IZEAFest IceBar Escapade in Orlando
by Martha Decker on Oct.03, 2009, under IZEA
Icebar Icee Omar
What did you do last night?
Look what IZEAFesters did at the IceBar in Orlando after the great IZEAFest conference. It will only get crazier on Saturday.
Very Tasty and Cool
IceBar Jolly Rancher
Ice Bar Fire and Ice
Warm as a Bear in a Rug
IceBar
IceBar Throne
IZEAFest here I come. Hope Ted Murphy is wearing pants!
by Martha Decker on Oct.01, 2009, under IZEA
This is a short and quick post about my flight to IZEAFest this morning. Nothing like waking up after almost four hours and heading to DFW airport from Frisco, TX. Meant to leave my sister’s home by 5:30. Hello, only 20 minutes later. Arrived at the airport on time. Then when I arrived at the gate I had a sinking feeling that I did not lock my car. Not much I could do about it at that time, except assume I did lock it up tight. I assume I will discover how safe my car was when I return from IZEAFest.
Getting to the terminal was a breeze. Should have grabbed a picture. Got to AirTrans Airways with no problem. Have a super seat on the aisle. Flight is about half full, but it is loaded with kiddos. I booked for price only to discover this flight is referred to as the “Disney flight.” I have to admit that the kiddos on this flight are well behaved – at least up to this point in time. I was on a flight from Spokane to Dallas last week with wound up kiddos. I had a seat near the back and all the kiddos were in the back. I was lucky and got to fly with kiddos constantly kicking my seat hard, slamming the window visor down and screaming.
I have a great idea for the airlines. Add a soundproof booth at the back of the plane for everyone with small children to use!!
It was difficult to get any winks during the night witth IZEAFest at SeaWorld on my mind. Then IZEA CEO Ted Murphy tweets he wonders if he should wear pants while he speaks! Hold the phone Sally – it would be easier to pack if pants were left at home. For those who don’t know -the pants are a long story.
If you are going to IZEAFest be sure to follow me on Twitter to win prizes via tweets. I will tweet contest giveaway information with tweets. There are dozens of giveaways ands contests that will be tweeted through Sunday so be sure to check out others like ConnieFoggles, WarrenWhitlock, BenSpark, HeatherinBC, craftyGAgal, susan70070, johnraser and justjulie to name a few.
Kaufman County Poor Farm Museum in Kaufman Texas
by Martha Decker on Sep.13, 2009, under Kaufman County Poor Farm
This is a post to be continued…….
At one time all of the counties in Texas had a poor farm. Today Kaufman County is the only county that still owns the poor farm. All the rest of the poor farms are in private hands. This one is maintained by the Kaufman County Historical Commission. They have worked hard to raise fund for restoration for years. This first photo is but one of the original buildings on the farm…..
One small bath in building
Frank Zappa & MarDeck Chillin Before Memphis Concert 72 or 73
by Martha Decker on Jul.19, 2009, under Life in General, Photos
Very old color pic & mostly faded
How I wish older small color photographs would never fade. I was 18 when I shot the photograph of Frank Zappa. You can see be in the dressing room mirror – well sort of. If you could only see the color of my short sleeve sweater and the bright green and yellow floppy flower on the front. I imagine someone would have to pick you up off the floor because you were laughig so hard.
Here is the story of my photographing Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention during his Memphis concert:
I was keen on photography ever since I can remember, like 4-5 years old and started with my mother’s old Brownie camera. The cameras continued to upgrade until my grandfather gave me the best gift ever. He knew I was into photography and gave me his Leica35mm camera. How I wish I had that camera now. It vanashed years ago. Anyway, the camera was very heavy and difficult to hold still while taking a photo without a tripod. I persevered and got comfortable holding the heavy camera and taking low light photographs. Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention was to be my first rock band to shoot.
I made friends, or so I thought, with an individual in Memphis. His name was Jimmy. He was tall, thin and had very long blonde hair. In fact, he was my first gay friend. We hit it off. He had a friend who got us hooked up with Mid South Productions and Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention was their very first rock concert. BTW – I checked and Mid South Productions is still around in Memphis after all these years. The plan was that I would shoot the concert and then Jimmy would have the film developed. Being 18 I was rather naive and didn’t think to ask what happens after I give him the film.
I shot the concert. It was a blast having a stage pass that allowed me to go anywhere. Living in Memphis and down the street from Elvis, talking to Rufus Thomas and Issac Hayes on the phone made me feel that it was no big deal and I think I only have one of my stage passes. That one is around only because my sister took it out of the trash. One of my best friends babysat for the kids of the drummer for the Boxtops and Sam the Sham was about a mile away in Hernando’s Hideaway. Anyway after shooting the concert, I took photographs of Frank Zappa while he was in his dressing room. It was the only roll of color film I had and when I went to rewind and remove it broke in the camera. I went to a dark closet removed the film and kept it with me the rest of the night. It never made it to Jimmy.
Frank Zappa told me that he wanted to see the photographs when I got them back because he was working on a new album and might use some of the pictures on that album. Pretty exciting for an 18 year old. I also remember being the only female backstage at Mid South Productions first concert. After the concert everyone, band & roadies, were going to a nightclub until it closed. Then they would return to the hotel for a longer party. I remember Frank Zappa had a very large and tall body guard with him that night. The two of them, the guy who set it up (can’t remember his name) and I walked out of the dressing room only to discover everyone – and I mean everyone – had left and gone to the club. Mid South Productions actually left Frank Zappa behind. What a hoot that was! The next decision was who had a ride nice enough for Frank Zappa to set in and get to the club. Well, I had a 1969 Ford Thunderbird with suicide doors. Frank Zappa rode with me of all people! I got him to the club but don’t remember how he got back to the hotel. I had a very interesting conversation with Frank Zappa while we were at the club. We went back to the hotel and I sat in a corner most of the night people watching. That was fascinating to me. Oh where was Annie Lebbowitz when I needed a mentor. I put the camera down way to soon at all the concerts I shot and there were quite a few. We are just talking about Frank Zappa this time, but I will tell you another person I was behind the scenes with was David Bowie. That’s for another post.
I continued to shoot photographs of bands brought to Memphis by Mid South Productions for a year before moving to another state. The only photographs I have to show for it are the ones from the broken roll of film taken in the dressing room of Frank Zappa and the one black and white photograph of Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention rehearsing before the concert. Whenever I asked about the photographs I would get one excuse after another and I was young but should have known better. I should have talked to the father of one of my good friends. He was an assistant district attorney who probably could have helped. I got word that either Jimmy or a male friend of his was taking a portfolio of my photographs (the ones I never saw) around town claiming they were his and he was getting photo shoots from them. The big kick in the butt was that he didn’t even know how to load a camera. I decided that he would be found out sooner or later. Instead I moved and got a lot smarter. The person who told me about my photographs being stolen and used is the person who gave me the black and white. I have decided to post it since it may fade in the future and I do not have the negative. At least if anyone should recognize it they will know the person who claimed to shoot it was a faker. Just call me the Almost Famous Photographer. If he were alive, Frank Zappa would now know why he never got a copy of my photographs…..
Is this a Coke ad or what?
I forgot to mention that I’ve always gotten a kick out of the bottled Coke sitting on the stage floor. Hey Coca Cola wanna talk?
It’s funny the memories of youth that ring out when thinking about and reliving an event from our past.
Bonnie was Jailed in Kemp, Texas
by Martha Decker on Jul.09, 2009, under Cedar Creek Lake Life, Photos
No Clyde yet
Spy Girl Receives New Training in Dallas Texas at Fair Park
by Martha Decker on Jul.09, 2009, under Good Causes, Life in General
New trick -disguises
Whitney and her Paw Paw spent the day on their own adventure in Dallas at the Museum of Nature & Science learning how to be a good spy. The CIA and MI-6 helped with the exhibit and training information. You can get tickets for the training online. They had a blast. The training covers the science of spying. This includes honing powers of observation, using a secret identityand completing a Secret Misson. Whitney took in all the training. Later in the evening she decided she was going to “become” her grandmother and gathered up several items her grandmother may wear or use.
AKA Granny Spy was born
Who IS this person?
This new person, Granny Spy, wandered about the house unnoticed. That is until the spy began leaning in close to folks while emitting an odd “beep beep” sound from deep within the disguise.
The day was a great learning experience I think any child would enjoy and the museum is not paying me to talk about the spy progam. The museum even has spy overnights for the kids this summer and mystery dinner events. Support the museum by attending an event or becoming a member.
During the day Ken and Whitney also visited the IMAX theater and went digging for dinosaur fossils inside the museum and not outside in the extreme heat.
Steampotville discovered by Steve Ouch
by Martha Decker on Jul.07, 2009, under Life in General, Photos
Whitney enjoys a whimsical book
Dinosaur Valley State Park on the Paluxy River at Glen Rose TX
by Martha Decker on Jul.05, 2009, under Adventures with the Grandkids, Photos
You really going to take a picture AGAIN?
Dinosaur Valley State Park
Ken and I spent part of our vacation in Glen Rose with Whitney at the state park. I can remember taking her daddy to the same place when he was a kid. This is a great place to take the kids. It’s adventurous and they can really swim, touch and stand in honest to goodness dinosaur tracks.
Whitney is sitting on one of the limestone outcrops into the Paluxy River at Site 1. There are dinosaur tracks on just about all of the outcroppings. This area is called the Blue Hole because the river is about 20 – 23 feet deep. The rest of the river throughout the park is inches deep. It’s very clear and a beautiful color. Whitney was checking out the minnows that swarm about you if you are on the limestone.
