WWSJD — What Would Steve Jobs Do?

Today is the kickoff of Apple’s annual World Wide Developer Conference, WWDC. I certainly would like to be in attendance, I’m not yet a committed, qualified Apple Developer (though I’m paying the $99 annual fee) to justify the expense of going out to San Francisco and attending the conference.

A Long, Strange Saturday
When I look back on Saturday even I can’t believe the amount I packed into one day.

I arose early to meet some Flickrites at Historic Oakland Cemetery to do a sunrise photoshoot. One problem, the sun rose at about 6:25am, Oakland Cemetery doesn’t open until 8:00am. The three of us made a quick executive decision to head to the Majestic before returning to do some photography. I have photos in the camera waiting to be processed…

As we were wrapping up our photoshoot we stumbled upon a large group of (mostly female) photographers assembling at the Visitor Center. I asked one of the people what was going on, and it turned out that they were there as part of a world wide photo walk being organized by a website called I Heart Faces. I learn about new things every day.

After noon I made my way over to Athens to continue my whirlwind day. I stayed at a brand new hotel (foreshadowing) whose street was not in my Garmin Nüvi’s (aka Jill2) database. Frustrating. Thankfully Google is better prepared, so I was able to navigate to the hotel using Google Maps my iPhone.

I did a little relaxing and some photo reconnaissance (though I wound up shooting zero photos in Athens) before heading to Terrapin Brewery to consume some of their beers and listen to Atlanta’s Smalltown Mayors perform. For $10 you receive a pint glass (like I need another!) and eight beer tickets, each ticket redeemable for one four-ounce pour. I dare say the humidity and lack of food got to me, as I was only able to use six of my tickets. I decided that it would be prudent to head out for food while I was still sober, and before the throngs of others who were in attendance also decided it was time to leave.

If I were to tell you that I ate dinner at a restaurant which was once a Waffle House and is attached to a Shell station you might think I wasted one of my Life’s meals. How wrong you’d be. I ate three delicious tacos — lengua, pastor, and barbacoa — at this tiny establishment called Taqueria El Sol De Zacatecaz. If I ever return to Athens I’ll also return to this place to eat.

After a short nap back at the hotel room I was out on the prowl again. This time I was headed to downtown Athens to hear Circulatory System play at the 40 Watt Club. I should be an experienced enough concertgoer to realize that I could have stopped in Trappeze Pub for a few delicious beers before going into the 40 Watt, but I didn’t.

I like the 40 Watt, even if the girl working the door was as rude to me as any stranger has ever been.

Girl: “I probably don’t need to check your id, you look old enough.”
Me: “I am, but I don’t mind showing it since I’ve nothing to hide.”
Girl: “Oh, you’re even older than I thought. You are older than me.”
Me: “Um. Well, eat right and exercise and you’ll get to my age some day.”
Me: *walks away*

The show was fun, but really long. Three bands performed that night, and as I left the 40 Watt at 1:30am Circulatory System was still cranking out their psychedelic rock.

I. Was. Bushed. So bushed in fact that when I saw the roach in my hotel room and failed to kill it because it managed to scurry behind the desk, I still fell asleep in moments. When I told the young woman desk clerk about the roach upon checking out she first thought I was joking. When I assured her that I was not, and that the fact that the building was brand new had no impact on the roach’s decision to inhabit it, she was mortified and made note of my account. She said something about trying to get me a discount on my rate, but I’ll believe that when I see it.

ITP Flickr Pic
This weekend I received payment for my sale at the Atlanta Photography Exhibit‘s “Southern Fried Photographers” exhibit.

This check covers the entrance fee, and cost of printing, matting, framing, and nets me about $20 profit.

My Hash — Done Right
Hashing is funny. When I saw the posted start for yesterday’s hash I was intrigued because it was in one of the areas I scouted last July for my Black Sheep Hash Birthday Snarefest. In fact, the trail ended exactly where I was planning to end my trail! Yesterday’s trail was fantastic, and proved that my hunch last year was correct.

Yesterday’s hares — Colonel Clit and Supersuck — managed to do what I could not. These two found incredible shiggy and a way to cross under 985 and 85 so that the trail could use both sides of the interstates and the shiggy which borders each. I was both impressed and jealous how well they organized yesterday’s trails.

A Return To RPS
Tonight I’ll be headed back to Roswell for the monthly Roswell Photographic Society meeting. Tonight is a presentation night, with tonight’s presenter being local nature photographer Kathryn Kolb. I have a special place in my heart for Kold Kolb as she was the critic who picked my photo as First Place back in February.

Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – weird, somewhat detached
Current Music – listening to the CBC Radio 3 “Ab-Originals” podcast
Website Of The Day – Hopefully one of the things Steve Jobs will announce today is an additional cell phone provider to compete with AT&T. If not, you better read Candid Answers From AT&T On The New iPhone Data Plans to make an informed decision about future data plans.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – Sunday: hashing, 5.5 miles
Morning Weigh-In – 204 pounds (Jeebus, I’m getting fatter not thinner 🙁 )
Pages Of 1001 Paintings You Must See Before You Die Read – 77

Monthly
Foot Mileage – 5.5 miles, Wheel Mileage – 40 miles
Pushups – 0, Situps – 0
Consecutive Days Of Bed-Making (Longest Streak) – 7 (7)
Vegetarian Days – 0, Carnivorous Days – 6
Marta Rides – 0

June Goals
– Not to get sick for the entire month
– Not get fired from my job
– Ride my bicycle no fewer than 100 miles
– Get the Sharpened Stone, LLC moving further
– Complete at least one iPhone application

2010 Goals
– Reduce my weight to 185 pounds (starting weight was 198 pounds)
– Completely read the book 1001 Paintings You Must See Before You Die
РEarn at least $150 through photography sales in order to cover the cost for the renewal of the Jalape̱o Beach SmugMug account.
– Save $500 for the sole purpose of donating to charitable organizations of my choice
– Attend at least one professional photography workshop
– Enter no fewer than three photographic competitions / gallery showings
– Get the Black Sheep stats out of Excel and online
– Ride in no fewer than two 50 mile or 50K bike rides
– Complete my Taco Mac Passport requirement of 125 beers

The Unmeasurable
– Continue backing up all data, including the off-site storage
– Become a proficient programmer in PHP and CSS Objective-C
– Do not create a solution for something which is not a problem

Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]