Lately, it seems, I feel like I don't have much to write about. Just more of the same daily grind. Going to work, coming home, sleeping. It isn't that exciting is it?
Work is good, but there haven't been many sittings. It is going to get busy at the end of the month when we start doing the cap and gown photos for the high schools.
There have been plenty of people in to get passport photos taken. The other day there was an 18 month old referred to us by London Drugs because they couldn't get it right. It must suck to not have adjustable equipment. Even if your baby has a really little head, we can make it the right size in the photo, no problem.
The best news lately is that we're starting a three month house sitting stint on Monday. Hallelujah! We should have found a place our first day back. I guess we were a overwhelmed by being home and needed to be on vacation for a while.
-Gary
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Friday, December 29, 2006
Night At The Museum
Tracie and I went to see Night At The Museum with her parents and sisters the other day. Let me just say that it was one of the best movies I have seen in a long time. I give it two thumbs up, it is fine holiday fun.
Ben Stiller plays a man who becomes a night watchman at a museum where, due to an egyption curse, everything comes to life at night. I have to admit that the movie is a little Jumanji-esque, but Night at the Museum was way better. The plight of the main character plays a much bigger part in the movie rather than just finishing a board game designed to showcase special effects.
Go see Night At The Museum.
-Gary
Ben Stiller plays a man who becomes a night watchman at a museum where, due to an egyption curse, everything comes to life at night. I have to admit that the movie is a little Jumanji-esque, but Night at the Museum was way better. The plight of the main character plays a much bigger part in the movie rather than just finishing a board game designed to showcase special effects.
Go see Night At The Museum.
-Gary
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
What is a manger?
An amazing revelation manisfested itself to me this Christmas. Most people that I've asked; didn't know what a "manger" is. I'm going to tell you right now once and for all but first try to think of the answer yourself. A manger is not a barn or stable but a crib like container in which to place food such as hay and grain for animals. It's amazing to find out that people do not know this after all those years of hearing the nativity story.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
THE DARKEST EVENING OF THE YEAR
Whose woods these are I think I know
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods filled with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods filled with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
New Favourite Restaurant
Lately Tracie and I have been eating out at Perkin's Family Restaurant. I really like it there. I have to admit that it is a place for old people, but that's one of the things that I like about it.
They don't have blaring loud music, there are no huge banks of televisons to distract you, and best of all, you don't have to shout for the people at your table to hear you. It is quiet and relaxing. The menu is a little plain, but the food is good.
Tracie was wondering how many people don't go on second dates because they can't hear what the other person is saying and they don't get a chance to have a conversation to get to know each other.
Fun is fun, but sometimes it is nice to relax at dinner.
-Gary
They don't have blaring loud music, there are no huge banks of televisons to distract you, and best of all, you don't have to shout for the people at your table to hear you. It is quiet and relaxing. The menu is a little plain, but the food is good.
Tracie was wondering how many people don't go on second dates because they can't hear what the other person is saying and they don't get a chance to have a conversation to get to know each other.
Fun is fun, but sometimes it is nice to relax at dinner.
-Gary
Friday, December 15, 2006
Picking up School Photos
People come into the studio to pick up their kids school photos.
They say, "I'm here to pick up photos for Lisa Simpson".
I say, "Are they studio photos or school photos?"
This confuses a lot of people. I can only imagine what is going through their head. The problem is that, while the photos are school photos, we did retakes at the studio.
They say, "Studio."
I look through the studio photos and can't find Lisa, so I say, "Are they a retake of a school photo?"
They say, "Yes"
That makes them a school photo even though we took the picture in the studio.
I think to myself, boy is this guy dumb or what. I look through the school photos. There is no Lisa Simpson. Now I'm not claiming to be smarter than 99.9% of other people, but I can alphabetize well enough to get Simpson together with the other Ss or in the S section if you know what I mean.
Sometimes there is someone else named Simpson that I can ask about, but in this case there isn't, so I say, "I don't see anything for Lisa Simpson, did you get a phone call about it?"
They say, "Yes yesterday"
I say, "Is Lisa Simpson the name of the student?"
They say, "No the students name is Carla Sassenfrass."
I think, "WTF? ARE YOU STUPID? HOW IN THE WORLD AM I SUPPOSED TO GET CARLA SASSENFRASS FROM LISA SIMPSON?" I guess I should know all the step-moms in the entire city so that I can auto-magically connect them to these kids. In this situation I truely feel like I am not the dumb one.
In order to stop the madness, I have started asking if the name they told me is the student's. It cuts down on time spent looking for step-parents.
-Gary
They say, "I'm here to pick up photos for Lisa Simpson".
I say, "Are they studio photos or school photos?"
This confuses a lot of people. I can only imagine what is going through their head. The problem is that, while the photos are school photos, we did retakes at the studio.
They say, "Studio."
I look through the studio photos and can't find Lisa, so I say, "Are they a retake of a school photo?"
They say, "Yes"
That makes them a school photo even though we took the picture in the studio.
I think to myself, boy is this guy dumb or what. I look through the school photos. There is no Lisa Simpson. Now I'm not claiming to be smarter than 99.9% of other people, but I can alphabetize well enough to get Simpson together with the other Ss or in the S section if you know what I mean.
Sometimes there is someone else named Simpson that I can ask about, but in this case there isn't, so I say, "I don't see anything for Lisa Simpson, did you get a phone call about it?"
They say, "Yes yesterday"
I say, "Is Lisa Simpson the name of the student?"
They say, "No the students name is Carla Sassenfrass."
I think, "WTF? ARE YOU STUPID? HOW IN THE WORLD AM I SUPPOSED TO GET CARLA SASSENFRASS FROM LISA SIMPSON?" I guess I should know all the step-moms in the entire city so that I can auto-magically connect them to these kids. In this situation I truely feel like I am not the dumb one.
In order to stop the madness, I have started asking if the name they told me is the student's. It cuts down on time spent looking for step-parents.
-Gary
Monday, December 11, 2006
It's Funny Because I Don't Know Him
I've been watching video clips on Youtube.com lately. My favourite videos all seem to have a central theme. The misfortune of others. I don't know why I find it funny when some random skater hurts himself trying to do some trick, or why I can't stop laughing when I see a little girl hit her dad with a stick in an attempt to crack a pinnata.
It just is. I like watching crashes, failed attempts at jumping over stuff and cars crashing. Youtube is way better than America's Funniest Videos ever was. Type in the key phrase "Funny Accident" and you'll be set for hours. With no repeats.
I do feel a little guilty laughing at the misfortune of others, but it's funny because I don't know them.
-Gary
It just is. I like watching crashes, failed attempts at jumping over stuff and cars crashing. Youtube is way better than America's Funniest Videos ever was. Type in the key phrase "Funny Accident" and you'll be set for hours. With no repeats.
I do feel a little guilty laughing at the misfortune of others, but it's funny because I don't know them.
-Gary
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Istockphoto Success
I haven't written anything about how well I'm doing on istockphoto in a while so I thought I would give a little run down on how things are going.
My first $100 took from March 18th to September 12 and 234 downloads. I averaged 42.7 cents per download.
I hit $200.00 about two weeks ago on November 22. It took 215 downloads for me to make it, and 69 days. That means I was averaging 46.5 cents per download.
I haven't been adding new photos very consistently, it is hard to think of things to shoot, but I have been getting downloads from with in each new series that I shoot. When I do come up with an idea, it does sell, and I am getting good growth from them.
Here is my data for downloads so far since the very beginning:
03/06 : 1
04/06 : 4
05/06 : 7
06/06 : 30
07/06 : 63
08/06 : 90
09/06 : 93
10/06 : 103
11/06 : 82
12/06 : 4 (so far)
I downloaded a spreadsheet that makes predictions based purely on past performance. It predicts that by this time next year, I will be making $100 per month. I get the feeling that this might be a little conservative because it is still taking into account my start up few months. It also doesn't take into account things that you have been learning about stock photography itself, like what sells, and how to make images more useful for buyers.
I'm pretty excited about how things are going.
-Gary
My first $100 took from March 18th to September 12 and 234 downloads. I averaged 42.7 cents per download.
I hit $200.00 about two weeks ago on November 22. It took 215 downloads for me to make it, and 69 days. That means I was averaging 46.5 cents per download.
I haven't been adding new photos very consistently, it is hard to think of things to shoot, but I have been getting downloads from with in each new series that I shoot. When I do come up with an idea, it does sell, and I am getting good growth from them.
Here is my data for downloads so far since the very beginning:
03/06 : 1
04/06 : 4
05/06 : 7
06/06 : 30
07/06 : 63
08/06 : 90
09/06 : 93
10/06 : 103
11/06 : 82
12/06 : 4 (so far)
I downloaded a spreadsheet that makes predictions based purely on past performance. It predicts that by this time next year, I will be making $100 per month. I get the feeling that this might be a little conservative because it is still taking into account my start up few months. It also doesn't take into account things that you have been learning about stock photography itself, like what sells, and how to make images more useful for buyers.
I'm pretty excited about how things are going.
-Gary
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Princess Dianna
I was on my way home today when I heard someone on the radio say that investigators have finally finished the investigation into Princess Dianna's car crash. The radio station said that they would be giving the results of the investigation at a later time today. I guess they were far too busy to give the details right then...&*$%@#, their hides. Anyway my obsearvation is that an ordinary car crash takes about an hour or two to investigate if a fatality results. I really wonder what new information they thought they could glean from an investigation three or four years later that they couldn't have found out at least within a month considering the man power that would have been used in a case where royality was involved. They make me scoff.
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Pamela Anderson
Pamela Anderson says she wants to get through her divorce with a little dignity. But here's the question.... Why is she so worried about dignity all of a sudden? She's never had a dignified bone in her body. She doesn't even know anyone with dignity.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
The "N" word
The actor Michel Richards is being hassled by the black community lately because he lost his temper and called two black comedy patrons... niggers. Blacks have started a movement to try to have the word banned entirely from public usage in the arts and media. They say that the word is terrible because it is entirely a "hate word". Here's the deal. I think that if they are successful, there are other words that need to be banned as well. One such word is the "F" word. It's entirely a hate word as well. And there are phraises that are vulgar and hateful too. Why can't they be banned.
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Casino Royale
I went to see the new Bond movie today. Let me just say, "Best Bond movie ever". It has a good story and lots of plot twists. There was plenty of good action, and the stunts were way less over the top than in some of the previous Bond movies.
It was also a lot heavier on the physical action and lighter on the sci-fi gadgets like in some of the previous movies.
I give it two thumbs up, it is fine holiday fun.
-Gary Milner
It was also a lot heavier on the physical action and lighter on the sci-fi gadgets like in some of the previous movies.
I give it two thumbs up, it is fine holiday fun.
-Gary Milner
Thursday, November 16, 2006
If I Ran The Zoo
I emailed Linda back and said that she could use the photos. I sent her four to choose from.
If I'm any judge of exclamation points (and I think I am, there were three in the first line alone) she was pretty happy that I said it was ok.
Yes! It's no problem to send adult zoo passes! She'll mail them tomorrow! Yay!
I guess I'm even more pleased that she was. Even though she's getting a way better deal than me, passes only cost $16 each for adults. That would barely cover my sitting fee.
Looks like I'll be making a trip to the zoo in the near future to see my sign. Maybe I'll be able to network this into a behind the bars photo shoot at the zoo. Maybe even with the monkeys.
-Gary
If I'm any judge of exclamation points (and I think I am, there were three in the first line alone) she was pretty happy that I said it was ok.
Yes! It's no problem to send adult zoo passes! She'll mail them tomorrow! Yay!
I guess I'm even more pleased that she was. Even though she's getting a way better deal than me, passes only cost $16 each for adults. That would barely cover my sitting fee.
Looks like I'll be making a trip to the zoo in the near future to see my sign. Maybe I'll be able to network this into a behind the bars photo shoot at the zoo. Maybe even with the monkeys.
-Gary
O. J. Simpson Again
I just have to air my personal beef about paying O.J. Simpson to tell how he killed his wife and that other guy. In the first place, he shouldn't profit from this horrendous crime but notwithstanding that we've already be victimized with years of news coverage about the murder. We already know who did the murder and how he did it. We were inundated with it for years. Excuse me, but there isn't anything new that can be said. The news media is wicked and crazy.
Frogs on a Plate!
I received an interesting flickr from someone at the Calgary Zoo today. She seems to like this photo and one other one like it. Here is her email.
Hi there!
My name is Linda and I work for the Calgary Zoo in Alberta, Canada, and I saw a couple photos of your tomato frogs (on plate, and a head on shot). They are two of the best I've seen, and I was wondering if we could use it to create a species sign that explains some of the characteristics of these interesting frogs.
We will commit to providing you with photo credit each time it's used (where appropriate). We don't sell our images or use them for anything other than to show some of the animals at our facility, and if the photographer allows us to, we'll add them to our photo catalogue which lets us use the photo(s) potentially in our member newsletter, posters etc. to promote the Zoo.
Is this something you would consider? if you'd like to see what we're all about, please check out our website at www.calgaryzoo.com.
Hope to hear from you soon,
Thanks,
Linda
Hi there!
My name is Linda and I work for the Calgary Zoo in Alberta, Canada, and I saw a couple photos of your tomato frogs (on plate, and a head on shot). They are two of the best I've seen, and I was wondering if we could use it to create a species sign that explains some of the characteristics of these interesting frogs.
We will commit to providing you with photo credit each time it's used (where appropriate). We don't sell our images or use them for anything other than to show some of the animals at our facility, and if the photographer allows us to, we'll add them to our photo catalogue which lets us use the photo(s) potentially in our member newsletter, posters etc. to promote the Zoo.
Is this something you would consider? if you'd like to see what we're all about, please check out our website at www.calgaryzoo.com.
Hope to hear from you soon,
Thanks,
Linda
Monday, November 13, 2006
How to Scratch Backs and Earn Money
Tracie has an itchy back every single night. I have to spend the first five minutes of potential sleepy time scratching her back.
Last night she said to me, "If I was rich, I would hire someone to scratch my back." I suggested a homeless kid, you know, to help the community.
Tracie said, "I would receive the scratching, but, I wouldn't be a back scratcher for any amount of money"
I would do it for $50 per hour. Then again there might be a more profitable way of running this business if you charged by the inch, depending on how big the person is. Obviousley you can do simple calculations to figure out area using length times height, but how do you calculate the actual surface area of a person.
I think there must be some way of using volume and density to figure out the surface area of an irregularly shaped object.
-Gary Milner
Last night she said to me, "If I was rich, I would hire someone to scratch my back." I suggested a homeless kid, you know, to help the community.
Tracie said, "I would receive the scratching, but, I wouldn't be a back scratcher for any amount of money"
I would do it for $50 per hour. Then again there might be a more profitable way of running this business if you charged by the inch, depending on how big the person is. Obviousley you can do simple calculations to figure out area using length times height, but how do you calculate the actual surface area of a person.
I think there must be some way of using volume and density to figure out the surface area of an irregularly shaped object.
-Gary Milner
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Basketball
The other day Jeff and I went to the studio where I work to take a few photos. This one is a shot that Jeff got of me pretending to be a high school basketball coach.
Yesterday Steve Meldrum invited me to play some hoops up at the church. Although I can do a six mile run in under an hour, I'm not really in basketball shape. I guess I need to work on my variable speeds with more sprinting or something.
Thankfully, I have been going to the gym doing those long runs or I would have really been in trouble.
We were playing with a bunch of college kids and maybe some high schoolers, and the games only went to 11 points. The worst part of it is that it takes me just about the whole game just to get warmed up. Then about half way through the second game my body decides that, "No I'm not actually going to die", and I can get down to playing some ball.
By then the game is over.
I kind of like being on the old guy team now. The old guys almost always win. I don't know why. Maybe we're too out of shape to do those stupid fancy moves and don't waste time or energy we don't have to like a lot of the younger guys do. I've also noticed that it gets easier to see the court as you age. I don't know why.
Maybe just experience.
-Gary Milner
Yesterday Steve Meldrum invited me to play some hoops up at the church. Although I can do a six mile run in under an hour, I'm not really in basketball shape. I guess I need to work on my variable speeds with more sprinting or something.
Thankfully, I have been going to the gym doing those long runs or I would have really been in trouble.
We were playing with a bunch of college kids and maybe some high schoolers, and the games only went to 11 points. The worst part of it is that it takes me just about the whole game just to get warmed up. Then about half way through the second game my body decides that, "No I'm not actually going to die", and I can get down to playing some ball.
By then the game is over.
I kind of like being on the old guy team now. The old guys almost always win. I don't know why. Maybe we're too out of shape to do those stupid fancy moves and don't waste time or energy we don't have to like a lot of the younger guys do. I've also noticed that it gets easier to see the court as you age. I don't know why.
Maybe just experience.
-Gary Milner
Monday, November 06, 2006
Squashed
I went to play squash with my good friend Steve this morning pretty early. I found out that I need a little more practice playing squash. He went pretty easy on me in the first game, and I did hit a few pretty good shots that he couldn't return, but in the two games after that, he basically went to town on me.
By the end I was feeling pretty sick, maybe from not sleeping or having breakfasts or dehydration, but it wouldn't have made any difference to how well I fare against him anyway. Just to how many times I would have been beaten.
Well, Steve, if you're reading this keep it mind that there's a target on your back now, and in a couple of months I'll have my revenge (but only if I can find more people to help me practice.)
-Gary
By the end I was feeling pretty sick, maybe from not sleeping or having breakfasts or dehydration, but it wouldn't have made any difference to how well I fare against him anyway. Just to how many times I would have been beaten.
Well, Steve, if you're reading this keep it mind that there's a target on your back now, and in a couple of months I'll have my revenge (but only if I can find more people to help me practice.)
-Gary
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