I would like to apologize for not posting recently, photos are being taken (or located) that match the prompts that have been posted each day but I am finding little time to take to post them and create blogs that are worthy of the photos. Please bear with me as I hope to get the blog updated throughout this week with the photos and prompts!!
Thanks!!
Monday, February 8, 2010
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Day 31 - Lines of Color
I knew immediately what I wanted to show off with this prompt. When we moved into our house we repainted all the walls, and shortly after our daughter was born. When she was little the two of us sat outside and created artwork for our family room walls. This photo is of one of my paintings.
The colors used are the same paint we painted on our house walls so they fit our decor exactly. I just used my fingers and had fun spreading the paint around on the canvas. When I was done I stepped back and realized I had created an abstract flower with a hummingbird flying above it.
I smile when I look at this picture every time I sit in my chair. Everybody is an artist and an artists work is never wrong when the artist says it is complete.
The colors used are the same paint we painted on our house walls so they fit our decor exactly. I just used my fingers and had fun spreading the paint around on the canvas. When I was done I stepped back and realized I had created an abstract flower with a hummingbird flying above it.
I smile when I look at this picture every time I sit in my chair. Everybody is an artist and an artists work is never wrong when the artist says it is complete.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Day 30 - Story Time
Again, a book is the answer. Maybe I read to much?!
This particular book was actually a gift to my sisters and me when we were young children back in 1978. I have held on to it, because well I consider the book mine although the inscription clearly says it is for all three of us. I love fairy tales - another reason I love romances - grown up fairy tales.
I enjoy researching some of them sometimes and seeing the different versions out there like the common ones we know. I have held on to an old English text book because it has a section comparing different Cinderella stories. I love watching the Sci-Fi channel when they show stories that are similar to fairy tales, horror movies made based on the fairy tales (I can recall one about Snow White).
I have started to pass this love on to my daughter as she likes me to read the stories from this book to her. I often have to alter the story as some of them are just a bit to graphic for her right now at the age of four; or I try to read a different story to her because several of the stories are very long. I am glad that I am passing on a joy of reading and writing to my daughter though.
This book has been so well loved that a group of pages at the beginning of the book are loose and you have to handle the book with care so that the pages are not lost, something my daughter learned quickly when she handled the book roughly and almost lost the pages.
This particular book was actually a gift to my sisters and me when we were young children back in 1978. I have held on to it, because well I consider the book mine although the inscription clearly says it is for all three of us. I love fairy tales - another reason I love romances - grown up fairy tales.
I enjoy researching some of them sometimes and seeing the different versions out there like the common ones we know. I have held on to an old English text book because it has a section comparing different Cinderella stories. I love watching the Sci-Fi channel when they show stories that are similar to fairy tales, horror movies made based on the fairy tales (I can recall one about Snow White).
I have started to pass this love on to my daughter as she likes me to read the stories from this book to her. I often have to alter the story as some of them are just a bit to graphic for her right now at the age of four; or I try to read a different story to her because several of the stories are very long. I am glad that I am passing on a joy of reading and writing to my daughter though.
This book has been so well loved that a group of pages at the beginning of the book are loose and you have to handle the book with care so that the pages are not lost, something my daughter learned quickly when she handled the book roughly and almost lost the pages.
Day 29 - Silliness
So, I was sitting here reading and thinking about the prompt for this day and it occurred to me that other then my husband and daughter one of the things I find humor in is my books. I have started to sense a theme recurring throughout this challenge so far and am starting to think I have to get out more often. My daughter and books have been my response for many of these prompts.
I wandered over to my library and took a picture of the author's name of some of the books I have purchased because I know they are hilarious and sometimes you just need to lighten your mood. I find the Janet Evanovich books just hilarious. I have started her Plum stories - but prefer listening to them on audio tape so haven't gotten past the first couple even though she is up to what.. 13?? Since she has gained in popularity they started publishing her older hilarious romances - and sometimes I am laughing so hard I am crying.
Nothing better then a light-hearted read after a stressful day!
I wandered over to my library and took a picture of the author's name of some of the books I have purchased because I know they are hilarious and sometimes you just need to lighten your mood. I find the Janet Evanovich books just hilarious. I have started her Plum stories - but prefer listening to them on audio tape so haven't gotten past the first couple even though she is up to what.. 13?? Since she has gained in popularity they started publishing her older hilarious romances - and sometimes I am laughing so hard I am crying.
Nothing better then a light-hearted read after a stressful day!
Day 28 - Memory Lane
There was no way I was going to scan in my senior high school picture - no offense - it was BAD BAD BAD BAD, what I did do was take a photo of one of my favorite senior year pictures. I leave this picture, and one other in with my diploma so that I always know where it is.
Graduation day and my two closest friends, Blanche and Rose. For a long time Blanche and I lost touch with Rose but thanks for Facebook we were able to reconnect with her and within moments it was as if we had never been apart - although it had been several years since we had last spoken. Now, we speak almost daily and the only bad part of our new relationship is that all three of us live in different states and are unable to pop over for quick visits just to relax and hang out.
I pretty much look the same nowadays - I am blessed with good genetics that means we age really well and never look as old as we are. I am also very overweight but thanks to those genetics I carry my extra weight so it is hard to tell that I am 100 pounds heavier then I should be - in high school I was even heavier.
Thanks for reminding me that it is ok to look back at the past and recall some of the best memories a person can have and how close my friends and I were and thankfully still are today.
Graduation day and my two closest friends, Blanche and Rose. For a long time Blanche and I lost touch with Rose but thanks for Facebook we were able to reconnect with her and within moments it was as if we had never been apart - although it had been several years since we had last spoken. Now, we speak almost daily and the only bad part of our new relationship is that all three of us live in different states and are unable to pop over for quick visits just to relax and hang out.
I pretty much look the same nowadays - I am blessed with good genetics that means we age really well and never look as old as we are. I am also very overweight but thanks to those genetics I carry my extra weight so it is hard to tell that I am 100 pounds heavier then I should be - in high school I was even heavier.
Thanks for reminding me that it is ok to look back at the past and recall some of the best memories a person can have and how close my friends and I were and thankfully still are today.
Day 27 - Sentimental
I find most photos sentimental even though I have several scrapbooks full of items. I've been evaluating my life over the past couple of years anyway, and have slowly been giving things away, throwing them away, or realizing that I just don't need them.
What I find I am never able to get rid of are the two pieces of jewelry that I cannot wear currently because the rings are broken. The heart shaped one was given to me by my mother and had once belonged to her mother, a grandmother I never knew. I have never worn it because it was broken when it was given to me when I was eighteen and I have always intended to get it fixed but have never done so.
The other braided ring was a gift from my parents for my sixteenth birthday, I wore this ring on my wedding finger from the day I got it until it broke - several years later. My Dad made the comment when we were leaving the store that it even cost more then my Mom's original wedding ring - I think that increased it's value to me only more because my parents were willing to still spend that amount on me.
Whenever I look at these rings I just feel the love my parents had for me and I never feel alone when I have them in my possession.
What I find I am never able to get rid of are the two pieces of jewelry that I cannot wear currently because the rings are broken. The heart shaped one was given to me by my mother and had once belonged to her mother, a grandmother I never knew. I have never worn it because it was broken when it was given to me when I was eighteen and I have always intended to get it fixed but have never done so.
The other braided ring was a gift from my parents for my sixteenth birthday, I wore this ring on my wedding finger from the day I got it until it broke - several years later. My Dad made the comment when we were leaving the store that it even cost more then my Mom's original wedding ring - I think that increased it's value to me only more because my parents were willing to still spend that amount on me.
Whenever I look at these rings I just feel the love my parents had for me and I never feel alone when I have them in my possession.
Day 26 - Silly Memory
It took me awhile to figure out what would represent silliness in my life without including my daughter and I happened to recall a memory of our bird. I quickly snapped a shot of him and thought that represented best the memory.
Our bird was semi-rescued from my husband's family when his original owner passed away. He was left a lone in a cage in a trailer and had been fed the wrong food and not had the interaction he needed, it is also believed that the family member was so sick at the end that she had neglected him. We believe this because he has plucking issues and is not used to being handled. His cage was so dirty that my mother-in-law bought us a small cage to help transport him home in.
After having for a while we got our cat, she still gives him a wide berth as she was just a kitten when we got her and Sammy would open his wings wide and squawk at her when she came near his cage. The memory I recalled is actually about what happened when we bought our second bird, Cookie. She is a lot more curious than Sammy - having not had the rough life and being exposed to plenty of toys at the pet store we purchased her. She would climb upside down in the cage and Sammy would watch and watch her - giving her a wide berth.
After watching her for a day or two, Sammy himself attempted to climb upside down in his cage. He ended up hanging by the top of the cage by his beak for a second or two before falling to the bottom. He was uninjured and from that point on would just watch Cookie climbing all over the place and as far as I am aware he never again tried to climb upside down on the top of the cage. I'm just glad that I got to see Sammy starting to learn to try new things.
Our bird was semi-rescued from my husband's family when his original owner passed away. He was left a lone in a cage in a trailer and had been fed the wrong food and not had the interaction he needed, it is also believed that the family member was so sick at the end that she had neglected him. We believe this because he has plucking issues and is not used to being handled. His cage was so dirty that my mother-in-law bought us a small cage to help transport him home in.
After having for a while we got our cat, she still gives him a wide berth as she was just a kitten when we got her and Sammy would open his wings wide and squawk at her when she came near his cage. The memory I recalled is actually about what happened when we bought our second bird, Cookie. She is a lot more curious than Sammy - having not had the rough life and being exposed to plenty of toys at the pet store we purchased her. She would climb upside down in the cage and Sammy would watch and watch her - giving her a wide berth.
After watching her for a day or two, Sammy himself attempted to climb upside down in his cage. He ended up hanging by the top of the cage by his beak for a second or two before falling to the bottom. He was uninjured and from that point on would just watch Cookie climbing all over the place and as far as I am aware he never again tried to climb upside down on the top of the cage. I'm just glad that I got to see Sammy starting to learn to try new things.
Day 25 - Sleeping
I almost had to take a picture of my daughter for this one as very often she does fall asleep in positions that seem to defy gravity and well known physics. I however decided to stick with my goal of few pictures of my daughter for this challenge and I hunted down our pet cat.
Jessie very often cuddles in the middle of our bed, but I found her huddled sleepy eyes on her pillow. It was almost a year before she even set foot on the pillow, but we kept it on the floor in our closet (one of her favorite places to sleep) and we made sure to keep everything else picked up.
She's a cutey and loves to lie near your neck and purr her little heart out. I couldn't have asked for a better lovable kitty.
Jessie very often cuddles in the middle of our bed, but I found her huddled sleepy eyes on her pillow. It was almost a year before she even set foot on the pillow, but we kept it on the floor in our closet (one of her favorite places to sleep) and we made sure to keep everything else picked up.
She's a cutey and loves to lie near your neck and purr her little heart out. I couldn't have asked for a better lovable kitty.
Day 24 - Togetherness
I've mentioned before that I love taking photos, this is just a small sampling of my photos before I went digital. One box are my panoramic pictures while the other box is sorted by various subjects. Each mini album contains one type of subject and makes locating my photos a lot easier. Although you cannot see it in the photo, the two boxes are sitting on a file box which contains older photos sorted by subject as well.
Most of these photos are photos of my family and I cannot think of anything else that represents togetherness more than that. I have always believed that family comes first and that spending time with my daughter - be it just watching tv or creating art projects is more important then cleaning the house or doing laundry. I try to balance this out since the birth of my daughter so that she can learn good habits - as my habits are not the greatest ones and I want her to be a better person than I am.
Although I am not the neatest person, when it comes to finally putting something where it goes or organizing my papers I am borderline - ok no border I am downright anal about how it goes. As I mentioned, each mini album has one subject inside, the front of the album carries a title (ex. Caves, Towns, Sisters, names of the individual pictured inside). The file box below has one section where I store the negatives in file folders labeled with the date and subject and then another section with the actual photos with their date and subject matching the negative folders. Even my photos on the computer are organized in a manner similar to this. I once came across a hint (and it may have very well been on Gotta Pixel) about labeling my photos with the YEARMONTHDAY_SUBJECT_ORIGINALFILENAME.JPG/GIF/BMP - I go farther then that and often have file names that look like this 2010January20_365Challenge_Day20_picture1.jpg --- if I have the time I am even known to fill out the properties including comments I have about the photo... how anal is that??
Most of these photos are photos of my family and I cannot think of anything else that represents togetherness more than that. I have always believed that family comes first and that spending time with my daughter - be it just watching tv or creating art projects is more important then cleaning the house or doing laundry. I try to balance this out since the birth of my daughter so that she can learn good habits - as my habits are not the greatest ones and I want her to be a better person than I am.
Although I am not the neatest person, when it comes to finally putting something where it goes or organizing my papers I am borderline - ok no border I am downright anal about how it goes. As I mentioned, each mini album has one subject inside, the front of the album carries a title (ex. Caves, Towns, Sisters, names of the individual pictured inside). The file box below has one section where I store the negatives in file folders labeled with the date and subject and then another section with the actual photos with their date and subject matching the negative folders. Even my photos on the computer are organized in a manner similar to this. I once came across a hint (and it may have very well been on Gotta Pixel) about labeling my photos with the YEARMONTHDAY_SUBJECT_ORIGINALFILENAME.JPG/GIF/BMP - I go farther then that and often have file names that look like this 2010January20_365Challenge_Day20_picture1.jpg --- if I have the time I am even known to fill out the properties including comments I have about the photo... how anal is that??
Monday, January 25, 2010
Day 23 - Weakness
Candy is a huge weakness of mine, but not just any candy. Lollypops, bubblegum, and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (I have none in the picture because I refuse to buy more then one at a time because otherwise they are all I would eat.)
I wasn't sure how I was going to accomplish this picture since I tend to not purchase the candy I want to eat. I am terrible with self control when I'm at home but I'm great at least when I'm buying items at the store.
I wasn't sure how I was going to accomplish this picture since I tend to not purchase the candy I want to eat. I am terrible with self control when I'm at home but I'm great at least when I'm buying items at the store.
Day 22 - Addiction
I am addicted to my computer/typing/chatting. I have been doing it for many many years and can usually be found with a keyboard in my lap or my cell phone in my fingers and I'll be typing away.
I have gone without using a computer for a couple periods of my life, but I am more likely to turn off the cable tv and keep my internet connection if I'm watching how I spend my money.
I can always watch movies and tv shows on my computer, but I can't keep in touch with my family and friends through my tv!
I have gone without using a computer for a couple periods of my life, but I am more likely to turn off the cable tv and keep my internet connection if I'm watching how I spend my money.
I can always watch movies and tv shows on my computer, but I can't keep in touch with my family and friends through my tv!
Day 21 - Shoes
I've mentioned before that I don't like to wear shoes; however, as I've grown older I have found that my toes are almost always freezing so during one of our first winters here I requested a bunch of fuzzy fun slippers. These are my favorite ones and I wear them almost none stop.
It has even gotten to the point where I am known to wear them while wearings socks because my toes will still be freezing - I wonder if it is a sign of old age or just a really cold winter!?!
It has even gotten to the point where I am known to wear them while wearings socks because my toes will still be freezing - I wonder if it is a sign of old age or just a really cold winter!?!
Day 20 - Architecture
I don't really pay that much attention to buildings, I might say "Oh that one looks neat/cool (insert other adjective here)" but for the most part I look to mother nature and not man made features.
I took this shot of or portion of our house - one of the features I love in addition to our fireplace, which I've posted pictures of. There were originally glass shelves between each beam and the wood was a green color of paint. These posts are in a section of the house that had some other wooden features and all were different shades. They all now sport this darker shade of paint to resemble a cherry wood.
It took me a lot of thinking about this one and made me wonder about how I look around the world around me and how I take the man made features around me for granted. I am known to appreciate sculptures and other artistic pieces but very rarely do I look at a building as artistic.
I took this shot of or portion of our house - one of the features I love in addition to our fireplace, which I've posted pictures of. There were originally glass shelves between each beam and the wood was a green color of paint. These posts are in a section of the house that had some other wooden features and all were different shades. They all now sport this darker shade of paint to resemble a cherry wood.
It took me a lot of thinking about this one and made me wonder about how I look around the world around me and how I take the man made features around me for granted. I am known to appreciate sculptures and other artistic pieces but very rarely do I look at a building as artistic.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Day 19 - What the . . .
What do you see?
These are my favorite type of photos to take of Mother Nature. Natural objects, that to my knowledge, have not been altered by human hand. This was the photo that really spurned me on this quest when I am out and about. When I look at this particular stalagmite it seems to make the face of a dragon to me.
I wonder what you see when you look at this object. The stalagmite pictures was taken many years ago, I can no longer remember when exactly.
Seeing things within nature is something that comes as a second nature to me and I often wonder what this says about my personality and imagination. I like to think that it means I have a creative and active imagination and is one of things that keeps me young and entertaining to those around me.
These are my favorite type of photos to take of Mother Nature. Natural objects, that to my knowledge, have not been altered by human hand. This was the photo that really spurned me on this quest when I am out and about. When I look at this particular stalagmite it seems to make the face of a dragon to me.
I wonder what you see when you look at this object. The stalagmite pictures was taken many years ago, I can no longer remember when exactly.
Seeing things within nature is something that comes as a second nature to me and I often wonder what this says about my personality and imagination. I like to think that it means I have a creative and active imagination and is one of things that keeps me young and entertaining to those around me.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Day 18 - Grandparents
It's hard to recall memories of my grandparents as we didn't often see them, I decided to pay homage to three Grandmothers (two I knew and one I did not).
My Mother's parents both passed away before my Mom was very old and she was raised by her grandmother, my Great-Grandma Ruby (pictured in the bottom photo cooking with unidentified male). I can vaguely remember my Great-Grandma and my sisters and I just called her Grandma Ruby; it did not register with us for many years that although we knew our Mom's mother was dead that Grandma Ruby was actually our Great-Grandma. I can mostly remember her being a very tiny woman who was a lot of fun to be around. I can remember bowls of candy on her side tables and doilies all over the place, and she cooked - all the time.
My Mother's mother is pictured in the the black and white photo off to the side with my mother, aunt, and uncle as children. The story I can recall being told about her death is that my Aunt I. was caught in the ocean and my Grandmother and Grandfather went out to save her. My Grandmother did not make it and my Grandfather and Aunt were in the hospital for awhile - my Grandfather longer then my Aunt. After this incident my Grandfather left his three children with his mother and father and eventually passed away within a couple of years. (I'm not sure of those facts as I can recall the story being told to me many years and it is just something we didn't/don't discuss in our family.)
The above photo is a picture of my Father's mother with my older sister and me. I carry her first name as my middle name so I have always felt a sort of closer kinship with her. I can remember her being tall and stately and it was a shock to see her as I grew older and suddenly she seemed smaller. She was a big smoker and when her health started to decline and she had to quit she also started gaining weight and the image in my mind is still overridden today with images of her being a tall stately grandmother who loved watching college football. I can remember looking through our family photos and finding one of her doing a handstand in the backyard and that is an image I carry close to my heart even today.
I often wonder how my life would have been affected if we had lived closer to our grandparents and gotten to know them even better. I was often jealous of my Uncle's children and how they knew our Great-Grandmother so well. I thank God every day that my daughter is able to know and love her grandparents.
I strive hard to make sure she knows all of her Grandparents by making them a large part of our life even though thousands of miles may separate us. We are always in touch via e-mail and teleconference several times. My parents live close enough they are able to come up and visit and my husband's parents take the time to come visit as often as they can. My daughter has photo albums of family members that we go through almost weekly, daily before trips to visit them. We did this enough that the last visit we had she knew her Great-Grandma B. was and was able to go up and give her a hug and call her Grandma. This made her Great-Grandma's day as she is able to see my daughter so infrequently, yet my daughter knew who she was.
Exactly what I want for my family. A connection that lasts and makes an impression!
My Mother's parents both passed away before my Mom was very old and she was raised by her grandmother, my Great-Grandma Ruby (pictured in the bottom photo cooking with unidentified male). I can vaguely remember my Great-Grandma and my sisters and I just called her Grandma Ruby; it did not register with us for many years that although we knew our Mom's mother was dead that Grandma Ruby was actually our Great-Grandma. I can mostly remember her being a very tiny woman who was a lot of fun to be around. I can remember bowls of candy on her side tables and doilies all over the place, and she cooked - all the time.
My Mother's mother is pictured in the the black and white photo off to the side with my mother, aunt, and uncle as children. The story I can recall being told about her death is that my Aunt I. was caught in the ocean and my Grandmother and Grandfather went out to save her. My Grandmother did not make it and my Grandfather and Aunt were in the hospital for awhile - my Grandfather longer then my Aunt. After this incident my Grandfather left his three children with his mother and father and eventually passed away within a couple of years. (I'm not sure of those facts as I can recall the story being told to me many years and it is just something we didn't/don't discuss in our family.)
The above photo is a picture of my Father's mother with my older sister and me. I carry her first name as my middle name so I have always felt a sort of closer kinship with her. I can remember her being tall and stately and it was a shock to see her as I grew older and suddenly she seemed smaller. She was a big smoker and when her health started to decline and she had to quit she also started gaining weight and the image in my mind is still overridden today with images of her being a tall stately grandmother who loved watching college football. I can remember looking through our family photos and finding one of her doing a handstand in the backyard and that is an image I carry close to my heart even today.
I often wonder how my life would have been affected if we had lived closer to our grandparents and gotten to know them even better. I was often jealous of my Uncle's children and how they knew our Great-Grandmother so well. I thank God every day that my daughter is able to know and love her grandparents.
I strive hard to make sure she knows all of her Grandparents by making them a large part of our life even though thousands of miles may separate us. We are always in touch via e-mail and teleconference several times. My parents live close enough they are able to come up and visit and my husband's parents take the time to come visit as often as they can. My daughter has photo albums of family members that we go through almost weekly, daily before trips to visit them. We did this enough that the last visit we had she knew her Great-Grandma B. was and was able to go up and give her a hug and call her Grandma. This made her Great-Grandma's day as she is able to see my daughter so infrequently, yet my daughter knew who she was.
Exactly what I want for my family. A connection that lasts and makes an impression!
Day 17 - Weather
The weather in this part of Arizona doesn't really change much; sunny and bright, cloudy and rainy, a little overcast but not very chilly, bright but a bit chilly, and hot - just gosh darn hot. I do love some of the dust and thunderstorms we get out this way and that was one of the things I loved living in our third floor apartment.
We had a great view of the north eastern valley and could see the storms move in from the south and just sweep across the valley like somebody had drawn a line across the sky - one in pale blue/grey and one in dark stormy grey. The last couple of days have been overcast with the threat of rain looming. Although, I'm not sure how much a 'threat' it is when you live in the desert and winter doesn't mean snow it means green grass, fat saguaros, and bushes blooming all over the place --- in other words "Spring" in other parts of the world!
I took this pictures while leaving work and thought about putting my truck in the shot to show the raindrops covering it but decided I loved the sky more. I really love staring at the sky and the seeing differences night to day, day to night, sunny to cloudy.
No matter hard hard we try we can only harness the power of nature but never truly emulate its power and beauty. Mother Nature is truly an inspiration to the artist that lives within us!
We had a great view of the north eastern valley and could see the storms move in from the south and just sweep across the valley like somebody had drawn a line across the sky - one in pale blue/grey and one in dark stormy grey. The last couple of days have been overcast with the threat of rain looming. Although, I'm not sure how much a 'threat' it is when you live in the desert and winter doesn't mean snow it means green grass, fat saguaros, and bushes blooming all over the place --- in other words "Spring" in other parts of the world!
I took this pictures while leaving work and thought about putting my truck in the shot to show the raindrops covering it but decided I loved the sky more. I really love staring at the sky and the seeing differences night to day, day to night, sunny to cloudy.
No matter hard hard we try we can only harness the power of nature but never truly emulate its power and beauty. Mother Nature is truly an inspiration to the artist that lives within us!
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Day 16 - Kicks
My kicks - I hate wearing shoes, any kind of shoes.
I am known to drive barefoot because when I started driving I would speed when wearing sneakers! I usually have two to three pairs of shoes sitting inside my truck because if I can slide the shoe off when I get in, I do.
Due to my new job, I need to wear closed-toe shoes and tennis shoes are the best ones for the job. I pretty much wear them all the time now but within 2 minutes of getting home this is how they end up.
Living in a hot climate pretty much ensure that I always wear shoes when leaving the house and I miss the freedom of being able to go more places with no shoes on. With many searches you can actually find out that it is not illegal to enter stores, restaurants, and drive barefoot. Most places frown upon it but unless they have posted signs all they can do is request you leave. If you ever push the issue there is usually no policy about it however.
Sometimes I wish I lived near or on the beach because going barefoot there would be something so common that people would not look at you funny when you do it.
Ah well, I wear shoes because I need to for work - but at home I am barefoot all the way.
I am known to drive barefoot because when I started driving I would speed when wearing sneakers! I usually have two to three pairs of shoes sitting inside my truck because if I can slide the shoe off when I get in, I do.
Due to my new job, I need to wear closed-toe shoes and tennis shoes are the best ones for the job. I pretty much wear them all the time now but within 2 minutes of getting home this is how they end up.
Living in a hot climate pretty much ensure that I always wear shoes when leaving the house and I miss the freedom of being able to go more places with no shoes on. With many searches you can actually find out that it is not illegal to enter stores, restaurants, and drive barefoot. Most places frown upon it but unless they have posted signs all they can do is request you leave. If you ever push the issue there is usually no policy about it however.
Sometimes I wish I lived near or on the beach because going barefoot there would be something so common that people would not look at you funny when you do it.
Ah well, I wear shoes because I need to for work - but at home I am barefoot all the way.
Day 15 - I'm Pretty
I don't really do my nails, wear makeup, or do my hair. This is not something I enjoyed as a teenage girl and would rather get going in the morning as an adult woman. I often wonder how 'female' that makes me.
Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy dressing up every once in awhile but putting on makeup and doing my hair every morning is SO NOT going to happen. I am not a morning person and feel only the desire to get dressed and leave to get started on the things I need to do that day.
I often don't even wear my contacts every day because this is an extra step in the morning. I use contacts I can sleep in to help avoid this issue but since they often get dried out and leave bags under my eyes I often avoid this as well.
Because of this I decided to take a picture of something that is along the lines of "Spa Day", a nice long soak with water, candles, a book, and a tub full of hot water. The results usually leaving me feeling relaxed and feeling "pretty."
To top it off, a locked door ensures that my husband has to deal with any issues and nobody gets to bother me. What could be better?
Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy dressing up every once in awhile but putting on makeup and doing my hair every morning is SO NOT going to happen. I am not a morning person and feel only the desire to get dressed and leave to get started on the things I need to do that day.
I often don't even wear my contacts every day because this is an extra step in the morning. I use contacts I can sleep in to help avoid this issue but since they often get dried out and leave bags under my eyes I often avoid this as well.
Because of this I decided to take a picture of something that is along the lines of "Spa Day", a nice long soak with water, candles, a book, and a tub full of hot water. The results usually leaving me feeling relaxed and feeling "pretty."
To top it off, a locked door ensures that my husband has to deal with any issues and nobody gets to bother me. What could be better?
Day 14 - Junk drawer
I racked my brains for a junk drawer in our house and can honestly say - we don't have one. I however do have a junk corner - and not really junk either. I cleaned out my craft room hoping to get organized and cleaned up - and this is the pile I still have to go through. My craft room is back to it's trashed state as well - but as this craft room is also my office and my daughter shares the craft space with me, it is even harder to clean up.
Let's put on top of that, I have a hard time cleaning and papers are a bane of my existence. Slowly over the last few months I seem to be making a dent in some of it as my goal is now to scan it all and trash the originals! I'm becoming a CD hoarder instead of a paper hoarder!
I hate the stress level that goes with looking into that corner and often find myself walking into another part of the house to avoid it. I am trying to remember that each little bit I get done slowly helps things move forward. One of my hardest tasks is not in getting involved with a new task while I'm trying to complete the ones I already have. It's a daily struggle to move past my avoidance and procrastination tendencies.
Let's put on top of that, I have a hard time cleaning and papers are a bane of my existence. Slowly over the last few months I seem to be making a dent in some of it as my goal is now to scan it all and trash the originals! I'm becoming a CD hoarder instead of a paper hoarder!
I hate the stress level that goes with looking into that corner and often find myself walking into another part of the house to avoid it. I am trying to remember that each little bit I get done slowly helps things move forward. One of my hardest tasks is not in getting involved with a new task while I'm trying to complete the ones I already have. It's a daily struggle to move past my avoidance and procrastination tendencies.
Day 13 - Grief
What causes me grief - this answer jumped out to me immediately from my desk top - bills... bills... bills. I hate dealing with money and making sure things get paid on time. This is a task I have often struggled with and often have to remind myself daily...weekly...monthly to deal with this.
I have been working hard over time to battle this avoidance tendency of mine. Thanks to technology available today, I have alerts sent to my cell phone and I use e-bills. I have to battle the nature to ignore these by NOT doing some things automatically. I have to personally enter and reconcile my Quicken accounts instead of doing their automatic download. I have to personally save and attach my bills and statements. I track the change in my purse - ever two weeks along with entering my paycheck.
It is still a struggle to make sure things are paid on time, but by using these features and making sure my bills are due at the end of the month and paying half of the bill from each paycheck it gives me a little extra money in my pocket and a little more going to the debt I am trying hard to lower and get rid of.
I have been working hard over time to battle this avoidance tendency of mine. Thanks to technology available today, I have alerts sent to my cell phone and I use e-bills. I have to battle the nature to ignore these by NOT doing some things automatically. I have to personally enter and reconcile my Quicken accounts instead of doing their automatic download. I have to personally save and attach my bills and statements. I track the change in my purse - ever two weeks along with entering my paycheck.
It is still a struggle to make sure things are paid on time, but by using these features and making sure my bills are due at the end of the month and paying half of the bill from each paycheck it gives me a little extra money in my pocket and a little more going to the debt I am trying hard to lower and get rid of.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Day 12 - A Treat
I didn't think I would find this particular prompt difficult but even knowing about it all day it ended up sneaking on me at the very end of my day. I often do things for others and often have others do things for me; however, today seemed to be a passing and gossiping day more then anything.
I thought I would take a picture of the dinner my husband made for us tonight - a wonderful steak with vegetables and pasta meal, however I was already finishing it when I realized I never took the picture. The thought of taking a pictures of my clean plate crossed my mind but I moved past that one as well.
It wasn't until I was in the middle of doing something for my daughter that took me a long time to do and was starting to frustrate me beyond measure that I suddenly realized I had it. The treat for the day. I was doing something I generally don't mind doing, playing with Legos; however, due to the fact that my husband encourages my daughter to throw every piece in the same bin without any organization it took me over an hour to make the piece she was asking me to make while I shifted through the seemingly thousands of small pieces. With so many different sets in her box I was getting ready to throw it across the room although I knew I was almost finished with it.
I also realized at that time that I really hated putting the pieces together when I couldn't find anything and that a toy, a past-time that should be enjoyable was made only frustrating because I couldn't find the piece I wanted when I wanted it. I almost pulled out a box of baggies and started sorting.
I am not a neat person but I have come to learn over the years that I have to see everything or nothing will get done. I need open shelves and boxes or projects would never happen. I need a system and priorities that my husband disagrees with to get the things I want done, done. I will let dishes slide because I would rather scan my daughters artwork and make a memory book. I will forget about laundry so I can sit and cuddle with my family on the couch and watch a movie. I will be lackadaisical about what is for dinner because I honestly couldn't care and my husband insists that every meal must include a meat when I could be happy with a salad so I struggle to make the meal.
I have become better over the years, getting rid of objects, trying various systems to try and find something that works for me. Scanning objects so I can then trash the original but 'have it' if I want it. I am fighting my border-line hoarding tendencies and can only hope that I will not pass these tendencies on to my daughter. I try to make sure she learns better habits and that I show her better habits and follow them myself. A daily struggle.
I thought I would take a picture of the dinner my husband made for us tonight - a wonderful steak with vegetables and pasta meal, however I was already finishing it when I realized I never took the picture. The thought of taking a pictures of my clean plate crossed my mind but I moved past that one as well.
It wasn't until I was in the middle of doing something for my daughter that took me a long time to do and was starting to frustrate me beyond measure that I suddenly realized I had it. The treat for the day. I was doing something I generally don't mind doing, playing with Legos; however, due to the fact that my husband encourages my daughter to throw every piece in the same bin without any organization it took me over an hour to make the piece she was asking me to make while I shifted through the seemingly thousands of small pieces. With so many different sets in her box I was getting ready to throw it across the room although I knew I was almost finished with it.
I also realized at that time that I really hated putting the pieces together when I couldn't find anything and that a toy, a past-time that should be enjoyable was made only frustrating because I couldn't find the piece I wanted when I wanted it. I almost pulled out a box of baggies and started sorting.
I am not a neat person but I have come to learn over the years that I have to see everything or nothing will get done. I need open shelves and boxes or projects would never happen. I need a system and priorities that my husband disagrees with to get the things I want done, done. I will let dishes slide because I would rather scan my daughters artwork and make a memory book. I will forget about laundry so I can sit and cuddle with my family on the couch and watch a movie. I will be lackadaisical about what is for dinner because I honestly couldn't care and my husband insists that every meal must include a meat when I could be happy with a salad so I struggle to make the meal.
I have become better over the years, getting rid of objects, trying various systems to try and find something that works for me. Scanning objects so I can then trash the original but 'have it' if I want it. I am fighting my border-line hoarding tendencies and can only hope that I will not pass these tendencies on to my daughter. I try to make sure she learns better habits and that I show her better habits and follow them myself. A daily struggle.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Day 11 - What Fun
It was nice to get a prompt that took me almost no time to find an answer too. Some of the funnest things I do are online - chatting, scrapping, web surfing, shopping, facebooking, and gaming.
I found this game, Runescape, through Facebook and eventually turned my husband and mother-in-law onto it. I don't play it often anymore, but it is a great escape and I can spend hours improving my character and doing a quest or two!
I would have taken a picture of a book - however that escape is often very short lived for me and provides an escape for only as long as I'm reading the book which as I've mentioned before doesn't really take me that long! I play many computer games and this is the only one I play live online.
I have found one of the downsides is the fact that most of the players, at least that I run into, are under 20 and therefore I tend to keep away from most other players.
I find I do the same thing offline too and it is a big struggle for me to reach out and encourage interactions with others. That is one of the things I love about new job, I was already friendly with my now co-workers and making the change from patron to co-worker has been easier then any other position I have ever had. I have already gone to a couple of parties and will be joining them on one of their "Ladies Nights" and I've been there less then 5 months.
A huge change in my life since I am usually in a position for a couple of years and still find it hard to socialize with my co-workers outside of work.
I found this game, Runescape, through Facebook and eventually turned my husband and mother-in-law onto it. I don't play it often anymore, but it is a great escape and I can spend hours improving my character and doing a quest or two!
I would have taken a picture of a book - however that escape is often very short lived for me and provides an escape for only as long as I'm reading the book which as I've mentioned before doesn't really take me that long! I play many computer games and this is the only one I play live online.
I have found one of the downsides is the fact that most of the players, at least that I run into, are under 20 and therefore I tend to keep away from most other players.
I find I do the same thing offline too and it is a big struggle for me to reach out and encourage interactions with others. That is one of the things I love about new job, I was already friendly with my now co-workers and making the change from patron to co-worker has been easier then any other position I have ever had. I have already gone to a couple of parties and will be joining them on one of their "Ladies Nights" and I've been there less then 5 months.
A huge change in my life since I am usually in a position for a couple of years and still find it hard to socialize with my co-workers outside of work.
Day 10 - Introductions
This prompt gave me pause, my life is pretty run of the mill nothing new really happening, especially on the weekends, and especially to me personally. I have not been introduced to a new hobby - I have reawakened old ones. As I sat on the couch and thought about what I could picture instead of something new I decided I would be creative and introduce you to ... my feet.
They have been with me from the beginning - I have one left one and one right one. My right leg is actually an inch shorter then my left leg so I often have problems with my feet. They cause me pain when standing for long periods of time and are located just below ankles that also speak up with pain upon occasion.
My feet have walked thousands of miles and will take me a thousand more by the time they stop. They prefer not wearing socks or shoes - no matter how cold it usually it. Although, as they have gotten older they have recently grown to being very cold most of the time and love wearing socks and fuzzy rainbow slippers to stay warm.
My toes enjoy wearing shades of nail polish and the more out there the better. Think dark, bright, shining blue/green - neon yellow! A love a good foot rub and are willing to hike a bit to get it!
My feet enjoy driving barefoot and walking through green grass and wet mud. They enjoy soaking in a hot tub and rubbing against each other to help me fall asleep.
Thank you for taking the time to meet my feet. :)
They have been with me from the beginning - I have one left one and one right one. My right leg is actually an inch shorter then my left leg so I often have problems with my feet. They cause me pain when standing for long periods of time and are located just below ankles that also speak up with pain upon occasion.
My feet have walked thousands of miles and will take me a thousand more by the time they stop. They prefer not wearing socks or shoes - no matter how cold it usually it. Although, as they have gotten older they have recently grown to being very cold most of the time and love wearing socks and fuzzy rainbow slippers to stay warm.
My toes enjoy wearing shades of nail polish and the more out there the better. Think dark, bright, shining blue/green - neon yellow! A love a good foot rub and are willing to hike a bit to get it!
My feet enjoy driving barefoot and walking through green grass and wet mud. They enjoy soaking in a hot tub and rubbing against each other to help me fall asleep.
Thank you for taking the time to meet my feet. :)
Day 9 - My Day
The weekends are basically the same around here and I usually do not get online (so do not be surprised if you see photos in the album but no blogs until Monday or Tuesday appearing, as I upload the photos via my cell phone.
My husband works nights and most Saturday mornings - and as I've mentioned before I dedicate most of my time to my daughter which means I do not get online usually while she is up and about - therefore online time on the weekend usually doesn't occur.
The prompt was summing up your day - my weekend days are lazy days and I spent most of the day with this prompt rolling about my brain. What could I take a picture of that shows a lazy day. Then it occurred to me, the past few weeks I've been having fires, smore's and curling up on the couch - how much lazier can you get!?!
So, this shot shows our fire and a plate of smore's ready to go! Nothing better in the world then a lazy day!
My husband works nights and most Saturday mornings - and as I've mentioned before I dedicate most of my time to my daughter which means I do not get online usually while she is up and about - therefore online time on the weekend usually doesn't occur.
The prompt was summing up your day - my weekend days are lazy days and I spent most of the day with this prompt rolling about my brain. What could I take a picture of that shows a lazy day. Then it occurred to me, the past few weeks I've been having fires, smore's and curling up on the couch - how much lazier can you get!?!
So, this shot shows our fire and a plate of smore's ready to go! Nothing better in the world then a lazy day!
Friday, January 8, 2010
Day 8 - Makes Me Laugh
I knew it would be difficult to go 365 days and not include my daughter in at least one shot - I was hoping to get farther along before she was the answer to the question. At the same time, I am glad to get it over with and I did give the prompt - What Makes You Laugh - thought all day.
I find most things funny - pretty much life in general is amusing to me although you may not know it to look at me. I work with children and they make me laugh all day - a response I have to hide or they know the 'bad' thing they are doing is ok. However, I did not want to post pictures of them or the place the I work.
As I drove home I continued rolling the thought around in my brain - what makes me laugh and what pictures would tell 1000 words when taken to describe it. I thought of my family - and even considered taking a pictures of all my family photos but then decided that didn't quite capture the life of it all.
My mind wandered down the lanes of how to show life in general - and all I could think is that when I look at my daughter I see Life. I see Hope. I see the Future. She brings joy to my life by just being and showing me her fun quirky ways that make my daughter special, unique, and a constant source of personal amusement.
I knew I was left with no other choice but to include my daughter as the photo. This shot was taken while she was laughing, yelling at the t.v. screen, and playing her video game. Nothing makes me smile or laugh more then seeing her having so much fun.
I find most things funny - pretty much life in general is amusing to me although you may not know it to look at me. I work with children and they make me laugh all day - a response I have to hide or they know the 'bad' thing they are doing is ok. However, I did not want to post pictures of them or the place the I work.
As I drove home I continued rolling the thought around in my brain - what makes me laugh and what pictures would tell 1000 words when taken to describe it. I thought of my family - and even considered taking a pictures of all my family photos but then decided that didn't quite capture the life of it all.
My mind wandered down the lanes of how to show life in general - and all I could think is that when I look at my daughter I see Life. I see Hope. I see the Future. She brings joy to my life by just being and showing me her fun quirky ways that make my daughter special, unique, and a constant source of personal amusement.
I knew I was left with no other choice but to include my daughter as the photo. This shot was taken while she was laughing, yelling at the t.v. screen, and playing her video game. Nothing makes me smile or laugh more then seeing her having so much fun.
Day 7 - Favorite Food
My favorite food is bread and pasta (I should just say flour but that would not be accurate.) I particularly enjoy sourdough french bread - and living in the Bay Area of California for over 10 years, San Francisco sourdough - tops the list.
Now, usually I don't buy bread because I can eat a whole loaf in an unmentionable amount of time, give me butter and it will go even faster!
I was not about to run out and buy a loaf to take this picture, but did think of swinging by the grocery store to take a pictures of their selection but then I would have HAD to buy one - because I was THERE so I didn't do that. Instead I pulled out some San Francisco Sourdough English Muffins - Mini's that were sent to us as a Christmas gift. I've been eating the other varieties first - saving my favorite for last!
I have been trying to think all day what that says about me and the type of person I am. Whenever I think of sourdough I also think about the fact that you need a starter - something from a previous batch to help make it 'sour.' Of course, San Francisco sourdough - the best in the world - is said to be from the same starter that was originally brought over way back when. (If you are unfamiliar with a starter, when you use a bit you replace the same volume so that you have a never ending supply - you carry the fermentation forward and it helps it along.)
In the case of bread - it means each bread baked from that starter carries within it a bit of it's long standing history and there is a little bit of that history in each of us. One of my other hobbies is genealogy. I love history (even though I have a hard time remembering the dates and names I can tell you the stories) and love researching and learning about my own family history.
I can remember going through boxes with my Dad when I was in high school and reading letters from great-great-great-grandpa's and in one of them we found the description of three pictures that had been sent from overseas to the family that had moved to America. It was then that we finally found out who the people were in photos that had been hanging on a wall for years and only one or two people were identified. Because of this fun and entertaining research we were able to link the photo to the letter and discovered it was my great-great-great-grandpa and several of his children; as well as, identify and locate the other photos mentioned in the letter. By the time my Dad got them he had, had no idea that they had been taken at the same time and sent as a package.
I carry a bit of that history within me and am always thinking of the lives they lived and from the letters I know how some of the details parallel my own life. Names used then - being used now. Occupations that seemed to be shared across generations such as secretarial and teaching roles.
So, like the sourdough bread - I carry a little bit of my history with me no matter how much I change and reinvent myself.
Now, usually I don't buy bread because I can eat a whole loaf in an unmentionable amount of time, give me butter and it will go even faster!
I was not about to run out and buy a loaf to take this picture, but did think of swinging by the grocery store to take a pictures of their selection but then I would have HAD to buy one - because I was THERE so I didn't do that. Instead I pulled out some San Francisco Sourdough English Muffins - Mini's that were sent to us as a Christmas gift. I've been eating the other varieties first - saving my favorite for last!
I have been trying to think all day what that says about me and the type of person I am. Whenever I think of sourdough I also think about the fact that you need a starter - something from a previous batch to help make it 'sour.' Of course, San Francisco sourdough - the best in the world - is said to be from the same starter that was originally brought over way back when. (If you are unfamiliar with a starter, when you use a bit you replace the same volume so that you have a never ending supply - you carry the fermentation forward and it helps it along.)
In the case of bread - it means each bread baked from that starter carries within it a bit of it's long standing history and there is a little bit of that history in each of us. One of my other hobbies is genealogy. I love history (even though I have a hard time remembering the dates and names I can tell you the stories) and love researching and learning about my own family history.
I can remember going through boxes with my Dad when I was in high school and reading letters from great-great-great-grandpa's and in one of them we found the description of three pictures that had been sent from overseas to the family that had moved to America. It was then that we finally found out who the people were in photos that had been hanging on a wall for years and only one or two people were identified. Because of this fun and entertaining research we were able to link the photo to the letter and discovered it was my great-great-great-grandpa and several of his children; as well as, identify and locate the other photos mentioned in the letter. By the time my Dad got them he had, had no idea that they had been taken at the same time and sent as a package.
I carry a bit of that history within me and am always thinking of the lives they lived and from the letters I know how some of the details parallel my own life. Names used then - being used now. Occupations that seemed to be shared across generations such as secretarial and teaching roles.
So, like the sourdough bread - I carry a little bit of my history with me no matter how much I change and reinvent myself.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Day 6 - My Workspace
My workspace is an 'in transition' piece.
I work from a laptop and although they are suppose to be portable - mine is no longer easily moved. It is over 5 years old and needs a new battery - one I am unwilling to spend the money for, so it must be plugged in at all times if I want it on.
Due to life events (and the fact that I'm a klutz) the screen was broken just after warranty - lasted a long time that way until a larger accident made it unsafe to work with and as it is usually the computer my daughter also uses - I removed all the broken glass from the monitor making that non-usable - so an external monitor is now required to view the screen.
I take a course that requires headphones to use, so now those are my main speakers (and apparently over the years my computer has 'forgotten' that it has speakers and other then a BEEP I cannot get sound to come from it anymore - go figure. I just gave up and always move the headphones too. Which works out just fine because when we get things working right I love to and would love to video conference with my friends and the headset has a mic on it.
I was given a wireless mouse from a friend of mine years ago - love it, use it, it must move with the laptop. Plus, with the monitor not working anymore why they hell would I open the notebook to stare at an empty screen and use the finger mousepad on the keyboard??
Next - pretty much due to that above fact - I have a keyboard also plugged into the laptop.
This is a lot of paraphernalia to drag around so usually the computer sits in my office/craft room/disaster zone. However, it's cold here - Yes, it gets cold in the desert and you may scoff at me with snow sitting out your window while I can go outside in the afternoon in a pair of shorts, (saw two men running today in short jogging shorts and nothing else and wished they were cuter to be worth watching - at least they were tan! - Anyway I digress...) When you are used to 90 degrees - 64 feels pretty darn chilly. Add to that, you are inside your house and it is 64.. BRRRRR - and my craft room while comfortable in the summer is freezing in the winter.
So, I moved my set-up to one of our couch side tables and was all nice and cozy in the living room near the fire -- AHHHhhh bliss. Fire, T.V., my family, my computer - what else can a computer junkie ask for!!
Then bring on the scanning art project of 2010. This is the way I spend my New Years Day - scanning the art work my daughter has created over the previous year (this year I am already at over 70 pieces scanned and not done yet!!!) Then I create a photo book (oops, sorry digressing again!!)
Anyway, I need the scanner - which is in my husband's office - so this shot is of my little ole couch side table - housing my computer between my husbands desk and the scanner so I can get my stuff done!
Since part of this project for me is to look at myself within these photos, I have to wonder what that says about me. I like to think that it means I am adaptable to the many circumstances that life can throw at you and that I can work well with the things I've been given. I like to think it shows a positive side of who I am - yup, I think I'll go with that!!
I work from a laptop and although they are suppose to be portable - mine is no longer easily moved. It is over 5 years old and needs a new battery - one I am unwilling to spend the money for, so it must be plugged in at all times if I want it on.
Due to life events (and the fact that I'm a klutz) the screen was broken just after warranty - lasted a long time that way until a larger accident made it unsafe to work with and as it is usually the computer my daughter also uses - I removed all the broken glass from the monitor making that non-usable - so an external monitor is now required to view the screen.
I take a course that requires headphones to use, so now those are my main speakers (and apparently over the years my computer has 'forgotten' that it has speakers and other then a BEEP I cannot get sound to come from it anymore - go figure. I just gave up and always move the headphones too. Which works out just fine because when we get things working right I love to and would love to video conference with my friends and the headset has a mic on it.
I was given a wireless mouse from a friend of mine years ago - love it, use it, it must move with the laptop. Plus, with the monitor not working anymore why they hell would I open the notebook to stare at an empty screen and use the finger mousepad on the keyboard??
Next - pretty much due to that above fact - I have a keyboard also plugged into the laptop.
This is a lot of paraphernalia to drag around so usually the computer sits in my office/craft room/disaster zone. However, it's cold here - Yes, it gets cold in the desert and you may scoff at me with snow sitting out your window while I can go outside in the afternoon in a pair of shorts, (saw two men running today in short jogging shorts and nothing else and wished they were cuter to be worth watching - at least they were tan! - Anyway I digress...) When you are used to 90 degrees - 64 feels pretty darn chilly. Add to that, you are inside your house and it is 64.. BRRRRR - and my craft room while comfortable in the summer is freezing in the winter.
So, I moved my set-up to one of our couch side tables and was all nice and cozy in the living room near the fire -- AHHHhhh bliss. Fire, T.V., my family, my computer - what else can a computer junkie ask for!!
Then bring on the scanning art project of 2010. This is the way I spend my New Years Day - scanning the art work my daughter has created over the previous year (this year I am already at over 70 pieces scanned and not done yet!!!) Then I create a photo book (oops, sorry digressing again!!)
Anyway, I need the scanner - which is in my husband's office - so this shot is of my little ole couch side table - housing my computer between my husbands desk and the scanner so I can get my stuff done!
Since part of this project for me is to look at myself within these photos, I have to wonder what that says about me. I like to think that it means I am adaptable to the many circumstances that life can throw at you and that I can work well with the things I've been given. I like to think it shows a positive side of who I am - yup, I think I'll go with that!!
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| From 365 Challenge - Gotta Pixel |
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Day 5 - Unique
I saw the prompt for this one before heading to bed last night and fell asleep with thoughts of it running through my mind. I read the prompt about the unique sodas - and thought it sounded like a fun place to visit and I went through my daily schedule and wondered what I would find unique about it.
It brought to mind the WDYS (What Do You See?) pictures that I love to take. These are pictures of natural objects that at least to MY knowledge have had no direct human hand touch. So, due to erosion, winds, rain, animals, and other natural occurring phenomena What Do You See. I have pictures of rocks that look like chairs, cave stalagmites (or was it a tite?) that looks like the head of a dragon, a tree stump that bears an eerie resemblance of an angel with wings spread (or as one person I asked WDYS to, an owl.)
It was the thought of remembering my angel tree stump that my mind wandered down how I saw an angel and somebody else saw an owl (which I could see as well but first is always the angel) and what that says about a person. So, then I started thinking about religion and recalled the many conversation I've had with some of my closest friends and family about what we believe and why. As I recalled these many conversations, I also recalled all the books I have on religions, spirits, life beyond death, fortune telling, birth charts, and reading palms.
This last book led me down a path of thought about the fact that your palm and the lines upon it are every changing and your hands are different every day because of what you do with them. They are your tools and each persons hand is a unique feature, and they each is different: left to right, person to person. As I let sleep take me over, I knew at some point in the day I would take a picture of my hand - but which one?
I didn't think about the photo again until I went to lunch. Sitting in line at a fast food restaurant I couldn't wait anymore. I wanted this photo to be different too, as different as my left hand. So, I decided to use one of my phone photo features and made it four shots in one. I took a shot of the palm - the ever changing lines, a picture of my wedding ring (which to my knowledge is as unique as it comes since one stone is my husbands birth stone and one is mine and I always wear my husbands stone closest to me), a picture of a ring I found a long time ago and believe belongs to my younger sister - it says LOVE and has a small chip (real or fake I don't know or care) in the O which is a heart, and then a picture of the back of my hand.
I took the shots several times until I had one that I loved, I felt it represented me and it made me think about how unique I was as an individual and how each of us is different even if those differences are as small as the lines on our hands.
It brought to mind the WDYS (What Do You See?) pictures that I love to take. These are pictures of natural objects that at least to MY knowledge have had no direct human hand touch. So, due to erosion, winds, rain, animals, and other natural occurring phenomena What Do You See. I have pictures of rocks that look like chairs, cave stalagmites (or was it a tite?) that looks like the head of a dragon, a tree stump that bears an eerie resemblance of an angel with wings spread (or as one person I asked WDYS to, an owl.)
It was the thought of remembering my angel tree stump that my mind wandered down how I saw an angel and somebody else saw an owl (which I could see as well but first is always the angel) and what that says about a person. So, then I started thinking about religion and recalled the many conversation I've had with some of my closest friends and family about what we believe and why. As I recalled these many conversations, I also recalled all the books I have on religions, spirits, life beyond death, fortune telling, birth charts, and reading palms.
This last book led me down a path of thought about the fact that your palm and the lines upon it are every changing and your hands are different every day because of what you do with them. They are your tools and each persons hand is a unique feature, and they each is different: left to right, person to person. As I let sleep take me over, I knew at some point in the day I would take a picture of my hand - but which one?
I didn't think about the photo again until I went to lunch. Sitting in line at a fast food restaurant I couldn't wait anymore. I wanted this photo to be different too, as different as my left hand. So, I decided to use one of my phone photo features and made it four shots in one. I took a shot of the palm - the ever changing lines, a picture of my wedding ring (which to my knowledge is as unique as it comes since one stone is my husbands birth stone and one is mine and I always wear my husbands stone closest to me), a picture of a ring I found a long time ago and believe belongs to my younger sister - it says LOVE and has a small chip (real or fake I don't know or care) in the O which is a heart, and then a picture of the back of my hand.
I took the shots several times until I had one that I loved, I felt it represented me and it made me think about how unique I was as an individual and how each of us is different even if those differences are as small as the lines on our hands.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Day 4 - Yourself
My first thought was, to be honest, "Oh Shit!" I hate, really HATE pictures of myself. For a moment there I wondered what I was doing avoiding pictures of my daughter - couldn't I fudge it for this one prompt/idea? I dreaded coming home to get this picture done. I stuck around talking to my boss at work, waited for my daughter to realize I was there to pick her up, sat and talked with another boss - I was able to make those last minutes of work stretch into half an hour.
I was conflicted, I wanted to go home and see my husband before he left for his 2nd job. I wanted to go home and start on the projects I had waiting. I wanted to go home, change clothes and relax. I did NOT want to take a picture of myself.
Some thoughts were pure vanity - should my hair be up or down; should I wear my glasses or my contacts; should I do my hair; should I put on makeup; should I change out of my work clothes; should I shower first?
I ended up taking five pictures of myself - and even for a moment thought of doing a four in one shot showing me in various manners. I ended up not doing that because 1: I did not want to ask my husband to take my picture and to get more then just my forehead in each quarter I would need his help; 2: well reason one is pretty much all there was... my husband would think I had lost it and I didn't want to deal with that.
I took pictures of myself exactly as I look at work - hair pulled back, glasses on, and no makeup. I work with kids and spend my day running around and getting up and down - no need for most of that and I'm usually to tired in the morning to put in my contacts.
I took my hair down, I took off my glasses, I looked down at the camera, I looked up at the camera, I tried to remember to smile. Five pictures and I'm not happy with any of them. Nope... not at all!
One looked blurry, one looked like I had just bitten a lemon, one looked stark (and makes me rethink the whole ponytail for work thing!), and well I just don't like how I look in the other two - I did mention I hate being in pictures right? As most people I can see what is wrong with me. So, I look closer and what I see in this photo, is a woman who is laughing at herself for being so stupid and silly about a picture. I see a woman who seems to be restraining her laughter.
I see me.
I was conflicted, I wanted to go home and see my husband before he left for his 2nd job. I wanted to go home and start on the projects I had waiting. I wanted to go home, change clothes and relax. I did NOT want to take a picture of myself.
Some thoughts were pure vanity - should my hair be up or down; should I wear my glasses or my contacts; should I do my hair; should I put on makeup; should I change out of my work clothes; should I shower first?
I ended up taking five pictures of myself - and even for a moment thought of doing a four in one shot showing me in various manners. I ended up not doing that because 1: I did not want to ask my husband to take my picture and to get more then just my forehead in each quarter I would need his help; 2: well reason one is pretty much all there was... my husband would think I had lost it and I didn't want to deal with that.
I took pictures of myself exactly as I look at work - hair pulled back, glasses on, and no makeup. I work with kids and spend my day running around and getting up and down - no need for most of that and I'm usually to tired in the morning to put in my contacts.
I took my hair down, I took off my glasses, I looked down at the camera, I looked up at the camera, I tried to remember to smile. Five pictures and I'm not happy with any of them. Nope... not at all!
One looked blurry, one looked like I had just bitten a lemon, one looked stark (and makes me rethink the whole ponytail for work thing!), and well I just don't like how I look in the other two - I did mention I hate being in pictures right? As most people I can see what is wrong with me. So, I look closer and what I see in this photo, is a woman who is laughing at herself for being so stupid and silly about a picture. I see a woman who seems to be restraining her laughter.
I see me.
Day 3 - Collections
Day 3 took me awhile to come up with something. I will freely admit that I am a low grade compulsive hoarder - I always feel I can get to a project and be able to do something with whatever it is I have in my hand.
I have had many collections over the years - key chains and pins/buttons are two of my biggest collections. I have been able to go through and give away or throw away many items; however, I will admit there is a box in the garage that still contains many of my keychains because I still find it difficult to give them away. Even if I did not personally purchase them I can generally remember who gave them to me.
My pins are similar in fashion and at one point I took it a step farther and added name tags from friends and families to conferences and places of employment (I still have one of my mother's volunteer name tags from the American Red Cross, an old conference badge of my fathers, and the name tag of a close friend -at the time- when he was the assistant night manager at the golden arches - a friend I have not seen or spoken to in years!) I also used to ask employees in businesses who were wearing buttons if they had extras because of this I have buttons from several different promotions from video rentals, grocery stores, and even use to have one from a bar about asking for your ID. All of these brings smiles to my face and over the years I have been able to sit down and throw some away. I eventually removed them from the item they were hanging on and now like the key chains they sit in a box.
Some collections are collections I did not personally start but were started for me and carried on by various friends and family. Such is my R2D2 collection. I love the little guy, especially his beeps and blurps - however this collection is such that I have Pepsi cans with his photo (I will admit that one was me!), a 3D puzzle that includes a sound box (my favorite part of the puzzle), a Walkman (I even used it!!), little Lego and various other items. Some are still in boxes and maintain their close to original value if not higher now. This is not a collection that I generally add to on my own; however, I have displayed these items with pride at one time - but at this time they, like the keychains and pins, are now in a box in the garage.
The challenge I faced this time wasn't only in looking at myself and what do I really collect, I struggled to move past the immediate thoughts of the collections I have started for my daughter (my obsession with pins and buttons showing up there - although I will admit that at least I have been putting them in frames immediately and she does not have boxes of "TO DO" "TO MAKE" lying around!) I thought of what my daughter would say she collects, but as I have made this a personal journey of discovery I bit my tongue and did not ask and kept thinking about it.
It was not until I got home and grabbed my phone to go and take a picture of the keychains and the buttons that I realized what I truly collect is books. I do not have pictured here the books I have on crafting, sewing, religion, school books, yearbooks, research books, hard backs, magazines, or the how-tos that I have. This picture only shows you a portion of the "fluff" - the romance novels.
I suddenly realized the one thing that I collect and even having a hard time letting go of - is my books. I'm a reader, a huge word gobbling, voracious reader. When I was a teenager, and to a great extent today, I could not put a book down once I started it until I finished it. Generally, at my prime reading ability - when left alone I can read around 100 pages an hour. I generally have a hard time remember titles and authors but can tell you a plot line in great detail (a great help if you miss portions of movies but don't expect me to remember what the characters name is!)
So, for this challenge I took a pictures of a portion of my library. It is a lot smaller then it was even five years ago. After meeting my husband, I have slowly been able to let books go, mostly to a local library where I smile when I come across them on the shelf. A trip to the library is a joke in and of itself - when I go with the purpose of actually picking up books my husband knows that I will not do anything that weekend and that the 6 or more books I take with me will be ready to go back by Tuesday.
I have had many collections over the years - key chains and pins/buttons are two of my biggest collections. I have been able to go through and give away or throw away many items; however, I will admit there is a box in the garage that still contains many of my keychains because I still find it difficult to give them away. Even if I did not personally purchase them I can generally remember who gave them to me.
My pins are similar in fashion and at one point I took it a step farther and added name tags from friends and families to conferences and places of employment (I still have one of my mother's volunteer name tags from the American Red Cross, an old conference badge of my fathers, and the name tag of a close friend -at the time- when he was the assistant night manager at the golden arches - a friend I have not seen or spoken to in years!) I also used to ask employees in businesses who were wearing buttons if they had extras because of this I have buttons from several different promotions from video rentals, grocery stores, and even use to have one from a bar about asking for your ID. All of these brings smiles to my face and over the years I have been able to sit down and throw some away. I eventually removed them from the item they were hanging on and now like the key chains they sit in a box.
Some collections are collections I did not personally start but were started for me and carried on by various friends and family. Such is my R2D2 collection. I love the little guy, especially his beeps and blurps - however this collection is such that I have Pepsi cans with his photo (I will admit that one was me!), a 3D puzzle that includes a sound box (my favorite part of the puzzle), a Walkman (I even used it!!), little Lego and various other items. Some are still in boxes and maintain their close to original value if not higher now. This is not a collection that I generally add to on my own; however, I have displayed these items with pride at one time - but at this time they, like the keychains and pins, are now in a box in the garage.
The challenge I faced this time wasn't only in looking at myself and what do I really collect, I struggled to move past the immediate thoughts of the collections I have started for my daughter (my obsession with pins and buttons showing up there - although I will admit that at least I have been putting them in frames immediately and she does not have boxes of "TO DO" "TO MAKE" lying around!) I thought of what my daughter would say she collects, but as I have made this a personal journey of discovery I bit my tongue and did not ask and kept thinking about it.
It was not until I got home and grabbed my phone to go and take a picture of the keychains and the buttons that I realized what I truly collect is books. I do not have pictured here the books I have on crafting, sewing, religion, school books, yearbooks, research books, hard backs, magazines, or the how-tos that I have. This picture only shows you a portion of the "fluff" - the romance novels.
I suddenly realized the one thing that I collect and even having a hard time letting go of - is my books. I'm a reader, a huge word gobbling, voracious reader. When I was a teenager, and to a great extent today, I could not put a book down once I started it until I finished it. Generally, at my prime reading ability - when left alone I can read around 100 pages an hour. I generally have a hard time remember titles and authors but can tell you a plot line in great detail (a great help if you miss portions of movies but don't expect me to remember what the characters name is!)
So, for this challenge I took a pictures of a portion of my library. It is a lot smaller then it was even five years ago. After meeting my husband, I have slowly been able to let books go, mostly to a local library where I smile when I come across them on the shelf. A trip to the library is a joke in and of itself - when I go with the purpose of actually picking up books my husband knows that I will not do anything that weekend and that the 6 or more books I take with me will be ready to go back by Tuesday.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Day 2 - Toys
Day 2 of the challenge was for toys.
The first thing to come to mind is a stuffed animal I have sitting next to my bed, a Snoopy. The story I was told, time and time again, was that as a young child - under the age of 5 (I can never honestly remember how old my Mother said I was) I saw a more expensive Snoopy in the store, grabbed it and would not let go. My Mother was finally able to convince me to take the less expensive one.
One of the stories from my own memory is from when I was in 4th grade. We had just made a move to a new town and were spending our first night in the house. I couldn't get to sleep and made my Dad go into the garage to find my Snoopy so I could sleep in the new house. I can remember standing in the garage doorway with my Mother, her arm around me watching my Dad open box after box until he found it. I don't remember standing there to long - so he must have known pretty much which box to hunt through/for.
Whenever I think of or see my Snoopy I also remember two other stuffed animals I had for most of my youth. One was a large yellow stuffed bear, I called Yellow Bear, he was a stiff animal with arms and legs sticking out. I can vaguely remember going into a trash can after him once when my Mother threw him away. I no longer have him so I can only surmise that he eventually did stay in the trash; my Mother has long told me that he was beyond repair and she had to get rid of him - I still feel slight twinges of anger and sadness at no longer having him in my possession.
The other companion to this trio was a large stuffed Cookie Monster with large plastic eyes on his head. I can remember the eyes being broken in the center connecting piece and you could make each eye sort of move on its own. Not such a break that he would require trashing. However; with the many moves that happened during the years it is believed he was in a group of boxes that seemed to disappear during one. Again, I always feel sadness at his missing - but not the twinges at anger that Yellow Bear brings to heart.
Snoopy has had several 'surgeries' through his long life. Each ear has been restitched on, his tail has been reattached, his mouth is just a faint line of memory on his face, his nose has threads always hanging loose, and his back sports a child's rough patching job with bright read thread (if I remember correctly, I could not find any other thread and he needed to be fixed RIGHT THAT MINUTE!) His neck also sports several surgery stitches, some in that same bright red thread.
Snoopy has been oversea, away to camp, hidden in bags on trips, and continues to be a part of my daily life by sitting on the nightstand shelf next to my bed. I am known to still pull him out if I am in the dumps and hold my breath when I dare throw him in the wash praying that he continues to hold together at the seams.
With this challenge still being so new, I found I still had a hard time not including my daughter and although the image is not here I also took a picture of my Snoopy with my daughters well loved Ducky.
The first thing to come to mind is a stuffed animal I have sitting next to my bed, a Snoopy. The story I was told, time and time again, was that as a young child - under the age of 5 (I can never honestly remember how old my Mother said I was) I saw a more expensive Snoopy in the store, grabbed it and would not let go. My Mother was finally able to convince me to take the less expensive one.
One of the stories from my own memory is from when I was in 4th grade. We had just made a move to a new town and were spending our first night in the house. I couldn't get to sleep and made my Dad go into the garage to find my Snoopy so I could sleep in the new house. I can remember standing in the garage doorway with my Mother, her arm around me watching my Dad open box after box until he found it. I don't remember standing there to long - so he must have known pretty much which box to hunt through/for.
Whenever I think of or see my Snoopy I also remember two other stuffed animals I had for most of my youth. One was a large yellow stuffed bear, I called Yellow Bear, he was a stiff animal with arms and legs sticking out. I can vaguely remember going into a trash can after him once when my Mother threw him away. I no longer have him so I can only surmise that he eventually did stay in the trash; my Mother has long told me that he was beyond repair and she had to get rid of him - I still feel slight twinges of anger and sadness at no longer having him in my possession.
The other companion to this trio was a large stuffed Cookie Monster with large plastic eyes on his head. I can remember the eyes being broken in the center connecting piece and you could make each eye sort of move on its own. Not such a break that he would require trashing. However; with the many moves that happened during the years it is believed he was in a group of boxes that seemed to disappear during one. Again, I always feel sadness at his missing - but not the twinges at anger that Yellow Bear brings to heart.
Snoopy has had several 'surgeries' through his long life. Each ear has been restitched on, his tail has been reattached, his mouth is just a faint line of memory on his face, his nose has threads always hanging loose, and his back sports a child's rough patching job with bright read thread (if I remember correctly, I could not find any other thread and he needed to be fixed RIGHT THAT MINUTE!) His neck also sports several surgery stitches, some in that same bright red thread.
Snoopy has been oversea, away to camp, hidden in bags on trips, and continues to be a part of my daily life by sitting on the nightstand shelf next to my bed. I am known to still pull him out if I am in the dumps and hold my breath when I dare throw him in the wash praying that he continues to hold together at the seams.
With this challenge still being so new, I found I still had a hard time not including my daughter and although the image is not here I also took a picture of my Snoopy with my daughters well loved Ducky.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Day 1 - Explore Your Neighborhood
The first prompt for the 365 day was "explore Your Neighborhood". I pass this sign almost daily and have always wanted to stop and take a picture of it. I have often seen the "Welcome to" ... signs that neighborhoods and subdivisions put into place to help identify their area. This sign however is not on a major roadway, is not at the entrance to a housing area, and seems to almost be hidden unless you are a part of this neighborhood there is a very good chance you have no idea this is even there.
I took several shots with my phone, but have decided this is the shot I like best.
I took several shots with my phone, but have decided this is the shot I like best.
A New Year - A New Challenge
The first new day in a new year always brings with it reflection over my life; it's direction, my goals and ambitions, my social life, and the events that have taken place over the last year and sometimes even further back. The regrets I may have, which are honestly very few, and the actions I should have taken and the path they may have created in my life.
My life was changed when I met my best friends, Blanche* and Rose*. It changed again with the meeting of my now husband, Jamie* and the birth of my daughter, Emily*. With my marriage and birth of my daughter my family became the major focus of my life. I have never completed college, even online at home programs because my focus and time is spent with my daughter, as it should be!
One of the hobbies I have always enjoyed over the years and has been a secret dream of mine is photography. I love looking at pictures, taking picture, sorting through them, and in fact I am a picture hoarder. I will take hundreds of shots and throw 99% of them aside (but never out!) as being inferior. I will print photos I'm not happy with because somebody wants to see the picture I've taken. As technology has grown and advanced over the years I moved into digitally scrapbooking items and photos; however, with the birth of my daughter this also fell into the when I get to it slot. My photos became photos of my daughter - being under 6 years old we already have several thousands of photos and hours of video of her. With the technology of cameras in my cell phone - it only increased the number of shots I took of her and raised the level of "No Picture!", "No Video!", "Are you recording me?" and "NO!" because she often gets tired of being the center of this attention.
One of the sites I used to scroll around on is Gotta Pixel, a digital scrapbooking website. I loved their artists, their forums, their downloads, and their step by step instructions on how to accomplish some of the same looks with the tools you had.
This year they are starting a new thing - 365 Challenge. The challenge is to take a picture every day this year. This is not a difficult challenge in and of itself as I mentioned above I take thousands of photos. I am adding a different spin to this challenge for myself - I have to take a photo a day that does NOT include my daughter, and to some extent my husband. I will review this particular challenge if the prompt for the day is about families, however I am going to strive to have no photos of my daughter for this challenge.
Wish me luck and let's find out what I learn about myself during this coming year and what strikes my fancy when my family is not at the center of the activity.
* Names have been changed
My life was changed when I met my best friends, Blanche* and Rose*. It changed again with the meeting of my now husband, Jamie* and the birth of my daughter, Emily*. With my marriage and birth of my daughter my family became the major focus of my life. I have never completed college, even online at home programs because my focus and time is spent with my daughter, as it should be!
One of the hobbies I have always enjoyed over the years and has been a secret dream of mine is photography. I love looking at pictures, taking picture, sorting through them, and in fact I am a picture hoarder. I will take hundreds of shots and throw 99% of them aside (but never out!) as being inferior. I will print photos I'm not happy with because somebody wants to see the picture I've taken. As technology has grown and advanced over the years I moved into digitally scrapbooking items and photos; however, with the birth of my daughter this also fell into the when I get to it slot. My photos became photos of my daughter - being under 6 years old we already have several thousands of photos and hours of video of her. With the technology of cameras in my cell phone - it only increased the number of shots I took of her and raised the level of "No Picture!", "No Video!", "Are you recording me?" and "NO!" because she often gets tired of being the center of this attention.
One of the sites I used to scroll around on is Gotta Pixel, a digital scrapbooking website. I loved their artists, their forums, their downloads, and their step by step instructions on how to accomplish some of the same looks with the tools you had.
This year they are starting a new thing - 365 Challenge. The challenge is to take a picture every day this year. This is not a difficult challenge in and of itself as I mentioned above I take thousands of photos. I am adding a different spin to this challenge for myself - I have to take a photo a day that does NOT include my daughter, and to some extent my husband. I will review this particular challenge if the prompt for the day is about families, however I am going to strive to have no photos of my daughter for this challenge.
Wish me luck and let's find out what I learn about myself during this coming year and what strikes my fancy when my family is not at the center of the activity.
* Names have been changed
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