I Care... No, Really!

I am in a tough spot. I feel so out of place right now. All I care about right now is my family and my photography. It is a good thing that photography happens to be my living, or I would be useless. Everything else just seems to be a waste of time. It is why I have not posted anything in 10 days.

For instance I was out to dinner with my boss and his boss with the rest of the crew. I felt so awkward. They talk about movies, music, and favorite drinks. Hell, it was only about a year ago I had my first beer. I am so focused on my family and the needs of my clients I do not even care about what is on TV, the big screen, or what is on the top 40. It just does not matter. Yet, I somehow I felt I came up short.

The more I thought about it the more depressed it made me. I have not lived. I have been too busy working. WRONG!! I have lived a thousand life times. I have shaken the hands of more congress members than anyone I know. I have photographed the President. I have suited up with some of our bravest and walked into a burning building. I have photographed some of the most recognized people on the planet.

I watched horrors of 9/11 and 343 of my closest friends died trying to save as many as they could before those towers fell. Over 3,000 moms, fathers, children, and other great Americans also died. I remember that day so clear. I was driving to photograph the tearing down of a 100 plus-year-old grain elevator. People were jumping to keep from being burned alive, choosing their own demise over that of 19 nut bags.

Then that is when things started for me. Nothing else mattered. Only family and the memories I create for others. Don’t get me wrong I truly miss the daily rat race of the news biz.

A lot has happened. I have had to move from my home for a better pay check. I had to tear my kids from the stability and the uncertainty we lived for a better paycheck. Before that my wife almost died giving birth to our youngest and our youngest almost did not fair much better.

Two years later we have money in the bank. I am growing a business from a cash positive verses debt, and my youngest yells DADDY!! When I come home. I work in a profession I love. I work great hours. I get to see my family every night. In the news biz That was not the case. If drinks, TV, movies, and top 40 are the priority of those around me I feel bad for them. I get it…. I hope some day they do too. I care about those around me too much for them not to get it.

Harry Potter

Harry Potter is all the craze. At my house we have been looking forward to it for months, My oldest Suzannah far left has read all the books so far! (From Left) Suzannah, Brayden, and Annie pose after the Harry Potter party.

My Office Space…

What is it with desks? I am the typical fat 6-foot 2-inch fat American. To get me legs under a desk I have to lower my computer chair until my knees hit me in the chin.

AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

$1,000,000 Reward for a decent desk payable upon my death in a 300-year annuity. Yearly payments approximately $.50 per year.


The insane

Terror Attacks

The London attacks brought back a lot of old memories from 9/11 for me. It is a truly senseless tragedy. I am just as upset with the people walking around with blinders on. They are so caught up in their own lives they fail to see a larger picture. Then they sit around as to be intellectuals on what is going on, and make horrible statements about people leading this fight on terrorism.

The terrorists did not attack because of Britain’s involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq. They were going to attack regardless of the situation in Iraq. In Spain when they had a large attack on their mass transit system that caused a whole new government to take office. The attackers claimed it was because of their involvement in Iraq. Spain pulled out of Iraq fearing more attacks. Well guess what they were attacked again despite their change in their position in Iraq.

We here in the United States have seen attacks on our interest over seas either directly or to our allies. We stood by and did nothing. We tried to understand why they would do such horrible things. We held out our arms to understand these nuts, and they decided to hijack and fly 747s into our hearts. Listen and learn!! THE TERRIOSTS WILL NOT STOP UNTIL OUR WHAY OF LIFE IS DEAD!!!

They have waged a 20-year war so far on this country until 9/11 we did nothing. We tried it they way liberals wanted. President Clinton turned down three requests to take Osama Bin Laden from the Sudan government. Clinton turned them down, and Sudan set him free. How nice it was to let the leader of the organization that let the attacks on the USS Cole go free. How did Bin Laden thank Clinton... by killing over 3,000 Americans on 9/11?

Now, it is time to take the war to the terrorists. To keep them moving do not give them time to plan and attack. Disrupt their plans make it difficult for them to attack again. Raise the stakes for them by taking the fight to their backyards.

These cowards latest attack in London is absurd. A majority of Great Britains believe that their country should not be in Iraq, so these terrorists decide to kill their own supporters!! They were innocent people trying to go to work, and the chances are most of the dead stood in opposition to the war in Iraq. Then the terrorists kill their own allies?! It makes no sense. The truth is THE TERRIOSTS WILL KILL REGARLESS WERE YOU STAND ON THE WAR ISSUE.

The issue is much larger than the war. Support our leaders and troops that are trying to preserve the human right to express of one self and practice their own religious beliefs without fear or discrimination!

Jason

A Day at Soddy Lake

Fishing what a fun thing... I go fishing with my father-in-law about once a month and usually catch nothing but log trout. A fish I am very familiar with. People joke about catching stuff out of lakes, creeks, and rivers, but no one has got anything on me.

One time I caught a BBQ grill. No I am not kidding. Anyhow.... my girls had a great time and they caught more than me, which is not hard. I had a lot of fun with them.

Jason

Suzannah catches 1.5 pound blue gill.

Annie catches the smallest blue gill I have ever seen. I do not even know how she got the hook into it's mouth.

Chattanooga Fireworks

Fireworks downtown Chattanooga. Image was taken from the south shore of the Tennessee River

The Mystery Man

The Mystery Man

I really do no know how it happened. There I was at the base of the main staircase at the Hunter Museum of Modern Art on their re-opening day. I was after an abstract architectural photograph. Then it happen as I pressed the shutter this man popped his head over the rail.

WOW! I really think it made the shot, and it was a complete accident. I think it is a great photo. I hope you enjoy it too!

Jason

Isn't That Cute!

My oldest... Isn't that cute!

My Blog

Rant... Rave... Show-off...

I do not know really. I thought blogging to be interesting, so I thought I would give it a shot. My goal is try to do a little something everyday. Nothing really complicated. Sometimes it may be a big deal. Other times it may be just to complain about the world around me. If you interested in reading, great, but really this is for me. I hope you do enjoy an unfiltered me... well, sort of unfiltered. Jason

Time Expired

Time Expired

Time expired was taken in downtown Chattanooga using a Canon 10D with a 17-35mm lens. For me this is something people see everyday and don't pay much attention to. There are a lot of little life lessons to take from this image, but if I told you the lesson it would not have its own meaning now would it. Enjoy!