More S.N.O.W.

Some AP and WTIP images. Hover over for details:








See over 150 photos here from WTOP.

How I spent my Sunday afternoon:


OPM closed the Federal Government today. More time for homework and fun!

S.N.O.W.

I'd write about the huge storm we're having out here in VA, but that would further enable my procrastination (because the Need for Speed: ProStreet that we rented for the Wii has done that well enough, thank you) from all the homework that I need to do today...

But here are some pictures:


After my one venture outside to shove the two feet of snow off the car, I'm now inside enjoying some matzah ball soup and am going to do some homework. Really.

Needless to say, no one is driving anywhere today.

FAIT

FBI - Future Agents in Training Program

Future Agents in Training (FAIT) is a week-long summer program hosted by the Washington Field Office for up to 40 high school students from across the country. Students must be 16 to 18 years old.

Students tour the office and are provided with hands-on training on Special Agent investigative techniques such as collecting evidence, taking pictures of a crime scene, bagging evidence for storage, interviewing witnesses, capturing criminals, and solving a case as a team. Students are also provided with presentations on terrorism, cyber crime, public corruption, polygraphs, recruiting, evidence response, SWAT, and the administrative functions of the Division.

FAIT is a national program and a maximum of 40 students are selected to participate. There are no fees or tuition associated with this program. Students are responsible for their expenses associated with lodging and travel if they are selected.

Applicant Eligibility Criteria:
• Currently enrolled in an accredited high school
• Minimum 2.5 Grade Point Average (GPA)
• U.S. Citizen
• Between 16-18 years of age
• Must pass a limited background check
• Prepare a 500 Word Essay answering the question below: "Why do you want to participate in the 2009 Future Agents in Training (FAIT) program?"

The FBI will post the 2010 application and program dates in January 2010.

"Here she comes!"

On 29 Dec 2009, my grandmother passed out of this mortal life and slipped into the eternities. There was a service in California, then the family gathered in Springville, Utah, for the funeral service and burial.

My father gave a wonderful eulogy, and shared a poem that I had not heard before, called "Gone From My Sight," by Henry Van Dyke.

I am standing upon the seashore.
A ship at my side spreads her white
sails to the morning breeze and starts
for the blue ocean.

She is an object of beauty and strength.
I stand and watch her until at length
she hangs like a speck of white cloud
just where the sea and sky come
to mingle with each other.

Then, someone at my side says;
"There, she is gone!"

"Gone where?"
Gone from my sight. That is all.
She is just as large in mast and hull
and spar as she was when she left my side
and she is just as able to bear her
load of living freight to her destined port.
Her diminished size is in me, not in her.

And just at the moment when someone
at my side says, "There, she is gone!"
There are other eyes watching her coming,
and other voices ready to take up the glad
shout;
"Here she comes!"
And that is dying.

The grandchildren sang a hymn, dad and Blaine sang a duet, and I performed a piano musical number that was special to grandma and grandpa and the family.

[The camera cut out for a few seconds at the beginning, and the tears misted up a few spots so I couldn't see the page very well, but I think it was appropriate for the occasion. Note: the song is based upon a poem by Paul Verlaine, the text of which can be found here.]

The service was very beautiful. One of my cousins did a wonderful "grandchildren's tribute", that included many of my memories of Grandma. I'll have to write down more of my memories later (and get Dad to record some of his stories, like "cleaning" his room and getting into a cow pie throwing fight with Grandma while camping and riding from Orange County to Utah in a cardboard box).

Afterward, we drove to the cemetery said our last goodbyes -- knowing that it was only grandma's body that would soon be resting in the vault, for her spirit lives on. Dad dedicated the grave and we all placed our boutonnières on the casket. Aunt Lisa mentioned that there was a rose for each grandchild in the floral arrangement that was on top of the casket and said we could take one if we wanted. I wasn't sure if it'd make it home, but it did, and Jill dried it and it sits on our bookcase next to Grandpa's framed "wooden nickel". Grandma is probably rejoicing with those "other eyes watching her coming" -- her family and other loved ones who preceded her.

In our hasty packing for the trip, we managed to forget to pack our digital camera (couldn't find it!), but we had our video camera that could take digital stills and our Blackberries (although none of these devices take great quality pictures). At the service, Grandpa gave Jill his camera and asked her to document the day and take pictures for him, since he'd be busy visiting.

ASIDE: Grandpa handed Jill a great little digital camera to use. For as long as I can remember, it seems like Grandpa has always had this slim camera that he kept in his front shirt pocket. I just trolled Google picture search for the last 10 minutes to see if I could find a picture that reminded me what it looked like... It probably took 110 film, and I think it had a metallic case, and perhaps a little pouch that he kept it in. I'm sure Grandpa probably remembers what kind of camera it was, and I could call him, but I'll just have to clarify this section later. In any event, these two pictures kind of give you a feel for what it looked like (at least, how my mind remembers it). Grandpa's new camera is a compact 10MP with lots of removable storage. I'm sure he has fun snapping photos of the family with it!

Jill snapped away candids and wrangled the family together for group shots and videoed parts of the musical numbers -- right up until the battery died towards the end of the graveside. We quickly copied the images from the memory card onto my laptop on our way to the lunch afterward, so that we could post them here. (She then took some pictures with another family member's digital camera, but we haven't been able to get those files yet).

(Click the slideshow to see all the pictures)

Although a sad occasion, it was great to have nearly all of the family together. We even got to know some cousins that I hadn't met before. =)

Some of the crew had to hit the road early, but most of us ended up at Macaroni Grill for lunch (Erb, party of 50!). Uncle Clint graciously put the meal on his tab -- thanks Clint! And we visited, ate, and--let's not kid ourselves--drew on the paper table "cloth" with the crayons they gave us. After lunch, the California crew headed to the airport. We said our goodbyes, and continued our Utah trip.

From all of us, to all of you

We finally finished our E.R.B. Annual Report - 2009, and tried to send it out via email.

(Yes, we know, most of you are on the ball and print lovely cards and letters and send them to people like us in the mail. But, our Christmas/New Year's tradition has been to write up our letter and send it out via email.)

This year, in addition to email, we've used Facebook and now our blogs. Isn't technology wonderful?

I found one response to our email quite hilarious (in a weird sort of way), and thought I'd share it. I'll keep the sender anonymous, but won't change any other names, as no need exists to protect the innocent:

I'm still a XXXXXXXXX in Corcoran and this week will be working in XXXXXXXXX. Charlie Manson is getting old, but actually looks younger than his years. Satan and Prison life have been good to him I guess. Sirhan Sirhan has been transferred out as he had respiratory complications and needed to be out of our valley fever (cocci) area. Juan Corona is really getting old. From all of us, to all of you HAPPY NEW YEAR

Such notable company...

Anyway. Without further ado, from all of us, to all of you [my three blog followers], we present the E.R.B. Annual Report - 2009.