The Day After February 14th

I finally updated my blog, Luna chewed on her favorite bone, while Amber worked on four multiaxial diagnosis'.

February 15, 2004

This is was the date that Amber and I felt alive for the first time.  Five years ago today. 

Sage and Balsamic Browned Butter Ravioli

Happy Inauguration.
This morning I woke up at 8am, turned on the TV and watched with my wife, a sleepy-eyed pup, and mound of blankets. I could see blue freckles through the curtains of my bedroom, another respectable sunny day in Portland. A new president and leader in our country begins now. I had a day of reflection and I could almost feel an energy in the air. It was the feeling of something new, it was the feeling of excitement. After dropping my car off for an oil change, Amber and I went for a coffee at my favorite spot. Crema. A great place for a quiet yet intense discussion.

After a long day of running around I finally made it home with my car and a bill for what was supposed to be a routine check up and oil change turned into a 650.00 fluid change, tire rotation, and the labor of a mechanic for 8 hours. Barf.

Amber spent the rest of the evening catching up on reading, while I cooked one of my favorite go to meals. Hence the title of this entry.




One package of hand-made Butternut Squash Ravioli
2 T butter
1 T good quality balsamic vinegar
5 leaves of fresh sage chopped
2 oz. shaved Parmesan cheese

Boil Ravioli according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Brown butter in a pan.
Remove browned butter from heat.
Add finely chopped sage to the pan.
Add balsamic vinegar to the pan.
Add the cooked and drained ravioli and coat with the sage and browned butter mixture.
Top with Parmesan.
Serve and Eat.

Chile Rellenos Casserole

Here is what I made for lunch today.  

Chile Rellenos Casserole.  This is the third time I've made this dish.  It has been a newly added staple in this house.  It comes from my wife's Cooking Light cook book.  Seriously, if you've never tried it, make it.  If you can't find the recipe just let me know I'll send you a copy.  Now that Amber is starting a new semester I'll be doing a lot of the cooking.  More food pictures and recipes to come.

Good Night.

DZ

A Day At The Dog Park

Yesterday felt like spring.  Luna was crying at the sunlight through the window.  She wanted to be outside.  I don't blame her, it was beautiful.  What better place for a crying dog to go then the D.P.  Luna got to spend time with a few old friends.  I got to try out my camera on a couple crazy dogs. 

Downtown Photobooth

Amber, Car, and I decided to go downtown tonight.  We got a beer and a bite to eat at Kenny & Zukes and then we headed to the Ace Hotel for a quick photobooth session.  Sometimes I forget how close we live to the city.  It was a really comforting night with friends and a really good pastrami on rye.  I have succeeded in having fun on my day off of work.  Tomorrow starts early unfortunately.  Here are a couple shots from tonight.  Back to sleep, back to work.

Photobooth #1 (Ace Hotel)

Meatloaf

I'm patiently waiting for my Italian style meatloaf to be done. Thought it would be a few good minutes to update. I got a new digital camera today. Today I come home to my friends watching TV in my living room. I gave them the task of waiting for the UPS man to deliver my camera, so that someone could sign for it, while I was at work. All afternoon I've been playing. Taking a couple photos of Luna, a few of the river, and then the abandoned train behind the near by apartment complex, my battery goes dead. I realize now that it was a very good idea to get the second battery pack. However, it's in my house charging at the moment. The train study will have to wait for another day.

PMPA : Portland Metropolitan Photographers Association. Their first meeting of the year is tonight. I am anxiously waiting for 7pm to go to this meeting. I must say, I have to give Amber some credit. Working at a bank in the area you live in definitely has it's advantages. She meets so many photographers and buisness owners. Seriously, I cannot begin to tell how much my wife helps me out. I think mostly because she knows how much photography is my passion.

1.  Luna - Profile

2.  Luna-tic

3. Flooded Ferns

4. House boat by the Willamette

Rain as a symbol for change.

The first day of the new year arrived entirely made of rain.  I'm not one for making New Year resolutions.   I never stick to them.  For this year I wrote down goals, goals that I could reach by the end of the year.  For now, a few:

• Be more expressive (blog, photograph, communicate)
• Create meaning (life goals, career opportunities)
• Make my dreams tangible (creating income with art)
• Organization, discipline (fitness, cleanliness, relationships)

This morning I was finally able to take the first step onto a new path.  I'm only wondering now, Can a new camera really change my life?.  Do I really want to watch my life pass by day after day doing the same thing over and over again? No. I am the only person who can decide how I want my life to turn out.  I want to inspire people.  I need to.  I have to.  This is what I was meant to do.  It has to be.  Only my boring job, or my everyday routines will make me realize that I am just wasting my life.  The only way I can believe that my life has a purpose, is to create that purpose.  

I am tired of just waiting for things to happen.  If it wasn't for the relationships that we as humans have with other people how could we live.  My wife has already given me so much meaning to my life.  She challenges me to think, to strive to do more.  It's my turn to start giving back to the people, to create more reasons, to inspire, to spread meaning and purpose.  The rain is always right.  The rain brings change.  

My camera comes on Tuesday, January 6th.  I have been waiting a long time.  I want to thank the people who gave so much to me and my wife in the past year.  It means more than you will ever know.  

Today is the beginning of a new year, tomorrow is just another day.

DZ

First of Fall

I hate to see summer go, but I really like the idea of fall. Change is in the air and I am in love. Amber started school 2 weeks ago which means more for me to do around here. A day spent relaxing, absorbing the cool air and the sunshine, and some quality time hanging out at the laundromat.

When the laundry was done and the house was clean I took Luna for a long walk. We stopped in the park to run around with Luna's twin, Lola. Shes a rambunctious little brindle boxer too. I have yet to get a portrait of them together. They just won't stop running.

(Luna sleeping in the clean laundry pile.)

I am slowly gathering ideas for photo projects. I have a couple written down in my sketch book, I just have to make a post with all of them on as soon as there is a more substantial list. Feel free to leave a comment or brainstorm over an idea or concept, it doesn't specifically have to be an idea for a photo, it could be anything. I'll figure out the rest.

The whole point of this blog is to get me back into taking pictures. I graduated well over a year ago and I left behind a lot of things, but I'm not giving up photography. I have a voucher for 10 hours in a darkroom. That means there will be some awesome black and white pictures in my near future.

Leave a comment or favorite quote and maybe I'll match a picture up to it.

High Five.
Dan_Z

The Last Day of Summer

Not realizing it at the time, yesterday was probably the last sunny day of Summer. The first day of Fall starts Monday, and the forecast predicts rain all weekend. It is sort of a sad realization for me right now. I spent the last couple days putting together all the elements for a blog that I would actually want to write in and post pictures. The turning over of a new leaf, as they say, and just in time for all those leaves to die and fall off the trees.

My first summer in Portland, OR. It has been one year exactly since I moved out to the left coast. One perfect Portland summer checked off the list. The clouds begin to roll in and everything slowly turns gray. Today is spent reflecting on the past and the few things that I've accomplished so far:

1. Improved my back yard.
2. Photographed my first wedding.
3. Started my first blog.

High Five.
Dan_Z