Memorial Day

While you enjoy your day off, please remember who and what this day was meant to celebrate and honor.

And while you're thinking about those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom and way of life, here's a little reminder about one of the many things that makes America special:

Happy Holidays

The holidays have come and gone, as has the year 2008. By many accounts, 2008 was not the greatest year. However, it wasn't bad at all for me, personally. I got to take on a challenge I'd wanted for a long time, and I think I met it with very good results. With some luck, I'll be preparing this month for my second semester of teaching graphic design. It should be a lot easier this time, with one semester already under my belt.

I also got more involved in my photography, traveled to and explored some new places, met some interesting new people, got reacquainted with some old friends, started exercising more, earned a little extra cash, and most importantly, learned a lot. I think 2009 will bring more of the good things that I experienced last year, and hopefully some new, fulfilling experiences.

This holiday season was a good one, and a nice way to close out 2008. I sold a handful of my photo ornaments at a lackluster-but-fun Santa Ana Art Walk, Brenda and her sister Sol spent a great week visiting from Mexico, and the New Year started with football, food and fun with the Fergusons.

Speaking of football...my favorite sports team of 25 years, the Denver Broncos, fired their 14-year head coach Mike Shanahan on December 30. It was a shock to the football world, as he has been considered one of the top 3 or 4 coaches in the NFL for many, many years. While the team tanked the last month of the season to miss the playoffs, I believe they are on the verge of being a very, very good team, and I think the guy should have been given at least one more year. Simply put, Mike Shanahan was the Broncos for 14 years; he, along with John Elway, did more for the franchise than anyone else, and it's not going to be the same without him. His firing puts a damper on an otherwise nice end to 2008.

That said, here are a few photos from the holidays. Here's to a great 2009!


Las Mexicanas welcome you to Old Towne Orange








An afternoon in Laguna Beach




Brenda after her collagen injections


Wax lips remind me of going to TG&Y when I was 5 or 6


Hanging in Claremont Village








The Folk Music Center in Claremont Village- a great place






Trying a new Thai place in Claremont Village, Bua


Fun in the snow at Wrightwood


A long way from Querétaro


Good eats in the making: sopa azteca, quesadillas and frijoles negros


Ready to open their presents


An American Christmas at Casa Harsen


Mom whipping up her famous apple pancakes and hashbrowns


A sunny-but-cool morning after Christmas


Class girls all the way


Envy at a bakery on Fairfax

PS- Get better soon, Lisa. :)

Death Valley Days

A few weeks ago, volunteers from my college were needed to drive geology students on a field trip to Death Valley. Having been curious about the place for some time, I took advantage of the opportunity. In exchange for driving, I got a free guided tour and camping trip to a place I hadn't experienced before. I'm glad I went.

The weather was great, the people were mostly fun and interesting, and Death Valley was very interesting itself, if not overly exciting. The geology of it is pretty amazing, and the overall environment there is very deserving of its name. It's largely barren of life, it's landscape is harsh and unforgiving, and at times it looks like how one might imagine Mars or some other planet to be. In fact, numerous Star Wars scenes were shot there.

I found the general history of the place more interesting than its geology, and wished there had been more time take in more of the historical landmarks. Maybe I'll go back someday to learn more about it, and see some things we didn't have time to visit. I'd also like to check out Trona, a small, desolate, mineral-mining town which we passed through on the way back home. Something about isolated, boondock (and sometimes impoverished) towns fascinates me, and Trona seems to have a weird, land-that-time-forgot quality. It looked a lot like Niland or Brawley, the towns I visited early this year around the Salton Sea.

This trip also renewed my itch to go camping, which I hope to do more of next year. I need a few more things to make up a basic set of camping gear, so hopefully I can go somewhere in the next couple of months, weather permitting.


My group- Chris, Sara, Lindsay and David. Good kids.


A vehicle fire on the 15 caused about a 20-minute delay on the way there.


A game of toss on the highway to pass the time.


Once camp was set up, it was burger time.




Furnace Creek Campground.


First stop on Saturday morning.














Our fearless leader, Dr. Hovantiz, professor of geology.


Zabriskie Point.




Death Valley Visitor Center museum. I liked the hand-painted lettering on this display.


The museum even had dioramas!


Badlands is 300 feet below sea level. I think this was our only water sighting.


Hiking to Natural Bridge Canyon.




Inside the canyon.






David's adventurous nature made Dr. Hovanitz a bit nervous.













Devil's Golf Course. Jagged, rock-hard salt deposits.




Artist's Palette. The colors are created by the oxidation of various salts and minerals.




Discussing an unusually-weathered rock.






Sunday started with a group photo at Harmony Borax Works.




Ghost town of Rhyolite, Nevada.


The bottle house.






Train depot.




Ghost town of Leadfield, Nevada.




Friendly raven at our last stop (for gas)- Stovepipe Wells.