It's For the Kids

I'm sure most of you are familiar with Toms shoes - you know, the cloth shoes that were wildly popular a few years ago. Well, the company allegedly does good in the world by providing shoes to underprivileged folks around the world, a program called "One for One."

The idea behind it is simple: you buy a pair of Toms, then Toms gives a pair away. Simple.

So, obviously it brought a huge smile to my face when I saw this:

The smile was not a "Oh that's nice, more impoverished kids will be receiving shoes now that China's selling Toms." It was a "Ah, another hilarious reminder that China could care less about philanthropy or original ideas. Or intellectual property."

If you look closely, you'll realize that these aren't Toms. They are Toms-esque shoes from a company called "One for One."

That's right, it's all here folks: the exact design of Toms' shoes, the exact logo, and the name of Toms' philanthropy. Only I'm sure these folks don't give any shoes away for free.

(I zoomed in as close as I could to the back of one of the shoes, so you could see that they aren't Toms)

This One Time...

… we fit Stacy in a Burger King cup.

Out of Control

So, apparently my facial hair has gotten a little out of control.

Obviously, I'm not apologizing, just recognizing it for the first time.

In early March, when things were "full but well-kempt."

More recently…

Full gnar, no apologies.

I live in the mountains, what did you expect?


Sorry most of y'all aren't around to enjoy this glorious Charles Wesley-esque facial mane.

T-hehe (Pun Intended)

Because I'm immature.

C&C - No, NOT the Music Factory

I'm sorry, who told you this was a good name for a restaurant?

No, I am not interested in knowing the blue plate special, thanks.

Manao!

In Thai, the word for lime is 'manao.' They also have a carbonated beverage, made by Schweppes, simply called "Manao." Or as it's known in the O'Hare household, "Yes-I'll-have-another-please."

Textbook ZING!

Looks like the author of our textbook is serving up ZING-bombs.

Unfortunately, as is often the case with out textbook, it looks like the author has unintentionally roasted himself during the course of the roast.

McYes Please!

My brother Isaac has a very… refined… palette. He selects only the finest ingredients and doesn't like to venture too far from the "big 3" - cheddar cheese, ground beef, and bacon. Obviously, such stringent demands can make international travel a bit of a challenge. Or at least an unpleasant prospect.

Well, never you fear. While we were in New Zealand, I noticed that McDonald's NZ was apparently catering to his exact palette:

Well done, New Zealand - thank you for helping us get one step closer to convincing Isaac to visit us!

Swimming Hole

While we were in Chiang Mai in January, we took a day trip out to the Bua Tong Waterfalls with some friends. Stacy and I had been there before, so I decided to venture out on my own to see what I could discover.

Standing in the falls

What I discovered, down a lonely trail, was a swimming hole in the middle of the jungle.

There was no one else around, so I jumped in for a nice, refreshing, jungle-paradise swim.

When I said "crystal clear," I meant crystal:

So, when are you coming to Thailand with us??

That Dog Just Ain't Gonna Hunt

We have a saying in the South - "That dog just ain't gonna hunt." It means, "I'm sorry, but that's not going to work," or "no, no, that's just really not a good idea." I'll give you an example:

Did you just use "luxurious" and "possum fiber" in the same sentence? No, New Zealand. Just, no.

I'll Tell You Who's Not...

The author of our textbook, that's who.

Beware the Slippery Ninja

Spotted on the mountain trails outside of Queenstown, New Zealand: the Slippery Ninja.

If you should happen to encounter the Slippery Ninja while in the wilds of New Zealand, do not make direct eye contact and slowly back away.

Bonus - Footage of the SN tearing up the trail: