Monday, January 31, 2011

College Tuition


311/365 - College Tuition
Originally uploaded by Wayne-K
I don't subscribe to the local newspaper because I'm not old. I usually read it online for free. However, I'm a sucker for kids trying to make a better life for themselves....so I signed up for the paper today....and my wife's going to kill me for doing it...AGAIN!

The Tri-Valley Herald newspaper has a program where high school kids sell special newspaper packages for $20 and in return get $20 towards their college tuition. The kid at the door today goes to Antioch HS. He wants to go into law enforcement and plans on attending community college for a couple of years and then transfer to a four year university. I spent about 10 minutes talking to him about various scholarship options, including my elevator speech on ROTC scholarships.

For $20, I'm getting the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday paper delivered to my door for a year, and the kid gets $20 toward his college tuition and some free college advice.

Been sick with the flu, so I've been experimenting with my new flash indoors. Here's a shot of some tomatoes. I put the tomatoes on my flash and triggered it wirelessly...it made the tomatoes glow!

Tomatoes

Thursday, January 27, 2011

New Footwear


Shiny and New
Originally uploaded by Wayne-K
I'm starting to feel like Imelda Marcos. I ordered some new MSR EVO 22 snowshoes and they arrived today....I love the UPS man! That big brown truck, that handsomely pressed uniform, those socks pulled up to his knees....ooooh, I mean, I love him because he brings me all these cool toys!

Going snow backpacking next weekend and I'm looking forward to testing out these beauties. I don't think it'll be crowded....we'll be in the middle of nowhere....and it's Super Bowl Sunday. I'd be busy watching the game on the flat screen like everyone else, but the Cowboys stunk this year and didn't make it to the dance. So, they'll be watching the big game on the flat screen....and I'll be out in the snow!

The weather has been really nice the last few weeks and I've been taking advantage of it and jogging after work. Here's a shot of the arroyo from my jog this afternoon.

307/365 - Arroyo de Flowing

Friday, January 21, 2011

Friends

I don’t know how to put this, so I’ll just cut to the chase. Faye sucks as a friend.

That Yosemite trip on Sunday ruined my entire week! My lunches were horrible (compared to sprouted grain bread, piled high with carved turkey breast, smothered with roasted red pepper hummus, and topped with cheese and spinach), it was tough getting motivated to shoot “normal” photos around town (refer to the toothbrush photo), and I couldn’t get any work done because I was daydreaming about the next trip into the backcountry. Thanks Faye…..Bitch!

Of course, I'm kidding! I just ordered some snowshoes for a snow backpacking trip in February....I'm looking forward to another great trip!

Monday, January 17, 2011

Yosemite National Park


Dewey Point
Originally uploaded by Wayne-K
The Sierra Nevada mountain range is incredible and one of my favorite places in the universe. I must admit I haven’t seen much of the universe, or even the Earth for that matter, but nonetheless, I think I can safely say the Sierra’s are a great place. The Yosemite National Park is a four hour drive from my house, but I rarely go there. Why? Well, everyone and their brother (or sister) goes there and for me, the massive crowds ruin the wilderness experience. But, there’s a great way to avoid the Yosemite crowd…go there during the winter time.

I went snowshoeing yesterday in Yosemite National Park, from Badger Pass to Dewey Point. Leading me was the future world renown explorer and wilderness guide, Faye. She’s competed in 50 km, 50 mile, and 100 mile trail races, backpacked hundreds of miles in the Sierra Nevada, completed rigorous treks in the mountains of Alaska and South America, and can be seen leaping tall buildings in a single bound. You might call her crazy....but I just call her Wonder Woman. Well, I call her crazy too…

It took us about two hours to snowshoe/cross-country ski the 3.5 miles up to Dewey Point. The weather was extraordinary, the views were magnificent, and the sandwich Faye made me for lunch was delicious. To elaborate on the sandwich, it had whole grain bread (with unsprouted something or others), several thick pieces of turkey, cheese, hummus, and spinach. The sandwich was incredible, but I had a few concerns. First, my typical, boring ham and mustard sandwiches were no longer going to cut it when I got back home. Second, how was I going to finish the massive sandwich. And lastly (and most importantly), I hope the bowels don’t need to move on the snowshoe trip out because I’m surrounded by snow, there are tons of people on the trail, and I have no toilet paper! Hey, high fiber and hummus can be brutal in the wilderness, you know!? Fortunately, the bowels stayed put and we made our way back to the truck without incident.

After Dewey Point, we drove into Yosemite Valley so I could take a sunset photo of Half Dome. Like all great friends, Faye kept me company in the middle of the meadow, patiently waited as I took a few shots, humored me by looking at a few photos on the camera’s LCD, made believe she was having fun standing in the snow as I set up yet another shot….and headed back to the truck to take a nap while I froze my gluteus maximus off for another hour, waiting for the bloody sun to set. Just kidding....it was going to be a long drive home and she needed a nap.

Anyway, here are a few pictures from the long, but incredibly fun day.

296/365 - Half Dome

Tunnel View

Half Dome from Dewey Point

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Softball Season - Coming Soon

Girl's softball player evaluations are on Saturday. Kami, Angel, and I have been practicing softball after school this week to knock some of the rust off and prepare for the evaluations.

I considered volunteering to manage a team this year, but I think I'll stick to being an assistant coach. I love coaching the girls, but with a new job around the corner, I felt it would be best not to take on the responsibilities of the manager. If they don't need an assistant coach, I volunteer to be the team photographer....or the team mascot?

285/365 - Friends

Saturday, January 1, 2011