• Just watched @BillGates on @kingsthings. Very classy response when Larry asked what he thought of Steve Jobs. Good interview all around. #
• People whose Twitter links make you go to their Facebook page before the real link are just plain annoying. No need for the extra clicks. #
• I’ve only been to my own office 2 hours out of the last 3 weeks. Good to finally be back! #
• Finally a nice day after weeks of a heat wave and a tornado watch. 66 degress and beautiful clear skies. #
• Just got an e-mail from @googlemaps telling me they removed a bogus street in my neighborhood because I reported it. How cool is that? #
• Just drove through a 3 mile long swarm of lightning bugs. Strangest thing I ‘ve ever seen. #

• RT @KYWNewsradio: “Activist Wants Time Limit on Makeshift Memorials http://easyuri.com/ad3db" – How about not making them in the 1st place? #
• D’oh! I accidentally turned off the air conditioner before I left for work on the hottest day of the year. It is HOT in here! #
• After 2 weeks, 6 Naval bases, 4 Hampton Inns and 1100 miles, I’m finally back home. Bring on the 3 day weekend! #

• A sailor just came to my door to deliver luggage. That was really random. It also wasn’t my luggage. #
• Best Google Doodle EVER today. Play Pac-Man right on the page with no Flash required. Happy 30th Pac-Man! #
• My week in Newport, RI was extremely productive. Actually got more done than I had intended for a change. #
• I just stumbled upon a soapbox derby. Cool to see they still do that sort of thing. Americana at its best. #

When you hear Yanke Candle you think candles, obviously. But Yankee Candle Village in South Deerfield, MA makes you realize what a huge empire this compnay has built. You could (and we did) spend the better part of a day wandering through the many sections of the village. The slightly imperfect candles of the discount room are a great deal at half off. OK, so maybe you don’t want an Apple Cider scented candle that red on one side and pitch black on the other, but a tangerine candle that’s filled just a tiny bit too high is a great deal!

My personal favorite was the Bavarian room. $6000 giant German stein anyone? And who wouldn’t love the Black Forrest room where it snows all year long?

The Fall Decorations and events of the Fall Festival made it that much more fun. As usual I took plenty of photos. You can see them right here.

Mount Snow is a ski resort in Vermont, but before the ski season starts German beer, food, music and events take over. I am, of course, describing Oktoberfest. They also had an arts & crafts show and scenic ski lift rides to the top of the mountain. Despite rain on Saturday, Sunday turned out to be a very nice cold day. As expected, the Fall foliage was impressive to say the least. It also gave me a chance to really test out my new camera. It turns out that shooting photos while hanging on for dear life to the ski lift isn’t easy. But that’s what a love for photography and a terrible fear of heights will get you!

The photos are posted in my Photos section.

I just added 2 new albums to my Photos section. The first is from Orange County Choppers in Newburgh, NY. You probably recognize the name from the Discovery show American Chopper. I stopped by the Teutels new “world headquarters” on the way to Vermont last week. They have a retail store which is fairly over-priced, but I did shell out for a keychain anyway. The best part of it is the bikes that are on display. They have many of the theme bikes they built on the show on display. There’s also a viewing area where you can see into the shop area.

I also added a small album of photos from the Bordentown, NJ Cranberry festival. Thrown in with that album are also a few shots from the Blackwood Pumpkin Festival in Gloucester Township and my backyard all from the same day.

Another important note… these are the first photos I’ve posted that were taken with my new Nikon D90!

Check out them all out here.

• What I learned at Oktoberfest… No one can dance while holding a full stein of beer like a German can! #
• Just saw someone pushing a shopping cart through a restaurant. That’s what I call classy. #
• This Hampton Inn has 19 electric outlets in the room. Don’t even need my power strip. Finally a hotel that understands the modern traveler. #
• Was hoping the Merritt Parkway would have colorful Fall foliage today. Instead it had an accident & big traffic jam. You win some/lose some. #

I was scheduled to be in Newport for a week on business but the trip wound up being unexpectedly extended into a second week. I used the opportunity to do a little bit of sightseeing on the weekend. Besides walking about 10 miles, I took tours of two mansions (The Breakers & Marble House), toured the Breaker’s stables & carriage house, walked part of the Cliff Walk and did some shopping. If you have to unexpectedly get stuck somewhere, Newport is a good choice!

Check out the photos here.

I just added 3 new photo albums. They are all from my trip to Western Maryland and West Virginia. We visited the Spruce Forest Artisan Village & Penn Alps restaurant. The bulk of our trip was spent in Frostburg & Cumberland, where we took a ride on the Western maryland Scenic Railroad. On the way home we spent 2 days in Charles Town and Harper’s Ferry. It was a fun couple of days. It was nice to send time in some very old, very small towns for a change and Harper’s Ferry National Historical Park is one of the most interesting NPS sites I’ve been to.

I finally posted my photos from my week in Jacksonville, Florida. As i say on the photo album page, I spent most of the week indoors at a conference, but did get outside to take a few quick photos.

Check them out here.