwind tool tour of the Northeast. Tomorrow we will drive home. Pictures from the game are here.
Posted by jcraven at 7:07 PM
Wednesday - July 6, 2005
Trip Day 7
Today was a busy day. First, we boarded the Maid Of the Mist. This is a must-see if you're ever in the area. We were lucky, and were at the very beginning of a group, so we stood at the bow of the lower deck. The ride started off by going past the American Falls, where we got an up close view on the port side of the boat. Then the boat took a straight shot towards the Canadian Falls. Once it arrived, the boat paused for several minutes in the wash and spray. If it wasn't for the poncho, we would have been soaked. We have a couple pictures here. We will have more once we have the film developed from the waterproof camera.
Next, we went to another walking tour called White Water Walk. This was probably one of my favorite attractions. You take an elevator to the bottom of Niagara Gorge, and then get to walk along the river. They said these rapids are regarded as the most dangerous rapids in the world. I took several fantastic pictures which you can see here. I also took a small video clip here to hopefully convey the speed and power of the rapids.
Finally, we visited the Butterfly Conservatory. This was very entertaining, and it was neat to see all the different butterflies flying around. I don't think any landed directly on either Lara or me, but they came very close. I have some pictures here.
Posted by jcraven at 6:35 PM
Tuesday - July 5, 2005
Trip Day 6
Today, we went on a walking tour at the Candian Falls called Journey Behind the Falls. The actual view from behind the Falls was a little disappointing (first 2 pictures), but the observation deck near the bottom was amazing. We could actually stand near the rocks about 20 feet away from the impact of the water. The sound was even cool, and the tour is definitely recommended. Pictures here. You can see how close the Maid of the Mist approaches the Falls, and a couple glimpses of the American Falls in the distance.
At night we went to the FallsView Casino. The casino is new, and is pretty nice, but it's not nearly as entertaining as your average casino in Las Vegas. First problem, there's some silly law in Ontario that prevents them from giving you free booze. This is a big problem, since now I can actually remember losing that $100 at blackjack. Finally, for the slots fans, all of the machines are pretty basic. You won't find but a handful of machines that offer bonus games that are so popular in Vegas. Finally, the tables were very crowded, especially at the lower limit ($10-$15) tables. There were plenty open, but they just didn't have dealers manning them. The best thing is that $100 I lost was in Canadian, which translates to about $80 US. :-)
Posted by jcraven at 6:28 PM
Monday - July 4, 2005
Trip Day 5
Today we drove from Corning, NY to Niagara Falls, ON. The drive went well, and we had no problems entering Canada. We were a little disappointed they didn't stamp our passports though. It's quite hot, and VERY crowded. We checked into our hotel, the Oakes Hotel Overlooking the Falls. We have a pretty good view of the Canadian Falls from the 6th floor.
We didn't have a lot of time in the afternoon, so we just settled to watch the July 4th fireworks over the Falls. It was a nice display that lasted about 9 minutes. Unfortunately, none of the pictures I took really came out. Here's one that's a little interesting, but it is nothing special.
Posted by jcraven at 5:13 PM
Congrats!
Congratulations Scott and Anna. We wish you the best of luck in your life together.
Posted by jcraven at 12:25 AM
Sunday - July 3, 2005
Trip Day 4
Today is the big day. We started off the morning by going to the Corning Museum of Glass. It was amazing to see both the history and artistic side of glassmaking. We took a couple pictures here. Unfortunately, we didn't have enough time to create our own glass. We got done in time to eat a little dinner, and then board the bus to the wedding.
The wedding was held at the Esperanza Mansion. The ceremony was outside with a breathtaking view of the Lake. Everything went smoothly, and although very hot, we had a great time. As always, pictures can be found here. We wish our best to the happy couple.
Posted by jcraven at 5:04 PM
Saturday - July 2, 2005
Trip Day 3
Today is the Rehearsal Dinner. It is located about an hour from Corning at Keuka Lake. The lake is absolutely beautiful, and we have several pictures here. We had a great time and we are looking forward to tomorrow.
Posted by jcraven at 4:58 PM
Friday - July 1, 2005
Trip Day 2
We left Washington today, and drove to Corning, NY. We're staying at the Radisson Hotel Corning. Overall, the drive wasn't too bad. We went through a bunch of small towns in PA, and stopped to take a couple pictures at this scenic overlook. After we checked in, we ate dinner at Aniello's Pizza. Aniello is Anna's grandfather, and the pizza was great.
Posted by jcraven at 4:50 PM
Thursday - June 30, 2005
Trip Day 1
Today we drove to Maryland and stayed at the Fairfield Inn in Germantown, outside of Washington DC. We didn't get here until about 1AM, making it a very long day, but hope to get back on the road by 10AM tomorrow.
Posted by jcraven at 4:44 PM
Wednesday - June 29, 2005
Countdown
Only 4 days left until the big day for Scott and Anna.
Over the past weekend, all the guys from the wedding party and myself went to Wrightsville Beach. I won't go into too many incriminating details, but lets just say we had a good time. Also, I don't think Scott will be eating hot wings anytime soon.........
Posted by jcraven at 11:22 AM
Tuesday - June 28, 2005
Congrats
Better late than never, Congrats to Nate and Jennifer on the birth of their daughter Anna Belle.
Posted by jcraven at 10:22 AM
Friday - June 24, 2005
Remodel
My parents have finished remodeling their house. You can see pictures of the finished product here. I'm glad to see that 25 year old paneling go......
Posted by jcraven at 9:07 AM
Thursday - June 16, 2005
Moving on
So today/tomorrow is my last day in my current job. After four years, I'm moving into a new position as a network engineer. The people here have been great, and I will miss (most of) them. :-) The new job is a great oppurtunity, and I'm looking forward to the challenge.
The only question I have, is where are the strippers and booze.....or at least a freakin cake?
Posted by jcraven at 2:42 PM | Comments (1)
Thursday - June 9, 2005
Things I can't pronounce
Yesterday we decided to stop by XIOS: Authentic Greek Cuisine in Apex for dinner. The restaurant was a lot nicer than I was expecting considering it's basically in a strip mall. Be sure to check out the dinner menu here. If anybody can give me a pronunciation guide for the dishes, I'd appreciate it. :)
Lara chose the Chicken Gyro which looked quite good. I had the XIOS Kota meh Pasta which was absolutely fantastic. It was very light, and the garlic and herbs weren't overpowering. I'd definitely recommend it. Next time we go, maybe we'll try some of the more exotic menu items.
Posted by jcraven at 9:56 AM
Monday - May 16, 2005
Travel
Over the weekend, we drove to Asheville to attend Nate and Jenn's baby shower. We had a good time as always. We have a handful of pictures here.
Posted by jcraven at 10:07 AM
Wednesday - May 11, 2005
Tick, tick, tick
Thirty-five days and counting. Keep an eye on the timer on the left of the main page. More news to come.
Posted by jcraven at 1:29 PM | Comments (1)
Friday - May 6, 2005
TMI
Hey Andy, maybe there's some things you just shouldn't blog about.
Posted by jcraven at 11:43 AM
Thursday - April 28, 2005
Geeked out
Yesterday, I stopped by Andy's place to play my first (and probably last) pen & paper Role Playing Game. It was a game about zombies that basically incorporated every good and bad zombie movie I've ever seen. It wasn't a horrible experience, but I didn't find it to be the most entertaining night either. The session lasted 3 or so hours, which is apparently longer than my attention span. By the end, I was playing The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap on Scott's GameBoy DS. I guess maybe video games and TiVo have rotted my brain so much that I don't have enough imagination to enjoy these types of things.
Posted by jcraven at 9:01 AM | Comments (2)
Monday - April 18, 2005
Boone
This past weekend, Lara and I visited Boone. She had a couple meetings to attend. Other than the meetings, we made the standard rounds through Boone and Blowing Rock. We ate at some of our old favorites, Macado's, Our Daily Bread, Woodlands BBQ, and Kilwin's for a little treat.
I always enjoy visiting our alma mater, Appalachian State University. At the same time, it's also somewhat depressing. This weekend, ASU was having an open house for prospective students. So we saw hundreds or maybe thousands of high school juniors and seniors being led around in little tour groups. It really makes you feel old. Too bad the job market is so small in Boone outside of the university, we would love to live there.
Every time we visit there is a new building to see. They have completed the Summit Trail Solarium in the student union. This new area is amazing, and we stopped for a little rest while sitting beside the tranquil waterfalls. The new Bookstore is also open. It's 1000 times better than the old one, and still isn't totally completed. Also, the new Library will open next weekend, along with the installation of our new Chancellor, Dr. Kenneth E. Peacock. I really miss it all, maybe I should re-enroll. :)
Posted by jcraven at 1:36 PM | Comments (3)
Friday - April 8, 2005
Friday is finally here
This week has been hellishly busy at work. I'm glad it's finally over. I think we're going to go see Fever Pitch tonight at Southpoint. Ebert and Roeper gave it two thumbs up, so hopefully it will be pretty good. Netflix has the original if you want to check it out.
And to signify just how slow this week has been, here is a picture I took recently. Enjoy.
Posted by jcraven at 4:12 PM
Wednesday - April 6, 2005
What's that smell?
So today we had to be evacuated due to some construction workers cutting a 16" gas pipe. Never really experienced anything like it. It sounds like a jet engine.
WRAL has the story here.
On a related note, for the past week and a half, these road construction crews have made the morning commute hell. I'll be glad when they're done.
Posted by jcraven at 5:32 PM
Monday - March 28, 2005
Earthquake and potential tsunami
CNN.com is reporting that a magnitude 8.2 earthquake occurred about an hour ago in Indonesia, which could lead to a similar tsunami as the one from last December.
Posted by jcraven at 12:23 PM
Sunday - March 27, 2005
Happy Easter
Hope everyone has a good holiday weekend!
Posted by jcraven at 12:31 PM
Sunday - March 20, 2005
Trailblazer SS
New details regarding the Chevrolet Trailblazer SS have been released from the New York Auto Show. AutoBlog has the details here. Includes some fairly impressive numbers:
.....powered by a 391 hp/395 lb-ft of torque version of the LS2 6.0-liter V-8, it can be ordered with rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. Chevy is estimating the 0-60 time at 5.7 seconds.....
Keep an eye on Chevy's website for more info, or for details on the other newly introduced SS models. Although it looks really cool, unfortunately I'm sure it will be overpriced. And with current gas prices, who can afford to drive it?
Posted by jcraven at 1:39 PM
Tuesday - March 15, 2005
Relay for Life
Next month, Sarah and her fellow graduate students will be taking part in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. Beginning at 5 pm on April 15th and continuing until 8 am on the following morning, they will take turns walking around the Spec Town Track. This year, over 100 teams and 2500 individuals are expected to participate in UGAs Relay for Life. Their goal this year is to raise more than $200,000 to help fight cancer. These funds will be used to fund research, public and medical education, and patient services.
Any contribution will help the American Cancer Society. Donations can be made on-line by clicking here.
Posted by jcraven at 2:53 PM
Monday - March 14, 2005
Payoff
We paid off our second mortgage. I love checking the account and seeing that $0 balance. :)
Posted by jcraven at 10:48 AM
Wednesday - March 9, 2005
Good Luck Andy!
So today is Andy's last day. Good luck at NetApp. Things will definitely be less interesting around here.
Don't forget his alter ego.
Posted by jcraven at 12:59 PM
Monday - March 7, 2005
Fear
The word of the day is Arachibutyrophobia.
"A fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of one's mouth"
Posted by jcraven at 7:47 AM
Friday - February 11, 2005
Greensboro is cool!?!
Dave Winer recently wrote an article about the blogging community in Greensboro. Click here.
Dave is one of the key figures behind RSS 2.0 format and founder of UserLand software. Here's more info on RSS.
Posted by jcraven at 11:16 AM
Thursday - February 3, 2005
Congrats!
TR and Amy had a baby boy named Taylor yesterday..... weighing in at 6 Pounds 7 ounces.
Congratulations, and good luck.
Posted by jcraven at 10:23 AM
Saturday - January 29, 2005
Another year
Today is Steve's 29th birthday. Happy Birthday!
Posted by jcraven at 8:49 PM
Friday - January 28, 2005
Old Man Winter
Well, looks like we've got some more bad weather coming.
NOAA forecast as of 12:45 PM EST FRI JAN 28 2005
Saturday...Cloudy. A chance of snow and sleet late in the afternoon. Highs in the mid 30s. Northeast winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation 50 percent.
Saturday Night...Snow and a chance of sleet. Snow May be mixed freezing rain late. Total snow accumulations 1 to 3 inches possible. Lows around 30. Northeast winds around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation 90 percent.
Sunday...Snow mixed with some freezing rain likely early in the morning...Then changing to all rain. Little additional snow accumulation. Highs in the upper 30s. North winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation 70 percent.
Fun times.....
Posted by jcraven at 1:05 PM
Tuesday - January 25, 2005
Thanks everyone
Thanks to everyone for the cards and gift certificates. Already used Mom and Dad's amazon gift certificate to buy the following:
Salt Mill and matching Pepper Mill
Hard drive enclosure to make use of an IDE drive I have laying on the floor.
Posted by jcraven at 11:52 AM
Sunday - January 23, 2005
Happy Birthday to me
Today is my 26th Birthday. We're not doing anything super exciting.... just watching football. Lara made some fantastic dirt cake!
Posted by jcraven at 3:57 PM
Thursday - January 20, 2005
Storm update
So the snow storm caught everyone off-guard. A coworker waited in traffic for 8+ hours and gave up on getting home. Over 3,000 students had to spend the night at their schools. Fun times. Here's some pictures of the traffic situation from yesterday:
Posted by jcraven at 8:13 AM
Wednesday - January 19, 2005
Let it snow!
Bring it on.... NOAA is giving an interesting forecast for the next couple days....
Picture from the 'peak' of the storm:
Posted by jcraven at 11:32 AM | Comments (1)
Thursday - January 13, 2005
Thanks!
Our realtor sent us a cookie-gram from Cathy's Cookies.
If you're ever in the market to buy or sell a house, and you need assistance, give Betty Bargoil a call. She was a great help to us when buying our first house, and she's also assisted many of my coworkers. Big thanks all around.
Posted by jcraven at 12:06 PM
By popular demand.....
So my buddy Steve says, "I think your blog would really rock if it had some boobs on it".
Well here they are......
Posted by jcraven at 11:11 AM
Tuesday - January 11, 2005
Army Board Study Guide Resources
My buddy Ariel gave me a link to ArmyStudyGuide.com. Check it out if your interested.
Posted by jcraven at 12:14 PM
Saturday - December 25, 2004
Merry Christmas!
Hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday......
Posted by jcraven at 4:49 PM | Comments (1)
Monday - December 20, 2004
Early Christmas
Over the weekend we visited Lara's family to celebrate Christmas and exchange gifts. I received two GameCube games.... Donkey Konga and Metroid Prime 2 Echoes. Donkey Konga is really entertaining. Lara and I played it for several hours last night. I'm going to try to find an extra Bongo controller so make two player more interesting. It's not quite the same when using the standard controller's buttons. It will definately be a game to bring out when we have guests over for poker and such. Haven't had a chance to open Metroid 2 yet though......
We also got some other great gifts including a tool set and a bunch of clothes for Lara. All in all we are very grateful.
As a side note, I gained 4 pounds over the weekend. Damn holiday junk food.
Posted by jcraven at 4:01 PM
Monday - November 29, 2004
Deck the Halls
We decorated the house for Christmas yesterday. Actually, Lara did most of the decorating. I was just there for the heavy lifting. You can see the cats were working hard too.
Posted by jcraven at 8:19 AM
Sunday - November 28, 2004
Munchies
Target now has the perfect Christmas gift for anyone on your list. Includes free shipping!
Posted by jcraven at 8:09 AM
Thursday - November 25, 2004
Turkey Day
Spent the day eating and visiting with family. The football games weren't very entertaining......
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Posted by jcraven at 10:31 PM
Sunday - November 14, 2004
Happy Birthday Lara!!
Today is Lara's birthday. As part of the Birthday tradition, we always have to go out to eat at a nice restaurant. On Thursday we went to The Melting Pot for dessert. We had the "Yin & Yang" chocolate fondue. It was quite tasty, and included bananas, strawberries, pineapple, pound cake, cheesecake and brownies to dip in the chocolate. I don't see us eating there very often, but it's definitely good for a special occasion.
Continuing our binge, on Friday we went to Maggiano's Little Italy. We chose the Family Style menu which includes about 10 pounds of food. It was very good, but quite expensive. We came home with 4 takeout containers worth of leftovers though. I guess it's back to the diet during the upcoming week... fun times.
Posted by jcraven at 12:40 PM
Saturday - November 13, 2004
What were they thinking?
G4TechTV has fired everyone on "The Screen Savers" except Kevin and Sarah. The official thread is here. They also canceled "Unscrewed", but I don't know anybody that watches that anyway. More info can also be found at Kevin's and Alex's websites.
Posted by jcraven at 12:38 PM | Comments (2)
Thursday - November 4, 2004
Congrats Nate and Jenn
Nate and Jenn have pictures of their first ultrasound. It’s only at 8 ½ weeks right now, so there isn’t much to see. They were able to see its heart beating and its arms moving, though. The doctor said everything looks normal, and Jenn is still on schedule for a due date around June 11th.
Congrats, and good luck!
Posted by jcraven at 10:44 AM
Tiki Tiki
I found something at Target that no home should be without......
Posted by jcraven at 10:11 AM
Wednesday - November 3, 2004
Layla's Birthday and Sarah's new car
Layla had her 1st birthday recently. Poor thing.... heh.
Also Sarah got a new ride. Not too shabby.
Posted by jcraven at 11:33 AM
Monday - November 1, 2004
Amazon is a wonderful thing....
So I decided to re-visit my Amazon.com wishlist. Added some random stuff......
Feel free to check it out
Posted by jcraven at 7:18 PM
Testing 123
Does it work? Maybe I'll give this blog thing another try.....
Posted by jcraven at 2:50 PM | Comments (1)