Inspection Day

Today was inspection day for the house I am hoping to buy. It was quite a lot fo information (read: problems) to deal with. Yowzer!  Stay tuned!

We're a little stumped on how to deal with this main room. It's basically the livingroom. The brick on the left is the fireplace. I'm thinking that trading the window on the right with the door might help make it possible to layout but we're not sure. Got any brilliant ideas?

Here's the view from the entrance. Strange.

I am diggin this wall space!

Oooo, Ahhh, Ohhh!

This sunset was too awesome to not share and since I was solo on my walk tonight (Oliver's heart isn't up for a brisk walk, I don't think. Or at least, I don't want to risk it. And besides, I'm not sure he's appreciate this sunset so much as much as simply pant at it), I took a picture to share it here.

It was really nice; I think I saw at least six people stop and photograph it.

Best Sewing job EVER!

A recent text discussion with Christina...

Christina (out of nowhere, I will add); I know. I'm sewing the stupid thing now. It's Friday, I'll take video and send it to everyone.
Me (maybe she meant to text another friend who was in the recital's-coming-up-loop):  LOL Sewing what?
C: The costume.
M: For a dance, I assume?
C: Did you see the picture?
M: Nope. Send it!
C: I sent it twice, I'll try again.

(This is followed by about twenty minutes of us going back and forth about how I haven't received it yet even though she's tried multiple times through multiple channels including text, email, time travel machine and Morse code device. I finally get to see it, which is good because the suspense of it all was K-I-L-L-I-N-G me!)

M: FANTASTIC!  Did you sew that?!
C: Just the straps.
M: The straps are the best part! I was gonna say "look at those STRAPS!"
C: LOL

Diane Arbusing

Diane Arbusing, you ask?  Yes, there is such a thing. I have decided that Arbusing is a verb, right here, right now, as I type this.

I cannot express how much I love these photos. They were taken at a "photo booth" at my friend Debby's wedding in California last weekend. Maybe I like it because I never have my picture taken and it's actually kind of nice to have one. Maybe I love it because it's with her and I adore her. Maybe it's because I was her mentor when she was an intern at The Palm Beach Post seven years ago (yikes!) and we have remained friends ever since.

When she was an intern with the Post, she came over for a Halloween party after some crazy late-night shoot she had to do, because, well, she was the intern and sometimes as an intern you get stuck with that stuff. We were feeling silly and decided to take a goofy, serious photo (yes, I do see the paradox), which we both joked later, as I recall, that it looked like a twisted version of the already somewhat twisted shot by Diane Arbus of a set of twins looking straight at the camera. (That photo from seven years ago is at the bottom of this entry).


Skip forward seven years and Debby is getting married and here we are again, still dressed up but much more grown-up like (well, sort of).

At first we had a hard time pulling it together, of course.

Then we managed it.

and this is the old one.

Good Job

The psychic I met with weeks ago told me that my dad would tell me to "get a real job".  "Which is weird," she added, "because your dad is so laid back."

I was chatting with Dad the other night and he suggested I get a job!  Not as bluntly as it sounds, but rather, for me to get out of the house since shooting isn't really keeping me busy enough. It (what the psychic had said) didn't occur to me til this morning.

I did apply for a position at a local university yesterday so we'll see. The field of photographers is so over saturated I would not be surprised if nothing comes of it at all. I do have my feelers in to a summer camp teaching art. Can I teach art? Not sure, but I'm sure I can figure it out.

Maureen just gave me some photos so I could scan them. Including this one of me, from around the time that I gave myself my own haircut. It's probably the riskiest thing I've ever done in my life and I was five.

Xander's Egg Hunt

My favorite from yesterday's photo shoot.
Happy Easter!

Grid Keratotomy

Poor Oliver, headed for another Grid Keratotomy to fix his corneal ulcer. Right now I'm trying to do research on the cost of the procedure, because I'm pretty sure the place I'm taking to him now is price gouging or something. $900? You're nuts!

I took this of him just this morning. I heard him clamouring to get into the laundry basket at about 5:30. He's never done this before. Very funny little man!

Haiti

Images from Haiti by the ever-exceptional Lannis Waters who was a colleague of mine at The Post.
CLICK HERE

January Masthead

Just in time for February!

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.

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.

I Mean, Really...

Could be be any cuter?
I say no.

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.

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. ..

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.

Holy Moth, batman!

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

Dog in Fog

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!"