Thursday, October 30, 2008
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Adventures at Walmart
I was doing some shopping this evening at my local Walmart and felt compelled to photograph some of the items in stock.
How do we know the holiday season is approaching?
By the red, pink, and blue artificial trees of course.
As cheesy as it is, I am a little partial to the pink one.
For the pampered pooch
Vitamin Water. For your dog. One was for general wellbeing, one for dental care, and one for a shiny coat.
Single serving Spam
When you just don't want to open an entire can.
Theres nothing like that Baked Virginia Ham Taste.
Its not a treat, its a "treet".
Sorry for the poor picture quality, my camera phones not the greatest.
How do we know the holiday season is approaching?
By the red, pink, and blue artificial trees of course.
As cheesy as it is, I am a little partial to the pink one.
For the pampered pooch
Vitamin Water. For your dog. One was for general wellbeing, one for dental care, and one for a shiny coat.
Single serving Spam
When you just don't want to open an entire can.
Theres nothing like that Baked Virginia Ham Taste.
Its not a treat, its a "treet".
Sorry for the poor picture quality, my camera phones not the greatest.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Ashamed
Every now and then I think of many of the wonderful attractions there are here in my home state of California.
There are so many things to do and places to see, and I am ashamed to admit that I have not done, or seen, the majority of them. Such as the following...
1. Yosemite National Park.
Despite living only a little over three and a half hours from this great national park, I have never come anywhere close to the park.
2. Vikingsholm Castle.
Vikingsholm is one of those little known wonders in Northern California. Anytime I mention to someone "I'd like to go to that Scandinavian Castle up near Tahoe sometime" the response is generally something along the lines of "what the heck are you talking about?". Again, this location is SO close (just a little over two hours drive), yet I've never gone. I think what has deterred me in the past is the idea of the "steep but well defined" 1 mile hiking trail from the parking lot to the actual castle.
3. Point Reyes National Seashore.
It is SO close, two and half hours drive, but I've never been and I have no clue why not. This must be remedied soon.
4. Redwoods National Park.
This site is further away, over six hours, but I'm starting to wonder if I've got something against National Parks.
5. Lava Beds National Monument.
This ones easy. I know why I've never been there... I didn't know it even existed until recently. It does sound pretty awesome though, don't you think?
6. Lassen
I've never been to either the Lassen Volcanic National Park or to the Lassen National Forest.
7. Mono Lake
I really want to go here - I'm thinking I could take some great photos there - all of the images I've seen of the lake are phenomenal.
8. Natural Bridges State Beach
Another place where I think I might be able to get some nice photos.
9. Sequoia National Park
I should go see it, because its there/
10. Death Valley
I would love to go see the spring bloom sometime
11. Big Sur
Isn't it a requirement that every photographer in or near California take a photo of the Lone Cypress at some point?
12. 17 Mile Drive
I've been to the Monterey-Carmel area several times, I have no idea why I've never done this.
13. Solvang
A Danish village right here in California - with my love of Europe, why haven't I been there yet?
14. Joshua Tree
Again, I should go - even if only because I love the U2 album
15. Catalina Island
16. San Diego
The zoo, Sea World - I want to see both.
17. Hearst Castle
One of the biggest tourist attractions in the state, and I have yet to see it. This needs to be remedied.
18. Knotts Berry Farm
I've been to Disneyland, Magic Mountain, Great America - I need to add this one to the list.
19. The California Missions
I've had this draw to photograph all of the California Missions for a couple years now, I don't know why I haven't started yet.
20. State Capital Building
Dude, seriously, its just a 20 minute drive from my house.
21. Golden Gate Bridge
Sure, I've driven across it, but I've never walked across it. I think I need to.
I'm certain that theres a lot more here in California that I should do, these are just the ones off the top of my head.
There are so many things to do and places to see, and I am ashamed to admit that I have not done, or seen, the majority of them. Such as the following...
1. Yosemite National Park.
Despite living only a little over three and a half hours from this great national park, I have never come anywhere close to the park.
2. Vikingsholm Castle.
Vikingsholm is one of those little known wonders in Northern California. Anytime I mention to someone "I'd like to go to that Scandinavian Castle up near Tahoe sometime" the response is generally something along the lines of "what the heck are you talking about?". Again, this location is SO close (just a little over two hours drive), yet I've never gone. I think what has deterred me in the past is the idea of the "steep but well defined" 1 mile hiking trail from the parking lot to the actual castle.
3. Point Reyes National Seashore.
It is SO close, two and half hours drive, but I've never been and I have no clue why not. This must be remedied soon.
4. Redwoods National Park.
This site is further away, over six hours, but I'm starting to wonder if I've got something against National Parks.
5. Lava Beds National Monument.
This ones easy. I know why I've never been there... I didn't know it even existed until recently. It does sound pretty awesome though, don't you think?
6. Lassen
I've never been to either the Lassen Volcanic National Park or to the Lassen National Forest.
7. Mono Lake
I really want to go here - I'm thinking I could take some great photos there - all of the images I've seen of the lake are phenomenal.
8. Natural Bridges State Beach
Another place where I think I might be able to get some nice photos.
9. Sequoia National Park
I should go see it, because its there/
10. Death Valley
I would love to go see the spring bloom sometime
11. Big Sur
Isn't it a requirement that every photographer in or near California take a photo of the Lone Cypress at some point?
12. 17 Mile Drive
I've been to the Monterey-Carmel area several times, I have no idea why I've never done this.
13. Solvang
A Danish village right here in California - with my love of Europe, why haven't I been there yet?
14. Joshua Tree
Again, I should go - even if only because I love the U2 album
15. Catalina Island
16. San Diego
The zoo, Sea World - I want to see both.
17. Hearst Castle
One of the biggest tourist attractions in the state, and I have yet to see it. This needs to be remedied.
18. Knotts Berry Farm
I've been to Disneyland, Magic Mountain, Great America - I need to add this one to the list.
19. The California Missions
I've had this draw to photograph all of the California Missions for a couple years now, I don't know why I haven't started yet.
20. State Capital Building
Dude, seriously, its just a 20 minute drive from my house.
21. Golden Gate Bridge
Sure, I've driven across it, but I've never walked across it. I think I need to.
I'm certain that theres a lot more here in California that I should do, these are just the ones off the top of my head.
Thursday, October 09, 2008
An EmbarASSing Story...
Today I was reminded of an embarassing situation I got myself into a few years ago.
To preface for this, I should say that I just completed my fourth week of Weight Watchers. I've been doing okay so far and have lost a total of 12.4 pounds - not too bad, but I'd still like to see the weight come off faster, who wouldn't like to see the weight come off quicker, right?
Although I do have to admit that I haven't been the most diligent on following the plan exactly.
I've had slip ups - the night at the pub here & there (math gets hard after a couple pints of Newcastle, and WW is all about counting points), friends visiting from out of town, the usual life events popping up.
I've been making modifications to my eating habits, and whenever I make changes to my diet my body decides to change how its going to process said diet, if you know what I'm sayin'.
So, my body has recently decided that this decline in my fat and caloric intake was going to result in it STOPPING from processing everything and I found myself in the supplement aisle of my local discount department store where I discovered this.
I tried it today and can give it an astounding thumbs up. It does its job without any humiliating side effects.
Unlike a supplement I tried a few years ago.
The last time I did Weight Watchers, which was five years ago, I had the same reaction to the change in my diet. Now, I've never really gotten the concept of "less is more". I've always thought "thats a load of bull. More is more, obviously. Its right there in the phrasing MORE IS MORE".
So, when things came to a screeching halt did I go in search of a simple supplement?
No.
When perusing the shelves at the drug store did I think "Oh, heres the gentle womens formula! Perfect, since I am a woman after all!"
Nope.
I thought "Extra-super-duper-get-the-job-done-NOW" BINGO, we have a winner!!!
I bought the extra strength formula, went home and read the packaging and paid special attention to the time frame that it typically takes to kick in. I don't recall exactly, but I believe it was supposed to take something like anywhere between three and twelve hours to achieve the desired results. So, I took the extra strength supplement at work the next day during the late afternoon with the thought that it would kick in after I got home, but before I went to bed that evening.
It never happened.
I went to bed thinking that it would kick in when I woke up in the morning.
Part way through the night I'm awoken by what I think are gunshots.. or maybe a car backfiring. I jumped straight up in bed thinking "What the EFF?!?!?!?!???" I sat up, not hearing anything further, and went back to sleep.
A little bit later I'm awoken again, sitting straight up in bed, by the same gunshot sounds. This time I realized something... I was not being awoken by gunshots, or a car backfiring, there weren't even hooligans lighting M80's in my backyard.
Yes, I was being woken up during the night by the explosive sound of my own ass.
The extra-strength-super-duper laxative was not doing its job, it was only giving me explosive flatulence.
There you have it - one of my most humiliating, yet still hilarious, stories to tell about myself... and its about gas.
The twelve year old boy in me thinks its hysterical.
To preface for this, I should say that I just completed my fourth week of Weight Watchers. I've been doing okay so far and have lost a total of 12.4 pounds - not too bad, but I'd still like to see the weight come off faster, who wouldn't like to see the weight come off quicker, right?
Although I do have to admit that I haven't been the most diligent on following the plan exactly.
I've had slip ups - the night at the pub here & there (math gets hard after a couple pints of Newcastle, and WW is all about counting points), friends visiting from out of town, the usual life events popping up.
I've been making modifications to my eating habits, and whenever I make changes to my diet my body decides to change how its going to process said diet, if you know what I'm sayin'.
So, my body has recently decided that this decline in my fat and caloric intake was going to result in it STOPPING from processing everything and I found myself in the supplement aisle of my local discount department store where I discovered this.
I tried it today and can give it an astounding thumbs up. It does its job without any humiliating side effects.
Unlike a supplement I tried a few years ago.
The last time I did Weight Watchers, which was five years ago, I had the same reaction to the change in my diet. Now, I've never really gotten the concept of "less is more". I've always thought "thats a load of bull. More is more, obviously. Its right there in the phrasing MORE IS MORE".
So, when things came to a screeching halt did I go in search of a simple supplement?
No.
When perusing the shelves at the drug store did I think "Oh, heres the gentle womens formula! Perfect, since I am a woman after all!"
Nope.
I thought "Extra-super-duper-get-the-job-done-NOW" BINGO, we have a winner!!!
I bought the extra strength formula, went home and read the packaging and paid special attention to the time frame that it typically takes to kick in. I don't recall exactly, but I believe it was supposed to take something like anywhere between three and twelve hours to achieve the desired results. So, I took the extra strength supplement at work the next day during the late afternoon with the thought that it would kick in after I got home, but before I went to bed that evening.
It never happened.
I went to bed thinking that it would kick in when I woke up in the morning.
Part way through the night I'm awoken by what I think are gunshots.. or maybe a car backfiring. I jumped straight up in bed thinking "What the EFF?!?!?!?!???" I sat up, not hearing anything further, and went back to sleep.
A little bit later I'm awoken again, sitting straight up in bed, by the same gunshot sounds. This time I realized something... I was not being awoken by gunshots, or a car backfiring, there weren't even hooligans lighting M80's in my backyard.
Yes, I was being woken up during the night by the explosive sound of my own ass.
The extra-strength-super-duper laxative was not doing its job, it was only giving me explosive flatulence.
There you have it - one of my most humiliating, yet still hilarious, stories to tell about myself... and its about gas.
The twelve year old boy in me thinks its hysterical.
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