Digital Photography School (DPS) recently posted instructions on making your digital photos look like Lomo photography with a little Photoshop sleight of hand. I tried my hand at it and the excellent results are above — a close-up of a pot of hens and chicks on our deck. I’m not sure if this is even close to a “real” Lomo photograph, but I do like how it looks.

Enjoy more before and afters in the DPS group on Flickr.

A few weekends ago Roger and I finally purchased a long-time item from our wishlist: a digital SLR camera. We went with the Nikon D50 based on the recommendations from the experts at National Camera in Burnsville. Not only do they know what they’re talking about, but they also offer free classes with every camera purchase — we’re attending our first one in August (the soonest we could get in, the classes are so popular!). This camera really does make taking great photos a lot easier — in just a short time we figured out how to get the subject in focus with that soft, blurry(ish) background I was looking for. Check out some of the photos that both Roger and I took while hanging out in the house and backyard!

The installation of Ryan and Paula’s new deck was completed just in time for a Memorial Day weekend picnic. Check out the hilarity as we christened the new deck and kicked off the summer!

I’m switching hosting providers for struthers.org, so things may disappear here or there until the old switcheroo happens in the next 24-48 hours. Not sure what’s going to happen to e-mail sent to my struthers.org account, so best to send a message to my gmail account (my full name at gmail.com) for the next couple of days until the change is finalized. More details on the change later!

The entire purpose of my last post in which I mentioned Tom Cruise for a second consecutive time was really to lead up to this post, in which I write about Bloomington’s annual City Curbside Cleanup.

This annual highly anticipated event (also known as “Junk Day” in our household) invites the entire city to get rid of anything no longer wanted. And when I say anything, I pretty much mean anything: Boxes, carpets, appliances, furniture, mattresses, box springs, construction materials, scrap metal, bundled brush — it all goes to the curb (as long as it isn’t toxic) to be hauled away by the city. This year saw a plethora of computer monitors, dehumidifiers, inkjet printers and children’s playsets.

The amount of junk that’s collected is phenomenal. Last year, in our neighborhood alone, the average amount of discards hauled per household was 254 pounds. The neighborhood to the east of us averaged a whopping 327 pounds per household. As far as we’re concerned, the more junk hauled, the better.

However, Junk Day isn’t all about discards. It’s great for collectors. Items are “allowed” to be placed on the curb 48 hours in advance of the Saturday the junk is hauled away — but junk goes out much earlier than that. And that means out come the scavengers. Roger and I call them “trollers,” because they troll along the street in their cars like fishermen trolling along the river in their boats. They’ll drive by the piles of crap with no shame. Many get out of their cars to rummage. Some, in fact, haul trailers.

Each year I view it as a bit of a challenge to see how much junk can be hauled from our curb by trollers before it’s “officially” hauled away by the city. This year, we put out a few rolls of old carpet, the TiVo that died on July 18, 2004 (”The Day the TiVo Died”), an old inkjet printer, some miscellaneous boxes, and an old plastic milk crate. The milk crate was somehow hit by a car, throwing shattered plastic into the street. The TiVo was gone less than 12 hours after it hit the curb. (What was on there? I think some old Sex and the City episodes and the movie Whale Rider, not to mention some potentially embarrassing other late-night recorded shows.) The rest was left behind. I always feel a bit hurt when I see a troller get out of his car, rummage through my throw-aways, and then toss something back. What? Isn’t my junk good enough for you?

Apparently, this year, the trollers have become a bit of a problem. On the city’s Web site is posted a warning: “To report … scavengers that are making a mess, call 911.” Yes, 911 seems a little extreme, but Junk Day is a serious matter in Bloomington.

The old cliche rings true: “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” We can’t wait until Junk Day 2007.

A sure-fire sign of spring’s arrival in Minnesosta is the appearance of my seasonal allergies. In the past week I’ve considered converting to Scientology — after all, Tom Cruise stated in his recent interview with Diana Sawyer that he hasn’t been sick (including with the common cold) after becoming a Scientologist. Maybe if I become one, too, my allergies will go away. Roger’s dad was kind enough to slip me a few of his prescription Zyrtecs on Easter Sunday. I think he felt sorry for me after I told them that the blooming crabapple tree they’d brought into their living room for the holiday, uh, might be source of my sniffles.

Minnesota Stories captured spring’s arrival perfectly in an adorable video on April 10. It’s called “When Winter Lets Go of Minnesota.” Even if you hate babies you’ll love the video.

But the best sign of spring for Roger and me is the arrival of Bloomington’s annual Curbside Cleanup this weekend. Details will be saved for a separate post!

Nothing says irony like the same-day births of Brooke Shields and Tom Cruise’s babies.

I’ve posted a few photos of my recent trip to Pittsburgh. One of the things that made my trip so enjoyable was my stay at the Doubletree Hotel. I’ve never been a guest at a Doubletree, and so many things went right that I had to write about what a great experience I had.

• Upon my arrival, I received a fresh, warm, chocolate chip cookie. Delicious! On its Web site, the Doubletree states that the cookie is one way it differentiates itself from its competition.
• My room had all the amenities you wish every hotel room had: a digital thermostat that actually responded when adjusting the heat. Incredibly comfortable bedding. Reliable high-speed and relatively inexpensive internet access. Brand name toiltrees. And a perfect alarm clock. I read in a recent survey that of all the things guests wish for in a guest room is an alarm clock that’s easy to set and pre-programmed with the local radio stations. The Doubletree hit the nail on the head with this one.
• My first day in the hotel’s restaurant, I had a light breakfast of oatmeal and orange juice. When I returned the next day, my server recognized me from the previous morning and asked me if I wanted the same thing I had yesterday: oatmeal with brown sugar and bananas on the side, and a glass of orange juice. Great memory. He got a big tip.
• A few days after my return home, I received a survey about my stay. The most humorous part of the survey was that one entire survey page was dedicated to the temperature of the cookie: “Was your cookie warm?” And just today, I received a personal e-mail from the hotel’s guest services manager thanking me for completing the survey. Obviously, the Doubletree has this part down pat.

The Doubletree has proved that customer service is, indeed, not dead. If only all hotels could follow their lead.

I heard a great new word today: “Amazoogle.” You can learn more about this era in which we live at a lecture at the U of M tomorrow: Libraries and University Presses in an Amazoogle Age.

“What is the future for libraries and university presses in the age of instant online information and mega-services, as epitomized by Amazon.com and Google? Will Internet superpowers overshadow traditional players or does the digital age enable wholly new models for libraries and publishers?”

While waiting for a shuttle to transfer us from our hotel to the airport, a colleague and I were advised that it’d be cheaper — not to mention nicer — to split a cab to the airport instead. By our luck, the only cab waiting at the hotel happened to be a towncar with “limo” plates, leather seats and tinted windows. Our driver also happened to be an ex-NFL player for the Cleveland Browns. While he chauffered us to PIT, he dropped the names of dozens of famous football players he took to the field with in the mid-60s, until he blew out his knee and was forced to quit playing. (All of these facts were completely lost on me, of course, having no knowledge or care of professional football.) So he found a taxi service in the red, turned it around, and built a fleet of eight limos that is probably one of the best-known and most reliable methods of transportation in Pittsburgh. When I arrived home, I had an e-mail waiting for me (how many taxi drivers have sent you an e-mail?):

Dear Ms. Struthers:

It was a pleasure providing you with transportation during your recent trip to “the burg”. If you find yourself returning, I would be more than happy to provide you with service with a smile.

Regards,

Jessie Davis
Jess Transportation
412-287-7581

So, if you need a great ride in Pittsburgh, give Jessie Davis a call.