New York

So here are a few pics that I took during my Christmas trip to NY. I'm learning a lot on these shoots.

Begin

I figure that since it has been several months since I last posted, this blog is pretty much a private blog now...which kinda feels nice. Most people have probably heard about my search for a new career. It's just about the only thing I talk about. After having decided that I want to go into something more artistic and creative than engineering I realize that I need to start making a portfolio of art and creative work. So one night while talking to Tim at 2am I decided I would buy a camera and take him up on the offer to teach me everything he knows. I got a great deal on a Canon Rebel XSI and I'm really enjoying it so far. Now mind you I've taken hundreds of pictures so far and I really only have a handful of pictures which are even worth looking at. That's all part of the process of learning. Photography is a medium I have never explored and I'm excited to journey into it and throw it around. So here are a few pics from a beginning photographer. If you happen to get to this site via Tim's blog...be patient...and close one eye.

Central Park

First Snow - Lincoln, MA

Pedestrian tunnel under the train tracks - Belmont, MA

December snow storm - Lincoln, MA

Random portrait of my friend Natalie in NYC.

The nephews. I didn't even take this pick, my sister did, but it's too cute not to post.

Lamine

I don't have much to say except that I'll be doing a lot more photography.

A Future In Blogging

There may be hope for me yet! I just got an iPhone and I'm blogging from it. Here's a chance for me to reenter the world of blogging.

It Takes a Moron

So I was in NY the other week visiting my sister, her husband, and my ridiculously cute nephew who is now 2 and a half. For several months now there has been a group of 10-13 year old boys loitering in front of my families Tae Kwon Do studio. They run up the stairs and yell into the studio. They have set off fire-cracks, thrown in garbage and made a general nuisance of themselves. Well I left the studio to pick up some food and when I cam back there was a group of 7 or 8 young boys standing in the doorway and one of them was up the stairs getting ready to enter the studio and pull some kind of shenanigan. When I showed up they freaked out and the young man at the top of the stairs came bolting down. My arms were full of food and I tried to stop the boy but he got by me. My brother in law Malick (picture 4th degree black-belt from Mali West Africa, 6'1" 240lbs pure muscle) comes running down the stairs in his bare feet and Tae Kwon Do uniform, and tears out into the rainy street, at a full sprint. The boy who was trying to get away was about halfway down the block but didn't stand a chance. Malick catches him, picks him up, and literally drags him back down the steet. The kid has lost a shoe, at this point, and is so terrified that he pees his pants on the spot. Malick drags him up the stairs and sits him down in the office.

The little perps friend shows up with the lost shoe and we sit him down as well. Neither boy will give us the name or phone number of his parents, so we call the cops. One of the neighborhood kids got his own dad and brought him to the studio. This guy shakes his head when he sees the two boys and says he'll go get their parents. Over the next hour the cops and family members of the two boys show up. The parents are chewing the boys out, the boys are crying their eyes out, and the police supervisor decides to have the boys cuffed.

The two boys are standing, hand-cuffed with wet pants, in the studio when the main perp's Dad shows up. First thing he says to his son is, "You shouldn't be cryin!!!" The cops throw them in the van and take them down to the precinct.

A few hours later the dad came back with this son and gave us all his info and told us to call him if anything ever happened again.

Wow. Good times. All I have to say is, how big of a moron can you be? "Hey guys, lets go harass the Tae Kwon Do studio." Why wouldn't you harass the flower shop or the beauty salon?

Morning

This morning I was up before 6am. Hallo!!!! After a night of compulsively watching the last half of season one of a teen TV drama that I don't care to mention, and sleeping for just a few hours, I hit the pavement. Me. It's a miracle. This week I haven't been out of my house before 10.

I have to say that I was amazed at the number of people out on the streets. What is wrong with you people? Is this normal or are you all feeling as strange as I am? People really get up early and grab a coffee and a paper on their way to work? I thought that was reserved for movies or special occasions, like a Saturday morning, in which case it all goes down after 10am.

Ah! The morning. Isn't it wonderful? Birds, darkness, alarm clocks, the advent of a new day. Well, la di freaking dah! Who cares? I surely don't. I hate my alarm clock. I hate the beginning of the day. I hate leaving my bed. I hate the bustle and hurry in the morning. Hate the traffic.

I'm trying to discover the deeper reasons for which I hate mornings. I can't find them. Maybe it's because it's before 7am right now? What I do know is that there exists in me a great dichotomy. At night, the man that goes to bed is full of aspirations, excitement, and convictions for the coming day. Yet, when I wake up in the morning, I'm not the same man that went to bed. Any noble or redeeming qualities have fled. The primitive man has emerged. Generally it takes me at least 30 minutes before I want to consider talking or acknowledging anyone.

That's all the energy or presence of mind I posses at this unnatural hour. I'm out.

Dance Off!

Three amazing dancers. In order of seniority. Remember that some of the classic bits are latter in the videos. Who's your tops?

Michael


Usher


Justin

Free Advertising

This is a boring post. A month or two ago, I received a recommendation from some old timers at work for a local fresh produce market. It's called A. Russo's & Sons. I'd been meaning to go for some time and finally made it today. Superb. The best way to describe it is a civilized Hay Market. It's all indoor. No shouting and yelling. Incredible selection including a lot of foreign novelty items. (ie. Golden Syrup...who sells Golden Syrup. That sweet syrup that takes me back to my british childhood.) The prices are higher than haymarket but cheaper than any local grocery store. They also have a wonderful selection of cheeses and breads. All I can say is that I think this place is a little gem. And it's only 10 min away, in Watertown.

West Wing

This is in tribute to my favorite TV show of all time. Nothing rivals it for me. I own the first 4 seasons. I watch them periodically. Over the holidays DeEtte bought me season 3 so we went on a WW binge. Here is one of my favorite bits.




And here is another great one.



And one on Star Trek