I decided to try something different this year while watching the fireworks. Rather than just taking pictures of what was really there, I thought it would be more fun to add more of a display. I recalled an article in a magazine on painting with light. The general idea is that in a dark setting, leave your shutter open for extended periods, and by moving the light around you can paint the scene or object being photographed. A tripod is required for the effect

If you look at the pictures below this is what a normal fireworks display would look like, at a small park. I purposely left the street lights in the frame to give reference points to what I am doing.






Now lets have some fun! By starting at one end of the frame, the fireworks go off one at a time, slowly move the camera to adjust where you want the next firework to explode in the frame. Below is my first attempt at moving both up and down and left to right. (follow the street light trails at the bottom of the picture as a reference to what how the camera was moved.)





Finally, after getting the hang of it, lets make it look like you are at a full blown professional display! By leaving the shutter open for 15 seconds. It allows the camera to capture the several different fireworks. Now just move a little after each one goes off.





Wild effects with different fireworks.





Try it yourself and have fun!

The Storm only lasted about 2 minutes, but is didn't take long to bend our birch tree

Here is what is used to look like: (ok this is a winter shot, but its all i had!)
 


This is what is looks like now with a little help from Mother nature, I am told it will straighten up in a couple days, we will see...

Well for those of you that enjoy the following TV series, you might be a little surprised by the limited number of episodes remaining.

Battlestar Galactica
Only eight episodes are scheduled for this season, due to the strike. Five down, that leaves us only three episodes left! 2009 the final 8 episodes will air. This reminds me of the Soprano's final season, lets just hope it doesn't end the same!

Lost
Three episodes remain as well. Then its another long hiatus until 2009.

Smallville
Two episodes to go! At least this series will be back in fall, as it has been renewed for an eighth season. It has been reported that Lex Luthor will not be returning in Season 8. Personally, I hope he Lana doesn't return either.

I feel much better now

Am I really to believe that the Sopranos series needed another season to end like this?

Based on the reviews it was a love it or hate it ending. I didn't love it.... I would be more forgiving if it would have ended last year. To drag out ten episodes to leave it like this? That is not to say that there were some memorable moments to this season, but why drag the series out like this?

Everything we were lead to believe about needing another season to complete the story was a lot of talk. Loose ends are left everywhere you turn.

The finale is summed up as, Tony waits for the hit that never comes, he reaches out to Phil's crew for a sit down. They agree that Phil has lost control, as if anyone ever really has it long in this show. All the bad things that has happened to the family are all neatly polished up for a feel good end, Meadow looks to be getting married and has a lucrative job offer from a prominent law office. Anthony Jr. quickly comes out of depression now that he has a new girl friend and new job working on a movie, that Tony is financing. Carm is planning her next house... and Paulie is, just being as goofy as ever. The down side is that it looks like Tony is going to be facing some jail time in the near future. In the final scenes, the family agrees to meet a  restaurant (that I don't remember them ever eating at) and as the family members assemble one by one. First Tony, then Carm, Anthony Jr, and still parking the car....Meadow...We watch in great anticipation as "others" come into the restaurant slowly as if a hit is about to be carried out, and as Meadow finally heads to the door.... the screen goes black!

As another person wrote in their review, "I was left fumbling with my tivo remote thinking that something had happened to my receiver"

I laugh, because I did the same, the only difference is, I was also reduced to yelling "What the F...?" (What can I say... I was watching the Sopranos!)

In the end I blame it on bad writing! Call it artistic. Call it what you want. I call it sucking more money out of the series, and not knowing how to end.
Anyone who's review says it ended perfect, hasn't been listening to all the hype! We were teased by the trailers, each week that things would really heating up! But in the end, it appears that the season finale is a choose your own ending!

So the ending I choose...
Paulie becomes so freaked out by the cat, he gets up and runs from his chair into the road and gets hit by an oncoming vehicle.
Tony goes to prison for 15 years.
Silvo dies after being removed from life support.
Anthony Jr. becomes an "earner" to support Carm's "honest" lifestyle, turning homes.
Meadow studies law for a couple of years, is bitter by the trumped up charges on her father, and starts controlling the family business from the shadows, (through Tony in prison), and eventually becomes the Boss.
Carm, becomes a basket case after; the feds take the house, she learns that Silvio killed Adriana, can't forgive Tony for not putting away any money for her, and the fact her kids are mixed up in the family business, and supporting her. Finally she ends up in where she loathes the most, in counseling!

Lastly I choose, NO MOVIE!  Please! I can't take anymore...

What do you choose....?

Well here we are, the draft is on. As fan of the NFL (GO VIKES!) today represents optimism, and a new excitement for your team.
The big news before the draft:

• Randy Moss, trade rumors heating up..will he end up in Green Bay or New England...Moss is favoring New England because of a chance to win a Superbowl
• Jets are posturing to move up in the draft
• Oakland is looking to pick JaMarcus Russell to make him the first pick overall
• Detroit is looking at trading their 2nd pick in the draft, Atlanta is looking to Move up

Top 10 Picks in order are:

• Oakland Raiders pick - JaMarcus Russell -QB- 1st overall pick in the 2007 draft  (no surprise)
• Detroit Lions - Will they trade their pick or draft another WR? No Trade, they chose Calvin Johnson -WR (again no surprise)
• Cleveland Browns - we know they want Brady Quinn...WOW! they chose Joe Thomas -T from WI, the face of the draft has now changed Brady is still available! They still need a QB and RB this is a surprise
• Tampa Bay Bucs - Gaines Adams -DE (no surprise, they like their defense and he is a quality pick)
• Arizona Cardinals -Levi Brown OT surprise... Peterson and Quinn are still available
• Washington Redskins - LaRon Landry S- Mock drafts said he would go here.
• VIKES - YEAH, sitting pretty, either Brady Quinn or Adrian Peterson...... YAHOO!!!-Adrian Peterson -RB that would have been my choice
• Atlanta Falcons- -Quinn could be next., nope, Jamaal Anderson -DE If you are looking for a defensive pick, this is it
• Miami Dolphins- With the trade rumors of Culpepper looming, Dolphins could do themselves a favor by picking QB Quinn here it makes sense for the future of the team, IF they are looking for a franchise QB. nope, WOW, I big reach Ted Ginn, Jr. WR. This could be a sign that Trent Green is not far from moving to the fins.
• Houston Texans - on the clock, look for a trade here, no trade, Amobi Okaye -DT. Good pick for Texans

Well to see Quinn still available isn't a big shocker, considering previous drafts. The fact that he could slide even further is. He will get picked before the 20th selection, probably the late teens. At this point the further he slides the more money he loses in the NFL.