Down With Selfies

Though I’m happily married, I’d like to think if I were single and inclined to ask a girl out, my first question would be, “Do you take and post selfies?”

A confirming “yes”, or even a “sometimes” would be an automatic deal breaker!

I don’t quite understand the reasoning for doing these. Do these women not own a mirror in their house? You’d think they know what they look like…in every outfit…with makeup caked on, ready for a night out. Maybe they don’t actually go out. Maybe they just get dressed up, take a gazillion photos of themselves, post them, admire themselves on Facebook, or on Instagram, then go to bed.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for taking a photo to capture a moment, especially when nobody else is there to take it for you. For instance, I’ll snap a quick of my wife and I when we are out, because I don’t want to ask others to take our photo (and risk them running off with my phone!)

Capturing pics of yourself, by yourself in your home is quite another story. I say “Down With Selfies!”

Show your support by not liking these photos and encouraging people to do more of this self-preserving and narcissistic act. That’s all.

Read Full Post »

Feeding the Beast

 

It’s been roughly eight months since my last post, and given all the changes that have happened, I am at a comfortable point now where I can stop rushing around and begin to let the creative juices flow again. I value this blog, and the expression it represents in balancing my life and everything I have going on.

The posts I write, and the timing, may be sporadic, so you’ll never know what you’ll get, which keeps it exciting. I hope that I’ll be able to feed this social beast more often and with a wider variety of content. In the meantime, enjoy the picture of Liam above, as he feasts his inner beast with his first time eating
Fun Dip! (I think he got the hang of it.)

Read Full Post »

Little Pumpkins

On October 28, we had the pleasure of having our twin boys arrive! A moment this precious had to be documented with photos, and this one was a perfect way to showcase these two wonderful bundles of joy together.

Read Full Post »

So how was my summer?

I think I’ve developed amnesia. This past summer went by so fast, I can barely recall what happened, what I did and where I went on vacation. So I need your help.

I’d like you to help craft my summer story. I’ve taken various snapshots of pictures throughout the summer, and rather than be lame and tell you what I did and where I went, I’m hoping you can contribute a piece of the puzzle to make the story complete. Take a look at each of the pictures above and leave a comment with your version of how my summer went.  The stories can be long, short, crazy, serious, honest or entertaining – just make it fun, and thanks for playing.

Read Full Post »

Superstitious Acts

In recent years, I have an overwhelming feeling that I am becoming very superstitious when it comes to how I handle piping competitions. Just as sports athletes often engage in the same pattern, eat the same meals, or routinely wear certain clothes – all to reenact a behavior they once had after a winning streak. To maintain a certain level of perceived perfection, I too have developed my own series of superstitious acts prior to entering the competition circle. I often see other pipers (or drummers for that matter) doing stretches to stay loose, having a certain type of drink or mentally preparing for how they plan on performing. My series of superstitious acts include eating a banana in the morning of every competition, listening to the same songs (beginning with Countrylypso) while taking a stroll through the festival grounds – which keeps me in a strong mental state – and finally, a quick swig of whisky (to take the edge off) in the final tuning area.

My new found superstitions are not without reason. For the past two years, our band has won every U.S. competition where we played. Our group is solid, with dedicated players who give it 110% each time they go out. Our goal is not winning, but playing the best we can each time we set out to compete.

So what does this superstition really mean? I believe it ‘s merely a way to identify maintaining a mental focus. I believe it can be applied to all facets of life. For now, it seems to be working (at least with piping), but I bet I jinxed it by writing this post…

Read Full Post »

New Air

As the cold, wet earth from winter begins to warm and welcome back the beauty of spring, I captured this picture as the first new flowers sprouted one afternoon. This brief moment is a reminder to me that brighter days will always lie ahead. With each passing day, there are a thousand moments like this one that fly by us and we miss. Regardless of daily setbacks and rushed schedules, we need to take a step back and appreciate the little things that surround us.

Read Full Post »

True Colors

 

I recently got a new DSLR camera, which I’ve spent the past few months learning the new settings for and taking shots with, mostly of my family. One of the first nights I picked it up to use, I took this photo of my dog, Cody. I’ve taken lots of pictures over the years with digital cameras, and photos of eyes (even with red-eye reduction) usually turn out discolored or completely red. On my second or third shot using the new camera, Cody’s eye color turned out truly as they are in life. They are mesmerizing, and this photo captures her sweetness and disposition perfectly.

As the Cleveland weather begins to warm and Spring approaches, I hope to get outside more and capture the beauty of nature through even more story-telling.

Read Full Post »

Children’s Love

This holiday season, how will your kids spell love??

– T – I – M – E.

Seems so simple, yet parents are always so busy during the holidays, making sure everything is prepared and knocking items off their ‘to-do’ list. I must admit that I am guilty of this too. There are always times when we can get more accomplished without the kids, but put yourself in your kids shoes for a minute…

What do you remember most about your childhood during the holidays? What I remember is not whether the ornaments were hung neatly on the tree, or if all the snow was meticulously cleaned off the car, but the cherished time I had with my family baking cookies, listening to holiday music and conversations over hot chocolate.

We often forget that the most precious moments spent with kids are those that are unplanned – doing things we all enjoy.

Read Full Post »

I Believe…

Some believe your time is done. The cycle of life continues, and as one point in time ends, another new adventure begins. We all have the same 24 hours, so each of us has the same starting point. We begin new days either positively or negatively, happy or sad, content or angry, and on and on…

So what do you believe?

I believe we are all destined to do something great. Whatever that means to each person, we all have talents and desires that will push us forward. Life changes, whether planned or unexpected, allow us moments to reflect upon our own goals and determine if we have stayed on course or drifted into another direction.

I believe contentment is all within reach, however you define it – a work/life balance  – being financially-happy  – having a loving family, etc.

I believe in the power of a shower…to wash away a bad day and re-energize you for what lies ahead.

I believe in the History channel’s motto… history is made everyday.

Be ready and go make it happen.

Read Full Post »

The Limit of Pumpkins

Each Fall, rather than a traditional costume contest for a halloween party, our friends get together for a pumpkin contest. What began as a simple entrance fee to the party escalated year after year into an outlet for exploring creativity in friendly competition. Over time, every person developed their own method for their pumpkin creation. One person chose to use whatever  items were in his house to create his pumpkin 15 minutes prior to the start of the party. Others chose various themes, like children’s book characters, pumpkins disguised as something else, extreme pumpkins (such as the photo above), or whatever their imaginations revealed.

My underlying theme was for the pumpkin to be interactive. Meaning, the pumpkin I created always had to engage the party-goer. The first year, I created a pumpkin planetarium, where you had to look inside the pumpkin to find a constellation (Orion, the Hunter) of glow-in-the-dark stars. Throughout the years, I contrived a pumpkin bagpiper that played music, a pez-dispensing pumpkin and a fully-functional pumpkin clock.

My biggest competition was my wife. She would devise pumpkins that were truly extreme, such as a pumpkin giving birth or a cannibal pumpkin. The ultimate goal was not to brag, but the mystery winning pumpkin prizes. These were usually re-gifted items from the host’s house. My favorite moment was receiving a Ludwig Van Beethoven “action figure,” now sitting on my desk – for first prize.

Read Full Post »