Under the Arch

What can I say? I fell in love with that face…

Since you heard from me last, I’ve moved in to the new apartment, bought a new computer…now if I could just find my lightroom software. ;)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is what I’ve been doing mostly, experimenting with my camera…this lovely lady popped up in my backyard. I love extreme close-ups. ;)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is Will, my best friend/housemate. He would KILL me if he knew I posted this, so it of course gives me great pleasure to know that he doesn’t read my blog.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This little guy flirted shamelessly with me for most of a baseball game I went to with my friend, Johnna.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don’t know what this is, a plant of some sort that caught my eye at the zoo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The fence around Missouri Botanical Gardens… which reminds me.

 

List of all the places around St. Louis that I HAVE to visit this summer

1. Botanical Gardens
2. City Museum
3. Meramec Caverns
4. some sort of floating, canoeing campground
5. Sculpture park that I can’t remember the name of
6. Six Flags
7. Art Museum
8. History Museum

First, I would like to say if you've sent me an email or other such internet based message and I haven't responded, I apologize. I can't remember the last time I checked my email and I haven't been on twitter in weeks. I've hit a point where my real life is more interesting than my internet one, and I've spent all my spare time playing with friends and enjoying the sunshine when it graces me with its presence.

Because of this, I won't be going to BlogHer this year, even though it's only a few hours away. I will probably go to Chicago this summer (IKEA is calling my name) and my friend Will and I are tentatively planning a road trip to California at some point, where he has promised to teach me how to surf.

I had jury duty last week, but I'm all talked out about it, so I won't say anything more than it sucks ass, and if I ever get it again, it better be a civil case this time. (Oh, and if you were as dismayed as I was to find out that knitting needles aren't allowed, I found that no one says anything if they're plastic.)

I had to finally get mean with the jealous ex-boyfriend. A couple of days ago, he essentially said that he thought something would happen between us further down the line. I as bluntly as possible told him that wasn't going to happen. He didn't take it well and spouted the bullshit that guys say when their pride is wounded. I'm beginning to realize that this is a typical reaction and after I stopped laughing, I was just relieved that it was over and I don't have to placate him anymore. (Lies said to hurt or undermine someone's confidence piss me off like you wouldn't believe.) I decided to be the better person and not tell him what I really think. ;)

I also forgot to tell you that I'm moving, which is something else that has kept me busy. My friend Will lives on the next street over and his building is cheaper than mine, so he talked me into moving into the apartment above him. No more ghetto neighbors with a crying baby below me using my washing machine! It's actually a slightly bigger apartment with a different set-up, which will work well with my furniture. We already have big plans to build raised garden beds in the backyard for flowers and veggies. I spent most of the day today sorting and packing, I should be in the new digs by the end of April.

You probably noticed that I haven't posted any photos for a long time. It's not that I don't have photos to share, it's just that my computer won't let me show them. Trying to work with photos, even uploading them slows my laptop down so much I can't do anything. So, I'm computer shopping with my tax refund and I'm hoping to remedy that soon. ;)

Guess who got a new camera for Christmas? Guess who hasn't completely figured out how to use it?

As far as New Years goes, I don't really do resolutions. (I think last year I called them self-delusions, though I did manage to follow through on a couple.) I do have the new camera that needs to be broken in and Moosh in Indy mentioned a 365 project she will be participating in, so I thought I'd give that a try.

I do have some ideas for things I'd like to try this year, but I think I'm going to keep those secret a bit longer til I figure out if I can. ;)

I did volunteer to write about my online dating experience and to round that out a bit, I'd love to hear stories from others, blogger or not, especially guys. Email me, k?

Yes, I did start dating someone new since Christmas and we are getting along swimmingly. My head is sort of spinning actually and I'm not sure whether to be thrilled or terrified. ;) (He's not a blog reader, isn't that nice? lol)

Until, I can get the photos I've already taken uploaded, here are a few posts from last year that I especially liked.

My resolution to keep knitting is off to a roaring start

Making fun of my brother

Enjoying the weather

Where I first talk about my issues with food

Taking a walk in the park

One of my more popular Naked Monday posts that was discussed over drinks

Bossy's visit

The first time I was mistaken for a hooker

Meeting a Cardinal's baseball player

My cat goes crazy

The post with the most hits (it's the bikini post, are you surprised?)

The ones about my car accident

The BlogHer posts, plus the hostel and my first troll

Exposing my messy side

Blogging while online dating can be hard

Yeah, that was me. ;) Here's a jumble of things that are too much for Twitter and not enough for a full post....

Thing #1: Thanks to Crystal, I found these truly hysterical handmade cards for the snark in all of you. ;) This one and this one are particular favorites. This one made me laugh so hard I almost peed myself. Her descriptions are just as funny as the cards.

Thing #2: I am officially single again. Ok, I was never officially un-single, but I'm not dating anyone in particular at the moment. ;) I've made a couple of good friends so far, that's pretty good, huh? lol

Thing #3: One of the girls I work with wants to set me up with her brother. I've never been set up before, so I thought, what the hell? I told her to go ahead if it makes her happy. I think he finds the idea of his little sister setting him up on a date as amusing as I do. ;)

Thing #4: I've bought all of 2 Christmas presents as of today. I suck at Christmas. lol

Thing #5: I went to Goodwill tonight to find some wool sweaters to felt. I have an idea for a present for my Grandma that I'll use them for, I'll post pictures when it comes together.

Thing #6: My camera pooped out on me, which is why there haven't been many photos lately. A new one is on my Christmas list, though the one I want is really too expensive for a present. We'll see what happens. ;)

Thing #7: A couple of movies came out today that I really want to see, Seven Pounds and Yes Man, but I couldn't find one person available to go with me. Boo :(

Thing #8: I am going to a Tweetup in St. Charles tomorrow. I wanted my friend Jessica to go with me cuz I'm determined to get her on Twitter, but she is going to the symphony instead. Now I kinda wish I was going with her. ;)

Thing #9: If you are not Twittering already, you really should! Peer Pressure! Ahhh!

Thing #10: I decided last week that I wanted to chop all my hair off. If you've seen the Naked Monday about my hair, you'd know that this isn't exactly a new thing. My friend, A, cuts my hair for me and she told me yesterday that she won't be cutting my hair as short as I'd like. She flat out refused. lol We renegotiated today for a longer style that will still eliminate a significant amount of length. It's just pissing me off right now. It's too long and heavy and it's takes too long to dry when it's freezing outside. It will almost be this long again by summer.

Thing #11: You know that movie eye flirting thing where a guy and girl meet eyes across the room and smile for what seems like forever? That totally happened to me today at work. One of the cute kiosk guys was walking in as I was walking out and he totally eye-flirted with me. And I started to smile back cuz he's cute, even if he's a lotion guy* and then I realized what I was doing and panicked. Ahhhh! So, I looked away and probably blushed. One of these days, I swear I'll get the hang of this. lol

Thing #12: It took me 45 minutes to leave work today...just to leave the parking lot! Damn holiday shoppers!! Weird thing? The parking lot wasn't even full, didn't make any kind of sense. I needed to go to the wal marts too, but was so frustrated by the time I made it to an actual ROAD, that I went home instead.

Thing #13: I decided to take my semi regular waxing further south. ;) Casey convinced me. lol

Thing #14: I can guarantee that I'm forgetting something. ;)

 

* One of the kiosks at every mall, they have a bottle of lotion that they smooth onto your hands. I walk by the same damn one EVERY DAY and they still try to sell me their stupid hand stuff. EVERY FUCKING DAY!! (Ok, not every day, but still, 5 days a week. I recognize THEM!)

Hayden tries to squirt me with the hose

Ahhh! I'm Falling! (not really) ;)

If you read my post last Friday, you may remember that I said I will be writing for the lovely ladies at Blissfully Domestic (and, really, I still can't type that without snorting). The site had been up and running all week and I've been meaning to write a post here pimping the site and me writing there because I have had a chance to check out not only some of the other women on the photography channel, Photo Bliss, but all the other women who write there and all the truly interesting ideas I've run across (including a truly amazing-looking sugar cookie recipe that I'm dying to try...well hell, at least I SOUND domestic) but I guess I was afraid to say anything for sure until there was something that I could point to and say, "See, I wrote that!", because, you know, what if they changed their mind or decided to vote me off the island or something because my photos weren't as nice as theirs and then it was all oy, the humanity, I'm inadequate!! (And Hello run-on sentence!! Say all that without taking a breath, why don't ya!!) Neurotic much? ((rolling my eyes))

But!! And then!! There was an email in my box tonight from Lotus of Sarcastic Mom saying that one of my posts was going live tomorrow (today, since it's 2am!!)and since Lotus wouldn't lie to me (you wouldn't do that, would you, Lotus? No, she wouldn't.), I'm now letting YOU know so that you can take your happy ass over there and read it. And then bookmark our channel Photo Bliss, cuz I have and I'm already learning tons of things I didn't know. When the post goes live, I'll add a link here, but until then, you can check out our channel by clicking on the button below.

From now on, I'll put the links to my posts in the side bar with the buttons and pimp it up on twitter. Things here on the blog should go back to normal soon and there's still time to suggest a post for Naked Mondays, I'd like to have a pool of ideas to choose from! So don't be shy, but don't be a perv, k? ;)

Just for fun, here's a photo I took in my front yard of some mushrooms that we get every year.

The post went live this afternoon....you can find it here:
http://blissfullydomestic.com/photo-bliss/photographs-can-tell-your-story/

Well...ok, I'd like to say that I've been terribly busy this past week and just didn't have time to write...but, yeah, that would be a lie. I'd like to say that I had writer's block, but no, that wasn't it either. The truth? I was thinking. Sometimes that just happens. I sort of step away for a bit a just think things over. Sometimes it helps...and sometimes it doesn't. Not sure yet if it did.

I do have some news. My best friend Dan is on his way here from Afghanistan as I type this and I am greatly looking forward to giving him a great big hug.

I am again with wheels. I am temporarily driving my mom's minivan (and, wow, do I look like a soccer mom, it's hilarious) while my parents work out the legalities of me buying my grandma's car from her. (She had a stroke a couple of years ago and can't drive anymore.)Believe me, I'm mentally kissing the fucking bus goodbye and good riddance.

The website I mentioned that I would be writing for is on a little button to the left. They are still working out some bugs still, so I won't be talking about it until next week, which I think is going to be our official launch. More details coming soon. ;)

Um, I think there was something else, but I'll leave you with a photo or two I took in San Francisco. (Now I remember, all of the photos from my trip have finally been uploaded to flickr.)

I've had a couple of BlogHer posts in my draft file for days now but I can't seem to get anywhere with them, so I'm going to a share a little self-contained story with you from that weekend. The Shutter Sisters sponsored a photo walk after the Photography session and I went, hoping to see a little more of this city that I was visiting. I spotted a few people I knew in the crowd, Bossy and Y among them, but most of the women were strangers to me. We split into groups and descended on the city like a flock of very strange looking birds, cameras attached to our faces. My group voted to head for Chinatown and we wandered, shooting as we walked, though it wasn't long before I lost most of the group. I found myself wandering  with two lovely women that I'd never met before, Megan and Jennifer, and we decided to head downhill to the financial district and then back up to Union Square. We were having a great time snapping away when we came upon a homeless man sitting on the sidewalk. He asked us to take his photo and though we weren't supposed to take pictures of people for the photo walk, it seemed easier to take a quick photo to make him happy than to argue and explain what we were doing. (The purpose of the photo walk was to compile a collection of photos to be used later in a book. Without a photo release from the man, we couldn't submit his photo for the book.) The three of us took his photo and started to walk on when another man passed us by on the sidewalk and almost immediately started yelling at us for taking advantage of a homeless man, taking his photo without paying him, then proceeded to very loudly call us any number of foul names, including worthless whores and tramps. I don't know about you, but I'm not exactly used to hostility from complete strangers, but after the initial shock I got really angry and informed the loud-mouthed moron that the man had asked us to take his picture and I was hardly going to worry about what some idiot carrying a boom box (!) thought of me. (Ok, I said the first part, not the second, but I did say it after he stomped off.) We kept walking and after about half a block I turned to Megan and Jennifer and said, "Hey guys. You know what just happened? We just got trolled! In person!" So, now, every time a troll bothers you on the internet, just picture a badly dressed, psychotic homeless man carrying a boom box on his shoulder ala 1984, and remember, his opinion doesn't matter. ;)

 

He made us wait for him to put on the hat and sunglasses, then posed before he asked us to go ahead and shoot.

I've been working my little butt off, a week's worth of hours in a weekend and I have some school work to finish up tomorrow, but the Blogher story will continue, I've barely started, just haven't had time to write like I want. I have managed to upload more photos and if you've left questions in the comments, I will be getting to those and finishing my story this week. There will be a Naked Monday tomorrow, I've just about finished my school shopping and I have an idea I want to share. ;)

My photos are on flickr, which you can find here.

My friend asked me to take pictures of her cousin's children at the BBQ and since I am the camera junky, I happily agreed. By the end of the afternoon, everyone was looking at me funny...it could have been the growth coming out of my face. ;)
These are some of my favorites that I brightened up a bit with photoshop, I finally getting the hang of sharpening the eyes. ;)

BlogHer update!!
I have the clothes situation under control, now if I would just do laundry. (le sigh) I have a rolling Jeep duffle for checked luggage, and I found the cutest laptop bag at Walmart of all places (I know, right?), and I think if I put the camera bag and my purse "necessities" in a tote bag, that will count as my purse, the laptop bag will be carry-on. I bought a few 3oz bottles for shampoo and shower gel and I have a guidebook on San Francisco. Conference is booked, bed at the hostel is reserved, the only thing I don't have booked at this point is my airfare, still working out some logistics. My blogging friend, Raquita, offered to let me borrow her old DSLR for BlogHer. How cool is that?! I played around with it yesterday, taking pictures of graffiti. Still working out what it can do, it's been a long time since I had my grubby little hands on an SLR, the last one was a film camera. Manual focus rocks my world. So. not. kidding. Before I take my happy ass to bed, here's a couple of the shots I took today, the rest are on flickr.