Falling in love again

Another ham story, but this time in Virginia. I can't remember being happier. Snow. Ham. Camo. And a story I really care about. It's that giddy feeling of falling in love.

Neither Snow

My friend Mara is wildly amazing. She's rocking some surpassingly lovely custom valentines this year, worth looking at both because they'll be beautiful, but also because of her love of stamps.

Waiting

Caption: After two days of waiting without news, Mary Lou Coren of Virginia Beach gets the call that her husband of 45 years Mike Coren and great-nephew Andrew Foster have survived the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that rocked Haiti on Tuesday. It was Foster's first time out of the country, visiting a place where the Corens had traveled for over thirty years. "Tell him I love him," said Coren to her niece Sharon Foster, Andrew's mother, who had spoken with her son moments earlier. "And that if he ever scares me like that again, I'll kill him."

It was a classic case of being yourself and doing what feels right-- to spend time, to wait, to talk, to share the excruciating uncertainty-- win out over going back to the office and shuffling papers around. And thank goodness he was alright. I can't imagine what it would have been like if he wasn't.

On Haiti

I've been following the images coming out of Haiti, and I am in awe of the work that journalists are doing. I am also made to think about the lack of journalism for the Haitian people-- the news about their lives, where aid is coming from, what roads are passable, where to find water. From what I've been hearing, there is a critical need of journalism FOR Haiti, and not only about Haiti. Listen to a fascinating story about getting community media back in working order. Often, when things are at their worst, journalists are at their best. I hope the local journalists in Haiti are able to do the jobs their communities desperately need. I feel honored to report in my community right now, though there certainly is some measure of desire to be in Haiti, to work hard in the service of a people who need help and a profession that can help move the whole world in the direction of right action.
Caption, above: While fellow congregants pray for overseas missions, Esther Pierre keeps Haiti, the country where many of her family members live, in mind during evening services at the Calvary Revival Church in Norfolk on Thursday, January 14, 2010. Pierre had recently learned of the safety of her father and sister, but was awaiting news of her brother, who has been missing since the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that hit the island nation on Tuesday.

Pageantry of the Political

Governor-Elect Bob McDonnell has been in my life for the past few days. In the top, at an event this morning. On the bottom, his local Inaugural Ball.

Jasper Flashback

I had a fun assignment today, spending a few hours with some third graders in an integrated English/ Limited English Proficiency classroom. I'm totally down for making lighthearted pictures, and today was one of those days. I felt a little reminder of Jasper, when you know you've got the moment you need. I guess now it's a Virginian-Pilot moment. Or some universal moment. I had to rock it black and white.

Back in the Saddle

Foggy and cold. That's pretty much the life here these days, as we've fallen into a deep stretch of icy weather. It's been slow in terms of shooting. I've been working to research some stories for 2010, and I've been editing some old work from 2009. Here are a few images from a recent feature hunt, at the Scottish Walk in Portsmouth. Gray and blue and a little red.