Browse Author: beakatude

Missed Photo Opp

pillowfight.jpg
photo courtesy of tpbrown on Flickr

It’s 6:23 pm and I just got home today from an extra-long day at work. On my way home (around 5:55 pm), I arrived at Embarcadero Station to find a grip of people piled into the incoming trains all clutching pillows and running up the stairs. The clock was about to strike at 6:00 and everyone was ready for battle. Dangit!! I totally should have come home at my usual time today! I was standing there in the midst of probably the largest pillow fight in the world without a frickin’ camera!! *sigh* So I got on the train and rode home all bummed out.

Anyway, here’s a taste of the action. Maybe next year…maybe next year…Happy Valentine’s Day!

Almost Spring

We’ve had a few days of clear skies and relatively warmer evenings. So, on Tuesday I took the dog for a long walk along Embarcadero and brought my camera along. I love that magical hour when the sun has set but there’s still enough light to paint the sky.

Oh! Now I get it!

I’ve been taking this Photoshop Class at the studio down the street for the past 3 weeks and I’m learning a bunch of new tricks. I’ve been using PS for a really long time but kinda just figured it out on my own with some trial and error. I had a feeling that I was doing things either incorrectly or the long way so I thought that this class would clear things up a bit. And so it has!! I always dabbled in layers and thought I understood how masks worked but now I really get it!! I had a couple “aha” moments this evening and can’t wait to apply what I’ve learned to my own photos. By the way, RayKo is a great studio! They have wet and digital photography labs with lots of exhibits out front and a store that sells toy cameras. Woot! The best thing about this place is how close it is to home. At the tail end of Week 2 with out a car, it’s still working out well.

Asian Cowboy

I found this guy at the BART station one day. He’s a cowboy. He’s Asian. He’s got a guitar, a coin cup, a pretty good twang, and the classic cowboy tan and wrinkles. Awesome.  I still have yet to print this photo and find him again. He asked me for a copy.

Aaaaall Bettah

dsc_1984.jpg

I had a pleasant Saturday of less itching, minimal coughing, and almost-gone arthritic joint pain. My rash has cleared up and I took Advil only once today. I’d like to give a shout out to Dr. Z across the street, the almost-empty bottles of Advil and Tylenol, the almost-empty boxes of Claritin and Benadryl, my trusty inhaler, and my new cough medicine with codeine for getting me through the past week. Oh yeah, I also lost 5 pounds this week on the childhood disease diet. You should all try it! It rocks!

It’s not Chicken Pox.

I’ve been out sick since Monday and feeling 75%.  I went to see the doctor on Monday and she said that I had the flu.  But then, on Monday night, I broke out in a scary rash all over my neck, chest, abdomen, and back.  And then on Tuesday morning, it had spread to my arms and legs.  Yikes!  Well, I went back to see her on Tuesday and she told me that I have “Fifth Disease“, which is a childhood virus and has an eerily similar set of symptoms that I had.  It starts with a mild fever, aches all over, and headaches.  Then once the fever goes away, a rash appears from the center of the body and spreads out to the extremities.  Great.  Apparently once the rash appears, I’m no longer contagious…just really gross to look at.  Luckily it did not appear on my face and I am going back to work today with my neck covered up.  Ah, the hazards of working with sick kids.