A Look Back At 2009 pt. 2

Cirque Du Soleil: Saltimbanco

I've always wanted to go to a Cirque Du Soleil show. I still do. They just so happen to come to Gainesville for a performance at the University of Florida. It was AMAZING!! Unfortunately, as a newspaper photographer you can only shoot a short period of time. Not the whole show. These are photos of members of the house troupe taking the stage. I got the chance to photograph them twice though: the rehearsal and the performance. The rehearsal was very limited to newspapers and to me a tad bit boring. The show was definitely worth it. Gotta get to Vegas soon.

Remembering WWII
In Gainesville, veterans of war or highly praised during the year for their service to the United States military. Whether you served on the frontline of any war or played an homeland role in helping people in the armed forces in anyway. I appreciate those people. My grandfather served in the WWII and I never got a chance to meet him because he died when my mother was young. I got the chance to go to veterans display at a local bookstore and the stories were interesting. I never meet a veterans that doesn't have a few stories to tell. These are a few photos from the display.


A St. Louis Star-News newspaper front page that states "War Declared" dated back to Monday, December 8, 1941 sits on display during the Patriotic and Historical Alliance of North Central Florida WWII veterans display at the NW 13th Street Books-A-Million bookstore in Gainesville.

During the event Tim Bryant, left, shares a moment with Col. Phillip Newman, a World War II veteran and director of World War II Heroes: "Walking History" school visitation program. "It seems like a different time back then. You gotta remember them," said Bryant.

Col. Phillip Newman points to a map where he was stationed in North Africa in 1944.

Ms Jackie's Pain

Grace "Jackie" Garrison looks through debris in what was her living room for any of the families belongings after an old oak tree fell through Garrison's home located in Alachua, Florida. Grace "Jackie" Garrison look on to listen to her Pastor Adrian Weeks, left, of St. Matthew Baptist Church as Weeks discusses temporary living arrangements for Garrison and her family.