Car Show!

My dad gets free tickets to the Philadelphia Auto Show every year, a perk of being the employee of a dealership.  We (dad and the kids) all pile into the car, pick up Uncle John, and go look at (and sometimes sit in!) cars.
The highlight of this year was a girl letting my brother cross the rope and sit in his "dream car."  We were leaving the vintage section, and Tim told me he wanted to see the 1973 Porche 911.  As we looked, Tim crouched to see the car at eye level, one of the attendants spoke to him.  "Do you want to see it up close?"
"Really?" my brother asked.  She let him hop the barricade and look, then opened the door and let him sit, and opened the trunk (yes, it's in the back) and let him see the engine.    It turns out this specific vehicle was a very special edition, less then 250 were made (very few exist today), and this one had won a number of races in Europe.  THEN she gave him tickets to the New Hope Car Show in August! It was definitely Timmy's night.

peugeot.  

a fiat, uncle john said it "fit" him.

A Tuesday Tune

So I was considering today what song I should post, and my iPod played 2 Rhett Miller songs in a row.  I feel that was some sort of sign.  I tried hard to pick which video, but apparently the man hasn't made many actual videos, so it was hard, and I eventually went with the song I wanted over the "quality" video.  So you have... no video?  Just listen.  How intelligent, and informed, and clever he is.  "Fugue state..."  Love this dude.

Also, FYI, Rhett and I have the same birthday.  Just some worthwhile useless knowledge that you'll never learn on Jeopardy!  Virgos are awesome.

Niagara Falls, USA

I spent 4 days last week outside of Buffalo, NY for work.  It was full of overwhelming computer information and delicious, unhealthy food.  We did take some time out one night to see what we could of Niagara Falls.  It was getting dark, and was extremely cold and windy.  The lower walkways were closed due to ice and the frozen spray whipping off the falls was our inspiration to look very quickly and go... my face hurt just looking at it!  I will go back someday and have the full experience - Canadian side, Maid of the Mist, the whole thing - on a warm and sunny day.
Regardless of the brief visit, I was still awestruck.  The water was incredible, and even from my obstructed view, the power of the falls was not lost.  Even in the quiet months, when the town was so clearly empty, and the tourists are gone, the water carries on, and it is enormous and beautiful.  All the lights and man-made distractions on both sides of the river, the casinos, the shops, can make it easy to forget the reason those things are there.  It's nature that brings the tourists, and someday when we are gone, that incredibly simple, incredibly powerful wonder of nature will still be exactly what it is: falling water.