Category Archives: Flat Earth Joe

The Windy City: Day 2A

Day 2 in Chicago was the first day where I actually had to work. Kim was setting up things at the convention center in the morning and let us know when to head over to do our thing. Tony, Lowell, and I got breakfast at the hotel and then walked around the neighborhood a little bit. We scouted out the location of Garrett’s Popcorn and then looked for a mailbox that was closer than the one I had found the night before.


Chicago, Illinois
I wish more things in Iowa were covered with stickers.

Chicago, Illinois
There was supposed to be a mailbox in this building but it was closed.

Chicago, Illinois
I’ll do my best sidewalk sticker.

Chicago, Illinois
Here’s the best part. In the convention center there was a mailbox. Problem solved.

Chicago, Illinois
The Computer Mine Booth. Kim got a guy fired for smoking a joint while putting our booth together. Narc.

Chicago, Illinois
And that made us popular with the rest of the union guys.

Chicago, Illinois
Computer Mine Booth, reverse angle.

Chicago, Illinois

Chicago, Illinois
Hooking the HDMI cables up to these monitors and then getting these monitors mounted, what dreams are made of… I meant nightmares.

Chicago, Illinois
Tony’s thinking pose.

Chicago, Illinois

Chicago, Illinois
Home the next several days.

Chicago, Illinois
The reception desk.

Chicago, Illinois
The closet. Where union guys go to change pants and miners go to hide from customers.

Chicago, Illinois
The snack selection. Tony, Lowell, and I crushed those Slim Jims. Not sure anybody else got any.

Chicago, Illinois
Hello Kim!

Chicago, Illinois

Chicago, Illinois
Only slightly smelled like pot.

Chicago, Illinois
After we were done, we headed outside to catch an Uber.

Chicago, Illinois
It took us about 15 minutes to get to the convention center on the shuttle in the morning.

Chicago, Illinois
It took over 30 minutes to get back to the hotel.

Chicago, Illinois
Which sucked because we were going to a Cubs game that night and we were in a time crunch.

Chicago, Illinois

Chicago, Illinois
Our Uber ride back to the hotel.

Chicago, Illinois
The ride from the hotel to Wrigley Field was about 45 minutes. We got there 30 minutes after the game was supposed to start.

Chicago, Illinois
Which ended up being okay, because the game started an hour late.

Still plenty more pictures from Day 2 to share. Most of them from Wrigley Field.

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This is your reminder that this week’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme is TEXTURE:


WEEK 403 - TEXTURE
TEXTURE

TEXTURE! What a great theme for Year 10 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE! Also, this theme was suggested by Sarah Toot.

But what in Wes Wallace is a TEXTURE image? Well, let’s start with the definition of TEXTURE: the structure, feel, and appearance of something (as a fabric) the smooth texture of silk. wood with a rough texture. In photography that means: the visual depiction of variations in the color, shape, and depth of an object’s surface. What you are trying to do here is to convey the feel of the surface of an object through photography.

This is not the first time that TEXTURE has been a theme. Here are some past submissions for TEXTURE that might get your creative juices going:


WEEK 17 - TEXTURE - ANGIE DEWAARD 1
Angie DeWaard – Week 17

WEEK 227 - TEXTURE - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland – Week 227

WEEK 227 - TEXTURE - SARAH KARBER
Sarah Karber – Week 227

WEEK 227 - TEXTURE - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson – Week 227

WEEK 227 - TEXTURE - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett – Week 227

Happy photo harvesting!

Computer Mine Holiday Party

It is time for me to reveal the November image of the 2023 Photography 139 Calendar:


2023 Calendar - November
November

The November image is a picture of the Tin Man sculpture in Stanley, Iowa. In retrospect, it does feel a little strange that I chose to process this image in black and white when the Tin Man is only in the color portion of THE WIZARD OF OZ. But I do love processing the decrepit in black & white because black & white photography shows off the textures so much better. I chose November for this image as November is when Olivia’s birthday is and THE WIZARD OF OZ was her favorite movie.

TECHNICAL DETAILS
CAMERA: Sony ILCE-7M2
DATE: May 28, 2022 – 11:03 AM
LENS: Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8
FOCAL LENGTH: 75mm
APERTURE: f/9
EXPOSURE: 1/250
ISO: 100
EXPOSURE BIAS: +1.0

Tomorrow I will reveal the December image for the 2023 Photography 139 Calendar.

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Last week we had a mini office party for the few people that actually work in the physical computer mine. I was tasked (sorta) for taking some pictures of the even for the computer mine socials.

Here are a few of my favorites:


Computer Mine Office Christmas Party - 2022

Computer Mine Office Christmas Party - 2022

Computer Mine Office Christmas Party - 2022

Computer Mine Office Christmas Party - 2022

Computer Mine Office Christmas Party - 2022

Computer Mine Office Christmas Party - 2022

Computer Mine Office Christmas Party - 2022

Computer Mine Office Christmas Party - 2022

Computer Mine Office Christmas Party - 2022

Computer Mine Office Christmas Party - 2022

Computer Mine Office Christmas Party - 2022

Computer Mine Office Christmas Party - 2022

Computer Mine Office Christmas Party - 2022

Computer Mine Office Christmas Party - 2022

Computer Mine Office Christmas Party - 2022

Computer Mine Office Christmas Party - 2022

Computer Mine Office Christmas Party - 2022

Computer Mine Office Christmas Party - 2022

Computer Mine Office Christmas Party - 2022

Computer Mine Office Christmas Party - 2022

Computer Mine Office Christmas Party - 2022

Computer Mine Office Christmas Party - 2022

Computer Mine Office Christmas Party - 2022

Computer Mine Office Christmas Party - 2022

Computer Mine Office Christmas Party - 2022

Computer Mine Office Christmas Party - 2022

Michelle took the picture that I am in.

I hope next year we are able to bring back the chili cook-off. Even if it is just Me vs. Jesse vs. Micky.

Fat Mum Slim – October 2022

I’m kicking the decision on Formal Portrait Sunday down the road for at least one more week.

I wasn’t necessarily pleased with the overall body of work I put in during September for the Fat Mum Slim Photo A Day Challenge. I tried to make October a better month for the Fat Mum Slim Photo A Day Challenge. I believe at the aggregate level, I accomplished just that.

Here are the October images:


October 1
October 1 – White

October 2
October 2 – Black

October 3
October 3 – Green

October 4
October 4 – Red

October 5
October 5 – Orange

October 6
October 6 – Blue

October 7
October 7 – Yellow

October 8
October 8 – Purple

October 9
October 9 – Aqua

October 10
October 10 – Pink

October 11
October 11 – Grey

October 12
October 12 – Brown

October 13
October 13 – Pop of Colour

October 14
October 14 – Stripes

October 15
October 15 – Floral

October 16
October 16 – One Colour

October 17
October 17 – Two Colours

October 18
October 18 – Pattern

October 19
October 19 – Black and White

October 20
October 20 – Rainbow

October 21
October 21 – My Fave Colour

October 22
October 22 – Matching

October 23
October 23 – Natural

October 24
October 24 – Dark

October 25
October 25 – Light

October 26
October 26 – Pastel

October 27
October 27 – Bright

October 28
October 28 – Gold

October 29
October 29 – Fresh

October 30
October 30 – Mellow

October 31
October 31 – Dots

I should thank Elizabeth, Flat Earth Joe, Scottie D. and Logan for assists on at least one of these pictures for the month. My lack of doing much in October didn’t hurt this project. I will probably have a pretty lazy November as well, but I hope to do some good work this month as well.

Remember you can follow along with this project on the daily by following my Fat Mum Slim Insta:

@fmsbennett

Here are the November themes:

1. A Collection
2. A Book Cover
3. A Shop Front
4. A For Sale Sign
5. A Bridge
6. A Fence
7. I Didn’t Make This
8. Throw It
9. An Unmade Bed
10. Power Lines
11. An Arrow
12. In My Pocket
13. A Closed Sign
14. A Flock of Birds
15. Hand Shadows
16. Running Water
17. Wrinkles
18. An Empty Table
19. Rocks
20. Afternoon Light
21. Half Full
22. Graffiti
23. An Ugly Food
24. A Tall Building
25. A Spider Web
26. A Funny Shape
27. A Splash
28. Something Hidden
29. A List
30. A Family Member

I think there are some interesting themes in there.

Selfie Project – September 2022

I knew September was not going to be as busy as August, but looking at these pictures it is hard not to wonder if I ever left my house. Being sick for about 4 or 5 days didn’t help, but really… I’ll try to do better in October.

Here are some of my favorite selfies from THE SELFIE PROJECT in October:


Day 244 - September 1, 2022
September 1

Day 245 - September 2, 2022
September 2

Day 246 - September 3, 2022
September 3

Day 247 - September 4, 2022
September 4

Day 248 - September 5, 2022
September 5

Day 250 - September 7, 2022
September 7

Day 251 - September 8, 2022
September 8

Day 252 - September 9, 2022
September 9

Day 253 - September 10, 2022
September 10

Day 254 - September 11, 2022
September 11

Day 256 - September 13, 2022
September 13

Day 257 - September 14, 2022
September 14

Day 258 - September 15, 2022
September 15

Day 260 - September 17, 2022
September 17

Day 261 - September 18, 2022
September 18

Day 262 - September 19, 2022
September 19

Day 266 - September 23, 2022
September 23

Day 267 - September 24, 2022
September 24

Day 268 - September 25, 2022
September 25

Day 271 - September 28, 2022
September 28

Day 272 - September 29, 2022
September 29

While there can only be one picture to represent every day, thought I would share some of my favorite alternates from September.


SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - SEPTEMBER 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - SEPTEMBER 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - SEPTEMBER 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - SEPTEMBER 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - SEPTEMBER 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - SEPTEMBER 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - SEPTEMBER 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - SEPTEMBER 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - SEPTEMBER 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - SEPTEMBER 2022

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - SEPTEMBER 2022

I will try to be more active again in October, but I make no promises. Maybe the slacker lifestyle agrees with me?

Taco Tailgate – 2022

Last Saturday before the Iowa State-Baylor football game we rekindled the old tradition known as Taco Tailgate. It was in the new lot (D1), but it was still as great as ever. Here are some Taco Tailgate pictures:


Iowa State vs Baylor - 2022

Iowa State vs Baylor - 2022

Iowa State vs Baylor - 2022

Iowa State vs Baylor - 2022

Iowa State vs Baylor - 2022

Iowa State vs Baylor - 2022

Iowa State vs Baylor - 2022

Iowa State vs Baylor - 2022

Iowa State vs Baylor - 2022

Iowa State vs Baylor - 2022

Iowa State vs Baylor - 2022

Iowa State vs Baylor - 2022

Iowa State vs Baylor - 2022

Iowa State vs Baylor - 2022

Iowa State vs Baylor - 2022

Iowa State vs Baylor - 2022

Iowa State vs Baylor - 2022

Iowa State vs Baylor - 2022


We don’t have the most elaborate setup, but we get to tailgate so rarely. However, we might tailgate again later this year and there will be more things added to the setup. More and more.

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This is your reminder that this week’s WEEKLY PHOTO PROJECT theme is RUINS:


WEEK 368 - RUINS
RUINS

RUINS! What a great theme for Year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a RUINS photo? It is simply a picture of something that has been abandoned, forgotten. Something that is rusting. Dilapidated. No longer being properly maintained. Or improperly maintained. This is one of my Top 5 favorite themes! It can be an old building. An old car. Just for examples. But there are a lot of things out there that have been abandoned. Forgotten. That are wasting away. Waiting for you to immortalize them through the art of photography.

Happy photo harvesting!

Postcard Recreation Project – More Downtown Boone

I need to start today by wishing Micky a happy birthday. Happy birthday Micky!


Pie In Your Face!

August 30, 2019

2019  Computer Mine Holiday Card

Every once in awhile I will let people behind the curtain at Photography 139. Very few people and not very often. But Micky is the reason (more or less) for my using the term “harvest” so many times when referencing taking pictures.

You see, back in the day, the west bathrooms at the Computer Mine were loaded up with hunting magazines. Now Micky isn’t necessarily the person that brought them in and dumped them in the dumping station and while I’m definitely no hunter, when you are about your business, you read what is handy.

The writing in hunting magazines is amateurish at best. Plus they try to whitewash the fact that they are murderizing animals that never really did anything to them. So these articles about personal hunting experiences almost always include a sentence about how before or after the hunter murderized the animal they said a prayer thanking God for the opportunity to murderize the animal. But they never use the term murderize (and not because it is just a word I invented) or shoot or kill. They always whitewash it with the word harvest. Like they just picked an ear of corn or some tomatoes from their grandma’s garden.

I would frequently discuss these articles with Micky and I started to use the term “harvest” to mock hunting magazines. I’m not anti-hunting, it just isn’t for me. However, I am very strongly anti-bad writing.

All of that being said, Micky, I hope your birthday is amazing as you want it to be and you get to murderize all the animals you want. But only the ones that have it coming. Like the beavers that destroyed your dock*.

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This collection of pictures from THE POSTCARD RECREATION PROJECT is another collection of postcards of downtown Boone intersections. I wish Boone still had that sign that hung over Story Street near 9th greeting people to Boone. I have wondered why they chose that location for it. I get that Story Street is the main street in Boone, but back in the day there would have been 2 depots that served railroad passengers. The Fort Dodge, Des Moines and Southern depot was a block north of the sign. The Chicago & Northwestern Depot was about a block to two blocks west. I guess they chose the location because it was about equidistant from both depots.

Here are the postcards. You can see the old sign in three of them:


Boone, IR 787 - Original
Boone, IR – 787 Original

Boone, IR 787 - Redux
Boone, IR 787 – Redux

Story St. from 10th St. North, Boone, IA - Original
Story Street from 10th Street – North – Original

Story St. from 10th St. North, Boone, IA - Redux
Story Street from 10th Street – North – Redux

Story Street lookin South, Boone, Ia - Original
Story Street Looking South – Original

Story Street lookin South, Boone, Ia - Redux
Story Street Looking South – Redux

The Main (Story)Street, Boone, Iowa - 2226 - Original
The Main (Story) Street – Original

The Main (Story)Street, Boone, Iowa - 2226 - Redux
The Main (Story) Street – Redux

The Story St. from 10th St. postcard put me on the right path for a future THE POSTCARD RECREATION PROJECT post. However, the next THE POSTCARD RECREATION PROJECT post will feature a church.

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This is your reminder that THIS WEEK’S THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme is LINES:


WEEK 285 - LINES
LINES

A LINES image is simply an image that heavily incorporates LINES into the composition of the image.LINES that appear in a photograph CAN BE framed and positioned by the photographer to draw the viewer’s eye towards a specific point of interest. LINES draw the viewer’s eye to a specific direction of an image.

You can use all sorts of lines in your composition. You can use horizontal LINES. You can use vertical LINES. You can use diagonal LINES. You can use converging LINES. There are just so many options!

Of course, the term LINES has more than one meaning.

Think about the following quote from Martin Luther while considering your LINES image:

God can draw a straight line with a crooked stick.

Meditate on these words and you will no doubt create a fascinating LINES image. No matter how crooked you think you are.

Happy photo murderizing… I mean happy photo harvesting!

*Truth is that I wish he would’ve live trapped the beavers and rehabilitated them.

Blessings 2020

Let’s face it. 2020 has been a terrible year. I could spend hours and hours polishing this turd, but a turd is still a turd.

I basically only see 2 other people on a regular basis right now. Willy and I haven’t held a Friday Night Supper Club since March 13. We went to Jimmy’s for their Friday the 13th sale. I can count on one hand the amount of times I’ve seen any of my nieces and nephews this year. I’ve been able to hold a couple of Union Street Theater Nights in the reconfigured Union Street Theater, but it isn’t really the same. The masks and the sound of the air purifiers makes conversation a little difficult and food is definitely a missing element. Since March, the only stores I have been inside are the Boone Wal-Mart and Boone Hardware. I go to Hy-Vee every other week. I’ve seen Bethany twice. Nate and Laura once. Becca, not at all. I haven’t seen the Lockners at all. I’ve seen the Gorshes thrice. I run into Willy around town now and again. Jay stops by here and there to work on his homework. I see Jesse now and again. I haven’t met Kalista’s baby. Baier, Russell, Andree? Distant memories. Since I left the Computer Mine with the belief that I would be working from home for a few weeks, the only co-workers of note that I’ve seen in person are Vest, Lowell, Kim, and Elizabeth. I haven’t met Jorge’s twins. My church has had maybe a dozen worship services and those are suspended again. The Mission Trip is cancelled. There will be no Mission Trip next year. Youth Group has been put on hold indefinitely. For the first time since September 18, 2004, they played football games at Jack Trice Stadium and I wasn’t in attendance. The Cyclones Women’s Basketball Season just tipped off. I wasn’t there. I will most likely, not be able to attend any Cyclones Men’s games this year.

All of that being said, 2020 has still been an embarrassment of blessings for me. In a time where the pandemic was horribly mismanaged by an inept and corrupt federal government, causing employment rates to go through the roof and food insecurity and evictions to sweep across the country like a second plague, I have not had to worry about my job. As these pandemic pounds can attest, I haven’t once had to worry about my next meal. I was in a solid enough financial position that when the $1200 dollar stimulus check hit my bank account I wasn’t sure what to do with it. We were supposed to put it where it would do the most good, so I donated some of it to Joe Biden’s campaign.

While the only people I see on a regular basis are Mom and Teresa. I am still blessed with a pretty incredible family:


Bennett Family Photo Shoot - 2017

Baby Tri-Force 1st Birthday Party

While I see them rarely, I still have a pretty incredible set of friends:


March 12, 2019

August 10, 2019

August 13, 2019

LOSER - BLACK & WHITE

Self Portrait Project - 2012

Photo Journal - Page 56 Reject

Honey Hollow

PORTRAIT - ALTERNATE

While we don’t get to worship an awesome God together right now, I still have a pretty incredible church family:


October 27, 2019

October 30, 2019

September 25, 2019

June 27, 2019

June 23, 2019

January 16, 2019

While I continue to work at home, I still talk to and try to stay in contact with my amazing work family:


August 30, 2019

December 27, 2019

PORTRAIT - ALTERNATE

And while Naima is becoming off the charts spoiled, I’m blessed to have her in my life as well:


Black and White Alternate

I hope to see so much more of all of you in 2021. In fact, I’ve started to compile a list of things that I look forward to doing when this pandemic subsides. It isn’t a glamorous list. But that is a sign of 2020.

Senior Sunday – Taylan – Volume 4

I need to start this post buy wishing all mothers out there a very happy Mother’s Day. Take this picture of a Mother’s Day Peony as my way of saying thanks for all that you mothers do!


Mother's Day - 2020

My Mom’s Mother Day wasn’t typical. Teresa bought some Pizza Ranch chicken and we hung out and watched Netflix. She went out to Carla’s for a short grill-out in the evening. But I’m sure she still considered a successful Mother’s Day.

Hope all you mothers had a successful Mother’s Day too!

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Today is Becca’s birthday. Happy birthday Becca!


Minnesota State Fair - 2019

Baby Tri-Force 1st Birthday Party

Photo of the Day 0047 - June 18, 2014


I hope it was a truly magical birthday!

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Also, happy birthday to Michelle!


9 Emotions - Michelle Haupt

Tenderloining at Th e Filling Station

Pie In Your Face!

August 30, 2019

I hope your birthday was as amazing as you wanted it to be!

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Finally, it is yet another Senior Sunday and it is once again Taylan’s turn in the rotation. Here are more pictures of Taylan:


Taylan Howard

Taylan Howard

Taylan Howard

Taylan Howard

Taylan Howard

Taylan Howard

Taylan Howard

Taylan Howard

Taylan Howard

Taylan Howard

Taylan Howard

Taylan Howard

Taylan Howard

Taylan Howard

Taylan Howard

Taylan Howard

Taylan Howard

Taylan Howard

Taylan Howard

Taylan Howard

Taylan Howard

Taylan Howard

Still a ton more Taylan photos still to come!

The Mine: An American Workplace

I recently had a sale in the Photography 139 Gallery. Thanks to Amy for purchasing 16 pictures from the gallery.



16 pictures! Suck on that Vincent van Gogh!

I don’t mention it very often, but almost every picture is for sale in the Photography 139 Gallery. Prices are only a hair above cost and you can buy things besides prints. You can buy key tags, cups. cards, coasters, ceramic tiles, ornaments, and whole bunch of other stuff.

If you are ever interested, you can check out the gallery here:

Photography 139 Gallery

Then click on “Buy Photos” that is above the picture on the right.

I’ not saying go buy some photos, but I don’t mention that it is something you can do very often.

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20 work from home days in the book. This week I found myself, not exactly fantasizing, but thinking about future vacations. I’m at a point where when we got the okay to go back to the office, I want to take the next 3 weeks off. I’m not sure they’d let me, but I’m ready. Ready for what, I have no clue.

My listening habits were the same this week. I’m up to Track #748 on the Master Playlist.

Track #748 is “You’re the Best Around” by Joe Esposito. Otherwise known as the montage song during the tournament scene of THE KARATE KID. A true banger if there ever was one.

I have eliminated a few songs from the Master Playlist. Either the recording quality wasn’t good enough, or it turns out, I don’t really like the song that much:

“Tell Me Lies” – Fleetwood Mac
“Hold On Loosely” – .38 Special
“Sister Christian” – Night Ranger
“Demons” – Imagine Dragons
“Roots” – Imagine Dragons
“And We Danced” – Macklemore

I don’t know that I’ve discovered any more positives with social distancing life, but I did discover that none of my smoke detectors work. Something I wouldn’t have discovered if I was working on so many cleaning projects. A new one arrived today and if I like it, I’ll buy a second one for the basement. Although I don’t know what the criteria would be for smoke detector that I don’t like would be.

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The show I have been binge watching while social distancing is THE OFFICE. I watched the show from its inception, but stopped during the writer’s strike and never got back to it.

I have officially completed all 9 seasons and somewhere during the middle of the 9th season it dawned on me, why deep inside I decided to start back up on this show. It isn’t because it is great, but it is great. I think I was drawn to it because… I’m starting to miss my co-workers.

I thought I would share a few images of my co-workers. Every year I am charged with taking the Computer Mine Holiday Card photos.

It secretly is one of my favorite secondary responsibilities I have. I even enjoy hearing the exact people give me the exact same complaint about “why can’t they just use last year’s photo”.

Here are some pictures from last year’s photo shoots of people that either subscribe to this here blog or appear in it somewhat frequently:


2019  Computer Mine Holiday Card

2019  Computer Mine Holiday Card

2019  Computer Mine Holiday Card

2019  Computer Mine Holiday Card

2019  Computer Mine Holiday Card

2019  Computer Mine Holiday Card

2019  Computer Mine Holiday Card

2019  Computer Mine Holiday Card

2019  Computer Mine Holiday Card

2019  Computer Mine Holiday Card

I’ll see you guys again. Sometime soon!