Though the signs were inauspicious, we took Jackson and her pal Jasmine to Zoolights at the Phoenix Zoo

This sign made us feel more welcome.

I began to suspect I was in the presence of a couple of hams.

These penguins were friendly and inviting.

Overall, the carousel was confusing to everyone. . . .

. . . but fortunately the employees know no fear. . .

. . .though this rabbit was terrifying.

Turns out they make kettlecorn in hell. I did not know that.

On to the main attraction: skating on fake ice! It was about 60 degrees out. . . .

. . . . but the girls were convinced it was freezing.

This is how you do a desert snowdance.

Here's a variation.

And a closer view.

The bravest attempted a snow tarantella.

Jasmine was serene through it all. . . .

Except when her inner monster burst out.

Fake ice is like greasy plastic. Balance is a challenge. . .

. . . except when it isn't.

There was a lot of name calling. . .

. . . a lot of precarious motion. . . .

. . . and mutual support.

Then there was flying. . . .

. . . and a harmonious ending.

AmeriCamera Recording Session: Wrap It For Today

January 18, 2010 - Leave a Response

photo by T.R. Hummer

As the session glides in for a three-point landing, Olivier is already inventorying his equipment in his mind. Where’s my 1947 Toshiba studio mic? Arggh. . . .

Categorized in Music and Photography | Edit

AmeriCamera Recording Session: Paul’s Magic Dragon

January 18, 2010 - Leave a Response

photo by T.R. Hummer

Fortunately, Paul’s magic dragon translates scored music and hums it into Paul’s navel, simultaneously removing all lint.

Categorized in Music, Mystery and Photography | Edit

AmeriCamera Recording Session: Discipline and Punishment

January 18, 2010 - Leave a Response

photo by T.R. Hummer

Olivier punishes Paul by making him do all his parts over again, this time on a Roland. Ouch. He even has to read a chart.

Categorized in Music and Photography | Edit

AmeriCamera Recording Session: Cali Rodi

January 18, 2010 - Leave a Response

photo by T.R. Hummer

Singer Cali Rodi listens to playbacks, watching the Chicken Fat Singers with trepidation and disbelief.

Categorized in Music and Photography | Edit

AmeriCamera Recording Session: Backup

January 18, 2010 - Leave a Response

photo by T.R. Hummer

Chicken Fat Singers do backup. Walt and Billy are completely into it, but Paul seems to think I’m holding a security camera.

Categorized in Music and Photography | Edit

AmeriCamera Recording Session: The Chicken Fat Singers

January 18, 2010 - Leave a Response

photo by T.R. Hummer

Us? Steal?!

The Chicken Fat Singers: Walt Richardson (l), Paul Darrow (c), Billy Cioffi (r)

Categorized in Music and Photography | Edit

AmeriCamera Recording Session, Jan. 18, 2010: The Overseer

January 18, 2010 - Leave a Response

photo by T.R. Hummer

From Mission Control, Electric Lotus impressario Olivier Zahm keeps an eagle eye on the musicians to make sure they don’t steal.

. . . and a harmonious ending.

edit

The Monster a Child Knows Best

January 16, 2010 - Leave a Response

Portrait of Jasmine--photo by T.R. Hummer

The monster a child knows best and is most concerned with [is] the monster he feels or fears himself to be.

—Bruno Bettelheim

Categorized in Innocence, Mystery, Photography and image | Edit

The Machine in the Snowbank; or How Do Desert People Dance in the Snow?

January 16, 2010 - Leave a Response

Zoolights, Phoenix -- photo by T.R. Hummer

His soul swooned slowly as he heard the snow falling faintly through the universe and faintly falling, like the descent of their last end, upon all the living and the dead.

—James Joyce

Tempe New Years Eve Block Party, 2009: Imprisoned

January 1, 2010 - Leave a Response

photo by T.R. Hummer

In the end, the imprisoned musicians are left gazing at the attractions of the outside world, contemplating all they’ve done wrong that has led them to this place.

Categorized in Music and Photography | Edit

Tempe New Years Eve Block Party, 2009: There’s Only One

January 1, 2010 - Leave a Response

photo by T.R. Hummer

Here’s Chuck’s butt. There’s only one (people seem alarmed).

Categorized in Photography | Edit

Tempe New Years Eve Block Party, 2009: Chuck Hall Band

January 1, 2010 - Leave a Response

photo by T.R. Hummer

Fortunately for me, the act preceding us, The Chuck Hall Band, cranked up their second set just then. Excellent! Very distracting.

Categorized in Photography | Edit

Tempe New Years Eve Block Party, 2009: Night Parade

January 1, 2010 - Leave a Response

photo by T.R. Hummer

As the cyclone fence intensified its hold on me, everything outside became more and more astonishing.

Categorized in Photography | Edit

Tempe New Years Eve Block Party, 2009: Fan Dancer and the Ghost of a Cyclone Fence

January 1, 2010 - Leave a Response

photo by T.R. Hummer

Held prisoner inside the backstage cyclone fence, I was distracted by a fan dancer.

Categorized in Photography | Edit

Tempe New Years Eve Block Party, 2009: The Distractible Horde

January 1, 2010 - Leave a Response

photo by T.R. Hummer

By the time I arrived at the bandstand, people of an amazing variety of levels of distractibility had gathered out front.

Categorized in Photography | Edit

Tempe New Years Eve Block Party, 2009: Documentation

January 1, 2010 - Leave a Response

photo by T.R. Hummer

There was copious documentation of the variable distractibility of children. A study is forthcoming.

Categorized in Photography | Edit

Tempe New Years Block Party, 2009: Food

January 1, 2010 - Leave a Response

photo by T.R. Hummer

Kids were mostly not distracted by anything once the food appeared.

Categorized in Photography | Edit

Tempe New Years Eve Block Party 2009: Pink is Very Distracting

January 1, 2010 - Leave a Response

photo by T.R. Hummer

There was a lot of pink. Almost everyone found it unbearably distracting, especially the Giant Mime. The kid, not so much.

Categorized in Photography | Edit

Tempe New Years Block Party 2009: Giant Mime Routs Bagpiper

January 1, 2010 - Leave a Response

photo by T.R. Hummer

I thought the Scots were fierce in battle, but this bagpiper fled in horror at the advent of the Giant Mime.

Categorized in Photography | Ed

Tempe New Years Eve Block Party 2009: Savings

January 1, 2010 - Leave a Response

photo by T.R. Hummer

The darkness surrounds us? What shall we do against it? Start a savings account, I thought.

Categorized in Photography | Edit

Tempe Block Party New Years Eve: Sixth St. Wheel

January 1, 2010 - Leave a Response

photo by T.R. Hummer

There was a giant wheel of light on Sixth St. It seemed to glamour people: hence their sartorial splendor.

Categorized in Photography | Edit

Tempe Block Party, New Years 2009: American Apparel

January 1, 2010 - Leave a Response

photo by T.R. Hummer

I played the Tempe New Years Eve Block Party with the Monte Carlos. I was instructed to park in the workers’ lot and then I was taken to the stage with my gear on a little golf cart train. Along the way I saw some interesting things. For instance, here’s what the fashionable young people were wearing.

Categorized in Photography | Edit