CoolMedics - cooling products/clothing

I bought so many products at the Dressage Olympic Trials... we need heat control products since I've moved to Hell, er... I mean LA (San Fernando Valley to be exact).

http://www.coolmedics.com/

I bought the vest and beanie(under riding helmet) for me...Large 56"x36" blanket for the dogs, the neck scarf for Ari, and I'll probably end up buying something for Vikki. Top options are poll-cap, hock coolers, and neck wrap or 1/4 sheet. The cooling saddle pad also looks intriguing. And I may end up buying a lot of gifts here for friends/family.

I wore the vest at the show on the 2nd day and it really helped! Ari is already enjoying it but Lady hasn't made up her mind yet. I'm sure she will like it once it's past 90 degrees again ; ( Dolly is actually laying on it too, surprising since it is slightly damp. I plan on getting small cooler beds for the cats. They sound cool but there is a quality issue and they tend to rupture at the seams after about a year. But they are not damp to the touch and I think the cats would like them better. Plus cats are much lighter then the dogs and the seams might last longer.

Canine Cooler Pet Beds
http://www.chillow.com/cc.html
http://www.chillow.com/chillow.html

I love Algorithms!!!!!!!

I have finally found my passion in life(work life that is)...ALGORITHMS!! Turns out I will happily code logic until "the cows come" home or maybe it's "Dalmatians come home"...

Anyway, I still want to pursue embedded work and classes, because it will be good for future employment, but I'm also going to look into classes & career paths that include lots of algorithm programming. Who knows...maybe I'll end up back in Image processing !?!

There is tons of Digital Signal Processing in the Radar so I plan on checking that out. However, I didn't really like DSP in school so I'm not sure if I'll like it now.

Much anticipated Vikki swimming video clip

Here we are! It was my first time swimming on any horse and I wasn't sure how to guide her in the water or where the deep parts were. We did much better the 2nd day where there was no one to film us, of course...




Links to the other Vikki videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HucyWL0Ph-0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLP8VoOmtao
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjCfMWJgoBE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ePlL__G4Aw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9u4hem4FSs (above video link)

Street Racing in LA

So I'm driving home from the 2008 Olympic Dressage Trials in San Juan Capistrano at 11pm Saturday night on Hwy I-5 when out of nowhere two cars go zipping by crazy-fast in and out of traffic. They cut across 5 lanes of busy traffic right in front of me going at least 90mph. And the space between the cars was not much at all. It looked like something from the movies, seriously.

It was actually really neat looking yet terrifying in case they caused a big pile-up right in front of me. It only lasted 20 seconds or so before they were out of sight and I believe they exited soon after. I'm assuming you can't go to far on the Hwy like that before someone calls the cops...

Orphan Trains

Watched a very interesting A&E program on the Orphan Trains (which I have never heard about in US History). The ran from the mid 1800s to the early 1900s and was the basis of today's adoption and foster programs.

The Orphan Trains took homeless children from large eastern cities by train to small rural towns where they were adopted. Straight off the train station platform or in the largest building in town, usually a church or city hall.

http://www.orphantraindepot.com/

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/orphan/

Ari mastering the doggie door

A few peanut butter cover treats later and Viola

Coolest thing EVER!!!

Here's a preview and the YouTube videos will be available shortly....

My former boss, Brant, says that he no longer gets nearly as excited about events/things as when he was a kid. I definitely agree with that statement...

except this is the exception! Vikki and I went swimming! In this tiny swimming hole on the farm. She only swims a few strides before her feet hit ground. Plus it was my first time and I didn't really know how to guide her or where the deeper part was ; )

Look close...her tongue is sticking out. Silly horsey.

First Impressions of Los Angeles

1) Helicopters everywhere in the sky all the time. (I feel like we are under a terrorist attack all the time)

2) Baskin Robbins! They are on every corner. (Probably 'cause it's hotter then hell here...)

3) Car Incidents: car fires, car chases, bad wrecks on suburb streets, car chases on the news, etc.

4) Psychic (Palm) Readers. Lots of houses with the sign Psychic readers on them. Is that now code for brothel instead of good old Massage Parlors?