I guess this guy should have bought that new car sooner.

New week, new ideas

So for quite a while now I've been telling myself that I should be doing more to advance my creative hobbies - photography, graphic design - and spend less time playing video games. It's not that don't like the video games I have (I do - esp. Simpson's Hit & Run). It's just that I think I took a piece of advice from a good friend a few years ago and turned it into a requisite part of my day. So what - you may say? Well when I spent a good 15 hours a week playing video games I think that's a problem. Especially when I've got better things to work on - like a professional portfolio, or, say a blog that needs updating.

I'd like this not be one of those New Year’s resolutions that get discarded around April. The wedding has given me a good chance to flex my graphic design skills by creating a save-the-date postcard, website, and invitations. Once those things get squared away it will really be up to me to devote time to polishing and learning new skills I can take to the work place.

Well time for a salmon dinner (I’ll explain why I know this during the next post)

Happy Birthday Dad!

Middle of the week - yea! Also know as 'hump day' which is never as fun as it first sounds. This week so far has been National Guard video production week. Monday and Tuesday I did audio (boom mike coming through!) and producing (get that boom mike out of the shot!) which isn't a bad gig. However today I was solo as a photographer. Typically, when one works video production you have multiple people to help you out - audio person, camera person, producer, and maybe even a grip. As a photographer I got no one - just me. Which at times can be nice because nothing beats working by yourself (you get to take all the credit if it comes out killer). What made today long and arduous was that I had to shoot outside the whole time in the cold, cold weather. So I'm really tired........no running tonight for me. I figure I've been out in the cold enough today.

The National Guard kids we are working with are, well, mostly kids. One of them is a 19 year old scheduled to deploy overseas in March. While he does not seem concerned about being on the frontlines he's confessed to our production team that he really hopes he's married before he ships. Since he's not mentioned dating/seeing/being involved with anyone I'm guessing he's got two months to find and marry a gal. I can see how being deployed overseas into such places as Iraq or Afghanistan would be stressful - and how some of that stress might be dissipated if said person had a loved one waiting and praying for them back home. So I do hope he finds one - because he really wants one. However the realist in me thinks he's going to have to tough it out solo this time. Poor lad.

New Year, New Post

It's just 10 days late. But I have good excuses - work things (thought I was going to be fired) and Maryland cop things (got a speeding ticket on New Year’s Day) and fiancé’s hating of people she works with. However all was set right on January 9th when I woke up and found it was snowing - just like it did 26 years ago when I was born. So that rocked. Plus I was taken out to a pork chop and applesauce dinner. And I got balloons - which is a quirky family tradition.

On our birthdays, my parents would sneak into our rooms and cover the floor with balloons as a surprise. While I didn't wake up to a floor of balloons this year I did get a fleet of balloons so I think it counts.

I'm off to the Big DC Flea Market. This really isn't something I'm 'ecstatic' about attending. However I'm trading it for the privilege to watch 8 hours of football playoffs this evening.