saturday

(this shot is from October 2008)

it seems that overnight the color has come to my little area of alabama. suddenly the yellows and reds have come along with a rush of cooler air. the weather is supposed to clear up and hopefully i can get out and about tomorrow with my camera (maybe this afternoon too as Emme's birthday party is today). unfortunately, the puggie princess cannot go on her outing as her allergies have kicked in and she's rubbed a rather angry looking spot on her back. (poor lizzie)

now i remember what saturdays feel like. that cool feeling where you know you don't have to get up at 6:00 a.m. to rush around and get out the door. i'm still getting the timing down right, but the good news is the new job is about the same distance from my house as the old job was from my old place. three miles must be the magic number. perfect. i will also say that knowing where you're going to park is comforting too.

the job is going well - i'm still getting my feet underneath me as it's a somewhat different mindset than banking. i'm doing lots and lots of reading and i'm so excited to participate in the new grant project. i can't wait until i feel like i'm really contributing. i'm working for a state agency - i've teased that either i'm the bad penny that keeps turning up or the third time is the charm. state government in a state capital is a very small world. it's been fun having people that i worked with years ago (i do mean years - 16 to be exact) come and reintroduce themselves. people that had babies when i left now show me grown ups.

but, of course there are always tests - right? i think i needed this reminder as tomorrow i'm starting a 30 day gratitude project with joy. inexplicably, my battery died yesterday afternoon. i never look under the hood but when i did yesterday the right side cable was all corroded. not horrible, not like it was something devastating...just, a test. these are the moments i'm grateful i have a sweet baby brother to come to the rescue with jumper cables. all is well - i have a new battery now.

i still need to shoot my shot for lens.us.together - a childhood passion. i've enjoyed seeing others this week as i've pondered my shot. i am also going to take a challenge up from another blogger to see my city in a different way. i think that is what has stifled me - when i look around, all i see are hundreds of shots that i've seen time and time again. i need to change it up - shake it up - break out of the mold. hopefully, that will end this period of discontent with my photography because believe me, i'm as sick of window shots as you are. *laugh*

happy halloween to you and yours - hope you have a spooky, spooky good time.

think pink, think pink

happy thoughts
silly thoughts
whimsical and giggly thoughts
blessed thoughts
peaceful thoughts
joyous thoughts

blow bubbles with pink bubblicious chewing gum
find one pink flower and put it in a vase
color outside the lines
tell someone you love them berry, berry, berry much
skip down the hall or hop up the stairs
write the word "cancer" on a piece of paper, then tear it up and throw it away
pick the pinkest star in the night sky and make a wish
close your eyes and dream of pink lemonade oceans
cut your fruit across to find the star
laugh at yourself often
put on the oldest music you have and boogie
dance with your sweetie in the middle of the kitchen
snuggle often
write a love letter to yourself
name your toes
type 113440 into your calculator and giggle when you turn it upside down
now, silently fuss at me for being silly
forgive often, start with yourself
imagine running through a field of daisies - now imagine it nekkid
(my mom said nekkid meant you were being "bad")
re-read your favorite children's book
have a slushie but don't get brain freeze
read only the comics in today's newspaper


...try to live today with as much peace, love, joy and happiness that you can scrape together. and then tomorrow, try it again. and repeat often.

sure, there will be sad and lonely days at times, but it makes so much sense to give more of my effort to joy than to dwell on bitterness and unhappy.

popping in really quick

hi all....i must say i miss visiting with you all throughout the day, seeing what you're up to, the photographs, the crafts, the cooking, the drawing - all of the goodness that you all inspire me to pursue. but i'm so thrilled to be back at work.

i've hit the ground running - meetings all day today and starting again in the morning. the project that i am working on is exciting and it felt like home walking back into an agency where i worked 16 years ago. new faces, older faces....all so welcoming.

things are coming together slowly, after all - they only had 48 hours notice i was coming so little kinks are being worked out. and....i have two gorgeous walls to decorate so i can't wait until i can pick out shots to display there. and, if the weather improves - i'm excited to have a chance to photograph triplets this weekend!

i hope your halloween plans are shaping up - i'm going to a pink poodle birthday party for my youngest niece, and if it works out, maybe a doggie costume party with the girly pug.

xoxo (yes, i really mean it)

building the dock

one of my favorite old sayings (it's one that i used to spur me on when i went to college later in life) is 'for your ship to come in, you have to build the dock'. it makes sense to my weird right/left brained mind that the ship just can't pull up because you can't access the ship without a dock and gangplank. so, if you don't make the errrr, groundwork, then you cannot reap the benefits of your hopes and dreams.

today, i've been repairing the rotted planks in my dock. studying a bit of the issues i will be working on, reviewing my old work wardrobe to make sure it's ready to go, washing clothes, getting my paperwork together for orientation, putting away so many of my leisure clothes. it feels good, you know? in some ways it makes me wonder why i waited to do this...some of these things needed doing while i was away from the daily grind. i'm sure a spot of depression was part of it all.

i think in a bit, i'll go to the store for a hardy, healthy, meal that will now probably be restricted to the weekeds while i'm adjusting back to the workweek. it will feel good.

hope you're enjoying your glorious sunday. it's a beauty down here.

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