Rootsystems

2009-05-31T08:06:00.000-07:00

Well, yesterday was a really good day.

I took Henry to the waterfront to enjoy some of the Rose Festival attractions...

And then, little Wyatt decided to join the family!

2009-01-10T19:13:00.000-08:00

I figured it was about time for my quarterly blog post.

This morning, Mike and I went to Mt. Hood and played in the snow.

All in all, the weather wasn't bad for January 10...a little breezy, but not so much that it knocked you off your feet.

Here is a stranger who happened to be in the right spot at the right time...

Here is me flailing about and messing up the nice view of Mt. Jefferson...

2008-11-17T19:09:00.000-08:00

The boys took the kids to the zoo on Saturday.

Photographic evidence...

2008-09-01T13:26:00.001-07:00

Here are a few pictures from our backpacking trip in Central Oregon. The participants were Eric, Jason, Mike, and myself.

Here is the sunrise view of Three Fingered Jack from Marion Lake...

Much of our hiking was through burned-out forest. Oddly beautiful...

We conquered two steep climbs on day 2, as we hiked from Marion Lake to Carl Lake...

We were rewarded with awesome scenery (Mt. Jefferson is hiding behind the cloud) and a downhill section to finish the day...

Self-portrait. Happy to be at our campsite, which was probably one of the best I've ever seen...

2008-09-01T13:08:00.000-07:00

Continued...

Jason ponders the meaning of life while sitting by the fire...

The morning alpenglow in the hills surrounding Carl Lake...

The views along the PCT were incredible...

Um, the views along the PCT were incredible...

The steepish trail leading down to Wasco Lake, our destination for night 3.

Good times!

2008-08-11T21:33:00.000-07:00

Here's a taste test of some of our pictures from the annual Still Creek camping trip.

Stuff was thrown in the creek...

Campfire stories were told by Mommy...

Breakfast was awesome...

The boys...

The girls...

2008-07-27T18:54:00.000-07:00

Henry, Mom, and I went to play today at the creek that runs next to our neighborhood.

2008-07-04T22:10:00.000-07:00

Today, Mike and I went hiking/skiing.

Video = Epic Fail

2008-06-29T19:48:00.000-07:00

Fun at the beach 2008!

Newport Aquarium

Henry is a winner!

Beverly Beach

Henry loves him some camping.

My family is the best!

Stephanie will post more pics on her blog.

2008-05-26T19:09:00.000-07:00

It's a two post day.
Here are a few pictures from our trip to downtown Portland on Memorial Day.

2008-05-26T19:07:00.000-07:00

2008-05-06T09:13:00.000-07:00

Here's a few more pics from the Eugene Marathon. Go Trent!

2008-04-20T20:45:00.000-07:00

Warning...it's a two-post day, so keep scrolling for more blog excitement.

First of all (well, actually, secondly if you're talking chronological order), Trent and I went to Hoodoo on Saturday for a great day of fun in the snow.

Here's a vid of Trent showing how to get it done on a snowboard...

Here's a vid of me on skis. Woot!

I'd say roughly 25% of these tracks were courtesy of Trent and me.

2008-04-20T20:42:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, we went to visit my parents in Lynden.

Henry wanted to show Grandma his piano skills.

Saturday gave us perfect weather, so we went to the local park.
Lynden knows how to build a park.

2008-04-05T12:47:00.000-07:00

Maybe you already know this about me.

I have a guilty pleasure.

Jack in the Box tacos.

2 for $1.

Delicious.

2008-03-30T13:02:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a great day on the mountain!

Here is a clip of Mike & Eric going huge...

And Sam splitting the uprights...

And here's a picture of me...

2008-03-16T17:24:00.000-07:00

This morning, Mike and I participated in the 2008 Shamrock Run (8k) in downtown Portland...

This afternoon we had family fun time at Shute Park. Henry loves him some slides!

2008-03-09T19:27:00.000-07:00

Yippee! It's Ethan's 2nd Birthday Party!

Presents always put a smile on my face.

Hey candles. Your time on earth is coming to a close.

Every birthday boy needs a birthday hat!

2008-03-01T19:39:00.000-08:00

Today I hung out with the Bunch family in Northwest Portland.

Jack didn't get a cupcake, but he seemed to enjoy his formula...

The sun was nice enough to come out for a few minutes...

And I just wanted to post this picture of Henry because it makes me smile!

2008-02-18T08:33:00.000-08:00

Last night, Henry & I went with Jack & Mike to Cannon Beach...

Henry loved this little white "kitty"...

Henry made his decision on what to eat at Mo's...

Jack loves him some Pacific Ocean sunsets...

Good times!

2008-02-14T09:36:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day to my lovely wife...

Henry says, "I love you, Mom!"

2008-02-01T11:27:00.001-08:00

Hello there. No pictures or videos this time. Instead, I've got some knowledge to share with you.

CoinStar is not a scam!

For many years, I assumed that CoinStar charged you for counting up your loose change and converting it to real money. This is not (always) the case! You can choose to receive a gift certificate from a list of retailers and you get back $1 for $1. No "counting" or "processing" fee! We selected a gift certificate to Amazon.com. Other options were Eddie Bauer, Borders, Cabela's, Hollywood Video, Disney Store, and some others I can't think of right now.

If you want to exchange your change for cash, CoinStar does charge you for the service.

I have a feeling I learned about this from someone else's blog, so if I did, then thank you! And I didn't mean to plagiarize.

2008-01-23T21:17:00.000-08:00

Playing blocks with Grandpa. Hysterical!

2008-01-01T15:36:00.000-08:00

Trent and I took the boys for some fun in the snow today. Sledding was a big hit...

2007-11-29T09:21:00.000-08:00

In a fit of nostalgia, I once again read through all of my previous blog postings. I realized that many of my postings were absolutely pointless. So, in the interest of returning to my blogging roots, I present you with...

An Ode to the Guy in Starbucks with a Bluetooth Earpiece and Velcro Shoes

You are more important than most.
Why else would you need
The time-saving double whammy of
Hands-free cellphone and
No shoelaces?

That is all.

2007-11-26T19:48:00.000-08:00

Here is a selection of some photos we took over the Thanksgiving weekend at Cannon Beach.

2007-10-30T08:05:00.000-07:00

The seasons are changing.

One of my traditions (that's not really the right word, but whatever) is to put a shovel, tire chains, and ice scraper into the car once the weather turns cold. That way I'm prepared to head to the mountain on a minute's notice. This is a useful ability when you have a friend like Mike Bunch, who more than once has called me in the afternoon and said, "Hey, what are you doing tonight?" and about two hours later we are skiing at SkiBowl.

That's all for now.

I noticed that my blog header says something about pictures and I've been really bad about posting anything visual lately. I'll try to do better on that end. Keep visiting.

2007-10-10T08:38:00.000-07:00

Wow. This is pretty cool...

Have you checked out the "Street View" option on Google Maps? Portland is now available, along with a small sliver of Hillsboro.

Enjoy!

2007-09-06T11:34:00.000-07:00

Henry helped Stephanie and I with some yard work yesterday evening. My golf clubs were sitting in the driveway (I was going to be moving them into the house) and I decided to take a few practice swings in the front yard. Henry watched me take one swing and started busting up laughing. Not the hee hee kind of laugh which is his specialty, but the kind that comes from the gut. Swing after swing, he couldn't help himself. Mom and I were caught up in the moment and started laughing right along with him.

Two questions...Is my golf swing that funny-looking? and What is it about watching someone else laughing that makes you want to laugh?

We'll try to reenact the moment and capture some video. Stay tuned...

2007-08-25T10:05:00.000-07:00

Last night the family went to the North Park blocks in downtown Portland to watch the Twilight Criterium.

Holy cow, pro bicyclists ride a whole lot faster than I do.

Henry and Ducky encouraged the racers with their cowbell.

Henry expresses the "Agony of Defeat."

We witnessed a crash take place right in front of us. The sound of metal on metal, with a guy rolling around on the ground covering his head was not pretty. Somehow, the rider was okay, and after a couple of minutes he was back in the mix (although a lap behind everyone else).

Time spent together with the family on a warm summer evening is what life is all about.

2007-08-23T19:21:00.000-07:00

meme

There will be no rules posted here, nor will I "tag" anyone, but here are a few random facts about me.

(Jen, you do realize that the group has collectively lost about 3 hours of quality campfire talk time with all of this blog disclosure. :-| )

1. I love looking at maps.
2. My left leg is longer and stronger than my right leg.
3. I cannot stand the sound of a butter knife coming into contact with a plate while cutting up food.
4. I listened to techno/rave (almost exclusively) during two years of high school.
5. I once caught a salmon with my bare hands.
6. I went to second grade in a town named "Niceville."
7. My former favorite food (as memorialized in my 8th grade yearbook) was Fried Rice.
8. I know how to fold a piece of paper into the shape of an airplane, tear off the wings to make a rocket, and unfold it to make a cross.

2007-08-13T15:29:00.000-07:00

How many of you can say, "I nearly caused the death of an elderly woman on Sunday morning."?

I'm hoping it's a short list...

So, I nearly caused the death of an elderly woman on Sunday morning. I was riding my bike along the Banks-Vernonia multi-use trail when I encountered a couple of horseback riders that were just about to embark on their journey. Apparently, one of the horses (her name, I would later learn, was Misty), was not familiar with bicycles. When the horse saw me it totally freaked out, bucking bronco style. The nice old lady on the horse was caught off guard and got tossed just before the horse made it to the paved portion of the path. I stopped riding and stood there in stunned silence. The woman on the ground slowly rolled over and lifted herself to a seated position. The only thing I could think to say was, "I am SO sorry." And so that's what I said. About thirty times over.

Meanwhile, the other horseback rider dismounted and started chasing Misty down the path. Once Misty was under control, the woman who was tossed got to her feet and appeared to be okay, although she was pretty shaken up. I was pretty sure she was okay, because when I asked if she was okay, she said yes.

She walked over to Misty to whisper calming words in her ear. I just stood there like an idiot. The lady asked me if she could bring Misty over to introduce her to the bike. I agreed, although I am basically terrified of horses. Misty and I stood at a comfortable distance from each other for a couple of minutes as I sized her up (I'm thinking, I can take her in a fight) and she sized me up (she's thinking, with one kick I can end him). She slowly made her way over to me and sniffed my bike handle. Apparently, I hadn't said a single word out loud after the horse had approached me. The woman asked me if I could talk to the horse so that she knew I was a human. I was a little embarrassed, because I'm sure it was completely obvious that I was scared like a little school girl. (Okay, maybe that's not the best comparison, because little school girls love horses.) I asked her what the horse's name was...Misty...and then said "Hi Misty. It's okay, girl. That's a good girl." From that point on, Misty and I were the best of friends.

The women decided that it was probably a bad day for a horseback ride and I told them they were probably right, because there were tons of other bicyclists out riding that morning.

As I rode off, the other woman (not the one who was tossed) said, "Thanks, Hon."

I said, "My pleasure."

2007-08-10T19:18:00.000-07:00

Chubby is Deadly

2007-07-31T08:43:00.000-07:00

I'm thinking of having the following printed on a t-shirt...

"I ran in the PCT 50K Trail Race and all I got was this lousy blister."

On second thought, that is a pretty gross thing to have on a t-shirt.

Trent and I were successful in our domination of the field at the PCT 50K Trail Race on Saturday. Literally, there was a field of grass at the beginning of the race that we totally sprinted through.

How do I feel about the fact that all but one of the people who were slower than me were over the age of 55? I feel okay. I'm just happy to say that I finished.

Trent did an awesome job and looked strong all the way to the finish line. Eric met us at the halfway point and provided some much-needed encouragement and supplies. Thanks Eric!

I'm pretty sure my ultramarathon days are through. I loved being outside, running on the trail through the old-growth forest, but I would have been fine stopping at mile 10.

And now for some sappyness (or is it sappiness?)...When you are on the move for a long time in the relative seclusion of the trail, you tend to have a lot of time to think about things. Deep things (what does it mean to be content?) and shallow things (what is that smell? Trent! Seriously! That is disgusting). And sometimes you get a little emotional...I was listening to Jack Johnson on my iPod and he sang "Life is easy when the whole world fits inside of your arms" and I pictured giving Stephanie and Henry a big hug when I got home and I felt really good for the next couple of miles. And then I smelled Trent again.

2007-06-24T20:38:00.000-07:00

We've had a fun week, starting with a trip to see my parents and sister in Lynden and ending with our first family camping trip on the Oregon Coast...

Grandma gives Henry his first piano lesson...

Henry lends a hand in the kitchen...

Henry loves his Aunt Kathy...

I love my family...

2007-05-22T08:38:00.001-07:00

I've had waffles for 3 out of my last 4 meals. And, to be honest with you, I'm okay with that.

2007-04-30T09:28:00.000-07:00

If a picture is worth a thousand words, this picture says...
(abridged)

Trent: Come on, Jim! You can do it!
Jim: Ugh.

==========================================

I'm happy to say that I finished my second (and probably last) marathon. Trent provided some much-needed encouragement for the last ten miles. I couldn't have done it without him. For the last five miles, I actually carried on a conversation (ok, a yelling match) with my legs. I would yell, "Come on legs!" and my legs would yell back "How about some breakfast?" and I would yell back "Come on legs!" and my legs would yell back "No" and so on...

I didn't meet my time goal, but I feel satisfied that I pushed all the way to the end. It was definitely a test of my will to finish.

Thank you to everyone who came down to Eugene! It's amazing how much energy you can get from a few seconds of interaction with loved ones.

2007-04-11T16:34:00.000-07:00

Don't ask me why, but I found this totally hilarious.

Also, I like bacon.

2007-03-18T10:38:00.000-07:00

2007-02-27T10:50:00.000-08:00

I'm posting this information for two reasons. One, so you can start praying for me now. Two, to ensure Trent also signs up to be my companion in suffering.

I just signed up and paid for the Eugene Marathon (April 29) and the PCT 50K (July 28).

My goals are not lofty. I hope to finish the marathon in under 4:15 and I hope to finish the 50K.

I'm also going to take this opportunity to thank my wife in advance for taking such good care of me.

2007-02-26T08:03:00.000-08:00

Eric, Mike, and I spent a lot of time together on various backpacking trips throughout the Northwest a couple of summers ago.

This is what happens when you run out of things to talk about...

2007-02-15T08:11:00.000-08:00

Ok, here is how I uploaded videos to Blogger...There might be an easier way, but this worked for me...

Click on the "Video" hotlink on www.google.com.
Click on "Upload your videos" (to the right of the search bar).
Log in to Google (if you haven't already done so).
Use the "Browse" button to find the video you want to upload.
Add a Title, Description, Genre, and choose the level of Access.
Agree to the Terms and Conditions.
Click "Upload video."
Wait.
Continue waiting.
Wow, this is taking longer than I expected.
You might get an error message about the page not being found, but don't worry. It probably uploaded okay.
Go back to Google video (www.video.google.com) and click on "Uploaded Videos" along the top of the screen.
Your video should be in the queue. It takes time for the video to "Process" and I'm not sure how long you have to wait. I have started the upload process in the evening and the video is ready when I get to work in the morning, but the process might only take half an hour.
When the video is ready, click on "View" in the Status pane.
On the right hand side of the page, click the "Email-Blog-Post to MySpace" button.
Click "Embed HTML."
Start a blog post and copy/paste the HTML code into your blog in the "Edit Html" field.
Hope.

After reading these instructions, you might think it's a confusing process. It's really not that bad. I was able to manage it without any significant frustration, which for me is a miracle. Just ask Stephanie.

2007-02-14T07:48:00.001-08:00

2007-02-13T07:47:00.000-08:00

2007-02-05T16:49:00.000-08:00

My buddy.

Hi, it's Steph posting something on Jim's blog b/c he never does. This is his little buddy who loves him so much b/c he's such a great daddy. Talk to you all later on my own blog!

2007-01-12T20:51:00.000-08:00

My first kiss.

Not what I hoped it would be.

2007-01-10T09:46:00.000-08:00

Watercooler Rant

Ok, seriously, if you get paid to predict, nay, simply forecast the weather, do your job! The loser weatherpeople in Portland once again totally missed the mark with their short-term forecast (as in < 12 hours). Over the weekend, they forecasted 14-18" of snow on Friday night and another 14-18" on Saturday at Mt. Hood. Approximately 3" fell on Friday night and basically no snow fell on Saturday. Good effort. Yesterday evening, they forecasted 1" of snow on the valley floor. We had approximately 8 snowflakes in our front yard this morning. Get out the tire chains!

That is all.

2007-01-03T15:18:00.000-08:00

Over the years, I've ridden with many of you in a car along the westernmost parts of Highway 26.

One of the most incredible experiences of my entire life was shared with Stephanie when we pulled off the road into a particular tourist destination along this stretch of highway (nearly the size of Disney World and definitely more magical).

I'm saddened to hear that the object of my awe might be nearing its fateful end...

http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_010307_news_sitka_tree.4db5b67.html

2006-12-20T11:12:00.000-08:00

As I was checking in at the front desk of the fitness center, the guy behind the desk said, "Have a good workout."

I said in response, "You too."

I hate it when I do things like that.

2006-12-16T19:38:00.000-08:00

Woot.

Mike and I went to White River Canyon this morning and had fun in the snow.

2006-12-11T20:52:00.000-08:00

9:00 PM Friday evening...

Jim to Mike: Do you want to do something crazy tonight?

Mike to Jim: What do you have in mind?

Jim to Mike: Let's cross-country ski into Summit Meadows and camp in the snow.

Mike: OK

2006-12-05T15:48:00.000-08:00

Woot.

2006-11-12T20:59:00.000-08:00

If you don't know the rules of Scattergories, this story won't make any sense. If you've never played Scattergories, you haven't lived a full life.

If my parents challenge you to a game of Scattergories, politely refuse. If you do accept their invitation, you will not win. You will be made to feel silly.

The letter was..."F."

The category was..."Things you shout."

My mom's response was "Fee Fi Fo Fum." That's a 4 point answer. Amazing.

The category was..."Ways to get from here to there."

My dad's response was "Five." As in, there are five different ways of getting from here to there. You can't argue with that logic.

We had a great time when my parents came to visit this weekend. Henry loves them and I have a feeling they love him right back.

2006-11-03T09:34:00.000-08:00

Stephanie and I are feeling a little bit under-the-weather. In an attempt to mitigate the effects of the sickness onslaught, I'm drinking green tea by the gallon.

Green tea tastes like sod.

Couldn't they (the tea people) come up with a name besides "green" for this particular type of tea? Maybe it wouldn't taste as much like sod if it had a better name.

Might I suggest...

Wellness Tea
Tea of the gods
Yummy Tea
Reciproci Tea
Sniffles Tea
Aye May Tea

Discuss.

2006-10-31T16:21:00.000-08:00

A co-worker was kind enough to give me a packet of Starburst today, which I (of course) was excited about.

But, there is more to the story!

I opened up one of the Starbursts (or is it just Starburst, like deer or moose), the one in the yellow wrapper to be more specific. But instead of experiencing the mildly enjoyable lemon flavor (orange is my favorite...come on, it's a color and a fruit!), I tasted nothing short of Pina Colada bliss! Lo and behold, I had been given the Tropical assortment!

Delicious!

2006-10-26T18:12:00.000-07:00

Here are the originals. Thanks for playing!

2006-10-25T20:20:00.000-07:00

Can you guess who these eyeballs belong to?

A prize goes to the winner (or to the one person who actually comments on this blog entry).

Left to Right...Top to Bottom...

& Ignore the very Bottom row (it's a duplicate of the top row).

2006-10-20T18:44:00.000-07:00

I only have eyes for you...

2006-10-14T09:12:00.000-07:00

What makes a Saturday morning?

Sweatpants
Slippers
Warm biscuits with marionberry jam
Coffee

2006-10-07T10:11:00.000-07:00

Here's a shoutout to Trent Tompkins...he runs marathons, climbs mountains, loves his family and I feel privileged to call him my friend.

2006-09-29T09:07:00.000-07:00

You know that feeling when you're taking your baby and dog for a walk, and you're walking up a hill, and your baby is resting on your belly in his Baby Bjorn watching the world go by, and you notice that his little feet are hitting you in your thigh every step you take, and you realize that you're a dad and the world is good and man alive this baby is tiny and has a whole lifetime of experiences waiting for him? Like when he gets to take his son and dog for a walk, and...

2006-09-18T19:21:00.000-07:00

Mike and I took a quick trip to Hug Point on Friday night. Hopefully he'll post more pictures...he's certainly got the photographer's eye.

2006-09-18T19:15:00.000-07:00

Dressing up for Jesus.

2006-08-16T07:45:00.000-07:00

It's been nearly a year since I started this blog...

Middle Sister
Mt. Hood
Stephanie
Sam
Weekend recap
Pleasure of physical fitness
New hobby
New skis
Weekend recap
Runners high
My friend Eric
Hi Mom
Weekend recap
No Houston
Carson Michael Tompkins
My own kind of worship
Son of Eric
No Timberline Trail run
Oregon Coast run
Hollywood…Sherwood
Mom is a good cook
Successful summer
Oh sweet! Beans!
CPA
Pumpkin Patch
New England
Hooky with Maddie
Grandma
Sledding with Jen & Trent
Mountain trips
Date night
Sunshine!
Sad movie
Maddie = athlete
Fondue dreams
Ethan David Thompson
Pacific City
Ethan with my wife
Astoria, Oregon
Weekend recap
Corn
Coast hike memory
The Oregon cycle
My eye stings
Pure Luck
Nike
Cream of Wheat
Marathon expectations
Marathon
Diamond Lake recap
Baby

2006-07-24T11:21:00.000-07:00

Hallelujah ripped through my veins

2006-06-28T22:03:00.000-07:00

I returned yesterday afternoon from a long weekend of running, aching, camping, and itching (not necessarily in that order). On Friday night, Eric, Trent, Mike, Becky, and I drove to Florence and stayed the night at Trent's parent's beach house. Trent, Mike, and I ran the Cape Mountain Trail Run for the second year in a row and had a blast. The only rough section of the run came after I referred to Mike as a stallion and his body had a strange reaction to the compliment (mainly comprised of muscle cramping due to dehydration).

After the race, we stuck around for door prizes and everybody won one except for me. Trent won a free pair of shoes for the second year in a row! He is one wild and lucky guy.

We soon headed back to the beach house to get cleaned up before our drive to Diamond Lake (Eric, Trent, and me).

Ok, this blog is getting longer than I expected and I'm sleepy. So, here is the abridged version...

Arrive at campground
Lots of mosquitoes
Tent is hard to set up
Mosquitoes are hungry
Hang out inside tent
Go to bed
Wake up
Eat breakfast
Mosquitoes
Drive to trailhead
Begin
Mosquitoes
Hiking
Mosquitoes
Running
Mosquitoes
Incredibly hot outside
Mosquitoes
Devils club
Mosquitoes
Lose trail often
Mosquitoes
Somehow entire loop trail is uphill
Mosquitoes
Heat exhaustion
Mosquitoes
Drive back to camp
Eat lunch
Eat dinner
Sleep
Wake up
Drive to Crater Lake
Beautiful
Mosquitoes
Drive back to camp
Nap
Swim in lake
Mosquitoes
Nap
Eat dinner
Sleep
Wake up
Drive home

It was an awesome time! Here are a couple of pictures...

2006-06-23T13:43:00.000-07:00

2006-06-02T08:18:00.000-07:00

Well, about 24 hours from now I'll be somewhere around mile 8 in my 26.2 mile odyssey.

Pain is my friend. Pain is my friend. Pain is my friend.

In other words, I'm expecting to never use "marathon" and "fun" in the same sentence. Unless, of course, there's a "not" tossed in the middle somewhere.

2006-05-26T09:57:00.000-07:00

Instant Oatmeal or Instant Cream-of-Wheat?

I'm leaning towards Instant Cream-of-Wheat.

Discuss.

2006-05-19T08:40:00.000-07:00

Woot!

2006-05-10T11:18:00.000-07:00

So, Stephanie and I have been doing work around the house over the past couple of weeks. Yesterday evening, I could have sworn I was playing the lead role in the following movie:

Let me tell you why...

1) I noticed a small nest of some sort above our garage door and decided that the nest needed to be removed. I used a broomstick in my attempt to knock the nest down, but only tore the nest open instead. As soon as I realized the nest wasn't the consistency I expected it to be, all of these tiny spiders started raining down on me. I'm not kidding, there were hundreds of baby spiders in my hair. That part in Charlotte's Web with the baby spiders isn't so cute to me anymore.

2) I went inside to grab my MP3 player so that I could listen to music while I pulled weeds. For some stupid reason, I brought a small spade shovel inside with me. While I was turning on the power of the MP3 player, I stupidly forgot that I was still holding the small spade shovel. Okay, by this point, "holding" is the wrong word. "Dropping" would be more appropriate. I dropped the stupid thing right on the cuticle of my big toe. I was in a stupid amount of pain. After a short time spent lying on the stupid floor in the fetal position, I was able to carry on with my yardworking duties.

3) I encountered a new type of weed in my backyard (new to me at least). This weed had velcronic (oh yes, I have just made up a word) abilities. As in, the little barbs on the weed were the "hook" and the texture of my skin was the "loop" in the hook-and-loop paradigm. A very interesting kind of pain presented itself in this particular type of attachment. It was similar to the sensation you get when somebody scrapes their knife across a plate, except instead of just being annoying, there was sharp pain involved.

Wow. When you combine this post with my last one, you might have the desire to stay away from me, lest my bad luck rub off on you.

2006-04-27T13:22:00.000-07:00

Let this serve as a cautionary tale...

So, I'm at my desk eating my lunch and the strangest and most painful thing just happened. I'm in the middle of demolishing a tasty taco salad from Kruse Woods Deli while I surf the web during my lunch break and BAM! there is a searing pain in my right eye as ranch dressing catapults off a piece of salad, somehow finding the perfect angle to strike (underneath my glasses) and landing squarely on my eyeball.

Let me just say that what I'm feeling is more than "mildly uncomfortable."

I hope your day is going better than mine.

2006-04-06T11:40:00.000-07:00

Hitting for the Oregon Cycle

In baseball, if you hit a single, double, triple, and home run in a game, it is called "hitting for the cycle."

This weekend, Mike and I will attempt to hit for the Oregon cycle.

Saturday - Ski at Mt. Hood Meadows
Saturday evening - hike to Bagby Hot Springs and enjoy a warm soak
Saturday night - camp somewhere in the woods
Sunday - golf at Elkhorn Valley

I was feeling kind of glum yesterday, but as soon as Mike and I started talking about the trip, my spirits lifted and now I can't wait until our Saturday morning departure!

Tonight we begin the process of packing for this trip, which will require an outrageous amount of gear for an overnighter.

2006-04-05T08:17:00.000-07:00

A couple of summers ago, I went on a backpacking trip along the northern Oregon coast with Eric & Mike. It was an interesting "wilderness" experience, as half of our hiking was done on conventional trails in the forest and the other half was done on the beach.

This morning, I went for a jog with Maddie and we passed by a lot of kids on the sidewalk waiting for the bus. As I ran past the kids, some of them gave me odd looks, which seemed to ask "Why on earth would anybody choose to run along the road and not on a playground?" For some reason, I began thinking about our beach hike as I ran. I think it was because of what happened just south of Haystack Rock near Cannon Beach...

The three of us woke up early (thanks Mike) to make it around Hug Point while the tide was out. We could see Haystack Rock off in the distance to the north and we began plodding our way along the hard-packed sand next to the receding waterline. We were in a great mood and I seem to recall Eric and I holding hands and skipping along (this may or may not have actually happened). As we approached the south end of Cannon Beach (by Mo's), a schoolbus full of children parked in a nearby lot and all of the kids came streaming out of the bus and running along the beach in the direction of Haystack Rock. Of course, one of the alpha males decided that the kids should race to the Rock. Off they went, sprinting right past us and giving us odd looks, probably because we were carrying big backpacks. They ran and ran as fast as their legs could carry them and we just kept on hiking. After a couple of minutes they were probably 300 yards ahead of us and quickly began to tire out. One by one, they stopped running and you could clearly see that they totally misjudged how far away they were from Haystack Rock. We kept hiking along and within a couple of minutes we had passed by the lead group. It was the classic Tortoise & the Hare story. The kids were seriously surprised that we had caught up to them and a few of them looked so beat that I was afraid they wouldn't be able to even walk the remaining distance to Haystack Rock (about 5 minutes away).

There's no particular point to this blog, so I apologize if you're disappointed. Just wanted to recount a good memory.

Oh, by the way, we each had 7 pieces of pizza and a doughnut for lunch in Cannon Beach. Lunch was followed by one of the greatest naps of my life, as all three of us lounged in the grassy area by the whale (you know the one), warmed by the sunshine and shielded from the wind.

2006-03-31T15:50:00.000-08:00

My wife likes corn on the cob.

2006-03-22T10:45:00.000-08:00

Well, let me start off by saying that we are absolutely thrilled about our future son. He has been keeping his mama happy by kicking her in the stomach consistently throughout the day.

Last weekend was incredible. I was already riding a high from seeing our little guy move around during the ultrasound. On Friday, I went to Mt. Hood Meadows with Mike and had the best powder-skiing experience of my life. On Saturday, Eric and I went on a really not funless hike in the snow (see Eric's blog for a great trip report). On Sunday morning, Trent and I ran from church to Sherwood under a brilliant blue sky. On Sunday afternoon, Trent, Mike, and I went golfing in Wilsonville. And on Sunday evening, I rested.

I love Oregon!

2006-03-02T08:26:00.000-08:00

Ok, so you might remember from a post last year that I have a little bit of Hollywood experience (see blog entry on 10/6/05). I'd like to put this experience to use and offer a location suggestion to the producers of Rocky VI.

Astoria, Oregon

It's got everything you need to make the perfect movie backdrop, from a quaint underappreciated downtown area to a dock along the river that is a resting place for incredibly loud sea lions. Can't you see them cheering (barking) for Rocky Balboa as he runs along the river during a montage scene? If you think about it, the sound of a barking sea lion is very similar to Rocky yelling "Adrian!" in the earlier Rocky movies.

I decided to go to a slightly different part of town this morning on my jog and I had a close encounter with these sea lions. They're considerably larger than I remembered from the zoo. I stopped at the edge of the dock (about 10 feet away from the nearest sea lion) to watch them bark at me and apparently they were a little spooked by my presence, so they slowly (and quite comically) tried to reverse direction and make their way to the water. I shrugged my shoulders and thought, "Well, that's probably the most interesting thing that is going to happen to me today" and then I continued on my run.

Uh oh. I just remembered that Astoria has already served as the backdrop for a movie. Goonies. Man, now there's a funny movie. Scrap the Rocky VI idea.

2006-02-21T10:19:00.000-08:00

Here is a picture of the new kid on the block and my lovely wife...

2006-02-20T09:06:00.000-08:00

It's been an eventful week! Sarah Thompson gave birth to a healthy baby boy!

Here is Ethan David Thompson...

Here are Ethan's proud parents...

We're all having fun getting to know the little (big) guy...

...Carson included...

In other news, Mike and I went on an impromptu trip to Pacific City yesterday evening...

2006-02-14T14:30:00.000-08:00

I'm looking forward to some delicious chocolate fonduezzle this evening!

2006-02-13T11:10:00.000-08:00

So lately you might have noticed that a certain group of sporting events are getting a fair amount of television air-time. Some refer to said events as the "Winter Olympics."

I was jogging yesterday and I was trying to think of the greatest athlete of all time. I came to the following conclusion...

The greatest athlete of all time is my dog, Maddie. Seriously. She can play in the snow, play with Jaci (Stephanie's little sister), run 4 miles with me, and still be ready for more. It simply defies logic. I'm considering allowing her to run with my number in the Newport Marathon. She would dominate the field. I would be waiting for her at the finish line with a treat.

2006-02-09T08:24:00.000-08:00

I need to get this off my chest...

If you want to see the most depressing movie ever made, you should rent "Angela's Ashes." Seriously, it was so sad it wasn't even fun to make fun of the sadness I was feeling while watching it.

I'm slipping into depression simply writing a blog about this sad sad sad movie.

Stay away from the movie. It will make you feel bad about life.

2006-02-07T12:54:00.000-08:00

I do appreciate all of the recent precipitation we've had in Oregon, mostly because it has brought a ton of snow to the mountains. I've had an amazing time skiing this winter.

However, I can't even begin to express to you how grateful I am for the recent sunshine. I'm a totally different person when the sun is out. I hold the elevator door open for latecomers, I hug complete strangers, and I even smile a couple of times a day.

I LOVE THE SUN!!!

2006-02-01T08:20:00.000-08:00

When Stephanie and I lived in West Seattle, we would have a date night every Tuesday at Tully's Coffee by Thriftway (at the intersection of California Street and Fauntleroy). Last night, we decided it was time to bring back the tradition (at a local coffee shop). We drove through Old Town, which is in the middle of a massive road construction project, only to find that there wasn't a single locally-owned coffee shop open during the evening. We then drove to the strip mall by Shari's, but of course the little coffee shop there was also closed. We eventually decided that we would head across Highway 99 to the Starbucks by Safeway. The coffee was tasty and the conversation was stimulating, but the surroundings were certainly lacking. I hope that once the construction project is finished in Old Town we'll be able to frequent one of the locally-owned coffee shops that have considerably more personality than the common strip-mall Starbucks.

2005-12-15T09:08:00.000-08:00

I find myself in the proverbial rut. But what a beautiful rut it is.

This weekend will be my 5th trip to the mountain in a row! I'm going skiing with Mike on Friday (free lift ticket at SkiBowl if you bring 4 cans of food), followed by camping somewhere around the mountain on Friday night, and then climbing the Palmer Glacier on Saturday with a ski return to the lodge.

Last weekend was incredible. Eric and I attempted to build an igloo, but after realizing the ceiling would be about 12 feet high by the time we were finished, we decided to sleep in the pre-existing 3-sided wood shelter instead. The air temperature got pretty chilly at night, but we both stayed warm with our nice assortment of gear & apparel. Just because these short trips don't require the extensive planning that they used to, it doesn't make them any less memorable.

2005-12-07T08:42:00.000-08:00

Hi everybody!

This weekend (on a trip with Eric) will make 4 weekends in a row that I've gone to Mt. Hood to play in the snow. Life doesn't get much better than that.

Here are some pictures from when my Grandma Marr & parents came to visit for Thanksgiving and also some pictures from our White River sledding trip with Jen & Trent Thompkins...

My Grandma...

Maddie loved Grandma and Grandma loved Maddie...

Steph & Jen hiking to the sled hill...

Apparently I'm afraid of the snow...

Jen & Trent...

Introducing the Calvin Klein winter collection...

Jen & Steph...

Good times with friends...

2005-11-22T08:49:00.000-08:00

There are certain times when I wish we didn't have a dog. And then there are other times when I couldn't imagine life without Maddie.

On Sunday morning, I had every intention of going to church with Stephanie. But as I was laying in bed waiting for the shower, Maddie jumped up and started to get her snuggle on with me. I looked out the window and saw that the sky was perfectly blue, so I decided that Maddie and I would play hooky. I gathered up my new cross-country ski equipment and we were soon heading down the road to Mt. Hood.

It was an absolutely perfect day. There was plenty of snow, it was incredibly warm, my new gear worked great and Maddie had the time of her life.

By the time we made it back to the car, there were tons of people at the Sno-Park. Maddie said hello to all of the little kids with their sleds and as they were petting her, you could almost see them asking their parents with their eyes, "Can I get one?" Maddie spread her love around to everybody nearby (she's not picky) and soon we were loaded up and heading home.

Not 30 seconds after I started driving, I looked in the rearview mirror to see Maddie's head drop to the floor. She slept without stirring until we got home.

2005-11-16T08:26:00.000-08:00

Read the previous post before looking at this one.

Jim with Paul Revere in the courtyard of the Old North Church.

Alex (Stephanie's cousin) at Sturbridge Village.

Stephanie, Alex, Delissa, & Samantha at Sturbridge Village.

Jim and Samantha share a moment.

Yes, that is John Ashcroft in the background.

2005-11-16T08:02:00.000-08:00

Hello. Sorry it's been so long since I last posted. Stephanie and I had a great time on our trip to New England. Below is a picture essay of our adventures (more to follow in second post)...

And for those who might be interested, we can further discuss (in person) my insights gained regarding self-realization in the formative years of childhood, or what makes a memory a good memory.

Where my house previously stood.

Stephanie enjoying the view of Bar Harbor, Maine.

Boats in Bar Harbor.

Stephanie excited about finding Portland Head Lighthouse.

Stephanie climbing a rock.

Stephanie on guard duty.

Samantha (Stephanie's cousin).

2005-10-25T08:34:00.000-07:00

Do you ever have those days that are so full of good times that you almost can't believe it? Our weekend was like that. Totally crammed with fun. Here are a few pictures...

Stephanie loves her some elephant ears...

Stephanie loves her some candy apples...

One of my all-time favorite Steph pictures...

Mike and Becky looking for the perfect pumpkin...

Mt. Hood from a hillside near Forest Road 48...

2005-10-21T08:31:00.000-07:00

It's official!

I'm a CPA! Washington State License #25327.

The saga that started six years ago is finally complete. Based on my rough calculation, I've spent approximately $387,000 on exam fees, review courses, and study guides.

Please don't ask me for tax advice. If you talk to my wife, she will attest (how's that for a CPA word?) to the fact that I nearly have a brain hernia when I prepare our own tax return. And that is with the help of software.

Let's keep my lack of tax knowledge between us. Anyone who sees my fancy CPA license on the wall won't know any better.

2005-10-14T08:18:00.000-07:00

Oh sweet! Beans!

2005-10-12T08:37:00.000-07:00

I believe I will call this summer the "Season of Completed Endeavors." On my run last night, I was thinking about all of the fun trips I've taken and all of the long-overdue home improvements that are nearly complete. And to top it off, I finally completed the Ethics Exam and the only thing stopping me from becoming a CPA is the paperwork being lost in the mail.

Ever since I lived in Seattle and saw a picture of the Three Fingers Lookout in a book at Barnes & Noble I was anxious to go there. And this summer I did.

Ever since Eric and I did a loop hike in the Wallowas, I wanted to go back and spend more time relaxing at Moccasin Lake and peak Eagle Cap. And this summer I did.

Ever since I heard Eric and Mike tell their stories about climbing Middle Sister, I wanted to see the view from the top. And this summer I did.

Ever since I looked out my back window and saw nothing but ugly brown barkdust, I wanted to get a sod lawn installed. And this summer I did.

Ever since I realized that I could push over our fence with my pinky finger, I wanted to get the fence replaced. And this summer I did.

Ever since I sat in a large building in the Oregon State Fairgrounds for my first CPA exam (in 1999), I wanted to pass the test and become a CPA. And this summer I did.

I can't say that I ever had a desire to become a runner, but because this is the summer that all things come to completion, I did that, too.

And it looks like it will continue for the rest of the year. Stephanie and I have always talked about going to the Northeast and we're finally taking the trip in November.

I am satisfied. I haven't experienced that feeling very often in my life.

And it must be time for me to set some new goals...

2005-10-10T10:42:00.000-07:00

Steph and I took a long weekend and went to visit my parents in Lynden, WA. We had a great time and our itinerary went something like this...Wake up, eat, talk, eat, talk, walk, eat, play cards, talk, go to bed, repeat. Could a weekend get any better than that?

My mom grew up on a dairy farm in Lynden and my parents live in a beautiful house on the border of town. This is the view out their back window...

I've been lucky enough to see a lot of beautiful places in my life and you can't beat Lynden on a clear day. There is something idyllic about the red barns against the green pastures with the rugged mountains in the background. The view is even beautiful enough to make you forget about the ever-present sweet smell of cow manure in the air.

My mom is a great cook and we took full advantage of her kitchen skills during our short visit...

She also serenaded us on their new baby grand piano...

My dad keeps himself busy with his wood-working hobby. He's added a number of pieces of furniture to the house and they are all good-looking and functional...

All pictures taken by JEM.

2005-10-06T10:02:00.000-07:00

Hollywood...Sherwood. Have you ever noticed how much these two names have in common?

I'm pretty sure that I ran through a movie set last night. Here are the reasons why I arrived at this conclusion...

1) A number of trucks and RVs were parked along the road, all having California plates.

2) The afore-mentioned trucks and RVs had the name of a production company with "Hollywood, CA" painted on the doors.

3) A number of people with strange haircuts were milling around in a front yard.

4) One of these people was a man wearing a headset and barking orders to someone less important than himself.

5) A large area light was sitting in the driveway of the house.

6) When I ran down the sidewalk in front of the house, the man with the headset shot me a look that said "Who do you think you are?" and "What do you think you are doing on my set?" and "Don't you know that people with headsets are better than you?" all at the same time. I was listening to music on my MP3 player as all this was unfolding, so I just put my arms up in the air, as if to ask "What do you want me to do?" while I continued running down the sidewalk in front of the house. When the man realized that I was unimpressed with his headset and haircut, he just waved me through and I went about my way.

Let me just say that I'm glad I live in Sherwood and I was happy to realize that people with headsets and odd haircuts stick out like a sore thumb in my town. But, if by some chance the guy with the headset is reading this blog and wants to cast me in major blockbuster, I would love to move to Hollywood and pursue a career in acting. As Groucho Marx said, "Those are my principles. If you don't like them, I have others."

2005-10-03T09:08:00.000-07:00

Remember that time we ran 25 miles down the Oregon Coast? That was awesome.

Mike, Eric, and I had a great time on our jog from Seaside to Oswald West State Park. The weather cooperated for most of the day and the only time that it really rained hard was during the 1/4 mile stretch on Highway 101. I bet everybody who drove by thought, "Those are the toughest guys I've ever seen in my entire life," or alternatively, "Those are the stupidest guys I've ever seen in my entire life."

It was great to have the girls along and they were the best support crew we could have asked for. Steph and Becky did a little cheer for me and Mike, which was very nice even though I ended up with a bit of sand in my cup-o-soup from a wild leg-flailing kick maneuver.

Eric is much faster than me and Mike. I think I actually heard an audible "zoom" as he ran by.

And as a final note, it is possible to roll-start a late model XTerra by popping the clutch in the unfortunate event that your battery dies because the lights were left on in the parking lot.

2005-09-30T12:49:00.000-07:00

Well, when the weather says "I dare you. Go ahead, just try it..." you need to pay attention.

Mike and I were intending on running around Mt. Hood tomorrow, but with temperatures dropping and a large storm system moving through the area, we decided it was an undertaking best saved for another (less frosty) time.

But! Because we each spent a couple hours packing last night and because we have $50 worth of trail food all nicely organized into plastic bins, we thought we should get outside and do something tomorrow regardless of the weather. So, on a less extreme note, we have decided to run along the coast for 25 miles. Eric will join us along the way and the girls will supply us with food and hot soup at a couple of strategically located spots along the route. We are going to run/hike from Seaside to Oswald West State Park.

Bring on the rain!

Here is a picture of Mt. Hood from Trillium Lake...

2005-09-27T09:23:00.000-07:00

Looks like another man-child is on the way! Yesterday, Eric and Sarah found out that their little one is going to be a boy! Steph and I are very excited for them.

I hope he looks like his daddy...

2005-09-26T11:21:00.000-07:00

Admittedly, it's hard to post anything to this blog that compares with the pictures of Baby T. So, maybe after my ramblings I'll add another picture of Carson so you go away with warm and fuzzy feelings.

I went for a run on the Wildwood Trail on Saturday morning. 15 miles of pure heaven. I saw a number of other trail-runners and everyone looked to be having a good time.

The great thing about running is the natural rhythm of movement. It doesn't require a great deal of concentration. Your brain is allowed to focus on those things that require thoughtful reflection...

As usual, I was listening to my eclectic mix of tunes on my MP3 player and every once in a while a powerful praise song would make its way into the rotation. I could literally feel a burst of energy as I sang along, often with a hand outstretched heavenward. I was thinking to myself as I sang, "Huh. I don't ever do this in church." But then I realized that God probably isn't that particular about how and where we choose to worship Him. I feel an intense closeness to God when I am outside enjoying His creation, so why not sing His praises when I'm on a trail run? So, if you should happen to see a tall guy running down a trail with a smile on his face and singing out of tune, it's probably me, simply engaging in some unconventional praise & worship.

As promised, another picture of Carson (this time having his temperature taken)...

2005-09-23T10:12:00.000-07:00