Category Archives: Sports

I’ve Done My Sentence…. But Committed No Crimes

It finally happened. After playing in the Ames Basketball Rec League for I think 6 years now, my team won the championship.

Raise the championship banner guys!


2017 - Monstars
CHAMPIONS!

Congrats to Charge, Josh, Humble Narrator, Ian, Frank, Cole, Scott, Adam, and Matt. (Not pictured is the injured Jacob)

We did it! Well, mostly you guys did it. But I’ll wear my championship shirt very proudly.

It wasn’t an easy road. The Monstars blew out some team that I don’t remember in the quarterfinals. Then we had a furious 4th quarter comeback to be Danfoss in the semifinals. Then we beat Bloated in the finals when they fouled Charge with 3.5 seconds left in a tied game. Charge calmly knocked down both free throws. Then Matt stole the inbounds pass and then it was time to cue Freddie Mercury.

I can’t wait for next season.

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 56 – CHILDREN

Maybe there was a slight dip this week, but that was to be expected, since CHILDREN are so very, very creepy. I mean, we’ve all seen the groundbreaking documentary CHILDREN OF THE CORN. We know what they’re capable of doing. Don’t get me started on the companion documentary VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED!

But I could stand here and talk all tommyrot about CHILDREN. You just want to see the images:


WEEK 56 - CHILDREN - ANGIE DEWAARD 1
Angie DeWaard 1

WEEK 56 -CHILDREN - ANGIE DEWAARD 2
Angie DeWaard 2

WEEK 56 - CHILDREN - BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth

WEEK 56 - CHILDREN - DAWN KRAUSE 1
Dawn Krause 1

WEEK 56 - CHILDREN - DAWN KRAUSE 2
Dawn Krause 2

WEEK 56 - CHILDREN - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 56 - CHILDREN - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt

WEEK 56 - CHILDREN - SARAH KARBER
Sarah Karber

WEEK 56 - CHILDREN - STEPHANIE KIM
Stephanie Kim

WEEK 56 - CHILDREN - CATHIE RALEY 1
Cathie Raley 1

WEEK 56 - CHILDREN - CATHIE RALEY 2
Cathie Raley 2

WEEK 56 - CHILDREN - SHANNON BARDOLE
Shannon Bardole

WEEK 56 - CHILDREN - BECKY PERKOVICH
Becky Perkovich

WEEK 56 - CHILDREN - ROBYN AUGUSTIN
Robyn Augustin

WEEK 56 - CHILDREN - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

Still a very healthy number of submissions though! Including a submission for first time from Robyn Augustin! Hopefully we can carry this momentum into the cold months. That is when participation really starts to take a hit. Prepare yourself, winter is coming.

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:


WEEK 57 - HANDMADE
HANDMADE!

I’m not sure HANDMADE needs much explanation. It was something that was made by hands. So if a robot made it, it is out. Unless that robot has hands. Then it is in! Things that might qualify would be paintings, things that are cooked, things that are knitted, things that are crocheted, things that are crafted… I mean the list is almost limitless.

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. 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.

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 handy Monday!

It’s Dollars to Doughnuts!

Here are some general pictures from my recent trips to the Iowa State Fair with Baby Got Rack, Stephanie, Kelly, Yin, Jeff, and the Beavers!

I was going to tell this story about the New Jersey woman I met that was just the worst. Like all people from New Jersey. But at this time I think it is just enough to point out that people from New Jersey are the worst.

If I get motivated, I might leave the story in the COMMENTS section of this here post later.

So without further adieu…


It was a successful Iowa State Fair. Next year, I might unretire and enter the Photo Contest again. Of course, I said that about Pufferbilly Days as well and decided that it just wasn’t for me this year.

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 48 – SPORTS

SPORTS was clearly not as popular as ARCHITECTURE, but that was to be expected considering the time of year and all that.

Here are the submissions for SPORTS:


WEEK 48 - SPORTS - ANGIE DEWAARD 1
Angie DeWaard 1

WEEK 48 - SPORTS - ANGIE DEWAARD 2
Angie DeWaard 2

WEEK 48 - SPORTS - CARLA STENSLAND 1
Carla Stensland 1

WEEK 48 - SPORTS - CARLA STENSLAND 2
Carla Stensland 2

WEEK 48 - SPORTS - CARLA STENSLAND 3
Carla Stensland 3

WEEK 48 - SPORTS - JODIE BENNETT
Jodie Bennett

WEEK 48 - SPORTS - SHANNON BARDOLE
Shannon Bardole

WEEK 48 - SPORTS - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 48 - SPORTS - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

Still, a very healthy selection 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:


WEEK 49 - REFLECTIONS
REFLECTIONS!

What a great theme! I’m glad I thought of it. There are reflections everywhere you look. In mirrors, in water, in windows, in aluminum foil, in shiny metal… The list goes on an on. My advice (if I’m allowed to give any) is to find a reflection that alters the appearance of what it reflects. Or maybe take a picture of somebody doing some mental reflection. Or maybe take a picture that is a reflection of your actions. As always, define the theme any way that you see fit.

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. 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

Nobody this week showed class, taste or sophistication by signing up for a Photography 139 Email Subscription. I’ll try to do better next week.

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 reflective Monday.

ROUNDBALL ORACLES – YEAR 12

I recently presented The Trophy for winning the 12th year of the Roundball Oracles to this year’s champion… Michelle Haupt

It was an exciting NCAA Tournament and an equally exciting Roundball Oracles NCAA Tournament Pool. If North Carolina would’ve won the NCAA Championship Game, Sara Lockner would’ve come home with the trophy this year. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be. Congratulations Michelle! May your reign be short.


Roundball Oracles - Year 12 Champion - Michelle Haupt
Michelle Haupt – Newest Immortal (Pictured with Lily)
Past Roundball Oracles Champions (The List of Immortals)

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

Here be the final standings.
1.  Michelle Haupt –  275
2.  Sean Clubine –  270
3.  sara lockner – 259
4. Yours Truly 255
5. Micky Augustin 245
6.  Angie DeWaard 241
7.  Jackson Faust 241
8.  Derek Dohrman 237
9.  Frank Meiners 233
10.  Toby Sebring 230
11,  Lowell Davis 230
12,  Mark Wolfram 228
13.  Jason Baier 227
14,  Corey Faust 221
15,  Paul Golden 220
16,  Wily McAlpine 218
17, Jordan Toot 217
18.  Jesse Howard 216
19.  Shannon Bardole 215
20.  Benjamin Baier 214
21.  Liz Nordeen 214
21. Jill Gorshe 214
23 . Jon DeWaard 207
24. JJ Baier 204
25.  Dawn Krause 203
26.  Nader Parsaei 202
27,  Brandon Kahler 201
28.  Carrie Baier 197
29.  Jorge Rios 197
30.  shawn lockner 194
31.  Jen Gorshe 193
32.  Derrick Gorshe 193
33.  Andree Jauhari 193
34.  tim peterson 192
35.  Bill Wentworth 183
36.  Olivia Baier 180
37.  Russ Kennerly 180
38.  Carla Stensland 175
39.  William Baier 170
40.  Rachel Johnson 167
41.  Robert Henning 162
42.  Joe Lynch 156
43.  Laura Priest 152

Laura (Miller) Priest won the 3rd Annual “The Sara” for last place adult that tried. Joining the trophy’s namesake Sara Lockner and Derrick Gorshe as past winners. I don’t have a picture of Laura with her new trophy yet, but I will as soon as I get “The Sara” in the mail, it arrives in Manhattan, and she sends me a picture with her new pride and joy.

The Twins vs. The Indigenous Persons of Cleveland

Last weekend I took a trip up to Minnesota with Jesse and Nader to visit Bethany, Dae Hee, Nora, Sarah, and Shawn.

Most of the pictures are on my phone, which I won’t publish, but they are on Instagram if you are interested. I did take a few pictures at the Twins game with my point & shoot.

Here are a few of them:


























Before the game, we ate chicken at Revival. Big recommend! Then we had ice cream at Milkjam Creamery. Big recommend!

Maybe next year, but sometime soon, Jesse and I are going to take 2 weeks and drive from New York City to San Francisco. I don’t know many people that could survive going on Jesse and I’s adventures, for that long. This trip was Nader’s audition. He will be getting the results in the mail sometime soon.