POD: Day 344 | 7.25.12

A construction worker walks through the build site of the new 34,000 sq ft Center for Hope located by  the Durham Rescue Mission on Wednesday, July 24, 2012. The Mission received a legacy gift from the estate of Sandra P. Peterson in the amount of $450,000 which will help build a new kitchen, dining area, residential space, classrooms, and office space. According to Project Superintendent Doug Smallen, construction is expected to be completed by the end of December.

POD: Day 246 | 4.17.12

Today has been bittersweet. All of these photos were taken with my D60---the first dslr I ever owned and have not used since last summer. Here's why.

The inevitable happened: I broke my camera. It was a stupid mistake that has happened to countless people; I dropped it. I dropped it while it had a somewhat large lens that snapped off when it hit the concrete and took my camera mount along with it. Today I wrapped it in a gross amount of bubble wrap, placed it like a baby in a box full of packing peanuts and air pockets, used half a roll of tape to secure it and wrote "FRAGILE" at least three times on every surface. It is now en route to Nikon, Inc. in Melville, NY to be repaired and hopefully make its way back to me before internship #2 begins. That's the bitter. 

This is the sweet. I ventured downtown to the opening day of the Cobblestone Farmer's Market where I ran into a handful of wonderful friends. One in particular, Liz Simmons, (a fellow photographer) told me that she had some 35mm reels and a film tank for me that she has been meaning to give to me for over a year now. I followed her back to her car where she handed over a bag with not only those goodies, but also a pristine-condition Ansco Viking camera that uses 120 film. She had no idea I had sent my camera off for repair and had a camera-sized hole in my life at that moment. 

Her kindness and her encouraging words not only made my heart swell, but also lifted the cloud of gloom, improving my day and reinforcing my faith in humanity by like, a million-fold. Thank you, Liz. You are the positive, mystical force that saved the day!

Santa Rides a Harley

A huge roar began outside my home a few minutes ago, my dogs went wild barking at the strange sound, so I went outside to investigate. The loud noise was coming from hundreds of Harley Davidson motorcycles following one another from the Bus. 40 Exit onto Queen Street and into the Baptist Hospital parking lot---all right in front of my house. 


I managed to get a little information from one of the riders---they were participating in the Brenner Children's Hospital Toy Run. All the riders, from Harley Davidson of Greensboro, had donated toys and they *ALL* came to help deliver them to the children who are in the hospital. This is the 14th year of the Toy Run and as I was told by one of the riders, the sound of all the motorcycles brings the children to the windows because "...they know it means that they are about to get toys." 

POD: Day 118