Her World Captured

moving! (again)

2011-05-21T06:47:00.001-07:00

okay, so I am moving yet again and hopefully this will be my last cybermove for quite awhile. I have a lot planned for this new blog, so keep checking back for more! :)

Click here to visit my new blog!

Valentine's Scrooge

2011-02-08T14:11:00.001-08:00

147, originally uploaded by beag1e94.

As I write this, I am on my way to the beach with my grandparents. We just got out of Walmart and boy was it a madhouse… we nearly ran a few folks over with the buggy. Of course, that could have been my grandma’s crazy buggy driving… hehe, just kidding!
Walmart is so chock full of Valentine’s merchandise now, it’s rather sickening. A whole aisle of pink and red frilly disgustingness. No offense to those of you who adore naked babies who shoot people and overdosing on sugar with enough red #40 dye to give an elephant a sugar rush.
I really don’t have a problem with the commercialism of it all, actually. You’ve probably read a post about this from me before, but my only real problem with Valentine’s day is the pressure. It’s a breeding ground (no pun intended) for expectation, disappointment, and broken hearts. Not to mention it greatly highlights my least favorite color, pink. Yuck.
maybe I'm just doomed to be a scrooge about holidays in general. sigh.

We long for belonging

2011-02-03T10:02:00.001-08:00

130, originally uploaded by beag1e94.

My grandma’s china is blue and white and makes me think of cuddling up in one of her hand crocheted blankets with a bowl of her amazing scrambled eggs and a really, really good book to read. Oh how I love this china.

Isn’t it funny how the simplest of things can make us think of home? Not where-we-live home, but where-we-belong home? I’m not sure where my home is any more. Whenever I see blue and white together, I think of my grandma and grandpa’s home. Whenever I eat cafeteria food or smell pine needles, I think of my camp home. And when I wake up before everyone else and have a few moments to quietly enjoy a cup of coffee, I think of where I live now.

I could feel all broken up and unsure of my identity and have a messed up sense of belonging. That’s how I imagine some people like this feel. But I don’t feel that way at all. Instead I feel so lucky to have so many places I do belong.

It’s all pretty lovely. : )

Salvation Soapbox: Part 2

2011-02-01T14:07:00.001-08:00

112wm, originally uploaded by beag1e94.

I believe that when we cry, God isn’t up in heaven watching us cry and catching our tears in a little treasure bottle so he can check that off his to-do list of promises to fulfill. No. I believe that when we cry, he’s right there with us, crying twice as hard. He hurts for us because he loves us. He knows our pain because he knows us better than we know ourselves.

And when we laugh, I like to think he’s feeling our joy in his heart, pulling at his cheeks and making him laugh too. He’s right there with us in the good, the bad, the ugly. He doesn’t want to see us hurt because he loves us so deeply and entirely and perfectly that seeing us unhappy troubles him. He never wanted us to sin, he never wanted anything bad to ever happen to us. But he knew that there had to be a possibility, otherwise we’d all be as good as robots. That’s the reason behind the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God wanted us to choose to love him, because that’s the only way true love will happen.

And we failed. We fail each and every day.

So then he gave us another shot. He really doesn’t want us to hurt. He doesn’t want us to mess up, he doesn’t want us to be sad, he doesn’t want us to sin. But we do. God doesn’t need our love, he created us because he loves so much that he wanted something to love. He is love. He wanted something to give a tiny fraction of himself to.

One reason he created us is because he enjoys us. He loves us so much that he had a son with Mary, the only offspring he has had and possibly will ever have… I’m not sure if God plans on ever having more children… hmm… and since Jesus was perfect, like God, he was the perfect atonement for our sins. So God let his only son be brutally murdered in the place of us, as a sacrifice to give us another shot at a relationship with our father.

Amazing, isn’t it?

Salvation Soap Box: part one

2011-01-29T14:15:00.001-08:00

117wm, originally uploaded by beag1e94.

I still believe God is good, I still believe he’s real, I still love him like crazy. But that doesn’t make me hurt any less, it doesn’t make me feel the least bit better and it doesn’t solve my problems. People are always saying the only thing that can truly solve your problems is God, but I think that’s not exactly right. Or at least it can give the wrong impression.

You see, saying that makes people think that God is the magic cure to everything. Once you pray that magical prayer, you’ll get that job, you’ll get straight A’s, you won’t cry another tear and no one will ever be mean to you again. That is, unfortunately, very wrong. Horribly wrong. Take it from a girl who would know, God doesn’t solve all of your Earthly problems. That is to say, he doesn’t make them go away with the wave of an enchanted wand.

And yet, he is still the answer.

Sometimes, he chooses to let us squirm and be uncomfortable. He’s not a get out of jail free card, we would never learn that way. But he never leaves us. He promises he will never forsake us, and what accepting Jesus does is take care of us in the long run. The bible tells us that when we get to heaven, whatever happened to us on Earth will seem as fleeting as a dream.

Stay tuned for part two…

mine

2011-01-27T14:44:00.000-08:00

This song was stuck in my head today so I decided to make a lil picture for it :)

black and white

2011-01-06T19:35:00.001-08:00

bottle, originally uploaded by beag1e94.

Dear my darling stranger,
sometimes I wish life was as simple as these photos I took the other day. I know that'd get terribly boring, but good gracious. Eventually, all the complexities of life explode in your face and right and wrong isn't straightforward, black and white, yes or no.

you grow up a bit, realize things aren't as simple as you hoped they were when you were little, and move along through life.

I see other people's lives and I think to myself, what have they been through? Everyone's had something awful happen to them at some point. Big or small, it changes them. It leaves a print on their life. It's up to them to decide what to nurture in themselves, bitterness or wisdom.

here's to a new beginning.

2011-01-01T19:13:00.001-08:00

373edit, originally uploaded by beag1e94.

well, today is one, one, eleven. happy new year!
So far this year seems promising. I stayed up until 5am this morning with a group of my friends from camp... such fun!

and Thursday night I was feeling artsy, so I lit up 2 sparklers and shot a bunch of pictures of them. tada! not fantastic, especially the second one... but BOY are they fun to photograph! I think if I can find some good clearance sparklers I'll stock up and try and take some pictures with them.

I also kinda want to have fun with some christmas lights... not sure what to do with them, though... hmm

eleven sixteen

2010-12-23T15:55:00.001-08:00

eleven sixteen, originally uploaded by beag1e94.

well folks, it's Christmas Eve Eve and unfortunately I have been spotty in my posting yet again. *sigh*
But, this time I do have a fairly good excuse, though I can't go into much detail about it. In simplest of terms my life has grown complicated in the past few weeks.
So unfortunately, nothing much is dependable lately as far as my schedule goes, and as a result, my blogging will likely be rather sporadic. Of course, you’re probably not surprised… I’m a bit of a nomad in the blog world as it is.
But on another subject, I do have quite a lot of happy things to post about. I don’t remember if I told you in a previous post or not, but I spent about ten days with my family up north this past week, celebrating Christmas and being subject to my grandfather’s “Algebra Bootcamp” as he called it. My other grandfather took me to a camera shop last Saturday and bought me a set of lens extension tubes… such fun and so many possibilities. I had some fun experimenting with them today and will post my results hopefully in the next few days.
Anyway. Merry Christmas to you all, if I don’t get around to posting before Saturday I hope you find that you get everything you wished for, sing lots of carols and drink an extra glass of egg nog for me!

Salt & Light

2010-12-05T20:28:00.001-08:00

Salt & Light, originally uploaded by beag1e94.

1 - I had coffee pretty much every day for about two or three weeks... I wasn't terribly addicted to the caffiene, but I was still going through the classic withdrawal symptoms. My new technique? Willpower, Ibuprofen, and Hot Chocolate to help with the need for a hot beverage in this chilly weather. If you suck it up and resign yourself to feeling like crap for a few days, you're good as new just like that! Nifty Nifty Nifty.

2 - speaking of hot cocoa... I think I will try making some from scratch sometime this week using this recipe.

3 - Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop - Landon Pigg is a lovely song, especially this time of year.

4 - also check out Naturally 7's Tennebaum and Pachelbel Canon in D... AMAZINGNESS!!!!

5 - Did you know that in ghost prisons they will sometimes repeatedly play Metallica, the Meow Mix song, and the Barney song to "torture" terrorists into talking? which brings me to another little soapbox... if you listen to the How Stuff Works podcast on ghost prisons, US "torture" methods aren't really torture at all. sure, it's certainly not pleasant to go through, but compared to what other countries do? we let folks off pretty easy. and my definition of torture is when you have no choice but to go through it. there is always a way out for these guys... all they have to do is talk and it's over. *steps off of soapbox*

6 - check out this guy's art!

7 - salt & light. the picture is my photographic take on it :)

black spray paint, some nature, and a garbage bag

2010-11-28T19:24:00.001-08:00

339, originally uploaded by beag1e94.

well, it's seven things Sunday once again and I'm finally posting it on an actual, honest-to-goodness Sunday! woot woot.
but first, about my photo: The other day I was in an artsy mood, so I put on my bleach painted wings shirt which I have now deemed my artsy shirt, only to be worn while doing artsy things, and spray painted some nature black, slapped it on a white garbage bag, and shot away. unprofessional, I know, but lots of fun!
Moving right along, The theme today is catalogues. I don't know about you, but I'd much rather spend Black Friday with a mess of catalogues and websites to browse than battling endless lines at 5am.

1 - Friday this lovely catalogue came in the mail... it's called Chiasso. It's mostly decorating and design stuff, along with some nifty little novelty items included. And wonderful wall art! Oh I could just drool.

2 - Urban Outfitters is another great one. Great clothes, beautiful catalogue chock full of beautiful artsy pictures... delightful.

3 - Hearthsong has been a favorite of mine for quite some time. I remember looking at all the stuff in it when I was little, picking out which toys I liked best. It's full of great toys and games and all things kid-friendly, all very well-made. The company is very supportive of spending time as a family and is great for folks who want to get wholesome gifts for kids.

4 - Here is one of my mom's favorites: Knit Picks. Probably the greatest knitting catalogue ever. Nuf said.

5 - This is one I haven't yet gotten... I just subscribed tonight. It is a free photography magazine called Rangefinder. guess we'll see how it is!

6 - Whitley's is always lovely.

7 - Once again, I can't think of a seventh. How about you readers? Any of you all have some fantastic catalogue or magazine you'd like to share?

The $1 can of spray paint

2010-11-27T19:36:00.001-08:00

spray painted t-shirt, originally uploaded by beag1e94.

This is another shirt I did with a $1 can of spray paint and an image from the web that I monkeyed with a little bit and defined enough to use as a stencil. Tada!

time for another letter to my dear anonymous!

Dear Anonymous,
happy Thanksgiving! I hope it was wonderful for you.
about the cooking school: It's a book by Martha Stewart. Excellent, I definitely suggest checking it out to any level chef.
I've never done one of those placemats... but I may try it out soon! Who cares if it's elementary school stuff, I can still pretend I'm a kid in elementary school and have loads of fun ironing leaves between waxed paper! Back then I always told myself that when I was big enough to weild the iron or gluegun or whatever all by myself I'd make stuff all day and do all kinds of beautiful things. Or like when I was little, I'd see a toy or something that I liked and tell myself that I'd buy it when I was older and had a job and lots of money. But then interests change and we never get back to it. *sigh* I still buy myself a little doodad nothing toy once in a blue moon... almost like a homage to little kid-ness. And to entertain myself. Haha.
Anyway. I'm rambling. My life has just been busy with get-togethers, working at camp, spending weekends with friends... lots of fun :)
I do like my parents. We hang out a lot. They are not only my parents but also my dear friends. I am truly blessed.

pomegranite soda

2010-11-26T17:59:00.001-08:00

pomegranite soda, originally uploaded by beag1e94.

So how was everyone's Thanksgiving? Did you stuff yourselves to bursting with of all that turkeymashedpotatoestuffingpumpkinpiecranberrysaucegravygreenbeancassaroleamazingness? I know I sure did. :)
I put the Christmas tree up today! I decided to just load it with everything that would fit. I used to not do that for fear of making it look too cluttered. But this time I threw that all out the window. What the heck? Christmas is only once a year. If it'll make it more enjoyable, then the brighter, gaudier, and more ornament-laden the tree the better! Here's to enjoying this holiday season to the fullest. I am no longer a scrooge.

seven things

2010-11-24T19:45:00.001-08:00

first bleach painting endeavor, originally uploaded by beag1e94.

1 - I tried bleach painting last Friday after seeing some incredible stuff from Derek Bones. (Disclaimer: All I looked at on his page were his bleached clothing... I don't know about the rest of the site, so if you come across something disturbing I do apologize!) My result wasn't quite so stunning, but I'm pleased for my first attempt.

2 - Threadbanger is a great site. I just started watching some of their project podcasts... I'm not much into sewing, but it's pretty nifty stuff. I could get into this...

3 - Discovered Matt Wertz this week. I like his style, it reminds me a bit of a Jack Johnson/Joshua Radin fusion, along with a little of The Fray tossed in? Some flavor I don't quite recognize... But whatever it is, I like it.

4 - peanut butter on raw green peppers. sounds gross, but it is absolutely wonderful.

5 - Go listen to the Numa Numa song, Peanut Butter Jelly Time, and the Gummy Bear song. you will then get a taste of what my summer sounded like :) oh how I miss those days.

6 - In my southern state we have been having crazy, not-Thanksgivingy-at-all weather... yesterday it was in the 70s!!

7 - Happy Thanksgiving-Eve, everyone! What are you thankful for?

reading between the lines

2010-11-19T14:31:00.001-08:00

13, originally uploaded by beag1e94.

Ok. I try not to rant on this blog.

But I've noticed a trend among bloggers which I find terribly irritating at times. Maybe you've noticed it too.

What I've discovered is that many bloggers seem to overromanticize their lives on occasion, making us all jealous of their perfect lives and perfect days. If you don't know what I'm talking about, maybe this will help:

What you read:
Had the most wonderful thunderstorm today! I plunked down on my porch and watched, and despite getting soaked through and through it was so worth it. I love a good thunderstorm.

The real story:
I was trying to enjoy a nice sunny afternoon reading today, but as my luck would have it I got a thunderstorm. I nearly got struck by lightening, a book I spent too much on got soaked and ruined, and I got soaked as well. I am now battling a monstrous cold, but I'm still trying to sound happy because that's what readers want.

(I'm totally making these examples up, by the way)

I realize all y'all blog readers don't want to read a blog of despair. I'm guilty of sugarcoating a bit too. But cmon, people. Let's talk about real life, here.

*steps off of soapbox*

Dear anonymous...

2010-11-18T09:07:00.001-08:00

82, originally uploaded by beag1e94.

I have recieved some lovely comments from you guys lately, and as I like to give y'all the priviledge of giving no information at all when you comment, I will be answering the anonymous comments/questions on my blog. This may become an ongoing section if you guys oblige... ;) Ask me questions, tell me about yourself, tell me your whole life story, if you're in the mood... I love talking to y'all :)

so anyway. this post is for an anonymous comment I recieved recently.

Dear anonymous,
first off, I dedicate this picture to you, because I think you'll appreciate the beautiful leaves we've had in my southern state... they keep getting more and more beautiful! And I just loved how they looked on the hood of the car.
I am so glad my pumpkin brightened your day! haha, he was so much fun to make and I confess I got the giggles every time I saw him smiling up at me from the front porch. He's such a happy vegetable.
As far as the ipod goes, a few people have asked me how I like it, so I'm going to do a review post later this week... maybe tomorrow.
I'm sorry, I must have forgotten to paste the hyperlink! The magazine is called

long time no blog

2010-11-18T08:54:00.001-08:00

93edit, originally uploaded by beag1e94.

Hello, folks!
I apologize for the long spacing between posts... my weekends have been a little crazy lately and I'm trying to balance schoolwork and social life, along with the fact that I just have so many fantastic books to read lately!

So, all that said, I apologize, my dear readers.

This past weekend I spent with a dear friend of mine... she was celebrating her eighteenth birthday, so we went and saw Megamind and afterwards lured her to her surprise party :) Then I spent the night and visited their church, which I must say was a great church. Many nice people and a great mission statement. It's all about love, which is kind of my life mission statement... but that's a topic for another post.

I have also come across Martha Stewart's Cooking School which is fantastic for anyone (like me) who only knows the most basic of basics about cooking and wants to learn how to prepare pretty much anything and everything imagineable.

And since I got my itouch I have been quite enjoying the how stuff works podcast... I'm learning quite a bit. :)

It's November?

2010-11-02T15:33:00.001-07:00

pumpkin, originally uploaded by beag1e94.

Sorry this is late... :P

1. This is the pumpkin I carved Saturday in the crazy beautiful weather! In my Sunny Southern State we had a beautiful, cloudless and crisp Halloween weekend! :)
2. I have recieved oh so many (ok, five. But for me that's a lot.) lovely comments this week! I must tell you all, I am quite fond of your encouraging words and intruiging inquiries. (good grief, I'm in an annunciative - is that even a word? - mood today)
So in response, I must say: My friendship bracelet means love and the faithfulness of and to dear friends. and familiarity. My wrists feel a bit naked without them, they look much better with the bracelets on them, so I suppose they also symbolize how friends have a way of enhancing your good qualities.

There are definitely som regrets I have about my past, but I wouldn't take any of it back. The misfortunes and bad decisions I've made ultimately caused me to mature and learn as a person.

And... really? you think? d'awww... thanks :) I've thought about selling my stuff before, but I always hesitate because I think, well shoot. There are so many amazing photographers out there. But maybe I'll look into it.

3. Slam Dunk has been keeping up with my blog for awhile now... He always has something interesting and/or encouraging to say. Check him out!
4. My friend introduced me to this magazine last night... ohhhhh beautiful artsy magic.
5. I'm finally doing it. Tomorrow I am getting an Ipod touch 4th generation. That'll be my first ipod ever. Hehe, I'm excited :)
6. The Harry Potter movie comes out this month!!! AAAAH!!! I plan on going to the midnight showing.
7. Blending into Technique Tuesday, here's water photography. I like. Plus, there's incentive, although to tell the truth I don't buy that global warming environmental balogna.

much love <3

2010-10-24T19:33:00.001-07:00

329, originally uploaded by beag1e94.

1 - Check out Lynda Naranjo's blog... so beautiful and dreamy!
2 - Friendship bracelets are awesome.
3 - and how about making a spoon ring to go with that bracelet?
4 - there were 5 fridays, 5 saturdays, and 5 sundays in this month.
5 - I still need to carve a pumpkin this year. this guy does some amazing ones.
6 - ever see shoes hung over a telephone wire and wonder why in the world...?
7 - I can't think of a number 7.... aaah! the weather is beautiful :)

Seasons

2010-10-20T19:33:00.001-07:00

Seasons, originally uploaded by beag1e94.

This is my first venture into the world of stop motion. It's shaky, but I had so much fun making it.

I think I'm going to be messing with this stuff for awhile :)

Snow Patrol, Fishbone Braiding, and Red: Seven things Sunday

2010-10-17T13:33:00.001-07:00

328, originally uploaded by beag1e94.

1. I so want to try making a souffle.
2. taking a virtual stroll through the Stonehenge on Google Maps is lovely.
3. experimented with this this week. the test wasn't amazing, but I think in the future I could have some fun with it. (By the way, DIYphotography.net is cool beans) I think my next eperiment will be delving into the world of long exposures and light painting... ooh lala!
4. Snow Patrol is good fall music. So is "You" By Switchfoot.
5. learned how to fishbone braid this week. I love the simple elegance of it, but I'm not sure if I can really pull off braids... Oh well. Maybe if I have a little girl someday I'll be able to fishbone braid her hair.
6. I do believe red/mauve/cranberry is becoming one of my favorite colors. Rather unlike me, considering I've always stuck with neutrals, blue, and green.

and number 7:

green anole

2010-10-13T20:00:00.001-07:00

331, originally uploaded by beag1e94.

this guy was sitting outside and I just happened to be messing around with a macro lens at the moment. Nifty nifty nifty. :)

Unfortunately in my haste to photograph him I knocked my jacket into the dog's water bowl... welcome to my life. haha. I suppose it could be worse.

prayer

2010-10-12T15:02:00.001-07:00

315edit, originally uploaded by beag1e94.

Well, I am home from my retreat with my youth group. It was a lot of fun, very relaxing and I learned a lot.
The focus was prayer, so every morning and evening we spent forty minutes to an hour just praying. It was really cool.
I feel like I really got a better idea of how to pray through it all.
And then the funniest thing happened to me this morning. I was sitting around, quietly having a conversation with God, when I got distracted by a splinter in my toe that’s been festering there for a couple days. I hadn’t been able to get it out, though I hadn’t put a whole lot of effort into it until then. I jokingly told God, “ugh, this splinter is so annoying. Will you help me get it out? I really don’t feel like going to all the effort of getting a safety pin.” and wouldn’t you know it, right after I prayed that the splinter popped right out.
I don’t want to over spiritualize things and be all superstitious about the splinter coming out, but that small thing impacted me. God really is listening. And he really does care about my little toes.

Technique Tuesday:
Photographing with flour.
I came across this on photojojo, which sent me on a voyage of clicking through flickr photos and groups on photographing flour.
It can look like smoke, or a ghost, or add motion… or… lots of other stuff. Perfect for this time of year...

reatreat

2010-10-09T07:16:00.001-07:00

317, originally uploaded by beag1e94.

I am happily on a youth retreat at a lovely mountain/lakehouse... this morning I got up early and took a cold shower, and now I'm looking out this huge window at the leaves. They're not quite at peak, but they're beautiful just the same. AHH, I love Fall so much. :)

shabby chic

2010-10-06T16:49:00.001-07:00

314, originally uploaded by beag1e94.

Made this for myself yesterday... cappucino mix + coffee + whipped cream + chocolate syrup drizzle. Oh yeahhh... good stuff.
If you don't already know this, I'm all about pretty mugs. I'm determined to have cool, mismatched (but pretty) flatwear/dinnerwear in my home when I grow up. I like the whole shabby chic look, I guess you could say.

fall is beautiful

2010-10-02T13:51:00.001-07:00

xander, originally uploaded by beag1e94.

I find it a bit ironic that so many people love fall, but if you think about it, it's a season of death. Kinda sad. I like to think of it as a new beginning, though. Throwing out the old, so the new can move in and change things soon.

The weather is absolutely gorgeous today, a lovely breeze and mild temperatures. The pets were quite enjoying it this afternoon.

Project C is nearly finished... I just have to sew it up and then it'll be done! It turned out just as cute as I expected, so I am very pleased. Pictures can be expected soon.

Moving?

2010-10-01T18:05:00.001-07:00

cup, originally uploaded by beag1e94.

What? Me? Moving?

Yeah. I'm thinking I'm going to migrate over here to Blogspot, simply for the ease of using it and personalization options. I'll be sad to see my Wordpress blog go, but I think this is a good change.

Today I went shopping with my mom, lots of fun! Got some new clothes, new earrings, and stuff to make project C (which stands for cute). It's a surprise, though, so you'll have to wait to find out more details.

Happy weekend to all!

RAiN

2009-12-19T13:42:00.000-08:00

#2

Originally uploaded by imayle

See? Cool pictures come out of letdown rainy days. ;)

Rain isn't so bad.

#2

Originally uploaded by imayle

Letdown.

2009-12-19T13:32:00.000-08:00

In my southern little state, we don't get the hope of snow much. hardly ever. so when we hear the weatherman say, "wintry mix", we get excited.

only to have our hopes dashed the next day by bucketloads of nothing but straight up, freezing cold, RAIN. That's what happened yesterday, and today I wake up to find a news clip that claims the east coast got 20 inches and oh no we might freeze into a glacier or something. I suppose it's all this global warming stuff. *rolls eyes* Oh well. I got some cool pictures at least. :D hehe.

Anyway. Last night I went to a Christmas party with some camp friends of mine. It was quite lovely, I missed them so much. We had quite a bit of fun playing white elephant and such.

This morning is so perfect... a little drizzly out and chilly. Perfect for what I've been doing: Reading. Kiss has turned out to be really good so far, I'm almost finished with it. I might just turn out to be a DeKker fan after all. I think it just took me awhile since it's a different feel than I'm used to. Definitely could get addicting.

& I just remembered that I have my happy Christmas mug waiting on me and coffee is brewing. (ooh, sounds so witchy... coffee brewing) tootles.

Candy Cane Hearts and Pumpkin Analogies

2009-12-16T15:14:00.000-08:00

[caption id="attachment_304" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="This seems unoriginal to me, but I kinda like it anyway."][/caption]

: A magazine I found at the library had this in it. A bit cheesy, but I thought it was cute anyway.

I realize the candy cane heart thing is cliche, but I've never tried it before. Haha.

& we went to the library yesterday to "study" (magazines count, right?) and I found a Country Life magazine with some of the cutest stuff... the pumpkin analogy among it.
I also got Kiss by Ted DeKker and Erin Healy. Hopefully it's good... DeKker hasn't really drawn me in with his writing before, though. I'm much more inclined to pick up something like Travis Thrasher, who wrote the last thing I read (Gun Lake). Though a bit confusing at first, I found it to be a very true to life and accurate story. The ending doesn't dissappoint, although if you're looking for happysweetlovely ending this isn't the book for you. Thrasher does a good job of keeping you engaged with short and to-the-point chapters and a lot of action.

Anyway. Yesterday was another perfect studying day. Overcast, a little glum, but not blah. :) twas quite lovely.

Raindrops on roses... Or old awnings.

2009-12-13T20:50:00.000-08:00

: We've seen a lot of these lately.

It's been raining a lot lately. Today we had some lovely fog... So white & begging for pictures to be taken. So I took a few.

I've been working on writing lately. I'm really excited about this story... it's like it wants to be told. And it's almost telling itself. So the click of the keyboard has been no stranger to me the past week or so. I love that sound. :)

Ok, BREAKING NEWS! Today I was finally able to wear a scarf I've had for at least two years (probably more) for the first time. I happened to wear my coat today, a rare occurence. Usually I don't care to bother with it and just tough it out in a hoodie. The coat is brown, and I had a blue blouse on, and what do you know, the scarf is brown neutrals with some blue thrown in. *finally*. The funny part is, just yesterday I was considering taking it to a white elephant party.

Don't you just love it when stuff like that happens? Finally, I am justified for holding onto something for so long.

[gallery link="file"]

Holiday

2009-12-13T20:32:00.000-08:00

The Meaning of Photography.

2009-12-01T14:14:00.000-08:00

I found an interesting question on a flickr group today and thought it blogworthy, so here goes. The question was, "What does photography mean to you?" here's my answer:

I define photography as my personal act of appreciating the beauty the world has to offer. Sometimes it isn't apparent to me how interesting something looks until I see it through a camera. Picking the camera up and aiming it at something is an act of willingness to find and appreciate beautiful things unexpectedly, and capture it to keep and enjoy forever.

...or have it come out looking awful and I have a good laugh at how I make simple acts seem much more meaningful than they actually are. haha. the reason I take pictures is not to impress people or show off. I like it, it's fun, and I'm often surprised at how a picture of what you believe to be a simple piece of junk or something can turn out to look so ah-mazing. I love that feeling of amazment. :D

What is My Definition of Photography?

2009-12-01T14:05:00.000-08:00

I found an interesting question on a Flickr group today and thought it very blogworthy. So here I am. I hope all have had a lovely Thanksgiving! :)

It's Been Awhile...

2009-11-18T20:11:00.000-08:00

I haven't felt like writing much lately. Until today, that is.

The Magical Butterfly

2009-10-02T19:36:00.000-07:00

I remember when I was about 3 or 4, my mom took me to the dollar store to buy a treat with some money Grandma sent me.

After carefully considering all of my toy options, I decided on a butterfly net. (Although plastic army men were a close second) The net was pink and green plastic, cheaply made, but I didn't care. It was such a treasure; Now I could finally catch those pretty little insects that always seemed to flit just out of my reach.

I ran around on my stubby four-year-old legs, swinging the net at any bug that looked suspicious. I kept at it for days, without success. It seemed they were just too quick for me.

I was a determined little munchkin, though.

I stayed on the watch for an unsuspecting butterfly, net in hand.

My dreams finally came true one day when a bright yellow butterfly landed on a low bush, right on my level. I threw my dollar store net and... I caught it! I proudly closed off the opening of the net and ran to show my mom.

After observing it awhile, we set it free, possibly to land on another low bush and be captured by another eager tot.

I still have that net somewhere. Even after 11 years, I can't bring myself to part with it. I was reminded of that butterfly net yesterday when I saw a yellow butterfly, just like the one I caught, fluttering its way through our backyard. It finally occurred to me to wonder what type it was.

I whipped out my handy-dandy pocket butterfly guide and found a plethora of bright yellow butterflies that fit my description. Of course they couldn't make it simple for me and just put a sign on the type I had. I finally found one that looked identical: the male Cloudless Sulphur. Not a very pretty name, is it? Still, I like it. Sometimes the most ordinary things turn out to be magical.

no parachutes or safety nets here...

2009-09-26T22:58:00.000-07:00

I've been listening to some of my old tunes lately... Mat Kearney is da bomb. ;)

It's starting to get chilly in my southern state, visions of golden leaves and snuggly hoodies are dancing in my head. (only to vanish next week... the forecast is in the 80's. sigh.) I *cannot* wait until the cold weather finally hits. I tried my best not to complain about the hot during summer, but last night I had finally had it... it's too stinkin' hot!! Only about another month, though, and it should be cooling down. I hope.

I've been waiting all my life...

2009-09-23T19:49:00.000-07:00

I used to be one of those preppy chicks who wouldn’t touch white after Labor day and would drop everything to go to the salon if I had a hangnail. I was on the cheer squad, and I got more attention than I could deal with. It seemed like everyone wanted to be with me every moment of the day.

Until I got a visit from a stranger at school.

He wore all black and had skin so pale it almost glowed. When he came, he opened the door and just stared at me, frozen like a deer in the headlights, for what seemed like an eternity.

When he finally looked away, I realized I’d stopped breathing. Something about him made him seem ruthless and maybe even sinister, yet a sad regret softened his eyes. He commanded respect with the way he stared, yet you found yourself longing to give it to him anyway.

He whispered to the teacher for a moment, her eyes becoming larger at every word, her head bobbing in a vigorous nod. Looking back at me, he gestured towards the door. “I need to talk to you.”

I should’ve been more cautious, but I felt safe around him. It didn’t take long for me to throw the old ‘Don’t talk to strangers’ rule out the window.

I followed him through the halls, out the door, and across the soccer field, neither of us saying a word, until we reached the bleachers.

He invited me to sit. For some reason, I wasn’t scared, even when he sat beside me and started gently stroking my hair.

I felt like I knew him, like I’d met him before, but I couldn’t remember why he was so familiar. He seemed almost like a supernatural being, because I got the feeling he was as fascinated by me as I was by him. But he couldn‘t possibly be… right?

“I‘ve been waiting all my life to meet you. I‘ve loved you since before you were born, even though we‘re just meeting now.”

I wondered what exactly he was talking about. As he took my hand, his black-nailed fingers interlacing with my hot pink-nailed ones, I concluded I had to be dreaming. I didn’t think anything that weird could happen in real life.

He draped his arm across my shoulders, holding me tighter and tighter, until I thought he’d crush me if he squeezed any harder. I felt like I was melting. My back shivered, my heart leapt, and the next thing I knew I felt something cold on my cheek. I realized I’d laid down on the metal seat, and sat up.

Where’d he gone? He couldn’t have gone far; He’d just been squashing me to death.

I called out for him.

Silence.

My heart fluttered again, and I remember a thought occurring to me and feeling completely crazy, yet indisputably sure it was true… He was inside of me. We’d somehow melded together, and now he was me and I was him.

Ever since then, everything about me is black. I want to be like him, even though in a sense I am him. I’m not preppy, I don’t cheer, I don’t get tons of attention. But it’s okay, because I have him, and that’s all that matters.

It’s been three months, and I haven’t seen him again.

But he’s there.

I feel him.

**note**
as you've probably guessed, 'he' represents God.

I know the stereotype for a character representing God is usually white and light and all things nice, but I felt like doing something different, and also making him more personable and less stereotype.

hope you enjoyed it! I'd love to hear what you think.

In case you were interested in my silverware...

2009-09-19T13:56:00.000-07:00

In our silverware drawer we have a mix of four different kinds of spoons, all with a slightly different design. There are some with square handles, that we've had since I was born. Some with rounded, half-octagon handles that we've had since I was 3, and three with plastic handles, that we've had for quite some time. Then there's also a bunch of Wendy's plastic spoons, for random stuff, not neccasarily eating with. It's a funny story how we acquired those, but I won't go into it right now.

I like the plastic handled spoons, my mom likes the octagon ones, and my dad likes the square ones. So we try to leave each other's favorite spoons for each other, even if it means rooting through the drawer to avoid someone else's favorite.

There's also 2 extra pointy forks that I like... My dad won't use them.

To others this all seems pretty strange. But I think it's kinda sweet that we save eachother's favorite spoons for one another. Funny how the smallest things can make a difference.

thinking pretty thoughts...

2009-09-16T17:40:00.000-07:00

So last night there was nothing that really captured my interest on any of the twelve channels I get, (Basic package cable = less 'nothing' to choose from) and I ended up watching this bachelor show where everyone is overweight. Never caught the name of it, but it was down to the last two girls and I ended up getting sucked in. Of course.

Anyways. Tali, one of the two, goes in to get her hair done by this very gay, very exhuberant cosmetolegist. As she sits down, he hands her a white lily and says,

"Here, smell this and like, think lots of pretty thoughts."

At first, I cracked up. Is this guy serious?

But now that I've made fun of it a few times, I'm seeing a little bit of wisdom there. Maybe it'd be good for us to 'think pretty thoughts' and dwell on something other than our troubles, frustrations, and the fact that the car has developed a new rattle in the engine. Maybe we should sit around and smell flowers once in awhile, if it'll make us feel better.

I am not a poet.

2009-09-14T17:40:00.000-07:00

This week in Literature I've been studying William Blake and how his writing is so full of feeling and description. Personally, I think he could've been the first emo, if Job hadn't beaten him to it. But anyway, I had to write a four stanza poem for the writing bit of the unit. Be forewarned, my gift is most certainly not poetry. I don't really like writing it, although I can enjoy reading it to some extent. I admit I didn't try very hard to make it sound good, and certain lines could probably do with a bit of tightening, but I wanted to see what y'all think... So here goes...

Butterfly

She spreads her wings
In the first morning light
Her spirit sings
In this first dawns flight

Emerging from the shelter she’s always known
The world awaits her tender flit
Away from safety she has soon flown
She doesn’t stop until the skies begin to spit

The oak senses not her presence
Yet guards her carefully
As rain begins its torrents
washing out the gully

The rain continues until morning
When at sun’s first light
She readies and spreads her wings
And begins again her flight

Coloring.

2009-09-05T22:50:00.000-07:00

So I was walking around the school supply section of walmart the other day, trying to muster a little enthusiasm, when I saw a box of crayons on sale for .20. *gasp* crayons?? I hadn't gotten a new box in years!
Of course, I couldn't possibly resist.
I got them home, opened them up, breathed in the familiar smell, and started scribbling away. Oh what fun it is to act like a kindergartener.

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Then today I got bored and started painting with acrylics. I was in an abstract-y, bold-ish, muted mood. So that's how I painted.

Cartoonage.

2009-09-04T15:58:00.000-07:00

Yet again I have gone ages without posting. I'm sorry! I never am able to keep up with this stuff very well. But I've got a new idea, & if it works out, I'll probably be posting and writing a lot more soon. :)

This summer was great, working at the camp. I had a lot of new experiences, met many wonderful people, grew like crazy spiritually. An all around great summer. Now I've been home for a little over a month, and I'm getting back into the routine of 'real' life outside of the camp bubble.

Shortly after I got back, I was bored and plunking around on the computer, and I had the idea for a cartoon series. Inspired by Pon & Zi, I sketched the first Jacob and Rose cartoon, posted it on facebook, and got a huge response. So I've made a few more, and now I'm going to see how cyberworld likes it.

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.summer.

2009-07-22T12:25:00.000-07:00

This summer has been crazy. I'm working full time at a Christian summer camp, so I haven't had much blogging opportunity.
Nevertheless, I've had lots of photo ops, so enjoy!
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The Whale

2009-06-03T22:16:00.000-07:00

I'm not too proud of this one. I like the beginning, but I think the end is weak. This exercise was just writing a short story. Simple, simple.

A light breeze caused the dune grass to ripple and sway, appearing as though dancing against the wind. Less than half a pace from the dune area was an old boardwalk that looked like it’d existed since the stone ages. Nailed to it was a sign of equal age that read, “SUNSET BEACH” in narrow, dark green lettering.
And the beach was rightly named. Just now, the sun was beginning to set, and the sky was taking on rich orange and pink hues. Not many people frequented this beach, the primary visitors being joggers in the morning and the occasional family seeking oasis. There was one exception, however. Her name was Jessica, but her friends knew her as Jess. She was the only person on the island that visited the beach faithfully every day, sometimes more often.
Jess lived in a small two-story vacation home that had been converted to a condo for those wealthy enough to live directly on the beach. From the moment she saw it the summer before last, she loved it. Jess particularly liked the gigantic picture window on the east wall of her living room, and the spacious deck that connected to her bedroom. The fridge was always stocked with ice pops, and there would often be freshly rinsed seashells drying on the kitchen counters.
On Sunday afternoons, Jess would spend hours sitting on the deck, reading a magazine or doodling on a sheet of paper.
It was the evenings, however, that Jess cherished most. During that dusky time when all the world seems to have turned to a deep shade of blue, she would walk the entire five miles of sunset beach and pause at the end to look out at the waves that seemed to go on forever. Jess would sit there, enjoying the peace of the waves crashing in front of her, and wait. Some evenings she would wait for an hour or more, but he would never show up, and other evenings she need only wait a few minutes and she’d hear the steady huff of his breath and the gentle splash of his fins sweeping through the water.
A large humpback ß CHECK WHALE BOOK whale, he was the bull of his herd, and skittish of every human except Jess. She couldn’t figure out why he was unafraid of her, nor could she fathom why he came to see her every night.
When she heard him swimming up the beach, she would wade into the ocean to about chest deep, and wait until she felt his snout bump her gently in the ribs. They would move about in the water like this for a few minutes, silently conversing and enjoying each other’s company, until the whale began to retreat to the deeper sea beyond, and Jess began to retreat to the land to begin her five mile walk back to the condo. ß I THINK THAT’S A RUN ON? This routine had gone on almost every night since last spring, and both human and beast cherished their time spent together.
Tonight, however, was different. A black thunderhead loomed far off over the ocean, but Jess suspected it would be like most others and veer off to the North before it broke the shore. She left the condo and began her trek up the beach.
Jess was nearly there when the wind started to pick up. She spread her arms wide on either side of her and felt the breeze sweep her arms and ruffle her hair.
In a few minutes, she was at the place where the whale always showed up. Jess sat down on the sand, staring out at the ocean, straining her eyes to see the tip of the whale’s head come out of the water, as he snuffed water out of his blowhole, but saw no whale.
He will be here, she assured herself.
The wind was getting stronger. Stray particles of sand streaked across the ground, and the waves were becoming choppier. Though it was only just past dinnertime, the sky had the appearance of night.
Jess squinted. She still couldn’t see any sign of the whale. In a few more minutes, she would have no choice but to head back to the condo. Grudgingly, she got up from where she had been sitting on the sand, and waded into the water, knee-deep, to rinse the stubborn grains from her legs.
Before she left, Jess looked once more at the horizon, and saw two things that surprised her. The first was not just her whale, but another, smaller whale beside it. And the second was a giant streak of lightening that sliced through the still darkening clouds, followed by an impressive roar of thunder.
Jess waded further into the water, meeting the two whales once she was nearly chest deep in the ocean. Giant waves urged her back to land, but she ignored them. The smaller whale came and nudged her as her whale hung back slightly. Jess looked down at the little one, surmising that this was the big whale’s baby. She ran her fingers down its back, enjoying the smoothness against her hands. The baby swam circles around Jess, and she watched, dumbstruck.
After another minute or two, both whales began to retreat, sensing the storm nearing land.
As Jess emerged from the water, she watched the two go deeper and deeper into the ocean together, wondering just where they went exactly.
She had just enough time to get back to her home before the rain drenched everything in the area.

From then on, the whale came with his baby every evening. With time, Jess would get to see an entire herd of whales come to the shore during evening hours, and always at the front was her first dear whale friend. She could never figure out why these whales had bonded with her, but she didn’t care. These evenings would be forever her secret with the whales.

Daffodils!

2009-06-02T19:23:00.000-07:00

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Daffodils bloomed awhile ago. I enjoyed experimenting with different angles & tinting. :D

Writing Assignment

2009-05-28T22:49:00.000-07:00

I've made a few revisions since this version, as this is only the first draft, but I didn't particularly feel like typing them all in right now. :)
The assignment was to write something humorous from an event or something that's happened to you. I'm not that great of a humor writer, but I suppose this isn't too bad. I tried my best to cut out cliches and cheesy humor junk.
Anyway, tell me what you think.

I lay peacefully in my bed, my head buried in the pillow and falling asleep to the whir of my fan, the tickle of its light breeze on my feet. It was nearly midnight, and I was on the brink of being asleep for the night, when I felt something tickle my arm.
Ugh, what if that’s some bug or something? I thought groggily. I closed my eyes and attempted to go back to sleep. It wasn’t more than a few seconds when what felt like tiny legs stepped onto my arm, very much uninvited.
This is silly. I’m freaking myself out, it’s probably just the fan blowing my blanket across my arm or something. I assured myself. Nevertheless, I rolled over to check anyway. And that’s when I felt those little feet scamper up my arm and onto my shoulder. Funny how you can go from sleeping to mach III in seconds, with just the help of a simple cockroach. I leapt out of bed before I was even fully aware of what was happening and stood in the middle of my room for a minute, watching the rude little brown bug crawl quickly behind my pillows.
What do I do now? I wondered. I didn’t feel like destroying my nicely arranged pillows to find it, but I didn’t particularly want to risk encountering the roach again. Finally, I went into my mom’s room, where she sat on the end of the bed, watching TV and petting the cat.
“There’s a roach in my bed!” I declared.
She laughed and asked whether it was still alive.
I nodded. “It crawled on me a minute ago, and disappeared in my pillows. Blehhh!”
We both laughed at this as I sat down beside her.
“Well, what are you going to do now?” My mom asked.
I had no idea. I certainly did not want to climb back into bed with a cockroach peacefully nestled in my pillows.
After a few more minutes of recounting the story and laughing until we each got a bad case of the hiccups, my mom and I made our way into my room to investigate the scene of the attack. We tossed all eight hundred (or seven) of my pillows onto the floor, and shook out my comforter. Either the roach had turned invisible, or it was hiding elsewhere.
I perched gingerly on the edge of my bed. “Where could it be?” I wondered aloud. My mom took a seat next to me. “I don’t know, cookie bearra.”
We sat silence for a few moments, contemplating what the next step was, until I noticed my mom staring at something across the room. I poked her. “What are you staring at?” I asked.
“Is that it?” She pointed to my closet door, where the small brown beast did indeed rest.
I jumped up from my bed, picked up a flip flop, and slowly walked to my closet. I crouched and looked close at the bug, trying to gauge whether it’d be a fast one or not. He wasn’t moving much, so I swung the flip flop and knocked him onto the floor. I kept pounding, and the cockroach kept walking.
“It won’t die!” I slapped at the floor ruthlessly.
While I was laughing, I slammed the flip flop down on top of the roach particularly hard, and as I brought the shoe up into the air to gain leverage for the next attack, I saw something small and brown sailing toward my face, then felt something small and smooth touch the inside of my lip.
That did NOT just happen. I thought to myself as I jumped back. I saw the roach fall from my mouth. “EWW! It just went into my mouth!” I yelled, after one last fatal blow to the beast.
“Are you serious?” my mom asked.
I put my weapon down, nodding. “I think I’m going to go brush my teeth now…” I said, beginning to laugh.
The laughter didn’t stop until well into the night, and still continues to this day whenever my mom or I think about the incident with the roach.

Beach!

2009-05-09T22:49:00.000-07:00

[gallery][caption id="attachment_209" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="-Focused close & Slow Shutter Speed-"][/caption][caption id="attachment_213" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="Went to a yarn shop... My mom loves knitting"][/caption]

TEA party

2009-04-16T20:41:00.000-07:00

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we went to a TEA party at the state house yesterday. the turnout was incredible! so many people thinking the same thing. it was great.

the weather was excellent, too. perfectly sunny and beautiful.

on the pictures from the TEA party, I tried a panorama for the first time. I hand stitched it, instead of getting some program to do it for me, and I think it turned out alright considering the people kept moving and it was my first attempt. the lady in the middle is missing her middle section, but I chose that instead of having a double palm tree.

Beginning To Blossom

2009-04-07T16:38:00.000-07:00

As promised, Here are my latest pictures. My garden on the deck (used to be for an above ground pool, but now the pool is gone & the deck is used for lounging/potted plants) is beginning to blossom!

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Project Playlist

2009-04-03T12:13:00.000-07:00

Here are my favorite songs. :) I apologize *again* for not updating much, I've been enjoying the spring weather and catching up on schoolwork. P365 update coming later today or tomorrow!

**FYI, I added a new page called 'freebies' yesterday. It has a few avatars I've made recently. Check it out.**

Springtime Is Near

2009-03-24T17:33:00.000-07:00

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I know I haven't been posting lately! sorry!! I have been p365-ing, but some pictures I can't post here because of privacy issues. (Basically, they're pictures of friends & family and I don't feel comfortable putting those on the internet). But here is my latest on non-people subjects.

So long no post...

2009-03-17T19:14:00.000-07:00

Prettay Little Citay

2009-03-05T23:40:00.000-08:00

[caption id="attachment_154" align="aligncenter" width="418" caption="The book I\'m reading. It\'s really good so far."][/caption][caption id="attachment_157" align="aligncenter" width="418" caption="I love vintage trucks"][/caption][caption id="attachment_156" align="aligncenter" width="418" caption="A view of downtown"][/caption][caption id="attachment_159" align="aligncenter" width="418" caption="In the Zaxbie\'s parkinglot"][/caption][caption id="attachment_158" align="aligncenter" width="418" caption="I\'ve been meaning to take a picture of this building for awhile now. It looks lovely with the sun streaming in through the windows."][/caption][caption id="attachment_160" align="aligncenter" width="418" caption="I love zaxbie\'s! This picture was kind of an accident. I had the camera sitting on the table and clicked in no particular direction. Turns out it looked pretty spiffeh."][/caption][caption id="attachment_161" align="aligncenter" width="418" caption="In my room... Decided to try playing around with a backlight"][/caption] I love my pretty little city. :)

Sandwiches are good for more than eating

2009-02-24T19:52:00.000-08:00

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Finally adding P365 pictures for the past week! I think I only missed one day... I'm not sure though because the days kind of gelled together with all this sickness. :/

I'm Going To Save The World...

2009-02-23T20:49:00.000-08:00

[caption id="attachment_140" align="aligncenter" width="436" caption="The Lasered Lash"][/caption]
...Or maybe I'll just write about saving the world. I went to this site and made a little superhero version of myself. Since I love Iron Man, Hancock, Batman, and pretty much any other Marvel movie there is out there, I got quite a kick out of seeing myself as a hero. :)

Sick of Pizza

2009-02-19T14:30:00.000-08:00

I'm sick, yet again. BLEH!
my mom got the stomach flu on Monday night, and I've been sick with a cough and a fever. To top it off, it's my mom's birthday today, and now she thinks she's getting my cold. Good grief. Welcome to my life, ladies and gentlemen.
On another note, please go to Dominoe's pizza and order one of their new dominator pizzas. They're $6, so it's a really good deal. They're trying to compete with Little Caesar's. Anyway, they have to make one every half hour, and if they don't sell it, they either have to throw it away or the pizza drivers take it home. Since my dad works at Dominoe's part time, I'm starting to get REALLY sick of having pizza for every meal. Haha.
So anyway. I will be uploading my project 365 pictures later today, probably. I actually didn't take a picture yesterday. :0 I'll take 2 today...

I found it!

2009-02-15T22:41:00.000-08:00

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Yay For Paperwhites!

2009-02-13T15:25:00.000-08:00

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Today I noticed that the paperwhites I planted back in December finally bloomed. They are so gorgeous! I think it's a bit early for them to be blooming, but the weather's been so warm I think they decided to come up early. I dunno.

Today I finished school fairly early, so my weekend has officially begun. Yessss.

And tomorrow is Valentine's Day. Oh, and today's Friday the 13th, too. hmm. unlucky. :0 I don't exactly believe in luck, though, so that doesn't matter. haha.
anyway. Valentine's day. I don't like it. my second least favorite holiday, besides Easter. It's so fake, and puts so much pressure on everyone! Fabulous way to kill a relationship, if you ask me. :P But no one asked me, so I'll get off my soap box.

Yesterday I also noticed the pollen is starting. woopee. sooo that signals the start of allergy season. bleh! but also the start of spring, and the beginning of the end of the school year. yay!

I will be posting my latest P365 pictures later today, after I resize them, so keep on the lookout!

Latest Pictures. Lemon Drops, I love you, Ice, etc.

2009-02-08T23:15:00.000-08:00

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Cool Branch, Sunset, and Birthday Cake!

2009-02-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

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Light

2009-01-28T23:59:00.000-08:00

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Moth Time

2009-01-26T23:25:00.000-08:00

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Snowday!

2009-01-24T22:29:00.000-08:00

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Sorry I haven't been posting much... Last night I had a formal, so I've been busy the past few days buying a dress etc. and getting ready for that. I had a blast. :D

Family Gathering

2009-01-19T22:20:00.000-08:00

I am back from my family gathering at the beach. I had a wonderful time! My cousins and I made a bunch of videos together... Much fun. I laughed for pretty much the whole weekend straight. :)

Last night Grandpa and my Aunst, Uncle and cousins left, so my parents and I just watched sleeping beauty. I forgot what a good movie that was.

They're calling for snow tonight in my southern state! YAY! The weather guy said we could get up to an inch! (You northerners must be laughing about me getting excited over an inch of snow)

Here are the pictures from the weekend:

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Latest Pics

2009-01-16T13:18:00.000-08:00

Sorry I haven't been posting this week! I've been very busy preparing for a trip to the beach this weekend. We leave tonight and stay till Monday, visiting family and such.

Here are the pictures from the past few days:

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but

2009-01-13T13:59:00.001-08:00

Pictures

2009-01-13T13:59:00.000-08:00

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The Hyatt

2009-01-11T22:50:00.000-08:00

Last night I ended up staying at the hyatt with my grandparents... I'd always passed that hotel on the way to my old church and wondered what it was like on the inside. Turns out it was really nice. A few highlights were there was a 50" flatscreen, HD TV. Beautiful, clear picture. Aww man, it was the nicest TV I ever saw. And the breakfast this morning... that was really good. It was like, the only hotel I've ever been in that had actual, real (Not plastic or paper!) dishes to eat out of. And free starbucks coffee. oh. yeah. Hehe. I enjoyed that a LOT. :)

Ok, so, I did a study of one of the glasses in the room. It looked kinda neat, and both my grandparents were busy getting ready for bed, so I was like... hmm... and that's all it took.

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And today's picture is of my two crabs. They were sitting together by the rock, and I thought they were so cute and perfectly posed for a picture. The one on the left's name is Sandy, the other one is named Coconut.

Oranges!

2009-01-09T22:19:00.000-08:00

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Ok, so tomorrow my grandparents are coming. woohoo! I'm glad I'll get to see my grandma & grandpa tomorrow.

Today I was eating an orange and I noticed how pretty it looked with that peely thing on the outside of the wedges off... hence the picture of the day. Aww man, that orange was so good...

Burning

2009-01-08T19:33:00.000-08:00

Today my dad and I burned leaves, after hauling them in the back of the truck from the front yard to the back, where the sand pit is. Twas exhausting. But now the front yard looks great... absolutely spotless. yay!

Yesterday I forgot to do a blog, but I did take a picture. I was going through my desk and found this little plastic alien dude... And he was just begging to have his picture taken. How could you say no to an adorable little alien dude??

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Guitar

2009-01-06T22:14:00.000-08:00

[caption id="attachment_28" align="alignleft" width="480" caption="It's my black Johnson acoustic. It's my afternoon. It's my love."][/caption]

Today I pretty much laid around... I still can't shake this cold. :/ Oh well, I'm sure it'll be gone by tomorrow or Thursday.

I did play my guitar, however. I love playing the guitar.

Beauty In a Water Bottle

2009-01-05T23:04:00.000-08:00

I've been pretty busy today... I woke up around 8:45 this morning, and did my leftover homework from English before school, then did school, showered/scrubbed the tub (I'm getting pretty good at holding the brillo pad with my toes and scrubbing while, at the same time, rubbing shampoo into my hair. Supercleaner!) and then clened my room (well, a third of it. one third was already clean, and the other third I'm saving for tomorrow. Oh boy!) now it looks SO clean in there... I love when it's clean like that. It's like I can breathe again. ahh.

[caption id="attachment_24" align="alignleft" width="480" caption="I was going through my bookshelf and I found this book... That's how I feel about life sometimes"][/caption]

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Remember to dust the top of your fridge

2009-01-04T22:17:00.000-08:00

I'm still sick. :P But I don't feel too bad, I just sound awful. I didn't go to church this morning, which was kind of a bummer because this missionary from Thaiwan was supposed to be there, and tonight at youth group they said he was REALLY good. Oh well. It just didn't work out.

[caption id="attachment_20" align="alignleft" width="480" caption="Another faithful friend..."][/caption]

Also, today, we're working on renovating (oh how designer-y I sound using that word) the kitchen. I cleared off the top of the refridgerator with my dad, and sorted a few cabinets. The top of the fridge was covered in about an inch of dust... eww. My belated new year's resolution is to always dust the top of the fridge from now on.

Day 1

2009-01-03T20:42:00.000-08:00

I'm currently sick with a sore throat, so I've been taking it easy today. But here is my picture for day one of project 365:

[caption id="attachment_16" align="alignleft" width="480" caption="This is my blankie. He's been comforting me while I'm sick."][/caption]

Project 365

2009-01-02T23:59:00.000-08:00

I've found a new project... it's called project 365. Read more about it here. I'm hoping I'll be able to stick to it. Haha. I will be posting the pictures here on my blog, and attempting to post at least one picture a day. Sound interesting? It did to me. That's why I'm doing it. So I guess from what photojojo said, I'll get to know myself better from the pictures I take, and I'm thinking that if I post them to this blog, you readers will get to know me too.

Anyway, hope you enjoy. Here are some pictures I took Monday-Wednesday. I'm officially starting Project 365 tomorrow.

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First Post!

2008-12-27T21:15:00.000-08:00

Ok. My first post. I guess I should explain what I'm trying to accomplish with this blog. My goal for this blog is to share my journey through this year by taking pictures and uploading them, then writing a bit about where, why, how, when, etc. of the picture. Enjoy!