Zona

An image of the Virgin Mary appeared in a knot in this tree beneath the white framed picture. The image was destroyed by a vandal with an axe but that doesn't stop the faithful from coming from all over the country.

I had heard about this and wanted to shoot this for some time but I had no idea that the shrine was so elaborate. Given that Salt Lake City is a Mormon town I thought that hard liners would destroy something like this.

I post more stuff there and receive more feedback.

The more I get around here in Utah, the more I find interesting things to shoot. I took my camera up to Salt Lake to get the sensors cleaned. It should cost me about $100. THEN I can get back to work without spots on my images. I crop them out right now but it will be nice not to have to worry about them.

Hey there! I'm the editor for a hard-bound book that's currently in production, and found your photos via a Flickr search for great Utah photographers.

The Salt Lake Tribune, Deseret News, Mormon Times and In This Week have teamed up and are putting on a photo contest for the purpose of finding the absolute best photos of Utah, then publishing them in a fine-art coffee-table book. What's unique about this contest is that users are in the drivers seat, voting for the photos they think should be in the book. There's also a lot of prizes to be won, although for most photographers the exposure (especially if your photos make the book) is the reason to get involved.

We're calling it Capture My Utah. It's all free and I think your photos would be a great fit. You retain all rights and you get some great exposure for your website (we properly credit you, and link back to you all over the place, we even help you sell prints if you're set up to do that. Plus, your website would be published if your photos made the book). If you've got a free minute and want a shot at getting published, winning prizes, or just want to see some other great Utah photos, head over to Capture My Utah.

Oh and we're set up with Flickr to use the Flickr API so putting your photos on the Capture My Utah website is a click of a button.

If you'd like to know more about the project, or want to shoot me a FlickrMail, please feel free to do so.


Thanks for your time!
-Chris


So I get this comment posted on one of my flickr photos. I'm flattered. It's a gimmick to sell books I know but what the hell. I'm one of the first to join and more flickrites are coming onboard. My top three vote getters are above and they say at least ONE of them will be in the book. Whoopee!

I've been going to the site and voting on pics I like to be in the book. There's some very nice stuff and also the usual over-photoshopped and HDR'd photos.

So we'll see what happens.

Women are a mystery

I have four official followers of this blog. All women. Two of them came out of nowhere. Now I feel pressure to be entertaining.

I have been deemed part of the "past life" of one woman who is now moving forward without me. She said don't take it personally but seeing that we don't have any business dealings....

Of course anybody who knows me knows that I'm not close to many people outside my family so there isn't much I take personally. We all come and go, and with this internet thingy we're even more transient.

I have 115 Facebook buddies and have not met 28 of them but if I did it would be a happy occasion. I have hundreds of workplace buddies who I had many happy occasions with but once there was movement, like my recent transfer, the contact broke down pretty quickly. I met guys as a missionary and was told that many of my missionary buddies would be life-long friends. Ten years later and there was no communication between any of them and me.

I'm a transient soul for many people. So if/when we meet and the opportunity presents itself, we'll go get something to eat, and share some stories. And then we'll part with no strings attached. No promises of future activity.

The big plutonic "one night stand", and like Jerry and Elaine said, no call the next day. I'm the perfect relationship in that I'll give you all the room you want. You need me, I'm here. If you don't, I'll be over there.

I'm way too young for that

Magaly gets home tomorrow after three months in Bolivia. She went down because we feared that her mother was not long for this world and I believe that was the case. I believe we made the right decision even though the doctors miscalculated. The latest is they don't know but a year is not likely.

Magaly has been on a roller coaster of emotions and like roller coasters a peak merely indicates a rapid decline to a stomach pulling bottom and another trip to a temporary high point.

I know that Magaly was the reason her mother has lived longer than expected. Magaly is a rock with a strong religious faith that let's her know that departure awaits us all and that joy is just beyond the veil. Her family is also religious but a type that is in denial of the unavoidable and believe that prayers will heal all. They don't.

So my wife, who went down to say goodbye and have closure will say goodbye with the end still pending and a family crashing into full panic mode.

Magaly is a woman innocent of all except the guilt she places on herself by feeling that she is leaving things unfinished. Magaly is a woman who feels guilt for leaving her family, us, for such a long period of time. She misses the arms that awaken during the night to her tender request to be held.

I miss her too. In 27 years of marriage we have become melded to each other and one in purpose. Many times I fall short of being worthy of such a wonderful spirit but she forgives me. I just hope she saves some of that forgiveness for her own soul. I hope she comes to the piece of mind that what she did was far beyond what many would have, what many could have.

I have told a couple of people that when I see her tomorrow I will hold her tight and say, "don't do that again. Don't leave me alone for so long". There will surely be some tears. Then I will try my best to calm her soul while we wait for an inevitable phone call.