Hiatus

Random Coolness - So I was bored the other day and was googling myself and came across this this. Notice the picture on the left and my name at the bottom! Nifty huh!?

My Boredom is Over! - I leave tomorrow at 1pm for Pittsburgh. I'm staying with my sister and photographing the National Senior Games from June 3 - June 18. I bought this sweet hat to keep myself safe from the dangerous rays of the sun. I'll fit right in with all the crazy outfits that they'll have on. Maybe I'll get some free media swag so I can support old folks athletes long after this event is over. Anyway, after the games are over I'm flying to Chicago, then driving to STL, then driving to Pittsburgh, then driving home. I'm visiting Dan & Lauren, Amy Semith, my sister, and my parents respectively! Let the hard work and fun times begin!

Change of Plans

Last minute notice - One thing that I've had to get used to since graduating and working in this business is the way big plans change in a matter of minutes. Working for SI is the most extreme case. One minute, we are flying to one city to shoot some game, the next we are flying to another city to something completely different. Often times I find out the day before or the day of flying to some city for one reason or another. On Tuesday of this week I found at 9am, while still in bed that I needed to be somewhere by 10:45am. Good thing I didn't have anything planned.

Baseball Weekend - I had a fun Memorial Day weekend of baseball planned in the Baltimore/Washington area. 3 games in 3 days, all day games, and 2 with late starts. (Late starts mean the sun sets during the game, which means great light) Well the Orioles had a spot for me when it requested over 2 weeks ago, until on Wednesday when they decided to retract my credential. The Nationals, whose decision I was waiting on for more than 2 weeks, finally said NO on Thursday. Screw MLB.

Marie Claire - My fellow Philadelphian, and friend Julia, wrote a feature in this month's issue. It's a good read, really cute and funny, especially if you know her. There are even pictures of her too. I might add she looks very sexy! The article is about girls using wingmen...I think girls would be better off using wing-couples; think about it!

the bottom line; I can live last minute for now, but once I'm married with kids I don't think I could swing this lifestyle.

Finally!

Life without Parole - It's been a year since that day...I was cleaning the fridge and answered the door with some fridge parts in my hand to find an officer wanting to come in and talk. The photo was gruesome and it took me a second look to realize who it was. Enjoy prison.

Realization

Sideways - Decent movie, not great. It made me realize this...Making plans are necessary. I make plans. They exist so you can deviate from them. Spontaneity can only stem from a situation with direction, being spontaneous does not mean you thought of something to do as a result of boredom.

What up philly?

Pizza - Best BBQ Chicken pizza that I've ever had...not saying it the best, but it's my current #1...Passariello's

Bar - My friend Steph was looking for a job...she applied at Eulogy, the best bar I've never heard of. I had a Leffe Blonde at 2pm. I was feeling it, that shit is strong. p.s. - check out their beer list!!!

the bottom line:Stellar pizza + yummy beer + cool city = fun day!

Congrats Grads! Now you can visit me!

'B' to the 'ored' - I haven't worked for **orts Illustrat** since April 2. One would think this would lead to lots of blogging, but I literally mostly just sat on my boney ass. This lack of good paying work has cut into my income and I'm not happy about it because I didn't know it was coming. It also blows because I can't get a normal job doing some bullshit work because I can't work regular hours because I have to available to work for **orts Illustrat**. Thank god so my ticket buying skillz and my guinea pig skillz. I'd also like to thank Lauren for forcing me to update my blog!

KY Derby - I love the derby. It has a unique magic to it. If you've never gone, GO! There's thousands of beautiful woman looking hot and lots of fun hats. There's pretty and powerful horses and of course cute little jockeys than can fit in my pocket. I went with Travis, formerly of the photography profession, now a realtor. I ended up renting a Ford Freestyle, thank god for Hertz Gold Club. Cool car, but too wide and too much like a minivan. Fix that and I'll buy one. Anyway, for the race I was on the track at the finish with a long (telephoto) lens. Note: when there are 20 horses coming straight at you, it's REALLY hard to tell who is in the lead, especially when it’s by less than a horse length. That's why I followed the wrong horse across the finish line. This job isn't easy sometimes, but I made some nice pictures when he came back around. I also made a nice image from a remote camera with the winning horse in last place. What a great underdog story! Not sure if I'll be going back next year. I'm not really a big fan of spending $850 for a Fairfield Inn for 3 days, but I'll see.

Louisville Slugger - I had a free day on Sunday, the only day they don't have bat production, so I went to the Louisville Slugger factory. Cool place. VERY very small. They make 1600 bats a day in a factory that could probably fit inside my house. They have 26 or 28 factory workers that make all the bats. I bought a bat with my named engraved on it...it's pretty flippin' sweet.

Time Not Wasted - When I get bored, I get creative. Thus I present to you my new society that I'll be creating. I have only worked out 2 aspects of this new world, but they rock so the rest should be cake...

-College, as we know it will no longer exist. All colleges/universities will no longer be massive properties controlling the lives of so many impressionable youth. The new ones will merely be an office, like admission, but a little bigger, with lots of phones and computers. There will be dorms and welcome staffs and parties and frats and all that shit, but no classes and no teachers. You get accepted into a general area...business, political science, journalism, etc. The job of the university is to place you with a local business in your area of study. Basically, it's like an internship but it's college. The business teaches you what you need to know to do your job and they pay you. Yes you get paid to go to college. However, I feel that the dorm life and social aspect of college must be experienced, so that will remain the same. You just work in your assigned field. Maybe they'll move you around every semester or year, specifics aren’t worked out yet. You'll find your niche that you want to pursue when you are ready. Undecided majors? Screw you, make a decision and start somewhere. This way of life stems from my reflections that I learned more shit from working and living my life than I ever did from going to class and also from my hatred of paying to work at the Missourian. If you'd like to discuss this call me...

-Mark my word, the next big craze is going to be digital watches...implanted in your arm! Check it. It's a mini digital clock, I'm talking small, and it’s just the time, in digital format under your skin. It syncs with the world clock so it's always right and automatically adjusts for time zone travel and DST. Future modifications could range from GPS locators to track you if you get stolen, like they do for dogs (but dogs don't need to know the time). Maybe they'll link to your inspector gadget phone in your fingers, who knows. Stay alive for 50+ years and find out!

Strict Diet - I've been eating 6 olives a day and a turkey sandwich every day for lunch. I've been grillin' it on our new panini machine. I think it's going well, I haven't put on any weight or lost any...ha

Tiger grrr - Apple rules! 4 new operating systems in what 5 years? Bill Gates what you got? More blue screens and viruses? Suck it, but not too hard, because you own Corbis and I enjoy selling pictures.

Movin' On Out - I have begun the moving process. I moved most of all the cool stuff I own to my new place that we'll call 405. I'm excited. What excites most, besides the fact that Shannon is coming, is the hanging of the pictures and misc things on the wall. They can make or break a living space.

June 21 - That's the date I'll be OUT and in 405. Following a short escapade around the country. I'll be in Pittsburgh from June 1-18. Then fly to Chicago on the 18th (I think) then drive to STL on Father's Day the 19th, then drive to Pittsburgh on the 20th, then to Philly on the 21st. Hopefully chilling with Dan and Lauren in Chi-town and Amy Semith in the STL, and Anne, Beth, McNamara, etc if they are free.

Coming Soon - Going to my most favorite pizza place in the world in Jersey tomorrow with my friend Steph. Fiscus knows what's up! Going to Baltimore/DC over Memorial Day weekend to shoot 2 Orioles games and 1 Nationals game. Trying to stay with Autumn who lives there now! Got a shoot this week or next of a soccer player...still brainstorming how to shoot it. More fun presents are coming my way; courtesy of me. I had to return some light stands that I bought in my last massive purchase. They just sucked. So I bought new and better ones (also more $) and also picked up yet another camera. I had breaking the bank with all this damn equipment. I think I should be a stripper, then I won't need $40,000 of technology.

the bottom line - Get a real job, freelancing and doing cool things comes at a price. This should be easy using my newly implicated standards for higher education. Also plan your trips to or through Philly now as weekends are filling up fast!

Leaving...on a jet plane...don't know when I'll be back again

KY - That's KY, as in Kentucky, as in the Kentucky Derby...not KY- Jelly as all of you were thinking! Any who, I leave tomorrow morning and I'll be back Sunday night. I found some time to visit the Louisville Slugger bat museum. I'm thinking about picking up a personalized mini bat...anyone else want one? Weather looks great, warm and sunny, scattered storms on Saturday could be trouble...

Paint the fence...up, down - So this week I did some handiwork. I painted a child's bedroom. TLC style! Blue walls, red walls, rollers, brushes, paint everywhere, etc. I hated it. Painting sucks. Remind me to hire a painter next time I need something painted. I'm still sore, have blisters and I did a shitty job. Not because I didn't try, I tried my best, but I suck.

BJ - That's BJ, as in blackjack. You are all sick! Anyway, I'm beginning to master the game. I've been practicing. I made blackjack strategy flashcards. I'm still learning and often referencing my cheat sheet, but I'm almost there. It's a fun game with very good odds. Next time someone wants to go to AC or Vegas, let me know. I'll be ready. Next on my list of 'Casino Games to Master' is craps. It's the most fun game ever! It relies more on luck, but it too has very good odds (some bets).

Haircut - Got a haircut today. It's short. When I got shampooed the girl, maybe 17, washed my hair, then conditioned it, then did something else and washed it out...not sure what but I LOVE when people wash my hair and massage my head. Another bonus is the towel dry when they get your ears! I love that! I also got the second rinse after the cut, which is CLUTCH to a good haircut. Prices went up though, so next time I'm due I'm going to the 'Steve's School of Styling and Sexy Hair.'

Futbol - I'm headed to the Meadowlands for a soccer match between Ecuador and Paraguay. Please pray for me that I don't die or come home soaking wet from getting beer thrown on me. Last time I went to the Meadowlands was for the Eagles - Giants game. My car was covered in beer when I got back because of my PA license plates...I need team logos for every team whose games I attend!!

Easy Money? - I'm trying this... Not sure what's going on but I read all the stuff and can't really find any catches or serious acts of shady-ness...it just takes about 70 days to reach the payout amount. I'll let you all know how it pans out. It's free to sign up and only takes 5 minutes a day of checking your email. Since I check my email 50,000 times a day it's of no real bother me. We'll see..

the bottom line: You won't hear from me until Monday at the earliest. Maybe the mailman will have come by then, because he sure as hell hasn't come yet...look at the time! Shit!