ski and more photos

Photos from last weekend ski

Details and commentary on the photos - on face book as always

if its broken, dont fix it

I fail to understand the need to fix everything, some things should not be fixed

I bet a lot of dogs would agree with me

My house gate is now broken, and has been for the last week- now they want to fix it

When it is broken  I simply drive into the underground parking lot- if they fix it- I will have to open the window, pick the door device and place it next to the sensor outside to open the gate- not a big deal usually- but it’s cold now!!!- so why are they fixing…

 

Well still more past stores never told

The flight was due at 7:15, we were suppose to meet at 5:15 pack quickly and go- usually in Cleveland- leaving for the airport in less than an hour and a half before the flight is ok- but less is risky on a sunny morning- this was evening on the 1^st snow week off the year where everyone drives extra slow and traffic is heavier than normal.

So I quickly pack my stuff, including every warm thing I have, 3 wool hats (none of them was on my head when I returned from this week- 2-3 blogs ago, a scarf and pool goggles). It was 5.20 and my pharmacist was still not back from work- to pack her stuff.

I call and offer to pack for her, she is smart and says no- she must have seen me pack before.

So time goes by 5:40- and I call and offer to pack again- she remembers the flight at 7:15 but forgets the cut off time!

5:45 I don’t listen anymore and start packing the extra stuff and bring all the stuff in – she says- 5 minutes away- when she hits the notorious light by my house (yesterday I stood there for 8! Minutes, and I was the 2^nd car)- so of course it takes longer- 5:55 she arrives- and packs at an unbelievable speed of 6.7 folded clothes a minute. And we rush out side- the info we don’t know is how long is the cut off time- I Google it up as she is focuses on the road- and we breathe easier when we find its 30 minutes (after that, they don’t guarantee your suitcases will make the flight- and one thing you want on a trip is your clothes and pool goggles.) at 6:37 we make it to the airport and luckily there was not much traffic (Cleveland is ok with traffic – since all those people with money to buy cars have moved out…)

We are debating the best parking way- the economy parking is cheapest (my usual parking spot) but it will be too slow, valet parking is to expensive- no time we go with the valet- we rush to the curb side check in, and one bag is over the limit- so I quickly pool out some stuff, the shower bag (not mine, my things are scattered in nylon bags, various assortments, of stuff- so I can never find anything)- but some people are organized – it’s their fault- you will soon know why.

We check our bags at 3 minutes before the cut off time… now we made it and have some free few minutes to park-we had out , make the wrong turn and exit the airport, quick loop around- and back in- park- take our coats and run- to the airport, then hit security

Now the organized people remember that security do not like stuff in shower bags- a quick debate over what to do ends with ‘it’s only shampoo’

So we go in and watch the security strip the bag of more items then remembered- including various hair sprays, shampoo, - around 6-7 bottles of stuff that can take plains down if ever was allowed to be on the plain (you can gel the wheels and then the plain would not be able to break, or spray the eyes of the airborne drink cart person).

So liquids down the drain- or probably to the homes of airport personnel- still only 15 minutes to departure- and Cleveland airport is small- not much to run- unless you are in terminal D

It was our lucky D day. So we run to C and go in a long tunnel with those walkways- and one of them is not working-

We run up the escalator then turn to the end of terminal D- we think we make it- but then stairs (not the ones that move in the airport- actual stairs- I didn’t know they had those anymore here) and another tunnel – we make it to the plain barely on time.

And then the plain of course waits on the ground 20 minutes more after the scheduled time…

 

Lessons:

Remember where you park your car

Don’t board the plane with liquids

If you have 3 hats- wear one when needed

Pool goggles are useless in the snow

 

 

there is nothing worse than bad drivers

When I had days of working more then 14-15 hours- it usually meant driving for hours to remote places unseen by man, woman, or satellite

After working the same hours in the office- I am beginning to hate drivers- touch, printers or simply cruising the wrong lane

 

So I missed some events recently- and was late in calling people on their birthdays-

3 brothers or sisters in and out of law… 1, friend, and probably more have all been missed (called a few days later)- I blame the weather (can’t blame me)  only 1 birthday was caught on time- little yaeli gave me a minute of her precious to tell me what to buy her…

 

So recently we drove in pancoldinia and we were hungry- luckily we had 1 bag of Bamba nougat- - I love Bamba- and its not possible to make it better- but they managed… and I don’t care much for Nougat- but the combo-   nothing like bamaba

 

The trick to proper skiing is do it effortlessly – I heard about it , but effortlessly takes a lot of effort

We went last Saturday for a few hours of skiing – the last time I stood on a pair of skis and rolled down was about 10 years ago- with 1 half day of snowboard about 5 years ago. So I am very experienced.

 

There are a few differences between skiing in peaking peak and mt Herman- no need to drive for 3 hours, another hour up the mountain for parking, pay parking, get on the bus, they hand your wallet to the organizers and wait in line for the cable cars

Felt good just parking right there and paying little (pre season prices, but still)

So I charged my 1^st major slope- for some reason they call it the bunny hill- and I almost did better than some kid in a diaper.

A few more bunny slopes and moved on to the bigger bunny slope- where elders were tied to their kids(3-4 years old this time)- the big leagues

After 2 hours of mastering the bunny, and actually managing to stop and to turn, both left and right!!!

I decided to go to the top- a green lane (side comment: black is hardest, blue mediocre, green beginners, yellow(bunny hill) pre beginners) but a tough green lane (yes, they will buy it), at this point the excuses took over- I was too tired and didn’t stop very well-   did I mention you should do it effortlessly? Well not yet-

Like the lord of the rings- the mountain won- but have no fear (like I had when I couldn’t stop!) round 2 approaches- and may god have mercy on your slopes

 

A quiet place is in high demand now days

This entry is from the Blogil’s first guest blogger

One might ask him/her self how hard can it be to find a quiet place that is conducive for serious studying? Well, apparently quite difficult.

At home: there are constant strange people in our house that don't know the concept of speaking softly. Noises, coming from the kitchen from dishes being rearranged, doors are being slammed, laughter, people talking on their phone. Normally, I wouldn't notice these things, but when you are trying to cramp for a test the next day – it is quite bothersome. I tried putting cotton balls into my ears in hopes of deflecting the noise. Good attempt but unsuccessful.

I was desperately in need of a quiet, warm place. The library seemed like a good idea to me, but apparently also to everyone else. So the search for a free desk begun. I spotted a few "free" spots. Some very gritty students like to take up two spaces. One of them is taken up by them and the other by their belongings. So, those were a no go. Time is of essence and I am still deskless - hopelessness came over me. Until, to my amaze like a mirage in the desert of desks, hiding in the back is one lonely chair and desk, just waiting for me! I hurry and get situated - with the laptop having unlimited supply of power and just enough room for my notes. Very promising - it is the perfect spot – I was content. Not even ten minutes into studying, music trickles into my ears L. How can music by aloud in the library? Its not. It was coming from the ear phones of a lovely student neighbor next to me. I could have asked him to lower the volume, but than saw another desk open up by a leaving student. I again hastily gathered my stuff and rushed over to the other desk. Now, I could finally have quite J No students next to me, and the premise of a long night of quality studying was finally being realized. 

A nice bonus was waiting for me at the end of the night: scrapping off the thick layer of ice covering my entire car in the frigid weather.

 

red, blue and green and blue

This blog entry was written last week  when a virus decided to kill my lap top-(didn’t like what I wrote) half of this entry was deleted

 

It took me 8 hours to get home yesterday, nothing but fun all the way

It started with a gentle 3 hours driving, an hour at the air port, another hour and a half on the way- till now nothing new.

Due to circumstances that I could have controlled- I had no car at the airport

There are normal ways of getting home- like a taxi- but 50$, I am too cheap for that- I prefer the long route

So it’s Cleveland public transport- which is known for it’s delays, malfunctions and poor quality

But I experimented- so I get my stuff and head to the red line which goes down town- I wait 15 minutes for the train and listen to a conversation about the train and bus system from a couple of passengers- and they….. end of save part

 

And now continues….written today

 

As I said- they discussed how bad it is- how the lines are always late, or don’t show up at all- makes you feel a lot better as you are waiting for a train

 

The train finally arrives- and a guy sits a sit next to me and speaks on his cell- I think this guy is from Nigeria – cause he kept saying the N word more the 2.3 times a sentence on average. You probably seen this type of thing in a movie- I know I have- but movies exaggerate- or so I though, now I think they underestimate. Italians with the F word, haa amateurs

Including prize winning sentences  “hey N, I aint messing with any N” and other gems

For the N American community’s defense- he was the only one speaking like that- so I guess he must come from Pittsburgh

Since I was next to the guy, I try not to let it show that I was noticing so I just focused on my book

 

So the train makes it down town.

And I verify for the 2^nd time which line I must take- take the green they say- all the way

You know I don’t trust signs or GPS with no map of my own- and here I am in central Cleveland station and not a single map to be found- only names of stations which are street names- but streets here are so long- it does not help- so I had to rely on the kindness of strangers

And they were kind, wrong , but kind

So I go on the green line it is 9:15 and reach the last stop- look around me- and I sense that this is not where I wanted to be ( my stop has a mall around it…., which is unlike the nothingness here)- so I talk to the driver -  and I know now that I am close home – 3-4 Miles away- easy with a car

Hard when it is below 0, with strong winds----freeeeeeezing

Again people are kind- she takes me back half way- and gives me a courtesy ticket for the blue (yes blue) to take me where I need

So I freeze while waiting for the blue train at shaker square- which is lit with very nice lights

And few more minutes on the blue and I am 5 minutes from home

It’s after 10 pm and I am very cold- but 5 minutes away- who needs a hat, scarf and stuff like that- not me- only 5 minutes

Oh my god- that 5 minutes were colder then hell- I am walking home fast- my hand is aching from the cold, my ears are popsicles because of the strong wind- I cover them with my hands- and I am too cold  to open my bag and get a hat- just 4.3.2.1 more minutes

40 minutes later I am still defrosting my ears

 

So what have we learned

1.       Nothing probably- the cold prevented the flow of information

2.       Put hat before cold

3.       Don’t be cheap

4.       Scan your computer for viruses

5.       Nothing probably- the cold prevented the flow of information

 

  

 

how to (not) pay a fine

I don’t remember the last time I had to lick an envelope, but I think I would have remembered it being so bhhhhaaaa (this is not a spelling error)

 

So in order to avoid the baahhhanes of licking an envelope you should follow these directions

 

First – as you drive in the night at Oregon (this happened somewhere in early October), and a cop pulls you over and asks you, why you are in a hurry- come up with a better excuse- this is why I am paying- for not being smart enough to lie better

 

So now you are stuck with a fine- nothing much to it- simply mail a check to the address you already know-

 

But unlike you, some people (me) have problems with paper work- so the word, I will do it first thing tomorrow was said by me to myself many times- it was changed to next week, after the weekend, when I get back from Israel, and the like

 

Until the sad day when the Oregon police sends me a reminder- as I see a letter which does not look like a commercial- I knew where it came from- but with the reminder came also a lovely double fine letter- I am sure the Oregon tax payer appreciate my efforts.

 

You’d think the letter would be delivered the next day- and you are almost right

The next day came – I will do it on Monday and few more like those

Till I told myself stop and actually signed the fine, now to put it in a letter, that took another week of soul searching

But finally a letter (with a stamp on it) was supplied and the signed fine went in

Now all that is left is to put the check in- another very complex process- first the check goes in to the car (much closer to the envelope) another weekend passes- and I manage to put it in the coat- you can’t get any closer then that

 

Another day passes (3 actually)

Till I actually write the sum on the check , and put it in the letter with the signed fine and the stamp, and write the address+ return address on the envelope- a remarkable chain of events which took 3 minutes

I could drop it on the outgoing box- and then someone else will be bahhhaaad, or do something else to avoid it- but now so close- I must complete my mission- so I drive to the post office, and lick the envelope, and drop it in- case closed

I am writing this blog for 30 minutes, which tastes just a bit better then the letter + 10 minutes from post office to home- and I still taste the bllllllaaaahhhh- what the hek are they putting there

Diet coke does not help here

Going for extreme solutions- Ben and Gerys

 

 

some better photos of- enoch's engagement pics