Photo project

Ok, so some of you have gotten an email from me asking for 2 words for a project I have coming up. I had gotten myself a new toy recently, a dslr, the Nikon D50. I've been having a lot of fun with this and I've been studying how to work the camera, though I am still trying to grasp the concept behind f-stop, aperture, etc. I've been taking a lot of pictures since I've gotten the camera but quite honestly, I am finding that I am starting to take some of the same things.

That's one of the reasons why I've been dragging James on these Saturday "Where do you want to go today?" trips. We flip a coin to determine north or south. I figure, if we keep going to different places, I would see something different each time. The thing is that's going to run out soon or we just have to keep going farther and farther... yeeeesh!

So, I've emailed a number of people some instructions to send me 2 words. For each day in June, I have to photograph what I feel best represents those words. So for the whole month of June, I will have a different photo each day with one of the words given to me. I am debating whether or not to randomly assign each word a day or just leave it open to what might I encounter during the day. I'll decide that tomorrow. I am still waiting on a few more words.

Some of the words people came up with are going to be difficult, though most are strange. The word association part really shows me that I have some friends with warped minds. But I am not changing or deleting any of the words given to me. If you guys want a copy of the list of words leave me a comment.

Memorial Day Weekend: Sunday

Jim and Celia threw another family and friends bbq at their place yesterday for the Memorial day weekend. It was family, friends, food, pool, pictures, karaoke, babies, drinks, sights and this time a helicopter.

Sammi and Mimoe (hope I spelled that right) were enjoying the view of downtown when we heard a helicopter buzzing around. It was fairly close and it hovered over a building on 6th & San Pedro, where they were filming on the rooftop.








It was over before quickly and we all went inside as the food was ready and more guests arrived.


This was the best fruit salad ever! All it needed was some cream from the cheesecake that was right next to it, a little of the cheesecake that was also right next to it... But that bowl did leave the party empty! Hi Cathy.


Mom said that with a little more practice, she will be able to beat everyone... right.


She challenged me... and won! How did she do that?!


I tried to take a reflection shot but all I got in the shot were our heads.


Yelena and me after my defeat.


Shannon and Penelope. You know Shannon was behind the bar at the last get together...hmmm...


Jack taking a turn at the mic.


Then the rest of the kids. You know"rabbit ears" when a person isn't looking never gets old!


Rene's turn!


Then Stevie!


We weren't going to let Berda not sing one.


No one is letting Hank sing...


Our Cousins Rolly and Johanna with Jasmine feeding Julia. They were calling it a night and headed down in the elevator.


I was so busy enjoying myself that I did not take a lot of pictures. Since James has been painfully torturing everyone with his decision to buy a digital slr camera without committing to a particular brand or model, he had my camera most of the evening. Hopefully, he picks one soon.
Met some new folks and I am not even going to try to list them all because I will forget someone.

Ronald Reagan and Storm Troopers

Ronald Reagan Library

This morning we took my cousin who is visiting from the Philippines to the Ronald Reagan Library. I wasn't really all that keen on going but the main selling point was that his de-commissioned Air Force One was on display there... cool! James came along and so another Saturday of going some place we've never been continues...

I wonder if they built the hanger/display around the plane or space was made for it? I heard people say "It's only a 707." C'mon back then it was THE PLANE. It is still a pretty good size.


They also had Marine One, the helicopter, on display there.


There was also a replica of the Oval Office when he was in office.


Then there is the hunkin' piece of the Berlin Wall.







Star Wars Celebration IV

The Star Wars Celebration IV started Thursday for the members of the Star Wars Fan Club and Friday for everyone else. Celia told me that today, the 501st Legion were getting together for their legion photos at 8 pm. So off we went downtown. Even though the convention/Celebration was done for the day, people were still hanging around for the big gathering. Everyone was making their own activities and photo ops for anyone and everyone.



There was one guy who was dueling light sabers with anyone. He was doing very well until Austin Powers came along and ran circles around him and tired him out. He tried some teasing Austin Powers into going into the attck but he wasn't having any of that. Celia and I overheard another costumed jedi comment, "His fighting skill was improved since the last time..." or something like that. Celia said that he must have been real crappy before.




Then there was this guy dressed as a X-Wing pilot(?) on a walker and sucking on a cigarette outside. I don't know why but there is something I find weird about this.


Then Celia bumped into Darth Vader.

and Chewbacca


Since it has been a while, I was wondering if there were going to be anyone going dressed up as Princess Leia in the metal bikini from Star Wars: The Return of the Jedi.






Then there was this guy. Photo taken by Flickr photographer jorge_pina2002.

And still more storm troopers were arriving.


Inside the convention center, they were still trying to get the like costumes together.


There were bounty hunters.




Then there were the "Special Ops" Storm Troopers.


Some jedis and princessess.


Then there were the 501st Legion.


Oh yeah, C3PO was there too. Though he looked like he has been having a rough time since the fall of the Empire and had to replace some parts with inferior materials.






I wonder what's going to happen next Saturday?

"Hey! it's a nice day out!"

Said James, "So we should go somewhere!"

San Juan Capistrano Mission
So with a flip of a coin (heads = north, tails = south), we headed south. We really didn't have much of a plan other than a direction. Then we saw the sign and ended up at the San Juan Capistrano Mission. I haven't been to this mission since my sisters and I were kids and our parents took us on road trips. My memory of this mission was very foggy. I remember the Santa Barbara Mission trip better for some reason. There must have been a lot of renovations done because nothing looked familiar, then again it was been a couple of decades since I've been here.



I came onto this corridor and I don't know why but I just had to take a picture of it. It wasn't that easy, I had to wait until for people to leave!



There were some restoration being done at the altar in the Serra Chapel.


When the Great Stone Church was devastated by an earthquake in 1812. Conservation was completed in 2004.


San Clemente Beach
Afterwards, we got back on the freeway and continued going south. We tried going to Dana Point but the 10th Annual Doheny Blues Festival was going on and Al Green was performing so everything was blocked off. It took us a while to get out of that mess! We finally got on PCH and ended up in San Clemente Beach. It was a bit overcast but there were still a lot of people out. The train tracks separate the beach from the main street and every once in a while pedestrian traffic stops.



Not too many people on the pier. Some fishing, others walking and more exercising.




For some reason, the water was looking very brown today. Didn't stop people from going in though...






Jim: The Donut Man
The trek south pretty much ended there. At about 5:30 pm, Celia calls and says that we have to take a trip to Glendora.





Just another typical Saturday...