Coneheads

Photo #113

Not much to say about this picture, other than I feel like I've taken some variation of it 100 times over the past 10 years. Even so, Fred City remains a great place for a photowalk. I'm sure I'll go back. When I do, I'll probably take yet another variation of this picture.

Is That All You Get For Your Money

Photo #112

This is one of those photos that lacks the context to tell you what it really is. Sure, you can tell it is a black Cadillac, but it is more than that. It is also a hearse. But it is more than that. It is a black Cadillac hearse that is used for delivering cakes. The bakery has the all too clever name of Cakes To Die For. Get it?

The lesson here is context is important

#TheMoreYouKnow

Or Am I a Muppet?

The eyes are the window to the soul. But what if you are wearing sunglasses and no one can see your eyes? Does that mean no can see your soul?  What if you don't even have eyes? What if your head consists of a purple somewhat conical thing with a red puffy on the top, and you are wearing sunglasses? Then what?

It is a question as old as time.

Shadow of a Friend

Friends will come into and go out of your life. Best friends will never leave, even after they are gone.

Five and a Half

Fred City (or Frederick, MD as everyone else besides me calls it) is a great place to eat, drink beer, or go for a photowalk. Sometimes it is a good place to do all three.

Day 139 - MoDa - 29 Apr 2011

Obviously I've gotten behind at posting these, but at least I am still taking them. Best as I can figure we went to Brewer's Alley on this fine Friday and this is in the room that is in the front (or as Shelley calls, the back).

Friday night is not usually family go out to dinner night, so it must have been some kind of occasion. I really just don't remember what. I think we had a good time though.

Day 119 - Alley of Brew - 9 Apr 2011

In the nearby town that I call Fred City there sits a wonderful old building that makes some tasty brick oven pizza - the best pizza in town, and brews some brilliant brews.

On this fine day, while running errands that included eating the second best pizza in town, we walked past Brewer's Alley. I did not want it to be jealous that I was cheating on it with another pizza place, so I stopped to say hello and take a picture.

Day 91 - Shadow Stop - 12 Mar 2011

I don't really like the smell of roses. It is a bit too girly/soapy/funereal for my tastes. That said, the message of that old song, Stop and Smell the Roses, is a good one. I think Ferris Bueller said it better though:

Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.

That kindof is the point of doing a Photo-a-Day. It is not to about the photographs so much as it is a way you learn to stop and notice what is around you.

Day 77 - People Say We Monkey Around - 26 Feb 2011

My son got to reprise his Day 68 role of a Ben Franklin statue that comes to life, only this time he got to do it my favorite Fred City toy store. That left me with some time on my hands to explore the toy store while he talked to strangers about his life as a printer, an inventor, and a patriot. Luckily I also had a camera on my hands, so I did what any good dad would do - took pictures of the toys.

Day 72 - Send in the Ducks - 21 Feb 2011

Some how the family's holiday schedules aligned such that the kids and I had off but Shelley had to work. When such an opportunity presents itself, the three of us head straight for Five Guys Burger and Fries, or as I call The Place With Better Burgers Than In and Out. I meant to take some cool picture inside the restaurant, but got caught up in the rapture and forget. Luckily there were some ducks outside that could be tempted with an empty peanut shell.

Day 67 - For Forty - 16 Feb 2011

I'm now looking at the world from the other side of 40. May actually do a SoapBox post with my thoughts after traveling around the sun 40 times. Meanwhile, I got myself a fisheye lens. I apologize now because you are going to be seeing many funhouse pictures from this lens until the novelty wears off. This is a shot of the family to a birthday dinner at my favorite restaurant in Fred City. Notice the Swagger Wagon in the background. Part of the fun of being 40.

Day 49 - Nice Beaver - 29 Jan 2011

I like diners. There, I said it. Beyond the selection of comfort foods and the Big Al's vibe, they often have interesting what-nots. After a tasty breakfast consisting of an omelet, home fries, and a side of scrapple, I took this closeup of the giant gum ball machine in the waiting bench area.

Day 42 - Makes No Difference Who You Are - 22 Jan 2011

Despite arriving at the totally non-hip hour of 5:00, the restaurant we wanted to go to had an hour wait. Plan B was to go next door to Glory Days. There was nothing glorious about it. Not sure how they even got this star.

Day 35 - Fred City Chop Shop - 15 Jan 2011

This did not make it into Roth365 by being a great picture. Nor is it the photo of the day because it is the only picture I took that day (it is). Even the fact that both my son and I are in it (if you look closely enough) is not why it made the cut.

Nope, this made it in because it documents what turned out to be an important event. Yes, this was just after our first haircuts since well before Thanksgiving, and they were much needed. Maybe this is not "one small step for man..." nor "a day that will live in infamy" important, but relative to most of the rest of January thus far it was kind of a big deal for us.

Small Worlds

And here is the other shot I submitted for the World Wide Photo Walk (tm). This also did not win. So it goes. I still like it.

Many Days

I am a big fan of Fred City (or Frederick, MD as it is called by everyone who is not me). Having done more than a few informal photowalks there, I was excited to be part of the official World Wide Photo Walk. Turns out it was not something to be all the excited about, but still I got a few decent pictures out of it. This was one of the two that I submitted.

Smoke 'Em

Day 354



In Fred City there is a British grocery store, and in yet another unexplained mystery, outside this store sits an Indian. Maybe they sell British cigars there? I don't know. I do know that they sell some tasty British beers there however, and on this day I stopped by to pick my old friend Sam Smith.

Fred City Apple Store

Day 353



I'm not sure when exactly it happened, but I am now certainly a born again Apple guy. I have nothing against PC's or Windows, and by no means think that Microsoft is in any way evil. That being said, here in my laboratory (where things are not as they seem), I have 2 PC's and 2 Macs. One PC is rarely even powered on, and the other I only use when I must for work.

With that admission out of the way, I was feeling a bit jilted that the nearest Apple store was an hour away. That was until I discovered that the great city of Frederick, MD does actually have its own apple store. There were no iPods, Macs, or iPhones for sale that I saw, but they did have quite a selection of apple butter.

Two Sisters

Day 285



After yet another day of soccer and an early dinner in New Market, MD, we headed into Fred City to see what might be worth shooting. This time we went to the other side of Baker Park, where Culler Lake is. It is really more of a pond, but still worthwhile. While the kids alternated between being too tired to walk and running after and chasing ducks, I got this shot.

Squeezebox

Day 271



There is some old quote about a gentleman is a man that knows how to play the accordion, but chooses not to. I guess this guy was no gentleman, but the music was alright nonetheless. Or maybe it just seemed alright since we were at the Frederick Oktoberfest - and as you know, beer is part of that.