Ya Gotta See This!

There's a new scene in town... and it's hot.

Chroma Studio's describes itself as "Chroma Studios is an Art and Music space on Central Ave. between UNM and I-25. We offer 14 studio spaces in a professional working environment. We also have a conference/classroom space available for hourly, daily or monthly rental. We recently expanded to include a gallery space. We also do framing at wholesale prices." But the description doesn't give this great place justice.

Thier Grand Opening Art Show was on Friday, June 6, 2008, and they've already had a second show, "Feathers and Flowers" and a book signing by Alyson Stanfield for her book "I'd Rather Be In The Studio", and already another show, "Albuquerque 'Scapes Photography Show".

I am excited to say I will be a part of this show, and I'd love to invite all of you, it will be great fun!

Here's the scoop:

Time: November 7, 2008 from 5pm to 8:30pm
Location: Chroma Gallery
Organized By: Paula Manning-Lewis

Event Description:
In November we are featuring a show of Albuquerque Photographers. Our featured artist for the month is Susan See, also included in the show are Jean O'Neill, Raine Klover, Kirk McGee, Dawn Allynn, Nick Giannotto, and a couple others. If you are in the area, please stop by for our opening reception on November 7th from 5-8:30 pm.

Trick or Treat!

Tomorrow is Halloween and I won't be able to post, so I thought I'd leave you a treat now. (the trick is to find something worth leaving)

Here's a few jokes I thought were pretty good, and a wish that your All Hallow's Eve full of spooky fun :)

Repeat Performance

One Halloween a trick-or-treater came to my door dressed as
'Rocky' in boxing gloves and satin shorts. Soon after I gave him some goodies, he returned for more.

"Aren't you the same 'Rocky' who left my doorstep a few
minutes ago?" I asked.

"Yes," he replied, "but now I'm the sequel. I'll be back
three more times tonight too."




Top 10 Signs You Are Too Old Trick or Treating

10. You get winded from knocking on the door.

9. You have to have another kid chew the candy for you.

8. You ask for high fiber candy only.

7. When someone drops a candy bar in your bag, you lose your balance and fall over.

6. People say, "Great Keith Richards mask!" and you're not wearing a mask.

5. When the door opens you yell, "Trick or..." and can't remember the rest.

4. By the end of the night, you have a bag full of restraining orders.

3. You have to carefully choose a costume that won't dislodge your hairpiece.

2. You're the only Power Ranger in the neighborhood with a walker.

1. You avoid going to houses where your ex-wives live.




Halloween Costume - IRS Agent

The door bell, rings, and a man answers it. Here stands this
plain but well dressed kid, saying, "Trick or Treat!"

The man asks the kids what he's dressed up like for
Halloween. The kid says, "I'm an IRS agent." Then he takes
28% of the man's candy, leaves, and doesn't say Thank You.



Top Ten Reasons Trick-Or-Treating Is Better Than Sex

10. You're guaranteed to get at least a little something in the sack.

9. If you get tired, wait 10 minutes and go at it again.

8. The uglier you look, the easier it is to get some.

7. You don't have to compliment the person who gave you candy.

6. The person giving you candy doesn't fantasize you're someone else.

5. If you get a stomach ache, it won't last 9 months.

4. If you wear a Batman mask, no one thinks you're kinky.

3. It doesn't matter if kids hear you moaning and groaning.

2. Less guilt the next morning.

1. If you don't get what you want, you can always go next door.



The Devil
A woman whose husband often came home drunk decided to cure him of the habit. One Halloween night, she put on a devil suit and hid behind a tree to intercept him on the way home.
When her husband came by, she jumped out and stood before him with her red horns, long tail, and pitchfork.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"I'm the Devil," she responded.
"Well, come on home with me," he said, "I married your sister."

Open Letter to Converse (Humor)

Have you ever received a phone call that was a wrong number, but the caller wouldn't believe you and just kept calling back? (This is a reoccurring problem in my home, I suspect someone with bad credit keeps giving out my number when she applies for something, and when she doen't want to pay, the collection company hounds me. The must believe I am lying when I say my name isn't Janine.)

I knew someone in North Carolina where I once lived who had this problem with his business. Converse Shoe Manufacturing Company had a similar phone number (one digit difference) and he received hundreds of phone calls a week from people who wouldn't listen closely when he answered the phone and identified his business (which sounded nothing like Converse Shoes). Eventually, to keep his sanity, (back then, changing your phone number was an expensive and convoluted ordeal) he made a joke of it and responded to the calls with the best humor he could under the circumstances.

Recently I came across a letter he wrote in fun, and never sent. It made me laugh. I thought I'd share it in case you might find it humorous as well. :)

By the way... the reference to the fire and hospital phone is untrue, but it did add and extra chuckle to the mix :)

Click on the photo of the letter to get a larger, more readable image. :)

What a Great Show

The Tokyo-a-Go-Go Show was a blast.

Alright, it wasn't what I though it would be, but the truth is I knew it wasn't going to be like anything I'd been to before, so all I was truly prepared for was "different".

It was great. I wish I had my pictures here so I could upload them and show you right now. Maybe next week, as I am still drowning in too-much-to-do.

So much great artwork, lots of fun and talented personalities, ton's of people meandering through, new faces great food. It was a blow-out.

Gotta love it.

Considering the Pace

I don't talk about my photography much anymore. More because when I am in photo taking mode, I am usually with my camera or on my computer doing editing, uploading, whatever. When I am in writing mode, I am usually trying not to think about my camera for a few moment. Possibly because what I think of when I think in terms of my camera is too big to get on paper in a week, much less in under and hour.

In truth, my camera consumes me. I spend dang near every moment thinking about my next shoot, or my last shoot, or the shot I missed. I look at everything in terms of, "If I were going to take a photo of this, how would I want to capture it?"

I spend little time trying to figure out how to make money from my photography. I am constantly berated by friends telling me I should do more, but I tend to be so centered on the photograph itself I forget to look at it as a way to make a living.

Fortunately for me, paying jobs often come my way despite my inaction. I get emails and phone calls on a fairly regular basis looking for a commercial photographer for magazine shoots, business applications, headshots, and for portraits of various types for families. I do well enough, but I know I could do better if I were to "pound the pavement" as my father calls it. I am not, however, much of a pavement pounder.

I am in fact, a fairly easy going personality and good friend. I like to socialize, and enjoy working others on a variety of projects. This has come back to me in a positive way in that most of my current work falls into the "found it through networking" category. I know someone who knows someone who needed a photographer kind of thing.

Lucky me, eh?

Still, I am getting the sense that I am missing out, that I could do more. So perhaps I will have to change my tactics and start reaching out. It is, after all, just another way to network, hm?

Art Show

I'm going, are you? :)



October 25th
Black Market Goods Art Show: Tokyo A-Go-Go!
This is a art show featuring 40-50 artists, photographers, crafters and awesome people. We are having a fashion showcase, a photo shoot, and art auction plus our regular, fun food, wine, dj, live music, and random acts of awesomeness.

Our photo shoot is going to run around 10am and we work thru the day and finish up in time to enjoy the art show.


All works will be put up on a website that will be accessible to people who are involved.

October 25th
5905 Marble NE
Show starts at 8pm
Photo shoot starts at 10am
more info @ www. mypsace. com/theangryyears
or wecandrawstuff@yahoo.com

Enchanted by New Mexico

I work in Albuquerque, for the most part, and live in the east Sandia mountains. Sometimes I find myself pining for the East Coast and the beaches and huge amount of activities to be had there, or for the Northwest and it's green and lush landscapes, but for the most part I am more than content to remain here.

I can say this from the point of view of someone who has moved away for many years at a time, living everywhere from the Chicago area to Texas, from Virginia to Colorado, Mississippi to Connecticut, and even spent three years living overseas. I haven't lived everywhere, but I have had a good taste of it, and while there is a great deal to say about those places I have lived, New Mexico has an charm of it's own that I missed every moment that I was away.

My mother tells me repeatedly how sorry she feels for me that I live so far away and have to make that long drive home, despite the fact I reassure her on a regular basis that I love every minute of it. Even the drive itself acts as a time where I can wind down from whatever daily exasperation's have plagued me; the drive through the canyon from either direction never fails to wow me.

Albuquerque and her surrounding areas reminds me of a elegant woman with a wild-child-side. Offering so much in the way of culture and entertainment (more every day, every week, every year) within an easy afternoon drive. She's beautiful, well balanced, and always right there ready for whatever comes her way. Home to both the past, present and future, Albuquerque is a great place to be if you want to be part of what is current in the world.

On the other hand, it still retains that small town feeling. It's a small enough community to be able to see people you know everywhere you turn. Networking and making friends can be a fairly easy process in a place like this, where you can meet the most eclectic variety of personalities I have ever seen anywhere.

Are there problems? Sure there are. Everyone has them. But I get the sense that people here are invested in their community, and want to see good changes occur, while being willing to pitch in to make it happen.

When I came back to New Mexico about eleven years ago with my two small boys I was excited to give them a chance to grow up in the richness of this place, just as I did. And they both love it here, proud to be members of the 505 and all that this embraces. And so am I.

Pulling Out My Hair

I need to rework the way I do business. I keep falling in these pits where I almost work for free, because I don't fully outline what I plan on doing, or forget do get a signed contract.

*Sigh*

Silly me, I just want it to be easy...lol!