Seat 17 E

Seat 17 E
Originally uploaded by jonnyups.

I'm on the plane, flying home from Stockton, CA. In front of me, a man
gets on the plane and is only left with a middle seat. He sits down and
begins to make small talk with the men on either side of him.

"I'm going back to San Diego after visiting my brother in Sacramento. I
am getting deployed to Iraq this week."

Poor guy, one last flight and he's stuck in the middle seat. I was lucky
enough to score the last aisle seat on the plane, thank you very much.
As we're ascending, I see the woman on my right holding one of those
tiny 'Jesus' pamphlets. To be very honest, those things drive me crazy.
You find them on your table at Starbucks, or all over the halls of your
college campus and they just get thrown away.

As we reached cruising altitude, the woman leans forward to the crack in
the seat and says, "Excuse me sir, I heard you're going to Iraq this
week. Please read this, it could be the most important thing you'll ever
read." Ballsy, I know. For anybody who's ever believed in something
(that could potentially sound crazy to others) enough to share it, knows
that sharing is hard.

The soldier politely said thank you, and took the mini-pamphlet from
her.

Now this next part is for everybody. If you're a pray-er, a vibe-sender,
good-thinker, well-wisher, war opposer, war supporter, brother, sister,
friend human...do me a favor...think/pray/vibe away for this soldier. He
is going to a volitile place filled with violence, fear, uncertainty and
every other frightening emotion available. This may be his last month
alive, he could be the next hero to come out of this war, he could be
your cousin or brother.

Dislike our government, or whatever you like, but these soldiers are
just doing their job.

Now I have landed in San Diego. Tired from a very long and enjoyable
weekend, I look forward to sleeping in my bed, in my new place. Have a
great week, I'll try to update again by the weekend. Remember this
soldier this week.
--
-jon
sent from my phone, homie.

Night Sky

Night Sky
Originally uploaded by jonnyups.

Here we are, February. It's been almost 2 months since my dad passed away. 4 months since my niece (Emma) was born. A year and a month since I started my job as a Professional Photographer. 2 years since I moved into this house.

So many milestones. So little time. In a week I'm moving from this house into a house with a married couple that I know. They are really great, and I look at this as a step forward in life. I'm still taking pictures, sometimes even making money doing it. I like my job, and I love my friends. They are so supportive of me in every part of my life. I've even made some new friends lately, friends who I know will be a part of my life for years to come. Maybe even forever.

The photo attached to this post is a simple one. I set up my tripod, aimed my camera at the sky, and pressed the button. I took a flashlight and aimed it at the light post so it would actually show up. The light at the top of the post didn't even work. No tricks, just a simple photo. A simple, meaningless light post as the foreground of the most amazing universe I could never even fathom. This earth is so big, and we're just a speck in the galaxy, which is just a speck in the whole of things.

I feel so small. I want to feel small. There are days when my mind gets the best of me, and I feel even smaller. I don't believe the words I read, or hear. I become a skeptic. Writing these thoughts out for nobody to read seem to make things better.

I long to love as God loves me. Unconditionally. It's possible, and maybe even unavoidable. I don't look at the new year as the year I will love. I don't look at this as the month I will love. I look at this life as a whole, and know that I will someday love unconditionally. No time frame, although I will admittedly say that I hope this is the year! Love takes time, and that's what I have. I'm excited.

Surprisingly enough, just now after writing that did I remember that this is the month of Valentine's Day. Know that my motives in writing this post have nothing to do with that day. As I said, this life is a whole. Not a day. When I know who/how to love, it will be eternal, and not confined to the middle of February. I will give 100% of myself, and I will expect nothing in return.

Until then, I will feel like the light post in this photo. Not working, not lighting the ground on dark nights. Just the foreground of an amazing universe. Although I must say that I feel as if somebody is playing the part of me, and pointing a flashlight my way to light me up. It's working. I can feel it!

Thank You (times 7)

Thank You (times 7)
Originally uploaded by jonnyups.

Today I got a card from the 7 greatest people this country has to offer.
:) thanks friends!
--
-jon
sent from my phone, homie.

San Diego, I Love You

San Diego, I Love You
Originally uploaded by jonnyups.

2007, I have a couple words for you. YOU SUCK.

2008, You promise nothing but good, and I'm excited for that.


Now onto the photo. New Years Eve was great, I got to hang out with my great friend Carnell doing some business stuff. Afterwards, Carnell took me up into the sky. You see, he's a pilot, and I'm not. So he showed me the ropes. It was pretty awesome. We took off from North County San Diego, and flew the mile or so to the ocean. We cruised down the coast at about 700 feet. He let me fly a little bit, which was frightening, but very amazing! We did a u-turn just before the San Diego Airport and headed back up the coast. Around Del Mar we headed inland towards my house. At one point, we climbed to 2500 feet, and Carnell killed the engine. Silence. It was so scary for me. You expect to hear the engine, and yet, you hear nothing. The propeller slows down, and you feel a slight drop in altitude. This could be it, THE END! He turned the engine back on and we continued on. Flew over my house, and then back to the airport.

I couldn't have asked for a better day!

Goodbye To You

Goodbye To You
Originally uploaded by jonnyups.

So my intentions with this blog, initially, was to keep it impersonal. I wanted a creative outlet that didn't revolve around myself. However, over the last few months, this blog has been anything but impersonal. I have given you all a view of my life, and the pain that I have experienced. I have showed you the wrinkles caused by stress. The gray hairs, if you will. My life has been a mess, and I think I have conveyed that to an extent.

December 20th started as most mornings do. My alarm went off, and I got up. That's where it changed. I drove to Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery. My mom, brothers, myself (and a few others) sat silently as 2 officers in the Navy folded an American Flag, and set it on a podium with the urn containing my Dad's ashes. In the distance, another officer played "Taps" on the bugle. It was eerie. The horn bounced off of every headstone in the place and made its way out to sea. This was finality. This was closure. This was respect. My Dad deserved nothing less than the most honorable ceremony.

Now just a week later, so much has passed. Most notably, I had my first Christmas without my father. I don't know how to explain my thoughts surrounding this, but I missed 1 thing in particular. My Dad had the best talent when it came to guessing his presents. You could wrap a super soaker in a box filled with pennies and cans of baked beans, and he'd be able to tell you what brand of backed beans were in the box, and the color of the super soaker. This Christmas we didn't get to see him guess his gifts, but I know he would have been right on, just like every year.

As 2007 comes to a close, I think of all the good times I had. Free trip to Japan, becoming an uncle, buying my first new car. But the death of my father overshadows it all. I'm sorry 2007, but you have sucked.

2008, I look foward to meeting you.

Wonderful Father

Wonderful Father
Originally uploaded by jonnyups.


How does one even begin to describe the life of a 62 year old man who meant the world to him? Bare with me as I search in my mind to find words that don't seem to come easily.

My dad. I knew him all my life. I could talk for days about the experiences I've had with him. From the car shows, to the drive to Utah and back, to camping, fishing, bird watching, ambulance chasing, and even him giving me my first camera. He has shaped my life in a way you could not know. I could talk for the same amount of days about the things I've learned from him. How to change my tires, how to treat a lady, how to appreciate the beauty in a pile of metal with 500 horsepower in it, and how to love. These are just the tip of the iceberg.

In his final days he was in pain. Cancer is a bitch. Cancer is ugly and cancer is dirty and cancer does not fight fair.

March 18th, this was the day my dad went to Urgent Care thinking he had pneumonia. Later that day he was told that it was not pneumonia, but a mass in his lungs. This morning, less than 9 months after diagnosis, my dad took his last breath. My mom and I were at his side, and it was peaceful.

He was a man of integrity, I hope you knew him. I'm sorry I can't paint a picture that even begins to portray how amazing this man was.

~ Ronald Edward Upson ~
September 11, 1945 - December 7, 2007

Tagged By Kristine

Here are seven things you may or may not know about me (JonnyUps):

1. I love the beach, but hate sand and am afraid of the water.

2. When I picture myself, I don't imagine the face I have. I imagine no face at all, but a feeling of "coolness" in place of a visual of myself.

3. I hate answering my cell phone but pay $70 a month to keep it AND have a ton of minutes. For the record, I do have internet/unlimited texts, which I love.

4. I could eat bagels and cream cheese for every meal of the day, for the rest of my life.

5. My favorite music is made by the bands/groups that your 16 year old sister would listen to.

6. Holding a camera is therapy to me. When I don't have a camera in my hand, I get bummed out because I am always seeing shots that I could take.

7. I don't tell people anything about my life, yet I found it very difficult to come up with 7 things to tell you.

I'm going to tag: Amy V, JFish, Arpit, Jimmy R., and Rosey

Flying High

Newport 3
Originally uploaded by jonnyups.

This photo is over a year old. It was taken in Newport Beach while I was hanging out with some friends. I remember commenting to them that I was too heavy to ever experience a ride like this, to ever feel that feeling of free flight.

Thinking back on it, gravity has a hold on me. Emotionally at this point in my life, my personal gravity is pulling me down. The natural reaction to gravity is to stand up, to fight it with our muscles so we can walk and live. I'm doing my best. I think I'm standing up fine, but the weight I feel inside is like I'm on mars. I can still fight it, but the gravity has gotten stronger, and makes me feel like I'm 1,000 lb's heavier.

I think that what I'm learning through this ordeal will help me talk to other people better who are dealing with cancer in their life. Either in their body, or the body of a loved one. I don't think my role is to be a motivational speaker, but I think that as cancer becomes more common, I will know more people dealing with it.

I don't know what my next entry will look like. As I feel heavier, my dad prepares to fly high.

Ginger, My Dog.

Ginger, My Dog.
Originally uploaded by jonnyups.

Thanksgiving. The time of year where families gather. They eat yams, mashed potatoes, biscuits, stuffing, turkey...the works. Football is on tv, and ovens are furiously warming the treats that we millions across america will soon enjoy. My thanksgiving day didn't consist of a meal like this, but that's ok this year. I spent some quality time in the backyard of my parent's home with my dog, Ginger. She's a loving animal that helps me forget the pain that I feel inside my heart.

Guys, Girls, people reading this. Do me a huge favor and hug your family. Tell somebody you love them. It means more in the long run than you'd ever imagine. Thank you for reading here, I hope to be better at this soon.

Emma's First Thanksgiving

Emma's First Thanksgiving
Originally uploaded by jonnyups.

We all have little reasons to be thankful this year. This is mine.
What's yours?
--
-jon
sent from my phone, homie.

Witch Creek Fire (2007)

Ramona Fire (2007)
Originally uploaded by jonnyups.

(photo heavy blog, click any of the photos to see a bigger view)

It was Sunday night, almost 4 years to the day since San Diego's last huge fire. I knew exactly where to find a good view, as I had been there before. I used my car as a tripod, and snapped a quick shot of what I saw. The Witch Creek Fire, still far away, posed no threat to me.

The next morning, I woke up to banging on my door and people rushing around. The fire was moving in close to me...within a mile. And all the news stations were running my photo:



The wind was picking up, and the smoke was moving in. What little bit of sun made it through the smoke made for some interesting sunrise colors.



We quickly evacuated, and headed our own ways. I knew of some high spots in Escondido that overlooked places where the fire would be. I came to a favorite spot of mine, with some dead trees, overlooking the freeway. They freeway was shut down and the lack of sound was eerie. You could hear the wind gusting, and whipping up sand and ash.



Unsatisfied with the lack of heat, I drove down the hill to where I could see the front line of the fire. At this point, the fire had started branching off and attacking neighboring Rancho Bernardo. It split and went south and north at the same time.





Flames moved quickly, and crossed the freeway towards my house. Some homes weren't as lucky as the firemen could only do so much against the strong winds.





The winds picked up, but it seemed like the fire had gone beyond my house by crawling along Lake Hodges and down towards the ocean.



We came back home that night, and even contemplated sleeping in our own beds, but rational logic got the best of us and told us that we should probably give it another day to cool off. We could look from our porch and see the flames moving away at a very safe distance. All fear was gone.

The next morning, we get word that the winds kicked up again, and this time, in our direction. There was no stopping the fire. The winds were too strong for helicopters and planes to fly in, so we were out of luck. This was taken from the street across from my neighborhood. Just to the left of the frame is where I live.



And then the Heavens opened up for us. The helicopters showed up. 4 of them.



When all was said and done, the fire had stopped at our neighborhood. The firefighters had made their stand on our street and made sure the flames didn't go any farther. Sadly for many homes just west of us, the fire was too much. These are fire truck tracks that back up directly to my bedroom window:



Our new view looks like this:



Thank you to everybody who prayed, and is praying for the situation here. I can't explain it to you, but it's very intense. Click the photo below for a slideshow of all of the photos I took during this time.

Sunrise

Sunrise
Originally uploaded by jonnyups.

The fires are closing in. This is the sun coming up.
--
-jon
sent from my phone, homie.

Emma Lynn

Emma Lynn
Originally uploaded by jonnyups.

Here she is! I'm an uncle!
--
-jon
sent from my phone, homie.

Rainy Day Schedule
Originally uploaded by jonnyups.

The 20 year storm that was set to hit San Diego ended up being nothing more than a drizzle. Still, nice to see water fall from the sky instead of 100 degree weather. This weather is very welcomed and sparks great memories of past years.

As I sit here in the parking lot of my favorite Starbucks, sipping my warm hot chocolate and listening to the new mixes from the yet-to-be-finished "We Shot The Moon" album, I can't help but think of C.S. Lewis and his Narnian chronicles. You see, years ago a friend dared me to read a book. You're probably thinking, "Why would you need to be dared to read a book?" but for me, reading isn't something that catches my interest. So I picked up a book, and my unemployed rear, and spent countless days exploring Narnia. Those were the days without heartache, without bills, without lonliness, and without cancer.

And now as the rain gets harder on the windshield, I sigh with contentment knowing that even though I neglect Him, God has me. He undoubtedly has me.

Christina 2

Christina 2
Originally uploaded by jonnyups.

Summer is coming to a close. It went by fast, and is ending with record temperatures. I ended the summer with a fun photoshoot with my good friend Christina. She's such a fun person to shoot because she just has her fun, and I get to be the spectator who happens to have a camera.

This particular shot is simple. Just her feet hanging off the edge of a tiny dock, in a tiny lake, a pond even. Small enough to throw a rock across.

This shot is what summer should be. Carefree relaxation. The feet want to plung into the water, but just seem to hold on to the edge of safefy for some reason. Maybe the water is cold? Maybe it's murky. Whatever the reason, they sat there long enough for me to capture, and I'm pleased with the outcome.

Hopefully I will take some more shots this weekend, we will see!

It's Finally Here!



Click the photo to see the new line of clothes from Amour! The store is finally UP AND RUNNING so head on over and please buy 1 or all 4 shirts!

Love Always,
-jonnyups
(and Amour Clothing)

AmourClothing.com

AmourClothing.com
Originally uploaded by jonnyups.

It's here! We're currently at Soma in San Diego making our debut! As
soon as we get some models to wear our shirts, we'll have them online
for purchase!
--
-jon
sent from my phone, homie.

Pimp Mobile

Pimp Mobile
Originally uploaded by jonnyups.

It's finally mine! This 2008 Scion xB is mine!
--
-jon
www.jonnyups.com

Simpsons The Movie
Originally uploaded by jonnyups.

Its amazing! In the theater right now!

--

-jon

www.jonnyups.com


...Now that the movie is over, and I am home, I can try to do a mini-review. Overall, the movie is hilarious. If you choose to go, go with another person who is a fan of The Simpsons. The jokes are great, the first 15 minutes of the movie killed me so be sure to get there on time! All in all, this movie is all it's cracked up to be. It's funny, every simpsons character ever is in the movie (i noticed one person missing, i'm sure there were more), and it's just a good time. So go see it, and come back and tell me what you thought of it!

Testing New Phone

Testing New Phone
Originally uploaded by jonnyups.

Been a loooong day. I'll explain later. In the meantime, In N Out has

new boxes for "animal fries" and I think that's cool. If you've never

had these fries, order them!

--

-jon (from my sidekick 3)

www.jonnyups.com