lightspeak

Pure Evil

2011-09-22T05:55:00.000-07:00

Comcast, I hated you.

Verizon, I hate you more.

Comcast, I'm sure I will hate you more yet again.

Don't worry Verizon, the hate will come full circle.

The Office

2011-06-10T04:50:00.001-07:00

www.blumfieldlaw.com

I Don't Know What It Is

2010-12-29T17:11:00.000-08:00

Traffic in Asia: narrow streets and the same lane for both directions of traffic.

Smoke It to Elevate It

2010-12-19T06:24:00.000-08:00

Untitled For Now

2010-12-12T06:28:00.000-08:00

I rarely fancy myself and look at me in the mirror
Call it a discomfort with what's there
What I see is what both you and I don't see
Or maybe what I see is what you and I both see

Maybe it's contentedness, maybe anxiety
Maybe caring and love, maybe feelings and emotions in me ... but I don't know, see?

Many a time she's looked at me
With eyes searching for a response
Like telltale signs of the weather in my mind:
A smile, a "look," a laugh, a sigh

Her heart is on her sleeves, wondering where mine might be
Because, see, she cares for me and wants to be there with me
So believe me when I say that
I want to shout, I want to scream, I want to drive my fist into the sky
No, I want to sweep her off her feet and spin her in reckless grip ... no, cautious abandonment
Inexplicable happiness, weight of the world relief, exhale from the bottom of my stomach

But see ... I havn't moved
Havn't said a word -- my face is trying to remember its movements
My look is blank

She looks at me and says, "Why aren't you smilin'?"
I see my reflection in her eyes and I say, "I don't know"
She says to me, "You are happy, right?"
And I say, "of course."

What are these emotions submerged below my stomach,
Deep in the recesses of my mind,
These feelings that I dissolve at their inception
Or that I hide in places that I can't find.

I see a brother of mine dealing with disappointment
Love is a two-way street -- hell, it's got to be at least a one-way ailment
I see a man workin', keepin' up his hustle
Believin' that life is what you make of it -- that no pennies will be thrown your way without a tussle
A man is subject to predicates that follow him
He is tossed to and fro by the merciless winds
As much as a Christian man like a non-believin' man
Is a willing submissive victim to his own sins

You see, I fear the lows so I don't believe in highs
I prefer the steady ho hum so my heart is never gaping wide
My faith is in the ground beneath my feet so I don't fly
Sadness, down and out is a risk, so joy and excitement are stock that I don't buy

I am a prisoner of my own making
A key was never made, am I never free until I die?
I am running without end as a coward flees before he tries

If you hear me, tell me how to escape these mental bars that trap me
Open the passageways for my soul so I can breath
I can't know white without a tint of black
But I'd rather live in grey

Not Feelin' Colorful

2010-11-14T12:08:00.001-08:00

Let There Be Light

2010-10-30T21:44:00.001-07:00

White Stripes

2010-10-16T22:36:00.000-07:00

East, Meet West, Meet Hood

2010-10-03T19:31:00.000-07:00

I can only lay claim to the coleslaws in this meal.

Run The Streets

2010-09-29T19:07:00.000-07:00

Took a dive into a case of Brewdog about a month ago. To begin with, I was in utter disbelief that I found a variety case of their beer. It was a hefty $50, but I had had their brews before and definitely felt they belonged at that kind of price point. I would put my respect for their beers along with my respect for breweries like Dogfish and Founders. While I'm thinking of it, brewers that I will always throw down money for include (this is a non-exhaustive list -- I'm sure I'm forgetting some): Dogfish Head, First Amendment Brewery, Stone, Russian River, Founders, Brewdog, and Great Divide. Runner-ups include locals like Victory and maybe Flying Fish (but that's a much bigger maybe than Victory). It's been hot weather for some time now -- looking forward to the cold weather to move back into scotches.

Our Generation

2010-09-28T17:55:00.000-07:00

Couple months ago, I picked up Grace Young's Stir-frying to the Sky's Edge which has been the ultimate primer for me in learning Chinese stir-fry cooking. I'd been spending much of the last year and a half learning to cook non-Asian foods and after some retrospection, I came to the realization that my Chinese-cooking abilities are woefully inadequate in light of my heritage and my love for cooking.

One reason Young's book is excellent for any newcomer to the game is that she explains the necessary equipment and ingredients extremely well and accompanies the explanations with well-taken and descriptive photographs. Her most important explanation is with regards to the importance of the right wok to stir-frying. For the at-home gas stove top, she recommends a 14-inch carbon steel, flat-bottomed wok. I made the purchase two weeks ago and it arrived this past week, and these last two days have been the start of my journey into stir-frying. So far the results have been incredible -- they turn out exactly as I have expected and they are every bit as good as I imagined them to be.

Can It Get Any Better?

2010-09-25T06:08:00.001-07:00

Like The Rings On A Pimp

2010-09-22T19:37:00.001-07:00

Our God

2010-09-20T07:51:00.000-07:00

Life Is Just A Big Effin' Joke, So Laugh It Off

2010-09-17T22:05:00.000-07:00

That Chocolate In Your Ayys (Eyes)

2010-09-16T10:34:00.000-07:00

I've struggled for a while to shoot food pics. In an effort to improve that part of my repertoire, I'll be posting sporadically shots of food that I've made that I find to be potentially eye-catching.

Have you visited my photo site? If not, there's plenty more on there than I post here.

http://mattrong.zenfolio.com/

That Sun In 'Yo Ayys (Eyes)

2010-09-13T15:28:00.000-07:00

As much of a night owl as I am -- as much as my photos often reflect my love of the life of the city at night, the sunrise and sunset hours are no less awesome. This is lightspeak.

Eagles Are On The Ground

2010-09-12T18:00:00.000-07:00

I sincerely believe that a team is only as good as their coach. A team's failure is their coach's failure. It's as abundantly clear when a coach overachieves as when he underachieves.

Are You Ready For Some Football?!?

2010-09-09T16:59:00.001-07:00

A couple of things have led me to be open to post this photo, despite seeing myself as a knowledgeable, cultured, and ... (none of those adjectives are what I'm looking for) photographer. First off, I can't believe I just said that -- I mean, what "cultured" person ever says that they're cultured? Anyways. My point is that I always thought of myself as more of a purist when it came to photography. And yet I'm now willing to post a picture like this, that was shot using my android phone's Retro Camera App with all of its built in gimmicks. What gives?

My development as a photographer can be likened to my development as a person. In high school and the earlier part of college, life was all about "being real." It was about being a "realist" (totally not recognizing the more common/accurate usage of the word) in everything that I dabbled in -- the hiphop music (actually, I still havn't let that one go), the people I hung out with, the way I tried to talk and dress (do we ever really let go of that, or are we just chasing one mold after another), etc. As each year has passed, I've realized, as a person, that things just aren't that big-a-deal anymore. So what if some people believe that Soulja Boy is rap worth listening to (or even dancing to for that matter ... no ... I still can't let that go ... Soulja Boy is music that isn't worth one second of your time)? So what if people don't think I'm a tough guy (did they ever)? Whatever. If somebody else enjoys it, more power to them -- what is it to me?

As a photographer, there was a time when I felt that digital photography was an adulteration of darkroom photography. Then I started in on digital photography, and then I started hating on people who composed pictures differently than me, or used different gear, or whom I felt threatened by because they took better pictures (subjectively) than me. Don't get me started on people who take pictures on their phone cameras and think it's good. Oh wait... isn't that what that picture up there is? Exactly. Photography is what makes you happy. If you take a picture and like it, you should be proud of it and show it to everyone you know, and they should be happy for you that you've taken a picture that you love. Otherwise, they can go away.

Punch In The Face

2010-05-13T07:38:00.000-07:00

My own standard of judging the pictures I take is whether a picture punches me in the face

(of course, a "good" ... er ... punch in the face).

That April Hold (Hot + Cold)

2010-04-07T07:26:00.000-07:00

It's incredible how much the weather can change my mood, what I think about, how I feel about life, etc. A couple of thoughts on the suddenly summer weather:

I completely forgot about allergies.
Sitting out on a stoop snacking/drinking is something I'm a fan of.
Fresh Prince: "Summer Summer Summertime."
Fresh kicks.
Warm, breezy evenings.
I totally am not ready for how bright the sun is outside.
Open doors and windows day and night!

That (Acid) Rain

2010-03-16T10:09:00.000-07:00

Spring break is over and it looks like sunny weather is back in Philly. I like this picture at the moment because it reminds me of the unsettling string of cold and wet weather that we've been having.

A Good Thing for Too Long

2010-02-17T06:47:00.000-08:00

Record snow in Philly was great when it was falling. And then nobody felt like cleaning it up.

On another note, the HBizzle and I made some pretty solid tasting picks a few weeks ago. The World Wide Stout was every bit too sweet that I thought it'd be. The Big Daddy had a grapefruit-ishness that I'd never tasted in an IPA. The He'Brew was an extra tasty, well balanced IPA that felt like the Double IPA that it is. And the Donkers was like candy but not so sweet.

Far East

2010-02-09T20:33:00.000-08:00

Asian Pacific American Law Student Association (APALSA)

(people from the the far (fahhh) east coast.)

Up

2010-02-03T07:47:00.000-08:00

When's the last time you looked up? Especially in a city like Philly, the best kept secret scenery that you havn't seen is upwards.

Through the Paces

2010-01-05T13:53:00.001-08:00

Totally thought that I'd update more frequently being on break. See how that turned out?

We had a snowstorm for the centuries the weekend before Christmas. I love the first picture because it shows what a crazy thought it was to take my camera out and snap pictures that night. I briefly hesitated thinking that it was still snowing and that moisture might get on the camera, but then I thought what the heck, let's see how tough this camera (and tripod) are. I just draped a washcloth over the camera and went at it. It was worth it.

I would say that there aren't too many kinds of pictures I havn't taken. The one kind I look forward to doing more of is (let's call it) pictures of/amidst the natural elements.

Go Further

2009-11-23T16:40:00.000-08:00

Something I've learned about photography: talent and skill can take you a long way, but great subject-matter/people will take you further.

Sharp Auto-Focus

2009-11-02T08:16:00.000-08:00

So after a little bit under two months, the Flying Fish variety case and the Yards variety case were finished. Verdict: Flying Fish had a good mix of Belgian, hoppy, and tamer pale ales. I would have to say the HopFish was my favorite -- moreso a function of my love of hops but also because my palate could taste some complexity beyond just a hop-bitterness. Yards had some good bitter pale ales, but I would have to say that my pleasant surprise was the Brawler, a brown ale that was simple to drink and reminiscent of a darker Newcastle with less nuttiness (I'd still prefer the Newcastle.)

This past weekend, went down to Bella Vista and got a case of Dogfish Head's 60 Minute IPA and Magic Hat's "Feast of Fools" variety case. Started last night on the Dogfish Head: more subtle and a hint of more sweetness than the Yards IPA (which was great, but more brutish in its hop-bite). Magic Hat's 7 pale ale has been a consistent winner for me (and I think for many), but I'm pretty psyched to try their winter brews in the next few weeks.

It's Better When They're Together

2009-10-29T07:24:00.000-07:00

I had been thinking for some time about if and how I would put together a portfolio of all the pictures I've taken. For all the money that I've invested into my camera gear and everything that I've done to get better at my photography, it seemed like a bit of a waste (other than the sheer enjoyment) for all my pictures to just stay in my external hard drive for myself to look at at some later time. I also wanted to assess where my photography has taken me in terms of artistic development and what it is that my eyes see now, and whether that's different than how I used to see things.

With that, I dived in and paid for an account on Zenfolio, after having looked around at other photo site options. So far, it's been great, and I'm totally enjoying looking at my photos as a whole more than just single pictures that I've taken at different times. This photo below is one that I'd forgotten about for some time, but is easily one of, if not my all-time, favorite. Check out the portfolio! It's now the first link on the left hand side.

Respiration

2009-10-14T20:37:00.000-07:00

I was reminded this past week that one of my passions in photography is street photography.

This totally brings me back to college when "Respiration" by Blackstar was one of my favorite songs because I could literally feel the city breathing at night as I wandered the streets.

Take One

2009-10-04T20:37:00.001-07:00

So other than the real obsession that I should have more of, I have two other obsessions: beer/scotch and photography. In the last month I've gone through weeks of intense obsession over both. This past week I got the bug to really learn how to use the Nikon SB-600 flash that I bought months ago and improve my shots with it. So tonight I thought of the perfect project: taking pictures of all the beers that I drink.

I started tonight with Yard's India Pale Ale. It is solid IPA in my opinion -- I don't know my hops yet, but whichever hops it uses, that's the one I'm crazy for. I'm pretty sure Stone IPA also uses the same -- it's a distinct flavor and I dig it.

The cool thing about this project is hopefully that I'll also improve in my flash photography skills as well.

Like It Because You Like It

2009-09-28T20:19:00.000-07:00

I tend to struggle with what other people think of me and the things that I do. I'm learning to be me and like things simply because I do and not necessarily because others like them. I like this picture.

Is Three Much?

2009-09-08T14:07:00.000-07:00

Let me take this opportunity to make two plugs: one for myself and another for some good buddies of mine.

Last year, a few law school buddies started a clothing company, 3muchapparel, that produces t-shirts with creative legal commentary/punch-lines/art. If I just made these t-shirts sound boring, then forget what I just said and just know that the t-shirts are made with the most-comfortable American Apparel t-shirts, are fashionable, and will instantly make you seem (and feel) smarter. I would know since I personally own three of these t-shirts and are among my favorite shirts to wear (1. the Vote shirt, 2. the black logo shirt, and 3. the IRAC shirt).

Another reason to check out their website and their facebook group is because these entrepreneurial buddies of mine tagged me to take pictures of people modeling these shirts for their website.

So again: 2 Shameless Plugs

1. Check out their web spaces and the t-shirts. Totally. Cool. And. Worth. Your. Money. (At least do it for all those small-time entrepreneurs tryna make a dollar outta fifteen cents.)

2. Look at some of the pictures I've taken and hit me up to take pictures for you and fulfill my dream of getting paid to take pictures. (All of the pictures on this blogspot are also taken by me.)

My Palate

2009-08-25T20:19:00.001-07:00

My dad once told me that some people eat to live whereas Chinese people live to eat. It may just be the upbringing, but I'm pretty sure that my lifestyle does somewhat adhere to that principle. Like I've said before, my ideal time spent is with friends over good beer/scotch and good food. After having eaten at a lot of Philly's better restaurants (I do believe that Philly is a great food and beer city), I've come to a personal conclusion (and a few others listed below) that money for my palate is best spent eating seafood and/or Chinese/Japanese/Korean food.

Some thoughts:

1. The best, traditional Chinese food you can get is still by far, the best taste-for-my-buck. Give me an entire traditional Chinese seafood dinner (including shark-fin soup, sea cucumber, lobster, soft-shell crab, clams, jellyfish, etc.) (and I'm talking about 7-8 courses) and you might get away with less than $50/person (after tax).

2. I prefer lamb chops over steaks (I do love steaks though). But red meat prepared the American way is just so freakin' expensive. $40 for a good steak in a restaurant (before tax).

3. I prefer seafood over red meat. Case in point: Oyster House (see picture) on Sansom Street. Thanks to the always-lovely-lady-friend, I had my fill of 7 types of oysters. That experience was worth more to me than a porterhouse steak.

4. If it's Korean food, soju is almost necessary... at least recommended. If it's Japanese food, sake with the right crowd. If it's steak, red wine. If it's seafood, beer or wine. The pairing of drinks and food totally tops it off.

5. Did I mention that scotch is just... refined pleasure for me.

6. Beer in Philadelphia is simply unreal. I challenge anyone to come up with another city that has better access to the range of beers you can buy and enjoy here.

7. I'm Asian. Our food is still the best bang for my buck.

It Was Hot That Day

2009-08-16T05:57:00.001-07:00

Younger with Age

2009-08-09T16:21:00.000-07:00

Havn't been listening to new music much lately. Was wandering around okayplayer a few days ago and stumbled upon a music video and song I was fell in love with on first listen. Not really sure how I feel about everything else this dude puts out, but this song was worth it: Coastin ft. K.Flay by Zion I

Don't have a picture to post up this time because I havn't taken many pictures recently. What's been on my mind the past few days is Chinese/Korean-American parents and their relationships with their children. Growing up, I had my fair share of frustrations, anger, disappointments (and any other negative emotion you can think of) towards my parents, particularly my dad (like all Asian males seem to feel towards their dads in one way or another). But with each year that I get older and I see my parents getting older, I see them more as peers (a.k.a. normal people) and less as my caretakers who were at one time so infallible and so in control of my life and everything else in the world.

In the past few years, I've begun to notice my parents go through "senile" moments (whether that's due to age or that's how they've always been and I've just begun to notice). There've also been moments when I've realized my parents hardly have it figured all out -- but like me, oftentimes they're encountering situations for the first time and all they can do is take a stab at it. This applies to raising me and my brother, providing for the family, and everything else that is called life. During these moments I begin to see how human my parents are, and many of the negative emotions I've felt towards them melt into empathy towards my parents who were once just boys and girls at one time trying to figure out how to be grown ups doing grown up things.

Like in some other areas of my life, I've begun to realize that my hateration, though sometimes justified, is sometimes misplaced or uninformed.

Don't get me wrong. I am totally still your number one hater. But it's starting to get more complicated. Bye hater.

Don't Get It Twisted

2009-07-16T20:16:00.000-07:00

When it comes down to it, what I really enjoy spending my money on most is sharing good food with friend(s) over good alcohol -- be that worthwhile beer or good scotch. (The Havana rum is going to be something new.)

Mish Mash

2009-07-13T20:28:00.000-07:00

WXPN's "Blues and Beyond" Programming is awesome.

Pulled this picture from my archive because I just wanted to post something different. This picture to me begs the question: can you make art out of someone else's work of art?

Go Vertical

2009-07-05T06:50:00.000-07:00

Two straight weekends of gorgeous weather: cool breezes and clear skies.

We're Going to the City

2009-06-17T16:18:00.000-07:00

Being a city dweller, it's easy for me to forget that people not living in the city have to travel into it. And that people do travel in the city to do their business and enjoy themselves.

On another level, I've been in love with lines in my pictures this past year. Especially bright white lines in the street.

Philly Streets, Pt. 1

2009-06-04T03:52:00.001-07:00

I've been really wanting to get a macro lense for some time now, but my lack of funds is making me put off that purchase til much much later. For the time being, I love this picture because it is exactly why I bought my wide angle lense and circular polarizer.

Beyond the Color Palette

2009-05-28T14:08:00.001-07:00

When my photos start to get boring, it's time to go shadow hunting.

The Desirable Narrow Road

2009-05-19T09:30:00.000-07:00

God is undoubtedly good in the difficult times.

But He's also good in the good times, and these days have been great.

The road has been uncluttered, simple and clear.

Boo Boo, the time apart hasn't been easy, but it's like going around the bend with straight paths ahead to look forward to.

Shades of Grey

2009-05-11T20:31:00.000-07:00

T-Minus 36 Hours.

Sometime near the end of the semester I realized how much law school had sapped me of my love and experience of art and emotional drive that drove my own art (photography: light, spoken word: speak). I think it's less that those things have been "sapped" out of me and more that the less and less time I have for them the more and more I simply lose my sensitivity to them.

I feel as though life day-to-day during the semester was black and white: stick to my priorities and get them done: learn the law and apply it: know what is productive: perform at maximal productivity: life is about the next step in life: build steps towards my future career.

What I've missed is the essence of shades of gray between black and white: that my career is as important as it is bullshit: that you maximize efficiency and productivity and burnout: the law really is just a construct and a game to be played: what are priorities and getting things done if life is miserable.

But then again, shades of grey really are so less precious if there is no sufficient time spent in the black and white. The high school kids playing jazz at Rittenhouse on Saturday made me think of existentialist movies I'd watch in college for my "Themes in Existentialism" class where there was always some character to remind me that everything is as it always has happen and no matter how life changes, it is always that same beat playing: that same logical reasoning that is as much reasonable as it is ridiculous.

I got a chance on Saturday to catch the closing day of the "Ink Not Ink" exhibit at Drexel -- an exhibition of contemporary Chinese art where the focus was on the Chinese tradition of ink paintings (I think of Chinese ink calligraphy). It'd been a while since I'd been immersed in any sort of art and it was simply put, soothing. Maybe for the same reasons that people find modern art to be too simplistic and unartistic, I find it to be a completely transparent window to the artists' mind. I can never get around to describing modern art (to me) in any other word other than "visceral." Whether it is one broad stroke across a piece of canvas or some horribly explicit image that makes you cringe -- that's exactly what it is -- raw emotion on whatever medium it is. It is repulsive and yet completely vulnerable.

Put Yah Smile On

2009-05-06T19:58:00.001-07:00

Two things that make me happy: her and my own photos that I'm crazy about.

Just Time

2009-04-28T13:09:00.000-07:00

Here goes two weeks.

Glass Is Awesome

2009-04-22T10:37:00.001-07:00

Sometimes you try so hard to make or find the perfect picture. Often times the best picture is right outside your window.

Cherries Are Pink

2009-04-19T16:57:00.000-07:00

Who knew you could see cherry blossoms in Philly?

The thing I love most about photography is the ability of the picture frame to take things out of context and instill a sense of mystery. The cherry blossoms that day were amazing, but admittedly, the surrounding scenery of Fairmount Park really wasn't all that. But by limiting the picture frame to just the cherry blossoms, there's a sense of serenity and isolation (at least I think so) that allows my mind to wander down the path towards that small person in the distance. The color and the quietness of the picture remind me of Kill Bill Vol. 1.

Live Eat Drink

2009-04-17T14:39:00.000-07:00

Some like to "chill" by going out to clubs and bars. Others like to "chill" by drinking cheap beers and alcohol that gives you nothing more than the buzz. Chillin' to me is good alcohol at home with friends, homemade food, and good conversations.

The Search Within The Search

2009-04-05T04:48:00.000-07:00

Since I entered the world of SLR and then DSLR photography, photography's been something that I've found to be elusive. I began SLR photography during my senior year of college when I took "Black and White Photography." In that class, I experienced photography as art and saw pictures through the eyes of a painter, taking pictures that answered the question: "how to paint with a camera?" It was in that class that I also experienced photography as an artform where light was my paintbrush and so with every picture I sought out shadows and contrast. Pictures that caught my attention included Henri Cartier Bresson and those of my classmates who could seem to take pictures of people and places that were not people and places that I'd ever seen before, though oddly enough, they were all very normal people in very local places. Maybe it was because the pictures were black and white, but I'd have to say that pictures that I experienced during that period had emotion and either you could sense that each photographer was creating his own world with each picture into which he/she sought to escape to, or you could simply feel a piece of the photographer's soul in the picture. In a word, it was artistic and yet honest/introspective photography.

My second phase on SLR photography began after college when I saved up money and bought my first DSLR. It might simply have been a function of going from black and white to color photography that changed my perspective, but at some point, what I experienced in photography became less emotional and introspective and more an experience of "a pursuit of perfection." Pictures that I began to focus my attention and admiration on were color pictures that had the perfect blend of composition, sharpness and boldness of color. What I didn't realize until now, however, was that my understanding and idea of composition shifted dramatically during this phase and became one in which creativity seemed to be stifled and yet I sought to figure out what was most pleasing to the eye. Throughout this phase of my photographic life, my pursuit has been creating the perfect picture where perfection is measured by more objective factors that are less touchy feely and more about appealing to the senses, in addition to understanding proper exposure and the appropriate settings for each picture (i.e. aperture, shutter speed, ISO).

Though this second phase (which is essentially where I am still sort of in) has grown and shaped me as a photographer so much and affected my picture taking in many ways that I feel are positive, its also made my love for photography moreso a function of purchasing better equipment and creating "the perfect picture" in context of shooting event photography where equipment can oftentimes become a limiting factor. Still, I am writing this post because while this second phase of photography has really taken me to new heights, all I have to do is go back and see the pictures I took during my first phase or even just look to pictures Bresson took and realize how far I've come in another sense -- the de-sensitizing and de-emotionalizing of my pictures, where it's become much less visceral. Bresson didn't need to buy a 70-200 f2.8 lens to make his pictures and yet his photography was out of this world. When I think back to even just pictures from my classmates that I admired, the truth is that we all used only 35-70mm normal lenses on our film SLRs.

After saying all that, what I'm trying to get at is this: I've been searching for my niche in photography and I think that it is somewhere between these two phases, though more heavily in the first. It's interesting because this post itself has been a bit all over the place and not quite how I imagined it would be, but it's likely because it's a search within itself -- a search that I'm conducting to figure out how to understand how I've developed as a photographer, what my frustration/inner angst has been with photography, and what it is that I'm searching for as I take my pictures. What I want most out of photography is the joy of holding a camera in my hands and using it as the medium with which I paint pictures that render a small piece of my soul in them. I'm horrible at drawing and painting, but photography gives me a medium through which I can put out a piece of me in a work of art.

They Dig (Soft) Hair

2009-04-01T10:50:00.000-07:00

"Which of these conditioners do you think will make me Chinese Fonzie?"

It's Who You Wit(h)

2009-03-19T12:31:00.000-07:00

It's not where you at, it's who you wit(h).

Eat It... Red

2009-03-18T06:13:00.000-07:00

Words cannot describe good red meat.

Too often when I see red meat, I wish that it were safe enough for me to actually eat it... red.

Coffee and the Penitentiary

2009-03-11T19:24:00.000-07:00

It was a perfect day that could only happen because it was spring break and we both had all day to do whatever. Mugshots Cafe seriously had the perfect Peruvian Blend coffee for that day and then the Eastern State Penitentiary was nothing short of fascinating. Plus the fact that she loves taking pictures as much as I do. As perfect as having a cherry on top of the whipped cream.

Interesting Things in Smaller Places

2009-02-19T12:38:00.001-08:00

Through a lot of my picture-taking experience, I've enjoyed close-ups... trying to get as close to my subject as possible... and fill the entire picture frame with my subject. But more and more as I look to pictures that I like from photographers that I enjoy, I've found myself loving incredibly "full" pictures... full of everything including my subject and stuff that I didn't see in the frame myself when I took the picture. There's also something interesting about trying to hide the subject I was trying to capture.

There's something about beauty/interesting things that are in-your-face. Then there's still something more about beauty/interesting things that are subtle and take some time to find... and are hidden from the normal onlooker and saved for those who really look for it.

Precious-ness.

2009-02-09T19:08:00.000-08:00

She's precious. And precious not just for how she treats me, but precious because of who she is.

It's All About Me

2009-01-28T18:41:00.000-08:00

I have to admit that I have a certain fascination with self-portraits. Actually, it's not even just self-portraits -- I just like looking at pictures of myself whether I or somebody else takes them. Although, there is something fun about totally figuring out how I want to present myself and manipulating things so that people see what I want them to see about me. I totally did not do that in this picture -- I just took it.

Greater Than Yo Self

2009-01-22T12:00:00.000-08:00

So Renewal moved into its new building at 47th and Cedar this past Sunday. Never having really worshipped in a church of this magnitude, at least, not a church that I've attended on a regular basis, there's not too much I can say other than that it was simply awesome. The height of the ceilings and the acoustics of the sanctuary made worshipping Almighty God almost seem more fitting and it felt like it showed how much glorious God Himself is.

The phrase that came to mind was: "Bow down to something greater than yourself." And like they say "gaht-dayum... He is freee-keeeng awww-summmm."

The words of the song seemed so appropriate:

"Oh Great and Mighty One, With One desire we come,

That You would reign, that You would reign in us,

We're offering up our lives, a living sacrifice,

That You would reign, that You would reign in us."

-Reign In Us (Starfield)

Too-Thow-Zund Nah-yeen

2009-01-04T18:45:00.000-08:00

I've been a lot less contemplative lately -- I thought to write a spoken word yesterday, but I also realized that I've been listening to music a lot less lately and I think that music was a huge source of ideas and inspiration that I havn't had much of lately. Life has felt more adult lately -- in a good way -- but I think that that has robbed me of some creativity. In a different way though, I've liked my pictures a lot more and I think I've become more creative in that area. I could be wrong about that -- tell me if I am.

One thought that did arise this past weekend as I'm looking to starting a new semester at school is that I need to be more thankful and caring towards others. I am such a single-track minded creature and I won't even pretend that I'm not just a selfish bastard very often, trying to get my own things done and looking out for number one. But that just isn't enough and it's just plain wrong when I'm blessed with such precious and important people and circumstances in my life. Here's to being more thankful and intentionally and outwardly caring and loving. And better yet still, in light of a thoughtful sermon that I heard today, that I would be more thankful, caring and loving as I constantly remember and and experience love from Jahweh God.

Feel the Lights

2008-12-20T17:10:00.000-08:00

It's absolutely true for me that with each year that passes, Christmas seems less and less nostalgic and less "Cris-muh-see." I think that that's just because, for me, so many things were more child-like when I was a kid -- going to malls when malls used to seem so much bigger than they do now, being caught up more in the Christmas decorations and colors and toys and lights, feeling that the days were longer and so Christmas itself seemed like a much longer holiday that it seems now, etc. But this week, having some time to walk around the city and see the lights and decorations, it's seemed obvious to me that Christmas is as much as you let lose yourself in the holiday and let yourself be swept up by the lights, enjoy the old Christmas songs (that I only know the chorus to and never any other words, i.e. "walking in a winter wonderland"). So go ahead, and do what I did, and just feel the lights.

Time of Our Lives

2008-12-16T19:17:00.000-08:00

Two-thousand and eight has given me reason to think more about what it means to live in the U.S. of A -- further, what it means to live. Maybe more so who I am and what I'm doing here. That just sounded incredibly cliche, but it is what it is. Worldwide recession. Electronic waste. The Beijing Olympics. Casinos in major cities. Photography. Her. Culture. Family. Grace. Myself. And with each year, the list only grows. Rather than connect the dots, I prefer right now just to scatter the dots and let them fall where they do.

Unrestful Rest

2008-11-28T21:00:00.000-08:00

It is the season to be thankful and I have to say that I really have so much to be thankful for. After chillin' tonight, which totally felt like a Saturday night, I realized that tomorrow is Saturday and that I have entirely another day to free-spend. But there-in lies the unrestfulness that is part of the life of every student -- especially law students... with every Thanksgiving comes a much needed few days of rest... but guilty rest because if I were the ideal student, I really should be taking advantage of these days and cramming as much studying in as I can. It seems at times I'm more stressed during the holidays that I'm away from school and obligations.

And why the heck can I not get the proper formatting in blogger for all the fonts in my entries.

Photography has been a ton of fun lately.

For The Cause

2008-11-24T05:38:00.000-08:00

//The morning is brisk, crisp and I see the blue and red lights turnin'.
The silence is deafening like the outraged screams on the stoic faces of the officers, the soldiers.
Each man is by his banner as the platoons converge on the hallowed grounds,
To testify that a soldier has fallen... fallen for a cause --

A cause for which men stiffen their hands and salute,
Salute to their tombstone that bears no name, only the cause
A cause for which death is always imminent,
Imminent but internalized in their hearts bent on the cause
A cause for which comfort and safety are put on the altar
The altar on which a blazing fire let's no sacrifice go to waste for the cause.

A cause for which the cost but the worth is clear.

Clear as the sky this solemn morning,
Clear as the sun can illuminate without shadows,
Clear as the white becomes when next to black
Clear as a spotless window pane through which to see into the hearts of those bent on the cause
Clear as the fact that he died to young,

So clear it is, that the cause knows no age and death where the cause is glory.
Glory in the heavens. Glory in the Highest. Glory of the Highest.//

An unrelated picture.

A New Home... Again.

2008-11-21T11:18:00.000-08:00

Not that I necessarily feel that a ton of people read my blog. But I'm moving my stuff to blogger because their stuff is more customizable (without working with programming that I don't understand) and more intuitive. Like I've said countless times before, I hope this time that it sticks.