Temple hill Symphony with Jenny Baker

Oakland, CA

(BTC - more Symph)
(BTC - Stacy)

I had three really cool experiences tonight. I saw Jenny Oaks Baker in concert. I met my dad's new girlfriend. And lastly I met 4 players from the Utah Wheelin Jazz who happen to be on temple hill as well. A very good night, that almost made up for what a waste of day it was.

carpeted clouds

Oakley, CA

green (red) velvet cake

Antioch, CA

I'm taking Red Velvet Cake to work tomorrow. Two small problems: A, No red food coloring at two of the stores. So now it's green. B, I ALWAYS screw up the frosting so I'll admit the frosting is store bought. I know my mother would be so ashamed of me but I just couldn't bring my self to have disappointing frosting. Sometime when I'm in Spring Crik I can get my mother's teacher to teach me.

(The process)

Not interested

Oakland, CA

clouds from behind

I think I was still in Oakley, CA

One of these days I'll learn not to take pictures while driving down the highway at 70 MPH, just not today. I really liked the clouds in my tiny mirror as they chased behind me today so I just had to take a picture.

(if you ever see me in the obituary section, do me a favor and read to see if I killed myself while taking a picture at 70 MPH)

oilver moved

Antioch, CA

Oliver was looking so cute this morning on my way to work. So I bent down to take his picture and just as my shutter snapped Oliver stretched forward and smelled the camera. Even cuter.

Films that inspire

Antioch, CA

Tonight I stayed home and watched the Academy Awards. It was a very enjoyable evening until the second to last award. Sean Penn once again proved that to be an actor you don't have to be smart. He stated that those that voted for prop 8 should be ashamed of themselves but that those that voted for President Obama are a reason to celebrate. According to the polling information, stats released by the state of California and stats released by the LDS church - the people that voted for Obama and Prop 8 - are the same people. Sean Penn specifically stated that it was the voters that should feel shame. He should feel shame for an inability to comprehend who really elected a president and passed prop 8. My only hope is that Sean Penn gets called to the carpet just like Tom Hanks did. You simply can not say you love America and the rights of it's people to vote and then cast shame and "un-American" labels on people just because they don't vote the way you do. For example - I did not agree with those that voted for increased cage sizes for raised animals. But instead of crying foul, I have started increasing the cage sizes of my animals because I respect the law. Sean Penn should learn to respect others as well. Until then he just looks dumb for not being able to figure out that the African-American voters that voted for President Obama also voted for Prop 8.

Before I conclude my rant, I just want to state that I really love actors, actresses, and film. There were a lot of great movies presented tonight. I look forward to seeing some with my Dad (doubt, milk, slumdog millionaire to start), and I loved the ones that I saw and loved (the visitor, dark knight). Movies are so critical and important to inspiring greatness and to capture stories of hope. Over lunch today we discussed the influence of of Richard Dutcher's movies. Dutcher released God's Army and Brigham City before eventually leaving the LDS church. His movies challenged the stereotypes and process of a deep belief in God and how that can (and should) govern our lives. Dutcher eventually left the Mormon church (see farewell letter here), but before going he taught me about myself and allowed me to see aspects of me that I had never considered.
And that is what film should do. I am often heard commenting on how much I love and hate Aaron Sorkin. If you don't know, Aaron Sorkin wrote Sports Night and the first four seasons of The West Wing. His episodes were often very inspiring and educational and asks you to examine your belief system. There are some that say movies and TV are just meant to entertain, and I agree that sometimes that's right (though even Tropic Thunder was amazing with Robert Downey Junior) , but that is not the full purpose of film: The full purpose is to inspire and tonight we got to see some of that. I am so grateful for great writers and great directors and even dumb actors.

Jelly Planes

Fairfield, Ca

I had a very random full day. I started out going to an E-Waste Event. Next I picked up a friend and went to Fairfield to see the Air Museum, but on our way my friend saw there was a Jelly Belly Factory so we went on a tour there (sadly no pictures allowed). Then we went to the air museum. Afterwards I went to a party. Then a meeting, then back to the party. I have pictures from everything but the e-waste. Sadly I didn't get a picture of all the empty alcohol bottles. It was a great day.

happy Ansel day

Oakley, CA

Today is Ansel Adams' birthday. In light of that I give you black and white pictures. I was going to photograph the same trees from last year - but alas the City of Oakley has cut them down.

Also, Happy Birthday to Andria.

better than a goat

Antioch, CA

Because they live in small cage, the rabbits are often let out of their cage during the day and put somewhere to play. I got home from work today and it was obvious to me where the rabbits had been on the front lawn. Can you tell?

left over paint

Oakland, CA

For the past 40 years the Oakland InterStake Center has hosted a pageant called "And it Came to Pass." I worked for the show for ten years on crew rising the the rank of Assistant Tech Director. In 2008 the LDS Church announced they were suspending pageant, and then eventually decided to cancel it. Recently, the Church headquarters came and took the costumes and a lot of the equipment. Now the crew on Temple Hill are responsible for sorting and organizing what wasn't taken to Salt Lake. Tonight we fininshed working on organizing a storage room. After that was done, we started seeing what paint should be kept. For every color we kept we threw away twice as many. We had a lot of paint that was moldy and chuncky. Some of the paint was bought 40 years ago.

Interesting to me only, I was given a new title tonight. About 5 years ago I discovered that I didn't really like running theatre shows - but I loved working on theatre projects. Tonight my tech director mentioned that I'm on the "Special Projects Team." I only come into work on the projects going on in the background and not the shows that come through. I like that idea.

raving rabbid competitions

Pleasant Hill, CA

Tonight I had dinner with some friends and had a weird conclusion come to my attention. I don't own a Wii. In fact, I am not a big video game kind of guy. That said, I have Wii Mii's on 5 different consoles. (Ben/Alyssa, Debbie, my Dad, Katie, and I assumed someone else's role where I live now). Even more interesting to me is I can track my different hair styles through 4 of those places as each Mii is a little different hair wise.

country driving

Pleasanton, CA

(BTC - Including a picture of a DC - 3 that my father flew.)
(BTC - Caught)

fisheye temple

Oakland CA

I was playing with my new toy in Oakland tonight. I need to figure out a way to mount it to my camera. I think I have a way but it will take some work.

Mt Diablo Snow

Oakley, CA

It snowed on Mt. Diablo on Friday and today.

Cookies for Co-workers

Oakley, CA

I was nice to my co-workers today and brought in home made cookies to celebrate the two holidays tomorrow. For Valentines Day I brought in sugar heart shaped cookies with vanilla frosting. For SAD (single awareness day) I really struggled. I tried to find a cookie cutter that resembled a hand with a middle finger, but instead I settled on a black heart chocolate sugar cookie, for all the black hearts of scorned ex-lovers.

(BTC - I broke a rule)
(BTC - New toy for my camera)

Kid Lit

Oakley, CA

I stole the idea from Koch Co. These are a third of the books at my office. The Noodles book has got to be the weirdest.

(BTC - Who don't you see)

Where the hoses go

Oakley, CA

We had a gas leak at work and the fire department showed up to investigate. They beat PG&E by 10 whole minutes.

(BTC - One of these should be PAD but I am so chuffin tired of posting sunset pictures for PAD that they are going up as BTC)

Pink Goo

Oakley, Ca

A favorite toy at work died today. As we researched to find out whether the stuff on the inside was poisonous or not, I played around with it.

Flight in Paradise

Antioch, CA

This vegetation should be easy for all ya all. I mean I even know what it is without Melinda's help.

I found this on a walk in my new neighborhood.

(BTC)

purpleish pink

Antioch, CA

It's time for my favorite game (though sadly I don't have my favorite ecologist to play with) - Name that vegetation.

Mud

Antioch, CA

I went with Katie on a hike today. There were creeks and streams and waterfalls. It was beautiful. At one point we saw these pair of deer and got as close as 300 feet to them. They stood still and just looked at us before scampering off into the hill side. It was a once in a million time. And I had my camera with me for all of it. I just didn't have my camera battery. Do'h! I'm trying to convince Katie to go again on the 16th and so maybe we'll get shot pictures then.

--
If you have ever wondered if photography ever did any good, I ran across this article in Newsweek this week (PDF). "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep" is an organization on photographers that help families with stillborn grieve. These volunteer photographers sacrifice their time and talents to give photos to people who have lost everything else. If you ever think your photo skills aren't worth developing, read this article. Good photography can heal.

Storm cleared sunset

Oakley, CA

It rained all day and then at 5 the rain stopped, the clouds parted and we got to see this, then at 6 the clouds gathered again.

(BTC)

The Gayest Sausage

Antioch, CA

Every summer while I was in college at BYUI, I had a two week break between semesters. During those two weeks I'd drive out to Wisconsin to see my brother, Sister-in-law and the niece. While there my SIL would take me shopping for new clothes ("Sean you're in college now. You need to start dressing like you're in college"). One time we were at Target buying me my first ever POLO style shirt. One of the shirts my SIL had me try on was a red and blue striped polo. I told her I looked gay in it. (I mean that in the nicest way possible.) She told me I was being silly (and rude toward gay people), but eventually relented and didn't make me get it. Several hours later we were at a Brewers game. During one of the innings a bunch of sausages come out and race around the field. As the #2 Sausage came out I turned to Liz and said "See isn't that the Gayest Sausage you've ever seen." She choked on her Mike's Hard lemonade as she laughed.

On Wednesday, I received my birthday gift from my Wisconsin family. In it was the #2 Racing Sausages Mascot sporting his gay red and blue striped shirt. I'm not sure but I think this is in retribution for getting my brother a BYUI Cow Tipping Team T-Shirt.

Find the bird

Antioch, CA

The bird was sitting on a leafless branch with full sun on it when I started to get ready to take the picture. Then after I was set up to take the shot, the bird flew to another branch and was in a shadow. Grr.

Broadband 101

Antioch, CA

Since moving into my new place, I've been having some internet problems. I got some helpful hints tonight.

finger lickin 'shrooms

Oakley, CA

birfday mom

Antioch, CA

Today was my new land lady's 46th birthday, but instead of putting on 46 candles her 16 year-old daughter decided to be a little dyslexic and put on 64 candles. Here are the pictures from the cake looking like an infernal.