A friend and I were eating at IHOP in Reno with a bunch of people who came up from the Bay Area.  Somehow, it was brought up that all I ever talked or thought about was snowboarding and how I wanted to ride every chance I got.  One of the girls asked "what about during the summer?"  My friend replied "That's what he does in the summer, too."  It's now summer.  I'm sitting here at my computer on a Friday night, after a long week of work and more work.  I'm not thinking about videogames, getting laid, boozing it up downtown... all I can think about is how much I want to ride.

But I can't say that this is the worst part of the wait.  When news breaks about opening day is when the shit really begins... because it's that definite (er, as definite as Mother Nature will allow) date that makes the days crawl by, squares slowly checking themselves off the calendar until the day when I get to shred that gnar again.

(Confidential to the happy couple in India: Jeremy had no part in this escapade.  Unlike some, Jeremy is a good dog.)

I'm doing a rare penguin contest!j

He has the apple pin!

WHO EVER COMMENTS THE MOST WINS!

sorry but i just have to show you my favourite shoes (im getting the tomorrow XD)

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

)

Thats all for now so waddle off

~Sting!~

I've got a lot to tell you!

Well clubpenguin have innaly released the new features!

First of all theres the server change! you dont pick a country now and instead of smiley faces there are green bars!

As you can see we still have the same servers but it shows you the recommended servers but click more servers for the rest of the servers!

You can also read the newspaper backwards!

You also have a background on your igloo!

My membership has expired for some reason but i emailed cp about that!

The new pin is located at the pool!

Now the furniture catalogue!

Click the piano for the guitar stand!

Click the coffe shop plant for the vegatable garden!

click the palm tree for the flower planter!

Thats all for now so waddle off

~Sting!~

falling silent snow writes a blank page
written in haste he leaves a blank page

forgotten too soon her watered eyes wet tears
gathering love lost sorrow stains a blank page

walking wingless her footprints howl
loitering lament her life turns a blank page

wondering why sorrow seeks soothing solace
farseeing the future discovers a blank page

humming silently OMB observes silent snow falling 
sweet laughter lights the flame ignite a blank page
* * * * * * * * * *
totally optional prompts: ghazal
photo: Snow Geese Fall Flight Bokeh, Fort Photo, flickr

so, with the "july-factor" in mind, i decided that reliving my recent travels might help lift my spirits a bit.  and just maybe for a minute i'll stop whining and feel thankful for the wonderful places i've been to see this year.

'07-'08 was a blessed year for me regarding travel, and '08-'09 is already shaping up to be exponentially better. 

i guess dallas is where it all begins and ends for me right now.  and though i'm not so fond of her, dallas has enough work to allow me to travel more than most.  so i'll think kindly of her for the moment...

austin is kind of my secret girlfriend.  we courted for over 5 years, but i had to leave her for a more practical lover.  so sad.  i do sneak around from time to time though... just to see her pretty face, and hear her alluring voice.

brazos bend, texas.  my favorite place to play with alligators in texas!!  if you want to see some prehistoric monsters, i highly recommend this park.  it's just a short drive southwest of houston.

cabo san lucas, mexico!  my friends joe and erin got married there last summer, and guess who was able to go for free in exchange for a little wedding photography.  well worth it...

not too far from the city, somewhere out in east texas, is a private getaway, known only as "timado" to the few elites who know of it.  i was let in to the inner-circle last fall when i was invited to a double bachelor party extravaganza.  well, okay, so it's not very elite, more like a good place to drink beer, go fishing, and grow out your mullet.  but it's really fun.  and a great place to catch snakes and shoot fireworks.

big bend national park, texas.  ah, the big bend of the rio grande.  one of my classic favorites.  this trip was the first of two for the year, but it ended in tragedy.  my truck somehow found its way to the bottom of a four-foot-deep washout.  at least i only had to hike 18 miles through the desert before i saw someone to get help - hahaha!  what a great trip!

another friend of mine, adam, got married in wonderful savannah, georgia.  what a great place.  i had been once before, but rest assured that i could never get sick of savannah.

so, yet another friend, anna, got married in her home town of philadelphia, pa.  big year for marriage apparently.  and no offense to my other friends, but this was the best one yet.  i'd never been to philly, but it quickly became one of my favorite cities.  partially because two of my favorite people were there - anna and elaine.

another first-time favorite city, san francisco!  i lucked out with this one because of some awesome friends of mine, john and bd.  the brothers had an extra ticket to the 2007 baseball all-star game, and i got the invite.  we had a fantastic time at the weekend's festivities, and we even made our way out to napa for a day.  amazing trip!

i lived in pinedale, wyoming a few years ago when i worked for a small newspaper.  it's a tiny town just south of jackson (or to you tourists, jackson hole... hahaha!).  consequently, it is also very close to grand teton and yellowstone national parks.  doesn't get much better than that.  so, since i reluctantly moved back to texas in 2006, i've made the pilgrimage back at least twice a year.  this was my first trip of the year, in the autumn.  and it was breathtaking - just the way i remembered it.  i hope to someday move back...

yee haw, boy howdy!  ARKANSAS |ˈär,kanzəs|!!  the white river in arkansas is incredibly beautiful, no doubt.  i went on a weekend trip up to northwest ar with some friends last fall to do a little fly fishing, and enjoy the scenery.  i don't know how to fly fish, so i just enjoyed the eye candy, and made photos all weekend.  i think we'll try to go again this fall.

oklahoma city, oklahoma.  we have tons of family in oklahoma - our rival state to the north.  and in all honesty, i don't visit enough.  it's really a great state.  though the university by the same name will always be my arch enemy.

the okc bombing memorial is stunning... a quiet experience... completely heartbreaking.

big bend, part deux.  i took my new ride to experience the land that claimed my previous truck's life only months before.  wow, i really like my new car.  especially with gas prices the way they are.  i was able to do the entire 5 day trip for under $250!!  that includes 1500 miles of driving, four days of bland camp food, and priceless nights under a clear desert sky.  it was a really rejuvenating experience.  i needed it.

the quintessential western road trip, executed at the worst time of year.  my friend, bd, got a wild hair in early november, and decided to plan one of the most classic of american road trips, down the 101.  it was originally planned for the next spring, but neither of us could wait that long...

we set off just a few days after thanksgiving.  we left dallas, and spend the first night in denver.  then from denver, we made our way through blizzards, over togwotee pass to jackson, wyoming.  we had the privilege meeting up with my old roommate, emily, and previous editor, noah.  we had way too much fun.

the next day in spite of splitting headaches, we were off to boise, idaho and then to portland, oregon.  portland may be my new favorite city (i know... i say that a lot).  it reminds me so much of austin, but even prettier.  we spent a few days there, and then made our way up to seattle.  another great city.  somehow, we ended up at a seedy bar called "shorty's" that night.  it was clown-themed, which made it creepy to begin with, but it also happened to be in, what i found out later to be, seattle's "crack district".  that was the first, and hopefully last time i've ever seen someone smoking crack.  right outside the bar, in the rain!?  interesting.

so we were ready to get back on the road after that night.  from seattle, we drove back to portland, then on down to eugene...  go ducks!!!  from eugene, we headed over to the coast, and that's where we hooked up with the legendary highway 101, which we followed the rest of the way down to los angeles.  the scenery was absolutely amazing from the oregon coast all the way to big sur.  and even south of big sur to monterey was quite nice.  really, the trip down the 1 was so overwhelming in its grandeur and raw beauty, that for me (someone who is already a painfully bad writer), is too hard to put in to words.  plus, i'm a photographer anyway.  so i hope the images speak for themselves.

in spite of taking this trip in the most off part of the off season, it was incredible.  i can only hope that i have the opportunity to do this trip again at some point in my life.  i should be so lucky.

my virgin voyage to chitown.  seriously though, i was such a nerd on the flight there, and in my rent car.  the only two albums i listened to the whole weekend were sufjan stevens' come on feel the illinoise, and greetings from michigan, the great lake state.  but they fit so well!  and they are two of the best albums of all time.  so at least they had that going for them.  

chicago is certainly a cool town.  i need to spend more time there.  also, it was december, sooooooo, just a little cold.  maybe i'll see what it's like in spring...

ah, spring in wyoming... what a segue - damn, i'm good!!  so this was the second (well, technically third, if you count the short drive thru on the road trip in november) time for me to visit my old haunt in about six months.  what a treat!

yet another friend, kim, was getting married in pinedale, so it was as good an excuse as any to go visit one of my favorite places in all the world.  and it certainly did not disappoint.  i camped for the first time in single digit weather on eight feet of snow pack too.  so that was cool.  but i learned a valuable lesson:  don't ever do that again!!

in all seriousness, there is something about western wyoming.  a special quality that lacks clear explanation.  ask anyone that has spent any time there, and they'll tell you...  it's a deeply spiritual experience.  and there's something about the winter (which is much of spring as well).  it is what quiet looks like... if that makes any sense.

anyway, if you're still reading, i feel sorry for you because you may have severe mental problems.  or into s&m or something.  but i promise that i'm almost done.

there are two innocence mission songs that always make me nostalgic about my travels, so i'll end with some lyrics.  if you're unfamiliar with the innocence mission, i would highly recommend you give them a good listen.  the first song is called, song about traveling.  really... go figure!?  and the second is the brotherhood of man.  

"a man said, 'why?'  why does traveling, in cars and in trains, make him feel sad?  a beautiful sadness, i've felt this before.  it's the people in the city, you'll never know.  it is everything you pass by, wondering will you ever... return."

"waiting at the airport on my suitcase, a girl traveling from spain became my sudden friend.  though i did not learn her name.  and when the subway dimmed... a stranger lit my way.  this is the brotherhood of man."

"i never can say what i mean... but you will understand... coming through clouds on the way.  this is the brotherhood of man.  this is the brotherhood of man."

all images © andrew r. slaton | photographer 2008

The winner of the PS Productions contest was... *Drumroll*

Iziz99 :)

You wil get to be in PS productions until the next ps productions contest :!:

PS is now PSI

I will need to know your pass so email it to Pelkiun@hotmail.com

Now for the new contest!

Its for a Super rare penguin

There is quite a big chance the penguin will get banned

So if it does you will get to be a permanent editor on this site!

Heres the penguin:

To win comment the most... All comments will stay in moderation

Cya!

~pelk!~

You see, I've ran off to the Snowy Mountains here in Australia, enjoying the luxury of a lodge, being pampered in the spa with a simple hot chocolate in one hand. Looking out into the pure whiteness. Right now I'm typing this up via a mediocre Wireless connection in the lodge. No gaming for me this week, the connection is not sufficient. I will tho, enjoy snowboarding right after I blog this. I'm sure you guys are reading or viewing the updates from E3 from various websites. I have heard some spicy news, and I'm sure there are more yet to come. But, for now, I'll be enjoying the time i spend here.

OMGBBQ,

• Paradox.Z

- Link#1

Leave a comment please!

Today the pin and catalog came out... the pin is in the pool

Heres the new igloo catalog:

Its all musical things :!:

Click the piano for the guitar stand!

And remember my party :!:

Anyway waddle off!

!^pelk^!

This is the view from our kitchen window at the apartment in Hanmer - delightful, isn't it? We overlooked the golf course and it was snow from our place all the way to the mountains.

Yes, it's a blurry action shot, but you get a taste of the sheer joy these two had with their very first experience of snow. The woolley mittens proved no match and Mr 4 was inside with cold hands as soon as they had turned into ice-blocks!

Probably because the wet, cold gloves had come off and bare hands were being used. Mainly to gather snow for eating. Apparently that's better than an ice-block!

While Mr 4 was thawing out his hands, Mr 7 was making snow angels on the green. :)

And I couldn't help but jump the fence myself and help with snowman building. Unfortunately, it's been a while since I built a snowman and I'd forgotten all correct techniques.

Snowman number one definitely looks more like a snow ghost!

While mum and Mr 7 were having fun across the field, the first of the absolutely beautiful doggies at this place realised that Mr 7 was a fun monkey and clearly a soul-mate. She got all excited at the mere sight of Mr 7 and so when the snow man was done, Mr 7 came and introduced himself properly.

From there, they were virtually inseperable. Both dogs were the most stunning, well-behaved, quiet, friendly golden retrievers. And Mr 7 enjoyed every second. I've captured a few moments when they were just hanging out - in the freezing cold later in the day. I didn't actually know where he was and then discovered they were both outside, really just hanging.

Oh, and being fed snow! Not sure if that is a good thing for dogs or not, so this activity was curtailed at bit.

Then we went out for an explore of the village. And of course found many delightful cafes and had a lovely lunch. And proceeded to walk that lovely lunch off - around by the lake / stream walkway. Where there was LOTS of snow.

And we honed our snow man building skills.

Rolling them first helps make them REALLY big!! So big, Mr 7 can hardly push it any further.

So Mr 4 comes to the rescue.... two are definitely better for pushing the snow into BIGGER balls of snow!

Oh! See how Mr 4 has new gloves? We found a place that sold great snow gear. I got some proper gloves for me too - having had my fingers frozen off in the morning, I decided the only way I was going to join in the snowball fights was if I had a decent pair as well.

Making the snowballs.

Throwing them - darn - I have no shots of their great aim. Probably because I was running!! (I also should admit to the slight competitive streak coming through: I made sure I got them with some great shots as well!! Heeheee!)

Another snowman that we made - and hugged. Cute, hey?

Now we are in Christchurch and waiting for the band marching to start. We have cousin S with us for they day (My little brother's daughter). The Mr's and S found lovely long willow switches that looked and behaved like fishing rods. So while we were waiting for Titan to march, there was a lot of fishing being done in the Avon.

Lots of looking at the water flowing too. I forget how pretty the Avon is to just sit and contemplate.

Now, here is what we made the trip for: the band nationals. Titan is marching (Hubby is there on the end, playing the tenor horn)

The kids all enjoyed the spectacle - as did quite a few locals. There was quite a decent crowd that came and watched the display.

As for the results, well, the band were really pleased with how they played. Unfortunately, their results weren't quite as reflective of that. There was a feeling of being a bit robbed, but overall, the band knew they had played well and made do with that. Pelorus won the B-grade - so at least it was another Wellington band :)

On the way back home again. We stopped off in Kaikoura for a run around and some energy busting. This playground was just what we needed.

So yes, it was a very fun trip. And as you can see, there's definitely a few highlights waiting to be scrapped into the albums.

When I was in Korea a little snack stand gave away this countdown calendar that was shaped like the nation of S.Korea. Block 365 was up on the DMZ and they counted backwards to the airplane at the southern tip of the peninsula. That thing would make a grown man cry. You etch off a day like a prisoner doing time and see all the empty blocks. The best part though was going on maneuvers. Maneuvers were fun anyway, though physically draining, but you'd be gone at least 2-3 weeks in the field. So when you came back you got to knock out up to 21 blocks off your calendar, but out of 365 days that still didn't even equate to 10%. So even that was depressing at times.

Man we had fun in Korea. I was a young Second Lieutenant then and all the junior officers lived in one building. We had a fire pit out back that we made and used every conceivable excuse to have a fire in it. When Johnny Cash was first hospitalized we had a "Ring of Fire" fire in his honor with his greatest hits playing in the background. When John Denver died in a plane crash, someone had the irreverent idea of making a plane out of balsa wood, soaking it in kerosene, then running a string from the second floor to the pit. You guessed it, the John Denver Memorial Fire began with a flaming Cessna coming down the string and crashing into the pit. Miraculously someone had his greatest hits too to put it all to music. That's what happens when you can't go anywhere and you have free time.

When we went on maneuvers, the Korean ALWAYS found out before we did. They even knew the grid location where'd we be training. So sure as the sunrise, shortly after pulling our tanks into the assembly area where'd we circle the wagons for the night, there would be a little rice-burner of a truck waiting on us, with a propane stove in the back. You could pay cash or trade MREs (Meals Ready to Eat or what we called Meals Rejected by Ethiopians), and get a soda and hot bowl of noodles in exchange. Man on a cold winter night, I loved loved loved to sit on top of my tank, eat and sleep, and look up at the billions of stars.

Now a Korean winter is cold. I awoke a few times covered in snow and ice and absolutely freezing. I remember wanting to brush my teeth one morning and my toothpaste was a solid block. It is soooooo hard to get out of your bag when it's that cold and to make yourself change and shave. Those first 30 minutes before sunrise were the worst. Once you fired up the tank you could stand behind it and let the hundreds of degrees of heat warm you up, and then it wasn't so bad. Every tank would have a little dance going on behind it. It was too cold to stay out of the engine blast but too hot to stand in one place for more than a few seconds, so we looked like popcorn behind there bouncing around to warm up.  

Now 12 years later I am serving alongside Koreans who are in a very warm place. I talk a little more with each of them every day. The one Christian who likes to go by Martin (since they all are either MAJ Kim or MAJ Lee, no kidding), is getting to be a good pal. Tomorrow is another of his English speeches and he let me pre-read it. I am going to see if he'll let me post it tomorrow.

He talks about the importance of travel and how wherever he goes, he makes sure to travel as much as possible. He wants to see it all. Would you believe he's been to 40 U.S. states? He knows more of our geography than I do. Anyway, this speech is about comparing man's buildings with the buildings of the Creator. He did a beautiful job analyzing which is better and concluded with an awesome point.

He said we have around 150,000 soldiers and coalition members, plus that and more in Iraqi Army and police all trying to stop enemy attacks. We've used military might, guns, bombs, tanks, and technology, but every day lots of attacks happen. Then in January the Creator did something. Baghdad got it's first snowfall in over 70 years. As he put it, a few white flakes changed everything. There was not a single attack that day.

So Lord, we marvel at the paths you take us on and how our travels are never without Divine direction. We know the skills of man will never match Your wisdom, keen wit, and beautiful simplicity. We praise You for being who You are and all You are, and how with a thought You can change everything.

radio 80s Set mix8

Steve Miller Band-Abracadabra(12')
Robin Gibb - boys do fall in love
David Bowie & Mick Jagger - Dancing in the steets
Erasure - Send Me An Angel
MIDNIGHT OIL - BLUE SKY MINE (Extended Mix)
The B - 52's- Love Shack (Big Radio Mix)
MIck Jeager - Just Anothe Night (12mix)

Radio Flash Set mix8
Suzanne Vega - Tom's Diner (DNA Remix)
Device - what is sadness
Snow- informer
ziggy marley and melody makers - tumblin down
ACE OF BASE - NEVER GONNA SEE IN SORRY
linear - sending all my love [1990 club remix]
DJ Bobo - everybody
Oui 3 - For What It's Worth (Radio Edit)

http://www.esnips.com/web/djwilliam/

I got a domain :D

Its Pelkiuncp.co.cc :!:

If you would like me to get you a domain comment  on this post with a link to your site and then i will get u a .co.cc or .co.nr domain... comment if you want .co.nr or .co.cc

and check out my party invo and contest below!

Cya!

~pelk!~

     The Westboro Baptists have a lot to answer for...I just hope they have to answer for it very soon.

- Link#1

Leave a comment please!

Don't get me wrong, I like it out here. The scenery is beautiful, the people are friendly, the pace of life is slow and easy-going, the town is easy to navigate and I don't have to depend on public transportation. In fact, I'm not sure this place even has public transportation.

I found the state song for Montana and I'd like to share one verse:
Montana, Montana
Glory of the West
Of all the states from coast to coast
You're easily the best
Montana, Montana
Where skies are always blue
M-O-N-T-A-N-A
Montana, I love you

Just so you know, the skies are not always blue in Montana. There mostly gray and overcast. But when they are blue, boy are they! The summers here are great, but the summers are very short - July through August mostly. I love summer, so a short summer is very depressing to me.

I'm dreading winter. It's going to be long and cold and I can only handle so much of dark, dreary and cold. It finally started to get warm in June and I was really excited about wearing shorts and flip-flops. Then on June 11, it snowed! And I'm not talking just a little flurry. It snowed all day. It didn't really stick to anything, but I was so glad to get on a plane to Nashville the next day where it was 90 degrees and humid. Ah, sweet, wonderful, humid heat...I will never take you for granted again!

Ironically, that random snowy day was the only day that I've seen a hummingbird at my hummingbird feeder. I suppose the poor little thing couldn't find any open flowers that day.

Erik took a picture of a snow plow on the roads on June 11.

Enjoy~ Over and out.

I was just looking at pictures of The Alps.. and boy, oh boy, I'd love to be in a cold place right now, surrounded by snow...  birds chirping in the trees... freedom

Don't know where you are and what the weather is like there, but for once I'm surprised to say I'm writing this to you from a rather warm London. With the recent temperamental climate here it makes today feel like a heatwave.

Make the most of it my friends because it's a nigh on certainty that it 'aint gonna last! So when you come in from sunning yourself in the garden with your factor 400, or come back from that sneaky extra long lunch break you just had and your looking for something to cool you down a bit - may we recommend this photo - taken by one of Green i Design's resident photographers in April 08 no less.

A chilly little macro shot reminding us all that no matter where you are or how lovely it is today it's never guaranteed and this could be just round the corner!! Now run, get your shorts on and catch that ice cream van before its all too late!

The first picture, taken from our balcony, shows the snow falling. It was Saturday mid-morning. The second and third photos show yours truly out in the snow, noon time of the same day. You can see the nice old church of Zamudio in one of the photos. The fourth picture shows the EuskoTren (Basque Train, literally) running through the snow.

Thanks for waiting, Stuart!

It is beautiful. I hadn't seen snowing so copiously for ages, ever maybe. Birds are more active in the snow, I believe, and each time I catch a glimpse of the outside through the window I can almost feel the crisp cold in my face and the slippery ice-covered ground under my soles.

Yesterday, Isabel and I went to the local library to return some books (and borrow more, since our stuff is still travelling somewhere in England or Europe), buy some groceries and get some cash from the bank. Of course, we took the camera with us. Most of the kids were playing in the little alleys around town, and the gardens and green areas around the town hall square and the library building were pristine and untrod. So after doing our business at the library we succumbed to the call and engaged into a fierce snowball battle which included high acts of treason such as Isabel shooting at me when I was not looking; fairly enough, she slipped and fell on her bum shortly after, so I could ungentlemanly take advantage and castigate her with a well-directed missile into her face.

I still have to unload the photos from the camera, but I promise to post a few.