Bob's Blog http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/ Computers, Education, Family and more en Copyright (c) Robert A Balfe http://balfes.net/images/b.jpg >Bob's Blog http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/ 32 32 Write Your Name in Elvish in 10 Minutes http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/YourNameInElvish.html <bob@balfes.net> /familychronicles http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/YourNameInElvish.html meta-creation_date: 01/02/2006 23:05:13

I thought this was pretty cool, I got it from a friends site (Bob Cogdon's blog) and he referenced this site which shows how to do it.

Original link on StarChamber.com is here.

Elvish Alphabet

Another excellent site that has some Elvish fonts you can play with can be found here.

After you install the fonts, you can find a transcriber here.

Yours truly,

Robert Balfe

]]> Waving Cookies http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/WavingCookies.html <bob@balfes.net> /familychronicles http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/WavingCookies.html meta-creation_date: 02/10/2006 01:10:13
My wife packages up cookies for my son to take to school for a fund raiser where they sell cookies to everyone at the school.  Each week different parents contribute cookies and sweets to be sold at the lunch room cafeteria.  So Chris puts the cookies in a plastic container where the cookies are wrapped individually and then puts the container in the a plastic bag (flat I might add) and tells my son to be careful with the cookies so they do not all break.   As my wife stands at the front door watching the kids at the bus stop she notices my son doing loop-de-loos with the bag of cookies!

I guess carrying cookies is like a pet, as long as you are playing with them it is ok.

]]> Young Jedi http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/YougJedi.html <bob@balfes.net> /familychronicles http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/YougJedi.html meta-creation_date: 12/28/2005 11:53:13 My nephew Derek is absolutely obsessed with being a Jedi. I thought everyone would find it interesting to see how he carries around his Light Saber.  Yes, he did pose for this and before the police show up at my door this was not staged.

Young Jedi

]]> Meditation, heat and more people http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/peoplemakingheat.html <bob@balfes.net> /familychronicles http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/peoplemakingheat.html meta-creation_date: 02/02/2006 21:30:00
It has been a while since I blogged to the
Family Chronicle area and tonight I have yet another classic story.

We were watching Survivor and in the show one of the guys on the young guys team suggested the team use meditation to help with making fire.  They put their hands stacked together one inch apart, one on top of another.  They all closed their eyes and meditated, the initiator says "can you feel that heat?" and one comment from one of the other guys was "I don't think this is going to make fire".  My son then says, "yeah, that would take a lot more people than that."

]]> Sequence of funny clips - kid friendly http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/PeopleBeingScaredClips.html <bob@balfes.net> /familychronicles http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/PeopleBeingScaredClips.html meta-creation_date: 01/30/2006 11:50:13 PM
Some good clean funny video, your kids will like this one. It's is a bunch of people being scared in a series of clips. (RSS readers will have to open the link to watch it)

I removed the embedded movie because it was behaving badly. You can check out the funny clips on iFilm


]]> Golfing in Florida! http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/OrlandoGolf-2006.html <bob@balfes.net> /familychronicles http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/OrlandoGolf-2006.html meta-creation_date: 01/21/2006 09:45:13 PM
What a great way to start the golfing weekend. We landed around 11am on Saturday and Art landed a little later (around 11:45). We hit the links directly from the airport and little did I know I was going to shoot an amazing round of golf. The course was very nice and we were pretty amazed with the quality of Hunters Creek for the great price of $55 each. Just so I do not bore you, I shot a 79, Art and Brian struggled so I won't share their scores.



Here we are!

]]> Number one or number two http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/Number_one_or_number.html <bob@balfes.net> /familychronicles http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/Number_one_or_number.html meta-creation_date: 07/22/2006 02:23:42
My brother and his son were swimming in their pool and his son tells him "Daddy I need to go to the bathroom".  My brother tells him to get out an just go behind the pool.  After a few minutes my brother asks "Derek, what's taking so long?", Derek replies "I am going poop".

]]> Now I know why I can't get a bird! http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/nobirdforme.html <bob@balfes.net> /familychronicles http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/nobirdforme.html meta-creation_date: 01/17/2006 08:58:00
I had a blue crowned conure a bit back and for reasons I do not want to discuss it is now not with us.  I have since always wanted to get another parrot but my wife will not allow it.  Now I know why!  Check out this crazy story on CNN.

]]> New Family Project - 2006 http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/NewFamilyProject2006.html <bob@balfes.net> /familychronicles http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/NewFamilyProject2006.html meta-creation_date: 01/09/2006 20:55:13
With the new year came a new resolution.  I got the kids their own PC's fully loaded with the critical software that will make them successful as children in the world.  After a long time of setting up Norton Internet Security I then setup the other software that will hopefully help them in the long run.  I set the PC's up yesterday and tonight we had our first lesson in Web Browsing, Email and TrueSpace 6.  I have also installed Open Office 2 beta because I want them to learn Office like applications without spending the big money for M$ Office.  I have found OO2 is a great start because the menu structure is extremely close to M$ Office and most if not all of the functionality I want to teach them is available.

My kids were already familiar with email but I had to show them some pointers with FireFox and Thunderbird.  The first class took about an hour and we went through the basics of 3D drawing in Caligari''s TrueSpace 6.  I bought this software a few years back and got pretty good at 3D drawing, hopefully the kids might find it interesting and start playing with it.

Next I want to go over OO Impress and see them create some basic slides and some custom animation.

]]> Family Chronicle - Merry Chrismas and "The War" http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/Merry_Christmas_and_The_War.html <bob@balfes.net> /familychronicles http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/Merry_Christmas_and_The_War.html meta-creation_date: 12/20/2005 18:18:13
My daughter comes home from school today with a Christmas card she created in art class, it read:

| Merry Christmas. I hope you have a Holly Jolly Christmas and think of those who died in the war.

]]> Mork Jailed http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/MorkJailed.html <bob@balfes.net> /familychronicles http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/MorkJailed.html meta-creation_date: 12/28/2005 08:45:13 Trust me, he is not jailed at all.  Mork is not too keen of KC so he plays it safe and just relaxes behind the small entry way to his domain.

Mork Jailed

]]> New Family Member - Meet Larry http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/MeetLarry.html <bob@balfes.net> /familychronicles http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/MeetLarry.html meta-creation_date: 02/10/2006 01:33:13
Meet Larry!  Yes, as in Larry Bird.  Since my office has a lot of Celtics stuff and a giant Larry Bird poster I figure Larry "the Bird" made a great name.  This has got to be one of the smartest animals I have come in contact with (including many humans).  Larry is an African Grey Parrot.  Noted for being the smartest of all birds, he has the ability to say over 2000 words and 2-3 hundred sentences.  Larry was born last June making him around 8 months old.  He has only been with us since last Saturday and he already has pretty much accepted the rest of the farm here.  He has also learned many sounds in his first week (some came from the breeder).

"Hello"
"Hi"
"What ya doin?"
"Pretty Birdy"
"Cluck Cluck Cluck"
and many whistling sounds and lots of clicks (which I read means he is happy)

Larry

]]> 2006 Golf at Myrtle Beach - Legends http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/MarineGolf2006.html <bob@balfes.net> /familychronicles http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/MarineGolf2006.html meta-creation_date: 04/10/2006 14:30:13
This year my Marine Buddy's and I did a small excursion at the Legends Resort in Myrtle Beach.  This was probably the most convenient trip I have gone on with this group to date.  Outside of the mole-skin we needed to patch Lloyd's finger from Wal-Mart we really did not have to leave the resort area.  Because it was The Master's weekend the resort held its annual Golfapalooza festival where vendors and entertainment were on location all weekend.  The resort is literally less than 10 minutes from the airport and directions to the place were a snap.  The quality of the courses for the price of the package was amazing.  For roughly $430 you get 3 nights and 3 rounds of golf, breakfast each morning, one free drink a day and one lunch ticket.  The resort has 3 courses on site and the quality is fabulous.  If you can dodge the rainy weather it really is a perfect golf get-away.  The pool and hot tub area also helped recover from the 36 hole days.  I did not do to well in golf (87, 94, 87) but did great in cards! 

upperleftupcell

Lastly, the trip home was less than enjoyable.  The plane left Myrtle Beach 45 minutes late and I missed my connecting flight at Dulles and remained on standby for the next flight.  Over 6 hours in the airport and no book to read made me break out the laptop and do some coding.  Once I got board with that I figured I needed to find a book.  I picked up this book and started reading it; so far it is pretty fascinating and according to the book I should be doing pretty well by the time I retire financially- knock on wood.  The book is The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J Stanley and William D Danko.  I read more than half the book during my remaining time and the roughly hour flight home.  I am traveling to Austin tomorrow so I am sure I will finish it.  It has some amazing tips and I highly recommend it to just about everyone.  If you are in your 50's or 60's and do not have a large retirement you may only get upset reading the book.  It is really one of those "I should have read this years ago" type books. 

The Millionaire Next Door

]]> Happy Easter! http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/HappyEaster.html <bob@balfes.net> /familychronicles http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/HappyEaster.html meta-creation_date: 04/16/2006 2:30:13
I found these jokes on Happy-Easter.com, pretty funny for the kids.

Why does the Easter bunny have a shiny nose?
    His powder puff is on the wrong end.

Is it true that bunnies have good eyesight?
    Well you never see a bunny wearing glasses, do you?

What is the difference between a crazy bunny and a counterfeit banknote?
    One is bad money and the other is a mad bunny!

Why did the Easter egg hide?
    He was a little chicken!

Why did a fellow rabbit say that the Easter Bunny was self-centered?
    Because he was eggo-centric!

Why is a bunny the luckiest animal in the world?
    It has four rabbits' feet

What do you get when you cross a bunny with an onion?
    A bunion

What did the bunny want to do when he grew up?
    Join the Hare Force.

What do you call a bunny with a large brain?
    Egghead!

What does a bunny use when it goes swimming?
    A hare-net.

How do you make a rabbit stew?
    Make it wait for three hours!

What did the grey rabbit say to the blue rabbit?
    Cheer up!

What do you get when you pour hot water down a rabbit hole?
    A hot cross bunny.

How do you post a bunny?
    Hare mail

How does the Easter Bunny say Happy Easter?
    Hoppy Easter

]]> Goodbye to a family member http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/GoodbyeScooter.html <bob@balfes.net> /familychronicles http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/GoodbyeScooter.html meta-creation_date: 5/09/2006 0:53:13
Scooter has been with the family for over 5 years.  If it wasn't for his brother Jack (a Jack Dempsey) he probably would have come close to his life expectency which is 10-18 years.  Scooter was the reason I bought my current tank, he was the first fish and my son Bobby named him.

Scooter

Please send cards and donations to:

The Fish Fry Funeral Home
Whitesboro, NY 13492

]]> Family Chronicle - <i>Fire Hazard</i> http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/fire_hazard.html <bob@balfes.net> /familychronicles http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/fire_hazard.html meta-creation_date: 12/20/2005 01:05:13
This is the first of many.  So many times in my life something funny or amazing happens and my buddy Art Thomas tells me I need to write some of this stuff down.  So here it is, the first of many to come.

We were watching a movie the other night and in the movie there was a party in the backyard by the pool.  It was night time and the host had floating candles in the pool, about 30 of them.  My son turns to me and says "Daddy, that is a fire hazard."

]]> Early Morning Golf http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/EarlyMorningGolf.html <bob@balfes.net> /familychronicles http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/EarlyMorningGolf.html meta-creation_date: 5/07/2006 09:53:13
For the last two days (Saturday and Sunday) I have gotten up at 5:20 to be on the golf course by 6am.  Some people may think it's crazy (and even I had my doubts) but I have to admit the experience is really golf at its greatest.  Both days were incredibly peaceful and relaxing; walking the course with no one in front of you holding you up or behind you pushing you or hitting into you.  You see this is where nature and sport mix; you hear nothing but early morning bird calls and possibly see an occasional deer or two (or 5 like today) and the smell of freshly cut grass is all around you.  It was such a great feeling walking outside in the nice green meadows with a touch of dew slowly leaving the grass.  I have been struggling with my swing all year so far (yes it is still early) and for the last two days I shot in the 30's for one of the nines.  I was thinking maybe it is just my swing coming back but then I realized the perfect setting I played in each day most likely had a lot to do with it.

]]> Dungeons and Dragons Online goes Gold! http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/DDOGoesGold.html <bob@balfes.net> /familychronicles http://balfes.net/blog/familychronicles/DDOGoesGold.html meta-creation_date: 02/14/2006 01:30:13

Wooo Hoo!

The game I pre-ordered almost 2 months ago and just ordered again for my son has announced it went gold yesterday.  Bobby pretty much grew out of Runescape and I think this new challenge will show him what D&D is all about.  Runescape is an excellent adventure game where you buildyour character over time.  His character is pretty powerful and has a ton of stuff.  Hopefully with me at his side in DDO we can have fun and build the characters together.  It is sort of like taking him out to play catch with a ball and glove I guess.  :)

If you pre-order now you can get a special pre-order package where your character will get things like an AC (armor class) +1.  I provided a link on the picture below.

DDO

]]>