Friday, February 20, 2009

My Lefty Legacy



  I am a very proud lefty. It's who I am and I've always felt I was special for being left-handed. My grandmother was a lefty. My great Uncle Doug is a lefty. So it's only fitting that I would want to pass that left-handed gene on to another generation.
  Over the last few months I've noticed Benjamin beginning to show a bias to his left hand when picking up objects or throwing (which thankfully he hasn't broken anything...yet). He likes to pick up his whiffle ball and throw it with his left hand. When he wants to show us an object he presents it to us with his left hand.
  There has been much research on southpaws over the years. Studies have shown that many Nobel winners and U.S. Presidents have been lefties. In fact, 6 of the last 14 Presidents have been left-handed dating all the way back to Herbert Hoover in 1929. (My Uncle Ron is smiling right now.) Considering lefties make up 7-10% of the population that's a pretty interesting statistic on Presidents.
  As Benjamin was starting to show this bias I piped up to Cathy, "See he's doing it with his left."
  To which she replied, "Honey, I don't care if he's left or right-handed."
  So typical. You righties don't care because you're not left-handed. You don't know what it's like to live in our world. To have almost every tool or object designed for you're non-dominant hand. To not be able to work on an art project in elementary school because they can't buy one pair of left-handed scissors for the weird kid. Or learning to catch a baseball at PE with a mitt on your left hand, hold the ball in your right so you can quickly toss the glove off your left hand and throw it home.
  We are special in many ways. Many artist and creatives are left-handed. So are intellectuals. I just hope that I can share my specialness with my son. That and develop a mean slider so he can get a fat, guaranteed contract and Daddy can retire early.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

The A-Roid Circus


  If you're not a baseball fan than you probably haven't been bombarded with the saga going on inside the Yankees clubhouse. The team's expensive third baseman Alex Rodriguez admitted last week of using a banned performance enhancing substance during the 2001-03 seasons while he played for the Texas Rangers.
  Yesterday was his first pubic comments since the SI.com report and ESPN interview came out. Sportcenter was hyping the press conference all morning saying that the team was even turning away some media.
  As I backed out of the garage to take Benjamin to school my cell rang. One of my clients called with a last-minute request to cover the presser which was scheduled to begin in 4 1/2 hours. Nothing like waiting until the last minute.
  I quickly turned the car around and headed back to the house to devise a plan of coverage for Benjamin. Luckily for me my mom was able to take off the afternoon to pick him up from school and watch him until I got home.
  I arrived at Steinbrenner Field about 45 minutes before the event started. I could tell it was the usual "Made for TV" event that follows the NY media. There were over 150 members of the media shuffling around the stadium waiting for A-Rod to walk out.
  I will give the team credit for one thing. They decided to pool the video feed of the actual press conference which gave the still photographers a little more room to get their shots.
  My feeling on the whole story of Rodriguez getting caught (which is really what it's all about as so many players at the time were taking PEDs) is that I don't think he really came totally clean. It seemed to practiced and prepared. He reverted back to what seemed like scripted responses that could easily fit several questions. He left somethings unanswered which isn't smart to do with NY writers. They like to irritate the soar.
  Look I think that MLB, and professional sports in general, are guilty of being greedy. In the late 90s all sports were enjoying huge successes and didn't give a damn about the fans. They kept jacking up the rates on everything from tickets to jerseys because they had a monopoly. Now that everyone's disposable income is either gone or closely watched the sports leagues are nervous. They now realize that they aren't as recession-proof as they thought.
  I hope that all players have changed their ways but I'm not naive. The bottom line is it's a business and everyone is trying to get an edge over their competition.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Mr. Big Head


  Yesterday was Benjamin's 15-month birthday (yes we're first-time parents and count every month) which meant we were going to the pediatrician's office today for his checkup. Cathy and I had a feeling he'd be low in the weight percentile and close to the 50th percentile for height.
We weren't too far off. Benjamin's statistics were:

Weight 21 lbs. 13 oz. 10%
Height 30 3/4" 40%
Head Size 48 75%

  The doctor suggested we try adding some Carnation instant breakfast to Benjamin's milk to add some calories as well as key vitamins to his daily diet. I told him how he sometimes eats like a bird and then like a wolf. The thing that keeps his weight mostly down is his energy level. He goes full-tilt every waking minute. I think he also gets Cathy's metabolism.
  What I wasn't expecting was his ranking on head size. 75th!!! The doctor said that they measure that to make sure he doesn't have water on the brain but not to worry he's fine. "Just tell your wife it's because he has a developing brain." (Again I hope he gets his mother's brains otherwise I'm going to be making several trips to see the music teacher at school.)

Monday, February 9, 2009

Just a Little off the Sides


  Yesterday we finally gave Benjamin his much-needed first haircut. Lately he's been looking a little trashy with his mullet. Cathy wanted to do it after a bath but needed me to help to distract Benjamin while she snipped his golden locks. He has really beautiful, soft blonde hair and we didn't want to lose that. Now looking at him with it trimmed up he looks so much better.
  We put him in his high and brought it in to his room. I grabbed some pictures of Benjamin at the beginning while Cathy trimmed around his ears. He had looks of concern about what exactly was going on around him but seemed alright. Then it came time to cut off the mullet in the back.
  I put down the camera and started to play with my son. Nothing too exciting but enough for him to lean forward and allow Cathy to cut the hair around the back. He watched Daddy kiss his foot and laughed as he tried to stick his finger in Daddy's mouth.
  Once it was all done, Cathy and I stepped back and evaluated her beautician skills. "Not bad," I told her.
  It kind of made it special for us that we gave Benjamin his first hair cut and at the same time scary at what the potential outcome could've been. Cathy thinks it accentuates his attractive head. (I know it sounds weird but he does have a good looking keppellah.)
  Thankfully his first haircut wasn't traumatic to either Benjamin or his parents. And in the end our good-looking kid looks even better.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Sick Day

  Over the weekend I caught a cold and it festered over the last couple of days. Last night it spread to the rest of the family. Cathy for the most part is fine but it's only the first day of what will develop into a head cold. Benjamin however kept waking up last night because he couldn't breath and was tired. 
  So today I've resolved that I will not get any work done and my main priority is to keep Benjamin entertained and comfortable. This morning while he was running around the house in his usual monkey man demeanor I decided to record his funny faces. 
  He's always been fascinated with the little boy  in the mirror but recently it's been more entertaining to watch him. So forgive me for not writing about something more interesting but I thought this was cute. 

Monday, February 2, 2009

My Superweek


  Congratulations to the Pittsburgh Steelers on their 27-23 win over the Cardinals yesterday. I would've liked to have been there at the stadium documenting your sixth championship but I was at home spending time with my family after working my butt off last week shooting all the festivities leading up to the Superbowl.
  A friend of mine Donald Miralle called me a few weeks ago to see if I'd be interested in helping him shoot some of the events for the NFL Players Association. He mainly needed me to shoot the feel and scene of some of the parties they host the week before the game. I told him I'd love to help out.
  My first day shooting for NFLPA was spent going around to some of he bay area elementary schools to take pictures of players reading to students followed by an evening seminar for some high school players.
  The reading assignment was a breeze. I'd covered these type of jobs at the paper. The only difference was that I was being compensated better.
  The evening event was at Plant High School and the players talked to the Florida 5A champs about how football can be many things in their lives and that it takes a lot to make it from high school to the NFL.
  The really interesting part of the evening wasn't the seminar but the fact that it was at the high school my parents attended. Just strange to think I was walking the halls they walked as teens.
  Thursday evening was the first of the NFLPA parties. This party was held at the Performing Arts Center and was mainly for their corporate partners. I'll say this, the Association puts on some great parties. The nice thing for me was that I got to walk around and take pictures of different players while sampling some delicious snick snacks.
  We wrapped at midnight and headed back to the hotel to unload and grab a drink. I couldn't get over all the traffic around Tampa. Even at 12:30 in the morning it was crazy.
  Friday morning I headed over to the Sheraton in downtown to do a side job for the Walter Payton Foundation. They host the NFL Man of the Year Award luncheon and I was the only photographer in the room. 
  The luncheon was nice and small. They invited the three finalist along with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and a couple dozen others but that was all. It was nice to see the Commish again after photographing him the night before at the NFLPA party.
  Friday night would be the longest night of the week because it was the night of the Players' Party. I arrived at the Ala Carte Pavilion around 8 pm and started shooting all the different rooms they'd set up for the party. The theme was the four seasons and it they put a lot of thought into it.
  The main room had bars scattered around the outside with a raised stage area in the middle that was made to look like a pool for Summer. In the front corner of the main room was Winter complete with partition made out of blocks of ice and included a breath mint bar.
  A side room was my favorite and done in an Autumn theme. I liked this room because it was quieter than the main room and had warm colors. Outside on the deck was Spring where they had light colors and comfortable couches to relax on for guests. Also outside was a woman who would make hand-rolled cigars for party-goers.
  Every room had it's own costume for the cocktail waitresses who were serving themed drinks and food. It was absolutely incredible the thought that went into this party. They even had beautiful women on swings suspended over the crowd.
  The party was MC'ed by actor Chris Tucker who did a very short stand-up routine. They DJ was especially good at getting people on to the dance floor during the night.
  Towards the beginning of the party I was standing around with Donald when all of a sudden it looked as if a bus had pulled up and unloaded models and starlets to the party. (We talked with our red carpet photographer Tom later and he said that in fact a charter bus had pulled up and all these gorgeous women got off.)
  I guess we walked out of the Players' party a little after 3 am. I didn't go to sleep until after 4 am, back up at 8 am and drove to final event of the week. I had to cover the art auction brunch. It's a good thing it wasn't tough as I felt like I was doing it in my sleep (which I probably could've.).
  You know they always have great food at these NFL events so I never went hungry during the week. I grabbed an omelette and some fruit along with a big cup of coffee and shot my party pics before heading back to the hotel to download.
  A few hours later I was stuck in traffic on I-275 looking forward to getting home and seeing my family. It was good to work that much after not having anything the three weeks before but it's also tough on the body.
  A few friends asked me if I was disappointed about being pulled off of covering the actual game. To be honest I was at first but looking back now I'm glad I got to do what I did this week and not the game. You see I had more fun doing all these parties for a lot more money than had I shot the game. If I was shooting the game I would've had to arrive at the stadium yesterday at 9 am and waited around until it started. Then I would not have gotten back home until probably 3 am all for very little money. 
  Now I get to do this all again next year in Miami. Go Steelers!!!