ultimate wendy

What's up?

2008-10-01T23:21:00.002-05:00

our wedding.

Postcard: Ocean City, Maryland

2008-07-13T15:35:00.003-05:00

Beaches are best in the morning, when people are still passed out from adventures the night before. When it isn't hot and most of the visitors are still fast asleep in their overpriced hotel beds. Thank you, kind life guard, who came after me after a rip tide took me for a ride. I made it back fine on my own, with a higher salt content.

Willy at 12 weeks, up at the creek

2008-06-21T15:31:00.007-05:00

We went to Rausch Creek and took Willy for some four wheeling. We didn't do much wheeling, this was more a socialize Willy to four wheeling day. He loved it. I think Dave and I ran his little legs off! He ran through grass taller than he is. Ate as much grass and weeds as he could get in his mouth. He tried to take home every stick and root he could find. He veraciously dug through rocks the size of golf balls, and chased the ones that fell down hills.

Joyously munching grass and rolling around on his back during a break for lunch.

This weed eater is a happy dog.

Willy found this massive root. He was bent on taking it home. He got very upset when I told him it was time to leave the root. Maybe he wanted to take it to Mary?

My furry, sleepy passenger and his blanket, surrounded by his toys.

The consensus, he'll make a good (but teeny) jeep dog.

Willy....giving you the eye

2008-06-15T12:05:00.004-05:00

Yesterday marked 11 weeks for our little puppy. We have named him Willy. He is doing well after having a hernia repaired on Friday and getting "altered". Poor guy. Willy's favorite pastimes include bark chewing and chewing in general.

Our newest edition

2008-05-20T18:05:00.006-05:00

This is our new puppy. He has no name. Please help. He was seven weeks old on Saturday.

David and the no name puppy.

What a Great Wall

2008-04-06T12:23:00.003-05:00

Back in Hong Kong! After an interesting time at a hotel in very rural Shenzen, we decided to come back to Hong Kong sooner than expected. Apparently, tourists were being kidnapped and in some cases killed. Leaving was good for a couple of reasons other than the previous mention, first being that we didn't see much of HK before, but also because we have internet access!! Whooo!! Some more updates can trickle in. Many stories about tea, shopping, getting lost, highway rings, using my Mandarin phrase book (alot), being "tall", having a pretty nose, Elaine, the word salacious and it's overuse, Dave eating with chop sticks, temples, gardens, traffic, speeding, a lot of taxis, randomly broken up roads, ascending to heaven, Chinese people giggling at my Englanese, laughing at printed Chingrish, hair school, lots of back pain, crazy Italians, and much more. For now, on to what you really want to know about. The Great Wall.

And it was huge. The Wall, just as imagined, rolls on the edge of the hills from as far as you can see. Dave and I shot gobs of photos. It was such a nice day. We nearly died on the way there when our driver was speeding (typical in both Shanghai and Beijing) and hit a patch of freshly torn up pavement and we skidded into on coming traffic (namely a bus) and close enough to the edge of the cliff. Our driver let out a near perfect sounding "Sorry!" Followed by nervous laughter. Hilarious.

As we were leaving the Wall, this donkey ran out into the road and stopped just over in our lane. Our driver, speeding again, swerved to avoid hitting the animal. I grabbed this shot out of the heavily tinted window.

Blogger Blocked!

2008-03-20T08:33:00.001-05:00

We are in mainland China, in Shanghai and I believe blogspot urls are blocked. This means no photos on the blog and I cannot read comments or check to make sure things are posting correctly. Booooo! The China government is successful and good for its people.

Hong Kong coast

2008-03-18T21:34:00.004-05:00

Hong Kong's coast line is stunning. There are so many buildings, so tall and so close together and it is very long. More fog, more pollution.

Aww, we look so American! Yes, we are taller than most people, I don't notice it until we are crossing a street or on the sidewalk with people everywhere. I think Dave notices his towering height more often, I have seen him have to duck for lighting fixtures and even signs hanging on the street.

Since we have have been here, we have seen one wedding and two couples in wedding dress. I thought it was odd since they were not spotted on a weekend, but on Sunday and Monday.

I haven't photographed much food that we have eaten since we have been here since we have been eating at the locals' restaurants. After walking by what seemed like the 6th McDonalds we caved in to see what was on the menu. From the street we saw "Twisty Pasta" and "Crawdad Bisque" on the menu. Dave and I ordered chicken nuggets by pointing to them on the picture menu and said "yes" when asked "Set?" (We decided that "Set" meant "Combo"). About HK$50 (about US$6.70) later this is what we got. I had no problem holding up my camera in a McDonalds, I wasn't worried about offending anyone. We both laughed when I went to the trash to empty the tray into the trash and an employee came over and snatched it from my hand, not sure why, but everyone leaves their trays and trash on the table.

Fire truck, fire truck, fire truck.

2008-03-18T21:11:00.003-05:00

Chinese fire truck! Makes a different sound than we are used to, when I heard the siren I knew where it was coming from but looked right past the fire truck at first, mistaking it for one of the many large trucks. Waited for Chinese fire drill, never happened.

Also, we found Mini Jeep and fire truck playsets! So many silly things we have found and would like to bring back, at this point it is too early in our trip to carry around goodies like these.

Kowloon in under fog and smog

2008-03-18T20:26:00.004-05:00

Shot the Lumix some more today, seemed easier than carrying an SLR. Too bad there is so much smog and humidity that visibility is decreased. It was warm and about 90% humidity. Dave and I were a bit uncomfortable since it is the first humidity this year for either of us. We watched turtles and koi in a pond in the morning, poor little turtles had a hard time fighting the koi as they swam to get onto the rocks.

View from the bubble elevator (lift) to our room, aside from the little bit of glare that is a true representation of the decreased visibility due to the pollution. You can really feel it in your lungs. Early afternoon we saw a man taking a jog, I can only imagine that running here is an acquired skill, not an activity for people new to the area.

The pool at our hotel, very French inspired area on the roof of the hotel.

We walked through Kowloon and browsed at all the shops, one street over is how I imagined China. This is further down Jordan Street, maybe a mile or so, very geared to foreign tourists.

Near the end of the peninsula we found this building as construction workers where taking down the scaffolding. They moved so fast along the bamboo structure as it weaved back and forth. We watched them work for quite a while. So different than in America. I couldn't help but think about workers comp.

Close up of the construction workers taking down the bamboo scaffolding.

Kowloon and Eaton Hotel

2008-03-18T14:54:00.003-05:00

The Kowloon Peninsula of Hong Kong at night. I hadn't seen any photos of this area at night. I was surprised at all the neon lights.

Our hotel is very nice. We booked it Saturday night/Sunday morning in New York via orbitz.com. For about US$100/night we are staying at the Eaton Hotel. The Eaton sits right in the middle of a shopper's dream. The hotel room is small compared to western hotels, but very nice and very modern.

Due to construction we had to move rooms for our second night. Our floor (12/F) had the water turned off and there was construction dust filling the hallways. We moved up to (17/F), our room is the same but a mirror image layout.

For the price, The Eaton hotel is very posh compared to western hotels in the same range. There is great thought put into the lighting and function of the room layout and lots of amenities both in room and available to guests.

When we got into our room, we were stumped at turning on the lights. Simple task for most, but there is a combination required to turn on not only the lights but the electricity for the room. On the right is a wall mounted spot you put your hotel key into, it only fits a certain way and requires more force than one would think. Once the red light goes away you can flip the giant rocker switches to the left. This took us 5 minutes and thankfully an employee happened to walk by and came to our rescue.

Whooooo! Western toilet in our hotel. Hey people asked what style was in our room. Also, look at all the mini lotions and shampoos and bathroom stuffs. I immediately thought of Sharon.

getting to Kowloon, Hong Kong

2008-03-18T04:17:00.001-05:00

Dave and I took the express train and then the K1 bus from the airport in Hong Kong straight to our hotel in Kowloon, Hong Kong. The train was awesome, it took us less than 30 minutes to get to Kowloon, also it was clean and really well lit and comfortable. Sadly, after over 15 hours of flight time, I wasn't in the right head space to switch to a wider lens. I had one goal in mind, shower then snooze.

The buses in Hong Kong are single and double decker buses. The highways and streets really force you to drive in circles. Some of the signs and landmarks we saw from several angles as we rode around to the hotel. We arrived in Hong Kong at about 7:00pm local time. Since it was dark when we came in, I think that getting straight to the hotel was a blessing. Although many signs in Hong Kong are in Chinese and English and many people speak English, you can find yourself in flipped upside down when someone seems like they understand what you are asking and actually have no idea what you are saying or asking. That's fun.

Proof we need showers and sleep.

We fly first class from now on.

2008-03-18T04:00:00.000-05:00

For the record, First class on Continental is huge. I had to scoot down for my feet to even touch the seat in front of me. Plus the aisles are as wide as the large seats which can go back to 180 degrees. Not too bad if you want to catch some sleep. I slept a fair amount of the flight, waking up for 3 course lunch and snack time and breakfast.

This is the first course of lunch. Smoked black peppered salmon stuffed with cream cheese and some other deliciousnesses and a yummy chicken with asparagus and red and yellow tomatoes. Notice the knives, three of them, sitting on my tray. Yeah and that is champagne I am drinking! With snack time consisting of a plate of fresh fruit, 3 tea sandwiches and more, it is evident to me that the people over at Continental are illusioned when it comes to meal time.

We had fun on the flight, Dave was more nervous than I was, and had enough excitement for both of us. Watched a few movies, read no TIME magazines, opened no laptops.

The stuff we brought

2008-03-17T21:55:00.003-05:00

With one suitcase, Dave and I left Virgina, via Amtrak to Penn Station. Aside from the cameras, this is all the stuff we brought with us, including gobs of tissue, UV sterilizer pen, various OTC meds, laundry soap, back issues of TIME, goodies for friends currently living in China and another suitcase. Dave is the best at packing suitcases and made quick work of everything we anticipate we will need over nearly a month.

We took the 3:15am train out of Union Station, by 7:30am we were in NYC. Compared to the last real train ride from Sacramento to Los Angeles, this trip was much better than before. After walking uptown, midtown and downtown, it was nice to meet up with John for a car ride to Nyack for some sleep!

It was nice to see Shasta, I secretly wish I could have put her in my pocket and taken her with us. Saturday was spent getting some sleep, finally seeing the firehouse, giving Shasta a bath, showing John the new camera baby and repacking.

Self.

2007-09-13T17:33:00.000-05:00

portrait.

Get married.

2007-08-29T22:11:00.000-05:00

Not because I am an advocate for marriage (anyone who knows me can see that a mile away). But because I will make beautiful paper things for your wedding.

A wedding favor for Lacey & Peter, getting married Sept. 15

North Las Vegas, Desert 'Burbs

2007-08-24T22:58:00.001-05:00

From the Achives: IMG 8686

2007-08-12T09:43:00.000-05:00

Blue New Jersey

2007-06-19T22:39:00.000-05:00

A mid week, two night jaunt to the Garden State. It is nice to get away from traffic and clocks. I lost my phone, and don't have a watch.

A day in my life: Glasses Shopping

2007-06-04T18:53:00.001-05:00

I am nearly blind. Imagine that for a second, a nearly blind photographer. I heavily rely on my glasses, so when it is time for a new pair, it can a little painful to decide which pair to commit to. While shopping for new specticles, I have never been able to actually see what pair looks like. Recently, I came up with the idea of photographing myself to see what frame style to chose. This is the result, a self gratifying montage of my face. Enjoy.

HUMMER fun

2007-06-04T17:51:00.000-05:00

This, my friends, is a Hummer H3 on an RTI ramp. An RTI (Ramp Travel Index) ramp is used to measure the amount of 'flex' in a vehicle's suspension. The measurement is taken when three tires are on the ground, the distance traveled is divided by the wheelbase and multiplied by 1000. You feel smart now?

Group Photo for Arlington Cemetery Book

2007-05-30T00:14:00.000-05:00

From the debut and presentation of our book, Where Valor Rests, a group photo of some of the photographers who worked on the project including the publisher and editors. It has been an honor to work on a project with such depth with people who truely care about producing quality.

National Geographic Magazine

2007-05-21T09:29:00.000-05:00

Check out the June issue for a story on Arlington, excerpted from our book. I have a couple of photos in the magazine.

Current Work

2007-05-16T15:39:00.000-05:00

Been exreamly busy, managing the exhibition for the book, Where Valor Rests - Arlington National Cemetery. (Available now in a book store near you!)

Nearly finished hanging the exhibition today. The photo in the center is a 20 ft digital infared panorama by the spectacular Bruce Dale.

Come see the exhibition, which opens to the public on Saturday. The opening is by invitation only. Stop by the Arlington Cemetery Visitors Center to see the work before the end of May.

I still haven't decided.

2007-05-08T12:42:00.000-05:00

I have narrowed it down to 3 continents. Asia, South America are leading the pack.

Also, my crappy card reader died. Got a new one, and it dies on it's second day. Maybe that is the cost of free international travel.

What if you could go anywhere?

2007-05-02T14:04:00.000-05:00

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

I won a pair of airline tickets on Saturday, so this is the question I have been thinking about a lot lately. I would welcome your comments. I have been concentrating on a few places in particular, but I am so entertained by the activity of deciding where to fly. Photo projects, stories, vacations....so many options when destination is virtually limitless. Thank you WHNPA , Continental, Dennis and Mary. I'd also like thank the Corcoran, who without them (pulling out on the sponsorship of the WHNPA), this probably wouldn't have been possible.

Blossom tree

2007-03-30T10:17:00.000-05:00

Made some tree panoramas today. In case any one didn't realize, spring is here. Apparently no one told the weather, it is supposed to be a high of mid 50's on Sunday. Just in the last week it has felt wonderful outside. You know, in late January we could have been experiencing the same sunshine, had we all been in the Golden State. But then they are splitting off of the country soon, so you get what you (over)pay for. I am missing California today, the sunshine and mild temperature, the peach and prune blossoms, and the Governator.

Not me

2007-03-28T21:44:00.000-05:00

My little sister (my only sister) graduated from Air Force basic training. She is currently in Technical School for Security Forces. Life isn't fun, it's different. It is really weird to see my name on a uniform. She is so different now, so full of herself.

Working when it is cold

2007-03-09T12:54:00.000-05:00

There are some days I love getting to work outside, there are other days that are inconvenient. Take this morning for example. Cold, windy and I think I was coming down with some sort of cold. Then get on top of a building for a couple hours. I forgot gloves, so every so often I was taking a hand warming break. Awesome, really. But now I could use a warm nap.

February 4, 2007: SUPERbowl

2007-02-14T01:23:00.000-05:00

I spent SuperBowl (as if anyone cares about football) at my mom's house in Las Vegas. It was basically like a mini family reunion. There was an huge amount of food, in their huge amount of house. We barely put a dent in the 20lbs or so of king crab legs. By the way, for some reason crab is inexpensive in the grocery stores. I bet on points, hey, it is what you do while in Vegas, or so I was told by the bookie. I won $19.05. I am sure they will post my name somewhere. I didn't really care about winning, I bet under, I was only concerned about losing to my mom, who bet over.

September 25, 2006: The Switcheroo

2007-01-12T00:54:00.000-05:00

I bet Kevin didn't even know. For everyone I know, you should realize that I should not be left with the responsibility of your vehicle. You see, Kevin left his Jeep (the silver one in the back) at my house. I thought it would be a great idea to borrow his tires and wheels, and put them on my Jeep (the awesome red one in the front). Anyone have a Corvette with a LS or an LT in it?

September 6, 2006: This is how Dave camps

2007-01-12T00:38:00.000-05:00

Notice there are three laptops in front of him. Yea, three. Dave doesn't mess around. This guy is serious about the portable personal computer. We went to Nowheresville, PA, the town just changed their name to Dover, PA, to just get away from work. We had originally planned on camping, but settled on staying at his parents' camper on the lake.

November 11, 2006: Ioana's Penis, Back by Popular Demand

2006-12-16T23:20:00.001-05:00

Kevin asked me for some help to thank his girlfriend, Ioana, for the surprise party she threw for him over the summer by throwing her a awesome birthday party. We (and by we, I mainly mean indecisive Kevin) decided on a Canadian theme party. To top the historical boob cake, I made a penis pinata for the birthday girl.

November 23, 2006: Turkey Day

2006-12-16T22:41:00.000-05:00

The photo below has been labeled for deciphering pleasure.

There really aren't many things our kitties actually go nuts for. For a long time they didn't even care about cat nip, which everyone told me is like cat crack. However, both Mary and Sophie are pretty interested in turkey. While carving turkey, I snuck Sophie more than Mary. Mary usually hogs what ever she can get. I never thought I would love these guys as much as I do, but I cannot imagine life with out them.

Must rid the Rust and Dust

2006-12-09T23:01:00.000-05:00

Things, and by "things" I mean life in general and all that goes with it, has been quite chaotic for me lately, and by "lately" I mean about the last two months. So this is my effort to shake of the dust bunnies and rust bunnies off of my blog and get back into the swing of things. And so, I leave you with this semi-family portrait.

September 24, 2006: In honor of Arianne & Jimmy

2006-10-20T11:04:00.001-05:00

Found this Hooters, naturally my thoughts went to Arianne & Jimmy. Their honeymoon will be at Ocean City, MD. Arianne told me she was so excited to go because there is a Hooters in Ocean City. Then she explained the supremacy of Hooters' wings. I am not convinced.

September 23, 2006: Pleasantville, USA

2006-10-19T01:36:00.000-05:00

Is it really pleasant if you have to have exact change? Maybe everyone just already has correct change if you take this exit.

September 22, 2006: I dont think everyone owes me

2006-10-19T01:23:00.000-05:00

Dave and I went to New Jersey, as a favor for Kevin. We went to pick up a new rear end for his Jeep, while he went to sweet ol’ mother Ireland. Jerk.

This is the bed that we comp'd him for. It was at the Trump Marina in Atlantic City. Thanks Kevin.

September 17, 2006: Proof of Henna-ization

2006-10-19T00:54:00.000-05:00

Henna is made from the leaf of the henna plant, lemon juice and eucalyptus oil. After it is applied, it feels very refreshing. The color takes about 24 hours to fully develop from a light reddish orange to a rich brown.

It has me thinking about tattoos.

September 16, 2006: Arianne & Jimmy get hitched

2006-10-05T22:57:00.000-05:00

Mom and Arianne backstage before walking down the isle.

Arianne's mom and dad, dad has just given his only daughter away.

They sealed the deal.

At the reception, Arianne hid a cap gun, crazy sunglasses and even a rubber chicken in her garter. Ana oversaw this fun.

The cake, with a beautiful topper. I was happy Arianne let me show a little creativity with the cake, it was very nice.

September 12, 2006: This is Houston

2006-10-01T19:49:00.000-05:00

Dave and I nearly had to be quarenteened after staying in the glorious Suburban Extended Stay Hotel in Houston, TX. We went out to visit some friends and go to Arianne and Jimmy's Wedding.

Recovery of a blog

2006-09-21T00:40:00.000-05:00

I am back.

If you aren't afraid of venereal diseases, there are American hotels in "major" American cities that you can stay in for under $32 dollars a night. One of them is in Houston, TX.

May 27, 2006: Just another day at the office

2006-06-19T14:21:00.000-05:00

I flew in a black hawk over DC, in restricted airspace. It was awesome.

age of ultimateness

2005-08-26T01:32:00.000-05:00

what do you post when it is your first post? whatever you got. i've been looking all over for more ideas with what to do with my free time, not that there is a lot but i just want to do something else, something more. so i've been making post cards from photos i didn't think i'd see again.
so you could ultimately send me a picture (or link to one). or just send me an email about a cool thing. i'd love to hear about it.
ultimatewendy [at] gmail.com