Keyboard and Monitor

27 February 2008
Another day working from home (this, sadly, can't go on forever). Another day of resting & elevating the leg. Keeping it medicated, iced & compressed is critical in these early stages (at least that's what my sports-injury training keeps telling me). This day, blissfully, I didn't have to leave the house. That was a treat. But, it also meant not much in the way of photo-ops. So, here we have my keyboard & monitor. Hooray.

Cheers.

~KR (Written on 28 Februrary 2008)

Listening to:
Fly by Night by Rush
from Fly by Night

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.8 sec (4/5)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Tags: COMPUTER, KEYBOARD, MONITOR, PHOTOBLOG

Welcome Aboard, Marcus

26 February 2008
Thanks boss!
My boss allowed me to work from home this day. This allowed me to keep the knee wrapped, my body medicated & the leg elevated. However, I did have other pre-planned business to attend to in the evening and since it didn't involve stairs or too much moving we chose not to change the appointment. So, around 1800, MB and I headed to NFG to meet with Marcus. After a loose, informal interview and some negotiating, we "hired" him. Marcus will be managing the weekend operations of my East Wind Games shop at Scarborough Renaissance Festival. This is a much-needed step in the growth of my small company and I think the hiring of Marcus will be a positive experience for all.

Cheers.

~KR (Written on 28 February 2008)

Listening to:
Old Cold Coffee on the Dashboard by Nickel Creek
from Here To There

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.3 sec (3/10)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Tags: EAST+WIND+GAMES, NO+FRILLS+GRILL, PHOTOBLOG

Not My Favourites

25 February 2008
Awww heck. What a day. I met Marita Beth & Kelly at No Frills Grill as they were hungry and after a long day at work, I could use a break, too. After much fun & good fun, we parted ways with Marita Beth & I heading home while Kelly went elsewhere. The food & company had cheered up my day substantially so I suggested a walk of the dogs...mistake. Walking the dogs on lead is one of the few things we have really neglected when talking about the training and behaviour of our pets. Cormac, in particular, is not a good leash-dog. We're trying to fix that. Unfortunately, the training got curtailed tonight. As I was running him on lead, he decided that getting tangled up in my quickly trotting feet was the proper thing to do. This pitched me forward. I had two choices: continue the fall forward onto the asphalt road on which I was running him, or twist myself sideways and launch myself onto the neighbours lawn. Obviously, the second was the better option but it was executed poorly. I ended up smacking my knee into the curb causing an immense amount of bruising, swelling and lost skin. These, although my saviours of the night, are not my favourite friends right now:

Now, two days later, I can limp along, but I can't bend my knee very well and the pain is sometimes overbearing. But, I've had worse...I just was much younger then. Ohh, well, it is what it is.
Cheers.

~KR (Written on 28 February 2008)

Listening to:
Forest Walk by Diane Linn
from Conversations With The Moon

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.167 sec (1/6)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

The Margarita Rim

24 February 2008
Marita Beth spent the greater part of the day away from the house; I spent the greater part of the day recontructing 2007 sales figures for East Wind Games. With the recent computer virus, I lost all electronic records, and this was a particular record I didn't ever print and had no backup of. *sigh* So, the day was spent going through physical transactions and re-recording them. What a chore. But, the day ended with a trip to a nearby Tex-Mex restaurant and margaritas. Yum.

Cheers.

~KR (Written on 25 February 2008)

Listening to:
The Man in Love With You by George Strait
from Easy Come, Easy Go

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.2 sec (1/5)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Tags: PHOTOBLOG, TEX-MEX, MARGARITA

Inside the Glass Conch

23 February 2008
I think I'm finally over this crud I've had. I slept nearly a full 12 hours finally hauling out of bed near the noon hour. I think that's the last of it, the final sleep that got me out of this 7 week misery. But, it also means I missed the day. Kelly & Marita Beth were finalising bits and pieces for Melanie's fitting so, I got some coffee and retreated to my office for a day of receipts and taxes - hooray. Enough is enough, finally, and I emerged bruised, battered & exhausted (mentally & emotionally, not physically). I collapsed in the living room. Marita Beth soon joined me, and not long after that so did the rest of the family. In Marita Beth's lap is 'Tia, at her right arm is Artemis, the aloof cat who was duly and irrepressably pissed off that there was a dog in her lap. At Marita Beth's feet is the newest, and youngest, member, Cormac.

Cheers.

~KR (Wrtten on 25 February 2008)

Listening to:
Ultima Cancion by B-Tribe
from Sensual Sensual

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.017 sec (1/60)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 250
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash fired, auto mode, red-eye reduction

Tags: PHOTOBLOG

Inside the Glass Conch

22 February 2008
Marita Beth & I joined Ken & Denise tonight for a bit of Fakespearian tomfoolery. The Stolen Shakespeare Guild, a local Community Arts group, performed an abridged version of Merry Wives of Windsor, a modernized version of Volpone (a Ben Johnson play) and Short Attention Span Much Ado About Nothing. Although very obviously an amateur production it was amusing enough that I'll likely go back and watch future productions. The show took place in the Sanders Theatre inside the Community Arts complex in the Ft. Worth cultural district. Although I'd been to the Scott Theatre numerous times, I'd never been to the Sanders Theatre which is right next door. I'm embarassed to admit that, but it's been rectified now. In addition to the theatre, there is also a small museum which I presume houses artwork done by the community. We didn't get to spend too much time there before the show started, but I did manage to take a few photos of some exception glass art pieces. This is the interior of a beautiful conch shell that, for me, was the highlight of the glass work exhibit.

Cheers.

~KR (Written on 23 February 2008)

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.2 sec (1/5)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Tags: PHOTOBLOG

Purple Spiral Bound

21 February 2008
This spiral notebook used to go with me when I travelled on business. It's seen many, many stations in many different cities and two countries. But, I've retired it recently in favour of a moleskine. Still, it sits on my desk and I refer to it frequently enough for notes I've taken over the years. Perhaps someday it'll be permanently retired.

Cheers.

~KR (Written on 23 February 2008)

Watching
The Frighteners

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.167 sec (1/6)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

My Old Friend

20 February 2008
Marita Beth called while I was still working and asked if I had plans. I did not, so she made plans for herself. She, Ginger & Kelly got together for some girl time. I love the fact that these three girls have this opportunity at the moment to spend so much time together. They're sisters of different mothers and seem to love each other as much as any family members ever could.So, I got home to a quiet, empty house. I let the dogs out, then went back out myself to marvel at the moon. Braced against the wall of the house, I took a series of Ms. Luna through the gnarled branches of the Black Oaks in the front yard. I like this one best:
.
I'd intended to take more photos during the eclipse, but cloud cover settled in and I couldn't see it, so no photos of that. And, since the moon has been a constant, if somewhat inconsistent, companion through my entire life no matter where I've lived; and she's always been there me to yell at, marvel at, howl at; and she will always be there, I'm using her as my Mini-Challenge entry. The moon is one of my oldest friends and companions.
Cheers.

~KR (22 February 2008)

Listening to:
The Only One by Morphine
from Good

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.125 sec (1/8)
Aperture: f/5.5
Focal Length: 23.2 mm
ISO Speed: 250
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Tags: FULL+MOON, OAK, TREE, COMPANION, PHOTOBLOG

Partially Consumed

19 February 2008
Tuesday night which means trivia with friends at No Frills Grill. We got there a little later than normal and found Brett with three trivia boxes trying to keep all three boxes in the game. Jill & Smiley (her daughter) had been there but Jill took Smiley home, so Brett kept their games active until we got there and took over for Smiley. Smiley immediately became crzy. :-) Photo of the day? Partially consumed bottle of beer. My wife drinks Corona Light and this is that bottle:

Why oh why couldn't the Mini-Challenge this week be "bottles?"
Cheers.

~KR (Written on 21 February 2008)

Listening to:
The Whiskey Never Lies by Sligo Rags
from The Whiskey Never Lies

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.3 sec (3/10)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Tags: BEER+BOTTLE, CORONA, NO+FRILLS+GRILL, TRIVIA, PHOTOBLOG

Rosemary and Olive Oil

18 February 2008
Some dear friends have suddenly moved to the area for the next 8 months (or so). To celebrate, a batch of us went to Italianni's, a local Italian (go figure) restaurant that we've always enjoyed. We wanted to treat them to someplace nice. When we arrived, they had the tables decorated with bottles of Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar. This is one of the Olive Oil bottles with a sprig of Rosemary stuffed in it. I really loved the way the table candles backlit the sprig, but I confess to it looking far better in my mind than the final product.

Cheers.

~KR (Written on 19 February 2008)

Listening to:
Can't Stop This Thing We Started by Bryan Adams
from Billboard Top 100 of 1991

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.4 sec (2/5)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Tags: ITALIANNI'S, ITALIAN, RESTAURANT, TEXAS, PHOTOBLOG

Mercado Juarez

17 February 2008
Marita Beth went to Scarborough Faire today to meet with clients, I stayed home and worked a bit on a variety of things. No single task really drew me to it, nor occupied my time completely. I watched some football, I worked on some Middle-Earth game stuff, I worked on some journal entries, I watched a movie. All of it very non-interesting. When Marita Beth got home she was hungry and I didn't want to be at home anymore. So, off we went. We drove up to the relatively new & burgeoning Highlands of Arlington shopping area knowing full-well we'd find something to eat in the area. We wound up at Mercado Juarez:

Ironic in that MJ has been there for longer than I've lived in Arlington and all this new stuff has just sprung up around it. Good food, good margaritas, good company across the table and the Daytona 500 on the telly. A decent escape, but I sure paid for it later. My stomach is just too sensitive these days to put much in it without regretting doing so. The price of getting old, I suppose.
Cheers.

~KR (Written on 18 February 2008)

Listening to:
Written All Over Your Face by Rude Boys
from Billboard Top 100 of 1991

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.004 sec (1/250)
Aperture: f/9
Focal Length: 8.6 mm
ISO Speed: 80
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire, auto mode

Tags: MERCADO+JUAREZ, TEX+MEX, ARLINGTON, TEXAS, PHOTOBLOG

Light, Plane and Rainbow

16 February 2008
I spent nearly the entire day out of the house. I made a quick trip to Fry's to pick up some missing, yet necessary, electronic components. Following that, I made a trip back to my neighborhood to meet up with T. We had work to do, so do it we did. No Frills Grill offers free Wi-Fi and a pleasant, stress-free environment in which to dig deep into the nitty gritty of the work. We'd been there maybe an hour when the "thunder boomers" came through with a vengeance even knocking out power, satellite & wi-fi service for 15 minutes or so. Another half hour or so went by when Janessa (our waitress) stopped by the table to tell us to head outside to take a look at the rainbow. When we arrived it was a full, double rainbow. We don't see that too terribly often around Arlington, so I grabbed a series of photos. This one I like best as it shows a plane just turning into the rainbow:
.
Cheers.

~KR (Written on 18 February 2008)

Listening to:
Song of the Open Road by Jenny Scheinman
from 12 Songs

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.04 sec (1/25)
Aperture: f/3.5
Focal Length: 10 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Tags: RAINBOW, AMERICAN+AIRLINES, PLANE, SKY, PHOTOBLOG

Peanut Butter and Honey

15 February 20087
You can tell your life is taking a turn for the exciting when the best photo you have of your day is of your extremely non-exciting dinner. I'm not exactly sure why I had a Peanut Butter & Honey sandwich for dinner, but I did. Hmmm.

Cheers.

~KR (Written on 18 February 2008)

Listening to:
I Started a Joke by the Bee Gees
from Number Ones

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.1 sec (1/10)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Thistle Torc

14 February 2008
Last year, or perhaps the year before, Krafty Kelts opened a shop at TRF. We have been fond of the Kraft Kelt line of products for years, but we always ran across them at times when it wasn't necessarily financially responsible to purchase. However, with the shop being just down the lane from us at TRF, the temptation proved a little too great. So, Marita Beth purchased a beautiful bracelet. I've commandered it. Besides, it looks better on me. :-)

Cheers.

~KR (Written on 17 February 2008)

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.04 sec (1/25)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Tags: THISTLE, TORC, SILVER, BRACELET, BANGLE, PHOTOBLOG, BOKEH, MACRO, CLOSE-UP

Cin Cin

13 February 2008
While wondering through the house in search of a photo opportunity, I stumbled across this small glass jar. Contained in the jar are a great number of wine goblet charms that we use during the various parties hosted here during the year. I love that the charm bearing the great Italian toast "cin cin" was first and foremost - no arrangment necessary.

Cheers (or should I say, "Cin Cin"?)

~KR (Written on 17 February 2008)

Watching:
Employee of the Month
(completely mindless movie)

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.4 sec (2/5)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Tags: CIN+CIN, WINE+GOBLET+CHARMS, PHOTOBLOG