25 Random things

Good afternoon everyone,

I have another post coming. It will be significantly more light hearted than my last one. However it is still in the draft phase. As well as my review of the new Underworld movie. that will be on The Cinema Project soon.

Well, in the meantime, here is another one of "those" things. This quiz thing came to me on facebook, but since I do not have anything interesting to post as of yet; here we go- 25 random things about me:

1. I believe all art is subjective.

2. I have an unfounded phobia of dry-mouth.

3. I can’t stand it when people call themselves professional photographers, buy thousands of dollars worth of camera gear, and know NOTHING about the equipment they are using. This is mostly geared toward 90% of you “wedding photographers” here in Utah. Not only that; but people who do “wedding photography” and know nothing of photojournalism.

4. I think fortune tellers, palm readers and horoscopes are full of crap. I don’t think anything can tell the future. However, I am fascinated with Tarot Cards.

5. Physics was not my first choice for a major. My first choice was a writing/journalism field. Those of you who knew me in high school can testify that I was editor in chief of the school newspaper; and liked it. Then film caught my eye. I wanted to make movies for a while. When I started college, I never thought I would do physics.

6. I change my goatee a little bit every couple of moths or so, because having the same one all the time bores me. But I have not changed my hair style in more than 6 years.

7. Even though I love photography, I have not taken a photo class since high school.

8. I will eat tomatoes if they are in sandwiches, burgers or sauces. But I hate them by themselves. The same goes for mushrooms.

9. I am one of ‘those’ people. The ones that always talk about exercising and getting into shape but never do.

10. I find most all religions interesting. The creed, origins and ritual enthrall me.

11. I do not like the Pope.

12. I hate TV, but I love animation.

13. I listen to hard, heavy fast and violent metal music; but I am a very docile and patient person.

14. Video games bore me to tears.

15. I would love to sail the horizons of this world, to seek and discover new things. But my daily routine anchors me, and sucks the wind from my sails. I also like to talk in metaphors.

16. One of my personal mottos is “Never say never.”

17. I have a love/hate relationship with my job.

18. I have never known what I want to do with my life. I have never had a dream, goal or any such thing that was more than a fleeting thought.

19. I do not want kids.

20. It is a huge pet peeve of mine when people ask “when are you getting married?” and I say “never”; and they automatically assume I have commitment issues. It’s a personal choice that I have my own founding for- trust me.

21. It takes me weeks and weeks to read a book. I like to go slow and digest every sentence. Sometimes read it twice.

22. I think James T. Krik was the better captain. That’s right; I am that big of a nerd.

23. I like whiskey, but I have never tried scotch.

24. I love being in the city at night. I will go out of my way when driving home to go down main or state. I don’t know why. Maybe I like street lights.

25. I love big empty spaces, or small tight ones with lots of hallways and doors.

T

What Muse-

Good evening everyone,

I was driving in the canyon the other day (why is another story), and I forgot my iPod, and of course I could not get a decent signal for any radio stations. So I spent the way down the canyon with the sound of my tires on the road and the thoughts in my head.

I got to thinking about my hobbies. Not so much about what I do (or could do) with my hobbies, but why I do them. Not only that, but why I chose physics for a major. And to me they are not just hobbies, but passions. And the trail of thoughts lead to this post.

When I chose physics for a major, people just gave me a funny look like they bit into a sour piece of candy, and just asked 'why'? The answer is that I find the natural world fascinating. I love to find out how things work, and what they could do. I love to find out the strange behavior of things, because often times the old saying holds true: sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. And I not only like to know, but doing the work for it often times gives me a high. The way the math equations flow, predict and cement excites me, and the possibilities of 'what could be' do so even more.

I love cameras. My affection for the tools of the trade goes beyond just the use. I love the aesthetics, function and complexity. But as much as I geek out over the cameras, I love what they produce more. There is a picture of Tuesday Weld in the current issue of B+W Magazine that I can't stop staring at.

Any picture is worth a thousand words. But have you ever seen a picture you could not think of any words for? Have you ever seen a picture that just takes your breath away? A picture that with one glance, the world's weight is shot clear of your mind and your soul is electrified?

Any book can entertain. It can thrill, excite and make you laugh. But have you ever read a book that inspired you? Made you want to change? Do something else, something new and important?

That is what I think people need more of in their lives. You may not be able to pay the bills with it, but you can chase your dreams all you want. And I am tempted to use the phrase "to your hearts content" here, but that is a dangerous statement. I think that through contentment comes atrophy, something terrible for any mind, body and soul.

Instead challenge yourself with these things that spark your interest. Do not merely try to duplicate, but create. Confront yourself with opposing ideas. You may ground yourself in what you already have. You may find something new.

That's why I do what I do, and as much of it as I can.

Thank you for reading through my cliché tripe. I know it sounds like something out of a bad movie. But you should try. At least try. You may not become a giant, or stand on the shoulders of any. You may sink into anonymity as another bastard child of creativity and fate. But at least the journey is worth taking.

So, then, what is your muse? What excites you? What makes you curious?

T

My Newest Toy!!!

Good afternoon everyone,

Let me introduce you to my newest toy:

It’s an infrared filter. A Hoya R72 to be exact. Needless to say, there will be a few updates (finally) to the Photography blog.

That’s if I can find the time to use it… sigh.

T

Begin-Again and Another Book Rant

Good afternoon everyone,

Well, holy crap. Another semester has started, and another break gone by way too fast. I know, a lot of you out there are a little pissed, because I said we would hang and then I bailed. But really? You have all known me long enough that on the occasion that happens it should come as no surprise. It’s nothing personal, I’m just really really lazy. And aside from working more than I should have for the sake of my sanity, and From Russia with Love’s trip to California, nothing went on. At all. Lame right? Well, that’s exactly what I was looking for. Summer is for partying, winter is for hibernating.

I am not going to be doing any sort of class checklist here or on the R&D Pages this semester, because I hardly kept up on it last time. I will just post the cool learnings as they happen.

Any way, as promised, here is the Book Rant:

Stranger than Fiction by Chuck Palahniuk

Very good. It’s his non-fiction stuff, so don’t expect too much craziness. But the journalistic writing and interviews are fascinating. He talks about wrestlers, demolition derbies, and interviews people who hand build their own castles. He interviews a woman who took her dog to Honduras after a hurricane, and searched for survivors. He interviews Marilyn Manson and Juliette Lewis. He talks about his own personal experiences, from working as a hospice volunteer to his fathers murder to his trips to Hollywood and the set of the Fight Club movie. Fascinating from beginning to end. By far one of my favorite books. Ever.

T

Memories That Could Have Been

Good afternoon everyone,

I am currently writing this here at work, however they have blocked the blog sites now, so I am posting this at home. Not that most of you would really know- I just needed something to write. So, for tonights entertainment, I have a list of Childrens Books that never were:

• You Are Different and That's Bad
  
  
• Dad's New Wife Robert
  
  
• Hammers, Screwdrivers and Scissors: An I-Can-Do-It Myself Book!
  
  
• Curious George and the High-Voltage Fence
  
  
• Some Kittens Can Fly
  
  
• Grandpa Gets a Casket
  
  
• The Magic World Inside the Abandoned Refrigerator
  
  
• Garfield Gets Feline Leukemia
  
  
• The Pop-Up Book of Human Anatomy
  
  
• Strangers Have the Best Candy
  
  
• Whining, Kicking, Crying and Getting What You Want
  
  
• Pop! Goes The Hamster...And Other Great Microwave Games!
  
  
• Places Where Mommy and Daddy Hide Neat Things
  
  
• Daddy Drinks Because You Cry
  
  

That will do it for me tonight folks. I plan on spending the rest of the night watching cartoons. I know that doesn't sound like news to anyone who knows me, but tonight is special: I am the proud owner of Frisky Dingo season 2! Go ahead- buy it and laugh!

T

Out With The Bad

Once again, here I am blogging about why I’m glad it’s a new year. Here is the next reason; getting rid of this guy:



Aaahhh, good times. In fact, I think we should take some time to reflect on some past golden moments this doofus has provided us. Here are my favorite Bush quotes:

• "I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully." — September 2000, explaining his energy policies at an event in Michigan.
  
• "Rarely is the question asked, is our children learning?" — January 2000, during a campaign event in South Carolina.
  
• "They misunderestimated the compassion of our country. I think they misunderestimated the will and determination of the commander in chief, too." — Sept. 26, 2001, in Langley, Va. Bush was referring to the terrorists who carried out the Sept. 11 attacks.
  
• "There's no doubt in my mind, not one doubt in my mind, that we will fail." — Oct. 4, 2001, in Washington. Bush was remarking on a back-to-work plan after the terrorist attacks.
  
• "It would be a mistake for the United States Senate to allow any kind of human cloning to come out of that chamber." — April 10, 2002, at the White House, as Bush urged Senate passage of a broad ban on cloning.
  
• "There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again." — Sept. 17, 2002, in Nashville, Tenn.
  
• "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." — Aug. 5, 2004, at the signing ceremony for a defense spending bill.
  
• "Too many good docs are getting out of business. Too many OB/GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across this country." — Sept. 6, 2004, at a rally in Poplar Bluff, Mo.
  
• "It was not always a given that the United States and America would have a close relationship. After all, 60 years we were at war 60 years ago we were at war." — June 29, 2006, at the White House, where Bush met with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.
  
• "Mr. Prime Minister, thank you for your introduction. Thank you for being such a fine host for the OPEC summit." — September 2007, in Sydney, Australia, where Bush was attending an APEC summit.
  
• "The fact that they purchased the machine meant somebody had to make the machine. And when somebody makes a machine, it means there's jobs at the machine-making place." — May 27, 2008, in Mesa, Ariz.
  
• "And they have no disregard for human life." — July 15, 2008, at the White House. Bush was referring to enemy fighters in Afghanistan.
  
• "I remember meeting a mother of a child who was abducted by the North Koreans right here in the Oval Office." — June 26, 2008, during a Rose Garden news briefing.
  
• "This thaw — took a while to thaw, it's going to take a while to unthaw." — Oct. 20, 2008, in Alexandria, La., as he discussed the economy and frozen credit markets.
  

Mom has a theory that he was actually drunk during most of these speeches. I am going with retarded.
T

So Long 08’

Well, to be honest, 2008 sucked. In fact, it sucked bad. I am not going to miss one damn bit of it.

From Russia with Love gave me a tarot card reading today. When I was shuffling the deck, I was thinking and wondering what the next year will be like. How (if any) of my accomplishments will turn out. What will happen with school. I did not think about work that much. But when she drew the cards, read the past and present, and overturned the third (future), it was:

Triumph.

Victory.

Accomplishment.

Hell yeah.

T