I'm debating

I have an idea of what I want to do this weekend for you fine folks. Well. for ME. But I'll include you if you choose to read it. And if I decide to do it. It involves The Kitchen. But if I decide not to do it, I wouldn't want anyone out here to be disappointed.  so maybe I shouldn't mention it.

You see, I'm wanting to do a series of Do It Yourself articles, showing off those things I've taught myself to do, either through trial and error, or through resources I've discovered online. I have lots of knowledge to share, from The Kitchen, Behind the Camera, and in other areas, too.  Hopefully someone will find it useful!

out for delivery

YAY! The internet-ordering NERD!'s favorite words!

I'm almost ready for springtime.

Next week the vacation arrives. A week off of work with the Kiddo and nothing planned. We have lots to do, but no agenda. I like that. No Office. No Homework. The goals are: Fishing, Skateboarding, Bike Riding and maybe a little garage clean-out.  I still don't know if the beast will actually fit inside the garage. Maybe there'll be time to discover that!

Kiddo wants to experience catching a Northern Pike. I'm reading through the regulation book, and can't find anywhere that says it's illegal to catch and release on the off season. I'm going to be putting a call into the DNR this week to get a definitive answer, but we'll be careful not to target any specific fish until season opens officially, in the meantime.  Wish us luck!

**UPDATE!**

from the Michigan DNR Website: "It is unlawful to: Take or attempt to take fish outside of the open season for that species."


That's a bit of a bummer, but I understand the reasons. So we're likely to be fishing for Perch and Panfish next week, but it's ok. We'll have a great time fishing anyway!

Nadia G...

I know I promised that I'd take all the photos for this blog, but until I can successfully get myself in picture range of this Canadian-Italian kitchen goddess, I'll have to settle for web pictures.  Seek out the Bitchin Kitchen on Cooking Channel. She's worth it. It's all about the technique.  Honest.

Time to burn some dino-juice

The rig. 2005 Ford F250 4x4 Diesel. It's time to go home, and unlike my gasoline burning brethren, I won't have to visit a refueling station until the end of the week. I drive TONS of miles, too.  About 100 miles a day. It needs a bath, though.  Maybe that'll be tonight's project.

Don't you hate it when you've

Don't you hate it when you've ordered something and you have to WAIT for it to arrive?

What better way to keep a NERD! interested than hobbies with gadgets?

One of those hobbies is photography. I like to take pictures. I've worked hard to learn how to use my limited selection of gear to take pictures of friends, family, stuff and things... You will see some of it here as the days and weeks go by, or you can check out more now at my website.

I try to limit the work I have to do in software, too.  Most of my pictures are completely done in-camera. I don't use image editing software, if I can get away with it. "MADNESS!" you say. "HOW did you get to be so awesome?" Well, I'm just. that. good.

No. Not really. I think I'm up to somewhere around 25,000 pictures on my current gear, and most of those are of the towel bar in the bathroom, or the television screen in my living room. I spent hours pouring over photography websites, image galleries, and other resources to see what I liked, and figured out how to make my camera do that stuff, too.  ANYONE can do this, with ANY camera. Photography is ART, not science. Artists know how to use their tools, and leverage those tools to make ART.

So STOP WORRYING if you've got the right gear. No matter what creative outlet you love. Just do it. Create. Sculpt. Write. Compose. Act. Cook. Paint. Build*.  Don't spend your whole life working. Find time for you.


*Notice I didn't say take pictures in that list there.  I like to think I'm pretty good at that, and I don't want to encourage someone who might be better than me. I'd be jealous. Ok. Maybe only a little, but still.

The New Ride

So part of this revitalization of mine includes spending as much time doing the fun active stuff that the child likes while it's still ok for dad to hang around.  To that end, I have a new mode of transportation on it's way to me.

http://www.bustinboards.com/v/build_ibach_longboard_10ply.asp

I have had my fair share of reckless hobbies, but I haven't ridden a skateboard with any regularity since before I could drive. This just may very well be the end of me. If it happens, I'll definitely go down grinning.

Here goes nothin'

I look around me and see the trappings of a conservative, white collar, middle class man. Cubicle job in a computer career. (NERD!) Mortgage. Car Payment. 401K. Accrued vacation hours. WHEN THE HELL DID I GET OLD?


I've been watching and encouraging my pre-teenage daughter to live life, appreciate the music in her head, and find the thrill of adrenaline from riding bikes, boards and blades of all types. She is enjoying it all with very little fear. Watching her has reminded me of that rush I used to find so energizing myself.  I've become respectable. I've become professional. I've become boring.  Every braincell in my head keeps shouting at me. "YOU'RE TOO OLD!  You'll NEVER play with a rock band.  You'll never be able to keep up with the kid on boards or bikes or anything anymore. You're going to KILL YOURSELF if you try!"

The voice of reason says I need to continue to act my age. I don't WANT to. I have acted my age my entire life. I want to act the age I WANT to be. So here goes nothin'. The longboard is on order.  My bass is tuned, The  BIG ASS amp is powered up and on 11. Let's go have some fun!