Self Portrait, Late March 2013

Cheer Up, Sleepy Jean

This week is my wife's Spring Break. Today we picked up the girls from school, and, on our way to Stone Mountain for the afternoon, we stopped at Moe's for lunch.

As we sat there eating our burritos and tacos, "Daydream Believer" by the Monkees came on, and I suddenly found it incredibly sad that Davy Jones is no longer with us, and sadder still that I am no longer a ten year old boy just home from school and settling down in front of the television to watch the afternoon reruns of "The Monkees" on Channel 17.

Cheer up, sleepy Jean, indeed.

Happy Birthday, Mister Rogers

When I was a little boy, Mister Rogers encouraged me to be creative and curious and patient and kind. That encouragement was a wonderful gift to give a sensitive little boy. But of course, it wasn't for me alone; it was a gift he gave to many millions of people over the thirty-five year run of his PBS TV show.

Those of us who watched him every day when we were four or five or six are unquestionably better off for his influence; for his absence, the world is unquestionably poorer.

Had he lived, he would have turned eighty-five years old today. I'll be wearing a red sweater in his honor.

Reminders of the Corporate Life

More than 15 years ago, when I still worked in the corporate world, I was given this business card holder/clock as an "Attaboy!" for some work I did on a project:

Now that I've been out of the corporate world for almost a decade, and haven't worked full time in that long, too, these little reminders of my former life mean a lot more to me than I thought they would. Much to my own surprise, I find I miss my working life more than I expected.

When the girls are both in school I plan to go back to work doing something at least somewhat like what I used to do; I find myself looking forward to that. (However, I wouldn't trade my time as a stay-at-home dad for anything. It has been the most wonderful, the most sacred--and yes, the most frustrating and challenging--experience I can imagine.)

Monticello, GA

I went on a little drive today to take some pictures, and ended up in Monticello, about fifty miles from where I live. I found some wonderful colors and shapes and textures to capture.

Still Lifes: Flower and Polished Stones

Edward Weston had his shells and peppers; I've got my Dollar Store fake flowers and polished stones. Here are five images I made of them tonight:

Uncle Norbert's Clock

On our mantle sits a late nineteenth or early twentieth century Ingraham clock that belonged to my wife's late Uncle Norbert. This is a photographic study of it I made last night after everyone else had gone to bed:

Showcase Piedmont Park Field Trip

I've been taking a class at the Showcase School of Photography in Atlanta. (It's great, by the way. I recommend the Showcase School highly.) Last Saturday, exactly a week ago as I type this, we met at Piedmont Park, instead of at the classroom off of Cheshire Bridge, to do some actual photography.

On trips such as this, what I find I enjoy the most is taking pictures of the other photographers taking pictures, so here are a dozen of my "Photographers Photographing" portraits:

Most of the other participants brought their own models--family and/or friends--but I didn't think my girls were up to it (plus my wife had a bridal shower to go to that afternoon, and I thought going to Piedmont Park that morning would be a bit much for her that day). I got some good pictures of the other photographers' models, but I also got some good pictures of random people who just happened to be at the park:

My Sister's Antiques: Details

When I have the time, I love to putter about in antique stores, especially those in small towns. That's what this post is about.

Today I went to My Sister's Antiques in downtown Loganville, just two or three miles from my house. I'd gone there over the weekend and was returning to buy a Kodak Starmite camera that's a couple of years older than me, and also to look around some more (it's a great store).

I had my (contemporary) camera with me, and they were kind enough to allow me to take some pictures while I wandered around. Here are some of my favorite details from the store: