Special Olympics and the Polar Bear Plunge: 1

Supporting the Special Olympics takes time and money.  And, I must admit I can't recall ever getting a solitication phone call from someone representing the special olympics.  They raise their money by volunteering in various ways.  And, some are even crazy enough to jump into a hole in a frozen lake.

Meet Mike:

 Meet Bill:

And, here they are pointing to the reason they were on the ice.  They had helped get the hole ready!

The stairs are for easy EXIT. 

My sincere thanks to you both!

Pond Hockey Spectator

I only took one portrait of a pond hockey spectator.  Most people were with others or sidetracked trying to keep warm.  Even my fingers were cold. 

I was heading back to the car when I cross paths with this woman.

Meet Miranda!

She is living in Minnesota for a while on an internship.   Originally from Colorado, she didn't seem to be minding the cold.

Thanks Miranda! 

Pond Hockey: The Action!

A few things you may want to know about pond hockey.

First, there is no glass.  So, spectators need to be a bit watchful.  Generally, the players aren't making slap shots of the buck. 

Second, no checking! 

Third, as you can see, the boards are about 18" high.  And, getting a shot was difficult.  They were FAST!

That's the goal!  No goalie!

That's just funny.

 

Thanks all!

Pond Hockey

Minnesota sponors a huge pond hockey tournament during the winter.  It was quite a distance to drive.  But, the weather wasn't bad so I decided to give it a try.

In case you are wondering, I believe over 80 teams show up for 3 days of hockey on a frozen lake. 

I believe they had 20 different rinks set up. 

The temp was about 34.  But, it was dropping and the wind was gusting up to 40 mph.  It wasn't a lot of fun out on the ice.  But, I had a nice time getting a few photos.

I know, this isn't a single portrait.  Think of it as portraits of about 87 people all at once.

Babies

It is amazing to watch little kids be so gentle around babies.  They just seem to know how to be careful and loving.

The litte H was taking great care to love up the newest member to the party. 

Here is a close up:

Welcome to the world, little one.  I hope my generation can make it a better place for all of you.

Birthday Guests

The Big D's parents have a lot of friends.  It has been my pleasure to meet some of them at family and social gatherings.

Meet Marisa.

She is a delightful and charming person, and a wonderful friend of the kids.   She is also quite willing to join you if you are having a little scotch and a cigar.  Now, that's the way to relax!

Thanks Marisa.  Lovely knowing you!

Birthday Celebration

The Big D turned 4 early this year.

He had a good day.  We went for a sleigh ride!

The horses didn't seem to mind the cold!

Happy Birthday, Big D.

Red Eyes!

Meet Roman:

I noticed him a few times as I was wandering the floor.  Yes, he is wearing red contacts.  He had a black hat that doesn't show very well.   But, with the tats, the piercings, the eyes, and the hat, I HAD to ask for a photo.

Thanks Roman!

He REALLY likes Tats

Meet David:

He was walking around with a few people so I didn't know if I should bother him.  But, I could see his head, neck and arms and it was obvious he had a lot of tattoos.   I finally caught him when he was somewhat alone and asked if I could take his photo for the blog. 

He didn't hesitate at all.

Then, he took his shirt of so I could see the rest of the work.

Dave is a retired high voltage cable splicer.  Not a job for the faint of heart.  A little needle work might have helped him relax.

Thanks Dave!

Show Devils

I caught the gentleman below on a morning news show that mentioned the tattoo convention.  I was hoping to cross paths with him.  And, I was delighted when I turned a corner and saw him at one of the booths.

Meet Enigma:

He travels around the country making various public appearances. And, he sells masks of himself.  Check out www.Showdevils.com

Here he is with Serana Rose, a designer for the Show Devils.

My sincere thanks to you both!  I must say, there is an entire sub-culture out there I know nothing about!

Tattoo Artists from Philly!

Meet Soap:

He was very busy unpacking boxes but was gracious enough to let me take his photo.  Getting him to smile was...a bit of a challenge.  To be fair, he was busy! 

Thanks Soap for taking the time for a quick photo!

Really, It Isn't That Painful!

I had to stop and chuckle when I saw the woman below getting a tattoo. She was...not really enjoying it.

Meet Helen:

Initially she was grimacing. She opened her eyes as I watched her her face  while she was getting her tattoo, and she smiled.  I asked whether I could take her photograph the way she was looking just before she opened her eyes.  

This is close! 

Thanks Helen!

Not All Tattoo Artists are Men

Meet Renee!

Renee brings more to the table than being a tattoo artist!  She is a dancer and, as she states, "a supreme karaoke partner". 
She was visiting from from St. Petersburg, Florida.  And, the cold didn't seem to be bothering her much.  And, she was having a lovely time visiting with all the prospective customers!

Check out her work and business at:  www.reneelittletattoos.com

Thanks Renee!

RIP Gladys

I know it is Valentines Day.  But, today we celebrated the life, and grieved over the death of, my aunt Gladys.  Sadly, I do not have a photo of her.  I spent about an hour digging through older photographs hoping that I had one. 

She was my father's last surving sibling.  She will be missed.

She was always kind and compassionate.  She and her husband had three children.  The youngest was born with severe Down's Syndrome.  They were encouraged to institutionalize him.  It would be easier, they were told. 

But, they didn't.  Instead, they raised him as part of the family.  He lived over 40 years.  But, even more, they didn't stop with just that.  They worried what would happen when they were gone.  So, they started a non-profit group that found group homes and jobs for Down's syndrome adults.  It grew from a few families, to dozens.  And, to this day, I see vans on the street with the name, "RISE".   They are driving those special people to their jobs and homes.  I know that my aunt and uncle were instrumental in starting this.

Well done, Gladys.  Well done.

Great Beard and Laugh!

I liked the gentleman below almost instantly when I saw him.  He was laughing.  Not a small chuckle. But, an out and out, gut busting LAUGH!

I am not sure he stopped smiling the entire time I visited with him.

Meet Jerred!

He's from St. Paul!  A local boy!

Thanks Jerred!   Nice beard, too!

The Tattoo Legend

As I wandered through the tattoo convention, it struck me that there were a LOT of younger people there.  At least, there were a lot of younger people working the booths.

I was fascinated when I met this gentleman.

Meet Eddie!

 

I am not sure if Eddie is the father of the modern tattoo movement.  But, he said he has been doing tats for over 50 years.  He is 76 years old now.  And, he was selling a book of his story and some of his designs.

 

Thanks Eddie!   You started a movement!

The Artist (Tattoo) at Work

So, if you are going to photograph at a tattoo convention, it is best to ask before using any flash.  After all, they are using needles on people!

Meet Shaun:

I wanted a photo to capture the work on his neck and his ear-lobe.
Meet the leg he was working on!  

It was pretty interesting being able to watch people getting work done.  Some didn't seem to mind.   A few....did not seem to be enjoying the process much.

Thanks Shaun...and the unknown owner of the leg!

For Those in the Storm on the East Coast

There is hope.

Detroit and the Apparel Company

Not only were there tattoo artists present.  Also present were sales people for various tattoo supplies and apparel companies.

Meet Amber:

And meet Paige:

There were doing a pretty good business modeling and selling apparel from their store in Detroit!
They were having a great time at the show in spite of the chilly weather.

My sincere thanks to you both!

Tattoo Artists from Around the Country

 

Meet Raymond!

He is from Orange County, CA and was NOT exactly thrilled with the cold weather.   He was also a bit reluctant, at first, to be a willing photo subject.  But, as he watched the guys around him, he finally joined in.  I like the look! 

Thanks Raymond!

Tattoo Artist from the Bronx

As I walked up to this table, I think I knew this gentleman was from NY.  He just had that look and style.  I wasn't too surprised when he said he was from the Bronx!

 

Meet Alex!

 



I took a second photo because I wanted to get at least a part of the image on his shaved head.  I saw others with similar tats.  But, he was the first that caught my attention.

 

 

He was having a great time showing off his own work and chatting with potential customers.  He nearly enticed me to sit in that chair and get a tattoo.  But, I didn't need flames!  HA!

 

Seriously, he was a delightful guy and passionate about his art.

Thanks Alex!

The Tattoo Convention: Artists!

I have to say that I have never visited a tattoo convention before.  But, I did believe it would be a great chance to meet some interesting people for the blog and get a few good shots.  I was not disappointed!

 

Meet Drew from California.   I believe he runs Drew Tattoo.  And, if I am right, he has a Facebook page called Tattoos By Drew California.  Check out his art!

 



And meet Kep, from San Antonio.

These guys were just getting started for the day.  But, they were very informative about their art.  I have to confess, I do NOT have any tattoos. But, I nearly walked out of there with one. 

They were a lot of fun to chat with.  But, they were there to demonstrate their art.  So, I did not intrude very long.

Thanks guys!

The DumpTruck and Friend

 

This guy was a character.  He was one of a small team of people manning a larger booth.  And, he was a spokesman! 

 

Meet Dump Truck!  

And meet Caryllyn!

Here is a better shot of Caryllyn:

Both are from southern California and were dealing with the colder MN temperature reasonably well.  At least Dump Truck didn't seem to be bothered by it.

DT is an entertainer.  You can check out his website at:  www.ispeakgood.com where you will find he is a live event emcee and voice over actor who is somehow connected to roller derby!

Anyway, check out his site and tell him "Hi" from JP!

My sincere thanks to you both!

Two Delightful and Charming Ladies

I saw Kathy and Sue wandering and chatting.  They were laughing and thoroughly enjoying the time.  So I asked if I could take their photos.

Meet Kathy:

And meet Sue:

When I asked what I could say about them, Kathy said to tell everyone she was still 29 years old AND she was a motorcycle wreck survivor! 

Sue said to mention she is only 19 and is seriously looking for a handsome biker dude! 

As I said, they were having fun!  

They husbands could only shake their heads and chuckle.

My sincere thanks ladies!

Another Photographer!

I really liked the look of the gentleman below.  I thought it was very distinguished.
Meet Cliff:

He shares a couple of interests of mine:  He likes photography and bikes!   He was walking around with a camera as well.  So, we took photos of one another! OK..if you aren't a photographer that probably sounds weird.  But, it isn't.  He is also a Chemistry analyst!

Thanks Cliff!  That is as GREAT look!

Happy Birthday Dad

My dad turns 85 today.



Happy birthday Dad.  And thanks......for everything.

Financial Professionals go to Bike Shows, too

Greg was in the NEXT Wealth Manager group booth.  Greg takes care of himself.  He must eat right.  And, I know he worked out.  He was sporting some serious muscles under that shirt!

Meet Greg!

He is also a local guy.

Thanks Greg!