Woot!

After several weeks of some mad computer issues that were preventing me from uploading or downloading anything, I am officially back in business. First order of business is Jamie & Anne's wedding pics, now officially made available to the public.

I also have to mention that my husband's wonderful aunt passed away unexpectedly this past Sunday, and we are all absolutely broken-hearted about it. There's never enough time.

Next up: The Thanksgiving Trip

The Last Picture My Rebel Will Ever Take

Canon Rebel: 17.1oz

Canon 7D: 31oz.

It's a boy.

DragonCon Pics, finally

No, I'm not dead, just stretched rather thin.

I took ten minutes to upload my long overdue DragonCon paparazzi pics for my boys. Nothing fancy or special (mostly because I was too entranced to take too many photos). Nerd Disneyland, that.

Life has been crazy, seems like someone's always sick, and I'm trying to get my head on straight again. More photos in general soon.

Nerd Double Header - 8/29/09 @ Nophest

Nerds in Asheville 8/24/09

Adrian Belew Power Trio, Part 2

The Power Trio portion of the Asheville Trip is up. Nerd photos to follow.

I have no words for what happened this night, except, sometimes I get to do stuff that other people only dream about. And I'm grateful.

Adrian Belew Power Trio

I must be getting old

2009 so far in my world has been, not the Year of the Ox, but the Year of the Gray Hair.

I found it this morning, and I'm not talking about my first gray hair, okay; I've had those for years, and I can't count them anymore. There's two kinds: the ones that grow in gray after the dark hair falls out (which is what I have the most of, a bunch of three-to-five-inch gray hairs scattered over my head), and the ones that I can literally watch turn gray. It's bizarre, the gray starts at my scalp and over a period of a couple of years, slowly creeps down the hair shaft towards the tip. Right now, the gray stops at about ear or chin length.

But, I digress. I was talking about this morning. Today I discovered my first gray hair that goes all the way down. It's right at the front, too, on the right side of my face, and I can see it: a thin sliver of white on each tier of ropey curl, like a too-bright highlight that will never fade.

I don't mind - they are, as I wished, white as opposed to steel or tobacco colored - but it is a bit unnerving the rapid rate at which they are popping up, almost as if someone is trying to remind me that I'm getting old. I don't even think it would bother me so much if it was gradual. But I had like, a dozen, tops, at the beginning of this year, and now six months later, I have dozens, and a new one every day. I must have gained at least 40 or 50 in six months.

While I'm interested to see my hair half white, especially how the salt-and-pepper striped curls will turn out (probably like an Oreo candy cane, but hey), wouldn't it be wild if I went totally gray in a couple of years time?

TDY

(For you laymen, that's Temporary Duty Yonder)

Kat's life is about to temporarily shift from 'The Diaries of a Wandering Muse' to 'Tales of a Renewed Cosplay Addict'. DragonCon is in 6 weeks, followed 8 weeks later by Halloween-On-A-Saturday. Much wonder will be created this year for me and mine. For the first time, I possess not only a functioning sewing machine, but, as of Friday, a functioning mannequin as well. If I were only independently wealthy, my life would be complete.

In honor of this next big step in costuming, I have launched a new blog to outline my adventures: http://arnyekmagus.blogspot.com/ (linked both above and on the lower right).

The new blog will be used to document my costumnig, of course, as well as occasional poems and various handcrafts (in other words, for humoring the non-photography portion of my right brain). All photo-related and regular life updates will continue to appear here, as usual.

OMFG

Guests at DragonCon 2009 to include Anthony Daniels (c3PO), Paul Dini, Tom Felton, Leonard Nimoy and Patrick Stewart.

~ squeeeeeeeeeeee!!! ~

GAH!

Posted in hiphop music tour dates on July 20, 2009
Adam Yauch has cancer, Beastie Boys cancel all dates


BEASTIE BOYS TOUR DATES CANCELED, ALBUM RELEASE POSTPONED
ADAM YAUCH DIAGNOSED WITH PAROTID GLAND TUMOR

Adam "MCA" Yauch of Beastie Boys was diagnosed last week as having a cancerous tumor in his left parotid (salivary) gland. Luckily it was caught early and is localized in one area, and as such is considered very treatable. It will however require surgery and several weeks of additional treatment. Fortunately the cancer is not in a location that will affect Yauch's vocal chords.
Beastie Boys have canceled all upcoming concert appearances to allow time for Yauch's surgery and recovery. The release of the band's forthcoming album Hot Sauce Committee Part 1 will also be pushed back.

Paraphrasing from a video statement on Beastieboys.com, Yauch said, "I just need to take a little time to get this in check, and then we'll release the record and play some shows. It's a pain in the neck (sorry had to say it) because i was really looking forward to playing these shows, but the doctors have made it clear that this is not the kind of thing that can be put aside to deal with later."

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

The new Potter movie was a delight to behold, but that's probably because I'm completely over the accuracy thing, and now view the movies and the books as two separate entities.

Because Draco doesn't go visit Borgin with his mummy en tow, and Luna isn't supposed to rescue Harry on the train. They made it apparent early on that this film would fall victim of much editing and alterations, moreso, if possible, than the last one. Now, I can deal with events happening slightly out of order or even in the "wrong" scenes (as long as they happen). I can understand that the things that the characters think often need to be spoken, but there's this one scene early on that I call shenanigans over. It's brilliant on screen, real M. Night Shamalan, but it just does not exist in the books so bad that it bothers me. All I have to say is, that particular domestic residence does not burn down, ever, period, complete and utter rubbish. Harry and Ginny in the room of hidden things was a bit ridiculous as well - instead I'd have liked the end of the bathroom duel to have unfolded properly as it should, in Snape's office. And there is no big battle scene at the end, at all. The bad guys walk away unscathed and worse yet, unchallenged. I know the movie people did that on purpose, because the last pair of films is rumored to be action-packed, but still… They just leave so much out I can't list it all, and have twisted the storyline so very, very much. At this point I'm sincerely wondering if they're going to manage to get the actual Hallows into the 'Deathly Hallows' movie…

But don't get me wrong, the fan in me is still well-satisfied. The Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes shop was fantastic (and I was thrilled about the re-appearance of "Fireworks," their fantastic Irish theme song from the last movie. It gets played over the credits, too). Jim Broadbent is way too tall but nonetheless a great fit for crotchety Slughorn (I just saw the Borrowers recently and I really appreciate him as an actor). Evanna Lynch is perfect as usual - what a find that girl was, love the party dress - and Jessie Cave really stood out as Lavender and gave the much needed comic relief that usually comes from Rupert Grint (if not the rose, than next to the rose, I guess!).

Speaking of Rupert, he was undeniably awesome as usual too, particularly when on the love potion. He has such an expressive face, especially when compared to Dan Radcliffe, who, believe it or not, is usually the one whose acting I'm most disappointed in. He's really good at a great many things, but the facial closeups, in which he's supposed to be experiencing all these feelings at once, I find he usually just comes off like he's setting his jaw in anger. I've got to give Radcliffe credit, though: the Felix potion scene was some of the best acting I've seen out of him in six films.

And more than ever before, the Death Eaters just blow me away (and they'd better, for there's a distinct and obvious lack of Voldemort in this flick). Alan Rickman is fine perfection in whatever he participates in (while continuing to get a bit more portly every time I see him) and has remained flawlessly consistent for six films, especially now that his character has come into full bloom in the story. Snape is a lot more complicated than these movies give him credit for, and Rickman really does a phenomenal job of conveying just enough of Snape's concealed emotions and restraint to keep his character the truest to the books out of the entire cast.

I read somewhere Helena Bonham Carter referred to as the "female version of the Joker" and I agree wholeheartedly. She was so good it made me want to abandon my principles and fix myself up as her for Halloween again (but I won't do that a second time unless I can do it properly, meaning 100% cosplay quality. Who knows, it's only July).

The other star of the film was Tom Felton, who acted circles around Radcliffe and totally stole the show, in my opinion. I can't believe how perfect that kid grew up for this role - tall and stringy like a beanpole, and he really does have that narrow, pointed face and a world-class snarl. Love his face in particular at the moment he realizes he's been discovered in the lavatory and when "Aunt Bella" kisses his cheek in the tower at the end.

I really hope Maggie Smith makes it through the end of the filming. I was a fan of hers before the Potter series, and I have to say, her eyes have gone all rheumy and she's looking grayer than I've ever seen her (and I don't mean her hair). It would be a damn shame to lose her, as she's always been a fine actress, her lines in this film were acerbic and hysterical, and I just can't imagine anyone else pulling off that brogue so well. I will miss her when she's gone.

Seems almost like they left more of the excitement out of this movie, though. When the action is there, it's great, but I seem to remember the book being a really fantastic read and more action-packed than this. But this movie is what it is -- even in book form, it had a soft overtone of being a warm-up to the final: lots of character development and revealing plot elements, kids realizing they aren't kids anymore but they aren't grownups either. However, Stephen King wrote my other favorite (coincidentally 7 volume) book series, and Book 4 was nothing but a story of the past told at a campsite. The main characters, who customarily covered hundreds of miles every book, covered about a hundred feet in the thickest book you can imagine. And considering there's 7 books in the Potter series, and what will be 8 movies, sometimes a little character insight is good and necessary.

All in all I can't wait to go back a second time with my kid. She has no idea what happens at the end. Peace out, Fawkes.

Oh yeah - CL voting underway

My husband's band apparently wants everyone to vote for them in Creative Loafing's Best of Atlanta, and seeing as I'm married to the bass player, I suppose I'm obligated to advertise the fact and vote accordingly.

Kat's Votes:
Local overall music act: Nerd Parade
Local new music act: Odist
Local vocalist: Abby Wren
Local instrumentalist: Rich Wilson
Local rock act: Nerd Parade
Local mainstream act: Nerd Parade
Local electronic act: Tricil
Karaoke Night: Metalsome

http://bestofatlanta.technomile.com/bestofatlanta.php

Bleh

I've got a migraine this morning. (Anyone who is privy to the events of yesterday can probably imagine I would have a migraine out of it.) I tried to work on some photos last night, but I had to quit halfway through to lie down.

I'm tired; that's about all I have to say. These damn headaches take a lot out of me, especially when they are stress-induced. I'm supposed to go see my little brother sit in with Jungol tonight, but I have no idea how I'm going to feel about the pain in my skull after sitting in front of a computer screen under fluorescent bulbs for the next eight hours.

It's days like these that remind me why I dislike the human race as a whole, and make me happy about my life-decisions to limit my contact with it.

Today's Rant: Social Networking Sites

Social networking sites suck.

Really, how many of them are there now? According to Wikipedia, about a billion… Perhaps I'm exaggerating, but I realized this morning how totally pointless they all are.

Where else but a social networking site can someone have a private conversation with a friend, only to have that friend post the gist of said conversation as their "status update" -- eradicating all notions of privacy by publishing the topic on what is essentially an internet billboard?

I made a Myspace account way back when because a great deal of people in my life "insisted" that I get with the times, and it was just as bad as I thought. Countless ads, slow response time, too many teenagers, spammed bulletin boards and an inbox full of friend requests from Naked-Chick-of-the-Moment (or worse). Lovely. Just what I wanted… to avoid. These days, I think I log into my Myspace account maybe twice a year. I'm too lazy to even delete it - which is a testament to how little I care.

Then came Facebook. Once again I was bombarded with emails "insisting" I make a Facebook account, that Myspace sucks (duh!) and Facebook is the new thing, so much better, blah blah blah. So, perforce, I signed up. And it was cool for all of about the five minutes in which I found a couple of people I hadn't spoken to since high school. After that? Just another stupid site. Instead of ads, we've got apps. Countless, pointless apps. Do I need a ones-and-zeros version of someone to give me a virtual hug or buy me a virtual drink? No, I don't, because that's what real fucking people are for. Do I need the same person to constantly send "Become a fan of ME!" requests -- that I have obviously repeatedly rejected -- to my box once every three days? No, I don't, because if I wanted to be a fan of whatever you're doing, I would have showed up at your show.

Facebook is better than Myspace -- which ain't saying much -- but I managed to get sick of it a lot faster than Myspace, believe it or not. I'm leaning towards deleting my account on there, too… although I'm sure if I merely deleted half the people on my "friends" list, I would be much happier. Why? Because -- besides the unappreciated snarky comments I get on the things I personally choose to share -- I've noticed that suddenly my Facebook begins to resemble one of the other evil monsters, Twitter. Status updates from EVERYONE, every five minutes. I can't sleep. Here I am at the coffee shop. Mmm, coffee. Here I am five minutes later eating the bagel that I ordered. Now I am walking out the door. Now I am smoking a cigarette and deciding where to go next. This is what is playing on my Ipod.

Can you hear the sound of me gagging? Should I find an app so you can?

I guess I was wrong, but I thought that's what Twitter was for: to "tweet" (rolls eyes) your every breath to the world -- and allow people like me to avoid having to look at it. But unfortunately the concept has migrated (or maybe at first I didn't have enough "friends" to drive me crazy), and I guess the only way I'll be able to keep a Facebook account and not go bonkers is to delete all these people who post something pointless 20 times a day. Not everything has to be important, witty or brilliant, but write something interesting, for Pete's sake! "I wrote a new song" -- awesome. "I've got a doctor's appointment" -- I'll be thinking good thoughts for you. "I wish I was somewhere else right now" -- understandable. But most of my "friends" are mere aquaintances (my close friends don't need a SNS to keep tabs on me) so I totally don't care what you had for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I don't care if you need to go to the store, and I could give a shit about your household chores. If I cared, I'd ask.

In truth, the idea of spewing the details of my whole life on the internet makes me cringe. Such a thing is on my 'What's Wrong With The World Today' list.

Don't get me wrong: I don't mind finding out what's up with my family all in one place (and I will never delete my family, no matter what you post, because you are family). And if everyone would rather hide behind a photograph and a messaging system than to give out their email addresses, that's fine too. About the only thing I find that's cool is getting invites from bands to see performances I probably would not have otherwise known about. But beyond that? Ugh. It's just not worth it.

on a roll and it's all uphill

why does man always wish to fight
what he’s been destined for
some illusion of glory and greatness
some delusion of keeping score
and when you’re listless, dull-eyed and tired
from the effort of the standards you maintain
you might try for one moment
to simply walk in the rain
remember life’s sweet pleasures
remember it’s all a gift
it’s not a contest
it’s not a game
it’s an hourglass in which to sift
constantly through the sands of time
choosing, grain by grain
a treasure, here
a beauty, there
collecting the happiness and the pain
for you hold not one without the other
and from that there’s no escape
there's death without those minutes of glory
that sustain your heart during the rape
of your senses, your strength
and your sanity
the hours of toil and misery
all for one blessed moment you cannot yet see
when the curtain parts and falls away
when the heart on your sleeve is now on display
you can do what so many cannot
what most of them have always dreamed
why do you think you can turn your back on a gift
and in doing so, somehow be redeemed
from a perfect, unattainable dream

the meaning of life is forever sought for
but the purpose of life is often ignored
to live… to bravely face the day
to walk the path into the fray
of obstacles, with head held high
to look frustration in the eye
to overcome, to learn, to grow
to love - and one thing most will never know
to use the talents you’ve been given
to the fullest – whether it means that you’re living
inside or out of the public’s view
it only matters to the heart inside you
not living up to a standard of somebody else
nor setting your goals far too high for yourself
but to live and know your limitations
is to grow within them and perfect the creations
that come from your soul
no matter what level
or skill class or ranking or scale
and no matter if it brings you success
or you fail and you keep going on
because it is who you are
it’s not something you pack up and save in a jar
to abandon the blessings with which you were created
is to spit in life’s face and be hopeless
and jaded instead of
the beautiful something you were destined to be
no matter who listens
no matter who sees

Nerd Parade @ Mountain Sports Festival Pics

Yep, they're up... my finest NP work to date. No need to post a preview; just click on the link at the top of this page.

What a crazy show... I certainly had a field day of conditions to adapt to. The band started in full daylight, golden, and then there was the mist. LOTS of mist! Now normally, too much smoke/fog/mist drives me nuts (just the right amount is great, though). However, when the sun set behind the stage and full on into that crazy mist, I really had a good time.

And then the sun went down. And the mist dissipated into perfection. Lights... real lights. I took none of this experience for granted. And next time I get such an opportunity, whenever that is, I vow they'll be perfect.

Jane's Addiction, Charlotte NC 6/12/09

My tix were courtesy of this man. :)

BUSY!

Another weekend down... My adventures began with a 3 1/2 hour drive for the band to play the Asheville Mountain Sports Festival in NC. My Nerds headlined on Saturday, playing over two hours worth of music -- pointed out interestingly that this is longer than Jane's Addiction or NIN's current live set.

Now this is a rock star if I've ever seen one:

I'm totally my own worst critic, but this time I've really got 1000 magazine quality photos, with lighting ranging from bright afternoon sun to backlit mist to, as you can see above, full-on rock god treatment (which was the general vibe for the day anyway). I am, which rarely happens, totally proud of myself and fully satisfied with my very first attempt at an actual professional stage. In honesty, I've never had more fun shooting in my life (except, ironically enough, at Jamie's wedding).

It was also neat when the very next day, I was able to bring Richie's laptop and show all the pics to the whole band when I attended...

("maternity portrait" taken at Jamie & Anne's wedding, Leatherwood Mountain Resort, NC)

...Randy and Lynn's baby shower @ Parkgrounds on Sunday. I wanted to do something special, so Richie and I got baby Ruby her first pair of Chucks =)



All in all, a mighty heck of a great weekend... perhaps just what a frustrated and jaded photographer needed... such photos as I took at that Festival are balm to my chapped soul.


Updates:

Jamie & Anne's Wedding: Halfway through and having tremendous fun with these. Would have finished entirely over this past weekend, but, well, see above.

NIN/JA tour: Halfway through the Jane's part. Put on hold for the above-referenced wedding photos. Gonna make sure these are done before we go to Charlotte.

Mountain Sports Festival: Will post within the upcoming week, as no editing is required!! (dancedancedance)

Jamie & Anne's Wedding

Just got done with four days in beautiful BFE -- err, I mean Leatherwood Mountain Resort, NC, where I attended and photographed the wedding of one of mine and my husband's mutual best friends. Yep... I shot a wedding. (Everything I ever say I'll never do, I wind up doing. I should just keep my mouth shut from now on, heh.) While I could never do it professionally, it was actually very fun to shoot friends.

It rained like hell, the mud was plenty and the photographer quite inexperienced, but the bride was beautiful, the ceremony sincere, the food divine and the party fabulous. (All the parties!) I wish Jamie and Anne all the love and happiness I've found in my own marriage, which is the best I could ever wish for anyone.

Here's a mini-slideshow of some teaser photos for now.




(click here for the full-sized slideshow)

Addendum

Okay, Dave Navarro is not a loser; I was just annoyed at Lakewood Ampitheatre.

Never trust a rock star

Well it's a good thing we already had tickets, because counting on a loser-rock star to remember anything is out of the question. But because it was Twitter, the entire world knows Dave Navarro flaked out on us, at least.

That being said, my pictures stink (although to be honest I haven't downloaded or looked at them yet, but we were very far away and I know my camera) but c'est la vie. Dave's lucky he can play, or I might be extremely pissed at him. ;)

But oh, can he play...

Richie, you win, because everything we saw in the past wasn't the real Jane's. They couldn't have been any better. Just flawless. So flawless and so perfect and so the real Jane's Addiction that I'm about ready to take the loser-rock star up on his offer to comp us tickets to any other show in the Southeast (however I'd demand a phone number before I drove out of my way for that).

I'm not going to rant on about how seriously awesome Jane's Addiction were/are. I can't... my brain short-circuits when I try, because they were that good. If you know, you already know, and if you don't, then you never will. Eric Avery -- I don't know how they ever did it without you.

(On a NIN note: I used to like NIN a lot 13 years ago, and I knew all but maybe 1 song in their set. It was pretty good, Trent's voice sounded impressive after all these years, but it was hardly in the 'best show ever' category. I wasn't crazy about the way a couple of the songs were altered slightly, and the scaled-down band - meaning missing song parts - really lacked something in a couple of places for me. Maybe I'm just old now and over all that emo-ness, because NIN really struck me as kinda self-indulgent, to be honest, and that was before Jane's even played.

And after Jane's was through, NIN really looked like an opening act - again, this is coming from someone who was a fairly large NIN fan and knows PHM and DS both very well. I actually find I like their studio albums better than the band live: they just didn't live up to all the hype I've heard.)

YOW

Holy what the heck... Richie just won tickets to Jane's Addiction from Dave Navarro via Twitter. I officially have nothing bad to say about Twitter, anymore, ever.

So I go from the lawn to seats, possible great ones.. and with the relaxed camera policy?!?

No bleedin way, man. If I ever recover my breath and my rapid heartbeat, I'm going to go shoot Jane's Addiction and Nine Inch Nails tonight.

HOLY WHAT THE HECK!

From hurricanes to tornadoes

Not literally, thank goodness -- Florida hurricanes, both literal and figurative, are thankfully behind me for good. But the wind, she blows, and in honor of the (figurative) Georgia tornado that has swept/is sweeping through many a life connected with mine at the moment, I'm doing some soul-searching as well.

I am going to use the Nerd Parade's summer downtime as a personal sabbatical from the world of the dark, smoky bar (unless I am there by my own personal choice). Just as Nerd Parade has been going non-stop since January '07, so too have I chased them around since January '07. My plans for the downtime are to finally clean out the embarrassing backlog of photographs I possess (from all facets of my photography, not just NP) and decide what my future plans will be.

In essence, I have not yet decided if I will return as Nerd Parade's in-house photographer after the summer ends. Truth be told, I have not yet decided whether I will return as a band photographer at all. There are plenty of Atlanta photographers out there to fill in the tiny, tiny gap I would leave, photographers who either already do it professionally or are striving to become professionals.

To make a long story very, very short: What most of the people whom I encounter don't realize is that I do have a career, and it isn't as a photographer. I spend 9 hours a day, 5 days a week, staring into a computer screen at my job. When I go home at night, my eyes hurt. I've also got a musician husband and all that comes with that to take care of, and a daughter going into middle school next year. I manage my house, my office, and still cook dinner 5-6 nights a week. I live 30 miles outside of Atlanta. And lately, when I have a spare minute, I find myself wanting to do nothing but sleep.

I was doing a little networking when I first moved to Georgia, but with Nerd Parade's increasingly hectic schedule over the past few years, I stopped making offers. It quickly became apparent that I would be unable to take any photography gigs if they conflicted with the Nerd Parade's appointments, booked or not. On several occasions, I'd booked something for myself several months in advance, only to have to cancel at the last minute due to circumstances beyond my control. (Again, you have to understand, it's a bit different than photographing 'Random Band X' -- I'm married to the bass player in NP, and we have one car.) It's seriously frustrating.

I begin to realize that there's only room for one industry professional within a family structure, unless there are no children involved. I enjoy photography and that has not changed. I will always love it, I feel I'm pretty good at it, and I will never stop taking photographs everywhere I go, but I need to re-evaluate how my photography does or does not fit into my current life.

Quote for the day

From one of those chain emails, but my philosophy, exactly:

"God doesn't give you the people you want, he gives you the people you NEED. To help you, to hurt you, to leave you, to love you and to make you into the person you were meant to be."

Yes I am quite, quite sick

Chimichangas filled with chinchillas and cucarachas dipped in chimichurri.

Passing the egg torch

Jackie has become quite the artist -- no parental assistance whatsoever in this year's eggs.

Wow

Okay, ordinarily I won't post about a show until I've got some pictures, but last night's Nerd Parade show at the Five Spot was one of the greatest shows of all time.

It wasn't even that the band played great - although they did - but that they played with Odist and Jungol, effectively creating what was the most powerhouse bill I've seen so far during my two years here in the ATL. It's not often I go to a show, any show, and am absolutely enthralled with all three bands, especially when I'd never seen two of them before. It was so good it bordered on sensory overload: way too much talent in one place on one night.

But oh, let me be overwhelmed! =)


Pictures will be forthcoming. It's 2:45 p.m. on Easter Sunday, and I'm just now downloading them from my camera.

Yea-uh

All kindsa of photo goodies

Now up:

Nerds @ the Earl, Atlanta, GA 3/21/09
Nerds On Tour: Spike Hill, Brooklyn, NY 2/22/09
Nerds On Tour: Nerds Do Philly, Philadelphia, PA 2/23/09

Nerds @ Doc Watson's, Philadelphia 2/21/09

Click the "Latest Upload" link for more...

Whoooo doggie

The wind, she blows.

untitled

bring forth the evidence
when will I breathe again

familiar chains
a little prison of
too many strange and forgotten dreams
foreordained
a riddled vision love
winds of change tearing at the seams

long live the new day
long live and fade away

I have lived
for a thousand years
a hundred pass me every day
I forgive
with a thousand tears
growing deeper every day

spread your wings and fly away
spread your wings and live today

Nerds on Tour Part 2: Arlington National Cemetery

Latest Upload - Nerds On Tour, Part 1: Chapel Hill & DC

the unintended, total opposite effect

Smile, though your heart is aching
Smile, even though it's breaking
When there are clouds in the sky, you'll get by
If you smile through your fear and sorrow
Smile, and maybe tomorrow
You'll see the sun come shining through for you

Light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
Although a tear may be ever so near
That's the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what's the use of crying?
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just smile

Love you, Grandpa

Burt Clinton Pettigrew
(April 26, 1922 - February 25, 2009)

Burt Clinton Pettigrew, a resident of Dothan, AL, passed away on Wednesday, February 25, 2009 at Henry County Health and Rehab Center. He was 86.

Mr. Pettigrew was born April 26, 1922 in Webb City, Missouri and moved to South Florida at an early age where he attended high school. He entered the U.S. Army and was a veteran of World War II. Upon completion of his military service he became an automobile mechanic and was employed as a mechanic until his retirement. In 1999, he moved to Dothan, AL to be near his daughter. Mr. Pettigrew was of the Baptist faith.

Survivors include his three sons, Richard Pettigrew and his wife, Lynda of Melbourne, FL, Donald Pettigrew and his wife, Joyce of Lake Worth, AL and David Pettigrew and his wife, Marilyn of Miami, FL; a daughter, Janice Arango and her husband, Al of Dothan, AL; six grandchildren and several great-grandchildren also survive.

The family will receive friends from 10:00 AM until 12:00 Noon Saturday, February 28, 2009 at the Marion Nelson Funeral Home in Lake Wales. Graveside services will be held 1:00 PM, Saturday, February 28, 2009 at the Lake Wales Cemetery in Lake Wales, FL.

Nerds @ Nophest

Finally got the kinks worked out. PopAsheville coming next.

Nerd T-Shirts!

They're awesome =)

Tried to upload Nophest photos last night and ran into an unexpected problem with the files - guh! Hopefully it will be resolved tonight.

Update

Okay, so my original plan of mass photo production over the weekend was slightly delayed. I did get plenty of work done, but I was involved in some last minute Nerd Parade album work that took top priority over uploading photos. Stay tuned for the mass upload within in the next day or two - the new computer is finally able to produce them, and it's gloriously faster than before.

Too much life

I am suffering from 'too much life' at the moment... I have inconsistant internet usage due to trying to transfer my world from the old PC to the new PC, I haven't checked my email in about three weeks, I'm getting ready to go touring with a band that's in the chaotic process of finishing up an album, my kid's being lazy at school, I'm thinking about possibly moving out of this apartment and swimming through my after-holiday financial crisis and I've been far too interested in overtime at my actual paying job to bother thinking about free photography favors.

(Wow... did I just say that out loud finally? Well, it's the honest truth, and is why I never claim that I am trying to "make it" as a photographer, why I don't accept every offer that comes through, and why I don't charge. If I charged, I would be obligated to crank out photos within a reasonable period of time. Now, I love photography, but if I wanted to do it for a living, I would need to quit my career first. I simply don't have the time.)

To anyone, including some of my new friends who are waiting on free photos: you're just going to have to wait. I can't even keep up with my family's requests.

Available 3/1/09

I love the Nerd Parade, and I'm not just saying that because the band is made up of my husband and (for all practical purposes) my in-laws. No, I don't blow sunshine up anyone's arse unless I actually mean it, and today, I do.

One of the awesome things about being married to the bass player in a band recording the follow-up to their first album is the incredible amount of rough demos and madness I get to listen to on a regular basis. Then there are nights like last night, when the first six near-completed songs materialize in my living room through the magic of mixing sessions and the Internet. And that's when we all lie back with our eyes closed, our ears uncovered, and our minds open... and listen.

I could talk all day about how these songs are just incredible and nobody makes music like this, break them down individually and blah blah blah... While it would all be true, I'll leave that task to the more noteworthy reviewers who will no doubt have their opinions plastered all over the new NP website when the proper time comes. For my own part, having listened to countless hours of music created by Randy over the years, I can confidently say that this new batch contains some of the best and most versatile rock songs he's ever written.

Much moreso than A Delicate Bashing, each track on The Span of a Life stands proudly on its own two feet as well as contributing to the general whole. As happened with "Resolution Day" on the last album, one of the very last tracks to be added to Span has become the instant favorite of nearly all listeners, and goes by the moniker of "Dead Air and Denial." If we are very good little girls and boys, perhaps the rumour that "DA&D" will be released as the first single will come true, and maybe, just maybe, it will be available on the band's Facebook and/or MySpace before this week is out? (HINT HINT, ya'll)

Personally, the thing that strikes me the most about Span is the transitioning between songs. For the listener who knows something about music, the individual tracks blend so seamlessly into each other that it almost defies imagination. (You'll have to hear it all to see what I mean.) Between tracks 5 and 6, I looked over at Richie, and he had this look on his face that I'm sure I shared when I remarked, "He really is a genius, you know."


The Span of a Life - coming Sunday, March 1, 2009
http://www.thenerdparade.com/

The Best Things About Birthdays

Homemade birthday cards from children.

People who care enough to leave voicemail on dysfunctional cell phones that don't always ring.

Relatives who solve crises without even knowing it.

People who care enough to email you in the place you always are, even if you aren't there.

Long-lost buddies who turn up out of the blue.

Birthday presents you can drink out of. =D

People who love you enough to happily accept a long payment plan.




Damn fine day if you ask me.

Nerd Pics

Nerd Parade @ East Atlanta Ice House
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Atlanta, Georgia