tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71996460914084904932012-02-16T22:24:20.859-06:00for me. for you.John Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124553256600610067noreply@blogger.comBlogger241100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7199646091408490493.post-11690686826925627672010-06-18T19:39:00.002-05:002010-06-18T19:51:42.979-05:00

Wow. That was a break. That was a gaping crevice of nothing which will never happen again. If you're still following this blog - especially if you're subscribed - thank you for holding on to me over the past several months. The new official home of my thoughts on the interwebs is now http://johntographer.posterous.com/.Compared to this pretentious and un-useful pile of crap you had been reading (

John's Photographynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7199646091408490493.post-43797610782431779312009-06-28T22:00:00.014-05:002009-06-28T23:01:35.520-05:00

It's time. John's Photography needs to grow. After hours of bookreading and internet jockeying, I'm ready to build a website.A few months ago, I made my first attempt at putting my biz on the web by creating johnsphotographysd.blogspot.com. Yes, that's (John's Photography - ' + sd.) It's a tough domain even for me to remember, it's a free blog based on a free template and it's what I like to call

John's Photographynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7199646091408490493.post-7177633336626942452009-06-11T20:29:00.011-05:002009-06-11T22:03:19.901-05:00

Twenty-two days ago, I asked the most important question I've ever asked to the most important person I will ever meet. Here's how it went down:So there I was, it was a typical Wednesday afternoon in Brookings. As I walked out of Daktronics at the end of the workday, Stacy walked into Subway for the workevening. I guided my car into the yellow lines in front of my apartment and paused for a

John's Photographynoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7199646091408490493.post-75205390163523089562009-06-11T19:59:00.002-05:002009-06-11T20:13:24.353-05:00

Life afforded me the motivation and time to do this, so I'm blogging for the first time in about six weeks. It feels good to be back.Well, since my last post, I've come up with a lot of ideas and topics to talk about, so I'll just do a quick overview of thoughts for this post. I don't want to bore the crap out of everybody. These will all be their own posts:1. I'm engaged. I asked Stacy to marry

John's Photographynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7199646091408490493.post-56543485774895446372009-04-25T16:07:00.000-05:002009-04-25T16:56:47.333-05:00

"Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it." - Charles R. SwindollI work in a very large and grey-walled office amongst a sea of cubicles. People email me, call me and occasionally visit me in person to give me crap to do.Sometimes, this pile of crap gets really big. It happened the other day, and I got stressed. It sucked. Instead of simply focusing on my work, I became angry

John Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124553256600610067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7199646091408490493.post-13844253475496254062009-04-20T18:28:00.010-05:002009-04-20T19:24:11.942-05:00

In the last few months, I've found several pieces of literature, ads, magazine articles/covers and even books with these interesting close-up facial portraits in them. I picked up an edition of Esquire the other day at Hy-Vee (home of the greatest Chinese food in SD) and found an interesting article containing more of these close-up, slightly creepy yet not-quite-a-mugshot facial portraits. The

John's Photographynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7199646091408490493.post-56548562956115392972009-04-19T13:34:00.002-05:002009-04-19T14:14:17.253-05:00

About a month ago, a sudden impulse compelled me to start using my previously-neglected Twitter account. Maybe it was my friends talking about it, maybe it was all the media attention, whatever. I started, and now I cant stop.I think many people avoid Twitter because they don't understand it. Besides gambling, people only buy into things when they know what to expect in return. Twitter and the

John's Photographynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7199646091408490493.post-82533071427861407292009-04-10T20:41:00.002-05:002009-04-10T21:06:46.348-05:00

My parents blessed me with an extremely normal name - Johnathon Roger Nelson. It makes eyes glaze over and induces yawns.Lucky for me, the name doesn't make the person.When I started John's Photography, I wasn't worried about what I would name it. Nor was I concerned with making myself into someone I'm not.I created John's Photography because I was meant to do so. It is my path.When I sat down to

John Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124553256600610067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7199646091408490493.post-11454958071784887542009-03-03T21:14:00.005-06:002009-03-05T21:35:20.299-06:00

This is Jeff. My unfortunate younger sibling. Blessed with the better Nelson genes, he excels in basketball, MSN Messenger and attracting the ladies with his strawberry blonde hair.I'm proud to say that he will be joining the Jackrabbit family in the fall of '09. Look out ladies.

John Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124553256600610067noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7199646091408490493.post-26496724241641979032009-03-02T18:29:00.012-06:002009-03-05T21:37:25.128-06:00

Like most people, I love traveling. I love seeing far-away places. I love the feeling.Fifteen months ago, a wonderful journey brought me to this spot on Huntington Beach in Southern California. It was the first time I had ever seen the Pacific Ocean.When I look at this photo, I remember how the first sweeping wave of water surprised my pasty South Dakotan feet, and then traced my heels on its way

John Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124553256600610067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7199646091408490493.post-38750882579015044232009-02-28T15:21:00.002-06:002009-02-28T15:42:30.075-06:00

My Saturdays are relatively dull, so I watch TV and I blog. In the other 6 days, I encounter ideas to blog about. The problem is that I don't write down these ideas, and they escape me.Every time I sit down at my computer, I ask myself, "What is worth writing about?" or "What would be the most meaningful post today?"These are impossible questions to answer, so I'll stop trying. There's no need

John Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124553256600610067noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7199646091408490493.post-38077030615274838802009-02-14T00:44:00.002-06:002009-02-15T19:23:30.561-06:00

This one is for all of my crazy, bitter, neo-conservative friends.I knew that, even before I inked out that little oval on the ballot in November, I had already made the right choice.This story affirms it.Amongst the practical qualities of the new President: a likable personality. You gotta love it.Have a good day,John

John Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124553256600610067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7199646091408490493.post-54170258285772943102009-02-14T00:04:00.004-06:002009-02-14T00:24:02.414-06:00

In writing my last post, I found some other points in my brainage that I want to throw at you:One of the many reasons for my love of photography is that it can tell a story without words. As a photographer, I'm a visual person telling visual stories. Photography helps me move and learn ideas and concepts better than I can with a keyboard or pencil. But the written word is still amazingly

John Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124553256600610067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7199646091408490493.post-83954763579460848362009-02-13T22:55:00.002-06:002009-02-14T00:03:39.350-06:00

Hey people. Sorry for the absence of posts lately. I've been busy doing nothing. No excuses here. I'm a lazy SOB sometimes.Although I haven't been writing for a while, I have been reading.What kind of sick and twisted stuff have I been reading? Here's the master list:(in order from longest to shortest page count)1. The Holy Bible: That's right kids. I actually read it. It's good.2. Digital

John Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124553256600610067noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7199646091408490493.post-81936255358966043732009-01-30T20:36:00.005-06:002009-01-31T09:54:33.397-06:00

One of the biggest things I learned about in college, besides journalism itself, but how to understand it and follow it. Here is an awesome way to stay current with your world.First of all: If you don't know what an RSS feed is, you should. It's a simple thing. Study this.Second: If you want to be cool, subscribe to RSS feeds. If you want to be especially cool, do it with Google Reader. I

John Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124553256600610067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7199646091408490493.post-19964153652121282582009-01-30T19:36:00.007-06:002009-01-30T20:20:42.799-06:00

This Rick Warren controversy really bothers me. Lesbians and gays were offended that President Obama chose Warren to pray at the inauguration. Wow. Is the world really ending?Firstly - Did gays really believe that Obama would pick a gay clergyman to give a prayer during the inaugural celebration? They did? Oh wait, he did do that.Secondly - Just because we have a new common-sense president

John Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124553256600610067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7199646091408490493.post-24776167191837324802009-01-26T19:53:00.005-06:002009-01-26T21:49:40.580-06:00

If you don't want to be an idiot, be considerate of others. It's a good rule.Roommates, coworkers, friends, people in Wal-Mart and even your relatives can be idiots. But I've learned that the first person you don't want to be an idiot is you. Many things can make you an idiot. Being American might make you an idiot- depending on the perception. From every point of view, we're all idiots.Here is a

John Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124553256600610067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7199646091408490493.post-18338131884861671182009-01-18T20:10:00.004-06:002009-01-20T19:04:17.953-06:00

Now that I'm done blabbing about Las Vegas, I would like to switch gears and let you know a little more about me and what I like.Like most of us in the upper Midwest, I'm part German. A modest 20% to be more accurate. Unfortunately, the most German part of my body is my stomach. I scarf bratwursts like a fat kid pops Cheetos - and rarely without sauerkraut. And let's not forget the all-time best

John Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124553256600610067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7199646091408490493.post-83602749652194831332009-01-15T21:15:00.011-06:002009-01-18T19:45:34.674-06:00

Every time I go on a vacation, the real-life experience destroys my expectations and preconceptions in both positive and negative ways. I often do not realize the inaccuracy of my expectations until I am back at home where they were formed. Of course, while I am there, I am caught up in observation. Not thinking, but observing. Who wants to think while on vacation? What are vacations for?Just in

John Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124553256600610067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7199646091408490493.post-18329562110479990742009-01-10T23:06:00.006-06:002009-01-11T12:56:01.842-06:00

About 9 or 10 months ago, Stacy and I spent most of our spring break in Yuma, Arizona, with my grandma and two aunts. In a nutshell, the trip was awesome and we're definitely going back asap. Anyway, on the way home, we decided that our next big adventure would happen again in about a year.About 2 or 3 months ago, I found a good deal on airfare to Las Vegas. "Vegas, yes," I thought. It made

John Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124553256600610067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7199646091408490493.post-37127248419341198932009-01-10T14:29:00.006-06:002009-01-10T15:02:35.955-06:00

It's been too long since I last took the time to sit down, center myself and write. It feels good.Well, what can I say? Things have been pretty good in the last few months or so. I'm kinda just taking it a day at a time. My work/life routine has been steady since the holiday season ended.Stacy (my gorgeous girlfriend) and I spend as much time together as we can. I work 8-5 on weekdays and she

John Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124553256600610067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7199646091408490493.post-60638455164022514862009-01-09T22:29:00.005-06:002009-01-09T22:57:40.014-06:00

Here is my pleading and pathetic attempt at gaining some initial readership:You are here. The hard part is over.So far, chances are that you've probably creeped to this page from my Facebook profile, or I blabbed to you about it at work. You should feel good because, by actually visiting this site, you've taken the first and hardest step of following my blog.Before you close this browser and lose

John Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124553256600610067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7199646091408490493.post-58234792325313646782009-01-09T21:54:00.003-06:002009-01-09T23:23:10.155-06:00

When I was around six or seven years old, I was helping my dad and grandpa on the farm. It was a typical sunny/hot/windy South Dakota day and we spent it sorting hogs. Not Harleys - pigs. Big pigs.For the first time that I could remember, dad entrusted me to the main gate of the pig pen while he went to get the trailer so we could bring them to town. After about five minutes of distracting myself

John Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124553256600610067noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7199646091408490493.post-32891372040843608342009-01-09T21:34:00.002-06:002009-01-09T21:45:54.103-06:00

Hello and welcome to whoever might read this.This is the first official post of my first official personal blog - The Fighting Swine.I have many ideas and perceptions which sometimes clog the already shallow flow of my brain, so this is the depository for those things. Hopefully you will find something interesting here.The plan, for now, is to post reactions, ideas and stories on this page for

John Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124553256600610067noreply@blogger.com2