One of the best things about my weekly “work-from-home” day is that for my lunch break, I can go for a run around the neighborhood. And today is just gorgeous outside! It’s sunny and 60° F. Perfecto!
Another nice thing about my Wednesdays is that I can skip the early-morning shower and sleep in a little bit. Today I kind of took it too far and woke up at 6:30am, which is usually the time I wake the kiddos up! I had to do an express breakfast this morning, but it all worked out and I got them ready in time. Fun fun fun!
I don’t consider myself a guitarist by any means, but I do enjoy playing guitar as a hobby. As a beginner I am pretty much just practicing chords and basic songs. It’s difficult for me but I do see progress (little by little), and that is encouraging. Plus, the more I practice, the more the sounds I can make sound like actual music!
I recently bought a nice little guitar setup – a Squier Affinity Telecaster and a Roland Cube 30x amp. The amp was recommended by a good musician friend of mine, and the guitar is a model that I’ve wanted for many years.
The Roland Cube 30x amp will replace my super-cheap practice amp I bought way back in 1997 at Ishibashi Music store in Yokohama. I found the Cube on Craigslist and only paid $80 for it! What I love about the amp is that it is small, but can get really loud and because it is a modeling amp, there are plenty of different sounds and effects built-in. And the signature Roland JC Clean setting is very very nice!
It’s funny that you can feel an affinity towards one guitar more than another. It’s that way with my new Squier Affinity Telecaster. I am in love with this guitar! I haven’t been able to put it down since I got it two months ago. First of all, the Tele is beautiful. It’s got a classic “butterscotch blonde” finish and a black pickguard. I think it is so cool and the shape is classic. The non-glossy maple neck is super-comfy and the width of the fretboard is a good match for my small hands. I bought a DiMarzio cotton guitar strap which is strong and comfortable… it’s a great match for the Tele.
I’m loving playing this guitar, even not connected to the amp. It’s really fun and enriches my life, even though I don’t have any talent. But it’s worth practicing even just for the sense of accomplishment and keeping my brain active. Good stuff!
One of our family traditions is that we have a lovely fondue dinner to celebrate Valentine’s Day. This year, the dinner was on the 15th because we attended a Chinese New Year’s celebration on the 14th. But, the fondue was excellent as always (even tastier this year, in my opinion) and the four of us really enjoyed ourselves. I’m not sure how or when the fondue tradition started, but it is something we look forward to every year. It’s so yummy!
This year, the kids had LED ice cubes in their drinks, while Mariko and I enjoyed a bottle of Prosecco. The cheese fondue was accompanied by French bread, bratwurst, cauliflower, potato, and ravioli. The chocolate fondue (not pictured) was accompanied by banana, strawberries, and marshmallows. Just FYI, Mariko and I had a cheese fondue that had white wine added, and our chocolate fondue had some chocolate liqueur added. Mmmm. So good!
Starting with the Disney trip, and then ending the past week, I haven’t been eating the best. Nor have I been running! I did get in a short run last weekend, but for the most part I’ve been recovering from a sugar and heavy food overload! It was worth it though, because those sour balls and sour worms from Disneyworld were great, and then cupcakes and cakeballs for Mariko’s birthday were yummy too. But I noticed that the one short run I did last weekend was not so great. I was tired, my legs had no pep, and I ended up cutting the running short and walked halfway (which was good!).
I’m happy to report that I bounced back big time today, and my 4.5 mile run felt amazing! I had so much energy and was cruising along right from the get-go. I think maybe I recovered from the sugar-overload. :)
We just returned from a second wonderful Walt Disney World Vacation in Orlando, Florida. We had a great time, just like our first visit! This time we stayed at Disney’s Pop Century Resort which was just a basic hotel, but it definitely fit our needs. The important thing was that there was great bus service to the parks, Downtown Disney, and the airport.
Photo info: FUJIFILM XF1, 6.4mm, f/1.8, 1/30 sec, ISO1600 Mission: SPACE Pilot Controls
The first day, we visited the Magic Kingdom, second day was Hollywood Studios, and the third day was Epcot. We didn’t have time to visit Animal Kingdom this time around. One tradition we have when we visit a Disney park is that we buy a bag of Sour Ball Candy (assorted flavors) and snack on them all day. We’ll choose a color for the other person and that person will try guess the flavor. Strangely enough, the bag usually gets finished right at the end of the day.
Before my memory fades too much, I want to quickly get things down. So here’s a list of notable things from the trip:
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is so fun! We couldn’t get a FastPass + for this one, so as soon as we arrived at the park, we headed to this ride first. (Tip: Reserve FastPass + online early!)
The Memory Maker photo pass is a great deal. We took photos whenever we saw one of the photographers, and also met some characters and took photos. Also, the newer rides such as Tower of Terror and the previously mentioned Mine Train automagically take video footage of you and make a cool video. Check out the video at the end of this post!
We joined the “More intense” Orange Team for Mission: SPACE. At the last moment, Mariko opted out and it was a smart move. I think she would have been dizzy and not feeling well the rest of the day. Bay, Koa, and I enjoyed it though, and we went on it again (Green Team) with Mariko two more times.
Epcot World Showcase is more fun than I had expected (and remembered). The Agent P missions that Koa joined were well-done! The Morocco area is my favorite.
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is a great ride! I generally don’t like the free-fall-type rides, but this one was better in that you are shot up in the air, and then you hang for a second before coming back down. I guess since you know exactly when you are going to free-fall, it’s not so bad.
In the video below, we are sitting in the top-right of the ride. But the funniest part are the two dudes sitting in the middle. Their poses are classic!
I am looking forward to our next trip to a Disney Resort. I really think that spending the money to stay at an official Disney Resort is the way to go. There are just so many perks to doing it that way. And you know, life’s short. If you have the means, I highly recommend it. /ferris
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My camera & photos
I use a Fujifilm X-series camera for most of the photos on this site and my Instagram. Why not pick one up for yourself?
