Fungus

Fungus, originally uploaded by efroymson.

For some reason I really like taking pictures of mushrooms and fungi. This one has really cool Zebra striping.

Wood

Wood, originally uploaded by efroymson.

Gus and I went backpacking in Portola Valley State Park. Spent just one night out, at the Slate Creek campsite, which we had to ourselves. Or almost to ourselves, we had a large number of mosquitoes for company.

The trail is maintained, this picture is of a redwood that had fallen across the trail. Someone came by with a chainsaw and did this. The sawdust made a nice smell actually.

Pointy shoes

Pointy shoes, originally uploaded by efroymson.

The boat shoes are mine.

Some people put a lot of personal information up on their blogs. I don't.

Nonetheless I thought some of you might like to see a picture of me and my girlfriend.

Heian Godan

Heian Godan, originally uploaded by efroymson.

Steve is Doctor from Chicago. He did Heian Godan for his Shodan grading. He passed.

This was taken at the Midwest summer special training, near Kansas City. Mike Lyon did a great job leading. It was a wonderful opportunity to practice. With only forty attendees and numerous high ranking seniors (including Godan John Teramoto) there was definitely no place to hide.

It was fun to use the RD-1 to take this sort of picture. Clearly not quite the right tool, but I was able to get some good pictures. Probably should have set the iso higher so I could stop down more. The DOF was narrow enough that I had to keep refocusing as folks moved up and down the floor. The shutter speed got a good balance between freezing some motion, and allowing some blur.

Kumite was very difficult for me, since I could not anticipate the attacks well enough to press the shutter at the right moment. Oddly, I have the same problem when I do kumite myself! Missing the picture or getting hit, with practice I should get better. With Kata it is easier, since I know when the jumps and strikes are.

400 iso, f4, 1/30th sec.

Gus as Flava Flav

Gus as Flava Flav, originally uploaded by efroymson.

Unlike the rapper, Gus's clock shows the correct time.

I thought it would be funny to get him a clock and some chain so he could look like Flava Flav. He was willing to play along for a bit, but decided this was not the look he want to go with on a daily basis.

This picture is from a while ago, the cast is off now.

Kos Kid goes on Jerry Springer

Jerry: Today we are talking about one night stands. Ever have a
one night stand, then scrupulously avoid that person for years?
Today we confront our guests with the one night stand they
never wanted to be seen with again!

Kos Kid: Thanks for having me on the show. This is almost as cool as Yearly Kos.

Jerry: Here she is! Your one night stand!

{ A beautiful woman with clear grey eyes and classic proportions
walks onto the stage. She is wearing a pleated white dress and
has an elegant shawl around her shoulders. The audience gasps.
This is not the sort of woman one expects on the Jerry Springer show! }

Woman: Hello.

Kos Kid: I don't think I know you.

Woman: We used to be acquainted, but as Jerry said,
you have spent the last several years avoiding me.

Kos Kid: Really?

Woman: Yes. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Truth.

Kos Kid: That is nonsense. I have the truth right here in my pocket.

{pulls out a thin piece of paper, starts folding it up}

Woman: That is lovely origami paper.

{Kos Kid finishes what he is folding, it is a delightful miniature oil
derrick}

Kos Kid: See! It was blood for oil! There were no WMD!

Woman: Don't you remember that Bush talked about bringing
Freedom to Iraq in the 2003 State of the Union?

{Kos Kid clasps his hands over his ears}

Woman: And that he was recommending Natan Sharansky's book
"The Case for Democracy"?

Kos Kid: La la la!!! I can't hear you!!! Bush lied, people died!

Woman: Remember the election? The purple fingers? How the terrorists hate that?

{Kos Kid is trying not to listen, but the voice of Truth is loud and
clear}

Woman: Zarqawi was in Iraq before the invasion, and now he is dead. Iraq is the place terrorists go to die.

{Kos Kid explodes in a rage and runs across the room his fingers extended. Before he can throttle Truth the bouncers grab him and wrestle him to the floor}

Audience: Jer-ry! Jer-RY!! JER-RY!!!