Norah graduates from Lower School...and wins an award

On May 21, 2026 Norah graduated from Greenhill's Lower School.  It was a beautiful ceremony mainly led by the students themselves.  

The ceremony itself was a bit of journey.  It started with the attire; Norah's first concern was whether she must wear a dress.  Her teacher, Mr. Krauss, assured her that a dress was not required as long as she dressed nicely.  Another girl's mom in a similar situation reached out and we shared our plan.  Then Norah realized that not wearing a dress would attract more attention than she wanted, so she wanted a dress after all.  Norah and Mom settled on the outfit you see below (and the other girl ended up wearing a dress too).  

Several weeks before the ceremony, the school asked the fourth graders to nominate fellow students for the Helen Misura Award.  Typically awarded to one girl and one boy, it honors the fourth-grade students who best exemplify the qualities of scholarship, citizenship, sportsmanship, and leadership.  Norah would frequently, but casually, mention how much she would like to win the award.  Normally adverse to the spotlight, this felt like a new aspect of her personality.  

About a week before the ceremony, Norah came home saying she had some really awesome news to share, and our thoughts jumped to "was she selected for the Misura award?".  But no, she had been selected to read her essay on a lower school experience (full text below).  We couldn't wait to see Norah read in front of all her lower school peers and their families (I think I was more nervous about it than Norah!).  However, we felt a bit disappointed for Norah because we doubted the school would feature the Helen Misura Awardee as a presenter too.  After describing the award and the process for selecting the recipients, our hearts skipped a beat when Mr. Simpson announced "Norah Leven!"

Open remarks by Mr. Simpson, Head of Lower School

Norah proceeding onto the stage

Time to read her essay

Norah reciting "The Magic of Confidence"

Lee Hark, Head of School, presenting the Helen Misura Award

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The Magic of Confidence 

By Norah Leven 

The first thing I noticed was the white table filled with props, including an animation book that I made myself. The desks were arranged like I was the star of a show. Everyone’s attention was on me, and it made me feel nervous, so my words seemed to catch in my throat. I had dressed like a security guard for Walt Disney. My notecards were a bit crumpled, and I held them tight. The camera seemed alive, on a stand, ready to record my every move.  

In front of me, my classmates sat ready for the show to start. Mrs. Dzialowski nodded her head, and I started my BioBookTalk on Walt Disney. I felt nervous and jittery, but also excited. My voice started shaky, my hands sweaty, but as I continued speaking, I felt more confident. I realized that nobody would judge me even if I messed up. Little by little, I felt my nervousness wash away and I noticed that my voice got steadier. This was the first time I understood the magic of confidence. 

Then came the hardest part. Showing my props. My favorite prop was an animated book that I made myself, though I was afraid that it might not work the way it was supposed to. I was especially proud of this prop because making animation work is super hard and I did it all without help. I made this book because Walt Disney specialized in animation, and his influence is still here. I felt my heart beating faster and many pairs of eyes on me. I took a deep breath and continued. I started to feel more confident when I reached the end of the props part of my presentation because everyone looked intrigued in Walt Disney. It made me feel special and seen 

When I finished my presentation, it was time for questions. I thought, “This can’t be too hard,” and it wasn’t. I changed out of my clothes, then sat down to watch my other classmates, feeling happy and relieved. This memory taught me to have confidence when presenting things in front of groups. In the future I will remember this 3rd grade experience and that, even if I make a mistake, everyone will cheer me on. Before this experience, I was always super nervous and didn’t want to be on stage. But once I started believing in myself, that slowly changed. Now I like to speak in public and take opportunities like hosting Build-a-thon and showing the lower school to a future teacher.  

Baseball Photography

A few things came together yesterday for a baseball shoot.  I had a new zoom lens that I hadn't tried yet and Jackson had an early baseball game where I expected the light might be good.  

I also recently started asking AI for help on camera settings for specific situations.  This alone has leveled-up the results.  One tip to highlight is using the AutoISO feature, which includes a maximum allowed ISO.  I had always tried (and often forgot) to adjust the ISO to a specific value.  With AutoISO, the camera has one more way to adjust exposure beyond shutter speed and aperture.  I've posted an example ChatGPT exchange about preparing for this shoot at the bottom of the post.

Jogging out for warm-up

Light was great and loved the parallel structure of the diamonds in the chain link and the diamonds around "NIKE"

Stealing third base

Almost there

Jackson in the foreground - I got lucky with the composition

Heading out for post-game handshakes

Some distortion around the umpire - not sure if that was sun spot on the lens or the chain link fence.  I would have scrapped it, but I like how it captured the different heights of boys all the same age.

Once we arrived, the actual game/field setup created some challenges.  The best light was probably before the 8am game start, and then the batters and most fielders were positioned with the light behind them.  We also had the first base dugout, which is good for catching right handed batters and most fielders -- except, as mentioned, they were backlit.  The field and light were oriented well for shooting right handed pitchers and sliding into third base, but that meant shooting from the opponents' sideline.  

ChatGPT prompt:

Tips for taking great photos of youth baseball. Game is tomorrow at 8 am near Dallas tx. Shooting with Fuji x-e3 and Fujinon 70-300 lens

ChatGPT response:

That’s a really nice setup for youth baseball. The Fujinon 70-300 on the X-E3 gives you excellent reach for daylight games, and 8am light in Dallas is usually very workable before the harsh overhead sun kicks in.

A few things will make the biggest difference tomorrow:

Before the game

• Arrive 20–30 minutes early.
• Check where the sun is. At 8am it’ll still be fairly low in the east.
• Try to position yourself so the sun is behind you or slightly off to the side. Faces matter more than dramatic lighting for youth sports.

Camera settings

For baseball, prioritize shutter speed.

Recommended starting point

• Mode: Shutter Priority (S/Tv) or Manual + Auto ISO
• Shutter speed:
  • Batting/swings: 1/1600–1/2000
  • General fielding/running: 1/1000–1/1250
• Aperture: Let lens stay fairly open
  • Around f/5.6–f/8
• ISO: Auto ISO with max around 3200
• Drive mode: Continuous High burst
• AF mode: Continuous AF (AF-C)

On Fuji:

• Use Zone AF instead of Wide/Tracking.
• A medium zone around the center works well for kids sports.

Best moments to capture

The best baseball photos usually happen between plays too.

Action shots

• Batter swing
• Pitch release
• Runner sliding
• First baseman stretch
• Catcher throwing
• Outfield catches

Emotional/story shots

These often become the favorites:

• Kids laughing in dugout
• Nervous batting prep
• Coach talking to players
• Dirty uniforms
• High fives
• Parents cheering
• Helmet too big on a younger player

Positioning tips

Batting

• Shoot from the 1st base side for right-handed hitters.
• Shoot from the 3rd base side for left-handed hitters.
• Try for:
  • ball on bat
  • intense facial expression
  • follow-through

Fielding

• Kneel slightly lower than eye level.
• Low angles make kids look athletic and dramatic.

Outfield

Your 70-300 is perfect here.

• Track players before the ball arrives.
• Start shooting early in the catch sequence.

Exposure tip for white uniforms

Baseball uniforms fool cameras easily.

If uniforms are bright white:

• Dial in -1/3 EV exposure compensation
• Helps preserve detail in jerseys.

Use the long end creatively

At 300mm:

• backgrounds blur nicely
• chain-link fences disappear more
• images feel more professional

If shooting through a fence:

• Put the lens hood almost against the fence
• Use the longest focal length possible
• Shoot wide open

The fence often vanishes.

Fuji-specific tip

Fuji JPEGs are excellent for sports-family photos.

Try:

• Film Simulation: Classic Chrome for a timeless sports look
• Or Provia for natural colors

Classic Chrome can make morning baseball look fantastic.

Simple composition trick

Leave space in front of the player:

• space where runner is running
• space where batter is swinging
• space where fielder is throwing

It instantly improves sports photos.

One overlooked thing

Shoot short bursts — not machine-gun nonstop.
Instead:

• anticipate
• burst 3–6 frames
• reset

You’ll get better timing and far fewer useless photos.

And honestly, with youth baseball, the best photos are usually:

• sharp eyes
• emotion
• dirt flying
• effort

Perfect technical settings matter less than capturing moments.

Ojai in Spring: A Never-Ending Southern California Dream

I planned this Ojai trip to celebrate Niyati’s birthday. She had always talked about wanting a birthday trip with her girlfriends, and this year I wanted to make it happen. Southern California in spring feels like it exists in its own season altogether — warm sunlight without the summer burn, hills still green from winter rain, flowers spilling over sidewalks, and the kind of air that makes you want to stay outside forever. It feels less like a place and more like a dream that refuses to end.

Getting four adults and a baby from two different cities into either Burbank or LAX took some logistical gymnastics, but somehow it all came together. Pascaline and Xuan arrived Thursday around lunchtime. I used Hyatt points to book two rooms at Hyatt Regency Valencia, which became our overnight landing spot before heading into the mountains.

Since one flew into LAX and the other into Burbank, they drove separately and checked in ahead of us. Niyati and I arrived much later than expected after a delayed flight, finally reaching the hotel around 10 p.m. By then, all we wanted was sleep. That night I discovered the magic of white noise machines — somehow they completely drowned out the neighboring room sounds. I immediately decided this was a travel essential I’d be carrying on future trips.

Friday morning began slowly and beautifully. We checked out of the hotel and found breakfast at Crêpesima. The café felt exactly like Southern California spring: colorful, maximalist, vibrant, and effortlessly charming. The crepes were incredible — rich flavors layered together in a way that somehow felt indulgent and light at the same time.

After breakfast, we stopped at Sprouts in Valencia for groceries before heading toward our Airbnb in the mountains. Carol, our host, had graciously let us check in early at 1 p.m. Leah, Pascaline, and I rode together in one car while the others followed behind. We fed the baby on the drive and arrived shortly after one.

Then… nothing.

Forty-five minutes passed and the second car still hadn’t arrived. With no cell service in the mountains, anxiety started creeping in. I drove back toward the locked gate entrance but still couldn’t find them. Eventually, around 2:30, they appeared. It turned out they had seen the locked gate, assumed they were lost, and turned around searching for cell reception to call us — not realizing the gate instructions had already explained everything. Once they found the directions, they made it through.

And suddenly, we were there.

Our Airbnb sat deep inside Los Padres National Forest, tucked beyond Rose Valley Road and several miles past a lonely locked gate with no guard, no traffic, and almost no signs of civilization. Carol told us the nearest neighbor was three miles away. The isolation felt surreal in the best way.

The valley itself was impossibly beautiful. Creeks braided through the canyon, oak trees stretched across the hillsides, and just a five-minute walk from the house was a private swimming hole hidden between the rocks. We took turns exploring in groups of three while one person stayed back with Leah during nap time. In the afternoon light, the swimming hole looked almost unreal — sunlight reflecting off cold water, trees moving in the breeze, silence interrupted only by birds and the creek itself.

That night we built a fire and cooked dinner together, settling into the rhythm of mountain life surprisingly quickly.

Saturday felt like the kind of day Southern California specializes in — slow mornings, warm sunshine, little discoveries, and nowhere urgent to be.

After breakfast at the house, we drove into Ojai for olive oil tasting. The town itself felt almost curated in its charm: tiny boutiques, flowering patios, art galleries, bookstores, and people wandering leisurely under blooming trees. The olive oil and balsamic tastings were genuinely shocking in the best way — I had no idea olive oil could taste so layered, peppery, grassy, buttery, and alive.

We wandered through shops afterward and found a beautiful little place called The Fig Curated Living. With its vine-covered rooftop and quirky, artistic atmosphere, it felt like stepping into someone’s dream home. I ended up buying my very first tarot deck there, which somehow felt perfectly fitting for Ojai.

Lunch was at The Nest, where we sat outside beneath spring flowers and warm sunlight. Outdoor dining in California always feels cinematic to me — bougainvillea overhead, the smell of herbs and flowers drifting through the air, conversations lingering longer simply because nobody wants to go back inside.

Later we visited Bart's Books, famously known as the world’s largest outdoor bookstore. Wandering through open-air bookshelves under the sun felt peak Ojai: relaxed, slightly eccentric, deeply charming.

After another grocery stop, we headed back into the mountains. Once the groceries were unpacked, Niyati, Xuan, and I went hiking to Rose Valley Falls. The trail was short — only about 0.3 miles each way — but the reward was immediate: cool air, cascading water, shaded rocks, and the refreshing stillness that only mountain creeks seem to carry.

That evening may have been my favorite part of the trip.

I cooked steak over a wood-burning fire while everyone relaxed around the house. Later, we filled the hot tub — not a chemically treated spa, but a clean-water soaking tub continuously refreshed with mountain water. Sitting there beneath billions of stars, surrounded by dark mountain silhouettes and absolute silence, felt unreal. The sky looked endless. The water steamed against the cold night air. Nobody wanted to get out.

Southern California spring has this way of making time feel softer. Days stretch longer. Sunsets linger. Even ordinary moments — breakfast, grocery runs, sitting outside with friends — feel cinematic.

By Sunday morning, reality slowly returned. Our flight had already been delayed from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., and eventually all the way to 4 p.m. The silver lining was one extra peaceful hour at the house before leaving around ten.

Before we left, I walked alone down toward the creek and along the mountain road we had driven in on. Morning light filtered through the trees, and the entire valley felt suspended in silence. It’s rare to find places that feel untouched enough to quiet your thoughts completely, but this was one of them.

On the way back, we ate near Hollywood Burbank Airport at Charlie and Friends Restaurant, where both the food and service were unexpectedly wonderful — one final easy California moment before airports and flights took over again.

I finally got home around 9:30 that night, just in time to see my kids before bed.

And even after unpacking, laundry, and returning to normal life, part of me still felt like I was back there — in the mountains above Ojai, under spring stars, where Southern California somehow keeps pretending summer has already arrived and the dream never really ends.

Jackson wins a baseball tournament

 This past weekend, Jackson's baseball team won their first weekend tournament with Jackson participating.  Even better, it was near his cousin's house and they got to watch one of his games.  

The field had a relatively short fence, and three times his hits made it to the wall in the air.  He was SO close to sending one over the fence!

Norah wins a scavenger hunt

 Norah went to an overnight camp with her entire 4th grade through school.  One of the events was a team scavenger hunt.  When she came back, I loved hearing her talk about the hunt because she detailed how all four team members made their own unique contributions.  Out of over 20 teams, her team was the only one to find/answer all 12 items on the scavenger hunt.  Their reward was a paint powder party with Ms. Turner, who shared some great photos with us.