the photine blog

MP16: Art Car Reflections

Art Cars are a reflection self portrait paradise. Reflections, mirrors and glass everywhere.

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Caught!

I can't believe I did it, but I did! I caught up with Battlestar Galactica. I started watching the series more than a year ago using Netflix, but I wasn't in any big hurry. Then there was the long gap after season 3 and I figured that would be a really good time to catch up, but I just didn't feel an urgency since the season 3 discs weren't out and the series wasn't picking back up until April. And then all of a sudden everything came to a head. The series started up again, the DVDs came out for season 3 and it was getting much harder to avoid spoilers as evidenced by my trip to the doctor.

I started recording season 4 on my DVR and made a concerted effort the last few weeks. This all would have been much easier if NBC hadn't pulled shows off of iTunes. I would have happily paid NBC money to buy those shows. I had accidentally deleted the first episode of season 4 so I knew I was going to have to look online for that episode. It occurred to me today that I could get caught up today if I found a good internet source for the few episodes I didn't have on disc or DVR and that's just what I did.

I used a combination of Netflix, internet and DVR to watch about 14 episodes. Definitely mainlining as Michael from Slice of Sci Fi calls it. A long day, but I feel a great freedom now. No worries about spoilers. Now I can read articles without fear, listen to podcasts without skipping sections and even go to watch parties. Not that I would go to parties, but I *could*. It feels great. Next up: Heroes and Firefly.

Mark My Words

Onesome: Mark--ing devices? What do you use to mark things up around the house, school, work, wherever? Does the Sharpie rule? ...or do you believe in the sanctity of the pencil ?

I use Sharpies when I need a marker and pens when I need to sign officially or write a check, but otherwise I prefer a pencil. I like something about the feel of it when I'm writing, the scratching on the paper, and for someone as fussy as I am, the eraser! My favorite pencils are Papermate Clicksters. I picked up a package at the grocery store once and have had a supply ever since. Although it is hard sometimes to find a supply because Office Depot doesn't carry them.

Twosome: "My-- day starts off best when I......" I'll let you fill in the blank at your place!

Have time to slowly wake up. I need time to check email, surf the web, blink at the TV and let the brain slowly "boot up." I feel considerably more harassed throughout the day when I have this wake up time.

Threesome: Words-- of a feather clump together? Nah, but hey: what word pairings do you use routinely? Are you into alliteration? ...pithy comments? 'Down home' sayings? Give it up for Thursday!

I try for pithy comments with a little Texas phraseology thrown in now and again. I'm not sure how successful I am in either category.

How about you? When you're ready, post your answers in your own space, and leave a comment here so we can find you!

Tears

The 8th graders sing a goodbye song every year at the end of my spring concert. Usually at some point in the weeks before the concert, I start crying while we are rehearsing as I look out at the faces that I have known for the past three years. Funny thing is this year I just haven't felt it. I'm sure it will come Tuesday night at the concert, but I've been fine in class and today I actually wondered if I would make it through the whole process without crying.

Then I went to the high school choir concert. As part of the choreography of one of the choir's selections, the seniors left the group to stand on one side of the stage. It was very moving as I looked at that group of kids that I've known since they were 11 years old and that's when the waterworks started (magnified by a slideshow at the end of all the graduating seniors). This class is one of the first ones that really got close to us, a group that really cared about being in choir, and I am so very proud of them.

And now I wonder what will happen tomorrow at school. Will I cry during the goodbye song? Has a crack appeared in the wall? We shall see.

Dream Hangover

I have a dream hangover. Every once in a long while I will have a dream with a mystery man, never someone I know, that is so real I have a dream hangover for a few hours after I wake up. I know the brain must be playing a part in activating nerve endings because every touch feels so real. These particular dreams are always so sensual. It is usually passing touches, the kind of thing that a couple may do in public so as not to have "get a room" shouted at them, but to make a connection. That constant need to touch, hold hands, fleeting glances, light brushes. Thinking back to my most intense relationship, touch was a very big part of it (he spoiled me for anyone else I think). And then there is always the moment where I start swimming to consciousness and no matter how much I fight it I can't stop. Then I'm awake and want nothing more but to go back to sleep to my dream man, but once I've come awake he never comes back and only exists in my fleeting memories.

Art Car Memorial

Originally uploaded by Delta Niner.

I think one of the reasons that so many people are feeling a connection to the death of Tom Jones, curator of the Art Car museum, even though they may not have known him, is because of the special feelings we all have for the Art Car parade.

We were all on an Art Car high from the wonderful day that was Art Car Saturday and it ended so sadly and so senselessly. This photo was taken by someone who knew Tom and I think it is extremely moving with the memorial, the RIP, the posture of the person and the wonderful art car lighting the scene.

Snippets

Brain dump! Brain dump! Brain dump!

This is sad.

The hat from iFest may not be viable. It has a canvas crown and my head feels really hot under there. I used a different hat today and I think that one is better.

There was nothing restful about this weekend. Friday I was hot all day at Splashtown. Saturday I was hot all day at Art Car festivities and Sunday I was hot part of the day with a Heights walking tour.

Hey, it's hot!

Saturday rocked anyway because I got to spend it with Randy!

I got a new lens and I think I may love it. I haven't looked at the photos yet so I'll let you know. This is my first real lens purchase because I'm way too poor to be a photographer. What the hell was I thinking taking up this hobby.

This has made me sad. I don't know if I'm going to be able to make it through gracefully when I am faced with the same issues. And I wish I wouldn't think about it.

Going to use the rest of my rebate to get a laptop bag. Want another lens, but I actually need a bag for my new Macbook.

I always told myself in my head that I would be more aggressive about my photography once I got this lens which should shoot well in low light. Now's the time. Let's see if I follow through on my random thoughts.

Wish I could live in a sweet little Heights bungalow.

Reading Inkheart and looking forward to The Eyre Affair and Here There Be Dragons. Getting on a reading kick just in time for summer. Awesome.

My apartment is shameful.

Way behind on emails. I'll catch up soon (I hope!)

Flickr and The Crab

This sculpture has special Flickr significance for me and I think about it every time I see it. Set the wayback machine to June 2005 (ok... not THAT way back). I had a photo of Alexander Calder's "The Crab" on my photoblog and a professor in Ireland contacted me asking to use it on his educational blog (wish I could find the link). I agreed and as a thank you he sent me an invite to this thing called Flickr. I signed up right away, looked around, uploaded 3 photos and then didn't use it again.

Jump ahead to January of 2006 when I needed to find a better way for members to share photos at the Houston Photobloggers website and I decided to use Flickr. I had to dig in and learn all about it so I could manage the group and I remember clearly thinking at the time that I would only be on there to manage the photobloggers group. Otherwise, I just didn't get Flickr.

My how things have changed. I have a tumultuous relationship with Flickr sometimes, trying to find a way to balance Flickr with my photoblog and learning to interact with the people who congregate there (especially hard for someone who until a few years ago didn't really interact with anybody). So I still curse Flickr one day and totally adore it the next. I wish I could thank that professor. Little did he know how that simple invitation would have such a significant impact on who I am today.

MP15: One day blurs into another

It's been a long week in a string of long weeks. The end of the school year is always a hectic time. When I came back from spring break I sat down and made a separate checklist for every activity that we had between March and the end of the school year. Once I was done I had 11 sheets of paper full of things to do. Above that I put the giant number 10 as a countdown for how many weeks we had left in school. I should have taken a picture of it; it was quite an impressive sight. It stopped people in their tracks when they came into my office. Now we are on week 4, soon to be week 3, and the sheets are starting to come off the wall at an accelerated rate.

It is a good feeling, but being organized doesn't stop me from having long, late nights like I did tonight (left work at 8 pm) or having weeks like this week where I had something every single day after school and a big field trip tomorrow. Every day blurs into the next, all one long march to the last day of the school year. Between now and that beautiful day I have two major field trips, a competition, a performance, two rehearsals, a concert, a party where the kids will throw a pie at me, end of year grades and district inventory inspection. All in the next threeish weeks.

This is my office. My reflection is in the glass from my window that looks out into the choir room. You can see bits and pieces from the room like the flag and the column of light near my face which is actually a door across my room that opens to a hallway. Click the photo to see some notes I've added on the Flickr page.

Ships Passing at Night

Ships Passing at Night
Originally uploaded by OneEighteen.

There are a few photographers on Flickr whose work amazes me shot, after shot, after shot and One Eighteen is one of them. Just look at this photo. It is wonderful as are many of the photos in his stream. Make sure to click through to see a larger version.