it's your life too, I'm just taking credit for it.
posting is a frame of mind.
it comes in fits and spurts for me.
right now I'm in an expressive frame of mind waiting for reality to smack me in the face.
mail: gio at agnoli.com
things i like to watch...
kladruby gold
postsurf
wwtdd
ffffound
dlisted
fxrant
freshome
dpreview
wired
NYT Dining
neatorama
lastnightsparty
Trend Land
war is boring
Scienceray
Filed under
adrian
rocking out
throw away your television. read a book, play music, create art, go outside, do it all.
I've been without for 13 years and I've never missed it. (just don't take away my macbookpro)
Of late I've been buying musical instruments with the idea that the kids will learn by osmosis. Surprisingly its working. Adrian can pound out a good drum intro reminiscent of "burning down the house" and enzo is learning how to pick his way through a song on the guitar. Lewis stopped by on his way home and suddenly there was an impromptu jam session.
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sammy oliver salon opening
went by Stephanie's salon for her opening. Brought Enzo and Adrian and Garo. Garo played with the kids while i mingled.
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indians
I had bought bows and arrows for the kids a couple years ago as a christmas present. After some experimentation we had to put them away for safety reasons. The boys are older now and interested again. We spent the morning shooting arrows in the back yard.
This is the day I decided I needed a neutral density filter. I ordered one last night. We will see how it works out.
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enzo is 11
We celebrated Enzo's birthday with a little dinner and some gifts and a sunset.
Enzo had been asking for an airsoft gun for his birthday, and since we are definitely anti gun, Tamae made Enzo a gun cake, complete with blue berries bullets.
Finished up the evening with a game of monopoly that went till midnight. Adrian was super cute and cried when he went bankrupt, It was way past his bedtime. Thanks again to our sponsors at Hurley.
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firelight
the best part of 4th of july is always the fire after the party. those in the know don jackets and tough it out into the morning hours to talk, catch up, and reminisce. the truly experienced bring sleeping bags and sleep the night under the stars.
There's nothing like firelight to bring out the best in your friends. The wavelength is so integrally bound to feelings of family and warmth. I imagine the first societies were formed around fires, as we huddled together against the wind, and rain, and wild beasts. For me its simply home and family. I love falling asleep in front of a fire. And there's nothing I'd rather share with my friends.
Firelight has also had a big part in shaping my shooting style. Lust for the warm light and intimate moments are what drew me to better sensors and larger apertures. I have never gone back.
enjoy
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adrian's bday
breakfast of champions with the folks. followed by a small present opening ceremony. present of the day, an x-acto knife set for carving anything and everything a little boy wants to carve. picked up katie at her apartment where adrian clowned in the elevator.
Spent some time at Adrian's most exciting place in the world, the east bay vivarium. I love what they are doing here, but the smell of reptile sets my mammalian brain on high alert. Its like I'm a cave man smelling velociraptor shit. Yes i know that there were more than a couple million years separating us from dinosaurs, but something from back there connects the dots and makes me more than just a little bit uneasy. the 15 foot snake in the cage and the story that the store clerk told about the boa that wouldn't let go didn't help.
Outside adrian found a mud covered truck, I swear the owner has practiced the artistic application of mud, it was so perfectly messy. he probably has a special spot to which he goes when the consistency of the surface is just right, say three days after a good rain with a temperature of 76 degrees. its a science.
also went by the oakland zoo to ride the rides. adrian was a little timid in the teacups and absolutely refused to ride the roller coaster. took the sky ride and watched the animals laze in the gloom. nice day all in all.
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Adrian turns eight
Celebrated Adrian's eighth birthday Saturday night with my folks.
Tamae made a nice chocolate ice cream cake.
We are a very literal family, eight years, eight candles, none of that extra candle for the good luck stuff going on here.
Filed under //
adrian
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more cabin
food running short, but refrigerator full, we resorted to casserole for breakfast.
the breakfast table looked like an internet cafe. you can tell we live in a modern world.
6 laptops, 8 smart phones (5 iPhones!), 4 iPods, and a router in a pear tree.
I'm not sure what Enzo is reading. But its the new yorker, how bad could it be?
trying to make Liam laugh?
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monopoly strategies
Everybody has their strategy, some work, some don't. Some only work against other equally warped strategies. Obscure strategies change the nature of the game. Witness Enzo and Adrian playing the Boardwalk and Park Place strategy. It had Adele puzzled if not a little entertained.
mmm, pork chops and cabernet.
Dave brought his camera gear, we played around with remote triggering his flash (Canon Speedlite 430EX) with my master (Canon Speedlite Transmitter ST-E2). I originally bought the ST-E2 for its AF-assist beam so I could shoot in extremely low light conditions, but using it for its intended purpose was also very cool. I ended up holding the flash in my left hand while shooting with my right. The flexibility of the rig makes for infinite lighting possibilities, none of which i fully explored. It did make night into day, the change in temperature being my main complaint, will have to get a set of gels or something.
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