Video Poker

2 January
Back to the grind and so I go, hand to heart and nose to wheel. I have no choice, most of us don't. I get a little more disgruntled and a little more desperate every day. But, I do what I must and I do it to the absolute best of my ability - despite adversity and uncomfortable pressure from above. As such, when the escape is offered, I frequently take it and use it. Today was no exception. Terrill and I went to No Frills Grill to watch pure escapist television - College Football. He was pulling for (not rooting for) Oklahoma because he wanted a Big 12 team to win the Fiesta Bowl. I couldn't care less, but because I don't care for Oklahoma as a state (it's flat and dusty) and I do love the scenery of West Virginia, I pulled (call it rooting if you will) for them. I later found out, as Marita Beth joined us for part of the first and part of the last quarters of the game, that her father had gone to West Virigina and both she and her brother had applied to, and been accepted at, West Virginia. Therefore, it was natural that I pull for them. West Virginia won because I'm pretty sure that the Oklahoma squad didn't show up for the final quarter. During the game, I amused myself with trivia and Terrill played poker. After all, we needed something to do during the 3 hours of commercial breaks. This is a photo of Terrill losing a hand to someone named Lucy:
That $10,200 was mostly Terrill's money. Good thing it's all virtual, eh?
Cheers.

~KR (Posted on 3 January 2008)

Listening to:
Fore by Loren Radis

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.013 sec (1/80)
Aperture: f/3.2
Focal Length: 8.6 mm
ISO Speed: 800
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Tags: TEXAS+HOLD+'EM, BUZZTIME, POKER, VIDEO, NO+FRILLS+GRILL, BAR, ARLINGTON, TEXAS, PHOTOBLOG

The King

1 January 2008
The day after. What a mess, but tradition dictates a day at the zoo nonetheless. So, even though we got to bed around 0500, we were up and guzzling coffee at 1000(ish) awaiting the Digital Simian to join us. He arrived approximately 1030 and we said our sad goodbyes to Lisa who needed to begin her long journey home to Colorado (having her with us for Hogmanay was an absolute highlight of my year - thank you, Lisa!). Off then we trundled to the Ft. Worth zoo to meet with friends sometime before noon. Dan and Burt gave us their wonderful stories as we moved through the park - if you've not experienced their tour you really should try to go one year. It's amazing. I didn't take as many photos as I perhaps should have, but frankly I didn't want to take my hands out of my pockets - it was a little chilly, even for me. However, out came the camera when we approached the lion enclosure. How could I not when faced with such a majestic creature?

As you've likely gleaned from the 2007 diary entries, we will not be in the U.S. for the (year away) upcoming holiday experience. That also, sadly, means that we will miss the annual Ft. Worth zoo trip. Perhaps we'll go to the Edinburgh zoo instead. :-)
Cheers.

~KR (Posted on: 3 January 2008)

 Listening to:
<em>West Coast</em> by Coconut Records

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.067 sec (1/15)
Aperture: f/5.5
Focal Length: 23.2 mm
ISO Speed: 80
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Tags: ZOO, LION, FT.+WORTH, TEXAS, PHOTOBLOG

Chiminea

31 December 2007
Happy New Year to all. Or, should I say, Happy Hogmanay! Our 10th Annual Hogmanay Festival at the house was a rouser. It was peopled with friends from all walks of our lives and it was a special time because of it. We're well and truly blessed with the quantity and quality of our friends. I fear that most of the "party photos" are just quick snapshots and are not necessarily flattering (either of my "talent" or of the subject - especially later in the evening). So, I'm posting this photo of a metal chiminea we have in the backyard.

As the temperature was in the low 40s for much of the evening, I had stocked it with piñon wood and tended it off and on all evening. I appreciated the grate & flame effect.
Cheers.

~KR (31 December 2007)

Listening to:
At My Best by Eoghan O'Sullivan

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.067 sec (1/15)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 1 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Tags: FIRE, FLAME, CHIMINEA, NEW+YEAR'S+EVE, HOGMANAY

The Mantle

30 December 2007
MB was putting the final touches on some decorating as I was returning from the Grocery store. She had just strung this row of Christmas lights on the hearth wound in and about some faux evergreenery. I was struck at how pretty the image was and just how proud of that piece of art I really am.

We always say that if some catastrophe strikes the house, Marita Beth will grab the cat, I'll grab this painting and round up the dogs. The piece of art was commissoned by Marita Beth from an artist at Scarborough Faire. We gave her a batch of photos from our wedding and she did the rest. The result is pretty astonishing, and I never tire of looking at it.
Cheers.

~KR (30 December 2007)

Listening to:
Humans by The Bridge End Dairy Company

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: MANTLE, FIREPLACE, HEARTH, HOME+DECOR, PHOTOBLOG

One of These Things...

29 December 2007
While out and about running errands that needed running, I stopped in at No Frills Grill for a beer and some football (American-style). While there, I noticed the condiments rack. Someone had placed one Sugar packet in amongst the Sweet and Low. I found it amusing:

Cheers.

~KR (29 December 2007)

Listening to:
something tells me by iNTERCOM

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: SUGAR, SWEET+AND+LOW, PHOTOBLOG

Stairway to Hell

28 December 2007
The Friday before a 4 day weekend. I can't wait to get out of here. Of course, that will mean 4 days of cleaning and prepping before our 10th annual (and final - for now) Hogmanay party. Next year we'll be celebrating it in the homeland. Anyway, I work on the 4th floor my office and walk the stairs down at least once per day and up as often as my quickly-deteriorating knees will allow. This photo is taken from the 4th floor looking down during the lunch rush hour.

Yeah, the office was devoid of humanity (which made it a pretty pleasant day all-in-all) except for those poor souls who's bosses are right choads and wouldn't let them off. Or, like me, had already burned all their vacation time doing cool things like visiting dear loved ones in Wisconsin, or visiting festivals (Milwaukee Irish Festival any one?) and Faires (Dickens on the Strand, you say?). I was pretty much alone for the greater part of the day. And even though it was work, the solitude was wonderful.
Cheers.

~KR (28 December 2007)

Listening to:
Ora La Luce (Live) by Spleen

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.017 sec (1/60)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 400
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Tags: STAIRS, PHOTOBLOG