• About

grayfeathersblog

~ Diabetes, Cancer Survivor, Cycling, Photographer, Exercise, College Parent, Twins, Boy Scout Leader, Life

grayfeathersblog

Tag Archives: High School

365 Day Photo Challenge 255/365 “Torture Shoes”

11 Friday Sep 2015

Posted by Tim Hughes Living with CML in Photography

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

365 Day Photo Challenge, ACT Test, Football Game, High School, Homecoming, Injured Player, Shoes, Sports, Suits

Tonight was homecoming at my daughters school and one of my daughters was on the homecoming court and I was her escort. I had to wear a suit and tie and I don’t know anyone that hates to wear a suit and tie more than I do.  Not to mention the torturing device known as dress shoes.

My plan was to go to the game, participate in the halftime festivities, go home and change clothes and be back before 4th quarter.  All in all I shouldn’t have to be in a suit more than a couple of hours.  It didn’t work out that way.  Thirty minutes into the game a huge storm with major lightning and the game had to be postponed.  After a two hour lightning delay the game resumed and by this time my feet were really hurting.  I managed to go through the homecoming festivities on the field and soon afterwards I was on my way home to change clothes.

When I returned about thirty minutes later only about ten minutes had elapsed on the time clock and there was a man down on the field.  Was told a back injury and I hope the young man is ok.  Normally we’re home around 10:30pm on Friday nights after a home game.  Tonight with the weather, the injured player and homecoming festivities, I got home around 11:45pm.  A little later than normal.

Tomorrow my girls have the ACT test to take and I’m really hoping they get enough sleep.  One of my daughters is still recovering from having the Flu so I’m not sure if she will feel like taking the test tomorrow or not.

“Life Goes On!”

365 Day Photo Challenge 166/365 “Trip Down Memory Lane”

14 Sunday Jun 2015

Posted by Tim Hughes Living with CML in Photography

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

365 Day Photo Challenge, Alabama, Corner, HDR, High School, Memory Lane, Photography

She’s slated for destruction soon, in fact, word is that she will be leveled within the next few weeks, if not sooner.   It’s been talked about for over a year and every effort has been made to save her but to no avail she will be leveled to make room for an expansion of the new middle school.

I started here in 1976 when I was in the seventh grade.  The newer portion on the right side was our band room where I spent all of my free time.  If you look close on the far left of the picture is our football field.  They have already built a new high school and they are using the existing buildings for the middle school.

“Life Goes On!”

365 Day Photo Challenge 147/365 “Nice Surprise Today”

30 Saturday May 2015

Posted by Tim Hughes Living with CML in Photography

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

365 Day Photo Challenge, Alabama, Band, Band LEaders, Friends, Graduation, High School

183085_946932328135_8338120_n

Bare with me as I give a brief history as to why I had a nice surprise today.

I entered Corner High School back in 1976 in the seventh grade.  My younger brother decided that he wanted to join the band and back then you could join the beginner band in the sixth grade.  I felt I was too good to be in the band and wanted to join the football team.  Once we got settled in my brother joined the band and I tried out for football.  I was too slow for football but they waited until two weeks before our first game to tell me.  So, I did what my brother did and tried to join the band but by then it was too late to join in for that year.  I had to wait another year before i could try out.

My two younger brothers, my baby sister and myself all were in the band at one time.  I had some fond memories in the band especially when we got to go out of state to compete with other bands across the surrounding southeast.  I even got to try out in the honor band, made it and got to perform on the Grand Ole Opre stage in Nashville Tennessee.  The original stage not the new one.

During my time in the band I learned how to play the Trombone, Baritone, Concert Tuba and the Sousaphone.  Believe it or not, there is a difference between the Tuba and the Sousaphone.  My favorite instrument has got to be the Baritone.  I even bought one right after high school just so I could keep playing it after I graduated.  I’m glad I did because my son now plays that instrument in college.

Both my baby sister and my baby brother quite soon after their first year in the band.  It just wasn’t for them. My sister played the Saxophone and my baby brother played the trombone. My other brother stayed in the band and he played the trumpet.

The band director that I had in high school is still there today.  When asked when he was going to retire, he just simply said, “I’m not!”  Many of my classmates still live in the area and Mr. Coggin teaches their kids how to play music and march on the field.  I know it has to feel strange knowing that you taught their parents and now your teaching their kids.  I know it would fell weird for me.

Mr. Coggin’s father was a Baptist minister and at one point was the preacher at my church.  Guess who became our music minister.  That’s right.  His son the band director. Now, not only did I have Mr. Coggin for band during the week, I now had him on Sundays and Wednesday’s for choir.

Getting to know the Coggins’ was awesome. Not only did I get to know the father but the father’s wife, Mr. Coggins’ wife and his two young kids.  If I recall, the families stayed with our church for many years.  But there came a day when the preacher decided it was time to retire and so he left along with his son, Mr. Coggin with his wife and two kids.  Of course, I still saw him at football games and competitions because we would go to the games to see my brother play and march in the band.  In fact, with my kids being in the band we still see Mr. Coggin from time to time at competitions and at football games.  I always make it a point to speak to him when ever possible.  I remember one time after I shook his hand and asked him how he was doing, he turned to the gentleman standing beside him and said, “that’s one of my tuba players from years ago.  One of the best tuba players I’ve ever had the pleasure of teaching.”  Made my day to hear that.  I don’t know if he actually meant for me to hear that or not but regardless I did.

Which brings me to today.  While in the elevator at my workplace, the elevator stopped on third floor as it was going down.  Four ladies and a gentleman stepped on and the doors closed.  Moments later the door opened again on second floor and three ladies got off.  I noticed that this lady kept looking at me. When I first saw her she looked familiar but to me everyone looks familiar.  We have over 3000 employees that work at the complex so I see different people everyday of the week. She asked me if I had went to Corner.  I said yes thinking maybe she was a classmate of mine or even a teacher.  She then asked me if I had been in the band.  I said yes.  The then told me that she was Mr. Coggins’ wife.  You could have blown me over with a feather.  We talked from the time we got off together on ground floor to the doorway to her destination.  We talked mostly about my family and a little about Mr. Coggin.  I was dismayed when I had found out that she had been working there for well over a year and a half.  I wished I was a fly on her wall when she told Mr. Coggin that she works in the same place that I work at.

Mr. Coggin taught me more than just how to play an instrument and how to play music.  He taught me respect and how to be a leader.  He taught me that there is more to life than winning at everything you do.  That you can learn far more from losing than you can from winning.  I have a lot of respect for Mr. Coggin and his family.

The above picture is a drawing of the old high school where we would meet for band practice.  This is where we had all our band pictures made.  This is where we had our graduation pictures made. This is where I had my first kiss.  This is about to be demolished.  A new high school is been built with nicer rooms, bigger band room, bigger auditorium and up to date equipment.  They even have a stream flowing down through the center of the cafeteria.

“Life Goes On!”

365 Day Photo Challenge 142/365 “A Different Sort of Memorial Day”

24 Sunday May 2015

Posted by Tim Hughes Living with CML in Photography

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

365 Day Photo Challenge, Alabama, Dependant, Depression, Girls, High School, Independance, Kids, Memorial Day, Photography

I woke up to the sound of the bathroom door closing and my daughters inside getting ready for work.  Normally I try to sleep in on the weekends but the last two mornings I’ve gotten up to the sound of my girls taking showers and doing their hair.  This has been so tough on me because my baby girls are growing up on me.  What made is so bad today is that my wife had found some pictures of them yesterday when they were about four or five playing with our then kittens.

I have never been diagnosed with depression but I know I have it at times.  Today was one of those days.  I didn’t ride my bike, too windy was my excuse.  I spent the day on my computer looking at pictures of my kids when they were little.  Not really feeling sorry for myself but then again maybe.  When my girls are at home we don’t spend much time with each other because our interests are so different.  They stay in their room watching tv and I stay in the den either on my laptop or watching tv or both.

The girls are seventeen and are both working at a local water park.  I am not ready for them to be working but I’m proud of them that they want to work and earn money to spend as they wish.  My girls are smart and make great grades in school and have never given us any cause to worry.  Neither one date which is fine by me because some of the boys they hang around with would not be my first pick for a boyfriend.

As a parent I worry about each of my kids.  My son is going back to school tomorrow and I won’t see him for several months.  But I worry about them each time they get behind the wheel.  My girls are not that experienced behind the wheel and I just worry that each time they leave the house it may be the last time I see them alive.

I’m reminded of yesterday while at the ballpark all those kids that are dependant on their parents to do everything for them.  My kids are independant and I’m proud for that but I’m also reminded that it wasn’t that long ago when they did depend on us to everything for them.  I sometimes miss that.

“Life Goes On!”

365 Day Photo Challenge 121/365 ” Great Weekend but Here Comes Monday”

03 Sunday May 2015

Posted by Tim Hughes Living with CML in Photography

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

365 Day Photo Challenge, Alabama, College, Gymnastics, High School, Photo, Photography, Seniors, Twins

Where did this weekend go?  In fact, where did April go?  I can’t believe that it’s May already.  School will soon be out for the summer and all three of my kids will either be working or going back to school.  It’s going to be a lonely summer.  My girls will be seniors next year in high school and my son will be graduating in December from college.  Hopefully he will have a job when he gets out of school.  I just hope I have enough vacation time built up before my girls have to go back to school in August to have some sort of vacation I can spend with them.  These doctor appointments are killing my time.

“Life Goes On!”

365 Day Photo Challenge 115/365 “Four Years Ago”

27 Monday Apr 2015

Posted by Tim Hughes Living with CML in Photography

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

2011 Tornado, 365 Photo Challenge, Alabama, Band, Damage, High School, Photo, Photography, Pleasant Grove, tornado

128

Our little community was hit by an EF-4 tornado and as you can see it destroyed much our our great city.  Thirteen people died on this date four years ago.  A total of 64 tornados were recorded that day with 250 recorded deaths for the state of Alabama.

My son and I woke up to the news that morning of a tornado that hit Pell City, a city east of us.  It did a lot of damage including my sister in law’s house.  My son and I was getting ready to leave out on a trip with the high school band heading to Orlando, Florida leaving behind my wife and two young twin daughters.  Little did I know that I would later on fear that they had perished in the storm that would hit around 4 pm later that evening.

We were on a bus near Tallahassee Florida when we started getting messages that a EF-5 tornado had hit Tuscaloosa and was heading toward Pleasant Grove, my hometown.  We all watched in fear as we saw the tornado inch closer and closer to our city.  I had called my wife and told her to take cover because it was on it’s way.  The radar program I had installed on my computer showed the path leading dead center of Pleasant Grove.  I hung up the phone not knowing if I would ever see my wife and girls again.

I watched in horror as the storm reports started coming in on the tv on the bus.  Reports also started coming in from loved ones on the bus.  Friends, neighbors and loved ones had died and their homes destroyed.  Reports of fires and heavy damage all over our city were flowing freely throughout the bus but I could not get through to my wife.  I tried her cell phone, the house phone and I even called the neighbors phone.  It wouldn’t even ring.  All circuits were busy.  I couldn’t text my wife because she didn’t want to spend the money on text messaging.  I cursed her for that.  After about 15 minutes of not knowing I started getting that sinking feeling that I had indeed spoke to my wife and kids for the last time and I would not see them alive again.  People all over the bus were crying because of the news of their loved ones either being hurt or loss of life.  The lady behind me knew I was concerned and started trying to calm me down.  I went to my son who had also been trying to contact his mother and I could tell he had been crying too.  We held each other in our arms for a few minutes.  Other people started trying to call our numbers but were having the same luck.  Finally, after what seemed a lifetime, I finally was able to get the phone to ring.  I can’t remember just how many times the phone rung but I remember thinking to myself that even if the phone rang it didn’t mean that she was still alive.  I also remember hearing the most beautiful sound that I could ever hear at that time, the sound of my wife answer the phone.

The tornado had missed the house by about five hundred yards.  She had went outside and looked around and saw no damage, just a few limbs down and a lot of insulation all over the yard.  She wouldn’t know until the next day just how close we were to losing everything we had.  At that time she didn’t know just how close the tornado came and just how much damage was done to our city. We were truly blessed.

The buses were instructed to stop at the next rest area and the parents and band leaders met to decide what we needed to do.  Several of the parents wanted to go home and check on their homes.  The decision was made to continue on to Orlando and let those parents that wanted to, make arrangement to rent a car and let them go on home.  All the kids were made to stay on the bus and head to Orlando.  We had some opposition from the kids but the kids needed to stay out of the way of the cleanup.  Later on I think the kids realized that we just wanted what was best for them.  It all worked out for the best.

This happened on a Wednesday and we stayed in Orlando until the following Sunday.  The ride home was a somber one.  The realization had set in and we were about to find out first hand what type of damage was done to our families.

Our city is still trying to rebuild from the 2011 tornado.  Many people packed up and left never to return.  The band went from nearly 200 students to 80 in less than a year. The same effects were felt in the high school.  We’re slowly getting back to where we were but it’s going to take some time.

“Life Goes On!”

HDR “Old Truck”

25 Sunday Jan 2015

Posted by Tim Hughes Living with CML in Photography

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Chevrolet, HDR, High School, Photo, Photography, Truck

I learned to drive a straight shift on this truck.  She holds a lot of memories for me.  My brother and I used her for our grass cutting business while we were in high school.  We hauled tons of firewood out of the deepest woods that my dad could find.

Everytime I look at her I see the big dent on the front fender.  I laugh now every time I think about what happen.  My brother and I were learning how to drive and it was my turn to drive around the yard.  I got behind the wheel and was arguing with my brother who was outside the truck as I was backing up.  I ran into a power poll that sat dead center of our side yard.  I was so mad and upset.  Dad wasn’t too happy either.

She started leaking oil back before I graduated high school.  A friend of mine decided that we could rebuild her.  I needed the experience anyway so we rebuilt the engine.  We spent about two months working evenings and weekends.  Got her cranked and damn if she didn’t leak worse after we fixed her than before.  Dad took it to a shop and they fixed it right.

It’s been sitting up for several years now.  My brother in law decided he would sand it down and repaint her.  He spent several weekends sanding but never got around to the painting.  That was over ten years ago.  Dad has moved it around the yard via tractor but it hasn’t been cranked in over ten years. She sits rusting away.

365 Day Photo Challenge Day Seventeen “HDR”

17 Saturday Jan 2015

Posted by Tim Hughes Living with CML in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

365 Photo Challenge, Bracketing, Camera, D7000, HDR, High School, Image, Nikon, Photo, Photography

_1TH0488_89_90_tonemapped

HDR, High Definition Resolution.  Some people love it while others hate it.  I’ve been interested in this for quite some time.  In my opinion, some people over use it and abuse it. They over process it way too much. It can be be used to make an interesting effect and make a dull photo more interesting.

I finally broke down and purchased the software last night and after a day at a car lot shopping for a car, which is an entirely different story, I got a chance tonight to go out and play some.  This is at our local high school.  the sun had just gone down below the horizon and the street lights had just come on.  My camera is a Nikon D7000 and is able to do bracketing.  By taking three photo’s, one under exposed, one metered and one over exposed, the software stacks the three photo’s together and creates this image. I know I’m over simplifying the process and I know some of you already know the process but there are those that don’t.

I’ll go ahead and warn everyone that I will be posting some of these from time to time.  Let me know what you think.  I’m willing to learn and hopefully get better.

Blog Stats

  • 8,413 hits

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 478 other subscribers
Follow grayfeathersblog on WordPress.com

2015

January 2023
M T W T F S S
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031  
« Sep    

Blog at WordPress.com.

  • Follow Following
    • grayfeathersblog
    • Join 478 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • grayfeathersblog
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...