Category Archives: Michelle

Viva Las Vegas: Day 1A

I need to start today by wishing Nora a happy birthday, so happy birthday Nora!


Canvas No. 50

I hope your birthday is filled with lots of candy and cake and ice cream! If not, I will buy you so much ice cream next time I see you.

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Time to start sharing the real camera pictures from my work trip to Las Vegas. I took the backup camera to Vegas just cause I’m always leery of traveling on planes with the 1st string camera. Even though the bag never leaves my side. It is probably a mental block that I will never get over. We’ll see what happens next time I walk on a plane. In April.

I took enough pictures on Day 1 in Vegas to split them into to two posts. This is post 1.

Vegas Day 1 started in Boone. I got up and headed for the Des Moines International Airport a little after 9 AM for my 12:15 flight. I’m one of those people that gets to the airport early. Probably cause I don’t fly that much and probably because I get paid to be there early, sorta. That is how I interpret the travel rules.

I knew there was bad weather west of us and the potential that one of our flights could get cancelled. The good news is that they didn’t. The bad news is that a little after getting to the airport, I got the notification that the flight from Des Moines to Denver had been delayed. Which worked in my favor because the Des Moines International Airport is currently under construction right. They have taken away a bunch of the parking in the parking ramp to make room for employees to park. This meant I had to drive by the parking ramp and the Blue Lot and the Green Lot and the Red Lot and the Yellow Lot and the Indigo Lot and the Cyan Lot and the Polka Dot Lot and ended up all the way in the Gray Lot. A lot so far away from the airport terminal I think it might be in Norwalk. Possibly Cumming.

I took a 15 minute shuttle ride to the airport. It took me a minute but I finally located the Southwest check-in counter in the room with all the weird car rental places and checked my luggage. Two things here. First, I wasn’t crazy about flying Southwest. I haven’t flown Southwest since the last time I went to Vegas, which was almost 20 years ago. I haven’t heard good things about Southwest. They say the people on there are animals. But not in the millions of good ways that animals (in this scenario humans are not animals) are easily superior to humans. But in the bad ways where humans compare other humans to animals to make them seem lesser than. Second, I did buy new luggage for this trip. I don’t travel much in the manner that requires luggage, but the two trips I took in 2022 showed me that the luggage I have been using isn’t practical. Merely sentimental. I bought the new luggage off of Amazon because I had a Amazon gift from my computer mine anniversary. I can say, that while the walls of the luggage seem a little thin, so far I am digging the new luggage. I bought red luggage so they would be easy to spot in the baggage claim line and because they were $30 cheaper than more mundane colors. I don’t know why.

After getting through the security line without incident, I found my gate, grabbed a seat and discovered I was the first person there from the Computer Mine. I wasn’t there long before I got another notification that the flight had been delayed again. Now it was going to be over an hour late taking off. I took solace in the fact I had been reassured by the Southwest ticket lady that there were over 30 people transferring from our flight to the connecting flight in Denver to Las Vegas and there was no way that they would leave that many people behind.

While I was comforted by that information, one of the things that concerned me is that Southwest has no assigned seats. You have an assigned position to get into the plane and then once in there, it is every person for themself. I was worried that I would get there late for the connecting flight and lose any chance at getting a good seat. I’d end up in a middle seat. Nobody wants that. Not me. Not the person in the window seat. Not the person in the aisle seat. However, they hadn’t started boarding when we got to the connecting flight and I was able to grab a sweet spot in the emergency exit row!

If you don’t know, that means extra legroom! It is like 1st Class for those of us in steerage! Bingpot!

The flight into Vegas was a little rough because it was so windy. I didn’t get a snack or beverage service. That is how I determine if a flight was rough. By the time we got to the hotel, I was famished. The only sustenance I had knocked down was a bag of snack mix and 6 ounces of 7-Up on the flight from Des Moines to Denver.

We took a shuttle form the airport to Planet Hollywood, our home away from home for the next 5 days. Here is my review of Planet Hollywood:

It is kinda dirty. It is a little rundown. The big selling point is that it has what I would call a glorified mall. There is virtually no Hollywood artifacts or paraphernalia there. But for what we were there for, it worked great. The conference facilities and staff were great! And it is near places that are cool like the Bellagio, Paris, Caesar’s Palace, and The Flamingo.

After getting to my room, which had a breathtaking view of a parking garage, and organizing some stuff and claiming the bed nearest the breathtaking view (my roomie Tony didn’t come in until the next day so I got choice of beds) I connected with Lowell and we went to supper.

We walked down to Caesar’s Palace to look for a buffet, but we actually ended up in the Caesar’s Palace food court where we ate at Bobby’s Burgers. A restaurant that is connected to Bobby Flay. Who is some kind of chef of note, but he isn’t a raging douchebag like Gordon Ramsay, so you might not have heard of him. I’ve only heard of him because Faust used to be big into him back in the day.

I ordered a Bacon Crunchburger (Bacon, American Cheese, Potato Chips, Bobby’s Sauce – yeah not crazy about that name either), French Fries, and a Soft Drink. The price tag came to a little over $30.

THIRTY BUCKS!

I consider the Computer Mine to be generous with their per diems. I know it is set by the government, but I usually come back with a little extra coin jingling and jangling around in my pockets. This is mostly cause I don’t drink alcohol. In fact I was actually mostly off pop before this trip, but I fell of that wagon pretty dang hard in Vegas. I don’t think it is inaccurate to say I went on a regular Pepsi Cola Bender. We are almost 2 weeks out and I’m still weening myself back off the hard stuff.

The per diem I got for this trip was $288. The fact that I had just spent $30 for a food court burger caused me to take a step back. I expected this to be one of the cheapest meals I shoved in my face on this trip to Sin City. I wasn’t sure $288 was going to make it.

Dang!

After Day 1, I had an estimated $258 remaining in the per diem fund.

Maybe eating is overrated…

After the meal we walked around something I would describe as an open air mall that was between The Linq and The Flamingo. This is where I took the majority of the pictures I took on Day 1.

Here is the first collection:


Las Vegas, Nevada
Caesar’s Palace Sportsbook

Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas, Nevada
There are few musicians I like lesson than Jimmy Buffett, but the man can market.

Las Vegas, Nevada
In-N-Out Burger was on Lowell and I’s list. It was the only thing that we crossed off our lists.

Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas, Nevada
I wasn’t expecting there to be so many candy stores in Vegas.

Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas, Nevada
Seeing the actual Vegas sign was on my list. This is the closest I came.

Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas, Nevada
I do regret not going in here a little bit.

Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas, Nevada
Not the Bellagio fountains.

Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas, Nevada
This was so close to being my MUSIC photo for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas, Nevada

I have several more pictures to share from Day 1 that I’ll share at a future date. My best guess is March 17th, while I’m eating a Reuben from West Street Deli.

And nobody better give me any nonsense about letting the Reuben rest for a day and it somehow being better. Got it?

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This is your reminder that this week’s theme for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE is SUNRISE, SUNSET:


WEEK 391 - SUNRISE, SUNSE
SUNRISE, SUNSET

What is a SUNRISE, SUNSET picture? It is a simply a picture of a SUNRISE or of a SUNSET. I’ve heard some grumbling this is a hard theme. The weather is bad. I go to bed at 6 shortly after eating my early bird special at the nursing home. I don’t like going outside. Whatever. Of course THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE is hard sometimes. That is what makes it great. If it was easy everybody would do it.

“Maybe you will just have to get creative.” He muttered while sipping on a cocktail made out of tequila, orange juice and grenadine. Unmixed. In a tall glass. Served on the rocks. Sometimes garnished with a cherry and orange slice.

If getting a little lit doesn’t inspire you, maybe these example submission from when SUNRISE, SUNSET was a theme in days past will:


WEEK 43 - SUNRISE/SUNSET - CARLA STENSLAND 1
Carla Stensland – Week 43

WEEK 43 - SUNRISE/SUNSET - KIM BARKER 2
Kim Barker – Week 43

WEEK 43 - SUNRISE/SUNSET - STEPHANIE KIM
Stephanie Kim – Week 43

WEEK 43 - SUNRISE/SUNSET - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt – Week 43

WEEK 43 - SUNRISE/SUNSET - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett – Week 43

Happy photo harvesting!

Viva Las Vegas: Cell Phone Pictures

I need to start the day by wishing Andy a happy birthday. Happy birthday Andy!


Day 129 - May 9, 2022

I hope your birthday is filled with all the joy you can handle!

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I spent almost all of last week in Las Vegas working at the Computer Mine Convention. I didn’t get to see anywhere near the amount of stuff I wanted to see because I spent most of my days staring at conference room walls. However, I did get a chance to see a few things and took a few pictures. Today I’m going to share some cruddy cell phone pictures from the trip.


Computer Mine Convention - 2023
While some people got “rock star” parking, I got stuck in the Gray Lot, which is more like “zydeco star” parking.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
And the flight got delayed.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
4 flights. Only got snacks on one of them.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
On flight #2 I got rock star leg room.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
Southwest. Wasn’t as bad as I feared.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
New luggage made it to Vegas.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
The view from my room.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
Meal #1. $30 for this.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
Closest I got to the actual Vegas sign.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
I’m sure I have an exhibit in there.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
Fran said I absolutely had to eat here. It was also high on Lowell’s list.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
Elvis and Marilyn made out of jelly beans.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
If he goes ring pop engagement ring and she says no, she is a terrible person.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
So many candy stores in Vegas.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
View from the room at night.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
Speechless.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
A bar where a robot mixes your drink. Lowell said it was a Top 5 Drink he has had made by a robot.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
They are planting marigolds already!

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
Planet Hollywood is kind of a dud, but it is near cool casinos like Paris.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
I can almost see Emily and Mindy walking down the street.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
The real Arc de Triomphe was built by a megalomaniac, so it makes sense that they put a poster of one on their recreation.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
This sign is how I knew how to get my elevator.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
It was 130 degrees in this room.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
Planet Hollywood

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
I didn’t disappoint Fran, but I did make her jealous.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
Michelle.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
The show is about to begin.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
A lot of eyes on me when this speaker asked the audience, “What is one thing that every man knows about every woman.”

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
View from my Friday dinner table.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
Friday supper.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
Friday dessert.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
Fountain of the Gods.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023

Computer Mine Convention - 2023

Computer Mine Convention - 2023

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
Neptune’s Fountain.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
Bellagio Fountain.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023

Computer Mine Convention - 2023

Computer Mine Convention - 2023

Computer Mine Convention - 2023

Computer Mine Convention - 2023

Computer Mine Convention - 2023

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
The other elevator bank had Miranda Lambert on it. They won.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
Nacho Daddy, for people who like puns and nachos. That includes me.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
Neither Kim or Lowell stepped up to the challenge.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
I sent a picture of these to my Pastor who is a Chiefs fan, he wished bad things to me. Very bad.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
I didn’t get the Raiders Nachos. But these were delicious.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
Scott recommended I check out the Bellagio Gardens.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
Saturday night supper.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
I am sad to report I never ate here.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
Goodbye Las Vegas.

Computer Mine Convention - 2023

Computer Mine Convention - 2023

Computer Mine Convention - 2023

Computer Mine Convention - 2023

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
It was from here that I waved at Susanna.


She waved back!

Computer Mine Convention - 2023
And on the final flight I got rock star legroom again!

All in all it was a pretty good trip, even though I put in some massive hours. It was certainly better than my previous trip to Las Vegas for the Evil Clown Empire. But that is a story for a different day.

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


WEEK 390 - STORE
STORE

STORE! What a great theme for Year 10 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE?

But what is a STORE image? It is simply an image of a STORE or taken inside of a STORE. There are all kinds of STORE(s) out there. From department to convenience to junk to antique to book to music to grocery to dollar to a little kids lemonade stand. Of course, there is more than one definition of the word STORE.

This is not the first time that STORE has been a theme for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. Here are some examples of previous submissions to inspire you:


WEEK 141 - STORE - LINDA BENNETT
Week 141 – Linda Bennett

WEEK 141 - STORE - KIM BARKER
Week 141 – Kim Barker

WEEK 141 - STORE - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Week 141 – Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 18 - STORE - CARLA STENSLAND 2
Week 18 – Carla Stensland

WEEK 18 - STORE - SARAH KARBER
Week 18 – Sarah Karber

Happy photo harvesting!

Clayton County Aux. – Vol. 2

Time to share another collection of images from my road trip to harvest the town signs of Clayton County that I took back in July. These images were once again, all taken in Dubuque County. That area of the state, Clayton County, Allamakee County, and Dubuque County is the prettiest part of Iowa. Almost feels like a different state.


Dubuque County - Epworth
Epworth

Dubuque County - Epworth

Dubuque County - Epworth

Dubuque County - Epworth

Dubuque County - Epworth

Dubuque County - Bankston
Bankston

Dubuque County - Bankston

Dubuque County - Bankston

Dubuque County - Bankston

Dubuque County - Bankston

Dubuque County - Bankston

Dubuque County - Bankston

Dubuque County - Bankston

Dubuque County - Bankston

Dubuque County - Bankston

Dubuque County - Bankston

Dubuque County - Bankston

Dubuque County - Bankston

Dubuque County - Bankston

Dubuque County - Bankston

Dubuque County - Holy Cross
Holy Cross

Dubuque County - Holy Cross

Dubuque County - Holy Cross

Dubuque County - Luxemburg
Luxemburg

Dubuque County - Luxemburg

Dubuque County - Luxemburg

Dubuque County - Luxemburg

Dubuque County - Luxemburg

Still so many pictures from this trip to share. Eventually we might even make it to Clayton County!

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


WEEK 388 - FRAME
FRAME

FRAME! What a great theme for year 10 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE! This is a theme that was suggested by Sarah Toot.

But what is a FRAME picture. It is simply an image where the main subject of your photo is FRAME(d) by something else. In the theme reveal, it is literally a FRAME, but in practice it would more likely be something else. Something else blocking in your main subject to draw attention to it. And your subject doesn’t have to be FRAME(d) on all 4 sides. 3 sides or 2 sides also works. Of course, there is more than one definition of FRAME.

This isn’t the first time that FRAME or FRAMED was a theme for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. Here are some of the submission for that theme from the past:


WEEK 342 - FRAMED - MIKE VEST
Mike Vest – Week 342

WEEK 342 - FRAMED - SUZIE BRANNEN
Suzie Brannen – Week 342

WEEK 268 - FRAMED - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt – Week 268

WEEK 212 - FRAMED - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland – Week 212

WEEK 112 - FRAMED - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett – Week 112

Hopefully that provides some inspiration!

Happy photo harvesting!

WPC – WEEK 382 – TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES

It is time to begin the 10th year of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE! I’m pumped! Are you pumped? Of course you are pumped? The theme is clearly called TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES, but I had a few people enter under a completely different theme PLANES, TRAINS, & AUTOMOBILES. I decided to accept their submissions because I am super magnanimous!

But the real question is, was TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES a popular theme? You will have to keep scrolling to find out!

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, January 2, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Mary Green – 1 week (2)
2-Jesse Howard – 1 week
3-Monica Jennings – 1 week
4-Sarah Karber – 1 week
5-Sara Lockner – 1 week
6-Sabas Hernandez – 3 weeks
7-Becky Parmelee – 3 weeks
8-Willy McAlpine – 7 weeks
9-Tamara Peterson – 9 weeks
10-Brandon Kahler – 20 weeks
11-Linda Bennett – 23 weeks (3)
12-Sarah Toot – 24 weeks
13-Angie DeWaard – 28 weeks (2)
14-Dawn Krause – 32 weeks
15-Kim Barker – 38 weeks
16-Joe Duff – 39 weeks
17-Logan Kahler – 41 weeks
18-Teresa Kahler – 50 weeks (2)
19-Carla Stensland – 50 weeks (2)
20-Michelle Haupt – 51 weeks
21-Micky Augustin – 52 weeks
22-Andy Sharp – 53 weeks
23-Bill Wentworth – 54 weeks
24-Cathie Morton – 58 weeks
25-Elizabeth Nordeen – 59 weeks
26-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 61 weeks
27-Kio Dettman – 63 weeks (3)
28-Christopher D. Bennett – 485 weeks

But you didn’t come here to listen to me talk all tommyrot about participation rates or streaks. You came to see the submissions and what streaks continued and what streaks flamed out:


WEEK 382 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth (Nebraska) – 55 weeks

WEEK 382 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland (Iowa) – 51 weeks

WEEK 382 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland (Iowa)

WEEK 382 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker (Iowa) – 39 weeks

WEEK 382 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - JOE DUFF
Joe Duff (Texas) – 40 weeks

WEEK 382 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett (Kansas) – 24 weeks

WEEK 382 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett (Iowa)

WEEK 382 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - SARAH TOOT
Sarah Toot (Pennsylvania) – 25 weeks

WEEK 382 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson (Iowa) – 10 weeks

WEEK 382 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley (Iowa) – 62 weeks

WEEK 382 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - ANGIE DEWAARD
Angie DeWaard (Iowa) – 29 weeks

WEEK 382 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - ANGIE DEWAARD
Angie DeWaard (Iowa)

WEEK 382 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - ANGIE DEWAARD
Angie DeWaard (Iowa)

WEEK 382 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - BRANDON KAHLER
Brandon Kahler (Iowa) – 21 weeks

WEEK 382 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - MICKY AUGSTIN
Micky Augustin (Iowa) – 53 weeks

WEEK 382 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 60 weeks

WEEK 382 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - DAWN KRAUSE
Dawn Krause (Iowa) – 33 weeks

WEEK 382 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler (Iowa) – 51 weeks

WEEK 382 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - BECKY PARMELEE
Becky Parmelee (Arkansas) – 4 weeks

WEEK 382 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman (Iowa) – 64 weeks

WEEK 382 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - SUZIE BRANNEN
Suzie Brannen (Iowa) – 1 week

WEEK 382 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp (Iowa) – 54 weeks

WEEK 382 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp (Iowa)

WEEK 382 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - SABAS HERNANDEZ
Sabas Hernandez (Iowa) – 4 weeks

WEEK 382 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler (Iowa) – 42 weeks

WEEK 382 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler (Iowa)

WEEK 382 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt (Iowa) – 52 weeks

WEEK 382 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - CATHIE MORTON
Cathie Morton (Iowa) – 59 weeks

WEEK 382 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - JESSE HOWARD
Jesse Howard (Iowa) – 2 weeks

WEEK 382 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - MIKE VEST
Mike Vest (Iowa) – 1 week

25 participants! A solid but not spectacular start to the new year!

We had submissions from:
+ Iowa
+ Kansas
+ Arkansas
+ Texas
+ Pennsylvania
+ Nebraska

Pictures taken in 6 different states isn’t bad.

My submission for this week was taken about 15 miles from my front door.

Year 9 we finished with submissions taken in the following states:
+ California
+ Nevada
+ Arizona
+ Colorado
+ Texas
+ Kansas
+ Nebraska
+ South Dakota
+ Minnesota
+ Iowa
+ Missouri
+ Arkansas
+ Louisiana
+ Wisconsin
+ Illinois
+ Michigan
+ Indiana
+ Ohio
+ New York
+ Pennsylvania
+ New Jersey
+ Washington D.C.
+ North Carolina
+ Florida
+ Alaska

25 different states. I hope we can beat that this year. Although, I don’t know that I will contribute much. Right now for 2023 I have work trips planned for Las Vegas and Chicago. I’m going to a concert in Omaha. I’m going to visit the triplets in Little Manhattan. I’m sure I will have other trips, but that is what is on the calendar for now.

I rely on my big travelers like Cathie and Sarah and Kim to help fill out the map. No pressure.

We did have many submissions from foreign countries as well. Spain and Mexico and France and a few Caribbean islands come to mind. I plan on tracking that better this year as well.

The big milestone this week was Michelle hitting 52 weeks and joining the 1 Year Streak Club! A big accomplishment! She has said that after hitting one year she would throw in the towel. I guess we’ll wait and see what happens.

It wasn’t all sunshine and roses though. The following streaks went kaput:
+ Mary Green – 1 week
+ Monica Jennings – 1 week
+ Sarah Karber – 1 week
+ Sara Lockner – 1 week
+ Willy McAlpine – 7 weeks

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 383 - REFLECTION
REFLECTION

REFLECTION! What a great theme to kick of Year 10 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what in tarnation is a REFLECTION picture. It is simply enough a picture where a major compositional element of the picture is a REFLECTION. Mirrors obviously make great REFLECTIONs. But there are other things that REFLECT(ION) as well. For example water. I nicely waxed floor. Eyes. The list just goes on and on. Also, don’t forget that there is more than one definition of REFLECTION.

While considering possible subjects for your REFLECTION picture reflect on the following quote and I’m sure you will create a magnificent REFLECTION image.

By three methods we may learn wisdom: First by reflection, which is noblest. Second, by imitation, which is easiest, and third by experience, which is the bitterest.
-Confucius

I look forward to seeing your interpretation of the theme.

RULES

The picture has to be taken between 12:01 PM today and 11 AM next Monday. This isn’t a curate your photos project. This is a get your butt off the couch (unless you are taking your picture from the couch) and take pictures challenge. There is a limit of 3 submissions per participant. To be considered the photographer, you have to be the one that takes the picture. Don’t be stealing the work of other artists. You can submit pictures for other photographers that took pictures with your camera or phone, but give credit where credit is ude.

You can send your images to either bennett@photography139.com OR you may text them to my Pixel 5.

That is it. Thems the rules!

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing your idea of REFLECTION in this place that holds up a mirror to me next Monday.

Weekly Photo Challenge Year 9 Review

Thought I would take a quick look back at Year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

Here are a few quick stats:

+ 44 different participants
+ 1811 photos submitted
+ Least popular theme for participation was ROCK with 16 participants
+ Most popular theme for participation was SELF-PORTRAIT with 31 participants
+ Least popular theme for submissions was ROCK with 20 submissions
+ Most popular theme for submission was LINES with 51 submissions
+ The average week had 24.6 participants
+ The average week had 34.8 submissions

If you want to look back at all 1811 images that were submitted this year, click on the link below:

Weekly Photo Challenge – Year 9

Michelle once told me that her kids think that THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE is a contest and they always ask her if she “won” this week. It isn’t a contest and I’m not really sure art should compete against other art (yes I run and enter photo contests), but I thought I would share my favorite picture from all 44 participants this year:


WEEK 332 - TRIANGLE - ROBYN AUGUSTIN
Robyn Augustin
Weeks Participated: 1 – 2%
Submissions: 1
Current Streak: 0

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - TIM CUCULIC
Tim Cuculic
Weeks Participated: 1 – 2%
Submissions: 1
Current Streak: 0

WEEK 339 - GOVERNMENT - JODIE CUE
Jodie Cue
Weeks Participated: 1 – 2%
Submissions: 3
Current Streak: 0

WEEK 361 - FAMILY - BROOKLYN ERB
Brooklyn Erb
Weeks Participated: 1 – 2%
Submissions: 1
Current Streak: 0

WEEK 354 - SELF-PORTRAIT - DERRICK GORSHE
Derrick Gorshe
Weeks Participated: 1 – 2%
Submissions: 1
Current Streak: 0

WEEK 364 - COLORFUL - STEVE MARTIN
Steve Martin
Weeks Participated: 1 – 2%
Submissions: 2
Current Streak: 0

WEEK 374 - STRONG - MYRIAH SHARP
Myriah Sharp
Weeks Participated: 1 – 2%
Submissions: 1
Current Streak: 0

WEEK 354 - SELF-PORTRAIT - STEPHANIE KIM
Stephanie Kim
Weeks Participated: 2 – 4%
Submissions: 2
Current Streak: 0

WEEK 354 - SELF-PORTRAIT - LORI BACKOUS
Lori Backous
Weeks Participated: 3 – 6%
Submissions: 3
Current Streak: 0

WEEK 340 - ABSTRACT - HARRISON GORSHE
Gorshe Twins
Weeks Participated: 3 – 6%
Submissions: 3
Current Streak: 0

WEEK 341 - SHADOW - LAYLA GORSHE
Layla Gorshe
Weeks Participated: 8 – 15%
Submissions: 8
Current Streak: 0

WEEK 375 - COMMUNICATION - SARAH KARBER
Sarah Karber
Weeks Participated: 10 weeks 19%
Submissions: 10
Current Streak: 1 week

WEEK 377 - ANIMAL - JEN ENSLEY-GORSHE
Jen Ensley-Gorshe
Weeks Participated: 16 weeks – 31%
Submissions: 17
Current Streak: 0

WEEK 351 - FLOWER - EVIE GORSHE
Evie Gorshe
Weeks Participated: 18 weeks – 35%
Submissions: 18
Current Streak: 0

WEEK 342 - FRAMED - MIKE VEST
Mike Vest
Weeks Participated: 19 weeks – 37%
Submissions: 19
Current Streak: 0

WEEK 380 - EXPLORE - WILLY MCALPINE
Willy McAlpine
Weeks Participated: 21 weeks – 40%
Submissions: 23
Current Streak: 7

WEEK 371 - LINES - SABAS HERNANDEZ
Sabas Hernandez
Weeks Participated: 23 – 44%
Submissions: 23
Current Streak: 3

WEEK 365 - GREEN - BRANDON KAHLER
Brandon Kahler
Weeks Participated: 24 weeks – 46%
Submissions: 24
Current Streak: 20

WEEK 363 - CIRCLE - SARAH TOOT
Sarah Toot
Weeks Participated: 24 – 46%
Submissions: 37
Current Streak: 24 weeks

WEEK 360 - PEOPLE - MARY GREEN
Mary Green
Weeks Participated: 26 – 50%
Submissions: 66
Current Streak: 1

WEEK 365 - GREEN - SARA LOCKNER
Sara Lockner
Weeks Participated: 32 – 62%
Submissions: 43
Current Streak: 1

WEEK 353 - SERVICE - BECKY PARMELEE
Becky Parmelee
Weeks Participated: 32 – 62%
Submissions: 36
Current Streak: 3

WEEK 379 - WATER - SUZIE BRANNEN
Suzie Brannen
Weeks Participated: 35 weeks – 67%
Submissions: 38
Current Streak: 0

WEEK 364 - COLORFUL - ANGIE DEWAARD
Angie DeWaard
Weeks Participated: 36 – 69%
Submissions: 44
Current Streak: 28

WEEK 362 - WEEKENDS - JESSE HOWARD
Jesse Howard
Weeks Participated: 40 – 77%
Submissions: 46
Current Streak: 1

WEEK 357 - WORK - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett
Weeks Participated: 42 – 81%
Submissions: 94
Current Streak: 23

WEEK 348 - SLICE OF LIFE - MONICA HENNING
Monica Jennings
Weeks Participated: 44 – 85%
Submissions: 60
Current Streak: 1

WEEK 364 - COLORFUL - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker
Weeks Participated: 48 – 92%
Submissions: 59
Current Streak: 38

WEEK 363 - CIRCLE - DAWN KRAUSE
Dawn Krause
Weeks Participated: 48 – 92%
Submissions: 70
Current Streak: 32

WEEK 348 - SLICE OF LIFE - JOE DUFF
Joe Duff
Weeks Participated: 49 – 94%
Submissions: 63
Current Streak: 39

WEEK 378 - STREET PHOTOGRAPHY - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler
Weeks Participated: 49 – 94%
Submissions: 102
Current Streak: 41

WEEK 377 - ANIMAL - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson
Weeks Participated: 50 – 96%
Submissions: 55
Current Streak: 9

WEEK 338 - HOBBIES - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt
Weeks Participated: 51 – 98%
Submissions: 51
Current Streak: 51

WEEK 377 - ANIMAL -  TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler
Weeks Participated: 51 – 98%
Submissions: 106
Current Streak: 50

WEEK 368 - RUINS - CAR;A STENSLAND
Carla Stensland
Weeks Participated: 51 – 98%
Submissions: 93
Current Streak: 50

WEEK 349 - HAT - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin
Weeks Participated: 52 – 100%
Submissions: 57
Current Streak: 52

WEEK 355 - ENTERTAINMENT - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley
Weeks Participated: 52 – 100%
Submissions: 53
Current Streak: 61

WEEK 348 - SLICE OF LIFE - CHRISTOHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett
Weeks Participated: 52 – 100%
Submissions: 52
Current Streak: 485

WEEK 367 - SIGNS - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman
Weeks Participated: 52 – 100%
Submissions: 156
Current Streak: 63

WEEK 346 - #INSTAGOOD - CATHIE RALEY
Cathie Morton
Weeks Participated: 52 – 100%
Submissions: 56
Current Streak: 58

WEEK 347 - #INSTAGOOD - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen
Weeks Participated: 52 – 100%
Submissions: 64
Current Streak: 59

WEEK 364 - COLORFUL - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp
Weeks Participated: 52 – 100%
Submissions: 71
Current Streak: 53 weeks

WEEK 368 - RUINS - BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth
Weeks Participated: 52 – 100%
Submissions: 54
Current Streak: 54

Don’t think I put a ton of effort into picking my favorite images from each person. But I did put some effort in it.

2022 was a great year for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. Hopefully 2023 is even better!

WPC – WEEK 381 – BODY PART

The last theme of Year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE! Going into Year 10 I am going to make one change. I am making the Kio Dettman Suggestion the Kio Dettman Rule. In Year 10 there will be a limit of 3 submissions per participant. This could go lower if the number of participants goes up. I considered moving the time of the deadline and the publishing time of this post to later in the day, but for now I’m going to leave everything as it is.

The reason for the Kio Dettman Rule isn’t to squash anybody’s creativity. On the contrary, limitations actually fan the flames of creativity. Compare Spielberg’s early movies to the movies where he had an infinite budget. However, the limitation isn’t about encouraging creativity. It is because a ton of submissions by one person overwhelms the submissions of other people. Also, on average it takes me 5 minutes to process every image I receive to get it from where I got it, to store it locally, to rename it, to upload it, to label it, and to code it so it shows up on these posts. So the Kio Dettman Rule is a way of streamlining my workload.

So what happens if somebody submits more than 3 pictures? Will I choose the 3 that I think are best or fit the theme best? No, I will use the first 3 I get. Sorry, but it is a blessing that participation numbers are up so high, but I have to balance the workload too.

One more thing, I’m toying with retconning the first 2 years of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE, when it was known as the RANDOM WEEKLY PHOTO EXPERIMENT into the numbering scheme. So if next Monday the week number jumps 104 numbers (technically 105), you weren’t in a coma for two years. You didn’t gets sucked into a wormhole. You didn’t accidentally trigger a time machine. There wasn’t a blip. It was just me retconning like the director of a HALLOWEEN movie*.

So, was BODY PART a popular theme? You will have to keep scrolling to find out!

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, December 26, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Sabas Hernandez – 2 weeks
2-Becky Parmelee – 2 weeks
3-Willy McAlpine – 6 weeks (3)
4-Tamara Peterson – 8 weeks
5-Brandon Kahler – 19 weeks
6-Linda Bennett – 22 weeks
7-Sarah Toot – 23 weeks
8-Angie DeWaard – 27 weeks
9-Dawn Krause – 31 weeks
10-Kim Barker – 37 weeks
11-Joe Duff – 38 weeks (2)
12-Logan Kahler – 40 weeks (3)
13-Teresa Kahler – 49 weeks
14-Carla Stensland – 49 weeks (2)
15-Michelle Haupt – 50 weeks
16-Micky Augustin – 51 weeks
17-Andy Sharp – 52 weeks
18-Bill Wentworth – 53 weeks
19-Cathie Morton – 57 weeks
20-Elizabeth Nordeen – 58 weeks
21-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 60 weeks
22-Kio Dettman – 62 weeks (3)

But you didn’t come here to listen to me talk all tommyrot about participation rates or streaks. You came to see the submissions and what streaks continued and what streaks flamed out:


WEEK 381 - BODY PART - MARY GREEN
Mary Green – 1 week

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - MARY GREEN
Mary Green

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - JESSE HOWARD
Jesse Howard – 1 week

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - MONICA JENNINGS
Monica Jennings – 1 week

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - SARAH KARBER
Sarah Karber – 1 week

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - SARA LOCKNER
Sara Lockner – 1 week

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - SABAS HERNANDEZ
Sabas Hernandez – 3 weeks

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - BEKCY PARMELEE
Becky Parmelee – 3 weeks

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - WILLY MCALPINE
Willy McAlpine – 7 weeks

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson – 9 weeks

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - BRANDON KAHLER
Brandon Kahler – 20 weeks

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett – 23 weeks

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - SARAH TOOT
Sarah Toot – 24 weeks

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - ANGIE DEWAARD
Angie DeWaard – 28 weeks

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - ANGIE DEWAARD
Angie DeWaard

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - DAWN KRAUSE
Dawn Krause – 32 weeks

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker – 38 weeks

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - JOE DUFF
Joe Duff – 39 weeks

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler – 41 weeks

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler – 50 weeks

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland – 50 weeks

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt – 51 weeks

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin – 52 weeks

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp – 53 weeks

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth – 54 weeks

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - CATHIE MORTON
Cathie Morton – 58 weeks

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen – 59 weeks

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley – 61 weeks

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman – 63 weeks

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 381 - BODY PART - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett – 485 weeks

28 participants! That is a pretty great week considering it was coming off a holiday weekend.

I received submissions (assumptions mostly on my part) from Pennsylvania, Ohio, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Arkansas, and Texas. Elizabeth’s picture was from Ohio. That is the first submission from Ohio for Year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

And since the next theme will beginning of Year 10, it will wipe the map clean and we will start again. I do ask you, if you took your picture in a different state than the one you live in, please let me know where the picture was taken. For example, Bill lives in Nebraska, so when I get a picture from Bill I will assume it was taken in Nebraska, unless he tells me that it was taken in say Wyoming.

My picture this week was taken in the middle of my house. Well, not the exact middle.

Tomorrow, hopefully, I will be putting together a post with a bunch of statistics and what not from Year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. A bunch of stuff that only me and Joe Duff will probably care about.

The big milestone this week was Micky joined the 1 Year Streak Club! There are some whispers that he was going to throw in the towel after he hit 52 weeks. I guess we will find out next week.

There were no streaks snapped this week! Huzzah!

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  382 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES
TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES

TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMIBLES! Oh my! What a great theme for Year 10 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a TRAINS, PLANES, AND AUTOBOMILES picture? Simply put it is a picture that involves a TRAIN or a PLANE or an AUTOMOBILE. All 3 don’t have to be in the picture. One will suffice. The picture can also be of anything that is tangential to TRAINS, PLANES, AND AUTOMBILES. Roads, bridges, train tracks, terminals, stations, are all fair game.

I made this a theme this year because it will be one of the categories in this years Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest. If you submit a photo for this theme, you have a picture you can enter in the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest.

Boone has lots of TRAINS. Plenty of AUTOMOBILES. Technically 3 airports! If Boone has all that, I bet your town does too.

While considering your subject for TRAINS, PLANES, AND AUTOMOBILES meditate on the following quote and you will no doubt create a great image:

You can start by wiping that f****** dumb-ass smile off your rosy f****** cheeks. Then you can give me a f****** automobile. A f****** Datsun. A f****** Toyota. A f****** Mustang. A f****** Buick! Four f****** wheels and a seat!
-Neal

I look forward to seeing your interpretation!

RULES

The picture has to be taken between 12:01 PM today and 11 AM next Monday. This isn’t a curate your photos project. This is a get your butt off the couch (unless you are taking your picture from the couch) and take pictures challenge. There is a limit of 3 submissions per participant. To be considered the photographer, you have to be the one that takes the picture. Don’t be stealing the work of other artists. You can submit pictures for other photographers that took pictures with your camera or phone, but give credit where credit is ude.

You can send your images to either bennett@photography139.com OR you may text them to my Pixel 5.

That is it. Thems the rules!

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing your idea of PLANES, TRAINS, AND AUTOMOBILES in this place that was heavily influenced by a book on trains next Monday.

*Thanks to the maybe two people that will get that joke and quietly guffawed to themselves. Which another 2023 goal is to replace LOL with QG. Quietly guffawed.

Hello 2023.

It is the first day of 2023. I’m not really a “resolutions” person. Pastor Adam was on vacation today so we had a substitute seromizer in church this morning. He gave an impassioned, longwinded sermon on resolve. It took more than a bit of my resolve to stay awake during the longest sermon these ears have heard in quite sometime.

But if I were to take the words on resolve to heart, I would say that I’m not without goals. Last year my main goal was to complete THE TOWN SIGN PROJECT. I did that.

My main goal in 2023 is to complete Phase 2 of THE TOWN SIGN PROJECT and put the book together. I should be freeing up sometime to work on that buy dropping a couple of photo projects that I did in 2022.

My second goal in 2023 is to begin work and complete my new photo project. Details are still foggy, but it is to create Boone postcard. Not a bunch of Boone postcards. Not even to print up a bunch of one Boone postcard. But to make one big image of one Boone postcard. While the end goal is one image, it will involve taking at least several hundred (probably thousand) images. It will make more sense when I get going on it.

My third goal in 2023 is to keep the positive momentum that was achieved in 2022 in participation rates for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. I’m not likely to go out and beat the drums looking for participants, but doesn’t mean you guys can’t. Right?

My fourth goal in 2023 is to consider and maybe take action on visiting and photographing every State Park in Iowa.
That seems more straight forward than it actually is because in addition to State Parks there are State Forests and State Preserves and State Recreation Areas. Boone County contains 3 Minor State Forests alone! We will see where this one goes, but we all know I could use the exercise.

I don’t have any goals related to the Iowa State Fair Photography Salon. That type of stuff is a considerable amount of luck. So best not to have goals that are out of one’s hands. Maybe my goal should just be to give my best effort.

Hopefully 2023 is a good year for all of us!

+++++++

Time to share the December images for the FatMumSlim Photo A Day Challenge. This is also the final collection of images as I will be dropping this pursuit in 2023. It doesn’t take a lot of time, but it still eats up a fair amount of time. Hopefully time freed up that I can use to pursue some of those 2023 goals.

Here are the December images:


December 1
December 1 – I Love This!

December 2
December 2 – I Bought This!

December 3
December 3 – Starts with T

December 4
December 4 – I Held This

December 5
December 5 – Something Red

December 6
December 6 – Peace

December 7
December 7 – Tree

December 8
December 8 – Looking Up

December 9
December 9 – Small

December 10
December 10 – Out + About

December 11
December 11 – Free Choice

December 12
December 12 – Lights

December 13
December 13 – Something Green

December 14
December 14 – Decoration

December 15
December 15 – A Star

December 16
December 16 – Candy Cane

December 17
December 17 – A Hat

December 18
December 18 – I Made This!

December 19
December 19 – Joy Is…

December 20
December 20 – Begins with S

December 21
December 21 – On the Floor

December 22
December 22 – A Gift

December 23
December 23 – A Tradition

December 24
December 24 – Someone I Love

December 25
December 25 – My Day

December 26
December 26 – This is Delish

December 27
December 27 – Colourful

December 28
December 28 – A Book

December 29
December 29 – Us

December 30
December 30 – How I Relax

December 31
December 31 – Best Part of 2022

Top 9
Top 9 Most Popular Images

I did enjoy this project and I’m not walking away from it because I didn’t enjoy it. I “met” numerous other people in this community that I will continue to follow, like @bea.photoaday, @sara.fms.photoaday, @outnbout, @gerkgirl, @pink_koffie, and @lostfate13.

But there were other things I didn’t like. Most people used the challenge to curate images, rather than take new images every day. The person that ran the challenge is Australian. That meant that a lot of the prompts were seasonal for Australia, meaning they weren’t seasonal for Iowa. Prompts repeated an awful lot. Not that they wouldn’t after 365 days, but I felt like they repeated more than necessary.

These minor complaints aside, I would consider doing it again in a future year. Just not this year. I’m sure many of you have minor complaints about how I run THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE as well.

Goodbye 2022.

Happy New Year to those of you sheeple that follow the Gregorian Calendar. I for one, moved to Unix time years ago. So if I have a birthday party this year (Sara wants me to have one, but I doubt it happens) the invites will list the time of the event in Unix Time, like an adult. But I don’t want to tell you what calendar to use.

I think you should look at the options. By the Gregorian Calendar, when this post publishes, it is the year 2022. But there are other calendars.

Here is a list of other calendars and what year it is if you use those calendars:

Hebrew – 5783
Islamic – 1444
Chinese – 4659
Coptic – 1739
Japanese – Reiwa 4
British Regnal – 1 Cha. 3
Buddhist – 2566
Nanakshahi – 554
Hindu – 5123
Juche – 111
Byzantine – 7531
Roman – 2775
Holocene – 12022
Unix Time (like an adult): 1672531199 (roughly)

As you can tell, Unix Time is clearly superior.

Even though I don’t celebrate New Years, I do like to give holiday Power Rankings.

Here are my champagne power rankings:

CHAMPAGNE POWER RANKINGS
10. All champagne is trash.
9. All champagne is trash.
8. All champagne is trash.
7. All champagne is trash.
6. All champagne is trash.
5. All champagne is trash.
4. All champagne is trash.
3. All champagne is trash.
2. All champagne is trash.
1. Champere

So Happy New Years to those who celebrate it. I will have been asleep a couple hours when the bell tolls for 2022. I’m old, lame, and don’t get invited to adult parties.

+++++++

Time to reveal the December image for the 2023 Photography 139 Gregorian Calendar:


2023 Calendar - December
December

The December image is a picture of the old mill in Independence, Iowa. I took it while harvesting the town signs of Buchanan County for THE TOWN SIGN PROJECT. In retrospect, it isn’t a great image for the brutal colds and snows of December. But it was the last selected image and December was the last month that didn’t have an image. These things tend to sort themselves out.

TECHNICAL DETAILS
CAMERA: Sony ILCE-7M4
DATE: May 28, 2022 – 9:41 AM
LENS: Tamron 17-28 f/2.8
FOCAL LENGTH: 28mm
APERTURE: f/9
EXPOSURE: 1/320
ISO: 100
EXPOSURE BIAS: +.3

I have no calendar images to share tomorrow. Or again until December. If the Photography 139 Calendar exists again in 2024.

+++++++

This year when I handed a calendar to somebody I asked them to pick a favorite image. Then I photographed them with their favorite image. I also asked people that I didn’t hand deliver a calendar to to pick a favorite image and then send me a picture of them with that image. Like 3 people did that. So good for them? Not that such treachery might factor in who gets a calendar next year…

I forgot to do this for the attendees of the Westhaven Christmas, so this won’t be held against them. Maybe Nate. I did ask him and he said “No problem” and then never sent me a picture.

Any way here is a collection of, but not comprehensive collection of pictures of people with their favorite pictures from the calendar:



Shannon


Bethany and Nora


Colleen


Also Colleen


Also, also Colleen


Andy


Baier (Jason)


More Baiers (Olivia)


More Baiers (Ben)


More Baiers (Carrie and J.J.)


More Baiers (Will)


Russell


Michelle


Elizabeth


Willy


Micky


Kio


Kim


Brandon


Teresa


Logan


Elainie


Sabas


Johnathan


Jason


Carla


Dawn


Lockners


Gorshes


Scott


Anders


Becky


Alexis


Jesse


Jay


Nader

It is possible more pictures might trickle in, if people I mailed calendars to haven’t received them yet. I think every picture got picked except for January. Poor January. Might try this again next year. We’ll see if the people like it.

+++++++

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


WEEK 381 - BODY PART
BODY PART

IT IS POSSIBLE I MIGHT ROAD TRIP ON MONDAY. IF I DO, THERE WILL BE NO ADDITIONAL REMINDERS. YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN!!!

BODY PART! What a great final theme for Year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a BODY PART image? Simply put, it is a picture where a major compositional element of the image is a BODY PART. Doesn’t have to be your BODY PART. Could be somebody else’s. It could belong to an animal. There are so many BODY PART(s) to choose from! Heads. Shoulders. Knees. Toes. Just to name a few.

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.

+++++++

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.

WPC – WEEK 380 – EXPLORE

It is time to reveal the July image for the 2023 Photography 139 Calendar:


2023 Calendar - July
July

This picture was taken just west of I-35 on Highway 3. I pulled over on my way home from a TOWN SIGN PROJECT harvesting trip to take tis picture. A sunset in a break in the clouds in the rainstorm. It was too beautiful to not to stop and enjoy it.

There is no particular reason this picture was set for July, other than it had to go somewhere. That was a great story.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

CAMERA: SONY ILCE-7M2
DATE: APRIL 23, 7:33 PM
LENS: TAMRON 28-75 f/2.8
FOCAL LENGHTH: 75mm
APERTURE: f/18
EXPOSURE: 1/80
ISO: 100
EXPOSURE BIAS: -.7

Tomorrow I will reveal the August picture for the 2023 Photography 139 Calendar.

+++++++

It is the last Monday of the month, so it is a good time revisit the THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE FAQ:

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS – WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE

Is there a limit to the number of submissions I can have each week?

The short answer is, “no”. Some people think that there is a limit of one submission per person because I only present one submission a week, personally. I have the other 6 days to post my photography. So one is more than enough image from me.

However, the longer answer is, 3 would be a good guide to limit yourself to submit. Some people refer to this as The Kio Dettman Rule. Even though it isn’t a rule, but much over 3 begins to start to overwhelm the submissions of the others in the community. Also, if you are submitting multiple submissions, think about your submissions. Are they unique? Are they of wholly different subjects? Is each submission saying something unique? The goal is NOT to take as many picture for the theme as possible. The goal is to take the best picture for the theme you can, during the week.

The three photo suggestion would better be referred to as The Kio Dettman Suggestion or The Kio Dettman Best Practice.

The long answer is, there isn’t a limit, but 3 is a good rule of thumb. If I start to average about 30 participants a week, I will consider putting a limit of 1 per participant, to help manage my workload, but we are a long ways from averaging 30 participants a week. Although we did hit 30 participants last week, so maybe a hard limit of 1 per person is on the horizon.

Can I send you several pictures and have you pick the best one?

No! No! NO! If those words come out of your mouth or your keyboard, I consider that to be a non-submission.

Do you ever question whether somebody’s submission fits the theme?

Meh. Only if I think somebody is clearly confusing this week’s theme with last week or next week’s theme. Otherwise, if the submission makes sense in your head, that is good enough to me. However, I would urge you to not try to fit your favorite subject into the theme. This isn’t a challenge to share a picture every week of your kid or your business or your pet. It is a challenge to take pictures of different things every week. Which isn’t to say subjects can’t be repeated, but you shouldn’t become reliant on the same ones.

Why can’t I submit after 11 AM on Mondays if the post doesn’t publish until 12:01 PM?

I go to lunch at 11 AM. I leave my office. I’m not near a computer. At 11 AM I hit “Schedule” and then I go throw food down my throat. 167 hours is more than enough time to send a submission. Okay, 166 hours and 59 minutes. You got me.

Are there resolution requirements for submissions?

I won’t turn down submissions that are too small. I will probably ask you for a picture of greater resolution if it is really small. The typical 4 x 6 image posted to my website has a resolution of 1280 pixels x 853 pixels. While a 400 x 300 image might look okay on your phone, it looks like trash on a computer monitor. I prefer images that are at least 1000 pixels at their largest point, but don’t ban smaller pictures at this point.

What format should my submission be?

.JPG but .PNG also works.

If I write a description of my image will you include that in your post?

No. Photography is art that should stand on its own. Only exception is the SLICE OF LIFE theme.

When will you start accepting suggestions for next year’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE themes?

Suggestions are closed for next year’s list. It will be a minute before they open up again for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

+++++++

Was EXPLORE a popular theme or did get shot down in flames by the Ghost of Christmas Present? You will have to keep scrolling to find out.

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, December 19, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Suzie Brannen – 1 week
2-Sabas Hernandez – 1 week
3-Becky Parmelee – 1 week
4-Mike Vest – 1 week
5-Sarah Karber – 2 weeks
6-Jesse Howard – 5 weeks
7-Willy McAlpine – 5 weeks
8-Tamara Peterson – 7 weeks
9-Sara Lockner – 13 weeks
10-Brandon Kahler – 18 weeks
11-Linda Bennett – 21 weeks
12-Sarah Toot – 22 weeks
13-Monica Jennings – 23 weeks
14-Angie DeWaard – 26 weeks
15-Dawn Krause – 30 weeks (2)
16-Kim Barker – 36 weeks
17-Joe Duff – 37 weeks
18-Logan Kahler – 39 weeks (2)
19-Teresa Kahler – 48 weeks (2)
20-Carla Stensland – 48 weeks (2)
21-Michelle Haupt – 49 weeks
22-Micky Augustin – 50 weeks
23-Andy Sharp – 51 weeks
24-Bill Wentworth – 52 weeks
25-Cathie Morton – 56 weeks
26-Elizabeth Nordeen – 57 weeks
27-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 59 weeks
28-Kio Dettman – 61 weeks (3)

But you didn’t come here to listen to me talk all tommyrot about participation rates or streaks. You came to see the submissions and what streaks continued and what streaks flamed out:


WEEK 380 - EXPLORE - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp – 52 weeks

WEEK 380 - EXPLORE - ANGIE DEWAARD
Angie DeWaard – 27 weeks

WEEK 380 - EXPLORE - BECKY PARMELEE
Becky Parmelee – 2 weeks

WEEK 380 - EXPLORE - BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth – 53 weeks

WEEK 380 - EXPLORE - BRANDON KAHLER
Brandon Kahler – 19 weeks

WEEK 380 - EXPLORE - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland – 49 weeks

WEEK 380 - EXPLORE - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland – 49 weeks

WEEK 380 - EXPLORE - CATHIE MORTON
Cathie Morton – 57 weeks

WEEK 380 - EXPLORE - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 380 - EXPLORE - DAWN KRAUSE
Dawn Krause – 31 weeks

WEEK 380 - EXPLORE - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen – 58 weeks

WEEK 380 - EXPLORE - JOE DUFF
Joe Duff – 38 weeks

WEEK 380 - EXPLORE - JOE DUFF
Joe Duff

WEEK 380 - EXPLORE - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker – 37 weeks

WEEK 380 - EXPLORE - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman – 62 weeks

WEEK 380 - EXPLORE - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 380 - EXPLORE - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 380 - EXPLORE - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett – 22 weeks

WEEK 380 - EXPLORE - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler – 40 weeks

WEEK 380 - EXPLORE - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler

WEEK 380 - EXPLORE - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler

WEEK 380 - EXPLORE - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin – 51 weeks

WEEK 380 - EXPLORE - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt – 50 weeks

WEEK 380 - EXPLORE - SABAS HERNANDEZ
Sabas Hernandez – 2 weeks

WEEK 380 - EXPLORE - SARAH TOOT
Sarah Toot – 23 weeks

WEEK 380 - EXPLORE - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley – 60 weeks

WEEK 380 - EXPLORE - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson – 8 weeks

WEEK 380 - EXPLORE - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler – 49 weeks

WEEK 380 - EXPLORE - WILLY MCALPINE
Willy McAlpine – 6 weeks

WEEK 380 - EXPLORE - WILLY MCALPINE
Willy McAlpine

WEEK 380 - EXPLORE - WILLY MCALPINE
Willy McAlpine

23 participants. Not a great week, but it is to be expected, considering a somewhat abstract theme and the Christmas holiday.

I received submissions (assumptions on my part) from Pennsylvania, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Arkansas, and Texas.

I took my picture about 5 miles from my front door.

As you can guess it was a streak bloodbath. Suzie and Vest couldn’t extend their streaks to 2. Sarah’s streak went kaput at 2 weeks. Jesse’s streak ended at 5. 13 wasn’t a lucky number for Sara. Worst of all, Monica’s 23 week streak is gone.

But it wasn’t all bad news. Andy joined the 1 Year Streak Club! WooHoo!

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 381 - BODY PART
BODY PART

BODY PART! What a great final theme for Year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a BODY PART image? Simply put, it is a picture where a major compositional element of the image is a BODY PART. Doesn’t have to be your BODY PART. Could be somebody else’s. It could belong to an animal. There are so many BODY PART(s) to choose from! Heads. Shoulders. Knees. Toes. Just to name a few.

While considering possible subjects for your BODY PART picture, meditate on the following quotes:

Even I don’t wake up looking like Cindy Crawford.
-Cindy Crawford

People often say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I say that the most liberating thing about beauty is realizing that you are the beholder.
-Salma Hayek

I look forward to seeing your interpretation.

RULES

The picture has to be taken between 12:01 PM today and 11 AM next Monday. This isn’t a curate your photos project. This is a get your butt off the couch (unless you are taking your picture from the couch) and take pictures challenge.

You can send your images to either bennett@photography139.com OR you may text them to my Pixel 5.

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing your idea of BODY PART in this place that consists of lots of my parts put to work next Monday.