The day before my birthday...

We had our monthly TOUR birthday cake at our weekly production meeting.

After work, Mary & Tally picked me up to go to the beach at Mickler's Landing. It was Tally's first time seeing the sand & ocean. She LOVED it!!! She was prancing all over the place & was particularly intrigued by sea foam, even though it made her sneeze.

Even though Tally LOVED the long drive...she was a liitle freaked out being in the apartment. Once she saw the memory foam bed we brought for her, she settled in, slept thru the night, & as usual, didn't want to get up in the morning.

Tally's Excellent Adventure!

Tally decided she'd like nothing more than to spend my birthday week in Ponte Vedra Beach. Here we are in our driveway in Weston.

The 5 1/2 hour drive started with Tally in the backseat.

Mary drove the first shift.

Tally visits her first rest area.

After the first rest stop, Tally insisted on her favorite spot...the front passenger seat, for the rest of the trip. Mary sat in the back, then I took the back seat after the next stop.

Doral

Chris pretends to be a combat photographer, when in fact, he's only shooting golf!

Viet Garden...Yum!!!

We're in Orlando for PMA. We always try to fit as many meals as possible at our favorite Vietnamese restaurant, Viet Garden. Here's #47, BUN THIT NUONG CHA GIO (Rice Vermicelli with Grilled Pork & Spring Rolls). It's the BEST!!!

Everglades National Park

Today Mary & I took a quick trip to the Anhinga Trail at Everglades National Park with Roy, Lois, & Maddie. There were tons of gators, birds, and photographers. I got a cool shot of an double-crested comorant catching a fish...it reminds me of a bear catching salmon.

the Jani-Queen

Today I had to shoot some green-screen stills of Michael Waltrip & Terry Bradshaw when they were here to film a commercial for one the TOUR's new sponsors, Jani-King. Apparently I was on the news, but I didn't see it.

scouting & camera testing

Today Stan, Chris, & I had to scout locations for a project at the TPC at Sawgrass. We also tested some problem cameras & lenses.
I got to demonstrate what it would look like if Jimmy Connors won a golf tournament.

Stan finds his hand particularly photogenic!

Chris displays the form he'd like to see when a player wins a PGA TOUR event. Isn't that how it always is???

You'd never know from this photo that I don't start my golf lessons until February 25th! Look at that championship form! You should have seen Stan flinch when my ball whizzed by his head!

brrrrrrrrrr!!!!!

There was frost on my windshield this morning! Is this really Florida?!?

spell check!

Appalled with all of the spelling errors on the sign at the Homestead, Evanne takes it upon herself to make things right!

ahhh...spa!!!

today my mom (who's visiting from frozen NY) & I went to the Spa at the Marriott Sawgrass for some much needed spa treatments. It was really nice!

the relaxation room.

location scouting

Today Evanne & I went to scout a location overlooking the 17th green for a portrait I have to shoot tomorrow. I was pretty jazzed when I saw that the TV platforms for the PLAYERS Championship were already in place.

Camping with the Paskows

view of sunrise/fog from the cabin.

I teach Maddie the finer points of shadow puppetry. I happen to be an expert. Click here for proof.

Mary shoots her toasted marshmallow.

When we got to Jonathan Dickinson State Park, we noticed it was on fire!

Roy (an Eagle Scout) gives Michelle some tent pitching tips.

Mary, Lois, & Maddie powerwalk to the playground.

Maddie swings!

glowing pinecone

my new "corporate" life...immortalized in Dilbert!

Scorpion Sanctuary! (aka Sawgrass Village)

While walking down the hallway, I happened to glance up at the bulletin board. I saw something that I never noticed in my first 104 days at work (maybe because it was posted above my head). It was "Little Buddy" & "Big Papa". When I enquired about our office pets, Rob was kind enough to introduce me to "Frisky Boy". He (Frisky) was taped to the window after suffering an untimely death. Apparently, he ran up Rob's pant leg! Jeez...you would have thought this would have been disclosed during my job interview!

a ton of cake...literally!!!

Once a month the TOUR provides a birthday cake for each building. We have ours in lieu of "snack time" at our weekly production meeting. The cake was so heavy that I put it on the postal scale right before the meeting. It weighed 8 lbs!!! I didn't think to take a picture of it then, so I snapped one after we ate it 1.3 lbs of it.

Scared of Santa!

Holiday PetFest at Jax Beach

click here for more pix