NaBloPoMo

Variations on a theme

November 5, 2011 by kathi

I replaced my BlackBerry Curve with an Android smartphone (HTC Thunderbolt) in May. Although I still miss the BlackBerry’s superior handling of multiple email accounts and most of all BlackBerry Messenger, I don’t miss its less-than-stellar 2MP camera.

The HTC phones all seem to have better than average cameras. The Thunderbolt has an 8MP camera and image quality in adequate light is probably better than that of my first digital point and shoot camera.

When I’m stopped at the light at Orleans and Ontario, every so often I use the phone to snap a photo of the Sears Tower. Or at least the top of the Sears Tower plus all of the other shorter buildings on Orleans. Yes, I know that is not its current name. I do not acknowledge that name. So far, luck has not had me stopped safely at the light for the most interesting cloud formations and lighting conditions. Eventually I’ll get them all, I hope.

(NaBloPoMo | November ’11: 5 of 30)

F’d-up Friday

November 4, 2011 by kathi

I’m having a tough time getting back into the rhythm of daily writing. As I’ve mentioned before, November is not the best time for me to start any kind of involved personal project.

Today was a particularly aggravating day with no chance to enjoy the unseasonably mild weather. All week, AT&T repair trucks have been working in the alley behind the house, mostly blocking our garage. It has been a real inconvenience, plus I hate to open the garage when strangers of any variety are around. The work day started early and ended late. In between, we were missing several people due to illness or minor emergencies. When I finally got home, it was to the news that one of our neighbors had his home broken into.

I know I have complained about the jagoffs in my neighborhood quite often. The neighbor whose home was broken into is not one of them. He is a very nice older gentleman who certainly did not deserve the headache. Thankfully he was not home at the time, and the only saving grace is that the scumbag criminals did not hurt his dog. Not physically, anyway. I hope she was not too traumatized by the invasion.

I put part of the blame on another neighbor who is definitely one of the jagoffs. His constant yard sales (so many as to be in violation of city ordinances, but of course since it’s not a “real” crime nothing has been done) bring around unknowns and undesirables as well as legitimate neighborhood bargain seekers. I would not be surprised if some of the unknowns were also casing out the area for easy marks.

I’ve always bought into the conventional wisdom that having a dog is a deterrent to break-ins. Now I’m not so sure. I do know that when the Rottweilers bark and growl at unknowns or unfriendlies, I won’t be making an effort to stop them any longer. This is one time that I plan to use the stereotype of killer Rottweilers for good — our good. I truly hate that I feel I have to do that.

(NaBloPoMo | November ’11: 4 of 30)

Running in circles

November 3, 2011 by kathi

I’ve been away from the blog for quite a while, and I’m trying to decide the best way to catch up. Life hasn’t been super fabulously exciting, but there has been enough going on that I’m not sure where to start.

Freya is still on hiatus from training and trialing. Axe is mostly relaxing out of the spotlight as well. He passed his second and final try at the ATTS temperament test this spring. He earned another V rating, but sadly no placement, at a recent sieger show as well. Those will be more fun to talk about when I have photos ready, though.

It’s been a long busy week at work and I’m not sure how much longer I want to stare into a computer screen, so I don’t think I’m starting tonight.

(NaBloPoMo | November ’11: 3 of 30)

So why would I take a picture of that…

November 2, 2011 by kathi

There are still quite a few 1960s signs near my home and office. Here’s one I go past every day. It’s at the CVS drugstore at the corner of Nagle and Higgins on the northwest side of Chicago.

A restaurant and banquet hall called the Golden Flame used to be on that corner, and they kept the old sign. I was trying to remember if there was actually a neon flame on top of the original sign. I never took a picture of it when I moved into the neighborhood, and no one else seems to have taken one either. Among the many, many photographs of vintage signage in Chicago on the internet, I have still not found even one of the original Golden Flame sign.

I have made fun of the people I’ve seen taking pictures of garbage cans. Now I’m not so sure I should ever be making fun of anyone taking pictures of anything they might want to remember, even if I can’t imagine why they’d want to remember it.

And if you have a photo of the old Golden Flame sign? Please, please let me know!

(NaBloPoMo | November ’11: 2 of 30)