Indulge me please....

I was home about a month ago and have to admit I love Iowa and my family:)  Please indulge the me with the amount of images I am loading.. and don't mind all the different sizes.

This is one of my favorite views (the field behind our backyard)

My brother Drew leaves on a mission in less than a month.  I can 't even tell you how much we will miss him.So this is kind of amazing.  We went bowling at a little town alley and this was an actual sign on the wall there... and yes that is a saw hanging above it!

And this is the hallway to the Banquet room.. yes the carpet is printed with treasure chests overflowing with gold.... lol

The look on grant's face when he realized there was room for him in another car... but it was too late he was stuck with the girls.

Have I mentioned that Grant is pretty much awesome?!

Abbie's bowling shoes were the cutest things ever!

Erica.. remember that great game of air hockey?.... I am pretty sure I cleaned the floor with you;)

Me and all the nieces and the nephew

So basically it was so much fun....

I love the Mail Man

So this week the mail man brought me two of the greatest things ever!  First off my new camera.  This is my first Digital SLR camera.  I can hear my canon AE sighing in the closet.  I don't know why it was such a huge decision.... but somehow I managed to make it one.  Either way I am glad I bought it and  stoked to use it!

And then speaking of photography...  I finally bought this print!  I have to say that I have some amazingly talented friends.  I remember the first day I ever saw this image in class.  I knew I needed to own it. I mean seriously look how the light hits her lips, and her gesture.. amazing!  One day I plan to own it huge.. but until then I bought a little one from Capree's etsy store Capree's Curiosities

If I didn't take pictures...

I can't tell you how many times when I was in school the teachers would tell me and my classmates "If you could do anything else besides photography and be happy... do that"  I never really agreed with that.  I think they were just trying to prepare us for how hard it can be to get work and all.... but I could do at least 15 things to support myself and be happy.  I chose photography because it is difficult and makes me stretch and grow.  And honestly can be insanely fulfilling and rewarding.  (not to mention just fun:)   

So what else would I do...

Teach art

write childrens books

Work for a museum

make things to sell 

Become a Librarian

do set design (location scout)

Cook cook cook.... This was the whole point of this entry.  I made a great diner the other night that made me think  "Why don't I do this for a living?"  lol... probably cuz I never follow a recipe so the things I make are always a bit different each time I make them.  I made this Roasted chicken with rosemary and sun-dried tomatoes.... yummy (the picture is the uncooked version)  I paired it with a yellow squash soup I made... (a bit to peppery this time, but next time it will be perfect I think)

An Old Friend

Today on the train, admits the drudgery of packing into the crowd and trying not to fall asleep from exhaustion, I flipped through a poetry book I had on me... not really reading, just mindlessly turning pages.  I came across this poem by Emily Dickinson. I had forgotten how much I love it.

I measure every grief I meet

With analytic eyes;

I wonder if it weighs like mine,

or has an easier size.

I wonder if they bore it long,

Or did it just begin?

I could not tell the date of mine,

it feels so old a pain.

I wonder if it hurts to live,

and if they have to try,

and whether, could they choose between,

they would not rather die.

I wonder if when years have pilled-

Some thousands - on the cause

of early hurt, if such a lapse

Could give them any pause

Or would they go on aching still

Through centuries above,

Enlightened to a larger pain 

By contrast with the love.

The grieved are many I am told;

The reason deeper lies, -

Death is but on and comes but once,

and only nails the eyes.

There's grief of want, and grief of cold, -

A sort they call "despair";

There's banishment from native eyes,

In sight of native air.

And though I may not guess the kind

correctly, yet to me

A piercing comfort it affords

In passing Calvary,

To note the fashions of the cross,

Of those that stand alone,

Still fascinated to presume

that some are like my own

Things I love

It may seem silly and I may be exposing myself as the girly girl I truly am.... but I can't help it.  I LOVE flowers.  Over the last month I have been buying myself a bouquet every Saturday.  But I have to say the prize goes to the one I just got.  Lilacs and Freesia!  So beautiful and the apartment smells wonderful.

Sound bites;)

The last few days of work have been wrapped up in recording sounds for the website (if the product is a wind chime or toy with noise etc.)  It has been an extremely frustrating process.  I mean I know patience is not one of my stronger virtues, but this experience has felt like something that could best be described by Dante.  Fitting probably in the seventh circle's middle ring.  Anyway in my frustration I came to discover what an amazing tool one's G-chat status could be.  

I changed my status to "I need someone who knows how to use pro-tools"  and within minutes friends were sending me messages saying that they knew how and I could call if I needed help or that they have a friend I could call.  I received so many offers to help.  It made me happy that I have so many cool friends that are only a g-chat status away:)

But I have to say by far my favorite message came from my sister.. who wins the award of the day for catching me so off guard and making me laugh.  this is the message she sent me:

"... everyone has their own criteria.  He must be able to sing, be tall, have a good job, etc.  But I like that you are specific on your interest in men: "must be able to record sound using pro tools"  I like that about you."

Well Cat, I think that earlier today that would have even been more important to me than someone who remembers my name..lol  Thanks for the laugh and thankyou to all for helping me out and your quick g-chatting responses!

125th Street Stop....Ugh

So for whatever reason the 125th street stop for the A train is destined to be the stop that crazy things happen it seems.  A couple of weeks ago there was this.. I guess preacher... yelling into the train "God Loves You"  over and over again.  I was waiting on the platform and he seemed to feel it a necessity to be sure I personally understood this.  

"Do you know God loves you? God loves you? God loves you?"  He said to me over and over again.  I kinda chuckled and told him I was in fact aware of that.  He continued to ask me this question. 

A young man in pinstripe suit and wingtips walked up to him and stood between us.  "Mister," he said.  "That is not nice to be in her face.  She could get offended.  "I mean what if she was someone who didn't believe in God like a Muslim or Catholic."  

It took every bit of self control I had left in me not to bust up laughing.....   Well I hadn't thought about this for a while, until today as I waited on the platform my old friend showed up.  This time however he was not telling me that God loved me.  Today he wanted me to acknowledge that I was a sinner.  He said "you swear, you drink, you are an adulator. Do you know you are a sinner" I wanted to say "well actually...... " but decided against arguing my morals with the crazy on the platform.  And I have to say I think I liked his first message better.

And am starting to think I should transfer from the D to the A train at West 4th instead:)