Monday, February 18, 2008

A Lizard???



















Some people have made disparaging remarks about my profile pic. And I'm sure most of you have noticed that I use the same picture for both the blogspot and myspace.

Well, here's the history behind the pic. The lizard ... as some have referred to it ... is really a gecko.

We moved to our present address during the summer of '96. It was still hot as blue blazes; or as some call it, the "dog days." We had previously lived in a newer subdivision in West Monroe for the previous three years. So coming back to an older neighborhood in Monroe was a bit of an adjustment. However, since school was still out, the kids...John and Meredith...explored the outdoors and made new friends rather easily. Daniel was only one year old at the time and stayed under Angie's wing.

I believe the first night we were in our "new" home, the kids noticed we had several geckos all over the back of the house. Although fast like the common green lizards, these geckos were actually easier to catch...especially at night. So for several weeks, the kids became gecko wranglers. It was strictly a catch-and-release program; because once you caught one, it wasn't a whole lot you could do with it.

To me, the geckos around the house are like a shield because they keep out unwanted bugs. And for this reason, I am grateful to them. Plus, they are cool looking and fun to watch. I love to see them scurry about with that crazy walk. In addition, have you noticed how many commercials are using either a gecko or a lizard, lately? Who's talking for Geiko Auto Insurance? Who's dancing to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" for Life Water? ...'nuff said.

One night in October '06, I was walking through my kitchen during a rainstorm. I noticed a gecko was on the window...clinging to the pane during the storm. I quickly grabbed my camera and took several shots as he slowly moved around. The next day, I uploaded the photos to my computer. Within a few weeks, I was playing with some photo software and used the gecko as the subject. Somehow, it became a project. I would think...how can I change the photo to make it more appealing? Really, all I was doing was experimenting with my software to learn how to use it more effectively. The end result was some cool gecko photos.

So...there you have it. The gecko that became my logo. I've offered the original photo and some of my enhancements for your viewing pleasure.

3 comments:

Kimber said...

That's cool! They are cool. You are cool.

Cathy Burgess said...

I like your gecko pics. I am glad you explained why you use it for your profile pic b/c I have wondered about the significance. I thought maybe you just liked lizards. You did a really neat job of editing the original.

kidcardco said...

I ask for eye candy and you give me lizards?! What's wrong with you man!?