Church outing to watch the Trenton Thunder

Posted on June 2, 2014 by Joel

As a member of the newly reformed Men’s Group at our church (St. Barnabas Episcopal Church), we organized a fun outing for our interested parishioners to see a Trenton Thunder minor league AA baseball game down in Trenton. The Ipes have seen quite a few games these past few years, and why not?

  1. Every seat is a great seat.
  2. The tickets are a “wallet-busting” $11 each.
  3. It’s 30 minutes away, and parking is a breeze.

Since we were able to buy tickets in bulk, we turned this outing into a minor fundraising event as well. I wasn’t sure how many people would be interested, but we had 30+ people sign up, so it was a great showing. The Ipes had a busy Saturday planned, but we were able to sneak in this afternoon game between all the running around. [juicebox gallery_id=”3″]

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Our new nephew Benjamin Joseph

Posted on May 28, 2014 by Joel

He arrived a little earlier than expected, but my sister Julie and her husband Robbie welcomed our new nephew Ben to the world this month. My first nephew! We drove down on a beautiful Saturday morning to the hospital to see them. We grabbed a quick lunch at the hospital cafeteria, then we had to go. Everyone is doing well.

I grabbed these photos from my sister, but possession is 9/10 of the law, no?

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The Case of the Big Bad Wolf

Posted on May 27, 2014 by Joel

This year, Josh applied and got accepted into the school district’s “E=MC2” Gifted and Talented program this school year. Since September, he’s been learning about all sorts of things, including law. Recently, the program somehow coordinated and conducted a joint class court session to try the “Big Bad Wolf” for blowing down some houses and eating pigs. Terrible, terrible allegations. Josh was the deputy sheriff. Parents were invited to watch the court proceedings.

[juicebox gallery_id=”1″]

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It’s been a long time coming, but the Ipes are moving

Posted on May 27, 2014 by Joel

It doesn’t feel like it at times, but we’ve been homeowners here in central NJ for nine years. Nine years since we started toting our infant son Joshua around in his car seat to hang out with real estate agents and check out homes that were too out of our price range as a young couple. That were strangely laid out. Or had zebra print wallpaper on the walls. Nine years of building up a growing family of two adults, two children, and two cats. And a whole lotta stuff.

Nine years later, and we’re out of room. The kids need their own separate bedrooms. We’d like a full size patio with backyard and front yard to call our own. Our own garage. An office / den for me to work in. A full basement where I can comfortably blast my existing 7.1 surround sound home theater system.

Behold, the new Casa de Ipe.

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We’re currently in contract to purchase it, and we’re going through all the usual hoops to get it. We hope to own it in mid-July. Big plans. Hopes and dreams fulfilled. And much to do to sell our current home as well.

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Kick-Ass 2 (2013)

Posted on May 21, 2014 by Joel

I borrowed Kick-Ass 2 from our local library. This is the sequel to the 2010 Matthew Vaughn film based on the Kick-Ass graphic novels. No, I’ve never read them, but I did enjoy the original film. The sequel takes place a few years after the first film. Both Dave Lizewski / Kick-Ass (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Mindy Macready / Hit-Girl (Chloë Grace Moretz) return to star in this sequel.

Mindy is now a freshman in high school, and Dave is…. still in high school. I was pretty confused on the age gap, because Hit Girl was pretty young in the first film, so how are they attending high school together? Both are retired from crime fighting, but both wish to be back in the game. Dave tries to get Mindy to join him, but she’s now living with her father’s former partner and supposed to be a simple student now. Dave eventual joins up with other ordinary yet costumed citizens to fight crime as “Justice Force.” The team is made up of a strange assortment of amateurs, but led by Col. Stars and Stripes (played by a somewhat  unrecognizable Jim Carrey.) Frankly, he and Hit-Girl (Chloë Grace Moretz) are the two best parts of the film.

Meanwhile, Chris D’Amico (formerly Red Mist) is living on Long Island with his mother (Yancy Butler!) and turned Goth. He is still angry at Kick-Ass for killing his father “with a bazooka!” After his mother’s untimely death, he inherits the family fortune, and decides to become the supervillain “The Motherf*cker.” His goal? To become aforementioned supervillain and to make Kick-Ass pay for killing his father with the aforementioned bazooka. And he begins creating a crime syndicate of his own. As you will see in the movie trailers, all will come to a head at the climax.

I’m going to put it out there — the sequel wasn’t as good as the original. Dave as Kick-Ass is rather annoying and not much better than he was in the first film. I got tired of Red Mist / The Motherf*cker. Katie, who was the focus of the original film’s romance angle, pops in for basically a cameo in order to surreptitiously break up with Dave for what is clearly a misunderstanding. Jim Carrey as Colonel Stars and Stripes and Moretz as Hit Girl were the best parts of the story. When Hit Girl was on the screen, it was great. When whiny Dave came back on, you knew the story would drag.

This is a “your local library” – borrowing / Netflix – type of film. The fight scenes are decent, but the ones with Hit Girl aren’t enough to save this film.

Kick-Ass 2 (2013)

Kick-Ass 2 (2013)

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Potluck Birthday Dinner with Friends

Posted on May 19, 2014 by Joel

After the Bike MS Ride, we had plans to meet up with friends for dinner to celebrate recent birthdays. Instead of a restaurant, our friends Sunil & Ligy agreed to host the party, and that was much better than any restaurant. We made it a potluck dinner with everyone bringing various appetizers, entrees, and desserts. Great conversation and delicious food. What more can you ask for?

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The 2014 Bike MS Coast the Coast ride

Posted on May 19, 2014 by Joel

Is it May again?

The Bike MS “Coast the Coast” event was nearing again, and this year was very different. Although I had signed up earlier than most previous years, I didn’t really have a team to belong to. Sure, I found a team organized (and comprised of?) a handful of fellow JPMorgan Chase employees, but I’d never met them. In fact, I had communicated with the team captain two months ago, but we never had a chance to meet up. I tried again Friday, the day before the big day, but he was out of the office. Oh well. This year was also a bit different in that I had zero time to prepare. Due to the inclement weekend weather this year, and a busy schedule, I had no opportunities for practice rides. Not a one. At least I did have my bike serviced and a new cyclocomputer installed. That was it.

I also decided on a modest $300 goal and a 50 mile ride. With this hectic schedule between home and work, I didn’t feel this big urge to spend a lot of mental energy to beg and plead for donations. I would ask, but I wouldn’t try to kill myself asking for donations. If people wanted to donate, great. If not, oh well. There are plenty of friends and family who never donate year after year, so it gets a little frustrating at times.

The big day finally arrived, and despite all the rain the night before, it was a beautiful Spring day. I arrived at Monmouth University a little after 8 AM, and the gym was smaller this year, and it seemed to have fewer participants milling around. There were fewer team names on the wall. My old CentraState cycling team had only two members participating! That was probably most shocking of all.

In any case, I ate a quick bagel for breakfast, got my rider number on, and headed to the starting line. I spent most of the ride on my own, occasionally making small talk with people I met along the way. We got started around 9:30 AM, and I arrived back at the University a little after 1:30 PM. So, even with breaks, I finished the entire 50-mile ride in about four hours, which I think was pretty damn good, especially without any practice rides. When you can jump on the bike and ride 50 miles without pain or suffering, that’s a damn good feeling.

Lastly, I grabbed a quick lunch at the gym, then headed home. It was a simple, quiet ride. A little disappointing to have to ride by myself, but eh, what can you do sometimes?

 

A smaller gym
A little sparse this year
Waiting at the starting line
50 miles later, and I’m no worse for wear
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We went to visit our new nephew Ben

Posted on May 19, 2014 by Joel

About two weeks ago, we drove down on a very nice sunny Saturday morning to see my sister Julie and family, including our new nephew Ben. I also brought the new Nikon D5200 camera. I enjoyed using it. I could use more photography lessons, but it was nice to hang out with everyone. The kids enjoyed climbing a tree and blowing bubbles. Ironically, I ended up not snapping any pictures of Ben, but only because I didn’t want to bother him!

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Seagate Backup Plus Desktop Drive

Posted on May 19, 2014 by Joel

In 2011, I purchased a 2 TB Western Digital Elements external drive temporarily for rebuilding my in-laws’ home PC, and as a permanent external backup drive for Ipe family use. It’s only a USB 2.0 drive, but it served its purposes for weekly backups. Three years later, and I am seriously running out of room. With our growing home video collection, we’re running out of room not only for our primary regular storage, but the backup drive has been maxed out with the multiple backup sets that we were maintaining. Now, one backup maxes out the drive. I recently discovered that Norton 360‘s backup software detected that we ran out of space, and stopped backing up data on April 21st. No backups since then?

I looked at a few online and local storage options, and spoke to a knowledgeable friend, and I ultimately decided on a local storage option. I decided to use some of my recent “modeling money” to purchase the 5 TB edition of the Seagate Backup Plus Desktop Drive — a USB 3.0 external drive. It has good reviews overall, and it’s supposed to be fast. It normally retails for $219, but was $215 after taxes and after using my Best Buy gift card. I had hoped to use it connected to our new ASUS RT-AC68 router / access point, but I ran into what I hope are temporary issues. There is some evidence online that the Asus router only supports up external drives with a 2 TB maximum capacity. Say what?

While I research, I’ve got it hooked up directly to my PC for now. Norton Backup still took a few hours to back up my 2 TB of personal data, but at least it’s backed up. Now I just need to figure out a longer term primary storage plan (e.g. a larger hard drive). Or a network attached storage (NAS) device connected directly to the network.

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The 5 TB Seagate Backup Plus Desktop Drive

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It’s a USB 3.0 external drive

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Business Trip to Orlando

Posted on May 10, 2014 by Joel

I recently returned from a two-day business trip to Orlando late Thursday May 8th. This was a trip that I had to postpone at least once, but finally got scheduled and booked. I had to be in the office on Wednesday, and normally would take the PATH to Newark Penn, then the AirTrain. Unfortunately, due to repairs, the AirTrain is out of commission until mid-July. Instead, they were running shuttle buses between Newark Penn and the airport terminals. I caught the bus from the Raymond Blvd entrance (after buying a round-trip ticket), and it was pretty decent. They had a covered canopy, buses waiting, staff in red vests to assist, and even a fellow to help you with your luggage. I arrived at Terminal C in about 20 minutes. Hey, this isn’t bad alternative for the next three months. Should be fine, correct? Um, more on that later.

Hanging around Newark waiting for my flight
Beautiful views
A rental car with NY plates. It’s like they knew me!
The hotel offered the NASA channel. I’ve never seen government-issued khaki pants before.
My Marriott Courtyard chicken quesadilla

The business trip went alright, but a little odd at times. No, I can’t really discuss it.

Tuesday evening, I eventually got my luggage (after waiting nearly an hour), then drove the hour up to my hotel the Courtyard Marriott up in Lake Mary, Florida. A simple hotel, nothing fancy. It was late, and I didn’t want to sit around at some restaurant by myself, so I grabbed a chicken quesadilla from the hotel grill. It was good enough for a late night dinner.

Wednesday after work, I drove to the Best Buy in Altamonte Springs to pick up a new USB cable. Should be cheap, but you know there’s a horrible markup at brick and mortar stores. Of course, Best Buy’s Rocketfish in-house brand USB cables were $20 a piece. Geez. I tried to put it away and walk away, but then got grabbed by a DirectTV sales guy who spent 15 minutes trying to convince me to switch. In the middle of that, I got asked to be in a brief video showing off their new home theater area. In return, I got a $20 gift card. Wow, my first modeling job. 😉

Best part of the trip was probably meeting Elvis, a Best Buy associate over in the Cameras section. We had a great discussion on photography — he had to be first knowledgeable Best Buy associate that I have encountered.

Thursday evening, my Google Maps took me all over central Florida and getting me lost. I almost didn’t make it to the airport to drop off my rental car. Luckily (luckily?), my flight was delayed an hour. I had time for a quick dinner at the airport Ruby Tuesday. No issues. Unfortunately, the NJ Transit shuttle bus was a mess, driven by non-English-speaking clueless contract driver, with the terminal stops manned by more clueless NJ Transit employees. Very disappointing. We got to Newark Penn after midnight, and I ended up standing around until 1:40 AM waiting for the last train to Princeton. I eventually walked through my door at 3 AM.

It was a long day, but I was glad to be home.

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