T.I.B.I. Application

Sonny and Haley; Photography then and now

When Sonny and Haley were children, photography was done with film cameras and film, of course. In those days, people were careful not to take lots of random photos because the roll of film only held 24 - 36 images and you had to pay and wait for the photos to be developed. Only after they were developed and you opened the package of photos, would you discover whether or not you had any photos worth saving or framing.  Now in the days of digital cameras, we can take and save 100s of photos without any trouble, delay or expense. The digital photo of the prairie grass was a "throw away" shot that surprised me by how well it turned out, straight of the camera.  Especially since it was so dark when I took it. I never would have wasted the film for that shot in the old days.

However, these photos of Sonny and Haley when they were little, were taken with an OM-1 film camera. These are some of my all time favorite photographs. I love them mostly because of who's in them, but I also think they are great captures. Sadly, I know I'd have many many more, if I would have had a digital camera back then.

Backyard photos: Fungus, leaves and dew.

All of these photos were taken within a few feet of each other on our hillside behind our house. I was cutting logs with the chainsaw but got distracted! These photos look best "biggified" - so please click on one and then you'll be able to view in slide show mode. The photos below show that I actually did do some work!

These photos were all taken with a Panasonic Lumix GF1 fitted with a manual focus Vivitar 28mm f2.8 lens, which was originally made for film cameras. None of these photos were post-processed and none of them were cropped.

Goofy Faces

T.I.B.I. for Father's Day

Dr. Horace Brewster, the founder of the Think Inside the Box Institute, makes a gift recommendation for Father's Day.

Introduction to T.I.B.I.

Here is an important message from Dr. Horace Brewster, the founder of the Think Inside the Box Institute.

Memorial Day 2017

Austin McCalister WWII

Austin is my father. He is Van, Haley and Ian's grandfather; and Miles, Ethan, Nolan and A.J.'s great grandfather. My dad served in WWII in the Army Air Corps and Corps of Engineers in the Pacific theater, first in the Philippines and then landed in Japan right after the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki - I believe near Tokyo. (There's a photo of him standing in front of some bombed out ruins that I couldn't find this morning - I'll post it later.)  In fact, if the bombs had not been dropped and he'd landed in active combat, it is conceivable that none of us McCalister offspring would have been born.

Dad entered WWII voluntarily but reluctantly since he was a pacifist and did not want to be responsible for sending an un-believer to hell because he killed him in combat. So, he began as a dental assistant. However, later he was troubled by the fact that so many other men were risking their lives in combat that he changed his status from pacifist to combatant.  Thankfully, the Lord protected him from having to take another life - an act that I know would have haunted him all of his life.  Dad had an extremely strong sense of conscience and concern for being a faithful christian and live in a manner that was pleasing to God.  So, I know that his original decision to be a pacifist was also made out of concern for not breaking the commandment "Thou shalt not kill" as Bibles were translated in the 1940s. Now, many modern Bibles make the distinction between "kill" and "murder" - the Hebrew being "do not murder" rather than "do not kill".

After landing in Japan dad was put to work directing some of the reconstruction efforts because he was an experienced carpenter.  What a blessing since that was so much more in keeping with dad's conscience to build rather than destroy.  So, on this Memorial Day I honor my dad, his integrity, his courage, and his commitment to follow Christ.

Me, Kevin and Van next to dad's red Ford pick-up, which was used to transport the casket to Three Rivers where he is buried.  The pick-up was his request. He didn't want his casket transported by a hearse.

Haley behind dad's flag draped casket.

Mark Trask and Sr. Master Sgt. Kevin Hanat provide a military burial.