Snow...And Dorks

We got a lot of snow. Again. Apparently, we got 30" or so, and after shoveling it and walking in it, I'm going to have to agree. Walking through the snow, it went above my knees, and shoveling the snow, there were definitely some areas that had a really large amount of snow. But that's okay. I like snow. I like shoveling snow. I just don't like the small talk that goes along with it.

"A lot of snow, huh?" No, actually, It seems like more of a dusting to me, and the blood in the Saw franchise is more akin to a pin prick than anything more substantial. Of course there's a lot of snow. You can literally see the snow. You can see the piles of snow reaching five, six feet high. It's pretty fucking obvious there's a lot of snow out there, so saying something stupid like "We got a lot of snow, huh?" doesn't really say "conversation" to me. If that sounds harsh, I'm not sorry.

Of course, none of these photos are from this storm, these are from last weeks, when we got around a foot of snow. We're dorks and wanted to play in the snow. Me, being a really big dork, I decided to set up my strobe in our room to take some pictures. I was just kind of hoping to take some pictures that didn't totally suck. By that time, it's basically pitch black, and I figured having a nice, bright light source should make for some magical moments. Actually, I just wanted to take pictures of the snow. And I was going to take what I could get. Fortunately, it kind of worked out.

I really like the picture above. You can see the flash blowing out the window, and how much it lit up the yard. Krissy is running back to the house, probably t fetch some snow or something. I really like the nice, hard rim light around her hat. And the warmth of the lamp, while a bit jarring, adds a nice warm feeling to the photo. Winter is cold, the photos are cold, but I think that small touches of warm colors like that make them stand out a bit more. Ideally, I could have had a bit more warm tones in there, but oh well. For a snapshot, I really like it.

This is me. I'm probably getting ready to pick up some snow, or clapping my hands together, because that's how I roll. I like the light on my back, it has a very soft feel despite the light source being very hard. I found that the white snow everywhere was very forgiving, which was awesome, because the light meandered its way to places it otherwise would not have.

I got a gift card for the Gap, and I got that sweatshirt with it. Gap is ridiculously expensive considering the low quality of their clothing. I think the retail for that sweatshirt was around $70. Already some thread was coming undone and needed to be repaired. Also, it's not very thick. I really don't see how they could value it at that price. I think I paid around $30 for it, and even that is asking a lot. If it was my money, I would have left.

This is me throwing snow in the air. You can't see my face, obviously, but it's me, trust me, I ought to know.

Here's me again, I like the rim light here too. It has a weird holy kind of feel to it, which to me is peaceful. But I can see how someone would look at this and think it's kind of creepy. Ideally, I'd have had another light to light the front of me, but lights and water do not mix. I'd rather not obliterate my nice strobes, thank you very much.

Krissy took this one (and the others, except for the first one). I like it. It's a bit out of focus, but there's just something about it that I like. Also, my autofocus wasn't working at all for some reason. I attribute it to the cold, or the snow, so focusing was kind of a pain in the ass, considering how dark it was.

This is Krissy. I have to be pretty selective in what photos I show, and I think this one passed through her filter because you cannot really see her face. I love this picture though. She is smiling, and her hat is like, perfectly centered in the frame, and it really pops, color wise. The rim light around it only serves to accentuate it even more. And there's a little bit of overlap from it on her (camera side) shoulder, which I adore. 

This is from the first snowstorm, on the 26th (Boxing Day). I took this almost as an afterthought at the last minute before heading inside. I just wanted to take a picture of the snow falling, and I like how it turned out. It's nothing spectacular, but I like the ambiance of it. The photo is very wintry, which is what it is intended to portray.

Here is the same storm, as seen from the front door. These are steps which have been pretty much leveled off in snow. I think this storm was around 8-12 inches. This was the first experiment with the strobe, too. It was very awkward, and involved a boom (which we decided not to use) and Krissy, the most beautiful light stand ever. I only took a few photos, because I felt bad for her holding my light, and I didn't want to go traipsing through the snow.

The color in this one is weird, but I posted it anyway. This is what's nice about snow being white, the light bounces everywhere. This is below the window, so it might not have been lit up otherwise. I like it. It's a nice snapshot of the Christmas storm.

Bakerella has nothing on these. The red velvet recipe made for a delicious cake that, when combines with the frosting, created the richest, most amazing sweet ever. The frosting basically tasted like cheesecake, so when you bite in, you get a cakey texture, with the chocolate, that gives way to...cheesecake. They were quite decadent, but really yummy.

Obviously my technique for coating them could use some work, though I prefer things to look a little sloppy sometimes. Sure, sometimes perfection looks delicious and tasty, but it kind of makes you not want to eat it. With these, they're a bit messy and sloppy, so no one feels bad about messing up the perfect exteriors. They are more inviting. They say, "Eat me. I'm delicious. You know you want to."

Marshmallows. This time around, they were really sticky. And they worked their way all the way up the attachments. It actually was pretty amusing to watch. Of course, they were delicious. Peppermint marshmallows, yummy. Too bad everyone had to wait a week to eat them due to the snow, though.

My attempt at a chocolate confection. I don't like dark chocolate, but I actually kinda liked it. Salt makes chocolate better. Always. (Actually, it makes everything better, but chocolate especially). The picture looks like a turd, though, which makes it kind of funny.

This is what we all look like after Christmas, and getting snowed in. If only the oven wasn't obliterated and falling apart (literally), I could maybe make some goodies to go along with the bread I made last night. (Note: using the broiler to bake bread because the heating coil on the bottom fell apart is not the best method to bake bread, but it kind of works, if you're patient and pay attention.)

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! I hope anybody reading this is having, or has had, a good Christmas/holiday season.

First, here is the back. This is Meatball. Originally, the card was just green, but I felt like something was missing, and that something was Meatball. I masked out everything but meatball from the photo and it really worked out perfectly.

Here is the front. I posted earlier some out takes from the piggies's photo session; here is the one we picked. You can see Max in the corner, hanging out. Jasper is looking at Max and has oddly pronounced lips. And Blondie is just being happy munching on some lettuce.

We're really happy with the cards we got. They're on nice, thick press paper (130#, I believe). They were printed at BayPhoto, which I'd recommend, and we will be using more of in the future. They have all kinds of photo products, too.

I hope you have a good holiday.

What Does Global Warming Mean For Santa Claus?

One day, children will ask where Santa comes from, and "The North Pole" will no longer suffice.

Maybe. But let's hope not.

There are a myriad of reasons why global warming is bad. Sea levels will rise, endangered animals will lose their habitat and become extinct, climates will shift, et cetera. But I think Santa Claus is one of the points that people often overlook.

Yes, Santa Claus is everywhere, and maybe he isn't really a jolly old fat man with rosy cheeks, a dozen reindeer, and countless elfin helpers. But what will we tell our children, or our children's children if, tragically, the North Pole was gone. I know that if that happened, there would be far greater problems (like, say, the millions of people dying) but the magic of Christmas would be gone.

Christmas was never really a Catholic holiday. Some people say there's a war on Christmas, and that we (liberals) are "taking the Christ out of Christmas" but the fact is, Christ never was in Christmas-- we put him there. Like everything else in the Catholic religion, it was stolen annexed. Jesus wasn't born in December, it was more likely April. But when you are conquering people, it helps if you leave them the one thing they have left: traditions.

Christmas is about Santa, not Jesus. So what will parents tell children when his home no longer exists? Or, what will they think if they know we are slowly melting away his home while he and his elves work hard year round to bring us toys not made in China?

If for nothing else, we should take care of the environment for Santa; our progeny depends on us.

Merry Christmas.

Causes I Believe In (Especially For The Holidays)

It's Christmastime, among other holidays, and it's a time when we often reflect on the year, and look forward to the year ahead. Granted, we also freak out about the fact that we still haven't finished our shopping, fret over gifts that need wrapping, and convulse at the mere thought of all the food that needs cooking; but all in all, it's a happy time. Even in the worst of times, we've got it pretty good here.

While we may spend our days pinching our pennies, wondering when things are going to get better (in about five years, if you're curious; sorry), there are people in the world in far dire straits than we. In honor of the season, and being thankful and hopeful, here are some of the causes I believe in because the reality that they need to exist kind of makes me sick.

charity: water is a pretty new charity; I believe they've only been around for a few years, but it's one I believe in. It's on the top of my list, actually. I've already decided that when I can start taking pictures for money, that the first $5,000 (every year) will go to charity: water so they can build a new well where it is needed.

charity: water exists to bring water to areas that have no access to clean water. To me, this is a travesty (that people don't have access to clean water, not the charity). If there is one thing that we take for granted in life, I think it is water. We use tons of water. We boil potatoes in it, make pretzels in it, boil bagels in it, take showers with it, wash our cars with it, et cetera. And yet, there are people who can't even get a glass of water, much less the gallons upon gallons that we use on a daily basis.

I don't know all of the statistics, but I also don't particularly care; ten people without water is too many. but according to charity: water, there are almost a billion people without access to water-- that's one in eight people. Almost every death resulting from unsafe, unhygienic water is a child. Bad water keeps children out of school and parents out of work. The walk to a water source can take a woman (because it's always the woman) three hours, the return trip carrying a forty pound jug of water, where they are extremely vulnerable to violence and sexual assault (among other things).

With a well in their community, this walk is transformed to only fifteen minutes (hooray! No more back pain!). Building wells employs local people, providing them with work. The wells also provide women with jobs, namely leadership positions which would otherwise be pretty much impossible. Wells allow for children to have safe drinking water, saving thousands of lives a year and allowing them to go to school because they are healthier. charity: water also provides the communities with latrines to emphasize sanitation and hygiene.

I really like this charity, and its rare to find a charity where 100% of your contribution actually goes to the charity's mission. Every single dime they get goes to building projects because all of their overhead is sponsored.

Twenty dollars can give one person with water for twenty years. This isn't one of those creepy "just thirty cents a day to sponsor Eli. You'll receive pictures and updates, et cetera" type deals. People are dying because they can't have a basic human necessity. Clean, safe water ought to be a human right, not a privilege, so give them money. Every $5,000 well provides water for 250 people. If you want to get something in return for your contribution (I understand, no worries), there are many gifts you can receive (or give to others). I'm partial to the Thermos. For $40 (that's, like, two DVDs) you can provide clean water to two people for 20 years and you get a sweet Thermos: win-win, no? I think the Photobook would make a good present too. Sitting on your (or someone elses) coffee table, it's sure to start up a conversation. The right kind of conversation.

Here's a video from a completed project:

Toms Shoes

This one isn't a charity; I'm just going to get it out there. But that doesn't make their mission any less worthwhile. Essentially, Toms is a company that will provide a pair of shoes for someone in need every time they sell a pair. They are for-profit, but there's no harm in that. I really like their shoes; they are extremely different from what we find here. They are (I believe) based on a shoe style from Argentina. The shoes are all pretty affordable, usually in the range of $60, some costing around $100.

I like these. They seem warm and fuzzy, but still stylish and masculine.



If you are looking for something more substantial for winter, they also offer boots. I like these ones, but these are also pretty agreeable.

We all buy lots of shoes every year, why not pick up a pair of unique, stylish shoes simultaneously helping someone desperately in need of shoes? (By the way, they have shoes for the ladies and children, too!)

K.I.N.D. (Kids In Need Of Desks)

I was watching The Last Word last night when I saw a segment on this charity run by UNICEF with MSNBC to provide desks to children in need of them in Africa. The segment started with a clip of Ann Coulter arguing that America is the most charitable country in the world, but that this is thanks to conservatives and not liberals, because liberals are apparently stingy or something. (Nevermind that progressive causes tend to focus on spreading wealth around, et cetera). Lawrence O'Donnell then went on to say that in a day his viewers had donated around a million dollars.

Regardless, kids need desks. Have you ever studies on the floor? Taken a test on the floor? It's not easy, I imagine, and is probably pretty discouraging, wouldn't you think? Each desk costs $48. That's probably what a nice bottle of wine costs. $48 provides a desk for two kids (hopefully they don't peek during those tests!), which is kind of a trivial amount, if you think about it. Want to outfit an entire classroom of thirty with desks? Only $720.

If you want to help provide desks to children in Malawi, head over to UNICEF and donate.
Here's the link.

Some statistics:
In Sub-Saharan Africa, forty-five million children don't go to school.
Only 20% of students who do go have desks.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Kids need desks, no matter where or who they are.

Be kind this holiday season (and beyond). There are people far worse off than we, and they can use some help.

So You Think I Should Start A Bakery?

Yesterday, Krissy and I traveled to New York to celebrate Christmas with my mom at my brother Chris' apartment. Unsure about who, exactly, we should bring gifts for, we opted for the always appropriate goodies. I didn't want to show up empty-handed if my brothers had gifts for me. Besides, it might lessen the burden upon us in the week to come.

Last year, Krissy and I decided that since we really had no idea what to get people, and not really having time to coordinate gift buying, we baked. We enjoy baking, frankly. We have a system, usually, in which I mix the batters and she deals with the oven. Generally, I don't really like making things like cookies because they are too repetitive a process; I'm not a machine or a robot-- they are built for repetition. Needless to say, from time to time, I bake various goodies because others enjoy it (as do I).

For some reason, people will at this point suggest I open a bakery. I suppose that this idea is due to the fact that I've never found something I liked doing, and unemployment being what it is, any idea is better than no idea. I appreciate that people enjoy what I make enough to suggest opening a bakery. Unfortunately, there are some problems with the idea of opening a bakery.

First, I don't know what I'm doing. I don't even have proper pots much less mixers or other tools. I know that egg whites are emulsifiers (at least I think that's right?) but I don't necessarily know what that means. I can't create a recipe. To me, reading a recipe doesn't make me a cook or baker. It's like suggesting someone be an architect because they can follow the instructions to build a desk.

I don't know flavors, and how they interact and meld with each other. I haven't actually baked that much. I think that to start a bakery, I'll have had to make at least 1,000 cookies; I don't think I'm anywhere near that. Okay, maybe I am, but to be fair, I think the required number ought to be more like 10,000. I'm pretty exhausted from baking after a couple days of baking; I cannot fathom spending sixty-plus hours a week doing it. Operating a bakery is expensive. Ovens, employees, mixers, accessories, cases, tables, and everything else needed is not only overwhelming, but would cost more money than I have ever seen.

But, knowing people enjoyed the end product would be worth it.

So if I did own a bakery, this is what I would want:

First of all, to call it a bakery would be a misnomer; I think we'd serve a few different foods. Of course, there would be plenty of sweets and baked goods. I'd also want to sell fresh bread made daily. I'd like to serve lunch in the form of pizzas, burgers, and a few other classic Dennis foods. Oh, and ice cream. I'd make ice cream year round.

I'd like to have the seats be old school desks. I'd like to have booths and tables too, since I understand we can't all fit into school desks anymore (especially if we're eating sweets). I'd like to have a jukebox, too, or maybe just a record player, I'm not sure. Regardless, I love music, and there would definitely be some sweet tunes playing in my shoppe.

As for pricing, that's easy; pay what you want. I don't think food needs to be exorbitantly expensive. And I understand that some people can't afford to go out and eat sometimes. Whereas, maybe other people can and can pay more. I don't know how successful my plan would be, and clearly I'd need to have a lot of money to do it. But that is how I would run my bakery. Pay what you can or want. You don't get paid until Friday? That's fine, have a slice of pizza and a few cookies, maybe even a scoop of ice cream. Come back on Friday and pay what you want, or not; that's fine.

So if you think I should start a bakery, just know that it's only under those circumstances.

"Happy" Thanksgiving

Hello, and happy Thanksgiving. I hope you are enjoying this Thursday and having a happy holiday. I've never much cared for Thanksgiving. I've actually never been a huge fan of the holidays. Maybe it has something to do with the lead up to holidays and people stressing over them. Maybe it has to do with being surrounded by people, having to travel from place to place where ever a new crowd of people await. While I'm sure there are numerous reasons for a dislike of holidays, I think a more appropriate term is distaste. You see, quite literally, I don't like the taste of holidays. Easter brings ham, Christmas brings ham, and Thanksgiving offers a veritable smörgåsbord of foods that, to me, are basically unpalatable. Turkey I have to slather in barbecue sauce to get down, potatoes (of any sort) are a big no-no, yams, sweet potatoes, and stuffing couldn't be more repulsive. I definitely don't eat corn, green beans, or ham (which maybe some people eat on Thanksgiving?). Want to know a secret though? I like cranberry sauce. It's bizarre, I know. Growing up, cranberry sauce is the one think no one could stand and, for some reason, I liked it. I know know why. Cranberry sauce is sweet but tart, and has a weird smooth texture with it's edges ribbed from the inside of the can. Maybe, just maybe, that's all apart of its charm to me; it's the one thing no one else liked, so I gravitated to it. Then there's the other aspect of cranberry sauce I like. Care to take a guess as to what exactly that is? Give up? You open it up backwards. It's the one canned good (to my knowledge, anyway) that you open from the bottom. It's backwards, like me.

The other bad taste I get in my mouth from holidays is probably due to the massive over-commercialization of them due to our capitalist society. It's right there in the name. Capitalize. Where other cultures have centuries of spiritual traditions celebrated from carnivale-like proportions to the most humble ones, ours seem to be indebted to the other almighty: the green back, and as many of them as possible. Even the circumstances under which these holidays are celebrated have been twisted and mutated to fit the ideals of a capitalist society. Let's take a look, shall we?

Thanksgiving, oh a lovely holiday celebrating the pilgrims who sat down to a lovely, peaceful meal with the native Americans giving thanks for all that they had. Like a giant turkey in the middle of the table. Maybe the "indians" were thankful to the pilgrims for bringing their firearms, which undoubtedly made catching and killing the bird that much easier. Or maybe the Quakers brought their guns because they wanted the natives to know who at the table held all the cards, who was boss; the meal was, after all, to establish an alliance. Naturally, women weren't in attendance. Not exactly what I'd call a happy thanksgiving. So how did Thanksgiving become what it is today? The good old-fashioned way: lobbyists.

According to NPR, magazine editor Sarah Joseph Hale petitioned every level of government lobbying governors, every member of congress, and even the president for a national day where she, and the readers of her magazine, Godey's Lady's Book (I know, right?), could slave over an oven and stove for three days making far more food than necessary to give thanks for such a lovely bounty. Oh, and Lady Hale really liked turkeys. With that, Thanksgiving was born some three hundred (or so?) years after the "original" dinner.

And that, my friends, is how you create a holiday, and capitalize upon it.

Seriously though, enjoy the holiday at least for its most basic meaning: to give thanks, for whatever means something to you.

I leave you with this passage from Fox News host, John Stossel:

Had today's political class been in power in 1623, tomorrow's holiday would have been called "Starvation Day" instead of Thanksgiving. Of course, most of us wouldn't be alive to celebrate it.
Every year around this time, schoolchildren are taught about that wonderful day when Pilgrims and Native Americans shared the fruits of the harvest. But the first Thanksgiving in 1623 almost didn't happen.
Long before the failure of modern socialism, the earliest European settlers gave us a dramatic demonstration of the fatal flaws of collectivism. Unfortunately, few Americans today know it.
The Pilgrims at Plymouth Colony organized their farm economy along communal lines. The goal was to share the work and produce equally.
That's why they nearly all starved.

Of course, the truth is a bit different. If there was hardly any food as Mr. Stossel suggests, how and why would the pilgrims have had a three-day-long feast? Truth is, there was plenty of food, and the whole socialism thing? Yeah, not quite, it was more of a co-op which each farmer owning a share of the crops and farms. But to Fox, everything is socialist; and socialism is very, very bad.