Cincy Lights

Sorry folks. Looks like our technical issues keep coming. Looks like no show tonight. The new LED light appear to be faulty and what is supposed to be a sealed system isn't, which is causing shorts, tripping our GFCI.

So disappointing. These new shiny lights were supposed to be a step forward for us, but looks like many steps back, right back to before we animated the lights.

:(

I've been pondering family traditions lately and putting up the Christmas Tree is always a treat. Opening the boxes of ornaments is like seeing many old friends from years past that you've forgotten. Each time we go on a trip I seek out ornaments for the tree that would remind my of that trip.

This year I'm looking to mark the year I finally learned to ride a bike with a special ornament for the tree and I'm not exactly seeing what I want. My thought is to obtain a sprocket from the rear cassette from Trek. My first bike was a 2010 Trek Pure Sport and while it wouldn't be from MY bike, it would mean much more then just some generic bike ornament. It won't be flashy, but neither is my bike, and I could even have it engraved with the year and some info about my experience.

Before this year began I never would have thought I would actually learn to ride at the age of thirty-five and progressed as far as I have in only the few short months that I've been riding. From those first timid pedal strokes to biking for lunch thirteen miles away, 2010 has been monumental, and this is the best way that I can mark that in my little box of memories.

I'm not really sure what avenue would be best to contact Trek, I'm hoping someone from Trek reads this and can contact me, because it wouldn't really be the same thing if I bought an  identical Shimano cassette. I'm hoping to get something from Trek directly.

Any ideas??

Shannon

Friend: This could be you!
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20101210/NEWS01/12110313/Christmas-lights-flash-for-a-cause

Husband: Wouldn't want to be.

Friend: Why not?  In the news.  Raising money for charity.  Sounds like a good kid doing a good thing and doing it well.

Husband: Which is fine. Don't want media and large crowds.

Me: But think of all the strange children that would be walking all over your yard as their parents neglected them as they secretly want them electrocuted in your lights.Wouldn't that be FUN?


Soooooo, my husband spends hours programming and putting up Christmas lights and doesn't want to be known as "Mr Christmas" or deal with crowds of people, but does enjoys it when people comment or complement him, so he just get in the Christmas mood and has been pretty down since we've had so many problems with the lights.

Come one.. Come all. Lets prove him wrong and show him that people DO really, really appreciate his lights!

Remember tonight is the first show of the season. Runs each night through the New Years Eve.

Shannon

It looks like we are finally a GO for tomorrow night. We have our light issues resolved and as they say.. on with the show.

6PM to 11PM Friday and Saturday. Sunday - Thursday 6PM to 10PM.

Listen to 90.5 FM to listen to the lights!!

Thanks,

Shannon

Still having power issues and tripping our GFCI.

Twelve-Hundred watts of red and green flood-light will do that I guess? Means no show tonight and likely none tomorrow either. Friday is looking more likely and MUCH later in the season then we wanted to be in launching our first animated light show of the year, but all good things, right?

I heard on the radio we much get snow this weekend.

I'll post when we're ready to go!!
Shannon

OK. So here we are last night trying to get the last few frozen cords ran last night after work, in the dark and bitter cold that cuts you like a hot knife through butter. Actually a hot knife would have been almost preferable to the 17 degrees that feels like 5 degrees, complements of the12mph wind. We get to what I think is the last connection and we're almost done, plug it in and the whole thing goes dark, all 10k lights.

Oh, that can't be good.

It was at that point we realized we tripped a GFCI, so it was our que to go in and get a hot meal and live to battle another day. Round two tonight!!


Now I know why people leave the lights up all year!!

Shannon

So sorry if anyone came out over the weekend to discover out lights were just not synced up to the music and doing their thing. We finally got the last of the lights put up on the garage and the last technical issues worked out. We found that some of our floodlights are blown and the box of spares is nowhere to be found!! I'm hoping Home Depot has still has red and green floodlights!! Barring any additional little glitches we're hoping to have everything wired and functional for tonight or tomorrow.

If the cold isn't enough to make it feel like Christmas, then a little music and lights are bound to do the trick, just bring some hot coco and enjoy the show.

Shannon

OK. We had a little glitch with the lights and finally have everything in order and it should be finished up Thursday, so we're getting ready for a Friday, December 3rd as the first animated light show of the year!!

Show will run nightly, Sunday - Thursday 6PM until 10PM, Friday and Saturday show runs until 11PM.

See the main site for directions, let us know what you think... we welcome your comments and input.

Making Christmas a little brighter-- One String at a Time.
Shannon

and he will be out putting up Christmas Lights this weekend. WOOOOO HOOOOOO.

OK, jumping the gun just a tad, but it's soooooooooooooooo much better then doing it when it's 30 degrees and windy outside.

I got good news this week and I'm feeling much better. My mom is finally home from the hospital so my "spirit" is feeling an influx of new warm fuzzy feelings. Note to any readers out there. Cat bites are NOTHING to take lightly, epically when they're bad ones that go deep into the tissue. A week in the hospital and IV drugs for ANOTHER month after her hand got severely infected and started spreading up her arm. Luckily she didn't loose her finger.



Shannon

I ran across this article today. Pretty awesome sight. THIS might be the thing that get me jazzed about putting up the lights.


Shannon

Happy Veterans Day and thank you to all those who have put themselves in harms way for our country!



Shannon

OK. I just can't get myself motivated to deal with the Christmas lights.

I'm just not in the Christmas "mood" if you will. I didn't decorate for Halloween and right now, just a little blue, with many things going on in my life. I know there is work to be done. There are sequences that still have to be tweaked for the new LED's on the roof and I've not added ANYTHING new from last year. I'm dealing with some other issues that are drawing my attention away from the lights. This is the third year we've done animated lights and it was supposed to get easier, right? I just don't know. I'm feeling rather down right now. Our light guy is supposed to call us today and set up a time to install the roof lights, so perhaps when I see those go up, I'll be more "into" it.

Right now. November 26th (Day After Thanksgiving) is the goal, but I think realistically they'll go live the evening of Monday November 29th, giving us that weekend to have everything done.

I just don't want to be outside when the snow is flying trying to put Christmas lights, so the earlier the better, plus the act of putting up lights my inspire my mojo!!

Oh, almost forgot. Going to see Straight No Chaser this Thursday night so I'll get an early dose of Christmas. If they can't get me right, then I need a vacation to someplace with white beaches and blue water, for the remainder of the Christmas Season.

OK. Now for some Turkey and Pumpkin Pie dang-nab-it!!

Shannon

There's a much longer story here. Much longer, but I won't bore my readers, so here goes:

Ten weeks ago I started riding my new bike. She's blue and sparkly. She's pretty and named Stella. Me and Stella have been together for nearly 100 miles now.

At work they are having a weight loss challenge. Stella and I love challenges. We were challenged to loose ten pounds in ten weeks. Stella isn't holding up to her part of the pact tho, but it's not her fault, it's me that keeps adding the weight. First it was the bike rack, a cute little bell, and as of yesterday she's sporting a new basket to carry yet more weight in. I on the other hand am. I can ring that bell on Stella, because as of this morning, I have lost 10.4 pounds through week six of the challenge (15 pounds since Stella came into my life.)

Happy Monday Everyone!!
Shannon

to my little friends! 2700 of my "brightest" friends to be exact.

These arrived awhile ago, but with colder weather I am ever more tempted to start putting up lights!!

Red, white, and green LED lights.




Shannon

-- Post From My iPhone

There's nothing quite like watching a sunrise. The first peak over the horizon and the warm glow that is cast over nearly everything is just magical. Sometimes I forget just how beautiful it is. Sometimes life just gets in the way, too busy to stop and look, which is just sad. Then I look at the birds and the other creatures that are waking up and starting their day, just like I am, only then do I realize just how small a part I play in this world. The Robin flying past my window on the hunt for an bit of breakfast isn't worrying about what I think. The deer running across my yard isn't stopping to ask how I am. They've got a mission. Live. Live another day.

I often wonder, do they stop to take it all in, or is that an essentially human characteristic? Does a squirrel admire the beauty of a sunrise or is it just his alarm clock? Since it's Friday this should be a sunset pondering moment instead of a sunrise, seeing it's the end of the work week and the cool bite to the air reminded me that winter is getting closer with each sunrise.

I'll take what I can get and enjoy the moment.

Happy Friday!
Shannon

Last year my favorite coffee pusher supplier (Starbucks) began offering a instant coffee. I compared and had a taste-off between the 'bucks VIA and a few other major "instant" coffees on the market.

Via Review Post

A few weeks ago Starbucks unveiled flavored VIA and I am really pretty pleased. I have tried the mocha and cinnamon spice varieties, with my favorite being the mocha. I found the cinnamon to be just a tad strong on the cinnamon, so after drinking half the cup I found it harsh, even a little bitter.




Happy Thursday Everyone!!
Shannon

OK. So I find myself in a quandary here. Do I keep this blog active or let it just dissipate into the big black hole of the internet. Is there anyone out there that actually reads my posts? Anyone out there that wished I posted more often?

Yes, it's been a VERY long time since I posted last, but I'm really not sure if I should even bother, but if I KNEW someone out there enjoyed reading what I wrote I'd make a greater effort to post regularly.

Any thoughts?
Shannon

Eight weeks ago Starbucks began serving one featured bold selection each week-- one featured bold drip coffee for eight weeks. You get a sticker each week when you visit and after the eight weeks you can redeem those stickers for one free pound of bold whole coffee beans.

After eight weeks and many cups of coffee later, I've enjoyed the variety and complexities that each new week provided. Many new favorites I would have never tried had it not been for the promotion and even a few that I don't know if I'll ever try again.

Anyone else out there try the eight week challange?I'd really be interested in knowing which where your favorites or least favorite.

March 9: Yukon Blend
March 15: Italian Roast
March 22: East African Blend
March 29: Komodo Dragon Blend
April 5: Cafe Verona
April 12: Cafe Estima Blend
April 19: Gold Coast Blend
April 26: Sumatra

My favorites of the eight weeks were Yukon, Italian Roast, Verona, and the pleasant surprise of the challenge... Gold Coast Blend. It's not really a surprise that two of my favorites were coffees that I had purchased and brewed at home in the past. I guess I'm a creature of habit and familiar flavors that I return to time and time again.

-- Post From My iPhone

No matter the amount of green on your blood, I'm sending happy Irish greetings to my friends and family, so go find that pot of gold and share some of it with me!


Shannon

-- Post From My iPhone

The Christmas luster is long past and the winter cold seems to soak deep into the fibers of everything.

The things that normally are a pleasure take an extra measure of devotion these days when the blood feels like used oil running through the veins.

Clouds hang overhead as a constant reminder of the calendar and journey that must be logged before the short days grow longer and the joys of spring drag away the winter blues one more time.

To the groundhogs around the country that predicted more winter I hate you. How cruel of you to predict more winter based on the infrequent sunny day (or morning) in the three months of winter. Shouldn't it be the opposite? Shouldn't the groundhog want to share a warm sunny moment outdoors if arising that morning and finding his shadow? I know when I awake to gloomy skies it makes me long for the comfort of my warm blankets and soft bed.

Just another quandary among quandaries that go unanswered.

Here's to staying warm and the hope that Phil was wrong.


-- Post From My iPhone