http://journal.ngaloppo.org Collected chaos. Redesign in progress, 11% done... Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:09:29 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en It's no secret that we're in a little bit of an economic bubble right now (have you heard?), but that doesn't keep Belgians from drinking Champagne. In 2007, they were the only ones in the world to increase their consumption of Champagne. And not by just a little bit, a ... http://journal.ngaloppo.org/archives/2008/10/10/champagne/ Don't do it. Don't vote. http://journal.ngaloppo.org/archives/2008/10/02/dont-vote/ We're in Jackson, WY. We spent the last 2 days in the Badlands (South Dakota) and in the Yellowstone and the Grand Teton National Parks (both Wyoming). Cowboy-country. Seriously. Internet connectivity was non-existent, but we had a great time nevertheless. I'll have to catch up writing about the experience later, but ... http://journal.ngaloppo.org/archives/2008/09/02/on-the-road-past-the-parks/ What do you do when you're heading West on I-90 out of Chicago, and after a long day of driving you're in the-middle-of-nowhere -- also known as South Dakota -- and in urgent need of some honest food? You stop at Bob's in Sioux Falls for the friendliest dinner you've ... http://journal.ngaloppo.org/archives/2008/08/30/on-the-road-corn-on-the-cob-at-bobs/ Thursday, day 4 of our trip already. We made it to Chicago. We visited the Air and Space museum near Dulles Airport. I got to see Paul and Kate and spent a great evening in Pittsburgh. Both of us have been enjoying our time on the road. I just uploaded ... http://journal.ngaloppo.org/archives/2008/08/28/on-the-road-williamsburg-to-chicago/ We're on the road! I write this from a Comfort Suites room in Leesburg, VA. My dad and I are on a 10 day cross-country adventure from Carrboro, NC to Portland, OR. Yep, my North Carolina adventure was brought to an end after a very eventful 5 years in the ... http://journal.ngaloppo.org/archives/2008/08/26/on-the-road-carrboro-pdx-day-1/ Yep. That's why we have them. That's why we pay the exorbitant monthly data plan. To tell our friends that we're using it. Note: I fully plan to buy one myself, once my plan becomes eligible. To my own defense: I'm already paying for the plan, so why not have ... http://journal.ngaloppo.org/archives/2008/07/25/expensive-phones/ Flanders (the region in Belgium) celebrated its official holiday last Thursday Friday. I saw this today. Cross-cultural emancipation. Beautiful! http://journal.ngaloppo.org/archives/2008/07/13/flanders-national-day/ Riding my bike home tonight, I spotted the famed Bill Smith (of Crook's Corner) picking some fruit in the bushes near the old railroad tracks. Must have been some kind of berry, most probably for some very tasty concoction that he's going to serve at his restaurant. Caught in the ... http://journal.ngaloppo.org/archives/2008/06/04/bill-smith/ As the sun was setting over Carrboro’s pink-yellow sky, that evening when I walked home from a refreshing run and carrying my bounty home from a visit to WSM, I was passing by the abandoned farmer’s market municipal lot. The sound of Mexican schlagers slowly caught my attention, as if ... http://journal.ngaloppo.org/archives/2008/05/31/perhaps-not-that-bad-after-all/