What a Wondrous World

The world in which we live is a pretty spectacular place filled with all sorts of wondrous things. To see some of these things, both man made and natural, are among the reasons I like to travel so much. Often, seeing pictures doesn't come close to relaying the beautiful and awesomeness as does being there in real life. Throughout my travels, esp. when in proximity to some especially wonderful place or building, the conversation often turns to The Seven Wonders of the World. I've yet to meet someone who can name all of them (without the help of the internet). It was amidst one of these converstations that I got to thinking about the wonders of the modern world. Well, it turns out I am not alone. Days after I had this conversation, I ran across this site on one of the blogs. It is accepting votes on what should be included on the new seven wonders list. Unfortunately it requires signing up for something which makes me think it is some promotion or something, but the concept is good and browsing the nominations is very interesting. Perhaps the best site I've seen on world wonders is Hillman Wonders of the World. This list contains 100 wonders and is good for killing a whole afternoon's worth of productivity. I've visited to 26 of the wonders, 8 of which were in this last trip. How many have you been to?

Tuesday January 16 2007

File under: travel, links

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on Tue 16th Jan, 2007 05:50 am UTC Mom said: My meager 4 are all from the last column. I'd better get crackin' I can see I've got places to go, things to see! ************************ on Tue 16th Jan, 2007 06:04 am UTC Saxtor said: I've been to 15, not so bad! The list of 100 seems to be a pretty good guideline for future travels. Thanks! ************************ on Tue 16th Jan, 2007 08:05 am UTC Horge said: I've been to ten of them. But I noticed that most of the ones I've been to have been of the man-made variety. Only one and a quarter of mine were natural wonders (I can't decide what category a city, like Dubrovnik, should fit in. I guess more man-made). But I think I need to step it up on the earthly wonders... ************************ on Tue 16th Jan, 2007 04:35 pm UTC Sara said: I have 18, but half of them are from Italy. Not bad. There are a lot of places I'd like to see! ************************ on Wed 17th Jan, 2007 02:31 am UTC Cousin Sonya said: I have been to only 4...I would love to take a year to see about 80 of them! Kids included! ************************ on Wed 17th Jan, 2007 06:43 pm UTC Chris said: Sadly I can only claim two, although I don't even think "San Francisco" should count. ************************ on Wed 17th Jan, 2007 10:01 pm UTC Saxtor said: We had a discussion about Hillman's list last night, and I mentioned (personal bias aside) wondering why there are no attractions in the Pacific Northwest on the top 100, let alone the top 1000? There are two that could be, but are a pretty big stretch. Banff makes the top 100, but we don't really consider the Montana Rockies the PNW, and I don't think Alberta qualifies either. The other, on the top 1000, is an Alaskan Cruise. While there are cruises that depart Seattle and Vancouver for Alaska and the highlight is probably the inside passage, you can catch an Alaskan cruise in Alaska and see nothing but Alaska. Why no Hoh Rainforest, Crater Lake, Vancouver skyline or Oregon Coast? I love this list, but I can't help but feel that he leaves a significant gap. ************************ on Fri 19th Jan, 2007 01:57 am UTC Mom said: i got a big fat ole 7... although i agree with chris about san francisco counting...ummm. it makes my seven feel tiny ************************ on Mon 22nd Jan, 2007 05:29 am UTC Mom said: Wait a minute, there's something fishy going on here or else I did some fast traveling between comments 1 and 8 to add 3 more places to my life list. ************************ on Fri 02nd Feb, 2007 05:53 am UTC Kristine said: I have to agree with Evan that there should be something from Alaska on there, if not other wonders of the NW. Especially if San Fran is on there! Fun as it is...the wild, raw beauty of Alaska is mind blowing. I must admitt I'm just a tinsy bit proud of my 21, though that leaves more than 3/4 of the list to inspire me. ************************

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Still Cold

For anyone that lives or has spent a winter in either the midwest or the northeast, you can pretty much discount this post. Us northwesterners have a slightly different sense of cold. So when it snows (for the second time in a winter!) and there is still ice on the roads 4 days later, that is something of note. So I shall note. Billy the snowman still guards our front door, although he has already started his eventual journey to the ground. He is also missing a face, for which I put the blame on either mischievous neighbor kids or hungry crows. Our water feature (a.k.a. pond) in back of the house has some great ice on it but still keeps plodding along. The earlier heavy rains caused a bit of a flood at Smiley's Bottom which has now frozen over and turned into a great ice sliding spot. (We northwesterners don't really have ice skates as they would only get used even less than once in a blue moon.) Luckily I'm in a place to enjoy the snow, cold, and ice how it should be. I've got nowhere to go (and even if I did, my car isn't agreeable to taking me). The cold even makes some things better. Last night, for example, I had the pleasure of a dip in a hot tub under the clear cold sky. A scandinavian style roll in the snow made it that much more refreshing. So to Jack Frost, I say this: Keep up the good work!

Sunday January 14 2007

File under: misc

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on Tue 16th Jan, 2007 06:04 am UTC Saxtor said: I am with you, this Winter has been jawesome! ************************ on Wed 17th Jan, 2007 06:39 pm UTC Chris said: Viva la Jack Frost!! We've had a sudden Arctic Blast/ Ice Storm down South here and since Texas doesn't know what to do with ice I haven't had to go to work for two days now. Thank you ill-prepared city planners! ************************ on Sun 21st Jan, 2007 03:42 am UTC Auntie Rose said: Wren: Have you read Emoto's book on the effects of emotions on water crystals?Its Awesome ************************

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Billy the Snowman

What a couple of good looking fellas, eh? Sure, one looks a little weird and is giving a bit of a goofy smile, and sure, one of them is made of snow, but still... Jack Frost graced Anacortes with a beautiful blanket of snow today. The little kid in me (which accounts for about 95%) couldn't help but be giddy. I've got nowhere to go so let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. Since the temperature is hovering right around freezing (and maybe even a little over), the snow is perfect for packing. It took only 20 minutes or so to put my masterpiece together. If the weather turns warm tomorrow, I'm prepared to build a tent and an elaborate chill tunnel from the fridge to keep Billy around. Oh, and for some size perspective, try this one.

Thursday January 11 2007

File under: pics

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on Thu 11th Jan, 2007 01:19 pm UTC gretchen said: humph, it always snows in anacortes when i'm not there. still nary a snow cloud in the sky in these parts. at least it is no longer 70 degrees....we're well into the 20's and 30's now. ************************ on Thu 11th Jan, 2007 02:03 pm UTC Chris said: I'm with Gretch, every time I finally make it up to Anacortes in the winter, the best I get are slushy margaritta streets. Nothing says sad like a snowman made out of that. ************************ on Sat 13th Jan, 2007 01:20 am UTC Amanda said: We got some snow around these parts as well. It seems to make Canadian drivers even worse, so we tend to stay snuggly inside. I hope you are well. I have enjoyed reading your blog. ************************

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Snowboarding (a.k.a Shralping the Gnar)

My first and foremost goal for my long anticipated day on the slopes was to not get hurt. I'm happy to report mission accomplished. For the first time in 10 years, I strapped myself to a narrow board (courtesy of Heavy Chevy) and paid a bunch of money to let gravity have its way with me. I've been wanting to go up to the mountain for the last 3 years or so, but something always seems to come up. Work, weather, deserted pacific islands - it's always something. Now that I am unemployed, I hardly have an excuse. Jule and I drove up to Mt. Baker to find a morning's worth of beautiful weather, decent snow, and exremely uncrowded slopes. I was pleasantly surprised to see that I could ride almost as well as I could last time I was up 10 years ago. I guess it is just like riding a bike (at much greater speeds with less control in a much colder environment.) I was so pleased, in fact, I may have to try it again. And this time, I might not wait 10 years.

Tuesday January 9 2007

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on Wed 10th Jan, 2007 03:28 am UTC Andrew said: chr8frlyfe. ************************ on Wed 10th Jan, 2007 07:41 am UTC Saxtor said: For life is right. You can ride chair 5 twice before you'd even get off chair 8. All for an extra few hundred yards. Fuggedaboudit! ************************ on Wed 10th Jan, 2007 07:49 pm UTC Chris said: Ah, snow, how I miss you! Somehow standing on the counter at Coldstone's just isn't the same. ************************ on Wed 10th Jan, 2007 11:59 pm UTC Saxtor said: Well, that would certainly explain this... ************************ on Thu 11th Jan, 2007 03:34 am UTC Sarah, PT said: your PT friend says "where's your helmet young man?" Check this out: http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_010507_news_meadows_death.f0741ba.html i'm not sending this to say "you darn reckless snowboarders"- more to say "protect the melon!" so you're not my patient! ************************

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The Joys of Owning an Old Car

I own an old car. I'm proud of that fact. Marilyn has 309,811 miles on her and I would love to see her go further. But along with the pride of owning an old car comes the, well, let's call it adventure. Let me share with you the adventure Marilyn has taken me on the past week or so. Firstly, I had to reawaken her from her 4 month slumber, which took some doing: two trips to the gas station on bike to bring back some fresh fuel, reinflating a flat time, and 3 jump starts. (Oh and the rear passenger door has now decided it doesn't want to open, so I am down to just the one functioning door.) Anyhoo, I get her up and running and take her out to stretch her legs. While approaching a friend's house, I down shift in preparation for the big hill. This, for some reason, triggers the radio, which normally just fades on and off from time to time, to kick into seach mode. Hmm... In anticipation of the car not starting, I park headed down a hill. (Any old-car owner knows this trick.) While climbing across the front seat to get out of the car, my foot must have knocked the gear level out of park, because I suddenly find myself rolling (at a steadily increasing rate) down the hill towards a garden with my body half out of the passenger door. I quickly dive back across the seat and slam my hand on the break pedal. I guess that proves the e-brake doesn't work. All it took was rocking my way out of the mud and just one more jump start to get us both home in one piece. I foresee some quality time under the hood in my future.

Monday January 8 2007

File under: transportation

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on Mon 08th Jan, 2007 06:38 am UTC Wren said: And yes, mother, we all know how you feel about this one. As you always taught me, if you can't say anything nice... ************************ on Mon 08th Jan, 2007 02:34 pm UTC grm said: just so you know i still have a ten year old car that is looking to have some more miles put on her. she's a beaut and i have had no problems with her. the price is hard to beat. say the word and margy will bring her on over. of course i understand your attachment to old marilyn, so no pressure. ************************ on Mon 08th Jan, 2007 05:25 pm UTC Saxtor said: I'm pretty sure I used this exact phrase in a previous post about Marilyn, but...IT'S A DEATHTRAP! ************************ on Tue 09th Jan, 2007 06:33 am UTC trista said: Are you talking about my mud? I saw where you've been. ************************ on Tue 09th Jan, 2007 04:22 pm UTC Chris said: Power to the POS! My old Honda had 378,000 on her before my jerk friend crashed her on the freeway, and my 1962 Ford is still talked about around campfires in legends of the Shaggin' Wagon. If it wasn't for having to provide for the safety of my family I'd still be there with you man. ************************

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Mac and Cheese Off

I'm still allowed to post about food, even if it is plain old American food, right? Don't worry, this is more than just a post to fill space. (Plus, it follows the already established cheese theme!) When doing some research for my local foods party (see 2nd BdW post ever), I came across the food-oriented I'm Mad and I Eat. At the time, it provided a good "recipe" for salt. Now, it has presented me with a challenge: the mac-n-cheese-off. My entry is probably the most simple of the bunch. I opted for the stovetop variety. The cheese sauce is of [organic] half and half, [organic] cream cheese, and [local, handmade] jerk-seasoned cheese (whose title is so sadly appropriate to my life). To round out the meal, I added peas, corn, and [meatless] gimme lean sausage. Although it turned out a little on the dry side (as Ma so quickly pointed out), it satisfied my hunger. (Oh, all the [stuff] is thrown in as a nod to one of my New Year's resolution: to eat for a heathlier planet.) My neighbor, to whom I was explaining my dinner plans, decided to surprise me and join the fun. Her entry, titled Fat-Mac (or is it phat-mac) was a more traditional baked variety complete with the cruton toppings. There were lots of spices in it too, that made for some good eating. (Ma voted for that one.) See the rest of the entries to the mac-n-cheese-off here. And if anyone is looking for a good meal of leftover mac-n-cheese, please stop by.

Friday January 5 2007

File under: food

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on Fri 05th Jan, 2007 06:51 pm UTC sher said: That looks wonderful! I've used the stovetop method too and it always makes a very creamy dish. And I love the additions you made. ************************ on Fri 05th Jan, 2007 09:32 pm UTC cookiecrumb said: Man, that is FOOD! Jerk-seasoned cheese? (And hand-harvested salt?) Beautiful, Wren. ************************ on Sat 06th Jan, 2007 02:56 am UTC nathan said: how funny - i was involved in a mac and cheese off at thanksgiving. i think my mac would have won but there was some funny stuff going on with the judges. shanna's mac'n'bacon topped my jalepeno mac. of course we both cheated a bit, since we were too lazy to make our own base, and ended up added extra ingredients to shanna's brother's mac. anyway, right on - i love a good mac n cheese! ************************ on Sun 07th Jan, 2007 07:53 am UTC Jule said: that is quite the mac-attack, in fact this post is mac-tacular and mac-orific. was that joke too cheesy? good to know that you will be eating for a healthier planet, I sure enjoyed learning about doing this from "the omnivores delima" by micheal pollan. I recommend it if you want to learn all about your food. ************************ on Sun 07th Jan, 2007 04:24 pm UTC Sean said: I'm not sure that I'd eat anything you made that has local handmade jerk-seasoned anything. Oh who am I kidding. ************************ on Mon 08th Jan, 2007 03:25 pm UTC Chris said: Give me oven baked white cheddar crumb topped Mac and Cheese or give me death! Actually, I'll probably just have leftovers, but whatever. ************************ on Mon 08th Jan, 2007 08:05 pm UTC said: what about the no work involved velveeta shells and cheese? ************************ on Wed 10th Jan, 2007 06:26 am UTC Siri said: I had Mac-n-Cheese that a friend brought for my lunch at school today. That stuff is deeeee-licious! ************************ on Sun 21st Jan, 2007 03:40 am UTC Auntie Rose said: Wren, your grandma Minnie would have crushed up a bit of grease-laced potatoe chips aon top and slammed it in the oven for dinner and also put some of that Mercury laden Tuna in it as well. Yummonow I'm getting hungary, I think I will go down stairs and make some fudge. ************************

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Travel Slideshow

In lieu of a slideshow presentation in person, I've decided to go with the BR-esque online slideshow to display the better of my travel photos. Actually, many of these photos aren't mine. Many thanks to Andrew, Per, Myke, and Trista for their generous photo contributions. (Also, many of the photos are repeats from previous posts and from Andrew's Thailand slideshow. But I just couldn't pass up putting them in) Oh, and a tech note. I've decided to try YouTube in order to cut down on network traffic on nwlink's servers. Also, it seems like a good cross-platform solution. If it isn't working out for you, or you for some reason hate YouTube, I can e-mail you the .wmv file. So, press play (or visit the YouTube page directly here) and enjoy!

Wednesday January 3 2007

File under: travel, video

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on Thu 04th Jan, 2007 03:18 am UTC Andrew said: cheers champ! a slideshow worthy of any found on BR.com! ************************ on Thu 04th Jan, 2007 05:23 am UTC Saxtor said: Nice slideshow! My skepticism of Windows Movie Maker is hereby eliminated! And I feel honored to have gotten the picture-by-picture slideshow with commentary. ************************ on Thu 04th Jan, 2007 05:33 am UTC Mom said: Fun, fun, fun, I watched it again and again. What a clever little guy you are. ************************ on Thu 04th Jan, 2007 10:41 pm UTC Sara said: I'm (still) jealous. Very cool. Nice pictures. ************************ on Tue 09th Jan, 2007 06:39 am UTC trista said: Thanks for not putting my bikini pics in here. you're a peach. ************************ on Wed 10th Jan, 2007 03:26 pm UTC Nesbitt said: Nice choice on music. Chevy Chase connections are always appreciated. ************************ on Thu 18th Jan, 2007 05:41 am UTC Mir said: beautiful ************************ on Mon 12th Feb, 2007 02:02 am UTC amanda said: i loved it! especially the "critters" section. how was it that you seemingly went from clean shaven to bearded man in such a short period of time? over and over? amazing! ************************

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Environmental Atonement for my travels (part one)

Travel, general speaking, is bad for the environment. Until a year or so ago, I didn't realize that air travel was among the worst forms of transportation for the environment. (The all-knowing David Suzuki has a great explanation of why here.) Throughout my trip, I was thinking about what I could do to atone for this. Carbon offsetting was something I knew something about, so I promised myself I would environmentally redeem myself, or at least make an attempt, when I got back. First step in my quest for atonement was to assess the damage. A quick calculation of the miles traveled by plane came out to around 20,000 miles. This figure alone hit me pretty good, as it is approximately equal to 4 round trip flights from Seattle to NYC. To equate that to environmental damage, I chose carbon dioxide production as a measure. Various "calculate your impact" websites gave total carbon production from just me from 7,500 kg to 10,800 kg. Step two is to find a way to offset said carbon. The sites that help calculate are quick to offer an easy way to offset the impact of your flights. Each does it a little differently, but the general idea is that they use the money you give them to support clean energy projects, which conceptually takes carbon out of the atmosphere. The prices for this ranges from $13/tonne(1,000kg) to $27/tonne putting the environmental cost of my flights between $100 and $300. This investigation into my impact and what I can do to offset it has been very enlightening, but I hestitate to drop a couple hundred bucks on such an abstract solution. As the title of this post implies, this is to be an on going project. My next focus will be alternative methods for offsetting carbon. Stay tuned!

Tuesday January 2 2007

File under: travel, environment

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on Wed 03rd Jan, 2007 06:08 am UTC Mom said: Back in the early 60's when we had put too many miles on our parents borrowed car (thereby letting them know we had gone farther than just the library) we would drive around the country roads backwards! This would roll back the odometer and nobody would be the wiser. Would something like that work here? Just asking. ************************ on Wed 03rd Jan, 2007 01:20 pm UTC Andrew said: Bueller! ************************ on Wed 31st Jan, 2007 06:51 am UTC Bus Chick said: I've been planning to write about this for some time. As much as I love to see the world, I tend to limit travel because there doesn't seem to be an environmentally sound, time-efficient way to do it. Most travel websites now allow you to pay a recommended amount (based on the calculated impact of your trip) when you buy your ticket. My husband and I did that for our upcoming trip to Detroit, and I guess it's better than nothing, but it doesn't really seem like enough. I hate to wipe out all my car-free carbon savings with one visit to the in-laws. :( ************************ on Mon 12th Feb, 2007 01:54 am UTC amanda said: you hesitate to drop a couple hundred on carbon offsets? how much did you pay for your trip? i highly recommend doing the offsets, i have and i can't say i regret it ************************ on Sun 25th Feb, 2007 05:34 pm PST Wren said: Here is an interesting counterpoint. ************************

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Happy New Year!

Besides Thanksgiving, New Year's has got to be my favorite holiday. The two really kind of complement each other, if you think about it. Thanksgiving is for recognizing and giving thanks for what we have. New Year's, in my eyes, is about taking stock of the previous year, and looking forward to the upcoming year. In looking back, it is a great way to remember the good things and let go of those that can go without remembering. In looking forward, it is about clarifying hopes and giving some thought towards realizing them. An older friend of mine once shared with me the New Year's resolution he's been making for the passed 30 years. "Each year," he said, "I resolve to make this year better than the previous. So far, it hasn't failed." Last year, I borrowed his resolution. It seemed to work. I might just try it again this year. While conceptually I really like New Year's, in practice it never really lives up to expectation. Perhaps big parties just aren't my style. Perhaps the evening always falls short of expectation because I don't get a kiss at midnight (which has been the case for the past 9 years (not that I'm counting)). But I guess with the new year comes new opportunity. Anyway, I want to wish you and yours a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year!

Sunday December 31 2006

File under: holidays

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on Sun 31st Dec, 2006 11:21 pm UTC trista* said: Happy New Year right back at ya! Ke neng jin tian wan shang shi er dian jian! hahaha. ************************ on Mon 01st Jan, 2007 05:27 am UTC Cyndi said: Welcome home Wren!! Hope to see you soon. ************************ on Mon 01st Jan, 2007 06:12 pm UTC Tom & Lesa said: Best wishes to you on New Year's too!!! Last year was a great year for us & we're looking forward to what's in store for 2007!!!! Saw your Dad over the Christmas holidays --- a good time had by all (as always)! Looking forward to seeing you in the near future, but live it up & keep us informed --- love your blog!!!! Love ya and hope to c'ya soon! Tom & Lesa ************************ on Mon 01st Jan, 2007 08:52 pm UTC Andrew said: *smooch* ************************ on Mon 01st Jan, 2007 09:42 pm UTC Wren said: Too little, too late. But I apprecaite the sentiment. ************************ on Tue 02nd Jan, 2007 03:24 am UTC Kay said: Wrenners, you are so special. I had such a beautiful experience walking the labyrinth on New Years eve, when I felt the passing of time (because of course New Years is really an artifical course of events). No resolutions, just enjoying the experience of that moment on the labyrinth. Hope to get together with you to share your experiences. Love ya ************************

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Another Successful Game Night

Well, it was another successful game night at the Studer/Schultz household. As always, it was a great mix of people, food, games, laughs, humiliation, and socializing. A big thanks to everyone who made it. As for games, we played some of the tried and true games (take two (pictured), the name game, the portait drawing game (can you name these folks? 1, 2, 3, 4), and the drawing telephone game (whether for good or bad (or worse)). We also tried out a new version of the name game which takes a page from the charades book that was a huge success. Many thanks to the Fates for introducing that one to us. For those of you that missed it this year, you have always have the next one to look forward to. Until then, keep you eyes peeled for any new additions. Now I am going to go play some tiddly winks.

Friday December 29 2006

File under: pics, games

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on Fri 29th Dec, 2006 10:49 pm UTC Andrew said: Lollypop punchmail squiggly! ************************ on Sun 31st Dec, 2006 06:12 pm UTC nathan said: one more addition to your portraits. ************************ on Sat 06th Jan, 2007 06:42 pm PST wren said: Game idea for next time: Blind Man's Bluff (3rd version: feeling face) ************************

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