Warning: cheesy/sentimental content ahead. Proceed at your own risk and blah blah b..

Do you ever have those times where you feel like everything sucks– bad? Like, you are never going to get really really rich (enough to live your neighborhood of choice and have a sail boat), and are going to be instead stuck hustling for the rest of your life? Like, why the eff did you waste your last 6 months running your arse off, just to get bronchitis a few weeks before the biggest race of your life? Like you are being bored to death by your own day-to-day? Like, why the crap did you ever learn to ride on snow, if you were just going to torture yourself and move 2000 miles away from the good stuff?

I have those times (yesterday). Sometimes it really gets to me. Then I try put things in perspective. And this is what I came up with to cap off the week–

Holy crap, I:

• have one of the most ridiculously amazing people in the world as my permanent girl pal.
• have a daughter who has defied all odds and done it in swimmingly cute fashion.
• have quite possibly the coolest group of family and friends ever.
• such awesome family and friends (I seriously love you guys).
• live in one of my favorite places on the planet (that I have been to).
• have a ton of cool stuff.
• make enough to pay the bills (and occasionally have a bit extra).
• have some fake jobs that I LOVE doing.
• have access to a ton of great music to put me in a good mood.
• would like to mention one more time how much I love my awesome friends and family (I have heard that some people don’t have either).
• occasionally seriously underappreciate stuff.
• might as well light some candles,  make some popcorn and watch a chick-flick after doing this post.
• will most likely regret doing such a corny post, but whatev.

So, there is that. Happy Friday.

[photo: timer shot at Baketoberfest 2010]

It has been slow going, trying to get back into the swing of things since returning from vacay. Part of it probably has to do with the fact that I’m battling bronchitis. It is pretty pathetic the way that Reagan and I have been passing germs and viruses back and forth, for the past few months. I’m supposed to be running the NYC Marathon next weekend and I haven’t run since the Hartford Marathon. Yeah, almost a month. We are also supposed to be doing the Halloween thing this weekend. I have spent zero time on a costume. I have also been working from home for the past few days, to avoid freaking everyone out with the coughing. So, I’m rocking 2 day old 5 o’clock shadow. I did make it outside last night, though. I shot an event celebrating the launch of a new collaboration between Rag & Bone and Timberland boots.

It was pretty cool, stylistically. But from a literal temperature point of view, it was hot as hades inside. The weather yesterday was mid 70′s with rain on and off. It felt like a swamp. Two favorite things about the party (both pictured above): 1. The DJs were spinning real 45′s, instead of the usual macbook pro hooked up to the digital turntables; 2. Terry Kennedy made it out.

My third favorite thing, was the boot maker. There was a dude at the party actually building a pair of boots (Below).

Final thoughts for this post–

It’s finally official. Woot.

Note from Jake: Everyone, sorry that this post is a day late. Pete had the entire month worth of these cover songs written and ready to go, before September was even over. I tried to get this thing in the queue before I went on vacation, but was having a difficult time rounding up the track. Pete forwarded it to me today, so here it is. Thanks again, Pete for the whole month worth of LMC guest posts! (end of Jake’s note)

Before reading the rest of this, please follow the link and read that article first.
La Musica Coolica #22 (OI)
Ready? Okay! Bad Town was covered on a tribute to Operation Ivy CD. I am not quite sure when the album “Take Warning: The Songs of Operation Ivy” was released. I also know that of the songs on that album I only really like less than half. I am unsure of the artists in this song… it was released as “Marshall Arts.” I think is has something to do with Marshall Goodman from the Long Beach Dub Allstars… I always imagined that they stayed kind of anonymous due to potential recording contract infringements and whatnot, but to be truthful, everything above, aside from the facts, is pure speculation. Anyway, this is their version, and I like it the same way I like the original. I enjoy the complete contrast of style between the two versions, and I hope you do too.

Marshall Arts: Bad Town, from the album Take Warning: The Songs of Operation Ivy.

We had such a great weekend with Reagan’s family. Sometimes family get-togethers can really fizzle by the time it is winding down. You know it is a good one, when that doesn’t happen. We woke up Monday morning and it was pouring rain. It was appropriate weather for our mood, because we were truly sad to be saying goodbye to everyone. It is really great to have a group of people that you enjoy being around so much that you can have fun doing anything, or even nothing.

I shot about 700 frames during our trip. At some point I’ll distill them down and put them in an album on our breinholts.com page, under the “our family” section. Until then, here are a couple more of my favs. Top: Reagan and a pack of Llamas that we encountered on our Sunday Hike.

We had a little fauxt0 (get it?) shoot on the back porch of the cabin on Sunday. A few of the images that we got really came out well, but these are a couple of my favorite goofing off shots. Above: Reagan posing with guitar. Below: Reagan’s brother Nathan wearing hillbilly teeth staring at his wife’s cleavage.

Below: Reagan’s sister Erin, and niece Kate, making werewolf cupcakes.

After having such an awesome trip, I’m having a tough time adjusting back to reality. At least it is already Tuesday. Hahahah

Thursday, Reagan and I spent most of the day in Knoxville, checking out the city.

We checked out the University of Tennessee campus.

I loved all of the old buildings in the downtown section.

In case there weren’t enough photos in the post that consists mostly of photos, here are a few more.

This is a video that Reagan and I made for her family reunion in TN. The idea was Reagan’s. Pardon my terrible camera work. Video is definitely much more challenging for me than still photography. The bonus footage at the end, is an outtake from on of her hair videos.

We drove NY to the Jerz, PA to the VA via DE and WV, finally arriving in Knoxville TN around 10 last night.

We only stopped a few times, other than to fill up. Somewhere in VA, I found a large field for Reagan to get out and stretch her legs. So, naturally, she did some jumping jacks. This was the only time along the way that we really broke out the camera.

After the jumping  jacks, Reagan did some actual running around.

…found some weird berries.

…more running

Finally, some fun backlit stuff.

Sorry if these shots are all really dark. My laptop monitor is not calibrated, and it almost always tricks me into adjusting the exposure when I edit on here. Today, we are going to kick it in Knoxville for a while, before heading off to the Smokey Mountains. Woot!

Well, I’m road-tripping right now. But, I didn’t want to have dead air on jakesnewblog during the entire time. So, I queued up a few items to post while we are driving. This is the first one. We may or may not have internetz, where we are going. If we do, then please feel free to expect an update from the deep south in the coming days. If not, I’ll fill everyone in when we return. Anyway, stay tuned Friday for a video that Reagan and I made for her family reunion. It doesn’t really make much sense, but it can be mildly entertaining, if you enjoy Reagan’s flavor of spazziness.

So yeah, we went out for my birthday the other night. It was nice. Just myself and Reagan. We forgot how much fun the point and shoot can be. You can prop it up on just about anything for a timer shot. And arms length shots are a snap (though unfortunately the lens distortion makes my already large nose appear to be even more bulbous hahaha). Of course we took it to the extreme. So, if you find yourself gagging right now (because of the abundance of corn-fed sappiness going on), go ahead and ctrl+alt+f4 your way out of here before you lose your lunch. Otherwise, feel free to scroll down to view a few more shots.

Yesterday I had a birthday. I’m now officially older than I was two days ago. Sucks. The weekend, I spent mostly doing some product photos for a Brooklyn clothing co. It was ok. We did hang out with our friends a bit, which was cool. Then we had a failed attempt at doing family photos. Piper was not in a good mood on Sunday.

Which brings us to Monday. Originally we were going to be heading to TN Monday night. Now it is looking more like Tuesday night. So I took advantage and met up with Reag for lunch, before going off to shoot some cool stuff. One thing was a new exhibit at the Met, featuring furniture by Charles Rohlfs.

Then I headed over to Bonhams on Madison Ave., to get some images of an exclusive vintage Heuer watch collection that is on display, and will be auctioned off in the UK, later this year.

There were a couple of our favorites.

And now- off to the Smokey Mtns., via some other cool places.

Johnny Cash… No introduction necessary.
Nine Inch Nails… ’nuff said.
“Hurt” was written by Trent Reznor and released in 1994 on the NIN album “Downward Spiral.”
In 2002, after his wife died, but before he died himself (wow, really?), Johnny Cash released the cover. I heard the Cash version on the radio in the work truck while I was working with my brother in San Diego. Before that, I had never heard the original version… to my knowledge. I was never a fan of Nine Inch Nails. I was always a fan of Cash. Now through Cash, I have become a fan of Reznor. I don’t think I would have acknowledged his writing in any other way, than the one I was shown.

“Hurt” from the album American IV: The Man Comes Around