"Mele Kalikimaka"

The month of December has, as usual, been filled with a wide variety of festive activities. I get to attend all three of the Christmas parades, along with band performances, plays, an ATV parade, and the task of getting photos of lighted Christmas decorations on homes. For the most part it helps maintain the holiday spirit from a few days after Thanksgiving through to the Big Day itself. With a mere six days left before we head to the Great White North, I am trying to tie up as many loose ends as possible, and gather as much content as I can for my paper while I am incommunicado. Which hopefully will allow for a bit of shopping later this week, or at least some time for me to think of something I need, that could be put on my wife's Christmas list for me.

Speaking of "Incommunicado", a fine song by my musical minister, Jimmy Buffett. The title of this post states "Merry Christmas to You" in Hawaiian, a song written in 1949 by Robert Alexander Anderson and made popular by Bing Crosby in 1950. However I have to say the 1996 version by Jimmy, on his Christmas Island CD seems to be more authentic.

I mention this because Sheila was able to insert a bit of Buffett into her lesson plan with that tune, along with two performances of "Feliz Navidad". Tommorow night we head off to her school's Christmas party, which will involve karoake, mexican food and a few libations, maybe even a bit of "Ho Ho Ho and a Bottle of Rhum"

OT

OT.....which to some in the blogosphere would mean Off Topic. But if any of you have watched as much football as us, you know it means something different. Overtime!! Now that my football shooting season is pretty much at a close, I get to enjoy watching it a bit more, and this Thanksgiving weekend was quite a treat, the Packers won, Arkansas beat LSU in three OT's, while it took Tennessee four OT's to best the Wildcat's of Kentucky. After having to pay more attention to college football the last two years, and now freelancing for an annual media guide that features the SEC. ( South East Conference for you Big 10 people) I can say that the SEC is hands down the best conference in football and it would be a shame if our Georgia Bulldogs didn't get to the National Championship, so that we can crush Ohio State if all goes as I hope it will.

Fortunate Times

We had another great visit by her parents, they witnessed our Halloween "heckticness", followed by lots of meals and playing cards as usual. Last fall during a visit by our parents, I had Ole (Sheila's dad/and an awesome father-in-law) helped me out with a self-portrait that I have been wanting for a while.

Fall is probably the best time of year for outdoor photos, so much diversity to work with in the colors and settings. Like the photo below of Sheila's bestfriends daughter Melanie which we will be seeing in a few hours for our southern Thanksgiving tradition, but more on that soon.It's too bad that the peak of the fall season only lasts for two weeks, while winter seems to last a bit longer. Not complaining!!!! Considering it has been in the 70's the last three days.



Well, its time to sit down and enjoy another Packer football game. We have been very fortunate this year to catch many of their games, I think we have missed two, may just have something to do with their record!



Denise makes some dumplings for herself after a twelve hour day at her resterant on Thanksgiving Day.

Then I am heading to a restaurant to work. A local lady opens up her restaurant, the Dinner Bell, for a free Thanksgiving meal only asking for a donation for the less-fortunate if one is able to. One might think only 145 people might show up for this since it is on a holiday, and us lazy americans can't be bothered on a holiday. But to one's surprise, people show up for it... show up and wait in lines.... show up to the tune of over a thousand people last year and who knows how many this year. I like the diversity of the rowd that shows up for this event.Several people that we know of through our work with the public are in that category of less-fortunate.

Now lets analyze that for a second.....LESS FORTUNATE! That means that there are some of us that are More fortunate. I ceratinly fall in that category. My meandering path through life certainly has had a few small challenges, but FORTUNATELY somehow I have always managed to have a roof over my head, food in my belly (even to the point of excess on a day like today) and good health. I know it sounds trivial but sometimes you need to appreciate the basics, because for others the "basics" are the one thing they are hoping for. I am even more fortunate to have a great family, along with a great woman who has made the last thirteen years into a great investment. Our marriage is like a good investment, it has matured and become much more valuable and endearing with time.

I reflect on things like this as often as possible, it shouldn't be dictated by an obligatory date on a calendar. Like a few weeks ago, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of the year...... I sincerely hope you know what I am foreshadowing!

On that day, I get the great opportunity to wear two hats, kind of like Spiderman. I work as a photojournalist on days like that, but my heart is in it for the Veteran's. I am fortunate enough only to have to try and imagine some of the stories that those brave men tell on days like Veteran's Day. I get to attend memorials, and events through out the year in regards to the Military. I have even been to holiday ceremonies, a Units return from the middle east, and a few soldiers untimely and unfortunate return from battle, for their funerals. As I get have gotten ( a tiny bit) old..er, I have come to realize how fortunate I was during my enlistment to not gain the experiences to have my own stories to tell. I certainly didn't feel that way when I was 20 and wondering why I hadn't been picked to go over, despite trying to, but then again I was 20 and was still wet behind the ears.

On the evening of Veteran's Day, the Golden Corral, a nation-wide chain of resteraunts gives a free buffet dinner to any current or former military member, and have done so since 2001. This is the second year I have gone, and this one taught me an unexpected lesson. I like going, even though its the only buffet that I have ever been to where there is a half hour line to get in the place. Seeing all the old vets is a real treat, the WWII guys who are fiesty and proud, to the Korea and Viet Nam vets who can finally raise their chins a bit more and be proud of their service and dedication to our country, despite the avoidance of such by our last two presidents. Yes I said last two, read into that what you will.

All of these men and women of varied ages sitting together, even chatting like acquaintances. Which gets me to my unexpected lesson. The restaurant is so filled to capacity for this event that they employ seating like I have heard about in europe, which makes it ironic also. A table of four may be filled with two couples who don't know each other. Across from our table a seemingly well to do white family of three was sitting with what I can only guess to be a less-fortunate Vietnam Vet that was black. This alone is note-worthy for the south, but also proof in how things can and should be. Sheila and I sat with a man that was in his mid to late fourties. Alone.... He seemed a bit uneasy, a bit off. OK I will say it , I along with Sheila thought that he was mentally challenged or something. In a setting with many vets thats not uncommon and a tragic story all of itself. I just chalked it up to having served and endured seeing or experiencing things that some liberals would call torture.

I know of a guy from other media outlet, who I work along side of, that was in the Gulf then followed that with a long tour as a sniper in Bosnia. He's a nice guy, but admits to still having occassional nightmares over a decade later.His serious 100 yard stare tells all that I need to know. So as I stated its easy to assume, which is the lesson I learned. Yes I know the acronym.... Being a bit more chatty with people, since I have to in doing my job. I struck up a conversation about basic things. Keep it easy. We all enjoyed our meals. I would just look around at the mass of humanity trying to cram into this place, while loading a piece of steak onto my plate. The staff is really upbeat and caring, even though its probably their toughest day of the year. They get it... Upon finishing up his meal, the stranger who's name has now been forgotten, apologized for not being more talkative, apologized for not being personable. Then explained that he recently lost his wife to cancer, and he wasn't really "here". He states "I am just not used to not having her by myside, I just don't know what to do"

Need less to say the words hit like a hammer, and I immediately feel like a fool for my thoughts. I shrug off his apologies with " I am sorry to hear that" and " It was good talking to you." We exchanged good-byes and he left. Both Sheila and I were brought back to reality by our assumptions, yet apprecative for the company and the lessons learned.

All-Hallow-even !! (Oiche Shamhna)

At least thats what they used to call it once upon a time. Thanks to those creative Celts that thought you could make contact with the spirit world during the lininal times of the year, according to Wikipedia. I personally like the Irish version where you went door-to-door and joined in a toast to your departed ancestors, leave it to the Irish to think up a drinking parade.

Well, as for our Halloween... For those that don't know we live in that subdivision, where kids from counties away come to and do their best to allow their dentists to retire early. I went out and scoured Kmart for the best economical deals I could find. After all its quantity I need not quality.... There is a method to what I get, which relates to my new rules guide of who should Trick-orTreat, but more on that later. I decided to hit the bags with numbers,73 peanut butter taffy, 300 suckers you get the picture.... no seriously here is the picture of our kettle of candy which had around a thousand pieces or so. The last few years Sheila's parents have been here, and it one of those you can't believe it till you see it situations.



We usually get things going around 5pm and this year we were out of candy by 7:40. Over the years we have seen a few interesting things, like the teenagers who for one night act like kids yet want you to treat them like adults the other 364 days of the year. This year saw a record number of the 15 to 18 year old crowd. We have a special treat for them.... a sucker. which as Bill Engvall says " Here's your sign..." We shamelessly take good care of the ten and under crowd. Now, and in the past few years we occassionally see parents with bags getting them for their kids. Again a Lolly pop for you. Extra creativity goes along way with us, got to love those home made costumes. Speaking of creative we had a lady pushing a stroller with a 2 year old carrying two bags one for the little free-wheeler and one for... did I mention she was pregnant! That was priceless and you guessed it two suckers were on there way. we get a kick out of it, but what some people try to pull is absolutley laughable.

We actually get enough traffic, some even coming from a few counties away, that they have to close the subdivision and make it a one way street, due to the few years of absolute gridlock. I think we went thru about 15 pounds in all this year.

Ironically I am finishing this post on Thanksgiving, my it has been a busy few weeks.

4-0 Football Fever

This year in particular, football season dominates my fall season. As I mentioned before, Friday nights are dedicated to shooting Football. I planned on shooting a bit more of local college stuff, but our team stinks.(like Feta cheese left out in the garage for a week in July)Also, I am currently in a pool at work where I am somewhere in the middle of the pack.

Speaking of Pack...ers
Thank you Saint Vincent for looking down upon us, and bestowing a wonderful season thus far. Keep our beloved Brett Favre safe and healhy this jubilant season. Oh God of Football, let the trophy that bears your name return for another visit to the promised land. Finally if there is any justice in the world, let # 4 eclipse Marino's records to the point where not even the likes of Peyton Manning can reach them. Bring back our hero next year!!!!! Amen

While on the other end of the state our battling Badgers have climbed to a ranking of 5th in the polls. Looking at the schedule I am anxious about the games against Penn St., Michigan, and especially Ohio St. Yet few consider us even as contenders for the Rose Bowl. I only wish that my cousin Jim Leonard was still on the team. Jim for those that aren't following other pro teams, is currently on the Buffalo Bills as a special teams guy. Hope all is going well there ,and maybe for a trade to a little team that wears Green and Gold. I would absolutley have to buy an authentic jersey if that happens.

Sheila and I are relegated to watching pro games at a local sports bar, but fortunately the badgers have been televised each week since they are doing so well.
Not to mention this past week we were surrounded by Bears fans. So we got a nice little bonus of Green Bay winning and seeing frustrated Bears fans wallowing in their beer. "Happy Happy, Joy Joy....Happy Happy, Joy Joy.."- Ren and Stimpy

Ken Burns and I have been busy....

( If only this were a breaking news story, its my paper's August 16th, 1945 announcement of the end of WWII)


Two interesting concepts from WWII, advertisers promoting war bonds in an agressive fashion, in which American's actually paid for that war, unlike currently where China is funding the largest percent for our next generation to pay for.

Who is Ken Burns you might ask. Hopefully some of you know, but I will give the rest of you an introduction. Ken Burns is an independant documentarian that not even Michael Moore can compare to. I have followed his work for a while now, and his most recent work, which took six years to complete, began airing last week on PBS. "The War" is a series of detailed recollections of everyday people who had vastly different experiences from the start to finish. It's unique because it doesn't gloss over WWII as " the Good War". Miscalculations such as serving the troops Thanksgiving dinner in 1944, the life in internment camps for Japanese-Americans, the over-looked Pacific island battles that few have heard of. Four cities of varying size and location were selected to help illustrate how this War affected everyone from the smallest farming communities to the larger cities. Record it if you can, some episodes are a bit long to watch....

Meanwhile, I have made a small leap into documentary work too... Recently at my paper we have been thrust into doing videos of events, press conferences, etc. I do enjoy this different medium to work in, but choices have to be made that I don't like. Shooting still images and video is next to impossible to do at the same time. So I try the best I can to cover what I can.

http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?pnpID=730&NewsID=840300&CategoryID=3511&show=localnews&om=1

http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?pnpID=730&NewsID=838843&CategoryID=3511&show=localnews&om=1

Here are a few links to the better videos thus far.

Camping season is finally here

This time of year is a bit of a challenge for me. You already know about the length of football season, which ties up Friday nights. Small festivals and charity events are frequent to say the least, not to mention I am quickly getting back into wedding photography.

This creates challenges for one of my fond pursuits that we never get enough of. Camping. The daytime high's are finally reasonable, summer-like by northern standards, a balmy mid 70's to 80's by day followed by low 60's and even some 50's at night. I yearn for the next opportunity to get away from it all. The smell of pine trees. Siteseeing thru some small town that is barely on the map. The challenge of making smores with minimal mess. How many minutes will it take to pitch the tent this time.

Sheila and I have camped a few times a year since we bought our nylon condo. I mean that.. When we are at these campsites and see the tiny accommodations others use, it makes us glad to know ours is actually pretty spacious by tent standards. We are eager for the day when we will get a Coleman pop up or something with indoor dining options, but I hope to hold out on that till I am the big 40.

For now our menagerie of backpacks, headlamps and my old military stuff works just fine. We will try and take a few photos when we go up into the mountains this fall or wherever we wind up going.

Laboring Weekend

One of my most busy times of the year is during Labor Day, which is a bit ironic I guess. This year was even busier than previous, and I thought I would share a few photos from my paper of last weekend.

Another celtic tradition is the bonniest knees competition, where the bride judges all of the knees of any kilt wearing man(or boy) around, and the four year old winner received a authentic celtic dagger.
A Celtic Wedding, which utilizes handfasting which has been around since the middle ages and is where the phrase "Tying the Knot" comes from.
Vrrrrm Vrrmmmm Bikers raise money for the less fortunate at Christmas.
Some kind of wheeled Chariots from when Moses was a choir boy, or maybe they are Model A Fords from the early 30's.
"It's Boots and chap, its cowboy hats, its spurs and latigo, its the ropes and the reigns, the joy and the pain"

Are you ready for some Football !!

Hmmmm aren't we supposed to do something to the guy with the football, like maybe tackle him.


Maybe the other team will show you how its done.

Thursday night football to open the NCAA season and our Chattanooga Mocs lose focus and the home opener against Carson Newman college. I will be covering a bit of collegiate sports this year for a local friend and sports media mogul. Speaking of my buddy Stump, here are a few to photos that I worked on during the summer for the magazine he works for, including a special edition cover Georgia Governor Sonny Purdue.



Stump gets the Governor of Georgia to remember the quarterback days one more time, which is hard to get a politician to let their guard down.



Magazine Cover




One of the promising young athletes that will be in Division 1-A next year.....



It's time for Friday Night Lights for the next dozen weeks or so. The season of shooting football is an odd one. The first games will be sunny and warm, followed by the end of season which is dark and cold. How is it that the Pro's and college football players primarily play during the day, while the high schoolers play in the evening. I know there are some obvious reason for this, but you would think they would play better in daylight, particularly late in the season when its getting cold out. Anyway its now two hours to kick off, so I had better get ready. my lovely wife and a her best friend/teacher are going to accompany me to tonight's game which should be one of the best of the year, an inner-county rivalry of two good teams. The ladies are just using me for my good parking......

Rock, Rock till you drop.....

A little creation of mine, where I compiled 4 images I took at the concert into one image.



Got to love a band that sings about a "Photograph"!!!


We had an outstanding time at the concert. A much needed escape, if only for a night. We'll definitely look to get to another Def Lep show next year. But now I sit here working up photos for football. but more on that in my next post. along with all the exciting laboring I will be doing in honor of Labor Day weekend.

"Let's Get Rocked"

Had to catch a train on Saturday morning for my paper, this shot is obviously not what I will run for print, but I like it anyway.



Maybe I have "Too much time on my hands", but our plans for the evening are going to be "Excitable" and "The best of times" with a bunch of "Superstars" who were once "Juke box Heroes" and are " A Long long way from Home". Well its pretty "Urgent" that I get my "Babe" ,i mean my "Lady", on the road, so I will be "On my way"

for those not catching the joke, all quotes are songs of the three band we will see tonight with free tickets we scored from a friend of mine. Time to head to "Paradise" Later Ya'll

It's gettin hot in here

There is no credible evidence of Global Warming, Mr President?

http://www.officialbushcountdown.com

Independent minds vote independently!!!

Back to School,back to normal

Sheila has had begun the new challenge of being a kindergarten teacher this year. Today makes the end of two weeks with the little ones, and she claims the days go faster, and the kids are pretty adorable at this age. I think (hope) she will find this age level to be her favorite, but then what do I know...

This time of year, I have to get used to our normal schedules. I have a great affinity for our summers together. Sheila and I get to spend much quality time together for the two months she is off. Then she heads off to school, and my sports pick up again. Soon enough we will only be spending two nights a week together, and having our time on the weekend amid lawn mowing and garage projects.

The first garage project to do is to refinish a dining room set we recently purchased. Refinish? you ask... Well here is the cliff notes version. We bought the set, got part of it home and found some damage that wasn't easily noticeable, called to ask about returning it, drove it back to refund it, and along the drive to return t we scratched up the tabletop. Upon noticing this we obviously had to keep it, but did manage a better price. So, now I get to challenge myself with refinishing it. Fortunately I have a friend that has a sprayer to use, which should make it easier. I hope to have it done by my birthday...

A tale of Bridges

In a previous post we mentioned some of the sites we visited on our trip to Minneapolis. One of the places was a theater, the Guthrie Theater, we had a fun time there and briefly looked out over the river and the stone bridge crossing the Mississippi. This ran through my memory as we sat and watched the terrible scene of the bridge collapse last week. I don't believe we actually crossed that particular bridge, but it did make us stop and think for a bit. Then of course we had to call the parents, they are avid Twins fans, and do frequent the nearby districts where that occured. Thankfully we could get them by phone, considering the lines must have been jammed. They were heading elsewhere that evening, and this was relayed to other concerned family members.


(The newly finished Market Street Bridge in Chattanooga)


Ironically only a few days later, here in Chattanooga, we are having a celebration of our bridge reopening after 2 years of being closed. The photo of the bridge is taken on the day prior to reopening.
We didn't partake in the celebrating due to the crazy heat that has plagued the region for a week now.

As if that wasn't enough about bridges, we watched 'Bridges of Terabithia' on Saturday night. All I am saying is the trailer is misleading, its a good movie but not what you are expecting. Well, I better find a new topic , before I wind up in a game of bridge.

Return to Reality

(Matt's feeling manly after a fine repair job)

The harsh reality of returning from a vacation hit us with a vengeance on Monday morning. (July 16th) We had found out on vacation that our dishwasher was under recall, and would need a heater coil repair in the weeks to come. But the surprise of the morning was that our washer also had problems, and the drive belt needed to be replaced. So much for the six or so loads of vacation laundry that needed doing. We had also known that there would be a need for new tires on the Rover, fortunately they made it through the more than 2, 500 miles of the trip. So we got some tires, and found out the brakes and rotors needed to be replace. How does Charlie Brown Say it?  UUUUGHHHHHH!!! Anyway, we made it several days without the washer, I repaired it myself on Friday. Which was good to save a bit of money for the other things.

Voyage back to the Homeland (July)

(Cherry and Spoon sculpture at Walker Art Center, Minneapolis)


This year we were able to make a two week trip to the stomping grounds of yesteryear's gone-by. The actual plans of where to go and when weren't really finalized till two weeks before, but we do tend to dawdle with the details. Our departure from home was delayed due to a carnival that I had to shoot, a once a year event for one of the small cities I cover for the paper I work at. We finally departed at about 3 pm, after our usual last-minute, frantic, get-out-of-town rituals. The trip was one we were used to, more recently I had been doing 3-4 hour trips for a freelance magazine gig that wasn't to well organized requiring numerous trips to accomplish the assignments. However, we did intend to stop along the way, grab a hotel, and do things a bit more leisurely. But a convention of Jehovah Witnesses had other plans for us, we learned this when we looked for a hotel room at around 11:30 pm in Bloomington, Illinois, only out find out that there was no room at the inn. So we had to continue the next three plus hours to Elkhorn Wisconsin. We arrived tired and weary about 3:30 in the morning.

(Dreams's of endless Illinois cornfields, time for a nap)


The following morning we got up when the sun wouldn't allow us any more sleep. Our plan was to spontaneously kidnap my mother and have her come along with us to the Twin Cities for a few days. However she had been more formally invited by Sheila's parents ending the surprise in the situation.


(Lounging at the Guthrie Theater)

 Our visit was wonderful, I have to say that the Twin Cities is the best place we have ever lived, summers are spectacular there, but it was the winters that made us depart after only two years of living there in the mid nineties. We played enough card's during our visit, to warrant buying new decks of cards. Day-tripping through areas we used to know well, along with seeing numerous renovations to downtown Minneapolis occupied our daytimes. A trip to the 50's Grille was probably the culinary highlight, I see why Sheila used to frequent this place as a teenager. (think Steak and Shake or Fuddruckers, only authentic and much better food)

(Lake Minnetonka sunset, July 4th)




For Nostalgia sake, we went to the Walker Art Museum, which we visited during the infancy of our relationship. I took many photos there a long time ago with my girlfriend. I needed some to keep close, I would have to spend the summer of 95'  back home in Waukesha without her. But this visit happened to coincide with our seventh wedding anniversary, and we visited a local Rose garden on the day to celebrate how our love has blossomed. Even getting some cherished photos to mark the occasion. The Minnesota leg of our vacation was fulfilling yet relaxed, we saw and did quite a bit, without the usual hectic-paced horse race that some of our trips have been in the past.

To top it off on our return crossing to the land of the Cheeseheads, we stopped at a wonderful restaurant. If you are ever on I-94 near Osseo Wisconsin, you must treat yourself to Norske Nook. My father-in-law has been praising this place for years, so we finally were traveling thru at the right time. I know understand why most car trips are scheduled around what time this place serves pie. It looks like a well-kept 70's diner/resteraunt with Swedish stylings. That day I enjoyed the best omelet I have ever had , a concoction of  eggs/hashbrown/sausage/cheese  wrapped in lefse bread. While my mother and wife also had wonderful meals, followed by some of the best homemade pies that a sweet tooth could imagine. I am making myself hungry just recounting the experience. I too shall arrange any trip through that area, to allow for a follow up visit.

(The family reunion)

(It's Five O' Clock Somewhere...)


Our Wisconsin leg was even more relaxed than any past visit. I contacted a cousin of mine and was able to arrange a small family reunion of maybe twenty people or so. Living as far away as we do, seeing extended family is scarce and much appreciated. It was an afternoon not unlike a thanksgiving meal involving plenty of food from everyone. Conversations and recollections of events, years and decades gone by, occasionally reflecting on the charisma of two family patriarch's that were only here in spirit (my father, and a dear uncle). I am certain they would be proud the family is still able to come together, even if for only an afternoon. Which leads me to an idea, but I will visit that later. Sheila and I were able to maintain our party persona, "arrive early, leave late".

"The Great Spaghetti Wars "

 A backyard game of football with nephew's, more card games, cookouts, shopping and a thorough photo shoot of all six of my brother's kids rounded out the few remaining days. I wish one day that these visits could go longer, we'll have to wait and see what the future holds. Goodbye's during these family visits have never been easy, but within the last year or two family visits have been more frequent. Even resulting in a trip to Asheville with our parents last April. This blog is actually a result of the slight disconnect that many miles can cause. Hopefully it will be entertaining and be more informative than a phone call.

(My brother, Andy, thinks he is going to win, wrong again)


(Someone tries to stack the deck)


 The final leg of our trip was in Cincinnati, visiting Sheila's sister and family. The obvious thing was, the boys have been growing like weeds in my yard. Both Colin (our godson) and Griffin are boys now, not the toddlers/babies that we remembered from the last visit which was too long ago. Hopefully a few three-day weekend trips will allow us more visits. Along with this Thanksgiving which is still open for possibilities.

(Colin being as colorful as the crayons he holds)


(Griffin lounges after a day at the pool)

 We enjoyed our time in each destination, and are thankful we have the flexibility in our careers to make a trip like this.

Two people

Two weeks

Three major cities

Dozens of family members

Twenty-five hundred miles

PRICELESS

third time is a charmer...

Well this will be the third time I am trying to blog about everyday life. I have tried unsuccessfully in the past, getting to busy at times. But after a recent voyage to our stomping grounds in the midwest, I have concluded that a blog would be best suited for the family as well as friends to keep better connected and try to compress the great distances through more detailed writing. I will even be discussing work, since it is always something different. I do not promise to be like some of my blogger friends who update daily....Please. I will be doing recaps of what is going on, over a semi weekly basis.

Hope you enjoy....

Matt and Sheila