5 rounds. 4 days. It was an epic battle between father and son for vacation supremacy. My father is an aspiring Senior PGA golfer so i always have to bring my A game when we face off. Round one was the budget round where we landed Orlando mini golf for 5 smacks a person. Not an easy task in the land of Disney. Anyway the course was terribly easy and one or two bad putts lost me the first round. Score one for dad.
We ventured to jungle golf for some Sunday night golf. The deal of the day featured two rounds for 12 or one for 10 so rounds two and three were housed here. This turned out to be one of the more challenging courses on the mainland of Orlando. Most holes you needed sheer luck to get a hole in one so dad and i rubbed our rabbit feet. I'd go back to this place. It was pretty original and dad and i split the two rounds. New score 1-2 dad.
One of the Create Chaos patrons i met was a female sports junkie and we had tons to talk about. She was an Orlando resident; so upon asking her what she does since she wasn't a tourist, the first thing out of her mouth was mini golf. Ecstatic, i continued the conversation by asking the most challenging mini-golf in Orlando. And thats where dad and i met our maker. Enter Fantasia Gardens. A Disney owned course on their New Berlin sized piece of land. The course took the look and shape of real golf course holes shrunken down to scale. No walls keeping the ball in play, no forgiveness for a long shot. This course was ridiculous. And it was hilarious to see my dad play it. I dont mean to poke fun at my father for how tough he is on himself because he scrutinizes himself more than anyone i've ever met. Especially with golf. So when he stopped being mad at himself and got fed up with the course, i couldnt help but laugh until it hurt. Needless to say we both did horrible. The greens were insanely fast even after being poured on, and we had almost 0 control on where the ball was going to go. I won even after being something like 15 over par. Tied at two.
Disney always wants you to come back for more. So much so that they cut you discounts to lure you back in. Enter round 5: Winter Summerland. This course was themed as, you guessed it, winter in a hot climate. For whatever reason, that night, Tuesday night, i was unstoppable. I played some of the best mini golf of my life and bested my dad to cement myself 3-2 in the series. We didnt play again and I guess that makes me the champion. Sorry pop.
end quote.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Day 7: what the hell were we thinking?
I think it turned out to be one of the best decisions we made this vacation, but my dad and i decided we were going to the east coast to watch the sunrise. Sounds harmless, but when you consider that the sun rises at 730 on the east coast of Florida, and we were a 1.5 hour drive away from the coast, that equates to a pre-6 oclock departure. Factor in checking out of the hotel and we were in our car at 530.
XM radio in our rental car saved the day for us as we kareoked our way to the beach. If it wasn't for Cutting Crew, i woulda fell asleep leaving my dad to all of the dark travelling.
Upon arrival in Cocoa Beach, we had to figure out how to access the city's cash cow. The coity knows its only main draw is the sand so everywhere you go near the shoreline you have to pay to park. Once dad and i had that mastered, we set out to the beach to impatiently wait for the sun to show.
what i said earlier about not trusting the weatherman backfired and while the forecast was for clear skies we had cloud interference with the sunrise. It made for fantastic pictures, some of which might be the best of my life. Sorry TT.
We ended up staying at the beach all day, playing football, watching some guy pull a shark all the way up to the shoreline with his fishing rod only to have it get away, and soaking up the rays. Too much so as you can tell by this final shot. It was time to go home.
end quote.
XM radio in our rental car saved the day for us as we kareoked our way to the beach. If it wasn't for Cutting Crew, i woulda fell asleep leaving my dad to all of the dark travelling.
Upon arrival in Cocoa Beach, we had to figure out how to access the city's cash cow. The coity knows its only main draw is the sand so everywhere you go near the shoreline you have to pay to park. Once dad and i had that mastered, we set out to the beach to impatiently wait for the sun to show.
what i said earlier about not trusting the weatherman backfired and while the forecast was for clear skies we had cloud interference with the sunrise. It made for fantastic pictures, some of which might be the best of my life. Sorry TT.
We ended up staying at the beach all day, playing football, watching some guy pull a shark all the way up to the shoreline with his fishing rod only to have it get away, and soaking up the rays. Too much so as you can tell by this final shot. It was time to go home.
end quote.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Days four, five, six: creating chaos
Someone as prestigious as John Mayer should not be covering "free fallin'"
My days at Create Chaos were so jam packed that i figured i'd jam pack one blog to sum it all up. Think of create chaos as Photoshop World Jr. The conference had educational classes, opportunities for networking, and valuable lessons. However, the thing just wasn't laid out, carried out, or as precise as PSW. There were plenty of technical gaffes, instructors clearly weren't expected to start on time or focus, and the layout was terrible. A filmmakers conference divided the classrooms, which was fun the first day being able to see all of the movie swag, but beyond that it was merely poor planning.
To the conference's credit, Brahn Communications brought in SOME amazing talent for instructors. Notable names include Colin Smith, creator of Photoshop Cafe, Joe Duffy of Duffy Design, and Bill Beachy of Go Media.
Learning a summarized version of Duffy's design process was inspiring and awe inspiring simutaneously. Breaking the design process into three distinct parts, its hard to believe such simplicity yields the phenominal work that pours out of Duffy Design.
Colin Smith took his role as an instructor seriously as he presented tutorials on Photoshop and Flash. Bill Beachy was a terrific example of a rags to riches story that he explained in his hour long session. I really appreciated his class as he is heavily involved in the apparel industry, while beginning in the music industry. Both of which are future endeavors i hope to partake in.
The food was overpriced, the job fair was laughable at best, and the expo hall was minimal, but there were a couple extra shining gems at Create Chaos. There was the create awards gallery in which top submissions were put on display, a magazine that included said winners, and a cocktail party to congratulate the winners. I met one such winner named Gail, who was involved in the CD packaging industry. She was coming from Columbia Records and won not only a create award, but a GRAMMY for her work on an Aimee Mann album. Need i say YAHTZEE! Definitely a great person to met on the first day. I was practically drooling over this middle aged woman for what she had done. I wanted that job. That career. And when i told her she was doing exactly what i wanted to be doing, she replied, "i hope they figure out how to save the industry when you get there." Ouchies.
i also met the executive director of the Motion Graphics Fest that was part of CC named.....Troy? He was really easy going, and as i came to find out, an owner of a media company in Chicago. His portfolio included Lollapalooza and Rock for Barack. Yet another reason why this conference was worth every penny i didnt have to pay to get into.
In summary CC was great. I was spoiled by going to a conference as prestigious as PSW six months prior, anything short of PSW would get lost in the shadow. This was a great way to get away with taking a vacation, learning some new tricks, and networking. Not to mention the mini golf. But that deserves its own post.
end quote.
My days at Create Chaos were so jam packed that i figured i'd jam pack one blog to sum it all up. Think of create chaos as Photoshop World Jr. The conference had educational classes, opportunities for networking, and valuable lessons. However, the thing just wasn't laid out, carried out, or as precise as PSW. There were plenty of technical gaffes, instructors clearly weren't expected to start on time or focus, and the layout was terrible. A filmmakers conference divided the classrooms, which was fun the first day being able to see all of the movie swag, but beyond that it was merely poor planning.
To the conference's credit, Brahn Communications brought in SOME amazing talent for instructors. Notable names include Colin Smith, creator of Photoshop Cafe, Joe Duffy of Duffy Design, and Bill Beachy of Go Media.
Learning a summarized version of Duffy's design process was inspiring and awe inspiring simutaneously. Breaking the design process into three distinct parts, its hard to believe such simplicity yields the phenominal work that pours out of Duffy Design.
Colin Smith took his role as an instructor seriously as he presented tutorials on Photoshop and Flash. Bill Beachy was a terrific example of a rags to riches story that he explained in his hour long session. I really appreciated his class as he is heavily involved in the apparel industry, while beginning in the music industry. Both of which are future endeavors i hope to partake in.
The food was overpriced, the job fair was laughable at best, and the expo hall was minimal, but there were a couple extra shining gems at Create Chaos. There was the create awards gallery in which top submissions were put on display, a magazine that included said winners, and a cocktail party to congratulate the winners. I met one such winner named Gail, who was involved in the CD packaging industry. She was coming from Columbia Records and won not only a create award, but a GRAMMY for her work on an Aimee Mann album. Need i say YAHTZEE! Definitely a great person to met on the first day. I was practically drooling over this middle aged woman for what she had done. I wanted that job. That career. And when i told her she was doing exactly what i wanted to be doing, she replied, "i hope they figure out how to save the industry when you get there." Ouchies.
i also met the executive director of the Motion Graphics Fest that was part of CC named.....Troy? He was really easy going, and as i came to find out, an owner of a media company in Chicago. His portfolio included Lollapalooza and Rock for Barack. Yet another reason why this conference was worth every penny i didnt have to pay to get into.
In summary CC was great. I was spoiled by going to a conference as prestigious as PSW six months prior, anything short of PSW would get lost in the shadow. This was a great way to get away with taking a vacation, learning some new tricks, and networking. Not to mention the mini golf. But that deserves its own post.
end quote.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Day three: shoot the weatherman
Despite our experience and veteran status as Florida tourists, my father and I fell for the age old rule of Orlando: NEVER believe the meteorologist.
The moral of this story, kids is that you are on vacation to get away. If you hmmm and haw about possible weather patterns, you'll end up missing out. Especially in Orlando. Dad and I failed to execute on this, and our timid philosophy left this as our incomplete day.
Even so, we did some shopping, made it to happy hour at Sonic right at 3:59, and rocked 36 holes of mini golf. Not bad for an incomplete day.
end quote.
The moral of this story, kids is that you are on vacation to get away. If you hmmm and haw about possible weather patterns, you'll end up missing out. Especially in Orlando. Dad and I failed to execute on this, and our timid philosophy left this as our incomplete day.
Even so, we did some shopping, made it to happy hour at Sonic right at 3:59, and rocked 36 holes of mini golf. Not bad for an incomplete day.
end quote.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Day two: hanging with the saint
Waking up the morning after getting 4 hours of sleep is never easy. There is no exception to the rule, even if you are vacationing in Florida. So when the alarm went off at 8 today, I was diligent in getting extra shut eye. I asked my father if he was showering, and when he said yes, i had an in. I told him to wake me up after his shower, and i earned another 15 minutes of sleep.
Upon coming to, it was off to our free "continental breakfast". It was being served in a hotel room turned dining room, so our expectations were low. Upon arriving, we found cereal (frosted flakes), toast, and pastries alongside your usual morning beverages. It was a pleasant surprise. We packed up and made our way to the car for our day on St. Pete Beach.
Fast forward to our 7/11 stop where i found another energy drink for my collection, and dad and i split a mammoth Coke Slurpee. The speed limit was a daring 70 which isn't something Milwaukeans are used to. Our 70 some mile trip outran the overcast skies plaguing the Orlando area. From that point on, it was overwhelmingly sunny all day.
St. Pete beach holds a special place in my dad and i's hearts, as we frequented the area throughout my childhood. A town raking in on the fact that the place is surrounded by water, nearly all the buildings on the streets are hotels and short term apartments. The small town is primarily mom and pop run, with a few chains creeping in.
After buying a water, some SPF 4, and an electric shaver, we set up shop on the beach. Couldn't have asked for a better day. I could, however ask for a better tan. A little disappointed on that part.
The nostalgia took a hit when we decided to drive around the saint while we rested our sandy dogs. The all you can eat style arcade that i had frequented on previous vacations and as recently as last April had closed up shop. May its glorious copies of classic arcade games rest in peace.
While traveling through the saint, my father started reminiscing about his second west coast love, Clearwater. And while describing it to me, he mentioned it being "just a bit to the north". His description of just a bit translated poorly in my brain, and I suggested we visit. A 20 minute drive and we arrived in Clearwater. It was nothing short of beautiful, and my father and i enjoyed the sunset from the beach.
On our way back, i saw a young woman in a VW bug with quite the exquisite hairdo, and i got dad to slow down enough to try to get a picture of the mop. I wanted to chase her down to get a better shot, but dad is never confident in his driving skills in an unknown region in the dark. She got away. We stopped at a Waffle House, the George Webb of the south, and stuffed our faces full of breakfast food. The ride back home is always excruciatingly long, so i used it to write this post. Haven't decided what to do tomorrow yet, but boy does it feel good to be here.
end quote.
Upon coming to, it was off to our free "continental breakfast". It was being served in a hotel room turned dining room, so our expectations were low. Upon arriving, we found cereal (frosted flakes), toast, and pastries alongside your usual morning beverages. It was a pleasant surprise. We packed up and made our way to the car for our day on St. Pete Beach.
Fast forward to our 7/11 stop where i found another energy drink for my collection, and dad and i split a mammoth Coke Slurpee. The speed limit was a daring 70 which isn't something Milwaukeans are used to. Our 70 some mile trip outran the overcast skies plaguing the Orlando area. From that point on, it was overwhelmingly sunny all day.
St. Pete beach holds a special place in my dad and i's hearts, as we frequented the area throughout my childhood. A town raking in on the fact that the place is surrounded by water, nearly all the buildings on the streets are hotels and short term apartments. The small town is primarily mom and pop run, with a few chains creeping in.
After buying a water, some SPF 4, and an electric shaver, we set up shop on the beach. Couldn't have asked for a better day. I could, however ask for a better tan. A little disappointed on that part.
The nostalgia took a hit when we decided to drive around the saint while we rested our sandy dogs. The all you can eat style arcade that i had frequented on previous vacations and as recently as last April had closed up shop. May its glorious copies of classic arcade games rest in peace.
While traveling through the saint, my father started reminiscing about his second west coast love, Clearwater. And while describing it to me, he mentioned it being "just a bit to the north". His description of just a bit translated poorly in my brain, and I suggested we visit. A 20 minute drive and we arrived in Clearwater. It was nothing short of beautiful, and my father and i enjoyed the sunset from the beach.
On our way back, i saw a young woman in a VW bug with quite the exquisite hairdo, and i got dad to slow down enough to try to get a picture of the mop. I wanted to chase her down to get a better shot, but dad is never confident in his driving skills in an unknown region in the dark. She got away. We stopped at a Waffle House, the George Webb of the south, and stuffed our faces full of breakfast food. The ride back home is always excruciatingly long, so i used it to write this post. Haven't decided what to do tomorrow yet, but boy does it feel good to be here.
end quote.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Day one: a very early return to glory
And so it begins. The alarm on my phone disrupts my all too short slumber for an important message: its time to fly. I obliged and by 540am my father and i began our departure to the sunshine state. Stopping in St. Louis for a connection, i have never been more social on 4 hours of sleep than I was on the two flights today. I met a friendly student from Edgewood in Madison who made the time fly as fast as the plane with her conversation. We also met an army ranger who swore like a sailor but was witty and had a funny accent. A quick cat nap thrown in there and we were off to the baggage claim. We had arrived.
Our hotel was right on a lake, which was separated only by our pool and jacuzzi. The hotel itself is crazy bare bones. No fridge, no microwave, but perfect for the price of 40 bones a slumber. This trip was done right from the start, on a budget.
After a swim and dinner at Joes Crab Shack where the puns ran rampant, we made our way to beautiful, and apparently too old, Amway Arena. Next season, it'll be replaced because the NBA requires teenage or younger arenas to house their teams. The matchup tonight was a strange exhibition match, as Orlando's opponent was....Moscow. Dad and i damn near fell asleep after the Magic went up 30 and put it's losers and rookies on the floor.
We night capped with Dippin Dots and passed out due to exhaustion. Day one complete.
end quote.
Our hotel was right on a lake, which was separated only by our pool and jacuzzi. The hotel itself is crazy bare bones. No fridge, no microwave, but perfect for the price of 40 bones a slumber. This trip was done right from the start, on a budget.
After a swim and dinner at Joes Crab Shack where the puns ran rampant, we made our way to beautiful, and apparently too old, Amway Arena. Next season, it'll be replaced because the NBA requires teenage or younger arenas to house their teams. The matchup tonight was a strange exhibition match, as Orlando's opponent was....Moscow. Dad and i damn near fell asleep after the Magic went up 30 and put it's losers and rookies on the floor.
We night capped with Dippin Dots and passed out due to exhaustion. Day one complete.
end quote.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
riding my wheels of christ
While riding through a church parking lot, I almost got hit by a SUV.
Ironic?
end quote.
Ironic?
end quote.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Finch-like, hopefully
If S-I-L-Y-M-I is all you want
Then I'm not sure how much in common we've got
end quote.
Then I'm not sure how much in common we've got
end quote.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Friday, January 18, 2008
believing blindly in yourself is the only way to be confident
Call my life's story a book.
It's the end of Chapter 5. Or, another way to look at it; It's the beginning of Chapter 6. The little red box inside the medium brown box has found it's way to my residence.
So the question then becomes: What can brown do for you?
The answer is that brown can effectively end one chapter of your life and start an entirely new one. If you feel so inclined, you could also ask the same question, substituting brown for $574.49.
end quote.
It's the end of Chapter 5. Or, another way to look at it; It's the beginning of Chapter 6. The little red box inside the medium brown box has found it's way to my residence.
So the question then becomes: What can brown do for you?
The answer is that brown can effectively end one chapter of your life and start an entirely new one. If you feel so inclined, you could also ask the same question, substituting brown for $574.49.
end quote.
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