Evergreen Aerospace Museum

A friend of mine and I went to the Evergreen Aerospace Museum today. There was a lot to see the spruce goose, a B-17, P-40, P-38, and lots of other beautiful planes. There were a whole host of small planes which I wish I could just fly once. Talk about boys and their hot rods, these planes were just amazing. Someday I would like to fly the P-38… someday. To of the most beautiful planes there were the Ryan PT-22 and the Fairchild PT-19A. The paint on these planes was brilliant!

PT-22 Recruit

Beautiful yellow and blue on a PT-19

Photo of PT-22 Recruit

PT-22 Recruit With brilliant red, yellow, and polished steel.

View along the fuselage from aft to fore of the B-17

View along the fuselage from aft to fore of the B-17

Photo of Fairchild PT-19

Fairchild PT-19

P-40

P-40

Family for Christmas

This Christmas Becky and I spent some time with family. All of my brothers and sisters were there and so were my mother's two daughter-in-laws.

We had lots of fun together. We went and saw Sherlock Holmes 2 together.

After watching Sherlock 2

All the Patersons After watching Sherlock 2

The Five Boys

The Five Boys

After which we went out to eat.

Jed stroking his Chin

Jon Stroking his Chin

It was good to see my brothers and sisters talking, laughing and smiling.

Jeremiah Smiling

Moriah and her Scarf

Moriah and her Scarf

We did a lot of game playing...

Playing Mario Cart.

One of the interesting stories about this Christmas was that my bother Joe, sold his Xbox to buy our sister Monica a Wii. Monica really wanted a Wii. Jed, didn't know that Joe sold his Xbox and bought Joe some Games for the Xbox. It reminded me of the story of "The Gift of the Magi". [1] William Sydney Porter (O. Henry). The Gift Of The Magi http://www.online-literature.com/donne/1014/ [Link]

Playing Mario Cart

Hugh and Jed Playing Axis and Allies

Hugh and Jed Playing Axis and Allies

Playing Munchkins

Playing Munchkins

Playing Carcassonne

Playing Carcassonne

There were a lot of interesting interactions over our time together.
We learned that all of us like to play the game but we each play it differently. Some:

  • Play the game to win.
  • Play the game for fun.
  • Play the game to keep certain others from winning.
  • Play the game for the game's sake.

There was lots of silliness.

Over Lip

Over Lip

Jed Modeling his new hat and gloves.

Jed Modeling his new hat and gloves.

Hugh and Becky

Hugh and Becky

And we saw Jeremiah smile.

Jeremiah actually did smile

Jeremiah actually did smile

Sleeping...

Sleeping... There seem to be a lot of pictures of Jeremiah doing this...

References

References
1 William Sydney Porter (O. Henry). The Gift Of The Magi http://www.online-literature.com/donne/1014/ [Link]

Durian

This October, when Becky and I went to Malaysia she insisted that I try durian. Having never been to Asia before one might think that I would have a hard time describing this “Asian fruit”.

Picture of Durian from Wikipedia

Durio Kutej



Well I did try it. Some of the guys I was with were even very fond of it.

Here is my summary:

  • Is kinda structured like a pomegranate on the inside but has pointy things on the outside
  • Smells like Liquid Augmentin
  • Feels on the tongue like over steamed cauliflower
  • Throws like a hand grenade
  • And it stays on your breath for two days.

Teaching FLEx in Malaysia

In October, Becky and I were invited to present FLEx at the Universiti of Malaysia, Sabah as part of a workshop for compiling native dictionaries and managing cultural data. I learned a lot about dictionaries, about using FLEx to organize dictionary data, about Webonary and about Malaysia.

One of the things this workshop helped me to clearly articulate was that there are four knowledge content areas which dictionary creators need:

  1. Knowledge about Theoretical Linguistics to understand the language being described and the categories possible in the dictionary.
  2. Knowledge about the language being analyzed and described so that they can apply the appropriate options available to this situation.
  3. Knowledge about how to manage the editorial process for the dictionary (including entry submission).
  4. Knowledge about how to use the software to implement the editorial process.

This workshop’s focus was only on the software used to implement the editorial process (mostly the data collection part of the editorial process). So in some ways it felt like we weren’t giving the participants all the tools they will need (or even showing them all the tools they will need). But we had to realize that it is not our responsibility to give them all the tools they need or to expose them to these issues. They need local contacts for that. Regardless of these issue we were still ecstatic that there were about 80 people in attendance.

About 80 people

Opening Cerimonies at UMS

Becky took most of the sessions on FLEx. She presented on using FLEx as a tool for collecting words and various things about words. We covered several input methods and features in the application.

Becky talking about FLEx as a tool

Becky helping people doing exercises

I presented a session on explaining how to get data out of FLEx. We talked about putting dictionary data on the web and turning it into .epub files.

Hugh presenting on getting things out of FLEx

I think one of the more interesting things that I learned was about expectations, culture and photographs.
Many people wanted photographs with us (or of us). This is not totally unexpected. What was unexpected was that rather than taking one photo and sharing it (passing it around), everyone wanted their own picture. Not their own picture with us but a picture with us made with their own camera! It was in that moment that I had an epiphany. Having training in Language Documentation I am aware and concerned with rules and laws concerning privacy. In the U.S. when dealing with issues of informed consent and intellectual property, it can not be assumed that if I want to take a picture of you that I, the owner of the camera, own the picture. Furthermore it can not be assumed that I have the right to do with that picture as I please. i.e. Post it to the internet. This may be in part that our laws are based on our semantics. It may be in part our culture. But there I realized that if the photo is taken with your camera you own the photo. You can do with it as you please. The asking for permission is that you have asked for permission to take the photo.

Taking our picture

Taking their picture, while they were taking a picture of us. Since he who owns the camera, owns the picture...

I took this last picture at about the same time I had the epiphany.

On the semantics of “get-away” and “vacation”

Becky and I were gifted a get-away. I like these times which are relaxing to both of us. It takes a bit of effort to leave the office behind. This could be because I like work so much or because I am a creature of habit.

Hugh's Office

there are just so many cool things to be done in the office

Looking back, the one thing that I think I am going to enjoy the most about this get away was sitting down with Becky and listening to her tell me what a vacation looks like to her. We came up with two lists, one from each of us describing what a vacation was. I think it was good because it helps us each to know what the other is looking for.

Becky's Vacation

Becky's Vacation

Hugh's Vacation

Hugh's Vacation

Looking over the list, it is clear to see that there are some different colors which come to mind to each of us when we think of vacation.

    Hugh:

  • Grey
  • White
  • Green

I was thinking more inlines with mountains.

Biking in Montana

Biking in Montana

    Becky:

  • Blue

I am sure that she had more of something like below in mind.

Yacht in the Indian Ocean

Yacht in the Indian Ocean

What is interesting is that we both said something about Photography and we both said something about Water. (In all fairness it was over 100ºF in Texas when we made this list.)

But I wonder if we might enjoy a trip to the US Northwest or a trip to the Seychelles.

Becky also said that at a get-away we still cook, but on vacation someone else does the cooking.

Skyping in for Jon’s Wedding

My brother, Jon set the date for his wedding the day after Becky and I set the date for our return to México. Unfortunately they were both set for the same day. So Becky and I Skype'd in and watched the wedding from the Houston Airport.
Hugh and Becky at Houston AirPort

Hugh and Becky at Houston AirPort

Jon waiting for the Bride.

Jon waiting for the Bride.

Blocking the Camera.

Blocking the Camera.

Tornado in Grand Forks, ND

I saw my first tornado today. Amazing sight! Actually I saw three tornadoes, but I only managed to get two of them on video.
I missed the first one (right before min. 1:48 in my video) Because I was driving. But found some pictures of it on Flickr and a video of it on YouTube.

Jump to Min: 2:30 to see two of them at once.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ME_LTNGMRVQ