Perfection in bathroom form

You walk in and it is done.  Is that too simple?  Is that too easy.  I don't know.  My husband and I are in the process of redoing an almost 30 year old house and we have been without a bathroom for TOO long.  Thankfully we have one functioning bathroom but it would be great to have a master bathroom.  Sad thing is we already have the flooring, toilet and sink... it is just getting it in place (and a vehicle to get some supplies... our Yaris just won't cut it).

Close your eyes and imagine: you open the door to tile floors.  To your right is a modern vanity style sink with a granite top.  Just past that is a oblong bowl toilet.  Directly in front of you is the shower.  The walls surrounding it all are a lovely greyellow or maybe a cool earthy blugreen.  Curtains and shower curtains are hung.  there is a cabinet above the toilet for additional space.  It is all straighten, clean and neat but with just enough everyday things to make you know that it is loved.

This sadly is my dream.  To wave my hand in front of my eyes and it to be in place and complete.

I don't need a huge space.  No garden tubs needed.  Just for it to be finished.  Done.  *deep sigh*  Just brings me a sense of peace just at the idea.

Now, just to begin...

Thanks for driving me to this pleasant thought process Gussy

Multiple choice of doom

I'm great in school... not that the last 3 years would show that.  I like it.  When I graduated I missed writing papers and going to classes. I felt kind of lost.  I mean for my whole existence (I was home schooled so school didn't really start or stop for that matter) that's all I had known: being in school.  I mean I worked and I did other things but I was in school.  Years after graduation I still have pangs of phantom acquisition.  Alas it has been cut off... for now at least.

With all my love of edcuation there is one thing I sing in loud rejoice that I face no more: tests.  Being home schooled we didn't have lots of tests... at least not in "test" formats.  My mom would rig a game of jeopardy or whatever and gear the questions for the different age children.  This is a test I can get behind, no stress there... not being allowed to leave my desk, no clarification on wording... DEATH.  At least for me.

My husband on the other hand, being taught in public schools where testing, especially in the traditional sense, is MUCH more common, is amazing at tests.  He is as chill as a pill, no idea where that saying comes from... and it doesn't make much sense but anyway.  No issues, no stress, no need to clarification, he just rocks it.  I have been jealous of this for years!

All this has been brought to light because my sister tutors a young man who happens to have high functioning Autism and the is about to take a placement test.  Tomorrow I have the privilege and the challenge to try and help him study.  He reacts to test the same way I do but much different at the same time.

For those of us that do not test well I don't really agree with test placements being the only way to gauge learning... just saying.

Excited and sad as the end comes swiftly

Harry Potter count down continues...

So, my husband and I are huge fans of the HP book series and movies.  I know... so silly but I like to be silly at times.  I have already made scarfs for my husband, my sister and myself but I might now, in crunch time of only 2 weeks try to crank out 3 school robes... yes, we are dressing up for the premier at midnight.  I'm not sure you getting how much of die hard fans we are... I mean I painted my kitchen utensil holder to be the oak tree under which Dobby was buried... "Super geek, super geek she super geekie"  (to the tune of "super freak").

Point of all of this:  Tonight, we start the marathon.  Do to being... check that, acting like adults with jobs and what not we can't pull and all-night-er the night before because of work, we are doing it slowly through the 2 weeks leading up to the FINAL movie.

I'm kind of sad to see it come though.  I like being childish at times and dressing up and going to a midnight showing of ____.  After this movie there isn't anything that I know of coming out in which I will want to go to the midnight release.  Maybe it is because of my childhood desire to find Neverland and never grow up but I like to hold onto small things that make me feel silly.

Are there any movies that you have gone to the midnight showing?  Do you like silly?  Do you think I'm insane... 'cause that is legitimate. ;P

Up up and away!  Of to start my robes.

No cycling for me today, my legs are tired.

Do you ever feel like the week has cycled once again?   So often I feel like I am doing the same things over and over.  Don't get me wrong for the most part I don't mind... I enjoy the things I do, the people I see and the priorities I set but sometimes I like to deviate.  So today, right before I go mow my lawn, I decided that today I will do something out of the ordinary... don't know yet but I will, I am determined and if those I love can tell you nothing else about me it is that I am stubborn.  Short and sweet today  but stayed tuned and I'll tell you what I decided to do "out of the ordinary"... you should join me!

If I were as funny as Conan

For my personal photos I have a face identifier program.  Meaning that it identifies each face, you label them as (Jane, John or whomever) and you then can pull them up via that name, seeing all photos of that person.  I really like the program for my own personal use but identifying them is time consuming (I have somewhere round 3000 photos unidentified).  Occasional I sit down for a few minutes to take care of a little... 1 hour later I can't stop. I mean I have been doing it for this long it has to be done soon!  How many faces can there really be?  But much like Bejeweled when it first came out (and for some still)... you just can't stop.  Why?

I can cook.  I can bake.  I can make sauces like no other.  But I can't make pancakes.  I try and try and they always come out funny looking.  They taste fine but they don't have that perfect rounded puffy smooth top you are looking for (you all know what I am talking about that wonderfully rounded and smooth top that IS pancakes... ).  Mine look like I fried them or something... they get the weird bubbled thing... I don't know.  I mean they taste fine but they do not look like what I know pancakes to look like.  Why?

I enjoy social media, obviously.  I use Facebook, Twitter, and obviously Blogger (I used to have  a Myspace though I think I got on it 4 times) but I don't get the "status" people put up at times.  Did we really need to know that you threw up because you were SO wasted?  Did I really need to know that your colon is clean... on your status?  Do you really need to voice your depressed "the world is horrible" Eeyore moments... common I mean at least try and make them witty or literary references?  Don't get me wrong my status is never a tweet from Conan (the ginger), but why am I inclined to think that everyone wants to know that I love Coke Icees and ironically don't like coke?   (I wish I were the Conan's and Tina Fey's of the world who genuinely think funny things and only post hilarious thoughts.)

I live life one movie quote at a time.  My husband and I really like movies and all art really but movies are our past time,  with that we tend towards quoting.  So much so that when we actually genuinely say something funny we have to stop and think, "where is that from?"

Guilty Oreos

I am super fugal.  My husband would call me TIGHT.  I prefer to think of myself as economically conscious... but the truth is I am stringent.  It comes with some benefits like how I went grocery shopping yesterday and got a bunch of stuff for $2.13, which is great for not breaking the bank.  It is great really... but it is terrible.  It is silly for me to get guilty for buying Oreos or buying underwear but I do.  I have enough to get buy, I don't need the Oreos.  But really, who doesn't want Oreos... ok, so there are some of YOU out there but you are the minority and that's how WE like the keep it ;P

In all seriousness, people tell me all the time, "I wish I were like that" "can you teach my wife that" "If only my husband was like you", I don't wish it upon anyone.  I get the benefit of having a great savings account, of paying for everything in up front (well almost) and all that but I sit there and thing I know these socks have a hole in them but it is just on the seam I can patch that...

Ironically, I love giving gifts!  It is so much fun to go out and think over what I can get someone.

My assignment for myself: buy Oreos.  For they are delicious and make me break my frugal ways slowly.

Oh!  And milk cause Oreos need milk... Or Ice cream... will have to ponder that.

Silly, unacknowledged, and kind of creepy

I know it is silly but I get attached to characters on TV series.  I am not sure why.  I don't get attached to characters in movies.  I think the difference is that a TV series is a lot more invasive in your life.  In my mind, when I watched Friends they were my friends... unacknowledged and kind of creepy but still somehow a part of their life much like Gunther.  I am not a crier, really.  But when Friends ended I felt like people in my life died...  Yes, yes, you can all feel sad for me. ;P

What is even more weird about it is that I can only get attached when it is at least a halfway decent show with a good amount of character development.  So the really sad fact is that out side of friends for the most part all the shows I fall in love with end after their first season.  This is a real tragedy.  No, not for the actors who loose their livelihood but for me who looses these people I know.  Yes, yes, the world is about me?  This is all on my mind because I have recently discovered a great show, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, but going in I know that there is only one season.  Why then do I put myself through it... even if it is silly?  Because it is better to have known these characters and fall in love with the writing then to not know.

So this is my input for the day, silly as it may be.  I miss you, JD, Malcom Renolds, Chandler, Olive Snook, Eli Stone, Veronica (yes, I am a fan),  Joan, Georgia, The whole Bluth family, Veronica Palmer, Echo and many more!

"Correct exposure"

I have been reading a lot of books on photography.  The latest of which is about "correct exposure".  It went over making sure you take into account the ISO (essentially film quality), F/stop (essentially the apparent size), and the shutter speed (essentially what it sounds like).  A lot of what he said I already knew some of I didn't but it had more to do with shooting with film (the things I didn't know that is).  All the same I took it all to heart and it basically came down to I need to spend more time with my camera.  

Point of all the rambling: the best way to get to know your camera is to spend time with it just like a person.

Picture one is F/8, ISO 100, and  shutter speed of 300 (on a Nikon D300)

Same "exposure" but now it is a F/1.4, ISO 100, Shutter speed of 1000

(The huge difference if focus.  The first being a broad focus and the second being a very small focus.)

Happy Father's Day

I know that Father's day was yesterday but I don't post on Sundays so I thought I would put my tribute to Fathers on today.

My Dad, Dean.

My Dad-in-law, Kevin.

Thank you to all the dad's who are involved in your children's lives.  Thank you for the mistakes you make because they form who we are just as much as the amazing things.  Thank you for taking time out of your schedule, take time when you are tired and invest in who we will be!  Thank you for providing what is our lives.  Thank you for forming our base person from whom we become who we are today. 

A script of a day

Some days I wish I could just have it all together.  You know what I mean?  I see these people oh so fixed, determined and have it all together.  I wish I could be one of those people.

I want to walk out of my house looking like a crew of well trained professionals just got done with me, sashay my way towards the whatever it is they are headed towards and own it.

I think I must just be a little to silly or friendly for that.  For the most part I am great with that, I mean I love people, I love laughing, I love being orderly but willing to go with the flow but there are days when I think it would be nice to see life go exactly how I had planned.  A scripted day... sounds silly but I think for just one day it would be neat.  If nothing else to experience something different.

Well, for today I will go about my day looking about for then next thing that will cause me to adjust, smiling all the way.

Good luck to us all who aren't perfect ;P

Today, It's a fantastic, wonderful, amazing... well, day

Today is a great.

Not only because it is another day to live. Not only is it because it is the only June 16, 2011.  Not only because I am married to my best friend... literally.  Not only because I is summer and the pools are open.  Not only because I got to have  a lovely evening with friends last night. Not only because I am choosing to be completely positive (not the norm... more of a realist... I take things for how they are).

NO, Today is great even without those and any other reason of which you can not think.

Today is great because my second dad (dad-in-law) is home safe.  He arrived last night (late my time) safely back into the loving and waiting arms of his dear wife.

Today is great because he is a brave man, who is a loving husband and caring father who serves this country so that I have the freedom to write this post, and he is home.

Today is great because it brings us a day closer to being able to see him and spend time with him and his lovely wife.

Today is great.

Do you ever have one of those days when you think: I am SO married.  I did yesterday.  I mean I know I am married but I mean how over the top cliche "married" I am.

We are getting a new roof and they started on the work.  They being Rescue Roofing, would highly recommend them and specifically the man we worked with John Kemp.   They work with your insurance company to get your roof replaced and paid for by your insurance because of things like hail damage and wind damage (they work with "no fault" natural events so your premiums don't go up).

All that to say nothing...

We are getting a new roof... I am positively giddy about it!  I am more excited about this than a free bag of clothes... then a brand new handbag.  This smushed my face in how much I am "married".  It got me thinking about the things that make you "married"

You know you're married when

1. You choose to walk around Home Depot for a date... YOU choose
       Never thought that one would happen but alas I do enjoy it... I look at all the things I won't ever buy and think things between: "Really??" and "Wow, I want to have my faucet turn red when the water is hot! So useful?"

2. All your friends start being couples
         Chris and I actually refer to our married friends in abbreviations (Kelly and Regis become K and R) because when we invite more than one couple over it is too hard to say who all is coming.

3.  You sit around your house and try to think of ways for it to be a "home"... What does that even mean?
         I don't know what this "home" feeling I am trying to get... it makes no sense to me. Why then do I try and achieve it: Please tell me!

4.  Going out is hassle not something you look forward to
        I am a people person but when Chris mentions the idea of going out all I have are lists of why having a date at home is so much better... "we can.... eat?"

5. You have conversations about chores.
      Who knew this would happen?  You saw your mom getting on your back about getting chores done but surely that's just because she was weird.  We barter over chores... "I'll do the dishes if you put them away"

6.  You think about shaving but decide "Meh".
      There are some days I think I should shave I get in the shower and then all the sudden the leg hairs aren't as long as I first thought... are they?  Really?

7.  Your dates consist of sitting on the couch...
          Legitimately... Couch, Date I wanted to introduce each other because from now to eternity you will be stuck together

8.  Candles are "For guest only"
      Dinner is on the table and that's it... No candles lit on our date... No, cause that'd be a waste?

9.  A conversation ending with one of you a toilet is regular
        We will have a conversation and not even thinking I will just follow Chris into the bathroom... he is no longer phased

10. You sit down together and pull out the schedules
      "I can do Thurs.  How does that look for you?"  "Oooo, no Thurs won't do... how bout Tuesday?"  "I can do 8:30"  When did planning a date start sounding like a board meeting?

11.  You roll over and the gust of wind that hits you in the face isn't the fan.

(I stop on 11 in honor of my sister and her deep love of the number 11)

I have it all together... yea...

I have been reading a lot of photography books recently.  No matter how much I learn I feel like there is SO much more to learn.  Often I feel like I have to put out this front of having it all together.  We are told that in order to have people believe us we need to have it all... we need to be confident.

I am confident.  I can take great photos... but I don't always believe that.  Like everyone I have those days of doubt.  Those days of wondering: what have I done.   Will this actually take off?  Am I good enough?  These questions role around my head on "Those days"... why must there be "those days"?

On those days, for better or worse, I delve deep into the work of others, in tips and ideas of how to improve what I love to do.  Some days I just feel silly... and others I get encouraged  but anything is better than just sulking on one of "those days" 

My day at the beach

With a yawn and a stretch, I pull myself away from the comfort of my ample couch.  1:15am time to leave.  In the car I go off to meet up with our other friends brave enough to take this adventure...

5 people pile into our Yaris... way more spacious then it seems.  Cooler, bags of snacks, blanket and you name it shoved to compasity in our hatchback.  In the hump middle I sqirm trying to find a comfortable position for the trip ahead but with no luck.  Lean her and there... legs asleep... till finally we arrive: 4:30ish am.

Out come the blankets time for a nap for those who want it... others sat chatting in the still and quiet that is 4:30am.

Up with the sun and watching the beauty while we stretch our legs with some Frisbee.

The sun cracks over the horizon and through the clouds... Some of us whip out our cameras to capture this moment.

While others just relax enjoying the start of a lovely day at the beach

I have never seen so many birds feeding at once as I did that morning... but then again I am not often out at the beach at that time... 

7:20 time for second breakfast!

As the day wore on we walked up and down the beach, wondered in and out of the ocean, ate and ate and ate or so it seemed but then again we where there for so many hours.  It was a lovely day and a great adventure... I look forward to doing it again!

A day at the beach

Still being somewhat young I find it disconcerting when I find myself acting old.  You know, getting in a rut.  Each day has it's schedule and that's productive and great but for feeling alive... not so much.  Recently, my husband and I decided to throw a wrench into our schedule, make ourselves act like the crazy days in college: road trip to the beach!

So off we will go wee hours tomorrow... piled in high with a picnic, blanket, sunscreen and for those of us from the British Isles who get guaranteed sun burns: aloe!

I look forward to the drive with our friends, to the smell of sunscreen, to the feel of the sea breeze on my face, to sit on the beach and laughing as we snack on our picnic.

I hope your weekend is great as I suspect mine will be.

Maui Jims: awesome!

Random:  I love my Maui Jims.  I am really REALLY tight when it comes to money so when my husband first talked about wanting to get us each some Maui Jims I thought, "Are you insane!  You can get sunglasses for 2 dollars that work just as well!"

But I caved, we got the glasses just before we got married.  They are different.  They do work better.  Maui Jim can tell you all the technical reasons why... I don't care.  I get headaches often and especially sun related but I don't get them when I wear my Maui Jims.

So yes, I am taking a full post to talk about my love of my sun glasses!

Silly something

Do you ever just want to be a kid?

Sometimes I just want to be a kid... no responsibility, no job, no issues... just chill.  Playing, no worry about the future.  It's a fun idea.  But the greatest and worst thing about childhood it can only last for a small time.  Experience changes people.

Today I am going to do something playful.  Something fun, something silly.  What will you do?

Playing Hookie and I'm good at it

Do you ever have those days where you just don't want to ____?

Well, today is that day for me... this week ;P

I am going to meet up with a friend and go to the pool.  Can't ask for much better on a lazy day and thus I don't. I say "why yes, yes I will abandon all that I need to do and hang with you at your pool" and if you get the opportunity you should too!

Tell me all about your latest lazy day!  Tell me all about what you plan for your next lazy day!

As I right this on my bed, I anxiously wait to put on my suit and get on my way but before I go I want to encourage you to at least take a lazy 5 minutes.  Enjoy the fact that it is June 7th 2011 and you won't ever have it again.  This is it.  Make the best of it.  This coming from the chick about to go to the pool... easy for me to say huh.

But really, some days I wake up and I am just in a bad mood, doesn't need a reason... just because is good enough for me at times but I am enjoying this idea that is not new but it was a new way of thinking for me recently:  There really is only one June 7th, July 10th or whatever... you can't ever get those minutes back!  Sad times but when I think about it that way I don't get upset as much cause my preference is not to remember those days as "bad days"... not that doesn't stop me all the time.  But for now take you 5 min hookie break (if your boss asks tell him to blame me ;P) and think about the good of today... if nothing else think about the not as bad as of today!

I hope you have a wonderful day and remember to tell me about your lazy days/moments!  

Happy 60th Birthday Dad

Saturday was my dad's 60th birthday.  So we as a family decided it was a big enough number we had to cave and have a party ;p  So it was a luau theme.

As you can tell my dad has no issue getting into... well just about anything.  I love my dad.  He enabled me to no embarrassment level.  Too many stories to even begin to flush out that point.  But his wild and silly antics are one of the things that helped me be who I am today.  The humor I have, the way I relate to people and my willingness to make a fool of myself, it is all in part at least from my dad.

At this point some of you, who know me a little too well, are wishing I had a different father, at least if that was the cause!  But I like my silly antics.  Yes, I still enjoy climbing trees.  Yes, I will dance about for no apparent reason, and yes, no matter how crazy you think I am and even tell me so, if I feel like dancing I will continue.

So thank you dad for showing me over the last 20 odd years and showing others for your full 60 years how to be silly, slightly crazy and just being willing to make a fool of yourself for the sake of fun.  It is one thing I hope you, and now I ,never loose!

Not so great and powerful Oz?

This picture was not done by Crinkle Photography, it was taken by a family member at this particular wedding.  I use it because prior to seeing this I never thought about doing behind the scenes photos.  Not that I am anything special.  Not that you would want to see them.  I just hadn't thought of it before.

But for the short of it:  This is me (save for I have shorter hair now) on the left.  This lovely bride and groom are Aaron and Allison.  I go to location prior to any shoot or event and scout out the locations that I want to use.  This particular wedding had a small budgeted time after ceremony for pictures so I made sure to pick a few good locations that were close together (making the walking time minimal so I could maximize my shots).

My friends, who I have had the pleasure of shooting, tease me about the positions I will put myself in at times.  I am not afraid of getting on the ground or looking silly...  

I love making people at ease in front of the camera.  Allow them to be themselves, let loose and actually laugh!

too ambitious for my own good

I like doing a lot of things, as I have mentioned in a previous blog.  Recently I decided to take on the challenge of making a dress without a guide.  All free hand cutting and using no source material.  Just taking yards of different material to morph them into something... decent, well that's what I am going for any way.

I am taking it really sloooow.  I am doing small bits at a time.  But if I think about it for too long I get intimidated... then I don't want to try.  So today is a day I am postponing it.... BUT for good reason.  My brother I haven't seen in a really long time is in going to be in the area for a couple of days... so that's a good excuse right?

Either way I won't be working on it for the weekend... well, probably not.  At the same time it makes me feel like I am back in school postponing the inevitable.  Do you ever postpone things... despite their inevitability? 

Exposure challenge

So, I recently decided to make myself a challenge:  I want to take as little pictures as possible.  Sounds strange I know but this is what I mean.  Often it is practice with digital photography to just snap away but I want to use the mindset of film photography while using digital equipment.  So I have made a challenge between myself and my husband (Chris) to try and make each shot perfect (as humanly possible), each shot count.  

I have desired to hone my skills in this area for a while but I have been delving deep into educating myself further on photography.  New equipment, thinking outside the box, challenging myself not to do just the same poses as before but completely rethinking each time.  And I came across a video of a couple of different well known photographers, one of which was of course Jasmine Star, who were talking about knowing your exposure settings so that in any given light you already know at least a starting place.  I am already pretty comfortable with knowing my settings for lighting but it was a challenge to both not get comfortable, to try new settings, to make sure that I pick up my camera each day... it is harder than you would think.  It is so easy to get distracted by the day to day.  But when I do pick up my camera, when I do take the moment to play around... such joy.  There are few things that I have as deep of a passion for as capturing the beauty of life... taking the moment the groom whispers something in the bride's ear and it cause her to sheik with laughter... that moment, that exact moment... it won't happen again, and I captured it for them to have with them always.  That.  That I love.