November, 2005
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Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
November 24, 2005 by Gail
Posted in Travel | No Comments
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Lincoln Tunnel Mayhem
November 23, 2005 by Gail
Posted in cameraphone, Travel | No Comments
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Another Blood Transfusion
November 22, 2005 by Gail
Things haven’t been going so well lately, but it’s never easy to write about it. How do you describe your life when you barely recognise it yourself?
David’s been having major gastro-intestinal problems, and today we found out why: low blood counts. Last Wednesday the radiologist ordered some blood tests, and his platelets were reported to be too low to irradiate him that day, also Thursday and Friday. Yesterday they took more blood samples to see if his platelets were up after the radiation break, but they were not. In fact, all his counts dropped over the weekend, which took us by surprise — why did all three drop? David seemed to be doing alright: good appetite, soreness held mostly in check by the drugs.
I’ll let David’s post explain further:
Yesterday the clinic requested David to notify them if he had any bleeding, so this morning when his nose started to bleed, we went straight there for more tests. After conferring with the radiologist, David’s oncologist ordered a blood transfusion at Moses Taylor Hospital and an x-ray of his leg. This is David’s second blood transfusion (his first at Mercy Hospital six weeks ago), the only means (at this stage) to get his counts high enough to continue treatment.
In our impromptu meeting with the oncologist this morning, we discussed the probability that in order to extend David’s quantity of life, his quality of life will be compromised. We understand this on an intellectual level, but it doesn’t make the situation any easier to accept. How much worse life has to be for David in the shorter term to increases his chances for a longer life is something we simply don’t know.
If there’s anything I’d like to ask people to do (for us and others in similar situations), it’s this: please give blood if you are able. Your local blood bank thanks you, we thank you.
In Canada: Canadian Blood Services | Soci�t� canadienne du sang
In the U.S.: American Red CrossPosted in Living with Cancer | 4 Comments
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Introducing Rachael Ashe
November 22, 2005 by Gail
My friend Rachael (aka goddess_spiral) is a Vancouver-area photographer and digital artist who has recently decided to make a career move back into the field of arts from the relative financial security of working with a property management company. Anyone trying to make a living in the arts will know how daunting a prospect this is, but Rachael’s from courageous stock (hi Rachael’s mom!) and she’s got the talent and wherewithal to pull it off.
So, without further ado, I’d like to make a proper introduction and give her work a plug.
Portfolio on Flickr
Photography on Flickr
Profile on FlickrI love Rachael’s portrait work.
Her monochromes are a visual treat.
Through her lens, hands take on new expressions and feet suddenly become more interesting.
Rachael’s been a wedding photographer on a boat, shot landscapes in New Zealand, temples in Japan, and graffiti around the world.
We’ve shot Vancouver after dark together, and share a fondness for red, in its various shades.
She’s handy with the Holga, tames the cross-processed and even expired film. Check out her Photoshop creations.
Rachael can be reached at rachael [at] rachaelashe.com.
Posted in Friends | No Comments
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Houseblingers
November 21, 2005 by Gail
Thank you Boing Boing! Until now, I had no clue what to call these people. You know, the ones who decorate their houses to the point where you can’t see the house anymore? HOUSEBLINGERS.
This house is too new to be in our neighbourhood, yes. I took this shot in Allentown (further south near Philadelphia) last December. At night it could be seen from space.
I don’t have any nightshots of such houses in our neighbourhood yet, but rest assured, there are some local houseblinger zingers. They’re busy buying their turkeys and baking up a storm for American Thanksgiving (this Thursday), but come this weekend, there will be lights!
Posted in Photography | 12 Comments
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Sting on YouTube.com
November 21, 2005 by Gail
I finally found a home for my video of Sting performing “Roxanne”. The video is a bit jumpy at first (what can I say? security evasion), but levels out in the second half.
May 4, 2005
Wachovia Arena, Wilkes-Barre, PA.Posted in Videoclips | No Comments
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Some Chicago
November 21, 2005 by Gail
So I was mucking around in my photo archives searching for Chicago pics, and had a tough time trying to find some decent prints to scan.
Lots of problems: poor composition, crappy exposure, grainier than a Saskatchewan silo. That’s what happens when you use a point-and-shoot — no control over anything. Seems like a big waste of money developing the film, come to think of it. I didn’t own a computer until the middle of 2000, so I was scanning these — from a trip at the end of ’99 — at internet caf�s. An even bigger waste of money. (Digital cameras, despite their many shortcomings compared to film, at least let one practice technique without dropping a small fortune in developing costs.)
David and I both love Chicago, and were discussing back in the spring how much it would cost to get there. Our options:
- Tri-Pacer
- renting a faster plane
- commercial airline
- train
- driving
The Tri-Pacer only goes around 100mph/160kph and renting a faster plane would cost us a pretty penny (especially with rising fuel costs), so we were tossing around the idea of commercial airlines or Amtrak. At the time, David wanted to save up days off to visit me in Vancouver, so we eventually abandoned the idea. But, we’ve since revived it for a potential honeymoon plan when David is healthy enough to make the trip (also because I can’t leave the U.S. while my spouse visa is pending), so maybe a visit to Chicago will be sooner rather than later. We’ll see.
Posted in Photography, Travel | No Comments
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Wisconsin Canopy
November 20, 2005 by Gail
It’s shots like this that make me hanker for a fisheye lens. (And a Canon 20D.) Click on the pic for a better view of its wonderful detail.
Todd Klassy has superb angled photographs, and his Architecture and Design set beckons me back to a city like Chicago. I love the architecture in Chicago; it’s my favourite non-coastal U.S. city. I wonder if I have any decent photos I can scan? *goes to check*
Posted in Other Photogs | No Comments
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Flanked by Catholics
November 19, 2005 by Gail
We flew over our neighbourhood today, and I took some photos of our house with David’s camera, which has a 10x zoom and image stabiliser. If you click on the left photo, you’ll see notes of which house is ours — it’s on the right side, just to the left of the church parking lot. The photo on the right is zoomed in; the house is just up from the centre point.What you see here is that we’re completely surrounded. “Holy Name of Jesus” church is directly beside us, and if we were Catholic, we could attend every mass less than five minutes after brushing our teeth. The church even owns the vacant lot on the other side of us, and the rectory is beside the church.
Every day at 6 o’clock (pm, thankfully), the fake bells ring from the fake belltower, and the melodic sound of electronic bell recordings waft into our house. The neighbourhood genetic make-up is mostly Italian and Irish, so it makes sense to have a Catholic church to anchor it. It’s mighty ironic, though, that we end up living next door… can I have a convenience store instead?
Posted in Flying, Photography | 6 Comments
