Been Around

Plunging Back Into It

Polar Bear Plunge

Polar Bear Plunge

Polar Bear Plunge

Polar Bear Plunge

Polar Bear Plunge

Polar Bear Plunge

Corner Stop Light

A Place to Bury Strangers

The Joy Formidable

The Joy Formidable

Been Awhile Huh?

Farmer's Market Carrots

Here’s a few pictures that I’ve been meaning to post recently. Enjoy them with your eyes if you will.

State Street

Madison Sunset

Red Wing

Train near a bluff

Tree on a bluff

Minneapolis Skyline

It's a me... Mario!

R.O.B.

The Heartless Bastards

The Current's 7th Birthday Party - Polica

The Current's 7th Birthday Party - Polica

The Current's 7th Birthday Party - Polica

Red Bull Crashed Ice - St. Paul Cathedral

Red Bull Crashed Ice - St. Paul Cathedral

Red Bull Crashed Ice - St. Paul Cathedral

Red Bull Crashed Ice

Red Bull Crashed Ice - St. Paul Cathedral

Red Bull Crashed Ice - St. Paul Cathedral

Red Bull Crashed Ice

Books and Bars Video

So this video has to do with something called Books and Bars that runs here in Minneapolis and St. Paul. It is typically held at the Aster Cafe in Northeast Minneapolis once a month and is a lively discussion about books in a relaxed bar atmosphere. I enjoy the outing, as it is a way to get out and do something and share opinions about a book that others either have the same opinion about or they may counter your argument and totally hate your guts. I am in this video at some point and I ramble on incoherently about the book. Truthfully, I didn’t watch the whole thing as I couldn’t take my incoherence and I hate watching myself on video. Check it out anyway, and if you are in the MSP area, try to get on board with this great book club.

Wait. WHAT?

Take a look at this truck and tell me what’s wrong with it. If you answered nothing, you are so wrong I can’t even fathom how you have the brain functions to breathe. If you said EVERYTHING! MY GOD, WHY THE FUCK WOULD SOMEONE WASTE ACTUAL MONEY ON SOMETHING LIKE THAT?!? then you are correct. This, good people, is how to waste said gobs of money. (Also, this truck is about an inch off the ground and it’s winter in Minnesota. I know it has air suspension, but come on, this is just grotesque.)

Truck Monstrosity

Truck Monstrosity

Truck Monstrosity

Nintendo 3DS Legend of Zelda Limited Edition

Best Buy got me. I thought they would be all out of them. But they weren’t. I stopped into my local Best Buy a day after Black Friday just to not be in that giant throng of humanity to see what sort of scraps had been left over. I did not think that either the Mario or the Zelda box set 3DS systems would still be in stock, but they had two Zeldas and one Mario left! This meant that I would be spending money. The problem was which one to pick up, but in the end, the choice was easy. Although I do want both games eventually, I do not want to be walking around with a red 3DS…  EVER! Therefore, since I wanted to play the Ocarina of Time and get a 3DS, my choice was made for me. Plus, it’s a cool limited edition version of the 3DS and has the Zelda markings and is black and gold. Check it out below! (and yes, it actually comes with a 300 page manual on using the thing!)

First impressions are good. The design is a bit bigger than my DS Lite, but not so big as to be unwieldy or non-portable. It is a bit thicker, which I attribute to it having three cameras (one being a dual-lens 3D camera), a gyroscope and stereoscopic 3D. I have yet to fully test the battery life, but I’m guessing it’s nothing spectacular. As far as functionality goes, I love it. Connecting to the Internet is a breeze and downloading games and apps is really intuitive and easy. Plus, my Mii rocks.

Nintendo 3DS Box Front

Nintendo 3DS Box Back

Nintendo 3DS Detail

Nintendo 3DS Detail Back

Nintendo 3DS with Book

Red Wing and Barn Bluff

My mom used to live in Red Wing for many years. In all that time, I never once visited Barn Bluff. Most likely it was due to the fact that she lived on a houseboat with an emotionally abusive, alcoholic who I had to refer to as my step-father (but did so only in the most fleeting sense) and we never really left the boat unless it was to run to Wal-Mart to get groceries. But a few weeks ago, before the frostiness completely descended on Minnesota and before the days became so short as to never see actual sunlight, I ventured south to finally make the ascent up the bluff. Granted, it’s not all that hard of a climb (unless you are actually scaling the rock face of the thing) but it was a beautiful day and it was a great way to spend an introspective day to myself. Behold, if you will, the digital pictures. I say digital, because I have yet to get my 35mm photos developed, although one day I will and I’m sure I’ll post some of those up here as well.

Red Wing - Barn Bluff

Red Wing - Barn Bluff

Red Wing - Barn Bluff

Red Wing - Barn Bluff

Red Wing - Barn Bluff

Red Wing - Barn Bluff

Red Wing - Barn Bluff

Red Wing - Barn Bluff

Red Wing - Barn Bluff

Red Wing - Barn Bluff

Red Wing

Red Wing

 

Loading Disderi Robot Camera

“You can’t beat that people. You just can’t.” Damn right you are! Many a times, the best things do come in the smallest of packages..;)

I bought the exact adorable Disderi camera in pink(Barbie complex) a year ago but lo and behold…*Shame on me* I have yet to figure out how to load the 35mm film into it..I tried and ruined 6 rolls of films last year and I just gave up, chucked it into the deep recesses of my drawer…

But as fate decreed…I picked it up as I was packing my stuff and I’m all determined to have some fun with this little cutie.. Thus the late night desperate googling “loading film into disderi camera” Which brought me to your pics(which are mighty lovely btw, and a huge source of inspiration)…

If I might impose on you, may I trouble you to perhaps, take pity on this absolute stranger and camera-idiot like myself and help me out right here with a step-by-step how-to… your help will be much much appreciated!

This was a comment that I received the other day and wanted to address it. I feel your pain. I used to have this problem simply loading a regular 35mm SLR and would never wind the film far enough, go through an entire day of shooting, only to have taken a total of zero photos. Those days sucked. Thankfully, the Disderi is super simple to load. Just follow these steps and you will be on your way to taking fun pictures whenever and wherever (as long as there is bright light) that you want!

Step 1: Open the camera.

Step 2: Pull up on the tab and load film.

Step 3: Push tab back down.

Step 4: Hook the film on the small, protruding tab.

Step 5: Wind the film until it is securely wound around the shaft.

Step 6: Advance the film until the winder stops.

Step 7: Enjoy taking pictures!

 

Remember Greenery and Stuff?

Just had a roll of film processed today and lo and behold, it had stuff from the summer on it. GREENERY! Here’s some of what was on there.

Butterfly

Spoonbridge and Cherry

Spoonbridge and Cherry

Turtles spitting water

Minnehaha Falls

Mississippi River and Bridge

Rocks in the River

Ambling River

Butterfly

A Madison Type of Weekend

Recently, I undertook a weekend getaway to Madison, Wisconsin, a town I had only ever been to once before, and even then, only in passing. Now, I was going there to visit my friend and see my Fighting Sioux play hockey. Thank god for my friend being there and showing me around the town, because my team really stunk up the joint. But it’s early in the season, so I’m not overly concerned yet. Now, onto the pictures!

Crossing the St. Croix into Hudson

Madison Capital

Madison Capital

I would be remiss if I failed to mention this place. The Old Fashioned in Madison is a great place to grab a brew, or a mixed drink and some grub. Not only is it super cheap (THE MOST EXPENSIVE TAP BEER IS ONLY $4 A PINT ALL THE FREAKIN’ TIME PEOPLE!!!!) but it is extremely tasty. I mean, just look at that burger!!! If you are going to, or in, Madison, stop what you are doing and go here. No joke, it’s awesome. Also, because their place is called the Old Fashioned, I had to have one. And it was also very tasty and very reasonably priced once again. If I lived here, this would be my go-to for most meals I think. It certainly would be for the drinks they have.

The House Burger at The Old Fashioned

Fishing on Lake Mendota at Dusk

The Kohl Center is a really impressive building from the outside, and there’s a good vibe inside as well (it’s certainly less staid than The Ralph), but because the football team was playing at the same time, it happened to trump the number of students and people at the game and so the atmosphere wasn’t as great as it could have been, but it’s still a fun place to go (The Ralph is still the best arena in the nation though).

Kohl Center Madison Wisconsin

Sioux vs Badgers Starting Lineups

2011 Sioux Hockey Team

And the night before leaving, I saw someone had put this heart balloon on a statue in front of the capital building and it looked kinda cool at night, so I took this picture. By the way, did you guys out there know that they call water fountains “bubblers?” God that’s weird.

Madison Capital at Night