You Busy?

White Course at Haines Point

2009-10-11T19:53:00.003-04:00

I played a 9-hole round today with woman about my age, her teenage son, and a mentor that was playing with them. The mentor has been playing about 15 years and I thought I'd get the chance to learn a few tricks.

Sadly, I played just as well as the mentor on the long drives. But she did get me on the short game. I'm still figuring out my distances with the new irons. And my pw is still a bit of a mystery. I played fairly well, though, and am quite proud of my <1 vs. her 15 years.

Did tweek my back on a 7 wood shot. Back to advil and heating pad.

Golf back in the picture

2009-10-09T10:37:00.003-04:00

I went to the driving range yesterday for the first time in nearly a month. Glad to say that going cold turkey helped my back. No pain or soreness. Yeah.

Didn't do too badly. Trying to get to know my new #5 hybrid.

Tee time booked for Sunday. Trying to squeeze out every drop of decent weather before that nasty winter business arrives.

Hacienda. Alejandro Escovedo. Los Loney Boys.

2009-10-06T10:53:00.003-04:00

What a triple play. G-man suprised me with Los Loney Boys tickets at the Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia last night. We've tried to see LLB several times before, but this is the first time both entities made it to the show.

The first time was several years ago when LLB were fairly new on the scene. They were scheduled to open for Bruce Hornsby at Wolf Trap. I had grabbed 4 lawn tickets and had planned to treat my friends, Tony, Rebecca and Dave for a quick show. Then we were going to bail on Hornsby and grab a nice dinner. When we got to the venue, we sadly found a sign that announced that LLB had cancelled and that Hornsby would go on at 8pm. Damn. They only give refunds when the headliner cancels – not the opening act. Damn. We decide to sit through Hornsby and give him and his band a chance. I have to admit that it certainly was nice to hear a blast from the not so distant past. But he was no Ringo, Henry and Jojo.

Another time, Greg and I had tickets to see them in Albuquerque. This time our plans got derailed by a family event. Oh well.

Last nights show was all acoustic. Three bands starting at 7:30 p.m. Hacienda opened. They're a four man team, 2 guitars, 1 organ, and 1 tiny little drum. They have some potential. Would love the see them in a few years when they've got more experience.

Second up was Alejandro Escovedo. He really wowed us. I remember him from my youth when he was first in the the Nuns then Rank & File. I have to say he looks and sounds amazing. Glad to see him back on track after his health crisis a few years back.

LLB took the stage on stools and acoustic guitars. A little weird but a perfect setting for a small room like the Birchmere. Sadly the place was only about half full. The demographics surprised me in that I fit it perfectly. I had expected a younger and more diverse crowd. But the audience loved them.

Great show last night. Looking forward to watching their career over the next few decades. They credit their dad a great deal with teaching and guiding them as musicians. I certainly would love to see Ringo Garza Sr. play a set.

Dang CSS

2009-09-29T21:36:00.003-04:00

Just saw how crappy my blog looks. Will do something about it. Someday.

Back to You Busy. Update. Ali's Bar.

2009-09-29T21:25:00.004-04:00

Thought I'd revive this blog. No worries, I"ll still be contributing to G-mans & my blog over there somewhere. But thought I'd come back here and blog about life when he's not around. Perhaps I'll double up on and duplicate some blog posts here and there.

I've been the leading bartender at a local theatre's bar. And the other night while I was winding up and closing down I got the amazing chance to listen to John Kander, of Kander and Ebb, tinkle around on the piano while some of our local entertainers were listening and singing as well. It was a small party after the show. He was here to shut down the run of First I Dream. I got to listen to him play while some amazing voices sang. Amazing.

A couple of nights before that, I was cleaning up the bar and was serenaded by a few National Symphony musicians who had stopped by to see a few friends. I had an amazing soundtrack while cleaning and closing the bar.

Damn, I've got an amazing second job. Not to downplay the fun I have during the day.

Jaleo Puked!

2008-11-15T20:22:00.002-05:00

Yeah. Came home to little present left in my newly clean sheets:

After six weeks he finally gave up the squeaky toy he swallowed at the park. It's still has some shape but it is real gelatinous. Kinda like a jelly fish.

Now who's gonna call the vet and tell him I'm not crazy.

Meh.

October 2008 Fill Up

2008-10-30T21:43:00.004-04:00

$37.00 for 13.966 gallons at $2.64/gallon. Good to see prices going down. Here's hoping for a better economic future with a blue crew.

I do have to admit just one thing. I ran out of petrol a couple of days ago! I thought I had enough and wasn't keeping an eye on the tank level gauge. Then boom. While going up a hill about 10 blocks away the poor dub sputtered and sputtered then pooped out. I called my friend Lisa who lives a few blocks away and usually goes home for lunch. She laughed and laughed. Unfortunately she was at work. Walked a few blocks and got a couple of gallons. Then walked back. good thing I keep an empty gas can in the trunk.

Beautiful Day in D.C.

2008-10-13T18:44:00.003-04:00

Today was an especially beautiful fall day here in the Mid-Atlantic. And like so many North Easteners, I took advantage of every minute I could outdoors. Because tomorrow may be cold and there may not be a nice day again for a long, long time.

I can't deny that I hate winter here in the D.C. area. It's a wet, damp cold. I can't wait to be farther left from here.

The picture above is a shot from one of the local dog parks in the area. It's about 99% fenced in and meanders along the East bank of Four Mile Run. The dogs can get down to the water through a gate. Today was warm and beautiful and a number of stay at home employees took advantage of that.

Happy Birthday Brian

2008-10-07T22:37:00.001-04:00

We celebrated our friend Brian's birthday at President Bush's favorite Mexican resturaunt in the area. Clearly, he hasn't eaten at my place.

September 2008 Fill Up

2008-09-24T16:06:00.002-04:00

$51.57 for 13.98 gallons at $3.68/gallon. Very happy to see prices going down with out going up again.

Birchmere: Sonny Landreth

2008-09-14T01:17:00.002-04:00

Delta Moon opened the show tonight at the Birchmere. Good sound.

August fill up

2008-08-25T20:56:00.000-04:00

Filled up the car today. It's been 32 days since my last fill. Yeah, prices are coming down.

Philadelphia and Back

2008-08-14T21:51:00.001-04:00

Tony C. and I celebrated his birthday by taking the day off and going to Philadelphia. We visited the Barnes Foundation in the morning, spending several hours is their small museum. Then we took a walk around the gardens. It's a lovely place. And the weather today was perfect – California perfect. Here's a picture of a lovely little tea house,

And here's a shot of the coi in the pond just beyond:

Afterwards, we headed downtown and had lunch at Reading Terminal Market. I had offered to treat Tony to a nice lunch somewhere, but Reading Terminal was were he wanted to go.

Oh, and it was good. On the way home, however, I did not feel that good. Tony thinks it may have been something I ate. Let's see... Started with a couple of pieces of sushi. Then we split a brisket sandwich with peppers and provolone. Then there was this apple dumpling thing from an Amish stall. I couldn't resist the pickled green beans a few stalls away. Then we had ice cream. And on the way back to the car I bought some black licorice. Hmmm. Maybe it was the licorice.

All in all, is was a peaceful day. And I was able to get this portrait of us from my crappy palm treo phone camera:

"I Hit My Eye on a Door Knob"

2008-08-12T11:34:00.003-04:00

Yeah, you've heard dumb excuses on tv from the stereotypical female who's being abused. But, it really does happen.

Last night, I got up to go. I didn't turn on any lights. I thought I had pushed the door of the bathroom completely open. As I walked in I stepped on a shirt or something. Bent down to pick it up and BANG. Hit my left eye smack on the door knob. Banged the bone of the eye socket pretty bad and now have a shiner.

So, it can happen. Really.

Klutz.

Moving On

2008-08-11T12:35:00.003-04:00

I've been bartending a couple of nights a week at a dive bar down near the Pentegon. Last week I said my goodbyes and worked my last shift. I like many of the customers and will miss seeing them regularly. I seem to run into most of them since they are all neighbors, so to speak. I'm taking the rest of August off bartending-wise. Still have plenty of work in my day gig. And trying to squeeze in some vacation time. Then I'll look for a new place to work – sane hours, smoke-free, better class of digs.

Zoom. How Time Flies.

2008-08-10T00:32:00.005-04:00

I've known Casey and his wife, since 1986 when I started working at Writers Guild. He and his wife and I became good friends. They weren't that much older than I (guessing about 15 years), so they always took a kind of older sister and brother attitude towards me. But there was a little bit of fatherly and motherly advice too. I really think that they were more distraught than I was when I broke off with Henry (circa 1996). "But heeees a dooooctor!." was Casey's lament when I told him. He couldn't understand why a good Jewish girl would break if off with a doctor. Okay, I'm still scratching my head about that one, too. Life goes on.

This week Casey sent me the some current photos of his kids, Max & Zoe. Max was the first baby I ever held. I was always afraid of him. Holding him was excruciating. So small. So fragile. For some reason Casey and Vickie kept putting him in my arms. Then when Zoe came along, I was much more comfortable holding a baby by then – still a bit nervous though. This is a photo of her and I back around 1990.

Here's a current photo of the wonderful children of my good friends, Vickie & Casey:

Max is at Berkeley. Yeah. Zoe has just announced that she's going to UC San Diego. Oooh, wee. I'm pretty sure that her thinking is how to get away from Mom & Dad and big Brother while staying with in-State tuition. San Diego. I can't even count how many Bay Area friends went to San Diego.

Poop Serenade

2008-08-02T01:49:00.001-04:00

Just took Jaleo for his final walk. It's actually just a step out the door so he can lift his leg. Tonight, he had the peeing pleasure of listening to beautiful Spanish guitar. My neighbor was enjoying the August Summer evening with two buddies. All playing beautiful acoustic guitars.

When I said, "Jaleo, go." They started playing music appropriate for a bull fight. Very cool since I finished reading James Michner's Mexico a few days ago. Olé.

This reminds me of living on Larrabee. There used to be a guy living across the street who played a beautiful accoustic guitar in the middle of the night on his door stoop. It was wonderful to listen to as I fell asleep. Especially how the vibration of the strings was amplified as it ricochet against the buildings. Usually it was fairly early, around Mid-night to 1am. The perfect time to lay your head down and listen.

But one night, around 3 or 4 am, he must of had a fight with someone. And it was loud. Angry and loud. I quietly whispered out, "Love the guitar, but not so late." I heard back a soft "sorry".

I never heard him again. I really didn't want him to stop altogether. I just needed to get some sleep that night.

Sorry.

P.S. Happy Birthday to JG (belated)

Quick Paced Week, Sad News

2008-07-25T10:56:00.002-04:00

My image and post on 16 July was from the Birchmere in Arlington, VA. My friend Brian called that morning and said he plus one were on the guest list for the 1964 show. Free show. Cool.

The show was tedious and the musicians were out of tune on two guitars and out of sync much of the time. At one point, I think the drummer was playing one thing, two of the performers were playing some thing else, and the the fourth was working on altogether a third song. Gosh, if I had to play the same songs over and over again for 24 years I think I go nuts. Alas, it was nice to get out for the evening which ended with dinner at a Starlight cafe on Mt. Vernon.

Sadly, got home to a phone call from Greg that his father passed away. I left the next morning on a 5-something flight to get out to New Mexico for the service the next day. And then turned around 36 hours later and returned to DC with Greg. Greg is now holed up in his place in the Village. I'll head up next week to coax the bear out of the cave.

Walter ended his journey loved and well respected. He had a wicked sense of humor and he and I shared many private jokes. I did play a mean one on him several years ago at thanksgiving. He got me back finally by making me co-executor of his private art collection with Greg's ex-wife! Fortunately, we have remained friends since college and she's been the biggest supporter of my relationship with G, weird as it is. Come to think of it, Cheryl was part of the practical joke that I played on Walt. Yeah, he's good. He also had a lot of fun with the rest of the Greg's extended family.

Petrol Partial Fill 24 July 2008

2008-07-24T16:47:00.001-04:00

Thought I'd do a mid-tank fill up after 17 days. 7.372 gallons @ $4.069/gallon, $30.

Get Me Out of Here

2008-07-16T20:27:00.002-04:00

God help me now
Originally uploaded by You Busy?.

1964 concert....

Heaven, I'm in Heaven

2008-07-16T14:42:00.001-04:00

Heaven, I'm in Heaven
Originally uploaded by You Busy?.

At least for used books. Five paperbacks = $3.24.

30th Annual Mooning of Amtrak

2008-07-15T02:19:00.005-04:00

I just received an email from a friend who I used to join in this event. I had totally forgot about this. I think I've done it a least 5 or six times over the years. But, then I've also been in a Spencer Tunik photo too.

From NBC11.com in San Franciso:

LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif. -- More than 8,000 people participated in a Southern California tradition involving mooning passing Amtrak trains on Saturday.

Go to article and photos.

This even took place in Orange County, California where I spent a good portion of my childhood. The OC, as it is called today (yuck), was one of the most conservative counties in California when I was a kid. This event started in 1979. Visit moonamtrak.org for more information about next years event.

See you there?

Baby Oak Trees

2008-07-15T02:02:00.006-04:00

Was at another park today and noticed these infant oak trees growing at the base of a fence just under the big brute pictured above. Little baby oak trees, all about 5 months old.

I'm guessing these sprouted when spring hit. They more than likely dropped to the ground last fall. Then they were covered up by all the mulch and dirt that washes down the hill above it. Perfect conditions for an oak tree nursery. They line up about 20 to 30 feet along the fence.

As for the little bird I saw yesterday, still trying to identify it. It was definitely off course. I've never seen anything in the area remotely close. I would guess that it could be up from the Caribbean, or South America. Perhaps even from Africa. I'm trying to identify the correct terminology for the whisker characteristics. I would guess googling the correct term will get me closer to identifying the little booger.

Accidental Birder

2008-07-13T18:55:00.003-04:00

I was at the park today and noticed a little yellow bird in the shadow of a nearby tree. What caught me eye was that it appeared to a have a number of leaves of grass in it's mouth as it pecked at the dirt. On closer exam those leaves were whisker-like feathers protruding from it cheeks.

It was small – about the size of a finch. I couldn't clearly see its marking since it was facing me and saw only its face with the moustache and it's yellow chest. It looked like it might be predominately yellow. The check feathers looked like they could have been yellow as well. And they were stacked like a window blind that is down but has been adjusted to let in light – about five or six on each side.

I'd love to identify it. Can't seem to find anything on the net so far. I've emailed Marty Neilsen, an eastern cruncher here in Arlington. He might be able to identify it or point me to someone who can.

My Tribe...

2008-07-09T18:10:00.003-04:00

A group of Califorians is trying to get a local sewage treatment facility named after George W. Bush. Here! Here!

Quoted from presidentialmemorial.wordpress.com:

As we near the end of George W Bush’s presidency, we think it is important to select a fitting monument to this president’s work. On matters ranging from foreign relations to fiscal and environmental stewardship, no other president in American history has accomplished so much in such a short time.

To honor George W Bush for his eight years of honorable public service, the Presidential Memorial Commission of San Francisco is sponsoring a ballot initiative this November to rename The Oceanside Water Pollution Control Plant the George W Bush Sewage Plan.

We believe this is an appropriate honor for a truly unique president. If you think so too, join this grassroots movement to rename this important and iconic landmark in his honor.

Don't Hate Me Because I'm Frugal

2008-07-07T13:40:00.003-04:00

Can't quite remember when I last filled up. It was either early June or late May. $4.089 per gallon, 12.716 gallons, $52.00.

Say it ain't so...

2008-07-06T21:47:00.002-04:00

Tomatoes may not be the culprit in the hunt for the salmonella scare. I just read that it may be hidden in the foods that are often served with tomatoes. Authorities are looking into jalapeno and serrano peppers, avocados, and cilantro. Basically, the base of most of my cooking. What next? Garlic and olive oil? Limes? Patron? Corona?

Ooh, I'm hungry.

Had an uneventful weekend. We had planned to join some friends in NYC & Long Island this weekend. Greg was here and on Wednesday we took a friend out to dinner for her birthday. We were going to drive up afterward. But I just hit a wall. I just couldn't see myself go-go-going for the weekend with all the plans we had. I ended up staying here and sent Greg on. I ended up sleeping, eating out with friends, hiking a bit, and doing nothing much and recharged with G's blessing. I feel almost recharged. Can't wait for beach vacation.

Bad 1930's House Wife

2008-07-04T11:27:00.002-04:00

-40

As a 1930s wife, I am
Very Poor (Failure)

Take the test!

It seems I would never make it as a 1930's housewife since I scored a negative 40 on a scale of 1 – 100.

Hands-Free LA: Your guide

2008-07-02T13:07:00.003-04:00

By Dan Neil, Los Angeles Times

I saw this and had to laugh. Dan Neil is the Alton Brown of automotive writing. Very witty, smart, and informative.

I love his article on hiking Joshua Tree a few months ago. I've hiked part of the route he describes. I would have done it in early April when the desert is in bloom.

Aaaah, I'm homesick.

Smithsonian Folk LIfe Festival 2008

2008-06-29T22:19:00.002-04:00

I spent a nice day with my friend Tony. We've visited most of the Folk Life Festivals together since I've known him – about 9 years.

Bhutan, Texas, and NASA were the three cultures represented this year. I took a photo of this artist cause I found it quite interesting all the artists where in ethnic clothing except their shoes. They all seemed to have on fairly new, high end, leather dress shoes. Many of the women had on high priced sunglasses with their ethnic clothes.

After sweating our way up and down the mall in the noon day sun, Tony and I ducked into the International Gallery (aka: The S. Dillon Ripley Center) for some cool air and plumbing away from the crowds. It's a seldomly visited underground gallery tucked in between the Freer and Sackler Galleries. We saw an exhibit of previous grant recipients many of which are big names now. And we saw an exhibit of Smithsonian employee art. I think it's a permanently rotating exhibit down there. Cool that they got a little space earmarked for the engineers and technicians up to curators and experts.

A lazy lunch at Jaleo and home before the rain.

Sad goodbye.

2008-06-29T01:34:00.001-04:00

My friend Col Bobby leaves tomorrow for a year in Iraq. He assured me that he'll be safe and sound, since he'll pretty much be in the green zone most of the time.

Iraq is dry (no alcohol) except maybe at the embassy. I gave him friend John's info to look him up there. He's at the embassy there until this time next year.

Good luck to both. The gang will raise a glass to you. Then again, they'll raise a glass for just about anything. I'll try and email you the gossip from time to time.

Shock Club Meeting August 2010

2008-06-26T16:21:00.006-04:00

The moon will be dark, the Perseids will be at their best.

Time to scatter Juan. The Howl is on. See you at the Joshua Tree.

Hey, you busy?

2008-06-22T21:12:00.002-04:00

Yeah, I've been busy. I've been wanting to blog for a while but could not remember my password for the life of me. Tonight, that senior blip has passed and I am back online at this blog. Some of you out there in web universe have heard a lot of the following. But, I realize how much easier it is to just get these things told once in one place.

I love reading my friends blogs from time to time. It's a great way to catch up on things before we get together or talk on the phone. It allows us to get straight to the important things when we do have the chance to catch up. So, I now promise to blog in a more timely fashion. Besides, I've been very busy and it's not going to get slower.

A little over a year ago I started a company called Capital Resale, Inc. It was at first intended to be a ebay auction assistance service but quickly became an inventory liquidation service for small to large business. I've got a part-time employee and we do okay.

Less than a week after I incorporated that company, my good friend Dennis approached me with an idea for a website. We talked about this project in depth for several weeks, and a month later we incorporated as Life After Sunset, Inc. -– No, we are not a retirement or funeral resource. That is the company name not the website. I was pretty adamant about not naming the company after our first product. That would really limit our branding and future branding. Besides, I've seen a ton of companies do that then get stuck with a name of a product that is no longer viable. Anyway, the naming of our company is best left for another blog post. We're launching a new site in a few weeks and I'll update about that later.

In the meantime, I've been getting a lot of work on a regular basis. I've been designing and building a ton of Joomla based sites plus still get a lot of print design work.

The other news, is that I've decided to move back home to the left coast. I had hoped to move back to the bay area this fall but have committed to staying at least another year here in the east. But, I miss California and the lifestyle I enjoyed there. Not L.A. again, though West Hollywood and Larrabee Street will hold a special place in my heart (not Dennis's though). But back to the bay area where I can watch the sunset from a favorite rose garden in the hills.

More later.

Promise.

Yes, really.

Big Decisions

2007-09-06T11:56:00.000-04:00

Yesterdays big decision was whether to go the beach and swim and come back and hang around the pool, or go to the beach and swim then hang out at the beach then come back and hang around the pool. Todays big decision was whether to have coconut icecream or vanilla icecream with our grilled pineapple.

This is the second year in a row that I've been down in Nags Head for Labor Day Weekend and the week that follows. It really has been a perfect vacation. Over the weekend, we still had a good crowd and were able to get out to a few night spots and blow off some steam. Then by Tuesday, the crowds disappeared and the town becomes a sleepy little village. Most of the houses along side of us up and down the beach are empty as is the beach itself. Being later in the summer, the water is a comfortable temperature. Plus, this year we lucked out with cloudless skies, comfortable temperatures, and warm evenings to spend around the pool and bbq.

First 24 hours in Nags Head

2007-09-02T18:18:00.000-04:00

I was the first to get to the house last night. I had been caravaning with Liz but then she veered off to pick up someone in Virginia Beach. I continued on Nags Head to do some grocery shopping and make sure I got a good bedroom before everyone else got there.

I had one last bag to bring up from the car. As I cracked open the door to get past Jaleo he bolted off into the night. Damn, he's living up to his name. Last year, the house unanimously dubbed him M.O.D.E. – the Most Obnoxious Dog Ever. I couldn't hear or see him and had no idea which direction he ran. I got in the car and drove around calling him and squeaking his favorite toy. Nothing.

Back at the beach house, I leave the car with the doors open in hopes that he'll be by and would smell "home." I grabbed a handful of treats, comfortable shoes and went for walk. I must have scoured the nearby area for at least an hour. I stopped everyone and explained what was going on, that Jaleo was really friendly, and that my cell phone number was on his tag. Almost everyone I talked to had trouble remembering or pronouncing his name. So I tell every one that his treat word is "cookie." Bad idea naming him something people can't remember long enough to call him.

I walked to the beach and then circled around and made my way back via a small restaurant row. Bingo, someone said that they had seen Jaleo try to get inside the restaurant door several times. He had just been there about 5 minutes earlier.

As I was walking back to the house Liz called to say they were about 30 minutes out. Good, cause I was counting on their help to look for the damn dog. And of course, I get the "See, he IS M.O.D.E." Damn again. I had hoped to show everyone that Jaleo really is a good dog. At the very least, I had hoped for a Mode-free 24 hours. But now, Liz is laughing and telling Trish, "Told you he was obnoxious. I hang up and head back. And there, to my delight, was Jaleo. He was sitting on the steps waiting for me.

It's now 22 hours later. We went for a long walk up and down the beach. Hung out around the pool since "No swimming" flags were posted. And he is now asleep on one of the couches. My Mode.

Stop Bugging Me

2007-08-03T10:22:00.001-04:00

I'm here. I'm alive. I have a life.

I'll blog about what's up soon.

Promise.

Three Weeks and Three Days Since Last Fill

2007-07-05T21:37:00.000-04:00

Had hoped that I could squeeze out a month or more from the tank. But, I have been doing a lot of driving lately. Or, at least, a lot for me. Glad to see petrol down 14 cents since my last fill.

Happy Fourth

2007-07-04T16:21:00.000-04:00

Helped Lisa pull wallpaper off the walls of her kitchen. Off to Coday's for BBQ.

Save Internet Radio

2007-06-26T17:33:00.001-04:00

It's been a tough day with no internet radio play. Washington D.C. market has shit for radio stations and I don't listen to anything but internet radio while here. Via iTunes, I have stations all over the world that I love to listen to. KCRW, Radio Paradise, NPR are just a few on my top play list.

At the following link you can read about the issues.: Click here for more info.

Design of the Times

2007-06-24T10:25:00.000-04:00

I had my usual meet up with some friends this morning. We like to get together and shoot the breeze over coffee while our dogs play. The weather this time of year is best for this. This morning was exceptionally perfect for lounging around for a couple of hours under a beautiful oak tree, with good friends, over hot coffee, and heated discussions.

You see I've fallen in with a really bad crowd here in D.C. – lots of Company, Firm, State and other .gov employees; a few Arlington fire and police employees; military and even some Republicans. The most liberal friends I have here are quite conservative by Left Coast standards. Thank goodness I've got a Yankee friend who has declared me refugee status in NYC.

Anyway, I knew that Ed would be there. I usually like to eyeball the front page of WashingtonTimes.com before meeting up with Ed. It's good to be prepared for your enemy. Well, nothing real life altering on the site this morning.

Beside the fact that the site is about the ugliest news site ever (I won't get into the news quality in this post), what are they thinking with that black type over a red bar. Every designer knows that people just do not read what is written in or on red. The red may get a site visitors attention. But the brain does not really see or retain the information that is in red. That is why you will often see the word "sale" in red on a print ad, but the important text to remember is in black.

The site over all is very plain and the narrow contrast in text and colors makes if difficult to read. Based just on that I would give the site design a C-, maybe even a D. But that black logo over that red bar is very hard to read. The red does catch your attention for a second. But once my brain doesn't see any information in that spot, my eyes go straight down to the large serif headline in the lower left column.

What an impression this makes. The first thing my mind registered when I first saw this page was that the Washington Times must be good for wrapping fish.

The saddest part of all this was that this subliminal was totally lost on Ed. He still thinks the Washington Times is the best damn paper – much better than their cross town rival, Washington Post.

Yeah, Ed and I don't vote alike. Despite that, he is a good guy.

Longest Day of the Year

2007-06-21T15:38:00.000-04:00

Nice to see the parabola shape back for a while. Too bad day light will get shorter day by day until December 21.

Joomla Help Wanted

2007-06-19T12:29:00.000-04:00

I know a few techie friends visit here, so if you know someone, have them contact me...

Joomla / PHP / MySQL / CSS

Joomla expert needed to work with our in-house designer to finish migrating a static site to Joomla. Requires at least one face to face meeting to get going then telecommuting okay with a flexible schedule.

Please email:

• Resume
• Hourly rate
• Availability during the weekdays, evening, weekends.
• URLs of examples

This job will be about 5 to 15 hours of work to begin with opportunity for future work on other sites. Will supply qualified candidate with architecture, wireframes, and requirements. Will need estimated time to complete needed tasks.

Nice weekend

2007-06-18T12:36:00.000-04:00

Greg and his daughter, Dona, came down from NYC this weekend. I've been so swamped with work that I haven't been able to get up there as often as I would like. So, Greg is now coming down here. He's not much a traveler. Never has been. He likes to go home to New Mexico. Hangs out with friends in the Bay area a few times a year - usually something to do with football. But, basically, once on the East Coast he pretty much stays put and doesn't venture far from the Village. Coming down to DC just isn't appealing. Especially, since my apartment is about 1/20 the size of his flat and the deli's suck here (his words but I have to agree with him).

We had a nice lazy day on Saturday taking in some local sites and going for a nice walk along the Potomac. Then Sunday, we went to the Columbia Pike Blues Festival. 90+ degree weather, but we had a nice time. Smartly, West Hollywood moved the festival to Walter Reed Dr. in the shadow of two large buildings. That made it much more tolerable. We arrived around 2pm and were able to join a group of friends that had staked out a nice piece of lawn under a shade tree where we ate some okay bbq and drank our weight in water.

I have no idea who was playing, but the last band up was amazing. The bass player really was having a good time and it translated into a great performance. The lead guitarist on his Stratocaster would have made and Excello artist proud.

Did you vote today?

2007-06-12T12:37:00.000-04:00

I did...

And on the way out a poll worker said, "Thank you for voting."

In Cairo, yesterday, riot police blocked access to the polls in some areas. And one man was shot to death.

Now don't you feel silly about not even knowing it was election day here in Arlington, VA where we don't have to cross lines of gun toting militia to vote.

Yikes

2007-06-11T15:00:00.001-04:00

I last bought gas below the $3.00 mark. I just looked at my calendar and saw that I filled up 4 weeks ago at @2.97. At that time I hoped that gas prices would drop a little.

Yes, you read correctly... The last time I put gas in was exactly 4 weeks to the day. And I've been driving a lot more than I usually do. I did go to NYC a few times but used the train once and caught a ride with someone the other times. I had hoped to stretch out the gas tank refill to 6 weeks but I had to head out to Springfield about 3 times in the past few weeks. No too bad on reducing that ol' carbon imprint.

May 2007 Month End

2007-05-31T18:57:00.000-04:00

May has been a crazy month for me.

My annual Cinco De Mayo feast was a lot of fun. I fed a hungry group of 14 with an authentic Mexicano meal. Lots of fun. There were a number of ex-AARP peeps there, few NYC & California friends, and a bunch of friends from the 'hood. The made-completely-from-scratch meal consisted of:

Pibil Conchita - slow roasted pork shoulder marinated in anchiote, citrus and other spices.
Chayote Casserole - zucchini-like vegetable shaped like a pear with Chihuahua cheese, roasted poblanos, and roasted corn.
Guajillo peppers stuffed with Chorizo and potatoes and topped with a eschebeche sauce.
Grilled shrimp in tomato-echebeche.
Salad with avocado dressing.
And, of course, tequila, beer, margaritas
Mexican streusell cake
Flan (and boy did I finally perfect it)
Home roasted salsas, chips & guacamole

Darn, getting hungry just typing this.

I have also been working diligently on the two new business. Dennis and I are working well together. We're hoping to launch our first product by July 1. Don't worry, I'll let every one in on it when we launch. And the other one officially launches in a few days.

More later. Promise.

Don't Use Overnightprints.com

2007-04-30T12:06:00.000-04:00

A had a quick no-so-important job done with overnightprints.com. They didn't too bad of a job. The card stock is a bit thick and bulky. But, overall, the printing and delivery were fine for the low price.

The scary thing is that their invoice system is wide open and unsecured. If you Google my name, you'll find the receipt on the web. The receipt contains my address and a copy of the order.

Now, let's say I'm a female on the run from a violent ex. Now he gets my address and information about my business. Like I said, very scary.

Double beware of these guys.

Quote of the Day

2007-04-25T11:58:00.000-04:00

"Call you back in 15, there's an elephant in the garden."
~ while talking over Skype with a friend in Thailand

Shutting Down at 6:00 p.m.

2007-03-30T17:46:00.000-04:00

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENT

I am going to turn my computer off at 6:00 p.m. and will not turn in back on until Monday 9: a.m. I will not see any email that may be sent during this period. I don't want to hear any complaints about not responding to an invite, query, or I-need-help message. If you really want to get hold of me, text or call.

I am not going look at a computer for 63 hours. Yeah!

Sad News

2007-03-28T14:14:00.000-04:00

Sadly, Greg is flying back to New Mexico to be with his 16 year old son when they put down his 29 year old horse this week. Pinot is a handsome reddish-brown, almost maroon Mustang (hence the name Pinot) that Greg purchased as a young colt from a BLM auction in the mid-70's. He gave Pinot to Steven just 8 or 9 years ago. I think Pinot was the first horse that Steve rode and has been his buddy since early childhood.

But, Pinot is old by horse standards. A few years back he developed narcolepsy. It was the weirdest thing. He's be standing in his stall or the coral then boom, down on the ground. The vet said it wasn't uncommon. But now, the poor thing is winding down fast. The family decided that is was time to let this beautiful beast run over the rainbow bridge to his final pasture.

I'm getting weepy just typing this. Four years ago this week I had to put Bozeman down. He was a true and trusted friend of mine for almost 11 years.

Thoughts and best wishes...

9:27 p.m.

2007-03-26T21:27:00.000-04:00

And I'm actually sitting down watching television. However, with college b-ball there's nothing on. I can't remember the last time I watched tv. I have 6 Lost episodes on Tivo and a whole lotta other things that I thought I'd watch.

I've been crazy busy. I'm in the process of redesigning CQ Press' website, building a social networking site for sinners, designing the company websites for the Inc's, and several other sites for clients. One site that I'm doing is a bit fun. I;m doing the branding and site design for a dog spa in Vail, Colorado. The client is great. She's given copy and photos that I can actually work with.

Oh well. Hopefully I'll be back to a normal schedule soon. I am damn tired.

Happy to See the Sun Coming Back Round

2007-03-23T09:24:00.000-04:00

And to have the windows open most of the day. Not so thrilled with the horrible spring cold that I've been nursing for a few weeks. Sadly, I'm coming to the point where I have to admit to myself that it is not a cold but allergies. At least, with a cold I know it will be over soon. Allergies will take months to go away.

R2D2 at the Post Office

2007-03-17T14:06:00.001-04:00

R2D2 at the Post Office
Originally uploaded by You Busy?.

Arlington, Virginia

Vonage Goof

2007-03-08T22:19:00.000-05:00

I ordered a business Vonage account and have been very happy with the voice quality. Today, I received a message on my land line number from Vonage to see how the service was, etc.

Funny thing is that the message was such poor audio quality that I had to play it over several times just to figure out that it was Vonage calling. Not a very good testimonial for their own product.

Busy, Busy, Busy

2007-03-06T22:39:00.000-05:00

Wow. What a month.

I've incorporated one company, have a banking "guy" I talked to almost daily, and am almost finished with the branding and site design. Plus, I've got clients on a waiting list until I can get to them.

And tonight, my business partner and friend, Dennis, and I signed articles of incorporation for another venture. Specifics later when things get up and running.

Now I am:

Proprietor of an LLC
President of an Inc
Vice President of another Inc
A few titles I can't say here.

And after I win the lottery tonight:

Traveler

Alert?

2007-02-20T16:53:00.000-05:00

About a half hour after sending the previous message, I suddenly had a mental alert. Toez seems to be a little loopy. I'm a bit loopy. Chima is dead asleep.

Hmmm – Chima dead asleep.

Dead asleep. . .

Dead. . .

CHIMA DEAD?

No, just checked she's breathing and wakes up easily.

Feeling Loopey

2007-02-20T13:47:00.000-05:00

My kitchen and bathroom where sprayed for bugs this morning. No, I don't have them. My complex does it as a preemptive strike each year.

Now, I'm feeling a little loopy. Toez, who normally sleeps all day, is having a field day playing. Chima, who normally plays all of the time, is asleep. But I've got no headache, feel pretty good, and am getting a ton of work done. Hmm. I wonder what it was that got sprayed. . . .

It's Not Just Me...

2007-02-17T14:18:00.000-05:00

This morning the same weird Flicker glitch happened again. This time I did look at the source code. Nothing seemed amiss. The problem persisted in Firefox, Netscape, Safari, Camino and Exploder. Found this blog through Google Blog Search. Yeah! I am not crazy – well, at least not in this case.

When this happened on Tuesday, I called Beth to see if maybe she saw it too. I know she thought I was once again on some paranoid goose chase. Hah. I've been vindicated. Seems that Flickr is on the problem and it should be resolved soon.

What the....

2007-02-13T10:40:00.000-05:00

This is my Flickr page. No, the Toyota Ad is not my photo upload. When you click on it you see the intended photo. I clicked refresh a few times to see if maybe this was some kind of glitch. I even quit Firefox and restarted. No, this animated gif is really there.

Could this be a covert way of getting me to upgrade to a Flickr Pro Account?

Web 2.0 ... The Machine is Us/ing Us

2007-02-12T10:57:00.000-05:00

This link was emailed to me this morning. The message is brilliant in its simplicity.

I Foiled a Car Theft

2007-02-06T15:58:00.000-05:00

This afternoon I was out and about looking at commercial/office space and saw these guys trying to get into fairly new Jetta with screw drivers. I drove away thinking this was a bit weird, so I called Arlington County PD. I told them it could be an innocent lock-out situation but that I thought it a bit weird they were using screw drivers. I then went on to an appointment I had with a realtor.

About an hour later I swung by on the way home and saw 4 police cars and the men in question in cuffs.

Holy #$%&! It's Cold Out There

2007-02-05T07:34:00.000-05:00

It's not nearly as cold as Chicago, but it's brisk out there. As soon as we were outside for morning walk, Jaleo turned around and tried to get back inside. He really hesitated lifting his leg and was not going to do anything else but try to head back in. I can only image how the wind felt on his bare privates when he had one leg up. (Remember, he's a dog.)

You Busy on YouTube?

2007-02-02T12:51:00.000-05:00

I shot this about a year ago but finally signed up for my own YouTube account. Here I catch Jaleo (aka Evil Dog) with the contents of the kitchen trash all over the living room floor and his head in a bag from the local burrito place that had a few chips left in it. Enjoy.

Dog Lock

2007-02-01T11:01:00.000-05:00

Saw this product at REI the other day. Yes, really.

I wonder if it comes with a remote alarm.

Evil Dog

2007-01-31T15:28:00.000-05:00

I left the house for a meeting in the District and my desk pretty much looked like this:

Came home to this:

And this:
He won't come out. Hmmm. Could he have done this?

My guess is that the Thief and Jaleo were playing and chasing each other. Then Chima must have hopped into one of her favorite places to hang out and Evil Dog wanted in there also.

Thief!

2007-01-30T18:49:00.000-05:00

Now it seems I need to put baby-locks on some upper cabinets.

Sign at Trader Joes Market

2007-01-29T15:46:00.001-05:00

Sign at Trader Joes Market
Originally uploaded by You Busy?.

Brrrr

2007-01-26T07:28:00.000-05:00

Baby Girl Ricks

2007-01-25T14:54:00.001-05:00

Baby RIcks 01
Originally uploaded by You Busy?.

I just returned from seeing Tangie, Dave, and their beautiful baby girl (name to be decided). It seems that Tangie and Dave are still negotiating names, etc. Tangie called last night a bit frantic because they didn't have time to get a digital camera and grandparents can't make it to D.C. until the weekend.

She is pink and beautiful. She's just under 5 lbs and should be in neonatal for a few more weeks. I was able to get some nice shots of her with Tangie and then with Dave. In between them shuffling in an out (only 2 visitors at a time) Tangie plopped her into my arms. She's tiny and warm. Dave retreived her from my arms like a pro. More photos.

Tangie had her baby

2007-01-24T15:47:00.000-05:00

Lauren was born this morning at 6:48 a.m. She's six weeks early but doing well. Tangie and baby are at Washington Hospital Center. I hope it wasn't something I said.

Happy Birthday, Lauren.

Lunch with Tangie

2007-01-23T16:03:00.000-05:00

@ Marshall's Bar & Grille.

3:00 a.m. – Attack of the Killer Snow

2007-01-22T12:17:00.000-05:00

We finally have winter here in Northern Virginia and had our first snow fall yesterday and last night. The storm was capped off with freezing rain later in the evening and now the roads and sidewalks are icy and slick.

I felt sorry for Jaleo last night and let him sleep with me under the comforter. Around 3:00 a.m. he decided to look outside and the white stuff all over the neighborhood scared him. I awoke to him running from window to window, barking and growling. I could not for the life of me get him quiet. I was afraid he'd wake up the neighbors, especially the young teenager who's bedroom is just below mine. So back into his kennel he went. Still not quiet. I finally put his training collar on him and had to give him a little zing each time he barked until he finally quieted down and went back to sleep about 45 minutes later. I, of course, could not get back to sleep. Damn dog.

Here's a shot of him catching up on some zzzs while I toil away working to feed him.

Oh yeah, this was the first morning in many months that I woke up with no nasal and sinus congestion. Yeah.

First Snow

2007-01-21T13:35:00.000-05:00

Washington D.C. finally has winter. This is a shot of the first few flakes coming down. One news station said it would late tonight and only an inch. Another station said 3-6 inches. I imagine neither will be right.

Saki & Jedi

2007-01-20T16:06:00.000-05:00

Having a most delicious cold day. With the wind blowing and the 36 degree weather, wind chill is down to 20 right now. Went hiking this morning and now at Marty's house drinking warm saki and watching the Star Wars Episode I. What in the universe where they thinking when they created Jar Jar Binks?

Jaleo is cuddled up on the couch with a heating pad, a blankie, and Marty's dog. Ooh, the life of a well loved dog.

May the Force be with you.

Allergy Central

2007-01-19T00:08:00.000-05:00

I have enjoyed the mild weather this winter, but...

It seems my fall allergies have morphed into spring allergies. So far, it has not been cold enough long enough to kill off what ever it is I'm all sniffly about. I can't wait for nice weather again. But, I am looking forward to not having a constant headache, sniffles, sneezing, coughing and throat clearing for a few months.

Every year I always say that this is the year I go to an allergist. But somehow I never think my allergies are not going to be bad enough to warrant the doctor visit. This year I really mean it.

Sunset 16 January 2007

2007-01-16T17:31:00.001-05:00

Sunset 16 January 2007
Originally uploaded by You Busy?.

My friend Beth has sunrises. I've got sunsets. Just caught this shot from my office window. Had to take the screen out and hang out the window though.

This shot is the raw jpeg. No colored filters or photoshop manipulation was used.

Nice Spring Day, January 14

2007-01-14T14:55:00.000-05:00

You've probably figured that I finally mastered the moblog learning curve as indicated in the post below. One must update their email/blog preference on Flickr to work with the new Blogger. I hope switching over will be worth the overall headaches that come with it. I've yet to play with the new tag function or play with the templates.

It's a grey day here in D.C. this fine winter day. However, I was outside having coffee with friends this morning wearing a long sleeve tee shirt and a light sweatershirt. On my morning walk today I saw more evidence of this false spring. There were a number of budding flowers on trees and bushes and a few poking out of the earth. After a busy morning, I'm home now for some heating pad therapy for a few hours before I head out for dinner. I have several windows open and I can hear birds finest springtime song competition. It should be noted that I am not complaining. I'm just astonished at the mild weather the D.C. metro area is experiencing.

My back is better and better every day. I'm feeling so well that I'll probably take Jaleo out for a walk this afternoon before I head out for an early dinner. I bought several brands of those hot pads that adhere to your skin. They are not as good as a heating pad (as with baths and showers, I love scorching heat) but they seem to work well. I bought the CVS brand this time. Will definitely upgrade next time. Seems I'll be stepping up my core work in the months ahead.

Crocus in January

2007-01-13T14:02:00.001-05:00

Crocus in January
Originally uploaded by You Busy?.

Saw these poking out of the ground outside my bank in Arlington, Virginia today. Weird.

Flickr

2007-01-13T13:52:00.001-05:00

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Test 4

2007-01-13T13:34:00.000-05:00

Sent an image and note from my treo via my flickr account. That was at 1:19 pm EST. It's up at Flickr and I also received a copy of it in my email. Just haven't seen it land here yet.

Test 3

2007-01-13T13:05:00.001-05:00

Email from laptop with photo in body of message.

Test 2

2007-01-13T13:02:00.001-05:00

Email from laptop with .jpg attached.

Test 1

2007-01-13T12:59:00.001-05:00

I keep emailing blog entries from my Treo and they never show up. Today I'm going to see if I can send under different circumstances. This email is from my laptop with no picture attached.

Finally Feeling Better

2007-01-12T16:41:00.000-05:00

I'm not 100% yet but on the way. I was able to get out of the house and enjoy some of this weather. Thank you to the drunken uncles in New Mexico. Your 3am call with your crazy tips of advise could have waited for a saner time. But insanity seems to run rampant when the bachelors get together for skiing, drinking, and smoking.

Day 3 of Back Aches

2007-01-10T23:47:00.000-05:00

I can't take much more of this. I'm going crazy being house bound. My back is feeling better bit by bit. In the morning I feel like I've made progress. My the end of the day, I feel like I'm back at ground zero.

Hopefully will be back to normal very soon.

Back Out

2007-01-09T22:48:00.000-05:00

I've been convalescing with a bad back the last few days. It happened Sunday afternoon just after bringing groceries up to my third floor walk-up. Then zing. Since then I can barely stand. I spent yesterday in an old rocking chair since it was the only chair or sofa that was comfortable. A heating pad added to the nice comfy feeling. And Tylenol-3 with codeine was my nighttime aperitif. I did feel a little better today and hope the healing potential is exponential.

Right not I'm trying to kill some time while waiting for the t3 kicks in. Then off to zzzzzzzz.

Cheese, Chestnuts & Wine

2007-01-06T23:20:00.000-05:00

I was on the web this evening researching what cheese would be nicely with roasted chestnuts and whether the wine should be red or white. (Yes, really.) And came across the nutritional values of the chestnut. I was surprised to learn that the chestnut has the lowest fat content among nuts. They are high in complex carbs (54%), but very low in fat content at about 1 gram +- per large nut. Wow, I don't feel so guilty for roasting 5 or 6 for a nighttime snack about this time of year. Such a nice cold weather treat. However, it's not quite the same during 70 degree weather.

I did love the weather today. I don't feel guilty about it one bit. I miss California winters. I miss being able to open windows most of the year. And I miss the sunsets. I really have not seen many outstanding sunsets living here in Virginia.

Anyway... I had a wonderful day. Took advantage of the lovely warmth and was on the go all day. Capped it off with dinner outside in Clarendon. It was imperative to eat outside for just about everyone in Arlington. It was crowded. But it was a nice energy.

I'm sure this is the theme of about 90% of blogs in the northeast tonight.

P.S. Had a nice lunch with a friend today and took photos of an outdoor ice rink with people in shorts and tee shirts. I emailed a blog entry with the photo from my treo around 2pm today. As of this publishing the post has yet to show up. So, here's the photo reposted:

Mild D.C. Winter

2007-01-05T11:28:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was amazingly nice. The temps made it to the high 60s and I had all the windows open until early evening. Today is blah, overcast, and rainy. But the temps are again comfortable. The weather sites predict tomorrow to be clear and sunny with temps in the low 70s. Yes, 70s.

So, I've decided to take today "off" and clean the house. Then play, play, play all weekend.

House of Blue

2007-01-04T13:44:00.000-05:00

Not the music venues. Thee House. Just watched the handing over of the gavel to Nancy Pelosi. Time to pat our backs for finally getting a female Speaker of the House. And the fact that other nations preceded us by electing female presidents, prime ministers, and chancellors long before us shouldn't deter our celebration of this milestone. Mongolia elected their first female president in 1953.

The list of female heads of state is impressive. But do you see the U.S. on that list. No. Not yet. Maybe soon.

I can be quite evil sometimes

2006-11-23T23:56:00.000-05:00

Today was a fun day. The flat was crowded and a bit claustrophobic for me. I had a hard time staying inside but just sweated through it. I did play an evil trick which made the whole thing worth it.

I told Greg's dad that Dona's new boyfriend was terribly hard of hearing and very self conscious about it. A bit later, I told Dona's new boyfriend that Grandpa was nearly deaf but to old and vain to admit it. I introduced them quite loudly, neither one catching on. Then I just sat back and watched, or rather listened, to the joke unfold. They actually spent a bit of time having a perfectly normal conversation, except very loudly – almost screaming. Everyone else at the party thought they were crazy. My goodness, it was funny.

As I sat on the couch watching this unfold, Greg's ex-wife and mom saw a little twinkle in my eye and had to know what was going on. Ah, co-conspirators. We enjoyed a nice bottle of something red and enjoyed the floor show. Details of my joke soon spread around the room and more soldiers enlisted. Finally, when we sat down to dinner we all busted out laughing and finally let Max and boyfriend in on it.

I've been informed that I should beware of retribution. I should be very, very scared.

Jaleo and the Balloon

2006-11-23T12:16:00.000-05:00

Dona and the rest of the kids took Jaleo to the Macy's Parade today while I put together a turkey dinner with Elaine (Noble One's ex). It was very windy and the balloons had to be brought down just 15 or so feet above the street. Poor Jaleo was so scared that he coward on the ground behind the crowd. Dona felt so bad she some how got a cab to bring him back and then got back to the rest of the parade.

Right now, he's under the dinning table chewing on a freeze dried bull penis. But not after barking madly out the window at anything he saw moving down on the street. Poor thing. I can only imagine what was going through his peanut of a brain.

Photo courtesy of Dona Juanita.

Not So Freaked

2006-11-19T18:11:00.000-05:00

With great organizational skills and, of course, someone else's credit card – Thanksgiving is taken care of. Finished the last of the details this afternoon. Groceries for house guests for the week will be delivered today and Tuesday along with other Thanksgiving treats. I've got cheese, olives and other nibbles coming over on Wednesday along with the previously mentioned turkeys and fixings. I'll make a run to Trader Joes on tomorrow or the next day to get nibbles and munchies. The table settings and fresh cut flowers get delivered sometime. The bar will be stocked. And pdfs and faxes of take away menus are on file. And I've added additional maid service calls over the next week.

I could never have gotten this done so easily if we were having this in D.C. I love New York.

Cooking for How Many?

2006-11-18T17:53:00.000-05:00

While over at a friends house this afternoon, I get a call from Greg asking what I'm planning to cook for Thursday. Hmmm. Thursday? Well, no one has stepped forward to cook Thanksgiving for Greg's family and a number of our friends at his place. There's going to be 20 of us.

So far, I've arranged to have Greg's bar and fridges stocked on Tuesday. Then two turkeys, two kinds of stuffing, and a number of other sides to be delivered Wednesday and all ready to just get shoved into the oven or poured into bowls on Thursday. We'll make our own salad, mashed potatoes and fry bread.

So far, not to much work.

Screen Shot of Explore / Interestingness / Last 7 Days

2006-10-18T19:44:00.000-04:00

Thank you, Noble One, for sending this.

Explore / Interestingness / Last 7 Days — October 14, 2006

2006-10-16T17:29:00.000-04:00

Thunderbirds 3, Airforce Memorial Dedicaton, Arlington Virginia

My friend Beth just called to let me know that this photo made Flickr's "Most Interesting in Last 7 Days" page. I haven't seen it on that page but did find it on Flickr's Best of October 14 Set.

Also, Beth gave me this great url to a page that can search a Flickr user name on the "Most Interesting in Last 7 Days" pages archive. That now make 2 most interestings out of 47 images uploaded. Cool.

If anyone sees this shot on Flickr's: Explore / Interestingness / Last 7 Days , please send me a screen shot. Thanks.

Thunderbirds 1, Airforce Memorial Dedicaton, Arlington Virginia

2006-10-14T16:53:00.000-04:00

Parked my camera on top of a hill directly across from the Navy Annex and the new Air Force Memorial during the dedication ceremony. The Thunderbirds have been flying over Arlington the last few days rehearsing.

It was a picture perfect day today and there was a good crowd on Prospect Hill. I was able to capture a number of shots of the fly bys through out the ceremony. See my Flickr set.

Thunderbirds 4, Airforce Memorial Dedicaton, Arlington Virginia

2006-10-14T16:50:00.000-04:00

A closer shot of the six planes in their tight formation.

Stealth Bomber, Airforce Memorial Dedicaton, Arlington Virginia

2006-10-14T16:45:00.000-04:00

Stealth Bomber, Airforce Memorial
Dedicaton, Arlington Virginia
Originally uploaded by You Busy?.

I like this shot because it looks like I added the image of the stealth into the frame with the trees using Photoshop. The trees are so organic. The image of the stealth shocks the eye with it's strict geometry. The two images just don't go together.

Ed & Amy, Airforce Memorial Dedicaton, Arlington Virginia

2006-10-14T16:40:00.000-04:00

Ed & Amy, Airforce Memorial
Dedicaton, Arlington Virginia
Originally uploaded by You Busy?.

Told Ed about this spot. Was glad to see him there. He used an awesome telephoto set up. I used a wide angle set up. Between the two of us, we should have covered this puppy.

Toez loves Chima

2006-10-09T20:08:00.000-04:00

And I have the evidence to prove it. Today Toez coughed up a fur ball of Chima's hair. So, it appears that Toezilla has been cleaning the little one.

And, no, I don't have a photo of it.