Tag Archives: Tumblr

Malware sucks!

Posted by on January 10, 2012 No comments

Well, not sure if anyone noticed, (given that I probably only have like 3 people that read this) but my main site came under attack recently.  Apparently there was a wordpress exploit that someone got a hold of and it set up all kind of weird re-directs in my site and in Sarah’s food blog.  This cause some posts/pages to browse to some Russian malware site.  So, yea, huge apologies for that screw up.  BlueHost (my hosting company) help me clean out the junk and get things updated and fixed.
 
I took this opportunity to clean things up around the site and try out a new theme/look.  This only affects the main site, not my Tumblr site (which usually has the same posts).
 
As per usual, I am going to try and do some more posting with the new year.  So far 2012 looks like it’s going to be a busy/crazy year.  That is, if I can get off my butt and not play Star Wars: The Old Republic so much.  I’ll see if I can get a post up about that in the coming few days.
 
As per usual, Stay Tuned!  (and sorry for that Malware thing, really….you may want to see a Doctor and get checked out)

Snow!!!

Posted by on January 9, 2012 No comments

We had a very small snow storm take the area by surprise today.  This was the first time I got to drive the MINI in the snow.  Not too much to report there, traffic still sucked.

When I got home I realized that after cleaning out the cooler this weekend, I forgot all the drinks out on the deck.  Then this happened:

On Ice

Well, at least they are still cold right?

New Years 2012

Posted by on January 3, 2012 No comments

Woah, I think someone has been tampering with my time machine.  I don’t remember how the heck we got here but it’s 2012 already!  Sarah and I rang in the new year with our friends Caleb and Diz at the Kennedy Center.  They do a special evening event for New Years and any engagement at the center gets you access.  We did it up right too.  I bought a Tux and Sarah got all dolled up.  The whole night was a blur, but I guess that means we did t right.  Enjoy the Pics and lets get 2012 started!

Select pictures below, the rest can be found at: https://www.wizzersworld.com/zen/Special%20Events/New%20Years%202012/

Happy Holidays!!!

Posted by on December 10, 2011 No comments

Happy Holidays!!!

Photos, Games, and Cars

Posted by on November 8, 2011 No comments

Here is a fun mix of photography, gaming, and cars all bundled into one post!  Now, as you all know I picked up my new MINI just over a week ago and couldn’t help but get out and take come cool shots of it.  I have some ideas of some other shots but those will come along soon.


On kind of a whim I picked up the Forza 4 game for Xbox 360.  (ok not so much whim but I learned that there is a MINI in the game). On top of it being a great racing game, I learned it has a cool photo mode that allows you to take great shots of the cars in the game.  Of course, I couldn’t resist.

Lastly, wanted to post that my work travel plans have changed and this means I will be able to join in on the MINI’s take the Beltway charity drive!!  The money all goes to the Wounded Warrior project and it’s 50+ MINI’s gathered to do a Lap on the beltway!  It’s this Sunday so if you are in the DC area and want to see a ton of MINI’s check it out!

My new Ride

Posted by on October 28, 2011 1 comment

We have been toying with the idea of buying a new car, but not a car of necessity, a fun car to take on quick trips.

Well after much research and hemming and hawing, here is the new toy:

It’s super nice and fully loaded.  We got a great price on it and I am very happy.

Here are the stats on the internals:

Exterior

  • Fully automatic electro-hydraulic black convertible softtop-inc: stepless sliding-roof function, remote open/close feature, easy-load function
  • Front apron w/enlarged cooling air inlet
  • Body-color air inlet integrated into engine compartment lid
  • Body-color sport bumpers
  • Chrome-plated side air inlets
  • Black exterior trim-inc: side sills, bumper edges, wheel housing
  • Integrated mudguards
  • Chrome bezels-inc: rear lights, headlights
  • Chrome-plated window trim
  • Body-color grille
  • Integrated low/high beam auto-leveling headlights w/follow-me-home function
  • Rear center fog light
  • Body-color pwr mirrors
  • Heat insulated green glass
  • Speed-sensitive intermittent windshield wipers
  • Tailgate w/low loading sill
  • Chrome-plated door handles
  • Anti-corrosion protection system-inc: partial galvanization, phosphate treatment & cathodic dip bath, cavity sealing underfloor protection
  • The features and options listed are for the 2005 MINI Cooper Convertible 2dr Convertible S and may not apply to this specific vehicle.

Interior

  • Leatherette front sport bucket seats-inc: manual seat adjustment, fore/aft adjustment, driver seat height adjustment, backrest rake, seatback easy-entry, manually adjustable headrests
  • 50/50 split-folding rear seat w/fixed headrests integrated into roll-over bar
  • Center console-inc: (2) front & (1) rear cupholders, central locking switch, switches for pwr windows
  • Driver-side storage compartment underneath steering column
  • Brushed stainless-steel door sills
  • Sports leather-wrapped steering wheel w/column height adjustment
  • Aluminum alloy driver footrest & pedals
  • Instrumentation-inc: tachometer, outside temp gauge, speedometer, LCD odometer/tripmeter, fuel/engine temp gauge, warning lights
  • Service interval indicator
  • Check control vehicle monitor with pictogram display
  • Bezels around instrumentation
  • Flat tire monitor
  • Pwr front windows-inc: open/close feature, automatic window lowering when door is opened
  • Remote keyless entry-inc: central locking open/close, tailgate unlock feature, open softtop
  • Central locking system-inc: open/close feature, softtop open, convenient open, tailgate/fuel filler cap release
  • Pre-wiring for alarm system
  • Engine immobilizer
  • Air conditioning-inc: pollen micro-filter, air recirculation button
  • Rear window defogger
  • AM/FM stereo w/CD player
  • Pre-wiring for CD changer
  • Digital clock
  • Lockable climate controlled glove box
  • Smokers pkg
  • Storage compartments in front door trim panels
  • Alloy patina interior surface
  • Mechanical anti-dazzle rearview mirror
  • Front sun visors w/illuminated vanity mirrors
  • Side sun visor
  • Lighting-inc: map/reading, front footwell, theater dimming, luggage compartmen
  • Leather-wrapped shift knob
  • 12V auxiliary pwr outlet in luggage compartment
  • The features and options listed are for the 2005 MINI Cooper Convertible 2dr Convertible S and may not apply to this specific vehicle.

Mechanical

  • 1.6L supercharged SOHC 16-valve 4-cyl engine
  • 6-speed manual Getrag transmission
  • Drive-by-wire electronic throttle control
  • Traction control w/automatic stability control (ASC)
  • Front wheel drive
  • 55 amp/hr battery in luggage compartment w/safety terminal clamp
  • 105-amp alternator
  • MacPherson front sport suspension w/single-joint spring-strut front axle
  • Multi-link rear sport suspension w/multiple-control-arm rear axle
  • Front/rear anti-roll bars
  • P195/55VR16 all-season run-flat tires
  • 16” x 6.5” 7-fin spoke alloy wheels
  • Electro-hydraulic pwr steering
  • Ventilated front/solid rear disc brakes
  • Electronic brake force distribution (EBD) control
  • Rear park distance control
  • Corner brake control (CBC)
  • 4-wheel anti-lock brake system (ABS)
  • 13.2 gallon fuel tank
  • Body-color fuel filler cap
  • Twin-pipe exhaust system-inc: intermediate silencer, (2) rear silencers, chrome covers
  • Steel car jack
  • The features and options listed are for the 2005 MINI Cooper Convertible 2dr Convertible S and may not apply to this specific vehicle.

Safety

  • 4-wheel anti-lock brake system (ABS)
  • Corner brake control (CBC)
  • Driver/front passenger airbags w/sensor to prevent unnecessary deployment of passenger airbag
  • Driver/front passenger side-curtain airbags
  • Driver/front passenger side-impact airbags
  • Front/rear automatic seatbelts w/front pyrotechnic belt buckle tensioners
  • Traction control w/automatic stability control (ASC)
  • Side-impact door beams
  • ISOFIX child seat attachments w/(2) rear anchorages
  • Crash sensor (fuel cutoff, activate hazard lights, interior lights-on, doors unlock)
  • Front/rear crumple zones
  • Roll-over protection system
  • Twin horns

Featured Equipment

  • Power convertible roof
  • 6 Speakers
  • AM/FM radio
  • AM/FM Stereo w/CD Player
  • CD player
  • MP3 decoder
  • Radio data system
  • Air conditioning
  • Automatic Air Conditioning
  • Rear window defroster
  • Power steering
  • Power windows
  • Remote keyless entry
  • Four wheel independent suspension
  • Speed-sensing steering
  • Traction control
  • 4-Wheel Disc Brakes
  • ABS brakes
  • Dual front impact airbags
  • Dual front side impact airbags
  • Front anti-roll bar
  • Integrated roll-over protection
  • Low tire pressure warning
  • Occupant sensing airbag
  • Rear anti-roll bar
  • Reverse sensing system
  • Auto Headlights
  • Delay-off headlights
  • Driving Lamps
  • Front Fog Lamps
  • Cruise Control
  • Black Bonnet Stripes
  • Bumpers: body-color
  • Power door mirrors
  • Driver door bin
  • Driver vanity mirror
  • Front Cupholders
  • Front reading lights
  • Illuminated entry
  • Leather Shift Knob
  • Multifunction Steering Wheel Controls
  • On-Board Computer
  • Outside temperature display
  • Passenger vanity mirror
  • Sport steering wheel
  • Tachometer
  • Tilt steering wheel
  • Center Arm Rest
  • Front Bucket Seats
  • Leather Seat Upholstery
  • Split folding rear seat
  • Sport Seats
  • Passenger door bin
  • Alloy wheels
  • Glass rear window
  • Speed-Sensitive Wipers
  • Variably intermittent wipers

Self Reflection

Posted by on October 21, 2011 No comments

Decided to play around a little with a different subject…Myself.  Well, myself and my son.  I picked up a set of extension tubes to play with macro photography a bit and was frustrated when I found that the AF-S lenses auto close up their aperture when you remove the lens from the camera.  Without the electronics to “make it go” the $8 extension tubes were rendered useless because the view was too dark to accomplish anything.  I found a neat trick to get around that though.  Over at Nikon Rumors this article got posted about using a bit-o-plastic to jam the aperture open.  Worked like a charm!  Also took a few portrait shots to practice.  here are the results:

Multiplicity
The Many sides of Andrew
Window to the soul
Eye See You
Stars!

Harvest Time!

Posted by on October 17, 2011 No comments

This weekend we got to visit our favorite place to pick out pumpkins, Hollin Farms in Delaplane VA.  It’s not the shortest drive for gourd gathering but the trip out there is beautiful with all the trees changing color, and the chance to visit a farm and pull pumpkins right off the vine is something everyone should do.  They have a full corn maze, and lots of stuff for little ones as well as a pick your own section to gather fresh vegetables and herbs.  The main reason to go is for the pumpkins.  With 10 acres of pumpkin vines, even the huge influx of people at the farm couldn’t gather up all the awesome pumpkins that were available.  We took home 6 pumpkins (5 to carve and 1 for pie.)
 
The other great reason to head up there is for the view.  The scenery is amazing.  The trees in the area are all changing, the weather was perfect, and I was able to get a few really good shots.
 
Sunflower
Corn
Skull
Apples
I did discover a new area I need to work on though, Landscape shots.  I know that a lot of Landscape shots are better taken in the golden hour simply because of the haze, but I found that anything I was shooting in a distance to get a wide area just didn’t come off that great.  Well, there is always room for improvement right?

Chat Noir

Posted by on October 14, 2011 No comments

Chat Noir

Chat Noir

Sarah was out gathering food for the evening and ran across this bottle of wine. I thought it would make for a good shot.

Strobist info: SB-600 speed light on wireless remote trigger located roughly 2 feet off to the right of camera. Camera: Nikon D5100, 50mm F/1.8, 1/125, ISO-100.

One Year of DSLR

Posted by on October 13, 2011 No comments

A year ago I posted to my blog about a new gadget I picked up.  My Nikon D3000.  Thus began a full year of getting back into Photography.  As I have mentioned to many friends, I ended up a Nikon guy by chance.  I like to kid with my Canon friends, but the truth of the matter is that if the Pawn shop I went into had an in-expensive Canon instead of a Nikon, I would be singing a different tune.  Plain and simple, both brands have their merits and flaws and really I am not sure that any one is better.  But anyways, I was talking about me now.

So, a year ago I started tinkering with an entry level DSLR with a single Prime 35mm lens.  I look back on that now and realize how much I ave learned (and re-learned) over the last year.  The first big outing I did with the D3000 was to the Pumpkin patch. No post processing, and I think a few of those shots may have been on the big Green Auto.

Since then I have learned to use Lightroom 3.x, Upgraded my DSLR to the D5100, Purchased more lenses/equipment  than my wife is happy with, and expanded on my know-how for artistic shooting.  I have also gotten the opportunity to attend an official Model shoot, attend a sporting event as a press photographer, do Wedding and Engagement shots, Concert photography, and a slew of other incredible life experiences.

I am extremly happy with how this hobby has ended up for me.  There was a scare early on that I may just be doing it as a fad, but I think the last year has really cemented it into my life now.  I hardly leave the house without my camera in tow, because you never know when there may be something.

This weekend we will be venturing back to that first pumpkin patch.  I am excited to see what kind of shots an eye with a little more experience will churn out.