Berio Stereo.....By Robert Allen Simila

Moucha Island Trip

2008-04-28T12:18:00.000-07:00

I finally took my first day trip since I have been back in Djibouti. I went out to Moucha Island the other day. It was hot but I loved being out in the sunshine surrounded by beautiful Turquoise water with the sun glistening off the surface and bellow is full of sea life. It was a good trip. I will be posting pictures on flickr probably later this week. Now I am back to my boring job. The good thing is it gives me time to do things like this. Everything is good and I am maybe moving back to the day shift that should be a little more eventful than nights.

Cheers,

Robert

Road back to Djibouti

2008-04-03T09:44:00.000-07:00

I am in Dubai right now on my way back to Djibouti. I have had a fun time in the states. First in Ft. Lauderdale, then on to Northern California to visit my aunt, uncle and cousins and enjoy good food and the great California sun. Then up to Portland for a week were I got to see more friends and relatives go to concerts and enjoy more good food and great photo sessions. I then was in Dallas for a few days, got to see the Mavericks play the Laker's and enjoy Greenville Ave on St Patties day. I also got a chance to go up to Kingston where my dad lives and experience the Puget sound from the other side of Seattle. It was overall a very awesome trip that seemed to keep me busy and it went by fast. I look forward to going back to work and seeing everyone in Djibouti.

My time In Northern California

2008-03-10T11:35:00.000-07:00

I've got to say I love the San Jose area. Strategically located for a great climate and the people are forward thinkers. That is a great combination. I loved Santa Cruz, San Jose and the little I saw in San Fransisco makes this a spot I wouldn't mind moving to. I love places where your recycling can is bigger than your garbage can. I love it when you can get good sushi and great Mexican food. I think that food is a very important part to enjoying life. I loved the farmers market too. Live performers, organic fruits and vegetables, awesome Indian food, and other ethnic foods. I loved the nature in the urban environment. There are opportunities around each corner as well. An overall great trip. I look forward to moving on to Portland and seeing so many friends and family up there. Take it easy everyone and I will see you all soon.

RS

Dubai Airport Hotel

2008-03-02T18:04:00.000-08:00

I tell you what, the idea that I can be stuck in an airport for almost a whole day kind of sucks. Not in Dubai. They have this five star hotel in the airport! it is outstanding and fairly reasonable for the convenience of it all. I just got done taking a shower and now I am on my Wi-Fi in my room writing a blog. And i got a flat panel blaring some MTV. I want my MTV. Life is great. I hope everyone is doing well and I will see many of you soon. I am going to go down to the pool and do some laps.

back to the states

2008-03-02T05:12:00.000-08:00

I am finally getting out of Africa for a while. I will be all over the place, enjoying great company. I am going to be gone for a while, the only thing I will miss is the warm weather. I will definitely enjoy the conveniences of the states and take advantage of them. I am going to miss some friends in Africa too. But I will be back. Later for now. Let the adventure begin.

Cheers,

Robert

West Coast trip

2008-02-03T12:30:00.001-08:00

I have made all my travel arrangements for coming back to the states in March. I will be spending time in San Jose area, Portland, and Seattle. I can't wait it has been a while since I have been back in Portland and it will be during my Birthday and St. Patty's day. I recently go in contact with my good friend from High school and that will be good to catch up and do something fun. I look forward to my few days in Cali too. There is always something to do. I have been enjoying the last few weeks here in Djibouti as well. I have taken some good pictures, enjoyed good company, and good food. That is going to be the same scenario for my trip to come. I am sharing one one of the pictures, from a boat trip on this blog entry but go to my flickr account to see my full collection of pictures. I hope all is well for everyone and I hope to see you soon.

RS

New adventures

2008-01-27T12:45:00.000-08:00

I am getting ready to come back to the states, for a little vacation. I will be traveling to Ft. Lauderdale for a Concert. It is a three day music festival. It should be exciting. After the music festival I will be making my way up the west coast to visit relatives and friends. Since my last entry I have also enjoyed some leisure time here in Djibouti. I got pool side a couple days and went to Lake Assal that is 500 feet below sea level and is the lowest point in Africa. Lake Assal is saltier than the dead sea. It was cool and I got a lot of great photo's that are up on flickr and on my web site. robertsimila.com . I also went on a trip to the cheetah refuge, it was a great day and I got some more great photo's they are posted as well. I have been learning more about editing and maintaining my camera. I am glad to be learning something new everyday and I am looking forward to this trip to the states. Enjoy this picture from my trip to Lake Assal.

Cheers,

Robert

January 9, 2008

2008-01-09T08:54:00.000-08:00

I have been contemplating my next move. I have been here in Djibouti and traveling around for the last 8 months. I am thinking of staying on for another year. My brother, Richard, and I have been working out a plan to buy land in the Willamette Valley in Oregon. A great place to grow grapes and make pinot noir. This has been a dream of my brothers for some time and I am finally getting on board with it. I want to own land and I want to be closer to my family. I think staying over seas for another year I can do more traveling and I can gain more experiences. I know that this is a big change but I know that it won't weight me down enough to stop me from doing what I love to do. I want to concentrate more on photography and I like traveling so I know that will be in my future. I want to get a chance to help people more. I hope the new year is treating everyone good. To Mia I love you and I hope to see you soon in Jacksonville. We will have some beach adventures and have fun. Love to all.

Cheers,

Robert Simila

Christmas Eve...

2007-12-24T08:22:00.000-08:00

I am working tonight on the eve of Christmas. It isn't bad though. I find the night to be peaceful and I can think about the things I don't always have the time to think about. I have been reading more and I am going to use the time to read some more on my camera, getting the settings down. I got an excellent shot of the moon last night. I will be posting pictures on Flickr. Check them out if you get the chance. Have a good vacation and know that I am thinking of you all.

Cheers,

Robert

Winter time in Djibouti, Seasons Greatings

2007-12-17T19:04:00.000-08:00

It is getting cold here. It was 85 degrees and puffy clouds outside yesterday.

It actually is perfect weather but there are more flies and mosquito's.

But what are ya gonna do?

I am healthy and I have good friendship over here. I hope everyone is well.

I want to wish you all a great season and hopeful the spirit of the season keeps you warm even

though you might be in a cold place. If your somewhere warm have a tropical drink for me.

Cheers,

RS

Spending Thanksgiving in Djibouti

2007-11-18T23:36:00.000-08:00

To All, I am having a fest with my Djibouti Family here this year. I will take pictures. To everyone back in the states don't eat too much and I will try and be in contact with you on turkey day. I love you and you are in my thoughts and I am thankful everyday for everything. Have a peaceful time and I will see you soon.

Cheers,

Robert

To Do list....

2007-11-14T02:08:00.000-08:00

I finally have gotten tired of not accomplishing a few things:

1. Clean my bicycle (Djibouti is a dust infested place next to the gulf of eden. (saltwater sea))

2. Clean my living area. Wipe down every corner with bleach cleaner. And sort everything.

3. start a regular work out schedule.

I am hitting three for three. I started last night and cleaned the living area out. I got rid of stuff I don't know why I was keeping it. I also had some tilex bleach cleaner and used it and wiped down all surfaces in my living area. I also got a new carpet so the majority of my area is covered by carpet now. I then wiped down my bike which had some mud caked to it. I still need to put some WD40 on the chain and pump up the tires a little but it is better. I then this morning worked out a bit, I have gotten out of my routine of yoga and running. I did some push ups, crunches, and about an hour of yoga. I feel good. And I feel like I accomplished something. My living area hasn't been this clean since I moved in last month. I feel good.

A Good Ethiopian Meal

2007-11-08T20:23:00.000-08:00

Last night Wade and I took a trip off base for a good meal. We ended up at a place called Bembis,We have been to the place before and the food is French and Ethiopian. We opted for the Ethiopian. They have this spore bread and spicy meats with these awesome green peppers. I am all about spicy. They also marinate some beef in this red sauce, to die for. You eat with your hands, so it can be a little messy. If I could liken it to another type of food I would say It reminds me of the Marrakesh in NW Portland, Oregon a Moroccan Restaurant. We shared an open plate which was good. It was the right amount of food. After dinner the waitress brought out a desert book and i was hesitant to even look but, then I saw they have pistachio ice cream, I had to get it. It was heavenly !!! I think it ranks up with the best pistachio ice cream I have ever had. We also enjoyed a Ethiopian Coffee, which was a Strong roasted coffee and Ethiopians take pride in their coffee. It was a good experience. I have been working a lot and you could say I am stressed out more than usual lately. This experience massaged my soul and I feel lighter. This is definitely a place to go if you are in Djibouti. Affordable, great atmosphere, and not to mention the food.

Cheers to all.

Djibouti Life

2007-11-03T08:43:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it is already November. it is time to start reflecting on the past year and look at all the stuff I have been up to. I think I have changed for the better. It has been a while since i have posted an entry but i am healthy. I took a short trip to Thailand and have been working my ass off. I hope everyone is safe and well. I wish you all the best. Check out the flickr account it seems to be the one page that I keep up to date. I am going to reconstruct my web page pretty soon. www.robertsimila.com and I am going to add some cool Elliott Smith stuff. I am working on my photography and trying to do some other artistic ventures. I will also be keeping you up to date with where i am. You are in my thoughts and you all know who you are. I probably don't tell you enough but I love you and i am proud to be associated with you.

Peace to all

Back in Djibouti

2007-08-05T23:28:00.000-07:00

I am back in Djibouti. I have been busy with work and trying to adjust back to the time change. I have gotten a couple good shots of the moon which I will be uploading to my flickr account soon. Things aren't bad here just a little warn(in the 120's) Everyone take it easy.

Back in Maryland with Mia this time

2007-07-26T14:36:00.000-07:00

Got back up to Maryland this week. Mia came up with me and we explored DC together and have been enjoying Maryland. Here is a picture of Mia and I at the inner harbor in Baltimore. I have posted pictures on my flickr site. Check em out and enjoy.

back in Jacksonville

2007-07-14T19:44:00.000-07:00

Got a chance to be back in Jacksonville for a little bit between my training. Enjoying a little break and spending some quality time with my lovely wife Mia. I have updated my Flickr site with some great shots. Check em out. above is one of them.

Cheers to All,

Robert

Hello From Maryland

2007-07-12T04:29:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,

As you may know or may not. I am in Maryland for a while for some computer training. I am also taking advantage of being in America as well. I went to Baltimore a few nights ago and ate blue crabs from the Chesapeake Bay at a place called Obryckis. It was an excellent experience. I have enjoyed my time here. I want to make a trip to DC and take some pictures. Above is one of the 11 shots I got, being a tourist ;)

Bye for now,

RS

Working on Compassion

2007-07-04T02:43:00.000-07:00

On my way to work I had a thought about compassion and my lack of it sometimes. I think it is something that I need to work on. Everyone deserves to be treated kindly. Sometime i think my unawareness of myself has led me to treat people with a lack of respect. Especially working with people and their computers. That is a perfect example. Let's say I have someone on the line and they tell me their computer isn't working, (sometimes I have to bite my tongue because I feel like saying, " No crap your computer isn't working or you wouldn't be calling me, hurry up and get to the point what's wrong with your computer.") ; in this scenario i shouldn't be so inpatient and I need to take into consideration the persons level of knowledge on the matter. I need to keep that in mind in everything I do. I am going at my pace, and I need to stop and consider the other peoples pace to get a better understanding of where there at and to flow more with others. I am a one track solution finder and I can be easily distracted, but now that I am aware of my lack of compassion I will need to work on being compassionate. Happy 4th of July to All.

My Flickr Pro account

2007-07-02T02:24:00.000-07:00

I have now upgraded to a Flickr Pro account. Meaning that everyone can view photos that I upload. Flollow the Link Robert's Flickr Pro and you will se some great pics. I am going to work on a link.

Cheers,

Robert

LIT in Djibouti

2007-06-28T09:30:00.001-07:00

The band LIT was in Djibouti and played at the new cantina here on Camp Lemonier. Here is one of many shots I got at the concert.

Tree of Life Bahrain

2007-06-24T10:08:00.000-07:00

Got to see the Tree of Life. It is fascinating to see something grow in such harsh conditions. When we went out to the tree of life it was probably about 110 or so and the winds were blowing heavily. The winds were hot because of the desert heat. Despite all the odds this one tree out in the middle of the sand, surrounded by desert, oil pumps, refineries, and oil pipelines, is still alive is beyond me. That is the fascination of The tree of life. Enjoy the picture. Check out more on the tree of life by clicking on the tree of life.

Bahrain adventures

2007-06-23T07:08:00.000-07:00

I have been in Bahrain for a week now. I saw the tree of life, oil wells and the first oil well in the world. there are a couple old forts I got some great pictures. I am posting one I got from my room at the SAS Radisson Diplomat Hotel in Bahrain. It was nice ate at some good restaurants and some good training. Well here is a picture I got from out of my window. that's it for now

Robert

By request

2007-06-12T11:25:00.000-07:00

I am posting this picture I took of the sunrise on 5-31-07. Hope you all enjoy it.

Sharing my living space.

2007-06-12T11:17:00.000-07:00

I took a few pictres f my living quarters here. It's not bad.

My luggage finally arrived ;)

2007-06-12T01:46:00.000-07:00

I am happy to write that I got a call yesterday that put me in touch with my luggage. My Listerine bottle was broke and both my bags were opened but I think for the most part everything was there. I was very happy to see it. I suggest to anyone going over seas , do not use Daallo airlines, they will loose your luggage and then you are screwed at least for a while. I haven't heard one good story about luggage and Daallo.

Enough about Daallo!!! I have the next couple days off here in Djibouti and I am taking the time to study for my upcoming classes in BMC Remedy. This should be a great experience I am going somewhere new and learning something more in depth.

Everything is well in Djibouti the weather is gradually going up. It will probably be at least 110 today. I will try and get a good picture to upload tomorrow. Until next time.

Cheers

R/S

One Cheetah Picture for now

2007-06-06T14:01:00.000-07:00

I had to put one of my pictures up on the web. That's the least I could do. I have a bandwidth issue where I am at. Enjoy!

RS

Djibouti cheetah Refuge Camp

2007-06-06T13:40:00.000-07:00

I took a cool trip to a cheetah refuge here in Djibouti. It was excellent. I took some great pictures of wildlife it was a great adventure. I am thinking of getting a flicker pro account so I can start uploading my pictures. The picture above was taken on the way back from the trip. This is a must do for anyone that comes to Djibouti. There was the smell of dead animal on the trip so strong that it almost induced vomiting. That's not why you should go but it was something I had to share. I hope everyone can enjoy the pictures soon.

Cheers,

RS

Full moon 6-1-07 Djibouti

2007-06-01T14:13:00.000-07:00

Hey this is what the moon looked liked in Djibouti on June 1st.

Hair Cut 5-31-07 Here is a Picture

2007-06-01T13:26:00.001-07:00

I got a hair cut and I promised a picture. I love you Mia.

Hello to Mia fromDjibouti

2007-05-30T10:57:00.000-07:00

I know you wanted to see me. Here is a picture i took this evening. Love you Mia.

Dibouti Moon May 29th 2007

2007-05-29T14:22:00.000-07:00

This is one of a few shots i took of the moon tonight at approximately 10pm.

In Djibouti

2007-05-29T13:01:00.000-07:00

I am in Djibouti, Africa. I have been here now for four days and it is a hot place to be. It's like being in New Orleans on the hottest day of the year and it is supposed to get another 25 degrees hotter. I am sweating just walking to were I am working. I am looking forward to eating some good Ethiopian food. Last time I was here we ate at a great place and another place the Mask. I have only taken pictures of the moon so far, I am attempting to upload it. My internet connection is slow but I have to be thankful that I have one at all. That's it for now. I am having a hard time with the pictures. I will upload the moon shot soon. I am safe for now till later.

Cheers

RS

Kuwait City Adventures

2007-05-25T02:02:00.000-07:00

I accepted a job with a company to work in the middle east doing computer work. I have been undergoing a two week process of getting to my final destination. i am enjoying all of it being in a new spot and doing new things. I love middle eastern food and hope to get to try some while I am here. I just bought a new DSLR Camera and will use it to document my adventures. I will be updating my blog regularly.

Memorial Day weekend

2006-05-28T10:02:00.000-07:00

Summer is in full bloom here in Florida. I have started two classes online for the summer. That is a easy way for me to do the class while traveling to Eroup this summer. Mia and I are going to be in Germany, in a town called Kassel and then also in Munic and we will be there during the world cup of socer. Things have been busy for me at work and I have gotten back ionto running. I run atleast three times a week and have also been doing yoga atleast once a week. It is the grilling season too. My dad and Brother were in town about three weeks ago and we golfed and grilled. It was great. My brother, Rich, is really good at grilling and gave me some good pointers on grilling. I have started using flank steaks and using merinaides. I hope to make it to my High School reunion in August in Portland Oregon, I don't know Mia and I have a lot going on and I would rather spend some time in Caheirs, NC with our friend Brett too. Well that's about it for now I need top start updating my blog more often . :(

Winter Season

2005-12-15T18:02:00.000-08:00

I haven't been updating my site, for that I apologize. I have been a busy boy. Working, school, Yoga, and winter parties. Lots stuff. My Step Grandfather passed away as well. I traveled to Portland for a quick trip to be with the family. It was good service and it was good to see everyone. I miss those times when I could always find time to be with everyone that has meaning in my life. They don't fit or schedule their life in the same place. I am growing more worldly. So, for all you out there I am thinking about you even though I can't be there.

I got an A in my c programming class. I was stoked about that. Mia and I are going to Germany on the 29th of June and Will be there until the 11th or 13th of July. I am really happy about this and can't wait till we go.

Work is going good and I got a bonus this year. I can't wait to progress into something new and more challenging but while I am going to school, the job is perfect.

I would like to give a shot out to my West Coast family In Portland, Seattle, and San Jose/San Fran. Stay Warm and cozy and be safe. To my cuz in New York too.

Well that's it for now.

-Cheers RS

Schools starting back up

2005-09-03T12:31:00.000-07:00

I have started going back to school this week. I am taking one course on campus. C Programming class that is on Thursday nights from 6-10pm. I am not looking forward to Thursdays anymore but it is a good class and I am going to learn a lot. My other classes are a breeze. Online classes are the way to go. I am also getting more responsibility at work and I have even been working more hours I predict a good raise in the near future. Everything is wonderful right now. Mia and I have been attending Yoga on a regular basis and we are enjoying the beach. It's a long weekend and plan to spend time with eachother and friends and call up relatives. Well I hope this message meets everyone in good spirits. Out for now. PS: I plan on writing more often in my Blog, I swear!! ;)

Cheers- RS

Summer Vacation

2005-07-16T16:15:00.000-07:00

I am only working full time and that seems to be the best I can do for a Summer Vacation. I am taking a long weekend next weekend and Mia and I are going to North Carolina to visit our friend Brett; who has a Lake house there. We are planning on Kayaking a little and just enjoying the time in the woods, maybe hiking a little as well. Then the following weekend which will be a long weekend for me (taking Friday and Monday off) we are going to my hometown of Portland. I haven't met my brothers girlfriend Jody in person and for that matter I haven't been home for a year and a half. It should be a fun short trip to the west coast. Things are going well in Northeast Florida. Mia is getting serious about teaching yoga and we are going to our ashtanga yoga class in San Marco. It is great yoga and the beach life. That's it for now.

Summer School

2005-05-15T13:37:00.000-07:00

Online courses are the way to go when you work a full time job, and your married. I am lovin it that I can wait till Saturday and still get everything I need to get done by Sunday. Well things are flowing as usual and I hope to get in a vacation to Germany this summer.

Words of wisdom

2005-05-15T13:34:00.000-07:00

In water one sees one's own face; but in wine one beholds the heart of another.

-French Proverb

It's been a while..........

2005-04-20T18:25:00.000-07:00

Well, So I haven't posted a new entry in a while. I have been busy. I kind of got behind on school while I was sick and work has been hectic. Mia and I went to see the movie Sahara and loved it. I read the book and I have read almost every book by the author Clive Cussler . They did a good job of keeping the movie flowing.

My dad was in town 2 weeks ago. We had a good time. We had a couple of good meals. Jammed on the guitar and vocals. Fun.

We got two ocean kayaks. Mia goes out more than I do but we are having fun with our ocean Kayaks.

Well I hope to be more regular about my post. Later

MARCH 13th

2005-03-13T06:27:00.000-08:00

I turned 27 on the 11th. Celebrated by going out to dinner with friends and my wife Mia. I went to Yoga with Mia the following morning. Yoga is a great mental and physical practice. I encourage anyone to try it. The weather has been nice here in Florida. We went on a bike ride and had a picnic in the park. We went and saw the movie Be Cool. It is hilarious. Well I am still really busy with 15 credits of college and workig 40+ hours at work. I have learned that next semester I will be only doing 9-12 credits to lower my stress level. Life has been a juggling act since January. In May hopefully it will slow down a bit. Mia and I are planning a trip in June to go to Germany we will be there around 10 days. I haven't met Mia's sister and her family in person, I have only talked to them over the phone. I am an Uncle which is cool and both my nephews seem to be great. I can't wait for the Germany Trip! Well that's it for now. Cheers!

Links

2005-02-12T09:13:00.000-08:00

I am putting a link to my other web page in here. I need to seriously change it. I am thinking of going for a more business oriented site for it. I just need more time. Here is Robert Simila's web site. Anyone who knows me I hope you enjoy the site, and for those who don't know me, enjoy.

Time

2005-02-09T13:21:00.000-08:00

It has been over a month since I have added a new post. Where does the time go. I have been a busy beaver working on the damb. I am taking 15 credits, working for myself (barely able to keep my head above water, financially) and I am thinking of going back to work for a company. It will be a lot less stressful since my main goal now is to get my degree....

Our fine city Jacksonville hosted the SuperBowl this year and it was a mad house. There were many celebs in town for it. I never knew how many events happened during the week coming up to the SuperBowl. I never seen so many limos in my life. All different kinds too; there were humer limos, Lincoln, I even saw a Mercedes limo. It was a mad house. It was a good SuperBowl too. Both teams played to the end. It was close.

I am getting into art a little. I have been taking a class that I have to do Art Assignments for it and it has got me back into sketching and doing some painting. I did a self-Portrait off a picture I took a few years ago. It's fun and makes me wish I had more time. But I am extremely busy these days. I hate to be forced to write but my English class has me writing constantly and my humanities class is the same. Even though I hate writing I have to admit that these classes are helping me become a more effective communicator.

Check out my Cousins Blog site Mans End..by Allen Gilliland site. He has some crazy links and post some art and pics. It's a great Blog site. SO GET TO IT!!!!

That's it for now

Season's Greating to All

2004-12-28T06:23:00.000-08:00

Mia and I have been enjoying the Holidays here in Jacksonville Beach Florida in our new house. It is absolutely the best. It has been busy but it is nice to see it slowed down for the holidays. I have been working putting together Laptops, provided by IBM, for all the PGA Tour Pro's. It is a awsome oppertunity and looks good for my own business. I am looking forward to going to school and learning more about programming. I have this week off and I am planning on getting a lot accomplished getting books for school making sure everyone has our new address and working a little on some client lists I am creating. We are celebrating the New Year with some friends locally and wish everyone the best for the Holidays. Cheers.

Back from Pensacola

2004-12-11T08:27:00.000-08:00

I am back from Pensacola now and start my next IT project on Monday. It is working for the PGA putting together laptop computers for the pro golfers. It should be fun. I am starting school on January 10th and I am looking forward to that. Mia and I had a nice Thanksgiving with friends and our move went pretty smooth. That's it for now.

A lot going on 2

2004-11-20T05:59:00.000-08:00

Mia an I found a new place to move. I am going to Pensacola for a contract job for a month. Then I will be working on a PGA contract job. Putting together Laptops for the pro's. I am starting college on January 10th. I have to move Thanksgiving weekend and be back in Pensacola on Monday for work. I also was busy the last two weeks with Wireless LAN Jobs. It has been good. I notice that when I am busy more gets accomplished. I can't wait to start going to school I am hungry for knowledge. The new place we will be renting is a duplex and we will be renting the top half. It is one block from the beach and we can see the Atlantic Ocean from one of the windows. We are stoked about the move. Extra space, and a washer and dryer hook-up, it is awesome. Busy, Busy.

New Mango

2004-11-14T10:43:00.000-08:00

The other day Mia pointed out a Mango that she liked. It was Red, White, and Blue. I went to the bike store and inquired about it. There was only two left here locally they were a limited edition Salute Mango Beach Cruiser. They are cool and they were on sale for 279.00. So I went to look at it at the store where the salute was and the one they had was a outside display model that was a little dirty. The guy there told me he would sell it for 150.00. Now we have a second Mango and it's awesome. We went on a bike ride yesterday and it was windy. It was easy getting out but coming back was near impossible. My nads were frozen on the way back. The winter is coming even in Florida.

Halo 2

2004-11-10T21:10:00.000-08:00

Finally they released Halo 2 yesterday. My friend purchased it and we played it and it took us a mere two days and it has already been beaten. I can't believe how short the story line part of the game was. We played the tournament against each other and that was fun there are a lot of possibilities and I think they are going to have modification rooms for the online tournament gaming. Another cool one is the Star Wars Battlefront game for the XBox. It is cool to be the bad guy and waste some people I am always down for shooter games. Now I need to get a new XBox.

Key West Mango

2004-10-31T18:17:00.000-08:00

I bought a new Bicycle this week. It's a Key West Mango. They are special Beach Cruisers because they are made of aluminum. They don't rust and are excellent to ride on the beach. Their chains have a special coat on them so they won't rust either. I went for a 9 mile bike ride the other day and a 15 mile one today. I am sore and can tell I am going to be sore for at least tomorrow as well. It was worth it though. Mia and I had fun ridding around the beach area and exploring and just enjoying the weather. When we got back I could barely walk up the stairs. Now I am trying to convince Mia to get one. Her bike is pretty rusty.

Elliott Smith's from a basement on the Hill

2004-10-25T07:28:00.000-07:00

Finally I purchase Elliott Smith's latest album "from a basement on the hill". It has been a long anticipated album for myself because his last album was put out over 4 years ago. His music has slowly taken on a more variety of instruments and evolved into a great folk rock sound that people like about his music. I am not going to lie and say that this was his best album, in my opinion. I am a big fan and as I appreciate this album I like either/or, his second album from kill rock star's, x/o, and figure 8, better. I think you can hear the whole album on Rollingstone.com. It is a good album and usually after I listen to it for a while it grows on me and I like it more. My two favorite songs are pretty (ugly before) and a distorted reality is now a necessity to be free. Two excellent songs. One quality that Elliott possessed was his eloquent wording of such a feeling. He knew how to describe so much and he touched a lot of people by that talent of his. He was also an excellent musician. A musicians musician. Kind of like a mans man. He will be missed and all I can do is send my thanks out to the universe in the form of a blog and hope that it will mean something to someone. I would like to thank Elliott's Family for putting this album out. Thanks.

Robert Simila

Meinhardt Raabe

2004-10-19T18:08:00.000-07:00

Today at La Cruz Casino restaurant I met one of the Last Surviving Munchkins from the Wizard of OZ. His name is Meinhardt Raabe which is pronounced like Mineheart Robb. He was really low key and very much a realist. He has lived an extraordinary life and is very knowledgeable. It was a neat experience to see someone from such a classic film. He was also a star in Oscar Meyer commercials you can look him up on IMDB. He said something interesting about the Wizard of OZ movie set he said that the wicked witch was nicer in real life than the nice witch and the wicked witch gave him a signed picture and he has been offered $10,000 for it but it is part of a collection with other pieces so he wouldn't part with it. He lives in Florida in a Senior Home facility. But it sounded like he lived a pretty full life.

A lot going on

2004-10-14T04:33:00.000-07:00

We found the perfect place. Mia and I are looking at a place called the Palms it's a conomidium place. We love it. It has a nice resort style pool with Jacuzzi Hot Tub. It has a clubhouse with a Movie Room right out of MTV Cribbs. I also have been gathering my transcripts for college. I am getting ready for taking classes in Computer Programming and Linux/Unix Administrator. I have a lot of Network Admin in windows experience and Certifications but I want to be superman. I think it will be easier to find work this way. So that's keeping me busy going through the financial part and the hole entire enrollment stuff. Then I am looking for work constantly and selling DVD's on ebay my user name is rsimila if you want to check that out. Well everything is moving forward. Finding a new place has turned into a blessing.

Finding a new home

2004-10-08T09:30:00.000-07:00

Mia and I just found out the other day, while we were going to pay our rent, that we have to find a new place to live. Our apartment complex has been bought by a company that plans to turn them into condos and they are not renewing any leases but they have to honor the leases in place but they are encouraging people to leave prematurely. They have since closed both pools and are talking of taking out the laundry facilities. Some of the people around the complex are upset. Mia and I are a little concerned about finding a place to live. We liked this place because it is so close to the beach. It's not cheap but it is hard to find a place for the same price. But we are looking because as of January 16th 2005 we will be homeless, unless we find something great.

Elliott Smith's New Album

2004-10-02T13:40:00.000-07:00

Elliott Smith is one of the greatest singer song writers of all time. He knew how to write music and lyrics that moved in a poetic way that no one else can do. His last album that he was recording before his death is coming out this month, October 19th 2004, from the basement of a house on the hill I think that's the name but It's content is what is important to me. He expressed so much in his music that struck a cord in me. I encourage anyone who can hear and appreciates music to at least listen to this excellent artist he has 5 other solo albums and 4 albums with his rock band Heatmiser from the early 90's to the late 90's. Check it out.

Yoga

2004-10-02T13:33:00.000-07:00

Finally Mia and I started doing some Yoga. We went to a yoga studio near downtown. It was great, it is pretty physical and I was sweating big time. It's about time for me to trim down a little. I have been being a little more athletic than usual and it feels good and gives me more energy. Well I encourage everyone to at least try yoga it is a great way to get centered and also it helps you stay fit and slender.

Planning a trip

2004-09-22T07:05:00.000-07:00

When I plan a trip, I like to plan it well in advance. The more in advance the more money you save. I am planning a trip to my home town of Portland Oregon. I am planning it around Thanksgiving time. I haven't met my brothers girlfriend Jody yet and my grandma's health is starting to get worse which comes with age for everyone. My Grandpa is 96 and I think it is important to spend as much time with him because you just never know how long is left and I would hate to not be there and regret not being there later. I also just miss all my relatives. When I moved to Jacksonville I thought that I would find the perfect job that would afford me the time and monetary assets to travel back in forth between here and Portland at least once a year but I was mistaken. It's just taking me longer than I thought to get established.

I am also trying to plan a vacation to Europe, more specifically Germany, next year in June. Mia and I are going to have to start saving and plan that way in advance. We were planning a trip to Germany in June of last year and this year but last year I was in Djibouti, Africa during the war in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Then this year I got laid off in June and money has been tight ever since. Well now the planning has to be more concrete I haven't been to Germany with Mia since we've been married. If anyone out there want to donate money to the get Mia and Robert to Germany fund send me an email at robert_simila@yahoo.com.

Business Boom

2004-09-22T07:00:00.000-07:00

Business is starting to pick up. I talked with two new potential clients and a web designer that uses Network Engineers when a client needs some networking or hardware upgrades installed. I am happy about that and another client wants me to keep regular backups of his server and be on call for troubleshooting issues that arise. I am glad to be a little more busy.

Netfix

2004-09-15T06:21:00.000-07:00

I thought I would take a second to swear by one of the best services out there. I used to buy DVD's left and right. I would spend $100+ a month on DVD's and there were always those ones I had never seen and didn't like them when I saw them. I decided to get a subscription to Netflix. Netflix is a DVD movie rental service that works over the internet. You sign-up on their web site and they send you movies. The rate changes based on the amount of movies you can have out at once. There is 3 at a time and as many rentals as you can send back and forth for one month for 21.99 a month. No shipping and handling just a self seal envelope that is reused for shipping back and forth. Then you can rent 5 movies out at a time for 33.99 a month. Then there is the 8 movies for 49.99. It's a great deal and if you love movies as much as me and use the internet then it is one of the best services out there. I give the service two thumbs up.

The Last Star Fighter

2004-09-15T06:10:00.000-07:00

Last night I watched The Last Star Fighter it was a movie from my past. The first time I had seen it was when I was eight. It is a little cheesy and the special effects are definitely 80's. But it did have a good message. If you want something, you can work at it and become great, But if you limit yourself and act unsure, then you will probably not go as far. Over all it was just fun to see the movie from the past.

went running

2004-09-09T03:31:00.000-07:00

I went running this morning with Mia. We ran down to these polls on the Beach then ran back. It's good to run atleast once in a while.

I am still looking for the perfect job and i have started my own company called Coretech of Florida. I haven't done much with it yet but i hope that it will help me get some work and make me more independent.

That's it for now.

--RS

My 2nd Wedding Anniversary

2004-09-03T06:12:00.000-07:00

It was my second year wedding anniversary on Sunday and Mia and I went to Roys for dinner. It was great, I had this Blue Crab Susi and Mia had this Sampler that had a killer Rib. Then we had some salad and Mia had this Mahi Mahi that had a Macadamia Nut sause that was out of this world. I had Prawns and Scalops off the scewer, it was good. For dasert there was this lava chocolate cake and ice cream, on the side in cholate syrup it said " happy 2nd anniversary" in hawiian language. I was stuffed out of my gord. We had went swimming and surfing before hand so we had worked up an appitite. We had a good time. It was a great weekend.

-RS

Novel in the Works

2004-09-03T06:05:00.000-07:00

I had this wild dream the other night that has triggered me to write a Novel/Script. I have to do some reseach on some of the stuff but it is great so far. I hope to expand on my ideas and make it longer and more exciting.

-RS

Huricane Francis

2004-09-03T06:01:00.000-07:00

Well I have been kind of busy. I have been working a little and looking for something perminant. I have been learning to surf and with Huricane Francis off the coast it has made some good waves. Things are going well i am reading a lot of novels and trying to keep my mind stimulated. Well Take it easy for now.

-RS

Blogging in stereo

2004-08-06T06:56:00.000-07:00

Just trying out blogging for the first time. This will add depth to my website i hope and keep communications with some family on the other coast. for now,

Later,
Robert Allen Simila