Our Dam day trip :)

So, last weekend, we went over to Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam. Fun times!

Lake Mead is beautiful. The pictures haven't been doctored any - the water's really that color! It was so clear, too - we could see fish swimming underneath us from the top of the Hoover Dam, even as high as it was! Zach wondered what type of fish they were, and was very disappointed in my answer of "Koi" ;)

The white ring (called the "Bathtub Ring" for obvious reasons!) is so stunning with the dark red rocks and the deep blue-green water. I love this first picture below here - so pretty! The coloring was caused during the high water in 1983. In the second picture below, you can see how high the high water line really was (people for scale!). Anyway, the water is so hard, such a high mineral content, that it left a deposit on the rocks. For you cavers out there - it's calcium carbonate! Yay calcite!

The dam itself it pretty much the way it was when it was completed in 1935. They did a good job - everything's still looking good! The time frame is the reason for all the art deco accents - several relief sculptures on walls and things, and a pair of crazy winged statues on a memorial on the NV side of the dam. The memorial itself is honoring all those who died during the completion of the dam. The terrace where the statues sit is interesting - inlaid with the sky (star positions) from the day the dam was completed. Neat idea! The statues themselves are rather eerie, I think, but I've never been fond of art deco people, as much as I love other design elements from that style. Still, they do make for interesting pictures!

We took the tour down into the insides of the dam, too. Got to see inside the generator room (well, at least the one on the NV side). The generator rooms are for peak-use. That means the electricity generated by water pushed through the dam is used only as it's needed. In this picture, you can see all the lights on the generators are on, which means all these generators are in use. As our tour guide said, "It must be a hot day in Southern CA - everyone's got their AC on!" (FYI, it was over 100 where we were in NV!)

These pictures were taken simply because they amused me. :) The dam sits right on the time zone line (i.e. the Colorado River), so halfway across the dam, you cross the state line and the time zone line. Each of the intake towers has a big clock on it's face, showing NV time and AZ time. There's a plaque in the middle at the dividing line. I liked it, since I've never been able to stand on a time zone line before. It's the little things, right? :)

We've already decided that during a weekend in Vegas we'll go back and do some more hiking around Lake Mead We didn't get much done on the trail this weekend, but there's a trail that connects the Lake Mead Visitor Center and the Hoover Dam Visitor Center, only a couple miles away. The trail runs along the old railroad line, and goes through several tunnels before it arrives at the dam. (The pictures below are me playing with the lighting in the tunnel). So yes, gonna go back and do the whole trail! Maybe when the weather's a little cooler though...

Review: The Subtle Serpent

The Subtle Serpent by Peter Tremayne

Another book I was gifted, and this one I really like!

To start with, a plot synopsis. This is one of the mysteries in the Sister Fidelma series, set in ancient Ireland (7th century AD). Yes, another historical mystery series :) This particular book is the third in the series, and is set in 666 AD. Sister Fidelma is an Irish religieuse (nun) who is also a trained advocate of the ancient Irish law system of the time. When a headless female corpse is found in the drinking well of a remote abbey in south-west Ireland, Sister Fidelma is called in by the abbess to investigate. One hand of the corpse was found clasping a crucifix; tied to the other arm is a pagan death symbol. Though the abbess was the person who summoned her to investigate, she and the community of the abbey seem increasingly reluctant to aid in Fidelma's investigation. Meanwhile, on her way to the abbey to investigate, Fidelma encountered a merchant ship under full sail on the seas off the Irish coast. But the crew and its cargo have vanished - as if by sorcery. Whose is the body in the well? Where is the crew of the vessel? Are these bizarre events connected? And if so, who is responsible?

This book is a good example of a middle-of-series character development. Compared to the Riddle of St Leonard's, Tremayne succeeded where Robb was irritating me. It doesn't ignore any character development in the first 2 books, but you don't have to have read the first two to understand the relations between the characters. The characters are still developed in this book, and you feel like they are genuinely part of the events taking place, not that things are just happening around them. A bonus (though it shouldn't be), is that they're honestly likable characters. Well, not all of them, but you're not supposed to like them all. Still, even the unlikeable characters are still developed, and seem like real people. They're likable as characters, even if their personalities aren't particularly endearing. (If that makes sense to anyone but me...)

The mystery is well developed too. It's not incredibly obvious who did it, and there's multiple layers to the puzzle that Fidelma has to solve, making it a very good read. Honestly a book I was having a hard time putting down. Definitely a good sign :)

Ancient Ireland was surprisingly modern in women's rights, and such a system allowed women, like Fidelma, to be educated equal to their male counterparts. It was really interesting reading a book set so long ago, but with surprisingly modern views. To read more about it, check out the International Sister Fidelma Society. (Yes, any good author should have a fan society!)

Overall: 5 of 5. Good mystery, interesting historical setting, good characterization. If you like this sort of book, definitely worth a read. Yes, I'm gonna have to find the others in this series now. Which might be hard, living in the middle of nowhere as I am... :)

Review: the new Indiana Jones

Memorial Day weekend last week was poorly timed, at least for our house. The two of us had a lovely 3 day weekend ahead of us, surprisingly not beastly hot (in fact it was in the 60s and 70s all weekend), plenty of time to go and do something and play, but we were so tired from the previous work week that we weren't up to doing much at all! So, we cleaned a little, read a lot, played on the computer a lot. Nice and restful, and completely unexciting :)

By Monday, however, we were ready to go out and do something again. So, like much of the rest of America, we went and saw the new Indy movie this past weekend - one of the best Memorial Day weekend opening sales EVER, apparently. So here are my thoughts (and I'll try not to give anything away for those who haven't seen it!)

Review: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

This entry is to the IJ franchise what Episodes 1-3 were to Star Wars. Lucasfilm got a little heavy handed with the special effects again. Mostly in the fight scenes, I think. Lucas has just gone overboard with what he can create with CG, I feel - I was driven up the wall in Star Wars Ep. III, because every conversation seemed to take place on a balcony or in front of a picture window, so that there could be a giant CG background distracting (I mean, impressing!) the viewer. I don't know if it was our theater specifically, either, but both Zach and I walked out with slight headaches. I don't know if it was the special effects or if the focus was off on the screen (the credits were slightly blurry at points)

I was honestly worried that it would be horrible. Just thinking about a 60 year-old Indy was worrisome. They handle it nicely, though, a few old-guy jokes, and since Indy never was a young hero ("It's not the years, honey; it's the mileage") it still works alright. In that respect, I guess, it was a case of 'set your sites low and you won't be disappointed.'

Not that it was all bad though! Good mindless popcorn flick, but that's about all. You can kinda expect the plot "twists" that come up, but it IS an IJ movie - they aren't supposed to be deep thinkers. And even if you could see those plot points coming, I'm glad they happened. It was nice to see the other movies tied in, and some loose ends tied up. Very satisfying as a fan of the series. So, not bad, but it just wasn't nearly as good as Lost Ark or Holy Grail. Note I omit Temple of Doom - never could stand the whiny, screaming "heroine" in that one (yes, I use the term loosely).

Overall rating: 2.5 of 5. I don't regret seeing it, and it'll probably end up on my shelf at some point (even if only to complete the IJ collection!) However, not nearly as good as the other entries (by that I mean, again, not Temple of Doom - probably on par with Temple in my personal rankings).

And a quiz for Joey too!

What kind of house rabbit are you?
created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as The Athlete
If there was such a thing as the Bunny Olympics, you'd win the Gold.


Yup, I think that's pretty much my little climber! :)

And even more quizes..

Yup, can't get enough of 'em! Truly for my own enjoyment...

What movie nerd are you?

You're Hermione from the Harry Potter movies

You're Hermione, the slightly bossy nerd with a hard-to-pronounce name. You're so nerdy that if someone gave you a time-travel device, you'd use it to take two classes at once. A double workload would drive some nerds crazy, but you obsess over packing your brain with knowledge. The only thing more important to you than studying? Using your excellent memory and analytical skills to keep your friends out of trouble.

Which Holiday character are you?

You're Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer!
Even if you feel like you don’t fit in, please don't run away to the Island of Misfit Toys just yet. Your friends and family may tease you, but they're about to realize that they really need you around. Without your glowing personality and innate sense of direction, the holidays might as well be cancelled. You're the beacon that guides the rest of us through the darkest, stormiest days of winter. We are totally shouting out with glee that you got this result. Glee, we tell you!

Which Movie Monster are you?

You're a movie mummy!
You try to take good care of yourself, but you could use some moisturizing lotion— and maybe some new clothes, because yours look like they've been around since 3300 B.C. You're most at home in hot, sandy locations, and you have a relatively peaceful existence unless somebody disturbs your sleep. You're very possessive. If anyone invades your space or steals your jewelry, you'll do almost anything to get revenge. Your place is well stocked with food and beverages, but that doesn't mean you're having friends over. You just like knowing you're prepared for anything. Romantically, you're a sucker for people who look like your ex. You're so convinced you two were perfect together that you'll obsess about it forever…literally.

What's your ice cream flavor?

You're Chocolate.
You embody the perfect blend of sweetness and seduction. You personality is just as luscious and irresistible as chocolate ice cream. You have a flirty, melty attitude that's easygoing and delicious. You appreciate luxurious, extravagant things, like the way ultra-soft fabrics feel against your skin. Some people want to hog you all to themselves, but you find ways to make everyone feel special.

Which Movie Superhero are you?

You're Rogue from the X-Men movies

Lots of mutants appreciate their powers, but you'd give yours up in a second for a chance at a normal life. You're friendly and considerate, but you'd rather blend in with the crowd than stand out and get attention. Like Rogue, your sense of touch is extremely powerful, so even holding hands is a huge deal for you. You're deeply afraid of hurting the people you love, so you tend to push them away when things get too intense.

What would your Superpower be?

Super Animal Wrangler
Think of it: in the Flipside Super Universe, there would be Super People and Super Animals, and someone's going to need to know how to get all those Super Mutts and Super Hamsters to know where the battle is. In that universe, we picture you having the magic ability to sense what those animals are thinking and give them instructions. Plus you'll probably be mad relaxed with all those Super Purring Kittens hanging out on your lap all the time. Not a bad life, your Super Life.

K is for...

Karate!

No, not knitting, though that would have been a good one too :) Knees would have been my other choice for a K, since I've had knee issues since an injury in middle school. Right now, however, the K most on my mind is Karate!

The picture above is actually of my sister, another karate-ka, but I did take it. I just love that shot though. It's so hard (especially with the average digital camera) to take pictures of techniques. You're much more likely to end up with a whole string of pictures of "...aaaaand, back in stance," that lovely finishing pose post-move. So to catch a kick mid-kick was a major accomplishment for me :) And the fact that it's a nice head shot just makes it more impressive!

I started training during my sophomore year in college, about 6 1/2 years ago (7 years this fall). I started with the Karate club at college, training in the Shotokan style. I was able to train for about 4+ years through the rest of college and just after, and reached the rank of 1 kyu (1st degree brown - my next test in Shotokan will be for my black belt). Then I moved.

In SC, I had a frustrating time finding a dojo with a sensei I liked, which met at a time and place where I could make it to trainings. So, for about 2 years, I had to train on my own (translation: little to no training). Like everything else in my private life, karate had to fall to the side during my time at Horrible Job.

But, happy day, there is a sensei here on post who trains karate! She has a background in kenpo and kyokoshin karates, and in tae kwon do, and is familiar with Shotokan (her best friend is actually a 5th degree black belt in Shotokan, so she's familiar with what I'm coming from). I've been back in trainings for about a week and an half now, and am thrilled. Every so often, you just get into an activity that gets under your skin and when you have to stop, you physically miss it. For me, karate is one of those (caving would be another). Finally finding a dojo and a sensei I like again is a big step to me enjoying my stay here in CA, being a happy and healthy little person again :)

J is for...

Juice. (and Just in Time! First letter I've almost been late on, too!)

I was thinking of doing Joey, as he is the most predominant J in my life, but he was just my 'I' picture, and as he was 'B,' too, I was persuaded (i.e. my sister fussed at me) that J should be something different. So I was forced to think hard, and find a J beyond the obvious, my little fuzz-butt. (Blast you, Anne, making me think!!)

So, thinking hard, I came up with this.

Juice. Yes, juice. Really, on the top of my mind because I went to the commissary today, and had to restock, because our current supplies are running low. So, here is a picture of our fridge with 5 (yes, count them 5) bottles of juice in there. I think this is the most we've had at one time. (For those who hadn't realized, we're a household of 2 - that's 2.5 jugs of juice per person!) Two bottles aren't opened yet, in all honesty, but they are cooling off in the fridge because the bottle they're replacing are almost empty. We aren't big soda drinkers, and out here in the desert, that's probably a good thing - the caffeine isn't helpful in staying hydrated. But when we got married I had no idea how fast the man can go through a container of juice!!

We usually have OJ, because it's good and healthy; and cranberry juice, because I've had a kidney stone and NEVER want to have one again, and cranberry juice is good for kidney stones; and then sometimes a third flavor, just for variety (it's currently White Cran-Strawberry!)

I brainstormed a lot of other J's.

• Jewelry, except I don't really wear any (my ears aren't even pierced!)
• Jogging, except I optimistically try to think of it as running. Just my one-speed trot, but hey, I'm in races, therefore it's running :)
• Journeys, except I think of it as "traveling" more than "journeying" - journeys just seem to have a bigger sense of purpose and destination than the trips I take.
• Joyous Occasion, except I hate that cliche for weddings.
• Juvenile and Joking, except I really don't have that many pictures of the silly stuff we do.
  
• And then Joey...

So, Juice it is!

But I'll still leave you all with a picture of the cute fuzz-beast, because he's adorable, because he's also a 'J', and because I can :)