tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-163208302024-03-14T03:02:52.313-04:00farting in the showerJoelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17842454859879493663noreply@blogger.comBlogger276125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16320830.post-48479896812841590652010-10-25T11:48:00.002-04:002010-10-25T11:49:32.170-04:00I MOVEDYou can find me here now:<br /><br /><a href="http://storybyjoel.blogspot.com">Story by Joel</a><br /><br />hope to see you there!Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17842454859879493663noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16320830.post-91921128413357415292010-10-09T07:03:00.007-04:002010-10-09T08:02:09.607-04:00The Seed of Moe GreeneMy best friend and FITS contributor Moe Greene gave me a call Friday to let me know he and his son Peyton were planning on taking a tour of the Washington Nationals Stadium. Since that's only a few blocks from where I work he asked if I might want to meet up with them after the tour... They're basically my two favorite people in the world, so I was pretty excited. We ended up hanging out in one of the coolest parks on Capitol Hill, Garfield Park. Of course I took some pics:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flickr_by_joel/5064704562/" title="IMG_0959b by dcnats, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4090/5064704562_87506b6ec1_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="IMG_0959b" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flickr_by_joel/5064092795/" title="peyton dip by dcnats, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4091/5064092795_ae0394d9d4_z.jpg" width="640" height="379" alt="peyton dip" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flickr_by_joel/5064705490/" title="IMG_0974b by dcnats, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4085/5064705490_0a16694318_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="IMG_0974b" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flickr_by_joel/5064093687/" title="peyton dip3 by dcnats, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4151/5064093687_7b3ce50396_z.jpg" width="640" height="640" alt="peyton dip3" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flickr_by_joel/5064092029/" title="IMG_0977b by dcnats, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4132/5064092029_861a465203_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="IMG_0977b" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flickr_by_joel/5064704942/" title="IMG_0973b by dcnats, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4151/5064704942_1061a13b4c_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="IMG_0973b" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flickr_by_joel/5064092567/" title="Peyton dip 1 by dcnats, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4092/5064092567_84b82600ab_z.jpg" width="640" height="640" alt="Peyton dip 1" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flickr_by_joel/5064109839/" title="IMG_1039b by dcnats, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4128/5064109839_d213dc5ff3_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="IMG_1039b" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flickr_by_joel/5064109397/" title="IMG_1022b by dcnats, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4150/5064109397_c4e7b47c81_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="IMG_1022b" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flickr_by_joel/5064109649/" title="IMG_1035b by dcnats, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4088/5064109649_eb36895d18_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="IMG_1035b" /></a>Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17842454859879493663noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16320830.post-53103866941824585532010-09-27T09:14:00.003-04:002010-09-27T10:28:48.615-04:00The MotelWhen my grandparents bought their house in Southern Virginia back in the early 70's it was surrounded by a whole lot of nothing. It stayed that way for a few years but then came the motel. It was built, against their objection, right in their backyard. The back parking lot runs right up against their property line. They put up a privacy fence and planted some trees, but the motel and in inhabitants were still just a stone's throw away.<br /><br />The motel was of a course of constant nuisance in their lives. There was a continuous flow of travelers, transients, cheating spouses, and derelicts making the motel their temporary home. There were arguments, fights, loud music, and even the occasional police raid. When I would visit during the summers as a child my grandmother was constantly warning me not to go near or even look over the fence... so of course, that's what I spent most of my time trying to do.<br /><br />I would peer through holes in the fence for hours at a time just waiting for something entertaining to happen... but mostly, nothing ever did. Sometimes I would see a group of guys drinking in the parking lot. Sometimes they'd shot craps or have a card game. Once I remeber seeing two fat teenage boys get into a fight while a group of adults watched on laughing. They rolled around in the parking lot trying to choke each other for what seemed like ten or twenty minutes until one of them tore a big hole in his pants and his ass came flying out. Another time I saw a couple having sex in the back of a pickup truck. I was still too young to really uinderstand what they were doing, but I knew it was something I wasn't supposed to see and I liked it.<br /><br />But for the most part, all the good stuff tended to happen at night when I was in bed. I would hear loud noises, commotion, screaming and cursing, then maybe a police siren. I'd lay in bed trying to create a story to explain whatever he mystery noises I'd heard. I'd fall asleep with my immagination still running wild and would dream that the "motel people" had hoped the fence and were try to break in my grandparent's house. But of course, nothing like that actually ever happened.<br /><br />Eventually the motel changed owners and things began to quiet down. The clientel hasn't changed much, but the new owners seems to be much less tolerant of disturbing the peace. My grandfather has been gone for quite some time and I haven't heard my grandmother complain about the motel for several years.<br /><br />When I was a kid I would see the motel sign and get a nervous feeling in my stomach, kind of like when you're watching a movie and the dramtic music starts playing in the background. Now when I see that motel sign pop up into the horizon I find it comforting. The trip to my grandmother's house takes nearly four hours and when I see that sign I know we've arrived at our destination and that I'm about to get a warm hug from my grandmother.<br /><br /><a title="If These Walls Could Talk by dcnats, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flickr_by_joel/5028085035/"><img alt="If These Walls Could Talk" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4125/5028085035_f4a0c2d90a_z.jpg" width="640" height="458" /></a>Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17842454859879493663noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16320830.post-80320214241302954342010-09-23T09:15:00.004-04:002010-09-23T09:22:48.954-04:00The New ToyI got a new camera at the end of August and so it's been a great month trying to break it in:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flickr_by_joel/4943137325/" title="Welcome to the Family by dcnats, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4077/4943137325_ac9c95ec65_z.jpg" width="640" height="488" alt="Welcome to the Family" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flickr_by_joel/4983904329/" title="Untitled by dcnats, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4092/4983904329_2e36146af9_z.jpg" width="640" height="501" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flickr_by_joel/4984168627/" title="Untitled by dcnats, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4110/4984168627_703f3f8d71_z.jpg" width="640" height="457" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flickr_by_joel/4991335043/" title="Gloria by dcnats, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4151/4991335043_7e8a3605fe_z.jpg" width="640" height="458" alt="Gloria" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flickr_by_joel/4991335303/" title="Glorita by dcnats, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4132/4991335303_832ae8a061_z.jpg" width="640" height="458" alt="Glorita" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flickr_by_joel/4994736178/" title="Untitled by dcnats, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4149/4994736178_7c20a9a91e_z.jpg" width="640" height="458" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flickr_by_joel/5003338520/" title="William Diptych by dcnats, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4085/5003338520_4d4e2f3c4c_z.jpg" width="487" height="640" alt="William Diptych" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flickr_by_joel/5004898703/" title="Jason Diptych by dcnats, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4091/5004898703_f735861f80_z.jpg" width="487" height="640" alt="Jason Diptych" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flickr_by_joel/5015402656/" title="Jason B&W version by dcnats, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4111/5015402656_93b70c0612_z.jpg" width="640" height="457" alt="Jason B&W version" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flickr_by_joel/5013946057/" title="The Landing by dcnats, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4125/5013946057_086dceb454_z.jpg" width="640" height="323" alt="The Landing" /></a>Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17842454859879493663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16320830.post-85852841623610123762010-09-13T10:38:00.002-04:002010-09-13T10:41:47.354-04:00Kicking PuppiesSometimes you come across a moment in life that is so poignant and so impactful that you must blog about it… even if you haven’t really blogged with any seriousness in over six months. <br /><br />A girl that is very near and dear to my heart recently began dating someone for the first time in a long time. She is usually very cautious and very deliberate when it comes to matters of the heart. But this time is different. This time she’s letting her guard down and getting her hopes up, and she’s not taking her time. It's been a very big source of contention between us... and that’s what I was thinking about as I saw the “Italian Couple” in the lobby of the Capitol South metro station. <br /><br />They were both in their early to mid-twenties. They were both strikingly good looking with dark hair and dark features. If you were casting a role of an Italian couple for a movie, you would pick them. But this wasn’t a movie. They were real and they were standing right in front of me as I waited in line to add money to my fare card. <br /><br />They were speaking softly to each other in Italian as they embraced. It was the kind of embrace that can be immediately recognized as a sad goodbye. Neither of them wanted to let go, so they just stood there… holding each other. <br /><br />As I stood there watching I couldn’t help but be overcome with the kind of sentimental, sappy feeling that makes you say, “awwww,” the way 10 year old girls do when they see a puppy or a kitten curled up in a blanket. <br /><br />Finally, they shared one last kiss before parting ways. I kept watching though, waiting to see them do the inevitable stop, turn around, and go back for one more kiss. Sure enough, the girl only got about five or six steps away when she made her turn around… Her beloved boyfriend on the other hand was walking away quickly in the opposite direction. She waited for a moment to see if he would turn back but I knew he wouldn’t. His back was turned to her, but not to me. I could see that he was already texting someone… and he had a grin on his face… He couldn’t wait to get away!<br /><br />It was like watching him kick the cute little puppy that made me say, “awwww,” only two minutes ago. <br /><br />Don’t get me wrong, I’m not judging the Italian guy… I’ve been that guy… Striking good looks and cool accent aside, I’ve been a puppy kicker. Most men are puppy kickers. It’s in out nature… and that’s the problem… I don’t want my friend to date a puppy kicker. But the chances are that’s exactly what she’s going to get.Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17842454859879493663noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16320830.post-23237520109202440242010-08-19T12:30:00.003-04:002010-08-19T12:44:12.607-04:00So......I know I don't blog anymore, but I thought I'd share with everyone what I've been up to over this year.<br /><br /><a title="Untitled by dcnats, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flickr_by_joel/4906975643/"><img alt="" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4078/4906975643_26d596dc17_z.jpg" width="640" height="471" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a title="Untitled by dcnats, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flickr_by_joel/4888518338/"><img alt="" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4138/4888518338_907fbcb97c_z.jpg" width="640" height="472" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a title="Monocacy Park by dcnats, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flickr_by_joel/4885347827/"><img alt="Monocacy Park" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4102/4885347827_6b65666d3c_z.jpg" width="640" height="470" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a title="Learning to Dance... AGAIN! by dcnats, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flickr_by_joel/4885439332/"><img alt="Learning to Dance... AGAIN!" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4122/4885439332_202046c28f_z.jpg" width="640" height="471" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a title="Untitled by dcnats, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flickr_by_joel/4686460104/"><img alt="" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4010/4686460104_af4da55fcd_z.jpg" width="640" height="471" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a title="Jason App by dcnats, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flickr_by_joel/4559107978/"><img alt="Jason App" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3503/4559107978_1b528036ef_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a title="Ropa Vieja by dcnats, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flickr_by_joel/4549124127/"><img alt="Ropa Vieja" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/9/4549124127_9aa4e7dc70_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" /></a>Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17842454859879493663noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16320830.post-7043752695201466942010-03-12T18:35:00.009-05:002010-03-17T07:37:11.159-04:0052 Weeks (6/52)I know this post is a few days early, but since making my semi-return to blogging I've been a little selfish. I've mainly been posting for myself... I don't mean that to say nobody is reading --because thankfully, you are-- I mean it in the sense that I haven't really been posting with the intent to entertain anyone but me. Part of that is lack of inspiration and part of that is laziness, but like I said, mainly selfishness.<br /><br />I'm a better writer than photographer, which doesn't bother me in the least, but for some reason I just haven't been able to <em>enjoy</em> the writing process the way I once did, and that does bother me... but still, every once in a while I get that once familiar urge to dance my fingers across the keyboard and share my thoughts with whoever will willingly read them. The latest topic to arouse that feeling in me is one of the most pure, optimistic, and lasting subjects in my life... <em>baseball</em>...<br /><br />Spring training is underway and for the first time in several years, my beloved Nats actually have a few rays of hope peaking through the dark clouds of doubt that seem to perpetually hover in our skies. I'm not suffering any misconceptions that the team will contend for a title (or even put up a winning record) but they do have some exciting young players whose energy and enthusiasm can't help but be contagious. Even a jaded and cynical fan like me is looking forward to what this season might bring.<br /><br />It also probably helps that that the arrival of spring, and by proximity baseball, is ushering out one of the coldest, bleakest, and most snow covered winters in this city's memory. I find myself longing for green grass, tall glasses of lemonade, line drive doubles to the gap, and sunshine bright enough to make me squint.<br /><br />Hopefully, all those elements will come together on April 5th, 2010. That's "Opening Day" for the Nationals, and for the 3rd season in a row, I'll be at the ballpark with my best friend Moe Greene. Of course I know that the optimism will, in all liklihood, only last the first week of the season. I may probably find myself miserable and angry more often than pleased with the team this year, but right now that doesn't matter. I'm longing to feel warm, to have hope, and to be inspired.<br /><br />...these tickets make me feel that way...<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vttmuGLwOO4/S5rooqjdU-I/AAAAAAAAAns/BsmBR7XCWa0/s1600-h/IMG_4896a.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447922484573459426" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vttmuGLwOO4/S5rooqjdU-I/AAAAAAAAAns/BsmBR7XCWa0/s400/IMG_4896a.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I'm going to keep posting my 52 Weeks updates, but I'll be sure not to forget I'm here to write as well. Thanks for sticking with me for all these years you guys! <p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><em><span style="font-size:85%;">*Nerdy photo info: I've been really drawn to extremely shallow depth of field shots of late (that's where you have a very small area of the picture in focus and blur out the rest to add emphasis). I took this on my desk at work. I used a flash to bounce light off the ceiling from the right to make the light nice and soft.</span> </em></p>Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17842454859879493663noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16320830.post-70666008775046069242010-03-08T19:21:00.004-05:002010-03-09T07:00:20.910-05:0052 Weeks (5/52)Okay so I have a couple of things to share this week... to start with, I'm more or less past my breakdown over last weeks poor results. I was seriously close to selling off my gear and directing all my creative energies into becoming a recclusive alcoholic and recreational drug abuser... it might be just as expensive but it wouldn't be nearly as frustrating.<br /><br /><br />But then I came to two conclusions, (1) as romantic as being a wino might seem, I don't think I'm ready for the part where you have to bathe your arm pits in a gas station bathroom, and (2) I'm really not as bad as I thought... I mean, yes, last week was bad, but I've only been trying to learn artificial lighting for a couple weeks now. My passion has always been street photography and I'm actually okay at that.<br /><br /><br />So with that newfound optimism in mind, I decided to continue the 52 Weeks project and go back to something simple until I have the energy and confidence to try something ambitious again.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vttmuGLwOO4/S5WZAgSi2wI/AAAAAAAAAnU/4FDOxXAMNuM/s1600-h/IMG_4799a.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446427558321249026" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vttmuGLwOO4/S5WZAgSi2wI/AAAAAAAAAnU/4FDOxXAMNuM/s400/IMG_4799a.jpg" /></a><br />So that is my moleskine journal... still going strong... and as you can see, I've been adding in pictures with the Polaroid Pogo I bought a couple weeks ago. They're a fabulous match. The pictures here were before and after fortune cookie pics, I'm not sure why the "after" shot has that weird glow to it, I think it had something to do with the two pics rubbing together in the book? Regardless, I kinda like the effect.Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17842454859879493663noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16320830.post-43438001622165602532010-03-01T07:43:00.004-05:002010-03-01T20:11:30.540-05:0052 Weeks (4th Week)<div>I did get a shot for the 4th week of my project, you just can't see it yet! I was busy with school stuff yesterday so I haven't gotten around to giving it a quick edit yet... I'll add it on as an update to this post sometime this evening.<br /><br />To give you a little background, I had all sorts of issue this week. I had a really great idea for a shot bouncing around in my head all week. However, the subject in the shot (my nephew Kevin) wasn't actually available until Saturday night which is pretty last minute.<br /><br />And of course, when it came time to do the shoot, <em>everything </em>went wrong. My backdrop wasn't big enough, so I was trying to move things around to compensate, and things basically deteriorated from that point on. I ended up scrapping the idea (or at least sending it back to the drawing board) in favor of something safer (which of course I'm not totally pleased with either). Anyway, as I said before, I'll post whatever I can manage to salvage sometime later today.<br /><br />It was a frustrating experience but the whole point of this project is to force myself to try new things and learn from the mistakes... I've certainly got the mistakes part down so I'm halfway there!</div><div> </div><div>(Update)</div><div> </div><div>Here it is:</div><div> </div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443836644617019090" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vttmuGLwOO4/S4xklemm3tI/AAAAAAAAAnM/RP8JpXjLlV4/s400/IMG_4689b.jpg" /><br /><p>So, like I said, not exactley what I was hopoing for. I did a similar shot with him before (not for this project though) but I tried out a diferent lighting setup this time around... and even with that, I should have used a reflector or something behind him to seperate his hair from the background... ugh... not happy with this at all but at least I can look at it and tell what I need to improve. </p>Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17842454859879493663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16320830.post-67832523775446513932010-02-20T12:27:00.002-05:002010-02-20T12:45:29.138-05:0052 Weeks: Week 3<div>I've been spending way too much money on photography over the last couple months. Some necessary, some not... As a result I've decided to implement a self imposed "spending freeze" on all photography realated products until Spring. </div><div></div><br /><div>Anyway, here are my two final purchases before the freeze starts:</div><br /><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440383034134091874" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vttmuGLwOO4/S4Afi4-f2GI/AAAAAAAAAnE/TfPHQXq2Btk/s400/3.jpg" /><br /><div></div><div>That is the Polaroid Pogo and its printing a shot of a Sigma 10-20mm lens. </div><div></div><br /><div>The lens was necessary cause I didn't really have a true wide angle lens, and the Pogo is just a fun little toy. The print quality isn't all that great but its about the size of an iPhone and doesn't use any ink, just zink paper. The best part is that you can peel the back of the pictures off and reveal a sticky back. It should be worth it for the photojournal potential alone!</div>Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17842454859879493663noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16320830.post-1540862849198523252010-02-13T00:20:00.005-05:002010-02-13T00:27:46.113-05:00Week 2 of 52<div align="left">You bring the McNuggets and I'll bring the RV...<br /><br /></div><div align="center"><u><span style="font-size:180%;">Uruguay or Bust</span></u></div><div align="center"><br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437594698502571138" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vttmuGLwOO4/S3Y3kZTLBII/AAAAAAAAAm8/h07-a3bkrPY/s400/IMG_4266a.jpg" /><br /><div align="center"><u></u></div><p align="center">--><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/89263294@N00/4353067716/sizes/l/in/pool-605395@N22/">See it bigger here.</a><-- </p><div align="center"></div>Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17842454859879493663noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16320830.post-44748737915203115082010-02-05T20:54:00.008-05:002010-02-05T21:32:05.963-05:0052 WeeksI'd like to say I have a good excuse for my absence, but I don't... My first inclination is to blame school but the truth is that from early December up until about 2 weeks ago I was on winter break.<br /><br />For normal college students winter break means you go back home, go out every night, hit a lot of parties, sleep with girls who were too prudish to put out in High School but just spent the Fall semester having their moral beliefs compromised and tossed aside by drunken frat guys and are now suddenly more than willing.<br /><br />Its not quite the same when you're a 30 year old married student with a full time job and bills. I spent my break falling asleep on the couch at 9 pm after a marathon Xbox 360 sessions. I had planned on blogging, taking lots of pictures, and making at least a half dozen road trips... the result was no blog posts, a moderate amount of pictures, and one road trip... although it was a long trip all the way to Houston.<br /><br />Now that school is back in swing full force and my free time has been severely crippled, I figure its time to try start blogging again!<br /><br />Anyway, I've been really getting into a type of photography called "Strobist" which basically involves setting up a couple of flashes to create the kind of lighting you want in whatever in any situation. Its a cheap and fun way to add some creativity to you photographs, and because you're the one controlling the lighting conditions, there aren't really valid excuses not to be able to shoot.<br /><br />My plan is to take at least one "Strobist" shot a week for the next 52 weeks. A lot of people do projects where they shoot one shot a day, but lets be realistic here, we're into February and I'm just now making my first blog post of 2010! To make things worse, I'm attempting to take a full schedule for the first time since going back to college. One shot a week will be plenty.<br /><br />Here's my shot from week one:<br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><u>Its Gonna Be a Long Semester<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434950819339204850" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vttmuGLwOO4/S2zS-X5uePI/AAAAAAAAAms/t_ktVYrPiAI/s400/IMG_4081b.jpg" /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vttmuGLwOO4/S2zRp_mCoMI/AAAAAAAAAmk/wMT_rzRgrek/s1600-h/IMG_4081b.jpg"></a></u></div><br />I set up one flash to the right of the camera and one is sitting on the keyboard to try and simulate the light from the laptop.<br /><br />I'll keep posting my Project 52 updates here on FITS, but you can always check out my Flickr to see what other mediocre crap I've been putting out. I put a link on the side of the blog. I'm going to try and have the updates come out every weekend so they'll be up for Monday, but don't hold me to that because we all know how I am about commitments!Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17842454859879493663noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16320830.post-70625614309356564542009-12-03T08:47:00.003-05:002009-12-03T09:10:24.373-05:00I'm Asking Santa for a FlaskMy grandmother just called me three times in the last hour. On the final call she left me a message urging me to call her back right away... I thought for sure someone had died or was about to die. As soon as I heard the message I got up in the middle of a meeting and left to call her back.<br /><br />What was so urgent? What was the crisis that need immediate attention?<br /><br />She wanted to know what kind of pie she should bake when I come visit for Christmas!<br /><br />I wanted to respond by screaming, <em>"are you fucking kidding me,"</em> into the phone but instead I kindly responded that apple pie would be just fine.<br /><br />The final straw came a few seconds later when she told me that she had just gotten off the phone with my sister who already told her that apple pie was my favorite!<br /><br />On Monday night I had to carry seven boxes of tacky, cheap, annoying Christmas ornaments out of storage so my wife could decorate for the holidays... <em>seven boxes!</em><br /><br />Christmas is here Shower Farters, and there is nothing we can do to make it go away. Its going to be cold, its going to be bitter, and it will last for the rest of the year.<br /><br />Who needs a drink?Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17842454859879493663noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16320830.post-64782405620740269832009-12-01T08:48:00.003-05:002009-12-01T08:53:05.475-05:00Oh Yeah......I keep forgetting I have a blog... seriously... I just remembered this morning and it felt like I had somehow forgotten a birthday or <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">anniversary</span>. <br /><br />I'll make it up to you somehow. I promise.Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17842454859879493663noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16320830.post-19667363455602577792009-11-09T09:55:00.003-05:002009-11-09T12:01:52.146-05:00Rambling Answers...In response to my case of writer's block, HP made some wonderful suggestions for topics I could post about, including:<br /><br /><em>Marriage advice</em><br /><em>The meaning of life</em><br /><em>How to solve inner city poverty</em><br /><em>Supporting your children in sports even if you're not a sports fan </em><br /><em>Picking a super power </em><br /><em>Pepsi vs Coke </em><br /><em>Boobs vs Ass</em><br /><br />All of those topics interested me. As I read each suggestion I imagined myself writing on each of those subjects and was sure I had enough writing material to last me a month. So what happened?<br /><br />I responded with absolutely nothing.<br /><br />That's actually not <em>entirely</em> true. I managed to actually get off to a good start with the marriage advice post. Check it out:<br /><br /><em>I find the prospect of writing a marital advice post both intriguing and frightening. Intriguing in the sense that its something I'd actually like to write about, and frightening because even before I can get to the advice part there are two obstacles that confront me almost immediately.</em><br /><br /><em>[1] That marital “words of wisdom” writings almost always come across as obvious and cliché, even when they’re written by a sincere and capable writer.</em><br /><em></em><br /><em>And [2] the fact that it’s probably clear to everyone who has read this blog over the years that I’m not all that great at being a husband. I don’t feel like I need to go into detail on all of the ways in which I have failed at the institution of marriage, but lets just all agree to acknowledge that I am egocentric and I am selfish, and so I’ve failed in many of the ways that men who are egocentric and selfish often do.</em><br /><em></em><br />And just like that, I actually talked myself out of writing the post. I'm not sure if I was so easily discouraged because of the writer's block, or because I genuinely realized it was a subject I couldn't handle... regardless, that's as far as I got... Seriously, aside from stuff like "don't get caught cheating", "don't become an alcoholic", and "don't hit you wife", I've got nothing.<br /><br />So I've decided to move on to the next topic in hopes of finding something easier. His next suggestion was... <em>The meaning of life</em>...<br /><br />FUCK! I can't figure how to remember to pay my cable bill on time, so I sure as shit shouldn't be counted on to tackle<em> that</em> subject. Besides, most of my "what does it all mean?" theories make me sound a lot like the grandfather from <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0449059/">Little Miss Sunshine</a> and even I'm smart enough to realize you shouldn't say things like that unless you know you're on the way out.<br /><br />Next up we've got... <em>Inner City Poverty</em>... I'm not catching any easy breaks here am I?<br /><br />Well, my stock answer is "education" but while I have the floor I'll be completely honest about the subject... The simple truth is that our country and our economic system is not set up to benefit <em>all</em> the people. In fact, its specifically set up to benefit one group of people at the expense of another group. There will <em>always</em> be people on the bottom. There will <em>always</em> be people who are perpetually screwed over.<br /><br />From an individual perspective, all you can do is try your best and do whatever you have to do to make sure you're not the one on the bottom poeple being screwed.<br /><br />From the point of view of a general society, we have a moral obligation to make being on the bottom as painless as possible... You know, put on a little lube to make it less painfull. And if you take a look around the world, this is probably one of the least painful places to be poor. There is always room for improvement, but at least we've got that lube on. <br /><br />Okay... next we've got the dilemma on whether or not to support your child through sports even if you detest athletics... this is a no brainier... of course you have to! Sure, you should provide some perspective on where sports should be on the child's priority list, but anything <em>positive</em> your child chooses to pursue should be met with at least minimal support and encouragement. When your parent ignore you, you end being a stripper, crack head, or semi-coherent blogger.<br /><br />At this point the topics start to get right into my wheelhouse... <em>Pick a superpower. </em>The options are: [a] invisible, [b] read people's thoughts, or [c] control people's thoughts.<br /><br />Invisible has always been the most intriguing superpower to me, but there are far too many complications... have you seen that Chevy Chase movie? Are you telling me the best case scenario is getting stuck with the annoying and overrated Daryl Hannah for the rest of your life? No thanks.<br /><br />Controlling people's thoughts would obviously be the easiest choice in terms of guaranteeing success... but after a year or so it would get old. You sleep with a ton of models, you convince rich people to give you their money, and then what? Where is the challenge?<br /><br />Reading people's thoughts is where its at! You get that great advantage but you still have the challenge of figuring out how to make it work for you and how to really enjoy it.<br /><br />Next we've got <em>Pepsi vs Coke</em>... From a fountain? its a tie... Bottle? I'm going Pepsi... and from a can? It <em>has</em> to be Coke. <br /><br />Now, finally, we get to the topic I was born to speak on...<em> Boob or Ass Man?</em><br /><br />Now initially, the answer seems quite obvious... I think we're all quite familiar with my preoccupation with cleavage and the female breast. In fact, my ultimate fantasy in life would involve a half dozen or so well endowed women feeding me chicken nuggets covered in sweet and sour sauce while only using being allowed to use their boobs... and even though I don't have any elaborate fantasies about women's asses, I really do enjoy them immensely.<br /><br />So my answer comes down to this... I've been with a couple women who's only attractive physical attribute was their boobs, and after 15 to 20 minutes of foreplay you've basically seen and done all there is to do... I've never had that issue with a woman who's best and only attractive attribute is her ass. Its a feature with considerably more sustainability. So my final answer is that even though I would prefer to judge such matters on a case by case basis, if forced to choose blindly between a nice ass or a nice set of boobs, I'm going ass.<br /><br />And ladies, I know I sound like a total degenerate pig right now, but this is actually how guys <em>really</em> think and talk... This kind of conversation can happen in a room full of lawyers, doctors, peace corp volunteers, and probably even clergy. Its the common denominator of all straight men. If two men who have absolutely <em>nothing</em> in common are forced to converse they'll either end up talking about football or women's body parts... it's 100% true... and if you find yourself offended right now please remember, <em>this was all HP's idea!</em>Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17842454859879493663noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16320830.post-49914477116215035332009-10-30T09:09:00.002-04:002009-10-30T09:27:32.627-04:00Step This Way PleaseSo... I'm still working on the post ideas that were suggested to me, and I promise I will have something to show for it very soon. But, if you're really in a desperate need to get you some Joel (and really, who couldn't use a little more me in their life?), you can check me out on the <a href="http://cadography.com/blog">Cadography Blog </a>where I post on the 15th and 30th of every month.<br /><br />My post today is actually the first photo essay/documentary style piece I've put together. Its not actually indicative of the kind of writing I usually do on Cadography, but cad was nice enough to let me post it anyway because she is an amazingly supportive artist and friend.<br /><br />Anyway, I worked pretty hard on the piece and I'm proud of the results. It's called "Lost in Trinidad," and I would really appreciate it if you would stop by and check it out <a href="http://cadography.com/blog/?p=84"><span style="font-size:130%;">right here. </span></a><br /><br />And while you're there... check out some of cad's <a href="http://www.cadography.com/index2.php">amazing work</a>... seriously, have I ever steered you wrong?Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17842454859879493663noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16320830.post-40437463585704691422009-10-20T13:43:00.003-04:002009-10-20T14:18:00.649-04:00I Confess...It's time for a confession... But before you get your hopes up, this is<em> not</em> a new installment of the Confession Awards. No, its just time for me to admit to myself and to you all that I <em>officially</em> have writer's block. I am completely uninspired and unimaginative as writer right now.<br /><br />Seriously, I have NO idea what to write about. I haven't for months. Its basically what caused my semi-annual flame out and subsequent hiatus over the summer. I have nothing to say. I used to be able to sit down at the keyboard and figure out what I wanted to say, as I was typing it. But those days are behind me now.<br /><br />Fortunately, this sort of thing works in cycles and I know that, in all likelihood, I'll get my mojo back... eventually.<br /><br />But here's the rub... This writer's block only seems to apply to my writing on <em>this</em> blog. I have no problem writing for Cadography (which I LOVE doing btw), and I have no problem writing in school, or anywhere else for that matter. But I for whatever reason, I can't write <em>for me</em>.<br /><br />So my solution for the problem is simple... I'm going to write <em>for you!</em><br /><br />Here's how its going to work: You guys are going to give me topics you'd like to see me ramble on about, and then I'll narrow that list down to two or three topics for a final vote. This will accomplish 3 things. [1]<em> I'll be able to write something worthwhile</em>, [2] <em>it will buy me some time to maybe get past this writer's block</em>, and [3] <em>I'll be able to blame YOU if the topics stink!</em><br /><br />So anyway, ask not what this blog can do for you, but what you can do for this blog... leave your topic(s) in the comment section.Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17842454859879493663noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16320830.post-75101563046473055202009-10-07T06:53:00.003-04:002009-10-07T08:22:38.079-04:00Debunking the MythTwo weeks ago in Biology Class I had to write a position paper on one of several preselected "contoversial" topics. I picked 'Flu Vaccines' not because I had any strong opinions on the subject, but because I knew it would be one of the easiest topics to research (just google "flu-shot" if you don't believe me).<br /><br />I've never had the flu shot, or the flu for the matter... and to be perfectly honest, I don't give a damn if anyone else does either. I understand that its one of those polarizing topics that everyone has a strong opinion on, but despite being a rather opinionated person, I have always been surprisingly opinion-less on the subject... but I still had to write the paper.<br /><br />So after doing some cursory research, I ended up writing about the myths of the flu shot and how they are all easily debunked by basic science. I cited some study from a couple years back that suggested that the misconceptions and fears of the flu shot in urban areas are exacerbated by the fact that some absurd amount of health care workers in the inner-city don't actually get the flu shot themselves and therefore aren't very insistent on their patients getting it either... <em>blah, blah, blah...</em><br /><br />For the most part, I believed what I was writing. The myths did seem absurd. And it <em>did</em> seem <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ridiculous</span> that a bunch of nurses in the hood didn't want the flu shot... I won't go so far as to say I became a strong believer in the flu shot, but I certainly felt a lot more informed and could now see the myths as myths.<br /><br />When the professor handed back the graded papers she gave me a conspiritorial wink and whispered, <em>"I'm getting mine on Friday..."</em> I replied, <em>"I got mine yesterday!"</em> but it was a complete lie. It just sounded like the right thing to say.<br /><br />Flash forward two weeks to this morning. I still hadn't gotten a flu shot... I hadn't really even given it any thought. I got a call from my supervisor saying he needed to see me in a conference room. He was really vague about it. I thought it was a little strange but I went anyway... When I got there he was nowhere to be found. The room was empty excpet for a few boxes of donuts spread across the conference table, and a pretty nurse with a needle standing next to an empty chair.<br /><br /><em>"Oh shit,"</em> I thought... <em>"Its the flu shot!"</em><br /><em></em><br />I tried to turn and walk away but it was too late. The pretty nurse put her hand on my shoulder and stopped me. <em>"You're not getting away from me so easily,"</em> she said in a flirtaious tone.<br /><br />Before I could really even protest I was filling out a short questionaire as she jammed the needle into my arm. Thirty seconds later I was walking out the door with a jelly donut and a cup of orange juice, thinking:<br /><br /><em>"I just wrote a paper debunking the myths of the flu shot, and yet it still took deception, donuts, and a pretty nurse to convince me I should get one... and I'm </em>still<em> not even sure it was a good idea!"</em>Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17842454859879493663noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16320830.post-47544636237707245922009-09-25T09:09:00.002-04:002009-09-25T09:13:17.152-04:00Mistress Farting in Miami AreaWhat do you think of that post title? Make any sense to you?<br /><br />Me neither... but apparently it made plenty of sense to the guy in Fort Lauderdale who stopped by my blog on September 20th after typing that phrase in the Yahoo search engine.<br /><br />I hope he found what he was looking for!Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17842454859879493663noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16320830.post-60979307815298310452009-09-23T07:39:00.003-04:002009-09-23T08:49:35.567-04:00Do People Still do That?This morning on the subway, a mid-forties aged man in the seat ahead of me decided to pull out a copy of Penthouse magazine and started flipping pages... As if that wasn't creepy enough on its own, next, he pulled out a piece of paper started to write an erotic story!<br /><br />I positioned myself so I could read what he was writing and it started out like this:<br /><br /><em>"It had been a long time since we'd seen each other, so I really wanted to make the most of the evening... You were wearing some sexy new lingerie and I couldn't help but notice-</em>"<br /><br />At that point we arrived at my stop so I wasn't able to read any further, but I have a pretty good idea about the artistic direction his story was headed... But the question that I keep finding myself asking is, <em>what the fuck is this guy doing still buying dirty magazines and handwriting erotic stories?</em><br /><br />I don't think I've even bought a porn magazine since the internet was invented, and I can't even imagine leaving physical paper evidence that I was writing porn!<br /><br />On the one hand, if you can't stop yourself from checking out porn during your morning commute then you must be a pretty hardcore addict... but then again, the magazine, the stationary? That's pretty amateur. Even the occasional porn consumer knows that you need to either create plausible deniability <em>("Oh, Moe Greene must have been using my computer earlier in the week, and you know what a perv he is..."</em>) or total "Black Ops" secrecy, (<em>Like hiding your erotic writing under unassuming file names in folders that nobody would ever open</em>)... But if you get caught with a magazine or worse yet, an erotic story written in your handwriting, there is no explaining yourself out of that situation.<br /><br />These are the basic, fundamental rules to being a man in this century... Yet somehow, this guy never adapted! Part of me felt like staging an intervention for him, but another part of me felt like I was seeing porn-Darwinism at work. Because of the internet, streaming videos, and free websites cluttering the internet, this is the golden age of porn we're living in... And if this guy can't figure it out, then maybe he doesn't deserve it?<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">*I found it particularly creepy/interesting that he was using work stationary to write his <em>"story". </em>Apparently he works at Howard University Hospital. I'm not sure how I feel about that.</span>Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17842454859879493663noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16320830.post-30216194753070311422009-09-21T13:28:00.003-04:002009-09-21T17:04:16.286-04:00Check Me Out!I just wanted to give a little plug to longtime FITS reader/commentor <em>cad</em>, who has <em>finally</em> put together a website to showcase her photography and graphic arts skills... And you can find it:<br /><br /><a href="http://cadography.com/">->HERE<-</a><br /><br />But, <em>cad</em>'s site is not only about displaying her work and marketing her skills, "cadography", also includes what promises to be a really intriguing photography themed blog!<br /><br />Even if you're only a photography novice, you'll be able to find all kinds of tips and tricks on how to improve your ability to take a good picture, as well as get to see a lot of beautiful images from all genres of photography... and who doesn't like looking at great pictures?<br /><br />But beyond all the tips and the beautiful images, do you know what else you'll be able to find at <em>cad</em>'s blog?<br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><strong>ME,</strong> bitches!</span><br /><br />That's right Shower Farters, I figured that since I deprived you of the pleasure of my company for all these months, I'd make up for it by over-saturating the market with my inconsistent, rambling, and semi-coherent writings!<br /><br />In addition to my duties here, I'm going to be posting my thoughts on photography related topics over at <em>cad</em>'s blog on the 15th and 30th of every month... (not sure what happens on February 30th yet, but I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it).<br /><br />Anyway, I'm really excited about the opportunity that <em>cad</em> is offering me and I'm really look forward to being able to share a different side of myself to all of you. I promise this it won't be as bad as Paris Hilton trying to sing, Mariah Carey trying to act, Charles Manson on the guitar, or George W. Bush trying to run a country... I'm going to keep it as <em>"me"</em> as possible (yes, I feel like a douchebag just typing that sentence)... but what I'm trying to say is, its still going to be me writing the way I always do, just less cleavage talk, less toilet humor, and more pictures... and hopefully better spelling.<br /><br />In closing, I really encourage everyone to not only check out <em>cad</em>'s galleries, but the blog as well.<br /><br />...And if you decide <em>not</em> to check it out, not only will I be personally offended, but I might be forced to hunt you down and assault you on your own front lawn... I don't really like to travel, and I'm sure you probably don't much like being assaulted, so let's make this easy on the both of us by just going and checking out the <a href="http://cadography.com/">website</a> and the <a href="http://cadography.com/blog/">blog</a>.Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17842454859879493663noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16320830.post-55520000016637900552009-09-18T09:26:00.002-04:002009-09-18T09:30:53.677-04:00The PanhandlersThe average panhandler never rises above the level of being a common nuisance. They loiter outside of convenience stores, hangout in front of sporting events, and walk up and down busy intersections during a red light. Usually, they just shake a cup and hope you’ll drop in some change. Sometimes they’ll verbalize their request,<em> “Can you spare some change?”</em><br /><br />But they don’t really expect or require you to respond. It’s basically a rhetorical question. You can stare straight ahead and ignore them and it doesn’t really bother them. They make you uncomfortable 2 or 3 seconds, but that’s about it. You move on with your day and forget them completely.<br /><br />But then there is the confrontational panhandler… the one who picks you out of a crowd and confronts you directly. Perhaps you made the mistake of making eye-contact or fit some general description of the kind of person they deem likely to fork over some money. This panhandler will walk up to you, make eye contact, and usually give you a hard luck story. There is no, <em>“look straight forward and ignore,”</em> option; if you want them to go away you’re going to have to look them in the eye and say, <em>“no”.</em><br /><br />It’s a strategy that probably works more often than they passive aggressive change cup method. People have a hard time telling someone <em>“no”</em> when they’re standing in front of them. I however, have no qualms or moral dilemma saying, <em>“no”</em>. In fact, I almost enjoy it.<br /><br />There is nothing more satisfying than pulling off your earbuds with a pained grimace on your face, (as if you were a surgeon being interrupted in the middle of an appendectomy) and then interrupting their bullshit story midsentence with a curt, <em>“No”</em> as you turn and walk away.<br /><br />But last week I was actually thrown off my game by a confrontational panhandler… In my defense, it was five o’clock in the morning and I was trying to catch the train on my way to work. The girl who confronted me was in her mid-twenties. She wasn’t dressed in stereotypical panhandler attire. She was clean. She had a genuinely apologetic look on her face. And although her story wasn’t anything special, it felt genuine. She said her car had been towed and she was just trying to get back home to Frederick… That caught my attention because Frederick is where I grew up.<br /><br />I asked her what part of Frederick, and she told me <em>“Jefferson Street, next to McCurdy Field…”</em> That wasn’t far from my old neighborhood in either geographical location or social status. The same rowhouse and duplex lined streets… The same rundown liquor stores… The same working class people who flash toothless smiles and are quick to offer you a story or a beer.<br /><br />At that moment I felt like I knew her. Had I stood there and talked to her for a couple of minutes I’m sure I would have known some of the same people or traveled through the same schools as she had… But I didn’t stand there and talk to her.<br /><br />What I did was explain to her, as sincerely as possible, that although I wanted<em> </em>to help her, I didn’t have any cash and I was running late for work.<br /><br />I apologized profusely but the truth was, I was actually a little early and I had forty dollars in my pocket.<br /><br /><em>“That’s okay,”</em> she responded. <em>“I understand completely... I’ll be okay.”<br /></em><br />She didn’t say it in a sarcastic or disappointed tone. Her tone was actually one of a reassuring nature. She <em>really </em>didn’t want me to walk away feeling guilty for not giving her any money… but of course, since I knew that I was lying to her that’s the exact feeling I walked away with... Guilt.<br /><br />And it stayed with me for quite some time… I can’t completely explain why I didn’t help her. I knew she was telling the truth. I felt genuine sympathy for her story. And it wouldn’t have hurt me to give her ten or twenty dollars… I just didn’t do it.<br /><br />------<br /><br />Yesterday, Moe Greene was eating his lunch in a Burger King parking lot. A girl approached his car. She wasn’t dressed like a panhandler. She was in her mid-twenties. <em>And</em> she had a genuine story about how she had come from Virginia in search of work and an escape from an abusive boyfriend… but things hadn’t worked out and now she had no place to stay.<br /><br />When he asked her,<em> “What do you want from me?”</em> she started crying.<br /><br />He told her to get in the car, drove her to a motel, paid cash for a room, and then let her keep change so she could get something to eat.<br /><br />It coast him sixty dollars <em>and</em> he ended up coming back late from his lunch break.<br /><br />These girls were both in our age group… both had genuine stories… and both were asking for help. Moe had no real personal connection with his girl and her problem was both complex and more expensive… My girl grew up maybe 15 blocks from where I grew up, and could have had her problem solved with a twenty dollar bill...We both had the money to help. But only I really had the time.<br /><br />And yet Moe stopped his day to help, and I just walked away.Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17842454859879493663noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16320830.post-19873720185605959642009-09-14T11:34:00.004-04:002009-09-14T12:01:56.137-04:00We've All Got NeedsOkay Shower Farters, this is how its going to work... We're about to have a quick, no strings attached, hot and steamy blogging session. When it's done, I'll go my way and you'll go yours. If the outcome of our little soiree is mutually satisfying, then maybe I'll stop by sometime in the near future and blog the bejesus out of you again... Perhaps I'll even leave a tooth brush in your bathroom and keep a change of clothes in the closet. You know, <em>"just in case..."</em><br /><br />But if I do that, please don't take it to mean that we're officially, <em>"back together,"</em> or anything like that... It just means we both have needs and agree that it would be more convinient to fulfill those needs with each rather than trying to find someone new.<br /><br />So don't go calling your family to let them know we're, <em>"trying to work things out,"</em> because again, that's not what this is. I won't be heading home with you for the holidays. I won't be escorting you to your company Christmas party. There will be no double dates with your friends, no roses by the stairs, no romantic notes on the nightstand, and certainly snuggling in the movies.<br /><br />Well... maybe we can snuggle at the movies... it does get kind of chilly in those theaters sometimes.Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17842454859879493663noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16320830.post-71054598922849575262009-06-22T09:48:00.005-04:002009-07-09T13:38:35.204-04:00The Break-up (Its not You, Its me)I've been running this blog since the Fall of 2005. I'm not very good at staying committed to anything, so that was quite an accomplishment for me. Aside from, "The Dark Period," I've been pretty decent about posting regularly. The quality of the content wasn't always what it could have been, but in the middle of all the clutter and nonsense I did manage to mix in a few things I'm proud of... and I'm glad I could share that with you.<br /><br />Over the years we've shared secrets, tears, and quite a few laughs... Just know that every moment was an absolute pleasure for me.<br /><br />I'm going to let the words of Brandon Flowers and The Killers send me off:<br /><br /><em>Pay my respects to grace and virtue,</em><br /><em>send my condolences to good.</em><br /><em>Give my regards to soul and romance,</em><br /><em>they always did the best they could.</em><br /><em>And so long to devotion, </em><br /><em>you taught me everything I know.</em><br /><em></em><br /><em>Wave goodbye.</em><br /><em>Wish me well.</em><br /><em>You've got to let me go.</em>Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17842454859879493663noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16320830.post-7902210430977521252009-06-09T10:04:00.003-04:002009-06-09T12:18:11.080-04:00Solve the Mystery IIIt starts with a dead Ivy League lawyer in the guest room of a million dollar Washington, DC home. Next you add in the the following elements:<br /><br />-a "polyamourous" trio of gay professionals<br />-an alleged cover-up<br />-a botched crime scene<br />-elements of sadomasochism sex acts<br />-a squad of homicide detectives left scratching their heads<br /><br />Not enough to pique your interest? How about an autopsy that revealed the victim was, <em>"restrained, incapacitated with a mysterious injection, sexually assaulted and murdered."</em><br /><br />For months now I've been looking for the right case to run a sequel to the, "<a href="http://fartingintheshower.blogspot.com/2008/05/solve-mystery.html">Solve the Mystery</a>," game we played back in May of 2008. If you recall, we spent several days debating the fate of the famous missing NYC judge, Joseph Crater... I think I've finally found a case worth of being the sequel.<br /><br />I first learned about it when my beloved Washington Post ran a two-part article on the mysterious circumstances surrounding the case last week. I was immediately intrigued with the articles, but it wasn't until FITS friend and frequent commenter, Lauren, emailed me about it that I decided to make it into a "Solve the Mystery" post.<br /><br />There are far too many details for me to to regurgitate here, so I'll just give a brief synopsis and provide a few links to where the full story can be read. I figure we can use the rest of the week for everyone who wants to participate to put forth their theories... and then next week we'll vote on a winner.<br /><br />SYNOPSIS:<br /><br />Robert Wone was a young, Washington, DC, lawyer who had just landed his dream job as legal council for Radio Free Asia. Wone, who had been happily married to his wife Katherine since 2003, was only 32 years old at the time of his murder.<br /><br />He was a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School, but it was a friendship he made during his undergraduate studies at the College of William & Mary that would lead to his demise. While at W&M, Wone befriended another future lawyer, Joseph Price. The two formed a lasting friendship despite the fact Price was an openly gay, upperclassman from the South, and Wone was a straight, Asian, freshman from New York. The two ended up attending different law schools, but they stayed in touch and eventually found themselves both practicing law in the Nation's Capitol.<br /><br />On what would prove to be the last night of his life, Wone had gone to meet his future colleagues at Radio Free Asia, and planned on crashing at Price's million dollar home. Price lived with his domestic partner Victor (an ad-executive working for the group behind the Got Milk? campaign), and their lover Dylan, a massage therapy student with a taste for rough sex. Wone didn't get to the house until around 10:30 pm, and the four of them stayed up until talking in the kitchen until around 11pm, when Wone decided to retire to the guest room.<br /><br />At 11:49, police received a 9-1-1 call from a distraught Victor, who claimed that someone had broken into the home, stabbed Wone, and escaped off into the night. Police and paramedics managed to arrive on the scene only 5 minutes later, but it was too late... Wone was pronounced dead at George Washington University Hospital at 12:24 am.<br /><br />Right away police thought things looked suspicious... It seemed unlikely that an intruder would have entered the home undetected, bypassed valuables that could have easily been taken, focused in on Wone for no apparent reason, stabbed him to death, and then fled the scene without being seen. There was no motive, and much of the physical evidence didn't seem to match the residents story of how the night unfolded.<br /><br />The autopsy complicated things further when it was discovered that Wone had mysterious puncture marks on his chest, neck, foot, and hand. It also appeared as though he had been smothered with a pillow at some point before he was stabbed... and the bloody knife that was found on the scene? It didn't appear to have been the knife used in the attack. Investigators thought it was planted there.<br /><br />With the focus of the investigation placed squarely on the three residents of the house, all three became basically uncooperative. At one point, police appeared ready to bring murder charges against some, or perhaps all of the residents, but it never happened. As it stands now, the three of them are only facing charges of obstruction of justice and conspiracy. They're still living together, albeit in a different home.<br /><br />As I mentioned before, this is just a <em>very</em> brief synopsis of what happened. To get all the details I suggest starting with the Washington Post stories:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/31/AR2009053102510.html?sid=ST2009053102566">Part 1</a><br /><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/01/AR2009060103472.html?sid=ST2009053102566">Part 2</a><br /><br />And you may also want to check out the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Robert_Eric_Wone">wikipedia</a> page, and <a href="http://whomurderedrobertwone.com/">this site </a>dedicated to a few amateur sleuths who have investigated the murder. Lets put a deadline of Monday morning for any theories or stories to be presented. I'll put up a poll on the sidebar for voting next week.Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17842454859879493663noreply@blogger.com24