tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48294655098438494752011-10-16T21:55:13.033-07:00Brain melts from a writer who takes picturesSchmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.comBlogger1211100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-65671893504846442682011-07-30T21:23:00.000-07:002011-10-16T21:55:13.076-07:00

After a lot of internal debate I am moving my blog here. Actually, I've already moved it (and spent days yanking my dreads because it is, apparently, impossible to cleanly transfer old Blogger posts over to WordPress) but anyone who has an RSS feed to this site may want to know that I won't be posting content here anymore. I feel bad. I mean, Blogger has been with me for a very long time. But

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-3545115417417127932011-07-18T10:45:00.000-07:002011-07-18T10:45:58.113-07:00

The silence of the mountains was my only hope. After reaching the pristine valleys of the Eastern Sierras, my one goal was to experience the stillness of Nothing for a stretch. One can sit and stare out beyond the borders of civilization and watch the town creep across in the valley, spread beyond the gritty brown lumps of houses. Farmlands stretch from end to end, range to range, melting into

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-25816055633022858652011-07-08T15:34:00.000-07:002011-07-08T15:39:55.086-07:00

Photo by Charlie Crane, from Welcome to Pyongyang Growing up, SAT scores and mathematics were higher on my priority list than genealogy. I knew little about my family beyond my parents' own lives, that they were a city girl and a country boy brought together in Seoul's most prestigious university. Now that I am older and my extended family has begun gathering more regularly, I'm hearing stories

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-40288828003244246952011-07-03T14:31:00.000-07:002011-07-03T14:43:41.177-07:00

Music is a powerful language of the soul. Like language, the ear strains to understand, hearing familiar words in the unfamiliar rhythm. Words that you think you know. Words created from the context of your own life. I listened to those notes and felt the rumbling shudder of steel, smelled the old stones of an old city, the tugging sea wind. I relived the creeping, cold uncertainty caused by

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-81905275124216801642011-06-21T10:28:00.000-07:002011-06-21T11:10:57.659-07:00

Keeble & Shuchat in Palo Alto, CA has bar none the worst service I've ever experienced in a brick-and-mortar shop. Here's how they've earned their way onto my Shit List.You Are What You SayIt didn't happen overnight. I've been going there since before I've even lived in California – which is my way of pointing out I've been giving this place more chances than anyone should ever give someone.

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-43882424981539323372011-06-15T15:12:00.001-07:002011-06-16T14:08:40.256-07:00

One of the most inconvenient obstacles I've encountered in my rebirthed career is the internet. I've always been a spew-from-the-seat-of-my-fingertips kind of writer, back when I was scribbling crazy thoughts on scraps of diner napkins at 4 AM. They always ended up falling into some sort of order, a raw stream of consciousness that I have, over time, learned to trust. You can't do that these days

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-42095813199944479412011-05-03T09:48:00.001-07:002011-07-02T22:43:21.017-07:00

Since my earliest days, I've longed to visit the magical land. The land of snowy mountains, rolling hills, sea stacks, pounding waves, eternal fog and metropolitan glitz. I wanted to be somewhere close to earth, sky and sea. The Pacific Northwest. I would read my books and gaze at the suburban stars and dream about how beautifully green and alive such a place would be. And yet from the

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-11032001739599775862011-04-05T06:15:00.000-07:002011-07-02T18:29:20.039-07:00

I think about how long it's been since I have stood in the ethereal silence and felt the invisible excitement from my peers. To be not the stranger, the weird, the lagged, who inconveniences others with their desire to chase something yet unseen. I miss the beauty of the landscape, a feature that masks the harsh reality for the creatures that live within. I won't meet her eyes because I am

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-31220510207249227362011-03-08T07:35:00.003-08:002011-07-02T18:29:42.984-07:00

In Chernobyl, the last thing you want to be doing is hiding from the authorities in the dark. And yet I somehow found myself doing just that, begging my heart to stop beating, wondering if this was some sort of awesome spy movie. I sure didn't feel awesome. Earlier that evening, I stood by the bed pulling things out of my backpack. We were going for a stroll in town and some divine

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-17297612521777312882011-03-03T09:44:00.009-08:002011-07-02T18:30:09.609-07:00

Having been a violinist who chafed at the rigidity of the classical expectation, I highly respect and look up to Emilie Autumn with an emotion that borders on jealousy: I went to the recent show in SF with low expectations, because shows make me feel awkward and a little out of place. Shows are also a terrible place for short people to go, especially if you want to take a few pictures.

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-11683077859130199192011-02-01T10:37:00.006-08:002011-07-02T18:30:27.591-07:00

Two weeks is over! Two weeks of bachelorettism, independence and climbing on chairs to reach things on the top shelf. What have I learned? 1. It's my party and I'll cry if I want to. Somewhere in the last few years, I have stopped caring about looking foolish in front of strangers. When I was alone in the past - even for a day - I would be too shy and bumbling to go out and do things on my

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-27068959449653202922010-12-27T08:01:00.003-08:002011-03-07T16:16:43.954-08:00

Spangenberg is… How shall one describe Spangenberg? It's a town so small that no one's ever heard of it, but it stunned me to see that nestled on the outskirts is a brand-new Edeka, flags and all. To hear the locals speak of it, it's a travesty. Even though I bear as much weight as spätzle in salt water, I tend to agree. It's easy to shake my fist and say "Heresy! Spangenberg should not fall

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-79038090727867564962010-12-26T21:49:00.008-08:002011-03-07T16:16:43.956-08:00

Germany is one of the most underrated countries to visit and I think that's a crying shame.I recently read some website where the author had written something to the effect of: In Germany, you're not likely to see any tourists who aren't German. While I know for a fact that Germans love their statistics and expect you to know the finest details about your own country, I am a silly

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-44391448753474605592010-12-23T20:02:00.005-08:002010-12-23T20:20:37.367-08:00

Baltimore is a living, breathing part of me. As I listen to the familiar whoosh of I-95 and see the spires of Legg Mason grow from the pavement, I'm disarmed by a flood of emotion. This can't be normal. Hundreds, thousands of people move away from their homes each year, and they get on, grow up, move along. Some noses wrinkle in response, some spit and say "Good riddance!" Maybe some don't think

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-48532638809515897522010-12-01T07:34:00.005-08:002011-03-07T15:47:33.587-08:00

Edited to add: SmugMug has let me post about how this was made. Go nuts!-----I will never lose the impression Chernobyl has made on me, although this may be the last time I create something from that place. This one was particularly meaningful because each clip brought back memories, motions and snippets of conversation. This project was so long in the making, I cannot quite reach back to think

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-38114251412762129782010-11-24T16:39:00.013-08:002011-03-07T16:16:43.959-08:00

Friends, Americans, travelers: Do not buy dust masks in Budapest. You won't find them. You can ask a half dozen people who live in the city, who work in the shopping district, who call themselves concierge at your four-star hotel, but they will not know. You will, however, be truly, utterly and wholly convinced that you can trust them, that you do not need to worry and that you'll be in good

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-21397999151840214622010-11-08T06:35:00.008-08:002011-04-05T10:16:33.271-07:00

From 7,000 miles away, European trains are romantic. It's adventure: A giant steel wyrm uncoiling under the moonlight, snaking between the wild mountains of eastern Ukraine. Folklore and myth lurk in the shadows of the forests, all while the passengers lay swaddled and asleep in their gently-swaying carriages.… It was not at all like that.Keleti station in Budapest could be a lovely building. For

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-65430865594692827922010-11-02T08:46:00.021-07:002011-03-07T16:24:29.106-08:00

Say one word, "Chernobyl," and you'll get one of two polarized responses: 1. Why? 2. Wow.No matter what they say in public, nearly everyone has a interest they do not want to admit. Morbid curiosity and a secret fascination to the radioactive wasteland, a town locked in time. Me, too.I let my breath out after the third (and last) checkpoint, thankful that our paperwork was all in order. Military

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-22281184560978956402010-11-01T09:01:00.003-07:002010-11-01T09:34:20.457-07:00

Home. Home, sweet home. My mind is aswirl with the events, sights and conversations of the last 3 weeks, but I would never trade any of that for anything. So many chances, so many choices, so many good people.My mind has not yet clicked back to being home. In America. We've been constantly moving for almost 3 weeks, traveling from country to country and crossing borders where the language (and

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-60563144759586449792010-09-16T10:47:00.001-07:002011-03-07T16:18:19.776-08:00

As the days count down to October, my anticipation scatters and swirls like the dead leaves of autumn. There are no seasons here, only clear blue skies and golden sun, but even in our temperate climate the days are getting shorter with each step. The last week has been a hailstorm of changing dates, dollar signs, flight numbers, Cyrillic letters and Ukrainian hryvnia. In less than one month we

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-39598087937809775702010-07-20T09:17:00.006-07:002011-03-07T16:37:54.862-08:00

Some relationships never let you go. In a past life (my first life), I was caught in such a spectrum of heartfelt emotions, much too soon to understand the significance of the thrall. It was heady at times, and frustrating, and in many ways abusive and dysfunctional.I grew, I learned, I was humbled. A musician understands the pain and the beauty of channeling a voice borne from wood and rosin.

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-77535290078346291842010-05-28T10:49:00.009-07:002011-03-07T16:37:54.865-08:00

I found the following on one of many abandoned scratch pads:I woke up afraid of death.And through the course of the day I realized that age is a powerful thing. It can control you, defeat you, tempt you, and lead you astray. It is a commander and a charlatan all in one.The dance of life is not knowing what lies through that door, and taking a journey that will, in many ways, never end.When did I

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-77722757757463055562010-05-03T09:59:00.002-07:002011-03-07T16:37:54.867-08:00

Before flight and before cars, when trains held the romance of luxury and style. Mustaches and proper skirts, hats and canes and buttons and boots.To be born in such a time, and be a little girl with a family legacy spread across the rail stations of Germany. To be so young and think, Spangenberg! A paradise for children with a mountain of hair pins to play with.She had a dozen siblings and four

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-61090097070328781392010-04-21T13:08:00.004-07:002011-03-07T16:45:52.488-08:00

From east to west. Chase the sun, follow the sky.I dreamed of a girl who loved so much, her own life could not contain her. Her fingers lingered on the door and she felt the old paint flake beneath her touch. She slipped into the dawn, unable to shape her goodbye into words. The longest day passed in a wash of yellow grass, rolling hills and red mountains. She smiled. The prairie wind embraced

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-48788551405152674792010-04-13T07:49:00.000-07:002011-03-07T16:45:52.490-08:00

All my life I've been in love with mountains. As the trees surrender and the snow falls, my heart races just a little more.I first saw the rainbow-footed mountains in southern Germany when I was 27, and my life changed forever.Here, the mountains have a different face and a dangerous smile. As I breathe the frigid air, the world stretches for countless miles, completely silent. Nothing but the

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-60422544254365923242010-03-26T06:41:00.002-07:002011-03-07T15:48:38.040-08:00

Sunday afternoon. Gotta work, gotta run. But what's this here? Sort through the stack, find one name on three postcards. 1925! Five dollars apiece? You're kidding! Alright, here you go.And there begins my fascination with Miss Eleanor Levons. A woman, who, somehow, was traveling through the roads through the early part of the last century. A woman who inspired me because of her beautiful

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-62703964705969878352010-03-02T11:31:00.006-08:002011-03-07T15:49:49.376-08:00

As our one-year anniversary of Manifest Destiny has come and gone, it's high time I dig into my archives and get moving with some older images.I spent yesterday teaching myself a popular, trendy processing style. As a girl, I love it (though I always feel slightly guilty for admitting it.) But it can be overdone. Already the idea of doing more like this makes my stomach hurt a bit.This warm,

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-12274934245368709152010-02-21T13:53:00.005-08:002011-03-07T16:37:54.871-08:00

The ocean is a two-faced entity. Foremost, a horrifying white maw, endless thunder and roars, a constant reminder that Man is Feeble. Likewise it is the carpet of diamonds, draping itself in sunlight and the serpentine moon. The ocean births silky gold sand, fabulous creatures and furnishes pelicans with a playground of joy.It is my nemesis. It presents psychological challenges unlike any other,

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-396862417867574132009-12-22T18:21:00.002-08:002011-03-07T16:10:21.210-08:00

If I say that I have had enough, deliver me wrong. Should you cast me out, I would comply. The quickness of my breath from your stunning heights lessens not as the months roll past, and the tearful sight of sun-kissed homes on your limbs I will not soon forget.The moon will rise and fall miles and miles away. The ground will toss in sleep and wind will tousle the green tendrils of your hair.

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-19939636007946541792009-12-02T09:08:00.001-08:002011-03-07T16:10:21.212-08:00

Countless memories and every nook triggers a tale. Like lightning, I am struck; there is no respite. That diner, that dinner, that hike, that building, that waitress, that date, that flirt. The mistake. The night. My fingers can't fly fast enough for me, and I wish I could find some conduit for my manic mind.Driven by hurt, happiness, and hate, riding the cusp of crisis... this is the artist's

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-81366546215864807592009-11-27T22:32:00.002-08:002011-03-07T16:45:52.492-08:00

Johnny was waiting by the park. He'd already pushed the dead leaves into neat piles on the sidewalk, resting against the rake under the trees. I could tell he needed to talk. The sun sent dapples of light across the ground, twinkling over our heads as the wind blew the shadows. He looked ready for something, but I wasn't sure what. As I approached he looked at my dog."So, are you the owner? The

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-33987937876699174382009-10-25T16:56:00.004-07:002009-10-25T16:59:57.039-07:00

Like many people, I carry a black notebook with me wherever I go. And because it's much, much easier to type than write, I find that I do not open it as much as I would like. When I have inspiration, I'm don't have time. When I have time, no inspiration.Today I had both, but I take no credit at all.

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-49908090359887097442009-10-20T22:15:00.004-07:002011-03-07T16:45:52.494-08:00

There are times when I get so homesick, I wonder if this was all just a mistake. And then I look around and see sights like this...... and then I remember why we did this.

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-54747345621598421022009-09-17T22:25:00.004-07:002009-10-25T17:12:32.542-07:00

I must have been dreaming. Surely so much could not have happened in so little time. One moment in a whirlwind of my apartment, frantic about my possessions and my time line, the next moment it's dark and we are racing along a road with few lights, chased by angry thunderheads reminiscent of the apocalypse of Pennsylvania. And one moment, with a silent transition, we were in the most picturesque

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-34913059423809655812009-09-14T12:34:00.005-07:002011-03-07T16:24:45.529-08:00

It's been too long, dear blog. I'm sorry and hope that in the coming days we can be good friends once more.After a week reliving crazy road trip moments with a dear friend, here are the first fruits of my harvest. It will undoubtedly be more than a few days before I have finished photos to accompany this movie, but it was truly a joy to stretch the brain to shoot video clips in addition to

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-88770027132061145082009-07-25T10:30:00.006-07:002011-03-07T16:45:52.497-08:00

Last night, I went out for some curry.and found myself in an alleysurrounded by color andthe smells of piss and beerFollowing music into a shedwhere a line of peopleand one scrappy dogwaited behind the garageShe offered me blue jello shotswhile curry simmered on a camping stove"I'm a therapist" said our chef and David's shoes winked in the headlamp lightUp on the roof we ateand talked with

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-3596326058009750062009-07-08T18:51:00.005-07:002011-03-07T16:45:52.499-08:00

Nothing in the world has ever been so unearthly.In the highest reaches of the Eastern Sierras, the desert lies so close to the sky. The air is so pure, but the beauty and lightness make the world dance with every step. It's oxygen deprivation, the say, but early people believed it was a mindset of the gods. Certainly the heart-stopping views lend validity to either or both of these

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-11667699716562707952009-06-28T14:14:00.002-07:002009-06-28T14:18:37.250-07:00

In the night he came for me; I don't know how I knew. I made my excuses and slipped away, and met him in the park. The lights were on, the storm was there, and lightning pricked the tarry sky. His quiet, his grin, and his cunning had not changed at all in many years. He was a traveler traveling light, but there he was. For me.The smile I shared was not one familiar on my face, but time erases

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-88968203405248630252009-06-18T22:56:00.007-07:002011-03-07T16:45:52.501-08:00

For three months I lay dormant. I feel like my head had been wrapped delicately in cotton and tucked into an ancient wooden chest. The cloth is complacency, the drawer my fear. I have very little to say right now for this, except that it is a trap all too easily fallen. Inertia, the Enemy.It's lonely here, being holed up in this drawer without much indication of light or sound outside. In a way,

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-3267418698389908182009-06-15T11:24:00.003-07:002011-03-07T16:45:52.503-08:00

Post-Baltimore visit, my eyes are opened like they have never been opened before. They say that travel nourishes the soul and broadens the mind, but such lyricism rings true for the greatest and the smallest trips that one takes.The goodness of quirky, familiar Baltimore aside, it's good to be back in Frisco. Today dawned gray and murky, warmer than expected which is always a bit of a

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-16894379089536667032009-06-01T16:33:00.007-07:002011-03-07T16:41:01.065-08:00

After forever, I finally got a kick in the pants to smooth out my site. New favicon (and now I even know how to say the word "favicon"), new banner on this blog, customized it a bit more to match my site, and even tweaked my slideshow.In completely unrelated news, the lomography has been going well. It's a great little camera to carry around, although I am still trying to get over the lack of

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-2042435410475298702009-05-18T19:24:00.005-07:002011-03-07T16:37:54.880-08:00

Hearing midnight always makes me think of College Park, staying in the shifty apartment waiting for something to happen. Eating whatever we could find around town, dodging sorority boys and girls, living the nights in alternating bouts of joy and misery. I wonder where he is now. He moved to New Mexico, supposedly, a long time ago. But he never stayed with any plan for very long. I wonder if he's

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-36885694536390771182009-05-01T08:30:00.010-07:002011-03-07T16:45:52.506-08:00

Beautiful Santa Barbara! If all drives began so sweetly, glorious afternoon sunlight and warm promise on the southern horizon. I'd driven this road before, but not alone. Having the clarity of solitude was something that I was looking forward to quite a lot, although part of it was a bit intimidating.The road was twisty and turny, alternating busy and empty which was curious on a Friday. Echoes

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-86740758168814030582009-04-06T11:01:00.006-07:002011-03-07T16:49:59.441-08:00

I'm missing something even living out here. I don't really know how to make friends, although any real friends of mine tend to come about over a slow laborious process, only realizing at the very end how much we mean to each other. The guy at the other end of the bar lastnight looked like someone we knew, but we couldn't put our finger on who. He drunkenly gave us directions to an underrated but

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-83946349132370244932009-03-31T19:38:00.005-07:002011-03-07T16:37:54.883-08:00

San Francisco is one of the most stylish, creative cities I have ever visited. I realized the other day that part of it has to do with our neighborhood and the other part may be related to the neighborhoods in which we hang out. But hands-down there's really no comparison at all between what I see people wearing on the streets here and on the streets in, well, Catonsville, MD.People here (

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-68868308779032569642009-02-25T18:06:00.004-08:002011-03-07T16:41:01.068-08:00

While in New York I stumbled upon the most exciting little shop: The Lomography Gallery store. Aside from being complete and total eye candy, the staff was great and helpful and I spent more time than I had available browsing the different cameras in stock. I walked out of there with only one small black plastic camera, but it was literally my little bundle of joy. I loaded it right then, tugged

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-46149905874045862052009-02-09T18:26:00.002-08:002011-03-07T16:37:54.885-08:00

For the longest time I have been on the search for the perfect pair of boots. For years I traveled far and wide, up and down, over and under for the pair that called me. I wore many, many pairs that I just got because they were cheap, others that hurt my feet because they looked nice on the outside, but they all were exciting and showy in the beginning and would be relegated to the back of my

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-21542840199992395552009-02-08T07:41:00.004-08:002011-03-07T16:37:54.887-08:00

Over the last several months my voice has faded away. I always blame not having the photos ready, or the words, because ideally in this part of my life those two must come together or nothing will be produced at all. This is a hindering situation, so no more.As we tie up our last weeks on the East Coast, everything is spinning faster and faster and faster. I'm nearly paralyzed with fear, of

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-13893924694508921132008-12-31T20:06:00.007-08:002011-03-07T16:37:54.890-08:00

JANUARY2008 started with our visiting our very good friend Nick in his hometown, Chicago. Many of you know this particular pr0fessional color pwnz0r as Gluwater, and over 2008 he has been a fantastic friend, Dgrinner, and eventually coworker. Matt, Trav and I flew to the Windy City while the midwest was having a cold snap to do some exploring. It was tons of fun, but even the locals were smart

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-37794808019454334022008-11-27T08:56:00.004-08:002011-03-07T16:16:49.688-08:00

I love this town, so full of smiles and worn, friendly faces. A history as deep as the coal mines below and everyone is ready to share their story with you. While corporate America struggles to find a handhold in Bethlehem, the true grit and soul of the city lingers in the small colorful streets that are, to me, always festooned with Christmas decorations and riotous explosion of autumn

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-25312597201187337552008-11-09T18:51:00.004-08:002011-03-07T16:16:49.691-08:00

So many hundreds of miles asking to be crossed. The feeling of trepidation, uncertainty, and nervousness about the empty, dry, hot spaces of the American west. I never imagined a journey could be like this, and I'm more sad than I can say about those days passing by so fast. Morning, day and night, another sunrise, another sunset. No matter where I woke up, it was always the same, yet not the

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-86288159212565423002008-08-31T19:20:00.003-07:002011-03-07T16:16:43.975-08:00

California. How temperate, balmy, perfect, warm. How clear the air is (except when there are wildfires) and how golden the light shines on your face when you're walking down the street (on the way back to work after a late dinner.) How lovely your skies and streets are in the summer (except when it's blanketed with fog!) I have had so many great experiences on the Left and met so many wonderful

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-48188919330098959022008-08-25T19:11:00.004-07:002011-03-07T16:37:54.892-08:00

The other weekend while visiting my parents, I ran into a Burger King for a bottle of water and a soda for them because it was the closest place to get something of that nature. Even before I had gone Eat To Live/China Study I didn't really eat fast food, but it was only because everybody knows it's just not great for you. But I admit once a year or so if we were stuck on the road we'd cave. And

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-18251670117465676072008-07-14T20:47:00.006-07:002011-03-07T16:16:43.977-08:00

I've never thought much of water.For some reason, when I was a child I had no problems with the sea. I kept close to the sand but I would find the waves so playful and risky - you'd never know exactly hard they would hit your ankles and if your pants would get wet! I would love to stand in the wet sand and be hit by wave after wave, thoroughly enjoying the sinking feeling as the water shifted the

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-29921757773166619272008-06-09T17:32:00.003-07:002011-03-07T16:16:43.980-08:00

There is something utterly peaceful and idyllic about the Netherlands.Whenever I speak to my Dutch friend, I can sense distinctly different undercurrents of life from his simple words and expressions. A little less hurried, a little more modest and a little bit of something else thrown in for good measure. Satisfaction, perhaps? But it is more than that.What I discovered myself is that the Dutch

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-61485379816633401752008-05-23T11:06:00.004-07:002011-03-07T16:16:49.693-08:00

Scotland has been difficult for me on many levels.No lie: I was expecting a bit more. We have preconceived notions about the land and what it will show us, as well as thoughts about the weather and the people and everything that makes the land so unique. Hold the bagpipes and the haggis.I have learned a lot, but not in ways that I was expecting. I have learned about myself and my thought

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-81917143907632714752008-05-04T08:24:00.003-07:002011-03-07T16:37:54.894-08:00

Baltimore's farmer's market is a seasonal entity spanning the warmer half of the year and the lower part of the city. From May until December locals haul their wares underneath the I-83 overpass on Saratoga Street, in the shadow of the downtown skyscrapers and nestled against the eclectic Hollywood Diner. No one will actually mention it, but it is also within a stone's throw of the historic "

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-8284769282640858932008-04-20T10:00:00.004-07:002011-03-07T16:37:54.896-08:00

Yesterday. Yesterday I was inspired.Of all the places to walk and be, it was "Hometown Girl" in Hampden that set my fire. I was browsing for a gift in that chintzy, tourist-trap of a store in one of the quirkiest neighborhoods in the city and I was knocked off my feet.A Aubrey Bodine. Of course I've heard of him, although for the life of me I can't remember how my familiarity with the name got

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-16054523985291760472008-04-13T16:41:00.002-07:002011-03-07T16:10:21.233-08:00

Yesterday, as I was wrapping up and uploading my photo of the day, I happened to glance out the back window. What I saw there made me grab my camera and sprint outside.Once in a rare while you see something great, something so moving and powerful that you can barely pick yourself up off the floor to appreciate the moment for what it is. This was one of those evenings. A spectacular sunset so

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-17448671559439265532008-04-07T07:28:00.006-07:002011-03-07T16:10:21.235-08:00

In the darkest of nights, I dream that I have no place to call home.In the darkest of days, I do not even have to be asleep to awaken gasping and grabbing for this information that so many people take for granted.In this way, imprisonment would be the greatest punishment I could ever experience. My family's background and tendencies did not, of course, lead me to be familiar with the ways of the

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-52675430545639029012008-03-15T15:38:00.002-07:002011-03-07T16:42:06.741-08:00

Seabound is one of the very few artists that I am willing to go out and see. My comfort zone has shrunk massively over the last 5 years, and for the most part this is never a problem. However the lack of outside socialization makes me a hermit and it is difficult to hear and sample new things in life no matter how much time I spend on the internet.Frank Spinath and Martin Vorbrodt, on the other

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-9560248160544354422008-03-08T11:46:00.006-08:002008-03-15T15:54:18.776-07:00

Confession: My whole life I have been greatly amused by all of the people in the world who love Japan, Japanese culture, want to be in Japan, be Japanese, eat Japanese food... all because of anime and manga. Now, I know that there's no reason why not; one reason is as good as any other to broaden your horizons and experience different cultures. I know this with the rational part of my mind but

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-23288310480885473892008-03-04T19:25:00.008-08:002008-03-15T15:55:04.619-07:00

Recently on a whim, I acted against my better judgment and took a couple of hours to visit a local clothing factory. Abandoned for almost 25 years, so much still remains, though it is a little local secret for students in the city. It had been almost a year since I'd last visited and seemingly just as long since I'd been on such an adventure. Certainly the motivation and excitement I used to feel

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-44545071213830607392008-03-01T21:25:00.004-08:002008-03-01T22:34:10.524-08:00

I am extremely regretful about the radio silence here. I have felt quite like this over the last several weeks, particularly at 4:00 and onwards:Be back soon.

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-28386613590025354502008-02-05T18:20:00.000-08:002011-03-07T16:16:49.695-08:00

I've always loved the winter, I said. This was a naive certainty that was never tested, a promise made in the youthful life in a temperate climate. Bring snow, always more. Snow harder, deeper, more...!!Love is meaningless if it is not tested.I have always been smitten by the fragmented history of Chicago. A city that, to me, always shines at night with the glorious glowing lights of the Art Deco

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-9366352268369641772008-01-27T19:37:00.000-08:002011-03-07T16:37:54.898-08:00

This photo by the famous American photographer Walker Evans was brought to my attention tonight. I have seen many examples of Evans' work but never this particular one. I recognized the location instantly, even though it was shot in 1935. Digging through my archives, I retrieved a file that I had taken myself in November of 2006. And examining the image very closely I found what I was looking for

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-52995852376254592752008-01-15T08:45:00.000-08:002011-03-07T16:16:49.697-08:00

My whole life I have been different. Not unique, but different. Children at school or at summer camp would chase me around making funny noises, asking me how I could see through my tiny little squinty eyes, asking why I was "Chinese." It never seemed strange that Asians were so rare, especially where I grew up, within sight of New York City. It was just something I never understood but learned to

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-27591708546171539492008-01-06T14:49:00.000-08:002011-03-07T16:37:54.900-08:00

Russians are great. Russians rock.Some of my weirdest stories come from when The Russians take me under their wings. I don't know if it's bubbles in the cosmos or just these particular folk but their lives are much more interesting than my own, that's for sure.Today was muddy, rainy, cold and damp. The forecast promised sun, but as dawn broke over the city all we saw was the beam of someone

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-17378707567665248202008-01-05T05:21:00.000-08:002011-03-07T16:37:54.903-08:00

I have been doing a large amount of historical research on Glacier National Park over the last month. At first I dragged my feet about this, knowing full well that I suck at history and I am very glad that the majority of report-writing experiences are behind me now. It's been at least ten years since I've done this kind of research.I'm really shocked at what I've found.On one hand, my eyes have

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-88614913464521830242007-12-30T17:14:00.000-08:002011-03-07T16:24:45.531-08:00

After many months of hair pulling, teeth grinding, explosive profanity, carpal tunnel pains, deliberation, indecision and feverish obsession, my first book is available to the public. What a way to end the year! Shuttered Through the Viewfi... By S. Theune

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-51117601208704884942007-12-22T16:56:00.000-08:002011-03-07T16:16:43.988-08:00

Unfortunately it's been well over a month since I have had the time to think and put together a few thoughts about our stay in Kyoto. Now, near Christmas, weeks after the fact with the whiskey swirling in my head I think that I'm ready to say something. Or not, I don't know. I am so sorry that I neglected to write even a note or two on a spare napkin, as is customary for when I am on the move. If

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-24014439188720667922007-12-08T20:13:00.001-08:002011-03-07T16:42:45.482-08:00

I. Love. It. Here. Driving through rugged brown hills that resemble piles of soft brown velvet, then coming down the black ribbon of road that empties into the cool blue bay. We drove for an hour through suburbs and business parks, but when I first saw the shimmering water and the sprawl of San Francisco, my skin literally prickled. This is only the second time I have been here, but this is the

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-80654646022416248412007-12-05T06:54:00.000-08:002011-03-07T16:24:45.536-08:00

I have probably half a dozen blog entries where I started to write about Bethlehem Steel and then discarded them. The electronic equivalents of wadded-up balls of scratch paper with pathetic scrawls of story written on them is not quite as romantic or frustrating as what technology gives us here. No typewriters and no angry lobbing the trash across the room into my IKEA wire-mesh

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-88222126737413114712007-11-29T07:23:00.000-08:002011-03-07T16:16:43.991-08:00

I have finally sorted through my shots from Tokyo and have managed to get a few processed and uploaded. They're not what I had expected or wanted to come back with, but they're what I've got.Since getting back a lot of people have asked me "So how was it?" And my standard response was "It's grey. And concrete." This is the truth, and it was one of the first things I noticed about Tokyo. In a way

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-34127216901745985362007-11-25T19:18:00.000-08:002011-03-07T16:24:45.539-08:00

Today was a rather unexpected mix of events. I have a lot of things on my plate but today I was the kid that chose to eat her veggies cold the next morning instead of warm for dinner. A good piece of advice that was once given to me: The world won't end if you disappear for a moment. Today I disappeared.When walking through a sleeping building, sometimes the place really does lie unchanged while

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-81451141379296456502007-11-18T12:31:00.000-08:002011-03-07T16:16:43.995-08:00

A once-in-a-lifetime experience. That is what a wedding should be. And it was, I think, for all of us. Not just for Derin and Sachiko.How often does one get to be up close and personal to a Shinto wedding ceremony? In all my days I think I have "met" just one. And we've never actually met!At the time I was overwhelmed, jetlagged, hot (Japan likes things 70 degrees and warmer, probably due to the

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-8342696533821048112007-11-15T03:44:00.001-08:002011-03-07T16:16:43.998-08:00

This trip is drawing to a close. I have lost track of everything going on and have given up taking notes on things that happen through the course of the day because there is just too much going on. I've started relying on my photos to tell the story rather than anything I can say. In the next few weeks I'm sure I'll have better tales to tell but I've still not fully adjusted to the time

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-83317303693675431282007-11-10T14:41:00.000-08:002011-03-07T16:16:44.000-08:00

Needless to say I am more than a little bit concerned with my shots and my processing. I am grateful the man on the right was there, and I could not have asked for a more perfect person to play the role. In many way I think Japan is very firmly embedded in the past: Hasselblads, Mamiyas, old Nikons... I feel stupidly naive shooting Canon digital. For now I hope that some noodle places are open,

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-36581816106655912152007-11-09T07:12:00.000-08:002011-03-07T16:17:44.399-08:00

Whoops.I thought the day was over, but I was wrong! Patience is a virtue, of which I have none.After an unintentional nap (jet lag? carrying 20 lbs of camera gear for 9 hours dodging salarymen?) we headed in the evening to Ueno because that was where Sachiko had suggested looking for a pair of boots. We went - after a cup of the phenomenol house green tea in the room to energize - and found

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-44484513603349813752007-11-08T23:15:00.000-08:002011-03-07T16:17:44.401-08:00

Friday started off with a phenomenal udon place right across the street from our hotel. We walked in not sure what the Japanese eat for breakfast, but since all the suits were going in and coming out we figured it would pass. I have never had such good tempura before, even though I only realized after we paid that the most important part of crispy tempura was dipping it in a bowl of noodles with

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-15378682076440197112007-11-08T06:27:00.000-08:002011-03-07T16:17:44.403-08:00

Or day 3? I have no idea anymore. The last time I lay down and had real sleep was Monday night. It is now... umm, Thursday night, 30 minutes to Friday morning.Although most of my day was grueling and painful, it was also wonderful. We had dinner with Derin, Sachiko, Zack and Bob at a tiny little sushi bar in the middle of an alley somewhere downtown. The chef sent us rounds of whatever Sachiko

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-89696775432072093752007-11-04T17:42:00.000-08:002011-03-07T16:17:44.406-08:00

The final rush is here! Three sleeps to go unless we follow Dave's advice and just not sleep the last night (a ploy to make the travel time shorter.) Someone asked what equipment I was bringing and I was a little shocked to see it in list form because I usually pack lightly, a maximum of one or two lenses. Anyway, I present the list of ingredients for this trip. Let's see what kind of images I

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-21440238378583737922007-10-30T09:57:00.000-07:002011-03-07T16:24:45.541-08:00

In many ways I am a lazy bum. Matt, I'm sure, knows this - particularly because I tend to ride on his coattails when it comes to finding nice old buildings to photograph. My excuse is that I am not only relatively incompetent when it comes to that sort of research, but I am not feverishly driven to do it like... *cough* many people are.I should talk about the Schneller Brewery. After all we spent

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-51267105799804728702007-10-22T17:25:00.000-07:002011-03-07T16:24:45.543-08:00

Stretching weary muscles I groan and tumble out of bed. 4:00 AM never gets easier no matter how many times I complain about it. I hate the nauseated, slightly hung-over feeling that lies in the pit of my stomach until the sun rises, the grittiness of my eyes and the inability to find the light switch in the dark. At this hour it's difficult for me to remember for whom and why I promised this

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-68613082470483411102007-10-20T14:35:00.000-07:002011-03-07T16:37:54.905-08:00

There are no abandonments in this entry, but it has been so long since I have had an opportunity to write for pleasure that I'm doing this exercise so my muse doesn't divorce me.Autumn is here. Sort of. Where I live it's great weather for late August/early September, but for crissakes it's more than halfway through October already! To enjoy true autumn we have inadvertently started a tradition

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-72831476675771244822007-10-10T10:42:00.000-07:002007-10-10T10:54:54.536-07:00

I've finally put up my images from Montana here. I really didn't have the time to do this, but I did. More on that later, maybe, if my proposal for a 30 hour day is granted.Moving on, I didn't realize how ridiculous this statement was until it left my mouth:It's Japan. I don't need a long lens, right?With that, the clock is reset and the countdown begins anew. It is one month before I get an

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-5775604197053522252007-10-08T19:58:00.001-07:002011-03-07T16:41:01.070-08:00

Expletive Expletive Expletive So, you might think you feel stupid after your take a bunch of shots and see that your ISO is left at 3200. I just discovered that while in Montana, after switching my file mode to jpg to take a series of speed panos, I forgot to change it back to raw.We saw the most beautiful snowstorm down in the valley through the filter of burned evergreen trunks high up on the

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-32533373459596036272007-10-05T19:45:00.000-07:002011-03-07T16:41:01.074-08:00

This week while leaving the bookstore I passed a table and a cover caught my eye. It was Jim Brandenburg's Looking for the Summer, a photo essay of nature and landscape photos. I am not really a nature or a landscape photographer, nor am I particularly outdoorsy. However, Jim and I go way back, way into my Dark Ages before I knew who I was, what I was doing, or even considered picking up a camera

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-56095147357007107092007-10-02T07:19:00.000-07:002011-03-07T16:16:49.707-08:00

I is back, in the flesh. It only took 32 hours to get here from Kalispell, MT. I am not amused by Northwest airlines or the air traffic control system in Minneapolis. Not amused at all. However, the last 6 days have more than made up for it. In order to prevent waxing poetic, let me break it down into a short list:Baldies: Three - Gus, Trav, and the eagle near Many GlacierGreatest accomplishment:

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-3784970316857638372007-09-21T17:10:00.000-07:002011-03-07T16:41:01.076-08:00

My seven days of fame begins tonight(Was I on crack when I answered those questions??) Nonetheless, thank you to everyone at Smugmug for always managing to surprise me with warm 'n fuzzies when I'm having a tough week. I was truly shocked to have been contacted for this because as we all know, I am... humble... about things. I'm looking forward so very much to my trip next week, meeting other

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-77713007570036958332007-09-17T12:52:00.000-07:002007-09-17T12:56:47.798-07:00

Maybe it's better this way.ETA: This is what I am referring to, if anyone was following.

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-80009327403320428162007-09-16T05:57:00.000-07:002007-09-16T06:17:07.407-07:00

It's taken me at least a month to get off my duff and scan this in: integration of the photos I took for a formal, campus-sponsored brochure.While taking these photos for the assignment was a challenge in and of itself, I learned a lot of other useful tidbits from this experience. While FDA auditors may never find fault with the Facility, photographers will undoubtedly have much to shake their

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-50212065353215873362007-09-12T08:28:00.001-07:002011-03-07T16:10:21.237-08:00

Really, it was two, but who's counting?Life has been moving too fast for me to keep up so I won't even try. Here's a quickie for those faithful friends of mine who are expecting shots of wild horses and sand from me this week. ;) I met some great new people and was glad to see some old ones over the course of those very fast two days. True to form I whined a lot about the heat and humidity, but..

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-43029872753281531412007-09-04T16:53:00.001-07:002007-09-05T16:53:27.623-07:00

Shooting Emily was really great and quite the learning experience. If I hadn't been ready to roll over and die from the Mexican we just ate it would have been even better. As it is, please, visit the Rocking Horse Cafe because it is excellent. Just don't make any plans to be active for the rest of your day. Emily has endless energy and is able to mimic the perky FOB Asian Chick any time of the

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-32997098402600169622007-09-04T09:03:00.000-07:002011-03-07T16:24:45.548-08:00

I've only approached and failed to complete a building a handful of times. Each time it's like a slap in the face, a glaring testament to my ineptitude. Consequently, it's a bit like Fight Club. First Rule of Exploration: YOU DON'T TALK ABOUT YOUR FAILURES. This way you can fluff your egos about the trips that you do finish well. A more positive person would say you... accentuate the positive.I

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-24252492326045378172007-08-31T05:45:00.000-07:002011-03-07T16:24:45.552-08:00

Nearly a week has gone by and I still cannot think of the words to say. Countless times I have started to write, then deleted, re-wrote and deleted again.You see, this is the curse of having a public blog. I am actually very uncomfortable keeping this thing but I think pushing yourself to do things that are frightening is a part of life. And maybe (maybe) this will teach me some discretion.I have

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-43728262213857228422007-08-25T14:13:00.000-07:002011-03-07T16:24:45.556-08:00

Not sure where it happened, but somewhere along the line the words “San Francisco” became linked in my head to “graffiti.” And not talking about the lame pot leaves and profanity that you see most of the time, but real art sprayed across walls by daredevils at night. Seeing it in person did not leave me disappointed. Of course there is the stuff on the sidewalks, the stuff on the doors and walls

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-84804126379563006892007-08-24T12:16:00.001-07:002011-03-07T16:45:52.508-08:00

For those of you not present anywhere else, here is my most recent trip to the left. I am certainly not going to re-type this out, particularly as I already spent two days writing that. Yes, there are pictures, though nothing terribly artistic.So there you have it. Now... back to life, back to reality.

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-35017350152172251882007-08-14T06:05:00.000-07:002011-03-07T16:24:45.560-08:00

Busy weekend, she's 3 for 3. Next up is a re-visit to coal country.I say it a hundred times and I'll say it again:1. I'll get up at any ungodly hour to go shooting with good company2. Any time my face hurts from the sheer force of laughing qualifies as a 'Good Time'Actually, it's been a while since I have experienced the latter point. Mr _H (who we met up there) makes such a feat impossible to

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4829465509843849475.post-71847823026711044092007-08-13T12:10:00.000-07:002011-03-07T16:37:54.907-08:00

I am really fascinated because in these photos my parents are about the same age as me, maybe a little younger. They aren't particularly talky about their younger days but in these photos they're very human to me - dirt-poor graduate students with little to do in their free time except play with the camera that my dad loved. And those couches... I didn't know until I saw these pics that they had

Schmoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08515317088043414651noreply@blogger.com0