So for vacation this year, Ashley and I went out to try on Seattle.  We liked. The trip was, simply put, stellar and jam-packed goodness.  The only bad part was that we had no internet access the whole time to be able to blog from.  So, in vainity, here goes my recap! Microsoft, John Porcaro, and the Gamerscore Blog Team Since we were heading out to Seattle, we managed to match up schedules and meet with John Porcaro and the GamerScoreBlog team.  I've been reading John's blog for years (since before the 360 launch, I think), so it was nice to finally meet him for real. John has been with Microsoft for nearly twenty years and one of the first people to be a part of their mentoring program.  It shows as John was able to sift through my issues and answered a nagging internal question with perhaps the simplest of answers: "so what?"  It was well time and hit the issue right on it's head. During the trip we took a pit stop and got to play with the new Microsoft Surface table computer. After visiting the new research building we parted ways, but not before I was able to convince him to give the class thumbs-up pose:  A Weekend to Remember The bulk of the weekend was spent attending the Weekend to Remember event put on by FamilyLife.  Here we can see Ashley unlocking the secrets of marriage. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NC4RlyFqaFM&hl=en&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1] All-in-all the conference was decent, but was skewed more towards sorting out troubles and issues than growing in a healthy relationship.  One of the best parts of the weekend is that it presents you with ideas that you're then prompted to discuss with your spouse.  This allows you to have conversations you might not otherwise have, or be comfortable bringing up.  Ashley and I had some great conversation over the weekend, and the conference was worth it just for that. The Space Needle Ashely was all kinds of excited to visit the Space Needle.  Lacking proper transportation, however, we got there really early and ended up just walking around the Seattle Center.  It was there that we stumbled onto the World Rhythm Festival and got to hear Raquy and the Cavemen. We ended up eating at Sky City in the Space Needle.  The rotating restaurant is powered by 1.5HP, or the equivalent of a sewing machine.  It moves you this fast.  And, just to be sure we put things into perspective, the Space Needle is tall.   The First Starbucks During the trip to downtown Seattle with Kris and Laura, we got to visit the first ever Starbucks. The Experience Music Project We also got to visit the Experience Music Project; basically, and interactive Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for Seattle artists (it also had the Sci-Fi Hall of Fame, which was cool... and random). At first, I thought I had found my calling on the drums but, alas, the drums were a lie. But then, like a muse calling from the darkness, we found the studio. And we recorded. Oh, did we record. Leonard Sweet We also got to meet up with one of my occasional-mentors-who-don't-fully-realize-the-impact-they've-had-on-my-life, Leonard Sweet. I first me Len back in 2001 or so, but this was the first time Ashley got to hang with him. The two definately hit it off, and were ganging up on me on more than one subject Portland and Multnomah Falls Finally, Kris and Laura drove us to Portland/Vancouver to view their hometown, a big Best Buy, a two-story Target, an Ikea, and Multnomah Falls. And, I got to steer a building. There's More But it's late, I'm tired, and Leonard Sweet told me blogging was vain anyways. So for more media from our trip: Flickr Photos YouTube Videos and the musical wonder that is, The Spicey Boot.