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Midtown Condo

I was challenged to shoot a condo building a few blocks from my own in Midtown. It was a less than ideal day to shoot (too cloudy and dark), but I did like these two shots that really get to the heart of this development - multiple towers made of glass.

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Compliance

My reader pointed out that some of my comments about the fine midwest city in which I find myself might not be appreciated by those calling it "home".

So - especially in light of the season - I thought it would be prudent to give the town a pseudonym in any further tales. From this point forward, I'll be working in "Compliance, Ohio".

Lucky enough to be there until Christmas Eve Eve, I hit the mall to do a little last minute shopping. A few observations:

- I was one of 50 people in the "Dollar Store". There was one person at "GNC".

- I was torn between 2 special gifts at "Dollar Store"; the 1 liter bottle of mulberry-scented potpourri oil or the faux wood mariachi serving platter.

- No one was in the "Tan I Am" store (NOTE: According to the 2000 census, the population of Compliance is 16,000, 87% of which is white. Based on my observations at the mall, the other 13% is pasty white.)

- There is an observation window at the Nail Salon where I watched a woman getting a midwest-french manicure, white tips with little teardrops on the nail bed.

----------------THE PICS----------------

- Old bronze mailboxes in the old Post Office. City Hall - no one has been able to tell me about the apparent 1 story addition to the top of the brick building (keeping up with the burgeoning condo market?)

- Christmas decorations along the bridge into downtown. Winter fruit. The tallest tree in town (take that, Rockefeller Center!)

- A view of the train tressel over the Maumee river; pronounced "Mommy", as in "Mommy, where's that smell coming from?"

- Santa's village. Rockefeller Center might have this beat.

- Charlie's Down Under (so named not for specializing in serving Australian food, but in serving food in the basement) - proudly serving both Midwestern food groups - "Steaks" AND "Cocktails".

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Defiance, OH

No pics this week (just working hard, hoping to come home the night of 12/23), but I have to tell my reader about my exposure to the splendors of nightlife in Defiance, Ohio....

(An aside - S. tells a co-worker that I'm working in Ohio. "Where?" he asks. "He's in Defiance." "In defiance of what?")

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We started the evening with a stunning dining experience at "Buffalo Wild Wings Bar and Grill" - where the giant, digital, Battlestar Galactica clock behind the bar is 17 minutes fast.

"What's that?" I ask one of the effusive waitpersons, "cuz that's not
the time of day, so it's not a clock".

"That's the bar time".

"'k...what's that mean?"

"When we have happy hour, we have $3 23 oz domestic beers. It ends at 8:00, according to that clock."

"Oh. So...it really ends at 7:43."

"Whatever. Do you want a beer or not?"

"Sure. I'll have a Sam Adams."

"Ok...that'll be $4.50."

"But the 'bar clock' reads 7:37. Isn't it still happy hour?"

"Yup, but only on domestic beer. Bud Light and Miller Draft."

I shouldn't have bothered to ask...it's obvious at this point that Boston is indeed a foreign country.

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Our other choice for fine dining that night was "Applebee's", home of the math-impaired beer specials. We had gone there the night before:

"Would you like a beer? We have $1 - 10 oz, $2 - 16 oz, and $3 - 22 oz."

"Are you serious? If I get a 22 oz beer, I pay $3, but if I get 3 10oz beers, I get 30 oz. - 8 more oz. - for the same price AND you have to do more work bring it to me?"

"Yup. That's why the 22 oz beer is the better value."

WHHHHHHHHHHHHATTTTTTTTTTTTTTT?????

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So after all that beer calculus, we needed a break and headed to "Spanky's" "downtown", a bar with 2 pool tables, free foosball on Thursdays, and Karaoke on Wed, Sat, and Sun.

I only agreed to go because is was Monday.

They had decorated for the holidays by stapling silver mylar "Coors Light" snowflakes to the ceiling and putting the CCR Christmas album in the juke.

Once there, we met "Tiny", the 6 foot 6 inch, 350 lb bartender/bouncer/greeter.

While playing pool, one of our cue balls got stuck in the chute. We called over to the bartender - "Hey, man, one of the balls is stuck".

Tiny came over to help. He picked up one end of the table and bounced it several times to dislodge the errant ball.

"Thanks man. Hey, by the way, could you move my car?"

"Sure man, where is it?

"Awww...never mind. But if I have to change a tire, can I give you a call?"

"Sure man."

...the rest of the story...

Xmas Windows - Manhattan vs. Defiance

Having had the fantastic luck to visit both New York City AND Defiance, Ohio during the Christmas season, I'd thought I'd share that good fortune with my loyal reader by posting Christmas windows from both cities.

(NOTE: If anyone has any trouble figuring out which windows are "Bergdorf Goodman" and "Saks" and which are "Bridal Elegance" and "Defiance Area Youth For Christ", just shoot me an email.)

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NYC - December 2006

We saw a show...
...looked up at all the buildings...
...hung out at the Met...
...picked out a tree for the cabride home...
...saw more trees at Bryant Park, the Rock, & Wash Sq...
...juggled in Washington Square...
...walked thru Central Park...
...rode the Subway...
...and gazed into the night.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh...Christmas in New York.

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Thanksgiving in Midtown

I will never hesitate saying "yes" when my neighbor asks me to check in on her cat Oliver...this is the sunset from her living room. I can think of worse things than sitting on someone's sofa, flipping through her magazines while her cat is purring in my lap, eating her ice cream and watching her DVD's.

Thanksgiving was terrific...drinking, home projects, eating, and getting ready for Christmas...and drinking.

Turkey dinner at my brother's mother-in-law's house was very nice and packed with funny, family moments; Nephew B walked up to one of the cousin-in-laws, who has a bit of a tummy, and asked "where did you get that belly?"

Awww, the innocence of autism.

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Xmas Cards 2006

Holy moly! Christmas is coming!

Some very nice folks have been asking when I was going to get my new Xmas Cards out; since my "real" job has me out of town most of December (and January and February...bleh), I had to get on the ball!

Some of these will be available individually at my faithful and supportive retailers, YES and Twelve/Spire. I offer them directly for $20 a dozen. I'm thinking pick a series and you get 3 each (or mix and match, what the heck!).

We can dig into last year's stock, too, if you had any favorites.

Xmas Cards 2006 - Set 1

Xmas Cards 2006 - Set 2

Peace on Earth...

...Goodwill toward men

Ornaments - Silver

Ornaments - Color

Jesus in Midtown

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