Pictures from the weekend getaway follow. Alex and I spent the beginning of the week at our home away from home, downtown Disney.

The highlight of our trip was watching Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix at an IMAX theater. The movie screen was eight stories tall, with surround sound, and get this... the last 30 minutes of the movie was show in 3D! If you've never gone to see an IMAX movie, it should definitely be on your list of things to do.

This is a shot of the hotel. We stayed at the Royal Plaza.


This a shot on the couch inside our room.


This is a pre-fire shot of the volcano at the mini golf course we played during our stay.


This is a shot of the same volcano, only erupting.


Amy and Alex in front of the volcano.

I'm just dropping in to let everyone know that I shred. For those who aren't drawing any connections with the picture above, it's a screenshot of the xbox360 game Guitar Hero II.

My guitar and I tore up the Free Bird tonight on expert. I have thus conquered the game.

Who's next?

Thursday night. And all is well.

I'm learning to shred like John Petrucci (Dream Theater). I've got nearly seven pages of the song "Home" learned! My guitar teacher rocks... and he lets me give him kisses.

My overzealous landscaping friend Artie proved true to his name this afternoon and attacked a neighbors palm tree with a large pole saw. Not long into the battle, he was pelted with missiles of the brown and winged variety.

Either mother bird shoved her little ones out of the nest and bolted, or while trying to escape the giant scissors, these little guys learned just how difficult flying can be.

They'll be making a trip to the local veterinarian's office tomorrow where they will come to live in the bird sanctuary until they can be released into the wild to fend for themselves.

Way to go, Art.

Boston Pops July 4th Spectacular

Every year, I put forth my best effort to see the Boston Pops (possibly my most favorite orchestra) put on their 4th of July show. My mom and I used to watch the show together every year, waiting to hear Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture.

Lately, however, they (being CBS I'm sure) have decided that the concert isn't all so important. We only get to see the orchestra play a sing-a-long whereas it used to be an hour long performance. The rest of the 30 minute pre-fireworks show is done with the orchestra playing backup to the world's most awful musicians. This year, John Mellencamp gyrated about the stage like a retarded Elvis on speed (Alex's description, not my own). I'm not so sure he hadn't been hitting the sauce before his set, honestly.

Anyway.... they didn't even play the 1812 on the national broadcast. (Playing the last 15 seconds at the start of the broadcast DOES NOT COUNT cbs!)

You disappoint me Keith Lockhart, you're the conductor. Grow some huevos and stop letting CBS push you around. John Mellencamp??? I would have refused to share the stage with such slop. Seriously.

I believe I'm finished now. End rant.