Obama 2009 Inauguration

Sea of humanity in the 3rd Street Tunnel, originally uploaded by marrngtn (Manuel).

Deep in the Crowd, originally uploaded by marrngtn (Manuel).

Dont Let Them Lie About The Numbers, originally uploaded by marrngtn (Manuel).

3rd Street Tunnel of Doom, originally uploaded by marrngtn (Manuel).

They came believing in a "Hope for Change." They came by the thousands to see the manifestation of that belief with the swearing in of Barack Obama as the 44th President.

David "Nick" Lynch

4th Grade Play Ground for WBT, originally uploaded by marrngtn (Manuel).

Wednesday, 12/31/08, I was saddened to learn that a friend of mine from way back had been killed in a car crash. It is so ironic that only a week earlier I had found and posted this photo(Nick is all the way on the left with the red and white striped shirt) as part of my "Way Back Tuesday" pool on flickr. I have known Nick since kindergarten at Glenarden Woods Elementary School.2008 was a crappy year. I lost my cousin, my dad, the son of very good friend/coworker and a relationship of significance in my life. The year could not just leave with what it had already taken but had to add another in its waning hours.I was so happy when we had our twenty year class reunion to learn that he was the football coach for Suitland HS. I promised him that I would come and see his team play. He laughed and said yeah everybody promises.Much to his surprise I did bring my family out to see his team play football. I never will forget at the end of the game him running around collecting the flags from the stands. I got to see another long time acquaintance at the game Chris Jones.In 2006 we came out to Ravens Stadium in FREEZING weather to support the team in their championship game. Suitland won the game and it was well worth the expense of blankets and arctic gear.RIP Nick...You touched the lives of so many young men....http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/31/AR2008123101058.html

Merry Christmas to all

MoFo's Birthday in DC

Happy Birthday MoFo!!!!

It has been a pleasure to know you and call you my friend.

Almost Three Hours in line for a little bit of History

 
 
 

Election Coverage 2008

Edward Scissors Hands

Edward Scissors Hands, originally uploaded by marrngtn (Manuel).

Went out on Halloween to shoot the night life. After spending three hours and taking 200+ shots, this was the best. I had tried using high ISO and no flash but in the end Flash produced this shot.

Oh well....I think this shot was worth the flash....Yeah I know..I'm a wimp for using flash.

A Grateful Nation

A Grateful Nation, originally uploaded by marrngtn (Manuel).

This flag is presented on behalf of a grateful nation and the United States Army as a token of appreciation for your loved one's honorable and faithful service.

Columbia Heights..Wow

Went to Mt. Pleasant last night to see the debate with some friends. I was really amazed at how the area has changed. I don't know the city anymore.

Eleanor Roosevelt HS 25 Yr Reunion

Eleanor Roosevelt HS 25 Yr Reunion, originally uploaded by marrngtn (Manuel).

View On Black
The most important part of any successful reunion appearance for an old gray haired geazer like me is to have a young smoking hot chick on your arm.

Well through lots of begging, pleading, crying, begging and more crying, pleading and begging...Throwing myself upon the mercy of the court.....I was able to get a hot chick to go with me to the reunion.

True friends only let you cry and beg so much before agreeing and setting the terms and conditions of their appearance.

All the begging and pleading was well worth it. Cause I did not want to go alone with all of the other stuff running through my head about my dad.

See the all the pics:

In the Friday Washington Post

In the Friday Washington Post, originally uploaded by marrngtn (Manuel).

DEATH NOTICE/OBITUARY FOR REV. JOHN HENRY ARRINGTON, JR.

Peacefully on Tuesday September 2, 2008, Rev. John Henry Arrington, Jr. of Newark, DE, passed from this life into spirit after a challenging battle with pneumonia at the Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC. Rev. Arrington was preceded in death by his second wife, Louise B. Wash-Arrington; his parents, John Henry Sr. and Mattie Rouche; his brother, Robert Lee Arrington; and sister, Mary Elizabeth Ellison.

Rev. Arrington served as a minister in the AME Zion Church for over 40 years, first as Assistant Pastor at Contee AME Zion Church NE Washington, DC; then as Pastor of Varick Memorial AME Zion Church–in NE Washington, DC and in Jacksonville, FL. In 1995, Rev. Arrington retired from the ministry, but accepted the role of Presiding Elder and Pastor Emeritus. He will be remembered for his dedication and service to his spiritual community, and his steadfast advocacy for education and empowerment.

Prior to entering the ministry in 1956, Rev. Arrington proudly served his country during WW II from Feb. 16, 1943 until he was honorably discharged on Feb. 7, 1946. In 1985 he retired from the Federal Protective Service with the rank of Captain after 34 years of federal service in Washington, DC.

Rev. Arrington is survived by his first wife, Mary Elizabeth (Bell) Arrington; six adult children - Mary Elizabeth Moore, John Henry Arrington III, Marvelle Alicia McIntyre-Hall, Zita Yolanda Johnson-Betts, Joel Malquis Arrington, Manuel Andre Arrington; step-daughter, Lisa Wash; and a host of grandchildren, great grandchildren, cousins and countless friends who were touched by his life.

Services will be held at noon, on Monday, September 22, 2008, at Varick Memorial AME Zion Church, 255 Anacostia Ave. NE, Washington, DC, and in Madison County, VA, in October 2008.

We ask that any expressions of sympathy be made in the form of donations. Tax deductible charitable contributions may be made to the Carson Scholars Fund, Inc., 305 W. Chesapeake Avenue, Suite L-020, Towson, MD 21204 with the name John Henry Arrington Jr. noted in the memo section of your check. These contributions will go towards a college scholarship for a deserving student in grades 4-6 at the River Terrace Elementary School in Washington, DC.

If you would like to support the administration of the family website Arrington.org, you may make a non-deductible gift directly on the website. We hope that all contributions either those to the Carson Scholars Fund or to the Arrington.org family website will be viewed as testaments to Rev. Arrington’s belief in family, the history of love he imparted to all who knew him, his indomitable spirit and his remarkable desire to see good done in this world.

Watching Shark Week

Watching Shark Week, originally uploaded by marrngtn (Manuel).

Dad and I are enjoying Shark Week on Discovery. I think dad has had CNN overload.

Vote for MoFo at JPG Magazine

Vote for MoFo at JPG Magazine, originally uploaded by marrngtn (Manuel).

I have submitted a picture of our own Headliner Mofo to JPG Magazine for the On Stage Series. Feel free to vote "Yeah!"

www.jpgmag.com/photos/841751

No Refill on Life

No Refill on Life, originally uploaded by marrngtn (Manuel).

This bottle is a lot like life. For this bottle, this is the end of the line. So many of us don't realize in life you don't get many "Do Overs."

Coming home last night from hanging out with the BEST Flickr Folks and Folks PERIOD...aka DC Social...I was thinking about my Dad, all the fishing, talking about life, talking about women, talking about relationships, talking about religion, talking about politics, talking about growing up in the former Heart of the Confederacy, talking about our heritage as a
family.

I discovered that I am FULL.

I am FULL of great dreams, memories, family and love. My life hasn't been perfect but its been like a GED...Good Enough....

So, I say to anyone who is estranged from their mother, father, brothers, sisters....NO REFILL...Once your empty and drained...NO REFILL..

Don't go empty because of disagreements and stuff that in the grand scheme of things is pretty stupid......For those of you of the Christian Faith remember this:

1 John 4:20-21
20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

Wow.....It is my prayer that all of those that have been so great to me in this time of stress and strain are FULL. If your not don't let another day go by with the meter running on you. In the END it will be about you and what you have done...Not them.

Peace upon you all my friends........

Holding On

Holding On, originally uploaded by marrngtn (Manuel).

I am finally home from a full day at the Hospital with my dad. I
posted a picture from my Blackberry earlier today but, this was what I
wanted the picture to be. There are 42 years between my dad and I, we
are father and son, we are best friends, we are fathers and we are
men.

I will cherish the memories that we have had no matter what. My
regret is that I don't have a son to share my journey in life with.
My daughter is precious and I would not trade her for anything in this
entire world. However, as man and a son I do know there is a
difference in relationship between father and daughter and father and
son.

Pop I don't know where the road goes from here but I will walk as far
as I can with you until I know I can go no further.

I am "Hooked" on this....

I love the mountains
I love the clear blue skies
I love big bridges
I love when great whites fly
I love the whole world [Les Stroud]
And all its sights and sounds
Boom-dee-ah-da, boom-dee-ah-da
Boom-dee-ah-da, boom-dee-ah-da
I love the oceans
I love real dirty things [Mike Rowe]
I love to go fast
I love Egyptian kings
I love the whole world
And all its craziness
Boom-dee-ah-da, boom-dee-ah-da
Boom-dee-ah-da, boom-dee-ah-da [Richard Machowicz]
I love tornadoes [Joshua Wurman]
I love arachnids [Bear Grylls]
I love hot magma
I love the giant squids
I love the whole world
It's such a brilliant place
Boom-dee-ah-da, boom-dee-ah-da [Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage]
Boom-dee-ah-da, boom-dee-ah-da [Stephen Hawking]
Boom-dee-ah-da, boom-dee-ah-da
Boom-dee-ah-da, boom-dee-ah-da
Boom-dee-ah-da, boom-dee-ah-da

DCSocial Presents Singing Phenom...Nate

DCSocial Presents Singing Phenom...Nate
Originally uploaded by marrngtn (Manuel)

We had a real blast yesterday. The cameras were out and clicking away. Anyone close to Washington, DC. should be sure to come out for DCSocial Flickr Meetups.

Nate was with another group of folks at the Banana Cafe last night but all had a great time. Come over to http://www.flickr.com/photos/marrngtn and see all of the shots.

Are You One?

Are You One?, originally uploaded by marrngtn (Manuel).

Are We Not All Just Pawns in the Larger Game of Life.....

The citizen is becoming a pawn in a game where nobody knows the rules, where everybody consequently doubts that there are rules at all, and where the vocabulary has been diminished to such an extent that nobody is even sure what the game is all about.

Andrew Eldritch

My Contribution to Bokeh Wednesday

I really like how this shot came out.

Votes Needed at JPG Magazine

Please go over to JPG Magazine and vote for my photo representing Democracy.