Many moons ago, when I was a little dude, I was a typical pre-teen kid who had a love for sports trading cards.

Mom would need to run to Wal-Mart and I would gladly tag along, only because I knew that there was the opportunity to get my hands on a pack of the latest football, baseball or basketball cards. Even if she wouldn't buy my a pack of cards, I was just fine standing in the small aisle looking at all the shiny wrapping on the cards, thinking what might be inside each pack. It was amazing. Little did I know that my mom spent a small fortune on those cards over the course of 5-6 years.

While in Kansas City, I always stopped by the local card store to see what cards they had for sale...most were out of my price range but I still thought about the day I might own my very own Michael Jordan Upper Deck rookie card, valued at around $900. At one point I started to save my money to buy it, but thankfully I never got it. I wouldn't regret it today, but it would have definitely been a waste of money!!!

I was trading card crazy for a LONG time but one day it just sort of ended. I think it was once I hit high school, but can't be for sure since that's been a long time ago as well.

During that span of NEVER buying cards, I have rarely ever had the urge to buy a pack just for the thrill of seeing which player I'd get. Last week, though, I found out that two of my images had been purchased by Upper Deck and used for trading cards. One of those cards is attached in this blog.

Hopefully there will be more of those to come...

Dead Spiders

A spider just walked across my chest. Didn't really notice it until it got right under my chin, just about 7.6 inches from my mouth. Little girls like spiders more than me.

It's now dead. The end.

True Story.

Hidden on the Hard Drive

Nearly 6 months after returning from my trip to Wyoming, showing my best work at a gallery event in Fort Scott, and selling what I thought was my best work, I've found a LOT of overlooked images that I'm pretty proud of.

Here are several of those images. I'm quite shocked I missed these, as some of them are my new favorites!

What an Event!

(JUST REALIZED THIS WAS NEVER POSTED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO!!)


Time to relax!

Fort Scott's Liberty Theater hosted the world premiere of Hallmark Hall of Fame's The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler Wednesday evening to a crowd of nearly 400. Nearly 10 years after Life in a Jar was started, Hallmark Hall of Fame made a movie about Irena Sendler and premiered it in our little city.

They didn't hold back on making it a special event either.


Standing ovation after movie.
Producer Jeff Most talking with Hallmark execs.
Hallmark Hall of Fame President Brad Moore introducing the movie.

Whirlwind trip to Hollywood

Oscar winner Anna Paquin and co-star Goran Visnjic pose at the reception.
Paquin and Holocaust child survivor Renata.
Life in a Jar cast watches the film.
Megan with Paquin. Megan plays the role of Irena Sendler in the Life in a Jar play while Paquin plays Sendler in the movie.
Life in a Jar cast with Paquin.

Turns out that California is pretty awesome. I had the opportunity to photograph the screening of The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler, a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, Monday evening in Hollywood.

Our group, including myself, the cast of Life in a Jar, and several Hallmark execs, departed KC around 9 a.m. Monday and landed three hours later in LA at 10 a.m. (TIME ZONES ARE WEIRD!). After a luncheon and a few hours of rest, we headed to the Fox Studios for the screening and reception. Rumor was that nearly 1,000 people had RSVP'd for a theater of less than 600. Turns out almost all of them showed up! It was a packed event no doubt.

Oscar Winner Anna Paquin (X-Men, True Blood, The Piano) portrayed Irena Sendler in the movie. She was present for the reception, where the cast of Life in a Jar met with her for about 10 minutes to share stories and exchange a gift. In true Hollywood fashion, we were taken to dinner at 11:30 p.m. which was actually 1:30 a.m. in Kansas. Needless to say it was odd...to make it even worse I was sick from about 7 p.m. to well past midnight.

A few notes: Anna Paquin is absolutely stunning and nicer than expected. She introduced herself to me before I even had the opportunity to do so; Goran was quite possibly even nicer, asking several times to photograph he and his family so he could have copies. Each of them were extremely low-key and down to earth.

There were several other celebs in attendance but I have no images of them. Sorry!

The event took place on the Fox Studios lot, which is where Fox films all of their TV sets and movies. Quite possibly one of the most surreal places I've been. You could see the streets of Italy in one alley and NYC the next.

The next morning we headed back to KC, concluding our 22 hours spent in California.

Royals v. Yankees

RAIN RAIN RAIN!!! That's about all I have to say about this game.

Another Phone Book Cover

I love the mail. Not email. Snail mail. Or FedEx. Or UPS. I like substance, things I can hold in my hands.

About the time of day that we get the mail I'm always anxious because you just never know what might be waiting! Today, when the FedEx guy came he handed me a package and I said "What's this? I'm not expecting anything." Then I opened it and out popped three copies of the new Monett, Missouri phone book with my image on the cover!


This is my second book this year.

50 and Counting

Megan and I are creeping up on three blissful years of marriage. Seems like just yesterday I was sitting in the truck next to her dad trying to find the will to ask him if he would allow me (NOT KILL) to marry his daughter.

It's pretty evident he said yes and I can't thank him enough.

I had pretty good people to watch and follow - my dad's parents, Ronnie and Laura Felt. On Sunday they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. I hope to LIVE that long, let alone be married that long.

Attached are two images, one of my bride and I and the other of grandma and grandpa.