Sunday, June 4, 2023

Is Heaven a one-way street?

So, is the path to Heaven a one-way street? It appears so to me after I spotted Marietta First Baptist Church ... on Church Street ... which just happens to be one-way only. I lucked out (or perhaps was blessed) with the lighting and wispy clouds. The church property covers an entire block, so the back side of the building is also on a one-way street, which oddly enough is going in the opposite direction. So, I've answered my own question ... apparently there is more than just one path to Heaven.



Saturday, June 3, 2023

Thursday, May 25, 2023

Jurassic Dark

See what I did there with the title? Jurassic DARK … as in Low Key. Get it? Okay, so I’m the only one chuckling. It’s not the first time and most likely will not be the last time that I’m the only one laughing to myself. Anyway, the title may be the best part of this week’s "Low Key" challenge for me. Don’t get me wrong, I do like the lighting and detail on my dinosaur looking lizard buddy, but … the title just slays me. I mean, come on … Jurassic DARK!!! Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

 


Friday, May 19, 2023

Saturday, May 13, 2023

The September of My Years

So, I think to myself, “Details is the challenge this week, so I’ll just grab my ol’ macro lens and shoot me some flowers.” Which I did. Then, at a local festival on Friday, I noticed this interesting looking older gentleman. I say older because he looked about my age. The beard, the weathered face. I can relate. The details of his life are unknown to me, but his life experiences are vividly displayed on his face. My mind wanders about how fast life is flying by. 

♫ One day you turn around, and it's summer ... Next day you turn around, and it's fall ... And the springs and the winters of a lifetime ... Whatever happened to them all ♫ -- "The September of My Years" - Frank Sinatra



Wednesday, May 10, 2023

Ut-oh!

That moment you realize that eating at Taco Bell before a long hike in the woods was probably a really, really bad idea.



Monday, May 8, 2023

Hibiscus Stigma

After a quick sun shower early this morning, I swear I heard the hibiscus say to me ... "Mr. DeSpiff, I'm ready for my close-up."



Friday, May 5, 2023

How I got into radio

What did you want to do after leaving high school or graduating from college?  Did you achieve your dream or go in a totally different direction?  What’s your story?  Here is mine.

While in high school, a career in radio was the furthest thing from my mind.  It was the mid-60s, the Space Race with the Russians was in high gear, and I wanted to be part of it.  I was always good at math and science, so I decided being an aeronautical engineer would be a great way to join the team at NASA in their quest to put a man on the moon and travel to the stars.  Heck, I even had not one, but two slide rules.  I breezed through Algebra, Geometry and Advanced Algebra.  I went to summer school before my senior year to take Solid Geometry and Trigonometry in order to take a college level Calculus class before graduating high school.  But then it happened.  Calculus stopped me faster than a bug hitting my 66 Mustang’s window at 70mph.  I was completely lost.  What’s a science/math geek to do?  It’s obvious … change my career plans to … RADIO?  Let me explain.  I was a huge St. Louis Cardinals baseball fan growing up.  I would listen (on my transistor radio) to Jack Buck and Harry Caray call the games on KMOX.  I love baseball and thought I too could become a play-by-play announcer.  So, I somehow convinced my parents that by attending “Career Academy of Famous Broadcasters” in Milwaukee, that in a few short months I would become the next Vin Scully.  (I’m sure that I showed Mom and Dad some mathematical formula proving my theory.)  Well, the sports announcer thing did not pan out (that is another story,) but after graduating from Career Academy, I did land a job in radio in a small midwestern town.  And although I did not achieve my dream of shooting for the stars, I did manage to rub elbows with the stars of stage, screen, sports, and Rock’n Roll.  What a rocket ride it has been.

Spiff (I sucked at calculus) Carner


Monday, May 1, 2023

Operator

♫ Operator ... Oh, could you help me place this call? You see the number on the matchbook is old and faded ... ♫





Saturday, April 29, 2023

Green Anole


 

Blue Hour

 


Crystal Mic

Thanks "Friends of Georgia Radio." The Crystal Mic looks great on my bookshelf.


Typo?

Finally found a device that does not wrongly finish sentences for me when composing a message.



In Days of Old

Harken back to the days of old, when film cameras ruled and drive-through Fotomats turned negatives into amazing prints. When I first saw the retro Nikon Zfc, I had to have it. The look, the feel … the KNOBS! My mind raced back to my first SLR. Yes, the Zfc is digital, but doesn’t look like it. 

This week it happened. I got a new Zfc and my first outing with it drew several comments that led to discussions about film cameras, dark rooms, and the dreaded wait time for prints to arrive in the mail. Would the prints turn out fine? … or …“Ooh, I really underexposed that shot.” And … “I sure didn’t see Uncle Ernie making faces in the background of that photo of mom.”