Wednesday, June 22, 2016

#HatofSummer goes downtown and gets some culture



I didn't get as much work done while the kids toured as I anticipated (and they didn't stay focused on the art as long as I had hoped).

So, in the end, I'm counting it as a half-day afternoon vacation. And that is certainly the best possible outcome for everyone involved.

Friday, June 17, 2016

My #NFLetter



June 17, 2016

To the Honorable __________:

My name is David Martin. I live in Westerville. I am writing to you today to express my feelings on the current conversation happening in the United States about gun control and mass shootings. I wish we could confine this to the tragic events in Orlando last Sunday--but we must also not forget what happened at Sandy Hook Elementary School, in San Bernardino, and in many other places and towns across America--and within several presidential administrations.

I believe that passing legislation to end commercial sales of high capacity bullet magazines is an important step in trying to reduce gun violence--and will not infringe upon the rights of well-meaning gun owners.

I hope you are receiving many letters from people urging you to consider this position. We need more citizen engagement on critical issues--especially during an election year.

I work in the textbook industry and have helped produce several books on U.S. government and United States history. I also studied U.S. history in graduate school. So, I recognize that it can be difficult to drive the nation in a particular direction.

But you have chosen to serve as a member of Congress.So, I know you are compelled to make a difference for this country.

I pray that you thoughtfully consider this letter and take up the effort to make us all safer by ending the sale of these high capacity magazines.

Thank you for your service,

David Martin

Thursday, June 16, 2016

Random Access Memories



When you've got no ideas, you throw a bunch of ideas together into something.

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Traveling to Georgia



Here is another "Thoughts from Places" type of video chronicling the families recent trip down to Georgia in early June.

Thursday, June 09, 2016

First days of summer



I need to put together a list of books that I want to complete this summer.

Currently being read (when I'm not wasting my time with TV and making videos):

1. Ransom Riggs, Hollow City
2. Suzanne Collins, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell (still . . . will never end)
3, The Autobiography of Mark Twain, volume 1 (so long . . . )
4. The aforementioned Chuck Klosterman book--as soon as I buy it, which will justify ignoring all fo these other books some more.

Tuesday, June 07, 2016

Repetition

This is the video that I have been working on for weeks--almost since I started this new Why Won't You Video project that I find myself on.


I filmed several different things and then I had to figure out how to add narration on top of it. In the end, I had to abandon my initial work on the YouTube editor and reload the video clips in Windows Movie Maker--which allowed me to record my own narration and place it on top of the videos.

I admit that the balance of the video ambient sound and the voiceover is not mixed extremely well. But as a first attempt I am fairly pleased with the result.

I have a variety of clips from our recent trip down to Georgia that I may try to combine in a similar fashion later this week.

Friday, June 03, 2016

Resigning myself to my faults during a walk in the woods



Thanks to Grace for running the camera during the shooting of this walk in the Cherry Log residential woods.

Sorry that the footage is grainy in spots. But you all know what the woods look like, right/

Discussing Car Games While Driving a Car



It's the most meta video yet . . .


Thursday, June 02, 2016

Thursday, June 2, 2016



Traveling has gotten easier as the kids are older. The amount of stuff you have to take with you definitely decreases (which pleases my mind and eases some of my anxieties around driving long distances.

And the kids tend to take care of themselves for the most part. They've got their phones, and music, and occasionally some discussions to keep up happy.

Things are really pleasant here in north Georgia. It's warm, but not oppressive. And the trees everywhere are great. It should be a wonderful weekend, celebrating Bill and Cheri's 50th wedding anniversary this Saturday.

I'll do my best to post more video of the celebration--as long as it doesn't bother people. So, more to come.