a dark day

words cant describe the black cloud that came from the east this past weekend...

lightning and thunder

Well if you live anywhere near where the house is, last night was the first thunderstorm of 2010. Plenty of crazy lightning and booming thunder went on for quite some time last evening.   Some substantial pouring rain also came down. After helping out a great friend of mine with some computer issues I drove back to the house in the middle of the storm.  The lightning that pierced the clouds was incredible, it was blinding.  I definitely enjoy a good spring thunderstorm, its nice just listening to whats going on.  After I got inside I went to work on some photos for a friend and her boyfriend.  The thunderstorm was a good soundtrack in the background. Thankfully the house held up well, the winter didn't destroy my downspouts so all the water made it away from the house and didn't cause any issues.  It's amazing to me how certain things trigger memories, last night reminded me of good old apartment 5109F.  I remember plenty of spring and summer storms a couple years ago, laying down upstairs with the windows open, relaxing and falling asleep to the sound of the thunderstorm. Those were some great days, after the storm calmed down I couldn't help but to hit play on some JC...  "These are the days I've been missing..."

some things are worth the wait...

I don't mean to completely veer off course...  Well yes I do, I can't help it.  This is just way cooler than the boring post I had worked up....    after months and months of waiting it is soooo close...

marching on...

It’s been a little while since I posted any updates. Mostly because I haven’t changed too much stuff around the house lately, and the stuff I have changed I need to take some pictures of, so I'll have to veer off a little on this post. I’ve been pretty busy with life before, and since, my last post. The end of January and February was a busy month with other things. So busy in fact I just realized its March 1st. I feel kind of bad I haven’t spent too much time on the house, mostly the time spent here has been getting furniture set up and starting to get some art hung up. I need to get some more art made, so hopefully I can start getting that going and post it on my other blog. But I haven’t made too many other changes, for a few reasons, just time in general being the biggest. Been trying to enjoy life outside of here a little bit since I made a big push around the house previously. Another reason, is a little creative fun has turned into something a lot bigger. What started as me and some good buddies experimenting with photos has really taken off and got a lot of people interested. So much so, we had a big event, even with a giant snowstorm. Now it’s gotten so popular we have our own fan page on the bookface. If you want, you can head over there and see what we are doing. It’s taken up some of my time, but well worth it since its really getting a lot of people together for good times. Plus it enabled me to put the house to use for one of its original intentions, getting family and friends together. I remember talking about it many times when the search for a house was on, how friends and family could come over and enjoy each others company. How that would be a really important part of the house, and how much it would mean. This was the first time it has happened, and it really was a great moment in time...


http://www.facebook.com/digitaltherapy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1-uRMVIbro

The Eve of the Celebration

Tonight is a special night, for tomorrow myself and many others celebrate the birth of Christ.  This evening many people are preparing last minute items for the big day.  Others are spending time with family or loved ones.  Its a special time for kids, the excitement builds for the big morning when they see what presents they may have.  Its a special night in so many ways for sure.  Its special for me, this is the first Christmas Eve in this house.  I really have to count my blessings on what I have.  I have a roof over my head when many are losing theirs, I have a job that enables me to live a good life, I can provide plenty for myself and extend that to others.  I'm really glad I have the means to fix this place up, I've turned it around from what it was, and it will get even better. The blogs have been a success from what everyone says, and my projects are getting plenty of interest all over the internet. I'd like to think I'm pretty humble, so it was tough for me to start promoting the things I do, I didn't want to come off as someone who is full of myself or someone that is just trying to get ahead.  Everyone is taking an interest to what I do, so its pretty cool, and we'll see what comes of it, I'm glad people can relate to what I do and say. Hopefully it gives some people new ideas or insight, or even something they can relate to, thats all I'm really looking to do.  When I look at everything I have going this Christmas Eve its pretty amazing and I am truly blessed.  I am really thankful for all of it, and all the friends and family that have gone above and beyond the last few months.  Its interesting, there are no gifts under this homemade tree.  All the gifts I need are all around me.

I was expecting this Christmas season to be totally different than it is.  So its definitely bittersweet sitting here this Christmas Eve.  Being here in this house, thinking about how life has changed, thinking about what tonight was supposed to be like.  Its a struggle for sure.  For me it goes back to my first blog post.  What's in my heart still isn't here.  My heart has this missing piece, and only one thing can fill it.  Its amazing how awesome everything is going, yet how one part of the heart can make things so difficult.  I always knew what was in my heart was important, I always knew what it meant, this isn't one of those moments of you don't know what its got until its gone. I'm not that guy, I appreciate every moment, I'm not oblivious to it.  This is a moment when you know what you're missing, and there's absolutely nothing you can do about it.  As you can see from my blogs I am the sort of person that gets things done, that makes something out of nothing.  So for me, when you can't make something happen, because no matter what you do, the outcome has nothing to do with you, its like being bound and gagged. I hope I've done what I can, it seems I've done all I can do and more, and probably too much.  So I sit here this Christmas Eve and pray for help that I get what I'm really missing inside.  I'm going to watch the lights dim, I'm going to celebrate the Birth of Christ, and I'm going to thank God for everything I have, cause right now I need to trust in the fact he has given me all I need at this time.

Merry Christmas to all!

O Tannenbaum

So this is a time of cheer, a time to be near; to family, friends, and loved ones.  Also a time to decorate the place you live with decorations and ornaments to remind us of the spirit of the Christmas season. Most normal people buy a fake tree, or cut a tree from a tree farm. Then they bring it to their residence and place some decorations and lights on it and make it fit their style or taste of their ideal Christmas. I've always had an apartment, haven't had many decorations, haven't had much space for a large tree. So I haven't acquired many of the decorations and lights for Christmas time. I had three strands of lights, green, red, and white; their most famous use for was a party I had four years ago at the beginning of December. One of the best memories that ended up being the beginning of so many more.  Anyway, I basically have no other decorations for a tree. I always wanted a modern, chic, interesting tree but I didn't want to spend a lot of money this year on decorations or a tree because I'd rather spend that money giving presents to others.  So what's a guy like me to do for a tree?  I needed to come up with something fast because I've been preoccupied.  Well, why not build a tree?  I used all reused items I have laying around. I've changed a lot of things around here so I had some things that I could put to use. It's not exactly super chic because I busted it out very quickly, but it gets the job done, I spent a total of $2 to get a plug, and it brings some Christmas cheer.  Its pseudo modern in its shape, definitely industrial in nature. This was something fun to do Hopefully this shows that you don't have to buy everything at a store, with some creativity and some ambition you can make something out of nothing.  Some of the best decorations or gifts are the ones you put some love and/or work into, remember that when you are giving someone a gift this year!

2x4's, framing nails, green vinyl covered chain link fence, string, paper, wrapping paper cut into decorations, the lights I had, an old chandelier, wire, and of course I had to use a little bit of duct tape!

follow this link for the pics...
O Tannenbaum Pics

light unto my path...

We'll start this little miniseries with the utility lights and move our way up to the more important ones. The light above the sink was an old dual bulb T8 fixture that almost burnt my hand when I took it out. Last thing I need is another scar, besides one from that light wouldn't be as cool of a story as the scars on my arm.  That thing was obviously burning some serious energy.  I replaced it with a dual bulb T5 fixture, Energy Star rated of course. I should have taken a pic for scale between the two fixtures, the T5 fixture is about 1/3 the size, the whole fixture is the size of one of the old bulbs.  Actually provides more light and I'm sure is way more efficient.  Trying to keep it green as I can within a budget.

related break - update

Well, I have been getting the full court press from everyone on the TV status.  Sit down, take a deep breath. The television is broken.  At least the TV can be replaced, the important things that have broke lately could never be replaced. I honestly don't really care that it's broken, it's just a TV, they make them everyday. It is a loss, not so much material, more emotional; if the TV could talk it would tell of some great times spent by me, the one I love (in my best David Gray voice), family, and friends enjoying it. I remember an indoor picnic in front of it not too long ago that was just plain awesome! Hit the jump for the unbelievable outcome of this situation.

paint and puppies

So this is what happens when you have a puppy cruising around while you are painting. Hmmm, what's outside, lets get up on the window sill and look. Oops, white paws.  Nice paw print though, I think CSI won't even have to come in and use their high-tech super duper X5000 ultra infrared, ultraviolet, subsonic print device to catch this criminal.  CSI is on again this season by the way, right now its looking like this year won't be nearly as good as the last few years, but maybe I will be proved wrong.

bonfires cause memories

Well the neighbors were nice enough to invite me over for a bonfire that they had going. I am pretty blessed to have some good neighbors and a neighborhood you can have a nice bonfire. Reminded me of some fantastic nights in the country with friends, family, and loved ones... Wish those memories were still getting repeated over and over...