The Adventures of Lorie and Brian Groth

But Milo does think that "it’s so important how such unimportant things are so important."

I just experienced something technically cool, which was new to me. I subscribe to Zune and use a Windows Phone, so it’s sometimes the device I use to listen to music.

Today, I was listening to music on my phone when I got a text, which means my phone vibrated a bit. But then, the music paused and I heard a computerized voice tell me that I had received a text from someone (it even speaks out your friend’s name). It then asked me if I wanted it read to me. I told it I did and it proceeded to read the message to me. It then asked if I wanted to speak a reply back! So I did, it recognized it perfectly. It then went back to playing music.

So, I was able listen to and respond to a text message, hands-free while listening to music. I think that’s pretty cool.

Unless you are a small fuzzy animal.

This is in one of the fields at what we refer to as “the farm”, which is where we go for dog training.

Friends and family, if I haven’t already shared these videos with you, then please watch them now. I guarantee that even the most cynical of you will be moved by at least one, if not all, of these videos. They are well worth your time!

1. You might quit your job after watching this video: http://www.ted.com/talks/caroline_casey_looking_past_limits.html
2. Imagine if you had this guy as your 4th grade teacher: http://www.ted.com/talks/john_hunter_on_the_world_peace_game.html
3. Spoken word poetry, but so much more: http://www.ted.com/talks/sarah_kay_if_i_should_have_a_daughter.html
4. Inspiring and stunning: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/aimee_mullins_prosthetic_aesthetics.html
5. What makes someone row across the Pacific Ocean? http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/roz_savage_why_i_m_rowing_across_the_pacific.html
6. The problems with recycling plastic and someone who has made a business out of it: http://www.ted.com/talks/mike_biddle.html
7. Can anyone truly empathize with another? http://www.ted.com/talks/sam_richards_a_radical_experiment_in_empathy.html
8. Why the International Day of Peace is on September 21. It’s long, but the guy is passionate:  http://www.ted.com/talks/jeremy_gilley_one_day_of_peace.html

Please let me know if one of these really sparked an emotion in you.

		Key Largo VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

I was mostly in meetings while in Key Largo this week, but I did get to go swimming and walk around a bit. A dolphin showed up where I was swimming last evening about a minute after I was out of the water, so I didn’t get to swim with him, but it was fun to watch.

Tonight at the Arlington Airport. It included German food, microbrews and a tour of the fighter jets and other planes they keep and fly.

		Singapore September 2011 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

I spent about 4 days in Singapore last week, which takes about 24 hours of travel from houseboat to hotel. It was cloudy and rainy most of the time, but I was in meetings most of the time anyway. I did get out a little and was able to walk on the Singapore Grand Prix 2011 Formula 1 race course, which is setup in the streets of Singapore. I don’t know much about the car racing industry, but it was a pretty unique experience to be able to walk on the course as it was almost completely setup. I left the day before the races started.

I also liked walking around the little bit I was able to: Singapore is very clean, safe and full of shopping and restaurants. I like the safe and clean part, and I understand there are more interesting things (to me) in the area too, so I’m up for a trip back to check out more of it.

This weekend, my friend Paul and I camped at Hobuck Beach (far NW corner of WA, state) to do some kayak surfing, which was a new experience for me. After 30 seconds of Paul explaining which direction to aim the kayak when going sideways with a wave (to not get rolled over) and how to hold my paddle when hitting waves (to keep from knocking my teeth in), I was ready to go.

After the first paddle out and through the waves, I was hooked.

After riding the waves, I understood Paul’s description of this being “scary-ass fun”.

After about 3 runs/rides, I was exhausted! The next day I learned how to pace myself, but the adrenaline rush, the power-paddling, and the concentration required is pretty intense.

My favorite part is paddling out into the waves and cresting over a big wave so the kayak slaps down on the back side. I caught myself saying “I love this!” a few times as my kayak was pointing down the backside of a wave and slapping the water. This is especially fun if you don’t hit the water until after your butt is in the air, which means you almost catch some air, or at least that’s what it feels like.

Riding the waves back towards the beach is pretty intense too, but a bit scarier because you’ll most likely get flipped over by the wave. The most intense is when you’re riding a wave pointing straight at the beach so you’re perpendicular to the wave when the nose of the kayak gets pushed under the water while your butt is near the top of the wave. This worked out fine (and fun) the first time, but the second time I was getting rolled before I knew what was happening.

After a day of this and finding some food in a nearby town (Neah Bay is “dry” and no restaurants that are safe to eat at according to locals), we opted for a little easy-going hike out to Cape Flattery to see the remainder of the sunset. As we were a ways down the trail, a woman walking up the trail told us that there are signs posted about a cougar sighting on July. We didn’t linger long since a cougar can take down a moose, they hunt at dusk, and there were no other hikers left on the trail (to be eaten instead of us). We hiked uphill fast enough to burn off the fries that came with dinner!

A full set of photos are at SkyDrive.