Blog

  • Tilt Shift Photography

    Star (Shangri-la Therapeutic Academy of Riding) Lenoir City Christmas Parade 2007

    I’ve been wanting to try out some tilt shift photography which is the art of using a tilted lens to blur the foreground and background giving the real picture the impression that it is actually a scale model. Unfortunately, building a tilted lens for Cathy’s camera is very low on my list of priorities. Luckily, I learned you can simulate the effect in photoshop! Pictured above is my first attempt. That’s Tommy on the STAR float in the Lenoir City Christmas parade.

  • Seeking recommendation for affiliate software

    I need an open source or COTS package for generating affiliate websites including secure backend. A secure backend means that the affiliate can log in to manage their affiliate site. Suggestions?

  • The Boy With No Brain Meets Mr Freeze

    It’s cold outside. I mean I can see my breath! Since the Boy Scouts are preparing for a winter camp we are talking about frost bite, hypothermia, layering and so forth. This past Monday, one of the adults experienced in winter camping came out in full cold weather attire and explained the importance of clothing, and layering clothing,to the scouts.

    I need to start waking Amy earlier. Her morning tantrums over the wrong clothing being out made us miss the bus for a week. I think she is enjoying the carpool lobby but she also enjoyed the bus. After taking her to school this morning, I return in time to see the high schoolers making their way to the bus stop each wearing a thin shirt and for show they have their inadequate windbreakers on but not zipped declaring they are tool cool for warmth. It bugs me but they are old enough to both know better and to suffer the consequences. Then I catch the middle schooler shortcutting between two houses with no jacket at all! He just had the course Monday night on the importance of proper winter attire! On shout later and he is bee lining it back to the house. I catch him at the house for half a Reflection (that’s Boy Scoutese for socratic questioning) and half a lecture (I’m not real good at socratic questions). Then send him, wearing coat, running to the bus stop. I bet the coat does not come home.

  • Things you learn over coffee

    I ran out of grounds again. Yes, pathetic. I indulged myself and stopped into the local convenient store for a cup of overpriced Joe only to learn that my neighbor, who wanted to go fight in Iraq, got denied by the National Reserves because 16 years ago, when he was 18, he purchased 5 ounces of marijuana from a police officer (which made his crime a double felony). The clerk chimed in that on her parent’s 60 acre farm, her brother used to grow pot by the barn and her mother never understood why no one mowed the grass by the barn. Her mother would pay her $10 to mow it; her brother would then pay her $20 to not mow it. So, indirectly, she was making a killing off of pot. She also had a good laugh when her child came home from school declaring she had learned that smoking pot will make you hallucinate (what are the schools teaching these kids! Oh right, Newspeak). I had to rant my belief that we will pay for an illegal war by 1) reducing government infrastructure costs (ie. release 800,000 prisoners), 2) increase gross national product via larger work force (ie. 800,000 new employees to the workforce), 3) increase income tax revenues (ie. 800,000 new employees with taxable income instead of using taxes to support them in prisons), and 4) sell a high demand product which is already in demand, all ready in a supply chain, all ready being manufactured and heavily tax it (ie. make marijuana legal). I’m not saying I support people running out and getting stoned off their butts; we are talking about a substance less harmful than beer. In my conspiracy mindedness, I’m documenting, that what you will see in the next 5 to 10 years, was predicted right here! My neighbor suggested I should run for congress. Somehow I don’t think I’d get far on the "Dude! Make it legal man." campaign.

    In short, I bought a cup of coffee and learned that my neighbor and the store clerk toke it up.

  • Heroes text message

    9th Wonders pulled Drucker video. Don’t know why. Visit my blog instead.


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  • This is grounds for not working!

    I’ve run out of coffee! And a head cold! I have coupons for large amounts of free coffee but I keep forgetting to buy some. I think think this deems a trip to Wiegel’s then its back home for super productivity mode!

  • Bizarre Referral Link

    Was checking out the referral log today and noticed that Ask Terri of The Wall Street Journal sent a couple of visitors to Reality Me. Yes! The Wall Street Journal! Unfortunately, it must have been a very short blip on their radar because I could find no reference to the link.

  • Heroes text message

    Drucker is a hard puzzl 2 crack. A new video has led me 2 more info than ever b4: http://www.9thwonders.com/


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  • The Public Relations Long Tail

    What?!! Reporters, bloggers, and spammers get lumped together at the end?

    Email spamming reporters and bloggers: Why is this here as a tool? Because people are still doing it in spite of the high risk and low reward! They can’t give up the 1% return. See Eric Eggertson on the topic. [Source, Now is Gone, The Public Relations Long Tail]

  • Hair Grooming 2007

    combWhat ever happened to those little combs? As I grew up, I constantly had 4 things: 1) my Old Timer pocket knife, 2) my watch, 3) a handkerchief, and 4) a black, hard plastic comb. I never carry a comb anymore but I can predict my wife will be quick to comment on my pocket stuff (today consists of 2 pocket knives, 2 sets of keys, wallet, change purse, handkerchief, cell phone, and a pen). Happy Days was a favorite show of mine and what boy of my generation didn’t grow up sweeping a comb through his hair doing a Fonzie? So, whatever happened to these combs? I cannot recall the last time I actually saw someone fix their hair with one and slip it back into their pocket much less create a kazoo!

  • Not in America! And Only in Knoxville…

    Does that suit drive you nuts? Would you like to be a little more casual? Perhaps the Audrey Underwear company is for you.

    The Audrey Underwear company in Taiwan asked it’s 500 women employs in the firms head quarters to come to work in camisoles and knickers to celebrate record sales. … More than 90% of female workers reportedly went along with the spirit of the day and worked in their underwear. [Source]

    This takes Half-nekkid Thursdays to a new level!

    And Knoxville shows its butt on the news with a woman who wants her butt implants removed:


    http://view.break.com/409510 – Watch more free videos

  • From the mouths of babes

    So I pick Noah up from school and this cute girl calls out to him.

    Dad: "Is that your girlfriend?"
    Noah: "Well, sorta."
    Dad: "What do you mean, sorta?"
    Noah: "Well, she’s a girl. And we are friends."
    Dad: "Are you sweet on each other?"
    Noah: "Well, sorta."
    Dad: "What do you mean, sorta?"
    Noah: "Well, we like to talk a lot."
    Dad: "Have you had sex education in school?"
    Noah: "I think I missed that day."

    I’m going to have a lot of illegitimate grandchildren…