Colour Stack

27 December 2007
After a number of days off, back to work was pretty difficult. The joy of it is, I have the office pretty much to myself. Which means I can get a LOT of work done with little to no distraction. No loud sales-gaggle across the hall; no plethora of conference calls; no people wandering by to "have a chat." Lots of good, quality work gets done. it also allows for a bit of house-cleaning. That is: straightening the desk, cleaning out all those old pens that no longer work but you keep them around anyway, trashing old documents that are no longer relevant (or at least filing them) and so on. During the cleaning frenzy, I re-located these:

They had been shoved back behind a stack of file folders. I pulled them out, dusted them off and tried, once again in vain, to solve its hidden puzzle. These cubes (there are actually four of them) may be arranged in such a manner (only one solution exists, apparently) that all four long sides show each color only once. It's quite maddening and although Katrina gave this puzzle to me several years back, I have yet to solve it. I think I just give up too easily.
Cheers.

~KR (27 December 2007)

Listening to:
I Can't Win by The Mojo Filters

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: 1 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Tags: TOY, PUZZLE, GAME, CUBES, PHOTOBLOG

The Protective Net

25 December 2007
Christmas Day. You know what that means? Yep. Time to go see a movie with the rest of humanity. Normally we would go to the Movie Tavern, but it was important enough to both of us that we see Sweeney Todd that we went to the Parks Mall (*shudder*) instead. Goodness. What a great movie, but do not take your children or overly-squeamish adults. Remember that this is a "horror" musical directed by Tim Burton. And Tim Burton is nothing if not over-the-top, so there was a whole lot of stylish, over-the-top blood-spilling. Great fun. On the way out, we walked near the Ice Skating rink. I guess everyone who wasn't seeing a movie with us was ice skating instead. The line to get into/onto the rink was at least 70 people strong (not counting the kids who wouldn't stand still long enough to be counted). I had no idea. While we were walking across the gangplank, some poor lady fell and smacked her head pretty hard. This is a photo of the suddenly cleared area near her:
and a really good view of the net that protects those on the upper floor from... uhmmm...
Right.
Cheers.

~KR (25 December 2007)

Listening to:
Hey by The Risk

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.017 sec (1/60)
Aperture: f/5.5
Focal Length: 23.2 mm
ISO Speed: 250
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash fired, auto mode, red-eye reduction

Tags: NET, ICE+SKATING, ARLINGTON, TEXAS, PHOTOBLOG

The Face

24 December 2007
I've no real idea where this came from, but it's been hanging there for a while. So, I took a photo:
Making the mundane beautiful (or at least semi-interesting).
Cheers.

~KR (24 December 2007)

Listening to:
Winged/Wicked Things by Sunset Rubdown

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: 1 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Tags: STATUE, FACE, DECORATION, PHOTOBLOG

Chocolate!

23 December 2007
I confess, this photo was actually taken at 12:01 AM on the 24th, not the 23rd. But, taking a page from my wife's excuse book: I haven't been to bed yet, so it's still today. Therefore this photo counts for my photo on the 23rd. Which is important, because I didn't take any photos.

It's chocolate.

Cheers.

~KR (23 December 2007)

Listening to:
Ceremony by Xiu Xiu

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: 1 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Tags: CHOCOLATE, CLOSE-UP, BOKEH, SWEET, CANON, PHOTOBLOG

Rahr Brewery with Friends

22 December 2007
If you've not gleaned this yet, you're not paying attention: I like beer. I like beer of most sorts, but free beer really gets my attention. So, on Saturday's when Rahr Brewery, just south of downtown Ft. Worth gives away free beer for 2 hours, I'm quite likely to attend. This past Saturday we did attend, taking with us 2 great dogs and 5 great friends. More were invited, but we take what we can get. In this photo, we have Mary tossing back the rest of her Winter Warmer so that she can run grab a top-up before last call.


Notice the dainty method involved with draining that pint glass to its very last drop.
Cheers.

~KR (22 December 2007)

Listening to:
Breeze by Genki Rockets

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.077 sec (1/13)
Aperture: f/3.5
Focal Length: 10 mm
ISO Speed: 800
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Tags: RAHR+BREWERY, FT.+WORTH, FRIENDS, PHOTOBLOG, BEER

Drip

21 December 2007
Making the mundane beautiful (or at least semi-intersting) is one of the major challenges of a daily photo-blog. Rarely is it easy. This is an example of an attempt at exactly that. It's a slightly drippy faucet that I ran across during the day. Several photos (and who knows how many odd looks) later I retreated from its drip-drip-drip. I took this photo as the best of the lot in my opinion:

Cheers.

~KR (21 December 2007)

Listening to:
False Sir John by Broadside Electric

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.167 sec (833334/5000003)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 1 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Tags: FAUCET, DRIP, PHOTOBLOG, CANON

Pitcher and Pint

20 December 2007
A vacation day. I worked at home all day on A Wardrobe in Time, then followed it up with a trip to Rob's for a retirement party for a good man. We will sorely miss him - he cared about his job. There were a bunch of us that descended on Rob's, a local pool hall, to shoot pool and shoot the shit with the man who was leaving our company and companionship.

Take care, Denny.
Cheers.

~KR (20 December 2007)

Listening to:
Just Like Pat Benetar by Super Secret Handshake

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.077 sec (1/13)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 800
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Tags: PITCHER, PINT, BEER, ROB'S+BILLIARDS, FT.+WORTH, TEXAS, POOL+HALL, CANON, PHOTOBLOG

Plaza Pub

19 December 2007
Jury Duty. I'd deferred it once because of out-of-the-country travelling, and just simply couldn't do it again. Marita Beth kindly offered to take me to the courthouse so I wouldn't have to deal with the bus; the offer was gladly accepted. I went in, and was early enough, that the line was not overly long either at the metal detectors at the front door or to sign in for the jury duty bit itself. Unfortunately, as more and more people arrived, the sheer amount of perfume, cologne and other body odors overwhelmed my rather weak respiratory system and I had a mild, but serious enough, asthma attack. I was excused from jury duty. I called MB, she came and got me and we drove around until I was feeling better. Then she suggested breakfast.which I rarely do, but having been weakened by the attack, I conceeded and off we went to Ol' South Pancake House - a favourite in Ft. Worth. A whole bunch of other stuff happened in the middle of the day, but I don't recall it all. Somehow we ended up on the Northeast side of Arlington where we located a charming little place run by Ed, the Publican. It's called the Plaza Pub:

Despite the fact that is, and will remain, a smokers bar, I feel that I will be back. We each had a quick pint then off we trundled to watch the Enchanted followed by Alvin and the Chipmunks. You can read MB's entry to get the full extend of that experience.
Cheers.

~KR (19 December 2007)

Listening to:
The War by Lucero

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.001 sec (1/800)
Aperture: f/3.5
Focal Length: 10 mm
ISO Speed: 160
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire, auto mode

Tags: PLAZA+PUB, BAR, PUB, ARLINGTON, TEXAS, PHOTOBLOG, CANON

Mountain o'Fabric

18 December 2007
A Stack of Fabric. How exciting is that?

Cheers.

~KR (18 December 2007)

Listening to:
The Storm by Teddy Larkin

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

Tags: FABRIC, STACK, A+WARDROBE+IN+TIME, CANON, PHOTOBLOG

Lone Tree Hill

17 December 2007
The Lone Tree Hill. This is one of Marita Beth's favourite photos that I've taken in recent times. I like it, too, but not so much as I think she does. The tree stands directly behind Our Garden of Angels on the hill overlooking the Arlington Bottoms. In a different framing you could potentially see the Ft. Worth city skyline just to the right of the tree itself. I didn't choose to post that photo as MB preferred this one.

Cheers.

~KR (17 December 2007)

Watching: Ghost Rider

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.005 sec (1/200)
Aperture: f/9
Focal Length: 8.6 mm
ISO Speed: 80
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire, auto mode

Tags: TREE, SUNSET, NATURAL, HILL, FT.+WORTH, ARLINGTON, TEXAS, PHOTOBLOG

The Strongbow Mat

16 December 2007
Marita Beth spent all day with her dance troupe working on a performance piece. I spent all day...not doing anything. It was delightful. Well, ok, I did do things, but they were non-critical, non-useful things like movie-watching (I saw Hitman - blecchh), footy-watching (Arsenal beat Chelsea 1-nil in a super-fun match to watch) and tegestology things. I have learned a new-found respect for people who shoot products in light-tents. What a difficult process. But, I'm still trying.

Cheers.

Listening to:
Thank You by Maral Salmassi

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.017 sec (1/60)
Aperture: f/4
Focal Length: 14.3 mm
ISO Speed: 250
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash fired, auto mode, red-eye reduction

Tags: STRONGBOW, TEGESTOLOGY, BEER+MAT, COASTER, PHOTOBLOG, COLLECTION, HOBBY

Mike's Blurry Tegestological Contribution

15 December 2007
For a happy-happy gift, my wife got me (with my help) a light tent for close-up photography. Between our three businesses (Bannockburn Bridge, East Wind Games & A Wardrobe in Time) we frequently find need for close-up product shots. We've never had much success getting our poorly designed house to shed the proper kind of light for this sort of photography. I had recently read articles on making inexpensive light-tents, but MB had already scouted one out for me that was not only darned reasonably priced, but ws conveniently built & packaged, too. So, she bought it for me. So, what do I do? Take photos of product - the reason for the purchase of this light tent in the frist place? No. I decided that this is a perfect way to take my hobby of tegestology to the next level. Digitally recording and storing every beer mat I have in my collection. This is the very first shot taken in the brand new light tent and the first step toward a life-long goal of catalouging an immense collection of beer mats.

I can only get better.
Hooray beer!
Cheers.

~KR (15 December 2007)

Listening to:
Paper Planes by M.I.A.
from Kala

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.017 sec (1/60)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 800
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire, auto mode

Tags: TEGESTOLOGY, BEER+MATS, COASTERS, COLLECTION, LIGHT+TENT, PHOTOBLOG

Trees from Above

14 December 2007
Friday, the 14th of December woke cold, damp and foggy. Many of my peers had taken the day off; in fact it seemed that much of the Dallas - Ft. Worth metropolitan area had taken the day off. The traffic was blissfully quiet and the drive was quick - for a change. I took the opportunity of a quiet office to walk down to my boss's corner and snap a few shots of the Bradford Pear trees under his window. Aside from their horrendous rotting meat smell for about a week in the early spring, these are lovely trees. They cause my allergies to a go a little nuts (at the same time they smell like rotting meat), but it's a short-lived irritant. The rest of the year, they're simply beautiful.

Cheers.

~KR (14 December 2007)

Listening to:
Super Mario's Sleigh Ride by the One Ups

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.008 sec (1/125)
Aperture: f/3.2
Focal Length: 7.5 mm
ISO Speed: 400
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Tags: BRADFORD+PEAR+TREES, AUTUMN, COLOURS, WALKWAY, RAIN, WEATHER, PHOTOBLOG

Help?

13 December 2007
Had to get a trivia fix in somehow, so MB and I headed to NFG on a Thursday night to play trivia and maybe have a burger and/or some beer. I used to play this trivia thing nearly every night years and years and years ago. That was back when the boxes were operated by NTN (National Trivia Network). I grew out of it, because the questions just kept repeating themselves and there's no fun in winning every hand because you've already had those questions many times before. I stopped playing. Recently, a couple of years ago, Buzztime bought out NTN and started adding newer & better & more relevant questions. But, sadly, they also seemed to lose, at the same time, some of the technical consistency that NTN had down pat. The boxes go in and out of service, the delay between answering the question and receiving a response has gotten longer and more frequently irritating. In general, the quality has gone down. Yet still I play. There's nothing quite like accidental learning. Here is a photo of me playing. Notice my hand in strategic positioning to best answer the question quickly & accurately.

Cheers.

~KR (13 December 2007)

Listening to:
Stronger by 30 Seconds to Mars

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: 1 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Tags: TRIVIA, BOX, NO+FRILLS+GRILL, PHOTOBLOG

Reflected Tail Lights

12 December
A rainy, rain, cold day in North Texas. It actually was pretty in a sorta Vampire Duck kind of way. I love this kind of weather as a general rule. The only time I don't like it is when I have to get behind the wheel of an automobile knowing that the roads will be seething with many, many drivers who's opinion, thus attitude, varies greatly from mine. This sort of weather tends to make drivers surly, thus impatient, thus rude, thus dangerous on the road. This idiot in front of me was no exception to that generalisation:

He kept accelerating at breakneck speeds, switching lanes with no signal at high speeds and slamming on brakes. All on these very slippery roads. I hope (s)he got where they were headed. Cheers.

~KR (12 December 2007)

Listening to:
Alone Again by Illinois
from What the Hell Do I Know

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.067 sec (1/15)
Aperture: f/5.5
Focal Length: 23.2 mm
ISO Speed: 800
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Tags: REFLECTION, TAIL+LIGHTS, RAIN, WEATHER, NORTH+TEXAS, RED, SILVER

Ready for Grinding

11 December 2007
Another stressful day at work. Luckily, it's Tuesday. And Tuesday means dollar draft night at No Frills Grill. Marita Beth and I headed there immediately upon my hitting home. Since she had to go to dance class - in Allen, an hour away - at eight, I wanted to spend some quality trivia time with her. Eventually, she had to leave so I took her home (our wonderful waitress, Gennifer saved my table for me), waited while she got ready, then went back to finish out my trivia games. I really enjoy the trivia. Finally, it was time for me, too, to go home. Marita Beth was still at dance class and would be for hours to come. So, I made the coffee and went to bed. While making the coffee, I realised no photos had been composed or taken. So, you get coffee beans:

Cheers.

~KR (11 December 2007)

Listening to:
Canyon City by The DeWayn Brothers

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

Tags: COFFEE, BEANS, CLOSE-UP, DOF, PHOTOBLOG

Since 1936

10 December 2007
Monday, and back at the grind. But, it's different. This is the holiday season, and since I'm in Operations for an airline, it's also our high-stress, busy season. It's no wonder I drink. By the time I got home I was in a foul, foul mood, ehanced, oddly enough, by the rainy, misty cold. Normally I prefer that, but this Monday I didn't. My wife, who's honing her empathic skills on a daily basis, figured this out and offered to take me out for food & drinks. On the way to our normal haunt we decided, on a whim, to drive a little further away and go to the Mexican Inn.

I like their Queso Loco and Marita Beth is quite fond of their Enchiladas. We both tolerate their Margaritas, too. We walked in right behind some dear friends, Brett & Jill, and just in front of some other friends, David & Heather (and their brand new baby) who had just come in from Lousiana. They all joined Carl and his new wife (and baby) at a large booth while MB and I took a separate booth. Children give me hives. At some point, Brian joined their larger table, too. We enjoyed a nice, quiet (sans children) dinner and margaritas then went home. I needed that.
Cheers.

~KR (10 December 2007)

Listening to:
The Last Christmas on Earth by The Evangelicals

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.125 sec (1/8)
Aperture: f/5
Focal Length: 18.6 mm
ISO Speed: 250
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash fired, auto mode, red-eye reduction

Tags: MEXICAN+INN, TEX-MEX, DINNER, TEXAS, CANON, PHOTOBLOG

Character Tiles

9 December 2007
Ater a pretty lousy emotionally turbulent morning followed by a great deal of work, Marita Beth went over to Ginger's for a much-needed "girl's day out." She, Ginger & Kelly sat and did what girls do while playing Mah Jongg. I, meanwhile, finished my work and then went to No Frills Grill for a very exciting Dallas Cowboys game. I'm not the biggest fan of American football you'll ever find. I find the rules cumbersone and overly-restrictive; but I can certainly get swept up into the emotion of a rich game and there's no denying the amount of talent present on the field and sideline of any given professional football game. The Cowboys won, I finished my beer and then crashed the girls party. It was getting on in the day, so I didn't intend to stay long, but since Kelly was leaving the next day, I had to get over for a kiss and a hug. Besides, even though Ginger only lives a few blocks away, we all tend to hermit ourselves after Dickens so I hadn't seen her either. So, there I went and sat and watched a few hands of Mah Jongg. They were well-emboriled in a three-hand game, so I didn't wish to intrude, but I did take a photo of Marita Beth's hand at one point.

I took a bunch of photos at No Frills Grill, too, but i like this one best.
Cheers.

~KR (9 December 2007)

Listening to:
No T.V. by Pope Joan
from You Gotta Get it Out

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.5 sec (1/2)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 1 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Tags: EAST+WIND+GAMES, MAH+JONGG, PHOTOBLOG, GAME

Reflection in a Gazing Ball

8 December 2007
A Saturday. Hoorah. Despite a few emotional bits, I did manage to get out of the house. At least as far as the front yard.

Yep, that's just a decoration in the front yard. It sits in a garden area under a big Black Oak. It's pretty.
Cheers.

~KR (8 December 2007)

Listening to:
Pieces of You by Raintree
from Just Live

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.005 sec (1/200)
Aperture: f/5.5
Focal Length: 23.2 mm
ISO Speed: 640
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire, auto mode

Tags: REFLECTION, GAZING+BALL, YARD, DECORATION, PHOTOBLOG

The Colours of Bradford Pears

7 December 2007
As if to put paid to all my whinging about fall in North Texas, these Bradford Pear trees decided to colour my world, at least for a few days.

I just love the tri-coloured hue they achieved: red on top, yellowing in the middle while maintaining a summer-like green at the bottom. These trees are in the courtyard I walk through each morning on the way into my office. Today, when I walked through, those trees have lost all their red, and the majority of the leaves are of a sickly yellow colour, although some green still tinges the fringe of the foliage.
Cheers.

~KR (7 December 2007)

Listening to:
Peak by Dayplayer
from Dayplayer

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.006 sec (1/160)
Aperture: f/4
Focal Length: 14.3 mm
ISO Speed: 500
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire, auto mode

Tags: AUTUMN, COLOURS, FALL, BRADLEY+PEARS, PHOTOBLOG

Nose

6 December 2007
Thursday evening. Much like Wednesday, no photo until late on. Luckily I have cute pets:
Getting him to sit still in a darkened living room, however, is quite the chore.
Cheers.

~KR (6 December 2007)

Listening to: Sighns by Lichens
from OMNS

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

Tags: PET, BORDER+COLLIE, DOG, CLOSE-UP, PHOTOBLOG

Clever Carving

5 December 2007
A difficult day for photographs. In fact, I'm not even sure I thought about photography, or cameras or anything remotely artsy until, well, until I took this photo. Time for bed, and I hadn't done my daily duty. I've already had a "Shit! No Photo. Move Along." day. I couldn't have another one so soon. No. So, we get this:
.
This is a wonderful piece of knick-knackery that my parents picked up for me. I believe they obtained it while living in France. I'm not exactly sure what it is, but it's very cunningly carved so as to collapse upon itself. But, when fully extended, as it is in this photo, it still is no bigger than, say, 3 inches or so tall and 5 inches wide. It sits quite nicely on a bookshelf.
Cheers.

~KR (5 December 2007)

Listening to:
Return to the Old Forest by Freudstein
from Mondo Freudo

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.6 sec (3/5)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 1 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Tags: KNICK+KNACK, CARVING, DECORATION, PHOTOBLOG

The Colours of Fall

4 December 2007
I mentioned elsewhere that the North Texas autumn was devoid of colours. The leaves fall off the trees like they do everywhere else, but here they don't seem to change colours first. I stand corrected. The Black Oaks in my yard don't change colours first. But, the Black Oak in my neighbours yard certainly did. When we returned from our weekend in Galveston, his tree was a wonderous conglomeration of colour. Witness:

Cheers.

~KR (4 December 2007)

Listening to:
Love Will Tear Us Apart by Bis
from Return to Central

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.002 sec (1/500)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 100
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire, auto mode

Tags: AUTUMN, FALL, COLOURS, NATURE, TREE, PHOTOBLOG

Sign at the Tremont House

3 December 2007
Always the hardest day of the Dickens yearly retreat; it's the day we all say goodbye and go our separate ways. Some of these folks won't be seen again until next Dickens; some just a few days. But, it's always a sad farewell full of much hugging and kissing. This morning as we were doing our pack-out dance, we realised that a critical photo had not been snapped during daylight. My wife took a photo but, it was dark and, sadly, the photo didn't turn out so very well. Since she maintains her posting so religiously we were able to find this out and correct the oversight.

As you look at the photo, in the upper right corner you can just make out a sign hanging in the window. That sign, seen here, is the one that Ginger got for me, Marita Beth had framed and then made a fabulous travelling case for. That travelling case allowed me to bring the sign with me which proudly proclaimed to anyone looking that that room was mine!
Cheers.

~KR (3 December 2007)

Listening to:
Chanzonetta Tedesca by Wolgemut
from Schauspeluden

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.002 sec (1/500)
Aperture: f/8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 80
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire, auto mode

Tags: TREMONT+HOUSE, HISTORICAL, HOTEL, GALVESTON, TEXAS, DICKENS+ON+THE+STRAND, PHOTOBLOG

George and His Girls

2 December 2007
The Sunday of Dickens. Unlike the previous Sunday where we huddled under as many layers as we could, this time we shed as many layers as could be deemed appropriate(ish). Let me tell you that 79 degrees in Galveston is a miserable thing, especially when layered up in Silk, Wool, Taffeta & Leather. This trio of friends did the sensible thing and dressed down. Way down.

Our incorrigible George with the delicious Allyson (left) and the delectable Brittney (right). Only a sense of decorum (and brand new duds) kept me from joining in their romp. :-)
Cheers.

~KR (2 December 2007)

Listening to:
Heat of the Night by Bryan Adams
from Into the Fire

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.002 sec (1/500)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 125
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire, auto mode

Tags: VICTORIAN, COSTUME, DICKENS+ON+THE+STRAND, GALVESTON, TEXAS, CANON, PHOTOBLOG

Gingerbread in Motion

1 December 2007
One of the highlights of the year is the gathering of Y.E.S. and associates at the Gingerbread Ball. It kicks off the Dickens on the Strand event in Galveston with beauty and appropriate fun. Waltzing, Polkas & figure dances are made astonishingly beautiful by the folk who so proudly adorn the clothing of the era. In the foreground of this photo we see the delightful Ginger (the organiser behind the Gingerbread Ball) dancing with someone. In the background is Missy (again dancing with someone).

Being one of the final dances of the evening (and very early on the 1st of December), the floor is not as crowded as it is through most of the evening. A grand time, a great time, I look forward to many more years of the Gingerbread Ball and Dickens on the Strand.
Cheers.

~KR (1 December 2007)

Listening to:
Terra Nova by iLiKETRAiNS
from Progress Reform

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.25 sec (1/4)
Aperture: f/4
Focal Length: 14.3 mm
ISO Speed: 320
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Tags: DICKENS+ON+THE+STRAND, GINGERBREAD+BALL, WALTZ, DANCE, BALL, GALVESTON, TEXAS, TX, CANON, PHOTOBLOG

Collar Box, Candle and Reflected Photo

30 December 2007
Well we go the room thing all sussed out, and Marita Beth and I moved into the new (but proper) room around 1ish. Thanks to Erin at the front desk & Sharon the maid (who were, by the way, the only competent hotel employees I met all weekend), the whole thing was accomplished relatively painlessly. We got moved in and set up just in time for me to get downstairs and set up the music for the Gingerbread Ball. Setup was also very painless this year thanks to so many people giving so much of themselves to help out. In fact, Jim & I managed to get to hotel bar and order a couple of drinks before it was time to change for the event. When I got back to the room, Marita Beth was dressing Dana having already setup the room. I snapped some photos, but I'm not going to publish a photo of Dana in her underwear. Instead you get this:
.
I could post photos of the ball itself, but Clay will have taken many more and better quality photos than I. So, out with them, Clay! Schnell!
Cheers.

~KR (30 November 2007)

Listening to:
I Can See Clearly Now by Neil Finn
from Unknown

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.05 sec (1/20)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 800
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Tags: VICTORIAN, DECORATION, TABLE, DICKENS+ON+THE+STRAND, GALVESTON, PHOTOBLOG

and the brushes go 'round

29 November 2007
The day before Dickens on the Strand. A traditional day off for me as we generally try to get to Galveston on Thursday night so as to make Friday a wee bit less stressful. This Thursday MB had quite a few errands for me, and I had a couple for myself so off I went. One of our primary concerns, rightfully so, was to get the car cleaned. When we get to Galveston we hand it over to a valet and didn't really want to do that with 8 weeks of the gross TRF red mud built up on it. So, while filling up with gas I decided, what the heck let's kill this bird. So, I purchased a car wash with the full tank of gas (goodness, that's expensive!) and drove through. I had my camera so I snapped a dozen or so photos of the varied-hue soap, and the brushes and so on. Quite amusing actually.

After that I ran to Sargeant's to get a pair of pants that they didn't have. So, I drove to the stockyards in cowtown to check the one store I was pretty sure would have what I needed. They didn't either. But, luckily, MB had located a pair online and had them shipped to the Tremont House in Galveston. Then, finally, time for the drive. We arrived at the Tremont House near midnight to find that through a series of miscommunications they didn't have our reservation. Bugger all. 'Salright though, we figured it out and got a decent night's sleep.
Cheers.

~KR (29 November 2007)

Listening to:
Every Woman in the World by Air Supply 
from Air Supply - Greatest Hits

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: ORANGE, CARWASH, SOAP, MOTION, PHOTOBLOG, CANON

Guinness and Co.

28 November 2007
Any who read this thing know that I have a passion about beer. Some of my friends even refer to me as a beer-snob. I'm not nearly so picky as that, but most definitely know what I like. Guinness could very possibly be called my first true love. My dear friend Ginger knows that. She got this beautiful print for me which my darling wife then had exquisitely framed for me.

What's more, it's framed in such a way as to travel-worthy.
Hooray, beer!
Cheers.

~KR (28 November 2007)

Listening to:
Everywhere by Tim McGraw
on Everywhere

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.017 sec (1/60)
Aperture: f/4
Focal Length: 11.8 mm
ISO Speed: 250
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash fired, auto mode, red-eye reduction

Tags: GUINNESS, SIGN, ART, PRINT, CANON, PHOTOBLOG

Newly Delivered

27 November 2007
November rapidly closing to an end. TRF has ended and Dickens is just around the corner. Dickens is the start of a very busy holiday season. We save all year for it and enjoy the bejeezus outta it. This year, Marita Beth has crafted for herself a new dress. For years, she's bemoaned the fact that she has only ever had time to sew for others. This year she made that time to sew for herself. In so doing, she commissioned also, a new outfit for me. Here you see the new waistcoat (the checked) and the new frock (the orange) as they lay folded on her table.

I was half-afraid to take a peek, but eventually I did. I love it.
Cheers.

~KR (27 November 2007)

Listening to:
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap by ACDC
on Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

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

Tags: FABRIC, DICKENS, CLOTHING, COLOURS, CANON, PHOTOBLOG

Stop Sign Silhouette

26 November 2007
I worked from the relative comfort of the bed while Marita Beth & her workers (thanks everyone) packed up the booth. By 6 pm, after a long hard day with no breaks for the workers, she was done and we left. TRF was over for another year. The three day weekend starting the Friday after Thanksgiving was deemed a success and forevermore TRF will end on a three day weekend. As a mercenary money-coveting merchant, it entices and intrigues me. As a human, with a family and a life outside of faire, it pisses me off. But, when you sign the contract with a festival, they pretty much have you by the bollocks. You play their game by their rules, or you don't play. I guess we're playing. On the way home, we drive through Anderson, TX. I've taken many a photo there over time, but never of a particular house. The house, Marita Beth covered in her photos. While she was doing that, I was taking photos of a simply stunning sunset. Sadly, the car was idling and the photos are all a bit shaky. But, I like this one:
.
Cheers.

~KR (26 November 2007)

Listening to:
Bad Man's Blunder by Kingston Trio
from Very Best of the Kingston Trio

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.008 sec (1/125)
Aperture: f/5.5
Focal Length: 23.2 mm
ISO Speed: 250
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire, auto mode

Tags: SUNSET, ANDERSON, TX, STOP+SIGN, SILHOUETTE, CANON, PHOTOBLOG

Feathery

20 November 2007
I have in my possession a great many hats. Most of them are single-purpose event-specific type of hat. This one is cross-purpose existing to please both the modern sensibility and that of the elegant gentlemen from the early 20th century. It's a beautiful black felted fedora with a touch of feathery colour to the side.

I love this hat. I bought it specifically to go with a zoot suit I had acquired for a Fractured Fairy Tales party I was hosting; but I have since worn it on many on occasion just because it's a damn fine hat.
Cheers.

~KR (20 November 2007)

Listening to:
Leaving Nancy by Dubliners
on 25 Years of Celebration

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

Tags: FEATHER, FEDORA, HAT, CAP, CANON, PHOTOBLOG, CLOSE-UP

The Nearly Ubiquitous Flower

19 November 2007
Marita Beth is home, and I'm feeling damn near human again. I even went to work then went out with the boys after work for quick drink & a game of pool. Again, I didn't drink much, just enough to say I had; I just wasn't up to it. But, MB brought home with her yet another beautiful flower arrangement from John Myers. This is one of the flowers that was included in the spray. I love the orange.

Cheers.

~KR (18 November 2007)

Listening to:
Let Your Troubles Roll By by Carbon Leaf
on Indian Summer

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: 1 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Tags: FLOWER, ORANGE, BOKEH, DOF, NATURAL, CANON, PHOTOBLOG

On Which I Trod

18 November 2007
Feeling better. Not good by any stretch, but better. Enough better in fact to go outside and take this photo:

The photo assignment for that week was "On Which We Tread" which I think is a darned clever way to get all of us to take a moment and looksee what we're walking on. I can tell you, I rarely look down to see what's at my feet. Perhaps it's because I can't really see my feet if I look down right now...but that's fixable. Also, it's an interesting look at what we call "Fall" here in North Texas. Yep, brown leaves on green grass. One day all those leaves were on the oak tree overhead; the next day they were strewn upon my lawn having turned brown and fallen overnight. Yep, fall in Texas. It goes by very quick.
Cheers.

~KR (18 November 2007)

Listening to:
Don't Know Why (You Stay) by The Essex Green
on Cannibal Sea

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.013 sec (1/80)
Aperture: f/8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 80
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire, auto mode

Tags: FOOT, LEAVES, AUTUMN, TREAD, CANON, PHOTOBLOG