Just want to say a quick hello

[miketaylor01]

To anyone who is interested all is good with me. Sorry I have been away for so long. I have been back here in germany now for about 3 months now and have been very busy. The last month I have mostly been busy with driving my new car around. Hey I had to do womething with all of that tax free money I made in Iraq right. What better than to buy a brand new Audi S4 to drive on the autobahn. Anyways I havent been taking too many pictures lately. I have a few new ones which you can see at mynew gallery site

http://www.pbase.com/miketaylor01

Along with my new pictures there is also a gallery of what I consider to be my best images from Iraq. So go ahead and take a look if you have the time. Theres even a few pics of my new car if your interested lol.

Another thing I have been pretty busy with is that I have taken the advise of some of the poeple who posted to my journal a while back and am putting together a book of my images from Iraq. Not sure at this point hwo it wil turn out but I thought long and hard about it and decided I would never know how good my stuff is until I try so im going for it. God knows if it will ever see the light of day anywhere but my computer screen but my ultimate goal is to get it published. I will keep you up to date on that as well. Please if anone here thinks im wasting my time with this let me know if you dont think it would make an interesting coffie table photo book. Its not looking too good from my perspective right now though seeing as I just finished my first draft and I did it on powerpoint. Kinda hard to imagine how it will look in a hard copy when looking at it in such a limiting program such as this. Also if anyone knws of a god program to try to do something like this in let me know cause powerpoint sucks for it lol.

Well thats whats going on with me. All is well and hopefully I will find some inspiration soon to get my camera back out more regularly. Maybe you all can help with that too:):

[Angelo]

Hey Mike - nice to hear from you. Hope all continues to go well and good luck with the book.

[wxwax]

:clap Great to hear from you, Mike! I was thinking about you on Monday, started to get worried until I remembered you were now in Germany.

Big thumbs up to you for moving forward with the book idea. Even if it doesn't work, you'll have something you're proud of.

And don't worry about feeling like it's crap. That's a normal part of the creative process, at least it is for me. Just look at the things you don't like, and make 'em better. If you're diligent about it, you'll be amazed how well people will respond to the finished product.

[tlittleton]

Good to hear you're out of harms way, unless you count the autobahn in that Audi...

I love those pics you have in your galleries. I would definately go for a book with those and more.

Come home safe, God bless, and thanks for what you do...

[Chase]

Nice little v8 s4......didnt you get raped buying it in euros though?

Seems like all the cars these days are much cheaper in the US because of the exchange rate...... :dunno

[ian408]

Mike,

Whether you take a lot of pictures or not, I am damn glad to hear
you're in Germany!

Thank you for your service. I very much appreciate the time and
commitment you've made.

Regards,
Ian

[Nir]

Hi Mike! Great to hear from you again!

It was fun viewing your photos again and remembering them posted in 'real time'!
I think the book is a great idea and I think you've got a great set of photos for that book (not one I would think not to include!). I wish you the best of luck! I assume it's not easy and you may hear some rejections along the way but don't be discouraged. You and your view of Iraq deserve to be published!

Oh, that Audi is cool too!

[Sandy]

Crusing around, seeing the sites in Germany in a new car, at least we know you are ok. There are some great photos in your Iraq album that I think would be of interest in a book. You should take as many photos as you can while you are on your tour of duty. Stay safe :thumb

Sandy

[johno]

Funny... I was just thinking about you this last weekend with a lot of attention given to men and women who serve(d) the U.S.A.

Glad to hear things are well with you. Looking forward to seeing more stuff from you.

peace.
johno~

[miketaylor01]

Thanks for the warm responses everyone. Its nice to know that people are still thinking about the men and women who are over there. I will keep you all informed on the progrress of the book. I have completed a very rough first draft and hopefully in the next week have a better second draft completed in microsoft publisher. Thanks again.

Mike

[Nikolai]

And I think it's great to have a project like this book of yours.

I remember kodak/ofoto used to have some coffetable book web-based stuff for free, you may wanna take a look.

Enjoy your Audi and bring us some G(ermany:-)-rateg pikchas:-)

Cheers!:1drink

[ginger_55]

To anyone who is interested all is good with me. Sorry I have been away for so long. Another thing I have been pretty busy with is that I have taken the advise of some of the poeple who posted to my journal a while back and am putting together a book of my images from Iraq. Not sure at this point hwo it wil turn out but I thought long and hard about it and decided I would never know how good my stuff is until I try so im going for it. God knows if it will ever see the light of day anywhere but my computer screen but my ultimate goal is to get it published. I will keep you up to date on that as well. Please if anone here thinks im wasting my time with this let me know if you dont think it would make an interesting coffie table photo book. Its not looking too good from my perspective right now though seeing as I just finished my first draft and I did it on powerpoint. Kinda hard to imagine how it will look in a hard copy when looking at it in such a limiting program such as this. Also if anyone knws of a god program to try to do something like this in let me know cause powerpoint sucks for it lol.

Well thats whats going on with me. All is well and hopefully I will find some inspiration soon to get my camera back out more regularly. Maybe you all can help with that too:):Good gosh, Mike, I asked about you yesterday, or the day before, and here you are. To the ears of our local guru, I would think. Andy.............
You cannot hide from him. He has found others for me. Or this is the biggest coincidence.

I googled you and left a message on the site, joiurnal, that you have Not been using.

Funny, you should mention writing a book, I have been looking for a journalistic type book to read from that war. (Prefer it by a woman, but I will take anything right now, if it is good and if the library has it)

I watched a great HBO, or somewhere else, show, on three women journalists there. Excellent show. I have read, a yr ago or so, a book by a woman who works, or did, for NPR. That was fascinating.

I found another site, when I googled you. I think it was directed more towards the other people who were in Iraq with you. I think if you include some of that..............the stuff you wrote there, you would have great book.

I have not looked at the photos again, yet, but I am very much more aware of "you" now, when I think of some of the concerns you expressed. They would "make" the book. If you are ready to open yourself up like that, well, I think you have a great opportunity, for other soldiers and for the rest of us, to share, educate, "entertain", etc. Open dialogue. With the depth of your thoughts I would not write a superficial book. I would do it in RAW.

ginger

So glad you are OK, so jealous of the car. And why is the money tax free?
You could do a photo of the car! And the autobahn, I have never seen that country, though I am sure you are very used to it........ I would love to see it.

Life goes on, though not quite, or anywhere near, the same.