Category Archives: Olympic Sports

RAGBRAI – MADRID – III

This is Holy Week, so I did want you to know that if you need or want a place to worship or just check out, well you are invited to the Boone First United Methodist Church. For details, check out the picture below:


Holy Week Invite

I’ll definitely be there for Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter. Hope to see one or two of you there.

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Time to share the final collection of images from RAGBRAI. Not just the last collection from Madrid, but the last period. I didn’t follow RAGBRAI after it left Madrid. I went back to work the next day. But I look forward to taking some time off and doing some RAGBRAI photography again this year.


RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

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RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

This year RAGBRAI cuts through southern Iowa. These are the overnight stops:

+ Glenwood
+ Red Oak
+ Atlantic
+ Winterset
+ Knoxville
+ Ottumwa
+ Mt. Pleasant
+ Burlington

The towns it passes through each day haven’t been revealed yet. But there are some great towns already announced.

RAGBRAI – MADRID – II

A reminder, you still have less than 23 hours to join my NCAA Tournament Pool.

If you are a basketball fan, or are just interested in having fun, click on the link below to join my pool:

Roundball Oracles – Year 19

The rules are as follows:
Round 1 = 1 point + seed
Round 2 = 2 points + seed
Round 3 = 4 points + seed
Round 4 = 8 points + seed
Round 5 = 16 points + seed
Rounds 6 = 32 points + seed

The Play-in Games (AKA the First Four) don’t matter. You can wait for those games to complete before filling out your bracket. The deadline to fill out your bracket, is tip-off of the first game on Thursday. Roughly 11 AM.

Under special circumstances, I will allow you to turn in a paper bracket to me. So, don’t be afraid to ask.

Yes, your child can fill out a bracket. Your dog, no.

There were 37 competitors in 2023. A 1 person gain from 2022. Hopefully there is continued growth in participation this year, but I don’t know that I have 1 more friend than I did in 2023. It is possible I have gained even more friends since 2023. I might be a pretty great person.

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Time once again to share some more images from when RAGBRAI went through Madrid. Once again, they did an amazing job and I LOVED their “Alice in Wonderland” theme!


RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

RAGBRAI - Madrid - 2023

Still one more collection of images from RAGBRAI left to share. So looking forward to RAGBRAI this year for a variety of reasons!

RAGBRAI – SLATER – II

Time to share the rest of the images I took while walking around Slater during RAGBRAI. Slater really did an amazing job of hosting the tens of thousands of cyclists that came through their town.


RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

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RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

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RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

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RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

Next up will be the beginning of the collection of images I took when RAGBRAI went through Madrid. Another town that I think did an amazing job with RAGBRAI!

RAGBRAI – Slater – I

The second day I followed RAGBRAI, I hit up two towns. Slater and then Madrid. I mentioned I wasn’t that impressed with the setup in Ames. It really just felt like every other town festival in Ames. On the opposite end of that spectrum, I was really impressed with both Slater and Madrid.

Here is the first collection of images I took in Slater:


RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023
This Farmer’s Market is near Fraser. I like to hit it a few times this year.

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

RAGBRAI - Slater - 2023

Still one more Dr. Seuss themed collection of images from Slater left to share!

RAGBRAI – Ames

On the first day that I followed RAGBRAI, the final stop was Ames. Ames was an overnight town. I went to downtown Ames to check out their festivities and met up with the Gorshes.

Here are some pictures:


RAGBRAI - Ames - 2023

RAGBRAI - Ames - 2023

RAGBRAI - Ames - 2023

RAGBRAI - Ames - 2023

RAGBRAI - Ames - 2023

RAGBRAI - Ames - 2023

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RAGBRAI - Ames - 2023

RAGBRAI - Ames - 2023

RAGBRAI - Ames - 2023

RAGBRAI - Ames - 2023

Honestly, the Ames RAGBRAI experience was a little bit of a disappointment. But on the next day I would follow RAGBRAI to Slater and Madrid, and both of them more than made up for Ames!

RAGBRAI – LUTHER

Today is a rare double holiday. It is both Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day. As always, if you are not out romancing it up tonight, I invite you to come to the Boone First United Methodist Church for our Ash Wednesday service. Full disclosure, I won’t be there. I am neither out romancing it up or going to get my ashes on in some stray church. I’ll be in Hilton Coliseum (AKA The Cathedral) watching an Iowa State women’s basketball game with the rest of the real ones.

Since I won’t be getting ashes this year, enjoy this picture of me on Ash Wednesday from a couple of years ago:


Day 61 - March 2, 2022

I always like to share a devotional type thing on these holidays. So today I’m going to share one from Iowa Conference of The United Methodist Church. This one by Reverend Doctor Mary Lautzenhiser Bellon to be exact:

We Are Ashes – Abiding in Hope
by Rev. Dr. Mary Lautzenhiser Bellon (Senior Pastor Collegiate Methodist in Ames)

As we lean into Lent, I wrote this poem for Ash Wednesday. If you are into interactive reading, you can look up the passages in Daniel and John that I reference in the poem. I was working with the idea that ash is a transformed remnant of something: a piece of wood, the remains of a meadow, a life, and in that transformation, it always carries the memory of what it was before, just now it is changed. I apply the idea of God’s unquenchable fire (such as displayed in the burning bush and maybe Biblically remembered in the story of Daniel) that changes and transforms us. As the ashes we use on Ash Wednesday come from the burnt palms of the previous Palm Sunday, that image, too makes its way into the poem.

We Are Ashes

What is born from the flame is ash, life transformed,
black and silvered memories of being held
in fire — maybe like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego
who walked in the heat, the flames licking their hands
that were folded in prayer even as they were almost scorched
with a knowledge of God too great for them,
even as they became living ashes:
ones who did not forget but were sent as testimonies,
touched but not burnt, maybe with a sign on their foreheads. [i]

The alchemy of loving means we die and no longer die.
What is here is ash from firelight, also dark and essential,
the ashes we become in grief and in forgiveness and in mercy.

Our pretenses have been burnt away.
We are gathered up in dimly lit certainty,
we are the remnant, you and me
and those who kneel who might be far from us
whose heads are also smudged:
“remember you are dust and to dust you shall return” —
the ash is everywhere – –

hopefully faithful, hopefully able to feel
the webbing root buried in the earth that nurtures us,
and the branch we graft to that stretches
out our lives and then the love,
and then the smoldering embers
of all that is the first and the last;
all that is in each moment.

We are secretly the palms that were spread on the road
where Jesus came to collect us on his way to Jerusalem [ii]
and now we are ashes, smeared
with the oil of His hands,
we are the remnant
from the fire of His resurrection
we are the ashes that mark the way to Him.

Let us be spread again, let us be smudged,
let us be carried from the fire into the world
our bodies some sacred event born in ashes and returned,
the name of love written on our foreheads
the sound of hope sung from our prayers
the burden of care held firmly in our hands
and knowing home in the One who heals us,
in the flame that is never quenched, Alpha and Omega, amen.

[i] Daniel 3: 13-30 (the image I draw is poetic license)

[ii] John 12: 12-17

If you are curious:

Daniel 3: 13-30 – Amplified Version

13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in a furious rage gave a command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; and these men were brought before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image which I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready, when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image which I have made, very good. But if you do not worship, you shall be thrown at once into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and what god is there who can rescue you out of my hands?”

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to answer you on this point. 17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up!”

Daniel’s Friends Protected
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and his facial expression changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then he gave a command that the furnace was to be heated seven [a]times hotter than usual. 20 He commanded certain strong men in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego and to throw them into the furnace of blazing fire. 21 Then these [three] men were tied up in their trousers, their coats, their turbans, and their other clothes, and were thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. 22 Because the king’s command was urgent and the furnace was extremely hot, the flame of the fire killed the men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. 23 But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up.

24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king [looked and] was astounded, and he jumped up and said to his counselors, “Did we not throw three men who were tied up into the midst of the fire?” They replied to the king, “Certainly, O king.” 25 He answered, “Look! I see four men untied, walking around in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt! And the appearance of the fourth is like [b]a son of the gods!” 26 Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the door of the blazing furnace and said, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, servants of the Most High God, come out [of there]! Come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego came out of the midst of the fire. 27 The satraps, the prefects, the governors and the king’s counselors gathered around them and saw that in regard to these men the fire had no effect on their bodies—their hair was not singed, their clothes were not scorched or damaged, even the smell of smoke was not on them.

28 Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and rescued His servants who believed in, trusted in, and relied on Him! They violated the king’s command and surrendered their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language that speaks anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego shall be cut into pieces and their houses be made a heap of rubbish, for there is no other god who is able to save in this way!” 30 Then the king caused Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego to prosper in the province of Babylon.

And John 12:12-17 – Amplified

12 The next day, when the large crowd who had come to the Passover feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 they took branches of palm trees [in homage to Him as King] and went out to meet Him, and they began shouting and kept shouting “Hosanna! Blessed (celebrated, praised) is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” 14 And Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat on it; just as it is written [in Scripture], 15 “Do not fear, Daughter of Zion; Behold, Your King is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” 16 His disciples did not understand [the meaning of] these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified and exalted, they remembered that these things had been written about Him and had been done to Him. 17 So the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to tell others about Him.

If you are looking for a place to get your ashes, our service is at 6:30.

While Ash Wednesday is meant to remind us of our own mortality, it doesn’t have to be all gloomy because Ash Wednesday also means the Catholics are going to start having Fish Fry Fridays! WooHoo! Bingpot!

I’m going to break down some area fish fries for you, my people, but I will wait until Friday to do that. Don’t worry, I’ll feed you baby birds!

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It is also Valentine’s Day. So I need to wish you all happy Valentine’s Day in my way:


Happy Valentine's Day - 2024
LOVE STINKS!

So first things first. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Second. You might be wondering why this picture is called “Love Stinks”. This was at the insistence of my photo assistant for this project. She complained that this heart shaped sparkler absolutely wreaked! She backed this up by claiming that the sparkler gave her a sore throat for like 5 days. Because she suffered for my art, I have granted her request that the name of this photo is “Love Stinks”.

On holidays like Valentine’s Day I do like to do power rankings. Last year I did romantic comedy power rankings. However, I know many people who absolutely despise Valentine’s Day. So I thought rather than doing something positive about the concept of love, I would do a power rankings based on the negatives of love. My power rankings this year are the 5 Worst Couples! This is a personal list. No apologies if you think, “wait I’m in that couple or throuple” (no judgment). The couples that personally annoy me. Cause love stinks! It often has lots of sulphur and gives you a sore throat for several days. Metaphorically speaking of course!

5 WORST COUPLES POWER RANKING

5. EXCESSIVE PUBLIC AFFECTION COUPLE
I don’t run into this couple that much any more. Mostly because I don’t run with a lot of teenagers or college students and most of the couples I know have been married for years, so the concept of public affection went out the door years ago. But you know the couples. They can’t stop touching each other, right in front of you. All you are trying to do is eat a bowl of soup and they are treating you to the opening scene of BEHIND THE GREEN DOOR*. There is also a variant of this couple that wants to go into great details about their sex life. I didn’t sign on for any of this. Put it in your diary. The phrase “get a room” exists for a reason.

A sidenote on this couple. It doesn’t have to be physical. This can also be the couple that has the just too precious nicknames for each other. PUKE! And couples that call each other “mom” and “dad”… GROSS!

4. THE CONSTANTLY BREAKING UP COUPLE

You know this couple. They’ve broken up 7 or 8 or 9 times, at the very least. And every time, you have to hear about it. You listen to all of the terrible things that one of the people in the couple did. You hear about all of their inadequacies and flaws. Then 24 hours later, the same friend that was dumping all of this stuff on you, they are back with this deeply flawed person that does all of the terrible things. In a couple weeks you will be hearing all the same things again and you stopped caring somewhere around the 3rd breakup.

3. THE SIT ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE TABLE WHEN DINING ALONE COUPLE

This couple probably seems harmless to you. Maybe I can’t defend how I feel about this couple, but I find them SUPER creepy. Sit on opposite sides of the table! At least then you can stare into each other’s eyes lovingly, while eating the Super Nachos Deluxe you ordered for an appetizer. It is well documented that nachos are the most romantic appetizer, but that is a power ranking for a future Valentine’s Day.

2. THE PUBLIC FIGHTING COUPLE

All couples fight. Not all couples have to fight in front of you, all the time. They might argue that fighting is just an example of their passion. They might even argue that fighting is their love language. My love language is handing you a card for a therapist. Go to counseling!

1. THE HOSTAGE COUPLE

This couple can’t do anything alone. Donna is going out for margaritas with her high school girlfriends. But Donna insists on bringing Bob along, cause Donna can’t do anything without Bob. Or Donna does finally join her friends without Bob, but the entire time she is having to check in with Bob. And Bob is having to check in with Donna. This same couple probably has shared social media accounts. The worst! If they don’t have a shared social media account, these are the ones that post super flowery tomes about the greatness of the significant other. They have to know that everybody is reading this is thinking, “oh, they about to get divorced.” And I’m not saying I’m rooting for divorce when I stumble across these… but I’m not saying that I’m not NOT rooting for divorce. Even if it is fleeting.

This list is definitive and is beyond contestation. No interviews at this time.

When I decided to do an anti-love post for Valentine’s Day, I checked in with some of the most ardent haters of Valentine’s Day I know. I simply asked them what couples they think are the worst. Almost without exception, I instead got a long diatribe about why they hate Valentine’s Day. Which wasn’t what I asked, but I did find hilarious. I confess I didn’t really read that part of those messages, cause it was a lot of blah, blah, blah, same things I’ve heard for years. I assume.

Interestingly, only Scottie D. asked me what I think about Valentine’s Day. And I might just tell you someday.

Happy Valentine’s Day to all who celebrate! Happy Valentine’s Day to all the people who bah humbug it! Happy Valentine’s Day to all the people who dread it because it makes them feel all alone! I can save all of you a seat at the Iowa State women’s basketball game!

If you don’t do the Juicy Wiggle, was it really even a holiday?

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After we left Jefferson, Logan and I parted ways. I went home for a bit and then decided to go check out RAGBRAI in Ames. As a lark, I decided to head up to Luther since it was one of the towns that RAGBRAI was passing through. I really thought that by the time I got there, it was going to be too late to see much of anything going on. But Luther was packed! I bet Whatcha Smokin’ made a mint that day!

I was impressed with the job that Luther did with RAGBRAI. I hung around and took a few pictures:


RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023
I’d never heard them before, but they were a pretty solid classic rock cover band.

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023
Oh man, I haven’t had wheat grass since Sara got over it.

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

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RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023
I’m not a badmouth the younger generation guy. But in my day, when we climbed on a roof, it wasn’t to stare at our phone. We were probably breaking stuff. Okay, maybe the younger generation is better.

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

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RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

Still one more collection of RAGBRAI pictures from this day to share.

* I actually haven’t seen BEHIND THE GREEN DOOR, so I have no clue what the transpires in its first scene. It could be very boring. I understand the historical and cultural significance of the movie, but pornography just isn’t my bag.

RAGBRAI – Jefferson

RAGBRAI came through Greene County and Boone County and Story County last year. I’m not much of a cyclist (maybe that will change this year, but probably not) but I do enjoy a good photography opportunity and anything that resembles a party.

On July 25, the cyclists left Carroll and ended in Ames. In the morning, Logan and I loaded up in the car and went to Jefferson to get some pictures of the cyclists and the party in Jefferson.

Here are some pictures:


RAGBRAI - JEFFERSON - 2023

RAGBRAI - JEFFERSON - 2023

RAGBRAI - JEFFERSON - 2023

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RAGBRAI - JEFFERSON - 2023

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RAGBRAI - JEFFERSON - 2023

RAGBRAI - JEFFERSON - 2023

They also made stops that day in Glidden, Rippey, and Luther before ending the day in Ames.

I wish that I would have checked out more of the stops. Something maybe I can do this year.

In case you don’t know what RAGBRAI is, from their website:

RAGBRAI, Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, is more than just a bike ride, it is an epic eight-day rolling festival of bicycles, music, food, camaraderie, and community. It is the oldest, largest, and longest multi-day bicycle touring event in the world.

This years route goes through the following towns:
+ Glenwood
+ Red Oak
+ Atlantic
+ Winterset
+ Knoxville
+ Ottumwa
+ Mt. Pleasant
+ Burlington

I’m thinkin of following it from Atlantic to Winterset OR Winterset to Knoxville. It might depend on what towns it passes through on its route. It might depend on what towns they pass through. Those have yet to be revealed.

I still have a couple more collections of images to share from this day. Maybe get some of you interested in tagging along this year. In a car. Like I said, my cycling skills are limited at best.

For You

I took a few pictures for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme RULE OF THIRDS. Mostly around Memorial Park, but a couple at Franklin and a couple in downtown Boone. Here are some that I liked, but not enough to submit for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE:


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Rule of Thirds Alternate

Rule of Thirds Alternate

We did so well with the rule of thirds, I think next year I will have to make the golden ratio or the golden spiral a theme. What do you think?

WEEK 437 – RULE OF THIRDS

It is the last Monday of the month and on the last Monday of the month I like to revisit our Frequently Asked Questions. Who asks these questions? I mostly ask them of myself. But that isn’t a Frequently Asked Question. These are:

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS – WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE

What skill level photographer can participate?

THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE is open to photographers of all skill levels. From award winning photographers to professionals to the highly ranked amateurs to those that are just beginning to those who don’t even know how to focus a camera. All skill levels are encouraged and welcome. You can’t be too bad and you can’t be too good! Everyone has room to learn and be challenged!

Award winning photographers? Really?

Yes. I can think of at least 10 photographers that participate regularly that have won a photography award of some kind.

Is this a competition?
NO. It is a challenge. There are no winners and losers. Well the people that don’t participate are losers.

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

Yes. That limit is 2. If you send me more than 2, I will post the first 2 that you send. I’m not trying to harsh your photography buzz, but any more than that starts to overwhelm the other submissions and it takes me about 5 minutes to take a picture from my inbox to code it on the website. So I have to manage my workload.

If you are going to submit more than one picture, I strongly urge you to choose completely different subjects for each submission. If you are submitting multiple pictures of the same subject, make sure that each picture is saying something unique.

If I start to average like 45 participants a week, I will lower the limit to 1.

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 for me. However, I would urge you to not try to fit your favorite subject into the theme every week. 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.

Do I have to wait until Monday morning to submit?

Absolutely not! In fact (AND CAN’T EMPATHIZE THIS ENOUGH) I appreciate the submissions that make it to me by Sunday evening. Makes the job of putting this together on Monday morning much easier!

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 widest point, but don’t ban smaller pictures at this point. But don’t tempt me!

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. But if you let me know where the picture was taken, I will include that. In fact, I appreciate you letting me know where a picture was taken. If you don’t let me know, I will assume the picture was taken in the state you live in.

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

I will take suggestions only and ONLY in the comments sections of the THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE posts the last week of October and the 1st week of November.

+++++++

RULE OF THIRDS! The first technical (and we’re not talking very technical here) theme we’ve had for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE in quite some time. Was it technically a popular theme our did a third of our participants last week throw in the towel at this theme? You will have to keep scrolling to find out!

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, January 22, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Elainie Hernandez – 1 week
2-Sara Lockner – 1 week
3-Willy McAlpine – 1 week
4-Johnathan Stensland – 1 week
5-Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 2 weeks
6-Monica Jennings – 2 weeks
7-Suzie Brannen – 3 weeks
8-Lowell Davis – 3 weeks
9-Michelle Haupt – 3 weeks
10-Alexis Stensland – 3 weeks
11-Brandon Kahler – 4 weeks
12-Mary Green – 5 weeks (2)
13-Scott Degeneffe – 22 weeks
14-Sabas Hernandez – 23 weeks
15-Mike Vest – 28 weeks
16-Sheri Fakhouri – 32 weeks (2)
17-Logan Kahler – 33 weeks (2)
18-Nathanial Brown – 34 weeks
19-Jesse Howard – 34 weeks
20-Tamara Peterson – 37 weeks
21-Mindi Terrell – 49 weeks (2)
22-Linda Bennett – 78 weeks
23-Sarah Toot – 79 weeks (2)
24-Angie DeWaard – 83 weeks
25-Dawn Krause – 87 weeks
26-Kim Barker – 93 weeks
27-Joe Duff – 94 weeks (2)
28-Teresa Kahler – 105 weeks
29-Carla Stensland – 105 weeks
30-Micky Augustin – 107 weeks
31-Andy Sharp – 108 weeks
32-Bill Wentworth – 109 weeks (2)
33-Cathie Morton – 113 weeks
34-Elizabeth Nordeen – 114 weeks (2)
35-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 116 weeks
36-Kio Dettman – 118 weeks

Here is the updated list of rules for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE:


1. The picture must 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 and take pictures challenge!
2. There is a limit of 2 submissions per person per theme. If you send me more than 2, I will use the first 2 that you submit.
3. Deadline to submit your submission is 11 AM next Monday.
4. To be considered the photographer of an image, you have to be the one that clicks the shutter. If you hand your camera over to somebody else to take a picture of you, you are NOT the photographer of that image.
5. No screen captures. This is a photography challenge. Not a “look at what I found on the internet” challenge.

There are still 2 ways to submit:
1. Email your submission to bennett@photography139.com.
2. Text your submission to my Google Pixel 8 Pro.
3. Sometimes, for special people, for special circumstances, we can negotiate something.

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


WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa) – 119 weeks

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa)

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - SHANNO BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley (Iowa) – 117 weeks

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 115 weeks

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - CATHIE MORTON
Cathie Morton (Norwalk, Iowa) – 114 weeks

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska) – 110 weeks

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp (Council Bluffs, Iowa) – 109 weeks

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin (Hickory Grove Park – Story County, Iowa) – 108 weeks

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland (West Lake Okoboji – Arnolds Park, Iowa) – 106 weeks

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland (Lower Gar Lake – Arnold’s Park, Iowa)

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 106 weeks

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - JOE DUFF
Joe Duff (Texas) – 95 weeks

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - JOE DUFF
Joe Duff (Texas)

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker (Ames, Iowa) – 94 weeks

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - DAWN KRAUSE
Dawn Krause (Rooster’s – Boone, Iowa) – 88 weeks

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - ANGIE DEWAARD
Angie DeWaard (Iowa) – 84 weeks

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - SARAH TOOT
Sarah Toot (Pennsylvania) – 80 weeks

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett (Kansas) – 79 weeks

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett (Kansas)

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - MINDI TERRELL
Mindi Terrell (Iowa) – 50 weeks

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - MINDI TERRELL
Mindi Terrell (Iowa)

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson (Iowa) – 38 weeks

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - JESSE HOWARD
Jesse Howard (Boone, Iowa) – 35 weeks

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - JESSE HOWARD
Jesse Howard (Boone, Iowa)

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - NATHANIAL BROWN
Nathanial Brown (Jefferson, Iowa) – 35 weeks

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 34 weeks

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler (Boone, Iowa)

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - SHERI FAKHOURI
Sheri Fakhouri (6th Avenue – Des Moines, Iowa) – 33 weeks

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - SHERI FAKHOURI
Sheri Fakhouri (Mercy Hospital – Des Moines, Iowa)

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - MIKE VEST
Mike Vest (Madrid, Iowa) – 29 weeks

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - SABAS HERNANDEZ
Sabas Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) – 24 weeks

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS -  SCOTT DEGENEFFE
Scott Degeneffe (Boone County, Iowa) – 23 weeks

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS -  SCOTT DEGENEFFE
Scott Degeneffe (Boone County, Iowa)

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - MARY GREEN
Mary Green (Iowa) – 6 weeks

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - MARY GREEN
Mary Green (Iowa)

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - BRANDON KAHLER
Brandon Kahler (Story County, Iowa) – 5 weeks

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - LOWELL DAVIS
Lowell Davis (Copa Classico at TBK – Bettendorf, Iowa) – 4 weeks

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - LOWELL DAVIS
Lowell Davis (Copa Classico at TBK – Bettendorf, Iowa)

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt (Iowa) – 4 weeks

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - SUZIE BRANNEN
Suzie Brannen (Clive, Iowa)- 4 weeks

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - ALEXIS STENSLAND
Alexis Stensland (Linwood Cemetery – Boone, Iowa) – 4 weeks

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - ALEXIS STENSLAND
Alexis Stensland (Boone County, Iowa)

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - MONICA JENNINGS
Monica Jennings (Boone, Iowa) – 3 weeks

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - SARA LOCKNER
Sara Lockner (Woodward, Iowa) – 2 weeks

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - ELAINIE HERNANDEZ
Elainie Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) – 2 weeks

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - MYRIAH SHARP
Myriah Sharp (Hawaii) – 1 week

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - MYRIAH SHARP
Myriah Sharp (Hawaii)

WPC 437 - RULE OF THIRDS - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett (Memorial Park – Boone, Iowa)

35 participants! That is a great week!

There were submissions this week taken in the following places:

+ Kansas
+ Hawaii
+ Iowa
+ Pennsylvania
+ Texas

Thanks to Myriah’s trip, Hawaii was added!

Here is the Year 11 list of states where submissions have been taken:

+ Kansas (7)
+ Hawaii (2)
+ Iowa (153)
+ Michigan (2)
+ Nebraska (5)
+ Pennsylvania (5)
+ Texas (7)

There weren’t any major milestones this week, but there are some on the horizon! There were a few streaks that bit the dust. Willy and Johnathan couldn’t build on last week’s submission and their streaks are over before they began. Jen’s streak is gone after 2 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 438 - CIRCLE
CIRCLE

CIRCLE! What a great theme for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

I look forward to your interpretation!

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 CIRCLE in this place in this place that has a pretty large circle of trust next Monday.