Content Preview: rss
56 days ago
Since Mom's away in Italy with Joe, I told her I'd take some pictures of her orchids if they bloomed. Well, they did :) Here's an album with some Orchid pictures. They have been touched up a little, but they're really pretty :) http://cid-d2ad83b102d2854d.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/2009%20-%20October%20-%20Mom%5E4s%20Orchids
76 days ago
That's right, I've thrown caution to the wind and I've become a child-discipline specialist. The best part? No credentials, expectations, or results. I just beat children. And no more messy paperwork! I understand that part of the educational reform programs currently being enacted not only permit, but encourage corporal punishment. Now there are some logistical issues to this point. I don't have a formal place of business yet - the institution is currently under construction (permits for 'variety fetish' seem to be particularly difficult to get) - so, for now, I'm just driving around in my full-sized van with tinted windows, soliciting parents to let me take their child inside to discipline without the invasion of privacy that could result from a public session. Update! I just got word from the Czar of Early-Mid Childhood development than the new Obama-care program will subsidize my sections, classes and sessions with no pre-authorization. While pricing for now is an ad ...
117 days ago
I posted a new set of photos today. It's taken at Discovery Park at Sunset (as the name implies). Something new here - I've incorporated some new techniques, both in photography and in post processing (Adobe Lightroom is a fantastic new toy - I'd love to buy it someday). There are a lot of shots that appear to be of the same thing. There are differences in composition and timing (notice the sun) and I originally took over 200 shots - so you're just getting the very few I decided to keep. http://cid-d2ad83b102d2854d.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/2009%20-%20July%20-%20Discovery%20Park%20Sunset So a little discussion of why Adobe's Lightroom is so cool: First, you can modify your histogram and any other settings on one image and apply the same modifications to other images, by copying and pasting the applied effects - that is fantastic for standarizing color affectations (I didn't do that on all those images - they are almost all hand-modified). This means that if you take ...
135 days ago
Today is a special day. An anniversary, actually. Four months have now elapsed since I became unemployed. What a four months it has been, really. I could have, and have by many accounts, done next to nothing. By my own measure, it and the preceding period have provided a wealth of experience. I don’t think anyone would be surprised to find out I hoped to have found work by now. However, some of you may be surprised to find out that in fact, I expected that it would be about now that I would be writing this email or something like it. Here’s the short. I’m coming back. I’m leaving Washington and moving back to California to seek refuge at home, to enjoy the company of my family and friends, to have a place where I can rely on the support of others. Not out of necessity – I could find some work here if I wanted and, in fact, I could even sustain myself on it. If I were really to be honest to myself, I could have found work three months ago. Maybe ...
149 days ago
And now for the closing of my California trip travelogue: A late night of Sushi and sake did not prevent an early morning on Sunday - we were up and ambitious as we had a big day ahead of us. I had been told in advance that I was going to 'get the opportunity' to join my sister and Chris for "Lindy in the Park" which apparently happens every Sunday in Golden Gate Park. They've been involved with Lindy Hop classes for some months now andit seems they're really getting into the scene. It's really pretty cool. Golden Gate Park is a wonderful urban park and the beautiful weather of a Sunday morning meant the park was busy: people biking, walking, running, skating, picnicking, singing, panhandling, playing. It was a busy Sunday at the park and that was really cool - I love seeing people out and about. So... Lindy in the Park. For 30 minutes, I got to take public lessons swing dancing with about 100 new friends. It's really amazing - people just show up ...
