April 25, 2007
Who's yer dog's daddy?
I came across a cool service in one of the dog magazines I read. For $65, Metamorphix claims it can run a DNA test that will reveal your dog's breed composition. It apparently uses a cheek swab to sniff out the dog's heritage from among 38 breeds. I've always been curious about Ozzy's 57 varieties, and I'm thinking about giving it a shot. Even if this will only find 38 ...
Posted by Bob Benz at 7:36 PM | Comments (2)
April 20, 2007
Preventive medicine
I spent the past two days getting immunizations. Hepatitis A and B. Typhoid. Didn't need Yellow Fever. Already had tetanus. And yes, Mom confirmed, I did have chickenpox when I was a kid.
Traveling to Peru isn't easy. Especially when you do it on the spur of the moment.
One moment, Wes and I were drinking tequila at the Loon, my favorite Dallas dive bar, to celebrate the Yahoo! deal our newspapers were closing. When I woke up the next morning, I had a vague recollection of committing to go to Machu Picchu.
And that's what we're going to do. Sooner than later. Next Friday, we set off for Peru. Ten days of exploring Incan ruins and wandering the Andes. We're taking the easy way out, using a tour guide that a friend recommended. So far, it's been a great steer. They've lined everything up for us and given plenty of useful guidance on how to organize the trip. We've booked flights. Have an itinerary. And I'm feeling pretty bullet proof from a tropical disease perspective.
If you have any Machu Picchu recommendations, I'd love to hear them. Just send a note.
Posted by Bob Benz at 11:05 PM | Comments (1)
Jamaica scenes
Lara and I made our annual pilgrimage to Jamaica earlier this month. Lots of great Appleton rum, a little bit of dominoes and total relaxation. I can't even begin to describe how much I look forward to this trip each year. Jamaica never lets me down.
I've already shot a lot of photos there on past trips, so this time I shot mostly HDR stuff just to see how the tropical light would play in this format. Overall, the results were impressive, especially given the fact that I wasn't shooting with a tripod.
Fishermen in Treasure Beach use these boats to motor out into the Caribbean Sea in search of food. Hard to believe, but they often go 90 miles south of Jamaica in these tiny wood craft.
Of the other stuff I shot, I particularly like this shot of moss-covered rocks with a rainstorm in the distance and this one of flowers at Villa Hikaru, where Lara and I stay.
Here's a link to the entire set.
Posted by Bob Benz at 10:58 PM | Comments (2)
Basset hound savior
Leanne made an appearance on a local TV program called Style to promote her basset rescue group. Even though I'm still tweaked that the TV geeks can't spell basset, I'd urge you to check it out. Or better yet, help Leanne in her efforts to save these noble critters. (I particularly recommend you take a look at Bogie and Rembrandt if you're in an adopting mood. I was almost in tears when Lee told me their tale.)
Posted by Bob Benz at 10:32 PM | Comments (0)