Visiting "Baby Paul" .... take 2

A few weeks ago, dad picked me up and we hit the road to Champaign, Illinois to go to Engineering Open House at UIlli. It was one of those BYOA events (bring your own abacus). ;)

So, check out my co-pilot. A month or so ago, I found a photo of dad after my college graduation and found a photo of him "co-piloting" between Manhattan and Wichita.


Here Paul explains something vastly complex and above my head to Dad.


Yeah, this sign is hanging at my bro's workplace. Should I be concerned? ;)


Part of the open house was this demo-derby sort of thing. The engineering students made these robots to pick up balloons and put them in boxes, among other things.


This video is a little long ... just a warning. It's several clips spliced together.

There was also some robot bashing! Maybe I'll post some of that later.


Isn't this painting lovely? I wanted to bring it home with me. My pocketbook didn't (but it was TOTALLY a steal for the size it was!).


Ok, now THIS is interesting. It was a 3D copier. Yes, you read correctly. There are engineers in Illinois who can make a color copy of something in 3 dimensions. What WILL they come up with next!??!????!?


On Paul's frat wall .... not sure if I'll get him in trouble for posting this .... but .... :)


This is great. I slept at Paul's frat house the first night because *someone* snores like a grizzly bear. I am happy to report a few things. 1) ear plugs helped. 2) Tylenol PM helped knock me out before the bear started growling. 3) I was told I was allowed to poke any snoring parties if they needed it to shush up. ;)

I also have a new appreciation for how quietly Erik snores.


Check out the card catalogue at this place!!!! And this was only ONE wing of it!


Of course ... we photogs couldn't leave well enough alone. It was like the dualing point and shoot cameras!!!


I think my macro wins! ;)


Also ... check out this photo! I LOVE this image. It feels like an Edgar Allen Poe poem to me. Am I nuts? Oh, cruise on over to the Heartland Blog to read about me taking this photo ... and the dualing cameras that took the photos.


The sunset the morning we rose early to return to Kansas. It's been quite some time since I've seen so many sunrises. :)

And, I truly did visit Paul a few months ago, but it was such a crazy trip. I was SO TIRED and truthfully rather cranky. It was also an immensely short trip. It was such a treat to be able to spend some time on his stomping ground.

Thanks for hanging w/ us, Paul!