Tag: fun

Wednesday Weigh-In – Independence Day Interrupted

If you’re going to celebrate Independence Day, you’re truly celebrating the principles that drove our nation to independence, which are all very well outlined in the Declaration, and the Constitution.  You’re celebrating the idea that if your government isn’t truly working on behalf of all of its citizens, changes are necessary. Replacing the government is necessary, and should happen when necessary.

You’re also celebrating the individual right to state such things, and question what the government is doing. Patriotism isn’t blind flag waving, fireworks, standing for anthems, and shouting rah-rah about an entity with imaginary borders on a round planet. Understanding that is a big part of Independence Day.

LIMEY!

On Sunday I donned 18th Century British military regalia, and gave my best Monty Python'esque performance for an educational video for Old Fort Niagara. The subject was preparing for the 1764 Native Council, to try and bring peace between the British colonial forces, and the Native American Nations who, honestly, didn't care for the British much at all...

The videographer was Lee Gugino, and this is a screen capture from the video.

I look practically regal!

Old Thoughts, Current Feelings

June 20, 2010

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How amazing life is.

..sometimes I have to remember to consider all the wealth I have in my life right now. Especially my kids.

Saturday they helped me get the picnic tables and benches out of winter storage at their house. A few of the benches out-weigh the boys but they worked together to move them. As a reward, they got the first of several of my old, steel Tonka trucks that I had when I was their age. They're all still in good shape and have been in storage for ages. A bulldozer. They were excited, even if the weekend's activities prevented them from using it much.

My daughter asked me what she could earn when she helps out. I asked her what she wanted. She said, to spend more time with me.

I cried.

I cried again today when she gave me her fathers day gift she had been working on. Sea shells glued to a board and a poem. It was beautiful.

She also made the suggestion of getting me a wok for father's day. It amazes me how much she listens to me and knows me.

It amazes me how good all three of them really are. They're young; they will wander, and get distracted so shopping trips are non stop efforts to keep them moving, to stay on task. Of course we take breaks at the samples and demonstration tables - hey, if they're letting you try something new, I'm all for it! But there is never a fight over what we get or don't get. I never have that battle of endless, "I want! Can we get this?" and of course, never the ensuing tantrum when the answer is "not this time," like I see so many other parents deal with.

I see those parents. Sometimes I lose my patience too. Sometimes I have to step back, take a deep breath and remind myself, they're kids. Step back and remind myself to be patient and keep a level head, even when the youngest draws on the side of my car with a rock... *ahem* He's five. It's a car. He is more important.

Yesterday he had a great time at the party we went to with the lady offering face painting. And then he painted her's. Absolute hilarity, but I'm sure in his mind it was a masterpiece.

The middle child is my tough guy, with a sensitive heart. He is the one who stands by me in the rain, helping cut roots of a fallen tree. The one who will join me in tackling a task. The one who will look at a scrape or a cut and say, "Eh, I'm fine... but can I get a band-aid?" But his heart breaks so quickly - like when he's playing a game of kick-ball with his cousins and they won't throw him the ball because they don't trust he can catch it. For those times, we sit and talk, and he listens, and his heart slowly mends.

I'm blessed by these three.

Today we went and took pictures. I love capturing their faces, naturally. Having fun, smiling... today's subject was taste-testing citrus fruits: lemons, limes, grapefruit and oranges, and capturing their reactions. We juggled fruit, we threw them at each other. I captured a lot of amazing pictures.

..but every picture of them to me is amazing.

At the end of it, my daughter and I took the remaining lemons and made lemonade.

*sigh*

I have a lot in life to be thankful for, but little compares to them.

 

 

 

 

More Video Fun

LIVE! At the Palladium!

No, sorry, it was just the Buffalo Pizza & Ale House. But Cortney Chyme had to fill in for Derek Mediak of the Derek Mediak Band who was recovering from strep.

Check out these awesome rock renditions of classic alternative rock songs!

Buffalo Event Photography

If you frequent my blog, or my website here in general, you might notice changes happening right before your eyes.

I'm in the process of rebuilding all of my galleries. This is a huge, time consuming endeavor. I have to sort through literally tens of thousands of photos from over ten years of photography work.  The main focus however is event photography. I have been the photographer for Yelp.com events in Buffalo for over five years. I've covered two World's Largest Discos, three Witches Balls, and countless other events, large, and small, for various organizations, performers, and individuals.

I have to build the galleries, make sure all images are right-sized, watermarked, and their cleanest version. 

http://buffaloeventphotography.com is now active, and will take you directly to my new Event Photography Page. Other portfolio elements are changing, being cleaned out, and getting a whole new look as well, but it's a living work. It will hopefully never stop growing!

Feel free to peruse the new elements, and let me know what you think!

 

 

The 2016 Yelpies

It was a bit of a surprise when I was actually awarded a Yelpie for Community Choice this past December. I guess I always assumed since I've provided their photography, and occasionally videography services since 2012 I just wasn't eligible to get an award.

But then there is that moment when I have to video my own award acceptance. That's not something you get to see at every awards show....

Happy Anniversary To Me!

Living In The Buff Ten Year Anniversary!!!!!! Maybe you've noticed, but most probably haven't - my current watermark updated this year to read Copyright 2007-2017.

Yes, that's right, Living In The Buff is celebrating 10-years of photography this year!

Whether it's been events, public happenings, creative concepts, portraits, or just images of everything there is to love about Buffalo, I've amassed quite a library of photography. So all summer long, I will be releasing some never before seen images, dating back to when Living In The Buff got started! I hope everyone will enjoy it, and thank you for being a fan of Living In The Buff!