Dear Bloggery

closing time

2007-07-17T14:50:00.000-07:00

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end..."
circa Semisonic 1999

What is ending?
Dear Bloggery, the blog of Leigh Sarti is coming to an end. Shot down in it's prime. Tragic. Unavoidable. Needed. Unfortunate. Inevitable.

What is beginning?
sartidesign.blogspot.com
The Sarti Design blog will feature projects I am working on, random graphic design tips, designs from the archives, featured products, and much more! And of course, every once in a while a humorous anecdote from my daily life will pop up!

Be sure to adjust your links to sartidesign.blogspot.com!

Oh, and for those Bella & Leighton fans... they are staying the course and continuing to blog about their exciting life!

taking over the cartridge world

2007-06-20T20:50:00.000-07:00

I first came across Cartridge World near the Chipotle on El Toro Rd. I thought it was a lonely little tadpole in the big fish world of ink. Battling upstream against giants such as online ordering and Staples I didn't really give them a shot.
Then, in May, I realized they were a global giant. Driving down Parry Avenue in suburban Perth, Australia I glanced over to a small shopping center and there it was, a Cartridge World in Australia!
I guess I was wrong Cartridge World, I am sorry I underestimated you.

learnings from the parking lot

2007-06-20T09:31:00.001-07:00

Recently I have spent some real quality time in the car, in the grocery store parking lot, as Jana runs in and buys some quick foodstuffs we need for our kids. As I sit in the car, I have learnt a few things about the brave people who collect the shopping carts.

Learning #1: It seems that the majority of people collecting carts are female.

Learning #2: It doesn't matter what uniform each grocery store has, the cart person is always supplied with a bright vest that doesn't match the store uniform.

Learning #3: If you are designated to collect carts, you need to have a look of disdain and attitude as you perform this humble task.

Learning #4: It seems that the most efficient way (according to how these people perform their task) is to collect one cart at a time and bring them al the way back to the corral, then collect another, and so on.

Perhaps the biggest learning is Learning #4. For years I thought that the shopping cart was designed to be stackable with others of it's kind, so that you can collect and transort multiple carts a t a time, thus saving time, and company money. After seeing these professionals in action and not doing their task in this manner, I guess I got it wrong all these years.

Sizzler: Steak, Seafood, Awesome

2007-06-14T21:04:00.001-07:00

We were greeted by the "distressed" signage, oversize wooden door, and floor tiles that could tell many a story of days gone by. We were at Sizzler. The annual Friends Sizzler Night. The reason we do it once a year... because it takes our stomachs that long to recover.
There was shrimp, there was malibu chicken, there was more shrimp, there were kids running around, there was a great waiter, there were lots of old people, there was even more shrimp, there was a mess left on, under, and around the table.
And finally, there was a reservation made for next year.

sd marathon: friends

2007-06-04T21:06:00.001-07:00

-Mike Howerton 20.5 mile celebration
-A Doug Fields sighting
-Barry soldiering on
-Natalie and Beth Hall still smiling
-Scarlett, also still smiling

sd marathon: me

2007-06-04T20:46:00.001-07:00

I almost put myself in the oddball category.

sd marathon: the oddballs

2007-06-04T20:19:00.000-07:00

This is a montage of some of my favorite peeps on the marathon track on Sunday...
my fav guy wasn't actually a runner, he was just watching (guy on top of page).
Other highlights included juggling man, muscle man, no shoes man, mr t lookalike man, flash gordon man, spongebob man, and last, but not leat, craz waiter man.

signing up

2007-06-02T21:07:00.000-07:00

We are in the SD (ahhh San Diego), as Jana's Dad and siter-in-law are doing the Rock N Roll Marathon tomorrow morning.
The kids are trying to make signs, and Jana is back to her cheerleading days making sweet signs.
We have signs for Barry, Scarlett, Doug Montgomery, James Andrew, Nats Hall, Bethall, and the Howertons.
My favorite is the "Go Powerton" sign I had Jana make for Mike.
More photos to come from the marathon course tomorrow...

last night I saw...

2007-05-30T16:30:00.000-07:00

someone cruising around Von's listening to a Walkman. A real, live, tape-playing walkman. It was the highlight of my day (behind Bella's prayer).

What tape do you think this listener was rocking out to? Here are three options that would have been awesome:
1) Poison
2) Bell Biv Devo
3) David Hasselhoff

Thoughts?!

why i love my kids.

2007-05-30T13:49:00.000-07:00

It's not just because they're so cute... here is a great example...
Bella goes to pray the other day and here is how her prayer goes:
"Jezuz, please give Mommy a baby girl so I can share my clothes with her.
And, then brng Mommy a baby boy so Leighton can share his clothes with him.
Amen, with all your heart."

Need I say more?!

an interesting photo

2007-05-22T23:54:00.000-07:00

This photo was taken in Istanbul, Turkey on the official Tour De Turkey trip.
I think the guy on the right is advertising his taxi service.
Question: What do you think is more scary, the consequences of the skull warning sign, or, getting in a taxi with that guy?!

music recommendation of the month

2007-05-22T23:49:00.000-07:00

Not often do I recommend music, but I need to tell the world about my favorite new artist...
She is a young Australian singer/songwriter by the name of Missy Higgins.
I'll be the first to admit that female vocalists don't dominate my iTunes library, but I think her music is awesome.
Her debut album is available on iTunes, and her new release just came out in Australia and I am sure will be up on iTunes very soon.
Website: www.missyhiggins.com
Have a listen, let me know what you think!

discovery channel is nothing...

2007-05-22T23:44:00.000-07:00

discovery channel is nothing...compared to what we got to see at a playground in Australia!
While this may look like one extremely long caterpillar, it is in fact a caterpillar-convoy.
Who knew caterpillars traveled in such a manner?
To test the loyalty the caterpillars had to the convoy format we conducted a lot of experiments which included using a leaf to block various members of the convoy, to see if the front end would react. They are indeed a tight-knit group with the mantra "no caterpillar left behind".
It was a great half an hour, and you won't catch this kind of riveting stuff on the Planet Earth series.

Peyton Manning is Australian?!

2007-05-21T16:39:00.000-07:00

Well, this is an old picture of a rugby player from the 1920's named E.S. Brown, but I swear he could be SuperBowl Quarterback Peyton Manning...
Interesting story about ES Brown. You can read more at http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21771302-2,00.html

highlights of the dentist

2007-05-21T16:34:00.001-07:00

While "dentist" and highlights" may say pradoxical when mentioned in the same sentence, I choose to disagree.
Now, having someone pick at your teeth with a metal object while rubbing against other teeth with a rubber glove doesn't sound like good times, read these song choices below from the soft-rock station streaming into the dental office:

Boyz II Men: On Bended Knee
Lionel Ritchie: Say You, Say M

And my personal favorite:
"How Do You Talk to an Angel?" from the soundtrack of that ill-fated TV show "The Heights".
Now that's a highlight.

we are back!

2007-05-19T14:48:00.001-07:00

Well, we got back almost two weeks ago, but now we are back (blog-speaking)!
Still have some more pictures to share as well as some thoughts on the subtle differences between Australia and America. Should be gold.
Below is three generations of Sarti. Also gold.

took this shot today

2007-04-22T07:08:00.000-07:00

I really like it, especially the birds. It is an old flower mill from the early 1900's.

GPS is awesome

2007-04-22T07:06:00.000-07:00

We are lucky enough to have the GPS Navigation system in our rental car. Dongara has tested the limits of this... we have driven on a few roads that weren't quite "on the map". I took this little shot today as we were driving...

aussie update: Dongara

2007-04-22T06:53:00.000-07:00

Dongara: A quiet quiet coastal town known for it's lobster, small population, bakery, sandy beaches and gas station.
It has lived up to it's definition, and has been great! We have a small chalet right on the water, our time so far has been spent sitting on the balcony, short walks on the beach, driving on the beach, some sea-kayaking and surfing in the water, surfing the wireless internet, and not much else. Some photos are below...

aussie update: goodbye apartment

2007-04-22T06:47:00.000-07:00

The time has come to move on from our sweet apartment in South Perth... to give you an idea I took some pics from out of the window, I wil miss watching the ferrys going across and kookaburra's sitting in the old gum tree. Next stop, Dongara.
Incase you didn't know, Dongara is a sleepy coastal town about 5hrs north of Perth. I didn't know that either!

the bear cage

2007-04-20T06:25:00.000-07:00

A distant memory of mine as a kid was heading for a big day out at the Perth Zoo.
it wasn't the biggest zoo on the planet but it had plenty of animals and kept me entertained. I distintly remember the bear cages at the Perth Zoo as a row of concrete and steel with a few different cages for a few bears, it wasn't the most creative of envorinments and I have memories of this.
Last week we went back to the Perth Zoo with the kids as it was just over the road from where we are staying. While the bears are long gone and many parts of the zoo renovated, they have left the old bear cages as a memory of how things used to be, and how they have now attempted to make better environments for the animals.
This captured me for a second, but then when I took a look at the old cages it just reminded me of LOST! I looked around for Kate and Sawyer, but I guess they escaped these cages! I thought it was pretty cool, nostalgia and LOST coming together...

australia: updated

2007-04-20T06:22:00.000-07:00

I just posted a bunch of pics at the kids' blog so feel free to check them out! Below are some random pics from activities such as golf, casual family walks, and other Aussie stuff!
We are heading up the coast to a beach house tomorrow, so that should be fun, plus they have wireless internet access!
I have been spending quality time at the McDonalds with internet access down the road form our apartment uploading blogs and downloading LOST this evening. Both very worthwhile ventures.
More blogs to come soon from the beach house!

looks like we made it!

2007-04-12T05:58:00.000-07:00

It took a couple of planes, a lot of snacks, some disturbed sleep, and some patience from Bella, but we finally made it to the motherland of Australia. Perth was sunny, clear and quite lovely today... not a trace of June, or even April gloom.
Internet is a little hard to get at our apartment, but the view is good. Not too many blgos in the next few days, but got some good material, and the sartiparty blog will be flowing with photos in the next week.

Bella says G'day!
Leighton says No Worries!

one sweet automobile

2007-04-07T11:04:00.000-07:00

This was a car I saw when I was in Paris back in December... only in Europe, and can you believe two people got out of that thing? It's actually a good idea for parking, especially when two people parallel park just far enough apart from each other that a regular car can't fit!

some highlights of my week

2007-04-06T11:15:00.000-07:00

Both of these people were captured at the Easter Eggstravaganze in RSM last Saturday. They were delightful!

#1: TRIPOD BOY
This young man was forced to carry around the family video camera, but chose to carry it while leaving it on the tripod, fully extended, and upside down. It was a treat to spectate this. I blurred faces to protect the innocent.

#2: AWESOME DENIM
My mind couldn't quite get it's metaphorical arms around why someone deliberately chose to pull this denim jacket out of their wardrobe, and then go out into public space. I can agree that Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher were a great team though, circa 1993-97.

i'm not even kidding... strollers for pets

2007-04-04T09:38:00.000-07:00

I thought strollers for children were ridiculous (joke), unti I stumbled across this web site this morning. You have to at least scroll down the page for 10 seconds to see the comedic value, as well as wide range of pet strollers at competitive prices.

Here is the link: (sorry, Safari can't do links in Blogger.com)
http://www.petstorebyconny.com/site/785824/page/824781

standing ground in China

2007-03-26T09:09:00.000-07:00

I know this isn't my story... but a funny story nonetheless...

A CHINESE man has gone to extremes to prove that his home in his castle.

In defiance of controversial new property laws in China, Yang Wu has refused to leave his house which now stands on a pillar of rock in the middle of a huge development site in the fastest growing city on earth.

Hundreds of sightseers visit the house daily and supporters have been supplying Mr Yang with food which he pulls up by a rope.

The house, scheduled for demolition in 2004 now stands alone, suspended high in the air in the centre of a large pit in the city of Chongqing in southwestern China.

The other 280 families in the area left their homes which were all demolished.

Despite court orders and offers of compensation, Mr Wu, a restaurant owner, has refused to budge.

His wife Ping Wu stands guard outside the barricade the developers have built around the house.

The couple stood defiant yesterday, the day scheduled by court order for their house's demolition, and said they are staying put.

"The house is still there," Mrs Wu said.

"My husband is inside, and will be there as long as it is."

Chongqing sits on a fork in the Yangtse river. Its population is growing by 500,000 a year -- possibly the fastest sustained expansion of any city in history.

feast or famine

2007-03-16T22:00:00.000-07:00

Let the blogging feast begin at my kids' blog
sartiparty.blogspot.com
I am trying to make it a ritual to post multiple times over the weekend. I mean I can't plug my camera into my computer more than once a week, right?

march madness is upon me

2007-03-16T21:40:00.000-07:00

I love brackets.
I hate brackets.
I love brackets.

I am going to take all the brackets in my keyboard and throw them out. And al lthe brackets on my shelves.

Why am I upset...cos I like to think I am intelligent at picking winning teams. More a=intelligent than anyone out there. Gee, do you think my expectations are a little high?! No.

PS - Kansas to win on my real bracket.
UCLA to win on my "fun" bracket.

another day in whacky Myanmar

2007-02-26T08:57:00.000-08:00

Read this article this morning aboutt he gas "shortage" in Myanmar. Managament isn't really too great there, or is it?!

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/02/26/myanmar.cars.reut/index.html

Blades of Glory

2007-02-22T14:03:00.000-08:00

Please be a good movie, please be a good movie...
Jon Heder + Will Ferrell should = comedic perfection (as long as there is a Vince Vaughn cameo)
Opens March 30th
http://www.bladesofglorymovie.com/home.html

the hottest club in the OC

2007-02-15T21:21:00.000-08:00

For those star-crossed lovers of stars, Orange County has an astronomers club... How do I know? Because I saw this sweet sticker on a car when I was driving today.

the greatest steakhouse in Indy

2007-02-15T21:17:00.000-08:00

It's called St Elmo steakhouse, it's been open since 1902.
Peyton Manning eats there every week, I have only eaten there once.
I had a 10oz Filet Mignon, it was unbelievable.
The only thing better than the filet was a fun time with Katie E., Megan H., Matt H., and Kurt J.

images from Indy

2007-02-15T21:04:00.000-08:00

Some more shots from around and about in cold cold Indianapolis... including inside the RCA dome, some great signage, a freezing Matt Hall

the life of a pen

2007-02-15T20:58:00.000-08:00

Just today I picked up a pen on my desk... It read NC State Housing on the side, and I thought, how did this pen make it all the way from North Carolina, to California, to my house, and all the way to the third story of our house, and end up on my desk. I have no idea how it got here!
When we all meet our Maker one day, many will ask about the meaning of life, missing family members, and so forth, but I think I want to find out more from God about the life of company branded plastic pens.
Questions may consist of:
What is the average distance a pen travels in a lifetime?
What is the most popular final resting place for a pen? Under the Couch? Underneath the car seat?
What percentage of pens actually have all their ink used up?
Does anyone actually see a pen, look at a website written on the side, and then go and check out the website on their computer?

If you would like to ask any more questions about the life of a plastic pen, please comment and let me know your thoughts!

indiana pacers - the game

2007-02-11T07:05:00.000-08:00

On Friday night I went to a Pacers vs Nuggets game. Had great seats, 12 row back and you could see and hear all the action...
while neither teams shot well, the game really heated up with 5 technical fouls by the Pacers and two ejections in the second half. Still freezing it up in Indiana, more blogs to come!

the watering hole

2007-01-28T21:35:00.000-08:00

My brother-in-law put me onto this live webcam, that is at a watering hole somewhere in Africa. I didn't think much of it the first few times I check in with it (it is 9hrs ahead of California time), but last Thursday night I did see a giraffe at the watering hole. Just the sound of the birds during the day or insects at night is worth it to leave it open and running on your computer for a while.
Here is the link: http://live.wildlife.wavelit.net/451OK

my wife, the organizer

2007-01-26T13:17:00.000-08:00

Jana thought she would organize the "random" photo board of friends and family that we have... instead of just random pins and photos, she structured photos by family group, and put all photos inside a 6x9 envelope, except the most recent, which she attached to the front of the envelope!
I think this is how Russell Crowe sorted his Christmas Cards in the movie "A Beautiful Mind".

i am now an iStock Photo Contributor!

2007-01-24T09:53:00.000-08:00

After a tough screening process, I ma now officially a contirbutor to iStockphoto.com, which means I ma now selling some of my photography work at one fo the world's largest stock photography sources! I am slowly building my portfolio and waiting patiently as they accept or decline my new submissions. You can view my current available portfolio at http://www.istockphoto.com/file_search.php?action=file&userID=565278

i love the Vans store

2007-01-23T11:26:00.000-08:00

I love the Vans store.
Not because of their sweet sweet shoes
Not because of their semi-sweet clothes
I love the Vans store, because when I went in there last night (with Bella) the were playing "November Rain" by Guns N Roses
It was epic, I nearly stayed in the store for all 8 minutes and 53 seconds of this musical treat for my ears, until Bella ran out of the store headed for the escalator, right at the part when Slash rips a sweet solo (cue mental image of Slash outside a small rural church).
I loved that Vans store moment.

excerpts from a conversation

2007-01-21T21:11:00.000-08:00

Was at a party this afternoon... here was a question I got asked...
"Where did you find the Lord? Australia or America?"
Pause
Leigh's Comments Thought In His Head: OK, the Lord found me, and does it really matter in which country?!
Another Pause
After a quick answer he said, "Praise the Lord"

End of Conversation (I was all of a suden very concerned aboutt he whereabouts of my child 10ft away)

from the iPhoto archive

2007-01-15T13:31:00.000-08:00

This is one of my greatest ever shots... consider the timing, the poetry, the odds of that man standing in that place, with that hair, that expression, and those oversized buttons! This shot WAS NOT set-up.
Location: Wall Street, New York, 2002

even more cinnamon

2007-01-09T22:07:00.000-08:00

I didn't think it could happen, but we stubled upon an even bigger cinnamon roll.
It was located at the lovely Maltby's Cafe, out in the sticks past Woodinville, and a highly recommended breakfast spot.
There is no special angle on the camera shot, that cinnamon roll is as big as my daughters' head, and it took four fully grown humans to take that thing down. Then, there wasn't any room for the rest of my breakfast!

speechless in seattle

2007-01-06T22:09:00.000-08:00

Just got back from a sweet sweet football game.
Qwest Field is the loudest in the league, it was unbelievable.
We had sweet seats only 20 rows up right by the ndzone and the Seahawks tunnel.
The game was unbelievable with the Seahawks winning by one after a weird safety and botched field goal.
I have a couple of pics below...

the sweetest rental car

2007-01-06T10:56:00.000-08:00

National Car Rental - Seattle Airport
We picked full-size and instead of them allocating a car to you, you go down the lot and pick anything from the "full-size section". We had an option of about 10 different cars, and we went with the ugliest of them all - the Chevy HRR. And yes, it's purple. We call it Purple Rain.

cinnamon in seattle

2007-01-06T10:48:00.000-08:00

Well, it's Day 3 of our little family trip up to Seattle and the sun is shining this morning! Much better than the windy rainy cold conditions of the last couple of days. The weather doesn't really matter though, as we are having a sweet time.
Just this morning we went and ate the world's largest cinnamon roll. It was tasty, and now I feel sick. Here are some pictures below...
This afternoon I am of to the Seahawks vs Cowboys NFL Playoff game. I am excited, but scared of the freezing cold temperatures of the stadium. I'll let you know how it goes.

funny article on clueless tourist

2006-12-30T07:47:00.000-08:00

saw this on CNN's offbeat news: tourist goes 13,000km off track

A 21-year-old German tourist who wanted to visit his girlfriend in the Australian metropolis Sydney landed 13,000 kilometers (8,077 miles) away near Sidney, Montana, after mistyping his destination on a flight booking Web site.

Dressed for the Australian summer in T-shirt and shorts, Tobi Gutt left Germany on Saturday for a four-week holiday.

Instead of arriving "down under", Gutt found himself on a different continent and bound for the chilly state of Montana.

"I did wonder but I didn't want to say anything," Gutt told the Bild newspaper. "I thought to myself, you can fly to Australia via the United States."

Gutt's airline ticket routed him via the U.S. city of Portland, Oregon, to Billings, Montana. Only as he was about to board a commuter flight to Sidney -- an oil town of about 5,000 people -- did he realize his mistake.

The hapless tourist, who had only a thin jacket to keep out the winter cold, spent three days in Billings airport before he was able to buy a new ticket to Australia with 600 euros in cash that his parents and friends sent over from Germany.

"I didn't notice the mistake as my son is usually good with computers," his mother, Sabine, told Reuters.

Copyright 2006 Reuters. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

up in big bear

2006-12-18T17:47:00.000-08:00

The Sarti Party has headed up to Big Bear for a few days of fun in the snow... it's Jana's Dads 60th Birthday (Happy birthday Barramundi!) and the whole family is up in Big Bear staying in a cabin together. I did make it more than 24hrs without internet, which was a great vacation, but found a Starbucks and some internet and managed to post some updates to the kids' blog.
The chains were no fun, but got us here safe, and I continue to remember that people from Western Australia don't handle the snow and freezing temperatures too well... or at least I am speaking for myself!

more from the french capital

2006-12-09T10:25:00.000-08:00

It went from wet, wild, and windy yesterday to clear blue skies today... and we like the other million people thought heading up the Eiffel Tower would be good. After about a 3hr wait we got to the top and it was worth the wait.
The lovely people of France have been most friendly, except in their cars when you try to cross the crosswalk. The French Fries are good, the French coffee is good, the French bread is great, and I am yet to have some French Toast.
I hae quite a few pictures to view and you can view them by clicking here.

paris pix - part deux

2006-12-07T10:46:00.000-08:00

A full cold windy rainy day in Paris, but a great day... some highlights:
-Having a Cafe au Lait made fresh for you while the waiter smokes a cigarette brewing the coffee
-Seeking sanctuary at Notre Dame (not unlike Quazimoto) from the wind and rain
-A crepe with nutella (yum yum)
-Internet in the apartment
-An evening stroll around the Louvre
-Having fun with Anthony and Lachlan

paris - a couple of pics

2006-12-06T10:58:00.000-08:00

Got into town this afternoon and cruised around a little as well (Sacre Cur and Arce de Triumph), as caught up with friends... here are some pics!

bon voyage dear bloggery

2006-12-05T14:19:00.000-08:00

No, I am not giving up blogging just yet, but I am taking a short trip over to Paris. I am in Dallas en route to the French capital city, where I will meet up with a good friend Warren and his family who have been traveling over in Europe for the last month. In the coming days I am sure my blog will be fillled with wintery Parisian photos and stories of those ever friendly French people!

this week in leighview

2006-12-05T14:18:00.000-08:00

Since Thanksgiving it has been a little crazy around the house of the Sarti Party... Here are some happenings...

- Jana went to the Paul Frank sale in Costa Mesa, and dropped her keys down the drain while getting in the car. It’s Friday at 3:30pm. It took two hours to get the keys back. 59mins drive there in traffic, 59mins to drive home in traffic, 2mins for me to open up the man hole and climb down to find the keys in a pile of leaves. No rats or ninja turtles were found in the sewer

-We went our to visit friends in the 951 (Riverside), saw the lights of the Mission Inn, stayed the night in their guest house, braved the 951 locals, and got to play olf at the Victoria Club in Riverside

-Became a citizen of the Clipper Nation. Got some sweet Clipper tickets right by the players tunnel behind the basket. Clippers killed the Orlando Magic. Watching Dwight Howard was unbelievable. Note: I thought I was going to a Laker Game until we were halfway up to LA. I won’t lie... Initially I was disappointed!

-Watched Bella grow and learn at a “tumbling class”... She got to do somersalts, hang on the bars, and play on all the fun equipment

-Watched Leighton grow a lot more... Still eating lots... Staring to smile more... Starting to make some really sweet noises

i love thanksgiving

2006-11-27T22:06:00.000-08:00

Since coming to this great land many years ago (7 and a bit), no cultural experience really stacks up to the Thanksgiving Feast.
I love turkey, I love stuffing, I love sweet potato, I love gravy, I love mashed potatoes.
More than any of this though, I love mixing them all together, then going to town on it and not talking to anyone while partaking this blended feast.
We had Thanksgiving at our house on Thursday
We had second Thanksgiving with leftovers at our house on Friday
We had third Thanksgiving with leftover leftovers at our house on Sunday
We ran out of sweet potato, so I picked up some at Claim Jumper before the meal, both o nFriday and Sunday

I am thankful.

this week in leighview

2006-11-17T11:40:00.000-08:00

leighview means review... sorry I just love morphing words together... it's been a busy one (week), so let me just give you some of the highlights...

-finished a couple of big projects at work which I am really proud of... I may post them on here in the next couple of weeks
-submitted some of my pictures to istockphoto.com to begin selling some of my photographs as stock photography
-Bella went #2 in her little potty for the first time. she gets a piec eof Daddy's Cadbury Chocolate as a reward. I hope this clogs her up, as I don't want her taking too much of my chocolate!
-read some of a book called "The Deity Formerly Known As God". I am kind of liking it
-leighton is now 4 weeks old, much bigger, much louder, much more poop
-was confused by Daybreak, but might give it one more try
-bella slept in both weekend mornings till 8:45am. It was a beautiful thing
-saw another look-a-like at that same Satrbucks. This time it was a Simon Cowell lookalike, though hard to recognize without a tight black v-neck t-shirt
-only 12 more weeks till Lost comes back on

i turned 30 the other day

2006-11-10T15:40:00.000-08:00

I officially got old the other day... who can believe I have been on this Earth for 30 years now?!
It started like any other day. Leighton woke up way too hungry, way too early, and Bella was soon to wake after that.
It ended like any other day, too tired to get up off the couch to go to bed!
Somewhere in between those two events I had a good day, including breakfast with the fam at Cinnamon Production, and a fun evening at Oak Creek Golf Course on the driving range, followed by dinner at the clubhouse.

Oh, and Bella made me a nice cake out of Play-Doh!

musings from Disneyland

2006-11-10T15:34:00.000-08:00

The other day as the fam was at Disneyland, Leighton and I were sitting around, just watching the people go by.
I thought to myself, "There is a lot of tie-die t-shirts wandering around this park today." I saw Disney tie-die, Shamu tie-de, and entire family tribes wearing tie-die in an effort to be easier to keep together. I don't understand tie-die, nor the attraction to putting this type of clothing on your body in public.

Then the creme de la creme...

A man, with hsi family, wearing capri pants, that were once track pants, but now cut off, with paint stains... and on his head he was wearing a hard-hat. Not a cap, or hat, but a hard-hat! Sorry, my camera phone doesn't take very good pics... but should give you an idea.

Each to their own.

a scary lookalike: benjamin linus

2006-11-02T09:45:00.000-08:00

I was at Starbucks this morning, and sitting next to me, I swear I saw this man. He claimed that he works at the other Starbucks down the road, but didn't mention anything about a hot-air balloon. I don't trust him. It looks like he had a sore back though, poor guy.

crazy animal eyes

2006-10-28T20:18:00.000-07:00

Took this little snapshot at the petting zoo in San Juan Capistrano... these eyes scared the bedazzle out of me...

a bad omen?!

2006-10-28T19:32:00.000-07:00

The other day I stopped by the hair salon (mostly to get my neck cut, but also my head...) and when I walked into the salon I noticed one of the male stylists sporting a sweet butt-cut complete with bronze highlights. I should have taken that as a sign to turn around and get out of there, but lukily enough I didn't get him in The Haircutters lottery... still I didn't really like my haircut, but my neck looks fantastic.

the kids want to be together!

2006-10-25T10:06:00.000-07:00

Bella & Leighton mentioned to me that instead of having separate blogs, they would like to have a blog together... thus I am proud to announce The Sarti Party Blog!
You can get there by going to sartiparty.blogspot.com

leighton is now blogging

2006-10-22T18:01:00.000-07:00

It has happened again... another one of our children have jumped on the blogging bandwagon!
Though Leighton can not hold his neck up yet, he can manage to figure out the keyboard and HTML formatting. Though his life mainly consists of sleeping and pooping, Leighton's blog should keep you up to date o nthe latest adventures of his life... you can view his blog here

allison's LOST party

2006-10-21T21:35:00.000-07:00

Bella and I cruised over to Allison Hibbard's sweet LOST themed party last night... we just popped over for a while as Jana and the boy (Leighton) just got back from the hospital.
Bella looked super-cute in our Others Jr outfit and the dragged teddy-bear really capped off her look.
There were some notable other costumes... a great Eko priest, Rousseau, and Ron Edwards as Hurley was a timeless look. Well done Allison, sweet party!

more pics from the hospital

2006-10-19T22:33:00.000-07:00

I have updated our mac.com page with some more pics of Leighton, with lot's of Leighton & Bella. You can view the pics here
Jana and Leighton are coming home from the hospital tomorrow!

it's a boy!

2006-10-17T22:29:00.000-07:00

Leighton Matthew Sarti
Born on october 17, 2006
12:46pm
7lbs 9ozs
19.5inches
CHECK OUT THE PICS HERE

one day to go!

2006-10-16T09:31:00.000-07:00

Well... we are down to the wire for Baby #2... tomorrow morning 7:30am
Please be praying for Jana, that everything goes great, and for me, cos I don't really like hospital food.
I will be sure to put some pics up as soon as I can, to share this miracle with everyone in Cyberspace.

backstreet IS back!

2006-10-14T22:24:00.000-07:00

I thought this was perfect considering my sweet (self-proclaimed) Backstreet Boys blog-post from a few weeks back. It seems Backstreet will be back at Saddleback!
Former member Brian Litrell will be a guest at Saddleback weekend services in a few weeks... don't believe me? Look at this web page!

el boothadores

2006-10-09T20:40:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick pic of my little set-up at Catalyst. I termed my booth "Trading Spaces", design on a small budget. There were plenty of Extreme Home makeover booths around.

atlanta trip update

2006-10-04T08:51:00.000-07:00

Here are some bullet point highlights from Hotlanta:
- on the 2nd flight (DFW to ATL) the lady in front threw up and dry-reached for about 15mins of the flight
- I had my noise-cancelling headphones on and didn't have to hear the vomiting
- I am driving a Dodge Stratus (but I don't have 13 people working under me)
- I got a little lost and ended up in seedy part of town (why is it whenever you get lost you end up in the seedy part?!)
- I went all the way to the dirty south, but still got Chipotle for dinner (the taste for Chipotle was still fresh from the Witt wedding)
- I have already seen 359 Waffle House restaurants
- People still talk really slow out here

More to come!

the people you meet on planes

2006-10-03T13:07:00.002-07:00

Well, I am at DFW on my way to Atlanta and one of the first people I saw in the airport had a large black cowboy hat on. To my story...
I usually don't talk to people I sit next to on planes, even when I travel with my wife! Today I thought I would stike up a conversation with the old guy next to me who was travelling with his wife who had a voice not unlike Marge's sister from The Simpson's. Here are some highlights from the conversation...
- he was 70something years old, but broke the ice by asking if I preferred a Mac or a PC
- he asked me why, and was actually tracking the conversation
- he was concerned about what gate to transfer to in Dallas
- she was concerned that the airport was non-smoking as she was dying for a cigarette
- he used to work at Costa del Sol golf club in Mission Viejo (on Marguerite)
- he buys bagels from Bagels and Brew and then freezes them
- he is a former marine and fought in the Korean War
- his son designs outdoor signage and created the Coca-Cola sign in Times Square
- he likes to read blogs, and does so for a coule of hours, each and every morning

What an amazing man... who knows who I will sit next to on the next flight from Dallas to Atlanta?!

my morning at LAX

2006-10-02T12:37:00.000-07:00

This morning I spent around 3 quality hours at LAX, in between dropping my friends Anthony & Siobhan off and picking up my Dad. I decided to kill some time (at 6:50am) by going over to the Thomas Bradley International Terminal, which for those in the know, is typically the craziest, most hectic airport terminal known to modern man.It looked quiet from the outside... I walked ine... there was hardly even a soul in the place, just enough to have McDonalds justify opening their doors, but the rest of the place was shut-down. It reminded me of the scene from Vanilla Sky when Tom Cruise is in an abandoned Times Square, which also reminded me that even the Chirstian Science Reading Room at LAX was shut. It was a surreal experience, and worthy of a blog.

In other news, while I was waiting for my Dad, I saw Ben Folds. I was going to say Hi, but accosting strangers after 14 hour flights is not my social sweet spot.

bella was beautiful yesterday

2006-10-02T12:31:00.000-07:00

Isabella Jaye Sarti had her first official FlowerGirl assignment yesterday. She was adorable.. you can view some pics here at her blog.

my day at Seaworld

2006-09-25T21:50:00.000-07:00

Today I went to SeaWorld.
Your typical thought process at SeaWorld probably goes... "mmmm, God made so many wonderful creatures, and it is unbelievable how they interact with humans, and do amazing tricks"
My though process goes... "mmmm, I wonder if the dolphin trainers and the whale trainers have unhealthy competition between each other, and make some rivalry out of if, and do the animals sense it?"
That was my thought process. I think all the day in the sun got to my brain.

a great show

2006-09-22T09:42:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday night I went and saw a show called KA, which is one of the 317 different Cirque de Soleil shows... it was the most unbelivable stage performance I have ever been to, and I highly recommend it.
It had this crazy moving hydraulic stage that I can describe by writing, so if you see me, ask me about it... plus this link show a couple of pics. i would pay 100 bucks just for the stage, without the performers.

one of my favorite Saddleback moments...

2006-09-16T22:40:00.000-07:00

As I was sitting at the 4:30pm service today, one of my favorite moments played out right in front of my eyes.
Part A) Pastor Rick, talking about our past, referenced the modern day poets "the Backstreet Boys", by saying "looking back on the things I've done, I was trying to be someone... I smiled and nodded.
Part B) Cue the music in between points. Yes, Backstreet Boys "Shape of my Heart". Brilliant. If only AJ was there to sing it live.

On a more serious note... Erik Rees shared about his past and what shaped him growing up... it was really cool to hear him open up and see where God has taken him in his life.

I can't wait for the season premiere of Grey's Anatomy

2006-09-13T20:35:00.000-07:00

No, not to see what transpires in the love triangle of Meredith Grey... but because I am sick of the 327 ads I see everyday for this television show.
This show could be the downfall of The Fray...

My thought for the day...

Kitale Chicken Coop - The Story

2006-09-12T23:13:00.000-07:00

We have pictures online here

Well, it’s been a few weeks since we got back from Kitale, so I figure it was time to let everyone know how the construction of Kitale Chicken Coop went!

It wasn’t long after we arrived in Kitale that I was reminded that flexibility is the key when visiting foreign countries! While the building supplies took a little time to get to us, that gave Dean (CCG-Coop Construction Guru) time to work on an idea to build a larger coop that would not only be a blueprint that could be reproduced by other people on mission, but a coop that would be two-storeys!. The new coop names flowed freely, such as “SuperCoop” and “Coop de Ville”.

To make this reproduclible meant a lot less welding and a lot more bolts, but it also meant that it could be transported, so we built it at a friend’s (Steve Rutenbar) house where all the equipment was.

The final location of the coop also changed as we were not able to build at Mercy Orphanage. The new location we ended up at was a great location for the coop, as we knew the people would take care of the chickens and ensure that this venture was a win for them.
Sister Frida’s Cottage Hospital was the new location, and we were excited to provide them with the coop. Not only does the hospital care for hundreds of people coming in from the surrounding villages, but during the day, every day it loves on, educates and feeds over 60 needy children from the surrounding villages.

We had a great time working on the initial construction , but our time in Kitale ended before we were able to see the chicken coop in it’s completed stage at it’s final location, but Dean stayed to see it’s completion and took lot’s of pictures for us.

The coop is now the proud home to over 150 chickens and we left them enough feed to last them six months. There are about 100 broilers (chickens to eat) and 60 layers (chickens that lay eggs), as well as a few chickens and roosters in a special section of the coop we like to call “The Love Room”. The word around the surrounding community at the hospital is that people would like a home designed similar to the chicken coop! (because of the size and construction, not because of the Love Room)

We were privileged to be able to serve the people of Kitale, and are already excited to head back there!

a tale of two Bono's

2006-09-10T22:06:00.000-07:00

Today the Sarti family headed on down to the Endless Summer Fest, hosted by Saddleback San Clemente... I was excited to go to see the Rider4Christ dudes jumping on their motorbikes, but I didn't know the real treat would be the antics of the U2 tribute band that was playing in the festival area.

Let me share a few band highlights:
-the lead singer styles his hair like Bono
-the guitar player wore a beanie the whole time (ala The Edge)
-the bass player wore Adam Claytonesque clothes (camo pants and a long-sleeve shirt)
-the lead singer had a great fake Irish accent
-MLK Jr was quoted during the bridge on one song
-Fake Bono blindfolded himself and sung during "Bullet The Blue Sky"

But what really took it to the next level, was that the band had invited another U2 tribute band to the show, so a second Bono and second Edge came up on the stage for a few songs. It was brilliant. This new Bono was more circa mid-90s with the cowboy hat, whereas regular lead Bono was more concertesque Bono in black leather.

If there were really this many Bono's in the world I am sure Africa would be in a better place.

bella is now blogging!

2006-09-09T22:07:00.000-07:00

Bella is turning two this week, and wanted to let you know that for her birthday she asked her Dad to start a blog for her, so that her friends and family can find out just what she is up to!
You can view Bella’s blog at http://blogofbella.blogspot.com/
She will try and update it at least once a week with pictures and funny stories, as well as things she is learning and discovering on a daily basis.

Enjoy!

from the iPhoto archives #6

2006-09-08T11:21:00.000-07:00

We are going way back to 1999 for this image, taken after Crave when it was back in Tent #2. Here are two highlights for me... a young Natalia Larosa (now Natalie Hall) and a smiling, happy (surprise) Josh Garrett.
Oh, hang on, the Ultimate Highlight - Nadim Najm complete with a large layer of hair and button-down shirt from Dick's Last Resort! Priceless.

you look like who?!

2006-09-07T17:04:00.000-07:00

I was just reading a story at CNN.com about a guy in Korea who looks exactly like North Korean leader Kim Jong Il... read more here
Maybe we should bring this lookalike to Saddleback and have him meet up with Rick Warren?! I am sure Slice of Laodicea would love to "report" on that meeting!

jesus can fix your heart AND your home

2006-09-06T10:57:00.000-07:00

Not satisfied with just being at places of worship, Jesus is now mobile and ready to come into your household.
(shot taken outside Henry's Market yesterday afternoon)

is a magazine like the church?

2006-09-05T15:03:00.000-07:00

No, I am not talking about the Relevant Magazine...
I was reading this article about an older magazine called "Family Circle", a home-making magaziner in Australia. I felt like there wwere some parallels between the story of the magazine and the story of many churches. I am sure we can all learn something from this...
Click here to view the article.

from the iPhoto archives - #5

2006-09-03T13:55:00.000-07:00

This weeks archived photo of the week comes from Australia Day earlier this year (January 26th). Chad Peacock prepares for Australia Day in Kelmscott-like fashion. Note the stonewash denim, the esky (cooler), the tank-top, the plastic thongs, and of course the mandatory mullet. You little beauty.

kenya: the story of Peter

2006-08-31T17:04:00.000-07:00

I first met Peter outside the gates of the Deliverance Church on the outskirts of Kitale. It was a Saturday morning, and occasionally on a Saturday, Deliverance Church has a ministry washing and feeding the street kids of Kitale. The word was out that the mzungus (white folks) were in town, so there was quite a crowd.

Peter spoke pretty good English, and surprised me at first as he immediately asked for my email address. “Homeless, but has email?”, I thought, as I scribbled my email down as best as possible on a scraggly piece of paper. Peter was pretty tall and though it was hard to tell, he looked even skinnier than me. He told me he was 22 years old and had been on he streets for around 8 years. It was a warm day, yet he was wearing jeans and a pretty thick jacket. Mind you, this was his only set of clothes…

I only talked to Peter for a minute or so, long enough for him to ask me for my shoes. I obliged, figured out how I could get them to him at the end of the week, encouraged him to get washed and fed, then moved on to greet others of the multitude waiting outside the gates to get in.

About an hour or so later I saw Peter again, this time inside the gates, looking kind of hesitant about the whole goings on inside the church property. There were kids running everywhere, lines of guys and girls waiting to be washed, people preparing food… it was a beautiful chaos. I made eye contact with him and then walked him down to the join the line where the guys were being washed. I left him in the line and went inside the bathroom area to survey the craziness. Kids everywhere, clothes everywhere, water everywhere, and a few of us white guys pretending like we have some kind of organizational structure happening!

Peter pulled me out of the guys bathroom block and told me the girls were finished in their side of the bathroom block. I told him he could go in and use their showers, and he replied, “I would like you to wash me.” I was puzzled! We walked over there, and while all the other people were “clothes off and into the water” in front of everyone, I could tell there was an uneasiness with Peter. After helping him take his layers of clothes off, I found out why he was uneasy.

Even though Peter’s ribs and hips stuck out from his skin, they were of the right proportion, as opposed to his torso, which was about 15 inches in diameter. His arms were super-thin and he didn’t have the strength to raise them above his head. His spine was literally popping out of his now hunched-over back.

Water was barely dripping out of the shower head, and formed what could be best described as a cold constant drip. I began to scrub Peter’s back with a remnant of left over soap and a hand-ripped section from a potato sack. As I washed, we chatted. He told me about his family, and how some bushmen came to their village and had killed his parents when he was younger. He then moved to Kitale to live on the streets and got a job loading and unloading trucks. He suffered different illnesses from both the work and living on the streets. I am not exactly sure of the spinal condition he has, but I know he has a combination of different illnesses. He told me he didn’t have HIV, he had been tested five times, and was very proud of the fact he was negative. As he talked he occasionally had to spit out some blood. I think I might have been scrubbing too hard. He mentioned it had been about eight months since he had been able to bathe, as he needed assistance to wash because of his spine and arms.

I had Peter wash his own face, but I had to hold his elbows up by his chest in order for him to get his hands on his face. The soap was running out, but he asked to be scrubbed some more. Skin was coming off faster than soap was going on! Even though the water was cold, I know he was being refreshed by this experience.

Obviously, washing another person is not the most glorious task, and I am not trying to pretend that this was a comfortable action for me to undertake. But, I was surprised at what God taught me in that moment.
It wasn’t about pride (no one knew I was doing this except Peter).
It wasn’t about feeling good about myself for “doing good.”
It wasn’t about how the story woould make an awesome blog.
I think God taught me about the real meaning of doing ministry. All I was doing was “meeting needs in love.” There was no need for a reward for my actions, as the action was a reward. Peter could have thanked me a hundred times, but serving him was the real reward for me.

Eventually we rinsed off, and I helped Peter put back on those same grimy clothes we had just taken off twenty minutes before that.

This was not the last I saw of Peter, as I have had several encounters with him since then, both in Kitale when I was there, and now via email. Side note: I still have trouble with the fact he doesn’t have a roof over his head, but he has an email account and visits an internet café!

I will post more about my interaction I have had with Peter, including how I have been trying to figure out the best way to “support” him now that I am back at home. I am learning plenty from this experience too!

speaking of london bridge

2006-08-28T16:46:00.000-07:00

I almost forgot to post some pics from my short stay in London before heading off to Kenya... most of my shots were kind of abstract, pictures of drain pipes and so forth, but I did manage to take the odd touristy shot when the sun was in the right spot, and not behind the clouds. You can view London pics here

london bridge - the critics' penmanship

2006-08-28T16:01:00.000-07:00

If you want some light reading and if you have iTunes installed on your computer...
Go to the Music Store and click on "London Bridge" by Fergie.
There are 5174 pretty negative reviews, they are fun to read and it looks like some people have put in the due time and effort to craft their reasoning on why they think the song is terrible.
Enjoy!

P.S. - my favorite part of the song is that on the Single (EP) Graphic, it has a picture of Fergie with a bridge in the background. It's not even London Bridge, it's Tower Bridge! Classic.

hungry hungry hippos

2006-08-27T13:16:00.000-07:00

Actually, horny horny hippos... I forgot to mention that last week in the Mara River two hippos were doing it Hippo Style. The only thing missing was the bow-chicka-wow-wow music.
This isn't an official story forn Kenya, just something I needed to share with the world.

more pictures... no stories yet

2006-08-25T17:43:00.000-07:00

I have not put paper to pen yet, but I have downloaded and sorted some more photos from the Kenya trip... these updated pics are from serving in Kitale at various orphanages and development projects. You can view these photos here
Some stories will come soon, I promise! As will an update at kitalechickencoop.com

stories from Kenya - part 1

2006-08-24T08:18:00.000-07:00

The main story for me since returning from Kenya is that I have been sick as a dog and haven't posted a blog... I have many stories to share and are excited to tell them in the Dear Bloggery format. Stay tuned!
In the meantime I have some Safari pictures online... click here

in kenya, and still alive!

2006-08-17T00:56:00.000-07:00

This has been the longest hiatus from the internet I think I have had since it was invented by Al Gore back in the 80's.
We are in Nairobi on our way to a safari in the Masai Maraa. Things are great, I will write more about my whole experience when I get home next week.

9:32pm - London

2006-08-08T13:36:00.000-07:00

Well, my sleep cycle is looking better, the dogs (feet) are tired, but we are having a great time here... time for another highlight list...
-going back to sleep after being on the internet at 5am the other morning
-cruising around Soho taking pics
-finding refuge at the movie theatre during a mid-summer rain downpour
-Beverly Hills 90210 dubbed into Italian on the hotel TV channel
-making fun of a Kiwi (person from NZ) working at a pub in Soho
-making fun of Todd for being American
-walking around town and stumbling into a Nandos restaurant
-bringing 14 other people back to the Nandos for late lunch
-taking a long walk back from Abbey Road, we cruised past Lords Cricket Ground and there was a county test match happening. 12 pounds and 3 hours later, got to watch some cricket, including Shane Warne playing for Middlesex
-meeting up with the rest of the crew and hanging out in Hyde Park till 9pm

well, we are off to Kenya tomorrow evening... even more excited about this!

4:19am London - Wide Awake!

2006-08-06T20:23:00.000-07:00

Well, we made it across the Atlantic and have been having a good time in London so far. I am excited for what today holds... Allison Hibbard has given me a little list of the less-touristy traps to visit and my camera is ready for some cool London images. I was just reading Louie Giglio describing St Pauls Cathedral, so I am excited to go there and spent some quiet moments.

Some highlights of today:
-Sleeping for 8hrs of a 10hr flight to London
-Getting reaquainted with European customer service (or lackthereof)
-Drinks without ice. I love it!
-Getting lost around Oxford Circus and finding Carnaby Street
-Minding the Gap
-Saying "Hi" to Bella on the phone
-Going to "The Chapel" pub with Todd and the Fields clan
-Being in a grocery store/internet cafe at 4:27am. I can update my blog, by laundry detergent and stock up on Cadbury chocolate all at the same time!
-Oh, and internet is 2USD an hour. A far cry from Tahiti

dear bloggery is going on the road!

2006-08-04T23:24:00.000-07:00

Well, a trip to Tahiti wasn't enough, so it is off to Lond on for four days, then venturing to new soil... Kenya.
I am not sure of how much bloggage I will be able to get up to in these far away lands, but the less blogging means even more material for when I make it back to my computer...

I wil try using Matt McGill's satellite internet hook-up, but he might need it for important stuff, like writing his own 757 word blog.

Blog Voyage,
Leigh

back from the 'hiti

2006-08-01T12:03:00.000-07:00

Once we were back on the 405 heading south and dodging traffic, the reality had set in... we were back! It was so great to see Bella again and give her hugs and kisses, but we wish we could just grab her and head on back to our vacation spot.
I have listed a few trip highlights below and have more pics for you to view here

-It seemed like averyone was on their honeymoon. With Jana being 7 months pregnant we just assumed everyone thought that we had a really late shotgun wedding and were on our honeymoon.

-The airport speaker system in Moorea had "More Than Words" by Extreme on repeat for about an hour. It was awesome.

-We watched such classic movies on the flight such as She's The Man, Big Mamas House 2, Eight Below, and Match Point.

-We ate lots of tropical fruit and unprocessed fruit. Jana mentioned that I had a lot less gas this last week...

-Jana ate an $85 lobster, and thought it was "so-so".

-I forgot to take my wet swim trunks (bathers) out of my bag until this morning. They stunk.

-When we left our first hotel in Bora Bora (there was construction happening there), Jana mentioned that they were doing construction due to the large swell that hit and destroyed parts of the hotel. Information that would have been handy before we booked there!

I will think of more and randomly blog when I remember...

tahiti update #3

2006-07-29T13:45:00.000-07:00

We did a little hotel transfer this morning, and the new hotel is so stinky sweet... the bungalow is over the water and is about 1000sqft (and it has two plasma screens in the bungalow). It is very cool and once we et back to cheap and fast internet I'll post a little video tour of the place.
It has been a little crazy windy with a large swell here the last few days and we have been going to bed not sure if we are going to be swept away by a large wave in the middle of the night.
The new hotel is more protected in the lagoon, so it is a little calmer and we will only be partially swept away should a tsunami come.

I have uploaded a few more pics that you can view by clicking here.

tahiti update #2

2006-07-28T19:54:00.000-07:00

well, we are now in Bora Bora and it seems the world wide web isn't too popular here. i am on the internet (64kbps) at $22 per hour. thus, this will be quick.
we caught up withKyle and Courtney Rutenbar wihtin 5 minutes of arriving at Bora Bora. Our hotel is awesome, with a bungalow over the water.
We went out feeding sting-rays yesterday, which was strange but very awesome, and very entertaining cos Courtney was so scared of them. Jana did good, but they were a little too slimy for her! We then went to feed the sharks, outside the main lagoon in the ocean, and it was unbelievably awesome, there weere about half a dozen black tip reef sharks, between 3-5 feet long. It was so good, we might go again.

OK, this blog update cost me about $7 so it will end now.

tahiti update #1

2006-07-25T18:50:00.000-07:00

Well, we’ve been in Tahiti two nights now and we are absolutely loving it. It is filled with fun times, great memories and strange European men wearing Speedos.
Instead of writing whimsical tales that go on for days (ala Tour De Turkey) I decided to list our some more memorable parts... Feel free to email us and maybe we can elaborate. Except the hotel network is down, so we can’t get email unless we walk 15 minutes down the road.
The memories list:
-Getting off the plane and getting lei’d by a fruity French Polynesian man
-Taking a 7-minute flight from Tahiti to Moorea on a 12 seater plane in the cover of darkness (the longest 7mins of my life)
-The bell-boy at the hotel taking us to our room wearing nothing but a mini-sarong
-Jana ordering a $9 banana milshake
-Driving around the island in a green-cream Renault called a “Twingo”
-The beach fashions of Europe on full display at the Tahitian beaches
-Staying in our own little bungalow on the beach

We have some pics at http://homepage.mac.com/sartidesign

the day noise-cancelling failed me

2006-07-25T18:49:00.000-07:00

Before heading off on this trip I went and bough some noise-canceling headphones from Best Buy, thinking they would cure the aeroplane noise and the noise of others around me. Everything was going great, until the English-speaking French woman behind me started talking. Unfortunately, she started talking as soon as we got on the plane and hadn’t stopped talking when we arrived in Papeete. That s 8 hours of talking. Every other noise was cancelled, but the makers of Sony headphones had not accounted for her annoying pitch when constructing these things. Topics ranged from crochet, to the crappy American school system.
To top things off, everyone had their shutters down for the flight, to keep it nice and dark, as it was light the whole way there. She opened and closed her shutter (the only person in the cabin to do this) a number of times, and each time she did it, I thought the rapture was going to happen. I thought Jesus had come back three separate times on our flight!

from the iPhoto archives - week 3 (early edition)

2006-07-21T16:44:00.000-07:00

I affecionately call this "the two-headed McGill", but the image doesn't show much affection.
I always knew Matt had a little Middle-East in him, and it just popped out while we were in the great land of Turkey.