Sports weekend in California

Last weekend I traveled to California to see George ... and his wonderful parents. While Samantha and Jake are doing a great job of raising George, they are not exposing him to nearly enough sports. Ta-da ... Gramps to the rescue. We did some lawn bowling

flew some kites

and shot some hoops.

Sports are good.

And so are George and his parents.

Dad turns 89

Dad turns 89.

Crows gather to celebrate.

Topeka Metro Bikes

Topeka now has a bike share program. In cooperation with the Topeka Metropolitian Transit Authority, Topeka Metro Bikes allows riders to use a bike for 2 hours a day for $25 per year. Yep, only $25 per year.

The geeky-cool red bikes have a GPS system allowing riders to know (via a smart phone app) which bike rack hub has bikes available for rent.

I'm sold. In fact, I've been taking bicycle safety classes (no kidding) though the Topeka Community Cycle Project

a non-profit designed to encourage a more bicycle-friendly Topeka.

Bicycle riding is a sport. 

Sports are good.

George and his little sister

George leads his mother, and his unborn little sister, toward home. 

3 more months.

22 hours in Minneapolis

Easter weekend was a buzz of jet engines and airports as we flew to Minneapolis Saturday afternoon to visit Mark and meet Hanna, a German cousin (actually a second cousin once removed) from Wuppertal who was visiting Mark over her Easter break. (Red glasses must be in the family DNA.)

Mark threw an informal soiree (his term) that introduced Cousin Hanna ... and her travel companion, Anja.

After a casual Easter Brunch with the girls, we jetted home so we could give our parents Easter hugs.

Here's another cool thing ...

We know these guys that own, and masterfully operate, a DJI Phantom ... also known as a drone quadcopter.

This thing is operated by a remote control that incorporates GPS technology and your cell phone. As you can see, it carries around a high definition camera

that can capture sharp and vivid photos from interesting and unfamiliar angles.

Fun stuff.

Here's a cool thing ...

Samantha and Jake recently gave me a Bheard Sound Pod. It amplifies ... with amazing quality and in a really cool way ... the tiny speakers on your phone. Available in several colors, here is mine in toothbrush green. 

The Bheard Sound Pod is but one of many creative products made by b_hold, a company started by one of Samantha's Google buddies, Susan Taing, with a focus on cool ways to hold ordinary things. 

I first met Susan in 2006. She is a fellow surviving crew member on rookie Skipper John's hair-raising and multi-hour maiden voyage aboard a sailboat (aptly named Surprise) on the wickedly turbulent waters off the coast of Santa Cruz in the Monterey Bay. Survivor Susan is 3rd from the left. 

It was one of the scariest days of my life. I will be eternally grateful to Survivor Vaughn (far right) who actually knew what he was doing ... thanks to his competitive sailing days in college. The only photos that day were "calm water" photos which can be seen here. Taking a turbulent water photo was out of the question.

Without Susan knowing it, I have always felt a special "fellow survivor" bond with her. But for Vaughn, b_hold may have never been born. Come to think of it, neither would George.

Dad on Dole

Law School is a strange and enduring experience. Its like running a vague and mysterious academic gauntlet. Some don't survive. Those that do commonly rely on the help and support of fellow classmates. As a result, permanent friendships are frequently formed. At least that's what happened to me.

It also happened to Dad. His first, and best, friend at Washburn Law School was Bob Dole. Here is a graduation day photo of them in 1952 with their (now deceased) mutual friend, Bill Miller. Check out Dad's fancy shoes.

 Last night, the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics (along with both the Washburn and KU Alumni Associations) sponsored an event featuring Dad and his long-standing friendship with Senator Dole. Archivist brought memorabilia including Dole textbooks and class notes.  They even brought the recording device used by Dole to record class lectures ... as his war wounds kept him from taking accurate notes.

The moderator asked Dad questions, and Dad volunteered stories, about this 65 year friendship. Senator Dole participated via text messaging. 

Some of Dad's stories were funny. Some were not. All were heartfelt. In the end, the entire audience understood the intensity of the bond between these two Washburn Law students.

67th wedding anniversary

Today is my wonderful parents' 67th wedding anniversary. We took them out for a hamburger and a chocolate milk shake.

During dinner I caught them smooching in the booth.

How embarrassing.

Digital camera magic

In the mid 1990s, my techie brother introduced me to the magic of digital photography. His ultra cool Casio camera allowed photos to be copied and instantly shared. It was amazing. When Samantha graduated from high school in 1999, we bought her an $800 digital camera to take to college. It was the extra fancy Olympus 1.3 mega pixel Camedia camera with a 3x zoom ... considered to be the best available at the time. 

Technology has advanced exponentially since then and digital photography continues to amaze me. My most recent digital camera is magical. It has a 20.4 megapixel sensor, steady shot image stabilization, super smooth HD video, smile and blink technology, sweep panorama, an astonishing low light sensor, gobs of different picture effect options, wi-fi and tons of other features that I haven't figured out yet. However, the most amazing thing is its zoom lens. 

Yesterday morning I stood on our side porch and took a photo of the houses across the street.

I then zoomed the camera and snapped the next shot focusing on the flag hanging from the house on the left

and snapped another focusing on the car sitting in the shaded driveway of the house on the right.

Amazing.

You might conclude that I must have a super expensive camera and used a massive stabilizing tripod. Wrong. These hand-held photos were taken with a $219 Sony WX350 camera that is smaller than a deck of cards.

I'm telling you ... it's magic.