Round Robin Photo Challenges: Landmarks

The Round Robin challenge this time around

was to photograph a landmark.
I chose to do a few from around the South Bay.
First up is the Hermosa Beach Pier.
This is the most simple of the South Bay piers.

Manhattan Beach has the round house.
Redondo Beach has all the shops, restaurants and various walkways.
Of course, there are all the bars and restaurants

and shops on the adjacent walk street.
But the pier itself is just a pier.

Of course, I had to include my favorite bridge.
This is the Vincent Thomas Bridge over L.A. Harbor.
I have a simple daytime shot, as well as a more

abstract nighttime shot of the bridge lights.

This was taken at King Harbor in Redondo Beach.

This is the fountain at Malaga Cove Plaza in Palos Verdes Estates.
He stands guard over The Hill.

All of these pictures were taken on the same
day (Jan17), except the bridge lights.
That is an old favorite from a few months ago.

If I can get access to a negative scanner today,
I will post a bonus shot I took several years ago when
I was into 35mm black and white and was
developing and printing my own stuff.
Here is the link list to see the other participants in RRPC:

Carly - POSTED!Ellipsis
http://ellipsissuddenlycarly.blogspot.com/

Karen - POSTED!Outpost Mâvarin
http://outmavarin.blogspot.comSandra - POSTED!

Strong Chemistry
http://strongchemistry.blogspot.com/

BettyBiker Betty
http://bikerbetty.blogspot.com/

Martha POSTED!Perception
http://journals.aol.com/lifes2odd/perception/

Lisa - POSTED!Lisa's Chaos
http://lisaschaos.blog-city.com/

Sandy - POSTED!Myanderings
http://www.myanderings-myanderings.blogspot.com/

Shorty ***Welcome New Member*** POSTED!I Couldn't Help Myself
http://icouldnthelpmyself.blogspot.com

GattinaKeyhole Pictures
http://gattina-keyholepictures.blogspot.com/

Nan - POSTED!Life is Like a Lunchbox
http://www.shawnanigans.net/

Rachel ***Welcome New Member***Rachel Schell, Spokane Photographer http://blog.rachelschell.com/

Janet - POSTED!fondofsnape
http://www.fondofsnape.com/

VickiMaraca
http://mymaracas.blogspot.com/

Kim ***Welcome New Member***Rainy Day Diamonds
http://rainydaydiamonds.blogspot.com/

Marie - POSTED!Photographs & Memories
http://journals.aol.com/mariebm56/PhotographsAndMemories

ChrisseaChris-seas Corner
http://chrisseas-corner.tripod.com/

TeenaIt's all about me!
http://purple4mee.blogspot.com/

Robinella ***Welcome New Member***Robin's Nest
http://robinellablog.wordpress.com/

Janet ***Welcome New Member***From The Planet Of Janet
http://fromtheplanetofjanet.blogspot.com

Suzanne R POSTED!Living . . . Suzanne R's Life
http://newsuzannerslife.blogspot.com/

Nancy - POSTED!Nancy Luvs Pix
http://journals.aol.com/nhd106/Nancyluvspix

Pamela ***Welcome New Member***The Dust Will Wait -POSTED!
http://thedustwillwait.blogspot.com

Kim - POSTED!Nekked Lizard Adventures
http://nekkedlizardadventures.typepad.com/

DuaneLife, the Universe and Everything
http://fdtate.blogspot.com/

Gina - POSTED!Gina's Space
http://journals.aol.com/rbrown6172/Ginasspace

Momma***Welcome New Member***Sandcastle Momma - POSTED!
http://sandcastlemomma.blogspot.com

Molly***Welcome New Member***Return of the White Robin - POSTED!
http://returnofthewhiterobin.blogspot.com

Sarah - POSTED!Charish Me
http://charish-me.blogspot.com/

Maybe it is something in the water

Or maybe it is just work getting crazier and crazier. Everyone seems to be grouchy today.

Me? I am actually in a decent mood.

I got my evaluation at work yesterday.

I don't suck.

In fact, I am fucking awesome.

Too bad there are no raises this year.


nataliedee.com

Round Robin Photo Challenges: Railroads

This is my first time participating in the
Round Robin Photo Challenges.

This could be a fun diversion from time to time.

So, here is my train-related photo. It suits me.

Bonus image of the Enchanted Railroad
at Descanso Gardens. Too cute.

Linking List
Gina - POSTED!
Gina's Space
http://journals.aol.com/rbrown6172/Ginasspace/

Carly - POSTED!Ellipsishttp://ellipsissuddenlycarly.blogspot.com/

Kim - POSTED!Nekked Lizardshttp://nekkedlizardadventures.typepad.com/

Vicki - POSTED!Maracahttp://mymaracas.blogspot.com/

Karen - POSTED!Outpost Mâvarinhttp://outmavarin.blogspot.com/

Lisa - POSTED!Lisa's Chaoshttp://lisaschaos.blog-city.com/

Janet - POSTED!fond of snapehttp://fondofsnape.com/

CherylLife Thru My Lenshttp://chersphotos.blogspot.com/

Nan ***Welcome New Member*** POSTED!Life is Like a Lunchboxhttp://www.shawnanigans.net/

Sandy ***Welcome New Member*** - POSTED!Myanderingshttp://myanderings-myanderings.blogspot.com/

Betty ***Welcome New Member***Biker Bettyhttp://bikerbetty.blogspot.com/

Duane ***Welcome Back Duane***Life, the Universe and Everythinghttp://fdtate.blogspot.com/

Suzanne R - POSTED!Living . . . Suzanne R's Lifehttp://newsuzannerslife.blogspot.com/

Julie
Julie's Web Journal - POSTED!
http://www.barrettmanor.com/journal

Mary***Welcome Back Mary*** - POSTED!Just A Happy Gypsyhttp://contrarywoman.blogspot.com/

I think I would have a hard time with this

I saw this story today. I think it is an interesting concept.
I think I would have a hard time actually doing it.

Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune
MINNEAPOLIS – Karen Heimdahl used to be part of the throngs that crowd Twin Cities-area malls at Christmastime. But this time, bound by the Compact -- a growing social movement in which members vow to buy nothing new for a year -- she hit used-book stores and consignment shops. For Christmas 2006, her husband received gadgets from Best Buy. This Christmas, he unwrapped a hand-powered coffee grinder that Karen scoured eight antique stores to find.
“Buying new is so much easier,” she lamented.
The American economy depends on consumers willing to buy the latest in fashions, furnishings and flat-screen TVs. Indeed, in the weeks after Sept. 11, 2001, shopping was cast as a patriotic duty, a way to help prevent the economy from tipping into a recession.
But the Compact, started by a group of San Francisco friends as a rebellion against what they see as gluttonous consumerism and its thoughtless destruction of the environment, turns that notion on its head.

more...

The Compact, named after the creed made by the revolutionaries who sailed here on the Mayflower, started in 2004 with a San Francisco dinner party. The conversation had turned to the downsides of recycling, and the group agreed to a revolutionary idea of its own: to buy nothing new, aside from a small list of exceptions that includes medicine, underwear and cleaning products. They could buy food without restrictions, including eating out.
Officially the Compact has grown from 10 friends around the dinner table to more than 8,700 members of online users groups today. Founding member John Perry figures thousands more are living the Compact life offline, though it's hard to track exact numbers of members and success rates.

more...

It was fall of 2006 and Heimdahl was counseling a growing number of Minnesotans having trouble paying their mortgage and credit-card debt when she read about the Compact in the news.
“For a while I had been feeling fed up about the consumer nature of our society,” said the 31-year-old financial counselor for Lutheran Social Service. “I think part of it is what I do for my job, too, seeing a lot of people have debt ... and not having anything to account for it.”
Still, she didn't sign up right away. “My first thought was 'Well, I don't need to do that, I don't buy much stuff anyway.' But then I realized that was an excuse.”
On April 8, 2007, she and her husband were sitting at their desks in their Waconia, Minn., home. Without a triggering event or much thought of how this would change her life, she signed up for the Compact group online. Although her husband, Andy, was just feet away, she didn't mention her new commitment until later that day. She worried about his reaction, knowing he viewed the Compact as extreme. But he surprised her. “He was actually very supportive.”
“I wasn't sure she was going to be able to follow through,” said Andy, 33. “In this consumer-driven society it seemed like a nearly impossible task.”
It hasn't been easy. The week after she signed up, she picked up a box of candles for her father's birthday party. Driving to the party with her sister, she confessed her sin, which her sister brushed off. It was months before Heimdahl set foot in a big-box store again.
“Every three months is when I tend to have a cheat,” she says. After the candles was the gift certificate she bought for a new motorcycle windshield for her husband. She didn't actually buy the item for him, but with the gift certificate, “the intent was there.”


Do you think YOU could do this? Take the poll and let me know.

Any chimp can play human for a day

I have been rediscovering my Rilo Kiley CD, More Adventurous.

This is the first song on the disc. I just love the lyrics here. Especially the first part. Especially as we head into an election year.

Come on. How many times do you hear someone singing that "you'll panic and throw your own shit at the enemy?"

"It's A Hit"

Any chimp can play human for a day

And use his opposable thumbs to iron his uniform;

And run for office on election day;

And fancy himself a real decision maker,

Then deploy more troops than salt in a shaker.

But it's a jungle when war is made,

And you'll panic and throw your own shit at the enemy.

The camera pulls back to reveal your true identity.

Look, it's a sheep in wolf's clothing,

A smoking gun holding ape.



Click on the song title if you want all the lyrics. This was just the part that got me.

There are several great songs on that disc. I was concentrating more on their new one recently, Under the Blacklight. But then figured I would go for a refresher on something a little older.


I am really glad I did.

I am glad Santa knows the true meaning of Christmas

There is a neighborhood in my city that goes all out for Christmas. Most of the residents really get into things with elaborate lighting and props.

Me, I love that neighborhood.

But man would I hate to live there from Thanksgiving until New Year's.

It is a constant stream of traffic in and out of there once the sun goes down and the lights come on.

The manfriend and I went down there a few days after Christmas to get a look at the lights.

As usual, it was quite pretty.

As usual, there was a ton of traffic.

What really got me were the idiots driving with no lights on.

I get that they want the full effect. But there also are a lot of people walking around and running across the streets.

Anyway, I digress.

I took pictures of a couple of my favorite houses.

I also really loved the giant sign that reads "Jesus is the reason for the season."

It shows Baby Jesus in the manger with Santa looking over him.

That just does not seem right to me.