Wilful Disbelief

Competence has taken a backseat to "feelings".

2010-01-12T12:24:00.002-05:00

When I was going up, you kept score, you had a winner, and a loser. And when you were the loser, it made you want to try harder next time to be the winner, because, well, losing sucks.

But that concept is not politically correct anymore, no one wins, there are no losers, everyone is good at anything they try...perfect example, look at American Idol tryouts, all of those dreadfully awful singers think they are good, their families have led them to believe in a delusional world where they can sing...and they clearly can't, but because the adults around them never want them to feel what it is like to fail, or be let down, the lie to them...which is more screwed up if you ask me.

Same goes for people in the job force. If you suck at something, you need to be told that maybe this is not the correct profession for you. You might need to explore different avenues, find a job that more suits your personality and strengths, rather than one that highlights your weaknesses.

Not everyone is qualified to do everything out there. I know I can't be a surgeon, or a NASA engineer, but I don't try to do those things, I do what I am good at, a couple of my teachers that cared in High School helped me find a profession that worked with what I was good at, and I thank them, and just wish that more of them would do that now, but they fear losing their job, and that is a shame.

We will be a country of mediocre before we know it, and the rest of the world will pass us by in the process.

Crits, pictures, and a new opportunity.

2009-07-31T07:49:00.004-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, I was attendting a pro race at one of my favorite race tracks with our car club. Of course I had the camera and gear with me, and of course took too many pictures. I had processed a few of those pictures, and had them posted on a photography board, and something that I consider special happened.

It starts about 4 years ago, now, anyone who knows me, is well aware that cars, and fast cars in particular have always been a hobby or passion of mine. I have always liked cars. 4 years ago, I got into going to the track in my own car. At some point, that led to taking pictures of other cars while I was there, but I was not good at it at all. I got some tutorials from a good friend of mine in the car club, and that helped a lot. But I also found a pro photographers website, that had the kind of images that I saw in my head when I was trying to take pictures, but could not replicate in the field. I studied his images, every new gallery I would pour through, studying his compositions, his EXIF data, everything about the shots he came away with. While I did not want to copy his style, I wanted to know how he did, what he did. For 3 years, I kept up to date with his newest additions, from all over the country, all types of racing events. And in that time, I have progressed, and gotten much better at taking pictures of race cars on track. SO, in the thread with the set of images I had posted from the Grand Am race a couple of weeks ago, this pro stops in to give me his crits. I am floored. HE LIKED THEM! he really had nice things to say, and, he gave me some pointers. He also challenged me to do what I have always tried to do, get that shot that makes people say...wow! Ignore what is dubbed the "keeper rate", and really push the boundaries and get that special shot, you may only get two of them a weekend, but they will be worth it.

Jump to last weekend. I was out at the track again, with a group of friends at a private track day. I decided to challenge myself, shoot slow, slow shutter speed, and really work on capturing some serious motion in the cars. They may not be the WOW! shots yet, but I think that by getting used to this shutter speed, and knowing how it works, what it picks up, what it leaves out, and the effects it has, those WOW! shots can be had.

Both of the following were shot at 1/40, over 135mm range, with the cars doing upwards of 70 mph.

I think they exhibit the motion involved at the time, and mark some of the first successful shots at 1/40th in panning on fast moving cars. When I tried this in the past, I got trash images, and gave up. But not anymore, I am going to keep trying.

Now onto the new opportunity part of the program. I have been hired by two race teams, to cover their teams for the weekend at next weekends races at Road Atlanta. All the hard work, and showing of my work to folks at the track, is finally, maybe going to pay off. I at least have my foot in the door. I am excited, and can't wait to see where this leads. It combines two of my favorite things, fast cars, and photography.

Until next time.

Gone Fishin'

2009-07-29T21:15:00.002-04:00

Well, not really. I did not go far. My boss had a party at his house this past weekend, to celebrate his 50th birthday. They live on a small community lake, and they have a dock that goes out into the lake. At some point, just about everyone that was there picked up a fishing pole, or bamboo cane pole and tried their hand at fishing. I actually caught one...I did let it go, but I caught a little small mouth bass. I had not held a fishing pole in probably 15-16 years, maybe more. I know I was still in the Boy Scouts the last time, and I know that I lived in Houston, so, it was probably 1992 or 1993. Long time ago. But it was fun, there was something very relaxing about casting a line, and just watching that little float in the water. It was peaceful.

More bad news from NCARB

2009-07-20T11:15:00.002-04:00

Thanks to some idiots, who recently took the ARE exams, and then violated the explicit policies about public disclosure of testing questions, NCARB must now generate some new tests...at a cost of $1.1M. That money does not currently exist, and as a result, will be taken from those of us taking the tests who have not violated any rules. The cost of the test just went up 23%. Well that just sucks, and makes me want to take the test over again, even less.

My bigger problem, this sounds a lot like the scam the DOT puts on about Toll Roads. Pay a toll until the road is paid for, then we will take the toll booths out...this sounds familiar, pay more so that we can pay to revise the test, but I suspect they won't drop the prices back down after they are done paying this off. And I am sorry, $1.1M should not be a big deal to NCARB, they are a massive organization, and should have to deal with this on their own, as part of doing business, and not pass it on to those that give them business, just because someone was an idiot.

Bad Information

2009-04-29T07:07:00.002-04:00

In life, sometimes people don't slow down to make sure they give out the most accurate, correct information. And that is a shame, especially when dealing with matters that are really important, especially to someone who is already reeling from a bad experience, such as Architectural Registration Exam scores.

When I was inquiring to NCARB about the new testing procedures and exams, he offhandedly told me that my last FAIL (yes, he put it in all caps), was on 03-12-09. That would have been the third and final test I took, and that would have made me 0-3. When he so casually informed me of that, the last little bit of air that I had left in me, escaped in a quiet, lifeless way. He should have been more attentive, and done a better job. I got the real score yesterday, well really today, since I was not at work that late yesterday.

PASS

The jerk gave me bad info, I would like to strangle him for it. So, I actually got a PASS on Site Planning. So I am really 1 for 3. Still not great, still not what I had hoped, but it give me hope that maybe I can get through this, and that I am not starting over from square one.

Canyon Storm

2009-04-27T07:28:00.003-04:00

I have not yet started to chronicle our trip here yet, I will, eventually. But so far, one of the favorite images from the trip has to be this one.

It was taken along the South Rim at the Grand Canyon, at Powell's Point. We climbed out beyond the main observation platform, and got out to the farthest reach of the rock outcropping we could. We were trying to take pictures of the sunset, but Mother Nature threw a snowstorm at us instead. it was a very intense storm, the wind was blowing wildly, and the snow was blowing sideways. The clouds were rolling and tumultuous. Trying to capture that was my new challenge. The image that resulted is some what other worldly to me, it shows such an inhospitable place, in the middle of a big storm. It has to be my favorite image from the trip to this point.

I am not done going through them, there are over 2,300, but so far, this one is my new favorite.

0-3

2009-04-20T10:23:00.003-04:00

I struck out. I don't have the official paperwork yet, but I have been told by other means that I went 0 for 3. I get to start over from scratch now. Fun Stuff.

All Aboard

2009-04-07T17:40:00.004-04:00

All aboard the FAIL boat. I will be your captain, I can't guarantee your safety, but I can promise you, that I don't know what I am doing.

Today did not have the ending I wanted. I got scores back on two tests, both the same score, both FAIL. Not really sure why, and never will know. I am extremely disappointed, upset, and bothered by the results. The results tell you that you failed, and whether it was minor, moderate, or major. I had all three. The test sections I was worried about, I passed, the ones I was sure I did good on, I failed. So I get to do it all over again...in 6 months. Today has not been a good one. While I don't truly question my choice of profession, I have to question why I can't manage to get past these exams.

Nothing

2009-04-07T07:51:00.000-04:00

Nothing, no letter, no mail, no news. All I really want it to know that what my score on my test was, did I PASS, or did I FAIL. At this point, either score is something, but right now, I have nothing. And it will bother me to go on vacation, and not know anything. I will never understand why a computer graded exam, takes 4-6 weeks to get a score on, that is one slow damn computer if you ask me.

To know, or not to know.

2009-03-27T12:48:00.004-04:00

As you get older, you are sometimes faced with more responsibility. As you progress in a company, you are sometimes burdened with the inner workings of the company, and information is passed on to you, sometimes for your benefit, sometimes to keep you informed. Sometimes, you wish you did not get passed some of this information.

Such is the case now. I have been with my company for almost 8 full years now. While I am not a partner, I am given information that is not shared with other employees. right about now, i wish I did not know, what I know now. I can see the writing on the proverbial wall, (as much as I hate to use that saying) and I know that the economic times that we are faced with have a major impact on our workload in the architectural profession. We are running out of work. Well, more so, we have nearly run out of work, period. Present tense. And as such, some job cuts might have to happen for the first time in the companies 11 years. 2 cuts. Not my job, and for that I am extremely grateful and thankful. But two other people will be out of work, in about 2 weeks time. One of them, probably should have never been hired in the first place, and the loss their does not bother me. The other person, is the troubling thing for me. her personality fits in so well with our office. She is a good worker, competent, and does not need a lot of supervision. I have been working alongside her for the last month on a project. And she has no idea. None. She makes comments about "we will work that out in a couple weeks at the next stage of the project", and knowing what I know, it is hard to stand there and have a conversation. I will be disappointed the day she leaves. She has only been with the company for 6 months. She was laid off by her previous employer. And now she gets to go through it again.

Sometimes, I think it would be better to not know. Maybe the ostrich has it right, when it hits the fan, get low, stick your head in the sand.

Southwest Vacation: Part 2

2009-03-24T07:35:00.003-04:00

One of the other adventures we are going to go on during our vacation is a hot air balloon ride. Hot Air Ballooning is something I have done before, my friend photog and I actually participated as crew members for a 2 balloon operation in Houston when we were in our younger years. That was always a lot of fun, it had to be to drag two teenage boys out of bed on Saturday mornings at 5 am. On two occasions we got to go up in the balloons and the experience, to this day, is still something that I remember vividly. There is such a sense of weightlessness and it is so peaceful. Since you float on the breeze, there is no wind, just a calm environment. When I discovered that Hot Air Balloon Rides were very popular in the Sonoran Desert, well, I knew we had to go.

Hot Air Expeditions will be our tour of choice. They come very well recommended from all of the reading and research I did online about the various outfits to choose from in the area. We are really looking forward to seeing the Sonoran Desert from 400 feet in the air. I will make sure I get good pictures.

Southwest Vacation: Part 1

2009-03-20T07:55:00.003-04:00

Now, don't those look like fun.

In about 20 days, we will be taking off to go visit the US desert Southwest. A part of the country that neither of us have ever been to. About 8 months ago we started planning this trip. Thankfully, a large portion of it is being paid for by all of the business travel I did last year. Our plane tickets, and most of our hotel nights are all free as a result. Sometimes those frequent traveler programs pay off. Anyway, we are going to Phoenix, Joshua Tree National Monument, Tuscon, Sedona, The Grand Canyon and Zion National Park. I am pretty sure I will have more than enough photos to keep me busy for a long time after this one.

But, while we are in Phoenix, we are taking a guided Tomcar tour with Desert Wolf Tours, and that picture is a Tomcar. Our tour will be a half day, taking us to remote parts of the Sonoran Desert, that are not really accessible to the visitor any other way. And, we get to drive this thing, not the tour guide, we drive. How cool is that! And the pictures that are going to come from that little trip, I can't wait to see them.

But most of all, we are looking forward to a great vacation for just the two of us. We have not been able to take more than a weekend where it was just the two of us since our honeymoon. So, we decided it was time. And I am glad we started reserving things when we did. Because if we started doing it all now, well, who knows. But most of this is paid for, and the rest has its funding. So, we are going to go, and enjoy ourselves.

More to come.

For the sake of comparison.

2009-03-10T14:25:00.004-04:00

Sometimes in life, you have to paint a picture, so that others can accurately understand a point you are trying to make. I am going to start painting now.

Lets say, that you are a fortunate person, and you spend your daily commute behind the wheel of, oh, lets say a Ferrari 430 Scuderia. Quite possibly the pinnacle of the development of the motor car as we know it.

You get to drive one of these everyday. You are good with it, you know how to extract what you need from it, you are one with it, and you enjoy it. You are never surprised, and never let down.

But then one day, you are required to take a drivers exam, because someone thinks that you need to prove your worth and ability. You show up for your test, keys to your Prancing Horse in hand...and they inform you that you will be driving this:

A 1985 Yugo. Russian Made, whose pinnacle was the addition of fuel injection.

That is about what it is like taking my current round of registration exams. I use AutoCAD, and am required to use the NCARB program for these tests...the equivlent of a newly injected '85 Yugo.

Oh yeah, took the second one today. It was a blast. Two down, one to go.

One Down, Two to go!

2009-03-04T14:39:00.002-05:00

I took my first of the last three tests today. I don't know if I passed yet, but I am confident that I did. I should, since this is what I do everyday. but i won't know for 4-6 weeks, which is crazy, since the test is scored by a computer. It should be scored in a matter of days. But the idea that design is scored by a computer is insanity in my opinion, design is subjective, not objective. It is also open to interpretation, which a computer is not capable of, at least not that I am aware of.

Oh well, that one is done, time to prepare for the next two.

Snow Day

2009-03-01T18:23:00.006-05:00

Yep, March 1, 2009 in Atlanta is a snow day. The news folks had been telling us all week that we might get a nice wintry day today, and no one believed them. While sitting around the table doing some work today, at about 11 am we realized that it was, in fact, snowing. We were sure none of it would stick, after all, this is the south, and snow should know better. But no, it stuck, and it got heavy at times, it was a very heavy, wet snow. It did not stick to the roadways at all, which is good, this town gets paralyzed by the thought of snow on the roadways.

Even the dog got in some snow time, she really enjoyed running around in the wet stuff, and loved to chase the snow balls that were soon flying through the air.

The last time we had snow was January of 2008, and we were at the airport waiting to fly to Paris. We did not get pictures of the house in the snow then, so I made sure we got some this time.

Now we have had our fun in the snow, now it is time for this mess to stop, we have to go to work tomorrow, and I don't want to do it in the snow. Once a year is enough, time for warm weather now please, ok, thanks.

Intaxication

2009-02-24T09:51:00.002-05:00

Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.

I thought this new word was perfect for this time of year, and it is so true that first few seconds when you finish doing your taxes, and then it hits you. I am just glad to have our money back.

Finally!

2009-02-24T07:56:00.002-05:00

I finally signed up for all three of my remaining Architectural Registration Exams. Yep, all three, in the span of about 8 days. Building Planning, Building Technology and Site Planning. Two of them are 6 hour tests, one is only 4 hours. But all are longer than the other 6 sections that I have taken.

I got tired of everyone asking me about it, and, work is slow. Right now is a good time to get these done. My work load has decreased substantially, and that gives me the ability to take what amounts to three days off to take these tests. It will be nice to at least get them behind me for the first try, I am hoping, and fairly confident that I should be able to pass them on the first try, provided I don't let my head get in the way. These tests are all graphic divisions, involving design, but they are not to see if you can be a good "Designer". They are testing your ability to meet a client's program and needs. I have to approach it differently than we would in the real world. Any mistake, and error, or any oversight results in FAIL. Good design does not earn extra credit.

So, March 4, 10 and 12, here I come.

Zach Lutz

2009-02-13T16:00:00.003-05:00

Zach Lutz's Adventures in Racing has been added as another place to waste time. He is a nice young man I met at the track this past weekend. He and his father are both avid racers, and Zach will be competing in the Ford Racing Mustang Challenge Series this year as a Rookie. his blog will follow that, and tell the stories of life as a racer in the series. He is also sporting a few pictures I took of his car this past weekend. So that is kinda cool for me, to see my pictures on a blog that is going to actually get some views. It should be fun to watch him progress.

Economic Uncertainty

2009-02-03T07:48:00.002-05:00

These economic times are starting to hit home. Yesterday was particularly upsetting. A very good friend was laid off, and while she felt it a blessing to not be working for the evil woman she worked for, she is now out of work, a situation I would be terrified of Then, we got news that UPS will not be doing annual pay increase for management, and they will discontinue their 401K match for the foreseeable future. And, then, to make matters worse, my office has lost two big projects in the last 4 days, one of them was mine. It was what was going to be in production for the next two months, permitting for two months after that, and then construction for 14 months. So, the next 18 months of work for me, just evaporated. Poof, working on it hard everyday one week...sitting around with nothing to do the next.

I have been told that if worse comes to worse, the partners will weather the storm with me on board, and the 4 of us will get through it, and that is comforting, but if it gets worse than that, I will be out of work, with no where to go. I don't have any skills that would be useful in any other field. I just hope and pray that something changes. A certain someone preached "Change" for the last two years at us, filled our heads with it, I think it is about time he steps up to the plate, and actually goes through with it.

Hello 2009!

2008-12-31T11:40:00.001-05:00

As we look forward to 2009, there are always unknowns. Will I have a job, will all of my family still be with me at the end of 2009, where will life take us. All of these things are not up to me. But one thing I know is that I will be surrounded by good people, I will have the love of my wife and family, and the support of great friends spread across the country. This is the time of year, when we should look back on the year behind, pay our respect to those we lost, those we added, and to take stock in what we achieved, and to give thanks for what we have received, and be ready to take on the new year. I know I am ready for 2009, ready to start a new year, with new experiences, new places to go, new people to meet and good times to have. Because God knows, I have had about enough of 2008.

So, lift your glass, celebrate the year behind, and embrace the year ahead. CHEERS! Happy New Years!

Random Photo of the day

2008-12-31T07:05:00.004-05:00

I took this picture in Wichita, Kansas, this past weekend. I am not sure of the names of the pedestrian bridge, or the park in the island between the two bodies of water. I know the main river is the Arkansas, as it passes through Wichita. What I liked about the scene, was the contrast of the still water over the spillway to the rough water at the bottom and on into the flowing river. The back lighting made for some nice silhouettes of the oddly shaped structures. It was a tough shot to get, the lighting was not great, and I had to prop my camera on a wall to shoot the 1/15 second exposure, any longer than that, and there was too much movement in the camera. I wish I had my tripod with me, that could have been interesting, or it could have been worse. No matter, I like what I got. It is the desktop of the day.

Little Surprises

2008-12-30T14:00:00.004-05:00

My grandfather can be a surprising person. He has always had an ornery side, and he has always kept me on my toes. You never really know what he is going to do. In the hours following the funeral for my grandmother, we as a family gathered at a common place, the home of a family member. We were there for a number of hours. Grandpa was alert, and part of the evening, and eventually joined everyone in the basement, where there was a pool table, TV, games and all sorts of things. The family was enjoying each others company, the women were chatting, and the men were involved in a little sibling rivalry, best settled at the pool table. And then, out of nowhere, Grandpa decided it was his turn to shoot a little. He played 5 or 6 games, and all things considered, did quite well. It was not a matter of who won or lost, it was time well spent with him.

It was a great way to end the day, and a nice break from the day that we had all been through.

An Angel went home.

2008-12-22T05:59:00.006-05:00

Last night, at around 6 PM, an angel went home. We will miss her, we will cherish all of the times we spent with her, but we will be at peace, knowing that she is singing in the choir again, because her voice has been returned to her. She is no longer encumbered by the disease that took her away from us, her pain and suffering are over. We know she will eternally be with us in spirit, watching over us in everything we do.

I am so grateful that I had the chance to see her one last time at Thanksgiving, got to hold her hand, and spend some time with her. I will forever remember that time, and always be glad I got to see her one last time.

GRAND OPENING...quiet exit

2008-12-19T08:10:00.010-05:00

The project that I have been working on for the past 13 months, has come to an end. The Grand Opening was held on Wednesday, and I was fortunate enough to attend. This was the first hotel that was mine, from the time the first lines were drawn, to the time the last furniture was put in place, and the last piece of carpet was vacuumed. There is a sense of pride in standing in a building that big, knowing that you had a hand in it. I learned a lot, got to see a lot, traveled way too much, but in the end, it is a great project for our office, not glamorous like the downtown firms, but for us, and what we do, it is a good project.

I got to go to my first Grand Opening party, got to meet all of the big players in the partnership, got to meet the mayor, and all of the power players in the city it is built in, and then, got to quietly climb into my rental car, and leave at 5 am the next morning, with a job well done.

A few pictures.
The Front Entrance and Porte Cochere

The Main Lobby

The Pool at Night

and finally, my favorite one, the pool in the fog.

When we arrived, a coastal fog was setting in on the site, and I knew I did not have long to get up and capture this image. The building created a pocket of light fog behind the building, and everywhere else was dense fog. It reminded me of the California coastal fogs that I had seen during my visits there. This is one of my favorite pictures of the year.

18mm versus 10mm

2008-12-19T08:03:00.004-05:00

The new lens for the DSLR works great, I think I am going to really enjoy having it, both for my personal photo work, and the work for my office. It opens up the ability to shoot interiors, and in cramped spaces outside.

A little comparison, side by side. First, the widest angle the 18mm could produce, then second, the 10mm version from the same spot. I can reduce some of the barrel distortion in the 10mm shot, it looses some of the image on the sides, but it makes it feel a little less like a warped perspective.

Hey, nice glass!

2008-12-17T07:09:00.002-05:00

Yep, I finally got the super wide angle lens I have been wanting, for oh, since I got the camera. I ordered the Canon 10-22, f3.5 ES series lens. It is a digital only lens, but I don't see myself graduating to full frame anytime soon, so, this will be great for what I want to use it for. It will be great for taking landscapes, especially when we go on our vacation next year, and it will be great for architectural interiors...can't imagine when I will use that part...HA!. Anyway, it came in yesterday after I left the office. So it was a nice treat to see it here today when i got in. It is a really well built lens, metal body, metal attachment ring, much nicer than I expected. My other digital only lens is all plastic, this one is quite sturdy, well built, and a little on the heavy side. It has a great feel to it though, the zoom movement is nice and fluid, I now see why so many people love this lens. I am sure I will too.

I will put it to good use today, since I am going to a Grand Opening for my hotel project in LA...Lower Alabama. I will take some shot of the interior with both lenses for comparison. Should be fun. Can't wait to get out and use it.

The eyes tell a story.

2008-11-30T10:15:00.003-05:00

Just about everyone that knows me, knows I like to take pictures. And they rarely have any people in them, I am not good at capturing people, expressing them in the photo is hard for me, I have trouble accurately putting people on film. But this past Friday I had an opportunity to photograph my grandmother. Something that we have not done in a few years, because for some reason, we try not to document the condition she is in, as if not taking her picture means we don't have to accept what has happened to her. But I changed my thinking on it. She is still alive, she is still my grandmother, and I still love her dearly. I did not want to let denial get in the way anymore, I wanted to capture who she is now, because this is how she is now. She seems to communicate with her eyes, she watches and fixes her eyes on the people talking to her, and to me, her eyes are captivating, and they are the only form of expression she has left. So I took her picture. She seemed to enjoy it, because she kept staring right through the lens at me. One picture captured that, communicated that, and accurately depicts how I felt when I looked through the viewfinder. It captured a moment.

We did what we were told...

2008-11-26T06:51:00.001-05:00

...and now we have to pay.

As most people who pay attention know, the southeast part of this country has been in a very serious drought for about 3 years. At one point last year, the water supply in Lake Lanier was estimated in days, and there were only 2 digits in that estimate. The water levels in all of the lakes were at double digit lows compared to normal pool levels. Everyone went into water saving mode. All of the government agencies screamed and hollered, telling everyone to stop using water outside, cut your water use, stop using water, they placed very restrictive bans on water use. Our county, Fulton County, actually sent out a letter, that told us if we did not cut our water use, we could face fines and penalties followed by a higher water service charge for delinquents. So we did what we were told.

We stopped watering the plants, and many died, or did not bloom at all this spring. I stopped washing the cars, and it is showing, the paint on both cars is looking pretty sad, and the cars stay in a state of filth, not seen since the days of Pigpen. I replaced all of our toilets, with low flow toilets, that save about 1/2 gallon of water every time they get flushed. We have even gone so far now as to buy a new washer and dryer, a washer that uses less than 25% of the water used by our old one. All in an effort to save water, because I do understand the severity of the situation. But last night, I got pissed.

The small city newspaper, had a front page article, stating that Fulton County was going to have to raise the price on water and sewer service. And guess what the number one reason why was...wait for it...less consumption, means less money coming in and they can't meet the budget numbers. I was floored. I nearly blew a gasket. They had the nerve, the courage, to tell us that the 15% increase in fees was due to less consumption, something they forced on us. Who do they think they are? This is insane, I would gladly go back to watering my yard, washing my cars and carrying on life as it was before their restrictions, and would be happy to pay for the water I use, but to charge me more because I used less, just like you said, that is just theft in my opinion.

There is a public hearing on the issue in December, and I think I am going to go. At least try to voice my opinion. Because if no one complains, we will get walked on by those in charge.

Changeling

2008-11-24T08:06:00.002-05:00

We went and saw Changeling this weekend. There were not many options, and anything with Angelina Jolie is generally a no-go for Andrea. But, with few options, and both of us wanting to see a movie, we went. And were not disappointed. She put on a very good performance in my opinion, and Andrea even agreed. It was a good movie, based on a true story from the late 1920's. It was a little graphic, and a little intense at times, but it was good, and I would recommend it.

Reading Room

2008-11-24T07:53:00.002-05:00

When I was in High School, I enjoyed reading books, all sorts, from a variety of authors. I would stay up way too late on a school night, reading, just thinking, I will finish this chapter and go to bed. Only to realize, it was almost time to get up and get ready for school. But for some reason, when I got to college, my attention span for books went the way of the Dodo. I would pick a book up, and be bored by it about an hour later. I have tried a few different times, and a few different types, from Glenn Beck's book, which I thought I would enjoy, since I liked his show. Got bored with it. I then tried John Daly's auto-biography. I figured, it was about a golfer, who liked to drink too much, and made a spectacle of himself, surely that would be a good read. It was, for the first half, then I lost interest, and have not picked it back up. I had all but given up, on what used to be something I really enjoyed.

But in the airport last week, I decided to pick up a book again, I had not read a fiction novel in years. I had gotten tired of just reading magazines, that take about 20 minutes to go through. Since I really don't have the attention span to read articles more than a page or two long. But I picked up the new John Grisham book, The Appeal. I read over 60 pages between the time I got to my departure gate and when we landed in Pensacola. Then I read another 60+ pages on the return trip home. It is a good book so far, and I have enjoyed it. I will probably read a little more tomorrow.

Then, a friend, who is not a book reader at all, hands me a book he says I should read, Crashed & Byrned: The Greatest Racing Driver you Never Saw. AN autobiography about a racing driver, that my friend knows. And with Motorsports being a recent infatuation of mine, I thought, if he can read it, so can I. So I am going to start that one tomorrow, he says it is a quick read, and I am looking forward to it.

I am hoping this trend continues, it sure makes those flights seem shorter. And it feels like my brain is getting a stimulation that it has not gotten in years, that of reading something other than a car magazine. Great as they are, they just pass the time.

2008-10-25T13:12:00.004-04:00

I looked out the window today, and realized that the sky had miraculously turned blue. You see, yesterday was one of those miserable Atlanta fall days, 45 degrees and raining. My least favorite combination there is. And today, the sky has cleared up, and with the laack of any heat, the smog around here has been stymied a little, resulting in a great bright blue sky. So I decided to take adnatage of it, for work purposes.

So i went up to one of my buildings that I don't have good pictures of, and shot a few. This is the one we are going to be using for the building in our marketing materials. I liked how the shadows framed the building, I got there at just the right time today. I am pretty proud of this building, it turned out really nice, it was one of the first that I got to really have my input on, and do the design, and the drawings, and the CA side of it. It was a great project, despite the difficult client.

Enough jabber...the picture.

I have on my Christmas wish list both a fisheye and a wide angle lens, hopefully I can scrape up enough cash to buy them this year, they would have made for some really cool pictures of this building.

History Repeats Itself, must be about time.

2008-10-25T11:24:00.002-04:00

"Great nations rise and fall. The people go from
-bondage to spiritual truth,
-to great courage,
-from courage to liberty,
-from liberty to abundance,
-from abundance to selfishness,
-from selfishness to complacency,
-from complacency to apathy,
-from apathy to dependence,
-from dependence back again to bondage.”

Alexander Fraser Tytler

We follow the path of history, we know where it will lead, yet we do it anyway.

The Final Product

2008-10-14T07:05:00.003-04:00

OK, the Entertainment Center is done. Well, it was done this past weekend.

Just after the paint was done, probably still wet.

And with all of the equipment in place. It really does everything I wanted it to.

I would do it again too, we got the piece we wanted, that met our needs, works in our odd living room, and we did not spend a fortune on it. Only downside, it weighs a ton. I had to recruit the neighbor to help me move it in. I suspect it weighs close to 200 pounds. But it had to be solid, and it is. And we love it.

Flying in First Class

2008-10-13T06:42:00.002-04:00

I have been flying a lot this year. More in this one year than I have in my entire life. Enough to actually make one of the upgraded status levels at Delta. I made Silver Medallion on my flight to my job site last week. This means, you get a few little perks, and right now, the best is an automatic request for a free upgrade to first class, if there are any seats available. Now, I am not in the front of that line, because after all, I am only Silver level, there are 3 more to go. But, this morning, I got a little email, that tells me that on my flight tomorrow, I am upgraded to First Class. First flight after being Medallion, and I got a new big chair...woohoo! Maybe it is just a courtesy, since they want to keep me interested. But, when i looked, the plane is half empty, so, I picked out a nice window seat, at the very front of the plane. First on, First off. That is the real benefit to First Class. If I was not driving when I got there, the free drinks would not be bad either.

Working in the Woodshop

2008-10-10T08:00:00.003-04:00

Sometimes in life, you just can't find what you want, or you can, and you can't afford it. That is the case with our living room, and an entertainment center. When we bought our house, we also bought ourselves a fairly nice TV, a projection 57" DLP TV. And I love it. the problem is, right now, it is just sitting on an ugly base, and all of the audio/video components are just sitting on the floor, wires everywhere, and it just looks bad. We have wanted an entertainment center for the room for a while, but can't find one that we like and that we can afford. Most of the pieces we find now, are designed around flat panel TV's, that don't weigh as much. Our TV would sit too high on most of those, if they could even hold the weight. So, after being tired of not finding anything, I decided to design, and build my own.

This is the fruit of my labor. It is not done yet, I still need to do all of the finish work.

I am very happy with how it came out, I can stand on top of it, and it does not budge. It should provide great support for our TV, and hide all of the wires and cables. I designed into it, a large pocket in the back to hide all of that stuff, so that none of it is visible. This weekend I will be trying to get it finished up. I think that my next projects...will be end tables and a coffee table, since we have not found those that we really like either.

545 People

2008-10-01T09:30:00.003-04:00

This will probably be the one and only time I post anything about politics. This was passed on to me from someone much smarter than me, who has political views a little like mine. So I will share it. It is a small editorial written by Charlie Reese, a former columnist for the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper

545 PEOPLE
By Charlie Reese

Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.
Have you ever wondered why, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, we have deficits?

Have you ever wondered why, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, we have inflation and high taxes?

You and I don’t propose a federal budget. The president does.

You and I don’t have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does.

You and I don’t write the tax code, Congress does.

You and I don’t set fiscal policy, Congress does.

You and I don’t control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.

One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president, and nine Supreme Court justices 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.

I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank.

I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a president to do one cotton-picking thing. I don’t care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator’s responsibility to determine how he votes.

Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.

What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits. The president can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it.

The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes. Who is the speaker of the House? She is the leader of the majority party. She and fellow House members, not the president, can approve any budget they want. If the president vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to.

It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million can not replace 545 people who stand convicted — by present facts — of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can’t think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.

If the tax code is unfair, it’s because they want it unfair.

If the budget is in the red, it’s because they want it in the red.

If the Marines are in IRAQ , it’s because they want them in IRAQ .

If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it’s because they want it that way.

There are no insoluble government problems.

Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power. Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like “the economy,” “inflation,” or “politics” that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.

Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible.

They, and they alone, have the power.

They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees.

We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!

New Online Photo Gallery

2008-09-29T07:21:00.002-04:00

In late January of this year, I had a very nice online Gallery setup, where I could display our pictures from our various endeavors in life. Then one day, without warning, it broke, and could not be put back together again. And I could no longer easily share our photos with friends and family. But that is changing.

My good friend Steev told me about ZenPhoto and I decided to give it a try. I had heard of it, but did not know how easy it was. Well, it was a breeze. I have very limited knowledge about this sort of thing, but it was very easy given my little amount of knowledge. I didn't even have to ask my IT guru friend any questions. So, we now have a Gallery back up and running, it will take some time to get it restocked and tweaked to the way I like it, but it is up, running, and open to the public.

Enjoy.

OurZenPhoto Gallery

Got Gas?

2008-09-28T13:10:00.004-04:00

Gas in North Georgia has been in short supply since Hurricanes Gustav and Ike beat up on Texas and the Gulf Coast Region. In the Atlanta area, people try to top off their tanks daily, which has created pandemonium. Those of us on "E" are left to search websites and follow traffic to the gas stations that will have gas...for maybe 2 hours and then they are dry again. Having a business road trip in two days, I had to fill up, I was past empty, and had already siphoned out the gas from my lawnmower and the gas can for the lawnmower. After reading some websites, I set out, and ten miles and 45 minutes later...the only thing I had accomplished was to burn off some more gas. The stations that had gas at 9 PM, were empty by 9:45. After returning home, we were still looking at the same websites, and one popped up that a station down the road had just been re-fueled. I set out again, a little after 10 PM. I go there to find a long line, but one that was being managed very well by the attendants at the station. It took about 25 minutes, mostly due to the time, and I was able to completely fuel up, full tank, a lot expensive. But it was a zoo, I have not seen traffic like that at after 10PM ever. people went off and lost their minds, one guy, waited in the line, and then realized he left home without his wallet. He was begging people to help him pay for his tank of gas. no one obliged. Not at $4.20 a gallon. I hope supplies start to roll in soon, or I will have to work from home all week.

The Verdict

2008-09-18T06:39:00.003-04:00

Mpix gets a big thumbs up from me. I could not be happier. My order was processed, printed and shipped the same day I placed it. It was delivered the next day. One day turn around, and my pictures were in my hands. That is awesome. The metallic paper was well worth the whole extra dollar, it gives the pictures a luminance and a depth that can not be achieved on standard photo paper. I will absolutely have my printing done there in the future. Now I just need to figure out which pictures are next.

Mpix

2008-09-16T16:59:00.002-04:00

Mpix is an online photo printing outfit. Based in Kansas, and run by the owner of one of the largest Pro Photo Service companies in the country, they offer semi-pro services to rank amateurs such as myself. And at a good price too. They offer 3 types of paper for your prints, and will print in all sorts of sizes, and claim to turn orders around in one day if it is a simple order, 24-48 hours for more complicated orders. And, they will color correct images to match the color calibration on their printing machines to make sure you get the image you were after.

Now, I have never used their services...until today. I placed an order for 5 8x10's. yes, I could have printed these at home on my Epson R330, a printer that used to deliver great prints. But it has failed me recently, turning my prints into Andy Warhol type barrages of bright colors and sharp contrast. If that is your thing great, but when that is not what you wanted, not so great. So, I uploaded my images, placed my order for prints on the metallic papers...something that should be seen to be truly appreciated...and will hopefully know tomorrow how the images turn out. We are finally getting some of my pictures printed from our Paris Trip earlier this year, and that is as exciting to me as the new found printing source. To top it all off, this service, is cheap. Less than $3 per print. Wolf Camera can't come close to that price or service. A win win situation if you ask me.

Mpix also offers many other photo services, but there are so many, a visit to their site is the best way to appreciate them.

So, a report will be forthcoming. The anticipation is killing me.

Thieves

2008-09-09T12:11:00.003-04:00

I hate them. Especially the ones that do it where you least expect it. My Debit Card was counterfeited, sometime in the last few days, and some dirtbag in Athens, Georgia decided to clean out our Savings Account, and take as much as they could from our checking account. I hope the bank catches them, and donkey punches them in the crotch.

A little lesson, don't put your PIN # into those little pads at the gas pump, in the gas station, the liquor store, the grocery store, those free standing ATM's not in a bank, anywhere. The sophisticated thief steals your card number and your pin number from those. I suspect that mine got nabbed at a freestanding ATM in the hospital I was at last week, that was the only time in the last two weeks I have used my PIN # anywhere. I won't do that again. So, learn from my misfortune. Thankfully, we have a great bank, and they are crediting us our money, and are going to try to apprehend the lowlife responsible, or at least the idiot who stole the money.

Back to the Cutting Room

2008-09-09T12:09:00.003-04:00

Time for surgery again. Yipee!! I got the results from a CT scan on my right knee back today. And I get to have surgery again...that makes #6 on one knee. One day it will either get fixed, or I will become one of the youngest total knee patients I have ever heard of. Worst part is, I don't have the schedule to get it done...until November. but, I have dealt with this pain for nearly 2 years, what is another two more months.

LeRoi Moore: 1961-2008

2008-08-20T07:48:00.003-04:00

LeRoi Moore, most won't recognize the name. He was the sax player for the Dave Matthews Band, probably my all time favorite band/ musical group. LeRoi passed away yesterday, unexpectedly, from complications relating to an ATV accident he had a couple of months ago. He was one of the founding members of DMB, and brought an awesome sound and style to the group. I don't know that they will ever be able to find someone to sound like him, and certainly won't be able to replace him. I own most of the DMB collection, all of the studio albums, and almost all of the live albums. Those live albums and the concerts are where he shined, going off into long solos, which the crowds always loved, his love of the music, and the passion he showed when on stage will be missed.

Olympic Complaint

2008-08-18T08:09:00.002-04:00

Now, I could be wrong, but most of what we get to see of the Olympics on TV is pre-recorded, since China is about a week ahead of us...because it is so far away. So, why don't they show the good parts, the parts that most people want to watch, when most people are AWAKE. The track and field, swimming, diving, and for some the gymnastics are the reason to watch the Summer Olympics. But they are shown at 10 or 11 PM. While during the day, you get rowing. While rowing is the life passion for some, it is a relatively small group. So why is that on mid-day on a Sunday when I am being lazy on the couch.

I would watch more of the Olympics, if I was awake when they broadcast it.

The Short Stack-Who's who

2008-08-18T07:41:00.002-04:00

I was asked who the artists were on the current short stack by my good friend. I shall explain.
Jamey Johnson
Country music, relatively new, but sounds fairly old. Slower, more like some old Merle, Waylon, George and Willie.
Bon Iver
Very indie, a friend recommended it based on what he knows of my musical taste. I really like listening to it, slower, calm, melodic.
O.A.R.
Kind of a jam band, similar to a Dave Matthews Band, but not as good, good live, they put on a good show, I only own their live albums, since they are better.
The Hiss
Local Atlanta band, kinda retro, kinda funky, right now they only have a 4 song EP out, waiting for the full length album.
Lewis Black
Not really music, stand up comedy. He is part of the Daily Show with John Stewart, but he tours the country, very topical and current with his work, political, social and general human observation. He is funny, true to his roots, and it cracks me up. Sharp tongued, yes, not for kids.

Hope that helps.

It also shows the wide range of the things going in my ears.

The Short Stack

2008-08-15T15:56:00.004-04:00

I added a small section, on the right hand side. Called "The Short Stack" and it is a short list of the music that is in current rotation on my iPod, basically the music that I am listening too at the moment. My taste varies, a lot. This might Chronicle that a variety a little.

Death to Mosquitoes

2008-08-15T15:46:00.003-04:00

Thats right. I hate the little bloodsuckers. And until yesterday, I thought I just had to live with them in our yard. But I was wrong. You see, we have a creek, that runs along the back of our property, less than 100 feet from our house. And in our drought like condition, the only water in it, is used as a breeding ground for the aforementioned blood beasts. Not anymore. It seems that my pest control company has a yard treatment, that they come out and do once a month...specifically targeting mosquitoes. It does not harm the other wild life, the trees will still grow, the birds are still out there, still safe for the dog to wander around...we just don't have to bathe in bug spray to go outside. And I LOVE it. So far, so good. I hope it lasts the whole month. And if it does, it is worth every dime. Down with Mosquitoes, I want to reclaim my backyard!

Violence leads to Frivolous

2008-07-29T15:17:00.002-04:00

OK, so it has been a while. I have been really busy. Out of town too much, and not enough hours Monday through Friday. But this one burns me. It goes back to something I have discussed before, blame, fault, and the fact that someone else has to be to blame for everything.

Earlier this year, in Savannah, where I went to college, a young female college student was raped in the middle of the night, while walking through an empty parking lot. Now, this is a terrible thing, so don’t get me wrong here. I am not suggesting she is at fault. By no means. It was reported that she was allegedly, love that word; subject for later, raped by a vagrant. And from experience, there are a lot of those in Savannah, and they are hard to catch up to, since, well, they have no address. But this case went to court. Not to press charges against the vagrant, if and when they ever find him. But the case is being brought against the owner of the parking lot and the contractor using it as over flow parking for a jobsite during working hours. This parking lot looks just like every other parking lot in Savannah. And there are a lot of them. It is illuminated in accordance with the City of Savannah’s very strict lighting ordinances, and it is well maintained. She is suing the owner of the parking lot and the contractor for not properly securing the parking lot. Really. And how would you propose to do that. Build a really tall wall around it, so that if you are in there, and get accosted, NO ONE CAN SEE IN to help you. So that you can’t see anything going on in that lot. Not in Savannah, no way, you would have all sorts of vagrants, drug dealers and assorted other social deviants hiding out in there, away from the eyes of local law enforcement.

My problem is this, why on earth would you want to hold the owner of a parking lot responsible for something like this. Why? And why does someone think they can sue them for a large sum of money as a result. Since when does any wrong in a persons life automatically give them the right to find a lawyer, and make a ton of money from this. I know it will strike a chord, but I think it is really some lawyer trying to find a way to make a big paycheck for his firm. And that to me, is reprehensible, not as much as the original act of violence, but it is working on it, to drag good citizens, and businesses into such a case, make them spend their hard earned money to defend themselves as if they were the ones who personally committed the crime. This is what I call frivolous; there is no better way to describe it.

Sorry, this one bothered me, it hit home being that I spent a lot of time in Savannah, and I know the contractor being sued. It has bugged me for a few days now, just had to vent.

Photographs Capture Memories

2008-07-02T16:30:00.006-04:00

While in Kansas recently, I got to return to the hometown of my mother; Fowler, Kansas. She grew up there, went through all of her years of school there, and her mother lived there until just a few years ago. And then when I was young, we went there fairly often. It was a few hours from where my other grandparents lived. So it was not out of the way to go visit. I had not been back there in nearly 15 years. And I had forgotten a lot about the icons, the look, feel and smell of a small wheat farming town in western Kansas. it was dry, windy, and flat for as far as you could see. And the looming grain elevators are visible for miles. I remember driving past the Fowler Equity grain elevator growing up, it was on the main road, the only road in or out of Fowler. When I saw it again on this last trip, it just struck me in a way I can't explain. It reminded me of all the trips into Fowler, and how it had not changed much, because Fowler had not changed much. I just had to take some pictures of it, I had to capture that memory, even though the picture will never convey what went on in my head when we drove past it. I don't know when I will ever go back to Fowler, maybe one day to show my children where my mother grew up, where my grandparents were laid to rest. But until then, I wanted to be able to capture that piece of my history, that part of my memories from my childhood. I am sure that none of the family in the car on that hot dusty road understood why I wanted to get out and trek out through a dusty field to take a picture of some old grain elevator. But I knew why.

The Fowler Equity Exchange and that which supports it. The second picture has so much more depth to it than I thought when I took it. The wheat almost feels like it is coming off the screen.

Vacation Hangover

2008-06-30T10:01:00.003-04:00

Yep, I am going through a vacation hangover. That sick feeling you get, that first day back in the office after an extended period of leave. Not the one or two day kind of leave, but the week long vacation binge. I have been out of the office for 12 days, 4 days for site trips, 3 days for a funeral, and then 5 days of vacation. One of the interns made the joke that they thought I did not work here anymore. It made me laugh, but reminded me I was back, and made the hangover worse.

The "no fun" generation

2008-06-04T08:22:00.004-04:00

The generation of young people just coming out of college, or still in college, is all about "me" and having "fun". To me, it is annoying. Fun is what you do on your free time, but when you come to work, not everything is going to be fun. It is called work, and it is called work for a reason. It is not always fun and glamorous.

I love my job, love what I do for a living, and I think I am one of the lucky people that can say that. But our new round of interns look at it very differently. They want things to be fun, all the time, and they actually have the nerve to say when things they are assigned to do are not "fun". They want to try to be selective about what they do, or try to hint that they did not enjoy a particular assignment. Where do they get off saying that, they should be glad to have a job, especially now, with the construction industry in a tail spin. They complain about little tasks. The nerve. They have to put their time in, work themselves up, and earn the right to do the fun stuff. I have, and I have worked very hard to get to where I am today. I have had to do a lot of "un-fun" things to be able to do the fun stuff I get to do now.

When I had my first job in a firm, I had to vacuum floors and clean toilets once a week, I had to clean the partners toilet, the toilet I was not even allowed to use. I would have loved to do small tasks at my desk as opposed to being the maid since my boss was too cheap to pay an actual cleaning service. The most "un-fun" jobs in my old office were assigned to me, I was on the bottom of the totem pole, and I did all of them, no complaints.

I remember being younger, and adults saying that they were afraid of our generation taking care of them. My generation seems to have turned out pretty good, everyone I know has good solid, stable jobs, and are doing their part, fun or not. I can't say the same for the new crop. I hope they prove me wrong.

Kia Rondo

2008-04-25T07:54:00.003-04:00

yep, I got the pleasure of driving a Kia Rondo. It made me wonder why anyone would actually buy one, after sitting it in, let alone drive it. it was awful, not the worst car I have ever driven, but close. The worst was the Dodge Caliber, that one was king of the dung pile, that one was the worst driving experience of my life, and I have had some pretty crappy rental cars.

I better start the story off the right way, I deserved this. I had a chance to bail out, kinda. I had a business trip to Alabama yesterday, my monthly, no twice a month trip, and when i got to the Avis desk, the lady informed me that they were out of the segment car that I had reserved, she had three options, a minivan, a Pontiac Solstice, and a compact. No way I was driving a minivan, and I feared that showing up to a jobsite, on the beach, in a drop top, might make the owner just a tad unhappy, he might think I am having fun at his expense, even though there would have been o upgrade fee on the vert. The third car, she did not know what it was, it had just been returned, and all she had was the ID number. I took the option behind door number three. I get out to the garage, she hands me the key, and tell me it is in slot 3...convenient. I look to slot 3, and in horor, realize I will be tooling around in a Kia Rondo. I almost went back and got the Solstice. But, judgment told me not to. Remind me not to listen to judgment in times like that.

I proceeded to try and get situated in this car, which was not going to happen. I could not find a seat position that worked, nothing that was comfortable, and nothing that would make me want to sit in that thing ever again. I am used to my hair touching the roof of my car, it gives me a sense of security, while most people would probably feel claustrophobic. Not me. This car, had a good 10-12 inches of headroom, ABOVE my head, and I am fairly tall. I felt like I was 4 feet tall. Sight lines out of the car were dreadful, thankfully I know how to set up my mirrors correctly, thank you Ron Hale. The car had no acceleration, the springs were so soft, that under full throttle, it felt like the front tires were going to lift up like a drag car...and they are the drive wheels...so that means torque steer. yep, in gobs. Tons of it. The overall driving experience was one I would like to soon forget. The interior materials were really cheap, the stereo was really poor, bad ergon0mics on the buttons, I had to lean forward to get to the buttons, because they slope away from the driver, steeply. The ride was terrible, the center of gravity on this car was so high, it felt like it wanted to roll over in a simple lane change. at one point, I tried passing another car on a two lane, because they were going 15 mph under the posted limit, not because i wanted to go fast...I thought I was not going to make it. The hamsters in the engine bay could not peddle any faster. I think the other driver slowed down, to aid me, when he heard the little four banger working so hard. By the end of the 65 miles i put on the car, my legs hurt, and so did my back, the seats were that miserable. It reminds me how spoiled I am in my car. To make it worse, the fellas at the jobsite saw me pull in, and gave me a little ripping about it. I told them the story, and they unanimously said they would have gone the route of the Solstice.

Next time, if there are three options, and one is the convertible, I will come home with a little more color in my face.

So what's it like...

2008-04-23T16:20:00.003-04:00

...to manage $18M in construction all at one time? Stress. I feel like the handset to my phone, has become a part of my ear. I spend 2/3's of my day on the phone...and I don't like the phone. And everyone wants everything done yesterday, and everything is an emergency. Yesterday, and idiot ran into one of my buildings with a piece of heavy equipment. Punched holes in my building. What an idiot, now that adds more work on my plate...which means something else won't get done. Who runs into a building, for crying out loud, it is a building, not like a speed bump you can't see, it is a 4 story building. I have seen bad driving, but this takes the top prize.

To top it all off, I am 2 weeks behind on the next project, another $10M project. Can't wait till that one starts, that should be fun. I might need to buy a cot, to have in the corner of my office.

I think I need a vacation.

FINALLY

2008-04-23T13:27:00.001-04:00

Thats right folks, I finally got my results back from my Lateral Forces exam...and I ah thrilled to say...PASS! My hands were shaking like I had Parkinson's when I read it. That is a huge load of my shoulders, now I can feel good about signing up for my last three exams, and I don't have to think about structures tests ever again.

I think I might have to celebrate a little tonight!

Surgery Day

2008-04-21T09:39:00.004-04:00

No, not for me this time, thankfully. But for our puppy. She had to go in to get Spayed today. She was in the process of possibly going into heat for the first time, and well, we did not want to deal with that. We had plans to have her spayed anyway. It just became an issue a little sooner than expected. She is a sweet dog, full of energy, and full of life. She always has a very inquisitive look on her face, and keeps us entertained.

Sometimes you get lucky

2008-04-21T09:34:00.006-04:00

Sometimes you get lucky, you see something at just the right moment, and you are prepared for it. I got home yesterday from work, and noticed that the neighbors Cherry Tree had dropped a lot of its blooms in the lawn. The neighbors have very nice, lush green grass, and the pink blooms carpeted the lawn, and it was very cool. So, i got the camera out, and proceeded to go lay down in their yard and shoot some. I like the result.

This third one is my favorite, the colors, the contrast, the highlights, it embodies more of what I was trying to capture.

Atlanta Auto Show

2008-04-21T09:21:00.004-04:00

So my wife and I ventured downtown for the 2008 installment of the Atlanta Auto Show. I had to promise not to buy a new car afterwards...you see, 4 years ago we went, and that is when I first came to love the RX-8, and I bought one a week later. Sooo, I promised I would not buy a new car this time.

We had fun, it was not as big this year, which was a little disappointing. But we went on opening day, and got there early. Which was great, it made for small crowds, and it was easy to get to see the cars. And easy to take pictures.

A few highlights..seeing the new Nissan GTR. That car is one bad machine, it looks awesome, menacing, and like it will outrun everything...and it nearly does. No doubt, that if I were to just find a bag of cash, I would have to weasel my way onto the NA owners list. It was truly an awesome looking car, and the paint was luminous. Thankfully, I can't afford one, or I might have broken my promise.
Another car I enjoyed seeing was the new BMW 135. They had the loaded version, in hardtop form, on display. It reminds me of the old E30 and I really like them. It felt great to sit in, and looked like it would be a ton of fun, both everyday, and on the racetrack. Another car that I am glad I can't afford, because that promise would have been in jeopardy again.

But, I think my favorite part of the day was not a car. At Lexus, they had 3 driving simulators set up, to play the new Gran Turismo 5, a new game for the Playstation 3. And in it, you drove the Lexus ISF, which BTW, is a really nice ride. Back to the story. You had to wait in line, and while doing that, I was watching lap times, and finishing places. They have you start in 8th of 16. Some of the guys could not hold 8th, and some could, some advanced a few. Most lap times were 2:20 and higher, some near the 3 minute mark. The kids did not count, well, cause they don't know how to drive. Pedal to the floor the whole time is not the most effective way to circulate a racetrack. Some of the fathers tried the same method, with the same result, crashing. The guy in front of me managed to finish 2nd, with a lap time of 2:07. I vowed to beat that, especially when the Lexus rep said he did the best of the day, with the best lap time. I had a goal now. I got situated, and took off, quickly passing the first 3 or 4 cars by turn one, and by the time I was nearing the last few corners of the famed Suzuka track, I was in first. Finished there, with a lap time of 2:04. The best of the day on both counts. I had a perma smile for the next hour. Too many laps on that track in GT4, and a little real world seat time helps. But my wife, she actually managed to beat a lot of the guys too, pulling a solid 2:18, I was proud of her. Need to get her out to the real track now.

So, while it was not the Houston Auto Show I got so used to growing up, it was fun. A nice day spent with my wife, and I got to see some really cool cars. The most expensive being the $311K Ferrari 599 Fiorano, by far the most stunning car of the day.

The pain of inconsistency

2008-04-11T14:17:00.002-04:00

When things don't have order, or consistency, it bugs me. It also makes you get your hopes up, or expect something, and then when that inconsistency strikes, it lets you down.

I got my results from my General Structures back 15 days after I took the test. I kinda thought the same thing would happen for the test I took a week later. Not so. And there in lies the disappointment. All week, when the mailman would arrive, I would run up to the front of the office like a kid on Christmas Day, only to be let down, when the Secretary of State did not send me a present. Now, I will have to wait until Monday, a full 21 days post-exam. Why did they have to break the mold on the last one, why did they send my results early, why can't they just tell me if aI failed or passed, that is all I want to know, but now I get to think about it all weekend.

Masters on Monday

2008-04-10T10:48:00.012-04:00

This past Monday, my wife and I had the priveledge of going to see the opening practice round for the 2008 Masters tournament in Augusta, Georgia. For those that don't know, the Masters is one of the 4 biggest professional golf tournaments all year. And it is one of the most amazing, well manicured golf courses in the entire world. I have been there before, and really enjoy how amazing the course is, and as a golfer, it is fun to see some of the games greatest players from the past and the present. We got to see Gary Player a few times, he now holds the record for most starts in the Masters, at 51 at the age of 72. We also go to see Tiger Woods, Sergio Garcia and other notables.

The most focus was of course on Tiger Woods. He was the first to tee off for the day, and by the time we got to see him, he was finishing on 17. the crowd around him must have been 25% of the people who were there, and once he was done, the crowd dispersed to other parts of the course. I am always amazed at the number of people that follow him. This picture was taken from a distance, with my camera held up over my head, and just hoping I got something. I like how it turned out. It has a feeling of being in the moment.

The landscaping at Augusta is amazing, the colors are so vibrant, and the leaves and grass are so lush. I need to get a job there, so that I can steal all of their secrets, I wish my Azaleas could look half as nice as theirs do.

So much of this course can not be appreciated on television, there is so much elevation change, and so many places that you can not see. It really looks like a tough course, I bet I could not break 100 from the pro tees on this course. But I would love to give it a try, too bad that will never happen.

All in all, we had a good time, and I look forward to going again someday.

Four Letter word

2008-04-01T14:01:00.002-04:00

P...A...S...S

That's right folks, I passed my General Structures Exam. I just got the results in the mail today, a good bit earlier than I had expected. It has put a nice ray of sunshine on an otherwise wet, rainy ugly day here in Atlanta. I have a grin from ear to ear!

Time...moves really fast.

2008-04-01T08:13:00.003-04:00

When you get older that is. My favorite comedian, Lewis Black, talks about how as he gets older, it is not the physical ailments that bother him, it is that times moves really fast, and the years fly by.

We start April today, it is spring, grass is growing(mine by the way is doing great), flowers are blooming and the temperature is coming up. But it seems that just yesterday, it was freezing cold out, and I was waiting on New Years to get here so you can have a good excuse to drink too much. Before too long, it will be time for Halloween, then Thanksgiving and all of it be here before we know it. I think summer is planned to last for 3 days this year. I hope I can find time to have a cookout with my friends.

I remember being a kid, and feeling like summer was a really long time, so much time, I could take my time doing everything I wanted to do. Then, school started again, and it felt like it would be an eternity until summer again, and I was always right, it felt like eons passed between that first day of school, and the last. I miss that. Now, we look so far ahead in life, that movies are advertised 8 months in advance, music is worse. By the time a new album comes out, I am tired of hearing the song on the radio. That does not make sense to me.

Anyway, with the first day of April upon us, I just realized...time is moving really fast. Need to enjoy it more while we have it, work less, spend more time with my wife, take more time off.

Its your fault, no its not!

2008-04-01T08:06:00.002-04:00

Why are we obsessed with who is at fault? Why do we try to place blame on someone for EVERYTHING?

What set this off you might ask...a commercial on the radio today. Discussing diabetes. It talked about all the things you can do to care for yourself if you have it, and medications that you can take and ways to treat a disease that you may not be at fault for getting. Well now that is a new way of looking at it. Who cares whose fault it is, if you have diabetes, or any other ailment or disposition in life, deal with it, don't try to blame someone else, or make yourself feel by reasoning that is is not your fault. This is getting ridiculous. No one has the spine to step up and accept what life gives them, everyone wants to find the easy way out, someone to blame, and if at all possible, blame them and get some money for it. It is not McDonald's fault if you become morbidly obese if you eat there three boxed meals a day, it is your fault. It is not Starbucks fault if you drink too much of their coffee and wind up having stomach ulcers or bad acid reflux, it is your damn fault for drinking too much coffee.

I won't even mention politics, we all know that is nothing but finger pointing. No need to beat the dead horse.

One more down...three more to go.

2008-03-24T10:51:00.002-04:00

I got one more A.R.E. test out of the way today, provided I passed it of course. Lateral Forces is in the books for the time being. It was a lousy test, poorly worded, and difficult to understand, it almost makes you feel like they want you to fail.

On to the next three, graphic divisions, should be easy. I hope.

Hobbies:High Octane and High Resolution

2008-03-18T08:17:00.008-04:00

A couple of my hobbies include fast cars and cameras. Sometimes, i get to enjoy both at the same time. This past weekend, a bunch of my friends were at the track, Road Atlanta specifically. A world class race track that holds numerous races over the year. My friends were there with NASA, a growing organization that allows everyday people to take their car out on a race track...and drive it like you want to and not get arrested. I was not able to drive this weekend, but I did get to take pictures. So, I got to smell the burnt rubber, high octane fuel and see some really nice cars.

I thought i would share a couple pictures.

This is a friend of mine, his car is set up almost exactly like mine. We have a lot of fun out on the track together.
This next one is a friend of mine, who has lots of play toys. This is him in his Ford GT, nice car, but I like his Audi R8 better. His GT did get a lot of attention in the paddock, and it was really fast out on the track. I wonder how many other GT owners like to flog their prize cars on the track. He sure enjoys it.
His wife gets into it too, in her Lotus Exige S, that has been track prepped from the ground up. It is a fun little car too, and tough to keep up with.
And one of my favorite cars from the weekend, a nice Ferrari 348. It sounded so good, that nice Italian scream. It brought a big smile to my face every time it went by.
There are more pictures on my Flickr page @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/atrhoads/
Enjoy. I know I did.

General Structures...Done.

2008-03-18T07:17:00.002-04:00

For now anyway, no idea how I did. But I got the test that scares me the most, behind me. At least until I find out if I passed. And with these, it is a PASS or FAIL. I am really hoping for the former, since I don't want to take that one again. It was rough enough the first time, but to wait 6 months, I would need a refresher course. So, the wait begins. But, in the meantime, Lateral Forces is next week, and then I am going to do my remaining 3 in the next month, they are all graphic sections, and really long. Joy. But, i need to get them all done, and passed, so that I can get rid of the moniker of intern. I hate that word, it sounds so...unpaid.

I've got Grass!

2008-03-10T11:52:00.003-04:00

Well, sorta, it is starting to grow. the seed I spread on the yard last week is starting to grow, I noticed it yesterday. I got really excited, asked Andrea, my mother and my aunt to come out and see. None were as thrilled as I was. Well, they really thought I was crazy. But my grass is growing, that makes me smile. Last year, our yard looked awful, as bad as the rental across the street. I was embarrassed. I need to fertilize it tonight, just add to what the dog is doing for it.

Glad that is over!

2008-03-10T08:45:00.004-04:00

My structures seminar that is, now I just need to get through the two tests. It was a long weekend, and I am pretty sure that my brain is over cooked today. Three days of stuff that makes my head hurt. But it was not as scary as i thought it would be, and I feel like I am now well prepared to take at least one of the exams. Now I just need to sign up for them, and study for the rest of the week, and take both of these by Monday the 24th. That way it is still fresh in my head. I thought I would just show one example of all the stuff we were going through, it was an easy one. It got worse. A lot worse.
I am looking forward to having these two test behind me, at least for the first round. If I fail either one, I have to wait six months. So, I have designed into the process, the chance to fail twice, and still stay on the old tests. In June of 2009, the Architectural Registration Exam gets an update, from ARE 3.0 to ARE 4.0. And if I have not passed both of these by then, I have to do them over. If I have only passed one, and not the other, I have to do them both over. So, I need to get them done, and have over a year, but I really hope it does not take that long, I have been trying to get these 9 tests done for over 3 years now, and that is pathetic. Just terrible on my part, it should not take that long. But, there were people in my class over the weekend that have been taking the test for 10-15 years, but just not very often, and not very regularly. So, while I am not the worst at it, I sure need to do it a little faster.

30 Hours of Structures

2008-03-06T07:13:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow, I start a 3 day seminar on building structures. Sounds like fun huh. 3, 10 hour days, all designed to help me pass 2 of my registration exams. 2 of the 9 total. But the two I have put off, and been the most concerned about. I have had to print the syllabus for the next three days. Over 100 pages, roughly 40 pages per day of information that will be covered. This is gonna be a long weekend. I hope it goes well, I hope I don't get lost in all the calculations and theories, because I have to take the two test next week, so that it is still fresh in my head. Those will be a blast too.

It's raining...WooHoo!!

2008-03-04T07:55:00.004-05:00

Finally, I planned it just right. The weather people said it was going to rain today. So over the weekend I aerated the yard, and yesterday put down a whole bag of Atlanta Blend grass seed. In hopes that it actually would rain today. And now...it is RAINING!! it never worked out last year, every time I did something in the yard, what I wanted to happen did not, and what I did not want...did. I put down weed killer last year, and it rained that night, washing it all away. I gave up on the yard last year. This year, I am not giving up.

The pain of Exemption

2008-03-01T09:59:00.003-05:00

Homestead Exemption to be exact. It is a tax break I guess. But they make you work so hard for it. And I had to go through it.

We bought our house in January of last year, so we were not eligible to apply for Homestead Exemption(HE) last year. So, I had to do it this year. Well, I, like the rest of Fulton County forgot when the deadline was to file for HE. On Thursday we received a letter in the mail, reminding us to get it done by March 1. On February 28, we got a letter to remind us to get it done by March 1. Good thing it is a leap year. And on this paper, it is not very clear as to who needs to apply, or what you need to have to apply. it tells you which offices in the county to go to, but that is about it. First of all, send it out a little earlier, what a bunch of idiot folks over at the tax commissioners office. And then, maybe put some directions on that forum telling people what to do, rather than just being vague and uninformative.

So, I went to the Tax Office, and the line was out the door, and down the side of the building. I get in line, with nothing in hand, well, because I had no idea what to bring, and the website for the county has no information on it. In a day and age where we can't get too much information, the County website has none. Our news cast are covered with information, so much so that you can't pay attention to all of them, and if you are like me, you can only pay attention to one at a time. But the county can't provide any information to us. And their phones...of the hook. they opened at 9 am, and at 9:01, the line was busy, no holding pattern, just a good old fashioned tone that tells you, try again. Better luck next time. So, there in line I stand, and I start asking other people what you need to file for HE. None of them know either. Some had large folders of information about their house, some were like me, and came empty handed. Some had filed for HE before, but because of the vague letter sent out, thought they had to do it again. Eventually, someone who was smarter than me, decided to talk to someone leaving the tax office. We found out, that if you have already filed in the past, you can leave, you don't have to do it again. And to properly file for HE, you need a valid picture ID and, get this....your motor vehicle registration. You could see the confusion painted on the faces of the people in line. Huh, car tag info, what does that have to do with it. Well, we later learned, that it proves you live there. Well, that information should have been in the letter, because that would have made sense. So, I wait in line, and after about an hour, I get in the door, and to the desk to sign in. I am number 63. And i think, man, if they have not gotten past that by 11 am already, this is gonna be one long day. So, I sign in, and try to ask the guy behind the desk a question. He has no information, because HE is not his department, he is just there to help with the massive crowd for the day. Fantastic. They could have at least given him a tiny bit of information. Just to help ease the tension a little, but no, they didn't. Finally found someone that knew something, and found out what I needed, and I did not have it. A scramble to the DMV next door got what I needed, and then the wait. I wound up answering questions for new people in line, because I had gathered all of the info I needed in my recon work. At this point, I knew more about HE than the people working there. So, I finally got a chair in the waiting room, and sat. For 2 more hours. because our brilliant tax commissioner only assigned 2 people to this task of verifying information. And they were not too bright, one of them had her OWN name tattooed on her arm, in plain sight. I guess she needed to have it there, just in case she forgot, or maybe on those Friday nights when she drank too much, she could always look at her arm and remember her name. I finally got done with my ordeal. i ha missed 4 hours of work, and spent almost all of that time just waiting.

And all of that could have been avoided. In a time when everything is online, and everything is electronic, how hard would it have been to have an online form, to fill out, and submit. I mean really, the tax office does both your house and car taxes. How hard can it be to cross reference those, in an second or two, online, and make the whole process easier. it would have taken 5 minutes, and I would not have had to miss work, and neither would the thousands of people that were in the same situation. It just does not make sense to me. As a people, we must be running out of, or be completely out of common sense. And if we had any smarts left, we would rise against those that are in control, that make us jump through hoops like this.

OK, I feel better now.

Boyd Coddington:Dead at 63

2008-02-28T07:35:00.006-05:00

Boyd Coddington, world famous hot rod builder, star of "American Hot Rod" and legendary custom car builder died on Wednesday morning at the age of 63. I had not heard about that until today. I enjoyed watching that show, and was always amazed at his vision for a car project, and the attention to detail he had. he was a master at his craft, and trained some of the best car builders in the business. I suspect the show will not go one, since he was the creative force behind all of the designs. that is too bad, I enjoyed it, and I enjoyed the cars he created. Besides, the show would not be the same without him and his Hawaiian shirts that he was known for.

Image downloaded from boydcoddington.com

Exercise...will kill you.

2008-02-28T07:27:00.003-05:00

Or at least make you feel like it will.

A few weeks ago, I got sick, and had to go to my physician, something I don't really like doing. And after some routine tests, and some blood work, he told me that I need to loose at least 20, but closer to 30 pounds. Which I already knew, but had been too lazy to do anything about. But some of what he told me concerned me, so I took to heart what he said, and am now making an effort. I have been back to the gym a few times in the last 2 1/2 weeks, and unlike most people, I actually enjoy the process of working out. I enjoy the exercise, and eventually like the results, and since there is ongoing gratification in loosing weight and there is incremental and noticeable progress, that helps to keep me on the wagon. But man, sometimes you feel like you were hit by a truck. Today is one of those days. But, I will faithfully go back today, and do it all again...with a different group of muscles. So that tomorrow, I will know I was hit by a truck.

When high expectations go wrong

2008-02-27T14:23:00.003-05:00

The following is a news story that I heard this week while on my way to work. I had a hard time believing what I was hearing. I could not imagine a reality like this child lived in, nor could I imagine the reality that the parents lived in. They both need to spend a long time in a small cell. Just after they are tied up and their son has a chance to get back at his parents. This is what happens when high expectations go wrong. The kid was probably smarter than both of his parents.

Source: Atlanta Journal Constitution:

Link to Original Article

An Atlanta couple pleaded guilty Monday to beating their son after he didn't receive all A's on his report card.

The boy's father, Jean Pierre Marshall, 42, and stepmother, Courtney Marshall, 26, were convicted on one count of first degree cruelty to children and one count of misdemeanor battery, the Fulton County district attorney's office said. He was sentenced to one year in prison and 10 years probation; his wife received five years of probation.

Back in March 2007, the Marshalls' son, 13-year-old Jacob, asked his teacher, Sabrina Golphin, to revise his report card. She refused and Jacob threatened to kill himself, Golphin said during Monday's sentencing hearing. Jacob was shaking and "almost hysterical," she said. He told her he was afraid to go home because he didn't get all A's.

When the teacher wouldn't change his grades, Jacob altered his report card himself, and when his parents discovered the deception they beat him with a belt and their fists, the district attorney's office said. One of the father's punches caused Jacob to lose consciousness, authorities testified.

He fled the house after his beating, returning to Price Middle School — where he was a student — barefoot and in torn clothes. The Marshalls were arrested soon after.

"A parent has a right to discipline a child, in fact, he has an obligation to do so," said Superior Court Judge Michael D . Johnson. "But clearly this went well beyond that which is appropriate."

The child now lives with his biological mother in Wisconsin.

I had reasonably high expectations placed on me as a child, bad grades were not an option, but a B was acceptable, and I did not fear for my own safety when I brought home a report card, even when I failed to make a B, or even a C. I was also on the receiving end of a spanking or two, but my parents would never have thought to hit me with a closed fist, or anything other than an open hand on my hind end. It taught me respect, and it was a quick way to learn right from wrong. But beating a child unconscious is way beyond that, and no child should have to live in fear of being punched by their father. I can't believe that some adults think that is o.k. I just can't.

Snow...I hate snow.

2008-02-27T09:32:00.003-05:00

So, I got up to take the dog out today, and to my disbelief, and chagrin, I saw snow flurries. I hate snow. it is too cold, too miserable, and only good for skiing, and since I am no where near a ski slope today, I don't want to see snow. The rain from yesterday in my rain gauge was frozen solid. yes, rain gauge, we are in a drought, i like to know how much rain we are not getting. Digression.

So the drive in had some strong snow flurries, and on some of the back roads, it was sticking to the road, and I could see tire tracks. I got to work and our elevated boardwalk to our front door had a nice thin layer of accumulated snow on it, enough to leave footprints. Joy. When I moved to Atlanta nearly 8 years ago, I thought I would never see snow again, and I was ok with that. I lived in Kansas for the first 10 years of my life, and saw way too much snow, and was glad when my parents moved us to Texas, if for no other reason, than no more snow. Even at 10, I did not like snow, it was too cold, and on more than one occasion, I had to shovel it.

Thankfully, the ambient temperature i supposed to climb up above freezing today, which would be nice. It will be a balmy 38. I can't wait for spring and summer to be here.

What is in a name?

2008-02-22T16:03:00.002-05:00

So, what is in a name. I will tell you, an attempt to find something that some other nut has not already come up with. And that is harder than you think. The name I brewed up for this little slice of the intarweb, Wilful Disbelief...comes from a few sources. By definition, wilful means "said or done on purpose, deliberately" It can also mean "Obstinately bent on having one's own way" and well, anyone that knows me, must only think for a few seconds as to why that makes sense. And disbelief, a word we all know. The Wilful Disbelief in this case, was partially that I had a hard time believing that I would be any good at this, and that anyone would read it. pessimism, I know, get used to it, this place will be littered with it.

Who is to blame?

2008-02-22T15:53:00.002-05:00

My good friend Aaron, that is who. This is his fault. I never thought I would start my own Blog, never thought I was the type to enjoy it, but I have been reading his for months now, and enjoy it, I even go and read the ones that his friends have...I don't know these people. Yet, I read their blogs, and become interested in their thoughts, and opinions. So, while it is Aaron's fault, I won't be too hard on him. After all, I have known him for going on 22 years now, he is one of the best friends someone could ask for.

How hard can it be I thought...HA

2008-02-22T15:32:00.000-05:00

Everyone is doing it, I enjoy reading them, even when I don't know the person behind them...yep, talking about blogs. I figured, how hard can it be, you write stuff, get it off your chest, maybe someone reads it, and we all go on, it gives me an outlet, and gives someone else a break in their day. It can't be that hard.

Until you decide to name the damn thing. Good luck getting what you really want, what you really have to do is find something so off the wall, or so random, to ensure that someone else has not already used it. And even some of those...yeah, they are gone too. And most of them, not used at all, or not used in 5 or 6 years.

But, who wants to start off completely negative...it suits me, but I will try to get back on topic.

I decided to start my own blog, I could probably post to it every day, with the meaningless, often trivial things that pass through my head. I can share pictures from time to time, share ideas, and in general, give myself one more thing to do.

So here it goes. This marks the first post at Wilful Disbelief. Maybe someone other than myself will see it one day, and maybe get something out of it.