There is water at the bottom of the ocean

And You May Ask Yourself

What Is That Beautiful House?

And You May Ask Yourself
Where Does That Highway Go?
And You May Ask Yourself
Am I Right?...Am I Wrong?
And You May Tell YourselfMY GOD!...WHAT HAVE I DONE?

So I got these pictures actually on the computer. Touched them up. Even had them loaded up for a blog post. 


It only took me a week to get the rest done. I don't know what might have kept me from finishing (finding a job, baby proofing a house, preparing for a long trip, excuses excuses). 


I've been reading The Nerdist Way by Chris Hardwick  and it's great! I got turned on to Hardwick's podcast The Nerdist last year when things were going a bit rough and it really cheered up my day to listen to him and co-hosts Jonah Ray and Matt Mira interviewing comedians or just joking around. Since then Hardwick has grown his podcast empire and in November his book came out. It's a self improvement book for the nerdy creative types. There's a certain way of thinking that it addresses and helps to avoid pitfalls and helps turn them into opportunities. I like Hardwick (I even liked him on Singled Out) and appreciate his sincerity and the fact that he's worked hard and overcome adversity. 


One of the things he has you do in the book is declare a word for your year, so here's mine:


Positivity

Definition- the quality of being encouraging or promising of a successful outcome

I'm going with that one over the alternate - an amount great than zero


Of course now that I've written all that I can't remember if that's actually in the book or not, but if it isn't, feel free to use it for the sequel Chris.

Help me find my way

Now you caught my heart for the evening
Kissed my cheek, moved in, you confuse things
Should I just sit out or come harder?
Help me find my way


A Tribe Called Quest: Find a Way


Well I would like to blame the hiatus on posting on the laptop being in the shop. Of course I would be lying in saying that. I haven't really been taking pictures recently is the more honest answer. I could give a list of excuses and some of them would be legitimate (finding a job, preparing for a child, planning travel to Africa, The Walking Dead season restarted... ok maybe not that last one). I think though the more real answer is related to personal discipline. It's one thing to take photos and then not upload and retouch them. It's a whole nother to just straight up not take photos. 


So I'm trying some thing different. I thought I would go back to basics and do all manual. Thing is that's a bit harder with a digital camera that wants to do all the work for you. That sounds a bit weird to say, but I think it's true. Taking a picture with my OM-1 means twisting a couple rings on the lens until the light meter is in balance (never mind that there is a lot going on there), it's pretty intuitive in my mind. The end result doesn't arrive until much later so there's no second guessing the process. How do I get to that state of mind?


Well here's my current attempt. Turning up the ISO to 1600 and simply making things black and white, only fiddling with contrast and exposure on the computer. The goal is to stop thinking and making excuses. Front end is easier, back end is easier. 


More photos less excuses

i will follow a set of deep tracks

i will follow a set of deep tracks
other people all stay hidden
as the cars rest under snow drifts

so clearly the dark sky
appears framed by cables
so clearly your breath's white
as you struggle to tell

that the people we have become
still lay awake hoping to hear airwaves
say snow day 

Matt Pond PA: Snow Day


We are finally recovering from the snow... and the ice.. and the wind.


There are still a lot of trees down and now a lot of stumps. 


The wiener dogs are certainly glad that they don't have to wade through the snow. 


We had a couple of great days of sun though that cleansed the pallet. 

Winter's cold, it's too much too handle

In December, drinkin horchata
I'd look psychotic in a balaclava
Winter's cold, it's too much to handle
Pincher crabs that pinch at your sandals
Years go by and hearts start to harden
Those palms and firs that grew in your garden
Are falling down and nearing the rose beds
The roots are shooting up through the tool shed
Those lips and teeth that asked how my day went
Are shouting up through cracks in the pavement

Here comes a feeling you thought you'd forgotten
Chairs to sit and sidewalks to walk on
Oh you had it but oh no you lost it
You understood so you shouldn't have fought it


Vampire Weekend: Horchata


Pictures from before the storm. 


When we only had an inch of snow.

And we still had power.


But we have power back now.

It's familiar, but not too familiar

It's familiar, but not too familiar
But not too not familiar
It's a new craze


Hey good girls do you wanna?
Just say, "Hey I wanna"
Just say, "Hey I wanna"


It's a departure


The Long Winters: (It's a) Departure


We visited our friends Jamie and Riley recently. It was good to cut loose. To be care free. Things are going to change soon so we got to enjoy and appreciate it while we can.


On a slightly different note I want to make a recommendation.


Check out My Brother, My Brother and Me.


It's a podcast by the three McElroy Brothers on the Maximum Fun network. "An advice show for the modern era" but you should never follow their advice. 


What's it like? Well here's a sample:
MBMBAM

It's funny. So are the rest of the podcasts at Maximum Fun.


Kiss your dad square on the lips. (Check out MBMBAM and you'll understand that)

Nothings ever promised tomorrow today

Uh, And I heard 'em say, nothin ever promised tomorrow today.
And I heard 'em say, nothin ever promised tomorrow today.
Nothing's ever promised tomorrow today
But we'll find a way
And nothing lasts forever but be honest babe, it hurts but it may be the only way
Kanye West: Heard 'Em Say


Yeah, I'll admit it. I like Kanye quite a bit. I think there are better MCs and he's kind of a crazy ass to say the least, but I still like a lot of his music (with the exception of 808s and Heartbreaks).

Anyways, on New Year's Day we went to the beach at Ocean Shores. It's a cold and windy affair, but a day at the beach is still a day at the beach. The dogs certainly had a good time.

Poppin' Champagne

We flying the first class
Up in the sky
Poppin' champagne
Livin' the life
In the fast lane
And I wont change
By the Glamorous, oh the flossy flossy

Fergie: Glamorous

Yes, I quoted Fergie. I'm comfortable with myself enough to do that. Are you?

It's a new year. We set goals for ourselves or resolutions as their more often called. But let's be honest how often are those goals driven by the need to better ourselves and how often are they driven by the guilt of what could have been the year before. Part of me feels that way right now, but that's not how I want to be.

Right now I'm looking at the year ahead and thinking of what I want to do and want to accomplish.

In no particular order:

Get a new job (I don't entirely have a choice in this one)
Get in good enough shape to get chased by zombies (in http://runforyourlives.com/)
Take my dogs on more walks
Post photos more often
Patience