9.30.08 Blackhawk

I shot this shiny helmet while covering a middle school ROTC program. A crew from the National Guard flew a Blackhawk helicopter in for the event. 

On the Blackhawk was a Marine I photographed in April 2006 while he was saying goodbye to his wife and 2-year-old son. He sent me a very moving e-mail from Iraq about the picture I took of him and I was so thankful to see him with his family today.

9.29.08 catnap on the couch

Blixie takes an afternoon nap on our red couch. She looks a little heavy, but everyone knows that the camera adds ten pounds.

9.28.08 another Jesus sighting

He really is omnipotent. This time I found him in the form of a bobblehead on a sound board at Grace Presbyterian Church. I was there this morning listening to Carter play with his friend Nick.

9.27.08 spotted in Wellington, U.S.A.

Jesus! This guy has a lot of joy.

9.26.08 my homemade Halloween decoration

This friendly guy is hanging out near my front door. I have spiders everywhere and it's driving me nuts! I can't walk three feet outdoors without running into a web. Argh!

UPDATE: This guy hasn't moved in two days. Me thinks he's dead and I'm not sure how to remove him. SHOP-VAC!

9.25.08 WuShock in the newsroom

A commercial featuring our very own fashion writer Bonnie Bing and WuShock (Wichita State University's colorful mascot) was filmed today in the Eagle's newsroom. That's Bonnie (WSU alum) showing Wu a few different outfits.

I was in one scene as an extra. I frantically ran through the newsroom clutching my camera on my way to an assignment. That's the way I roll when breaking news happens.

9.24.08 spotted on D. Loving's desk

That's a mighty large eraser.

9.23.08 Wichita, Kansas

This is Terry and he's very proud of his hometown. I spotted him working at Botanica and I stopped him and asked if I could take a picture. 

Terry said he has friends with "316" tattoos but he'd never do that because "they could change the area code and then you'd be screwed." Good point.

9.22.08 this is what 6:25 a.m. looks like

I started a 10-week exercise boot camp last week with Denise, Joe, Annie and a few other friends. We meet three times a week at 5:30 a.m. and do a combination of jogging, sprinting, strength-training and climbing those dang stairs at Cessna Stadium. (I sneakily got out of doing a lot of stairs this morning because I was busy documenting others hard at work.)

9.21.08 ring around the fiddler

This is CRG's shirt after last night's gig. I think he needs a new chin strap for his fiddle. He just got the shirt from Sheplers and I know if Kentucky White had seen him in it he'd probably say that he looked, "Mighty fine."

9.20.08 I just can't get enough of these pink drums

Yep, I know I've posted more than one picture of these hot drums, but this is the first one with the logo on the kick drum. 

This was taken at Oeno and it was a PARRR-TAY! I've never seen that place so packed. There were people inside and outside the patio grooving to our Cajun beat. The owner wants us back soon and even has plans to set up a Cajun buffet. Aaaaieeee!

Here's a link to a video that Denise (our roadie) made.

9.19.08 goat goal

I was once very passionate about basketball and I've shot goals all over the world (Russia, Costa Rica and even Tennessee). This is the first one I've seen with a goat tethered to it. 

9.18.08 a pug nose in macro

I'm watching Norty while his folks are in the Ozarks. Here's a close-up of that adorable pug face.

9.17.08 gnome garden

Who doesn't love a good gnome garden?

9.16.08 a Rose Hill road

This was much more spectacular when I first spotted it, because the sun was on top of the hill. By the time I turned around and returned to the spot, the sun had gone down. 

9.15.08 Jesus was my cashier

I spent $80 on groceries and really didn't come home with much. I purchased a puny bag of apples that cost $8. 

Why didn't Jesus multiply my groceries? I know he can do it.

9.14.08 gators

Denise asked Lexi to suggest a kid to invite on their outing to the Kansas State Fair. She suggested me and when I suggested to Denise that I had things to do, well, Denise suggested that Lexi would get over it when she became a teenager. I know, I'm a sucker, but I had a great time.

One of the many things we did was check out the alligator show that featured Burt (pictured above), a guy I grew up with in Tampa, Fla. We Floridians love us some gators.

9.13.08 high school football

I shot high school football for the first time in ages, seriously, the last time was likely before the invention of digital photography. As you can see, I was enamored with the beautiful astroturf. When I wasn't looking at the ground, I photographed some action, too.

9.12.08 rain, rain, please go away

I took this today while photographing a rescue during the floods. Believe it or not, this is someone's backyard. 

9.11.08 seven years later

These folks painted their house shortly after Sept. 11, 2001. I'm all for patriotism, but I'm kinda glad they don't live next door to me. 

9.10.08 light fixture at Abuelo's

"I think my eyes are getting better. Instead of a big dark blur, I see a big light blur." -HAN SOLO, Star Wars Episode VI (Brian, that's for you.)

9.09.08 siblings

I can kinda see the family resemblance between Lexi and Norty in this pic. Very sweet.

9.08.08 Zebra meat

The Roundup Room Restaurant in Wellington. Zebra is on the wall, not on the menu.

9.07.08 a very Cajun weekend

We finished off our Cajun weekend with some of Denise's homemade gumbo and some hot sauce for supper.

9.06.08 a whole lotta Mudbuggin'

This is the only frame I shot yesterday. It's me with Denise and Carter (and the crawfish hanging on the hat) at Zoobilee where the Mudbugs played a rockin' show on Bourbon St. I wish I could share more pics from the zoo, but I was just too busy banging my sticks to shoot pics.

UPDATE: Denise just posted a short video from the evening.

9.05.08 cookies and gators

I went to the fair today with Denise and we discovered that they are selling cookies as big as your head. 

We also interviewed the alligator wrestler who is performing all week at the fair (today's shw was cancelled because of the rain). I asked him where he was from and he said Tampa, of course I screamed, "I'm from Tampa, too." Turns out I knew him. It's not uncommon for Denise to run into people she grew up with at the fair since she's from Dodge City. This was a first for me.

9.04.08 Mudbugs

A few Mudbugs met at Red Beans Bayou Grill for some jambalaya, etouffee and mudbugs. This Mudbug didn't dine on our namesake. That's just wrong!

9.03.08 a pirate knight who loves Star Wars

The littlest CRG turned six today. He dined on some of his favorite foods: his grandma's mac and cheese, fried chicken and the very best cake I've ever had. 

He also got lots of presents including a knight outfit, a pirate outfit and lots of cool Star War stuff. 

9.02.08 big dog in Delano

We spotted this dog peaking over a really tall fence while walking Norty earlier. It's a beautiful night and I predict Dave Freeman will soon say that it's "great sleeping weather, folks."

9.01.08 Labor Day jam

Nick and Lexi enjoy the musical talents of Kenny, Robin, David and Jenny Lou at the Arb. Good times. 

8.31.08 Big DD and big beer

For the record, this big beer that belonged to Brian. Directly behind the hops is the man called Big DD. (Not pictured is Big Dan.) 

Lots of bigs and lots of beer and lots of yummy pizza at Mulligans. BTW, drinks are 2-4-1 on Sundays at that joint.