Inside The Perimeter

For me March has been awful. In fact, I don’t want a “do over” after all, I’ll take a “move on” instead.

When You Start Playing Strobist All The World’s A Light Modifier
Over the weekend I took the first step at becoming a “strobist” — one who creates photos using small strobe flashes. I’m now about two-thirds through reading Joe McNally’s book “The Hot Shoe Diaries” and it has already inspired me to play with lighting. The photo you saw yesterday and the one below are the result of my (admittedly primitive) start.

Yesterday’s “big” activity was taking a trip to Home Depot in search of items I could use to modify light.

Camera gear is expensive and some times it’s very expensive so if you can apply a little DIY you can save a lot of money.

I’ve identified the framing material to build a 3′ x 6′ diffuser (total cost ~$4) and all I need to do now is locate some bedding material that will act like a diffusion panel and figure out how I am going to attach it to the frame.

While in Home Depot I also picked up a couple of pieces of sheet metal exhaust fittings that I am trying to coerce into fitting nicely onto the flash head. Last night’s efforts failed mightily, but that won’t stop me from continuing to play.

The goal? To learn, and to create a look that is my own.
Knowledge + Creativity = Uniqueness

ITP Flickr Pic
Bitter? Me? Bitter?

Perhaps a wee little bit.

Okay, something positive… You know what thrills me about this shot? The room wasn’t dark, I created the darkness through the use of shutter speed and creative lighting. I made the shot what it is and that thrills me.

Sweet Tomatoes : Another Playground Night
Only slightly hungry, in the Perimeter Mall area, and having a desire to go to Home Depot, there was really only one logical dinner option — Sweet Tomatoes.

The last time I visited this Sweet Tomatoes it was overrun with small children. Last night I walked in to a much quieter scene. However, the place was still overrun with children. As I ate it seemed as if more children were arriving and with that the volume began to rise. And so went my final dinner at that Sweet Tomatoes. Don’t get me wrong, I like kids. However, it’s not only the bad food that keeps me from going to Chuck E. Cheese.

Buy One, Get Three Free
Actually, you won’t need to buy anything to get the following downloads FREE from Amazon:

• Anti Records Sampler
• Sup Pop Records Sampler
• Secretly Canadian Records 2008/2009 Sampler

Amazon actually has samplers of different musical genres available as well. Check them out, it won’t cost you anything.

If you are looking to purchase music today, then I’ll go ahead an recommend Gomez‘ latest disc called “A New Tide” which is released as of today.

Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – meh
Current Music – listening to the CBC Radio-3 podcast from SxSW
Website Of The Day – My records indicate that I’ve never selected David Hobby’s Strobist site as a Website Of The Day. Problem rectified.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – nothing

Monthly
Foot Mileage – 2.5 miles, Wheel Mileage – 0 miles
Consecutive Days Of Bed-Making (Longest Streak) – 28 (28)
Vegetarian Days – 8, Carnivorous Days – 22
Marta Rides – 0

March Goals
- Complete all necessary work on my kitchen
- Lose no fewer than one pound
- Run no fewer than 30 miles
- Completely read Softbox Lighting Techniques for Professional Photographers, and Conceptual Blockbusting: A Guide to Better Ideas

2009 Goals
- Reduce my weight to 190 pounds (today’s weight was 199.5 pounds)
- Completely read the book 1001 Paintings You Must See Before You Die
- Earn at least $150 through photography sales in order to cover the cost for the renewal of the Jalapeño Beach SmugMug account I opened the other day.
- Save $500 for the sole purpose of donating to charitable organizations of my choice
- Attend at least one professional photography workshop

The Unmeasurable
- Continue backing up all data, including the off-site storage
- Become a proficient programmer in Objective-C (iPhone development) and Ruby on Rails (Black Sheep web page concept)
- Do not create a solution for something which is not a problem

Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]

(I’ve hired the guy who used to write Hell’s Kitchen titles. Isn’t this down economy awesome?!)

1996: One Year That Changed My Life Forever
For most Atlantans 1996 will be remembered as the “Year of the Centennial Olympic Games,” for me that event is merely a footnote. In January of that year I began dating someone with whom I was enamored. There was one slight problem — we worked together, on the same project no less.

Things moved really fast. She was beautiful and a workout fanatic. With her I shared a personal trainer and began running somewhat seriously. By March we were spending every day together and I had sent in an application to run my first organized race, the Peachtree Road Race 10k. We trained together and things were going well.

In May we fled Atlanta to avoid Freaknick ‘96. We took a trip to Maryland where I first met her mother. We were now spending every night together.

In late June I was informed that it wasn’t working out, I was not “The One,” I wasn’t “flashy” enough for her (an accurate statement if there ever was). We were done. However I followed through with my commitment and ran the Peachtree with her. To prove that I could run without having someone push me, I signed up for the US 10k Classic which is run on Labor Day (it would be the one and only time that I ran that Godforsaken race).

That summer of work was brutal.

By October I realized that I couldn’t stand working with her any longer. It really bothered me. And it bothered me more that I’d hear about the new guys she was dating. I quit my job. It was 1996, I was 31, and I had so much confidence in the economy and my programming skills that it just didn’t matter — I wanted out.

For three weeks I lounged around the house and watched mid-morning episodes of Matlock as I fielded job offers. And in November I took a three-month contracting job with a small startup company known as Media4.

[note: I became a full-time employee of Media4 in February of 1997, and in February of 1999 the company was purchased by the company for whom I still work today.]

Last night I received a Facebook message “Hey Paul, Is that you? How are you?” from this person. Thirteen years later. Her profile photo shows her, her husband, and three children. Thirteen years later. Still seems like yesterday to me. Where has the time gone? What have I done with my life?

If Paul Harvey were still alive I could have had him record “And now you know the rest of the story.”

ITP Flickr Pic
I spent the weekend reading, yes reading, about photography and lighting. This is one of two shots I took (okay, kept) on Saturday.

This shot, along with the one I’ll post tomorrow have given me some hope. Although I still struggle. When I look at each in their larger versions they both look soft. I must not have the smooth trigger finger necessary to get incredibly sharp images even at high shutter speeds.

Count Me Out
I made a real important decision this weekend. The rain helped me decide not to go camping, although I know that people went. In fact I’m probably the only one who pussied out. The decision I made this weekend is to become completely non-committal. For me non-committal is 180˚ out of “normal,” but it’s what I’m going to become. I’m not going away, I’m no longer going to plan out my future — it’s only disappointing me to do so.

Better Late Than Never
Last week Chris Marquardt, host of the Tips From The Top Floor podcast and the guy who taught the photography workshop that I attended in Fort Collins Colorado last August, published another video from the workshop’s outing. Thankfully I am not the star, in fact I appear for no more than ten seconds of the seven-minute video. It was cool to relive that part of my trip, however.

The Amazing Race: I Knew It Was Only A Tease
Remember how last week when I said that the foreshadowing of Margie passing out would mean that Luke and Margie would not get eliminated on this week’s The Amazing Race? Looks like I was right.

I failed to correctly predict this week’s losing team, which is a shame. It’s mostly a shame because ITP-Reader Stacy and I have rekindled our “iPod Music Bet” and had Mark and Michael finished last, as I had predicted, I would be able to force her to add a song to her iPod. Stacy had a more-accurate pick with Lakisha and Jennifer, but as we saw last night it was Mel and Mike who finished in last.

In last night’s episode we see that cheaters prosper, but don’t necessarily finish in first place. Micheal (or was it Mark) tampered with the pumps at the last detour, and that combined with the fact that they had a cabbie lead them to the pit stop they were penalized with an hour wait before they could be checked in. Wouldn’t you know, fifty-six minutes later teams arrived and Mark and Micheal got to sit there and watch their finish go from first to third.

Mel and Mike would have been fine if they had only followed the pack rather then trusting their cabbie who drove them entirely in the wrong direction. It must be a lousy feeling to know that it wasn’t entirely your botch that cost you a chance at a million dollars.

Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – lost
Current Music – listening to Leo Laporte’s “The Tech Guy” podcast
Website Of The Day – If your trying to find a user name that can be used across the myriad of social networks these days then a tool like Check User Names is priceless.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – nothing
Monday Morning Weigh-In – 199 pounds

Monthly
Foot Mileage – 2.5 miles, Wheel Mileage – 0 miles
Consecutive Days Of Bed-Making (Longest Streak) – 24 (27)
Vegetarian Days – 8, Carnivorous Days – 21
Marta Rides – 0

March Goals
- Complete all necessary work on my kitchen
- Lose no fewer than one pound
- Run no fewer than 30 miles
- Completely read Softbox Lighting Techniques for Professional Photographers, and Conceptual Blockbusting: A Guide to Better Ideas

2009 Goals
- Reduce my weight to 190 pounds (today’s weight was 199.5 pounds)
- Completely read the book 1001 Paintings You Must See Before You Die
- Earn at least $150 through photography sales in order to cover the cost for the renewal of the Jalapeño Beach SmugMug account I opened the other day.
- Save $500 for the sole purpose of donating to charitable organizations of my choice
- Attend at least one professional photography workshop

The Unmeasurable
- Continue backing up all data, including the off-site storage
- Become a proficient programmer in Objective-C (iPhone development) and Ruby on Rails (Black Sheep web page concept)
- Do not create a solution for something which is not a problem

Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]

Today: 0% chance of camping
Saturday: 50% chance of camping

I will not lie, I have no desire to camp in the rain and the rain is coming. After going out for three nights in a row, I’ve decided not to rush out of work and fight Friday traffic only to make it to the camping site and sit in the rain.

Thankfully “26 Miles” Had Nothing To Do With Marathon Running
Last night I went to the Hertz Stage at Alliance Theater to see the play “26 Miles.” Admittedly I had no idea about the play, but it was one of the tickets included with this season’s tickets and since I didn’t make the last two plays for which I had tickets I made an extra effort to attend. As I found out, the play is a “road story” in which mother and daughter learn about each other on an impromptu trip from Philadelphia to Wyoming.

The play is a coincidence-packed, over-the-top scenario somewhat typical of plays I see these days. The play was well-acted by the four actors and was carried mostly by the young actress who played the role of Olivia. There were moments when I thought the acting was a bit extreme but nothing that would make me consider not recommending the play.

If you are interested in seeing “26 Miles” I have the following advice:

1. Get to the theater early enough to sit close to the stage. There are subtleties in this play which may be missed from the rear of the theater.
2. Eat beforehand, the play lasts nearly two hours with no intermission.
3. Don’t bring the kids as the play is peppered with salty language (curse words)

ITP Flickr Pic
And I have nothing again… I think I’ll take a hundred photos this weekend so that I have a backlog to post. Had I made last night my third “Open That Bottle” night I would have had a cellphone shot at least.

RealiTV: It’s About Time The Wheat Is Getting Separated From The Chaff
(thanks to the internets for clearing up that actual phrase)
Yesterday I watched The Chopping Block and was thrilled to see Mike and Pandy get kicked off. I thought that Mike was a decent cook, but Pandy’s attitude just constantly irritated me.

I just finished watching last night’s Hell’s Kitchen and am pleased as punch to see Lacey finally get the boot and in the same way as J last week — during service. For as mercurial as Ramsay is portrayed to be I have been stunned that Lacey was able to survive this long with all of bullshit she put out. I’d say that she was kept around for “Good RealiTV” drama, but she wasn’t even good at that. I was surprised to see another cook get the boot at the end of the show. It seems as if Fox is trying to hurry along this season, as LA was told to leave Hell’s Kitchen. And we are down to seven, I wonder when they are going to combine the red and blue teams into a single black team.

Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – rushed, bothered
Current Music – watching last night’s Hell’s Kitchen
Website Of The Day – Ever wonder how long that beef in the refrigerator will last? How about that bottle of ketchup you’ve had forever? Check out Still Tasty for all of your food safety quandaries.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – nothing

Monthly
Foot Mileage – 2.5 miles, Wheel Mileage – 0 miles
Consecutive Days Of Bed-Making (Longest Streak) – 24 (24)
Vegetarian Days – 8, Carnivorous Days – 19
Marta Rides – 0

March Goals
- Complete all necessary work on my kitchen
- Lose no fewer than one pound
- Run no fewer than 30 miles
- Completely read Softbox Lighting Techniques for Professional Photographers, and Conceptual Blockbusting: A Guide to Better Ideas

2009 Goals
- Reduce my weight to 190 pounds (today’s weight was 199.5 pounds)
- Completely read the book 1001 Paintings You Must See Before You Die
- Earn at least $150 through photography sales in order to cover the cost for the renewal of the Jalapeño Beach SmugMug account I opened the other day.
- Save $500 for the sole purpose of donating to charitable organizations of my choice
- Attend at least one professional photography workshop

The Unmeasurable
- Continue backing up all data, including the off-site storage
- Become a proficient programmer in Objective-C (iPhone development) and Ruby on Rails (Black Sheep web page concept)
- Do not create a solution for something which is not a problem

Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]

Tuesday night – concert at Center Stage
Wednesday night – TweetUp
Tonight – the play “26 Miles” at the Hertz Stage…. that is if I can locate my ticket.

More Than Just A Social, Last Night’s TweetUp May Have Pushed Me To Start Shooting Again
I met up with many of the familiar troublemakers last night. Being I’m a seasoned happy-hour drinker beer was plentiful because I opened a tab at the bar. However the free appetizers I expected never materialized so I wound up drinking on an empty stomach, well as empty as my rotund mid-section gets, and that would prove to be a rookie mistake. Other than that Eclipse di Luna was the same Eclipse di Luna that I visited a month ago — busy, dark, and almost too loud to hold a conversation.

One conversation I held may have been rather beneficial. It seems that I’ve been ignoring a lot lately, including the announcement of a day of photography at a local gym during boxing matches in April. This was something I was keen on getting into. As of the other day the event was sold out, but last night I heard that there may have been a cancellation so I may be able to sneak in. That would be sweet.

ITP Flickr Pic
Hey look. A photo!

Alternative title for today’s photo is “I Have The Power!”.

Even If I Were Thin I Doubt Having Dinner At Waffle House Is Great For Me
There I was. After having a beer too many on an empty stomach I needed dinner. Eating at Ecplise di Luna didn’t seem like the plan for me so out I went. Had I the taste for Chinese I would have landed at Bamboo Luau on Cheshire Bridge, but I’ve been eating a lot of Chinese lately so I wanted something else.

Why that “something else” wound up being Waffle House again, I am still not sure. At the Waffle House I ordered the quarter-pound bacon cheese burger with hash browns. Oh health food, how I love you so!

Is it any wonder I’m feeling a little sluggish this morning?

Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – very tired and feel as if I’ve been hit by a truck
Current Music – none, I’m watching last night’s The Chopping Block while I blog
Website Of The Day – Looking for the best source of fake facts? Try Uncyclopedia, the content-free encyclopedia.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – nothing

Monthly
Foot Mileage – 2.5 miles, Wheel Mileage – 0 miles
Consecutive Days Of Bed-Making (Longest Streak) – 23 (23)
Vegetarian Days – 8, Carnivorous Days – 19
Marta Rides – 0

March Goals
- Complete all necessary work on my kitchen
- Lose no fewer than one pound
- Run no fewer than 30 miles
- Completely read Softbox Lighting Techniques for Professional Photographers, and Conceptual Blockbusting: A Guide to Better Ideas

2009 Goals
- Reduce my weight to 190 pounds (today’s weight was 199.5 pounds)
- Completely read the book 1001 Paintings You Must See Before You Die
- Earn at least $150 through photography sales in order to cover the cost for the renewal of the Jalapeño Beach SmugMug account I opened the other day.
- Save $500 for the sole purpose of donating to charitable organizations of my choice
- Attend at least one professional photography workshop

The Unmeasurable
- Continue backing up all data, including the off-site storage
- Become a proficient programmer in Objective-C (iPhone development) and Ruby on Rails (Black Sheep web page concept)
- Do not create a solution for something which is not a problem

Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]

A Half-Price Bottle Of Wine Is A Good Way To Start A Night
I met my friend Kim for dinner at Shout (please web designers — stop using Flash, it’s annoying!) before we headed over to Center Stage to see Gomez and Josh Ritter.

Dinner was good and we were both happy to hear that it was half-price wine night at Shout. I was further pleased to be able to unearth some knowledge gained back in my Great Olden Days by recommending we share a bottle of Cabernet Sauvingnon from the Lolonis Winery. Lolonis is a winery that I discovered at one of the many wine tastings that I attended in the early 2000’s.

We arrived at Center Stage to find Josh Ritter already performing. Ritter and his band (consisting of a bassist who looked like the love-child of Salvador Dali and Groucho Marx) put on an entertaining set. It figured that right after I told Kim that I was unfamiliar with Ritter’s band they played a song I’ve heard often on Sirius. What really set this set apart was the fact that Ritter was jubilant; it was a wonderful change from the emo/disinterested/angry performances I normally attend. At night’s end I saw the bassist loading gear into their tour bus and thanked him for a fun performance. And before you ask, no I didn’t shake is hand.

I have been familiar with the music of Gomez for some years now and saw them play Variety Playhouse a few years ago after their release of “How We Operate.” I would have seen them play Atlanta last year as well if not for the fact that they played at Lakewood Amphitheater (I don’t “do” Lakewood any longer). The show they played last night was a great mix of older hits along with material which is due to show up on their next release “A New Tide” which is going to drop on March 31st.

Puppets Made From Meat? This I Have To See.
Oh, The Meat Puppets are a band and not actual puppets? Oh well, I am still pleased that I’ve secured a ticket to the June 16th show at The EARL. I’m fairly certain that this show will be a sell-out so if you want see these Meat Puppets then I suggest you head over to Ticket Alternative and get your ticket soon.

ITP Flickr Pic
Ugh, nothing again. I left my camera at the office since I didn’t want to leave it in my trunk.

Who’s That Guy Reading? He Looks A Lot Like Me
I will never tout the iPhondle as the best device for reading… but it’s getting me reading. What I am finding is that a book with me wherever I go is readable thanks to its convenience. I’ve also started “reading” more by listening to audiobooks during my commute. Currently I’m reading Carl Haissen’s “Native Tongue” in the car.

Along the reading lines, yesterday I broke my vow not to buy new books by purchasing not one, but two books from Amazon. Both books are photography related so I’ll cut myself some slack as I try to improve my photography skills. Who knows, maybe someday I’ll even have a few images to post on this blog.

I Could Possibly Be TweetingUp Tonight
Tonight is the monthly meetup of Atlanta Tweeters, aka the Atlanta TweetUp. Tonight’s gathering will be held at Eclipse di Luna (Miami Circle) starting at 7pm.

I’m on the fence as to whether or not I will make an appearance tonight, although I should since I skipped last month’s gathering. My decision tonight will be mostly based on how tired I am from getting in at midnight last night, combined with the knowledge that I need to finish my laundry from Monday night and that I am going to a play tomorrow night and that there is a possibility that I am going hash “camping” this weekend.

Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – okay, but a bit on the large side
Current Music – listening to yesterday’s “Buzz Out Loud” podcast
Website Of The Day – These are easy to pick when people send them to me. Today’s Food Blog is No Recipes. Thanks to ITP-Reader Darren for the head’s up on this one.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – nothing

Monthly
Foot Mileage – 2.5 miles, Wheel Mileage – 0 miles
Consecutive Days Of Bed-Making (Longest Streak) – 22 (22)
Vegetarian Days – 8, Carnivorous Days – 18
Marta Rides – 0

March Goals
- Complete all necessary work on my kitchen
- Lose no fewer than one pound
- Run no fewer than 30 miles
- Completely read Softbox Lighting Techniques for Professional Photographers, and Conceptual Blockbusting: A Guide to Better Ideas

2009 Goals
- Reduce my weight to 190 pounds (today’s weight was 199.5 pounds)
- Completely read the book 1001 Paintings You Must See Before You Die
- Earn at least $150 through photography sales in order to cover the cost for the renewal of the Jalapeño Beach SmugMug account I opened the other day.
- Save $500 for the sole purpose of donating to charitable organizations of my choice
- Attend at least one professional photography workshop

The Unmeasurable
- Continue backing up all data, including the off-site storage
- Become a proficient programmer in Objective-C (iPhone development) and Ruby on Rails (Black Sheep web page concept)
- Do not create a solution for something which is not a problem

Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]

I suppose I should take being incapable of meeting women as a blessing because there are not enough hours in my day to accomplish all that I’ve piled onto my plate as is. Currently I fail at reading, making photos, and completing house chores. Attempting to satisfy the needs of someone else in my life may help me feel complete, but would certainly take away time spent doing other things (some of which I’d certainly like to schlep off on someone — oh hello, laundry). I really don’t know where the time goes. It’s not like I’m sitting idle, I feel like I’m doing something at all times.

To Do Lists Are Only Useful When They Are Referenced
I make many lists. Over the years I’ve experiment with different To Do Lists as if I were trying to build a better mouse trap. Currently I store my master To Do List on my iPhone and even though I’ve set two reminder alarms for me to check this list, I rarely do. (It would thus seem pointless to make a To Do List which reminds me to check my To Do List.)

Few of my To Do items are time critical, but occasionally I kick myself for being such a slacker. Want to know who forgot that he had a $50 gas card waiting for him to claim before February 28, 2009? Want to know who is on the verge of missing a $25 rebate for some camera gear if he can’t get it in the mail and postmarked prior to March 28th? I think you get the idea?

Why Can’t I Spell “Occasionally”?
A few words in the English language vex me every time I attempt to spell them; that word is one of them.

Occassionally
Ocassionally
Occasionaly
Occasionally

Maybe what I need a spell checker which automatically corrects the many ways that I mangle the word which means “at times; from time to time; now and then.”

Are there any words whose spelling constantly frustrates you?

ITP Flickr Pic
I’ve got nothing for you. I am going to try and rectify this tonight.

How Can One Person, Who’s Not Even Exercising, Wear So Many Clothes?
I headed straight to the laundromat after work last night. I was not alone in this thinking, by the time I got there the laundromat was quite busy. I managed to split my loads into three and use the smallest-capacity washing machines so at least I was not stuck waiting. Upon leaving I ran into my friend Vandy Beth. Vandy Beth had timed arrival much better than I had, because the place was only half-full when I was leaving. I just keep reminding myself that this won’t be an issue again once I get my plumbing fixed. Note to self: Put “get plumbing fixed” in the To Do List.

More Music In My Future Tonight
Tonight is the Gomez show for which I gout gauged by Ticketmaster last week. I’m excited to see the band again, but have decided not to make it a photo opportunity since I am meeting up with a friend and just want to enjoy the show.

Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – frustrated, I sweating in my office!
Current Music – listening to this week’s “MacCast” podcast
Website Of The Day – Want to remember what the Internet was like back in the “Olden Days?” The websites found at The Vintage Web still think we are in those days.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – nothing

Monthly
Foot Mileage – 2.5 miles, Wheel Mileage – 0 miles
Consecutive Days Of Bed-Making (Longest Streak) – 21 (21)
Vegetarian Days – 8, Carnivorous Days – 17
Marta Rides – 0

March Goals
- Complete all necessary work on my kitchen
- Lose no fewer than one pound
- Run no fewer than 30 miles
- Completely read Softbox Lighting Techniques for Professional Photographers, and Conceptual Blockbusting: A Guide to Better Ideas

2009 Goals
- Reduce my weight to 190 pounds (today’s weight was 199.5 pounds)
- Completely read the book 1001 Paintings You Must See Before You Die
- Earn at least $150 through photography sales in order to cover the cost for the renewal of the Jalapeño Beach SmugMug account I opened the other day.
- Save $500 for the sole purpose of donating to charitable organizations of my choice
- Attend at least one professional photography workshop

The Unmeasurable
- Continue backing up all data, including the off-site storage
- Become a proficient programmer in Objective-C (iPhone development) and Ruby on Rails (Black Sheep web page concept)
- Do not create a solution for something which is not a problem

Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]

Except For One Thing…
I need a landscape fairy. My yard is stupidly out of control and the thought of spending hours fixing it makes me shudder. I don’t dislike yardwork, I hate yardwork.

I knew of my disdain for yardwork before buying my house, but ten years ago the housing market was hot as a lit match, my how things have change. The house I’ve been in since March 1999 was the first inhabitable structure that I found that was under my $200,000 price cap. So I bought it. In the past ten years the yard has gone from manicured, to mildly out of control, to jungle.

Anyone want to have a yardworking party on a Saturday in April? Who knows, by then I might even have functioning plumbing.

One Beer, Two Beer, Three Beer, Floor Couch
I should have known that yesterday was going to be unproductive, almost to the point of being counter-productive, when I popped my first beer open at noon. Three hours and three beers later I found myself on the couch for a “short” nap. Sometime past 7pm I awoke on the couch and gathered myself. For the remainder of the night I watched The Amazing Race and got my stuff in order for today.

ITP Flickr Pic: I Saw The Light, But Produced Nothing
I tried to take photos. I drove around both Saturday and Sunday but never saw anything that interested me. I took out my brand new flash, charged up some batteries, and verified that it worked. However, when I tried to use the flash for a few photos my exposures where terrible. This is operator error because I know that the flash is firing. For as much “training” as I’ve experienced about lighting a subject I’m still missing one of the basic premises. I know this to be true because my photos are shit.

And now you understand why there is no photo today.

Introducing “Offsite C”
On Saturday morning I looked for a hard drive to use in place of the one that’s been giving me grief recently. I opened my drawer of “old” electronics to locate drives 80GB, 120GB, and 250GB, none of which were large enough to be used for this task. Amazing! These drives are not that old, but already they’ve been rendered virtually obsolete.

While in Target Saturday morning I found that they are selling some Western Digital 750GB USB2.0 drives on clearance for $100. Bingo! This would be more-than large enough, in fact this will be more-than large enough for the next few years — so I bought it.

Seventeen hours after starting my backup process I had successfully backed up all of my documents, photos, music, and videos. Whew.

The Amazing Race: It’s Like Finding An Elephant In A Haystack
Oh Sunday night, even when football or basketball fucks with your television schedule I love you so. If you didn’t lead into the start of a work-week you’d be my perfect lover.

Sunday night is The Amazing Race night and I was ready to immerse myself into the race — and then I found out that basketball had gone about fifty minutes long pushing the night’s primetime schedule back. Oh well, that gave me the opportunity to sort my laundry for a laundromat run tonight. When the Race finally came on I was salivating for its goodness.

Last night the racers were able to escape Siberia and headed for India. Because of last week’s exemption from elimination the blonds would have to perform an extra roadblock and finish out of last place in order to survive. And then we hear one of them talking about how much she misses her child — which is a sure way for the editors to let us know that we should not get too attached to this team because they are headed home.

There have been times during this season when I’ve liked Tammy and Victor, and times when I’ve disliked them greatly. Last night the latter was in effect. There are times when it seems as if this race is too easy for them. Last night was one of those times. I’ll go on the record and say that I think that they are going to win.

The racers got to see poverty in India. Apparently this is very easy to find because it seems that we are shown it each season. Luckily the racers didn’t see too much however since they were getting the rides of their lives from what appeared to be New York cabbie flunkies. Once they successfully found the sacred tree in the middle of nowhere they had to figure out to use one of the two red phones, that were clearly out of place there, in order to get their next clue.

For their next task they had to use “traditional tools” — always read the clue, people — to move camel feed and water into a trough. Ho. Hum…

For some reason I started thinking about the Fat Frats and Toni and Dallas from last season and I kind of phased out for a while. I know there was something about getting money or finding an elephant in hay buckets before heading to the pit stop.

Tammy and Victor came in first, all alone. The middle of the pack came in together. And the editors made it appear that there was a close finish between the stunt guys and the blonds, but I think we were being manipulated. The stunt guys finish next-to-last and the blonds are sent packing.

Next week are teased with the thoughts of Thailand and the fact that Margie, of Margie and Luke, passes out from the heat. Much like the talk of children is a indication that a team is doomed, the preview of a team in difficulty usually means that they’ll get by the next week. I’ll let you know if I was right in next week’s wrap up.

Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – okay, but want another day so that I could get something accomplished
Current Music – listening to last week’s “Sound Opinions” podcast
Website Of The Day – Wonder what fonts are loaded on your computer and what they look like? Let flipping typical show you, just don’t try going to www.flippingtypical.com because that won’t take you anywhere. Silly internets, you’re so damn finicky. In case you don’t know this about me, I am a fucking typography nerd! I love that shit. I took offset-printing in junior high school and loved the movie >Helvetica.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – nothing

Monthly
Foot Mileage – 2.5 miles, Wheel Mileage – 0 miles
Consecutive Days Of Bed-Making (Longest Streak) – 20 (20)
Vegetarian Days – 8, Carnivorous Days – 16
Marta Rides – 0
Monday Morning Weigh-In – I forgot so I’ll guess that I’m about 200 pounds

March Goals
- Complete all necessary work on my kitchen
- Lose no fewer than one pound
- Run no fewer than 30 miles
- Completely read Softbox Lighting Techniques for Professional Photographers, and Conceptual Blockbusting: A Guide to Better Ideas

2009 Goals
- Reduce my weight to 190 pounds (today’s weight was 199.5 pounds)
- Completely read the book 1001 Paintings You Must See Before You Die
- Earn at least $150 through photography sales in order to cover the cost for the renewal of the Jalapeño Beach SmugMug account I opened the other day.
- Save $500 for the sole purpose of donating to charitable organizations of my choice
- Attend at least one professional photography workshop

The Unmeasurable
- Continue backing up all data, including the off-site storage
- Become a proficient programmer in Objective-C (iPhone development) and Ruby on Rails (Black Sheep web page concept)
- Do not create a solution for something which is not a problem

Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]

Oh, hello there. I was just settling in for the morning with a hot cup of coffee. How are you?

My Life, Circa Now
while (false == applicationDone) {
prepareForWork();
transport(toWork);
work(application);
transport(toHome);
sleep(time(05:30) – time(now));
}

Yep, that looks about right.

Up With Audible. Down With iTunes And Audible’s DRM!
I am more than halfway through my second audiobook from Audible and loving it. (You may remember that I’m “reading” Micheal Ruhlman’s “The Making of a Chef”.)

However one thing I am not enjoying is having to enter my Audible password to authorize my account every time I start iTunes. Even though I usually keep iTunes running 24/7 there have been recent occasions which have forced me to restart iTunes. This gripe would be minor if not for the fact that if my account is not authorized it will not copy my audiobooks to my iPod, and if they are not on my iPod I cannot listen to them. Frustration, all in the name of “Digital Rights Management” which is another way of saying “not letting me own the rights to the media that I’ve purchased.”

When Amazon bought Audible there were talks of removing the DRM for audiobooks. That has not happened. Perhaps I should make today’s Website of the Day Amazon, Call An Audible which is a website petitioning Amazon to drop the DRM from audiobooks.

Say it with me people. “DRM is Evil!” It’s just another way for greedy movie/music/publishing executives to get their filthy hands into your wallets.

ITP Flickr Pic
“Open That Bottle” night number two. Actually, this is the second bottle I opened last night. The first bottle was opened just before ITP-Reader Betsy called and invited me over to her place for Hell’s Kitchen. I, not wanting to break the law by transporting an “open bottle” to her house, decided to bring a closed bottle.

This was a delicious Cabernet Sauvignon (if I remember correctly). I’m still seeking advice for replacement bottles as my collection has now dipped to fourteen bottles.

A Double Dose Of Reality
Last night I watched two RealiTV shows, The Chopping Block and Hell’s Kitchen.

Two episodes in and I’m really starting to enjoy The Chopping Block. The show’s host, Macro Pierre White, is like a restaurant-version of Johnny Depp and is proving to be and insightful commenter in comparison to the balls-to-the-wall yell-at-everyone style of Gordon Ramsay.

In last night’s Hell’s Kitchen episode we got a lot more of the same. However, during this episode Ramsay busted a gasket and fired J in mid-service! It’s getting to the point where I start to identify who has a shot at winning, and the odds-on-favorite has to be Giovanni. As I scan the list of remaining cooks I don’t see any of them competing at Giovanni’s level. I guess if I were to pick a Final Four (this is March Madness time after all), I’d pick Giovanni, Ben, Paula, Andrea — with Robert as an Honorable Mention.

Oh Yeah, I’ll Be At The EARL Tonight
Tonight is the AC Newman show at The EARL. If you are familiar with The New Pornographers then you are familiar with Newman’s work as Carl (AC) Newman is the lead singer/songwriter for The New Pornographers; Newman also records solo records under his name.

I’m thrilled to be going out tonight. The weather should be agreeable — no rain or freezing temperatures. I should be well rested and ready for a good night of music.

Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – fair
Current Music – listening to yesterday’s “Coverville” podcast — this one is the Neutral Milk Hotel Cover Story episode. Fucking. Awesome!
Website Of The Day – If you like interesting photography then check out the Projects section of Yves Marchand & Romain Meffre Photography
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – nada

Monthly
Foot Mileage – 2.5 miles, Wheel Mileage – 0 miles
Consecutive Days Of Bed-Making (Longest Streak) – 17 (17)
Vegetarian Days – 8, Carnivorous Days – 11
Marta Rides – 0

March Goals
- Complete all necessary work on my kitchen
- Lose no fewer than one pound
- Run no fewer than 30 miles
- Completely read Softbox Lighting Techniques for Professional Photographers, and Conceptual Blockbusting: A Guide to Better Ideas

2009 Goals
- Reduce my weight to 190 pounds (today’s weight was 199.5 pounds)
- Completely read the book 1001 Paintings You Must See Before You Die
- Earn at least $150 through photography sales in order to cover the cost for the renewal of the Jalapeño Beach SmugMug account I opened the other day.
- Save $500 for the sole purpose of donating to charitable organizations of my choice
- Attend at least one professional photography workshop

The Unmeasurable
- Continue backing up all data, including the off-site storage
- Become a proficient programmer in Objective-C (iPhone development) and Ruby on Rails (Black Sheep web page concept)
- Do not create a solution for something which is not a problem

Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]

Sorry all, just too damn busy today.
Talk amongst yourselves…

Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]

Welcome to the Paulie that almost none of you know — the driven, workaholic Paulie. This is a version of me that loves to write software. Granted I am not the greatest software developer so I don’t get things done amazingly quickly, but I am a yeoman who loves to see things to completion. It’s this trait, I won’t call it a fault, that causes me to forgo all activities except for work. I suppose this is just a long-winded way for me to say that I am not riding, and definitely not running, tonight.

No Tac O’Mac For Me
I left the office about 8:40pm. I had intended to eat Mexican, but really just wanted to get somewhere fast and eat. My first thought turned to having a beer or two, so Taco Mac sprung to mind. However Taco Mac had been transformed to Tac O’Mac thanks to it being St. Patrick’s Day. On any other Tuesday night at 9pm I’d be able to wander in and quietly enjoy a meal and beer, but that’s not the case on St. Patrick’s Day.

I poked my head inside to get confirmation of the St. Patty’s Day mayhem, and immediately turned around and walked to a nearby Tin Drum.

So while I didn’t successfully complete the “St. Patrick’s Day <-> Cinco de Mayo” switcheroo I did manage to find a place to get a half-decent meal without the green-beer drinking crowds.

Let Me See The Light
I’ve just seen through the grapevine that my friend Maigh has purchased a new Nikon SB-600 Speedlight. Yesterday I decided to walk down a different path.

Recently I’ve been following (in the figurative sense) a guy name David Hobby, better known as The Strobist. Hobby, who happens to be about the same age as me and a fellow University of Florida graduate (although our paths probably never crossed since I was a late-”bloomer”), has been making a name for himself by preaching the gospel of cheap, manual-settings strobe lights.

Yesterday I decided to take a chance and purchase a new flash known as the LumoPro LP120 Manual Flash from Midwest Photo Exchange for $130 (yes, that constitutes “cheap” in the photography world).

I’m excited to get the new flash and start playing with it.

ITP Flickr Pic
Perhaps the new flash will pry me from the keyboard and get me to take photos because I’ve nothing to show at the moment.

The Carnivore Has Overtaken The Vegetarian
After a week of vegetarianism it seemed as if I’d finish March eating vegetarian more days than not. However, here on March 18th I’ve already returned to my carnivore ways so completely that my carnivorous days have already surpassed my vegetarian ones.

Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – alone
Current Music – listening to last week’s “This American Life” podcast
Website Of The Day – Want to know why I’ve become a workaholic? Because I’ve never been the subject of one of these letters found at I Love You For Ever And Always.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – nothing

Monthly
Foot Mileage – 2.5 miles, Wheel Mileage – 0 miles
Consecutive Days Of Bed-Making (Longest Streak) – 15 (15)
Vegetarian Days – 8, Carnivorous Days – 9
Marta Rides – 0

March Goals
- Complete all necessary work on my kitchen
- Lose no fewer than one pound
- Run no fewer than 30 miles
- Completely read Softbox Lighting Techniques for Professional Photographers, and Conceptual Blockbusting: A Guide to Better Ideas

2009 Goals
- Reduce my weight to 190 pounds (today’s weight was 199.5 pounds)
- Completely read the book 1001 Paintings You Must See Before You Die
- Earn at least $150 through photography sales in order to cover the cost for the renewal of the Jalapeño Beach SmugMug account I opened the other day.
- Save $500 for the sole purpose of donating to charitable organizations of my choice
- Attend at least one professional photography workshop

The Unmeasurable
- Continue backing up all data, including the off-site storage
- Become a proficient programmer in Objective-C (iPhone development) and Ruby on Rails (Black Sheep web page concept)
- Do not create a solution for something which is not a problem

Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]