In The Groove

My recent venture into the world of classic Hi-Fi motivated me to check out some Estate/Garage sales over the past month or two.  I intended on looking for that "one in a million" 1970's Receiver that was just waiting to be discovered in the basement of an old house...dusty, but in great condition...for the price of ohhhh a gallon of gas?!

I have not yet found such a deal, but I have stumbled across some nicely preserved vinyl Lp's.  Given that most of them sell for between .25 cents and 1.00 dolllar, I started buying a few here and there.  In the world of "iTunes", where a song costs .99 cents a pop, I am getting songs as low as 2.5 cents each!  (For you math whizzes, that's a savings of up to 97.5 % per song!) Take that Apple!!

I am finding I have to look through alot of vinyl to get the few, very clean records that interest me, but I am finding the whole thing interesting/fun.  I usually pick the Estate/garage sales that appear to be the result of elderly folks leaving the residence etc., as these hold the most promise for my purposes.  I drag Sandi along most of the time, and I think she likes poking around in some of the very old, interesting things that are available.

Last weekend, we went to a "basement sale" in the north end of Tacoma, where the homes look out over the Puget Sound.  (The nicer part of town)  We entered the basement of the 1920's house, making sure not to bump our heads on the pipes etc., that hung low from the barely 7 ft ceiling.  It was a small basement, and smelled old, probably like your grandparents house/basement.  There were hundreds of National Geographic Magazines, old tools, canning jars and the like.  In the dimly lit, far corner of the basement, I saw some old Albums.  I looked to my right and saw an old "Gramophone" for sale...the style you see the dog listening to on the record label in the above photo.  Wow...to think, it wasn't an "antique" to these folks, it was the latest technology...back when they played their 1916 78's on it.  Did I say 1916?  Yeah, they had 78's dating back to 1916.

Now, I am not a collector of 78's, as the music style in the 20's and 30' isn't my cup of tea.  However, I could not resist picking up 2 full size (think the size of a 33 1/3 album vs the 10 inch standard 78's)  78's that were in very, very nice condition.  Hell, I didn't even know what the music was that was on these things, I just wanted to have a piece of the 100 year old music history i was looking at.

I thumbed through about 100 other 40's, 50's and 60's vinyl albums and picked out about 12 or so.  They ranged from Connie Francis and Jackie Gleason to Eddy Arnold and Perry Como.  I even found an album I remember from my childhood called "The Singing Nun".  It is a Belgian album and was in excellent condition.  The albums hit single was a song titled "Dominique".  This album contained a 9 or 10 page story, complete with sketched pictures that depicted a real life, young Nun (Soeur Sourire) that sang and played guitar, and her life at the Convent  There were 4 watercolor prints that were painted by Soeur Sourire that were included with the release of this album.  These were not only intact, but in perfect condition!  Another nostalgic find!

Here is an excerpt that briefly describes the real life "Singing Nun", Soeur Sourire:

      Born Jeanne-Paule Marie Deckers, she was a nun in the Dominican Fichermont Convent in Waterloo, Belgium. While in the convent, she wrote, sang and performed her own songs, which were so well received by the order and at retreats that the monastery decided to let her record an album, which visitors and retreatists to the monastery would be able to purchase. 

In 1963, the album was recorded in Brussels at Philips. The single "Dominique" became an international hit. Many radio stations in the U.S. played it and other softer hits more often in the wake of the John F. Kennedy assassination. Overnight, the Dominican nun was an international celebrity with the stage name of Sœur Sourire (Sister Smile). She gave concerts and appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show on 5 January 1964.[1] As of November 2009[update], "Dominique" is the only Belgian song that has ever been a number one hit single in the United States

Anyway, I am pretty sure my sisters will remember this album, so I thought I would mention it.

After getting home with my new found vinyl "treasures", I give them a good cleaning and replace any worn out sleeves (or missing sleeves) and put them away.  I usually reserve one to listen to as I am cleaning or putting the others away, and this time I chose a Perry Como album.  (Pictured at the top of this posting)  Perry Como is from my Parents generation and like many of you, I find a reassurance and comfort when I listen to old songs that remind me of my childhood.  It is also interesting and memorable to listen to the music that my Mom and Dad listened to/liked when they were a young couple with a house full of kids.  It sets my mind to wondering...in a good way.

When the needle dropped onto the album, and I heard this song, (Once Upon A Time) I immediately loved it.  I had never heard it before ( I dont remember it) but it immediately struck me as a beautiful song.  It is a melancholy tune that speaks of past moments that cannot be recaptured.  Times and places and feelings...that we can never return to...but will never forget.  When you add to this that it is sung by Perry Como, it is a powerful and sweet song.  Perry Como is one of the finest male singers of the 20th Century, bar none.  He would likely be thrown off of American Idol for a lack of "gimmick/style" these days, but he can "stand and sing" like no one these days can. He has something that synthesized and electronic enhanced singers these days just cant buy, talent.

I decided to include this song here for your enjoyment.  It is not a digital recording...it is recorded right off the album, exactly the way I heard it for the first time.  I even included the familiar (to some of us older folks) "needle drop" that comes at the beginning of any album you play. Do yourself a favor, play it loud.  The dynamic range (difference between soft and loud parts) back then was simply much greater than many songs exhibit today.

Once Upon A Time

Have a listen to what sweet violins, a great voice, and good vinyl...sounds like.

A Wonderful World

I was browsing a few NASA pictures when I came across the above photo of Earth.  (Courtesy NASA)  It is not an artists depiction...it is an actual photo taken from space, of our world...our Earth.

I have personally observed 6 of our neighboring planets through various telescopes, one of which is quite powerful.  I have seen these planets with my own eyes, with remarkable detail and clarity. To give you an example of the detail I am speaking of, I have seen one of Jupiters moons (Io) pass in front of the planet and have watched for an hour as the shadow of this moon made its way across the face of Jupiter!  I have seen the polar ice caps on Mars and have seen not only the rings of Saturn, but the separation of several ring groups. These planets are simply awe inspiring when seen first hand and they are each unique in their features and their character.

I have never seen the Earth...  I mean, I see it every day, but only in the way one see's a mountain when standing on it.  When you stand on the summit of a mountain, you see everything else around you...except...the mountain.

That is what struck me when I saw this photo of Earth.  How little I "see it", and how much I take it for granted.  The only planet in our solar system that supports life...an extraordinary amount of life!  It has a variety of  terrestrial features including majestic mountains, barren deserts, and dense jungles.  There are huge oceans and bright colors of blue and green and tan and a visible atmosphere that we see as white clouds. 

If you look closely at this photo, (click on it to make it larger) you can make out the soft reflection of the Sun in the Pacific Ocean, just off the west coast of Mexico! (Iam sure most dont see this until prompted to look)  I stared at this photo for a few moments, taken by its clarity, but more so by the stunning features and complex beauty that simply outshines all the other planets I have ever looked at. 

To quote a line made famous by Louis Armstrong...What a Wonderful World!

Let's go for a bike ride!

What a familiar phrase.

I remember first learning to ride a bike when I was 4 or 5 years old.  It was a big bike, I think meant for an adult.  It was red with unusually wide tires, and may have been a girls style bike with no top bar.   I had seen one or two of my older sisters riding this bike, and it seemed like they had fun pedaling it around.  I am not sure why one summer day, I decided it was time to give the bike a try, but at that age, reasoning generally took a back seat to spontaneity.

We had a dirt/gravel driveway that led to a beat up street named "Rauschelbach". (Yeah really..and I am not sure if I spelled it right!)  Next to the driveway on one side was a large tree, just close enough to take note of and consider avoiding should I find myself losing control of my new found transportation.  On the other side of the driveway, closer to the street, was a ditch that ran alongside and on both sides of the street. (No sidewalks here...just a ditch with corrugated metal tubes that were like little tunnels under each driveway...this was old school)

I still remember little things about the day I decided to conquer this old bicycle.  It was warm and humid, and I think it was morning. (before noon) I could smell the thousands of Dandelions that grew where our backyard grass was supposed to be. There was a little bee of sorts, that was hovering and darting back and forth in front of me...not a honey bee, but smaller...just hovering, quickly moving left, then right.  I could hear the sounds of hundreds of Grasshoppers in the field next to our house...a kind of high pitched "humming" that fades into the background of other summer sounds...

I was nervous.  The bike was bigger than I was and probably weighed as much!  I think one or two of my sisters were there, no doubt anticipating my imminent crash.  I think they may have even held the bike on my first few attempts down the driveway, but I seem to only remember my first successful solo trip.  I was not big enough to sit on the seat, as it was way too tall, so I put a foot on the right pedal, balanced myself and took off down the driveway...wobbling, scared, and realizing halfway down the driveway that I had no idea how to stop.  I made it to the street, past the big tree on my left and somehow managed to turn right (hope no cars are coming!) and made my way along the side of the street, next to the looming ditch.  It seems just looking at the ditch drew me ever closer to it.  The more I looked at it to keep from going in, the closer to the ditch I got!!  I managed to stay on the street and avoid the ditch...as I pedalled a little farther before turning around and clumsily making my way back to the driveway.  I think I put my feet down to stop, as I had not inquired, nor did I care much in the beginning, how to stop the bike.  A few rides later, and after learning to pedal backwards to activate the brakes, and I was a certified "bike rider"!  It were as if I had broken the sound barrier, or discovered America...it was incredible and fantastic and all I wanted to do was ride that bike!

Now, riding a bike at 5 to 10 mph when you are 5 years old, is a liberating and exhilarating experience.  It was a "right of passage" to kids of my generation.  It represented "speed" and "control" and "freedom", not unlike my venture into cars some 10 years later.  It is also one of very few experiences/activities I enjoyed as a child, that I continue to enjoy as an adult. (Drinking hot cocoa...made with milk...is another)

As I got older, I enjoyed riding bikes...my sisters bikes, my Mom's bike, and a nice 20 inch, green bike I later received as a gift from my parents.  I rode everywhere...  I rode with my friends "around the block", I rode to "the store" and i rode to the local elementary school to play baseball...a plastic milk jug of water hanging from one side of my handlebar (summers were hot!) and my baseball glove hanging off the other side.  When I got my first job at 13 years of age, (a local truck farm) I wasn't driven there by my Parents, I rode my bike.  I later rode my bikes to school and my "girlfriends" house.  My buddies and I would simply ride and talk about anything and everything as the road dissapeared effortlessly under our tires.  It truly was liberating...and we did not wear "bike helmets"! (can you believe it, we all lived!)

I saved my money and when I was almost 15 years old, I bought a very high quality, "ten speed racing bike".  Do I remember the model you ask?  I was 15 and had saved up almost 200.00 dollars...after working 50-60 hours a week each summer for the whopping wage of...wait for it...1.00 dollar an hour. (50% of my weekly pay was put away by my Parents for savings, so saving up 200 bucks took a while) You are damn right I remember the bike....it was a "Fuji Grand Tourer"...champagne in color....not gold...CHAMPAGNE!!   It served me well and took me everywhere until I got my first car.  It was the first major purchase of my life and as fate would have it, that bicycle was stolen on the last day of my senior year in High School, from the Varsity locker room.

                                                             1976 Fuji Gran Tourer (Champagne)

I had several other bicycles through the years, a "Schwinn Le Tour Luxe", (stolen from my apartment in Berlin, Germany) a "Kuwahara Triathlon" that replaced the Schwinn and later a "Trek 820" and "Raleigh" mountain bikes.  I rode for pleasure, sometimes competitively and sometimes as a way to keep fit.  I never noticed until recently, that I have never been without a bike and I have never stopped riding.

These days, I still ride.  In fact, In January, I started riding to and from work as a means to stay healthy.  Its only 20 minutes in and 20 minutes to get back home,  but it is 40 minutes of pretty hard pedaling/exercise that I wouldn't otherwise do.  I have a cycling computer on the bike I ride and I have used a picture of it on the right column of this blog, to post/keep track of my mileage since I started biking to work in January.  I am hoping to complete 1500 miles by years end.  We will see.

I still "fly down the hills", "jump curbs", do "wheelies" and ride with "no hands"....I feel like (and often act like) a kid when I ride.  I still love the sound my tires make on the pavement...kind of a "growl" sound that gets higher pitched as I go faster.  I like the sound of a smooth gear change...  I like the wind in my face, and hearing and seeing and smelling the neighborhoods that I ride through.

As adults we seem to "grow out of" or get bored with many of the things we loved and enjoyed as children.  Heck, sometimes we simply can't do some of the things we enjoyed as kids.  I can honestly say, I still love the feeling I get when I am riding my bike.  I hope I always do.

First the camera, now the stereo ?!

I am not sure people should ask me, "what's new ?"  They probably expect me to update them regarding a continuation of whatever it was they thought I was focused on a few weeks before.  Instead, they often get a long (and completely new) story about the latest, and often completely different interest I am currently immersed in!

I found myself looking at vintage stereo receivers a few weeks back.  I was something of an audiophile back in the late 70's and 80's.  That simply means i had an insatiable interest in all things audio.  When I was about 16 years old, I bought my first real piece of audio gear, a Realistic (Radio Shack)  SA1000A Integrated Amplifier.  It was cool and powerful and likely drove my parents crazy when I was blasting music thru it.  I was hooked on nice audio/stereo gear for the next 15 years or so, until a family and living space influenced me to get rid of the huge speakers and the rack full of powerful stereo components.

Now, don't think I gave it all up.  I didn't, I simply had to buy the latest and greatest small components that I could afford, that actually didn't take up a whole wall in the living room.  This gear was compact, sleek, and "digital".  It used LED's and a remote control.  It sounds nice and has served me well. 

But I missed the "warm" almost "vacuum tube" sound of the old stereo receivers.  I missed the long, analog tuning dial...the heavy weighted tuning knob that if given a swift turn, would cause the tuning pointer to almost float from one end of the dial to the other.  I missed the tuning meters and power meters and the wood cases that gave the receivers an almost furniture-like quality.

I started looking on Craig's List and E-bay.  Certainly I could find an old receiver that had been taken care of?  I discovered, there were thousands of "me"!  All looking for the vintage audio gear!  It was quite competitive, much to my surprise!  Long story short, I found a guy on the north side of town, that had found some items in his Grandfathers house and among the items?  An old Pioneer SX-535 Stereo Receiver (circa 1974) in very good condition.

After some cleaning, and a few tweaks here and there, I placed the beautiful, blue lit dial, shiny knobbed receiver in my home office.  It took me back to a simpler time, when I had plenty of time to sit around and "play records" and listen to the radio.  Something that I now hope to do with this receiver.  Of course, I needed new speakers and I did not want to try to fix a pair of vintage speakers, as that gets expensive quickly...so I bought a pair of modern Polk Audio speakers and hooked them up.  The sound?  Exactly as I remember.  A bit "warm", lacking the "digital crispness and sterility" of the modern audio gear.

While I was at it, I hooked up my turntable to the stereo so that we could throw a few vinyl records on. (yes I still have some)  This past Saturday, my wife and I went to a garage sale, where the resident had been a vinyl record collector his whole life.  He had over 4000 (yes thousand) albums for sale.  There was too much to look thru, and it was about 26 degrees outside, so we selected 8-10 albums and promised we would come back on another weekend when it was warmer.

We got home and played a few albums: Lynn Anderson, The 5th Dimension, England Dan and John Ford Coley, Procol Harem, We Five, Pat Benetar, Neil Sedaka and even an old "Mono" recorded album of Glen Miller.(think late 30's early 40's)  Most of these were 1960's albums, printed before CD's were even invented!  And you know what?  They sounded fantastic...occasional scratch and all!

Excuse me, I have to go turn the record over so I can listen to side B.

Back In Time, Back To Basics

My previous post spoke to a few things i wanted to do this year.  One of these was to dust off an old (30 years) Yashica TLR camera and shoot a few rolls of film through it.  Sounds simple enough. 

Truth is, like most photographers that have gone digital, there are a few basic skills that new technology allows me to ummm...well, shortcut.  These shortcuts have caused me to get a bit lazy in my basic skills.  What am I talking about?  Well, exposure metering (judging the light needed for a photo) is pretty much automatic these days.  Steadying the big, heavy camera?...we have optical image stabilization for that....who needs a tripod and a manual cable release these days!  Black and white film?...Just flip a switch and Voila...black and white pics!  Need to get closer to your subject?...just hit the zoom button...vs physically moving and composing your shot with a fixed focal length lens/camera.  I had to go wayyyyy back...to the basics I had learned more than 30 years ago.

Well, I shot my first two rolls of black and white.  I pulled out my rarely used old tripod, found my cable shutter release, and hoped that my "needle and pointer" light meter on the old camera would be accurate!  I "Bracketed a few shots", but paid closer attention to what I was doing, because unlike erasing a pic you don't like in digital, this medium format film/processing costs money!!

I grabbed my wife and daughter, asked them to do a quick sitting for me, under duress, since they had not "fixed themselves up" etc., put them next to a window and fired off 24 shots.  The shot of my daughter above, was one of the resulting photos.  It was an old camera and black and white film, so I chose a rather "old school" pose.

Back to basics...and a look at the present through an old camera brought back to life!

Happy New Year!

2011

Let's get the important stuff out of the way first...Wanna know what I got for Christmas?!

1.  A great pair of quality (as in REAL) hiking/backpacking boots!
2.  A 21st Century backpack to replace my 1988 external frame backpack...nice!
3.  A Blue Ray DVD player! Sweet...

Of course, I received other nice gifts and cards, but I don't want to sound like I'm spoiled.

Where did the time go!?  I say this every January. (and sometimes on my Birthdays) The New Year allows for a change of course, the setting of new goals and often brings a renewed optimism and outlook for the immediate future.  Like many of you, I have jotted down a few goals and "resolutions" that I hope I will achieve in the coming year.  I wont bore you with them.

I am looking forward to some great backpacking trips, a long and relaxing summer vacation with my family and a few good photographic opportunities.  I recently dusted off an almost new Yashica TLR camera (shown above) that I purchased 25 years ago.  I will be going retro, using that camera (and hopefully remembering some equally old photography skills/techniques) to capture some street scenes and portraits this year.  If I get a few decent shots, you will be sure to see them here.

Tis The Season!

In the coming days, we will be celebrating Christmas!  The Christmas season is perhaps the most recognized and celebrated season of all.  People are busy preparing.  Preparing to give gifts, and to receive guests...preparing to get together with family and preparing for both the years end and the beginning of a New Year.

I find many people are more likely to say, "hello", in passing, during this time of year, or perhaps "Merry Christmas"!  I like it. 

When I hear a stranger say, "Merry Christmas", it reminds me of snowy winter days, when the wind blew cold on my face and my siblings and I were walking behind Mom as she walked thru the parking lot at Montgomery Wards, or as we walked along the covered sidewalks of the smaller strip malls near the big Department Stores.  Back then, Christmas music was piped over even the exterior store speakers (and if I remember correctly, even some of the smaller towns played Christmas music over PA's), so that walking thru a parking lot, or along a sidewalk, you could hear Bing singing "Silver Bells" slightly out of time with the echoes of other speakers in the distance...mixing with the noise of the wind...And most times you could hear one person saying, "Merry Christmas" to another...or sometimes to Mom or us kids.  Total strangers mind you...simply passing on some good cheer and the seasons greeting.  I imagined it would always be this way...

Below you will find a few Christmas songs that I arranged/recorded.  ( ignore any mistakes you hear!)  As mentioned before, my Yamaha Clavinova (a fancy digital piano) lets me make and play music using a wide variety of musical instruments.  The songs here were played using a standard piano, trombone, oboe, pipe organ, strings and even some synthesized "gothic voices"! Some are simply a solo piano, others are arranged and over dubbed with other parts that I play and arrange together to make one song.

"O'Come O'Come Emmanuel" was performed using the pipe organ.  I couldn't resist making all of the old school Catholics out there, INSTANTLY recall walking into Church during the Christmas season.  It certainly made me chuckle when i played it back...until the memories of stern nuns and endlessly repeating "Hail Mary's" suddenly came to me!

The last song listed here, "Silent Night", is sung acapella by my daughter Veronica.  She recorded this in my home office on a large condenser microphone, while learning how to record herself and use the microphone etc.  It wasn't practiced, and even so, I think it sounds beautiful. 

Each of these songs can be downloaded (Mp3) by "right clicking and saving" or simply click on your selection to listen to it without downloading.

I hope these songs will contribute to the joyous Christmas Spirit that this season brings!

White Christmas

The Christmas Song

O' Come O' Come Emmanuel

Where Are You Christmas

O Holy Night

O Tannenbaum

Silent Night (Veronica)


Merry Christmas!!

Remember when....

Apparently there is a billboard ad campaign underway at Chevrolet.  I was told that this was one of the billboard ads up in the Detroit Metro area.  Way to go Chevrolet!

Fall Clean Up

It has certainly been a while since I last posted here!  So much for consistent blogging!!  I think I may be out of compliance with some blogging rule or something!

To be honest, I never imagined I would be inclined to post my daily thoughts or activities as some do.  I have always been a bit "hot and cold", as I seem to become deeply involved/interested in something, only to find something else a few months later that has piqued my interest even more.  I have learned that I come back around to all of my interests on a rather cyclic basis....so I have learned not to sell my bike, or camera, or piano or telescope, only to find I really need another one a year down the road!  But, I digress.

We recently replaced the upstairs carpet in our 12 year old home. (We had replaced the downstairs carpet two years ago)  We had been planning on doing this in 2005 or 2006...then 2007...then...well most of you can relate.  When we pulled the trigger and made the appointment, we knew of course, that the upstairs would need to be empty so that the installers could do their job.  That meant cleaning, moving or relocating most of our home but, it would be coinciding with our annual Fall Clean Up, so what better time to get it done.  12 years of living, putting things in the closets (hey, we will find a place for that later!) and stubbornly clinging to things that while not irreplaceable, reminded us of moments in time that we were not yet ready to let go of, awaited us. 

As you can imagine, it was alot of work to relocate everything to the garage, Goodwill or the trash can.  There was also time spent smiling at the photos that were under the bed that we hadn't seen for years....our young children who have since grown up, photos of a younger couple with less lines on their faces...cards from loved ones...clothes that don't fit...shoes my wife happily re-discovered.

We always do a fall clean-up.  Put away the lawn mower, rake up the leaves, hang up the bikes....make room inside for a Christmas Tree and the likely "too many" presents etc.  We get ready for the colder weather.  Nights spent indoors on the couch with a blanket, the raindrops noisily hitting the windows, as we enjoy the smell of a slow cooked meal in the Crock Pot.

This year felt different.

The recent trip to Michigan still has me wondering why I live so far away from the family I love.  I'm older too...not the "we all get older every year" older...rather an older that has to do with seeing children become adults and seeing friends face mortality.  A look back over one's shoulder wondering "what difference or impact have I made"?...kind of "Older".

We were able to get everything out and a day or two later we watched as the old carpet came up and the new carpet was installed.  It looked, smelled and felt like a new house.  We got down to the business of putting the empty upstairs back together.  Up came the familiar bed and couch...the clothes that had survived...books both read and unread.  I re-lived, by way of brief snapshots in my mind's eye, the 12 years that we had spent in our home.  So many memories.

As I sorted pictures, hung up my daughters 4th Grade artwork in my home office, put away a binder containing Ronald Reagan's Photo and a few of his speeches, (that I had assembled upon his death for my daughter to read when she is an adult) and re-discovered the hand knitted 8 ft x 6 ft Afghan (think knitted blanket) my sister had made me many years ago, I admit, I felt a bit nostalgic.

So many things had changed or perhaps it is more accurate to say, so many things had happened...since we walked into that brand new house in 1998.  It is a common experience.  Sobering, joyful, sad and reflective...all at the same time. 

Yeah, I think too much.  

And, since we have cleaned and gone through the whole house,  we might as well get the yard cleaned up...I mean, there are leaves everywhere and the grass is too long....and we need to cover up the outdoor furniture....geeez, I should have stained the "Big Toy" and pressure washed the driveway, and I meant to trim those darn trees that have gotten way too big!

I think I will do it....next year.

From Fargo, to Butte, to Tacoma

We left Michigan and prepared for the grueling drive back to Washington state.  We had decided to take the northern route using I-94 instead of I-90, for a change of scenery.

We stopped off for the night outside of Chicago, and had dinner with my Sister and her family, before heading out to try to put some miles under us.  We ended up driving until 2 am, and stopped just outside of Madison, WI for the night.

The next morning we were on the road making our way through Wisconsin, then on to Minneapolis/St Paul, Minnesota, then straight through until we hit Fargo, North Dakota...where we stayed the night in the nicest motel to date.

The sights along I-94 were similar to those we had seen on the way out to Chicago/Detroit, but I tried to take a few photos along the way just the same.  We frequently saw farms near Fargo, ND that had a large pond or lake near the Interstate, that was surrounded by fields of corn or wheat.  Some of these farms were quite pretty.

Left Fargo, ND and soon we were in Montana...16 hours and we ended up making it to Butte, MT.  Geezes that was a long day.  Photos?  Well I was in no mood...but we saw some beautiful fields of wheat that seemed to go on forever, and after dodging the 18 wheelers that often seemed to surround us, we were even treated to a very nice rainbow after driving into/through a small storm.

When we left Butte, MT...I was on a mission to get back into Tacoma with little wasted time...and I drove across the Continental Divide, through the mountains, past Lake Coeur d'Alene and into Spokane, WA.  We had been along this stretch so many times, it just didn't seem inspiring.

A few hours and many, many insect impacts later...we arrived back in Tacoma, safe and sound...but tired of being in the car!  The car, with its bug ridden (looked like it was shot with multicolored paint balls!) front end...seemed tired as well.

It was a weary end to an adventurous, all American "road trip"...that led us through almost 5000 miles of the United States, including 11 different States!  We saw National Monuments, historic locations, small towns and big cities...thundering storms and peaceful plains.  We visited 3 National Parks and 2 National Shorelines including two of the Great Lakes...and we had eaten everything from hot dogs to caviar.

Most importantly, we re-connected with our family and got to look into each others lives and families...getting to know each other a little better.

It was a great trip.

Home!

We arrived safely in Michigan after our short visit in Chicago...2400 miles total!

We stayed with my youngest brother Dennis and his wife Michelle and their daughter Hailey.(And their dog Dakota)  Hailey is literally twice as tall as the last time we saw her!  She went from little girl, to little lady. 

While in town, we were able to visit several times with my Dad and his wife Chris, as well as seeing the rest of my brothers and sisters. (Patrick and his little girl Maya...who has Patrick's curly blonde hair....and my oldest sister Kathy and her husband Gary)  Everyone was healthy and it was great to see and share some time/memories with the family that I so rarely see these days.

Kathy was given the task of resurrecting my old teddy bear, "BB"...who has seen significant and loving wear and tear over the years at the hands of my daughter Veronica.  We hope to see "BB" shipped out in the next month with a facelift of sorts!

We seemed to never stop eating!!  We enjoyed Coney Dogs, pizza from "Holiday Pizza" (A place I used to work), frozen custard from "Erma's Frozen Custard" stand" (on three separate occasions!!), chicken from the Bavarian Inn in Frankenmuth, MI, a sack of burgers from the local "White Castle" burger joint and a lunch buffet at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. 

Our trip to Mackinac was memorable.  We drove up with my brother Dennis and his family.  We ventured across the verrrrry longggg Mackinac Bridge (5 miles long and for many years, the longest suspension bridge in the world!) and took a few photos before going back to Mackinac City and spending the night in a motel that overlooked Lake Huron.  Hailey and Veronica had fun shopping and visiting the Mirror Maze". (A house of mirrors...that you have to find your way through)  We dipped our feet in Lake Huron (and earlier in Lake Michigan) and looked for "Petoskey Stones" and shells on the beach.

The next day we took a ferry to Mackinac Island, where we spent the day riding bicycles around the island (no motors allowed there...its horse and buggy or bicycles) before taking a horse drawn taxi  up to the Grand Hotel...one of the finest hotels in the United States!!  (for you movie buffs, "Somewhere in Time" was filmed here)  It was a bittersweet moment when I entered the Grand Hotel as it was one of my Mom's favorite places on earth.  Though I had seen it from across the water several times, I had never been inside the Hotel (none of us had!) ...rather, as a young man I had heard how much my Mom had enjoyed staying there back in the 70's.  We enjoyed an incredible lunch buffet in the grand dining hall, taking in the views as much as the delicious food!

 Until recently, you were not allowed to even enter the Hotel unless you were a registered guest...after 5 pm ladies must still wear a dress and men are required to wear a jacket and tie.  After a beautiful day on the Island, we drove back home that night, by way of Frankenmuth MI, where we had dinner at the famous Bavarian Inn!

While home, we had two get together's at Dennis and Michelle's, one was just to get the Gamble family together for a visit and the other was a Birthday Party for Hailey....who just turned 11!  Congrats Hailey!  We met some of Michelle's relatives at the birthday party and put faces to names for the first time in some cases!

Before we knew it, it was time to leave.  Time for the long drive back to Washington. 

Thanks to everyone for their hospitality, generosity and for making time for us.  Thank you Dennis and Michelle for opening your home to us and for driving us everywhere!!  Thanks Kathy, Gary, and Patrick for making the trip out to gather as a family.  We really had a great time!

Chicago!

After four days of travel we finally saw the skyline of Chicago as we made our way to my sister's house. We were glad to settle in for a couple days, and get off the road.

We had a chance to get to know the nieces and nephews that we had not seen for almost ten years. My sister Debra (second oldest) had never met my daughter until we showed up today!! We took the next couple days and caught up as best we could with the “goings on” in everyone's lives. While doing so, we were able to sample some Chicago food favorites! We enjoyed Italian Beef Sandwiches in a cute diner, (See photo) Chicago style Deep Dish Pizza, and of course, a few Chicago Style Hot dogs!!

I was quite impressed with my nieces and nephew. They all seem to be well grounded, hard working young adults. Erin is sassy, Colleen is quiet and Sean is a brainiac. (See his “Epic” computer setup in the above photo)

Time was short, and before we knew it, it was time to head towards Detroit. We had a great time and wish we could have stayed longer.

Hay Bales and Corn Fields

Well, we left our 1950's "Motor Inn" motel and headed east through South Dakota.  Driving I-90 across this state is a test of one's patience.  While the skyline and the open prairie has its charm, seeing it for 8-10 hours and 400 plus miles..while listening to the drone of pavement disappearing beneath you at 70 mph...has a way of wearing you down!

The most common sight along this route were the countless, large bales of hay, scattered throughout the vast hay fields    All I could think of was, "amber waves of grain!"

Finally, Minnesota!  A new state....and instead of hay...endless fields of corn!!  We passed many, many fields of corn...usually with an old farmhouse and accompanying barns/silos amidst large stands of trees.  They looked like houses in tiny forests...smack in the middle of hundreds...no...thousands of acres of corn!

We rolled into La Crosse, Wisconsin (Barely in WI) in time to hit the sack.  Maybe I will spot some cheese to photograph tomorrow before we arrive in Chicago!?

Close Encounters and Presidential Profiles

We began our day headed towards South Dakota...but couldn't resist a side trip to Devils Tower National Monument!  It was our nations first National Monument, and some of you (older folks) may recall it from the movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind".  It is an interesting piece of geology and adds a bit of intrigue to an already beautiful setting.

Next stop, another side trip...to the town of Deadwood.  You might recall that Wild Bill Hickock was shot in the #10 Saloon in this wild west town!   It has lost much of its charm to tourism, but the valley that the town sits in is still beautiful.  Much of the old town, many structures and the Main Street are still there if you look hard enough.

Lastly, we stopped in Keystone, SD to visit Mt Rushmore.  It was the first time for my daughter, and I never tire of looking up at that incredibly detailed, super sized sculpture!  The entire facility was beautifully restored/improved since my last trip there almost 20 years ago.  The Presidents looked great!

We spent much of the day on "side trips" and made little progress towards Chicago, finally having to stop to get some sleep in the little town of Koduka, SD.  The motel, well...it looks kinda like the "Bates Motel"...but its home for the night!

East to Gillette, WY

 

We left Missoula this morning.  After a brief look at the County Courthouse (See above photo) and a fond look at "Finnegans" restaurant, (a classic family restaurant that literally spans/sits above a river below...where we have enjoyed meals on similiar cross country trips) we got back onto I-90 and headed toward Rapid City, SD.

We never made it to South Dakota, deciding instead to call it quits in Gillette, WY.  We just had enough asphalt for the day!

Between Sheridan and Gillette, we chased a storm for about 2 hours!  We were driving 70 miles per hour and finally caught it about 30 miles west of Gillette.  The storms are so clearly seen in these wide open states, and from distances so great, one almost forgets how large they are!  We felt the tail end of this storms fury for a few minutes before it moved south of us.  The second photo is what we saw during those two hours....as we gave chase!

Missoula By Way of Eastern WA

For those aware of our trek to Chicago and Detroit, (and back) we drove from Tacoma, WA to Missoula, MT today.  We got a late start (as usual) and only drove for about 9 hours today.  I have yet to look at a map to see where we will celebrate the 4th of July!

On our way across the rather desolate eastern part of Washington, I was able to snap a few photos.  The one shown above is a good representation of how it feels to drive across the open landscape....lonely...like that little old barn! 

Eastern Washington has its own charm with its sagebrush and the occasional tumbleweed carelessly crossing the roadway in front of you.  The green mountains of Idaho and Montana broke up the monotony and night was falling as we motored into Missoula.

Ethnicity "Select One"

Recently, I have heard the issue of declaring one's “race” becoming a bit of a controversy.

I have heard some recent opinions disputing the need to declare such things on the recent and ongoing 2010 Census. Today I read in a local newspaper, that there is some concern over the accurate (or inaccurate) “box-checking”, as it relates to new Federal and State rules that seek more detailed information on the race of students.

We elected a President that has been hailed as the “First African American President” of the United States. I have never understood this. My understanding is that our current President has a “white” Mother and a “black” Father. This makes him as “white” as he is “black”!!?? I use the President as an example because he is such a recognizable figure that most everyone knows.

If it is not politically correct to “stereotype” someone based on the color of one's skin, why are people calling President Obama a “black” man...or “African American”? Is it because his features tend towards “African American”? If so, is that appropriate? Is it fair to simply disregard 50 percent of his heritage? Is it fair to his Mothers side of the family to simply ignore any of the cultural and ethnic background of his own Mother?! Quite simply, fear of speaking the truth and “Political Correctness” has distorted the truth. Its that simple. President Obama is of mixed race. He is no more “black” or African American, than he is “white”. Did this “black” self-identification serve as an advantage for his election? Was it used purposely?

President Obama exemplifies something that has gone on for years, without anyone pointing it out for fear of being “Politically Incorrect”. When a mixed race child (product of white and black parents, white and Asian parents, white and Hispanic parents...for example) is produced, the vast majority of the time, the child is identified (and thus identifies himself/herself) with the minority parent, and very often identifies with that culture, to the exclusion of the other Parents culture.

It is not because of math, percentages or common sense that this occurs, as it is obvious that there are two parents, each with past cultural, ethnic and heritage identities. Why is it that the minority identity takes over in these cases? Why isn't the child “white”? If it is simply due to the outward physical characteristics that one might exhibit, doesn't that seem a bit “stereotypical” and/or “racist”? Perhaps the “ethnic entitlements” (Think scholarships, affirmative action type programs etc) lure people into claiming the minority part of their heritage? I will leave you to your own questions and conclusions.

I would be remiss if I left out a significant part of American History and its impact in this arena. When slavery was legal, (and for a considerable time after) persons were required to disclose ANY physical, ancestral “black” lineage. This was done to keep track of, and frankly discriminate against not only persons of color but their descendants whether of mixed race or not. (And regardless of how far back, generationally, this “mixing of race” had occurred) It was a bad thing. Certainly no reasonable person would advocate this, yet, here we are in 2010 trying our best as a Country to “keep track” of everyone's ethnicity. Do you think it is for positive reasons? Do you think it promotes looking at all races/ethnicities in the same light....treating all as equal?

At what point does an individual stop being an “ethnic minority”? Is it when an individual is 50 % minority...25 %...10 %...5 %...2 %...? If one has minority status based on a great, great, great, great grandmother or grandfather...is this legitimate? Should it be? Most importantly, is the determining factor for ones minority status the outward physical appearance of an individual? Lets be even more clear. Does one need to have “darker skin” (or different colored skin) than a “white person”? Think about it.

Why are Hispanic persons considered a minority when Italians are not? How can someone from Brazil be more of a minority than someone from Czechoslovakia? How can a person from Japan be a minority, when a person from India or Egypt (heck Egypt would make you “African American”!)....is not? Are Russian immigrants a minority??

We dare not discriminate (or assign minority status I would think) based on the color of ones skin....do we? Did we not, as a country, declare this as “wrong” and “bad”?

Finally, if “minority status” is based on past treatment or hardships encountered as a result of ones race or ethnicity, are Jews a minority? Certainly they have endured hardships spanning thousands of years. They have endured slavery, racism, and the outright murder of millions of their people as recently as 60 years ago! Certainly as much hardship as any ethnicity I know of, no?

I have asked more questions, than made statements. This is purposeful on my part. I am constantly frustrated with the amount of attention race gets in this Country. I think the assignment of race is purposeful and used to advantage by too many people in this Country. People on BOTH SIDES of the “Ethnic minority” argument.

I am an American, with a rich family heritage that includes a variety of cultures and Nationalities and I prefer a society and a Country that “judges a man/woman based on the content of their character, not the color of their skin”. Of course, character is a lot tougher to come by than skin color.

Regarding Immigration

The United States IS and has always been a “melting pot”. What this has meant in the past is that other races, cultures and philosophies etc., have long come to this country and have “melted into” the fabric of our Nation. This “melting” has produced a stronger and richer society in many ways. In general (in the past) these racial, cultural and philosophical differences have become part of the American societal landscape. Part OF the American societal landscape, not separate from it.

While proud of their heritage, many of our citizens (and I use that word purposely) volunteered to fight in our past wars, paid taxes and PROUDLY sought citizenship as they “melted” into the United States of America. They brought with them a strong work ethics, strong beliefs and strong cultural traditions. These citizens remained proud of their cultures and proud of their heritage. They were also proud to call themselves Americans. Read that again....proud to say, and tell their relatives, and in many cases simply and tearfully shout aloud after receiving their Citizenship, “I am an American!!!!!”
The “melting” of all of these cultures and ethnicity's has been ongoing..it has happened slowly and there have been plenty of growing pains.

Fast forward from the early days of Immigration to 2010.

We now have Illegal Immigration numbers overshadowing Legal Immigration numbers! Illegal Aliens are waving the flag of their “former” domiciles while DEMANDING privileges, rights and handouts. They do not wish to call themselves Americans, preferring to retain their “National Identities” as they protest and complain. In short, they proclaim their pride of their national origin, even as they illegally enter the United States and suck our generous system dry of monies, services and jobs.

Many of these Illegal Immigrants do not wish to “melt into” American society. Many have little respect for our country. Many come to the United States to “get” not to “give”. They shortcut the established immigration policies and do so purposely. Their children, millions of them, become citizens as the result of their Parents overt, purposeful and ILLEGAL actions. It is shameful and it is being ignored in the name of “Political Correctness”. Lastly, it is hurting our country.

We are all "immigrants" in one way or another!  I cannot imagine the USA without it's incredibly rich diversity of cultures, races, traditions religions and opinions!  I am a STRONG supporter of Legal Immigration...IF the immigrant wishes to be part of this country, not just live in this country. There is a big difference.   

I don't believe that becoming a citizen of the United States is an entitlement, I believe it should be earned. (Earned even by those born and raised here as Americans)  I have met too many Legal Immigrants from a wide variety of countries and continents, that have followed the rules and contributed so much to this country, to turn a blind eye to Illegal Immigration.

If someone simply wants to take from the Country that they hold “second” to their Country of origin...if they fly a flag of another Country in their car with no American flag to be found.... or if one refuses to “melt” into and/or participate in this Country's culture, traditions and language...might I suggest he/she stay “home”.

Parent or Friend?

I believe it is a Parents responsibility to teach, train, mentor, praise and sanction their children as appropriate. I do not believe children possess the education, life experience, wisdom or judgment of a well adjusted adult Parent. Parents are morally and legally responsible for their children and their children's actions, and thus, must assume a position of authority over their children. Children are NOT their Parents equals. Children do not see, process information or understand the world, in a way that adults do. They cant...and should not be expected to.

It appears that Parents have become more and more concerned with “Befriending” their children rather than “Parenting” them.

I observe this behavior routinely both in my personal life and in the course of my duties at work. It appears increasingly difficult for Parents to establish boundaries, rules, and standards of behavior for their children. This difficulty appears to stem from the almost certain dissatisfaction that the Parent will be confronted with, when the expectations are presented to the child. (nothing new here!) For a variety of reasons, many Parents just seem to find it more “comfortable” to yield to their children's protests vs. “Sticking to Their Guns” and acting in the capacity of the “The Strict Parent”.

Consider the following examples:

Children are allowed access to the Internet as as well “Social Networking” sites that most adults aren't mature enough to manage properly! (and often don't) How can we expect children between 8 and 16 yrs of age to somehow do better?! These “Social Networks” expand and exaggerate the normal sphere of interpersonal relationships that children used to learn slowly and in person, through their interactions in school.

Children are allowed to have cell phones, even as young as 1st and 2nd grade!? Parents love to cite “emergencies” as the reason their son or daughter “need” cell phones, but its just another example of “I cant say no”. In short, most Parents simply lack the fortitude to do what is in their child's best interest.  Parents often work harder at presenting justification for allowing things, than they work at taking a stand!

Cell phones allow for even more “Social Networking” by way of text, pictures and wi-fi access. It teaches our children to communicate within the sterile confines of a screen...lacking in context and intonation and verbal cues etc. It also provides for a level of privacy that is ill advised and completely inappropriate for young children.

It is simple. If a Parent isn't setting the boundaries and standards of conduct for a child, then schools, friends and “Social Networking” are doing it instead. Do these other people have you or your child's best interests in mind? They certainly have your child's attention! Do you?...or are you afraid to lose their approval when you “put your foot down”?

Your child is not your friend, they are your RESPONSIBILITY!  Quit being a friend...your child will have plenty of friends throughout their life.

How many Parents will they have?

Consider This

People may forget what you have said...

People may forget what you have done...

But, they will never forget how you made them feel.

Digital Camera/Photography Basics Part 2

Here it is...Part 2 of the Digital Camera/Photography Basics!!

This will be a continuation of Part 1, which introduced some very basic skills, techniques and composition skills that can be used to take better photos.

I will attempt to speak in general terms that will apply to most digital cameras that have been sold since 2005 or so. Some cameras will have buttons in different places, and differing menus etc., but the terms and the basic setup instructions I provide should translate to most digital cameras. I will however, use the menus and physical layout of the Lumix DMC FS5 as an example, but again, most of this should translate to menu(s) or button(s) available on most digital cameras.

Additionally, I will not be covering the multitude of specific ""Picture Modes" that are found on todays digital cameras. There are 27 specific "Picture Modes" included on the Lumix alone! These specific modes range from "Fireworks" to "Night Scene" to "Portrait" and "Pets" modes. I encourage you to explore all of these available "Picture Modes" as they are meant to allow a photographer to choose the correct mode for the type of photo they are composing/taking, and not have to worry about specific settings as the camera will "pre-adjust" the settings appropriate for each "mode". Each of these "Picture Modes" allow for similar adjustments to the settings and options explained below, so when you have finished reading this you will have a working knowledge that will apply to all the "Picture Modes" as well as the "iA" and "Normal Picture" modes discussed below.

Get your camera, make sure the battery is fully charged, grab your favorite beverage and set aside about an hour if you want to get the most out of this info.  It is best used by walking through with your digital camera in hand as you read.  If you have a DSLR, this tutorial will be of significant help to you as well!

Christmas in March?

OK, I promised a new piano (or Clavinova) tune some time ago, but the two songs I am working on are taking me a while to arrange/practice.  So in the meantime, I thought I would post a Christmas song that I recorded last year.  Yeah I know its spring already, but who doesnt like Christmas!

It is a Vince Guaraldi arrangement of "O Tannenbaum".  Most of you know Guaraldi as the pianist behind the "Peanuts" Holiday Cartoon Specials.  It is his Jazzy arrangements that you hear throughout the "Charlie Brown Christmas", which is where this arrangement has its roots.  I really like his choice of chords in this tune and the way it sounds as a piano solo.  I liked how the arrangement sounded when played slowly, with a bit of "feeling".  So, thats how I recorded this one.  Nothing fancy here, just a simple, classic tune.

Click the link below to listen to or download the song.  Enjoy!

O Tannenbaum

Digital Camera/Photography Basics Part 1

This will be Part 1 of the first "How To" I will attempt to write, in an effort to help others get the most out of their digital cameras/photography. Digital cameras are truly amazing things! Most of us have more camera than we will ever use, unless....we begin to explore and understand the incredible features most of these cameras possess.

I was asked in a comment posted on the The Photo Page, (Tiffany) if her camera could produce high quality images. She also asked if she learned a few basic skills and learned to set the camera up manually, (instead of always setting the camera to "AUTO") if she could expect better photos. Finally she asked, "or do I just need a new camera?"

These are perhaps the most common series of questions asked, when it comes to owners of digital cameras. Even the folks that buy the expensive DSLR Cameras often shake their heads, wondering why their photos are dissapointing. Most think its the camera, and they keep buying the next best camera hoping for better photos....