Enigmatic

So I went on a small cruise around Boone County with Becky on Monday night. Here are a few images from that experience.




















If I would have planned a little better we could have done some light painting.

What I learned about Becky from this trip is that there is a strange inconsistency in a person that claims that Halloween is their favorite holiday, but freaks out when you tell them a simple story from Boone's historic past. I also hear that the Jaycees Haunted House isn't her thing, but she insists on going through it every year. Well, I guess not this year.

2nd Shooter

I did some 2nd shooter action at a wedding for Todd and Peggy on Sunday. I shot this in RAW and it has taken me quite some time to bother getting this converted to JPG. So this post is much less ambitious than I hoped. I still haven't converted much.

Below are a few pictures of Todd and Peggy working. I might revisit this topic with more pictures in the future.











It certainly was an interesting experience. There was 4 hours of photography before the wedding. The wedding lasted maybe 5 minutes. The wedding was at beautiful Jester Park. A park I hope to camp at in the near future.

Work Half Done

"Half the work that is done in this world is to make things appear what they are not."
-E.R. Beadle

Box Brothers

Ames on the Half Shell was rain shortened on Friday night. At least we got in about half of the concert. I only had to go on stage to make a brief speech about our sponsors when it started to rain. I didn't get a chance to announce last call or really make the FULL sponsor speech. I also was denied the chance to announce last call. Oh well, I still got to do the radio interview for 105.1. I think I came off as a tad bit arrogant.

Here are some pictures.
































There are about 40 more images in the Snapshot Gallery in an album called AOTHS-Box Brothers.


Snapshot Gallery

Ames on the Half Shell is a bit different this week. Since Friday is Independence Day there are a ton of stuff planned for downtown Ames by the Main Street Cultural District. Half Shell will run from 1-6 instead of 5-8. The bands will be Burnin' Sensations and The Nadas.

Finally

It took until June 26, but finally I saw a movie that I loved this year. I finally saw my Once of 2008. I finally saw a movie I'm willing to call great. Up until now the best movie I've seen all year is Son of Rambow, but even that movie was only very good and not great. The first movie that I love from 2008 is Young @ Heart.

If this movie is playing near you, I urge you to run out and see it. The only thing I can say is "wow". After this movie was over, not a single person left the theater until the credits were over. I haven't seen that happen at a movie I've attended since Once. I haven't even seen this happen for movies that try to blackmail you into staying until the end of the credits to see one last extra scene.

Below I've posted some videos from the movie. If you subscribe to this journal through e-mail or RSS feed, you will have to go to the website to see the videos. I think it is worth the trip.



Trailer



Schizophrenia



Fix You


If you think that this performance of Fix You is powerful (and it is) you should see it when it is put in the context of the movie. It will blow you away.


I repeat, if you have a chance, go see this movie.

The Right Color Tractor

I believe an important part of being an Iowan is having an opinion on what is the "right color tractor". I don't wish to get into this debate. I bring this point up because on Tuesday morning Lowell and I served breakfast with the Meth Men (as Lowell and I now refer to them) for the WHO Tractor ride that was in Boone. I had a look around and took a few photos.















































Lowell mentioned to somebody in the kitchen that the Meth Men needed t-shirts. I believe a committee was immediately formed. If you are a Methodist, you should appreciate that story.

Burden

Sometimes I forget that I cut an impressive figure. Sometimes I forget that when you are 6'3 inches tall and are rippling with muscles, attitude and intensity to spare you can unintentionally strike fear in to the hearts of others.

Back when I was running Campus it was not uncommon for me to cause an employee to burst into tears with just one glare. I was giving the nickname "The Intimidator" by some of my employees.

Stephanie made buttons for most of the employees at Campus. My button said "The Intimidator" and had a picture of a ferocious bear on it. I don't know the current location of that button, but I tell this story to setup the following.

My final birthday present recently wound up in my mailbox. Stephanie got me a subscription to American Photo. An awesome present, but I worry that she bought me this present because she still fears me a bit. Even if she recently described me as "Former Supervisor, Friend, Mentor" on a recent application. I wonder because of the mailing label on the magazine.





At least the mailman will know not to mess with me.

Tenderloin Quest: The Beginning

Monday night, Scottie D. and I hit the open road on our first foray out into the backwaters of Iowa to find the best tenderloin in the state. We had a little pre-season hiccup out to the Lake Shore Cafe, but now it was time to get serious.

Last year BK's tenderloin placed second in the state according to the Pork Association. Well BK's is in Ogden and Ogden is virtually Boone's backyard. It seemed a very logical place to begin our quest.

However this tale was almost a sad tale. A sad tale that could be recounted with bitterness by an old man in a bar. "Yes, it's very pretty. I heard a story once - as a matter of fact, I've heard a lot of stories in my time. They went along with the sound of a tinny piano playing in the parlor downstairs. 'Mister, I met a tenderloin once when I was a kid,' it always began."*

You see it occurred to me that many small town drinking and eating establishments close on Mondays. I suggested to Scottie D. that we should call over to Ogden and confirm that BK's was in fact open.

Scottie D. thought it was a wonderful idea, so he called ahead.

At first it was bliss! They were open until 11 PM.

Then there was agony! They were out of tenderloins.

The place had been ransacked during Ogden Fun Days and the woman that made the tenderloins would not be in that day, but they would have tenderloins again starting Tuesday. Oh the humanity!

This is Iowa and we were not without options. I suggested we try The Suburban in Gilbert. Their tenderloin placed third either last year or the year before. However, I noted this was another small town restaurant. It might not be open on a Monday.

Scottie D. called up to Gilbert.

Agony again! The Suburban is not open on Mondays.

However, we were not to be denied.

Scottie D. suggested that we call back to BK's and see if we could sweet talk them into making a special exception for us. We aren't John Q. Public after all. We are the Society for Tenderloin Excellence.

Scottie D. dialed BK's back up and gave the lady on the other end of the line a sad tale about 2 guys traveling the state looking for the best tenderloin. His sad song must of worked. The lady said that she would call the woman that makes the tenderloin and see if she would be willing to come in and make us two special tenderloins.

We gave them 5 minutes to make arrangements and called them back.

Oh sweet bliss! The genius behind the BK tenderloin agreed to come in and make 2 tenderloins special for us.

I can't tell you too much about the tenderloin. Most of that will be saved for the final reveal when we proclaim one tenderloin to be the king of all tenderloins. I can share some pictures from the event though.



BK's Sports Bar & Grill - Ogden, Iowa



BK's Tenderloin with Waffle Fries



BK's Tenderloin with Waffle Fries (Ranch Dressing is also homemade)



Scottie D. with BK's Tenderloin



BK's Tenderloin, the Awesome Lady that invented it and made it and Scottie D.



Enjoying BK's Tenderloin



Downtown Ogden Near Sunset


I will tell you the following things. BK's earned big time points for serving the tenderloin with homemade ranch and mayo. Of course they also get big time points for the tenderloin mastermind coming in and preparing us a tenderloin when she definitely did not need to do such a thing.

While we were talking to the owner of BK's, we learned that it is a firmly held belief in Ogden that this tenderloin would have won the top prize from the Pork Association last year, but the mastermind wasn't there to cook it for them. Sadly, the guy who did cook the tenderloin for the judges burned it. It still took second place though.

You have to love a tenderloin that is served with a side order of town lore.

*Also extra points go to anybody that knows what movie this references.

Sunday

I managed to make it through this Sunday's Sermon/Interview. I don't think that I embarrassed myself too much and I think at least a few people were touched or were able to relate to my message.

I don't want to re-hash the experience, but I would like to thank Jesse, Jay, Shannon, Jason, Carrie and Nader for coming to support me. I also would like to thank Lowell for being there. My family was incredibly supportive as well.

I do want to share a video that Andrea found on the internet and played during the sermon of the song No One Else Knows by Building 429. A song that is very important to me.





Of course if you subscribe to this blog via e-mail or RSS Feed, you will actually have to go to the website to see the article.

Also, even though the video credits Casting Crowns with this song, I assure you that it is Building 429's song.

Vivace

Friday was another successful night at Ames on the Half Shell. Well over 400 people came out to see Vivace. I worked admissions and checked IDs, so I didn't take as many photos as normal. Below is a sampling:



Little White Lye Soap Promotional Cup (changes colors)





























Of course there are a few other images in the Snapshots Gallery in the Ames Jaycees Album.


Snapshot Gallery


This week the band at Ames on the Half Shell is Box Brothers. A bonus source of amusement for you is (if I read the spreadsheet correctly) that I am the person that goes on stage to introduce the band.

Ames on the Half Shell is also a collection site for Flood Relief Donations. If you are looking to donate some items to help out fellow Iowans that were affected by the floods, you can bring the following items to Half Shell on Friday:

• Toiletries - for 3,000 individuals
• deodorant
• toothpaste/ tooth brush
• shampoo/ conditioner
• combs/ brushes
• hand sanitizer
• pillows / sheets/ blankets
• diapers
• baby food
• underwear
• socks
• Cleaning supplies (mops - buckets - cleaners - rags)
• Bug Spray

The items donated at Half Shell will be distributed to the areas hardest hit by the flooding. You can also make donations to the Red Cross at the door.