Another Surgery plus 2010 Interview of Me by Karl

"My body could stand the crutches but my mind couldn't stand the sideline."

~ Michael Jordan

Wow. This has been an interesting month so far. I wish I could tell you about all the wonderful shoots I've been on, but alas, such is not the case. Knee surgery has been the theme of the month so far. Weeks of trying to prep for it and now just recovering from it. My daughter and son in law decided to take vacation time to come and assist me for the first week. I didn't think I needed it, really. I was wrong. Pain meds haven't been helping and the doc sees no reason to give me anything stronger, so I've just stopped taking anything all together. This isn't the first time I've had to deal with the VA no understanding the problem. I can't say why I don't respond like they think I should to medication. I wish I was more of a typical case for them, but I'm not.

I don't expect the kiddos had that great of a time trying to accommodate me over the last week. I know I was being a bear. I didn't want to stay seated or immobilized and the thought of having to use the word "can't" for routine tasks tasted bitter in my mouth. It wasn't until reading about my procedure online that the truth sort of sunk in to where I understood it. The docs told me I'd be looking at 6 to 8 weeks. In my mind, that adds up to half that time for me. I'm strong. I recover quicker than most. And I can handle it. 6 to 8 weeks is the general "play it safe" recovery time for the average guy. I couldn't have been more wrong. I had so many other people tell me a simple scope of the knee is an in and out 2 to 3 week thing. Even my primary care doc told me I'd be on my feet in 3 weeks top. So why was the othopedic surgeon saying 6 to 8? Well, what he knew that the others didn't was that he was also performing a Microfracture procedure on my knee, whereby you drill small holes into the larger pot-hole that's already at the end of my femur. This is supposed to encourage bone/cartilage growth to fill in the hole naturally. THAT's the part that takes so long. Weight-bearing activities such as "walking", can prohibit the bone growth. So 6 to 8 weeks ON CRUTCHES is what's prescribed.

I simply had no clue and didn't understand that I'd be on crutches this long. SIX to EIGHT weeks! Wow. I simply cannot get that out of my mind. That possibly puts me all the way out to mid-March! I've already had to postpone two projects to the end of March. I don't know if you realize it, but that also means postponing getting paid til the end of March. Which simply means I gotta slow down spending big time. Personal projects have also been postponed. My continued work with Panda is having to be delayed as well. And I have a couple other models whom I thought I'd be working with around the first week of Feb, that I've had to simple cancel til further notice.


The good thing is that I just have to get through this doing the right things. Its believed that I get another 10 to 15 years of "good knee" time, instead of what I've been dealing with over the last decade. Two months for 10 years. Not a bad trade. To my understanding, this 2 months doesn't include rehabilitation time. I won't find that out til next week. I had 10 weeks rehab for my hand last year. I read in one place where full recovery might not be expected for 6 months! So this'll be interesting.

Karl of "Looking About" blog has reposted an interview he did of me a few years ago. After a look back on that time period, I sort of wonder what my answers might be today and if any of them have changed. Not much would be different, I presume. I think I'd answer the same in about 27 of them at least. Its a good reflection because I was definitely in two different places in 2010 vs today. I was coming out of some pretty hard months in oh-10 and even the 3 years before then. In fact, I think it may even be time for another "Interview of Self" like what I did a long time ago in 2008.

1. What is your favorite word? Altruism
2. What is your least favorite word? Normal
3. What turns you on? A naked woman
4. What turns you off? Clothes!....kidding...People who don't take responsibility for themselves and pass the blame.
5. What sound or noise do you love? Bacon sizzling in the morning would be the least crass answer
6. What sound or noise do you hate? Its a tie between a high-pitched nagging voice and an alarm clock
7. What is your favorite curse word? Fuck
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Probably acting, but I used to dream about playing football
9. What profession would you not like to do? There are plenty but I'm going with Nursing. I've got much respect for them, but its not my gift.
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Come on....Get your butt on in here!
11. What is your idea of perfect happiness? Traveling the world with boundless resources and a model that I photograph everywhere, all the time
12. What is your greatest fear? I honestly can't say I have one. I mean, I certainly don't want to be eaten by an alligator or fall from the empire state building but they are not fears of mine that I think about all the time. 
13. Which historical figure do you most identify with? Galileo Galilei, just because he's the only person I can think of who was also misunderstood.
14. Which living person do you most admire? Other than family....Billy Graham, Chris St. James, and Bill Cosby (How can you stick with just one?)
15. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? Procrastination
16. What is the trait you most deplore in others? Lack of integrity
17. What is your greatest extravagance? I spent $400 on comic books once, but I've since sold my collection and not bought another since 1994, I think.
18. On what occasion do you lie? When I have to take into account someone else's feelings and the truth is not worth the heartache or when I need to be polite because I need the business.
19. What do you dislike most about your appearance? I'm actually cool with myself. If I had to say any one thing its that I look mean when I am not smiling.
20. When and where were you happiest? Christmas at Mama Carrie's as a kid
21. If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be? I'd be kinder to people and more understanding
22. If you could change one thing about your family, what would it be? Me. That's all I have control over.
23. What do you consider your greatest achievement? Jeremy and Cassie
24. If you died and came back as a person or thing what do you think it would be? As a person: A white female, just so I could experience the opposite of my current self. As far as a thing, I'd want to be a star just for the billions of years galactic experience 
25. What is your most treasured possession? My faith
26. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? A disapproval of yourself because of someone else's opinion
27. Who are your heroes in real life? My Mother
28. What is it that you most dislike? A coward
29. How would you like to die? Old age preferably, but if not, then on my feet in a way that makes it count
30. What is your motto? Stay alert, Stay alive! Hooooah!

All About the Fun

Maybe things will be settling back to normal pretty soon. I'm very hopeful, at any rate. My friend and roommate, Jeff is back home from about 11 weeks in the hospital. It'd be inappropriate for me to go into details, but the dude is back at home, trying to recover and gain his strength back. So welcome home, Jeff.

Photo work has been sort of sketchy as of late. I've still been shooting and editing, but I've not been posting much of my work on my online profiles or website. Part of that is cuz of Chris St. James' fault. Because of his mentorship, I've got this thing with titles now. Since I haven't been able to sit down title my shots and post them, they have been sitting on my hard drive waiting to receive a name. This goes way back to maybe a year ago when Chris first discovered me and took an interest in my work. He began to encourage me, mentor me, and be a friend. Well, one of the things he'd knock me on the head for was the lack of titles in my work. Since then, I think I've really grown from his help and I've cherished the relationship we've had over the course of, wait...I think its been closer to two years now.

I haven't even kept up with many of the blogs that I normally follow daily. I still track Univers d'Artistes regularly. Unbearable Lightness has done a wonderful job at helping Chris. These are two people that I've cultivated relationships with, but have yet to actually meet. I consider both to be mentors and will be glad when I am totally back on track following my friends' blogs and back to posting my own at my usual rate of twice a week. I haven't even talked to my good friend, Dave Rudin in a while. I'm really out of touch. I don't know what's been going on with Iris Dassault, who's like the model queen of this country. And I need to get back in touch with the happenings across the waters with my friends at Fluffytek.

I need to go on some interesting outings. I haven't done that in a while. I think that was one of the attractors for a good part of my readership which was to hear about my adventures in the wild. Yeah, I need to get out more. The weather is starting to warm up and ice is melting off the mountains which means water falls and full streams again. This is what I do. I gotta get back out there. Whatever I do, I think I'd like to take some models out with me on a road trip or something. And speaking of which, I want to make sure I encourage you to utilize the services of the models I present on this blog and my website. If you're planning to be in Vegas and feel like shooting, feel free to contact these girl's links or even myself and plan something. Brittani from New Jersey is coming to reside in Vegas permanently next month. (Damn, I've still got to send her a disk! Sorry B.) I'm happy about that. I mentioned her in my last post along with several others. I've still yet to shoot with Marley. She's waiting on a tattoo to heal up a little first. But you've also seen some of my mainstays like Faerie and Trixie who I shoot quite often and of course there are several more. I shoot with Lieara this weekend. Lorelei has taken off like a space shuttle. The Brittany II maintains her role as one of the most prolific models in Vegas. And then there is Sarah Jane...come on! Really, do I need to say more. All these different body types and looks. I've got like the Wal-Mart of models, here. And wait til you see my next posts of Melissa!

Gabriella is one of the models I've been shooting with who is very up and coming. This girl can be on the cover of any magazine by tomorrow. She's different than the normal style of model I've been shooting because she's very suitable for glamor work that you might find in Maxxim or even Playboy. I've always been doing the girl next door type to produce my artistic style of nudes, but with Gabriella, I've been exploring the more sensual, sexy, and even erotic style of the art nude. She's hella fun to work with and is an instant boost to anybody's port. I think I'm going to start highlighting models I work with on my posts. I don't promote these girls enough and one of my initial objectives to starting my Las Vegas Art Models Group was to support art models. All of these girls are fabulous with great attitudes. For me, attitude is more important than they way they look. Gabriella is super sexy, but she comes with a willingness to work and gives you what you want and then some. You're sure to walk away from her shoot with more than you bargained for. I like the girl. Gonna work with her some more. You will too, so give this artist of her trade a hollar. Isn't she sweet? Tell her I sent 'cha. We'll both get cheese points!

Is This an Addiction?

NOT photographing the nude has NOT been successful. At all. I'm still shooting nudes despite the fact that I was going to suspend my nude work and only work on projects that were already in play. In some respects, this is a good problem to have. I mean, what photog can really complain, "Woe is me. All these ladies want to take their clothes off for me." That will never be a complaint of mine. However, I did have a desire to shoot more things, subjects, and explore my artwork in new directions. I know some of this has to do with the all the things occurring in January, namely my daughter getting married and then becoming ill for so long soon after my return. I know I got behind on edits and am still behind. I'm about 4 models deep on edits right now. Catching up amid outside circumstances can be a pain. But still, I am certain I could have controlled all of these elements much better, had I really wanted to. The fact is that its an easy thing to just say no. No more nudes for a while. The reality is that so far that hasn't been possible.

I can't really keep deluding myself with one excuse after another. A model just left my house. We interviewed for a bit and got familiar with each other. I am so excited about this girl. Marley is an art model who is simply exciting to shoot. I can't wait. There is much anticipation involved in this one, that I have to be careful not to spoil it. She'll be a great addition to my portfolio and I simply think we can serve each other's interests well. I don't have many black women in my arsenal of imagery. Oh she's gonna do well. I wish I could go into all the coincidences and little subtleties on how we actually hooked up. Suffice to say its been very extraordinary.

Over the weekend, I met another model, Gabriella, who had contacted me about my workshops. This girl is the drop dead gorgeous type that you'll find on Sports Illustrated at some point real soon. Again, the circumstances on our meeting were peculiar to say the least. So much so that I had to play this one through just to see how it would unfold. The thing turned out AB-sol-UTE-ly GREAT! Talk about a fascinating young lady! We are going to continue our endeavors again tomorrow evening, I believe. It was so much fun and I've got so many new ideas I want to try with her. She likes what I do and has given me liberties to explore to my hearts content. Which is quite an extensive concept, let me just tell you.

Before this, I got to work with a few other new models that assisted with my workshop. Three in particular, and they were all great. Two Brittany's (one spelled with an "i"), and Lieara. BrittanY and Lieara were in my workshop. BrittanI didn't make it because she was from out of town and my workshop was postponed for a few weeks. I still shot her on my own anyway and she was a real trooper. It got cold and she never once complained. The girl just worked with me to help me get the shot. It was I who called it off once the temp continued to drop. She was willing to keep going, but I don't want to jeopardize a model's health. I've been in some risky and even compromising positions, but there was no benefit to keeping her out there. I've had a model in frigid waters, hanging off a cliff, and other things but her being cold at that time didn't lend itself to the project. Now had the project been nudes in the snow, now that would be different.

Lieara, was just as fascinating. She's a fiery spitball. I had a problem in stopping shooting her. When she came over for some preliminary work, accompanied by her boyfriend/fiance', I had to actually push my camera away in order to stop. I noticed the fact that he was tired and was asleep on the floor. I told them it wouldn't take even an hour to get the shots to promote the workshop. Three hours later, I am still shooting this girl. Now in my defense, I mentioned a few times that I had to put the onus on her to stop me. The girl kept assuming new poses! What was I to do? She and BrittanY did my workshop. Brittany worked under strobes all afternoon. With such a voluptuous figure, she garnered alot of attention. I hate bringing it up in one sense, but she's got one of the most perfect ...ah never mind. Somebody's gonna think I'm sexist. Well, you see the photo. That was part of a preliminary series. As for the workshop, I never got to even take out my camera! This just in: As I write this, I got a text from Brittany. [Freaky, huh?] We are now planning a new body of work since I didn't get to shoot her in the workshop. Am I sick or what?

But even before those 3, I got back with Melissa to do some more work. Oh...it was so good. I took over the wide-angle lens and repeated some of the bodyscape images I did with her before. Talk about amazing. We got some amazing light that kept changing at a moments notice. It took several attempts to capture these lines that contour her body because of the clouds. The light would be there for a sec and as soon as you get a focus, it was gone. Melissa is so great to work with.

But I guess all this begs me to question whether or not I have the ability to stop working with nude models, because if I don't then its a compulsion and an addiction. Am I addicted to shooting the nude? I don't know, but I don't think so. However so says the smoker who can't seem to quite when he wants to. Its a good question. I wish I had a good answer. I think I am justifying it because of all the great models I've met just in the month of February. I don't want to call this an addiction. I'd just like to think that I'm having fun doing something I love. At any rate, I'll have all these images edited soon and will post more on each of them. Comments?