Weird bowling pin on a roof of what I can only hope is an alley for said quasi-ameri-sport. I know it was invented far, far away long, long ago, but its pretty american since, in theory, I could be a professional in my current stature if set my mind to it. It's the only sport with cup-holders, cycling-water-bottle-holders notwithstanding.

During the trip to Japan, I took some absolutely horrible photographs to try to feel more like a tourist. I think over the next few days I will unleash them upon you, dear reader(s?).

First I present to you, Nijo Castle, in Kyoto...photographed as though my mom was trying to figure out how to use the digital camera. Hey, at least it's not a video, right?

And by the way, I was GOING to use Vimeo to post this clip, but it required me to wait a fucking HOUR for this [literally] one and half second video clip. No exaggeration. 56 minutes.

(an after thought was to take a screen shot, so here it is a few minutes later, mocking me. there are times to push for me to upgrade, and there are times you just make me want to punch you in the junk with brass knuckles. all my love, cary.)

added the vimeo one for my own personal head-to-head quality testing.

erm..oops. from cary norton on Vimeo.

Here are two winners from the ONE the ONLY the ALAN BARTON.

FIRST.....a POPtVOP from Burnside Park in Portland, Oregon.

And the second is a party I think.....8 X POPTPOP KICKING YOU IN THE CROTCH WITH SPIKEY SHOES. Okay, that was a bit much.

PoptpoP from Nijo Castle. I know its a poptpop and this is electric lion. Sending off Japan film tomorrow. (I recognize no one is complaining.)

mental_floss is an amazing magazine full of non-stop nerdery, facts, and more thorough insight lots of things than you may need. Fortunately, they are based, at least in part, here in Birmingham. A good portion of the content of the magazine is historical or in someway abstract which lends itself to illustration or various elements of stock photography. However, Winslow Taft (m_f art director) and I have great plans of figuring out ways create brand new, creative photography for as many of their stories as we can. The most recent collaboration is a simple one. They have an entire article on toilet paper and, as the subtitle indicates, it's all about "how America convinced the world to wipe". We settled on a hero shot of a roll of TP. I look forward to working more and more with mental_floss in the future. (Also, I don't know if I blogged the last thing I did for them...here is one of the shots from the "Most Important Questions of 2009" cover story from a couple of issues ago.)

trying to catch up. i am uninspired by my japan stuff but i havent sent the film off yet so hopefully that will change. you know im broke when i havent sent the film off yet. well i did go see steph too at which point i finished a roll from japan in monroe. that roll may break my mind.

I have been in Louisiana seeing Steph and her family and decided to actually not stress out the whole time i was here. I swept electric lion in there too, for good measure. We'll file that one under the "become a better person" rule of EL Mark II.

Anyway, thanks all the same to Winslow for calling me out and Bryan for making fun of me.

Regularly scheduled nonsense soon. Tomorrow I guess. I have a couple of maker-uppers, but they'll get done. I still need to send Japan film off. Thems the breaks of being broke as wile e coyote in the acme store. (especially if they have display models like Ikea. just sayin.)

Anyway, the above photo is Zack and his boy hanging out on the studio couch. This one may be my favorite.

RRAAAWWWWRRR

total cheese tourist shot. himeji castle.

Chip is pretty weird. Love it. There is no great way to explain exactly what is happening here so just take it at face value.

Incidentally, I over-shot the concert for some reason. Way too much. Oh well.

So last night The Great Book of John played a most lovely show (supported by The White Oaks and Taylor Hollingsworth). Joining the band last night was Garret Kelly and Stewart Vann.

This is Taylor (Shaw) running through things backstage.

Zack and his boy Caleb again, on the couch in the studio in Atlanta.