intern[life]

a [free state] before [the civil wars]

2012-01-21T16:57:00.001-06:00

it's amazing how 150 years can change things. last tuesday my friends and i traveled to lawrence and enjoyed beer from free state brewery before catching the civil wars show. if you know your kansas history, you'll catch the irony in that. however, unlike the devastating bleeding kansas days leading up to the civil war, tuesday was pure bliss. my friends and i enjoyed sitting around a table at free state, conversing and joking back and forth while slowly filling up on the amazing food and beer the brewery is known for. heading next door to liberty hall, anxiously awaiting the civil wars, we were all blown away by the opening act, the staves. their simple stylings and flawless harmonies set the mood for the civil wars. i'm not sure if the crowd was just memorized by the performance or just being incredibly respectful, but when joy sang along with john and his guitar, their lyrics and chords were the only sounds in the hall. only after the song was finished would the audience erupt in applause, creating a surreal experience for everyone in attendance.

if you get a chance, catch up on some kansas history, with a [free state] ad astra ale and [the civil wars] album barton hollow.

re[boot]

2012-01-12T00:26:00.089-06:00

i'm not what you'd call a [fashionista]. fashion is just something i don't spend a lot of time thinking about. my wardrobe tends to be based more on comfort than style. that being said, i live my life by three simple rules when it comes to fashion. 1. never under any circumstance wear pleated pants. not only have i heard they're unfashionable, but i really hate the way i look in them, appearing as though i'm wearing a diaper. 2. never give or receive any form of clothing as a gift. there are too many variables when it comes to clothing; color, shade, fit, stitching, size, texture, feel, look, any of which, when wrong, leads to failure. these factors make it hard enough to shop for myself, how is anyone else suppose to do it for me? i'm sorry, but clothing as a gift rarely works out. 3. never ever buy the [exact] same thing i'm replacing. not only is this rule in place so it forces me to always to try something new, but it's an easy way to keep up to date with fashion, without much thought. well, one of these rules was broken recently, and here's a hint, i ain't wearing pleats.

several years ago i bought a pair of clarks original desert boots. i saw them at the store, thought they looked nice, they were comfortable, so i bought them. little did i know i had just purchased my favorite pair of shoes. i wore them everywhere. they were nice enough to wear to work, and casual enough to wear out at night. they matched with my old busted jeans and looked great with a nice pair of dark ones. heaven forbid, they even looked good the few times i wore them with khakis. the more i wore them, the better they felt. being made of soft suede, they packed well, leading me to take them with me everywhere i traveled.

winning me over on looks, comfort, and function i researched the shoe a bit. it turns out they haven't changed much since first introduced in 1949. everyone from british soldiers in cairo, to beatnik's, to mods, to hippies had worn these shoes. much like eames lounge chairs and ray-ban wayfarer's, the style of this shoe had become [timeless]. if i hadn't already been crazy over these boots, the nostalgia factor put me over the edge.

wearing these shoes as much as i did, i literally wore a hole in them. i was heartbroken. not ready to give them up, i found myself limited to wearing them only when i thought it wouldn't rain, occasionally ending up with a wet sock. what was i to do? break my rule, and buy a new pair, or try my luck with some other brand and style.

i had been agonizing over this dilemma for months, when finally, one of the rules was broken. christmas morning i opened a package from my parents and inside found a brand new pair of boots. i was shocked, because i knew my parents were well aware of rule number two, but was thrilled they had decided to break it. a HUGE [thank you] to my parents for their incredibly thoughtful, very surprising, much needed, rule breaking gift. i love them...and now that i've photographed them, i can finally start wearing them.

the year in pictures [2011]

2012-01-05T23:05:00.004-06:00

year seven for the [year in pictures] post.

i never plan to have a [theme] every year, but looking back over the pictures i've taken, trying to find ten to represent the year, it's hard not so see a common thread form. as much as i feared turning 30 last year, it ended up be a very moot point, not nearly as painful as i had originally thought. instead 2011 seemed to be a year of [connections]. not only did i make some new and incredibly dear friends the last twelve months, i was also able to strengthened the [connections] with friends and family already in my life. [connections] are a funny thing, in that they're not a one way relationship, but rather act as a path between two points. a link, taking, giving, and sharing equally. as much as i've gained by these [connections] over the past year, i hope i've lived my life in a way so the feeling is mutual on the other end.

with that said, take a look at these pictures, some previously featured and some not, and get yourself [connected] to 2011.

chasing_geese_2.5.11

i don't often write about relationships, but i couldn't reflect on the past year without mentioning one i had. for the better part of last year, i had a girlfriend. she was without a doubt one of the most selfless and caring people i've ever had the privilege to meet. although it didn't work out between us, i'm eternally grateful for the time we spent together and how she taught me, through her own actions, to be a better person. this photo was taken while we enjoyed the snow, and wildlife, in watson park.

bar_stories_3.17.11

for my 30th birthday, i took a trip to new york city to visit friends living there. although i don't see them as much as i did in college, they're the type of friends everyone should have. the type where you can go months or years without seeing them, sit down at a bar table, and it's like you were never apart. here we all are enjoying cocktails at brooklyn social.

dance_of_the_bohemian_chicks_3.18.11

during the same trip to new york city, i found myself venturing to area's i had never been before. by some weird and wonderful coincidence i stumbled upon washington square located in greenwich village. not only did it provide the perfect landmark to rendezvous with some canadian friends, but it ended up being the perfect place to spend the day. new york had suffered a very long, cold and bitter winter, and this particular day was the nicest weather seen in 6 months. it seemed the whole city was enjoying the day, and everyone in the village was at the park. music was being played, people were dancing, and everyone was in a great mood. these girls, dancing along to some bongos, exemplifies the whole experience for me.

monday_night_friends_3.22.11

after flying back from new york, my friends in town, met me at my favorite bar to celebrate my birthday. a year ago, i hadn't met most of them, but in just 12 months they've become some of my closest and best friends. it's an incredibly passionate, talented, and creative group of people and i'm honored to call them friends.

pho_sure_5.20.11

last year i was introduced to a vietnamese soup called pho. my friends, being the pho-natics they are, insisted i try it. being the typical mid-west-steak-n-potatoes kind of guy i am, i was skeptical, and at first, hated it. now, i can't get enough of it, enjoying it at least a few times a month. i like this photo because it's a little reminder to always stay open minded and to try new things, because you might just be surprised.

writing_on_the_wall_5.30.11

last spring i discovered a local artist working on a mural. the spot had originally been a very ugly and mundane stucco wall. working on it late at night, every morning on my commute i would see his progress. with the piece finished, it's now a hot spot for photographers shooting senior photos, and engagements. not only is it great to see more public art popping up around wichita, but i love when someone can take the dull, and boring and turn it into something artistic.

looking_up_6.25.11

this summer my friends and i took a spontaneous trip to view a fly-in. the environment was magnetic. we were exposed to a whole different culture, and couldn't take enough pictures of it. between the planes, the sunset, the weather, and the mood, we were running around like little kids, capturing all we could.

under_the_bridge_7.3.11

also this summer, one of my best childhood friends got married. falling in love with a girl from iowa the wedding took place near davenport. knowing jack kerouac had mentioned the city in his book "on the road" i was curious if i could pin point the spot he mentioned. before leaving the city, i found a bridge that existed at the time he traveled through. i sat and stared at the river, thinking back to the first time i saw the mississippi. although i didn't have the same experience as jack, i thought about the words he wrote, and pictured him traveling across this bridge.

"...and here for the first time in my life i saw my beloved mississippi river, dry in the summer haze, low water, with its big rank smell that smells like the raw body of america itself because it washes it up."

home_slice_9.27.11

once again i traveled down to texas for the austin city limits music festival. past years have always been filled with great friends, great music and great food, and this year was no different. i spent three wonderful days with my austin friends, and even managed to make a few new ones in the process. i love austin. it's a city in every sense of the word, offering up new gems to discover every time i visit. on this trip, i was introduced to "home slice" pizza. after a long day in the sun, it was the best pizza and beer combo i had ever enjoyed, and the atmosphere surrounding the place was second to none.

where_the_art_is_12.3.11

making connections with people help you see the world in a new light, even when that world is your own hometown. last month my friends wanted to check out a new art exhibit at the museum as much as i love art, i probably would not have gone by myself, but with a good group of friends it turned into an amazing day. just another reason, out of many last year, i'm grateful for the [connections] i've made.

the weather outside is [lounge]

2011-12-29T15:49:00.003-06:00

to anyone and everyone who stop by this blog, thank you for reading. i hope you're having a wonderful holiday season and looking forward to a happy new year!

a [befuddled] mind

2011-12-11T16:50:00.001-06:00

by far one of my biggest weaknesses is the inability to multitask. to really focus on anything, i have to completely un-focus on everything else. maybe it's just the way my mind works, or it could be my gender. the one advantage to this is when i am focused on something it truly does have my undivided attention, of course that comes with the cost of not paying attention to anything else.

the better part of november was spent studying for one of my architecture exams. for weeks i was educated on the advantages and disadvantages of different hvac systems, sewage pipe sizing, and foot-candles counts of different light fixtures. after taking my exam, i awoke from my architectural induced coma, to find fall had passed me by. there were no leaves on the trees, and christmas lights had somehow appeared on buildings and trees.

i'm currently planning on taking a few weeks off from studying to enjoy the christmas season with friends and family. let's all hope i have enough motivation to pick back up after the first of the year. not only does finishing my exams make a great resolution, but with a lack of holidays, combined with the weather, january and feburary are great month to stay inside and study

weekend[wooderson]

2011-11-26T18:44:00.006-06:00

much like wooderson in "dazed and confused" i went back and relived a bit of high school this weekend.

my old high school was playing for the football state championship. when i was in high school, our team only won one game, so i was excited to root for my alma mater when we actually had a chance to win, and for an important game no less.

even though over a decade has passed, it was funny how easily i slipped into the same routine i followed in high school. being on the yearbook staff, most of the time i would find myself on the sidelines taking pictures of the plays, players and fans. sitting in the stands this weekend, i found myself feeling out of place. within a matter of minutes i left the stands and started walking around the stadium looking for the best angle with the best light. i'm sure there were those in the stands watching the game, reliving their glory days playing on the football team. well, i was no different. this weekend i relived my glory days as a yearbook staff photographer. this weekend also made me thankful for the digital technology we now have, as i don't think i ever took any "great" football pics with film back in the day.

rose hill ended up winning 21-0 becoming the 4A state champs!

...and that's cool...all right, all right, all right.

a la [cart]

2011-11-03T23:35:00.004-05:00

wichita just got a lot more urban, hipper, and tastier. we've moved up from hot dog carts to taco trailers. now, although we have a long long way to go before catching up with portland or austin, i love seeing more carts like this showing up around downtown.

if you're able to find this trailer, i recommend the carne asada taco's.

i love [karaoke] in the fall

2011-11-01T19:38:00.014-05:00

celebrating the birthday of a friend, karaoke-ing the night away was the perfect excuse to dust off the camera.

not only did i enjoy capturing the wonderful faces people make while singing along to bonnie tyler and ben folds, i was also reminded that night, we're entering my favorite time of year. the sun is still out, illuminating the colors autumn provides, but a jacket is needed to hide you from the increasing hint of winter. the time of year where you find yourself tempted inside by the promise of a fireplace and the warmth of a cup of coffee. scarves start their slow migration from storage spaces onto suits and smocks. dinners become gravy laden and desserts oven baked. a time perfectly fit to focus on friends and family.

i was also reminded that night, why i never got a record deal. i did discover however, i do a great rendition of "mahna-mahna".

the [golf]ing game

2011-10-10T23:05:00.013-05:00

a couple of months ago, the city of wichita was looking at closing one of it's five municipal courses. if you read my blog, you know i try not to get political, so i wont go into how i think this is an absolutely idiotic idea. or how it sounded like a typical government solution of jump right to "closing" instead of looking at "improving". or how i think a bad decision they made a decade ago benefiting the wealthier side of town, now might hurt the less affluent side. or how i think it's incredibly obtuse of the local government to close something that helps provide outdoor recreation and entertainment, ultimately providing to the better health of the community.

but like i said, i don't like to get political, so you don't have to hear me talk about that. actually, i hate arguing any issue when i'm not entirely educated. hearing this news made me realize i hadn't golfed all the municipal courses in town. i'm not the best golfer, but what better way to learn more about the issue than golfing. so this past summer, i was on a quest to golf 18 holes at all the city courses to better educate myself.

i quickly learned each course had it's own unique character. it was almost like dating you might say. that being said, to make my research more entertaining, i thought i'd present my findings like it's the dating game.

here we go.

contestant number 1 hails from the south side of town, she's old and a little busted. she's the least popular contestant, and she's fallen into financial trouble the past few years, but that doesn't stop her from having her charms.

me - "number 1, if i were to golf you, what would a typical day be like?"

number 1 - "listen, i know i'm not the prettiest girl on the block, but i think we'd have a good time. if you're new to the game, i'll go easy on you. if you're able to ignore the rusted shopping carts in my creek beds, we should be just fine"

contest number 2 is a westsider. she's young and incredibly good looking. people think she's pretty, but with more expensive green fees, find her pretentious, and a little snooty.

me - "number 2, what advice could you give me if i wanted to play you?"

number 2 - "i'm out of your league, don't even try"

contestant number 3 also hails from the west side, but lives by the airport. she's not as pretty as contestant number 2, but has longer "legs". she's also more popular than number 2.

me - "number 3, what's the most difficult thing about golfing you?"

number 3 - "well, it's a bit of a drive to visit me, and some people complain about all the jets taking off in the background. i also don't have a lot of shade, so it's going to be hot, not a problem if you're into that sort of thing. also i'm the longest course in wichita, so you have to have a lot of energy, which scares some people off."

contestant number 4 is a downtowner. she's the most popular of all our contestants, as well as the most profitable. she's simple, but her location makes her extremely likable and fun.

me - "number 4, what can you tell me about yourself that would make me want to golf you?"

number 4 - "well, i'm right downtown, so i'm easy to play over a long lunch or right after work, but you'll have to call to set up a date well in advance, because i've got a lot of appointments."

finally contestant number 5. she's actually the most well rounded of all our contestants. she's mature, kept up well, and offers some challenges without being too difficult. her age has only brought on more beauty, and she recently had some major work done helping hide her age.

me - "number 5, what makes you unique?"

number 5 - "well, i actually use to be the old wichita country club, but they've moved on...don't worry, i'm not jaded or anything...it's not like i think about it all the time.... i've moved on...really...i've totally forgotten that part of my life. i'm very happy being a municipal course now. did i mention i use to be the wichita country club?"

after completing all the courses, news came the city of wichita won't be closing any of them. even though that's what spurred my quest, i'm glad i got out and golfed more this summer. truth is, they're all great courses, each with it's own unique quality, and it would be a shame to loose any of them.

[races] and [chili] and [fire] oh my!

2011-10-02T22:04:00.002-05:00

i'm positive dorothy took her little trip to oz in the spring. first of all there was a tornado, an occurrence normally found during that time, and secondly there's just too much going on around the state in autumn to take a trip like that.

kansas comes alive in the fall.

several major events seem to happen in september and october, and for good reason. we all know the weather in kansas can be unpredictable. winters in kansas, not only bring bone chilling cold, but can start as early october, and last through the better part of march. springtime can bring pleasant temperatures, but it also brings the chance of thunderstorms at a moments notice. also wait too long in spring and you'll find yourself with 100 degree temperatures. these scorchers can last all summer long, up to and including the first part of september. however this is when you reach wichita's weather "sweet spot", the last half of september and the first part of october. the temperatures are in the 70's and 80's and there's usually very little chance of thunderstorms. for this reason you'll find a number of events to participate in. not only is there the state fair, but most every small town around celebrates with some sort of "fall festival". there are car shows, art shows, oktoberfests, and football games to enjoy. wichita itself has several events scheduled in this "sweet spot", the komen race for the cure, and the downtown chili cook-off, perfectly scheduled on the same day. this year, wichita's old-town district, also celebrated it's 20th birthday the same weekend.

it could be the fact every one's excited to be outside without worrying about dehydration, or maybe it's the fact they are aware winter is coming, but everyone seems to be enjoying the great outdoors. for the past few years wichita has provided it's inhabitants with a wonderful weekend full of activities to enjoy with friends and family, and this year was no different.

there really is no place like home.

acl = [always changing life]

2011-09-22T23:30:00.013-05:00

this year, i followed my yearly tradition and attended the austin city limits music festival. i'll be the first to admit, i love when life's little routines slowly turn into traditions. however, i've also learned, following traditions can sometimes close you off to new experiences.

although the tradition of heading down to the festival was kept, several factors lead my friends and i to change our normal routine. we tried different food, listened to different bands, and even decided to forgo "sherpa-ing" chairs around, opting for a quilt instead. at one point we even left the festival for a few hours to cool down in nearby barton springs, which was a whole new experience. funny thing is, even with these changes, i still had a blast.

so are routines and traditions a good thing? yes...but so is mixing it up a bit.

all i know is, this new thing of cooling off in barton springs, might just have to become an acl tradition.

friday bands
-ray lamontagne
-foster the people
-sara bareilles
-kanye west

saturday bands
-iron & wine
-fitz and the tantrums
-wanda jackson
-tv on the radio
-my morning jacket

sunday bands
-dale earnhardt jr. jr.
-airborne toxic event
-fleet foxes
-arcade fire

laissez-[fair]e

2011-09-12T20:13:00.010-05:00

i ventured up to the kansas state fair last saturday. no goals, no directions, no preconceived notions. just enjoyed one of the events i fell kansas does best. the state fair.

alright, i did have one goal, and that was enjoy some of kansas state's own "call hall" ice cream... and yes, i did get a double scoop.

those spanx are looking like a better idea everyday.

[spanx] for the authenticity

2011-09-07T00:10:00.001-05:00

i go shopping about once a year, and in that trip, i'm usually able to pick up pretty much everything i need to get me through another 12 months. in the time between my trips, however, shops have usually gone through several new looks and styles. you can imagine my surprise and amusement when i found a new product being offered. spanx for men.

now before you ask...no, i didn't buy them, i merely took a photo for the enjoyment of my friends on facebook and twitter. the product did however cause a stir of thoughts in my head the rest of the weekend.

this product doesn't seem very authentic to me, because basically it's sole purpose is to hide something. to lie. as i've gotten older, i find the trait of authenticity to be more important, especially when it comes to people in my life. people who sincerely mean what they say, and say what they mean. oddly enough this has nothing to do whether or not they're a nice person. i've met some real jerks in my life, but the truth is they're jerks through and through. they're being authentic, which then allows me to know exactly how to deal with them. most of my frustration comes from people who portray themselves as one thing, and then think or act in a way completely different. politically, religiously, socially, economically, believe whatever you want, just be authentic about it.

this little rant isn't directed at anyone or anything, rather i'm just amazed at how much this quality has risen in importance in my life when it comes to dealing with people. a quality i know i need to work on myself.

maybe this change in priorities is just part of maturing. i am getting older...a few more gray hairs showing in the beard...not as fit as i use to be...getting a little pudgier around the waist...

you know...come to think of it, maybe i should have picked up some man spanx.

party like it's 19[29]

2011-08-15T19:32:00.006-05:00

a few images from the prohibition party last weekend.

in a night filled with feathers, fringe and fedora's, the highlight of the evening was when the "fuzz" came to the door and told us to turn down the cole porter.

[signs] of summer

2011-08-08T19:53:00.006-05:00

the other week found me taking a road trip to visit some friends at the lake of the ozarks. with the summer of 2011 producing a sweltering number of 100+ days, it didn't take much convincing for me to drive the 5 hours east. as enjoyable as a few days wading around in lake water is, the best part of the weekend was the company. time was spent catching up, and reminiscing with old friends, getting to know a few better, and making new ones. all of them wonderful people.

i had driven this road to the lake three years ago and had fallen in love with the little rural towns dotting its path. wanting to extend my weekend a bit longer, i took my time driving back home. stopping in any little town that looked interesting, i wondered the streets searching for old signs to photograph. just like my friends, some of the signs were familiar, a few i got to know better, and a few were completely new. all of them were wonderful

where were you in [97]?

2011-07-26T00:25:00.000-05:00

three very different things happened last week making me very nostalgic for 1997.

the movie "american graffiti"
lunch with one of my best friends
the spice girls song "say you'll be there"

let me explain how all these tie together.

american graffiti is one of my favorite movies, and one i especially love to watch this time of year. if you've never seen it, it's basically a group of high school kids enjoying their last day of summer in 1962. besides having a very enjoyable plot, the movie includes an amazing soundtrack filled with just about every song played in 1962. it wasn't hard to fill the movie with these songs since most it consists of driving around in classic cars. although i didn't grow up in the early 60's, the movie is not far off from my small-town-america high school days. watching this flick laid the first piece of the late-nineties-nostalgia-flash-back puzzle.

also last week, i had lunch with one of my best friends, garrett. not only did garrett and i go to school together, we also worked at the same job. when we weren't at school, or at work, you could still find us hanging out or driving around town. at that age most of our conversions involved girls, which basically meant we tried to figure out ways we could get girlfriends (looking at the above picture, i think i know what one of my problems may have been). although garrett and i don't see each other as much as we should now, eating lunch the other day felt like old times. still talking about girls, still trying to figure them out. second puzzle piece set.

driving back to work after lunch, the song "say you'll be there" played on the radio, and the puzzle was complete. i was immediately taken back to 1997, and all of it's doc martin glory. whether we were at work, or cruising around town, garrett and i always had the radio on and, sadly, "say you'll be there" was on heavy rotation that year. sitting back at my computer, i went to work creating a "97 jams" play-list. as many of you know 1997 wasn't the best year for pop music, but there's something about the list i love. it reminds me of when i was 16 and didn't have a care in the world, besides making sure to fill up my car when gas dipped below a dollar. i think we all have a "summer at 16" soundtrack, and like it or not, we really didn't get to choose it. (especially those of us who hadn't saved up enough money to install a cd player in their car yet). with or without a cd player, we all have those songs, taking us back to a time where we weren't really kids, but still far from being adults.

for better or worse, here's mine:

semi-charmed life - third eye blind
i want you - savage garden
love fool - the cardigans
men in black - will smith
fly - sugar ray
barely breathing - duncan sheik
return of the mack - mark morrison
the freshmen - verve pipe
mmmbop - hanson
one headlight - the wallflowers
no diggity - blackstreet
pony - genuine
barbie girl - aqua
tubthumping - chumbawumba

and of course...

say you'll be there - the spice girls

so this summer, spice up your life, and make a "summer at 16" play-list.

iowa wedding [abridged]

2011-07-05T21:56:00.013-05:00

i spent the weekend in iowa attending a friends wedding. as beautiful of a ceremony as it was, i found i filled my most of my camera's memory card with pictures of bridges.

the wedding took place in bettendorf, a town right on the banks of the mississippi river, which had several structures crossing the river. being from kansas, a land lacking in long spanning bridges and wide rivers, it's no surprise i was in awe.

even though i don't have many images from the wedding, in a way, a bridge seems a wonderful metaphor for a marriage. an object connecting two things that were once separate. two things, separated by situations which are difficult, treacherous, or even seem impassable, now joined easily, as one.

...and now that i know it's only six hours away, i might have to venture to madison county, iowa. i here there are some bridges up there as well.

come fly[in] with me

2011-06-26T23:47:00.001-05:00

what is it about airplanes that is so awe inspiring?

yesterday afternoon, a group of friends and i decided to head to benton, kansas to check out the the stearman field fly-in. within seconds of arriving, we were acting like kids running around checking out the airplanes, and mesmerized by "touch and goes".

does it have something to do with growing up in wichita? with our city being the "air capital" of the world, most of us were taught aircraft was the lifeline of our community. is it the idea and feeling of freedom flight creates. no roads, no traffic, just the endless sky? could it be because our state is so "terrain challenged", flight is the only opportunity for us to look down on ourselves in a new perspective?

kansas might not have miles of coastlines, but our state is filled with limitless skies and endless horizons. like a city by a bay, our sky is our ocean. just as people along beaches can spend hours staring out at the sea, we've all grown up staring at the sky, watching clouds pass, storms roll by, sunsets paint the sky, and starry nights appear. airplanes are the vessels of the mid-west allowing us to interact with this ocean of a sky. an ocean, amazing us one night, and terrifying us the next. an ocean providing jobs and fueling our economy. an ocean allowing us to travel anywhere in the world. an ocean, at times making you feel so insignificant, yet giving you such a sense of community.

splendor in the [blue]grass

2011-06-23T20:51:00.007-05:00

i absolutely love the spontaneity summer seems to bring. a friend told me at noon that "old crow medicine show" would be playing thursday night, i bought a ticket a few minutes later, and by 8 i was enjoying some great bluegrass. now, i wouldn't rank bluegrass at the top of my musical taste, but this was one of the best live shows i've ever seen. between the energy, the songs, the tempo, and the dancing, it almost had me wanting to learn how to play the banjo...

almost...

i think i'll just stick to guitar pickin'....

maybe i'll try the harmonica.

a river [sorta] runs through it

2011-06-18T13:29:00.005-05:00

we don't have mountains, or a coast line, but one amazing assets wichita has is the fact there is a river running right down the middle of the city. now a kansas river isn't necessarily the most romantic object in nature, but it's ours, it's the arkansas river. (literally pronounce AR-KAN-ZAZ). in the past few years efforts have been made to improve the river front, it's really starting to take shape. in the latest phase, the broadview hotel has renovated and changed it's front entrance to face the river. with improvments to the river bank as well as the hotel's outside space, the riverwalk is becoming a very enjoyable space.

this year wichita's own river festival not only changed dates but also moved the activities to the actual river! i'm not sure how many people noticed the it, but for a few weeks it was great to see the city of wichita embrace, enjoy, and occupy the arkansas river front.

the day [white castle] came to town

2011-05-19T21:38:00.007-05:00

hollywood has its movie premiers, new york has its gallery openings, england has its royal weddings. wichita has its restaurants...

wichitans love food. in fact our little city has the 2nd most restaurants per capita in the nation, right behind dalllas. not only does that give us endless options to pick from on a friday night, but it creates a competitive food market and a breeding ground for new restaurants. several national chains have started here, one of them being white castle. even though white castle packed up their sliders and headed east back in the 30's, today they came back to celebrate their 90th birthday. to celebrate, white castle set up a temporary tent in a dillons parking lot, and invited people to pick up a pair of sliders for 90 cents.

and wichita couldn't have been more excited.

pandora's box of [tricks]

2011-05-11T08:45:00.004-05:00

i have a theory. i firmly believe in the land of pandora, no matter where you start, all roads lead to coldplay. twenty days, 1169 songs, and a 1 month subscription later... i proved my theory.

i love pandora. it's a wonderful website which allows you to listen and discover new music based on your own personal taste. however through the years, i've noticed one thing, no matter what station i created, the band coldplay would inevitably be played. you name it: wilco, neko case, willie nelson, kanye west, the beatles...lady gaga, all at some point would eventually share speakers with chris martin.

this is in no way disrespect to coldplay. i think they're a wonderfully vague band. they're alternative rock, you know, not too loud, not too soft...just right. if we were all goldilocks, coldplay would be baby bears porridge. if the world of music was a furr's cafeteria, coldplay would be the cheese pizza. if coldplay were a state in the lower 48, they'd be kansas...right in the middle. if a 30 year old man was driving in a car with his parents, wife, children, a nun, and an astronaut, coldplay could be played and no one would mind. it might not be the favorite of anyone in the car, but no one would ask to change the station. this is why i believe the universe of pandora is centered on coldplay. coldplay's catalog holds a gravitational pull unto which all other music revolves.

much like jake sully, i set out on a wild and crazy pandora adventure to prove my theory. to make this experiment as legitimate as possible i came up with a few ground rules. first, i would find an impartial source and create a station using an artist believed to be the farthest from coldplay as possible. upon creation of the station, i would not add any artists to the mix. as songs were played i would "thumbs up" every single song to show i was enjoying pandora's suggestions. finally i would not skip or fast forward through the songs. i wasn't sure if that effected the variety at all, so i let every song play in it's entirety. my theory was eventually coldplay would be played, and i wanted to know how many songs it took to accomplish it.

on april 19, 2011 i sequestered twitter and facebook friends for suggestions on bands deemed to be "the complete opposite of coldplay". with several people mentioning the band "slayer" i created the station the next day, and the experiment began. i kept a tally by my desk, making notes of artists i felt pulled me in the towards the coldplay center of pandora, which i believe existed. the black ticks represent new songs, while the red ticks represent songs previously played, and "thumbs up-ed".

among a myriad of thrash metal bands and songs i had never heard of before here are the artists, and the number at which they were played, i believed to be the major milestones along my journey.

#17_ rob zombie
#22_ozzy osbourne
#38_queen
#43_scorpions
#54_van halen
#66_boston
#75_bon jovi
#84_tom petty
#88_kansas
#131_van morrison
#134_goo goo dolls

(at this point i thought i'd hit coldplay by #200, but nay....)

#162_journey
#165_creedence clearwater revival
#242_bee gees

(yeah...that's right...the bee gees. pandora's a strange place my friends)

#261_aerosmith
#303_the eagles
#330_buffalo springfield
#342_tonic
#343_howie day
#376_the almond brothers
#424_the beatles

(the next few songs took a weird turn)

#451_marvin gaye
#459_gloria gaynor
#461_lipps inc
#476_joan jett

(then it got back on track)

#516_matt nathanson
#539_train
#556_the script
#558_colbie caillat
#719_aretha franklin
#759_dave matthews band
#811_maroon 5

(maroon 5 marks the first time coldplay was mentioned in the "similar artist" column)

#971_rick james
#1016_sam cooke
#1073_rick springfield
#1116_edwin mccain
#1168_the fray

and finally

#1169 COLDPLAY!

i feel i opened pandora's with this experiment, and after all the evil thrash metal was released onto the world, all that was left inside, was coldplay.

now, does this really prove coldplay is indeed at the absolute center of the pandora universe? no. does this prove anything? no. was this the most productive use of 20 days, and countless hours? no. is it mildly amusing coldplay was played on my "slayer station"? yes... and mildly amusing is all i ever go for on this blog.

a mother's [poetry]

2011-05-09T19:41:00.008-05:00

yesterday was mother's day, and with my sister being in town, we were both discussing ways we were thankful for our mom.

as much as we hated it at the time, my sister was thankful our mother never had any pop in the house. pop was reserved for special occasions, and vacations. i wouldn't go as far as to say i was "thankful" for this, but i do think it was a good idea. it kept us off sugar, and avoided indulging in unhealthy calories. however in college, i had my refrigerator stocked with dr. pepper non stop, eliminating any healthy benefits i gained as a child.

what i was thankful for, i didn't appreciate until just a few years ago. while waiting for the bus to pick us up for school, my mom would read shel silverstein poems to us. let me rephrase that, she didn't just read the poems, she would add voices and actions as well. if it was a particularly funny poem, she would burst into laughter upon finishing, making the poem all that more enjoyable for us.

now as a kid, i just thought they were funny poems. it wasn't until recently i started to appreciate shel's unique style. his poems and stories dealt with a lot of emotions and situations, ranging from death, fear, greed, and selfishness to peace, love, unity, and friendship, all presented though in a very "real" style, using slang, and even some slight profanity. discovering all this, i'm very thankful for my mom, for instilling this very "hip" literature in us when we were young. as much as i'd love to say the poetry of shel silverstein had a direct effect on me, i know it had more to do with spending a few quality minutes with my mom every morning.

happy mothers day mom.

a few of the more memorable poems

[saturated]

2011-04-19T22:47:00.008-05:00

i finally got around to editing some photos from my birthday. they're a little on the saturated side...but that seems fitting with the atmosphere that night. here's to the next decade.

deconstructing[coleman]

2011-04-13T23:03:00.002-05:00

i have mixed feelings towards the demolition of old buildings. i can see how in certain cases, it's necessary. sometimes you just have to make room for something more beneficial to the community. however, in a lot of instances, demolition seems to be the easy answer, and easy answers aren't always the best.

now, since it's not the goal of this blog to be political, i'll stop with the above statements. rather, i'll stick to what i enjoy, which is finding beauty in the "everyday". and a spring time sunset creating an amber glow through the remaining windows of a nearly demolished building...seem to be just that.

when [29] met [30]

2011-03-28T19:08:00.012-05:00

i decided to say "goodbye" to my twenties in new york, and what better way to say "adieu" than with the people i spent most of that decade with.

besides my arrival and departure times, nothing was planned. days were filled with coffee, brunch, urban wandering, pastrami, park sitting, music listening, architectural photography, and life discussions. nights were filled with food carts, dumplings, march madness, brooklyn lager, candlelit bars, patios, cocktails, dance clubs and stories. with everything that city has to offer, i wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

the only souvenir i picked up was my thirties...which i'm now proudly displaying.

to view the full set of photos, click here

everybody loves [lent]

2011-03-15T21:55:00.007-05:00

it wouldn't be a fat tuesday celebration without listening to my favorite cajun band, the mudbugs...which also happens to be the band of one of my most loyal blog commenters. their music proved once again, to be the perfect soundtrack to a gumbo and jambalaya feast.

as accordion and washboard sounds bounced around the brick walls, i started pondering what i might give up for lent this year. as every catholic knows, what you give up needs to be a sacrifice. something in your life, difficult to refrain from for 40 days, otherwise...what's the point.

pondering this sacrifice, i wanted to find something in my life i could do without, that would be unique as well as insightful. this led me to the thought of "giving up" my twenties. now although that will happen during this lenten season whether i like it or not, it's more of a lifestyle change.

i'll give up my busted blue jeans, and start wearing pleated khakis. i'll start using starch and tuck in my shirts. i'll stay clean shaven year round, and schedule haircuts every 3 weeks. i'll start watching the news in the morning while eating oat bran cereal. i'll pay attention to the stocks and be able to discuss the market at length in any given conversation. i'll eat dinner at 4pm. i'll start attending michael mcdonald concerts. i'll start watching re-runs of "everybody loves raymond" and laugh at all the marriage jokes....

...or i might just give up dr. pepper.

for the [loaf] of the game

2011-03-05T20:21:00.000-06:00

alright, i'll be the first to admit it. i sold out. last year, i naively entered the loaf-off with a very traditional, all-american style meatloaf. i proudly served my classic dish among the other, more experimental loaves. i held out hope, that in a world of posers, wannabe's, and "flashy-look-at-me" meatloaves, the honesty, purity and goodness found in my loaf would prevail.

i was wrong.

after witnessing first hand the cruel and unforgiving world found in competitive meatloaf-ing, i knew if i wanted to survive, i would have to up my ante. i would come back in 2011, stronger, faster, tastier...loaf-ier. i knew, in order to win, i'd have to find the perfect combination of familiarity and uniqueness. something, when placed in your mouth, would give you the feeling of being in a strange, exotic and foreign land, yet at the same time, make you feel as if you were at home relaxing in your favorite chair, wrapped in your snuggie. i found my answer in a swedish meatball recipe. it was perfect! i'd simply take this family favorite and loaf it! new. different. familiar...perfect.

with a great deal of help from my mom, we showed up to the main event prepared this year. we had colorful plates, tablecloths, aprons, appropriate utensils, and even homemade mints. we weren't "bush league-ing" it anymore. we cooked our loaves early in the morning and by 10:30 we were setting up our boundaries. walking around, we sized up our competition, finding both friends and foes. the morning was filled with friendly conversation and chit-chat, however, just like in any battle, a hush fell over the crowd in those few moments before we started. some people prayed, some were lost in thought, others were busy mentally psyching themselves up....in the distance, i heard a child cry. at 11 the competition began, and a squall of sample sized portions started slinging. plates were piled high with a plethora of potential prize winners. loaves filled with jalapeno, chipotle, cheese, bacon....ostrich. although we keep our chins down and our utensils up, we knew ultimately, in this fight, our loaf would have to defend itself.

like any battle, it seemed to fly by, and before we knew it the judges had made their choice. i was not awarded the "top loaf" this year, but instead awarded the best "retro style" loaf.

with it's mushroom gravy, it would be perfectly complemented by a dirty martini" said the judges.

being a big fan of anything mid century, i was honored, and took this as a complement. however, the competition wasn't over, they still needed to award the "best in show" and "people's choice". tallying up the votes it was discovered the people had spoken and we had in fact won "people's choice!"...and really, isn't it the voice of the people that really matter? on top of that, our new friends, who shared the table with us, won "best in show" with their bacon-latticed wrapped loaf.

the only question now is, do i retire and go out on top, or do i keep trying for the coveted "top loaf" prize?

i'll be honest...i already have some ideas.

lego [man]iac

2011-02-27T18:42:00.006-06:00

i would have thought by now, i was too old to get excited about receiving legos for christmas presents...i was wrong.

this past christmas, i opened up a gift and found inside a lego set, to which i preceded to act like the eight year old version of myself. you see it wasn't just your average lego set, but rather, one of the new "architecture series." sets. like most people my age, male and female, legos were a big part of my childhood. i would spend hours upon hours playing with them. after building what was originally in the box, most projects would only stay as their intended use for a few hours, before being tweaked, added to, or completely demolished for use in the next project.

like frank lloyd wright and his froebel blocks, almost every "gen y" architect i know, started out playing with legos. i would even go as far to say that legos, with their modular, clean-lined, box-like shapes, are currently effecting architecture today. with video games and the internet being as popular as they are, i have no idea if kids today enjoy legos as much as their 1980's counterparts, but i hope so. looking back on it, legos were really an amazing toy, perfectly mixing the discipline needed to follow directions while still providing unlimited possibilities for creativity and imagination.

it's no surprise that lego has introduced this series. after all, it has a whole generation of fans, who are now professionals, building offices, hospitals, and schools, having to worrying about codes, budgets, and clients, when deep down, all they secretly really want, is to have an excuse to play with legos again.

just an old hip[ster]

2011-02-10T21:25:00.008-06:00

every decemberists concert is different, and every decemberists concert is the same...

music is an incredible force. the hearing of a song can transport one back in time. the decemberists catalog has become a personal time machine for me, taking me back to late nights in college, days spent on southern california beaches, meeting deadlines and budgets after graduation, and months spent unemployed. there's no way to know what memories this album or this concert will bring in the future, but i have a feeling the song to do the spurring will be "january hymn", which is by far, one of the most beautiful songs ever written and performed by the decemberists.

or this year could find me fulling my life long passion for mining, in which case it will probably be "rox in a box".

[then] and [now]

2011-01-31T23:14:00.008-06:00

last week i traveled to topeka for a meeting. since i had been geeking out over the kansas sesquicentennial all week, i decided to google historic images of topeka to see if i could find anything of interest.

i came across an image of the city, taken by mark kauffman in october of 1946. seeing it was just a few blocks away from my meeting, i decided to head out 30 minutes early and see if i could re-create the shot. viewing the image on my phone i aligned myself and the camera as close to the original shot as i could.

at first glance, there doesn't appear to be a whole lot of change the last 65 years, but upon closer inspection, there is. the building in the foreground in '46 is now a parking lot. cars are visible in both, bikes are not. trees have grown and signs have been taken down. the capitol dome is covered up, since it's going under renovation. lastly, you can't tell from the photo, but "the kansan" hotel, which once had an impressive entry way, is now boarded up with a single atm, off centered in the old space.

curious about the photo, i did a quick search on mark kauffman. as it turns out, he was an award winning photographer for life magazine. at 17 he was the youngest photographer to ever shoot a cover. researching a few of his photographs, it's apparent he led a very exciting and talented life. i didn't know him at all before this shot, and i have no idea what he was doing in topeka on that particular day, but i felt a little closer to him knowing i was in the same spot.

will anybody in the year 2076 find my photo, and attempt something similar? probably not, but if they do, lets all hope there's hover boards in the photo.

hanging with mr [ching]

2011-01-18T21:26:00.006-06:00

"just when i thought the internet couldn't possibly be any dumber, it goes and does something like this...and totally redeems itself."

several months ago i received a message in my flickr account from a publisher asking me if they could use a photograph i had taken of the eames house in an upcoming architecture book. i inquired a little further and asked what exactly the book was for. the publisher informed me it would be "a global history of architecture" by francis d. k. ching.

" a ching book! are you kidding me!"

i was ecstatic. through the course of my studies, i had purchased many a ching book. i agreed and singed the permission slip. i was told, if my photo was used in the final draft, i would be sent a copy of the book for payment. knowing full well how much i had spent on his books, i thought it was a fair deal.

months passed and i was left wondering if they had in fact used it. then today a package was delivered with a copy of the book inside. i quickly skimmed the book, and there, sandwiched between the farnsworth house and the yale university art gallery, was my little photo. not only am i thrilled to have a photo of one of my favorite pieces of american architecture in a ching book, but the photo itself means a lot to me. it was taken during a very adventurous time in my life. a time filled with independence, discovery and excitement, and i get feel that every time i see the photo.

it's also the closest i'll get in my life to be referenced along with charles and ray eames.

below is a copy of the cover of the book and a copy of the photo used. if you're ever really bored and happen to stumble upon it, check out page 754.

the year in pictures [2010]

2011-01-05T17:16:00.000-06:00

year six for [the year in pictures] post.

looking over the past year, i can honestly tell you i spent half the year in a [thrisis] which is basically a fear of turning 30. i looked back on my life and thought about the many ways it had turned out nothing like i had planned. there were a number of things i thought i would have accomplished by now, and it got me a little down, not depressed...more like disappointed.

then came summer, and i started looking at things in a new light. my life is just that, my life, and it's up to me to make the most of it. i stopped looking at 30 as an end of an era, but rather the beginning of something new and exciting. i started preparing my life for goals i'd like to accomplish in the next decade. looking back, the one word to describe 2010 would be [prelude].

i've been told, your thirties is when you really become comfortable with yourself. no more trying to impress anyone, but rather a time where you know your strengths and weaknesses, and use that knowledge to make the most of your life. let's hope that's the case.

for now...please enjoy some of my favorite shots defining the [prelude] year.

goodbye_christine_1.3.10

i started the year out selling my truck, a vehicle which got me though high school and most of my twenties. the truck was a centerpiece for a number of memories in my mind, but it was time for us to part. the first of many actions in a year spent saying good bye to my twenties.

cold_structure_3.20.10

not the most interesting photo, but i remember the mind set i was in when i took it. it was cold, snowy, and dark. it was close to my birthday, and it was also the day i found my first gray hair. all of the above effected the final editing of this photo.

wichita_treat_5.15.10

i loved taking this photo. it was taken during wichita's annual river fest. it's, light, cheerful, youthful and fun, just like the riverfest itself. it's also a reminder, snow cones don't care how old you are.

denver_wedding_5.21.10

one of my dear friends got married this year. i've known her since she was born, and over the years she has become a second sister to me. not only was it amazing to be there to experience this new adventure in her life, but spending time with her friends and family is always a treat. as an extra bonus, the family she married into were as kind as cold be, terribly entertaining, and are now considered friends.

new_york_coffee_5.28.10

my first morning in new york, my friends and i went to for some coffee. the whole morning had been a sensory overload, so taking a coffee break sounded perfect. standing by the window, looking out on the sidewalk, wondering where in the hell i was, i looked down ready to take a sip, and saw this.

better_than_friends_5.29.10

old friends, delivered pizza, cheap beer, cinnamon apple vodka, new york rooftop, good conversation, and great laughs. by far one of the best nights of 2010, and my favorite photo of the year.

first_view_5.30.10

i'm not a huge sports fan, but there's something magical about seeing the inside of yankee stadium for the first time. there's a story that accompanies this photo, but it involves a lot of "new york style" cussing. lets just say i found people from the bronx to be incredibly friendly, even while using colorful four lettered words.

soho_5.31.10

horrible photo, but it means a lot. for an afternoon i found myself alone in new york, so i wondered around soho. shortly after taking this photo my phone died. i began to really experience that old cliche about feeling alone in a city of 8 million people. knowing only the cross streets where i was to meet my friends, i navigated from soho to the lower east side. honestly i was nervous and scared, but upon finding my friends, i thought to myself, "nyc...you just got owned."

swinging_around_9.18.10

once again i traveled to the kansas state fair. after experiencing new york for the first time this year, i still enjoy the simple pleasures one can find in their own wheat filled backyard.

acl_bus_ride

finishing off the year is a shot of my friends at the acl music festival, well...actually on a bus leaving the festival. this year we decided to try something different and took public transportation to and from the festival. there's something about cramming into small spaces with thousands of other tired, drunk, and sweaty people that really brings you closer to your friends. being that all of them have already crossed the 30 year mark, and still living life to the fullest, i realized i have nothing to fear.

up on the [lounge]top

2010-12-29T20:16:00.004-06:00

to all those who visit this blog, i hope you're having a wonderful
holiday season and i wish you all the best in the new year!

a little [hoarfrost]

2010-12-28T16:33:00.011-06:00

[freezin'] in the moonlight

2010-12-21T12:17:00.005-06:00

it was freezing, and late, which made me cold, and tired, but who could pass up an event that hasn't happened since 1638! with a camera, tripod, and a thermos of coffee, i drove out to lake afton at 2 a.m. this morning to witness a winter solstice eclipse. it was worth it.

the social [nut]work

2010-12-20T01:34:00.000-06:00

the other week, i was feeling nostalgic for the christmas's of my youth. as a child most holidays were spent at my grandparents house visiting cousins, aunts and uncle's. i specifically remember, during the holidays, both sets of grandparents would have large bowls of mixed nuts sitting out. the un-cracked kind, the kind which required a set of dentist-like tools to open them up to enjoy. which got me thinking, "does anyone even buy whole nuts anymore?" for the life of me i couldn't remember the last time i had seen nuts laying out anywhere. with the vast boxes of mixed, already-shelled nuts, that are passed around during the season, i decided this would be how i could bring some nostalgia back into chirstmas. i would buy a big bag of mixed nuts, and have them lying out just like my grandparents did.

first thing i needed to locate was a nut cracker. i have a large drawer of utensils in my kitchen collected from various graduations gifts and past roommates. under the whisk, and to my disbelief, i actually had a nut cracker. i have no idea from who or where it came, but i had one. next, to find the nuts. i visited the local grocer, and sure enough, sitting amongst the fruit, was a huge bin of nuts. as i scooped up an even amount of pecans, brazil nuts, walnuts, and almonds i thought to myself, "maybe this isn't as lost of an art as i once thought". this had all been way too easy.

at home is when the adventure really began. i poured the nuts into a large bowl, readied my cracker and went to town. it went horrible. nuts, as it turns out, are hard to crack. not only did i pinch my fingers and scraped my knuckles, but when i finally got the nuts out, they were nothing but mush. chewing on the few pieces i salvaged, i would occasional hurt my teeth, by apparently biting into a piece which should have been removed. in the end, not only did i have bits of shell all over the place, but to top it all off, they weren't even that tasty. i found whole experience, to literally be, a pain in the nuts.

i related this story to friends and family, who all remembered nuts being apart of the holidays. after laughing at my misfortune, it was discovered i was missing two key elements of the whole nut-cracking art. first of all, i did not have all the tools. i needed a little picker, a tool normally found in a set which would help remove the nut in a tidier fashion. the second item i was forgetting, and probably the most important, was the fact that nut-cracking was more of a social action instead of a simple snacking activity. most nut-cracking sets included one "cracker" and four "pickers". this was so a group of people could sit around a table, crack the nut, and spend the majority of time picking out the correct parts, all the time socializing with the other people around the table.

as it turned out, the social aspect is what made the whole thing nostalgic and a little bit of a lost art. i remember my grandparents, parents, aunts, and uncles sitting around the table talking, chatting, drinking, and laughing. the nuts were merely a means to that conversation, and that's the part i miss the most. people still like to keep their hands busy, but in this day in age, it's filled with texting, gaming, or whatever app was recently purchased. activities that kill conversation with the people actually in the room.

that being said, my goal this christmas is to try to get friends and family to replace their iphones and androids with pecans and filberts...but only after i check to see if there's a "nut-cracking guide" app out there.

while visions of [tamale's] danced in their heads

2010-12-15T00:01:00.001-06:00

by far one of the best holiday treats and office perks during this season is being invited to the annual christmas lunch put on by a local electric company. every december, they invite anyone they've done business with to their warehouse and prepare a homemade mexican meal for everyone. no exaggeration, it is by FAR the best mexican food i've ever had. chicken with mole' sauce, tamale's, enchilada's, taco's, chile verde, all amazing.

as tasty as this meal is, what makes it great, is the fact it's such a personal gift. in a season filled with countless generic cards and boxes of mixed nuts, this lunch stands out as a real and sincere treat. with this being the third time i've attended the lunch, it is rapidly becoming a beautiful, and tasty, beacon during my christmas season.

gone but [now] not forgotten

2010-12-03T22:26:00.004-06:00

the demolishing of a building along north broadway exposed a sign on the side of the adjacent building, and i finally made time to go and photograph it today. needless to say i was thrilled when i pulled into the parking lot. walking along side it was like stepping back in time, which if you've followed this blog long enough, know is a favorite theme of mine. what really captured the feeling for me was the vibrancy of the colors. decades of being encased in a brick time capsule seem to have left it in it's original condition. there's something very romantic about this. a tiny piece of marketing history, tucked into a mortar tight corner and forgotten. stores moved in and out, people walked less and drove more, roads were paved, then widened, families moved from downtown to the suburbs, and "mom & pop's" lost out to big box's. then one day, a wall comes down, and we're reminded of the way things use to be, a simpler time, a time when people were asked to "insist on gold medal soda crackers".

[stoned] ambition

2010-11-29T00:21:00.006-06:00

a sculpture by artist pete felten from hays, kansas. a man simply doing what he loves to do, and as a result, creates art which not only enhances his home town, but the entire state.

...there's a lot to be envious about that.

me [write] pretty one day

2010-11-23T00:15:00.001-06:00

last week i attended a book reading and signing by david sedaris. as i sat in the audience, looking around at the very bookish crowd around me, i felt like a poser.

i'll explain.

i've never hid the fact i hated reading and writing. i put forth the absolute bare minimum of effort in both subjects through high school. one would have thought this void in my education would have been exposed eventually, however, due to my studies in college, i rarely had to read any books that didn't have large pictures of buildings in it. i could have very well gone the rest of my life not giving much thought to "books".

however, during my last year of college, i became friends with two girls who had immersed themselves into the study of writing and composition. the timing of our meeting couldn't have been better. in high school i would have despised these girls. i'm guessing they were the girls in class who quickly raised their hands when the teacher asked if anyone could explain the significance of the conch shell in "lord of the flies" which would have pissed me off. i say despised, but let's be honest, i would have had a secret crush on them. as life would have it though, i met these two shortly after my discovery of the lit-rock band "the decemberists". these two situations combined, i found myself with a latent love of literature. through the years, we've kept in touch through witty e-mails and occasionally i'd ask for suggestions on reading material. years ago it was suggested i read david sedaris. however, due to a large, unread stack of books, and my incredibly slow reading speed, i never got around to it.

then, a few months ago, a local bookstore announced, david sedaris would be reading and signing books in november. the recommendation made years ago was remembered, so i picked up two of his books, quickly read, and fell in love with them. i found the stories to be quirky and witty, and enjoyed how the smallest, most insignificant situations could be comically strung out over several pages. upon finishing the first book, i sent a text to one of my friends, stating i had finally read "me talk pretty one day". the response i received back was "geez, do i have to hold your hand through everything?" see what i mean! writers...such a way with words.

so, that's how i found myself amongst a very literary crowd last thursday. like everyone else there, i waited in line to have my book signed. now, after years of hating any form of literature, the discovery of an indie-lit-rock-folk band, the making of two friends who opened my eyes to the creativity that can be found in writing, countless suggestions, two book purchases and a few days of reading, what could this best selling author have written in my book to finish this whole story off?

writers, such a way with words.

prep[sculling]

2010-11-08T19:42:00.007-06:00

who knew the arkansas river actually got used, let alone was home to wichita's own "frostbite" regatta.

i was amazed to find out wichita held a regatta every year, and was embarrassed to hear it was the 19th annual one at that! i egotistically pride myself in the fact i usually know everything going on in this small community, but this regatta thing took me by surprise. i guess i just don't run with the regatta/rowing/boating crowd here in town....probably because they''re all athletes. upon hearing about the regatta, i was bound and determined to check it out.

the whole event was very surreal. with all the spectators on the river banks, the boats in the river, and hundreds of rowers preparing to race, it almost didn't feel like wichita. it felt like i had accidentally step onto the campus of some ivy league school. the trees in riverside park, with their autumn wardrobes on, completed the effect. the only missing piece would have been a group of friends, named buffy, muffy, and todd, dressed in lacosta shirts, blue blazers, and topsiders. we would have strolled the shores, drinking our cape cods, discussing where we were to summer next year....

so here's to you wichita, for surprising me with a new and classy side of yourself. now, if you could, please hold another similar event, so i can wear these madras shorts one more time.

[beat]week

2010-10-24T21:55:00.006-05:00

there's something about this time of year, that makes the number of miles davis songs played on my ipod increase. with "autumn leaves" creating an internal soundtrack in my head, my mind is allowed to wander. as i listen to the extended trumpet riffs, my mind pictures, dark, smokey coffee houses, poetry, and eventually the beatnik culture.

with this mood already set, you can imagine how thrilled i was when i heard of the several "beatnik" activities that took place last week. first of all, newman university, had a gallery showcasing kansas's own beat experience. in coordination with the exhibit, they also held a reading of poems by allen ginsberg. topping off this beat week the movie, "william s. burroughs: a man within" was featured in wichita's tallgrass film festival.

attending these three events made me realize two things. first of all, the romantic, idealized, hollywood-esque image of the beatnik culture i had in my head a few years ago, is diminishing rapidly. it goes far deeper and darker then the beret-wearing-goatee sporting-maynard-g-kreb-types, i had once pictured. reading kerouac had given me a better description of what it really was, but discovering more about ginseberg and burroughs took it to a whole other level. secondly, i was amazed to found out how much kansas played in this sub-culture. not only did burroughs spend the last years of his life here, but one of ginsberg's most famous poems is entitled "wichita vortex sutra" an anti war poem heavily laced with city references and counter-culture feelings.

i feel like i've taken way too big of bite from the beatnik buffet this weekend. looking into the meaning ginsberg's poem, and visualizing the places he mentions, has me exhausting the internet for as much information as i can find. expect another blog on this subject later. for now, i'll crank up "so what" and see what wikipedia knows.

pumpkin patch [kid]?

2010-10-18T23:19:00.009-05:00

well...it was suppose to be a group outing with several people.

it turned out to be just my mom, my dad, and me.

did it feel like it was 1984 again, and my parents were taking me to the pumpkin patch? yes.

was it slightly awkward i was 25 years older than the other kids there with their parents? yes.

did i still have a great time? yes.

was it a wonderful way to spend a sunny october sunday? yes.

did i get that ice cream i was promised if i behaved? no.

....i guess i shouldn't have thrown that tantrum when i wasn't allowed to get the 400lb pumpkin i wanted.

[acl] tradition

2010-10-13T21:38:00.011-05:00

i operate under the general assumption that whenever an event takes place for a third year in a row, it becomes a tradition. that said, heading to acl is now on the list, and the third time was a charm. not too hot, not too muddy, just right. call me goldilocks, because i felt it was just perfect.

as much as the general schedule seems to be the same each year, each trip has had a different feel to it. this year seemed to be the year of new discoveries in both music and taco carts. with the line up consisting of many bands i'd never heard of before, it was a great opportunity to discover some amazing artists. also, for some reason, i seemed to have tried out several taco carts, both at the festival and around town.

some of the bands i really enjoyed:

those darlins
spoon
mayer hawthorne & the country
local natives
edward sharpe & the magnetic zeros
matt and kim
yeasayer
the national

some taco's i really enjoyed:

green chile pork taco - torchy's tacos
bahn mi taco - the peached tortilla cart
tinga verde taco - el naranjo cart

as amazing as the music and taco's turned were, the highlight of this [tradition] will always be spending time with some wonderful friends. more photos can be found here.

personal af[fair]

2010-09-23T00:10:00.002-05:00

a generous gift of a free admission ticket, and a lack of anyone to take along, meant i enjoyed a little [self]date to the kansas state fair this past weekend. just [myself] and [i].

the day didn't start out too terribly early. [i] let [myself] sleep in a bit. mostly because i know [myself] isn't a fan of getting up early, but neither am [i], so it all worked out. after getting up and around the car left a little before noon. the drive was fairly uneventful, but the radio was tuned to the classic country station, which [i] thought was the perfect way to get [myself] in the mood for a good ol' time at the fair.

both [i] and [myself] had been involved in 4-h growing up, so the first visit was to the livestock barns, filled with every breed of chicken, rabbit, sheep, goat and cattle imaginable. in the poultry exhibit [i] got a little too close to a rooster cage while trying to take a picture, and the little, for lack of a better term, cock, bit my finger. [i] was pissed, but the humor of the situation was not lost on [myself]

after that, it was time to get something to eat. [i] really wanted to try this year's "fair food fad", which was a krispy kreme cheeseburger. however upon inspection, [myself] thought it was gross, so [i] decided to spare [myself] the scene of devouring it. pronto pup seemed a more fitting and slightly healthier alternative. after finishing an amazing corn dog, it was decided to enjoy some ice cream. however, [i] apparently have never eaten ice cream from a cone while sporting a beard before, and accidentally got ice cream all over [myself]. it might sound cute, but it wasn't. [i] got a napkin and cleaned up [myself].

after the ice cream mishap, a stroll through the rides was next. [myself] would have probably enjoyed a ride or two, but [i] was too cheap to buy [myself] any tickets. [myself] then thought about trying out one of the games, but honestly, if a prize would have been won, [i] didn't want to walk around the fair awkwardly trying to hold a giant jamaican banana, especially with [myself].

just when the [self]date seemed to be failing, the pig races happened. as hokey and cheesy as it was, it ended up being a riot to watch and was enjoyed by [myself], [i], and everyone else in attendance.

as the day started to come to an end, it was time to head back. during the ride home, it was discovered [i] smelled like corn dog and barn, a combination of odors not enjoyed by [myself], so the windows were rolled down. heading into wichita [i] thought about getting a few drinks to end the night, but it was easy to see [i] wore [myself] out, so the date ended.

i'm not terribly sure [i] would ask [myself] out again. [i] really wasn't thrilled spending the day with [myself]. honestly [myself] is a little boring. then again [i] probably didn't help things out being more focused on taking photos, instead of enjoying a day getting to know [myself]. who knows? maybe [i] could find something better to do with [myself], but at this point in time, [i] should probably look for someone else to spend time with. [myself] would probably agree.

my [second] engagement

2010-09-19T23:46:00.010-05:00

if you measure a business in how much free chipotle it gets...well then, business is a-boomin'.

after seeing the engagement photos i took last month, some recently engaged friends of mine asked if i'd take theirs as well. with the promise of free chipotle, i agreed. it ended up being a real quick session, but my friends were wonderful and patient with me while i tried to figure out how to pose them. although i'm happy with a number of the shots, i'm discovering there's still a LOT to learn. one thing i have learned however, is to end the photo shoot near one's favorite bar. happy clients tend to pay for the drinks.

the [signs] they are a changin'

2010-09-07T19:47:00.005-05:00

last saturday the old mill tasty shop sign got an up-dated paint job complete with new colors. although i love the new maroon and yellow color pallet, there was a small part of me that was going to miss the old slate blue sign i'd see everyday.

while photographing the process, i thought to myself, "hey, i can use this situation to blog about how much i fear change."

then i realized....that's what i write about every third blog post.

so i'll keep it short and sweet.

i love the new colors. i think they're new and poppy and wonderful....but still miss the old ones. what's to win out? newness or nostalgia? one of these days i'll figure it out....

maybe i just need a malt.

she & him & [me]

2010-09-04T22:50:00.000-05:00

not much to say on this post...as i'm still speechless.

since picking up the "she & him" volume 2 album last march, it's been a staple in my spring and summer soundtrack. going to see the concert this week, seemed the perfect book end to the season.

the whole concert was an audible buffet of candy coated chords and bubble gum lyrics. however, my favorite moment of the night was when zooey picked up a ukulele and began to cover one of my all time favorite songs, the beach boys "wouldn't it be nice".

*sigh*

[graphic]weekend

2010-09-01T20:23:00.004-05:00

i don't know if it's entirely true, but i would be willing to bet, almost every architect out there believes they can also be a graphic artist. i mean, design is design, right?

well, wheter it's true or not, i'm no exception. i've always enjoyed graphic design, and love the fact my profession allows me to dabble in it occasionally. even through this blog, i've meet some amazingly talented people who deal with graphic design, mostly the people at aqua-velvet and secret door projects.

now...not all of my weekends have themes, but graphic design seemed to be in the air last week. starting things off, i was fortunate enough to get invited to the "aiga no-love social", by one of my graphic oriented friends at running doves press. basically it was a chance for local graphic artists to present work which had been changed or trashed by the clients. logos, designs, marks, and decals, were given a chance to escape the recycle bin and be appreciated again, an idea i think the local aia should pick up on. not only did i enjoy looking at the forgotten designs, the local aiga also provided custom coasters and drink tickets.

since the next day was wichita's final friday art gallery crawl, the night was filled with touring local galleries. although art was enjoyed, the highlight of the night was receiving a pamphlet informing me of a local ordinance which had just been passed. it comically stated, to crack down on graffiti, it was now illegal to carry spray paint and or markers anywhere near public buildings. now, reading over the pamphlet, i agree, this is an incredibly lame and pointless law, which basically gives local authorities power to convict on circumstantial evidence. however what i enjoyed most was the larger picture. this pamphlet was evidence the art community in wichita is starting to show it's presence, get political, and still keep an artistic sense of humor about it.

so what will next weekend bring? who knows, i might feel rebellious and decide to live life on the edge of the law...and by that i mean grab a sharpie, sit on a bench downtown, and sketch.

make it [homemade] rain

2010-08-15T14:34:00.003-05:00

yesterday, the fire department provided the crowd at the first ever "taste of wichita" some much needed relief from the 104 degree weather. today, it's 82 and rainy. apparently, i need to up-date a little quicker in this state. ahhhhhh kansas!

engag[ing]

2010-08-02T23:27:00.006-05:00

after this weekend, my amateur photographer hat goes off to my friends at ericamay photography, the juice stop, darrin hackney photography and divispix photography.

last sunday, i had my first ever engagement shoot, and i was incredibly nervous. i love taking photos, however over the years the vast majority of my subjects have included buildings, doors, windows, patterns on walls, cracks in the sidewalk, and various other urban elements. static, stationary, somewhat stoic objects. unfeeling, with emotion projected onto them only from the viewer. everything being human is not. humans are dynamic, full of energy, feelings, life, and emotion. all things hard to capture in a fraction of a second. all things, the photographers mentioned above, do so well.

knowing i loved photography, and the fact i was in kansas city, brooke and roger asked if i'd take their engagement photos. the fact they're on a shoe string budget, and i mentioned i work for food, it was the perfect fit. the afternoon was spent traveling from location to location, ironically including some of the cities significant architecture. however, the buildings this time played backdrop to them, a couple young and in love, with a new and exciting future in front of them. an emotion and a feeling, i hope was captured for them.

some like it hot [and outside]

2010-07-28T22:35:00.006-05:00

is it just me, or does summertime remind anyone else of the 1930's?

i can't remember exactly when, but for the better part of my life, the summertime has evoked a feeling of that decade for me. now, i'm very aware the 30's were not the best decade in recent history, and my only experience of that time comes from books and film. however, from what i've read and seen, it makes perfect sense why this decade coincides with summer for me. it seems people in the 30's found pleasure in the simple things in life. with the depression effecting most of the country, people rarely went to far, exotic places for vacations. entertainment, rather, was found locally and with a community. also, with technology like the tv yet to be in every single home, people seemed more apt to spend time outside with friends.

all of last week, might as well have taken place in the 1930's for me. i was practically living in a "country time lemonade" commercial. within the course of a week, i was able to enjoy 18 holes of golf, watch a live musical, enjoy a film played outside and under the stars, and even took in a minor league baseball game. with the musical being, "annie" and the movie being "some like it hot", the 30's theme was only magnified.

so if you get a chance in the near future, i recommend having a 1930's week for yourself. slow things down, sit on a porch, grab some lemonade, and enjoy the last fading weeks of summer.

have some benny goodman or glenn miller playing softly in the background for an added effect.

[grill] it and they will come

2010-07-14T21:14:00.008-05:00

last weekend, i ate my first hot dog from a street vendor in wichita. believe me, this was not on my bucket list, but it did make me feel better about the future of wichita's downtown development.

i had a friend in town, visiting from kansas city, so much of the weekend was spent showing off wichita highlights. saturday evening found us in old town. at the end of the night, with the bars closing down, and our tabs paid, we wondered out onto the sidewalk, and were suddenly greeted with the most heavenly sent. grilled hot dogs! at that point in time nothing could have smelled better or more perfect. we had to have them. handing over four bucks for two dogs we quickly devoured them. walking home, i was thrilled at this little culinary surprise the city had offered up.

this same friend and i had just spent time in new york, a city filled with street vendors. a city which epitomizes urban living. street vendors are a small sign of a vibrant city, and wichita is beginning to have more options. as ironic as it may sound, having a smorgasbord of saturated fat on the sidewalk, is actually a healthy sign for downtown. remembering back to my "design and society" class in college, street vendors are very keen when it comes to lively spaces. with their business on wheels, they can quickly move to where the action is. they can easily fill a void not being met by regular establishments. in old town's case, there is a lack of late night restaurant choices to help sober up the drunken crowd. in come the vendors. the more people in an area, the more vendors will want to be there. with more vendors in an area, the more people will know where to head for a late night food fix.

for the benefit of the city, lets hope this cyclical evolution will start spilling into the lunch time crowd, and not just the jagerbomb crowd.

lost art of the c[hat]

2010-06-28T22:54:00.004-05:00

i've always wanted a fedora...it just seems like one of those things every man should own. however the price of buying such an accessory brand new had deterred a purchase for some time. a recent spotting on craiglist last week changed all this.

for sometime my friend beth, has been telling me to try speed dating, if only to get a story out of it. well, i feel the same way about craiglist. there's something about that online abyss that's actually a story gold mine. the recent fedora purchase was no exception.

the post was simple. fedora, good shape, in original box, $20. i called the number, and got a hold of mike, who informed me he still had it. i told him if the hat fit, i would take it. plotting down the directions, i told him i'd be there in a few minutes. with directions in hand, i headed to an unfamiliar part of town. finding the location, i took my pre-craiglist meeting precautions. taking a 20 out, i hid my wallet under the car seat. i really have no idea what this does, but it's seems like a good idea. next i pre-loaded a friend's number on my cell phone, just in case i had to make a quick call. as i walked up the driveway, a man who looked extremely similar to tommy chong came out with a hat box. i met him in the drive way, he opened the box, i tried it on, it fit, so i said i'd take it. naturally this is where i assumed the transaction would end....however. before the goods could be exchanged he asked if i was a collector. i replied i wasn't, i was just a fan of 50's and 60's items.

i had know idea the can of worms i had just opened.

from hats, the discussion evolved to antique furniture, which led to vinyl records, which led to vintage bikes, which led to bars in wichita during the 1970's, which led to childhood stories, which led to jobs, which led to colleges, which led to discussions of the big 12, and finally the basketball play-offs.

believe me when i say the above list is extremely paraphrased. each topic was discussed at length and in depth. somewhere around david bowie's "diamond dogs" album i looked at my phone and realized i had been there an hour. i was feeling antsy, and kept trying to steer the conversation to an end. however, as we discussed our lives, and i found out a little more about mike, i began to feel he didn't just sell items on craiglist to make a few bucks, i think mike simply enjoyed meeting and chatting with new people. realizing this, i stopped trying to find an end to the conversation, and decided to just let it run it's course, like all real, natural, honest discussions should. the fedora in my fingertips seemed the perfect prop for this scene, and it gave me a sense of nostalgia, back to a time where people actually talked with one another. a time before "texts", "likes", or 140 character limits.

three hours later, our conversation, as well as the daylight started to fade. i handed mike the 20, said goodbye, and got back in the car. placing my newly acquired hat on my head, i got a glimpse of myself in the rear view mirror and was reminded of my grandpa, and how he had the ability to talk all day to anyone about anything. maybe there's just something about a felt fedora that makes it easier to chew the fat with someone.

they obviously don't help memory, as i forget about my wallet, under my seat, until the next morning.

a tale of two [manhattans]

2010-06-07T22:55:00.014-05:00

"it was the best of times, it was the worst of times. it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness..."

once again, memorial day weekend was spent with my college friends. with half of them already there, it was decided we'd converge on new york this year...the other manhattan, and it was that fact, that made this trip slightly different. last year, we had all met in, somewhat, neutral territory, with only one of us knowing the true ins and outs of the city. in new york, however, we were entering the world of our friends, complete with jobs, deadlines, classes, and girlfriends. it wasn't just a vacation, it was a glimpse into their lives. the people they'd met, the places they've enjoyed, the sights they've seen, the experiences they've had. time and distance was allowing me to see my friends from a different angle, a view that would come in and out of focus. at times, sitting back, chatting and joking like it was a late night in studio again, i would swear time had somehow passed us by and we were the same guys we were in college. however, every once in a while, i'd look around the room, at the same faces i had seen hundreds of times before, and i'd noticed, between the juvenile behavior and scotch filled satire, we had changed. we were no longer green. we had all seen our share of adversity, and we've all had to deal with it, and in that process, had grown. we had matured.four years have now past since we graduated. four years since we left manhattan, four years since we had everything before us, four years since we had nothing before us.

we've all been through a lot, we're all a little bit older, we're all a little bit wiser.

...we might just be becoming grown-ups.

my best [family] friend's wedding

2010-05-26T23:21:00.002-05:00

our grandparents started out as neighbors, and became friends. then my mom, met her dad, and became lifelong friends. through the years and miles, they grew up, and married their spouses, and eventually my parents became dear friends with her parents. three generations later, my sister and i, call ashley and aaron our friends.

last weekend, ashley was the first in our little group of four to get married. it was a beautiful outdoor ceremony with the rocky mountains acting as backdrop. over the past twenty some years, ashley has become a second little sister to me, and in a way, it was hard to see her all grown up and getting married. however, sometime during the reception, i realized, that although she was now an adult and starting a new life with an amazing guy, our friendship was not ending, but rather, like our parents and grandparents before us, it was simply starting a new chapter.

[app]iness

2010-05-11T21:35:00.006-05:00

once again my disdain for the camera phone has waned.

i've been extremely impressed with the photos uploaded by my west coast wondering friend ckeech. upon finding out his pictures were taken with his phone, and what [app] he used, i immediately downloaded it. testing it out, i found myself almost pissed at the quality of photos it took....almost. hours of photo-shopping are now condensed into the press of a single button, and a little shaking. being that this weekend turned out to be quite active, with the better part of it spent on the back of a bike, it was a relief not having to schlep around a camera bag, and still capture some eye candy.

[axe]ing a few questions

2010-04-30T00:05:00.000-05:00

if you've been reading this blog for a while, you're familiar with my love/hate relationship with "axe" body wash. if that last statement confuses you, please read this. once again this product has caused me to question my thoughts on society, humanity, social norms, and life itself.

this weekend, my allergies kicked into high gear for a second time this season, and i found myself at the pharmacy looking for the ultimate decongestant to help rid myself from the hay fever induced haze i was in. finding my fix amid the mural of medicine, i headed to the check out. as i turned by the herbal essence, and headed through the deodorants, something caught my eye. staring at me from behind it's plexiglass protection was the "axe" body wash! that's correct! the "axe" body wash was behind lock and key!

*mind blown*

why on earth would "axe" be locked up! what made it so special and important! why was it necessary to find an attendant in order to purchase "axe", while my very own, "old spice", was left sitting sad and lonely on the bottom shelf. i was beyond baffled and slightly pissed. i paid for my pills, went home, and naturally did what any inquisitive 21st century mind does...i "googled" it.

this was a mistake as it only led me further into confusion. unable to find out exactly why "axe" body wash might be locked up, google led me to pages of articles and videos of a new trend. apparently the latest thrill for the american teen-aged male, is to spray ones self with axe body spray and light yourself on fire.

"really", you ask?

really.

at this point, the claritin had kicked in, and i was thinking clearly, which just furthered the problem. let's take a minute here and ask the youth of our nation a few questions shall we? first of all, why would you purposely light yourself on fire? fire burns, and it will hurt you. there is an entire career out there whose sole purpose is to fight fire, their called fire fighters. next, i can understand the you're looking for a thrill, but why fire? if you want to experience something really scary, here's what you do, take a calculus class. by FAR the scariest thing i've ever done in my life. it's no wonder other countries are beating us at math. their youth are learning triple integrals and you're singeing off arm hair. also, and let me be clear, i am in no way in support of any of this, but if it really is your goal to light yourself on fire, film it, and post it on youtube, please, at the very least, use a tripod, no more shaky camera work, a little bit of professionalism can go a long way. also, here's an idea, instead of having some random guy light himself on fire, why not work it into a script? get a little character development going on, a back story, let the audience know exactly how stupid this guy is and why he might be lighting himself on fire. as an added benefit, you'd be working on your writing skills! another area america happens to be behind in. finally, and possibly most confusing. why are you using "axe"? there's got to be a generic brand of that stuff somewhere, considerably cheaper. save your pennies. look on the side of the bottle, i guarantee you, it's got the same hair singeing ingredients as the expensive stuff.

so...once again axe, you have baffled the mind...and in you're own way, reminded me, i'm not a kid anymore, so for that, i thank you. i'd write more, but "the golden girls" is on tv right now, and i really want to catch this episode.

[yoga] feet

2010-04-20T22:53:00.000-05:00

feeling a little restless and wanting to try something new, i recently signed up for a yoga class. although it's been rewarding, it's not at all what i had planned.

first of all, one reason i joined the class, i thought it would be a great way to meet some new people. young, hip, earthy, healthy, stress free, urban people. the kind of people who would know the best place to get pho, or hear a poetry slam reading. stereotypical i know, but i felt a yoga class would be a good place to start. the first day of class however, i found my fellow yoga partners to consist of one other dude, and five ladies, all above the age of 65. not a problem, just not what i had planned.

secondly, i'm not very flexible. now although i hoped yoga would help this, i am, by far, the least graceful in the class. during some stretches, and eerily similar to one of my favorite movies, the instructor will say, "if you're feeling any pain or discomfort, feel free to lie in child's pose..." although it may sound like she's saying it to the whole class, deep down, i know she's speaking directly to me. even with this suggestion, i still find i wake up the next day, sore in places i never knew existed.

finally, and by far, what's making my yoga experience go astray, is my wardrobe. before the class started, i thought i'd buy some yoga pants, thinking if i had the right attire, i might not look out of place. however searching the internet, i found yoga pants to be terribly expensive! seventy dollars for what appear to simply be sweat pants! with that logic in my head, i went to the store to find the cheapest pair of sweats i could. $4.95, you can't beat that. not seeing any need to try them on, i grabbed a pair of dark colored extra large ones and purchased them. leaving them in the bag for a few days, i didn't actually put them on until i was in the locker room of the gym. the legs were twice the length i needed and the crotch hung down past my knees. not having time to run back to my apartment and grab something else, i headed to class. although the pants were easy to move in, the pants made my torso look 4 feet long and my legs look 6 inches long, but i kept at it. during the end of class, as we were lying in our "savasana" pose, trying to rid our bodies of any tension and our minds of any stress, one thought kept running through my head.

between my stiff and awkward stretches and the sagging sweatpants, i was trying to figure out how exactly the "golden girls" on the mats next to me, hadn't cracked up at the "penguin" working out next to them, because that's exactly what i looked like doing yoga. i'm just thankful i didn't purchase the purple sweatpants. couple that with a k-state shirt, and i would've looked like grimace from mcdonald's.

meat[loaf] lovers

2010-04-11T22:25:00.004-05:00

i love meatloaf

and when you look at the reasons, it's not hard to see why it graces the top of my favorite meals list. first of all, it's simple. no fancy ingredients, mostly made with items every standard kitchen has. it gets mixed, and baked. you can't beat that. second of all, while it's baking, and it's aroma fills the house, memories come sweeping back over me of my childhood, when i would have to get cleaned up from playing neighborhood baseball before dinner. next, there's a wonderful retro-kitschiness associated with meatloaf. a meal which become popular during the depression as a way to stretch the meat budget, it could be made with inexpensive meats and ingredients, and still feed a large family. fourthly, not only is it great right out of the oven, but it's a meal where the leftover's create a plethora of other meals, almost outdoing it's original intention. fifth, it goes well with mashed potatoes...nuff said. finally, meatloaf is one of those wonderful dishes everyone knows how to make, and everyone has there own special way of fixing it, making it a wonderful meal to try in different establishments and locations.

now, being it was one of my favorite meals growing up, it was one of the first meals i took the time to perfect once i got out on my own. my style of meatloaf is a very traditional mixture consisting of a combination of my moms recipe as well as a family friend. being extremely proud of my own recipe, this past weekend i decided to put my loaf where my mouth was, and entered a meatloaf competition.

enlisting the help of my mom, early saturday morning my apartment was filled with the scent of meatloaf. finishing up and placing them in the roaster, we headed to the competition, four blocks away. i was feeling extremely confident, up until got there, and realized most of the other competitors were actual chef's from local restaurants, complete with fancy hats, fancy knives, and fancy aprons. setting up next to me, were stainless steel trays filled with mixtures of rabbit meats, sweet bread, bacon wraps, and smoked chorizo. i was a little nervous. however as the competition commenced, and i handed out samples, i realized, my traditional approach was actually what set me apart, so i started mentioning this fact to the samplers. now, it could have been the fact i had a more traditional recipe, or it might have simply been they wanted a little bit more "eye candy" from yours truly, but there were several ladies in the 65+ category who came back for seconds.

at the end of the competition, the winners were announced, and sadly i didn't win. i did however win the most "diner-esque" meatloaf award, which the judges explained as being exactly the kind of meatloaf you'd want when you go into a diner...

...and looking back on why i love meatloaf in the first place, and what i'd like my version to be, it was the perfect award to win.

[frosted]

2010-03-22T22:33:00.006-05:00

this past weekend we received a not-so-subtle reminder that kansas doens't care what the calender says, it was still winter. having already told myself saturday morning was going to be spent photographing a park i've always passed by, but never enjoyed, i figured the snow would just have to be dealt with. walking around, however, i found it to make an excellent addition to the days subjects. enhancing the color of a group of benches, showing off the minimalism of the parks mid-century structures, and adding to the feeling of a pool closed for the season. walking around, the snow also reminded me i had not dressed nearly warm enough, as the walk only lasted an hour before needing to warm up with some coffee.

was it a coincidence that i also found my first gray hair last weekend? probably not...just another not-so-subtle reminder of passing time. i didn't however pluck it, like the snow, i considered it an enhancement. the first small step into my (hopefully) george clooney-esque looking middle age.

it's all about your [line]

2010-03-04T00:09:00.003-06:00

in dance, it's all about your line, once you loose your line, you never get it back. well...at least that's what cate blanchett's character says in "the curious case of benjamin button". luckily for me that's not really the case in sketching.

last friday i headed to the fisch haus, where the exhibit was their annual "living statues" show. dancers from ballet wichita, were set up on a stage in the gallery and struck 3-5 minute poses, allowing anyone in the audience a chance to sketch, draw, paint and photograph them.

now, i'll be the last one to tout my sketching ability, one look at my friends' sketch books, lets me know exactly where i stand, but that doesn't stop me from enjoying it, and always trying to find ways to improve. the opportunity to switch from the static objects my profession is based on, to the dynamacy of the human form, was a great change of pace.

my big fat [cajun tuesday]

2010-02-18T22:51:00.006-06:00

catfish etouffe, gumbo, and hurricanes provided by hero's.
zydeco music provided by the mudbugs.
photographic opportunities provided by friends.

no country for old [hipsters]

2010-02-15T00:01:00.000-06:00

i can't lie. i was raised on country music. growing up in a small rural town, it was just the thing to listen to. randy travis, alan jackson, and george straight could be heard everywhere. then sometime around the early 90's, i discovered the dial on the radio could actually turn and soon was listening to nirvana and pearl jam. by the time i had my own car, i had no country stations on preset and the majority of high school was spent waiting for the next wallflowers song to play.

with the aid of high speed internet and napster, college was an audible buffet with a whole mix of music playing over my computer speakers. however, right about the time i switched into architecture school, and like every other "somewhat-creative-majoring" college student through out history does, i discovered indie music. you know, music not oppressed by a major label. as cliche as it was, i really enjoyed this music. working on projects late at night, you could always take a break and listen to the latest song from the latest album of some band that was going to be the next big thing, someone had just bought. maybe i fell into some sort of stereotype or clique, but music was a huge connecting factor in my group of friends. a group that starting out discussing music and politics, became the group that could give a creative second eye to your project, a group that would help you cram for the next test, a group that would lend an ear, and listen to any and all relationship troubles. without a doubt, a group that helped me get through college.

then there's my sister, who's currently hard at work pursing her post-graduate work. for christmas this year, she received two tickets to see brad paisley in concert. being a huge fan, she was ecstatic. it also happened to be the inaugural event of wichita's new downtown arena. she quickly made plans for all her friends to join in. being so close to new venue, i offered up my apartment, allowing her to host a little pre-concert party, saving her friends the trouble of finding a parking space.

when the concert date came, my sister's boyfriend was unable to make it. since i was helping her throw the party, she graciously gave the extra ticket to me. being slightly hesitant, i was still excited to see some live music, so i got as country-uped as my wardrobe would allow complete with construction boots and an old thrift store cowboy shirt. later that night my sister showed up with her friends and their husbands, soon my tiny apartment was filled with a sea of wrangler jeans, cowboy boots, camo jackets, and skoal. after all the food was eaten, and the beers drank, we headed to the concert. they all LOVED it! not only were they singing along to every song, but there was whistling and hollering involved as well. they looked like me at a decemberists concert! as out of place as i felt at first, i slowly sunk in and got back to my country roots, and may have even starting singing along to the one brad paisley song i knew.

as much as i enjoyed the concert, what i enjoyed more was hanging out with my sister. somewhere between a song about drinking and a song about fishing, it hit me; my sister had found her own niche. she had found a group of friends she could share ideas with, discuss life and politics with, and go to country concerts with. she had found her group of friends that would help her purse her dreams and make sure she graduates with great memories, and that was what was really wonderful to see.

yee-haw

...and we're back[ar34]

2010-02-07T14:15:00.004-06:00

after a brief hiatus, something like a year and a half, we've released a new edition of ar34, featuring the aia kansas, 2009 design award winners.

click on the photo to open a pdf

christine [a material girl?]

2010-01-31T23:30:00.004-06:00

well, the time finally came to get rid of my truck, it was a hard thing to do. the fact that it was hard to do, upsets me a bit.

you see...i do my best to not be a materialistic person. i really believe money and the possessions it can buy, will never bring you happiness, and those who think it can, have their priorities out of wack. although i'm very thankful for everything i've ever been given or earned, i'd like to think it could all be taken away tomorrow, and i'd still be happy with the love of my family and friends. why then, did i have such a hard time letting go of my truck? mechanically, it was time. for the past year, it would sputter at stop lights, the radio had quit working, and the blinkers on the drivers side no longer worked. any left turn would require me to roll down the window and signal with my arm, which i'm not sure is entirely legal.

however, with all its flaws, i still loved it. getting behind the wheel, i was proud. i had bought it with years of mowing lawns, baby sitting, trimming trees, painting, and cleaning windows. in high school, not only did it brave the mud when my buddies and i went camping, but it also ushered me to my first date. it was the car that drove me away from my childhood home and towards a whole new era in my life, college. there, it earned me many free pizza's and beers from friends who needed items moved. it also did what any college car should, take road trips. long trips, filled with great conversations and ridiculous roadside attractions. following graduation, it slowly became less reliable. with each piece that fell off or stopped working, it's travel radius shrunk, but not before returning me to my high school reunion.

i ran across a quote once that stated,

"anything you cannot relinquish when it has outlived its usefulness possesses you, and in this materialistic age a great many of us are possessed by our possessions."

without a doubt, my truck had more than served it's usefulness; it was time for it to go. i took it for one last country drive and snapped a few final pictures. walking around, focusing it's faded frame in my view finder, i realized, i wasn't going to miss my truck because of what it was, rather, i was going to miss it because of the all the memories it had created for me...and i still have those...

...with that, i say, "goodbye christine, thanks for the memories"

frontier[photographer]

2010-01-19T22:39:00.009-06:00

every time i shoot with film, i think of daniel boone....

i was told a story when i was a kid about daniel boone. when daniel was young and growing up in the american frontier, his father wanted to teach him how to shoot and hunt. to do this, he would only give his son one bullet per day, and send him out into the wild. with only one shot, young daniel would have to be very conscious of how he spent it. if he took a shot he couldn't make, the bullet was wasted, as well as the day. he learned quickly to wait until all the conditions were perfect before taking the shot.

here are a few shots from my "trigger happy" outing the other day.

the year in pictures [2009]

2010-01-07T23:19:00.000-06:00

year five for the [year in pictures] post.

what a wild year 2009 ended up being. for the past three years, life has been fairly simple. get up, go to work, put 40 hours in, relax and enjoy the weekend. it's amazing how deleting one piece of that formula changes everything. like it did with a lot of people, the economy slapped me in the face this year. although slaps can hurt and sting a bit, they can also be an awakening. if 2008 was a very [internal] year for me, 2009 was the complete opposite. not only was i able to expand my view on the world by traveling more than i ever have, but by reading and studying, my thoughts on my professional and personal goals were questioned, explored, changed, and strengthened. here are a few pictures representing the "sting" and "awakening" during the past year.

up in the air_1.22.09

last january i attended the kansas aviation museum's open house. i took this shot because i liked the way the silhouette of the plane looked in the light. i would have never guessed this would have made the top ten photos of the year, but after going through my albums, reminiscing on the past, this photo, with it's setting sun mixed with the idea of travel seemed to be the perfect foreshadowing of the year to come.

shelved_3.31.09

last march a group of local photographers were allowed to photograph the inside of an old player piano building before it was cleared out. decades of piano repair had created five overstuffed stories of objects, gadgets, and things...basically a photographers dream. walking around, taking pictures, there was something exciting and depressing about the whole experience. a building that had served it's purpose for years, filled with it's tools of the trade, being cleared out for something new. change always brings about that feeling.

laidoff_4.1.09

the very next day, i was laid off. that exciting/depressing feeling hit me again. i boxed up my "tools of the trade" and headed home, unsure of what might lie ahead.

the artists_4.13.09

not long after i was laid off, i was enjoying a few drinks with friends. that night, a couple sat next to me. before too long we struck up a conversation. the couple ended up being mark and beth, traveling artists from wisconsin. they had booked their art in galleries across the mid-west, and were on the road, following their art, eventually to end up in austin. naturally we talked about art, and architecture, but that led to deeper discussions about following one's passion, no matter what the sacrifice. after last call, they left, and although we'll probably never cross paths again, the discussion we had was the most perfect and inspiring, i could have had at that point in my life, and gave me a new sense of direction. they will forever be my muses of 2009.

friends_5.25.09

in may i, along with most of my college friends, traveled up to portland to witness the wedding of one of our buddies. although most of us were unemployed, it didn't stop us from enjoying the city. the days were filled with late brunches, coffee, and beer. it had been three years since were were all in seaton hall, working late nights, and that weekend proved, nothing had changed.

hazards of love_5.27.09

what year wouldn't be complete without a decemberists concert. in may, i was able to see them play the entire "hazards of love" album non-stop, from beginning to end. always a wonderful and beautiful time.

vivienda moderna_5.28.09

for two months this year i worked construction in kansas city. my wonderful and gracious friends eric and lauren, offered me a job helping them finish one of their projects. although this did give me a chance to get out from behind the drafting desk and get my hands dirty, what i really enjoyed was strengthening my friendship with these two.....living and working with someone seven days a week for two months tends to do that.

real life fiction_6.2.09

this year i started reading "on the road", agian, but this time i was bound and determined to finish it. while in the process of reading it, i took a trip to denver. not only is denver mentioned several times in the book, but specific address are given. finding an online guide, i spent the better part of a day visiting a few places mentioned in the book. the above picture is of a bar neal cassody, the real life dean moriarty, use to frequent. soon after this trip, i finished the book.

study hall_7.14.09

wanting to use the free time i had been given with my unemployment wisely, i started studying for my architecture exams. along with a lot of reading and test taking came a lot of iced coffee which, through the course of the summer, i was able to perfect.

bubble girl_10.2.09

one of the last trips i took this year was to the austin city limits music festival. i was able to snap a picture of this girl mid way through one of her spins. her "hippy-ish" look adds to the delight of this photo, but i just really enjoyed her care free, no worries attitude, and i was glad to capture a bit of that feeling on film.

[lounge]time is here

2009-12-29T18:06:00.006-06:00

wishing anyone and everyone that may stop by this page a wonderful holiday season and a happy new year!

a [downtown] christmas story

2009-12-20T22:20:00.009-06:00

i'm not exactly sure how many times you have to repeat an event in order for it to become a tradition, but i feel i may be on the verge of one. last week the orpheum theater had a showing of one of my all time favorite christmas movies "a christmas story". now, i know very well that come christmas, i'll have my fill of this movie when tbs runs it's annual "24 hours of a christmas story", but there was something exciting about seeing this classic on the big screen, i couldn't pass up. so, just like last year, my friends and i gathered to enjoy a cup of coffee before hand and than walked to the theater. leaving the frigid temperature of the sidewalk behind us we entered the lobby and found it decorated for the holidays. making our way into the theater we found the place filled with people! not finding enough seats on the floor to accommodate all of us, we headed to the balcony. as the movie played it was obvious most of the audience had seen this movie no less than 2,000 times before, as most of the funny parts got laughs before they happened. however i'd like to think there were a few "newbies" in the crowd, a few lucky individuals seeing it for the first time on the big screen.

this movie is wonderful on so many levels, which is no doubt the reason it' s a classic. first of all, since it came out in the early 80's, it's always been a staple in my christmas experience. i remember discussing the "frozen pole" scene with friends during recess, wondering if one's tongue really would get stuck. i also had "that" christmas during my youth, when all i wanted was a b.b gun, hearing the famous "you'll shoot your eye out" line over and over. being older i now appreciate different aspects of the film. how the very simple story line developed into such a full story with the use of creative and rich narration. how the fairy tale, norman rockwell-esque setting plays backdrop to the more familiar family settings we all know, such as a father cussing at a broken furnace, but most of all, i enjoy how the movie captures the timeless feeling of what it's like to be a kid during christmas.

leaving the theater with my friends that night, and walking the streets of downtown, i couldn't help but get a little sentimental norman rockwell-esque christmas feeling myself. spontaneously running into, and catching up with some other friends, who had come out to enjoy the movie as well, on the street, only enhanced this feeling.

so, this whole, downtown-christmas-coffee-movie-at-the-orpheum-thing, may not be a tradition yet, but i'm thinking it needs to be. maybe next year, i'll make it official.

[buying] under the influence

2009-12-06T17:57:00.010-06:00

i'd like to send a warning out to anyone reading this. please, please, do not, under any circumstance, peruse craigslist while under the influence of nyquil.

last week i came down with a little 24 hour bug/flu/cold. feeling it coming on, i left work early, went home and immediately took a shot of that sweet, sweet green nectar of the "get some rest so you can feel better" gods, named nyquil, and fell asleep. waking later that evening, before the full effects of the nyquil had worn off, i decided to surf the interwebs for a bit. i made the usual rounds... local news, flickr, facebook, blogs, hulu...but eventually wondered into, what i feel is, the "garage sale" neighborhood of the internet...craigslist. not nearly as classy or cute as the artsy neighborhood of etsy. no, here in craigslist you got to be careful. lots of weird characters around these parts. you gotta keep your wits about you, this is not a place to enter "hopped up" on anything...let alone nyquil.

the problem, i quickly discovered, is that everything looks amazing! everything's a deal. i had no idea what i would do with "a beautiful poem in a frame" but it sounds nice, and it's free! fill dirt? i don't' even have a yard, but there's three free dump trucks of it just waiting to be nabbed! how could you turn that down. luckily i had some sense about me, that is until i came across the listing of a "mid-century modern couch" before seeing the picture, i was in love. reading the description only made me fall deeper. thoughts like "you already have a couch", "how will you get it in your apartment?", and "what are you going to do with your old couch?" never entered my head. how could they? my mind was busy entertaining visions of me chatting it up with betty draper on my newly acquired couch, during the chirstmas party she would no doubt want to host in my apartment this year. i e-mailed the seller, said i would take it, and went to bed.

i awoke the next morning feeling much better. i checked my e-mail and found a letter from someone i didn't know, telling me what time i could pick up a couch.

"what!"

reading further down, and finding my original letter, i began to remember a few fuzzy details from the night before. i decided to go look at it, but only after a friend said he could go with me. craigslist can be a scary place to exchange anything, and i wanted back up. luckily for me the sellers were incredibly nice, and the couch was in great shape. they turned out to be a young couple who were huge "mid-century" fans, and are constantly finding and selling pieces. we loaded the couch in the truck, and hauled it into the apartment.

now, although everything worked out fine, and i'm thrilled about the amazing deal i was able to land, what scares me is the realization that i was one, sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, fever, nyquil-dazed e-mail away from having 3 tons of fill dirt in my living room.

be careful out there kids.

an early december[ist]

2009-11-18T22:02:00.007-06:00

i make no attempt to hide the fact, that for the better part of my life, i avoided reading, writing, and spelling like the swine flu. only recently have i discovered an appreciation for these arts. that being said, any literary discovery i make, some of which should have happened around the fifth grade, i enjoy sharing. please humor me.

the other week, i literally stumbled into a reading event. i was trying to figure out how to make the most of a saturday night, when my friend karen called and informed me, she was downtown at the orpheum about to listen to an edgar allan poe interpreter. hearing my hesitation to attend a reading of this poet, she mentioned it was free, to which i quickly began walking to the theater. upon entering and after stumbling on the front steps, i was handed a pamphlet and a free book of edgar allan poe's poems! i was informed by the free-book-hander-outer, i was taking part in the national endowments for the arts "big read" program, with the goal being to restore reading back to the center of american culture. there's no way she could have realized it, but getting me in the door should be considered a huge success for the program.

walking down the isles, i found the crowd to be a mixture of older literary types, teen aged emo hipsters, and a handful of people obviously here to receive extra credit in a reading class. i knew them well, i only received the grades i did in my high school reading class by attending every book signing barnes and noble offered that semester. i found a seat next to my friend and awaited the performance. the lights dimmed and from behind the curtain appeared david keltz, a well known poe interpreter dressed like poe himself. he spoke as the author, discussing events in his life, and reasons behind the poems he wrote. they were dark and morbid, but somehow...still very beautiful. i recognized "the cask of amontillado" and "the tell-tale heart", only because it had been required reading in high school, but that night, i found myself slowly getting into the readings, not because i had to, but rather because i wanted to.

with each story poe explained more about his life and poetry. to paraphrase badly from what i remember, poe wanted to fill his poems with emotion, and he felt there was no emotion more complex than those surrounding death, especially of a loved one. to turn those mix of emotions into poetry is one of the most beautiful things a writer can do.

he than started a reading of "annabel lee".

something magical happened. as he read "annable lee" i made a discovery! themes of love, death, deception, murder, suicide, and revenge all put into beautiful verse, the name annabel, a kingdom by the sea! these were all decemberists songs! from that instant of realization i couldn't stop making connections, and i hung on every word.

i have no idea how much of a fan colin meloy is of poe, but these two lyricists share a lot of the same themes. in meloy's own music catalog, he mentions the name ann, or annabel several times, even having a song titled "annabelle leigh". in"oceanside" a character named annabel is seen reclining by the ocean, creating a similar image to poe's character. poe also uses the phrase, "kingdom by the sea", which is almost the same way meloy describes l.a. in "los angeles, i'm yours".

i'm very aware this isn't a new discovery, as anyone familiar with poe would have noticed this upon hearing any decemberists song. the shock is also less, knowing meloy majored in creative writing and would be very familiar with stories of the macabre and other dark romanticism works, of which poe wrtoe in. meloy is simply bringing this genre to the forefront of culture again, only this time with a catchy indie-folk beat behind it...which i'm eternally grateful for.

before i go, here is poe's "annabel lee" which to me, is just as beautiful as my favorite decemberists song.

It was many and many a year ago,
In a kingdom by the sea,
That a maiden there lived whom you may know
By the name of Annabel Lee;
And this maiden she lived with no other thought
Than to love and be loved by me.

I was a child and she was a child,
In this kingdom by the sea;
But we loved with a love that was more than love -
I and my Annabel Lee;
With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven
Coveted her and me.

And this was the reason that, long ago,
In this kingdom by the sea,
A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling
My beautiful Annabel Lee;

So that her highborn kinsman came
And bore her away from me,
To shut her up in a sepulcher
In this kingdom by the sea.

The angels, not half so happy in heaven,
Went envying her and me
Yes! that was the reason
(as all men know, In this kingdom by the sea)
That the wind came out of the cloud by night,
Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee.

But our love was stronger by far than the love
Of those who were older than we
Of many far wiser than we
And neither the angels in heaven above,
Nor the demons down under the sea,
Can ever dissever my soul from the soul
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee.

For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And the stars never rise but I feel the bright eyes
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side
Of my darling, my darling, my life and my bride,
In the sepulcher there by the sea,
In her tomb by the sounding sea.

[basement]archaeology

2009-11-09T23:54:00.004-06:00

with my grandmother celebrating a milestone birthday the other week, the whole family made a trip to western kansas to celebrate it with her. after meeting up with everyone and enjoying a late lunch, we ended up at my grandma's house to chat. now, ever since i can remember, i loved venturing down into my grandparents basement. when i was younger, i was on a constant search for my dad's childhood baseball cards, which he swore were down there, somewhere. now, as an adult, i go down there just to marvel at the mid century relics still stored down there, paintings, lights, amber colored screens, and radios from another era. i'm sure most grandma's basements are like this, but it takes on a whole new level of amazement when it's from your family, items sometimes identifiable in old family photos.

however this last trip down put things in perspective a bit. like any good museum, the collection is constantly growing and changing, and for the first time, i started noticing items i have memories of, back when they were on the main level. most notably the table i use to eat breakfast at while i watched grandpa play solitaire. items, that to my cousin's kids (the youngest generation in the family), look just as ancient as the old frigidaire did to me.

...and yes, i did look for the baseball cards, and no, i still haven't found them.

the [key] to any acting career

2009-11-04T23:52:00.001-06:00

if you've been reading this blog for a while, you may or may not remember some years ago, i had the opportunity to be an extra in an independent film shooting in wichita. you may or may not also remember the story of how i was promoted from just an extra to cashier #2!

well...after years of waiting, the film finally made it's wichita debut the other week! it was the opening movie for the tallgrass film festival held every fall. over the years i've kept in touch with a handful of the other extras. there's something to be said about a group of strangers stuck in a room together with nothing to do for ten hours but play cards...it bonds you. anyway, upon hearing it was showing, we all bought tickets so we could enjoy the film together. while the movie played, we would point out when we saw each other in the background and marvel at ourselves on the big screen. i, of course, anxiously waited for the cashier#2 scene in the hardware store. halfway into the movie, it came. the lead actor walked into the store and approached the cash register. my heart pounded...this was it...my big screen debut! this would be my "brad-pitt-in-thelma-and-louise" moment. i waited for the camera to change angles, wondering the whole time how i would look! i waited...and waited..and waited. the angle never changed. the lead actor tossed some change on the counter, picked up a package off screen, and than walked out.

yup...cashier#2 had been cut.

my big moment had ended up on some editing room floor. as the next scene took place, i was left wondering if my expression had not been right? was my motivation wrong? had i not conveyed the feeling of being a cashier in the early 1900's. did my face not transmit to the audience how important this package was? did my character not further the plot enough? the obvious answer was, no, it did not.

my disappointment didn't last long as i found i had made it into a few background shots, for a total screen time of about half a second. even with minimal face time, the whole experience was worth it. after the film, the director kevin willmott and lead actor wes studi stayed to answer questions before everyone headed to the opening night gala. after the event, my friends and i went out to eat and continued discussing films and future auditions. the night ended with me feeling very full of myself, ready to move to hollywood. as i went to start my truck, trying to figure out how to get ari gold as my agent and who might fill out the rest of my entourage, the key broke off in the ignition, rendering my truck unable to start. i walked home that night, alone, in the dark, with thoughts of my own series quickly vanishing. i called a locksmith the next day. he tinkered around and eventually got the other half of the key out. as i looked at the bill he handed me, which, being on a weekend, was extremely high, the total was a very familiar number.

it was, almost to the dollar, the same amount i had been paid for two days of work as an extra.

this kind of thing never happens to ted danson.

like [ellen] in the movies

2009-10-12T21:00:00.007-05:00

last weekend, after years of trying to make it, i finally attended a match of the ict roller girls. now i wasn't in the best of health, but late saturday, as i was starting to come out of my nyQuil induced coma, a friend suggested we watch the ict roller girls take on springfield. thinking a little trip outside my self-quarantined apartment might do some good, i said yes.

if you keep track of the box office, you'd know last week and movie called "whip it" came out. a coming of age story about a girl and the sport of roller derby. i'd like to tell you the whole reason i went was to support the actual home grown, local sport, instead of hollywood, that there's no need to pay to see some fictional commercialized story of the sport, when the real life event is taking place in my own backyard. however, i can't say that, it just happened to be a coincidence.

i sat through the entire match, and didn't understand one moment of it. all i know was there were a bunch of girls, on roller skates, beating the crap out each other, and somehow points went up on the score board. which, if you think about it, is the general plot line of any sport. none the less, it was very entertaining, and it was a blast to photograph.

singing in the [mud]

2009-10-08T22:45:00.003-05:00

last weekend i traveled to texas to attend the austin city limits festival. now i rarely schedule or commit to anything more than two weeks in advance, however, to receive a discount, i had ordered the tickets a year ago, which created twelve months of anticipation for this festival, and it was well worth it. not only was the weekend spent catching up with wonderful friends, but it was filled with great music, delicious, new cuisine, and inside jokes that make absolutely no sense now that the weekend is over. however i did want to highlight a few of the more memorable moments.

-thursday night in austin included drinking old fashioned cocktails, a discussion and impersonation of a french ex-boyfriend, and an odd chat with a holistic healer, who informed me i was an old soul
-coffee and breakfast every morning at quacks 43rd street bakery
-hearing great bands i knew of, and new ones i'm now addicted to
-volunteering to pick up and recycle bottle's and can's around the park
-rain on saturday, mud on sunday
-watching the decemberists play while it drizzled
-dancing in the mud to girltalk
-late night dinner at "the good knight"

there was however one situation that deserves a bit more than a dash and a few words. now this situation wasn't funny at the time, however looking back on it now, is slightly amusing, and slightly amusing is all i ever hope for with this blog. with it raining all day saturday, sunday found the park to be one giant mud pit. it was gross, it smelled bad, and walking was difficult. just a few feet into the festival that day, my flip flops broke. the upward force of my feet trying to break the downward force of the suction of the mud, was too much for them, and they gave out. to be honest, i'm surprised they had lasted this long. they were in fact the five dollar flip flops i had purchased my freshman year of college to avoid having my feet touch the bare tile in my dorm hall showers. as i picked up my shattered shoes, i decided they were just a small sacrifice to pay to the concert gods and i pitched them, going the rest of the day shoeless. being barefoot wasn't bad at all, as most people ended up that way eventually, what i didn't count on was the rock filled, gravel infested, broken glass scattered, two mile trek back to our car that night. it didn't take long for my mud covered feet to get bruised, cut, and sore. hobbling along, wondering how long i could take the agony, out of the corner of my eye, sitting along the sidewalk i spotted none other than a mud covered pair of shoes! as i approached the abandoned shoes, i found they were indeed big enough to fit me. my feet were screaming to put them on, however my head was filled with total disgust. i had no idea who's shoes these were and what type of foot fungus may or may not be inside waiting to attach itself to my feet! eventually my heart sided with my feet and i placed the rubber souled petri dishes on my feet. the only comfort i had was the thought of driving directly to the nearest pharmacy to pick up the largest bottle of industrial strength "fast actin' tinactin". although they were a few sizes to big, they successfully got me to the car. safely in the back seat, i promptly kicked them off and on to the sidewalk where hopefully they ended up helping some other shoeless sap make it to their car.