Photography weekend – Part 1
The weather was fantastic this weekend and Cynthia was itching to shoot some pics with her new camera.
On top of that, I had just treated myself to the Sony 75-300mm f/4.5-5.6 Compact Super Telephoto Zoom Lens and was excited about taking it for a test run.
Cynthia and I headed downtown to poke around. We stopped first at “the boots” near Uptown Park because Cynthia had commented on my earlier post and thought it would be a good opportunity to play with her wide angle lens.
That worked out pretty good because I had been dying to get a shot of this one particular building at Post Oak and 610. I drive this way most every day and have always appreciated the reflection of the high-rise condos in this one silver building.
I had to walk a ways away to line it up and ended up standing in the middle of Post Oak to get the shot.
It’s OK, but seeing it in person is better.
From there we made our way downtown. We wandered around a bit and shot some pics of this and that.
It was an altogether new experience for me having a shooting partner. Cynthia was able to help me when I needed to change lenses and vice-versa. This is great practice for our upcoming trip to Spain.
Nick Gaitan – The Octanes
Camera: Sony Alpha 100
Lens: Sony 50mm 1.4
F/2.0
ISO: 400
These boots were made for viewing
Looking down and across the 610 loop from my building I noticed several oversized boots in Post Oak Park and even though it’s freezing cold, I decided to walk over and take the camera.
I’m sure it’s Rodeo related…
Is that a real poncho or a Sears poncho?
It was 26 degrees when we go up this morning!
Brrr!
We were getting ready to leave the house this morning and Cynthia came out of the bedroom wearing her wool poncho. Man, I love this thing. It’s over 35 years old and she’s the original owner.
There’s also a great story that goes with it. When Cynthia was in high school she was given some money by her grandparents for her birthday. Her parents told her that the money should be spent on a new winter coat as she had outgrown her old one.
Cynthia figured that there was no way her parents would let her go through an East Lansing, Michigan winter without a new coat to wear so she opted to use the birthday money to purchase herself a new guitar.
When her mother asked her where she got the money for the new guitar she told them she used the birthday money from her grandparents. Her mother then asked her how she intended to buy a new coat for the winter and Cynthia replied “I guess you’ll have to buy me one!”
Her mother responded “Oh no I won’t. You’ll just have to make due this winter” and left it at that.
Cynthia protested that she would need a new coat to make it through the winter and her mother let her know that she should have thought of that BEFORE she spent the money on a new guitar.
She was not about to return the guitar and with no new coat and the harsh Michigan winter at hand Cynthia was forced to improvise.
She had this poncho, and while it was made completely of wool, it was certainly not intended for the kind of cold that she would have to endure that winter.
Cynthia spent that winter bundled up in as many layers of clothing as she could muster and topped it off with that poncho and made her way to the bus stop and back each day. She describes it as pretty miserable and I can only imagine just how bad it was.
All that trudging in the snow and day to day use of that poncho did not seem to be a problem, though.
35 years later and it still looks like new!
Cruising with Vista
So I fielded my first Windows Vista Q&A for my Helpline Blog over at the Houston Chronicle.
It’s pretty lightweight but still, it marks a new era in my computer support time-line. I’m sure it’s the first of many, many more to come.
You can read it here if you’re so inclined.
Those who enjoy vintage American automobiles or know about my Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme should be sure to click the link at the very end of the article.
Remembering the Maine
This day in history marks the 109th anniversary of the loss of the USS Maine which exploded in Havana Harbor on February 15th, 1898.
The event that killed my great grandfather.
Tijuana Dreams
I made it by the Continental Club a few Fridays back to catch The Small Stars. If you’ve read this blog for any length of time you will know they are one of my all time favorite bands.
Featuring my guitar hero, Landis Armstong (aka Richard Steele), they are a must see each and every time they come to Houston.
They were here this time in support of their new album “Tijuana Dreams.”
I’ve always contended that The Small Stars are an act best seen live, and I think that holds true. That being said, I was having a fairly lengthy and rambling conversation with Miles Zuniga (aka “Guy Fantasy”) and he was telling me of his desire to have the band be more than just a memorable stage act. He said their goal with the new album was to have the music stand on it’s own.
I ttook home a copy of “Tijuana Dreams” and I must say, it definitley stands on it’s own as a great listening experience. It’s been in my CD player for a two weeks now and I simply can’t get enough.
If you cruise by their web site there are some audio samples and their calendar. Check it out.
Click here to visit the gallery of pics from that last show.