My father passed away earlier today. That's something I didn't expect to find myself saying or writing just yet: he was 78, which isn't all that old for my kin. Most of the cantankerous, flinty old New Englanders that occupy my family tree tend to reach at least their 90s, and one great-grandparent made it to the ripe old age of 101. But my father ( Read more... )

I think it's safe now to mention this ( Read more... )

Wherein we leave Venice for Siena and discover two Important Italian Travel Tips.

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No sign of Indiana Jones, but we didn't need him to enjoy ourselves in this amazing city.

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To spare those with delicate sensibilities:

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goldenmina and I begin our inspection tour of Italy this week! We're leaving tomorrow afternoon and returning on the 18th. Our itinerary includes Rome, Venice and Siena (from which we'll take a day trip to Florence), gelato, pasta, chianti, grappa, sore feet, frantic attempts to communicate in the local lingo and a brief visit to London on the way home. ( Read more... )

Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns. ~George Eliot

A couple of weeks ago my darling goldenmina and I embarked on our annual pilgrimage to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland. It's an eight-hour drive (seven or even six-and-a-half if you set out early enough ( Read more... )

goldenmina and I are now officially residents of Seattle!

For those who may be wondering, our resident demonic feline, Puck, seems more curious than irritated by the new digs, and has discovered that he really, really likes climbing to the top of whatever pile of boxes is tallest, the better to "supervise" his humans' efforts to unpack and put away all ( Read more... )

That’s right Seattle, the Carls are coming to town! Hide the Guinness, impressionable young minds and polyhedral dice!

The superlative goldenmina and I are moving from Kirkland to Seattle proper on the 18th of this month, trading our suburban stronghold for a new townhouse-style condo located in northern Ravenna (or possibly southern Maple Leaf, the ( Read more... )

But unlike Napoleon, I'm not being exiled. On the contrary, I've been summoned back to Microsoft Game Studios, where I shall report on Monday to begin a new contract. I'm back with the Web Team as a technical/content writer, and if I'm fortunate I'll be working on a number of very interesting projects connected to some cool Xbox titles! If I'm ( Read more... )