what's said about renovations is entirely true. The job takes longer than expected. The budget exponentially grows as new ideas or necessities open up. It's louder and messier than you expect it to be.

this is the first renovation i've ever been involved in. I've had this house for three years and have done a handful of cosmetic repair and build jobs, but nothing that involved industry vacs and buzzsaws. Even growing up, i lived in a tiny apartment and my parents never had any real work do... read more

I love to photograph graffiti when i'm traveling. It's an anthropological view into a culture. Especially when i can read (or partially read) the scribbling, i am simply enthralled by what the words say and mean, and how coherent that message is. Mingle graffiti with my other favorite visual topic, old building textures, and i am ecstatic. Crumbling walls, the rust of alley windows, dilapidated wooden doors.

while in Israel this month, I took photos of a Hebrew phrase that appeared repeate... read more

Have to laugh at the difference between boys and girls. The left-side photo shows two bathroom items that Jim packed for our 36 hour business trip to Las Vegas. The photo at right shows the toiletries I packed in three cases, and i was traveling super light.

On that note... stupendous package design conned me into buying three deodorants before the Vegas trip. I needed one travel-size and one regular at-home size. But the Secret flavors, er, scents were too tempting. Vanilla Chai and Asian... read more

a rheumatologist drew this diagram at our appt last week. I've noticed that all of the Kaiser doctors do this, draw out their explanations as diagrams. It's as if they are trying to give me a note to take home to mom. See what Debbie did in her doctor appointment? And she's doing well outside of school too! Two gold stars. Of course, the doc threw the paper in the trashcan before she left her office. I snatched it up. If i'm going to work for that 'A', i may as well have proof.

Went to LA-la for Thanksgiving last week, and I passed this little restaurant outside of Marina del Ray. Tickled my pickle since it's pretty scrappy looking and the Marina is fairly upscale. Plus everyone in California mistakenly calls these sandwiches 'subs' and it was nice to see SOMEONE get it right. The sign says 'Hoagies. 3,000 miles to Philadelphia; eat here!'

Well, i didn't, but that's because i'll be in Philly next month visiting my family and OD'ing on deli. Plus i was too stuffe... read more