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INGREDIENTS
8 Old El Paso® taco shells
2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium jalapeño chili, seeded, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 medium tomatoes, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 cups shredded lettuce
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat taco shells as directed on package.
2. Meanwhile, in 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat until hot. Cook chicken in oil about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink in center. Remove chicken from skillet, and keep warm.
3. In same skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil until hot. Cook onion in oil about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Stir in garlic, jalapeño chili, cumin, chili powder and salt. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Return chicken to skillet. Stir in tomatoes. Cook about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until hot.
4. To serve, place 1/4 cup shredded lettuce in each taco shell; divide chicken mixture among shells. Top with cheese and cilantro.
A captivating close-up of a vintage 1982 Ibanez Musician MC-924DS Electric Bass resting in its original plush hardshell case. This bass is a prime example of Ibanez's golden era of Japanese craftsmanship. The Musician series is instantly recognizable by its premium neck-through construction, which provides exceptional sustain and stability.
The dark, rich body is typically crafted from a combination of woods (like mahogany, ash, and maple laminates), beautifully highlighted by the contrast of the bright gold/brass hardware and the uniquely styled control knobs. Featuring dual powerful humbucking pickups, the MC-924DS delivered a thick, versatile tone that helped define the progressive rock and fusion sound of the early 1980s. This image beautifully captures the instrument's classic aesthetic and its well-preserved, collectible condition.
A detailed, close-up shot of the Fender American Ultra II 5-String Jazz Bass resting in its plush hardshell case. This is Fender’s flagship model, designed for the professional bassist, blending classic J-Bass style with modern ergonomic features. The instrument features a beautiful three-color sunburst finish and an anodized gold pickguard. As a 5-string, it offers extended range for superior versatility. The American Ultra II series is known for its high-output, noiseless single-coil pickups and advanced preamp, delivering a powerful and articulate tone. The chrome high-mass bridge and high-gloss finish underscore the instrument's premium, American-made quality.
I think there are moments in life where we all wish we could suck ourselves into an impenetrable shell and block out the rest of the world. I guess turtles have it pretty good sometimes. Huh.
A new member to the GARC racing circuit is Lobster Pride, a heavy weight racer piloted by two members of the Hardshell clan. With two wins in the season already, these two gentlecrustaceans are a promising pair for the podium this year!
Simon's been badgering me to build micro-GARCs since the fad started, so I finally caved and built one last week, I was only able to get around to stickering and posting it until now though.
Depending on time and sticker availability, more racers may be forthcoming!
December 29, 2021
Shell fragments of purple quahog shells, tumbled smooth by the sea and sand.
(Mercenaria mercenaria)
Nauset Beach, North
Cape Cod National Seashore
Orleans, Massachusetts
Cape Cod - USA
Photo by brucetopher
© Bruce Christopher 2018
All Rights Reserved
...always learning - critiques welcome.
Tools: Canon 7D & iPhone 11.
No use without permission.
Please email for usage info.
Ever wonder what one should take with them on an extended international backpacking adventure? Well, here's what I took on a 4-month long backbacking trip to Japan. This is going to be a long read, with(almost) every piece of gear I carry with me on a trip like this, and brief descriptions where necessary.
Let me start by telling you how I organize gear. 1-Shelter(including clothing and sleep system). 2-Food/Water(including cook systems and water procurement systems). 3-Tools(including weapons, blades, electronics, etc). 4-Miscellaneous(Camera gear, repair kits, IFAKs, etc.) 5-Carry systems(backpacks, mostly)
Starting with Shelter(see top left of image):
-Koppen Viggo 20 sleeping bag. I've been meaning to get a quality bag, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. If it keeps you warm, then you can make do with it.
-Coghlan's Bug net. In the red stuff-sack. Absolutely essential on warm/temperate adventures. Trust me. No, really, trust me.
-Eno Singlenest hammock. Do NOT buy a lower quality hammock. Again, trust me on this one. I've seen FOUR cheap hammocks break without any misuse. Buy a quality hammock. Also note: Mine came with very heavy, solid steel carabiners and no hanging line. I've replaced the biners with Metolius FS Mini biners. They are incredibly light weight while retaining a 22KN strength rating. Highly recommended! For hanging line, I use 750 cord; light and strong enough to hang on.
UPDATE: I still use this hammock, but my suspension system has changed. I now use Amsteel Blue as my hanging line, and I use a knotless setup with aluminum descender rings.
-Blue blanket borrowed from ANA airline after I landed in Tokyo. I don't carry anything like this usually, but this one's sort of like a souvenir to me.
-Carabiners. Aformentioned Metolius FS Minis.
-Small green bundle of fabric is a home-made sil-nylon pack cover. Sil-nylon is incredibly light(I mean INCREDIBLY light), much less bulky than many other waterproof fabrics, but is not as durable. Mine has held up well, though.
-Green folded fabric is a home-made bivy sack. I do not use a tent for a few very good reasons. I'm often stealth-camping, and a tent is WAAAY to overt for that, and a tent is heavy and bulky to carry. I haven't used a tent in years and I've had absolutely no regrets. There are some sacrifices made when using a minimal system such as a bivy, though. Ask me about it if you want some pros and cons.
-Sleeping pad. I use a cheap, Wal-Mart sleeping pad, cut to shape in order to fit in the floor of my Alpacka Packraft. There are lots of good reasons to use a cheap, closed-cell foam pad instead of an expensive pad, but the primary reason is that your sleeping pad will probably be destroyed by use over time, and a ruined $8 pad is easier to swallow than a ruined $80 pad.
-Being used as a tablecloth in the image, a cheap 6'x10' tarp. For the same reasons I use a cheap sleeping pad, I use a cheap tarp. I do have to make a note here, though: Not all cheap tarps are the same. I wish I could give you advice on which brands to avoid and which ones to buy, but I really don't remember the brands of the tarps I've bought. Anyway, many cheap tarps have extremely weak eyelets, a weak weave, and(if this is important to you like it is to me), a gloss coat. Some, however, do not have those problems. It's hit-and-miss. Good luck when shopping around, and let me know if you find a decent brand.
Clothing:
-Under Armour compression boxers, 2 pairs. Not recommended. On long treks, they do not wick away sweat as advertised, so you'll end up clammy. They also ride up a bit, and I used to hate that, but I've realized that letting them ride up -though slightly uncomfortable- helps to minimize chafing in and round your sensitive bits.
-5.11 Level 1 9” socks, 3 pairs. The ONLY socks I adventure with. Fantastic elasticity, great durability, and don't start to stink for a loooong time. Great socks!
UPDATE: While I still love how comfortable they are, they aren't as durable as I used to think. I've now owned about a dozen pairs of these, and I've stopped buying them. I've switched to Vermont Darn-Tough socks. More durable, about as comfortable, and they have a lifetime warranty.
-Starter longsleeve base shirt and Starter shortsleeve base shirt, one each. I'm not a snob. I love quality gear, but when a cheap option works this well, I'll advocate its use. These Wal-Mart shirts work just as well as my Under Armour shirts, at a much lower price point. Recommended.
-5.11 Taclite Pro pants, 1 pair. Never ask me about these pants, because I will never stop talking about them. I have a confession(something some of you know already): I love good pants. I REALLY love good pants, and I've spent thousands of dollars on quality pants over the past few years, and out of ALL of them, the 5.11 Taclite Pros are the pick of the litter. They are the best pants I've ever owned, without a doubt. I have them in several colors, but my favorite color is Tundra.
-Lightweight synthetic shorts, 1 pair. Useful in hot weather and as swimming trunks. Here's just a general note: Avoid cotton in all of your clothing. Seriously, just avoid it.
-Light fleece pajama pants, 1 pair. Used as (surprise!) pajamas, but also as an insulating layer in cold weather.
-Light fleece pullover, 1. Insulator in cold weather.
-Columbia HeatMode 2 jacket. Thin jacket for wind/light rain protection. I use this often but it's now out of production. I always travel with a light jacket made of a tightly-woven, synthetic material for wind and rain protection.
-Tru-Spec Web belt. A great belt for it's $6 price point! Recommended if a higher quality belt isn't in the budget. Also, it's flexible enough to be comfortable underneath a backpack hip-belt.
-Baseball cap, for sun protection.
-Shemagh, for 8 trillion different reasons. I recommend everyone have a shemagh on them at all times. Great for lots of things, but I use mine primarily as a scarf, for sun protection, and as a face mask.
-Lightly insulated gloves, for cold weather and for keeping your hands clean while adventuring. I use mine often, always have a pair of gloves! Standard Mechanix gloves are basically a Gold-Standard for adventure gloves.
-Marmot Precip hardshell jacket and pants. Although pricey, I recommend these. I'd actually pay the high price to buy them again if anything happens to mine. Durable, light, packed with features. Great rain suit!
UPDATE: I did end up buying a second set of these after my first ones disintegrated, and my second set is now also disintegrating. I no longer recommend this set. I'll update when I find a good alternative.
-Finally, I separate my clean clothes and my dirty clothes in their own mesh bags.
Food(Top right of the image):
-I won't get into my usual backpacking food, but there are lots of good resources on the web for that kind of info. Message me if you want to know my usual choices.
-I will mention the protein powder, though. If you're hiking and doing a lot of physically demanding tasks, FEED YO' MUSCLES, SON!
-Hard-sided, watertight container. I carry most of my food in a container of this description. It keeps delicate food items or potentially messy food items from getting crushed, it has an air-tight seal to keep animals from sniffing out your food, and it's waterproof. Alternatively, you could use a roll-top dry-bag, but that wont keep your food from getting crushed.
-Jetboil Flash. I avoided Jetboil systems for a long time, primarily because of their price, but when I encountered a fellow traveler using one in the Redwood forests of Northern California, I was blown away. I bought one a few days later, and now I'm spoiled and I never want to use any other cooking system again. Highly recommended!
-Lexan spoon, but no fork. I don't carry a fork because chopstix are easily crafted from twigs or acquired from restaurants. Here in Japan, they give them to you at the cash register when you buy food at grocery stores.
-Spare fuel canister. I actually don't usually carry a spare, since one canister lasts so long, but when I took this photo, my current canister was running low, so I bought a replacement.
-P-38 can opener. Always.
Water(In front of the sleeping pad):
-Nalgene SILO 1.5l water bottle. Nalgenes are an industry standard, and for good reason. However, I'm not picky, as witnessed by the next bullet point...
-Generic 1.5l softdrink bottle, repurposed as a water bottle. Same capacity as the SILO, lighter, but not as durable. I'm not a loyalist to any brand here, not even Nalgene, just be sure to use a reasonably durable bottle.
-Katadyn Hiker Pro water filter. I've been using this filter for years. Highly recommended. I did install a pre-filter the day I got it, though. I use cheap, very small, very light fuel filters. Don't get hung up on certain brands or models, though. I've used MSRs and other Katadyns, and I've done lots of personal research, and they all seem to do the same thing with similar results. Just don't get a Lifestraw. Seriously.
Tools:
-Morakniv HighQ Robust(Not pictured). This tool, as well as the next three tools listed, were in my system until I was arrested in Tokyo and they were confiscated. As a knife guy, I could talk at length about options and philosophies of use, but I'll just leave it at this: Moraknives are the best fixed-blade knife you can buy at their price-point.
-5.11 folding knife. Cheap garbage(Not pictured). I got it as a promo item when I ordered some other 5.11 gear, but I brought it in place of a better, more expensive knife in case anything happened to it. I'm lucky I did...
-Lockpicks. I have Sparrows, SouthOrd, and Peterson lockpicks. I've picked my fair share of locks, and I want to tell you all something. Home-made lock picks are better than each of the above-named brands. My standard set contains the following picks, all hand-made by myself: A shallow hook, a deep hook, a DeForest diamond, a Bogota 2-peak rake, a top-of-the-keyway serrated tension wrench, and 2 bottom-of-the-keyway smooth tension wrenches in different sizes. I carry my picks in a Sparrows Sentry case. Sometimes I carry shims as well, but I wasn't carrying any when I came to Japan.
UPDATE: My every-day lock pick selection has changed. If I'm going minimalist, a set of SEREpicks are what I carry, but if I can spare the extra room, I also bring a traveler's hook, some shims, an EZ-Decoder, and a few bypass tools.
-Leatherman Wave(Not pictured). Always have your multi-tool. There are lots of variations, only you can decide witch one is best for you.
-The pliers on the bottom of the image are a stand-in for a multi-tool. I found them in an abandoned building, so I took them with me. Pliers are incredibly useful, which is one of the primary reasons for carrying a multi-tool.
-No-name, fixed blade knife(bottom-center, next to my Rhodia note pad). I bought this a few days after I got out of jail in Tokyo, and I was pleasantly surprised. It's roughly three-quarter tang, hand-profiled, very hard carbon steel blade. It's been great so far!
-Four-Sevens QT2A-X flashlight, with a poorly-done, home paintjob. I've been using this light for a few years now, and I cannot recommend it. I'm a “Flashaholic,” a term coined by Nutnfancy, so I am VERY particular when it comes to flashlights. This light does not stand up to my requirements. Ask me about it if you want to know more.
UPDATE: ARMYTEK, Surefire, or Streamlight are all great options. I've been carrying Armytek now for a while, and I can't recommend them enough.
-The light is in a home-made .93 Kydex holster. Very cheap, very trim, very effective, great retention.
-Also attached to the light is a Tac-Ord lanyard. I will always recommend attaching your light to a lanyard.
-Fenix diffuser head, modified for use on the above flashlight.
-Fenix Headband, for turning any light with a body diameter of 18-22mm into a headlight. Recommended! However, the process is slow. The retention screw must be completely removed in order to set the light into the clamp. A faster system would be nice, but I haven't found one that's better than this.
-Streamlight Nano/Terralux TLF-KEY1 frankenlight. I recommend both of these micro flashlights, but I recommend the frankenlight even more! With the body of the Streamlight and the head of the Terralux. :p
-Suunto A30 compass with a 550 lanyard. Great compass, very accurate, glow-in-the-dark, rotating bezel. Recommended.
-Garmin eTrex Legend handheld GPS. This thing is definitely dated, has an old, unreliable antenna, and has frustrating controls. Not recommended at all.
-Goal Zero Guide 10+ charger(pictured) paired with the Nomad 7 solar panel(not pictured). This system has served me well over the past 4 years. It charges 4x AA or AAA(with adapter) batteries at a time, and you can usually get enough sunlight in a day to make 2 full charges. It'll also charge my camera batteries, one at a time, and has a USB 2.0 port, so will charge cell phones, MP3 players, whatever. It's a decent, inexpensive system. You can't expect super high performance in a light, backpack-able package, but this is probably as good as you're going to get in this philosophy of use. I will say that it is the most versatile system I've ever found in my research. Recommended. Ask me about it if you want more info.
-8 Goal Zero NiMh, 2300mAH AA batteries, stored in a Bluecell battery case.
-8 Goal Zero NiMh, 800mAH AAA batteries, stored in a Bluecell battery case.
Miscellaneous Stuff:
-50-100' of 550 paracord. Innumerable uses.
-100' of bank-line. Choose your own diameter, I use #15. Great for anything that requires less bulk and strength than paracord.
-Sewing kit. Plenty of thread, multiple needles, stored in a plastic, flip-top tube container. I use mine constantly.
-Primary phone: Nokia Lumia 520 (Windows-based). Not recommended. Windows hasn't been working on their phone OS as long as Android and Apple has, so there are more bugs than the competitors.
-Secondary phone: Motorolla Moto G(Gen1) 8gb, Global GSM(Android-based). Fantastic phone at it's price! I did a lot of research before buying this phone, and I've been very happy with it.
UPDATE: Still using the Moto G series of phones. I'm currently using the Moto G 5 Play, and I'll be buying the 6 when this one dies.
-Note! The Maps.Me Android app is amazing for international travel. Requires no data, no service, nothing. You download whatever maps you want, and you can zoom in, search, navigate- all possible without any connection at all! Great app, very detailed maps for almost every country in the world.
UPDATE: STILL MY RECOMMENDED TRAVEL MAP APP!
-Notepad. Pictured is a French-made Rhodia dotPad #12. Not recommended. Assembled with a single staple, covers are falling off after 2 months of carry and use.
-Writing utensils: Pictured are a 1) Pilot Opt. 0.5 mechanical pencil. Terrible eraser, mediocre spring-tensioned clip. 2) Pilot 3-color, 0.5 Frixion pen. At first I was stoked on this pen. The ink used will disappear with heat, so you get a rubberized-plastic eraser that is designed to create heat through friction, making the ink almost completely disappear. But, after asking around, I've heard stories of ink disappearing when left on hot dashboards and such. That's a dealbreaker. 3) Stabilo Worker 0.3 pen. Not recommended. Running about $8, its ball-point system will NOT keep your lines anywhere near 0.3mm. More like .7 or so. Personally, I'd replace each of these with Zebra pens and pencils. Simple, attractive, reliable.
-Extra pencil lead. I like harder lead rather than softer, but I haven't done enough research or testing to recommend any certain brand.
-Full-sized notebook. The one I'm currently carrying another French-made book- a Jour & Etoffe Color-Fil, 6mm-ruled notebook. Recommended, but good luck finding one. I'm actually kind of particular with my notebooks, but carry whatever you want.
-Generic protractor/ruler combi-tool. I happen to enjoy technical drawing, so I carry something like this often, just to aid in my doodling. However, a ruler is very useful in travel. Most multi-tools will have one engraved in the handles.
-Tissues
-Primary wallet: Keep one wallet with your day-money and photocopies of your Ids in an accessible pocket.
-Secondary wallet: Keep another wallet with the rest of your money and your actual Ids in a separate pocket, preferably a more secure one.
-A few lighters. I don't smoke, but lighters come in handy every so often.
-MP3 Player. I hate iPods, so I've been trying different players over the years. The latest iteration of Sandisk's Sansa series, the Sport+ is actually pretty good. No removable battery, but it has expandable memory, so you can use your micro SD card.
UPDATE: The Sansa series was awful, so I found a generic MP3 player buy a company called Niusute, and it's been GREAT. I've had it for about a year now, and it's held up well. It doesn't have a user-replaceable battery, but it does have expandable memory, and its best feature is that it has a battery life of 80 hours! I use it constantly, and I generally recharge it once a week.
-Micro SD to regular SD adapter, in protective case.
-I am very partial to JVC Marshmallow headphones. I recommend them to everyone, but I bought a different kind of headphone after reading lots of favorable reviews. They have something of a cult following, but frankly, I have not found any reason to like the MonoPrice Hi-Fis. Mediocre. Better than dollar-store headphones, but not by a whole lot.
-Extra ear pieces for my headphones. I always manage to lose mine.
-On this trip, I brought a small Japanese dictionary. The one pictured is excellent. I did some research before settling on this one, and I'm glad I chose it. Recommended for anyone traveling to Japan.
-Pack towel. Never go anywhere without your towel! Arthur Dent will tell you why.
-Business cards. I don't have any reason to have my own, but I collect them everywhere I go from people I meet. It's easier than asking people for their Facebook or E-mail. Just get their business card and stick it in your wallet.
-Lenovo Thinkpad E440, with a Core i5. I usually don't travel with a full-sized computer, but I wanted to edit photos as I went, so I brought my photo-editing computer with me. Included is the appropriate charging cable, a wireless mouse, and a mouse pad. A note on the mouse: Bring a wired mouse when traveling if you bring a mouse at all. It wont take any of your valuable rechargeables, so they can be used elsewhere.
-Silicon Power 1TB external HDD. Highly recommended! I've had this for about a year and a half now, and I've thrown it in snow, dropped it on concrete, dropped it into a sink full of water... And it comes with its own cable, stored neatly in a built-in compartment. Great hard drive!
UPDATE: Still recommend these! Great hard drives!
Hygiene:
-Antibacterial wipes
-Nail clippers
-Razor
-Toothbrush
-Castile soap stored in a repurposed glycerin bottle. This stuff is amazing. I use Dr. Bronner's. It's made of plant material, non-toxic, biodegradable, and extremely versatile! It can be used as shampoo, body wash, face wash, shaving cream, and even toothpaste. As an added bonus for the Tea Tree variety of Castile soap- it acts as a bug deterrent. For about half a day after using it, it works very effectively to repel mosquitoes, gnats, ticks, whatevs. Highly recommended in every flavor!
-My hygiene supplies are all stored in a Kifaru zipper pouch.
Camera Gear: I'm not going to get much into camera gear here. It's not all pictured, but ask me about it if you want to know anything. I'm going to list a few things here, though. Just the “notable” things, I guess.
-Nikon D750.
-Canon 70D.
-5 batteries for each. A mix of OEM and non-OEM. There are lots of good off-brand batteries, do your research before buying.
-Joby Gorillapod Focus with the Ballhead-X. Highly recommended! Love this tripod.
-A zoom lens. At least 250mm, but keep weight in mind if you're backpacking.
-A 50mm lens. Because it's beautiful.
-A wide-angle lens.
-I personally love fish-eye lenses, so I carry one with me. I love being able to see ~so much~ and the distortion doesn't bother me at all.
-Chargers with car adapters.
-LowePro Toploader Pro 70AW. This is another thing that you shouldn't ever ask me about. I will talk your ear off about the quality and features for hours. Of ALL LowePro gear, for that matter. I also have their ProTactic 350. LowePro gear is not particular cheap, but it's worth every penny you'll pay for it. Would you put $5,000 worth of camera and lenses in a $20 case? I wouldn't. Amazing gear. Also, the AW versions have a built-in rain cover.
-Attached to the above bag is a LowePro lens case, compatible with LowePro's SlipLock attachment system.
-Extra memory cards. Seriously, bring extras.
Carry System:
-REI XT-85. I've been using it for two years. Highly recommended.
-Adidas Cinch-bag. Bought it in college, and it's still in great shape. Highly recommended. I bring this with me for times when I can store or hide my XT-85, so I can explore a city without being weighed down. There are lots of small packs that will fill this role, but this is what I had on hand, and I like it.
Not pictured: Here are things I usually bring, but didn't bring on this trip; or gear that I DO have now, but didn't put it in the picture for some reason.
-Handcuff key and Master bump key. Located in a hidden pocket somewhere on my clothing. When I was arrested in Tokyo, and they VERY thoroughly searched ALL of my belongings, they never found these. :)
-IFAK. Stands for Individual First Aid Kit. There isn't one pictured because my custom-built level 1 IFAK went missing before my trip. Whoops.
-A mesh bug shirt. These aren't super effective, but I often carry one because they are extremely lightweight, and offer a ~little~ bit of protection. Just enough to keep you from losing your mind as you set up your net over your sleep system.
-When I'll be filtering water from sources that are likely to contain critters, such as agricultural run-off, I will carry a water purifier in addition to my water filter. My purifier of choice is the Steri-Pen Adventurer Opti with the purpose-built solar charging case.
-Many of you know how much I love packrafting. When you carry one, you have to include the other components of the system. For me, these components are as follows: Packraft, paddle, repair kit, inflation bag, dry bag for the rest of your gear, paracord for lashing your gear to the raft while traveling by water, seat, seat back, riser seat, and stuff-sack. The entire system usually weighs about 7 pounds with the gear that I own and use. It's possible to get your entire packrafting system down to about 5 pounds.
-Guns. When I travel in places where I can legally carry a pistol, I carry a Glock 19(Gen 4) in one of two ways. When I carry openly, it's in a G-Code XST RTI holster on a Low-Ride RTI platform, attached to my clothing belt(not my pack belt). When I'm concealing, I add a Kifaru Koala to my pack system, and I carry the pistol in the Koala's dedicated CCW compartment. In either case, I always use Glock 17 magazines outfitted with Arredondo +6 extensions. Arredondo products are very highly recommended by me! Awesome stuff. I carry spare magazines in either a G-code dual mag holder(RTI variety), or in the mag caddies inside the Kifaru Koala.
-The Kifaru Koala is another piece of gear that I'll talk forever about. It's amazing. Perfect. Lovely. Perfect. Comfy. Perfect. I love it! Added bonus: Last year, Kifaru dropped the price on the Koala. Yay!
-Last but not least... Kelsey. Poor Kelsey got left at home on this trip. It was a difficult decision, and I've regretted it many times over since arriving in Japan. I only hope she'll forgive me when I get back. I'm sorry, Kelsey. :(
I think that pretty much covers it! That was even longer than I thought it would be... If you've made it this far, I'm sure you can tell by now that I'm very particular about the gear I use, and most of what I own has been thoroughly researched before it was purchased. I love quality gear, and it's very important to me to use gear that performs its intended task very well. I never buy anything just because it's the first thing I found on Amazon that does vaguely what I need it to do. No, I spend months, and sometimes even YEARS(no kidding) researching a particular piece of equipment before buying it. If I own it, it's because I have deemed it to be better than any other piece of gear that fits the exact niche I set out to fill.
In this view I have added the plaster cloth for the hilltop and finished paving the road. The road is paved with Woodland Scenics Smooth-It, a thin plaster mix that is poured between two strips of WS paving tape. I first used their Asphalt color mix, but it was way too black, so I went back over the roads and used a mixture of gray latex paint, a little water, some Smooth-It plaster to give it some texture, and a bit of Asphalt color until I had a dull, dark gray that better resembles a well-used roadway. The narrow road to the lower right leads the grain elevator, feed mill, and a future stockyard.
February 25, 2019
This is the shell of a small quahog, an edible hardshell clam, (Mercenaria mercenaria)). These are abundant on some of the beaches near us, but not all of them have this brilliant purple color. Native Americans along the coast used the shells to create wampum - a form of currency, and the more purple the bead, the more valuable it was.
Brewster, Massachusetts
Cape Cod - USA
Photo by brucetopher
© Bruce Christopher 2019
All Rights Reserved
...always learning - critiques welcome.
Tools: Canon 7D & iPhone 6s.
No use without permission.
Please email for usage info.
Crescentia alata. Sin: Cirian, Tecomate, Guaje Cirian, Morro, Calabazo, Totuma. Arbol de las zonas tropicales de México y América Central hasta Costa Rica. Los frutos son como calabazos redondos que al ser ahuecados se utilizan como cuencos o jícaras para uso doméstico o para artesanía. La semilla también se ha utilizado como alimento y se le atribuye propiedades medicinales. Las flores y los frutos crecen directamente del tronco semejante al cacao.
Amacuzac, Estado de Morelos, México
"Crescentia alata (variously called Mexican calabash, jícaro, morro, morrito, winged calabash is a species in the trumpet-flower family Bignoniaceae and in the calabash trees genus Crescentia, native to southern Mexico and Central America south to Costa Rica."
The hardshell of fruits are gourds used as beverage or food containers or crafted as art pieces.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crescentia_alata
www.siac.org.mx/tecnos/mor84.pdf
www.conabio.gob.mx/conocimiento/info_especies/arboles/doc...
fission.sas.upenn.edu/caterpillar/index.php?action=retrie...
A rather unusual black and white image from me, shot en route to the Schonbiel Hut (Schönbielhütte) of the SAC, in the middle of a nasty rainstorm. It was coming down hard, I had my hardshell jacket over the camera, to capture the light breaking through over the Zmutt glacier, along the north side of the Matterhorn in the Valais Alps of Switzerland.
By the way, a new blog post is up: Link below! Plus, I added a link to my G+ profile too. 3...2...1... go!
A rainy hike up to the Delicate Arch did not pan out, as the inclement weather failed to break in any way, and the arch itself became overran with the foreign tourists that had trailed us. After this moment, there was no shot to be had... not that any would have been that great with the flat lighting anyways. On our way down, the weather intensified into a full downpour, and we took some solace in having prepped weather protection for our equipment, and being in our hardshells.
H612 URP is a 1990 Mercedes 190 currently on private plates.
H482 HPY is a 1990 Ford Fiesta Popular Plus which came off the road by the end of August 2002.
Sadly, the British Gas Freight Rover Sherpa's plate is indiscernible.
Now for the products being advertised, and their values converted into 2019 prices:
Castrol GTX: £17.86
Champion Spark Plugs: £8.92
Turtle Wax Super Hardshell Paste: £4.45
Moss Remote Control Car Alarm: £89.37
Raleigh Lizard: £379.88 (eyewatering!)
A detailed, close-up shot of the Fender American Ultra II 5-String Jazz Bass resting in its plush hardshell case. This is Fender’s flagship model, designed for the professional bassist, blending classic J-Bass style with modern ergonomic features. The instrument features a beautiful three-color sunburst finish and an anodized gold pickguard. As a 5-string, it offers extended range for superior versatility. The American Ultra II series is known for its high-output, noiseless single-coil pickups and advanced preamp, delivering a powerful and articulate tone. The chrome high-mass bridge and high-gloss finish underscore the instrument's premium, American-made quality.
Linda Stollings, a singer/songwriter, is on her way to Nashville to lay down some tracks. She needed a proper case for her Martin Backpacker guitar; that's where I came in. I made this one. It's graphite varnish on the outside, a vintage roadmap lining and felt over foam padding. Chrome trunk corners and pull latches plus a salvaged suitcase handle seal the deal.
Lay it down in Nashville, Linda, lay it down.
A captivating close-up of a vintage 1982 Ibanez Musician MC-924DS Electric Bass resting in its original plush hardshell case. This bass is a prime example of Ibanez's golden era of Japanese craftsmanship. The Musician series is instantly recognizable by its premium neck-through construction, which provides exceptional sustain and stability.
The dark, rich body is typically crafted from a combination of woods (like mahogany, ash, and maple laminates), beautifully highlighted by the contrast of the bright gold/brass hardware and the uniquely styled control knobs. Featuring dual powerful humbucking pickups, the MC-924DS delivered a thick, versatile tone that helped define the progressive rock and fusion sound of the early 1980s. This image beautifully captures the instrument's classic aesthetic and its well-preserved, collectible condition.
July 5, 2017
A female painted turtle is in the process of finding a place in our yard to lay her eggs. We have at least one show up every year. I'm not sure if she is the same mom that is returning each summer.
Brewster, Massachusetts
Cape Cod - USA
Photo by brucetopher
© Bruce Christopher 2017
All Rights Reserved
...always learning - critiques welcome.
Shot with a Canon 7D.
No use without permission.
Please email for usage info.
Happy Holidays! I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season. May 2015 be a great year for you and your family!
In a continuation of an idea I came up with in 2011, here is my goofy holiday self portrait for 2014. This year involved hauling a not light vintage 57 reissue strat in a hardshell case along with a large camera backpack and tripod some 200 feet up into the Eureka Dunes. It took a number of takes to get it right, always from this same spot with he wide, empty Eureka Valley beyond. There is absolutely no photoshop involved whatsoever here. No trickery. It's completely in-camera. Directly behind me was a super steep sand cliff going almost all the way down to the valley floor. My mid-air shadow can be found down there :)
This year's almonds are almost ready for harvest. The husks are already splitting.
The hardshell is visible and inside is the actual almond.
------------------
Die Mandeln sind schon bald reif. Die Schalen öffnen sich schon (wie bei Baumnüssen). Die Mandel ist in der harten Schale die man jetzt schon sehen kann.
Rosy: So I spoke to lindamom and she told me about part one of the move.
Yume: You better tell everyone about the Bonackers first.
Yuki: Sweet Holly do tell us!
Holly: The name traditionally refers specifically to the working class families who live in an area called Springs in the north of the Town of East Hampton, New York. Many of the original Bonac families in Springs were among the very early settlers of the town, having come from England, possibly Kent or Dorchester, Dorset, in the 17th and 18th centuries. The term Bonacker comes from Accabonac Harbor, which in turn derives its name from Montaukett/Algonquian languages term for "root place," or "place of ground nuts" (potatoes). For some three hundred years, Bonackers made their living as baymen, fishermen, and farmers. Clams and clamming—both hardshell and softshell—were at the heart of Bonac culture and cuisine. Bonac specialties include clam pie, clam fritters, oysters, clam chowder (traditionally, never made with milk, but with tomatoes), bluefish, porgies, blowfish, eel, and blue crabs.
Ivy: Sounds great.
Lily: Thank you sister Holly.
Rosy: A friend of lindamom’s in town said he would come out today with his friend and bring stuff that lindamom wanted Ian to have and then drive a load to East Hampton. Both of them make their living as fishermen. Lindamom did not figure that as fishermen they were up real early and was surprised when they called at 7:00 am to say they were a few blocks away. Lindamom called Ian and woke him up and told him “get out of bed and take a cab over”.
Ivy: He had no time to eat!
Rosy: Lindamom told them to meet her at the diner across the street that is really good and order and she would be right over. When she got there they had two friends with them who decided to come along for the ride. Out of the four of them only one of them had ever been to Manhattan. He was there thirty years ago when he took his daughter to radio city music hall. None of them had ever been to Brooklyn. His cousin was wearing dark green crocs in a lovely color and no socks and a brown sweatsuit and a cap with flames on it. He had a really long beard. Lindamom said “do you guy watch Duck Dynasty” and they said no but did laugh. The other two were younger with beards and one of them had a cell phone. Lindamom had bought her friend the leader of the group a prepaid cell phone and he did not know how to set it up.
Lily: It was lucky the younger guy had a cell phone.
Rosy: So lindamom bought them breakfast.
Ivy: She is so sweet our lindamom!
Yume: She is!
Yuki: Yes she is.
Lily: Yes!
Holly: Yes always.
Rosy: Yes she is. So the main guy had: three cups of coffee, three eggs sunnyside up, orange juice, double buttered toast and bacon. By the way lindamom said one of his teeth fell out during breakfast. Lindamom said she stared at him for a full minute and then asked him if he was okay. He said "yeah it happens all the time. They are just disintergrating."
Green Croc man had: Eggs Benedict with double breakfast sauages.
Helper Guy had: Four eggs, an English Muffin and two muffins.
Cell Phone Guy had: Belgium waffles with whipped cream and fresh strawberries, two eggs, sausages and toast, orange juice and two coffees.
Ivy: (awe struck) Wow!
Holly: Lindamom told me that Ian said they ate like Hobbits! Ian told me they kept calling each other Bonackers. Helper Guy told him that the boxes were not too heavy for him because he carried heavy fish but they wiggled.
Rosy: Lindamom had a coffee and a toasted English Muffin with marmalade. She loved how confused the waitress was by her and these four huge men. By 8:30 am they were back at the apartment and they loaded up the stuff for Ian and brought it out to Ian’s. They came back and loaded up the rest of the stuff and were done by 10:15 am! Then they drove the stuff out to East Hampton and unpacked in the temporary storage unit. They were very excited to go back to tell their friends about their adventures in Queens and Brooklyn. They were really great guys.
Yuki: When we went to the Christmas meet someone there told Lindamom that she went on flickr before going to work and that she did not have time to go on our photos because we talked for so long. Lindamom was very pleased and amused.
Ivy: Do you think we talk too much?
Holly: No.
Rosy: No
Yume: No.
Yuki: No
Lily: No.
September 23, 2018
Clamming on Brewster Flats
This week is one of two weeks in the year that a certain section of Brewster is open to clamming. The catch here is small quahogs, called "little necks," and everyone can take up to 5-quarts.
Brewster, Massachusetts
Cape Cod - USA
Photo by brucetopher
© Bruce Christopher 2018
All Rights Reserved
...always learning - critiques welcome.
Tools: Canon 7D & iPhone 6s.
No use without permission.
Please email for usage info.
A captivating close-up of a vintage 1982 Ibanez Musician MC-924DS Electric Bass resting in its original plush hardshell case. This bass is a prime example of Ibanez's golden era of Japanese craftsmanship. The Musician series is instantly recognizable by its premium neck-through construction, which provides exceptional sustain and stability.
The dark, rich body is typically crafted from a combination of woods (like mahogany, ash, and maple laminates), beautifully highlighted by the contrast of the bright gold/brass hardware and the uniquely styled control knobs. Featuring dual powerful humbucking pickups, the MC-924DS delivered a thick, versatile tone that helped define the progressive rock and fusion sound of the early 1980s. This image beautifully captures the instrument's classic aesthetic and its well-preserved, collectible condition.
A detailed, close-up shot of the Fender American Ultra II 5-String Jazz Bass resting in its plush hardshell case. This is Fender’s flagship model, designed for the professional bassist, blending classic J-Bass style with modern ergonomic features. The instrument features a beautiful three-color sunburst finish and an anodized gold pickguard. As a 5-string, it offers extended range for superior versatility. The American Ultra II series is known for its high-output, noiseless single-coil pickups and advanced preamp, delivering a powerful and articulate tone. The chrome high-mass bridge and high-gloss finish underscore the instrument's premium, American-made quality.
The goal was to build a stained glass window into a Backpacker guitar case. So I took a spare Book of Kells, cut it up and lined the case with it. The image at the bottom of the case is the first verse of John: In principio erat verbum, which the monks turned into a swirling maze of celestial Celtic color with John himself looking on in amazement.
C.Y. of Austin owns it now, as close to a singing nun as one can be without actually taking vows.
A captivating close-up of a vintage 1982 Ibanez Musician MC-924DS Electric Bass resting in its original plush hardshell case. This bass is a prime example of Ibanez's golden era of Japanese craftsmanship. The Musician series is instantly recognizable by its premium neck-through construction, which provides exceptional sustain and stability.
The dark, rich body is typically crafted from a combination of woods (like mahogany, ash, and maple laminates), beautifully highlighted by the contrast of the bright gold/brass hardware and the uniquely styled control knobs. Featuring dual powerful humbucking pickups, the MC-924DS delivered a thick, versatile tone that helped define the progressive rock and fusion sound of the early 1980s. This image beautifully captures the instrument's classic aesthetic and its well-preserved, collectible condition.
June 23, 2017
An Asian lady beetle (Harmonia axyridis) hunting on the hydrangeas.
Brewster, Massachusetts
Cape Cod - USA
Photo by brucetopher
© Bruce Christopher 2017
All Rights Reserved
...always learning - critiques welcome.
Shot with a Canon 7D.
No use without permission.
Please email for usage info.
Valmorel, France, 2180 meter from sea level, Colle de Madeleine in the background for those who like the "Tour de France". This is a famous passage for the cyclists in the summer.
Snowboarding:
Snowboarding is a sport that involves descending a slope that is either partially or fully covered with snow on a snowboard attached to a rider's feet using a special boot set into a mounted binding. The development of snowboarding was inspired by skateboarding, surfing and skiing. It was developed in the United States in the 1960s and the 1970s and became a Winter Olympic Sport in 1998.
Since snowboarding's inception as an established winter sport, it has developed various styles, each with its own specialized equipment and technique. The most common styles today are: freeride, freestyle, and freecarve/race. These styles are used for both recreational and professional snowboarding. While each style is unique, there is overlap between them. See also List of snowboard tricks.
Freeride:
The freeride style is the most common and easily accessible style of snowboarding. It involves riding down any terrain available. Freeriding may include aerial tricks and jib (any type of fixture which can be ridden with the board/skis) tricks borrowed from freestyle, or deep carve turns more common in alpine snowboarding, utilizing whatever natural terrain the rider may encounter.
Freeriding equipment is usually a stiff soft shell boot with a directional twin snowboard. Since the freeride style may encounter many different types of snow conditions, from ice to deep pow down powder slopes. very fast
Dry Slope:
Dry slopes are man-made slopes which provide an alternative terrain for snowboarders wanting to snowboard during the summer or for those who live too far away from a snowy mountain. They are constructed with a solid cross-hatched metal base which hold plastic bristles for riding on. Dry slopes are commonly found in England and parts of Europe but are rare in the United States. Equipment used is usually old or retired snowboards because of the wear caused by the metal base and plastic bristles over time.
Freestyle:
In freestyle, the rider uses manmade terrain features such as rails, boxes, handrails, jumps, half pipes, quarter pipes, mailboxes, tabletops, and a number of other features. The intent of freestyle is to use these terrain features to perform a number of aerial or jib tricks.
The equipment used in freestyle is usually a soft boot with a twin tipped board for better balance, though freeride equipment is often used successfully. The most common binding stance used in freestyle is called "duck foot", in which the trailing foot has a negative degree of arc setup while the leading foot is in the positive range i.e. -9°/+12°. Freestyle riders who specialize in jibbing often use boards that are shorter than usual, with additional flex and filed down edges. Shorter length enables the board to be rotated faster and requires less energy on the rider's part.
Freestyle also includes halfpipe tricks. A halfpipe (or "pipe") is a trench-like half-tube made of snow. Tricks performed may be rotations such as a 360° (a full turn) in the air, or an off-axis spin like a "McTwist". Tricks can be modified while hitting different features. Some riders enjoy jibbing, which involves sliding a rail, a box, or even a tree trunk, or simply boarding on anything that is not snow.
Freecarve:
Similar to skiing, this race and slalom focused style is still practiced, though infrequently. Sometimes called alpine snowboarding, or the 'euro-carve', freecarving takes place on hard packed snow or groomed runs and focuses on the ultimate carving turn, much like traditional skiing. Little or no jumping takes place in this discipline. Freecarve equipment is a ski-like hardshell boot and plate binding system with a true directional snowboard that is usually very stiff and narrow to facilitate fast and responsive turns. Shaped-skis can thank these "freecarve" snowboards for the cutting-edge technology leading to their creation.
Slope Style:
Competitors perform tricks while descending a course, moving around, over, across, or down terrain features. The course is full of obstacles including boxes, rails, jumps, jibs (includes anything the board or rider can slide across).
Big Air:
Big Air competitions are contests where riders perform tricks after launching off a man made jump built specifically for the event. Competitors perform tricks in the air, aiming to attain sizable height and distance, all while securing a clean landing. Many competitions also require the rider to do a trick to win the prize. Not all competitions call for a trick to win the gold; some intermittent competitions are based solely on height and distance of the launch of the snowboarder.
Half-pipe
The half-pipe is a semi-circular ditch or purpose built ramp (that is usually on a downward slope), between 12 and 30 feet (9.1 m) deep. Competitors perform tricks while going from one side to the other and while in the air above the sides of the pipe.
Boardercross:
In Boardercross (also known as "Boarder X"), several riders (usually 4, but sometimes 6) race down a course similar to a motorcycle motocross track (with jumps, berms and other obstacles constructed out of snow on a downhill course). Unlike traditional head-to-head races, competitors use the same terrain, sometimes resulting in accidental collisions.
Competitions involve a series of heats, traditionally with the first 2 riders in each heat advancing to the next round. The overall winner is the rider that finishes first in the final round. (Conner Cassaday is the best knowen rider at this time.)
Indycross:
Much like Boardercross (above), but instead with single-competitor runs, so as to remove 'pole positioning' from competitive equation; the rider has to skid and turn down the course.
Rail Jam:
A rail jam is a jib contest. Riders perform tricks on rails, boxes, pipes, wall rides, and several other creative features. Rail jams are done in a small area, usually with two or three choices of features for the rider to hit on a run. They are sometimes done in an urban setting, due to the relatively small amount of snow required. Scoring is done in the "jam" format, where every rider can take as many runs as time allows, usually around an hour; prizes are typically awarded for best overall male and female, and best trick male and female.
Racing:
The racing events are slalom, giant slalom, and super G. In slalom, boarders race downhill through sets of gates that force extremely tight turns, requiring plenty of technical skill as well as speed.
Giant slalom uses a much longer course with gates set further apart, resulting in even higher speeds. Super G is the fastest of all, with speeds of up to 45 mph (72 km/h).
A detailed, close-up shot of the Fender American Ultra II 5-String Jazz Bass resting in its plush hardshell case. This is Fender’s flagship model, designed for the professional bassist, blending classic J-Bass style with modern ergonomic features. The instrument features a beautiful three-color sunburst finish and an anodized gold pickguard. As a 5-string, it offers extended range for superior versatility. The American Ultra II series is known for its high-output, noiseless single-coil pickups and advanced preamp, delivering a powerful and articulate tone. The chrome high-mass bridge and high-gloss finish underscore the instrument's premium, American-made quality.
Paul travels. A lot. He set me a challenge - build a case that can be checked as baggage, because, road warrior though he be, he cannot always carry his Backpacker guitar on board.
I might have done it - a case that is Thrower-proof. Tool box handle, extra layers of plywood layered for strong joints, fully furry on the inside.
Time will tell how well I did. Paul says he will send me a photo in six months.
A Jazzmaster? Don’t know my guitars well enough to ID this model hanging in a window in Toronto
American Professional Telecaster Deluxe Shawbucker
In the late ‘60s and early ‘70s guitarists wanted hum-free tone based on the sound of an amp about to blow up. You asked—so we listened and created the Telecaster Deluxe in 1973. Today’s version, the American Professional Telecaster Deluxe ShawBucker, brings modern, player-oriented features to the stage and studio, and can still make an amp sizzle without breaking a sweat.
FEATURES
Two Tim Shaw-designed ShawBucker humbucking pickups
String-through-body Telecaster bridge with bent steel saddles
New modern "Deep C”-shaped neck profile
Bone nut; 22 narrow-tall frets for easier bending
Treble bleed circuit maintains highs when reducing volume
Includes Elite Molded hardshell case
Best friends Jen and Susan both bought cases for their Backpacker guitars. I was given a bit of latitude in the decoration - I ended up with one rich red case and one playful butterfly-and-leaf washi paper-covered case (real butterflies and leaves - some very old washi from my father's stash) .
Jen and Susan did not specify who gets which case. They said they will figure that out once they get them (the cases are en route now).
Both cases are pretty scrumptious. Will their friendship be strained by the choice? Will they take turns, one month with one case, the next month with the other? Will the cases hold up to Vancouver weather? Stay tuned...
sometimes you just get lucky.
in the midst of the pandemic i braved the local second hand shop and found this abandoned beauty - a lonesome dove as it were. to be precise, a classic vintage japanese pre-lawsuit dove in fine condition apart from what looks like a knife stab wound in the waist (the upper bout roughly above the sound hole.) otherwise, she's almost mint. 3 blackened ancient strings were all that adorned her ... however, a bit of tlc and new strings and away we went: fantastic tone, stays in tune and has a vibe that grabs attention. a bit stiff action-wise for a mostly electric player these days, but some actually like it that way.
there is a long and mysterious history to guitars made in japan during this era. they are difficult to track - taro was a canadian-bound version of this model that shipped to other countries under different names - and some rivaled the originals to the point of legal action, hence the general term 'law suit era' japanese copies.
this one is okay, good even, the top is excellent, tone is sweet but the playability is a bit tighter than what might be expected from a real usa built gibson dove from, say, the early 1960s. of course, if it was an american dove from that era, she'd ring in north of $10 000 usd, a far dove's cry from the $27.99 cad i paid.
ps. 3 weeks later i scored a mint hardshell case for it at the same store for $12.
2020 is a year that will look better in hindsight for sure, but it has had its moments.
The little travel guitar is firmly cradled by the neck braces in the case and thick felt pads in the lid. This case is now sold to CCL of Minnesota.
July 5, 2017
A female painted turtle is in the process of finding a place in our yard to lay her eggs. We have at least one show up every year. I'm not sure if she is the same mom that is returning each summer.
Brewster, Massachusetts
Cape Cod - USA
Photo by brucetopher
© Bruce Christopher 2017
All Rights Reserved
...always learning - critiques welcome.
Shot with a Canon 7D.
No use without permission.
Please email for usage info.
This is a very tiny, 'micro' 8 transistor, AM radio. Standard manufactured a long and successful line of these Micronic Ruby radios beginning in 1965. (I believe there were 13 different models)
Most, if not all micro radios were sold with these hardshell (jewelry box) cases.
Most of these Micronic Rubys do not work today and due to their small size they are very difficult to repair. The radio takes two very small and odd sized 1.5 volt batteries. Finding replacements will be challenging and expensive.
Below are a few other variant of the Micronic Ruby,
September 23, 2018
Clamming on Brewster Flats
This week is one of two weeks in the year that a certain section of Brewster is open to clamming. The catch here is small quahogs, called "little necks," and everyone can take up to 5-quarts.
This is our "half basket" catch. A full 5-quarts.
Brewster, Massachusetts
Cape Cod - USA
Photo by brucetopher
© Bruce Christopher 2018
All Rights Reserved
...always learning - critiques welcome.
Tools: Canon 7D & iPhone 6s.
No use without permission.
Please email for usage info.
My father squirreled a lot of materials away for later use. I found this Japanese washi paper in one of his portfolios, purchased a long time ago on one of his trips there.
It's hard to picture exactly how the real dried and pressed butterflies and leaves were deckled into the paper - some truly remarkable paper making skills on display here.
Turns out that saving washi in old portfolios is a genetic trait. I've got many many sheets, saved for that special project. I don't know if it will be me or a future generation that will use them.
June 23, 2017
An Asian lady beetle (Harmonia axyridis) hunting on the hydrangeas. The adult and larva were out and about at the same time, in different places on the plant.
Brewster, Massachusetts
Cape Cod - USA
Photo by brucetopher
© Bruce Christopher 2017
All Rights Reserved
...always learning - critiques welcome.
Shot with a Canon 7D.
No use without permission.
Please email for usage info.
For LifeHacker:
This is my City workspace at home, which is in my bedroom. Since I'm only in high-school, I don't have my own office. My desk was created with 3 tiers so that it can have as much storage space as possible. The middle tier has all my computer stuff, and the two tiers to the sides are mainly storage. Since I do a lot of video editing for my school, the 24" monitor is very handy. Plus, it's good for movies.
I just received the Henge Dock yesterday, so I still have to decide weather it's going to be useful in the future. I do, however, already have some complaints. Firstly, I need to use my brother's charger, because it doesn't support the new Apple chargers originally found on the MacBook Air. Secondly, I completely use the functionality of my webcam, which sucks. Thirdly, I lose the ability to use the display as a secondary screen. Finally, it's really aggravating that it doesn't support hardshell cases, because most people have them on their Mac's.
I got my iPad in May, because back then, I was using a Dell Latitude D630, which was given to me by my school, and seriously sucked. The iPad was a good alternative for non-school stuff. This year, however, we upgraded to Mac's.
The rest of the stuff is stuff that I got for my birthday, or stuff that I bought this summer to make the ultimate desk.