Spring Sunday on Capitol Hill

[Jimbaux learned a long time ago to fear a new day, but he is, fortunately, now unlearning this.]

Few if any forces in life are more destructive than fear.  Until recently, Jimbaux really had no clue the depth of the truth of Franklin Roosevelt’s statement that “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”  A life lived in fear is worse than than suicide.  Fear is as cancerous as it is contagious.

Sunday Worship Services

Yes, kiddies, and for the first time ever, Jimbaux’s iconic “Sunday Worship Services” postings actually include a visit to a real, traditional church.  Fortunately, it’s not a Catholic Church, a place where Jimbaux learned plenty of fear (among other things) a long time ago.  I would truly love for you, my dear readers, to read this article and let me know what you think.

Everybody’s Doin’ The Sentence . . .

(What?  You’re not listening to the song linked at the top of the article?)  For our first shot of this glorious sunny Sunday morning, we give you the view that many who work at the House of Representatives get each day as they emerge from the Capitol South station on the Metro.

That’s the Cannon House Office Building, the oldest of the three House of Representatives office buildings.  The view looks just west of due north, and the Capitol Building in on the other side of this building.  The offices of the Speaker of the House are in this building.  I remember entering this building a few years ago to use the bathroom and having a perverse pride that I had relieved myself next to Dennis Hastert’s office.  Yeah.

It’s Just There Ain’t Nobody Here Who Knows Just What’s The Crime

Is there guilt for the crime, or is it that guilt is the crime?  Ask yourself that question; it may take a long time to answer.  Anyway, here’s a look southwest on the southern slope of Capitol Hill, a place where I often am on Sunday mornings if other commitments don’t interfere.

And here is what plenty of the houses in the area look like.

Many of the people who live here work on the hill.

I See You Looking Over Your Shoulder

And here is Folger Park, which is southeast of the Capitol.

What’s funny is that when I was standing there and taking the picture, I only noticed with my own eyes one of the three contrails (the one that meets the top of the frame) I now see in the picture!

Tell Me Who Do You Think Is Out There

And here we are looking due west down the part of North Carolina Avenue that goes around Folger Park.

Spring has finally arrived in sentiment even if it officially arrived two weeks before.

You Ain’t One For Taking Chances

(Really, if you’re not listening to the song linked at the beginning of this post, plenty of the writing here won’t make as much sense!)  Here’s a gentleman with some dogs near Pennsylvania Avenue.

It won’t be long before I start talking about Canon.  I’m very concerned about some things.

And Surviving Is Living To Die In . . . Fear!

To be very specific and narrow, I had something to fear when I approached the Adams Building of the Library of Congress for the below shot.  I had a fear that barrel distortion would damage the picture, a fear that was both well-founded and also came true.  This is part of why I need a new camera – specifically one with a full-frame sensor – my dear Jimbauxlings.

See how that flagpole looks like it’s falling toward the right, toward the center of the frame?  Perhaps that makes you think that I didn’t  level the shot properly, that I needed to rotate it a few degrees counterclockwise, but look at the line between the bottom of the building and the grass.  Looks quite  level and proper, doesn’t it?  Also, look at the windows to the right, and notice that if there were a flagpole there that it would also be leaning toward the center of the frame, this time, however, to the left.  Doesn’t that suck?  That, mes amis, is barrel distortion, and I hate barrel distortion!  This would be much less of a problem if I had a camera with a full-frame sensor (like a Canon 5D2), but I lack the cash to get one at this time.

Decisions, Decisions

I made one Sunday morning.  I removed the links that allow readers to donate money to help fund that new camera, since my current one is not only ancient and limited in its capabilities, but is also literally falling apart.  Whatever the case, I’m a grown man with a college degree who is seeking another one, and although I’ve seen donation buttons on other sites, I no longer felt comfortable with asking for donations.  I am open, however, to the idea of grants if anyone knows where or how I could look for that.

99

Hey, Beavis, wasn’t that the chic on Get Smart?  After my visit at the Luthern church on Capitol Hill – about which I wrote in the very long “Revelations” posting two months ago – I was out on the streets again taking pictures, but you’ll never see them here nor anywhere else.  I noticed that I was getting “Error 99” messages on the camera, which, for those of you who don’t know, is Canon’s way of saying “bite me!”  The pictures that I was taking were not writing to the card!  WTF?  Furthermore, I wasn’t seeing exposure displays on the screen inside the viewfinder.  WTF?  Is this the end?  Is today the day that my camera dies?  and right after I took the donate buttons off of my site?  No!  This can’t be!  I left Capitol Hill for other distinations in frustration and despair.  Later, I pulled the battery pack off, stuck one battery in the battery chamber, put the door on, and then the camera worked.  WTF?  But for how long will it work?

Looking To The Future

Cowards – those who are hopelessly enslaved to both fear and to the past – cannot look toward the future, but courage, the opposite of cowardice, can be learned provided the willingness to learn on the part of the coward.  Such is true for Jimbaux, who was indoctrinated with cowardice long ago.

There are plenty of reasons I want to get my hands on a Canon 5D2, and I’m coming to the idea that, despite not having the cash to buy one, I should find a way to get one in my possession.  Since I don’t have one, and since my camera now cannot do things that the 5D2 can, I am unable to show you what I am unable to do without one!  The 5D2 is the cheapest Canon DSLR that has a full-frame 35mm sensor, which I need for a variety of reasons, one of which I’ve already mentioned in this post below that distorted picture of the Adams Building.

Video!

Another  huge reason I want my hands on a 5D2 is its video capability.  I’m hoping to get into the recording studio soon to record more songs, and I have plenty of ideas for music videos to shoot with the camera!

I Tube, You Tube, We All Tube

I have some questions about YouTube for anyone who knows.  Does anyone  know how to load advertisements into YouTube videos?  That would be my primary way – at least at first – of making money off of the music videos.

Speaking of Advertising

For anyone who is curious, here are the advertising revenue statistics for the last two months for both NOLA Post and Jimbaux’s Journal combined.

February             5,450 page impressions              14 ad clicks         Total earnings: $12.97

March                   4,443 page impressions                0 ad clicks          Total earnings: $00.12

I’m not sure why the huge difference in ad clicks, but, regardless, you can see that this remains a labor of love for me.

Courage

I believe it was Mark Twain who said, “Courage is not absence of fear.  It is mastery of fear.”

Until next time, my dear Jimbauxlings, remember to face your fears.

You may leave a comment in the comment section.  The name you use may be an alias, and the e-mail address you use will not be publicized and may be a disposable address.

Thanks for visiting.  Goodbye, now.

Jimbaux