Snap Me One.

Scott and Sarah's Wedding.

2010-07-19T19:44:00.003-05:00

I had a great time this weekend shooting Scott and Sarah's wedding. I'm feeling a little lazy so I won't post any pictures here. Instead you'll have to click here. I thought they turned out really great. As always, prints can be ordered through the site.

I'm moving to Uganda today so there won't be too many posts here. Instead track this blog.

Quick update

2010-06-30T10:20:00.004-05:00

I have updated my portraits gallery with a few new sub-galleries. I've added more pictures from my last trip to Costa Rica. It was fun to look through the pictures again and recount all the fun memories.

I finish my last class today and prepare for a 5 month trip to Uganda with Samaritans Purse (SP). Before I leave, I have a quick trip to California to attend a wedding, a week long orientation/ training in North Carolina with SP, then a return trip to Philly to shoot a wedding, last minute packing and a few good byes. Then off to London then to Uganda.

I'll be surveying all of their projects in various parts of the country. After that six week tour, I'll pick one project to focus on and spend the rest of my time there. Areas of interest are: food distribution, HIV/AIDS and lastly Water and Sanitation. It's been an exciting journey thus far and it will only get better once I arrive. I leave on the 19th of July.

I'm debating what to do in terms of blogging/ photo posting. I'm considering creating a separate space where I can dialogue about the experience, culture, poverty, etc. Stay tuned...

racebike

2010-06-07T11:15:00.003-05:00

My brother picked up a little dirt bike. It's been so much fun and has provided many great photo opportunities.

2010-06-07T10:53:00.003-05:00

My neighbors have been coming out more now that it's the summer and the days are longer. They're getting used to us. Here's a few snaps of them.

Carnival

2010-04-06T09:15:00.002-05:00

Went to a local carnival the other night with a few friends and had a blast. Took the camera along for a few pics. More here.

Easter

2010-04-06T08:58:00.004-05:00

After a wonderful Easter meal, we took the gocarts out for a little fun. Here's a few pictures from the "track" with more here.

Special Series: My Feet.

2010-04-05T13:25:00.003-05:00

I'm embarrassed I haven't posted in such a long time. I haven't shot a whole lot lately and my graduate studies take up much of my time. But... here's a post.

I started a new series where I take a picture of my feet in an interesting place or scene. I've been doing it for a few years now in the many places around the world I have been fortunate to travel to. Here's a few pictures with more here.

Britton Family

2009-10-26T06:36:00.005-05:00

Yesterday I went for a walk through Tyler State Park with the 2 Britton children seen below. We played in the leaves, looked for snakes and climbed on tires. I think I had more fun than they did. Here are a few pictures from the day, but more more can be found here.

Derek and Sarah Riddell's wedding

2009-10-05T06:32:00.007-05:00

A few images from my brother's beautiful fall wedding. More images can be found here. Check back again in several weeks to see the rest.

2009-09-29T12:13:00.003-05:00

A few images from another senior picture shoot, this time of Tanya. She was an adventurous model, standing on railroad tracks and ankle deep in cold rushing water but the results were well worth it. More pictures from the day can be seen here.

Erin Severn Senior Portraits

2009-09-29T12:07:00.003-05:00

I had the chance to shoot Erin's senior pictures for her yearbook photo. Here's a few favorite but more can be seen here.

Rachel and Eric's Wedding

2009-09-07T10:08:00.006-05:00

This weekend I shot Eric and Rachel's wedding in a suburb outside of Philadephia. I knew Rachel from middle school because we rode the same bus to school every day for years. Well time flies and just like that we're older and Rachel is now married to a great guy named Eric. I had a ton of fun at this wedding, saw some awesome dance moves and heard my first singing deejay. Here are just a few pictures from the day but more can be found here.

Summer pictures

2009-08-26T08:31:00.002-05:00

Here's two summer photos I like. The cow picture is from a place called Tanners, near my home. It is a local farm/grocery store that sells the best ice cream around. We go and get ice cream and head over to watch the cows as we lick away on our cones. The second is a photo of a friendly cat I met when shooting Derek and Sarah's engagement photos below. Enjoy.

Derek Riddell and Sarah Weiss Engagement Pictures

2009-08-26T08:17:00.000-05:00

Long.Ware Wedding

2009-08-09T10:48:00.003-05:00

A sneak peek of the very recent (yesterday) wedding between Katie Long and Chad Ware. After a long week, this wedding was a welcome relief and I had a great time. Stay tuned for more pictures to come in the next several weeks. Prints can be ordered here.

Teegan. Houchins Wedding

2009-07-26T22:27:00.003-05:00

I had a wonderful Sunday morning in a beautiful park, shooting my first wedding. Denise and I work together at the hospital but she found out that I also take pictures on the side. She oh so slyly approached me and asked me to shoot her wedding. Just an hour or two before she asked me I was praying to God, asking for opportunities to make more money. A special day for Denise and John, but also a wonderful answer to prayer and not-so-subtle reminder that I am looked after.

I had a great time capturing this wonderful couple's special day, July 26th. Enjoy a few sneak peek images, lots more to edit, process and eventually post. More photos can be found here.

St. Louis

2009-07-22T12:08:00.004-05:00

I went down to St. Louis for a 3 day weekend to visit an old friend from college. I went to the Arch as well as the St. Louis Zoo. Here are a few of my favorites. More can be seen here.

Engagement pictures

2009-06-07T17:07:00.004-05:00

Last weekend I shot Chad and Katie's engagement pictures. Their wedding is in August down in Chicago. We took the photos at a local forest preserve where they both like to run to. A fun place to explore and take pictures. Here's a few of my favorites. More can be found here.

Zion

2009-05-29T14:11:00.003-05:00

We spent 4 or 5 days in Zion National Park, mostly backpacking through the back country trails the park offers. 3 nights and 37 miles later, I was pretty wiped out but glad to have had the opportunity to see so many beautiful things. I look forward to returning to Zion one day. For now, here's some favorites. More can be found here.

Rocky Mountain National Park

2009-05-29T12:06:00.002-05:00

An awesome place with so many different scenic views. One hour can be sent on top of a 12,000 foot mountain, another down in a grassy meadow watching moose or elk graze. It's the source of the Colorado river as well as home to the Continental Divide. A very cool place that requires more time than we could have given it. Here's a few. More can be found here.

Tunnels!

2009-05-29T12:02:00.003-05:00

While driving through the Rocky Mountains, inevitably some mountains get in the way of where you're trying to go. That's a problem. Solution: drive through them. Here's a few tunnel pictures.

Sylvan Lake State Park, Colorado

2009-05-29T11:54:00.003-05:00

We spent one night at a cool place called Sylvan Lake State Park just outside Eagle, Colorado. It broke up the painfully long drive and gave us some time to explore before reaching our final destinations in Utah. Here's a few of my favorites. More can be found here.

Bryce Canyon National Park

2009-05-29T10:50:00.003-05:00

Bryce is a beautiful place that simply must be visited if possible. It's a magical place that leaves you standing in wonder. We did a night hike where we hike down into the middle of the canyon as the sun is setting then hike out of the canyon in the darkness of the desert night. Your eyes eventually adjust and a small amount of light from the moon and thousands of stars help to illuminate your path. It made for a long, 5 mile hike and a long night but enjoyable none the less. More pictures from the day here.

Road Trip

2009-05-29T10:42:00.005-05:00

I just got back from a 4,000 mile road trip from Chicago to Colorado to Utah and back. It was a big outdoors/camping/backpacking/hiking trip. Lot's of fun in a beautiful place. Here's a few pictures from my favorite spots. There are too many to share in blog form so check out the rest of the galleries here. Here are four from Arches National Park just outside Moab, Utah.

Baseball

2009-05-09T19:52:00.004-05:00

I went to a baseball game today for a few innings. It was a blow out in our favor so I didn't stick around for too long. Here's a few favorite shots from the day. It was the last game of the season and also Senior Day, thus the jerseys on the fence, hanging in their honor.

Welcome Summer.

2009-05-09T19:45:00.002-05:00

I say "welcome Summer" because Chicago doesn't have much of a spring. It's cold and rainy then all of a sudden it's 75 degrees and your skin is turning pink and sweaty. Summer means I finally get to ride my motorcycle again, making me one happy camper. Here's two cool pictures I took of the little guy today with a little Lightroom work. I like them alot.

Field Day/Dorm Wars

2009-05-02T19:10:00.004-05:00

This weekend was out big hall event and for it we put on a field day for our residents. We played all sorts of games, climbed a big rock wall brought by the U.S. Army, and ended the night with a huge water balloon war. Below are some fun photos from the day. More can be found here.

Wrigley

2009-05-02T18:51:00.002-05:00

Today I went to see the Cubs destroy the Florida Marlins by a score of 6-1 at the amazing and historic Wrigley Field in Chicago. It was a beautiful day filled with hotdogs, slurpees, train rides and a bit of a sunburn. All in all, a great day.

Saturday afternoon baseball

2009-04-18T17:28:00.009-05:00

It was a beautiful warm 70 degree day in Chicago. A perfect day for a baseball game. Here's a few of my favorites from the day. More pic from the game can be found here.

Junior.Senior

2009-04-11T14:41:00.003-05:00

Last weekend was Junior Senior, a dinner/dance for the upperclassman. I went with a bunch of friends and had a great time. Here's a few pictures from the event.

A shot before the night at the "bean" in Millenium Park, Chicago.

The Madsen Hall staff, minus Andy.

Dancing the night away.

A night time shot of the J. Pritzker Pavilion, the choice venue for this years event.

Lessons from the OR

2009-03-22T22:21:00.002-05:00

Before the weekend begun, we had a 3 year old patient come in to the OR with a small Barbie doll shoe stuck up their nose. A small white high heeled shoe to be precise. After intubating and sedating, the ENT Doc stuck a small camera up the nose and found the little thing. We pulled it out. It was kind of funny but not too funny for a 3 year old.

Lesson of the day, noses are for breathing and smelling, not for storing small barbie accessories. Lesson learned.

Walk with my friends

2009-03-22T22:03:00.004-05:00

I took my friends (canon 5D/30D) for a walk in the woods today. My room mate and I went for a run yesterday to a very cool forest preserve just a few minutes down the road. It was a wooded wonderland I never knew existed. I felt like I stepped through a big wooden chest and entered Narnia, only it wasn't a fantasy. I returned today with my cameras to scout it out for some possible engagement sessions. It ended up to be a really fun couple of hours. I got my boots dirty, took lots of self portraits and found a few keepers in Black and White.

Sidenote: I am actually a pretty happy person, even if I didn't smile in any of the pictures shown below.

Zambia

2009-03-22T21:25:00.009-05:00

Clearly I am back from Zambia. It was wonderful to go back and to see old friends and make a few new ones. It's hard to summarize everything from the trip. It would take a bazillion blog posts. I'll post a few of my favorite pictures and tell you why they are my favorites. How about that?

I spent 3 nights at a boy's home called the Lazarus Project. They withdrawal children from the streets and rehabilitate them through schooling, skills training, and counseling, etc. One of the days spent there, my students and I got to do some teaching at the community school. 45 rowdy 2nd graders can be a handful. It was tons of fun.

This is Mathews, one of the older boys at the project. He is scene here in his dorm room fixing his sandal or tropical as they call them there.

Shown above are Gilbert (left) and John (right). They befriended me on the first night and were a lot of fun to be around. Behind them is their soccer field. I don't know why I like this photo so much but I do. More pictures from the Lazarus Project can be found here.

For much of the trip we stayed at a place called Eureka Farm. It's like a hostel/backpackers/campers place to stay. Cheap and nice. They have Zebras, Giraffes and Impalas plus a few Kudu and Ostriches. Here's a few pictures from early morning walks.

More images from Eureka can be found here.

I was able to go on a safari for one day by myself when the main group was adventuring around Livingstone. I went back to Chobe National Park in Botswana hoping to see many elephants and at least one lion. It was a bust in the sense that neither of those things happened. I did however see lots of other wonderful scenery and animals shown below.

Many more pictures from my safari can be found here.

I took tons and tons of pictures so I will have to update again when I have more time. Check out the galleries under "Zambia" as well as "Travel."

Zambia!

2009-03-08T05:42:00.002-05:00

I'm writing from Zambia, at an internet cafe on a lunch break. Lot's to say but not enough time to say it. It's been a lot of fun so far with some great experiences.

We arrived safely after nearly 2 days of flying, nearly 10,000 miles. Amsterdam was neat but confirmed my disliking of Europe in general. It was a little cold and rainy. Got a few good pictures that I can try to post later.

Zambia is nice, amazing weather, just as I remember. We went to Jesus Cares and it was real nice. Good things seem to be happening.

We are staying at the same place I once stayed at when I lived here. Ironic. We hope to go back to a new place tonight. They have zebras, giraffes and impalas. Not a bad morning walk/ safari.

I've been waking up really early, around 4 or 5 but enjoying the quiet of the morning and the solidarity. I've spent much of the time with tons of kids. It's fun but a little hard for me.

So far so good. More updates a little later, maybe a picture of two.

10 days until Zambia!

2009-02-22T11:36:00.004-06:00

In 10 Days I head to O'Hare to fly back to Zambia for 2 weeks. I am very, very excited. The post would be a mile long if I listed all the reasons why I am excited. Here's a few pictures of past trips, just for fun.

Diamond Ball

2009-02-21T12:17:00.016-06:00

I shot the Diamond Ball at my school this weekend. Lots of fun but very challenging. It was really dark. It was my first shoot with my new 5D. It is awesome. Enjoy a few of my favorites.

2009-02-17T13:14:00.004-06:00

Here's my latest desktop background picture, maybe one the best pictures I have ever taken. I really, really like it. Enjoy.

50's in February

2009-02-07T22:39:00.005-06:00

Today it was a warm and balmy 50 degrees, not bad considering it's February and it's Chicago. We've have the same gross snow on the ground for nearly a month now because it hasn't been warm enough to melt away.

I went to the zoo with 2 new things, a canon 5D and a Tokina 300mm F2.8, AKA crazy awesome new camera stuff. While the lighting was incredibly harsh and I still feel like I have no idea what I am doing, I took a few good pictures, as shown below. Enjoy.

NSSED Dance

2009-02-02T10:21:00.005-06:00

I got to shoot a dance this weekend. My school hosted it for a bunch of special needs kids and their teachers. It was really fun to interact with them and to watch them dance and have fun. We had some door prizes and it was hilarious to see them so excited when they won a sweatshirt or hat. Here's a couple from the night.

Lessons from the OR

2009-01-11T17:33:00.003-06:00

When walking your dog on a cold, snow covered, Chicago night, make sure you are not heavily intoxicated.

A patient came in with a terribly broken ankle, caused from a fall while walking her dog one night. A nasty, compound fracture with bone sticking out and blood all over the place. Just moving her to the table made quite the mess.

Ironically, some weeks earlier she had broken that same ankle. You should have seen those X-ray's when we were all done with her. There must have been nearly 20 screws and 2 plates.
Ironically, she's a nurse at another hospital. Who says health care professionals know how to take care of themselves?

Walk your dog, but make sure you are not wasted. From what I have seen or been told, walking can be hard enough when un-sober.

Lessons from the OR

2009-01-11T17:25:00.005-06:00

Today's lesson is a profound but simple one.

When walking or working on top of roofs, be careful. They are high and you can fall off. That hurts.

We had a patient come into the OR with 2 broken heals, resulting in several hours of blood filled surgery to reset the 2 fracture with some hardware and fantastic display of medical genius. On top of all that, the patient was a recipient of not one but two new, shiny white fiberglass casts, one for each leg. It was the first time I felt the urge to grab a Sharpie and write a little note, maybe throw my John Hancock on one of 'em. I felt bad for the guy, but then again, bad things happen when you fall off roofs.

So be careful the next time you need to hang those Christmas lights, check the furnace vent, reposition that sagging satellite dish or check for a leak. Don't fall off.

Merry Christmas!

2009-01-11T14:06:00.002-06:00

On Christmas Day, my little brother proposed to his girlfriend. I was fortunate enough to take a few pictures of the actual event. It was very exciting and I am honored to be allowed to witness such a special moment in their lives. Here are a few photos of the day, including one fun one that I love because of the bokeh from my new 2.8 L lens.

2009-01-11T13:45:00.001-06:00

This weekend I went to the Brookfield Zoo just outside of Chicago for a fun day in the snow. I've been to this zoo before and I really like it. It's enormous and takes hours to get around it and see all the animals they care for. It snowed most of the day so very few people were there. It made for a nice, chill, quiet day at the zoo. I saw a newborn Orangutan, just 4 months old or so. I love the African animals so it was great to see Rhino's, Elephants, Giraffe, etc.

Like most weekends, I went to church. We looked at the story of Noah, specifically the flood and God's promise to Man to never flood the earth again. I'm Glad God decided to save the animals through the ark. Animals, for whatever reason, are just fascinating to me. I love their diversity, personality, humor and design. The wombats looked like mini footballs that I just wanted to tackle (playfully, not abusively). I could watch the seals swim for hours. Otters always make me laugh. Rhinos scare me to death but they're hard not to stare at.

Here's some pictures from the day.

Hello, I'm a Mac.

2008-12-24T02:41:00.000-06:00

Lots of buzz now a days about the whole Mac vs. PC never ending debate. I thought I'd chime in on the debate. It's my blog so I can.

Yes, I am a Mac guy but not because I have artsy glasses and take pictures. I once had a Dell that ran XP. It was alright. I don't miss it one bit. I went Mac and won't ever go back. I have a MacBook Pro right now, got it off ebay for a steal. It's pretty rad. It works...all the time.

It's great because Mac's are basically industry standard for photography and digital media/ design etc. An added perk. I like not having to update anti-virus every single hour because there are a million viruses out there just one email click away. I like how my keyboard glows when the room is dark. I like the built in speakers, they sound really good actually and they're loud. My battery lasts almost 3 hours and it's an old one. Not bad at all. It also links nicely with my iphone, true technical bliss. DVI-out right on the side, no adapter needed. I often connect to a 20" Apple LCD Display. The list goes on and one.

I get annoyed when people make fun of me because I am a Mac guy. They automatically think that I think I am better than they are. Did you follow that? I don't care what kind of computer you use. Most people who have Mac's don't have a clue how to use most of the programs or know how to maximize their computer. I don't care about that either. I know Mac's are pricey but they work. I'd rather spend the money than have a PC break down at the most inopportune time. Cheap computers are made with cheap parts. My Dell's power supply went out in the first month of use. No good.

Rant complete. Don't judge.

2008-12-24T02:33:00.001-06:00

It seems like it's been a while. Oh wait, that's because it has. About a month and a half actually. Sure there's things to blog about but is there time to do so? I'm only doing this now because it's 2:30 in the morning and I can't sleep. I have some good ideas for my blog and things I want to do with it. Gear reviews, photo shoot updates, etc. I'm hoping to get into portraits and maybe even engagement/ wedding stuff. I almost throw up in my mouth when I write that but the fact is camera stuff ain't cheap but weddings pay well. We'll see if I can get into that strange photo world. Any guinea pigs?

Update: I got a Canon 1D MKII and a 28-70 F2.8 L. Both are awesome, blazing fast and sharp. Hoping it takes things to a new level.

Christmas vacation in a few days, heading home for a few days. Very excited.

...and I'm proud to be an American....

2008-11-03T00:09:00.000-06:00

Election day is this week. Who will take the helm of the U.S of A?

Yes, I voted. Absentee, mailed it in a few weeks ago. I hope I filled it all out right. My vote better count for something.

I'm not nervous. I know our economy is tanking. But gas is down again. I didn't loose my 401 K because I don't even have one. I'll be a little worried when inflation hits and our dollar can buy even less. That's when things get sticky. It just better not get like Zimbabwe., then we're in trouble. That place is a mess.

Interesting times we live in. Even America is susceptible to fall, perhaps not by a foreign occupancy but a financial meltdown. Who'd a thunk? I think I blame all of this on the greedy people of America. Let's blame Enron. Things were good before they went bust. Right?

Tuesday we get a new leader. Maybe things will get better. Maybe they won't.

Either way, God is my President and his stock market won't collapse. I'm investing it all in Him.

Don't drop stuff update.

2008-11-03T00:06:00.001-06:00

Well my friends, my ghetto rigged camera strap mistake cost me 177 dollars according to the estimate I got from Canon. Awesome. Let's hope that covers everything. I've been eye-ing the old Canon 1D Mk II's. 8 frames per second could be pretty awesome, besides I don't really love my 40D that much. Stay tuned.

Laser beams

2008-11-02T23:45:00.000-06:00

Sunday night. November 2, '08. 10:30pm. 63 degrees outside. Motorcycle ride.

I love driving the bike and getting to the end of the driveway and wondering which way to turn. To the right- Lake Michigan and decent roads to get me towards Wisconsin...fast roads. To the left, once I get out of the burbs, country roads...fast roads. I went right, filled up the tank and headed north for 20 miles.

I haven't ridden the bike for nearly 3 weeks. It kills me to walk past her every day and hop in the minivan. It sucks actually. But not tonight, because I rode tonight. 42 whole miles.

I love my iphone. It kept me entertained the whole ride. Aol radio on a phone is incredible, not one break up in coverage the whole night.

I went fast. 105 fast. A safe 105, but fast enough to remember why I don't always go 105. My heart rate didn't even accelerate. I get more of a rush hitting a tight right handed turn at 45, even though I should hit it at 25. What's crazy is my little gal has so much more than 105 and she knows it. She's a tempting little vixen.

Then it started to rain lightly, enough to make me slow down... a little. Light rain at 75 feels like little laser beams burning your flesh off. I kept the visor up, you know, the wind in your face kind of thing. I had glasses but they aren't laser proof. Maybe insurance can cover the upgrade next year.

That may have been my last ride of the season (tear). Time to pack it in and suck it up for the winter. The minivan is actually a champ in the winter so I actually get really excited for the snowy night drives home from work. That domestic, 7 seater, sport edition kicks snows butt.

Another weekend over and spent. Did I use it well? Maybe, but probaby not really. Another week ahead of me. Will I use it well? I hope so.

Don't drop stuff.

2008-10-29T12:17:00.000-05:00

Not so funny story. On Saturday, about 5 minutes before I was going to go shoot the football game I dropped my camera, with lens attached. Not just any lens but my most favorite and loved Canon 70-200 F2.8 L lens. My 1,000 dollar lens. Grrr. Yes, it broke. It no longer manual or auto focuses and for whatever reason when I change the zoom the focus also changes.

It's on it's way to Cali as I speak for a little extreme home makeover. I'm not too thrilled to get the bill for that. I could probably buy a new lens instead I will be paying to fix one that I already own.

Don't drop stuff.

Lessons from the OR

2008-10-29T12:06:00.000-05:00

Today's "Lesson from the OR" is that Fire, Gasoline and Alcohol do not mix.

We did a skin graft on a 20 something year old who basically lit his leg on fire. It was not a pretty sight. I've seen a lot of stuff in my time in the OR. Last week we had a patient die on the table. Bled out. I cleaned him up, put him in the body bag, put on the toe tag, etc. Gross I know. Skin grafts however kind of make me qweezy. Here's why.

The surgeon needs to get rid of all the bad skin that was damaged so he takes a huge, long, flat blade and basically scraped the dead skin off. Imagine the old school, wild-west-like barber shaving a mans neck with that long shiny blade and warm foam. No warm foam here, just bright red blood seeping through the skin and draining down the drapes. Once the area is prepped the surgeon shaves some good skin off a different area of the leg, again like a barber. It goes through a cool little grinder that puts little holes in the skin so it can stretch and cover more surface area. It then gets staples to the area in need then wrapped up in all sorts of dressings. 5 days later you're good as new.

Skin is facinating but gross.

So today's lesson: Fire and Gasoline are A-Okay but don't throw in Alcohol. Three's a crowd.

2008-10-18T15:35:00.000-05:00

Today is my Birthday. A whopping 24. Birthdays aren't too exciting for me anymore. I am fortunate enough to be surrounded by people who are constantly encouraging and supporting me and reminding me of how awesome I am. My birthday really just feels like another normal day. I spent it thrift store shopping, grocery shopping and working on my website. Sounds boring to you, but it's just fine with me.

It's interesting to see the growth in technology over the years, specifically on my birthday. You know, back in the day, I'd get hand written cards in the mail from friends and family. If I was lucky there would be a little something something in there, say a 10 dollar bill. No cards this year. Back in "the day", I'd get phone calls from friends and family wishing me a happy birthday. Now it's text messages, emails and facebook posts. I find it interesting to get "happy birthday " wishes from people who I haven't talked to for several years. The only way they knew it was my birthday was from the little column on the side of their facebook home page. I don't really know what message I am trying to say, it's just interesting to note the changing of the times. Birthdays usually bring about a spirit of remembrance, recollection or reflection.

I need to remind myself of the accomplishements I made during my year as a 23 year old. Here's some highlights, on a personal, non-spiritual level:

Went on a legit Safari in Botswana, saw wild lions, elephants, etc.
Bought a ton of nice camera gear.
Bought a ton of nice computer gear, yeah Macbook Pro.
Paid off my student loans so now I don't have to fund a Bank CEO's lavish lifestyle.
Swam in the Amazon River.
Played with Howler Monkeys in the Amazon Rain Forest.
Cubs game @ Wrigley.
Fun Surgery stories.
And a bazillion other great things I probably forgot already.

What does this year hold? Maybe I'll date a super model, race motorcycles in Italy or live in a hut in a far far away land, grow potatoes and wash my clothes by hand.

Who knows? God...the only one who needs to know.

Ahhh Fall

2008-10-12T17:31:00.000-05:00

I had a pretty great Fall weekend.

I spent Saturday morning pulling flowers and getting ready for the winter. Most of the afternoon was spent riding my bike (motorcycle). A few friends and I rode down to the Northside of Chicago and went to SuperDog, a drive in style restaurant with Chicago style hotdogs, burgers, shakes, etc. It was delicious and lots of fun and a great day for a long ride.

Sunday highlights include more motorcycle riding to and from church as well attending the Chicago Fire game. I'm not a huge MLS fan but it's always fun to get to a pro soccer match once and a while. It doesn't fulfill the life long dream of watching United at Old Trafford but I'll settle for the Fire at Toyota Park.

Attached are a few pictures from the day.

2008-10-09T11:57:00.001-05:00

I'm amazed at where the time has gone. All of a sudden, it's Thursday. Thursday means it's almost Friday. Friday means another weekend. What have I even done this week? I feel like I go into autopilot once Monday strikes and then it's full speed ahead until Saturday. I'm pretty sure that isn't the best way to live. I need to use my time better. It doesn't help that I work 60 hours a week. It's hard to use my time better when I don't have a whole lot of it. Hmmm. Not much I can do about that.

Highlight from the week:

My roomate and I finally cooked a 24 pound Turkey that's been in our freezer for far too long. Leftovers are awesome!

Not a whole lot else to make note of, pretty boring. Hope you have a far more remarkable week.

Mini-Freakouts

2008-10-04T00:02:00.000-05:00

I work from 2-10:30pm. Second shift as most people call it. Usually Friday nights are busy, not so much today. When there's nothing going on in the OR, there is pretty much no work to do. I have a set list of things to do everyday but when the list is done, the work is done. That may sound awesome for most but after a year, being bored gets, well ...boring. Anyways, when 10:30 comes around, I am pretty pumped to get out of there. I have these mini-freakouts either in my car or on the way to my car. Let me explain.

After being pent up in a boring, fluorescent lit OR for 8 hours I have pretty much had it. My mini-freakouts help stimulate my brain that has just turned off for so long. Here's my average min-freakout. 10:30- punch out- get to the mini (van). Generally crank up the radio (dance music prefered but not required), occasionally short outburst of song or strange sound effects that might resemble a cool, hip beat that goes perfectly with the currently playing song. There is also usually intense body movements (maybe perceived as dancing, or a seizure). Hands are flailing all over the place, except for the steering wheel. After a song or two, the pent up energy is pretty much out and I resume my commute southeast toward the homeland. Sometimes the event is over before I am out of the parking lot. Depends on how the night went.

Mini-freakouts on the motorcycle are also particulary enjoyable, though slightly more dangerous because they usually involve higher speeds. Song and dance still noticable to the passerby. Yes, music through one headphone in the helmet. Illegal or not, it adds so much to the motorcycle experience. Don't yell at me unless you ride, or have been hit by a bus while rcoking out to Kelly Clarkson. Then I will listen to you...maybe....don't touch my Kelly.

I assure you, my mini-freakouts are oh so necessary, probably even healthy and of course, they are mini. I don't even know what a full out freakout would look like. Scary stuff.

So there you have it, my intimate confession about my mini-freakouts once I am done work. Don't tell me you've never done it.

Lessons from the OR

2008-10-01T11:13:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I carried a leg from the OR to the Lab. I have lost track of how many legs I have carried now, close to 10 is my bet. This one was a bit different from the rest because it was an Above the Knee Amputation. They tend to be longer and a bit heavier. It's always strange standing in the elevator, holding someone's leg. It's even weirder if someone else is in the elevator.

So, what'dya got there? Oh, it's just a leg. Don't worry about it. Welp, this is my floor, see ya' later.

Elevator conversations are weird anyways.

Sometime people are really excited to get their leg amputated. I met one lady who was pretty pumped actually. I guess her leg had just been causing her so much pain that she figured she be better off without it.

Don't you dare chop my leg off. I could deal with the new changes and would work through it but man, I really like having both legs. Riding my mountain bike, running, walking through the city for miles, etc. Much of my freedom is derived from the ability to move easily and freely, thanks to my legs.

Today's "Lesson from the OR," don't get Type II diabetes. Take care of your body and watch what you eat. Exercise regularly. Keep both legs. Thank God for the small things you take for granted: legs, freedom, mobility, health, etc.

Lessons from the OR

2008-10-01T11:06:00.000-05:00

This week has been fairly busy at work. The first "Lessons from the OR" is this: Don't drink and Drive. Sounds like a no-brainer right but people still do it...often.

A few weeks ago we had a trauma patient come up to the OR with bleeding around his brain, a busted femur sticking out of his leg and a broken back and shoulder. He was drunk and high and got his car in quite the wreck. He got tossed out of the front windshield and was found some 100 feet from the car. Since then, the patient been back for multiple operations on various body parts. Earlier in the week, I assisted a surgeon in cutting off the dead skin and muscle around his quadriceps. Yes, it was gross but equally fascinating. So, lesson of the day. Don't drink and drive or I'll get to stick my hand in your leg.

First post!

2008-09-27T18:29:00.000-05:00

I have finally gotten around to making a website. It is pretty complicated technical talk that I don't fully understand yet. I love Google. I'm pretty sure I could learn how to rebuilt a '69 Chevy or cook a fillet to perfection just through Google.

Anyways, today I photographed 3 games at Trinity. I'm tired, sunburnt and hungry but please with the pictures I captured. I made a ton of progress on the site and figuring out how to link everything together and making colors look right, etc.

I hope to be able to blog regularly, should you be interested in what I have to say. Stay tuned. If you're a member of Blogger, click the link on the top left that says something like "follow this blog."

Feeback and criticism always welcome.

Mic Test...one...two...is this thing on.

2008-09-22T23:43:00.000-05:00

Checkity check chekity