We Lost Another Great One Yesterday...

I really didn't expect to be back this soon to post, but I just found out that Dave Brubeck died yesterday...

He would have been 91 tomorrow.  If you're not sure who he was, just listen to this song and you will know.  "Take Five" is one of the greatest songs ever recorded. Not just an absolute jazz masterpiece, but an all around classic.  Dave Brubeck wasn't just a great talent, he was truly a game changer and one of the most influential musicians of all time.

I'm usually pretty stoic about these things, but this one saddens me...

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Alive and Kicking...

I'm sure that many of you have noticed my frequent references to A.D.D. Right?  Well, I really am wildly A.D.D. and it's been a problem for a long time. Probably most of my life. A couple of weeks before my last post and after about a thousand prods from one of our girls; I made an appointment with a psychiatrist (who in all likelihood, will read this blog post). After much talking and question answering, I was given a prescription and some hope.  

After a few days of taking the medication, I was AMAZED at how I felt.  I felt FOCUSED!  Focused like I've seldom been in many years. I have a list with about 100 things that I need to do to our house, yard, cars, etc.  A.D.D. people are great at making lists and I'm no exception. The problem is that very few items ever get crossed off the list!  I could start an item, but then get distracted (by nothing at all) and forget about what I was doing. The difference now, is that I'm not making a new list, I'm actually knocking things off the old one, right and left. 

Anyhow, I just wanted to let you all know that I'm doing well and I will be back soon.  I've even created some posts that are waiting to see the light of day. I haven't posted any of them because I just don't have the time yet to respond to comments or to visit any blogs myself. But I will!  

For those that have been with me for quite a while; the daughter that was prodding me was Ashley. Ashley, of the seemingly abandoned, yet amazing StupidGirls blog and her living and breathing Our Journey begins as the Kings blog.

Love you all, miss you all and I'll be back very soon. I promise!
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In the mean time, beware of the giant pelicans!

embiggen por favor...

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I'll be back in a couple of weeks!

Much too much going on right now, but I'll be posting again in 2 or 3 weeks. Happy Halloween!

See you soon!

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Street Candids 6 - Family - And a Halloween Blog Fest

These folks are all part of my family, but the photos are very candid.

Making a wish before flipping a coin into a fountain in Palm Springs. I love the high level of concentration on her face. She is my granddaughter and had no idea I was watching her.

My wife (on the right) and her sister. She looked at me just as I took the photo. Judging by her expression (enlarge please), I can't tell what she was thinking.  My wife on the other hand looks to be very interested in something that she found.

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My friend Budd at Scifi Media is hosting the Scare Me blogfest on Halloween. Please follow the link and check it out and/or participate. Even if you don't participate, check out Scifi Media. Especially if you are into Scifi.

Here is Budd's blurb about it...

This is my first Blogfest and it will be happening on 10/31/12.  The purpose of the Scare Me Blogfest is to write about the scariest book that you have read, Movie you have watched, Ghosts you have encountered, and/or to share your own scary story. Just sign up on the Linky below (on his blog) and post your  entry on Halloween.  A panel that includes me, myself, and I will argue and fight to decide which entry was the best and that entry will get an award.  Who knows, I may make several.  

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Street Candids 5

Faces! The thing that draws me to people on the street is their faces. Seriously, I don't take photos of just anybody that walks by. If you've been here for a while and have seen my street candid photos, you'd have to agree that most of them either have a classic face or an unusual presence.  To me, these two guys are perfect!

This gentleman was manning the grill at a Greek food stall at the weekly Palm Springs street fair.  I LOVE his face!  If you ever find yourself in the southern California desert on a Thursday, you won't be sorry if you save some time for this weekly event. EVERY Thursday evening. Music, food, art and tons of people!

I can't be sure whether or not this guy is homeless, but I am sure that he's one of the fringe people you see where ever people are gathered. Many people are afraid of them, but I think they're pretty interesting and usually have a good story to tell.  Either way, that face was screaming at me to take a photo. It was late afternoon and the light was perfect.

More to come...

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Street Candids 4 - Japan

Most of you already know that I really like taking candid photos of folks on the street.  Several people have asked in their comments how I feel about others doing the same to me. I'm a fairly unremarkable looking guy and people normally wouldn't think to take my photo.  Unless...

They saw a large white guy standing on a wall, taking their photo. 

Shootout at the OK corral... This one is pretty washed out, but I had to shoot from the hip to photograph him photographing me.

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Street Candids 3

Please feel free to embiggen.

This one was taken at the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in Point Loma, California.  If this lady would have seen me taking her photo, I would have felt badly about it and approached her to apologize for interrupting her very personal moment. I wasn't however, going to pass up this shot. To me, it was very moving.  Even more so these days, because this beautiful cemetery is also going to be my final resting place.  I would have loved to move to the left several feet to get a good perspective running down that wall of niches. 

This guy is most certainly giving me the old stink eye for taking his photo. When I got up close to him though, he didn't have anything at all to say to me. I think my stink eye trumped his.  The photo was taken at the Orange County Market Place. (the following sentence was added after several comments) I guess I should have set this scene up. The lady in front of me is my wife. This guy was REALLY checking her out. I was trying to get a photo of that, but by the time I was ready, he saw what I was doing. 

This one was posted several months ago. This gentleman is one of the inhabitants of Slab City, in the Southern California desert.  He didn't care about the photo and even waved at me. 

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Street Candids 2 - Palm Springs

My last post consisted of a few candid photos taken in San Luis Obispo. In the comments to the post, several people said they don't take these photos because they don't want the subject getting mad at them. 

Ask The Rabbi

These two were taken at the weekly street fair in Palm Springs. Everything looks okay in this photo. I thought the whole "Ask The Rabbi" deal was pretty cool, so I decided to take a couple of photos. They were smiling and having a good time. Well, they were until they noticed me taking their photos.

I guess I forgot to "Ask The Rabbi" if I could take their photos. 

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