Project 365 - April 11

Singin' in the Rain

Today was the Jazz Picnic in the Park. We got about two hours into the event when the heavens opened up and rained a little too hard for us to try and stick it out. We had our umbrellas but it wasn't enough. Once the wind started to blow . . . we packed up and went home and on to other Sunday things. But here are a few shots that I took with my old Kodak Easy Share (my Nikon is still in the shop :(





Elaine was perfectly dry and glowing under her yellow umbrella.






Joel was oblivious to the rain. He was perfectly content to just sit and chill in the rain. That is Marsha on his right and my Dad on his left.






My Dad looked like he was having a good time. Still can't believe that he is 91 years old!

Project 365 - March 22, 2010

Neighbors Helping Neighbors

Adina has been having a bit of trouble with Algebra. So on top of sending her to tutoring twice a week at school, my neighbor, Robert, has been coming over to help Adina to understand the work.

I am useless when it comes to math. I once tried to help Rachel with fractions when she was in fourth or fifth grade. Well, she got them ALL wrong and her teacher told her to NEVER ask her mom for help on math again!!

How embarrassing is that??

Project 365 - March 23, 2010

Mixed Bag

So I know that I am uploading in the wrong order, but I am so far behind on blogging. I don't know why I have to be motivated to upload lately. I have been busy, but not any more than normal. But my camera is still in the repair shop in North Miami. I am sad to not have my Nikon D40 but the shutter just stopped working.

I went back to using my Kodak Easy Share, but it frustrates me because I can't always focus on what I want to focus on.

These two shots were taken two weeks ago. I was waiting for Jose to pick me up because we went up to Coral Springs to do a photo shoot for work and I caught Newton walking around on the banister on the second floor!! Scary but I find that it is best to just let him do his scary walk and he jumps off in a very safe fashion when he is good and ready.

In this shot he was just hanging on and looking downstairs. I thought he looked pretty funny!










This is a photo of Barry Treu whose job we were able to save thanks to a stimulus grant created by the American Recover and Reinvestment Act signed into law by President Obama. We, meaning the Cultural Division, received a National Endowment for the Arts grants and Coral Springs Museum of Art received some of this grant funding. Barry is walking a group of disabled adults through the outdoor sculpture garden at the Coral Springs Museum of Art.

We had a really good time taking these photos and the challenge was to be as invisible as possible so that we didn't disturb the class. In addition we weren't allowed to take any images of these adults faces because we didn't have any media releases. But we were quite successful!

Project 365 - March 24, 2010

A Lesson in Advocacy

On Wednesday, March 24, I traveled up to Tallahassee for one day. It was an easy flight, although it was at 6:45 a.m. There were only about 50 people on the plane and I was at the State Capitol by 8:30 a.m.

My job was to visit with as many senators and representatives as possible and deliver the message of the importance of the arts to the State of Florida and how the arts benefit the economy, arts education, kids at risk and on and on. I had my elevator speech, my business cards, my comfortable shoes and of course, my camera.

I must have walked at least ten miles and I must have gotten lost at least that many times. The State Capitol is so very confusing with long, narrow hallways, confusing elevators that don't stop at all floors but filled with smiling faces willing to help you at every step of the way. So it wasn't that terrible!

At 1 p.m. we had a two hour meeting on the 22nd floor of the Capitol with Florida Cultural Alliance Chair Michael Spring (also the Director of the Miami-Dade County Cultural Affairs Department). There were many speakers including Secretary of State Kurt Browning and Florida Cultural Council Chair Lois Benson and then Florida Cultural Alliance Executive Director Sherron Long presented four awards to college students from around the state for their advocacy efforts.

I just wish that there were more people up there to go in groups of threes and fours when visiting the legislators. It does make a difference.

I watched as the Nursing Practitioners showed up in four large charter buses and wore their long white lab coats and stethoscopes around their necks. They were EVERYWHERE. Including in the House of Representatives. When their legislator recognized them and they ALL stood up, THAT made quite an impact.

If there were a huge delegation from around the state in charter buses for the arts, I think our legislators would take us more seriously.



Michael Spring









Kurt Browning











Sherron Long









Check out the Romero Britto artwork on the museum's plaza!









Leon County Chalk Walk in honor of Arts Day







Love this photo of all the aides and lobbyists doing business around the rotunda as they wait for the House of Representatives doors to open up for the next meeting.






The Old State Capitol. Loved the two guys walking in front. They were loving the fact that I was taking their photo and they were grinning from ear to ear for me.







The State Capitol is REALLY tall










I am sitting in the East Gallery of the House of Representatives. I had a lovely chat with Zac Cohen who is one of Representative Evan Jenne's aides. I was recognized by Representative Hazelle Rogers. I had to stand up when she called out my name. Very nice of her. I sent her a thank you note. Still, it would have been better to have a large delegation with me.





Taken from the basement of the Rotunda. I called this one "Circle of Life"

Project 365 - March 21, 2010

Rachel and Noah Visit

These are some miscellaneous photos from when Rachel and Noah came home from Indiana State University for Spring Break. We started the day in North Miami doing a Walk for Psoriasis. After our one mile walk (and it was a bit chilly for South Florida) Rachel and Noah and I headed out to breakfast and then north to Fort Lauderdale's Sunday Jazz Brunch on the New River. They wandered off while I socialized with friends and took photos and then they took a Water Taxi tour along the New River. We ended the day with a round (or so) of Guitar Hero. Somehow all days end up with Guitar Hero!

Project 365 - March 12, 2010

A Day in the Grove

I took the day off from work on Friday to spend it with Rachel and her boyfriend, Noah. Noah grew up in Lafayette, Indiana and is a music major, plays the saxophone and is in the marching band at Indiana State University.

We were attempting to get to Vizcaya to wander around the grounds and just spend the day in a a different setting. Well, best laid plans . . .

Not only did it take us about two hours to get to Miami, but once we go there we were all hungry so we drove past Vizcaya and went to Coconut Grove for lunch. We had a very nice lunch in a sports bar, watched the Ohio State/Michigan NCAA basketball tournament game and waited for the rain to stop.

It didn't.

In fact, it was a record rainfall for that day and we gave up trying to get to Vizcaya. I didnt' mind walking in a light rain with my raincoat. But not in the steady downpour.

So we drove home and ended up at JC Penneys because Rachel needed a dress for a formal event for her sorority. By then it was time to pick up Adina and go home.

Oh well, at least we spent the day together!!

Project 365 - March 8

NEON WALK

So, since Rachel was home for Spring Break, I didn't want to spend too much time away from her. However, I also didn't want to miss my class. So I switched from Tuesday to Monday night and we walked around Las Olas Blvd in downtown Fort Lauderdale at sunset and took lots of photos in the failing light and in the dark.

I didn't use a tripod at all, so all were taken by my steady hands wit very slow shutter speeds and very wide apertures. I was a dirty, sweaty mess by the end of class, but I had a ball! These are the fruits of my labor!