Justus Launches Model Rocket
For the last two weekends Justus and I enjoyed working together on his Integrated Physics and Chemistry (IPC) science project. He selected The Demonstration of Newton’s Third Law of Motion for his subject and a model rocket as its application. (The Third Law is often summarized, “For every action, there is an equal but opposite reaction.”)
Last weekend we built the rocket and yesterday we launched it successfully!
Below is the video portion of the project. He will also give an oral presentation to the class this week.
Comments
Warren Celebrates Eighty Years
Last Friday family and friends gathered at Goode Co. Seafood to celebrate Warren Edwin Brandau’s 80th birthday. The evening was cold and blustery outside, but warm and festive in the restaurant’s cozy private dining room. For the evening’s festivities, two appointed waiters carried out their duties with a earnest devotion to serve with a generous helping of Texas friendliness.
Lisa and Nancy spent hours in advance of the party scanning pictures from old photo albums. Lisa crafted some heart-warming videos using these pictures to retell Warren’s life from birth to present (video links are below).
And what video presentation over dinner would be complete without the bitter spice of troubleshooting? Lisa’s laptop decided not to boot. Only after assistance from restaurant officials and the commissioning of Jean’s laptop, we managed to cobble together a technical solution. Then, like a toddler who realized he wasn’t going to get his way, Lisa’s laptop stopped pitching a fit and showed off it’s desktop. Figures.
Rebecca also turned seventeen. Rebecca and Warren sang “Happy Birthday” enthusiastically to each other, blew out the candles and hugged. Their tradition continues.
Yes, we were celebrating another year for Warren, but with family and close friends assembled in one place, it seemed to me we were also celebrating another year of life together. Our kids are now self-sufficient, budding students of etiquette and discourse, and no longer eating from a kid’s menu. Friendships are now deep and wide, to the degree that lines between family and friends are now blurred. It was a great evening.
Comments
Yesterday, Rebecca performed with the Taylor High School Pacesetters at their first dance competition of the season. The dancer’s roll call was 6:30am before getting on the bus and heading to Klein Oak High School. The girls only performed three numbers but didn’t get home till after midnight. Lisa and I were disappointed that this apparent inefficiency is acceptable and normal. Once we paid admission, however, Lisa and I came to a higher understanding. Let’s just say, “our eyes were opened.”
Lisa and I drove up just in time for their first dance number at 2:45pm. We walked in, paid for our wrist bands and were swallowed by a throng of people. The Commons area was filled with colonies of girls, each distinguishable only by the outfit and war paint. There were gaggles of mom groupies and plenty of lost dads. There were a dozen booths selling dance attire, hair bows, jewelry, scarves, and sugary snacks. Many teams staked out floor space to rehearse routines as though they were going to war, each blaring their own anthem from boomboxes, while some where led militantly by a leader yelling, “5-6-7-8…” It was estrogenic-sensory overload. Lisa yelled in my ear in a flat sarcastic tone, “Welcome to the world of dance competition!”
The Pacesetters performed to a cover of Charlie Chaplin’s, “Smile.” Rebecca reported that it was originally choreographed to address teenage bullying, but ended up being a memorial to one of the girl’s late father. The performance was emotional and beautiful. See the video below.
Since the next dance wasn’t until 5pm, we seized the opportunity to disappear. I set my GPS to the nearest sports bar to decompress. We returned to see the second dance, “Spider,” a little number which has Rebecca playing the part of a butterfly who eventually is caught by a clutter of hungry spiders. See the video below.
Since we had another long wait until the last performance (8pm), we joined some other dance parents (is that what we are called?) for dinner.
The last number is simply called, “Clown.” I think it should be called, “Spooky Clown Queen.” I’d love to offer an interpretation of this little diddy, but I don’t have a clue. Suggestions are welcome. See the video below.
I’m really not sure of the competition results since they are not posted, but Rebecca said they were awarded 4th place overall.
Comments
Flashback – March 2007
Comments
Taylor Homecoming 2012
Rebecca (and family) experienced her first Taylor Homecoming last weekend.
The festivities began Friday night at the Homecoming football game against Morton Ranch High School. During the halftime show, Rebecca and the Pacesetters performed a rather snappy pom routine, and the Homecoming court was presented to the crowd with traditional pomp and circumstance. The football game concluded with Taylor losing in triple overtime 56-48. The good news: The boys fought hard and almost got their first win. The bad news: Next week’s game concludes the season.
Saturday involved last minute trips to the grocery store for nail polish and hair accessories, a four-hour up-do at a friend’s house, grandma ironing a dress with careful precision, cameras shooting and family oogling. Before the dinner and dance with her friend Cole, we met the uber-group for a photo shoot at a neighborhood clubhouse. Enjoy!
Comments
Justus Is Going To The Big Show
Yesterday, Justus competed in a special program called the Region 3 Mens Gymnastics Future Stars Testing. Future Stars Programs leads ultimately to the Junior Olympic National Development Team.
Region 3 includes the states of Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Kansas and Missouri. The testing entails a combination of nine technical sequences, including strength and flexibility evaluations. Coaches select athletes to participate in the regional Future Stars Testing based on the ability of athletes to compete at a national level. In the Future Stars Program, boys compete in five age groups (8-9 year olds, 10 year olds, 11 year olds, 12 year olds and 13 year olds) and contend with others their own age. The 10, 11, 12 and 13 year old divisions can qualify to compete at a national level at the US Olympic Center in Colorado Springs in November.
Justus performed strong in his test, particularly in floor, rings, vault, high bar, parallel bar strength and floor flexibility. His overall score placed him 3rd in his age group (age 13) and qualified him to compete as a Region 3 qualifier in the National Future Stars Championships at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado next month!
At the National Future Stars Championship the top six athletes will be named to the Junior Olympic National Development Team and the top three will be invited to attend a special national development camp.
Go JMac!
Comments
Flashback – June 2006
Comments
In Memoriam
Today we laid to rest my sweet Uncle Richard.
His obituary reads:
Richard David Wilson, 70, of Buda was called home by the Lord on Saturday, September 8, 2012. Richard, also affectionately known as “Poppy” by his grandchildren, was born in Austin on March 15, 1942 to David Wilson and Leona Goetz.
Richard retired as maintenance chief after 38 years of service with Night Hawk Foods of Buda. There are not enough kind words that can be said about this wonderful man. Richard never met a stranger and was loved by everyone he encountered. He was thoughtful, compassionate, and gentle spirit who never put himself first and had unconditional love for his family and friends. Richard was cherished by everyone that had the pleasure of knowing him and he will be genuinely missed by all. Richard joined Bethany Lutheran Church in 1966, serving at one time as Sunday School superintendent.
Richard is preceded in death by his father, mother, and sitster Sandy Kylberg of Elgin.
Richard is survived by his loving wife of 46 years, Vickie; daughter Lori and husband John of Buda; and daughter Lisa with husband Chris of Pflugerville. Richard is also survived by his 5 grandchildren: Samantha (Wilson) Sleeman and husband Jared of Crestview, FL, Christopher Wilson, Ashley Keegan, Brittany Keegan, and Caitlin Keegan, all of Buda.
The life he led was one of constant service to those around him. He and Aunt Vickie invariably insisted in hosting every large family gathering. He was the first in the kitchen, often preparing days before the festivities. During family gatherings, he served with joy and always put everyone before himself. And at the end of the evening, he would remain in the kitchen to put up the final hand-washed dish.
He loved working with his hands. He would spend hours shelling by hand perfect pecan halves for baking, and he enjoyed sharing entire bags of his labor with family just in time for Christmas baking.
Uncle Richard lived out Philippians 2:3-5:
Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.
He was perhaps the kindest, gentlest man I’ve ever known. Even as my vision is smeared with tears, and my throat aches, I will miss his stories, his gentle hugs, his genuine concern for the lives of those around him, and his giggle that reminded me a little of Rosco P. Coltrain.
Comments
Becca as a Pacesetter
Last Friday night Lisa and I attended our first high school football game in almost 30 years. The Taylor High Mustangs hosted Cy-Fair Bobcats in their season opener (Cy-Fair is short for Cypress-Fairbanks for all you not in the know). Justus was with us and this was his first time to see a live football game. He was in gridiron heaven. We home team fans enjoyed the shady-side of stadium and escaped the afternoon sun. Even the breeze seemed determined to keep the otherwise sultry air at bay.
Rhodes Stadium is the only Katy ISD football venue for the six gargantuan high schools it serves. With that, you can imagine how impressive it is: state-of-the-art artificial turf and CCTV with instant replay on a huge video score board. To be frank, this complex rivals the fields of most small colleges.
Rebecca made the drill team called Pacesetters, and we were there to see her first show. I was surprised by the nostalgic sights and sounds of rivalry and spirit. I was reminded of years in marching bands and leading as drum major. I was nostalgic for other reasons, too. My little girl was presented to seemingly the entire town as a young lady in royal blue, sparkles and make-up.
My time remaining with her is dreadfully short.
Comments
Victoria, BC was experiencing mild sunny days in the mid-sixties which was a fine escape from a Texas summer in the mid-nineties.
The Queen Victoria Hotel was nestled among tree-lined parks and charming neighborhoods just two blocks from the inner harbor, ample shopping and the BC Royal Museum.
Our evening event was a private sunset sail on a tall ship. We needed to bring our own dinner and drinks, so we set out by foot to find dinner. Our first stop was the Strathcona Merchantile for some fine wine and local craft beer. Finding our first Canadian meal was a bit more challenging, but fortunately we found ourselves at the pier at Red Fish-Blue Fish for fresh seafood street food. Yes – street food. One word: Awesome (sung).
We located our tall ship Thane with First Mate Susan and Captain Lenard waiting for us along with their crew, Tuxedo Woods and Trinket McMuffin (two black and white domestic short-hair cats). During our outing, we learned from Susan’s rather sporadic and mostly dismal narration that she and Lenard spend their winters in Thailand (although they don’t speak a lick of Thai), Victoria’s municipal government makes poor decisions (reference the $92MM Johnson Street Drawbridge replacement project here and here), people pay stupid money to live in shoe-box sized boathouses (2.5MM+), and Victoria’s skyline is scared by the effects of mold remediation (several of its multi-story waterfront hotels were covered from top to bottom in green drapes). Her account sounded like any town in America. When Susan wasn’t talking, the sights and sounds of the water were delightful, the sunset was full and our foursome conversation flowed like our wine.
Once the sun put itself to bed, the rain clouds quickly rolled in and the temperature dropped like a stone. A chilly rain began to fall before we docked, so we took shelter in the nearby historical Empress Hotel where we wandered through its marble halls and ornate dining rooms.
The next morning we made a thirteen mile drive west to Sooke where we planned a morning of zip-lining through the Canadian forest. We started on a training zip line to learn safety rules from our guides. Then we took a military ATV up the side of a mountain to our first of seven progressive zip lines graduating to 1000 in length and 150 feet high. Amy was a little apprehensive about zip-lining, but she did great! We shared the experience with a family with two boys. Conner, the younger boy was only eight years old. Even with our encouragement he visibly shook with each leap over the edge. With each taller platform, Conner became increasingly hesitant. By the fourth zip-line, little Conner was frozen in fear. Half our group cheered to receive Conner on the other side. After several minutes, Conner finally came. We found out later his mom bribed him with unlimited video games for the remainder of the day. Ironically, with gusto he insisted leading the adventure to its conclusion.
The scenery was breathtaking. Below is a rough video I took with Becca’s hand-held Flip video camera.
Part 3: Pints and Gardens.
Comments
QV closing
secondary smoke
fate of QV
Comments
It was a plan in the making for the better part of a year and the masterful concoction of Lisa, Amy, Steve and myself.
Amy and Steve married just three weeks before Lisa and I exchanged nuptials. We’ve always been close, so having a week long 20th anniversary vacation in tandem with Amy and Steve sounded like great fun.
Although we first settled on Vancouver as our vacation destination, it wasn’t long before we realized Vancouver was also having their gay-pride celebration the same week. This boy was not interested in such distraction. The city of Victoria on Vancouver Island, however, had a bevy of activities that interested us: sailing, whale-watching, zip-lines, old-town charm, fantastic scenery and great food. (Well, Amy wasn’t so keen on the zip-lining at first, but she came around.) We also decided to fly in and out of Seattle because we wanted to visit old friends, the Stackhouses, and it was flat cheaper not to fly internationally. So, we made plans to take a ferry across to British Columbia.
Our entire flying experience with United Airlines was less than stellar. All of our flights were delayed causing us to miss every connection. We were fouled up so bad on the way home, our luggage beat us back by a full day and we were diverted through Denver for a complimentary overnight stay without clothes or a toothbrush. Thank goodness we didn’t let United’s poor performance keep us down. Every time one of us got a little grumbly, the others would encourage with laughter or gratitude. On the positive side, the delays gave us opportunities to visit over a fine craft beer or two.
Our first memorable experience was the flight out of Austin on a 50-seat regional jet CRJ 200. Our small aircraft hit a thunderstorm updraft sending our plane abruptly up and banking 30°. Drinks went arcing across the cabin like the Bellagio fountains, and someone’s tomato juice left a bloody trail on the ceiling and overhead bins before landing on Steve’s head and shirt. This unfortunate incident gave the flight attendants opportunities to comfort the passengers with extra creature comforts (no free drinks though), and Steve reason to shop for a new shirt at the airport. We reached Seattle after 11pm (PDT) after the Enterprise computers shut down. By the time we reached our hotel and checked in, we were spent.
On our first morning, Lisa and I met Heather Stackhouse down at historical Pike Place Market early for local coffee, flaky apricot pastries and a personal tour (Steve and Amy understandably slept in). We discovered ladies cutting fresh flowers behind mounds of bouquets, butchers throwing fish in the market, and farmers giving out samples of their sweet treats. Among the throng of shoppers, made up of an equal mix of beatniks and foreigners, were workers pushing their wagons of wares, street musicians and mimes, and clowns and cops.
Later on, we picked up Steve and Amy and drove on to Anacortes, Washington to catch a ferry to Sidney, BC. On our way to Anacortes we passed vineyards and timber yards. We passed lonely watering holes. One such forlorn saloon adorned a sign blinking, “Bikini Baristas.” We almost stopped to take a picture (of the sign).
The ferry trip to Sidney was spectacular, navigating west through the San Juan Islands. The Washington State owned-and-operated vessel was clean and comfortable. We didn’t encounter any whales abreast our boat, but we gawked at a lone sea otter pup floating on his back nearby. As we passed, he curiously stared back at us. It was mutual captivation.
Once we landed in Sidney and past through customs, it was a short drive to Victoria. We would have gotten to the Queen Victoria Hotel a lot sooner but the speed limits Canada were entirely too slow for us Texans: highway speeds averaged 70 kilometers/hour (45 miles/hour).
Part 2: Our sunset sail and zip-lining in the Canadian forests.