Day 30 - Self Portrait #2

The 30-day photo project wraps up in DC, which turned out to be fun as I moved around the city, filled with monuments and landmarks that are known the world over.  Most of my time in DC was spent in meetings, so I did not really do any sight-seeing, other than what I could see as I rolled past in a cab or car.


After the "big" meeting and subsequent dinner on Tuesday, I was in a car with some colleagues on our way back to the hotel and the White House was in full view.  The driver commented that he had never seen the White House live and in person before, so with just a little prompting from me, he agreed to park so that we could walk to check it out.


There is a whole story around parking that deserves it's own blog entry; the end game is we made it over to the front of the White House, which in my opinion looks even better at night thanks to some great lighting.


My first self portrait yielded a really unflattering and almost frightening shot of me, looking as if I was having some sort of medical emergency.  I tried another time or two, but abandoned it after determining the flash of the camera on me was clashing with the lighting around the White House.

Option #2.  That's me...see my ring?  I like the way one of the lights around the fountain somehow looks as if my index finger is the source.  


This has been a fun assignment, I need to figure out an entertaining way to keep the blogging and photo skills alive!

Day 29 - In Motion

Still in Washington DC and now it is morning - the topic is motion!  If you were wondering, using a timer on the camera to take a picture of yourself jumping up and down on the bed in your PJ's is fun in theory, but poor in execution.


With the morning calisthenics out of the way, I turned outward for some motion inspiration. My DC hotel (it was actually in Arlington, I passed by the Pentagon on my way there) faced out to a fairly busy road and I felt that the stillness and beauty of the changing leaves, contrasted with the two lanes of traffic - stopped and moving - made for a pretty interesting shot.

Ebe pointed out that the yield sign ends up being a really clear...and really still...focal point in the midst of the truck & car in motion.  I would like to say that I planned that, but that is not really true, just some advantageous framing!

Day 28 - Purchased

The spirit of these 30 days of photos and blogging has been excellent.  The execution in some cases has been spotty, as I will occasionally be behind a day or two, take a couple of shots at once and then wait another day or two for the next.  This assignment represents this time crunch.

Imagine if you will - I have traveled to Washington DC for a business meeting and en route realized that I have 3 shots left, and am a day or two behind.  I check the list to see what is next and figure that is an easy one because it certainly seems like I am purchasing things all of the time, usually out of necessity but in the spirit of the activity, I am buying it, so it counts.

Here I sit in my hotel room at midnight or so (still living in the dual time zones of both the East and West coasts) when I decide I am going to knock this shot out.  The only and I mean ONLY thing that I have that represents something that I have actually purchased TODAY is a bottle of diet Coke that I bought in the vending machine because there were no peanut M&Ms when I went looking for a snack (I was craving those things and had no luck finding any!).

I am sure the Coca-Cola people would tell me that I did nothing to help glam up this shot, but by now, I am just looking to check it off the list!

Day 27 - After Dark

Originally intended to fit in the "Something Old" category, I snapped these shots of Union Station while I was waiting for Elizabeth's train to arrive.  As identified in the previous post, I went with the bench seats inside for that shot, leaving me with what I think are some neat shots of the station at night.


It is actually kind of hard to identify where this picture is...in the daylight you can read UNION STATION in the stencil letters across the front, but in the dark it is lost with the bright up lights on the wall.

I enjoy the silhouette of the clock tower off to the right.  This is a pretty cool building and it shows well in both daylight and evening hours.

Day 26 - Something Old

I must admit here (although I don't think that I would actually tell him) that I was thinking as something of a joke to use David as the subject matter for this shot, as his 50th birthday is tomorrow.  While it cracked me up because that is actually rather silly, I used my better judgement and looked around all day for something that met this not very specific criteria of 'old'.


Ebe joined us for a weekend of activities and took the train into Union Station to avoid the hassle of driving.  Whenever walking through the station, I always feel like it is 1940-something because of the way the station looks and feels, including what I believe to be much of the original furniture and decor in the main waiting area.

Now I get it that 70 years or so is not really that old, but if in fact these seats are from the original station days, that is impressive that they have held up, because something like 1,000,000+ visitors every year pass through this train station.  They don't all sit in this very chair, I am sure, but still, that is some pretty good endurance!

Day 25 - Sunflare

I realized when completing this assignment that I L-O-V-E taking pictures with sunflares and have a decent number of them in my archives.  Given the fact that I am work for nearly all hours of daylight this time of the year, it was out to Carthay Circle for yet another upshot of the trees...I have indeed taken my share of photos out here!

It took a shot or two to get it just right, but the sun is shining bright, the rays are visible through the leaves and the color on the tree lends just the right amount of contrast...I approve!

Day 24 - A Smile

Surprisingly, this proved a bit more difficult than I might have liked.  If you have ever wondered, taking a picture of just someones mouth yields some odd and not particularly attractive photos (think the Joker in Batman).  At least the way that I approached it did!  After a few failed attempts (including a self-portrait), I quickly changed gears and decided that I was after a sentiment, not necessarily the physical smile.

The photo here is a picture of a card that quotes Winnie the Pooh.  The sentiment is right on, "Your smile makes my heart bounce", and it is FAR better a shot than the creepy corner of my mouth in a mirror that I deleted immediately upon review!

Day 23 - Sunset

This should be an easy one for me...I have soooo many great sunset pictures, courtesy of living in So Cal and many travel trips to great places like Hawaii, Israel, England...my skills of the sunset picture should be (although I am not sure they are officially dubbed this) legend by now.


The interesting thing about this 30 Days of Photo assignment is the picture is supposed to be taken on the day of the assignment...no using stock photography from a previous day.  That poses a bit of a twist on things, because it is a weekday and the time change has now taken effect, whcih means there is NO WAY that I will be out of the office and near the beach in time to capture the sun as it drops below the horizon.


I tried to set a reminder for myself to get out for the sunset (scheduled at 4:54 pm), but I think that I was locked up in a meeting room and completely missed any chance of watching the sunset.  Not surprising, given the agenda of the day, but a bit disappointing nonetheless.


I took a page from the book of Ebe (who presented a GREAT picture-of-a-picture for clouds) and pulled up an AWESOME sunset photo that I took on vacation in Minnesota 3 summers ago.  The sky would light up in magnificent colors every night, and the scenery against the stillness of the lake was always fantastic.  The photo that I have on my computer was actually downloaded from Shutterfly, so as a digital copy, it is a bit pixelated.  By the time I magnified it enough to view and then zoomed in the camera, we ended up with this fuzzy, hazy representation of a sunset.

I shall call it my homage to Monet!

Day 22 - Trees

Trees are in plentiful supply around here, making today feel like a relatively easy assignment.  While I had plenty of good shots, I actually found myself faced with choices and I had a hard time picking the one frame that captured for me the quintessential tree.


I am a fan of the upshot (on landscape, not people, because just how many chins should one person have?), especially when there is a nice contrast of the green leaves to the blue sky. I also enjoy the single, lone tree, as they have so many twists and turns that are shaped by the environment, yet they continue to grow and thrive.


Let's not forget having the sun streaming through, so I tried a few of those shots from the courtyard at work.  Also a very good and a completely different angle on the whole tree thing, I thought about doing a perspective shot along the median down San Vicente Blvd., because there is a row about a mile long of trees, but decided that I already had enough shots and I didn't need to risk getting run over by a bus just to take a picture!

Green/blue contrast won out.  I like it!

Day 21 - Patterns

The weekends are proving a little challenging in this photo project.  I think that the challenge is more around how I organize and set up my day to ensure I remember to take the photo!


Sunday is always a full day, and this week was no exception.  It started with a heavy rainstorm to drive through on our way to Mission Viejo, then church at both campuses, lunch and a dinner meeting.  I knew in the back of my head that I needed to take my photo and I even remembered that it was a pattern, but once again I found myself near the end of the day without anything good to show for my efforts!


I remembered the error in my ways when I saw Ebe taking a picture of the inside flap of her purse - it has at least 4 different patterns and I am sure has been framed to be very cool.  I didn't even have my camera with me!


Fortunately, Ebe was kind enough to loan me her camera and was even in the process of pointing out a pattern that I could use.  We were on the same wavelength and I made her stop with the suggestions, this is supposed to be my own creative interpretation!

Thank goodness for bulletin board borders, is all that I can say!

Day 20 - What I Read

I would like to consider myself quite the reader.  I have a Kindle that is filling up nicely with electronic books and I have a paperback book or two either in my backpack or purse at any given time.  You would think that with all of that reading material, I would have made a better effort to capture the intelligence, the depth and the significance of my chosen reading material for the day.


It turns out that I wasn't really reading too much of great significance on Saturday, it was a busy day.  We were eating dinner, looking at the back of the chip bag from Poquito Mas, when I realized that I had not capture the photo for the day.  I could have pretended, I suppose, but the fact of the matter is, this is what I read today!

If anyone is curious, the chips are fresh and are indeed YUMMY!

Day 19 - Where I Slept

Full transparency...while this is indeed where I slept overnight, I could technically post a picture of my desk because during one particularly long call this morning, I do think that I dozed off!


Today's shot is not particularly creative...in fact, it is a bit monochromatic with my brown on brown on brown sheets, pillowcases and blankets.  Good snoozing, though if not enough hours to keep me from feeling a little snoozy while listening people talk about project management of Greek yogurt.

I am noticing some rather rumpled sheets here...must be doing some serious sleeping!

Day 18 - In My Bag

Today's assignment had a lot of options assigned with it.  I realize that I carry a lot of bags around (note - I said BAGS, not baggage...don't go putting words in my mouth!)  


There is my purse (and admittedly, that is only in the last 4 or 5 years that I actually carry one around, much to the chagrin of my mother, right Mom?), my backpack (which weighed in at 17.5 lbs over my vacation, technically 2.5 pounds over my lifting limitation allowed), a bag with all of my running clothes in it, the assorted sundry reusable grocery bags floating around in the back of my car and the "lunch bag" that I use to drag things back and forth to the office.


The "lunch bag" today is my current favorite, the freebie I got at Hilo Hattie in Hawaii.  I like the colors and the reminder of a fun trip.  It is later in the afternoon now, so the lunch has long since been put in the refrigerator and later consumed, but that was in there, along with my yogurt, a plum and a can of Trader Joe's iced mocha.  All that remain now are my crocs - a staple for driving back and forth to work to avoid the annoyance of driving in heels.

This whole ensemble fits rather neatly under my desk, and that is the story of our picture today!

Day 17 - On the Shelf

I am sure that there were many interpretations for today's assignment and while I had a few ideas for inspiration, none of them were rockin' my world, so I just kept it in the back of my head.


We have a shelf above the pantry cabinets in the kitchen at home that used to have a cute display of boxes, baskets and silk plants; at some point in my traveling days David and Holly converted it to an extension of the cabinet where we keep the corning ware.  It irritates me no end, yet I haven't made the time to go through and clean out the cabinet so that the items will fit in easily.  I can get everything in there (with a good deal of stacking), but D & H claim a degree in origami is required, so they do not attempt to put anything away.


At any rate, I didn't fancy putting up a photo of something that irritates me, so I opted for my goose and turkey friends, amongst the faux greenery that is in the corner of my cube.  Someone brought in a bunch of farm animal figurines a year or so ago and for some time there were pigs, cows, etc., all lined up on the edge/shelf of the cube wall.  I am not a fan of a lot of trinkets at my desk, so one quiet Friday morning, Farmville disappeared, save for the two webbed-footed specimens you see here.

They have a quiet and serene life up on that shelf.

Day 16 - How I Nourish Myself

I enjoyed the assignment today, because I had many ideas that could be fairly easily accomplished without having to scramble to get somewhere or capture the daylight or any other complication that would likely leave me scratching my head and wondering how I missed the opportunity.


Many would have expected me to take a picture of my signature fast food meal - an egg salad sandwich and iced coffee from 7-11.  I am not lying when I tell you that those sandwiches are fresh and delicious and travel well!  Enough of being an advocate for this multi-purpose snack, for it was not in my routine to stop off for breakfast today, I had plenty of the regular items at home.


I actually enjoy and attempt to practice the consumption of 6 mini meals throughout the day, about every 3 hours.  There are a few standby items that I almost always have such as soy sausage links or patties, bananas, hard boiled eggs, laughing cow cheese and crackers, Greek yogurt...the list goes on.  


One of my FAVORITES happens to be on the desk right now, Uncrustables!  A delightful PB&J treat, I buy the whole wheat bread version and just grab one out of the freezer on my way into work in the morning.  It thaws pretty quickly and serves as one of the mid-day meals, along with some kind of fruit (we have cantaloupe today, hooray for Trader Joe's and their pre-cut fruit).


Also in the shot are my trusty water canteen and mug for tea, I shoot for about 60 ounces of water over the course of the day...the tea is admittedly cold most of the time, but I don't mind and am appreciative of some flavoring in my water.

Enjoy the glimpse into my head, and my routine for daily nourishment.


*In the interest of full disclosure, the jalapeno popchips and Scharffenberger dark chocolate in my desk drawer are not pictured but certainly should be considered a part of the daily nourishment...a girl's got to enjoy some treats too! :)

Day 15 - Where My Feet Take Me

So many brilliant, wonderful and cool ideas...in my mind, at least.  Today's photo is an output of poor time management combined with good intentions but no execution.  


The first thought I had was something in the sand, a whole path of footprints.  Cool, right?  Agreed, but that would require me getting to the beach in the DAYLIGHT and well, that didn't happen.


My feet do their fair share of work and so being able to sit in the recliner and prop them up was a fun thought, but my feet weren't feeling photogenic when I got home and the whole shot was just kind of lame.


I was brushing my teeth (it is something I do every day, as we remember from day #2!), when I caught a glimpse of my shoes behind me in the mirror, all lined up.  My feet take me lots of places, and of course the shoes are an important part of that, but they don't get to go everywhere, as they rotate around.

My shoes (a sampling of them, anyway) are trusty tools on the path of life.

Day 14 - Flowers

Sundays are pretty full and this week was no exception.  I had looked up the assignment in advance so I could carry it around in the back of my head like a mantra...I want to avoid getting in those clutch situations where I am losing some of my creative angle because I don't have the time or the lighting to get the shot that I want.


I have a TON of great flower pictures from my travels, probably not as many as Ebe who was dubbed the flora and fauna girl while we were in Hawaii because of all of the scenery and nature shots that she took.  I could have used one of the near-perfect roses that was snapped in Canada while on the Alaska cruise a few years ago, or anything from the botanical gardens in Hawaii earlier this month...but that would not be in keeping with the spirit of the project, so in the moment picture taking I went.


I left my camera at home (duh!), so I found myself out and about with just the Google phone for a camera.  We had to stop at the Brown's to pick up my tax documents to mail in (a long story, but Bettina and I enjoy dragging the tax process over the entire year, giving us a good excuse to visit with each other).  On the way back to the car, I saw that they had some nice looking roses in the front, including some particularly lovely pink roses, so I whipped out the phone, aimed it and took one snap...I didn't even check the shot to see if it came out because the glare from the screen was too much to let me get a clear read on it.

I'd say that it came out pretty well, God's beauty shines just about everywhere we look!

Day 13 - From a Distance

The photo-journaling is becoming more of a habit each day.  Today was a full and busy day, but by the time it was near over, I had not snapped the perfect shot for this.


There were opportunities - a nice skyline of the valley when I drove through it, a great evening shot of the Irvine transportation center, the Target sign from the end of the parking lot...all of these options and ideas were in my head, but I totally missed on the execution part.


I busted out a book that I am reading (not on the kindle, a rare thing these days) and realized that I didn't have my cheaters, so I had to stretch the book out as far as my arms would go to see the letters.

Yep, from quite a distance, good thing my arms are long!

Day 12 - Close-up

Another day of multiple attempts before landing on the right shot.  I either lack a camera with good close-up abilities OR (and this is the greater likelihood) I lack the skills to effectively zoom in and take a picture of something close up.


I had this whole Ferris-Bueller-at-the-art-gallery idea with the fabric on my cubicle wall.  Seven shots later (all since deleted) and I can tell you that it will never be something that I can pull off.  I then went about the office looking to photo several other items - a raspberry, a magnet, the refrigerator door, our logo, my coffee cup and a key...the results were: blurry, lame, indistinguishable, doesn't translate, dull and reflective.


I walked around the building, looking for some creative inspiration and also decided that I needed to change my strategy and try to get a close-up of something that would still be somewhat recognized.  Some yahoo honked their horn at the car in front of them who was stopped and not moving and I saw it...

Close, recognizable and actually kind of cool.  I approve and thanks to the yahoo for honking!

Day 11 - Something Fun

Fun, I like!  There are many options to consider here, but some confinement due to the fact that I am supposed to be working most days and cruising around looking for photo ops is not necessarily where I should be spending my time.

I started the day thinking that I would do a picture on PCH, possibly of another person taking a picture of the sunrise, as it is not uncommon for me to see someone else pulling up to do the same thing I have stopped to do...capture the amazing hues and colors on the horizon as the sun peeks up over the Santa Monica pier.  Good idea, kind of of lousy picture, so I quickly scrapped that idea.

My inspiration then came while I was staring outside, sitting on a conference call.  There is a park between my building at work and the next one, with several cool trees that invite anyone with an adventurous spirit to climb them.  Climbing a tree is fun, so out I went on a quick photo break after my call was over.

I had to make 3 loops around the park.  Loop 1 was because I picked the day the landscapers are here to take my photo and it felt weird to be climbing the tree in my work clothes while the sprinklers were being tested.  Loop 2 happened when a couple came and sat on the bench right next to the tree...I got a bit self conscious and walked away.  Loop 3 occurred when the landscapers were back, this time raking the leaves out of the planter right next to the tree.

Finally!  The tree and I were alone.  I hiked up my pants and scurried up the trunk, and then promptly fell into the dirt below.  It isn't that surprising and probably more impressive that I did not rip, cut or bruise anything.

I quickly changed my strategy and opted for the up-shot of the faux-climb.  Who knew this project could be so hazardous?

Day 10 - Something I Made

Another surprising entry in that it took me all day to figure out what to do here and I really did take it down to the wire once again.  In fact, were it not for the fact that Ebe needed a little late-night snack after a long-running meeting, I might have been fashioning some stick figures out of paper clips.


Behold, a PB, no J sandwich...crunchy.  Critics state that it was good, but maybe a little heavy on the peanut butter due to a full sandwich portion being spread across and then cut in 1/2.  Duly noted and we will improve on the next round...or just enjoy some paperclip stick figures instead!

Day 9 - Faceless Self Portrait

Mom...you should be able to spot this in a heartbeat.  Today is faceless self-portrait day and I have a feeling that I interpreted this differently than some of the other real photographers did, but I like it anyway.


Admittedly, those who don't know me pretty well do not realize that I have this birthmark, because I typically cover it up and don't pull my hair back...it is kind of different and because it is red, most people panic for a moment if they catch a glimpse because they think my ear is bleeding.


I chose to highlight it, surprisingly enough, because I figure that if this photo were in a line-up, people who know me would be able to ID me, and in my mind, that is what a self-portrait is all about.

I thought that my hair was looking a bit redder these days than it is here...must be the ear overpowering it!

Day 8 - Technology

I love technology.  I have declared this on more than one occasion in more than one place.  Today's photo is focused on technology and for that reason I decided to focus on my current favorite piece of technology...my Google phone!

I had a whole Lion King, lift-the-phone-to-the-sky-and-take-a-picture-of-it-framed-in-the-sun visual in my head, but had that grand plan dashed with the sad fact that I left my camera at home today...in my backpack, along with my computer.  Yes, I actually walked out of the house without my computer today AND I didn't even realize it until I got into the office and got to my desk; that was indeed a FAIL moment for me and all of my technology!

Forunately, my fancy technology phone has a camera on BOTH sides and mirrors (decidedly low-tech, but effective) exist abundantly in the office, so...voila!  A phone that can take it's own picture!

That is technology at its best, indeed.

Day 7 - Something New

The whole something new (again, in my literal translation of the assignment) proved to be less of an "aha, easy" assignment than I might of liked, and I found myself thinking about it quite a bit throughout the day.

The day's activities were of course full, given the fact that it was Sunday, and I soon found the day winding down without a really solid plan in my head.  One of the multiple activities of the day included a visit to the Happiest Place on Earth by Elizabeth and me to meet up with the Schnoogs and her friend Cassie.  I started to think about how many "new" things were there, particularly around first-time experiences for guests (especially that cute little boy on the carousel in the Tigger cap who could not be more than a year old), but I wasn't feeling comfortable enough to walk up to a perfect stranger and taking a picture of them, or, worse-still, getting chased through Disneyland by an angry parent who doesn't appreciate my paparazzi-style, zoom-through-a-bush photo skills.

I opted instead for a row of gleaming Mickey Mugs, all very shiny and new, waiting for some lucky person to take one home.  A bonus feature?  I faced and merchandised these mugs for the shot, I am sure the team working in the store appreciated my help!

Day 6 - Childhood Memory

Today was a fun day, both for the topic and the actual bunch of stuff that I did!  Ebe came up on the train in the morning and we set off for a fun day in beautiful Ventura.  It was already 84 in Simi Valley when the train pulled in the station, so we were ready for a warm and sunny day at the beach.

Enter the fog...lots of fog!  We visited the Mission, did some shopping along Main St., got a burrito at Corrales, ate at the beach and FROZE.  I took some pix around the pier and water, as I have lots of good memories of the water thanks to my growing up days in San Diego and while the shots were OK, they didn't really capture what I would call a really specific memory.

We went over to the Harbor for an ice cream cone because, you know, they are tasty!  Ebe demonstrated a far broader capacity for creativity and connecting to a fun childhood than I when she said, "hey, this would make a good picture for today".  She had already taken a cool, artsy upshot of a swing at the beach; the idea was ripe for the picking, so I did it!

Cherry Vanilla ROCKS and so does my friend who helps me to be creative when I am lacking!

Day 5 - Someone I Love

This should be an easy one...I have many people I love, all of whom are photogenic...no problem, right?  Not so much.  I actually posted a day late because I just could not make my mind up about what to do.  I don't want to seem like I am picking "favorites" among those I love, or exclude anyone and hurt their feelings, I want to get a good shot that will continue to expand my portfolio a bit, there is too much dialogue going on in my head around this!


I started to go down the path of using an existing photo because it hit all of the key elements that I wanted to, but that isn't true to the rules and I like to think that I am a rule follower (when it is appropriate, there is nothing wrong with being a rebel with a good cause every now and again too, but I digress), so I decided to make it happen.

What is not to love about this face?

Day 4 - Favorite Color

The answer is easy, but a good interpretation takes a bit of thought.  Given all of the creative photos and style of photography that are cropping up in our little project, I find myself working to think a little differently so that I can hold my own against the cool kid photographers that I seem to be running with!


My inspiration came when I was driving to work this morning - still dark but heavy enough traffic that I got to view a lot of taillights.  Looking for the silver lining, I realized that I certainly did enjoy the red glow and while I knew I couldn't take the shot while driving (I already broke that rule and did it yesterday morning), I had an easy shot once I got to the parking garage.

Bold and authoritative...I like it!

Day 3 - Clouds

The blogging AND photos continue and I was excited about today's assignment, because when the big puffy clouds are out, there are fewer things more creative and inspiring to check out.


I awoke to fog...lots of it...and thankfully had the foresight to grab my camera out of my bag as I left the house to snap a few creative and inspiring shots because fog = clouds.  I snapped a few, zoomed in a few and even took an in-motion shot or two through the windshield while on the road (sorry Ebe, know that I did always have one hand on the wheel and I WAS watching what I was doing plus I left plenty of room in front of me from the next car).  I did not look at any of the photos (because, remember...I was driving!) and went about my day, waiting for the sun to come out.


I was in South Orange County for the remainder of the day, which did finally clear up sometime after lunch to...super clear blue skies, no clouds!  I kept checking all day but nothing, it was a Chamber of Commerce Day, much to my dismay.  It reminded me of the movie The Aviator when Howard Hughes blew his whole filming budget waiting for real clouds to appear in the sky so that the fight sequence they wanted to film would appear more realistic...there was nothing to work with today!


I downloaded my collection of fog pictures, expecting at least one or two great shots and instead I found gray, dreary and relatively uninspiring shots of not much of anything, including one particularly blurry picture of a wheel (I think).  Someone needs to back off on the zoom!

Elizabeth helped me out and picked the best of the worst...this is it.  We tried to convince ourselves that the contrast of the trees along the roof line made it interesting.  


Tried is the operative word here!

Day 2 - Something I Do Every Day

It is good to be blogging again and even more fun to be photo-journaling as well!  The assignment today is to capture something that I do every day.

I took the phrase literally...EVERY day.  Shower - out.  Using the phone - out (although the leader if the assignment was almost every day).  Driving - out.  On the computer - out.  You get the idea.  There are a lot of things that I do a lot, but I had to think a bit to capture something that I do EVERY day without skipping.

You can thank me later for this!

Day 1 - Self Portrait

Celebrate the triumphant return of the blogging discipline!  Thanks to two creative people who piqued my interest in stretching some creative muscles...Brenna for the 30-days of photos exercise and Ebe for suggesting we blog about the process.  I like it!

We begin with a self portrait.  Actually a hard first assignment, in my opinion!  My initial idea was one of action...I set my camera up in my cube at work with the self-timer and spun around in my chair.  In my head, it was really cool and blurry and would represent the constant state of action that I am usually in...so very profound, right?

After about 10 REALLY BAD pictures of me in various stages of frozen shots trying to look like I was moving, I abandoned the effort.  The day was getting later, I was supposed to be working and I was starting to obsess over this darn self-portrait.  I put the camera away for a while and just let the creative energy flow for a bit...there has to be something that I can do to represent me!

Enter the scissors.  I have what some call a bad habit of cutting my own bangs...I prefer to consider it a strong commitment to good grooming skills...and in one instance I actually used cuticle scissors to trim things up.  Admittedly, not my best look for a week or two after that encounter.

At any rate, behold the self-portrait!  Too much flash, too aggressive on the trim and all me, true to life!

A Sweet Sample

A quick post on the workplace this week.  We are testing some new topping options, with Nutella being a popular suggestion.  Not clear on how we would be able to serve it, I asked for a sample to be sent over to my office so that I could fiddle around with it, weigh out portions, etc.


I got an email that told me my sample had arrived and was sitting on my desk.  When I arrived the next morning, imagine my surprise to be greeted by a 5-lb bucket!
I used about 3 scoops for my testing and then I was done with it.  I admit to eating a spoonful of it right out of the jar, but then felt kind of over-sugared afterwards (although I will not deny it's tasty factor when I was enjoying it.)


There was a lively debate amongst the office-dwellers if a person could actually eat the entire contents of the jar in one sitting.  My speculation is no, speaking for myself anyway, I think that I would get sick.  Someone else thought that they could do it.  I left before any sort of challenge was thrown down.


I like Nutella and want to keep enjoying it; eating 5-lbs would ruin it for even the most fervent of fans!

Clean-up on Aisles 2 AND 5

I had quite a start to the day on Wednesday this week.  It is not uncommon for me to wake up between 4:30 and 5:00 am on a work day, do a few chores (the quiet type, like laundry, not vacuuming!) and then be on my merry way to work, usually leaving around 6:00 am.


It was no different on Wednesday, with a load of laundry waiting in the washer from the night before to be hung up on the rack.  I went into the garage, turned on the light and noticed the laundry detergent container in the bottom of the laundry basket sitting in front of the washer.  Upon closer examination, I realized that it had somehow fallen off the top of the washer and into the basket, knocking the top off and spilling it's sticky blue liquid into the bottom of the blue basket.


Marveling at my good fortune of having the basket there to catch the mess, I decided that I would also be able to save the majority of the spilled contents (about 1/3 of the bottle) by pouring the detergent right back into the bottle.  An excellent idea, were it not for the holes in the front of the basket that the concentrated liquid soap started to spill out from.  Oops.  Now we had quite a mess on the floor of the garage.


I slipped back into the house to get some paper towels and in my haste, I kicked one of the dog water bowls, spilling a good quart of water onto the kitchen floor.  This was NOT part of the plan.  I decided to use beach towels to sop up the water in the house first, then out to the garage to try and make some progress on the blue goo.


I ended up laying newspaper across the floor and warning David that there was a "bit of a mess" in the garage.  So much for having an efficient and productive morning!

CHEESE!!

It would appear that I am an easy target for the pack when it comes to treats, specifically for cheese...a favorite snack among the Newton dogs. 

It started with Freddy (center, the fluffy white one), who arrived to our home rather underweight and recovering from some stomach surgery.  I started to give him string cheese as a snack, because he seemed to really like it and I thought that it would be good to put a little weight on him.

He has long since achieved (and is maintaining) his ideal weight, but has not lost his love for cheese.  In fact, he has shared the good news of cheese with a couple of his brethren, pictured here (Penny on the left and Charlie on the right).  It is really a bit ridiculous.  I arrive home from work and Freddy starts following me around, "talking" in his way and sometimes sounding as if he is saying, "Mom, I want my cheese."  Penny, thinking that she might be missing out on something starts to follow at my heels and if I dare open the refrigerator, Charlie is there too.

Shaggy and Scooby (the shepherds) sit up expectantly from their perch on the couch, knowing that I would not dare to feed only 3 of the 5 dogs.  I talk tough as if I am not going to indulge them, but who am I kidding?  Cheese all around!

Penny and Freddy count out the pieces to make sure I have rationed things fairly.  Those dogs are all about equity!

Return to San Juan Capistrano

I had to meet up with a friend for some business today, so what better arrangements to make than meeting at the train station in San Juan Capistrano?  I originally intended to take the train there myself, but the usual bit of yogurt insanity forced me into the office early, necessitating a drive instead of a leisurely train ride. Undaunted, I met the challenge.

Working in an office for most all of the daylight hours during the traditional work week, I am embarrassed to admit that I sometimes forget how nice it is to be outside and in the fresh air in the afternoon. The train depot at SJC is a quaint little station, buzzing with lots of pedestrians and swarms of kids on field trips...perfect for people watching!

The meeting, lunch and time together were great, the birds were chirping, the sun shining...I think that I know why those swallows return to Capistrano every year, it is a good time!

Tri-ed and True!

 

Moms in Motion - before the event!


March has shaped up to be quite the busy month.  Sunday was another activity, this one the Pasadena Triathlon, considered by me to be the kick-off to the triathlon season, this one is a little unique because it is actually a reverse, meaning we run first and swim last (plus some fine biking there in the middle).  It is also a sprint (shorter distances), so the two elements make it a great way to either ease into the season or the entire sport of triathlons.


Special to me for this event was the union of two of my groups of peeps - the MIMs - Moms in Motion and Ministry in Motion.  It was the first tri for several of the people there and the first time at Pasadena for most.  I was very conflicted around what shirt to wear, as I have a team uniform for both; I ended up wearing the white version from the Moms team because while it says Moms in Motion, it is a different color and therefore not as easily identifiable.  The costume of course is not as important as the experience!



Ministry in Motion - completed!!



The event was incredible...the weather was great (biblical proportions of rain fell on Sunday, but Saturday was cool and sunny), everyone was enjoying the course and the company, life was good for all!

Everyone did incredibly well in the different portions of the course and while there were a few struggles, everyone kept at it and finished, emerging from the pool dripping wet, a little tired but all smiles.  There are few things as satisfying as accomplishing a difficult task; for me the only thing greater is watching someone I care about do something that they never thought they would or could do and then seeing them persevere until it is done.

THAT is the tri spirit that I love!

We All Scream

I was in the Bay Area for a couple of days last week (Thu & Fri) for work, and while I was there, I mixed in a little fun too.  Barb & Joan are some very fine friends in Oakland/Berkeley who I always enjoy spending some time with; we had a rather enjoyable dinner at a favorite local place (Picante!) and then Barb hauled us over to a shop called Scream Sorbet.

As an ice cream fan, I am of course always willing to try something new.  I wondered how tasty these sorbets would actually be, given the fact that these are vegan sorbets, which means there is no dairy in them.  I've had dairy-free ice creams before and while I would give them a lukewarm, 'OK' rating, they have never been anything to get too super excited about.

Enter super excited status.  Good grief, it is delicious!  Joan stayed out in the car (because there was NOWHERE to park, so she sort of just stopped in a red zone), which meant that the decision making was up to Barb and I.  We were very diligent about our tasting.  Among the noteworthy included almond pink peppercorn, raspberry walnut & peanut vanilla.  After tasting our way through the menu, we settled on peanut vanilla (Barb), askinosie chocolate (Joan) and pistachio for me.

In addition to enjoying the sorbet, we learned that we all possess the skills to scrape out every available drop of flavor, even if that meant licking the bottom of the cup (it was dark and we were sitting in the safety of the car, no one on the street had to witness it!)  I seriously considered going back for another scoop, but some sense of decorum need to be maintained!

Photo Op

Wednesday was a day spent working on-site for a photo shoot.  Yes, this was for work, yes it was a bit tiring and yes, it was for yogurt.  I spent 9 1/2 hours with 5 other people on a glamour shot for a cup of yogurt and several unrelated toppings.  This is very serious business going on here!

 

It is actually a pretty good gig to go to the photo shoot studio; the team is incredibly nice, very talented and I can drink all of the tea that I want using the cool Kruger individual cup brewing system!  We have Internet access to do work in between shots, have lunch brought in and enjoy some cool background music.  It is a nice change from the daily office routine and the finished product is always impressive, plus it is nice to play a role in what the customer-facing marketing elements will look like for each new flavor.

The work is surprisingly tedious, as we striveto get the absolute PERFECT shot and we are working with a perishable product.  There is a lot of staging, practice and discussing, especially when dealing with toppings that don't stay put, such as caramel.

That frozen yogurt can be such a diva!

Every Little Thing They Do is Magic

I have been obsessed with Abbot's Pizza Co. in Venice since ny first introduction to this place a couple of years ago. I was at the Marina yesterday (details to follow tomorrow), and realized that I was close to what has got to be one of the best pizza places on the West Coast...EVER!

I knew that it was meant to be when I pulled up front and got a parking place without having to circle the block. There was only 1 person in front of me when I entered...the crowd came almost immediately after I stepped up to order.

I ordered something that both David (Meat Eater's) and I (Goat Cheese) could enjoy, a 1/2 and 1/2 pie is no problem here! Add to the deliciousness a pretzel crust (we went with garlic) and perfection is only a 20 minute wait away!

The place was jammed the entire time I waited, but I didn't mind as I viewed the crowd and enjoyed jamming along to one of my favorite songs by The Police, Every Little Thing She Does is Magic. Ahh, some 80's music, good eats in my near future and all of the people-watching a girl can handle on a work-night.

It certainly did feel magical and it tasted even better!