tricks and treats

I stayed home on Halloween and watched a movie with my kids instead of trick-or-treating.  When neighborhood children showed up at my door, I held out two bags from the freezer and offered the option of frozen broccoli or frozen green beans.  The stunned kids looked up in horror and mumbled "candy???"  My daughter pushed past me to save them with a big bowl of chocolate favorites.  As the giggling kids walked to the next house, I said goodbye and told them that if they come early enough next year, I might still have frozen brussel sprouts.  The tricked kids probably thought I was weird, but their parents got a good laugh out of it.  I'm sure my own kids wished they had thought of it first.

Brother Greg and S2 from 2009

While we're on the topic of tricks and treats, I have a new little toy.  It is a ring that screws on to the front of a lens, so that I can mount it backwards on my camera.  This backward lens trick is a neat way to boost your macro capabilities without buying a new lens.  I love it!  Here, you can see a closeup of the Lincoln Memorial on the back of a penny.  I should have looked for a penny that was not so worn, but I just didn't have the patience for that.

While I don't mind being labeled as a photography fanatic, I honestly try to exercise an appropriate balance with the rest of my life and responsibilities.  I saw an online video called The Calling of a Photographer by professional photographer David McLain.  In this video, he talks about the way photography passionately consumes him.  It is poetic and intriguing.  Nevertheless, I got the impression that some professionals might be absent too often from home, and that they're missing out on the greater glory, which is being a good husband and father.  Spooky, huh?