Kyle Dreier - Mr. Critical

I’m absolutely enjoying my Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro lens. My brain just works this way. I love looking at things in very tight closeup views.

Don’t step on these in the middle of the night.

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I love how this lens measures up.

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This used to be part of a DVD player.

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One thing about f2.8 is it’s sooo razor thin on the DOF that I have to stop down a half stop or full stop to get what I want to be in focus.

Stay tuned for more experiments …

- Kyle Dreier

As Amy and I get further into the process of adopting our girl from China I become more vocal with my convictions. I believe my convictions are becoming more developed as well.

I believe everyone needs to be involved in adoption. This doesn’t mean everyone needs to or is called to adopt, but I do think everyone needs to find their role in adoption whether it be helping a family with meals, baby sitting, finances … the list can go on endlessly.

As Amy and I begin the heavy lifting financial part of adoption I can see how some might put the cost of adoption as a barrier or even an excuse.

The cost for our adoption is going to run around $20,000. The part that makes this easier to swallow is this cost is spread out over about a 2 year period for us. People who adopt from other countries or even domestically could incur costs in a much shorter time frame.

I think about the power of numbers and how if everyone stepped up to the plate how the financial part wouldn’t even be an issue. Let me explain.

Our church has about 2,500 adults attend on a Sunday morning. What if each person said they would give $20 per month toward adoption. $20 is not a lot of money. That’s a couple of lunches each month. That’s a t-shirt from Gap. $20!

That $20 per month from $2,500 people would be $50,000 per month. Yes, $50,000! That’s $600,000 per year!

That could fund thirty to sixty adoptions per year. Why wouldn’t we do this? Wouldn’t that be incredible?

This is just one church! Think if five churches in Franklin/Brentwood area did this. There are a number of churches in the area with attendance much greater than this. And, the amount of wealth in this area is far above the national average.

Five churches funding an average of fifty adoptions per year is 250 adoptions at no cost to adoptive families. Why wouldn’t we do this? Think of the impact our luxury car driving, over-sized house living, name brand wearing community could have on so many children in need.

- Kyle Dreier

Six months ago I had no idea I could purchase a plastic toy camera lens and attach it to my Canon digital SLR. As with most technology the more and more it is refined the cleaner and crisper it gets … and the less personal it gets. Ever since moving from film to digital I’ve missed the warmth of film, the texture and grain of film … and I’ve missed the unknowns of film that turn into happy accidents.

As I’ve explored my creative expression through photography I discovered the Holga. This is a toy camera made in China that uses 120 film. The images I saw from this camera, as I explored other’s galleries, where rich with personality – mainly due to the fact that the images weren’t clean and pristine. Thus started the desire to own a Holga.

I learned that I could purchase a modified Holga lens. Now that I have it and have done a little playing with it I found that the small sensor on my DSLR doesn’t give me the full effect of the Holga. But, when I remove the lens from is focus ring-mount I can use it as a macro lens and the results are fun and relatively difficult to control – thus more fun.

This is a full-frame image with the Holga in “macro” mode … if you can call it that. Stay tuned for more tests and experiments.
- Kyle Dreier

As Amy and I work through the seemingly endless steps toward adoption I find myself a little … well, let’s just say … exposed.

Last week included a trip to the doctor to get a physical which included a draw or two of blood and a TB test. The TB test is very strange. The nurse put a needle just below my skin and injected some odd fluid which created what looked to be a big honkin’ blister. She said “don’t touch it.” So, the rest of the day I walk around with this bubble on my arm. Yuck.

Last week also included a trip to the Franklin Police Department for a background check. They were nice enough to remind me that in 2001 I received a citation for an expired license plate registration. It’s a good thing I they don’t keep records on how many times I’ve cheated on my donut diet.

This is really just the beginning. We still have to go through the FBI finger printing and the US Immigration steps. All in all, it makes me look at this process and do a gut check about how serious we are about our plans. I can see how if someone were not fully on board they could easily get discouraged and never see the process through to the end.

I think about how we have so much to offer an adopted child. I’m thankful for what we have and hope to provide a better life for our daughter to be.

- Kyle Dreier

Back in 1998 when Amy and I moved to the Nashville area Gil and Johanna Towery (our neighbors at the time) introduced us to Pizza Perfect in the Hillsboro Village area. Tonight it was time to check in our how perfect the pizza there still is, so Jeff Wolfe and I partook of the perfect pizza.

The Fantasy pizza was my half and Jeff got the BBQ Chicken. That plus plenty of local flavor makes for a nice night out. Thanks for Fred and Dave for putting up with a camera happy Mr. Critical.

Pans ready for action.

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I find pleasure in the mundane.

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Straws awaiting their calling.

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Choices. Good choices.

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Friendly services. Refreshing.

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Found what I’m looking for … pizza …

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Perfect.

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Say “ah” and “cheese.”

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Jeff, ready to “wolfe” down some pizza.

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Fred fixated on a hockey game.

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Fred’s friend Dave from Canada wondering about this camera happy American.

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All is good. And the Pizza was Perfect, as promised.

- Kyle Dreier

I love seeing little stories like this cross my desk. Maybe I’m poking too much fun at the media. What I do know is that in the world of investment real estate there is a level of educated and seasoned buyers that buy today, yesterday and tomorrow. They look at the underlying fundementals. But, there is also a level of buyers that are really less seasoned … almost wanna be real estate investors. These wanna be’s are waiting for the positive information to come across the evening news. I guess they’ll wait for the crest of the wave.

The head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which oversees the global financial system, said yesterday that ”a soft landing now seems more assured” for the United States, and world economic growth should approach 5 percent in 2007. read more

-Kyle Dreier

I knew this place was old but I didn’t know just how old until I asked. 1938 is when Elliston Place opened their doors for business. When Amy and I left Dallas to move to the Nashville area in 1998 John Harrison gave us a list of the top 10 things to do in Nashville. He grew up in the area and on that list was Key Lime pie from Elliston’s.

Tonight, however, it was a cheeseburger and fries for me. Don’t let the lack of modern lustre scare you. This place is a landmark and any absent polish is simply part of the great character in this place.

This neon sign is a very familiar image along Elliston Avenue.

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Ah … air conditioning.

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Don’t forget the music store next door.

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A good sport. When I asked if he was the owner he quickly said “Just call me the cook.”

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No need for air conditioning tonight. Hot chocolate was my desire.

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Oh how I wish neat details like this were in today’s new restaurants.

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It’s hard to beat a burger like this.

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I love the fact that I can go in and listen to the Bee Gee’s and Dr. Hook … if I wanted.

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Take this as a compliment to the cook.

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Certainly a nice gesture. I shall be back.

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My only regret is that I didn’t leave room for pie, or a malt.

- Kyle Dreier

I always think I’m pretty good about staying clutter-free. Brian Small asked me about my work environment so I fired off a few quick photos to send him. Little did I know this simple exercise would turn into a blog entry about how much clutter I allow myself to work within.

Looking at this photos I’m seeing my space in a completely objective light. I’m looking at this and thinking “what a trash heap!” I guess it’s time for Mr. Critical to start looking in the mirror more.

Between stuff piling up to sell on eBay, boxes for shipping, art work without a home, large photo print tests, … the list goes on. I can’t believe how packed and disheveled this place looks. Maybe these photos will act as a motivation and a “before” representation for some uncluttering to happen here shortly.

Stay tuned.

- Kyle Dreier