24 JanDeciding On My Watermark…

No Comments »

Now that I’ve been trying my hand at event & portrait photography, I think I will begin making a watermark for my photos. I know, I know, I’m not a professional but I’m in the process of having my husband build me a photography site to add my work to and that means I will need a watermark.

I am having trouble deciding but ultimately it comes down to this: A design with one initial, both initials, or one initial duplicated and overlaid the other (because my first and last initials are, conveniently, the same). So what do you think?

My design/logo of choice is of course a fleur de lis but could be something else if anything better was to come along so… any ideas?

I plan on posting samples later.

Category(s): Me, Photography, Photoshop

20 JanSan Francisco Trip

No Comments »

Ornate Antique Lamp Mark Hopkins International San Francisco CAThis past weekend, I went to “The City” with my husband, his parents, and his sister and her husband. Even though we live just 2 hours (or less) away from San Francisco, we hardly ever go there. And I have to say–I really enjoyed being there. Normally I don’t like really crowded places, bad traffic, and average items at a high price but San Francisco wasn’t as bad as I remembered.

On Saturday night we saw Cirque du Soleil’s OVO at AT&T Park. I’ve seen one other Cirque show (it’s not one that they perform anymore) and thought it was amazing but this one was even better than the last! If you’ve never seen a Cirque show, it’s basically this (give or take a few elements depending on the show title): funky costumes, a loose story line and theme, a lot of acrobatics–people standing on another, people swinging from ropes, jumping on walls, juggling things with their feet while tight-rope walking with their hands–fun lighting and crazy music. It’s really a must. There are a lot of shows in Vegas but they are a little more pricey than some of the shows in less frequented venues, like the tent in AT&T Park. Although it was definitely sold out on Sunday night.

We stayed at Mark Hopkins International and my husband and I had a GREAT view from our room. We had a big king size bed, a clean room, and a good sized hotel gym that we used on Sunday morning. Our stay was wonderful and we really enjoyed the room. The hotel lobby had a lot of amazing antique decorations with it’s own museum and bragging rights–6 American presidents have stayed at that hotel since it opened. Woot! Becuase it rained off and on the whole time, we didn’t get as many outdoor photos of the amazing architecture but we did manage to snap some.

We went shopping in Union Square, which is what we usually do when we go there. We ate at the Cheesecake Factory that rests comfortably at the top of Macy’s… it was great, as it always is. So great that we can back to Turlock and both decided it may be time for a diet :) All in all the trip–the time Matt and I spent together–was perfect. Couldn’t have asked for anything else! Plus I got two new pairs of amazing shoes :)

Category(s): Me, Photography

08 JanAhh, Relaxing

3 Comments »

mug of hot cocoa with marshmellowsLately it’s been pretty cold where I live. Not the coldest it’s ever been but still pretty chilly. So after I come home from work, change my clothes, make & serve dinner, and clean up the kitchen… I like to make a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows.  Now I know that marshmallows are bad for you, but I justify it by using non-fat milk (or water) and sugar-free hot chocolate. Empty calories but it warms me up while I’m relaxing. Which brings me to the topic… Relaxing :D

Over the years, I’ve found ways to relax but like anything else, things change and so I’ve grown into new habits. Here are some things I still enjoy doing to unwind after a work week.

*Taking a really warm bubble bath with lots of bubbles, steam, and a book. Ahhh….

*Watching new/unwatched episodes one of my new favorite shows in my pajamas in bed with a blanket and a cup of juice.

*Taking a nap on my bed with freshly dried sheets and a candle burning

*Reading some of my favorite blogs while playing classical music on Grooveshark Lite

*Watching a favorite movie with the lights off and no cell phone

*Editing my own photos in photoshop while listening to music… it’s very relaxing, oddly

…Those are of course only a handful. So what do you all do to relax?

Category(s): Favorites, Me

06 JanLOST is almost back!

5 Comments »

The Lost Supper- Teaser for Season 6 of "Lost"I know this is not a good quality picture but I had to post it because it’s the first teaser for the 6th and final season of LOST. And if you know me then you know I’m a fan.

I only recently became a fan when I watched all 5 seasons because they were streaming on Netflix. And even though it’s pretty far out there and the plotlines have strayed almost impossibly far from the original “survive post-plane crash”, it keeps me entertained and Matthew Fox is a fox. Do I need anymore reasons that those? I don’t think so :)

If you squint you can kind of make out some characters in the picture, appropriately titled “The Lost Supper”, but that may not mean anything. At the end of the last season we saw Juliet detonate the bomb to save the others but sacrifice herself. But with LOST we just never know… if they go back in time she may still be alive. Except that their present dictates their past so maybe she is dead… and Charlie, Boone and Shannon are all still dead, too. But people who weren’t on the island–Sayid’s wife Nadia who was hit by a car–could still be alive if they go back in time. Hmm, it should definitely be interesting. I Absolutely HATE watching shows while they are airing but I will put aside my hate for commercials and cliff-hangers to watch LOST when it airs on February 2, 2010. I am just keeping my fingers crossed for an amazing series finale!

Also, I hope that Matthew Fox decides to make some more movies or another TV show after this one ends because I think he’s a great actor. I also hope to see Terry O’Quinn in some more things. And if you haven’t seen the ORIGINAL The Stepfather movie with O’Quinn I suggest you see it… I was a fan of that many years ago and its gotten slightly more popular since the remake… but the original is the best (not that I’ve seen the new one, I’m just making a bold guess).

Anyone else out there a fan of LOST? If so what are you hopes for the last season? Mine are:

Don’t make Jack Shepherd into a drunk, failing Dr. and make him and Kate get together only if she stops being a drama queen beeoch.

Don’t make Sawyer still be in love with Kate because not everyone is in love with the same chick in real life and it’s getting old.

Make Claire be alive.

Hmm… that’s it for now :)

Category(s): Uncategorized

04 JanI Hate New Years Resolutions

3 Comments »

This morning I went to the gym–like I do nearly every weekday morning–and found the parking lot more crowded than usual. Inside I found nearly all the cardio machines full and the weight room more crowded than normal. Then I remembered–it’s the beginning of January! That means a bunch of people made resolutions to “get in shape”, “go to the gym”, or “get fit”… so what that means for gym regulars is this: January-March the gym will be crowded and by May it will have tapered off back to the normal amount. This leads me to my post topic: why I hate New Years resolutions, which will now be referred to as NYR.

Why does one day make people all of the sudden want to change? If there are things about yourself or your life that you are unhappy with, why do people wait to change as a NYR? Yes, I’ve bought into the hype of making a NYR but you know what I found out? They don’t stick.

You make a list of things you’re gonna change, you go strong for a few months, then you fizzle out when you lose energy and desire. Then you (most likely) feel worse about yourself than you did before. It just doesn’t make sense.

In September I began working out and dieting, because I knew I needed that for a happier life. If people know they need this, why do they believe starting “fresh” will make it any more possible? The longer you wait, the harder it gets. I just hate NYR because I think it’s an excuse for people to be lazy until the first of the year.

Anyone agree? Disagree?

People: … just make goals all year and accomplish them! Or at least try!

Edit: Sorry to those who *love* NYR and always make them. MAYBE they work for some people but they just don’t work for me.

Category(s): Uncategorized

03 JanSherlock Holmes starring Robert Downey, Jr., Jude Law and Rachel McAdams

3 Comments »

sherlock holmes

This weekend my husband and I went and saw Sherlock Holmes. We had been wanting to see it ever since we saw the first trailer for it nearly a year ago. We are both really big fans of both Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law. And here’s my opinion of it, for those of you who haven’t seen it:

For my taste, it was a little bit long. It  is 134 minutes (2 hours 14 minutes) but I felt like it could have easily been an hour an a half or maybe 2 hours. There were some parts that seemed to move a bit slow. Entertaining, yes, but not absolutely crucial and could’ve been edited down. And that comment–about the length–is the only negative thing I have to say about it.

As always, Robert Downey Jr. gave a wonderful performance. He had an English accent the whole way through, which seems like a given but you never know with movies these days :P He played the quirky, brilliant and goofy Sherlock Holmes excellently and even made him lovable. He and Jude Law had great on-screen chemistry, making viewers feel like the two of them were actually long-time friends with a deep history. In fact, Jude Law also did an excellent job portraying the hesitant yet dedicated Dr. Watson. Overall, the two of them made a powerful duo which translated to on-screen and box office success. Well done!

Rachel McAdams did a good job. I would say her best bet at being a good actress in a time-piece film was a drama like The Notebook. Her actions scenes in Sherlock Holmes weren’t bad but they lacked a certain believability. Part of what made her a less desirable match for Holmes was the big age difference; Robert Downey Jr. is 45 years old and McAdams is 32 years old. It just seemed like a stretch. With that said, she did, however, pull off the role and at the end of the movie, you had forgotten the age difference and grown to like her as a character.

The end titles, the scenery, costumes and music? Amazing. Hands down my favorite part. I love time piece films but this one was amazing. At the end of the film when the credits rolled, they had some amazing still-to-sketch photos rolling and they were done in rustic sepia tones making them look like they were straight out of the late 1800s. It was magnificent. All of the old time scenery throughout the film was perfect. Run down, old, classic and vintage all in one. Excellent.

This movie wouldn’t be one I would see in theaters again simply because of the length but I would definitely own this. Well done to everyone who worked on Sherlock Holmes!

Category(s): Me, Movies

01 DecWedding Vow Renewal…

4 Comments »

10 Year Wedding Anniversary Vow RenewalA couple of months ago, my husband and I became friends with another couple. Matt met the man over a year ago because they work for the same company, but I only met his wife recently during our company softball games. We became quick friends, sharing many likes and dislikes. After a few months, they told us they were having their 10 year wedding anniversary and to celebrate they would be renewing their vows. Knowing that we have a good camera, they asked us if we would casually take photos of their event. Because I aspire to be a photographer some day, we accepted and I said I would give it a try. I took nearly 500 photos, edited those down to around 250. Of those, here are some of my favorite shots of the event below.

Vow Renewal (194) smallerVow Renewal (12) smallerVow Renewal (14) smallerVow Renewal (74) smallerVow Renewal (27) smallerVow Renewal (157) smaller

Category(s): Me, Photography, Relationships

25 Nov3 Famous Dinner Guests

No Comments »

Often when I find I haven’t got much to write about, I turn to my friends for blog post ideas. One friend–whom I met via the blogspot community nearly four years ago (right?)–that I have kept in touch with loosely over the years (but quite frequently the last several months) suggested to write about 3 Famous Dinner Guests. Good idea, isn’t it?

So then I started thinking, who are 3 famous people I wish I could have dinner with? If I have to pick 3, I’d like to choose between living and dead because, well, this is just a dream so why not dream big?

Here are some names that immediately popped into my mind while trying to make the cut: Andy Samberg (funny), Natalie Portman (interesting, talented, etc), Ryan Reynolds (duh), Salman Rushdie (need I say more?), Bill Gates (smart), Anderson Cooper (”Mah Boo”), Mariah Carey (What can I say, I like her!), F.D.R (or Winston Churchill, even though he was British), Abraham Lincoln (Ask him what he thinks of the world now)…

But I am still thinking…

Update with final answers later :)

Category(s): Celebrities, Me, People, Thoughts

25 SepHow I Make My Money

3 Comments »

healthy_gossip

I have a real job but.. I do make a good sum of my income from a celebrity gossip website. Gossip isn’t good, I hate to have people talk about me yet I like the Mariah Carey and Eminem feud. I’m sick of reading about Jon and Kate Gosselin but I love to read stories about my favorite celebrities. I’m not addicted to gossip but I make my money off of it while I maintain gossip does nothing but evil. This brings me to the big question:

Is it wrong to make money off of something you believe is bad?

Category(s): Me, Writing

15 JulRandom Photographs, Part II

1 Comment »

So I took a new set of pictures about a week ago (maybe longer? It’s hard to take note of time when everyday is essentially the same and does not require knowing the date.. or time.. or anything, really) around my neighborhood and then at the university in our town. Some of them came out pretty well–I am getting better at my close up shots (”mastering” f-stops) but my motion pictures still suck royally. I still have a long ways to go on everything but here are some pictures from my set, altered in photoshop when noted. Oh, and the originals, too.

lions head wall side SMALL SSOne of the many nice things to look at on campus are these cool Lion Head fountains. Here, near the dorms, there is a rockwall waterfall fountain with three of the heads. This picture has been burned around everything but the heads and the background has been blurred via Gaussian blur. It was a really sunny day and I didn’t use a flash but the picture was still so bright, so I tried to darken it to create a little more mysterious look, as well as a less blinding photo. The original is here.

TID high voltage SMALL SS

I don’t know why I like this picture, I just do. I think it’s because there’s this huge electrical box on the sidewalk and then this tiny warning sign on it, which was pretty faded. I increased the saturation on the green sign and altered the hue a little bit, to make it look old but sort of neon. The original is here.

retro stopsign SMALL SS

I didn’t really have a plan when I started messing with this photo but the end result is a sort of retro-looking old photo. Not old like first picture ever taken, but old like taken sixties or seventies then sat in an album for all these years old. Or does it say something else to you? The stop sign’s levels have been adjusted and it has been colorized to a different color red, while the background has had not only it’s hues altered but it has also been colorized. Vibrant original is here.

Want to see more photos? You can visit my photostream on Flickr here.

Category(s): People, Photography, Photoshop
« Older Entries