Straight No Chaser

I love these guys. I'd only come to know of them alst year, but this performance is from 1998. Now they have some actual albums out.

Bath Day

When I have to give Oliver a bath, there's a system to it. Not like the kind of system that makes things work, I mean, I can make bath time work with no problem, it's the before that always cracks me up.
He knows. He knows it's coming. I agree with this cartoon below.


...but, Oliver understands that when I start saying things like, "You're ripe!" or "Come here, stinky winky". He knows.

I grab a towel, another clue, then the shampoo, further confirmation.
Today, I called him from the stairs and he came to the door, spotted me heading up with said towel and shampoo, and slowly backed-up, as though doing it quietly would change the fact that I can SEE him doing it.

Generally, I bring everything upstairs, then come back down, pick him up and bring him to the tub. We do this every time. Much like the days in FL, I have to bring him to the water.

Miss Amelia...

had lots to say to her Grammy when I was babysitting the other day!

Amelia Chats with Grammy from C.M. Scott on Vimeo.

Recent Photo Shoot

When I entered their home, Alex, came running around the corner, cracker in mouth, "Cydney! Are marble tracks your favorite thing in the world?!" I told him I didn't know but if he showed me one it may become my favorite thing in the world. At the end of our shoot, Alex let me play with it a bit; a tower of plastic tracks, tubes and spinning wheels that marbles pass through from the top. Very cool, and quite possibly my new favorite thing.

Shooting

Sometimes I notice it. The fact that I am not doing it anymore. Shooting. Like I did before. I attended my fifteen year high school reunion last night and when catching up with people, I found it strange to tell them I was a photographer. I don't feel I can use the term "photojournalist" anymore. I am not shooting journalism. I set my own schedule. I am my own boss. That's nice. I make clients happy by capturing moments in their life and people in those lives. I teach. But not being able to say that I am a newspaper photojournalist made me feel less accomplished last night, even though I have many years of (successful) newspaper shooting behind me, as well as some recognitions for those photographs taken.

Today, I was watching a video on The Post's website. A story featuring a family in need. HERE. About half-way through, I heard it. That sound. The heavy, important clunk of a journalist's still camera. It is the same camera I use, but it is capturing something different than what I capture now. It's clunking in an effort to help someone in need. To help others learn the story of another. And I must confess, not having the heavier click coming from my camera somehow makes me feel less. I have the click but I miss the clunk.

Candles on the Tree

Every year, my family hosts a holiday party during which we light real candles on our freshly cut Christmas tree. It is a very nice tradition. Some guests choose ornaments near a candle and if their candle is the last one to be blown out because it's at the very end of it's candling life, they get to make a wish.
It's fun. And pretty. So, today my Mom and I works to take some photos that would work on our invitations for the party.

This one's being printed on the back in a smaller size.

Showing (Strange) Thanks

Email I just sent to a guy I emailed with a bit through The Onion dating site...

Hi, J,

So, this is a bit of a strange email so I apologize ahead of time.
I was IMing with a guy from the Onion tonight. I had IMed with him last night and he seemed like a nice guy. Smart, funny, etc. After chatting for a bit tonight, he asked me when I was last in a relationship. It's been a while, so I didn't really want to tell him, but, since I'm so freaking honest, I did. He literally responded with, "Wow, that's kind of a red flag". So, I defend myself a bit, FL was a dating whole, I've been busy trying to get my business going and breaking my collar bone, so forth. He goes on to say how that (the amount of time) surprises him because I seem cool, intelligent, cute, blah blah blah.

To make a long story short - too late - after chatting a little longer, he basically disappears with no warning whatsoever. 'Stops IMing and logs off. As if the information he's just learned is the same as learning I have leprosy and didn't have the decency to put that in my profile.

Last week you said you would email me after you had your second date and I wasn't sure you would. But, you did. You actually sent me an email when you said you would. It helped me feel like there are actually courteous people out there. Somewhere. (Which is saying a lot after I let, like, five cars cut in front of me yesterday when I was driving through the city and I didn't get one thank you wave. Not one!)

I know, it's strange for me to thank you again, but it is Thanksgiving, so, it seemed as good a time as any.

Happy Turkey Day,
CS

It's In The Ears

His ear fractures me. The way it's flopped up over the arm of the bed. My brother calls them pork chops.

Overheard at Target Yoday

Little boy, "I wanna get something."
Mom - "We're not getting anything."
Boy - "Well then why are we here?"

Medical Advancements, my Foot

Dear Minimed (makerof my insulin pump),
You are a pharmaceutical company. You have plenty of money, I'm sure, and plenty of smart people working for you. Being diabetic sucks and I am grateful for the medical advancements which have made my life easier. If you could go one step further and make your CareLink (an online program which takes the info from my pump, uploads it into a computer and charts the information) Mac friendly, I would be grateful. Then, I could actually take full advantage of the advancements I paid so much money for.
Also, please get an email address in your online "contact us" options. It's a bit ridiculous that a medical company claiming to be at the cusp of scientific advancement doesn't have an email address in it's contact us options section online.
Thanks,
Cydney

Need A Good Story?

Thanks to John for this one!

Super Fast Speed Date

Tonight, I got gussied up and went into the city to try some speed dating. Speed dating is organized over the web. You sign-up, show to the spot, in this case a restaurant, and you have a three minute date with each guy before your switch to the next guy. You are also given a for so you can take notes about each date. I did this years ago when I was working at the Post and a coworker was going to write about it and asked a few of her friend, me included, to join for the evening. It was fun. After online dating on and off over the years, I am tired. And I felt meeting ten to fiteen guys in one night would be a far ore efficiant use of my time! Plus, who can't have a conversation for three minutes with someone?

Tonight, however, there were twelve women and four men. A half hour after it was supposed to start the organizer gathered the women around and said, defeated, "well, we're still going to do it, but you'll have, like, a ten minute wait between dates". She told us that if anyone wanted to not participate tonight, they would get credited for the next speed dating event. One woman asked, "Well, is there a way we can do it where the women can kind-of network while they wait?"

I'm thinking, smart, the hostess can pull out four women to have their dates and the others can chat it up together. Then, the next four have their dates and so on.

The host however, didn't really get it, "Oh yeah, you can get together and compare your notes (about the guys) if you like."

Are women that shallow that they would gather around and compare notes about a guy they just met? Clearly not what the woman was going for when she asked the hostess her question. And clearly none of these women thought that was a god idea because there was reactional laugh that clearly said, "What did she just say?"

I opted out. There was something vulturish about staying to try and talk for three minutes with these four guys.

So, I left with about six other women (great for those who stayed!). I met a few ladies who had also just bowed-out of the wonderful opportunity to sit around all night to talk to four (measley as far as the number is concerned) guys, and I joined them at the bar. We talked about the event and how it's probably harder to find guys who will participate in speed dating. Men are not liekly to turn to a friend and say "Hey, wanna try speed dating on Wednesday?" Plus, I noticed there was a Celtics game playing on the TV at the bar.

I told the women we needed to start playing basketball. That's how we would meet guys. Or at least that feels like it's the only way it will happen - by joining a local watering hole-sponsored softball league.

Our conversation went to online dating, and one of the ladies talked about how it seems you have to go on a million dates to find the right guy "It becomes like number thing" she said, explaining that it wasn't like a pick-and-choose kind of thing, but rather, you just have to try and try and try.

It reminded me of last night when I was with my neighbors and playing a Wii skeet shooting game with their five year old. Bella never really aimed at the targets. She just shot in rapid succession at the screen.

And that sums it up. Dating is like Wii skeet shooting.

It's Baaack.

This is my favorite routine from last night's So You Think You Can Dance. It's a contemporary by Stacey Tootie (I think), with Legacy and kathryn. Very cool.

Press the play button at the bottom left of the clip.

If it doesn't play, do a google search for "Kathryn Legacy, SYTYCD contemporary, fear"

Noahsitting

Oh, how I love this cute little boy!

Noahsitting from C.M. Scott on Vimeo.

Kudos

I was reminded today about the power of words. The power of a person taking a moment to share their thoughts with someone else. I recieved a Facebook Wall Comment on my photography page from Laurie, a bride whose wedding I photographed this past summer. Her taking a moment to write me made my evening, and possibly my week...

"Its been over a month since my wedding and after looking AGAIN at all of my wonderful pictures that you took for us, I find myself completely drawn back into every moment like it was happening all over again....its not the video that i keep coming back to, with all of its sound and movement, but your brilliant photography! It speaks for itself and has its own motion that makes me relive the day over and over in all of its magnificence!

Thank you again Cydney, you truly captured my wedding exactly how I remember it and will always want to treasure it.... :)

Yuckadabugg!

My dad just sent me this link. He's sitting in his office across the hall and when I clicked over, my reaction was to yell "Yuckadabugg!"

Which brings me to a funny story from when my brother was little and not really talking yet. My parents were in Switzerland, with him, and pregnant with me. As my dad tells it, Christopher, who was taking his sweet laid-back time learning to talk, could barely say, "Mama" or "Dada". When they arrived at my aunt and uncle's house, he wandered into the bathroom, peered into the tub and hollered, " Yuckadabugg!" My parents had no idea what he was hollering about, until they joined him in the bathroom and saw what he was yelling for them to look at - there was a large bug in the tub.
Apparently my brother chose to start with complete sentences.
"Yuckadabugg!"

Drug Overdose?

My friend Shannon shared this via Facebook and I just had to pass it along. Too funny!

My Little Dreamer

My Little Dreamer from C.M. Scott on Vimeo.

Spy Photo Lesson

I have spent the last six weeks or so watching the entire Alias series over again. I did this last year, too. I finished it last night, and as Sydney and her family walked peacefully into the sunset with Agent Dixon, I couldn't (and still can't) help but feel a pang of loss. It became a nightly routine for me. And when you get so engrossed in the characters, it's hard to not be disappointed when they're no longer are around.

Remember when you were a kid, you would watch the same thing over and over again? Listen to the same music (well, I guess that's still true), play the same games? I guess when you get older, that's not so acceptable. Not that anyone would know that I am watching the whole thing again right after I finished it last night, but really, I would probably blog about the absurdity of doing so. So, I won't. But really, what's stopping me? How could I not want to watch the budding relationship between Jennifer Garner and Michael Vartan's characters all over again, and find myself wondering Now, were they still dating in real life at this point? Or are they really having to fake it on the show because they have broken up by now in real life? Oh the tension!

Today, I met a student at a Starbucks where a gave him a photography lesson. I laughed to myself on the way there. Having not met this person before, I had him describe himself in one of his emails. Really, I just needed him to clarify whether he was male or female, because he had a name a Turkish name I was not familiar with. I knew who I was looking for, but I couldn't help but take it to a different scenario further in my head. A spy scenario.

I'll approach him while wearing my blond wig and stilettos and say in a thick southern accent, "It's a beautiful day to take some photographs"
And he'll respond "Only if your in San Paulo."
Then, I'll know I've met my contact. Cause that's how spies do it.

But, I'm not a spy and he waved when he saw me come in with a camera on my shoulder. I'm grateful for that. I don't like high heels.

Silver Clay benefit

Here's a little snippet of video clips I shot of the Leukemia Lymphoma Society Benefit held at Silver Clay on Friday night. My work is on the wall in the last clip!

Silver Clay Fabulous Gifts and Studio Fund-Raiser from Cydney Scott on Vimeo.

Stand Up and Cheer

Even though I always thought the Marching 110 was just LOUD all the time, it's still fun to hear this from the OU Homecoming weekend event....

And I still remember the words to it!



Stand Up and cheer!
Cheer loud and long for old Oh -hiiiii - Oh!
For tooooooday we raise
the green and white above the rest!
Our boys are fighting, and they're about to win this fray
We've got the team
We've got the steam
For this is old Oh- hiiiii- oh's daaaaaaay!

Glamour Does Something Positive

Nostalgic

I have many many things to get done today, but I am feeling compelled to write. I went on Facebook today and there was a brief video on the Ohio University's Alumni page of rain. Just rain on the campus' "Athens Block" etched bricks. It made me desperately nostalgic and sent me to the photo collection on the page.

Now I am thinking about the breaded mushrooms from Suflaki's that my roommate Kristen and I used to order from our freshman year dorm room. I'm thinking about how at this time every year, I consistently lost my voice from allergies. I think about visiting there and how we would be those people - those thoughtful thirty-somethings that show-up to their freshman year dorm room to commiserate, with two eighteen-year-olds blinking at the old people who miss the cinder block walls and the movable beds.

Running through the streets of Athens in the pouring rain to get some fast food and catch a movie, we learned quickly the skill which was required to move on the wet streets, all cobblestone and brick, and not slip on them. I managed to do so my entire college career until, I kid you not, the night before I graduated. I was running in the rain to a friend's house for a midnight toast in celebration of our impending deadline when I slipped and rode on my bare knees on those cobblestone streets, for quite a few feet. When I got to the friend's house, she sat me down and crouched in front of me, carefully cleaning out my severe scrape and taking out all the little rocks which had embedded themselves.

Really, I could go on. Not about falling and shredding my knees, but the about my incredible college experience. Living with seven other people my junior year, studying my ass off, co-hosting parties, the beauty of the campus itself and the feeling of just being there and being a part of the living breathing thing that is university life.

Elephant birth

I can do without the multiple gushing instant replays, but this is a cool video.

Unreal!!!

COMBO a collaborative animation by Blu and David Ellis (2 times loop) from blu on Vimeo.

COMBO a collaborative animation by Blu and David Ellis (2 times loop)

Hermit Crab Race

Fun from the cape, which I meant to post long ago. I particularly love Lilly at the very end, giving her crab a talking to...

Untitled from C.M. Scott on Vimeo.

Snorer

Nice to know my Mt. Kilimanjaro-sized pile of clothes is good for something. Snore-inducing, even!

Snoring pooch from C.M. Scott on Vimeo.

Apple Picking

Had a great time apple picking with friends the other day at Nashoba Valley Winery. Really pretty grounds. We all brought a picnic lunch and then wandered around and checked-out the apples. I tried to control myself and not say too loudly, "You're NOT suppose to shake the tree like that!" when I saw a woman shake the tree and then say, when it hit the ground, "Ew, it's on the ground and dirty!"

Ugh.

I love how in this one, I look like I am going to turn Noah into a vampire with my glowing fangs. Nice.

So You Think You Can Dance

I went to this show with Mom and friends the other night. I found this video recording of my favorite dance from the same show we saw on the same night! Not bad video for being from some tiny camera!

Is it wrong of me to say that I think Jason is completely adorable? I mean, he is, like, 20.

Health Insurance

Protect Insurance Companies PSA from Will Ferrell

Just Don't Drive Drunk

My friend Suzanne sent me this. Really fun!

Become your own abstract artist! Check out the Jackson Pollock link below. It's a great stress reliever...and rather zen as you watch your artwork disappear when you press the refresh button for a blank slate.

Go to this website. Click the cursor and move it around and see what happens.
http://jacksonpollock.org/

September masthead

I present to you this month's (and possibly next month's) new masthead. I'm pleased with it aside from the fact that I cannot figure out how to get it not-blurry.

No complaining, please, I am very busy and important.

I Mean, Really...

Could be be any cuter?
I say no.

Michael at the VMAs

I was at the gym watching this while on the ellyptical. At the end, where Janet was essentially dancing with her brother, I nearly lost it. I mean, I actually wondered if I should get off the treadmill and leave the gym because I was afraid I'd make an ass out of myself!

Clearly..

Clearly I'm busy if I have been even unable to replace my masthead. Since, I'm guessing, I have maybe three readers, I guess I feel it's OK to slack off.
Work has kept me busy for sure. I just got a call today from someone getting married in a week and a half. Yup, you read that right. Now in their defense, she contacted me a while back, but then she kind of disappeared.

I went through a mess deal with my website last week. I changed companies and there was some confusion about who should be making it possible for the site to go live - the old company? The new company? The domain host? Meanwhile, I didn't have any idea what they were talking about in their tech-babble, so when they would stick me on the other parent to get help, I'd have to take notes to convey the technological babble to the next guy. My business email was linked to the site too, so I didn't get any business emails for six days and anyone who tried to reach me that way...well didn't.

I was hoping to teach some photo classes this season/term, but I'm not so sure it's going to happen. I went to my first class yesterday, and there were three people. One of whom was supposed to be in beginners but ended-up trying intermediate because the beginners had so few people they had to can it. I got about five minutes into my talking about Manual photography when she said she was totally overwhelmed already and wasn't going to stay. So, here I'm left with two very interested students, trying to figure out what level of photo knowledge I should be getting into. Do I teach them Manual like I planned? Do I teach them how to better use heir Auto buttons? BY the end of the class, are rather, three-person summit, I felt like I was a crappy teacher. I think I confused myself.

It didn't help the likelihood of class attendance that the photo courses were listed under "recreation". Huh? To me, recreation is volleyball, or bowling. Photo should have been int he creatives section. But, it wasn't.

I'm amazed at how busy my business has been keeping me. From shooting architectural stuff, to weddings, to dealing with tax stuff and oh, did I mention Health insurance? That's always fun.

Here's something that is fun though. She's not a sore shoulder, or a date gone wrong. She's not a dog who won't stop barking at every little thing, or expensive health insurance.

She's Amelia! My close friend Maureen's little one. And she's great!

Not Gettin' Up Yet

This morning I got out of bed. Oliver did too, all rickety and bed-bodied. He moved a few steps away from his plush, cushie couch-bed, stopped, thought for a moment (or seemed to) turned around and got back into bed.

It was awesome.

Puppies!

Just too sweet for words!

This Encourages My Fear of the Dentist

Seems Familiar

I just wanted to share this photo. It's actually on my photo blog as well, but when I shot this last weekend, I was particularly tickled by it. This little one did calm down and I don't think there was any permanent damage done. But, it reminded me of myself. As a little girl, I abhorred dresses and anything girly. Give me a pair of shorts and my Big Wheels any day over a flower girl dress.

My Mom once told me she found me on the stairs during one of our holiday parties when I was about four, taking off my tights. She asked me what I was doing and I complained that they were itchy.

Awesome solution.

Just fix it

My friend Amanda knew her son was fine, but just on the safe side, she sent her husband upstairs at Scott's End to check on their six month old. He was after all, in a strange place for his afternoon nap.
Amanda and her husband and very loving parents, and also, very even-keeled. So, hopefully, this exchange reads as hilariously as it was received when it was heard,

A - Could you go upstairs and just make sure he's not suffocating or something?
K - What do you want me to do if he is?
A - Don't tell me just fix it.

Word's Getting Around

On Saturday, I photographed the Auction winners of a photo shoot I donated to the local library's fund-raiser months ago. My brother CJ told me while on vacation that what a coincidence, his boss was the one who won the auction! Weird considering I'm in the burbs and CJ works in Harvard Square.

I guess CJ's boss was impressed with the shots (he gave his win to his sister to have her kids photographed) because he sent-out an office-wide email letting people know that I'm a decent shooter and by the way, the sister of CJS. Very nice. My brother called me somewhat excited, "Two people have already asked about you! One woman's getting married and someone else asked about 15th wedding anniversary photos".

So, I'm crossing my fingers that I'll be getting more work!
Here's one of my favorite's from that shoot. ..

Frames...

I finally found frames that I like to offer my clients. I'm still on the search for an album to offer, though. Too many choices and not enough expendable cash.

Awesome Wheels

Dad ad I took the dogs for a walk through Breakheart reservation on Sunday. There was lots of foot traffic - people out enjoying the weather, heading to the lake for a swim or a picnic.
At one point as we were walking, a little girl decked-out in a huge pink helmet and shades was cruising towards us on her little big wheels. She was on a slight incline and jump off her bike. I thought the hill was too much for her and she was abandoning her bike for her dad to deal with. But, she was actually b-lining it to our dogs. She stepped a few yards from us, her little hands touching in front of her anxiously. She asked through her giant head and cool dude shades, "Can I pat your doggie?"

Dad told her she could and she approached Bootsie who wiggled in a mild panic at the approach of the alien. Oh, god, it's at eye level! It's at EYE LEVEL!

The little girl and Dad had a brief chat. Isn't she soft? Yes. Do you know why her name is Bootsie? No. And he pointed out Bootsie's feet, covered in white up to her elbows (or are they knees?).

Her curiosity quenched, she turned around and headed back to her bike. As she sat down on it, she asked us, "Do you like my bike?!"

"I do!" I told her, "It's a very nice bike!"

Then, she pushed a button on her little console and we heard "a la izquierda!" loud and clear in the voice of Dora the Explorer.

The little girl threw out her arms to either side of herself and proudly proclaimed, "It does EVERYTHING!" accentuating "everything" with one brisk pump of her jazz hands.

Hummingpee

I took lots of shots while on vacation last week in Martha's Vineyard (shots to follow) I spent a long time photographing the hummingbirds at the mimosa tree where we stayed.

I think I caught one in a private moment.

Homemade Card for the UPS Guy, Mark

The inside reads, "I'm really sorry I bit your knee!" and will be accompanied by a copy of his rabies vaccination (the dog, not the UPS guy).

I wasn't home when this incident happened, but my dad was leaning down to get something at the side door while simultaneously opening the door, not realizing the man in brown was right on the other side. "Your guard's down, Grampy! I'll get him! Grrrrrr!". Oliver shot out at Mark, and clamped on to the poor man's knee.

He is OK. My parents got some antibacterial whatever for him and he was very understanding, knowing that the circumstances were a bit weird, not knowing he was on the other side and all.


When he came the other day, Dad asked him again how he was. He said he was ship shape. Very nice man. Very naughty dog.

Cape

It's been a nice weekend at Scott's End, even though Saturday was gloomy and gray and clammy.

The brother's tackle a puzzle together.

The found turtle which Mom named Trevor before setting it free again.

My favorite from today. My first cousin's husband and their son, Nino.

Tickets

For my Mom's birthday, I told her I would get tickets to see the So You Think You Can Dance tour when it comes to Boston in September.

On Saturday, the tickets went on sale. I waited by the computer for the clock to strike ten and when it did, I went to buy the best seats available within my price range for me and six others who I was buying for. After I bought the tickets, I wondered what type (as far as view as concerned) I would get if I tried again ten minutes later, around 10:12. So, I did another search.

There were no tickets available! Now, granted, when you are in the process of buying your tickets, they remain yours until you commit and actually complete your purchase, plus I'm sure there are other ways or maybe even sites form which you can get the tickets, but still! Twelve minutes after the sale started, there were no more left!

Crazy. And yay for us!

And again More Dancing

jasona nd Jeanine dance a TRavis Wall routine. The best routine of last night's episode...

Something lighter

I confess that I have been somewhat obsessed with this dance routine lately. I have probably watched it at least twelve times in the past 48 hours. I'm not sure why it moves me so much. There is an inkling of relatability in it for me, but I suppose it's just an exceptionally danced piece of choreography. As much as I would know what exceptional dancing and exceptional choreography is.


Checking out the So You Think You Can Dance website recently, I found that each of the top dancers are showing, in a video on their section of the site, their "signature move". For the ballerina, it's an intricate collection of swirls and on-point moves that she is showing and teaching in her video. For others, it's fancy footwork and complicated collections of counting stepping and swinging. That's why I found Kupono's so hilariously refreshing. Especially considering the intense dance he did in last week's show.



Now, I'm sorry but that's just funny shit.

Cape Clean-up

My uncle Billy cleaned-out the shed at Scott's End in preparation for my Dad's arrival. Then, the two brothers and my Mom went through everything and determined what should be kept and what shouldn't. Lots of little details to shoot, plus things not in the shed, too.

More Dance

Since I spent a chunk of time last night finding videos from dances/choreography that I thought were great, I figured I'd post them. I recommend double clicking on the box so you can go to YouTube and watch it in full screen view...



And because their solos were so awesome last season...



And this one won Mia Michaels an Emmy for the choreography. Rad!

Addiction

From Wednesday night's "So You Think You Can Dance". Kupono is the addiction and Kayla is the addicted.
Freakin' amazing. Double-click on it so you can go to YouTube and watch it full screen.



Here's another one I loved from last season. Mark and Chelsea. He's going to work, she doesn't want him to go...





Also from last season. Joshua's off to war. Katie's not happy...

My Neck Hurts

photo

More Fun in the Cape

This past weekend was very nice. My parents and I headed to the cape and invited friends to join. I was especially flattered that Naomi and her (new) husband Jeff drove all the way up from NJ just for the weekend.
We played played games and whatnot but mostly just lounged around. I'm kind of surprised at how good I have come at doing that. Lounging, I mean. I feel like when I am at home, in front of the computer, I am constantly moving and learning. Looking into pricing, mucus usage, tax info, etc online. When I'm in the cape though, I get better about walking away from it.

My shoulder is getting better and better every day. I asked my PT how different our sessions would be if I didn't have frozen shoulder. "Completely different," he told me, explaining that we would have made a lot more progress by mow and that 90% of the time is spent working on the frozen shoulder. I found that discouraging and told him that coming to him was like a full hour of playing "Uncle".

While in the cape, Bootsie cut herself in her romping and exploring. I sat her on the bench next to me to investigate. She flinched so dramatically that I flinched, throwing my bad arm out to the side and pulling back my shoulder. Imagine someone taking your arm and twisting it up behind your back. Then, imagine them jerking it up even harder. Then holding there. That's the kind of pain I felt when my reflexes made me jerk back away from the dog. It hurt so much I didn't know what to do with myself. I grabbed my arm and hugged it to me and started to walk around, kind of like when you stub your toe and can't sit still. Only with the shoulder, it takes a good thirty seconds before the massive pain subsides. I burst into tears, telling my friends, I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm totally fine. Because I'm sure it would have freaked me out a bit.
It sucked, that's all I'm saying.

Breakfast chat.

Naomi! We met when we were working at our first job, The Citizen, in Auburn. Eight years ago?!

Mom's strategically placed bluberries.

Michael Jackson

When I was eight years old, I could moonwalk like Michael Jackson. Or at least I thought I could moonwalk like Michael Jackson. I had a poster of him on my wall from the Thriller tour. I had a baseball t-shirt with yellow sleeves and Jackson on the front. When I went down the street to play with my best friend Andy, I always begged him to let me watch "The Making of Thriller" video just one more time. I was devastated when I wasn't allowed to stay up late to watch him perform at the Grammys the year he introduced the moonwalk.

When my dad told me today that Michael Jackson had died, I was in shock at first. On the forefront of my brain was the more recent things; the fact that he never left the house without a mask on and he made his children do the same, the fact that in the middle of his trial he got up on the top of an SUV and did a little dance move for his fans. The fact that he clearly had a plastic surgery obsession. I thought of the strange things he's done.

Mostly though, I felt sorry for him. For this man who worked his whole life and never really had a childhood then proceeded to be a complete weirdo by attempting to never have an adulthood. I wonder where it went wrong. Where was it that someone could have said (but didn't), "Y'know Michael, having a pet chimp and carrying Webster around on your hip could snowball into more unusual things and before you know it, you'll be grabbing your crotch as part of a dance move, have a collapsed nose from too much surgery, hire people to give birth to your children, and you'll have to move to Bahrain and sell your amusement park home in America".

As a child, he was pushed by his father to lead the famous Jackson 5. He went on to "invent" the moonwalk, amaze us with a sidewalk which would light up when he walked on it in "Billy Jean", produce the longest music video ever in "Thriller" and it's fourteen minutes of creepy zombie dancers with killer choreography, and introduce a new special effect in which one face would morph into another and so on in the video "Black or White". And I'm not even talking about the massive musical contribution.

How does a man like that, a man who, let's be honest, is part of American history, morph into what we knew him as in the last decade of his life? I don't know. I do know that I even when I would go "clubbing" just a few years ago in Florida, I always hoped to get a reprieve from the Usher and NIN songs with a little "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough". I will always be listening for that song to be played. That's the stuff I prefer to remember, the ABCs and the 123s.

Physical Therapy

I watched "Love Actually" this morning and it made me cry. It always makes me cry!

I went to a physical therapy session and got a case of the giggles. While my PT, Andy, was torturing me.

"Are you OK?" he asked me.
"Yes, I'm just envisioning myself screaming I DON'T LIKE YOU! I DON'T LIKE YOU!"
He laughs at me, "There is a sound-proof room in the back for patients like you."

He worked my shoulder hard and while it was very unpleasant, I can't help but feel good about getting my arm above my head, even if it is being forced by someone else.

He told me as I was leaving that he was going to change things up for my Thursday session.

"Like what?" I asked.

"If I told you, you wouldn't come on Thursday."

Homes

Every once in a while, I like to abuse myself by looking on craigslist for available homes and daydream about the day when I will be making a living enough that my living will include my own actual living space. Today, I want to move here, to this condo in Swamscott. The irony is that by the time I can get my own place, the market won't be any good any more. *sigh*

Holy Moth, batman!

He was on my bedspread when I came in tonight. Yikes!

Healing

I went to see my doctor on Monday. A two week check-up after my surgery. I'm kind of sorry I asked for a copy of the xray (see June Masthead), as I am now all to aware of the metal in my shoulder, accompanied by the massive screws.You'll see that the plate bends at the end, on the right. The bone on the tip was too small to attach normally to the plate, so the surgeon had to wrap the tip with the metal and then run that massive screw back through the small piece of bone.

When I saw my physical therapist today and we chatted before he started torturing me in an effort to help get rid of my frozen shoulder, we talked about the massive screws. How do they get those big screws into the little bone. They make a hole with a drill first. Yikes. Again, 'not sure I needed to know.

So, my PT was very unpleasant today as I spent much of it on my back with Andy, my PT, gently bending my arm back to create an excruciating pain like no other. I almost cried, I kid you not.

"Are you ok?" he asked.

"No, it hurts." I answered.

"On a scale on one to ten, what is it? A fifteen?"

Well, at least he knows the pain I'm experiencing.

The interesting thing is that once I got home and the soreness of the session subsided, I felt a lot better than I have in weeks. My shoulder gave me the least amount of trouble today.

Last night, I watched the documentary called, "Young @ Heart" about a Massachusetts choir of older folks who sing rock songs. Pretty rad actually, but as you might guess, with older people, sad things come. Like dying. I was in need of a good cry I guess 'cause once I got going there was no stopping, it seemed. And the rendition of Coldplay's "Fix You" was no help.

That's the other thing. My mood. I'm finding myself wanting to be more reclusive and that makes me nervous. I took a nap this afternoon and when I woke I was so groggy, I didn't want to go anywhere. I mean, not that I could, the doctor told me I cannot drive for another month. I forced myself to walk into town to run and errand.

Although I have booked another wedding to cover in September and someone has come forward with interest in me photographing the birth of their son in the fall, I am feeling like time is simultaneously passing me by and not moving at all.

I will be grateful when this not being able to move and being uncomfortable at all time business is in the past.

Spoiled Dogs

Our Dogs Are Spoiled from C.M. Scott on Vimeo.

Festival By The Lake

Saturday was a nice day. I set-up a booth at the festival this year. It had rained all week long, so we were a bit nervous, but come Saturday, it was a beautiful day!

I had fun chatting with people and answering their questions about what I do. Because I didn't have any idea how functional I would be with my shoulder as it is, I asked for help. My friends were great and kept me company, too!

Donna signs-up for a purchase.

Meg

Lots of people liked the Happy Blowfish.

My neighbors and friends, Amy and Xander!

Adhesive Capsil-what?

Today was an eventful day. I left the house. And put on a bra. This is eventful. For me. Right now. These days. My shoulder continues to be painful, but then I did just have surgery ten days ago. I'm trying to be patient, but really, I'm just not.
I told my Dad the other day that I'm kind-of over it all and losing patience. He pointed out that it had only been, like, four days.
Well four days is a lifetime if you're a bee. Or is it a fly?

I went to my first physical therapy session today. That's why there was cause the wear the convertible bra which allows me to attach a strap on my right side and sling it back across my back to the back of my left side so that I have no contact with my effed-up shoulder and the gnarly stiches. By the way? I reached up the other night and touched my left shoulder, the one with the metal in it, and about barfed when I realized I was feeling metal through my skin. It was hard not to feel woozy. That and the fact that I couldn't get the reality TV show scene out of my head where the contestants were challenged to eat raw bull testicle. Seriously. It's a whole new dieting technique.

The most unfortunate though simultaneously informative news came from my PT, Andy, when he informed me that the lack range of motion in my shoulder, (when I hold my elbow against my hip, bend my elbow to 90 degrees and try to bring my hand out to the side, away from my body, turning from the elbow, it's excruciating) is not related to the surgery at all. That I in fact have Adhesive Capsulitis.

So, you can imagine my excitement to learn that this incredibly uncomfortable condition may take up to a year to get rid of.

I am stoked!

Spirit fingerrrrrrrs!

Surgery

So, I had surgery on my shoulder a week and a half ago. I have not blogged about it because I have been grumpy and not feeling up to typing. So, I'll write a bit now.

First of all, it was god-awful early in the morning. We left the house at 5:30. My particular surgery had to be very early in the morning because of my diabetes. The experience was very strange. They took me away on a gurney in my robe, and I swear I was brought to the bowels of the building. To a hallway with multiple ORs down it.

I had to pee and told the nurse aneshetist so. She got me a bed pan which was new for me. But she was pretty hilarious about it. Once I was done, she was all, "OK, I don't know what to do with it from here." She told me the story about how once when she was with another nurse and they removed the catheter of a man who was still under, he began to pee all over them, spraying this way and that like a yard sprinkler toy. "It was hilarious!" she told me.

As they wheeled me into the OR, I started to feel weird, "doooooooode" I said the the nurse, slowly, "Did you give me somethinnnnng?"
"Dooooode, Yeaaaaaaah." she answered back.

When I awoke, I was in a huge room with a zillion other patients just out of recovering. And I felt like complete hell. Once brought to my room, it was a bit frustrating because it appeared I would sort-of stop breathing, or my breathing would get very shallow, if I started to fall asleep. Quite annoying if all you want to do is nap! I guess it happens after anesthesia.

The break was at the end of my collar bone, by my shoulder, and the doctor was going in to attach a metal plate to bring together what wouldn't come together on it's own. Unfortunately, there was so little bone at the tip of my shoulder that he couldn't attach to it with screws. So, I guess he wrapped the metal around the tip of the bone? He tells me I will likely want to have that removed in a year or so. And I thought I was done. One good thing is that he didn't need to graft at all from my hip which us great. One bad thing is he had a Dr. McSteamy intern check on me, and I'm all drooling on myself. Not because if him, but because of the drugs. Although he was so good looking I could have been drooling over him.

I stayed overnight at the hospital which is good. I was in a lot of pain and very queasy from the surgery. They also wanted to keep an eye on my sugars. They were fine.

I was grateful to get home and now I'm just loafing around the house, being a bad patient, annoyed and bored and uncomfortable. We did go to the cape last week end which was of course very nice, but I did have a strange new thing start, severe pain in my shoulder blade if I ride in a care for more than a half hour. Wazzup with that?

Dog in Fog

Fun Fun

How most feel when they arrive at Scott's End...

Cape Arrival from C.M. Scott on Vimeo.

Tribute to Lloyd Dobler

Just listed this one on my etsy site. This one's for my boyfriend!

Congratulations?

My brother did something to my computer and printer when he was last here and now every time I turn my computer on, I get a request to set-up my HP printer system. Considering I did this already when I bought the thing a while back, I find this very annoying and simply click on "Set-up Later".

I thought it funny that the box changed to read this...

My computer's all "Well done, now NOTHING'S gonna work, idiot!"