June 3, 2006 Three years ago I married the most beautiful bride anyone's ever seen. As a photographer who shoots weddings, I've seen quite a few. My bride, however, takes the cake for looking the best in a wedding dress. She did, in fact, take the cake and smear it in my face...that's how awesome she was then and still is today...

Though only 26 years of age I've seen some things that left me nearly speechless. I've seen car wrecks, house fires, natural disasters, and all the other things that a person never wants to say they were witness to. I've cried, laughed, vomited, passed out, etc. etc. from the things I've been witness to. Never have I really been speechless ... those of you who know me, know that I never shut up...

I've put pen to paper (actually finger to keyboard) at least five times the last two weeks. Something comes up that I'm passionate about and it gets just about typed up and complete and BAM! I give up. Could care less if it ever gets finished. So the draft goes into the trash can of cyberspace...

The YATers (this is only what I call them, I have no idea if it's a technical name for them) need some help to finish off the Pennies in the Park world record thing you've all been hearing about lately. For those of you who have no idea what this is, go here http://www.fstribune.com/story/1395659.html...

The ladies love Alex Gordon. I love Alex Gordon. Thing is...there are a lot of reasons to love Alex Gordon, the third baseman for the Kansas City Royals. The ladies love him because of his charm, his boyish good looks, his ability to flick his wrists and hit a baseball out of a ballpark faster than you can spread ketchup on your bratwurst. ...

Tiger Woods is a freak of nature. There is nothing more or less that could be said of him. He came into this year's U.S. Open with a bum knee. I still picked him to win. A lot of people picked him to win, even though there were quite a few who said he had no shot at the title with the condition of his recently sliced-open-and-fooled-with knee. ...

It's been about 10 years since I picked up a camera for the first time with the purpose of capturing and sharing one of life's little moments. At that time I was working for the school newspaper at Uniontown High School. Luckily for me I had a few individuals at the school who wanted nothing but the best for my future and they helped me and dragged me along for a few years until everything finally clicked. I've not thanked them enough over the years...

Have you ever been looking forward to something so much you just can't wait for it to get here? I'm in that boat right now! Late last year Bossman and I decided we were going to book a vacation/adventure based solely on our love for photography. Actually, it was more me just saying "Hey, let's go here and do this because I want to and need someone to tag along so I don't get eaten by a bear and all that jazz." And of course, he agreed without much thought. He's cool like that...

I've enjoyed photographing Fort Scott High School activities for several years, first as a staffer at the Tribune and now more in a freelance fashion. Just like in any job, there is always someone who thinks they know how to do the job better. Some of these comments are from nice people who honestly want you to improve. Others, not so much...

Okay people, here it is. I am going to win the lottery on Wednesday. Plain. And. Simple. The Powerball is at some grotesque number, $230 million I think. Generally I wait until it gets larger since I don't like to waste my time on piddly numbers that don't even start with a 3. But I visited an art gallery yesterday and really want a few prints so I'm going to have to take the plunge and just go ahead and buy a ticket. Even if it is only a measly sum like the present amount...

I've often complained at the lack of healthy alternatives in this town as far as food joints are concerned. I've found my new favorite place to eat and I've been doing it at least three times a week. Espressly for You, located across the road from Shepherd Team Auto Plaza, is AMAZING! To die for...

Okay so I've said quite a bit over the past few years about Fort Scott High School's student section. I'm going to say a few more words. Monday and Tuesday night I photographed the girls and boys in their first round substate games. On both occasions the student section showed up with some of the most hideous, yet entertaining, outfits I've ever seen. Monday was a so-so night...complete with a Spiderman costume and a state-qualifying wrestler with a mohawk. Wonder who that was......

Blogger's Note: Please forgive rambling or jumping around in this blog. It's 1:46 a.m. At this hour, fingers go in different directions than the brain tells them to. Last year (and quite possibly the year before) there was a bit of animosity between the student section and the administration at Fort Scott High School. ...

Today isn't just an ordinary day. Nope. I'm officially a quarter century old. As I reflect on the past 25 years I think of some pretty insane moments. Let's have a seat on the couch (or if you are with your loved one, you can sit on the love seat) and think back on what has happened. Feel free to throw in any comments here and there if you remember something I don't...

It's that time of year to get all sentimental about that past year. Here is the list I've compiled for those of you who care! If you don't care...stop reading right now. If this is incomprehensible at times its because my mind is bamboozled here at midnight o'clock...

Bourbon County was lucky this week. The storm that fell on Pittsburg and basically rendered many people and organizations useless the first part of this week was absolutely horrid. Fort Scott may have had a few problems due to the ice, mainly school closings, but residents were lucky for the most part...

Just a few observations and happenings from the past week.... For the past 6 years I've watched, listened and talked about a special kid that just so happened to be a football player....he just put a cap on his high school football career and I, along with quite a few others, am proud of him. Gage McKinnis, a senior at Hutchinson High School and formerly a student in the Uniontown school district, won a state championship in football. He's a great kid and has a bright future...

So the past week has been 100% spectacular. I'm talking Grade A Beef quality. Not that 70/30 stuff....the high quality stuff - 96/4. It's been that kind of week. Found out two of my photos were published in Sports Illustrated's online version. A dream of mine has always been to be published in the magazine. I'm one step closer with the online version. I about needed a diaper when I found out. Good times...

I've been reading the Fort Scott Tribune online stories lately and am appalled at some of the things I'm reading in the comments section. It doesn't seem to matter if the stories are about mini horses, sexual assault or the vote on an aquatic center - the same people post and their comments are generally similar to their posts on other stories throughout the site. ...

I've made it a point the past few months to blog about things that aren't too controversial. There was a point in time a few months back that I felt the need to step up and defend my fellow journalists in their actions. Even if I didn't totally agree with everything written, I felt obligated to defend that right to report it. ...