D Squared

Where The Wild Things Are

2010-01-12T13:01:00.002-06:00

Thank goodness I decided not to pick "Blogging every day." as my New Year's Resolution.

This is a series that I made during the late summer. During that time, I was so fascinated by the work of Nick Brandt that I caught the itch of heading out to find me some animals to shoot. However, being in the middle of the Midwest where the only wild animals were squirrels, possums, skunks and the occasional feral cat, I decided the best that I could do were animals of the caged variety. So, I headed to Lincoln Park zoo with a bunch of kids and made an afternoon out of it. Safari some day, but for now, hapless animals with nowhere to run will have to do.

Our 1-Year Anniversary

2009-12-25T09:48:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas, Darling, and happy Anniversary.

The Countdown: 1 Day

2009-12-25T09:44:00.002-06:00

One more day!!! ...and I'm broke like an artichoke.

The Countdown: 2 Days

2009-12-23T09:46:00.001-06:00

Taken on the way to Le Chocolat.

The Countdown: 3 Days

2009-12-22T09:41:00.001-06:00

Taken at the first Renegade Fair this summer.

The Countdown: 4 Days

2009-12-21T23:11:00.001-06:00

Just in case you wondered what I looked like.

The Countdown: 5 Days

2009-12-20T10:25:00.005-06:00

The next five posts are going to be my countdown until our first year anniversary so if you're allergic to mush, I suggest you AVERT YOUR EYES!

First Shots

2009-06-05T14:46:00.003-05:00

Anticipation can be a funny thing. It can make hours seem like days and make days seem like lifetimes. When we wait for something that we want so bad, we can drive ourselves up the wall, daydream like crazy thinking about it and do other stupid things like look up stuff about it just so we can fool ourselves into thinking we are inching closer to the thing we want.

Honestly, it's a very cruel and unusual torture, but one that makes the end result that much sweeter.

Some can relate how it felt those Christmas Eves when we know payday is coming the next few hours. Some of us remember how those last hours feel before the work week ends. And we can all tell stories of how good it feels when we finally find a bathroom after that DEFCON 1 alarm goes off telling us the floodgates have been compromised.

For me, that moment of release came yesterday after I finished scanning the negatives that, ironically enough, had me going crazy with wait last weekend.

These pictures were the first out of my "new" Yashica Mat-124G Twin-Lens Reflex Medium Format Camera. Being in this digital age, the age of high definition and high-speed Internet, my fully manual, antique of a camera has helped me find something that was often overlooked with my photography: patience. The kind of patience that only comes after you have performed each step from winding the film, to checking your light meter and adjusting your aperture and shutter speed to compensate, to flipping open a magnifying glass just so you can focus properly, to unlocking the shutter and finally taking the picture. Somewhere in all those steps, the scene can be contemplated and the composition really thought out. It can really test not just your technical skills, but also your creativity, even if your subject is not willing to wait that long. But when you finally take that picture, and send it off to be processed, and come back the next day to pick it up, and wait a few more days to get it scanned instead of shoveling out a few more bills to get the pictures printed and look at the picture you took...

Man, is it sweet.

Yashica Mat-124G
Lomography B&W ISO 100, 120 film

Test Shots

2009-06-03T12:26:00.005-05:00

Last weekend, Ria commissioned me to take her son Devon's 8-month pictures. If you recall, I was asked to take Devon's five-month pictures, the entry of which can be seen here. Back then, I thought that that would be the end of it, but I guess my work was so good that she brought me back three months later for round 2.

...Or maybe I was the only one that was willing to do it for a Sonic burger...

Either way, I had a job to do. So, I showed up at their house with my gear and my lovely assistant Meng. This time around, she had some idea of what she wanted out of this shoot, so I went ahead and created a set. When things were in place, I decided to take some test shots to make sure my lighting was decent. I asked my assistant to take a seat and this is what came out of my camera:

Really wish I didn't chop off her fingers here...

Inspiration can come when you would least expect it and Sunday was no exception. Is it too selfish to say that these shots were my favorite out of the whole shoot?

Sushma's Wedding

2009-05-29T11:33:00.003-05:00

Lots o' stuff to talk about so I guess I'll start with this event.

Once upon a time, there was a girl who went to UIC. This girl was a pre-med Biology major who also played the flue. One day, girl meets boy and the so the story goes. Flash forward and the girl is now a student at Midwestern University and it close to finishing up her courses to become a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, but before that could happen, she gets married. She had decided to have a traditional Hindu wedding and tried to make it as authentic as possible this side of India. She hires a decorator that turned a simple conference room into a Hindu wedding shrine. She hires a couple of guys to play traditional Indian music to set the atmosphere. She hires caterers to cook up traditional (and vegetarian) Indian food. She hires Indian tailors to sew traditional Indian clothes and hires a couple of Hindu priests to make sure she does indeed get married that day. Everything was set. Everything was perfect. Everything was beautiful. Everything was ready. She was so excited and I was equally as excited to be able to attend and get as many pictures as I could of this truly unique wedding. So why can't I remember the groom's name?

Bride

Groom

Decor

One Second Before They Say "I do."

"I Do."

Bridesmaids

Guests

And they lived happily ever after. The End.

Full photo set here.

Sushma's Wedding
Stevenson Convention Center
April 25, 2009

Analogue Love

2009-05-25T23:44:00.003-05:00

Presenting the Yashica Mat-124 G Medium Format Twin-Lens Reflex Camera!

Isn't it cute?

I found this baby at the Randolph Street Market Festival last Sunday. Well, truth be told, I can't take all the credit. I had previously visited the vendor where this camera was sitting and had totally passed it over. It wasn't until Meng went back with me to check out the vendor did I see this camera.

I couldn't believe I actually found one.

I had been wanting to experiment with medium format film for quite some time now, but I never mustered up the minerals to buy a medium format camera. Even when I was face to face with this camera, Meng had to be the one to convince me to buy it. She's so sweet and supportive that she had even offered to give me money to buy it if I didn't have enough on me =)

So, here goes nothing. My first three rolls are Black and White 120 film that I picked up from Urban Outfitters (Memorial Day so Calumet was closed). I'm thinking about doing my own processing later so I could hopefully cut costs, but that's another adventure for another time.

Specs:
Top Lens: Yashinon 80mm f/2.8
Bottom Lens: Yashinon 80mm f/3.5
Shutter Speed: 1/500 to Bulb
Focus 1m (3.3ft) to infinity
Can handle 120 and 220 medium format film

You Are The Sunshine Of My Life...

2009-04-28T08:04:00.000-05:00

...That's why I'll always stay around.

Chris Tomlin- Hello Love Concert

2009-04-01T08:56:00.003-05:00

Saturday, March 28, 2009
Sears Center
Chris Tomlin featuring Christy Nockels of Watermark
With Israel Houghton and New Breed as the Opening Act

New Breed

Chris Tomlin

Christy

Everyone

Thank you, good night!

What God Said To Me The Other Day

2009-03-30T13:56:00.004-05:00

God has not called me to be successful; He has called me to be faithful
~Mother Teresa

I heard this quote two Saturdays ago during a time where 'success' was an estranged, foreign idea to me. It was during a time when the world had me in its grasp. Where I felt bound and blinded with nothing but whispers of pessimism and failure filling my ears. I didn't feel like I was getting anywhere with my job, my finances were pulling me apart, school was taking everything from me and I didn't feel like I was learning anything. To top it off, I felt very much alone because my friends, the ones who would join me at church and who would help create church services with me, were out drinking at a bar on a Friday night.

Going to a vespers where the next youngest person was five years younger than me and where the topic of the night was resisting alcohol didn't help either.

I don't know how else I can express it. I felt like nothing I was doing was going right. I felt like a failure; that my lifestyle and my devotions were not going to get me very far. I felt like an outcast and that there was no place in this world for someone like me.

I was praying to God; asking Him to talk to me and to tell me that I'm going to be alright. The next day, while I was sitting in church, the speaker quoted the words of Mother Teresa that are written above.

My success doesn't come from how high my GPA is, but that I gave it everything I got.
My success doesn't come from how fat my wallet is, but that I do my job with all the talents God gave me.
My success doesn't come from how much pleasure I can get out of life, but how much I please God.

Urban Outfitted

2009-03-20T07:33:00.003-05:00

Yes, it's a corny name, but it was something to do on a Saturday afternoon. Big ups to my models: Kristine and Eric as well as to my assistant: Emillie.

Devon

2009-02-06T13:52:00.006-06:00

It's amazing what can happen in your life if you just give it some time. Think about it. Take a moment and think about all the things you have done within the past week, the past month, the past few months, the past year. I started this blog with the intention of creating a memento for posterity's sake. I wanted something where I could record my thoughts and which I could use to track my growth as an individual. I have a pretty good idea as to why I stopped using this thing. Scratch that, there was no one singularity that had caused me to stop blogging. Be it lazyness, business, distraction, or the fact that I just plain lost interest, I had stopped. That much is true. But therein contains another truth. One that is more fact than conjecture.

So much has happened since my last post.

My last post was dated at October 3, 2008. Since then, I have aged to 25. Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years have all come and gone. A semester of school had ended and another one has just begun. The country had elected Barack Obama as its 44th President, the first African-American President in the history of the country. My car's odometer has just rolled over to 60000 miles, and...

I now have a girlfiend.

A lot of things can happen very quickly and can often create a maelstrom of our lives if we are not careful. Growth and change can either be a wonderful or catastrophic inevitability, events that can really mold a person and form their character to show who they really are.

Last Sunday, I had a photoshoot with a baby of two of my friends. Now, babies can be tricky to shoot. Their personality alone works against the photographer; babies are easily the most selfish creatures to ever exist. You can't tell them what to do, you have to work around their schedule, you have to bend over backwards just to make them smile or look your way, and when they're done, they're done. However, if you can get past these pitfalls, babies can be very rewarding to shoot. With babies, every side is their good side. Their skin is absolutely flawless and everything about them is soft.

We all started that way. But as time wore on, life has ways of changing that. Things happen that takes our perfect complexion and creates scars and calluses. Our hands that were once so soft becomes cracked and weathered. Our feet that were once so cute and chubby become callused and rough. Overall, life takes our soft skin and makes it tough, sometimes going so far as to create a shell.

That fact makes me wonder what will happen to this baby as he grows. What will the world of tomorrow hold for someone like him? What kind of a world are we going to leave him when it's time for him to take control, and what kind of a legacy are we going to leave behind? Only time will tell, I guess, so for now, enjoy his soft skin.

Black and Gold

2008-10-03T20:32:00.006-05:00

The other night, my friend introduced me to a new song:

Apparently, this song is one of my friend's favorite songs of all time, and I gotta admit, I see where she's coming from. There's something about the song that makes it oh-so-delightful. It's got some sort of je ne sais quoi that seems to creep into your brain to caress the temporal lobes with is pulsating beat and delicious vamping. It is one of those songs that you can listen to sitting perfectly still, or reclined in a pleather sofa while party guests move in slow motion across an ultra-modern technologic penthouse. Heck, if you're up for it, you can even tear up the dance floor with this track and show the world what a good beat can do. In fact, my friend explained, that's exactly what happened when this song was played during one of the results shows of this season's Dancing With The Stars (September 30, 2008). However, this song is more than just a hot track. If you can get your ears past the techno beats and your legs past the urge to dance; if you can calm yourself and listen with all your heart to the lyrics, you might just find something very unexpected.

Need some help? Here are the lyrics:

If the fish swam
Out of the ocean
And grew legs
And they started walking
And the apes climbed down
From the trees
And grew tall
And they started talking

And the stars
Fell out of the sky
And my tears
Rolled into the ocean
Now I'm looking
For a reason why
You even set my world
Into motion

'cause if you're not
Really here
Then the stars
Don't even matter
Now I'm filled
To the top with fear
But it's all
Just a bunch of matter
'cause if you're not
Really here
Then I don't want
To be either
I wanna be next to you
Black and gold
Black and gold
Black and gold

I looked up
Into the night sky
And see a thousand eyes
Staring back
And all around
These golden beacons
I see nothing but black

I feel a way of something
Beyond them
I don't see
What I can feel
If vision
Is the only validation
Then most of my life
Isn't real

'cause if you're not
Really here
Then the stars
Don't even matter
Now I'm filled
To the top with fear
But it's all
Just a bunch of matter
'cause if you're not
Really here
Then i don't want
To be either
I wanna be next to you
Black and gold
Black and gold
Black and gold

{Sings quietly}
'cause if you're not
Really here
Then the stars
Don't even matter
Now I'm filled
To the top with fear
But it's all
Just a bunch of matter
'cause if you're not
Really here
Then i don't want
To be either
I wanna be next to you
Black and gold
Black and gold
Black and gold

See it yet?

According to some sources, this song was written during one the lowest points in Sam's musical career. His father was a minister as well as a recording artist himself, and for his son's training, brought him to a church to listen to the soulful music inside. Sam claims to believe in a higher power and considers himself to be a spiritual person who's not tied down to any one religion. Could this background be the influence that had led Sam to write a song about God? Could an openly gay man really be so spiritual that he would deny evolution, believe in the majesty of creation and seek a higher power that made it all? Could a dance beat really serve as a song of worship?

Honestly, I don't know.

These are just some questions that I left out to ponder over the weekend. Right now, I'm just enjoying this song and reveling in the fact that it contained such a heavy message... just hiding in plain sight.

Happy Sabbath, everyone!

Don't Worry, Be Happy!

2008-09-27T08:17:00.003-05:00

"So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; "and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

~Matthew 6:28-29 (NKJV)

Don't worry about today. Give it to the One who holds tomorrow in His hands.

But first be concerned about God's kingdom and his righteousness, and all of these things will be provided for you as well.

~Matthew 6:33 (ISV)

Happy Sabbath!

A Toast

2008-09-19T22:17:00.013-05:00

Here's to the union of my good friends: Antonio and Sharon Espinoza. A match made in Heaven, if Heaven were only a quiet suburb on the outskirts of Chicago's metropolis. Here's to the fond memories you two have made and cheers to the memories to come. Here's to seven years of adolescent dating and to the years that lay ahead.

Here's to that old and broken road, the one with detours and pitfalls and false leads, that had brought together the two of you.

Here's to the intimacy you two will share.

Here's to the idea of two becoming one: of one mind, one body, one soul. Here's to the fulfillment of "bone of my bone, flesh from my flesh." where they shall leave their mother and father, to become one.

Here's to the secret knowledge known only to the two of you, and to the exploration of the sacred beneath the blessed canopy of marriage.

Here's to the laughter and the dance.

Here's to the moments of joy and the smiles that exists for all to see...

...as well as the ones that exist for just the two of you.

Here's to dancing to the song of life and never forgetting that the road you travel will always be wider with your friends, your family, and your God by your side.

So, congratulations to the two of you! May God pour out an overabundance of his blessing for you both and bless you richly as you begin your new life together.

Lethargy

2008-08-15T07:22:00.002-05:00

I really can't push myself to write in this thing anymore. It's sad, but it's true. The light is slowly burning out and my pen is running empty. My pencil is down to a nubbin and my eraser is cracked and dry. My source of inspiration is gone, I have distractions galore and I can't seem to pull together enough motivation to sit at my desk and type. Oh, don't get me wrong, it's not like I don't have anything to write about. Personal thoughts and memories of the last few weeks have given me enough material to last me for days. No, writer's block is the least of my worries. Rather, I just don't have a reason to write anymore. Well, hopefully this post will get me going, and maybe I can find the reason of why I started this project in the first place.

Five Down

2008-07-22T11:02:00.006-05:00

July 13 marked the day that the fifth member of my high school graduating class stepped into the shoes of matrimonial bliss. I consider that quite the feat since out of those five, four of them were still single when the diplomas were being handed out.

Sweet mercy, how time flies.

Every time something happens that results in a bunch of my old classmates getting together, I always feel a need to take stock and try to figure out what's changed since 2002. It's not as easy as it seems, because even though it was a small class, it was very easy to lose touch with everybody. So far as I know, five have been married with one of them already with a kid. Two others are engaged (not to each other) and are getting hitched later this year. The majority of those that went to college have already graduated. One is entering his third year in medical school. One is going into his second year in dental school. One is working as a mechanical engineer for Boeing. Three have finished nursing degrees with another one finishing up soon enough. A couple of them are working in business, one works in IT, a couple are working in the maintenance field and another is in meteorology. Two have joined the armed forces (Navy, Air Force) and are still serving. I've got classmates living in Hawaii, California, Iowa, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Seattle, Michigan, North Carolina and of course Illinois.

It has been a little over six years since we were all last seen together. Some things have changed, some things stayed the same, but so far, it seems everyone has done well for themselves. Despite all that has happened in the world and all the personal experiences we each had, we all appear to be moving along with our lives fairly well. God has kept us so far and has shows His great mercy on us all.

This fall, my old high school will be celebrating the first graduating class's ten-year reunion, and with me being part of alumni association this year, I get to be part of the planning of this milestone. So far, it seems that many members from the class of 1998 will be flying in from all over the country for this weekend. Who knows how much they've changed as individuals over the years? Depending on how you look at it, ten years can either feel like eons or flash right in front of you in a matter of minutes.

Four years from now, I myself will be celebrating my own class's ten-year reunion. So much has already changed in six years that it really makes me wonder what the next four will be like. How much more will my friends change? Who's going to be living where, or with whom for that matter? Who's going have a kid? Who's going to get married? Will the ones that are married still be married? Who is still going be alive? These are questions that I don't know the answers to, and I am pretty relieved that I can't answer. But get back to me in four years, and I'm pretty sure I can tell you the answers then.

As for my own stock? I'm a single, 24 year old with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and less than a tiny clue of what I'm going to be doing with my life. I work as a temporary lab technician for an oil company and I am still living at home. I might be going back to school this fall to try to finish up some classes to pursue a masters degree, or I might try to get into pharmacy school. Like I said, I really don't know what to do with my life. What I do know, however, is that like the rest of my class, God has kept me so far and continues to bless me on a daily basis. I can only live on with the hope that God has somethings special in the works for me, and that His plan for me is so much more than I can ever imagine. So, let's see where the next four years will take me.

Class of 2002 graduate Krissy and her dad.

The Watcher 1

2008-07-11T09:23:00.004-05:00

Candid, street photography.

Taking good pictures of total strangers in public without getting called a creep, getting punched in the face or getting your camera broken? Yes, I'll take that challenge.

A Little Bit o' Cubism, A Little Bit o' Panel Art

2008-07-02T10:20:00.005-05:00

I wanted to print out this daisy picture to hang in my house somewhere (bathroom), but overall, I felt bored with the concept of staring at just a flower while I brushed my teeth. However, while I was messing around with it, I got inspiration to model the portrait after the style of the British artist, David Hockney. By basing the concept on his work, and using the techniques I had used on my diptych picture, I was able to make this:

This picture is cropped from a larger shot with more background, but the same foreground subject. I had used nine picture layers: eight frames with a base layer. For hardware, I used a Canon EOS 40D with a 70-200mm f4 L IS USM lens and Photoshop CS3 to render it all. To print, I had used a Canon Pixma Pro9000 inkjet printer with Canon 13"x19" Photo Paper Plus Semi-gloss.

This picture was designed to look three-dimensional with eight pictures contributing smaller portions to one large picture. I was tempted to make it look a little more realistic, more Hockney, by placing each frame a little off kilter to make the entire picture just a little bit more cubic... but whatever. I'm happy with how it turned out =)

How Bored Am I? Bored Enough To Write This

2008-06-25T13:31:00.008-05:00

While sitting at my desk pondering the best way to prove Einstein by forcefully speeding up time three hours to quitting time, I suddenly had remembered a web blurb about the hysterical customer reviews on Amazon.com concerning the Bic ballpoint pen. For those who need a quick refresher, Amazon created the site to act as a virtual mall, and a massive one at that. Nearly any commercial product that has ever been produced can be purchased with just a few clicks of a mouse from this online warehouse. The browsing experience can be quite rewarding as well because not only can a stock photo of the item be viewed, but each item has its own outline of specifications, descriptions, user photos, technical details, promotions and referrals. The product site can also be somewhat interactive: registered users can offer product reviews as well as provide photos of the product themselves. Since all the products listed follow a similar web template, each product gets the same treatment.

Even the ubiquitous ballpoint pen.

But let's be real. Who wants to make or read a freaking review of a ballpoint pen? It's a pen! And therein lays the joke, because people will make reviews, if just for the sake of making a mockery out of the whole system.

Yeah, good times =)

All the reviews were creative and unique in their own right, though some were more creative and unique than others. They ranged from the My-god-I-think-this-review-was-actually-serious...

All right by me !!!

It seems as if I've always used these very good black ink pens by Bic; I remember writing many a paper for college using pens like these before computers came along. Bic calls these pens "medium point" but the ink is quite clear on the page. The black ink lasts for months--unless you write a lot with these every day in which case they will last a shorter amount of time.

The pens are compact and easy to carry with you; this makes them easy to carry because they are so lightweight. The pens are made of plastic with a see through ink tube inside them. The advantage of the see through ink tube is that you can tell when the pen is running low on ink--a great feature!

As nerdy as it sounds, gentlemen can easily carry one or two in their shirt pockets. I would keep the cap on, of course.

Actually, I would keep the cap on at all times when not using this pen. The ink still inside the pen can dry out rather quickly without the cap being on them. Moreover, you don't want ink to leak out of the pen and make nasty ink stains.

Overall, if you want an inexpensive pen that still gives you high quality writing ink, you can't go wrong with these pens by Bic. I have used them for decades with great satisfaction.

I highly recommend these pens for anyone wanting an inexpensive but good quality black ink pen.

~ Matthew G. Sherwin

...to the I-think-this-girl-was-totally-up-in-smoke-when-she-wrote-this.

Carried me across the universe and back

When I decided to run away from home and catch a ride on a falling star, I never knew how handy my BIC Pen would come in. I landed somewhere near the Puonfain Distric in the Saund Galaxy, and without the proper currency I had to get a job.

I filled out the application with my pen, worked for several months until I met a local delivery man. He gave me a ride on his star cruiser to another planet, which I happily explored.

I spent the next 5 years traveling across the universe, hitchhiking, bumming rides off Gorlocks and Pinds, and writing about my adventures with my handy BIC pen.

I also used my pen on occasion to defend myself against attackers, pry open circuit breakers and other obstacles, fix a few things, and amaze a Loiukian who had never seen a pen before.

Then, I fell in love. A kind Murgol with sandy blonde hair stole my heart, and I used my pen to write him a long love letter. He worked hard to save enough money for us to get married, and we both used the pen to write our nuptials and sign our names on the Gorgin Wedding Certificate.

After my 6 year journey, I am pleased to say I am back home on Earth with my Husband, and am expecting my first child. I've published my book, Memoirs of a Celestial BIC Pen, and it's a big seller.

Thanks to this pen, I was able to write my book, several job applications, a few minor notes, some misc. writings, and best of all, it never ran out of ink. Thanks BIC, and my Husband says, in his language, "Bo' Du "Hava Locing." (Goodbye, and thanks for all the fish)

~ E. Jackson

And from the eloquent...

Excellence

Sunlight dancing off crystal angles.
Protective cap glistens, silky, substantial.

Black ink flows to paper
As Medium Point ball glides effortlessly.

Remaining box of eleven rest, haunted,
Awaiting their destiny.

~Jeffrey D. Bowman

...to the crass.

3 to 5 and still alive!

I've been in and out of prison most of my life and I specialize the in fine art of prison tattooing. Now, I've tried many types of pens, Pilots, Sanfords, Paper Mates, and others. But for the sheer consistency of color, permeability, and aesthetic character, I use only BIC(R) Cristal(R) Ballpoint Pens.

When you try to get the ink to adhere to a sharpened paper clip, you instantly can tell the difference in workability with a Bic. The fine line work required in realistically rendering a flaming serpent wrapping the bare breasts of a nymph straddling a crucifix would be nearly impossible with any other pen.

Clients can be picky. So when I aim to please I trust on BIC(R) Cristal(R) Ballpoint Pens.

~Ralph A.

Complete with another user's comment!

It appears this review is actually about the quality of the ink in the BIC(R) Pen and not the pen itself. While ink quality is certainly important, I would have liked to hear more about other vital pen characteristics. For instance, how difficult is it to make a "shiv" or sharpened knife-like instrument used in prison fights with the plastic barrel of the pen? Does the "Cristal" pen barrel lend itself to sharpening without breaking? How well does it penetrate flesh once it has been fashioned into a man-killing weapon? Is it difficult to hide this pen in your rectum during the all-too-frequent prison strip searches? Although the description of the bare-breasted nymphomaniac was shall we say, interesting, it would have been nice to see a more comprehensive review of the use of the BIC(R) Pen in our correctional institutions.

~Mark Morris

Now, you might be thinking, "Don, you're at work. Shouldn't you be working instead of reading fake reviews about ballpoint pens?" and yes, you may have a point. But I would like to tell you, my reader, that in the few moments I had experienced reading and writing this blog, time had just jumped ahead one hour, thereby proving Einstein! This must be how Hiro must have felt!* And if proving one of the greatest minds in a scientific institution isn't cause for a pat on the back, then I don't know what is.

By the way, this is only a third of the reviews on the site, so if you would like to read more about how a Bic pen can be mistaken for a thermometer, a weapon, or a PC, please click here.

*For an explanation of this pop reference, please consult your local "Heroes" nut.

Diptych - First Attempt

2008-06-23T13:28:00.004-05:00

A few weeks ago, I was reading about a photography technique called the triptych. A triptych, and the subsequent diptych and polyptych, is a form of art that utilizes multiple frames and panels to create one piece of art. The individual frames are often related to one subject matter, however, they don't necessarily have to follow a common template. The number of frames in the picture determine the prefix of the -tych: diptych contains two frames and a triptych contains three frames and four or more panels are designated a polyptych.

Polyptychical art has its roots in ancient tradition with the movement still being used in the modern age. Traditional polyptich art was typically a wood or an ivory carving with each panel connected with a hinge for connectivity and ease of transport, but with the arrival of pigment and the canvas medium, the painted polyptych became more and more popular. Many different types of polyptychs have emerged over the years, some achieving a very popular or cult-like status. During the Renaissance, many polyptychs were created, oftentimes with a religious subject. In the Chinese culture, multiple examples of the polyptych can be seen in their ancient art. In the 1960s, the artist Andy Warhol created the Marilyn Diptych. Polyptychs can even be found by turning to the comic section of any daily newspaper.

With such a longstanding and colorful history, I decided to give this form or art a try, and here's what I came up with

This picture is a diptych taken from paneling one large picture. To capture the image, I had used a Canon EOS 40D with the EF 50mm f1.8 lens. Digital editing was done using Photoshop CS3. I had used four layers, one editing layer, one background layer, and the two color layers on the left and on the right.

This form of the diptych was not of the traditional sense. I'm hoping to create more of these things with a different composition and layout, but for now, I'm pretty happy with how this thing turned out.

On Da Scene Wid Da LVB

2008-06-16T14:20:00.014-05:00

One of the perks for having Chicago as my back yard is that I have access to all the city has to offer without having to actually deal with the city itself. For me, going downtown is almost like having a little vacation, and with the summer mounted and ready to get into full swing, my little city will turn into quite the prime vacation spot. People from all walks of life, some wearing as little clothing as possible, will make their way to the streets of Chicago to bathe in the glass, iron and concrete that has been hidden behind the walls of winter snow.

Like Cancun but with less sand; more rocks.

June 11 marked the start of the Grant Park Concert series that will run until some time in August. The series features performances at various locations at both Millennium and Grant Park, though the biggest performances are usually reserved for the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. The "house band" is the Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus with the Grant Park Jazz Orchestra making their debut later on. The series also features verious orchestral and vocal soloists as well as a smorgasbord of different styles of music from all over the world. And each performance is free.

For a cheapskate like me, that's music to my ears.

Last Saturday, my family and I decided to attend one of the first concerts of this year. The selection for the day was Ludwig Van Beethoven's Missa Solemnis performed by the Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus with soloists Erin Wall, Soprano; Anita Krause, Mezzo Soprano; James Taylor, Tenor; Nathan Berg, Bass. The program said it was his crowning achievement, and seeing as how Beethoven has written some of the best work to come out of the classical period, this opus has got to have some bad assery from another level.

Apparently, hundreds of other people had the same idea.

The pavilion was packed by the time my family and I got there. The prime seats were all taken as well as nearly every square inch of the lawn. The crowd had even spilled over to the surrounding railings and lawns around the pavilion. The only places left to sit were these concrete steps separating the seats from the picnic lawn, and because I didn't feel like standing after traveling forty or so minutes to get here, I quickly planted myself on one of the steps. So, Beethoven's opus mass began, and even though I could not see, my auditory sense was set liberated. The orchestral melodies combined with the soloists who were accompanied by the mass choir created a cacophony of incredible sound that was only amplified by the grandeur of the open park. The music hung in the air and surrounded me in an embrace that permeated my entire being to warm my heart and to touch my very soul.

Now, if I could only get rid of all the people walking around in front of me and figure out where that ubiquitous smell of mustard was coming from...

Needless to say, my family and I didn't stay for the whole thing. We were unprepared. Unlike the veterans who took full advantage of this event and took the time to plan in advance, my family and I found ourselves shuffling out early to grab a bite to eat. If only we were like the couple who brought lawn chairs, a table, candles, wine and Pepperidge Farm cookies or this group of well dressed socialites who brought miniature cross tables covered with table cloth, wine, hors d' oeuvres, and a patio umbrella complete with pink lanterns. Or even the other couple who had brought a simple blanket to lay out in. No. My family and I had chosen speed over substance and all we had brought was a bottle of tepid water.

Luckily, we were in the City of Broad Shoulders and sustenance wasn't very far away. For dinner, we decided to check out the Park Grill where I had heard, from my friend Zab, had one of the best burgers in town.

Damn, was he right.

This bad boy was a half pound of choice beef, spiced and grilled to absolute perfection, covered in white cheddar, onions, lettuce and tomato, sandwiched between an incredibly soft sesame and poppy seed bun. We all ordered the same burger. Yes, even my family-history-of-heart-disease-and-diabetic dad ordered a burger and Sprite. I had to admit, that was a very good move, because if it was my last meal, I would've died with a big, beefy smile on my face.

So good, in fact, that I didn't even bother taking a picture, I was too busy eating.

And that ended our day in Chicago. I had fun. My sister and my dad had fun. And even though my mom got stuck paying for parking and the food, I'm pretty sure she had fun too.

Black To Basics

2008-06-09T08:51:00.020-05:00

A few years ago, a highly controversial movie titled "Eyes Wide Shut" was released to the public. The movie was co-written, directed and produced by Stanly Kubrick and starred the then couple, Tom Cruise and Nichole Kidman in a matrimonial role. Although the couple shared twin billing of the lead, the focus of the movie was centered around Tom's character, Dr. William "Bill" Harford over Nichole's character, Alice Harford. In the movie, Bill's wife Alice admits to her husband that she nearly had an affair with a Naval officer while the couple was vacationing. This sets off a series of events where Bill roams the night, constantly dealing with the mental anguish of this revelation, all the while fighting the temptations that push him into almost having an affair himself. One of the places that the night took him was to a jazz club where his friend was working as the piano player. While on a break, Bill's friend reveals to him a side job that he had accepted where he would play the organ during an event hosted by some members of the upper echelon of society. The musician persuades Bill to accompany him to the party later that night and even finds a way for him to sneak in and blend with all the guests.

As it turns out, the event was held in a very large mansion just outside of New York City. It was a very formal event and every person (that had clothes on) was dressed formally sharing the common uniform of a cape and Venetian-esque carnival mask. The sights and sounds of that event were quite unlike anything that would ever be seen on a daily basis and reveries of all manner were performed for everyone else to see. Through all the affluence and decorousness there was a raw and uncut primal atmosphere, and though Bill was dressed and looked like everyone else, he still appeared very much like an outsider that had somehow infiltrated their ranks.

Life, for me, imitated art last Saturday night.

My friend Caleb approached me that afternoon and asked if I wanted to accompany him to a photography shoot he was doing that night. The job was to go to this event and shoot pictures for about six hours, and he offered to take me along as his "assistant." I could even bring my camera and shoot pictures if I wanted to. He said it was a formal event and that it was going to be held at McCormic Place. So, I packed all my camera gear and made sure to dress to impress. He picked me up and we arrived at McCormic at around 5:30PM. The event was called Black To Basics and as it turned out, the event was organized by the Chicago chapter of the Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids (DIFFA), and this was their annual fundraising gala. DIFFA is a non-profit organization that is involved in fundraising and the sequential distribution of the fund to various HIV/AIDS agencies that are involved in things like AIDS research, prevention and education. Coincidentally, it was their twentieth gala. Some of the top designers in the city were present that night including some executive heads whose companies happen to be sponsoring the gala and the foundation.

The entire place was decorated to the highest standards. The guests that came early were ushered to an upper floor balcony for cocktails and drinks. After a certain time, the guests were then ushered to the main hall which was actually split into two because of a curtain. The first room contained another social area. Here, the guests could participate in a very expensive silent auction as well as treat themselves to the open bar. Along one wall was the display table for the auction while the bar was placed in the center of the room. The whole hall was basically blacked out with lights at strategic points. Along with lighting the auction table, there were large, cubic lights that filled the four corners of the bar counter. Each corner had a lone dancer, silently moving his or her (mostly his) body to the music pouring out of the loudspeakers. After a certain time, the curtain separating the room was pulled aside, opening up the main stage and the dining area. Dinner was already set and waiting on the tables, and while they ate, the guests could listen to the various speeches and watch the dance shows that were done on the main stage. Later on, there would be a live auction complete with a fast talking auctioneer. The night ended with dancing and another round of open bar.

My friend's job that night was to take a pictures of the centerpieces and the decorated room. He was also given a list of certain points of the night that needed to be captured. Since I was a guest of my friend, I decided to help him out by taking pictures that night. It wasn't going to be easy because the lighting was extremely dim, and as the night wore on, spotlights became the preferential source of illumination. I took some room shots with his camera, but once those were done, I decided to work the room and take some candids. I also took pictures of the things that were happening on stage and the random groups of people who would tap me on the shoulder to ask me to take pictures of them. By the end of it all, I was hot, sticky and nursing a pressure headache with no dinner in my belly except for a couple of cupcakes I took from the dessert table.

Needless to say, it was an amazing night. My friend commented me during the gala that he loves doing these things because it always attracts beautiful people.

He was right.

It might have been the dim light or the haze produced by the fog machine, but everywhere you would look and everyone that would pass you by looked very good. Not only that, but everyone there seemed to have this aura of class and tres chic to them while the room itself was permeated by the aroma of big money. It was like living a few hours on the set of Sex and the City.

Then again, I probably shouldn't have expected less from an event hosted by the design industry.

This is really the first gala that I have attended. My parents have been to a few, but you cannot really know what it is like until you actually attend one yourself. But even though I was pretty much working the night, and technically I was a crasher, I still had a pretty good experience on what it's like to live that life.

Anyways, here are a few pictures.

The last line of the formal web announcement to the event asked the question, "Who do you know to get in?" Well, I knew one of the photographers so big thanks to Caleb for letting me tag along.

A few more pictures can be found by clicking here

DIFFA Chicago website

Kristine's High School Graduation

2008-06-04T07:25:00.013-05:00

Last weekend marked the end of an era for my sister's academic career. For her, her high school graduation was the slow jam to a thirteen-year dance that started when she first enrolled in preschool. Now, she's about to turn the page to a new chapter in her life, and come this September, will be the first one in my house to move out.

But that's another entry for another time.

For now, I'll talk about the graduation weekend.

That's right, weekend. The graduation exercises started Friday, May 30, 2008 at 7PM and ended Sunday, June 1, 2008 at around 1PM. The first ceremony was an almost three hour sweat fest called the Consecration Ceremony. The ceremony was held at the Hinsdale Fil-Am SDA Church and was supposed to be the introductory ceremony highlighted by the students' thank yous to their respective parents and family members. It was a bit warm and muggy that night and over a hundred warm bodies packed to standing room didn't make things any easier. Though, I was glad I didn't have to have an additional graduation robe to contend with.

Saturday morning, after the Sabbath School led out by this year's junior class, the second event was held and this one was called the Baccalaureate. Essentially, it was a Divine Worship service that included the graduates, complete with an outside speaker that was chosen by the graduating class. The students entered the church in their robes, preceded by the junior class. Basically, it was a graduation ceremony without the hassle of actually handing out diplomas.

Saturday night was class night. Class night used to have more flair to it, it used to be more of a show. However, during the past few years, class night has essentially been distilled into its most essential of components, the presentation of awards and scholarships. This is the event where the graduates got decked out in the customary bling. Here is where they find out how much of an initial scholarship they can get to a particular college and who can get bragging rights for who gets the most honor.

Finally, Sunday morning saw the advent of the Commencement Ceremony. Here is where the graduates can come out in full regalia to finally get their diplomas. Afterwards, some of them get leid and everywhere you look, you can see a flash going off. But of course, the whole weekend can't be complete without a reception complete with nibblets such as quarter sandwiches filled with cream cheese and olives.

Overall, it was a very exhausting weekend, one that I haven't been so much a part of for six years. So much time and preparation went into making sure this thing went off well. Of course, there were a few tears and some invitations didn't make it out on time, but I'm pretty sure everyone involved was pretty happy with the outcome. The first thing my family and I did once we got home last Sunday from the reception? Nap.

So congratulations to my sister!

...and some of her friends

More pictures can be seen here

The Endorsement

2008-05-31T14:23:00.005-05:00

We have all met them before. They are our friends, our family members, our coworkers or maybe even ourselves. They are the ones who stand up loud and proud when they proclaim that they are in love... with being single. They are adamant in their statement, and they do everything in their power to prove their lifestyle. Sometimes, with lots of panache.

The life of these individuals is really something to behold, though it's all a bit misleading until you indulge in it yourself. I myself am living the life right now. I have been told that I am truly in an incredible position. I can do whatever I want and really have to only answer to myself. I can travel anywhere my heart desires, eat what I want, spend my dough on myself and not be tied down. I'm young, motivated, and floating on the sea without an anchor. Do I see a freakishly expensive electronic? Charge it. Am I curious to what the difference is between American and German chocolate? Put me on the next flight to Deutschland. Hot new game out? Pass me the Red Bull, it's gonna be a long night. I have room to stretch my legs and freedom is my shadow. I've got the world on a string.

But then I ask myself, what good is gaining the world when I don't have anyone to share it with?

Pass The Chips

2008-05-26T18:38:00.010-05:00

What do you get when you combine 1 girl, 7 guys, buckets of chips and one incredibly cute puppy? Why, a night of poker of course. Now, poker for me is one of those things that I do "when in Rome." I'm not usually a betting man, I'd feel more emotion losing ten bucks than gaining a hundred, and last night was no exception. I am somewhat familiar with the rules, and I know how the flow of the game usually goes, but the truth is, I've only played a real round of poker once before, so I'm still pretty green when it comes to the game. However, I am pretty confident in what I knew so I decided to give it a shot. I was also banking on beginner's luck showing her pure white smile on my corner.

Even though there was one girl present that night, it was still pretty much a sausage fest. Everyone playing at the table was a dude. Yes, even the dog that was scampering around our feet was a male. The game was no-limit Texas Hold'em. It was a five dollar buy-in that night and me being the broke fool that I am, my friend volunteered to spot me so I could get in on the action. I wasn't planning on playing that night, seriously I'm not a betting man, but how could I say no to the puppy eyes of my human friend Louie? So, I took my seat, the chips were passed out and before long the first hands were dealt. We played for a few hours before I had to call it a night. It was tough to walk away, I was actually ahead on the chip count with only two other guys fighting for the winner position. But, I had a pretty early tennis match in the morning. Plus, I was playing on borrowed chips anyway, so it wasn't like I was gonna lose anything by quitting. Yeah, lady luck has a sick sense of humor that way...

Though, I did enjoy the way she stacked my chips.

I wish I could've seen the end of it all, but congrats to Irv for being the big winner that night.

Honestly, I was really happy hangin out with those guys. I feel like its been so long since I've had company that good, and the timing of it couldn't have been any better. So, this post goes out to Elaine, Mark, Phil, Irv, Louie, Zab, Pat and Lovie for the laughs.

Graham School of Nursing Graduation 2008

2008-05-23T09:28:00.004-05:00

I guess it's about time I update.

Busy, busy, busy. It seems like every year, there are always two major date spans that are major sources of stress. I'm not talking about having an increase in occurrences of deep sighs. I'm talking about freak-out, hair-pulling, waking-up-more-tired-than-when-you-went-to-sleep type stress. The stress that comes only from chronic anxiety, from even though you've planned weeks in advanced, things still turn south faster than you can keep up. You know that stress. It's the same stress that makes you lose(or gain) ten pounds and forces you to wear clothes that makes laundry day seem like every day. The two time spans that I'm talking about? I’m talking about Christmas for one, and basically the month of May for another. The month is just over two-thirds over, but I've been to three graduations, one concert, one camp meeting, one banquet/photo shoot and one church photo shoot. Two of those graduations I had to travel over two hours for and in both of those graduations I had arrived thirty minutes late. I had to coordinate a song service, and I'm doing another one tonight. I'm in charge of adult Sabbath School tomorrow and I'm still not 100% ready. Oh, and I almost destroyed a $600 light set-up. Coming up, I still have my sister's graduation and I have to help my sister send out invites for the graduation as well as design an invite for her pending graduation party. I've skipped out on various house parties so I could get my stuff together, but I know there are going to be a lot more coming up.

Actually, compared to past years, this wasn't all that bad. I got to see a lot of people that I haven't seen in a while and got to see places I've never been to before. I was able to try some new techniques with my camera that I've never been able to try until recently and I'm really getting a lot of chances to flex my creative side. So, I guess I can finally take some time out now to put everything I've done on my virtual ledger. Starting with photos from two of my friends' graduation!

Graham School of Nursing is a small nursing school located in Canton, IL, a small town about two-and-a-half hours south west of Chicago. The trips to Andrews University aside, this is the first road-trip I've been in, in a while. The graduation was slated to start at 7 PM, May 16, 2008, and I convinced three of my friends to drive with me. Actually, there were quite a few of us headed to the graduation, but instead of caravaning it up, we all decided to travel at different times. In my car, I drove with Randy, Irv, and Louie. There were three other families that made it as well.

Even though we left thirty minutes late, got caught in traffic, stopped for gas and some food and showed up thirty minutes late, we were still able to see most of the ceremony. After the ceremony, we had dinner at Flat Top Grill then made the drive that night back home, though my friend Louie drove. So, congratulations to Zabdiel and Sharon for making it through the program! Here are some of the pictures I left Canton with. More pictures can be found here.

Familia Asuncion

2008-05-11T08:17:00.005-05:00

Last Saturday, my dad had the sudden urge to update our family portrait. This idea was actually thought up a while ago because, due to external circumstances, our family portrait suddenly came into high demand. Plus, the one hanging over our piano is almost seven years old, and of course, we're not getting any younger.

My dad and my sister collaborated with how and where the shoot should be. It was mid afternoon, with on and off patches of clouds and sun. My dad wanted to do a formal shot and and informal shot, and my sister suggested we do a white theme for the informal shot. My dad chose the campus of McDonalds University in Oak Brook for a location backdrop.

(what?!)

To my surprise, it was a pretty nice place. There was a little preserve there with stone-paved trails, lagoons, fountains and modern art. We only got to explore a small part of it, but it was enough to take some decent group shots and a few solos for my sister.

The shoot started off nice enough, but it quickly got overcast and the temperature dropped significantly for us to hurry it up. Also, we were not the only ones that had the idea of taking pictures that day. Along with the casual patron, the location also served as a reception hall for a wedding and some high schoolers decided to take their prom pictures there. Over all, it turned out to be a pretty nice shoot. I got to experiment with a little strobism and I actually got more time in front of the lens instead of behind it! Link to more pictures can be found here

Apparently, There Is A Cure For Cancer...But None For Boredom

2008-05-09T12:27:00.004-05:00

I am so bored at work right now. So bored. SO BORED!!!! Ahhhhh! Somebody, pull a fire alarm, create a chemical spill, throw a pie... Do something! Anything! I'm stuck here waiting for my stupid tests to finish and I have nothing to do but yak on my blog about how bored I am... Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo booooooooorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeedddddddddddddddd.

*sigh*

What's a guy to do? Well, there's always...

Chuck Norris' tears cure cancer. Too bad he has never cried.

Chuck Norris was born in a log cabin that he built with his bare hands.

Some people get lucky and kill two birds with one stone. Chuck Norris once killed four birds with half a stone. What's that? You say there's no such thing as half a stone? The four dead birds didn't think so either.

Mr. T once defeated Chuck Norris in a game of Tic-Tac-Toe. In retaliation, Chuck Norris invented racism.

If you ask Chuck Norris what time it is, he always says, "Two seconds 'til." After you ask, "Two seconds 'til what?" he roundhouse kicks you in the face.

On Valentine's Day, Chuck Norris gives his wife the still beating heart of one of his enemies. Being very romantic, Chuck Norris believes every day should be Valentine's Day.

Chuck Norris's body temperature is 98.6 degrees... Celsius.

On a high school math test, Chuck Norris put down "Violence" as every one of the answers. He got an A+ on the test because Chuck Norris solves all his problems with Violence.

Chuck Norris once visited the Virgin Islands. They are now The Islands.

Chuck Norris puts the laughter in manslaughter.

Sometimes, Dads Can't Help But Be Cool

2008-05-07T14:13:00.003-05:00

So, I came home yesterday to a smirk and a hello from my mom. I gave a "Hi, hello." back, albeit, very suspiciously. That's when my sly mamma said,

"Your dad has a surprise for you..."

I turned back and asked her what it was. Naturally, she didn't want to spill the beans (despite her already having opened the proverbial can of said beans) so I waited until my dad found me. When he finally came around, he had a white plastic bag in his hands which contained a box which contained this:

Canon EF-S 17-85mm f4-5.6 IS USM

"!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The last thing he brought something home was a mocha-chip frapp from Starbucks which he got for free and gave to my mom...

Needless to say, just like rock beats scissors, lens trumps frapp any day of the week. Yes, even those super Summer sizzlers when the temp reaches 100F and the humidity is at 10,000%.

He went on to say that this was my late graduation gift... I graduated almost a year and a half ago =P Ah, well. Better late than never.

So, please join me in welcoming the latest addition to the Asuncion Family!

Canon EF-S 17-85mm f4-5.6 IS USM
Presented May 6, 2008

Night Vision

2008-05-06T07:10:00.001-05:00

I originally posted these pictures on my Myspace. I wanted to keep them, and since this is now my number one blog, they've found a permanent place here.

Andrews University Graduation: May 4, 2008

2008-05-05T08:23:00.007-05:00

Showing up thirty minutes late, in some cases, can either be good or bad, fashionable, or rude. Showing up thirty minutes late to a party: fashionable. Showing up thirty minutes late to court: bad. Last Sunday, a few of my friends and I showed up thirty minutes late to the Commencement ceremony for this year's graduating class at Andrews University. The timing was... somewhere in between. The mall that only thirty minutes before was empty was filled when each individual from the inside of Pioneer Memorial Church found their way outside. The weather was clear, the temperature was a pristine seventy degrees, and the luminance of the sun was extremely challenged by the beaming faces of everyone there.

I wanted to try something a little unfamiliar to me while I went around taking pictures. Being late, I felt that I had already missed out on some prime "hey look at me, I'm a fresh graduate!" photo ops, and with such a huge event, it was only natural for every other person to be holding a camera, poised and ready to take portraits. So, I decided it was a good opportunity for me to try a little photojournalism. Most of the pictures I took were completely candid. I either tried to do a little scene stealing by taking pictures of people who were posed to take pictures from other people or tried to take pictures of people when they weren't looking, a la sauvette style. For my subjects, I chose people I already knew, because, well, my memory card's small and I knew I was going to be shooting a lot.

Turns out, it was a lot harder than I thought it would be.

I couldn't get out of the portraiture mentality. I've been shooting nothing but portraits for months now, and because of that, I couldn't get my mind to open up and take in the whole picture.

Maybe if I wasn't so biased and actually took pictures of people I didn't know....

Nah, it would've turned out exactly the same way.

In either case, here are a few shots from that day. As always, more can be seen on my flickr by clicking here.

Congratulations to all of this year's graduates.

Gold Watch, Platinum Song

2008-04-30T21:40:00.007-05:00

My goodness this song's amazing. This is why I love hip hop. This is why I think Lupe Fiasco is one of the best MCs ever, and this is why I love his album, The Cool. The beats are hot, the songs are catchy and the messages are deep. This song is proof positive that hip hop is more than just love-starved socialites, drugs, sex, lies, video tape, wealth, murderin enemies, makin it out the ghetto or the "N" word...

Actually, this song may just be all that...

...but it's not.

Reader, do yourself a favor. Play the song, read the lyrics, go buy his album, listen to the rest of the tracks and walk away enlightened.

...or at least a bit more cool.

[Intro: x2 ]

Let's peruse the essential of cool
A brief study of the things so instrumental to Lu
That make me feel flyer than lobbies of W's
A disclaimer just a rhymer
no credentials from a school now

[ Lupe Fiasco: ]
In my Fall of Rome jeans, my Head Porter wallet
My Neighborhood shirt and my Eddie Chen CLOT shit
My not go to college but my street smart polished
Like the black finger nails of
that punk rock logic
Do the knowledge, man you can't
be punked from projects
Firm disbeliever in your punch clock promise
Was trading off my comics I was
taking them to school
One of Jay-z boys now I'm skatin in your pools
Not to be rude I'm just hatin on your rules
Like a young 50 I'm on my world tour
Good morning Singapore I'm
bringing the sun with me
From the Robert Taylor Homes
to African slum cities
I am American mentally with Japanese tendencies
Parisian sensibilities so
stay out the vicinity of

[ Bridge: ]
Yea, yea them niggas over there
It's just, yea, yea now look at what I wear

[ Chorus: ]
Got my gold watch
And my gold chain
With my fancy car
And my diamond ring
With my fancy broad
And she's for-eign
So it's no words
And it's no slang
And I'm no trick
And I'm no lame
It's just so sick
That she so game [ x4 ]
It's just yea, yea she loves it over here

[ Lupe Fiasco: ]
I like Diptyque candles and Maharishi sandals
And Dita sunglasses and purple
murder service samples
I like False t-shirts
Devil Street is off the handle
Such a good designer Junya Watanabe god damn you
I like Yohji Yamamoto and a Max Roach solo
Leather Gucci belts and Guilty Brotherhood polos
I like Mont Blanc pens and Moleskine paper
I like Goyard bags and green Now-n-Laters
Monocle magazines and Japanese manga
Futura Nosferatu and HTM trainers
I love Street Fighter 2 I just really hate Zangief
only Ken and Ryu I find it hard to beat Blanca
I keep a wii ninja hanging and a
Unkle album banging
If you negative in energy then stay out the vicinity of...

[ Bridge: ]
Yea, yea them niggas over there
It's just, yea, yea now look at what I wear

[ Chorus: ]
Got my gold watch
And my gold chain
With my fancy car
And my diamond ring
With my ghetto broad
And she so plain
Gotta couple SCARS
And one of those long names
And she fight a nigga
And cusses wit no shame
And her ex-man had her baggin up cocaine But she.. [ x4 ]
It's just yea, yea she loves it over here

And my most coveted thing is my high self-esteem
And the low tolerance for them
tellin me how to lean
See the most important parts are
the ones that are unseen
See the wings don't make you fly and
the crown don't make you king
Now God don't like ugly, ain't
too happy bout pretty
I am ignorance's enemy so stay
out of the vicinity of...

Yea, Yea the niggas over there
Yea, Yea now look at what I wear

[Repeat Chorus ]

Lyrics taken from www.mp3lyrics.org
Visit Lupe's blog here

Reprints

2008-04-29T14:19:00.005-05:00

This next rambling is actually a reprint of two other blogs; they were origianlly made for my flickr site. I decided to post them here for posterity and, well, I needed an excuse to make another entry.

[Entry 1. Original posting: January 29, 2008]

Title: Shaguar

Jaguar XKR Coupe

I found this car while I was wandering around the streets of downtown Hinsdale, Illinois.

Hot. Damn.

This cat's got a 420hp supercharged V8, can go 0-60 in 4.9 seconds and even has a spare set of cajones in the back for that extra shot of manliness. MSRP is still under a hundred grand though, so I guess you could consider this a daily driver.

But to put this baby in the same catagory as my beige Honda Civic would probably be considered an unholy crime against humanity.

Seeing the picture of this car really made me think about my definition of "wealth" and "success." What am I working for? What am I striving for? What's my reason for getting up and going to work every morning and what am I hoping to gain when I sacrifice?

The band Switchfoot once said in the opening line to their song "American Dream"

When success is equated with excess
The ambition for excess wrecks us
As top of the mind becomes the bottom line
When success is equated with excess

With the advent of this new year comes the pending question of what the next step will be in my life. I know for a fact that I will be having to make some tough decisions that will lay out the path for me of what kind of an adult I will become and what my contribution to society will be. Will I pursue the path that is paved with altruism where the pitance on earth will be paltry compared with the satisfaction of helping my fellow man? OR will my path be paved with gold bricks, held with the mortar of the blood of my conscience and all the people I had to step over to find success? I guess only time will tell. Really, I want to be able to find that happy median where I can be a benefit to society and still achieve contentment in my baller status. It's been done. I'm sure of it. Is it really too much to ask?

[Entry 2. Original posting: February 7, 2008]

Title: And The Light Shines In The Darkness...

...and the darkness can never extinguish it (John 1:5 NLT)

Ahh, light. Can anything be more simple, more basic, more complex or unequivocally essential? Light, in its most fundamental form, is electromagnetic radiation consisting of the elementary particles we know as photons. A photon, by itself is a very unique particle. As a photon moves through space-time it exhibits properties of both waves and particles. Meaning, if we had a photon the size of a bowling ball, and we threw it, the bowling ball would move up and down while it travels in the direction we threw it. The photon is also unique from other subatomic particles in that it has no mass, and therefore, no weight. This property of the photon allows it to travel at 299,796,000 m/s in a vacuum, the fundamental speed of light, a universal constant. This is light. Light paves the way. Light helps us see.

To a photographer, light is a commodity. We use techniques, lenses, apertures, cookies and whatever we can, to try to harness light. We want to control it. We cherish it. We bathe in it.

But to some, light is something to be feared and abhorred. Light reveals. Light shows blemishes, failures, truths better left unsaid, hidden agendas and other secrets and lies that some would rather keep in the dark. To them, light is a curse and a calamity.

However, to others still, light represents hope. Light represents purpose; that as long as a light shines, darkness can never be victorious. I was recently shown by a good friend of mine the political music video "Yes We Can" produced by Black Eyed Peas frontman Will.i.am. This song features a plethora of entertainers all citing lines from Barak Obama's victory speech he gave in New Hampshire. While hearing this, one particular line caught my ear. It was about two minutes fifty seconds in and the line was,

"We've been asked to pause for a reality check. We've been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope.

But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope."

To me, those few words speak volumes. There is no such thing as false hope just as there is no such thing as false light. Light defines itself; any form it takes is proof of its existence. If there is a source of light in a dark room, darkness will be driven away and as long as that light stays lit, darkness will never overcome it. Darkness can try to surround it, can try to cover it, but the light will never be extinguished by the darkness and darkness will always lose. Hope is exactly the same way. As long as people hold hope, no matter how small, darkness and despair will never prevail. Despair could try to surround, darkness can try to cover, but the light of hope will always push the darkness back. There is no such thing as false light; there is no such thing as false hope.

So keep that hope alive. Protect your lights, keep the wicks trimmed and always have some extra oil ready. Whatever darkness you may have can always be pushed back with the light of hope. But if there ever is a time when you feel your lights fading, friends and family will always be there to help keep your lights lit, and of course the Greatest Light of all is always willing to come to those who need Him. So why not ask for His guidance today?

GBE Prom 2008

2008-04-28T07:43:00.013-05:00

A few weeks ago, I was asked by a couple of friends to shoot their prom pictures and last Saturday was the shoot. The location was Lilacia Park in Lombard and the time was late afternoon. This is really only the second time I have done a location shoot and, really, only the second time I had EVER done a shoot, so I was feeling pretty anxious to get it going. When I got there, apparently a lot of other people had the same idea. A LOT. Despite this, I knew that the only people I wanted to see through my view finder were my subjects for the day, Ralph and Janelle. They had chosen a very nice location for the shoot. The park itself had some very nice features. It had scattered groves of flora along with a fountain, green house, generous tree canopies, brick-paved trails and well maintained lawns. It was also right next to a train station and near the heart of downtown Lombard. Though, most of the flowers hadn't bloomed yet and the temperature didn't want to peak above the low fifties, we were still able to take advantage of the scenery of the park. I took pictures for about an hour using a Canon EOS 40D, Canon EF 70-200mm f4 L IS USM, Canon EF 50mm f1.8, and Canon Speedlite 580EX II. Post processing was done using Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop CS3. Here are a few pictures that came out of that afternoon. The rest of the set can be seen on my flickr by clicking here (look under "Shoots").

[Janelle]

[Ralph]

Thank you again to Ralph and Janelle for asking me to do this and for putting up with my bossiness.

Great Message... And Cinematography

2008-04-26T14:12:00.001-05:00

And Not A Moment Too Soon

2008-04-25T20:50:00.003-05:00

Finally. It's Sabbath.

I Got Five On It

2008-04-24T14:04:00.002-05:00

And no, I'm not talking about a dime bag.

In 1969, a theory was published by Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross that postulated five stages of grief that a person systematically falls through when coping with loss. Aptly titled the "Kubler-Ross Model," these stages can be applied to any catastrophic loss experienced by an individual (whether it be loss of a job, loss of a loved one, face of imminent mortality, loss of five bucks, etc.). As previously stated, these stages are systematic, though, they are not necessarily followed numerically, and though not all stages will be present, people will experience at least two. These stages are:

Denial
Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance

You can believe the good doctor or think this is all just a bunch of bull. It's really your choice. The human mind is a beautifully complex piece of work and trying to understand it can be considered even a pseudo-science, but I guess getting to know one's self is where the appeal lies. If anything, it's a wild and crazy trip, so why not sit back and see where it takes you?

Hmm... I wonder which category buying new camera equipment falls into...

Heroes

2008-04-16T20:37:00.008-05:00

While sitting in church one Saturday morning, I found myself inexplicably drawn to an opening video presented by the speaker of the day, Milton Coronado. The video was simple: a mono-tone background, words fading on and off the screen accompanied by fitting background music. The subject of the video was to provide a perspective based on an underlying theme of the Bible: God can use the weak and ordinary to accomplish the great and extraordinary. To do this, the video listed a mini-biography, starting from the character's humble beginnings to the manifested destiny of greatness each person achieved through God's direction. It was a wonderful list, one that I feel is worth repeating. So, here is my take. Here is my list of seven individuals who embodied this concept. I consider these individuals heroes in the Bible who stood tall when they got down on their knees in faith.

-Abraham
An immigrant. He left his home to start his own family in a land he has never seen before. He sired just two sons, but through God, entire nations claim to be descendants from him and religious orders claim him as the father of their faith. Hence, he is known as Father Abraham.

-Jacob (later: Israel)
A cheater and a liar, he tricked his blind father and stole his brother's birthright. He had also showed blatant favoritism in his own household. However, God changed his name from Jacob to Israel and through him the twelve tribes of the nation of Israel were formed.

-Joseph
He was one of the youngest in the House of Israel, yet he was the most favorite. He was a spoiled brat who was full of pride in his youth and tactlessly told his older brothers of his dreams where everyone, including their father, would bow to him. He was sold as a slave, wrongfully accused of attempted rape and a forgotten prisoner. Yet, God moved him from a prison to a palace by making him Prime Minister of Egypt. Using his power, he saved nations, including his family, from a devastating famine.

-Moses
He was a murderer, political exile, hot-head and prince-turned-shepherd. He also became one of the greatest leaders the world has ever seen. He wrote the first five books of the Bible, emancipated, shaped, and created a group of slaves into the nationhood of Israel and founded its religion. He stood up against a Pharaoh, a court of principalities and an ungrateful hoard of people all because he walked with God.

-Gideon
He was a farmer who was too thick-headed and stubborn to believe the audible word of God. However, he was chosen to command 300 men against a fortified army...and won. He was later was given the title of Judge over Israel, and Leonidas has nothing on him.

-David
He was the youngest son in a family of eight. A natural pacifist, he was a shepherd by trade and spent his lazy days sitting in the fields, writing poems and putting them to music with his harp. Later, he became an adulterer and a murderer. With God's help, he defeated a fully armed, nine-foot tall killing machine in full armor with nothing more than a stone in his sling. He also defeated the enemies of Israel to finally bring peace to the land. Through faith, he sought forgiveness and became known as "...a man after God's own heart."

-Saul (later: Paul)
He was a member of the social elite. He was a proud and zealous man who started off his career by being a coat check of some individuals who stoned a martyr to death. He traveled the country acting as a ruthless bounty hunter, cornering the innocent, having them arrested and putting scores of them to death. However, after he met God on the road to another job, his profession changed from hunter to evangelist. He traveled the entire Roman Empire to preach to crowds and start numerous churches. He also wrote thirteen books of the Bible. His enemies couldn't stop him, prisons could not hold him, and even today, his messages go on.

So, what makes these individuals so special? What was it that made these cheaters, murderers, fornicators, spazes, pretty-boys, and sinners become the earth-moving giants of history? Look at today's most powerful men. Just recently, the leader of the Catholic faith, Pope Benedict XVI spent some time in the US. Is he going to be remembered when he passes the Triregnum to his successor? In the business world, the richest man in the world (Forbes 3-6-08) is Warren Buffett. He started small, filing a tax return at 13 while working a paper route: he claimed a $35 deduction on his bike. He is now worth an estimate $68billion. His wealth is matched by his generosity: in 2006, he announced that at least $31 billion would be given towards the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. His name would definitely be remembered in history's books, but would his name be as endearing as those Biblical names?

This is a question that I find myself often wondering, especially now that I have reached the age of early adulthood. What kind of a mark am I going to leave when it's all said and done? I know myself; I know my weaknesses and the times I have failed. Is God ever going to start working on me, or even worse, have I been so blinded by the worldly traditions that I have already missed out on the great work that God has already done in me? I feel that the only real answer to that is, we can't really know until it is all said and done. Who really knows if the drop in the bucket of our lives will eventually produce a ripple that will shake the world? As humans, all we can really do is work diligently and faithfully with the capacity that God has given us. God has given each one of us talents that we can use and the capacity for faith that can move mountains. God is with us, he has put our lives in motion and he will move us to the greater work that he has planned for all of us. As a close, I invite you to examine the past few minutes. You, my reader, have successfully finished reading this entire blog. I don't know who you are, I don't even know if you know me. But I know that I had made this blog just for you. So, what are you going to do now?

Urban Americana

2008-04-14T23:41:00.014-05:00

There's just something about being in rural America that boisterously screams out to the bygone era of rangefinder cameras, manual focusing and unsaturated 35mm film. A world far outside the city lights where time seems to crawl, and at times, stop. A vintage look so special, so unique, you can't help but quietly take a seat at its knee while the picture weaves a tale of days gone by. So, considering I rarely ever get to step out onto this side of the US, I decided to take advantage. Normally, I'd be happy with just a few snapshots of classic Americana, but as luck would have it, I had two friends who happily volunteered themselves to pose for some of my shots, as well as force me to take positions on the other end of my camera! So, enjoy.

[End]

A final thank you to my two lovely models

Well, I Guess This Means I'm A Blogger...

2008-04-14T22:59:00.001-05:00

...though I'm still a photographer at heart.