The Delta Queen Saga...

So I have an invested interest in the three steamboats that were owned by Delta Queen Steamboat Co.  The three steamboats I'm referring to are the Delta Queen, the Mississippi Queen and the American Queen. 

 

In 2005, I worked on the American Queen for 6 months.  I loved it but only worked there a short time because Ambassadors International (AI) bought the company from Delta.  AI changed a bunch of policies and other things that I didn't agree with so I quit.  It's a shame because I think AI lost a bunch of good employees with their changes but that's not what I'm talking about on this blog.  

I've been trying to keep up with what's going on with the boats because I miss them and they are great boats.  Since I left, things went drastically downhill.  In 2008, Delta Queen lost her exemption to the Safety at Sea Act and was forced to retire.  Around the same time, AI put all boats up for sale and ceased operations.

In 2009, Delta Queen was bought and is now a floating hotel in Chattanooga, Tennessee.  She looks pretty cool and I plan on seeing some day - Check it out:    http://www.deltaqueenhotel.net/#!
A few months ago, AI filed Chapter 11 and  Xanterra Parks & Resorts purchased the assets of  AI which includes the Delta Queen.... so not sure what the future holds for her but hopefully she will be protected.

Unfortunately the Mississippi Queen did not have such a great fate....  She was left to rot and be vandalized on the docks of New Orleans.  It would have cost more to refurbish her than what it cost to build her.  In April this year, they started tearing her down.  So sad.  Here's an article about it with a video - the video is sad :-(    Workers Tearing down Mississippi Queen

Which brings us to the biggest and best in my opinion, the American Queen.  I couldn't find information on the AQ for the longest time... then she appeared... at least the news did.   And will reappear next year on the Mississippi River cruising!!!  I'm so happy that she will be back on the river... can't wait to see pictures of it again.   American Queen will cruise again!

Zip-lining for the 2nd time!!!

I love ziplining!!  I went for the 2nd time on Sunday with one of my meetup groups.  This time I brough my good friend Pavun.  She enjoyed it but I think it was one of those "been there, done that, got a t-shirt" kinda thing for her. I love it.  Richland Creek is a great place to go.  It is outside the NC Zoo in Asheboro.  I recommend at least once... even if just to say "been there, done that".  :-)

And here's a video of me zipping!!! 



Air Force One

Today President Obama was in Raleigh.  I don't really care about Obama so didn't really think anything about it.  But you do have to admit that seeing Air Force One is pretty cool.... although I didn't think of that either!  Me and one of the guys i work with went to get lunch at around 1pm today.  We are within blocks of the airport and we see cops getting ready to set up barricades.  Our initial plan, after we grabbed some lunch to go, was to go drive around the airport to see if we could see Air Force One.  We found it and then decided to go to the observation center to see if we could get a better look.  When we got there we found out the plane was supposed to leave in 45 minutes.  So we decided to eat our lunch there and watch it take off!

The following pictures are from my backup camera NOT my awesome camera!!  Very sad that I didn't actually plan this but still got some good pictures none the less.  So here goes.....

We could actually see the top of the stairs through the trees ....

  

And the PRESIDENT!

 And there's the Wave!  Trust me, its him.  If I would have had my good camera!!!!

What my picture would have looked like with a better camera.... 

 

 

Secret Service followed them all the way down the runway.... 

 And there it goes... 

 Very cool over all.  Glad we did it.  Maybe next time I'll take my good camera :-)

Reflecting on the 10th Anniversary of 9/11

I watched a lot of specials yesterday that focused on remembering 9/11/2001.  I can't believe its been 10 years.  Like everyone else on that day, I can easily remember what I was doing like it was today all over again.  I lived in Colorado then and was working for Hauser, Inc.  I was getting ready for work, and like everyday, I turned the news on and had it on in the background.  I heard something about a plane accident and then they said into the world trade center.... wait, did I hear that right?  Who would hit the world trade center ACCIDENTALLY?  So I watched for a bit... and then the 2nd plane hit the other tower.  Ok.  Not an accident.  I went to work listening to the news.  I got to work and everyone was in the break room watching tv.  We pretty much spent the day in the breakroom in awe and then went home early... still in awe.

There are only a few days from my life that I can really remember like it were yesterday.... 9/11 is one of them.  

The 9/11 Memorial opened yesterday.  I love that they let loved ones of the killed in first.  That means a lot to the families.  It meant a lot to me and I'm not even family.  Anyway it looks amazing and I can't wait to go see it in person.  Here's one of my favorite photos of the memorial....

 There were a lot of posts yesterday.... quotes, pictures, remembering.  So I'm going to leave you with 3 that really touched me yesterday that I saw posted by friends and family...

"evil is real, and so is courage" - President George W . Bush at the flight 93 memorial. It's not September 11th that defines us as a nation; it's September 12th. On that day we brushed the dust off our shoulders and many of us answered the call and we took it to the enemy.

 "Now, we have inscribed a new memory alongside those others. It’s a memory of tragedy and shock, of loss and mourning. But not only of loss and mourning. It’s also a memory of bravery and self-sacrifice, and the love that lays down its life for a friend–even a friend whose name it never knew."
- President George W. Bush, December 11, 2001
WE WILL NEVER FORGET

For the husband who told his wife he loved her before his plane went down in a field. For the wife who stopped in the stairs to call her husband to say she will love him forever. For the mothers and fathers who kissed their kids goodbye that morning for the last time. For the policemen, firemen, and other rescue workers who rushed in to help others and lost their lives. For the soldiers who fought back and made the ultimate sacrifice.  Today, tomorrow, years from now, we will remember.

MySpace....

So I haven't used Myspace in a few years, at least....  and am never going to use it again.  But I was trying to find someone on facebook and I couldn't remember his last name.  I knew we were friends on myspace so I logged into my account.... after several tries!  I forgot my password apparently and had to get it reset.  Finally logged into and realized how horrible myspace really is.  Why is it still around?  Who still uses it?  Anyways, I found the person I was looking for, browsed a bit, and logged off.  I will probably never log on again... unless I'm looking for someone else I used to be friends with.  :)

Its not the camera, its the photographer.

I have heard this many, many times and have always believed it.  Tonight I saw it in action.

I joined Cary Photographic Artists (CPA) a few weeks ago.  We meet twice a month and have random outings throughout the year.  Tonights meeting was peer critique.  Everyone brings in one or two photos (at least 8x10) and we share and critique each other.  No bad comments are allowed, just improvement comments, what you like about it, etc.  I saw a lot of great work and some good work.  Nothing was really bad, everything was good.  A lot of people in the group have really expensive cameras... Don't get me wrong, I have a great camera but its not an SLR with changeable lens and all.  Mainly because I don't want to carry all that equipment around and I don't have enough money for all that.  Some of the pictures taken with the expensive stuff weren't any better then what I would take.  So I am a very firm believer that its about the photographer.  Anyways the whole experience was fun and interesting.  It feels so good to hear remarks about my work and know that people like my photos... not just me. 

So here's the photo I took last night.... everyone loved it.  :-)  

My 1st Durham Bulls Game!

I've lived in Raleigh for 5 years and finally went to my 1st Durham Bulls Game last night!  I'm not sure why I have not been before this - it is so cheap to go to a game and close to home.  Anyways, I went with my friend Pavun who is part of ISPE group.  ISPE was having an outing and I went along with Pavun.  :-)  

Unfortunately, Hurricane Irene was closing in on North Carolina coast and we had some heavy clouds rolling in...

  

The sky opened up in the top of the 4th and we decided to leave... as did most everyone there. 

The game was just on rain delay and probably started playing again but we were already gone.  It was fun while it lasted and next year I will definitely be going to more games! 

Where's my Orlando? and other random stuff....

Diary of a mad black woman is a GREAT movie.  I want an Orlando....

As I sit here watching this movie, I figure I could update my blog a bit. Wow, July 30th was the last time I posted.  A few things have happened since then...

I signed up for the Big Brothers Big Sisters program.... however I'm on a waiting list because there are not enough little sisters in the program for all the big sisters that are.  They won't pair a big Sis up with a little bro because thats not the way their program goes.... so I wait. 

I joined Fine Arts League of Cary(FALC) to try and get my photography shown to the public.  Most of FALC's shows don't include photography though.... but I was able to get in one last weekend.  I was able to bring 4 framed pieces to display.  We were not allowed to sell or put prices on anything but it was great to talk to people and get compliments on my work!  Here's my 4 pieces hanging in the show....

 
In the same show was this painter - Dana Mario Wood - he was very good and had this huge picture of his wife that he had painted in the show.  Below he's talking with some visitors... they are watching his daughter - who was also very talented!  Behind them is the picture he painted of his wife.  Unfortunately I did not get a good picture of it... but you can visit his website (www.danamariowood.com) 

There were a bunch of other talented artists there as well.  It was held in the new Cary Arts Center which used to be the high school.  Very cool building.

While I was at that show, I found another group that focuses only on photography - Cary Photographic Artists (CPA).  They meet twice a month and do different shows throughout the year.  I went to my first meeting with them on Thursday.  It's going to be a fun and interesting group I think.  Looking forward to future meetings.  :-)

I ordered some more prints today to frame.... hopefully I will be showing other places besides Village Deli.  :-)  (Village Deli currently displays 5 of my works.)  

What's to come?  We shall see....   Hopefully I will find my Orlando soon.....     :-)  :-)  :-) 

Sailing!

Me and my friend Beth went to a sailing class today.  It was a lot of fun!  We had a good breeze... most of the time.  There were a few times we had no wind and were just floating.   Others times we were cruising pretty good.  Maybe I'll go again some day.  Anyways, here's some photos. :-)

Want to live in my house, let me see your auto insurance.

Yep.  Thats my new response for future roommates.... well at least if they use my address is on their drivers license.

Story:  So I received my renewal statement for my auto insurance ... and my roommate is on there! WTF!  How and why is he showing up on my insurance?  How do they even know he lives with me? And how can they add him without my approval? 

I call my agent at State Farm.  Apparently when my roommate got a new license he put my address on his license.  Ok.  He lives here, he can do that, what do I care.  Well DMV says some crap about if you live in the same household, you have access to whatever cars are in that household, so somehow, someway its ok for State Farm to add his name to my insurance without me even knowing about it.  But my agent reassures me he's not effecting my rate at all.  What?  That doesn't make it ok.  He doesn't drive my car.  He has his own car.  And the only reason he is not effecting my rates is because he has a good record.  Anyways, not the point.  The point is state farm added someone to my account without my approval or consent! 

Solution:  I have to prove he has his own auto insurance to take him off mine!  What?  He is renting a room in my house and I have to ask him for his CAR insurance??  Seriously?  Ridiculous!  So I talk to my roommate.... he has state farm too.  State farm can't figure this out in their own system?  I called my agent back.  He took car of it.

It's fixed now.  He has been taken off my insurance.  For now.

NOTE TO SELF:  Future roommates are not allowed to put my address on their license.  If they do, well.... just don't do it.