Schrödinger's Cat

There was a boy named Schrödinger
twas madly, deep in love.
Yet refused to tell his cherished
lest her affection he's unworthy of.

He postulated within his head,
a wild and fantastic notion.
He hoped it would ease his mind,
though played upon his every emotion.

If he would keep his secret safe,
both love and hate were true.
To many this would sound quite daft,
but you know he thought this through.

'What hurts the most', he often thought
'that which makes me so irate',
'knowing she detests my soul'
'everything about me she does hate'.

But then again, do not forget.
his theory oh so clever.
Unless he were to share his feelings
she would love him, just forever.

His cat eyed him suspiciously,
no one more did it disdain.
It cocked its head as if to say,
'You're really quite insane.'

J.A.Scott

Calluna Vulgaris

I'd love to see a Scottish Moor,
to gaze in awe at the fields décor.

I've been to Paris in the heart of France,
the city of art, love and romance.
Atop the Eiffel I stood for awhile,
and enjoyed the subtle Lisa smile.

So I need to visit that Scottish Moor,
to see the perennial that I adore.

London of course is the place to be,
for the Olympic Torch or the Jubilee.
I've strolled the top of Tower Bridge,
and shopped Canary Wharf a smidge.

But I've never been to the tranquil Moor,
so I vow no longer will I ignore.

'Cause the Irish folk I do admire.
The culture rich; it does inspire.
I've seen luscious plains on display.
Still, another place I'd rather stay.

I long to be in that gorgeous Moor,
the Calluna Vulgaris to explore.

J.A.Scott

♫Whistle While You Work♪

R.a.n.t. of week 08/19/12
Everyone has something that really irritates them. My dad hates the sound of Styrofoam, especially when rubbed together. My brother seems to break out when there is work to be done. Still others rant about other motorists (well okay, I do that also). But what I'm talking about today are the whistlers. Why does it drive me nuts? I'm not entirely sure. For example, I'll be working on whatever is piled on my desk at the moment when my focus is suddenly drawn away by someone casually walking past, whistling a happy tune. More often than not, it's a nameless tune. Truth be told, most of the tunes I hear whistled I couldn't name if you gave me 100 notes. (Yes, an old joke for anyone who can remember the 'Name that Tune' game-show). Then there was the time the friendly clerk at the supermarket check-out was happily whistling away as he rang up all my items, absentmindedly tossing each item into each other. PS - I love squished bread and broken eggs, who doesn't? Oh that's right, everyone.

But I'm not a complete hater. To illustrate my point, I've compiled a list I call:

The top 5 whistlers of all time.

5. Willie Whistle

Helping children safely cross the street for years. His PSA's were invaluable when parents refused to teach their children how to properly cross the street.

4. Whistler

Who's got the need for speed? And who doesn't have the need for a speeding ticket? This helpful device solves both problems.

3. Whistler's Mother

As an artist myself, (admittedly of a different sort) I have to admire the fine quality of this painting. I'd proudly hang it in my living room if something were to ever happen to my print of Cosmo Kramer.

2. Tea Kettle

Anyone for a cuppa? I've never really been fond of tea, but I do love to put the kettle on. Something about the whistling steam. In a way, it makes me feel like I'm actually doing something in the kitchen besides ignoring it.

1. Snow White

What's not to love about Snow White? She's this beautiful women that breaks into your house to cook and clean for you. Sign me up!

Text or Email - Did You Get My Message?

R.a.n.t. of week 08/12/12
8:20 am
Jeffrey Scott: So, how are you doing?
Jeffrey Scott: Doing anything tonight?

9:23 am
Jeffrey Scott: Ha-Ha, sleeping in?

11:02 am
Jeffrey Scott: Well, when you get up call. K?

12:32 pm
Jeffrey Scott: Tried calling but you didn't answer.
Jeffrey Scott: Are you at lunch yet?
Jeffrey Scott: Did you get my text about tonight?

3:42 pm
Jeffrey Scott: Plans are set.
Jeffrey Scott: A group of us are meeting at Centraal.
Jeffrey Scott: If you can make it, let me know.

* * * * * * * * * *

To: The Most Annoying Man In the World
From: J.A.Scott
Subject: No replies
I tried to text you a few times, but for some reason you didn't get back to me. I thought your phone accepted text messages, maybe I was wrong? Anyway, we are getting together tonight for a few drinks. Don't worry, I believe they have Dos Equis, so you should be happy. Just let me know, would you? For some reason, you seem to have this annoying habit of ignoring emails. Which almost makes me think you are just ignoring my text messages. I realize some people may not like to write emails and text messages but I did try to call a few times. The nice thing about texts and emails is you can do them at your leisure. There is no BIG rush to reply right away. But it's nice when there is a reply. Otherwise how does one know the message is received, or HOW it was received? They say you can learn a lot about a person by, not only what they say, but what they do not say. So get back to me and let me know. If you'd rather not email back, send a text. If no text, how about a phone call so I know you are aware about our plans?

Sincerely,
Jeffrey Scott
J.A.Scott Photography
http://jeffreyascott.blogspot.com

* * * * * * * * * *

9:08 am
Jeffrey Scott: Thanks for coming last night.
Jeffrey Scott: Wish you had let me know you'd be there.
Jeffrey Scott: Wait, you can receive texts right?

9:09 am
Jeffrey Scott: Text me back and let me know if you can.

From the Heart

Everyone yearns for protection.
So what’s the key before we start?
To protect ourselves completely,
we must first safeguard our heart.

Don’t let yourself be led astray,
with dangers lurking all around.
If not careful, cunningness
and apathy are also found.

Our true intentions we can see,
as we look into that mirror.
But so we do not soon forget,
the perfect law, we all must peer.

Prepare your heart, yes every one.
With prayer, study and our friends.
To endure such dangers we can face,
the persecution Satan sends.

And if we feel we’re broken down,
our heart despondently behaves.
Always remember Jehovah’s near,
and those crushed in spirit he saves.

Many examples we have to follow
and so many to be found.
Hannah, Mary, Elijah, Peter,
and many more abound.

Though many things will happen soon,
we know they have been verified.
Once again safeguard your heart,
so we’ll never become terrified.

J.A.Scott


*Alternatively, this can be titled, 'What I Learned at the 2012 District Convention'.

CD Case Restoration

CD's are not cheap. So when you are a music collector such as myself, it can become pretty pricey. Brand new CD's in the store can cost upwards of 15 to 25 dollars (even more for some special sets). So what's a collector to do? You can always do what I do. I've found second hand stores can be wondrous places for music. But don't you sacrifice quality for price? The answer is no. Second hand stores won't sell damaged CD if they can help; and they'll gladly refund your money or repair the CD if found damaged. But that's just the CD, what about the case? If you are like me, you care about the condition your CD is in. Believe it or not, the CD jewel case can be restored; or to be more precise, replaced. Just follow these easy steps and you'll be saving tons of dough on your CD purchases (making more funds available to purchase even more music).

Take a look at this typical CD as found in a second hand store. You'll notice the damage. A-The front hinge is broken. B-A large crack on the front cover. C-Stubborn store stickers. D-Damaged corner.
Not exactly a CD you'd like to put out on display.


Open the CD cover so you can easily remove it from the rest of the jewel case.


Now detach the front cover. Gently ease the top and bottom off from the main CD case.


The CD holder pops off. This is probably the trickiest part of the whole operation. Using gentle pressure, pull up. You'll notice little grooves holding it in place.


You should now have all three pieces detached.


Remove the jacket from the front cover and discard it. (The cover, not the jacket).


As you would any other time, remove the CD and discard the holder, especially if the prongs that hold the CD in place are snapped off. Sometimes the holder from the original CD is salvageable. Use your own discernment if you want to retain it or not. The dark ones I tend to keep if they are in good condition.


The back overlay is also easily removed. You'll want to discard the back casing of the CD case.


I generally buy several packs of empty CD jewel cases. Make sure you get the standard size and not the thin ones; they don't work if you want to keep all the original CD items. You can find these cases at places like Wal-Mart, Target or just look for them online. They are not hard to find. If you go to a store, search in the electronics department. A clerk should be able to help you find them.


The older case you shouldn't have had to worry about. Now you'll need to do that. If you are not cautious, you can accidentally snap the case. Just be patient and careful.


Once the new case is pulled apart, put the CD in the CD holder, the back overlay in the back case and the jacket in the front CD cover.


Once again, you need to be careful when snapping the CD holder back onto the back case.


Once the CD holder is back in place, put the front cover back on. And presto! A discount CD that looks brand new. Not a bad way to save yourself 10 - 20 bucks.

Enjoy!

Sunrise Photography

No more captions after this one. Going to let the photos tell the story today. Enjoy!
PS-Don't forget to leave a comment. :)

Sunrise Delight

'The day is coming',
it was said.
'The sun is coming up'.

So all the family,
took to flight,
and left their precious shrub.



'I think it's here',
cried little Drake,
'the rising of the sun'.

Yes, he could see,
the resplendent sky,
the day had just begun.



♫So beautiful♪
they all did sing,
♫the colours of the morn.♪

Twas this they sang
'Sunrise Delight'
this was a daily norm.



And there the
beauty was beheld,
each and every day.

The dragonflies,
still dance about.
It's just their merry way.

J.A.Scott

Being Invisible - The S.E.P. phenomenon

R.a.n.t. of week 08/05/12
Ever have the feeling like you're invisible? I have. I just got back from a convention this weekend and I can't count the number of times I saw someone I knew, but they seemed to look right past me, as if I wasn't there. It's annoying enough when it's someone you feel close to, even more so when it's someone you wish you knew closer. I have a hard time being the quiet and shy type (another r.a.n.t. for another time), so when this happens it can be frustrating, to say the least.

Maybe Douglas Adams was correct. Maybe everyone has an S.E.P field covering them and for others it's more intense. For those not in the know, S.E.P. stands for 'Somebody Else's Problem'. It's the ability a person has for not seeing something right in front of their face. Douglas Adams went on to erroneously describe this condition as seeing something unrealistic, so the brain (in order to cope) just edits it out of the picture. One example would be a deadly alien space-ship landing in the middle of the Lords Cricket Grounds, disrupting a test match. Later on, you don't even really recall what happened; The S.E.P. took effect. 'Doctor Who' calls this phenomenon a perception filter.

So why are people like this? Not seeing someone in a crowd CAN be understandable, but when they are standing right next to them? Or better yet, right in front of them? So annoying! Anyway, I'll get back to you on this later. I have to take off for a bit, my sons have been standing here waiting for me to take them to their mothers house. I didn't notice they were standing here waiting for me.