This is a page that we'll keep updating more regularly than the others. The 'plan' is to upload recent pictures and recount the full stories. We hope you enjoy them!

SITES OF INTEREST & SITES OF FRIENDS...

Penn State School of Theatre- http://www.theatre.psu.edu (Stay tuned! Come visit us and see some of Michael's designs in the next three years!)

Breast Cancer Site- http://www.thebreastcancersite.com. (Only takes a second a day to change lives)

Animal Rescue Site- http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com (Add another second and change furry lives!)

Robert Anthony Jones- www.robertanthonyjones.com (This one is a STAR and it doesn't hurt that he has one of the biggest hearts around!)

Shawn Smith- http://www.shawnandrewsmith.com (A multi-talented singer/actor/technician and one of the best guys you'll ever meet!)

Jeremy Rolla- http://www.jlrlightingdesign.com (He'll light up your life! We promise.)

Devin Kelly- http://www.devinkelly.net/live/ (A tour peep of Angie's- this guy is always on and IN time!)

Robyn Lee- http://www.robynelizabethlee.com (Amazing pipes, amazing lady!)

* The Bernie Files

This is our dog, Bernstein (aka Bernie). We call him our 'Big-Headed Dog Child'. He looks weird because he's a German Shepherd/Basset Hound mix. He's the best dog in the world for us. He's highly intelligent, loving and just a bit on the spazzy side. 

He has a nasty habit of chewing shoes, and not just any shoes...Angie's shoes. And he doesn't chew pairs of shoes, he only chews one in each set?! Won't touch Michael's with a ten foot pole. Lucky Michael!

All this aside, Bernie is loyal and protective. Yes, he's a chicken as soon as a storm starts brewin', but he's earned his keep by being a great guard dog on several occasions! 

* Things to do in the 'Burgh (aka places we've checked out and highly recommend!)

 The Soldiers and Sailors Museum,  The Warhol Museum, The History Center (which is a fantastic center that you should plan on spending a whole day at), PNC Park (Home of the Pirates), and the Church Brew Works. Take a look at the menu!

* Pittsburghese.  Not just a dialect, it's an experience.

While my wife has come to love Pittsburgh, there is one aspect of it that makes her grit her teeth, clench her fists, and embark on a tirade of epoch proportions.  "Why do they talk like that?" she'll ask me.  "Don't they know how ridiculous they sound? YOU don't talk like that..."  (except when I've had a couple of Yuenglings, and I start dropping words like "dahn-tahn", and "Go Stillers!")  I've never been able to explain why the accent is what it is.  I know that my father, an English teacher, would smack me upside the head whenever I let a "yinze" slip out, which is why I usually don't sound like I'm from the SouSide or Moun Warshington (except when the aforementioned Yuengling is involved).  But I've done a little research, and here's some of the links that I've found to help explain the unique and colorful accent that is truly Pittsburgh.

http://www.pittsburghese.com/  This site offers a brief dictionary of Pittsburghese words, a translator, and vocal coaching for those wanting to sound like they were born with a Primanti Bros. sandwich in their hands and nursed from a bottle of I.C. Light.

http://english.cmu.edu/pittsburghspeech/index.html  Web page of Dr. Barbara Johnstone of Carnegie Mellon University.  She explains that the dialect is due to the diverse ethnic heritage of our city.  For those who are looking for a more academic explanation.  She also has many other links to other resources regarding American dialects.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittsburgh_English  The Wikipedia entry on "Pittsburgh English".  No, seriously.