5 nights of “Use It or Lose It” hotel accommodations turned into 4 days of beautiful diving in Maui.

Two days of boat diving with Island Style Diving who really know how to make you feel welcome…Aloha!

Two days of shore diving with Dive with Harmony whose guides understand the joy of diving!

Highlights…

Rocket Girl - an endangered Hawksbill Turtle being tracked for research.

A Hawaiian Yellow Seahorse - a dive experience of a lifetime

Octopus, up close and personal.

Eels, flounder, flame angelfish, hawkfish, turtles and more….

Go On An Adventure!

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TJSlott and The Flying Lens by TJS Photography

Awesome adventures can be found anywhere…you just have to get out and look!

Get wet…

Get dirty…

Find fossils and sharks teeth in a limestone creek bed which was once part of a great ocean from here in Texas up into Canada.

Go have an adventure!.

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Finally! After two years of trying, the entire family made it to Maui!

I had 3 days of diving: The Cathedrals of Lanai; The night dive at Black Rock; The Anchors and Molekini Crater with not another boat in sight!

Sea Turtles; a tiny yellow juvenile frog fish; colorful nudibranchs; a crown of thorns; harlequin shrimp; a conger eel with his dinner; eels; urchins; lobster; Starry Night octopus; the fish.

Go on an adventure!!!

OK…one of the selfish big reasons for the family trip to Maui was to take my grand kids and introduce them to my version of playing in the ocean! That means you get suited up and snorkel; crash in the waves! You also climb the lava flows and solve the mysteries of life in the meditation path.

I will never forget my grandson’s first snorkeling adventure and hearing him scream through his snorkel “DUDE! I see a fish!” Jacques Cousteau and I couldn’t be prouder!

The other big reason for the trip was a celebration of life with Karen!

Do a family adventure and celebrate life!

My first dive trip in 18 months!

It was a fantastic series of dives and OHHH SOOO GREAT to be on an underwater adventure once again!

Its time to go on your Adventure!

Nearly 500 life-size sculptures submerged along the coast of Cancun in a variety of settings. These are only a few I was able to visit.

An underwater experience.

Finally got to check off some of the must have kid snow experiences…

Not the fly to a ski resort experiences…

But the do it yourself, make it happen in your neighborhood experiences…

• Safe frozen pond - Skate on it…Dance on it…

• Snow Angel…heavenly…

• No sled - Use a shovel…cardboard…laundry basket…

• Kids…Adults…Dogs…down the hill…

• Don’t forget…You Have To Crash…Nailed It…

Have an Adventure!

Finally! An opportunity to go on a COVID safe, socially distanced, watch from the top of the Jeep Gladiator, air show adventure!

The USAF Thunderbirds were in town so we had to make it a guys day out.

Be safe…Go on an Adventure!

The Blue Angels arrive home to Forrest Sherman Field, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida for their final performance of the 2019 season.

“See Ya Boss!”

Kauai…a beautiful island!

- Lighthouse point

- Shop cat

- Water flower

- Kauai coffee beans

- Pick a direction

- The Northern Coast

Go Pay Kauai a Visit…Aloha!

After 20 years, we went back to Kauai for an adventure. It is a very beautiful, lush island. But as always, my priority is to dive! The trade winds were pretty brutal, causing rough seas and cloudy visibility but that never dampens the fun of an undersea adventure.

- Eye Striped Surgeonfish

- Sergeant Major Damselfish protecting his purple eggs

- Frogfish if you can find it!

- White Spotted Puffer

- Porcupine Puffer

- Wire Coral Goby

- Dragon Moray Eel

- Green Sea Turtles

- Pinktail Durgeon Triggerfish

- Longnose Butterflyfish

- Tiger Cowrie

- Fried-egg Nudibranch

Try an undersea adventure…you will love it!

The market is an obvious “go to” in summer…

But just as much fun on a cold misty winter day!

Veggies…

BIG Dog treats…

Music…

and ambiance.

Go Visit!

A Sunday morning adventure to the Dallas Farmers Market…

If you haven’t been there is a while, it is worth a visit!

Enjoy!

The Sea of Cortez...

It is home to a host of aquatic mammals.

So exciting to swim very up close and personal with playful sea lions. Make sure if you have a swim platform on your boat, bring treats for the big boy!

Just as impressive is a mother Humpback Whale and her baby as they leave the sea and head into the Pacific for their journey to Alaska.

Go on an Adventure, my friends, whenever you can!

Diving this time of year in Cabo can be a challenge...

The water temperature was 63º and cloudy visibility. Even with the poor conditions, we swam with the largest fish in the ocean, whale sharks and found some of the smallest and most colorful, nudibranchs.

We also found sleeping sharks, a snuggled in octopus, a guitar fish, a sting ray and surgeonfish.

It was cold and cloudy but always amazing my friends!

Bourbon Street...

A brass band...

Can you dig it?...

I knew that you could! L.A.

Hunny & Dude were Grandbaby Sitting...

Tubby Time....

Priceless!

What do you do during the break at The Evidence & Technology Spine Summit during the breaks...

You go take pictures!

Enjoy the snow!

Tom

Fort Worth - Alliance Airshow 2017

Checking the flight line....

Presenting the colors....

Remember and Honor...

Fly Coordinated My Friends!

Its a hot October day in North Texas...

The Cowboys don't play for a few more hours..

What else is a young man supposed to do but...

Go on an Adventure!

Climb down, check the direction of flow, move upstream and enjoy!

There are Adventures Everywhere...Go Find One!

For me, Maui is always all about the water!

Because the trade winds were not blowing while we were on the island, I got to dive a couple of very impressive sites that are normally not accessible due to rough seas.

Practise ALOHA my friends!

Imagination is more important than knowledge

-Albert Einstein

Where is his imagination taking him...

Is he searching for dinosaurs...

Is he slaying sea monsters...

is he looking for the Calypso...

Always Imagine My Friends!

What do you do to keep your Executive Platinum Status with American Airlines? You fly to Maui on Monday; Dive Tuesday; Fly home Wednesday!

Fly & Dive My Friends!

 A cool fall day, perfect for an adventure...

Start off in the trees...

Get down low to touch the beetle...

No, really, there was a toad here a minute ago...

Upon close examination, it might have been a dino footprint...

There has to be at least one black & white...

Hurry up and catch up, slow poke!

Go On An Adventure My Friends!

Allen Texas started the 4th of July Celebration a bit early this year and why not when they claim to have the largest fireworks display in North Texas.

God Bless America, My Friends!

A view from the land and above the water...

But always by the sea my friends...

May 2016 was a banner year for swimming with the turtles on every adventure into the water.

Trying to keep up with them was the hard part my friends.

From ferocious Harlequin Shrimp on their dinner of purple velvet starfish...

to a variety of eels...

to Trident Snails...

to slugs and anemone.

Stay Alert My Friends!

Under the sea there be...

Razors and Boxes and Butterflies...

Puffers and Parrots and Dascyllus...

Surgeons and Trumpets and Triggers...

And YES even Unicorns My Friends!

It's Baseball Season In Texas!

You just gotta love it!

Could only bring in a small camera so these were taken with a new small mirrorless, Olympus OM-D. Not bad!

Play Ball My Friends!

The St. Louis Union Station at one point in history was the business train station in the US. It is now a hotel with character.

Enjoy My Friends.

Tool a couple of long weekends in  October...

One to the Great Smokey Mountains...

One to Rosemary Beach.

Take a long weekend my friends...Enjoy!

A dragon in my backyard...

While it was a dangerous assignment , I risked much to capture these rare images of my dragon!

Have a fun summer, my friends!

Leadership...

Integrity...

Honor...

Character...

Abraham Lincoln

A little bit of sun...

A little bit of diving...

And always a few pictures...

Always Ejoy It While You Can My Friends!

The 2015 Scoliosis Research Society Annual Meeting was held in Snowbird. 

As always, between meetings, you can find time to take a snapshot.

Enjoy, My Friends!

A good friend and his beautiful bride were gracious enough and trusting enough to allow me the privilege of being the official wedding photographer for one of the most important days in their lives.

Troy & Shannon, thank you for your trust and friendship.

Grow Old Together!

The reason for the trip...the Dallas Cowboys play the Jacksonville Jaguars in Wembley Stadium. 

The surprise of the trip... London is a fantastic, friendly place to visit!

Pomp, Circumstance, Rememberance.

God Save the Queen , My Friends!

What do you do after going to London for an NFL football game...

You go to paris of course!

The architecture, museums and ambiance are everything you have imagined.

Sécurité en voyage, Mes Amis!

Visited Anchorage Alaska for my first time. Attended my favorite annual spine meeting for the Scoliosis Research Society. 

As always, I find time for photography. The majesty of Alaska did not disappoint! I hope you can get some sense for just how majestic it really is!

Watch for the ice climber. Get a perspective on the scale of a glacier. Double the rainbow! Feel the salmon finish their cycle of life. Moose & musk ox. Tidal flats and color! My personal stone henge!

Enjoy The Majesty My Friends!

As I like to say...

God Bless Texas!

TEXAS...where even in the middle of your neighborhood you can find a few horses on the range!

Saddle Up My Friends!

Why would you ever sleep  if you lived in a place like this?

Live in a houseboat...

Sail a sailboat...

Paddle a kayak...

Love a waterdog...

Fly a seaplane...

And there is Starbucks!

Stay Sleepless My Friends!

In Chicago for a couple of days on business.

Managed about an hour to try and get some pictures of my town.

Cheer For The Cubbies My Friends!

A week in Maui demands time will be spent swimming with the fishes. So between a couple of dives and hours of snorkeling, here are some of the fish...

Stay in the water my friends!

Some more creatures from my time spent in the seas of Maui.

Enjoy Life My Friends!

In Maui, any time you are in the water, whether you are diving or snorkeling, you can expect to come upon a green sea turtle. This trip was no difference.

The last piece on Maui looks at...

Birds...Beach...buildings and more.

Take a Picture My Friends

"I'm just gon' sit at the dock of a bay
Watchin' the tide roll away, ooh
Sittin' on the dock of the bay
Wastin' time..."

Smooth Sailing My Friends!

What do you do at the beach for a long weekend?

Find the perfect shell...sleep like a pro...show them how to paddle a kayak...put details into the lighthouse...smile large...have a girl project...back flips...fill the pail with sand, what else!

Stay Relaxed My Friends!

New York City for New Years Eve 2014..

The City

The MOMA

The Hudson

The Memorial

Have a Great New Year My Friends!

If you haven't been to the Deep Ellum Area in Dallas lately, go!

Take some friends...take some pictures...eat some great food!

But most importantly about our visit...Saylor Had Fun!

Merry Christmas My Friends!

I was supposed to fly home last Friday but Dallas was iced in. After four cancelled flights on Friday, I took some pictures in San Diego. I finally made the only flight out to Dallas on Saturday.

Stay warm my friends!

Even if you only have two hours, its raining and you don't have a jacket,  it can still be simply beautiful.

Stay dry and take the time My Friends.

Chicago is about as urban as it gets, but even in the middle of the Windy City and surrounding suburbs, the simple beauty of nature, in the fall, is about as good as it gets.

On a personal note, if you have small children and have the opportunity to visit The Trailside Museum in River Forrest, IL., take them...take them! 

Nature is Simply Beautiful, no matter where you find it my friends!

There is nothing else like Notre Dame Football!

Let's start at the beginning... 

Even the ND 18 wheeler is badass! 

Then there is the band, they are as powerful as the football team! 

And then there is the team. It is a team. 

OK, there was another team playing at this Notre Dame Football game, so just to be fair, I included a picture of a few representatives from ASU.

My Friends...Play Like A Champion Today! 

National Night Out took place today all across this great country, because WE THE PEOPLE are this great country!

Kids were getting wet...dirty...eating pizza...playing football...scraping a knee...all in the context of family and friends!

All is right in the world... 

Stay Proud My Fellow Americans! 

Flutag...German for flight day; airshow. 

Red Bull sponsors a Flutag Event where teams of individuals compete for coveted prizes by building highly sophisticated, aerodynamically superior, leading edge, hand crafted aircraft!

OK maybe not highly sophisticated...

OK maybe not aerodynamically superior... 

OK, not leading edge but they are hand crafted.

OK let's be honest, most of them were built by a team, probably in a drunken stupor. They wont fly and if the Gods are willing nobody will die. 

But, darn it, they look really good! 

So here are some pictures of the aeronautical genius...the costumes that are just plain wrong in many ways... and mostly the spectacular crashes! 

Fly Safe and Stay Dry My Friends! 

September 5, 2013, Flight #70... 

I held a meeting with my sales team. We met on the farm of one of my managers where he has a vineyard.  It was a great meeting. It is a great farm.

And then there is Bucko! Believe it or not, the mean looking dog is actually smiling! At first, I thought he was vicious but you soon learn when you call him, he comes running with tale wagging and gives you a big toothy grin!

Stay Smiling My Friends! 

We spent a week, literally, at Land's End on the Baja Peninsula. Crashing surf...Tropical Storm Juliet... and Happy Hours from 3 to 5!

Enjoy Life My Friends! 

Two days of diving in what I believe is technically the Sea of Cortez, but pretty close to Lands End and the Pacific. Relatively poor visibility due due to storms and large swells but none the less, we swam with the fishes.

Go On an Adventure My Friends! 

Bahama Caribbean Reef Sharks...(no cage)...Oh My!

A Maui Hammerhead...(no cage)...Oh My! 

Ok, Ok, he's technically not a shark...and he's only a few inches long...but he thinks he's a shark! 

Jump in, The water's fine My Friends! 

An insight into the operating room...

Stay Healthy My Friends! 

Pictures from around the block...

NY, HI, CA, IL. TX, MO, NO, AZ, Canada, Poland, Edinburgh, Mexico...

Travel Safe My Friends! 

Ft. Monroe, Virginia

, completed in 1834, critical civic war fortification for the Union. 

Iron rings in the grass were pivot points for cannon including the massive "Lincoln Gun" which could hurl a 300 pound projectile more than 4 miles.

Visit your country my friends. 

God Bless America, Land that I love... 

And the basis for the land that I love is family and community... 

What better way to celebrate than to bring the community, the families, together for our own neighborhood parade and cook out! 

Simply put...Be Proud...Be Thankful...Take care of each other! 

Who was the Geek on the decked out Elipti Go? 

An enchanted island....Mama's Fish! OMG!....and Ohhhh That Water...Above or Below! 

So work your way through the visual trail...and see if you can find... 

- a slipper - lobster style! ....Mama's beach....hide & go seek with an octopus....the breakfast bird club....is their anything better than a sunset and a sailboat....a picture perfect speedster....so pretty you just wish you new how to play....surfs UP!....the lava flows....no really, those look like pine trees....a tidal pool monster...squirrell?...the blue sphinx...eels, Oh My....did you see that nose!....looking up the wall from 85'....wave hello....sure those teeth are white but...huff and puff...blenny is that you...orange lipstick?...

Simply Aloha & Mahalo! 

There comes a simple time...

A moment, when you know its time...

A time, when you know its true...

For Colin and Hannah that time has come.

Stay in love my friends!

Phoenix, Flight 15 of 2013...

This was a quick one day trip to Phoenix. I have never seen the Phoenix desert when it was actually green! Grass was growing and flowers were blooming. A few simple pictures of desert beauty.

Enjoy the spring, my friends!

Flight 13 of 2013, DFW to SLC.

I traveled up to Park City for the 9th Annual Evidence & Technology Spine Summit, a very educational meeting. But, when you have a meeting at the base of the mountain, there is always time to enjoy the winter wonderland.

The scenery was magnificent!

The 2013 Sprint U.S. Snowboarding & Freeskiing Grand Prix was unbelievably exciting!

You have to be amazed by the youngsters for their daredevil abilities on the mountain and trend setting fashion statements.

Stay warm My Friends!

Flight #10 of 2013, Detroit back to DFW...

It started like most final days of working in the field with my distributors and customers. Check email, confirm meeting time and location and then look out the window to see the beautiful day we will be enjoying...or not!

Yes, that is my car in the parking lot, sitting in3 inches of snow! Don't get me wrong I love visiting snow, truly do...But, the dreaded weather delay worries begin to creep into my psyche!

No worries, head over to Starbucks and get my quad grande, 3-pump vanilla, dry cappuccino. If its a perfect pour, the snowy drive means nothing.

And then, you get to the airport...

My flight is starting with a 30 minute delay. Air Traffic Control is slowing down the incoming flights... there have to be 15 planes in line waiting to take off... but wait, don't forget...now you need to de-ice!

Wheels Up...finally... an hour and a half late, but flight #10 is taking me home.

Travel safe my friends!

February 19, 2013

Saturday arrives and the age old question is asked once again,

"What do you want to do?"

And the age old answer is provided once again,

"I don't know, what do you want to do?"

And with that, we decided to go down to the Bishop Arts District for some window shopping, maybe some impulse buying and a bit of brunch.

A few pictures from a fun day...

Simply beautiful Dirt...flowers...shadows...a new store & owner...a cool light...Mmmmm good...and waiting to be discovered!

Have some simple fun my friends!

February 10, 2013

Flight number 7 of 2013 took me to Tampa, FL for the Integra LifeSciences 2013 Nation Sales Meeting. The annual meeting is usually held in a nice location and this year was no exception with the meeting being held at the Saddlebrook Resort. Most of the meeting is spent in business reviews, planning and education but there is always time for a few pictures. 

An interesting aspect to this resort is that wildlife is all around you, in very close proximity. So here are a few birds (great egrets, cormorants, wood storks, 

a kite (?)) and a gator.

Travel safe , my friends

January 27, 2013

Flight #5 of 2013 brought me out to Carlsbad, CA for a week long sales training course. As you may know, I manage the Integra Spine sales force for half of the country. Several times a year, we conduct new sales training at our California facility. While the class was taking a test, I managed a quick ride down the beach to Oceanside. The surfing pictures were all taken from the beach or up on the pier. The next time I go out for meetings in CA, I am going to bring my underwater gear and get wet for some unique perspectives.

Grab the big wave my friends!

December 2, 2012

This Thanksgiving was definitely a special occasion. For the first time, we had four generations celebrating together. There is no doubt the youngest generation was the star of the show. Lizzie is hands down adorable!

Celebrate the joy of life my friends!

November 19, 2012

The Blue Angels performed their final show of 2012, at their home field in Pensacola, Florida. A few of their friends showed up as well..

Keeping it simple, the only thing I have to say is...

God Bless America!

Fly Safe My Friends!

October 25, 2012

punam (n): a pretty/cute face

A simple human face, 
happy...sad...surprised...having fun
This is a simple study of people.

Stay happy my friends

September 12, 2012

Can a family day at the beach be spoiled by some clouds?

I think not!

Travel Safe My Friends!

The Simple joy of a new life! It just warms your heart and comes out as a huge smile!

So, Sweet Caroline (Ba, Ba, Baaa...for those of you old enough!) 

be Safe...

be Healthy...

be Happy!

Stay SImple My Friends!

Hi Guys....

Back to my "Simple Things" string of thought...

Way cool, lovable, big dog. (Sorry Terry, this is all about the dog!)

Way cool, beautiful beach with the tide out.

So simple, you just gotta love it!

Stay Cool my friends!

T

Engagement pictures of Fabulous Kelly's and now our family friends, Mel and Ryan. As you may have heard me say before, the best things in life are often the most simple. The best thing about Mel and Ryan is the way Mel simply smiles from her heart every time Ryan kisses her.

Smile from your heart my friends!

A little magic in your life is another one of those 

"Simple Things"....Simply Amazing!

Engagement pictures again....Fabulous,Kelly's friends and again, now our family friends, Kristin and Robbie. As you can see, there was a little magic in the air as we took these pictures.

Keep the magic, my friends!