Fumbling Towards Healing

It's been a very long time since I've posted here.  I've had several indiscretions with this dear blog and set out to create other spaces on the interwebs, but alas I'm back here and happy to be back. :)

I've been going through some "stuff", as my friends and family know, and I've spent some time thinking about the best way to process all of this and I decided that I just want to be able to share it with anyone who might find it useful.

This is nothing dramatic to most.  I haven't lost a child.  I haven't gone through a divorce.  My family is, for the most part, healthy, but just like many people I have unpacked baggage that I've carried with me for many years and I'm just ready to unpack it.  I'm ready to declutter and be free of the bullshit that isn't serving me.  Maybe it's a mid-life crisis.  I don't care.  I need to be done with it, learn from it, and move on.

On the eve of my last birthday, I ended up in the Emergency Room.  For the week prior, I was feeling "off" and shaky.  I was having anxiety attacks, heart palpitations, fits of dizziness, and general unease.
I started off the night feeling calm and decided to go to bed early.  I generally spend my birthday shopping, lunching, movie-going, or whatever I feel like doing.  About an hour after settling into bed, I sat up straight with a feeling of panic.  My left leg was feeling just like it does before I get a Charley Horse.  I shook it off and settled back down.  Then my arm started.  The inner turmoil of someone who suffers from anxiety set in.
"Oh my God!  What is happening?  Am I dying?", I asked myself.
I tried to talk myself out of these crazy thoughts, but then my "rational" mind piped up.
"You know.... You aren't the healthiest person in the world.  You're overweight, you smoke, you probably drink too much.  Maybe you're having a stroke."
That's all it took.  My mind was off.  I spent the next hour obsessively thinking about dying.
I eventually woke my husband up and told him that he had to take me to the ER.  He tried to talk me into reason.  It didn't work.  I mean, what if he was wrong?  What if it wasn't just an anxiety attack?  What if I was really having a pulmonary event?  I couldn't take the chance.

That was the longest car ride of my life.  As we drove, the paresthesia traveled up from my left leg, to my arm to the side of my face.  I was convinced I was having a stroke and was going to die.  I tried to breathe.  All the while, I had my fingers glued to the artery on my neck. I could barely feel my pulse which sent me into a tailspin. I knew I was dying.

As we got closer to the hospital, we came upon a road closure and I started to feel as if someone had their hands around my throat, choking me.  This would surely be the death of me.  My husband was trying to reason with me, speaking calmly, and telling me that we would be there soon and that I would be okay.  I made a promise to him, to me, and to God... If I make it through this, I'm going to change my life.  This is a wake-up call.    

That 20-minute drive seemed to take an eternity, but we finally arrived at the hospital.  Due to my symptoms, I was whisked away into the ER where they hooked me up to lots of machines.  They did bloodwork, an EKG, a CT scan, among other things.

The verdict?

Panic attack.

They did find that my blood pressure was a little too high (even after the horse-pill Ativan that I was given), but other than that?  I was "fine".

It was a dramatic way to spend my birthday, but my mother, in her infinite hilarity stated, "Well, you spent your first birthday in the hospital..."

I spent the next few weeks battling the anxiety.  I had a few tense discussions with my primary doctor and his suggestions of psychotherapy, medication, life changes, etc.  It took me a couple months to fully embrace change, but eventually the underlying message in my brain was that I had a second chance and I promised to change my life and that's what I decided to do.

Since that crazy night four months ago, I've made some incredible discoveries and I want to share them.  They are not earth-shattering ideas, but there are some amazing things that I've discovered and am still discovering and I want to share them.

I hope you're all doing well!  I don't share this story to garner any sympathy.  We all go through our own shit, but not everyone shares and that's okay.  I just feel compelled to share my journey.

Live well!

Muah!
 

Three and a half hours well spent

Also known as, "the room of unwanted items" or my favorite, my new radio studio.....

I've been involved in internet radio for a little while now and just started a radio station with a couple of friends.  It's going really well, but I really wanted to set up a proper studio instead of broadcasting from the couch or, even better, my bed.  Yup, I've done my show while sitting on my bed.

We have a room in our basement that was, at one time, the office.  We moved the office upstairs to a room attached to the bedroom, but since the router is in the basement, it makes more sense to broadcast from that room.  So.... I went back into "the room of unwanted items."  The old office has been accumulating anything we've wanted to put out of the way, but didn't have a place to put it.  It became a giant, disorganized closet.

I had been passing the room at the bottom of the steps for quite some time.  I'd peek in, become immediately overwhelmed, and quickly walk in the other direction.  I don't know what happened this morning, but I decided to tackle some of it.  Three and a half hours, several cups of coffee, four dead spider carcasses,   and a Skype conversation later and the room is clean and set up.  I can hardly believe it.  I thank my friend, Jake, for putting up with the crackling trash bags, sneezes, and dead spider freak-outs during our conversation.

I started out by tackling almost three years of Yarn of the Month club samples, still in their bags.  My mother gave me these rolling carts for Christmas because I've been talking about organizing my yarn stash for quite some time.  I filled up one deep drawer with the samples I could find.  I know there are more lurking somewhere because I rearranged quite a few bags a couple of years ago.  I hesitate to go looking for them.

I honestly thought that is all that I would get accomplished before giving up and going back to knitting, but I pushed on.

Seven bags of trash later, the room is clean and vacuumed.

Hubs came down with the table and set up all of the electronic equipment.  I still need to put up some foam to help sound-proof the room.  The acoustics are great for a capella singing, but that doesn't translate well to the radio I don't think.

Now I'm just sitting down here staring at everything and hanging out.  It's nice to have my own space.  Let's hope I can keep it clean!

A special thank you goes out to Carly Rae Jepsen and Selena Gomez for helping me to dance and sing around the chaos.

**on a side note, you can listen to me live on Wednesday evenings from 8-9pm ET for paranormal talk, Thursday evenings from 8-9 pm ET to hear music from up-and-coming artists and those that don't get much/if any commercial airplay, and Friday evenings from 7-9pm ET for discussions on a multitude of topics from paranormal to psychological on Digital Radio 103.

Hey, how YOU doin'?

Good Lord!  I have followers!  I need to pay attention to y'all! I'm sorry!

So it has been a crazy few months.  My experience in the paranormal field is growing as well as my experience with editing and radio.
I have a radio show every Wednesday night.  It is a bit of a train wreck, just like me.  Anything goes.  I fumble over my words sometimes.  I'm a bit of a moron sometimes.  I am a sarcastic bitch sometimes.  Sometimes I just don't get it.  I think that's life though. 

Anyway, we started on a very popular paranormal Internet station, but that station looked shaky so we left.  I say we left as if I had a choice.  I was told we were leaving.  I'm not bitter.  It happens.  I go with the flow.  In any event, we left.  I like the station we went to.  I really like the people there.  I really like most everyone I've met in the paranormal field.  There are some people who think that their shit doesn't stink and there are some people that have trouble telling the truth, but every field has those people right?

I've also been editing a friend's books.  That is very interesting and probably deserves it's own post.  More on that to come.

In any event, there is a lot going on in my life and I need to take the time to relax and also to pay attention to this blog! 

I hope you all are doing fantastically!  What is going on in your life?  Leave your links for us all to see!

Let me hold your bags, will you?

I don't claim to be psychic, but I definitely have the ability to pick up on others' feelings all the time from time to time. I am able to feel what other people are feeling and most of the time I take it into myself and don't realize that it's not my feelings that I'm feeling.

I really think that is what most of my anxiety problem is.  I don't like to go to places where there are large groups of people because it's overwhelming on so many levels. I can usually tell when someone is in a bad mood without them saying a word.  Yeah... Yeah... body language... but it's much more than that.  I can just tell.

Normally I try to stay away from those people until they work their shit out.  Sometimes it's unavoidable.

On the other hand, I am a Paranormal Investigator so it definitely comes in handy during investigations.  Sometimes, things just get weird.

I was on an investigation a few months ago and the entire evening I was stressing and thinking that I left my car lights on and that I would get into my car at 3am and the battery would be dead.  I don't know how many times I walked around the house to the edge of the porch and checked my car, each time knowing that the lights were off.  (But were they really off the last twelve times I checked and I just couldn't tell because  of the way the streetlight was shining?)


When we were all packed up and ready to go, I gave strict orders to another investigator that he was not to leave until I had turned my car on and was ready to go.  I got to the car, turned it on and it turned over.  I was so relieved.  I drove home (checking my back seats twelve thousand times to make sure I didn't have any hitchhikers), pulled in, and went to sleep.

The next day what do I find, but another investigator that had carpooled had to be jumped when he got back to another investigator's home.  He had left his lights on and his battery died while we were at the investigation.

Coincidence?  Maybe.

Maybe not.

A few weeks ago, I was involved in an investigation at Pennhurst Asylum.  It was amazing.  At one point, we were in the basement of the Mayflower building when I got the distinct impression that there was a little girl with us.  We were doing an EVP session and I asked, "Is your name, Emily?"  There was no response.

There is a new show on Bio called The Haunting of (insert celebrity name).  It's a show that takes the celebrities from Celebrity Ghost Stories and takes them back to the scene of their experience, with a psychic, Kim Russo (Paranormal State), and she does a reading there.

On this particular episode, The Haunting of Beverley Mitchell, Kim met Beverley back at Pennhurst where Beverley had an experience filming a film.  They entered the Mayflower building where a lot of the filming took place.  Kim and Beverly were on the second floor and Kim said that she felt a little girl with them and she got the name Emma or Emily.  I almost fell off the couch.  How could I have gotten the same thing?!  Yes, my middle name is Emily, but I rarely think about it.  It just popped into my head.

I have a psychic friend who told me that I would be getting signs that I was ready to step more into my "abilities" and to welcome them.  Well, I welcomed them and they keep coming.  I don't think I'll ever call myself a psychic, but I am intuitive and sensitive.  I guess we'll see where this takes me.

Have you ever had a strange experience like this?  I'm dying (no pun intended... well, kinda) to hear about it!

Sock Obsessed

Most people that know me know that I love knitting.  Well, maybe love is not the right word.  I’m obsessed.  In particular, I am in love with knitting socks.  I can’t get enough of them.  I started knitting socks a few years ago when I was trying to think of something to make my husband for Christmas.  I’ve been hooked ever since.

I don’t even know how many pairs I have.  It’s horrible.  I get the yarn, I knit the pair and then I move on to the next.  I don’t even think I wear all of them.  I should probably make and give away, but I can’t seem to part with them once they’re done.  I don’t feel like many people appreciate the time and effort it takes to create something.  I don’t want to send my creations to a home where they won’t be respected.  It sounds so silly.  It’s not like I’m fostering an animal; they’re just socks!

I think the reason that I like socks so much is that they don’t take long. I have a relatively short attention span.  I also have no patience for long, convoluted instructions.  I have tried to knit larger projects, but if I come to something I don’t understand, I get overwhelmed and put the project down.  I invariably forget where I was in the project and it sits until I decide to take it apart and start something new.  I have started a particular project more times than I care to count or admit to.  I don’t know if I will ever finish it. 

Another thing about socks is that you can experiment with some of the more difficult stitch patterns.  It’s easier to practice techniques on a smaller project.  That way, if I ever decide to try something larger and more challenging, I will have had practice. 

Right now, I’m obsessed with anklets.  They take almost no time and they’re more friendly to warmer weather.  I wear socks to bed all year round and these are perfect for sleeping.  You can also experiment with the more expensive fibers without such a large monetary commitment. 

There are a lot of patterns on Ravelry.  The one I seem to be obsessed with the most right now is the Summer Sock Hop Sock. It’s quick and easy and is easily modified.  It’s written to be knit using the Magic Loop technique though I prefer DPNs.  I’ve knit it with and without the ruffled cuff and I like it both ways. 

I’ve knit this pattern using Panda Silk and also Knit Picks Felici Sock Yarn.  I like it in both.  I don’t have any pictures right now, but I will post some as soon as I can.

I think that these anklets will keep me occupied all summer while I plan for my Fall and Winter knitting projects and Christmas gifts for the next holiday season.  It seems to be so far away right now, but time is sneaky and it will be upon us in no time.

In the meantime, I’ll keep knitting these anklets and adding to my stash of socks. 

Getting Ready

All this editing I have been doing has really re-stoked my writing fire.  I really think I may want to write again.  I always have, but I never was very serious about it.  I like words, but I preferred to take the journalistic route and went to school for Journalism.  When that train left the station without me, I left those desires to marinate while I pursued things like a job, groceries, paying my bills, etc.

It’s not that I have a lack of drive and I am certainly not lazy.  What I do have is a lack of confidence and a fear of wasting time.  Sure, I have a lot of great ideas, but when push comes to shove and things look like they might be hard, I hesitate. 

As most of you know, I have a huge anxiety problem.  I’ve had it since I can remember.  I have to take things one step at a time.  If I look at a starting point and then where I want to be in the end, my mind gets fuzzy with all of the details.  I get overwhelmed, my pulse quickens, a fire rises from my toes to me head, and I throw my hands up in the air and say, “Forget it!”.  I retreat back to the familiar.

I also am the type of person that likes to know everything before I start something.  I am always getting ready to get ready.  Right now it’s easier for me to hide behind someone else’s work, to perfect what they’ve already created.  I get lost in the sentence structure, the punctuation, and the dialogue between the characters.  It’s easier.  I don’t have the pressure of creating.  I move slowly through each sentence, each paragraph, and each chapter with little responsibility.

I do want more, but right now I’m happy to get lost in someone else’s masterpiece.  Someday I may change my mind, but today I’m happy to play a supporting role in someone else’s success.  You can call it laziness or lack of drive, but I call it Getting Ready. 

Exciting things are on the horizon…

So, I have been a very busy bee.  There has been so much going on in my life and I haven’t had/made any time to blog in a very long time.

I’ve been involved with my photography and have been busy getting photo’s for a friend’s new book, a paranormal investigation book. The team that I belong to, HAPS, has traveled to some famous haunted locations in order to obtain evidence for the book.  I’ve gotten some amazing shots, some of which may be seen on my photography site RecklessShots.  We also took part in the National Haunters Convention in the beginning of May.  Some of my shots from that event are on my site as well. 

I’ve also edited the third book in the same friend’s teen horror novel series.  This book has now been shopped around La La Land and has been picked up for a motion picture!  They liked my editing and it was mentioned that I may pick up some part-time work for this particular producer.  I’m super excited. 

I also have a radio show on Para-X on Tuesday nights.  The Blurred Line features HAPS team members as well as paranormal experts, cryptozoology, the weird, and the strange.  I also co-host a show, The Dark Side, on Friday nights with some of the same people on the same station.

On top of all of this, I’m working full time, investigating residential properties with HAPS, trying to get some other hobbies in, visiting friends and family, and trying to relax.  I’m not sure how I get all of this done, but I sure am enjoying myself.  I’m not sure what will happen if hubs and I ever realize the dream of a family. 

Keep a eye out!  You may see me zipping by somewhere…

Sunday Cooking

There is nothing like a good burger and with today being a beautiful day, hubs and I decided that a cookout was in order.  Bacon, mushroom, and cheddar-stuffed burgers with oven fries was the perfect menu.

Bacon, Mushroom and Cheddar-Stuffed Burgers
2 .5 lb ground beef (your choice in fat content)
1/2 lb bacon fried and crumbled
1 portobello mushroom cap chopped
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Fry the bacon until crispy.  (There is nothing like the smell of bacon cooking.  I Lurve Bacon.) Once bacon is done cooking, place on a paper towel to dry.

Fry the chopped portobello mushrooms in the left-over back grease.  Once the mushrooms have achieved sufficient crispiness, remove from pan with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.

Crumble the bacon and combine with the cooled mushrooms and 1/2 cub of cheddar, in a bowl.

Form one half of the burger.  Choose a small amount of meat and make into a small patty.  (I use an old Tupperware hamburger press that my mother gave me. ) Place about a tablespoon and a half of the cheese mixture on top of the small burger.  Make another small burger and place on top and crimp the edges to make a larger burger.

Once all of the burgers are formed, season how you would like and grill/cook to your desired temperature.

Oven Fries

1 lb fingerling potatoes

Olive Oil for tossing

Salt & Pepper to taste

Heat oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit
Cut fingerling potatoes in quarters and toss in olive oil, salt, and pepper.


Cook potatoes for 20 minutes or until done.













Serve with copies amounts of ketchup.

Enjoy!

Sunday Cooking

I love cooking on Sundays so I've decided to start a series of posts called Sunday Cooking.   Sunday meals are a long-standing tradition in so many families.  Each week, I will post a recipe/link to a recipe that the hubs and I are making.  Enjoy and please send along any suggestions!

I LOVE MEATBALLS.  I can't stand going to a restaurant, ordering Spaghetti and "homemade" meatballs only to find they are the frozen bag-variety meatballs so I went on a mission to find a good meatball recipe. I immediately found this one.  There were a ton of good reviews so I figured what the heck! Today I bring you, Rao's meatballs!  This is the best meatball recipe that I've found.  They are amazing.
Rao's has been in business since the late 1800's and has been serving home-style Italian food ever since Charles Rao bought the saloon at West 114 Street in Spanish Harlem in 1896.  This really is such a great recipe.  You have to try it!

I won't repeat the recipe here because it's not mine, but it has a good bit of of cheese and breadcrumbs in it.  It really makes the outside crunchy and the inside really moist.  The meatballs really hold up well in the sauce.   I've eaten them on rolls, but tonight we're having Spaghetti and Meatballs.  Comfort food is wonderful!

Of course, no great Italian meal is complete without some good wine.  We're pairing tonight's meal with Pinot Evil Pinot Noir.


Look for more Sunday Cooking posts. Hubs and I are toying with a food blog.  Tell me what you think!

Enjoy the week!  I will be enjoying left-overs!

Avoidance

I could make all sorts of excuses for not blogging, but who cares really.  I've been telling myself that I would like to be more creative, yet I haven't really picked up my camera in a month or so and hadn't picked it up in months before that.  I haven't set foot in this blog for two months.  I seem to have lost my mojo.

I've started to take pictures with my iPhone again.  Baby steps.  Nothing happened really.... I didn't even get bored.  I would do that thing where I would see something that I would love to photograph, promptly did an inner shoulder shrug and kept doing nothing.

Maybe I'm depressed.  I get that way when the weather starts to get colder.  Though I love the way the leaves look when they start to turn, I notice at the same time that my moods start to shift.  Got a case of the Blahs...  Maybe a vacation to a sunny destination would be just the ticket.

Anyway, I'm not going to make any silly promises about blogging more.  I enjoy it and just need to make time for it.  You can only stare at the boob tube so much, right?

Album vs Single

I was driving home tonight, listening to one of my favorite albums, when I wondered how many people buy whole albums anymore. When using iTunes there's no need. You hear a song. You like it. You buy it. I wonder how many people spring for the whole shebang anymore.

I thoroughly enjoy listening to an entire album. The time and thought it takes to get the order just right... The artist tells a story and with just the right order, it can be amazing or eh... Just like a novelist builds characters and story lines with chapters.

Don't get me wrong. I'll certainly buy the single of a song that really resonates with me or if I like the beat or melody, but I'll frequently go back and buy the whole album. I rarely hit shuffle on my iPod. I want to hear ian album as it was intended. I'm not just talking about concept albums here, though they're great. I'm talking about any album.

I was listening to Arcade Fire's latest, The Suburbs tonight, for the ten thousandth time. I love it through and through. I love every note. I love the progression. I love how it takes me back to living in the burbs in the 80's. I looooooove it.

Got it? Good.

I can't imagine listening to just one song or hitting shuffle. It just wouldn't be the same!

Below I'm listing some of my all time faves. These albums enjoy regular rotation on my iPod.

Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
Adele - 19
Adele - 21
Alison Krauss & Union Station - Lonely Runs Both Ways
Broken Bells - Broken Bells
Depeche Mode - Violator
Florence + The Machine - Lungs
Garbage - Garbage
Paul Simon - Graceland
Keane - Hopes and Fears
Lissie - Catching a Tiger
Marc Broussard - Carencro
Metric - Fantasies
Mumford and Sons - Sigh No More
Neko Case - Blacklisted
Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
Neko Case - Middle Cyclone
R.E.M. - Automatic for the People
Ray LaMontagne - Trouble
Ray LaMontagne - Til the Sun Turns Black
The Secret Sisters - The Secret Sisters
The Shins - Oh, Inverted World
The Sundays - Blind
The Sundays - Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic
Young the Giant - Young the Giamt

Ok there are more, but I got a little out of control as it is. What are your favorites?? Do you feel the same way as me or am I a maniac?

Oh. My. Goodness I'm lazy

Wow, I popped online today and headed over to my blog so I could catch up on my reading and realized that I haven't posted since August.  August?  Really?  Wow it's been a long time.
It's not that I don't have anything to say, it's just that I've been so busy that I haven't even thought about posting.  I haven't taken a photo since September.  What is wrong with me?

It's a combination of work, ghost hunting, and knitting like a maniac to make sure I have Christmas gifts done by the time the holidays roll around.  I've got lots to say.  I just have to make time to say it.
I guess it's time to make good use of that blogging app I have for my phone.

What's going on with all of you? 

Bring it, Fall!

I am so ready for Fall.  Bring it on!

I know.  I know.  That means that Winter is not far behind, but I'm ready for the cooler weather.  I'm ready for the crispness of a fall morning. I'm ready for the beauty of the changing leaves.  I'm sorry to those of you that  live in a place that has no seasons, I really am.

I'm ready for the smell of fallen leaves.  I'm well aware that smell is the smell of decomposition, but I love it all the same.  I also love the way that you can smell the hay in horse manure.  Yeah, I really do.

I'm ready for hot apple cider, making applesauce (mom, I hope that you plan on making more this year), planning winter knitting projects, football, sweaters, wearing socks, Halloween and all of the adorable kids that will stop at my door, hay rides, corn mazes, pumpkin spice coffee (thank you Dunkin Donuts for breaking it out early...) Thanksgiving, and the excitement that preparing for the holidays always brings.

I'm ready!  Bring it on! (The snow can suck it... but I love Fall!)

Are you looking forward to Fall?  Do you want to punch me in the face?

We Survived

Yup, that's about the extent of the damage at my house.

I went out to do a little surveillance this morning.  We're fine.  It was very windy and rainy, but we didn't get as much over here as they did to the east.  They said though it was a Category 1 Hurricane, it was really more like a tropical storm. 

No trees down in our yard.  I made the hubs and the Daisydog sleep with me in the basement.  There were tornado warnings all over the place and you could hear the wind howling outside all night long.  I was worried more about the wind than anything.

We had a dove adopt us a little over a month ago.  It's one of those white ones that is probably released at weddings.  The poor thing got lost on it's way home.  We can't get close enough for him to let us touch him, but we're getting there. I was worried about him.

Recently, he brought home a girlfriend.  She's a regular old pigeon.  There's a little love story going on in our back yard though I was concerned for a bit because she only came for one night last week and I didn't think that Dovey was that kind of guy.  I thought that doves mated for life and to see this little hussy fly in for one night made me a little bit suspicious of their relationship.

She and Dovey came home together last night and hung out on the roof all night.  I took a peek out this morning and they were a little worse for wear, but were alive so I'm happy.  I worried about them all night.

It's still raining and it is likely to rain for most of the day.  I think I'll stay in and knit.

What I've been doing aka ramblings

So I've been MIA from my blog for over a month.  I've thought about it, but I've been so busy getting used to my new computer (we bought an iMac!), building my photography site, and trying to re-design this blog and design another all while trying to continue knitting, working, ghost-hunting, breathing, and sleeping.

So.... drumroll please...  my photography site is up!  I have a blog over there too, but I'm considering removing it as it really is a place for my to show my "stuff" and I don't know that having a blog there is really appropriate.  I guess I can do whatever I want.  I'll figure it out.

Go on over and take a look then come back and tell me what you think!

http://www.recklessshots.com

I need to add watermarks to the photos and once I figure out how to do it the way that I like it I'll be adding them.  

This week has been crazy in itself.  We've had an earthquake, tornado warnings, and now Irene is barreling towards us.  If it starts raining frogs, I'm outta here.  Irene is not supposed to be affecting us until the wee hours of tomorrow morning, but I tell ya, it looks like it could start any minute out there.

What have you all been up to?

So, I've come to a realization

Field near my parents' home

that I'm an artist.  I mean I guess I've always known it, but I've never really said it.  Until today...

I was talking with a co-worker about a frame that someone left as a takeaway in our corporate kitchen.

I said, "Well, I took it because I'm a Photographer and I'm always looking for frames."

Internally, I gasped and chastised myself.  What?!  A Photographer?!  Who are you kidding?!

Then I thought.  I am. I am a Photographer.  Maybe I'm not getting paid, but I am.  I.  AM.

So there's that.  Maybe I'm faking it until I make it, but I've been told so much lately about how fantastic my photos are, that maybe I should really think about this.

Sure, I have a lot to learn, but hell, who doesn't?  

I am a Photographer.

I am an artist.  

Photography

Photography has been a love of mine since I can remember.  My first camera was one of those chintzy 110 cameras.  I would shoot roll after roll after roll.  I have no idea what happened to most of the pictures.

The love had gone a bit dormant until I ended up at BlogHer last year.  I sat in on one of the photography sessions and fell in love all over again.  Seeing all of those beautiful snaps rekindled my love for the art.

I bought my first DSLR in October 2010 and have barely put it down since.  Now I'm going through memory card after memory card.

Recently I signed up for the Superhero Photo E-Course with Andrea Scher.  It's only two days in, but I'm loving it.

Besides the shot above, here are some of my favorites so far.

 

Weekend

Brought to you by good friends, pick-up volleyball (keep away) games,a feisty cat, goofy dog, dancing on the lawn, and general tomfoolery…

While all hell broke loose on the internets yesterday (I was hacked… again…), hubs and I were visiting with old friends.

The day started with a water gun fight and it ended with me spiking a large plastic ball into a baby’s face.  Yup… Not on purpose.  Yes, she’s ok.  It was a thin plastic ball and I’m a wimp so it didn’t hit that hard.  Yes, I feel horrible. 

 

It’s always great to get together with our BFFs.  We’ve known each other for years.  They don’t mind that I look like I have a camera growing out of my face. 

Even the cat doesn’t mind.  Or maybe she does.

I just love that face.  He’s only 8 months old.  We played a game where I would blow at his face.  He would run around and then come back for more.  It was the funniest thing in the world, at the time.  I think I needed a nap.

There had to be a flower shot in here somewhere. 

This week, hubs and I will be getting ready for our trip to Key West.  I’m looking forward to filling my camera up with pictures of palm trees and the ocean.

Have a good week!

Where I'm From

I was inspired to do this template by Schmutzie.  It is a template from Fred First Floyd.  You can read the story and complete the template here.  It really does turn out some amazing stuff. 
Here we go.

Where I'm From

I am from the old, rusty red, white, and blue swing set, from Ace Bandages and Calamine Lotion.

I am from the big white house on the hill, the dirty city, and the rolling Alleghenies that always call you home with their sweet summer smells and cold, cold winters.

I am from the lily of the valley, the hardy mountain laurel, the rose bush that always springs new growth from old wood.

I am from family get-togethers and grudges, from John and Gail, and Alfred and Ida, and a difficult cousin.

I am from jealousy and confrontation.

From what reflection I was to my parents and what an angel I wasn't.

I am from God and all of the challenges of faith.

I'm from Pennsylvania and the Scottish Highlands, fine roasted beef and Yorkshire pudding smothered with homemade gravy.

From the many broken bones, cuts and bruises of Cousin Andy Ritchie who was careless and free spirited, the childless Aunt Ida who was a grandmother to me until she forgot who I was, and the invisible, tap-dancing cat of my Uncle Bill.
I am from the old cardboard box, under a well-used bed, dragged out every few years.

An open letter to public restroom users of the female persuasion

Women are pigs.  Yeah, I said it.  Women are pigs in a public restroom. 

You can make available all of the toilet seat covers in the world.  Women will still pee all over the seats and leave it for the next person to deal with.  You've got a toilet seat cover, SIT DOWN!  Unless, of course, the pig before you left feces all over the seat.  I've seen it.  It happens.

You do not have to use an entire industrial-sized roll of toilet paper each time you wipe.  You're killing trees, not to mention you're clogging the toilet for the next user.  I am by no means encouraging you to shake it off (though I'm convinced some people do) or use one square, but you do not have to cover your arm up to your elbow, for God's sake. If you drop a square on the floor, PICK IT UP.  I should not have to check my shoes when I leave the stall.

You do need to wash your hands, but you DO NOT need to splash water all over the vanity.  If you do, wipe it off.  There is no reason why I should have to have the tell-tale sink line across my crotch because you can't clean up after yourself.

You do need to make sure that your used paper towel is in the trash can.  I do not clean up after people at home and I'm sure as hell not going to clean up after a stranger.

Please follow these simple rules.  I will call a bitch out for bathroom indiscretions.  I've done it before and I will do it again.

Thank you for your attention.

Love,
Me