thoughts and ideas

In Coma

2009-05-02T11:49:00.001-07:00

Here is a look at an unofficial music video for In Coma, directed by Nathan Mielke. I was fortunate to get to be the Director of Photography on this project. I even fell in the creek during production.

Cure for Common Fear

2009-02-19T10:28:00.000-08:00

I wanted to write a blog posting each day this week, but a lack and alas, yesterday was the day from hell, and I was up until 2:30 AM working. There were a lot of challenges throughout the day, I felt frustrated and was full of fear.

However things would change as the night progressed. Around 8:00 PM, I played a league racquetball match at the club I belong to in Vancouver, and after winning the match and giving my opponent some pointers, I had a revelation. A realization that the cure for common fear is simply sharing my knowledge and experience with other people. Focusing that thought a little more, having the confidence in the knowledge and experience that I have accumulated over the years and sharing it with the people that need or want it.

Last year, I had the opportunity to read "Strength Finders 2.0" by Tom Rath, and through the process of taking the test, my top five strengths were:

Futuristic: "You are the type of person that likes to peer over the horizon. The future fascinates you...You are a dreamer who sees visions of what could be and who cherishes those visions."

Intellection: "You like to think. You like mental activity. The theme of Intellection does not dictate what you are thinking about; it simply describes that you like to think. You are introspective."

Input: "You are inquisitive. You collect things. You might collect information -- words, facts, books, and quotations -- or you might collect tangible objects...Whatever you collect, you collect it because it interests you. And yours is the kind of mind that finds so many things interesting."

Empathy: "You can sense the emotions of those around you. You can feel what they are feeling as though their feelings are your own. You help people find the right phrases to express their feelings -- to themselves as well as to others. You help them give voice to their emotional life."

Adaptability: "You live in the moment. You don't see the future as a fixed destination. Instead, you see it as a place that you create out of the choices that you make right now. And so you discover your future one choice at a time. You are, at heart, a very flexible person who can stay productive when the demands of work are pulling you in many different directions at once."

As I reflect upon this list of strengths, the important thing that I learn is that all of the strengths require an ability and desire to share the results with other people.

For example, If I don't share my visions for the future with others, will those visions have an opportunity to flourish and come true? If I don't share what I am thinking about, how will I know that those thoughts and ideas impacted someone else? What if someone can learn from what I know? I won't know, unless I share my collections of information with people. And finally, sharing empathy and adaptability creates an environment of relationship, community and trust paving the way for life to flourish.

The true cure for common fear is to share that which has been given to you with others, and that is what I hope you take from this blog posting, a desire to share with you, what I know. It may seem incredibly simple and easy for you, but for me it is a life-altering attitude that needs to invade everything that I do on a daily basis.

Unblocking Creative Blocks

2009-02-17T09:19:00.000-08:00

It is safe to say that I have been creatively blocked for sometime now. I'll grant you that by running a digital media production company, there is a certain sense of being "on" that I need to maintain, but I know deep down inside that my ideas are growing stale, that my techniques and stories need to grow, and that I need to take more creative risks. I couldn't find any way to overcome the blocks to creativity that I was struggling with. The work kept piling up, and grew incredibly tired and frustrated.

Enter a few tidbits of advice that I have read, heard people tell me, or personally experienced along the journey that I have been on.

The first morsel of advice is a concept, from the book "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron, called the morning pages, a simple exercise of writing three pages each morning. Stream-of-consciousness, journaling, reporting the thought process of your inner mind, whatever you want to call it, it comes down to freeing your mind of the things that occupy the resources that you need creatively. I have been doing this every morning for 5 days and have accumulated 15 pages of writing filled with thoughts, ideas, feelings, emotions, things that have been building up inside. The obvious observation that I have is, "wow, I haven't written 15 pages of material in a long time, probably since college." It is followed by, "you know, I can do this!" It feels great to write. To spend time writing about the things that I have been neglecting. Spending time pondering, wondering, wandering, and loving the process of creativity that is really the essence of the life that I have been given to live.

Advice often comes best from people that know you best, and the next nugget comes in the time that I get to spend with a friend, almost weekly, as we talk about business, ministry, and life. It is amazing how freeing the words, "just be yourself" can truly be. When you spend as much time comparing yourself and your work to other people and companies, you get tired. So, when someone says to "just be yourself," it helps you to break through a block. A block of envy and jealousy that increases the fear that you will never be as good as person A is, keeping you from attempting to do something, to risk, to find success through failure.

Lately, I have been inundated with so much work, that I have felt overwhelmed. I have never been a disciplined or structured man, but the amount of work got to a point, where a little structure and discipline was definitely not a bad thing to really invest some time in developing. The fruit of that effort as been creating a weekly schedule of the work that I need to get done. I know that sounds really simple, mundane, and possibly counter-intuitive, but it really helps me to see what I need to get done, and what I can communicate to clients.

You probably ask yourself, how do you schedule creativity? You can't schedule that, it's intangible, you can't grab hold of it whenever you want. I'll be the first to agree with you, you can't. Creativity is elusive. But I'll tell you one thing that is consistent with the experience of others, creativity will honor the daily pursuit of it. The only word that I can think of is courting. Creativity wants to be courted. Not taken advantage of. And that is what a daily schedule does for me. It helps me to schedule jobs, play time, and most importantly, encourages me to add things like writing blog postings.

Finally, the only real way to unblock my creative blocks, is to get in the bulldozer and drive at it full steam ahead. Hard work and determination, with the focus not being on this exact moment as the culmination of my life, but on the fact that my life is comprised of millions of moments like this one, all growing together, making me who I am.

Getting beyond the fear of being blocked, leads to freedom. It helps you to rise up and walk in the creative sense, makes your life richer, livelier, and one step closer to fulfillment.

Finding the Right Book...or Letting it Find You

2009-02-16T08:58:00.000-08:00

I'm a huge fan of books. I love to read them, I love to smell them, and I love the way that they accumulate in front of the bookcases in my apartment because I have too many of them.

In line with my love for books, is the trip to the bookstore. Rows and rows of books towering overhead. The smell of old and new books mingling with the scent of coffee, and occasionally cigarettes. By going to a bookstore, I experience something that Amazon.com does not have: the chance to wander amongst the infinite offerings, touch them, preview them, and see what they have to offer. I can also talk with people that have recommendations, actually hearing and experiencing why they feel so passionate about a certain book. Through this process, I find exactly the book that I need. Or as I like to think, the book finds me.

Case in point. Friday night, my wife and I went to Cover to Cover Books in Downtown Vancouver, an independent bookstore that offers new and old books, the chance to talk with some incredible people, and a huge cat that is friendly. It is a glimpse at what bookstores used to be before corporations turned the bookstore into a mass-produced coffee-cafe-music-books-videos-magazine store catering to the person wanting to spend list price on everything. Anyway, I wandered the store, found what I wanted to buy, and as I perused the section about writing, a book stood out to me, "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron. In a nutshell, it is a book about creativity blocks that you, as an artist, could be struggling with and encourages you to be free in your pursuit of creativity. It was exactly the book that I needed, and it found me. As I go through it, I am re-inspired. I feel more alive. And it was worth every penny.

And without the experience of the local independent bookstore, I don't know if the book would have found me. I'll never know at this point, but I am grateful that it did.

Update on Three Leaves on a Branch

2009-02-13T15:13:00.001-08:00

I'm happy to report that the three leaves on a branch are still alive and hanging in.

A Backup Nightmare Over

2009-01-28T14:46:00.000-08:00

Found what I was looking for on the drive I should have started with.

A Backup Nightmare, Pt. 2

2009-01-28T14:27:00.000-08:00

It's not on this one. Or that one.

A Backup Nightmare

2009-01-28T14:23:00.001-08:00

Where is it? It's on one of my backup drives.

Three Leaves on a Branch

2009-01-26T21:20:00.000-08:00

Three leaves on a branch, hang in the midst of fog, bathing in morning dew, not knowing whether today is the day that they fall and are swept away.

They could live in fear of the leaf blower. The street sweeper. The incinerator. But all they know is that today is the day that they live. And that it is enough for them to enjoy all that they see from their view. People going to work, joking with one another at a locked door; an old man on his morning walk. The simplicity of a man sitting in his car staring at three leaves on a branch as he waits for a meeting with the people going to work, joking with one another at a locked door.

All good and beautiful things of life that drown out the noise and propaganda of the real world, and the pain that will come when the three leaves on a branch fall and are swept away.

The Million Dollar Question

2009-01-23T10:25:00.000-08:00

If you had a million dollars, what would you do? A seemingly simple question, evoking a certain feeling of far-off dreams stored deep inside of the person being asked. A twinkle fills the eye. All of life's boredom disappears for a brief moment. Then it all returns. Haze. Boredom. Mundane. Life.

I have thought a lot about that question lately, not because I wish that I had a million dollars, but more in line with the question of what is it that motivates me to accomplish the dreams in my heart?

We often ask that question of one another in an attempt to learn more. But is it really a good question to ask? Does it really get us closer to knowing a person? Does it get the person closer to the dreams that they think of for a brief second? Or does it further the frustration of the life they haven't lived?

These are questions that I have been wrestling with in the past month as I pursue the twinkle in my eye. The dream in my heart. The stories that I long to tell.

The most important thing that I have learned, is that it hasn't taken a million dollars to get me to do the things that I want to do. It has been honesty. Being honest with others, myself, and a realization that I'm not too far away from doing what it is I really want to be doing. I was just afraid of fully committing because of fear.

Money can never make you unafraid of the things that scare you. In some ways, it makes you even more afraid. Paranoia. Fear. Trembling.

And learning to do what you want to do, in the face of fear, makes you come alive.

That is inspiring, and forever changes the million dollar question to: "What would you like to do, in the face of fear and yourself, that would make you come alive? Regardless of the cost?"

Dreaming for the Stars

2008-10-28T00:55:00.000-07:00

As I watch Deep Space Nine for the first time, it talks about wormholes to other galaxies, and I wonder, will we as a species, make it to the furthest reaches of space? Will we dream big dreams today and in the future? Or will we rely on the dreams of the past, visionaries dead and gone, somehow alive in the systems and procedures built decades ago?

I wonder about the American Dream, how we used to dream big dreams. Dreams of going to the stars, no matter the cost. Personal sacrifice led the way, as people died for their dreams. They believed in what they could do. They believed in where we, as people, could go.

As the economy continues to take a dump on us, I wonder if it will open our eyes collectively to dreams that were there, providing a time and a place for them to come into focus.

Action is the only way that dreams become a reality. Maybe one day, the American Dream will become realized as an active pursuit in dreams for a better world. Not just pipe dreams or things to get people excited so that they will vote, but real visions of the future that inspire people, ultimately motivating them to get off the couch into the laboratories of life.

Apple Pledges $100,000 Toward Gay Marriage Fight

2008-10-28T00:20:00.000-07:00

Today, in the local Vancouver paper, The Columbian, they published a story about Apple pledging $100,000 to defeat California's Proposition 8, which would ban same-sex marriage in California. Read the posting on Yahoo's news site.

This got me thinking about the majority of churches that rely heavily on Apple computers for their operations, either in design, video, music production, and office use. Does the money that these churches invest in Apple computers directly fund a cause that they are so adamant against? Does the money that consumers pay directly fund causes that they wouldn't normally support? It makes me wonder how much of what I buy directly supports politicians that I wouldn't support, or other issues that I haven't thought about, or have opinions on. Is this really that big of an issue, or has it been swept under the mat of acceptability?

Interesting questions as I continue my journey throughout the world.

Tacoma/Seattle Vacation

2008-10-20T12:23:00.000-07:00

I just got back from my vacation to Tacoma and Seattle with Kristina. It was a great trip! We visited the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, the Underground Tour, Pike Place Market, Experience Music Project/Science Fiction Hall of Fame, the Seattle Public Library's amazing building, and a trip to my sister's house for her housewarming. As I said, a great trip, and I'll post photos soon!

Quote of the Day

2008-10-08T21:57:00.000-07:00

I use Google Apps for my business e-mail and calendar, and on the start page is a Quote of the Day. Today's made me laugh:

"Whatever you may be sure of, be sure of this, that you are dreadfully like other people." - James Russell Lowell

Just goes to show that no matter how hard I try to be original and unique, I may very well be dreadfully like other people.

Is that so bad?

Random Late Night Thoughts...

2008-09-27T22:13:00.000-07:00

...While the DVDs Burn.

I'm sitting here spacing out at the monitors, waiting for the last couple of DVDs to finish burning for tomorrow morning. My church does a fall series every October through November, and this year we are creating our own, instead of relying on a Rick Warren or John Ortberg study. Based on "The Monday Morning Church" by Jerry Cook, I filmed a conversation between my pastor, Dave McCabe, and Jerry, as they discuss what it means to take Christ to the world each day. It was a great discussion, and we were able to create 4 sessions, each with two sections, corresponding with the chapters in the book. We will be filming the rest of the discussion next week, so I am looking forward to that.

It's amazing how long it takes to burn 3.3 GB of data to a DVD-ROM. Let alone to make 30 copies. In the time it took to that, I ate dinner, watched "The Thirteenth Floor", playing Yahtzee, drank half a case of diet root beer, surfed the web, wrote this blog, and thought about looking at the spiffy DVD duplicators on DiscMakers' website.

Oooh, I just put in the last disc now!

Becoming the Vision of the Future

2008-09-25T14:37:00.000-07:00

What does it mean to dream up big things for the future if they never get accomplished? Just a quick thought for the day.

Is Compartmentalization Making our Lives Easier?

2008-09-23T13:00:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed that people like to form their opinion about something based on a small percentage of what lines up with their held belief?

Take the oft-quoted stance of atheists that all Christians are hypocritical. Compartmentalization says: if a small percentage of Christians are hypocrites, it is safe to assume that all Christians are hypocrites.

How about politics? One of the core differences between democrats and republicans is the right to choose versus the right for life. Compartmentalization says that I am going to label whether a democrat is good or bad based on how I feel about the right to choose versus the right for life. Every issue in politics is at the liberty of compartmentalization. Economics, foreign policy, how much experience is necessary to hold the office of the president, the list can truly go on and on and on.

Here are a few interesting uses of compartmentalization: all heavy metal is satanic because a small percentage of heavy metal bands are actually Satanists; all Muslims are evil because a small percentage are Islamic Fundamentalists; all of Hollywood is morally corrupt because a small percentage of people enjoy making films that can be deemed as immoral.

This seems to be a fine line between actually bringing peace and diplomacy to the world, as opposed to labeling everything so that we know whether it is good or evil, and how we need to act against the said issue. It is a dangerous line, and it is no wonder that people get upset when stereotypes are formed on the sole basis of a small percentage.

What Does it Mean to Worship?

2008-09-22T11:56:00.000-07:00

In the previous post about Young@Heart, I mention that the old man sings "Fix You" by Coldplay in such a way that he showed me a picture of remembrance, respect and love. He infused his life story into the song, and brought it alive. Several of the shots that followed were people singing with their eyes closed, probably envisioning their friends that were gone, and I couldn't help but ask the question, what does it mean to worship?

Is worship an industry that cranks out songs for people to sing in church? Is worship remembering what God has done for you? Is worship inspiring passion for people to live for God? Is worship boring? Does the American, Evangelical church have the wrong idea of what worship is? Is it more than just singing? What does it truly mean to worship?

I think worship can be defined as infusing your story into the meaning of what you are doing, singing, creating, thus inspiring remembrance, respect and love for God and others. Nothing can point to God better, than to do what He has created you to do, with all that you have, regardless of what others will say.

Well, I have rambled enough, I'm sure I'll ramble more...

Young @ Heart with Time to Change

2008-09-22T11:55:00.001-07:00

When I am old and close to death, I want to die having lived a full life, still active in the things that bring me excitement, passion and inspiration for life.

Last night, I watched a documentary about a chorus of older people in their 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s singing contemporary songs by the likes of the Clash, Coldplay, James Brown, Ramones, and Sonic Youth. Living up their name, Young @ Heart, it made me cry at several moments to watch a group of people learning and singing difficult songs, despite losing friends, fighting illness and plaguing moments of the senior kind.

The passion and zeal for life that those men and women had, put to shame most people that I know, including myself, and it was a wonderful showcase of a beautiful part of the human spirit that perseveres, regardless of pain and hardships.

The most iconic, beautiful and heart-wrenching performance was a man singing “Fix You” by Coldplay. Originally meant to be a duet with his good friend, who passed away before the performance, the man showed me a picture of remembrance, respect and love, by singing the song with every ounce of energy that he could muster up, infusing the song’s meaning with his story. An important detail that added to the performance, was that the man himself was given two years to live, and was four months past the deadline. He had an oxygen tube up his nose, could barely stand, and at several moments in the film, he too was close to death.

Another lady was 92 years old, feisty, and full of life. In a way, she reminded me of my own grandmother, willing to say whatever is on her mind, not ashamed, not worried what people will think. As she sang “I Wanna Be Sedated” by the Ramones and “Schizophrenia” by Sonic Youth, I felt happy and joyful, not because old people were singing punk rock songs, but because she was 92 years old, active, alive and doing things that she probably never thought she would be doing at her age. She passed away after the film was made, but she was truly someone that loved life and wanted it known that others should live life with that same amount of passion.

It is important for me to take time and really reflect about my life and to make sure that I am living a passionate life. Encouraging others by allowing them to witness my actions, words, examples and relationships. That alone paints an important image of what it means to be young at heart.

A Return to Form

2008-09-22T11:42:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I have been doing the Weight Watchers program since May of 2007 and lost 76 pounds. Around February of this year, I went to Gambia, Africa and didn't stick to the diet, as I was grateful to enjoy some delicious African cuisine. Since then, I have had a difficult time returning to program, and gained 20 pounds.

All that to say, I have gotten with the program again, and I am enjoying the fact that I don't feel like a complete slob and loser.

I'll post weekly updates about my progress. Maybe that will keep me focused. Or not, we'll see.

It's Been Too Long

2008-09-18T23:20:00.000-07:00

I haven't recorded any music in a long time, several years to be somewhat exact, but tonight I put a new twist on a song called Astral Being that I wrote in 1998 in my dorm room in Seattle. Check it out at: http://www.myspace.com/thesongsofchrismartin, the song is called Astral Being 2008. You can also check out the 1998 version, tuned to C#. Fun and heavy, and the guitar tones are so much better today than 10 years. Of course, 10 years I go I was using a Digitech RP12, as opposed to the Line 6 Pod X3 Live that I use today. It's amazing how far technology as come in terms of guitar processors.

Wicked Cool

2008-09-15T16:47:00.000-07:00

Some photos from a brief photo walk today.

One of Those Moments

2008-08-28T10:05:00.000-07:00

I just had one of those moments where I realize my job affects the clothes that I wear. In the spirit of doing digital media production and working on the computer all day, I am wearing a red shirt, green shorts, and blue shoes. Oh brother, I'm even dressing in RGB! There is my moment of pure geekness.

The Saga of the Failed Drive

2008-08-05T15:14:00.000-07:00

The saga of the failed drive is now over. I have all of my data, and now I don't have to recreate the work that I was right in the middle of when it failed.

The Dark Knight

2008-07-22T14:29:00.001-07:00

It is rare when a movie moves me so deeply and shakes me to my core. I have weird and eccentric taste in movies. I like Delicatessen, Amelie, Time Bandits, Brazil, but while those are based in almost fantastical worlds, The Dark Knight is set in a seemingly modern-day reality. And that is truly what makes the film both amazing and unsettling. The late Heath Ledger's performance was amazing, including his stint as a nurse getting some Purell. Equally impressive was Aaron Eckhart's performance as Harvey Dent/Two Face.

More to come as I process the movie. It sure created some interesting dreams last night.

The Saga of the Failed Drive

2008-07-22T14:27:00.001-07:00

My main data drive is currently in California getting probed, recovering the data that I didn't have a chance to back up. This has affected me deeply, and I have learned to back up my data on a daily basis. The feelings are very crazy, it's as if part of me is missing. I know that may seem weird, but there was so much work on there from the past three years of my life. The majority was backed up, which was good.

Let this be a lesson. Back up your data. Back it up. It hurts when it goes away.

A Moment of Sickness

2008-07-21T08:28:00.000-07:00

Delayed write failure on Drive F:

Random Musings

2008-06-21T12:30:00.000-07:00

As opposed to my last blog posting, today is a beautiful day. Slightly overcast, just waiting for the sun to come out and make it nice and warm. Kristina and I got a gas grill, so I have some ground turkey marinating in onions, garlic, garlic pepper and marinade. Yum! Turkey burgers for dinner.

I have been rather inspired by things from Europe and Britain as of late. The first is the new Coldplay album, "Viva La Vida." I have been a Coldplay fan for a couple of years, but their new album is definitely my favorite. Start to finish, it is the strongest and most interesting collection of songs that I have heard in a while. Next on the horizon is "Death Magnetic" by Metallica in September. I am one of those fans that has Mission: Metallica Platinum membership, so I have gotten to enjoy their random musings and promotions for the new album.

The second inspiration is a French film called "The City of Lost Children." Very fascinating look at the search for the cure of the aging process, cloning, amnesia, and kids forced to take care of themselves because the adults are too interested in other things.

I recently purchased Softimage XSI to work on some 3D animation projects, and with it came a training DVD called "The Artists Guide to XSI." My only experience with learning software has been tutorials, books and the classroom, so this DVD was my first step into learning software. I'm hooked, what a great way to learn something. Books are good, but when it comes to complex software and techniques, actually seeing what's going on and being able to follow along simultaneously is a definite advantage that really excites me.

Well, I think that is about it for this episode of random musings. Offspring's "Hammerhead" is on, and I am going to work on some modeling tutorials in XSI.

Greed, Lies and Propaganda

2008-06-10T08:52:00.000-07:00

June 10th and it's pouring down rain, cold and dark. I grow tired of the presidential race. It's not really a race, considering it has gone on longer than it really needs to. I grow tired of sensational journalism, as if they are actually reporting anything new. I'm tired of greed preventing the truth from actually coming out. I'm tired of propaganda telling me what I need to believe so that I will continue feeding the machine that keeps the world running. I'm tired of lies. I want the truth. It is true that the truth hurts, but how many people must be hurt in order for the truth to remain hidden?

I am tired today, but life goes on. It always does, regardless of whether I think I can change that or not.

The Rough Cut is Done

2008-04-20T09:21:00.001-07:00

After two weeks of solid editing, my rough cut for my trip to The Gambia, Africa is complete. After showing to several people, I will now complete the final edits this week and it will show next weekend at church. Pretty exciting! I have edited 25 hours of material down to 10 minutes and this week I want to get the final cut to 9 minutes.

23 Hours of Fun

2008-03-04T06:52:00.001-08:00

Going back to work today, armed with 23 hours of mini-DV from my trip to Africa, a 1 TB external FireWire hard drive, and enough work to employ a small army. No wonder I woke up before 5:00 AM. Jet lag and a side of anxiety.

Initial Thoughts on My Trip to The Gambia

2008-03-03T14:05:00.000-08:00

For many years, I have wanted to come to Africa. I have read about it, seen movies about it, heard songs about it, but it wasn't until I finally traveled to Africa that I realized that I really didn't know anything about Africa and why people end up living the way they do. Extreme poverty, health issues, hunger, thirst, all that things that can destroy an entire continent. Yet, these things ultimately don't stop the Gambians. They continue to live, to eat, to drink in the worst conditions; hot, dry, dirty, smelly. They work a grueling day for about $5, just enough to hopefully feed their families that night. If they didn't make anything, they would not eat. They devote themselves to a religion that doesn't help them, and they are surrounded by tourists.

In some ways, it could seem that they invite you into their misery so that they could have a taste of our good life. But what it comes down to is that they end up teaching you about sincerity, hard work, survival, contentment, and gratitude. All things that you can't truly know until you see their joy in life.

To be among the poor in America and come here, I realize that I am a "two-bob," a rich man, here in the Gambia. I make more in a month than they will in a year. And that makes me think, why does one human's life have more value than another’s? Is it only because of the country I live in, or is there something else that determines the worth of a human life?

All in all, this trip was life changing. It confirmed what I believe God has made me to do, and it showed me what contentment is all about.

Art of the Interview and Lighting Workshops

2008-02-11T08:35:00.000-08:00

Well, it was a great weekend of learning some valuable information in the areas of interviewing people and lighting them. The lighting class was great in that it provided some fundamental lighting principles that I haven't really had the chance to play around with since I went to art school. The hands-on portion of the class was great and seeing the ways that you can manipulate and sculpt light was amazing and very exciting.

More inspiring and motivating was the art of the interview class. It lit a fire of excitement for what I do that I haven't really felt in some time. Seeing the process at which I work, and not being afraid of taking chances in asking tough questions, will hopefully push me towards some amazing moments in my upcoming trip to The Gambia.

All in all, the whole idea of a weekend of workshops is not only a brilliant idea, but you get to meet people that are doing exactly what you are, and that is worth a lot.

Jelly Beans

2008-02-07T22:12:00.000-08:00

I took pictures of jelly beans today. That was the highlight of my day. Except for LOST of course.

Commercials

2008-02-07T22:04:00.001-08:00

Life would be much simpler without commercials. TV shows that are supposed to be an hour would actually be an hour. Lost would be found in the missing minutes interrupted by the constant noise of consumerism. Heroes would actually save the world instead of telling me that I need to feel insecure about the 1987 Crown Victoria that I drive instead of the brand new Toyota Corolla. Do commercials exist for the sole purpose of making me feel so crappy about my life because I don't own the latest and greatest phone, car, internet service, beer, or lubricant jelly? In the words of my wife, "they do honey." Correction. "They do comma honey."

The Gambia; Workshops; Rebel Without a Crew; The Power of Inspirational Friends

2008-02-06T20:37:00.000-08:00

My two week trip to The Gambia, Africa is steadily approaching, and I am starting to get really excited. I have had my yellow fever, hepatitis-a, and tetanus shots, as well as filled prescription for malaria medicine. I have purchased over 30 hours of mini-dv tape, a 16GB CompactFlash card, a circular polarizer, and a nice big backpack; everything that I need in order to video and photograph this trip. I'm looking forward to an interesting trip outside of my comfort zone. I have wanted to go to Africa for almost ten years now, and it is finally a reality.

As I go into this trip, I am looking forward to two film production workshops that I am taking this weekend. The first is on the art of the interview and how to draw out the story as you interview people. The second is on lighting. Two areas that I definitely enjoy learning more about.

I just purchased "Rebel Without a Crew," by Robert Rodriguez. So far I am loving what he is saying, more to come as I digest this book.

There is nothing like a friend that inspires you.

Update

2007-12-16T20:48:00.000-08:00

This weekend I weighed in at 218. I have lost 68 pounds since I started my journey on Weight Watchers last May. My next weigh-in is on my 29th birthday this coming Saturday. Will I reach the 70 lbs. milestone?

Crazy to think that I am one year away from being thirty.

New Updates

2007-10-18T00:11:00.000-07:00

I have added four new videos and two new photos to ChrisMartinStudios.com tonight! Promotional videos for Shared Blessings and People International, an animation for Genesis Performance Systems, a photo for Renewed Life Day Spa's new jacuzzi, and a random photo opportunity from my kitchen.

Enjoy!

Weight Watchers Update

2007-10-15T17:13:00.000-07:00

I started the Weight Watchers Online for Men program the last week of May weighing in at 286. As of Saturday, October 13, I weigh 235, which is a loss of 51 pounds.

Tomorrow is my third wedding anniversary, and I can finally wear the clothes that I wore leaving the church on our wedding day! Very exciting!!

ChrisMartinStudios.com updated!

2007-10-15T17:12:00.000-07:00

I finally updated the design for ChrisMartinStudios.com. It only took a year and a half!

Being a dinosaur only leads to one place...

2007-09-17T09:48:00.000-07:00

...extinction.

I say that because I have been doing web design since 1996, and I am realizing that what I taught myself 10 years ago has become antiquated, outdated and border-line extinct. A great example is my over-reliance on tables for page layout, instead of the use of DIV's and positioning in CSS. I was looking into that the other day and couldn't believe how simple and clean that process is.

The web has changed, and I haven't. Very sad. But the good news is I don't want to become extinct. Time to evolve. Time to change.

Hey, are you there?

2007-08-28T12:56:00.000-07:00

It's been almost two months since my last post. It has been a completely crazy life. Last month was dedicated to finishing a very large project called Boeing Production Systems Fundamentals. I was on a team of four people, in charge of animation, design and programming. In a two week period, I put in over 100 hours not including commute time and waiting for the bus! This week, we are finishing up some edits and hopefully that project will be complete.

Weight Watchers update. I have been on the program for three months now, and I have lost 37 pounds, weighing in at 249. Pretty exciting! Some of the shirts that I have received as gifts a year ago are finally fitting.

Several photo shoots coming up. Tonight I am photographing a band called "Crusas." Check them out at www.crusas.com or www.myspace.com/crusas. In the next two weeks, I'll be doing another shoot for Renewed Life Day Spa, as well as another group photo for Bryant & Associates, and I get to be a photographer for my church's upcoming church picnic. A crazy amount of photo taking opportunities. I just bought a 4GB capture card which will allow me to take over 700 RAW pictures (which is the full resolution), pretty awesome! Before I had a 1GB card which only enabled me to take 178 RAW pictures. I ran out of room at a previous shoot, so I wanted to be prepared. It looks like I am going to be getting a great tripod soon. I'm looking at a carbon fiber bogen, which a ball head, as well as a separate video head for smooth pans and tilts.

Well, that's about it for now.

Fireworks and Tow Trucks

2007-07-05T09:42:00.000-07:00

Last night was pretty amazing as the subdivision next door to the apartment complex that my wife and I live in exploded in the myriad of colors that is the 4th of July. Being on the second story has some advantages, mainly being able to see an unobstructed view of what was going on. There were some fireworks that lit up the entire sky and I couldn't help but smile, my inner child filled with glee and excitement. It was an exciting time, and I was able to live vicariously through the hundreds of dollars that our neighbors obviously spent. Beautiful!

In other news, our apartment complex is sealing the asphalt in my section this morning. They have spent the last hour and a half towing cars to various parts of the property. The final two cars were just towed away, it's nothing too exciting, but when I only see the kids in the pool, this is pretty darn exciting!

Here's to a hot day!!! One of the disadvantages of living on the second story.

Back to work my brain says. I have a busy month ahead of me. Yesterday was a nice day of relaxing, eating hamburgers and reading some books. Oh, and I even took a nap! Now that is odd, seeing as I never take naps.

Okay, now I really should get back to work!

Workflow

2007-06-26T04:35:00.000-07:00

Nothing will reveal the strengths and weaknesses of your personal workflow like a 3-day video shoot, with the final 30-minute video due on the 4th day. I haven't decided if it is insane, impossible, or improbable, but I think taking these projects every once and a while could be a good thing. Maybe it's God's light shining in how I do things, how long I think on things, and just getting things done and moving to the next project.

These are my thoughts this early morning. I am getting too old to stay up all night. I remember when I could go no problem, but after 8-hours of shooting, which is enough to wear anyone out, an all-night editing spree seems crazy. I think I am repeating myself. Time to get back to editing.

Capturing an Experience

2007-06-25T23:05:00.001-07:00

I sit here waiting for the video to capture onto my computer that I shot today at the Kid's Camp that my church was a part of. Today was day three of four and shot three more hours of footage, adding to the five hours of day one and two.

Yesterday was pretty nasty as rain soaked everything and a lot of the activities were sent indoors and everywhere there was a covered space, but today the sun was shining, the outdoor activities were in full force and fun, creative shots were in force.

Now the fun begins in putting together a video for the past few days by 12 noon tomorrow. I have the soda chilled and ready, and once the capturing is done, I'll be off and editing.

I only went to a kid camp once as a kid, and all I remember was chickening out on the zip line. My thought today was that if the zip lines were as safe today, I think I would have went down the line. Instead, I had to contend with a plastic swing seat with a scary chain to the zip line. Pretty interesting the things we hold onto.

Journey Down the Road of Meaning (35 MPH vs. 1 MPH)

2007-06-20T13:18:00.000-07:00

I have several things going through my head today. The first has to do with some reoccurring dreams that I have been having over the past six months usually entailing me being trapped in my old job and never being able to find the way out. But last night there were some new developments. First, I was being chased by Sylar from the television show "Heroes," and second I was being helped by my friend Loren.

As I went on a walk this afternoon, I was pondering about what that dream meant. Now, it's obvious what the reoccurring dream about being trapped in my old place of work says, but what about Sylar? In "Heroes" he was the evil villain who stalked the people with superpowers so that he could take those abilities for himself, killing the hero in the process. So, putting all of the three elements together, I am in the process of escaping my old ways, being helped in the process by my friend Loren, but the enemy is unhappy and is hunting me down so that he can take away what makes me unique.

What an interesting dream. Isn't it amazing that when you have such an epic dream that you wake up feeling exhausted and worn out?

The second thought going through my mind has to do with breaking out of the monotony of a mundane life. Metaphorically speaking, I have been trying to speed down the road of life doing 120 MPH, but I finally got busted by the cops and I'm forced to go down the road of life at walking speeds and what amazing sites you actually see and experience.

For the first time in a long time, I am actually attempting some new ideas on projects that I am working on. The past two days have been spent doing some new type of animation in After Effects, and I am excited as it takes shape and is different than a lot of things that I have done lately. I slowed down and took the time to actually try new things. How exciting!

What got me thinking about this was a walk I just took. I walked down 28th street to the corner Chevron. Normally, I am doing 35 MPH down this road, but I was amazed at what I saw and how much larger and open my world actually is.

If we could actually slow down more often, our lives would be that much more enriching and worthwhile, and just perhaps we would have something to be passionate about, instead of feeling tired and burnt out.

Weight Watchers Week 3

2007-06-18T14:10:00.000-07:00

I just finished my third week on Weight Watchers and I have successfully lost 14 pounds so far. It's great! I golfed 18 holes yesterday and it was a little easier than the last time I played.

Willow Creek Arts Conference 2007 (Part 1)

2007-06-18T08:30:00.000-07:00

Last week, I had the amazing privilege to go to the Willow Creek Arts Conference in Barrington, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. For those of you who do not know of Willow Creek, they are a mega-church oriented towards seekers (people who are investing the claims of Christ and the church), and providing conferences in the area of arts, leadership, and just about anything else that is essential for church leaders and members around the world.

I had never been to Willow Creek before last week, and I had heard a lot about the church, mostly negative things, and as I walked through the main doors and wandered through the lobby and main auditorium, those comments replayed in my mind as if I was hearing them for the first time. The lobby reminded me of a convention center. Waterfalls, escalators, elevators, television screens, book kiosks, coffee shops, bookstores, atriums, chairs and benches to sit in, and free wi-fi. When you walk into the main auditorium, it’s like you are walking into a miniature arena. Giant windows frame the stage as a fog machine pumps out enough fog to define each and every light. Three levels of seating provide enough room for thousands of people to be able to gather, while gigantic high-definition video screens provide everyone with the ability to see, with amazing clarity, what is going on. The whipped cream of this audio/visual sundae was the sound system, which easily rivaled anything that I have ever heard at the myriad of concerts that I have been to. As I pushed those comments to the back of my mind, I really wanted to be open to the experience of this place that I have wanted to visit and be open to what I hoped that I would learn and be reminded of: creativity, inspiration, and passion for communicating the truth through art.

My first thought regarding this conference was the impact that it had on me personally and professionally. Before I left, I was getting pretty tired, drained creatively, and unable to be passionate about the work I was doing. Through the keynote speaker Dewitt Jones and breakout session speaker Mark Miller, I learned that in order to continue providing creative and inspirational creative solutions I need to spend the time and energy to keep my creative toolbox full and if I don’t feel passionate or inspired that I should act as if I were passionate and inspired.

Now, it’s not that I didn’t know these things before, but when you open yourself up to needing to hear the truth, you’ll hear what you need to hear with an incredible clarity.

I’m going to continue unpacking the things that I learned on the trip, but for now, I’m pleased to know that I won’t be giving up anytime soon.

Nikon 12-24mm Lens

2007-06-08T10:40:00.000-07:00

One of the disadvantages of a Digital SLR is the 1.5x magnification factor on lenses. I have a 24mm lens that is a great wide-angle on my film SLR, but is a worthless 36mm on my DSLR. Thankfully though, Nikon has the very expensive 12-24mm lens (equating to roughly 18-36mm). I have rented it twice from Pro Photo Supply in Portland, and I love the lens! I did a photo shoot yesterday at Renewed Life Day Spa, and it really made the architecture look fabulous. I was able to get the shots that I wanted without wishing the wall behind me was gone. The next lens to rent is the famous 18-200 VR lens that will be on eternal backorder.

Fragrance of Worth

2007-06-05T14:38:00.000-07:00

I have been toying with the idea of doing a photography/poetry book, something that would merge my love for writing and for photography. After dragging my feet for a couple of years, I have decided that I am going to work on this project all summer long and release a free e-book to anyone interested on September 4, 2007.

Enjoy an excerpt from "Quiet Silence" up above, which is a taste of my vision for this project, and stay tuned for more glimpses along the way.

Going to Chicago

2007-06-03T22:38:00.000-07:00

On June 12-15, I get the opportunity to go to the Willow Creek Arts Conference in Chicago, Illinois. I am very excited to go, as I have wanted to go for the past two years, and this year it is finally going to become a reality! More to come about this conference in the coming weeks.

Week 1 Status Report

2007-06-03T22:37:00.001-07:00

After one week of Weight Watchers and exercise, I am pleased to report that I weighed in at 282. That is a loss of 4 lbs. Stay tuned each week for a status report!

Five Reasons for Losing Ambition

2007-06-03T21:42:00.000-07:00

I just spent the past 20 minutes looking at old designs and artwork that I created between 1998 and 2005 and the first question that came into my mind was, "what happened to my ambition?"

In that period of time I must have changed the design of my website every other month, always experimenting, trying new ideas out, seeing what worked, what didn't work. I had an unlimited amount of time, energy, ambition, and my passion was seemingly endless. But things are a lot different today. Today, I am tired. I lack energy, and the only real motivation is to get stuff done so that I don't have to worry about it anymore. The money doesn't really motivate much anymore. That is perhaps the worst thing that could happen to an artist.

Here are five initial thoughts as to why I think I am in this place of discouragement:

1) Somewhere along the journey from passionate amateur to cynical professional, I let fear enter my creative process. What if this doesn't work? What are people going to think? I began to think too much about my audience and what their expectations were. I worried too much that something wouldn't be accepted because it wasn't perfect. I believed the lie of perfectionism and anything less than that was cause for reprimand, unsatisfied clients, bad grades, and less satisfaction. No longer was I able to learn from my mistakes, because I wasn't going to put anything out that was filled with mistakes. That sentence makes me laugh, sigh, and feel sad all at the same time.

2) I lost my desire to experiment with new ideas and learn new techniques. I would tell myself, and sadly still do, that there is no time for experimenting, because time is money, and my clients need there stuff done now. But if I was to take that mindset and really analyze it, eventually I would run out of ideas, energy and passion, just from the number of projects I have done in this decade. Without experimenting and trying new things, how do I ever expect to grow not only my in my abilities, but in the collection of ideas, techniques and confidence in what I can do?

3) I would give up on an idea in the middle of pre-production if I felt that I couldn't get it right in that very same day. Lie #3: "The only worthy idea is one that can be easily created in one day, on the spot." LIES! I am one guy, not a studio of 20, 30, 5, 100, 1,000. One guy. I'm not superman. I'm not Wonder Woman, Batman, or even Spiderman. I'm not a hero or a villain, I'm just one normal guy that loves art. Why don't I live that way?

4) I gave up thinking that I had anything worthwhile to say. So, what am I doing being an artist if I believe that I have nothing worthwhile to say. That is really the best question for me to consider right now. Answer: I can't imagine what else I would do, I love art and creativity, and I have just lost my way right now.

5) I bought all the equipment that I said that I would ever need to create works of art, only to keep looking at what everyone else was doing and told myself that I would never be able to do what they do. Thus, lusting after the bigger and better equipment that would put me in the realm of being able to successfully accomplish what others were able to accomplish.

I am saying all this right now because it is all a part of my life change. I am putting my life on a slide and looking at it through a microscope. So far, what I see, is exactly what I have told myself is not there, and it is time to stop believing in the lies that have gotten me far from the truth, and the freedom that ultimately comes from truth.

The truth is that no matter how perfect I think I can be, all I am is a wretch, corrupt to the core of my being, in need of mercy and grace. Thank God for His graciousness and His faithfulness.

In the words of Delirious, "investigate my life and make me clean."

Time for Change, pt. 1

2007-05-30T09:05:00.000-07:00

I am finally ready for a change.

For the past 5 years, I have systematically eliminated all healthy activities such as exercising and eating right, all in an attempt to live a life that I thought that I had to live. A life devoted to work. A life devoted to taking care of everyone else's needs. A life devoted to doing what I thought everyone wanted me to do. But you know what? That kind of life totally sucks! I'm ready for a change.

Change #1: I joined Weight Watchers.
I never thought that I would join a diet program, but you know what, I never realized how much I was eating until I read about proper portion sizes on Weight Watchers website. Now I can track how much I am eating, the amount of exercise I am doing, my weight, and even download healthy recipes. Last night I made Pan-Seared Chicken with Garlic Sauce and only came out to be 10 of my 40 points for the day. That was pretty cool, and it was really good. My goal is 165 lbs., which is very far away from my current weight of 286, but I am encouraged with the fact that I have done it before, and I will do it again. I am doing it because I want to be healthy, active and be able to wear a lot of the clothes that I have in my closet that don't fit anymore. I want to be able to feel good when I run or hike. I just want to feel better, and I am ready.

Change #2: I am learning more about the guitar.
I have played guitar for 12 years. I started to play when I was a sophomore in high school, learning all of Metallica's catalog. While I have a certain adeptness to playing guitar, I have reached a point where I need to learn more, grow more, and branch out into other genres other than rock or metal. I would love to learn more about jazz, classical, country and overall guitar playing that would fit in any genre. I bought a Modern Guitar Method book that Berklee uses at their school, it even comes with a DVD, so I am really excited about learning more guitar theory and growing in my ability to play.

Well, there are two changes, and I will post more later on, but for now, I have some things to do for work.

The Creative Thing To Do

2007-05-17T09:38:00.000-07:00

So, being a creative individual, I occasionally get the urge to grab my notebook, a pen, a list of things to do, and head to the nearest Starbucks. After all, what's cooler and more inspirational then working on your next big project at a coffee shop?

I pull into my parking spot, grab all my stuff, go in and order a mocha and a donut, sit down and get started. I read some notes, starting writing a couple of lines, then stop. This sucks!! Where's the glitz, where's the glam? Just a bunch of blank pages and zero ideas. Perhaps if I had an Apple laptop and I worked on stuff with that in a coffee shop, then I would be cool. Some days I really hate the stigma and label attached to creative people.

Oh well, on to actually getting some work done.

Seattle / Rent

2007-05-15T14:26:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday, Kristina, my step-sister Katie, and myself drove to Seattle to see the musical Rent. This was my first trip back to Seattle after leaving quickly in the form of an exodus over seven years, and it's interesting to not only think about what seven years has done to me, but to think about what life was like before I left.

We left Vancouver very early because Seattle is notorious for traffic, but oddly enough there was no traffic and we arrived in Seattle 2 and a half hours early. This gave us a great opportunity to enjoy downtown Seattle. We walked down to Pike Street Market and for the first time in my life I saw in person the fish market where they throw the fish. Talk about cool! I don't know what the thrill is, but for some reason seeing giant fish fly through the air is oddly fascinating. After that, we enjoyed the many shops in Pike Street Market, and the millions of Starbucks in downtown (one on every city block)!

Now, traveling to the Paramount Theater to see Rent was interesting, because while living in Seattle I saw several rock bands there, Megadeth and Joe Satriani, so the memories of the Paramount continue on because of this trip. Moving on to Rent, this was our first time seeing the musical, as we we had only seen and heard Rent through the movie and the movie's soundtrack. We were totally blown away by how much more there was in the musical that didn't make the movie, and it further amazed us that one man, Jonathan Larson, was able to write all of the music and lyrics. AMAZING!

I thoroughly enjoyed Rent. The visual imagery, the music, the passion of every one on stage, and the musical's ability to inspire people to live for today is addicting, and it left me wanting more. After having some time to reflect upon the experience, here are several of my thoughts.

The passion of the singers, the musicians and the story is inspiring and addicting. It makes me long to be that passionate about the songs that are in my heart, about the art that I see in my mind, and the life that I am daily living. I can't help but think the question, how would our churches be transformed if we were this passionate about the music, the drama, the arts, the Bible, relationships, living life as if it were our last day?

There was a scene in the musical that wasn't in the movie and it is right before Angel dies. The scene is very visual and suggestive of the sexual lifestyle that the characters were a part of. It shows the main characters beneath a sheet trying to break through, while around them the ensemble cast are grinding one another and Angel slowly rises up from the confusion as it continues. Not expecting this scene, I was a little embarrassed at first because it is highly suggestive, but the more I think about the scene, the more I realize how insightful it is because I think it actually shows the pain that the characters fill inside and how they want to break free from the torment and pain that they are living in. It then goes on to suggest that death (Angel rising) is the only way to truly escape the pain and be released. This scene really sticks in my head, and not because of the sex, but the portrayal of the pain that people truly live with.

What I appreciate most about Rent is that it is a story about people, relationships, and living life each day. Yes, it does have various immoral elements which unfortunately pushes people away from wanting to see this musical, but there is an amazing beauty in this musical that shines a compassionate light on the pain that people are living with and the ways that their lives change as they face the struggles in life instead of running away.

Truth be told, I was blind-sided by this story and this music. I didn't expect any of it to be that good. I expected it to be a celebration of all the things that a Christian is against, but instead I feel the words of Christ come alive within me when I think about how I should respond. With love and compassion.

Worship and the Art of Healing

2007-04-27T12:51:00.000-07:00

I'm having one of those days where I am not only distracted by the abundance of websites at my fingertips, but distracted by the thoughts in my mind and the music playing in iTunes. I can't help but think about the future, the possibilities of the things to come, the promise of renewed hope, and the healing power of God's grace. On top of all of those thoughts, I am thinking about how my attitude towards worship music is daily changing from a selfish "how could anyone like this garbage" to a God-honoring view of "if it pleases the Lord, how can I not sing?"

When I first became a Christian, I thought Christian music was amazing and refreshing. My formative years were spent listening to a lot of hard rock, heavy metal, eventually getting into death metal and some really dark music. So, it was quite a leap to go into the synthesizer/acoustic guitar sappy sounds of Christianity, but there was something audibly refreshing. I found that I related to the messages of the songs in my heart a lot more than the other music. But over the years, my heart hardened to Christian music, specifically the songs that were sung every weekend in church. The week after week pounding of songs by Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, and the local flavors just got too much and I really got apathetic and cynical, shunning a lot of artists that write the majority of worship songs.

But it's amazing what God can do with time, my love for music, and His desire for His creation to worship Him. And it all started with a Worship in the Pacific Northwest conference, a local worship leader named Mike Hohnholz (www.mikehohnholz.com), my friend Tony Johnson, and a growing church in Camas, WA, Grace Foursquare (www.gracefoursquare.org).

I have been a musician for most of my life, so I really admire musicians that not only write their own music, but also their own lyrics. So, I was really surprised when I entered the church scene and started looking at the copyrights of songs and saw that a lot of the songs were not written by the people playing the songs, but they were covering these songs. I first experienced cover songs on Metallica's Garage Days Revisited, where they cover a lot of New Wave of British Heavy Metal songs, so cover songs to me were more about a fun escape from the seriousness of the creative process. So, is the church a cover song culture? Something that is a fun escape from the seriousness of worshiping God with the gifts that He has placed within the heart of a worship leader? Is there any difference between a worship leader and a worship songwriter? Should there be a difference?

Well, when I heard Mike Hohnholz's music and his heart, I was amazed that there was a local worship leader that could not only lead worship, but also write music from his heart that reflected his love for Christ and the passion within his heart for others to worship with him. So, I visited the church he was leading worship for, and immediately found a place that valued the use of the unique gifts that God had given the people in the church. Thus, a chain-reaction was started that would bring me to the place where I am at today.

Upon leaving my position at a local megachurch in November of 2005, my wife and I visited several churches before deciding that we wanted to call Grace Foursquare our home church. During that time of visiting other churches, Mike Hohnholz moved out to Beaverton Foursquare to lead worship there and a new worship pastor named Loren Craft came to Grace, along with Joshua Son. And again, God astonished me with the talent and passion for worshiping the Lord that He placed in their hearts. But nothing would change me more than finally getting the opportunity to be a part of the worship team, filling in on bass when no one else could be found.

The first time playing bass on stage at this new place was interesting, mainly due to the song choices. Two of my least favorite songs were picked, and after playing them several times during the week in practice and rehearsal, it was in the last service of the weekend that I really sensed God telling me, "Chris, I don't care if you don't like these songs, I like them, it's not about you." And with that, my heart began to change towards worshiping the Lord.

Playing bass several times now, I have had the opportunity to see a unique perspective that not many get to see and that is of the multitude worshiping the Lord. Sometimes the eyes of the people are upon you and you can't help but examine your heart to make sure that you are truly worshiping, and not just going through the motions.

It continues to be a process and it will always be, but it helps to have truly passionate people around you who could get the rocks and every inanimate object to sing out loud.

Thanks Tony, Loren, Josh and Mike.

Paralytic

2007-04-06T13:14:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to do the cinematography for my friend's fan-made music video for the song "Paralytic." Check it out today!

Over 25 New Items Added to ChrisMartinStudios.com

2007-03-28T18:26:00.000-07:00

Hey, I finally got around to adding the latest work completed by Chris Martin Studios to the "Our Work" section of www.ChrisMartinStudios.com. I have even added several video productions, including the latest videos for First Class Homeschool Ministries. Check out all the hard work today!

Looking for a Great Mechanic and Tire Shop?

2006-12-29T12:27:00.001-08:00

I have had the joy and privilege (sarcasm) of getting some repairs done on my 1992 Dodge Shadow. The shocks and struts were shot, I needed four new tires, and I have an oil leak of unknown origin. For the shocks and struts and the diagnosing of the oil leak, I took the car to Just Right Auto, 13106 NE Fourth Plain in Vancouver, 360-260-2260 and they did a fantastic job. Dropped the car off Thursday morning, and got it back Friday morning. The shocks and struts are replaced, and they put a dye kit in the oil to trace where the leak is. Great service, fast, and they appreciate their customers!

To further my experience today, I took the car to Richey's Tire Factory on Mill Plain, right off the 205 by Wal-Mart. I told them I wanted four new tires, they helped me to get the ones that were in my price range, and then put them on. I was out of there in about 15-20 minutes. Great service, they love what they do, and they have HD TV with Comcast in the waiting area. How cool is that!!!

I highly recommend both places!

Speeding Towards the New Year!

2006-12-27T10:01:00.000-08:00

With my 28th birthday and Christmas behind me, I have a new stack of DVDs to enjoy this week! My brother-in-law and sister-in-law got me the Limited Edition 2-Disc version of "V for Vendetta," which comes complete with the graphic novel that the movie was based on, pretty cool! My wife's parents surprised me with "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" and the special edition of "Batman Begins," my mom got me U2's "Zoo TV" concert, and I have greatly enjoyed that DVD, very innovative, creative and, perhaps, crazy. In the vein of music, my wife got me the Metallica Videos DVD, awesome! With the rest of the money I got for my birthday, I bought Dream Theater's "Score" DVD, Coldplay's "Live 2003" and U2's "U218 Videos." I am a music buff and thoroughly enjoy all of those DVDs! Not to mention the Greatest Hits Jimi Hendrix CD and the book "U2byU2!!!"

It was a great Christmas, and now I prepare myself for the end of the business year! Here is to year one of Chris Martin Studios!

Birthday Approaching

2006-12-18T09:44:00.000-08:00

On Friday, I will be celebrating my 28th birthday, which means several things, mainly that I am getting really close to being 30, my high school reunion is this summer, and the past seems further away than it did even a year ago. In an email to a friend this morning, I mentioned that it felt like I have lived two, maybe even three, lifetimes in the past ten years. So, here are some of my highlights of my life in the past ten years:

Graduated high school.
Attended the University of Washington for 2 and a half years.
Dropped out of college to be in a rock band playing bass.
Had the opportunity to go to Israel and Jordan for two weeks, seeing everything from Jerusalem, Petra, the Sea of Galilee, Nazareth, and Tel-Aviv.
Became a Christian after 14 years of walking away from God.
Went to art school and eventually graduated with a bachelor's degree in Media Arts and Animation.
Interned in a video department being able to work alongside a good friend.
Ran a video/design department for a couple of years before burning out.
Got to hear and meet some amazing songwriters, speakers, pastors and artists in my time running the video/design department.
Traveled to Mexico and videotaped a mission trip for one week.
Got married in 2004.
Started my own design/photography/video business.

Well, it may not seem like much when reading that list, but it has been a life-changing journey for me, and it continues going in a direction that I never imagined.

As I write this, I am remembering what I wrote in the senior edition of the school paper ten years ago about what I would be doing today: "I will be making $80,000 a year working at Microsoft and playing racquetball with Bill Gates." While I didn't even come close to either of those things, I am truly grateful that my life is far richer and deeper than I ever imagined it would be.

Have a Merry Christmas!

A Hodge Podge of Information

2006-12-08T18:47:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been a couple of weeks since my last post, and a lot of strange and wonderful things have occurred. But the first thing on my mind is the latest "American Photo" magazine, which showed up a couple days ago in the mail. It has to be the best photography magazine, just for the sheer quality of the photographers that are showcased. This month's issue is on the Images of the Year, and there are some amazing images. My favorite image is from the Wonderbra advertisement, shot by Vincent Dixon. You never see the Wonderbra, but you see everyone's reaction in the restaurant, stunning, well lit, and very funny.

I recently bought Quickbooks Pro for my business, Chris Martin Studios Inc., and now get to go through the laborious task of setting it up! I'm sure there is someone that I could pay to do that, but after 9 months of receipts and invoices, it's probably better if I do it. I'm excited though, there are some neat features that I will definitely use, especially the time sheets. No more Excel, and no more math calculations by hand! Oh, how exciting life can truly be!

The other night, my friend Rod showed me "G3- Live in Denver," starring Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, and Yngwie Malmsteen. Very good performances on all three parts, and what cracked me up the most was how Malmsteen would shred a little, throw the guitar around his neck, and then continue shredding. Seamlessly! Amazing, well worth the cost of buying the DVD.

Today, I received "The DVX Book," Magic Bullet Editors, and InstantHD in the mail, as part of the rebate for my Panasonic DVX100B. So far, I have only read part of "The DVX Book," but already it has helped me in how I use the DVX. While the camera is not an HD camera, it's a great camera!

Wow, should I keep going? I think I shall.

I am planning on 7 one-minute short films using the DVX and the lav mics that I bought for it. I'm not really going to do anything traditional in the sense, I just want to have fun, so stay tuned to ChrisMartin.com, because I will post the videos there.

Here, here to Lloyd's Grill in Battle Ground, WA. A very great place to eat lunch!

Well, that's about it for now. I hope you enjoy the latest from my mind.

Casino Royale

2006-11-24T22:26:00.000-08:00

Our third movie to see in theaters this week was the new James Bond flick, "Casino Royale." This was a pretty decent film, it was a little long, and there were some really stagnant parts, but all in all, this was the best Bond film in a good while.

The Office: Reprise

2006-11-22T17:43:00.000-08:00

Well, after enjoying the last four episodes of The Office, I am officially letting you all know that it is a great season. I am rather enjoying the new characters now, and just needed time to adjust to the change.

Would Could Be Stranger Than Fiction? The Fountain?

2006-11-22T17:37:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, I received a gift certificate to Cinetopia from our church, a thank you gift for doing a lot of work on their 40 Days of Community campaign. So, after church, my wife and I watched Will Ferrell in "Stranger Than Fiction," an interesting film about a character whose life is narrated by a woman, with a better vocabulary than his own. I rather enjoyed that film, but I also enjoyed the experience of watching it in HD in Cinetopia's Living Room theater. Leather ottomans to put your feet up, servers to take your order and bring you the food and drinks, totally awesome!!

Today, we went and saw "The Fountain," a sci-fi movie starring Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz. What an interesting, unique, beautiful, strange film that defies description. We were so captivated, that we sat through the ending credits, enchanted by the beautiful piano score that ended the film. I will definitely be seeing the film, because it was very, very different. And that is a good thing!

The rest of the week is devoted to food, family, friends, and some great movies that we rented.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Photoshop for Photographers

2006-11-14T10:52:00.000-08:00

About a month ago, I received a brochure for a "Photoshop for Photographers" seminar that was coming to the Portland Convention Center. I looked it over, and signed up thinking that it wouldn't hurt to go learn about the software that I use on a consistent and daily basis.

Yesterday was the day, and it was a great seminar! It started with a look at Digital Photography workflow. Being new to digital photography, it was great to learn how Photoshop's Camera Raw plug-in actually works, and how to get great looking files right out of the gate. From there, the speaker covered tonal detail using Curves, color correction, image retouching and vanishing point. All in all, it was an excellent seminar, well worth the $99 admission price. Check out Ben Willmore's site, Digital Mastery, where you can read free articles, buy his books and DVDs and learn more about Photoshop.

We Interrupt This Broadcast

2006-11-07T21:45:00.000-08:00

The unfortunate thing about living in Southwest Washington is that we share broadcasting with Portland. This means that quality television shows, such as House M.D., are interrupted at critical and crucial plot points to tell us who won the Oregon governor race.

A New Toy!

2006-11-03T17:14:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally bought a nice mini-DV video camera, a Panasonic DVX100B, and I must say that it is AWESOME! I used today on a shoot, and it really does a great job! It was much better than I expected.

Now to learn how to use it!

Morning Fog

2006-10-28T11:01:00.000-07:00

I'm not a fan of getting up early, especially on a Saturday for that matter. But the other day, a good friend asked if I wanted to get up early today and catch the sunrise by the I-5 bridge on the Columbia River, and I agreed to do it, because it sounded like a great idea.

This morning, I crawled out of bed at 5:30, prepped my photo gear (tripod and D70s) and picked up my friend. We hung out at Starbucks for a while, then drove down to the pier by Joe's Crab Shack. Encased in fog and darkness, we began to take pictures of the I-5 bridge. A surreal moment, and truly enjoyable. It was quite the adventure, and I am grateful for going.

For the first time since buying my camera, I was able to take some long exposures, and I really enjoy the colors that are the result.

It's Been A Long Time...

2006-10-25T08:46:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a long time since my last post, and here is what happened:
- My wife and I celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary.
- We received our new car, a 2001 Ford Taurus, with enough money to pay the excise tax.
- I bought the legend of Johnny Cash on CD.
- Watched House Season 1 and 4 discs of Season 2.
- The Office Season started, and disappointed every step of the way.
- The Lost Season started, and satisfied every step of the way.
- My business, Chris Martin Studios, continues to grow, I continue finishing projects, and more projects are coming in.
- My wife and I went to Powell's Books, Portland Music and Art Media yesterday.

And so are the days of our lives...

A Fitting Tribute

2006-09-27T10:14:00.000-07:00

In a fitting tribute to my dying car and my love for hating spiders, my new blog header features this wonderfully gross picture of a spider that I took on my walk on the Heritage Trail the other night.

I'm challenging myself to take at least one picture each day this week. It has been an interesting and fun challenge for me.

Good Samaritan

2006-09-25T23:27:00.000-07:00

My wife and I went on a walk this evening on the Heritage Trail in Camas, WA. The parking lot has several warnings that this is a high crime area and that you should lock your car and take your valuables with you. We never really thought much of that because we have two junker cars, but as we pulled into the parking lot tonight, there was a nice four runner with a smashed window. Well, I guess this is a high crime area. Ironically, a developer is building brand new condos right down the street from this parking lot, and there is also a private golf course.

As we began walking, expressing how much smashed windows suck to the people around the four runner, we didn't really think about it after that. As we finish our walk and get to our car, I load my camera bag into the backseat, open the front door, sit down, stick the key in the ignition, turn and listen to the sound of nothing. The lights are on, but no one is home in the engine. Man, I have to find someone to jump the car. Thankfully there is a young man sitting in his Volvo and I ask if I could get my car jumped. I realized my jumper cables weren't in the car and said that he would go home to get his cables. He said that he just lived down the street and that he would be right back. To our surprise, the young man returned with his dad and a pair of jumper cables. How awesome and amazing. The car fired up, I thanked the dad, and I got my wife and I home. Me being the curious type, I turned off the car and turned the ignition. Nothing.

Thank God for the miracle of receiving a 2001 Ford Taurus from a relative, because it will relieve our junker complex for vehicles.

Switchbacks and Suffering

2006-09-24T21:39:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I decided to go for a hike out in the Columbia River Gorge. It has been just about two years since I went on this particular hike, and as I have unfortunately let myself go in the physical department over the past three years, it was extremely difficult.

As I started out for Upper Wahkeena Falls, my heart began to pound and my legs hurt, reminding me of two things: 1) I really miss hiking and being out in nature and 2) Damn, I'm out of shape. It was really sad, but as I felt the cool breeze and spray from Upper Wahkeena, I pushed on, setting my course for the switchbacks up to the lookout of the Gorge and my favorite section of trails that eventually lead to Fairy Falls, Devils Rest and many other destinations. The switchbacks, recently being paved, were just as I remembered them, neverending, yet, as I stopped over climbing each switchback, my attention was drawn to something different everytime. From the way the sun was streaming through a giant maple, a moss covered wall home to several millipedes, a dew-covered spider web, fuzzy caterpillars, a dead tree with its roots sticking up in the air, there were so many fascinating things, and for the first time, I felt the freedom to try and photograph them. It was great! Not many pictures turned out, but the key was that I was trying new things. FINALLY! Trying new things. Hiking a trail that has long forgotten my loving stride, taking pictures with new techniques (flash in the outdoors, slow-shutter zoom, high ISO, macro), and most importantly, getting in the car and driving to such a beautiful location.

While things were difficult to get to the top and back, and I am still feeling the effects of that hike, I was able to really say that through that suffering, it has produced in me the desire to keep trying. Sure, I couldn't go at the pace that I once did, but it seems to me that if I would have went at a faster pace, not only would it have harmed me, but perhaps I wouldn't have seen all that I saw on the hike, and had the magical epiphany that I had.

Season Premieres

2006-09-12T19:55:00.000-07:00

In the coming weeks, two of my favorite television shows have their season premieres, Lost and The Office. First, The Office. What an awesome show, in that the fake documentary as episodic television model works well. I have been a sucker for the Pam and Jim love story, and when they kissed in the season finale, my wife and I sat shocked, because we thought the writers of the show would prolong that moment for so much longer! We are both eagerly anticipating the return!

About a month ago, Kristina and I rented the first disc of Lost: Season 1, because neither of us had seen the show before. Fast forward to today, when we just finished the season finale of season 2. HOW FRICKIN' AWESOME! Every time something cool happened, I would turn to my wife and say, "I love this show!" We are excited to see how things are going to develop in season 3. The only downside is that since we watched the first two seasons on DVD, we are now going to have to contend with the reality that if want to find out, we can't just put in the next DVD and watch it all day long. Oh, and commercials. Sadness.

Working Out of a Backpack

2006-09-11T19:26:00.000-07:00

My latest business offering has the potential for me to travel overseas, and with that, I am thinking about how to effectively work out of a single backpack with multiple mediums. In April 2004, I traveled to Hermosillo, Mexico with my church and for one week I was a videographer in charge of video taping everything, which was awesome because it gave me a taste of my dream of one day being a world traveler documenting what I see and experience in video and photography. But the one drawback that I will never forget is that while the camera (a Canon XL1) took great video, I had to carry around the bag, as well as a large tripod and a backpack with all the filters and miscellaneous product that necessitate great video. I was worn out by all that gear!

But today in the wonderful world of 2006, times are different and great products are shrinking in size, and since I am building a system from the ground up, I have the privilege and benefit of researching quality products that will work from a backpack.

My first stop is a backpack. Tamrac has an Adventure 9 backpack that holds a professional digital SLR with 5" lens attached, several spare lenses, flashes, accessories and a laptop! Perfect, that covers my photography gear as well as a computer, but what about video. Enter the HV10, Canon's new HDV camera that fits in the palm of your hand. From what I have seen, the video quality rocks (even though a potential drawback is a lens that is too telephoto at its widest length) and it would fit into the backpack. There is also a built-in light and flash, how handy! But what about audio? There are no mic inputs, so how could I get professional audio for video production? Well, Zoom has a new product called the H4 that sounds almost too good to be true! Built-in mics, XLR mic inputs, built-in guitar effects, and more! That rocks! But we'll see when it comes out how good it really is. Other miscellaneous accessories that would be great and accessible within this system is a carbon fiber tripod, why carry around a bulky tripod, and a reflector to help with some lighting.

Well, as I begin putting together this system, it is also a very functional system when working around the Portland/Vancouver area, so this is definitely a great system to invest in. I'm sure something better will come along each month, but the good news is that there is hope for a great mobile production facility!

Confessions of a Converted Pack Rat

2006-09-09T15:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday and today, I have embarked upon the monotonous and gargantuan task of shredding box upon box of old receipts, bank statements, invoices, pay stubs, and old bills ranging from power to the athletic club that I used to be a member of. It's like an odd trip down memory lane spanning four years and sometimes beyond, cards from Kristina when we were just dating, pictures of my family, young pictures of me on driver's licenses and permits, old video rental cards and my coveted rejection letter from Big Idea (I applied for a job there out of college).

All in all, I can't believe the amount of junk that I held onto thinking that one day I would revisit everything for some reason that is now beyond me. In the midst of shredding the fifth box, the shredder has seized, obviously burdened with the single sheet of paper that I placed in it, effectively saying, "no more, I need a break!" I still have one more shoebox to go, and I still haven't touched the three giant cardboard boxes in my closet with random artwork from art school and various nick-nacks from an era when I obviously had money to waste on such frivolous things such as nick-nacks.

I can't help but think about what I else in different areas of my life that I have put into a cardboard box thinking that perhaps one day I would revisit it. Thank God for the notion to want to move into a new apartment, because it has given me motivation to exorcise the pack rat demon that has plagued me since moving out on my own.

Inspired Intrigue

2006-09-02T23:21:00.000-07:00

If you're anything like I am, you are constantly seeking inspiration. Looking at the work of another artist, a natural state of comparison sets in, and in your mind you either confirm that you are better or worse than that individual. While on the surface that doesn't seem like such a bad thing, the reality is that comparison in any form defines the main limitation that is consistent between all creative disciplines and ultimately, life. The reason that is true, is because we are uniquely made, and meant to be different from one another. And that is a good thing. It is good that I will never be Michelangelo, David Carson, Steven Spielberg, Walter Murch, Galen Rowell, or Chris Martin from Coldplay. It is good that I will learn to be who I am created to be, because the greatest deception is for us to believe that we can be like another human being in action or intent or desire. As artists, our sole concern is to find our identity...and then smash it into a million pieces as we mold and shape who it is that we are to be. The only way that we can find our identity is to search, to create, to deny, to believe, to destroy, to build and to find the life that is freely given to us as a gift.

I found out lately that it's okay to think what you think and it's okay to say what you say. When you try to be someone else, and only say what you think someone else wants you to say, you eliminate your thoughts and ideas and identity, breeding confusion. Confusion in your mind regarding others and yourself. You become self-centered by ignoring your own point of view, because deep inside you hold everyone ransom because you have martyred your opinion. That is the image of a true tortured artist. The primary goal of an artist is to get beyond what others think of your work, and to detach your personal worth and value from the art that you create. If you are unable to do that, you can never have the freedom to be yourself, and the freedom to create and try new things, without the fear that someone won't like you because your artistic attempt is a failure or not good enough. This is the path that artists must walk. Some make it, some cut off their ears, some quit their jobs in search of something deeper, some end it all. But they must realize that holding the power of creativity in the palm of your hand is dangerous if improperly wielded. However, with a healthy view of the world and your life, creativity creates some of the most beautiful art that has ever been seen this side of eternity.

All that said, I love what I do. I am constantly intrigued by what can be accomplished, and that drives me as an artist. But what intrigues me more is not only what can be accomplished but what has been accomplished in the natural creation of the world that we live in. Waterfalls, canyons, plants, trees, rivers, oceans, clouds, and rain, all beautiful elements that can easily be taken for granted, yet they never cease to amaze me, to blow me away by the unlimited supply of diversity and creativity. I'm also intrigued by people, another source of diversity and creativity. I love to people watch everywhere I go. And how people interact with one another leads me to scratch my head as I wonder why they do what they do, how they are so different from me, and what makes us truly unique.

As you can see I am intrigued by many disciplines of thought, creativity, and art, and yet while they are so different from one another, they are united by their limitations. I believe that the limitations of one discipline only leads to a greater impact in another, increasing the ability to communicate, and that is the heart and essence of true art. A web of mediums and disciplines forming a foundation that is able to support the weight of communication. That is what I choose to stick to, not a devotion to a specific medium, but a devotion to the art of communication, learning to communicate truth, beauty, value, worth; each time simpler and more effectively. That is the true challenge as an artist, and I pass that challenge on to you.

NOTE: To keep my thoughts simple and straightforward, I use the term "artist" to describe a collective of professionals ranging from filmmakers, print designers, web designers, photographers, musicians, writers, and anyone else that employs creativity to solve a problem. This is from my previous website posted on November 13, 2005.

Welcome to ChrisMartin.com

2006-09-02T23:07:00.000-07:00

Welcome to ChrisMartin.com, the thoughts and ideas of Chris Martin. If you are looking for my portfolio of work, feel free to go to the Chris Martin Studios link in the right-hand links section. Thanks for reading my blog!

If you are looking for Chris Martin of Coldplay, please go to www.coldplay.com. Be sure to buy their music, it is great!

Little Miss Sunshine

2006-09-02T22:44:00.000-07:00

Today, Kristina and I went and saw "Little Miss Sunshine", a movie with Steve Carell, Greg Kinnear, Alan Arkin, and several other actors. In the midst of some family turmoil, which I shall reserve for another posting one day (or more than one, who knows), this movie hit in a way that allowed us to laugh at the beautiful disfunction that is modern American families. The son doesn't speak and loves Nietschze, the daughter is a pudgy beauty queen contestant, the mom is a secret chain-smoking parent who tries to please and help everyone in the family, the dad is obsessed with winners and losers and the 9 steps to being a winner, the uncle is obsessed with men and scholars, and the grandpa is addicted to drugs. It's a happy family.

What I enjoyed most were the characters. They were all great and very realistic, which is a difficult thing to portray in this life since it seems that Hollywood is more obsessed with making the big dollar than portraying "reality". The movie gave me the ability to laugh and cry at my own family situation, and helped me to see that all families have problems, there are just some ways better than others in dealing with the problems.

My favorite section of the movie involves Steve Carell's character Frank and the young son standing on a dock talking about life. The young man says to Frank, "do what you like. [Forget] everything else." I appreciated that line because it is so easy to want to do things that you don't really want to do, yet they will ease the family turmoil or help others to ignore their problems.

I highly recommend "Little Miss Sunshine" for a startling and provocative look at the reality of American families. Is this what has become of the American dream?

Agassi vs. Retirement

2006-09-01T11:29:00.000-07:00

I'm not much of a tennis fan, but lately I have been drawn to the matches of one man, Andre Agassi. Last night, he battled for nearly 4 hours with a 21 year old, Marcos Baghdatis, and won the match after Baghdatis' legs began to cramp in the middle of an 8 deuce duel in the fifth set.

When Agassi was asked in the post-match interview how he was able to win, he said that his back was feeling good, thanks to a cortisone shot in the back, and having 20,000 people cheering for him definitely helped. But I believe there is something else that Agassi has, and that is the endurance and drive to finish well. This being his last U.S. Open, he wants to win. He wants to go out on top, and that is inspiring to me.

I am inspired by people who rise above the status quo of mediocrity, by performing well, inspiring me to live for my dreams. And that is what Agassi does as I watch him give everything he has, and more, to finish well. He is a true inspiration.

Free Derek Webb

2006-09-01T11:17:00.000-07:00

Now, I can honestly say that I haven't really heard Derek Webb's music, but several friends who have followed his career for some time say that he is awesome. Download his latest album (68MB), Mockingbird, for free at www.freederekwebb.com, and check out his music! You have to put in five friend's email addresses, but they won't sell the addresses to pay for the free downloads.

Fragrance of Worth

2006-08-30T22:04:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking a lot about an old project this evening. It is associated with a sense of mystery and beauty regarding nature and the outdoors, feelings that have been absent during this season of my life.

For the first time in over a year, I miss the feeling of rebirth, or renewal. The glistening rays of the rising sun, as it climbs the hill bathing us in its presence. That is the feeling I miss. Hidden behind a cloud of work, trying to prove myself (to myself), and trying too hard to avoid being me.

To miss the beauty and wonder of nature is to miss the essence of who we are as humans. To be accessible to beauty is a mystery, because no one can describe it, but knows it when they see it.

If I climb the hill looking for the sun, will it be there?

Free Clinic

2006-08-30T09:51:00.000-07:00

Last night, my wife and I ventured to the Free Clinic of Southwest Washington to have a bump/rash on my forehead looked at, and ask a doctor why I am getting really bad headaches. I was amazed that the clinic was staffed entirely by volunteers because it was incredible efficient and were able to see many people from the community who didn't have access to affordable health care.

After waiting three hours to see a doctor and get some prescriptions for tension headaches and anti-itch cream, Kristina and I left talking about how many young families we saw in there. An alarming amount! Is health insurance that expensive that parents can't afford the basics for their families? The question I ask is this: "if health insurance was as inexpensive as auto insurance, would more people have it?" Would we get multi-person discounts, like having more than one auto on a policy? I don't know what the solution is, but I can only imagine that the problem is increasing, rather than decreasing, and I think we are going to see more and more families resorting to the free clinics of the world, praying that they don't get into major accidents.

The Free Clinic of Southwest Washington, http://www.freeclinics.org/, needs our help so that more people in the community, who can't afford insurance, can come and get their basic health examinations done. Volunteer or make a donation, they need the help. They not only see patients for free, but fill prescriptions for free. All this for a suggested donation, yet won't turn you away if you can't make a donation at the time of treatment.

Instant Gratification

2006-08-29T17:28:00.000-07:00

I have finally invested in a system of instant gratification, and I love it!

I recently purchased a Nikon D70s digital SLR camera, a 1GB CompactFlash memory card, and eight AA batteries for my Nikon SB-600 speedlight. Before getting this camera, I used a Nikon N65 SLR and my favorite film, Fuji Velvia, but amazing as that film stock is, the practicality of learning to be a photographer and the cost and accessibility of slide film development resulted in about 10 rolls of film sitting on my desk collecting dust. How depressing!!!

As each roll of film landed in its sanctioned corner of the desk, I would simultaneously be reading Ken Rockwell's website on photography, dreaming (perhaps even lusting) of the time when I would be able to have a digital SLR. I had used digital cameras before, but only the small pocket-sized cameras that had a significant shutter lag, so you had to anticipate your subject's movement and pray to God that they didn't move faster than expected.

I recently went out with my new Nikon and hiked around Round Lake in Camas, WA. I was amazed at the frugal mentality that I had achieved from not having the resources for film development. Here is an almost unlimited source of instant gratification, and yet I was sheepish and shy to take a picture that I might regret. However, over the course of the hike, I was standing in the bushes taking pictures of backlit trees, pieces of grass, dandelions and just about anything that looked cool.

Uploading the pictures was a blast! Instantly being able to see what worked, what didn't worked, what I should do differently, and how the blasted thing works.

It is a total blast and I am all for this new way of instant gratification.

The Joys of Blogging

2006-08-29T15:05:00.000-07:00

So, I thought that I would program my own blog, but you know how much work that is? So, I jumped over to blogger.com, home to many of my friends' blogs, and created my own. Happiness. Much happier, and now I don't have to go through the tedious process of making sure everything works.