really eating grapes

22Aug10

really eating grapes, originally uploaded by eggrole.

I’ve been tinkering with stop motion and time lapse over the past week or so. This is my second attempt at video.

Stop motion seems to free you up from many of the hurdles in film making by being extremely accessible, albeit a little slow.

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my first hdr!

14Aug10

my first hdr!, originally uploaded by eggrole.

I’ve been interested in the slower side of photography from the beginning. The flare I see in long exposure and similar effects on top of the infinite possibility of the scene itself is astounding. The only problem is these shots need to happen at night, under the correct conditions. Lugging around a tripod is necessary if you want control beyond setting your camera on rocks. Since I generally don’t carry my tripod with me (but it is in the car) everywhere I normally set aside nights to go out shooting for these kind of pictures.

Anyway, here was a shot from my last outing in Balboa Park, San Diego. This photo was my first HDR (high dynamic range) image, which means it is an amalgamation of three or more other images. The first shot is taken at a normal exposure, for the mid tones. Next an under- and over-exposed shot are taken. The detailed shadows from the over exposure and the detailed highlights from the underexposed image are blended over the mid tone image to create definition in all ranges. This is not capable with a single image. Note that shooting in RAW can give the same effect by creating the extra exposures from one shot, but it is still ideal to shoot each shot individually.

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do not pass go

03Aug10

Last week I was coming back from Mexico with Disco and Ricardo. They jumped out of the car in line to get food and Disco had a winning lotto ticket. I would have loved to come pee, but I had to stay with the car. When we finally get to the checkpoint, we get flagged for secondary inspection.

I pull the car over to the secondary area, stopping in front of a large x-ray machine. The guy is telling me how to drive though, but i stop him and say I am not going into a giant x-ray machine, he has to drive. He didn’t like this, saying he works next to it everyday. I told him that is his decision and I would never work in such a carcinogenic environment. He has me pull over again and get out. I ask if I can use the restroom, he tells me in a second.

We are escorted to a caged holding area. I ask a few more times to use the restroom. They are busting my balls for not wanting to drive through the x-ray machine. I really need to pee so I basically snap on the  closest guy standing there. Calling him a mother fucker and yelling in general. I told him I was about to pee in  the corner. He put his hand on my chest, I was not touching him, and that set me off more. “Get the fuck off of me” and such.

At this point about 5 officers had gathered. Next thing I know I am being handcuffed and brought in. They take me to a cell with a toilet. I try to pee, but they are peeking in laughing. I am uncomfortable. I sit down and pee as well as take a nice dump. I act like I am flushing something. They refuse to give me some toilet paper, but I find some left over.

I am moved to another cell while they investigate my poop! HAHA! I am in that cell for a while, then they bring me into the general waiting area. There are officers in here. They start talking shit and I don’t let them down. I verbally berate the workers for hours. They can hold me for 72 hours, but I know they won’t. I have nothing on me, I have no record, and if they detain me there would be a good chance I could have some recourse.

After they take me out of the second cell, they pour hand sanitizer all over my hands. Way too much. Over at the counter they ask me to put my hands on the counter. I hold my hands just above the counter, but decide to just smear all the extra sanitizer all over the counter. This little girl is trying to take my information, but I keep telling her to eat a dick.

The one guy is telling me I need some structure or authority or something and I should join the military. I told him I would rather join the Taliban. He got pretty upset, threw my sunglasses across the counter and stormed off.

Eventually I decided I wanted to leave, so I sat quietly for maybe another hour. Then they let me go. All-in-all I was in there maybe 2 hours, while the whole ordeal took about 4.

I was upset they were breaking my balls about not wanting to go through the x-ray machine, but I turned it around and had a blast fucking with them. I am sure they had fun power tripping over me as well. A win-win day.

Filed under: california, mexico, travel   |  Leave a Comment
Tags: border, crossing, international, mexico, x-ray

rhyme

22Jun10

yes sir, i do love nature.
you can see it in all my clickity pics and scribbles for shit sure
and i know its a little hard to endure
every other flick of my shutters another fuckin flower photo
i thought though, that you would know, by now
i get down when im walkin round town
oh god i need some fresh air, i can’t breath in this place
so i race at a dramatic pace
dodging a midget without a face
like a burglar avoiding mace
finally found some open space
a place without a trace of treble
if thats the case, it must be all bass

VERY rough mp3

This is just an idea. I was bored, ate some thc treats, smoked a joint, and well… here it is.

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Tags: draft, flow, idea, rap, rhyme, song

hindu kush

22Jun10

A sativa strain that delivers a smooth head high and a slight tingle in the body. One joint lasted me about an hour, with the plateau being around T+15 to T+30. The taste was almost nonexistent. It burned slowly and evenly. The smell was strong, but not desirable. It had that hay smell I used to get when I first started growing. It looks nice. Not the stickiest in the world, but for the price (on special for 200) it can not be beat.

Filed under: california, drugs   |  1 Comment
Tags: 215, 420, marijuana, medical, weed

blueberry

10Jun10

The buds are occasionally a purpleish color that makes them very much resemble blueberries. Average in density, well cured, and average in manicuring. The smell was the most powerful attribute of this strain. A very fruity smell that easily reminds you of blueberries, but is not exactly blueberries. The anything but subtle presence is there, but it is not the whole picture. Still a great smelling bud. It smokes very smoothly, requiring only tending to the burn once or twice per joint at most. The smoke itslef is almost a little harsh. While the taste is the letdown not being very fruity at all. It didn’t taste great, but it did smell amazing and had an average to good appearance.

One joint is a good benchmark for me, and this is nice, but again a little underwhelming. A very clear headed high for sure, with all the buzz bing in the body. Not so strong to kill my back pain or the sting of my pulled back muscle. I could function perfectly doing my day to day workings. Answering the phone to hold conversations about a few items I am selling was no problem. It does have a heavy eyed feeling to it. I like it to sleep with; it doesn’t knock you out, it relaxes you enough to sleep on your own.

I didn’t feel much in the way of fluidity of thoughts nor any impact on my creative capabilities. Not overly focused or distracted. It really feels like there is little change in thought process, but there is a change, just subtle. There is no muse in this smoke.

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Tags: 215, 420, blueberry, marijuana, medical, medical marijuana, weed

4 trolley stops south

03Jun10

Last week I decided to take a day trip to Tijuana, Mexico. I had no real reason to go. I only had 9 bucks in my pocket, but I knew it would be cheap. My first 5USD went fast, to the day pass for the trolley.

I spent my first 2 non-transportation dollars on a pair of tacos from a street vendor. They were actually on 10 pesos, or about 80 cents. Beef and potatoes. I decided to be in Rome and chowed down like a local. The tacos were delicious and filling. I would have them again any time (and plan to!). Then I bumped into this self proclaimed paniolo in Zona Norte. This is the red light district; I stumbled there unwittingly, I swear. He chatted with me for a minute, offering to buy my camera and mp3 player, then told me I shuld put my camera in the bag because “you know, the police around here…” then he made a shooting motion with his hands and “bang bang”. I didn’t put it away; I carried it as usual. This wasn’t some cowboy town like he would have you believe.  I felt perfectly safe everywhere I went. After some begging I gave the cowboy a dollar for the entertainment he had given me. He also told me he could get me lenses for my camera. Maybe I’ll see him again.

The architecture and art in the city was amazing. There were many worn buildings that had a lot of charm; though they were often obscured with modern signage, it was still nice. There was a square that no one was using with a sculpture in the center. A lot of Spanish charm could be seen here. On the way in and out of the main street of Avenida Revolucion there were endless rows of shopkeepers vying for every centavo.

After only staying for four or five hours I headed toward home. On the catwalk to get over the city, there was this amazing piece of graffiti. Just before this I also spent my last dollar on a sticker. I should have given it to the old lady beggar in exchange for shooting her… next time. The wait time to get back into the US wasn’t that bad. I’d say an hour or so, then I was back in San Ysidro, on the trolley, and on my return trip just 4 trolley stops long.

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licensed to smoke

31May10

I walked to the DMV. It was about a 4 mile (one way) walk, took about an hour and I stopped at the post office. Got my CA driver’s license, passing on the first try. I did miss 5, the max, though.

Walked home via 3rd Ave and stopped at the market for some green apples and green grapes. I made my doctor appointment for Friday to get the last of my green needs.

Friday came around and i am getting over a cold. Still I leave as planned and head to the trolley stop. It is only a little farther than the nice grocery store, about 4 blocks from the house maybe. I pay my 5 dollars for a day pass and hop on. I ride it to the end of the line, then connect to a bus. The terminal area is laid out very nice in Old Town. I take a bus to the VA Medical Center near UCSD. Here I connect to my last bus toward Mira Mesa.

It should be noted that as you move north it gets much nicer. More cultivated and hip. I only went so far, I hear it gets a little stuffier, but classier a little more north.

At the Doctor everything goes well. I get my medical marijuana recommendation and smile both bus rides and the trolley ride home. Quite literally my smile was infectious for much of the trip. I have been pretty much high since then, but then I guess even not having it didn’t really change my smoking habit. Now i can just breath safer with some degree of security.

Filed under: california, drugs, travel   |  1 Comment
Tags: 215, bus, dmv, license, marijuana, medical, metro, public, transportation, trolley, weed

going, going, going, going

08May10

My first week has been pretty busy here in San Diego. The people living in the motor home I am supposed to be living in are being assholes and moving slowly to get the fuck out. They seem to be getting there, but they should have been gone a week ago.

Old Lady In Yuma

I’ve been driving Dave around in the Merc past few days. Yesterday we went shopping. Today we went to an auction and spent a good 15k, but after all is said and done should put us at a net of over 100k.

The auction was slow and almost everything we wanted was towards the end, which meant we sat around for a long time. The trucks went too cheap, at less than 5k each, but we don’t think the bank will release them (they were on reserve). We got a van at 1300, that I think was too much. It will go for 2k all day, but after it gets cleaned up and potentially registered, it won’t be as nice a profit as I would like to see.

Now I am back at the library to relax a little. My foot still has a pulled muscle in it, and I would like to just kick back, smoke some master kush the other Dave brought by (forgot to shoot it, but it was mmj quality) and relax… if those fuckers would get out!

On the way to the library I took these pictures. This may not the nicest Mustang ever, but still pretty. The flowers can be used as stand in mother’s day gifts for those fucks out there like me who neer send anything.

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on the road again

04May10

I am writing this from the Chula Vista library south of San Diego.

Five days ago I left Pittsburgh and headed to Altoona to pick up Ashley’s truck.

Ashley’s truck

I had made plans with him to drive the truck from Altoona to Phoenix. I left Altoona at about 1030am on Thursday and hit the road hard and fast to make up time since I was leaving so late in the day. I made it 750 miles, ending up just west of St. Louis. I was unable to get any shots of the arch since I didn’t want to exit and end up lost at night around St. Louis. I have seen it before and I had a great view from the highway. It is not very important to me to shoot it.

I slept at a rest area in the cab of the truck. It was very large and I could almost strech out completely. It got cold enough at night that I was pulling my sleeping bag on and off as a blanket. I awoke with sunrise and was back on the road by 730am with full intention of breaking 1000 miles that second day.

Up until this point I had not seen much scenery. PA and OH were fair in color being spring. IN and IL were plain, flat, and boring. This mundane scenery persisted into MO (I could not get the sign) and OK, though the rolling hills of these states were kind of nice, the havoc they wreak on cruise control was not appreciated. There was also enough wind here to force you to have both hands on the wheel just in case a gust decided to push you into a truck or ditch.

TX was one slightly graded hill I ascended for hours. Passing through Amarillo there was an accident bringing 3 lanes down to 1. I had 15 minutes sitting there looking at Amarillo. I would like to visit it sometime, but it is not high on my bucket list. After TX I drove as far into NM as I could. Ending up just west of Albuquerque. The sun was all but down as I entered NM.

I slept again in the cab of the truck at a larger truck stop just west of Albuquerque after breaing my 1000 mile goal. I knew the desert got cold at night, but wow was I in for a wake up call. With swim trunks, a sweatshirt, and a zipped up bag I was freezing! I had the rear window cracked slightly for ventilation, but not much trying to keep the cold at bay. Since I could barely get any decent sleep and I saw no real reason to lay there shivering; i was on the road at 7am.

The sun was up, but just. On the highway i saw the most exquised scenery of the whole trip (which i didn’t shoot). The sun was carving gashes into the bold red cliffs giving them a depth and definition that my words can not do justice. The sky was still a little dark in the distance and very deep blue. This contrast of brilliant red cliffs on such a pure background was heightened by the desert chaparral that lay between me and the cliffs. It was picturesque and I am kicking myself for not stopping to shoot it. I was so cold I did not want to get out of the car.

As the sun made its journey across and higher into the sky the shadows and definition they brought subsided. The red cliffs, bright blue sky, and desert were still there but with a slightly less impressive tone. my journey led me into AZ which took the cliffs up a notch to small mountains. the sky remained blue but the mountains brought some nimbus clouds into the picture. Farther along and at higher altitude approaching Flagstaff the vegetation increased to lightly forested areas. The gnarled trees stood at attention of the mountains like soldiers intently focused on their general. Between the mountains were valleys the trees also surrounded, peering silently and stoicly into the depths below.

Descending the 6000 odd feet into Phoenix went quickly on winding roads that cut through the mountainous terrain. I arrived in Phoenix at about 200pm local time. I was not scheduled to pick Ashley up at the airport until 800pm so I took the opportunity to pick up some stuff I needed (not buying phone time, which proved costly). A tweaker came over to the window of the truck when I was parked at Burger King surfing the internet after repacking my bag. He was looking for a cigarette which I could not help him with, but I gave him $1 in exchange for some very good navigational information. I took a trip though the  airpot as a test run, but it porved all but fruitless since the sun was in my eyes i couldn’t really see the signs. this made me extremely mad and I violently exited the airport, tires screeching, and sped to the first spot I could just stop for a minute. A closed industrial busniess’s parking lot housed me for the next 2 or so hours. I took a few hits of the weed I had been saving for an emergency and my mood instantly went from screaming, raging, aggravation to mellow.

After not smoking for a few days, the kief topped 2 hits really got me high. Not tons, but much more than it would have 72 hours ealier. Ashley called and said he had landed, I picked him up without any issues seeing how the sun was down and I could see (oddly enough). He took the wheel and we went to look at apartment he was scheduled to see at 830pm. We looked at 2 of them, he decided to take one for $450 down and $450 a month for a nice 1 bedroom. We unloaded his truck and he offered me a shower and a place to sleep. I took him up on this offer in the end as I was getting tired. I went out with him to pick up his dinner at Boston Market.

The next morning he dropped me off at the greyhound station. I had decided not to hitch since Mike told me to get to San Diego ASAP. The greyhound sucked. It was an old bus with no power or wifi. The first part of the near 9 hour ride!! I edited the photos I took on the drive. I took notes, listened to music and a few chapters of Atlas Shrugged (I am on Chp8 now) for the remainder of the ride. Border patrol was lame and we had to stop twice. I was alone in my seats or 75% of the trip, but towards the end a Mexican lady sat with me. I felt bad she was getting hassled for papers, what is this Nazi Germany? (Stop spending money on stopping illegals and use the resources for something… that matters kthxla~)

Eventually we did make it to downtown San Diego. I had my daypack out for the bus ride which made the rest of the day hard on my shoulders. I had no idea where I was headed so I started making my normal expanding circles. I still don’t know downtown well enough, but I made it to a Trolley stop after looking for a few places to buy a phone card. After I got fed up waking around downtown I jsut got on the trolley and headed to Chula Vista. Here I eventually found a phone card, some food in the form of a subway, and an abandoned house. The subway provided me with a nice cheap meal as wel as 1.5 liters of water which I gulped half down quickly since I was quite dehydrated. The walk from subway to the abandon house I scouted earlier was about 0.5 miles. My foot was, and still is, cramped to high hell, and my stomache was rumbling something fierce. I stopped several times to rest my foot, but more importantly to keep my food down. I didn’t want to lose that nutrition (I really wanted to take a toke to calm my tummy, but did not)!

Back at the abandoned house, I made haste to the large front porch that was empty. I laid out an airplane blanket and my sleeping bag. It was about 900pm when I went to sleep. I slept quite well; it was not too cold out, enough to warrent a t shirt and zipped up sleeping bag, no pants required! After hours the traffic subsided making it nice and quite. The next morning I was much more visible, but I didn’t care. I relaxed until it warmed up, leaving around 800am. i stashed my hiking pack in the brush next to the house along with a note pleasding not to steal it. I will probably stay there tonight again, but then Dave should be back in town and then I can stay with him until i get on my feet.

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