Photography is not a crime

Bus Stop 1
Originally uploaded by Theorris

Since I bought my beloved digital single-lens reflex camera around 3 years or so ago, I've had several occasions when I've been approached by rent-a-cops (aka private security officers) telling me that I am not allowed to photograph at a particular location, or that, indeed, public photography and photographing anyone in public is not legal. My camera has also been barred from various concerts and conferences as being "too professional" (as if "professional" is a noun that can take on a degree.)

Now most of us know that photography in a public space is completely legal, and you do not have to get releases from people who appear in your photographs while they are in public simply because the courts have ruled over the years that there is absolutely no expectation of privacy when you are out in public. In other words, you can't suddenly claim privacy when you are out in the open a decidedly un-private location.

Given that I'm tired of being accused of 1) violator of people's (assumed) privacy and 2) being some sort of professional photographer, I went out and bought me a nice little Nikon point & shoot for my birthday. As the camera is smaller than my cell phone, and takes pretty decent pictures, I think I will be able to carry it most places and not have to worry about some schmoe deciding he needs to enforce his non-existent authority on me.

I still have my old camera, of course, and plan on taking plenty of pictures with it. This new wee beastie just lets me expand my photo-mania to its highest extremes.

Bus Stop 3

Bus Stop 3
Originally uploaded by Theorris

Big Air

Big Air
Originally uploaded by Theorris

The 2010 U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix was held at Park City January 22 & 23, 2010. The event served as the final round of qualifiers for the U.S. Olympic Snowboarding team. I am fairly confident this is Jack Mitrani, although I didn't take notes during the competition.

Pardon Me

Love,
Theorris

New Digs: From the Porch

New Digs: From the Porch
Originally uploaded by Theorris

I took this view from my front porch a week or so ago when we had a particularly good sunset and before the inversion smog beset the Salt Lake valley. For those of you foreign to mountain valleys, an inversion forms when cold air (usually created by snow on the ground) is trapped in the valley like a bowl, and wind does very little to clear it out. Think of putting cold molases in a bowl and attempting to get that out by just running cold water over the top of it.

While inversion is a natural phenomenon, there is an unfortunate side effect of trapping all the pollutants spewed out by human devices in the cold air. This pollution is the main reason I refuse to drive. Although that is a difficult choice in this modern age, and I have taken to using a car-sharing program, in times like this I am reminded that we all need to do our part to eliminate needless pollution.

Of course all my consternation about pollution is thrown into sharp relief because I'm probably going to buy a car in the next few months. One thing is certain, however: I shall never commute via car to work again.

Utah Girl!

Awesome to the max!

New Digs: Tiki Lounge!

New Digs: Tiki Lounge!
Originally uploaded by Theorris

Why you ask? Why the hell not?

The only requirement for using the tiki lounge (aka the downstairs half-bath) is that you must hula when you flush the john. Leighs are optional, although I have several to choose from in the lounge.

New Digs: Shrine of the Green Man

New Digs: Shrine of the Green Man
Originally uploaded by Theorris

This arrangement of my rag-tag fleet of plants was a happy accident. At my old place, I was cleaning up the front room when my last housemate moved out and all the plants ended up on top of the crate they are sitting on. They looked good that way, so I kept them that way in the Wilhelm. When I moved in here, I determined to re-create the "shrine." It sure makes for easy watering.

The crate they are sitting on, by the way, is a bit of movie memerobilia. It was in the movie "The World's Fastest Indian" starring Anthony Hopkins. Old housemate Lucas made it and collected it off the set when the shoot wrapped.

New Digs: Kitchen with a View

New Digs: Kitchen with a View
Originally uploaded by Theorris

Although you can't see it in this picture, the kitchen does have a view of the Wasatch. It is pleasant to sit here in the morning and eat breakfast with such a view. As I will be leaving the house in pitch black starting tomorrow, I won't be able to enjoy that again until mid-March or so on regular weekdays.

Ah well: I have to afford the place, so such sacrifices are worth it.

New Digs: La Cocina

New Digs: La Cocina
Originally uploaded by Theorris

Here I am in my new kitchen. I have to thank an old girlfriend for showing me that I could cook. Basically my learning to whip up tasty meals was motivated, like most things, by money. I was a fiscally poor academic and could not afford the restaurant bills. I found that with a little work I could create food better than most of the restaurants we were going to.

Cooking is a science of satisfaction for me. I'm not saying that to brag or anything, but am stating an indisputable fact: I gain a great deal of satisfaction out of being able to take raw ingredients and make them into something that is good and good for you. I certainly hope others who consume the food do too.

All right, who wants to come to dinner?

Hah.

My Art! My Art!

My Art! My Art!
Originally uploaded by Theorris

This set is by my front door in the front room of my new digs. All have been previously imaged, but to be a completist, the piece on the wall on top is "The Myth of Sisyphus" by SLC artist/photographer cum film impresario Derek Mellus. The tentacle was made by ex-SLC artist Camilla Taylor. I threw in one of my own photos in the back there, but on the silvery platter is a print by also SLC artist Jason Jones. The pottery is by Mary, a previous love-of-my-life. The wood box and the mail holder in the back are by my brothers and the bookcase holding it all together was made by and old friend of mine, Glen, who I haven't seen hide nor hair of in years.

The candle is by Albertsons.

New Digs

New Digs
Originally uploaded by Theorris

This is the south half of the front room. A couch that needs cleaning and is currently in my garage will be placed to my right. A Catinlap original hangs just out of shot on the wall to my right as well. On the back wall is a Great Salt Lake photo photo by Charles Uibel, one of my own, and an lcd photo frame with pictures I've taken of the Great Salt Lake.

I will post more when I get the gumption.

Whew

I'm making pretty good progress on my move-in to the new place. Will have pictures for your entertainment when this new house, which I have begun to think of as an art piece, is finished.

Thanks to Counterintuative, Catinlap, The Croin, and Middlebrow for helping out in the move. We were a well oiled machine and even managed to get a couch upstairs though an impossibly narrow stairway! Middlebrow came up with the notion of a new reality tv show that featured movers and/or people moving and the nearly-impossible feats of fitting things into places where they should not be able to go or taking things out of places where they could not possibly get out of. I think it would be an excellent addition to the Discovery Channel and would be quite instructive. Perhaps it should go on PBS. Nah--PBS couldn't handle the swearing that all moving inevitably involves, even if bleeped out.