YAY!!!! Internet and Phones!!!!

Great news! Phones and internet have been restored from Hurricane Ike damage!

Hurricane Ike Update & The Election

Well folks I can not believe we are so far out from Hurricane Ike and it is still on the agenda. I know there are people that have it a whole lot worse than myself, but it is frustrating situation. First I want to send an over due very warm thanks to Mike over at Morgan-Lee Supply in Dalton, GA. He so graciously sent us a generator. It allowed to get things back up and running much quicker.

Mike and his wife Tammy are wonderful people. I met them while teaching a class some time back. They also are photographers and operate Houston Studios Photography. It is great to have such generous people as friends.

THE ELECTION


This Is a very heated and highly debated election this year. Rightfully so. There is so much at stake. Terrorism, taxes, the economy, energy, and illegal immigration are just a few. It is important to know why you are voting for someone. It is even more important to do so without regard to party politics.

This one video is the turning point for me. I can not believe in today's economy we have someone speaking like this. Taking more money out of the economy in tough times has been a proven failure. It is basic economics they teach high school kids. It is so irresponsible, I can not imagine having someone without a clue to be leader of the world's greatest country. It is bad leadership for Americans and bad for the world.

I hate to be political here, but I believe there is too much at stake. I will make one more post on the topic I found interesting in a few days. Then after that I will leave it alone, but I feel this information has been largely ignored by the press. You really can't argue with words out of the horses mouth.

Who will this effect? The richest? No... If you are investing in the stock market your going to feel the hurt. If you and your significant other both pull down $42K a year (the median income for the country) you will be pulling down $84k a year, and be considered rich in America.

My dad pull down less than $50K a year but is invested in stocks. He will see a big raise on his taxes as well.

I am just sayin'.

Enjoy!
Jason

Hurricane Ike - Disaster 2008

Everytime I take a little time off something really aweful happens. I will spare you the grizzle details. Trust me, I am not making it up.

Here is the update. I am still without power, or internet. I try to make it to Panera or the library everyday to pickup my new emails. I also use that time to charge my batteries on the laptop, so I can get some work done.

Please, give me a call on my cell phone at 423.544.2267.

Ike Update XXIV

LOL! It feel that way. I thought I would include a photo of our house. We came very close to seeing major property loss. This tree was as tall as me on it's side. If it fell 10 feet to the left we would have been in trouble. There was another on you can't see that came even closer.

For business, any good professional knows when to ask for help. Here is the help I am asking for. If you have emailed me in the last few days and waiting a response please forward the message to me again. If you called please send and email to photographer@jasonconnel.com.

At this time I a am completely overwhelmed and I am trying to stick to my deadline for everything. I need to take a triage approach. My goal is to take care of the most critical concerns first. Please, be patient as I try to work through everything for folks.

Here is my to do list....

1. Call Sharon about her albums to start designs
2. Shane and Michelle has a malfunctioning DVD
3. Looking to call Sue about Pictage concerns
4. Touch bases with all my clients with up coming wedding and make sure everyone is okay.
5. Get with Quinn for her final planning session for her wedding.
6. Get DVD's and book design done for Vanessa and Heath
7. Change of address so all equipment that is out for repair gets to me.
8. Get to Houston to pick up equipment that has already shipped, and books that have arrived during this time.
9. Find a good place to work for the duration
10. Shane and Michelle's Book design
11. Pick up truck after being in the shop.
12. Return rental equipment.
13. Loads of blogging... I have some really wonderful weddings and engagement sessions to share.
14. Work on piecing together my previous tasks prior to Ike.
15. Make sure Marcela is okay
16. Take care of Melanie's contract.
17. Get with Mike Houston (who has made a very generous offer)
    

Cell phone coverage is spotty where I am. I am trying to return phone call when I can. I will be with you. If you need to reach me urgently please call me on my cell phone. That number is 423.544.2267.

I want to thank all the wonderful generosity. I am truly blessed to have so many folks to call friends.

Enjoy!
Jason
www.jasonconnel.com

Hurricane Ike Assessment

Monday 3am I get a phone call from my father, "You up?!". I reply "Yes."

In reality I thought it was 4:00am or 4:30am and I had slept through my alarm. No, not so after about ten minutes of stumbling around for my clothes. I realized my dad was nutz! But, I actually knew that already.

We drove to Houston arriving to my office just after sunrise, so here is the good and the bad. I am not a bad news first sort of person. So, here is the good. Nothing, was destroyed. Nadda, nuthin', zeltch personal property was destroyed. Thank you for all the prayers.

However, every single power pole was destroyed. Every pole will have to be dug up and re-planted. I am without power for the long hall. There is a 50 foot pine tree that fell due to the storm, in my neighbors back yard, that the 75 foot pine tree in my yard is holding up. One good gust of wind and I will have a tree parked in my office.

Trees fell everywhere in my neighborhood. Barely missing my truck, that will never die, by just an inch or two. The other bad news. The city is having complete failure of the sewage system. A good friend of mine had his house flooded by raw sewage. Apparently, I am not out of the woods yet.

Engagement Sessions and Bridal Sessions for this weekend are canceled. I am getting more operations up everyday, and getting some help from fellow photographers which I will be posted about here soon.

I would love to hear from all my clients with weddings over the next two months shoot me an email at photographer@jasonconnel.com, or leave a comment here.

My prayers continue to be with s all.

Enjoy!
Jason
www.jasonconnel.com

Hurricane Ike Update

I can not even begin to express what the last two weeks have been like. it has been such  roller-coaster. My prayers are with all the victims of Ike. I know a lot of folks have been praying for me and my family, and I thank you.

I apologize to everyone who has sent me email. I have received them. If there is something you feel I may have missed feel free to sent me another note. I will be with you as soon as I can.

Most of you know I live and work out of Dickinson. Due to the many prayers and notes of concern I have received I feel like I am truly blessed with some of the best friends and family a person can ask for. I promise I will be getting back with you all as soon as I can.

I know most of you would like to know if your images are safe. The answer is yes. Everything was backed up. However, the good news is that it looks like my house was spared flooding. However, I have many very large trees in and around my house. It is still unknown at this time what kind of damage I have.

I have organized, and I will be making a very early morning assessment of needs. I am not going in to stay. This is a chance for me to get everything out to run the business as a daily basis from San Antonio. I do not believe it is safe or smart to stay at my office at this time. I am only going to be there long enough to receive what I need to continue daily operations, and to secure the house. For those who are rightfully concerned about me I have made appropriate arrangements, and my journalism background will be very helpful in this situation (meaning I have plenty of food and water for a week and I won't do anything stupid.)

Any prayers of comment of concerns are appreciated.

Thank you,

Jason

Hurricane Ike Update

Hello everyone,

This is a sad day for everyone. I got news today that my office will get 24 feet of storm surge. I am asking for prayers, and I am giving prayers for everyone in the path of this storm. If you have sent an email recently the chances are I have received it. I have been making preparations while I have been on the road for the storm. I apologize for the delay.

The good news is that all weddings are up, and all data is backed up. I have most of my equipment with me. So, all of you October and November brides we are still ready for your wedding. All comments are welcome.

Good luck to you all.
Jason
www.jasonconnel.com

New Full-Size Luxury Hybrid

This new Hybrid features all leather, well balanced suspension, with a top speed of thirty miles per hour. With ample leg room for two commuting in stop and go traffic never felt so good. The new car is a technology leap in the race against sour gas prices. It runs on grass and produces gas. It truly offers a return on your investment.

Yellow Stone National Park - Black Sand Basin

Arches National Park - Moab, Utah

Mesa Verde National Park - Colorado

Space Trash - Roswell, NM

You can take the Space Alien out of Space, but you can't take the Space out of the Space Alien. LOL!

Guadalupe Mountains - Photo of the Day

A Tragic Story - Please, Please, Read This

Denise being escorted down the asile by her uncle.

I have something to share with everyone. This is something that has hit home, because this has happened to a couple of mine. Denise and Craig are such wonderful people I can not think of a more horrible thing to happen to them.

Before I met Denise at a coffee shop on the northside of Houston little did I know about her tragic loss leading up to our meeting. I short time earlier she had lost her parents in a awful car accident in which the driver was sending a text message. A text message that changed entire family forever.

I urge you. No! You have a moral obligation to never ever do this while driving. This especially true this holiday weekend. Read her and Craig's entire story on their newly formed blog Cell Phone Justice.

Here is the web address... http://handsonthesteeringwheel.blogspot.com/

Please leave comment, and tell everyone you love in your life. Which we all know should be everyone you meet.

Thank you,
Jason
www.jasonconnel.com

Joline and Alex's Wedding Photography - Hotel Derek - Houston, Tx

Again trying to catch up with my blogging, and I have the very fabulous wedding of Joline and Alex to share with you all. The wedding was at Hotel Derek in Houston, and they did an amazing job. The Hotel is just amazing for an amazing weekend retreat or a wedding.

Joline and Alex are so much fun. They had this really awesome 80's cover band call The Lost Boys. I had the hardest time selecting images for this post, so it is a little longer than usual.

Here is the slideshow!

Enjoy!
Jason
www.jasonconnel.com

The groom is blind folded! This can't be good. Don't look!!!!!

You looked!!! I warned you!

A Whole Lot of Somethin' - Misty & Aarron - Chateau Elan

Lets air the business of the day. As for the previous emergency announcement we are okay. Yesterday, was sort of the deadline for me to head to my Aunt's and help her out with the kidos. However, the doctors came back with some good news. The infection in her husband's leg from the injury had not made it to the bones. Thank for the prayers!

Onto other business. In a previous post I talked about a little bit about Lightroom. Well, folks you are about to start seeing the results of what this amazing piece of software is doing for me. For now lets get caught up on some of the AMAZING weddings I have been photographing.

Let me introduce you guys to Misty and Aarron. They were married a while back at Chateau Elan just outside of Atlanta, GA. If you are looking for a place to have a wedding. This would be on my short list for sure. I must say I LOVE military weddings!

Here is the slideshow.

Enjoy!
Jason
www.jasonconnel.com

An Emergency Announcement

My Aunt's husband was in a dirt bike accident last week. We have been watching and monitoring the situation. It looks like the first hospital did a less than steller job patching him up. He was taken by ambulance this week to another hospital that discovered his previous surgery had left him in really bad shape.

They have three kids that have been floating around church members houses in Tennessee. If it looks like the infection is bad he will have to be in the hospital for six weeks, and we will have their kids here for that time. That way he can get back on his feet again. Bringing the total little ones in our house up to 6.

Any prayers would be appreciated for the kids, for us, and for his speedy recovery. I will keep everyone updated right here.

Jason

Lightroom 2.0 Saves My Life

I can not tell you what this newest piece of software has done for my life. Lightroom 2.0 has completely changed my life and my business, and just about has done it overnight. A while back my very good friend Matt Dunmore convinced me to give it a try. I was also motivated by the fact I was going to see David Jay on his Free to Succeed Tour that was going to focus on the new product from Adobe. I had to give it a try so I could take away as much information as I could. Boy I am glad I did!

I went and saw his talk with Jasmine Star with some good friends of mine here in Houston (I would give you guys some blog love, but there are too many of you... This would sound like a Presidential speech... LOL!) There were so many wonderful things that they spoke about that I plan on trying, but I immediately took what they said in Lightroom and ran with it.

That alone has changed my life! I am not kidding either. Stay tuned folks good things are coming!

Enjoy!
Jason
www.jasonconnel.com

I Love Jim Cantore - Tropical Storm Edouard - Texas City, TX

This weekend we learned of Tropical Storm Edouard on our door step. It has been a little hectic getting ready. We had needed to get our hurricane emergency kit in order, so after most of the day working on that the girls were a bit wound up. They were a little nervous to hear their parents say if Tropical Storm Edouard becomes a Category 1 Hurricane we would ride it out.

So, we decided to have a little fun. We love hurricane season and watching Jim Cantore from the Weather Channel work on his leaning in various storms in the past. Since he is a favorite person to watch and tease on TV this time of year we decided to make a few signs. Then we were off to the Texas City Dike for a evening of letting loose.

We had a lot of fun and it was great to see our daughters cutting it up a little with all the serious talk lately.

Enjoy!
Jason
www.jasonconnel.com

People fleeing the beach in terror... LOL!

Our lovely daughters in la la land!

Yumm nothing like some two headed fish!

Ugh... What? A Tropical Storm?!