Birthday music…
Part of my birthday gift from wonderful wife was an iTunes card. Timely, as I have been wanting to get this album - Salvation Station from New World Son. Down home Christian Blues Funk, baby… Cool stuff.
Check out the video for “Working Man” on youtube, and their website: http://www.newworldson.com
Last Monday of the summer with God’s children…
Monday was the last day of the summer “Fiesta” and the backpack giveaway. Enjoy the photos of some of the kids! Read the rest of this entry »
My American Girl
You’re turning five and are asked “What do you want to do for your birthday?” Most kids want a rowdy party with about 200 of their closest friends. My baby wants to go shopping at the “American Girl Store” which happens to be up in Dallas… so off we went! Read the rest of this entry »
Not many people can say that after 20 years and 4 kids…
The old man and his child bride… (photo by Noah!)
My wife still fits in her wedding gown. Twenty years and four kids later. Frankly, she’s in better shape now than then, and has gotten younger. I on the other hand am not aging so gracefully. I was downstairs last night after Suzie and I got back from our “Anniversary Date” (a terrific fresh seafood dinner @ McCormick & Schmick’s) when I heard the girls giggling, and low & behold they had dug Suzie’s wedding gown out of my closet. It seems Emma was asking about anniversaries and getting married… so we had a great time with the gown Read the rest of this entry »
Monday’s children of God…
Last night was the last evening of the summer for Fiesta. Next week there will likely be many more of the congregation there, as it’s a “coin in metal plate service event” when we distribute backpacks for school. Those folks have no idea what they have missed this summer and the past few - these kids are such a blessing to us - yes, we help them, but the return is so much greater. There are kids every year that you get to know, and expect to see there. Sweet little blessings. These are some photos from last night, including “JD the Condiment Ninja.” Oh yes, it was HOT, but this is Texas, right?
She said “I do.”
Twenty years ago tomorrow, on 8/6/88, she said “I do.”
Read the rest of this entry »
Mo ‘08
We just returned from “Mo Ranch” - the annual family camp trip with the Church… This is the second year for us - I posted about Mo last year as well. This year we knew what to expect, and even though we still aren’t alumni of the college du clique, we had fun in spite of it! The kids all had a blast. It was fun just hanging with my gorgeous bride and our kiddos in the river and at the pool. Suzie is really amazing. It was a good time to get to know some good folks better (Monica…!) and to strengthen some friendships. It was also a great time for me to contemplate the blessings I have in my family. A beautiful, thoughtful and generous wife, four healthy kids each with their own gifts and strengths, and my own health.
I am VERY proud of my older kids for being their own people, making good judgments on how to behave acceptably and not following the poor examples (like lemmings off of a bridge, for one) of the leaderless hive mind of the majority of the current crop of teenagers.
In addition to the following pics, I took some short videos, including singing at the late night chapel service, and Han and her friends hamming it up… (all of the videos and other non-Mo are at my youtube, here.)
Here are a few selected images. Enjoy!
Art is what you make it, not what you take it with…
This image and the one in the previous post were made with my phone. I get so tired of hearing people talk about their Canon X15 or their Nikon N10K. It has been argued quite well that once digicams went over 4MP it’s more about compression than quality. My point is that gear doesn’t make a hack in to an artist. The latest 40 gigapixel body won’t make anyone a photographer, but will empty many poseur’s wallets. Of course, the consumer rags don’t help - nearly every photo magazine is 90% marketing new and “better” equipment. I’ve stopped buying them for that very reason.
So what am I trying to get at here? Stop worrying about what camera you have. Be concerned with your art, not the endless parade of gadgetry and marketing… A cell phone camera has capabilities only limited by your creativity. Focus on making a more pleasing image rather than thinking the next piece of gear will make your work better.
The most important piece of photographic equipment…
Has nothing to do with your camera. More later, but THINK about it.
More thoughts on Music…
Most of the postings here might tell you I like my music loud, hard, and christian. That’s true for the most part. That said, I have pretty wide and eclectic tastes - check out the past video playlist post for some cool stuff.
I also enjoy what I would call Christian Electronica/Dance. I enjoy Redsavior (now gone,) and some other indy groups and tracks from the genre, and likely the most accepted purveyor of the positive beat, Andy Hunter. Who is Andy Hunter? Read the rest of this entry »
Needed a new profile photo for facebook…
gimp is your friend,
photoshop is a lie.
make your one phone call to adobe.
download gimp,
learn new magic tricks…
Another Monday with God’s Children
This week it was HOT. It was also cool to see some friends out this week - check out my buddy Kobe above - he was the cookie man this week. Noah was chipboy again, and Han, well, she and her budz were the Condiment Princesses again.
As usual, the neighborhood children were there en masse, and had fun, food and fellowship. These kids are the reason we go out there. Enjoy this week’s pictures. Read the rest of this entry »
Downtown
Downtown! I remember the song from “Little Shop of Horrors,” a favorite movie of mine… (YOU’LL be a DEN-tist!) but the song was originally from Petula Clark in 1965.
“You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares and go Downtown… ”
We did just that a couple weeks ago. Suzie had read about this new fountain installation at Butler Park in downtown Austin - it’s one of those “in-ground with L.E.D. lights” fountains for kids to play in - supposedly there are 25 sequences of light and water, changing every 15 minutes. Read the rest of this entry »
The best pics from Saturday…
The guy with the camera is telling you something, Ma’am…
Took a couple hundred pictures while out with the family… no need to add much text. They speak for themselves. Read the rest of this entry »
Some pics from Saturday…
We were at the capitol this weekend, took some shots of a very over photographed capitol dome, hopefully they’re interesting… I enjoy the flow and feel of the concentric arcs and the atypical non-straight up shot… the geometry of the architecture lends itself so well to various interpretations…fun fun. Read the rest of this entry »
Exploring Austin: Mount Bonnell and Mayfield Park
We’ve lived here almost four years, and decided to hunt for some new cool stuff recently. Suzie found the urban “hike” to one of the highest points in town recently and a couple weekends ago we decided to try it. Mount Bonnell is not really a hike as much as it’s a long set of stairs, but it is a cool vista at the top. We found a geocache on the hill, and enjoyed the view. Read the rest of this entry »
Another week of Fiesta!
This past Monday we did the usual and headed over to NACC to help out. The “craft” this week was soccer balls for the kids. I think we barely avoided a food riot when distributing them. The kids REALLY liked them. It gives you a dose of perspective seeing how excited and crazy these kids get over a five dollar soccer ball. We take so much for granted.
I had a great time focusing on Emmy this week. She takes her cookie distribution job VERY seriously. I’m so proud of all of my family…
It’s how you live.
I never thought I would post Point of Grace lyrics…but you know, these are so very TRUE… Suzie listens to this often as POG is her long favorite group. I was pondering it the other day, and she actually also really lives this song, and I can learn from that. I pray that we’re teaching our kids that what you have and who you might know really don’t matter in life.
This has come to the forefront lately with two kids in High School, and ironically shows most where we worship.
The kids (and we) often get what I call the “Purple party line” about attending a particular private Christian University that, outside of our Church and subsequently outside of Texas is one of many small, decent but average private schools, and the expected path of education for kids in the youth group. Every fall, like 18 year old preprogrammed purple lemmings, Read the rest of this entry »
FIESTA 08!
It’s the time of year where we spend Monday evenings out serving meals, doing crafts and teaching Bible stories with people from our Church in a “less fortunate” area of town. I’ve written about it before - we love to spend time here - the kids enjoy it, and it’s such a great experience for them to see, help and serve. We have done this same thing for three years during the summer now, and look forward to it starting every spring.
Brothers…
Last night I took some snapshots to share. Seeing so many happy kids does good for the heart. Seeing your own kids being happy and accepting with those kids or better yet, serving those kids is amazing. Every once in a while I can look at my children and KNOW that just for that second, their behavior is proof that for some brief period, I’ve been a successful parent. Of course, I also realize that it’s really Suzie that is the successful parent, and I’ve learned soooo much from her.
That said, here are some photos from last night! Read the rest of this entry »
Feeling old…
A childhood friend just adopted a newborn girl. I think that is so cool. In an email, he said he sort of felt old… as I had said about having a 16 year old.
That said, I thnk I figured out the formula!
I believe that you’re only as old as the father of your youngest child… and when the time comes, only as old as your youngest grandchild. 
July 4, 08: Hangin’ wit’ pyros, eating Kobe beef, swimming!
We spent a nice evening with friends on the 4th… Fireworks you can purchase here are certainly different than anywhere else we’ve lived. The pyrotechnics started off with three-foot-long sparklers, and had lots of firecrackers and artillery shells… we of course had to start braiding artillery shell fuses and had a fun time. The big booms and shells went off without a hitch, but unfortunately some of the little fireworks caused some owies. The food (more fans of my bride’s awesome potato salad, and Nate, thanks for introducing me to Kobe beef! Wow!), swimming, friends and fun made for one of the best 4th of July’s in memory. Some times you find people that you just click with on a lot of levels, and life is good, just hanging.
Nate, to your comment, “Same time next year?” - You’re on, buddy!
Some videos on the ipod…
I was looking around and found some classic videos that I added to the ipod this weekend… I guess once a kid of the 70’s, always a kid of the 70’s! Johnny Sokko, Johnny Quest, Space Ghost, Wile E Coyote and Roadrunner, Lost in Space, more things to torment, er, share with my kids! Fun stuff…
FBA - “Family Bible Adventure!”
Last night we finished our annual four night Vacation Bible School event at church. The theme was “Rescued” and as usual, it was over the top, complete with a firefighter (a real one, thanks Heath!) rescuing a damsel (and Josh) from a three story collapsing building every night. Suzie led the preschool wing - about sixty-five kids under the age of four! Truman and Scott… and Adam, and… hamming it up in skits, and Cap’n Kevo leading worship. Tons of work, and a great time for the kids! Here are a few photos. Read the rest of this entry »
A new entry page…
I spent a sleepless night rolling around last night for a hundred different reasons, and at some point after the wicked headache set in that has yet to leave, I was trying to just relax, and thought to myself, “if I were an inanimate object, what would I be?”
Which led me to a new entry page for the www.gusstrand.com domain. Why would I be a titanium spork? Well, lots of reasons that I will leave to you to speculate upon, but the form, function and material all have significance. Go figure.
Light the Night begins again…
Han is the chairperson for the Light the Night Friends and Family teams this year… Go get ‘em girl! I’ve noticed a few hits to this site looking for the Team Pink LTN website.
You’re close… Go here: www.ltnteampink.com
Random thoughts and an evening on the lake.
OK, I finally created a website for something I have wanted to write about for a long time, Customer Service. You can find it here. We’ll see how it goes. In looking at the stats for this site, the most visited section by far is the spot where I have photographed and written a paragraph or two about pocket knives. Go figure. I guess that’s a niche. Not going to be much new writing there, as I caught up with the things worth writing about, and don’t foresee getting any new additions to the realm. If anything, more will be moving to ebay soon.
We spent an evening with some friends a couple weeks ago… out on their boat, chowing some burgers, etc. here are some pics of a great time! Thanks Nate and Gretchen!
Judo TV
I’m excitedly anticipating the Olympics… I hope they cover Judo on the broadcast channels!
In the mean time, a cool link: http://www.superjudo.tv/
Unfortunate fortune in Oklahoma
We spent memorial day weekend on a quick trip to Apache Oklahoma to visit with my wonderful bride’s relatives and attend the memorial service for her Grandmother. I was contemplating what to write about this, and realized that there were many, many good things that came of this trip. Read the rest of this entry »
Rockin’ with the kiddos!
Han, KJ-52 and Noah…
I took the older kids to a concert the other night - Starlit Platoon (we missed them, for the most part. I don’t think they did more than a three song set…) Britt Nicole, KJ, Disciple and Superchick… It was a varied enough playbill that there was something for everyone!
Han loves Britt Nicole, and she put on a short but nice show. I love watching my princess enjoying her music. We all enjoy KJ-52 (and as the picture above shows, Read the rest of this entry »
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networking
