In September, 1987, a young man from mid-Michigan took occupancy of a dorm room in Ann Arbor. Dissatisfied with his given, Christian name, he turned over the potato-shaped construction paper name tag that had been taped to the outside of the door of his cell and (perhaps not knowing the implications for his future ability to have, uh, "meaningful interactions" with "members" of the "opposite sex") wrote the word "Eggmaster."
Shortly thereafter, his roommate (not to be one-upped in nerdliness) flipped his name tag and wrote "Warp," which didn't stick and--by the consensus of his fellow subterranean dorm-dwellers--was changed to "Psycho." That turned out to be the keeper, although I always liked "Warp."
Flash forward to the year 2007. The Eggmaster googles himself and finds, to his horror (or, at least, his extreme irritation), that in the twenty years since he took the fateful step of becoming the Master of all Eggs great hordes of pretenders to the title have sprung up.
I'd like to know if any of these other so-called 'eggmasters' can date their nicknames prior to September, 1987. It's not like I can forbid anyone from using this nickname, but I had hoped when I chose it that the name would be random enough to be somewhat unique...that I was blazing a trail into uncharted realms of dorkdom.
30 May 2007
29 May 2007
Isla Mujeres, an earthly paradise
In February 2007, we accepted an invitation from our good friends S&R to come stay with them on Isla Mujeres, Mexico, just off the coast near Cancún. This level of adventurousness and spontaneity is not typical for us...maybe it was the bleak Minnesota winter that forced us to such drastic action.
It was the best family vacation I've ever had. A few hours after I got there, I knew that I would be coming back. S&R moved to India--damn them--and so it fell to us to find some other friends to bring South of the Border. Luckily, I have two dear, old, gullible friends with two girls roughly the same ages as my kids.
I'm posting this photo-travelogue primarily for their benefit...so they can see what they're getting into. And so without further ado: Isla Mujeres, paradise on Earth.
Our island adventure began with a 20-minute-or-so ferry ride from the puerta in Cancún to the island. The ocean bottom here alternates between unbelievably vibrant shades of turquoise. Here I am with DD1 feeling happier than I had in months:
Getting off the ferry, we were approached by this dude, a malatero, who interpreted my very rusty-spanish request for a "taxi" as "we want to take a 10 minute walk to our hotel while you push our belongings (and children) on a rickety old bicycle-shopping-cart-hybrid".
Actually the walk was pleasant enough and the girls were very into this mode of transportation.
So after the friendly dude departed with his cart and 100 of my hard-earned pesos (I had no idea what to tip the guy so I erred on the side of "tourist is hemorrhaging pesos!"--the guy was trying to set a date to come and take us back to the ferry a week later) we walk around to the beach side of our bungalow to see this:
Yes, folks that's the Gulf of Mexico, its constant cooling breeze blowing right through the bungalow.
A typical day for us was to get up when the kids got up, let them play on the beach outside our place until sunburn hours commenced (say 10 or 11 AM), after which they had to stay in the shade of the palm trees or be inside. Wifey or I would walk into town to get fresh produce for the day's lunch, check email, shop, etc. Or maybe we'd all play a board game or whatever. Then at about 3:30 or 4:00 we'd all head over to Playa Norte, which is the main swimming beach.
We'd hang around at the beach, swim, drink margaritas and eat snacks from the vendor dudes who wander around the beach. Then we'd either go out for dinner or head back home for something we'd prepare in the kitchens there.
The island is long and narrow, and we're only a 5 minute walk from town. For trips down the length of the island, there's a municipal bus, or taxis. Other than that there are not many cars on the island. Most of the tourists enjoy renting these golf carts or mopeds...the girls loved this:
And it was so charming (and a source of great national pride) to see my fellow Americans loading 5 or 6 hefty inebriated corpses onto these golf carts and attempting to pilot same back to their posh hotels.
OK, some randomness in the ordering of the images here...
This is a nice place to get a coffee or a light meal; breakfast was good. They also have a clever sort of lending library in here; you can buy paperbacks for some nominal fee and return them when you like.
Across the street is the "cyber cafe" where I did most of my spam-weeding-out and office-fire-extinguishing:
Very "Neuromancer".
This is a shot of the girls spontaneously breaking into joyful dance at the home of the four 'loncherias' adjacent to the local municipal market. This was a favorite place for lunch...very friendly people and good 'authentic' Yucatán cooking.
On the day before we left (or maybe that day, I don't remember) I decided to take some photos of a walk into town. Undeterred by the threatening storm clouds, I set out:
That's the "back" (street side) of the bungalows. We stayed in the unit to the right, which is the southern unit. There is a nice little garden of succulent plants also populated by geckos and iguanas which the girls loved to look at.
walking about 200yds brings you to the municipal "convention center"/indoor basketball court. There were games going on a few nights a week. This shot is looking back up the dirt road that leads to Hotel Secreto (posh), Hotel Media Luna (posh), and our place (best). On the right is the chain link fence that encloses the site of some massive new condo development...I hope it does not destroy the character of Playa Media Luna...actually I think it will be ok.
Here is the East entrance to the municipal market...a favorite spot of mine. You can see the loveable and omnipresent character-toon-a-tron for the BIMBO bakery corporation.
Inside you find three or four produce and general grocery stalls where you can practice your Español (me permite tomar un foto, Señora?) and buy fresh mangos, papayas, hammock cords (essential!!), freshly made corn tortillas (they smell so good), beans and rice. It's so awesome.
And, of course, you will want to show your devotion to Nuestra Señora at the gaudy yet reverence-inspiring shrine to same:
This is a shot as you leave the back entrance of the mercado...great job the camera did focusing on the nearby arch...I was trying to get a shot of the covered pavilion where the loncherias are.
Finally, I had to end my photojournalistic efforts with this shot down the "main drag" (foot traffic only) of the town. There are so many good, cheap restaurants along here, along with tequilerias, hotels (see balconies top left), silver sellers, art dealers, etc. etc. It was starting to rain heavily and I needed to get my camera back to the bungalow before my clothes soaked through.
And that's that!
Down the main drag about 5 or 6 blocks is the main plaza, replete with catholic church (and painted concrete Mary on top), civic building (where you bribe the local police perhaps?), and a supermercado where you can buy...well, super stuff that the little stalls at the mercado municipal don't have room/facilities to stock. Toilet paper, diapers...things like that.
There's an ATM that will let you get 3000 pesos each day (I guess this depends somewhat on your bank's max limit, but I got 3000 a pop)...pesos:dollar is roughly 10:1.
Later on I'll post some pics of the inside of the bungalow so you can see the living conditions.
I have to say...this vacation was life-changing for me. I had never really done any world traveling prior to this, and seeing people living happily in conditions vastly different than Minnesota gave me a new perspective that has allowed me to re-evaluate my own life and work choices. Also it was a great chance to get to know S&R, and I know we're looking forward to reconnecting with our old friends next winter.
It was the best family vacation I've ever had. A few hours after I got there, I knew that I would be coming back. S&R moved to India--damn them--and so it fell to us to find some other friends to bring South of the Border. Luckily, I have two dear, old, gullible friends with two girls roughly the same ages as my kids.
I'm posting this photo-travelogue primarily for their benefit...so they can see what they're getting into. And so without further ado: Isla Mujeres, paradise on Earth.
Our island adventure began with a 20-minute-or-so ferry ride from the puerta in Cancún to the island. The ocean bottom here alternates between unbelievably vibrant shades of turquoise. Here I am with DD1 feeling happier than I had in months:
Getting off the ferry, we were approached by this dude, a malatero, who interpreted my very rusty-spanish request for a "taxi" as "we want to take a 10 minute walk to our hotel while you push our belongings (and children) on a rickety old bicycle-shopping-cart-hybrid".
Actually the walk was pleasant enough and the girls were very into this mode of transportation.
So after the friendly dude departed with his cart and 100 of my hard-earned pesos (I had no idea what to tip the guy so I erred on the side of "tourist is hemorrhaging pesos!"--the guy was trying to set a date to come and take us back to the ferry a week later) we walk around to the beach side of our bungalow to see this:
Yes, folks that's the Gulf of Mexico, its constant cooling breeze blowing right through the bungalow.
A typical day for us was to get up when the kids got up, let them play on the beach outside our place until sunburn hours commenced (say 10 or 11 AM), after which they had to stay in the shade of the palm trees or be inside. Wifey or I would walk into town to get fresh produce for the day's lunch, check email, shop, etc. Or maybe we'd all play a board game or whatever. Then at about 3:30 or 4:00 we'd all head over to Playa Norte, which is the main swimming beach.
We'd hang around at the beach, swim, drink margaritas and eat snacks from the vendor dudes who wander around the beach. Then we'd either go out for dinner or head back home for something we'd prepare in the kitchens there.
The island is long and narrow, and we're only a 5 minute walk from town. For trips down the length of the island, there's a municipal bus, or taxis. Other than that there are not many cars on the island. Most of the tourists enjoy renting these golf carts or mopeds...the girls loved this:
And it was so charming (and a source of great national pride) to see my fellow Americans loading 5 or 6 hefty inebriated corpses onto these golf carts and attempting to pilot same back to their posh hotels.
OK, some randomness in the ordering of the images here...
This is a nice place to get a coffee or a light meal; breakfast was good. They also have a clever sort of lending library in here; you can buy paperbacks for some nominal fee and return them when you like.
Across the street is the "cyber cafe" where I did most of my spam-weeding-out and office-fire-extinguishing:
Very "Neuromancer".
This is a shot of the girls spontaneously breaking into joyful dance at the home of the four 'loncherias' adjacent to the local municipal market. This was a favorite place for lunch...very friendly people and good 'authentic' Yucatán cooking.
On the day before we left (or maybe that day, I don't remember) I decided to take some photos of a walk into town. Undeterred by the threatening storm clouds, I set out:
That's the "back" (street side) of the bungalows. We stayed in the unit to the right, which is the southern unit. There is a nice little garden of succulent plants also populated by geckos and iguanas which the girls loved to look at.
walking about 200yds brings you to the municipal "convention center"/indoor basketball court. There were games going on a few nights a week. This shot is looking back up the dirt road that leads to Hotel Secreto (posh), Hotel Media Luna (posh), and our place (best). On the right is the chain link fence that encloses the site of some massive new condo development...I hope it does not destroy the character of Playa Media Luna...actually I think it will be ok.
Here is the East entrance to the municipal market...a favorite spot of mine. You can see the loveable and omnipresent character-toon-a-tron for the BIMBO bakery corporation.
Inside you find three or four produce and general grocery stalls where you can practice your Español (me permite tomar un foto, Señora?) and buy fresh mangos, papayas, hammock cords (essential!!), freshly made corn tortillas (they smell so good), beans and rice. It's so awesome.
And, of course, you will want to show your devotion to Nuestra Señora at the gaudy yet reverence-inspiring shrine to same:
This is a shot as you leave the back entrance of the mercado...great job the camera did focusing on the nearby arch...I was trying to get a shot of the covered pavilion where the loncherias are.
Finally, I had to end my photojournalistic efforts with this shot down the "main drag" (foot traffic only) of the town. There are so many good, cheap restaurants along here, along with tequilerias, hotels (see balconies top left), silver sellers, art dealers, etc. etc. It was starting to rain heavily and I needed to get my camera back to the bungalow before my clothes soaked through.
And that's that!
Down the main drag about 5 or 6 blocks is the main plaza, replete with catholic church (and painted concrete Mary on top), civic building (where you bribe the local police perhaps?), and a supermercado where you can buy...well, super stuff that the little stalls at the mercado municipal don't have room/facilities to stock. Toilet paper, diapers...things like that.
There's an ATM that will let you get 3000 pesos each day (I guess this depends somewhat on your bank's max limit, but I got 3000 a pop)...pesos:dollar is roughly 10:1.
Later on I'll post some pics of the inside of the bungalow so you can see the living conditions.
I have to say...this vacation was life-changing for me. I had never really done any world traveling prior to this, and seeing people living happily in conditions vastly different than Minnesota gave me a new perspective that has allowed me to re-evaluate my own life and work choices. Also it was a great chance to get to know S&R, and I know we're looking forward to reconnecting with our old friends next winter.
25 May 2007
Out of the dung heap a lotus grows...
I am waiting for the lotus, but I believe I have found the dung heap.
Back in therapy for my long-standing depression and anxiety issues. It's been several years since my last round of talk therapy, so this Spring seemed as good a time as any to do some mental gardening. (OK, so it was more like "Oh my god, I can't take it anymore, give me that therapist's email address!")
Luckily I seem to have landed with someone who tracks with me through all my mopey trains of thought. So wish me luck. It's amazing how quickly the weeds come up in here, but it's also oddly reassuring to know the soil is still fertile. Oh, it's fertile alright.
Back in therapy for my long-standing depression and anxiety issues. It's been several years since my last round of talk therapy, so this Spring seemed as good a time as any to do some mental gardening. (OK, so it was more like "Oh my god, I can't take it anymore, give me that therapist's email address!")
Luckily I seem to have landed with someone who tracks with me through all my mopey trains of thought. So wish me luck. It's amazing how quickly the weeds come up in here, but it's also oddly reassuring to know the soil is still fertile. Oh, it's fertile alright.
17 May 2007
Gimme gimme gimme! I want I want I want!
OK, I simply must have this kind of house:
http://www.enertia.com/
This idea appeals to me in so many ways that my heart is all aflutter.
http://www.enertia.com/
This idea appeals to me in so many ways that my heart is all aflutter.
10 May 2007
Eggmaster is dead! Long live Eggmaster!
OK, I quickly discovered that wordpress.com is not where I want to be. They wanted me to pay for the privilege to edit the CSS for my blog!
So...for the few people who have actually returned to read my blog a second time, please update your bookmarks. I'm on the blogspot tip now!
So...for the few people who have actually returned to read my blog a second time, please update your bookmarks. I'm on the blogspot tip now!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
