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Showing posts from May 7, 2006

Honshu and Okinawa

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I am back. I spent 10 days in Japan, 5 days for work on the main island of Honshu and 5 days of solo adventure in Okinawa. Travel is so invigorating dispite the uncomfortableness. Jetlag, anxiety, crowds, and other discomforts aside, it is mind-expanding and rewarding. Work went well. I flew a new airline (Skymark) from Tokyo to Naha. I am always wary of strange discount airlines and all the traps they set. However, I had a great expereince with "Sky". I was actually shocked. Super easy checkin at the airport, no extra fees even with extra luggage. The primary mission in Okinawa was to visit the Peace Park and the suicide cliffs of Okinawa. From what I understand, at the end of WW2 the inhabitants were encouraged to commit suicide rather than surrender to the Americans and get tortured and eaten. Besides other types of suicide, they jumped off the cliffs at the Southern end of the main island. If you have seen the original color footage taken at the time, I am sure you ...
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The big news. Probably bigger than I can comprehend right now. We have a new family member, Ian Daniel McMullen . He was born May 11, 2006 at 9:11 PM ET. He weighed 8 pounds 14 ounces and is doing very well. He is the son of Becky and Douglas McMullen of Vestal NY. Click pic for video
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I sold some logs before work today. I didn't have enough for anyone to come pick them up so I had to get them to the sawmill. The sawmill reminded me of the scrapyard. I have enjoyed going to the scrap yard for years. It is great to know that I am getting paid to prevent something from going to the landfill and at the same time the scrap will be used as a raw material in a new product. It just seems right. Knowing that I got paid to get these logs into the market after they blew over in the woods gives me pleasure. There were no loggers or damage to the forest and still I have provided first time raw materials. I find pleasure knowing that those logs will be in the lumber market and will become something beautiful, maybe part of a sideboard or desk or some nice cabinets. It was very gratifying. My truck didn't really think so, however. I was originally thinking I could get three of these smaller logs on the truck. The truck screamed uncle after the first two. My truck is almost...