Story of us

This is the "Story of us"... the pictures/tales of some highlighted trips, events or milestones in our life.

This is the "Story of us"... highlighted trips, events or milestones in our life (my wife and my life's journey), or at least the ones that we got pictures of. Most pictures of trips are boring to me, because I don't have the context: so in this digital scrapbook, I try to offer just a little bit about each picture and why it matters.

ℹ️ Info

~ Aristotle Sabouni
Created: 2018-11-13

And you can tunnel in and see more in each section. I have plenty of gaps to fill, but when I'm done, I think I'm going to print a wall sized poster. out of it.

2022 Thanksgiving
A wonderful and crazy Thanksgiving. Texas A&M Ella... someone's gonna be an Aggie? I smoked a Turkey (it was good) Family Photo at Lupe's

2022 Lake Life
Lake Living... friends took us on their boat to the "beach" (White Sand river beach) where people just hang out, drink beer, and chat with strangers until they're friends. Our lake has a few of these hangouts, this was one of the quieter ones. Our lake is about 12 miles long Heading to the beach Hanging in the river..

2022 Devon 50
My brother wanted a Cowboy/Ranchero themed 50th Birthday/Charity event (for uReach) that raised enough to build a home for under-privileged Oaxacan Indians. Me and the Misses Birthday Boy riding the Mechanical Bull The Cake The whole fam...

2021 Christmas
We visited family in Mission Viejo for our Omicron Christmas. 2021 Christmas Card 2021 Family Picture

2019 Rock n Roll 10K
Melissa did the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon (at least the 10K), in preparation for a half Marathon in November. 2019.10.06 Melissa ran the Rock & Roll 10K in San Jose. Running with buddies: Terry and Michelle The actual time is on the medal: 1:07.29 for the first 10K

2018 Hawaii (Oahu)
Family Thanksgiving (Nov) in Hawaii: family, friends, and a Jellyfish sting. Local friend suggested this fantastic place: great food, good prices, absurd portions. I got hit (lightly) by a box jellyfish: very painful for a few hours, irritating for a few days.

2012 Las Vegas

Group outing to Las Vegas (May) with neighbors and friends: "Pawn Stars", the Neon Boneyard, and Love.

Leaving (for) Las Vegas. Group vacations are just more fun: though I'm not "the out 'til dawn" type I once was.
Where old signs go to die... in the heat. But interesting.
Like TV... but with longer lines.
Loved, Love. Best Cirque Show -- not because it was the best acrobatics, but best music. Though my wife thought it was bizarre. (Some of the darker Beatles songs).

2012 Hawaii (Big Island)

Another Hawai'i get-away, this time to the Big Island in March. We were in Kona (the Dry side), but did a drive around the Island (and saw the Lava and the Wet Side). With some hanging out at the pool or water with a Mai Thai.

When you to an airport without walls and open, you know you're in Hawaii.
We hadn't been snorkeling much, but really enjoyed it at Kahaluu Beach.
What big Island visit is complete without seeing a volcano?
Discovered the best thing ever:
Mai Thai's ran a close second.

2011 Coast to Roseville
For our Anniversary (Aug), we did a drive up the coast to Half Moon Bay, drove to Sausalito, and then Roseville. We ate at Michelin-starred Cafe Gibraltar in Half Moon Bay and tried Johnny Garlic's. Just an extended weekend get-away. Overnighted in Half Moon Bay. Visited, ate lunch and shopped in Sausalito. We went to the Peanuts Gallery... er Charles Schultz Museum

2010 Ringling Bros Circus

Ringling Bros & Barnum & Bailey Circus came to San Jose (Aug), so why not go?

Elephant train, Cool Clowns, Trapeze acts, Noise, Lights, Cotton Candy. It might not be the "greatest show", but it's still pretty good.
Too many motorcycles in a ball of doom, going every which way. It's a little dated in the era of Cirque shows, but it's "Classic".
Creepy clowns don't bother me, and this one wasn't too creepy. He even posed for a pic with us.
We didn't know this was one of their last tours and would be shut down a few years later.

2010 Caymen Islands
Melissa took a little jaunt to the Cayman Islands w/flight-attendant friends. Who isn't happy at the beach? Not a big place, but nice get-away.

2009 Year of the Ankle
Melissa stress-fractured the ankle running. A year of not healing: in/out/in/walking casts then surgery to put in a titanium rod. (Application for disability: rejected)

2009 Pueblo

Thanksgiving in Colorado: Flew into Denver / Pueblo to see family. We visited Fire Station No 3 (built in 1881), right before it was converted into a Museum, and went shooting with Uncle "Tom" (who trains the DEA).

Dinner with the close-family, many more members and friends showed up for Thanksgiving.
Took a tour of Fire Stations No 3.
I qualified for sniper. Nothing says thanksgiving in America like fully-automatic weapons.

2009 Family Reunion
We did a Family Reunion in August: Bristol (niece) was born. Dad was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma in Nov (immediately in to Chemo). Christmas with the Family, and a fight with Uncle Bill lead him to sequester Grandma until she died. Grandma at the Pool Party Christmas with the Family.

2008 Memphis
In March, we took a weekend trip to Memphis. Home of the Blues, Birthplace of Rock 'n Roll. And BBQ. Fun town, we did a turbo walking tour, ate a couple times, and was out.

2008 Las Vegas
In November, we went to some off-season Vegas Shows: Since this was during the recession, we got a upgraded suite overlooking Belagio fountain. Spectacular view. Elton had great music, and bizarre inflatable boobs and phallic fruit. Middler puts on a show: except for politics, she's great. We tried Bobby Flay's Michelin starred SouthWestern food (Mesa Grill). Tasty.

2008 Indoor Skydiving
We decided to try indoor skydiving in February. A vertical wind tunnel in Oakland All smiles... Why so serious?

2007 Monterey Bay
We hadn't been to the Monterey Bay Aquarium in years, so in September, we took a weekend get-away. It's a fun visit. See the squid, eat the squid (they have great Seafood in Monterey). Then you watch the otters, or play in the tidal pools, and it's educational too.

2006 San Antonio
We moved to Austin, but San Antonio is only a 90 minute drive, so we visited often. No trip to San Antonio is complete without the Alamo.

2006 Hawaii (Oahu)

We hadn't travelled during my MBA, so we took a trip to Honolulu, Hawaii.
We did the obligatory Luau. What's not to like about roast pig and getting lei'd.
Pearl Harbor, laying at the beach, all fun. But the entire trip was worth it, once we tried Malasadas. A local sugar-laden donuts.
We did a Helicopter Tour of the Island. Melissa’s first time, I hadn't been since I'd been airlifted out of the Sierra’s. Scenic.
The adventure started trying to come home: Melissa accidentally became an unreported stow-away, and technically, never left.

2005 Paris

Paris: the city of lights in May... before it became a cesspool.

Paris: impressive city. The people were nicer than we'd been lead to believe, just try to speak French and be polite, and they weren't bad at all.
Eiffel Tower: we went there, and hung out. But didn't go up. Traffic was crazy and aggressive, it's like Boston without the restraint.
Louvre: big, impressive, but in some ways, too much art. High-class hoarders with questionable hygiene.
Sainte-Chapelle. Far better than Notre Dame.
Arch de capitulation: I'm lucky I didn't end up in the catacombs.
We stayed right beneath Sacre Coeur Basillica: a lot of steps, but a great view of the city.

2005 London
Londinium is always fun (May), but Our digital camera got lifted on arrival. Big Ben. We still managed a few traditional photos. They still have phone booths? Dinner with family in Northampton.

2004 Spencer Tunick
We got naked with 2,700 strangers in Cleveland (May). This made local, national and international newspapers. I figured it would be an experience. It was.

2004 Renewing Vows

I'd once joke, "Marriage should be a 10 year contract with an option to renew", which got us a wonderful wedding renewal at 10 year at the top of the Eiffel Tower (in Vegas) (Aug).

We renewed our vows at the top of the Eiffel Tower, Las Vegas.
My Parents came to this one (as did other family)... being in Ohio, it was really just an excuse to see some friends and family.
I said "Since Marriage isn't forever, we should get tattoos"... she got a smiley face (to reflect personality). I got the Henry Every Pirate Flag, as we're decedents (via Step-Dad).
The ceremony.
The Parents.

2003 Washington DC
Melissa's Mom was going to D.C. in November, so we decided to fly over and visit her there. (It was closer than Reno). This city is littered with History and a tribute to itself and government. White House Washington Memorial Lincoln Memorial

2003 The Upper
Friends bought a resort Rental Property in the "Upper" (Upper Peninsula, Michigan), we went to visit and help with their Vitamin Business website (May). We stayed in a little A-frame cabin on the water, watched the sunset at near midnight. Just enjoyed the water, serenity. It was such a quiet place.

2003 Cedar Point

Cedar Point is the best roller-coaster amusement park in America. It's not even close. So we drove up to Sandusky, Ohio (Aug) to try it out.

Melissa loves roller-coasters, Cedar Point has 5 roller coasters taller than 200 feet. Not-going was not-optional.
"Best Amusement Park in the World" for 16 consecutive years from 1997-2013.
We got there early, and rode everything... twice. And tried on goofy hats. She took visitors there a few more times.
We played in the stocks.

2003 Brothers Wedding
I was the best man for my brothers wedding (Sept). He lucked out finding Sarah. I missed the bachelor party because of the "Great 2003 Blackout". The toast (and wedding) went without a hitch. 3 kids, and a dozen years later, and their marriage is still strong.

2002 Flight Attendant Graduation
With a Bachelors Degree is in Early Childhood development and doing social work for many years, Melissa was over-qualified became a Flight Attendant. She graduated in August. Graduating with Honors Her Graduating class, not counting those that couldn't hack it. While ferrying a plane (no passengers), she got to ride in the cockpit.

2002 Cozumel

This is still one of our greatest family vacations. In June, our immediate Family and my Cousins did a group anniversary get-away to Cozamel, Mexico (with a little jaunt by ferry to Cancun).

It was an all inclusive place, except for excursions -- like shooting over to Cancun, or trekking through ruins.
It had some ruins, but mostly you have to go to Cancun (and South) to see the better ones of those.
Having the Cousins meant lots of people to interact with, or chat by the pool while nursing free drinks.
We swam with Dolphins, they pushed us through the water, and even took a photo kissing them (they taste like Mahi-Mahi).
Dad ate the shellfish, and got El Parasito, which meant he hated life the last day or so.

2001 Ohio Bro Visit
We moved to Ohio, and when my brother visited (late Sept.), we did all the Tourist stuff with him. Which we kind of repeated when anyone else visited. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Football Hall of Fame (Canton) My wife spent a lot of time in the Cowboys area (Fan-for-life).

2001 Niagara Falls
We June road-tripped to Niagara Falls, Buffalo and visited Canada too, eh. I wanted to pee off this as a testament to man's impotence compared to nature. My wife didn't want me to get arrested, so veto'd my performance art. We took the maid of the mist, got wet. Ate a lot. The Canadian side is much more commercial/touristy, Melissa bought kitsch.

1994 Weekend Honeymoon

Our Honeymoon was we drove down to San Diego for an extended weekend.

We did old town, PB, and went to Sea World and saw Shamu, before the PC Nazi's ruined it.
In hindsight I think the alpha predator being domesticated and doing tricks for dinner is called foreshadowing.
We did Old Town... which is partly about the history, look and feel.
The next week, we had a party for our friends and announced we'd gotten married. Some felt cheated/slighted, but we did it "our way".

1994 Wedding
I said, "A wedding is something I'd do, if I could do it in shorts and tennis shoes"... next thing I knew, we were at the chapel (Aug). We did it quick, and intimate. We didn't want the stress and drama: low key. We took my little Isuzu Amigo, and drove off into the sunset Orange Hill Restaurant, for a nice dinner with the Wedding Party, the to San Diego.

1993 Toga
Does your neighborhood have a Toga Party? Ours did.

1992 Getaways
We had a few "get-aways" in 1992. Palm Springs to fish, hike and network gaming (SpacewardHo!). "How to Host a Murder" with a Star Trek theme.

1991 How we met
I met my wife in 1991. I taught Martial Arts. She joined my class. I took her to a Family Reunion a few months later. She showed poor judgement by not fleeing after meeting those nut-jobs and miscreants: aka, a keeper!

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Experiences

Favorites
Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, these are a few of my favorite things.

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