Xmas Holidays

This would be the first xmas dinner I have had at my place since the marriage breakup a few years back.

My dad and step-mom showed up on afternoon of the 24th and this would be the first xmas dinner ever at my place for them. We spent the afternoon / early evening putting away all the food, watching movies, and of course munching on finger foods before heading off to bed to await for Santa's arrival.

Just like little kids they were up early xmas morning scurrying around the tree looking at the gifts that Santa had left the night before. Way toooo many to count. After the frenzy of wrapping paper being shredded open and thrown all over the place it was time for breakfast of bacon and eggs to order followed by a cleanup of the mess they made from presents.

The next few hours were spent getting stuff ready for xmas dinner before my sister and bro-inlaw showed up for dinner as well. They finally made it here where the next few hours was spent catching up, pigging out on turkey, ham and the multitude bottles of wine that managed to find their way to the table.

My kids finally showed up late that evening just after my sis/bro-inlaw had left. Magically Santa had left them some presents under the tree and they opened them. After that it was drinks and realxing watching a movie.

Boxing day was basically spent indoors watching more movies and visiting with friends that had dropped by to see my parents.

All in all it was a busy but nice xmas and was great to see everyone from the family together at the same time in the same place!

Second photo shoot in the home studio

I spent a couple of weeks trying to figure out how to make the new studio a little more functional and spacious. It took a bit but I think I have it all worked out.

I needed to find a friend to do another test run with. I was online one night talking to my friend Kristi and I asked her if she would be interested. She had seen alot of my other photos and like the concept and said sure. The only problem was very small window of time to do the shoot as she is moving out west with her boyfriend at the end of the month and then having to deal with the xmas holidays just complicated even more.

We basically came up with a 2.5 hour window yesterday and all things considered it went very well.

We did a whole pile of low light candle shots followed by some studio umbrella lighting with both flash and non-flash lighting.

Candle light shots:





Umbrella lighting:





I learned a few more things that I have to remember for next time but that is all part of it.

I am always looking for more friends to take pics of so if your interested then let me know so we can set something up.

The rest of the pictures can be found here http://www.flickr.com/photos/cmnypny/sets/72157611454543420/

Purge clean of the house

Well ... I hate to admit it but I am a bit of a packrat when it comes to computer stuff.

It got to the point where it was everywhere I looked.

It took me a few fews but I managed to get rid of the hoards of broken pcs, monitors, and parts that I was thinking I could you someday and never did.

The massive cleanup came down to have I seen or used that in the last five years ... nope ... gone.

This included clothes which are going to be donated ... just need to drop them off somewhere soon.

I lost count after the fourth trip of my back seat and trunkof my car being completely full.

I now have space to properly organize all my remaining stuff which will take some time but I am happy with the progress I have made.