101

Just a little something.... For a some reason I tend to notice, and be drawn to these kinds of markings on our walkways and roadways.... If you dig through my album(s) I'm sure you could find a few examples.

I'm sure it has deep meaning for somebody. Or perhaps shallow meaning....  One way of the other it isn't random.

This could qualify as for "Eye Of The Beholder" at 365project.  Except it is between sessions.

Columbia Bottom Conservation Area (again)

I've been pretty busy lately, not doing much photography.  Much sad, I am.

But I managed an outing to Columbia Bottom Conservation Area on Sunday.  Here's a few images.

That's the Missouri River, just a mile or 2 from the confluence with the Mississippi.

Happy Birthday John Dalton

John Dalton, who played bass for the Kinks is 75 today!

John Dalton replaced original bass player Pete Quaife; on a temporary basis in 1966, the permanently, from 1969 through 1976.  As such he played on albums including Lola Vs Powerman..., Muswell Hillbillies, and the rest of the 70's albums up to Misfits (where he only appears on 1 song).

He was not the bass player when I saw the Kinks, but I do own  three (3) Kinks albums he played on, and a handful of songs from the others.

Happy Birthday Dusty Hill!

Dusty Hill, the bass player for ZZ Top turns 69 today. 

Dusty Hill has been with ZZ Top since their first album.  He is credited as co-author on most of ZZ Tops songs.  Alnong with bass, he shares vocals and plays occasional keyboards.

Last October (2017) the band had to cancel the last 16 shows of their North American tour due to Hill having a "Tummy Ailment" , but they're on tour now, so he seems to have recovered.

I've never seen ZZ Top live, but I have most of their music from the 70's and 80's.

Happy Birthday Dusty Hill!  I'll be spinning some ZZ Top in your honor!

Road Trip!

So, The Fratellis are one of my son's favorite bands.  A Scottish band taht apparently doesn't tour the US all that often.  So, not long ago he (my son, that is) came to me and announced that they would be playing in Chicago, and proposing that he/we go.

We did a little digging, and decided to have an adventure.  He and I, along with one of his friends, took Friday off (from work/school) and drove from St. Louis area to Chicago to see the band.  Spent the night at a hotel, and came home Saturday.

It was a good time, and (hopefully) an adventure he'll remember (fondly) for a long time.

The venue was Metro, just a couple of blocks down from Wrigley field.  Fun venue, room to pack in about 1,000 folk.   No seats, just shoulder to shoulder standing.  It was bright and sunny and pushing 90 degrees when we left St. Louis.  And grey and mid 50s in Chicago by the time of the show.  But dry.

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A couple of cell phone shots from our balcony perch.  Fun fun fun!

Some songs:
Starcrossed Lovers

I've Been Blind

Chelsea Dagger

Worst Football Game?

I was talking with somebody at work, and the topic of the old St. Louis Cardinals football team came up.  I mentioned that one of the worst football games I rememebr was the Cardinals playing the NY Giants on Monday Night Football back in 1983. 

Seems odd that I would remember that game as being bad.  But I couldn't really remember why.  Except for missed field goals.  Missed firld goals stuck in my mind.

BUT: thanks to the glory of the internet, I was able to look it up.

October 24, 1983.  One web site described it thus:  "In a battle of two mediocre NFC East rivals, the Cardinals and Giants played for nearly five hours--and STILL couldn't produce a winner, as the game ended in a 20-20 tie, the last deadlock to date on MNF."

 Looking at the stats, the game featured:

• Both teams were 2-5 on the season, not exactly a promising sign... 
• 20 penalties for 195 yards (9 for STL, 11 for NYG)
• 6 turnovers (3 for each team)
• Neither quarterback managed 50% completions, neither team managed 200 net passing yards.
• Combined, the teams missed 4 field goals (out of 8 attempts).  And STL missed 3 of 5 field goals, including a 19 yard attempt!
• Each each team gave up a defensive touchdown (1 fumble return, 1 interception return)

I'm sure it's not the worst game ever.  And perhaps I was grumpy because I was watching it from a hotel in Walnut Creek California (on a business trip), where the game started a 6pm.

She Caught The Katy... pt 2

Last week I posted a few images from my quick visit to Katy Trail.  And I said:  "maybe more to follow?"...  Well, today is your luck day, as maybe turns to certainly!

  I sure do enjoy "not flat".  And this qualifies!

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I couldn't quite get the angle I wanted here, but cose enough, I suppose.  Effects added in Topaz for a "painterly" feel.

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A testament to persistence...   This tree has had to work had to find a way.

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Ten Albums

So there's been a "thing" going around facebook for a little while, asking folks to post 10 "all time favorite albums" that "really made an impact",  and that you still listen to "if only now and then".

I've enjoyed seeing the posts from friends who participated, and couldn't help but participate.  Problem was, I had a heck of a time limiting myself to 10.  So I narrowed it down to 10 rock/pop albums, that I have on vinyl from my school year.  I may have to do another list for Jazz/Classical/etc....  and maybe an "honorable mention" list...

Anyway, the facebook thing said "no explanations", but I decided to post the list here, with a short explanation why I selected each album.  They were posted randomly on facebook, I'll put them here chronologically by release date:

• The Monkees - Headquarters (1967) - One of the first albums I remember vividly.  Pretty sure it was technically my brother's, but I remember "us" buying it at the Sears in Charleston WV, and listening to it on our little portable record player.  A great album which has stood the test of time, and has earned a bit of respect.
• Derek And The Dominoes - Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs (1970).  Released in 1970, but didn't really make a splash until '72/'73. I think I got this in 1975-ish.  Purchased for the  title track, I think this is the album that really introduced me to blues music.
• Genesis - Live (1973) - The first Genesis album I owned.  Not exactly sure when I got it, but mid 70's.  This was my go-to album for "turning off the world" during my mid-high school years.  I'd put it on (often late at night), (usually) through headphones and studiously listen...  I knew this album inside and out, instrument by instrument...
• The Who - Quadrophenia (1973) -   90 minutes of the Who at their best.  And one of my favorite bass albums.  I didn't discover the full album until the last 70's, but it has been a favorite ever since.
• Doobie Brothers - What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits (1974).  This was the first album I owned from my first "favorite band".  I picked this up when it was current, in the summer of '74.  When I was discovering the joys of FM radio.  One could argue if this is their best, but it gets my "impact" nod as the one that started it for me.
• Blue Oyster Cult - Secret Treaties (1974) -  Still one of my favorite guitar albums, and the first BOC album I owned..  Probably mid high-school.  Half the fun was trying to make sense out of the lyrics.    "Radios Appear!"
• Poco - Cantamos (1974) - didn't discover Poco until mid high school, but they've been a solid part of my collection since.  This has been my favorite Poco album since I heard it.  
• Lynyrd Skynyrd - Gimme Back My Bullets (1976) -I remember listening to the local radio station's debut of the album, laying on the floor of my bedroom at midnight...  Not well received at the time, and generally not heralded today, it's been a favorite of mine since day 1
• J.J. Cale - Troubadour (1976).  I discovered J.J. Cale when his version of "Cocaine" got some radio play.  I also knew that Lynyrd Skynyrd had covered a couple J.J. Cale songs.  It took a little while for the album to really grow on me, but it wasn't long before I had picked up all his prior albums, and I have (almost) everything subsequent.
• Joe Jackson - Look Sharp (1979) - My recollection:  at the start of the summer of 1979, my brother put this album on and said "this is what I want our band to sound like".  It may be a manufactured memory, but it's still a cool thought.   Great album.  I have this one on 2x 10" vinyl.  It came with a small button, black with "Look Sharp!" in white letters.  Yes, it was THAT cool.

Side note, I've seen 7 of these 10 in concert, can you guess who I've missed?

She Caught The Katy, And Left Me A Mule To Ride.....

I was driving across Missouri yesterday.  From Kansas City (area) to St. Louis (area), across I-70.  About 1/2 way, you cross the Missouri River, And about 2 miles off the highway is the town of Rocheport, MO.  A quaint little town, with easy access to the Katy Trail, and a stretch where it runs along the river.  It's a great spot for a rest stop; a little bit of a walk and some photo ops.. 

I don't make that trek too often, but when I do, I try and stop.  And yesterday I found a little time.  And managed a few photos.  Here's the first couple, processed (maybe more to follow?):

 

Looking up-river, towards KC.  Larger version here.  

About 140 mile drive upriver from this spot (Columbia Bottom Conservation Area).   

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Rock and Vines.  A shear wall on the north, a river on the right....  cool spot. 

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This little shop is in the town of Rocheport. If I had a bit more time, or was traveling with my wife, I'd've checked it out.  Aside:  looking at google, it appears this spot is now called Stockton Mercantile, though they didn't change the awning... 

Larger Version here.

Columbia Bottom Conservation Area

Columbia Bottom  is one of my more favored nature spots in the St. Louis area.  Just about 20 minutes from my home and not much further (in a different direction) from the Arch, but could be 1,000 miles or 100 years away.  I'm sure I've posted quite a few images from here over the years...  Like THIS ONE.

This is the Missouri River, maybe 1.5 miles upstream of the confluence with the Mississippi.  Photo is from last Saturday, when I made a late afternoon excursion.   this was taken with my iPhone, which seems to do a really good job with wide angle images.  I was trying to channel my inner Ansel Adams, and posted a B&W version to my Facebook.  I know, I'm nowhere near Ansel Adams' skills, but humor me.

Here's another from almost the same spot.  Not thrilled with this one, kind of weak composition:

A Good Crop - 2018-Q1

Over the past several years, I've done a year end photo review, based on the old Ansel Adams quote "Twelve significant photographs in any one year is a good crop."...

Well, this year, I decided to take the 1/4 pole and see how the year is going.

I had a couple of personal goals for the year:

• Use my DSLR.  I've gotten lazy, or perhaps complacent with the generally good quality of my Compact Digital and iPhone 7.  But I want to be more "intentional", and also not settle for "generally good" as easily.
• Focus on Photography...  but NOT stress about photo-a-day.  Plan photo excursions and go crazy.  I'm still posting the best (or favorite) at 365project, but over several albums, and backdating....

So, how's that going, and what do I have to say for myself?

• I'm taking a lot more photos.  Just based on what I'm posting at 365project, I've presented 56% more photos than 2017Q1.  
• I'm using (and enjoying) my DSLR.  It represents 44% of the posted photos this quarter, vs only 11% in 2017Q1.  That works out to a 500% increase based on posted images!
• My ratio's of "popular" and "trending" photos is double the first quarter last year, Which is some measure of success.  And I have a lot more photos that I'm really pleased with.
• I've started posting selected photos to Facebook from my photo outings.  And have had several people give good feedback (face to face and in posted comments).  That's pretty cool.  I've also started cross posting some of those to one of the facebook photography groups I'm on.

A couple of interesting things, maybe negatives, maybe just things:

• I find that I'm not participating in as many challenges at 365project as before.  Rather than thinking about an "assignment", I'm going where happenstance leads me.Probably a bit of good and bad to that.  And I missed the WorldWidePhotoMinute last month, which ticked me off.
• I feel like haven't really been posting that much here on the blog..  But counting says I've dropped from 28 over Q1 last year to 21 this year.  So not too bad a percentage drop, but still far from active.  Adding in Happenstance, and the numbers tell a different story.  My posting there is way UP, 38 images over Q1 this year, vs only 14 last year.  So maybe I'm just crazy.  Still 59 posts over 90 days, split between 2 blogs?  Not setting the world on fire.

Anyway, I feel like it is a godd start, and I'm hoping I can keep it up.  Still looking for new venues / photo-communities.   Any suggestions?

I Just Wanna Be Popular - March 2018

A continuing series....   (January, February):

Most of you know that I post regularly to 365project.org.  Or if you didn't, you do now!  Check out my project!  Anyway, they have a function that selects photos for their "Popular" page.  Of course, the actual algorithm to define what's popular is secret, but it is still cool when one of my images makes the cut.


So, looking back at March 2018, what did I do that was popular?  I posted 36 images to my three albums in March, and only had 1 make the popular page.  Kind of disappointing, after 3 in January and 5 in February.  But I aslo had 1 make Trending (but not popular), so that's cool:

Popular:

Spring Break

posted 3/24/2018

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Trending:

Untitled #5909

posted 03/11/2018

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I actually had several photos I quite like in March, but they didn't make "popular".   I'm not really sure what all goes into the algorithm, though....

Aside:  The post title is taken from the Pete Townshend song from his album Scoop

Pitt Is It

Spent a few days in Pittsburgh, as my son is considering U of Pitt.  Managed a few images around campus:

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Around The 'Burgh

From last week's trip to Pittsburgh / Univerity Of Pittsburgh.  A few non-campus shots:

It was grey and rainy almost the whole trip...  I saw these two while aiting for the elveator at the hotel (7th floor aspect).  

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Hot O Shop....  This is along Forbes Ave, in / around Pitt campus.  Looks like this place was here when I lived just up the road (in the 70's)...  but I don't remember.

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Interesting remnants of something....    I came across this site by happenstance. Driving around the north hills of Pittsburgh (Shaler Township). Not sure what it was, but I thought it was pretty interesting. 

Looks like a large loading bay facing the road. 

The ramp at the back, going out of picture to the left crosses a stream, to (remains of) a small building by a railroad track. To the right is a large open field, presumably the former site of an industrial facility.The the main road (Rt. 8). I'm guessing this was some sort of depot for whatever factory used to be here.

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Homeless....  We saw these two gentleman a couple of times over the 3 days...  Outside the CVS on Forbes Ave.  

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 We passed though Cleveland on the way home.  This is actually Ohio City, on the west side of the Cuyahoga River from Cleveland.  Lots of effects here, to emphasize the lines....

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