I had my, what could theoretically become, annual Birthday Barbecue on Saturday.  I would like to thank all of the people that attended and made the evening special:

• Bardole, Shannon
• Bennett, Charlotte
• Cousin, Amy
• Daniel, Jeffrey
• Degeneffe, Austin
• Degeneffe, Melissa
• Degeneffe, Scott
• Dill, Colby
• Dill, Dan
• Dill, DJ
• Gorshe, Derrick
• Gorshe, Jen
• Henning, Monica
• Howard, Jesse
• Howard, Kalista
• Howard, Kelly
• Howard, Saydie
• Howard, Taylan
• Hugen, Todd
• Janson, Jay
• Jauhari, Andree
• Jenson, Terra
• Johnstone, Jack
• Johnstone, Jason
• Junck, Sara
• Kahler, Logan
• Kahler, Russ
• Kewer, Jeff
• Krause, Dawn
• McAlpine, Willy
• Nitchals, Peggy
• Parsaei, Nader
• Perkovich, Becky
• Roberts, Lori
• Roberts, Steve
• Runestad, Anders
• Stensland, Carla
• Stensland, Johnathan
• Wever, Ada
• Wever, Amanda
• Wever, Greg
• Yin, Amy

Next year, I will move the barbecue back to its traditional spot of the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend.  Feel free to circle the date May 28 on your 2011 calendar that you have yet to purchase. It will perhaps be an even smaller and more intimate gathering.  I might start instituting a survivor type invitation policy similar to the fashion of invites that Jay uses for Symposium.

Special thanks need to be extended to the following people:

Sara for taking the pictures for the invitations.

Sara for providing the s’mores goodies.

Jay for making three desserts: chocolate raspberry cookies, key lime bars and apple crisp.

Steve for providing homemade salsa and chips.

Becky for making a pasta salad.

Scott and Melissa for bringing a banana creme pie.

Shannon for baking a fresh rhubarb pie with rhubarb picked from my personal rhubarb patch.

Johnathan for bringing over cornhole.

Logan and Russ for running the grill.

Mom for baking a cake and creating a watermelon fruit thing.

Derrick for being the fire-starter.

Andree for being the best dressed person at the party.

Shannon for opening the party.

Willy for closing the party.

There isn’t any photographic evidence to support that this party existed. I was too busy to touch a camera and Sara didn’t take any pictures this year. Maybe next year I will add “Party Photographer” to the list of Staff positions for this shindig.

If you wish to be hired for this position (no pay, no benefits, possibly a STAFF t-shirt*) simply send the answer to the following question to bennett@photography139.com:

Why would I make an awesome Party Photographer?

I suppose I should start planning Friendsmas now. It can wait a couple of months.

*That is not a joke. There will be staff t-shirts next year.

Shakespeare warned of the Ides of March. I don’t know what he was so worked up about. Carla was born on the Ides of March. Happy Birthday Carla!

It is also Monica’s birthday. Happy Birthday Monica!

Seems strange to me that so many people would choose to be born in March.

Final Reminder

This is the last blog that will be posted to:

http://www.photography139.com/index_files/artistsnotebook.htm

Don’t forget to update your links, bookmarks and RSS Feeds to the new URL:

http://www.photography139.com/notebook/

Last week’s theme was SELF-PORTRAIT. Although there wasn’t any new people to submit pictures, there were still several submissions. I would be lying if I didn’t say that I was hoping that more men would submit pictures now and again, but we aren’t very far into this project, so maybe a few more guys will ante up in the future.

This week’s submissions:

Monica Henning (Fairweather Friend)

Julie Johnson

Dawn Krause

Becky Perkovich

Michael Vest

Christopher D. Bennett

Dawn’s Weekly Poem includes an Artistic Adaptation.

Self Portrait

A rose
yearning to be a daisy
vulnerable and
open for the world to see

Glass
shattered into pieces
broken, mended
brought together in new form

Steel
smooth and resistant
with scars
damaged but still strong

Sunlight
full of hope
warming souls
joy with simple pleasure

The theme for this week is:

That is a theme that would have probably been more fun to do in the summer, but what can you do? The Random Generator has spoken!

Daily Reminder

Don’t forget to update your links, bookmarks and RSS Feeds to the new URL:

http://www.photography139.com/notebook/

Last week’s theme was OUT OF FOCUS. I’m very excited to have Monica Henning as a first time contributor. Monica was so excited that she submitted four photos. She did violate the one and only rule of RWPE and that is that the picture has to be taken during the week of the theme, but I will let it slide.

Monica Henning A (Don’t Take Me for a Loop)

Monica Henning B

Monica Henning C

Monica Henning D

Dawn Krause

Christopher D. Bennett

Michael Vest

Dawn’s Poem of the Week

Out of Focus

The future’s a blur
and rather hazy
Energy gone
and feeling lazy

The edge is gone
turned to soft gray
Watching the hours
pass away the day

Next week’s theme is:

I hope there are plenty of first time contributors next Monday. After all, almost everybody owns a camera and everybody has a “self”!

This picture was taken in Upper Ledges in one of their prairies. This picture was taken during the same photo sojourn as when I took Monica’s Childhood. A picture that was Monica’s favorite, but not the picture she selected for the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest.

Proust Quote:
“Happiness serves hardly any other purpose than to make unhappiness possible.”

Confessions Question:
Your idea of happiness

Confidences Question:
My dream of happiness.

Proust’s Answer:
I am afraid it be not great enough, I dare not speak it, I am afraid of destroying it by speaking it.

That Proust sure was a coward. “I am afraid of destroying it…” But he was from France and that is a country that isn’t exactly known for its courage.

However, I think there is some truth in the quote that happiness exists to make unhappiness possible. I think it is closer to the truth to say that unhappiness makes the experience of happiness richer. I would also argue that unhappiness is at its lowest depth before happiness arrives. But happiness is a much more powerful (although frailer) emotion than unhappiness. A little drop of happiness blows unhappiness out of the water.

There is a misery questionnaire question where I will repeat this basic information, but I think in general terms, the greatest misery is in waiting for a certain thing to happen. The greatest happiness is when that certain thing happens. That certain thing might not ever happen, therefore a person sometimes has to come to acceptance.

There are certainly things that make me happy. One of them ends frequently with the phrase “Sweet dreams.”

I have two friends that are diametrically opposed on the concept of dreams. One friend believes that dreams are an intricate part of life. They should be held up and examined every day and they should be pursued with every breath of your being. If you call his phone, the voicemail message will tell you that you have reached, “Dreams, Incorporated.” It is not a real company, so don’t give him any money. You won’t get it back. But your money will help him pursue his dreams.

This friend’s philosophy on dreams would best be summed up by the Marcel Proust quote:

“If a little dreaming is dangerous, the cure for it is not to dream less but to dream more, to dream all the time.”

The other friend thinks that it is pointless to pursue dreams because dreams can’t become reality. He once noted that he couldn’t “grow bat wings” in reality. All this talk about dreams is a humbug!

This friend’s philosophy on dreams would be best summed up by the Baltasar Gracian quote:

“Dreams will get you nowhere, a good kick in the pants will take you a long way.”

My philosophy lies somewhere in the middle. I certainly believe that dreams are worth pursuing. To not have aspirations or goals leads to somewhat of an aimless existence, but perhaps I don’t follow my dreams with the type of vigor that Friend One does.

If dreams are (what I think they are) our ideas of perfect happiness, then these are a few of my dreams:

Some of these are attainable dreams. Some of them are in the “bat wing” category.

To hear Jay say, “Want to come over and watch a completed version of Games 2 tonight?”
To hear Willy say, “And this is my beautiful wife…”
To hear Shannon say, “Wow! You organized that really well. If this is the caliber of person that Iowa State University produces, I should root for their athletic teams when they play anybody but my beloved UNI Panthers.”
To hear Geri D. say, “Opening night for the One Act play you wrote will be…”
To hear Jen say, “Maybe the dogs don’t like being dressed up.”
To hear Derrick say, “Yeah, Pink Floyd called and they want to open for us on our European Tour. I told them we would get back to them.”
To hear Jill say, “I think I have changed my mind… feet are funny, not gross!”
To hear Sara say, “I looked in the mirror and decided, I didn’t need that Hello Kitty humidifier.”
To hear Monica say, “I just don’t have room for all these paintings I have done. Here, take about 5-10 of these off my hands.”
To hear Baier say, “I really shouldn’t be that emotionally invested in a pro sports team in a city that is 3 hours away from where I live. I think I’m going to take that wasted energy and train my dog to be less racist. Perhaps research unicorn blood in my spare time.”
To hear Russell say, “I don’t even know why I ever even question anything you say about sports, politics, movies or life. Mr. Bennett, I am in awe of you. In the future, when you speak, I will sit silently and keep notes. It is my greatest fear that some of your wisdom will be lost to the following generations.”
To hear Nader say, “The new Harry Potter movie was pretty good.”
To hear Andree say, “Maybe I have too many televisions. 7 is a lot for 1 guy.”
To hear Scottie D. say, “I apologize for ever questioning your commitment to tenderloins. You may hit me one time.”
To hear Eric say, “Dogs are really better than cats. I don’t know why I couldn’t see that before.”
To hear Jesse say, “I’ve thought about it. Maybe I should worship somebody that actually gets some playing time during the Olympics, rather than that creepy looking Finch girl.”

There are more, but I might be on happiness overload just thinking on my dreams.

Last Monday I finally completed Window Project #1.

It has been several years since my mom got new windows for her house. I had her keep all of the old windows because I thought that there would be a point in the future where I would be able to use them.

I gave a few to Monica. I gave a few Rebecca. The rest have mostly sat around and collected dust.

The previous Monday (to last Monday) I came to a point of stasis with the Friend Wall. There is still room for more pictures and there are still a few people that aren’t represented on the Friend Wall, but I feel that the wall has adequate coverage for now. I can stop for now and move on to putting holes in the other (naked) walls in my house.

The windows will be a big part of what goes on my remaining walls. I finally got one of the window projects done.

I don’t really have a name for the completed window project, but for now it will be called Window Project #1.

Window Project #1 started with this picture of Jill’s hand.

The rough image.

After cleaning this image up, tweaking it and converting it to black and white, I came up with the final image.

The final image.

I measured a window and ordered a print.

I don’t really trust my own ability to cut straight lines, so I discussed the project with Teresa. She agreed to cut the picture down to size and actually came up with the idea to mount the picture to foam board.

Initially I was going to glue it to the back of the window. I was going to do that even though I had no clue whether or not that would ruin the picture or stain the picture or even hold the picture to the glass.

The foam board was definitely the wise way to go.

Before bowling (actually the greatest bowling night of my life) Teresa came over and cut the foam board and picture. I mounted the picture to the foam board, placed it in the window and put it on the wall.

Window Project #1

After looking at it, I think I might need another picture to go with it. Another body part.

I’ve thought about an eye…

But I think that might be a little bit uncomfortable for some people to look at. Plus, I think I am going to work on an eye project in the future that might be a little bit more ambitious than one photo.

I think the answer is rather obvious. The complimentary picture should be of a foot.

It seems I’m in need of a foot model. Monica has graciously offered up her foot in exchange for me paying for a pedicure for her. I think I can find somebody that will work cheaper than that. I am, just a poor, starving artist after all.

If you hear of anybody wanting to offer up their foot for art, let me know.

But there are also a couple of other window projects on the horizon. I have a set of garage door windows I got from my Aunt Linda that I’ve always thought about using as a frame for flower pictures, but instead I am going to use it to hold family pictures and sit it in the corner of some yet to be determined room.

I am also going down to Salon 908 to measure some wall space on Saturday morning. I am planning on hanging a window up there before their Grand Opening. I don’t have much turnaround on that project though.

I hope my designated cutter is available.

In anticipation of a weekend filled with numerous social engagements, I went to see Monica on Thursday for my quarterly shearing.

I brought along a camera and her intern (she really has an intern) snapped a couple of pictures.

I wanted there to be documented evidence that when Monica trims my facial hair, she does not wear safety glasses. There was a terrible internet rumor circulating that this was the case and I wanted to squash it.

On an unrelated, but semi-related note, I was challenged to a beard growing contest last week.

I have yet to accept the challenge because I don’t know if I can emotionally handle shaving off my facial hair and becoming a dirty nakedface. I know that I will only be a dirty nakedface for a day, but it will still be fairly traumatic.

If I decide to take on the nakedface demon, the contest will start on January 1, 2010 and last 1 month. Frank, the guy that challenged me, wanted to start on December 1, but there was no way that I was going to sport an untamed full beard for Christmas.

I think all of you know how I feel about people under the age of 40 sporting beards. I want to be a nice guy during the Christmas season.

Like breasts?

Who doesn’t?

Hate cancer?

Who doesn’t?

Need a haircut?

Then do I have the event for you!

This Sunday, head to Younkers and get your hair looking good for 25 bucks and all of the money goes to help breast cancer research.

I’m going to be in Kansas City, but I am going to do my part (considering Breast Cancer Awareness Month starts tomorrow)in October. But more to come on that in the future.

Monica had the next choice. She struggled between 2 pictures as well. She finally picked the picture below, even though it wasn’t her favorite.

“The Solace of Ordinary Humanity”

A picture that I have titled: “Monica’s Childhood” was actually her favorite.

“Monica’s Childhood”

Monica wrote perhaps my favorite ever description of that picture in her email where she chose “The Solace of Ordinary Humanity”:

#13 is great. It reminds me of growing up on the farm. I would lay in the grass as a little girl and just stare up at the clouds for hours. I would think about all sorts of things. Just lay there in the grass and dream! I remember the cool breeze blowing across my face and the warm sun beating down on me. The clouds make this picture. It gives it perspective for me.

I also like how the one flower on the left is just kind of sticking its head in the pack to see what’s going on. Much like life. It gives it a bit of humor too.