WildOats

Seems like lately I’m having a bit of photographer’s block. What the heck is that you say? Well I guess it’s kinda like writers block. It just feels like I’m not getting any pictures that I like. Not only that, but sometimes I go out, and go for my walk, and not even take my camera out of the bag. I come back home and haven’t even clicked off one picture.

I think I’ve finally got to the point where I’m going to have to actually get in my car and drive to a new location. I’ve had this feeling for a while, but I really don’t want to get back out on the road after I’ve come home.

Anyway, the last time I went out I did manage to get some pictures. Nothing great. I’m not sure I even like them, but at least I did get something.

This first picture I liked because the flower almost looks fake. Or that I somehow altered it. In actuality this flower grows all over. And it looks exactly like it does in this picture. The colors are really that deep. The other thing that I like about it, is that it almost looks other worldly. Like those are some sort of spikes or something.

This next one I took because it’s a tropical thing. It’s the kind of flower that people think of when you mention warm tropical places like Hawaii or south Florida. It’s a Bird of Paradise. So while the rest of the country is frozen over, here’s a little bit of warmth. Just for you.

This last one was an orchid. But the owner had it in a pot, and then hung it in a tree from a branch. As I was walking by the house I saw it, and took the picture from the street. The sun was behind the flowers, and was making part of the flowers seem whiter. While at the same time keeping the darker part of the flowers colorful. I like the way the light was playing with the orchids.

Well as you know last week we had an eclipse. They kept saying this will the last eclipse till something like 2010. Not sure if that’s a big deal or not. But as usual the news was hyping it. Who knew?

Anyway, most of my life I lived up north, and I really never got to see an eclipse. It was always either only visible if you lived down south, or it was cloudy the night of the eclipse. That’s how it is up north, almost always grey out. There’s only about 10 days all year when you can see a clear blue sky with sun. If it’s not raining, then in the winter it’s totally cloudy. And winter runs from like October to almost May. Then in the summer…..they call it hazy….and yet again…..you can’t see squat as far as sun or blue sky are concerned.

Down here in Florida, we get a lot of clear skies. When I first moved here I could never be outside without sun glasses. My eyes were just not used to all the light. Took me months to adjust. Anyway, with the sky being clear I decided to have a look and check out the eclipse. I wasn’t about to wait and watch the whole thing. My attention span is not long enough for that. I just wanted to have a quick look to see it for myself.

So at the designated time, I went outside to see it. At first I didn’t even see the moon at all. But then I went to the other side of my building, and there it was. The moon and it was starting to become obscured. Oh wow…..there it is I thought. I looked at it for a while, and then decided to go get my camera and see if I could take a picture of it.

Taking a picture of the moon is more involved than I initially thought. My first impulse was to think, well it’s such a small dot in my frame. Surrounded by all this black night sky. I’ll probably need a tripod, because since it’s so dark I’ll need a long exposure. But I aimed my camera and got my initial exposure readings. And yea the readings told me that I did need a fairly long exposure. So I shot with what the camera meter told me. Since it’s a digital camera I checked the LCD in the back. The whole moon was totally over exposed. Just a white dot. No detail at all, completely over exposed.

All that black sky and just a small little dot of a moon tricked the meter. The meter was thinking the same way I was at first. A lot of dark…..you’ll need a long exposure. Well we were both fooled. But the beauty of digital is, that I can see the LCD and make corrections. So I slowly started to increase my shutter speed, and decrease the exposure time. Then I was finally able to start seeing some detail in the moon.

The only other problem I had was that I don’t have a big enough lens to magnify the moon. It was still just a small dot, even with the biggest lens I had. So I uploaded the picture onto my computer, and magnified it a LOT. This really degrades the image, and it doesn’t look all that great. But it’s the best I could do under the circumstances. So how did I do?

Wow….time has really been going by very quickly lately. One day blends into the next. And then one week blends into the next. But yet, somehow when you’re at work, time seems to stand still. Why is that?

Anyway, Somehow I’ve lost track of time, and haven’t written anything in here for a while. So here I am back again. I don’t really have much to report. Nothing all that interesting has been going on.

Sometimes I step back for a second and try to think about what’s been going on. Like for example I was trying to remember what I did last week. I sat there for a while, and thought. But nothing was coming to me. I really can’t think of much at all. Nothing really stands out in my mind. Yet the week is gone, and it seems to have gone by very quickly.

Another thing I notice is how fast the weekends go by. Lately I don’t do much when the weekend comes. I like to stay home and relax. But when I do that, the weekend is over before I know it. Just like this past weekend. It feels like I went to sleep Friday night, and woke up on Monday morning. And another week has begun.

Mondays are probably the hardest days. You have to get back into the work week routine. Waking up early, and going to bed early. Then dealing with the work day stuff. Yuck!! But, I guess the good news is, that the week will all be over before I know it. Only 4 more days till the weekend. Yay!!!!

With all the political debates going on, I happened to find this little piece. What do you think?

WOULDN’T IT BE GREAT TO TURN ON THE TV AND HEAR ANY U.S. PRESIDENT, DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN GIVE THE FOLLOWING SPEECH?

Fellow Americans: As you all know, the defeat of the Iraq regime has been completed.

Since congress does not want to spend any more money on this war, our mission in Iraq is complete.

This morning I gave the order for a complete removal of all American forces from Iraq This action will be complete within 30 days. It is now time to begin the reckoning.

Before me, I have two lists. One list contains the names of countries which have stood by our side during the Iraq conflict. This list is short. The United Kingdom, Spain, Bulgaria, Australia, and Poland are some of the countries listed there.

The other list contains every one not on the first list. Most of the world’s nations are on that list. My press secretary will be distributing copies of both lists later this evening.

Let me start by saying that effective immediately, foreign aid to those nations on List 2 ceases immediately and indefinitely. The money saved during the first year alone will pretty much pay for the costs of the Iraqi war. THEN EVERY YEAR THERE AFTER It Will All GO TO OUR SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM SO IT WON’T GO BROKE IN 20 YEARS.

The American people are no longer going to pour money into third world Hellholes and watch those government leaders grow fat on corruption.

Need help with a famine? Wrestling with an epidemic? Call France.

In the future, together with Congress, I will work to redirect this money toward solving the vexing social problems we still have at home. On that note, a word to terrorist organizations. Screw with us and we will hunt you down and eliminate you and all your friends from the face of the earth.

Thirsting for a gutsy country to terrorize? Try France or maybe China.

I am ordering the immediate severing of diplomatic relations with France, Germany, and Russia. Thanks for all your help, comrades. We are retiring from NATO as well. Bonne chance, mes amies.

I have instructed the Mayor of New York City to begin towing the many UN diplomatic vehicles located in Manhattan with more than two unpaid parking tickets to sites where those vehicles will be stripped, shredded and crushed. I don’t care about whatever treaty pertains to this. You creeps have tens of thousands of unpaid tickets. Pay those tickets tomorrow or watch your precious Benzes, Beamers and limos be turned over to some of the finest chop shops in the world. I love New York

A special note to our neighbors. Canada is on List 2. Since we are likely to be seeing a lot more of each other, you folks might want to try not pissing us off for a change.

Mexico is also on List 2 its president and his entire corrupt government really need an attitude adjustment. I will have a couple extra thousand tanks and infantry divisions sitting around. Guess where I am going to put ‘em? Yep, border security.

Oh, by the way, the United States is abrogating the NAFTA treaty - starting now.

We are tired of the one-way highway. Immediately, we’ll be drilling for oil in Alaska - which will take care of this country’s oil needs for decades to come. If you’re an environmentalist who opposes this decision, I refer you to List 2 above: pick a country and move there.

It is time for America to focus on its own welfare and its own citizens. Some will accuse us of isolationism. I answer them by saying, ‘darn tootin.’

Nearly a century of trying to help folks live a decent life around the world has only earned us the undying enmity of just about everyone on the planet. It is time to eliminate hunger in America It is time to eliminate homelessness in America. To the nations on List 1, a final thought. Thank you guys. We owe you and we won’t forget.

To the nations on List 2, a final thought: You might want to learn to speak Arabic.

God bless America. Thank you and good night. “

It’s been a few days since I’ve made my way out to shoot some pictures. The weather was nice, partly cloudy and in the mid 70’s, so that cinched the deal. I started off on my walk, but somehow I just didn’t get the sense I was gonna find anything to shoot today. Oh well. Sometimes I go out, and don’t find anything that catches my attention. On those days I just go for my walk, find nothing, and come back home. But at least I do get out for some exercise and fresh air.

I think the problem is that I’ve walked my present walk for a long time now. It’s kind of getting stale. I’ve seen everything a million times. I just don’t get the sense that there’s anything left to get a picture of. That makes it hard on me to get inspired to shoot stuff. The problem is once I get home, I really don’t feel like getting back into my car and driving to some destination to take pictures. I’d rather just go out and walk around for a bit before it gets dark.

After walking for a while I noticed this mushroom, that was growing in some mulch. I liked the texture of the top of the mushroom. So I stopped and took at pic of it. I wonder if it’s a magic mushroom.

After taking the shroom pic, I continued on. Didn’t really see much of anything else. But I was enjoying a nice walk outside in the sun, so I didn’t mind. I was starting to think that my excitement was over, and I wouldn’t find anything else to shoot. But it was then that I noticed this squirrel. He was up in a tree. He noticed me first actually, because when I finally did see him, he was already starring at me. He was fun to watch. He looked at me, and froze in place. The he’d run down the tree onto the ground and into the shrubs. I’d hear him scurry about. Then he’d run back up the tree and onto a branch. Come to a dead halt, and stare at me. Pose like that for a few secs, then back down the tree. He did this little routine a few times. I thought he was cute. So I took some pics of him.

He had a little friend with him, but his friend was kinda on the shy side. He didn’t come out to look around like this guy did. He must been on patrol duty or something. Here’s another shot of him hanging out in the tree, eating and keeping guard.

So that was the extent of my walk today. Thanks for looking.

Can you cry under water?

How important does a person have to be before they are considered assassinated instead of just murdered?

Why do you have to “put your two cents in,” but it’s only a “penny for your thoughts”? Where’s that extra penny going to?

Once you’re in heaven, do you get stuck wearing the clothes you were buried in for eternity?

Why does a round pizza come in a square box?

What disease did cured ham actually have?

How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?

Why is it that people say they “slept like a baby” when babies wake up like every two hours?

If a deaf person has to go to court, is it still called a hearing?

Why are you IN a movie, but you’re ON TV?

Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground?

Why do doctors leave the room while you change? They’re going to see you naked anyway.

Why is “bra” singular and “panties” plural?

Why do toasters always have a setting that burns the toast to a horrible crisp, which no decent human being would eat?

If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a stupid song about him?

Can a hearse carrying a corpse drive in the carpool lane ?

If the professor on Gilligan’s Island can make a radio out of a coconut, why can’t he fix a hole in a boat?

Why does Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains on all fours? They’re both dogs!

If Wile E. Coyote had enough money to buy all that ACME crap, why didn’t he just buy dinner?

If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, what is baby oil made from?

If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?

Do the Alphabet song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune?

Why did you just try singing the two songs above?

Why do they call it an asteroid when it’s outside the hemisphere, but call it a hemorrhoid when it’s in your butt?

Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog’s face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him for a car ride, he sticks his head out the window?

Every once in a while I notice some kind of pattern. Something that repeats. Sometimes it’s a behavior people have. Sometimes it’s certain things or events that happen over and over. Well today I noticed another repeating occurence.

Today I was watching tv. Nothing great was on (surprising to hear I know) and I was flipping through channels. I came across this show that comes to your house and cleans it up for you. The fact that you can’t get yourself together says something about the type of person you are. But that’s a separate story.

So the show comes to this house, and they let us see what’s going on inside this house. These people have sooooo much crap all over the place. Junk on the floor. Stuff loaded on every surface. Stuff spilling off the table. Crap all over the counters. Drawers over flowing with clothes. Closets over filled with more crapola. How much stuff do you need?

That’s when I noticed the repeating pattern. Not only is the country just getting fatter and fatter, but we’re becoming a country that buys waaaayyyyyy too much junk that we can’t afford. On top of all that it appears a lot of people can’t throw stuff out.

Back to the show. So during the show, they ask these people about what they can get rid of. Not this. Noo…not that. I can’t part with this. I got this from my aunt. And the kicker is….most of the stuff is junk. Crap, junk, butt ugly, stuff that doesn’t work. Yet…..no …..I can’t part with it. Are you high??? What do you need with junk like that?

Here’s a tip for you. If you need public storage……you have too much crap. Stuff that you never should have bought in the first place, and if it’s in storage, and not even in your house……how often do you use it? Then do you really need it? And then pay storage fees on top of it? Yea smart idea.

I’m like the opposite of these people. I could never live like they do. I try to keep everything as simple as I can. I don’t want or need to make things any more complex than they are already. Having all that crap all over, just complicates life, and adds stress. I like my place to be stream lined uncluttered and simple. I throw out stuff I don’t use or need anymore. Why keep it, and add more stress and annoyances to my life?

So in summation I’ll leave you with todays question.

Are you a pack rat or do you throw all your junk out?

It’s Friday!!!!! Woo Hoo!!!!! The week is over. The part of the week that everyone looks forward to is here. Isn’t it great when you get home on Friday afternoon, and know you don’t have to deal with work again till Monday? You finally have some time to do what you want to do.

When I was younger……so much younger than today (it’s a song you know) I used to look forward to Friday all the time. Usually by the time Friday came along, you had some sort of plan of what was going on. Back then I remember coming home from school or work. Hanging out for a while in the afternoon. Maybe getting a quick nap in. Then getting up to take a shower getting myself together and going out with friends.

Back then we had the sense that if we weren’t going out or doing something we were ‘wasting the weekend’. So we’d usually try to pack in as much as we could. Friday night we’d go out to a club or hang out at a friends house or something. Then we’d usually have something planned for Saturday night as well. Sometimes it was another club. Sometimes it was a concert or some sort of event or something. Either way, we were always going or doing something.

Back then I also remember my father. He would usually say something like, why do you guys want to deal with all that. Wouldn’t you just rather stay home and relax? I remember you couldn’t drag my father out on the weekends. He would just stay at home. He’d either work on some project around the house. Do the yard work. Do some sort of gardening out in the back yard. Tinker around with his tools building stuff in the basement. At that time I thought he was crazy. Why would he actually WANT to do that? How could he not rather go out and have a fun time?

Well fast forward 20 yrs to today. Guess what? I’m now kinda the same way. At this point in my life, going on a Friday night is the last thing I want to do. After a long week, all I want to do is go home and relax. Order food out, hang out at home and do nothing. Sometimes I do actually think about maybe doing something. But then I quickly realize what it would involve. First off, I’d have to deal with all the horrendous traffic. And on a Friday night it’s even worse. All the crazy idiotic drivers on the road, going to wherever it is they are going to. Then you finally get to the place, now good luck finding a place to park. Now if all that hasn’t gotten me crazy yet, now I get deal with all the people at the venue. Drunk loud obnoxious people I really don’t want to be around. Probably music playing waaayyyyy too loud, that how should I put it….um…..sucks. Oh yea…..great time so far. So you put up with this for a few hours, till you’ve finally had enough. Now, I get to have even more fun. Not only am I totally exhausted, from getting up early all week, not only am I annoyed by all the crazy people driving around in the traffic, not only was it a pain to park…….but guess what? Now I get to drive back home, and deal with it all over again. And for what? To spend a few hours in an aweful club, listening to crappy music and sitting with people you rather not be with.

So all in all, my father was right. It just took me 20 years to figure out what he knew back then. Wouldn’t you really rather just stay home and relax on the weekend?

I don’t know what’s going on with the weather, but for the past few weeks it’s been crazy. We’ve had a little bit of everything going on here. You name it, we’ve probably had it here recently. I think last week it rained almost every day. Then the rain would stop for a bit, and then start all over again with thunder and lightning on top of it. If it wasn’t raining, then it was windy out. Better than rain, but still it made taking pics too difficult. Anything you wanted to photograph was swaying, and would come out all blurry. Then if it wasn’t the wind, we had some cool days come through. Between the cool days, it would heat up and be hot now. Sounds like the goldie locks story doesn’t? Anyway, then if all that wasn’t enough, yesterday and the day before we had tornados.

Despite all these adversities, I did make it out and venture to take some pics. Some more nature stuff, which I think I like to do the most.

This first one I took because I liked the lines of it, and the colors. While I was taking the shot I was thinking it might be good as a desktop kinda pic. What do you think?

This next one I noticed just by chance. There’s a canal/lake where I walk, and as I was walking by I spotted this bird. I expected it to fly away, but it didn’t. I came up closer to it, and snapped the pic.

This last one I took more for the light than anything else. As I was walking I noticed how the sun was back lighting this bottle brush flower. This is actually a tree and the flowers are pretty high off the ground sometimes. But I liked how the sun filtered through it, and almost made it seem to glow. The bees just added a bit more to it.

This afternoon it got really dark out. Then the rains came. It rained pretty hard for a while, which is good I guess. We’ve been in a drought so we could use the rain. I came to find out later, that we’re under a tornado warning till 11Pm tonight. Oh well.So I stayed home today. No going out for my walk. So with the extra free time on my hands I uploaded some of the pics I took over the past few days.I took this shot because I like the way the green of the palm trees looks against the blue of the sky. It also gives me a peaceful feeling.I noticed this little guy riding the breeze in his web. This shot was more difficult than it looks. The wind kept blowing the web back and forth. This made the spider go in and out of focus. I like how the background was rendered a neat green. I used my 300mm for that.I loved the expression on his face. Ooopppss….he caught me. That made me laugh.I liked this one because here in Florida this is about as fall or autumn leave-y as we get. It reminded me of fall time back north.Maybe tomorrow I’ll be able to go out and shoot some more. I’ll have to wait and see.