A Knuckle to the Eyeball and Storm King

In the place of wandering off to a Black Friday shopping mess with the ever so thrilling expectation of being trampled upon and pushed by complete strangers, the HOchieS with Luuuiiissss, TD5 and a gaggle of children went off to Storm King's Art Center.  It was the sensible thing to do! And we did not even need a knuckle to the eyeball to help us think.

Frankly, we've never actually gone Black Friday shopping.  Or maybe there was that one time TD5 and Luuuiisss went...but since then, and even at that time, it's been all about Black Friday shopping at the Happiest Place on Earth - Amazon.com.

No, no.  It's not Disney, fools.  I thought we discussed this already?

It was a brilliant day on Friday weather wise.  It was sunny (alright, that's not brilliant for me but brilliant for photo taking opportunities, if I must), and not a biting cold November day and it was in fact, the perfect sort of day to walk the acres at Storm King.

So a-walking we went.

What the What.

My camera has finally returned to me and I couldn't be more excited.

And what sort of craziness do I get to take (awful) pictures of on it's first foray back into the world?

Yep, snow. 

I could not stay out there to take any sort of interesting pictures because it's pretty dangerous out there with the wind kicking up.

However, I just wanted to show you the shitnanigans regarding the snow, as H1 would probably want me to point out.

After the Hurricane last week and the Nor'Easter we're currently embroiled in, it's only serving to make me that much more convinced that the Zombie Apocalypse is soon headed our way.

Seriously though, this storm is a tragedy on top of all the hell many others faced last week and are still facing.

I did not get a chance to wish my good luck chant at the beginning of November but I'll wish it now for everyone.

"Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit.  Hare, Hare, Hare."

November....please stop this ridiculous behaviour.

Animal Uprising at the Bronx Zoo: Part III with The Ploy of Polar Puppies, Snow Leopards and the Most Fly Turtle EVA'

Leaving the alligators, crocodiles and all-seeing Madagascan animals behind, we made our way to the great outdoors to visit our friend the Polar Bear.

The polar bear was in a fabulous, playful mood though truth be told, he usually is.  Today though, he lured in his victims with his secret plans and clever tricks.

And while those other fools were "oooo-ing" and "aaahh-ing", I was quietly taking pictures and keeping one eye open, readying myself to run the hell out of there if need be.  Note: Please click the pictures to enlarge.

Bear paws the best

The HOchieS in Winter

If there's one thing H1 despises, it's snow.

If there's one thing Or 2 despises, it's snow that falls on a Saturday completely reducing any chance of a snow day from work.

Yet, here we are.

Oh the depression this Saturday morning for the first real snow fall in NY for 2012!

::sigh::

Here are some pictures I braved the cold to go take.  Okay, well  maybe I stood from my front door and took the first two...but the others! Braved the cold, I did.

Trippin' to PA: The Wrap Up

We've shared most of our adventures from PA with you but what about PA itself? Was there anything we needed to point out that I did not capture in the posts for Day 1, Day 2 and Day 3?

Yes.  There's the actual land of PA to talk about.

We did not drive through PA without seeing some glorious sprawling farming land, dilapidated farm houses and some corn fields.

Many times I wanted to stop at the side of the road to take a picture of some broken down house or shed.  I also cursed the fact I did not have a wide angle lens.  That will be the next big purchase.

Trippin' to PA: Day 1 and Then Some

This past week, the HOchieS' took a road trip to PA.  It was an opportunity to spend some time with BH on his Summer break, and get some of America's history in.  As H1 says, it's good to learn about your country.

Really though it was truly all about little BH and H1 and I did not get to do Dutch Country Amish-inspired activities as we had hoped.

Hanging Out with the Weople at Pepsico Sculpture Gardens

Let it not be said that the HOchieS are uncultured, or are unwilling to participate in our great state's free activities.

It was Saturday morning last when we made our way to the Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Gardens at the Pepsico Headquarters in Purchase.  The grounds are beautiful - a sprawling lush green well-kept landscape with a lake, a pond, wonderful trees and stunning sculptures.

It's an ideal jaunt for a Saturday morning excursion and with free access to the public, it was strange to me that more people were not crawling all over the place.

I welcomed the lack of people though and it gave us time to stroll and to take a few pictures at our leisure.

That said, please enjoy the many photos I will post here (or not enjoy, that's okay too) and as always, click a photo to enlarge.

One of the first pieces I saw, and one of my favourites.

Hiding in the Tall Grass...

An epic battle is about to begin!

A battle that's not so epic because what does that Smug Leaf think he's doing? He knows he's grass type and will get his ass busted up by the fire-breathing type.  This is going to be a damned massacre.

The Bronx Zoo: More Pictures, and More Jerks...Oh My! (Part II)

I do not know what's worse, the fact that I said there was a Part I and now have to force myself to post a Part II to this blog post, or the fact that I am too lazy to go remove "Part I" from the other title and leave you with nothing.

It's too late now, I already started writing...::sigh::

Really I only have a few more pictures to share and some captions to read.  Without further nonsensical ramblings -

The Bronx Zoo: With Lions, Tigers and Davids...Oh My...Glob? What? (Part I)

I'll explain!

There's so much wrong with that blog title and I'll tell you why...soon-ish.

First, I would like to say that going to the Bronx Zoo for opening time is the best.  I'm sure it's even better going during the week but we do what we can, when we can.

Some of the animals are fairly active and not lazing about in that hot ass midday sun or napping after lunch, and the Zoo grounds were just an entirely different experience for me.

Which also leads me to mention that Membership is also hella' awesome (do people still say 'hella'', by the way?).  Pesky lines are mostly eradicated and 10% at the gift shop is 10% at the gift shop.  Hey man, it's better than 0%.  Why go to a gift shop though with all things tourist trap? I'll tell you why...soon-ish.

For once, in the few times I have been to the zoo, I enjoyed myself.  I enjoyed walking around at ease, the cool air and the lack of wild animals people crowding me like the plague.  It was no surprise then that when we were still jaunting around there at around 3 p.m., annoyance took over when the zoo became packed with some rude jerks.

However, let us not think on the negative but instead focus on the thousand plus pictures I took whilst there.

Well, I wouldn't want to torture neither you nor myself with thousands of pictures but here's a sneak peek at the adventure the HOchieS enjoyed on Saturday morning (click the pictures to enlarge):

This Saturday Morning felt like Toco, with more waterfalls.

Not the Glamour Shots I Had Hoped For

Yeah, so I wanted to some how incorporate pictures of Judge Magister Gabranth into my earlier post about my concert almost one week ago... (wow! It's just about Friday already again.  Awesome).

Unfortunately, I could find no way to write him in, so instead I'll just call this my photography post...the one where I use the macro lens to do stuff.

And FAIL!

Guinea Pigs, Part 3: Miniature Food

The Japanese make some amazingly ridiculous things.  Sometimes, I am thankful I do not have enough space or cash, to collect miniature food models.

Just think!

Sephiroth, Prinnies, Vicious, Aizen, Monokuro Boo and all other members of the Evil Army of Misfits in my room could sit down and eat ramen with a side of takoyaki together, if I had my way.  Oh the amount of berkshire pork and azuki beans they would feast upon would be staggering.

Oh, the good guys in my room like Link and Allen would probably eat crepes or natto beans, in case you were wondering.

Huh.

Do the Japanese make ridiculous things like that for ridiculous people like me?!?!

::clears throat::

Anyway, I do not have a lot of miniature food in my collection.  In fact, I probably have just one pot or something but I do have these fantastic erasers to show...

Test Subject No. 3 - Miniature Food Erasers, presents from Boohead to Or 2 for Valentine's Day

Guinea Pigs, Part 2: Peeps

With Easter and Spring soon here, I'm certain peeps will begin to overrun the house.

Heck, they have already begun popping up here and there.  Peep Pandemonium is almost upon us but luckily pest control will kick in in about a month.  Beetchie will be back for Spring Break afterall, and those peeps won't stand a chance.

Until then, look into their beady eyes and gaze upon their sugary coats!

Test Subject No. 2 - Peeps

 But don't gaze too long because they've got hypnotic powers.  It's all in that glistening sugar  Evil bastards!

Guinea Pigs, Part 1: Flowers

H1 and I are in love with the new macro lens I received as a present from Bunji.  You know, this combined birthday and Christmas present into one deal might work out for me from him.  Yeeeessssssss.  Yes... already I may or may not be scheming for this year.

There's a manual to read and things to learn, but we tested out the new lens this past Tuesday.  There were lots of items on H1's table, just waiting to be victims!

Test Subject No. 1 - Flowers from Boobey to H1 on Valentine's Day

This is a close-up?

et tu?

Now we're talking!

More Midtown

There's only so much of Midtown to capture in our 12 minute walk but we're hoping to expand our expeditions this warm weather season.

For now, here's a little of our photo tour from two weeks ago.

That Was Probably It

With Spring's official start in about 2 weeks or so, I'm guessing my luck for snow days is over until perhaps the end of the year.

While I am pleased that I escaped this winter without having to use lots of personal days from work, sometimes you just need a good snow day.

Sometimes, it's even better when your office closes for an entire day due to snow.

Ah, those days are few and wait...that day never happened before February 26th! It turns out that miracles do happen.

How best to spend a snow day than taking pictures with which to bombard others with?

It's only unfortunate that the snow was so blinding that I couldn't see what I was doing.  I think camera eye would have definitely failed.

I present to you, blinding snow pictures that I suffered to take.  View them and be blinded as well!

Or not...

I'm going to hide them behind a cut.  Click away, if you fancy.

Difficult

For the past few days, I've been staring up at my figures and have been captivated by one of my Sephiroth toys.

Other than my usual adoration, my eyes just kept being drawn to him for some reason.

I only figured out why two nights ago.

His hand was missing.

His good hand.

The one that usually holds the Masamune.

Psh, well stupid me for not realising it sooner.  Honestly, how do you not notice that the Masamune is gone?!

It's kinda hard to miss!

After a good 5 minutes of frantic searching, I found it hiding under Patrick Star.

Nerd ranting aside, I decided I'd take pictures of him because I don't know if I ever did.

Besides being obsessed with figures and stuff, I actually use the things to help draw stances and form sometimes and now, to take pictures of in an attempt to take better pictures.

Any minor improvement I may have seen in recent days went out the window.

I'm going to have to have a photo shoot with him again at some point but for now... let's just say the only 'decent' one I could take was when baby was in the corner.

and no one puts baby in the corner...

Peeps

I've been quite excited about taking a picture of a peep or three for the Peep Photo Contest from National Geographic Travel (take photos of your peeps on your travels at iconic locations).

Before CLee ruined it with his smuggery for me, H1 and I told just about all the frenemies that we should all enter if possible and together we came up with some classic ideas.

Barbados:

"Where else in the world can we find a peep kicking a coconut? We're looking at WIM in BIM!"

Sun too hot? How about a slightly melted peep under the hot sun, on a coconut, near the ocean in BIM?

Peep Vs. Crab! A showdown at dusk on the beach with crabby results!

A Peep climbing a coconut tree.

A Peep flying with the flying fish.

X, we're counting on you!

Trinidad:

A Peep at Maracas, enjoying a Bake and Shark at Richard's.

Peeps doing stations of the cross at St. Joseph.

Peeps at Independence Square, in line for some KFC.

Peeps getting down with the locals at a doubles stand.

Peeps sinking in the Pitch Lake! A fake sinking, of course. There will be no fossilized peeps there.

Come on Trini peeps (har har), we're counting on you! (MC, TD5 and CLee - maybe not you so much)

Grenada

Peeps smoking nutmegs.

Peeps at St. George's University - Veterinary Program - with some dogs, Halloween Peeps in the Anatomy Lab.

Beetchie, did you already eat those peeps?

Michigan

Peeps rolling down the dunes at Lake Michigan.

Peeps in Detroit, at a Kiss concert - geared up with black and white face make up over one eye. METAL PEEP!

(Though Bughie J. informs me that the cost of doing all that would be more than the cost of the prize, which does not even factor in the psychological cost of going to Detroit)

Peeps at a now defunct Auto Industry plant, on a bicycle.

Peeps in the once booming but now depressed Auto Industry town of Flint, making a documentary entitled "Peeps and Me" - a glimpse into the lives of laid-off auto industry peeps moldy and green on auto-plant break room tables. Some choose to end their own misery in microwaves, some, in freezers. A few raise chocolate bunnies then kill them and sell them to earn a meager living! so sad.

New Jersey

Shocking, no? It's actually on the list!

Peeps going from NY to NJ via the Ferry and realising their icky fate (ie their destination to Hell), they line up on the side and throw themselves over in a mass peep suicide.

Throw some peeps at the Statue of Liberty, and while not pictured we could all scream "Take THAT, New Jersey!!!!"

Frass, organize, will you please?

New York

Peeps in Chinatown - on a dim sum cart, in a dim sum steam tray surrounded by chicken feet and a general meaty carnage! or Peeps at where the cool kids hang out (but that can't be photographed since we must keep the non-cool kids out).

Peeps falling off the back of a truck in Crooklyn.

Peeps at the Apollo.

Peeps at Times Square, naked and wearing a cowboy hat.

Peeps at Toys R' Us, hanging out in Barbie's Dream House, face to face with lego T-Rex or pretending to be a pokemon. Peepomon, I choose you! (really, is that show still on?!)

Peeps of all colours hanging out with kids skating at Rockefeller's skating rink.

Peeps at Radio City Music Hall, on Broadway or in a mosh pit at MSG.

Peeps in front of Nintendo World, hanging out with Boo and in line for a DSi.

Peeps with headphones in, riding the subway.

Peeps NOT at the 5th Avenue apple store. That's just smug and lame.

Though, a peep mushed on the glass creating chaos and resulting my possible arrest at the 5 Ave. apple store, now there's a great picture.

Currently: mourning that Ape'Day won't happen before the end of the Peep Contest Submissions.