Just Pixels

Just married.


The bride and groom with the ushers. I was recharging my smile and got caught unawheres...


The awkward reception shot.


Bizarre Bride.


Off to Cozumel.

The U.S. Jazz Ambassadors were in OKC on Saturday. They are the top-tier, professional jazz ensemble of the army, based out of D.C. My army band sponsored the event, acting as ushers and for the fortunate ones, parking lot "security." I scored that job and stood around in the parking lot for an hour before the concert, chatting with my four fellow "security officers" while the other band members were tearing tickets and showing people where to sit. Score.

It proved an amazing show though. Much better than the Chair Force's Airmen of Note ensemble when I heard them a few years ago.

These Ambassador guys are good. Rockin' 'bones, squealing trumpets, grooving rhythm section. The real deal. It would be pretty cool to play in a group like this. They play for Prez inaugurations and travel a lot. Cross the country, overseas. The whole bit. Not a bad gig. If you can hack it. Unfortunately, I can't.


I think a bigger flag would really accent their stage presence. This one's just not quite big enough...

Mateus Moyneus (de Canada)


Potato Canon.


Hottest board game in the Mid-West.


Shot this for High School Sports the Magazine. This gal plays for my alma mater. Being back in the romping grounds of my youth proved odd and laden with interestingly immature memories. The camera on my neck and $75 in my pocket for my services helped me through it...

This weekend was the annual Mardi Gras parade down South. Overall pretty good. With warmer temps came a much larger and more inebriated crowd which lined the 5.5 mile route 10 and 20 deep at times. It's gigs like this that make me proud to be in the army band. And you know, just proud to be an American and serve my country by playing in such a raucous display of humanity.


The Star Wars float. This year's float theme was comic characters, so I'm not real sure how Star Wars fits in there...


The venerable bone section before the parade. Rockin'.


Notice something wrong about this quote? Yeah, it should be "MAY the force be with you." Sheesh. Must be amateur night.


The LSU fans were thick as this dripping-with-SEC-pride float illustrates. For me? Don't much like those Tigers...(see Sugar Bowl '04).


Your typical well loosened LSU fan. I had to be discreet...


Apparently there remain some feelings of distaste for Mr. Saban among the Tiger brethren.


One night we ate at a japanese hibachi place. It was delish. And apparently it was my birthday too. Thanks, guys, I guess Feb. 9 isn't a bad birthday to have. Here's the card I got to commemorate my special day. Being 24 feels a lot like 23.


An attempt at awkward. Give them some time, they're new to the genre.


Scandalous.


Girls Gone Wild: the party didn't stop after my return to Norman.

This lively couple was out and about Norman's nightlife over the weekend. You might recognize them. And I think it's only fair to say they are more than just ON the scene. They ARE the scene. Whew! Killer! See ya next weekend, bra'.

This semester I started working at Boyd Street Magazine as a photo-grapher. Part of my job is to take photos of people "on the scene," around town enjoying Norman's boisterous and raucous nightlife (let me tell you...)

It's odd, but part of me likes taking these photos. Everyone's happy (drunk usually), smiles beaming and, they're just glad to be alive and have me take their picture. It's probably a deep-seated psychological issue I have...initial test results are inconclusive...

But above is a sweet shot I got of some peeps around campus corner. Can you guess which former OU football player that is on the left? You did know he played football, right? Good gravy. I think that much is clear from his displacement. He was listed as 320 lbs on the OU roster back in the day.

So if you're out and about in the P.M. when Norman is hopping, then like OMG, I'll totally see you on the scene!

A quick handshake and the passing of 16 crisp Benjamins was the quiet ending to my seven-year era of 4Runnership. It all started my sophomore year at Norman North High when I was into such "manly" and macho things as big knobby tires and off-roading adventures. And thus I purchased the '85 4Runner that has been my main source of transportation for these years.

But now here I am — older, wiser, less manly and more economical in my vehicular desires. And what was cool in high school is well, NOT anymore.

So yeah, I sold the Beast. I had a lot of memories in that rig, but dang, I'm glad it's gone.

So I took some engagement shots of Mikki and Joe on Friday. The weather was stunning, their wedding approaching (March 24!) and my body willing...so why not? We went over to campus and had a good ol' time striking engineered poses and holding conjured grins. Well, I didn't do too much of that part. I just pushed buttons on my camera and gave non-specific model cues (cause I really have no idea what looks good or what I want out of a project of this genre).

"Uh...ok...so move that way a little and kinda look over there like you like each other..."

It seems there's more to this business of producing a posed picture that doesn't look like a posed picture than I thought.

But really, what's a photo shoot without some style? I had the most fun taking these pics, cause you don't want to take this genre too seriously. And that's the honest truth. Honest like a diamond ring...


The natural shot.


The pondering shot: "Oh honey, look at that highly interesting object of conversation looming on the horizon."


The shadow shot. Peter Pan style.


The crushed-by-a-giant-hand-from-the-sky shot. They narrowly escaped with their lives.


The pilates shot. Cause every marriage needs some wholesome recreation.


The rock star shot. Cause the typical engagement shots can get pretty dull.

Some of you know the illustrious D. Ling. But if you don't, I'll tell you that he's from the glorious city/state of Singapore. Now if you're like I was before meeting Mr. Ling, then you have no idea where Singapore (aka the 'Lion City') is or the goings on in this former British colony.

And while I probably should avoid using the word 'Orient,' as of yesterday morning, with a purchase of a plane ticket, I'll for sure be venturing deep into this Asian territory come June.

I will board a total of four planes and travel the roughly 20,000 miles (round trip) for what I hope will be an epic venture into the native life of a good friend and a foreign culture.

So cheers to the Lion City and the time at which I too can partake of its sights, sounds and tastes.

The United States Army is in the process of implementing a new camouflage-based uniform. This process of replacing the old uniforms began in November 2005 and is to be completed by no later than summer 2007.

Strangely, my fellow army bandsmen and I were put on the list of less-than-important personnel who were to receive the new uniforms. We could only take offense as our fellow army brothers and sisters serving abroad on dangerous and asundry assignments received their uniforms in a speedier fashion.

I ask you, is the army band not doing its job against the global war on terror? Does our playing of marches and ceremonial jigs not constitute a worthy enough calling to grant us rapid delivery of new camo duds?

Obviously NOT.

And thus we got our new uniforms back in December. So here she is. The Army Combat Uniform. Sadly the army higher-ups decided to keep the beret as part of the new look. Seriously. Berets? You do the math.


The old rags: The BDU (Battle Dress Uniform).


The new robes of war: The ACU (Army Combat Uniform).


D. Serven, this one is for you.

My fam is in Steamboat Springs this week. The cabin we rented is north of Steamboat about 20 miles in Clark, Colo. It's only 30 miles from Wyoming in the middle of nowhere. This is good and bad. But the stars pop, the Aspens tower and the powder surrounding the cabin is unadulterated except for the trails we've made.

Some fotos:


The enemy forces have targeted the lower officers and are working their way to the top in an attempted school spirit coup.


Sunset on northern Colorado.


Riding the gondola to the top.


Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.


Aaron and Carson shredding the mountain.


Me and the bro on Steamboat's Sunset Express. The last time I skiied with Aaron I was in middle school. This time I dominated, even though he'll tell you he was tired from boarding the previous day.


The hot tub outside our cabin is heavenly. But snow heaped upon its inhabitants while they simmmer in the steamy waters is not. The box of snow deposited upon my exposed upper frame was unexpected and breathtakingly cold.


Dear older siblings, why don't you learn? Payback comes swiftly and ten fold. I am avenged!