Berto

so.good.

Oregon, Montana, or Utah.

Clemson, wow. More turnovers than Arby's. NC State kicker better have a good degree he's working towards.

My wife actually proposed to me with some gangster cufflinks she had custom made for me. So ring shopping we did together. While she knew exactly what she didn't want...she didn't really know or could find what she actually wanted. We went round and round, there was a ring she saw in a picture once she liked, couldn't find it. On night after we had basically said we would have it custom made we found 'it' at Shane Co. I am REALLY glad she picked out her own ring, and rock. She actually got a smaller diamond than I was going to, because she didn't want this mass ring flopping around, she also got some sapphire in it. etc. They way I look at it is she is going to look at that ring every day. It isn't unreasonable to have her pick it out and have it be exactly what she wants. My wife still after 3 yrs just loves it and mentions it all the time. If I were going to propose, knowing what I know now. I'd buy the diamond and I think I heard stores that will set it in a simple band, for the proposal, then come back and have her pick a ring to set it in.

Thats actually a very fair top 10 (coaches poll). I want louisville to come back and get into the playoff somehow. Really bumed they lost yesterday, and I really don't care about the team or the school, just nice to see someone different in top 4. Also, really glad to see Michigan 'is back'. Its not a good rivalry when the team sucks. Washington will flop at some point. TAMU will beat the Vols. I'm not so sure on Bama Vs Arkansas. Could be an upset brewing there

Watching mich st. vs hoosiers - hoosiers are up DVRing clemson vs louisville - game is getting good now. Good ball going on tonight!

Glad you had a good time, and thanks for taking the time to document and share. like what you said about more road behind you than ahead. There is a delicate balance between planning for the future and making smart life choices and enjoying the moment. If anything, sometimes you're lucky just to get to the point/age where you can realize you have more road behind you than ahead. Some folks don't make it that far. Keep on rollin'!

Thanks dudes! Yeah, the website in my sig has my work for sale. The metal prints are a bit salty but sooo worth it (my profit is the same, medium doesn't matter). But in general, people don't buy art, and i've come to terms with that. I am actually considering shutting down the site next year when me fees are due, have only sold one through there. Last month I set up as a guest at a local gallery, and that was ok. In November I plan to market a 2017 Calendar. A little less financial commitment and everyone needs calendars.

I haven't posted a thread in a while. Figured I'd update you guys with some of my recent stuff. Took a short jaunt over to Parke county for some covered bridge action. Also, just getting back from an Iceland trip and ticked off a bucket list item (out of season mind you!), capturing the Aurora Borealis. For some more pics feel free to click on the link in my sig, we hiked on a glacier, in a lava tube, checked out dozens of waterfalls. Totally awesome trip. http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c192/BertoBizkit/Fred%20Miranda%20Forum%20Entries/DSC_1393%20Sanatorium%20Bridge%20Selfie%20-%20web.jpg http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c192/BertoBizkit/Fred%20Miranda%20Forum%20Entries/DSC_1325%20Bridgeton%20Mill%20and%20Bridge%20MW%20-%20web.jpg http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c192/BertoBizkit/Fred%20Miranda%20Forum%20Entries/DSC_1638%20Kirkjufellsfoss%20with%20mountain%205x7%20-%20web.jpg http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c192/BertoBizkit/Fred%20Miranda%20Forum%20Entries/Godafoss%202%20PS%20-%20web.jpg http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c192/BertoBizkit/Fred%20Miranda%20Forum%20Entries/DSC_1564%20Myvatn%20AB%201%20Final%20-%20web.jpg

I miss Jono at the Bethel Advance Auto. OGs wll remember the good old days. Its a very challenging business dynamic. It seems like there is a crazy high density of these auto parts stores. Everyone wants a super knowledgeable guy to be behind the counter but no one wants to pay the part prices to keep him there. With that said I do try to buy some things, especially things I may need warranty on, at the local store. Its nice not to have to deal with shipping stuff back for warranty and having a car down. The oil prices are insane though at most auto parts stores.

Haspin is a dump!

these prices are insane. I was looking at a 30x50 and was at like $35k minimum. Granted i need a bit of dirt work.

Be careful when you start ordering upgraded steering parts. My opinion is they are designed to be a cheap sacrificial component. That way you aren't replacing other things that are PITA. Its not like these have power steering (or does yours) but still.

blow my mind skid plates aren't standard on every atv. Those plastic things don't count.

I get up and am at the dragon shortly after sunrise then drive it several times until 8 or 9am then go elsewhere. Love it.

I have simplisafe as well, and like it pretty well. A bullet points for noteworthy stuff. - The $15 a month monitoring option DOES NOT allow you to get messages on your phone and what not. Its just, hey it triggered, we're calling the police. I have the $25 a month and like it well. You get a phone app which you can arm/disarm with (nice to not have to deal with a stupid added fob). Also I get notifications when the power goes out. So if you have a generator you need to run or sump pump alternative, etc. very helpful (for me). - Their smoke detectors are a bit sketchy. other ppl have issues, I went through 2 of them. - I ended up getting more door sensors rather than the motion sensors. You have 2 settings, home mode and away mode. If you have motion sensors the away mode works just fine. But if you want to be 'safe' while home. I turn the motion sensors off and just leave the entry points on. So i can be in my house and not worry about triggering the motion sensors. - It takes some time to set up. I went through and named each sensor online and what not. But its worth it. I know exactly which entry point is giving me issues when I get the text on my phone. - My keypad is eating batteries like crazy (every 3 months?) and we don't use it. They think it was because i had set it above a light switch. the interference from the wiring in the wall may have caused higher power consumption. I've moved it and am seeing if that fixes it. - Their customer service has been awesome. - I second Anthony on the making sure you get the Verizon card if you are out in BFE. IF you don't they will send you another one, no problem - If you do get simplisafe shoot me a PM I can have them email you a referral code. I think you get 5 or 10% off and I get a free month monitoring.

I've had good luck reaching out to the internet sales managers at dealers in a ~200 mile range. Less BS , and those guys need to sell too.

Depends. Like I said these are two shots blended into one. Most of the photoshop work goes into blending the foreground and the sky. These are actual views/alignments. There is a big divide between astrophotographers and what we call artists. Where they take a foreground and take a sky shot from a different day and post process them together. I plan these shots, and its most of the time I have into taking them. By the time I do all my scouting its not unusual to have over 10 hrs in a shot, by the time I drive to and from it. The shots are adjusted before blending them together. All your basic stuff. brightness, shadows (if needed), maybe the white balance/hue, contrast. With that said I am allowed to enter photography contests that state 'minor photoshopping allowed'. In reality all I am doing is the same thing an In-camera HDR does, but the camera can't handle that big of a dynamic range. There is really no way around it. I do get single image shots when i'm framing my shot at 12000+ ISO but they are so grainy you might as well draw it with crayons.

Its a bit tough all three are two exposure shots. Foregrounds at 800 iso around 5 min and skies are 3200 ISO at 25 sec. Thanks dudes! I had a clear night the other night and I was just too tired to go out after staining my deck. I felt like a terrible person. but yea sleep is at a premium some weeks!

I stayed in Ocracoke a few years back. As stated the Wright Brother's museum is cool, then the light houses. the point of outter banks is to be boring. I walked the beach for 2 hours at one spot and didn't see another person, it was fantastic.

Here are a few more from my most recent batch. I think i'm getting the hang of this! http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c192/BertoBizkit/Fred%20Miranda%20Forum%20Entries/DSC_1032%20BCSP%20West%20Lookout%20Tower%20-%20MW%20edited%20web.jpg http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c192/BertoBizkit/Fred%20Miranda%20Forum%20Entries/DSC_1011%20Bean%20Blossom%20Bridge%20final%20-%20web.jpg http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c192/BertoBizkit/Fred%20Miranda%20Forum%20Entries/DSC_0854%20Cataract%20Falls%20MW%202%20-%20web.jpg http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c192/BertoBizkit/Fred%20Miranda%20Forum%20Entries/Nashville%20Red%20Barn%20MW%20Panorama%208x10%20-%20web.jpg

Menards does.

I could people watch in Times Square for about 5 hrs and still be entertained. That said, the city is filthy and you get tired of having to wait in line for everything. You'll be happy to leave.

Man this is very sad, sorry for your family's loss.

There is plenty to do and its hard to pick what you want to do in one day. Ground Zero is good and worth a few hrs. Natural History museum if you're into that. (full day or 2 day thing). Empire state building? Statue of liberty? Just get on the internetz there is plenty of information. Trip Advisor usually is a good place to start.