Beware of the Doghouse

Guys,
As of today, we have 16 days to get it right ......
Is there really a guy out there who does that "AbCerciser" routine to his wife? Good luck!

I'm Really Slackin' On This Blog

Stay at Home Dad Rap

I've been a HomeDaddy since October 2008. This guy's take on his job is one of the funniest looks into the life of a select group on the rise. Truth ...... in rap format.

New Post .......

....... on "Joanna Mei, Bebe & Home Daddy - Tales from the Cryb".
Head on over there and take a look at "Hu Flung Galumkie".

An Evening With Dolly Parton

I don't have a single Dolly Parton CD or DVD, but when I found out she was coming to town, I bought some nose bleed section tickets just to have a chance to see this musical icon. Last night, when we arrived, we were informed that they had closed the upper reaches of the UCF Arena and moved everyone much closer to the stage as the show hadn't sold out. Bonus!

I was genuinely entertained by the Backwoods Barbie as she gave her all during the 90+ minute show. This gal looks like she enjoys every minute of her time on stage, thanking her audience for putting her where she is and working through a set of 20+ of the over 100 songs she has composed which have become singles for this multi award winning star.

I love to hear familiar tunes when I attend a concert of a popular artist, but Jolene was the only song I recognized during the first set. Still, Dolly made the songs recognizable by telling stories about the tune she was about to sing and made the listener want to hear them. Many of the evening's offerings were from her Backwoods Barbie CD including Jesus and Gavity (my favorite from her newest project), You Don't Know Love from Shinola (which had me LOL) and Drives Me Crazy (a country version of the Fine Young Canibals' tune). A capella interludes with her backup singers and instrumental solos from her band made an appropriate intro to the end of the show which included her crossover hits Here You Come Again, Islands in the Stream, 9 to 5 and I Will Always Love You. Note perfect on every song from soft and sultry to full out Country, Dolly Parton was the consumate entertainer. I've already purchased Backwoods Barbie on ebay.

Lake Eola - Orlando, Florida

The temps dipped into the mid 70s in Central Florida so it called for enjoying the afternoon outdoors. We did it at Lake Eola in Downtown Orlando.

Sorry for the lack of entries on this blog - we've just adopted a beautiful little girl and getting used to parenthood. I'll try to get a few shots from our Hawaii & China trips posted soon.

Signs give park goers a warm welcome to Lake Eola.

Yuelu Academy - Changsha, Hunan, China - July 2008

Exterior view of the temple @ Yuelu Academy
.
We recently travelled to China to complete the adoption of our daughter, Joanna Mei.
During our stay, we had the opportunity to visit several sites which became the subjects for a photo journal of our journey. One of the stops on our itinerary was the Yuelu Academy
(now Hunan University) which dates back 1000 years or so. A famous alumni ....... Confucius.
So, here are the photos of our brief visit.

Bamboo plants line a walkway connecting buildings at Yuelu Academy

Bamboo graffiti - no spray paint here.

Views of the temple through 2 courtyard approaches.

Koi pond.

Window ornamentation in the men's restroom.

Student picking his toes in a beautiful pastoral setting.

Ancient high tech scaffolding.

Ornamental ceramic plates close up the ends of roof tiles.

Dragon roof ornamentation.

Answers to the 'Obscure' Epcot Post

1. Mexico - aloe plants

2. Canada - looks like it could be the U.K. but the phone booth is located @ Canada

3. The Land - a beautiful mosaic adorns the entrance

4. Test Track - the world map at the attraction entrance

5. Germany - thought the angled windows were a cool archetectural feature

5. U.K. - the sundial at the center of the pavillion (what?! 2 #5s?!)

6. Journey Into the Imagination - lamp posts are found only in the area outside the attraction

7. Universe of Energy - the sphere is at the head of the walkway to this attraction which is groaning with age for a remake

8. Japan - hallway on the lower level

9. Norway - grass and flowers provide insulation & ornamentation on the roofs of Norwegian homes

9. Italy - a dolphin spits water at the Italy pavillion (can't this guy count?)

10. France - cool off on a hot day

11. China - a reflecting pond

12. America - the most interesting item to photograph in this very plain looking area

13. Mission: Space - an unusual archetectural feature through some native Florida foliage

14. The Seas - kenetic art directional signs throughout Future World

15. Morocco - one of our favorite places to eat @ EPCOT

Ever Been to EPCOT?

If you are a visitor to one of our blogs, you probably know that we are fans of the Disney EPCOT Amusement Park. With our season passes, we use the park (mostly Fall through Spring - Summer is a hot, crowded mess) and sometimes just go over to speed walk around the World Showcase Lagoon dodging waddling tourists as we go.

One morning, we paid a visit as soon as the park opened and had some great opportunities for photography. I took some images of some rather obscure sights in the park which are posted below. For those who frequent the park (there's a few I've met out there in Blogdom),

try to identify where you can see the items pictured below. Some are more obvious than others. Just for fun, leave a comment with your guesses. Answers will be posted in 10 days.

1. A tropical plant adorns a wall at EPCOT.

2. Not a familiar sight here in the States.

3. An intricate mosaic turns a wall into a work of art.

4. A world map at which attraction?

5. An unusual window on a tower.

5. Anyone have the time?

6. These unusual outdoor lamps light up which attraction?

7. A spear sphere.

8. Looks like a nice place to get out of the heat & crowds.
9. Where's the goat? The roof needs trimming!

9. One of 2 'dolphin' in the fountain at this attraction.

10. If there's a breeze, you can get cooled off with the spray from this fountain. Where is it?

11. A water bird relaxes on a rock in a fish pond at this attraction.

12. Silouettes on a wall in this building.

13. An unusual architectural of the building at what attraction?

14. Kinetic art tops off a directional sign at this attraction.

15. Pottery for sale in one of EPCOT's multitude of shops.

Good Luck! And if you're coming to Central Florida,

I'll show you where all these items can be found.