In the meantime

Need something to do while I’m not able to blog?  Try checking out these videos produced by a friend’s son:

http://www.youtube.com/MiloTheActor

I tried to insert a video and it didn’t work.  Sorry.

"Don't worry, be happy!"

Originally I was flying out on Friday and had a 3 hour layover in Chicago. I changed my ticket to Sunday and it wasn't until late Saturday that I realized I have only a 35 minute layover in Chicago. Given the size of O'hare, this is not good. There's a decent chance I won't make my flight and I'll bet money my luggage doesn't make it.

When I asked for an earlier flight American Airlines first told me, "This is a legally acceptable connection time." The term "legally acceptable" was used several times.

My panic state reached a 9.5. I was close to a full-blown panic attack.

After talking with 3 friends and a much nicer rep for AA, I decided to go with the flow. Once I check in at the Eastern Iowa Airport it is the responsibility of American Airlines to get me to Dubai. If I miss my connection because I don't have time to get to the gate it is not my problem. If I'm extremely delayed it's not like I'll miss any classes (they start next Sunday.) So just chill, Steve.

I'm not very good at doing that.

Anyhow, here's the trip:

3:30 PM Depart Cedar Rapids on flight 5075 American Airlines. Land in Chicago at 4:35.

5:10 PM Depart Chicago on flight 86 American Airlines. Land in London at 6:50 AM (12:50 AM CDT).

8:40 AM Depart London on flight 8 Emirates Airlines. Land in Dubai at 6:30 PM (8:30 AM Monday CST).

I found a website that is able to track international flights. By typing in the airline code AA for American and EK for Emirates you can see the departure and arrival times. They even have areal-time flight tracker showing the plane on a map.

A friend tried to use the internet at my place last week and it wasn't working. So I'm not sure when I'll be able to post again.

Rose

I consider myself lucky because I'm friends with phenomenally successful people. One became the world's best eye surgeon. Another was a currency trader who made millions for his company. One is on the path to cure HIV and/or cancer in his research. Another was my mentor who served thousands of students and hundreds of clients as a labor arbitrator.

Of all of my friends the most successfully underated friend is Rose. I first met Rose in 1996. She is amazingly talented but was given a secretarial job. She transferred and eventually found a boss who recognized her talents (and was not threatened by them.) She's now part of the project to get the city of Dubuque to instant-read meters. Beyond that, she's helping the citizens of a city who have an old world way of viewing their bills understand that the new way is better. "So why did you have 5000 gallons going out for 7 days?"

There are few people (or family or friends, for that matter) that I feel the way I do about Rose. She has stuck by me even though in the depths of depression years ago I blew her off.

I carry incredible guilt and she's still my friend.

Once again, Rose thinks she has a boring life with 2 sons in college and 2 sons recently graduated from college. I know her husband and her sons. She's an amazing blessed person. I will never be as blessed as her, but I'm happy she counts me as a friend.

Coal plant

On the way back to CR I was surprised to see black smoke billowing out of the coal electric plant.
I drove by and the sound was deafening. A loud roar should not be scary but this was. With all the steam and smoke it seemed like the entire plant was about to explode. Several cars stopped along with me to take a look.

The Gazette published a "nothing to worry about" story. Yeah, right. No problem for those with asthma. I'm just glad the wind was from the north taking it away from my place.

Popcorn

One of my favorite childhood stories is that of the Little Red Hen. Maybe that's why I actually enjoyed spending a couple of days picking popcorn; I will be the one who ends up eating half it so I'm glad I was able to contribute.

It helped to have a loyal dog as a companion.
Towards the end of the project I realized an unexpected benefit: For the next year I can call my sister and say, "So how do you like eating the popcorn I picked?"

When I told her that she said she'd have to volunteer to shell the popcorn (a harder job). So Dad is the big winner of sibling rivalry. Otherwise he'd have done it all by himself.

Once the popcorn is picked it is placed in onion sacks and left to dry with fans and dehumidifers. After it is dry and it can be shelled. I hope you enjoy doing that, Miriam.
Dad has been developing a couple of different varieties of popcorn. The latest is all white ears.

The best news is that I'll be able to take back 30-40 pounds. Good week.

Gluttony Tour of 2010

Cari is one of my closest friends from the '90's. We lost touch and joined up at the Tic-Toc for tenderloin Tuesday. I commented that this would be part of the gluttony tour of 2010.

Cari: You are NOT putting this on your blog as part of the gluttony tour!
Steve: Why not?

She replied with something like, "Seriously, you are warped."

OK, so Cari is not part of gluttony. She simply joined me on a day where I continued my gluttony. The mushrooms and the full order of fries (against the waitress' advice) were worth it.

In the end I bought lunch because Cari's birthday was a few days ago.

Cari protested, "But your birthday is next week!"

"That's right," I replied, "and you can fly over to the Emirates and buy me lunch next week!"

*****
Seeing casual friends while I'm back has one vibe. Seeing close friends that I've lost contact with has a different vibe. Fortunately, they have all seemed to click. If any theme has developed it would be: Do we become more introverted as we grow older? Ten years ago I lived/loved talking with someone I had lost touch with. Now I often think it will be work; and don't want to do it. Is that experience and/or learning from experience or my low self-esteem?

Regardless, Cari is a fantastic person and I'm very grateful she was able to join me on the gluttony tour. In almost 2 hours for lunch we were never at a loss for conversation. That's the textbook definition of a good friend.

I didn't get anything done around the house that I had hoped, but I'll still call this day a winner.

Old Threshers Reunion

It's been 21 years since I last traveled to Mt. Pleasant for the Old Threshers Reunion.

Since then I've come to a better understanding of the evolution of machines that have made all of our live's better. They had over 1000 old steam and gas engines on display. All were designed to make life easier - even if the machines were enormous by today's standards.

This was one of the world's first washing machines.
And this is a well to pump water.

Teepees

Teepees are not particularly noteworthy to those who grew up in Iowa. But I know I have some non-American readers so I took this pic. These were the living quarters for many native Americans and much cooler than tents.

School house

The lady explained that children of all ages attended this one room school house. Boys sat on one side and girls on the other.

Not quite like teaching in the Emirates, but I get the idea.

Corn picker

In the foreground is an old two row corn picker, similar to the one my dad used when I was growing up. Dad's was better (as this one is from the 1930's) but the basic technology is the same. The price tag for this was $550 back then.

In the background is a modern day corn picker (combine). The price? $387,000.

The times have changed.

Staying on the subject of corn, this kid is using a machine to chop the corn into smaller pieces to make it easier for cows to eat. That was his story and he stuck to it even as I asked, "Do cows need it chopped up for them?"

Sorghum

I'm not overly wild about the sorghum. In the days before sugar being readily available it was a common sweetener. I bought several sample bottles to take back to the Emirates. I suspect it will go over as well there as my bringing dates to the US.

Work those kids!

Part of the reenactment of pioneer life is depicting children working. I like the outfits.

Wearing a t-shirt, this kid clearly didn't get the memo. Fortunately, Dad lent him a flannel shirt.

This girl is churning apple sauce.

You might be a redneck if...

As I was walking out I noticed this guy. He was the only shirtless guy AND the only one I noticed wearing a confederate belt buckle and matching hat.

Yes, boys & girls. This is the face of a redneck.

A closing picture

She dressed up in her Sunday finest and joined her partner of many years to look at the machines even older than their love.

And they're clearly still in love.

A wonderful dog

Today I spent a couple of hours picking popcorn. Gus had to be with me. After a while he developed a look of, "Can we please go?" and he'd come scratch my leg.

I was picking popcorn exactly one week before I fly out. The weathter was beautiful. I had NPR playing on the radio. I can't think of anything I'd rather be doing. My parents were concerned that I was "wasting my time" picking corn in my last week. My thought, "Wasting my time? How could I possible spend it better?"

UPS crash in Dubai

A 747 being flown by UPS crashed in Dubai two days and there's been virtually no press coverage in the US. I'm not sure why.

The plane had enough fuel to get it Germany. Hence, it is not surprising that the crash and explosion left only tiny scraps. Here's a picture from The National:

There's no visible sign left that it was even an airplane.

The fact the plane was only three years old and the pilots detected smoke in the cockpit 30 minutes before the crash should have made this newsworthy.

I've flown on this model (747-400) a couple of times - including my trip back to the US in June. Until they discover the cause I'm happy to know that I won't be on this model on my trip back next week.

Two sides of one song

(I know most of my readers check this blog during work. Watching two four minute videos simply won’t happen. If you can, watch the first minute of each. You’ll get the idea.)

This weekend I was at a tiny Wal-Mart in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. At least half of the customers were Somalis and most of the rest were of various ethnicities. I’m used to being one of the few anglo-saxons in a store in the Emirates. It was surprising to find it in the Midwest.

The experience was intensified because of an interview I heard last week with K’Naan. He sang the song that was adopted as the theme for the World Cup. I posted it earlier this summer and here’s a version with better subtitles:

It’s upbeat and inspiring.

In the interview I learned that K’Naan is Somali and the original version of the song tells a sad story: A violent prone nation with a street life that we simply can’t imagine here.

This is the original song with a few lyrics changed. (It also seems to have a slightly slower beat but I'm not sure that is my imagination.)

Young men and and women carrying automatic rifles on dirt streets.

The video was also educational. It refers to “Buffalo soldiers.” It’s an American reference and I didn’t know it. Without using Google, I’m curious if I’m the only one who didn’t know what it meant.

Wine at the fair

Over the next couple of days I plan to post a few pictures I never got to from the Iowa State Fair.

In the past few years the wine industry has exploded in Iowa. I was still surprised to see a wine tent:

It looks much more classy than the beer tents that are still running.

Even more surprising was a wine barn on the other side of the fair grounds.
They took a small old barn that was nearly falling down and completely refurbished it.

They even have a giant tub where people can sign up to stomp grapes:
Publish PostThe little bar graph on the tub shows sales of Iowa wines. They are clearly growing.

This will change your life!

Fairs are packed with vendors trying to sell their stuff.

I can't believe how many people are willing to sit through a sales demonstration. I think some sit through these just to have a chance to sit down.

I can see me doing this job. Sad, but true.

Egyptian cotton

Spending for $204 for sheets is life changing. Anywhere I see Egyptian cotton sheets I am checking out the price and quality.

I was sold on the spot when she said the price: $25 for any size set of sheets.

They threw in some extra pillow cases and a pillow. What a deal!

I'll let you know if they are as nice when I try them out back in the Emirates.