Lightning Photos

I took probably 250+ photos the other night and got about a dozen semi-decent shots.  Doesn’t seem like a good batting average.  Does anyone know the “trick” to photographing lightning?

Here are my best:

And a child shall lead them…

Interesting story about a 13-year-old leading his family to church from Sunday’s NY Times.

Advice to Graduates

Haven’t updated much lately.  I found a job… temporary work in a warehouse.  Long days at the end of which I am more inclined to read than write.  But I came across something I had to share: an article in the NY Times about this year’s class of college graduates.  These are tough times for college (or high school) graduates.  In a normal year, its common for graduates to wonder about what is next in life.  But this year, in these unprecedented times, those wonderings are especially urgent and there appears to be no clear way forward for many.

And yet many are finding, despite the very unique circumstances our economy presents, no shortage of advice for how to handle what is next.  The Times article had a page of excerpts from commencement speeches.  Here is my favorite, from playwright John Patrick Shanley to the graduating class of the College of Mount St. Vincent:

“Not to bring up something upsetting, but when you leave here today, you may go through a period of unemployment.  My suggestion is this: Enjoy the unemployment.  Have a second cup of coffee.  Go to the park.  Read Walt Whitman.  Walt Whitman loved being unemployed.  I don’t believe he ever did a day’s work in his life.  As you know, he was a poet.  If a lot of time goes by and you continue to be unemployed, you may want to consider announcing to all appropriate parties that you have become a poet.”

My father is like the Holy Trinity

I’m reading Frank McCourt’s book “Angela’s Ashes.”  Its a wonderful book, written back in 1996 and it won the Pulitzer Prize.  Its basically a memoir of McCourt’s life as an unbelievably poor child being raised by Irish-immigrant parents in New York and then back in Ireland after the family moves back there when Frank is four years old.

Frank’s father is an alcoholic.  When he works, he drinks and doesn’t provide for his family.  When he is sober, he doesn’t drink but he doesn’t work so he doesn’t support his family then either.  Despite the fact that he doesn’t put food on the table, the father is kind to his children: reading to them, helping with homework, insisting they say their prayers and telling them wonderful fantasy stories until they fall asleep at night.

Frank McCourt wrote this about his father:

“I think my father is like the Holy Trinity with three people in him, the one in the morning with the paper, the one at night with the stories and the prayers, and then the one who does the bad thing and comes home with the smell of whiskey and wants us to die for Ireland.”

The bible says that we are created in the image of God and God is a triune being.  There are aspects of my life when I feel like I am different people. Its an interesting thought, isn’t it?

You should read Angela’s Ashes.

Feeling the love at Dillon’s

Kathy and I were having dinner last night.  Actually we were finished with dinner and Kathy was bringing out a dessert that she had prepared.  As she brought it out, she said “I have something to tell you, but I don’t want it to put you in a bad mood.”  My heart sank and I wondered if something was wrong with Kathy, or if I had done something, without knowing, that somehow hurt her.

I looked at her.  She smiled and said “I went to Dillon’s today and I saw “your” cashier so I went through her line.” She paused and I waited for confirmation of my experience (you can read about it here).

“Well,” Kathy said, “she just about talked my ear off.”

“No way!” I said.

“Yes sir,” Kathy said “and she initiated the entire conversation.” Kathy went on to relate all manner of conversation the two of them had about the weather, how it was to work at Dillon’s, how the checkout girl’s little brother was doing.  Unbelievable.  I asked her if she was sure it was the same person and described her.  Kathy is sure that it is her.

I absolutely cannot believe it.  I’m convinced that we are talking about two different people.  So sometime this weekend, maybe several times this weekend, we are going up to Dillon’s until we see the checkout girl  and I can verify that it is the same girl.  Then we’re going to go through her line so the checkout girl can see that I’m married to Kathy.  Then we can be friends.  Come to think of it, that’s probably why a lot of you are friends with me.

Feeling the Love at Wal-Mart

I wanted to give an update on “I’m not feeling the love at Dillon’s…”  I received a huge amount of really good advice.  I appreciate that.  Today I went grocery shopping, but I didn’t use any of the advice because I went to Wal-Mart.

I like Dillon’s better (mainly for produce and they have some stuff Wal-Mart doesn’t have) but I needed some paper goods and Wal-Mart is way better on price on that kind of stuff.  I’m sure you don’t care about all of this, so I’ll continue on.

I went to checkout and the checkout person is this guy and his body language is indicating that he really, seriously does not want to be there. 

Torture One Another

I just can’t believe this.  Seriously can’t believe it.  The Pew Research Center just finished another study. The question was “Do you think the use of torture against suspected terrorists to gain important information can often/sometimes/rarely/never be justified?”  Here are some of the results.

• 54% of those attending religious services at least weekly said torture could often/sometimes be justified.
• 51% of those attending religious services monthly or a few times a year said torture could often/sometimes be justified.
• 42% of those attending religious services seldom or never said torture could often/sometimes be justified.

The more you go to church, the more likely you are to think that it’s often/sometimes justified to torture suspected terrorists.  I am really scratching my head on this.  We are called to love one another, so how can this be?

If you want to see the study for yourself, go here.

Dan and naD

Palindromic video… the same backwards as forwards.

I’m not feeling the love at Dillon’s…

There is a young lady at Dillon’s who works as a checkout clerk.  I’m not going to say which Dillon’s, and I’m not telling you her name.  But she has worked there since 1999, according to her name badge.  She is so unfriendly. She doesn’t greet me.  She doesn’t say thank me.  She doesn’t usually talk at all, although she will respond to small talk I make, usually with a one word answer.  Once, just as a test, I didn’t say anything to her and she never even spoke during our entire interaction.  Not even “Paper or plastic?”

I’ve seen her friendly with other people, but never me.  It almost feels like we used to be boyfriend/girlfriend and it ended badly.  That’s the kind of vibe I’m getting.  I honestly can’t think of anything I have ever done to her.  It crossed my mind that maybe she is a lesbian and hates all men.  But that seems unlikely.

The really weird thing is, I actually choose to go to her line because I keep thinking I can get her to be nice.  Like today.  I sorted everything as I put it on the conveyor belt… all the dairy together, all the frozen stuff together, all the canned stuff together so she wouldn’t have to sort it out as she bagged it.  I was pleasant, smiled and greeted her. Talked about the weather. I was self-deprecating, making fun of myself for not remembering my earth-friendly shopping bags.  None of this worked.  All I got was “Do you want your milk in a sack?”

So this puts me in a bad mood.  I think I am about to give up on getting her to be friendly.  But before I give up, I’m going to make one last-ditch effort to get her to loosen up.  Not sure how to do that though, without looking like a total freak.  Anyone have any ideas?

Tribeca Film Festival

I really admire people who can do video.