Entries by Bill

This past week my family suffered a loss of a great man. My grandfather passed away at the age of 89. Actually he was a couple weeks shorts of that birthday, but we'll give it to him. He deserves it.

It was one of the hardest things I ever went through and much harder than I ever imagined. He had been deteriorating for the past couple of years, and we knew the end was coming. I thought that would make it easier. I was wrong.

I have been fortunate not to have experienced much loss in my life so far. My other grandfather passed away in 1994, and while sad, it wasn't as hard as this one. Maybe because we was down in Florida, so he wasn't around for day-to-day life as much, although I still miss him as well.

I tried to take each as a celebration of their lives, as they both had long, healthy and prosper lives.

Anyway, I wanted to say something at the funeral, and I even started to try and write something then, but it just wasn't going to happen. What can I say, I can be a big mush at times.

So here are some thoughts...

So the wife and I escaped from the kids this weekend, well a couple of hours anway, and saw Julie & Julia. In fact, it was the first movie I have seen in a theater in a long while that didn't involve something blowing up. Which means I have been to the movies with my son much more than my wife over the past year, something I will need to address.

One of the key plot lines in the movie of course was the ongoing blog that Julie was writing. As an aside, if you have seen the movie and are interested, the actual blog is still out there, and you can read it at http://blogs.salon.com/0001399/2002/08/25.html. And for the really curious, Julie Powell's current blog is here

Of course it got me thinking about this space again, and of my photography hobby/business/fetish.
Now I don't have any illusions of walking in her footsteps or becoming famous, but I would like a regular routine to report on as I find the writing the nice outlet.

Now with three kids and all their activities, I doubt I would have much follow through on any kind of photography project, so now Ansel Adams projects for me in the near future.

Living in the suburbs is interesting at times, but not that much, and I doubt anyone wants to read about me re-sealing my driveway.

We are beginning the college search/testing/application process this year, which should bring loads of stress, tears, confusion and bills. Although it will have the upside of scaring the sh*t out of all those friends (Lee) who have just begun the parenting process to what they have to look forward to.

Hmmm....might actually have an entertaining topic there. That is until my daughter gets wind of it and whines for me to stop.

Stay tuned, only 9 more days until junior year begins!!

On my next to last night working in the big city (New York for anyone joining in late), I was early for my train. Which is generally newsworthy enough, but not the point of this post.

While waiting, I was listening to one of the many musicians that frequently play during rush hour. Normally I pass them without notice as I am in a rush. However, this time I had to time to listen.

It was just a single reggae guitarist playing very mellowing music. He was a musician for musics sake and he played beautifully. Sadly, my train was announced so I threw him 5 bucks for a copy of his CD and headed home. On the way, the thought occurred to me that all of the current pop "stars" should care more about the music than wrapping their bodies around polls. Then again, there would be way to many tabloid writers out of work.

Anyway, if you like guitarist and/or reggae, check this guy out at http://jahstix.com.

Almost six and a half years ago, I entered big time Corporate America. I wrote about my journey up to this point (read about it here) about a year back when I was actually writing in this space regularly. When I started this post, I went back and re-read my earlier ramblings and boy, how things can change in a year.

I say that because I am leaving Wall Street and heading back to the small pond from which I came. Many factors contributed to my decision to leave the large-scale corporate world. One of the largest came as a shock at the end of last year, when it became clear, that contrary to the previous post, I was no closer to figuring out how this game is played than I was when I started.

A year ago I wrote about my anniversary and how it was just another typical spring weekend day (read it here). Well another year has past, and not much has changed, except maybe things are a bit more hectic.

This year, once again the girls will be dancing. This year both girls will be competing, so Gail will be with them all day. The boy meantime, has his job in the morning, which is refereeing the younger kids soccer games. Then on to his own soccer and lacrosse games.

So we probably run into each other at the coffee machine early in the AM and should see each other sometime in the evening, deciding which take out menu to order from.

At least next year it will be on a Monday, so we will just have the normal, work, school and everyday life to deal with!

Happy Anniversary.

In the digital world, I am hosting my own photographic art show. I don't think I will ever have a real one, so this will have to do.

Actually, this is a little different, as I am not doing this to show off to sell anything. I am doing this to get some .hopefully yet not too brutal, honest feedback. I have some pictures that I took over the past few months, that I enjoy, and am actually thinking of submitting one or more to one of the thousands of photo contests that are littering the internet.

My problem? I am my own worst critic, and can't decide if these are good, or I am just prejudice. Kind of like watching your own kid in the school play. Even if he forgets his lines, little Johnny was the best one and has real talent.

Anyway, I have created my 'Gallery' at the below link, and it allows you to rate each photo and optionally leave a comment. Please take some time to stroll through my work and rate your favorites and leave a comment if the mood strikes you. And yes, there are some similar shots there, and again, I can't decide which I like better, so I leave it to you, the reader.

Click Here -> My Gallery to view.

Thanks!!

Spring is upon us which means, no rest for the weary. This weekend was the first full sports weekend thanks to the rain holding out.

Since I am more into pictures these days than writing, I'll let the camera do the talking

Lost the lacrosse game 4-3, but at least he got some aggression out


And a rare image of Kevin in full stride. He did score on this play, but Dad fell down on the job and missed the shot. At least the soccer team won, 3-0. (Click the picture for a larger view.)


Now, in the interest of giving equal time, last weekend was the first dance competition. I got a bunch of pictures for the studio and they are posted here.

But a couple of my girls.

Well, I really have wanted to write on here, but it hasn't been working out.

I have had some thoughts, and have been trying desperately over the past month or so to write about my best friend having his first child, about 15 years after I had mine, but it just isn't happening. Don't think you can call it writers block, since I don't consider myself a writer. I just have not been able to put sentences together in a while.

Right now I am chalking it up to exhaustion, trying to figure out my career path and how I should be building my photography hobby.

I really though I'd be bit more relaxed after the vacation and would have plenty to write down, but nothing so far. But I am not giving up and will keep this site alive for a little bit longer. I said in the beginning I wasn't sure how long this would last.

On the positive side, this week starts my son's soccer season, followed by dance competition and lacrosse games in the coming weeks. So with all that going on, I should be presented with some good material to write down.

And maybe I will be able to formulate my joy into words of seeing my friend trying to figure out why babies don't sleep through the night.

HELL EXPLAINED BY CHEMISTRY STUDENT

The following is an actual question given on a University of Washington chemistry mid term.

The answer by one student was so 'profound' that the professor shared it with colleagues, via the Internet, which is, of course, why we now have the pleasure of enjoying it as well :

Bonus Question: Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)?

Most of the students wrote proofs of their beliefs using Boyle's Law (gas cools when it expands and heats when it is compressed) or some variant.

While editing a video, chatting on Facebook, listening to MP3s, getting weather updates and watching his RAID drive re-build all at the same time, I am amazed that this is how it started.


At least for me.