About a week ago I stopped off over lunch and took some photos at another local park. One of the reasons for this park was the view of downtown. I had to walk on a very narrow path along a bouncing bridge. I've wanted to take this shot for a long time and can't wait to go back. After a bit more practice I wouldn't mind heading out with my tripod and getting a night time shot. After the break you'll see a few more just for fun photos.
Posted at 01:56 PM in Photo | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Here's an email I received from my sister this week. Just for reference, the high temperature in Denver on November 15th is expected to be around 50 degrees. Please give if you are able.
Hi friends and family!
I have agreed to jump into a very cold lake for a very great cause and I am emailing you to see if you will sponsor me.
On November 15, 2008, I have pledged to jump into Chatfield Reservoir all in the name of Special Olympics. I am asking for your support in this endeavor.
I am part of a Jeffco Sheriff's Office team that challenged another Jeffco Sheriff's Office team to see who could raise the most in donations. Our goal is to raise $1,500 for the athletes of Special Olympics. For your convenience we established a web page that you can donate to http://www.firstgiving.com/
As you will see from this link, I am on the Property Plunger Team! My supervisor is the Property Investigator Lieutenant.
I know money is tight for many of us right now so I really appreciate anything you could give. The kids who are part of Special Olympics have big hearts and big dreams and this money does help make some of those dream come true.
Thanks a bunch! And if you want to see me take the plunge, come on out to Chatfield around 12:30 pm. I'll be freezin' for a reason!
Andi
Thanks!
Kirsten
Posted at 09:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
The first time I remember seeing Sen. Obama was around 2002 or early 2003. There was a clip on television showing a very tall skinny man asking the president and the public to reconsider going to war in Iraq. I don't remember much more. Like many Americans, I was fooled by what our government was saying, I had mixed feelings but I thought the war was a necessity evil. As a result, I discounted Barack Obama. A few years later, I was surprised to find a copy a of one of Sen. Obama's books on my parents coffee table. I was even more surprised to find out that it belonged to my aunt and she had encouraged my parents to read it. I didn't read it until much later.
On the long drive from my hometown of Denver, Colorado to our new home in Iowa, I listened to an audio book version of The Audacity of Hope. I want to know more about his man who has inspired me. Over the past year, I have read all but one of Sen. Obama's books. I have also had th opportunity to attend 3 of his events: The Heartland Forum and the Oprah event- both in Des Moines and then the 2008 Democratic Convention Acceptance speech. I learned quite a bit about Sen. Obama's life and perspective. He has exactly the type of experience I want my president to have.
I believe his childhood in Hawaii and Indonesia and his mother's global outlook gave Sen. Obama the ability to see the US in a unique way. I also believe Sen. Obama has it right. The only way we can achieve lasting peace is to talk to our enemies. This is a lesson we have not yet learned and the rest of the world knows it.
Sen. Obama has said he wants us to be empowered to be the best citizens of this country and the world that we can be. I feel that his background in community service and the law along with his leadership will give us the tools to be a stronger and better nation than we are now. So many people are struggling now. I am lucky although I had to leave my home and relocate hundreds of miles away from my family to a city with a much lower cost of living. We are our brother's keeper or sister's keeper and we have a responsibility to each other and to our nation to care for each other. Corporate America has the same moral obligation. Every person has a right to the basics including health care. I choose to live with hope. I reject living with fear. I made that decision before I knew of Sen. Obama. Four days after 9/11, I decided to fly from Denver to Boston to visit my cousin. It was a trip I had been planning for a long time. I felt that if I stayed home, the terrorists won. So I didn't stay home. I choose hope. If this makes me naive, so be it. I'd rather live believing in hope and the goodness of people.
Posted at 08:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
This week I stopped off at a few parks during my lunch to take some photos. I posted a few that I really think turned out well after the break. If you'd like to see full versions please check out my smugmug account.
Posted at 01:48 PM in Photo | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Halloween is here! This doesn't mean what you think it does. Halloween is a little different in Des Moines. I was 3 or 4 years old when I started trick or treating. Mom and Dad would would plan our costumers and have them constructed by mid October. On October 31st, we would go to school and spend the last hour of our day in a class party eating orange, white and other fall color frosted cupcakes, drinking orange punch, and eating popcorn balls and carmel apples. We'd sing silly songs before the teachers sent us home. My sister and I would run through the front door to ask mom if we could go trick or treating. It was always a terrible disappointment to find we'd have to wait until after dinner, so we'd spend the rest of our afternoon helping Mom make popcorn balls. Once the sun went down, one of the parents would stuff us into our costumes and we'd pile into the car. I almost always fell a huge let down because noone would be able to see our costumes. In the Colorado mountains, Ocober 31st was always too cold and snowy outside to be wearing only Halloween costumes. We'd go house to house knocking on doors and yelling "trick or treat" gathering candy. Once in a while, someone would sneak in a toothbrush. Scott's description of Halloween growning up in Des Moines is a little different.
In Des Moines, children trick or treat on October 30 - Beggar's Night. Beggar's Night has protocals. From 6pm - 8pm, children dress up in costumes and go door to door. Like Halloween, they knock on doors and yell "trick or treat." Thats where the similarities stop. On Beggar's Night, the correct reponse to "trick or treat" is "whats your trick?" Each child then tells a joke and are rewarded in turn with candy. No joke means no candy. It doesn't really matter if the joke is funny or logical.
I haven't experienced my 1st Beggar's Night yet. I am told that the customer started in the 1930's in order to protect children from violence that had been escalating on Halloween night in Des Moines. having never known the experience of trick or treating on Halloween night, many of these children from the 1930's passed along the tradition to the next generation and so forth. In fact, scott thinks it odd that children in other places don;t tell jokes for candy and he had a hard time understanding that I never worked for my candy. If a grown up asked me for a "trick" and refused to give my my candy, I would have been confused and gone away hurt and in tears! That wold have seemed very cruel to a little girl Kirsten. As a side note, I think Ty would love Beggar's Night becasue he loves telling his Nina silly jokes!
Our new home is in a very family friendly neighbood so, I'm sure we'll have lots of children tonight. I don't know if its customary to express tidings on Beggar's Night but here I go anyway. Happy Beggar's Night or Happy Halloween everyone! Take lots of pictures of the kids before you go out trick or treating so we can see all the costumes!
Posted at 03:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Spent a lunch hour at a nearby Waterworks Park and was lucky enough to get some geese in flight.
Posted at 02:31 PM in Photo | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Dearest Mother and Father,
Our situation is grim. With each passing day, I grow increasingly despondent. It has been days since the brilliant sunshine and turquoise sky last took center stage. Alas, the vague memory of intense warmth has begun to fade and has been replaced by a smothering blanket of gray. The vibrant color of the earth's fruit has dimmed. The fiery maples and oak appear a more muted clay color against the dreary sky. The farmer's children no longer play outdoors. For the ground has more mud than greenery.
We survive on meager rations from the local merchants. Sadly, the dark plague of each day justifies what had become our meals. The once abundant ruby gems of strawberries to break our fast have been replaced by brown bread and gruel. In place of once bountiful platters of lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes, we now lunch upon brown broth and potatoes. We sup on hearty game.
Alas, I bring my correspondence to end. We look with great anticipation and hope to a more pleasant season.
Affectionately,
Your Daughter
Posted at 10:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
The birthday presents have all been wrapped. The cupcakes are frosted and three different kinds of ice cream are in the freezer. When Scott wakes up in the morning, he'll be greeted with presents and cards but he'll have to wait until after work to open them.
At this point, the plan is to go out to dinner with Scott's parents and then home for ice cream and cake. I'm not sure where we're going but I wouldn't be surprised if we made a trip to Chipotle. Des Moines only has one Chipotle and its at a mall across town. If we do go, Scott will have his regular steak burrito with corn relish, medium salsa and cheese. I usually get a barbacoa with sour cream, guacamole and cheese. in Denver, I would get green chili but the Chipotle here in Des moines never seems to have any.
Happy Birthday, Husband. Remember, not only is it ok to dream, its encouraged! Now, go shake your presents. Be gentle.
Posted at 11:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
It is extremely rare for me to play a video game that takes over my life entirely. This feeling has only occurred once before and that was in 2004 with the release of Oblivion. I think I may never leave the house again. For those who may not be aware, Fable 2 was leased yesterday and I would like to apologize to my husband. Scott, I'm really sorry I'm not going to be doing laundry or cooking anytime soon. I love you but I have this other guy in my life now. His name is Fable 2. I love this new guy and I'm not ashamed to admit it.
I'm not going to say too much about the plot other that you play as Sparrow: either male or female. Its your choice. Its also your choice to play as a hero or a villain. The developers got it right. All too often, female characters are portrayed as weaker and more sexual than their male counterparts. This is not the case in Fable 2. I love that you can play as an equally serious female hero or villain. In fact, female Sparrow is now my favorite female video game character of all time.
Although I can't speak for all female gamers, Fable 2 is exactly what this female gamer wants. If I were male, I think I'd feel exactly the same. This an exceptional well detailed portrayal of good vs evil or evil vs evil depending on how you choose to play. The graphics combine beautifully illustrated load scenes with a very detailed open world. The game play is intuitive and everything works the way I expect. The dialogue is incredibly funny. All of these details change each time the game is played. During one scene, my Sparrow opened a chest and found a mood ring but when Scott's Sparrow in his game opened the same chest, he found 150 gold coins. Some of the background dialogue also changes with each game play. These are details that make Fable 2 as close to perfect as possible.
I did find a few flaws. The animation is slighly off. A number of AI characters routinely walk through my character. Also, Sparrow's feet never touch the ground when she climbs staircases. The biggest critisism I have is with local co-op. The camera seems very hard to controla and it distracting. I don't care. Admittedly, I'm only a couple of hours in. I didn't want to wait to post this because it could take me months to finish Fable 2. After all, I'm 200 hours in to Oblivion and I haven't actually finished the main quest yet. I like to savor games this good.
Posted at 07:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
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