Category Archives: Jen

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!

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!

Art, Black & White, History, Jen, Postcard

The Postcard Recreation Project – Teddy Roosevelt

January 10, 2018 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

A few months back Jen sent me a text message out of the blue suggesting that I should try to recreate (update) old postcards. It seems like a perfect fit for me, since I might be the last person on the world who really loves postcards and even occasionally sends them and loves to get them (hint! hint!).

I made sort of a test run recently of the Teddy Roosevelt statue in McHose Park. Have a look:

Teddy Roosevelt Statue - McHose Park - Original

The Original

The Recreation

I’m not going to toot my horn that this was a resounding success. I do have a 100% commitment to the truth, but I did learn a lot from this first run. I’m excited to put this new knowledge to the test in the nearish future.

9 Emotions Project, Animals, Art, Becca, Black & White, Christianity, Jen, Jesse, Macro, Naima, Nature, Railroad, Shannon, Travel

Dog Face

November 29, 2017 Christopher D. Bennett

I have a considerable backlog of images that I need to edit. Part of the problem is that I edit photos in 2 separate distinct locations and it is often difficult for me to figure out what I have edited in one location, but not the other. I have begun the process of mirroring these images in both locations so that I can actually make real head way on my back log. Plus, it should free up some valuable hard drive real estate in both locations.

Not to bore you with too many details, but the first step in this process involves tons or robocopy scripts AND an external hard drive.

And with that, here are some backlog images of Naima from February.

In addition to trying to get a better organizational grasp on my images that are physically in my possession, I’m also trying to get a better organization to my images that are in the SmugMug Gallery.

While it doesn’t help that effort, it is part of a slight re-design of the website. If you’ve been on the website lately you may have noticed some slight changes.

*The base color remains purple. It will always be purple. However, I got rid of some gold and green accent colors and replaced those with a silver and a light blue.
*I completely replaced the old headers with new headers.
*On the homepage, gone is the slide show of recent pictures added to the SmugMug Gallery. It has been replaced with a slide show of images submitted for The Weekly Photo Challenge.

There are some more changes coming, eventually. I’m looking to re-design every page from the About page to the Products page. I might even add a services page where I quote my prices. Like $75,000 to do a wedding on a Saturday that is an Iowa State home game. I hope you don’t think that prices me out of the market.

Here are a look at the current rotating headers on the website:

In the end, I hope to add about 15 more rotating headers to the slight website redesign.

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.

Baby Got Rack, Baier, Bethany, Dae Hee, Dawn, Derrick, Evie, Formal Portrait, Gretchen, Jeff Daniel, Jen, Jesse, Jorge, Kim, Life, Michelle, Monica, Movies, Nader, Nora, Shannon, Steph, Suzie, Yin

Valley Lodge is Closed

April 18, 2017 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

Since a few people have been asking, I am making a formal announcement.

THERE IS NO CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT BIRTHDAY EXTRAVAGANZA AKA BENNETT-FEST THIS YEAR!

The reasons are multiple and complicated, but it is probably your fault. If you search your heart, you know it to be true.

So there will be NO:

– Baby Got Rack Award Winning Barbecue
– Hardcore Firetub Action
– Bubbles
– Sidewalk Chalk
– Golden Retriever
– Master’s Playlist
– Cornhole
– Tent
– Stimulating Conversation
– Catching up with old friends
– No photos like the ones below

Better luck in 2018. I have the idea for that year’s invite. I just need to find some volunteers and some costumes.

Evie, Gretchen, Jen, Layla, Politics, Shawn Lockner, Street Photography

A Basic Human Right

March 24, 2017 Christopher D. Bennett

If we pretend that I posted this on the day that I’m pretended I posted this picture on, this sign from the Women’s March would be apropos.

There will probably be a big dump of the rest of these photos coming soon. In 2 weeks, I predict.

PARTICULARS

CAMERA: Sony SLT-A65V
ISO: 100
FOCAL LENGTH: 70mm
APERTURE: f/6.3
EXPOSURE: 1/160
DATE: 01/21/2017 – 12:21
LATITUDE; 41.59059°
LONGITUDE: -93.60603°
PHOTO ASSISTANTS: Shawn, Jen, Sara, Evie, Layla, and Gretchen
PHOTO EDITING SOUNDTRACK: WELCOME TO AMERICA by LeCrae from “Anomaly”

Event, Evie, Gretchen, Jen, Layla, Politics, Sara, Shawn Lockner, Street Photography

Happy International Women’s Day!

March 8, 2017 Christopher D. Bennett 9 Comments

I figure that there is no better way to celebrate International Women’s Day than with another photo from the Women’s March in Des Moines back in January.

I love this picture even though the STAR WARS franchise is just one below average to middling movie after another.

If you don’t know what International Women’s Day is, it can be best described thusly:

International Women’s Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity.

This year the organizers are calling on people to “#BeBoldForChange… to help for a better working world – a more inclusive, gender equal world.”

Sounds good to me.

PARTICULARS

CAMERA: Sony SLT-A65V
ISO: 100
FOCAL LENGTH: 24mm
APERTURE: f/5.6
EXPOSURE: 1/100
DATE: 01-21-2017 – 12:11
LATITUDE: 41.59140°
LONGITUDE: -93.60542°
PHOTO ASSISTANT: Gretchen, Evie, Layla, Jen, Sara, and Shawn
PHOTO EDITING SOUNDTRACK: “This Land is Your Land” by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings from NATURALLY

Derrick, Flowers, History, Jen, Work

07-05-07

March 4, 2017 Christopher D. Bennett

I believe all the flowers in the folder 07-05-07 belonged to Jen and Derrick.

Next week’s folder will involve a sword.

Event, Evie, Gretchen, Jen, Layla, Politics, Shawn Lockner, Street Photography

Both

March 3, 2017 Christopher D. Bennett

Here is another one of my favorite images from the Women’s March back in January.

I’ll probably bust through all those images in a couple weeks when I have some time taken off from work.

PARTICULARS

CAMERA: SONY SLT-A65V
ISO: 100
FOCAL LENGTH: 20mm
APERTURE: f/7.1
EXPOSURE: 1/200
DATE: 01-21-2017 – 12:48
LATITUDE: 41.59009°
LONGITUDE: -93.60512°
PHOTO ASSISTANTS: Sara, Shawn, Gretchen, Jen, Evie, and Layla.
PHOTO EDITING SOUNDTRACK: “ALL I HAVE” BY NF from MANSION