John LeJeune dot COM

Silent Windchime

2012-01-12T14:33:00.000-05:00

On days like today, when the wind is just right, I could watch this for hours.

New Twitter Embed Code

2011-12-09T12:41:00.000-05:00

Just Installed a new Twitter Widget on the right hand sidebar. Now I'm awaiting an upgrade to my twitter account so that I can capture tweets and embed them with web actions such as; Reply, Retweet and Favorite, right from the embedded code.

Here is a screen shot of an example.

Fly Casting Beauty

2011-12-03T12:32:00.000-05:00

This is an example of the beauty and artistry that comes from a well cast fly line. Nicely done.

Let's Go Out With A Bang!

2011-11-30T12:18:00.000-05:00

Taiko is amazing entertainment. The rhythms, the noise, the discipline, the precision, the strength and the artistry. It will almost bring tears to my eyes to see these things come together in such a dynamic way. I hope we get to see them in the upcoming year. (you can stop at 3:45 unless you understand Japanese.)

Falling Water

2011-11-29T15:55:00.000-05:00

A little over the top High Dynamic Range processing to rescue this image from a very heavy overcast day in Western Pennsylvania a year ago.

Show me a man. . .

2011-11-28T22:49:00.001-05:00

with both feet firmly planted on the ground, and I'll show you a man who can't get his pants off.

ICA Stairwell

2011-11-27T22:10:00.000-05:00

Portrait Results

2011-11-26T09:37:00.000-05:00

I wanted to share some images from the portrait workshop that was held a couple of weeks ago. if you omit people in tuxes and white dresses, I haven't done a lot of outdoor portrature in my lifetime. But I felt pretty comfortable. It's hard to get out and shoot, let alone find an acomplis. I'm glad there were so many willing folks to help out. Special thanks to all the these great looking people for allowing me to show you their portraits.

Free Music

2011-11-25T21:19:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to let folks know that both Amazon and iTunes offer free music on their music download services. I'm sure there are other venues too. While getting a new release of a chart topping top 40 album is not very likely, if you want classical or independent music there are many great pieces to be had. I always stock up on holiday music this time of year. Some very classic some just very quirky. You just have to filter out the "noise." Currently Amazon has four classical samplers and four jazz samplers that are wonderful and they are free. I also downloaded a house/electronica/dance sample album to add to the mix. This is a great way to to expand the artists you get to listen to and also find new up and coming artists. Just search "free music" or Sampler in the respective stores and you'll find lots of music to download. Another tip is just sort from prices lowest to highest in a music selection and the $0.00 priced music will come to the top. Happy Listening!

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T11:02:00.000-05:00

View from The Inn At Thorn Hill

Permalinks are working again!

2011-11-23T06:29:00.001-05:00

Thanks to John at Loghound for getting Google to make the fix so quickly.

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John LeJeune

Glassintooncam

2011-11-23T04:53:00.000-05:00

Still A Bit Frustrated

2011-11-22T18:05:00.001-05:00

Seems changes to Blogger have affected my blogging template. This time permalinks take the user to a page with the correct UI but the content of the page is empty. You do get the "Next Page" link that will actually take you to the Blog homepage where the newest post will be up top. So if you reach my blog via a feed reader beware that you'll go to a blank page. Let's hope this issue can be fixed. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Hope everyone's Thanksgiving preparation is productive and fun. Stay safe if you are traveling and remember that the journey can be just as interesting as the destination.

Blue in Newbury

2011-11-21T10:05:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to share some iPhonegraphy taken yesterday morning as the sun rose on Plum Island. Mary and I were fortunate enough to be able to go on an overnight to a beautiful inn called Blue. We had the penthouse that overlooks the beach and the wildlife refuge. We felt like we were miles away nestled in a sublime oasis. Too short but very reinvigorating. Thanks Kim and Jim.

Blogger Comments Win!

2011-11-20T21:18:00.000-05:00

After trying to chase down issues with Echo and reviewing my options it became apparent that Using Blogger's comment engine is the way to go. Echo who bought Haloscan, my original comment engine wants to increase the annual fee four fold. Blogger's offering is more to my liking - FREE. There are several options for logging into the comments, even anonymously. Comment at will!

Attic Journals

2011-11-19T09:36:00.000-05:00

This is a great holiday gift idea that is fun and also says a lot about how you care about the world around you. Attic Journals takes old books destined for the dumpster and repurposes them. Spines are carefully removed and paper is recycled. The front and back covers are then reused and wire bound into blank journals using at least 75 blank pages of twenty four pound paper stock. Each journal is unique and sometimes a bit quirky. You'll find lots of interesting old covers some abstract some very graphic. A great Idea for someone on your holiday shopping list. Go over and take a look at the different sizes and other items they have for sale.

kindle fire

2011-11-18T17:00:00.000-05:00

Well I did intend to write something yesterday. Unfortunately now you and I now know there is a limitation with the kindle fire browser (Amazon Silk) not allowing one to use the body field in Google Blogger's web interface. >>>Tangent Warning<<< Sorry folks this is going to get a bit geeky. Some of you may know that I have a blogger account that mirrors this here blog. I use a product called RapidBlog that allows me to post remotely from blogger when I'm not at home. Through some PHP magic when you arrive at this here blog it goes out to the Blogger mirror site and displays the drivel I've posted at the blogger site right here before your very eyes. When I arrive back at the mothership a simple sync sucks said drivel back into the landing bay doors and all is right with the world. Through Google's intricate web of RSS readers, blog interfaces and other doodads, if you follow a fellow Blogger account holder you never leave the Google playpen. Those folks that noticed my blogger account are usually Blogger account holders themselves and have innocently posted comments over there and are probably befuddled that I don't respond or notice. Truth is I don't notice because I have another comment engine from Echo that lives within the native (non Blogger) blog. (no the tangent is not over yet) sooo, recently I turned off the comments over at Blogger in hopes that all you kind folks can all comment in the same place. And when I say all you kind folks, the two of you should know who you are ;-) Lemme know via these comments if this is making any sense. >>>Tangent Over<<<

Remember I said kindle fire? Yeah I was able to purchase one with some American Express Rewards points and it arrived yesterday. It immediately started doing it's excellent job of sucking all the time out of my day. Last night right before I managed to run the first battery cycle down to zero, I remembered I had not posted anything to this here blog. If you know anything about the warm comfyness of a Tempur-Pedic, you know that once you have settled down into the loveliness that is memory foam you don't want to ruin the buzz. There I was bathed in said memory foam with a shiny new tablet balanced on my belly connected to the inter tubes and I thought, well well well, I can post from this here kindle-ma-gig and fulfill my November blogging duties without having to don my fuzzy slippers. I got as far as the title and then technology flipped me the bird. So in the end you got a title and I got a post and we both didn't have to expend a lot of effort.

What are my impressions of this time sucking device? I like it. I like the size - a lot! It is half the size of an iPad. It gets me to my email and the web. It's definitely a machine that encourages consumption and is a great go between device. Amazon definitely knows how to sell content. I would say this is a device for casual computing. For any heavy lifting I'd move to a laptop or desktop immediately. The earlier versions of kindle did nothing for me. I actually like to hold a real book or magazine in my hands when I read recreationally. But I find myself more and more turning to online sources for news, information and convenience. The fact that this is a pretty capable computing device, in my eyes, puts it way above the previous kindle offerings. At $200 I think this device will fulfill a lot of needs. If you want to see a good review of the device and one I personally agree with, head over to The Verge.

Nothing to see here. Move along.

2011-11-17T22:38:00.000-05:00

Past Halfway

2011-11-16T20:39:00.000-05:00

Been immersed in the world of HTML trying to complete some projects for school and friends. It's interesting that very consistently the first steps are the hardest. Once the journey has started inertia takes over and fills the time and brings you to conclusion. Then there are tweaks and bugs to look after. I enjoy handling the entire process from Internet service provider to designer, photographer, developer then quality engineer. Not rocket science but nice to have the skills to own all the steps. There are always challenges in my weaker areas but working those new muscles develops strength.

Tomorrow I will enter the world of Android when a Kindle Fire will be in my possession. I look forward to comparing it to the iPad. Amazon certainly has made this devise very focused on buying consumable media. After you have connected to the internet.: Step one - register device. Step two - set up payment method. At lea$t they are not ambiguou$ about what it'$ purpose i$.

Good Bye Old Friend

2011-11-15T23:06:00.000-05:00

You've served me well. Time for a replacement.

For All The Space Cadets

2011-11-14T13:58:00.000-05:00

Earth | Time Lapse View from Space, Fly Over | NASA, ISS from Michael König on Vimeo.

Quote For The Month

2011-11-13T19:39:00.000-05:00

"Writing is easy. You only need to stare at a piece of blank paper until your forehead bleeds."

Douglas Adams via Gene Fowler

Cape Ann Photography Excursions

2011-11-12T22:29:00.000-05:00

No pressure at all. . .

Today I participated in my first Meetup event with Cape Ann Photography Excursions (CAPE). It was Portrait day and most people were behind and in front of the camera. Lots of nice people and loads of fun working with everyone making portraits and helping out. Pretty simple and effective lighting using diffused sunlight, fill reflectors and catch light with on camera flash. Members will use the photo's for profile pictures in paces like Facebook, Linkedin and other sites looking for a likeness of their members. You can go to the site and check out all the wonderful images the club members have produced.

Support Matinicus Island Post Office

2011-11-11T22:07:00.000-05:00

This holiday season if you are sending out holiday cards please consider purchasing your postage stamps at the Matinicus Island Post Office. Matinicus Island is over twenty miles out to sea off the coast of Maine. Although you don't have to go there yourself to purchase stamps you can purchase them free of shipping and handling charges. There are self addressed order forms that go through the postal system at no cost to you. The postmaster Wanda, will be glad to fill your order. Why is this important? The post office on a remote island is one of it's physical connections to the mainland. In order to maintain it's presence it needs to show sufficient sales to justify it's existence. External sales help make that happen. For the last eight years we buy as much postage as we can from Matinicus. Not only holiday postage but our year round postage. If you'd like more information on how to do this here's a link.

Today some fun from Simon's Cat

2011-11-10T09:31:00.001-05:00