Category Archives: Flat Earth Joe

Angie, Art, Carla, Derrick, Dustin, Flat Earth Joe, Jill, Pastor Sarah, Shannon, WPC - Submissions

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 19 – GRAFFITI

January 25, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett 3 Comments

It is exciting times around the PHOTOGRAPHY 139 WORLDWIDE HEADQUARTERS. There is a first time submitter in Dustin Jackson this week.

Dustin is a very talented photographer and I would encourage you to follow him on his Facebook page, if you haven’t. I would post a link, but then I’d have to go on Facebook and this has been a pretty great week so far. My disdain for humanity is at a low and I don’t want that to go away right now.

Maybe later.

Either way, I’m super excited to have Dustin as a fairly regular contributor. I’m expecting great things from him!

Here are this week’s submissions for GRAFFITI:

ANGIE DEWAARD 1

ANGIE DEWAARD 2

DUSTIN JACKSON

CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

SHANNON BARDOLE

SARAH KARBER

CARLA STENSLAND*

KIM BARKER

But what is this week’s theme? Well, you don’t have to wait any longer!

MUSIC!

As always, you can define MUSIC any way you want. For example, I know people that define Five Finger Death Punch as music, whereas I do not. Good luck to everybody participating.

A quick review of the rules.

RULES

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.
2. Your submission needs to be emailed to bennett@photography139.com by noon 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.

HOUSEKEEPING

PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION DIVISION

I told you this is a great week! I get to proudly announce that there have been not ONE, but TWO people that have exercised their keen intellect by displaying both their taste and sophistication by becoming Photography 139 email subscribers. Please welcome aboard Dustin Jackson and Derrick Gorshe. If you see them out and about walking the mean streets of Ogden or Ames, feel free to give them a knowing glance.

I’ve known both Dustin and Derrick for what feels like forever. All of us used to toil in the mines of the Evil Clown Empire in another life. Back then Dustin used to go by the moniker Action Jackson and Derrick used to go by the name D-Rock. They are also both amazing cooks and are both married to smart, beautiful, strong, amazing women. I’m going to guess this is the result of their keen intellects and their sophisticated tastes.

Dustin and I were founding members in an underground beverage society that supported and encouraged the drinking of Jones Soda. We once fought the good fight against Jones Soda suppression that the local Hy-Vee was engaged in. Although we lost the battle, Hy-Vee definitely knew they were in a fight.

Derrick and I were once in the faux jam band Bratwurst Explosion. We definitely rocked many a faux stage in our day. Derrick, to his credit, also rocked many a real stage in his youth.

Derrick is also the twin brother of longtime Photography 139 supporter Jill Gorshe.

Dustin does not have a twin, but I don’t hold that against him. As long as he keeps feeding me homemade pretzel buns!

Welcome aboard Dustin and Derrick. I know you shall fare well.

PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SHAMELESS COMMENTARY DIVISION

In the last couple of weeks, both Russell Kennerly and Jason Baier have earned their own avatars for use in the COMMENTS section of this here blog. Hopefully, they won’t be the last and hopefully, they will put these to good use in the future.

PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SECRET HANDSHAKE DIVISION

It is with some sadness and a certain degree of remorse, that I’ve had to fold the PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SECRET HANDSHAKE DIVISION. They just weren’t making satisfactory progress. While I never like to see people put out of their jobs, sometimes, it just has to be done. I have given them the requisite pretzels, to let them know that they are being closed down.

So now and on into the future, we will go back to pretending that there is a super-secret Photography 139 secret handshake. Isn’t pretending more fun anyways?

*Technically I took this photo, but Carla told me to take it because she couldn’t.

Anders, Angie, Baier, Becky, Blogging, Calendar, Carla, Cousin Amy, Dae Hee, Dawn, Eric, Faust, Flat Earth Joe, Flowers, Funk, Geri, Holidays, Houlihan, Jay, Jesse, Jill, Jorge, Laura, Michelle, Micky, Monica, Nader, Russell, Sara, Scottie D., Shannon, Suzie, Teresa, Vest

2015

January 1, 2016 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

So the walk down memory lane now concludes. With a look at the images that were in the calendar that early this morning will be taken down from kitchen walls (most common place I’ve seen the calendar hung up), office walls, cubicle walls, and placed gently in the trash with yesterday’s coffee grounds. 2015 Photography 139 Calendar I bid you a fond adieu.

Front Cover

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

If you ever get bored and want to take this walk down memory lane again, you can visit the Calendar and Postcards Gallery in the PHOTOGRAPHY 139 GALLERY. Link below:

CALENDAR & POSTCARD GALLERY

Since yesterday was the end of year and a holiday that many people celebrate (not me though, I don’t need the calendar gestapo telling me when to start a new year) I would like to take a quick moment to thank everybody that has continued to be an email subscriber to this here blog.

Off the top of my head and I apologize if I miss anybody:

These people are all original subscribers or at least haven’t changed their email since August 22, 2011. Which is how far back the records from off the top of my head go.

Jay Janson
Jason Baier
Shannon Bardole
Scott Degeneffe
Corey Faust
Susanna Funk
Jill Gorshe
Jesse Howard
Sara Lockner
Teresa Kahler
Nader Parsaei
Becky Perkovich
Bernice Verhoorn
Janice Peterson

Suzie Brannen – Since June 22, 2012
Eric Hiatt – Since August 20, 2012
Kim Barker – Since September 18, 2012
Amy Junck-Wallendal – December 18, 2012
Russell Kennerly – Since May 13, 2013
Tim Tucker (Not the one most of you are thinking about) – Since June 27, 2013
Michelle Haupt – Since July 12, 2013
Tim Tucker’s Woman (Sorry, never caught her name) – Since August 22, 2013
Geri Derner – Since September 30, 2013
Micky Augustin – Since October 10, 2013
Angie DeWaard – Since August 24, 2015
Mike Vest – Since September 9, 2015
Melissa Degeneffe – Since September 14, 2015
DaeHee Yoon – Since September 29, 2015
Monica Kewer – Since October 2, 2015 (Current email)
Carla Stensland – Since October 5, 2015
Joe Lynch – Since October 9, 2015
Jorge Rios – Since October 9, 2015
Anders Runestad – Since October 11, 2015
Elizabeth Nordeen – Since November 2, 2015
Laura Miller – Since November 9, 2015
Michael Houlihan – Since November 16, 2015
Dawn Krause – Since December 21, 2015
Joe Duff – Since December 21, 2015

Thanks for all the support and for making 2015 a successful year, by some sense of the word. I hope our little family here continues to grow. I’ll try and do better in 2016!

Flat Earth Joe, Football, Houlihan, Iowa State, Jorge

Taco Tailgate

October 20, 2015 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

In honor of Tacoctober a few friends from the mine and I held a taco tailgate before the Iowa State-Texas Christian football match recently. It seemed like a good time to squeeze off a few shots on the new toy.

Here are a few shots from Taco Tailgate 2015:

Since it is well established how I feel about koozies, my chums made sure I got one. Any way, anybody want a bottle koozie?

Jorge and Joe, placing the goodness on the grill.

More goodness.

Waiting for the goodness.

Houlihan chopping up the meat.

One of the mascots of Taco Tailgate.

Taco goodness!

Most of the tailgating equipment in years past has been provided by the Brog Frog Tailgating Company. Since they have closed down for business, I had to scramble for equipment this year. I found this table in my Mom’s garage. It is the perfect size for the trunk of my car.

Plans are already in motion for Taco Tailgate 2016.Play your cards right, you might just wrangle an invite. We are going to add a second taco recipe and hopefully upgrade some of our equipment. High on the want list is a tailgating canopy and a better grill. The fight goes on.

Andree, Baier, Boone FUMC, Equipment, Flat Earth Joe, FNSC, Football, Jay, Jorge, Mom, Naima, Teresa, Willy, Work

New Toy

October 14, 2015 Christopher D. Bennett

We recently held an auction at the Computer Mine. The one thing in the auction that I really coveted was a blue Canon A4000 IS. I’m not a Canon guy at all. However, I’ve been sans point and shoot for a couple years now and there are times (like mission trips) where a little point and shoot would come in handy. While it isn’t the most powerful camera, I thought if I could get it for $50 bucks (while it retails for $150) I could slum and add a Canon to the arsenal.

I am notoriously tough on point and shoots, so hopefully it will last me a couple years or so.

I thought I would crack it out and document my weekend, to get a feel for it. Below are those pictures.

Spirit Week Super Dog! (Photo by Jorge Rios)

Spirit Week Gyro! (Photo by Joseph Lynch)

Seriously! Data migration call 10 minutes before I’m off!

Houlihan takes over my data migration! (Photo by Joseph Lynch)

Commitment to consumerism.

Supplies for Friday Night Supper Club

Willy grilling. Naima observing.

Firetub Swan Song… Or is it?

Breakfast with Mom at The Legal Limit. She loves having her picture taken.

Finally getting the studio put back together. Might re-do the 9 Emotions Project.

This is what $150 or so looks like.

Helping paint Teresa’s house.

Yeah. Nice try Cyclones.

Happy birthday Greg!

Worshiping an Awesome God!

Thinking about Fall Project #1.

Assisting with Jay’s Ice Skull Project.

Preparing for the Weekly Photo Challenge Photo Shoot.

Stan bringing over some firewood. Naima greeting him.

John grilling at the event formerly known as The Methodist Men Steak Fry.

Monday morning. Back to the grind.

I couldn’t wait for Monday night when I finally got a chance to breathe and have a small bit of free time again.

Anders, Angie, Carla, Flat Earth Joe, Michelle, Monica, Vest, WPC - Submissions

Weekly Photo Challenge Week 4 – GREEN

October 12, 2015 Christopher D. Bennett

Pretty good participation this week. I have no complaints.

The submissions for GREEN:

Angie DeWaard

Michelle Haupt

Monica Kewer

Mike Vest

Christopher D. Bennett

It is time to reveal this week’s theme…

WILD ANIMALS!

Time for a definition…

A wild animal is defined as an animal which lives in nature (is not provide shelter by a human), is responsible for getting its own food and water (is not provided food or water by humans), and is not cared for by humans.

However, as always, interpret the theme as you will. Deadline for submission is noon next Monday. Email them to bennett@photography139.com.

One quick housekeeping note. Last week was a very successful week for the recruitment division of Photography 139. They added 4 new email blog subscribers. If you see the following people on the streets, extend them a heartfelt greeting. For they are now part of the family:

-Carla Stensland
-Joseph Lynch
-Jorge Rios
-Anders Runestad

Also I forgot to mention a couple weeks ago that Melissa Degeneffe also became an email subscriber. You can also give her the secret handshake if you see her out and about.

If you have stumbled upon this blog post, you too can become an email subscriber by emailing bennett@photography139.com or by leaving a comment in the comments section.

Andree, Art, Baier, Basketball, Carla, Flat Earth Joe, Iowa State, Jesse, Jim, Layla, Logan, Michelle, Mom, Naima, Road Trip, Russell, Vest, Willy, Work, Youth Group

Phonetos – Vol. 1

June 16, 2015 Christopher D. Bennett

Although I haven’t touched the real camera lately, I have sorta documented some stuff with my cruddy camera on my phone. Thought I would post some of those from the last few months. Remember, these are taken with a cruddy camera phone.

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve already seen many of these. Feel free to carry on.