A Sober Day

Today I woke up, got dressed, skipped breakfast, and headed up to the city on the light rail. The purpose was to visit SafeCo Field to say good bye to an old friend. Well, he was everyone's friend. For 6 months of the year, we all listened to him passionately as he gave vivid descriptions of the game he loved. Dave Niehaus died this Wednesday November 10, 2010 of a heart attack. He left in his wake an entire city of baseball fans who knew only his voice, good nature, and passion for the game of Baseball.

I arrived at the stadium to find a makeshift memorial already set up out in front of the home plate entrance. There were people adding signs, laying flowers, and signing papers to say good bye. Even more just stood around and simply watched, remembering. I signed the poster, and took in the tributes, and snapped some pictures.

Nikon D5000 f/3.5 1/400s ISO:200

 There were several people around. Fans, reporters, camera men, police, homeless, and musicians all occupied the broad street in front of the stadium. There was no trouble, no fighting in line, just a quiet understanding that this was not the time to make things interesting. There was some smattering of conversation going on, a few jokes being told, but mostly people were thinking of Dave, and where they were, and how this magical place influenced them. We all waited together to go into the stadium to say good bye.

Nikon D5000 f/4.5 1/160s ISO:200

When the gates finally opened, we all filed into the entrance hall and made our way to the field. We were met by a banner which had been erected over the entrance to the lower terrace that showed exactly why we were all coming together in one place.

Nikon D5000 f/5.0 1/6s ISO:200

The atmosphere inside the field was very respectful. Typically, the halls are filled with fans running from seat to concessions and back while a game was being played on field. Today we all walked in line to have our chance of going onto the field to see the memorial and sign books which were laid out on tables waiting for us to express our loss.

Nikon D5000 f/4.2 1/20s ISO:200

Along the way, we passed posters with Dave's quotes printed on them and photos of the great broadcaster doing the thing he loved the most. The loud speakers played musical selections from famous Baseball movies such as "A Field of Dreams" and "Angels in the Outfield". Along with the music were some of Dave's most famous audio clips. When Griffey rounded 3rd in the last game of the divisional playoffs against the Yankees in 1995, when Ichiro broke the single season hits record, when Gaylord Perry got his 300th win, when the Mariners won their 116th game in 2001, and when he accepted his Hall of Fame award for broadcasting. This was probably the most touching part of the walk. It was one of those special moments when everyone knew what was happening and why it was important. I think Dave would have enjoyed himself.

Nikon D5000 f/3.8 1/20s ISO:200

As we walked onto the field, we passed from under the short ceiling of the concourse and into the home plate seats. The field opened up to us as only SafeCo could, but it seemed sad. The lights were low and the roof was closed. It was at this point when I started thinking of how much of an impact Dave had on the game. Whenever I recall Ichiro putting a bunt between the pitcher and the third baseman and beating the throw by a mile, or when Felix struck out yet another batter, it was his voice which was playing in my head. Just as it was over the radio or television, so it shall forever sound in my head when I watch the game. When on the field, I looked up to the broadcaster's box up behind home plate, and saw a jersey hanging there with the number 77 on it, right under the name Niehaus. The shadow of a microphone rested on the jersey waiting for him to make one last call which never came.

Nikon D5000 f/5.6 1/125s ISO:400

 As I approached the memorial, I remembered all the times I had spent at the field having the time of my life. I thought how funny it was that my favorite times associated with baseball were without Dave's voice. He always encouraged people to come out to the field and have fun. "[and] to some, it is a field of dreams." That was one of his favorite lines. The table with the memorial included some of the several awards he received over his career, a few photos, some flowers, and his scorecard from the very first Mariners game. It was a special time to be close to the man one last time before moving back off the field. Many people took their time to take photos and read the memorial, but no one in line minded too much. We all knew we needed to say good bye, and we wanted to do it right.

Nikon D5000 f/3.5 1/50s ISO:800

We then moved up back into the field to get a treat. A real Grand Salami sandwich. I hate rye bread unless it's fresh, but I didn't care. I wanted a sandwich, on which I of course put mustard. I then proceeded to drink more than my fair share from the water fountain after having said sandwich. It was very dry despite the mustard and tomato. 

Nikon D5000 f/4.8 1/30s ISO:400

After my snack, I spent some time just sitting in the stands with the thousands of other who showed up. Most were still standing in line, but I wanted to stay as long as possible after viewing the memorial. I sat, I thought, I remembered, I cried, and I took photos. Sometime during all of this, Dave's partner Rick Rizzs walked out onto the field to say thanks to all of use who came out to say good bye. I didn't manage to get back on the field to shake is hand, but I did take his picture.

Nikon D5000 f/5.6 1/30s ISO:800

Soon after, I left. I had said my good byes and I could now move on, until April, when the first sound I hear will no longer be Dave's excited voice. I'm sure I will feel sad again on that day, but then I'll remember that Dave will not have wanted any of us to be sad, but to enjoy the excitement that is the beginning of the baseball season. Though his voice will never again broadcast a game, his influence will always be felt in Seattle. Whenever Ichiro comes up to bat, whenever someone makes a fantastic catch, whenever a ball flies away, whenever a ball with mustard and salami leaves the yard, we will all lean back and think to ourselves "My Oh My".

All photos can be found at: http://picasaweb.google.com/SqojoSmiley/DaveNiehausMemorial#

October Thoughts

Well, it is Halloween tomorrow, and I haven't updated this all month. Oh well. Tomorrow I will be taking photos at the Snoqualmie Halloween Train event. That should be a lot of fun even though I'm sick. Everything seems to be going a little slow today because of that. This month has been both long and short. Some things that needed to happen are finally starting to happen, and some aren't. Oh well. I'm getting excited for my birthday which doesn't happen much. I won't publish what I hope I'll be getting, but it should help me stress-less at school. That's pretty much it for this month. Tons of football photos and the Giants and the Rangers are playing in the World Series. I also started taking Hockey photos through the help of one of my friends. That is a lot of fun as well. School kind of caught me off gaurd, but I caught up pretty quick so all is good. I can't wiat for November. It is one of my favorite months.

Oh yeah. Kentlake went 7-2. They play Newport next Saturday... in a PLAYOFF GAME!!!

September Thoughts

Well I didn't get the end of August or beginning of September posted. Oops. Oh well. Tomorrow is my last day off before Fall quarter. I'm actually not nervous this time. It is the first time in memory that I'm not anxious at all for a new school year. That probably has something to do with the fact that I just got off of summer classes. I'm looking forward to seeing some friends and taking English and Geography. I'm not so happy about having to take Pre-Cal though. Oh well. It is the last Math class I'll have to take so that's good I guess. Probably should just lower my head and push right through my class. I have some help too so that's good. Baseball is almost over. That is pretty depressing. AAA Tacoma just won the PCL championship though so all is good. Football has started and I'm enjoying running around to different games for Washington Prep Sports. The Seahawks are playing now too. They beat San Fransisco in the first game of the season. I was impressed even thought they got rid of T.J. They are looking pretty good this year too. Kentlake is also looking good. They are now 3-0 with wins against Auburn Riverside, Kentridge, and Mt. Rainier. They beat MR 67-0. Mt. Rainier has yet to score this season. They have been out scored 202 to 0. OUCH. I just got Snagit for my computer with the help of a friend from WPS and KVS. The same friend made me an Admin on the KVS forum. That is a lot of fun. I'm glad it's fall now. The calender doesn't say it, but it is fall. It's really like Autumn really. The leaves are taking forever to turn, but it has been progressively cooler ever since September started. Looks like it is going to be a great Winter for me. Snow, snow, snow. I can't wait. I remember the only snow last year was the last day of the High School Football Championships in Tacoma. I was inside for most of the day, but it was still fun. After that, nodda. Very disappointing. It feels like it's Halloween right now. I can't imagine watching the Mariners on Halloween, but one can always hope. As soon as the season's over, the team will probably be getting a major overhaul. It hasn't been the best year ever. Ichiro hasn't reached 200 hits yet, but he will, and Fifi won't be getting a Cy Young even though he has the best stats in baseball. The only think he lacks is the number of wins. *Sigh* Oh well. A friend of mine on the KVS forum was nice enough to hook me up with a Tel page. It is an online service that is very much like an online business card. I just need to get normal business cards now. I had my first publication last week. A photo of mine was used in the Tacoma Weekly. That was very exciting. I feel like things are starting to come together finally with my photography. I have a few possible Senior Photos shoots lined up and I got some really good advice from a friend about how to proceed. It will take a little money, but I think my parents are thinking about giving me a SmugMug account so I can start selling my photos. I can't wait. Well, my pizza is getting cold so I will pick this up again in October.

Nikon SB-600 Speedlight

http://www.nikonusa.com

This is my latest acquisition. I took me a long time to come around to a flash, I think that I'll be glad that I did. Studio photography isn't my thing so I don't have a lot of experience with a flash. I guess my hated of flashes started because the built in flash on all of my cameras are simply crap. They should be put on only for those who use cameras as point and shoots. Right away I found out that this flash is different. Yes is still has that horrible "Ghost Story" look when you point the flash right at the subject, but it gives me the ability to point the flash elsewhere. There is a manual mode so I could simply adjust the power, or "degrees kelvin", to have a softer shot, but I think bouncing the light is much better. It gives the photo the appearance that the light is coming from elsewhere, like a lamp or an open window, instead of the camera. There are several advantages to this. With a direct on flash, you get to see every detail of a persons face with no contrast and creepy shadows, or no shadows (which I think is even worse), in the background. I would put an example photo in here but Blogger doesn't allow photos in the middle of the text. If anyone from Blogger sees this, fix it, because it is really stupid that you can't. Anyway, a bounced flash adds shadow because the light isn't being forced onto the subject, it is coming at the subject after it has bounced off of something else which means it will look like everything else. There is also a diffuser that I want, but that can wait until my birthday or Christmas. The reason I got this in the first place, is that I have an opportunity to be taking senior photos this year. Unless you bring the subject to the sun, there will not be enough light, even outside, to get a perfect portrait. That's why studios get so bright when taking pictures. In order for me to take good senior portraits, even outside, which is where most seniors in Western Washington have their photos taken anyway, I need a flash to fill the face of my subject. I still hate flashes, but this flash is growing on me. I'm sure there will be some flash work up here soon.

August Thoughts

Hot August Nights? Nope, just the sun setting through the pollution and smoke from Vancouver B.C. The weather has been freaky lately. This sun is actually blood red at this point, but my camera refused to see it. Also, we just had a massive thunderstorm roll through. Now when I say massive, I mean massive for Western Washington. For the rest of the country, if a thunderstorm had child, and that child farted, and that fart had a child, that would be the relative size of our thunderstorm. It was cool though. Unfortunately the clouds tonight, are preventing me from seeing the Aurora Borealis. That happens every once in a while down in WWa. When the pollution levels are really high, and we are experiencing solar flares, usually now in August, we can have a rare viewing of the extraordinary sight. I need to get up to Fairbanks at some point and really experience the lights. August is a great month. Everything about it is awesome except one thing, the heat. I hate the heat and this is the month where it flourishes. Lazy days and fun all around. My class is almost over, I'm turning in my last normal assignment tomorrow and the final is due on the 12th. I think I'm going to go to the land of Macro for the final. I need to find the cause of all of the freaking dust on my negatives. I have already cleaned the camera like 500 times, and I clean all of the negatives before using them, but most of them all have the same damn pieces of dust on them. I think the problem is in the negative holder. After the 12th, school is over until September 21st so even though I took summer classes, I still get a good month+ off. Good deal. I've been going back and forth on shooting in a RAW format on my digital camera. Shooting in RAW/NEF format has several advantages, the biggest one being the ability to change the exposure in photoshop. That will probably be extremely helpful when shooting football. The downside is that it takes forever to go through all of the photos. I need to open every file, set the exposure, then save them as JPEGs through Photoshop. That would take forever for the number of photos I take during a football game. If I was shooting a wedding or something special like that, I wouldn't mind spending an entire day working on photos, but because I have about an hour and a half to work on an entire game, I don't think I'd be able to get it all done in time. Maybe for the Saturday games I can spend the time, but it just won't fit into my schedule, especially when school starts again. That is the best thing about having school start so late, High School Football season is half done by the time I go back to school so I can have all of September to really get some good shots. I guess I'll have to make my decision soon as the first practice is on the 18th of this month. August will be over before we know it and with it, summer will start to die. Autumn comes in September in Washington and I can't wait. That means that Winter is right around the corner and this year, the government is predicting a great one. Well, a great one for me anyway. Snow, snow, and more snow. That is awesome.

Tel

This is a cool service. It allows you to share all of your information on one page. You can completely control the level of security and privacy on what you want shown or not shown. Check it out at Tel Main Page. Check out my Tel page here.

Black and White, Black and White, oh lovely lovely Black and White.

...or Monochrome for those of us in the photography world. I've been having trouble with the quality of my photos in my film class and I'm sure part of it has to do with getting back into the routine of cleaning the negatives, processing film, and keeping my hands off of the middle of my photo paper, but I think it mostly has to do with the fact that I simply no longer think in monochrome. Back when I first started taking pictures, it was with a film camera, and was in color. When I took Photo I in high school, it wasn't that hard to get my brain to think in black and white. I really hadn't been really focusing on photography before that so it wasn't that hard to get the rewiring done. When I got my P80, my first digital camera, I almost instantly switched over to color. I started to take some black and white stuff, but I was more focused on more important things like learning how to make higher quality photos and taking a crash course in sports photography for my work with Kent Valley Sports. I thought I'd successfully entered the world of photography and am now shooting to go "pro". It wasn't until I developed my first role of film at school during this second go around at Photo 101 that I started to realize that I had lost something just as much as I had gained something when I made the switch from Film to Digital. It really hit me when my photo didn't get one vote the photo of the week in my class this week. I know some of it is because I need to refine my developing and printing processes, but there were a lot of photos in the class which were simply better than mine. Without trying to toot my own horn, I know I can produce better photos than most of the other people in the class and way way better than the ones I've been producing. Because I do take so many photos, I can pretty easily go between "Sports Mode" and "Creative Mode". I'm going to need a lot of that creative stuff to re-wire my brain again to look at the monochrome side of things. So as a brilliant solution to my problem, I go back to digital. I know that doesn't make much sense, but during the summer, considered to be the "Slow" season for sports, I can really focus on the problem and Digital is way easier for me. I have changed my camera to only take monochrome photos for the duration of this experiment. If I need to shoot color for something on WPS, I can easily change it back, but this will force me to think in B&W. Because I have my DSLR with me at all times except at school, I can also test the photos on my DSLR before committing to a photo with the film. Digital film is cheap, and I've already paid for about 100 years of infinite memory. I have also switched the lenses that I will keep on the camera. I have a 50mm lens on the film camera for the class so I'll keep my 50mm lens on my DSLR so everything but the image format (Digital vs Film) will be the same from one camera to the next. I can't wait to get started. I haven't been this excited to just get out and shoot in a long time. TIME TO GET BIZZAY!!!

Too Efing Hot

It is too hot here is Washington. Summer in Washington should be cloudy and 65, and I wouldn't mind that for a month or so, but this is way too freaking hot. I can not wait for Winter to come back. I much prefer the snow to the sun. Plus cloudy skies are much more interesting than clear or overcast. Those are much too monotone, but the clouds are nice. The best part about the clouds is that they don't create weird shadows in my photos. Hopefully this will be the hottest it gets this summer and we move into Winter quickly. I can remember Autumns starting in August before. Maybe I'll get lucky. The La Nina is already starting to form which promises a good Winter. COME ON OCTOBER!!!

July Thoughts

July goes much slower than June does. Oh sure, it arrives with a bang, several of them in fact, but it always seems to fizzle out with a dull "meh". There are usually 3 things to look forward to in July. Number 1: The 4th of July. That was a lot of fun that was. I got a lot of good photos of fireworks. Number 2: Baseball. The Mid-Summer Classic is coming up, and I can't wait. The All Star Game is being held in Anihiem this year and there are a lot of good players going. Ichiro and Cliff Lee will be representing the Mariners this year and both look to put up some strong numbers. I think Felix Hernandez should have won another appearance, but you can't always win. Evan Longoria did beat out A-Rod for the third baseman spot so that's good. Evan is one of my non-Mariners interests. Even if the Mariners aren't doing as well as I had hoped, I do like what the Mariner's Minor League teams are doing. The Rainiers are 5 games up in their league. There is some promising talent in these clubs. In the Rainiers alone they have Matt Tuiasosopo, who, even though had a horrible start up in the big club, probably just needs some years behind him to be really effective in the majors, Micheal Pineda, who is a kid with a wicked slider, and Greg Halman who seems to be able to command the bat at the plate very well. Then there are the AA and single A teams who also are doing well. Good things are coming for the future of the Mariners. Number 3 on the list of things to do in July is go on vacation. This is something I won't be able to do this year unfortunately. I have summer classes and Dad has surgery on the 30th. It is an interesting experience to go to summer classes. The campus seems empty, but the class is full. Weird. The weather is heating up and I hate it. I am so much more comfortable in the cold that I have to wear an Ice Pack on my head to get to sleep at night. I'm already taking all natural sleep pills, but I still need the cool air. I have 3 fans on me at night and it still isn't enough. I can't wait for them to invent a small, portable AC unit for single rooms. However, I can't even think about purchasing anything major like that until I can get a job. I have put out so many applications and resumes, but no bites yet. It is very discouraging. I am liking my summer class in the meantime. It is fun to work with film again, and very frustrating at the same time. I much prefer my digital. July turns into August, and I certainly hope it will be a cooler one than last year. It can hover around 65 degrees all summer if it were up to me. I get the second half of August and most of September off from school so I still get a sizable break. I hope I don't melt before then. Soon Football starts up again and I can't wait to get out on the field. I am missing the King County Jags this year, but do to financial problems, they aren't playing. So I have to wait until September. These are the "hold out just a little bit longer" months. I'm hot, sticky, and watching Star Trek. Just some July Thoughts.

Nikon ML-L3 Wireless Remote Control

www.nikon.com

This is my latest acquisition thanks to Dad. It has an effective range up to 16 feet according to Nikon, but I found it to be good for at least 25 feet as long as I'm pointing it directly at the Camera. Outside, it seems to need to be somewhere in front of the camera and doesn't work around it anywhere else, but I was trying it next to a light pole and cable box so maybe it is better in a less chaotic environment. The most important thing for me is that it does work on the bulb function so I can time my own exposures. At first I thought it wouldn't and I would have to get the more pricey and complicated, not to mention cabled, MC-DC2 Remote. I might still pick that one up sometime down the line, but now it is a long time away. So far I give it a 4/5. If it turns out to work outside like it does inside, then it will be a 5/5.

June Thoughts

Well here it is, already in the middle of June. Told you it was going to go fast. School is out for a week before summer quarter starts. Only one class, Basic Photography, just to keep me on track so I can come into September strong. Even with summer quarter, I still get a whole month off. So here I am, on my week off, watching the Mariner's pitching kill the team, thinking about how criminal textbook prices are, when I realize that 2010 is already half over. Hard to believe that it has been almost 6 months since Christmas and even harder to believe that a year ago Saturday, I was graduating. Today is my 1 year anniversary with my camera. Since I got the camera, I have taken over 20,000 photos. I'm glad I also picked up  1.5 TB external hard drive. On the Sports side, the Yankees won the World Series again, The Rams beat the Colts in the Superbowl, The Winter Olympics were held in Vancuver B.C. Canada with the Canadians beating the USA in the gold medal hockey game, The Lakers and The Celtics are fighting for the NBA championship again, The Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup, The USA tied with England in their first game in the World Cup, Seattle is a forerunner for the 2014 World Cup, SPSL Football is waking up, and I have a Golf tournament next week. So fun stuff.

Thoughts coming into June.

Tomorrow starts one of the fastest months of the year. March, June, and September always seem to fly by and it is because there is always so many things happening that make it seem fast. Spring Training starts in March, June is the end of school, and there is always a million things to do, then school starts back up again in September. I hope that this June, besides the Mariner's winning some games,  that there is a smooth transaction into summer. May has been way too hectic and frustrating for me to handle a repeat. I don't stop school this June, I just start summer quarter which will last through July. I'm really hoping that this will let me enjoy June, as long as it isn't as hot as it was last summer. I did not enjoy last year's 110 degree weather. I really prefer a mild summer, around 65 degrees, and a cold winter, around 28 degrees. Spring would be around 50 degrees, and Autumn would be around 45 degrees. That would be my ideal yearly climate. In reality, if I can just survive June without too many scars, life will be good, but it would really be nice if I could have a cool, relaxing, fun month.

Kent Predators vs Fairbanks Girzzlies

I had an amazing time at this game.

Busy Week

This week seems impossibly busy. I had a Geology test today, which I wasn't stressing over, but wasn't welcome either. There was going to be an Anthropology test on Friday, but class was canceled so the test is now on Monday of next week. That gives me some time to study. Thursday I register for classes for Summer and Fall quarters. I know what classes I'm going to take, but the prospect of being so close to my AA is pretty nerve racking. Friday I'm working my first football game at Showare Center in Kent. The Kent Predators will be playing the Fairbanks Grizzlies. Apparently these two teams are forming a rivalry. I haven't really been following the newest of the Kent teams, but I'm really excited, and a little nervous about going to their game. I'm not worried about the football. I have more than enough experience there, but the whole indoor thing might throw me for a while. There is no way to take pictures at the athlete's level so this will be a new experience for me. I will also be looking for a picture depicting pain or defeat to wrap up my portfolio for my photography class this quarter. The theme is "For the Love of the Game". When the quarter is over, I'll post this portfolio for everyone to see. I am also practicing for a Golf tournament in June. I haven't played in a while and I need some new gear. I'm even using some of Dad's clubs because my old ones are too short. I'm having trouble getting comfortable with my swing. I think some of it is that I've lost part of my form, and some of it is that my own proportions have changed since the last time I really played. I'm a bit taller, and quite a bit skinnier than I was back when I went to camp. I have figured some things out, but the twisting motion is still bugging me, so I have been working out in order to loosen up a bit. After doing some weight lifting, and torso exercises, I'm doing better, but there is still something bothering me. I think I might film my swing in order to try and see what is going on.

So that is what all is happening this week. I can't wait for Saturday so I can sleep in finally.

Hmmmm....

As I sit here in the GRCC library with a warm laptop on me, I look out and see that it is raining on one side of the library and not on the other. Now, this is typical for Washington, but the cloudy side is the side without rain and the clear side is the side with rain. I was just wondering, when did mother nature decide to take an acid trip?

Second Best Investment of 2009

sandisk.co.uk

The #1 investment of 2009 was my Camera, and this doesn't even hold a candle to that, but that is a sign of how highly I regard my camera and not a slant against this wonderful piece of 21st century tech. The best investment of 2010 are the Skullcandys I got to go with this bad boy. I have the 8GB silver version of this and I'm not to sure how I survived without it. I used to carry some music files on my phone or PSP, but never really listened to them unless I was really bored or had to find a way to get to sleep in a foreign bed. I had been collecting music on my computer for years but it mostly just stayed on the computer and took up space. The main reason I got this was the desire to play Madden on my PSP while listening to my own music and not the crap in the game. Ever since I got it though, you will be hard pressed to find me without it. It is on me more than my camera, and that is saying something because my camera sticks to me like an extra arm. I fly through homework much faster when I can listen to my music and boring car rides are now passed in leisure instead of sick because I have something else to concentrate on. I think that is why it helps so much with homework. Because the frontal abstract part of my brain is busy listening to music, the creative and more literate part my brain can be tapped more efficiently and used to my benefit. Even now, while I right this, I am listening to Steve Miller Band. I have most of my favorite songs on this thing and it barely takes up a quarter of its memory capacity. If I had to though, I could increase its memory from the internal 8GB to an outstanding 40GB with a Micro SD card. Now, I have an extremely eclectic taste in music, and am constantly changing music according to my mood. I can go from classic rock, to Hawaiian, to new age, and end up in native Africa. The easy navigation of the firmware and the simple physical design are both pluses and I would highly recommend this to anyone who likes music of any kind and in any location. The only issue I have with it is how often I need to charge it, but I guess that is my fault for having it one for 6+ straight hours each day ;).

Storms

There is some crazy weather around here today.

Check out the video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJu6oBmnxHI

KSD screws up agian.

The Kent School District, in their infinite stupidity, have come out with ideas on how to save the nearly 6 million dollars that they need to stay afloat. Among these ideas are to eliminate music programs, Golf, Judo, full time tech specialists, labor workers, assistant principals at both the Middle School and High School level, and clerical positions across the district. All in all, there are 44 different things to cut or eliminate to save a total of 5 plus million dollars out of the 6 million they need. Now, I'm very great full to the KSD for providing me with a good education and a diploma, not to mention some fantastic memories, but this is just stupid. I remember at Kentlake HS in 2008-2009, they were forced to eliminate 6 teachers in order to save money which we already had. None of the students liked it, none of the staff liked it, but all 6 teachers were let go in order to save money the district already had, to pay the admins. Now, if they are able willing to cut teacher's positions to save their own salaries, then have the nerve to eliminate Music programs and popular sports programs to supposedly save money, what will be cut next? The para-educators who do just as much work as the teachers for far less money? The art classes that make certain days in school worth attending? The football programs?

This is a prime example of a failure or corruption at the top, which trickles its way down through the rest of the administration to the point where the students are suffering. Cutting music and sports? That is seriously stupid. These kids need the creative outlet in order to be good students. It isn't all test scores people. The things they are proposing to cut are vital to the students future, not to mention the livelihood of all people filling the positions they are threatening. Here's a thought, how much money would we save by cutting administration salaries by 15%? 1 million dollars? 2? 3? Maybe even the whole 6 million that they need. Just sayin.

Here are the results of a public poll to see what the community thought the district should cut.

http://www.kent.k12.wa.us/ksd/it/budget/deploy/documents/survey_results.pdf

Skullcandy Ink'd

Skullcandy.com

Okay, I have had these for four days now and I think that these are the best headphones I have ever owned. The sound quality is amazing and they actually have bass! It makes listening to Queen worth while again. As I'm sure with any in-ear headphones, it takes a couple of days for your ears to get used to the feeling, but everything is working out well. They look really cool wrapped around my Sansa Fuze and the speaker themselves actually look like speakers, not little fuzzy lint. It comes with three sizes of rubber tips for your ears, and even the smallest cancel noise better than I've had with other headphones. The skull is a little weird to look at, but it is a small price to pay for such quality. Speaking of price, they retail at $19.99, but you can get them for $10 at Best Buy when they have them on sale. The range on these things is amazing, and the gold plated connector ensures the best quality from the player to you ears. Overall, these have to be the second best investment I've made this year and have a life expectancy of 3-6 YEARS! Skullcandy make both earbuds and regular headphones that are second only to Bose I think. Brian's rating 4.5/5.






Edit: Well, they lasted to June 18, 2010. That is pretty disappointing considering the hype. The left speaker blew so now I can only hear out of the right side. Maybe I used them too much and I probably shouldn't have wrapped them up as much but I'm still kind of disappointed. Mom's crapped out too, same problem. I plan on getting some more as soon as I can get my hand's on another $20.

Mariner's Home Opener

Well, baseball has come back to the Northwest, with an unfortunate loss to Oakland. There are some serious offensive and pitching problems this year. However, I had a great time at the game. Randy Johnson, THE BIG UNIT, threw out the first pitch, and then Mariners legends Edgar Martinez, Dan Wilson, Johnson, Jay Buhner, and Ken Griffey Jr all posed for a photo. I got some cool pictures and I had a great time. Dad even got me a commemorative pin! I hope to see some better stuff from the team in the next few weeks.

Here are my photos.

Adobe Photoshop CS5

photographyblog.com


I just got done watching the live premier of this at Adobe.com and it looks amazing. This is the newest in the line of Adobe's line of photo editing, manipulating, and sharing software. As of now, it is the best ever. Aside from its new features, CS5 also has the latest version of the Flash Consul which has the ability to put code into a Flash movie or application so it will work across all platforms including Desktop, Laptop, Netbook, Tablet and Slate, and Mobile Device operations. This ensures that you can reach over 300 Million Flash users worldwide. No doubt that this will cause an evolution in the digital design world, but with prices ranging from $699 to $1899 for the whole program, and $199 to $599 for the upgrade, it will take a while for CS5 to live up to its potential.

First Pitch Strikes

d.umn.edu

WTF MARINERS??? At least swing at the pitches that are right over the plate, don't just let it sail by and expect a better pitch later. The pitchers KNOW you won't swing at it, so why shouldn't they just throw an easy fastball up the middle and get an easy strike? SWING THE BAT AND GET YOUR @$$ ON BASE. Then maybe we can have more than one 1 plus hit inning and actually win a game. If you are going to play small ball, you have to produce some hits.

Crazy Weather

KiroTV.com

MWAHAHAHA, Mother Nature has the best sense of humor ever. I feel sorry for the Tulip people, but listening to everybody's reactions, they are still amazed that it could snow in April. Well, I don't know where they live, but here in Washington, it is almost an annual joke for Mother Nature to snow in early April.

Too Freaking Early

tqsuttle@flickr.com

I honestly think that who ever came up with the idea of a early morning education should be forced to stay awake forever and never enjoy any sleep at all. Same goes for the parking lot constructors at Green River CC. If there were more places to park in the lot, then I wouldn't have to get there at 8 for a 10 o'clock class. I would much rather sleep in the extra 2 hours. Of course if it were up to me, I would have classes start at 1 p.m. so I could sleep until noon everyday.

Why I Like Baseball

Why baseball? There are several reasons. Baseball is America's pastime for a reason. I think people like baseball for it's atmosphere. Its excitement, its strategy, its talent, and youth, and camaraderie, and community, and everything else that is wrapped up in the game. While this world is changing for the worst, and the better, baseball manages to remain a highlight in any situation. During times of struggle, it reminds us of better times and things that are really important. During times of prosperity, it allows us to create memories that last a lifetime. It has penetrated out culture so far that every walk of life knows of it and it influences our speech in expressions like "getting to first base" with a girl or hitting a "grand slam" when something fortuitous happens. Legends are formed in players and players are formed by legends. Above everything else, it is interesting. The delicate balance between pitcher and batter. The connection between ball, bat, and glove. The game of deception between pitcher and base runner. Every hit, every pitch, every game is different, never to be repeated. There is always something new and exciting to watch and experience in this game we call baseball. As said by Mariner's announcer Dave Heihaus, my oh my.

Mariner's Pitching

kramer-s-nehl.com

Ahh baseball. From rainy springs to hopefully not too hot summers, and finally the changing leaves of autumn, baseball is a special thing. It entices the young and brings a familiar contentment to those who love the game. My favorite team is the Seattle Mariners and Mariner's baseball starts today at 4:05 pm (pst) on FSN. This year's team is going to prove interesting to watch. The biggest story this year is the pitching. Last year ace Felix Hernandez finished with 19 wins and came in second for the Cy Young award. We all know and love "King Felix" and I expect him to have another outstanding year. During the off season, Jackie Z, the GM, picked up Cliff Lee, the World Series ace from last year, from the Phillies in a three team trade. Lee was the only pitcher who could stop the red hot Yankees (blech) in 2009 and was the only reason the Phillies won 2 of the series games. With him in the rotation, the Mainer's will have an awesome one-two punch with Felix and Lee. The only problem is that Lee managed to hurt himself during spring training and probably will start the season off the rotation. (GET JARROD WASHBURN BACK!!!)duh. I have less faith in the rest of the starters. Jason Vargas, Ian Snell, Luke French, Doug Fister, Eric Bedard, and Ryan Rowland-Smith are all fighting for a spot. Jason Vargas had two good games last year before crapping out, but he seems to be doing well in spring training. The same is true for Snell and Fister although Fister never had a bad game last year. Luke French needs to be sent down to AAA for a while before he is ready to pitch in the majors again. Eric Bedard is recovering from a series of injuries and surgeries, but his progress is good. He will not be making the rotation out of ST. Which leaves Ryan Rowland-Smith. He is a great pitcher who can strike out anyone in the majors, when he's good. He hasn't had the best ST ever, but I am hoping that he will turn it around quickly. I met Rowland-Smith at a TOP Food last year. He's a nice guy. I would be willing to bet that come April 5, the rotation will look something like Felix, Rowland-Smith, Snell, Vargas, and Fister. I expect this to change to Felix, Lee, Rowland-Smith, Bedard, and Fister when everybody is healthy again. The bullpen is looking to be as good as ever with the return of Shawn Kelley, Mark Lowe, and David Aardsma. Last year this was the best 7, 8, and 9th inning pitchers in the AL and they all appear to have all of the same stuff. Also, with relievers like Texeira and eventually Vargas and Snell, the bullpen looks to be packed with talent. The biggest issue I have with GM Jackie Z is the trading of Jarrod Washburn. He was a starter last year who put up unbelievable numbers with almost zero run support. He pitched his first 1 hitter last year which was amazing to watch. We traded him to Detroit for some stupid reason but he is a free agent now. The way Wash sees it is that he has 3 options. Go into retirement. He is old for a starter, and he definitely has the money to do it, but he still has at least 3 more good seasons in him. He has expressed a desire to return to the Mariners, but negotiations are sticky. He can also go to the Angels which would be a good fit for him, but it isn't Seattle. The Mariners recently let Ryan Garko (1B) out on waivers and I think it would be a good idea to use that money to put a better offer on the table for Washburn. All in all, I expect awesome things from the Mariner's pitching this year, but not right off. With injuries and competition for spots so early in the season, I don't expect a clean start.

April Fools Day

Okay, April Fools. I'm all for practical jokes when they aren't cruel or just plain stupid (or played on me for that matter). It seems like every year there is a story about someone who took a joke too far or who couldn't take a joke, and did something stupid like lighting someone's hair on fire or something. Be creative not stupid. Take my friend Daniel. Last year he approached his father and had him sit down telling him that he had something important to tell him. With the straight face of an expert poker player, he confessed the he had gotten his girlfriend pregnant. At which time his father turns red and goes crazy. Needless to say it was a joke and Daniel did get his dad to calm down after bursting with laughter. That was perfect. Nothing too elaborate, stupid, or painful. Just enough to scare the crap out of someone works fine. I'm a little wary about meeting Daniel today as he is very good at this whole joke thing and has a sick sense of humor, which is one of the reasons he is one of my friends. So for all of you who are planning an ER visit on your April 1 calendar, don't.

Where it will all start...

Welcome to my BLOG. As a tribute to this momentous occasion, I have posted a picture of my birthday pie. I have been going back and forth on whether or not to start my own blog for a while now and decided that the time was right voice my opinion.