Category: Uncategorized

Test Driving the New Lens

I had some errands to run this morning so I got up early. The sun still hadn’t risen so I checked weather.com. It said it was cloudy out. Okay, I think, on my way to run my errands I would take my camera to the usual places in town and try out the new lens. I took a shower and did the dishes and then I was ready to go.

I stepped outside and it started to rain.

Crud.

Oh well, I was already packed up so what the hell. The first stop was the Sands bridge which is continuing along the way to complete collapse. When I think about how much I weigh, and about how the last two times I came here I actually walked across this thing… I’m lucky I didn’t fall through.


This one seems a little soft. It was one of the few that weren’t nice and sharp.


My second stop was the Methuen Rail Trail where it crosses the Mighty Spicket River in the Nevins Bird Sanctuary.



I didn’t notice the foot trails the last time I came here. I saw two or three this time. That gives me something to focus on next summer when I come back to explore a little more.


I am sure M was displeased to learn that the top 00 agent is advertising himself this way.


The third stop was the Falls Dam which had a nice flow thanks to all the rain we’ve had recently.







My final stop was at the Methuen Music Hall.



The Mighty Spicket River is running high today.






Hopefully the next time I try this it will be sunny with no rain. I’ll take my tripod and try some long exposures.

Originally published at robj2112.wordpress.com on December 28, 2014.

Last Day

Two days off for the holiday, then one day working at home, then two days off for the weekend. All day yesterday I was convinced it was Sunday. I had to keep reminding myself it was only Saturday. You’d think today would feel like a happy bonus then, but it just feels like The End.

Two days ago I finally got around to watching The Worlds End. You know, the third Simon Pegg/Nick Frost/Edgar Wright movie (did I misspell any of those names? Sorry). I don’t know why I waited so long. I was laughing my tail off. I think I woke up the house a couple of times. Last night I celebrated the funny by watching Hot Fuzz, but it was too late at night and I couldn’t finish due to need for sleep. Still, sick funny. I love all three of their movies.

I got a pedal board for christmas but all of my pedals are at Mike’s house. If we practice today I’ll bring them all home so I can Velcro the bejeezus out of them and set up my new board. It’s going to be strange to have everything in the correct position waiting for me to plug in and stomp on them each time we practice. Strange but good.

I need to take the car out for an oil change today. Maybe I’ll bring the camera and the new lens along and test drive it out at some of the usual spots in town. Sounds like a good idea, even though the sun will be covered with clouds all day.

Happy Sunday, everyone.

Play Station Network?

I just played a game on our Play Station 4 (is it Play Station or Playstation?) and the network did not respond. According to Google News it was supposed to be back up an hour ago. What’s going on? What kinda nut would want to hack a game network? What’s the point of that? Where’s the gain?

Christmas Through the Years

2007


2008


2009


2010


2011


Owl has been the highest ornament on every tree since 1977.


2012


And Owl too.


2013


And Owl too.


2014


And Owl too.


Eight years worth of trees from three houses. One for each year that my wife and I have been together. I cannot tell you how lucky I am that she and her kids have let me be a part of their family. No one is more blessed than I.

Originally published at robj2112.wordpress.com on December 26, 2014.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all of those out there in internet land who celebrate. HoHoHo!

Santa came last night and did he ever leave a pile of loot!

The kids seem happy, which is the whole point of the holiday as far as I am concerned. I was a little nervous about my gift selections for my beautiful wife Jen. We set a pretty meager spending limit for each other and I went WAAAAY over it. She made it sound like she cut back on gifts for me and I was feeling pretty bad about the mountain I got for her.

Fortunately she like what I gave her. Even the ones that were out of the blue stabs at random guesses. She found the jokes to be funny, which is also a plus. As for me… she most definitely did not cut back on me! She totally faked me out! I got a new camera lens! WOOOOHOOOOO!!!! I also got an MXR Uni-vibe pedal which brings me one step closer to actually morphing into Jimi Hendrix. Awesome! There is also a wicked cool pedal board for my growing pile of stomp boxes, and a great new camera bag because now that I own three (3!!) lenses the bag I have is kinda too small. All in all I made out like a bandit! Santa Rules!

I hope all of you who read this also made out like bandits, and I hope that the things that are most important to you on this Christmas day work out just the way you hoped they would. Just like the gifts we got for the kids did, and the necklace and coach bag I got for Jenny did. hehe

HoHoHo! Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve Arrives

It’s here.  Christmas Eve.  For the first time in 10 years I have the day off.  WOOHOO

We’re having some family over tonight.  The house is almost clean.  The floors need to be swept and mopped and the bathroom needs to be touched up.  All of the gifts are wrapped and where they need to be.  My beautiful wife is in the kitchen starting on the kielbasa.  It smells soooo good.

The weather in New England is supposed to be awful tonight.  Be careful out there, all you celebrators.  Here’s to Christmas Eve going off without a hitch!

 

HoHoHo

Christmas Eve Eve

The agenda for today:

Work, including a yankee swap christmas party which unfortunately involves me having to drive to Foxborough this afternoon.

Finish cleaning our bedroom, including putting away all of the clothes I just folded and trying to find a place for the stuff in the basket on top of the cedar chest.  No clue.  I thought the garage, but that sucker is full.

Clean the dining room after the final present has been wrapped.

Eat… maybe.

Sleep.  maybe not.

 

Lots and lots left to do, but all of it doable and the goal of a clean house on christmas eve is definitely attainable.

 

HoHoHo