Sunday, November 30, 2008

"Da Bulls....."

The other day, I heard someone mention "bull fighting."

I have not thought of that for more than 30 years.

Sunday afternoon. Tijuana, Mexico. Bullring By The Sea. $5 more for a seat sombre (in the shade). Newspaper photo deadlines.

We now have sports bars with tv sets in each booth and large flat screens hanging on the walls....but, I don't remember ever seeing bull fights. Are they televised? Are they still being staged? Obviously, I needed an expert opinion.

So I called George, the owner of George's Sports Bar in West Ashley.

He came to the phone and said "You wanna know about the Chicago Bulls?"

No, I explained, not the CHICAGO Bulls, real bulls. In bull fights against a man with a cape. Maybe a telecast from Mexico or Spain.

He answered quickly that he didn't think those fights were on television here. He had never seen one.

Back in the 1960s my newspaper, the San Diego Union-Tribune, would assign a photographer to cover the "sport" on Sunday, especially if a name Matador was in town. I covered three as I recall.

The bulls lost every match.

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Saturday, November 22, 2008

45 Years Ago.....

I was going through my photo files and came across this photo I took in 1963.

President Kennedy flew into our seaside city to speak at graduation and receive an honorary degree at San Diego State. This was about 5 months before he went to Dallas.

As I recall, we had to go through lengthy procedures and it took several weeks for the Union-Tribune newspapers to obtain clearance and credentials to cover the event.

In the 1960 Presidential campaign, when I was a college student on a photography scholarship at the University of San Diego, I asked a policeman if I could climb up on the platform while Senator Kennedy spoke before a huge downtown crowd.

He said "Sure, let me give you a hand."

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Tuesday, November 18, 2008

November Notables .....

There were many dire predictions about crowds and long delays at the polls on Election Day.

The big surprise?

In Hanahan, there were only two of us in line who brought chairs.

I finished a novel during my 2-hour voting experience.

Mark your calendars NOW for the Alterman Studios' free monthly (2nd Monday) guest photography lecture series.

There was a great behind-the-scenes presentation Nov 10 by USAF decorated combat veteran Master Sgt Andy Dunaway, narrated by his wife, also a decorated veteran.

They both are elite Combat Photographers in the Air Force and showed an airborne view of activities in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Instead of Marines and Army soldiers kicking in doors in operations on the ground, they offered air-to-air and air-to-ground perspectives.
During a Q&A afterward, MSgt Dunaway said he didn't use a tripod.

"If I'm not going to carry a rifle into combat, why would I lug around a tripod?"


Mid-month, it was "Graduation Night" at Theatre 99 and a hiliarious "long form" recital by the large, VERY large, 4th level class of new Improv performers.

The original Have Nots trio of Greg, Timmy and Brandy have given much back to the community by offering an opportunity for talented people to hone their skills to amaze and amuse audiences.

Eleanor Hollings, (L) and Kirk Lindgrin, (R) help Geoff Marshall take a giant leap for comedy during the recital onstage antics.

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Friday, November 14, 2008

Everything is "relative"...

So, let's recap my blogging: I've written about my dad towing me and my broken down junker car - twice - and still bragging that I'm his son.

"Showed" my Mom supposedly sipping a yard of ale at the old Backstage Deli in North Charleston..and she is 92, a church lady and doesn't drink beer or anything else that's fermented.

Let's see, I posted a photo of my younger brother as he - allegedly - impersonated a US Marine and I implied (actually said) my older brother stole pop bottles as a youth on Folly Beach.

Hmmm. Because I try not to mention any of my ex-wives I'm running out of subjects for discussion. Or dissection.

Oh wait, there's my two grandsons in Missouri.

They told me they could fly. And...they did.

Naturally I was skeptical.

They live in "The Show Me" state so I asked for a demonstration of them kicking free of gravity.

Technically they were in free fall above a trampoline so I'll give them that one.

I'll have to check to make sure all my children have been involved in fun-on-dad's-blog.


[Please click on the red headline above to see a video on a photography project I started back in February. There are some VERY talented people involved. Since I'm older than most of them, the twentysomethings try to keep me up to date on the newest online and computer developments! Thank goodness I found a digital camera on my own.

Let me know what you think. Thanks.]

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Monday, November 10, 2008

Happy Birthday Marine....


Today is the 233rd birthday of the United States Marine Corps.

I slipped on one of my many USMC t-shirts and headed out to shake the hand of a Marine.

I wanted to wish him - or her - a Happy Birthday and say thanks..

Hunkered down in the middle of the Aviation Avenue/Remount Road interchange construction, there is a small facility with the familiar scarlet and gold signage: Marine Corps Reserve.

I shook a young man's hand and asked about the Birthday Ball this evening. "Sir," he replied, "we had the ball last Friday." I looked quizzical and he continued "we had to, sir, it was a reserve training weekend."

The tradition at the Ball is to serve the first slice of cake to the oldest Marine present. I asked who ate cake first..when did he join up?

"Sir, the oldest Marine there joined in 1967."

I have a good chance for first slice next year, at the 234th celebration.

I joined the Marines on June 17, 1957.

(The picture above shows me on field maneuvers in Vieques, off Puerto Rico, in 1959)

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