A.J.'s  Blog

I Miss My Thai Haircuts (July 28, 2024)

Wow, I won't find this in Utah! (click here)

 Back to Utah  (July 19, 2024)

Why I left Thailand and moved back to Utah  (click here)

How Critical is Having a Mate?  (April 23, 2024)

A decisive element to emotional survival  (click here)

How Do I Level My Photos?  (Apr. 14, 2024)

Using level bubbles and guidelines  (click here)

Canoe Country  (Feb. 18, 2024)

My experience on this quiet little lake (click here)

The Most Beautiful Girls in the World  (Jan. 31, 2024)

Where will you find them?  (click here)

How to be Happy  (Nov. 26, 2023)

What makes people happy?  (click here)

How to Use Changing Light  (Aug.20, 2023)

Want better photos? Work with the light  (click here)

University Days  (May 31, 2023)

I completed my running story, adding 3 pages that outline my university days  (click here)

Happy Easter!  (April 9, 2022)

A few photos I took in the Bangkok area leading up to Easter (click here)

 A Sense of Urgency  (Mar. 19, 2023)

I have expanded on a topic I covered ten years ago and deleted it from the listing below (click here)

How to Take a Good Photo  (Feb. 19, 2029)

A step by step description on how I created this photo
(click here)

New Icons on My Home Page  (Feb. 9, 2023)

Created four new thumbnails on my home page to make it easier for someone to learn more about these topics without looking all over my website to find them. The thumbnails were copied from my "About the Artist" page and you can still find the originals on that page as well.  (click here)

Fall Colors in Patterns (Jan. 14, 2023)

In the western mountains we get fall colors not seen in the east  (click here)

New Gallery  (Nov. 13, 2022)

Sorry I have been a bit quiet lately, I have been busy building a new gallery, which will consist of 16 new photos and 4 duplicate photos from other galleries. I expect to finish before next weekend, or for sure before Thanksgiving, Watch for its release in the column to the right.

Midnight Shadow  (Sept. 25, 2022)

As I try to sleep, suddenly I notice a shadow in my bedroom window.  (click here)

Mother  (Aug. 28, 2022)

The poem that I wrote for my mother on mother's Day  (click here)

The Perfect Brother  (Aug. 1, 2022)

On a sheet of paper my cousin hands me  his perspective of my father  (click here)

Chess: My Upward Climb  (July 12, 2022)

I have updated the first and last page of my chess story to reflect my recent climb to a 2046 rating on chess.com. I am now in the top one per 1000 active players. As always, to see these changes you will need to either clear your browser history or refresh each page, otherwise your device will just show you the same old cached pages again  (click here)

I Was an Orthodontist's Nightmare  (June 28, 2022)

What if you had to fix my teeth to pass your state exam?  (click here)

The Power of Information  (May 22, 2022)

I published 3 more pages to my running story. Since this finishes high school does that mean I graduated a second time?   (click here)

A Strong Work Ethic   (May 10, 2022)

See how fast I ran the mile as a 16 year old in the Junior Olympics  (click here)

Frostbite  (May 8, 2022)

How I got frostbite while running for an hour, even though I had sweats and gloves on  (click here)

Running From the Dog  (April 3, 2022)

Still writing in chronological order, I added a page to my running story  (click here)

The Lockdowns Sent Me to Emergency  (March 7, 2022)

Sorry, I was not able to release my new gallery. I was in the hospital all last week  (click here)

My First Date   (Jan. 31, 2022)

The only date I ever went on in high school  was to this prom (click here)

Happy New Year!  (Jan. 1, 2022)

I did get my camera out on time  (click here)

More Utah Fall  (Dec. 17, 2021)

If you love fall colors, but didn't get out much this past fall, you are sure to enjoy my brand new gallery (click here) It touts seventeen new images. (If you're having trouble finding a few of my  "Utah" photos, three of them were moved here as well.) If you just can't get enough of these fall colors be sure to savor my already existing "Utah Fall" and my "Autumn in the Northeast". As always, your travels will go much smoothly if you clear your browser history first.

Wild Turkey for Thanksgiving  (Nov. 22, 2021)

Be sure to stay with this story. The punchline is hilarious. (click here)

He Is Still With Me  (Oct. 25, 2021)

This story tells about the days following the death of my dog, Tecumseh, and how he never really left  me  (click here)

Will I Make Front Page Chess News?  (Sept. 26, 2021)

After resolving some issues with my chess game I might be on track to become the oldest person to ever become a chess master.  (click here)

Persons of Interest  (Aug. 30, 2021)

Recently I asked a friend of mine if he had seen my website. He asked me to remind him what it was about. When I told him at the heart of my website was my nature photography, he responded that he would be more interested if it were photos of people. I have always been planning a gallery of human interest and I knew that he was not alone in his feelings, so I decided to put a first priority on that, finally releasing it today as my "Persons of Interest" gallery, a title that humorusly plays on the phrase used in crime movies when the police want to question someone they think might know something about the case.  Please notice that I put a lot of time into writing comments and/or stories for every photo in this gallery. (click here)

Letters to Paul   (Aug. 24, 2021)

I have started a new series wherein I share with you my letters to my brother, Paul. These are letters in which I help him and give him advice about his photography.  (click here)

Shooting Rabbits   (July 22, 2021)

Before I became a kinder, gentler man, if you had lived right in the middle of my town I may have shot a rabbit in your front yard.   (click here)

How Running Built My Self Esteem  (June 22, 2021)

I have added two pages to my running story. The first is about my sophomore year and how our football coach built a better track team (click here) while the second is how running helped me to feel better about myself (click here)

What Life is All About  (May 27, 2021)

Since my college days I have been meaning to put these reflections in writing  (click here)

Using Contrast for Better Photos  (April 25, 2021)

With today's photo I have included comments that will help you to take better photos.  (click here)

Freshman Endeavors  (March 14, 2021)

Running my freshman year and my brother being sent to the Viet Nam war  (read here)

Reach for the Sun!  (Feb. 10, 2021)

My endangered dove understands how important it is to get sufficient sunlight  (read here)

My Food Storage  (Feb. 6, 2021)

High in the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming it is a tough winter for handsome little squirrels  (read here)

My Chess Story   (Jan. 16, 2021)

I have redesigned my chess page which has now tells my full chess story from childhood. The video includes a sound track which gives a lesson in time management.  (click here)

My Winter Photography  (Dec. 5, 2020)

If you haven't yet seen my new Holiday Season song (featuring the stirring lead vocal of Athalie) it shows off my winter photography in a way you have never seen it before, and includes four photos never before released for public view (click here)

What's Coming?  (Nov. 13, 2020)

I just published the French Horn version of my song "One More Day". (click here) and by Thanksgiving (Nov. 26) I hope to publish my Christmas song which I feel you will want to share with all of your friends. I also have been working on two new galleries that I hope to open within the next two weeks. I missed my post last weekend because I have been so busy with all these new things, so keep your eyes on this page for all the coming announcements!

Back in Time  (Oct. 6, 2020)

Given the choice should I live my life over? Where would I be now?  (read here)

Evaporating Waterfall  (Sept 19, 2020)

I have only ever witnessed the complete relocation of a waterfall on this solitary occasion  (read more)

Tails and Trails (Aug 23, 2020)

Last week you may have missed one of my best stories, "Tails and Trails"   (click here)

Movie Producers and Arrows (Aug 2, 2020)

Today I published a photo of a beautiful buck standing in velvet antlers and wrote about the folly of the movies (click here)

Blight of the Maples (July 12, 2020)

Yesterday I released a new photo and included some comments, but since then I have researched the subject and written much better comments. If you saw the story yesterday don't forget to refresh your browser or you will just get the same old page again  (click here)

My Retirement Farm  (June 20, 2020)

You can have any kind of retirement home you desire, but you will need a residency permit  (read more)

Beautiful Women: Thailand  (June 3, 2020)

If you have seen this gallery before, I recommend that you clear your browser history  (read more)

Mother's Miracle   (May 24, 2020)

What do you think, should they canonize my mother a saint? (click here)

Sam, Sam  (The Thailand Cave Rescue)  April 30, 2020

This song, which I first started writing 20 months ago, is sure to touch a soft spot in your heart  (click here)

Photographing the Moon (April 25, 2020)

Some of the intimate details of how I work (click here)

Do I Photoshop?  (April 2, 2020)

Some people feel that I must have photoshopped all my photos (click here)

My Miracle Dog  (March 13, 2020)

Take a look around and you will see that our lives are full of miracles   (click here) 

How I Won an Airplane  (Feb. 14, 2020)

I opened two new chapters on my "About the Artist" page including this story about my first mile run  (click here)

Help Me! I Can't Hear My Own Song!  (Jan. 19, 2020)

I was just over 30 years old when I had my ears tested and and found that I had lost 25% of my hearing for the  (click here)

"My Maserati Does 185"   (Dec. 16, 2019)

As I get chauffeured around Bangkok  by taxi drivers, I sit in the back with the doors locked, which frequently (click here)

TSA Needs Reform  (Nov. 17, 2019)

Just minutes after I touched down on American soil I ran into problems. My flight lifted off at Seoul  and landed  (click here)

Shots Not Heard  (Sept. 11, 2019)

I have released my song "Shots Not Heard" (click here) which was inspiredy by my true short story of the same name (click here)

The Big Squeeze  (Aug. 31, 2019)

I inadvertantly outflanked these deer, cutting off their escape route to the mountains, making them appear  (click here)

Thousands of Swans   (Aug. 11, 2019)

Like a winding road out to the lake this inlet feebly replen-ishes some of its evaporating water. If you look  (click here)

Tecumseh Wins a Trophy  (July 21, 2019)

From the time that I brought Tecumseh home as a puppy I could see  that he was an exceptionally intelligent  (click here)

Little House in the Field  (June 16, 2019)

For seven years Tecumseh and I lived in a house at the end of a long driveway. It was small, only about  (click here)

Don't Pull My Hair Out!  (May 28, 2019)

Added a page to my dove story (click here)

Birds and Emotions  (May 1, 2019)

I once had a roomate move in with me who had just seperated from his wife. Perhaps the emotional turmoil he  (click here)

Buried Treasure  (April 5, 2019)

I sent my first song to my mixer about two weeks ago, but he was on his way out the door for a long vacation  (click here)

The Tracker  (March 28, 2019)

From the time Tecumseh was three months old I took him to the mountains with me. Because he was still such   (click here)

Official Music Page  (March 4, 2019)

I have created a page where my songs will be released and where you can get updates and read about my music (click here)

Dove, I Dub Thee  (Jan. 20, 2019)

There was a problem with one of the links in my dove stories. If you clear your browsing history or refresh your pages you now should have no problem clicking through from page 1 to page 10 and back. In todays's story my endangered dove gets a name  (read here)

Christmas Images  (Dec. 22, 2018)

In the spirit of the Holidays, each weekend I have been posting beautiful snowscapes to my Utah gallery and will continue to do so until January. If you are still looking for something to email to your freinds, share the first page of my Utah gallery. The first six photos are from Utah's winter wonderland, and if your friends continue through the entire gallery they will see many additional images painted in Utah's dreamy snow.  (click here)

Out Pacing the Traffic  (Nov. 30, 2018)

Over the years taxi drivers here in Bangkok have kept me informed, based on the latest report, as to whether  (click here)

Remembering Strawberry Fields Forever  (Oct.29, 2018)

Thais love strawberries. I find that surprising since any of the strawberries I can find here, from nightmarkets  ( click here )

Not Scientifically Possible  (Oct. 1, 2018)

I laugh when people complain about how much hair their labs or their their beagles shed. They might want to  ( click here )

Olympic Rower Waits for Ducklings   (July 31, 2018)

Australian Olympic rower Bobby Pierce was leading in the quarterfinals  of the 1928 Summer Olympics in  ( click here )

My Sixth Sense  (July 1, 2018)

When my brother was in the Air Force he came home on leave and was in great distress because a girl had   ( click here )

Friends Since Puppyhood  (June 10, 2018)

One dark night I took Tecumseh for a walk on the golf course that spread through the hills just a few hundred ( click here )

200 Rabbits Keep Me Running  (May 14, 2018)

One beautiful Sunday morning my mother brought home two pink-eyed baby white rabbits, an Easter present  (click here)

I Quit Smoking When I Was Five  (Jan.6, 2018)

My father was a chain smoker, he smoked about three packs of cigrarettes a day and coughed so hard that it  (click here)

Happy Holidays!  (Dec. 24, 2017)

I created a short holiday video of the decorations at the EmQuartier including a gigantic polar bear (click here)

Men in Chocolate Coats  (Dec. 18, 2017)

Maybe someone up above is just protecting me, but any food that I would sell my soul for seems to ( click here to read )

Optimist or Pessimist?  (Nov. 19, 2017)

On each of my last three visits to the U.S. I have dropped my camera and damaged my lens. ( click here to read )

Back from the U.S.A.  (Oct. 29, 2017)

Last week I endured that long flight across the Pacific Ocean returning to Thailand from the U.S. In Utah a heavy snow storm hit the mountains while all the trees were still laden with green leaves. That gave me some very precious moments with my camera. Flying with my photography equipment and my computer bag, it was too much to carry my guitar overseas, but I still enjoyed many rewarding sessions, as my friend, Hank, and his wife, Bia, took me to a swap meet where I found a small well kept guitar for a mere $15. While in Pennsylvania I accompanied my brother, Paul, whom I think knows every eagle in the northwestern part of the state. I got an incredible shot of a bald eagle lifting off the top of a hemlock tree and the very next day I was rewarded  with a similar image of an osprey.

Chess Victory Over a Grandmaster!  (Aug.16, 2017)

A few days ago I was online with the Internet Chess Club seeking a 30 minute game. While I was waiting, Grandmaster Nelson Mariano (Philippines) challenged me to a 15 minute game. Not only did I have the both the privilege and opportunity to play a grandmaster but I came away with the ever so memorable victory.  Twice before I have discussed my chess adventures on this blog, and you are welcome to read the entries of July 29, 2015 and April 23, 2014, but I believe this is the first time I have ever set to rest the king of a grandmaster.

Where Are You Going?   (May 28, 2017)

Have you ever been in another country and ran smack into a communication wall? One day I was on a bus (click here)

The Stingy White Heron  (April 1, 2017)

About two weeks ago  I wrote a story for this blog about the White Heron I have been photographing from my balcony, but then I decided to try something new. I created a YouTube wherein you have the option to read and/or listen to the story. (click here)

Motorcycles and Wheel Chairs  (March 12, 2017)

In Bangkok there millions of motorcycles buzzing around on the streets and they go everywhere, in between the cars, on the sidewalks, up the road in the wrong direction, and they really don't mind ignoring the traffic laws. click here to read more

A Mosquito Puts Me in the Hospital  (Feb. 18, 2017)

At 4:00 a.m. this morning one of this country's vexatious insects put me in the hospital. When I first came to Thailand I noticed that my friend had a strict policy of  keeping his doors click here to read more

Kidnapped from my Carport  (Jan. 29, 2017)

I was asleep in the upper deck of my camper which was parked in my carport. A thief crept into my camper during the night and started driving it away and down the road, with me  in the upper deck bouncing awake. Even if I wanted to try to overcome the theif, as long as my camper was moving I had no access to the driver's cab. I fumbled for my phone, and several times tried to swipe it on so that I could call the police, but either I was still too sleepy or the road too bumpy. After the third time my phone finally came on. At that moment I woke up and found myself on a bus bouncing down a highway in Thailand. In the middle of the night I had drifted to sleep and my dream had inserted a little creativity into my actual circumstances.  I leaned back in my seat and breathed a sigh of relief as the bus  continued accelerating into the darkness ahead.

Merry Christmas  (Dec. 18, 2016)

How is Christmas celebrated in a Buddhist country like Thailand? All the malls here have Christmas trees, and in the 13 years I have been here I have seen the Christmas decorations grow and take a more prominent hold, though I don't see anything about Christ in the decorations, just lots of Santas and reindeer and snowmen. Few people know what Christmas is about. Of course, the malls have promoted Christmas, they stand to make more money from the celebration. Traditionally Thais give presents to each other on New Year's Day, but I think more and more people are also giving gifts on Christmas Day. When I first came to Thailand I taught English in a Catholic School. About Christmas time I would teach the Christmas vocabulary, everything from "Santa Claus"  to "presents". Of course, the list wouldn't be complete without "Jesus Christ". As I came to the centerpiece of the Christmas celebration I held up a flash card and had the class repeat, "Jesus Christ", and then I asked if anyone knew who Jesus Christ was. Twenty-five students per room, yet classroom after classroom no one could answer. They were attending a Catholic school and a crucifix of Christ was at the front of every classroom above the whiteboard. Not even one student pointing and asking "Is that him?" In all fairness, even though it was a Catholic school most of the students were Buddhists. Their parents sent them here only because it was the best private school in the area, not because it was a Catholic school. Still, I found it peculiar that not one student could tell me who Jesus Christ was. Perhaps that explains why yesterday as I walked by a couple of shops in front of my residence I noticed that each of them had decorated their front window with "Merry Xmas". As a child I was taught that replacing "Christ" with an "X" is taking the "Christ" out of "Christmas". Even if you don't believe in Christ I think you can understand that it is like taking the "father" out of "Father's Day" or the "Buddha" out of "Makha Bukha Day". Don't mistake me for a religious person. To me family and friends and those around you are the center of all religion. Whether or not you are Christian, you have to agree that everything Jesus did was about how you treat and deal with other people. It is my hope that everyone will find family and friends to share this Holiday Season with!

Heron Lake  (Dec. 3, 2016)

Early one morning in New Zealand's Milford Sound I spent quite a bit of time photographing a White Heron. I felt I was getting some unique photos with him, some of which were quite impressive. Later I found that he was so entrenched as a regular that the locals had a name for him, "Henry". I now have a White Heron at the pond that is within view of my balcony here in Bangkok, and I'm wondering if I should give him a name. (Maybe he already has a name. Maybe Henry became so attached to me that he followed my plane all the way back to Bangkok.) While I watch him looking for meals, which I believe are tadpoles or other small reptiles, occasionally I observe people casting their fishing poles and have had some real doubt. The pond had completely dried out during the last hot season, and there are no streams either entering or exiting, so where would the fish come from? So part of me thought these people were pretty naive, while the other part of me said, "They are locals, they know more about this than I do." (And remember the fish I made a video of wiggling down the road at least 100 feet from the nearest pond?) I even watched a couple of guys lay nets around the edge of this small lake and then come back the next day to check them. One day I could see that a guy clearly had caught something, but was it a fish, a frog, or a monitor lizard? From my balcony I took a photo with my 500 mm lense. Once I zoomed in on the photo I could see that he clearly had a fish in his plastic bag. Although the setting isn't as remarkable as Milford Sound, I have enjoyed capturing some photos of my White Heron. I also have a video of him shaking his feet and stirring up the mud to try and frighten little pond critters into revealing their whereabouts. You can see a photo of him on my Facebook page (click here)

The Spirit Bear  (Nov 6, 2016)

In the Great Bear Rain Forest of British Columbia there roams to this day the legendary spirit bear, which is a white bear that was perceived by the First American tribes as so rare and so sacred that if they saw one they should not tell anyone, but should keep it a secret to themselves. That secrecy was probably the only reason this unique species of bear survived the great fur trapping years. This is not an albino bear. It is actually a black bear that carries a mutated gene, which some say was developed during the ice age. If both parents have the recessive gene the cub will be born white or cream, the same color as a polar bear. It's qutie interesting, since a black mother can have two white cubs, while a white mother can have two black cubs. Studies show that the white bears catch more salmon. Some speculate that they are better camouflaged because to the salmon in the stream they look like clouds over the water. So I guess if the salmon are expecting a little relief from the sun, that's what they will get, their shades pulled down!

The King of Thailand  (Oct. 14, 2016)

Yesterday King Bhumibol Adulyadej passed away. I asked a few of my Thai friends if they were sad, and they replied that they were "very sad". One of my Thai friends told me she cried all night long. Perhaps it will be easier for my American friends to relate to mourning the loss of a leader when they think of John F. Kennedy. When he died the entire country went into shock even though we had only known him as our president for two years. King Bhumibol has been king of Thailand for 70 years. That means almost the entire Thai population was born after he became king and they have never known any other person as their king. During that 70 years he rolled up his sleeves and earned the love and respect of his people, traveling into the furthest reaches of his country, tracking through rice fields, and initiating thousands of projects to help the poor farmers. He was deeply loved and deeply revered, and the mourning might not completely end until the very last of his loyal subjects has gone to sleep himself.

All Banged Up   (Oct. 12, 2016)

Have you ever heard of a football team being so banged up that they are going to start their 4th string center and their 6th string running back? And many of the people they have lost are out for the rest of the season! In my decades of watching football I have never seen anything like this. This is my alma mater, The University of Utah. The coach has always told them not lament about the players that are missing, but to pick up the rifle of the fallen comrad and continue to fight. I guess his motto will run out of steam when no one is left to "pick up the rifle". They're off to a great start at 5-1, but it would make a jaw dropping story if they still win 5 more games in the second half of this season.

Rainy Season: Pedal to the Metal  (June 21, 2016)

Thailand just came out of a drought that was severe enough that the government put restrictions on the annual Songkran Water Festivities. Rainy season started about a  month ago, and now we are getting so much water that I fear if there were those who prayed for rain, perhaps they prayed a little too fervently. In my video of rainy season I said that we usually get about one storm a day, and that they "usually don't last that long." This season thus far has been anything but the usual. Just beneath my view, off of my balcony, there is a pond. Birds frequently came there for water. During this past hot season,  for the first time, it completely dried out and was nothing but a patch of dry mud. Now just the opposite is true. For the first time in the three years that I have dwelled in this neighborhood, not only has the pond completely filled in, but it has overcome the driveway that was previously used by a cement truck operation. The owner of the company must have had a pretty good fortune teller, because they just relocated about six months ago. If they were still here, their operations would have been flooded out.

My Endangered Dove (May 22, 2016)

I have started a new blog to follow the beautiful Collared Dove I have found with a broken wing. (click here)

What's Missing in My Life?  (May 14, 2016)

Johnny Carson. The night he went off the air I knew something was missing, but it's been so long I had forgotten what a role he played in my life. Did you know he started on the "Tonight Show" way back in 1962? That means I grew up with Johnny Carson on every night. Did you know his show ran for 30 years and that he walked through that curtain 5,000 times? I watched his finale tonight on YouTube, and they gave glimpses of some of the people who were on his show. I decided that everyone who ever was anyone was on his show. When Jay Leno took over, things were never the same for me. And I think everyone needs a late night show like the one Johnny put on to settle down for the night on, one that is light hearted, humorous, and sprinkled with lots of entertainers and musicians.

The Jungle Book  (Apr 16, 2016)

I read "The Jungle Book" when I was a young boy, so long ago that the only thing I could remember was that it was the story of a young boy in the jungle amidst the animals. But the one thing I did remember was that I enjoyed the book. So last night as a friend and I approached a movie board to see what was playing "The Jungle Book" seemed like a refreshing choice. Indeed we were not disappointed, and I was quite impressed with every aspect of the movie. The digitally created animals appear and move with surprising  realism, and the jungle scenes, both real and digital, were beautiful enough to make me want to be there. The story was delightful and filled with everything from action to humor. If you go to see this movie, whatever you do, don't leave as soon as the story is over. Even the credits will entertain you with a bucket full of originality and creative genius.

Rise Above the Moon  (Mar 12, 2016)

This is the big moment! My first ever original song is here! This is the first time in any format that my music has been made available to the general public, whether by composition, as a vocalist, or a guitarist.  (click here)

Name Change and Music Video  (Mar. 8, 2016)

My music video is finished, but I still have a lot of work to do before posting it. I am planning to release my music video Saturday evening Thailand time. With that release you will see a change in my web name. I will retain my first name, Al, but will no longer use "Joseph" in conjunction with my web name. My video is akin to a whole new gallery and even better, since not only will I be published singing and playing guitar for the first time, but 19 new photos will be revealed.

Happy New Year! (Jan. 1, 2016)

I hope you had a great time last night, and I hope 2016 brings you nothing but the very best! To see where I was last night, my new YouTube at Central World Plaza in Bangkok will give you a pretty good picture. (click here)

Merry Christmas!  (Dec. 25, 2015)

I hope this Christmas season finds you in the most joyous mood! As for myself, I unexpectedly got a Christmas present that will bring real joy into my life for a long time to come! (click to read more)

On the Streets of Chiang Mai  (Dec. 2, 2015)

I was photographing the Chiang Mai Loy Krathong parade when it began to rain. Some of us ran for cover under the overhang of a nearby cafe. I stood there with my heavy camera pack strapped to my back and  (click to read more)

Honest Again  (Nov. 3, 2015)

The other night I found a real fine looking leather coin purse at the night market, which I bought for mere baht on the dollar. I immediately slipped my keys and key card into the purse and into my pocket, and continued strolling through the market. One of the merchandise owners in front of me called out "Hey, you!" which has always rubbed me a bit rude, but he was pointing behind me, and when I looked, the woman who had sold me the coin purse had run me down and was handing me my wallet. I hadn't even realized I had left it behind. I'm usually pretty careful about my wallet, and this night it had my driver's license, credit card, and more than the usual amount of bills. It would have been more convenient for her to wait for me to come back, although who knows how many hours that may have taken, and perhaps the market would have closed in the mean time. Leaving her shop she chose to run me down and return my wallet immediately. Once again Thais demonstrated to me that most people are honest and helpful. To read other examples of this honesty, scroll down to my blog "Honesty in Bangkok" ( July 31, 2015) and "Pay it Forward" (July 23, 2014.)

Wind River Mountains  (Oct. 19, 2015)

I just returned from a six weeks in the U.S., which featured autumn in Utah's Wasatch Mountains, five days in Wyoming's Wind River Mountains, and several days in Nevada's Valley of Fire. (The latter two are places I had never been before, but for many years I have wanted to roll the balls of my feet across the soils of those sacred sanctuaries.) I returned home with over 2,700 images, including multiple photos of a Desert Bighorn Ram, a moose calf, and lots of breath-taking landscapes.

Weight Loss  (Aug 27, 2015)

After I quit teaching kindergarten I jumped from 90 kilos to 96 kilos over the next year. Teaching the little ones requires a lot of energy and a lot of activity throughout the day, and apparently helped me burn quite a few calories. Over the last three months, however, I started a regular exercise program, regular at least in the sense that I try to do something almost everyday, basketball, swimming, treadmill, bicycling, running around the buildings, or running up the stairs. Not really very much, just a few minutes, because my body still isn't used to the routine. I also have tried to trim a little bit from what I eat. No major diet changes, just a little bit less here and there. Apparently it has all been enough to make a difference, because over the last 3 months I have dropped 8 kilos (17 pounds) and at 88 kilos now weigh less than I have in years.

Bombing in Bangkok  (Aug 18, 2015)

Last night a bomb went off in downtown Bangkok killing 20 people and injuring 125 people. A second bomb went off today near another tourist attraction, as if someone is trying to destroy Thailand's already ailing economy by attacking its tourist industry. As of yet no one knows who set off the bombs, or what their motive was. How am I? And what has the effect been on me? I am still alive, that is good news. Since I never watch television (except YouTube) or listen to the radio, and I only read the Bangkok post on occasion, it took me a full day to even hear about it. Was it close to home? Yes, and no. If you watch my YouTube video "Central World New Year's Eve 2015 Fireworks" I filmed the deer with Christmas lights on it standing only the width of the street from where the bomb actually exploded, or about 25 meters (the paper reports a 100 yard blast.) Will I film Central World again this New Year's Eve? Doesn't currently seem like a wise idea. Like the protests a few years ago, however, if I stay out of the downtown area I should be fine. How do I now feel about Bangkok long term? I was already planning on returning to the U.S. next year for an extended stay but undecided as to whether it would be permanent. These kinds of things definitely help push me closer to home.

Honesty in Bangkok  (July 31, 2015)

Today I road my bicycle to the basketball court. I haven't used my i-pad for quite awhile, but I still carry the bag as a convenient place to keep my reading glasses,  a few notecards, a little money, and a few other items. This thin little bag I hung on the frame that supported the basketball rim, not likely to be stolen because even if I were to play a game it would be pretty easy to keep an eye on. It turns out that the most likely culprit to steal my bag was my own inattention to detail. After finishing up on the basketball court I stopped in a grocery store to buy a coconut and as I reached for my bag I suddenly realized that it must still be hanging on the basketball court. I ran out the door and raced my bicycle the kilometer back to the basketball court to see the basketball standard bare...no little black bag. No! It had disappeared so quickly! A man walked out from under the shade trees toward me pointing to the open door of the house across the street and telling me that they had kept the bag for me. As he approached with me he woke the elderly lady who had started to fall into a mid afternoon nap on a cot just inside the front door. She must have been sleeping with my bag, as she didn't even need to get up to hand it to me. I felt a sense of relief as I thanked them profusedly and rode off again with a confirmation of how good people can be. We always hear so much about the bad, but I still believe that most people are quite good. I have had many experiences that confirm this, and if you scroll down to "Pay it Forward" (July 23, 2014) you can read another inspiring story of human honesty.

Russian International Chess Master  (July 29, 2015)

Today I played two games over the internet with a Russian International Chess Master and won both games. In the first game I thought he resigned too quickly ( I always have liked to duke it out.) In the middle of the second game everything got stagnant, it didn't seem like either one of us could do anything without risking a loss. I did, however, notice that he was using more time than I was. He offered me a draw. I should have felt honored to be offered a draw by an International Master, but you already know my "Let's duke this out" type of response. Maybe it was his eventual time problem that caused him to drop a bishop and consequently lose. I feel pretty happy to have secured these quality wins. Just a week or so ago I was coming off of a very long losing streak and thought maybe I should quit playing for several months. Now, however, I'm ready for more. Bring them on!

Why Thailand?  (July 16, 2015)

One of the advantages of living in Thailand is that I can have two maids  come in and completely clean my living quarters for two hours for a mere 400 baht, which at the current exchange rate is $11.77 (U.S.) So today my place looks sparkly clean, as if Mr. Klean himself had paid me one of his magical visits. The bathroom floor got scrubbed, as well as the shower walls and the toilet. The balcony got washed down, the mirrors and windows got cleaned, everything got dusted and vacuumed, and the floor got waxed. Talk about spoiled! The more I write about these things and post videos of my swimming pool, I know a lot of you are thinking, "Why would you ever want to leave?"

I've Been Bitten!  (July 13, 2015)

It was a few years ago that I watched a talented band perform in the front lobby of Siam Paragon in downtown Bangkok. I was quite impressed, so two nights ago when I found that they would be performing again just down the street from me, I decided that I definitely wanted to see them. Last night I was on my way, walking on the street in front of some shrubbery in front of a car dealership when, with no sound or warning of any kind, a dog snuck up behind me and bit me behind and above the right ankle. I turned around to see him, along with his partner in crime, still in close proximity as if to continue to harass me so I attacked them as fast as I could chasing him half way through the car dealership (can you picture this? lots of laughs) and when I stopped chasing him he came back, so I chased him again. Pretty hopeless, I know that a dog, or for that matter almost any animal, a bear, a lion, a mongoose can run twice as fast as a human, so I was never going to catch him. But at least I let him know that he could not indiscriminately go around biting people. Fortunately he did not puncture my skin or otherwise wound me (except my pride, how dare he sneak up on me and bite me like that! At least meet me face to face like a man! Lol!) As it turned out the lead singer of the band was ill and another band played in their stead. I still enjoyed watching the replacement team. On the way home I had to walk past the same car dealership, so I carried a real nice looking stone with me, and this time I would only pretend to not see the dog sneaking up on me. Fortunately for him all was quiet on the Dealership Front.

My Swimming Hole  (June 21, 2015)

In my last post I talked about my swimming pool. I have been telling people about my swimming pool for a long time, but as they say, "a picture is worth a thousand words." Perhaps a video is worth 10,000 words. When I first moved into this condominium two years ago I immediately filmed most of the footage for this video, but I never published it because I felt a beautiful girl in a bikini would make the perfect finishing touch (and draw a large crowd, ha, ha!) The trouble is, the vast majority of Thai girls are much too shy to be seen on YouTube in a bikini. Oh, yes, I could have still found someone if I had put more effort into it, but after this project sat on the shelf for so long (like a million other projects I have started) a few days ago I decided to finish it up. So now, I finally present to you, "My Swimming Hole!" (click here)

Poolside After Dark  (June 7, 2015)

Late evening, sometimes after the moon comes out, I like taking my guitar out beside the swimming pool. Tonight particulary there was no one around and the water was peaceful and tranquil. There are even strategic squares where the trees are planted that I can sing and play over the water. I originally started playing poolside because I wanted to get outside and because I wanted to regain my nerve to play in front of people.  About 13 years ago I woke up with a combination of numbness and tingling in the smallest two fingers of my left hand. After visiting the doctor I found that due to an injury I had ulner nerve palsy, and I came to discover that some tasks, like playing the guitar, I was no longer able to perform. This broke my heart, and for many years I was not able to play. For about five years a close friend had patiently stored my guitars in the U.S. but eventually I had to belly up and sell all three of them. Over the years, however, my hand made adjustments and eventually I bought a simple guitar here in Thailand and began plucking again. It's difficult, and I might never again be able to play some of the beautiful work I used to play, but I do find solace in that I can still sing beautifully and put out a few adequate accompanimets. Creating music is such a beautiful thing. It brings a river of warmth and peace to my soul.

Trail Front Property  (June 3, 2015)

I just woke up with a dream of hiking in  the mountains still freshly on my mind. Funny, the thing I miss the most is either the thing I dream about the most, or at least the dream I remember the most, perhaps one of the methods my human pysche uses to adapt to my conditions. Maybe this is how pyschotic illusions begin. Tune back in a few more years to see how far down this road I have gone...if you can still have a conversation with me, lots of laughs. And  speaking of how far down the road I have gone, back to what I was doing, hiking, more accurately up the trail rather than down the road. I had found new living quarters in a place that might have been Utah, and it was indeed the stuff that dreams are made of as there was a hiking trail just outside my door that started crossing a small gully immediately behind my house and then curved right as it began climbing the mountain. Remember how I wrote in a previous blog that dreams are a composite of thoughts that have occurred throughout the day? Last night I was watching an episode of Frazier wherein he was trying to find some new friends, so in my dream I went hiking with a new friend, who comically enough looked a lot like Frazier's brother, Niles, a whimp who would probably be uncomfortable hiking in the mountains. I went on multiple hikes during this dream, often alone, sometimes with friends. Most vivid in my memory is the stretch of the trail where branches of beech trees have grown over the trail and I have to brush gently through them. Ah, that contact with nature that my psyche loves so much! If you have spotted this place, the home in front of the trail that climbs up the mountain side, and it is available, be sure to tell me all about it!

Cloud Bow  (June 1, 2015)

Did anyone see the magnificent cloud bow here in Bangkok tonight? At least it was visible from the Sae Na Song area, right above where the sun was setting, just minutes before a few feeble sunset colors arrived. But there was nothing feeble about the colors of this cloud bow, they were brilliant and full of everything from purples, blues and greens, to oranges and yellows, and they glowed quite brightly throughout a large segment of the sky. Only once in my entire life have I ever seen one more beautiful. Unfortunately I didn't have a camera with me. For decades I've been familiar with the concept that "a good photographer should never be without his camera." But my camera bag is quite heavy and I've decided that as a nature photographer I am not serious enough to carry my bag with me everywhere I go in Bangkok. For that reason, I did buy a phone with a pretty good camera, and that usually does go everywhere with me, except to the swimming pool and the basketball court, which is where I was tonight. Anyway, I don't think it would have helped much, I've tried to capture cloud bows a few times before with my phone camera, and I just can't manually adjust the exposure to where I need it.

Bangkok's Three Seasons  (May 8, 2015)

The other day I noticed that it was 102°F here in Bangkok. We have had a combination of hot days and rain storms over the past few weeks as we move from hot season to rainy season. There are three seasons in Thailand, the third being "cold" season. Many Thais will jokingly tell you they have three seasons, "Hot", "Very Hot", and "Very Very Hot". Like most jokes, its origins are based in a lot of truth. In a January blog I talked about how 68°F was considered extremely cold here and talked about how I have acclimated to the Thai climate. Yet, I spend so much time indoors in the air conditioning, that I have never truly acclimated. When I was 20 years old I left Salt Lake City in January, the coldest month of the year, and served a two year volunteer mission to the Philippines. Along the way we stopped in Hawaii where it was 80°F and hot. But when we landed in the Philippines and I got off the plane my first impression was that I must be standing behind the jet engines. We had no air conditioning and for two years I acclimated to the weather without even realizing what had happened to my body. On the return flight to the United States we again stopped in Hawaii where again it was 80°F, but this time I had the sensation that it was a very cool late autumn day with the temperature at about 55°F. When we reached the Salt Lake airport I disembarked the plane and began walking across the runway to the terminal. It was cold January day with snow on the ground, but based on previous life experiences, I had this misperception that even in the middle of winter I could walk 100 yards without a coat. Not this time, half way to the terminal door I began trembling, not shivering mind you, but full on trembling. You could see my arms shaking about an inch back and forth in a wild tremor. I had to run as quickly as I could to get into the warmth of the building. As it turned out, my mother, who lived in Pennsylvania had sent a page for me and a stewardess stood at the door waiting for me with the message. After I got inside and the trembling stopped, I twice attempted to approach her to get the message, but each time I got near the open door the trembling forced me back inside away from the door. It wasn't until the third try that I finally retrieved my message. An hour or so later I was fine, but that first hour was a shock to my system, demonstrating that my body had adapted to the Philippine climate quite marvelously! Perhaps because I am getting older, I have never fully adapted to the hot weather here in Thailand. Although I try to run it as little as possible, I do have to use a certain amount of air conditioning. The plus of not fully acclimating is that I am more prepared for the cold. Frequently during my visits to the U.S. I have been caught in mountain snow storms, and have handled the cold quite well.

Crayon Pink Canyon  (Apr. 11, 2015)

I have started taking classes again at the University of Utah and I am on my way to class when I run into one of my professors. She tells me they are on their way to a half marathon and that I should come along. I have only started running again and I am not in the best shape yet, but she points out to me that my friend John, who is with her, is ready and will be running in it, and that I should join them. Even though I will be missing classes I soon find myself riding in a van somewhere in the Heber Valley area headed to "Crayon Pink Canyon". I don't even know where Crayon Pink Canyon is and niether do my friends, but I conjecture to them that I have seen some red rock near the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon and that maybe it is somewhere near there. My eyes slowly open and I find myself sprawled on my bed still feeling quite groggy, but able to remember the details of this experience. Isn't it wonderful how creative dreams can be and how they can take you out of your current reality? I learned in class once (or was that just another dream?) that dreams are put together by the different thoughts and experiences we have during the day. I guess I was dreaming about being back at the University because over the last few days I have actually had thoughts about going to music school. On the other hand, I'm still trying to figure out where Crayon Pink Canyon is. I have googled it but nothing comes up. So if you live in red rock country and you're still trying to figure out what to name that mystical canyon, now you have a brand new, first time owner name...courtesy of my dreams! Oh, and don't forget to sponser a half marathon there!

Millions of Dollars  (Mar. 31, 2015)

Okay, so basketball season is over for my Runnin' Utes, but I still have a few stories to tell.  (click here to read)

Sweet Sixteen and March Madness  (Mar. 26, 2015)

For the first time in 10 years my alma mater, the University of Utah, is back in the "Sweet Sixteen". That means that out of the 351 Division I basketball teams in the U.S. they are one of just 16 teams still playing for the national championship. So even if they lose their next game they have already finished in the top 5 percent (smiles.) Friday night they will play Duke, with the winner advancing to the Elated Eight. Duke, a perennial powerhouse, is quite a formidable foe. They have a center who is 6'11" and weighs 280 pounds, but he does not look heavy at all and he moves as quick as the smaller players. In his last two games he shot 9 for 11 and 12 of 16 from the field, and many feel he will be the first player the NBA will pick in this year's draft. But he is not the only exceptional player on Duke's team. They have excellent outside shooters to compliment him, and over the last two games they have had an unbelievable 44 assists which means they are playing extremely well as a team. The Duke coach is the winningest coach in college basketball history with over 1,000 wins, 4 national championships, and 11 Final Four appearances. Meanwhile the Utah coach is coaching in his first ever Sweet Sixteen game. There's a pretty good chance I will be watching my last basketball game of the season, lots of laughs, but having said all of that, I'm still optimistic that Utah has a decent chance to win, and if they do I will be the happiest "little kid" on the planet!

Best Burger in Bangkok  (Mar 22,2015)

Today I ate Bangkok's best burger, over a quarter pound of  lean ground beef with a thick slice of real cheese on a large English muffin. It included a fluffy leaf of green lettuce, a healthy slice of tomato, a zesty slice of onion, a delicious splash of sweet relish, and thick authentic Heinz ketchup. Where did I find a burger like this? First I shopped for all the ingredients, then I cooked and and assembled this mouth watering classic at home. For those of you in the U.S., this probably sounds a bit routine, but keep in mind that I rarely cook in Thailand. Food is on every corner here, so there's really no need to do your own cooking. And if you do get ambitious enough to cook your own food, especially if you want to cook western food, good luck finding everything you need. Today was the first time I have been able to finish my hamburger with sweet relish. I feel just a little bit like I might be the only person in Bangkok that knows how to do a hamburger right! Lots of laughs! Maybe I should open my own restaurant. Anyone hungry?

Grand Opening of "China"  (Feb. 5, 2015)

Happy Chinese New Year! Much of the world will be scrambling to figure out what day that is. No need to grab your calendars, just circle Feb. 19,   the Grand Opening of my Chinese gallery. I announced that two weeks ago on my home page, but I do understand that many long time followers rarely check my home page, preferring instead to come to this page to see what is new. I apologize that I have been slow to put an announcement both here and on my galleries page, but lately my emphasis has been on making some serious progress on the actual project. Since my announcement, half of my time has elapsed while only a third of my gallery pages have been completed. However, I believe I have finally solved some more technical issues (the result of changing web page programs twice over the past year) and hope for a smoother flow over the next two weeks.

Buried Alive  (Feb. 1, 2015)

I was eating at a nearby restaurant when I dipped my fork into the whipped cream and unleashed an insect that flew hastily away to his escape. He was about the size of a mosquito and looked quite similar, but seemed heavier. (Maybe it was the just the whipped cream hanging from his wings.) Not knowing what gutter this dirty little escapee might have been in, I asked the attendant for a clean fork explaining to him that I had uncovered an insect in my whipped cream. When I finished eating (all but the cream) I walked up to the cashier. Two attendants rushed to my table and I thought that, having caught them by surprise, they were quickly trying to reconstruct what I had ordered. Then one of them approached and informed me that there was no insect in my whipped cream, that it had merely been a peanut. A bit peculiar since on my plate I had French toast, bananas, honey, and whipped cream (with a surprise) off to the side. I wondered whose idea "the peanut" was. And I must whisper a little secret to you, that after having googled it quite extensively, I am quite convinced that peanuts don't fly away once unleashed in your favorite dairy product.

Quite Fashionable!  (Jan. 28, 2015)

The other day I saw a girl with a long narrow dress that had a see through section in the middle around the knees. For all of you who feel this is quite fashionable, I hope you will forgive me, but I was quite surprised that she was able to walk as well as she did! At first glance it created a bit of an optical illusion for me, as I expected her to hold her feet together and hop toward the finish line!

Ghost Birds  (Jan. 20, 2015)

Tonight I was walking home from the mall down the street when I heard a large rucous of birds overhead. Concerned that I might be the recipient of some unpleasantries I tried to spot exactly where the birds were sitting so that I could plan my steps accordingly. It was after sunset and it was dark, but not fully dark yet, and there were plenty of street lights, but as I peered into trees I could not spot a single bird. I looked along the electric lines and around the street lights, I searched the skies for any sign of movement, and yet nothing. There were some light structures on top of towering poles for the freeway, and these lights were quite bright and difficult to check, but I inspected around them quite closely. Sounding much like the starling flocks in Pennsylvania, with the raucous so loud, there had to be hundreds of them. I kept watching, kept looking, just one bird had to reveal himself so that I could confirm this phenomenon and exactly what kind of birds they were! At last I gave up and started under the freeway. Then it occurred to me that there must be ledges under the freeway that they were congregating on! I looked carefully, but saw nothing. I walked back to the outside edge of the freeway closer to where I first heard the chaotic chattering, but still nothing! I continued home, dumbfounded as to how so many birds could cause so much disturbance without a single soul giving his presence away!

It's Cold Here!  (Jan. 7, 2015)

The other morning I stepped out of my building and was surprised at how brisk the weather was. The cold air that hit my face stirred up memories of the Utah autumn, feeling like a mere 55°F. I knew, however, that never in recorded history has it been that cold in Bangkok. I then became so curious that I hurried all the way back to the elevator,  ascended the shaft, unlocked my door, and turned on my computer. Yahoo laughed at me with it's current Bangkok temperature report of 68°F, what is officially regarded as room temperature in the U.S. In Celsius that converts to a nice, round, easy to remember 20°C. And just to think, I thought it felt like 55°F! That's what the heat here in Thailand will do to you, mess with the weather part of your brain. The Thais are so accustomeed to the heat here that if the temperature drops to 80°F (or about 27°C) you will see many of them wearing tassel caps, gloves, and scarfs. So for those of you who are currently freezing your buns off in other parts of the world, just remember how warm and cozy it is here in Thailand!

Happy New Year 2015!  (Jan. 1, 2015)

I just posted a "Happy New Year" photo to my home page that replaces the "Merry Christmas" photo I have had on my home page for the last several weeks. I spent New Year's Eve (and the evening before) videotaping the countdown at Central World Plaza in Bangkok, a very different feel from the Sanam Luang video that I taped last year; much more crowded and nearly impossible to get working space and an unobstructed view, though I did the best I could and I do feel the video turned out well. You might recall that last year after the fireworks I stuck around doing additional filming of the monks. After that it took me until 3:30 a.m. to find a taxi! Not this year, I split as soon as the fireworks ended. The way to the BTS was so crowded that I thought it would be difficult to even reach the train let alone board it. And even if I successfully boarded the train I knew it would be nearly impossible to get a taxi at my exit station. So I headed as quickly as I could in the opposite direction of the BTS and Sukhumvit Road, straight up Ratchadamri Road, right in the middle of the mass exodus you see in my video. It worked out very well this year as I got a taxi quickly and we had very little traffic congestion on the way to my condo (though he refused to use the meter and I had to pay his fee of extortion, LOL! It's sad to say that by conceding to his demands I might be encouraging corruption of the taxi drivers, but I really didn't want to repeat last year's episode.)  As the sign on the building at the end of my video says, "Happy New Year!" I really do wish all of you the best year ever! To see my video (click here)

MOTOR EXPO 2014  (DEC. 11, 2014)

I just finished photographing the Thailand International Motor Expo. I captured lots of new material, including some very beautiful women, but the one thing that impressed me the most was the Slackline Show put on by Jaan from Estonia, and Elli from Germany. If you have ever tried doing a back flip on a trampoline, well try to imagine doing all sorts of manuevers on a trampoline that is only as wide as your middle three fingers held out side by side! I hope to put a video up very soon! (click here)

BOOK YOUR FLIGHT!  (NOV 21, 2014)

After I returned from Chiang Mai I began working very hard on my "China" gallery. The plan was to work on it while I was finishing my New Zealand gallery, which I have been posting a photo at a time. My hope was that by the time I finished New Zealand, I could make a big splash by posting the entire "China" gallery all at once. So driven was I that I worked on it until 4:00 a.m. one morning, and then started working on it again at 10:00 a.m. Then my i-Mac crashed. It seems like every time I make serious progress on my "China" gallery I get hit with a major setback. My program has crashed, my PC has crashed, and I have made serious human errors twice that could not be reversed except through hard manual labor. This is the first time my i-Mac, which until now has been extremely reliable, has crashed. It has taken me a week to repair it and get everything back to normal, and it may take me another week to get my work back to where it was. Meanwhile, I will start posting New Zealand photos again, and possibly a few "Beautiful Women" photos as well. I have learned not to make promises about when my "China" gallery will be released, but barring my untimely demise, or the untimely demise of life as I know it, "China" will in fact be posted! And from what I have seen here on my screen, some of these photos will make you want to book flight reservations!

LOY KRATHONG, CHIANG MAI   (NOV. 10, 2014)

Five days after I returned from the U.S. I thought I should check my Loy Krathong dates, only to find that the festival dates were much earlier than I anticipated, and if I still wanted a room I should leave for Chiang Mai the very next night. So off I rushed to the northern mountains, only to arrive there and find that I had missed the real object of my creativity, the Lantern Festival, which had already been held two weeks earlier. Even more discouraging, rain drizzled from the sky for three solid days after my arrival, just enough that I didn't even care to get my camera out of the bag. I planned on leaving Saturday morning, but when I peered out from behind the curtains in the morning, I delightfully discovered the sun had arisen from the dead and charming little puffs of clouds danced around in all the mountains. It was such a beautifully uplifting day that I deferred my journey home and spent the entire afteroon in the mountains. The hills and forests around Chiang Mai greatly revitalized my spirits, and the Mon village I found augmented my portfolio with colorful images and strong artistic patterns. The extra few hours that I stayed is what made the whole trip so special!

THE GRAND CANYON!  (OCT. 29, 2014)

I just returned from a visit to my homeland where most of the time skies were as blue as the sea and temperatures were as pleasant as the ocean breeze, while autumn leaves continuely dazzled my eyes. I spent four days in Arizona including The Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon, and Horseshoe Bend. In Utah I photogaphed autumn colors in the Wasatch Mountains and made a quick stop at Coral Pink Sand Dunes. Then in Pennsylvania I continued capturing fall foilage, and just for an encore nabbed a few elk images as well. My entire vacation was as sweet as the dreams couples wish when they bid each other good night. I visited with my brothers, watched Utah beat both UCLA and USC, won a few chess games, and discovered some savory restaurants (and Marie Calender razzleberry pies could be purchased for only $5, and then topped with Haagan Daz strawberry ice cream for just a fraction of what that delicacy costs in Thailand.) I just barely touched down (back to earth) in Bangkok yesterday and I have already taken a quick look at all 3200 of my photos. I am quite ecstatic about the many stunning compositions I have captured and brought back from what the Chinese sometimes refer to as "the far east."

CHINA ON THE HORIZON!  (OCT 6, 2014)

I take many inspiring photos, but organizing thousands of photos and making sense out of them is a Himalaya to climb. First I go through and delete the ones I don't feel I need to keep. I also make minor adjustments to them, such as slight exposure adjustments or cropping. I then give each of them a new file name that is consistent with my filing needs. After copyrighting the ones that I wish to publish, only then may I start building web pages for the photos that I wish to post to my web site. If things go well, each web page, after the photo has already been sized, framed, water-marked, key worded, and fully prepped, takes me about an hour to build. Up until now I have been taking photos at a much faster rate than I have been organizing them (especially with the afore-mentioned program crash and computer crash.) For example, after I showed some of you photos on the back of my camera, you waited two years for my "Autumn in the Northeast" gallery. This summer, however, I worked very hard and have finally gotten all my photos organized and under control. That means, for example, that my Chinese photos are now cleared for publishing, and I will soon begin building my "China" gallery. It's all a process, however, not a destination. I have already started building a new mountain of "unorganized" photos. (That's a good thing, right? That means I'm enjoying my work and getting lots of spectacular new material!)

CHINESE MONKEY SHINES (AUG 6, 2014)

Last night I was organizing one of my Chinese folders when I came upon the monkey videos I shot in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. They are quite the active little entertainers. When I finally make my "China" video I will probably only include one or two very short clips. But I believe that enough people are interested, and I have enough footage, that I will at some point create an additional video just of the Chinese monkeys.

PAY IT FORWARD!  ( JULY 23, 2014 )

( Note: This is last Sunday's story re-written and expanded. )
A couple of my Bangkok friends went back to the states to get married. They were eating dinner in downtown Oakland, Califonia, when she lost $1600 in wedding money. She describes the next day as a "brutal day of panic and sadness" until the restaurant called to announce that the night manager had found her money and locked it up for her. She writes, "What sort of a beautiful, honest, lovely human being finds $1600 in cash and returns it?!? Well, his name is Reid and he is amazing. To say that my faith in humanity has been restored is an understatement. I think I cried more from finding out about this truly good deed than I did when I lost the money. If you ever go to Luka's, please find Reid and give him another hug for me (he is probably worn out from all the ones I already gave him.) THANK YOU. I will honestly pay it forward." In answer to her question, she doesn't have to look far to find that kind of a person. One of her friends writes that Mary does so many good things for others that her good deeds were bound to come back to her one day. I like to believe that there are a lot of people who would have returned her $1600. I once lost my wallet and a Budweiser driver called me to return it. Several times I have left my bag behind in Bangkok restaurants and each time I have returned to find it in good hands. One morning years ago, while I was still studying at the university, I left my tennis racket inside the front doors of a 13 story building. It was probably the busiest spot on campus. Yet, when I returned in the evening my tennis racket was right where I had left it... on a coffee table next to one of the sofas, emerged in all of the traffic! A  thousand people must have walked with arm's reach of my racket that day, and yet not one grabbed what belonged to a struggling student trying to work his own way through school. (And there were no video cameras or securtiy guards.)

ALL IS QUIET IN BANGKOK!   (JULY 12, 2014)

I love it when the Thais have a holiday and everyone leaves the city to do religious ceremonies in the town of their birth, and to be with their parents and grandparents. For most people getting away from Bangkok is an oxymoron, because all the beaches and resorts become crowded (not to mention the roads on the way there) while the Bangkok streets become very quiet. It's actually the worst time to be on the beaches, and for those like me that decide to stay behind, it's  actually a wonderful time to be in Bangkok.  

REGRETS!   (JULY 11, 2014)

A few days ago my friend invited me to go to Koh Kood with him. I told him I wanted to get caught up with some of my photography, but that I did want to take a look at Koh Kood on the internet while there was still time to change my mind. I forgot to take a look until about 4 hours after he left, and when I did I was amazed at some of the photos I saw there. Add to this the knowledge that I usually get more stunning photos than the ones I find on the internet,  so now I am feeling just a little remorseful  that I didn't go along with him!

AUTUMN IN THE NORTHEAST!!!   (JUNE 2, 2014)

My New England autumn colors have finally arrived, and I feel this gallery is incredible. It includes photos from about four trips to the northeastern part of the United States while fall colors were peaking (my favorite time of year.) (click here)

HONG KONG   (MAY 17, 2014)

Just spent two days capturing downtown Hong Kong. Got some interesting photos if you like big cities (originally a nature photographer, I seem to be expanding my horizons more and more.) I also gained some valuable experience, as probably only one of my photos came out to my full satisfaction, but now I know what works in that particular situation.

VICTORY!   (MAY 11, 2014)

This past year it seems that progress on my web site has been stifled by a string of computer and program problems. In the latest of these my PC crashed. At first I tried to have it repaired, then I tried fixing it myself, and then I finally bought a new computer. Even then I had problems getting it to work right, and when it finally did I found that my older programs weren't very compatible with my new computer. So now, I not only have to buy a new web page program (I'm currently using a trial version) but I have to learn how to use it! I spent two days just trying to figure out why I couldn't reinstate the blue background in the header box on the right side of this page. It had been so simple to do in my old program! Finally, though, this page is starting to look half decent, and today I made my first posting in months! I still don't understand the new program, but this at least is a small victory!

WATCH YOUR MEDS!  (MAY 3, 2014)

The basketball court stands next to a lake and three times my ball has ended up in the lake. Three times I waited for it to drift to shore about 100 meters away. Then a young boy lost his ball, but it it just drifted out to the middle of the lake.   (read more)

GRANDMASTER!   (APR 23, 2014)

One of my passions in life is playing chess. Today I had the privilege of playing Grandmaster Frank Holzke on the Internet Chess Club. He was in Germany, I was in Thailand, but we were able to play via the internet. I considered it a real privilege to play a grandmaster, which privilege I had snatched away from me when my internet suddenly disconnected. It took twenty minutes to get my service back and when I logged in he was already involved in another game. I did, however, wait, and at the conclussion of that game, he gracefully resumed our game. For obvious reasons, I won't tell you who won, but there are occasions when even losing makes me feel a more complete person.

STILL MORE BEAUTIFUL WOMEN!   (APR 6, 2014)

I photographed the Bangkok International Motor Show for four days. After the first two days I quickly threw together what I thought was a pretty attractive HD video and uploaded it to YouTube, only to find that the young lady whom I considered the star of my show looked quite distorted on the YouTube version. Hence I never published the video. Since then I have posed my problem in a few places on the internet, but as of yet no one has proposed a "try this". I may either have to cut her out of the video, or accept the fact that my video won't look very professional (don't most people watch YouTube on phones and tablets anyway?)

STILL GOT THE TOUCH  (MAR 13, 2014)

Sunday I went to a basketball court.  I always ike to start my warm-up with some foul shots and my first seven shots of the day went cleanly through the net. Then I stepped back to the three point line where I drilled 7 out my first 8 three point shots.  I was on a strange court and using a strange ball and it was the first time in over nine months that I had been on any basketball court at all, so I was a bit surprised that it didn't take me longer to find my range!

I am still an avid fan of my alma mater, the University of Utah. The other day they trailed Stanford by one point with about 20 seconds to go, and had possession of the ball, but turned the ball over on a travel. A win would have given them a chance at 4th place in the PAC-12, but that one point pushed them all the way down to 8th in the final conference standings. Isn't that amazing, that the teams in the PAC-12 can be packed so close together that one point can cost you 4 places in the final standings?

IS THAT A WOLF?  (FEB. 15, 2014)

Today I replaced my home page photo with a photo of my Alaskan Malamute of 15 years. I got some spectacular photos of him during those 15 years, and most of them were his ideas, my free lancing of his free prancing. This particular photo, where he artistically blends with the white ash trees, however, was my idea.  You can always tell the difference. When he is running about, he is high spirited and looks happy, but when I tell him where to stand you can tell he is just waiting to be released. Believe it or not, at the time this photo was taken he was 13 years old.

WHAT A NEW YEAR'S EVE!! (JAN. 11, 2014)

For those of you who are wondering where I was New Year's Eve, now you can watch it all on my new YouTube movie. To see the movie  (click here)

ANTIQUE PHOTO!  (DEC. 26, 2013)

Look at this photo my old vocal instructor e-mailed me today!  (Okay, so the vocal instructions never did me any good, but at least I got a photo out of it!) What a surprise it was for me to see this!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! (DEC. 4, 2013)

Many of you will have questions about the Christmas infant I posted on my home page. (No, I did not have a baby!) This was a Christmas photo I did for a family that lived 4 houses down from me before I moved to Thailand. Over the years I have seen small copies of the photo in my computer. A few months ago I stumbled across a larger copy that I didn't even know I had with me here in Thailand. I was so excited, that even though I emailed this photo for Christmas 10 years ago, I decided to re-post it to my homepage this year. So enjoy the photo! Merry Christmas!

CHIANG MAI SKY LANTERNS!  (NOV. 22, 2013)

I just returned from Loy Krathong in Chiang Mai where I captured the simultaneous releasing of thousands of sky lanterns into the night sky. I also got some excellent images at "Royal Flora Ratchapruek". Watch for these and all the other the other things listed below as I plan to stay here in Bangkok and work on my web site for the near future.

AUTUMN IS COMING!!!  (NOV. 11, 2013)

The best autumn colors may have already vanished in many parts of the world, but here at "Silent Nature" autumn's best display of color is still on it's way! I only need to create eight more pages to finish my long awaited for "Autumn in the Northeast" gallery, a work that spanned several annual visits to the incredible fall foilage in the northeastern part of the United States!

FIVE STEPS AND I'M DEAD!!!   (OCT. 19, 2013)

I was working my way down the trail in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. I use the term "trail" loosely as it looked more like a cement sidewalk, over a meter wide, and packed heavily with Chinese tourists, the busiest park of the park near the natural bridge and "Hallelujah Mountain". Suddenly the air filled with screams and shrieks, and like the waters of the Red Sea the crowd behind me quickly parted into two distinct camps, with a wide empty section of sidewalk between them.  As I turned to see, I identified that the ignitor of the commotion was a meter long green snake slithering along a branch that hung directly over the segment of trail that I had just passed 5 steps earlier, the branch clearing my head by a mere 12 inches. (As you scroll down this page to "Snake Throw" you will see that...) In Laos I passed on an opportunity to photograph a snake experience, and didn't even think of video taping it until it was regrettfully too late. With that in mind I quickly pulled out my phone, manipulated some buttons, and pointed it at the snake as he continued along the overhead branch, only to find my phone video was not recording. One of the bystanders, a Chinese woman in her 30's, got a long hardy dead branch, knocked the snake out of the tree, controlled it with the stick, and was able to get her foot behind the snake's head pinning to the ground so that she could safely bend over and pick it up from behind the head. Even though I missed the footage of the snake in the tree, I thought that at least I was video taping her performance, only to see my phone suddenly shut down, something it does when it's inactive. Apparently I pushed the record button and in the excitement never checked to make sure that the obstinate little device actually began recording.  So for the second time in four months I missed capturing an intense snake experience on video. Hats off to the lady who stepped up with great poise and calmed the crowd at Zhangjiajie. I would later have a Chinese tour guide tell me that the snake was what the Chinese refer to as "the five step snake." That's right, if the serpent had felt sufficiently threatened by me and struck at me, those five steps I took after I passed under that branch, would have been my last. Considering I was one of the tallest people in the crowd, and therefore the closest to the branch, that wasn't very comforting. The woman who held the snake in her hands while it writhed around and tried to curl itself loose obviously had previous experience with snakes. Whether her family owned a restaurant and they went out hunting snakes, whether she grew up on a farm and encountered them constantly, or whether she spent her life working in a zoo,  I did not know. I also did not know the fate of the captured snake. I wondered if he would now rest quietly in one of those cages in front of the local restaurants.

BLACK EYE IN CHINA (NOV. 16, 2013)

I just got back from a 30 day shoot in China where I saw some amazing scenery, got some unbelievable photographs, met lots of wonderful people, and had a really great time. While I was there I got onto a small crowded bus carrying my suitcase, camera backpack, tripod, and a bottle of water, with the head of my heavy steel tripod naively hoisted next to my face making it easier to negotiate the obstacle course. Though all the legs were retracted, as I sat down the bottom of the tripod jammed against something slamming cold hard steel into the bone just under my left eye. For the first 5 minutes the pain was powerful enough, that even though I would sport a black eye throughout most of my trip, I felt fortunate that the bone was not broken, nor anything else severely damaged.

MORE STARS, MORE SONGS (SEPT 1, 2013)

Two days ago I started writing another song, while the two songs mentioned previously remain far from finished. (Ugh, am I going too many directions here at once?) That same night I had a chance to video tape Boy Begon, a famous Thai actor, while today I had a chance to video tape the popular musician, Nam, singing and playing his guitar in front of a small crowd at Fashion Island. A Chinese friend of mine, being female, asked why I don't put photos of boys on my web site. I don't think you will ever see me posting photos of Chippendales, but these two videos might appeal to some of the women (if I, ugh, ever get them posted!)

SONG WRITER (AUG 15, 2013)

I was awake until 3:30 a.m. this morning because I suddenly got the  song writing urge and found two songs coming into my head at the same time. I wrote the melodies and many of the lyrics for the verses of both songs, and then after I awoke the melody and lyrics for the chorus of one of the songs also came to me (when I say the lyrics came to me, I mean one step at a time, not all at once.)

BANGKOK STARLET (AUG 4, 2013)

Last night after I finished eating dinner I noticed that they were filming a skin lotion commercial in another restaurant nearby, with four beautiful young Thai stars. I filmed some of the proceedings with my phone which you can watch on my youtube channel.  (click here)

THE CRASH OF 2013 (JULY 29, 2013)

If you understand how important my photography is to me, then you will understand how stressful this past week has been for me. Monday morning I was working on a photo in Aperature 3, the program  (click here to read entire story.)

MY SWIMMING HOLE (JULY 18, 2013)

This week I have been making a video of the swimming pool at my condominium. Sound easy? I'm trying to get it when the light is beautiful, when the wind isn't ripping into the microphone, when the attendents aren't vacuuming the bottom, when the swimmers aren't yelling across the pool, when the tenants aren't clip clopping their shoes, and when all the fountains are turned on. Sound impossible? Not impossible, but a whole lot of work. You might wonder why someone would work so hard to put up a video of a swimming pool. Wait until you see it! I think it will draw a lot of interest.

I AM LAME (June 27, 2013)

If any of you have ever thought I was lame, the moment has come for full validation of your suspicions. Yesterday I blew out my calf muscle, and now just getting from one side of the room to the other is quite an effort.

SNAKE THROW (June 19, 2013)

I just returned from an unexpected trip to Laos where I got some great photos, particulary in Vang Vieng. While there I missed an opportunity for a viral video. As I approached the scene of the incident in the downtown area of Vang Vieng, I noticed that about five middle aged women were intently observing something. As I came closer I saw that a man had control of a meter long poisonous snake with a long wooden pole. He only had it by the mid section and had no control of its dangerous neck and head area. The snake was trying to crawl into the space under his house, and finally to keep it from getting under his house, he threw it about 10 feet away where it landed just a few feet to my right, with the five women standing immediately to my left. All the women intently screamed and ran away, while the man was immediately upon the snake again pounding it with his long wooden pole. When I first came upon the scene I dismissed taking a photograph, feeling the photograph would not be all that impressive. After I left the scene, however, I realized much too late, that a video, on the other hand, probably would have gone viral.

MORE BEAUTIFUL WOMEN! (May 8, 2013)

I got some great photos from the "Miss Photo Hitech 2013" pageant held this year in Bangkok. Over the past year I have accumulated a multitude of photos that will definitely upgrade my "Beautiful Women: Thailand" gallery. I promise to start posting them, even if I have to post them one at a time as I have started doing with my "Japan" gallery.

AL BECOMES FAMOUS! (April 28, 2013)

While I was in Hamilton, New Zealand, I met a radio talk show host who invited me onto his radio program. On Sunday, March 24, I was a guest on FM89 Hamilton, New Zealand for about 45 minutes where they asked me about my photography and my web site. I currently am working to make the recording available to my followers as a YOUTUBE video.

THE RAIN MAKER. (April 28, 2013)

I recently returned from a 15 day photo tour of the North Island of New Zealand.  As a shuttle driver picked me up at the airport it started to rain. He informed me that this was the first rain they had in 60 days and that the entire North Island had just experienced its worst drought in history. Knowing I could not take any photos in the rain and having had a few bad experiences before, I wondered just how it had come to be my misfortune to always arrive just as the rain starts. The first time I went to Westland last year I got rained on for three days while the locals told me they had nothing but sun for two weeks prior to my arrival. I decided to leave the rain and head for Queenstown and other drier parts of the island. Two weeks later I returned to Westland only to be greeted by three more days of rain. The locals told me the same story all over again, that it had been quite sunny for the last two weeks. I endured the rain until I left the  western part of the island behind. Now I am here at the airport a year later, and deja vu, I'm getting rained on and the shuttle driver is telling me they had nothing but sun for the last 60 days! We had a pretty good laugh after I explained all this to him and told him that I didn't believe him. I told him I thought that it rained in New Zealand every day and that the locals had a habit of encouraging tourists to keep coming to New Zealnd by telling them that it was sunny right up until their arrival.