tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21797567065295768712024-03-19T01:08:05.974-04:00An Insolent Southern ManStevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473489277178033275noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179756706529576871.post-67661631830462685642011-08-29T22:28:00.000-04:002011-08-29T22:28:06.228-04:00Changes In Motion...I've been in a funk since 2009...<br />
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Every year, around my birthday, I do a bit of introspection. I look at where I am now and where I've been over the last few years, and I always try to add in where I want to be in the next few years. This year, I found myself stuck in the same holding pattern that I've been in for the last couple of years. It seems like it's been a slow moving, downward spiral that was leading to a place that I wasn't sure I wanted to go. Yeah, I could have held on for a couple more years. Maybe my luck would have changed. Maybe not.<br />
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My wife and I made a five year plan when we got married. So far, none of what we planned on doing has happened. It's been all my fault too. I've been sitting back, waiting on a career in photography to take off. I've had the technical skills, all the gear needed, and I've had lots of practice. I've even had the endorsement of some pretty hefty names in the business. At the end of the day though, if you're not making money with it, you might as well have been bagging groceries the whole time.<br />
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So, after some thought, I decided to give it up. I've already sold the bulk of my gear, with what's left going up on e-bay very soon. I've decided to go back to work doing whatever will pay well, and will give me at least a 40 hour work week.<br />
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Does punching a clock and working for someone else suck? Yes. Does having a talent for photography and not making a dime suck even more? Yes. Yes, it does.<br />
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Along with these changes, I've decided to take back my life. I've decided to get outside more, and spend less time on social media. I bought a mountain bike, and I've decided to start riding more. I'm going to start eating right and getting in bed at a decent hour too. Baby steps... But at least it's a start.<br />
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Changes to this blog are coming as well. In fact, it's probably going away entirely. The whole idea of me being an insolent man was because I complained about so much for so long. Not anymore. I'd rather try and take back control and be in a much better mental as well as physical state than where I've been over the last few years.<br />
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As soon as I can, I'd like to get another, more inviting blog up. One that charts my progress and covers my hikes, travels, and rides... things that are far more important than me whining and complaining. As soon as it's up and running, I'll post a link here.<br />
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In the meantime. It's late. I'm going to bed. Work in the morning, riding in the afternoon/evening. Y'all take care.<br />
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Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473489277178033275noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179756706529576871.post-7998779896772730692011-08-22T16:44:00.000-04:002011-08-22T16:44:28.104-04:00Turkeypen Ridge, Schoolhouse Gap, Scott Mtn. Loop<span id="goog_1308153710"></span><span id="goog_1308153711"></span><br />
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There are over 800 miles of trails in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Not all of them have a pretty waterfall, a high mountain vista, or even some historical reason to get out on them. But if you're going to hike all 800+ miles, then you have to hit all the trails - even when they don't present anything upfront. In all honesty, this was a pretty boring loop. If for some weird reason I should ever decide to walk it again, I’ll walk it in a clockwise direction instead of the direction we went. I’d highly recommend anyone interested in going on this loop do the same thing. I also don’t recommend carrying trekking poles either – at least until trail crews clear out the big blow-down on Scott Mtn. Trail.<br />
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I took Derek from work with me. I sometimes forget that I’m not in my 20’s anymore. Derek and his buddies help keep me in check whenever I hike with them. This was his first trip to the Smokies, and I think we still had a good time - even if there wasn't anything outright scenic about this particular loop.<br />
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We parked the car at the same trailhead that I used to walk the loop I did in the previous post. Only, we didn’t cross the road. We took off down the Turkeypen Ridge Trail, and within a short period, we came up on this little booger: <br />
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He’s just a garter snake. No worries. I almost stepped on him.<br />
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That was about the highlight of the Turkeypen Ridge Trail. We arrived at Dorsey Gap and the Schoolhouse Gap Trail at a spot that looked like an illegal campsite. It’s sort of confusing there too since there’s a trail that leads up into the cove to Whiteoak Sinks. I’d like to come back and visit the Sinks after the leaves have fallen and the snakes have gone to den for the winter. I hear it’s an interesting spot. Look for a post this fall or winter about it.<br />
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Schoolhouse Gap is an old road that leads out of the park. It was somewhat plain as well. No views or vistas. Just an old road that goes up and down from one point to another. The gap itself didn't have a schoolhouse there either. In fact, there was only a more modern vacation cabin. It kind of shocked us at first. No one appeared to be home, so we made use of their picnic table along the road where we stopped for a lunch break and a little nap.<br />
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Just before we got onto the Scott Mtn. Trail, we saw another sign that was for a trail leading into Whiteoak Sink again. There was a warning sign about entering caves and White Nose Syndrome, which is killing bats at an alarming rate.<br />
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Scott Mtn. Climbs up to the park border, along a ridgetop. At one point, we could hear a weed eater, and even smell the smoke from it. It even looked as if someone had cleared the grass from sides of the trail for a little ways. We never saw a house or the person operating it though. Weird.<br />
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Scott Mtn climbed and climbed and climbed. It was a very narrow trail cut into some steep sections of mountainsides. At some points, I was wishing that my left leg was about 3 or 4 inches longer than my right.<br />
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We also came across a blow down that was completely blocking the trail. It spanned a tight section of cove, and we opted to try and climb across it instead of trying to go above and around it – The hillside was just too steep and the crown of the tree made it nearly impassable. <br />
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About the time I ran out of water, we came up onto Campsite #6, which wasn’t much to look at, but we checked it out. Not a whole lot of room. Maybe a couple of good tent sites, and we never found a water source worth mentioning. It wasn’t until we got way down the Crooked Arm Ridge Trail that I manage to get some more water. By then we were practically back in Cades Cove.<br />
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Once we got back into Cades Cove, we made our way over to the Camp Store, where I grabbed a Gatorade, a big bottle of water, some M&M’s, and a hot dog. We sat out in the shade by the pavilion and watched the tourists come and go. At one point, I thought about getting in the creek. It was the heat of the day, and I was feeling it. I was ready to be done, even though I was about worn out.<br />
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We made our way out of the cove up the Anthony Creek Trail. The junction with the Crib Gap Trail came surprisingly fast. Once we made the turn, it was a lot farther back to the road than I thought. We climbed up way more that I thought we would too. At one point, we were practically right beside the road, but we were several feet above it. We eventually made our way back around, only to have to cross Laurel Creek Road and walk about another mile on the northern side of it. This section was mostly downhill, but it was rocky as all get out.<br />
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Finally, we made it back to the Turkeypen Ridge Trail. After a brief climb, we were back at the car. When we got back to the Townsend Wye, I decided to go for a little dip to get all the salt and summer funk off me. We found a parking place and I scrambled down the riverbank to a large boulder by some deep water. The water was over my head there, and the current was pretty strong, so I didn’t get all the way in. I just did a little birdbath there to freshen up. Later that weekend, a tuber that couldn’t swim would lose their life in that same area. I can see how it happened, especially since they couldn’t swim. My heart goes out to the lost one’s friends and family. Funny how one minute, you can be cruising along, enjoying life, and the next minute, you can lose it all… Makes me count my blessings.<br />
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--Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473489277178033275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179756706529576871.post-15949569229005731852011-08-08T16:22:00.000-04:002011-08-08T16:22:18.025-04:00Lead Cove, Bote Mountain, Finley Cane Trails…<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qr5YMp0_FHE/TkBBkg5aWwI/AAAAAAAAAis/3tabM-w9jXQ/s1600/IMG_0392.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qr5YMp0_FHE/TkBBkg5aWwI/AAAAAAAAAis/3tabM-w9jXQ/s320/IMG_0392.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
In almost every guidebook and park trail map, there’s a section that tells you to take a raincoat, no matter what the season. In cooler weather, I consider it a must. Getting wet and then being cold can lead to hypothermia, and that’s never good. For summer hikes though, I’ve left the jacket in the car a time or two; especially in the lower elevations during hot, muggy summer days. To be honest, I did have it with me for this hike, and I seriously doubt it would have done me a lot of good though. This was a cloudburst. I’ve been out in rain before, but this was ridiculous. I’ve taken showers and not gotten so wet.<br />
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Bote Mountain is pronounced like just like the English word boat. On this trip, I felt like I could have used one too. Actually, “Bote” is how the Cherokee said the word “Vote.” (They couldn’t pronounce V’s) The ridge that the Bote Mountain Trail is on got it’s name when it was voted as the ridge of choice to build a road for farmers to take their cows up to Spence and Russell Fields for the summer months. If you look at topo maps, you can see nearby Defeat Ridge, which obviously lost out.<br />
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Anyway, I parked the car along Laurel Creek Road, just before you go over the hill into Cades Cove. Several trails meet up here, but there’s not really any indicator other than the usual trail signs. There is parking on both sides of the road there though. The area is usually a little more congested than some of the other pullouts along the drive, which kind of helped me find it. <br />
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Originally, I had a different route planned, but lighting and thunder forced me to cut it short. The first part of the hike up Lead Cove Trail to the top of the ridge where it meets the Bote Mountain Trail, remained the same. Lead Cove was steep and somewhat boring. I met a group of backpackers coming from Spence Field and an elderly couple that had no idea where they were going. They asked me how much farther I thought it might be to the top. I hadn’t checked my watch when I left, but I assumed that I had been walking about forty minutes or so, and by that I estimated that we couldn’t have been more than 100 yards or so from the junction with Bote Mountain Trail. While in the midst of our conversation, I heard a snap, and looked up the hill, and there was a bear sitting, probably about 30 yards or less, eating something. I broke out my camera phone and the elderly couple took off. I snapped a photo or two, and I started up the trail in the opposite direction from the elderly couple. Then, out of nowhere, just yards from the trail, a bear cub slid down a tree. He stopped just short of the ground and just hung there, looking at me. I took a couple of photos and then let out a yell at him as I continued up the trail. He didn’t budge. I hurriedly went on my way, rounded the corner, and there was the junction at the top of the ridge, just as I had predicted.<br />
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I stopped to drink some water, and look at my map, all the while looking up to see if mama bear and her curious cub were nearby. I continued down the trail back towards Laurel Creek Road. I’ve been on the upper reaches of Bote Mountain before. Twice I’ve walked up Anthony Creek to Spence Field Shelter, and once to Russell Field. The lower end is a pleasant ridge walk along what used to be an old road. The upper end is like walking in an over-eroded ditch for much of the way. One day, I want to come back and complete the gap between Lead Cove Trail and Anthony Creek Trail.<br />
Down I went, losing a lot of altitude, while the clouds were on the increase. I could see off to the south in several places, and I could see the skies darkening. The wind picked up, and I decided to take a quick look at my map to see what my options were in case of a thunderstorm. After a very brief stop, I was back on my way down the ridge.<br />
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After a little while, there was a quick burst of rain, nothing much to fuss about, but I hadn’t eaten my lunch yet, and I was getting hungry. I kept on moving though. I wanted to at least make it to Finley Cane before I stopped to eat. Walking down Bote Mountain was pleasant. It would descend rather sharply, and then level out for a spell. It swapped sides of the ridge a few times before it finally made it to the Finley Cane junction. Finely cane literally came out down the steep embankment on the side of the trail. I might have missed it if it weren’t for a horse party that came out just before I got down the hill to it. By this time the rain had let up just a little. I got under a laurel thicket and sat on the back to eat my lunch. The rain stopped for a few minutes, so I went across and sat on a nice log that was on the side of the trail. Once I had eaten, I decided that I would take the shorter route via Finley Cane back to my car. <br />
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Finley Cane was a fine trail. It wasn’t too steep, and was easy to follow. Well, I spent a good bit of it looking through wet and foggy glasses, so really, what do I know? About a quarter of a mile down the trail, the wind picked up and it began thundering in earnest. The storm was upon me. I picked up my pace to just short of a jog in places. Then… the bottom fell out. <br />
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I didn’t even have time to get my jacket out. Within minutes, I was soaked to the bone. I didn’t want to stop either since it was lightning rather frequently. I just kept my head down, and kept my pace as fast as I could. Soon, my boots were soaked. By this point, I was convinced that I just wanted to keep moving until I could see the road and my car. And so that’s what I did. The trail was like a creek in places. I just slogged on through. You know, once you get to a certain point of wetness, you just don’t seen to care much about it anymore, right?<br />
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I didn’t know about the horse tunnel junction either, and I ‘m glad I went the way back that I did. Had I went the other way, it would have added more to my walk, not to mention that it would have been uphill – in the rain – with soggy boots. <br />
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Anyway, I soon reached the Lead Cove trailhead and the car. Hike completed. It was a great return to the Smokies after my broken leg from last year. Yes, I’d recommend this hike to friends that are looking for a fairly easy day loop, but I’d recommend that they take a look at the weather forecast before they go. =)<br />
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--Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473489277178033275noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179756706529576871.post-21695784118815067082011-06-26T17:23:00.004-04:002011-06-26T20:17:53.245-04:00Car Shopping and Such...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn.getauto.com/photos/2/17532/1c/1HGEJ8245YL106330-1c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://cdn.getauto.com/photos/2/17532/1c/1HGEJ8245YL106330-1c.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div>I used to be the proud owner of a 2000 Honda Civic Ex coupe. My car was manufactured in September of 1999, and I bought it brand new in December. When I got it, it had something like 60 miles on it. I paid $16,000 for it.<br />
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<div><a name='more'></a></div><div>Well, I honestly think I got my money's worth out of it. Almost 12 years later, it had 265,000 miles on it. I had only taken it to the shop for repairs twice. Once was more of a maintenance thing. I had the water pump, the alternator, and the timing belt replaced by a Honda dealership. The second time was to replace the catalytic converter, and to repair a burnt valve. </div><div><br />
</div><div>The last set of repairs was done last year while I was down with my broken leg. I got the car back as soon as the doctor told me I could be up and about on crutches. The first place I got to drive to was to Zack Arias' studio in Decatur to meet the legendary photographer, Joe McNally. (That's me sitting on the floor by the crutches on the far left)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.joemcnally.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/zack-arias-studio-meetup_2010_0043-526x350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://www.joemcnally.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/zack-arias-studio-meetup_2010_0043-526x350.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div> The car ran fine from about October of 2010 until about mid April of this year. All of a sudden, it wouldn't idle anymore. Refusing to take it back to the shop, I started reading up online and trying to fix as much of it as I could myself. I made some significant strides, and I learned a lot about the car, but I never could fix the problem.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg24lEuXTRdQ1yP_si5R0QpG3qBx-sK541cL7_FQcQqlIkuEhhl_fYOljFyJIiKdCEBZj3MxcMRv4F4jSD612gjcc-0rmnXXykjpc90CP1DoYRs2q_IZ9ig7Dp-tqNeRbaMWJufIIZTVxyv/s1600/IMG_0305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg24lEuXTRdQ1yP_si5R0QpG3qBx-sK541cL7_FQcQqlIkuEhhl_fYOljFyJIiKdCEBZj3MxcMRv4F4jSD612gjcc-0rmnXXykjpc90CP1DoYRs2q_IZ9ig7Dp-tqNeRbaMWJufIIZTVxyv/s320/IMG_0305.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>By mid May, I had narrowed it down to something inside the engine that was beyond my ability to fix. Oh sure, I could have probably done a little more myself, but I had moved into things that would require me to have a shop area of my own. I figure that I had it down to where it was something I would rather have a mechanic do.</div><div><br />
</div><div>So I began calling around and trying to get quotes on refurbishing my engine. This is the part that led us to the end results, and this is a note that all you mechanics out there should pay attention to:</div><div><br />
</div><div>Don't BS me. Give me an upfront estimate. Don't call or e-mail me back telling me what all the job will consist of - Especially when I already know. Just give me an estimate for cryin' out loud. I know it's going to be expensive. Just do it.</div><div><br />
</div><div>The mechanics' song and dance went on for a couple of weeks, and then the car died altogether. It was time for action. My wife and I made the decision to start looking for a new car. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Now, if you asked me what kind of car I wanted, I could have pointed you to several to start with. My wife, on the other hand, had NO idea what she wanted. It took me a week or so to get a price range out of her.</div><div><br />
</div><div>The first thing I decided to do was to go test drive some cars and see what I didn't like - Just so we could rule them out from the beginning. I had a day off from work, so I spent the day test driving cars - All day.</div><div><br />
</div><div>First up, the Chevy Cruze:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzjlRTWkHm6DTxKWC1Mj6KP1yNbUTB-_RF_UyiLDsyJQcs7mId0NxIqHe__CrHVCxeGcCsniHsXkC1YuVDkwFu6GE5DC0VOswfJ9025ytlLE4AymBVXFXvYnbm8iw4vQqCJBG6k-ATdhDI/s1600/IMG_0328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzjlRTWkHm6DTxKWC1Mj6KP1yNbUTB-_RF_UyiLDsyJQcs7mId0NxIqHe__CrHVCxeGcCsniHsXkC1YuVDkwFu6GE5DC0VOswfJ9025ytlLE4AymBVXFXvYnbm8iw4vQqCJBG6k-ATdhDI/s320/IMG_0328.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>Personally, I've never been a huge fan of Chevy cars. My ex wife had two, my mom has had a couple, and my wife's car is a Chevy. None of these cars have ever really had any major engine or transmission problems, but ALL of them have been pieces of crap when it came to small details, and ALL of them have been uncomfortable to ride in for long periods of time. So why did I even look at Chevy? My wife has liked hers, and I kind of figured she'd be brand loyal. Another plus was having a dealership right here in town where we could get service when and if needed.</div><div><br />
</div><div>The Cruze turned out to be one of my favorites of all the cars I drove too! I couldn't believe it. This is definitely the car that will put them in closer competition with Honda and Toyota. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Next, Honda Civic: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipBXbiMvdwZlH1wrLAcWXaaVL1KS8VbzEr4sG8QLz0ha6Os370aKrIgdrjahNNjcNpNeyRyDrOGHCx4A69jA_b9q_tG-PG9awf0K_Os6asZ0HUW2X3JT8psakg_1uXd99TqhavTWYO4g3Z/s1600/IMG_0363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipBXbiMvdwZlH1wrLAcWXaaVL1KS8VbzEr4sG8QLz0ha6Os370aKrIgdrjahNNjcNpNeyRyDrOGHCx4A69jA_b9q_tG-PG9awf0K_Os6asZ0HUW2X3JT8psakg_1uXd99TqhavTWYO4g3Z/s320/IMG_0363.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>Now, I've been a loyal Honda owner of 12 years. My mom had an 89 Accord that was as tough as a tank too. Honda's are legendary when it comes to low maintenance and reliability. However, I wasn't too impressed with the 2012 EX sedan. I mean, it was OKAY... but it didn't get me as excited as the Cruze did. I was honestly floored. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Third, Honda Fit:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiac8PI01rHCHJw03iQTbxf2DhqZVMTqC5vJ-7X0JJYPb8YnLGcH8SbStdW1-4zOv7ZwFVOeLCT0kRzqiCdyXGMZJM3EjsNEQGnZEHPzdd0cccc8QdArdTzsCkW1jH259vnGcNQArJVObHG/s1600/IMG_0334.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiac8PI01rHCHJw03iQTbxf2DhqZVMTqC5vJ-7X0JJYPb8YnLGcH8SbStdW1-4zOv7ZwFVOeLCT0kRzqiCdyXGMZJM3EjsNEQGnZEHPzdd0cccc8QdArdTzsCkW1jH259vnGcNQArJVObHG/s320/IMG_0334.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>This will probably be my own next car (If I don't get a Prius.) Cheap, decent on gas, roomy, and fun to drive - The Fit sport was a fun little car. My wife wasn't interested at all. Oh well... Like I said, it will probably be the next car that I own myself.</div><div><br />
</div><div>The Kia Forte:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaeFQKAWpgy55bFsAjGzjcXfskiQXEg_tVASlb6-2CmKoWyTgWEFYBvdO2kIJHqQeOCx5LGI1pMNcjufC11Zu1fn8htZVnxP1OJddfIiEm_jpsck8osnGeEQ5VO_LamQPSd1V42eov3eg4/s1600/IMG_0345.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaeFQKAWpgy55bFsAjGzjcXfskiQXEg_tVASlb6-2CmKoWyTgWEFYBvdO2kIJHqQeOCx5LGI1pMNcjufC11Zu1fn8htZVnxP1OJddfIiEm_jpsck8osnGeEQ5VO_LamQPSd1V42eov3eg4/s320/IMG_0345.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>Unbeknownst to me, my wife had researched this car. Me? I wanted to look at a Sorrento. We had went looking in Athens, GA on Memorial Day, and the Kia dealership was the only place open. We were a bit shocked at how nice these cars were. Again, my wife had looked at the hatchback version of this car, and it was well appointed with a sunroof and internal GPS navigation, but I didn't really care for it. I didn't like the way ot looked either.</div><div><br />
</div><div>The Kia Optima:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHKUWt3gzQRAzcZO020rUGCOVKaBexpkdh5HEA2N_QD8QCWSoF-fG1kbvCz6LERlaSC8Buyi9t35MEck4bSwTHcMsScfwxk-emtQQp5_kkc1RubeLVCMxPUnEumv6_aBUqAZauWWQ554cb/s1600/IMG_0346.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHKUWt3gzQRAzcZO020rUGCOVKaBexpkdh5HEA2N_QD8QCWSoF-fG1kbvCz6LERlaSC8Buyi9t35MEck4bSwTHcMsScfwxk-emtQQp5_kkc1RubeLVCMxPUnEumv6_aBUqAZauWWQ554cb/s320/IMG_0346.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>While waiting on the salesman to grab a brochure and his card, we started looking at an Optima that was on display right outside the showroom. We went for a test drive, and I was thoroughly impressed. It was sporty, had tons of room. wasn't too bad on gas, and it looked like a more expensive car. My wife and I both agreed that we wouldn't need to move up to a midsize car if we had kids if we bought the Optima. So we agreed on the Optima as our next car. At last progress was being made! However, we weren't sold just yet. We wanted to find the best price. We also had hoped that we could pit a couple of local dealerships into competition with each other so that we could get the best price at the Athens dealership. Well, that backfired on us when we looked online and eventually went to the dealership in Anderson, SC. </div><div><br />
</div><div>While in Anderson, we found a Forte sedan with manual windows and door locks for $14,000. Uh-oh. Now, I love my wife with all my heart, but she is not a bells and whistles kind of girl. When she saw the price tag, she was ready to take a test drive. It wasn't a bad car, either. Now, we had thrown another car into the equation, which took us back a step. We drove another Optima for comparison, and we left the dealership not knowing which car we were going to get. </div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlNE1nacHZ8nCo__LqoyBLvwClwfhcUGtVuKgkQwxr1ubPjNiZKt88pANGRHfERrOVXL491so29cnAOY5K47k7M4GP_8fcSKjrW3dGaMK8MFfiym3ub8bSW2wwIVintUI7y4qIjtDzPNiw/s1600/IMG_0359.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlNE1nacHZ8nCo__LqoyBLvwClwfhcUGtVuKgkQwxr1ubPjNiZKt88pANGRHfERrOVXL491so29cnAOY5K47k7M4GP_8fcSKjrW3dGaMK8MFfiym3ub8bSW2wwIVintUI7y4qIjtDzPNiw/s320/IMG_0359.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>Since we were back to not knowing, I decided to take her by the Honda dealership and let her see a Civic. This was my chance to remain a loyal Honda owner! We drove the 2012 Civic EX sedan, and she liked it, but wasn't wild about it. Every car we had driven up until now hadn't set off a spark in her mind. They all were nice, but they were all the same. I was getting more and more frustrated.</div><div><br />
</div><div>We went to supper and looked through all of our notes and our brochures to compare and try to narrow the field back down. As we were leaving Anderson, I decided to go back by the Hyundai dealership I had visited the week before. I liked the look of the Hyundai, but wasn't too impressed with the dealership in Anderson, and I was hoping to go somewhere else. When I had first went, the salesman took me on the shortest test drive of all, and he had made the remark that all the Elantra's they had on the lot "would be gone by the weekend." Okay buddy. Whatever. Nice try. I wasn't falling for that one. However when my wife and I arrived at the dealership, all of the cars that were there the previous week WERE, in fact, gone! </div><div><br />
</div><div>I liked the Hyundai when I drove it the first time. My wife, loved it. The one we test drove was a 2011 model, but the salesman told us that for $200 more, we could get a 2012. We walked down and looked, and she found a dark gray one that she liked. Her eyes lit up, and I saw her finally come around to a car that she wanted. </div><div><br />
</div><div>"I like this one." She said.</div><div><br />
</div><div>"Then let's get it." I replied.</div><div><br />
</div><div>"Really? Seriously?" She asked.</div><div><br />
</div><div>"Yes." I answered.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Then she did that little shake she does when she gets excited. </div><div><br />
</div><div>The car, had just came off the truck. It still had the shipping plastic on it. It had 3.2 miles on the odometer. We only got to drive it around the parking lot of the dealership, but we were sold. About a half hour later, it was ours. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_HvnQo1mY1s0fDvY0kqpeOOWP4mrM-EehHIwpXW-CT0UKKVzdevTnHt-awWXTMT-tlR7fAvVimIbZozWlsHtyHZDeuOuEIJ1pWFyOEOo6ZtzWI_0AldzolSsA_1Ahrt6MPNCdMITLdb7y/s1600/IMG_0367.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_HvnQo1mY1s0fDvY0kqpeOOWP4mrM-EehHIwpXW-CT0UKKVzdevTnHt-awWXTMT-tlR7fAvVimIbZozWlsHtyHZDeuOuEIJ1pWFyOEOo6ZtzWI_0AldzolSsA_1Ahrt6MPNCdMITLdb7y/s320/IMG_0367.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>We left it overnight so that the dealership could remove all the shipping plastic, and prep it for sale. We returned the following evening and gave it a good inspection. We filled out all the paperwork, and in about an hour, it was ours to drive home.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW9smeo2wgDL7OA29ogQiyczZGBnslgnuO0HiW_JlL6jwkyhdjWj3U8fKhGeLithZHtP-giKPPHFpPjjqTI3ErfsTZbEiAk3iV3-kAYNIYi9NcZANRvA5ddVWHufoMfgHdXHwNqi5K5rkg/s1600/IMG_0376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW9smeo2wgDL7OA29ogQiyczZGBnslgnuO0HiW_JlL6jwkyhdjWj3U8fKhGeLithZHtP-giKPPHFpPjjqTI3ErfsTZbEiAk3iV3-kAYNIYi9NcZANRvA5ddVWHufoMfgHdXHwNqi5K5rkg/s320/IMG_0376.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>My wife was so nervous with it, that I drove it everywhere we went for the first three days, but she's driving it now, and I've learned not to even ask if I can drive. It's her's and she's happy with it, and I'm happy that she's happy. =)</div><div><br />
</div><div>Now, my Honda had to be sold, but that is another post... </div><div><br />
</div><div>--</div>Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473489277178033275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179756706529576871.post-78031624489203464122011-06-24T00:39:00.002-04:002011-08-08T16:23:07.913-04:00Still Hanging In There...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<br />
I'm still here. I've had a lot of nothing going on, and I've been meaning to blog some, but I'm lazy and don't think about it until it seems like it's too late. Once I feel like things are too old to blog about, I just lose interest in posting about it. A buddy of mine told me that it's better to blog about old news and keep the blog going as opposed to not blogging and losing interest in it altogether.<br />
<br />
So, what I decided to do was to go ahead and write the posts anyway. So, you're probably going to get a ton of post here in the next week that are really catch up posts that should have been distributed over the last several weeks. Sorry for the long delay. Here's what some of the posts will be about:<br />
<br />
We got a new car.<br />
I sold my old car.<br />
I've been on a couple of hikes.<br />
We had a Flickr meet in Athens.<br />
I've jumped on to 500px and my landscape photos will soon be available there.<br />
Oh, and I made some birdhouses out of plastic coffee containers.<br />
<br />
If we're contacts on Twitter or Facebook, then you've probably already heard or seen what some of these will be about. Nonetheless, you'll get the full story here instead of 140 characters worth. =)<br />
<br />
--Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473489277178033275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179756706529576871.post-82295160562945880692011-04-20T17:25:00.002-04:002011-04-20T17:28:45.727-04:00One From the Tips Toolbox...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNZDI-r3synOoZkOYl4uALEwtqcyQIu_RIOWjNBOKcC26ppuTK3Hz91rhubRbJ0VJoPwFDqSBOd_ej7LWs8CWgKYvO2w64A9lHYC0Og1pYxgNu1GLo3MxU65AzZEXAk-LQYGd1KXzkyr-J/s1600/14e5b_lockinggascap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNZDI-r3synOoZkOYl4uALEwtqcyQIu_RIOWjNBOKcC26ppuTK3Hz91rhubRbJ0VJoPwFDqSBOd_ej7LWs8CWgKYvO2w64A9lHYC0Og1pYxgNu1GLo3MxU65AzZEXAk-LQYGd1KXzkyr-J/s1600/14e5b_lockinggascap.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<br />
Maybe you live in some other country where gas is already way more expensive than it is here in the US. Maybe you live in another part of the US where it's more expensive than it is here. If you're in one of those places, then you've probably already seen this happening, and hopefully, you've taken necessary steps to help protect yourself. I live in the southeastern US, and gas is close to $4.00 a gallon now. In a place where unemployment is sky high, and money is ridiculously tight, gas theft is becoming more and more rampant.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Just a week or so ago, I saw on a local television newscast where people over in South Carolina were drilling holes in gas tanks under cars and draining the fuel out. That's insane! I just noticed on CNN today that siphoning is on the rise in several states as well. I guess desperate times will lead to desperate actions by some people, huh?<br />
<br />
While you can't really protect yourself from the drilling bandits, you can keep out the siphoning thieves by simply installing a locking gas cap. Yeah, it's one more key to keep up with, and it's annoying when you're in a hurry; but I'd be glad to settle for hassle when it compares to me losing a tank of gas.<br />
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You can pick one up at your local auto parts store for under $20.<br />
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--Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473489277178033275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179756706529576871.post-77440460716879344782011-04-18T22:42:00.000-04:002011-04-18T22:42:36.722-04:00I Could Be Wrong...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV03JoW5yavbHGp8_sliR5SIQux-6sPffIZIDNJaW0AsJoL0NnYluwnPg-bdKuMPGVPgTEUbtfL6qLY-Rsr3Rb0pL54xakPY46R1jwTX0l9zNg6FSFJDPQBrjhiS3SA5o8Z2YxMacnst5u/s1600/Fullscreen+capture+4182011+103056+PM.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV03JoW5yavbHGp8_sliR5SIQux-6sPffIZIDNJaW0AsJoL0NnYluwnPg-bdKuMPGVPgTEUbtfL6qLY-Rsr3Rb0pL54xakPY46R1jwTX0l9zNg6FSFJDPQBrjhiS3SA5o8Z2YxMacnst5u/s320/Fullscreen+capture+4182011+103056+PM.bmp" width="256" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Alright photographers, (That is - if there's any left reading my blog after the junk from a week or so ago...)<br />
<br />
Let me ask you a question:<br />
<br />
Have you ever seen a contest where a photographer uses other photographers' works to promote their own business?<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
Let me explain... Let's say, for example, I hold a contest in which people (subjects or clients) can submit their photos to me, so that I can post them on my Facebook fan page, let people vote by "liking" their favorite photo, and the winner gets a free photoshoot with <i>me</i> - And while I'm not linking the photos to you, or giving any credit, I'm not removing the watermarks and I'm not claiming the photos are mine. Basically, I'm using your photos as a third party to promote my Facebook fan page, and therefore, my business.<br />
<br />
Does that even make any sense?<br />
<br />
Now, before I get any further -<u style="color: #990000;"><b> I'M NOT DOING THIS!!!</b></u><br />
<br />
But I know someone that is. So far, I've had one of mine submitted and removed. I haven't seen any work by anyone that I personally know, but there's others there that don't belong to this photographer.<br />
<br />
I'm pretty sure that what this photographer is doing is illegal. It's not any different that farming Flickr for photos to use in any other sort of advertising purpose. Or it's like using a Radiohead song on your website without permission. If you were in a band, and you worked hard at your music, would you be pissed if someone was using one of your songs without even telling you?<br />
<br />
She's tagging the subjects in the photos, and therefore, it's showing up on their walls so that all of their friends will go and "like" their photos - all the while driving traffic to her Facebook fan page.<br />
<br />
Last time I checked, I wasn't getting any type of kickbacks for referrals to her business. <br />
<br />
Now, all of this might not amount to a hill of beans, but as a photographer, I think it's wrong to use anyone else's work, period. Go out and shoot your own junk for cryin' out loud.<br />
<br />
Am I out of line for calling this photographer out? Would you want your photos promoting her Facebook fan page and not yours? Do you even care about it at all? What say you? Let me know.<br />
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--Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473489277178033275noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179756706529576871.post-36694855090470425622011-04-10T23:34:00.004-04:002011-04-11T00:05:28.156-04:00Here's a No Brainer...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.vegatransports.com.au/australianstarwars/TRaider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="http://www.vegatransports.com.au/australianstarwars/TRaider.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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After mistaking the neighbor's donkey for a Tusken Raider's war cry tonight, I came to the following conclusion:<br />
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<b>Tusken Raiders would make terrible neighbors</b>.<br />
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</div>1. They'd probably be up yelling all night long.<br />
2. Random bursts of weapons fire.<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">3. All the crap in their yards from the raids they had been out on.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">4. All that Bantha crap everywhere.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">5. They'd probably steal items from off of your porch or your tool shed. Don't leave your car or speeder unlocked in the driveway.</div><br />
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Now that I think about it... It actually wouldn't be much different than living here in rural Georgia. Sandpeople are really just inter-galactic white trash.<br />
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It's just a thought. =)<br />
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--Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473489277178033275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179756706529576871.post-5573961033830945292011-04-07T23:16:00.003-04:002011-04-13T23:22:43.662-04:00Ruffled Feathers...- <br />
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Okay, so the last post got some people good and pissed at me. Am I an a$$hole? Maybe.Yeah...okay. I am. So what? I'm just laying it out as I see it. It's only an opinion - my point of view. And since it's my gear at stake, it's the one that matters at this particular time. Calling me an a$$hole over an e-mail or text message really isn't going to remedy the situation, or help you with your dilemma of needing gear that you don't have.<br />
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Here's the deal: I had <b style="color: #cc0000;">four</b> photographers of various calibers call, e-mail, and text me over the last two weeks wanting to borrow something or another in different combinations. When I say "various caliber," I mean that they are all good at something or another. Some are landscape people, one's good with kids portraiture, and the other likes shooting the ladies. Two of them were shooting completely out of what they normally shoot. At no point did I mean that they sucked or that they couldn't do the job or anything like that. Of course, a couple took it personally and dumped me on Facebook and Flickr - Two sites I hate already anyway. Big deal.<br />
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Are we all so desperate to work in photography that we'll take ANY job that's offered to us? I know I haven't been that way. Yes, I go through some long dry spells without paying work because of it, which is why I have the day job. (And is my reasoning behind the Plan A post.)<br />
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The worst part about it is that I can really see how one sided some of my relationships with other photographers have truly been. I've offered up advice or how-to's on countless occasions. I've done meetups and tried showing and teaching what I know at publicly open and pre-announced events.<br />
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So folks asked. Again, bear in mind that money is <b><u><i>extremely</i></u></b> tight in my house right now. In fact, I don't think I can emphasize that enough here. I wasn't about to loan out something I can't possibly afford to lose or have broken right now - AT ALL. If I drop it, and it breaks, it's my loss. I can live with that. But if someone were to borrow something from me and return it broken - Trust me. Me complaining on a blog would be the last of their worries.<br />
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I had one that just couldn't seem to take no for an answer. Then when the fourth texted me earlier today, I just couldn't take it. Thus, the blog post. If it offended you, tough $#!* The only people that know who I'm talking about are you and me. Just don't jump in over your head, and expect me to bend over backwards at your convenience to bail you out. In fact, that was really the whole point about planning ahead and charging your clients in advance for rentals. It's the 5-P rule: Proper planning prevents poor performance.<br />
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So am I still an a$$hole? Yeah in certain circumstances I am... Just take this experience and think twice before you ask someone to borrow gear for a job you should have just referred that person to to start with.Either that, or plan ahead in your pricing to cover rentals.<br />
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If you're stuck out somewhere and can't find your way home, you can still call me and ask me how to get back. If you're car's broke down, I'll still help you. Need a couch to sleep on? I've got a spare bedroom with a double bed. Need my lawnmower? Sure. Take it. Just have it back by next Thursday so I can mow the lawn again - and be sure to fill it back up with gas. =)<br />
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--Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473489277178033275noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179756706529576871.post-82893358053337947742011-04-07T17:51:00.005-04:002011-04-07T22:01:01.121-04:00Dude, McDonalds Doesn't Borrow From Burger King...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH35N92wnx8N6-4bmSRZMLWsZqQqCzUXrwaxTmkGpFNiNd16LYxnTLhb9TZBQTeCNuVdgne4yncJ27V8QLMiF6ltHX0RTskWPn053EgybmW1kd9fPd_RqxRW8-5mL1SsFmQStAOtP9mEjL/s1600/YYN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH35N92wnx8N6-4bmSRZMLWsZqQqCzUXrwaxTmkGpFNiNd16LYxnTLhb9TZBQTeCNuVdgne4yncJ27V8QLMiF6ltHX0RTskWPn053EgybmW1kd9fPd_RqxRW8-5mL1SsFmQStAOtP9mEjL/s640/YYN.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Borrowing a cup of sugar, a shovel, even my lawnmower is one thing... Borrowing my camera is another.<br />
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Lately there's been a rash of folks asking to borrow photography gear from me. Now before I go off sounding like an a$$hole, let me be upfront - I will loan out gear to friends in need. Heck, I've borrowed a few items from other photographers myself. But here lately, it's been getting out of hand. Add in the fact that money is really, <u style="color: #cc0000;"><b><i>REALLY</i></b></u> tight in my house right now, and you've got me feeling a little on the stingy side. So, I'm sorry if I come across as a douche when you ask to borrow a list of my expensive camera equipment that I barely had the money to buy in the first place, and I tell you "no."<br />
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Here's the way I look at it - If you're borrowing it, you're likely in one or more of the following categories:<br />
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<ul><li><span style="font-size: small;"><i>You only need it temporarily and it's really not something you consider to be worth investing in yourself. I could see this being okay if it were some sort of specialty item like a macro lens, or a spot grid, or really long telephoto lens. The trick here is to invite me to the shoot to hang out -just in case anything goes wrong.</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><i>You can't afford it, so you want to borrow it instead. Honestly, in this case you should probably rent from a rental place instead - with insurance included on your rental. I mean, if you can't pay to get one or rent one, then maybe you shouldn't be asking to borrow something you can't afford. Accidents happen, you know... You're only screwing us both if you break something that neither of us can afford to replace.</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><i>You're thinking of getting your own, but you want to try it out first. I don't mind allowing you to shoot with my $2000, 70-200mm f/2.8 lens if you're out with me, but there's no way in hell I'm going to let you take it home with you for a few days.</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><i>You need it as a backup, or as a second device. This is one instance where I'll be willing to loan with little hassle. If you already own a Vagabond II or an Alien Bee, but you need a second - Or you're worried that you might need it in case yours fails on you - Then I'm usually okay with it. My general policy is that if you break mine, I'm holding yours until you either get me a new one, or pay to have it fixed.</i></span></li>
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Another problem I see happening is that people are being hired - and taking jobs - that aren't really what they do as photographers. If you're a landscape/fine art photographer, then why would you take a job that requires you to use lighting and strobes for product photography or portraits when you have never really done such sort of work - and you don't even own the equipment to do the job in the first place? And even if you do take the job, consider it a business investment if you just go ahead and buy whatever gear you're going to need. You should be factoring the cost of gear into your pricing and let your clients pay for it over time - even if you're just renting. You should sit down with your clients and be clear on what they are asking for - in specifics. If not, they should at least be clear on what you do and don't do as a photographer. Once you've done that, you should always factor in any purchases or rental fees well in advance. That doesn't just apply to photography - That's a general rule of <i>any</i> business.<br />
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If the job is out of line with what you're truly capable of doing, and renting or buying isn't in your budget, then perhaps you should just refer the client to someone who is better suited for the job. Personally, I pass up weddings all the time. I'm not a wedding photographer, and I'm not going to constantly take weddings, and then go ask my friends if I can borrow second bodies and big prime lenses that I can't afford. However, if by chance I do wind up taking an occasional wedding, I'm well aware that if I borrow a second body or a big lens, that I would have to put my own camera and lenses on the block as collateral.<br />
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<span data-jsid="text">This isn't to say that I won't lend out stuff, but there's just some people that aren't going to get a hold of my stuff without me standing over their shoulders watching. <strike>Nor am I loaning out half my gear to anyone that can't come up with collateral.</strike> Forget that - I'm not loaning out half my gear - period. If you need that much gear at one time, you need to rent.</span><br />
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<div style="color: #cc0000;"><b><i><span data-jsid="text"> - Added after some people took offense later this afternoon: You can't possibly expect me to loan out almost $3000 (Say it slowly so it sinks in - T H R E E T H O U S A N D D O L L A R S) worth of photography equipment over a couple of text messages, can you? Especially when you don't say when you or what you'd like to use it for, OR when you'll be returning it. Oh, and if you think I'm going to drive to you to deliver it and pick it up, you've definitely lost your mind. </span></i></b></div><div style="color: #cc0000;"><b><i><span data-jsid="text"> </span></i></b></div><div style="color: #cc0000;"><br />
<b><i><span data-jsid="text"> This isn't an attack on anyone's abilities as a photographer, either. </span></i></b><span data-jsid="text"><b><i>My point about the latter part is this: Don't get in over your head and expect A N Y O N E to bail you out. </i></b></span></div><br />
--Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473489277178033275noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179756706529576871.post-20499574561043294852011-04-04T22:57:00.003-04:002011-04-04T23:10:16.037-04:00The Return to Plan A...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmkmJktE3TG87b4MT5424RS3NHETn3qB-d0IXvbmBsjLLXxqjpveMwss9ba5neK2L-PjbsQAtwSMhQcy6WsAQBPqneITWTUMVIKMZcSjD0Eikk5KoxQpoRrWGSkQvpjC4HBrRgQPH449_9/s1600/Hart-Co-Barn-Textured.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmkmJktE3TG87b4MT5424RS3NHETn3qB-d0IXvbmBsjLLXxqjpveMwss9ba5neK2L-PjbsQAtwSMhQcy6WsAQBPqneITWTUMVIKMZcSjD0Eikk5KoxQpoRrWGSkQvpjC4HBrRgQPH449_9/s320/Hart-Co-Barn-Textured.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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I used to have a plan. It was only a couple of years ago, but it seems like it was forever ago. Nonetheless, I had a plan.<br />
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In 2008, I had decided to try and make a photo book on the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I'm not really much of a writer though, and I searched out someone that could help me with the project. About the time I met a couple of individuals that might be able to help, I lost my job. Part of the reason for me being chosen as one of the people to be let go was that "I had a budding photography career going for me." Whatever...<br />
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I decided to run with it. I had a plan to be a fine art photographer. I could easily ride around, shoot scenes, make prints of locally recognized places and things, and hopefully market them to locals at festivals and through consignment sales at area businesses. It wasn't much, but it was a plan. I might not have made bank on it, but again -<i> it was a plan</i>. It was actually something I could do on weekends or in my spare time, and with minimal investment. I didn't have to go get specific lenses, flashes, wireless triggers, modifiers, lightstands, scrims, and other junk.<br />
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Somewhere along the line, I got sucked into doing portraits. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind taking them for people, but it's the selling myself to try and get whatever business I can scrape up that I hate. As a fine art photographer, you take a photo, you offer up whatever photos you want to, and either they sell or they don't. If they don't you keep shooting and move on. With portraits, you have bend over backwards to sell yourself in order to even get in the door. If the client is lame, then you have to really work hard to get anything decent. Sometimes that's not even enough. Heck, even good clients aren't completely easy. More often than not, a good portrait is the result of lots of planning and work, along with good technique and a dash of good luck when it comes to the weather and the light.<br />
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Also, when you hire a photographer, you probably already have in your mind's eye an idea of what your photo should look like. If you have half a brain, you've done some research and hired a photographer whose style is close that what you already have in mind. I don't think that the average person from where I live is that way. They want something like they have seen from some other photographer, and they've called me because someone said I do good work - and that's it. Most of them have never even seen my work before, and even if they have, they typically ask for something that I'm in no way interested in shooting for them. I've been taught that I should educate a client on how trends like selective coloring or sepia toned portraits are just fads that will be silly to them in a few years time. (In reality, they're stupid looking now...) In the case of people from around here, they don't care. It's what they are hell bent on, and they aren't interested in anything that you have to explain to them about anything. <br />
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I'm tired of busting my butt to just scrape by. So, I put out a call on Facebook for one final week of free photos. I had three people e-mail me about it, and only two people actually took me up on the offer. Now, here's the real kicker - There will be a couple of morons that missed the call that will still expect me to shoot them for free later on. I mean, after all, it's just taking photos, right? Well, I'm finally just going to tell them "too bad."<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/happyhiker/5577327765/" title="Inspiration Arrived At My Doorstep Today by Steve_Skelton, on Flickr"><img alt="Inspiration Arrived At My Doorstep Today" height="265" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5172/5577327765_c296c59543.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
After seeing a couple of friends release photo books this past month, I've decided that I'm going back to plan A. Which is work a day job, let that be my primary way to make money, and shoot "stuff" on the side. I'm going to make a photo book, and I'm going to sell prints online on a Smugmug page, at local festivals, and at area shops on consignment. Sure, I'll take the occasional portrait job if it comes my way, but I'm not going to be pushing and trying to market myself for it any longer. I'd rather be out shooting and having fun than making a "job" out of photography.<br />
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__Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473489277178033275noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179756706529576871.post-53532598666965778162011-03-28T00:39:00.001-04:002011-03-28T00:52:36.290-04:00Panther Creek<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UeEq4u0MDNs/TZALNauRWgI/AAAAAAAAAcY/kbgChMKniSY/s1600/IMG_0271.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UeEq4u0MDNs/TZALNauRWgI/AAAAAAAAAcY/kbgChMKniSY/s320/IMG_0271.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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A couple of weekends ago, I did my first backpacking trip since last year’s broken leg. At first, Marcus and I were going to go to the Smokies, but the recent rise in gas prices had us looking for somewhere closer. We ended up going to the Panther Creek trail, which is in the Chattahoochee National Forest in Habersham County, GA. I’ve walked this trail a couple of times from each end, but it has been at least a decade since my last trip here. (When I realized this, I suddenly realized how old I’m getting to be.) <br />
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The trail is an easy walk. You can make it down to the falls in a couple of hours if you walk at a pretty decent pace. Me? I’m a little on the slow side since I’m out of shape, and I’m using a leg that still doesn’t feel quite right when moving over certain conditions. It took us a little over an hour to get to our campsite, which was out of sight of the first set of shoals that are worth mentioning. <br />
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Speaking of out of sight of the trail, we were the only people I saw there using any “leave no trace” ethics. Once we set up our camp, we noticed that someone had set up right between the trail and the creek – with in feet of each – just over a knoll from us. There were several people along the way to the falls, and at least eight tents set up right at the falls. Which leads me to wonder how much outdoor education is being offered by the REI stores in the Atlanta area. I say this because I noticed that almost every single car in the parking area had a metro area tag. The only exception was a Florida tag and my own.<br />
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I’m somewhat torn by my observations from this weekend. In a way, I’m glad that these people are concentrating on areas that are highly used, yet I would like to see at least some of them using LNT ethics so that others can enjoy these areas as well.<br />
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The other issue I have is that if they aren’t following LNT ethics here, then they won’t use them in more pristine areas like the Smokies. <br />
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There’s my rant… I got it out. I feel a little better. I know it won’t change the world, but I feel better now that I got it out. <br />
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The trail has changed a little since the mid 90’s. The most noticeable is the loss of all the pines. The southern pine beetle has all but wiped out what used to be a cool, quiet walk along the valley that the creek flows through. Now, sections of the trail look more like they’ve been clear cut. It almost reminded me of walking through the spruce-fir sections of the Smokies in a way.<br />
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The second change was a re-route in the trail that takes hikers away from what used to be a cliff that you had to climb up and across. This new trail leads you high up above the old trail, and it’s added a bit of a steepness both walking in and out. <br />
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All in all though, the section beyond the first bridge is a super easy walk. Only the final hundred feet down to the base of the falls is treacherous. I have never attempted that section with a backpack on. In fact, while we were sitting at the base of the falls (in someone’s campsite…mind you…ugh), I saw a girl fall down about 30 feet of steep hill, with the final 5 feet being off of a rock. <br />
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Which leads me to another observation – If someone gets injured in the backcountry, it’s those who are around that are the difference between life and death to those that are injured. So, to those men that were shrugging their shoulders when they saw that the girl had fell, I say get an attitude adjustment. Next time it could be you! <br />
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All in all, it was a decent trip. Marcus got some good shots of the falls, and some nice night photos of the creek in the half moon light. You can see them here.<br />
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We’re looking at doing a Smokies trip next month. I’m glad to be back in the woods, and I’m looking forward to more trips this year.<br />
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--Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473489277178033275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179756706529576871.post-37032608174649931002011-02-06T11:07:00.000-05:002011-02-06T11:07:44.723-05:00The Ordeal {Up To This Point}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_W6_6m4CzNbY/TU42JzhOtbI/AAAAAAAAAa0/k9I6asXIBN0/s1600/leg2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_W6_6m4CzNbY/TU42JzhOtbI/AAAAAAAAAa0/k9I6asXIBN0/s400/leg2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
As many of you may already know, I broke my leg in September of 2010, and I was unable to walk up until just before Christmas. As soon as I was able to get up and about, I did as much as I could to get myself to the point where I could simply return to working at the grocery store again. It was only about three weeks ago that I returned to work, but I haven’t had too many problems so far. There are some days when there’s a little swelling in my lower leg, but not so much that I’m in pain or freaking out about it. The worst part is the dry patch of skin between the surgical incisions that itches like crazy from time to time. Also, I don’t have full strength in my leg. In fact, there’s a noticeable difference in size between the good one and the weaker one.<br />
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Some of you might have noticed me asking for prayers and well-wishes this past week on Twitter and Facebook, but only a handful know why. In order to explain it, I’m going to have to give you some backstory. I ask that you please not judge me. I’ve made these mistakes on my own, and I have been living with the consequences for over a decade now. I’m not perfect. In fact, I’m an idiot. (But at least I’m self aware. That’s a start.)<br />
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I’m a divorced father of two teenage boys. Yeah, I know… I don’t seem that old. It’s true though. What’s even crazier is that I have been divorced almost ten years now. That’s even weirder to me. My kids live with their mother and their stepdad, who is an active duty Marine. He had been stationed at Camp Lejuene for the last several years, and in 2010, was given orders to California. I have no idea what he does in the Marines. I just know that things were hard enough when they were living in Coastal North Carolina. When I was working full time and had steady income, I would typically drive up about every month. Since I was laid off from my job at Carolina Closet in 2008, I have only been there twice – maybe three times. Between gas, a hotel, food, and whatever activities we try and do while we’re there, it typically costs upwards of $400 for about twelve to fifteen hours with them. Yeah, it’s my kids, and I should be willing to do whatever to see them, but there’s a little more to it than that. Planning a visit means that I have to deal with my ex wife. Personally, I’d rather take up venomous snake handling.<br />
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At any rate, judging by how little I’ve seen them over the last three years when they were within a day’s drive, it’s highly unlikely that I’ll see them again now that they are on the other side of the country. My ex-says that since it would be cheaper to fly them back here from time to time, that’s what they’ll do, but I seriously doubt it will happen – especially if I’m the one footing the bill. <br />
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Anyway, when I broke my leg, I was obviously not working. Since my child support is handled by the state of Georgia, there’s no calling in sick. You pay, or you get into trouble with the law – regardless of whether you work of not. I fell behind in my payments while I was out of work, and now I have to go to court over the arrears. <br />
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I have not/ do not take(n) any of this lightly. I have heard some nightmare stories about people being locked up and held in jail – all the while, their arrears keep building up more and more while they are there – Which means they end up in a never ending cycle of B.S. It’s a dumb law. Most people will agree on that. I mean, how are you supposed to earn money to pay child support while you are in jail? It’s ridiculous. <br />
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I also received a notice where the state has asked to suspend my drivers license. Another dumb law that makes no sense. How am I supposed to get to and from work to earn money if I can’t drive there? It’s not like there’s public transportation here. <br />
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I’ve never even been in a courtroom before – not even for jury duty. I had no idea what to expect. All I knew was that I could lose my license or go to jail over all of this, and once that happened, it would likely wind up in a never ending, downward spiral. Fortunately, I had just met an attorney from Athens, who pointed me to one of her partners in her firm that specializes in family law. They immediately put my mind at ease – temporarily at least.<br />
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This past Thursday, was my date to visit the local Child Support Office and discuss my case and possibly make a settlement. As the days got closer, I began to freak out again. The last time I visited there, the two ladies that were working my case were very rude to me. In fact, when I had shown them the receipts from money orders where I had been making payments, one of them asked, “How are we supposed to know those are for child support?” Seriously? Like I have nothing better to do with my money. I just like giving away money to my ex-wife for the fun of it? I don’t think so. <br />
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So on Thursday, I was fully prepared to have to defend myself. I took a three ring binder full of check stubs and W-2’s from the last three years. I was ready to run through the gauntlet…<br />
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Instead, there was a nice man that worked things out with me. Now, I simply made a payment online, and now I have to go back on this coming Wednesday, and everything should be fine. I shouldn’t have to go to court, and I should be able to keep my license. I’m not completely freaking out anymore. I’m still not out of the woods yet though. So I’m not letting my guard down either. Not until I’ve got some signed official papers will I relax and let things go back to normal. I’m still at DEFCON two until after all is said and done. <br />
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So that’s the story. I appreciate everyone who has asked about me, and for those that have prayed and wished me well and good luck. I thank you all. <br />
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_Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473489277178033275noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179756706529576871.post-2855695531611272332011-01-05T15:33:00.002-05:002011-01-19T23:48:53.257-05:00Not Having Such a Happy New Year...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.decodeunicode.org/en/u+2639/data/glyph/196x196/2639.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.decodeunicode.org/en/u+2639/data/glyph/196x196/2639.gif" /></a></div>Hey folks. I'm having a rough start to 2011. I won't be posting much over the coming weeks. If you pray, I could definitely use some prayers over the next month and a half or so.Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473489277178033275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179756706529576871.post-8593474871610137882011-01-01T11:35:00.001-05:002011-01-01T11:36:31.024-05:00Happy New Year!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSaPaurjD_WtBmrWDCdiOpv-vfbDt8c3lBS0rftsrvp0lV4d05EuonuzALB9rh4eIEr5-BVw1hqgZhYGSN_Ft1IOfQkT8uDiKau7HcMU-SD0CY_QLhxrzKYUYKaXC34LVh68azvomoAonQ/s1600/Fireworks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSaPaurjD_WtBmrWDCdiOpv-vfbDt8c3lBS0rftsrvp0lV4d05EuonuzALB9rh4eIEr5-BVw1hqgZhYGSN_Ft1IOfQkT8uDiKau7HcMU-SD0CY_QLhxrzKYUYKaXC34LVh68azvomoAonQ/s400/Fireworks.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Happy New Year! I would like to wish all of you great success in 2011 in whatever you do.</div>Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473489277178033275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179756706529576871.post-35185915227140443922010-12-30T14:49:00.000-05:002010-12-30T14:49:11.435-05:00Therm-a-Rest Reviews<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_W6_6m4CzNbY/TRzcjTroZYI/AAAAAAAAAOg/TauhANjFZY8/s1600/P1011013c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_W6_6m4CzNbY/TRzcjTroZYI/AAAAAAAAAOg/TauhANjFZY8/s320/P1011013c.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>One of the most commonly asked questions I get about backpacking is "Where do you sleep?" For me personally, about 80% of the time, I sleep in shelters which have wooden sleeping platforms. The rest of the time, I'm in a tent. I have been known to bivy out on the open ground once and a while, but that's really a rare thing with me these days.<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">Whether you're on a wooden deck, in a tent, or on the open ground, one of the most important things between you and the earth is your sleeping pad. Without one, you'll be either cold, uncomfortable, or more likely - both at the same time.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_W6_6m4CzNbY/TQBJUUyhITI/AAAAAAAAAGk/o1Z8PuWHDXI/s1600/P1010309.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_W6_6m4CzNbY/TQBJUUyhITI/AAAAAAAAAGk/o1Z8PuWHDXI/s320/P1010309.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">I started out using a closed cell foam pad that I bought for about $8.00 at Wal-Mart. I did that because that was all I could afford for a long time. They were big and bulky, but not all that heavy. They were reasonably comfortable and damn near indestructible. In fact, I bought my first one in 1993 and still own part of it as a sitting pad/game table. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Inflatable mattresses were (and still are) expensive when compared to a foam pad. However, no foam pad can compare to the comfort or pack size of an air mattress. Cascade Designs makes an "egg crate" style pad that folds up like an accordion that's not too bad. It's light weight and isn't too terribly bulky, but you sacrifice pad width and length for it.</div><a name='more'></a> <br />
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</div>Before you choose a pad, I highly recommend that you try it out first. When you're at your local outfitters, ask if they have a sample that you can try out. REI often has one of every model they carry available for testing. They even have a little platform for you to try them out on. Most pads come in half, 3/4, or full length. Some even come in larger sizes for larger sized people that like to have their feet up off the ground like I do. You may find that you can sleep with part of your body off of a pad. If you can, you can save both money and weight. If you have any doubts, or are planning on camping in the colder months, I'd recommend a full length pad. <br />
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I’ve noticed that some of the pads now have "R" ratings, but honestly, I've never gotten that geeky with gear. I mainly look at the size, thickness, weight, and the price. What you get will ultimately be a balance of these, and the “R” rating is really just a stat that manufacturers are using as a selling point to buyers that just don’t know any better. <br />
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The most common types of pads I’ve seen out on the trail over the years are the ones I’ll be talking about here today. I’m not promoting one over the other. I’m not tying to sell you anything. I’m just offering a few facts and my opinions of things in case you’re ever in the market for a pad for the first time, or you’re looking to upgrade. The first two I talk about, I’ve never owned. I have friends that use them, or I have talked with users that own them and swear by them. <br />
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<h2><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 24px;">Therm-a-rest Z-Lite:</span> </span></h2><img height="400" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/mediastaging.cascadedesigns.com/images/product/medium/Z_Lite.jpg" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="378" /> <br />
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I’ve only seen a handful of people out on the trails in the last couple of years that weren’t using inflatable pads, and almost all of those people were carrying this pad. I’ve even seen one camper using two of them! I considered getting one of these this past summer as a lighter alternative to the ProLite 4 that I’ve been carrying for the last several years. <br />
<h4>What Therm-a-Rest’s Website Says:</h4><blockquote><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Our ultralight three-season camping mattress is perfect for those go-anywhere, sleep-on-anything treks and bivies where every ounce counts. All-new proprietary foams are softer on top for extra comfort and denser on the bottom for extra durability, and the accordion shape packs more comfort into a smaller space than any other closed-cell foam mattress out there</span>.</em></span> <br />
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<ul><li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong>Travel Ultralight:</strong> Weighing less than a pound, this mattress goes anywhere easily. </span></span></span></em></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong>Packs Small:</strong> Accordion-style design packs lots of comfort into as small a space as possible. </span></span></span></em></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong>Exceptional Durability:</strong> Closed-cell foam is incredibly durable, providing an exceptional value and many years of worry-free performance</span>.</span></span></em></span> </li>
</ul></blockquote><h4>The Stats (For the full length model):</h4><ul><li>Length/Width : 72 inches x 20 inches </li>
<li>Thickness : 0.75 inches </li>
<li>Weight : 14 ounces </li>
<li>Price : $39.95 at REI.com </li>
</ul><h4>Why I Didn’t Buy It:</h4>I didn’t get one simply because I’m 6’2” and my feet hung off the end of it. While I’m mainly a side sleeper, it didn’t see wide enough for me either. Plus, after sleeping on an inflatable, it’s really hard to go back to a foam pad. <br />
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<h2></h2><h2>Therm-a-rest Trail Lite:</h2><img height="400" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/mediastaging.cascadedesigns.com/images/product/medium/tar_trail_lite.jpg" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="353" /> <br />
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I have several friends that own these. I’ve been trying to get a hold of one to do some side-by-side comparisons with the other inflatables that I do own. <br />
<h4></h4><h4></h4><h4>What Therm-a-rest’s Website Says:</h4><blockquote><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">When comfort and budget are top-of-mind priorities, our Trail Lite™ camping mattress is an ideal choice for light backpacking, car camping and travel. This time-tested design includes all the hallmark qualities of a Therm-a-Rest, offering the straightforward comfort you need, for the rest you deserve</span>.</em></span> <br />
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<ul><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: white;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong>Packs Small:</strong> At just 1.5 in.(3.8 cm) thick, it rolls up small for easy carrying. </span></em></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: white;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong>Travel Light:</strong> Great weight for backpacking or overnight trips. </span></em></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: white;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong>Lasting Comfort:</strong> 150D polyester makes it durable and versatile.</span></em></span></span></span> </li>
</ul></blockquote><h4></h4><h4></h4><h4></h4><h4>The Stats (For the large model): </h4><ul><li>Length/Width : 77 inches x 26 inches </li>
<li>Thickness : 1.5 inches </li>
<li>Weight : 2 lbs., 11 oz. </li>
<li>Price : $69.95 MSRP </li>
</ul><h4>Why I didn’t get it:</h4>This one is a great entry level pad. I’d recommend this one to anyone that’s just getting started, or to anyone that’s on a budget, but still wanted an inflatable pad. This one’s tough too. I’d recommend it to Scouts or to anyone that’s rough on gear. I didn’t get one because I already had the ProLite 4, and was looking to upgrade to a lighter pad. That being said, if I were starting over from scratch, and were on my current budget, this one would be the one I would likely get. <br />
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<h2>Therm-a-rest ProLite 4</h2><img height="375" src="http://shop.nextadventure.net/images/detailed_images/thermarest_prolite_old.jpg" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="375" /><br />
Therm-a-rest doesn’t make this one anymore, but you can still find them online in a few places; usually for a lot less than the newer model – and for a lot less than I paid for mine when it was new. The newer version from Therm-a-rest claims it’s a little warmer in cold weather. That’s about it. <br />
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<h4>What Therm-a-rest’s Website Says (about the newer model ProLite Plus);</h4><blockquote><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><em>When staying warm is as important as keeping your pack light, the ProLite Plus mattress is the perfect solution. Using patent-pending foam-perforating technology, we’ve created this mattress to provide exceptional warmth—up to 20% more than previous ProLite 4 mattresses—without added weight. It’s substantial enough to keep you comfortable while mountaineering or on ski tours, yet rolls up small and light enough that you’ll have no problem taking it as far as you want to go.</em></span><br />
<ul><li><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em><span style="color: white;"><strong>Added Warmth:</strong> Unique, diagonal-cut foam provides the most efficient insulation possible. </span></em></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em><span style="color: white;"><strong>Light and Compact:</strong> Tapered design and high-performance foams eliminate excess weight and roll up ultra-compact. </span></em></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em><span style="color: white;"><strong>Rest Comfortably:</strong> Bottom grips and textured top surface keep the mattress where you want it while you sleep.</span></em></span></span> </li>
</ul></blockquote><h4>The Stats</h4>For the ProLite 4:<br />
<ul><li><span style="color: #cfcfcf;">Length/Width : 77 inches x 25 inches</span> </li>
<li><span style="color: #cfcfcf;">Thickness : 1.5 inches</span> </li>
<li><span style="color: #cfcfcf;">Weight : 2lbs, 1 oz.</span> </li>
<li><span style="color: #cfcfcf;">Price : When it was new, it was about $120 for the large. I found a regular online when writing this for $79. Good luck finding a large. </span></li>
</ul>For the new ProLite Plus:<br />
<ul><li><span style="color: #cfcfcf;">Length/Width : 77 inches x 25 inches</span> </li>
<li><span style="color: #cfcfcf;">Thickness : 1.5 inches</span> </li>
<li><span style="color: #cfcfcf;">Weight ; 2 lbs., 1 oz.</span> </li>
<li><span style="color: #cfcfcf;">Price : $119.95 for the large, MSRP</span> </li>
</ul>* The difference is in the “R” ratings. The ProLite 4 is rated at 3.2. The newer ProLite Plus is rated at 3.8. How that translates into degrees or how warm you’ll sleep is a mystery to me. Even if you explained it, I wouldn’t likely buy into it anyway. <br />
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<h4>What I think of it (since I own it):</h4>I bought mine new in 2007. I went back and forth on getting the regular and the large. I ended up opting for the large because I wanted to use it in the winter, and I’m not one for hanging my feet off the end of my pad. the reason I went for it over the TrailLite was that I wanted one that I could pack inside my pack. You simply fold it in half and roll it up. It takes up a fairly small amount of space, rolling up to roughly larger than a 1 liter Nalgene bottle. With the TrailLite, there’s no folding it in half, which leaves you with lashing it to the outside of the pack. There it becomes susceptible to puncture or damage from tree limbs, briars, and sharp rocks. I’ve been known to sit on my pack if there’s nowhere dry or comfortable, and tying your pad to the back of your pack means you have to be careful where you sit and how you sit on it.<br />
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All in all, I have enjoyed this pad since I bought it. It’s been out on every outing since. From hot summer nights by the lake to icy, cold winter nights in the high country, this pad has been relatively comfortable and has shown very little wear. <br />
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<h2></h2><h2>Therm-a-rest NeoAir:</h2><img height="375" src="http://www.backcountry.com/images/items/large/CAS/CAS0503/ONECOL.jpg" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="375" /><br />
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In 2009, Therm-a-rest came out with an even lighter 3 season pad that had no foam core inside of it. Not only is the pad lighter without the foam, it can also roll up to an insanely small packed size. Being content with my ProLite 4, I let it slip under my radar until this past summer when I started seeing it more and more. After a recent outing to Mt. LeConte in the Smokies, and getting a close up look at one, I decided to do a little research and see about getting one for myself.<br />
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<h4>What Therm-a-rest’s Website Says:</h4><blockquote><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><em>The NeoAir mattress represents the world’s most advanced engineering in ultralight comfort. Beyond being the lightest air mattress available, we’ve utilized two patent-pending internal technologies, making it up to three times warmer and far more stable than any other uninsulated air mattress available. And when it comes to space in your pack, you’ll appreciate that it’s no bigger than a one-liter water bottle. Revolutionary by design, the gossamer NeoAir mattress makes comfort one less thing you’ll need to compromise when traveling fast and light.</em></span><br />
<ul><li><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em><span style="color: white;"><strong>Ultralight & Compact:</strong> Weighs just 14oz. and packs down to the size of a 1-liter water bottle. </span></em></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em><span style="color: white;"><strong>Unrivaled Warmth:</strong> Our patent-pending reflective barrier returns warmth to your body and reduces heat loss to the ground, keeping you three times warmer than any other uninsulated air mattress. </span></em></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em><span style="color: white;"><strong>Sleep Stable:</strong> When inflated, patent-pending Triangular Core Matrix technology creates an internal truss system, resulting in the most stable non-self-inflating air mattresses. </span></em></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em><span style="color: white;"><strong>Lasting Performance:</strong> Achieving thermal efficiency without down or fiber insulation means the NeoAir mattress can be inflated directly without the added weight of a pump, or worrying about exhaled moisture wetting insulation and decreasing performance.</span></em></span></span></li>
</ul></blockquote><h4>The Stats (For the large model): </h4><ul><li>Length/Width : 77 inches by 25 inches</li>
<li>Thickness : 2.5 Inches</li>
<li>Weight : 1 lb., 3 oz.</li>
<li>Price : $169.95 MSRP </li>
</ul><h4>What I think of it (Since I own it): </h4>It’s light, compact, and super comfortable. I haven’t been able to field test it yet, but I’ve slept on it a couple of times both inside and outside here at the house. (I think the outside night here was pushing the limit on it’s temp rating, for sure.) For my frame,I’d have to say that it’s the most comfortable pad I’ve been on – ever. I would definitely say it’s a three season pad though, and I’ll be sticking to the foam cored ProLight 4 for any winter ventures, but I’m definitely looking forward to getting some extensive use out of it this spring, summer, and fall. I can’t wait to see how little space it takes up in my already tiny three season pack. It weighs almost a full pound less than the ProLight, which you may not care about, but pack weight equals comfort and comfort translates into more miles on the trail. <br />
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So that’s it. If you’re looking for a sleeping pad for backpacking, I hope that this little comparison will help you decide. Again, I don’t particularly favor one over the other. I purchased mine based on my own research and experience, and I hope that before you make any investment into gear, that you’ll do the same. <br />
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--Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473489277178033275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179756706529576871.post-4740562247161220172010-12-27T13:37:00.003-05:002010-12-27T13:58:43.567-05:00Snow Days!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEittyV0WbJ5JEh1arKzP2oF4xLZKio6mNavvLHDjz8ITeV3xFPxP7dJ0GdMJvsmRDrx-whZTjeqGlmETnwX4BpM3jyDNu3-jJe2_i3AXlVXpAzARhAdL1rZL_UKSuqO6Tb7oNur8prmc7Gb/s1600/None" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEittyV0WbJ5JEh1arKzP2oF4xLZKio6mNavvLHDjz8ITeV3xFPxP7dJ0GdMJvsmRDrx-whZTjeqGlmETnwX4BpM3jyDNu3-jJe2_i3AXlVXpAzARhAdL1rZL_UKSuqO6Tb7oNur8prmc7Gb/s400/None" width="400" /></a></div><br />
First of all, I hope everyone had a good Christmas. I know I did. Second, we got a new griddle, but I didn't make French toast over the weekend when it snowed. (If that doesn't make any sense, then you need to go back and read <a href="http://insolentsouthernman.blogspot.com/2010/12/snow-day.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">here</span></a>.)<br />
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There’s been a couple of times thus far this season where we’ve had the threat of wintry weather. Earlier last week , we all watched in childlike anticipation as the forecast called for a chance of snow on Christmas. A couple of days into the week, the chances grew even higher that we here at my house would see our first white Christmas ever. As the week progressed, the chances fell a little, but our hopes were still high that it would snow. Like many people in North Georgia and upstate South Carolina, we kept one ear on the the weather radio, and an eye to the sky as it began to rain later in the day. By nightfall, the snow had moved in. By supper it was full blown snowing at our house.<br />
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A couple of days before Christmas, it was rather warm compared to more recent previous days. In fact, I rode home from my mom’s house the other night with the window down. I discovered that I had left it down while we were outside playing in the snow on Sunday morning. (I am an idiot. This much I know for certain.)<br />
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The clouds broke Sunday afternoon to reveal some nice scenes in the neighborhood. I went out with my Nikon and tripod to take in a few landscapes. I wound up shooting well into Monday morning!<br />
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Since the moon was to be about half, I thought I’d try some night photos with the snow in them. It's been a while since I've done any night photos, and I've always had problems before, but this one seemed to come out pretty decent to me:<br />
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Not to shabby, eh?<br />
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If you're interested in learning how to make these star ring photos, or night photography in general, I'll be teaching what I know in a little mini workshop sometime in January. Stay tuned and I'll pass more details here and on Twitter as I figure out the when, where, what time, and all.<br />
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The good news is that the majority of the moisture on the roads in my area dried up before the temperatures fell below the freezing mark. Some thawing during the day has re-wet the roads, so be careful if you're out and about after dark today.<br />
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My wife says that there’s an old saying that if the snow stays on the ground for three days, that it will snow again soon. As long as the electricity stays on, I’m fine with that. =D<br />
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--Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473489277178033275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179756706529576871.post-91765651330325549422010-12-24T10:29:00.000-05:002010-12-24T10:29:12.314-05:00Merry Christmas!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNpHnWxoPqPtL4qHNeVHqZpHqERoqgm4Zc1sq3zu_VnY89kQPW3GHFONHieWdXphRn8-rzdcjI8ozZIHFq4MWQSpbmNhplNET4Y8Fv13OliVXxfP0KaS1QFZCRXcbStfz6x9RETs0rebhG/s1600/_STS6781.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNpHnWxoPqPtL4qHNeVHqZpHqERoqgm4Zc1sq3zu_VnY89kQPW3GHFONHieWdXphRn8-rzdcjI8ozZIHFq4MWQSpbmNhplNET4Y8Fv13OliVXxfP0KaS1QFZCRXcbStfz6x9RETs0rebhG/s320/_STS6781.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Thanks for reading! Hope you and yours have a wonderful holiday! See you next week! </div><br />
--Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473489277178033275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179756706529576871.post-85671410466961406692010-12-23T21:43:00.002-05:002010-12-27T13:38:38.198-05:00Tech Support as a Christmas Gift?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_W6_6m4CzNbY/TRQIdUhi80I/AAAAAAAAALU/3nyE76h1CuI/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_W6_6m4CzNbY/TRQIdUhi80I/AAAAAAAAALU/3nyE76h1CuI/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Okay, I know it doesn't sound all that grand, but she said that all she wanted was an under-the-cabinet mounted can opener. She told me this a week before Christmas. I've been to 38 stores in 3 cities in two separate states. I've called about a dozen more. Even the Black & Decker outlet store doesn't have them. What am I to do? I hate giving gift cards. To me, giving someone a gift card is like saying, "Hey. Merry Christmas and all that. Here's how much you're worth to me." If the gift isn't called for or expected, then a gift card will suffice. I don't think you should give your mom a gift card as a primary gift for Christmas. If you disagree, then that's fine. I just don't feel like it's something I could do.<br />
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In my case, she's the type of person that will see something, want it for a week, then go out and buy it. At the end of November, she came to me asking about a Roku box. I had never even heard of them. She left the printout from the website at my house and I thought that this was it. This was what she wanted for Christmas. I kept the paper, bookmarked the Roku website, and made a note to go back and get one for her. Well, a few days later, she calls me about her computer (as usual), and asked if I could come over and take a look at it. "Oh, and I got that Netflix box thing..." she said.<br />
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Great. Now what was I supposed to get her? Since I have been a working adult I've always been somewhat keen on what people ask for throughout the year. I'm the one that will end up giving too much sometimes. But this year has been rough financially for me. Photography hasn't been what I had hoped, and there aren't many opportunities for decent employment around. Oh, and then there's that whole broken leg and not working since September thing... So this year, Christmas is going to be sort of low budget. My wife and I agreed that we weren't going to do anything overboard this year. We set a spending limit, and I've actually stayed under it - and not because I wanted to either. I <i>had</i> to.<br />
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So anyway, my mom's computer has been in a disabled state for weeks now. It's still under warranty, and so the first thing we did was call Staples. The local store referred us to a corporate number. We were on hold there for about 25 minutes only to be passed on the the HP help line where we were on hold for at least a half hour. (The whole point here is to keep a tab on the time...)<br />
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Once the tech got on the phone. I was more than pleased to hear a southern twang in his voice. My mom began to explain her computer's plight in "that thing came up said whatever.. something... something... and I just clicked on it" terms. All I could do was shake my head and hold out my hand for the phone. I think the tech was kind of relieved too. (She put about 3 minutes in there...)<br />
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I was on the phone with him for well over 2 hours that day. We ran through all sorts of stuff, and I ended up trying to restore the computer back to it's factory settings overnight (which didn't work). I wound up waiting on a call back the next day for about 3 hours. Once I got the call back, I reported the error code and they had the send us factory restore discs, which tonight I'm using. I've got two hours in already tonight while I'm writing this post, and that's just reloading the system files. Now it's got to install them, which Windows just said might take up to 3 hours! After that, I'll have to update everything, which will likely take a couple of hours. Lastly, I've got to reinstall any downloaded software she had before, and then replace her photos and music from the backup USB drive she has.<br />
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So, with all this time invested in fixing her computer, I figure that I've at least saved her a few hundred bucks. So there, Mom. Your working computer is your Christmas present from me. If you don't like it, I can always get you a gift card so you can order yourself a can opener.<br />
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--Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473489277178033275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179756706529576871.post-10934188384558992262010-12-22T10:00:00.002-05:002010-12-22T10:15:46.245-05:00Windows Live Essentials 2011 - Movie Maker and Writer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_W6_6m4CzNbY/TRG2zAFMPXI/AAAAAAAAAKg/wwXYhZNnbhs/s1600/Fullscreen+capture+12222010+32705+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_W6_6m4CzNbY/TRG2zAFMPXI/AAAAAAAAAKg/wwXYhZNnbhs/s640/Fullscreen+capture+12222010+32705+AM.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I guess this is my official review of it. I honestly hate the back end of Blogger. Yeah, it's simple and clean, easy to understand and navigate, but it's boring and bland. I hate having to hit "preview" to see what my post will look like. I've tried coming around with it, but as of late, I was writing posts in MS Word and then copying and pasting them into the oh-so-boring Blogger UI. That really didn't solve any problems or help me get over my annoyances, but it I did it anyway.<br />
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About a month ago, I read a couple of reviews about Windows Live 2011 products, and I decided to give a couple of them a shot. The main reason I was even interested in the first place was that Windows 7 no longer has Movie Maker built in. I needed to make a video, and was stuck without a free video editor until I found out that it was part of the Live Essentials 2011 suite. The whole suite comes with Messenger, Photo Gallery, Movie Maker, Writer, and a host of other stuff that didn’t really interest me. The good news is that Windows lets you pick and choose only the things you need. I only opted for the Movie Maker and the Writer. I just used Movie Maker for the first time yesterday to make and upload this:<br />
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<div class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:4be33b3c-63e4-4c10-80be-520f05067b3a" style="display: block; float: none; margin: 0px auto; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 480px;"><div id="348f5c9e-4a92-4151-b3b8-7f4906664ebb" style="display: inline; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fFhuDTpQMLA?hl=en&hd=1"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fFhuDTpQMLA?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="385"></object></div></div></div><br />
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It was simple enough. First complaint was that I had to make a Windows Live account. Great. Another username and password to keep up with. Software wise, the UI took some getting used to. I miss the timeline at the bottom of the screen, but it wasn’t so bad that I gave up on it. They’ve actually added in some nice new features that made it a little easier to add consistent transitions between clips throughout the length of the video. Adding music was a lot easier too. Lastly, getting it online was a total breeze. I'll definitely be using it for simple editing and online posting in the future. Now, if I could just get a better video camera...<br />
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This is the first post I’ve done with Writer. So far, I’m liking the ease at which I could insert the video above. I LOVE the what-you-see-is-what-you-get layout too. No more previewing it over and over in a new tab or window. When you first set it up, it will download your theme from your blog and insert it into writer. So you don’t have to worry about fonts and colors and all. My one complaint is getting images into Writer. The back end of Blogger easily connects to Picasa or Flickr’s galleries, but for whatever reason, I couldn’t get an image from a Picasa URL to load into writer. I had to upload the post as a draft, then add the photo from Picasa into Blogger. This is kind of a deal breaker for me as of right now. I tried three different ways to get that photo to load, and none worked. Grrr… It is my first time using it, so maybe there’s a catch I didn’t see.<br />
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With writer, you don't need a Windows Live ID unless you want to share your blog there. I opted out for it. I figure the less I have to do with them, the better. I'm grateful for the free software, but I won't be checking in over there at Windows Live any time soon.<br />
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--Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473489277178033275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179756706529576871.post-80759614346669027052010-12-18T19:41:00.001-05:002010-12-18T19:42:59.501-05:00I Hate a Scam...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_W6_6m4CzNbY/TQ1LLRlh0nI/AAAAAAAAAIs/ftbYE4aI8wQ/s1600/boxbe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_W6_6m4CzNbY/TQ1LLRlh0nI/AAAAAAAAAIs/ftbYE4aI8wQ/s320/boxbe.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I read Lifehacker everyday. I've used it as a trusted source for tips and tricks for quite a while now. Today, I read an <a href="http://lifehacker.com/5713914/how-to-wipe-out-spam-email-in-your-inbox"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">article</span></a> about keeping your inbox spam free. Those if you who know me, know that I've been having problems now with spam and my yahoo! powered @bellsouth accounts now for the last couple of months. So, I thought after reading the article on Lifehacker, that I would beat spam to the punch by signing up for this service. I really should have did a little homework first. If you Google "Boxbe" you'll find a lot of people complaining that the service has apparently failed.<br />
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I want to apologize to anyone that might have received any messages on my behalf regarding this service. I have opted out, and closed my account. Hopefully, that will be the end of it. Again, sorry for any inconvenience or intrusion this has incurred.<br />
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--Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473489277178033275noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179756706529576871.post-81437586807129062992010-12-17T08:46:00.007-05:002010-12-18T19:43:47.744-05:00Athens Twitter Meetup...Wednesday night, I went to a little pizza place called <a href="http://yourpie.com/"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Your Pie</span></b></a> for the Athens Holiday Tweetup. A tweetup is where people from Twitter meet up in real life.<br />
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So anyway, we met at <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><a href="http://yourpie.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>Your Pie</b></span></a> </span>in the Five Points area of Athens. It was quite a cozy little place and there were about 15 or 20 "tweeps" there. Your Pie provided us with some awesome pizza. I highly recommend you visit any one of their 3 locations in Athens.<br />
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I could kick myself for not taking any photos. I guess I was having such a good time talking to people that I forgot.<br />
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I really had a blast meeting and talking to new people that I've only interacted with over Twitter before. I thought it was a great experience and I highly recommend that, if you're on Twitter, that you get out to one of these events. If you do, I'll likely see you there. =D<br />
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Oh, I almost forgot... Follow <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/AthensTweetup"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>@AthensTweetup</b></span></a> to find out when the next meetup is!<br />
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--Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473489277178033275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179756706529576871.post-18406575613766388082010-12-13T17:50:00.000-05:002010-12-13T17:50:34.525-05:00I've Gone Totally Geek Now...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/ubuntu.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/ubuntu.png" /></a></div>I've always been a bit savvy when it came to computers. No, I'm not on the programmer or developer level, but I'd say a decent user - more or less. I wouldn't call myself a complete computer geek. I'm not ready to join the Geek Squad at my local Best Buy store. But ever since I broke my leg, I've been stumbling around, messing with my computers more and more. At first, it was a tweak here and there in Windows Vista. Next came the upgrade to Windows 7. After that, I got more and more interested in making a dual boot computer. I've seen several blogs online about making what's known as a "hackintosh," but after further reading, realized that neither of my machines here at the house could be configured to run OSX. Boo. :-(<br />
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</div>The next option was Linux. At first it started with the CD. I've read that you can get into, and recover data from a crashed Windows PC with an Unbuntu CD. So, I downloaded and made my own CD just in case I ever needed it. You can also run the actual OS from the CD. So, that led me to playing around with it more and more.<br />
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The interface, I like. It looks a ton better than Windows. Almost looks like a Mac. <i>(I've got it tweaked.)</i> It boots up really fast. I mean like, sign in and it's up and ready. The internet seems slower, but I don't know why. It just does. Navigating my way around and installing programs and fonts? That's a different story. I'm getting there, but it's taking a lot of Google-ing. Another thing that irks me is that I can't run Photoshop or Lightroom. That almost ruins it for me. <i>(I know there is a way. I've already looked at it, but getting it done is a different story. I'm close, but not there yet.)</i> However, I am able to access my e-mail, calendars, documents, even Twitter with ease. I've run system updates, and even installed Dropbox and Chrome. I did this blog post from Chrome in Ubuntu.<br />
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So I'm still a noob. Still trying to figure things out. I'll keep plugging away at it. I have however, officially crossed over into the land of the computer geek. I guess it won't be long before I'm talking regularly about code or wearing shirts with witty phrases written in binary.<br />
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--Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473489277178033275noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179756706529576871.post-84690632469160495742010-12-12T22:14:00.001-05:002010-12-12T22:17:23.670-05:00Snow Day?The weather forecast is for snow flurries Sunday night through Monday morning. There's no chance listed for any accumulation, but one thing that's 100% for certain, the grocery store's milk section will look like this:<br />
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Having worked in a grocery store, I can tell you that people around here go absolutely nuts. Most folks act like they're not going to be able to get out for days. Milk, eggs, and bread become hot commodities. Am I missing something here? Are we <i>supposed</i> to make French toast when it snows? Is that some sort of southern thing I missed?<br />
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I've been at the store part time now for going on 3 years. It's snowed twice since. It's even snowed 10-12 inches, and we were still open. And you know people are going to be out riding around looking at the winter wonderland too. My point is, there's no need to panic. No need to rush out and buy up all the milk, eggs, and bread. (<i>Unless that French toast thing is true...</i>) Just sit back and enjoy it for the 12 hours it's on the ground because you know it's going to be gone tomorrow. =D<br />
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--Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473489277178033275noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179756706529576871.post-47575397613055777982010-12-10T15:21:00.002-05:002010-12-10T16:51:00.682-05:00Just When You Think You've Seen It All...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghV0hdvCEGSNkBY5Rt2blOgXeWPQFMwhDtynoffzIbXAT75-y3Wku7IKuPQdo4vwH_ece-RA6B30rdCcchZ2E6Gpgue6WJcyG9uPgMsVIc56RqQqGDH2ZqnT1Qkx30jFED0whaqzSpr24/s1600/Browns-Bridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghV0hdvCEGSNkBY5Rt2blOgXeWPQFMwhDtynoffzIbXAT75-y3Wku7IKuPQdo4vwH_ece-RA6B30rdCcchZ2E6Gpgue6WJcyG9uPgMsVIc56RqQqGDH2ZqnT1Qkx30jFED0whaqzSpr24/s320/Browns-Bridge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Night photography is what drew me back into the idea of getting an SLR camera and shooting. I saw people on Flickr doing it, and I thought I would like to try my hand at it. When I got my camera though, it wasn't as easy as the people on Flickr made it out to be. It took me a while to figure out the ins and outs of it. Little did I know that I had only touched the very tip of the iceberg.<br />
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Star rings were something that I had always wanted to try. Honestly, it's one of the most frustrating things you can do with a camera. Aiming, focusing, getting the camera to stay on and shooting for long periods, frost, clouds, headlights and other light sources, are all huge factors in whether or not you make the final photograph. One bump or missed frame can lead to gaps in the rings like in my photo below. Add all that in with having to be up most of the night when you're most likely to dose or lose focus, and it makes it even more of a challenge. The reward is a very interesting photograph though, and I'd say it's worth it in the end.<br />
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Tme lapse is something I've never really dabbled in. Sure, we've all seen videos made with tilt shift lenses where everything looks minature. <a href="http://vimeo.com/5967029">"Operation Toyland"</a> by Austrian photographer, Clemens Wirth is one of my favorites. One of the reasons I've never done any time lapse is that it requires video. And I hardly know anything about editing or making videos. (I barely know how to run my still camera!)<br />
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Then I stumbled across this and I was absolutely blown away:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="220" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/6686768" width="400"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://vimeo.com/6686768">Timescapes Timelapse: Mountain Light</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/timescapes">Tom Lowe @ Timescapes</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Have a great weekend.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">--</div>Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473489277178033275noreply@blogger.com0