My MousePath

I found this great little java app last week that tracks where your mouse has been on you screen. I’ve always loved info graphics and this gives some pretty sweet lookin’ results. Here is my mousepath from a day of activity or so.

The lines are the mouse movements and the dots represent the mouse at rest. The bigger the dot the longer the rest. Apparently I took a long break for a meal in there somewhere.

You can download the app for free from dotTech. I believe it runs on mac and windows.

You just start the app you can minimize it and it runs in the background. Enjoy!

Snow in North Carolina

In the middle of North Carolina. In the middle of the night. In the middle of four inches of snow!

When I was at my Grandpa’s farm last weekend we got dumped on. Most of the relatives had gone to bed so I had a little photo shoot outside from about 1:30 to 2:00 in the morning. It was so fun just to try and make some images.

Here are the results.

90

Today is my grandfather’s 90th birthday. We call him Grandpa. Almost the whole family has gathered at his farm in North Carolina to celebrate.

A few days ago my aunt emailed my brother Aaron a document of photos and words that the different family members had written about Grandpa. Aaron forwarded it to me then called me on the phone. Our response had been the same. We both thought it was very, very special.

So we decided to try to make it into a really nice book. Aaron would handle the layout of the photo pages and I would work on the text. We only had a few days to turn it around so I had one late night/early morning, but it was worth it.

I found this photo that I had taken of Grandpa about a year ago and it was perfect for the cover.

You can see the full 65-page document here if you are interested.

This was a very special project to me able to work on and it was privilege for me to be able to do it.

Below is my entry to Grandpa.

“Thinking About Grandpa”

Whenever I arrive at the farm it has always been too long and when I leave it is always too soon. Grandpa is always excited to see me and sad to see me go. Even though I am one of many grandchildren he always finds a way to make me feel special. The way he says “Well, I’ll declare!” after you do something makes you feel as if you were the only person in the world who could have done it. I like the way he says my name. I like his accent. He says “Day-troit” and “SacreMENTO.” Los Angeleeez just rolls out of his mouth. I love it when he calls the woman he loves “Mizz Greene.”  I hope to do the same some day, just because Grandpa did. I admire the way he loves her, how he cares for her so.

I love eating beef jerky, junk food, and fruit with him. Watching a “ball game” with him. I love my silver dollars because he gave them to me. When I smashed the golfcar into the brick wall at the end of the driveway I thought I was going to get an awful lecture. But I didn’t. So I like his mercy. I like it when he prays. I like his advice: “Boys, you need to marry a fat woman.” And why is that?, Grandpa? “Because she’ll give you shade in the summer and keep you warm in the winter.” I like his sayings: What is love? Love is an ocean of emotion… Surrounded entirely by expenses.” I like it when he is handing out Snickers ice cream bars and he says “Now you wouldn’t want one of these now would you?” I love his jokes: A man went into the kitchen and when he came back he announced to his wife that he had killed 5 flies: 2 male and 3 female. “How could you tell?” asked his wife. “It was easy. Two were sitting on the beer can and three were on the phone!” I like the best part about his jokes: his enjoyment in telling them, hearing his contagious laughter. You can’t help but join in and enjoy it to. I love the twinkle in his eye.

He likes his daily ritual and he likes new things. He loves to be at home. He loves the little things. He loves to learn and share his knowledge. He loves nature and the land. He works hard. He plays hard. He sleeps hard. He loves animals. He loves to eat. He loves poetry. He loves the Lord.  He loves his wife. He loves his family. And Grandpa loves life.

Thank you, Grandpa. Thank you for brining love and joy to your family, for helping us all love people and the things the Lord has given us a little bit more. I love you.

Lauren Holland Recital Invitation

I recently completed this poster for my good friend Lauren Holland. She is working on a MA degree at Bob Jones in piano and is having a recital this monday. If you are in the Gville area come give it a listen should be good.

She is playing Schumannn’s ‘Carnival’ and that was the impetus for the Venetian mask.