Monthly Archives: March 2013

Carla, Mom, Slice of Life

Slice of Life Vol. 146

More of Carla’s birthday party AND photographic evidence that we owned a “flying lawnmower” when I was a child. Also photographic evidence that I mowed the lawn when I was a child.














Sadly, the flying lawnmower went kaput and we could never find anybody that could fix it. I assume this technology was soon bought out and hidden away by an evil multi-national corporation.

Blogging, Naima

Pixlr Express

Pixlr Express is the best photo editing phone app I’ve come across to date. It has way more functionality than I could ever show examples for, so I’ll just show some screen captures to show how much functionality it has:


As you can see, in the adjustment submenu there are a ton of options:

  • Whiten (Teeth)
  • Touch Up
  • Focal Blur
  • Color Splash
  • Contrast
  • Blur
  • Sharpen
  • Denoise
  • Red Eye
  • Crop
  • Rotate
  • Auto Fix
  • Color
  • Vibrance


“Effects” are basically what every other app calls filters. What you can’t tell in this screen shot is that each of the options just opens up a bunch other options. At least 10 per option.


Once again, each of the overlay options is just a category of at least 10 more options. There are at least 10 different types of Fireworks overlays. Some of these overlays are pretty worthless, but it is nice have so many options.

Not pictures is the Borders menu. Once again, there are tons and tons of border options.



Once again, I wouldn’t have much use adding text to images, but it is nice that again there are a ton of different text options.


Stickers is a function I wouldn’t have any use for, but if it is the type of thing you are into, there are literally over a hundred different options.

In the end, you can come up with an image such as this:


This is a phone app that has more functionality than many desktop programs. Almost every function has options as well. All the filter effects can be faded, for example.

Angie, Baier, Basketball, Becky, Bill, Brandon, Dawn, Derrick, Faust, Jason, Jen, Jesse, Lowell, Mark, Micky, Nader, Robert, Russell, Shawn Lockner, Teresa, Tim, Toby, Willy

Roundball Oracles – Year 9

March Madness is upon us once again. Which means it is that time of year when I call upon all would-be-basketball-prognosticators to compete in an NCAA tourney bracket pool for the chance at everlasting glory, immortality, and a trophy.

As always, the Roundball Oracles is open to all interested parties, and yes to even uninterested parties as well. Regardless of basketball knowledge or basketball ignorance. Heck, I might even let my dog enter this year. After all, there is a tremendous amount of luck involved in this competition, so there is no reason for you to be intimidated by how well versed I am in the motion offense. You should only be intimidated by me on an actual basketball court. Even though I’ve admittedly lost a step, but I’m spending the offseason getting that step back, but that is an entirely different story…

As always, there is no entrance fee, but pride and my research indicates that pride is a low calorie snack, so swallow it and get in the game.

The champion will be given a trophy. I would normally at this time insert a picture of last year’s champion hoisting last year’s trophy, but I admittedly, still owe him a trophy.

Last year we had a record 29 prognosticators (as of this writing, 9 people have already signed up). I don’t think it would be too crazy to hope to break that record this year.

2012 Final Standings

1. Lowell Davis
2. Corey Faust
3. Jason Baier
4. Angie DeWaard
5. Robert Henning
6. William McAlpine
7. Mark Wolfram
8. Jason Stensland
9. Dawn Krause
10. Jesse Howard
11. Jon DeWaard
12. Derrick Gorshe
13. Nader Parsaei
14. Jackson Faust
15. Bill Wentworth
16. Tim Peterson
17. Mike Donner
18. Jen Ensley-Gorshe
19. Michael Augustin
20. Carrie Baier
21. Shawn Lockner
22. Russell Kennerly
23. Shaun Kirsch
24. Teresa Kahler
25. Your Humble Narrator
26. Toby Sebring
27. Brandon Kahler
28. Jordan Toot
29. Becky Perkovich

Lowell was able to chisel his place amongst the other basketball immortals that have managed to hoist the Roundball Oracles Trophy.*

Past Roundball Oracles Champions

2012 – Lowell Davis
2011 – Carrie Baier
2010 – Mark Wolfram
2009 – Mark Wolfram
2008 – Mark Wolfram
2007 – Tim Peterson
2006 – William McAlpine
2005 – William McAlpine

So the metaphorical ball is now in your court. There are no guidelines for participation. This contest is open to all competitors: men, women, small children and the elderly.

If you are interested and I need the information, you know how to contact me!

Oh… the deadline for filling out your bracket is tip-off of the first game on Thursday morning.

*Technically he has yet to hoist the trophy.