Would you rather be rich or famous? Why?
Submitted by Chris Vaughn.
I would like to be neither rich nor famous. Money is good to get what you need done and help others. It's the currency in society and that's just a part of life, it's not all that matters in life. And famous? No thanks. I just wanna do my art.
More work, waymarking and errands. Nothing really noteworthy today, just putting off the boring stuff.
It's always fun to see photos taken by others of the same places I've photographed. Seeing these places through the eyes of someone else gives a completely new perspective.
The mosquitos are bad in North Port right now. Don't they spray here? I wonder how the mosquitos are at the Warm Mineral Springs? That's coming up on my agenda but I may delay that until the winter months.
Tomorrow I have to really get some errands done, including grocery shopping.
A grown man behaving like a baby has really been the final straw for me. But these things, while obviously bizarre and seemingly unnecessary, do happen for a reason and I was able to take it into consideration when refining my work focus. It's unfortunate to say that part of this is that I won't be making the first step to reconnect my husband with old friends while photographing the local fire departments. I simply can't take the professional risk. Not everyone knows their place.
Just to make it clear that I know my place, I have posted Fire Photography guidelines on both my facebook and myspace.
In other news...
My daughter's given a specific request for her birthday party this year, Young Chef's Academy. Quite pricey since she wants both the party at the YCA and a month of classes. If the money's there, we'll do it. She hasn't really requested anything this special before.
The elementary schools for Sarasota County School District require uniforms, so we have an additional $120/child expense for Eddie and Bailey this year. Bailey's father has mentioned defraying some of this cost but since he wants everything done his way to "help" with something that he should view as an obligation instead of a favour, I don't think it's really going to happen. He's always been all about the gesture, not so much the action, and "it's the thought that counts".
Middle Schoolers don't require uniforms and it looks like Michael's supply list is much shorter than recent years, so some of the costs may be helped this year.
Additionally, we've been considering enrolling them back into the school lunch program. Tom earns too much for us to qualify for the discounted costs, and certainly not free, but life was undeniably easier when lunches for three children didn't have to be prepared every evening.
Then there's Boy Scouts for Michael this year, which comes with uniform costs and membership dues. Then there's whatever Eddie wants to try.
And here I thought we might sneak away this weekend as a last little mini-break. Between school preparation and fixing the minivan, I don't think it's going to happen. Let's not forget Michael's birthday coming up quick in mid-August! He hasn't been able to tell me anything significant that he wants. I've already purchased "the big gift" but there's still a matter of what to do. Turning 12, he might just be beyond having "a theme" and will probably be happy with family, cake and presents.
He has been playing Heroscape in Chicago, which is about the same price as World of Warcraft up front but doesn't come with a monthly recurring cost or the baggage of being at the computer all the time. There's always his interests in marine biology, archery, and medieval creatures.
Not too much in the world of photography today beyond a fantastic word-of-mouth recommendation. The emo in me is elated that some people like me.
I photographed and marked the Eagles 3296 expecting that there was a Waymarking category for it. There's not. I was actually thinking of a different category for a fraternal organisation that just received approval into the system. So, until the day that someone who isn't me whips up a category for the Fraternal Order of Eagles, I have the photos and coords waiting patiently. I also picked up a full property photograph of the Florida's Blood Center that's on the northwest corner of the same intersection so I could complete that waymark. It's already been approved. Photographing the Eagles 3296 got me thinking about eagle nests so I hopped on the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission website and started looking into the nest locations and laws surrounding photographing them. If I can work through any issues that might come up on the forums from different minds, this would be an excellent category.
What is your preferred method of transportation for trips over a couple of hours and why?
I prefer to drive. Even when flying was "easy" without security delays, packing restrictions and compounding fees, I preferred to drive. It's therapeutic and provides a sense of accomplishment to cover a great distance in a reasonable amount of time, knowing each and every mile. You can pass through the seasons, through weather systems, and through terrains all in a matter of a couple days. You can learn about places you wouldn't have known about. You meet people, you learn history, and you leave a little of yourself with them. Your map gets fuller and your world becomes larger. I've never been someone who's had "too many friends" so the bigger my world gets, and the more I can learn from the people in it, the better life is.
Every inch of this world is something I'd like to see, but I don't see much sense in going halfway across the world until I know what's going (or gone) on right around me. One day, I would love to return to Europe. I was so in love with Germany's pastoral landscapes and deep history that stretched back before documentation. And France... there is no place in the world like France. All the crap people say about French people being unkind to Americans? Bunk. Of course, I have to fly to get to Europe and I'd rather fly than take a boat, but I'd rather drive once there than allow the strassenbahn to take me from point to point with no stop in between.
At a time more appropriate, I will take the Route 66 trip. This is the type of traveling that I enjoy most.
Now, I can tell you, Tom prefers to fly. He does see the value in car trips, but prefers to tackle long distances flying miles in the air. He is more than willing to take off on a Route 66 trip with me, but I think he's daydreaming of an RV. I'd prefer a car and staying in hotels/motels/holes in the wall.
The trip we took the RV was a nightmare, and even when it wasn't blowing tires, catching on fire, or failing its transmission, I didn't feel secure or safe sleeping in it. And the fuel was so expensive, and that was before fuel became outrageously expensive. I won't travel in another RV. Plus, a car gives you more versatility in your travel, especially if you can off-road with it. You'd need that if you plan to geocache your way across the US.
Church of the Good Shepherd was exactly as it was before. What I photographed was our afternoon at Manasota Key. There was a cool breeze under the warm sun as Tommy and Bailey enjoyed the sand and surf. Tom got sunburnt.
We had our dinner early and relaxed in the quiet house for the rest of the evening.
Tom returned home from his work week in Pensacola just in time for dinner last evening. Today we did some photography in El Jobean and Punta Gorda, gawking at historical points of interest and generally making the people driving behind us very angry. Historical points of interest have been expanded thanks to my copy of Our Fascinating Past, Charlotte Harbor: The Early Years by Lindsey Williams and U.S. Cleveland signed by Mr. Williams. I've been unnaturally happy since I started reading this book. I'm a history nerd.
Tomorrow we're doing something Episcopalian. We'll being going to Church of the Good Shepherd, which we've gone to before and had a good experience with. I've been making a few major decisions after months of prayer and thoughts, and finally reaching out to friends for the sound, caring advice they can give. I won't go into it on a public blog, but it's with a lot of nervousness that I look forward to this change and seeing if this is really the right path for my family at this time.
After church, we're going to the beach... until the rain chases us home. I'm really looking forward to the beach.
Tom's been talking about barbecuing steak so I think he's got Sunday dinner covered. Here's a couple pictures of my handsome husband and my daughter and youngest son in History Park in Punta Gorda. They're checking out the old jail.
I am a farmer who raise ducks and cows. The animals have a total of 9 heads and 26 feet. How many ducks and cows do I have?
Submitted by The BlueTie.
Do your own homework!
PS: Cows have four feet, ducks have two. 4 feet x 4 cows = 16 feet. 2 feet x 5 ducks = 10 feet. 10 + 16 = 26 feet. With a total of 9 animals, 4 of them are cows and 5 of them are ducks.
PPS: I am smarter than a fifth grader.
Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host -
by the Divine Power of God -
cast into hell, satan and all the evil spirits,
who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen
A Policeman's Prayer
Lord, I ask for courage;
Courage to face and conquer my own fears...
Courage to take me where others will not go.
I ask for strength;
Strength of body to protect others...
Strength of spirit to lead others.
I ask dedication;
Dedication to my job to do it well...
Dedication to my community to keep it safe.
Give me, Lord, concern;
For all those who trust me...
And compassion for those who need me
And, please, Lord, through it all; be at my side.
I finally bought a copy of Our Fascinating Past, Charlotte Harbor: The Early Years by Lindsey Williams and U.S. Cleveland. Tom used to have a copy that was signed by both authors but Hurricane Charley took it like it took many things. The only author available to sign now is Williams, but I'm not complaining. I think it's cool he's willing to sign copies.
As it is, it seems odd to pay shipping and have it be mailed. This is something that I could very easily just pick up. Oh well. I already paid the $4.
I'm hoping the book will answer some of the questions that seem to be rapidly growing in number with the more that I learn about this area.
This is an image of the cover since Amazon is lacking:
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