ART? ART? Bears? What?

deppfan and others - here is the link to that tree thing from the other day

Cool tree thing.
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And for Chicago Bear fans - I put $10 on the OVER for the Bears winning 9.5 games this year.
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I was on an Art Fair Forum and got into a . . . . . . heated . . . discussion with another "artist".

The question was about printing.  A new person to the bigness was asking if we all printed our own work and of the 5 or 6 responders most did.  One guy said

"In my opinion, you cannot be a "art" photographer without also being a "printer"" 

I took slight offense to that and in a politically correct way informed him that I thought he was wrong.

So he says I did not mean to insult you and then basically repeats everything he just said .

"how can an artist not "micro manage" every step of their work if the purpose is to create art and not just sell pretty pictures? "  "The difference is if you want to be an artist or just someone who takes nice pictures and sells them. They are not the same thing."

BUT - he did end the post with "That's just my opinion".

 "That's just my opinion" is pretty much like "However!"  You know, when someone says something and then says HOWEVER!  "You look beautiful today . . HOWEVER . . . . ."

The thing is I do not believe I'm an "artist".  I'm a photographer.  I make pretty pictures and turn around and sell them. The people that purchase them call it art.  They are buying art from a photographer, not an artist.

I just have an issue with being called an artist. Just seems weird and does not sound right.  

With THAT said - here is my latest pretty picture.  I'm putting this in Filene Research Institute.

Big freaking canvas - size is 1/13.7 actual size of a B17

Edward Filene, among other things played a pivotal role in passing America’s first Workmen’s Compensation Law in 1911. However, in this case he is the person credited for creating Credit Unions.

Filene Research Institute  . . and I quote because I got a little bored reading what they do "Through Filene, leading scholars and consultants analyze managerial problems, public policy questions, and consumer needs for the benefit of the credit union system."
  Busy day today (might not make golf tonight) - I have to take 19 images to Trails Lounge in Portage and hang them, then run back, load the trailer with that behemoth and take the bouncy ride to Madison.  Hwy 151 SUCKS when it comes to trailers!  Hideous highway, all smooth in a car but the slabs are perfect for road harmonics when pulling a trailer.
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Obama is slowly opening up a lead now that the Ryan bump is subsiding.  Of the 15 major polls Obama leads in 12 of them. However we all know the popular vote does not win elections (he leads 50.6 - 48.2 and is +0.1 since August 21st). The electoral vote is the key and that race is widening (298.1 - 239.9  +3.0 since Aug 21st).

I watched the RNC for 5 minutes before I started to get angry with the rhetoric on how the right is so so much better with money and will "save" the nation (I really don't think we need "saving").

Lets see
Reagan (R) increased the debt 189%
Bush I (R) increased the debt 55%
Clinton (D)  increased the debt 37%
Bush II (R)  increased the debt 115%
Obama (D)  increased the debt 16%

In the last 50 years

Republicans have held the Presidency 28 years, Democrats 22 years.

Jobs created?  (R) = 24 million  (D)  42 million
Stock Market Returns = (R) 109%  (D) 992%
Gross Domestic Product average =  (R) 2.7%  (D) 4.1%
Income Growth average = (R) 0.6%  (D)  2.2%

There have been 16 recessions under GOP rule and seven under Democratic rule.

Source - Bloomberg, POLITICO and US Dept of Labor  - I have no link.

So don't tell me The GOP is better with money.

I do agree with a good number of their ideas - if we could get both sides to actually work together that would be awesome but no . . . that's not going to happen.

OK OK - step away from the keyboard.

Have a great Wednesday

Rod

Unleashed and Uncorked - Dane County Humane Society

with yesterdays rain Columbus has now received 2.62 inches of rain this month in seven rain events. This is about one inch below normal.  We had 4.2 inches in July and 0.5 inches in June. 

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For anybody watching what I now consider one of the best reality shows on TV, Big Brother, is this not a fantastic season?  balderdash wanted me to explain why Big Brother was so good and I think because it is the ultimate social game.  Survivor use to be but that is getting old.  Amazing Race is an adventure and not really a social game. Those are the only reality shows we watch that are actually games.

The ebb and flow of peoples relationships in the house is fantastic now that people playing have a clue how to actually play the game. Kick your friends out but you also want to have them vote for you to win $$.  It's tricky.  Watch all three episodes in one week and you will see.   It's like the board game Diplomacy.

Basic rules.  Day 1 - Compete for Head of House Hold (HOH) - if you win you put two people on the block and one will be eliminated.  Sides are taken secretly, who is voting for who.

Day 3- Veto contest. Winner can decided to take one person off the block. IF that happens HOH has to put up another person.  Again - secret alliances are made, who are people going to vote out. 

Day 7 - some one is kicked out and a NEW HOH is decided. The TRICK is with all that went on last week now there are targets on peoples back and alliances are made and broken. It's awesome.  It is so fluid it's crazy fun.

People who hate reality shows only watch one episode but the key is getting to know the personalities. Once you see Ian is an evil genius in sheep's clothing and NOBODY has a clue. THEY PROTECT HIM!! LOL  I think if he can pull this off he might be one of the best players EVER.  The guy acts so clueless but he is pulling all the strings. 


ANYWAY. This has been a very fun season. 

Art fair season is almost over two more fairs and I can relax and take care of all the places that do my work for me (but I get paid MUCH less).  Gotta love galleries but that 40% cut they take hurts.  I wish they would take the 40% it takes me to MAKE the art . . . but noooooo . . they take the 40% profit part. 

Now I totally understand why art costs so much. It's all the art that never ever sells that you spent money on and just sits there collecting dust.

I'll be raising my prices 5% next year and now that I dry mount all my poster sizes AND print them on paper impregnated with metal those will go up maybe $10 as their production has doubled in price.
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This could be the best job EVER!!!

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So DJ made home made deodorant last night using her new miracle jar of Coconut Oil.  So now I'm worried that by Christmas I'll be wearing burlap pants and eating fresh killed squirrel for dinner. And DJ will have flies buzzing her armpits!  What's next.  She was looking for organic toothpaste the other day at Woodmans.  I can't believe they did not have any.

I started counting all the popcorns and at 46 I got board and estimated over 250 different styles of popcorn.  They do  have a great wall of weenies and I found some Oscar Meyer ones I've never seen before.  We bought some New Your Style Smoked Uncured Beef Franks (I hope they cure them at some point)  which are awesome.  But their meat department is just one step better then Pic-n-Save which offer their half gray half red steaks.

And don't give me this crap about "OH, they are still good even though they are gray".  they YOU buy the gray steaks.

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I have a fantasy football draft Friday Night.  In fantasy baseball I'm now in 3rd place but still in the money.  I've never done a "pro" Fantasy Football team so this is a new adventure (pro means I can win $$).

I'm looking for more confidence football pools.  Those are money makers and last year I profited over $400 and in the last four years I think I'm up over $700.  In fact in my last seven pools (4 years worth) I have not failed to win money.  I should become a professional.

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These guys made a huge canvas print with a bare tree. Then put green chalk on either side of the road.

 

How cool is that!

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I'm going to donate some artwork to the Dane County Humane Society for their Unleashed and Uncorked event Friday, September 14, 2012, from 7-10 p.m.  Wine tasting, art for sale, star gazing and live bluegrass music by Daylight in the Swamp - sounds like a lot of fun for a great cause.

Tempt your taste buds with 45 specially selected wines and satisfy your palette with delectable chocolates, fruits and cheeses. Peruse the work of more than 50 Wisconsin artists who have donated their work to be sold in the art gallery.

Proceeds benefit Dane County Humane Society programs and services for animals in need. Every $15 donation provides food, water, shelter, vaccinations, bedding, ear scratches and belly rubs for one homeless animal.

Have a great Monday!!  

Rod

Phase 3 - GONE!

There is one word in the English language that is always pronounced incorrectly.

What is it?  Answer on the bottom.
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And then there is Todd Akin.  Yea - what he said was pretty stupid but booyah!  Well done on dealing with your Republican critics.  All of these people saying he should step down - screw you!!  Romney calls him and what does he do? Ignores him.


Of course FOX news who's new motto is "Don't listen with your mind, listen with your heart" blames the liberal media (media which is not FOX) but ummmmm . . .seems like every Republican on the planet wants  him to step down. 


I say run!!  Let the voters vote.  Good Grief!


Then there is the GOP convention which will be held during a hurricane Isaac.  Issac has a blocking high at the moment so it's traveling west but about the time it goes under Cuba the high drifts east and BAM - Issac makes a right turn north and hits Florida right during the convention!!  I think it's a sign.

After all - this race is a done deal. Obama will win 295 electoral votes and Romney gets 242.  Screw the polls which only show popular vote. Wisconsin at the moment is the 3rd most important state in the election and if you take all the polls and average them out there is a 71% chance that Obama wins Wisconsin. Ohio and Virginia are more important then Wisconsin.

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We found out last night while talking to  some neighbors that Phase Three of the  Kestrel Ridge Development ain't going to happen.  

In the spring we watched as they smoothed out the fields on the other side of the fairway and planted wheat (which was beautiful) and they harvested it an so forth.  Lately we have been seeing house putting in new sidewalks and  as we were out for our walk we stopped and talked to a sidewalk person.

Seems people in our area are being forced to spend their money putting in sidewalks.  Columbus government mandate. But not EVERYWHERE. Only our little area (which gets zero traffic).  Other parts of town they don't have too I guess.

ANYWAY - the area that was suppose to have 40 homes built was sold back to the farmer and now soybeans and wheat will be our across the fairway neighbor. SWEET!  

There have been a few Sandhill Cranes across in the field (I thought they were actually pterodactyl's . . . . .think I didn't have any trouble spelling THAT one?, come on give me a break!!).

SO - it's country living with no houses.
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Check out this cool purse!!  It's awesome!!! 

 You can get them online for $99

Jump from Paper purses!

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Answer:  Incorrectly



Have a fine Wednesday!

Rod

Big O's Trailers

Got my trailer. Now I need to get hold of the Wood Fairy to do some tweaks. I would not mind having that bed liner stuff sprayed in. Also I need to get some square boxes made with wheels on the bottom for my canvas prints.   I purchased it Big O's in Portage.  Nice family owned company AND, I got two caps,  shhhh don't tell LeRoy! 

Seriously though, LeRoy talked me through everything and I really like and trust these guys! 1 3/4 inch plywood base, weighs 650 pounds which is 150 pounds lighter then the U-Haul, 7'7" interior length (5 inches shorter then U-Haul). 4'8" wide, Max load is 2340 which is strangely 500 pounds more then the u-Haul.

Empty it was great on the interstate but on 151 from Madison to Cbus it was as bad as a u-Haul with road harmonics.  But it was empty and bouncy.   Hwy 151 totally sucks for trailers anyway. I need to turn my hitch around as the trailer was slanted up a little and I want to get it more even.  

My ONLY disappointment was I could not get a black trailer!!  :-( 

If you are looking for a trailer check these guys out!!

Big O's Trailers! 

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Good thing I started Lucroy and Gomez last night on my fantasy team (only 4 games out of 1st place).  Brewers actually look good offensively for next year.  Problem will be pitching which is not new but I think there is a chance Grienke could come back to Milwaukee.  He is totally sucking in LA and uncomfortable.  Let's hopse so  LOL.

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Hey - there is a new show on BBC America called COPPER!!  It's really really good.  It's a cop show based in 1864 New York at Five Points.  It stars three Irish cops that are like an old time CSI.

Highly recommended!   Deadwood-ish.

Trailer
http://youtu.be/6FC5lkydS44



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Ever notice when you get a scratch in your glasses it is RIGHT where you look?   grrrrrrr

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I'm finally getting to the end of my Wooden Boat show images.  Here are a few and one from last year that I did not see on this blog, did I never post it???  I must have.

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Ever since I learned that not only am I in first place for the three week League Golf Tournament but also am in some sort of playoff for League Championship I can't stop hurting myself.

First I tweak my back reaching for milk and now last night I flushed the toilette and a mosquito flew out, I went to squish him, missed and strained my thumb.  I am so doomed!

Have a good Tuesday!

Rod 

Trailer Hunting

First question - I have a dead dryer in my garage - how do I get rid of it.  Can I put it  to the curb??   What does one do with dryers in Columbus.

I need to get rid of it because I'm buying a trailer. Art fairs have been very good to me and it's time.  5x8 covered.  I'm going to Big O's today to price them out.

Speaking of Art Fairs.  I love the Agora Art Fair in Fitchburg.  Anytime a guy can come into my booth and literally say "I want that and that and that and this and those two".  It's going to be a good day. (all of my new man cave art B17s, F16s, Submarines).    When I can sell a big piece before I'm even open and the woman said "I came here just to see YOU".  It's going to be a wonderful day.  

The star of the day was my image of Cave Point.  Before I sold the big one I had 4 or 5 people asking for smaller prints (which I did not have any of because no one ever buys them).  Finally a woman is looking around and very quietly says "I'll take it".  WHAT?  no story?  No selling?  And she had never been there. Did not have a clue where it was.   The funny thing is that a person pointed out I missed getting rid of one cigarette butt and it was all I could see once he pointed it out.

And AGAIN - people really wanted my images of Miller Park.  I had ONE and as I was selling it a guy asked it I had another one!!  WTF!!  I sold like ONE last year and this year every show I sell one thinking it's an anomaly.

Balderdash asked me what I sell most of  and besides the big 4 Madison shots it's really all over the board which drives me crazy.  The one hot big piece is the Sunset over ice shot which has been selling every show.

ANYWAY - that's my story and I'm buying a trailer.

Two more shows this year - New Glarus which I have never been to Sept 2nd and Sun Prairie Main Street Sept 8th.  I was told to try Holy Hill which I'll look into next year and two are coming off my schedule, Stoughton and Deforest.

OOPS - just got an email - gotta deliver a 22x48 to Madison today. I LOVE Walker for making me quit early!   Better go.

Rod

Post #1001

For lack of a better Title.

WELL - and so goes another cell phone.  When did I get this latest one?  I have an iPhone 4G and have a special case so when I drop it it won't break.  However I have to take it out of it's case when I golf  because it does not fit in my holder for the GPS app.

All was well and I had the phone in my pocket when I sat down on the back if my Subaru to take my shoes off.  I life my right lag and the phone slides out of my pocket, hits the pavement 2 feet lower and smashes all to hell.   WTF!!  I dropped my iPhone 3G like a hundred times and nothing.  I drop this once from 2 feet and the screen shatters like tempered glass.  DAMN IT!!

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Golf - This happens every year like clockwork.  I go on an outing and play a course that is tougher and not as flat as Door Creek and BAM, I golf so much better afterwords.   For the 3rd time in six weeks I had low net.

Last night on hole #1 this was what I had to do for my birdie.  About a foot.  I made it of course.  My short game as been outstanding lately.  Oddly I have also been taking a shot of 5 hour energy drink before golf and maybe that is helping me stay focused.

That is the head of my putter in the photo. Weird how it looks. I was holding my phone and putter. Looks like a surf board or something.

Anyway - two birdies last night.  I also had a couple holes where I was still 200 yards away and hitting four.  LOL
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Columbus had 1.36 inches of rain up to 7:00 this morning with those storms.  Another one is goign through at the moment so more rain in tomorrows report.

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I'm about to submit my first 3x7 FOOT canvas image for printing.  I'm still not sure how I will get a SEVEN FOOT photo to the company that wants it.

It's of this shot.

B17 Aluminum Overcast

And that shot lead me to getting THIS shot.  This one I got back from the printers yesterday and I printed it on Metallic Paper and WOW.  It looks SWEET on metal paper. 

F16 Fighting Falcon

I've met some people at art fairs that say that my images look so much better live then on the internet.  That one especially looks so much better.

But the shot I really like that I created recently is from the wooden boat show that I shot a couple weeks ago.

1955 14' Thompson Thomboy

One thing I was told when talking to Wooden boat owners.  Seems they really do not "own" the boats.  They are the current caretakers of the boats.

I REALLY have to invest in a GOOD monitor - The F16 came out a little more gold and I anticipated which works great but then I submitted a 2x4 foot photo for Wisconsin Broadcasters that has a lot of the red roof tops of Madison that is WAY too red.  My monitor seems to tone down "red" but when I submit for printed - red seems to really come out too strong.

One more shot of the RC-26 recon plane.

I'm not sure how to correct this.

Have a great stormy Thursday!

Rod 

Post #1000

Just noticed this is post #1000 for this blog!  Do I get a pen and pencil set?
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So I'm at work today working for the man and in this building we 're getting all new windows.  I guess we can't open these (jumpers) and they are brighter.

Well seems there is a problem.  They are TOO bright.  So now they are distributing brown mailing paper and blue paint tape to put over the windows to help with glare.  Blinds will not be available for a few months!

Reminds me of all of Columbus's new LED street lights!  They are great but when the wind is from a certain direction they moan really really creepy!
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Working on a new order for a wrapped print. This one is about 3x7 FEET!!!  It's of the B17.  My goal is to make one life size!!  Just gotta find a buyer!   Shipping - wow - it will cost $300+ to ship this thing to Madison.  I think it will be a steam ship or something.

The wingspan of a B17 is 103 feet 10 inches. My image will be 1/13 size.    

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I've been watching a 13 hour documentary of the American Revolution on The History Channel and it's fascinating. If you have NETFLIX I highly recommend it.

Guys like Thomas Paine who wrote Common Sense. Common Sense gave the American colonists an argument for freedom from British rule when the question of independence was still undecided.  He  wrote and reasoned in a style that common people understood.  Forgoing the philosophy and Latin references used by Enlightenment era writers.

His little pamphlet was a huge hit and in today's standards it would have had 20 million in print.   It was "the most incendiary and popular pamphlet of the entire revolutionary era".

Then there was Benedict Arnold who was actually a hero for the revolutionists and saved the war several times but was always passed over for promotions and his daring deeds were stolen by other generals who took credit for all he did!!

As one historian said after Arnold was wounded in the Battles of Saratoga and almost crushed by his horse.  It would have been great if he would have died because then he would be a true Revolutionary War hero.  But he became so bitter after he was accused of corruption (even though it was his OWN money being used) he switched sides.  The Revolutionaries gave him command of West Point and he tried to surrender it to the British.  bad bad Benedict but I can understand how he felt.

Politics!  It really sucks!
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Speaking of politics - this Presidential race is over.   Paul Ryan is the Sarah Palin of 2012 but not as pretty.  He is an unknown  who has never ever had a private sector job in his life (I guess he drove the Wienermobile once but . . is that a real job?).

But Ryan has never really done anything in politics.  In 13 years he has sponsored 2 bills that actually became law.  Ryan was picked as a "game changer" like Palin, like Geraldine Ferraro, like Jack Kemp. And we all know how McCann, Dole and Mondale turned out.


Ryan has never had to worry about hecklers before so this new stage is will be a REAL eye opener.  He has never been in a contested election except his first! He has spent his entire career talking to the converted and true believers.

Analysis of all Vice President selections of both parties since 1900 shows that Paul Ryan is furthest from the political center of any other potential VP.  Ryan is Mr. Tea Party. So much for hoping to get that 5% undecided!!

One last thing - Romney + Ryan = ZERO foreign policy experience.   And ZERO military experience.   In fact, they have the least foreign policy experience of any presidential ticket in history.

While the election is 50.2 to 48.8 Obama in the popular vote the electoral collage is way way in favor of Obama.   

I'm calling it!  Obama is the next President!  Case closed - I even put $20 on it of shore (1/2 bet, I'll win $10 - big woop). 

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Pretty cool right?  It's made of salt.

But wait - this looks even cooler!!!

WOW - that is a lot of salt - BUT WAIT!!

Artist Motoi Yamamoto created "Labyrinth" on site at Bellevue Arts Museum.

Have a great Tuesday.

Rod 

Busy time

Many people have stopped paying attention to the Brewers but really they are still exciting and interesting.  They have the best pitcher in the Majors since May 8th.  No one in the Majors has a better ERA then Mike Fiers who was called up from Class A. 1.80 and in his last nine starts has an ERA of 1.07.

So yea the Brewers are out of it this year but are still spoilers, still battling. They have a new rookie shortstop they are trying out, they have the leading extra base hitter in Ramirez who is doing a pretty darn good job at filling in for Prince. 

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Last night I had my first opportunity to go onto the Truax Field Air National Guard Base and visit the Wisconsin Air National Guard 115th Fighter Wing and oh man.

I was walking past  two attack helicopters in their hanger and on speakers  I could hear Axl Rose blasting out a Guns and Roses song and I do believe that testosterone level spiked!

Remember the movie Top Gun, the best Air Force recruiting movie of all time?  The opening credits sequence?  THAT is how I felt.

http://youtu.be/tMzj7QuDLC


I was invited to take some photos of an RC-26B and maybe an F16 or two.  Well the F16s were all tucked away but the RC-26B was at my disposal.   In fact they asked how I wanted the plane and they moved it around to different areas and suggested that maybe some night they could set up some spotlights at dusk for some awesome shots!! 

The clouds dried up so I had blasting sun on flat gray fuselage so we all agreed that we needed better light and to try again at another time.   

I did get some shots of the static F16 and the RC-26B which was about to go on a mission over Omaha Nebraska.  The RC-26B is a Multi Mission Surveillance Aircraft and their mission was to look for freshly dug up earth in the Omaha area (looking for a body).  I guess even at night from 15,000 feet their camera can detect it.

RC-26B at sunset with sun blowing through the windows.

Don't even look at that little camera pod under the plane.  DON'T LOOK - LOOK AWAY LOOK AWAY!  

RC-26B

So I got home last last night and my eyes were drying out so I only got three images process and frankly I was a little loopy and getting maybe a little too creative.

This one is something I've had in might for a while. Not sure if it works but it's a new process.

OK - back to the boat photos - I don't know how wedding photographers do it.  They take a thousand photos and then have to go over each one.   I have a few hundred Wooden Boat shots plus RD-26B and F16s plus getting ready for two Art Fair and trying to stock two galleries plus Wisconsin Broadcasters Conference room and Filene Research Group and now another place is contacting me AND two orders for individual prints came in yesterday!!   SHEESH!!!!   retirement??   I think not.

I have so much less time NOW!!!

Rod

got an email last night from a guy that was at Hydro Street Brewery and saw a photo of the Strain Station in Columbus and wanted to purchase one.  I explained everything and said I could deliver.  He got back to me saying that would be great.  He lives in Washington State. 

hmmmmmm  I'll have to rethink that strategy.
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Just got an email this morning from Truax wondering if tonight would be a good time to take some photos.   Actually it's not a good night but . . . . . I don't want to put things off.  I never know how many chances I'll get.

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Sunday we were at Ale and Arts and a couple booths away there was a big commotion and a woman was pointing at her breasts.  Never one to shy away I did notice something going on there and when someone looked at me and said "TAKE A PICTURE". . . . . I was conflicted.

There was this HUGE dragon fly on the right boob!!  what do I do what do I do.   She tried to put it on her finger but it flew off.  BUT . . it liked some jewelry so much it landed and actually sat there for a good hour.   I'd say the wing span was a good 4 inches.

Green Darner

 

It's a female Green Darner, the official insect of Washington.  A Green Darner migrates in fall to Southern Mexico and Panama.  It's the worlds largest dragonfly. While birds will eat them they can fly up to 50mph which make them very hard to catch.   They are ferocious predators and eat all sorts of bug including Mosquitoes and even small fish.

They have 360 degree vision so don't even try to sneak up on one.  They have been around for 300 million years and in the good ol days had wing spans up to 2 feet. 
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Found an old website (from 2003)  - Headlines from 2035

Texas Executes Last Remaining Citizen  

Wealthy Widow Anna Nicole Smith, 83, Weds Handsome Young Actor. "This Is True Love," He Beams. 

Upcoming NFL Draft Likely to Focus On Mutants  

Authentic Year 2000 Chad Sells For $6.9 Million at Sotheby's 

Court Clears AOLTimeWarnerGE-DisneyCiscoFordRJR-NabiscoExxon-Mobil of Monopoly Charges  

50-Year Study: Diet and Exercise are Key to Weight Loss 

Baby Conceived Naturally, Scientists Stumped  

Cancer Research Results In: It Wasn't the Cigarettes - It Was the Ashtrays 

Average height of NBA players now nine foot seven inches  

Castro finally dies at age 112; Cuban cigars can now be imported legally, but President Chelsea Clinton has banned all smoking. 

Postal Service raises price of first class stamp to $17.89 and reduces mail delivery to Wednesday only. 

Supreme Court rules punishment of criminals violates their civil rights. 

have a nice Tuesday!
Rod

Sirius Satellite Radio Scam and Meaningful Art.

Sirius Satellite Radio Scam. 

We were getting ready to write checks and logged onto our account and noticed that Sirius Satellite Radio took $311 out of our account.   OUCH!!  WHAT??   Since the radio in my car was broken we were going to cancel the service anyway so I called and told them we could not afford $311 at this time and wished to cancel.  We were transferred to a different number.

So I talked to another person and they started to give us deals and I said thanks but at this time with no radio we would like to cancel.

CLICK!!  Lost connection.

I call again and am on hold for 18 minutes - when I get a person I explain and    vvvvvvvvvtt!!  lost connection again.  I call again and start to talk to someone in a crystal clear connection and about 5 minutes in he said "What? you are breaking up" which was odd because it was crystal clear and CLICK!!  he hung up!!    I call again and after 25 minutes get a person and STILL, calm and friendly I explain and  CLICK!!  they hung up.  WTF!!!! 

This time they cancel our service but do not give back the $311.  sigh!   At least this time I'm dealing with a company that is not in jail . . yet   (The computer company dude that stole my computer and 12 other laptops is in jail - he moved to another town and their police department got him).

If you google "Sirius hang up" - it's what Sirius does.  There are people complaining all over the internet that can not STOP their service. 
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Ale and Arts in Columbus.  SUCCESS

What a great time it was on the boulevard  Outstanding success, lots of people and exactly what Columbus needed.   DJ said it felt like a Willy Street Fair.  Great music, good beer and I had a great festival.  I've done 16 Art Fairs now and this was #4 in sales.  SURPRISE!!!  Blow me out the door!! 

But sales are secondary (but still important).  What really makes me happy is when someone buys a piece of art because it really means something to them. 

Selling this image was what makes all of this work worth it.

A guy comes up to me and says "I LOVE this piece.  When I'm having a beer in Hydro Street I am  constantly look at it like it's a beautiful woman."

I ask why and he says years ago he was in a band that toured the Midwest.  They would always play at night to raucous packed theaters but when they were setting up in a theater it was always empty and quiet.

He would look out at the empty seats wondering what tonight would be like. He said for him, setting up, the quiet before the storm was always a very magical moment. All the empty seats waiting for the excitement and when he saw this image a flood of feelings would come over him.

THAT is why I love creating art.

I worked 36 hours this weekend at various events. Although "working" 10 hours on an antique  Wooden Boat on the five lakes of Madison did not really seem like THAT much work.  But setting up and tearing down a large canopy is physical labor that takes three hours total and I had to do it twice.

HOWEVER - gotta say that  "The SHOW "is pretty fun so again - is it work?  Yes - but enjoyable work . . . with cool benefits!

I'm talking to another business that wants to decorate their offices with my work giving me three clients now but the awesome cool thing is that some airmen from the 115th Fighter Wing at Truax were looking at my B17 images and were wondering if maybe I would like to take some shots of their F16s up close and personal.  hmmmmmmmm.

I said only if I could fly one (no I didn't say that).  They have a few other planes that I might like to shoot also.  SWEET!!!

Then I had some old shots of farm equipment in action that all of a sudden people were looking at!

This one people kept picking up and loving - WEIRD!!

 What got me was that people would pick this poster up and talk about where they thought it was taken.  The WEIRD thing is that they would guess it right!!!


I took this, liked it, printed it and then kicked myself for wasting money on something only I would like.  Who knew it would be a hit.   Again, emotions.  People look at it and it brings back memories of Uncle Bob or just scenes they remember from the past.

I honestly think I should write a book on Art Fairs.  I've talked a number of newbies through what to expect and since I'm a relative newbie myself I still know all the mistakes I made. 

OK - gotta run. Busy day, have to order a bunch of stuff and get to Madison for photos from the 10th floor of a building. Then I have 200 images from the Wooden Boat show that owners are pestering me over!   I took the shots Friday, and set up my canopy Saturday and they THOUGHT I would have the shots I took up already!! 

OH - gotta mow my lawn which is WAY WAY over due and is going to be a pain in the ass

See ya!

Rod


 

Moving on.

hmmmmm - seems the golf course mowers are getting a little lazy and not mowing up to our property line making me mow an extra 3 or 4 yards.   Pretty soon I'll have to mow the entire course.  Maybe I'll plant some trees on the course.  

They cut down a dead tree that was killed by Japanese Beetles but, COME ON MAN!! 

Really?  The guy with the chain saw could not bend over?

Speaking of Japanese.  Did you see the Olympics last night.  The Japanese gymnasts that won the overall gold.  What was up with his armpits!!!!    OMG - I had to avert my eyes as I was getting a gag reflex.  Even the network was concerned as they always cut the picture just above the pits!   I get it - he had a ton of testosterone but dude, you could have gotten all  tangled up on the bars.

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Got our energy bill yesterday and I still don't know why people in Columbus complain about water prices.  Of course paying ANYTHING for our sucky tasting water is a crime.   It has to be that we get our bills every month.  Like gas prices, we see constant change but never notice that milk goes up and down also. 

I watered something almost every day in July because of lack of rain and heat and so forth and my bill went up a whopping 26 cents a day.  I used 1200 gallons of water more then last year and it cost 14 cents a day more then last July..

Then I was really concerned about the cooling bills.   Last year in July we used the AC on 8 days, this year we had the AC on 18 days and in 2010 only once in July.  So how did the bills come out?   It cost 10 cents a day more this year to run the AC and 29 cents more a day compared to 2010.

Obviously utility bills are more having to do with the base.  Having so many things running in the background. TV's computers, toasters and so forth that are always sucking power. Even when you have rechargers plugged in NOT charging anything, they are sucking juice.  Running the AC and watering the lawn is a tiny drop in the overall bucket utility.

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Spending the day framing and getting things ready for back to back to back events. Tomorrow I spend all day on the Madison Lakes shooting the Antique and Wooden Boat Show . . .work work work  LOL  

Then Saturday my canopy is up at Christy's Landing for the actual show.  Sunday I'm on the boulevard in Columbus for Ale and Arts, a Hydro Street Brewery event with bands from 9 to 9, beer tents and I believe 13 crafters.   And FINALLY!  Hydro Street has air conditioning.  Seems AC people are working 16 hours a day this summer.

    
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I'm still trudging through Railroad Museum photos and putting special requests on a lower priority lately.  I had to totally change my canopy for the boat show which cost about $500 for new old boat images.  OUCH!!!

So here is a new old steam engine.  I had a guy enter my booth a month ago and ask where my railroad photos were.  I said I only had one and he says "What!  You only been doing this for a few weeks?"  sigh.  He was kidding a little.

Yea- not real fond of the faux matting but I'm not going to redue this just for the blog. I have six frames I have to make.  It seemed good at the time but  . . . . . .

Cheers
Rod

RIP Sierra, at least you found Blake

As heart broken as we were at Blakes passing, the cats were taking it hard also. Milo just lays around where Blake used to pace and Sierra Sunday decided to take matters into her own hands and go looking for him.

Sadly we were finding it much easier to keep her inside.  She was extremely fast and when we had the door open for Blake she would take advantage of Blake when he could not decide when to jump off the 3 inch cliff out the door.

So Sunday was the first time she had gotten out since Blake left us.  I feel 100% sure she was looking for him. The were inseparable.  When we took Blake for his walks she would follow right behind.

 . . . .  a golfer found her on the 16th fairway, dead.  There was no physical harm so she was either poisoned by the course or just dehydrated and collapsed?  I'm going dehydration and heat exhaustion as Milo almost died one hot summer day last year.  So we are down two loved ones in less then a seek and this is a tough one for me as I have never lost a pet that I was not prepared to lose.

Goodbye Sierra, at least you are with Blake again.

sniff

Sierra always thought she was so clever hiding