Yes, that's right...the gun I am holding is a "dirty harry" 44 Magnum. At the time of the movie's release in 1971, this was one of the most innovative guns produced...perhaps you remember Clint Eastwood says so in the film " I know what you're thinking, punk. You're thinking "did he fire six shots or only five?" Now to tell you the truth I forgot myself in all this excitement. But being this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world and will blow you head clean off, you've gotta ask yourself a question: "Do I feel lucky?" Well, do ya, punk? "
Little known fact about me. I'm not a bad shot. You see those two head shots? The ones highlighted by flourescent green on the figures surrounding a hostage?I took those...with the Dirty Harry Smith and Wesson 44 Magnum. I saved the hostage. The other shots...well...let's just say that one of my shooting buddies killed the hostage! I won't say who, for the sake of preserving their honor. Ha ha. I win! (btw, safety first, in these portraits none of the guns were loaded at the time of taking the pictures)
Somewhere in Wisconsin. We drove north this weekend to visit our friend Andy. Lets just say we seemed awfully close to Canada because it snowed the night before! In May! I've seen it snow in Calgary in May. sheesh, but we got wonderful crisp spring weather for our weekend holiday. We went up to see Andy give a presentation for one of his classes on writing and the writing process. His presentation was on Revision. Andy had interviewed Stagg and I on how we work with revision...Stagg on his paintings and me on how I write and revise for film. Below is a photo from his morning presentation...I'll just throw that in here...
The notes in this section of his presention represent his approach and findings from the interviews. He interviewed half a dozen artists in various disciplines of art-making.
Interview Themes:
-changing medium in revision
-different considerations of audience
-the passage of time
-writing on multiple projects simultaneously
-concepts first: analysis second
-revision in thinking and tightening up
-trusting the intuition
-revision strategies change
-pursuing art for pleasure
After the presentation we went back to Andy's place and changed our clothes, stopped for coffee, then went out to the shooting range. There were four of us, Tricia and I drove up from Chicago and Andy's brother, Chris, drove from Madison. Then we went for lunch and beers all afternoon and had a fantastic visit checking out the local irish pub, and brewery. Chris is about to get married and we covered all kinds of topics from plans for his wedding, his renovation work, meeting people in new towns, work, plans for the future...and we had a lot of fun just joking around all afternoon. Everyone was in top form with the joking...I haven't laughed that hard for quite a while. It was awesome to be out side the city and kick back for a couple of days. Back to Andy's for supper and to watch SNL with Betty white hosting (hilarious!)
I got "bit". Didn't hurt but just a bit of skin on my thumb got caught...how lame of me. I was holding really well but probably a little kick in the gun threw me off when I tried to practice faster technique.Gives me street creds though right?
Related Links:
1. ) Smith & Wesson (NASDAQ: SWHC) (S&W) is the largest manufacturer of handguns in the United States. The corporate headquarters is in Springfield, Massachusetts. Founded in 1852, Smith & Wesson's pistols and revolvers have become standard issue to police and armed forces throughout the world. Consequently they have been used by sport shooters and have been featured in numerous Hollywood movies, particularly Clint Eastwood's Dirty Harry. Smith & Wesson has been known for the many types of ammunition it has introduced over the years, many cartridges bear the company's name. From Wiki
11 comments:
glad to hear you had a great weekend. i didnt do a dang thing. happy mothers day to you though its late..
I know a fellow who periodically goes to Vegas to shoot big guns. He seems to think it's tremendously entertaining. I confess the whole business is lost on me. I don't want to shoot one, see one, own one, carry one, none of that. Maybe if I lived in a shack in the mountains, I'd blast some birds and some elk for food, but that's another life...
I loved this post!!! There's something about a woman with a gun that makes me feel all squishy inside Har!!!
Good job, Candy! It makes me want to go shooting.
Betty White!! She's awesome!
And Happy Mommy's Day.
gives ya street cred, or gets ya caught!
i spent the weekend telling pat how much i like to shoot things, and that the first time i fired a gun, i was 6?
GT's
Just when I thought I knew you 2 Knife Tiff ?? !!!
STAGG
{ I got a pistol packin' Mama}
Teweety yep, great weekend.
Mister Anchovy, hee hee, I feel the same way about accordions!
Beej, glad you liked it. I liked the contrast between the literary and the guns.
Tiff, well, like many families in Canada...especially military families...guns are something just there. With respect. I remember at my grandparents cabin in the shed a rifle and shotgun. We never touched it but knew it was there in case we needed it.
Stagg, I got your back!
Guns are bad, Candy.
So of course I've always wanted to go to a pistol shooting range and I am jealous. (I learned how to shoot a caliber 22 rifle at Catholic camp when I was 12 years old.)
wow, just imagine if every time someone wanted to shoot someone they played accordion instead and just insulted them with folk music. Har!
L.M. gotta love those Catholic camps huh? That's hilarious.
Mister Anchovy, I am imagining...it's like some kind of John Candy sketch where the whole group fights then hears accordions and then eats cabbage rolls. What a berautiful world it would be, cabbage rolls and coffee.
Nice write up, Candy. I was impressed with the shooting ability of all involved...with the exception of the hostage situation. Anway, it was nice to meet you. Perhaps we'll be able to have another shooting event later this summer? Maybe clay pigeons and shotguns next time!
Yippee! Nice pics! Good times, indeed!
-andy
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