Steamed - Day 19 of the Chill

Sometimes, we get into situations where we feel we can't control anything.  Like when aliens come down to Earth and pick up people just to examine them more closely.  These people don't really have any control over the situation and for the most part are just along for the ride.

And what's with the deal that only people out on farms or rednecks in general are the ones who get abducted by aliens?  Yeah, I know I speaking in grand generalities here, but when's the last time you've read about a Wall Street stock broker being abducted by aliens?  Heck, when's the last time you read about a teacher in Cucamonga being abducted by aliens?  That's just wrong and I'm steamed about it.  What gives here?I think the rest of us should have an equal say in who gets abducted by aliens.  

I'd suggest a lottery but with something like that, you'd get the same kind of people applying to be abducted, or not necessarily applying, but I really think the same kind of person would get picked.  I really think the next big alien abduction should have some kind of codicil attached to it that only college educated, college degree holders would be allowed to be abducted.  C'mon man.  The rest of us want to have a chance to be like Richard Dreyfus in Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

Then again, I think my wife would get kind of steamed if I started building Devils Tower in the middle of our living room the way Dreyfus did.  And I know me.  I'd want to build something as grandiose and as large scale as his model was too.  The bigger the better.  Now if someone can get me out of this BORG cube, I think we'll all be OK.  Yeah, I don't think I want to be assimilated that badly.

Willy Wonka’s greatest candy making secret - Day 3 of the Chill

Sometimes, blog posts make sense and sometimes they don't.  I think this post it going to fall into the latter category.  About the only thing I could possibly link to this was I played Willy Wonka in a dinner theater play our school hosted about 20 years ago.  The Everlasting Gobstopper was the all important piece of candy that Arthur Slugworth wanted to get his hands on and he'd stop at nothing to do it.

But this story isn't about Slugworth, or Willy Wonka, or Veruca Salt, or even Charlie Buckett.  It's about finding inspiration for photos in a variety of spots.   It's about making sure you're always prepared to take those photos that you know you'd kick yourself if you missed it. 

One thing I've learned is that you need to take your camera with you all the time.  You never know when the moment is going to strike and you'll get that picture perfect shot.  Case in point is this shot of a hummingbird I spotted while out geocaching in Ventura a couple of years ago.  Found the cache, wandered around and then spotted several hummingbirds enjoying the nectar of these flowers. 

This one was the best of the bunch I took that day.  I was actually surprised that the birds allowed me to get as close to them as I did.  Usually hummingbirds are very skittish and won't let you get so close.

I'd still like to get a faster zoom or fixed telephoto lens, one that would stop the motion of the bird's wings, but that's going to cost some big bucks down the road and the only way I'm going to come up with that kind of money would be to find out Willy Wonka's greatest candy making secret.

Wait a minute.  I was Willy Wonka.  I should know this.  In fact, I do.  Because Willy Wonka's greatest candy making secret is.......

that it's still a secret.  Shhhhhh.  No one's supposed to know, but it wouldn't surprise me if flower nectar was somehow involved.