Deadlines

Saw this signature on a post the other day:

I love deadlines. I like the wooshing sound they make as they fly by.

Posted by tim on Tue - April 19, 2005 | 08:36 AM |

Top Ten Reasons not to travel with Tim

10) Leave for airport in pouring rain. Drive 10 miles with water so thick on roadway sounds like it's scouring the undercoating off the Murano.

9) Trip from car park to terminal is longer than usual since driver mistakenly takes me to arrivals and not departures. Driver apologizes for not being awake yet. Comforted that he has the wheel.

8) Tug breaks while backing out plane. Delay of 20 minutes while it is fixed. (Is this the only plane tug available in the whole airport?)

7) Eight planes on runway waiting to fly south - right into large thunderstorm. After 15 minutes all planes are re-routed out over New Jersey and onto the ocean before turning south - delay of 30 minutes enroute. (45 minute layover?)

6) Arrive 1 hour+ late for connecting flight and enroute to gate from runway arrival gate changes 3 times. First and third time are same gate, but inaccessible due to runway construction - must go to other side of concourse. Original concourse was same as connecting flight - now different concourse. Tim does an OJ.

5) Arrive at airport early for return flight - 20th passenger in line. No sweat. Counter not open for Delta but is for all other airlines - line extending. As counter opens announcement that all computers are down and we will be issuing handwritten boarding passes. Uh-oh!

4) Earlier flight than mine takes precedence at counter - my 20th spot in line is passed by 100+ people trying to make an earlier flight with counter operating on manual. Faxes (yes faxes) with the flight seating arrive late from main office. Computer still down. Finally make it through line only to go to 100+ person line waiting to enter the security line which is 50+ people. Queue formed to prevent escalator from dumping people at the top into a pile. Arrive at actual gate within 30 minutes. captain and co-pilot taking handwritten boarding passes at gate for entrance to plane (Hmmm... they are multi-faceted).

3) Flight on time after connection - relax for 87 minute final leg. No first class available even though screen shows 4 seats not reserved. Darn. Arrive in good weather early and are positioned in farthest corner of airport off runway to await a gate. 4 gates for Delta - 1 AIR FRANCE plane at Delta gate, 1 flight due to leave in 25 minutes and 2 planes with mechanical problems unable to be towed away from gate to allow us to arrive.

2) Whoopee! 25 minute delay for departing flight gives way to a 10 minute call to return to gates. Moving towards gate and awaiting entrance to concourse. Why are we turning away? A- Concourse has had a security breach - all planes not leaving till resolved. Back to square 0. Return 30 minutes later - here we go! Uh-oh , why are we turning away again? E Concourse has had security breach - all planes grounded. back to square 0! 30 minutes later back again to concourse area - enroute ALL the planes are backing out in front of us! 7 planes later we negotiate our planes way to gate. Finally on home turf after 1 hour 45 minutes on ground after 1 hour 27 minutes in air.

1) Terminal E on Friday afternoon packed due to all delays (including our arrival which should have left by time we arrived at gate ON TIME). Exit area next to security has been re-built with a corridor now 4 foot wide. Exiting passengers from concourse bottleneck at exit. 15 minutes to negotiate leaving concourse.

(Above occurred all in one round-trip)

Posted by tim on Sat - July 24, 2004 | 12:55 PM |

Cicada Update

They're here....

And aren't they just the cutest little things. Well not little. And really not that cute. In fact they're downright ugly. And big. And noisy. Really noisy. Like a long-term UFO convention. Last year someone took some photo's and I have to say they are right on. Hope they don't turn out to be as thick as they have reported them to occur (100's in a square meter), but if they are they should be gone by August.

17 years is often enough for me. If you want to learn more a college in Cincinnati provides this FAQ .

Posted by tim on Sun - May 23, 2004 | 02:14 PM |

As the snow melts...

It's too bad winter isn't a constant.

I sit here watching the few inches of snow from our last storm of a couple weeks ago succumb to the 52 degree days and the above freezing nights. I am sad to see our beautiful white lawn turn to mud and trampled grass, and the dogs return to the front door not with icy paws but mud-slung legs.

Winter is not over here - but the crispness of the nights and shininess of the sun on snow fades. We hope for more white skies to cover our brown earth.

Posted by tim on Thu - February 19, 2004 | 08:52 PM |

Wine of the Century - maybe longer!

Don't stop - don't hesitate - find yourself a way to get this wine! Crossroads Hawkes Bay Classic Syrah 2001.

This is an excellent wine. It is worth all the effort to acquire it. Luckily I have a very kind friend whose travels allowed him to secure a bottle of this fine wine, which made me want for more. Luckily (for me!) his travels to New Zealand allowed him the opportunity to secure me some more bottles. It was worth it - I assure you.

It's a rich yet mellow Syrah with all the lusciousness of a Cabernet and the earth of the islands. Go out of your way - find and enjoy.

http://www.crossroadswinery.co.nz/company/

Posted by tim on | 08:47 PM |

musical anger

Anger in music - when did this first become popular?

I have gotten a copy of Rob Dougan's music - sounds from the Matrix Reloaded (and the answer is NO I have not seen it yet). Listening to Furious Angels led me to realize that our music has really gotten to express anger. I cannot recall this as I was growing up and began that stage where I listened to music to understand it. Anger via rap music seems the earliest I can recall the expression. It may be frustration over our environment coming through, but it is SOMETHING to THINK ABOUT.

Posted by tim on Sun - July 6, 2003 | 12:00 PM |

4th of July

We didn't get much of a fireworks display, although the noise was certainly apparent. With all the deep forest around here we couldn't even make out any of the flashes, but we had dozens of fireflies to make up for the light show.

Hope yours was a safe and bright one!

Posted by tim on Sat - July 5, 2003 | 12:11 PM |