Catching up!

********************************************************************************* So much has happened over the last few weeks that getting to a post has been difficult! So this is the                                                                                    update:

   ** Portland Highland Games**

On the 18th of this month, Dena and I went to the Portland Highland Games on the campus of Mt Hood Community College. This was my first year attending this event as I had to miss the previous four due to schedule. As it was $20 for the day to get in, I wondered if it would be really worth the price. Oh my was it ever! With plenty of events, kilts and booths to buy goodies, it was more than worth it. So on to the photos!

 The weather was perfect albeit a bit warm at 90°. Still, we had a good time there all day and came home with some fun things to remember the occasion. We most certainly are looking forward next year and I hope to run that Kilted Mile this time!

     Last week, our vehicle was rear ended in a collision in Vancouver. Fortunately, Ann was not seriously hurt but did spend time in the hospital and is continuing to feel lousy and in pain. Therefore, the insurance is doping it's job of taking care of this. Unfortunately, the driver of the vehicle that did the damage was uninsured. Yet again, this seems to happen daily to so many and it needs to be dealt with by the state. Not sure how they will do this but it is costing millions. And now our well running vehicle, paid off and all ours, will be totaled. Add all of the nonsense and paperwork involved not to say the loss of money and it is really irritating. But....as long as people were not seriously harmed, it will be dealt with.


               Two weeks ago, I decided to start up a new business again, after fifteen years of letting my license with the state lapse. This time I hope to make some money with my photography and get out on the streets and be do something better! As of yesterday, my license, business cards, media/press pass and ID's are all here for me to start working. A Facebook page has been set up for the new company, Dragon Digital.

                                                                    Dragon Digital

                                                    And also a Twitter feed for photos and news...

                                                              Dragon Digital-Twitter

So, mopst of the work to get started is done. Now to get my portfolio set up for online viewing and snap some photos that will make people want to either buy them or ask for me to shoot jobs.

                  Visit the pages if you can and add Dragon Digital to your Twitter !!! Thank you!!

Dragons!

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                                                      My tattoos mean a lot to me. They document my life in many ways and every one of them ha a meaning to me as opposed to some choice of flash off of a tattoo studio wall. It has taken me seven years of inking to get to this point and I have only regretted getting one of them, since then covering it up. This quote by Johnny Depp sums things up nicely:

So on Tuesday I visited my tattoo artist, Doug Auld, and sat for two additions to this canvas: An Asian (Japanese/Buddhist) dragon that graces my hip, and a Native American dragon that resides on my back shoulder. Now I can say I have nine dragons inked on myself, nine being my favourite number.



Dragons have significance for me in so many ways and they embody so much of my past,present and hopefully my future.





                                                               Here are the newest additions:

Getting these in the locations I had them put balances me and makes me feel like a complete canvas in some ways. This doesn't mean I will stop getting tattoos. Far from it. But I will say that premium space is getting low and these are all in places that work perfect. Therefore, I except for filler ink and tying in pieces here and there, I cannot see any more larger works any time soon. But, who knows.

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Independence Day 2015

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                                                                         When the 4th of July rolls around, it used to signify the
real beginning of summer in this area as June tends to be moist and include more rain . This year was to prove completely different as very little if any rain and cloudy days visited the Portland area. In fact, most of it was downright hot, hitting upper 90°'s for many days of the month. So how would July start? Same way for sure. HOT! This Independence Day though we decided to get out of town to Clatskanie, Oregon where Dena would meet her family and also see many she grew up with as they visit the town for some fun. After arriving she took me on a tour of the town, hitting the back roads and sights she'd been part of growing up in this small town of 1850 people.

 After a brief ride through the streets and some dinner, we went to the three bars they have in town and had a good time meeting her classmates from years past. The small downtown core is exactly that but fun to explore and absorb the small town life. Here, as in most of small town America, everyone knows each other and Clatskanie is no different. It truly is a charming town and I like this place a lot.


We continued visiting till the wee hours of the morning, say around 2am, when we were invited aboard her friend's boat which was moored on the Clatskanie River. Had a great time there and then headed home at 3:15am, finally getting to sleep around four or so. After a few hours sleep, I was up and out the door for a four mile run as it was the 4th of July. Always try to get a run in on Independence Day. Ran around town and up that hill to the right past downtown.

Next up was the day's festivities which included a parade, fair and market in the town park, and culminated in a fireworks and logging show in the evening.

The weather was a lot cooler here than in Portland and so we were glad to escape the heat back home. This is going to be a very long and hot summer for sure.






   What a delightful weekend it was and I certainly hope to do this again next year. A shout out to the great hospitality and generosity of Dena's parents , Bob and Ang, for their kindness and place to crash as we stayed the night . Many thanks!! :-)

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