I don't truly and completely understand how HDR images are created, but I really want to try it out. Sadly, I only have Photoshop 6.something and I do not think that it is going to be easy. Photoshop CS2 and CS3 have built in tools for creating these awesome looking images.
I am no longer working in the design field and really cannot afford to keep up with the latest versions of all the design software, as much as I must desire to have the latest and greatest tools at my disposal to enhance, correct and do all kinds of funky stuff to my photos.
Hell, I'm not even sure my camera is even suitable to capture the images that would be combined to create an HDR photograph...
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Photography
Bowen and I went for a ride in the car today, taking pictures here in Norwich, Yantic and up in Franklin. It reminded me of when I was younger and my Uncle Jim would take me out early in the morning down by the Thames River in New London and take pictures of the morning fog, birds and his personal, photographic obsession: fire hydrants.
I'm not sure about where you live but in New London the fire hydrants were not at all homogeneous. One hydrant down the street from the next could be a completely and utterly different design, color, height, etc. My experiences with him taught me to look at the details, pay attention to details when I was drawing or painting and later when I was working as a designer.
I'm not sure about where you live but in New London the fire hydrants were not at all homogeneous. One hydrant down the street from the next could be a completely and utterly different design, color, height, etc. My experiences with him taught me to look at the details, pay attention to details when I was drawing or painting and later when I was working as a designer.
Friday, January 23, 2009
I am a horrible blogger
It's not that I don't want to put the effort into maintaining a blog; I do. It's just that I don't, can't think of my life as blogger-fodder. My day-to-day is a pretty dull routine: up at 5:30 to get Bowen up and moving for school; sleep for another hour and then get up and go to work; work is usually a dull yet often uncomfortable, potentially embarrassing series of phone calls, mostly apologizing for and trying to rectify the laboratory's mistakes; I come home, eat, play Madden `09, stay up too late playing on the computer and go to sleep.
Rinse. Lather. Repeat.
So, why blog at all? Well, I am not an automaton. I do have my own views and opinions and let them rip here from time to time (or used to when I had my old site with my old blog: the now defunct bigmisterc.com). But I still hold back. Do I think that my unfiltered life would make interesting "blogger-fodder?" You bet your ass... But I am too chickenshit to recant my myriad infidelities and indiscretions (marital and otherwise), petty thefts and betrayals... the unvarnished truth. I'm just too afraid to list all that shit and still attach my name to it all. But I want to be honest; I really do. Uncomfortably, unflinchingly honest...
I just cannot do it.
...yet.
Rinse. Lather. Repeat.
So, why blog at all? Well, I am not an automaton. I do have my own views and opinions and let them rip here from time to time (or used to when I had my old site with my old blog: the now defunct bigmisterc.com). But I still hold back. Do I think that my unfiltered life would make interesting "blogger-fodder?" You bet your ass... But I am too chickenshit to recant my myriad infidelities and indiscretions (marital and otherwise), petty thefts and betrayals... the unvarnished truth. I'm just too afraid to list all that shit and still attach my name to it all. But I want to be honest; I really do. Uncomfortably, unflinchingly honest...
I just cannot do it.
...yet.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Resolutions update
Well I made some New Year's resolutions this year, which I usually do not do. Here is a bit of an update as to how I am doing:
1. Lose Weight:
Well, I haven't stepped on the scale but my pants are fitting a bit better. I am assuming that I am losing weight. I have tried to cut back on my portion sizes and tried to avoid snacking. When I do snack, I try to keep it sugar-free and semi-healthy. I have absolutely no idea if I am actually losing weight or how I might be doing it, but I think I may actually be losing some weight.
2. Go to the Gym
Complete and utter failure. I haven't been once in the 18 days that thus passed in 2009. Maybe tomorrow LOL
3. Sweet Tooth
Not so bad so far. I am still having an occasional chocolate bar and the random cinnimon bun once in a while but I am doing very good, in my opinion.
4. Making the Time I Spend Online Worthwhile
Well, it took me a while but I am updating my blog, am I not? But aside from that I am keeping in touch more with one of my oldest and dearest friend, Liz, via twitter. Other than that it's still pretty frivolous. But hey, you know what? I don't feel so bad about that. The internet is no longer my job. Now that I am no longer a web designer and the internet is something I want to enjoy. So I am still going to look at my LOLcats and you cannot stop me. So, there...
5. Be Nicer to Bowen
I recently sent a tweet saying something along the lines of 'who knew fifteen year old boys could be so annoying' to which Liz replied "teenage girls." But honestly I think back as to how I behaved and how I was the bane of my siblings' existence. We are annoying at that age. I know I was. All I can do is love him as much as I can and make sure that he knows that.
...so that's where I am with my resolutions. I have added another one that will be easy (hell, probably automatic if I stick with numbers 1 and 2) and that is to take a bit more pride in my appearance. In keeping with that I shaved my beard; downgraded back to a goatee and shaved the dome.
Voila:
1. Lose Weight:
Well, I haven't stepped on the scale but my pants are fitting a bit better. I am assuming that I am losing weight. I have tried to cut back on my portion sizes and tried to avoid snacking. When I do snack, I try to keep it sugar-free and semi-healthy. I have absolutely no idea if I am actually losing weight or how I might be doing it, but I think I may actually be losing some weight.
2. Go to the Gym
Complete and utter failure. I haven't been once in the 18 days that thus passed in 2009. Maybe tomorrow LOL
3. Sweet Tooth
Not so bad so far. I am still having an occasional chocolate bar and the random cinnimon bun once in a while but I am doing very good, in my opinion.
4. Making the Time I Spend Online Worthwhile
Well, it took me a while but I am updating my blog, am I not? But aside from that I am keeping in touch more with one of my oldest and dearest friend, Liz, via twitter. Other than that it's still pretty frivolous. But hey, you know what? I don't feel so bad about that. The internet is no longer my job. Now that I am no longer a web designer and the internet is something I want to enjoy. So I am still going to look at my LOLcats and you cannot stop me. So, there...
5. Be Nicer to Bowen
I recently sent a tweet saying something along the lines of 'who knew fifteen year old boys could be so annoying' to which Liz replied "teenage girls." But honestly I think back as to how I behaved and how I was the bane of my siblings' existence. We are annoying at that age. I know I was. All I can do is love him as much as I can and make sure that he knows that.
...so that's where I am with my resolutions. I have added another one that will be easy (hell, probably automatic if I stick with numbers 1 and 2) and that is to take a bit more pride in my appearance. In keeping with that I shaved my beard; downgraded back to a goatee and shaved the dome.
Voila:
Sunday, December 28, 2008
New Year's Resolutions
Well, my running joke over the past few years was that my New Year's resolution was to not make any resolutions. But this year I think that I am actually going to make a couple and try to stick to them. I think that part of this change of heart is because I am not a spring chicken any more. Now more than ever before I really am at a point where I need to make some changes to improve my chances of staying on this here Earth a little longer. I want to make sure that I am around to see my kids, my grandson, nieces and nephews grow up into men and women. And even though I don't have a lot of it to spare, perhaps I can impart a little wisdom to them along the way.
That is true immortality. Most of us will never write a great novel that will live on and be read after us. Most of us will never live a renowned or infamous life so that our names are recorded in history. But part of us lives on in what we teach to our children and children's children. My grandmother has been dead some 20+ years now, but she still lives on in the lessons she taught me: be decent, polite and respectful to everyone; be professional; have a strong work ethic...
So, getting back to my resolutions...
1. I need to lose weight - my doctor tells me that he feels that I am 100 pounds over weight. Me at 160 is a laughable idea. I have a broad frame, broad shoulders. I was built to carry a little extra weight, be it fat or muscle. But I have to agree 260 is an unhealthy weight at my age. If I can get back down to 200 I'll be happy.
2. In keeping with resolution #1, I really should take advantage of my gym membership. I haven't been since some time in November. Shame on me. Not only do I need to stay active, that's $20 a month down the drain - wasted since I haven't been to the gym.
3. I have a wicked sweet tooth. I always will. I'm going to have to try and keep that in check (he says as he pops another chocolate-covered espresso bean in his mouth LOL).
4. I spend a lot of time online - most of it is not productive. I do not plan on cutting back on the time I spend plugged in, but I want to make a conscious effort to blog more often because it really does help to reflect on my thoughts and sort them out on (virtual) paper. One of my best friends in the world lives in Florida and we do not keep in touch as well as we should, same with my sister in Texas and friend in Arizona. With all the time I spend in front of a computer screen you'd think I'd drop them a line once in a while, huh?
5. I have to be nicer to Bowen. He's going to turn 16 in `09 and the time remaining that he will be living under my roof is getting shorter and shorter. I want him to know that he's got a friend as well as a parent in me and that he can turn to me with his problems and when he needs help. I need to start showing him that...
Five resolutions doesn't seem to hard... I'm curious to see how I do.
That is true immortality. Most of us will never write a great novel that will live on and be read after us. Most of us will never live a renowned or infamous life so that our names are recorded in history. But part of us lives on in what we teach to our children and children's children. My grandmother has been dead some 20+ years now, but she still lives on in the lessons she taught me: be decent, polite and respectful to everyone; be professional; have a strong work ethic...
So, getting back to my resolutions...
1. I need to lose weight - my doctor tells me that he feels that I am 100 pounds over weight. Me at 160 is a laughable idea. I have a broad frame, broad shoulders. I was built to carry a little extra weight, be it fat or muscle. But I have to agree 260 is an unhealthy weight at my age. If I can get back down to 200 I'll be happy.
2. In keeping with resolution #1, I really should take advantage of my gym membership. I haven't been since some time in November. Shame on me. Not only do I need to stay active, that's $20 a month down the drain - wasted since I haven't been to the gym.
3. I have a wicked sweet tooth. I always will. I'm going to have to try and keep that in check (he says as he pops another chocolate-covered espresso bean in his mouth LOL).
4. I spend a lot of time online - most of it is not productive. I do not plan on cutting back on the time I spend plugged in, but I want to make a conscious effort to blog more often because it really does help to reflect on my thoughts and sort them out on (virtual) paper. One of my best friends in the world lives in Florida and we do not keep in touch as well as we should, same with my sister in Texas and friend in Arizona. With all the time I spend in front of a computer screen you'd think I'd drop them a line once in a while, huh?
5. I have to be nicer to Bowen. He's going to turn 16 in `09 and the time remaining that he will be living under my roof is getting shorter and shorter. I want him to know that he's got a friend as well as a parent in me and that he can turn to me with his problems and when he needs help. I need to start showing him that...
Five resolutions doesn't seem to hard... I'm curious to see how I do.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Manual Labor
I love the snow; I really do. I don't ski or snow board - hell, it's been a few years since I have even been sledding. But I love making snowmen, walking in the snow, taking pictures in the snow... I even enjoy shoveling snow as crazy as that may sound.
Sadly, I live in an apartment so I don't get to go out and shovel (or at least I shouldn't have to). But whoever the complex contracts to shovel the walkways and plow the parking lots really sucks at it. Last year I had enough and went out and bought myself a snow shovel because (and this happened yet again on Friday) I would come home from work to find my spot uncleared and the stairs leading into the rear entrance untouched. So I get to do a little bit of shoveling.
But now that my friend Kryston has bought a house I get to help her shovel her nice long driveway. Bowen and I went over to help her clear the snow and hopefully make a snowman but the snow was very powdery so no snowman, just shoveling.
Sadly, I live in an apartment so I don't get to go out and shovel (or at least I shouldn't have to). But whoever the complex contracts to shovel the walkways and plow the parking lots really sucks at it. Last year I had enough and went out and bought myself a snow shovel because (and this happened yet again on Friday) I would come home from work to find my spot uncleared and the stairs leading into the rear entrance untouched. So I get to do a little bit of shoveling.
But now that my friend Kryston has bought a house I get to help her shovel her nice long driveway. Bowen and I went over to help her clear the snow and hopefully make a snowman but the snow was very powdery so no snowman, just shoveling.
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