Bama Cowboy's Southern Shots

Patriot Power, Bob Jones Homecoming 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bates) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 05:46:00 +0000

I know I haven't been shooting a lot of my usual subjects lately for various reasons, but I hope you all enjoy my recent shoots. I just got done editing and uploading some new photos.

I had planned on being out of town this week. So I did not add Homecoming to my calendar and forgot all about it. That was until I heard the drums of the Bob Jones Band. I had been cleaning house all day and was just about to start dinner. Needless to say I was not dressed to the nines.

With no time to change clothes I grabbed my gear, tossed on my work shoes and ran out the door to catch as much of it as I can. Luckily I am close enough to the start of the regular parade route that I think all I missed was the JROTC and color guard that normally start the parade. They were just passing by my normal spot and the band was following close behind as I got there.

I unfortunately did not get shots of everyone and every float, but I hope you will enjoy. Not sure if I will be able to make it to the game tomorrow night, but I want to wish the Bob Jones Patriots good luck against Homewood Patriots tomorrow night.

Kick off is 7pm at Madison City Stadium. Bob Jones #6 in the State 6a class are currently undefeated after a fight last week against Decatur's Red Raiders. Their 20-7 victory ended a 10 game losing streak against the Red Raiders. Bob Jones 5-0 in the state and region are being picked to win by 23 against Homewood (#34 / 6A). Next week Bob Jones heads to Huntsville. October 23 they Return to Madison to go against our Rivals the Sparkman Senators.

Blizzard Alabama Style

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bates) — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 15:21:00 +0000

Blizzard Alabama Style

While we usually get a light dusting each winter it is usually gone before most of us wake up. Today is a rarity. It is really blowing out there and has been coming down for over 3 hours now with no sign of slowing. Thanks to temps being so high all week literally 60s and 70s just a few days ago doubt much will stick on the ground despite current temps of around freezing with wind chill of 20-25. It could get nasty if temps drop into the 20s and possibly teens as expected tonight, but right now I am enjoying the view and not worrying about what may happen. .

While looking at the ground it doesn't really look like much the flakes are big and wind is blowing so much it truly looks like a blizzard. Especially to an Alabama boy that is not used to seeing more than half inch to 2-3 inches a year. Sitting here at my PC with curtains open wide there have been a few times wind and snow mixed have looked like a white out where literally could not see few feet beyond my window. Mostly it is when wind burst blows the snow off the roof but wind changing directions makes it a lot more interesting.

I have been up in Chicago during a good snow. In fact had to drive from Chicago to Huntsville as storm hit with snow falling well into Tennessee. Luckily we headed out a day early because it was supposedly the worst storm of the year or years. Friends up there said it really got nasty. I had my first time driving in snow and on ice after the storm of the century back in the early 90s when some areas around here got well over a foot. I had to work the night the storm hit back in 96 and left a nice little dent in bumper of my pickup truck when I hit some black ice driving home at 3am.

After I went out and got the newspaper this morning I had to do what I love to do the most. I put on some heavier clothes and grabbed my camera. Considering this is only the 3rd decent snow we have got since I bought my camera summer of 2006 I have not had a lot of practice shooting snow, but I got a few shots around the house first batch around 630 Central time and few sets since then. Depending on how much more we get today and tonight no telling how many I will post.

http://www.bamacowboy.com/gallery/main.php/v/latest_shots/snow2009/

Latest Updates 02 November 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bates) — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 21:44:00 +0000

Things are still pretty hectic around here, but slowly returning to some resemblance of normalcy. Dad and I spent the day yesterday working in the yard doing things that had been put off for the past year or longer because couldn't leave mom alone long enough for dad and I to get the stuff done. Last night I was pretty exhausted, but I got started on some minor updates with more to come.

First off here on BamaCowboy.com I added a direct link to a collection of recipes that has been online for a while. Nothing fancy just open directory full of Snacks, Meals, Desserts and Drinks.
http://www.bamacowboy.com/Recipes/

DBatesPhoto.com has a new guest book, Links updated with few new ones being added and the Bio/Contact Page has been updated with new testimonials and portfolio links.

Still working on few other sites, but hope to have some news soon.

Don't forget I am booking for Christmas Photo Sessions. So if you are interested in shooting together contact me on DBatesPhoto.com or my 18+ Portfolio site RealWyldOne.com!

Happy Halloween

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bates) — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:20:00 +0000

Just wanted to post a quick shot of Jack and wish everyone a Safe and Happy Halloween.

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bates) — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 22:17:00 +0000

While there are a lot of things I enjoy, Photography has long been one of my absolute favorite hobbies almost to the point of obsession. Last weekend 13th of September 2008 I had the pleasure of dusting off my camera gear and heading south to a friend's house. She was hosting a photo shoot that a mutual friend another photographer helped plan. While many people did not show up or had to cancel for various reason we had a very good turnout. Nine photographers from all over Alabama 8 female models and 3 male models. Weather was night and the location a good sized farm in North Alabama. I was more than a little rusty, but I think I came away with more than a few good images and have some of them posted on my portfolio site, DBatesPhoto.com.

To see more from the shoot go to:
http://www.dbatesphoto.com/gallery/main.php/v/latest_shots/2008_sept_13/?g2_highlightId=3540

Flashpoint

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bates) — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 19:36:00 +0000

Every now and then a show hits the air that really stands out; Heroes, Beverly Hills 90210, Growing Pains and MASH just to name a few. While this show may not be a memorable as those I think it is one of the better shows that have been on the air in recent years and every episode seems to be better than the last.

Rarely do summer shows really do well. These days summer TV has been filled with reality shows and reruns. This year CBS had 3 winners in my book. The tenth season of Big Brother, 70s drama Swingtown and following the huge success of the Law and Order and CSI franchises was my favorite of the season Flashpoint. Big Brother has been picked up for an eleventh season. Swingtown while it impressed many due to the content rumors are that it will not be back. Flashpoint still has a few episodes left to air this season and has been scheduled for 13 episodes on CTV the Canadian Broadcast company that co-produced the first season with CBS Paramount. It is unknown at this time whether CBS will sign on as well for a second season or not, but I hope so. If you have missed the show be sure to swing by CBS.com to watch full episodes.

I love summer, but I hate sun burns

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bates) — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 14:38:00 +0000

Every Spring or early summer it never fails I get burned at least once. Usually April or early May first time cutting grass I over do it and get a little pink. This year since grass never really quit growing I started cutting grass in January or February. I know I had cut it a half dozen times already by the start of June. Last year I don’t think I cut it that many times all summer. The good part of that is I thought I had avoided my annual sunburn.

I wasn’t that lucky. Instead of avoiding it my skin just withstood a little more sun so I didn’t get my first sunburn until the end of June. If you have looked at my photos on here recently you will see several shots of the Blue Angels Practicing here in Huntsville, AL. They were flying right over my house all Thursday and Friday afternoon of last week. So I spent most of the day Thursday the 26th from about 10am until 6pm watching them, shooting photos and just enjoying the show.

I stayed in the shade and was applying sunblock SP45. When I came in to get cleaned up for dinner I noticed I was more than a little pink. Tip buying in bulk is good way to save money, but check expiration dates. Turns out the gallon bottle (slight exaggeration) was bought back when my brother was working in landscaping. He has been in the Navy now for over 10 years if that is any clue. The bottle expired November 1999 and while it may have helped some it was no longer as strong as I needed.

After a quick shower I was really feeling the burn. I was scorched on my arms from the shoulders to fingertips, knees (sitting most the day so most of my legs were spared) and face. Worst of all I had been wearing sandals so my ankles to my toes were burned except where the sandals covered the tops of my feet which made it even worse, reflection of the sun off gravel and concrete driveway really cooked my feet. Knowing the pain I was in for I quickly got online and started looking for tips on how to save myself from intense pain. Also I was still hoping to be able to go to the air show at least one if not both days.

Once you start peeling all you can do is wait, but here are the tips that made my sunburn, easily the worst I have got in 30+ years living in Alabama and Florida, more bearable.

As soon as you first notice you are pink there are a few things you can do to help avoid peeling, infections and most importantly (at least to most of us) pain.

First step avoid things that will dry your skin worse. As soon as possible (within first 12-24 hours) Take a warm/cool shower to help clean your skin. Stay in the shower no longer than around 10 minutes or the excessive water will dry the skin more. The shower is important as dirt and the salt that forms on your skin from sweating will dry the skin. Avoid getting soap/shampoo on the burned areas as it will also dry the skin and aggravate the burn. Pat yourself dry; Rubbing with even the softest towel will irritate the skin and make the pain worse.

Step two Can be done immediately after shower, but definitely want to do this the 2^nd day within 24-48 hours of noticing the burn so it can help the most. Spray vinegar on the burned areas. It does not smell that great so best to be outside when spraying down, but it really does work. If your face is burned or you don't have an empty spray bottle instead of just pouring a gallon on you soak a soft paper towel or cloth and pat the burned areas.

The Vinegar helps draw the heat out as well as softens the skin. This helps avoid the inevitable itching/scratching which is what really causes the majority of peeling. Do not over do it with the vinegar, but can reapply as needed to stop itching.

Next thing apply a generous amount of Aloe Vera Lotion. Aloe Vera Gel is a great thing to have in the kitchen area for any type of burn, but there are special brands designed for sunburns which will help more than the common aloe lotion. Aloe gel helps return nutrients to the skin, moisturize and generally help heal the burn. If you can't stand the vinegar definitely grab you a bottle of aloe it truly is a life saver. Personally I have a Aloe Vera plant that I will cut a stalk from and use for severe kitchen burns, but for minor kitchen burns I have a bottle of Banana Boat Aloe Vera gel and a bottle of Aloe Vera After sun Lotion for sunburns.

Last and most important hydrate yourself. Drink plenty of fluids, Water, Gatorade,,,,,Avoid caffeinated drinks as they are not great for hydration. A few cups of coffee or glasses of cola won’t do a lot of damage, but for every oz of coffee or cokes add that much water to your diet. Even if you normally drink plenty of water you need to drink more to help return fluids to the body. The skin takes a lot of water to rehydrate and the more in your system the easier it is for it to heal and return to it’s normal condition.

This was the first time I followed these tips and I was feeling good enough day 2 that I was able to get back outside and shoot some more despite being burned and by day 6 was even able to do yard work making sure grass was cut before the holiday weekend. This may have made things worse, but hey I am a glutton for punishment and most of the time we can't just crawl into bed and wait 1-2 weeks to heal.

Me and Martina McBride

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bates) — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 15:37:00 +0000

I had the pleasure of meeting Martina after she performed at the annual 4th of July Spirit of America Festival in Decatur Alabama's Point Mallard park. She was just beginning the tour that skyrocketed her to the top in large part to the song she performed for us from her upcoming album "Independence Day". I wish this was a better photo, but I have not seen a photo that does her eyes justice.

To See a slightly larger copy as well as other photos from my Personal album go to:

Martina

I hate when a song gets stuck in my head

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bates) — Sat, 04 Feb 2006 14:24:00 +0000

I hate when a song gets stuck in my head.

Scanning thru profiles on MySpace I ran across a song, “I can only imagine” by Mercy Me, I love it and have since I first heard it on the radio months ago. Unfortunately no matter how great song is when it is stuck in your head it can get annoying.

Never Thought I would want to be Marilyn Manson

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bates) — Sat, 07 Jan 2006 23:03:00 +0000

mtv.com - News - Marilyn Manson Marries Longtime Girlfriend Dita Von Teese

As a Long time fan of Dita Von Teese I can not say I am shocked that they finally tied the knot, but have to say I am surprised that it took them this long. Good Luck to both of them as long as they have been together hopefully it is a sign of good luck.

why I hate IMs

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bates) — Fri, 23 Sep 2005 13:42:00 +0000

First let me say, I love instant messengers and think they are a great tool for networking as well as meeting new people. Unfortunately I hate it because of spam, scams and the idiots that do not know how to use them. The main thing I am talking about boils down to one thing, ASL. In some chat rooms it is ok to ask it as basically a roll call type question where everyone answers as an icebreaker. In my opinion that is fine, but instant messaging a stranger and no sooner than you say hello asking ASL is not only idiotic it is annoying. I have buzzed a few strangers out of the blue, on yahoo especially. Usually it is after doing a yahoo search for whatever I want to chat about and then reading their profile to see if they seem interesting to me. If they don't have a profile I do not waste my time.

First thing I do when someone buzzes me is click their profile to see #1 if I know them or #2 to find out if I want to get to know them. Most of the time if they have no profile the first few things out of their mouth and mood I am in is going to decide if I want to chat or not. If they say Hello ASL I can guarantee it is going to be CLICK goodbye. On some of my screen names that is bad enough because it shows they have not took the time to read my profile, but what makes me sick at the stupidity of some members of the Human Race is when I am on my main chatting nickname. The name makes it pretty obvious the answers to SL of the ASL question the name is Bamacwby as in Alabama Cowboy with emphasis being BOY.

Unfortunately the next reason is due to scumbag scammers giving groups of people a bad rep. I am sorry, but for that reason I have got to where I will not chat with anyone from the UK or Africa. I have been contacted by dozens and every time it has got to the same scam so I am sorry, but if I hear someone is from either place that’s an instant ignore. I had one “girl” I chatted with almost every day for close to a month. I enjoyed talking with her until it eventually got the “cheque” scam. They message you sometimes like in this case building up a relationship hopefully getting you to trust them. Then eventually it always boils down to the same conversation usually almost in verbatim that they have got into some sort of trouble and can not cash a check they have gotten. They offer to send you the check to cash if you will send them a wire transfer. It is just one of a million of the scams that have been around since long before the net was even in someone’s dreams, but unfortunately the web makes them a lot worse.

Like I said I love the invention of instant messengers and the web, but they can be a royal pain in the ….

What's your sign???

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bates) — Wed, 21 Sep 2005 12:04:00 +0000

For those that don't know me well I am not extremely religious, but I am spiritual and while I believe in a God I also believe in other things shaping our lives including the Moons and stars. While I do not know whether we are pre-destined and our decisions are already written in the stars or if we truly do choose our road in life I have always found it interesting how you truly can tell a lot about a person by the sign of the Zodiac they are born under. I was born during the year of the Tiger (1974) under the sign of Cancer.

Below is a cool site I just found that gives good descriptions on each of the signs including some of the people that are born under each sign. I decided to link directly to my Sign that of the Crab, but once on the page go to the bottom and you can click on your sign or that of people you know well and see if it does not strike you as interesting how much is hard to believe something so generic as the period of time you were born can be so detailed and factual. While not 100% accurate I have to agree most of it does describe me well.http://www.astrology-online.com/cancer.htm

I am the God of War

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bates) — Sat, 10 Sep 2005 18:28:00 +0000

I am the God of War!!!!

In case you don’t know what that refers to. Last week I beat what is being hailed as one of the greatest games in recent history, and I agree, “God of War”. The game revolves around Kratos a Spartan warrior that traded his soul to Ares during a battle where he and his army were surely to be destroyed by Germanic Barbarians. While Ares spares his life and turns him into a warrior never before seen on this Earth it sends him on a road that will send him to the depths of Hades and beyond before his battle is done.

After Ares tricks him into destroying the last piece of his soul turning him into a nearly demonic Soul known to all as the Ghost of Sparta, Kratos begins serving the Gods. Kratos after 10 years of servitude is ready to give up he is asked by Athena to do one last dead and save her city from the Wrath of her brother Ares.

Prior to battling Ares and saving Athens, Kratos must face almost every aspect of Greek Mythology battling Sirens, Cyclops, Gorgons, Hydras, Minotaur warriors and more. That is just the half the fun of this game though. While it has some of the more brutal battles you must also solve puzzles, find your way thru deadly mazes to capture the Power of Pandora’s Box.

Thanks to Game Fly I have played some killer games over the last year and this definitely ranks among my favorites if not at the top of the list. While not for everyone, if you are into Brutal Battles, challenging puzzles and some amazing artwork or are just a fan of Greek Mythology it is highly probable you will love this. It deservedly has a Mature rating most likely due to the occasional topless or sheer top maidens and Goddesses as much if not more so than for its brutal and sometimes very gory kill scenes.

I would say it probably took me 20-30 hours to beat the game spaced out over a week or so on Spartan (Easy) Mode. Even though I beat the easy version in about a week there are a lot of things I enjoy about this game so when the price comes down some I may still get a copy.

On a scale of 1-5 this is one of the few games I have played that gets a straight up 5. One reason is the Great Visuals, the artwork is amazing even on a 19” TV the details are incredible. Second is Hardcore Action, this is one of the more brutal games I can remember. Not just the normal body parts flying and blood spurting brutality. At times it really puts you to your paces and you feel almost as if you are in there fighting for your soul itself. For that reason I do not suggest trying to beat it in one sitting unless you are a glutton for punishment or are trying your best to get carpal tunnel syndrome. Third this has an Amazing Story. Not only the main story is interesting, but it has good sub-stories and several flashbacks telling Kratos’ History. Fourth is it is not just an action game, several portions of the game make you think. Some of the solutions to the puzzles are not very obvious and take some trying to solve. Last, but not least is it is truly worth Playing over and over again. I really enjoyed this game and have played some of the higher levels after beating it, but that is just part of it. Not only does it have I believe 5 level difficulties after defeating Spartan mode a sub-game is opened up as well. While not quite as tough as the actual game “Challenge of the Gods” is not easy. I have not defeated even level 1 of 10 so I can not say how rough the higher levels are or if they are even possible for most to beat, but I think it will be worth several hours or attempts.

Whether it will still be fun to play after beating God Mode I do not know. My only gripe about it is I enjoy after beating a game being able to go back and play specific battles over and over again. Since I have not Beat the Higher difficulty levels I do not know if this is an option or not so I could not count off for that reason. I would love to be able to go back and fight the Centaur Army again, The Cerebus and her pups, let alone Ares himself without having to go thru some of the more tedious levels my least favorite being one of Poseidon’s challenges. When you play it I am sure you will be able to figure out which ones.

Again I have to highly recommend this game for its action, mental challenges, story, replay ability and most importantly some of the most amazing and interesting visuals I have seen on a video game. While maybe not the Best Game Ever I think it will definitely be talked about for quite a while. There have been some hints about possible sequels, but if they put half as much into them as they did this (3 years in the making) do not expect to see God of War 2 on the shelves anytime soon.

Part 2, my top 5 games of ALL TIME!!!!

These are not in any specific order. I consider them my all time favorites for various reasons

God of War, I think I have made my feelings clear on it.

Pac Man, while not the first game to make a mark it was one of the first that really caught my attention in the Arcade let alone at home. I would still love a playable 2600 and copy of this one.

Super Mario Bros, For pretty much the same reason as Pac Man it took gaming to a whole new level

Castlevania, this was pretty much the first action adventure game that really caught my attention. While no where near as amazing as current versions the action was great and the visuals were amazing.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, I enjoy this game for many reasons. The one that makes it stand out more than any other though is the soundtrack. I grew up listening to a lot of the songs and I loved that you could play not only different songs, but several different genres.

To all the Fallen Heroes

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bates) — Tue, 30 Aug 2005 13:47:00 +0000

To all the Fallen Heroes

First off let me say that my thoughts and well wishes go out to all feeling the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Luckily it looks like losing power for a few hours and some minor damage to a few items seem to be all it has done to my house, but winds are still rough here so I am not cleaning up any tree limbs yet and watching to make sure no more come down.

As most of us are concerned about those in the path of the storm I have been thinking more of a local family touched by tragedy and felt the need to vent my frustration and feelings. Yesterday while doing his job like every other day a young man lost his life. Twenty seven year old Daniel Golden a Huntsville, Al Police officer was shot in the head and killed while responding to a domestic disturbance. While this was the first Huntsville officer killed in the line of duty in 40 years and only the 8th one in Huntsville history that is little comfort to his wife, a Huntsville Paramedic, or his two step children.

From Huntsville Times “According to police sources who asked not to be identified, Officer Golden was responding to a call about a Hispanic man beating his wife with a gun. The man shot Golden in the head as soon as the officer stepped out of his cruiser, the sources said, and then shot him again.” I did hear on news at 10 pm last night that the man who was from Mexico was taken into custody.

Those that know me know that I have never been a fan of the majority of Law Enforcement. Having had my life and that of my family and friends touched by the small majority of Officers that unfortunately give them all a bad name, I lost a lot of respect for the badge. That is not to say that I dislike all officers or disrespect them. In fact the exact opposite is true and yesterday is a perfect example of why. While I no longer feel quite as strong a level of respect I do still respect them highly for the fact that they are out there risking their life every day. While there are some crooked and just generally dishonest ones they are still the small minority in a field that for the most part takes not only a lot of Guts, Physical, Mental and Emotional Strength it does take a high level of integrity to enforce all laws equally.

For every Scott Anderson, A Huntsville Officer convicted of murdering a young lady I knew, there are dozens if not hundreds of officers like Officer Golden. Individuals that know every time they pin their badge on it may be for the last time, but they still go out there to Serve and protect each and every one of us. While the badge has been tarnished all too often in recent years it still a career that deserves our Respect and Thanks.

Almost ashamed to be a Photographer

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bates) — Tue, 23 Aug 2005 15:57:00 +0000

I am Almost ashamed to be a Photographer these days

Here is the perfect example of the Latest reason to despise Photographers http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Movies/08/23/people.johansson.ap/index.html?section=cnn_us

I completely understand the need for Journalists and Photo Journalists, but as a Photographer I despise Paparazzi worse than PWCs. They both give us all a bad name, but more and more these days they are getting dangerous. It is a shame when accidents like what happened in Kansas last week where a 17 year old was attacked and killed by a Tiger while she was being photographed with the animal, but is it going to take another incident like Princess Diana’s death before Paparazzi start using their heads.

In the article Scarlet Johansson was trying to elude "Photographers" that were trying to capture her going to a park. She wrecked her SUV, but luckily Scarlet and the others involved in this accident were not harmed. This truly is getting ridiculous. Stars have been charged with attacking these low life scum that invade their privacy. personally I think these SOBs need to be charged with Reckless Endangerment, Invasion of Privacy, Stalking and whatever else they can pin them with until we shut them down. I will admit I am a bit of a voyeur (probably why I got into photography) and I do love seeing some photos of the celebs caught off guard, but I think there is a fine line between photographing someone on the beach or at a park and chasing them for 4 days and causing an accident despite their claims to the contrary. While not all of them are scum I would say over half and probably closer to 90% of them give all of us Photographers a bad name. If we had tougher laws against these low lifes and actually enforced them maybe Diana would still be alive and well today and Scarlet and others would not have to risk their lives to maintain a little privacy.

I do love having fun

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bates) — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 04:30:00 +0000

While it has been a rough and busy summer, luckily I have been able to squeeze in some fun here and there. Getting the house ready for a month long visit from my brother, sis-in law and two nephews took up most of late may thru june followed by the actual visit and the last few weeks have been filled by running around getting things ready for worst case scenario. My dad just had major back surgery on the 10th and that means a lot less time for me since while mom is having to help him a little I am having to pick up a lot of slack from both of them. Luckily he is recovering pretty well. It was basically a roll of the dice since every time they work on neck or spine 60/40 is about best hope you can get for any help let alone complete recovery.

I was sure he was going to milk it for all it was worth and would not do anything for himself for weeks if not months, but he is already moving around some with a little help and seems to actually already be in better shape. So, hopefully the surgery worked and while at his age don't expect to see him competing in the Olympics hopefully he can at least sleep thru the night and get up in the mornings without needing a walker. He basically had 2 U-Bolts thru the base of his spine where the padding between some discs basically had disintegrated. Mom had similar, but not quite as drastic surgery on her upper back last year so I had already gone thru the drill. Catch is she weighs quite a bit less than him so while he was able to help her some she can only do so much for him so my back and arms have been getting a good work out lifting around on him.

Luckily the upside is I am finally getting some much overdue appreciation and respect. I am also getting a little free time over the weekends when I have some back up. Which means I have been able to sneak away for some shoots and fun in general. Since I did not know how much free time I would have over the next few weeks to months I made sure I got a shoot squeezed in with my Favorite model and one of my best friends Sunshine. I finally got all the photos edited last night and have a few of the better ones added to her website www.bamasunshine.com and I will be adding a few to my site www.dbatesphoto.com along with some from another recent shoot soon.

I have been bout ready to give it up the way recent shoots have gone, but this was just what I needed. I don't know why, but the shoot seemed to have gone better than lot of previous shoots and not only got me going again it was just what I needed to get my head back in the game. So, Keep an eye out for tons of upcoming shoots in the upcoming months.

WHICH SIGN ARE YOU?

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bates) — Thu, 28 Jul 2005 14:54:00 +0000

Each sign of the zodiac corresponds with a body part. One trick that
works with women of every sign, is to touch the associated body part
(make it seem like an accident if it's a private part). They like
you, and they don't know why.

Aries: The head. They're the most naive sign, with the most light,
the springtime sign. Tell them how pretty they are, but don't lay it
on too thick. Sexually, they're full of energy, vibrant. The women
are mannish and can be domineering. All the fire signs (Aries, Leo,
Sagittarius) like to dominate.

Taurus: The neck. Just be nice to them, they're sensitive. Let a
Taurus see that you're focused on something, so they can feed off
that focus. All the earth signs (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn) need a
lot of structure and stability. You can have a one-night stand with
a Taurus, but they may come back around. Tauruses cling.

Gemini: The arms. Touch them on their arms and they like you ,know a
lot about something, and they'll hang out with you until they learn
it. You've got to meet them on a higher ground .Astrology is not the
area of expertise that wows a Gemini.

Cancer: The breast. They're a water sign and water shifts, so you
need to be in tune with all their moods ... A Cancer will never make
the first move.

Leo: The back. Tell them, 'You're the most wonderful person in the
world.' Rub on their back in a forceful, strong way, and they're
yours. They're the easiest sign to get in bed because they believe
any compliment. And once you're having sex, they like to put on a
show.

Virgo: The stomach. They want stability in their relationships --
unless they're going through their ho-ish phase. They're strange,
they'll just sleep with you without emotion. For them, it's more of
a security thing; they're practical.

Libra: The butt. They like you to pay attention, but you shouldn't
sweat them. Be playful, but don't be crass; they don't like
conflict, and they love being in a couple. They have really nice
butts, and they always have nice underwear, nice lingerie. Shopping
at Victoria's Secret is a perfect Libra date.

SCORPIO: The sex organs. The most sexual sign; often bisexual,
always curious about sex. They just want to sample all the juices:
Scorpios and Pisces are the most into body fluids of all the signs.
Scorpio's the sign of death and regeneration ... They have hidden
sexual problems, lots of venereal disease. They're secretive, self-
destructive and sexual until they evolve into what they call a
phoenix or firebird, when they rise above the poisonous nature of
Scorpio and become more spiritual.

Sagittarius: The thighs. A Sag girl will flirt with you all night
long, sit in your lap [presumably cutting off the circulation with
her dense thighs] and then go home to her boyfriend. They want
everyone to like them, but they're loyal to the one at home. To
seduce them, listen to what they say and let them know they're
wonderful, but don't pry into their business, because they're
independent. They're fun in bed, energetic, engaging.

Capricorn: The knees. They're earthy, passionate in bed. They like
to be in control: It's their show, they know exactly what's going to
happen, and it's never over till they say it's over. They're loyal,
they'll do anything for you, but they are the sign most likely to
stalk you -- every Capricorn is a little off. To get with an earth
sign, don't get flowers, bring practical gifts.

Aquarius: The calf. Touch their calf and talk to someone else, and
they're yours. They're not used to being ignored, because they're
the most charming sign, the bearer of water, of all those Oprah
Winfrey fake smiles and light conversation. Everybody wants to be
around them. All the air signs (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius) require
intellectual stimulation. Aquariuses don't necessarily like sex;
they're more interested in talking about it, playing the game,
everything leading up to the physical act, which they're not that
crazy about.

Pisces: The feet. To seduce Pisces people, "be nice to them. Pisces
are so isolated, they have weird sleep patterns and see things in
their sleep. If they're not in tune with it, they'll get obsessive
about drugs or alcohol or shopping, so be understanding of them."
Like Scorpio, Pisces is "spiritual and obsessed with darkness, the
most Goth of the signs.

WHICH SIGN ARE YOU?

______________________

All Systems Go!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bates) — Tue, 26 Jul 2005 17:32:00 +0000

Despite being raised in Huntsville, AL the home of the Marshall Space Flight Center before today I had never watched a Shuttle launch live. I remember the Challenger explosion, but I did not find out about it for almost an hour after the fact. I was in 5th grade at the time and nearly class was left unattended while the teachers crowded around a small TV in the teacher’s lounge watching the First Teacher sent to space. It was not till the bell rang for us to change classes that we knew something was wrong because several teachers were crying like crazy, but it was close to an hour later that we found out what was wrong and did not see the footage till National news that night. Back then I didn’t even have cable and regular networks didn’t have on the hour news updates. I was watching TV the morning the Columbia fell from the sky and as devastating as that was it was not as intense as the video of the Challenger. I did get a chance to see the Test Shuttle when it came to Huntsville, Rocket City USA back in the late 70s as the test stand is just over 10 miles away from where I live and when it was flown in my dad still worked at the Redstone Arsenal Army Airfield where it landed. I still have a batch of photos one of the guys shot there and print several sets including some from a helicopter that was flying security as it landed.

As much of a thrill as it was sitting here just minutes ago watching the launch I can only imagine the thrill it was standing down at Kennedy this morning let alone back in the 80s when Columbia launched for the first time or back just over 40 years ago when we first sent man into space. Having been to the test stand while they did a test fire I have seen the fire and smoke, heard the roar and felt the ground shake, but someday I plan on going back to FL and watching them launch who knows maybe we will still make it back to the moon someday in my lifetime. It has taken us well over the 10 years the director told Walter Cronkite back in the early days of the Shuttle, but we have got people living in Space, had a rover land on Mars and despite a few tragedies have a crew aboard the Discovery 21 years after it first flew.

For more info on the STS 114 as well as NASA and the Space Shuttle click on the link below:

http://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight/main/index.html

Mystery of the zen hex

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bates) — Wed, 25 May 2005 13:04:00 +0000

Take the quiz: "::What Ice Cream Flavor Are You?:: [PICS]"

Double Fudge Chunk
*Double* Fudge *Chunk*

This is Insane !!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bates) — Tue, 15 Mar 2005 17:05:00 +0000

Mother Nature is either on crack or playing an early April fool’s day trick on us. I have major plans this weekend and getting a little spooked. Saturday when I was out running around town it was bright, clear, sunny and 76 degrees. Today I wake up and what do I see? SNOW!!!!!! Not a lot, but I slept in so most of it has melted away, but here it is almost noon and still more is on the ground than we have got any day all winter.

Honestly though, since the weather reports were saying rain pretty much all week. Given the option between the two all I can say is, Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it snow. Heck I would love to do a good shoot out in the snow as long as I can get around town in it easily.

Finally back shooting

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bates) — Wed, 09 Feb 2005 09:10:00 +0000

Well, I finally wiped the dust off my camera, loaded up some fresh batteries and smart cards and headed to town to meet a couple of good friends for a great day of shooting this past saturday. It was still a little chilly especially when the wind got heavy, but it was nice. If anything it was too beautiful. A great day for a walk in the park, but unfortunately the Sun was shining so bright it made it a little rough for shooting. On top of that add in the cobwebs slowing me down a little I didn't shoot a lot, but still came up with a few good shots that I felt like sharing.

Thanks to a friend telling me about a new toy "Hello from Picsa" a new type of messenger that is perfect for folks that like sharing their photos I found out how easy it is to post the photos below on here. So, Be sure to keep an eye open in future months for updates a LOT more often on here. Also be sure to check out Hello at www.hello.com

Happy New Year

noreply@blogger.com (Don Bates) — Sun, 02 Jan 2005 14:53:00 +0000

Once again another year has slipped by. Two thousand and four overall was a good year, with a few high points and not as many bad as recent ones. I made some major changes in my life all for the good and while some things still need some tweaking I expect some great things in 2005.