Sorry (e:mike). Not until after Easter.

My Grandparents came to visit for my Dad's birthday. Mike got to meet them for the first time and he took the photo of all of us. I like this picture of my Grandfather driving. He's 84 now and I am starting to get a little worried about his driving. It's fine now but it seems like it is just slightly off which Mike noticed too. I think he will stop driving when it is time but it must be hard for people to give it up when it comes to it.





I took my first shots of Hoyt Lake this year yesterday. I'm looking to expand my horizons with photo taking this spring/summer. This also involves expanding my cycling geographical limits. I'm planning on going down to South Buffalo to go to the Botanical Gardens and to making a trip across the Peace Bridge.












As per my last post, I turned off the lights for an hour this evening. Actually I was late doing it but I still turned everything off for an hour. I'm glad that I didn't let myself get all hung up on the fact that I was late because really it didn't quite matter. I chanted Nam-myoho-renge-kyo for an hour by candle light for the earth. This symbolic gesture I am sure will have an impact on the UN Climate talks that begin tomorrow. It would be awesome if there was similar events targeting vehicles. It would be awesome if we could just have a moments peace from the buzz of all the engines.

Tomorrow at 8:30 people around the globe will be turning off their lights for one hour in order to vote for action to be taken against global climate change.

VOTE EARTH
YOUR LIGHT SWITCH IS YOUR VOTE

This year, Earth Hour has been transformed into the world's first global election, between Earth and global warming.

For the first time in history, people of all ages, nationalities, race and background have the opportunity to use their light switch as their vote - Switching off your lights is a vote for Earth, or leaving them on is a vote for global warming. WWF are urging the world to VOTE EARTH and reach the target of 1 billion votes, which will be presented to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009.

This meeting will determine official government policies to take action against global warming, which will replace the Kyoto Protocol. It is the chance for the people of the world to make their voice heard.

Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour. In 2008 the message had grown into a global sustainability movement, with 50 million people switching off their lights. Global landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome's Colosseum, the Sydney Opera House and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square all stood in darkness.

In 2009, Earth Hour is being taken to the next level, with the goal of 1 billion people switching off their lights as part of a global vote. Unlike any election in history, it is not about what country you're from, but instead, what planet you're from. VOTE EARTH is a global call to action for every individual, every business, and every community. A call to stand up and take control over the future of our planet. Over 74 countries and territories have pledged their support to VOTE EARTH during Earth Hour 2009, and this number is growing everyday.

We all have a vote, and every single vote counts. Together we can take control of the future of our planet, for future generations.

VOTE EARTH by simply switching off your lights for one hour, and join the world for Earth Hour.

Interestingly enough there is at least one grumpy old man in PA that intends on counter-protesting and getting people to turn on all of their lights. He believes that global warming is false science.

I know I have raved about the netty pot before but I have a new experience with it. For some reason I have been very congested. Not sure if it is lingering from the cold I had or if it is allergies or what. This morning I gave it a try thinking that I wouldn't even be able to get the solution to flow through my sinuses as I was so clogged but it worked! After flushing through one time with the pot all of this stuff came right out all at once. It was the best feeling ever. I want to do it again tonight.

I lifted this pic off of flickr.

So (e:mike) and I went out to eat yesterday at a certain BBQ place and I got a tenderloin tip sandwich. It tasted kinda funny but I thought it was all the oil in it. Then I ended up pulling out this huge piece of melted plastic out of my mouth. It was so freaking gross. It was saran wrap that had been toasted and was all melted into the cheese. I was very polite about it and they gave me another sandwich and didn't charge me but needless to say I didn't enjoy my meal and probably won't go back.


On another note Nelnet, my student loan provider, sucks. I just got this notice that I am no longer going to get reminder emails from them. It's OK in that I always remember anyways to send it but this is just so shady.

Coming Soon: You will receive your Nelnet statements and correspondence through "My Secure Messages," Nelnet's new convenient and secure online message center. Stay tuned for more details!

My allergies are so bad all of a sudden. They haven't been this bad in a long long time. Years actually. I looked it up and there is a pollen alert for our area. It appears I have trouble with Maple trees. My allergies I thought I was growing out of but now they seem to be coming back and now earlier in the year. I used to get allergies in June and had trouble when it gets really hot out. We shall see this year.

Local Pollen Alert for Buffalo, NY
Tomorrow's Forecast Levels
Type     Level
Tree     High
Type: Maple
Grass     None
Weed     None

High pollen levels affect most people who suffer from seasonal allergies. Symptoms may intensify on high-pollen days.
For a list of all the U.S. locations forecast to have high pollen, visit the Pollen Hot Spots page.

I was bored so I started going though (e:jim)'s Buffalo Feed Most of the blogs are stuff that is kinda boring to me except estrip and we have far more interesting blogs than most. I really do like Buffalo Feed but I am just saying that we have the best ones on there. So I saw some Flickr photos from the St. Patrick's Day parade so I started going though all the photos this guy took of it and I found these:







Interestingly enough the caption says that it was about 1:30pm. WOW! Anyways, I thought some of you might enjoy. The guy goes by Alaska Hermit

He also has the really cute pic.

I know I just posted some pics of Coco but it is the only time (e:hodown) comments on my journal so I know she likes them.

I hadn't been to the parade in a while so I had so much fun. The weather was amazing! Wegmans reusable shopping bags made great beer totes.



(e:metalpeter)



(e:terry)'s curly hair
















These girls were not dancing and definitely were not cheerful. Someone should strip them of their wigs.














I like when guys dance with the girls. I also like when guys are cheerleaders.





See these girls are happy and dancing.











Devil horns? St. Patrick's Day?





I have a great video of her but I decided not to post it.








This little girl savagely sucked down whatever was in her path while her guardians got drunk and ignored her.








See they just sat there boozing it up while this girl sucked down icy pops one after another. They never even turned around to see if she was still in sight.





(e:james) is perplexed by the behavior.





(e:mike) said she they were very uncouth.





(e:matthew)





Vodka? St. Patrick's Day?





As you can see the weather was very nice.




















Eventually we headed to Q where everything got all blurry.





(e:terry) got this man all excited and then he just left him. What a tease.








(e:pmt)'s roof





It's just like Christmas for (e:paul). Look how excited he gets when getting on the roof.











The day starts to wind down.





(e:imk2) starts to do vodoo drawings on (e:terry)'s groin.








We do (e:paul)'s medicine ball work out drunk.





I kind of want one of these but my dvd player isn't working I don't think and even if it were the room it is in is too small for a work out.