Aug 09 2007
Back to Regular Life (Pic of the Week)
Ben and his cousin, S, play in their Grammy’s pool.
(click any pic to enlarge and sharpen)
First, Happy Birthday to my wonderful wife, without whom that little guy above would not have been possible.
Remember way back when… you came over here expecting to read thoughts or feelings of a regular guy with a regular family, leading a regular life (see blog site title)? And maybe every once in a while you weren’t surprised to see a weird video of him and his 30-something friend dropping candies into soda to make an instant volcano (take those keywords and smoke’em, Google searchers!)? Or, weirder still, the saga of a cup trapped in a storm drain?
In times more distant than I care to realize, you could find fiction hereabouts.
Then again, if you came here expecting nothing, then at least you weren’t setting yourself up for disappointment.
Lately, I guess I’ve seemed like someone living something other than a Regular Life, with recent trips to to Red River, New Mexico and northern California dominating this space.
The format fell into a rut: we did this, and then we did this, picture, then we did this, picture, picture, and this and this and this, picture, picture, picture (respectively). Lather, rinse, repeat.
That won’t happen for a while. Or, at least I hope it won’t. I’m tired of trips hijacking this spot. Maybe I should create a separate space for each trip like I did in my “Back to 13” blog. It (and its accompanying online album) chronicled our beach trip to Maryland and Delaware (the “13″ being the original colonies).
Why not use online photo sharing? I have photo sharing accounts on Fotki.com, pbase.com, and smugmug.com, but my work blocks them as “Personal Storage” sites. I like to jump out here on my lunch hour sometimes, and the inability to see my photos or respond to folks’ comments is no good. Consequently, I haven’t used any of those sites in quite some time, even though they offer much more powerful features than Photopress (the photo album plugin I use here).
That’s one reason I don’t use Flickr, either — I want to insert photos into my blog that people can see no matter where they’re accessing the Internet. I’m not encouraging surfing while on the job, but while taking a break from the job.
I’ll figure out something.
For now at least, you’ll come here not knowing what you’ll see from one day to the next.
Kind of like regular life.
As a bonus, can anybody tell me what I was trying to photograph in the picture below? (don’t forget to click to make it somewhat bigular)
And a second bonus: Ben had a blast on Wednesday night at our neighborhood pool. (video and pics from Shannon’s digital camera)
Could it be a fish jumping? Anyway, I enjoyed your trip stories, because they were not just bloglines, but stories. You are a great storyteller and they always left me wanting more. I do miss the fiction also. Ever thought of posting something for the Wordsmith site? I think most of the posters would love your thoughts and words.
The King - You’re close on your guess. There is an animal involved.
I have the first chapter of a new fiction ready. It starts out with hints of a few different genres. I just have no idea where it’s going after that (and isn’t that part of the fun?).
I’ve been to Wordsmith, and I like the concept. I can’t find it now, though. Help.
Is it a turtle?
Hmmm… I’m thinking a bird of some sort…
I’m with Curt… a bird of some sort.
Happy Birthday Shannon!
When’s your next story Mark?
Everybody - The correct answer is in the comments above. I’m just waiting for more guesses.
Thanks, Dave!
Mark, I believe your photo in question is, as already stated, that of a bird. More specifically, a water fowl. I can imagine it perched atop the log in the centre of the picture, poised in a posture of intense alertness as it scanned the water below for a prospective meal. There were you also, on the bank, similarly poised with your camera to your eye, ready and waiting to catch that instant of action when the bird acquired a target and launched! The question though: would you be ready? Would your awareness be heightened enough to notice the almost imperceptible sign that the bird was about to launch? This was the game to you, and one that caused you to smile (at least to yourself) as you steadied the camera to your face, enjoying the game at least as much as whatever result came from it.
Then the moment came, and you were ready for it! And the fowl dove off the log for its prey, and you started to depress the shutter button…
…and that’s when the Stormtrooper fired from the cover of the bushes, and the red laser bolt just barely grazed your shoulder, causing a tiny delay in your action, but you managed to capture a blurry hint of the shot that nearly took your own life. Then you got up and kicked that Stormtrooper’s ass for wrecking your shot!
I’m right. I know I’m right. Right?
*****
Happy birthday Shannon! Must be great married to a Stormtrooper Ass-Kicking, Photographical Whiz-Bang, Technical Service Engineer like Mark, eh?
While kicking the stormtrooper’s ass, I growled, “Jango that, bitch!”
On the rest, I have to say you were close, but… the reveal must wait.
Happy, Happy Birthday Shannon. I’m sure Mark and Ben will be treating you to a lovely celebration.
Love the pic of Ben and Cuz.
I was thinking the creature in question was a snake (or its head, more specifically) but the perspective is all wrong. If I had to pick between a bird and a turtle, I would say it’s a turtle.
I’m not sure if you’re supposed to kick the asses of Stormtroopers, Mark. I read it as you being a Stormtrooper and an Ass-kicker… oh, but wait, I’m wrong. There is no comma between the two. Wow, you ARE impressive!
Let the guessing end. It’s a turtle splashing down under the log. Those suckers are skittish. Skittish, I tell ya!
Happy Birthday Shannon! Mark, welcome back to your regular life.
I love today’s top picture. Those two really look like they are having fun!
Happy Birthday Shannon!
I’m guessing a fallen tree. Or a turtle splashing under the log.
Mike - Yes, indeed, they were having an absolute blast. Unfettered joy — we all need more of it.
Hazel - It was a turtle on a fallen tree, and that’s what you see splashing into the water. Missed it by that much. Would you believe that much?
Thanks to everyone for the b-day wishes! I had a great day, and now I’m going to spend the rest of the weekend with 2 of my best girlfriends (one whose b-day was also yesterday) - now that’s fun, I tell ya! Thanks to Mark for watching the kiddo so I can go. He’s such a sweet stormtrooper!
Well, a really belated birthday to Shannon, and I hope she is having a great time with her buds!
Look at Ben going under! Nice.
I knew it was a turtle plopping in, but I was too late to guess. Oh well…
And for all of the people out there who didn’t comment on your vacation pictures or adventures…poo on them. They’re just jealous and didn’t want to contine to have be reminded that they were having a “Regular Life,” while you were living LARGE and eating $10 salads!! Just a joke people…as if they’ll read this anyway right?
Ah well, most of the usual suspects showed their faces during the trip posts, and I’m probably the only one who got tired of them (there’s only so much I can do creatively with a blow-by-blow account).
Ya never know, Chuck. Somebody might drop in and check on this comment thread (most likely Moksha at this point, since he’s off the Internet scene for a day or two).
Happy Birthday, Shannon!! Sorry I missed the actual day.
As for the picture, I would have guessed we were lookting at a diving duck butt…but I would have ben wrong.
Were I you, I would feel a bit flattered that Simon’s imagination continually has you kicking fairly impressive ass. Dinosaurs and stormtroopers fall before you in Simon’s mind. To date…he hasn’t had me throwing down with anyone ;)
Just you wait, Moksha. Just you wait.
Hey, Mark! I’ve got a question for you about your site… will you email me? Thanks!
Jenny