Pretty Pictures

Most of you reading this already know one of my life’s passions is to take photographs. They may never be printed, they may never be seen by another human being, but I love to take pictures. I feel honored when asked to take a photograph. How hard can it be, point and shoot—right? Well, there is something to it, balance, focus, lighting, harmony, texture—oh yes and there’s more.


(LtoR: Wes, Jess, Connor, Jack & Patty)

Recently, I took family pictures for my aunt, uncle, cousin, his wife and their son. I enjoyed the day, got to spend time with them and take pictures at the Fort Worth Botanic Gardens. It was a great day. The weather was a bit chilly and windy but other than that it was a beautiful day. I think I took around 90 photographs.



The photography bug hit me early in life and I’ve been hooked ever since. I took classes in high school and college for photography but the best way to improve is take more photos. I try to go once a month and take more shots, but life doesn’t always work out that way.


(Connor wanted to try his own pose, this is what he came up with!)

My mom bought a 35mm SLR camera when I was about 12 and the bug bit me hard. In high school, I entered a state-wide contest open to high school and college students. I won first place in architecture. In college, I took classes from a man who had studied under Ansel Adams. While I was working at a retail store in Longview, a local “prominent” photographer came in, said he’d seen my work from his colleague (the Ansel Adams intern) and told me to quit wasting my talent in that retail establishment and go back to photography. I was touched that he took the time to say that, come to think of it, that was his sole reason for entering that store. Well, I had to make a living, so I stayed put for the time being.



(The men of the family. Handsome, aren't they.)


I know that I will probably never make a living at taking pictures, but its a nice hobby and maybe one day I'll be able to have a nice side job taking pictures....mugshots at the PD?





Until next time.

Class of 88--20 years later

I mentioned here before that I‘m not good in math beyond 2+2. I do know that 1988 plus 20 years equals a high school reunion. I have anticipated this for a while. I remember my mom’s 20 year mark. I don’t think she went to her reunion but I remember sitting at my aunt’s dining room table, mom and her sister discussing it and I was making fun of them for being so old. Now I’m in their seat—a whole 38 years old.

Me wearing my aunt's fall (type of wig) at 18 mos.

As I said, I’ve anticipated this reunion for a while. I imagined how I’d show up with my husband, beautiful kids and stories of our success—wowing all the people from my younger years. Reality is a cruel joke sometimes. I’m going through a divorce, no kids, and my job is near minimum wage. I drive a hand-me down car that went from mom, to dad, to me and if it were not for their help, I would be on foot. I can’t even say at least I have my health. All is not lost—I don’t think.

I still plan on going to the 20 year reunion. I skipped out on the 10 year mark because life was really bad at that point. My ex and I just found out he had cancer and had to have surgery, be off work for a couple of months and I was working really hard trying to bring in some money. I was in no mood to hear about all the brats I went to school with and how they were still living the party life-style when my life was so dramatic. At least that is what went through my mind.

Me sometime my senior year, man was my hair big!

I’ve been viewing a message board and reading posts about all the fun things that were going on during high school. I don’t remember much of the things they are talking about. My friends were either older or went to different schools. I did have a couple of friends from school but we didn’t have a lot to do with our classmates. We didn’t exactly fit in with them. Still, some of the memories are funny and I’m learning a lot about the people I went to school with—their past and present.

I am excited about going to this reunion. I’ve said before my life has started over and I want to share it with these people, whether I know them or not. I just hope I can find a suitable escort. I’ve got a couple of candidates in mind—maybe I should have a contest and the winner gets me! No, nobody would want to play that game.

Me and Wendy Cook, sometime in early 90s in Florida.

Until next time with more memories.

Teacher Comments

You know the spot at the bottom of report cards for the teacher to leave a special message about you to your folks? Well, just imagine if your child brought home one of the comments these teachers in New York made.

These are supposed to be true, but I doubt the validity of that statement. Anyway, they are funny whether they are true or not. Aren't you glad none of these appeared on your child's report card. And, on the off chance that they did, you have my deepest sympathies.

These are actual comments made on students' report cards by teachers in the New York City public school system. All teachers were reprimanded but, boy, are these funny!

1. Since my last report, your child has reached rock bottom and has started to dig.
2. I would not allow this student to breed.
3. Your child has delusions of adequacy
4. Your son is depriving a village somewhere of an idiot.
5. Your son sets low personal standards and then consistently fails to achieve them.
6. The student has a 'full six-pack' but lacks the plastic thing to hold it all together.
7. This child has been working with glue too much.
8. When your daughter's IQ reaches 50, she should sell.
9. The gates are down, the lights are flashing, but the train isn't coming.
10. If this student were any stupider he'd have to be watered twice a week.
11. It's impossible to believe the sperm that created this child beat out 1,000,000 others.
12. The wheel is turning but the hamster is definitely dead.

Illustrative Concepts

A few weeks ago I told everyone how excited I was to begin an Illustration class in school. I no sooner got my first assignment completed and posted the joyful news on my blog than I was yanked from this class for academic reasons and placed me in a treacherous Algebra class.

After tedious work completing the Algebra requirement, I am happy to announce that I’m back in the warm, safe environment of an art class. Luckily, I had my assignment from the first time I was in this class and recycled it…the instructor never saw my work from the first class so I turned it in this second time.


I just checked the grade book and I proudly received an A. Here is my work for the first assignment. The class assignment was to create a book cover for a hand book entitled “New Horizons for the Novice Illustrator” and we were supposed to have a road going off in the distance to a vanishing point.


The second assignment was to take the same book and create an inside page (with a margin). We were to use a clock face and, without text, convey the sense of motion. Here is the second assignment. Hopefully I’ve done just that. I asked some of my co-workers and friends to look at the artwork and offer a critique. Most liked the artwork as is, no changes. Others said they would get back to me later.

Still waiting CHAZ :-P.

Hopefully I will make an A on this assignment as well.

I need someone to take my picture so I can update it on the blog, any volunteers?. I don’t look like this anymore.


Until next time.

Weird, Strange, Useless....My World to You

I've been recently accused of allowing my blog to become moldy. Great things become even better with age, however I'm sure you are all tired of seeing my hockey story. Since not much is happening in my life currently, I've scoured the Internet for lame, pointless fluff with which to fill my blog.

I’ve always heard that the criminal element is not always the smartest demographic, these stories prove this to be very true.

Dumb Criminals
Kansas- A man was charged with holding up a shoe store. He stole about $70 in shoes. At his trial the man showed up wearing the boots he stole, with the tags still on. He was found guilty and the shoes were returned to the store.
Scarborough, England- A totaled Ford was found at the bottom of a 100-foot cliff in 1996. No sign of the driver was found, just a pile of human feces on the driver’s seat. (OK, no dumb criminal but funny!)
During their lunch hour, several employees of a large aerospace company decide to rob a bank. The group figured the police would never look for them at the plant. Of course, being dumb criminals, they forgot to remove their ID badges during the robbery.
A would-be robber carefully entered a bank. He tripped on the step, causing his mask to fall off. His foot got caught under the doormat, causing him to slide across the floor to the counter. Staggering to his feet, the dazed and confused man waved his fake gun and said “This is a stuff-up!"

Here are a few laws the dumb criminals need to be aware of.
Strange Laws
Minnesota- It is illegal to mock skunks—how do you even begin to mock a skunk?
Ohio- It is illegal to sell beer while wearing a Santa Claus suit, even if you are a dog.
Seattle - It is illegal to sell lollipops. Suckers are fine—well, now we know!
Virginia- All bathtubs must be outside, not in the house.
Toronto - It is illegal to ride a streetcar on Sunday after eating garlic.
Cleveland - It is illegal to capture mice without a hunting license.
Arizona- It is illegal to hunt camels—oh snap!
Kentucky- It is illegal to carry an ice cream cone in your pocket—what about your purse?
Louisana- It is illegal to rob a bank, and then shoot the teller with a water pistol.
Indiana- It is prohibited to bathe in the winter.
Kentucky- You must take a bath at least once a year.
Alaska- It is illegal to look at a moose from a flying vehicle.
Atlanta-it’s illegal to tie a giraffe to a telephone pole or street lamp.
Idaho- It is forbidden by law for one citizen to give another citizen a box of candy that weighs more than 50 pounds—that should be illegal everywhere!
Miami- It is illegal for a man to wear a strapless gown—again, that should be illegal everywhere!
Connecticut- It is illegal to walk across the street on your hands—let me try!
Avignon, France- It is illegal for a flying saucer to land in the city—you gotta park it outside the limits.
Maryland - It's illegal to play Randy Newman's "Short People" on the radio—again, should be illegal everywhere!
Texas - It is illegal to milk another person's cow—that’s just common courtesy, right?

My dad always said he knows nearly everything. Here are a few things even Dad didn’t know.
Useless Trivia
The felt tip pen was invented by the American C.I.A. in an attempt to make a poison pen. The poison would not flow through a fountain pen.
The television series Bonanza was created specifically to provide a product for RCA's new color TV sets.
The Mac-Restaurant’s term secret sauce was created during the Cold War , in order to help discontinue the use of the term "Russian" dressing.
Audie Murphy, the most decorated veteran of WWII and Texas native was 5'5" tall 110 pounds
Heinz Catsup leaving the bottle travels at 25 miles PER YEAR
Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair
The parachute was invented by Leonardo da Vinci in 1515
Of the six men who made up the Three Stooges, three of them were real brothers (Moe, Curly and Shemp.)
A donkey will sink in quicksand but a mule won't
Hugh "Ward Cleaver" Beaumont was an ordained minister.
Certain frogs can be frozen solid then thawed, and continue living—so can Catawba worms
A cow produces 200 times more gas than a human (per day)
The only planet without a ring is earth

I will remind you that I've asked for suggestions for my blog....I prefer the ideas be stories that Mamma can read and be proud of. Just remember, while I wasted my time compiling this, you are wasting yours reading it. Happy wasting! :P 2 U chaz!

Until next time when I will hopefully have more cerebral information to share, or at least some new pictures for showcasing.