Back at the Hut

Posted on 4:31 AM by jr cline | 0 comments

We are all safely back from an exciting week in New Orleans.

Waiting on the train 
  

It was awesome!

 
Jesse playing with his Power Rangers on the train
  
I thought settling back into 'everyday' life would be a little difficult (it usually is). 
  
The sun peeks through the clouds over Lake Pontchartrain
  
But it wasn't this time.  I got up and went to work.  I was a bit behind and played catch up most the day.  The time passed quickly and it was time to leave.
  
 Push to open
  
There was a lot to do after work too.  I had a huge pile of mail at the post office.  I sorted through all that and I picked up some food so I could cook supper.   I made red beans and rice.  That seemed an appropriate after NOLA supper.  As a bonus there are leftovers for another day.

The food in the dining car was excellent as usual. 
  
A lot happened at work while I was gone.  I'm glad I missed it.  Several people were suspended and/or fired.  It will be interesting to see how things shake out over the next few weeks.

Odd bulge in the loading platform floor -  Birmingham train station

Life is full of strange things.  When I got back I read an ecard from my ex.  She said she made a horrible mistake all those years ago, loves me, and wants me back.  I can't fix that for her.  She went out to dance and it seems she is finally having to pay the band.  I'm sorry she can't find a love to suit her.  I know that pain.  I lived with it a long time.  Finally I accepted my status and now I happily journey along alone or with my friends.  I fully expect to metamorph to the next stage of life alone somewhere on the side of the road in the back of an RV.  
 
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Locations

Posted on 7:15 PM by jr cline | 0 comments

I have a tentative list of  locations to take pictures for the upcoming trip to New Orleans.

Audubon Zoo
Audubon Aquarium
Audubon Butterfly House and Insectarium
Nine 0 Five Royal Hotel - I've stayed there several times but I've never taken the time to take pictures there.
Street photography on and around Bourbon Street and Frenchman Street.
Voodoo Museum
Saint Louis Cemetery No. 1
I also plan to photograph Christy, Jeremy, and Jesse having fun.

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Photo Excursion ahead
     

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Removing armor

Posted on 9:10 PM by jr cline | 0 comments

Some days life is glorious and I wish I was holding hands with someone sharing the adventure.
Other days life is challenging and I wish I had a hand to hold so I wouldn't be facing the challenge alone. It is days like that when I know  I have work to do.  I have to dig deeper.  It is time to remove some armor and expose my heart a bit more.  It is a time to learn more about walking in faith.
Whenever I'm uncomfortable, I know I've found the edge of my box. I remove as much armor as I can, open my heart as wide as I can, and move forward rather than retreating back into the safety of my comfort zone.
I'm pushing out the edges of my box in several areas these days.

  1. Putting my house on the market even though it's not ready to sell
  2. and still has a lot of stuff in it that needs to be dealt with
  3. and I have no where to go 
  4. The date for leaving my job is only months away and my cash flow will be greatly reduce
  5. I have to go deal with the doctor again (no worries, I'm not sick though I think he wishes I was)
  6. The IPEDS report is very important to the college.  It was assigned to me and I don't know much about what to do.  
The more armor I take off the more I can open my heart, and the more I see, hear, love, and enjoy life.
 
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Happy Valentine's Day

Posted on 1:00 AM by jr cline | 0 comments

  I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
 
A loving heart is the beginning of all knowledge. ~ Thomas Carlyle
  
Friends can help each other. A true friend is someone who lets you have total freedom to be yourself - and especially to feel. Or, not feel. Whatever you happen to be feeling at the moment is fine with them. That's what real love amounts to - letting a person be what he really is. ~ Jim Morrison
  
Do all things with love. ~ Og Mandino
  
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Photo Excursion ahead
     
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13

February's Evil Plan

Posted on 11:34 AM by jr cline | 0 comments


NOLA

The end of February and the first few days of March I'll taking a seven day photography excursion to New Orleans.   Christy, Jeremy, Jesse and I will be riding the Crescent there and back. 
While we are there we will be staying at the Nine O Five Royal Hotel.
   
   
This is where we always stay when we go to New Orleans.  Near Bourbon Street and in the French Quarter, this historic hotel is awesome and so are the owners. 

   
Traveling with a three year old on the train will be an exciting adventure in and of itself.  Then there is the time in New Orleans with a toddler.  WOW!  What a wonderful opportunity to see the world anew through his eyes.  This will definitely be an inspirational trip to remember.
  
All evil plans need a name and Christy dubbed this one Toddler Train.  I think it is perfect! 
  
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16
   

Travel Tech

Posted on 10:31 AM by jr cline | 0 comments

What do I take with me when I go on photography road trips?
 
Here is my basic kit.
 
Netbook to upload my memory cards
Card reader
Extra memory cards and batteries
UV filters which are usually already mounted on the lenses
Polarizing filters
iPhone
Can't forget all the chargers
Monopod and/or a tripod

Cameras and lenses

Sony Alpha 700
Sony 18-70mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens
Sony 75-300mm f/4.5-5.6 Lens
Sony 50mm f/1.8 Lens
Panasonic Lumix G3
Panasonic H-H014 14mm f/2.5  
Panasonic H-H020 20mm f/1.7
Pentax W90 - in case it is raining.
 
Based on where, when, and what I'll be shooting, I may also take
A star filter if I'll be doing a lot of street photography at night
A teleconverter
An off camera flash and batteries
A small messenger style camera bag
 
I got the idea to post this list from Stephanie Todaro's My travel Tech Essentials.
I probably should have used pictures in my version too. rofl  Maybe I'll take some and do an updated list.
 
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17

A Super Saturday

Posted on 7:50 PM by jr cline | 0 comments

Today was a fun day.  It went kind of as planned but took some twists and turns along the way.
 
Christy, Jeremy, and Jesse came over this morning for a visit.  Jeremy was going to cut firewood from the huge tree that fell in the back woods. Christy, Jesse, and I played in the yard.  We left Jeremy with the tree and went back to Christy's house.  She got ready to go shopping.  Jeremy came home.  Christy and I went to town to pick up a few things.
    
Last stop on the shopping trip was the grocery store.   We didn't buy peanut butter, but I took the picture anyway.
 
   Sidewalk Chalk
 
   While Christy fixed supper, I played with Jesse in his room. 
  
  The last picture I took today was of these two Angry Birds.  They look kind of crazed and dangerous in the dim light.  In reality they are fuzzy slippers. 



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