Moments flashing past

In class today we took a look into Daguerreotypes and how they were made waaaaaaaaay back when. The image of a person, landscape, or even someone’s dog was formed on the surface of the silver plate that looks like a mirror. It can easily be rubbed off with the fingers and will oxidize in the air, so from the outset daguerreotypes were mounted in sealed cases or frames with a glass cover. Some have been well taken care of and have that old-school appearance to them. Some however, through the years,  have corroded, leaving scratches and marking of all sorts on the old photo plates.

Here’s a couple daguerreotypes I found on google that are in pretty good condition.

Now a more beat up one.

For our next assignment, we have been asked to create our own digital daguerreotype using some basic techniques in Photoshop. I decided to use an image Brad and I took of the Hawthorne Bridge in downtown Portland. I took the original image, added some different textures to give it that old, beat up feeling and viola!

Here is the original image:

Here is my digital daguerreotype:

Pretty effin awesome, if I may say so.

Dear Debt,

Hello. How have you been? Sorry I’ve been so distant lately. I didn’t feel we were right for each other. I’d had enough of you and we weren’t getting along as well as I’d hoped. I just wanted you out of my life. I saw you the other day, lingering in a camera store. You were very tempting, yet I resisted. I saw you again online too, in your flashy “0% interest for 24 months” outfit. I tried to ignore you, I really did. Then I did a double take. Really? 0% interest for 24 months? You reached out to me, with your cute little Best Buy credit card offer and tempted me with the camera I’ve been dreaming about. I should have known I could never trust you. You pretended to be my friend with, “where could you possibly find a better deal for your DREAM camera?” That’s where you got me. Hook, line, and sinker.

Fuck you,

T

Now on to the positives……IT’S THE SICKEST FUCKING CAMERA FUCKING EVER FUCKITY FUCK FUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Like, for real. Seriously, no joke. Killer. This is no editing what so ever.

Due to the tantalizing dance that debt does for me, I finally got the camera I’ve been craving….the Canon EOS Rebel T2i. It has full HD capabilities with not only it’s photos, but with video as well. It’s fucking unreal! Once I master my editing skills, these photos will be incredibly stunning!

Old camera photo time. So, since Brad has been back, we’ve done a lot of work on our apartment. We painted both the living room and our bedroom, though the bedroom might be repainted later (it didn’t turn out as I’d seen it in my head). We also installed some new cheap Ikea shelves in our living room and it is easily the most awesome room in the house. We spent for-fucking-ever taping up one wall in the bedroom and the paint job is amazing, but we don’t like it, so we’ll paint it all the darker purple color.

It looks like we sleep in a Simpsons movie. Whatever.

Brad has been back for a couple of days now and they’ve been so busy! The last week has been stupid busy actually. Recap:

Last Thursday I left for a six hour journey homeward bound to Spokane, Washington. I hadn’t seen my family since before I left for Australia and my little sister just had knee surgery to fix up some ligaments she had torn in earlier years. I spent two great days catching up with her, my dad, stepmom, and my grandparents. Grandma had dinner planned, as she always does, with my favorite…ham. Fuck I love that shit. My poor sister spent the time together on crutches, bending her knee as far as she could while holding not only her breath, but tears as well. Broke my heart to see her in so much pain. Now she had returned to the hospital with an infection in that same knee. This girl can’t catch a break! Everyone else is doing quite well though. Grandparents are getting older and my voice is getting louder just so I don’t have to hear, “What did you say?” every other sentence. I’ve also realized that when I’m around my grandparents, I talk slower and use less words. Not like an English man would speak english to a French man that doesn’t understand it, but pretty effin close. My dad is pushing through, working as much as he can and hoping to get back into school this coming winter term. Then who knows what the future will hold for him. He’s made some bad decisions, but still has time to get his ass in gear and get some money for his culinary talent.

Of course Grandma would never let me leave without baked goodies to take on the road and for my dearest Brad.

My grandparents also gave me a couple pieces of history including a Polaroid instant camera from the 1950’s (at LEAST my grandpa said!!) and a manual typewriter that’s well over 30 years old. So stoked to have these as a part of the apartment.

Saturday afternoon I headed out to the incredibly remote yet strangely beautiful George, Washington (I know). Brad’s second to last day on tour was held at the Gorge (basically a big canyon with a river running through it). We spent the afternoon there, until shortly after he played, we made the trek back to Portland. It was a long night; we didn’t make it back home until after midnight. Brad had just enough energy to muster excitement over the new apartment that, until yesterday, was pretty bare bones in terms of interior design.

Sunday, oh Sunday. It was a blur of the best kind. Drinking ensued, as it always seems to when Brad first comes home, though I don’t recall being so hammered before noon in my life. Some of our closet friends came out to celebrate in the bittersweet last day of Warped Tour for Brad. We drank, drank some more, danced around, sweated our asses off in the fucking heat, and danced around a bit more. My best friend even told his “tour manager” (a joke really) to fuck off for trying to kick us off stage all while shaking her ass and having a great time. And fuck off he did. I love that girl. I didn’t take any photos unfortunately. My camera was left in the car, but once our friends upload some, I will be sure to post. These are the only photos I do have.

Myself with Boni.

Morgan and me.

The past couple of days have been spent with the interior designer inside the both of us. Everything that I had set up was merely temporary until Brad came home so we could decorate and paint and such together. I really wanted it to be “our” apartment, so I wanted to make sure Brad had say in where everything went and the color we chose. What was that color? Ancient Burgundy. It’s this….deep red with some magenta undertones depending on the type of light in the room. The awesome thing about it is that our living room never looks the same color at any given time of day. We absolutely love it. We invested in some shelves from Ikea and they look fantastic! The living room looks great and I’m so anxious to start on our bedroom. It’s amazing the difference.

Fucking sick huh?

I leave you with an some old photos.

Me, obviously.

From left to right, my Uncle Mike, Grandma, my dad in the middle, Aunt Beth, and my Grandpa. The two photos on the bottom are of my grandpa when he was in Taiwan.

Zombie loves Salmon Sashimi.

Only in Portland, Oregon.

Lake Oswego’s Farmers Market.

Dragon Roll: Tempura fried shrimp rolled with vinegar rice and seaweed topped with eel!

The view from Traci’s parent’s house.

Since my detox I’ve been absolutely consumed with eating better, working out, cooking, and the little simple things that come with life. I’ve been thoroughly enjoying the sunshine, good conversations with great friends, and my own alone time. I’ve never felt better. The workouts have been kicking my ass, but I’ve been persistent in keeping with this new lifestyle and it’s paying off.

I’ve been finding and becoming very excited over some new recipes to try and create for friends. Now that my palette has been cleaned, food has never tasted so good and I find myself craving all sorts of flavors and textures. With that craving has come some experimentation and I’m having a great time in the kitchen. I find inspiration everywhere too, cooking channels, magazines, even our chef’s specials at work. Brad and I belong in the kitchen cooking for our friends and family. There is nothing better than that first taste of a creation you’ve put onto that plate and watching the looks on everyone’s faces as their eyes roll to the back of their heads, their tongue dances around the food, and they let out that “oh my god, this is delicious” sigh. We live for that.

I registered for Uni in the fall and am anticipating the feeling of being back in class. It will be no easy feat, but I miss learning. I miss knowing that my intelligence is expanding and how all of this new information can be applied to my own interests. I will only be taking two classes a term and in the fall i begin with a digital photography class and general chemistry. Today was the first day in months I’ve even touched my camera and I forgot how much I enjoy capturing life around me. It will be great to learn the finer aspects of not only my camera, but also shooting techniques. As for chemistry, I’ve never been too good with science, so we will see how that goes. I’ve been curious more about how chemistry works with food, so maybe that will help keep my attention.

I’ve been crafty lately and found a great way to make my old childhood dresser fresh and more modern. It was this birch-wood kind of color with a little flower design on the top drawer that had definitely outgrown me. With some black spray paint and new handles, it looks so much better and matches our furniture. There are still some finishing touches to be made, but for now, this will do.

My summer, so far.

I hear that Lauren and Ben are close to moving into their new house! How exciting! It’s been a long time coming and I’m sure it’s bittersweet to have the kids out of the house. There is no love like the one parent’s give and I’m sure they will be around all of the time for a free meal or a babysitter for Dale and Jess’s little baby! I can’t believe how much time has passed since I was in Australia celebrating the good news and the holidays with everyone. I miss you all dearly and hope this Fall/Winter has been great to you!

xoxo