Tag: Adventure

COVID-19 Shutdown: Day 1

Posted on by Paul In The Buff

Although I haven’t hoarded toilet paper, I feel I’m fairly well prepared for this. My only concern is being between jobs and/or contracts right now, so no reliable income. People obviously aren’t going to be buying photography, and video services right now, so I need to really buckle down. 

So far things are ok. Of course, we’re both coming down with a cold right now. Gigs, and events have been all but cancelled through April. New York just announced a required closure of restaurants, bars, gyms, theaters – pretty much anywhere people can gather. Didn’t hear anything on bowling alleys, but I would assumed they would fall into the same category.

My main worry is Evan, of course. He is potentially immuno-compromised on his current chemo medication, so I want to make sure he is protected. School is closed for now, so I get extra time at home with Cortney.

Off to work on home projects, and try to not get injured doing so!

Weigh-In Wednesday – The Ten Year Challenge

Posted on by Paul In The Buff

Our Meet The Filmmaker interview went well, but as always, the questions I anticipate people will ask about the movie are not the questions that are asked. Meet The Filmmakers will probably be released in late Spring/early Summer. Before then, however, Stages will be shown at a movie night at Buff State’s Upton Hall on Friday Dec 6 at 7PM. This is an event hosted by Mike Raisch for his recent production Smith and the Devil which I assisted slightly in helping to shoot some video elements (under water, no less). There will be a Q&A afterward, and I will be speaking about Stages, so feel free to come, and ask questions.

Weigh-In Wednesday – The Uniqueness of You

Posted on by Paul In The Buff

I learned in time, that’s just how it is, and I need to have patience with myself, more than patience with others. In those times when you’re stopped worrying about it, and start focusing on other things, amazing people come into your life. When you’re forcing it, less than amazing people come into your life.

Just my two-cents of my old age wisdom. Picture me peeling an apple and eating slices off the blade of my pocket knife while sitting in a porch rocker while telling you this. It might make more of an impact.

A straw hat, and denim overalls are also nice additions.

Another Day

Posted on by Paul In The Buff

“I want to play,” Hailey  announced in that way that only drunk people would announce such a thing.

“What would you like to play?” Billy inquired back with a smirk. He knew her condition meant she would be open to anything. She loved rough play when drinking, and the more drunk she got, the rougher it could be.

“Whatever you want to play…” she said, poking Billy in the middle of his chest with an outstretched index finger. “But you know my preferences,” she continued, tracing her finger down his body.

Billy looked at her through squinted eyes, and a tilted head. She smiled, and laughed a little, and playfully asked, “What?  What’s gong through your mind?”

“You might not want to know,” he responded dryly, “but you’re about to find out.”

Weigh-In Wednesday – Searching for the Sun

Posted on by Paul In The Buff

Sometimes, being positive isn’t about finding the silver lining in the storm clouds, or seeing the sun from behind the rain. It’s about appreciating the rain, and how refreshing it can be while it is coming down. It’s about appreciating the dancing shadows in the storm clouds as they roll, and flow. It’s about recognizing your pain, embracing it, and realizing it will pass. 

Not everything is good all of the time, but even when things aren’t good, they’re useful. Flowers rarely grow from sunshine alone. It takes a balance of rain, and some lumps of shit, along with the sunshine for them to thrive.

If you spend your time trying to only be positive, not only do you fail to learn to deal with your problems, but you lose the experience of the pain your problems bring. Without being able to feel, embrace, and deal with pain, you can’t fully appreciate the happiness, and the good. As I’ve said many times, the valleys help define the mountains.  The oceans help to define the land. Contrasts exist to show us what can be, what is important, what we should value, and the things, and people that deserve our greatest efforts.

Movie Poster for Stages

Weigh-In Wednesday – Back to Routine

Posted on by Paul In The Buff

The previous weekend was the 48-Hour Film Project. Our movie titled, Stages was filmed in record fashion. Our first year leading our own team; we kept the production streamlined, the story easy to follow, and sensible, and our production schedule stayed very close to schedule for the entire day. Because I directed it,  filmed it, and edited it, it was less of a challenge keeping the vision on point.  The Premier Screening was this past weekend, and I have to say, I think it played well. Not as flashy as some films, but given our small team, and limited technical resources, it still came out clean, and cohesive, and seemed to have the emotional impact we were going for. Confirmed by a few different viewers, some even said it appeared on screen as one of the best looking, best filmed movies of the day.

Weigh-In Wednesday – Something Missing

Posted on by Paul In The Buff

#PHOTOGRPAHYWITHOUTLIMITS

I came up with that tag a number of years ago in a way to express that I’m kind of a go-anywhere, do-anything for a good shot kind of photographer. Obviously, I have limits, but they’re usually based more on how can I get the shot AND keep my camera safe? Because if I can’t retrieve the shot, then it’s not worth the shot.

At the start, someone believed it was in response to a threat lodged by a former colleague that I would never take photos at an event in WNY again. That was a silly threat, with no chance of being enacted, so I wasn’t really worried. Since then I have photographed countless events. I can try to count them. Shall we?

World’s Largest Disco, multiple times. Witches Ball, every year. Pride Parade, on behalf of 2 different organizations. Cupid Undies Run. Carley’s Club fundraiser. St. Paddy’s Day Parades.  Not to mention dozens of Yelp community events, Buffalo Without Borders, and thanks to my relationship, First Night, Steam Punk Fest, and a dozen other events she has performed at. 

Something Like On-Line Dating

Posted on by Paul In The Buff

She divulged fantasies. The simple, the complex. She wanted to be thrown against a wall, and kissed with passion. She wanted to be tied, spanked, and forced to have orgasms. She wanted someone to go down on her, and reciprocate what she gave her partner in intimacy. She wanted to be loved, fucked, and used. He was willing to give it all; he often reminded her that he had very few limits or boundaries. But her fears kept her from acting. She felt every situation needed further vetting, but the more Hailey got to know Billy, the more obsessed with him she was becoming.

It had been a while since anyone had been open, and vulnerable with him. She had poured her feelings, and her desires out to him over the previous weeks, and now here she was taking her risk. Did she really know him? Did he really know her?  He wasn’t exactly sure what to expect, but he knew what direction he wanted to move her toward…. Everything was in order, and waiting for her, but despite her exuding a sense of calm, Billy could still sense her hesitation.

Weigh-In Wednesday: Still Recovering

Posted on by Paul In The Buff

It’s the end of an era. I bought that house in 2008 (the process started in the autumn of 2007) , and moved in shortly thereafter. It was a house, a meeting place, a home, an office, and a photography studio. With my technology business, we helped dozens of local businesses on their path to success, and modernization. We worked multi-million dollar projects for an international medical manufacturer, hosted technician training for their contractors, developed wireless network assessment calibration , and reporting techniques, and policies, software R&D for their products, and customer support, all while implementing their solutions at hundreds of hospitals across North America, and Australia. I hosted monthly networking meetings for over four years to bring Buffalo businesses, entrepreneurs, and clients together.  I designed creative photography concepts, and hosted collaborative photography sessions involving photographers, models, and other artists. That house saw fund raisers that raised thousands for organizations like the SPCA, Family Justice Center, and Buffalo Animal Shelter. I hosted marketing events for Xerox, and other local businesses. It saw mimosa Sundays, and New Year’s Day gatherings for friends. It hosted meetings for 48-Hour Film projects, and outdoor movie nights on the back deck. I raised chickens, and gardens, and provided a place for my kids to explore, be artistic, play games, and have fun. It gave a home to friends who needed a place to land, and most recently, Rika, who also needed a place to land. It experienced joy, and happiness. It experienced sorrow, and heartbreak…