The Scarpelli's

Just returned from a three day software seminar at Universal Studios in Orlando. It actually runs a whole week for most of the attendees but work had to cut my education short. Anyway, the training was great, I learned a lot, and got to see some old faces. The downside (for me) was this manufactured, artificial world where things look like real wood but are plastic, things look like carved stone but are concrete (or more plastic), plants are grown in ways to look natural but end up looking contrived, rivers with sandy beaches but have concrete banks and trucked-in sand, etc. Couple this with 1,100 geeks (imagine the guy that is missing his stapler in 'Office Space') and the incessant screams of people riding rollercoasters and you have the ingredients for a disturbing nightmare. I guess I just appreciate a more natural environment.

By the way, Cory Doctorow wrote a novel entitled, "Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom" that you can download (legally!) here. It is a engaging story about people that actually live in the Magic Kingdom in the not-to-distant future.

I enjoyed my Father's Day today. I almost had to fly out for work but I was able to put it off until Monday. This allowed me to take the family on a hike and to an outdoor concert after church.

We went on a trail we hadn't hiked before and didn't have a map for. (Does this sound like a recipe for disaster?) It started out fine, looking like a two mile trail out and another two miles back. In the end I'm guessing it was closer to 5 or 6 miles total with a couple of streams to cross. I managed to cross the first one by balancing on a big log just downstream a little ways while the rest of the family took off their sox and shoes. Of course, the rocks were slippery and Victor got a little wet. No big deal. The second stream was bigger and without any other way across. Talia, Renata, and I just went for it with my shoes on while Victor and Kelly removed their shoes again. Amazingly, no one fell in!

The concert was the group Riders in the Sky, a really interesting bunch, doing cowboy tunes, yodeling, and whatnot. You might know them for their work on the movies 'Toy Story' and 'Monsters Inc.' or maybe you've seen them on TV somewhere. Great entertainment for the kids and adults.

Ok, here's one more from the beach. Everyone here likes this photo better!

I took this picture about a year ago, right before we moved from Grand Haven. It was a rare moment when everyone was getting along!

Saw Cheap Trick last night here in Nashville...free concert, can't be beat. They played all of their hits for about an hour straight. I took some photos but they really didn't turn out very well. Caught a few guitar picks from Rick! Met a few locals.