Star night light

Star light, night light

last star I'll see tonight

I wish I may, I wish I might

have the wish I wish tonight.

The window screen.

The only thing separating me from the outside, and I love it!



The screen to the window... super-saturated with color!

It's so nice to be able to have the window open in the middle of January.

It's even nicer that it's 70 degrees out with sunshine, for the second glorious day in the row.

We took a walk through the field this afternoon.

And I'm glad we did. 

I think I would have regretted not spending as much time as possible outside today.

-

Nada regrets. 

Today felt too much like Spring

... to be in the middle of winter.

The sun was out all day, highs in the low 70s, people out and about, parks packed, and smiles everywhere!  
We decided to take advantage of the gorgeous weather, and headed over to Roswell's Riverside Park.  This is probably my favorite park ever!  It has great paved trails, history, playgrounds, and big fields for throwing a ball around or screening movies during the summer.

The main trail goes on for a few miles along Riverside Rd (from Willeo to the Riverside Rd extension), and goes underneath the big Atlanta Rd bridge that crosses the Chattahoochee.  The bridge has always fascinated me.  You see, from the top, it's just a bridge.  A bridge is a bridge is a bridge, quite frankly.  But once you go underneath it, you can actually see that it was created in two different time periods.  The newer bridge is on the left, and the older on the right. 

I love it!
The tranquility of the water flowing under the bridge, the colors of the stone mixed with the green of the moss/ mold, stark against the mud and rocks below.  The sounds of the traffic ahead and the patter of feet behind as the pass by, and the ducks barking (?).  The light coming through the crack between the two bridges, and reflecting off the water.  Everything comes together here, and it's awesome.

For whatever reason, this has always seemed so symbolic.  The old converging with the new, everything mixing and mingling, and coexisting as one.  It's special, and yet ordinary, and tends to go unnoticed in today's society.  However, the first time I stumbled upon it, I was transfixed, and have come back to this spot many times, still transfixed. 

It was so nice to spend some time outside today!  We reveled in soaking up the sun, and took advantage of our ability to see our own shadows... I dare say we were like groundhogs testing for spring, a few days early.  lol.  It was fun though.  We got to take up the sidewalk, posing, while bikes flew by and families strolled. 

We then made it over to the Studio Movie Grill, being in Roswell and all.  We saw "The King's Speech", which was very good by the way! 

The plot was intriguing and liberating.  Colin Firth was excellent!  He really pulled off the role very well, and Geoffrey Rush was great!  He provided a necessary amount of comic relief and succeeded as the supporting actor.  It would not have been a movie without him!  All in all, I appreciated the entire series of circumstances and necessitations vital to the film and respect it's nominations as "best picture". 

I admit the need to see the remaining nominees though, so that I can be educated and fit to approve or disprove of the final winners.

Best Picture

“Black Swan” - Saw it, loved it!  Best picture though??
“The Fighter”  - I've little interest in seeing this one...
“Inception” - Saw it and loved it as well!  This would be my pick so far!
“The Kids Are All Right” - Want to see it!
“The King's Speech” - Saw it, and thought it was good. 
“127 Hours” - Want to see it!
“The Social Network” - Mildly interested in seeing this one...
“Toy Story 3” - I'm afraid of a teary ending... haven't seen it yet.
“True Grit” - Eh, I'll see it... I'm not usually one for westerns though.
“Winter's Bone" - I've never heard of this one.  :)

So, I've seen 3 of 10.  I better get busy.  lol.

Taking advantage of another shadow-y moment.

Adieu until next time.  Best of dreams to all!

::sweet:: dreams

First, let me preface this by saying that I love edible items that come with pieces of wisdom. Namely, fortune cookies, Snapple teas, and Dove chocolates. :) Not only do you get a tasty treat or drink, but you get another reason to smile as you are reminded that something good is going to be happening, or that you are amazing, or random insertion about living up to the best quality of life.
Insert Dove chocolate label. The "sweet" of the sweet dreams.

Smile before bed.  You'll sleep better.

Good advice, I thought.  And so, as I was drifting off into dreamland, I smiled. Nothing cheesy, just thinking about happy things... it's natural really. Well, I fell asleep right away, and dreamt! My mind was busy and full of dreams, expansive dreams with lots of stuff going on, and bright colors (all of which I can't recall at the moment, much to my demise). I woke up fairly lucid when the alarm went off and Gary left for work, and was able to snap right back into a dream. Later, when I finally woke up and got out of bed, I felt rested and relaxed.

Which is great, because I have a lot to accomplish today!

… … …

Too bad I'm easily distracted.

And too bad my computer is working, and all my favorite sites are up, and I've two kitties to watch, and I now have iTunes going in the background.

Otherwise, I might actually be productive.

Yup, too bad. :p

(insert random pictures of Pickles and Cornbread taken over an hour period...)

Pickles!

Cornbread goes wherever the human is.  Thus his appearance when I started giving Pickles attention.

Pickles wants to help me be productive, no doubt.

Let the bathtime begin!  (I'd guess the 4th of 23 today.)

Classic Pickles!  lol

::love:: this.

Note:  Cornbread has fully taken over the chair now, and Pickles is somewhere else sulking.

Red sky in morning...

Sailor take warning...

Usually an omen of bad weather to come, a red sky in the morning denotes rain, storms, and gloom.
But today, it was simply glorious!
A gorgeous sunrise followed by sun all day long, and temperatures in the 50s.

I hear this weekend is supposed to be amazing as well!

I'm gonna go ahead and believe it.

I'm not quite sure why, but we have some of the most amazing sunrises, while at work.
Maybe it's the fact that we are up early enough to see them, or maybe it's the direction that we're facing and the light refracting through the pollution, but as we see the pinks and oranges breaking through the trees, we stop and stare.

Or run outside and snap a picture.

Did I mention that today was distracting?
The last day of the work week, and it was almost as if we'd nothing better to do than watch the sunrise, eat donuts, and look through old pictures we had in our purses.
But we managed to get everything done, and have made it to the weekend!

Reminder:  It's going to be gorgeous!

Shading au naturel..

Today was one of those days where I was at work, and I had a feeling that I wasn't going to be ::feeling:: like taking a picture later.  I think I might have an ear infection, and I'm stuffy - in a dry, congested sort of way.  I've been busy, and quiet today, with lots of time to create and observe, and listen...
Yea, sometimes you just don't feel it.  And I wasn't earlier.

But then I got to spend some time with the girls.  I'm sorry, but the end of the day where we are all rushing to get gifts out, are awesome.  And lovely!  And full of laughter and energy.

Needlesstosay, my aspirations and energy drive kicked into gear, and things started looking better.
So, I took my camera out on my drive home, and started clicking.  At first, I was just getting pictures of cars, traffic, and overhead bridges (my goal being to get a nice reflection out of the side-view mirror).

And as I get closer to home, I find myself beginning to settle.  Or even worse, considering pulling over to the side of the road, and trying one sans driving.  lol

But then, magic happened.

I caught the reflection of a burst of light so bright that the sky outside of my side view window was dramatically darker than the reflection itself.  And my camera captured it.  Aside from the dirt smudges, the sun shines through the clouds, and the edges are shaded perfectly.  The colors mingle and chat, and converse to another level.  It's dark, it's moody, but it's also hopeful.  And for some reason, the random library sign on the left adds another element.  It doesn't detract, it interests...

And when I got home, with amazing picture in hand, I couldn't wait to show Gary and share it!  :)

...

My original title for today's blog was:
Introspection is key!
Unless retrospection is involved...

But I then realized that it was a bit too deep for my current mood.
I consider myself very introspective, and with everything that I take in on a daily basis, how couldn't I be, quite frankly?

But anyways, like I said, I don't feel like going there today.  :)

Gary's making dinner tonight: Honey Mustard Chicken!  Woot!
I'm currently listening to Glee, and then I'm going to catch up on last week's Modern Family (because last week I crashed on the couch.)
And then we're going to Dairy Queen for a treat! 
And then the new Modern Family comes on, and then it's time for bed!

The clouds are spectacular today!
You should take a second, go outside, and admire them!

Push Pins

It is weird that I'm excited about my new push pins that I got at Walmart last weekend??

They're push-pins and magnets.
:)

So the picture of Laura, Katie, and I jumping in the air, actually looks like it's jumping off the bulletin board.
And that makes me happy!

#INeedToTakeMoreJumpingPictures

Sporty Spice in another life.

::Spice Girls plays in the background (about 12 years ago...)::



We'll call this one "Self-portrait sans face".


So today I decided that on days like ::today::, I quite possibly could've been "Sporty Spice" in another life.

I'm so comfortable wearing maroon tights, with a jean mini, and a hoodie.  While kickin' it in my Vans flats, and topping the whole outfit off with a ridiculous necklace.  Yea, minus the whole singing and dancing, and WAY-IN-YOUR-FACE personality, I would've fit right in.

And then, I would've been married to David Beckham.

But then, the bubble was burst.

Gary informed me the Mr. Beckham was married to the "Posh" Spice (Mrs. Victoria Beckham), and that "Sporty" Spice was the raspy one...

Raspy, eh?

Not in this lifetime thankyouverymuch!

Mr. Beckham?

Psssh, Mr. Gary IS my Mr. Beckham!

"Sporty Spice"-esque outfit?

Check!

At least, some days.

Today was nasty by the way.  Rainy, cold, and yuck.

And it was a Tuesday...

But in terms of "tuesdays", it was a lovely one indeed!



Re-creating the wheel... in a manner of speaking.

I have always loved photography.
But my appreciation for it really expanded when I was a Senior in High School.  I took a Photography I class, and low-and-behold, not only did we learn about the history of photography, but we actually built our own pinhole camera, took "artistic" photos, and developed them in the dark room.  Definitely one of my favorite classes ever!!

During the semester, we studied photography through lines, shape, perspective, cast shadow, texture, surrealism, and machine.  We also did a self-portrait, and I also included a section on "my poltergeist" (I had had a few apparitions in some of my pictures, that couldn't be passed by.  Some of these pictures are still my favorites today, and the ability to create [a pinhole camera], and then create [photography], and then create [meaning from pictures], and lastly create [a portfolio] was amazing!

It obviously left an impression.  :)

So anyways, today when I was thinking about my photo for today, I thought about trying to re-create one of my favorite shots with the help of my digital camera, and photo editing software.

And although the result is close and similar, I must admit that digital photography isn't near as sexy and ethereal.  But sometimes, convenience is key... and it can still lead to some cool shots.



Pinhole Camera (Shape study) - Spring 2002



Digital camera + photo editing software - Winter 2011

Comparing the two, it's obvious to see that the richness and variety of tones and deep contrast that you get with the pinhole camera is unmatched.  But, with the right amount of contrast and brightness, and the reduction of the saturation of the color, the tones and contrast can be mimicked.

Overall though, you just can't beat the real thing.  :)

Sunday Pot Roast

We decided to make a pot roast today.
It's Sunday.
We have more than enough time.
And we're going to be home anyways, watching football.

So, pot roast ensued, and the yummy goodness is making our home smell wonderful.
Just need to get the mushroom and cheese sliders together, and then smash up the avocado, and it'll be a meal!



Pot roast carrots and celery are one of my very most favorite things!

 Go Steelers!

How to order a Starbucks...

Venti Chai latte, 3 pumps, non-fat, no foam, no water.
Grande Double Chocolate Chip Blended Creme Frappucino.
Make that two, the other as a tall.
Grande Vanilla Breve Latte.

Now, imagine trying to order this cacophony of drinks, while passengers are adding things like
Oh, and a cup of ice.
And mango slices. 
Mango slices?  At Starbucks?  No wait, that one goes on the shopping list, along with the half gallon of milk, the green-lided tea, and the loaf of bread.
What?  lol.

Now, imagine pulling up to the speaker with all of this information in your head (the Starbucks order, the perpetual grocery lists, the conversations of 4 persons, and the addition of mango slices), and then you just start laughing.  So much so that you can't even begin to ask how many pumps regularly go into a venti chai.
So much so that your husband has to lean over you from the passenger seat and begin spewing out all of this information to the person on the other end.  So much so that even as you type, you can see yourself gurgling over words as you try to compose yourself enough to pull up to the window and pay.

...

And if you can't imagine it... well just know that when you see the wrinkles on my face in 30 years, just know that they are laugh lines, and that I've spent a lifetime putting them there.  :)

Oh, and if you're wondering how to order a Starbucks, follow the above instructions except,
to number 1, make that 4 pumps.
numbers 2 and 3 get no whip,
and number 4 stays just the same... unless it's warm out, then I'll take it on the rocks.

And don't forget the cup of ice... and the mango slices.

Mi Madre's Violet

Slept great last night!
Had some crazy dreams (been dreaming fairly regularly lately)...
It was one of those where there was a re-occurring element.
The re-occurring element was a fun house, in the middle of the city, in an "official" looking building.
You start at the bottom level and have to work your way up.
The last time I was there, I was with Gary, and we went to the left room.
Today, I was there with my mom, and we went to the right.
It was this room that looked like something from a daycare, with really small furniture, and a father and child pair.  I do not recall the purpose of this "fun" room.
At some point, I believe we had ventured to other rooms and levels (and I vaguely recall going through the room that Gary and I had been in), and I ran into this girl who recognized me from Preschool.  I didn't recognize her (and I could tell that she was a little perturbed at that), but was so convinced by her certainty that I fell back in step with her, while my mom and a friend from work, went on up ahead to the presentation.
This girl and I got there a little late, and when we did, we entered the presentation hall (think college auditorium classroom - stadium seating, bright lights, the feel of a library), and we sat across the aisle from my mom and friend.  They were on the left, and we were on the right.
There was also some detail about food, but I can't recall it now.

At any rate, I spent the day with my mom.
And I took this picture of her violet.  It lives above the kitchen sink in the windowsill.
It makes me happy that it blooms in the winter.  :)

Yellow chucks...

for my last day of the work week!  Woot!!  :)

Happy Thursday everyone!

Happy weekend to me! 

The sun will come out! Tomorrow...

After a week of snow and ice, and days of nothing but clouds, imagine our glee when we heard that the sun was coming to come out today!!  The sun!!  The SUN!  :) 

And it did, for about 3 seconds, three different times...  The rest was all clouds.  That blue sky there (in the picture) makes the fourth time I'd seen blue sky today...  Well, the other three were infered by the appearance of sun shine.

We had even gone so far as to decide to take a Vitamin D break when the sun was out.  The idea was that we would go outside and stand in the parking lot with our arms out, soaking up as much Vitamin D as those heavy clouds would allow us.  The problem was that the sun came out, and before we could even get outside (scratch that - down the hall), the sun was back behind the clouds...

Playing hide-n-seek.
And quite wellm I might add.  :)

We shall see if it feels like playing again tomorrow.

5:365

Pretty bows!  They're a blessing and a curse... ;)

Today was good.  I've come to the realization that just as pink is the new orange (or something like that), Tuesday is the new Monday.  Monday has become a "good" day where you get to catch-up on the weekend, and prepare yourself for a new week.  Most often not all too challenging, Monday is exciting, and I dare say, fresh.

Tuesday is not so much.  The novelty of the new week has already worn off, and all of the problems that were too much for Monday, occur on Tuesday now.  Maybe not problems, so much as issues, "challenges", and new diversions.

So when did Monday grow up, and Tuesday become... the new Monday?

Anywho, my resolution continues.
I make bows at work.  Gorgeous bows!  I am a bow master, in a manner of speaking.
It's a blessing.
And it's a curse.

And it's Tuesday!  :)

4:365

Left frozen in a state of perpetual dance.

3:365

Mr.Cornbread, the contortionist.

A picture a day, keeps the [noun] away.

Oh, and taking my chance to entertain the idea of a "New Years Resolution", I am going to be posting a picture every day, for a year.  I started on January 14th 2011, and will go until January 14th 2012, at the very least.  :)  It's better late than never.

I'd say you can expect random, blurry, but beautiful to be the overall theme, with no intentions or expectations to follow.

Just pictures, and some with captions.

Observations

Here in Georgia, we've had a week of snow and ice.  It's been awhile since it's been this bad, so bad in fact, that schools were closed all week, businesses didn't open, and cars were abandoned on the side of the road... everyone waiting for a big thaw, or nice rain, to wipe it all away.

During this time, I was able to have 3 days off work, much to my demise.  The first day was great, don't get me wrong.  It was just like being a kid in school, hearing that school was canceled due to the whim of a snow day... checking the social media sites and seeing that everyone had the same sort of kid-like excitement.  We went outside to play, took pictures, and reveled in the novelty of the first snow of 2011.  The second day was less fun, the thought that we might actually be "snowed-in" weighing heavily on our growing desire to get out of the house and explore the icy abyss.  The third day was even worse.  People were willing to put their safety on the line for a simple trip to the grocery store.  "Cabin fever" was sweeping the town, and social network sites were all alive with people "going crazy", "needing to get out of here", or "were walking to the gas station".  Yes, not even the threat of icy roads could keep us cooped up, and I have to admit, I didn't make it past day 2.  :)  By Day 4, many people had decided that the roads weren't that bad, that the snow piled up on the side of the road meant at least that it wasn't on the roads, and that if you drove slow enough, you could see the black ice coming.  We went to work, grocery stores opened, and life was able to move on... at least semi-sort-of-ly.  But it worked, and that was the relief.

Now, here it is Sunday, a full 7 days from when this all started, and I still see snow and ice when I look outside.  Sure, it's sparse and mostly limited to the shadows and those areas where the sun doesn't dare invade... but it's there nonetheless, and I still have to make sure my footing is stable when I open my car door.  A small price to pay for the ability to see white stuff on the ground for this long, I believe.

Anyways, all of this time at home has allowed me some quality time in front of the television, the computer, my ipod, and my Kindle.  I watched marathons of shows that I'd never seen, lost in their novelty and intrigued by their captivatingness, losing myself in them so much so that I want to see them again.  I listened to almost every song on my ipod, in shuffle setting, and have delighted in music's ability to "talk" to me.  Some songs that I didn't even see on the radar, reaching up and striking a chord so dense that it sends me reeling.  In a good way, of course.  And reading, reading to my heart's content!  And what's great is that I can highlight certain phrases or paragraphs when they say something that means anything to me.  I have to say, that's something I miss from college... reading to analyze and draw meaning, highlighter in hand, and brain on.  I enjoy the fact that I can still pursue that, and go back to "my clippings" for future analysis.

As I conclude, I have prepared 3 excerpts from my week that have stuck with me, and that I can go back to.
First, from Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations" show on the Travel channel, this quote represents a snippet of his quality of writing and speech, that I find so intriguing.  I love to watch this man!  His monologues and introspective doddlings of his travels and thoughts, harken to a time where I myself tried to doddle in monolithic and introspective writing for the sake of pleasure... I know what I'm saying, and like to think that someone out there can understand what I'm saying.  :)  Anyways, Anthony was in Las Vegas, writing an article about Las Vegas chefs and basically the evolution of Las Vegas from kitschy and cheap restaurants to an actual mecca of world-class chefs and tasting experiences.  It seemed he was surprised.  I think I was a little less than.  Here goes.
  "It was a classic Thomas Keller improv, to undermine one's expectations and then exceed them."
He was talking about one of the Las Vegas chefs and his ability to literally undermine one's expectations and then exceed them, but when I heard this, I jumped up in search for a pen and paper.  I love this quote, but I think I love it because you can take out [Thomas Keller] and instead put [insert name here] and change the meaning and personality ever so slightly.  I imagine it with my name.
  "It was a classic Nancy improv, to undermine one's expectation and then exceed them."
The quote becomes more personal, and fitting, and for that reason, it is here.  It describes me and my outlook on life.  What is the use unless you keep getting better, and when it sneaks up on you, like this quote may suggest, I believe it is the most liberating of all!
Try it with your name... does it work?

Second, we'll go to the Kindle.  I love my Kindle!  I was unsure as to whether I would though do to the fact that holding an actual book is so magical, but holding a Kindle is just as magical, and easy... 
This quote is taken from Julie Kenner's "Aphrodite's Kiss".
  "Mildly mortified, she opened her mouth to say something, then shut it again when she realized her mouth wasn't too keen on sounding out vowels or consonants."  (highlight location 3442-43)
This quote spoke to me because I've been there, and I still will be.  It describes the classic case of speechlessness, but in a manner that gives credit to the mouth, as if the mouth could decide not to speak... there is no nod to the brain, and I think that's where the mystery is.  Who says the brain needs to have say anyways?

And third, music.  Man oh man has music been talking to me.  And it's more of the singer-songwriters type that I've come to love, more than anything.  Particularly Gavin DeGraw, Straylight Run, Tyler Hilton, KT Tunstall, etc.  Their moody melodies and from-the-heart words find my soul and speak.  They tell me what I'm going through and then laugh when they can't say anything to help.  They take my thoughts and make them theirs, and then put them back into my head, where they become mine.  They are excuses, and smiles, and mistakes, and they are beautiful.  I've known of Straylight Run for roughly 5 years now.  When I first discovered them, I gave them my due diligence, listening to the music, attaching to some of the lyrics, and delighting in the interplay of male vocal and female vocal.  Recently though, I've had the opportunity to listen to the lyrics, and they are wonderful.  Talks of hauntingly apparent personal situations and dilemmas that tickle my indie-rock desire and harken to a spot within me that's been hiding for awhile. 
"Sing me something soft,
Sad and delicate,
Or loud and out of key,
Sing me anything,
we're glad for what we've got,
Done with what we've lost
Our whole lives laid out right in front of us."
- Existentialism on Prom Night by Straylight Run
Let it ponder, of better yet, listen to it... it isn't the same without the vocals, and music.


So as I come to conclude this excerpt on this bright Sunday morning, I leave you to ponder, to dream, to listen, and above all, to observe.  Media has become a force of introspection that has taken observing to a new level, and since it is all around, you might as well make the most of it.

2:365

Condensation - On the inside of the window.

Day 1 of 365

True love equals him letting you use all of the hot water for your bath...