My Shame

Have you ever had one of those life events that just opens up some crazy can of worms that has to change everything?  Ever have to tell one of those stories where you don’t know where you should even start?  A story where even the beginning is a poor choice?  Let me try to start it, even though, no matter where I start it, it loses the point.  Ugh….

Recently, my mother passed away.  As with most parental passings it caused quite a bit of emotional discharge from those closest.  And with all emotional discharge comes the things that you just cannot explain.  The problem with starting the story here is that the issues started months before her passing, it started with her getting sick.

For Those Who Don't Deserve

There are many things I simply do not have time for in my life.  I think the most important thing, though, is people who flat out don’t deserve my time.  Those people who hate, those people talk trash when they are in no position to.  Those people who need to learn how to think before they open their mouths.

Lisa herself learned something major about me recently.  I had told her many times, but nothing major truly sinks in until its demonstrated.  I’ve lived by a motto that says, “I never forgive, and I never forget.”

Defining Friendship and Family

The one thing about the English language, that you have to get down quickly, is the definitions of things.  Some words can sound the same, but have different meanings.  Some words actually have meanings, but mean different things to different people.  The best example, is friendship and family.

Friend:

 a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically exclusive of sexual or family relations.

Family:

a. A fundamental social group in society typically consisting of one or two parents and their children.
b. Two or more people who share goals and values, have long-term commitments to one another, and reside usually in the same dwelling place.

(poem) - To My Friends, those who stayed, and those who didn't.

Love comes and goes
As does friendship's throws
Dreams flourish and die
Right before thine eye

The past will shine a light
Upon the future's plight
And give you the strength you need
To do heartfelt deeds

Even after the lights have faded
And your attitude becomes overly jaded
Fate will have his merry way
And the gods will balance themselves every day

And you will feel hate and war
As much as love longs for more
Music will fill the air
And Magic's electricity will raise your hair

Life 'tis an amazing thing
It makes me laugh and sing
Even as bad as it can be
I still find a way to live free

From all the chains that bind me down
And things that make me want to frown
It pains me to see my friends hurt
And their relationships turn to dirt

But I know they will move on
And be the best they'll ever become
The things I've seen and witnessed
Will never go past a friend's distress

Because a friend I am, a friend indeed
Especially if they have the need
For them I'm ready to bleed
Or even see to it they are freed

From whatever oppresses them
In whatever form
I'm just happy to be there for my friends
Because they are my true family, in the end

So no matter what life throws at anyone
I know my friends will survive, every one
Even if their love dies and their dreams whither
Me and my friends will always be together.

--Dan

--Want more Poetry?  Check out my Poetry Collection Page!

(poem) - Black Friday 2013

Shop shop shop
Shop until you drop
Then shop even more
For the items you want to adore

Black Friday
Cyber Monday
Call it what you will
You will keep shopping until

You’ve spent all your money
Ain’t it so funny?
That you nabbed that deal
Because you thought the deals were real?

Some camped out all night
Hoping not to get a fright
Because its scary not getting that TV
Can you even believe?

The day after giving thanks
People empty their banks
Fighting to get new stuff
Because no one can ever have enough

They will fight and claw
Even punch you in the jaw
To get that item they want
Capitalism at its most blunt

This is what people think
Christmas is all about
Fighting over a small toy
Instead of sharing in all the joy

Every year I grow
To hate this season more and more
Because of all the greed
That I see in every deed

Happiness and Goodwill towards men be damned
Screw you all
And screw you well
For I got my deepfryer on sale

I only had to sit for hours
On a sidewalk in the snow
Wrestle some woman to the ground
And kick a man in the groin

But I saved a dollar ninety-nine
Suck on that, you Black Friday noob!
I saw you standing in that Toys-R-Us line
Watching a catfight, hoping to see a boob.

A sad day indeed
When we all agree we need
Something more than family
To celebrate such a wonderful holiday....

--Dan

--Want more Poetry?  Check out my Poetry Collection Page!

Giving Thanks 2013.

Not very much has fundamentally changed since last Thanksgiving.  Hard to believe I didn’t write a blog post last year on the subject.  In the end, there was so much going on....  Oh well....

Its hard not to be thankful for my life and all that’s in it.  I have a wonderful Step-Daughter, who tries my patience quite a bit, but is still one of the most interesting people I’ve ever gotten to know.  She’s crazy, eclectic, and a true unique.  I’m beyond thankful to be in her life, to be loved by her, and to have the respect she chose to give me.

Black Friday Week!

So here we are, Black Friday week....  Wait....  What’s that you say?  Thanksgiving?  No one cares about that in ‘Murica anymore, heck, we have stores that open up now straight through that day.

For the longest time, I’ve been saying how Christmas is getting bigger and longer every year.  I’ve joked that it won’t be long until we see Santa out Trick or Treating.  On Rachel Ray, a child dressed up as a Christmas tree this year for Halloween.  We had Christmas decorations in the stores as early as September, and we’ve all see the internet Meme’s.

(poem) - A Kitten

Is there anything
A kitten can’t fix?
Especially if that kitten
Has a name like Nyx?

She’s come into our lives
And brightened every day
Suddenly we are all smiles
In every single way

I’m still behind
On what I need to do
But all that can wait
Because I hear a faint “Mew”


She’s quite a handful
And a bundle of joy
Kittens are far too cute
Its almost like a ploy

You fall in love with them
As you help them grow
Then they ignore you
Unless they need food in their bowl

Okay,
That’s alittle unfair
Some cats appreciate
You taking all that care

To raise them up
And to raise them right
So they aren’t scared
Of thunderstorms in the night

They’ll stick by your side
And be your one true friend
Curling up in your lap
Until the very end.

The unconditional love
Of a feline family member
Is one that you will cherish
Until the last day you remember

Very few cats
Have earned a place in my heart
Nyx earned her spot
From the very start

And as she sleeps
Here on my desk
I smile knowing
My future is now that much picturesque

--Dan

--Want more Poetry?  Check out my Poetry Collection Page!

Rivers of Inspiration in our Home

There’s something rather insane about living in this house.  Mainly...its the people in it.  Everyone in this house is a artist of some sort.  It makes the conversations interesting, with never a dull moment to be had anywhere....

One of the main things that attracted me to Lisa was her being a published author.  Not a self-published mind you, a real published author.  You can see her books over on the right hand column.  They are quite imaginative, and an interesting read.

A Sane Person in this Insane World

I’m almost to the point that I’m ready to kill the next person that acts so f’n stupid with their own choices that its detrimental to everyone else around them.  I mean, seriously....  This has GOT to stop.  I can’t be the ONLY sane person in this insane world.

I understand that no one really changes, especially ignorant people, but you figure they’d figure it out sooner or later.  If you shoot yourself in the foot cleaning a gun, surely you’ll remember next time to make sure its not loaded....  I mean...surely you would.....

Emerald Reflection Photography, Open for Business

Most who know me, know I truly taking photos.  For those that were around for the wedding, they got to see me get my wedding present, and be the victim of it.  My knew Nikon D5200 is an amazing piece of technology, that I truly enjoy.

Me and My D5200
in a mirror.

When Lisa started talking about getting it for me for my wedding present, we sat down and really looked at what we both wanted me to have.  Lisa looked over my photos, listened to my vision, and made a big decision.

And that vision finally culminated in us making Emerald Reflection Photography.  Our missions is to run a photography business that will cater to those that need portraits, events, or special photos taking in an artistic and professional way.  This also includes all photo treatments I c
an achieve with Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom.  I also plan to offer interesting photo-manipulations in some packages.

Magical Memories of Disney World

Well, the second honeymoon has come and gone, and Lisa and I learned a ton of things about each other and the world in general.  The main thing I learned is that Disney World is a pretty cool place.

Lisa had been there a few times before, and loved the place, but this time, she walked away from it all with a new appreciation for Disney.  We got into interesting little side things to do that really made the vacation that much more enjoyable.

The Dog's Reaction to the Wedding

Now that it’s a couple of weeks since the wedding, its fun to look back upon the whole experience and make some observations.  The main one I’m going to focus on for this post is the most interesting one that I really noticed.  The fact is, for the wedding, we had some people stay at the house.  My parents, my aunt, and the best man.

The house is easily big enough for everyone, and it felt nice when everyone came over to hang out the night before the wedding, and the day of.  There were so many people in the house, playing pool, hanging out talking.  It was a whirlwind experience that I wish would have lasted far longer, as seeing all my old friends together under the same roof...yeah, it was amazing.

Family Portraits: Autumn 2012 - Part 2

((Continued from Part 1))

Back in the Fall of 2012, I took the family out for some portraits.  Continued from Part 1, here are some of the best I selected to talk about and display here on the blog.

Family Portraits: Autumn 2012 - Part 1

During the Fall, the family went out to take some shots with me.  We decided to pull off some family portraits.  The lighting wasn’t the best, but we made the most out of the trip, and I got several amazing shots.  In this post, I shall share some of the twenty two keepers, and talk a little about what I did to the photos, and what I could have done better with them.  Either way, it’s a show case of my photography, and I hope everyone enjoys this look into my life.

Life's Little Complications

There is nothing quite like complications.  They arise when you least expect them, and make life so much more complicated.  If you’ve followed the blog, or know us at all then you know that our marriage is just a handful of weeks away.  The fact is, we had a complication arise a while ago that is throwing many things into turmoil.

An interesting fact: I have never owned a passport, nor gone out of the country.  I’ve always wanted to.  We wanted so much to do a Carribean Cruise for our honeymoon, as Lisa has never been on a cruise, and I wanted us to do something together neither of us has ever done.

Merry Christmas - 2012

Is it really already Christmas again?  Haha, just kidding, we’ve been being prepared for this moment for a very long time, the stores have had their Xmas trees out since September, so its no real surprise at all.  Its been a very long road of Christmas music, and other things that have made sure we are very well prepared for this date....

I have a ton of memories dealing with Christmas as a child, and later in life, it became something that represented something else, family and life....  I know it sounds strange, but let me get into the story.

Genealogical Research is Fun!

Genealogy is an extremely fun hobby.  Even though I only dabble in it from time to time, its amazing to learn all the stuff that happened for you to get born.  In the end, you never know what you’ll find.  I know some people that branch way out and find links to celebrities, or famous people in their past.  I know, I was hoping to find a link to a very infamous family secret....

Luckily its very easy to get started, Ancestry.com is a great place, and its pretty much free.  Sure you can pay for more access to stuff, but the main thing is the family tree maker, and that is most definitely free.  After that, its all about searching and cross referencing.  Its hard not to feel the joy of searching through history, and finding links to other people, making the tree bigger and bigger.

A Great Love

I love random acts of love.  I’m sure most people would simply say we are still in the ‘honeymoon’ phase, but after a year, we are still very much enamored with each other.  There’s nothing quite like sitting here, concentrating on something, then BOOM, being drawn into a kiss.

Much of my poetry of late has been very mushy, and romantic, and centered on Lisa.  The reason is pretty obvious, as I’ve never been so happy.  Finally finding someone that understands me, in her own odd way, has been the greatest gift ever.

Moralist Values, and the lack of.

I’m so thankful that my parents laid the groundwork for my moral outlook on life. I was taught right from wrong, taught faith in a higher power, and gained insight on how children should be raised. Moral values are key to living a good, solid life, full of the happiness I have found with Dan.

I am astounded now, how people simply have no morals, and yet they still exist just fine. One of the biggest things I don’t understand is how some families seem to teach these morals to one kid, then celebrate another kid not having any morals worth repeating. Admittedly, I only have one child, but I’d be damned if I favored the one that broke laws, both man made and those of a higher power, over the kid that tried hard to make it in life with their morals held high.