We heart cross-country skiing.

New pics on picasa... we finally went cross-country skiing in Washington. Yay!
(We hadn't been since New Hampshire.) It was the last day that Summit East was open, and the combo of skinny skis with spring snow (especially on the steeper terrain) was highly entertaining. :) While Pete may look cold in the photo, we had the pleasure of experiencing both cold blowing snow and extreme sun. What can I say? It's April in the PNW.

The Wood Brothers Rock!

Thursday night we had the pleasure of seeing the Wood Brothers perform at the Triple Door downtown. It was an incredible show at an awesome venue. Their music is a blend of the northern Jazz of Chris (of Medeski, Martin, & Wood) and the southern Blues of Oliver (of King Johnson). Oliver performed with deep soul, and Chris is probably the most virtuosic (and multitasking) bass player we've ever seen. If you get the chance, we highly recommend seeing them live!

Seeds of Compassion

This week I had the privilege of volunteering for the Seeds of Compassion gathering in Seattle, and seeing His Holiness the Dalai Lama speak about compassion with scientists, educators, activists, spiritual leaders, community leaders, and children. It was a truly powerful experience and solidified my belief in the importance of social and emotional learning for positive growth and development, but also that there are universal moral values... compassion is a big one!

I cannot even begin to describe my entire experience here, but I will say that the Dalai Lama has a wonderful sense of humor, and exudes happiness and compassion. (Amazing for a man who was forced to flee his homeland.) For the full experience, you can watch webcasts of all of his speaking engagements. They are somewhat lengthy, but very informative and inspiring. I particularly enjoyed the Tuesday morning session with Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
Now get out there and sow some seeds of compassion! :)

"In the race to the top, zigzagging is more efficient than a straight line"

UW Article... (Image by Martin Llobera)

http://uwnews.org/article.asp?articleID=39870

We like the analogy... it fits with our zig-zagging career paths.

In the beginning...

Pete's suggestions for the blog title: The Empty Cupboard, Stop Tickling Me, Sips & Dips, I'm starved, Grillin' and Chillin,' etc...