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| :: Christmas Dinner & Circus Acts |
Posted 12/25/03 |
 On Christmas eve, I went over to Heath and Meredith's house and we all had dinner with Josh, Chris, John, and Drew. Heath cooked up some crab, ham, veggie cassarole, asparagus, sweet potatoes with pecans, rolls, and lots of wine and champagne. Then Meredith made us stuff our bellies with pie and ice cream. Afterward, Heath entertained us with a variety of circus acts (see the movies below), before we opened some gifts that Josh bestowed upon everyone. It was a great dinner, and I'm very thankful to have had the companionship of good friends that evening.
Christmas Dinner & Circus Acts Photos - Set 1/1 (Digital, Canon PowerShot S230)
MVI_2395.MOV (272 KB) - Heath spins poi in a whirlwind of color.
MVI_2400.MOV (740 KB) - Heath swings a 12-foot chain around his neck.
MVI_2404.MOV (340 KB) - How can we leave out juggling?
MVI_2416.MOV (360 KB) - Or axe tossing?
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| :: Fallen Tree |
Posted 12/10/03 |
 I'm sitting in my bedroom, when suddenly I hear this loud crashing noise, feel the house shake, and hear things rattling against the outside walls. Talk about an adrenaline rush! I go to the living room window, look out, and there's a friggin tree down right in front of the garage, with broken branches and twigs thrown about everywhere! I'm so glad I didn't park my car there, or it would be crushed. Thankfully the tree also just missed taking out my phone and power lines. I took some photos of the fallen tree that night (along with a video), and the next day (when you can actually see the thing).
Fallen Tree Photos - Set 1/1 (Digital, Canon PowerShot S230)
MVI_2338.MOV (1.9 MB) - Checking out the site of the fall at night in the rain.
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| :: Giant Mushrooms |
Posted 12/7/03 |
 I was walking outside to go to work one morning, when I noticed a bunch of giant white mushrooms sticking up out of the ground by my garage. They were all as big as (if not bigger than) my hand, had stems that were as thick as a tree branch, and they had burst through the ground, pushing dirt and leaves to the side. I grabbed my camera and took a few shots. I have no idea what kind of mushrooms they are, so let me know if you're a mushroom expert.
Giant Mushroom Photos - Set 1/1 (Digital, Canon PowerShot S230)
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| :: Thanksgiving Trip Home |
Posted 11/30/03 |
 I went home and visited my family and friends in Pennsylvania over Thanksgiving. I spent most of my time relaxing, hanging out with my brothers, visiting friends, spending time with my parents, going out for dinner, drinking and partying, shopping for Christmas, and of course, eating turkey! There was also a lot of pyromania, as you can tell by these photos and movies. Looking back, I had a great vacation and wish I could've stayed another week. There's something very comforting about the east-coast vibe that's missing in California.
Thanksgiving Trip Home Photos - Set 1/1 (Digital, Canon PowerShot S230)
MVI_2228.MOV (1 MB) - Hanging out at my Uncle Joe's before eating turkey.
MVI_2266.MOV (732 KB) - Playing with wax and fire in the chiminea.
MVI_2274.MOV (232 KB) - Brian acting freaky as usual by the chiminea at night.
MVI_2278.MOV (104 KB) - Phil drops a cup of rum into the chiminea. Boom!
MVI_2293.MOV (200 KB) - Brian throws something at Jeff while playing poker.
MVI_2315.MOV (300 KB) - Me, Keith and Andy hanging out at a local bar.
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| :: Deonnah's Visit |
Posted 9/23/03 |
 Deonnah came out to visit last week, and we had an amazing and magical time. It was so good to see her in person again. I greeted her at the airport with a rose two Sundays ago, and since then we've been quite busy. We stayed in a couple hotels in San Francisco and did the tourist thing, checking out the Golden Gate, Lombard, the Haight, North Beach, etc. We hung out at Fuse at night, saw DJ Hyper at 1015, and saw Lee Burridge on a boat party celebrating his new release. We went to Marin, walked around Fairfax, and enjoyed a beautiful sunset on Mt. Tam. We also smoked plenty of hookahs at the Giza Hookah Lounge in San Jose, and had some good dinners there, as well as in Capitola. We also spent some time in Santa Cruz. It was one of the best weeks of my life, and I hope to have many
more like this in the future.
Deonnah's Visit Photos - Set 1/1 (Digital, Canon PowerShot S230)
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| :: A Hookahn Feast |
Posted 9/7/03 |
 We had a great dinner tonight. There was a good turn-out (about 20 people), the food was fantastic (kudos to Heath ), and it was great being amongst like-minded folks again. We reminisced about Burning Man, goofed around, told stories and got to know each other more. What was really weird was playing the tape of the burn, which had a clock showing that it was 9:45 p.m. last Saturday, and as we're watching it, we notice that it was 9:40 p.m. on Saturday, one week later almost to the minute! I got somewhat emotional watching the tape of the burn. It brought back a lot of memories. Hugs and gifts were floating around everywhere. I felt more connected to the group than ever.
A Hookahn Feast Photos - Set 1/1 (Digital, Canon PowerShot S230)
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| :: Burning Man 2003 |
Posted 9/7/03 |
 After 10 days in the desert, I'm now back from Burning Man. I had the most incredible time. We spent the first weekend setting up camp. Then the rest of the week was a mix between partying and serving guests. So many wonderful people wandered into our camp late at night, either drawn by the fire spinners out front, the music, the Magic Carpet art car, or from past experience. We all gathered around the hookahs to smoke and exchange stories, and served tea and middle eastern treats. It was so rewarding to serve people, and they thanked us with hugs, smiles and gifts. In the other dome, people would kneel down before the Wheel of Faith altar and participate in all the ceremonies and rituals -- it went over really well! There's not enough space to describe the whole event here. It
was a life-changing experience, and I'll be back next year for sure.
Burning Man 2003 Photos - Set 1/1 (Digital, Canon PowerShot S230)
MVI_1623.MOV (212 KB) - The Wheel of Faith spinning in the Altar Dome.
MVI_1691.MOV (320 KB) - Fire-spinners looking like fireflies just before the burn.
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| :: Hookahdome Camp Meeting |
Posted 8/16/03 |
 We had a great meeting last night. There was an amazing sense of community, and everyone was really productive! Josh, Damon, Phil and I worked on finishing the altar, Heath cut some metal pipes, Kat brought her reinforced cloth triangles, Roger and Ryan attached grommets, and others attached the cloth to the pyramid with bungees. We placed the altar underneath the frame of the great pyramid and loaded it with decorations, candles and burning incense. Then I turned around to see this amazing white pyramid in the driveway with lights being projected on it! What a sight! We then formed a circle around the altar and got down to business. It's a shame I didn't get a picture of us all in the circle.
Hookahdome Camp Meeting Photos - Set 1/1 (Digital, Canon PowerShot S230)
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| :: Burning Man Altar Project |
Updated 8/5/03 |
 The altar is coming along nicely! I've gotten all the painted pieces back from Meredith, re-attached the legs, firmly secured the spinning pieces, cleaned the cloth and screwed on the knobs, built the central hexagonal piece and attached the dividers, covered the round shelf with cloth, sewed fringe around its edge, and placed the top shelf dividers on top. I still need to secure the top dividers, create printouts of the ceremonies and attach them, and get all the altar objects arranged in their proper places. Still need to find/buy some!
Burning Man Altar Project Photos
MVI_1057.MOV (872 KB) - The first legs are put on the altar.
MVI_1149.MOV (712 KB) - A test of the spinning using the old technique.
MVI_1160.MOV (100 KB) - Testing the lazy susann piece with the new technique.
MVI_1519.MOV (512 KB) - Giving the altar a whirl, with altar cloth and knobs.
MVI_1530.MOV (352 KB) - Another whirl, but with the hexagonal centerpiece added.
MVI_1549.MOV (480 KB) - The final whirl, fully assembled and spinning well!
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| :: Winking Lotus "Adrift" Boat Party |
Posted 8/4/03 |
|  I boarded the White Holly Saturday night in Benecia, although the party had started Friday night in Vallejo. It was a huge metal boat, an ex coast-guard ship, and packed with about 50 people. It slept 10, so I ended up sleeping on the floor in front of the dry store door. DJ's were spinning music, everyone was wearing crazy outfits, playing with glowing things, and spinning poi. Kat took off her shirt and put X's of black and yellow tape over her nipples. I bought a blue EL wire with a strobe driver, which was entertaining to twirl in my intoxicated state, and good for mesmerizing kittens. We sailed out past the Golden Gate bridge before returning to Benecia. Aside from getting sick, it was a blast!
Boat Party Photos - Set 1/1 (Digital, Canon PowerShot S230)
MVI_1408.MOV (484 KB) - A kitten plays with strobing El wire in the kitchen.
MVI_1454.MOV (284 KB) - John spins fire on the front deck of the White Holly.
MVI_1466.MOV (380 KB) - A 360-degree view from the front deck of the boat.
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| :: July 4th & Jonathan's B-Day |
Posted 7/7/03 |
|  Kat and I went down to San Bernadino for 4th of July weekend, where we celebrated our friend Jonathan's 30th birthday. We setup camp in the backyard again at Linda and John's desert home, partied with Jonathan's family members and LiveJournal friends, and played with some fast-growing kittens. We didn't see much fireworks though, just caught some glimpses of shows during the drive down and set off some smaller ones at the party.
July 4th Photos - Set 1/1 (Digital, Canon PowerShot S230)
MVI_1295.MOV (200 KB) - Kat and Tigger splash and bark at each other in the pool!
MVI_1354.MOV (796 KB) - Jonathan has a hard time blowing out his 30 candles.
MVI_1378.MOV (368 KB) - Kitten wrestling!
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| :: More Modeling on Mount Tam |
Posted 6/30/03 |
|  I finally got the film developed that I've been carrying around in my pockets since March. This first set of pictures is from when Kat and I spent a day on Mount Tamalpais in Marin County. Here you can see the additional pictures I shot with my Nikon F100. There's a couple good ones of Kat in here. Isn't she gorgeous? You can also see some shots of Kat at the end of the Ichiban pictures below.
Mount Tam Photos - Set 2/2 (Film, Nikon F100) |
| :: The Beno's Dine at Ichiban |
Posted 6/30/03 |
|  Here's some more film that I neglected to develop in a timely manner. These pictures are from my trip back home to Pennsylvania during Christmas. Our family went out to a restaurant, which may have been called Ichiban, or it may have been something similar. Anyway, you have to check these out to see how the chef interacted with my family, especially when he flipped pieces of shrimp into our mouths -- the flash from the camera actually caught them in the air!
Ichiban Photos - Set 1/1 (Film, Nikon F100) |
| :: Black Rock Desert Camping Trip |
Posted 6/29/03 |
 Spent a great weekend camping with Kat, Heath, Meredith, and others at Black Rock Desert in Nevada, which is the site for Burning Man. Heath and crew were going to setup an amateur radio station, and I went to have fun and get a sneak peak of what will be in store for me at Burning Man. We were in the middle of nowhere. The desert surface, called "playa", is a dry lakebed that's been used in car commercials. It's one of the flattest areas on earth, and the dust from the cracked surface gets everywhere. During the day, the temperature got up to 108, while at night it gets really cold (sometimes close to freezing). Without a light, everything is pitch black, but the stars in the sky are amazing and countless.
Black Rock Desert Photos - Set 1/2 (Digital, Canon PowerShot S230)
Black Rock Desert Photos - Set 2/2 (Film, Nikon F100)
MVI_1209.MOV (372 KB) - A 360-degree view of the playa, and our camp!
MVI_1230.MOV (460 KB) - "Silly HAM radio boys" raising an antenna.
MVI_1263.MOV (524 KB) - The endless playa at sunset.
MVI_1264.MOV (320 KB) - "What's for dinner?" Making low-carb stew in camp. |
| :: Ashland Trip |
Posted 6/29/03 |
 The previous weekend, I went with Kat to visit her parents in Ashland, Oregon. We drove up Friday, stayed in a quaint little cottage, hung out downtown, and saw Present Laughter and A Midsummer Night's Dream in the local Shakespeare Festival. It's very much a hippy town. I liken it to a cross between Fairfax, CA and New Hope, PA. Unfortunately, I didn't take many photos. The ones shown here are shots from a visit to Kat's grandmother's house.
Ashland Trip Photos
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| :: Bluegrass & Beer |
Posted 6/2/03 |
 Kat and I spent a wonderful Saturday with Heath and Meredith. We started off with a picnic at a bluegrass festival in Santa Cruz. After enjoying Heath's sandwiches, champagne, and chocolate-covered strawberries, we went to Petroglyph for some painting, and then grabbed a few beers at 99 Bottles. We capped off the day by watching Finding Nemo and dining on some fine Italian food at the Pearl Alley Bistro. Whew!
Bluegrass & Beer Photos |
| :: Dehumidifiers, Chili & Catnip! |
Posted 5/29/03 |
 Here's an interesting mix of pictures. The entire contents of my well were emptied into my house when a piece in the toilet broke, so the place had to get rigged up with heavy-duty dehumidifiers and blowers! I also cooked my first batch of chili, since somehow my name ended up on the list of people cooking at the Harris Hot House Chili Cook-Off! It was yummy, but not as spicy as I wanted. While I was playing around, "Catnip-Pusher" Kat got the cats high with catnip. There's footage of "Boo" rolling around in the stuff, along with a tour of my water-logged home!
Dehumidifiers, Chili & Catnip Photos
MVI_1072.MOV (1.5 MB) - Heavy-duty dehumidifers and blowers in my soggy home.
MVI_1100.MOV (520 KB) - Kat's cat "Boo" rolling around intoxicated on catnip! |
| :: RenFaire & Kittens |
Posted 5/27/03 |
 Kat and I spent a nice Memorial Day weekend down in the LA area with some friends. We camped out at the home of Jonathan's parents in the high desert, partied late into the night, BBQ'd and pigged out on ribs and kabobs, dressed up for the SoCal Rennaisance Faire, and stopped at Six Flags Magic Mountain on the way back home. Unfortunately, I didn't take many pictures, but you can see Kat and I in our outfits (and me with my new boots) and 2-week-old kittens!
RenFaire & Kitten Photos
MVI_1064.MOV (952 KB) - Kat petting a 2-week-old kitten in her RenFaire garb. |
| :: Bay to Breakers |
Posted 5/19/03 |
 Woo hoo! We did it! Kat, Joe and I walked 8 miles across San Francisco in the 2003 Bay to Breakers race. Our time was 2:38:49. I thought it was going to be tougher, and I thought the hills were going to be harder, but it wasn't bad at all. It was a gorgeous day, and we had a blast walking through the various SF neighborhoods with costumed freaks and naked people. We started off under a hail of tortillas, and ended up feasting on tapas at Cha Cha Cha's in the Haight. What a day!
Bay to Breakers Photos
MVI_1020.MOV (652 KB) - Catching flying tortillas with a net before the race!
MVI_1023.MOV (484 KB) - A glimpse of Joe and Kat as the race kicks off.
MVI_1032.MOV (716 KB) - Watch this one! "In the Navy" and crazy costumers!
MVI_1043.MOV (276 KB) - A "YMCA" street party (one of many), more SF spirit! |
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:: A Hawaiian Vacation |
Posted 4/24/03 |
 Wow, what a trip! This was my first time in Hawaii, and I had an amazing time. We stayed on the island of Oahu at the Outrigger Reef hotel on Waikiki beach. We spent most of our time on the beach, but also did some shopping and saw a luau and show at the Polynesian Cultural Center.
The biggest highlight to me was snorkeling along the reefs in the beautiful turquoise water, and of course many magical moments with Kat. And who can forget the incredible seafood and Mai Tai's?
Hawaiian Vacation Photos
MVI_0885.MOV (380 KB) - View of beach and palm trees from hotel room.
MVI_0902.MOV (685 KB) - Same view during the night, showing torches.
MVI_0918.MOV (466 KB) - Opening an oyster to get Kat's pearl. |
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:: Bacchanal Bash 2003! |
Posted 3/26/03 |
 Bacchus would be proud! Though you'd never know it by these pictures. Unfortunately, I didn't spend much time capturing the moments of the party, and in some cases, I was holding the camera with one hand while holding a chalice in another, shooting from the hip so to speak. But some pics are neat, and there are shots of setup and some after-party activities as well. Have to wait for my brothers to get their pics online. In the meantime, enjoy, and check out movie clips!
Bacchanal Bash 2003 Photos
MVI_0784.MOV (468 KB) - Brave adventurers descend into the ravine.
MVI_0793.MOV (988 KB) - Tent setup: "Oh, this is going to be a long night."
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:: Modeling on Mount Tam |
Posted 3/6/03 |
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 We next find our dashing photographer and sultry model rummaging through the wilderness of Mount Tamalpais. Despite the dangers posed by a pack of closely grazing wild deer, and needless cell phone interruptions, the photo shoot did go on. Stay tuned for the real photos, taken from our photographer's Nikon F100. Preview pictures and movies are below:
Mount Tam Preview Photos
MVI_0766.MOV (1.4 MB) - Kat and a panoramic of Mt. Tamalpais.
MVI_0771.MOV (1.0 MB) - Kat making a phone call from every angle.
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:: Smoothies or Fondue? |
Posted 1/24/03 |
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 Would you like to see Kat drink a smoothie in exhaustive detail? Or how about eat fondue? Then you've come to the right place, just click the link below. By the way, this was the first time I ever had fondue. I like the second and third courses best, which were meat and chocolate. The first course, veggies, was... okay ;)
Smoothy and Fondue Photos |
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:: My Mutant Brother! |
Posted 1/21/03 |
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 This is pretty scary! I don't know what Mom's feeding my brothers, but I just got these screen shots off of Andy's web cam. The Truth is Out There!
My Mutant Brother Photos |
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:: NYE & Birthday Photos |
Posted 1/3/03 |
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 Here's some shots from a New Years Eve party at Andrew's house. There's two photos of my birthday in there at the end (ran out of memory):
NYE & Birthday Photos |
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:: San Francisco Photos
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Posted 12/26/02
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 Photos from a brief trip to San Francisco are also posted. See Kat in all her cuteness! Some pics of my fireplace and me making funny faces are thrown in as extras ;)
SF Photos
I still need to link to the movies. Stay tuned! |
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:: Tahoe Photos
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Posted 12/26/02
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 Here are some crazy photos and movies from a trip to Tahoe when it recently dumped. Sorry, there's more skin than snow, so if you're looking for some great pictures of the lake, you'll need to look elsewhere:
Tahoe Photos
I still need to link to the movies. Stay tuned! |
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:: Vegas Photos
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Posted 3/17/03 |
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 I just realized these weren't linked from my site. These are pictures from a trip I took with Kat to Las Vegas back in December of 2002:
Vegas Photos |
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