About my photography class

On Saturday I officially knocked another off of my list.  Karyn and I drove up to Pittsburgh on Friday evening and stayed with our good friends Justin and Carrie.  On Saturday morning I left to head down to the studio the class was being held in.  After a quick introduction from John and David we started learning about our cameras. I quickly learned how little I know about photography, and about my camera.  To sum up what I knew before the class was how to turn my camera on.

I don’t want to bore anyone too much with the details of what we went over but I will share with you the trinity of photography as they described it.  ISO, aperture, and shutter speed.  Put them all together and I found that I can actually take a pretty good picture with our DSLR camera and I don’t even have to use the auto mode. The best part of the class is that I feel like I have the tools to begin to take some really great photos.  Check some of the pictures I took.

Photo Class

Have lunch with Leonard Sweet

Yesterday was a pretty eventful day around here for me.  I posted an open request for Leonard Sweet and shot him the link via twitter.  I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect, but while I was eating lunch I checked my twitter and saw this response:

lensweet @captinchip302 Why don’t you come to my Mountain Advance in Canaan Valley, WV this fall? My treat.

If I said I was happy it would be an understatement.  If you don’t know much/anything about these advances then check them out here.  So this November I’ll not only get a chance to eat lunch with Leonard Sweet, but I’ll also get to spend a weekend with him (and some others).  This is such a great opportunity and I feel very lucky to be able to participate.

I’d like to thank Leonard Sweet for his quick response and his generosity.  I can’t wait to mark this one off my list.

Take a photography class

What I’ve been enjoying the most about my list so far has been the interaction I’ve gotten from so many different people.  Some that I know and some that have just clicked their way over to my site.  I love the feedback and interaction.  My friend Carrie posted a comment last night telling me about a photography class being offered by David Burke and John Craig in Pittsburgh this weekend.  To sweeten the deal all the proceeds from the last three seats they had open are going to Hatti.  So I took the plunge and signed up.

I’m really excited about this because David is the photographer that did Karyn and I’s wedding pictures (for free I might add) and he was amazing.  Karyn and I revisit the photos that he took for us often.  He did an incredible job capturing all the moments of that special day for us.  I want to know more about how to use our DSLR camera, and I’ve read some of David’s how to photo blog, but was still pretty clueless.  I can’t wait to learn more about my camera and flex my creative muscles a bit.

So on Saturday I’m taking a photography class that my friend Carrie tipped me off too.  What are some of the things on my list that you can help me accomplish?  What are some things on your list that you need some help accomplishing?  Let’s do it together, it sounds much more exciting that way.

An open request for Leonard Sweet

Dear Dr. Sweet,

I’ve recently begun a journey to complete a list of thirty things before I turn thirty.  My 29th birthday was Dec 27th 2009 giving me about 11 months to complete my list.  The list ranges from strange things like swim to work to more profound items like be a dad.  As I was creating my list I wrote: Have lunch with _____________ .  My wife filled in “Len Sweet.”  I think she wrote this because after I discovered your Napkin Scribbles I would frequently say things like “Google or Gutenberg” or you “have to listened to this Napkin Scribble?”  So she may have just been annoyed that I was quoting you so often, in any case I thought it would be a perfect fit.  When I learned that you were from West Virginia I was pretty excited (I live in Buckhannon, WV).  Then when I learned that you were a part of the West Virginia United Methodist Annual Conference I was even more excited (I’ve been exploring ministry opportunities within the United Methodist Church).

I wanted to sit down and have lunch with someone who has had a part in forming the way I think.  I’ve come to appreciate your insights about theology and the church, and of course the directions that they are headed.  I love the fact that you are forward thinking but still value the history of The Church.  I like that you’re not so wrapped up in your denomination, or theological camp that you don’t see value outside of your tradition.  These are things that I’m slowly beginning to learn, in part because of you and your influence.

So here’s my request.  Sometime in the next 11 months I would like to have lunch with you.  I’d love to be able to ask questions and gain some insight, however, more than anything I would like to simply share a meal with you.  I live in Buckhannon, WV and I have no idea if you are passing through this area in the next 11 months, if so then allow me treat you to lunch or even welcome you into my home.  If that won’t work then I’d happily travel to meet with you.  Perhaps while you were at Drew or maybe at some point when you’re traveling on the east coast.

Please consider my humble request.  You can respond to me via email christopher.w.bennett at gmail dot com or twitter.com/captinchip302 or via phone/text 304.460.9706

Some other 30 before thirty lists

I thought I’d share some links with you from around the interwebs of different 30 before thirty lists that I’ve come across.  I’m pretty sure they everyone on this list is still working on their lists.  Feel free to add some of your lists and check out some of these lists too.  There are some great adventures to be had in every one of theses lists.  Let’s hear what’s on your list.

http://ncsuz.blogspot.com/2008/07/welcome.html

http://northwestern.news21.com/2009/08/24/30-before-30-list-part-one/

http://sliceofpink.typepad.com/blog/2009/03/thirty-before-thirty.html

http://brightyellowworld.com/30-before-30/

http://www.stratejoy.com/2009/07/30-things-to-do-before-im-30/

http://blog.sweetvenus.org/?p=538

http://marialaitan.com/2009/09/30-before-30/

Some brewing pics

Yesterday I started brewing my beer.  Like I said earlier it’s really only a 2 1/2 gallon batch so if I screw it up I’m not out quite as much.  It took a little longer than I thought, but I’m sure the next time it will go much quicker.  From start to finish the brewing time will be anywhere from 2-3 weeks.  First it will ferment (7-10 days) then I’ll bottle it and prime (carbonate essentially) the beer (7-10 days).  I’ve had a few requests to hang on to a bottle so they can try it, for all those people I’ll say sure, but I take no responsibility for my first batch.  Below are some pictures I snapped with my phone.  For some reason I can’t get pictures from Karyn’s nice camera to load with wordpress.  Anyone have any suggestions?

Steeping the grains

Adding the malt extract

Trying to get the wort to boil

Rapidly chilling the wort in an ice bath

My Ale Pail

You can’t see it here, but this airlock is bubbling

The snowball effect

If you google 30 before thirty you’ll find plenty of blogs and lists from people who are doing or have done the same thing.  I’m not the first to have such an incredible idea.  I’ve been pretty excited about my list and have shared it with just about anyone who will listen.  It’s spawned a bit of a snow ball effect and I love it.  My good friend JJ is in the midst of starting his own list, and I have to admit his sounds much more epic than mine.  It doesn’t help any that he has about 9 years to finish his list and I have about 11 months to finish mine.  The final project has yet to be published, but it will be great, of that I’m certain.  So here’s to all the 30 before thirty’s out there (and maybe even some 40 before forty’s ?) I’d love to hear from you.

Brew my own beer

Tomorrow I plan to knock another off of my list.  I’ve always wanted to brew my own beer and I’ve had all the essentials for a little while now.  So tomorrow after church I’m going to give it a shot.  For my 29th birthday my family went in and got me a brewing kit.  I’m glad to be using the kit considering I was planning on using a bucket that I bought at Wal-Mart.  Along with the kit came ingredients to brew 5 gallons of beer.  Tomorrow though I plan on simply brewing 2 1/2 gallons from ingredients that I had bought before. I’m using a step by step guide from Insturctables.com and you can find it here.  I figure my first time through I’d rather mess up 2 1/2 gallons than 5 gallons.  Wish me luck!

Be a dad

Our beautiful peanut

I’m proud to announce that I get to mark another off of my list.  Currently my wife, Karyn, is about 13 weeks pregnant and she’s due July 21st.  We are both really excited about being parents.  I’ve heard the baby’s heartbeat twice now and each time was amazing.  In the sonogram you can see they’ve identified a head and a rump, so exciting.  You’ll be hearing plenty more updates about this one as time goes on.