Jim Stahr has a Different Year

early class you're away I'll come home poor puppy three hour class snow school close your home house work son call read monday at midnight late snow dog quiet outside peace.

Today I met the most amazing teen, older than her years. Life has taught her not to fear risk and to use every opportunity to improve oneself and one's society. It made me realize how steeped my upbringing was in risk aversion called work ethic. I attempted to catch up on home and house work.  I spent yesterday photographing a fundraiser for a cancer survivor. Few showed up that were not performing.  Vanity doesn't pay medical bills. Friday I went to Sterling Pond and caught this guy ice fishing.

I crossed a huge bridge yesterday.    The transition from undervalued wage slave to charity case college kid is complete.  Perhaps this old brain can be rewired to work for fulfillment rather than security and paid bills.

 I pulled aside to take some shots.  If I look at them long enough the clouds move.  I'm not certain it is memory or illusion.

idon'tknowwhyidowhatidobutidowhatidoandiknowit.

I'd love to say I took the weekend off, but that's not how it works. I'm always a bit off. Let's see, I'm signed up for courses, made cards, did the chores and had a decent band practice despite sabotaging  my sax player by leaving his music behind. For you football folks, teams I hate or am tired of are left. Go Atlanta.  I've been playing with the special effects in Picasa 3. I'm not a huge fan of digitizing or photo-shopping  but I am interested in enhancing what one sees in an image. To be sure, a simple pencil effect can go as far as an extreme neon when trying to enhance delicate outlines. It can also completely change the tone of a a picture. Click on the pics for a larger view and enjoy.

Today I went backwards while making progress. Please feel free to comment.

So today I drove to Willimantic to meet a stranger that a friend e-troduced to have lunch and a walk around town. I'm not sure normal people do this. I'm as sure they should.

I didn't plan this. And I don't mean I didn't plan this well, I just didn't think it could happen. But it did. I'm starting to come through to the new me. The old life beckons. I ran into a co-worker. One I respect and admire. He was with children and enjoying himself and made me smile. I emailed my last "boss" and said I might be interested in part time employ if he has it. Another co-worker called to say "hi" and gossip. Ordered business cards, "Technician, Photographer, Guitarist". Went shopping with my wife, and the deli girl reminded me why one pays extra for Lorraine Swiss! Mmmmmmm; The cheese and the wife.

Today I applied for the VRAP and Unemployment. Most of it was on the web, although I was on hold for a bit over an hour before someone in the unemployment office confirmed my application because I answered a training question improperly  He was quite courteous and helpful, supposedly I'll get a card soon, despite requesting direct deposit. Like any large agency, that takes time. While on hold I found this quote quite Orwellian and comforting as it was repeated along with many other hints and warnings: "Failure to follow the rules may result in serious consequences."  

Friday I confirmed my Veterans' tuition waiver. For you wartime vets that do not know, this program gives free tuition to all CT Public Colleges. I pay fees and books.  Click here for details I might even qualify for an additional stipend, under the VRAP program. Apparently it is an educational stipend for folks like me that have outlived the usefulness of their military training and need some knowledge to earn a living. When we start proper-sizing our military industries, this should become a very popular program.  Link to VRAP page. I also made my way to the unemployment office, where a nice lady told me to go home and call Monday while handing me papers. Just glancing at the papers, it appears there is also an on-line method of applying. This will wait until I hear about the VRAP and ensure there are no conflicts. Saturday I cleaned and organized half of my studio. Physically it was more than half, but the desk is the big clutter that must be sorted. I kicked Christmas r

Here's a short sequence from yesterday. Switch to HD if you have the bandwidth.

I met this young man briefly yesterday. He gave what I assume is a stage name, Phrank Johnston. If I had ever had hair I like to think I would do similar strangeness to it. My hairline has prevented me from being carded since I was twelve. Very pleased that I had the camera; I was going to check out camera bags and grabbed it for a fit test. I am even happier Phrank gave me a minute in the bitter cold to pose - it did take a second to ensure light poles were not growing out of his head. I also met up with a good friend delivering freshly baked delights post Christmas. I do believe her agenda was more along the lines of a sanity check. I did my best to assure her that I am no crazier than the employed me. I had my first Starbuck's coffee (yes, ever!) and we chatted; much of it good advice from an experience business person. The most pleasant instant of the day was after this chat when I opened my car and the smell of freshly baked bagels wafted out. My willpower w

We went out for one of Russ Mineau's famous open mics at Athens Pizza in Putnam last night. What a fabulous time that man creates! I arrived too late for the early performers - the family friendly seven o'clock start time conflicts with a guitar lesson - but did get there just as the feature was completing their sound-checks. Morgans Dreamworld did a great job mixing up their originals with classic, the latter energized by guest musicians and audience singalongs. Jason Bleau of WINY fame was up next. This kid has a VOICE! I'm not a huge country fan, but he's a shoo-in for the Plainfield Country Music Talent Contest this year. Then again, the competition is steeper every year at that event. Last up was Papa Joe DeMaio accompanied by Frank Delaura. More classics and more singalongs. Well, maybe it was just me singing along this time, I started doing "Shanty" after Papa Joe introduced me to the Jonathan Edwards tune. Frank has had his tribulations of l

It's noon on January 2, 2012 and I've had my first cup of coffee. The stomach bug that hit just before the new year has given me time to reflect on my decisions of the last. Being "furloughed" has given me an opportunity that I do not wish to waste. Many, myself included, have doubts of my recent choices.  I've not been unemployed since I was fifteen. My  Navy discharge papers and employment start dates are the same, and the one job change that I've had since overlapped by two weeks. But I have a plan. One that hopefully does not lead me to those wonderful titles of "failed business" or "starving artist". Why blog? It's cheap and easy and allows me to hone any writing skills that might have hibernated. I've done enough technical and procedural writing that my grammar should be mostly intact, but expressive writing is another thing. I am fairly certain that my journey is not an uncommon dream. Humans have a propensity toward art