iFly to Old Gas Stations

I love those random little things that make my life a tad bit more exciting. A few months ago I received a Flickr message from "Sebastiaan," who apparently collects photos for iFly, an online magazine the Royal Duch Airline company (KLM) publishes. (Completely random, considering that I have absolutely no stock photo connections.) Apparently the mag team was putting together a spread on Oregon and needed some images to entice their readers to fly halfway across the world.
To be perfectly honest, I was somewhat puzzled. I mean, Oregon is really gorgeous- but out of a multitude of Flickr photos, they selected a shot of a gas station out in the sticks of Eastern Oregon?
Don't get me wrong- I love old gas stations. If I could photograph only one thing for the rest of my life, I'd seriously consider primordial gas stations. It's just that when I took this picture, I wasn't exactly envisioning upscale Dutch traveling magazines. I was just in awe of the dusty, rugged, stunning land that stretched on for miles. (I was also aware of the poor quality of the outhouse behind the convenience store.)

I didn't get paid anything, of course- but looking back I should have tried to get some tulips out of this deal.

A Monday Adventure

Monday afternoon, after my classes ended, my mom and I drove up to Portland for Ree Drummond's book signing that started at 6:00 at a local bookstore. We were both ridiculously excited- both of us are hardcore PW fans. Completely and utterly obsessed.

I'm not usually interested in book signings. Twilight? Harry Potter? Thanks but no thanks- I'll be hiding in the poetry section. You can come find me when the hordes of maniacal teenage zombie zealots dissipate. (No offense to my friends who read these books.)

Drummond, from what I could tell, is just as kind, gracious and funny as she is on the internet. Since over 500 people showed up, my mom and I had to wait a good while to get our book signed. We went and had dinner, shopped a little bit, and found a good frozen yogurt shop. At ten we drove to my aunt and uncle's house- nearly getting lost in the process of navigating urban highways.

But back to the actual signing event. Before the PW arrived, the bookstore staff guy who was organizing the event felt the need to tell a crowd of 500 women that Drummond was detained because of that "cloud over Iceland" and that she wouldn't be able to make it.
If I remember correctly, no one laughed. Until, of course, PW showed up.

Of Tyrants and Tea Parties

"Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master."-George Washington

During the past week or so, I've had mixed feelings about the tax day "Tea Parties." Excitement, because I love the feeling of protesting unjust government. Discouragement because I live in a very liberal area of the country. And maybe a bit of disdain, because to be honest I really don't like Sarah Palin or McCain or Sean Hannity or Bill O'Reilly- a few big names commonly attached to the tax day protests.

After a late-afternoon piano lesson on Thursday, my family and I went downtown to join the crowd that had congregated in the area in front of the old courthouse. Normally this area is the sanctum of hula-hooping hippies (no, I'm not kidding) and former beatnik bums who play the "drums of peace" for an appreciative audience every Saturday.

On this particular night, however- we listened to congressional candidate Art Robinson give a speech.

Robinson is currently president and research professor at Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine and is decidedly pro-life. I know my readers are spread far and wide, but if you live in this area I would highly recommend checking out his website and voting for him in the next election.

(And yeah...I did just endorse somebody on here. I told you this was a random blog!)

I could photograph these faces all day without becoming bored. Intense expressions everywhere.


"Mr. Gorbachev...tear down that wall!"



What do you think of the Tea Parties?

Ranunculi

Texture here.

A Saturday Drive

My mom, sister and I went rode out to the country today. My mom wanted to pick up some flowers at a plant nursery, and I wanted to scout out possible locations for photoshoots. I know I've been posting way too often, but I just had to show you these sheep:

I've been down this road countless times, and always enjoy seeing these creatures- some of whom usually seem to be in a comatose state. I really do like sheep, but my attitude towards them can be summed up using the eloquent words of American general George S. Patton: "Follow me or get out of my way." (Technically, he said "Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way," but the idea of being led by a sheep is not particularly appealing to me.)
Looking at the picture above, I remember a civil war reenactment I witnessed a few years ago. To present an accurate picture of a battle during that time, the actors fell to the ground like possums and played dead. They did a remarkably fine job, and so did these sheep.

My favorite color combination.


I want to go sit in this field and read a book. But I might get distracted by the sheep that are probably hiding in the bushes. Terribly distracting situation, wouldn't you agree?




This orchard may look lonely, but in the fall- hordes of children congregate for the harvest festival. The highlight of this event is undoubtedly the free apple cider, although some may argue for the concert given by a couple of middle-schooled girls dressed up in pig suits. One of my brothers made the acute observation that we have no way of knowing the age of these people. My mom was then forced to point out that no other age demographic would do something like that.

Orchards are so much better in the spring, don't you think?

Music Fur Ur Ears

NOTE: This post is part of a series that shall hopefully be continued in the following weeks. I'm going to be working on new and wild photo-projects soon, but for now you get my harebrained thoughts on music.


Fur Elise is probably one of the most-played songs in recitals around the country (and for good reason). Impressively, Americans can say the name of this infamous song and still avoid sounding like Huckleberry Finn. (Must be the European association.) In an imaginary conversation, however, things can take a disastrous turn:

"You gonna write a song for Becky Thatcher, Tom?"
"Shore. What should I call it?"
"I dunno. How bout, 'Fur Becky?'"

Thankfully, Beethoven did not dedicate many songs.

If I were the dictator of the piano world (provided that position does exist) I would send Fur Elise into exile for just four years. Fur Elise would be the George Foreman of pianoland, and in a mere half-decade make a triumphal entry back into recital halls around the country. If little pieces of music like Fur Elise behaved like the fashions of the '80s, everything would be right in the musical world. They go in, they go out. You might miss the little suckers for a spell, but if you plan on becoming an octogenarian, you are guaranteed to see them make a comeback at least three times. And each time they come into fashion again- you're glad to see them! They are new, refreshing, sensational. (Sorry, sometimes I just have to share my earth-shattering ideas with you.)

Once when I was younger, I watched a dramatization of the life of Beethoven. I only recall a very angry lunatic flinging a plate at an unsuspecting waiter before marching home to write one of the greatest symphonies of all time.
I wish my bad days ended like that.

Unfortunately, composition was the last thing on my mind last Wednesday when I fell down the stairs and later had a grisly encounter with my arch nemesis, the cheese grater. I have come to the grand conclusion, however, that my lack of inspiration and talent is perfectly acceptable. After all, Beethoven once said "There are and will be a thousand princes; there is only one Beethoven."
No doubt Beethoven was a egomaniacal crackpot, but let's all confess: he was a really talented egomaniacal crackpot.


Oh, yeah. And I forgot to mention...shoulder pads are coming back. I'm going to go hide in my closet. If you want to periodically bring me water and food I'd sure appreciate it.

Fun In The Street

Sometimes when friends come over for the afternoon, it's fun just to wander around the neighborhood and take random photos. These shots were taken just before a hailstorm.

Still trying to get that perfect "jumping shot."

Jessica loves photography. If you haven't already, you should go check out her blog.


Kathryn, her sister, loves all the little kids at our church. (She is always willing to pose for me, too.)