Transparent Degeneration

Transparent Degeneration by Finijo

In the parking lot outside of my building at work, I found this crushed beer can still in the paper bag that held it while it was presumably being slammed before entering the building. If you click on it, you can see how clearly the can and bag are preserved after a rain and being driven over. I thought it was fascinating how the brown paper bag became transparent after it became wet. It makes for a great metaphor, I think.

Galveston Bluster

I got to go to Galveston on a really windy day. The waves churned and the sea mist coated my camera and my glasses, but it felt wonderful to be on the seawall on a cool windy day with the warm sun shining brightly. It was the kind of day when all of my senses were abuzz. I don't think I will ever tire of the smell of the ocean. This particular spot on the seawall has become one of my favorite, because it shows the power of the ocean and the residual damage done by Hurricane Ike just over a year ago. The truck that sits on this pier houses birds now. I know it is a site of destruction, but I will miss it when it is repaired and returned to its former use.

Mt. Rushmore, Pearland

Mt. Rushmore, Pearland by Finijo

Work took me to Pearland and just off of 610 at 288 there is a series of six presidential busts. It is a strange display of Americana on the side of the freeway in a muddy field. There is no marker that I found to explain the statues, but there are plenty of empty beer cans and used condoms. It never occurred to me that that a grouping of dead white guys could inspire lust, but apparently it can.

Mr. Rushmore 5 Busts

This photo does not show all of the Presidents, but it is a little closer up and gives the scale based on the average sized doors that are built into the shoulders of the presidents. From left to right are: George H.W. Bush, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy.

Lunchbox

Lunch Box by Finijo

Marilyn agreed to dog sit for her friend, Susan's English Bulldog, Rooney. While staying with us for the weekend, he was given a few other names. The first of which was Lunch Box. Rooney likes to eat. He was also called Roomba much of the time for the way he hoovered up anything that hit the floor. It was nice to have all of the stray bits of cat food off the floor for a change. Rooney was a friendly dog, but had no idea that he was too big to sit in your lap, or that the gas he was passing was lethal for humans. Sweet dog, though.

Beautiful Day in the Heights

Haunted Heights by Finijo

I had to meet one of my clients in the Heights today. The meeting went well and the day was gorgeous. I found that one of my favorite homes in The Heights was decorated to the hilt for Halloween. Even on a sunny day, the home had a feeling of forboding...Halloween night should be pretty spooky.

One Grey Morning

Gus Wortham Fountain by Finijo

The Gus Wortham Fountain on Allen Parkway is one of my favorite fountains in Houston. It looks like a dandelion, and when the wind is blowing hard, it looks like a dandelion being blown apart.

Gus Wortham Fountain 2 by Finijo

I'm not sure if I enjoy it more when it is sunny and beautiful, or when it is overcast and melancholic. Regardless of the weather conditions, the symmetry of the structure is what gets me every time I look at it.

One Grey Morning by Finijo

Macro

Macro Pupa by Finijo

I took some macro photos today. I enjoy the abstract quality the photos take when shooting macro. This one looks like a pupa to me, but it is actually a bead of water.

Unmacro Pupa by Finijo

This is a full shot of the bead of water sitting in a succulent plant. I need to find out what kind of plant this is. My friend, Nadia gave me one before she died, but unfortunately, it did not survive the move to my house.

Wattahead Baby by Finijo

This is the close up of the macro I took of water in another succulent plant. Karim has offered to give me some cuttings, so I will accept that gift after I have the yard and my potted plants in better shape.

Macrobeads by Finijo

I love this type of plant, and the way the water in this one looks like some kind of alien baby when viewed close up.

South Park Street Art

South Park by Finijo

I was on Griggs Road today and found this defunct strip center with a mural on the side of the building. This section of Houston is known as South Park, and it is largely African-American. The area has become really run down over the years, and it is no place I would want to be walking after dark. I do love how Houston has art in every nook and cranny of the city - you just have to look for it and it is there.

South Park Art by Finijo

This piece is an ode to Martin Luther King, Jr. and it looks like it was done during a period when this run down section of Houston was trying to revitalize. It could still happen, but it is doubtful that this building or the mural will survive the next effort to improve the neighborhood.

Shade In The Heights

My team had dinner at Shade in the Heights tonight after we finished the first day of our Fidelity Review. It was a grueling day and we were all relieved to have gotten through the first day of the process relatively unscathed. We all skipped lunch because we were escorting the auditors around the facility and taking them to see patients and doctors, so we were famished by the time we got to dinner. Shade is a great restaurant with excellent food. The server made very good recommendations, so I got:

BUTTER LETTUCE SALAD with Radicchio and Belgian Endive, Warm Goat Cheese, Grilled Pear and Spiced Pecans in Champagne VinaigretteVinaigrette

PAN SEARED KING SALMONwith Dried Cherry~Almond~Wild Rice Pilaf, Roasted Root Vegetables, and Dijon Cream Sauce

and

INDIVIDUAL COCONUT CREAM PIEHazelnut Shortbread Crust

The food is really amazing, no complaints from any of our party. I definitely recommend this restaurant, and my coworkers say the wine selection is excellent.

Townhouse Photo Shoot 2

Dickson Townhouse Exterior by Finijo

I shot another property for Karim today. It is a gorgeous three story townhouse in Memorial, and it is selling for about $500,000. I am looking into becoming a realty photographer and actually earning some income from the work. It might be a nice sideline, if I can get a few steady customers.

Dickson Townhouse Kitchen by Finijo

This is my favorite shot of the second floor. I am standing at the far end of the kitchen (near a balcony) and the shot goes through a fantastic kitchen, the dining room, and through the living room to the second balcony.

Dickson Townhouse Office by Finijo

The shot is from the first floor entryway and shows the stairs to the second floor, the downstairs bedroom (at the far end of the hall) and a great home office to the right. I am having fun with these shoots and have another one lined up in a week or so. I need to start my website and put together a portfolio for my realty photography.

F@#$%^& Up Friday

F#$*%^& Up Friday by Finijo

I got up from my desk, walked to the next office and almost passed out. That was a new experience for me, so I went to urgent care and had a follow up appointment with my PCP. Next week I see the Rheumy, then a trip to the neurologist. I hate the shitty familiarity of it all. Updates to follow...

That's A Good Bruise

Connor had his second black belt test today and he got two more tapes. It is hard to believe that a short two and a half years ago, we got him Kuk Sool Won classes for his birthday. He has really excelled and in spite of the odd evening that he doesn't feel like going to practice, he has stuck with it. I am looking forward to seeing him get his blackbelt in about a year (if he keeps up this pace). His instructor is a good humored man who sometimes exhibits a dry wit. His parting shot at Connor as he tries to break the board was pretty funny. If you notice him making the peace sign to nobody in particular, it is actually him trying to sign to his mother that he took his two shots at breaking the board (which is what the instructor allowed) while she is urging him to continue to try. Kudos Con, for listening to the instructions and for giving it your best shot!

Balloon Boo-Boo

Suck it! by Finijo

Connor brought me a homemade stress ball he made in one of his classes. It was flour inside of a red balloon, and the texture was a little bit addictive. Maybe more addictive for some than others...Marilyn must have been pretty stressed out, given the squeeze she put on the stress ball. The netbook survived, even if the stressball didn't:)

Paxton's Weekend Getaway

Connor and Paxton by Finijo

Connor has that wonderful look on his face that only a 15 year old can muster up - we all know what it means. Paxton on the other hand looks happy as he can be. We were fortunate enough to have a visit from our old friend Pax while Cody recuperated from his ailments this weekend.

Paxton and Dora by Finijo

Paxton is holding a Dora the Explorer doll in his mouth and we were very surprised that it went home with him on Sunday completely intact. Normally he makes short order of his stuffed toys, but this time, he seems to be taking a little more care of his special new friend. Thank you to Cody for keeping us in mind for Paxton-sitting. We will always have an open door and open hearts for our boy. It's also nice to see how far he has come since we found him a year ago. He's healthy, strong, and so calm and secure now. What a lucky puppy!

Patrick Turk Collages

Innerspace Hypsography by Patrick Turk (photo by finijo)

I met Karim at Brasil today and found some amazing art hanging throughout the coffee shop by a collage artist, Patrick Turk. I was mesmerized by the patterns and the intricate detail in his work. The piece above is selling for $4800.00. I have no idea how long it took him to put this piece together, but that cannot possibly be enough money to cover the time invested. In this work I can see a relief map of some island atoll or some amoebic activity under a microscope. You really have to click on the picture to get the detail of the tiny pieces of paper that makeup whole piece.

Angry God by Patrick Turk (photo by finijo)

This owl-esque piece is my favorite. The kaleidoscope eyes are made up of hundreds upon hundreds of tiny pictures of faces. There is a fractal like quality to this work - something mathematical and so precise that it's hard to believe that he cuts out the pictures with scissors and glues them to the canvas. The pieces I saw were so layered and complex that they would seem to be computer generated. Click on the detail below to get an idea of the scope of this work - it is truly a magnificent piece. Seeing Patrick Turks work up close made an instant fan of me.

Angry God Detail (photo by finijo)

Artist Statement from his Facebook page:

I strive to create an endlessly captivating, densely layered profusion of imagery. My goal is for the viewer to be gripped by a visceral and cathartic experience. My primary medium is paper collage. I use precisely cut pieces of paper and images. Most of my source material is from original documents and publications with only a small portion being copied for some of the most repetitive designs. Each of my pieces exhibits intense detail--a reflection of humankind's relationship to time and the processes of self-unfoldment. I seek for the viewer to find some degree of illumination through their relationship to the fragmentary, yet intricately ordered components of each piece.