Posts from the ‘lazy posts’ Category
September 2002: New York City
I love New York. I’ve always had a weird interest in big cities and New York has been high on my list of places to visit. My first trip and not my last trip happened in September of 2002; I flew in on the 13th, it was a Friday.
I was fortunate enough to have a close friend that grew up in NY and whose family was still living there. He flew in with me and I was staying in the Bronx with his family…and it was going to be a blast! We were going to do some sight seeing, but nothing super touristy…I just wanted to wonder around. As we walked through the financial district he told me how the twin towers were a great reference point when you got lost in the streets as he pointed in the general direction of the construction noise. We walked by Wall Street where fences and barricades created a “snake-line” you would expect to see at an amusement park for line control. Even with the erie deserted streets and continuous sounds from the recovery effort there was time to stop and watch families touching the famous “Wall Street Bull” and posing for photos.
Stock Market Bull Statue: Sometimes called “Charging Bull” or “Wall Street Bull,” this 7,000 pound bronze statue was made by New York City artist Arturo Di Modica in 1989 and illegally placed in front of the New York Stock Exchange. Di Modica decided to create the bull after Black Monday, October 19, 1987, the day of the largest 24-hour decline in recorded stock market history (the Dow Jones went down 22.6%). The police were called in to haul the bull away but public outcry was such that the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation made room for it in nearby Bowling Green Park, where it remains today. Broadway at Bowling Green.
– [snip] New York Metro; Wall Street
After visiting Ground Zero and spending about two hours wondering the memorial fence at Trinity Church one thing I could not get past my mind…the silence. New York is a busy and noisy city; yet there was a humbling and agonizing silence even amidst the heavy equipment. An occasional street vendor would be playing “Amazing Grace” or the National Anthem; it was like watching a movie. We made our way to Battery Park were there is a memorial made from the fountain sculpture “The Sphere” by Fritz Koenig with an eternal flame burning in memoriam.
“The sphere that rests behind me in many ways symbolizes New York. For 30 years, it stood in the World Trade Center as a symbol for peace. On September 11, it was damaged, not destroyed.”
– Michael Bloomberg
The rest of the trip was comprised of walking through Central Park, exploring the nightlife, shopping and wondering the streets of Manhattan. Within the first few hours I fell in love with the city and after two days I wanted to live there. I’ve gone back to New York since this trip and had planned on going back next month. The city has a big piece of my heart and while I might not make it in October, I know I’ll be there next year. I miss it. :)
September 2005: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
This weekend I was in Cleveland and got a chance to attend the 10th anniversary of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and museum. This was my first visit and it won’t be my last.
If you know me, if you’re a long time reader, if you’ve read the right blogs…you know I love music. If you didn’t know that: you do now. Some of my earliest memories are talking to my mom in the car about music and how it feeds my emotions…how I thought it was interesting that music could do that. I can almost place the song that was on the radio that had just finished when I told her and then I started talking about the next song. Wow was I in for a surprise…
New artists. Old artists. Seasoned artists. Mature sounds. Fast breaks. Heavy bass. Solo piano. Female vocals. Strings. DRUMS. I want it all; not pieces -chunks! I want chunks thrown in a blender, add the handful of Latin influence three pinches of soul a dash of gospel and 12 barrels of passion. Mix. Blend. Shake. Stir. Now feed the hungry ears begging for the tunes like baby birds crying.
Music. It’s what’s for life.
Getting a glimpse into the lives of all of these people I have heard -maybe never heard- was overwhelming. 500 influential songs, video montages, clothes, records, TVs, broken guitars, movies, never-ending photographs and more historical information then you want or need to ever know. Three hour tour? Try three days immersed in the walls of sound and you still won’t have soaked in the contents…the ingredients for history, politics, love, war, peace…emotions.
Emotions. It’s fuel for sound.
The contact buzz from the artist’s emotions, from the visitor’s reactions flows through the building and overwhelms you to the point you fear an overdose. A dizzying effect in certain sections where you can’t focus on any one exhibit -you can just spin in a circle trying to catch your bearings.
Passion. It’s a roller coaster.
Standing not far from the Jimi Hendrix exhibit I found myself fighting back a few tears. If it wasn’t for my friend saying “it’s overwhelming…” I would have cried. Why? I don’t know. Some lives are/were normal and others were almost from another planet. It wasn’t about them being alive…or being gone. It was just about them. How many people have they touched with their music? They could live for ten lifetimes and never know the answer. Sad. Beautiful. That’s passion.
“You can’t go home with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. You don’t sleep with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. You don’t get hugged by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and you don’t have children with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I want what everybody else wants: to love and to be loved, and to have a family. Being in love has always been the most important thing in my life.”
– Billy Joel
August 2005: NASCAR
A day at the racetrack…my first time and probably the best opportunity I could have ever had going to the races. I’m not a race fan, but after Sunday I just might make going to the track an annual event! Now that doesn’t mean you’ll catch me sporting a number on the back of my car to support a driver…but I can see what all the fuss is about. I should say that the most NASCAR I have watched has been when I watched Days of Thunder and that isn’t saying much. Sure I watched it on TV and I heard some of the driver’s names and I have heard stories about MIS [Michigan International Speedway], but I was in for a treat.
It was the last race of the season for MIS and I was there to hopefully enjoy my Sunday afternoon, but I had a job to do first. Our client is a major sponsor for 2004 rookie of the year Kasey Kahne and Jeremy Mayfield. Side note: Jeremy happened to win the race on Sunday so it was a great day for team Dodge! The client had scheduled a meet-n-great with Kasey and I was there to shoot pictures of their event…in the suites on Pit Road!
Meeting Kasey, I was super impressed with his overly-humble attitude and how polite he was to everyone. Later on in the day while shooting pictures of the drivers walking out to their cars, I saw Kasey walk back towards the garage to sign a few autographs and hug a few kids. There were no cameras on him (other than mine) and only a few witnesses who all said “what a class act.” I hope fame doesn’t change him…and I don’t think it will.
Walking through “Pit Road” before the race and being 20 feet away from the cars while separated by glass during the race I felt as if TV was second rate to my view. Tires tossed, air wrenches squeaking and fuel fumes rising high…in my face.
I was in the heart of things. I could feel the thunder of the engines in my chest. My ears on fire from the noise. The smell of fuel mixed with burnt rubber wrinkling my nose. My eyes opened wide tracking every car I could see going 190 miles per hour. My arms scrunched tight to hold the camera steady…my finger ready to click away. I was there. I hope looking at the pictures you feel like you were there with me. :)
After 700+ pictures…123 of the best shots from the day are best viewed as a set (photo album). They are grouped together with shots of the pits, drivers, cars solo, cars groups, pre race, black & white and the race finish. Comments with driver names and information will come soon…but the pictures are worth it.
Weekend of music
Many of you know I have been following a local musician for some time now and I tend to rave about her music just as much as I rave about anything else online. I got to see two Tamara Bedricky shows this weekend…and I took a lot of pictures.
- Saturday night’s pictures from Small’s Bar @ Flickr.
- Sunday night’s pictures from Mickey Finns Pub @ Flickr.
The first show was at a small venue on Friday night not too far from my place. The sound was a little light at times, but the crowd was great. I was lucky enough to get in early and watch the line grow outside for this triple header show…I was anxious to see the mixed aged crowd’s reaction to all the bands.
Jeff Tessler another local artist opened to a small, but energetic crowd. Jokes about songs and asking his parents to plug their ears before hearing him play kept the crowd laughing. A young and humble musician with mature talent that kept me wondering when I would see him on the larger music bills within the next year. A trio of free CDs later made me think he might have a good idea: he records (usually) his shows and puts a live track from a previous show on a CD with some other songs and hands them out when he is finished. I already passed on two of my CDs and received the “thumbs up” from friends. Hopefully I’ll get a chance to hear him live again -soon.
Tamara Bedricky was up next…full band and two new songs to dish out…one I had sampled previously, but I was not prepared for what I was about to hear. I like Tamara’s music and I think she has some talent…I think her songs would make it on the local radio circuit. However, I heard one of her new songs and I don’t think it would just make it on the radio; it’s an easy national hit. No bias opinion, just me listening to music and calling it as I see it…which could be WAAaaaaay off base, but it was the best song I have heard from her yet. If it goes to national mainstream radio I’ll wager that it will be a top 5 song for the summer. Why? I have no idea…just a hunch. The second song is also a work in progress and has an amazing personal aura about it. I was fortunate enough to hear it twice in one weekend and I can say that it will be one on repeat when I take long walks and want to be alone. It might not draw tears, but it will tug on your heart.
Stephen Kellogg and the sixers were the final act with great sound and a flair for entertainment – if they play a local show, see them. It’s worth $20 cover…but hopefully it will be $5 for cover and you can spend the other $15 on their CD. From covers to original music, it all sounds good when belted from these four guys that all take turns singing at different points. From playing while seated with the crowd to playing leap frog in the middle of the dance floor while another member flys solo signing or playing, these guys know what it means to entertain.
I got a chance to hang out with Tamara Bedricky and the head of her street team for a little bit on Friday night and I got a chance to talk about the show on Saturday before she headed down to Toledo, Ohio for her next gig. I was invited to tag along and take more pictures with the head of her street team…one hour later I was in Toledo and watching the band set up and do a sound check. Can you say awesome? I’ve only been following her music for a year now…sweet! Chatting with Tamara and her bass player I got a little insight in to their other music likes and dislikes while we grabbed dinner. Again a moment I’ll remember for a long time; how often to you get one-on-one time with someone who has a hit on two national TV shows, full length album, EP, promo DVD and merchandise to boot? Not that often in my social circle.
When the new album comes out I’ll mail 10 loyal readers a copy if you promise to tell not 5, but 10 friends about it. It would be nice if you email me too and let me know what you thought of it…I can’t promise anything, but if I hear she is headed your way I just might make the trip out to see you too. ;) Wow…now that’s a bonus!
“I’m sure one day I’ll hear a song that doesn’t stretch out it’s hand as my soul reaches out to shake in a memorable moment of ‘hello’. Until then, I’m content.”
– Babbling Dweeb [2002]
I can’t click right
Apparently I wasn’t paying attention when I made some recent edits (because I forgot my grammar like a silly lil dweeb) and I pulled down my last few blog posts. Let me fix that!!
I’d blog that
I received this today and thought it was worth sharing. It fits with my last photo moment picture [#4] don’t you think?
As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn’t supposed to ever let you down probably will. You will have your heart broken probably more than once and it’s harder every time. You’ll break hearts too, so remember how it felt when yours was broken. You’ll fight with your best friend. You’ll blame a new love for things an old one did. You’ll cry because time is passing too fast, and you’ll eventually lose someone you love. So take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you’ve never been hurt because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you’ll never get back.
.: the babbling dweeb :. 