Well, That's Just Dandy!

Moving.......To A New Blog

2010-03-19T22:06:00.003-05:00

Yup, another blog. I guess that I'm just very indecisive but I have been playing around with the idea for some time. Sorry Wordpress & Blogger but I'm moving on to Tumblr. I've been using tumblr for quite some time now with a few other blogs and I love how simple and quick it is to use. Take a peek at the Features. I always feel like a bad blogger for not posting often enough and feel silly about making short posts or blurbs on these current blogs but it feels very natural with Tumblr so I think that it will help me post more often. Sorry friends for any frustration but I hope that this will help me be a better blogger because I really don't want to fall into the habit of not posting ;) My new blog is here: http://lifeissopeculiar.tumblr.com/

Time For An Update

2010-02-07T21:53:00.001-06:00

So it must seem as though I've fallen off the face of the Earth since it's been almost a whole month since I made my last post. I just took a little peek at that post and much has stayed the same. I still really miss the warm weather and hate winter. In fact, right now it's snowing and is supposed to keep on snowing well into Tuesday, stop on Wednesday, then start right back up on Thursday. It would be so wonderful to be ridiculously rich and build a sort of greenhouse or conservatory around our house and property so it can be warm and green all year round. Of course if I were that rich I guess that I could go live anywhere warm that I wanted. One thing that did change is that I started a new job last week. In my last post I mentioned that I sent in an application to a casino and that's where I now work. I've only been there for a week so I have a couple days left of training and such and then I'm on my own. Sadly I don't like it at all but I'm going to really try to hang in there for six months until I'm allowed to switch departments because it's so hard just to get hired anywhere. It's a pretty tough job because it's all physical labor the whole day and feel rushed because you have to get so much done during your shift. Not to mention that it's also disgusting.
Last weekend (1/30) I drove up to Lynsie & Josh's place to hang out. So we hung out for a bit at their place and then walked to a couple of bars. I really don't know when I'll be able to go out with everyone again because it looks like I might get stuck working every weekend :(

I set up my camera and a light downstairs because I wanted to do some silly pictures but nobody else did so I just have these of Sadie & Lynsie. After I took only a couple everyone wanted to get going to the bars.

Jessie A. & Jessie W. playing around with mine & Lynsie's glasses.

Jessie hiding from the camera :(

Josh & Lynsie

Dan & Josh

Lynsie & I.

Restless

2010-01-15T01:28:00.002-06:00

Ugh, I can't take it anymore! There's so many things that I feel like doing right now and I'm really missing the warm weather! I am so done with winter. I'm sick of all the white everywhere, everything looking dead, and of course the cold. I immensely miss just being able to slip my feet into a pair of flip flops and hop right out the door without bundling up. I miss the green grass and all of the leafs on the trees, blooming flowers, the sounds of songbirds, the warmth of the sun on my skin, being able to wear my summer dresses & skirts, camping, summer nights, stargazing, and actually just being outside in the sweet, mild summer air. Oh how I would love to lay out in the green grass right now to gaze up at big, puffy clouds! Technically the first day of spring is on March 20th which is only a couple of months away but we all know that it doesn't work in the ideal way where the first day of spring rolls around the corner and right on that day it automatically becomes lovely outside. As if I wasn't already consumed by the winter blues I feel bombarded by all of these commercials showing tropical destinations and people joyously frolicking on beaches. *sigh* The other day when I was waking up I lazily drew the curtain back from my window (while still laying in bed) and the sky was so perfectly sunny and blue and for a moment before I stood up and looked at the rest of the scene I had actually forgotten about what season it was.

So besides the warmth I'm really missing photography. I'm so jealous of those portrait and wedding photographers that live out in California and can shoot outside all year long. I suppose that most photographers around here either opt for studio work or just shoot seasonally. But I do really miss it. I feel like I get a bit rusty during the winter. I'm thinking that next time I go up to Jessie's I should bring my camera and we can do something inside. Really, I don't care if it's just something goofy, just as long as it's SOMETHING!

I think that most of my feeling restless has to do with still being unemployed. I'm just really sick of it. Of never going anywhere or doing anything. It really destroys any traces of self worth I might of had. I hate just sitting around and being unproductive. Even though I don't have anything to be tired about it seems like I'm tired all of the time. I feel like I could sleep for an eternity. I look for jobs on the internet every night and it just seems like there's nothing out there or if it's something good then I'm not qualified for it. I just sent in an application the other day for a casino which I really didn't want to do (mostly because of smoking in there) but I need something! Let's just see if they call me or not. I really want to get back out there and live life, especially while I'm young but it keeps coming back to being employed first to be able to afford to go out and do the things I want to do.

Poker Party

2010-01-12T00:40:00.000-06:00

On Saturday Jessie and Max hosted another poker party. I don't know how to play but I go to hang out and see everyone. I'm glad that I got there early because I got to see Caitlin for a little bit before she left pretty early and because of the whole parking situation. Usually when it's warm out everyone can just park in the yard but in the middle of winter there's a crapload of snow everywhere so lets just say that everyone was having some problems with parking and getting stuck. Towards the end when a few people were out of the main game they tried to teach me how to play with pennies. I think I got some of it and won a few hands but I think that I'm ultimately hopeless when it comes to poker. I think that I'm more of a Liverpool Rummy type of person. So anyways here's a few photos from the night. Lynsie ended up taking a bunch with my camera since I was being lazy with it:

Me & Lynsie sitting at Jessie's computer goofing around on facebook which usually yields pretty funny results when viewed (the comments & wall posts) the next day.

Jessie W. & Jessie A. I don't know what they were wrestling about.

me, Lynsie, JW, & Jessie

If Phil won't propose then Lynsie will!

Brad

The table.

Jessie, Lynsie, & Josh

Jessie A. & Jessie W.

uhm?

My penny poker mentors and I.

Josh & Dan.

Max & Jessie.

Why doesn't anyone else like banana Tootsie Pops?

The past year = Mostly bad but some good.

2009-12-31T01:18:00.000-06:00

Just for the record I'm counting late November 2008 and later as last year, or at least it feels like it to me because that's when all of the bad started to happen. I'm allowed to add an extra month in there, right?

Bad:
I lost my best friend (late November 2008)
I lost my job (Early December 2008)
I ended up in the ER twice (in April & August).
ER bills= over $5100 because my shitty health insurance wouldn't help me. I paid almost half so far but it's pretty fricken hard to pay for the rest without an income.
Feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, depression, loneliness, & being trapped.
I've gained weight

Good:
I finally got to do some traveling (a couple of days in St. Croix, a family vacation in Hawaii, & a weekend trip to South Dakota).
Some good times with friends.

I usually don't pay any attention at all to New Year's, it's just another day. But I really want NEED next year to be better. Please please PLEASE!!!!!! Let 2010 be the year that I find happiness!

I need to find a job, hopefully one worth while that doesn't make me miserable like my last one.
I want to spend more time with friends and be more social.
I want to do more traveling.
I want to be more self-sufficient & independent.
I need to lose 20lbs.
I want to be happy.

Old B&W Negatives

2009-12-27T00:38:00.001-06:00

The other weekend my aunt Kathy gave me a folder full of family stuff including a bunch of old b&W medium format negatives. I get really excited about old family photos so I knew that I had to find a way to scan them for free. So here it is, I positioned one of those daylight lamps above the scanner and put a piece of folded/boxed inkjet paper over the negatives as a diffuser. It works! No paying for a film scanner! Once they're scanned use the "invert" filter an voila! beautiful black and white photos!

The simple setup:

The photos are a bunch of old travel photos of my grandmother's. Some places include Arizona, Yosemite, Yellowstone, Mount Rushmore, and the Badlands. The only person that I recognize in them is my grandma. I'll have see if any of my relatives know who the other people are.

Here's just a few of them:

My Grandma at Mt. Rushmore

Grandma again

Grandma on a beach (in the black coat).

Grandma on the left.

Christmas '09

2009-12-26T01:32:00.000-06:00

Short story: Christmas this year was uneventful. There is no long story. We were supposed to go up to my uncle Paul's house today to see my mom's side of the family but we decided not to chance it driving all that way on the slippery roads. So that sucks. I suppose I won't see anyone now until March. At least I got to see some of my dad's side last weekend. There is some good news to report though. When my mom called Paul to tell him we weren't coming he announced that him and Cathy are now engaged! Cathy really does fit in with the family, she's really great and already seems like one of my aunts :) Also just a few minutes ago I found out that my cousin Jamie just got engaged too! It does seem like lots of people get engaged during Christmas, doesn't it? So in total that's three weddings to look forward to because my cousin Dan also just recently got engaged to Mikayla but I'm sure their wedding won't be for some time still. I'm some sort of wedding junkie. I could seriously go to a wedding every weekend and not tire of them.

Other than that it seems like the storm is wrapping up. Yesterday we got about seven or eight inches of wet heavy snow. Last night and today it kept switching from snow to sleet to rain and left a few inches of slush that is now frozen over into slippery ice. Who knows, maybe I'll attempt making a snowman tomorrow although I usually lose interest and end up with just one very large snowball/bottom of a snowman. We'll see.

Jaspar & Kale's Blog!

2009-12-21T21:45:00.005-06:00

I just thought that I would tell everyone about Jaspar and Kale's new blog.

Just a little while ago my cousin Jaspar and her husband Kale made the move to Durban, South Africa where they will be for the next two years.

Aren't they the cutest!

Their blog is here: http://jasparandkale.wordpress.com/

I'm sure that they're going to have many great adventures and stories to tell!

Christmas time already?

2009-12-20T22:20:00.004-06:00

I can't believe that it's already almost 2010! Last night we went over to my uncle John's for my dad's side Christmas party. I really didn't end up taking as many photos as I wanted. I always feel weird being the only one snapping pics. Even before we got there my mouth was watering for aunt Kathy's deviled eggs. By the end of the night I must have consumed almost a dozen. I guess I should learn how to make my own at home.

Here's the few photos I got:

Jessica, Darcy, Lauri, & Troy.

Emma (Mitchel's girlfriend), Mitchell, Nick, & Midge watching some air hockey.

Emily & Deja.

Tracy & Payton.

Sean & Craig.

Rick, his girlfriend Diane, Mitchell, & his girlfriend Emma.

Mikayla (Dan's new fiance) & Dan .

This was going to be a nice photo of Derek and my dad but all of a sudden they started wrestling. Sometimes family gatherings are like watching some sort of nature program and in this case the younger generation is trying to show dominance over the elders.

Nick.

Oh yes, and uncle Steve kept referring to me as "Pam" all night because he thinks I look like Pam from The Office. Ugh, I don't even know how many time I had to exclaim "I don't look like her!" That whole thing is getting to be pretty old.

Wiggle Perfume

2009-12-17T18:23:00.008-06:00

Yesterday the samples from Wiggle Perfume came in the mail! I was so excited to get these and try them with my mom but of course she's sick and can't smell anything :( So it was just me trying them and obsessively sniffing my wrists every five seconds or so all day and night.
First off I have to say that I am not a "perfume" person because most of them give me migraines and make me feel sick. I don't know, it just seems like most perfumes are all chemical and just don't smell good to me. I'm glad to say that's not the case with these. None of them smelled "chemically" or gave me a headache. I love how she offers sample sizes ($1 each) so you can try them before you spend the money on a larger size. She also took the time to make lovely little labels for the sample sizes and I'm sure that one of these little tubes could last about a week. I tried all of them and there is no way that I would be able to choose a favorite. She also describes each scent perfectly so it's a little easier tho choose the right scent for yourself.

Clementine Spice Tea:

From the shop: I am an absolute, unrepentant tea junkie! When the cold weather comes around, I can't resist a good orange spice tea. My Clementine Spice Tea scent combines a fresh sophisticated note of Earl Grey tea with neroli, tangerine, cinnamon, clove and patchouly. Hints of ginger and black pepper add an extra kick. This fragrance opens up very citrusy, then the florals and the spice notes make their presence known as it dries down. Slip on your boyfriend's sweater and curl up by the fire with a good book (or your boyfriend!) and this perfect fall perfume. On second thought, you may not even need the sweater... ;-)

Review: I absolutely adore the smell of almost any spice tea! I could sit there for hours sniffing a tea bag and have even thought of using them in my car and drawers for the scent. I really do wish that I liked the flavor but I don't. I really wish that I could drink tea every day for the warmth, comfort, and that intoxicating aroma but I just can't stand how it tastes. I think the smell of cloves is my favorite and that's what got me looking for a spicy smelling perfume on Etsy by searching with the phrase "clove perfume". This is one of the perfumes in the search results and I'm so glad that I chose to get a sample of it. It's a no-brainer that I would adore this perfume, it smells exactly like orange spice tea! When I first put it on it was very strong (not complaining) and the orange/tangerine smell was very evident. After a while it winds down but it doesn't loose it's presence and I think the longer it's on the better it smells because the citrus smell fades a little letting the wonderful spices take center stage. It also seems to last the longest on me. This is the perfect fall scent and I cannot stop sniffing it. I think I found a new addiction! (Plus sniffing your wrist looks a lot less weird than sniffing a tea bag).

Buy the larger size?: Absafrickenlutely! I LOVE it!

Belle Marie:

From The Shop: I always wanted to be a voodoo queen. I mean, come on! How cool would that be!? Nobody messes with you when you're spattered with chicken blood. Alas, there were precious few chickens to practice on in suburban Seattle, and my ambitions never bore fruit. ;-)

Marie Laveau, on the other hand, made quite a name for herself in that field. People are still talking about her over a hundred years later, and her influence infuses New Orleans with mystery to this day. This scent is my nod to her and the city I always meant to run away to (and someday will). Belle Marie is a bewitching blend of absinthe, frangipani, kudzu blossom, magnolia, vetiver, oakmoss, and sweetgrass. It's fresh and feminine, deceptively sweet and earthy with a barely-hidden dark side.

Review: When I first smelled Belle Marie I actually made an audible gasp! This is just the most lovely and sweet scent ever! It's just so pretty and hard to describe. I swear that there is some sort of delicious citrus fruit in there somewhere. It certainly is a bewitching scent! The only thing is that I wish the first initial sweetness would stay with me longer but it fades and becomes much lighter powdery musk that is still pretty and feminine.

Buy the larger size? Sure! This would be perfect for spring and summer but I don't think that anyone would complain if you decide to wear it all year-round.

Maya:

From The Shop: This is a rich, deep scent, not very sweet at all for those of you who prefer something earthier. A blend of exotic hardwoods and spiced chocolate, Maya is the more finished version of my Mayan Cocoa scent. I've added hints of orchid and plumeria, along with a kick of black pepper to give it a little heat. This fragrance is wild, dark, and mysterious...give it a try and see if you don't get some rather primal reactions!

Review: Just sniffing the bottle I wasn't too impressed but it was a completely different story once I put it on my skin! I find this to absolutely delectable! Once on my skin I could really smell the chocolate but it's not "foody" and that's a good thing. It isn't a very strong smelling perfume, instead it draws you in closer until you are completly enveloped in a shadowy new world. Just like Nani says in her description I found this to be very "dark and mysterious".

Buy the larger size? Definitely! I could wear this every day and night and never bore of this dreamy scent.

Anjali:

From The Shop: I stumbled across this scent quite by accident. I was cleaning my fragrance bottles while moving them into my (fabulous!!) new workstation and both the coconut and amber bottles leaked at the same time. I sniffed it, thinking "this has got to be the most awful stench in the world!" and was stopped dead in my tracks. I dropped everything, added in just the right amounts of clove, jasmine, carnation, and sexy red musk and before I knew it I had my new favorite.

Anjali is my tribute to all the amazing Indian musks and attars I started my perfume collection with. It's spicy and incensey, super feminine, and has a warmth and sweetness guaranteed to draw people closer. This is the perfect fragrance to wear as the cool weather closes in on us, it'll put you in the mood to curl up with a cup of chai...or your copy of the kama sutra. ;-)

Review: For some unknown reason this scent was very comforting and loving to me. It gives me an overwhelming urge to cuddle someone wearing this scent. I just don't know what it is but I adore it! It's very warm and sweet (I can smell some faint coconut) with a little hint of spice.

Buy the larger size?: YES!!!

Little 5:

From the shop: For me, it all started in Little Five Points, Atlanta. On the corner of Euclid and Colquitt stood the Gypsy Market, where my perfume obsession began. Without fail, my husband and I would start fighting in the gawd-awful Atlanta traffic on the way down. I’d arrive all tense and flustered, and within twenty seconds of crossing that threshold, all my worries would melt away. The hot, humid, incense-saturated air seemed to make everything better. I don’t miss the weather, the fire ants, or the wrestling fans, but I still get all nostalgic when I remember the punks, hippies, and gorgeous cowrie-shelled dreadlock mamas that made Little Five the place to be.

My first signature blend, Little 5 is an intoxicating mix of spicy opium-like musk and redolent oriental rose. It opens up with a fresh herbal note of sweetgrass then deepens into its heart of sophisticated rose, finally warming down to its dark dreamy base. This is a perfume lover’s perfume, not for beginners or the faint of heart. Pair this scent with smokey eye makeup and a little Billie Holiday. Little 5 will put an extra switch in your hips.

Review: This one is indeed for a lover of roses. The smell is a very strong, sweet, and powdery rose.

Buy the larger size?: No, I was reminded that the scent of roses is not for me although I'm sure it would smell lovely on the right person.

Black #1:

From the shop: Now, before you scream COPYRIGHT! at me, I want to remind everyone that the song was supposedly based on a hair dye of the same name. So...if I name my perfume after the hair dye that inspired the song....eh, I dunno. It's fall, I'm in kind of a dark, spooky mood, and who doesn't love a gothy blackberry perfume? Besides, I may change the name to Black #4 anyway, it took me that many tries to get it just where I wanted it.

I think I may have already mentioned that I'm a total blackberry freak? Yep, well here's another of my fall-minded blends, dark and sweet with a mix of blackberry, narcissus, violet, patchouly, and clove. There's also a little hint of rain floating around in there, 'cause it wouldn't be the same without some moody weather.

Review: I was excited about this one because of the blackberry but I feel let down because to me it doesn't smell at all fruity. I was expecting something like spicy & floral blackberry jam but on me it's almost all powder.

Buy the larger size?: Sadly no, it's not meant to be.

Nicosia:

From the shop: I've always had a longing to see the mediterranean. There's just so much history there, so much art, such gorgeous, passionate people. And the food! This scent embodies one of my favorite escape fantasies. A blend of fig, olive blossom, clove, golden honey and sandalwood, this scent is all fresh breezes and dusky-haired women draped in sun-bleached cotton.

Review: Her description of this scent is spot on! It smells exactly how I imagine the Mediterranean to be. I swore that I was on a Greek island overlooking the sea and completely surrounded by beauty and enchanting spices. There is also a very soft and faint clean scent in there that really does smell like "sun-bleached cotton" that reminds me of hanging clothes on the line during summer. This perfume is absolutely perfect in my opinion. It's so complex but beautifully melds together like some sort of dreamy folktale.

Buy the larger size: Yes! Pretty pretty please! I'm in love!

Du Bois:

From the shop: Finally! I've been waiting to release this fragrance, it debuted as part of the giveaway bonanaza going on at SoapBoxCo.com. This is my new favorite!
DuBois is a heady, lavish blend of creamy white scents. A mix of gardenia, almond, and egyptian musk with a hint of cinnamon, this fragrance is very luxurious and sophisticated, but still equally appropriate for day or evening. There's something very retro about this scent, it's very ladylike and glamorous, with a bit of a sparkle. I almost feel like a Veronica Lake hairdo should be required with it. White (hopefully faux!) fur and (non-conflict) diamonds are optional.

Review: This one was so familiar that it was absolutely driving me nuts! Something from my childhood is lurking in this scent. After reading her description I think that it has to be the almond since I remember my dad buying rich almond lotion a long time ago for my mother. It really is an old fashioned perfume that feels very nostalgic to me.

Buy the larger size?: I can't make up my mind about it. I like it but don't think that I would wear it very often, maybe just for special occasions.

Speakeasy Vanilla:

From the shop: I'm not ususally a vanilla person. It's such a classic, feminine, and decadently sexy scent, I've always really wanted to like it...but just couldn't. Well, I've fixed that problem! My Speakeasy Vanilla is another thing altogether, not cloying or overly precious. This vanilla does not wear pigtails. It does not have a "daddy's little girl" lisence plate holder. This vanilla is a grown ass woman who spent a hot, tipsy day in the kitchen, rocking out to Etta James in heels, perfecting her creme brulee. Or something like that...

This fragrance opens up with a bright, intoxicating bourbon vanilla scent then mellows into a softer, creamy vanilla. To balance the sweetness, I've added sultry amber and smokey frankincense. On the very bottom is a delicately floral white musk, and if you're very sharp you may catch the tiny hint of bay rum lurking in the mix.

Review: This is exactly how she describes it. It's much more grown up and even boozy. The vanilla is still very much there, just more sophisticated.

Buy the larger size?: Although it's not for me I would recommend this for lovers of vanilla. I think my dad liked this one best.

Theda:

From the shop: This is my new favorite for the season! After playing with several sweetly casual fall scents, I found myself itching for something a little different, something properly elegantly autumnal. Theda is a dangerously sophisticated blend of absinthe and bitter almond with a heart of lotus and hints of dark earth and smokey wood. I've layered all this over a spectrum of magnificent musks for a truly rich and grown up way to indulge in fall's spooky vibe. For those of you familiar with my line, Theda might best be described as the bastard child of DuBois and Belle Marie.

Review: Nani included Theda as a free sample. This one just has to be named after the silent film actress Theda Bara. It really does smell like an old fashioned perfume that someone from the early 1900's would wear. It's soft & lovely but sophisticated and dark. It smells very familiar to me and I could see myself wearing this with an evening gown.

Buy the larger size?: This is another one like Du Bois that I can't make my mind up about and would save for special occasions.

I also ordered a sample of 27 men's fragrance for my dad and ended up buying a full size of it along with Duncan for him since he liked speakeasy vanilla. I usually despise men's cologne but 27 was very spicy and "manly" and definitely didn't make me gag. I'll have to wait for my mom's nose to clear up until she can tell me her favorites to order.

Random Insomniac Ramblings

2009-12-13T05:52:00.001-06:00

It's past 5am and I cannot sleep! Yes, that's normal for me. I was up until maybe 6:30am last night/yesterday morning? But I'm really trying to fall asleep! Truly, I know I'm in a bad sleeping pattern right now and am at this point almost completely nocturnal. I was lying here trying to fall asleep and my eyelids would not stay closed, they kept fluttering open! I'm blaming Midol for that one because it makes me all jittery and shaky and I took some about an hour & a half ago. I just can't win. So here's some random stuff:

I have Be-Bop-A-Lula by Gene Vincent stuck on repeat in my head. It's complete torture.
I was just making a couple of pairs of earrings to put in my shop tomorrow and randomly thought about one of my old designs that I had made for myself but can't even remember the last time that I wore them. That's so weird because I loved those earrings. That set off a mad search for them but they are nowhere to be found and that's driving me insane! So friends, if I happened to of left these: at your place please remind me! Hopefully I'll be able to find them.
I've been stuck with no idea what to get my parents for Christmas this year. My brothers are usually pretty easy (especially Craig this year) but it's always tough figuring out something for mom & dad. The worse is when I ask them what they want and they don't give you a good answer or say something stupid like the overused "a winning lottery ticket" line. Ghah! So earlier tonight I was sprinkling some ground cloves on a slice of pumpkin pie and made a comment to my mom about how the smell of cloves is my absolute favorite smell. That got me onto Etsy searching for perfume that smells like cloves and I got the idea of ordering sample sizes of different Wiggle Perfume scents. That way I can have some fun with my mom trying the different scents and she can tell me her favorite so I can order the full sized bottle for her. Good idea? I also ordered a sample of the "27" men's scent for my dad to see if he likes it. Right now him and my brothers wear that god awful Axe stuff that gives me headaches especially right after they douse themselves in it so hopefully this stuff will smell good and my dad can wear a "real" fragrance. If that doesn't work I don't know what I'll do.
After the perfume samples get here I'll have to do a little review of them here on the blog! I'm very picky when it comes to perfume because most of it gives me migraines. Really, there's nothing worse to me than strong perfume to make me want to tear my own head off! So far there have been only two that I've found I like and don't hurt my head: Lucky Number 6 and Bond Girl. Yes Bond Girl sounds cheesy but I really do love it and get compliments on it. It's citrusy and peachy with a warm woodsy scent. My mom loves it so much that she now owns some which is good because personally some of her other perfumes give me those headaches. They don't smell bad, they just hurt.
I think that's all for now. I'll probably think of something right when I turn the computer off.

Flavors.me

2009-12-02T00:07:00.002-06:00

So last week while browsing around on tumblr yet again I found out about Flavors.me, which allows you to create a homepage that micro-streams all of your sites on one dandy little page. I love this idea! I started to play around with it tonight and here's what it looks like so far:

The services that they offer right now include: Flickr, Tumblr, Twitter, Vimeo, last.fm, Facebook, goodreads, Netflix, & an RSS stream.

Within the next 2-3 weeks they will release:

Fine-tuned support for a variety of additional services such as Wordpress, Blogger and Posterous. In the meantime, RSS works for most blogs and many other services such as Disqus, Delicious, etc.
Custom URLs
Interactive music playlists for Tumblr
Additional views for photos

Mine is here: http://flavors.me/sarahbeth

Flavors.me from Jack Zerby on Vimeo.

Flavors.me allows anyone to create an elegant website using personal content from around the internet.

Caitlin's Baby Shower

2009-11-30T02:21:00.001-06:00

Yesterday was Caitlin's baby shower. There was lots of guests and a butt load of gifts for little Axton. I still can't believe that Rachel and Caitlin are pregnant right now and only something like a week apart from each other. And who knows when the other girls are going to get married and have kids, Jessie is married already and she's probably going to start popping them out pretty soon. I'm only 23 and can't even think about that stuff yet. I have noticed on facebook though that a very large amount of my classmates are married, have kids, or both. I don't know, it's just mind boggling to me that all of this stuff is happening already. What happened? I guess that I'm more the type of person that's fine with being unmarried until I'm thirty or so. I just keep thinking about how weird it will be when all of the girls are married with kids and I'll still be the oddball. Anyways, here's a few pics:

Caitlin opening gifts.

Lynsie, Jessie, & Rachel.

Lynsie, me, Jessie W., & Jessie A.

Oh, and I also want to say that I just signed up on vimeo. I'm finally starting to go through all of the video that I have stored on my camcorder and doing something with it. It just sucks that my internet connection isn't very fast so the videos that I'm uploading are pretty small and I can't figure out why they aren't displaying as widescreen and instead look a bit smooshed.

Thanksgiving

2009-11-27T02:56:00.005-06:00

Yesterday was time for Thanksgiving again. This year it was a bit more sparse than usual because not everyone could make it including my dad because he had to work. We did have a good time though and it's nice to see family especially since you usually only get to see them during the holidays.

Chuck making his famous Cajun turkey. This is the food item that most of the family drools over.

Lindsey & Erin with my favorite Thanksgiving food, homemade rolls.

Jamie & Jake

Mike & Grandma

Jake brought tupperware along so he could bring food back home.

The couch, a great gathering place.

Samantha, Jamie, & me.

Re-enacting a photo from last year minus Kaleb.

Mom, Craig, & I. Craig doesn't take "normal" photos.

Free backrubs.

Plenty of desserts left to bring home.

A Little Thanksgiving Taunting from I Can Still Dream... on Vimeo.

Jake really, really loves Thanksgiving dinner. That's especially true for the traditional Cajun turkey that uncle Chuck makes every year which Eric gets none of because he's over in England.

Becky & Mike

2009-11-19T01:10:00.002-06:00

I finally got around to posting just a few photos from Becky & Mike's Wedding in September!

Inspired

2009-11-18T16:59:00.002-06:00

I was looking through the Sally Jane Vintage blog (which I would highly recommend for lovers of vintage & fashion) and she had made a post with photos from Waldemar and Max. I love these photos! It got me thinking that it would be so much fun to do a photo shoot like this since I have pigeons and some friends that would like to participate? This would be so much fun if it wasn't so cold out.

Rachel's Baby Shower

2009-11-09T17:35:00.010-06:00

Yesterday was Rachel's baby shower which I ended up being 30 minutes late to it because of my demented GPS. For some reason my otherwise reliable Garmin thought the location was about 5 miles away from where it really was. This meant lots of confusion for me and driving back and forth and in circles. I ended up finding it on my own but of course was late and already missed a few games. I did get to play one where you guess how many safety pins are in a jar. I guessed 102 and it ended up being 103 so I won! Rachel ended up getting lots of gifts for little Samantha!

Halloween

2009-11-03T17:00:00.002-06:00

First I must say that I love Halloween! It's the only holiday that I even really like. Second I must say as a warning that this is going to be a long post. With that said, on Friday everyone met up at Josh & Lynsie's for their Halloween party.

Our hosts, Lynsie & Josh.

Little Sadie is so cute in her coat.

Josh, Jessie, Phil, Rachel, & Brad.

Jessie & I. I must say that I loved dressing like this, it was my first attempt at wearing victory rolls!

Max & Jessie. Max went as that scary Sham Wow guy.

I just thought this was a pretty funny photo of Caitlin.

Caitlin & her boyfriend Cody. Cute, right?!

Phil & Jessie

Jessie got a little lap dance by Lynsie's brother.

The three photography students - me, Ashley, & Jessie. Kisses!

The Next night was Halloween and also Jessie's birthday so we went out to eat at the Orchard, played apples to apples at Jessie & Phil's, then went out to The Dive Bar for the rest of the night for some dancing.

There was a guy going around the dance floor with a vampire blow up doll.

We made a few trips outside in the very cold night air which feels pretty good after being in a very hot & crowded club.

The birthday girl!

One sad thing - they no longer offer the ladies drink free here because some guy sued them for gender discrimination. This makes me sad, very sad. I was waiting until 11pm for my free drinks but they never came :( In return I think they should at least offer some special like $1 drinks instead of charging a crazy $4 per drink. I was very thirsty so I bought 1 drink then refilled the glass a few times with water in the restroom. I get to see the ladies again next Sunday for Rachel's baby shower, then again in a few weeks for Caitlin's!

A Song A Day

2009-10-28T01:06:00.002-05:00

Well I'm sure that you already know about my photo a day blog here: http://sarah365.tumblr.com/ I'm surprised that I haven't missed any days yet although the photos aren't that great. I guess that I'm lazy and lack inspiration so I usually end up taking plain and uninteresting photos of things in my boring daily life. Well anywhoo, I've decided that I'm going to also post one song a day. My first song - "Machine" by Regina Spektor. I thought it was rather appropriate for me since I'm always plugged in.

Oh Job Search, Why Are You Such A Thorn In My Side?

2009-10-21T17:33:00.003-05:00

Everyone knows that I have been unemployed for a very long time now (since Jessie's wedding) and that's not what I had planned. I'm getting so sick of feeling useless and knowing that my life is going nowhere. The only thing that has helped a little bit has been selling jewelry and two weddings this past summer. I'm starting to feel like I'm not good enough or have the experience needed for any jobs posted and just don't know where to go. Today I broke down and sent in my resume to two different cruise lines. It's always been in the back of my mind as a good idea but I also think that it sounds terrifying. I mean, six to eight months on a ship working 13hour days, 7 days a week with no days off. And it's not like you can just quit if you don't like it because you would have to pay your way back home. I've been searching around about what it's like working on a ship and I've heard a lot of bad things but also good stuff as well. I hope if they actually do choose to contact me it will be the good things. It has to be better than sitting here on my arse beating myself up and feeling worthless. I doubt they'll call.

a birthday, a visit from my brother, and loathing of my physique.

2009-10-20T00:12:00.003-05:00

Well it's been some time since I've made a post in this blog so I thought it was time for an update.

On October 10th my mom, dad, and I went to my aunt Denise's 40th birthday party:

My cousins Tony & Tricia, & me. Tony lives pretty far away south of here and Tricia lives all of the way out in South Dakota so I only see them a few times a year (although that goes for most of my family).

Aunt Amy & my mom.

Aunt Amy, my dad, & aunt Carol.

Some of us ladies: Kristi, Tricia, Amy, Amanda, me, Carol, Denise, & my mom.

Uncle Chuck brought some Brew House beer. That stuff tasted like coffee.

The birthday girl.

My aunt Carol loves to stand and dance on top of furniture. It's just her thing.

This past Wednesday Craig came home for MEA break. I think he really likes coming home. This is proven by the fact that he has to drive 6 hours each way. I think he gets home sick plus he gets to see the dogs, sleep in his own quiet bed, and eat all he wants.

This is him preparing a bowl of ice cream which he doesn't get much of up north:

And big news! It stopped raining and the sun came out from hiding! I think it got into the lower 60's which is waaaay better than the 30's & 40's. That more like it! This is how it should feel. I was thinking that Minnesota was skipping fall completely and heading into the longest, darkest, and worst season ever like some sort of cruel shock treatment. (I HATE winter!)

Today I went with my mom to Kohls to see if I could find a pair of jeans that fit since I haven't bought a new pair in almost 3 years and mine are getting worn out. I tried on 13 pairs and gave up. NONE of them fit me right and I feel like crying. I've always hated trying on pants. Once in a blue moon I can actually find a pair that fits and I treasure that special find so very much. This is one of the reasons that I LOVE skirts and dresses. They are so forgiving and help cover up my larger bits that give me so much trouble (hips, butt, & thighs). Plus they are so easy to find the right size and fit into! I wish this was the 40's or 50's so I could wear those clothes all of the time.

Halloween Hair

2009-10-02T23:17:00.002-05:00

I was thinking about Halloween costumes and I was thinking that since I don't have money I should just wear my navy blue 50's style polka dot dress for a vintage look and I wouldn't have to buy anything! The only thing I would have to figure out would be my hair. I really don't want to buy a wig but I have a really hard time styling my hair. It's so frustrating and frizzy! Even when I get my hair cut the stylist can't figure out what to do for me. I've always wanted to try victory curls and always wondered how to do them so I found this video:

Such a cute hairstyle and she makes it look so easy! It makes me remember how easy it was to do my hair when it was shorter, it does a cute curly flip thing on the ends when it's shorter. That would be perfect to go along with my dress but I think my hair is too long for it :(

This is more of what I was looking for. (I would totally do my hair like this all of the time if I knew how.)

Anyways, I tried rolling some of my hair up like that but it didn't quite work out, maybe I need something to roll my hair around since it's so long? Or maybe just more patience? It's really hard to try this with waist long hair! All of this is making me want to cut my hair to shoulder length just so I can do cute stuff to it but I'm trying to resist!

While looking around at videos on youtube I also found this girl:

http://www.youtube.com/user/StrawberryKoiVintage

She has lots of cute vintage tips and tutorials, plus her blog is very cute. This girl has serious style!

Obsession

2009-09-29T18:04:00.000-05:00

Hello, my name is Sarah and I have a serious addiction/problem.
Ever since I first laid my eyes on Stella it has been love at first sight. Now that love has turned into an obsession. I have realized this because I am currently spending a couple of hours or more a day browsing through websites, message boards, articles, and photos on flickr all related to Stella. I seriously doubt that I do much blinking at all and am sure that there are times that some drool drips out of my gaping mouth.
So the question is how do I get over this obsession? I know that I'm already set on getting the new 2010 4 stroke model but what to do until then? And how about once I do get her? Will I be in even deeper? Is there any hope for me?

*Drool*

I'm starting to think that part of the problem is that I've always wanted a classic car and of course lust after them whenever I see one. I know that I will probably never own one for various reasons but when I came across Stella I immediately saw her as something attainable that I can see myself on and able to handle. She's exactly what I want, a vintage metal body with the security of modern technology plus she's a 4 speed manual so I can get that out of my system also.

The 2010 4 stroke

http://2strokebuzz.com/2009/05/07/the-new-stella-unveiled#more-5224

*Help me!*

Stella!!!

2009-09-25T16:38:00.001-05:00

Last night I was watching the news and they mentioned something about scooters as alternative transportation. I wish they hadn't done that! I have this little thing that I call scooter lust. Yes, scooter lust. It's something that happens to me every time I see a scooter or when someone talks about scooters. Just think about how much scooter lust I was feeling while watching Yes Man! It's always been my dream to live somewhere warm and use a scooter as my main vehicle. I don't know what it is but I just love them! Of course I was already on the internet and feeling bored so I decided to browse around out of curiosity. I first went to the Vespa page and of course their scooters are gorgeous (especially the vintage style ones) but so expensive!

Then I found the Genuine Scooter Co. As far as reviews go this company trumped Vespa and the scooters are a much better deal. Now I know that I want Stella:

Isn't she absolutely gorgeous!? I LOVE her vintage styling!

So one day Stella, you will be mine!

Sometimes

2009-09-24T22:36:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I just feel like I need a new look. sometimes I wish my skin had some pigment and my hair was darker. But then sometimes I'm fine with how I look. I get frustrated with my hair and want to chop it off but then think about how long it took me to grow it and how much I would miss it. I guess that's why normal people change it up a couple of times a year.But not me, nope. I'm boring and cheap.

Hmmmm, a photo a day or not?

2009-09-17T16:15:00.005-05:00

I was just browsing around and found this article: http://photojojo.com/content/tutorials/project-365-take-a-photo-a-day/ and now I'm thinking that I might want to try and start my own photo a day project. The questions are should I, could I, and how long would it last? It might be worth a try, right?

On another note, I had a job interview yesterday and I'm not quite sure how it went. I feel like I froze up on some of the questions and I wonder how I appeared to the interviewer. Of course in this economy there were a lot of others that applied for the same job because he said he was doing interviews all week and I feel like my chance is very small of actually being chosen. I guess if they pick me it'll be a miracle.

Update - I decided to go ahead with the photo a day thing: http://sarah365.tumblr.com/ starting today.

This Past Eventful Weekend

2009-09-14T23:49:00.001-05:00

This past weekend was actually pretty eventful. On Friday I drove over to Chaska to shoot a wedding for an awesome couple and I think that went really well! I do hope that I grow out of feeling panicky and sick on days that I do photo shoots though. I'm okay once I get there and start shooting but the time before that is pure hell for me. Hopefully I'll get more work from that past wedding because one of their friends just got engaged and one of them is a music producer that took my card so maybe I'll be doing some artist portraits too? One thing that I'm worried about with that is I don't have a studio or portable lighting because it's so expensive and I haven't even earned back the money that it cost to buy the equipment I currently have so hopefully natural light/outdoor portraits will be okay. The bride & groom also told me that they'll be calling me in eight months because they just found out she's preggers. So Jessie will have to give me some tips on photographing babies because I haven't even ever held one (out of my own will) before.
Also on the morning of the wedding I was woken up by at&t calling me about a job and had me answer some questions. I'm just afraid that I might have messed up because I was literally half asleep and can't even remember the conversation. I just know that I froze up on one of the questions and that she said she was forwarding my application to a hiring manager and I might get a call within a few days. So maybe I won't be so unemployed and poor for much longer?
On Saturday the whole family (Craig came home for the weekend) went out for a movie & dinner. We ended up seeing Inglorious Basterds because my brothers and I are Tarantino fans and the previews looked so good. It didn't end up being what I expected but it was still okay since I'm also a fan of Tarantino's dialogue (there's a lot of that) but I do wish there was more action. I thought that since he loved the original Inglorious Bastards film so much and was making this movie because of that one that it would be more like the original but wasn't at all. Oh, and I would highly recommend the origional if you like campy and fun war films from the 70's. After the movie we decided to try Baja Sol which was pretty darn good. They have their own salsa bar for unlimited chips and salsa (yum yum!) and the menu was pretty awesome too (lots of vegetarian options). We also had a very upbeat waiter that let me have a Dos Equis although I didn't have my ID with me.
Yesterday Craig ventured back up north for school and I ended up taking a few last minute photos of Eric since he had to leave today to go to school in Birmingham, England for nine months. He says that he will keep a blog over there so he better uphold his word especially since he won't be back home until May and he gets something like two months off to travel around Europe. So his blog for that is here:http://ericintheoldcountry.blogspot.com/ Now here's a few of those awesome (I'm allowed to like my own work) photos from yesterday:

Eric in his cowboy/outback hat that he bought during our South Dakota Trip.

Of course I had to shoot some funny face pics:

Yup, I really love these photos and I think it would be fun to do a collection of friends and family in the same style. Too bad Craig didn't want his photo taken too :(

Labor Day Weekend

2009-09-09T00:06:00.002-05:00

This past weekend of course was Labor Day weekend and I think this was the first year I actually had something to do for the holiday weekend. Usually my dad's side of the family tries to get most of us together once a year up at Kathy & Jim's cabin but this year we had to reschedule for September. I think this was actually the best weather we've had (it didn't rain!).

Eric & Jim starting the beer drinking.

Craig and his very tiny tent. I would not sleep in that thing. I think it would make me feel claustrophobic not to mention too close to wildlife while sleeping because I like having some space between me and the tent walls at night.

My cousin Nick with a beer and a turkey leg.

Eric enjoying a beer.

Abri & Emily

Payton

Uncle Steve

This was actually a very pretty sunset but the sun doesn't look right in this photo.

Abri

Emily (don't you just love the soft light!)

Uncle John, Sammy, & Grace.

The four of us took a short little walk down the beach before dark. I love how sandy the shoreline is on Mille Lacs. It's for sure one of my favorite lakes to swim in.

Some sitting around the fire:

Alan & aunt Mary Ann with Daphnie (the daughter of my dogs Gracie & Luke). They have to drive all of the way from Ohio to visit.

Craig & Nick

I think that Troy is getting a little big for this.

Jim mixed up a giant martini for uncle Tom.

The next day it was more warm sunshine :)

Deja

Emily & Grace

Pat at the wheel for a while thinking he's the captain.

aunt Kathy

Jim, the real captain. (as indicated on his cap)

Rick & Mitchell

At the end of the boat ride Jim told a few of the guys to put weight on the front of the boat so they all got up there without really thinking and the whole front end of the boat went down like we were sinking. Thankfully we didn't sink but sadly I didn't get that YouTube worthy moment on film :( I also went on another ride with the next group and noticed by the time that I got back to shore that I should have put on some sunscreen. I am seriously burned like I can't believe. It's painful to raise my arms and the burn has a purplish tint to it. Hopefully it will turn tan and not peel!

Dad, Rick, Derek, Mitchell, & Craig.

Jim & Kathy's Cabin '09 from I Can Still Dream... on Vimeo.

Just a few things.

2009-08-31T22:17:00.001-05:00

Of course nothing exciting has been happening around here lately but I do have a couple of things to say.

While trying to figure out why the heck my comments weren't working on my blogspot blog (brought to my attention to Caitlin) I came across a nice little surprise - blogger finally updated their piece of crap post editor! This is a big deal for me because the old one drove me absolutely nuts! It was waaaayyyy too small and I always hated trying to insert photos into posts. This whole time I've been creating my posts in wordpress and copying the post and images into blogger. I don't think that's going to change (using wordpress to make the posts) but at least the post editor isn't a little chunk of crap anymore!
I finally started to update my website! I figured that I better do something with my site because the poor thing has just been sitting there with an "under construction" notice on it and links to a wordpress blog that contained my prices. I am paying $4.95 a month to host the darn thing so I decided to get crack'n. I came up with my new design & colors and updated my photo blog to match the new site. I also just ordered newly designed business cards to match the site and I'm really excited about that because I really hate my old design. I think what really got me moving is that I'm shooting a wedding next week (gulp) and I want to be able to hand out cards that I'm not embarrassed about and want my site to look good too. I'm not completely finished with it though because I can't figure out a good way to make flash photo galleries to put in there. I might just have to suck it up and buy new software :( If you want to take a look it's HERE.
I decided not to re-blog my South Dakota trip onto my other blogs. It would just take way too much time and I already have the photos up on my travel blog HERE.
My indeciseveness is driving me crazy! I think my problem is that I like having different blogs/sites of my own and it seems like the only human interaction I get is through the web because I get to see everyone maybe once a month if I'm lucky. I currently have my wordpressblog, my blogspot blog (a copy of my wordpress), a tumblr, my travel blog, my photo blog, and my etsy blog. I've been wondering lately if it would be easier just to have one blog on tumblr (because tumblr is my new love) but then I would miss my wordpress and blogger blogs. Ugh, I started out with just a wordpress blog but then all of mi amigos got blogs on blogger and I thought it would be easier for them if I also got a blogger so they would already be logged in for commenting on posts. So currently I first post to wordpress and copy the post to my blogger because I would be very sad if I abandoned my wordpress because I have quite a few posts on there and have been using it since March 2008. I don't know what to do, I keep accumulating more sites.
I miss my cheese heads!

i need to

2009-08-31T01:22:00.000-05:00

lose weight
find a good job
stop being so sad all of the time
find myself
travel
get out of this place i am in
breathe
find my light at the end of the tunnel....

At least that's what it feels like. Like I'm slowly sloshing my way through a dark, cold, damp tunnel full of traps, dead ends, and all things dangerous. I need to find my way out into the light.

My Life is Shit

2009-08-26T22:44:00.002-05:00

Hey Life,
Quit being such a bitch! Seriously, just stop! I really don't get why you keep putting me down. You dangle some nice days in front of me and make me feel a little better and like things are going to turn around and then BAM! you slam me down into the pavement, kick me until I'm bloodied, then lock me away in a place where it feels like I'm being suffocated and couldn't feel any worse about myself. I already think that you owe me something pretty fucking good in the near future for all of this shit you put me through.
I. hate. you.
Sarah

Jaspar is my hero!

2009-08-22T14:56:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting my beautiful and talented cousin Jaspar at Lake Nokomis to take some photos for her upcoming CD. There were so many beautiful wildflowers, most of them being yellow which was perfect because that's her favorite color and because they match her sunny disposition. We found this one beautiful location in the shade by a tree and lots of beautiful flowers and of course I don't keep my big clunky camera bag on me while snapping away so I set it on the ground about 50 feet away. When we were done taking photos I turned back to my bag and there was a swarm of angry bees all over it! Now some of you know that I hate bees! I'm sure this goes hand in hand with my fear of needles. I had only been stung twice before by paper wasps on two separate occasions and would never want to be stung by one of those again! (Very painful! Burns for about 8 hours and I break out in hives.) So I was pretty weary about going over there to save my camera bag. I kept my distance but that didn't help much because one flew over and stung me and then of course 3 others attacked me after that because when they sting you they release some sort of scent marking you as the threat/enemy. Since I was already marked and stung a few times I for sure didn't want to walk up to the bag swarming in those little evil buggers and was thinking about calling some sort of pest control. Jaspar had never been stung before and wasn't the least bit afraid. She was actually looking at it as a challenge. She put on a long sleeved shirt and wrapped a bandanna around her hand and pulled the bag away by the strap. Of course I also had the bag open which made it a little worse because they were inside of it. After all of this I walked away with 4 stings and Jaspar didn't even get stung once! I guess next time I'm taking photos outside I'll pay more attention to where I'm setting my bag so I don't set it on top of another ground bee nest and make sure that it's closed. Now today those darn bee stings are the size of ping pong balls and are driving me crazy like I want to tear them open and drain them!
Thank you Jaspar, for saving my camera bag!

Isn't she beautiful!

On the Road to South Dakota

2009-08-14T13:59:00.000-05:00

Well I'm on the road (2hrs in!) and heading out west. I won't be posting on my normal blog because it just takes so long so I'm using tumblr. You can follow me here: http://sarahstravels.tumblr.com/ Then when I get back home I'll probably post to my normal blog.

Father Hennepin State Park

2009-08-13T01:59:00.003-05:00

I spent August 3rd through the 8th with my parents and aunt Mary & uncle Dan. (& Craig for 2 days) We stayed at Father Hennepin State Park up in Isle, MN on Mile Lacs Lake. Craig came home during the weekend while I was up at the cabin in Amery, WI and the day after I came home the two of us drove up to stay with the others in the campground. I think this was my first time camping that I really didn't need any bug spray! The park has a really nice long & sandy beach, paved paths, and some hiking trails. The downsides were that it was crowded and the sites had no privacy and the park itself is kind of small. I think it would be the perfect park if the campsites had more privacy because that was a BIG downside. There were people walking through our site to theirs and while sitting around you almost had to look at your neighbors because they were so close with nothing seperating the sites.

Luke riding in Craig's lap. Craig put on the brakes and poor Luke's head smacked into the horn on the wheel. It was pretty comical but also a good reason your dog shouldn't ride on your lap.

Gracie in the back seat where she later threw up a clump of grass.

Craig & Luke on a dock on our first walk around the park. Notice how you can't see the shoreline on the other side of the lake. Mile Lacs is huge!

Nice sandy beach.

Me.

Dan & Craig.

Duckies!

It seems like everyone has these recliner chairs now.

Playing some washer and box game. (Almost the same as but not as good as cornhole).

It took some time for Gracie to get used to being tied up because at home she's always running free.

Sunset!

Dad & the puppies.

Some funky mushrooms.

On another walk.

More duckies! (I love ducks).

We played a very loooong game of Canasta followed by a couple games of Liverpool.

The only deer I see the whole time I'm there & it's an albino one!

REMINDER! Perseid meteor shower!

2009-08-11T23:51:00.000-05:00

I know that this is super short/late notice but I was just browsing through tumblr and hannahisdeceased had posted this link:

Minnesotan's watching the meteor shower (or anyone)
- Here are some tips for best viewing tonight.
-Find a dark spot away from city lights-Meteors can appear anywhere in the sky, but may favor the northeast sky near the constellation Perseus.-Meteors will radiate from the direction of Perseus-The show peaks before dawn Wednesday, but best viewing may be before or just after moonrise at 10:25pm.
Enjoy the show!

I almost forgot about this which would have been a big bummer for me because I try to watch it every year and love it!

Cabin Weekend

2009-08-09T22:14:00.003-05:00

On Friday, July 31st it was time to head up to Rachel's family's cabin up in Amery, WI for a full weekend of fun. It was quite a drive for me (about 1hr 40mins). I know that doesn't really sound very long to you seasoned drivers but driving just makes me so sleepy! Seriously, even just 1 hour in a car wipes me out. I missed the driveway at first, then when I found it I took the wrong turn and ended up at someone else's cabin so I turned around and tried one of the other ways and finally got there. Another thing that I found I usually do while traveling is I ALWAYS forget to pack something, even if I set it right next to my bag to pack I still forget something. This time I forgot to pack Jessie's birthday present and a pair of long jeans. That was a first for me, I've never forgotten to pack pants before.

There were many cornhole games played:

Phil & Brad

Jessie W. & Jessie A.

I was pretty lazy with the camera on Friday but finally busted it out on Saturday when there was more going on. Of course there was more corn hole (Brad & I finally broke Max & Josh's winning streak), some badminton, lounging, pontoon rides, & some delicious Dairy Queen.

Jessie & Phil doing a little bit of lazy lounging.

Jessie & her puppies Precious & Vader.

Max, Jessie, & their dogs Clyde & Luca.

Group photo! (darn harsh sunlight)

We decided to take the boat out for a quick ride before dinner:

Brad & Max

Phil (it was a bit chilly on that ride)

Jessie & Lynsie (a bit windy too)

After that it was about time to eat and we hung out around the cabin for a while.

Me & Jessie

Jessie & her puppies.

Hypnotized by Donkey Kong.

Brad was working on the grill while Max was working on the stove.

After we ate it was time to get back on the boat to ride down to Dairy queen (isn't everyone so cute bundled up in their hoodies)

Josh & Lynsie

Jessie W. & Jessie A.

Brad

There was a giant bobber at the dock we got off on.

Dairy Queen is ALWAYS good!

Back on the boat:

Jessie

Brad finishing off his DQ.

Phil & the beer he bought at the gas station.

Jessie & Phil

Max & Josh flashing their "Sven & Deuce" signs. (they will never grow out of this.)

Rachel.

Back at the cabin for a fire & lots of corn hole which consisted mostly of Brad & I competing against Josh & Max. (we finally beat them 3 times!)

Lynsie & Josh (& Sadie)

Lynsie & I.

A few of us stayed up late playing dominoes:

All of these photos have a crappy red/orange color to them because I didn't feel like using flash.

Shitty Sunday

2009-08-04T10:37:00.005-05:00

Well first of all I had a good time up at the cabin with my friends so this is not what this is about, it's about the horrible and terrifying drive home on Sunday.

The morning started off with me feeling like crap from being sleep deprived (I don't think I really slept there at all) and I got sick and had to run to the bathroom twice before I left. Then about 40 minutes into the drive I felt light headed and sick again so I pulled over at a gas station. I wondered if maybe my blood sugar was low or something so I downed some teddy grams and water and was on my way again. Then a little bit after that the whole left side of my body went all numb, tingly, and weak. Even just the left side of my face and my eye was twitching uncontrollably. So I started really freaking out thinking maybe I was having a stroke or heart attack or something. I got even more light headed and my vision started getting weird and I felt like I was going to pass out so I ended up pulling over to the side of the road a few times wondering if I should call 911 or not because I was really starting to believe that I was dying. Then I thought about how much it would cost me and just started praying that I could make it home. Seriously I just kept chanting "please let me make it home", "don't let anything be seriously wrong with me" while trying to keep my breathing steady and not pass out. I finally made it home and when I got out of my car I could barely walk, my whole body was violently shaking. I went straight for the bathroom downstairs and laid on the floor for a while before going upstairs and crashing on the couch. Both of my brothers were home and I told them what had happened and they wanted to bring me to the hospital but I declined because of the money. Then later on they left to go fishing while I tried to sleep but couldn't because I still felt like crap and my left side of my body was still a little numb. I started to get scared again and called a triage nurse at the hospital to talk to and she told me to call 911 and get an ambulance over because it might be serious like a stroke. I wasn't about to pay all of that money for an ambulance so I called my brothers to come pick me up and bring me in. They ended up doing a CAT scan on me to make sure I didn't have a stroke, which thankfully I didn't. the ER doctor told me to go in and see a normal doctor the next day (yesterday) but I didn't because I didn't want to add more to it. So I still don't know what is or was wrong with me and am thinking I should have let them do blood tests on me (darn my fear of needles). Well, I'm up camping today and feeling better, my tummy is still bugging me and am still feeling a bit off but we'll see what happens.

Wedding with Ashley

2009-07-26T02:15:00.002-05:00

Today (technically yesterday) I shot a wedding with Ashley as her secondary photographer. Wow, it was a long day! I had to wake up at 7am which is almost impossible for me because I'm used to going asleep around 5am. I tried going to bed at 11pm but then got an email from an etsy customer so I was online for a bit and then started worrying about Luke because he was still outside barking at something and it was past midnight. So I wandered outside in my pajamas with a flashlight calling and looking for him but no luck. A little later my mom woke up off the couch and let him in but I didn't know he was let in so I was still in bed worrying about him. Finally I got up and listened outside and didn't hear him barking so I searched the house for him and gladly found the little bugger curled up on the giant pillow downstairs. A word of advice, if you want a crazy little dog get a patterdale terrier because they are insane, fearless , love to run, and aren't easily obedience trained. Of course I love him though :) So anyways, long story short I didn't sleep a wink.
Despite being super nervous about today I ended up being fine and even had some fun once I got there and met Ray and Angie (the bride & groom). They are such nice people! It is also much less stressful to be the secondary photographer and also not be on your own. One first of mine today was riding in a limo which I had never done before. After the ceremony I rode around with some of the wedding party and bride & groom to a few different bars before the reception. At the first bar the groom insisted on buying me a drink which at first I refused but then accepted after he insisted. Shortly after getting the beer everyone decides it's time to head to the next bar but I still have a full glass so let's just say that baby had to go down quick and they now have a photo of me chugging one to always remember me by (their idea). At the next bar they offered to buy me another a few times but I refused trying to stay professional. One cool thing about the reception is they had one of those photobooths set up for their guests to take photos in and then put in the guest book with a little note. Of course Ashley and I took one and left a little note for them. :

Yeah the quality isn't the best, I should maybe try taking a picture of it instead of scanning it. (and yes, I know I look like a dork.)

I'll have to post photos later after I've gone through them but I don't have any energy to even glance at them right now.
So yup, yup, yup, pretty good night. One funny thing, all night Ashley kept going on about how "yummy" Angie's cousin is and kept staring at him. Of course I had noticed too because he was quite good looking. So later on he ended up coming over to us and talked for a while and ended up inviting us to a bar after the reception but we didn't really know where it was (one that I was at earlier). Oh well, when we were saying goodbye to Angie she said that he mentioned that he wanted our number so it does lift your self confidence a little to be hit on by a "yummy" guy :) Well, hopefully off to sleep now and time for my achy feet to heal and my sunburn to feel worse in the morning.

7/17 Weekend

2009-07-21T03:35:00.002-05:00

Well first off I must say that this summer has been flying by! I really don't know where all of the time has gone. It has also been a bit busier than I had expected because I think I've done something almost every weekend.

This past weekend started off on Friday when my family drove back up to Minneapolis to see Jaspar's private house show. It was also a chance to visit with Jaspar's family who was up visiting from Arizona. (This weekend family from Arizona, the weekend before was family from Kentucky :) ). Here's a few shots I took at the house show:

Some group shots:

The family minus Gina :(

us girls

cousins :)

Jaspar was given this funky leopard print pill box hat.

On Sunday we took the drive up to my uncle Greg's for a potluck and to visit with family some more. On our way back down home we stopped off at Jaspar and Kale's potluck for more visiting :) I only ended up with a couple of photos because I was being lazy and only had my little camera with in the fading light.

Janelle

Kaelyn

We ended up staying there pretty late (we don't get to see them very often). I think that Kaelyn has convinced me to take a trip to Arizona to experience something new. Maybe some of her energy and creativity will rub off on me. When this will be? I don't know. Soon I hope, which would make sense because I have the free time right now.

The was home was a bit frustrating trying to get out of Minneapolis and having all of your options blocked off because of road work. It seems like they are doing work on just about every road they can get their hands on. Thank goodness for GPS! (although hearing "recalculating" 20 times in a row is annoying.) One bad thing that happened this weekend is my external portable hard drive keeled over :( I'll have to figure out how much I lost with that. I was editing a photo from Friday when my computer froze and when I plugged my external HD in the next time it wasn't working and I freaked the heck out! Not only are photos and files lost, I'll have to shell out some bucks to replace it (and I'm low on the green these days).

Send Me Home Pre-CD Release & Farewell Show

2009-07-13T17:04:00.004-05:00

This past Friday on the 10th we took a little trip up to Minneapolis to see my cousin Jaspar’s “farewell show”. I’ve always felt so bad about not making it to any of her shows and I thought this would be an important one to go to since it’s one of her last before she moves to South Africa for two years. It was held at The Glacier Fringe and the show started at 8pm but we ended up being about an hour in a half late because Eric didn’t get off work until 8pm so we waited for him so we could all drive up there together. We hit some traffic on the way up and then drove in circles for a while trying to find a place to park which can be very dangerous for pedestrians when a middle aged man that hates driving in the cities and is becoming enraged is behind the wheel. He almost hit two kids and then a guy in a wheel chair but I think the guy in the wheel chair had a death wish anyway because he was using one of those motorized chairs at night with no lights of reflective tape so he was almost invisible. I was afraid that we would miss the whole show with being so late! It ends up that we got there during intermission (so we missed the first half) but we did get to see the second half and got to mingle with family for a while before and after the second half.

Jaspar can be found here: http://www.myspace.com/jasparlepak

Here’s just a few photos from the night:

Jaspar’s husband Kale played the accordian and provided some harmony vocals:

Mom & Eric

Mom & Teri

Carol & Jake

Dad & Greg

Eric, Jaspar, & Jake

Me & Jaspar

Kale & Jaspar

The Past Week Or So

2009-07-08T02:06:00.002-05:00

This past week or so I finally got to see some family that I almost never get to see since they live in Kentucky. My aunt Connie, cousin Melissa, and cousin Niki and her new hubby Teddy came up to visit us. On June 28th we met up at my uncle Greg’s for a little pool party.

Teddy & Niki.

Niki & Melissa

Aunt Connie

Uncles Jerry & Greg getting competitive.

Me & Niki.

Then on July 2nd I ran up to the mall to hang out for a little while with them and have some dinner at Kokomo’s with the family.

Niki, Teddy, & I.
Sadly this is the only photo I took at the mall. I guess I was being lazy with the camera.

On the 4th of July we went back to Greg’s for a little get together.

My cousin Jaspar and her husband Kale.
(too bad I didn’t notice that he blinked when I took the photo.)

Teddy, Niki, & Chad.

Ryann & Connie.
Poor Ryann had only a couple of days to visit and had to go right back to L.A

Melissa & Erin.
I wish I could be that skinny & tan!

Ally & Chad.

Mary & Dan.

Craig & Chad.
(Craig doesn’t take many normal photos.)

Niki

Brett & his girlfriend Molly.

Lynsie’s Suprise Birthday Party

2009-06-22T18:28:00.002-05:00

This past Saturday Josh arranged a little suprise birthday party for Lynsie. Of course I was happy to go and see my buddies again. I actually think this is a new record for me because I’ve been able to hang out with them for the past four weekends! That is awesome considering that I usually only get to see anyone about once a month.
It was a nice little back yard get together. They had a fire and set up some cornhole & bolo toss. Let me tell you this, I am horrible at both of those games, even more so at bolo toss than cornhole because I actually somehow scored a few points in cornhole. Of course I was trying to play bolo toss at night without my glasses on and after a few malt beverages. Those are my excuses and I’m sticking to them.

Cute Backgrounds

2009-06-18T17:14:00.002-05:00

I just wanted to share this site I found that offers some really cute backgrounds for the default Minima template. It's called Hot Bliggity Blog. Their backgrounds are super easy to install (no html knowlege needed). All you have to do is make sure that you're using one of the Minima templates and copy and paste the code for the background into an html widget in your page elements. I'm using one for my background right now but it doesn't work as well for me because I widened the content area and header of my theme to allow for large 600px wide photos so all I did is choose a color that matches the background for my content area and made a matching custom header. But really, check it out for some really cute backgrounds!

Poker Party

2009-06-15T17:54:00.002-05:00

This past Saturday it was time for the poker party over at Jessie & Max’s. I don’t play poker, and really don’t know how but I decided to go anyway because I would like to spend as much time with my friends as possible. It started out with two large poker tables and Colette and I sat and were supposed to watch how to play but of course talked the whole time & didn’t learn much. Once Ron was out of the game we went into the living room so he could try and teach us. I think I learned a little bit at least. Then we played Yahtzee and I ended up rolling a yahtzee on my second roll! I think I still lost by about 4 points to Lynsie though.
Since I ended up taking so many photos I think that Jessie’s idea of posting them as collages is a really good idea!

Jessie got us to go outside for fireworks off in the distance, which didn’t hold our attention too well and we started acting pretty goofy:

Someone had the idea to have the girls pose with Josh. As you can see it was a fail but really funny:

Dan’s turn:

Some more fun:

Favorite Products

2009-06-12T15:37:00.004-05:00

Well Maya has inspired me to list some of my very favorite products so here we go:

Lucky Number 6 Perfume

-This stuff has a very pleasant and pretty/almost sexy scent to it. I've gotten compliments from men & women about how good it smells on me.

Caress Exotic Oil Infusions Brazilian Body Wash

-it smells great and leaves your skin feeling very silky soft.

CoverGirl Lash Blast Waterproof Mascara

-This is the only mascara that I swear by. Really, it doesn't smudge throughout the day. I LOVE it!

Olay Moisture Balancing Foaming Facewash

-Removes my makeup without drying or irritating my skin.

Olay Complete Moisturizer with SPF

-I put this stuff on after washing my face at night and before putting on my makeup during the day. I'm convinced it's one of the best face moisturizers out there.

CoverGirl TruBlend Blush

- gives you the perfect "peaches 'n cream" glow.

Physicians Formula Organic Wear Powder

- This is what I use instead of foundation/normal face makeup. I give it all of the credit for the complements I recieve about my skin.

Physicians Formula Bronzer

- I love using this stuff during the summer for a little extra glow. I also sometimes use it during the cooler months to add a little color to the apples of my cheecks. Revlon Colorstay Liquid Liner

-This is the ONLY liquid liner that I have found that actually works for me and stays in place.

Rimmel Special Eyes Eyeliner in Black Magic

-I use this stuff on my lower lash line & love it! Plus it's one of the cheapest eyeliners I have found.

CoverGirl Eyeshadow

-This is the BEST eyeshadow EVER! Really, this stuff doesn't crease and I've worn it two whole days straight many a time before without having to re-apply it.

Sally Hansen Salon Nail Lacquer

- I'm pretty sure this is the best nail polish you can get for a low price. It lasts a very long time without chipping or peeling and goes on very well.

CoverGirl Lipslicks

-This stuff is like a lip balm and lipstick in one. It goes on smooth like a lip balm but gives you a nice sheer color. My favorite color is Hipster (shown above).

Degree Ultra Clear

-The only deodorant that seems to work for me. I like it in Pure Powder.

Bond Girl 007 by Avon

- My new favorite perfume. Most perfumes give me a headache and I can't wear them but not this one. It smells soooo good! Has a peachy scent to it.

Burt's Bees Replenishing Lip Balm

-I go for this one with the pomegranate oil because it gives your lips a nice pink tint.

Sneaky Birds

2009-06-10T16:56:00.002-05:00

Remember the robins that were using our old Christmas wreath as a place for their nest? Well a couple of weeks ago Eric tore the wreath/nest down because he said they were done using it. So now all that remains of that nest is some poop stains near our doorway. I guess they weren’t completely done though because I noticed that mama robin was still yelling at people that used our walkway to the front door (yeah, she’s a real peach). I figured there had to be another nest and it turns out they built one in one of our walkway bushes.

I guess that they must feel a little more sheltered and safe with having their nest near the house.

Ladies' Night

2009-06-07T15:56:00.002-05:00

Last night was ladies’ night. We stayed at the Millenium Hotel in Minneapolis again, the same place we stayed for Jessie’s bachelorette party. I ended up being late getting there because I stopped at MOA on the way up, then on my way to the hotel I took the wrong exit and ran into a whole bunch of road construction. Yup, even if I think I’m going to be on time for once I still run late. It was no big deal though. By the time I finally got there and found a spot to park on the very top of the parking ramp they had already been there for a while and went swimming. Then we hung out for a few hours and ordered some pizza. We were getting dressed when we noticed that across the way in an apartment there was a group of guys that might have been watching us so Caitlin was told to moon them. That’s one thing about her, ask her do do something like that and she will.
We origionally planned to hit up The Gay 90’s and Spin but decided to skip The 90’s and just go to one place. We got there around 10:30 and the place was dead except for a couple of small groups that weren’t dancing yet so we just lounged around until things picked up. Once things do pick up in there though it gets super crowded, like you can hardly dance. I actually found myself envying the gogo dancers because they have their own little space to dance where no creepy guys can grind up on them.

Rachel & I

Colette, Lynsie, & Jessie W. sipping on $1 pink panties.

Me, Colette, Lynsie, & Jessie W

Lynsie, Jessie W., & Jessie

Jessie, Caitlin, & Rachel

I don’t know what was happening in this one.

I don’t know if Jessie was purposely making this face or not but I find it hilarious either way.

A view of the dance floor from upstairs.

Cape Verde

2009-06-07T15:11:00.000-05:00

I’m one of those people that have weird dreams, usually a few every night and most of the time can remember at least one pretty well when I wake up. Last night I dreamt I was on an island. All I remember about it was something about a ship in the beginning and that it wasn’t a typical tropical island with lush vegitation and palm trees but more dry and rocky. I was sitting up on top of some sort of cliff watching the sun rise. I woke up remembering that the place was called Cape Verde. Now recently Lynsie and I have been talking about dreams and deja vu so when I saw her this morning I asked her if she had any dreams. She said she dreamt about Hawaii. I told her that I dreamt about an island too and I was going to google Cape Verde when I got home. Well here I am and I did google Cape Verde. Here’s what I found: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/cape-verde

I was half expecting there to be no such place, like I made up the name in my dream. But it turned out to be a real place, and odder than that it fits what I saw in my dream.

Tomorrow Night……

2009-06-05T20:20:00.000-05:00

Mm oh yeah, what a night
Oh yes it’s ladies night

And the feeling’s right

Oh yes it’s ladies night

Oh what a night (oh what a night)

(*Repeat)
Girls, y’all got one

A night that’s special everywhere

From New York to Hollywood

It’s ladies night and girl the feeling’s good
(*Repeat 2 times)
Romantic Lady, single baby

Mm sophisticated mama

Come on you disco lady yeah

Stay with me tonight , mama ,yeah
If you hear any noise

It ain’t the boys , it’s ladies night , uh huh
Gonna step out ladies night

Steppin’ out ladies night

Gonna step out ladies night

Steppin’ out ladies night
(Repeat *)
On disco lights your name will be seen

You can fullfill all your dreams

Party here, party there, everywhere

This is your night, baby

You’ve got to be there
This is your night

Tonight , everything is gonna be alright (repeat)
Come on let’s all celebrate(repeat)
Oh ladies night and the feeling’s right

Come on let’s all celebrate

Lovely lady, lady, I love you
Girls, y’all got one (what?)

A night that’s special everywhere

You dance, you smile, the guys go wild

So chic so fine you all looks so divine

I know, I’m a dork. I can’t wait to hang out with my ladies!

Darn Stupid Jerk Fox

2009-06-05T00:17:00.000-05:00

Ever since last year this fox thing is getting out of hand. I know we've always had foxes around here, ever since I was little and our first flock of chickens from that time was killed off. Then about ten years ago we started raising them again without much trouble. Yes, we alwayshad some go missing but not a very large number. Then last year we actually started seeing the fox hanging around and she even snatched a chicken a few feet away from where my dad and Eric were standing. Eric ended up chasing her and she dropped the killed chicken. That's when we started locking up the chickens more often instead of having them free range every day. I remember one day last summer we had the chickens out and I was watching them through the back sliding glass door. I noticed the fox trying to be very sly and slinking towards the unsuspecting chickens so I flew through the door yelling and running after it. Now this year she's out there all of the time and I'm starting to wonder if she even sleeps! Fox are nocturnal and I do see her during then but she's also out there in the middle of the day. She never stops hunting. A few weeks ago she had her den right down the street but we think she moved it.

Last night at 4am I was just about to crawl into bed when I heard a chicken scream then a guinea hen started screaming and I heard something smash into the pen. I thought "Oh no, she somehow got in and is going to kill them all!" I rushed to the back door and flipped on the lights but I didn't hear anything more. If she had gotten in there the whole coop would be freaking out and you would hear it. So I just stood at the back door letting my eyes adjust and waited. Then I saw her. She was running back and forth in front of the pen, then back to the trees, then under the coop, around the pen, and she wasn't leaving. I decided that I should go get Gracie who of course was sleeping and try to find a flashlight. I walked around the house for about five minutes looking and couldn't find one. Gracie got bored and went back downstairs (I can't believe that I could see the fox and my dog couldn't) so I decided just to wait and see what the fox does. Then It looked like she was digging and then she just sat there looking into the pen. It reminded me of a cat just sitting there looking at a bird that it couldn't get. I went downstairs to try and find a flashlight to go outside with and my dad woke up. I told him that the fox was trying to get into the coop so he came upstairs too and let the dogs out after it. Usually I just let out Gracie because she'll chase it for a little bit and come right back. Luke on the other hand will be out there forever barking and running around. So I went outside to sans flashlight to try and see if the fox made any headway in digging under the fence and then I went inside the pen and tried to baracade the door to the coop with wood and brick just in case. It turns out that the little red rooster that always sleeps outside in the pen was just standing there in the middle looking like the attempted murder case he was. So that's what the fox was just sitting there salivating over, that little rooster.

Now she was just back tonight. Luke came running upstairs sniffing at the air and acting weird and growling so of course I flipped the back light on a gain and waited for what I knew I'd see. Of course she was out there trying to get into the coop to murder my sweet little birds. Eric was still awake so I borrowed his flashlight and let Gracie out to chase the fox away momentarily while I did my little inspection on the coop and put the little red rooster inside and again baracaded the dooer with wood and brick. This time I decided to also put a bucket of grit in front of the door inside just in case and so I can sleep a little better tonight. I know she's still out there tonight and will be all of the time as always. I'm just getting so sick of it! I always have to be worried about her killing the birds and even sometimes have bad dreams about it. Also I wish that we could let the chickens and guinea hens out during the day without knowing that doing so is the same as sending them to their death.

Oh go away fox, go away! Yes you are a very pretty animal and I bet your little kits are adorable, and I'm an animal lover and shouldn't say this but..... I would feel much better if someone just "took care" of my little problem, meaning YOU! Yes, it would be nice to be able to just relocate your pretty little fox family but I don't think that's possible.

Recent Random Thoughts

2009-06-02T22:23:00.000-05:00

I'm broke
I need money
I'm looking forward to girl's weekend coming up and am trying to think about the cheapest way to go about it.
Nightclubs shouldn't demand a cover charge, that would make my night cheaper.
I think I'll pack a peanut butter sandwich to eat up there & not eat much at the restaurant.
Should I drive all of the way to a friend's house first and then drive with them from there to split up the cost of the parking ramp?
I hate parking ramps.
Paid parking is a load of bs
I wish I weighed 20lbs less than I do so I could wear anything out.
I guess I have a lot on my mind about the weekend.
After watching the first disc of season one of Tru Blood I am almost certain that the writer of Twilight ripped off the Sookie Stackhouse books.
I am getting very annoyed at my indecisiveness.
I created a blogger blog that is going to have all of the same posts as this one because I'm the only one of my freinds on wordpress instead of blogger. I figure it would just be easier for them since that's the platform they use. I'm not getting rid of this one, I'll just post to both because I'm crazy.
Who knows how long it'll take for me to get bored of posting on two blogs.
New blogspot blog HERE
The ONLY thing that I like more about blogger is the ability to customize & use html code.
Other than that I still think that wordpress is far superior.
I've been having lots of vivid dreams lately.
I could stay on tumblr all day if I wanted.
I miss thunderstorms. There hasn't been one decent one yet!
I don't know what to do with my life.
I wish that my etsy sales would pick up.

Trying This Out

2009-06-02T21:58:00.000-05:00

Let's see how long it lasts............