Katie & Scott & Simon & Cecily.

Tag: parents (Page 1 of 2)

Day 236: offline

Katie’s cell phone has been acting up recently, and we’re not sure whether it’s the battery or the phone itself.  We may end up getting her a new phone (or “upgrade” or whatever AT&T wants to call it), or may try getting a new battery.  Either way, it won’t cost much.

The real price is in this gray zone, when she has a phone that only functions some of the time.  Even though I’m not the one who has the broken phone, it’s sobering to be thrown back a decade into a time when cell phones weren’t the everyday device they are now.

It’s a little scary, not knowing whether I can actually call her during the work day if something comes up, or knowing that she probably couldn’t call me (or AAA) if she were driving and the car broke down.

We’re spoiled nowadays.  With my iPhone, I get instantaneous access, nearly anywhere in the country, to all the information I would ever need.  I can pinpoint my exact location, find a nearby fill-in-the-blank, and read reviews on it from the palm of my hand.  I can check my bank accounts, buy stocks, look up an old friend’s contact information on Facebook.  It’s really a bit unbelievable if I think back on my cell phone-less childhood.

Maybe we haven’t been spoiled.  More, technologically bettered.  It’s not that our parents didn’t have this technology because they were poor or choose not to adapt it; this convenience simply didn’t exist back then.

Still, it’s a bit much, especially considering I’ve only been alive 26 years.  And to see how one malfunctioning cell phone can throw us off.

Day 153: yosemite recap with pictures

Mainly pictures because I spent a lot of time in the car today and I’m quite tired.

Let’s start off with a grand view of the Bridalveil waterfall, including my mom looking quite startled that a giant tourist is staring down at her!  We escaped before the guy ate anyone.

DSC_0036

Here’s my dad posing in front of the lower Yosemite falls with his new friend!  He swore that he didn’t even know she was there, but I’m pretty sure my parents secretly adopted her.

DSC_0073 

Check out all that granite!  I hope you’re impressed, because this mod squad certainly isn’t.

DSC_0085

Here’s my mom again, claiming the meadow in the name of the Dai family!

DSC_0207

Here’s us at the fallen tunnel tree, also known as Disappointment Point.  We look happy, but we’re not.  We’re angry at the tree.

DSC_0218

My mom and Katie standing around on top of Glacier Point.  My mom has realized that a picture is being taken but Katie hasn’t quite gotten there yet.  She’s admiring my fine body, out of the picture to the right.  Or some European guy.

DSC_0256

And let’s close it out with this spectacular picture of my dad, who is so ecstatic about our trip that he broke out into spontaneous song!

DSC_0280

For future reference, my two favorite spots in the park were definitely Glacier Point (and a few of the outlooks leading up there) and Lake Tewana.  One national park down, 387 to go!

Day 150: yo, semite

And greetings to the Jewish people of the world!

Katie and I drove with my parents to Yosemite park today and spent a good number of hours in the afternoon walking around the park and taking in a few of the waterfalls (Bridalveil and the main Yosemite waterfall) and seeing a few of the granite monsters there.

We’re currently staying at a rental house near enough to the park to be considered “accessible” while far enough away to be relatively secluded. It’s a rustic and nice place and it’ll be a nice place to unwind for the next few days. We bought enough fruits at the local grocery store to last us several outbreaks of scurvy.

We’ll probably hit up Yosemite proper again on Monday and do a bit of hiking in the less busy parts (the Yosemite Valley is, for a national park, very crowded). I’ll try and get some of the random pictures I took on my phone uploaded in the next few days.

Oh – sidenote: this house has a bunch of VHS tapes of children’s movies that were taped off of TV. Odd? Or brilliant? We’ll decide after we watch Lady and the Tramp tomorrow!

Day 149: yosemite prelude

My parents flew into town this morning and we drive out to Yosemite tomorrow.

Excitement is in the air!

I know it’s a bit late to ask, but does anyone have any hints or tips on how to best enjoy a short 4-day vacation near Yosemite?  Any spots we absolutely should not miss?  Any secluded and secret places in the park that we should hit up?  Any nearby towns with really weird museums or halls of fame?

« Older posts

© 2024 It's Dai Time

Theme by Anders NorenUp ↑