Day 31 of 365 photos in 2007...

Day 31 of 365 photos in 2007... photojournaling my way thru 2007!

WOW - 31 one days straight of photojournaling... Taking a photo each day has been a good exercise of keeping one eye open for a unique shot to serve as a reminder of a activity performed with perhaps some memories embedded to reflect on next year at this time.

I was holding out today for a picture of a snowfall here in Nashville - only God knows that the expected forecast of 1 - 2 inches would be a bust or not. Weather forecasting is just that - taking all the data available and forecasting the possible outcome, while armchair pronosticators speculate the what ifs and should I's... go to work; stay home; reschedule the doctor's appointment or run to the grocery store when there is probably enough food in our pantry to last for a week or two.

So for today's photo, nothing spectacular except clean out the Ally Dome - our satellite dish topped dog house - and batten down the windows and doors for the winter.

(See the reposts from April 2005 preceeding this post)



Time for a new coat of paint and landscaping when spring rolls around -



I just slide the roof off and leaf blow the leaves and dirt out - carpet needs replacing...

See the rest of the daily series archived at WonderDawg365

The Ally Dome - Barkitecture in motion

(REPOST from April 2005)


Ally surveying the land 

When we were remodeling our kitchen, there was quite of pile of construction materials and demolition scrap left over ready to haul to the local dump. Destined also for disposal was a large metal satellite dish that was taking up a lot of space in the yard and no longer functional since acquiring DirectTV.

After dismantling the dish, I flipped it over on top of milk crates to ensure that the grass underneath would not be harmed due to lack of sunlight. Ally, our precious eight year Labrador (then 6) was chilling out underneath the dish. Inspired, why not turn all of scrap into something useful! Besides, I always desired to build a shed, so why not prototype a smaller version a.k.a a dog house to try out my construction skill sets and framing techniques; plus I could use the large dish as the roof for the doghouse.

So I set out to build a doghouse worthy for Ally. (more about Ally in a separate post). Dubbed the "Ally Dome", the book Barkitecture served as a basis of inspiration.

Here's the framing... I remembered taking a water break from the framing - when I returned outside, there were two neighborhood dogs sitting inside! Talk about affirmation - I literally had tears of joy!

Framing for Ally Dome 

Interior: Fully insulated with 30 year old 1/2" knot pine paneling, trimmed out with crown molding. Later I added carpeting and tile flooring.

AllyDome interior under construction 

Here's a front view before the front doors were installed.

Front view 60% complete 

And a more recent photo, finished with insulated glass bay window in the back.

Ally at the backside of her house 

I added a deck for Ally and Digglet to lounge out on...

Diggy and Ally hanging out 

The Ally Dome is approximately 8 feet square (not counting the deck). The glass side windows are hinged and have screens to keep out the bugs. The inside is quite roomy, akin to sitting in a Volkswagen Beetle with the domed roof. Two adults can sit inside and stretch out with comfort. I have considered camping out in it one night, (but it has no electricity {yet]) plus I don't want anyone to say I literally spent the night in a dog house!

Becky and I decided on a Florida look with the pink and blue color scheme. We also landscaped the sides with monkey grass and irises. I will probably add some accent porch lights and a address plate to finish the Ally Dome off.

All in all, it was fun to build and a labor of love as well. Every dog deserves a loving home and a house of their own!

barkitecture: noun. The architecture of doghouses

(REPOST from April 2005)


Barkitecture 

Barkitecture is Fred Albert's whimsical book, published in 1999, by Abbeville Press. This book has spawned a number of creative fundraisers run by animal service organizations with participating architectural firms and regular lovers of dogs like myself.

In celebration of our dog Ally Woo's 8th birthday, I'll be writing not only about my sweetheart,


Ally Woo 

but the other two dogs in my life - my first grand dog, Digglet Woo and my god dog, Bijou over the next several posts.

Meanwhile download a PDF sample of this inspiring book! Perhaps, you'll be inspired just like me in building a house for my dog Ally as my first outdoor project. I'll post some construction photos of the "AllyDome" later on...


Chessie's Doghouse 

Chessie's Doghouse. John M. Collins, Locust Valley, New York.

This exquisite English timber frame doghouse was modeled after an eighty-year-old children playhouse on Long Island. The antique hand-hewn beams are held in place with mortise-and-tenon joints, and are topped with an authentic thatch roof. Antique glass fills the custom-made windows, which are held in place by bone-shaped latches. A matching leash holder flanks the front door.

Roto-Rooter is Giving Away the Ultimate Toilet

It's a toilet unlike any you've ever seen.
Except maybe in your dreams.



Picture this: a luxury Kohler® toilet outfitted with a TiVo®, LCD flat screen TV, Xbox™ 360, iPod™, laptop, mini-fridge--and more.

Roto Rooter is having a sweepstakes to win this Ultimate Seat of Power - Roto-Rooter's Pimped out John.

Here's a portion of the press release:

— The average person spends 11,862 hours in the bathroom — which equals one year, four months and five days — in a lifetime. It's amazing the crapper, or as some say, "the toilet," has evolved so little since the Romans invented the latrine in 2500 B.C., with the most significant advance happening when Albert Giblin, an employee of Thomas Crapper, perfected an effective flush toilet in 1898. The days of emperors and queens have ended, but that doesn't mean you don't deserve your very own bathroom throne.

After all, what is a toilet? A private seat of power, a place to escape and experience a few stolen moments of pure solitude. It should be the most wonderful location in your home, but unfortunately, most toilets are bland and boring.

Fear not, boring toilet victims! Thanks to Roto-Rooter®, the ultimate toilet now exists. They've developed a customized, one-of-a-kind throne; a truly "Pimped out John," designed to fulfill all of your wildest bathroom dreams. But, you won't find it in stores. Only one lucky person will win this gleaming monument to personal convenience by entering Roto-Rooter's online "Pimped out John," sweepstakes. And, anyone can enter to win at www.rotorooter.com.

Roto-Rooter's "Pimped out John" is outfitted with every feature a modern king or queen could want in a bathroom throne, and underneath all of the trappings, is a superb Kohler® toilet. This amazing commode is fully loaded with the following "luxury enhancements":

• Philips™ 20-inch LCD TV and Star Wars DVD

• Xbox™ 360 gaming system

• Philips™ DVD player

• Gateway® EMachine™ laptop computer with fully articulated robot arm

• iPod™ with stereo docking station equipped with toilet paper dispenser

• Roto-Rooter "emergency" button

• Tivo™ recorder

• Avanti™ refrigerator with beer tap, stocked with drinks and snacks

• Magazine rack and subscriptions to Sports Illustrated, ESPN and GQ

• Bike pedal exerciser

• Cup warmer / cooler



I'm simply... speechless.

What Are Bloggers ? - Explained !

It's Amazing!

Bar-B-Que has been very, very good to me!

It's Like Going to the Mall!

From the CBS affiliate in Savannah, Georgia (WTOC)

$31,000 Keep On Talking Cell Plan

When I receive my Cingular cellular bill, I use to go ga-ga over $40.00 dollars of excessive talk charges, let alone those months when the bill exceeded $500.00.

But in Sarasota, Florida: "Oliver DeSofi's normal cell phone bill is about $150 on a family plan, and he used about 183 minutes on his phone in October.



But when the 77-year-old retiree opened his Cingular Wireless bill in November, he saw $21,420 in roaming charges for more than 4,500 calls from Nicaragua -- where he's never been -- to numbers he's never called."

Read what happens to Oliver via the Herald Tribune

Day 30 of 365 photos in 2007...

Day 30 of 365 photos in 2007... photojournaling my way thru 2007!

Here's a Boy Scout Catfish at the corner of Woodmont & Hillsboro in Nashville at the Boy Scout's Headquarters. One of the Scout's Law is to be CHEERFUL: A Scout looks for the bright side of things. He cheerfully does tasks that come his way. He tries to make others happy.

This Catfish always brings a smile to my face. Part of the 2003 Catfish Out of Water City Art Festival, there are few still out of the water for public viewing around in the city. Public art at its finest!

Here's a link to see more fifty other Catfish Out of the Water...

See the rest of the daily series archived at WonderDawg365

Upgrading to a Palm Treo 680

I just published an article over at GearDiary about upgrading to a Palm Treo 680 smartphone.

Just a geek thing. You may now return to whatever you were doing. Thanks!

Day 29 of 365 photos in 2007...

Day 29 of 365 photos in 2007... photojournaling my way thru 2007!

Every year when I get my Honda tested for emissions, I see this car parked across the street. If I had this jet powered Ford LTD, I would no longer have to worry about smog as I would be cruising above the clouds. My nickname would be "Cool Breeze" if I drove this car around town...



On another note, I asked the guy at the emissions testing station how many cars he could test on a busy day - "300". That's a lot of tailpipe probing and inhaling of exhaust fumes!

See the rest of the daily series archived at WonderDawg365

Day 28 of 365 photos in 2007...

Day 28 of 365 photos in 2007... photojournaling my way thru 2007!

I love chasing after sunsets, but where I live I'm far below the horizon to fully capture a glowing sunset in a photo. The other vantage points are normally tricky as they contain not only foilage but electrical lines and telephone poles. Today, on a bone chilling day I found a great vantage point behind a Sam's Warehouse. No electrical lines to spoil the view - needless to say, I know exactly where to go to enjoy the wonder of a setting sun.

Two quotes to consider:

“If I can put one touch of rosy sunset into the life of any man or woman, I shall feel that I have worked with God.” - G. K. Chesterton

“Nobody of any real culture, for instance, ever talks nowadays about the beauty of sunset. Sunsets are quite old fashioned. To admire them is a distinct sign of provincialism of temperament. Upon the other hand they go on.” - Oscar Wilde

See the rest of the daily series archived at WonderDawg365

Day 27 of 365 photos in 2007...

Day 27 of 365 photos in 2007... photojournaling my way thru 2007!

Pretty uneventful day - just on a mission to knock out a few errands and comtemplate upgrading Mrs. WonderDawg's 1996 Honda Civic to a 2007 Civic Hybrid model. So this photo of the day is just a placemarker to serve as the day we decided a Honda Element and Civic Hybrid, both with silver exteriors will soon grace our driveway. After we get through paying for two weddings!

See the rest of the daily series archived at WonderDawg365

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt - Silver

Photo Hunt Theme: Silver
Join the Photo Hunt | View Blogroll | Visit participants.



While getting our oil changed today at the local Honda dealer, I finally settled on the car I wanted. A SILVER Honda Element. Now I have to go get some GREEN to make it happen.

xxx

I joined the Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt hosted by TN Chick. You too can play: Join the Photo Hunt There's a different theme every Saturday, and it's a lot of fun visiting the community of participants.

Day 26 of 365 photos in 2007...

Day 26 of 365 photos in 2007... photojournaling my way thru 2007!

Sign, signs everywhere a sign of commerce to come... The new Nashville West Shopping Center. It was fun to watch the progress during construction of the signage. Seeing the skilled laborers assemble the steel girders, plywood forms, backerboard, scaffolding, masonry, electrical wiring and the finished metal was fascinating. The developers are building another sign at the other entrance. In my daily walks, I should make it a point to photograph the progress at the same time each day. Live blogging a time elasped construction of a sign.. Too much on my hands probably, but worth the exercise to walk the several blocks to do so...

See the rest of the daily series archived at WonderDawg365

NetFlix - Back in da House

When I was commuting between Nashville and Raleigh, NC for fourteen months, one of the best ways to keep from going insane with loneliness away from my family and being generally nocturnal was to have a heavy dose of NetFlix. Three movies at a time filled the bill. I even remember watching Kill Bill 1 & 2 back to back with the laptop roasting my legs before I settled down to go to bed at 2 am for work in a few hours.

There was a resident movie critic inhouse who always suggested movies for me. Sean was the living embodiment of Recommendations - If You Liked _____ , Then You'll Love... . I got a heavy dose of Quentin Tarantino with Jackie Brown, Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs. The Butterfly Effect and Phone Booth was disturbing. I Am Sam, Dear Frankie. The Killing Fields and The Grapes of Wrath were moving. The Bourne Supremacy and I Robot wired me beyond caffeine's potential.

As you can probably tell from the movies described, I don't get out too much to the movies. And I probably should because of the sheer fact that I even saw A Movie, even ten years later is automatically in my mind, pretty good to begin with. I missed out on the whole Titanic movie fever - I simply commented, "Was that movie based on a true story?"

I've yet to see a Harry Potter movie, and I seen bits of Lord of the Rings. Is BattleStar Galactica a movie or TV series? I seen Star Wars once or was it Star Trek? That's right, they are two different movies. To my credit, I have seen Blazing Saddles, Terminator Two and The Blues Brothers maybe ten times each.

I was an extra in Ernest Scared Stupid as a pizza delivery guy for two seconds.

I even read of someone - I wished I saved the link - blogging about seeing a movie every week at the local theatre house for one year. Now that's ambitious! I did a variation of that about twenty years ago when I canvassed a city selling for the Yellow Pages. We would be holed up in a apartment complex with Aaron's Rents furniture and some of us were lucky enough to drive home for the weekend - in my case, Memphis to Nashville.

I would tape the newpaper's movie listings on the fridge and head down to the local theatre and maybe catch 3 to 5 movies a week. Life on the road was no fun back then. No VHS, laptops, cable... sitting by the pool and talking shop was the alternative. Thus, seeing a movie every week? Ambitious indeed.

After watching at least 90 to maybe 120 movies (my NetFlix rental history only goes back to October of 2004) in North Carolina over a course of fourteen months, lately my rentals have sat dormant for weeks. With football season winding down, I've recently watched Superman Returns, X-Men 3: The Last Stand, United 93, Syriana and Tuesdays with Morrie. Tonight, I just finished Invincible.

I'm not a movie critic by any stretch of the imagination; I'm just thrilled I can set aside some time to enjoy some movie time with Mrs. WonderDawg and the dogs on the couch.

Day 25 of 365 photos in 2007...

Day 25 of 365 photos in 2007... photojournaling my way thru 2007!

Ever had one of those high challenge days where the solution was just to find a rock to crawl up under? With this Project 365 Photo a Day to serve as a diary, today I see a rock shaped like the state of Tennessee. And then I'm reminded by some kind words expressed on my behalf from one end of the state to the other and points beyond via blogs, phone conversations or things that someone wrote or a photo taken that I can identify with in their struggles for this day to live out their destiny.

Today my back is killing me, my head hurts, my wallet is light and feelings were hurt, but my spirit have been lifted. I'm thankful that I have healthy relationships in my life - that encourage me, laugh with me (and at me !) and most of all, are not easily impressed with me - friendships that are solid as a rock. I am a blessed man.

See the rest of the daily series archived at WonderDawg365

Yes I blog from home...

Here's my ideal work station for hours at the computer if I were a full time blogger...



Link: officeorganix

Hat tip: SlashGear

Day 24 of 365 photos in 2007...

Day 24 of 365 photos in 2007... photojournaling my way thru 2007!

A Tennessee Titans party bus parked for the season -

See the rest of the daily series archived at WonderDawg365

Cash or Credit?

Ever notice at some mom and pop restaurants that serve ethnic food that upon checkout, they never ring up a cash sale? The cash register drawer is open and change is dispensed.

Looks suspicious to me from a accounting and sales tax collection standpoint - I see this happen everytime especially at restaurants that have a busy buffet lunch business.

None of my bizness - just wonderin'...

On another note, I took a friend to eat some Indian food. He shared about taking a short term missions trip with his church.

He called back about a week later to report how hurtin' he was after digesting the curry chicken, rice and pita bread.

Dude, you need to cross India off your list. 'Num saying?

Day 23 of 365 photos in 2007...

Day 22 of 365 photos in 2007... photojournaling my way thru 2007!

The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus arrived by the downtown train here in Nashville. Yes, I stood out in the field with thirty other parents and kids to see the animals unloaded and the subsequent parade at rush hour.

I'm pretty tired however. The anticipation of the train, crisp weather, running up the hilly streets to catch a good photo and last hoofing through three parking lots to catch the parade turning on Broadway made me TIRED. I ain't no Jimmy Olsen... those elephants and horses can motor and cover some ground!

I took about 150 photos... the rest are over at The Greatest Show on Earth Flickr set. Enjoy!

See the rest of the daily series archived at WonderDawg365

It's The Greatest Show on Earth

I have only been to the circus once in my life. Over ten years ago when I was attending Belmont Church, my wife and I were part of a team administrating the Widows and Orphans Ministry, with its specific focus on understanding the challenges and meeting the needs of single parents and their children.

I remember that we wanted to to give the single moms a night off to themselves being pampered with hair styling and manicures while some college students and pastors treated about thirty kids to The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus at the Municipal Auditorium here in Nashville.

One of the fascinations about the circus was seeing all of the activity under the three tents - horses, tigers, acrobats, clowns and yes, elephants. And I'll never forget the joy of the kids as they took in that evening as for each of them, they experienced the circus for the first time and forgot about their daddy being absent for an evening.


Today, kids and parents with fond memories of the circus were downtown awaiting the arrival of the circus coming to town.

The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus is expected to arrive by train late this morning downtown. At about 11:30 a.m., its animals will parade from the train yard, down Broadway, to the Gaylord Entertainment Center, where the circus will be performing Thursday through Sunday.

The “animal walk” will begin at Laurel Street and 11th Avenue South. The animals will continue up Laurel Street and turn right onto 12th Avenue South, then right onto Broadway. At 6th Avenue South they will turn right again to enter the Gaylord’s loading dock.

More than 70 domestic and exotic animals are featured in the circus’ performance. The menagerie includes 10 Asian elephants, two alpacas, two zedonks (a cross between a zebra and donkey), two Angora goats, 14 horses, 14 cats and 13 dogs.

- The Tennessean

Here's just a couple of photos of 150 that I took; I'll pick one out for the Photo of the Day 365 project and load the rest over at Flickr.



The circus has its critics; but I choose to remember the delight on the faces of those kids ten years ago - I too was in awe of the horses, tigers, acrobats, clowns and yes, elephants.

Day 22 of 365 photos in 2007...

Day 22 of 365 photos in 2007... photojournaling my way thru 2007!

I'm sitting on the couch enjoying the replays of the football games - the Colts were awesome over the Patriots and seeing the Saints manhandled by da Bears was not pretty. In this photo, Diggy gets freaked out by the crowd noise from football games, so she'll sit next to me and lean into me so hard that she'll fall over! Ally doesn't mind as long as she gets some couch time.

See the rest of the daily series archived at WonderDawg365

Blue Monday ?

Blue Monday: The unhappiest day of the year

The Daily Mail in the UK writes:

If you are feeling a little down then you can take solace in the thought that things are unlikely to get any worse.

Today, say experts, is the unhappiest day in the entire year.

Unpaid Christmas bills, nasty weather, and failed New Year's resolutions combine to make January 22 the gloomiest in the calendar.

We have the best of intentions thinking that a new year brings new hope. I wish that turning a page in the calendar is as easy as flipping a light switch to dispel the darkness that wants to creep in our lives. Unmet expectations as hard as we try will always fail us. It takes a lot of energy to forge ahead with our best laid plans.

I listen to Fats Domino sing "Blue Monday" and he is singing the cycle most find ourselves in:

Blue Monday how I hate Blue Monday
Got to work like a slave all day
Here come Tuesday, oh hard Tuesday
I'm so tired got no time to play

Here come Wednesday, I'm beat to my socks
My gal calls, got to tell her that I'm out
'Cause Thursday is a hard workin' day
And Friday I get my pay

Saturday mornin', oh Saturday mornin'
All my tiredness has gone away
Got my money and my honey
And I'm out on the stand to play

Sunday mornin' my head is bad
But it's worth it for the time that I had
But I've got to get my rest
'Cause Monday is a mess

I'm one that is generally positive - what winds me down is not having the funds to go and do... but I'm finding that while money is nice, there is great merit in the truth that the best things in life are free. I have to engage in those things that will lift my spirit. So to combat this seasonal funk, I'm bundling up, walking several laps around the backyard with my dogs (EXERCISE), seeing photo opportunties through a camera (HOBBY), engaging in conversation and life with healthy, positive friendships (RELATIONSHIPS), and having a heart of thankfulness and gratitude (FAITH).

O yeah, quit spending money - I've seen how the inability to pay bills have sidetracked many good people into the ditch. To be stupid rich for a day...

Day 21 of 365 photos in 2007...

Day 21 of 365 photos in 2007... photojournaling my way thru 2007!

So the Tennessee Titans didn't make it to the BIG GAME; neither did the Cowboys, Chargers, Ravens or Eagles. Yes for 31 teams, a little rain must fall. There's only four teams left and soon, it's hard to believe - professional football season is over. Time to hang up the jerseys, put away the foam finger, pay the bar tab and move on with our lives now that football fanatics like me suddenly have fifteen extra hours off the couch. Time to hit the treadmill and get in shape for next season! Titans, Cowboys or Broncos... here's to NEXT YEAR!

See the rest of the daily series archived at WonderDawg365

Day 20 of 365 photos in 2007...

Day 20 of 365 photos in 2007... photojournaling my way thru 2007!

Ah done didit.. dagnabbit Deputy Dawg, Ah tooks the wrong way home and my honey bun was hollering "WONG WAY WOO!" Ah can't hep it if Ah'm got lost looking for wrasslin' by the Tennessee Fairgrounds. Ah was everwhichaways mess'd up because Ah think Ah've got somethin' in mah ah.

Next time Ah bleeve Ah gonna eat at the White Trash Cafe; Lord willing and the creeks don't rise, Ah sure do hope to - heard they have good squarsh, saar pickles, cole's law, griyuts with butter and sawt on'em and Co-cola.

Ah started to go inside, but the lady at the counter sed "I cudnt unnerstand a wurd he sed ... must be from some farn country." No beg deal; all Ah had was fiddy cent and besides, Ah was too tarred and phraisin taking this purdy picture.



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