Negative round-up

I am really thankful that beyond my family's safety, our collection of things weren't burnt or close to danger. It is convenient.

I've re-discovered my negative collection: Destruction Derby night at the Stanislaus County Fair, 1999. Wow! These weren't in tidy black negative binders with the others I packed off.

I was at peace with and resolved that our house would not be when we returned. All that was irrelevant compared to our safety.

I spent a week following our return unpacking and otherwise rounding up all of my stray negatives, a photographer's gold mine of images: China, Cambodia, Japan, France, Internment, thesis research, and these demolition derby images. I guess didn't even grab my 'important' Internment project pictures. It wouldn't have mattered that they were destroyed, a minor set-back, they continue to exist to be photographed again.

I came away from the experience with a new appreciation for our 'things' and am making with preparing for a future evacuation, much like our neighbors. I have also examined my attachment to material goods... I had everything I needed, even if we didn't return to pack; my family's safety was all that mattered. Everything in our house could be replaced, it's just stuff.

Just like these derby cars: repaired, repainted, destroyed. It's just stuff. 

Close proximity of forest fire and photography

Recent fires near the house, closest was the Martin fire, has given me a new appreciation for digital photography. We had about 20 minutes to evacuate our house: important stuff only (cats, kids, cameras, clothes, papers, wine, negatives, hard drives).

Our house was safe, as were my family and I.

However, this event has given me food for thought.

Upon sane review of my 'saved' materials, I got most of the goods but I found that the cream of my negatives were hiding out in the nooks and crannies of our funky mountain house. And I was immediately much, much more thankful that our house was spared any damage.

Our digital images, on the other hand, were ALL safe and sound in a big external hard drive. That thing took about 1.5 seconds to disconnect and put into a box, done; full stop. Just more to consider while I grouse about camera prices, sensor sizes, and drive capacities.

My final thought is one of thanks. Thanks to fire crews: air and ground for stopping the blaze; two houses lost is two too many, but lots fewer than could have burned. Outstanding effort folks!

The GTI: Little Rock

Little Rock, AR; one of five state capitols based on the national... not sure about the big brass door though.

The GTI: Jackon, Mississippi

I was on my way to Camp Shelby near Hattiesburg, MS to see where my Uncle Tsuk trained to go overseas with the 442nd RCT.

Stopped in Jackson for a bathroom break and headed out to Hattiesburg.

The South is an interesting place. My visit to Camp Shelby was enlightening. In it's years of disrepair after the War, many of the war-time buildings were sold or destroyed. Some of those buildings were where many soldiers were barracked including the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and 100th Infantry Battalion. All that remained were some over-grown dirt roads and concrete pilings similar to the ones I'd find at Amache, Colorado.

But what's more interesting was where the barracks were. Japanese soldiers who were released from segregated captivity were housed with white soldiers, not black soldiers. Ain't that a kick in the head?

The GTI: Montgomery, Alabama

I did more photography in a few months during the Summer of 2005 than I had in the four years I lived in Carrboro, NC. The images of my car are proof of a coast to coast journey, driven by the question: "When's the next time I'm going to be here with my own car?". So, I made a point to drive to every traveled state's capitol on my way to California.

I headed out to Selma to cross the Pettus Bridge and follow the March Route. When was that stretch of road designated the DeSoto Trail and the Jefferson Davis Highway? Before the march?

After photographing a little bit of town and visiting the Voting Rights museum i sat in a small close-by park and ate lunch. I didn't have a definite direction or next destination. Like Yojimbo, I threw a stick into the air at the cross-roads: North West to Arkansas or South West to Mobile. Arkansas it was. Little did I know Hurricane Katrina hit the coast in those days I would have been in Mobile.

Hoops

Hermosa Pier