Upgrades to My Camera Phone Media

I've made the final adjustment to my camera phone connection, and I can now upload photos directly to either the BDL Blog here, the BDL Newsroom - my official photojournalism site, or the Mobile Media Files page. These files will look a bit different, as it is now the actual album hosted by T-Mobile, where you can find a series of miscellaneous pics and video clips.

Revisiting Gilman

AJ Downs, Carey Woodward,
Reg Harris and me.

Originally uploaded by bdlyles.

This Saturday is Family Day at Gilman School, and this year I'll be visiting as the old Upper School building, now known as Carey Hall, is preparing to undergo an extensive renovation. It's a $35 million improvement plan for this part of the campus that also includes a new student center, replacing and expanding a 1970's addition. Since I graduated back in 1980, the campus has already replaced the Middle and Lower School buildings, among other construction projects, but the campus' original building has remained the same (unairconditioned) piece of living history. It was built in 1910 for 175 students and 12 faculty members, but today it holds 400 students and 64 faculty.

Just a few months ago, fellow grad Reggie Harris ('78) and I had lunch with more living history from Gilman School - former faculty members A. J. Downs and Carey Woodward.

My First Oxygen Bar

me at oxygen bar
Originally uploaded by bdlyles.

Yes. It's me, hooked up to oxygen. But it's not what you think. I'm seen here experiencing my first oxygen bar, at the Genesis HealthCare Leadership Conference at the Westfields Marriott in Chantilly, Virginia. For those of you who don't know, an oxygen bar is a form of in-your-nose aromatherapy... You hook yourself up to any of the scents available. "Sex on the Beach" was one of the more popular scents with this group yesterday.

Today I opted for the winery trip to two Virginia vineyards: Piedmont and Swedenburg. Other group activities were a golf outing, a trip to the Manassas civil war battlefield, and a tour of the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center (which was a very close second on my list!) By the way, we also has some business sessions too, including a presentation by Christopher Jennings, Senior Health Policy Advisor to President Clinton, and Dr. David Gifford, Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health. About 150 senior leaders from the Northeast, Central and Southern regions of Genesis are here in attendance.