Category Archives: Sara

Andree, Angie, Baier, Basketball, Bill, Brandon, Dae Hee, Dawn, Derrick, Faust, Frank, Jen, Jill, Jorge, Laura, Logan, Lowell, Michelle, Micky, Nader, Nate, Robert, Russell, Sara, Shannon, Tim, Toby, Willy

Roundball Oracles – Year 14

March 12, 2018 Christopher D. Bennett

It is once again time for the Roundball Oracles NCAA Tournament Pool.

I want to start by saying that Paul and Shannon, your trophies for last years accomplishment and “accomplishment” are on order. They will be in your possession by the end of next week.

Here is the proof that I ordered the trophies:

The pool is your pretty standard pool. Pick the games. Pick the final score of the championship game. Win a trophy. This year, I’ll deliver on the trophy much earlier.

The pool doesn’t cost anything, but pride, but the winner gets a trophy and the last place adult (that tried) gets The Sara Trophy.

Here is a list of past champions.

The List of Immortals:

2017 – Paul Golden
2016 – Michelle Haupt
2015 – Derek Dohrman
2014 – Brandon Kahler
2013 – William McAlpine
2012 – Lowell Davis
2011 – Carrie Baier
2010 – Mark Wolfram
2009 – Mark Wolfram
2008 – Mark Wolfram
2007 – Tim Peterson
2006 – William McAlpine
2005 – William McAlpine

Last year 38 people took their shot at mortality. Paul Golden came home the winner. Shannon Bardole came home with The Sara.

Last Year’s Standings:

RANK TEAM NAME SCORE
1 Paul Golden 260
2 Frank Meiners 252
3 Angie DeWaard 247
4 Michelle Haupt 242
5 shawn lockner 238
6 Jen Ensley-Gorshe 231
7 Jorge Rios 231
8 Andree Jauhari 226
9 tim peterson 226
10 Jordan Toot 225
11 Carrie Baier 225
12 Toby Sebring 224
13 Lowell Davis 222
14 JJ Baier 221
15 Logan Kahler 220
16 Jason Baier 218
17 Dae Hee Yoon 213
18 Jackson Faust 211
19 Dawn Krause 209
20 Jon DeWaard 208
21 Nader Parsaei 204
22 Derek Dohrman 203
23 William Baier 202
24 Robert Henning 194
25 Christopher Bennett
26 Bill Wentworth 193
27 Rachel Johnson 192 36
28 Russell Kennerly 190
29 Nate Miller 189
30 Michael Augustin
31 Derrick Gorshe 181
32 Elizabeth Nordeen 164
33 Laura Priest 162
34 Corey Faust 160
35 Jill Gorshe 152
36 Shannon Bardole 149
37 Olivia Baier 143
38 Benjamin Baier 121

If you are interested in participating this year, drop me an email and I’ll get you hooked up.

If this post seems kind of low energy, don’t worry, Iowa State and my passion for the tournament will be back again next year!

Andy, Angie, Black & White, Micky, Photoshop, Sara, Steph, Tamara, WPC - Submissions

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 129 – SHADOW

March 5, 2018 Christopher D. Bennett 3 Comments

The weather is getting better. Participation rates took the slightest uptick. Maybe next week it will take a big uptick??

But you didn’t come here to listen to me talk all tommyrot about participation rates. You came to see the SHADOW submissions:

Angie DeWaard

Micky Augustin

Christopher D. Bennett

Tamara Peterson

Stephanie Kim
This doesn’t look like much but it’s a room at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West home in Scottsdale, Arizona. There are lights in the floor and from above but he created this lighting effect to mimic the mountains in the area!

Sara Lockner

A solid week of submissions!

But enough dwelling on the past. Time to look to the future. We are all interested in the future, for that is where you and I are going to spend the rest of our lives. And remember my friend, future events such as these will affect you in the future! This week’s theme:

ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT! What a great theme! But what is an ABSRACT photograph? Well here is a decent definition courtesy of the Googles:

art that does not attempt to represent external reality, but seeks to achieve its effect using shapes, forms, colors, and textures.

Okay, great. Sounds like a picture that you messed up and now you’re calling it ABSTRACT. Take it easy there. Yes, sometimes you can screw up a picture so bad that it turns out abstract. Just a swirl of colors and shapes. But that can be beautiful as well.

However, here are a couple of suggestions for purposefully creating an abstract image.

1. Take a long exposure (in the dark) of lights. Hand hold the camera or move the camera around. Or move the lights around. (For example, the picture in the ABSTRACT reveal was taken with a 5 second exposure while I handheld my camera and drove by that semi rollover out on Ericson Corner last night on my way back from Buffalo Wild Wings following by rec leagues team banquet last night.
2. Another way to do an abstract image is to pick something fairly colorful and take a picture of it completely out of focus. You will have a lot more control of your final image this way. I don’t know if it is as much fun though.
3. You could also find an abstract piece of art and photograph it. The Computer Mine is lousy with abstract art, for example.

As always, I look forward to seeing your interpretations.

HOUSEKEEPING

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 RULES DIVISION

1. The picture has to be taken the week of the theme. This isn’t a curate your pictures challenge. This is a get your butt off the couch (my personal experience) and put your camera in your hands challenge. Don’t send me a picture of you next to the Eiffel Tower, when I know you were in Iowa all week. I will point out that I have let that slide some in the past. I will not in the future. Since it is literally about the only rule.

2. Your submission needs to be emailed to bennett@photography139.com by 11 AM on the Monday of the challenge due date. It should be pointed out that this blog auto-publishes at 12:01 on Mondays. So it wouldn’t hurt to get your picture in earlier.

That is it, them’s the rules.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION DIVISION

On Friday night I went to The Open Flame in horrible Gilbert, Iowa for Andy’s birthday party extravaganza. While there, Andy convinced Jaxon Schoff to become the latest person to show class, taste, and sophistication by signing up for a Photography 139 email subscription. Jaxon might be the youngest subscriber currently. He is in the 8th Grade. But to think, if he is showing this much taste, class, and sophistication now… well he has av very bright future. America has a very bright future. If you see him out walking the mean county roads of rural Boone County feel free to give him a knowing glance and show him the super secret Photography 139 Handshake.

**************************************

That’s all I got for today, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will commune right here again next Monday. Hopefully it will be a very abstract Monday!

Baseball/Softball, Basketball, Black & White, Boone FUMC, Jen, Macro, Sara, WPC - Alternate

Do Not Believe Everything that You Read on the Internet

February 20, 2018 Christopher D. Bennett

The world wasn’t ready for these STILL LIFE pictures on Monday. I’m not sure the world is ready now. But I can’t hold them back any longer:

You’re welcome world!

Automobiles, Event, Gretchen, Music, Nature, Sara

Happy Anniversary Juncks!

January 24, 2018 Christopher D. Bennett

As you become aged, you get invited to less and less parties. I think I was invited to 3 toddler birthday parties and 1 anniversary party last year. I think that was it. My entire social calendar for 2017.

The anniversary party was for the parents of Sara and Steven Junck. I love visiting the Junck farm and snapped a couple of pictures while I was there:

I think I could spend days photographing the Junck farm and never get bored with it. But I only took a few pictures, cause I was partying it up! Actually I believe this was the day after I returned from the Mission Trip, so I was mostly ready to nap it up!

Angie, Art, Becky, Kim, Micky, Photoshop, Sara, Shawn Lockner, Tamara, WPC - Submissions

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 123 – FOOD

January 22, 2018 Christopher D. Bennett

There was a healthy participation rate this week for FOOD, but I have to confess that I thought it would be even more popular. After all, every single person that is reading these words ate FOOD last week. Perhaps were still in the Seasonal Photography Depression Window. But thanks to everybody that submitted a photo. Participation looks good on you!

But you didn’t come here to listen to me talk all tommyrot about participation rates. You came to see the submissions!

Kim Barker

Tamara Peterson

Angie Dewaard

Christopher D. Bennett

Becky Parmelee

Micky Augustin

Sara Lockner

Russell take notice. There are at least a few other people out there that like to take pictures of their food!

COLORFUL

COLORFUL! What a great theme! What does it mean? Think about something in your drab existence that lacks color. Like say you work in a cube farm. Endless dreary walls of gray. In that existence, something bright and saturated really stands out. Look for things that really stand out due to their near excess in color. Then photograph them.

As always, I look forward to your interpretations!

HOUSEKEEPING

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 RULES DIVISION

That is it, them’s the rules.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION DIVISION

Nothing new to report. I’ll try to do better next week.

Want your own Photography 139 email subscription? Call, email, or text me and I’ll get you the hook up.

**************************************

That’s all I got for today, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will commune right here again next Monday. Hopefully it will be a very color filled Monday!

Art, Becca, History, Holidays, Monica, Photoshop, Sara, Work

2-10-08

January 6, 2018 Christopher D. Bennett

The following pictures were in the folder 2-10-08:

The tin was made by Sara. It was product from her Etsy store. You may have noticed some of her tins around my house as decorations.

The painted fish bowl was a Christmas present from Becca. It was one of my favorite Christmas Presents I’ve ever received. Her design was based off of my 4 FLOWERS image.

The tragic part of this story is that I used the bowl as my loose change jar. When it was full I took it to the bank and it got broke. I don’t know that I’ve ever fully recovered. Hopefully some day I will get a replacement for it. Perhaps it will come the same day I get my replacement for my Monica Henning painting that was also tragically destroyed in a freak dog toy accident.

The last image is something I won at a Christmas Work Party. I sold it to a co-worker for $20.

I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that I did put my car in the ditch on Wednesday. It was the first time in my life I’ve put my car in the ditch… well during winter. (I’m sure many of you remember the skunk family story that lead to my relenting and agreeing to get cell phones.)

I need to point out (because of people like Amber of Youth Group fame) that I was not taking pictures (like I was in 2 of the pictures above) while I was driving. It just happened. Not by best moment.

One of my best moments was being able to restore 3 old timey blogs by adding these old timey photos to the Photograpy 139 Gallery:

EVEN WHEN YOU WIN
PRETTIEST PRESENT
ANGRY BRAD’S DESIGNS

On next Saturday’s walk down memory lane, we will have another look at some Little White Lye Soap pictures.

Becca, Commercial, Sara, Shannon

02-10-08/lwlenhanced

December 30, 2017 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

These images were in the folder 02-10-08/lwlenhanced:

There are some examples of really bad Photoshop work in this collection.

If you have forgotten, Little White Lye Soap is a company ran by Shannon. It is high quality soap that I highly endorse. I’d recommend you go out and buy about 20-30 bars!

Next Saturday’s walk down memory lane will involve some artwork by Becca and Sara Junckner. Or it will involve more Little White Lye Soap. You never know.

Alexis, Alisa, Anders, Animals, Baier, Becca, Bethany, Bill, Brandon, Carla, Derrick, Elainie, Evie, Flat Earth Joe, Holidays, House, Iowa State, Jason, Jay, Jen, Jesse, Johnathan, Jorge, Logan, Mom, Movies, Nader, Naima, Nate, Pastor Sarah, Sara, Sarah Toot, Scottie D., Shannon, Shorty, Tenderloining, Teresa, Tim, Willy, Youth Group

Won’t Take that Credit; I know Where We Get It; Them Blessings Be Comin’ from God Above

November 23, 2017 Christopher D. Bennett 1 Comment

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

Rather than my standard picture of an inflatable turkey, thought (with apologies to Lecrae, I’d give thanks for some of the many blessings in my life.

Count it up, count it up, count it up.
Line ’em up, line ’em up, line ’em up.

Blessed with a tremendous biological family. Blessed to share DNA and a life with these people.

Blessed to be a part of Olivia’s family. Blessed to learn a new definition of the word “family” from Shorty and Doris.

Blessed to be a part of an incredible church family. From Youth Group to Methodist Men to the people I see in the pews on Sundays.

Blessed to have a job and double blessed to have a great work family. 7 AM comes pretty early, but so many of the people I work with make the struggle worth the effort.

Blessed to share a life with this band of brothers. Not one of us has any fashion sense, but I’d still take a bullet for any of them.

Blessed to fit in with this band of sisters as well.

Blessed to be able to share my love of weird cinema with like minded individuals once a month.

Blessed to be a Cyclone and double blessed to have somebody to share so many trips to Jack Trice (a spiritual place for me) with.

Blessed to have a roof over my head that belongs to me. Blessed that I can extend that roof over friends and family when their life needs it. Blessed that when I say, “Want to help paint by house?” 20+ people show up.

Blessed that friends from past jobs are still important pillars of my current life.

Blessed that people that aren’t related to me consider me an uncle to them.

Blessed to have a car that I can drive out of town and not worry about the tire falling off.

Blessed to have so many people in my life that when I say, “I’m coming to your city”, they say, “You’re staying with us right?”

Blessed to have so many people in my life that fill gaps.

Blessed that even though I’m aged, I still healthy enough to still ball. Although pretty poorly these days.

Blessed that even though I’m aged, I still have people in my life that keep me young.

Blessed to have people in my life that want to change the world for the better, when I get cynical.

Blessed to have art in my life.

Blessed to have a beautiful beard. Even if the old guys at my church hate it.

Blessed to have people who will help with projects like this, no questions asked.

Blessed to share a life and a domicile with this crazy beast. Teaches me about selfless love every single day.

Blessed to have a chance to spread my blessings to others, sometimes, with some of my favorite people.

This is just the tip of the iceberg of my blessings. But I don’t want it to start to sound like I’m bragging.

Angie, Becky, Cathie, Kim, Night, Sara, Steph, Tamara, WPC - Submissions

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 114 – TRANSPORTATION

November 20, 2017 Christopher D. Bennett

A pretty decent week of submissions. TRANSPORTATION really motivated a few people to get out there with there camera!

But you didn’t come here to listen to me talk tommyrot about participation rates. You came here to see the submissions:

Becky Parmelee

Cathie Raley

Kim Barker

Christopher D. Bennett

Stephanie Kim

Sara Lockner

Tamara Peterson

Angie DeWaard

A solid week of submissions!

WEATHER!

WEATHER! What a great theme! I don’t think that WEATHER needs an explanation, but I have noticed in recent months the surprising amount of people who don’t know the difference between climate and WEATHER. Therefore, here is a definition of WEATHER:

the state of the atmosphere at a place and time as regards heat, dryness, sunshine, wind, rain, etc.

What is a WEATHER picture? A picture that shows the temperature. Or precipitation. Is is sunny or is it cloudy? What about wind? Convey those things into a photographic image and that my friends will be gold.

I would remiss if I didn’t point out that thee are other definitions of WEATHER. Therefore, feel free to interpret the theme in any way you see fit.

As always, I look forward to seeing your interpretations!

HOUSEKEEPING

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 RULES DIVISION

2. Your submission needs to be emailed to bennett@photography139.com by 11 AM on the Monday of the challenge. It should be pointed out that this blog auto-publishes at 12:01 on Mondays. So it wouldn’t hurt to get your picture in earlier.

That is it, them’s the rules.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION DIVISION

Nothing new to report. I’ll try to do better next week.

Want your own Photography 139 email subscription? Call, email, or text me and I’ll get you the hook up.

**************************************

That’s all I got for today, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will commune right here again next Monday. Hopefully it will be a very weathered Monday!

Black & White, Dawn, Kim, Nader, Portrait, Sara, Shannon, Steph, Tamara, WPC - Submissions

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 113 – PARTY

November 13, 2017 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

I’m going to cut this short this week because I’m short on time. My department at day job is down to about 3 good hips, 1 good set of lungs, and 1 good neck.

Therefore, insert GONE WITH THE WIND reference here.

PARTY:

Shannon Bardole

Kim Barker

Sara Lockner

Stephanie Kim

Tamara Peterson

Dawn Krause

Christopher D. Bennett

Insert reference to PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE here.

New theme is:

TRANSPORTATION!

TRANSPORTATION! Insert a definition of TRANSPORTATION here. Pretty sure everybody knows what TRANSPORTATION is. If not, rent PLANES, TRAINS, AND AUTOMOBILES.

HOUSEKEEPING

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 RULES DIVISION

That is it, them’s the rules.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION DIVISION

Nothing new to report. I’ll try to do better next week.

Want your own Photography 139 email subscription? Call, email, or text me and I’ll get you the hook up.

**************************************

That’s all I got for today, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will commune right here again next Monday. Hopefully it will be a very transported Monday!