Overheard At The Office

I moved offices at work earlier this month. The veterans hospital where I work was built in 1947, at a time when the focus was on taking care of bedridden servicemen.

In the decades since WWII conflicts have involved fewer armed service members, medicine has become better, and we have a lot fewer beds in use. My office was converted from an inpatient room. Sometimes on a conference call with the home office they'll overhear me rinsing lunch dishes or washing my hands. No, I'm not in the bathroom, I'm in my office. Promise.

In my office there's also a passage to a toilet shared with the adjoining office. Thankfully, it's used as a closet ... as George Costanza would say, there's no buffer.

That doesn't stop some. A few years ago I was in a meeting with a woman in one of these old patient rooms with a toilet, and another male employee walked around our meeting to go take a leak. A really long, loud one. Uncomfortable noise bleedover.

Another "feature" of my office is that one of my windows was inscribed with an important message. I'm guessing with a car key sometime in the 70s.

Facets

Close up of a decorative dish in the lobby of the Phoenix Sheraton.

Old and New

A historic monastery reflected in the modern windows of the Phoenix Convention Center.

Los Olivos

I had the best enchiladas of my life at Los Olivos in Scottsdale. It was a dish called Mexican Flag, named after the different color salsas on top. The plate must be 500° when it comes out. Our waitress was a lively woman who had worked there for something like 38 years. She told us there used to be an olive orchard on the site of the restaurant, which gave it its name.

Throughout dinner mariachis played, making the meal even more enjoyable. All around this older part of Scottsdale are little shops full of Southwestern art, jewelery, pottery, paintings, but we got there too late to look around. Or, I'll say, we got there just in time for a shopkeeper to orient us to this restaurant as she closed up. I can't wait to go back and get the same dish.

The Totem Pole Played Video Games

Yep, just take a look at his hands, you can see the controller. You can also spot wrenches, crayons, and other little shapes built in. This sculpture is at a train stop in downtown Phoenix in front of the Heard Museum.

Dodgers 1, Diamondbacks 4

Last week in Phoenix I visited Chase Field for a Diamondbacks-Dodgers baseball game. The stadium is air conditioned, which was great in the 100°+ heat.

A couple of nice features: the stadium organist, Bobby Freeman is out in the open and you can go talk to him during the game. Also, there's a swimming pool just beyond the right field warning track — now that would be an interesting way to watch a ballgame!

After the home team wins, everybody moves to the center of the stadium, they slide the roof open, and you get a fireworks show. Not bad!

The Biggest Movie I Ever Saw!

Carter is 4 and one of his favorite things is to play the Lego Star Wars Wii game that he bought with his allowance. He even has a Lego Star Wars t-shirt.

It hit me recently that he has never seen the Star Wars movies.

So tonight I watched The Empire Strikes Back with him for the first time. I've never seen him sit so intently through a movie.

When the credits rolled, Carter exclaimed, "That's the biggest movie I ever saw!"

Sedimentary, My Dear Watson

Color-enhanced image of sediment (and probably other gunk) flowing out of Tampa Bay into the Gulf of Mexico.

I'm not making any environmental impact statements here, I just thought the colors and patterns were pretty.

Anvil

Giant anvil cloud formation on the Tampa to Phoenix flight. I think it's a cumulonimbus incus.

Window Seat

Got a great candid of a freckly boy in front of me in the plane on the way to Phoenix last week. I saw the picture about to happen, grabbed the camera, zoomed in, pre-focused, and totally lucked out.

You don't have to have a clear view to get a great picture. Like the shot below of Obama where you can see only part of his face through all the arms and camera phones. I like that one so much better than the unobstructed picture (photos 3 & 4). I wimped out — I should have only included the partial view version. Which do you like better?

These are the things I stress over when I edit down my photos for posting. Because I care about both of you, my dear readers.

Mr. President

There was a lot of excitement at the VFW convention today as we got ready for a visit from President Obama. At 6:45 a.m. when I arrived there was already a line-up for security screening at the entrance. A Phoenix police officer told us he was one of 300 on the scene today since 2:00 a.m. to lock down the Phoenix Convention Center for the President's visit.

The President gave a well-received speech in support of veteran benefits. On the way out he spent several minutes shaking hands with many in the audience, a nice touch.

It was kind of amazing to think — that's the President 20 feet away from me.

Shooting At the Airport

Call off TSA, that's not the kind of shooting we're talking about. These are views from my late-lunch layover at Tampa a couple days ago.

I'm starting to realize how much I enjoy photographing airports. I spend enough time in them so it's a nice diversion from endless Blackberry mail and watching people yawn.

I love the stark geometry you find in airport architecture, the repeating patterns and open spaces, the reflections in the glass and polished flooring. This series of shots is in color but most verge on monochromatic.

When I was taking the picture of the multiple glass reflections a plane took off over my shoulder and reflected into the frame. I missed snapping it the first time.

So I got down on the floor, got the camera braced into position waiting for the next takeoff. I sat there in the walkway for what must have been 10 minutes with the camera up to my eye, waiting for another takeoff reflection.

Not sure how many times while sitting there I heard the recorded announcement, "if you notice any strange behavior, report it to airline personnel immediately," but I'm still wondering why TSA didn't pick me up.

Two Turntables and a Microphone

I've been wanting to take a party picture like this for a long time. Problem: I don't really go to parties.

When I got back from the Dodgers-Diamondbacks game in Phoenix last night there was a chick DJ playing at the Sheraton where I'm staying. There she was all set up, two transparent red records spinning, lights going, traffic streaking by in the background, and I walk in the door holding my camera in my hand. I love stumbling into things like this.

Take your camera wherever you go, it's easier to take pictures that way.

Adirondack Forest

Downtime

Malcolm had a busy week with four merit badge classes, so hanging around camp to rest or heading out to evening open activities was vital.

And here's proof Malcolm's a steady shot even his first time with a rifle.

I'm A Fun Guy

More stuff I found on the ground at Scout camp.

Found On The Ground

There are tons of harvestmen (daddy longlegs) in the woods around Wakpominee. It's about impossible to take pictures of them because they never hold still. I gave it a shot anyway, then gave up and found some other stuff that would hold still.

Lakeside

Sly Pond at Camp Wakpominee.

Colors

Flags posted at dinner.

We have a U.S. flag and a Troop 101 flag in this group. Our troop flag is yellowed and worn and is burdened with several dozen ribbons — it's been to a lot of events. You might say it's time to be replaced. But I'm fond of it and the decades of history it explains.

Fine Dining

Eating at camp works pretty efficiently even with a hundred or more Scouts. Every table has a waiter that sets the table, serves food and buses, and the boys take turns each day. On the wall they have big painted signs with the breakfast, lunch, and dinner prayers that we sing before eating.

The more popular the meal, the faster the boys dive in once the waiter drops the platter on the table. The turkey dinner was pretty popular as you can see; the rest of the meals were more civil than this. There's also always PBJ or salad at dinner if the boys don't like what's for dinner or want more.

After eating we have announcements, and then a big rousing song, which it looked like Malcolm really got into.