ShootHouston

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The site may go down for a bit while it is being updated.

A new look and new organization is coming!

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We are back, but wish we were still in Cozumel.

Had a blast. Chichen Itza was cool, the ship was fun, and Cozumel was awesome.  We did the “Amazing Race” in Cozumel and came in second (by about 5 minutes).  We’ll post more later and post some pics.

Now I think it’s nap time.

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Still plugging away at alot of stuff.

1) way behind in getting my photographs in order and into galleries to put up

2) way behind in getting the new website up (where the galleries will go)

3) work is going along.  The new Houston office officially opens Feb 1st (tomorrow), but my first day in the office will be the 9th. (see #4).  It’s located near memorial park, so only about a 12 mile drive (but about a 25 minute traffic fight).  Also within easy lunch drives to some of my favorite places (lunch with Dawn, Spagetti Western, Hickory Hollow, & Red Robin).  Over the last week I’ve moved a bunch of files in and some computer gear.

4) we leave on a cruise to Mexico on Monday, will return Sat 7th.  It will be fun, temp looks cooler than we wanted (highs in the low 70s), but I will still go swimming, etc.  The two shore excursions we have planned are doing an “Amazing Race” type adventure in Cozumel and going to the Mayan ruins/pyramid at Chichen Itza (wikipedia link)

5) I plan to start doing some food/restaurant reviews on here too, as I am a “foodie.”  Probably gonna restrict it to family owned/small places and not chains.

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Still been busy at work (organizing and getting it going).  We get a new Houston office Feb 1st, so thats good.

Also finally got off my rump and entered some pictures in a contest for 2008 (deadline is today).  Here’s a few:

Landscape: From Zion NP, Utah, my Ansel Adams styled pic (after a long HARD hike):

Panorama: Sandia Peak, NM:

Transportation: Train in San Angelo, TX:

Digital Manipulation: “Painting” of Bryce NP, Utah:

Nature: Lilly:

People: Re-enactor at the Alamo:

Macro: Filmstrip:

Sports: Dylan motorbiking:

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Well, we did not have easy net access in Florida (aside from the iPhone), so I could not post pics.  I’ll get some up this week.

We are back in Houston now, and starting off running.  We pic up the dogs in a few hours from the kennel and then I have a short business planning meeting this afternoon.  Tomorrow I’ll be meeting most of the day with the business partners also.

We had a great time in Florida - more relaxing than normal since we did not run around trying to do everything possible.  It was mostly just laying around and chilling.  Dawn & I did get some great kayaking in (around mangrove islands and way down the Intercoastal Waterway).  We visited a few beaches and got quite a few fossilized sharks teeth through diligent searching and digging (we’ll send some to Dylan).

The one down side of the whole thing was that I managed to injure my left thumb/wrist again - the same one I shattered about 17 years ago and had repinned and in a cast for over a year, and then rebroke a few years later.  I don’t think anything is severly broken, maybe some greenwood style breaks and definitly some torn muscles and ligs.  It’s been about 3 days now and the swelling and bruising has subsided somewhat (my palm was almost black 2 days ago), and I have movement in my thumb, but no strength or grip.  Still really tender and awkward.

Upcoming plans:
1) Continued business startup work.  We are trying to get this going asap.  We have the business capabilities and clients waiting on the structure, just need it to be finalized.
2) Dawn’s Bday cruise.  In early February we’ll be taking a cruise to Mexico for a few days for Dawn’s big 4-0 Bday.  One of the shore trips we are planning is to some Mayan ruins.  Really looking forward to that.  Accompanying us on the cruise will be Butch & Mary Beth and Jerry & Frazier.
3) Reimplementation of my photo sales site.  I’ve been making continuous sales in photos over the year, but all low yield.  I need to get the photo sales site redone and structured so that I can increase the sales volume and prices.
4) Gallery structure - need to get a good photo gallery set up for this site to post pics to.  What is here now is hap hazard.  It’ll probably be done as part of a full update to uebelhart.net

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We are in Siesta Key, Florida (near Sarasota) until about the third.

I may post some pics as net access allows. (this post is via iPhone)

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I blame Gore & Obama.

Proof of snow in Houston:

And obligatory Macro-ish shot with narrow Depth of Field:

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Just got back from a weekend at Goose Island / Rockport camping out with Dawn, the pups, and Dawn’s Folks.  It was nice and relaxing.  That place is swarmed with fishermen.  Yikes.

Here’s some pics of the weekend:

Pelicans were everywhere:

Even saw other creatures, like this armadillo hiding it’s head in the beach sand “You Can’t See Me!”

And a Deer coming out to a fresh water spot (but there were gators, so it was scared to drink):

Nice sunsets every night:

Misc “Artsy” Shots from the area:

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Had a business meeting in Clear Lake / Kemah on Monday, so decided to look at some of the damage that is still evident from Ike.

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Just playing.

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Best I can figure out by the kitchen clock, power was restored about 4:45 PM today.
I arrived home about 7 PM and found the lights on.  Had to do the quick rounds (set the fridge, reconnect the AC, close windows, etc), but now we are living in pseudo-comfort again.

Next step - clean (got dusty with the windows open and the oaks dropping pollen), and restock the fridge & freezer.

Originally published at Uebelhart . Net. Please leave any comments there.

Wow, it’s already the 10nth day since Ike hit.  Time flies when you have electric clocks and no power.

As of this morning we still are out - one of the only ones in our neighborhood.  The neighbors across the street, and the cross streets at the end of our block got it yesterday, but our block is still out.  They did come in sometime yesterday and chop up the trees near the powerlines in the backyard (we lost the biggest tree along the back fence because of this - they butchered it so badly we had to finish cutting it down - and they did not even clean up after themselves - just left the branches ina big jumble, some hanging from the tree and fence).  But I guess it’s a sign they are working on it.

Last night was also the warmest night yet - we actually ran the gen all night long with some fan wind blowing on us - moved the futon mattress to the living room floor and slept there.  Also used the laptop to watch some movies “in bed.”

I’ve got some work to do tomorrow, Wednesday and possible Saturday, with more yardwork to fill the gaps.

Also getting ready to update the software on this blog and change the appearance somewhat (found a great template I can modify today).

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Stuff from the 16th to today, including the Chase Tower Downtown:

Chase Tower views:

Glass from the windows of the tower and other buildings:

Various Signs and damage:

Obligatory power restorer:

And Obligatory Nice Sunset (we’ve had alot of nice ones since the storm):

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Power: Nope, not yet, makes 1 week.  Using Generator at night for light, hot plates, etc.  Even ran the TV & DVD player off it last night for some entertainment.
Estimates from Centerpoint say it’ll be after Monday.  Maybe next Friday.
Water: OK.  Pressure drops sometimes, but livable.
Ice:  We get from Dawn’s church.

Food: Coolers for small stuff, eating out otherwise.

Trash: City picked up regular trash on thursday, hurricane damage junk is still at curb.

Cell Phones: Getting better reception at home, but still not at pre-storm levels.

Internet: Using wifi at Dawn’s church and otherplaces.

Originally published at Uebelhart . Net. Please leave any comments there.

Monday around town:

Generators and AC units for a medical building:

Billboard with the billboard company’s info:

Reliant Stadium - roof damage:

I kinda like the way the “A” is still hanging in there.  Also you may be able to see the damage to the reliant light sign (several sections are out):

What’s funny, is this fence was down like this a few weeks ago, then they fixed it, now it’s down again:

Walmart/Sam’s “Disaster Recovery Support Center”.  This is powering a local Sam’s so we could go in and get supplies - even the credit card machine worked at the checkout.

This guy’s out enjoying the day on his Trike:

The Signal still works!:

Weird one here - this looks like it was destroyed by Ike, but in reality the building was started to be demolished last week.  But what us amazing is that Ike did not take everything that is piled there and throw it around everywhere!:

Various downed trees (look at the guy riding the tree on the house in the second one):

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A few from Sunday.

Looks like he picked the wrong place to park :

Same Bayou as previous days pics - now down a little:

Another set of twisted signals - about 180 degrees - so now it controls boat traffic on the bayou:

Apartment with relatively minor roof damage:

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Playing games by candlelight right after we lost power Friday Night:

Sat 13th: We did a little drive around the city after the storm mostly died down.  The purpose was mainly to check on the residences of the people with us, and on the church.  To get from point A to point B was not possible by the normal direct routes, instead we had to meander alot to avoid downed trees, wires, floods, and more.

This signal set was twisted around about 90 degrees.  So now you have to wait for green before you can enter the driveway of the house.

This is the same bayou I posted before, wondering what it would get like.  Luckily it did not flood it’s banks.

Random damage shots:

I guess this is so barnstorming pilots flying upside down can see what cross street they are buzzing:

This is a historic tree in front of one of the city’s main jewish temples by Rice University.  It crushed the old brick sign and a menorah sculpture:

That’s Buffalo Bayou heading towards the city.  A good 30-40 feet higher than normal.

The Beatles sculpture by David Addicks (guy who did the Presidential park busts near Rushmore, and the giant Sam Houston statue in Huntsville).  Can’t tell if that’s George or Paul that was beat down by Ike (so I guess Tina wasn’t the only rocker beat by Ike):

This is a parking garage flooded by Buffalo Bayou (along Memorial Drive).  This place has flooded before, so don’t feel sorry for the idiots that parked on the lower levels.

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No power still. Entire neighborhood still out.
Now cell reception is very bad (forget internet via cell, we are lucky to get a cell signal at all).

The neighborhood has pulled together well to clean up and help out.

We still travel to Sugarland for food, etc (hit a Sam’s Warehouse yesterday evening before curfew to get some supplies).
Dawn’s church has some ice makers working overtime.  Enough for a little ice for us.

Ice is in short supply in town, as is Gas - well there is gas, but most stations are without power so you cannot pump it, and those infrequent ones that do have power and gas have lines 60-70 cars long, often with cops writing tickets to people that try and cut in line.

Heading to Dawn’s church to take care of a few things.

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still no power, but we got a generator, so we will be plugging in the trailer (for a/c) and possibly the fridge.

Some places in Sugarland are open, like restaurants. We are having lunch at Cheesecake Factory right now.

Houston just issued a citywide night curfew.
Latest estimates are we won’t get power back before Wednesday.

Originally published at Uebelhart . Net. Please leave any comments there.

still no power - probably won’t today due to downed lines and cracked pole.
We have escaped major damage - lost part of our fence and a lot of tree limbs, will need to do some repainting.

We are out driving by our friends places to let them check them out.

Cell service at home is spotty.