A Stumble Down Memory Lane

Found a ton of photos in a box while cleaning out my childhood bedroom.  What a great opportunity to embarrass myself and the one's I love.

My Jim Harbaugh grin at some ice cream parlor in Allendale, Michigan in 2002.  These kids to the right were doing something funny that was not captured on film.  But, I like the picture all the same...

"Excuse me Mr. Queer, will you take a picture with my sons?"  Nothing like being 15 years old and taking a trip down to Chicago to see The Queers, the Groovie Ghoulies, Screw 32, and Alkaline Trio (their first show) at the Metro.  That was also the trip where the highway caught on fire in Gary, Indiana and no one seemed to care.  They just drove through it.

Mike Nummerdor after the Chicago concert.  We stayed at some hotel in Michigan City, Indiana and stayed up all night (which was easy if you drank enough Bubba Cola).  I'll have to put up the pictures of us at the outlet mall next to the nuclear plant and other oddities at some point.

Meerkat Mike.  Probably about 1997 when the Nummerdor family moved into their home on the corner of Forest Park and Lake Harbor.  Lynne tasked us with removing a post at the end of the driveway, which ended up being a far bigger task than expected.  We did far more damage than help on that project.   

Nick Nummerdor as a groundhog.  

"Mom.  You just hit that button.  No, not that one.  The other one.  No.  What?  Did it go off?"  This was part of some project I was working on .  There are a series of these photos trying to instruct my mom on how to use the weird, cheap camera I use to own.   

Hey!  There's a gnome behind that rock!

J.T. Law teamwork retreat to St. Andrew's Hall in Pontiac, Michigan to see NoFX.  We're with Fat Mike, the lead singer and bassist.  Ben looks confused because he thought he was just some random guy we met in the parking lot.

Nick, Greg from the Bouncing Souls, and myself before the show at St. Andrew's Hall 

Ah, Ben figured out how I scored us free tickets to the show and we're not just randomly harassing people in the parking lot.  

 Grand Rapids is Burning!  On my way to something and got stuck when a building burned down near Division Street.  

Paul Bourdon, Me, Roddy Moon at our high school graduation in 1999 

Rodd Moon trying on an Inspector Gadget trench coat at ValuLand (RIP).   

And, more art.  A cool envelope by fellow SAIC alum, Jeni Gifford. 

The name's Kraus. Mike Kraus

"I like my martini shaken, not stirred.  Hold that.  Whiskey and Coke instead."  When I replace Daniel Craig as 007, I'll be known as the "Scruffy Bond."  Anyway, just picked up my new tux from the tailor.  Very nice.  Strange how people laugh when they find out I own a tux.  I wonder why?  I'll ask Dave if he gets that reaction...

Downtown Ra-cha-cha

Downtown Rochester looking west.  I haven't been down here in a while.  


Mercury Statue (http://rocwiki.org/Mercury_statue) at the old Kimball Tobacco Factory (http://rocwiki.org/William_S._Kimball_Tobacco_Factory) with the Times Square Building (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Times_Square_Building_(Rochester)) behind it.


First Federal Plaza (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Federal_Plaza).  Too bad the revolving restaurant isn't on the top anymore...


The Granite Building (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granite_Building) is one of my favorite buildings in the area.  


Chase Tower (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chase_Tower_(Rochester))  Seems like this is where God banks...


And, of course, the old Lehigh Valley Railroad Station (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lehigh_Valley_Railroad_Station_(Rochester,_New_York)), which is now Dinosaur BBQ (http://www.dinosaurbarbque.com/)


Here's where the first photographic film was produced by Kodak.  Now, it's just another parking garage in a city of parking garages.  


THE BUNNY!  I'm not sure what Megan would do if she saw this hopping at her in the backyard...



Rachel and I hunting for ribbits (frogs) at Papa's house.

That's it.  Now to go have Megan's car repaired...  again...

A Week In the Life of a Lollypop Farm Employee

I believe this sign should be made available to all employees having a rough day.  Perhaps in t-shirt form for those without an office.  



My getting to work wheels and my at work wheels.  Compare and contrast.  



THE BRICKS ARE IN!  YEAH!!!!  Thanks to Zaretsky and Associates landscaping for the installation.  Thanks to my team for all the work they've put into it.  Most of all, to all our donors for participating!!!



So many good bricks.  They look better now that they've been swept and it has rained



Lots of new birds at Lollypop Farm after a surrender.  These guys captivate my attention every time I walk by.  



Thanks to Dee for my new desk ornament.  It's Squash Beetlejuice!  Michael Keaton has never looked so good.



Thanks to Karen for my new creepy Puss In Boots clock.



OH MAN!  The set is going up for getting your Holiday Pet Photos.  At the very least, you should check out the pics of Santa with the animals.  But, it would be even better to sign up and have a picture taken with you furry friend at:


HOLIDAY PET PHOTO AT LOLLYPOP FARM


HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Wedding Libre

Who I was meant to be!



This about sums it up.  The Bell family wedding that is...



St. Mary's church in downtown Rochester.  A lot like the St. Mary's church in downtown Muskegon.  Too bad they whitewashed the whole inside because it looks like it has an incredible paint job underneath.  



Geva Theatre.  No photos allowed inside of On Golden Pond.  May I say "THE LOONS!  THE LOONS!!!"  I've never seen the movie before so I can't compare.  The theater was a lot nicer than I expected and it was well performed.  I'm no expert on these things, but luckily my wife is and you can ask her opinion about it.



PLEASE SUPPORT THESE PUPPIES and other animals of Lollypop Farm by donating to my page for Barktober Fest 2011 at:  http://lollypop.kintera.org/ba
rktoberfest/mike I'm helping organize the run/walk and will be running around with a bullhorn, air horn, and a starter pistol.  So, fun for the whole family!

WE'RE MARRIED: Bride and Groom

Thanks again to everyone!  Here are some more pics of our wedding.  Thanks again to James Schuck and to everyone else who made our wedding day so special!






At St. Thomas More Church












At the Rochester Civic Garden Center's Warner Castle in Highland Park









HAHAHAHAHAHA!







































Oh la la!


















This is where James, the photographer, told me "you grin like a monkey."  He's right, but I'm a cheerful fella...



"Fine James, I'll look serious for once..."















Wedding cake couple shot






The money shot.  James has put this picture on everything.  It's on his website, business cards, computer desktop, and probably on t-shirts and mugs.  They make great gifts!






























The "King of the World" Titanic shot















Ok, a nice looking shot, right?



But, look at those broken elbows.  For those who don't know, my elbows can bend in ways that no one else's can.  I wonder what evolutionary advantage I get from having that...



Proof that you can put a dope in a suit, but you can make a suit out of a dope...



The mysterious cat that joined us for our entire photo shoot.  Pretty friendly fella.  If you live near Highland Park in Rochester and this is your cat, we have lots of great shots of him...


















The Cat Whisperer






If I would have known we were going to take an FDR campaign shot, I would have picked up a top hat, round framed glasses and a cigarette on a stick.  



That's it for this batch.  One last batch to go and it's of the party!  Thanks again to everyone for everything.  Hope you all have a great Christmas.