Archive for June, 2010

An Incredibly Inexpensive Safari

Tuesday, June 29th, 2010

An African safari is one of those experiences that’s on most traveler’s wish list, and I fully expected that someday Lucas and I would plan this adventure.  However, it hasn’t been especially high on my list of destination priorities, because I feel like this is the time in our lives for budget travel. When I [...]

The Right to Bear Accordions

Monday, June 28th, 2010

I am not an accordion hater. To me there is nothing inherently wrong with accordion music in itself, but like so many things, an accordion can be used improperly and for nefarious purposes. I’ve been a sappy sentimental tourist in Europe before, and I vaguely (but fondly) remember the first time I heard someone playing [...]

Scrum Task Origami -
Part 4: Project Estimation

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010

At long last, we have correctly completed our Japanese Brocade Level 1 Menger Sponge!  It ended up being a bit larger than the first two and took us a little over one month to complete. Now that we have finished our prototypes, the time has come to begin the final product, the Level 2 Menger [...]

Reverse Culture Shock: Environmentalism

Saturday, June 5th, 2010

Last month, I had to make a two-week trip to Houston for work.  Since we’re usually just back for a short visit around a class, conference, or friend/family visit, this was the closest I’ve come to living a normal everyday American life since we left in 2005. Every time I go back, I experience little [...]

2010 Eurovision WTF Awards

Thursday, June 3rd, 2010

I’m sure you’re all sick of hearing about Eurovision by this point, but last year I started a tradition, and darnit, I’m sticking with it! It’s time to announce the 2010 winners of the Eurovision WTF awards! But first, since I have a large American audience that has the misfortune to not watch Eurovision, I’d [...]

My First Useful iPad Travel App

Tuesday, June 1st, 2010

The travel industry has had a long love affair with the iPhone and its gadgetry goodness, and Lucas and I have found dozens of incredibly helpful ways to use it when we travel.  There have been myriad travel-focused iPhone apps, so I’ve been eagerly awaiting the ways in which the iPad will revolutionize our travel [...]