EugeBoy @ Large!

Just finished "The Camel Club" by David Baldacci

2011-08-09T14:43:00.003-06:00

Finally was able to put this book down after 3 days. It is an action packed, espionage thriller by author David Baldacci. Although it has a copyright date of 2005, it is a story that could just as well happen today.

What I really like about the story is it's plausibility. The scenario that Baldacci sets up is complex and yet simple at the same time.

I love spy novels and this one will rank as one of my favorites. I am hoping there is or will be a movie made of the story. My casting prediction for "Oliver Stone" (one of the main character's nickname) would be Morgan Freeman. I could see him and hear his voice in my head as I was reading,

You can see excerpts from this wonderful novel (and buy it at a huge discount by using my link below to Amazon.com. I think I would earn about $0,25 if you bought it - but hey! 25 cents is better than no cents at all!

Family Pics

2011-04-29T14:28:00.000-06:00

Testing out new @Postling App for SN

2011-02-10T10:43:00.001-07:00

Give it a look over at POSTLING.COM and if you try it, ket me know how you like it.

Luc Turns 12!

2010-06-22T16:28:00.000-06:00

My Son, Luc, turns 12 today and it's amazing and a little disturbing thinking back and realizing that time is flying by. He's a really unique kid and he is really an inspiration when it comes to being in the moment and being yourself.

2010 0613 Trav's Birthday

2010-06-15T19:56:00.002-06:00

It was a long weekend for me personally. Annual i48 Film Festival competition Saturday and Sunday; Dori was the only one of the family that attended; although my Mom and Dad would have gone Sunday had we placed. We couldn't really afford to go out and do anything but Dori insisted that we would be remiss if we didn't. I felt like I wouldn't be missed. Life was more fun when I wasn't broke.

2010 0522 Luc Baseball Giants vs Athletics

2010-05-24T10:18:00.002-06:00

North Boise Triple A

Second to the last game of the regular season saw us facing the Athletics. Weather was touch and go the entire game. Luc made a nice catch in right field.

2010 0512 Luc Baseball Giants vs Yankees

2010-05-13T17:43:00.000-06:00

Although Luc doesn't seem to think so, his ability to be a team player has improved this year. We have noticed that he is able to maintain his 'A' game attitude throughout an entire game, which to us is just as important as his ball handling and hitting skills.

You can click the link below for the game pics. (note: parents - I will do my best to get action shots of all the kids by the end of this season. You may download, share, print and post to your heart's content.)

Click image below to see more game pics:

2010 0512 Luc Baseball Giants vs Yankees

2010 0508 Luc Baseball Giants vs red Rox

2010-05-11T12:34:00.003-06:00

Grandpa got Luc all decked out with his own bat and gear bag (this after a new glove 2 weeks ago). Giants did well and I think they finished 1 up on the Sox. Marie, Aunt Aida, Calvin and Steve Beberness came out for the game. Dori, Marie and I worked the concession stand. >click pic to the right for album<

Foothills and Guido's

2009-11-29T15:32:00.000-07:00

From 2009 1129 Hulls Gulch

This past weekend I was reminded once again why I love living in the Treasure Valley and the Boise North End specifically. At about 2 in the afternoon, Luc convinced me to load up his trail bike and we headed up to the end of 8th St (in the foothills) where Honda maintains a a trail riding park in Hulls Gulch. It's about 15 minutes away from the house. On the way we thought to call Cody to see if he wanted to haul his family and four wheelers up. They were game and we spent a pleasant 4+ hours watching our kids ride around. Afterwords we came back into town and stopped by Guido's for some of Boise's best pizza. It was an extremely pleasant way to spend a Sunday afternoon and evening.

Last Days of Summer

2009-09-06T11:58:00.000-06:00

In order to offset our annual intention of going to the lake with our families every weekend (which seems to become more difficult as summer progresses) we made a last minute decision to head to Mack's Creek for the day. It was the Jordans, Dori, me and the boys, Gary, Lauren and Kove, Carrianne and Caitlyn, Vicki's folks and inlaws, and Trevor Campbell. Trevor and I shot some HIDEF that we'll try to get posted as time permits.

The sky was a bit overcast when we first arrived and the water was choppy but that didn't slow us down for a minute. Cody and I loaded up the first group into the boat and proceeded to tear it up. The highlights of the day for me personally was getting to see Luc wakeboard (he just decided to give it a try 3 or 4 weeks ago), watching Kove go on the tube with Dori and hearing that Tristan, Cody's son) decided it was time to take up wakeboarding as well. Vicki's Dad and Stepmom joined us as did some of her in-laws. Trevor Canpbell form VIP came up as did Gary, Lauren and Kove. Carrianne Recla and her daughter Caitlyn decided to accept or invitation as well.

All in all, it was another great day on the lake and Cody and I once again decided that we are blessed to live in such a great place.

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Chance goes Hawaiin

2009-08-24T13:18:00.001-06:00

It was probably the longest stretch of time for me since Chance was born, but we let him go to Hawaii with his buddy Trey. He got back today and here are some of the pictures he took and a couple small small videos.

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Trey being Trey:

Front Flip:

It’s Not Fair!

2009-08-11T12:28:00.006-06:00

As a father of five, I have heard that lament hundreds of times. I’m fairly certain that as a child I lamented the same frustration. My response as an adult is (you’ve heard this before as well) ‘Life is not fair’.

This is a story about life being unfair. On the scale of tragic injustice it ranks about a 2 or a 3; actually, compared to tsunami victims being wiped out on a Christmas Day, it ranks closer to a negative 100 – but it is a story of injustice none the less. More along the lines of finally get the nerve up to ask the person of your dreams to the prom, they accept, and hours before the once in a lifetime event, you develop a big zit on your face. In the long run it’s not devastating but it spoils the quality of the moment, wouldn’t you agree?

My partner, Krista Adams, was married this weekend to her long time fiancé, Regee Rauch. Krista is a hard working, self employed still photographer and Regee is a hard working un-employed carpenter. If you’ve experienced either: self-employed or un-employed, you know it can be difficult financially, emotionally, even spiritually at times. I know both of these young folks are hard working because Krista is my business partner and I have seen her putting in 12 to 16 hour days both in the office and in the field. One of her staples is wedding photography and I often question her about the seemingly overwhelming amount of attention to detail and work she puts into each image before she turns it over to a client. I know about Regee’s work ethic because over the years, my wife and I hired Regee on occasion to remodel or repair our old (125 year old) North End home here in Boise. Time after time I would have to insist that Regee stop for a lunch or even dinner break. Once he started he would keep going until his day’s task was complete. Sometimes I would have to gently hint that we were going to bed and he could call it a day if he wanted. Krista and Regee are hard working, honest and considerate people that have been together as a couple for over 7 years. We are fond of them both.

Dori and I were pleasantly surprised late last year when our friends announced they would be getting married. They decided on a unique venue: The Anthony Lakes ski lodge outside of North Powder, Oregon. The out of season lodge is small compared to regular ski ‘resorts’ and therefore a cozy wedding venue. It is rustic in keeping with their down to earth tastes and penchant for camping and hiking. We were honored to make the 3 hour drive to join Krista, Regee, their families, and about 50 of their closest friends in celebrating their nuptials in the simple yet majestic surroundings. The ceremony was also elegant in its simplicity. Vows were made and then Regee serenaded his new bride with a hauntingly beautiful song he had written composed while he accompanied himself on guitar. It was an impressive performance and I was dumfounded to discover that he had taught himself to play guitar only in the last year or two. I had no idea that he could sing.

The reception was held directly after the ceremony and I was again happy to discover that Regee’s Mom was doing the cooking. She’s a Filipina like my own mother therefore the food was delicious and plentiful. You can imagine the rest: touching and humorous toasts were made, folks indulged in the feast and the free beverages, old folks started the dancing and young folks eventually got out on the floor to show us how it’s done now, etc., etc.; being part of the former group – the ‘old folks’ I ready to retire about 9:30PM, so Dori and I made our way back down the mountain to our quaint motel room in North Powder. The ride back takes about 30 minutes and we reflected on the events of the day, Krista and Regee, how great it was to meet their families, our own wedding day, our kid’s weddings, and again: etc., etc.

Sunday morning we drove back to Boise and Monday I was back at work with the knowledge that Krista would be back in the office on Wednesday after a brief honeymoon right there at Anthony Lakes. Far from extravagant it was a great wedding and a memorable weekend. Then I logged into Facebook.

The first message I see was one of Krista’s good friends complaining about the lack of decency in the world. Thinking that she is normally a soft spoken optimistic person, I was curious and inquired further. Here is the facebook conversation verbatim:

Olivia Sorensen: Seriously, who steals gifts from a wedding?
Yesterday at 9:49am • Comment • Like

Mary Dawson: WTF what happened?
Yesterday at 10:30am

Bob McSherry: Sounds pretty FUed to me. That is a new one.
Yesterday at 10:40am

Carrie Bridges: lame!
Yesterday at 2:00pm

Eugene Boyle: What happened, O?
Yesterday at 3:16pm • Delete

Olivia Sorensen: After Krista's wedding, we all headed down to the campsite. Apparently Krista and her parents realized they had forgotten to put some of the food away so they went back and saw a couple of teenage punks crawling out of the window. They had opened a bunch of the cards and taken all the cash and gift certificates. Regee had seen them earlier and knew what campsite they were at, so a bunch of the guys went down there. They got some gift cards back from them but there's not really any way to know how much they lost. Friggin' jerks.
Yesterday at 3:26pm

Eugene Boyle: Freaking Incredible.
11 hours ago • Delete

Bob McSherry: METH is a horrible thing!!!!
9 hours ago

Now, gentle reader, this is not fair. Rain on your outdoor wedding, your best man getting drunk and hitting up on married bridesmaids, the ring bearer temporarily losing the ring; these are all future anecdotes to be chuckled about years later. Being robbed of your family and friends’ well wishes and gifts on the day that you are officially starting your life together – not right. It’s not fair! Not funny, not anecdotal, not quirky – it is not fair!

The Bible states that “..it rains on the just and the unjust alike”. I know that in my heart. I accept that. It also says to be compassionate to those in need:

"In case some one of your brothers becomes poor among you in one of your cities, in your land that Jehovah your God is giving you, you must not harden your heart or be closefisted toward your poor brother. For you should generously open your hand to him and by all means lend him on pledge as much as he needs, which he is in want of... You should by all means give to him, and your heart should not be stingy in your giving to him, because on this account Jehovah your God will bless you in every deed of yours and in every undertaking of yours. For someone poor will never cease to be in the midst of the land. That is why I am commanding you, saying, 'You should generously open up your hand to your afflicted and poor brother in your land." (Deut 15:7-11).

I strongly doubt that Krista or Regee would admit to being in need. As I stated earlier, they are hard working, down to earth people (self-employed / un-employed). It takes a full on meeting for Krista to ask me for a favor no matter how small. She has all the different ways that she will pay me back planned out and she offers to put agreements in writing even though I tell her I trust her unconditionally. Regee has never asked me for anything.

It’s ME! I have the problem. It is me that has a need to undo an injustice; I want to turn a ridiculous travesty into an anecdote worth smiling about years form now. Here is my idea; if you agree with it, then welcome, fellow traveler; if you don’t – you can tell me how I am an emotional unrealistic idiot (and I will probably agree) or do nothing and I will never know how you feel about it. Fair enough?

I am estimating that roughly $3000 was stolen. It cannot be proven because the couple had yet to open their gifts and cards. I have 573 friends on facebook. If this story touched you in any way or if you just want to generate some good karma (actual, not facebook quiz karma) then I invite you to join me in creating a small miracle. I request that you join me in replacing the stolen wedding cash gifts by making a small donation via my business’ secure PayPal account. If we each tossed in $5.25, we would turn a travesty into a cherished tale to tell. When my wife and I were starting out, the gifts we received on our wedding day went a long way to helping us get started. Like Krista and Regee, our parents were not wealthy and we had little money.

I have created a PayPal donation account in Krista and Regee’s name. Any amount you feel comfortable with would be a blessing to these deserving newlyweds, even a dollar. These are my friends and you may or may not know them, but I would remind you that giving is for the giver. Krista and Regee are not aware of my little campaign as they are still incommunicado on their mini-honeymoon. They may very well be insulted and embarrassed when they find out. If they cannot or will not accept our gifts, I will refund your donation promptly. However, if you will join me, here is what I can promise. Krista and Regee will receive 100% of your gift. PayPal does not charge a fee for donations. I will not retain even a single cent for any reason – either the couple will realize 100% of your generosity or your gift will be returned to you with a ton of love and appreciation attached. Our business PayPal account is a secure transaction and you do not need to start a PayPal account to donate. If you have a PayPal account or plan to use an e-mail address or credit card that was once associated with a PayPal account, you will need to utilize that account. If you need any help guidance or reassurance, you can contact me directly (viralimedia@gmail.com or 208-779-0080). I understand that you may have concerns or you might be dealing with your own hardships. If that is the case, do that thing which serves you best: maybe a note of condolence or a gift card that you already have but have not used, or maybe it’s just to shake your head and commiserate given your own hard luck experience. Regardless, I do not intend to put you on the spot or create any guilty feeling if you choose to do nothing more than read this or shake your head and shrug. I am simply presenting an opportunity to create a positive alternative resolution to an otherwise sad story.

Namaste, Eugene Boyle

PS- if you chose to donate, you can do so by clicking here.

4th of July - Spring Shores (2009)

2009-07-08T09:52:00.006-06:00

I still struggle with balancing work and play. I often work 24 hours and up to 72 hours straight through, sleep for 4-6 hours and then start again. The flip side is when I do go play, I thoroughly enjoy it. This past weekend (and week) is a fine example of what I am talking about.

Thursday I was running around town all day preparing for a video shoot on The Waterfront at Lake Harbor. We had three assignments: The Bass Junkeez, Thursdays Live for Boise Business Co-op, and we wanted to capture some footage of "Voice of Reason" Mike Durrant's Reggae Band. We were there until 8:30PM, then we rushed home to load the truck for our weekend camping adventure with Cody and Vicki Jordan up at Spring Shores for the 4th of July weekend. We arrived at the lake at 9:30PM.

Cody had already set up our tents as he had gone up 2 nights before to save our camp spot across from the marina. After toting our gear across the lake in the boat we quickly got set up and began to .....relax. It usually takes me about an hour to unwind and switch gears.

After playing for a while and telling stories around the campfire, Dori and I decided to take our air mattress and sleep out on the dock. I love doing this as I always sleep like a baby. Of course, I sleep like a baby anywhere. We played hard all day Friday and Saturday, then Dori, Chance, Trey (Chance's buddy) and I came home Saturday evening so Chance could do the fireworks he had saved up and purchased with his own funds. Luc stayed up at the lake with the Jordan's as they had brought a bevy of girls with them. Dori and I laid on the couch and watched movies.

The next morning we scooted back up to the lake to play a bit more and to help Cody and Vic, Diego, and Steve and Arrianna pack and get back across to the marina. It was non-stop going a hundred miles an hour from Thursday thru Sunday; but it was worth every minute.

The high light for me was getting my Mom and Dad to come out on a wave runner for the first time ever!

Please enjoy the slide show above. If you click on one of the slides you can download or print an individual picture.

I am enjoying a great life with a wonderful family and incredible friends.

Luc Turns 11!

2009-06-20T04:51:00.000-06:00

Luc's 11th Birthday - RockStar Style!

Luc was determined to start on off his 11th in tyle and a qucik call to Randy of Rod's Limos was just the ticket. The limo picked up Luc and his friends in fornt of the house and carried them in style (well...hanging out the windows and the moon roof) to WaHoos for a day of go-carts, laser tag and miniature golf.

Gary, Lauren and Ashley were there along with Lolo , Dori and I. I have to admit, it was a lot of fun. Afterwards we all came back to the house where the birthday boy and crew proceeded to laugh, giggle, run around and cause general mayhem until about 5:30 in the morning.

Luc got a .22Cal rifle from Lolo and Lola - something he has been wanting for some time. You can click here to see the rest of the pictures. All in all, I think Luc enjoyed the day.

2008: Mom's 70th Birthday Surprise Party (note: you can click the slideshow to go to the album)

2008-10-25T21:10:00.004-06:00

This surprise party was conceived by Dad almost 2 months before Mom’s birthday (October 25th). He commissioned Dori to plan and arrange the event so that it would remain a secret and therefore a surprise for Mom. Dori enlisted Marie’s help and together the two of them made all arrangements. My only part (Eugene) was to arrange for Tracy Christensen to provide entertainment and his big screen for the slide show and to create this slideshow. Marie arranged with Tim Andrea to also perform on guitar and for the Boise Fire Kittens, led by Karissa to do their fire spinning. Mr. and Mrs. Street arrived early to help with setup. I think we had about 50 guests or more and it looked like a good time was had by all.

Eugene Boyle (November 1st, 2008)

Would you let your kid do this?

2008-08-08T18:13:00.000-06:00

Try giving your kid a water rocket and let him jet off into the middle of the lake

It's nerve racking to say the least! That being said it took about 15 minutes for him to get the hang of it and pretty soon he was zipping all over the place.

First lake trip for 2008

2008-08-08T17:27:00.000-06:00

Chance shows that he can indeed walk on water!

Cody & Vicki (along with Cassidy & Tristan) invited us up to the lake. Chance was his usual cool self on the wakeboard. Luc got his first opportunity to to get on a jet ski and he took to it like he was born on it.

LUC the HERO!

2008-03-25T07:42:00.001-06:00

My dad sent me this clip from his on-going biography of my boys. It was a day and a series of long terrifying minutes for me that turned out well. I might return to this in the future and blog about some of the more personal aspects of this story. Luc was 8 yrs old at the time:

By: Howard Boyle

Eugene, Dori and family were on a campout at Lucky Peak and we (Mom and I) were invited to go up for a visit and for Father’s Day. When we arrived there (June 17, 2007) Eugene told us a story that sent shivers down my spine. Seems that the day before, (June 16, 2007) Eugene heard James, a friend of Luc’s who was along for the trip, screaming. He was in the water and flailing and at first, Eugene thought that James might be fooling around. Finally, Eugene realized that James was not fooling. Eugene also saw Luc swimming toward James. Luc was wearing a life jacket, James was not. However, when Luc reached James, James, in a panic mode, grabbed hold of Luc and because James was quite a bit heavier, was actually pulling Luc under. Eugene dove into the water and started for the boys, but suddenly developed shortness of breath and couldn’t get to them. A stranger standing nearby, dove into the water, reached the boys and grabbed hold of James. As soon as James let go of Luc, Luc was able to swim back to the shore. Eugene also swam back to the shore with the help of a preserver that Dori had thrown out to him. Perhaps because of smoking, or perhaps due to a panic situation, Eugene was unable to reach Luc. He was completely out of breath. Thankfully though, all turned out well and to all who heard the story, they realized, Luc was, and is, definitely a hero. I hope that Eugene will think very seriously about quitting smoking. We should all give thanks to God for the stranger who happened to be nearby

EugeBoy@Large getting started

2006-01-11T08:12:00.000-07:00

...more to come