James E Blogwick

Malibu Presbyterian Church Fire

2007-10-26T06:44:00.000-07:00

Wildfires swept through much of Southern California this week, and one of the first casualties was Malibu Pres. Late Saturday night/early Sunday the building was completely gutted. I stopped by after work to see what the damage was like, and it was devastating.

The following panorama is composed of nine shots shooting from the front steps through what used to be the sanctuary.

All future Saturdays will be spent passing out orange sections

2007-10-05T06:14:00.000-07:00

Today's All new thing...

2007-06-16T16:54:00.000-07:00

Stalk an internet celebrity. Sweet!

Pasadena Starbucks, at the chalkwalk

Friday Foto

2007-06-07T13:11:00.000-07:00

Thanks Ree and Robin

2007-05-08T08:20:00.000-07:00

Apparently, chicks dig a guy who can comment on another man's ass.

Who knew?

Hopefully this will motivate me to clear off the dust and post about:

a) two seconds where "decapitation" crossed my mind

b) getting as close as possible to the biggest wild animals I've ever seen

and

c) the surprisingly strong effect of losing people I've only met through stories.

How's that for a couple of good teases.

Friday Foto

2007-03-30T17:59:00.000-07:00

two lips

from the garden

Damn you Shane Nickerson

2007-03-30T12:51:00.000-07:00

Well, you lasted longer than I did

Man: You sit here, dear.
Wife: All right.
Man: Morning!
Waitress: Morning!
Man: Well, what've you got?
Waitress: Well, there's egg and bacon; egg sausage and bacon; egg and ham; egg bacon and ham; egg bacon sausage and ham; ham bacon sausage and ham; ham egg ham ham bacon and ham; ham sausage ham ham bacon ham tomato and ham;
Vikings: Ham ham ham ham...
Waitress: ...ham ham ham egg and ham; ham ham ham ham ham ham baked beans ham ham ham...
Vikings: Ham! Lovely ham! Lovely ham!
Waitress: ...or Lobster Thermidor a Crevette with a mornay sauce served in a Provencale manner with shallots and aubergines garnished with truffle pate, brandy and with a fried egg on top and ham.
Wife: Have you got anything without ham?
Waitress: Well, there's ham egg sausage and ham, that's not got much ham in it.
Wife: I don't want ANY ham!
Man: Why can't she have egg bacon ham and sausage?
Wife: THAT'S got ham in it!
Man: Hasn't got as much ham in it as ham egg sausage and ham, has it?
Vikings: Ham ham ham ham... (Crescendo through next few lines...)
Wife: Could you do the egg bacon ham and sausage without the ham then?
Waitress: Urgghh!
Wife: What do you mean 'Urgghh'? I don't like ham!
Vikings: Lovely ham! Wonderful ham!
Waitress: Shut up!
Vikings: Lovely ham! Wonderful ham!
Waitress: Shut up! (Vikings stop) Bloody Vikings! You can't have egg bacon ham and sausage without the ham.
Wife: I don't like ham!
Man: Sshh, dear, don't cause a fuss. I'll have your ham. I love it. I'm having ham ham ham ham ham ham ham beaked beans ham ham ham and ham!
Vikings: Ham ham ham ham. Lovely ham! Wonderful ham!
Waitress: Shut up!! Baked beans are off.
Man: Well could I have her ham instead of the baked beans then?
Waitress: You mean ham ham ham ham ham ham... (but it is too late and the Vikings drown her words)
Vikings: Ham ham ham ham. Lovely ham! Wonderful ham! Ham ha-a-a-a-a-am ham ha-a-a-a-a-am ham. Lovely ham! Lovely ham! Lovely ham! Lovely ham! Lovely ham! Ham ham ham ham!

Photo and text blatantly ripped off from people more talented than I.

A Starfish Tale

2007-03-16T00:39:00.000-07:00

A few years back, a strong Pacific hurricane in slammed into the coast of Southern Mexico. After the storm passed, a small boy walked down to the beach to survey the damage. When he reached the sand, he saw thousands of starfish that had been washed high up onto the sand. Not knowing what else to do, the boy picked one up and carefully returned it to the safety of the tide. He then returned up to the sand and rescued a second starfish, and a third, and fourth.

As the boy proceeded, a man was walking do the beach and saw the boy running back and forth, up and down into the surf. When the man approached the boy, he asked the lad, “What are you doing? Don’t you realize that this beach goes on for miles? There are millions of beached starfish. What possible difference can you make, boy?”

The child paused, looked up at the man, and answered, “Well, it makes a difference to this one” and he held up the starfish in his hands.

Sometimes going to the slums of Tijuana, Mexico can seem overwhelming, hill after hill of extreme poverty and desolation becomes almost too much to bear. “What possible good can I do? How can I possibly make a difference here?” and then I remember, “Well, it makes a difference to this family” In fact, it changes their lives.

For the fourth year this summer, from July 13 – 15, I’m helping lead a house building trip to the slums of Tijuana. We are going to raise $5,500, buy building materials, build a house and give it away, all in a single weekend. It’s about the most rewarding thing you can do.

Matthew 25: 34-40

Baja Christian Ministries

The scariest email I've received this month...

2007-03-11T15:47:00.000-07:00

"Hey Jim, your wife suggested that since she is playing bells on Easter at all 3 services, maybe you would consider teaching the 4's and kindergarten kids at 11 a.m. Would you be interested?"

Hey what the heck, it's not like they'll be all hopped up on sugar or anything...

Moonlight Rollerway

2007-03-10T23:55:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure what to say about the Moonlight Rollerway

It's a time capsule, it's the nineties, on top of the seventies, paved right over the fifties, like an archaeological dig with different layers sticking through.

It's a treasure trove of great pictures, but I was having too much fun keeping either one of us from falling on our behind.

It's a cult following where parents bring their kids to the place where they first met.

foto friday

2007-03-09T11:55:00.000-08:00

Here are three shots of a lovely bouquet that showed up unexpectedly.

Which do you like best? I really want to know.

How I spent my New Years – 100 shrimp gut bomb

2007-03-08T06:40:00.000-08:00

For New Years, my good friend Pat and his family came to visit. Really they came to see Michigan at the Rose Bowl. Pat’s wife is a giant M fan and an appearance in the Bowl is a great reason to pack up the kids and drive West.

I was excited to see my old friend, and we quickly scheduled a time to see each other. Should we get together for: the Michigan band at Disneyland, the M pep-rally at the Santa Monica pier, the pre-game M festivities, post game M celebrations (turns out, not so much)… are you seeing a theme here for the weekend?

We decided that the most fun for the civilians would be the Santa Monica Pier pep-rally, those of us who went to say… art school could wander off while blue foam bubbled from the lips of the rabid hardcore M.

As soon as we walked onto the pier, I was confronted face to face with a bullhorn, not selling overpriced bootleg M sweatshirts, but shrimp, Bubba Gump shrimp.

HEY GO BIG BLUE!

um, Michigan is just blue, go blue…

YEAH! GO BLUE! ENTER A SHRIMP EATING CONTEST FOR BLUE!!!!

um shrimp? Eating contest, no thanks (keep walking)

THEAMS OF THREE, AND THE FINALS ARE HELD ON THE MAIN STAGE OF THE PEP RALLY! GO BLUE!!!!!!

Then Pat’s wife: wait, wait, the winners go on stage!

Um yeah…?

The very hollowed ground where the coach will speak from, where the players will walk… where, where… we could go backstage!

Pat, who was facing a drive back home across three states with said wife was the first to cave, It might be fun… not one to pass up a dare… I’ve now entering the world of competitive eating. But we are two, and need teams of three. We start looking around, and it turns out there it a single who just showed interest, a Young Indian Guy who I was never able to get his name. YIG is a software developer from Kansas City, came there from India 10 years ago, he and his wife are on spending the holiday in Los Angeles and had no clue anything was happening at the pier that day.

As we start looking around, it is becoming pretty obvious that every other team is young corn feed Michigan college boys, many of whom appear to actually be on the Rose Bowl team. And we are two graphic designers from San Diego with two kids apiece, and YIG from Kansas City, so obviously we choose a team name of… Ann Arbor. One guess who picked the team name.

The contest turns out to be a single elimination event, eight teams compete one on one, then the winning teams going on to semi finals, the winners of which head for the main stage. The rules were shrimp cocktail, after one minute the tails were counted and a winner declared...

missed milestones

2007-03-07T23:32:00.000-08:00

On February 9th at quarter to midnight, somebody in Monterey, CA (probably my brother-in-law) logged on to this site, saw that there was still no update, stuck around for 0 minutes and 0 seconds, and became the 1,000 visitor. Thanks.

not all it was cracked up to be

2007-03-07T23:08:00.000-08:00

Dear Samy’s camera,

I am writing to express my extreme dissatisfaction with the service I have received from your repair department.

I am the creative director at an advertising agency, and have worked with many many professional photographers over the years. I have heard rave reviews about the institution that is Samy’s from amateur and pro photographers alike. Now all this goodwill and reputation has been brought into question buy an astounding level of neglect.

When my digital camera died just before Christmas, I bemoaned the bad timing and sought out what I thought was the most professional option available – Samy’s. I wanted a place where I could get is fixed fast and fixed right.

I brought it into your Fairfax store on December 26th, and was slightly disappointed to learn that you would need to send it to Pentax and it could take, “a couple of weeks” to get an estimate due to the holidays. I received a receipt that is numbered XXXX.

It is now March 7th, it has been over 10 weeks and I have been unable to get an ESTIMATE of what repairs will cost.

Even more infuriating, is the lack of follow-up from the repair department. I have called multiple times, and nobody in repairs ever answers the phone, each time I have gone back to the receptionist and gotten connected to a repair manager. And each time I am told, “Wow, that does seem like a long time, let me look into that and I’ll call you back tomorrow”. I have yet to receive a single call from anybody at Samy’s.

I would like some answers regarding my camera (specifically an estimate to get it fixed), but I also feel that it is important to make you aware of how this episode has tarnished your reputation in my eyes.

Sincerely,

Blogwick

Repair ticket XXXX, dated December 26, 2006

2007-03-06T23:05:00.000-08:00

Shane Nickerson writes: This newfound excitement for the glorious internet has inspired me to try to get back to blogging on a regular basis.

Well, I'm with you brother. Bring it on month of March.

Apparently there are rules:

1. No mention of blogging, or bemoaning this "damned thing I promised to do, so here's the friggin' post."

Good one, no apologies, no excuses

2. No link-only posts that say, "I found this at blahblahblah.com and you NEED to check it out!"

Amen brother

3. No mention of ham or cold cuts (just to be safe).

OK, I can live with this, never felt a need to blog ham

4. No more shit stories!

As I would never tell a shit story, I'll reverse this and come up with one in the next 30 days

5. At least every third post will have photos.

At least, and some will just be photos

6. Exciting news that has something to do with THIS.

Exciting news about something yet to be determined

7. As always, no ads.

Post about ads are a possibility, but I'm not getting any money

8. Responses to interesting comments.

Define interesting

9. Seriously, how good is Heroes?

Really good, but April 23?! WTF

10. No less than 100 words.

See #5, I'm a lover not a writer

11. If I fail to uphold my end of this challenge, I promise to ~~shutter the doors of this stale little weblog forever.~~

Blog about ham

Bonus #12 - no memes
and yes, this is #1

viva la blog!

Cuauhtemoc Celebration

2007-02-27T22:27:00.000-08:00

Thanks EL CHAVO!, that was cool.

Digging sprinkler trenches

2007-01-30T17:57:00.000-08:00

Mo' Mentum

2007-01-24T06:53:00.000-08:00

In an effort to keep the site fresh...

Friday Foto

2007-01-19T09:11:00.000-08:00

vlop or vlog...

2007-01-17T19:27:00.000-08:00

You click
you decide.

A fitting conversation

2006-10-27T07:28:00.000-07:00

Me: Princess, why is your sister screaming?

Princess: I want to hold her hand.

M: Um, I don’t think she wants to hold hands right now.

P: But I want to hold hands!

M: Why don’t you hold Money’s[1] hand?

P: No, Money’s hand is too small.

M: Well then, hold Money’s head.

P: Then Money says, (in perfect Sam Kinison voice) “AAUUGG AUG... YOU’RE CRUSHING MY HEAD!!”

[1] Money is a small stuffed monkey. Princess has adopted a Native American nomenclature for her stuffed animals, drawing inspiration from current fascinations or whatever is directly in her line of sight when a name is bestowed. This naming structure probably deserves a catalog entry of it’s own. My favorite name is the pig, “Give a fork a penny”

Friday Foto

2006-10-27T07:25:00.000-07:00

All about context

Update

2006-10-06T07:34:00.000-07:00

Whew! What a month.

Here are some pictures that each should be their own entry, but a photo will have to suffice. First off is the big check off for work. That light at the end of the tunnel turns out not to be a train. Too many morning that looked like this:

Especially on a Saturday.

The bed got done. It's a big hit:

umm... don't ask:

Went to the fair. Ate greasy junk, grew a second head:

I don't know why the light at the garden is so good:

and one more, just to show her boyfriends some day.

Tomorrow? Tomorrow I'm going fishing. and sleep.

A brief encounter, a big impact

2006-09-11T23:16:00.000-07:00

I work as creative director at an ad agency. One of our clients is a picture framing company. Framing art, mementos, just about anything you can hang on the wall.

I got a call that a client had just placed a fairly large order for framing some rather nice art, something like 18 pieces. My client, the framer, started talking to Carolyn, the woman with the art, and discovered that it was all from her 18-year-old twin daughters Lauren and Lindsey. Together they were heading off to school at RISD, and this fine collection represented the best of their high school era work. Something for Mom and Dad to remember them by as the girls studied across the country.

With attractive pieces, attractive models, and a great story, I was dispatched to their Westside tutor style home in the high rent section of town to interview and photograph the mother and daughters for a feature in the advertising.

They were warm friendly hostesses, Carolyn was obviously quite proud of her young budding artists, but the girls were much more preoccupied with looking forward than reminiscing past projects. As the twins packed for the next morning’s flight, they pointed out pieces in charcoal, oils and clay. Grandma would be over soon, the four women had an early flight to Boston.

Carolyn Beug would never pick up those 18 framed pieces, they sat framed and forgotten at my clients for quite some time. Five days after I had met them, Carolyn and her mother Mary Wahlstrom, having seen the girls settled at school, boarded their return flight, American Airlines #11 on September 11, 2001.

Someday this one is going to buy a motorcycle

2006-09-09T23:33:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Mom

2006-08-28T06:26:00.000-07:00

I miss you.

2006-08-24T06:52:00.000-07:00

Dear Marina Store Management,

My family and I recently had a wonderful time camping at Lopez Lake, we rented one of the pontoon boats, and it was great.

On my way out, I stopped by your store one last time to pick up a souvenir of our great time visiting you. I selected a speckled blue camping mug with the Lopez Lake Marina logo printed on it (the old guy smoking a pipe and fishing).

I was extremely disappointed to find that the printed logo completely washed off the very first time I washed the mug. Not a little smudged, completely gone. I was even careful to hand wash it, as to not subject it to the dishwasher.

This was before I ever used the mug. I was not trying to scrub out coffee stains, I was wiping away any dust.

I would suggest a serious talk with your supplier about the inappropriate use of water soluble inks on dishware.

I would very much like to exchange my mug for one that will hold up to routine and expected use.

4th birthday

2006-08-23T18:17:00.000-07:00

A pictoral timeline

Friday Foto

2006-08-18T15:47:00.000-07:00

I'm still hoping to write a proper post on the Mexico house building trip, but I don't know when it's going to happen. I ran into this angel down a very pot-marked dirt road in the little local mercado. She and her mother, along with what seemed to be the rest on the village were en route to a party.

Hit home, not a hit at home

2006-08-18T06:57:00.000-07:00

In an effort to link to something beside my own blog, this is some of the most honest blogging I've seen in a long time. Scroll down to the second half. It just hurt to read, it's so close to home. Sometimes I ask myself, "what are you DOING?" Sometimes it's my wife who asks me.

On a totally unrelated note: Why are "blog" and "blogging" not in Blogger's spell check dictionary? Seriously. "Did you mean bloc? bloch? blows? bloke?" Yeah, I think I meant "blows"

Make file:

2006-08-17T06:25:00.000-07:00

The world sturdiest, heaviest, brightest ~~earthquake fall-out shelter~~ loft bed. Is one step closer to completion. When you build a bed designed for dorm rooms for a FOUR YEAR OLD, it's probably over kill. But boy, is she excited. She may want to rethink her color choices before shipping it off to college.

Self Portrait with a dirty lip

2006-08-14T17:34:00.000-07:00

Prowling La Jolla for tail

2006-08-14T17:19:00.000-07:00

Yellowtail that is.

Went out on my brother's boat out of Mission Bay for a beautiful day. The entire fleet was parked off the kelp patties outside of La Jolla.

When big fish get this far North, people come out of the woodwork. One guy looked like he was on Forest Gump's shrimp boat, throwing lines off the back.

While we were getting ready, I snapped the best pic ever of a dock cleat

Then I snapped a better one.

When we got out on the water we got nice Bonito and Barracuda, but no yellows.

Careful kids, those Barracuda got some nasty teeth.

Wheeeee!

2006-08-07T14:06:00.000-07:00

Today is the day!

2006-08-02T09:10:00.000-07:00

22 years in the making...

The 1984 Apple commercial in logos

http://www.podbrix.com/massmail-07-31.htm

Hurry only 100 sets go on sale at 9:00EST

TONIGHT!

Friday Foto

2006-07-28T14:47:00.000-07:00

Coming up for air

2006-07-28T06:08:00.000-07:00

I’m getting my ass kicked. Too much work, too much fun. What a month.

Interesting things since my last post that deserve their own post, but I haven’t gotten to:

Hook Up! Two day trip to Mexico for tuna and yellowtail. Slow fishing, good times.

Nothing much on the troll, but some nice action on floating kelp patty’s.

Really high quality fish, nice size too!

He did extract a small measure of revenge before coming onto the boat.

The following weekend was house building in Tijuana, Mexico slums. Awesome trip, lots of thoughts no time to put them down. Bottom line mission accomplished. What an eye opener to see how most of the world lives.

A really great team of guys.

The Barbon and Sanchez families are sleeping happy tonight under a real roof.

This weekend is finishing The Bed. Let’s hope it’s not 100 degrees in the garage again (although the paint dries fast)

Well, looks like it’s time to get busy, and the coffee is empty again. Man , I’ve got to wash that cup...

Top image used by permission via flickr

Friday Foto

2006-07-07T00:06:00.000-07:00

The ghost of Nike.

This lucky accident happened on the fourth, as I was setting up the camera for longer shutter speeds to capture fire in the sky. I set the camera on the ground, as somebody walked through.

Olde timey 4th of July street party

2006-07-04T23:37:00.000-07:00

Close the street, meet the neighbors, jump around...

Power some mellon eating contest. We may not have been fastest, but the left over rhine was whiter than anybody's

take a dip

and God bless the USA

Happy Birthday, America

Wood Porn

2006-07-03T20:52:00.000-07:00

Loft bed. step A.

A bed in the clouds

2006-07-01T22:06:00.000-07:00

Today I started a loft bed for Little E’s 4th birthday (with a slide please Daddy & red and purple please). Tomorrow I’ll take some shots of me cutting lumber and dripping sweat. So far, so good.

After a stop at Home Depot, I’m a little worried about this beast falling through the floor. With and 10 2 x 6’s and a bakers dozen of 2 x 4’s please a full sheet of 3/4” birch ply, I’m pretty sure I know where I’ll be heading when the big one hits and California slides into the sea.

Reaching out to strangers

2006-06-30T11:29:00.000-07:00

The story of a man, a family and a dog that I have never met, yet know so well.

Good luck and God bless MM.

UPDATE: Whew!

Friday Foto

2006-06-30T06:34:00.000-07:00

Recapping a FAST! weekend

2006-06-26T11:58:00.000-07:00

Friday night, preschool graduation/advancement. The kids are growing FAST! It was a Hawaiian theme with terrible acoustics. As the teachers mumbled on about the accomplishments and growth of each student, the two-year old in the front row kept adjusting her inappropriate coconut top.

Saturday, work day in the community garden. The corn is getting big FAST! There was a nice community lunch and a presentation from ~~socialists~~ representatives of the South Central farmers.

These protests have got to be hurting the cause of community gardens. Our garden is on land owned by CalTrans in the 710 corridor. If the freeway ever goes through, they will plow my tomatoes under, (I understand that I am a guest on their land, and I will not be chaining myself to a tree). After the fuss with the South Central Farmers, people like CalTrans have to be giving second and third thoughts to letting gardeners onto their land. It would be much easier and better PR for them to leave it as a fenced in vacant lot. /rant

Sunday afternoon, picnic lunch out at Puddingstone lake. 46 miles/hour on a jet ski in choppy water is FAST! Bloody knuckles, sore ass, bugs in the teeth, kick ass FAST! It was very hot, very crowded, very cholo, and very fun.

Went to a garden party...

2006-06-10T06:48:00.000-07:00

All my old friends were there.

Spring and Summer in the community garden.

Friday Foto

2006-06-09T06:47:00.000-07:00

Friday Foto

2006-06-02T17:09:00.000-07:00

In which a day, becomes a week, becomes a month

2006-05-17T13:05:00.000-07:00

Dang, it's dusty in here.

Well, I'm not dead. Things are going well. It turns out that you CAN say, "I'll blog tomorrow" 62 straight days in a row.

Thanks for the comment Leahpea, hopefully it's a good ~~kick in the ass~~ jump start to get me back on the horse.

Big brother is not the government

2006-03-16T11:22:00.000-08:00

Here's a cut and paste from a proposal that I am writing for a client. I think that I am going to recommend against it, just because it's freaking me out.

This database is the real power of the company. The way that this works, is that we would send our entire 120,000 name mailing list to the company. 95% of the households would already be members of the company's database. The company tracks an average of 20 purchases a year for every household in their database.

Based on each household's buying habits, the company would rank our mailing list from 1 to 120,000 on an individual household basis, from most likely to buy to least likely.

We could then make a more logical determination of who to mail to and who's not worth it.

Finally and of most value, the company can create leads: households that while not on our list, are in the right demographic and are making similar purchases.

The pricing is based on not how many households you submit, but how many you get back. The rate is $40/1,000. So for example, if we sent them 120,000 names we could request the top 50,000 of ours back, plus another 20,000 of "new" names that are good leads, but not clients, for 70,000 names or $2,800.

They're tracking the purchases of 95% of the households in America.

Artistic integrity or horse sense

2006-03-14T12:42:00.000-08:00

It's interesting how ideas collide. To hear two stories about a night of Jazz history in two days it beyond weird coincidence. It's stuff like this that makes me feel like I'm pinning strings together onto newspaper clippings out in the shed.

Seth Godin has a fantastic post today about the night Bill Evans walked off stage because he, "didn't feel like playing" and how the crowd cheered him because if his heart wasn't in it, they didn't want to hear it.

The interesting part is that last night Terry Gross did an interview with Paul Motian, Bill Evans' drummer, who attributed the same event to Mr. Evans lack of heroin.

So, I guess that the corollary to Seth's post is that it's only important that the customer thinks you are being authentic.

main drain

2006-03-12T22:33:00.000-08:00

Friday Foto

2006-03-10T07:01:00.000-08:00

RFBlogo version 1.0 (beta)

2006-03-07T12:34:00.000-08:00

Did somebody say free burritos?

2006-03-07T12:15:00.000-08:00

Link

Customer warnings

2006-03-06T14:11:00.000-08:00

I really like McDonald's new coffee packaging, with the more expressive "contents hot" warning. Actually showing the guy scalding his tongue off... Genius! Lord knows, I don't read the little warning type, but even I couldn't miss this guy's heed to be cautious.

I'm eagerly looking forward to the new bigmac(tm) box featuring some obesse tub o' lard.

Maybe they'll make happy meal(tm) toys. Hey kids collect all six!

Diner parties, with kids

2006-03-06T12:42:00.000-08:00

I thing this sums thinks up pretty well

My brother-in-law came down this weekend for a visit. He is the executive chef at a big resort in Northern California. Just a side note: If you have the opportunity to have a chef in the family, I highly recommend it.

We had a wonderful diner of Pork Tenderloin wrapped in bacon that gives pigs nightmares. A tomato and mozzarella salad, fresh beets and potatoes, all followed by not one, but two of these fabulous creations:

I live for, little moments...

2006-03-06T12:36:00.000-08:00

like that.

Sorry for the lack of posts...

2006-03-06T12:33:00.000-08:00

I was shot in the head by the vice-president.

Well... I got better.

Oh great... Thanks

2006-02-23T14:42:00.000-08:00

Dear Bla, Thank you so much for making me feel so safe. I'll say "hi" to the rapist how is ONE FLOOR BELOW MY WIFE RIGHT NOW.

I need to go home early

A good reminder

2006-02-22T13:29:00.000-08:00

JSto, Thank you my brother, for kicking me in the ass. And reminding me to bring the A game. It's time to see some blood indeed.

A rainy night in... 0n the 10 freeway

2006-02-18T20:48:00.000-08:00

The other day I saw this great picture of a blackout, and it got me thinking about night photography. So when I found myself just sitting on the 10 freeway Friday night, I pulled out the camera and opened a studio.

This makes it look like traffic was moving, but it wasn't

I Like how much color I was able to capture in the sky
Wet road. Am I consintrating on driving or shooting?
Ever feel like the world is passing you by?
Most people don't realize that the reason for the funky weather was because Mars was so close.

A marriage made in... semi secret by guys who can’t keep secrets

2006-02-15T13:19:00.000-08:00

Shane: "very excited, found a guest blogger"

MM: "very excited, found a guest blogging gig"

This ought to be good, S&M with MM promising "full ass"

Here's something with which I can agree and disagree

2006-02-15T13:11:00.000-08:00

If more voices like Shane's were leading the Democratic party, I would be much more concerned about their chances.

Being a Dad rules

2006-02-14T22:09:00.000-08:00

Good fishing, bad catching

2006-02-07T08:10:00.000-08:00

Went out to Diamond Valley on Saturday. Awesome sky, decidedly less than awesome fishing. They raised the water level up more that 10' in the last week, the warmer weather and a large trout plant have made the bass fat and lazy.

Final score = All I caught was a little sunburn on the back of my neck. Zero bites. Zero fish.

Friday Foto

2006-02-03T06:59:00.000-08:00

Random observation

2006-02-02T17:48:00.000-08:00

On my way into work this morning, I got stuck behind this BIG BLACK TRUCK with lots of aftermarket CHROME, and this lovely decal on the back window. It got me thinking: 1) Aren’t are all guys asses bad? OK, well Brad Pitt or something maybe [1]. But as a whole, the average American male butt? Not much to brag about. and 2) What makes this guy’s butt so bad that he wants to tell the world about it? Lopsided? Sagging? Excessively hairy? What? Why is he truly a bad ass boy? And why is he telling me?

I guess Dodge is ahead of me on this physical phenomenon, creating special “bass ass” vehicles to help the poor ass afflicted boys. I can hear the salesman, “Whoa dude, bad ass!” Sheepish customer backs toward a wall looking at the floor in shame. “No, no, it’s OK, you’re in the right place my ass challenged friend. Let me introduce you to the WA-5000, the latest technology in wide ass seating! Yes, my seat hogging friend, we have the bad ass toy... for you.”

[1] Commenting on Brad Pitt’s neither regions does not make one gay. No that there’s anything wrong with that.

This just in...

2006-02-01T11:38:00.001-08:00

Some people still send telegrams

Out of control bull!

2006-02-01T08:23:00.000-08:00

At least two people are being treated in hospital in Mexico City after a bull leapt into a crowd during a bullfight.

Activist Cindy Sheehan Arrested at Capitol

The people in my neighborhood

2006-01-30T07:24:00.000-08:00

Saturday morning I basically couldn't get out of bed. Lower back pain. Radiating down my left leg. So much for plans to get things done, we packed up the family and took me to the doctor.

The only funny that I could find out of the whole ordeal was when I took Dan Tan La, M.D.’s prescription to the local pharmacy, I was greeted by Pharmacy manager, Phat Du.

One very brave little girl

2006-01-28T08:22:00.000-08:00

All the leaves are brown - And the sky is gray

2006-01-26T17:42:00.000-08:00

Today was the perfect day to head up the coast, away from the super models, and “go see a client” in Santa Barbra. Three hours of beautiful coastline with windows down and radio up. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon.

Stopped into a church I passed along the way

I've been for a walk On a winter's day

California Dreamin’ indeed.

what a SUPER view

2006-01-25T18:11:00.000-08:00

a MODEL for others to envy

Well lady...

2006-01-24T16:48:00.000-08:00

You’re at the right place.

The headline says it all: Mom Left Children Alone for Springer Show

A blog with 26 posts before noon...

2006-01-23T12:27:00.000-08:00

Must be the ADD ADHD blog.

Update: It was taken down, but trust me it was really funny in that attention deficit, hyper active, blog every five minutes about ADHD kind of way.

Friday Foto

2006-01-20T14:52:00.000-08:00

Dusty. Glass. Blue. Balls.

The party story

2006-01-18T07:29:00.000-08:00

It’s good to have a party story. Sort of like a party joke. Something that is light, funny, a little self-deprecating, and can tell other people something about you.

For me, it’s this story:

Two days before my wedding, a dozen of my closest friends took me out for a bachelor party. We piled into the limo, and headed for Hollywood. As we were traveling, I was presented with a number of "gifts". I started opening packages. “Great, Vaseline” “Oh plastic handcuffs, funny” “Gold coin condoms... yeah you guys are too funny”. I kept shoving the stuff under the seat, back at my “friends”, anything to get it out of the way.

One condom was opened up, unrolled and inflated. Note: An inflated “balloon” will immediately fly out the open sunroof of a moving limousine. California Highway Patrol officers and limo drivers do not find this as funny as bachelor party revelers in said limo.

Once I had gotten through the embarrassing gifts, we thankfully arrived at our dinner destination. Dar Maghreb, a restaurant that is, “like dining in a fine Moroccan house” on a traditional Moroccan dinner (an place I highly recommend!)

Apparently, one of the “features” at a traditional Moroccan restaurant is a belly dancer. When the 20 something young lady came over and started dancing it was quickly pointed out to her that this was my bachelor party, and then decided that what really needed to happen was that I should dance with her.

Having more belly than dancing ability, I made a fool of myself for a minute or two and then thought that I was done. As a grand finale the dancer leaned way back as if doing a limbo shaking shoulders and hips and said, “ok, now you lean over me”. As I bent over the woman, out of my shirt pocket come half a dozen gold coin condoms that go bouncing off her bare midriff.

After the rain

2006-01-15T22:58:00.000-08:00

This shot has a lot more photoshop than most, so if anybody is interested, here's my original.

Friday Foto

2006-01-13T12:39:00.000-08:00

Same shot. Different point of views.

Selling out

2006-01-10T11:50:00.000-08:00

Do you think Chewbacca gets a lot of crap from the other Wookies about this kind of thing?

I see all the Wookies having a big Wookie party, drinking spiked Wookie punch and Wookie beer, in the Wookie tree house. At some point in the evening, inevitably, somebody holds a lollypop up over their head and starts dancing around all crazy, and all the other Wookies laugh and start chanting “Chewy Pop!” “Chewy Pop!”.

Meanwhile, Chewbacca tries to drowned out the laughter wafting through the trees by recounting his royalty checks. But, it doesn’t really work.

my morning adventure in photos

2006-01-09T14:44:00.000-08:00

Friday Foto

2006-01-06T15:54:00.000-08:00

Can you please print that spam out for me

2006-01-06T12:22:00.000-08:00

This post is not about junk faxes. I know you already hate them as much as me. No, this post is about misplaced marketing.

OK, side note. Have you seen the fax scam that asks you to vote on a controversial issue? It’s on of my favorite scams. We get these at work all the time: “Let your voice be heard!” “Should George W. Bush be impeached for war crimes?” or “Should Roe vs. Wade be overturned” or “Should people with blue eyes be rounded up and shot?” It doesn’t really matter what the issue is, as long as it is as inflammatory as possible. Then there are two big boxes “Check here for yes” and “Check here for no” and “Your answers will be tallied up and sent to the White House and the Congress!” “Vote as often as you like” and finally, “Fax your opinion back to 976-1234”. Down at the very bottom in small type is, “fax call is $4.95/min. applied to your phone bill, fax takes approximately 2-3 minutes”

So if you have something with enough universal appeal, some people must respond. The one that threw me today was this gem. If anybody needs 24 lacrosse helmets, I know this guy in Jersey...

As someone in the ad industry, It just makes me sad to see companies waste money like this. A half readable fax sent across the country. I wonder how may of these they sent out. I wonder how I got on the list. I wonder if anybody replied. And most of all, I wonder how they don’t know that badminton is the new lacrosse?

If I can’t Google it, did it really happen?

2006-01-05T15:25:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I heard a brief report on the radio that made the point of yesterday’s post perfectly.

INS/Homeland Security denied visa’s to a group of Chinese gardeners who were coming to consult on The Huntington Library’s new traditional Chinese Garden. Apparently, it was not a “culturally significant” enough reason to visit.

The weird thing, and the reason I put off posting it, was that I can’t find another word about this anywhere. Maybe is was a hoax, or a story and I just heard a snippet. If it is true, we are on the lookout for the wrong things.

Urban legend or a real problem?

2006-01-03T17:13:00.000-08:00

I've heard stories about perverts replacing kid's videos with porn, but I don't know if it's ever really happened. Google has no records.

Apparently Fisher-Price is concerned enough about it to place a safety seal sticker. This video was buried in about 5 layers of packaging. It was a throw-in with a toy, in a sealed box, the video itself was shrink-wrapped, and in it's own box. It took me scissors, a knife, and getting through a dozen twist-ties to get to it.

This is the parenting equivalent of TSA confiscating key-chain nail files at the airport. The likelihood of some old lady taking over the plane with a crochet hook it zero, but the people in charge need to look busy, like they are doing something about keeping us safe from terrorists*. I think there are people who feel safer on planes if they get hassled at the airport, "well... they seem very through, they made me take off my shoes".

I guess I can rest assured that Fisher-Price is looking out for the welfare of my child. "Wow... They really are concerned for my baby". Either that, or it's CYA.

*I actually do believe that the government is doing a good job of keeping us safe, but it's not from increased airport screenings.

OK, the moth was freaking me out

2006-01-03T16:18:00.000-08:00

Friday Foto

2005-12-30T14:27:00.000-08:00

Smooth sailing

2005-12-30T07:20:00.000-08:00

Overheard on the radio on the drive into work this morning: “Either the computer is broken, or there is absolutely nothing happening on the road this morning.” Wheee!

The reason we need the scaffolding...

2005-12-28T12:30:00.000-08:00

is to repair all these holes from the... well... the... the scaffolding.

Christmas contractions

2005-12-27T08:03:00.000-08:00

Why is it that the only time you hear ‘twas (‘twas the night before Christmas...”) and ‘tis (‘tis the season...) is at Christmas? After much debate and some googling, it was discovered that both are perfectly good contractions through out the year - “it was” and “it is”.

So resolution #1: At some point this year you will hear me say, “’twas a wonderful fireworks display” and “’tis time to get ready for Labor Day”

You know this seemed like a good idea, but ’twasn’t.

"He Came!"

2005-12-26T08:51:00.000-08:00

Friday Foto

2005-12-23T11:41:00.000-08:00

Things I can’t find in the Bible

2005-12-23T07:17:00.000-08:00

Jesus was born on December 25th in the year 0

The Christian calendar is off 6 years (from faulty data in the 6th century when Dionysius Exiguus converted the Roman calendar to the Christian BC/AD system), plus Clement of Alexandria (an Egyptian historian) writes in 200 A.D. That, The birth of Christ took place in the 28th year of Augustus, the 25th day of Pachon” the best guess is May 14th, 6 B.C.

Mary rode a donkey to Bethlehem

No mention of a donkey, but if they had one, Joseph would had rode it according to accepted practices of the time.

The couple traveled for weeks

Nazareth to Bethlehem = 70 miles, or a three to four day journey

They were all alone

Everybody would be on the road for the Census, plus Joseph’s entire family would be converging on Bethlehem (because like Joseph they were all from the “house and lineage of David”)

Mary and Joseph came stumbling in at midnight on December 24th, and had the baby the minute they got there

The census would be a well planned public works project with lots of notice, and pregnancy has a well defined time line, so there’s no reason for M & J not to get there days if not weeks early. Luke 2:6 simples says. “while they were there”.

It would be too dangerous to travel at night, and there would be no need.

There was no room at the inn

The word that is translated “Inn” is is the word “kataluma” and it refers to a guest area in a private home (the same word as in Luke 22:11). If it had been a hotel, the word would be “pandoceion” (like Luke 10:35)

The manger was the hotel parking garage

Livestock was very valuable. Archeology suggests that the home would be built over a cave, where the family could keep the animals, or a two story house, with the family upstairs, and the animals on the ground floor.

They lay the baby in a wooden A-frame feeding trough

Probably carved from stone, or carved out of the cave wall, the manger would make a relatively safe bed

M & J’s last name was Christ, so they named the baby Jesus Christ

Christ is the title, his name was Jesus. meaning “Jehovah saves”. He is “The Christ” (the Greeks translation of the Hebrew "Messiah")

Also, his middle initial was not “H”

The shepherds were in nearby fields, watching the sheep graze

They would have found shelter for the sleeping sheep, probably in a cave outside of town.

The heavenly choir bursts into Silent Night.

Luke 2:13 states “the angles were saying”

The three wise men showed up just after the shepherds

The Maji were probably a year or two later (travel time) and it is only assumed that there were three, because of three gifts. If you are making an extended journey with valuable gifts to see “a king” you would want to bring a large party.

Does this take anything away form Christmas? On the contrary, it just makes it that much more real for me.

Getting what you expected

2005-12-22T07:06:00.000-08:00

A major part of packaging is setting and meeting expectations. Is this an expensive product or a cheap product? Is this a product I can relate to? And most importantly, when I open this package up, does the product deliver what’s been promised. Billions of dollars are spent on fine tuning the message of packages to say just the right thing. Big companies do this so well, that it’s really expected 100% of the time.

Last night I opened a new tube of toothpaste that looked like this:

Colgate sparkling white mint zing

Looking at that packaging, that color toothpaste would you expect? Of course, it’s green and white. Almost an American would say green and white. I picture a green spearmint gel blended with a white baking soda more traditional paste. You would want the white part (the baking soda) to be really white, so you think that it really whitens your teeth, and the green spearmint part has got your breath’s back.

I know I’m a geek when I was shocked by a blue on blue product:

Footnote #1: Your wife will think you’re weird if you go to the bathroom in the morning, go out and get your camera, and go back into the bathroom.

And footnote #2: From looking at Colgate’s site I discovered that, Colgate mint zing promises, “A fusion of Natural Spearmint & Peppermint Essential Oils that will dazzle your mouth!” while the Cinnamon Spice is, “A burst of Cinnamon Spice that will invigorate your mouth!”

Choose your own headline

2005-12-21T07:18:00.000-08:00

Flashing your rack on the 210
or
Buck in a Truck

Las Posada

2005-12-19T19:03:00.000-08:00

The diversity of living in East LA. On Friday night we went to a local Posada celebration. While I’m very familiar with traditional American Christmas celebrations and traditions, this was a first for me. I apologize if I misrepresent the symbolism, if you know better than I, please leave a comment. Here’s a reference that tells a more complete story.

Basically the Posada is a Mexican tradition that recounts the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, where the baby Jesus was born. We met at the community garden, and candles in hand, proceeded down the street looking for shelter.

There was no room at the inn. We were lead by a small nativity scene, and a boy and a girl dressed as Mary and Joseph.

The crowd sang songs and prayed prayers, the Spanish song sheet didn’t do me a lot of good, but I joined in with Silent Night.

When we returned to the garden the gats were closed,

we asked for entry and lodging, and after some back and forth, the gates were cast open and the party began. There was a very tasty fry bread with cinnamon sugar, "Ponche con Piquete” (Punch with Sting) (rum), and Pinatas for the children.

The Posada continues for nine days, until December 24th, a progresive party starting each night where the party was the night before, and lead by Mary and Joseph to that night’s festivities. Each time being turned away before reaching the final destination.

A wonderful time was had by all, and there was no mention of Santa, selling, or for that matter, English.

feliz navidad

Friday Foto

2005-12-16T10:00:00.000-08:00

Viral ideas

2005-12-16T07:35:00.000-08:00

Working in advertising, I am very interested in how ideas spread. Why do some things catch on, while other great ideas flounder in obscurity? Seth Godin has some great insights on this. Viral videos, a hotmail tag on every email, flickr, etc. If I can get my customers to sell my product to their friends, it’s going to save me tremendous resources. Plus the message is believed and accepted much more readily.

But what about strangers, how can someone that I never meet sell me on an idea. The idea has to solve a problem that we share in common. Here is the case study that I found this week:

I went to the hospital. Everybody who goes in the building gets a sticker, that says where you are suppose to be going. You shouldn’t be wandering around the maternity wing when you are wearing an orange radiology sticker.
OK, makes sense. The problem: What do you do with the sticker when you leave the hospital? Nobody wants to walk around announcing “I’ve been hospitalized!” So when you leave the building, the first thing everybody does is remove the sticker. The hospital strategically places a trash can right outside of the elevator doors just for this purpose.

Unfortunately, their strategy is 20 paces too late. Now I am nearing my car. I don’t want the sticker in my car (a. It’s sticky, and b. “At least I was able to drive myself to my hospitalization”). I just left the hospital, I don’t want to go back to the trash can/elevators. But it’s a very clean garage, and mom didn’t raise me to be a litterbug.

If I could just find an obscure place to stick this thing...
It’s funny to me that hundreds of people choose the more difficult bending over and sticking in the ground, and nobody just slaps it on the wall. The group is giving permission and solving the problem that we share.

Getting inside my child’s head. Part 2

2005-12-14T07:09:00.000-08:00

Well, after many delays, we finally had the MRI. Little A did awesome, apparently she has my veins (making for an easy IV). Having a board taped to her arm didn’t slow her down as she thoroughly explored Radiology. I think that the worst part for her was the removing of the sensors taped on her chest (which the nurse made me do). Results, no we wait until after Christmas for that.

People's Republic of Capitalism

2005-12-11T15:43:00.000-08:00

My brother John, the world traveler:

me: are you in china?
john: yep
me: cool!
john: listening to the Chargers on the internet
me: nice
me: i got your email

email: When I got off the plane, this young Chinese gal in a long black coat met me and rushed me through the airport, customs etc. They took me to a private car provided by the hotel. A brand new Audi A8, with a driver. Pretty nice. You would not believe how modern they are in China. At least what I saw…

Buildings are going up everywhere… The cars were all new, many German cars, and others I did not recognize. I did see a Yellow Hummer on the same road I was on. The hotel is nice. About 5 people check me in. Turn down the bed etc.

Satellite TV in the room a lot of English programming. I am going to venture out to the front desk, the China office left me a cell phone. There is a happy hour on the 18th floor I will check out. Hi Speed internet, all pretty good. Its hard to believe I am on the other side of the world and how far China has come, when you think about all you read about, news etc.

john: cool
me: sounds great
john: so far so good
john: gonna jump in the shower and get some breakfast then head over to the office
me: is it Monday morning?
john: yep
me: it's 3:30 Sunday afternoon
me: what time is it there?
john: 7:30 am
me: have a great day
me: good luck with everything