I am a big believer in volunteerism.
It benefits everyone involved if the person volunteering gets into the right field.
I have volunteered for a variety of causes over the years, from help hot lines to meal delivery for the needy, from reading to the elderly to fixing the computers of an agency that helped homeless veterans. I've served meals to the homeless on Thanksgiving, helped draft strategic plans for small non-profits, and taken photos for animal shelters. Sometimes these volunteer opportunities have led to long term work for me. Most often they have led to making new friends, and having a better undersstanding of my community and the people who I live and work around. Always it gives me a sense of just how fortunate I am, and how important it is to give to others to appreciate what i have myself.
This past year I have tried to volunteer again for an artists group as a board member, (I have been feeling something missing from my busy and often self-centered life as of late) and just recently realized how little time I really have in my own life. So I had to resign after about a year of service, (which I am still glad I did, despite how harried I am at the moment) and I feel as if, somehow, I am doiong something wrong.
Perhaps it is the fact that I hold myself to such high standards, I am frequently told by my buddy Tim that I "put myself out there" too much, that I don't allow myslf to have any time for just me. I have a hard time saying no, and absoultely "no" difficulty in saying "yes".
So I said "no" this time, for awhile anyway. I suspect it won't be too long before I get myself buried in too much responsibilty again.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Thinking About Others
Ah, it's been a long week with much going on. How can there be so much to do and so few hours in the day?
I've been updating my website, and I launched it without finishing it, which I think now was a mistake. But with so much other work to do it's hard to make time for personal projects. I shouldn't consider my website a "personal project", but that's the way it is.
A good friends home was broken into last night and she and her daughter lost everything. She'll get some of it back, but as in a fire, the things you can't replace are those times that are important not because they have a material value, but because of the emotional attachment one has to the memories that are built in. She has things that had been given to her by her mother, and her grandmother that are irreplaceable, and it's breaking her heart. I am going to help her clean up today, but I am saddened that the work my hands do can't heal her heart.
My youngest son joined track this week. He had to have new shoes so we went to buy them yesterday. I was stunned at how much a good pair of running shoes cost. He paid for part of them with money he has saved himself, but I took care of the bulk of it. He needs so many other things, but he asks for so little. I have good kids. Makes you want to do so much for them when they are so thoughtful
I am getting ready for a road trip this week. I have two shoots out of state and have decided to drive rather than fly so I can do some personal photography along the way. I'm having to do this trip alone because it's during the week and my friends are working themselves, so part of me is wishing I'd have company. The other part of me knows this will be a great opportunity to enjoy the landscapes and find the time to enjoy my own company.
I've been updating my website, and I launched it without finishing it, which I think now was a mistake. But with so much other work to do it's hard to make time for personal projects. I shouldn't consider my website a "personal project", but that's the way it is.
A good friends home was broken into last night and she and her daughter lost everything. She'll get some of it back, but as in a fire, the things you can't replace are those times that are important not because they have a material value, but because of the emotional attachment one has to the memories that are built in. She has things that had been given to her by her mother, and her grandmother that are irreplaceable, and it's breaking her heart. I am going to help her clean up today, but I am saddened that the work my hands do can't heal her heart.
My youngest son joined track this week. He had to have new shoes so we went to buy them yesterday. I was stunned at how much a good pair of running shoes cost. He paid for part of them with money he has saved himself, but I took care of the bulk of it. He needs so many other things, but he asks for so little. I have good kids. Makes you want to do so much for them when they are so thoughtful
I am getting ready for a road trip this week. I have two shoots out of state and have decided to drive rather than fly so I can do some personal photography along the way. I'm having to do this trip alone because it's during the week and my friends are working themselves, so part of me is wishing I'd have company. The other part of me knows this will be a great opportunity to enjoy the landscapes and find the time to enjoy my own company.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Surrendering to an Obsession
I admit I am addicted.
Yes, it's true.
I have tried to deny it, but even my mother will tell you she throws her hands into the air because she's not sure what to do about it.
I have been told quietly by business owners that I must stop, or leave the premises.
My kids have begged me to be more normal, my behavior in this matter embarrasses them.
I have considered purchases for my addiction, even when I am struggling to find the extra money to buy myself lunch. (Don't worry, I do feed the kids and take care of their needs before my own compulsions)
I give in to this fixation no matter where I might be, regardless of the weather or my own health. I can't help it.
...and yes, most of my friends help me continue this addiction, they too in some way have their own compulsions and understand mine.
But at least it's just my camera, it could be worse... eh?
Yes, it's true.
I have tried to deny it, but even my mother will tell you she throws her hands into the air because she's not sure what to do about it.
I have been told quietly by business owners that I must stop, or leave the premises.
My kids have begged me to be more normal, my behavior in this matter embarrasses them.
I have considered purchases for my addiction, even when I am struggling to find the extra money to buy myself lunch. (Don't worry, I do feed the kids and take care of their needs before my own compulsions)
I give in to this fixation no matter where I might be, regardless of the weather or my own health. I can't help it.
...and yes, most of my friends help me continue this addiction, they too in some way have their own compulsions and understand mine.
But at least it's just my camera, it could be worse... eh?
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Updates on the Poultry :)
Last September I introduced everyone to my chickens, who I had lost many of during the summer due to a feral cat that had decimated my once thriving flock. So many of my little bitties that I loved and raised since May were gone, and I had started over in July. I was worried that going into winter was going to be hard on them, they were fairly young. My sweetie, Brian, worked for several days to build me a chicken pen and hen house, and surprised me with some new Rhode Island Reds, a couple of White-crested Black Polish Chickens, and a young turkey of undetermined gender.
(You can see where I was at back then at this post: http://dawnallynn.blogspot.com/2007/09/raising-poutry.html )
It's February now, and we haven't lost a single bird since Brian put up the pen.
In addition to the chickens and Turkey, I acquired a rooster and three ducks. :)
The rooster we named Allard, (Teutonic for nobly resolute) and came to use via another Freecyler looking for homes for two roosters. The roosters fought too much, (which is why the previous owner had needed to find them new homes) so we found a home for the more aggressive of the two, and Allard seems fairly happy with his small harem. The rooster we passed on went to another Freecycler who had a lonely flock of hens also here in the East Mountains.
At first there was some issues between Yuma (the Turkey) and Allard, but they seem to have worked things out.
These days the two of them even roost together in the hen house. The roosting boxes I have in the hen house go almost all the way to the ceiling, and they sit up there like co-conspirators watching over everyone sleeping below.
We have four boxes on the shelves, which some of the hens enjoy, but we also have two boxes lower down as well as an open cage which two of the hens prefer(This is where the hens currently are laying eggs). One of the lower shelves has a space beneath it about 20" high and about 52" deep. The ducks have taken a liking to this area, and they leave an egg about every two days.
Here's Allard, the second in the second image he is crowing. :) I love it.
Here's the new ducks :) From a lovely family in Albuquerque who were having problems with their ducks picking on the chickens. These guys are currently named"Dawn, Pat, and Quack Quack". We are thinking about renaming Dawn and Pat, since we have a Dawn and a Pat in the house and it is confusing. We haven't figured out any new names yet.
The white duck is a Pekin, and is a male. We may get him a Pekin female when summer comes. We are going to build a larger pen so there is plenty of room for them as well as any ducklings. The black ducks with the red heads are Muscovy's, and are quackless. One is a female and one is a male. I put the baby pool in the pen and have kept it full of water, the ducks have enjoyed it some, though it's been full if ice or slush the last two days. I throw bread pieces down for them to snack on, but they love it when we toss the bread into the edge of the pool. Maybe it's easier to swallow wet. The hardest thing with the ducks is keeping the water clean in the water bowl, I can put fresh water in there and ten minutes later they've muddied it. I go out every morning and evening and give them fresh water, and break up any ice in the pool.
We dropped a pallet next to the pool so everybody can reach the pool easily. The chickens aren't interested in swimming, of course, but they do drink from the water.
While in this picture it looks like the duck and the rooster are being amiable, in truth Don is cornering Allard because he's decided he's mad at him. Allard runs around for a few minutes and then flies up to roost high where Don can't reach him.
I'm not worried about it, Allard is
capable of defending himself just fine. :)
Yuma has grown a great deal since last fall. He is fairly friendly, though he doesn't want to be held or touched. He does like to eat from your hand, and prefers to be fed lettuce this way. (He won't eat it off the ground.) The center image below is Yuma looking up at me, hoping I'll feed him something. The third photo below is Yuma showing off his plumage. He's a doll.
Right now I have one Barred Plymouth Rock Hen, an Araucana, Six Rhode Island Reds, two White-crested Black Polish chickens, and Allard. I don't know what kind of Rooster Allard is.
Plus the ducks and Yuma that's 15 birds. Gotta love em.
It snowed last night, and the birds didn't seem to mind at all. I went out this morning and fed them some strawberries, grapes, fresh corn on the cob,lettuce and bread. They were pretty happy. :)
(You can see where I was at back then at this post: http://dawnallynn.blogspot.com/2007/09/raising-poutry.html )
It's February now, and we haven't lost a single bird since Brian put up the pen.
In addition to the chickens and Turkey, I acquired a rooster and three ducks. :)The rooster we named Allard, (Teutonic for nobly resolute) and came to use via another Freecyler looking for homes for two roosters. The roosters fought too much, (which is why the previous owner had needed to find them new homes) so we found a home for the more aggressive of the two, and Allard seems fairly happy with his small harem. The rooster we passed on went to another Freecycler who had a lonely flock of hens also here in the East Mountains.
At first there was some issues between Yuma (the Turkey) and Allard, but they seem to have worked things out.
These days the two of them even roost together in the hen house. The roosting boxes I have in the hen house go almost all the way to the ceiling, and they sit up there like co-conspirators watching over everyone sleeping below. We have four boxes on the shelves, which some of the hens enjoy, but we also have two boxes lower down as well as an open cage which two of the hens prefer(This is where the hens currently are laying eggs). One of the lower shelves has a space beneath it about 20" high and about 52" deep. The ducks have taken a liking to this area, and they leave an egg about every two days.Here's Allard, the second in the second image he is crowing. :) I love it.
Here's the new ducks :) From a lovely family in Albuquerque who were having problems with their ducks picking on the chickens. These guys are currently named"Dawn, Pat, and Quack Quack". We are thinking about renaming Dawn and Pat, since we have a Dawn and a Pat in the house and it is confusing. We haven't figured out any new names yet.
The white duck is a Pekin, and is a male. We may get him a Pekin female when summer comes. We are going to build a larger pen so there is plenty of room for them as well as any ducklings. The black ducks with the red heads are Muscovy's, and are quackless. One is a female and one is a male. I put the baby pool in the pen and have kept it full of water, the ducks have enjoyed it some, though it's been full if ice or slush the last two days. I throw bread pieces down for them to snack on, but they love it when we toss the bread into the edge of the pool. Maybe it's easier to swallow wet. The hardest thing with the ducks is keeping the water clean in the water bowl, I can put fresh water in there and ten minutes later they've muddied it. I go out every morning and evening and give them fresh water, and break up any ice in the pool.
We dropped a pallet next to the pool so everybody can reach the pool easily. The chickens aren't interested in swimming, of course, but they do drink from the water.While in this picture it looks like the duck and the rooster are being amiable, in truth Don is cornering Allard because he's decided he's mad at him. Allard runs around for a few minutes and then flies up to roost high where Don can't reach him.
I'm not worried about it, Allard is
capable of defending himself just fine. :)
Yuma has grown a great deal since last fall. He is fairly friendly, though he doesn't want to be held or touched. He does like to eat from your hand, and prefers to be fed lettuce this way. (He won't eat it off the ground.) The center image below is Yuma looking up at me, hoping I'll feed him something. The third photo below is Yuma showing off his plumage. He's a doll.
Right now I have one Barred Plymouth Rock Hen, an Araucana, Six Rhode Island Reds, two White-crested Black Polish chickens, and Allard. I don't know what kind of Rooster Allard is.
Plus the ducks and Yuma that's 15 birds. Gotta love em.
It snowed last night, and the birds didn't seem to mind at all. I went out this morning and fed them some strawberries, grapes, fresh corn on the cob,lettuce and bread. They were pretty happy. :)
Monday, January 28, 2008
Moments of Parental Pride
Everyone thinks their own kid is a genius, and I am certainly no exception. But I don't usually brag.
But right now I am going to take a moment to do just that.
My twelve year old, David, has a history of fighting and bad grades a poor attitude and low threshold for paying attention. This year he has made quite a turn around, and I am so proud of him. He doesn't fight anymore, his attitude has improved, he does his own homework with very little prompting, and his grades are mostly A's and B's with a couple of C's.
Wow.
What most impresses me is how far he's come in his academics, his grasp on what it all means.
Some examples are:
During the Iowa primaries we were watching when the final stats came in and some of the candidates had tallies like 49% or 52%, but a couple had 0%.
One of my boys said,
"Wow... it would be embarrassing if you got 0%, nobody voted for him!"
David, without missing a beat, said,
"0% doesn't mean he didn't get any votes, it just means no enough people voted for him for it to count as at least 1%! If there are 200,00 voters, and less than 200 people vote for him, that doesn't equal 1%. "
I was amazed. He said he hadn't talked about that in school, that it just made sense.
Then, just yesterday on the way home in the car he was telling me what he'd been watching on television. He said he didn't understand why President Bush would have pushed us into war without proof of WMD's. We were discussing that when he said, "We need to get out of that war. We are spending billions, and that money could keep us from getting into this Recession everyone says is coming."
It's not whether he is right or wrong that impresses me, it's that he is paying that much attention, and that he cares about it all all. I didn't get into political discussions at 12 years old.
It's cool to see your kids grow up, watch them change and become adults in thier own right. It's these moments that make it all worth it. :)
But right now I am going to take a moment to do just that.
My twelve year old, David, has a history of fighting and bad grades a poor attitude and low threshold for paying attention. This year he has made quite a turn around, and I am so proud of him. He doesn't fight anymore, his attitude has improved, he does his own homework with very little prompting, and his grades are mostly A's and B's with a couple of C's.
Wow.
What most impresses me is how far he's come in his academics, his grasp on what it all means.
Some examples are:
During the Iowa primaries we were watching when the final stats came in and some of the candidates had tallies like 49% or 52%, but a couple had 0%.
One of my boys said,
"Wow... it would be embarrassing if you got 0%, nobody voted for him!"
David, without missing a beat, said,
"0% doesn't mean he didn't get any votes, it just means no enough people voted for him for it to count as at least 1%! If there are 200,00 voters, and less than 200 people vote for him, that doesn't equal 1%. "
I was amazed. He said he hadn't talked about that in school, that it just made sense.
Then, just yesterday on the way home in the car he was telling me what he'd been watching on television. He said he didn't understand why President Bush would have pushed us into war without proof of WMD's. We were discussing that when he said, "We need to get out of that war. We are spending billions, and that money could keep us from getting into this Recession everyone says is coming."
It's not whether he is right or wrong that impresses me, it's that he is paying that much attention, and that he cares about it all all. I didn't get into political discussions at 12 years old.
It's cool to see your kids grow up, watch them change and become adults in thier own right. It's these moments that make it all worth it. :)
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Website of the Day
I like information. I really enjoy it when it's given to me in a way that is comprehensive and interesting.
Two days ago I learned about ZipSkinny.com, which has nothing to to with zippers or dieting and everything to do with finding information about any US zip code.
I first checked out my own zip code, and found much of the information therein depressing, if not true. I do live in a rural and not wealthy portion of the state.
I next checked out the zip code in Hawaii where my son is moving to in May. It does have some relevant information, which he found helpful.
What does your zip code say about you and where you live, do you think the information is accurate?
Two days ago I learned about ZipSkinny.com, which has nothing to to with zippers or dieting and everything to do with finding information about any US zip code.
I first checked out my own zip code, and found much of the information therein depressing, if not true. I do live in a rural and not wealthy portion of the state.
I next checked out the zip code in Hawaii where my son is moving to in May. It does have some relevant information, which he found helpful.
What does your zip code say about you and where you live, do you think the information is accurate?
Visiting Other Bloggers
I like to read other peoples blogs, but I am more of a lurker than a poster myself. Heck, I have a hard time posting regularly in my own blog. But lately I have felt like reaching out and participating more. So I've been visiting some of the blogs of my old pals from AOL from back when i had my own blog there. Great people, and good posts.
One of my favorites is Paul's Blog, Aurora Walking Vacation. He also does Cowboy Poetry and Not Cowboy Poetry. All worth visiting if you get the urge. ;)
Anyway, today I found the following Meme on his blog, and thought I'd like to answer it, so here goes.
1. What is your name? Dawn, and Alba when I lived in Sicily. I miss the nickname, but I feel silly using it here.
2. How old are you? 43, which seemed incredibly old ten years ago and seems fairly young now.
3. Where are you from? That is a hard to answer question. I have grown up so in many places, lived in so many others where I felt very at home. I currently live in the mountains of NM, so I claim that, and I feel at home here. Is that an answer?
4. Do you smoke? Not for many years, and I am so glad I quit.
5. Do you drink? Yes, sometimes moderately and responsibly, at other times I over do it some. Most of the time not much.
6. Do you have a family? Please explain, if yes. Yep. Big family, Myself, my hunny Brian, and our five kids together, Logan, Keri, Mitchel, Patrick, David.
7. What are your hobbies? Photography, Design, Reading, Writing, Gardening, My pets. (Three dogs, a cat a ferret, eleven chickens and a turkey.)
8. What is your favorite ice cream? Hmmm, depending on my mood, something with caramel and buts, or a raspberry sorbet.
9. What is your favorite animal? Felines in general. I love cats, of the domesticated and wild variety.
10. Do you wear glasses? No, but I should.
11. What nationality are your ancestors from? I have some Irish, some German, some English, some Hispanic, some Native American, and those are the ones I know of for sure.
12. What color is your hair? Reddish brown. No gray so far. (Hurrah!)
13. What are you wearing now? Long Johns, sweat pants, a turtle neck and a red sweater over the top. I am cold, and this is what was clean this morning.
14. What is your favorite color? If I am wearing it, I like black, though I love all earth colors. If I am paiting a room I like creamed coffee or something like it. Mellow and soothing. If It is about being outside I love bright green and blues. If I am dressing a model, I am obsessed with red.
15. What teacher do you remember most from your childhood? In high school I had Betty McKiethan, for art. She influenced me in ways that still impact me. Also Mrs. Smith, for History, who gave me a love for all things in the world, and a hunger to always know more.
16. What are your pets and their names? Dogs: Rua, Ziggy, Luke. Cat: Willow. Ferret: Momo. Chickens: Dixie, Daisy, Rosie, (the rest don't have names yet.) And my turkey Hagar.
17. What is your favorite food? I love food, and there are no favorites. But I enjoy spicy stuff, hot stuff, good sauces and unusual combinations. Most things international, and thing that challenges my pallet. :)
18. What is your job? I do a lot. Too much ;) I am full time Office manager for a mechanical insulation company, I own a photography business which I do about 20 hours a week, I am a co-owner of a IT consulting company, a board member at the New Mexico Art League, and a volunteer for the Albuquerque Animal Shelter. :)
Now, I need to get back to work. Hehe....
One of my favorites is Paul's Blog, Aurora Walking Vacation. He also does Cowboy Poetry and Not Cowboy Poetry. All worth visiting if you get the urge. ;)
Anyway, today I found the following Meme on his blog, and thought I'd like to answer it, so here goes.
1. What is your name? Dawn, and Alba when I lived in Sicily. I miss the nickname, but I feel silly using it here.
2. How old are you? 43, which seemed incredibly old ten years ago and seems fairly young now.
3. Where are you from? That is a hard to answer question. I have grown up so in many places, lived in so many others where I felt very at home. I currently live in the mountains of NM, so I claim that, and I feel at home here. Is that an answer?
4. Do you smoke? Not for many years, and I am so glad I quit.
5. Do you drink? Yes, sometimes moderately and responsibly, at other times I over do it some. Most of the time not much.
6. Do you have a family? Please explain, if yes. Yep. Big family, Myself, my hunny Brian, and our five kids together, Logan, Keri, Mitchel, Patrick, David.
7. What are your hobbies? Photography, Design, Reading, Writing, Gardening, My pets. (Three dogs, a cat a ferret, eleven chickens and a turkey.)
8. What is your favorite ice cream? Hmmm, depending on my mood, something with caramel and buts, or a raspberry sorbet.
9. What is your favorite animal? Felines in general. I love cats, of the domesticated and wild variety.
10. Do you wear glasses? No, but I should.
11. What nationality are your ancestors from? I have some Irish, some German, some English, some Hispanic, some Native American, and those are the ones I know of for sure.
12. What color is your hair? Reddish brown. No gray so far. (Hurrah!)
13. What are you wearing now? Long Johns, sweat pants, a turtle neck and a red sweater over the top. I am cold, and this is what was clean this morning.
14. What is your favorite color? If I am wearing it, I like black, though I love all earth colors. If I am paiting a room I like creamed coffee or something like it. Mellow and soothing. If It is about being outside I love bright green and blues. If I am dressing a model, I am obsessed with red.
15. What teacher do you remember most from your childhood? In high school I had Betty McKiethan, for art. She influenced me in ways that still impact me. Also Mrs. Smith, for History, who gave me a love for all things in the world, and a hunger to always know more.
16. What are your pets and their names? Dogs: Rua, Ziggy, Luke. Cat: Willow. Ferret: Momo. Chickens: Dixie, Daisy, Rosie, (the rest don't have names yet.) And my turkey Hagar.
17. What is your favorite food? I love food, and there are no favorites. But I enjoy spicy stuff, hot stuff, good sauces and unusual combinations. Most things international, and thing that challenges my pallet. :)
18. What is your job? I do a lot. Too much ;) I am full time Office manager for a mechanical insulation company, I own a photography business which I do about 20 hours a week, I am a co-owner of a IT consulting company, a board member at the New Mexico Art League, and a volunteer for the Albuquerque Animal Shelter. :)
Now, I need to get back to work. Hehe....
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Cloverfield
I am a big fan of Sci-Fi movies, End of the World genre flicks, and sometimes good Horror movies. When I first saw the trailor I knew I wanted to see Cloverfield. However, after reading some reviews of it on IMDB, (careful reading some of these reviews there are lots of spoilers), I changed my mind. It sounded too disjointed, and like something that might cause me to walk away with a headache and motion sickness, something I am not willing to pay the price of a theater ticket for.My kids, however, made a big deal about seeing it, and I found myself interested again, so I saw it today. I am not in the habit of doing movie reviews, but my preconceived notions about whether I'd like Cloverfield or not were so off base, I felt like I ought to post something.
The premise of the movie is that a group of people are throwing a going away party for one of their friends in New York City. One of the guys is given the job of recording the revelers, and so becomes the mode in which we see the rest of the movie, through the lens of his personal video camera.
This does mean that there is a lot of jolted, jerky scenes, and when I say a lot, I mean almost every frame. (Reminds me of when I first started using my own home video camera, I can hardly stand to watch some of these old movies because they are so badly done). Though Cloverfield obviously and intentionally makes the film bouncy and often hard to follow, it works well for the story being told here. If it were too smooth, you would not be able to believe these characters are running in terror, in fear for their own lives.
Though the cast, (Michael Stahl-David as Robert Hawkins, T. J. Miller as Hudson "Hud" Platt, Jessica Lucas as Lily Ford, Odette Yustman as Elizabeth "Beth" McIntyre, Lizzy Caplan as Marlena Diamond, Mike Vogel as Jason "Hawk" Hawkins) are not big name actors, they deliver a well executed performance. The dialog both before and during the monster attacks serves to connect you to the characters and give the sense that they might be people you know.
This is not a feel good movie, if you're looking for one you might want to check out something else. But this was, for me, surprisingly believable, and I might even like to watch it again. If my review were to count for anything, I'd give Cloverfield two thumbs up. :)
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Rough Week (s)
It's been a hectic week or two. If it could go wrong, it has gone wrong. We ran out of propane, which is both how we cook and heat our home, about a week ago. Several days before that our car was involved in a six car collision in the canyon just outside of Albuquerque (driver hydroplaned on ice and crossed over the median head-on into traffic. Brian was in the car, and had no injuries, but it totaled the car.) Two days later we ran out of Propane at the office, and the propane company said they were out of propane and it would be a week before they got any in. I borrowed my mothers car, which has no heat, and so I have been suffering in the cold more than a bit. (We can't afford to fill the tank at hoe until we fix my car situation, not enough money to go all the way around.
In short, it has been a difficult week or so.
I find myself fearful at all this talk of recession, thinking that if things are hard now, how bad it could become if the economy were to take a nose dive.
Even so, I am not good at focusing on problems. Call it optimism or Ostrich Syndrome, but it seems pointless to dwell on what you can't change right now.
I have been enjoying the company of my eldest son, Logan, who has been home for a couple of days sharing transportation with me. My youngest isn't as social with me, but he's doing pretty good in school, and has been developing a more grown up personality. Coming into his own, so to say. It's fun to watch.
I have an itch to do a photo session, so hopefully soon I'll have more to share in that area, until then, it all good wishes to all of my friends out there. :)
In short, it has been a difficult week or so.
I find myself fearful at all this talk of recession, thinking that if things are hard now, how bad it could become if the economy were to take a nose dive.
Even so, I am not good at focusing on problems. Call it optimism or Ostrich Syndrome, but it seems pointless to dwell on what you can't change right now.
I have been enjoying the company of my eldest son, Logan, who has been home for a couple of days sharing transportation with me. My youngest isn't as social with me, but he's doing pretty good in school, and has been developing a more grown up personality. Coming into his own, so to say. It's fun to watch.
I have an itch to do a photo session, so hopefully soon I'll have more to share in that area, until then, it all good wishes to all of my friends out there. :)
Friday, January 11, 2008
Find of the Day
Okay, so I didn't find this today, but I am sharing it with you today.
Freecycle is a great idea, an I joined it a few weeks ago. I found it through a friend initially a couple of years ago, but never joined because... uh well, I don't know why.
Anyway, here is a brief history of Freecycle as found on their website at Freecycle.org:
"On May 1st, 2003, Deron Beal sent out the first e-mail announcing The Freecycle Network™ to about 30 or 40 friends and a handful of nonprofits in Tucson, Arizona. At the time Deron founded The Freecycle Network, he worked with a small nonprofit organization, RISE, which provides recycling services to downtown businesses and transitional employment to Tucsonans in need.
As the team recycled, rather than watching perfectly good items being thrown away, they found themselves calling or driving around to see if various local nonprofits could use them. Thinking there had to be an easier way, Beal set up that first Freecycle e-mail group in a way that permitted everyone in Tucson to give and to get. Freecycle was off and running.
The Freecycle concept has since spread to over 75 countries, where there are thousands of local groups representing millions of of members -- people helping people and "changing the world one gift at a time." As a result, we are currently keeping over 300 tons a day out of landfills! This amounts to four times the height of Mt. Everest in the past year alone, when stacked in garbage trucks!
By giving freely with no strings attached, members of The Freecycle Network help instill a sense of generosity of spirit as they strengthen local community ties and promote environmental sustainability and reuse. People from all walks of life have joined together to turn trash into treasure."
I happened to find two groups in my area, one in Albuquerque and one in the East Mountain area. I joined both, but find myself contributing mostly to the Albuquerque Freecycle group because that is where I spend most of my time.
So far I have found a home for a bunch of books, some clothes, toys and blankets, counter tops and a sink, vertical blinds, and a few other items. I have picked up some winter coats, a wood burning stove, and a Christmas tree stand. I have seen everything from piano's and televisions to cans of stray buttons offered. I simply can't get over it.
It's handy, it's easy, and it does good for everyone: the environment, my family, and anyone who participates. Can't beat it.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
My Son Likes Zombies
So I saved a link to a website with a short story about zombies, because it's hilarious , and somehow touching, if you like Zombies.
In case you like zombies as well, I thought I'd share the link with you. Even if you don't care for zombies, it's an interesting read. :)
I AM A ZOMBIE FILLED WITH LOVE
Find of the Day
I am one of those people who constantly reminisce about "the good old days". Back when people had manners, what you ate was what you thought you were eating, and there was no question about whether burning the American flag was okay or not.
But like many people, I have new age senility. I forget sometimes with though so much might have gone wrong with the world in the past decades, so much has also gone right. The advance of health and technology, human equality and rights are on the rise, and of course the internet.
It's little ads like the ones I found today, the following being an example, that remind me that the Good old days weren't necessarily better in all respects, just different. There are some things I miss from way back when (like cleaner air) and there are things I don't miss (see the ads for more examples.)
Can you name ten things you liked about the good old days, and ten things you don't miss at all?
But like many people, I have new age senility. I forget sometimes with though so much might have gone wrong with the world in the past decades, so much has also gone right. The advance of health and technology, human equality and rights are on the rise, and of course the internet.
It's little ads like the ones I found today, the following being an example, that remind me that the Good old days weren't necessarily better in all respects, just different. There are some things I miss from way back when (like cleaner air) and there are things I don't miss (see the ads for more examples.)
Can you name ten things you liked about the good old days, and ten things you don't miss at all?
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Giving a Little of Yourself :)
Are you lining up your New Year resolutions? Have room for an extra one that will cost you nothing, do a ton of good, and take mere seconds? Pick one of the causes below, make it your home page, and click the "Click Here to Give -- It's Free Button". It costs nothing, and every click counts toward donations from sponsors.
I've been doing it for about three months now, I don't even notice it anymore, and the feeling of knowing I am doing something (even something as tiny as "clicking") it a nice one. :)
Hunger
Breast Cancer
Child health
Literacy
Rain Forest
Animal Rescue
BTW, each topic also has some great items in the store, and your purchases also fund each cause. It's a win - win situation!
Sunday, January 06, 2008
When Professionals Can't be Professional
This man drives me nuts.
He has always seemed to me to be insincere and full of himself. This perception was only heightened when I heard that he had visited Brittany Spears (without her request) and then gone on public television to let all of the watching world to know about the visit and his opinions of the matter:
"My meeting with Britney and some family members this morning in her room at Cedars leaves me convinced more than ever that she is in dire need of both medical and psychological intervention," McGraw told the programs.
"She was released moments before my arrival and was packing when I entered the room. We visited for about an hour before I walked with her to her car. I am very concerned for her," he said.
If I were Spears or her family I would be beyond upset that this "professional" was spewing my personal information to the public without any justifiable cause. Does he think talking about confidential patient information on television will make her better?
Now, I am not defending Brittany Spears. She evidently has plenty of issues that need addressing. But the paparazzi hounding her surely hasn't helped any, and I can't see that having "Doctor Phil" visit and then talk about her disparagingly on television hasn't made her more willing to seek professional help.
**Update: I found this link: Gallery of the Absurd. It succinctly mirrors my own feelings about Hollywood.
Friday, January 04, 2008
Last Photos of the Old Year
I ended 2008 on a good note, with a photography session with a gorgeous model and good friend of mine Maria Erikson. She's from England, though she travels so much I imagine she feels at home just about anywhere. Visiting the states again for about a month, Maria chose to spend the holiday with my family and I, which was a treat for everyone. She has a wonderful and winning personality and she fit right in as if she'd always been there. I only hope my rowdy family didn't make her wish she'd stayed in England. ;)
The day after Christmas Maria, Crystal (who has moved to Idaho and was also visiting for the holiday) popped in the car and drove to the top of the mountain and took photographs. Most of them are nudes, or close enough to being nudes, so I am not posting them here. But I have one head shot I'll share with you, and when I have a gallery up where you can see the rest of them I'll make a link for those of you who might want to see them.
Here's the Photo:
The day after Christmas Maria, Crystal (who has moved to Idaho and was also visiting for the holiday) popped in the car and drove to the top of the mountain and took photographs. Most of them are nudes, or close enough to being nudes, so I am not posting them here. But I have one head shot I'll share with you, and when I have a gallery up where you can see the rest of them I'll make a link for those of you who might want to see them.
Here's the Photo:
It's not my favorite, but I like it all the same, the backlighting particularly. Maria is a great model, very experienced and lots of fun to work with. I met her through One Model Place when I hired her for a day, and we hit it off. Lucky me. :)
Stumbling Around
I am one of millions of people who signed up for StumbleUpon , a toolbar that is added to your Firefox or Explorer toolbar so that you can "Channel surf the internet ... to find great websites, videos, photos and more based on your interests. "
A friend turned me on to StumbleUpon (Thanks Tim!) and I have been addicted to it ever since (Not so much thanks Tim! lol!)
I am not kidding when I say addicted. I spend a great portion of my internet time (which is no small amount, but I won't divulge the hours, since that would qualify me for ridicule) on StumbleUpon, which has become more than a toy for me, but a true tool which helps me find what I am looking for more efficiently, among other things.
Today, however, I have been simply playing around.
I Stumbled on a site called The Scribbler, another wonderful contribution from Zefrank.com The title is very self descriptive. You get a small white space in which you can draw a simple or complicated image, and then you click a button that says "Start Scribbler". Then it scribbles your image into a fun piece of art. There are some basic setting changes you can make to The Scribbler, such as color, line width and opacity. But basically it is a matter of drawing an image that The Scribbler can convert to a... well, scribble.
Here's my scribbles for the day:
You should drop on over to The Scribbler and try doing one of your own :) If you do, send me links, I'd love to see what you've come up with!
A friend turned me on to StumbleUpon (Thanks Tim!) and I have been addicted to it ever since (Not so much thanks Tim! lol!)
I am not kidding when I say addicted. I spend a great portion of my internet time (which is no small amount, but I won't divulge the hours, since that would qualify me for ridicule) on StumbleUpon, which has become more than a toy for me, but a true tool which helps me find what I am looking for more efficiently, among other things.
Today, however, I have been simply playing around.
I Stumbled on a site called The Scribbler, another wonderful contribution from Zefrank.com The title is very self descriptive. You get a small white space in which you can draw a simple or complicated image, and then you click a button that says "Start Scribbler". Then it scribbles your image into a fun piece of art. There are some basic setting changes you can make to The Scribbler, such as color, line width and opacity. But basically it is a matter of drawing an image that The Scribbler can convert to a... well, scribble.
Here's my scribbles for the day:
You should drop on over to The Scribbler and try doing one of your own :) If you do, send me links, I'd love to see what you've come up with!
Friday, October 12, 2007
Out for awhile
Not like I am "In" too much, but this is notice I will be "Out". I was diagnosed this summer with a uterine problem that could cause me some long term health issues, and I have already been sick off and on for the best part of two years. We've agreed that having a hysterectomy will be the best thing for my health, and I will be going in on the 15th of this month.
So if you haven't seen me for awhile... I haven't died. ;)
To keep you busy while I am gone, here's some fun, free, and safe for your computer online games to play. :) Think of me if you're having fun!
Assorted Fun Games (addictive)
Arcade Games
So if you haven't seen me for awhile... I haven't died. ;)
To keep you busy while I am gone, here's some fun, free, and safe for your computer online games to play. :) Think of me if you're having fun!
Assorted Fun Games (addictive)
Arcade Games
Thursday, September 06, 2007
"Fallen"
Well, as promised here is one of the images from today';s shoot.
It's titled "Fallen".
Not my fave, but my faves all have too much nudity for my blog. ;)
It was a productive day, which is the best I can say at the end of any day.
The Anatomy of a Photo Shoot
I go to extremes when I am doing shoots, spending way too much money, making costumes, investing in make-up and other supplies. I rarely, if ever, recoup my money from the shoots. But that's okay, I love doing it. So, for now, that's enough.
Crystal, (my friend and assistant) and I have been planning a shoot for over a month now with a model from Arizona. This shoot was to be a nude, and we decided to go all out on the props. It didn't work out as I had expected, but I have so far found the results to be satisfying anyway.
The first thing we did was to collect about 15 dead trees and sink them in a plaster base so they would stand on their own. No easy task in itself. For this shoot, the studio area was one quarter of my fiancé's warehouse. We set up boxes and ladders, and attached two backdrops high and low.
Next we laid a flooring of carpet padding, and set the trees where we wanted them. Added some sprigs of wild grass, and sprinkled the whole set liberally with plaster.
Then we set up our lights, and added homemade diffusers. (I was not happy with the lighting setup, or my diffusers. Add something else to the shopping list please.)
Below are some photos of the setup as we were working on it. I'll post some images later tonight when I get them done ;)
Crystal, (my friend and assistant) and I have been planning a shoot for over a month now with a model from Arizona. This shoot was to be a nude, and we decided to go all out on the props. It didn't work out as I had expected, but I have so far found the results to be satisfying anyway.
The first thing we did was to collect about 15 dead trees and sink them in a plaster base so they would stand on their own. No easy task in itself. For this shoot, the studio area was one quarter of my fiancé's warehouse. We set up boxes and ladders, and attached two backdrops high and low.
Next we laid a flooring of carpet padding, and set the trees where we wanted them. Added some sprigs of wild grass, and sprinkled the whole set liberally with plaster.
Then we set up our lights, and added homemade diffusers. (I was not happy with the lighting setup, or my diffusers. Add something else to the shopping list please.)
Below are some photos of the setup as we were working on it. I'll post some images later tonight when I get them done ;)
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Raising Poultry
I am an old fashioned farm girl at heart, I always have been. I love the outdoors, hard work, animals, anything homey.
I started raising chickens last year, but had some disasters in the form of neighborhood animals and lost the lot. This year I lost quite a few due to my own pet, so we went to a great deal of trouble of building a poultry pen in the back yard near an existing shed which we are in the process of converting into a hen house.
This is the pen from the front, behind me is our house. (Excuse the yard, it's messy and still a a work in progress.)
What I like about it's positioning is that while the birds get lots of full sunlight during the day, there is also plenty of shelter on both sides for winter months and summer storms.
Inside the pen we've cut a hole leading into the hen house, with a shelter covering the low ramp and a bale of hay to provide additional wind reprieve.
The younger chicks tend to hang out under the ramp at the moment.
From the inside the doorway looks like this:
We need to enlarge it a bit for the Turkey we've just acquired.
We are still working on the inside of the shed to make it a poultry palace. :) It's still got a few of my things in it, but we have plans to build nesting boxes and install permanent heat lamps.
The area seen at the top of the hen house in the photo above as well as the one below are actually covered in thick Plexiglas which allows some ambient light, but no drafts.
These are the temporary shelves for the birds to roost on, but we are building better roosts in the next couple of weeks.
The light is movable, and far enough away from the smaller birds as not to overheat them or cause a fire. It encourages them to all come inside after dark, as well as providing the needed heat until they are fully feathered out.
The turkey hasn't shown much inclination toward social activity so far, though he isn't afraid of being handled. I think he is still traumatized from being separated from his flock. I have no experience in raising Turkeys so far, so I am reading up like crazy and worry like a mother hen. (pardon the pun.)
I also acquired two new Chickens yesterday, but I don't know what breed they are yet. Love their floppy heads. :) These guys wouldn't roost inside, I hope they change their minds come cold weather.
Overall I am a happy chick...(pun again) I have my little bitty corner farm-like area, and I'm as pleased as pie. ;)
I started raising chickens last year, but had some disasters in the form of neighborhood animals and lost the lot. This year I lost quite a few due to my own pet, so we went to a great deal of trouble of building a poultry pen in the back yard near an existing shed which we are in the process of converting into a hen house.
This is the pen from the front, behind me is our house. (Excuse the yard, it's messy and still a a work in progress.)
What I like about it's positioning is that while the birds get lots of full sunlight during the day, there is also plenty of shelter on both sides for winter months and summer storms.
Inside the pen we've cut a hole leading into the hen house, with a shelter covering the low ramp and a bale of hay to provide additional wind reprieve.
The younger chicks tend to hang out under the ramp at the moment.
From the inside the doorway looks like this:
We need to enlarge it a bit for the Turkey we've just acquired.
We are still working on the inside of the shed to make it a poultry palace. :) It's still got a few of my things in it, but we have plans to build nesting boxes and install permanent heat lamps.
The area seen at the top of the hen house in the photo above as well as the one below are actually covered in thick Plexiglas which allows some ambient light, but no drafts.
These are the temporary shelves for the birds to roost on, but we are building better roosts in the next couple of weeks.
The light is movable, and far enough away from the smaller birds as not to overheat them or cause a fire. It encourages them to all come inside after dark, as well as providing the needed heat until they are fully feathered out.
The turkey hasn't shown much inclination toward social activity so far, though he isn't afraid of being handled. I think he is still traumatized from being separated from his flock. I have no experience in raising Turkeys so far, so I am reading up like crazy and worry like a mother hen. (pardon the pun.)
I also acquired two new Chickens yesterday, but I don't know what breed they are yet. Love their floppy heads. :) These guys wouldn't roost inside, I hope they change their minds come cold weather.
Overall I am a happy chick...(pun again) I have my little bitty corner farm-like area, and I'm as pleased as pie. ;)
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