2008 April archive at Little Wet Dog Photography

Archive for April, 2008

Apr

Lake County Prairie Wolf Forest Preserve Dog Park on Route 43

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Categories: Pets, Photography and Travel

This past week the Little Wet Dog and her caregivers went for a run to the dog park. We love the dog park! We can run and take pictures and then run and then sniff other… well you know.

Spring is here! I love spring. The weather just lovely this week and we got to go to my second favorite dog park. Mommy and daddy like this one because the lake is fenced off so I can’t jump in and get stinky. But don’t worry… I find mud everywhere I go!

This week daddy went for a long run around the thistle area while mommy stayed behind to take some photos. I was so worried that daddy ran away and left us behind. I panicked. I know mommy loves daddy so much that I ran after him to get him to come back. I ran for what seemed like a mile through that dog park track and found him. I was so tired but turned right around and ran back to tell mommy that daddy was coming back. She didn’t seemed worried. Then when he ran back to her, he turned around and ran away again so I had to high tail after him. The Little Wet Dog was so confused!

Eventually after a few attempts to scare me, I just gave up and stayed with mommy. Don’t worry though, I still looked back every few feet just to check to make sure he was coming. After I go my paws washed at the hand pump daddy came running down the path. I was so happy to see him. Along the way I met a nice lady with a point nose – she was nice.

Overall we had a great day at the dog park! Lot’s of buddies. Lot’s of running. Lot’s of photos (which mommie likes). I like spending time with my family.

Apr

One dance with angels of rain

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Categories: Personal, Photography and Weather

As the clouds came overhead on Friday April 25th, we ran from dinner at Las Palma’s to get home before the massive storm. We knew that the Little Wet Dog would be quivering under the table.

This is the cutest thing! She will never let a stranger into the house (she would destroy anyone who tried to enter without permission) and is the world best guard dog, and yet as a thunderstorm approaches and she is a puppy and likes to snuggle with mommie.

Around 7pm the mad storm rolled through northern Illinois, tearing through the suburbs without regret. We watched on the radar the red boxes flashed across the Dell computer monitor. As I stood at the window watching each drop fall and each sprinkle of rain sing their songs of joy, I had a moment of calmness.

This opportunity made me stop and think a moment about my life. Think about the mad rush through life… another wedding, another meeting, another portrait session, another communion, another something, another cup of coffee and you’re gone. (I wouldn’t change it for the world though!) And yet, at that moment… I stopped. I stopped and waited. I waited for nothing. And nothing happened. The drop just stayed on the window. It didn’t have anywhere to go. No hurry. He just sat and waited. I waited for him and he waited for me. And yet we waited for nothing. My mind began to wander away and wander back. It was the peaceful sound of calm.

My 50mm lens and trusty camera provided me the chance to capture the most amazing image of a rain drop caught on a window screen – and I share that image with you my dear friends.

As the liquid angels subsided, I saw the amazing reflections of the street lamps upon the long puddles on the asphalt. I grabbed my Canon Digital Camera and, along with my EF 28 to 135mm lens, I ran out to get some amazing photos. The moment of peace still in my bones and soul, I rushed out to the fresh cool April breeze. All around me the drizzle came and I didn’t notice. Drop. Drop. Drop. I didn’t notice. My hair was drenched. My pants were wet and ruined. Before I realized it, I was lying on the ground, soaked all the way through, getting “that one perfect shot”.

I got it!

(Scroll past the picture for description of the image).

My artist’s eyes saw the dancing of my angle rain friend as if she were entrenched in a fox trot with the devil surrounded by the flames of Satan. The lights swayed back and forth singing “dance with me, dance with me” and the blue aurora filled the sky with its benevolent glory.

Tonight was a might fine night. A perfect night to live and a perfect night to dance. A perfect night to find appreciation and beauty all around. While the world continues to turn and another day approaches, I had but one last dance with the angels of rain.

Apr

Comcast to buy or acquire mobile devices business from motorola

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Categories: Business and Cell Phones

The Little Wet Dog suspects that Comcast may soon be coming out with their own cell phones! Beware motorola, samsung, nokia and lg! The cable giant is now in your back yard!

Acccording to Fierce Wireless - Comcast has just hired Dave Williams (former CTO of Telefonica) to act as their SVP for wireless and technology strategy. Smells pretty much like he’ll be kicking off their new cell phone division.

This makes the Little Wet Dog think…

Is comcast going to make a strong bid to Motorola to acquire it’s dying mobile phone division?
Is comcast going to be another strong new entrant to the cell phone market and go head to head with giant microsoft?
Is this just another distraction while Comcast comes out with another amazing invention?
Should we all play with frisbee’s just a little bit more?

Only time will tell! Check back soon friends!

Apr

Good Oak Landscaping

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Categories: Business and Gardening

Are you looking for landscaping with native plants? Little Wet Dog recommends Good Oak LLC for all your gardening and landscaping needs.

Good Oak LLC offers native landscaping and ecological consulting services. Landscaping with native plants has a lot of great advantages. First, these plants are adapted to our local growing conditions, so they don’t need watering, fertilizer or pesticide applications. They require less maintenance, so less time and money is spent on mowing. Native plants provide habitat and food for wildlife such as birds and beneficial insects such as butterflies and bees. By landscaping with native plants you can even help fight water pollution, air pollution and global warming! All this from plants that provide natural beauty and which are unique to our region.

Check out their website for more information: www.goodoakllc.com

Apr

Which Star Wars Character Would Be the Best CEO

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Categories: General

Which “Star Wars” Character Would Be the Best CEO?

By HR World Editors on April 23, 2008

“Good versus evil. Whether trying to strike a balance around the galaxy, battling competitors or trying to squash the latest intraoffice drama, some leaders can get it done while others fail miserably. Film junkies may find themselves daydreaming and placing some of the greatest movie characters of all time into real-life workplace showdowns. So which “Star Wars” character would make the best CEO? In no particular order:

Anakin Skywalker: The protagonist of the “Star Wars” franchise, Anakin has been to hell and back through his rise in The Force, his fall to the dark side and his eventual redemption. While that life experience would make him a knowledgeable and instinctual CEO in its own right, Anakin also possesses problem-solving skills, technical savvy and a competitive attitude. He also can see events before they happen, which would be especially helpful for any leader. Anakin’s downside is that he is prone to rage and deception, so bad news and computer passwords might be best kept from him. He also might tire of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
Luke Skywalker: Though originally an immature, superficial youth, Luke is called by a strong sense of duty and a desire to be a part of something larger than himself, which gets him brownie points in the leadership category. Through the help of Yoda, Luke learned how to master his emotions and put the greater good above his personal gain or satisfaction.

Princess Leia: Leia embodies today’s concept of the career woman. Beautiful and put together, yet adept at firing a blaster or manning a ship, the princess could command a company with her drive and courage alone. This senator and leader of the Rebel Alliance possesses a devotion to duty and freedom, which could work both for and against her. Her metal bikini might also distract her underlings.

Darth Vader: Discipline is this dude’s middle name, and his dominance could easily transfer to a Fortune 500 company. However, his less savory traits — the easily stoked anger and penchant for inspiring fear to name a couple — might lead to high secretary turnover.

Han Solo: This smuggler captain would bring both gall and gentleness to any venture. With the Wookiee Chewbacca as his personal assistant, Solo is a loner with strong instincts who would do anything to increase the value of the company’s stock. But a temperamental nature and shady visage could keep others from wanting to do business with him.

Obi-Wan Kenobi: Obi-Wan, with his longevity and ability to ride the waves of tumult throughout his career, would be the mentoring type of leader. At first a mysterious hermit, he revealed himself as a dedicated and kind Jedi Master and tutored Luke Skywalker to use The Force. Obi-Wan Kenobi is definitely not one to go along with the crowd, as is evidenced from his famous disagreements with Qui-Gon Jinn, a proponent of the living Force over the more serene unifying Force.

Yoda: Who said that employers prefer to hire tall people? This equal parts hideous and huggable wise one trained Luke Skywalker in the ways of the Jedi and serves as Grand Master of the Jedi Order in the prequel trilogy. Yoda is deep yet determined, even taking up arms in the Clone Wars. He saved his own life and those of others, and he knows when to act and when to exert patience.

Chewbacca: Though slightly dependent on Han Solo, with whom he pilots the Millennium Falcon in the original “Star Wars” trilogy, this old, hairy Wookiee warrior exudes great strength and loyalty. A veteran of the Clone Wars, Chewbacca is wise and fantastically skilled at starship piloting and repair. He will use force to get his way, however, which could prove problematic in the conference room.

Jabba the Hutt: Not exactly the warm and fuzzy pick to lead your enterprise, the obese and obstinate Jabba possesses two key characteristics of a good CEO: the insatiable hunger for power and the ability to turn a profit. A ruthless crime lord who employs smugglers — including Han Solo — to traffic his illicit goods, he immensely enjoys torturing and embarrassing his many servants. While Jabba should be kept in an entirely separate building from the company peons, his large corporate muscle would help the business meet success.

Darth Maul: Though almost entirely absent of personality, Maul is another example of devotion to a singular cause, in this case, the dark Force. He is skilled in the Jedi arts and works wonders with a lightsaber. While he eventually died after being cut in two by Obi-Wan, Darth’s dedication and determination should keep him in the running for the top rung of the corporate ladder.