Pictures

So we had the long awaited Madelyn shoot this month. I also did some pictures in film of various things. And since I don't have a decent scanner, those film shots may never enter the world of the internet. Suffice it to say, I'm improving. Most recently in portraiture and street photography.

Anyway, the Madelyn shoot was done in digital, so I'll post a few of my favorites here. For more, visit my album on Facebook. Action shots somewhere in downtown. Then tattered black clothes against a dark background, which we actually had to do in my cousin's house. Kids came home while we were cutting the clothes on Madelyn, which wasn't nearly as awkward as I thought it would be. A lot of prep time, but I think it was worth it.

Next creative idea: figures fading into the background. I have to buy some make up.

Funny things kids say

Bianca (8) and Camille (6)

Bianca: Andrew, what kind of kid are you going to have?
Andrew: I don't know. What kind of kid do you think I should have?
Bianca: You should have a girl. So we can hang out with her.
Camille: Yes! A girl!
Andrew: Don't you think that by the time I have kids, you'll be too old to hang out with them?
Bianca: No. I plan on living a very long time. Like 96 or something.
Camille: Yeah, me too. I'm going to live a long time.

Andrew: Do you think I should cut my hair?
Bianca: No!
Camille: No.
Andrew: Why?
Bianca: Your bangs looks really cool. (Makes two peace signs.)

Bianca: What are you eating?
Andrew: Do you know what lamb is?
Bianca: Of course I know what lamb is.
Andrew: That's what I'm eating.
Bianca: Animal cruelty! .. But I like lechon (roasted pig) and chicken. And also duck, I love duck. And cow, I love cow.

Bianca: You were late. We've been waiting for you all day.
Andrew: Really? How long have you been waiting?
Bianca: Since 12:42.
Andrew: Wow that's very specific. That's a long time. I told you I would be coming at night. That's not night time.
Bianca: Yeah. We were waiting for you this whole time. We thought you might have forgotten about us.
Andrew: You're silly. Why didn't you call then? You never called.
Bianca: We told mom to call at 12:50 but she didn't.

Andrew: What's your favorite commercial?
Bianca: Swivel Sweeper, right Camille?
Camille: Yeah! The Swivel Sweeper.
Andrew: Do you have one?
Camille: No.
Andrew: Do you think you should get one?
Camille: Yes.
Bianca: We have the mop Swivel Sweeper.
Camille: Yeah, we have the mop one.
Andrew: Oh cool.
Bianca: Every kiss begins with Kay..

Bianca sees a piece of trash near the sidewalk, as we ride bikes toward the park.
Bianca: Oh my gosh! They should have recycled.
Andrew: That's horrible. Maybe we should get a garbage bag and throw it away later.
Bianca: Yeah. At school, if I see trash on the playground, I throw it into the trashcan. And I never throw trash on the ground.
Andrew: That's good.
Bianca: We have to save our planet.

Clay

Internet is out at my house. Been using cousins' places to check email and such. Got a library card today. The library down the street from my house is closed for repairs, so I went to the one on Eldridge. Maybe I should also borrow some books and movies.

I got Bianca (8) and Camille (6) to make lists of things they want for Christmas. Research for my aunt. Anyway, one of the things on Bianca's list was clay. I went over to Texas Art Supply and got her a big block of clay. Not Play-Doh, not Model Magic, real red clay that actual artists use. It also happens to be toxic if you inhale the dust of the dried clay. But it's ok, I wrote her some instructions for safety and proper use. Also got the basic set of tools, a bucket, and plastic to put the clay on. The great thing about clay is that if you don't let it dry out completely, it's endlessly reusable. I brought it to her today and we started playing. I never give them gifts on time, I had already given Camille a set of 120 crayons a few days ago. Showed Bianca how to make a coil pot. She attempted a mug, then she made a girl's head. Camille was very messy. She didn't make anything but blobs of clay, and she called it something different every time.

Camille sometimes uses expressions that don't make complete sense in the context in which she uses them. When I gave her the 120 box of crayons and a oversized coloring book, she said "How dare you get me so many crayons!" To which I replied, "If there's too many, I can take them all back." And she said, "No no no! I'll keep them!"

Visiting those kids is always fun. The other day, I rang the doorbell, and Camille started shouting "It's Andrew! It's Andrew!" Then Bianca and their friend (from next door that was visiting) started shouting too. When I went inside, Camille was jumping up and down, like she had won the lottery. Nobody else ever greets me like that.

I bought Blokus Trigon. It's fun. You should play with me.

Today I saw The Day the Earth Stood Still. I thought it was a surprisingly good movie. You should go watch it.

I thought of an alternative life plan. Basically, I work odd jobs until I can pay off my student loans. Then I save up some dollars, and move to the Philippines. Live on the beach, eating fish and drinking coconut juice for sustenance.

HoneyBaked Ham is really bad about scheduling. Monday I get a call at 10:30am "Can you come in to work?" "Ok.", so I go work for a few hours. Manager says "I'll call you later with the schedule". Tuesday didn't work, drove grandfather to a hospital visit, no calls. Wednesday I get a call at 11:15am "Did they not tell you to come in to work today?" "No." "Can you come in to work for a while?" "Ok." When I go home, he says "Come in at 9:30am tomorrow." "Ok." I wake up on Thursday to go to work, I'm driving to the store, and I get a call "Don't come in to work today, we're training a few new people." "Ok." and I'm thinking this was worse than when they randomly woke me up to work (if I have nothing to do, I sleep until 1-2pm). Later that day, I call in to see if I'm working the next day "No, you're not working tomorrow." And sure enough, they called me Friday (today) at 9:30am "Can you come in to work today?" "What? How long? They said I wasn't working today." "Oh. How about tomorrow, can you work tomorrow?" "What time tomorrow?" "Hold on, let me see." (On hold a minute) "Ok we'll call you about next week." Ridiculous.

Day trip

I spent a long time driving today. Beaumont and back. About 2 hours each way. Drove across the Trinity River to get there. First time I did that. I found the view more intriguing than that of driving across the Colorado River, which is on the way to Austin. Made the trip to do a photo shoot. Just classic portraiture, didn't try anything new or creative. But it was a good shoot, a lot of shots that they liked. Either I'm improving in the field of portraiture, or I keep picking people that any monkey could take good pictures of.

When we were done, went to dinner with them at a Thai place. Probably wasn't a good idea to order something so spicy that I had to drink a lot of water. Then drive back for two hours full of liquids and a strong "need to urinate" sensation. Had to stop at two gas stations on the way back.

After I finish editing the rest of Ling's pictures, I'll have several more hours of pictures to edit. How fun.

And finally the long awaited Madelyn shoot is coming soon. If she becomes famous, I'm going to latch onto that fame by taking her pictures and having her recommend me to other celebrities. This is one of my "leeching" plans.

I replaced my oil paints so that I can start on my new painting. But it seems I won't have time for that in a while. A lot of photography obligations now, and I still have a charcoal drawing that I was supposed to do for my aunt. Also trying to learn some basic baking skills, which I can't do on the same day that I have done any painting. Oil paints and the paint thinner is fairly toxic, and
the smell of it lingers even after I wash my hands thoroughly.

Recently, I attempted to make a cake . Angel food cake with a cream cheese frosting. In the frosting I mixed in chopped strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries. I had one of my testers try it. The cake failed, but the frosting was good. Next time I want to try a cheesecake.

Today I played a board game called Blokus Trigon. This is a great game. I will purchase it. You will play with me.