Self Portrait 7/1/09

Self Portrait 7/1/09, originally uploaded by waterj2.

This week's self-portrait. Wish I could have gotten a better angle, but options are pretty limited in my tiny bathroom. The multitasking part was kind of fun, though.

I swear it's just a coincidence that I've done two shirtless self-portraits in a row. I could make it a theme, though.

New Self Portrait

self_portraint_2009_06_24, originally uploaded by waterj2.

There are insufficient shirtless pics of me on the internet. Time to rectify that problem.

I Really Ought to Get Back to This Thing

Looks like I can successfully blog from my Google Phone. Now, all I need is something worth saying.

Kieth Olbermann on torture

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Are we ever going to see these fuckers in jail?

Pictures from last night's show (first batch)

Sometimes I fancy myself a photographer. At the very least, I've managed to buy some pretty nice camera gear, such that I can actually get pictures in the sorts of dark places that me and my friends hang out in, and that aren't conducive to decent photography. And, at the risk of violating the general trend of this blog towards self-deprecation, I do think I have some talent. If not necessarily for capturing a great image, at least for understanding the technical aspects of what I'm doing. Even when I'm drunk out of my mind, which is nice, because that's when I'm most inclined to take lots of pictures.

Anyways, first we've got a bunch of pictures of Dr. Bin Laden, which is Brian Fresh's new band. I was in a band with him twice, so I can completely sympathize with what the other members must be going through. I didn't manage to get all that many pictures, but most of them seem to be in focus and exposed at least well enough to correct in post. Given the conditions, I consider getting one halfway decent picture per four shots pretty good. So out of 23 shots taken, having twelve here, and probably a few more to come, is something I'm mildly psyched about.



Free photography tip of the day: when in a situation where it's impossible to find any sort of workable white balance, such as where the guitarist or singer is largely lit by the flash and the drummer is largely lit by red stage lights, just convert it to black and white. Then play with it a bit, so it looks like you meant to do it that way.









OK, that was the band. Here's Chris and Josh:

And Brian Connolly:

And on the very rare occasions that Brian actually likes a picture of himself and encourages you to take more, you might just go hog wild.


Well, that's it for today. Hopefully, I'll get through them all by the weekend.

Have I finally got Google phone blogging working?

The world wonders...

I shudder to think what the Boston Police would have done

Pub is closed by Monty Python grenade:

BUILDINGS were evacuated, a street was cordoned off and a bomb disposal team called in after workmen spotted a suspicious object.

But the dangerous-looking weapon turned out to be the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch, made famous in the 1975 film Monty Python And The Holy Grail.

Why tonight is a good night

Why tonight is a good night, originally uploaded by waterj2.

Took the long way home tonight to stop at the liquor store where I could get this beauty nice and cheap. Say what you will, I love High Life in bottles. Especially when there's 18 of them. The biggest challenge here was getting the shot set up all nice before drinking any.

In retrospect, I could have grabbed one of the bottles hidden behind the box, but, as I had originally intended for a shot from a bit above, I left them in the box. Of course, there is the crookedness, but that can be fixed easily the next time I have access to the software to do it.

In any event, I'm down to twelve left, and it's only 9PM.

Things that bring a smile to my face

Apparently, I was going to write something here last night. At the moment, I'm just wondering what I was thinking about that brings a smile to my face. There's booze, but that's only one thing, and I seem to have been thinking of mentioning things, plural.

How bad is the economy going to get?

Interesting article on the Freakonomics blog:

For example, using last Friday’s options prices, we can calculate that it would cost 10 cents to buy a portfolio of options that pays $1 if the S&P 500 falls below 250 on December 18, 2010. If markets were risk-neutral (I’ll come back to this), we could infer that the market thought there was a 10 percent probability that the value of U.S. stocks could fall to one-third their current value by the end of next year. Such a drop would leave the index down to one-sixth of its peak level in late 2007. By way of comparison, in the Great Depression the value of stocks fell to between one-sixth and one-seventh of their earlier values.

Well, at least it's only a 10% chance...

You know the economy's really in the shitter when...

People aren't buying booze anymore.

Hey, I'm trying to do my part, but I need some help here, apparently.

Everyone should read fivethirtyeight.com

This post is a perfect example of why. For those who don't know, these guys had by far the best statistical analysis throughout the whole election, and some of the most insightful commentary.

Today's piece is about what we should be expecting when the time comes for the Obama administration to work on health care, given the way they handled the stimulus bill.

On a slightly related note, the White House released this amazing slideshow of the President's road to getting the stimulus bill passed. And just to be bipartisan, the photographer responsible, Pete Souza, was also Reagan's official White House Photographer. But they didn't have web slideshows then.

Typical Me, Typical Me, Typical Meal

I was reflecting at Shaw's earlier tonight on the distressing situation that is my culinary habits. Looking at a can of Hormel Chili, a box of Kraft Mac & Cheese, and a bottle of Wild Turkey, and nothing else, on my section of the conveyor belt, it was mildly distressing to see just how much I suck at feeding myself like a normal person, but amusingly distressing to think anyone mildly familiar with my eating habits would find it completely typical for me.

Let's just all agree that we can call chili mac & cheese and whiskey "The Jeremy Special". I doubt there's much competition for that one.

Punctured bicycle, liquor store desolate

IMG_2947, originally uploaded by waterj2.

Typical Allston night. Tight jeans, track bike, messenger bag, cheap beer.

After the Shitshow show Saturday night, Zach got a flat heading home, and I decided to use it as an excuse for a drunken 3AM photo shoot outside Blanchards. I only sort of remember a few of the details, but apparently we confused the passersby with our antics. Some even joined in the session (or at least don't look like they minded being involved)

Of course, most shots came out like crap, ranging from minor issues to complete lack of focus. But a few decent shots. This is one of the best of the lot. Something about the total Allston Rock City aspect.

Holy Crap

Naked Pictures of Morrissey

http://newsroom.mtv.com/2009/01/30/i-saw-morrissey-naked-today-and-so-can-you/

I just had to share. You can all thank me later.

Fancy, new, more transparent government

I'm liking the new whitehouse.gov website. And apparently, one of Obama's top priorities was to make presidential records more accessible to the people on whose behalf the President is supposed to serve. Finally, the travesty that was Bush's Executive Order 13233 has been repealed, and the public may get the chance to see what Reagan was up to during Iran-Contra, eight years later than we were supposed to.

Really, one of the things that most impressed me with Obama as a candidate was that he emphasized first getting the government to be run in a more accountable manner, and then focusing on the actual policies that it should implement. This is a good sign that not only won't they be making the same mistakes that the Bush Administration did, they won't be able to operate in the secrecy that made it possible to make those mistakes.

Three Hours Left

Of the Bush Administration.

Good fucking riddance.

Yep, I'm weak-willed

Made it all the way to two days without booze. I was only trying for close to a week. But, fuck it all, I ain't complaining.

Fucking Layout Bullshit

Had a nice layout going, but it was too narrow to show all my pictures, so I tried to fix that, and Blogger told me I could revert without losing my settings, but no, everything got fucked up. Fuck computers, when I get this back like I want it, I'm writing this shit down on paper. Blogger can't erase paper.

OK, on edit, I've got the old layout back, and managed to widen stuff, but the pictures are still stuck as skinny crops of their beautiful original selves.

Well, I'm a genius, I got it to work.

A Day In My Life, Circa Oct. 2005 (in pictures)

Way back when, I decided to document a day in my life, with some sort of vague idea for a blog post like this to show it off to whatever minuscule fraction of the world might care. Now, over three years later, I've got a place to do so. Might as well record this for posterity before I forget what everything in the pictures is.

OK, start of the day, as you can tell, I'm a huge morning person. Hallway of my old apartment in Central Square, my beautiful Serotta on the wall ready to go. Someday it'll ride again:


Biking down Storrow Drive. Always a thrill. Can't recall how I got off of it, those left hand exits suck:


Newbury Street. I still remember that I was heading to 137 Newbury, even though it was three years ago, and I can never remember to even take out the trash. Fucking memory:


Talking on the Nextel in front of One Boston Place, back when we used the front door. I, as you might be able to tell, worked for Breakaway at the time. And I don't know what's up with the facial hair. Must have gotten lazy with the sideburns trimming:


And now here I am in front of 101 Arch. Exciting stuff, I know:


Inside 101 Arch. I've seen this shown on maps as Bussey Place, but it's clearly not an actual street anymore (being indoors and all):


Cambridge Street, near MGH. Yet another Boston construction project going on. Let's all feign surprise:


The elevator at Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary. Notice the floors go L, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, S, M, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Friggin' M floor, pain the ass that place was:


I must be faking this. I've never been this happy to be at Mass Eye & Ear:


This is the view from somewhere in the upper floors of 10 High St. Waiting for the elevator back down:


Cash Job!! Plus tip, if I recall correctly:


Spent my tip money on coffee. If I had to guess, in Winthrop Square:


The one and only Hans Poot. Drinking the bourgeois coffee, also in Winthrop Square.


Mirrored elevator ceiling, 22 Boston Wharf Rd. This is the second attempt at this, the first sucked even worse:


Boston Design Center. When this building was built (1919, give or take a few) it was the largest warehouse in the world. The Soviets built a bigger one in the 1930s. I hate the Soviets:


The new (at the time) Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. It's, um, big and stuff:


This elevator was out of order for months. I believe Boston Wharf Company was selling off several buildings and had stopped bothering to maintain them. I can't recall the exact address of this one, Congress St., even number, around 380.


Somehow, I've jumped over to Northern Ave., with the USDC on the right. Nice little train tracks right in the middle. I don't know if all these skewed horizon shots are for artistic purposes or due to having been shot while riding a bike:


Me in front of International Place. Say what you will about Philip Johnson, the guy paid attention to the details and materials used like very few architects have managed. Also, again, it's just odd for me to have all this facial hair in all those non-sideburns places:


A reprise of Hans Poot (not his real name, incidentally), Oliver Street, heading, for whatever reason back towards International Place. The building at far right, now the Langham Hotel (and at the time Le Meridien Hotel), was originally the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. On the left, from left, is 260 Franklin (designed by Stubbins and Associates, who, being a Breakaway client, might easily have ended up in this set of pictures themselves), 265 Franklin, and International Place. On the right, after the hotel, is 225 Franklin, one of the first skyscrapers built in Boston after they loosened up their height restrictions in the '60s or so. And, shockilgly enough, there's construction going on:


I no longer recall where this is. But it's a self-portrait of my left (?) hand and foot in the reflection in an elevator:


Look at the beautiful bike parked at 75 State Street:


Back at One Boston Place, it's Nate Puffer, truly a prince among men:


Sneaking through the Fidelity alley, who do I find but Josh and Tom having a liquid lunch. This is Boston, that's how we roll:


This is the Pilot House. Most useless caption ever:


Going up the one hill in Downtown Boston, Beacon Hill. This is Beacon Street. One Beacon at far right, followed by 11 Beacon and the XV Beacon Hotel on that side of the street. 73 Tremont and 6 Beacon on the left side. Camera tilted at odd angles to everything for, uh... artistic purposes:


I'm such a rebel. This picture was taken while riding my bike past that point:


Look, it's the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston next to a picture of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Incidentally, another building by Stubbins and Associates:


Lunch time, finally. Al Capone's may not be anything to write home about quality-wise, but huge portions for the price. I still kinda miss the old location on Broad Street with no seating and pigeons walking in and out the doors, but life moves on:


Winthrop Square. Howie foils my attempt at stealth photography:


Wrong way down Lincoln Street. Weggie's is still around (red canopy on the left, if you don't know it) at the time. Yeah, The Corner Pub is cool and all, but I miss Weggie's:


Ah, the Big Dig. Remember the Big Dig? Don't you miss the Big Dig? Yeah, me neither. I was hoping to capture the flimsiness of the section at the the very top and a bit right of center, where you see the jersey barriers. That section of road seemed to be simply a metal plate bridging a gap of at least ten feet. But I never did get a good view of it:


Trying to reach Murphy, who was probably busy lecturing someone else about how they should keep the airwaves clear of extraneous chatter. I hate Nextel so much:


Delivering a tube of toner to 90 Canal Street. I should really just apologize for wasting your time with crap like this, but I won't:


Longfellow Place (thinking back, 14th floor, must have been Flavin Architects, I think that would mean 4 Longfellow Place, but don't hold me to it). Look at all those buttons. But no 13 (also no M or S floors, unlike some other ridiculous buildings I can think of):


19-25 Staniford St., possibly the ugliest building in Boston. Designed by, among others, Paul Rudolph, who was dean of the Yale School of Architecture (and not an actual practicing architect), this brutalist monstrosity was originally supposed to fill the entire block and include a 20-30 story tower, but public outcry was overwhelmingly of the opinion that the blight that is this building needed to be stopped. Somewhere inside, in the mental hospital part of the building, there's apparently the old chapel room, where a patient incinerated herself, and the room's been closed off since then. At least we don't have to walk through the metal detector to stand back in the same place just to deliver to Alien Labor anymore. OK, enough ranting:


I'm at 3 Center Plaza, looking at Government Center. Wish I had centered this better:


I think this one speaks for itself. 101 Federal Street, if, by some odd chance, someone was wondering:


I believe we this is 255 State Street. This was back in the old days when you had to swipe the card yourself, not like now, when you just tap it to the target. Kids today, they don't know how easy they have it:


Yeah, this picture just sucks. But, well, I've got the coffee in one hand, the camera in another, and the handlebars in, well, you see the dilemma here:


The work day is over. I'm just going to let my manifest holder speak for me now:


We call this the Yellow Store. They sell booze:


Back to Winthrop Square, Martin and Chem calling (probably to the Bread office). Gotta love Martin's striped socks:


Typical Winthrop Square bullshit. Howie on the right, and perhaps a clean cut Johnnie Skids on the left (hard to tell from this angle):


Sparks. I've heard this stuff is no more, as of recently. Just one of those things to make me hate the world even more:


Stopping back at the office, there are already a few bikes here, apparently:


Jacob and Seth at the office. They've moved upstaisrs since then, but I've got some great memories from this spot:


Tequila, need I say more:


The secret location of Seth's hidden tequila stash:


Well, that's all great and everything, but soon we're in Foley's. This is Nicole, one of the true legends:


And here's Amy. I don't know how best to describe Amy, but if you know her, you love her, or you're just a douchebag. That's really all there is to that:


Jen is apparently telling me a secret. I'm often good at keeping secrets, as I'm often too drunk to remember them. I ought to Photoshop this so that my teeth look reasonably white:


And, lastly, the Ballerina (note: don't let assholes like us know that you took a ballet lesson once) let me sleep on his couch, which was within walking distance of Foley's. Before I passed out, I got this last shot of myself:


Well, that was a day in my life, sometime in late October of 2005. The next morning, I woke up and it was snowing. That sucked, as I was unprepared. But, obviously, I survived.

So that was then. One of these days I think I'll do a sequel. Now that I've got somewhere to put it, why the hell not.