So I was probably ten years old the last time I was in Branson, Missouri. Everyone that I've talked to has told me that I wouldn't recognize it, that it had become like Las Vegas. I guess maybe my expectations were too high because I can't say that I was overly impressed. I can see the comparisons to Las Vegas, if it's the aging, retro, Fremont Street Vegas to which people are comparing the Branson strip. But that's not necessarily a good thing.

We stayed at the Hilton on Branson Landing, and this is a great place for families to stay. This was our first family vacation since Josie was born, and our condo suite was just right for us since we could pull out the sofa bed and put the kids in one room, and we still had access to the balcony from our bedroom.

Overall we had a good time, but there were some disappointments. Our food experiences were, in general, not good. We ate the first night at a little gyros/pizza place just a short walk from our room. I would recommend you avoid this place like the plague. The pizza tasted like it was a day old, and the gyro did nothing for me. The Cantina Laredo was good, although the entree I ordered was a bit too spicy for my tastes. Our best meals were at the Chateau on the Lake, and, sadly, at Backyard Burgers, a fast-food chain we tried because they don't have them in St. Louis.

The kids (especially Noah) had a blast at Silver Dollar City. The rides in the kids area were just right for him. He especially loved the roller coaster. We also went to see the Titanic museum, which is well worth seeing, although it's not a great attraction for young children. Photos from our trip are now available in my album.

While we were in Florida we talked the grandparents into watching Noah one day (it wasn't hard to convince them) so we could take a little day trip to St. Augustine.

St. Augustine is the oldest continuously occupied city in America, founded in 1565. We visited the Castillo de San Marcos while we were there. Here is a short video of a live cannon demonstration. The men in uniform are all volunteers. Why they choose to stand out in the hot sun in wool uniforms is beyond me, but they apparently enjoy it. I hope you do too.

To celebrate our fourth anniversary, I took Dixie to Chicago since she had never been before. It was also our first vacation with our little boy. We weren't sure how he would travel, but he surprised us both and did really well. We all had a great time. Photos from the trip are available in my album.

Our recent journey to Greece and Turkey was indescribably grand. We will definitely miss the time we spent on *our* little island -- Hydra is a magical place. It was great to see the Olympics in Athens, and our cruise of the Greek Isles was wonderful. Photos from the trip are available in my album.

It's hard to believe that a year has passed already. Dixie and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary on a tour of Ireland. Pictures from the trip are now available in my photo album.

Of course the big news is that Dixie and I were married on May 31, 2002. The day was absolutely perfect and the reception (held at Pere Marquette Lodge in Grafton, Illinois) was fantastic. We took a Carnival cruise to the Carribean for our honeymoon and pictures from the trip are now available in my album.

So the big news is that I got engaged to my beautiful girlfriend Dixie. I proposed to her in Italy, while on a gondola ride in Venice with musicians playing our song, Con Te Partiro. Needless to say, she said yes and I am a very happy man. I love you, Dixie!

Pictures from the trip are now available in my album. To commemorate our engagement, Dixie and I bought this painting by a local Venetian artist, and had it framed.

I spent a month in Australia, partially as a business trip for my employer, but mostly as a vacation to one of the most stunning places on the planet. The scenery, the wildlife, and the culture of the land "down under" are all very unique. Here's a short video synopsis of my trip (set to a wonderful tune I heard on the radio down there by The Avalanches), and of course pictures are available in my album.

To further illustrate my lack of concern for the Y2K bug, I spent New Year's Eve 1999 in Mexico. Y2K was largely a non-event down there, too. We suffered no ill effects (except maybe from the tequila!). Pictures from the trip are available in my album.