On Top

Today we went to a church Memorial Day BBQ. Carter climbed all the way to the top of the "spider web," and was pretty proud to be at the top with the big boys.

Claire did her own thing and wandered around the smaller toys — her favorite was this contraption that was just the right height and complexity that there was no good angle for an adult to grab her so I could get some sunscreen on her. And she knew it.

I played ultimate Frisbee and when we were done dumped water on some of the kids. We all got hot and sweaty and a little sunburned — it was just as things should be.

Operation Doglift

Today Joanie and our two older kids are taking the Nelson's black lab, Cali, on a one-way naturalization trip to Barrie, Ontario, Canada.

Ever since Joanie's dad retired a couple months ago we hear he's been pining for a dog to walk like he used to with Azalea, who passed away a couple years back. But whenever someone suggests "So go get a dog" he says no, it's too much trouble. Then he says things like, "Do you think the neighbors would let me walk their dog?"

So Joanie and her mother and brother Michael have taken matters into their own hands and are on a secret surprise mission to get themselves a dog.

Joanie picked up Cali this morning and we got to meet her. She's beauuuutiful ... though I still don't want a dog. But Grand-dad's going to love her.

They're meeting up with Joanie just inside the Canadian border (hopefully close to a Tim Horton's donut store) and making the hand-off.

And if Grand-dad wants to take their dog for a walk every so often, then that's fine.

Reunion

This is Reunion Tower, one of the distinctive buildings making up the Dallas skyline.

My brother Matt took this picture hanging out the window on the highway. We were driving all over the Interstates through metro Dallas traffic trying to find a Crate & Barrel store to get some wedding presents for my sister.

From picking Matt up at DFW we went about 25 miles to get to the store, and then another 25 miles to get to the hotel where we were staying. After a few hours of traffic and running around we check in at the hotel. We get to our room, and Matt looks out the window — there's a Crate & Barrel right across the parking lot.

Twisty

Tangled tree near the Water Tower along Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago.

Behind the Eight Ball

One night at dinner in Chicago we went to Rock Bottom Grille where our large group had a party room, complete with our own pool table.

I tried taking this shot of a billiards break a few times, but none of them really worked. I couldn't get the timing right. The camera was precariously perched on a bumper and I had to use the timer so everything wouldn't move around and blur.

On this one I used the camera timer and broke the rack myself (that's me in the background, behind the 8). The shot went off a little late once again, but some motion got captured, along with the lone 8 ball which stayed put in the middle!

Driver's Seat

Every time I'm on my way out of a plane I get a glimpse the cockpit, and always want to see more of what's going on in there. I figured it was some kind of security breach to look inside ... but then they leave the door hanging open before and after your flight, so why not ask? So this time I got my fisheye lens ready, and as I was exiting I asked the flight attendant if I could take a picture.

She went up to the bridge with my request, and I was astounded when I got a yes! I had a nice conversation with the co-pilot, who turned out to be a Canon shooter and has a collection of expensive lenses that puts mine to shame.

I did some looking around online and found lots of 737 cockpit photos published, so I'm not releasing any secrets here TSA will cart me away for.

I can't even guess how many movies and TV shows I've seen where an airplane pilot is incapacitated and some random passenger off the street (maybe even Balki has done it?) has to take over and land the thing. After looking at the mass of switches and control panels going on, I'm not sure if this is reasonable.

Stainless Rainbow

Heading back toward my car after the constant light drizzle at the Gateway Arch, it started to rain cats and dogs. What do I do, of course, but set up my tripod and do some more shooting!

The polygons at the top of the frame are glimpses of my moving umbrella during the eight-second exposure, trying to keep the lens dry while trying to give enough clearance to point the lens up in the air.

Messages From The Edge

Something to keep your mind busy on the highway drive through rural Missouri and Oklahoma is to laugh at the signs at the roadside. Most are meant to be serious, and that's what makes them so funny.

• World's First Tribute to the Dogs on Board Titanic
• America's Sistine Chapel: Precious Moments (you know, those little chubby cartoon figurines)
• Hitchhikers May Be Escaped Convicts
• Zombies Ahead! Turn Here!

Julie & Ron

My sister Julie married Ron Roades Saturday at the Dallas Temple. No big reception, just a few family and friends gathered, and it was a beautiful ceremony. I met Ron the day before at our hotel, and he is a great guy. I think they'll be very happy together.

Here are Julie and Ron with her boys Jacob, Joshua, and Coleman, and Ron's daughter Alexandria.

Jacob did his own thing, not that we didn't try to get him to wear socks.

To my Mom's amazement, all four of her children were together for the first time in a long while: Matt, Julia, Jeff, and James.

I've Been Everywhere, Man, I've Been Everywhere

I went to my sister's wedding this weekend in Dallas. So why is there a picture of me standing under the Gateway Arch in rainy St. Louis last night?

My Midwest tour really did take me everywhere — I slept in a different state every night. About 2,100 air miles and 1,500 road miles later, my itinerary from Albany went like this:

1. St. Louis — fly to a major airport and rent a car
2. Springfield, Mo. — visit my family and eat local specialty of cashew chicken (see NY Times article on the Springfield cashew chicken phenomenon)
3. Oklahoma City — visit Joanie's sister and bump into my in-laws during their OK visit
4. Dallas — pick up my Utah brother, attend my sister's wedding, plus a big dinner with both families the night before
5. Springfield — transport my Missouri brother home over seven hours of 80s music, then go to church in the morning with Mom and catch up with many of old friends
6. St. Louis — visit the Arch and fly back home

Some of the fun details from my trip, plus some wedding pictures, will be coming in the next few days.

Midwest Tour

After being on the road for two weeks for business trips, I'm back out again for a third week. This time it's for pleasure. Well, sort of, I'm going to visit my family. My sister's getting married in Dallas this weekend, but while I'm in the country's midsection I'm visiting my family in some other places.

During my layover at BWI I heard lots of clapping as I walked into the terminal. I stumbled across a bunch of WWII veterans on an Honor Flight — a one-day whirlwind tour of the WWII Memorial in Washington DC. The crowd of travelers in the terminal applauded the veterans as they came off the plane.

Michigan Ave. at Chicago River

Looking South down Michigan Avenue, where this main drag crosses the Chicago River. Float down the river to the left a couple city blocks and you'll dump into Lake Michigan.

I love this view because the river provides a horizon to the mass of buildings waiting on the other side. On the right is the new Trump Tower.

If you watched the first season of the Donald Trump vanity TV show The Apprentice, I am pretty sure this is the construction project the winner, Bill, got hired to oversee.

Chicago Skyline

Looking back at Chicago, from the windy top of U.S. Cellular Field.

Cloud Gate

I didn't know this sculpture was called Cloud Gate, but I knew it was in Chicago and that I've wanted to see it for a long time. We passed right by on the shuttle ride from the airport, so I knew exactly where to go.

It's stainless steel, and the one minor disappointment is the trails of dirt (bird poop?) that have run down from the top after a rain. I could have done some good with a roll of paper towels and some Windex (well, me and another dozen people, it's pretty gigantic). But don't let that minor point distract, it's a really fabulous piece.

Most people end up underneath it — called the omphalos — and it's so large there's room to admit everyone who wants to get in. The reflections underneath in the convex area get very complex. Even now I have a hard time picking myself out in that last picture.

I love public art installations, and most people see them passing by accidentally. This one is worth going to see on purpose. It's fantastic.

Royals 2, White Sox 9

I'm in Chicago today and getting ready for my meeting that starts tomorrow. Tonight we went to U.S. Cellular Stadium for a White Sox game. Neither Oprah nor President Obama were at the game as far as we could see. There was a lot of action tonight — lots of hitting. My kind of game.

We had front row tickets at the left field bullpen and got to watch the Chisox pitchers warming up. At the end the pitching coach tossed baseballs to the little kids at the railing, including the 5-year-old son of one of guys in our group.

I am loving beautiful Chicago. I've never spent any time downtown before, it's always been visiting family out in the suburbs, or flying through and switching planes here. More pictures to come of this gorgeous downtown. I'm still here but can't wait to get back again for a longer stay.

Chicago Infographic

I'm going to a meeting this week in the Windy City where we are forming a new board. Many of the players have not met before, so we've been asked to come up with one slide to introduce ourselves.

Here's an infographic I will be using, put together in Illustrator. It's a play on the tallest building in the U.S. (the Sears Willis Tower) being based in Chicago.

Caption: "Tall, with zero basketball skills."

Cookie Crumbles

My birthday month has ended. Another good April.

Last week Megan from work in DC, who shares my birthday, made these cookies with fun sayings. It's some kind of food printing press, for the person who has everything.

Sort of like candy Valentine's hearts — only larger and with more butter.