2006 is done. Time to start thinking about taxes. Below are some of the notable tax law changes for 2006.
Charitable Contributions
Earned Income Credit
Exemption Amounts
Standard Deduction
Standard Mileage Rates
All Tax Law Changes for Individuals in 2006 and 2007
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Blackberry 8700c
As many of you know, I am not much of a gadget guy, but Santa ( i.e. Dayna ) was very good to me this year since I've been a good boy. Due to my work situation ( i.e. 24x7 System Support ), I require very timely communication via email and instant messenger. Dayna dropped a couple bills on the Blackberry 8700c for me. It is exceedingly cool !!! Click on the image below for a demo.
Friday, December 29, 2006
Baby Karas #2
We had our first sonogram of Baby Karas #2 this past Friday. The baby is 7 weeks and 6 days old. As you can see from the pictures, she/he already has little buds for arms and legs. At this point, Dayna's due date is July 30, 2007.
Check out the latest images...
Picture #1
Picture #2
Picture #3
Christmas was also eventful this year. Morgan did just great on Santa's lap for the very first time. Santa was a very large man and I'm not 100% certain, but I'm pretty sure he was slightly sedated. I imagine that is probably a requirement in order to handle such a job. Look at his eyes and I think you'll agree.
Morgan and Santa
Check out the latest images...
Picture #1
Picture #2
Picture #3
Christmas was also eventful this year. Morgan did just great on Santa's lap for the very first time. Santa was a very large man and I'm not 100% certain, but I'm pretty sure he was slightly sedated. I imagine that is probably a requirement in order to handle such a job. Look at his eyes and I think you'll agree.
Morgan and Santa
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Morgan is 8 months old.
Morgan turned 8 months old on the 18th of this month. I've updated the Growth Tracker with her latest vital statistics. This past Friday we had the opportunity to see Morgan's little sister or brother in Dayna's belly. Dr. Blackstock performed the first sonogram of Dayna's second pregnancy. As of Friday December 22, 2006, the baby is 7 weeks and 6 days old. Dayna's due date is currently July 30, 2007.
I was telling Dayna that I need to revamp the Morgan page to ensure we include her little sibling's information as well. I want to give the new little one the same level of blog attentiveness as we've given Morgan. So, look for changes on the website that will include a new section for the baby. I'll be posting sonogram pictures very soon.
I was telling Dayna that I need to revamp the Morgan page to ensure we include her little sibling's information as well. I want to give the new little one the same level of blog attentiveness as we've given Morgan. So, look for changes on the website that will include a new section for the baby. I'll be posting sonogram pictures very soon.
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Scott's College Bowl Pickem Formula
The College Bowl season is upon us once again. Like all the previous years, my work buddies and I participate in the ESPN Pickem game. This year I've tweaked my formula a bit for picking my winners.
Scott's College Bowl Pickem Formula
My picks are in green. Essentially, I pit each team's offensive ranking against the opposing team's defensive ranking.
Rushing Offense Rank vs. Rushing Defense Rank
Passing Offense Rank vs. Passing Defense Rank
Scoring Offense Rank vs. Scoring Defense Rank
Total Offense Rank vs. Total Defense Rank
Turnover Margin Rank vs. Turnover Margin Rank
I come up with a composite score and use the margin to determine my confidence levels.
For those games where the margins are slim and/or one of the teams comes from a weaker conference, I have an alternate pick for those games in the event I'm not completely comfortable with the formula numbers.
Scott's College Bowl Pickem Formula
My picks are in green. Essentially, I pit each team's offensive ranking against the opposing team's defensive ranking.
Rushing Offense Rank vs. Rushing Defense Rank
Passing Offense Rank vs. Passing Defense Rank
Scoring Offense Rank vs. Scoring Defense Rank
Total Offense Rank vs. Total Defense Rank
Turnover Margin Rank vs. Turnover Margin Rank
I come up with a composite score and use the margin to determine my confidence levels.
For those games where the margins are slim and/or one of the teams comes from a weaker conference, I have an alternate pick for those games in the event I'm not completely comfortable with the formula numbers.
Saturday, December 9, 2006
Child Tax Credit
Children are not only a wonderful gift, but, fortunately, our government provides us with some nice tax benefits for having children as well. The additional $3,300 of personal exemption money, along with the $1,000 child tax credit can really make a difference in how much you pay in taxes. For 2006, Dayna and I will end up saving about $1,500 in taxes just because of Morgan. In 2007, with the new baby coming along, that number will almost double. The $1,500 we will save in taxes this year pretty much covers our out-of-pocket expenses we incurred for Morgan's birth. We'll be fortunate enough this year to receive a tax refund of approximately $2,600 in spite of the fact that we've had the minimum amount of withholding held from my paycheck.
Since we are nearing the end of the year, here are the 2006 Federal Tax Rate Schedules.
Since we are nearing the end of the year, here are the 2006 Federal Tax Rate Schedules.
Thursday, December 7, 2006
The Personal Savings Rate
I originally intended for this web log to be predominantly focused on personal finance ( hence, the "\money" part of the URL ), but over time this site has evolved into more of a family experience blog.
However, today I would like to talk about a finance issue that has been on my mind.
The Personal Savings Rate has been in the news quite frequently lately due to its historic low. The PSR is actually negative at the moment. We are spending more than 100% of our monthly after-tax income. Some economists have attributed this to the fact that many people have been relying on their increasing home value as a means of claiming that their net worth is climbing in spite of not actually putting aside a portion of their income into savings. Now, however, home values are flattening out and consumers can't necessarily feel good about their financial position if home values continue to decrease.
I am, by nature, an economically conservative person. As a result, I'm not frequently enticed to purchase the latest and greatest gadget. Fortunately, saving money comes very easy to me. I take great joy in seeing my money grow in investments. Watching money grow is MY hobby. There are very few things ( other than watching my child grow ) that gives me more joy than to set aside money for investment purposes. Why? You ask. Well, for me personally, I don't have a need some day to cash in my pennies and throw a big party. My desire is for my children to grow up with a healthy view of money and to some day be the beneficiary of my assets such that their lives are not filled with uncertainty about money. For me, other than instilling a loving and caring character within my children, would be one of the most wonderful legacies I could leave to my family.
However, today I would like to talk about a finance issue that has been on my mind.
The Personal Savings Rate has been in the news quite frequently lately due to its historic low. The PSR is actually negative at the moment. We are spending more than 100% of our monthly after-tax income. Some economists have attributed this to the fact that many people have been relying on their increasing home value as a means of claiming that their net worth is climbing in spite of not actually putting aside a portion of their income into savings. Now, however, home values are flattening out and consumers can't necessarily feel good about their financial position if home values continue to decrease.
I am, by nature, an economically conservative person. As a result, I'm not frequently enticed to purchase the latest and greatest gadget. Fortunately, saving money comes very easy to me. I take great joy in seeing my money grow in investments. Watching money grow is MY hobby. There are very few things ( other than watching my child grow ) that gives me more joy than to set aside money for investment purposes. Why? You ask. Well, for me personally, I don't have a need some day to cash in my pennies and throw a big party. My desire is for my children to grow up with a healthy view of money and to some day be the beneficiary of my assets such that their lives are not filled with uncertainty about money. For me, other than instilling a loving and caring character within my children, would be one of the most wonderful legacies I could leave to my family.
Friday, December 1, 2006
Sunday, November 26, 2006
We're expecting again!
It's been a pretty darn good couple of days around the Karas household this holiday weekend. Dayna, Morgan and myself had much to celebrate. Not only did our Aggies and Sooners win this weekend, but it looks like the Karas family will be growing yet again!!!
Yup, Dayna and I are expecting rug rat number two !!!
A couple home pregancy tests revealed the good news and we'll be visiting Dr. Blackstock within the next few days to confirm everything and to establish a due date. This will allow Morgan and the new baby to be only 15 or 16 months apart.
We'll keep you updated. In the meantime, good luck to Texas A&M in the Holiday Bowl in San Diego against The University of California Berkley ( most likely ) and to the Sooners in the Big 12 Championship game and BCS Fiesta Bowl.
Later.
Yup, Dayna and I are expecting rug rat number two !!!
A couple home pregancy tests revealed the good news and we'll be visiting Dr. Blackstock within the next few days to confirm everything and to establish a due date. This will allow Morgan and the new baby to be only 15 or 16 months apart.
We'll keep you updated. In the meantime, good luck to Texas A&M in the Holiday Bowl in San Diego against The University of California Berkley ( most likely ) and to the Sooners in the Big 12 Championship game and BCS Fiesta Bowl.
Later.
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!
Fortunately, Morgan is feeling much better today. She fell ill Tuesday night and we had to cancel our trip to Austin, but after a couple nights of good rest and medication, Morgan is returning back to her perky self.
Fortunately, Morgan is feeling much better today. She fell ill Tuesday night and we had to cancel our trip to Austin, but after a couple nights of good rest and medication, Morgan is returning back to her perky self.
Monday, November 13, 2006
Much to be thankful for...
It's hard to believe Thanksgiving is upon us once again. I truely have much to be thankful for this year. My beautiful daughter, Morgan, is obviously first on the list. And, of course, my loving wife, Dayna, is at the top of the list as well. I've experienced a lot of change over the last five years since I moved to Tulsa. I met Dayna. Settled into a pretty decent job. Got married. Spent some time in Paris. Had a wonderful baby girl and now each day is spent enjoying watching her grow. I'm fortunately in a position where I'm not required to work a lot of overtime right now. I'm able to use my lunch hours to stay fit at the St. Francis Health Zone and I get home at a reasonable time to spend time with my family. What more could a guy ask for.
Monday, November 6, 2006
Texas A&M vs. Nebraska
Once again, I gathered some stats for the upcoming A&M game. This week's opponent is Nebraska at Kyle Field. Hopefully, the outcome will be more positive than last week.
| Texas A&M | Nebraska | |
| Overall Record | 8 - 2 | 7 - 3 |
| Big 12 Record | 4 - 2 | 4 - 2 |
| Offense | ||
| Points Per Game | 34 | 31 |
| Total Yards Per Game ( NR/CR ) | 407 ( 17 / 5 ) | 435 ( 10 / 2 ) |
| Rushing Yards Per Game ( NR/CR ) | 213 ( 8 / 1 ) | 188 ( 17 / 3 ) |
| Passing Yards Per Game ( NR/CR ) | 195 ( 61 / 9 ) | 246 ( 23 / 4 ) |
| Sacks Allowed Per Game ( NR/CR ) | 1.30 ( 21 / 3 ) | 2.00 ( 60 / 8 ) |
| Turnover Margin ( NR/CR ) | .50 ( 30 / 4 ) | .70 ( 20 / 2 ) |
| Third Down Conversion Percentage ( NR ) | 52% ( 6 ) | 48% ( 15 ) |
| Time Of Possession ( NR ) | 33:52 minutes ( 2 ) | 32:45 minutes ( 6 ) |
| Passes Had Intercepted ( NR ) | 3 ( 1 ) | 3 ( 1 ) |
| Defense | ||
| Points Allowed Per Game ( NR/CR ) | 19 ( 37 / 5 ) | 17 ( 30 / 3 ) |
| Total Yards Allowed Per Game ( NR/CR ) | 310 ( 45 / 5 ) | 342 ( 73 / 8 ) |
| Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game ( NR/CR ) | 128 ( 51 / 6 ) | 120 ( 45 / 4 ) |
| Passing Yards Allowed Per Game ( NR/CR ) | 116 ( 44 / 4 ) | 115 ( 40 / 2 ) |
| Sacks Per Game ( NR/CR ) | 1.40 ( 100 / 10 ) | 1.90 ( 67 / 9 ) |
| Tackles For Loss Per Game ( NR/CR ) | 4.40 ( 105 / 12 ) | 6.10 ( 44 / 6 ) |
| Third Down Conversion Percentage ( NR ) | 27% ( 4 ) | 33% ( 27 ) |
| Passes Intercepted ( NR ) | 5 ( 103 ) | 11 ( 32 ) |
| Special Teams | ||
| Net Punting Yards Per Game ( NR/CR ) | 38 ( 16 / 3 ) | 37 ( 22 / 4 ) |
| Punt Returns Yards Per Game ( NR/CR ) | 9 ( 65 / 9 ) | 9 ( 56 / 7 ) |
| Kickoff Return Yards Per Game ( NR/CR ) | 29 ( 2 / 2 ) | 18 ( 104 / 12 ) |
| Key Players | ||
| Stephen McGee (So) | Zac Taylor (Sr) | |
| Mike Goodson (Fr) | Marlon Lucky (So) | |
| Jorvorski Lane (So) | Bradon Jackson (Jr) | |
| Martellus Bennett (So) | Maurice Purify (Jr) | |
| Justin Warren (Sr) | Bo Ruud (Jr) | |
| Chad Shroeder (Sr) | Jay Moore (Sr) | |
| Chris Harrington (Jr) | Terrance Nunn (Jr) | |
| NR = National Rank; CR = Big 12 Conference Rank | ||
Sunday, November 5, 2006
Hopes for the Alamo Bowl...
Well, we knew the game was going to be close and indeed it was. Unfortunately, the good guys just ran out of time. A&M really struggled to stop the OU running game in the first quarter, but made some outstanding defensive adjustments to slow it down in the second, third and fourth quarters. The A&M offense was able to run the ball fairly successfully in the second half, but Stephen McGee really had difficulty finding his receivers during the entire ballgame. Oh well, it was a great game to watch and this loss certainly does not dampen the spirits of the A&M faithful. We've had a super year so far and a win against Nebraska next week would only solidify our hopes for a very good bowl game - most likely the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio against a Big 10 team or the Holiday Bowl against a Pac 10 team.
Game Stats
Game Stats
Friday, November 3, 2006
Big Day For Sports
Tomorrow is a big day for sports. Not only does Texas A&M play Oklahoma in football, but the Breeder's Cup Championship is also tomorrow. Of course, I live in a house divided since Dayna is an OU grad. Tomorrow is the ONLY day of the year I'm allowed to cheer against OU. Being the statistic's freak that I am, I spent some time comparing the two teams. You'll see from the stats below that both programs are almost identical in terms of their stats so far this year.
I'm looking forward to a very entertaining game tomorrow at 7pm CST.
I'm looking forward to a very entertaining game tomorrow at 7pm CST.
| Texas A&M | Oklahoma | |
| Overall Record | 8 - 1 | 6 - 2 |
| Big 12 Record | 4 - 1 | 3 - 1 |
| Offense | ||
| Points Per Game | 33 | 31 |
| Total Yards Per Game ( NR/CR ) | 423 ( 13 / 4 ) | 376 ( 35 / 8 ) |
| Rushing Yards Per Game ( NR/CR ) | 214 ( 8 / 1 ) | 178 ( 23 / 5 ) |
| Passing Yards Per Game ( NR/CR ) | 209 ( 47 / 8 ) | 198 ( 62 / 10 ) |
| Sacks Allowed Per Game ( NR/CR ) | 1.22 ( 17 / 2 ) | 1.38 ( 30 / 5 ) |
| Turnover Margin ( NR/CR ) | .44 ( 35 / 4 ) | .25 ( 44 / 5 ) |
| Third Down Conversion Percentage ( NR ) | 53% ( 6 ) | 39% ( 55 ) |
| Time Of Possession ( NR ) | 34 minutes ( 1 ) | 32 minutes ( 22 ) |
| Passes Had Intercepted ( NR ) | 2 ( 1 ) | 5 ( 13 ) |
| Defense | ||
| Points Allowed Per Game ( NR/CR ) | 19 ( 42 / 5 ) | 15 ( 17 / 1 ) |
| Total Yards Allowed Per Game ( NR/CR ) | 315 ( 52 / 5 ) | 278 ( 19 / 1 ) |
| Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game ( NR/CR ) | 118 ( 42 / 5 ) | 110 ( 31 / 3 ) |
| Passing Yards Allowed Per Game ( NR/CR ) | 119 ( 50 / 5 ) | 106 ( 21 / 1 ) |
| Sacks Per Game ( NR/CR ) | 1.44 ( 95 / 10 ) | 1.25 ( 101 / 11 ) |
| Tackles For Loss Per Game ( NR/CR ) | 4.44 ( 106 / 12 ) | 6.75 ( 27 / 5 ) |
| Third Down Conversion Percentage ( NR ) | 28% ( 6 ) | 32% ( 27 ) |
| Passes Intercepted ( NR ) | 5 ( 98 ) | 10 ( 28 ) |
| Special Teams | ||
| Net Punting Yards Per Game ( NR/CR ) | 38 ( 17 / 2 ) | 36 ( 41 / 6 ) |
| Punt Returns Yards Per Game ( NR/CR ) | 9 ( 53 / 8 ) | 10 ( 38 / 5 ) |
| Kickoff Return Yards Per Game ( NR/CR ) | 30 ( 1 / 1 ) | 23 ( 26 / 6 ) |
| Key Players | ||
| Stephen McGee | Paul Thompson | |
| Mike Goodson | Allen Patrick | |
| Jorvorski Lane | Malcolm Kelly | |
| Martellus Bennett | Juaquin Iglesias | |
| Justin Warren | Rufus Alexander | |
| Chad Shroeder | Zach Latimer | |
| Chris Harrington | Reggie Smith | |
| NR = National Rank; CR = Big 12 Conference Rank | ||
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Morgan's First Halloween
Today was a lot of fun with Morgan. Our office had a trick or treat time from 2 until 5pm today. After spending time at work, we walked Morgan around to a few of our neighbors so they could see her in her bumblebee outfit.
Morgan's First Halloween
Morgan's First Halloween
Friday, October 27, 2006
October Update
It has been a while since I've blogged. Dayna has been encouraging me to get back on the wagon and let everyone know what has been going on in our lives. October has been packed with all kinds of activities. Morgan continues to grow and becomes more beautiful each and everyday. I was just telling a good friend of mine that I don't think I've ever been happier in my life. I'm blessed with a loving wife and an incredibly wonderful young baby girl. Morgan becomes more fun each day. She is truely a joy and a blessing.
Some of the adventures we've experienced during October...
We trimmed Morgan's bangs for the first time
Morgan has four swimming lessons under her belt
Morgan had first visit to the Tulsa Pumpkin Patch
Morgan attended her first Tulsa State Fair
Morgan is on solid baby food now
I attended Texas A&M vs Oklahoma State in Stillwater
My Fantasy Football team is doing very well thanks to Ladanian Tomlinson
Check out all the action on Morgan's Home Page.
Some of the adventures we've experienced during October...
Check out all the action on Morgan's Home Page.
Wednesday, October 4, 2006
Friday, September 8, 2006
Harvest Moon
The last couple days here in Tulsa have been really beautiful. We can feel fall slowly moving this direction. Last night provided us with the brightest moon ( Harvest Moon ) of the year. Check out Moon Phases. Below are a couple shots I got with our camera.
Wednesday, September 6, 2006
John Q Hammons Classic LPGA Golf Tournament
Dayna and I spent labor day at the John Q Hammons Classic LPGA event at Cedar Ridge Country Club here in Tulsa. Overall, I was pretty disappointed with my photos of the event, but below are a couple that I liked. We spent a good bit of time watching Johanna Head from Great Britain.
Sunday, September 3, 2006
Morgan Update
Dayna and I had a super time with Morgan this weekend. Morgan is big enough now to play in her Jumparoo that Grandpa Doug bought for her. She gets a real workout and it's good to help her with leg coordination in preparation for walking in the upcoming months.
Check out Morgan in her Jumparoo
We've also started Morgan on Rice Cereal. After feeding her the bottle, we mix up a little bit of cereal, put her in her high chair that Grandpa and Grandma Karas bought her and gradually let Morgan eat away.
Check out Morgan in her Jumparoo
We've also started Morgan on Rice Cereal. After feeding her the bottle, we mix up a little bit of cereal, put her in her high chair that Grandpa and Grandma Karas bought her and gradually let Morgan eat away.
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Fantasy Football Draft
Well, my priority during the draft was Running Backs. I picked up 4 running backs in the first 7 rounds. I actually would have picked 5 Running Backs in the first 7 rounds, but i just could not pass up Chad Johnson in the second round. Not only do I have a stable of capable Running Backs at my disposal, but I also keep several starting players on my bench away from my competition. I achieved my objective and feel real good about my team this year. I was more careful to pay attention to bye weeks this year and had great success selecting players that fit well into the 16 week schedule.
My team...
QB1 = Jake Plummer ( Denver )-- starter --
QB2 = Byron Leftwich ( Jacksonville )
RB1 = LaDainian Tomlinson ( San Diego )-- starter --
RB2 = Reuben Droughns ( Cleveland )-- starter --
RB3 = Chester Taylor ( Minnesota )
RB4 = Frank Gore ( San Francisco )
RB5 = Chris Brown ( Tennessee )
WR1 = Chad Johnson ( Cincinnati )-- starter --
WR2 = Eddie Kennison ( Kansas City )-- starter --
WR3 = Donte Stallworth ( New Orleans )-- starter --
WR4 = Deion Branch ( New England )
TE1 = Ben Watson ( New England )-- starter --
TE1 = LJ Smith ( Philadelphia )
DEF1 = Ty Law ( New York Jets )-- starter --
DEFENSE = Atlanta Falcons-- starter --
K = Nate Kaeding ( San Diego )-- starter --
My team...
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Wednesday, August 9, 2006
Barbara Ehrenreich
Interesting read from Barbara Ehrenreich. I don't like to sound pessimistic, but employment today is a luxury while you have it. I have been particularly blessed in that I've never been laid off and I've only been a part of one company that went out of business that forced me to look elsewhere. Some folks like to poke fun and call me a miser, but the fact is that corporate America will have little need for me when I hit my 50's. I'm taking every measure necessary now to ensure I'm not in a situation where a reasonably high salary is necessary for me to meet my expenses while I'm in my older years. Living a moderate lifestyle now will pay dividends in the future. There is no need to live extravagantly in these uncertain times.
I absolutely love this quote from her book regarding the mentality of "christian" networking groups...
The Lord "is always busily micromanaging every career and personal move: advising which jobs to pursue, even causing important emails to be sent."
Having been caught up in such "christian" social circles in my past life in Austin, I can relate all too well with the above quote and how destructive it can be to one who is constantly floundering around "waiting" for God to tell them what to do.
Sorry for the diatribe, but this book struck a cord with me.
I absolutely love this quote from her book regarding the mentality of "christian" networking groups...
The Lord "is always busily micromanaging every career and personal move: advising which jobs to pursue, even causing important emails to be sent."
Having been caught up in such "christian" social circles in my past life in Austin, I can relate all too well with the above quote and how destructive it can be to one who is constantly floundering around "waiting" for God to tell them what to do.
Sorry for the diatribe, but this book struck a cord with me.
Monday, August 7, 2006
Wednesday, August 2, 2006
Porches
This is a fascinating piece on porches. This story hits home with me because Morgan and I have made it a tradition to spend quality time on our front-porch every evening after I feed her at 7pm. It's a very special time for us as we watch the other neighborhood kids play and the cars drive by. Morgan particularly enjoys listening to the birds and feeling the breeze in her hair.
I really do believe that front-porches can build a sense of community. Spending time in our backyards with high privacy fences seems to inhibit our interaction with the outside world. Experiencing random passers-by encourages all of us to say "hello" and interact in a healthy way with other folks who may be out enjoying the evening.
I really do believe that front-porches can build a sense of community. Spending time in our backyards with high privacy fences seems to inhibit our interaction with the outside world. Experiencing random passers-by encourages all of us to say "hello" and interact in a healthy way with other folks who may be out enjoying the evening.
Monday, July 31, 2006
Fantasy Football
Fantasy Football is quickly approaching. Once again, every able bodied person with a minimal amount of grey matter between their ears will be chiming in with their theories on sleepers and must-have picks in your drafts. I am, of course, no exception.
Over the next several weeks and months I will be spewing out plenty of prognistications on the upcoming season. Don't tell anyone, but right now Chester Taylor ( now with the Minnesota Vikings ) is my "hot" pick of the week.
I had Mr. Taylor late in the season last year and was pleased with his productivity in spite of him not being a starter in Baltimore. This year, Chester is projected as the starter at Minnesota.
Look for Scott's Fantasy Central web page in the next few weeks with all kinds of useless information to waste your precious time reading and ignoring all at the same time.
Over the next several weeks and months I will be spewing out plenty of prognistications on the upcoming season. Don't tell anyone, but right now Chester Taylor ( now with the Minnesota Vikings ) is my "hot" pick of the week.
I had Mr. Taylor late in the season last year and was pleased with his productivity in spite of him not being a starter in Baltimore. This year, Chester is projected as the starter at Minnesota.
Look for Scott's Fantasy Central web page in the next few weeks with all kinds of useless information to waste your precious time reading and ignoring all at the same time.
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Morgan's First Movie - Cars
Dayna and I wanted to see Cars this weekend so we got brave and took Morgan to the movie with us. We weren't sure what to expect from Morgan and whether or not we'd need to leave the theatre under the disapproval of the other movie goers.
Morgan was absolutely perfect. we even positioned her car seat in such a way so she could see the movie. She was very intriqued and actually was glued to the screen for the entire move except for about 30 minutes of nap time. Dayna even fed Morgan her scheduled bottle while in the movie. Overall, the entire experience was just wonderful. Morgan is the most easy going baby I think I've ever been around. She goes with the flow so well and almost never cries.
By the way, the movie was great. I would highly recommend it to anyone.
Morgan was absolutely perfect. we even positioned her car seat in such a way so she could see the movie. She was very intriqued and actually was glued to the screen for the entire move except for about 30 minutes of nap time. Dayna even fed Morgan her scheduled bottle while in the movie. Overall, the entire experience was just wonderful. Morgan is the most easy going baby I think I've ever been around. She goes with the flow so well and almost never cries.
By the way, the movie was great. I would highly recommend it to anyone.
Saturday, July 15, 2006
Inflamed Eye
Today was an eventful day. As we were leaving for the Per-Se Company Picnic, we were preparing Morgan by spreading some sunblock on her. Unfortunately, while applying it to Morgan's face, a bit of sunblock made it into Morgan's right eye. Not only did Morgan's eye get significantly inflamed, but her little face had a strong reaction to the sunblock as well.
One could almost draw a straight line down her nose to see where the rash was. Half of Morgan's face was very red and rash-like. Being the nervous new parents we are, we contacted the pediatrician's office to see what needed to be done to help the situation. Fortunately, it was nothing serious and a little benadryl seemed to make her feel better and the rash went away in a couple hours.
Whew!!! We survived our first parenting mistake ( I'm sure there will be lots more ).
One could almost draw a straight line down her nose to see where the rash was. Half of Morgan's face was very red and rash-like. Being the nervous new parents we are, we contacted the pediatrician's office to see what needed to be done to help the situation. Fortunately, it was nothing serious and a little benadryl seemed to make her feel better and the rash went away in a couple hours.
Whew!!! We survived our first parenting mistake ( I'm sure there will be lots more ).
Sunday, July 9, 2006
Altering photos with Photoshop
I've obviously developed a real love for photography over this last month. As I learn more each day, I find myself gravitating toward a purist view of this art form. In other words, at this time, I do not alter my photos with Photoshop. The only thing I use Photoshop for is to resize the images for my web pages. I have not even used the software to modify the brightness and contrast of my pictures. Sharpening photos using Photoshop is used by a lot of folks and there is simply nothing wrong with that. Many folks are very good with image software and can make their pictures look eye-popping using these tools. Maybe someday in the future I will become more advanced with Photoshop and begin experimenting more heavily with altering my photos. However, at this time, I'm very much in the learning process and want to focus my attention on creating pictures with the proper exposure levels using the camera and my skills rather than fixing the photos after the fact with software. I do a lot of comparing my shots with other folks in order continue to learn. A great resource for me has been the pBase ( Photography Database ) Website.
Thursday, July 6, 2006
Telephoto Lens
Ah, the joys of a telephoto lens. I decided on the Canon EF 100-300mm lens and received it in the mail yesterday. Of course, I've had to take a picture of just about everything with the lens. My primary objective is to capture sporting events and nature/wildlife photos. I'm obviously in the early stages of learning how to shoot these types of shots, so don't be too impressed with my amateur photos here. I promise to get better as I spend more time practicing with the SLR and lenses.
Check out the latest telephoto shots in the Gallery
Check out the latest telephoto shots in the Gallery
Monday, July 3, 2006
I've been bitten by the photography bug...
Unfortunately, I've been bitten by the photography bug and I seem to find new ways to spend money on what can be an expensive hobby if one is not careful. However, after this weekend I have convinced myself of the value of a telephoto lens. You can see in the Gallery that I caught some pictures of a butterfly. The pictures are just ok in my opinion. You can clearly see I was unable to get close enough to get a real closeup. My 18-55mm lens is just not powerful enough to get those extreme closeup shots. I have a real desire to capture shots of wildlife and sporting events. To do this, I'm going to need at least a 200mm lens. I've started the research and have narrowed the candidates down to three affordable options...
Sigma AF 100-300mm f/4.5-6.7 DL
Tamron 100-300mm Lens
Canon EF 100-300mm
Sigma AF 100-300mm f/4.5-6.7 DL
Tamron 100-300mm Lens
Canon EF 100-300mm
Sunday, July 2, 2006
Fourth Of July Weekend
Dayna and I have had a lot of fun with Morgan on her first Fourth of July weekend. Dayna bought Morgan a small swimming pool we filled up this afternoon. Morgan loved the water and had no problems with water splashed on her face. When she turns six months we have arranged for swimming lessons ( water babies ) at the HealthZone. This will be her first of 6 courses she'll go through as a small child and then we'll look at more advanced classes for her. I hope you find the pictures as fun to look at as they were to take. Have a great 4th.
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Depth-of-Field
I did a small study in Depth-of-Field with my new camera. By changing the emphasis on one of the objects in these pictures, the other two objects go out of focus. The object on the left is in focus in the first picture. The object in the middle is in focus in the second picture and the object on the right is in focus in the last picture.
Pretty simple little test, but fun to do. Notice the camera even picked up the dust on the chess board in the lower left corner in the second picture.
Pretty simple little test, but fun to do. Notice the camera even picked up the dust on the chess board in the lower left corner in the second picture.
Saturday, June 24, 2006
Morgan Movies
This week has been very busy at work so I didn't have a lot of blog time, but today Dayna and I had some downtime to really enjoy Morgan. I've added some new pictures to the Morgan Page and took some time to catch some video of her. I really like this picture of Morgan and Dayna. We'll be producing a quality video from the original tape, but for now I've added a few links to short clips we caught through the TV. It was quite a nice surprise to catch Morgan's first real unexpected squeal on video. Enjoy!!!
Morgan's First Surprise Squeal
Cooing
More Cooing
Morgan's First Surprise Squeal
Cooing
More Cooing
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Tulsa Sunset
We had a really nice rain this evening and the sunset was phenomenal. I need to photoshop the powerlines out of one of these shots, but I thought they were worth posting here regardless. Enjoy.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
I'm a realist...
This is a good article but, contains bad news. I like to consider myself a "realist" and not a "pessimist", but I seem to be harping a lot on this savings/investing thing. I'm really concerned. I'm just not convinced that the government can just leave it completely up to people to diligently save/invest. I think the old pension plans were good for our country in many ways and I really think there is a sizeable number of households that need this taken care of for them. I don't think it's realistic to expect the vast majority of our population to have the savvy to invest wisely on their own. I certainly hope I'm wrong and we don't see a crisis in the future of substantial numbers of elderly people unable to take care of themselves financially.
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Images For The Gallery
Dayna, Morgan and I had a really fun evening. We had dinner at Bourbon Street Restaurant on Cherry Street and then made our way around town a bit to practice with our new camera. I actually shot the majority of pictures on Manual Mode tonight to continue to get better with taking pictures. This was by far the best picture taking journey we've had so far. I hope you enjoy these images.
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