tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227986772024-03-13T08:03:23.516-07:00walkabout knittingwalkaboutknitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15483197188284889152noreply@blogger.comBlogger400125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22798677.post-38163161597982560982014-01-05T00:58:00.001-08:002014-01-05T00:58:27.569-08:00Hillcrest's Harelequin for home goods & more<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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For a few weeks (okay maybe months) now I've meaning to check out the latest business venture @ 127 W University also known as the 2 story stucco building between 1st (Hillcrest Smog) and Front Street. <br />
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Google maps' street view lies, it is no longer home to Ink -- which was never open when I was stationery inclined (bummer). Now it is home to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/harlequinboutique">Harlequin Boutique </a>and yesterday I was delighted to finally cross the doorstep during business hours.<br />
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None of the eclectic garments on offer are likely to fit the current incarnation of my body but that didn't stop me from admiring the selection.<br />
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Thankfully, the stock is not limited to tops & frocks. No, the stock also includes furniture, folios, jewelry, accessories and even kiddie kitsch. All are artfully displayed, all very reasonably priced and did I mention eclectic? <br />
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I succumbed to a couple of notebooks and dithered over a pair of great retro earrings. Ultimately, at least for now, the earrings didn't make the cut.<br />
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Had I found my way in sooner, a coworker's first Xmas ornament might not have been from the Pottery Guild but one of the hand blown bulbs seen here.<br />
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Geographically it is a tick or two off off the beaten track in the three block or so nether regions between 5th Ave corridor and the Mission Hills border so it is easy to overlook but really shouldn't be. <br />
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Stop and shop soon.<br />
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And yeah, yeah, I owe posts, photos and maybe a couple of WTF have I been up to updates to my not on FB friends.<br />
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<br />walkaboutknitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15483197188284889152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22798677.post-8859544510615486252013-01-27T22:51:00.000-08:002013-02-05T22:53:48.448-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Prompt on the day that I had my sights on was "from a high place/angle." I've been trying to take a good shot from the Georgia Street overpass bridge which is, btw, on the list of structurally unsound bridges, for a few weeks now.<br />
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Didn't get every shot I wanted but I did get some nice images of North Park/University Heights that conform to my not all ranch houses and swimming pools but more Raymond Chandler bungalow visions of Southern California.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LNTAOTtrMTg/URH9DmJkFoI/AAAAAAAADk4/PHtZLW8Tz9k/s1600/d60_2013+009s.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LNTAOTtrMTg/URH9DmJkFoI/AAAAAAAADk4/PHtZLW8Tz9k/s320/d60_2013+009s.jpg" width="320" /></a>The latter is a crap sentence but a good paint an image if you're a film noir romantic imagery sort.<br />
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I did try to get in some looking up check the structural issues images on the return leg of the journey but I was losing light, fighting f-stops and distracted by some interesting insights/exchanges with some of the local street people.<br />
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I banked some nice in lieu of meets the prompt shots as well as this whimsical unexpected along the way (also on today's prompts) retaining wall stencil.walkaboutknitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15483197188284889152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22798677.post-59009410225422836362013-01-26T21:38:00.000-08:002013-02-05T21:43:35.299-08:00Torch song or neon no more?<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x8m64BjaKKg/UQzQFNXHlnI/AAAAAAAADjE/kiRrb1TB8Bg/s1600/d90_2013%2B031s.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x8m64BjaKKg/UQzQFNXHlnI/AAAAAAAADjE/kiRrb1TB8Bg/s200/d90_2013%2B031s.jpg" width="200" /></a>When flame came up as a prompt, I high hopes of yet another night time neon sign shot. Those hopes were dashed when, taking the extra steps on the day, I found the sign unilluminated.<br />
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Good thing I opted to take a shot or two on the outbound part of my walk. It was an 8 mile walk day so I was a little/lot less than thrilled to find it dark.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-forTFv0Tt0Y/UQzQFX8QFvI/AAAAAAAADjU/t8bHiCNlZwo/s1600/d90_2013%2B030s.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-forTFv0Tt0Y/UQzQFX8QFvI/AAAAAAAADjU/t8bHiCNlZwo/s200/d90_2013%2B030s.jpg" width="133" /></a>The Flame is an iconic Hillcrest venue/bar/commercial purveyor of potable beverages. <br />
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Living near it (and near neighbor numbers) means you occasionally find half empty (or half full depending on your view) cocktail glasses on newspaper boxes, retaining walls and sidewalks.<br />
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You also get unscheduled entertainment from bar patrons' conversations coming and going from bar to home or parked cars. I try to think of it as a floor show without a cover charge although occasionally I wonder if I should worry about random bullets and the like.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G7bFbmc7RXI/URHr5MoYx_I/AAAAAAAADj4/yQR30r3wm4E/s1600/d60_2013+257s.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G7bFbmc7RXI/URHr5MoYx_I/AAAAAAAADj4/yQR30r3wm4E/s200/d60_2013+257s.jpg" width="200" /></a>Flame has been through quite a few changes in recent years and I gather it is very much in a transitional phase just now. I guess that means that, for now at least, I can attribute any failure to follow through with respecting the neighbours to numbers not Flame. <br />
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It was mad overcast today but I banked some shots of the old cactus garden in Balboa Park and some misty images of the Cabrillo Bridge and California Tower/dome for eye candy on days that the photos are less than inspiring or nonexistent.<br />
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Given the fact that one of the other prompts on the day was red, perhaps a bonus shot or two of some vivid succulents is in order. walkaboutknitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15483197188284889152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22798677.post-51959247730218179022013-01-25T23:00:00.000-08:002013-01-29T23:27:23.466-08:00Clouds on break -- happy coincidenceI took my nose/eyes off the grindstone to do a quick social media check on Thursday afternoon and was rewarded with a glorious sunset shot posted by Debbi of <a href="http://knitrunrepeat.blogspot.com/">knit.run,reap.eat</a> on Facebook.<br />
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Those inspirational photos are not on her blog but the blog is worth a link and perhaps she's got a link to her Instagram or other photo link to her lovely images. And, for my knitterly buds, she's doing a lot more knitting than I am these days.<br />
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My comment was that her shots inspired me to pick up my camera and look out the window.<br />
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I haven't seen a lot of amazing sunsets from my office but sometimes the pre-sunset sky surprises me.<br />
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I took these images roughly 4-5 minutes apart starting at 15:58 and ending at 16:23 before the sky finished its show and I went back to 100% immersion into the project.<br />
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I would feel guilty for taking these shots over a half hour or so but for the usual eyes on the prize day I was adhering to.<br />
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It was only much later (much) that I realised that clouds was one of the days' prompts.<br />
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Good thing I took the time took theses as Thursday was one of the worst of the long days this week.<br />
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Friday was another total bomb for photos with a single landscape shot that only looks good when compared to my usual parking structure panorama.<br />
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So I'm calling Friday a bust and wrapping the work week of photos with these cloud sequences.<br />
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Saturday and Sunday have great prompts that I already have "oh I know what I can shoot" ideas and the actual time to explore them.<br />
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Even with rain in the forecast, walkabout with camera is on the agenda.<br />
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With prompts like flame, from a high angle, along the way (great wildcard phrase), behind, red, yard, and starts with I, there will be photos.walkaboutknitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15483197188284889152noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22798677.post-50301282209035545832013-01-23T23:30:00.000-08:002013-01-29T00:35:53.991-08:00The first photo fail week 5, 1, corner oops<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Monday was another one of those good thing there are 6 levels to the office building parking garage days.<br />
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There were other good prompts on the day but I was barely out of the office all day and a photo of a drawer full of network cables is, IMO, even less interesting than parking structure painted numerals. <br />
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With prompts of 1 and 5 on the day, at least I had the presence of mind to take a shot or two while in bound. <br />
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It is actually one of those weeks so I had to own up to the reality that cheating by using some not shot on the day images that meet the prompts or just missing some days was probably just going to happen.<br />
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In the what a shame category, one of Monday's prompts was sidewalks but and I've had reason to take some recent shots of some of my favourite hazard zones masking as walkways.<br />
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Tuesday, similar story but with the added fun of needing to shuffle vehicles so new lines could be painted in the underground parking.<br />
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Hillcrest locals (and other urban dwellers) will understand this, I, and 20 or so of my neighbours, either needed to leave for work before 8 am or find another place to legally park between 8am and 10am on Wednesday when we could return to our spots.<br />
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In Hillcrest, finding a free parking space at any time is an adventure so planning was key. I have two vehicles and, careful readers may recall, one of probably in needs a brake job so it has been sitting more often than not of late.<br />
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My plan was to drive baby needs a brake job on Tuesday and park it on a nearby street with no restrictive parking limits. This would ensure that it has more than fumes in the gas tank and a battery charge that wouldn't need a Wednesday morning jump start to evacuate parking spot and avoid a tow @ owner's expense.<br />
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That worked a champ but my find the other vehicle an off-site parking spot reminded me of a strange combo of a shell game and searching for a parking spot in Cleveland Heights after the law library closed -- decidedly diminishing returns.<br />
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Still I managed a corner shot for Tuesday -- one of a several corners in my home dominated by books.walkaboutknitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15483197188284889152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22798677.post-20773458355294253322013-01-20T22:30:00.000-08:002013-01-22T00:24:13.600-08:00A mixed bag on a Sunday -- 3 (or a triple) with blue skies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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No Monarchs today but there is an eclectic mix of paper, trees, strange things I saw and maybe a moon shot.<br />
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Prompts on the day were black, triple, sorted, band, paper, sound, clear, something you saw, & music.<br />
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Paper and black combined in this shot of a piece of specialty paper I bought at <a href="http://sandiego.artistcraftsman.com/">Artist & Craftsman Supply</a> -- source of many of a project or project component and home to many of my dollars.<br />
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The trees in the "we three trees of Hillcrest" shot are ones that, shot from a different direction, look amazing when the sun is setting in a blaze across the sky.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jvr1KNf_K90/UP46LqREt5I/AAAAAAAADfc/4RhDF-mQErA/s1600/d60_2013+204c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="184" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jvr1KNf_K90/UP46LqREt5I/AAAAAAAADfc/4RhDF-mQErA/s320/d60_2013+204c.jpg" width="320" /></a>Unfortunately, when those self-same trees and the sky are looking amazing to my human eye, they are -- more often than not -- fuzzy images in a washed out sky to my non-human (camera) eye. I'm working on getting back that happening way less often than not but it is a slow slog back.<br />
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Still, the sky was a beautiful blue and the sudden weather shift to unseasonably warm temps just made a triple palm shot make sense.<br />
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Yesterday I wrote that I finally got some good shots of images I've been stalking for some time. Today I snagged a few more images of different instances of this oddity that could have fit yesterday's man-made prompt but is making a teaser appearance today as something I saw.<br />
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It is likely that one of today's images and other previously taken shots will show up as a posting about the unexpected things you see and conversations you will have when walking about with a camera.<br />
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Hey, if I'm going to reserve the right to "cheat" a little on this photo challenge, it should probably be somehow related to the spirit of the challenge and/or visually interesting,<br />
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And finally, hey the sky was blue, the sun was setting, and the moon was visible so the camera and I couldn't quite resist this moon shot that I could get without benefit of tripod.<br />
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Same moon, darker sky, later in the walkabout only human eye recorded.walkaboutknitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15483197188284889152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22798677.post-88360371754184398502013-01-19T23:00:00.000-08:002013-01-20T02:17:12.960-08:00Mostly floral on the day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Bow, colour, sign, man-made, flower2x, childhood, delicious, health were the words on the day.<br />
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The daffs I bought the other day were mostly in full bloom and ready for portraits or closeups.<br />
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It is way, way too early for daffs but I'm not going to hold off buying them until they should be out or I'll miss them entirely. <br />
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I scaled this daff image by 50% but otherwise it is the compose in camera image.<br />
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Flowers also played a role in the "Wait, wait, is that a Monarch I see?" photo from today.<br />
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I doubtlessly delayed my planned arrival at a few locations today by noticing it to begin with and then picking a camera to pull out of the kit and patiently waiting.<br />
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But I was rewarded by the sight of this post pupa beauty doing a bit of aerial ballet before coming back to the blooms that caught both its and my attention.<br />
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And, of course, more importantly, getting this shot. You may have to click on the image and do a little "Where's Waldo?" But if this guy or his/her friends cooperate with more local appearances I'll try to get tighter shots or even vids before they head to colder climes.<br />
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I've had some good not on script/prompt photos lately so I'm going to try to keep with at least one prompt based photo per day playing by the photo matching day's prompt must be taken on the day of the prompt.<br />
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So I don't leave too much on the cutting room floor and/or need to shift from walkaboutknitter to walkaboutclicker (or maybe snapper)<br />
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I will be doing some shift back to knitting (when the to-be-published grand silence finally lifts) and theme photo based postings that may be off day of the prompts.<br />
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If that last phrase sounds a bit convoluted/cryptic I getcha.<br />
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Today I got some shots I've been trying to capture for a few weeks that I could wedge into the man-made prompt but I didn't want to promote them over today's flower themed photos or S-can the series of shots because they weren't taken on a day when they matched the prompt.<br />
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In a similar vein, I could be going for today's bow prompt but I'm thinking that I will preserve that experiment with shooting highly reflective white metal effort for an avatar/profile image.<br />
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So we'll close out today's flower themed photo tour with a little ice ice baby ice plant blossom. This was the only blossom on fieldwalkaboutknitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15483197188284889152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22798677.post-79979525303288037222013-01-18T23:30:00.000-08:002013-01-19T00:38:59.985-08:00Six, black & white and that sky thing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I was hoping to find an archived shot of a local condo high rise for a little 666 action because otherwise today's photos are a big let down<br />
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So we'll go with the stupid 6 shots that were taken today and meet the prompts and add a little take a bad shot and make it better action with a black and white filter on a shot from the other day.<br />
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The first six shot on the day I actually took from my vehicle -- cropped but otherwise as I saw it through the windshield.<br />
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On the 12th while stalking a good "behind" image, I popped into a courtyard between/behind some shops on 5th Avenue between University and Robinson across from #1 Fifth.<br />
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Any how, while scoping the area for a shot I met residents Eric and Eric who got both a big kick out of the project, stored photos and the fact that the plant I am named for is part of the <br />
<span dir="auto">Ericaceae group of flowering plants</span>.<br />
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Great area, lovely courtyard but total light pollution probably in the interest of reduced crime but trust me, low light and some high beams on a motion detector would be a big improvement.<br />
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IMO, applying a black and white filter was also a big improvement. I hope to pop 'round again to chatter with Eric and Eric again and get another chance to shoot the courtyard in colour.<br />
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Second six shot was taken just a few moments after the first one as I was walking
toward the stairs is good for granularity of the concrete block/stucco
the six is painted on.<br />
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Finally just because I liked it, here's the cloud formation out my window just a little before 17:00<br />
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walkaboutknitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15483197188284889152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22798677.post-57065741412014491772013-01-17T23:30:00.000-08:002013-01-18T00:59:24.507-08:00Orbs, spheres and lens lustI parked on parking level 6 today and the numbers on the concrete block wall are black on a white/cream background<i> </i>so I could have slapped those up and called it a day for today's 6 and black and white prompts.<br />
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But I've had it in my head that I'd like a remote for the DSLRs and if it worked with the Coolpix that would be all the better.<br />
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A remote would enable me to get my reflection/shadow out of the shot and reduce camera shake to get a few more shots without needing a tripod.<br />
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A little research later and recognition that I've not left the office before 17:30 (earliest) had me taking a mid-day run to <a href="http://georgescamera.com/">George's Camera</a> for a remote and a little camera people bonding. Okay, there was also <a href="http://www.tamron.com/en/photolens/di_II_all_in_one/b008.html">lens lust</a>, a new item for the wish list and a "duh, the small MIA tripods won't support the DSLRs and the big ones are a PITA for street shooting."<br />
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Good thing I made the trek on the photo-a-day front because one of the other words on the day was sphere which can also be called an Orb and <a href="http://www.shoppigment.com/">pigment </a>had a window display with these great orb/spheres in their window display -- way better than the number on a concrete block moment.<br />
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Okay, so 6 is also on Friday's prompts so I may be wimping out with yet another parking structure shot unless it or concave, angle, blocks, dairy, big, convex, shadow or weakness come together with an image/item inspiration for a lens worthy moment.walkaboutknitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15483197188284889152noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22798677.post-46361995700892577082013-01-16T22:00:00.000-08:002013-01-18T00:41:12.212-08:00Tiny/small treasures and big memories.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In this blog post, you will discover that my wood furniture is not just oak. The china cabinet/secretary is mahogany.<br />
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Birch, pine, teak, maple and others have occasionally shared digs with me.<br />
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Today's words were night, tiny, safe, eyes, inside, small, stranger, two things, and luck.<br />
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Maybe it is a equal time thing, but while yesterday's photo was paternal family slanted (in currency at least), today is a tad more maternal line.<br />
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This carved shell has been part of my life/family for at least 50 years -- probably nearer 65-70. It may have been part of the souvenir lot my father brought back from the Pacific after WWII or it might have been a gift from my Uncle Tommy.<br />
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I was either not around or too young to know the details of how it came to be part of the fascinating bits and bobs surrounding my maternal grandmother.<br />
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My maternal grandmother was a fascinating woman in her own right but for a small child her collection of embroidered scented hankies, cat figurines, African violets and porcelain figurines made her damn near irresistible. <br />
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This little sample of grandmother's stuff was one of my "please, please let me see" moments of youth that stand out every time your beloved elders trust you to handle such items. <br />
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As my grandmother was not mad keen on dusting (rins in the family), this treasure spent the bulk of its life with her wrapped in tissue inside of an oval velvety gift box.<br />
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It had a similar comfy berth for most of its time with me -- which I suspect is how it managed my many moves intact.<br />
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It has lived in the china cabinet/secretary surrounded by other small treasures for many years now.<br />
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The original tissue was replaced as needed and the box finally split its seams beyond repair and cannot be found but the treasure they protected and housed lives on.<br />
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It isn't much taller or wider than a standard business card and only a bit deeper. The carved figures in front of the house are no taller than the width of my pinkie's fingernail.walkaboutknitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15483197188284889152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22798677.post-26932692460045708102013-01-15T22:37:00.001-08:002013-01-15T22:37:23.869-08:00Sixpence and some shillings -- change <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Although I was hoping for a camera worthy reflection from the twin office building today, it never happened. More precisely perhaps, it never happened when I was looking.<br />
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Plenty of baskets hereabouts, most of them overflowing with yarn other essential fibre goodness but none artfully arranged.<br />
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You'd think there would be plenty of knit cables around or a nest of network and other cables (think coax, cat-whatever, parallel, and USB) but there's a dearth of the former that I actually knit and unless I'm tearing down the network due to an outage, move or addition, the latter are a leave well enough alone sort of affair.<br />
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That said, nearly four hours after I left the office, it strikes me that I do have a cache of cables in my desk drawer @ work -- DUH!! so maybe next time with a knit cable as a backdrop.<br />
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So we're back to change as in British currency and change.<br />
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I would have included a few British coins that are in current circulation (because you never manage to spend it all) but the current and pre-decimalization withdrawn coins don't travel in the same circles 'round here. <br />
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The <a href="http://www.royalmintmuseum.org.uk/british-coinage/denominations/florin/index.html">two shilling coin </a>is/was also known as a florin or more informally as a two bob piece. <br />
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The photos show a George VI florin minted in 1950 and an Elizabeth II florin minted in 1961. The change here, of course, is not just the coinage but the change in monarchs.<br />
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The photos also include a <a href="http://www.royalmintmuseum.org.uk/british-coinage/denominations/sixpence/index.html">sixpence</a> (jolly, jolly sixpence) minted in the year of my birth. The sixpence comes with a bit of family history/humour.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-daK5mWD0QpU/UPZJb0CCXxI/AAAAAAAADX0/PVYlgBaT1jI/s1600/d90_40mm_2013+136c.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="photo of George VI and Elizabeth II two shilling coins and an Elizabeth II sixpence in a wooden box" border="0" height="249" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-daK5mWD0QpU/UPZJb0CCXxI/AAAAAAAADX0/PVYlgBaT1jI/s320/d90_40mm_2013+136c.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a>So the family humour. At a certain point, my disinclination to marry had various factions of the family concerned and speculating as to the cause. <br />
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One of my spinster cousins would occasionally press the issue with me and I'd reply to her that I couldn't possibly marry as I'd not sixpence (as in sixpence to put in my shoe for luck).<br />
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This became my stock reply until one year cousin Bess presented me with this sixpence and a long lost note suggested that neither the sixpence nor I were getting any younger. <br />
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It and my maternal grandmother's locket were about the only traditional elements of my Vista courthouse wedding ceremony.walkaboutknitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15483197188284889152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22798677.post-75989831120161442052013-01-14T23:20:00.000-08:002013-01-14T23:20:00.770-08:00At night, white & more<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today's prompts were hero, starts with I (2x), at night, emotion, white, action, something yellow, appetite.<br />
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All the shots are at night but there's white, yellow, and starts with I in there too.<br />
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First up is a great little house that just happens to be yellow and has white picket fence. I'd have to dig back into my archives but I think the yellow and the full fence are recent changes and I approve.<br />
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I can envision this house having a double life somewhere along the shore in New England or the mid-Atlantic. <br />
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The next shot has the technicality of being part of an intersection as it is on the corner of University and Richmond but mostly it is an at night shot of Filter Coffee shop. <br />
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Usually I'm trying to shoot this intersection from a different angle/location and there's way too much light coming from a wide range of light sources to get a shot that isn't more unintentional art than photography. That's a really nice way of me saying that I have a lot of photos that are interesting but crap.<br />
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So speaking of art. Right 'round the corner from that first house is a fence/gate that was my first, oh yeah white.<br />
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This one looks good as a white fence photographed with a flash at night but it looks way better with a black and white filter applied after the fact.<br />
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I have several other starts with I or something yellow images for the day but I'm liking this composition.<br />
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Tomorrow's words: action, basket, reflection, behind, hero, change, cable, an ordinary moment, strength.walkaboutknitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15483197188284889152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22798677.post-40614852272965660532013-01-13T21:30:00.000-08:002013-01-14T01:54:57.741-08:00Starts with J and circle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AK1QjphVMmE/UPPBZhgTe8I/AAAAAAAADWA/7OyZI3GmGH8/s1600/jumbo2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="photo of a carton of jumbo sized eggs" border="0" height="132" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AK1QjphVMmE/UPPBZhgTe8I/AAAAAAAADWA/7OyZI3GmGH8/s200/jumbo2.jpg" title="" width="200" /></a></div>
It has been a tough couple of days for the photo a day project and my current vision of the prompts is not giving me warm fuzzies but I'll figure it out.<br />
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I could have just popped down and taken a photo or two of my own truck as truck was on the list and there are plenty of lovely fences that were just waiting to have their photos taken. Fences awaiting a close up (or at least a bit on lens time) included one that is part of a print (one of yesterday's prompts).<br />
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Today wasn't a pop down anywhere sort of day and while stuff on the wall is low hanging fruit, I'm not ready to mine that quite yet.<br />
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<span id="goog_770219989"></span><span id="goog_770219990"></span>Instead I opted for circle and starts with J.<br />
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Circle was a straightforward shoot a lens in a suitable context. Finding the suitable context was, as ever, the challenge.<br />
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On the latter, the easy choice was a snap of the the word January on one
of the calendars in the house but the jumbo egg carton had more visual
interest.walkaboutknitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15483197188284889152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22798677.post-73783026072586822762013-01-12T23:55:00.000-08:002013-01-13T22:57:18.824-08:00Lamp, light, behind, surprise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QLPsM2laCFc/UPOhm5-OJVI/AAAAAAAADUM/oqqUMsASvGs/s1600/lamp1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QLPsM2laCFc/UPOhm5-OJVI/AAAAAAAADUM/oqqUMsASvGs/s200/lamp1.jpg" width="136" /></a></div>
Good news, my for me socks in progress have emerged from the black hole.<br />
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Bad news, I don't quite remember what heel style I used to turn the heel.
I have some ideas but I'm quite sure I tweaked whatever formula I used.<br />
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Good on me for doing the heel in black because, you know that makes it so much easier to read the knitting. Can you hear/feel/sense that sarcasm or should I expose the tagging?<br />
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Seriously, my feet are not so crazy different in size that a little difference in the heel will make much difference and I will so totally punt on the 2nd sock's before tearing back the 1st one.
It is still sock wearing season in San Diego so I might even get inspired to finish these.<br />
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Indeed with an expected overnight low in the almost unheard of 30s, I should probably have these clicking away. At a minimum, my feet should so not be nekkid right now.<br />
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Words on the day were light, lamp, landscape, yard, work/play, chain(2x), behind, surprise.<br />
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I had surprise in mind and every good intention of documenting one of those "how is it that I didn't notice this before" things but I didn't get out and about early enough to have a hope in hell against a night sky.<br />
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But on my way to the site of the not happening surprise shot, lamp, light and <a href="http://www.taplighting.com/">Tap Lighting</a> came together.<br />
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Although they don't currently have a leg lamp ala A Christmas Story in the window, the inventory is pretty eclectic.<br />
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I did end up with some interesting conversations and shots that might meet the "behind" prompt and then there was the surprise. I think I'll leave both for another day.<br />
<br />walkaboutknitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15483197188284889152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22798677.post-19943464997006013372013-01-11T22:00:00.000-08:002013-01-13T21:08:35.538-08:00Three and a note<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OKzaFBMR9rY/UPONYNrBBJI/AAAAAAAADTE/B_ZeZTZewF8/s1600/d60_2013+126s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="photo of number 3 painted on a concrete wall" border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OKzaFBMR9rY/UPONYNrBBJI/AAAAAAAADTE/B_ZeZTZewF8/s200/d60_2013+126s.jpg" title="" width="154" /></a></div>
Lately, if the photo prompt doesn't match up with something on the way and/or in and around my workplace or something I have at home, it can be quite the challenge.<br />
<br />
Today's is no different, but there are only 6 levels in my parking structure and 10 floors in my office building so I'm far from home free with the numbered items.<br />
<br />
I saw a couple of nice groups of three palm trees along the way coming out and back but I wasn't keen on editing out phone lines for the morning shots and my aperture and shutter speed fu were way off for the night shot so I was glad that Issac and Elizabeth were ready for their close ups.<br />
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The only other prompt that made sense on the day was note and what better than a bank note? <br />
<br />
When pound notes went out of circulation and ceased to be legal tender, I made sure that I kept one.<br />
<br />
The "Newton note" was the last version of pound notes issued obviously named for Sir Issac's portrait on the back side of the note.<br />
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One pound notes were never (in my memory) were never as flashy as their higher value (and larger dimensioned) notes but from my earliest childhood memories, a pound note tucked into a birthday card made me feel very wealthy and oh so sophisticated so I've a bit of a soft spot.
walkaboutknitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15483197188284889152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22798677.post-148480735771576592013-01-11T09:00:00.000-08:002013-01-13T21:07:31.524-08:00C+ or is that C++?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H16LaSBcMIA/UPOP245X3eI/AAAAAAAADTc/HpAWcdfAtlk/s1600/coolpixs570_2013+025c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="photo of cameras arranged in a flash mob alert circle." border="0" height="248" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H16LaSBcMIA/UPOP245X3eI/AAAAAAAADTc/HpAWcdfAtlk/s320/coolpixs570_2013+025c.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div>
The first C plus (as in starts with C) comes in the form of a photo that is a good example of the bad, bad joke heather some of you have come to
know and loathe.<br />
<br />
Here's an additional starts with C image from the other day.<br />
<br />
It is four of my SLRs (two film and two digital) arranged in an alert circle just in case they need to shoot something. <br />
<br />
<br />
It's a flash mob because of the flash attachment at the center of the
circle. <br />
<br />
The C plus is for cards.<br />
<br />
Somehow or another (I'm thinking a tag sale), I came to have a few of
sets of what I can only surmise were supposed to be shade (like paint
sample) cards. Essentially they are coloured card stock pieces about
the size of a standard business card with a single punch and connected
with a binder ring.<br />
<br />
When buying into this photo a day challenge idea, I decided on some
rules of engagement that would give me multiple photo prompts each day.
To keep track of the prompts during the course of my day, I went low
tech and put these babies into service for more than just jotting down the odd note/phone number.<br />
<br />
On each card, based on the randomized results for my list and the prompts for the other photo challenge web pages I've identified<b>, </b>I write the photo prompts for the day. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mcfmuVRar68/UPEQVL8pn8I/AAAAAAAADR0/TnXq5LuNCdY/s1600/photo_prompt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="photo of photo prompt cards on a binder ring" border="0" height="204" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mcfmuVRar68/UPEQVL8pn8I/AAAAAAAADR0/TnXq5LuNCdY/s320/photo_prompt.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div>
I usually write (front and back) a few days worth of prompts and put them on the binder ring.<br />
<br />
If a prompt looks promising or I have a specific image/idea in mind, I may also jot down a note.<br />
<br />
I attach the lot to my key chain so I have an immediate and constant reminder of the prompts as I go through the day. I circle the prompt when I've taken a shot I'm happy with.<br />
<br />
It also comes in handy when I'm trying to explain what the hell I'm doing with the camera.walkaboutknitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15483197188284889152noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22798677.post-53000730738003420472013-01-10T23:15:00.000-08:002013-01-10T23:15:00.960-08:00Mostly starts with C<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0k0z4TWKO7k/UO-OcWqbwSI/AAAAAAAADQ0/A2kN0HekFTA/s1600/d60_2013+117c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="photo of tree, office building and UPS truck" border="0" height="185" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0k0z4TWKO7k/UO-OcWqbwSI/AAAAAAAADQ0/A2kN0HekFTA/s200/d60_2013+117c.jpg" title="" width="200" /></a></div>
Catching up. Today's prompts were textile, bread, 1 o'clock, 12 o'clock, head, begins with C, along the way, and phone.<br />
<br />
Textile should have been a slam dunk for a knitter and fibre sort but I knew it was a non-starter before I rolled out this morning.<br />
<br />
It was a dreary start to the day as a morning shower had already passed through.<br />
<br />
Mindful of my prompts and a possible long day, I was on the look out for images before getting caught up in the day.<br />
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While sitting at the seemingly endless traffic light on Texas, I noticed the shimmer of some delicate yellow/green leaves on a tree against a terracotta coloured office building and snapped an "along the way" shot.<br />
<br />
<br />
Walking down the stairs in the parking structure, I snapped a "starts with C" shot of cars through the railing. <br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PPrHU1y8uYY/UO-OdKXHCKI/AAAAAAAADQ8/nOCCdqI7Wc8/s1600/d60_2013+121e.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="photo of clouds" border="0" height="133" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PPrHU1y8uYY/UO-OdKXHCKI/AAAAAAAADQ8/nOCCdqI7Wc8/s200/d60_2013+121e.jpg" title="" width="200" /></a>I had every good intention for 1 o'clock and was even keeping an eye out for interesting reflections on the twin office building for a good image as the hour was approaching.<br />
<br />
But when a quick pop down the hall to ask a question of a rarely on site colleague went a bit longer and yielded additional information. . .<br />
<br />
Well, 13:00 came and went as did whatever reflection the lens might have caught.<br />
<br />
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I probably would only have had those shots and my if all else fails "camera starts with C" planned set piece but for a planned power outage that had me out of the office early enough to shoot some starts with C clouds.<br />
<br />
I also caught a shot or two of other "starts with C" images along the way home but they're still on the digital cutting floor.<br />
<br />
Tomorrow's words are strange, 3, print, angle, note, copper, checks, water, drink. For some reason, I'm wondering whether my pound note is ready for a closeup.<br />
walkaboutknitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15483197188284889152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22798677.post-66962978134871270762013-01-09T11:30:00.000-08:002013-01-10T22:04:30.783-08:00Rocks, water, fountains and not being gormless<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--Zd7t-C8n7E/UO77DI7skTI/AAAAAAAADQc/z-5zywBkBFs/s1600/d60_2013%2B095.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="photo of rock and water fountain from above & thru rails" border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--Zd7t-C8n7E/UO77DI7skTI/AAAAAAAADQc/z-5zywBkBFs/s320/d60_2013%2B095.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
When rocks and looking down turned up on today's photo prompt, I had high hopes for taking some decent shots of the office building's fountain from the vantage point of the upper levels of the parking garage.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_aUaGMOooaU/UO77CAXXvoI/AAAAAAAADQQ/_RJMv2Rjk28/s1600/d60_2013%2B093.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="zoom photo of rock and water fountain from above" border="0" height="133" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_aUaGMOooaU/UO77CAXXvoI/AAAAAAAADQQ/_RJMv2Rjk28/s200/d60_2013%2B093.jpg" title="" width="200" /></a></div>
I wouldn't go so far as to say that looking forward to seeing whether I get those shots helped me decide that I was well enough to roll back into the office on Wednesday but it was enough of a priority that I did not let myself completely lose daylight before taking the cameras on a walk.<br />
<br />
Mind you, had I been super excited (or even less than gormless) about some of the other prompts, I would not have deliberately taken an out of the office, down the stairs, across the patio, up the stairs and back break when I still had daylight to see if I could frame up a shot or two.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Tb7jExa8n7E/UO77BAGagqI/AAAAAAAADQE/2ImEUQr90zI/s1600/d60_2013%2B100.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="photo looking downfrom parking structure" border="0" height="133" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Tb7jExa8n7E/UO77BAGagqI/AAAAAAAADQE/2ImEUQr90zI/s200/d60_2013%2B100.jpg" title="" width="200" /></a>A little voice says I should like the not through the railing shot but I do. I tried cropping it to eliminate the ground below the lower rail but I liked the uncropped image much more. I think the little voice should just shut up.<br />
<br />
And even though there were no rocks involved, I included the look back and down through the railing shot that includes the parking structure elevator.<br />
<br />
For context, there's a zoomed shot of the fountain and, of course, I've included a post-work by night shot of the fountain. Which one made the cut was a total coin toss.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3H_E36pcwTQ/UO77AeXRhKI/AAAAAAAADP4/5cow5w2PO3s/s1600/d60_2013%2B110.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="night photo of fountain from above" border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3H_E36pcwTQ/UO77AeXRhKI/AAAAAAAADP4/5cow5w2PO3s/s320/d60_2013%2B110.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a>In a duh, moment, I only thought to point down for a shot of the fountain in front of the twin office building after work and well after sundown.<br />
<br />
It may have been a nice shot in daylight but the limited lighting sucked big time. So those sucky photos not included.walkaboutknitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15483197188284889152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22798677.post-71753893721788966662013-01-09T00:30:00.000-08:002013-01-09T01:18:12.323-08:00Teary Tuesday or not the @ nite I'd planned<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uMwJ5ZoWP0s/UO0hj_KwJRI/AAAAAAAADPU/qB5DlRASJ-A/s1600/coolpixs570_2013%2B023g.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="photo of oak wood grain" border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uMwJ5ZoWP0s/UO0hj_KwJRI/AAAAAAAADPU/qB5DlRASJ-A/s200/coolpixs570_2013%2B023g.jpg" title="" width="200" /></a></div>
One of my wise co-workers has been known to suggest that you heal while sleeping so if you're sleeping more than usual, you might just be building up your immune system.<br />
<br />
Said co-worker has been right more often than not so when my body had no interest in rolling out before 10am, and my right eye was still crying for Argentina, I took it as a sign to let my body rule the rest/roost for one more day.<br />
<br />
Today's words were checks, food, cover, begins with B, @night, grain, gold, begins with T, and rock.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4JqTKdf2lFE/UO0UqCJk3gI/AAAAAAAADOk/QjX1RqX2XLY/s1600/trellis.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="photo of a white trellis" border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4JqTKdf2lFE/UO0UqCJk3gI/AAAAAAAADOk/QjX1RqX2XLY/s200/trellis.jpg" title="" width="198" /></a>Now, had I felt well enough to make it into work yesterday and today (and not felt the work late siren song), my thinking was a post work trip to the JCC for knit@nite and the annual potluck.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4JqTKdf2lFE/UO0UqCJk3gI/AAAAAAAADOk/QjX1RqX2XLY/s1600/trellis.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>In great grand theory that plan would have had me brazen enough to whip out a camera and shoot food and the group to meet the food and @ night prompts.<br />
<br />
My truth? I might have managed a photo of the exterior of the JCC for an @ nite shot but never have screwed up the brass to photograph the food and people of Knit @ nite.<br />
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Back up plan was a close up of the checked pattern on one of those pairs of glasses or some of my TMI nostalgia inducing pieces of embroidery on gingham but I've already hit my over share limit for the week and a closeup of checks on a pair of specs is fun but for another let's get silly time.<br />
<br />
Grain would ideally be a wheat shaft, dried husk of corn, some rolled oats, or maybe a hearty artisan loaf on a wooden cutting board with some interesting wood grain.<br />
<br />
<br />
Of those ideals, I could easily deliver the wood grain idea from multiple options. Of the wooden pieces most likely to strut their stuff, my Mission style oak table's extension leaves are always ready for a closeup and lemon oil while the mahogany pieces are fussier about lightingso the less troublesome pieces got the nod.<br />
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When my sneezing subsided enough for me to feel enough like a people, I bundled up and ambled over to my fave thrift to
see my Tuesday evening late hours ladies (wow, that sounds way more
scandalous/sexy than it is).<br />
<br />
Of course I took the cameras and the photo prompts. <br />
<br />
Starts with T -- trellis. I masked the less than perfect focus (good composition/cropping though) with the GIMP's old photo and fuzzy border filters. I'm sure I'll revisit this image but it was after 17:00 and my Tuesday ladies were waiting and I didn't want to keep them worrying.<br />
<br />
So, shopping (nothing came home with me but I did enable), visiting, schmoozing and I was walking home mindful of the @night photo prompt and my fondness for things best shot with manual settings.<br />
<br />
Getting Jimmy Wong's neon sign in focus has challenged me a time or two so I'm delighted with today's photo. Not perfect but one of my best efforts to date.<br />
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<br />
Once I'm emboldened by a successful night shot, I can never quite resist trying a few more. Sometimes, as today, I don't even need post upload gamma or other colour corrections. Don't judge, I'm working on it.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dd8KQEn2yts/UO0UuzflqqI/AAAAAAAADO0/ns1xLJAfGyo/s1600/d60_2013+091.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="photo of lighted stairway from ground level parking in 92103" border="0" height="267" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dd8KQEn2yts/UO0UuzflqqI/AAAAAAAADO0/ns1xLJAfGyo/s400/d60_2013+091.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
The last of today's photos is one of those wow, I love it shots that you don't expect to come out without needing help. Last photo on the day so I quit while I was ahead.<br />
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Tomorrow's words: sport, looking down, begins with V, begins with A, texture, rock, angle, paper, electric. <br />
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I have a looking down plus rock composition in mind but art paper may have to wait.walkaboutknitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15483197188284889152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22798677.post-16298373256513768692013-01-08T00:00:00.000-08:002013-01-08T21:39:26.654-08:00Paperweights, scissors & watery eyes<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NxT5FcbRfRA/UOvX8mvdqqI/AAAAAAAADNM/h3saoXaApwY/s1600/d90_0mm_2013%2B004g.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NxT5FcbRfRA/UOvX8mvdqqI/AAAAAAAADNM/h3saoXaApwY/s200/d90_0mm_2013%2B004g.jpg" width="156" /></a>Monday's words were shadow, scissors, childhood, faces, name, rural, sometimes, street and horizon.<br />
<br />
Sneezing and watery irritated eyes were also on the agenda but no photos of those.<br />
<br />
When the constant sneezing finally subsided and I could take a break from the tissue dabbing, I noticed that my right eye looked like it had been on a 3-day bender without me.<br />
<br />
The watery tearing seemed to indicate remorse. Mark that as annoyingly unending remorse/tearing.<br />
<br />
I'm going with some sort of allergic reaction. Either that, a head cold with a way more sens-y-tive right eye, or I've taken to not only sleeping wrong but poking myself in the eye as I do.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--uMdwhIk_tQ/UOvX9iLL1PI/AAAAAAAADNY/BOhkjSi6o6g/s1600/coolpixs570_2013.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--uMdwhIk_tQ/UOvX9iLL1PI/AAAAAAAADNY/BOhkjSi6o6g/s200/coolpixs570_2013.jpg" width="200" /></a>The scissors are, like the glasses of the other day, an incomplete set. Even though I re-purposed the pipe rack as a scissor organiser, those pesky critters keep finding new places to hide. Still, with the pipe rack plan, I know that two pair of pinking shears and several other scissors are currently otherwise occupied and should be brought back into the fold.<br />
<br />
The paperweight has a bit of heather (aka name) encased in a glass globe. I do not believe it has ever "weighted" paper by design. I'm also quite sure that heather does not need to be encased in glass unless it is a living plant trying to stay alive while under my care. walkaboutknitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15483197188284889152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22798677.post-38431110850798209242013-01-07T23:00:00.000-08:002013-01-09T01:13:18.678-08:00Coffee, bands and rain<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pDXw6fkqGz8/UOy4dhLxNcI/AAAAAAAADOA/2D0thceUGWE/s1600/d90_40mm_2013+054ob.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="photo of black coffee in a blue and white cup" border="0" height="267" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pDXw6fkqGz8/UOy4dhLxNcI/AAAAAAAADOA/2D0thceUGWE/s320/d90_40mm_2013+054ob.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div>
Sunday words: coffee, emotion, glass, bold, clothes, band, fruit, comfort.<br />
<br />
Had the weather forecast been different and had I not happened on the lemon tree the previous day, I thought a walk to the Sunday market was in order for shopping and shooting.<br />
<br />
The forecast was, of course, wrong, and the morning rain showed up suddenly and aggressively just as I was planning a walkabout. So I changed plans, gears and ran errands via auto rather than foot. <br />
<br />
My coffee cup was one of the first things I bought for my Cleveland Heights apartment in 1979. It has been with me ever since and has only a bit of crazing on its occasionally white inner walls.<br />
<br />
I've often wished I had more than one of these but I don't think there was a second for sale at the time.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iIgpe1e_bEc/UOqY9LyyXeI/AAAAAAAADMc/rqaTE_1YQQs/s1600/bands.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="279" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iIgpe1e_bEc/UOqY9LyyXeI/AAAAAAAADMc/rqaTE_1YQQs/s320/bands.jpg" width="320" /></a>The other word that got a photo nod was band. In this case bands, wedding, two.<br />
<br />
Once upon a time these lived on two individual fingers on two related people.<br />
<br />
Then for a time they hung together on a cord that could often be found around my neck.<br />
<br />
The cord finally frayed with wear.<br />
<br />
Now mostly they sit nestled together in a box. On Sunday, they came out for a closeup and to remind me that I need a new cord.<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6a3gikor1qE/UOqY8Xy9XvI/AAAAAAAADMU/U8BZ693Y8ME/s1600/d90_40mm_2013%2B054o.jpg" imageanchor="1"></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iIgpe1e_bEc/UOqY9LyyXeI/AAAAAAAADMc/rqaTE_1YQQs/s1600/bands.jpg" imageanchor="1"><br /></a>
walkaboutknitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15483197188284889152noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22798677.post-78079314195734920962013-01-07T20:30:00.000-08:002013-01-08T15:38:41.823-08:00Handwriting letters and lemons<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--dlxxfhvrG4/UOqY-ky66uI/AAAAAAAADM0/mX5EL5OjcXQ/s1600/coolpixs570_2013%2B013s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="photo of a handwritten letter" border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--dlxxfhvrG4/UOqY-ky66uI/AAAAAAAADM0/mX5EL5OjcXQ/s320/coolpixs570_2013%2B013s.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a>Handwriting, specifically cursive handwriting and I have an interesting relationship.<br />
<br />
Early on I had strong stylistic preferences.<br />
<br />
Visually I hated my mother's handwriting and loved my father's. <br />
<br />
When it was time for a parent to sign the all important report card, I'd hold the thing until my father was available to sign it. <br />
<br />
When cursive showed up on the curriculum in the fourth grade, it was a new and different experience and not exactly a positive one. <br />
<br />
The introduction of handwriting also introduced Cs to my report card. That was quite the shock.<br />
<br />
To be honest, my grade could/should have been much worse because, as I recall, my handwriting was a total train wreck/shambles of letters slanting somewhat randomly.<br />
<br />
If cursive handwriting does reflect idea formation, expression and fine motor skill then I had a pretty conflicted mind at that age. I think this also about the time my first knitting teacher pronounced me hopeless so my motor skills may have been less than stellar although I was excelling in art -- go figure.<br />
<br />
<br />
Eventually my motor skills and handwriting improved. The letters settled down and started slanting in a consistent direction -- the direction of my father's not my mother's.<br />
<br />
So much did my handwriting come to resemble my father's that when he died, I deliberately changed my signature to be less of a reminder.<br />
<br />
My handwriting has more or less remained the same since I was about 14 -- a bit more angular than loopy as time passed but fundamentally the same.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jtuYZXkbxpw/UOyiy5nQ9AI/AAAAAAAADNs/qTdOWUlTdiY/s1600/logo_card.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="walkaboutknitter logo photo" border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jtuYZXkbxpw/UOyiy5nQ9AI/AAAAAAAADNs/qTdOWUlTdiY/s200/logo_card.jpg" title="" width="193" /></a>It was never copybook which is fine by me because I was never keen on
the Qs that looked like 2s, the General Mills G and whatever was going
on with those Is.<br />
<br />
<br />
Apparently there are studies that suggest the act of writing (possibly meaning cursive) helps remember content. I'm a perfect case study for that as my pre-finals "study" method for some of my toughest law school professors was to re-write my class notes.<br />
<br />
Even though the quality of my handwriting has deteriorated as typing becomes more common, I still find that the act of physically writing something down connects me more firmly to the material than typing.<br />
<br />
People often comment that I have beautiful handwriting but it is a far cry from the elegant script I produced when my right hand featured a prominent writer's bump. Still, for a girl who never got better than a B in handwriting, I take the compliment.<br />
<br />
My printing has also evolved so that it usually looks rather more
cursive than not and I seem to have a third neither print nor cursive
style as seen in my logo. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xgr2puJzAgs/UOqY9gVLdQI/AAAAAAAADMo/52nUrPapWtE/s1600/d90_40mm_2013%2B052cs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="photo of lemons on lemon tree" border="0" height="214" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xgr2puJzAgs/UOqY9gVLdQI/AAAAAAAADMo/52nUrPapWtE/s320/d90_40mm_2013%2B052cs.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a>The handwriting photo that tops this posting is of a letter written by my father in 1945 on Ie Shima.<br />
<br />
How I came to have it is a bit of a mystery. Based on the content (his
reaction to hearing of his father's death) I suspect that it was
written and never mailed/delivered.<br />
<br />
Although I'm a tad freaked out over the idea of my 27 year old father non-ironically using words like jeepers and golly, it serves to remind me that although he and were
more often than not of the same mind, we were also products of very, very different eras.<br />
<br />
Still, one of my favourite quotes has to be "the Broadhursts aren't famous for confessions of sins." Not one of my da's famous Rube-isms but oh so very true.<br />
<br />
Other word on the day was lemon and I really didn't think my route that day would include a lemon tree but clearly I was wrong.walkaboutknitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15483197188284889152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22798677.post-70991814579741502072013-01-06T23:00:00.000-08:002013-01-07T01:11:16.207-08:00More photo play on the day<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--p1boambQl0/UOi0Socc_HI/AAAAAAAADLQ/bA1kAGcVgSw/s1600/d90_40mm_2013%2B039c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="photo of big front door (bfd) store front by evening" border="0" height="147" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--p1boambQl0/UOi0Socc_HI/AAAAAAAADLQ/bA1kAGcVgSw/s200/d90_40mm_2013%2B039c.jpg" title="" width="200" /></a>I had high hopes for what I might do with some of the photo prompts for Friday but it was another productive day at work which tends to mean not a lot of time to take to the lens.<br />
<br />
On the front door front, mine is only remarkable for how ugly the
colour is (sort of a washed out puce) so while I've seen some charming
candidates for that prompt today wasn't the day for their closeups.
<br />
<br />
I mentioned <a href="http://www.bfdsandiego.com/">bfd</a> as a should have gone directly to instead of stopping at Sprouts previously so today that was my direct dinner strategy and, as a bonus in addition to my duck salad dinner, I got a nice photo a day shot. Dinner before 20:00 was just a bonus.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fqWr5MkAIcE/UOi0VvvKbSI/AAAAAAAADL0/YH2B2NmORvQ/s1600/d90_40mm_2013%2B036c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="photo of sun setting behind office building" border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fqWr5MkAIcE/UOi0VvvKbSI/AAAAAAAADL0/YH2B2NmORvQ/s200/d90_40mm_2013%2B036c.jpg" title="" width="178" /></a>One of the prompts I had little hope for was out the window. My apartment mostly has scenic views of alleys, other apartment buildings and the building's courtyard.<br />
<br />
My office has similar vista issues. If you like pictures of parking structures or the reflection of one building in another office tower it's a dream. But if that or long shots of other office buildings and unremarkable houses on distant hills -- not so much. <br />
<br />
But I lucked out on the out the office window front on Friday. The sun was starting to set behind the other office building when I looked out and caught the "out the window" photo. I took the time to try a few more shots but this one was the only money shot. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ybw5SfhzuZM/UOi0TUd2SEI/AAAAAAAADLc/VHS2Bvx1OCw/s1600/d90_40mm_2013%2B046c.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="photo of knitted wire torso" border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ybw5SfhzuZM/UOi0TUd2SEI/AAAAAAAADLc/VHS2Bvx1OCw/s200/d90_40mm_2013%2B046c.jpg" title="" width="183" /></a>Since I had set up the mini photo box to take the glasses images, I banked an extra shot on the day for a starts with T image by taking a picture of one of my knitted wire torsos.<br />
<br />
I do wish that I could find more of the pink clad floral wire I made this torso and its sister from. <br />
<br />
The knitted wire torso makes a good transition to knitting content. The were to be
published last year designs are cycling back around in the mad
publishing world's backlog.<br />
<br />
My secret squirrel can't show photos/talk
much knitting content projects may finally be public -- yeah!<br />
<br />
The weekend's photos are done by the time this is posted but the postings not so much. So watch for postings on handwriting, lemons, coffee and band(s).walkaboutknitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15483197188284889152noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22798677.post-1655159778587172702013-01-03T23:30:00.000-08:002013-01-04T00:10:14.674-08:00Glasses or special specs<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--f5ur9YtcZM/UOZ4gCoSlzI/AAAAAAAADKc/m7aL9XGvM9U/s1600/d90_40mm_2013+033c.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="photo of orange reader glasses on a black plastic head" border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--f5ur9YtcZM/UOZ4gCoSlzI/AAAAAAAADKc/m7aL9XGvM9U/s200/d90_40mm_2013+033c.jpg" title="" width="137" /></a>Today's words should have been easy -- flower, glasses,
<br /><br />
I remembered to pack most, but not all -- because, as we all know you can never find your glasses when you need them -- pairs of my readers into my kit bag before heading into work.<br />
<br />
Good intentions and even a prop or two tagged along for the ride.<br />
<br />
I'm a huge fan of pointing the camera into the air and seeing what happens (sky shots) and I live in Southern California so flowers are not hard to find or photograph year round. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O2edfzM1Mo8/UOZ4gCtpvcI/AAAAAAAADKg/_zsX5Kz4_Zg/s1600/d90_40mm_2013+034c.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="purple/blue reader glasses on a nose eyeglass holder" border="0" height="151" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O2edfzM1Mo8/UOZ4gCtpvcI/AAAAAAAADKg/_zsX5Kz4_Zg/s200/d90_40mm_2013+034c.jpg" title="" width="200" /></a></div>
But it was one of those days where, with a looming deadline, I kept falling down the rabbit hole of the system I'm writing about.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O2edfzM1Mo8/UOZ4gCtpvcI/AAAAAAAADKg/_zsX5Kz4_Zg/s1600/d90_40mm_2013+034c.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a> <br />
Tech writers/editors and developers will understand slicing and dicing of different functions in different apps/modules only to find that just
when you thought had the like thing/functionality with like thing/functionality you find that
a function call in one app doesn't behave the same way in a related
one.<br />
<br />
This is the oops, grown up version of one of these things is not like the others Sesame Street game but way less fun. And have I mentioned lately that I'm authoring in Microsoft Word which I really rather loathe.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5R1VwqbqqsE/UOZ4fYXW6oI/AAAAAAAADKQ/3xPm-Y5djiY/s1600/d90_40mm_2013+027c.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="six pairs of reader glasses with hurricane drinking glasses" border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5R1VwqbqqsE/UOZ4fYXW6oI/AAAAAAAADKQ/3xPm-Y5djiY/s200/d90_40mm_2013+027c.jpg" title="" width="145" /></a><br/>I'm annoyed with myself that I don't have more pages/chapters overhauled and rewritten.
<br />I'm trying to be content with how far I've come on the learning curve and keeping my edits/changes aligned with targeted improvement goals and co-worker co-operation.<br />
<br />
So as long as I can make what I add/edit correct and not cut out things that don't need pruning right now and create problems down stream, I'm taking it as success.<br />
<br />
Which is all a long way of saying that by the time I was thinking about taking up the camera, it was also about an hour after I should have left for home and not only far too dark for photos but arguably too dark to walk through the parking structure (stairs or elevator) alone.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QlMmOKJbtPY/UOZ4fjuCRXI/AAAAAAAADKk/3LoCNP7i42Y/s1600/d90_40mm_2013+032c.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="photo of green reader glasses on a black plastic head" border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QlMmOKJbtPY/UOZ4fjuCRXI/AAAAAAAADKk/3LoCNP7i42Y/s200/d90_40mm_2013+032c.jpg" title="" width="120" /></a>I did manage to confirm that:<br />
<ul>
<li> the elusive tree is still illuminated</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>photos of said tree from the parking garage without a tripod area waste of time</li>
<li>I probably should have just dropped in at <a href="http://www.bfdsandiego.com/">bfd</a> instead of fruitlessly (no really, I wanted the salad with strawberries) hunting and gathering after others had laid waste to Sprouts' meat/fish counter.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QlMmOKJbtPY/UOZ4fjuCRXI/AAAAAAAADKk/3LoCNP7i42Y/s1600/d90_40mm_2013+032c.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>So rather than cheat with a cheeky from archives chair related photo, I did a bit of draping under an Ott light and enlisted the aid of a few helpful and uncomplaining volunteers.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-91aeSbSa-0E/UOZ4fTlfkKI/AAAAAAAADKU/1W8tLUyospU/s1600/d90_40mm_2013+030c.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="photo of purple/blue reader glasses on a clear glass head filled with white yarn" border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-91aeSbSa-0E/UOZ4fTlfkKI/AAAAAAAADKU/1W8tLUyospU/s200/d90_40mm_2013+030c.jpg" title="" width="127" /></a>The white guy is a bit of an airhead unless he's stuffed with yarn and sporting specs doncha think?<br />
<br />
Black guy, dark handsome and dignified in glasses. Hope he's not reading this as he already has a pretty big head.<br />
<br />
Oh yeah, I dragged down and gave a quick bath to a couple of items in the kitchen cupboard.<br />
<br />
I do have plans for a couple of staged photos featuring hearts at some point when/if they come up in the year.<br />
<br />
Unless I play with my randomising scheme, I think they come 'round again in May which, will at least give me more daylight hours in which to shoot.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Aq_GzvHgjDw/UOZ4hjTew3I/AAAAAAAADK0/8xM2_7bPUl4/s1600/nosy_peepers.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="five pairs of reader glasses and a nose eyeglass holder" border="0" height="231" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Aq_GzvHgjDw/UOZ4hjTew3I/AAAAAAAADK0/8xM2_7bPUl4/s320/nosy_peepers.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Although that last pair of readers is hiding, I did find the peeper
docking station (thrift shop find gussied up with paint and fingernail
polish) and paired it with a co-ordinating pair or two.<br />
<br />
BTW, the archived chair photo is funny but I'd rather post it as an augment a taken that day image.<br />
<br />
Tomorrow -- opaque, earth, small, front door, out the window, begins with T, hot, the view from here, hero. <br />
<br />
walkaboutknitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15483197188284889152noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22798677.post-57852007871760086272013-01-02T22:40:00.000-08:002013-01-02T22:46:06.944-08:00Dials, clocks, begins with A and arithmetic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2gBG5AfZbnc/UOUcc5V0fJI/AAAAAAAADJ0/nvsAus7_194/s1600/clock_2_Jan_2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="photo of non-digital clock" border="0" height="195" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2gBG5AfZbnc/UOUcc5V0fJI/AAAAAAAADJ0/nvsAus7_194/s200/clock_2_Jan_2013.jpg" title="" width="200" /></a></div>
Today's words were trains, arithmetic, arch, clock, dial, begins with A, sound, something new, and celebration.<br />
<br />
So how did I do?
I have images of train and arch in recent archives but I'm holding off on playing the archive card until I'm truly stymied for shots worth posting.<br />
<br />
En route to the job, I saw a 50% off sale sign in a store window. Great 50% off = arithmetic. Traffic light did not cooperate with any "quick take the shot" ideas I may have had.
It was too dark to snap a good shot on the way home especially as I took a detour to stalk and shoot an an illusive illuminated tree.<br />
<br />
Clock was easy -- honking huge, always right 2x a day (needs batteries changed) hanging on the wall in my home office was hard to miss. Quick click a snap the not tick-tocking clock and head down the hill into the other office.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6vHWzlake6E/UOUdOf6m4YI/AAAAAAAADJ8/lCiab_ZwYt8/s1600/d90_40mm_2013+015c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Command and mode dial on camera" border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6vHWzlake6E/UOUdOf6m4YI/AAAAAAAADJ8/lCiab_ZwYt8/s200/d90_40mm_2013+015c.jpg" title="" width="150" /></a></div>
Dial was a glad I had both cameras with me and stopped thinking about soap and combination locks light bulb moment. I seemed to have to either accept a bit of glare from either the flash or sunlight streaming through the window or no flash with less clarity.<br />
<br />
<br />
Begins with A? One of my wonderful (and very photogenic) co-workers sat for a quick sitting but that's an email her a copy not a plaster the image on the Internet sort of thing. I do need to exercise a bit of care with the camera in the office or people will be asking me to take replacement ID badge photos. <br />
<br />
More on the elusive illuminated tree on another day or maybe in a FB photo album. I'd like to catch some shot of it from a few more angles at a slightly earlier time before it goes dark. I'd also like to break out the tripod and get the zoomed distance shot of it that's been teasing me for a month or so.<br />
<br />
Some of the other seen from the parking garage holiday lights have already gone dark and for some reason, I didn't go out of my way to drive through almost Xmas mall traffic to get those holiday lights in my viewfinder.<br />
<br />walkaboutknitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15483197188284889152noreply@blogger.com2