Sunday, November 30, 2008

The wave and the rock

Wave coming in

Taken on a beach in Pacifica. I really like the way the wave is starting to wrap around the rock. On the lee side of the rock, the sand is smooth, but you can be sure that the churn will be on the other side in just a second.

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Frame Pic

Frame Pic

I love this pic. It may very well be the best picture I've ever had taken.

It was taken on the ship by our favorite ship's photographer, Andrea. She was, unfortunately, the one on duty when the backdrop fell on me, and I made it VERY clear to the ship that I didn't feel that she was at all at fault. I really hope I got my point across, since every pic she took of us was pure art.

Friday, November 28, 2008

A sad sign of the times

Sign of the times

Mervyns and I have a bit of history. When Caryn and I got married, we were a little cash strapped, and we ended up buying our wedding bands on credit at Mervyns. For a number of years, that was where we had credit, and that was where we bought a lot of our clothes.

We haven't shopped there in a while, which I guess is one of the reasons that they have fallen on hard times. As such, it is horribly sad to see them go away.

I'll miss them.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Merced Reservoir Architecture -- part 2

Merced reservoir architecture 2

This is on the top of the building that had the statue in yesterday's picture too.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Merced Manor Reservoir

Merced Manor Reservoir

Merced Manor Reservoir is a contained reservoir in the Merced Manor area of San Francisco. The building on the grounds has some pretty interesting architectural decorations. This one is on the corners of the building.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Great sunsets from the cruise

New Jersey

leaving New Jersey



First day at sea

first day at sea



Leaving Bermuda

Leaving Bermuda



Leaving St. Maartin

Leaving St. Maarten



Aruba

Leaving Aruba

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Slightly creepy night fog shot

Sligthly creepy night foggy shot

I promised it wouldn't become "Paul's Vacation Pictures", and so, I'm gonna stop with the daily cruise shots. I'll show a few from time to time when the picture taking gets slow, but it's back to local shots.

This one is REALLY local -- taken from my front porch looking across the street to Alta Loma park in South City. The night is very foggy, and I really like the way that the light dances off the fog and frames everything it enshrouds.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Docked

Docked

(this is Wednesday's picture)

I'm not sure why I like this picture, but I do. Something about the nature of the old rusted mooring and the fact that it is helping to hold a 91,000 ton ship in place.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Martini Sampler

Martini Sampler

The Martini bar on the Constellation offers a 6 glass mini Martini sampler. I heartily recommend this -- it is quite possibly the best value on board in terms of alcohol.

(by the way -- this was only an hour or so before yesterday's picture)

Monday, November 17, 2008

My least favorite moments of the cruise

My least favorite moments of the cruise

While taking some casual pictures, a brace holding the photo backdrop collapsed and gave me a nice little scalp lac (1 stitch and a whole lot of blood).

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Rainbow's end (at sea)

End of the rainbow at sea

A quick squall followed by a quick clearing and some nice sunshine equals a rainbow.

Now, where the HELL is that pot of gold?!?!?

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

The first of the vacation pics

DSC_0294.jpg

Just got back from a 11-night cruise (you didn't even know I was gone, did you!?!?!?)

I promise this won't turn into "Paul's Vacation Pictures" blog, but I do feel the need to show a few of the better ones.

This is from "The Dig", one of the aquariums at Atlantis on Paradise Island in the Bahamas. We actually weren't supposed to go to Nassau, but we got diverted from RC's private island in Haiti (Labadee) because of 1) a "labor action" on the island, and 2) Hurricane Paloma.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Firemen Training

Fire Training

Driving down 101 one day, I caught a glimpse of this stream of water coming from the top of a ladder behind a strip mall. After driving around, I came across these folks doing some high hose training.

I'm a huge fan of firefighters. They risk everything to keep us safe. Truly heroes in my book, each and every one.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

BOB in the fog

Bob in fog

At the last beach dog walk, I caught this great picture of the Golden Gate Bridge poking up out of the fog, and thought, "Ahh, San Francisco!"

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Bay Area Businesses -- Day 8 - Google

Google 3

I thought the street sign was somewhat funny and ironic. Google, of course, is a slight deviation of the Googol, which is a 1 followed by 100 zeros. If that were a street number, this would be one HUGE city.

Of course, I couldn't forget these guys, though, I'm sad to say, I didn't get as many quality pictures as I wanted. Google, it seems, sits on the road to the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, and the Google Security folks were out in force to keep people from using the Google parking lot for concert parking.

Google 4

Monday, November 3, 2008

Bay Area Businesses -- Day 7 - Oracle

Oracle 1

Larry Ellison's complex in Redwood City is a beautiful campus. If you are a fan of Robin William's movie "Bicentennial Man", you might recognize it as the headquarters of NorthAm Robotics, the builders of Andrew Martin.

Oracle 2

The lagoon that these buildings sit on contain a world-class racing sailboat.

Oracle Racing Sailboat

Oracle Ducks

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Bay Area Businesses -- Day 6 - YouTube

YouTube1

I honestly didn't know that YouTube was located in San Bruno until recently. My lovely wife and I like to go to a Dream Dinners (which, sadly is closing) that is right next to the unassuming building that is YouTube. One day, when driving home, I noticed the logo, and then, when I got home, I had to look it up.

YouTube2

Saturday, November 1, 2008

November Theme Day -- Books

Flipping through a book

November's theme is "Books". This one is a book on fearful dogs that I bought at

Where I got the book

There are 164 blogs participating in this month's theme day.

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Please take some time to visit some of the other bloggers today:

American Fork (UT), USA by Annie, Anderson (SC), USA by Lessie, Ararat, Australia by freefalling, Arradon, France by Alice, Auckland, New Zealand by Lachezar, Austin (TX), USA by LB, Avignon, France by Nathalie, Bali, Indonesia by Anak Dokan, Bandung, Indonesia by Bunyamin, Bandung, Indonesia by Harry Makertia, Bangkok, Thailand by UberSand, Barrow-in-Furness, UK by Enitharmon, Baziège, France by PaB, Belgrade, Serbia by Bibi, Bellefonte (PA), USA by Barb-n-PA, Birmingham (AL), USA by VJ, Bogor, Indonesia by Gagah, Boston (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Budapest, Hungary by Zannnie and Zsolt, Budapest, Hungary by Isadora, Buenos Aires, Argentina by Karine, Canterbury, UK by Rose, Cavite, Philippines by Steven Que, Chandler (AZ), USA by PattheAZRealtor, Chapel Hill (NC), USA by missleah, Château-Gontier, France by Laurent, Chateaubriant, France by Bergson, Chateaubriant, France by trieulet, Cheltenham, UK by Marley, Chennai, India by Ram N, City of the Blue Mountains, Australia by Richard, Coral Gables (FL), USA by Jnstropic, Evry, France by Olivier, Fort Lauderdale (FL), USA by Gigi, Geneva (IL), USA by Kelly, Glasgow, Scotland by Jackie, Grenoble, France by Bleeding Orange, Haninge, Sweden by Steffe, Helsinki, Finland by PPusa, Herne Bay, Great Britain by Han, Lil n Caz, Hobart, Australia by Greg, Honningsvag, Norway by J., Islip (NY), USA by Bettye, Jackson (MS), USA by Halcyon, Jakarta, Indonesia by Santy, Jefferson City (MO), USA by Chinamom2005, Juneau (AK), USA by Gwyn, Karwar, India by Yogesh, Knoxville (TN), USA by hope, Lakewood (OH), USA by mouse, Larchmont (NY), USA by Marie-Noyale, Las Vegas (NV), USA by Mo, Lisbon, Portugal by Maria João, Lisbon, Portugal by Sailor Girl, Lodz, Poland by wikiyu, London, UK by Ham, Madrid, Spain by Tr3nta, Mainz, Germany by JB, Manila, Philippines by Hilda, Manila, Philippines by Heyokity, Melbourne, Australia by Mblamo, Melbourne, Australia by John, Menton, France by Jilly, Mexico City, Mexico by Carraol, Middletown (MD), USA by Bernie, Milton, New Zealand by Milton Daily Photo, Milwaukee (WI), USA by karl, Minneapolis (MN), USA by snapshutter, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Mitch, Molfetta, Italy by saretta, Monte Carlo, Monaco by Jilly, Monterrey, Mexico by rafa, Montréal, Canada by My Life in Montreal, Moscow, Russia by Irina, Moscow (ID), USA by Sherry, Mumbai, India by MumbaiiteAnu, Mumbai, India by Kunalbhatia, Murcia, Spain by usuahia, Napa (CA), USA by katester, Nashville (TN), USA by Chris, Nelson, New Zealand by Meg and Ben, New Delhi, India by Delhi Photo Diary, New York City (NY), USA by Ming the Merciless, New York City (NY), USA by Kitty, Norwich, UK by Goddess888, Orlando (FL), USA by OrlFla, Paderborn, Germany by Soemchen, Palos Verdes (CA), USA by tash, Paris, France by Elsa, Paris, France by Eric, Pasadena (CA), USA by Petrea, Pasadena (CA), USA by Can8ianben, Pensacola (FL), USA by P J, Philadelphia (PA), USA by Stiffa, Phoenix (AZ), USA by Sharon, Port Angeles (WA), USA by Jelvistar, Port Elizabeth, South Africa by Sam, Port Townsend (WA), USA by raf, Prague, Czech Republic by kakna, Prague, Czech Republic by Honza03, Quincy (MA), USA by slim, Ramsey, Isle of Man by babooshka, Reykjavik, Iceland by Vírgíll, Riga, Latvia by Riga Photos, Roanoke (VA), USA by Tanya, Rotterdam, Netherlands by Ineke, Rouen, France by Bbsato, Saarbrücken, Germany by LadyDemeter, Saigon, Vietnam by Simon, Saint Louis (MO), USA by Strangetastes, Saint Paul (MN), USA by Kate, Salem (OR), USA by jill, Salem (OR), USA by pearls, Salt Lake City (UT), USA by Eric, San Antonio (TX), USA by Kramer, San Francisco (CA), USA by PFranson, San Francisco (CA), USA by Burd Zel Krai, Santa Fe (NM), USA by Randem, Seattle (WA), USA by Chuck, Seattle (WA), USA by Kim, Selma (AL), USA by RamblingRound, Seoul, South Korea by Phil, Seoul, Korea South by SeoulSnapper, Sesimbra, Portugal by Aldeia, Silver Spring (MD), USA by John, Singapore, Singapore by Keropok, Singapore, Singapore by Zannnie, Sofia, Bulgaria by Antonia, Stanwood (WA), USA by MaryBeth, Stavanger, Norway by Tanty, Stayton (OR), USA by Celine, Stockholm, Sweden by Stromsjo, Stouffville, Canada by Ken, Subang Jaya, Malaysia by JC, Sunshine Coast, Australia by bitingmidge, Sydney, Australia by Ann, Sydney, Australia by Sally, Székesfehérvár, Hungary by Teomo, Tacloban City, Philippines by agnesdv, Tamarindo, Costa Rica by David, Tauranga, New Zealand by Lisa Sarsfield, Telluride (CO), USA by mtsrool, Tempe (AZ), USA by angie, Terrell (TX), USA by Bstexas, Terrell (TX), USA by Jim K, Torino, Italy by Fabrizio, Torun, Poland by Glenn, Toulouse, France by Julia, Trieste, Italy by Rob&Piero, Turin, Italy by Livio, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina by Jazzy, Twin Cities (MN), USA by Slinger, Verona, Italy by Valeria in Verona, Vienna, Austria by G_mirage2, Wailea (HI), USA by Kuanyin, Washington (DC), USA by D.C. Confidential, Wellington, New Zealand by Jeremyb, West Paris (ME), USA by crittoria, West Sacramento (CA), USA by Barbara, Willits (CA), USA by Elaine, Woerden, Netherlands by Marcel, Yakima (WA), USA by katney, Yellowknife, Canada by Arctic Dreamer, York, UK by Ruby in York,

Sorry -- more ads