Intelligent Juicing

I hope everyone had a good Earth Hour last night. I certainly did my part. Although I was mostly asleep, I left strict instructions to have my night lights, dehumidifier and tanning bed unplugged - those things suck the juice even if they're turned off.

As I was drawing up my Earth Hour plan over lunch on Saturday, it occurred to me that doing this sort of thing once a year is a little ridiculous. I was flipping through a recent issue of NatG (National Geographic's publication for 1 - 3s), and after digesting a piece on obesity in 6 month old domesticated dachshunds, I stumbled on a delicious article suggesting that until the grocery store shelves are bare, and water doesn't come out of the tap, the West will never really be proactive on Earth matters.

So maybe next Earth Hour, governments around the globe can make it mandatory, and flick the big switch for an hour... except for hospitals... and ice cream parlours.

Kiss me I'm here...

I hope everyone is having a good day, filled with festivities and fellowship. Today is a pretty big day for all things with Irish references... certain soaps, certain cereals etc. One can be sure there will be late nights tonight for Dublin, Ireland, Dublin, Ohio, and Dublin, Bailey.

I did my part by having a huge glass of green milk. It made me wonder why the milk I usually drink is always white... seems a bit boring now.

Or wait! Maybe it's originally green but people colour it white. Cows eat grass not snow, so... that's probably right.

Either way, don't lose sleep on that one, it tastes the same.

Thoughts of a 22 month old...

While I sat on this old yellow train as it slowly rumbled through the Arizona desert, I thought about all the things this old iron horse has seen. She's probably seen her fill of change, not to mention the first hand witness of events some of us can only read about: The Salt River floods of 1980, the height of Obey Giant that decorated her in the mid '90s or the Phoenix Lights of '97.

On the eve of my 22nd month birthday, it got me thinking about the things I've seen. Call it a kaleidoscope of excitement, blessings and friendship. So much so, it's sometimes a struggle to take it all in.

Anyway, I hope your last 22 months have been as fun and exciting as mine have, and that the next 22 are even more so.

Dublin does Arizona... from A to Zoo.

My mum and I had the pleasure of spending a week with a pair of my grandparents in Phoenix and the surrounding areas this week (we'll fly home tomorrow). My Dad even joined us for a few days after making a surprise appearance one morning. Let me walk you through some of the highlights...

The zoo was amazing - giraffes, baboons, rhinos... surely I've now seen all the animals on the planet.

We then went to see The Suns play The Pacers. This was my first NBA game since learning the game. It was tremendously exciting and loud. So many people sitting so close to each other, I wondered if they were all my relatives.

Later on, we spent a wonderful day in the sun where I met and enjoyed some cousins. Chuck and Barb have more cow pets than anyone I've ever met in my life, and more cool vehicles.

(I'm not saying don't mess with me, I'm just suggesting you really give it some thought first.)

As Chuck and I were talking business, he filled me in on something I had long suspected: When driving, honking is the most important responsibility of the driver, or the assistant driver.

Throughout the trip we visited many excellent restaurants and coffee houses which was great fun.

When dining, I did my best to finish everything on my plate at each sitting, and when in coffee establishments, I did my best to think about architecture, time travel and man's search for meaning.

But no matter where you are, when you see a chocolate cupcake, I've found it's always important to let someone know.