Away
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This scene seemed a bit more appealing than my actual day of sitting behind the glow of two monitors struggling to get caught up on a backlog of work before the weekend.
:)
Orange Beach, Alabama
Orange Beach, Alabama
Orange Beach, Alabama
All Work and No Play
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As a change of pace, I thought I'd let you guys in on one of my latest projects that has been a real trip down memory lane.
Dumb luck led me to a lead on this 1992 Data East Star Wars Pinball machine. A very nice medical professional in Daphne was cleaning out his storage unit and sold it to me for a deal.
I bought it without even seeing it. I'd been looking for this particular machine for over a year. Had found them but boy were they pricey.
When I did meet him up, he fired up the machine with a generator in his storage unit. All the major stuff worked, it just needed a little TLC. So, I ordered a bunch of parts and last weekend, knowing very little about pinball, I stripped all of the plastics from the machine, cleaned them, cleaned the playfield and waxed it, then proceeding to replacing every single lightbulb in the machine with new, LED's that will (mostly) never go out and will reduce heat on the machine.
I gained new respect for the techs in the 90's that did this for a living. The overall project took an entire Saturday but the result is pretty awesome, in a nerdy way. :)
At any rate, this machine should get another 20 years of play if all goes well! I guess, they really don't make them like they used to.
(Literally. As far as I know, only one pinball manufacturer remains in business today.
State of Decay
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..one of my first shots done with a Nokia Lumia 1020. I'll post more on this phone soon!
Perseid Meteor Shower
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The big camera and I spent a little time in the back yard after midnight watching the meteor shower. I saw only a handful of streaks and shooting stars during the event. It could be that we were not in the most ideal location or the wrong times. At any rate, the shutter happened to be open for this one, so I thought I'd share.
Bayside Illumination
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The quiet nights like this one on the bay, give a person a good opportunity to reflect. On this particular night I was thinking alot about my career and the industries that I'm part of.
I thought alot about how I use photography as an escape from software development / IT work. It isn't that I don't enjoy that work but I think it is a way to prevent or delay my inevitable burn out.
For instance, I'd like to have been in a position to lead a small team of developers, by now. Either as part of my own company or as an IT department. That hasn't panned out; but when I really dig deep and think about it:
I'm way happier than all of the managers I know.
So, maybe being the awkward, technical dba, programmer, mobile developer guy that is a 'doer for hire' isn't so bad so long as it affords me the ability to be a good dad and husband along the way.
...Then I think about photography...If I were to quit IT work tomorrow, could I make a full time go of photography? (And what would THAT look like?) Would it be portraiture? Continued adventures in "photography art"?
... It seems in photography, the really-super-successful folks on the national stage are making their piles of cash from photography education. Trey Ratcliff, Scott Kelby and his team, there are dozens of others. All great / no / world-class photographers who found more of a market in selling the secrets of their trade than the fruit from the trade itself...
So maybe this imagined Bill Photography Inc would be something along those lines. Training of some sort.
Which let me to this revelation.. Don't sweat posting a photo-a-day like those guys. Post a photo when you have one. 365-projects are all well and good and fun and challenging. But, the 24 hour "keep viewers engaged" shouldn't weigh more than "creating images you're happy with."
I look back in my own body of work and I've seen so many examples of things I've put out that I'm not happy with today, in terms of finished quality. Some, because my skill has grown or my tastes have changed. Some, because I felt the invisible pressure of the clock.
"Gotta get a post up today! umm.. Here's a rock. Click. Add a filter. Save. Upload!!"
Screw the clock. Post as many or as little as your work calls for and as fits your desired sharing exposure!
Headed Out
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You should do this.
www.sailthedaedalus.com
Gone Sailing..
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I couldn't think of a much better way to cap off the summer than with an afternoon sailing cruise with the family. This trip makes me miss my old boat. Hurricane season, snaps me back to the reality that I really don't have time to manage a boat right now.
The captain and mate of The Daedalus, didn't disappoint. Everyone had a great time! I'll commit to a longer post later this week. In the meantime, check them out at http://www.sailthedaedalus.com/sunset-cruises/ and book a sail cruise -- you won't regret it!
I'd rather be...
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Sorry, world of programming... My heart's not in it today. I'd totally rather be HERE. ;)
Say Cheeese!!!
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My Cheesy Boy On board the Disney Dream :)
The Aqua Ducky Derby
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One of the cool things about our cruise in early summer, was this thing they called "The Aqua Ducky Derby". We were there for the "1st one, ever"
Basically, kids (big and little) would buy one of these little rubber ...ducks for some nominal amount ($5/ i think) and then come at an appointed time to decorate their duck. Then on the last full day at sea, they raced them down the boat's water slide (The AquaDuck - named thusly) The proceeds went to, Make-A-Wish.
Here Jena played with her Ducky during the decorating sessioin..
The Mystery of Steak (and Restaurants)
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I freely admit that I know nothing about the food industry, except that I'm well-fed.. Still, I've sometimes considered that my third (or fourth) career might be a restaurant. I'd probably just work the bar of the restaurant, serving drinks and listening to the patrons. Seems like a great place to take the pulse of a situation. As managers walk around and ask "how was everything", most polite people feel inclined to not answer with constructive criticism. The often-less polite lubricated souls at the bar are more likely to tell a resaurant prioprietor that their steak tastes like an old shoe or their tea jug is turning sour.
(Well, they probably wouldn't be drinking Tea but you catch my drift)
It is surprising to me, though just how often steaks at restaurants are a disappointment. Even from the high dollar steakhouses. Some are decent but most will agree, the real steaks, the good ones -- are being made at home on the grill. In fact, I'd venture to guess that most people feel that way. The steaks that their spouse make are better than anything they could get at the store or even some friend's house.
When I first visited my grandpa in Indiana after having moved off on my own, I remember one day he offered to cook us a steak. My wife had already impressed upon me that my way of making steaks was the uber-best-est of all and I was anxious to impress upon this father-figure from my life with my newfound culinary mastery of the art of steak. So, I was somewhat amazed to watch him throw a frozen-solid steak onto a grill with little preparation, no marinate and very little seasoning at all.
The result was a pretty awesome steak. But, I still thought my way was better. Since those early years in marriage we've had multiple groups of friends over for steak and more than you'd think go to the trouble to bring their own meat, marinated or seasoned in their own way with their own toppings. Some, because they may feel bad about you "buying them a steak" and others because they want the control. Because, in a BYOS (bring your own steak) situation this is what you do. You can't leave such an important thing to chance! Will they season it correctly at Bill's house? What about the fire, will it be wood or charcoal or gas? Toppings? Will they have mushrooms and onions or fried potatoes or what??
:)
…and that's just it. When it comes to a steak, the preparation is such a subjective thing that everyone feels they have it figured out. and everyone does have it figured out.. the steak THEY like.
… Try it.. Mention to a coworker about an amazing steak recipe you have and watch them shut you down, then fire back with their own preparation method. I'm serious! It's a thing..
Some like them marinated, some like them rubbed, sometimes both. On a grill, in a pan, blackened or rare, topped or un-topped, I'm telling you -- everyone is a steak expert.
A Steaxpert? ummm.. anyway..
So, restaurants continue on with their uninspired, boring, middle-of-the-road Goldilocks steaks. Not over seasoned, not under seasoned… just something safe, for the masses.
and that's why you prefer steaks at home.
Some restaurant owners are more about the gimmick than the food. Tilman Fertitta of Landry's comes to mind. You get some very ruby-tuesdays, almost-frozen-food college-grade food with decent service but a neat atmosphere. Mr. Fertitta has been quoted as saying, paraphrased, "it isn't about the food…"
He's right. You put an animatronic dinosaur near the table, it isn't about the food at all. It's about the environment. Will we go back to a Rainforest or T-Rex Cafe on our next trip to Disney? You bet! Do I remember anything from the menu? Only that the steak was like what you would expect from a Waffle House.
But, hey, Tilman's a billionaire so he's got to be onto something, right?
Enter my idea for a restaurant. Here it is, public domain, do what you will with it, just call me on opening night so I can come check it out.
Let me paint a scenario for you. A single guy, second or third date with this lady and they have tons in common. They've hit it off. He's a pretty good cook and he'd like to prove it. But, inviting to the house has all of those awkward coming-on-to-strong overtones, right?
So, you make your reservation at Restaurant and build your steak, online. Pick some meat, pick some marinate or seasoning, pick the cooking method, optional toppings, sides, a nice bottle of wine and save it as a custom menu item for your reservation. Now, as you are at the restaurant and you want to impress upon her that your steak is the most amazing thing since cows were invented - the restaurant's table has a multiple-touch menu that is built into the table (in an elegant way). Your steak is on her list of options. She doesn't have to order it but there it is, just for her.. Proof you know how make a steak, if she so chooses to choose it. Plus, maybe she'll surprise him with her own style of cooking :)
I like the multi touch desktop as a restaurant gimmick b/c it solves a problem for me. I get to order exactly what I want, from a machine. It isn't me, being too picky as I communicate with a server. My drink's empty? I click an icon, while our conversation continues. No need to "flag down the waitress", which always seems awkward.
I could carry this on to many other scenarios but I'll leave you with mine from this evening. I'd been working in the yard, I was tired, really wanted a steak since I'd burned a billion calories putting out rock and mulch. if I could have bought "my steak" somewhere, already cooked… You bet your ass I would have.
Instead, I cooked the one pictured here :)
I'll leave you with some steak and steak-prep "recipes" I like. Feel free to add your own in comments!
When you want a marinated Pretty Dang Good Ribeye
Marinate your favorite cut of meat (for this one, usually ribeye) in a mixture of Dales or Moores Marinade, a Splash of Brandy and equal portion of whatever wine or beer you plan to have with the meal. Because you are diluting the Dales/ Moores it won't be so salty but it will need longer than 30 mins in most cases to marinade. Watch it, pull from them marinade based on color. Darker == More Marinate Flavor.
Pull the steaks and let them rest, poor the marinate in a pot. Add a stick of butter and another portion of beer or wine, as needed to cover 1 or 2 sweet onions and a package of baby bella mushrooms. Bring it to a boil, as the onions start to brown from the marinate mixture (as they get soft) dump the marinate and finish "grilling" the mushrooms and onions in the bottom of the pot minus the marinade.
Dad's Fried Potatoes:
Cut up some red potatoes, skin on, into small cubes, Add 1-2 sweet onions cut similarly and fry with some olive oil and a few pads of butter, adding Mckormic italian Blend Seasoning and Lawry's Garlic Salt.
Grill the steak (I prefer a ceramic grill) to your choice temperature and enjoy :)
(Fair warning: your kitchen will smell like onion, garlic and button for about 24 hours. It is nice at first but gets old a few hours after the meal)
For the steak pictured here, I didn't want or have time for marinading so I went a different route.
Your local butcher sells a crust called Char-Crust. http://lmgtfy.com/?q=char+crust Toss around a Filet or NY Strip until the crust is completely covered. Sometimes it is good to coat the steak in Olive Oil First, then toss it around to completely cover it. Just know the olive oil will make the steak cook faster.
Get a cast iron skillet that will only be used for this.. (b/c of seasoning) and put it, coated in olive oil, in the stove and preheat it all at 500 degrees. When the stove gets to temperature, toss on your crusted steak with a mixture of olive oil, butter, a splash of wine and brandy. Flip it halfway (top if you like that sort of thing) and finish cooking.
In a pinch, it'll do nicely, especially if you were a photographer / programmer / tired-from-yard-work looking for material for a blog post whilst yielding a killer appetite..:)
Power of Photography Show Results
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I ran out this afternoon to pick up my submissions for the Wide Angle Photo Club's Power of Photography Show. It gave me a chance to briefly walk around and take in everyone's submissions.
WOW. I was floored. What a great collection of talent was on display at the Pensacola Museum of Art for this show!!
I even looked through the pile of those photos that were not judged into the show. Absolutely jaw-dropping stuff both hanging on display and in those boxes! It was really both humbling and inspiring to see the great photography we have being produced right here on the Gulf Coast.
First photography contest I've ever entered (minus the Smithsonian).. So, how did I do? Honestly, I didn't even expect to get past the judging into the show. I was surprised to find that of the 9 prints I submitted, 4 were judged into the show!
Then, I saw this third place ribbon...
I thought, "oh cool, someone else out at the pier doing shadow cast work" then it hit me. "Wait, that was actually mine." I checked the tag twice in disbelief. :)
I'll say this, after seeing the other photos in this category, this third place was a very kind nod from the judges. There was some seriously awesome images that had I been in a judging position, would definitely have rated higher over this shot, any day of the week!!
All of the Wide Angle Photo Club people were gracious and friendly, just like my home photo club over at the Eastern Shore Camera Club. I'll have to endeavor to get over to Pensacola one of these days to check out their meetings too!
Sit at the Base of a Tree
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Do you ever just sit at the base of a tree and read? If I could get a time machine, one of the things I'd like to do is find a tree with character and photograph it, along with the bookworms beneath it, over a century's time. From long dresses or bowler hats with hardbacks, to short-shorts reading on kindles and iPads, it would be interesting to see the transition!
