Warren's Place

Sunset at Muni Pier

2009-03-06T07:01:00.000-08:00

This was taken at Municipal Pier at Aquatic Park on a crisp winter evening.

--Warren

Pt. Pinos Light, Pacific Grove CA

2009-03-03T06:50:00.000-08:00

We went to the Monterey/Carmel area on Thanksgiving Weekend 2008. It was a windy, but clear day when we visited the Pt. Pinos Lighthouse. We got there too late in the afternoon to go inside, but the sunset light was perfect for pictures outside. Built in 1855, this is the oldest operational lighthouse in the Western United States.

--Warren

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-25T09:52:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

We wish you all the best in 2009.

--Gail & Warren

Christmas Eve at Union Square:

Old Train Tracks, Petaluma

2008-11-22T17:01:00.001-08:00

Believe it or not, this was the first time that we ever visited downtown Petaluma.

--WT

Walking on the Promenade Deck, Norwegian Sun

2008-11-14T12:26:00.000-08:00

Life onboard a cruise ship involves a lot of eating, and one of the ways to work off the calories is to walk around and around on the Promenade Deck.

--Warren

Announcing: Viewfinder - SF

2008-11-08T22:10:00.000-08:00

Hey folks, I embarked on a new project. I decided to create a "true" photoblog and use it to focus on my San Francisco pictures. True photoblogs are the kind that show one picture per day (vs. gallery style or text blog style). So the focus is on the pictures. I chose to use aminus3.com which is a free Photoblog service that is international in scope.

Link:

Viewfinder-SF

Since I just started a few days ago, there are only a few pictures on there. Let me know how you like the format.

--Warren

Dawn Over the Bay

2008-11-06T06:48:00.000-08:00

A few posts ago, I posted a picture of us sailing out of San Francisco for our Mexico Cruise. This picture was taken on the morning that we returned to SF. We had just docked at Pier 35 and I was on deck taking pictures of the City from the unique angle of the ship.

I'll be posting various photos from the trip, so the sequence may be off. I don't think anyone cares...:)

--Warren

Lesson Learned, Again and DSLR Saves the Day

2008-11-04T07:00:00.000-08:00

I still shoot film, not as often as before, but I still enjoy it. I recently acquired a large assortment of 35mm camera gear that someone else decided to retire. I also received a few rolls of film that were expired. For my testing of a Canon T70 that I revived, I used a roll of Kodak Max 800. I should have known this from past experience, but I never should have used this film because it was an unknown quantity. I was never impressed by Kodak's high ISO color print film to begin with, but upon getting the roll back from the lab, I realized that using this roll of film to test the camera's capabilities was utterly useless and a complete waste of effort. The results were dismal, lots of grain and very poor color. I say that this is a lesson learned once again because I already went through this process of discovery years ago when after that first time, I decided to standardize on a known and tested high quality film for all my shooting. I believe that I will have to institute this personal rule once again now that I'm beginning to shoot more film again. I say that my DSLR saved the day because I decided to take it out along with my Canon to test the other recent acquisition, a 28mm f2.8 AF-n Nikkor lens. I'm glad I did because I managed to get some usable images from testing the 28mm lens while I was at wasting my time on the bad film.

This picture was taken with my Nikon D100 w/ Nikkor 28mm f2.8 AF-n. I find that I really enjoyed using the 28mm. It has been many years since I owned a 28mm prime, and I missed using it until now. Well, 28mm is equivalent to 42mm on the D100, and that is also a welcome focal length because up to now, I only had 24mm and 50mm in AF lenses for the D100. Many people, who I suspect really have no practical experience with this lens, say that it is not one of Nikon's better lenses, but as you can see from this picture, it is more than adequate to capture the many details in this scene, from the rocky crevasses in the foreground to the tree branches in the foggy background.

Thanks for visiting my blog and reading this article. I would appreciate your thoughts on this.

--Warren

Rocky Bridge, Stow Lake, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco:

Coffee Shop Camera Talks

2008-10-21T13:55:00.000-07:00

Hi,

Last Sunday was a very good day for me, from a photography hobbyist's standpoint. I was given a very large assortment of camera gear for free from a guy who decided that he no longer needed his unused gear. As it turned out, I also arranged to meet up with fellow photographer, Ted M., for coffee so I brought the equipment with me to look over with Ted. In this picture, Ted used one of those free cameras, an Olympus D-600L, 1.3MP digital camera. This is camera is woefully obsolete by today's standards, but despite all that, it still takes very good pictures as you can see. Here's how you would most likely see me at a coffee shop, with a camera and a cup of coffee having a chat with a friend (or sometimes a stranger) about my favorite subject: photography!

--Warren

SF Skyline Seen from the Bay

2008-10-09T07:00:00.000-07:00

Our ship, the Norwegian Sun set sail the Mexican Riviera on Sunday, Sept. 21st. It was a spectacular day and we were able to see the City from a viewpoint that we don't normally see.

How many City landmarks can you name here?

--Warren

Toyota 2000GT

2008-09-17T06:48:00.000-07:00

Here's an ultra-rare Toyota 2000GT seen fueling up before its demo laps at the 2008 Monterey Historic Races at Laguna Seca.

This 1968 2000GT,#33, is one of the cars that Carroll Shelby raced in the SCCA.

--Warren

Mystery Car Interior

2008-09-15T22:42:00.001-07:00

Here's another one, can you name the car, make and model?

Have fun!

--Warren

Return of the Mystery Car Series

2008-09-15T08:50:00.000-07:00

Hi Folks,

It's been a long time since my last "guess the mystery car" photo series.

Any guesses on this one?

Hint: This picture was taken at this year's Monterey Historic Races at Laguna Seca.

--Warren

Remembering September 11, 2001

2008-09-11T08:32:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,

I have no picture to post today so I thought I'd break my long silence on this blog exactly a year from my last post on this anniversary of the terrible terrorist attacks on our country.

Part of my usual morning routine is to wake up early to spend some time on the computer before my commute into the office. That morning was no exception. I had taken pictures over the weekend of the T-Mobile bike race in SF and I was doing some post-processing work on the digital photos when I heard over the radio that a plane had crashed into the one of the Twin Towers in NYC. Over the course of the next hour or so, the full extent of what really happened slowly dawned on me and the rest of the public that was just beginning to go about our day on the West Coast.

During my commute into work, I heard on the radio of the airport shutdowns and of the other attacks. My mood was increasingly outraged and disturbed. I realized that I was reacting to the news in a way that I've never felt before. I took it personally, I felt as though the terrorists had attacked me personally. The attack caused a very deep anger, and even today it is very easy to revive those emotions.

Anyway, that's all that I with to say now, just a few words in remembrance of all the lives that were lost, and all the lives that were forever changed by this event. I don't think I'll need to remind people anymore not to forget because I don't think we ever will.

Regards,

Warren

Never Forget, 9/11/2001

2007-09-11T07:38:00.000-07:00

Happy Holidays Everyone!!!

2006-12-25T09:50:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year too!

--Gail & Warren

Picture: Fall Day at the GG Bridge

2006-10-17T09:08:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,

Yeah, it's about time that I posted here again. I've been concentrating on my other photo blog site, so this one has been languishing.

Thanks for checking in

--Warren

Never Forget, 9/11

2006-09-11T08:44:00.000-07:00

Picture: Lari, Circa 1987

2006-07-26T10:11:00.000-07:00

I was going through some old negatives, and I found some pictures of some kittens that used to live in the backyard at our old house on 31st Avenue. We named this one Lari.

--Warren

Lake Tahoe Sunset

2006-06-29T08:39:00.000-07:00

We had a last minute trip to Lake Tahoe for 4 nights. The first evening, we were greeted by a spectacular sunset.

--Warren

Thinking of Dad on Father's Day

2006-06-18T08:29:00.000-07:00

This picture is of Dad and me at Candlestick Park waiting for the start of a Niners Game, probably taken in the late-80's or early 90's. We didn't have a chance to go to many ballgames, but it was always fun when we did manage to go to one.

--Warren

Picture: Meteor Crater, Arizona

2006-05-30T12:22:00.000-07:00

Here's Gail standing on the viewing platform above the Meteor Crater in Arizona. It's hard to judge the scale of the crater from a picture, but the dimensions of the 49,000 year-old impact crater are astonishing: 4,100 feet wide by 570 feet deep!

--Warren

Nesting Herons

2006-05-17T14:49:00.000-07:00

15 days, 3255 miles, and 950 pictures later, we're back home. It was a great trip. We went a little farther east (Durango, CO), and a little farther north (Salt Lake City) than we expected.

We were walking on Balboa Island near Newport Beach where I spotted a tree full of nesting Herons. I caught this one taking off from the tree:

Another picture of the same bird:

Thanks for checking in on my blog.

--Warren

Travel Log, 2006 Vacation, Day 8, Mesa Verde

2006-05-09T22:14:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,

Today, we arrived in Mesa Verde National Park, in Colorado. We're staying at the Far View Lodge which is right in the park itself.

On the way, we stopped briefly at Four Corners monument, which is nothing more that a small marker. Of course, it's everybody's duty to have their picture taken while having a limb in each state. And since the monument sits on Navajo land, the tribe charges $3/person for entry. the marker is ringed with souvenir booths. We met a very nice Navajo vendor and had a long conversation with her about her tribe and culture. Unfortunately, a storm was coming in, and the wind was getting very fierce. The blowing sand was a problem for both the vendors and the tourists.

Mesa Verde is an amazing place. We explored what we could in the afernoon after checking in, and before dinner. We plan to spend a full day here tomorrow.

Picture lag time:

Is this a sign of London in decay?

Answer: No, it's a neglected section of "London City" at the London Bridge at Lake Havasu City, Arizona. More information on this place later.

Thanks for reading. By the way, if any of you ARE reading my log entries, please leave me a comment or two, or email me.

--Warren

Travel Log: Day 5, We're in Chinle AZ

2006-05-06T20:28:00.000-07:00

Today, we went to see the Meteor Crater near Winslow, and we drove through Holbrook on our way to see the Petrified Forest National Park. We're staying at the Thunderbird Lodge, which is inside Canyon De Chelly national monument. We're going to see it tomorrow.

Pictures are lagging as I have not had time to catch up the picture processing with the travel log.

Picture: Cactus Flower, seen in Laguna Beach. Does anyone know if this blossom has a name?

Thanks for reading,

Warren

Travel Log: 2006 Vacation - day 4

2006-05-05T08:23:00.000-07:00

We're leaving this morning from Newport Beach to Kingman, AZ. It's about a 5 hour drive. This is the start of our "real" touring part of the trip, since we've been to luxurious Newport Beach before.

--Warren

Picture: Dinner on Balboa Island at Ciao, an Italian Pasta & Pizza restaurant.

Travel Log: 2006 Vacation to Southwest via Newport Beach -- Day 1

2006-05-02T22:40:00.000-07:00

We left our house at 9:15am, heading for 3 nights at the Marriott Newport Coast Villas resort. Our plan was to go down Highway 5, which was the same route that we took in 2002 on our San Diego trip. On that trip, our BMW's transmission sprung a leak somewhere on Hwy 5. By the time we made it into LA, the tranny was slipping. Anyway, that was history, this time, the trip down Hwy 5 was easy and uneventful. We made 3 brief stop along the way, and we arrived at our destination at 4:35pm.

There was one weird thing that happened though, and we're not sure exactly where it happened. Can you spot the clue in this picture of, taken in front of our suite at the Newport villa?

I may not have internet access every day during our trip, I may skip a day or two here and there. Stay tuned, more adventures and pictures to come.

--Warren

The First "Real" Spring Day of the Year

2006-04-15T08:32:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday was a glorious Day.

--Warren

Picture: Gail at Rue Boissiere

2006-04-13T11:30:00.000-07:00

In France?

No, it's actually in Carmel, CA. We were on one of our weekend getaways to Carmel. This is actually the side of a French restaurant/bakery in Carmel.

--Warren

Then & Now, With 30 Years in Between

2006-04-07T07:22:00.000-07:00

Then Picture: at Lowell High School, 1975, Our Senior Year

Gail and I were high school sweethearts. We became "a couple" in our senior year. We were young and in love, meaning we loved each other, but I don't think we really knew what love really meant. We were typical teenagers, idealistic, but not really knowing where our lives would be heading. Were those really the "good old days" that everyone likes to refer to? I understand what that phrase means now. Yes, when we look back, they were fun times. It's great to be carefree, a little naive, and just living for the moment. This is something that goes away over time as we all deal with life's challenges and responsibilities, but hopefully it's something that all of us can rediscover before it's too late.

Now Picture: at Lowell High School, 2005, 30th Reunion Picnic

For the second picture, we looked for the same spot in the outer courtyard, next to the flagpole. The flagpole was removed a while ago when they rearranged the courtyard, so we just tried to do a similar pose on one of the benches.

Here we are, thirty years later, we will be married for 23 years in May 2006. a lot older, and hopefully a little wiser than we were. Wow! Thirty years worth of old friends, meeting new friends, traveling, careers, highs, lows, good times, bad times, world changes, and we're not done yet! It was quite a ride, but I think the best is truly yet to come.

As we inch toward the "new middle age" (50 years old), we are dealing with the typical problems for people in this category. Things like health problems, career burnout, aging parents, deaths of loved ones, and worrying about our retirement planning. Gail and I do not have children, otherwise, you can add "family growth issues" to the list.

We can only do our best to deal with life's little roadblocks, but I'm thankful that I am able to continue sharing my life's experiences with Gail.

--Warren

Victorian Reflection

2006-04-06T12:44:00.000-07:00

For years, I've been driving down Bush Street near Japantown in San Francisco watching this old church deteriorate. The old wooden facade was faded and crumbling. I thought for sure that the abandoned church was a candidate for a tear-down and replace job one of these days. I just found out that it's actually an old, abandoned synagogue from the 1890's.

Well, as it turned out, the old synagogue structure was saved from destruction, and converted into a senior citizen assisted-living facility. They tried to preserve as much of the old building as possible. These are pictures of the original main entrace to the church. It has been converted into a large picture window. I was walking by one day in the middle of a photo excursion when I noticed the reflection of the classic San Francisco Victorian homes across the street, framed by the old church doorway and columns.

You can read more about the synagogue's conversion in this ARTICLE. A museum also exhibited artifacts from time capsule that was put inside a cornerstone of the synagogue's foundation that was found during the renovation. You can view these on the museum's website.

Thanks for visiting my blog.

--Warren

View of the Ballpark

2006-04-06T07:44:00.000-07:00

To continue from the previous post, here's the view of SBC Park from our seats.

--Warren

Baseball Season Opening Day Yesterday

2006-04-04T07:23:00.000-07:00

This picture was from one of the last games of last season (2005).

The S.F. Giants lost yesterday's opening day game to the San Diego Padres in San Diego 6-1. Barry Bonds hit a ground-rule double in his first at-bat of the season. He was driven home by Lance Niekro's single for the only Giants score of the game.

Baseball season is always special to me because following the exploits of the Giants was one of the only activities that my dad was able (or wanted) to do, and share with me during the few years before he passed away. His memory, eyesight, and general health were failing, yet somehow he was able to talk about the Giants and he still remembered some of the players, and we were still able to talk baseball every day. When he could no longer see well enough to watch TV, he had his radio tuned in to the game instead.

Being at that game last season was a bittersweet moment for me since my dad was gone by then, and I thought about him when I was watching the game, and about how much he would have enjoyed being at SBC Park with us.

--Warren

PIcture: A Cat Named "Friend"

2006-03-24T06:52:00.000-08:00

Since our cat, Easy Life, passed away in Aug. 2005, this backyard feral cat has taken up residence in our patio. We named her "Friend" because she used to be Easy's friend on the other side of the patio door, when Easy used to hang out in the patio.

For you regular readers, sorry, I have not had time to post any substantive articles lately because I've been busy with work, and other activities.

--Warren

Picture: Soaring Raptor

2006-02-21T07:22:00.000-08:00

Picture: Striking a Pose

2006-02-14T07:23:00.000-08:00

A Chinese opera actor in full costume strikes a pose on a passing float at last Saturday's Chinese New Year parade.

--Warren

Picture: Hawk in Flight

2006-01-25T09:36:00.000-08:00

We encountered ths hawk while hiking last weekend in Pacifica near Sharp Park Beach. For the full story of how I got this picture, please read the article that I posted on my other blog, The Full Story on the Friendly Photo Forum. There are many more pictures there to go with the story.

All photos are copyrighted material. If you wish to use my photos, please ask me first.

Thanks for reading.

--Warren

Picture: Easy, from a couple of years ago

2006-01-18T11:22:00.000-08:00

We still miss her a lot, but I did find a picture in my archives that nobody has seen before...

--Warren

Picture: Cloudy Day at the Docks

2006-01-13T07:07:00.000-08:00

Hi folks, I just decided to pull a picture that I had in my files to post here, for no particular reason other than the fact that it had never been shown before :)

This was taken a while back in Sausalito, CA.

Thanks for visiting my blog.

--Warren

Picture: Misty Big Sur Hills

2006-01-09T10:04:00.000-08:00

Picture: Carmel Sunset

2005-12-28T10:05:00.000-08:00

Picture: End of the Day

2005-12-27T10:22:00.000-08:00

A lone surfer comes onto the beach at sunset, while the golden cliffs are illuminated by the setting sun over Andrew Molera State Beach at Big Sur, CA.

--Warren

Picture: Half Fogged In

2005-12-17T08:20:00.000-08:00

Interesting view of the Golden Gate Bridge around sunset. A few rays came through the fog to spotlight one of the towers while the other tower was completely covered with fog.

If you want to use this image or any of my other images for some reason, please contact me.

Thanks,

--Warren

Picture: I Need My Morning Coffee

2005-12-05T07:00:00.000-08:00

Okay, it wasn't really coffee, just water.

"Nordstrom Golden T." has been gone for a few years now, but I found this old picture of him when looking through some old photo albums.

--Warren

Napa/Sonoma Getaway

2005-12-02T07:27:00.000-08:00

On the day after Thanksgiving, Gail and I headed off to explore the Sonoma/Napa area. We planned to stay two nights (but ended up only staying one night). Because we expected rain, we drove her car instead of the 500SL. We were driving around the area looking at some hotels. We were on the Silverado Trail when I noticed that the sun was setting, and I wanted to pull over somewhere to get some pictures before it was too late.

As we drove along, I spotted a vineyard with nice colors, so I pulled a U-turn and pulled off to the side of the road.

Here is Gail and her BMW:

Gail with the vineyard behind her:

Here's the scene that we were looking at from that spot:

Stay tuned, I have more pictures later. Thanks for visiting my blog.

--Warren

Quiet Moment at Seaport Village, San Diego, April 2002

2005-11-22T07:25:00.000-08:00

This is another shot from our San Diego trip of a few years ago. It was late afternoon, my favorite time of the day, and just a few tourists remained.

--Warren

Flamenco Leaves

2005-11-10T22:15:00.000-08:00

Flamenco Leaves

Nobody is around but me and my camera,
Yet I sense that I'm being followed.
I hear the staccato beat of the leaves
In the parking lot where I'm walking,
Like a hundred tiny flamenco dancers
In their flaming yellow dresses,
Fueled by the wind, they tap out their beat,
As if to remind me, that I am not alone.

--Warren T. 11/10/2005

Comments Fixed!!!!!!

2005-11-10T09:19:00.000-08:00

I was alerted by a reader that she could not post comments on here. I checked the settings, and it was somehow changed to "Team Members Only". I changed the setting back to allow anyone to post. Thanks Ginnie!

Thanks for visiting my blog.

Regards,

Warren

Picture: Sunset at the Del

2005-10-31T07:27:00.000-08:00

This is another shot from our San Diego Trip. This is the iconic tower (also used for the Hotel's logo) of the famous and historic Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego. We didn't stay overnight there on this trip, but we did have a fantastic dinner and watched the sunset on the beach from the restaurant.

--Warren

Picture: Hippo, April 2002, San Diego Zoo

2005-10-24T07:21:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in a while, so I went through some old albums and found this humorous picture of a hippo that I shot during our trip to San Diego.

--Warren

Bay View

2005-10-12T08:18:00.000-07:00

Here's a clearer shot of San Francisco Bay from Mt. Tamalpais. That's downtown SF on the right, Oakland/East Bay in the background on the left, Alcatraz in the center of the Bay, Angel Island and Belvedere Island in the middle left, and Tiburon, Richardson Bay and Sausalito in the foreground.

--Warren

Fleetweek Airshow Pics

2005-10-09T14:22:00.000-07:00

It was another beautiful October weekend in San Francisco. The Blue Angels were in town this weekend for the traditional airshow during Fleet Week. This year, we took my mother down to the Presidio to get a close-up view of the action. She really enjoyed it.

Thanks for reading.

--Warren

All 6 of the Blue Angels fly by the Golden Gate Bridge.

Angel #5 does a solo flyby at the Bridge

Stacked formation

Falcon and Sabre (F-16 and F-86)

Interested Spectators

Dis-interested Spectators

Picture: Top of the World #3

2005-10-07T06:57:00.000-07:00

This is on the E. Peak of Mt. Tam, looking north into Marin County.

--Warren

Picture: Top of the World #2

2005-10-06T21:17:00.000-07:00

This is on the East Peak of Mt. Tamalpais in Marin County. In the background, you can see downtown San Francisco on the left, and the fog rolling into the Bay from the Pacific Ocean on the right.

It was a perfect day to be up there.

--Warren

Picture: Top of the World

2005-09-27T06:56:00.000-07:00

Photo by Gail

This was taken a couple of weeks ago when we went out cruising on a gorgeous autumn day. Do any of you sharp eyed readers know where this is?

--Warren

Never Forget September 11, 2001

2005-09-11T09:44:00.000-07:00

I was looking for a flag picture in honor of 9/11. This is one that I took in Chinatown during a street fair.

--WT

Picture: SL Ready for the Road

2005-09-02T19:49:00.000-07:00

This was taken in front of our house earlier in the year before I popped the hardtop off for the summer. Gail is posing next to the SL which is parked in front of her BMW. I had just washed the car prior to us taking off on one of our weekend excursions.

--Warren

Easy Life T., June 1991- August 2005, RIP

2005-08-31T06:58:00.000-07:00

Our beloved pet, Easy Life T., passed away on 8/21/2005. She was with us for 14 happy years. My father must have wanted a companion with him because one day after we had my father's memorial service, we had to make the very difficult decision to let Easy go in peace and with dignity. She had been diagnosed with terminal kidney failure.

14 years ago, Gail secretly searched for a kitten to adopt for me. The search had been unsuccessful until one day, Gail woke up in the morning, and just knew that there was a kitten out there who looked like Easy who was waiting for her to come adopt her. At the first mobile adoption stand that Gail visited, she did not find her. Gail then asked the worker if there was another mobile adoption center anywhere else in the area. She told Gail that yes, there was another one at Embarcadero Center. When Gail went there, she found Easy, and immediately adopted her.

I was an independent computer consultant at one time, and I worked at my home office. Easy was my constant companion and supervisor. She would either sit on one of my desks, or in an office chair next to me while I worked at my computer.

Our friends would tell us that Easy was like a princess, and was probably the most spoiled cat in the world. Well, we couldn't disagree because having no children, Easy was and always will be our "baby". Whenever we go on trips, we would have a babysitter stay overnight at the house to be with her.

She was one of my most photographed subjects. Because she was always with me, she was a handy subject whenever I needed to finish off the last few shots in a roll of film, or if I needed a subject to test a new piece of photo equipment, or if I just wanted to shoot a few shots for fun.

Easy had a long and healthy life, and she was such a constant presence in our house. It will take a long time for us (especially me) to let her go. We loved her so much.

Thanks for visiting my blog.

--Warren

Following is a photo tribute to Easy. While I have many pictures of her since she was a kitten, these shots are from the last five years, after I got into digital photography.

My last good picture of Easy (July, 2005):

Picture: Obligatory Jellyfish Shot

2005-08-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

We took Mom and my two aunts to Carmel over the weekend. We visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Here's an obligatory shot of a jellyfish from their jellyfish exhibit (my favorite exhibit).

--Warren

Eulogy for My Father, Gordon T., 8/7/1929 - 8/15/2005, RIP

2005-08-26T07:37:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,

What follows is the eulogy that I wrote for my father, Gordon. My best friend, Greg, read it for me at my father's service on 8/20/2005.

I added a few pictures for the web version.

Thanks for visiting my blog.

--Warren

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Friends and Relatives,

Thanks for attending my father’s memorial service. In accordance to his wishes, this will be a small and simple service. We who are here today are the people who he knew and loved. I want to thank my best friend, Greg, for reading this for me.

This is my eulogy for my father, Gordon T.. He was a devoted husband to my mother, Doris. He was born in China on August 7th, 1929. He passed away peacefully in his sleep on Monday, August 15th, 2005 at UCSF Medical Center Hospital. He was 76 years old.

I will tell you a little about his personality, and of some of his interests and experiences. These are things that you may have never known about him.

My father was a hard working, intelligent, literate, highly principled and proud man. Even though he was never wealthy, especially early in his life, he always appreciated the finer things in life, and he always had a sense of personal style. He was a strong, open water swimmer, and an avid bike rider. In his high school years, he and his best friend both ordered special English racing bikes with racing style, dropped handlebars. They would carry their bikes up several flights of stairs into their homes instead of leaving them on the street with the ordinary bikes. I think that it was no coincidence that I was on the swim team in high school, and after much pestering, he bought me my own English racing bike. Greg and I both had Raleigh 10 speed racers in high school.

As a young man in his twenties, he worked as an accountant. Dad loved to tell me how he was one of the first people in Hong Kong to own a divers model watch. When he learned of this new watch model, he searched all over town for one. He found only one available, and that one was used as a display model. It was submerged in a tank of water to show that it was truly waterproof. Dad talked the dealer into selling him that very watch. It was his one and only prized possession that he wore all the time. Again, it’s no surprise that I also aspired to own that same divers watch when I was in my twenties. He gave me his watch a few years ago when he felt that he no longer had occasion to wear it much. He preferred to wear a simple Casio in his later years. I am wearing it today in his honor, and it is still running as well as it did when he first bought it over 52 years ago.

This is a picture of the watch today. The watch is a Rolex Turn-O-Graph, reference number: 6202.

This is a picture of my modern version. Gail gave it to me as a surprise in the mid-1980's. This model is the Rolex Submariner Date.

A few years after he bought that watch, he married my mother, Doris. They lived the typical life of a young couple in Hong Kong, they worked hard and played hard, but they eventually started a family. In 1963, Dad and Mom decided to immigrate to San Francisco to start a new life. They felt we would have a better future here. They did it for me. We had no money and not much more that the cloths on our backs.

Through much hard work, perseverance, numerous frustrations and hardships, he eventually made a decent living, and he was able to provide our small family with many of the comforts and conveniences of modern life.

Aside from his devotion to his family, he was also active in his Chinatown Benevolent Association serving as the association’s secretary for a number of years. He had many friends who respected him for his trustworthiness and integrity. When he was not home with us, he would be at the Association playing mahjong with his friends. Dad was always proud that he was the “go to” guy whenever one of his friends needed someone to be Master of Ceremony at a wedding or other social event. Dad had a way with words, and a command of the formal Chinese that was used in speeches. Dad outlived his friends at the Association because they were all of an older generation. He eventually retired from the Chinatown social scene and preferred to stay home with Mom.

After a lifetime of work, and a few years before his retirement, Gail and I took Dad and Mom on two major vacations. One was to see the Grand Canyon, and the other was on a cruise in Florida. Afterward, he would fondly say that he was happy and satisfied that he had a chance to go on those vacations with us. The picture of him that you see today was taken on our Grand Canyon vacation. You can see that he was truly happy to be there.

Here is the picture of Dad at the Grand Canyon. There was a framed, 8x10 enlargement of this picture at Dad's memorial service.

Dad had a heart attack seven years ago. He had to have a triple coronary bypass operation. Because of the damage done to his heart from the heart attack, he had a condition called congestive heart failure. This condition caused his health to decline gradually over the last few years. His vision was failing because of cataracts, but he could not have surgery because of his poor health. Despite all these health problems, Dad maintained a positive outlook, and enjoyed doing things that interested him, even though he became more reclusive than ever.

Even though he had not seen many of you for a long time, be assured that he enjoyed hearing about you. I would keep him updated about you, and he was pleased to hear of all your accomplishments and activities.

In the last couple of years, some of my most treasured moments with my father happened when I took him for walks at his favorite place for walks, Spreckels Lake in Golden Gate Park. We had discussions about everything from current events, to the SF Giants, to his childhood stories, to my career, to news about our family and friends. It was one of the things that he and I really looked forward to. Even though we talked a lot, our bond was beyond words. I am sure that even his death will not break our bond.

Here is a picture of Dad that I took in July 2005, about 2 weeks before he passed away. We were sitting on a bench at Spreckels Lake. Even though he was physically frail, he still had that gentle smile and the sparkle in his eyes. He was happy to be there with me that day.

My heart is filled with pride when I think about my father. I am proud that he was a good man who led a decent and honest life. He was an extremely devoted husband and father. He never once raised his hand to me, or yell at me in anger, but rather used quiet words alone to instill in me a sense of right and wrong. He supported and encouraged me in my many interests and in my career choice without being pushy or overbearing. In short, he allowed me to be my own man.

I would like to thank to all the people who have helped my father in the last few years, especially my wife, Gail, his nieces Selina, Sheryl, and Angela, and our friends Erica and Ann.

In closing, I would like to leave you with these final thoughts:

I am thankful that Dad survived his heart attack to stay with us for 7 more years. I am thankful for every minute that I was able to spend with him whether it was a good time or a difficult time. In the end, I looked into his eyes and he looked into mine, and we knew that it was time to say goodbye, and we were not afraid.

Life is too short to let petty things get in the way of your relationship with someone you love. Don’t be stubborn, be the first to give in and patch up whatever differences you may have. May you all live well from this day forward.

Thank you all for being here today.

Warren

PIcture: Easy in her box

2005-08-12T22:57:00.000-07:00

Picture: Short Hike at Lincoln Park

2005-07-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

Gail and I took this short loop around the golf course at Lincoln Park before dinner last Friday.

--Warren

Picture: From the 2003 T-Mobile International Bike Race in SF

2005-07-14T07:28:00.000-07:00

Reading about the current Tour de France, where Lance Armstrong is going for his unprecedented seventh win in a row, reminded me of our annual international bicycle race in San Francisco. The most grueling part of the SF race is on the Fillmore Street hill. I took this picture of a racer grinding up the hill in the 2003 event.

Note: read about the current Tour de France here (free registration required).

--Warren

Picture: Coit Tower and Flag, July 4th

2005-07-07T07:29:00.000-07:00

Picture by Gail:

Since it was July 4th, we wanted to get some pictures with flags during our annual walk on the waterfront. Gail waited patiently for the wind to pick up the flag for this shot, which is nicely framed by the leaves.

--Warren

Picture: July 4th Portrait of Gail

2005-07-04T23:58:00.000-07:00

This was taken at Levi Plaza near the Embarcadero. We did our traditional walk down the waterfront today to join in on all the July 4th festivities.

--Warren

Picture: Ultra-rare British Supercar, Jaguar XJR-15

2005-07-01T07:23:00.000-07:00

Here's another extremely rare (50 made) exotic supercar, seen at the 2005 Stanford Concours. Though none were officially imported into the U.S., 3 cars are known to have made it over here.

1990 Jaguar XJR-15
Price (new): Approx. $900,000
Engine: V-12, 450hp, 6 liters
0-60mph: 3.1
Top speed: 186mph
Designer Paul Stevens (McLaren F1)

--Warren

America's Extreme Exotic Supercar: Saleen S7

2005-06-28T20:53:00.000-07:00

As we were enjoying the Stanford Concours last Sunday, we heard a rumble coming from about 50 yards away. It was the unmistakable burble of a very powerful engine. I caught a glimpse of a red car off in the distance surrounded by onlookers. It was very low-slung so I couldn't make out what it was. As we got closer, I recognized the distinctive profile of the Saleen S7. It's color was a very unusual and highly attractive shade of red.
Some mind numbing specifications:

Price: $555,000
Engine: All Aluminum, 427 cubic inches (7 liters), 750HP, 700 ft-lbs Torque, Twin-turbo
Curb Weight: 2950 lbs.
Height: 41 inches
Tires/Wheels (f/r): 275/35 R19 - 335/30 R20
0-62mph: 2.8 seconds (claimed)
1/4 Mile: 10.7 sec @ 136 mph
Skidpad: 1.10g
Slalom Speed: 73.0 mph
Top Speed: Somewhere North of 200+MPH

Fantastic!

--Warren

Pictures Follow:

Picture: Mystery Engine, What Car is This?

2005-06-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

I used to play this game with my car nut friends via email. I decided to put it here this time. What engine is this, and which extremely rare car is it powering? Actually, the car itself is not particularly rare, but this engine option makes the car extremely rare. Experts say that there are only about 50 in existence today, out of approximately 69 ever built.

It was at the Stanford Concours last Sunday.

You can post your guesses as comments.

--Warren

Picture: Nice Profile!

2005-06-23T07:57:00.000-07:00

This is a Lamborghini Miura from last year's Stanford Concours. I'm going again this Sunday, so be prepared for more car shots!

--Warren

Picture: Bridal Veil Falls from Gates of the Valley, Yosemite

2005-06-21T07:49:00.000-07:00

By Gail:

This is probably one of the most photographed scenic points in the park. We never get tired of it because it never looks the same way twice no matter how many times we stop here.

--Warren

Picture: Gail on the Mist Trail

2005-06-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

I saw this visually pleasing section of the Mist Trail on the way down from Vernal Falls, so I told Gail to pose here for a picture.

--Warren

Summer Days in Yosemite

2005-06-15T22:39:00.000-07:00

We went on a very quick, one night trip to Yosemite last Sunday. The weather was perfect, but because of the unusually wet winter this year, there were swarms of mosquitoes in the valley. We were being eaten alive even as we were posing for this picture. It has been a few years since we visited Yosemite in the summer. We were not used to the crowds of people and the traffic. I personally prefer winter in Yosemite, but you sometimes have to seize the opportunity to go when it presents itself (we caught a last minute cancellation).

Gail took many pictures using the Nikon D100 while I was putting my newly acquired Nikon F4s through its paces, so I only used the D100 for a few shots.

This picture from Tunnel View is by Gail. You can see how full and spectacular Bridal Veil Fall looks, and you can see Half Dome in the distance. She wanted to capture the impressive cloud formation that formed that day.

When I have time, I'll post some more pictures. I shot 3 full rolls of film, and we got 145 pictures on the D100.

Thanks for reading.

--Warren

Picture: Sunset from Lincoln Park

2005-06-07T19:09:00.000-07:00

Summer is a lovely time of the year. With Daylight Savings Time, the sun sets later in the day. We had dinner one evening on Clement street near Lincoln Park. After dinner, we took a short stroll to the top of the hill at Lincoln Park. the sun was setting as we got up there. A small bank of summer fog was beginning to creep into the Golden Gate. It was breezy and brisk, but it was very pleasant amid the trees in the park. The combination of the setting sun and the light fog in the distance made for a very subtle sunset color that day. If you look closely, you can see Pt. Bonita lightstation perched on an outcropping that juts out from the Marin Headlands.

This picture also appears on my other site: FPCF (the Friendly Photo Forum). I sometimes cross-post pictures in both places because not all of you know about the other site. If you have some time, please visit FPCF. You'll find many pictures that were posted by me and a small group of photographers. We participate there to share our pictures and to discuss photographic techniques and ideas. We do it for fun and enjoyment of our hobby, and hopefully improve our technique and refine our vision.

Thanks for reading.

--Warren

A Few More Shots from Sausalito

2005-06-02T19:33:00.000-07:00

We had the great idea of having Sunday Brunch on the opening day of the yachting season. So we reserved way in advance, a window-side table for the family to enjoy the view of all the boats. Unfortunately, we didn't see very many boats that afternoon, but at least the food and company were good.

A view of the Bay and SF way off in the distance from the shore of Sausalito:

Eric practicing with his new Nikon:

Thanks for stopping by.

--Warren

In Memory of Those Who Served Our Country

2005-05-29T20:52:00.000-07:00

I acknowledge and remember you with debt and gratitude.

We were visiting a local cemetery yesterday, and we saw this section for veterans that was decorated for Memorial Day.

You can read about the history of Memorial Day here.

--Warren

Picture: Into the Bay

2005-05-28T11:29:00.000-07:00

Coast Guard boat motors into the bay. This picture was shot through a picture window from the Spinnaker Restaurant in Sausalito.

--Warren

Picture: Shay & Gail

2005-05-28T11:28:00.000-07:00

Baby Shay's Party

2005-05-27T07:17:00.000-07:00

Formal:

Informal:

What?

Kissing Cousins:

Thanks for checking in.

--Warren

Out with Madison

2005-05-18T07:13:00.000-07:00

Madison's parents needed time to get ready for moving to their new house so Gail and I volunteered to take Madison out last Sunday. We went to Burlingame for lunch. After lunch, we did a little shopping. We ended up going to dinner at our friend's house where Madison played with her friend Megan.

--Warren

Pictures follow:

Pigeon Point Light Station

2005-05-12T07:01:00.000-07:00

Gail and I frequently go to Carmel and the Monterey area via scenic Highway 1 on the California coast. One of our break stops is at Pigeon Point Light Station, a bit north of Santa Cruz. It's an opportunity to stretch our legs and to see if we can spot any gray whales on their bi-annual migration. The lighthouse itself is a historic landmark. It was closed recently due to safety reasons, but the grounds is still open.

Lighthouse:

Foghorns:

This photo shows the weathering of the foghorn building due to the relentlessly harsh conditions that often occur on the coast:

We are often seen doing this, looking for whales. On this trip, we were late in the migration season, so we did not see any whales during our short, 15 minute stay there:

You can read more about Pigeon Point Light Station Here:

Pigeon Point Light Station Info Page

Added: 5/13/3005

The following pictures were taken by Gail.

The area around the lighthouse:

Me, coming to get my camera back:

Thanks for reading.

--Warren

For Mother's Day: Portrait of My Mother, Circa 1977

2005-05-08T22:14:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day!

I happened to dig out an old set of archived b&w negatives to review. I came across some portraits that I shot of my mother back in the 70's. I often used my parents as models to practice on. I probably shot this picture with a Nikon F2 and a Nikkor 50mm f1.4, and I developed the film myself in the makeshift darkroom that I created from our tiny bathroom.

Now that my darkroom is digital, it was easy for me to scan this old negative and process it in Photoshop.

I think she was around 46 years old in this picture (I'm 47 now).

A couple of years ago, we almost lost Mom to cancer, but she fought back after her major surgery to remove the tumors. She refused to undergo chemotherapy, but she seems to have beat the cancer now. She is a strong, but gentle and good natured woman. I think it shows in this picture.

If you like what you see on this blog, please drop me a comment or an email to let me know. Thanks for reading.

--Warren

Day Tripping to Copia

2005-05-04T07:25:00.000-07:00

For our 22nd anniversary celebration outing, we cruised up to Copia last Sunday. Copia is a wine, food, and art museum located in Napa, right next to the Napa Wine Train station. It was a very pleasant spring day, and the drive there was fun.

Entrance to Copia:

Copia offers wine tasting, art exhibits, educational exhibits, half hour educational programs, gardens, and a world class restaurant, Julia's Kitchen (yes, that Julia (Childs)). You can read more about Copia on their web site: copia.org.

We learned all about Zinfandel at this seminar, which included a small taste of a local Zinfandel:

Modern Architecture of the interior, stairway to the art exhibits upstairs (photo by Gail):

One of the educational displays scattered throughout the main floor(photo by Gail):

The edible gardens are very interesting. The large garden area is planted out with herbs and vegetables that are used in cooking classes, and I would assume, also by the restaurant.

Garden Art:

This is the largest Swiss chard that I've ever seen. They were about 5 feet tall, but from this angle, they look like giant redwoods:

Closeup of the Vivid Red Stalks:

Does anyone know what this is? It looks like a gigantic head of red lettuce:

For Gail and me, going to Copia was not the real point of this story. The real point is the fact that we were out together, having fun and exploring something new, and still enjoying each other 22 years after we got married. Gail reminded me that we took a shadow picture of ourselves on the beach at Mendocino on our honeymoon. We decided to recreate the picture in front of Copia.

--Warren

Picture: Love Seats

2005-05-01T08:20:00.000-07:00

There is a small garden within Golden Gate Park called Shakespeare's Garden. The garden contains over 200 flowers and plant mentioned in Shakespeare's sonnets and plays. When I look at this row of benches, the romantic in me envisions a pair of lovers at each bench enjoying the garden.

By the way, Happy Anniversy to US! Gail and I celebrate our 22nd wedding anniversary today.

--Warren

Picture: Broadsword Demo

2005-04-28T08:30:00.000-07:00

Master Bryant Fong, Coach of the SF Wushu Team, demonstrates the large broadsword. Note the concentration on his face. He mentioned that in the old days, the "real" broadsword can weigh as much as 10 lbs.!

--Warren

Picture: Taichi Fan Form

2005-04-28T08:04:00.000-07:00

I saw a Wushu (Chinese Martial Arts) demonstration by the San Francisco Wushu Team a couple of weekends ago at the Annual Cherry Blossom festival in Japantown. In this shot, a group of women are performing a fan form based on a Chen Style Tai Chi form.

--Warren

Words for A Lost Friend

2005-04-25T22:39:00.000-07:00

Gail and I were close to her once upon a time. Then events happened that forced her to forsake us as friends. She started a new life, on her own, with a new set of friends. We don’t blame anyone for what happened, it just happened, and we accepted the new reality. We had many happy moments as friends, and towards the end of our friendship, we saw her through some difficult times. But we were left hanging because our disassociation was total and final. We didn’t realize that her most difficult moments were still to come.

Through other friends, we found out that she contracted non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma which is a cancer of the lymphatic and immune systems. She was a gamer, apparently fighting the disease and carrying on as normal a life as possible, given the circumstances.

Looking back on the last picture that I ever took of her, I realized that it was almost 5 years ago since we last saw and talked to her. At the time, we didn’t think that it would be the last time that we would ever see her again. I suppose that it’s always like this. Even though she chose not to see us anymore after that last visit, I always thought that we would somehow hook up again someday.

But it was not to be. Being an only child, my friends are very dear to me. My friends are my family. Because of this, I think our broken friendship affected me more than the others even though she had no idea. I wanted to be there for her, to comfort her, to talk to her, to do whatever was needed. She passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 12th, just a handful of days away from her 48th birthday. It was her wish that her memorial service was by invitation only, and only her current friends and immediate family were invited to attend. I respected that wish, but we did not even have a chance to say our final goodbyes. I am left with a huge void in my psyche. So I am writing this in hopes that by doing so, I can resolve all those loose ends of our relationship that are still whipping around in my mind.

I think she inadvertently spared us the pain of seeing her succumb to her illness. She left us with only memories of the good times that we had together and the lasting image of a truly unique and memorable personality.

L.A.F.
4/18/1957 - 4/12/2005

I was driving to work this morning, and I got tired of listening to the radio, so I turned on my CD changer. The song that came on was: I Miss You. Hmm, it's kind of appropriate.

------------------------------------------------------------

I Miss You, by Stevie Nicks, 5/1/2001

When I think about you
I think about how much I
Miss you when you're not around
When I think about you
I think about how much I
Can't wait to hear the sound
Of your laughter
Time and distance never matter

Well I miss you now
I have so many questions
About love and about pain
About strained relationships
About fame as only he could explain it to me

Seems like yesterday
I think about how much I
Wish that you were here with me now
The invisible girl that was my name
She walks in and walks out
And I'm sorry now
I'm sorry now

Well I miss you now
I have so many questions
About love and about pain
About strained relationships
About fame as only he could explain it to me

Paris to Rome, London to Paris
Always goodbye, I nearly couldn't bear it
Her heart settles down
She's back on that staircase
On the way up to her place

Well I miss you now
I have so many questions
About love and about pain
About strained relationships
About fame as only he could explain it to me

I miss you now
I miss you now
I miss you now

----------------------------------------------------

A final word to you, dear reader, if you are involved in any broken friendships, don't be stubborn, go mend them before it's too late.

--Warren

Picture: Hanging out with Baby

2005-04-20T23:06:00.000-07:00

She's going on 14, but still our baby.

--Warren

Signs of the Times

2005-04-20T07:41:00.000-07:00

I was walking around in SF Chinatown one day on a photo shoot. I found a couple of interesting old signs on one of the buildings. I thought this one was a bit contradictory:

I think this one looks cooler now than it did when it was new:

But here's the real point of this article. Chinatown's historic Grant Avenue has always had its share of tourist trap, souvenir shops with their oriental knick-knacks and such. These shops coexisted with stores serving the residents such as produce markets and grocery stores. As rents increased, these community stores were forced off of Grant Ave. Most of them relocated one block west to Stockton street. That's where the "real" Chinatown is now. Someday, I'll post more pictures, but for now, here's my last one.

Lost in the gaudy signage of the modern tourist trap (a camera store), you'll need to look hard to find a sign of the old Chinatown (Suey Sing Chamber of Labor & Commerce).

Picture: Friendly Pooch

2005-04-18T07:40:00.000-07:00

This is a cute guy that we met at a local park yesterday. His name is Oliver.

--Warren

Intimate Moments with Nature

2005-04-13T07:27:00.000-07:00

We were hiking on the Bird Island Trail at Pt. Lobos State Park. The park is just 5 minutes south of Carmel, California. We paused for a moment on the cliff above China Cove. This is a beautiful, sheltered cove where the water is turqoise and clean. There is a small, white sand beach at the end of the cove. The access stairs were closed to the public by yellow tape. As we surveyed the scenery, we noticed a pair of harbor seals in the water. Then we noticed that it was actually a mother seal and her pup. We watched the mother coax her pup onto the beach. We saw two other pairs of mothers and pups come onto the beach. So after the swimming lessons, it was feeding time. The pups seemed to instinctively search out their mothers' milk. It was such a marvelous experience to be able to witness this behavior in the wild. We were standing on the high cliffs overlooking the cove, so the seals were not disturbed by our presence at all.

China Cove inlet with Bird Island in the background:

An artist is sketching the cove:

Mother nursing her pup:

Here they are snuggling up to each other after the meal. The mother was affectionately patting the pup with her flipper. It was too cute. Notice the pair of seals in the background. Judging from their swollen look, we think that they are pregnant females. The pups that we saw were very young.

A hint to future visitors of Pt. Lobos: Gail and I went there in the morning. There were people there already, but not very many. It was nice and uncrowded. By the time we left at around 12:30, we saw a line of cars at the entry gate that snaked out to Highway 1. I think it would be more enjoyable in the morning.

Thanks for stopping by my site. If you like what you see, please let me know by writing a comment.

--Warren

California Golden Poppies in Bloom

2005-04-11T07:36:00.000-07:00

We were hiking along the Bird Island Trail in Pt. Lobos State Park near Carmel when I found a bunch of Golden Poppies, our state flower, in bloom on both sides of the trail.

--Warren

Picture: Rugged Coastline, Big Sur, California

2005-04-11T07:11:00.000-07:00

On this trip (4/9/2005) to the Carmel area, we drove about 30 minutes south from Carmel to Big Sur. I shot this when we pulled over on the side of Highway One to check out the scenery.

-Warren

Picture: Carmel Mission, Inside Courtyard Wall

2005-04-08T23:07:00.000-07:00

This weekend, Gail and I are going down to Carmel, about 2 hours south of San Francisco. Carmel is our favorite weekend getaway destination. This was taken last December on one of our weekend road trips, at Carmel Mission. I thought that the colors on this inside courtyard wall were oddly pleasing and comforting.

Thanks for stopping by. If you like what you see, please leave a comment.

--Warren

Picture: Candles in Church

2005-04-08T07:22:00.000-07:00

Pope John Paul II was laid to rest today. A co-worker's father is also being buried today. Another co-worker's father passed away recently, and she is currently in Hong Kong for the funeral. Prince Rainier of Monaco recently passed away.

This picture was taken in a church in SF in Jan. 2004. I thought it would be appropriate today.

--Warren

Descending into a Slot Canyon at Bryce Canyon National Park

2005-04-05T07:19:00.000-07:00

Gail and I carefully made our way down the Navajo Loop Trail at Bryce Canyon. We're going into a slot canyon called Wall Street. It was late fall, and we were lucky to see snow there. The recent snowfall made the trail muddy and gooey. The orange mud mixed with the melting snow. I wanted to capture this scene where you see a slender sliver of snow on the side of the narrow trail contrasted against the orange canyon walls.

A little bit further, still carefully picking through the mud:

Almost there:

And here's what we saw at the bottom... Gail standing in "Wall Street"

A pair of Douglas Firs managed to thrive in the narrow canyon. Here's one of them:

Thanks for viewing.

--Warren

Picture: Exploring at Home (San Francisco)

2005-04-03T09:10:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure whether this cave/tunnel was man-made or natural (it's probably man-made). It's at the old Sutro Bath ruins near Ocean Beach. At the opening, you walk out onto rocks right next to the crashing surf.

I am encouraged when I read viewer reactions. I love to hear how others interpret my pictures. If you like what you see, please leave a comments. Thanks for viewing my photographs.

--Warren

Picture: Awe Inspiring Vista, Zion National Park

2005-04-01T07:30:00.000-08:00

We're on the West Rim Trail at Zion National Park. The view is of Zion Canyon below. Gail and I need a vacation badly, but present circumstances prevent us from going away too far. Fortunately, I have my pictures from our previous trips that I can look back on to revive those pleasant memories. Our Utah trip was from Nov. 2003. It seems like a long time ago, but seeing the pictures really brings the experience right back to me as if it was just yesterday.

--Warren

New Look for This Blog & A Special Thanks!

2005-04-01T07:19:00.000-08:00

As you've probably noticed, this blog has a fresh new look to it. A very special THANKS to Prairie Girl for writing my new template. She discovered this blog after I was graciously mentioned by my East Coast photo friend, Steve, on his blog and she liked my pictures but she had a hard time viewing them because of the way my blog was formatted. So, she decided to surprise me by helping me revamp the site. I couldn't be happier with the results. She also showed me a few things about HTML of which I was previously completely clueless about.

This is the real beauty of the Internet, where two strangers can cross paths, one in Germany and the other in the U.S., to become friends. Thanks again, Prairie-Girl!

--Warren

p.s. So, do you like the new look?

Picture: Sand Art

2005-03-28T07:39:00.000-08:00

A local artist used a common rake to produce a beautiful, large scale artwork on the sands of Ocean Beach in San Francisco in March, 2005.

This shot was taken from a window of the recently remodeled Cliff House near Seal Rocks.

--Warren

Picture: Surfside Picnic

2005-03-25T21:10:00.001-08:00

These folks were enjoying the day at the old Sutro Bath Ruins near the Cliff House at Ocean Beach, San Francisco.

Thanks for all your nice comments. It inspires me to post more!

--Warren