On the brink of the first full work week of 2011

So as I stare the first full week of 2011 in the face, being a Sunday evening now, I think back to what has happened in the last week. Besides thinking I was going to be writing this blog a lot more, which it hasn’t happened yet. It’s been crazy in the world for sure this last week. A week usually filled with people joining gyms and counting calories was a tad different. It started with hundreds of birds dropping dead from the sky in Arkansas. Then it happened in Louisiana. Then an estimated two million fish died along the rivers in Maryland. Then in Omaha, Nebraska, a high school senior decided to shoot the principal and assistant principal of his school, using his fathers gun (who is an Omaha detective, who is a close friend of my friends in Nebraska) and then just yesterday a 40 year old Congresswoman is shot point blank in the head by someone and 6 others are killed at a “Congress on the Corner” at a Safeway parking lot in Tucson, AZ. So here I was two of the largest news stories of the year so far in Nebraska and Tucson looking at very familiar backgrounds on CNN and other National news media.


As of yesterday morning I have purchased a new camera. I have purchased a Nikon D90 with an additional 18-200mm lens. I did so at Ritz Camera in Old Town Alexandria. Well I did so with the help of my credit card, photography equipment is very expensive and I really don’t have a couple grand burning a hole in my pocket. With the purchase Ritz has a multitude of classes I can take and which I plan on taking to gain even more knowledge and hopefully I can help pay for the camera thru work I do with it. Atleast that’s the plan. Ambitious is my middle name. Well its really James but ambitious sounds cooler.

Above is the photo from 2005 I took in Kuwait during a sandstorm

My “art” side is something that wants to come out, with the last camera I only entered one contest for the EPA on their Earth Day poster and I got a picture published on the Patriot Ledger website of Layla walking Goliath along the beach in Manomet. It was one of the first photographs I took with the new camera. Prior to that, with my last point and shoot camera, I had a photo that was on display in a traveling art show displaying Images from the War in Iraq called Reconnect US. Then the images were on display at the Pawtucket Armory for quite some time. I donated the framed photo for an auction where I chose the proceeds for its sale would go to the Special Olympics of Massachusetts. Yesterday my first photographs were in Annapolis, MD outside the US Naval Academy.

Photo of Layla and Golaith one of the first pictures I took with my Nikon D40X on March 18, 2008 that was displayed on the Patriot Ledger website. 

I love photography, and have enjoyed all the photos that my Nikon D40X has provided me over the last couple years. I look forward to getting to know the camera better than any other one I had used. I think having a creative outlet is essential in what people consider success. My brother plays his music; my father is going to dabble in his stained glass once again, and The Warden yanks on the penny slots until her heart is content at Twin River Casino.

I have run twice with my friend Melody this week. What began as a handshake at a Old Town Tri Club meeting had me working with her as she is a realtor and we have quite a bit in common. This week gave us a chance to run together twice which is something that hasn’t happened in quite some time. I haven’t run twice in the same week with someone since living in Plymouth. Hopefully this is a step in the right direction as to

Last night Danielle and I attended a Navy basketball game. We have the common thread of loving collegiate sports and really have no allegiance just love good competition. I had looked at tickets for Georgetown games or University of Maryland but it is insane how much people wanted for tickets to nosebleed seats on Craigslist. I decided to look into Navy and it was an awesome desiccation. We sat in the front row with a couple great couples in their 70’s they were a trip and one of the guys was a former player for the Midshipmen many moons ago. They also honored the 1986 NCAA Elite 8 team for the Midshipmen which included David Robinson. I have been a fan of him since he went to Navy and no one has been classier in the Pro Sports arena over his entire career. It was a thrill to see him up close.

The rest of the night tonight I am trying to hash out my race calendar for 2011 as the bound planner I have for the year begins to get full pages. I will post as soon as I am done.

My last bit of writing is for my sister Alicia. She is due any day now with her 4th installment of a child. A boy it has been confirmed, Danny and she are quite eager to see the latest arrival. I ask for well wishes as she has entered the final stages of pregnancy and hope for health and happiness for the entire family. I am very excited to see what the bundle of joy will be like and he will be in my thoughts tonight. Have I ever mentioned how much I love being an Uncle? Goodnight all.