#22 - Sunrise Today

It was very windy and a little chilly this morning, and as the day progressed things got a lot worse. The sun went away, the clouds rolled in, and by noontime there were Tornado Warnings being broadcast as torrential rains fell.

However, I did manage to get a few shots in Celebration and Downtown Disney before things fell apart.

When I was sitting in the Coco Moka Cafe, having my Sunday morning coffee, there was an English family to my right and a Chinese family behind me. If you walk through Downtown Disney, and Disney Parks in general, you see and hear people from all over the world. Mickey draws them all in. Obama should consider making Mickey Mouse Secretary Of State, he knows how to make the world happy. Obama should also consider changing the title of Secretary Of Defense to Secretary Of Offense, and Secretary Of Homeland Security to Secretary Of Defense. Think Football Team, with a Head Coach, Offensive Coordinator, and Defensive Coordinator. Words have power, and I think these words would make the positions much more understandable to the office holders, the country, and the world. I'm through rambling.

#21 - The Price Of Gas Today

I shot this early today, and I know the 7-11 directly opposite this station was exactly the same. That's about a penny higher than the 'national average' today. Of course, these two gas stations are right at the gate and are the only two stations when cars get off I-4. I-4 is the very heavily traveled road that runs through Orlando, starting in Tampa and ending at Daytona Beach. Lots of tourists stop at these stations.

I saw gas for $1.729 in Kissimmee yesterday. That's much much better.

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The wonderful Coca Cutie, a/k/a Uma Por Dia of Lisboa366, has resumed posting her marvelous blog: LiSbon daiLy pHoTO. I know everyone missed her. Let's hope she finds her way back into Blogland. I know what blogger burn-out is like and I think that's what she was experiencing.

#20 - Today's 'On The Run' Clock

I made a quick stop near the Clock Tower so I could record the conditions in the sky around 10:30 this morning. I didn't have time to make a comprehensive photographic study today, because my truck wasn't feeling well and I had to get it to the hospital. (Funny, I used to have a customer that called himself Auto Doc.) Oh well, $201 plus change later, I'm happy to say truck is well, but sad to say I'm depressed. LOL

#19 - Thanksgiving Day Clock Tower

The one and only shot I took today of the Clock Tower with my digital camera. I did take one with my cell phone also, and that is posted on the Mobile blog.

This is the first time I have encountered a live person at the Clock Tower Plaza. Other than ballooners, that is. I've never encountered a dead person, if you're wondering. The gentleman was nice enough to allow me to shoot his dog, but I failed to get the dog's name as I was in a hurry to get to my mother's for Thanksgiving Day dinner. She lives about one hundred miles from me.

#18 - Looks Like A Giant Clock Tower

That's Walgreens in the background on the left. Looked so big earlier in the week, didn't it? LOL

The sign at the base of the clock reads: No Skateboards Rollerblades Bicycles Allowed. It doesn't work. The edges of all of the fountains are marked by skateboards sliding across them. Rollerblades, I don't know, maybe they leave black marks on the pavement. But bicycles? Why not?

Of course, Champions Gate isn't really bicycle friendly anyway, unless you use the sidewalks, and I don't think that's allowed either. When I first moved to Florida I was riding my bicycle down the sidewalk and a cop told me it was illegal. "Get in the street," he said. As soon as he wasn't looking, I got back on the sidewalk.

So once in every year we throng
Upon a day apart,
To praise the Lord with feast and song
In thankfulness of heart.

~Arthur Guiterman, The First Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

#17 - Sun Shine Bright

#16 - Leaning Tower Of Clock

Silly, I know, but aren't the colors kind of nice?

#15 - Big Golf Weekend On The Way

The banners line the streets announcing the Del Webb Father Son Challenge at the ChampionsGate Golf Club. A lot of BIG names will be there. I don't have tickets, but I might try to sneak a peek from the areas I normally shoot photos at, as they are open to the public.

#14 - Reaching For The Sky

Yes, you guessed it, this is a view of the Paul McCartney face (south), and the George Harrison face (east). It's appropriate that the jet is passing Ringo Starr (west), proving that he's not all that fast anyway.

I hope the two remaining Beatles approve of this face naming "we've" come up with. It is meant as an honor. So, Ringo, Paul, leave a comment, if you happen to stumble upon this blog, and let us know what you think. I know you surf.

LOL

#13 - Tall and Strong

The Clock Tower is taller than Walgreens, but not taller than the Omni.

#12 - Beyond Walgreens

I got a late start this morning, left the house after ten. Good thing I'm the boss, I'd have been fired a long time ago.

Have you seen those blogs that are essentially diaries of the person writing them? You know, the ones where they talk about everything that happened to them during the day, what's going on in their lives, how things are going with the psychologist, hair dresser, nail tech, coach, blah blah blah? Every once in a while I think about writing that kind of stuff on my blogs, but my days are so boring, no one would want to hear about them. Example: left home, drove to Kissimmee, saw some customers, went for workout, drove home, had food, went back out, failed at selling a stupid ad, went home, downloaded photos, wrote this. I mean .. who cares?

Oh, I left out the important part: took photos. Awesome photos. Gonna post them somewhere. Hang on!

I'm not knocking those bloggers that lay their lives out for everyone to comment on, I'm just injecting a little self-deprecating humor here.

LOL

#11 - Water Falls at Three

I shot this view of the Clock Tower yesterday. What a gorgeous day it was, even though it was a little chilly by Florida's standards.

#10 - Eleven Eleven Eleven

This is the Clock Tower on eleven eleven o'eight at eleven in the morning. I didn't plan it, just happened that way. When I started doing this post I realized that if I saved it till tomorrow it would be the eleventh post on this blog, but I don't want to appear to be too much of a genius, or whatever you would call that. LOL

#9 - Special Sauce On A Hot Air Balloon

This is one of the first shots I took of the Clock Tower with a hot air balloon landing next to it last March. I sauced it, but never published it. At least I don't think I did, lol. Well, better late than never is what the old adage says. And I agree.

#8 - Through The Median

I shot this view of the John Lennon (north) and Ringo Starr (west) faces through the driver's side window while I was sitting at a red light yesterday morning. I rolled the window down first.

You know the old saying, Practice Makes Perfect? That's what I'm doing. I'm practicing taking photos of the Clock Tower; taking them from every angle, during every kind of weather, every kind of lighting, day and night, hoping to improve with each shot.

#7 - Rainy Night

I shot this last night when I was out trying to shoot the Space Shuttle. It is a view of the Clock Tower from beneath the drive-through of the Regions Bank, and it shows the east face of the clock. That means George Harrison (east face) is finally getting some recognition here. The building on the right is the Watson Real Estate office building. Just to the right of that would be the Walgreens, which you have seen in other photos.

Just before I was about to leave my house to take some shots of the Space Shuttle launch, it started raining. Then it started pouring. I decided to go to the bank parking lot and try to get some shots anyway, and it turned out okay. The Space Shuttle was a mere flicker in the sky, but some of the other shots I got were pretty cool.

#6 - Time Waits For No One

And the correct time is: Paul McCartney has it. The south face of the clock tower is just about right. The west face, or Ringo Starr (lol) seems to be fast all the time. But what can we expect, Ringo is a drummer, and drummers have to be fast.

I shot this on my way out to work this morning. WORK! Does anyone remember Maynard G. Krebs? I do. I loved that show. The G. stood for Walter. Figure that out! My grandfather's first name was Walter. I wonder if he ever watched Dobie Gillis?

Just a little something to entertain and make you think tonight. I'm heading out the door in a few minutes to try to shoot some photos of the Space Shuttle launch. I have no idea if I'll be able to, but at least it won't be WORK.

The title of this post is also a Rolling Stones song. Which band is number one of all time, Beatles or Stones?

#5 - Overcast Morning

I shot this on my way out of Champions Gate this morning. As you can see, the weather wasn't the greatest. But I think the Clock Tower is beautiful no matter the weather. Beauty, of course, is in the eye of the beholder. What I find beautiful you may find ugly. And vice versa.

My day was an exceptional one. I traveled to the west coast of Florida to work with my brother. That is always a good time, and I look forward to it every month. Today my brother beheld beauty in his eyes when he spotted money in the bed of my cute little pick-up truck. Whenever I find pennies on the ground, I throw them in the bed of the truck with the idea that I will get them out eventually and put them in my starving pig. But, little brother spotted them and said, "Pennies! What are they doing there? They don't belong there, they belong in my pocket!" With that, he gathered up the pennies and counted them. "Thirteen," he said, as he quickly pocketed them. LOL

That's the Paul McCartney face of the clock, by the way. That's south, for you newcomers.

#4 - In The Palms

A view from the Walgreens parking lot, north of the Clock Tower plaza. Look closely at the face of the clock. Do you see John Lennon there?

So, I put the face names to a vote and The Beatles were voted in unanimously. The photo below will help you visualize the faces as you look at the clock tower. It's amazing how much alike they looked when they were young. To me, anyway. This photo was taken in 1964.



I remember exactly where I was the first time I saw them perform, not live unfortunately, but on TV. I guess it's just one of those things that have a big impact on one's memory, like the assassination of Kennedy and the explosion of the Space Shuttle.

So, there you have it: North - John Lennon, South - Paul McCartney, East - George Harrison, West - Ringo Starr.

#3 - Harboring a Hot Air Balloon

I shot this at exactly 7:15 this morning. Can you tell? LOL

If you were a passenger in the hot air balloon that appears in the key hole, now you know exactly where you were at 7:15 on 11/11/08.

This is the east face of the clock. That's the Omni Hotel in the distance. Coca Cutie has suggested that I name the faces of the clock, rather than referring to them as north, south, east and west. Of course, if I do that I'll have to put a 'key' on the sidebar so my readers know what I'm referring to, unless I add the direction after the name of the face. Confused? Well, let's say I name the faces after the Beatles: John, Paul, George and Ringo, then it would be John North, Paul South, George East, and Ringo West. All in favor say aye.

#2 - Early Morning View

A view from the southeast corner of the Clock Tower plaza, with the sun just bathing the top of the tower.

If I don't get up early in the morning, I feel like I'm missing out on something. Do you know what I mean? I don't have to be up and out, just up - no sleeping late for me. Life is too short. Besides that, the early bird catches the worm.

Speaking of proverbs, here's one for you: Don't judge a man until you've walked in his shoes. In other words, don't criticize a man until you've tried to do the things he has done. Do you think President-elect Obama may be forming a different opinion of President Bush now that he is privy to the intelligence and has had his first meeting with Bush in the White House? I do.

#1 - The Clock Tower At Sunrise Today

Having decided yesterday, with the advice and encouragement of Coca Cutie, the prolific blogger from Lisbon, Portugal, that I would dedicate a special blog to celebrate the beauty of the Champions Gate Clock Tower, I went straight there this morning and this was my first shot. If you like the Clock Tower, tune in to see a different photo of it every day. I'll do my best to get snapshots that will entertain, rather than bore. Thanks.