20 September 2007

I’ll write this post later—the site is going down for maintenance, I guess.

It’s “later” now.  And boy is it unusual for Kyle to have already said pretty much everything I was gonna say!  So–there you have it. 

My picture is self-explanatory, and may seem a bit familiar.  Last November, when we were at a Stars game (again, due to the generosity of our friends), I took a photo of Kyle on his way to get beer.  It was a cool picture that I titled “Kyle Descending.”  So, I determined last night to take its counter-part.  The original one was better.  But, my goal was achieved nonetheless.  Which is more than I can say for the Stars. 

~MB

Tags: Daily

19 September 2007

Ahoy!  It’s International Talk Like a Pirate Day!  Arrrr!

Since long ago, I be proven as one tha’ can talk like a bloody pirate ’n’ even write like one, too—in honour o’ the day, I be doin’ it again, for ye.

Shiver me timbers, mate, these here fig-yers are mighty fine look-alikes for th’ legendary pirates Edward Teach–known best by the name o’ Blackbeard, ‘nd th’ beauty-full, bloodthirsty Miss Anne Bonny.  Pirate “akshun fig-yers” they call ‘em.  Not much akshun I be seein’ but I’m guessin’ you ken use yer ‘maginashun.  Fer shur, they each come with a blade o’ ther own.

These fig-yers ’r’ but a drop in th’ bucket o’ the choices o’ tasty pirate gear ‘nd games available from East Wind Games.  Ye ken find Pirate Playin’ Cards ‘n’ Pirate Coins ‘n’ Pirate Flags.  Ye ken find games like Dread Pirate, Captain’s Mistress, Skallywaggs ‘n’ a host o’ others. 

Didn’ mean fer this here post t’ b’come such a soapbox, but a Pirate lass has gotta share such handy tips wi’ them who might give a durn. 

In me enthusiasm t’ git a good pic-shur fer this here day, I also took some shots of a treasure of a mug we found a while back.  It’s wi’ whole-hearted admiration, I recommend the fine work of this talented artist.

Here’s hopin’ and wishin’ that yer “Talk Like a Pirate Day” was full o’ fun ‘n’ adventure, and that yer tankard’ll always be full o’ yer fav’rite frosty grog.  Yo ho!   Remember, this speshul Pirate Day comes but once a year!  Until the next 19th day of September, may yer seas be smooth!

Fair wind in yer sails!

~MB

Tags: Daily

19 September 2007
On my way into work this morning, I was running a little late, so I figured what the heck, I’ll add a couple more minutes, and I took a backroad that I don’t frequently travel. While driving that secluded section of Mossier Valley road in Ft. Worth, I spied an Historical Marker I’d never seen before. I took photos of it thinking, “this is cool, I can use this for my photo assignment, ‘In My Life’.” However, I didn’t because I liked this photo better:

This barbed wire fence was directly in front of the historical plaque and rendered nearly invisible by the weeds. Why is it that so frequently it’s the weeds that are prettiest in a garden? These bright yellow whatever-they-are caught the light just right and with the inclusion of the fencepost create a rich dichotomy I couldn’t pass. Ohhh, and the Champion’s League match between Arsenal and Sevilla just finished at the Emirates. The Arsenal won handily with 3 goals to the good by Fabregas, Van Persie & Eduardo. Up the Gunners!
Cheers.

~KR (19 September 2007)

Listening to:
A Sort of Homecoming by U2
on Wide Awake in America

Camera: Canon PowerShot S1 IS
Exposure: 0.004 sec (1/250)
Aperture: f/4.5
Focal Length: 16 mm
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Tags: Daily

19 September 2007
On my way into work this morning, I was running a little late, so I figured what the heck, I’ll add a couple more minutes, and I took a backroad that I don’t frequently travel. While driving that secluded section of Mossier Valley road in Ft. Worth, I spied an Historical Marker I’d never seen before. I took photos of it thinking, “this is cool, I can use this for my photo assignment, ‘In My Life’.” However, I didn’t because I liked this photo better:

This barbed wire fence was directly in front of the historical plaque and rendered nearly invisible by the weeds. Why is it that so frequently it’s the weeds that are prettiest in a garden? These bright yellow whatever-they-are caught the light just right and with the inclusion of the fencepost create a rich dichotomy I couldn’t pass. Ohhh, and the Champion’s League match between Arsenal and Sevilla just finished at the Emirates. The Arsenal won handily with 3 goals to the good by Fabregas, Van Persie & Eduardo. Up the Gunners!
Cheers.

~KR (19 September 2007)

Listening to:
A Sort of Homecoming by U2
on Wide Awake in America

Camera: Canon PowerShot S1 IS
Exposure: 0.004 sec (1/250)
Aperture: f/4.5
Focal Length: 16 mm
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Tags: Daily

18 September 2007
Construction. Everywhere, construction. I suppose it's a sign of a burgeoning economy and more middle-class growth. To me, it's an eye-sore and a further strain on an over-peopled area. But, there are certainly things that no construction zone should ever be without: a hydrant, a pile of dirt and an empty box.

This construction site is right next to my office building. So, I suppose it'll be good in that it'll offer a greater choice of food stuffs for lunch, more hotels for visiting travellers and a new gas station that will be far more convenient than either of the other two immediately available. Nonetheless, I could do without the constant construction & subsequent inconvenience.
Cheers.

~KR (18 September 2007)

Listening to:
I Hope You Meet Again by Saw Doctors
on If This Is Rock and Roll, I Want My Old Job Back

Camera: Canon PowerShot S1 IS
Exposure: 0.002 sec (1/640)
Aperture: f/4.5
Focal Length: 58 mm
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Tags: Construction, Daily, Work

17 September 2007
As you've likely gleaned, I work in Corporate America. I'm not always happy about it, but it does (kind of) pay the bills. And for the greater part I'm proud to be part of the company I work for. I work at the Headquarters of one of the largest (if not the largest) employer in North Texas. This photo is of the hall formed by the mass of cubicles directly outside of my cube.

I've no idea who that is that walked through the photo just as I pressed the shutter, but it speaks well. The headless, nameless almost etheral personage is pretty much the way most corporations see their employees. We're more a number than a name and are easily (and sometimes frequently) replaced. Ahh, the cubicle hall that is also my cubicle hell.
Cheers.

~KR (17 September 2007)

Listening to:
Blue Monday by Tanghetto
on La Mujer de Mi Hermano

Camera: Canon PowerShot S1 IS
Exposure: 0.2 sec (1/5)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Tags: architecture, Daily, Ft. Worth, Ghostly, Man-made, Movement, People, Texas, Work

18 September 2007

It seems we are experiencing a bit of relief from the Texas summer heat.  It was such a lovely morning here, today, that I was inspired to go outside and do some long overdue yardwork.  Of course, by 10 a.m. I was covered in dirt and sweat.  I guess it was a lovely morning because it was . . . morning.  

While I was working, I spotted this little guy!  I’m so pleased to see that we have baby Texas Horned Lizards, now.  I’ve seen two different ones for sure, so I’m hoping there are even more of them.   Once I had the camera outside to shoot that little fella, I decided to shoot a couple of other interesting things, as well.  They are on my flickr page.  The one I liked the best, is this one of the bee on the blue indigo plant.  I had just taken this shot of just some blooms on the plant itself, when I realized I had the company of this one little bee.  So, I followed him around for a while, and kept trying to get his picture.  The breeze kept the plant moving just enough, that it wasn’t easy to get a clear shot. 

Now, I’ve showered and I must deal with the problem of my dying laptop.  After the adventures this summer with the broken hinge, and finally having the offending part removed, I thought I was over the hump and would be able to coast for a few more months before needing a new machine.  Now, the sometimes finicky electrical connection between the power cord and the back of the laptop itself, has finally become almost completely useless.  Yesterday, I couldn’t get the laptop to use electricity at all.  This morning it worked for about five minutes.  I’m hoping for a repair, rather than a replacement right now, ’cause I really can’t afford a whole new computer!  But, we’ll see what some experts have to say. 

If anyone out there thinks he or she might have an idea of what I should do, please let me know!  I’ve grown far too used to having the laptop to go back to desktop only!  In fact, I’m starting to doubt the importance of the desktop computer in my life, at all!  (Except for right now, of course, while I’m forced to conserve the 80% of my laptop battery that remains!)

Whatever happened to computers making life more simple?

~MB

Tags: Daily

17 September 2006

I know we’re probably behind the times, but we discovered last night that “Monday Night Football” as we’ve always known it, is now a “cable channel” thing.  Kyle searched for it through the regular channels, and it’s just not there.  It now belongs to ESPN or some such.   That’s one of those things that always seemed like it would never change.  But, the corporatization of America continues to affect one aspect of our lives after another.  <sigh>

We have a satellite service; most folks have cable I guess.  Does everyone have one or the other, now?  Or is there a generation of kids now growing up without Monday Night Football on TV?

That only mattered, by the way, for the purposes of recording it to watch later.  For us—for this season, anyway—Monday Night Football will have a new meaning.  Kyle’s soccer team is scheduled to play Monday nights during their fall season.  I have missed so many games over the last couple of years.  I used to attend every one.  Now, my attendance seemed unusual.  I hope to change that.  As long as he loves playing; I love watching him play.

My photo is of the game tonight.  I contend that the team in the dayglo orange shirts has a leg up on almost any opponent just because their shirts are so bright that they are subliminally distracting.  Our team wears dark green, and totally blended into the pitch tonight.  I know the players said they could see each other, and I know that’s true.  But, I think subconsciously, the brighter colour is recognized by the eye first, and therefore puts the team wearing the duller colour at a disadvantage.  Hmmm . . . sports psychology by Marita Beth.

Anyway, I love the glow of the lights against the dark sky.  And that’s my hubby on the far right!

~MB

Tags: Daily

16 September 2007
Nearly caught up am I. This is my last photo of the sequence of "catching up." After a lazy day in which MB and I saw a movie, had lunch & went grocery shopping, it was bedtime before I realized I hadn't a photo to my day. I grabbed my trusty Canon and took this just before I turned off all the lights for a peaceful sleep.

The camera is resting on the hem of the shade with the focal point on the texture in the centre of the image. I tilted the camera just a little to get a corner-to-corner line with the seam. In truth, I kind of like it.
Cheers.

~KR (16 September 2007)

Listening to:
Black Hole Sun by Soundgarden
on Superunknown Camera:

Canon PowerShot S1 IS
Exposure: 0.067 sec (1/15)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Tags: Arlington, Daily, House, Man-made, Photography, Texas