blog.obviouslywrong.org


I will no longer be updating Iron Guide (see below). Instead, I am now writing at my new, personal blog. Though that will be about some of the newer things I'm doing in life, if you want to see updates about Louie, Lester, and now Dusky, add me on Facebook -- there's enough ridiculously cute pictures to go around.

Sunday, February 24, 2008

 

Seattle Freeze


Despite the recent spate of astoundingly gorgeous weather in Seattle, it was freezing here in Seattle yesterday. In Westlake Center, at least. At 3:15pm, specifically.



Fifty secret agents. (And 1 canine secret agent, appearing at ~1:20.) Five minutes. Completely frozen. Much amusement.

Oh, the things that guide dog training is useful for. :)

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Friday, February 15, 2008

 

Rest in Peace, Steve Fossett


Nearly six months ago, on September 3rd 2007, entrepreneur-adventurer Steve Fossett disappeared while piloting his single-engine plane over the desert mountains of rural western Nevada. Despite thousands of volunteers, hundreds of officials, dozens of aircraft, high-resolution satellites, and even Internet companies involved in a month-long search, he has never been found.

Yesterday, after emotional testimony from his wife Peggy in a Nevada court, he was declared legally dead.
His interest in adventure started early. As a Boy Scout, he grew up climbing the mountains of California.

"When I was 12 years old, I climbed my first mountain, and I just kept going, taking on more diverse and grander projects," he told CNN in a 2006 interview.

...

According to his Web site, Fossett swam the English Channel in 1985, finished 47th in the Iditarod dogsled race in 1992, competed in the Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii in 1996 and drove in the 24 Hours of Le Mans sports car race in 1993 and 1996.

He holds 14 world records in airplane flight, two in ballooning, 11 in sailing, six in glider flight, and one each in airship flight and cross-country skiing. He set numerous other records that have since been broken by other adventurers.

[More specifically, from TIME: "Fossett has held 116 world records, in five different disciplines, 60 of which still stand."]

In 2004, he peeled six days off the record for sailing around the world, finishing the job in 58 days, 9 hour 32 minutes and 45 seconds. That record was broken by Bruno Preyon in 2005.

His flights aboard the jet aircraft Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer and the balloon Bud Light Spirit of Freedom gained him worldwide fame. Fossett took the GlobalFlyer around the world in 2005, starting off from and returning to Salinas, Kansas, in three days, covering 22,936 miles, making him the first person to fly solo around the globe without refueling.

...

And he had a vision for his future.

"I imagine that when I'm 80 years old and sitting in a wheelchair that I might do something like take a remote-control airplane and try and fly it around the world," he said. "I plan to be setting and breaking records indefinitely."

Rest in peace, Mr. Fossett. You were are an inspiration to us all.

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Saturday, February 9, 2008

 

Cozy




KC: That looks very cozy, Lester. How'd you get so nice and cozy?
LC: Oh, it's no big deal really.
KC: No no, really. You look very comfortable. I want to know.
LC: Well, since you insist... I just tossed together some shirts, some socks, and some boxers and made myself a nice little den here. Don't mind me. Really.
KC: Huh. Well, that's interesting. You know, that's really interesting, actually. I'm missing some shirts, socks, and boxers now that you mention it. Any idea where they might have run off to?
LC: No clue. I just found these right over here. I'm sure they're someone's. But don't worry about it, really.
KC: You mean, right over here? Right here? Somewhere in my closet, maybe?
LC: *snore*
KC: Lester?
LC: *SNORE*

Lester's bed is out for a wash. Far be it for Lester to sleep on the floor, he decided to show some initiative and make his own little bed. Unfortunately, said bed was made from my (formerly clean) shirts, socks, and boxers. He looks a little too cute and cozy to move though, huh? Sigh.

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