Random Thursday (really random)

Sleep, must have sleep!!!!! I haven't had a good night's sleep since we got back from Missouri. Don't know why -- wish I did -- but maybe tonight will be the night!

Last night -- was almost a great night of sleep until 3:30 ish -- when a thunder storm rolled through and knocked out the power (for a few seconds). Of course, all the clocks in the house now need to be reset. Blue, my weather alert dog started his panic attack -- the other three dogs could care less. Sleep was not going to happen until the storm blew past -- and Blue calmed down.

So -- since I'm now wide awake, I grabbed my camera, set it on a tripod, and started taking 4 sec exposures out my back door (the camera and I were inside the house looking out the glass door). Chicken you say!!!! Why yes! This girl has no desire to star in "Being Ben Franklin"!

With the camera securely on the tripod, I just kept pressing the shutter release -- hoping to catch a lightning bolt. As luck would have it, out of 190, I caught 5 bolts!!! Woo hoo!

I so wished I didn't have a telephone pole smack dab in the middle of my fence line. It kind of screws up the lovely view I have of the golf course. Hey, did I mention, the hike an bike trail is now right outside my back gate? Number of times I've gotten on it???? ONE!!!!!! Am I sounding sleep deprived yet? Why do some words look weird when you put them down on paper -- and sometimes they don't? Do you think Tony Shalhoub misses doing Monk?

Now -- on to much more exciting things!  Last Saturday, I had an unbelievable opportunity to see Wichita Falls from the sky!!!!  My friend Elizabeth arranged for me to go up in her husband John's helicopter.  Oh my gosh was I excited.

One thing you have to know -- is that I have a fear of heights when it comes to standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon or walking to a window on the 20th floor of a building.  But planes, hot air balloons and helicopters don't frighten me.  John and Elizabeth's explanations as to why I have this fear is that in a plane or helicopter -- if you are strapped in, you feel as though you are a part of the aircraft.  With buildings or other high structures you don't feel as though you are one with the structure. I think this is a great explanation for my "situational" fear of heights!

John Hawley in front of his helicopter

The reason for the helicopter outing was to capture some shots -- that I hoped would work into a cover design for the next Wichita Falls Literature and Art Review magazine.    The new cover is ready to go -- but you're going to have to wait until Fall to see the final product.

photo shot just before taking off

downtown Wichita Falls, Texas

It was an amazing and totally thrilling morning!  Thank you John for the tour and thank you Elizabeth for the invite and letting me use your fantastic fish eye lens (add that to my when (not if) I win the lottery, this is what I'm buying list)!!!!

Did I mention random (oh, it is today's blog title)????  Yep, I'm all over the place!

Photoshop CS5 is out -- and my, oh my!  I've got to have it!  I downloaded the trial version
about 10 days ago -- and am loving it!  I keep thinking that there is no way possible that the program can get any better.  I've been wrong every single time!  If you haven't checked out any of the CS5 videos, head over to Adobe TV and get ready to be amazed!  Another great training video site is Mark S. Johnson Photography.  Mark is doing a ten part video series of  "What's New in Photoshop CS5".  I learn (and retain) tons  more watching training videos and then immediately applying what I've learned.  I'm  thankful that there are so many wonderful people who give of their time and talents to complete strangers!

Next random item -- I ran across this blog yesterday that I thought contained a lot of useful information.  Check it out -- it's Go{4}Pro Photography by Leah Remillet.

Well, it's time to shut down  (with a random shot of my dog Lola)-- as my brain is getting a little tired from jumping from one random thought to another!

TTFN as the Pooh would say!  Have a great weekend!

;~\  Frances