Bucket List Check Off: Go to a Carolina Hurricanes Game

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canes_03One of the items on my fall bucket list was to go to a Carolina Hurricanes game. Since making the list, I’ve been to two games and I’m going to the game tonight! The first game was on Friday, October 11 against the LA Kings. It was a total sports weekend for my family. My mom was in town and we took her to the Canes game on Friday, then the Syracuse at NC State football game on Saturday. But this bucket list item is about the frozen puck, not the pigskin. Continue reading →

Bucket List Check Off: Run the City of Oaks

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city_of_oaksFor the seventh year in a row, I’ve run in the City of Oaks half marathon. So adding this race to my fall bucket list was special. Why? Because it was my 20th half marathon—and to run that in Raleigh and cross the finish line at the NC State Belltower was awesome. For anyone new to Raleigh, running in a road race is a great was to enjoy the sites.

The weather was perfect for race day. Runners gathered at the start line, near the NC State Belltower, and headed downtown via Western Blvd. The course took us into Downtown Raleigh with a great view of Red Hat Tower, then through Boylan Heights for one of the best views of the Raleigh skyline. Runners then went through the heart of downtown, up Fayetteville Street, over City Plaza, towards the State Capital. Continue reading →

Bucket List Check Off: Experience and NC State Football Game

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ncstate_07For anyone new moving to the Triangle, one of the first things you’ll hear is that you need to pick a team. Whether your fancy is football, basketball, baseball, or some other college sport, fans in the Triangle almost require you to pledge your allegiance to either NC State, Duke, or Carolina. I graduated from State, so my allegiance comes with an earned degree. And I’ll be the first to tell you that the tailgate scene at an NC State football game is one-of-a-kind. Continue reading →

Garden Report for 2013: Over 2000 Tomatoes and Peppers

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garden_03It was a good year for salsa at Ramsgate Manor. It was also the first year for my garden in full sun. Last fall, we had a 70+ year old Oak tree removed that was struggling with a disease. We decided it was best to remove it rather that spend the money to repair it. And the garden reaped the benefits. Here’s the breakdown of the tomatoes and peppers from the 2013 growing season. Continue reading →

An NC State Sports Trifecta

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ncstate_22 On the weekend of November 2-3, the family enjoyed a trifecta of NC States sports. We started out with football game against rival UNC Chapel Hill. Then we headed over to the PNC Arena for an exhibition game the basketball team was playing. Finally, on Sunday, it was a trip out to the ballpark.

It was a beautiful fall Saturday with a chilly morning and a 12:30 kickoff time. Michaela and David Huff joined us for the game. Jim also joined the family. The tailgate scene was off the chains with Carolina in town. There’s something about the tailgate that draws you in. The sights, the smells, the anticipation. Whatever that is, it was in the air at Carter Finley stadium this past weekend. Continue reading →

My 20th Half Marathon: Raleigh City of Oaks

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Post race party in Manteo

Post race party in Manteo

I have so many things to look forward to in late summer and early fall. Football season, good surf in North Carolina, and of course, race season! I maintain my running year round, but really start to focus on training right around Labor Day.

This year was no different. I started doing 10+ mile runs in late August and my training peaked with a 13 mile run in early October. October was a great month to train as the weather cools down here in North Carolina, but the distance caught up with me and I had to nurse some runners plantar fasciitis on my right foot. I somehow managed to still get in 100 miles last month. Continue reading →

Raleigh CIO Gail Roper Visits the Code for Raleigh Brigade

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cfa_brigadeOn Thursday, October 3, a small group of civic geeks gathered at the Raleigh Public Record space at the AJ Fletcher Foundation to host a conversation with the City of Raleigh CIO, Gail Roper during our monthly Code for Raleigh meet-up. She has just over 20 years of experience as a CIO, with past roles at Austin TX, Kansas City, MO, and now Raleigh, NC. Roper’s passion is around digital connectivity, inclusion, and how those factors impact lives. She also believes that access to information can change a persons view on things. Roper’s goal for the City of Raleigh is to not just be the most wired city, but to be the most connected city. Continue reading →

Book Chapter 1: What is open source?

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If you’re curious about open source, here is an excerpt describing what open source is in plain English from The Foundation for an Open Source City, a book that explores the five elements of an open source city. If you missed the introduction, be sure to check that out too. There is also a great resource on opensource.com that answers What is open source software?

Chapter 1: Defining an open source city

Before we define the elements of an open source city, it’s important to establish a baseline of knowledge. The concepts of open source, open government, and open data are new to many citizens. In order to make our government more transparent, participatory, and collaborative, we’ll need to start by exploring these definitions. Continue reading →

Farmdog Surf Camp: Day 4

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IMAG1309I was up early today to enjoy this cool, October-like weather on the OBX. I decided to get in a 5.8 mile sunrise run to the Wright Brothers Memorial and back. The air was brisk and void of humidity, which meant I could actually breathe while running. I headed down Bay Drive, then over to First Street and along the trail leading to the Wright Brothers National Park. As I turned the corner from the airport, I had to stop and take some pictures. As I ran up the monument trail, I had to take more. Continue reading →