Tacoroonie Day TWO!

Today... today was like photography heaven! OK ... if you take away all my rule-follower whining, THEN it was like photography heaven. Every location we came upon, I would sink down into the bottom of my seat, and say..." But we aren't allowed to go there!"  Apparently, I am hanging out with Thelma and Louise, because we totally trespassed! At one point, we were actually approached by an official railroad guy who warned us of the dangers of the tracks, but then said he didn't mind. After that warning, someone communicated with him via his official walkie talkie telling him to tell us to get lost.. that we were on private property and were trespassing. Our official railroad friend totally stood up for us. His response? "Uh. Negative.... their cute." 

We got off on our looks... and I don't mind. 

(These aren't even from all of the locations today, just a few. I just didn't want to sift through all of my shots just yet.... )

 

Tacoroonie Day One

Having a fabulous time. So fabulous in fact, have forgotten to call hubby yet nor have I sent whining text message to Crystal complianing about my uncomfortableness. 

A few pictures maybe? Because you know that is all you want! :D  (Ashley has some up too!  ... and no. We haven't left the hotel room yet. That is the plan for tomorrow.)

''

Rambo: Part II

This evening, I met up with the family I photographed the birthday for... This time, for a family session - just the three of them! 

Surprise!!!!!

Forgive me, I'm a little speechless at the moment. 

I came home from a family photo session with the birthday girl from a few weeks back and her parents... only to find a note taped to my front door. The note had my name on it and a picture of a Canon point and shoot camera... and what appeared to be riddle/clue. It told me to look in my purse and at that moment, I thought, "Crap. What did I forget to do that my hubby is pointing out to me?" 

Inside my purse, was another clue... which pointed to another... and another and so on. Until finally, underneath the futon in the extra bedroom...... I saw a shiny little box containing a fabulous, full frame censor 5d! ... For ME! ..... FROM MY HUSBAND! He totally surprised me... again! And just in time for Tacoroonie too! Oh how I can't wait. 

The wonderful, he-Will-Be-Getting-Some-For-Surez hubby!

and me .. oh so excited.....

I seriously can't wait to test this baby out!

Hubby, I know you read this... even if you only comment once a month....Thank You. Really. I'd tell you how much this means to me... but fortunately, you know!

For those who are interested... I even have a boring (long) video you can watch (when the damn thing finishes uploading!) of my reading my clues... and not figuring them out. I was so caught up in it.. I forgot to comment on what was going on...


((Video to be posted shortly))

TOOOOMORROW TOMORROW!

TOMORROW tomorrow tomorrow! TOMORROW!!!! 

(Colleen's picture..stolen from over here!)

Perspective

I did it ! I did it! I got back on the horse. 

Last week, I failed to participate in the Exposaroonie Photo Challenge. I know. I know. I feel horrible. Thankfully, we had LOADS of new participants last week. Go check them out! 

This week's challenge, Different Perspective, was pretty fun! There is also a SUH-WEET prize... which sadly, I'm not eligible to win. Oh well... I could always just buy one. Hmmm.... 

Back to my picture for this week. I used a prop. 

Gasp! 

I dragged the yoga ball outside and photographed it. I thought it would look kind of neat with the fisheye and on the grass. Here is my actual submission for this week's Exposaroonie Photo Challenge: 

And of course, all the freaking runners up wanted their 15 minutes of fame too .....

Have you Exposed yourself yet? ... huh? Have you?

What About ME!

So, while wasn't tagged by any friendly bloggers to participate in the "What's in Your Bag" game... I'm going to claim I'm doing this for the flickr group, K?

My bag:

Picked this little beaut up at Target.

What's in it:

• Abas Opera Wallet
  
• New, Fancy, Prescription Sunglasses
  
• Altoids
  
• cute little compact
  
• iPhone
  
• chapstick
  
• L'oreal Lipstick
  
• Memory Cards
  
• lotion
  

Yes, I'm boring. But .. I have done this before! Check it out on my flickr site. 

Four

I have four days (or 3? I never understood if I was supposed to count the current day or not!) until I pack up, and head to Fresno... All. By. Myself. 

Me. I have to drive 4ish hours to the middle of California all by my lonesome. With out my brave, strong, fabulous, driver....hubby. 

I can do this. 

.... really, I can. I'm all set:

• I got some fabulous, new, prescription sunglasses.
  
• My wedding dress fits... ok.. it zips. 
  
• I went to Target to buy a new swimsuit....after about 15 seconds in the dressing room, staring at my pale, lumpy flesh in the God awful fluorescent lighting....I decided to invest in a super-cute swimsuit cover up instead. So, I'm ready to hang out by the pool in a darling, ruffled tube top dress and a giant, floppy, paper hat. 
• I even have two 8GB CF cards on the way! 

But whew! I am busy this week. I might have a photo session every day this week. I don't know yet because they haven't been confirmed, just talked about.  I have one tonight for sure. I'm kind of nervous and excited about it. It will be for the improv group I saw a little while back. Group shots and some individual shots. Wish me luck. 

This is also where I apologize to you guys. I've been crazy busy this past few weeks. So busy in fact, that I actually didn't participate in the Exposaroonie Photo Challenge last week. Gasp! But this week, I'm all over it. I promise. 

Hubby and I had a relaxing weekend - one where I managed to stay away from not only the internet, but also my iPhone for most of each day. Seriously. Can I get a round of applause for that? 

I'm reading your blogs via Google reader, I promise. I just haven't had time to comment on them. I'm busy with the photo sessions, getting thins situated for a wedding on June 7th, and trying to get my portfolio together so that I can get my photography site up an running .... thanks to Ashley's super-duper-fantabulous superhero hubby. I have finally reached the time in my life where there are not enough hours in the day. This is new for me. Usually, I'm a sloth. I choose not to go out with friends in favor of lounging on the sofa for hours on end. Not any more. Now it is home from work, quickly grab something to eat and chat with hubby, go meet people to photograph, come home, edit them, go to sleep, wake-up, and do it all over again. Doesn't sound THAT crazy once I write it out.... but for me, it is! I'm trying to get used to this new schedule.

My point is...I'm busy. I'm sorry. Hopefully, things will settle down or at least I'll get better with time management and I'll be back to the blogging world.. full force! Bear with me... please. :D 

Tricks for Tweats

Thor is amazing with tricks. I say amazing.. but really, I'm just talking about the basics - sit, stay, leave it, lay down, roll over, shake, high-five, speak .. and more recently... circus walk.

Before I took this video, I had him doing the circus walk in smooth motions... no interuptions. He would stand up and twirl in a little puppy circle with out stopping until he had gone 360 degrees on his little tip-toes. I pull the camera out... and he gets performance anxiety. I wish I had a graceful circus walk to show you, but either way, he's one cute Bear Claw (his nickname...one of many).

Untitled from Emily Pie on Vimeo.

Rainy Day BBQ

Yesterday, we headed over to our friends' house for a BBQ Extravaganza. Unfortunately, the weather for this long, three-day weekend is gloomy, cold and rainy. They moved the BBQ under the covered patio and fired up the grill for (I heard they were wonderful) hamburgers and (I can vouch for their wonderfulness) beer soaked brats! (How I could use one of those right about now!) Did I mention the beer?

Mario took this one with my camera... I think. Or Brandon?

Because yes, there was beer - and wine and tequila. In my world, do you know what those three things spell? F-U-N. Ok ... more like, I get to act like a doofus, you get to laugh at me and then I will pass out quietly in the other room so you can continue on with your evening.

and then ... 

again, thanks to Mario for capturing this moment. 

Rawrrrr

Went to see the new Indian Jones movie last night. It was ok. My reason for posting about this.... I left feeling like the world's biggest Cougar. Seriously. Never have I felt like such a dirty old woman before....(OK, so there was that time Zac Efron's performance in High School Musical gave me butterflies... but that was COMPLETELY different.)

Shia LeBeouf. Also in Transformers which, I'll admit, I've never seen. But what I remember him from? Disney's Even Stevens - 1999-2002 or something like that. He was the obnoxious little brother to Wren (Ren?). He was younger than my little brother - making him about 4 years younger than me. Now? Not so much of a big deal. But having seen his little pre-pubescent self grow up right in front of my eyes to some super sexy 22 year old who is along side Harrison Ford? Kinda Creepy.

Keeping it Alive in the 775

I know this isn't new.. hell, I've heard it before too. But still, this song... well.. it comes from the heart.... 

Brother & Sister

Tonight, I went back downtown for another photo session... this time.. with my friend Melissa and her brother! This was a bit of a challenge for me, as a.) it was only my 2nd portrait session and b.) I was worried about making sure they didn't look like a couple. 

After today, I realized  I really need to work more on giving direction. But hey, hopefully, I will learn a little bit at Tacoroonie, no?  (FYI... Tacoroonie is NEXT weekend! Woohoo!)

Back to the portraits... 

Bloggity Blog

Today, I had a plan to get up and post my guest blog over on Sohobutterfly's blog .. you know, while she is on VACATION. Lucky dog. 

Unfortunately, I was with out internet for most of the day... so I didn't get around to it until just now. (FYI.. the first rule of guest blogging... post IMMEDIATELY! I was already hurt by my west coast time.... but not having internet! Yikes. Totally broke that rule. Sorry.) 

Anyway.. the post is up now... so go check it out. Puh-lease :) 

Off to make dinner for my hubby and then watch some AI! (Come on David Cook!)

Katie!

This eveing, I went downtown to  meet up with my phriend, Katie.  We enjoyed some mojitos, a Phun Photo session ... and well .. some Pho :D 

What? I was the only one who phound that to be phunny? No way! 

It was REALLY windy!

I Want

After this weekend's shoot... I've realized that I Really. Do. Need one of these - a Jessica Claire Shootsac

Happy Birthday

..to Ramona.... also know as "Rambo".  She had her 1st birthday party today... and I was lucky enough to be there to photograph it! 

I've never been to a one-year old's birthday party before... but this one was pretty sweet! Besides all the beautiful kids who were more than willing to pose for photographs.... there was a bouncy house... AND a pinata.

If you want more... you can view a heck of a lot more on my flickr site! 

Girly Time

I've recently become friends with two girls, through a circle of friends that we share. On a few occasions now, I've been invited to tag along with these girls on their monthly pedicure excursions. Until this evening, I haven't been able to go with them... but after tonight, I think I'd like to make this a regular occurrence - if they choose to invite me again that is. 

It was quite fun to meet up RIGHT AFTER work -  I mean no stopping at home first! We had spa pedicures with foot massages, masks, girl talk, and .... free wine. And guess who brought her camera? Oh yeah.... While I was snapping away, one of the nail techs informed me that I didn't have to take pictures, because they could take their picture for me and just print them out right there. I tried to explain that I enjoyed taking pictures, but thanks... but it sort of came out as, "Oh .. ha.. umm.. thanks.. but ..uh .. this is .. uhhh.. this what Iliketodo."  I have yet to say the actual "P" word yet.. I think I'm afraid of it. I don't make a living as a photographer.. and I still have loads to learn. Actually, I kind of feel like a big poser with my camera and lens arsenal ... which is why I stumbled when I tried to explain to the lady,  "look .. I don't lug this big thing around for the pretty snapshots."

My attempt at the I Was Here Too shot...

I Never Said I Wasn't Vain

Some fun at lunch with the 24-70 ...(LOVE it by the way)


Note the funny little crinkled nose, lip and squinty eye... that is me.. in the groove.

Some Sass

"Ha.. ok enough of that you dork."

Feeling rather Colleen-esque... ok.. yeah, not quite.

...and for fun...Selfie Via Fishy Rental

More Email from China

Slowly, more emails have been trickling in, letting me know they are ok. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to email ALL of my past students, and many of the email addresses were returned undeliverable... but I have heard back about a dozen or so.

Most recently, I heard from Tony. Tony was one of my better English students. He had actually had the opportunity to go to the U.S. during high school for a study exchange program. His spoken English was excellent, his written English... not nearly as good. Of course, I was his teacher 3 years ago... and as an English Major at that university, he has had to take many more English classes since mine his Freshman year.

Here is Tony's account of the earthquake:

Hello, Emily. I'm Tony, one of your english major students from SWUST in Mianyang. It's so kind of you to email us showing your great care and regards. So far, most of the teachers and students in SWUST are doing fine. All the people have already removed to safe places. So, please don't worry about us too much.

I've just been back from SWUST to Chengdu the day before yesterdays. According to the report, the earthquake happened in Wenchuan in Sichuan province has cause 19509 people die and more than fifty thousand people helpless. God, it was the most horrible suffering that I'd ever had. I was learning driving at that moment. At the beginning of the earthquake, few of us was aware of it, nor care it much. Soon, I noticed that the car couldn't help shaking greater and great, but I even thought it was the vibration from the engine of the car. I couldn't believe that earthquake could happen, for Mianyang is always considered as a safe place far from all large natural disasters.

Not until I heard other people scream did I realize that it was the earthquake. I got out of the car immediately and stayed with my friends in the coaching grid until the earthquake stopped. When I standed on the ground I could feel the constantly violent shaking and wobble of the earth. It was so terrible, all the trees, cars and street lamp post kept dangling and rolling fiercely, and we were all in panic wondering if we could survive. The earthquake lasted for nearly one minute, after that I went down to the new campus to check the situation there and tried to find my friends. People all escaped to the open area and every place was in confusion, boys shouting and girls crying.

We spent the next couple of days and nights in the open area. The first night, all of us was too scared to sleep. Each of the after-shock frightened us. We made a fire, stayed together and waited for the dawn. From the second day on, the after-shock became less frequent and fierce. We got used to that and tried to calm down to ease each other. The dining hall works all day to provide food for us, and we set up tents to sleep.

Actually, Mianyang is one of the places suffering the shock of the earthquake most. However,luckily, our university stands on a hill far from down town where crowds many large buildings. Inevitably, all the construction on campus suffer damage to some extent. Only a few classroom buildings and dormitories were damaged seriously, the roofs and walls of which have fallen down. Other buildings are still in good condition.

Though the after-shock has lasted all these days and it will in the long term, the living here is getting right again. The supply of electricity and water is regular, and many students have already went back to the dormitories, some others including me have transferred to the safer places. The condition in Chengdu here is much better than other areas in Sichuan. I'm watching news on TV all days to know the situation.

People from all walks of society are devoted to helping the disaster areas right now. They send food. water and medicine by all means. Soldiers have been to the such disaster areas as Wenchuan to save the refugee there. Large number of fund raised from the society has been put in the use of helping the victims. With the help of the people and government, I believe that we could overcome it!

Thanks for your sincere regards~~ We miss you too, take care and keep in touch!

Sincerely yours,

Tony

Mario (Crystal's hubby) and I have received links to message boards with pictures from the university (SWUST) where we all taught... I thought I'd share some of the damage with you... keep in mind, this is MUCH less damage than many other areas close to SWUST.











There were also several pictures showing all the students sleeping outsid earound campus.. and lining up for their boiled eggs and meals from the dining hall staff...

Summer is Near

So, this is such a weird time of year. It can be cold and rainy.. snowy in the mountains. Or... it can be like today, sweltering... but not nearly as hot as it will be this weekend.

OK.. so maybe I exaggerated a bit with the use of the word, "sweltering". It is only 81 degrees... but that is SUMMER weather people.. what happened to 72? I know it other places you are getting 90 degrees and even pushing 100... but 81 is flipping hot as far as I am concerned. 

This weekend... it will be 95! Five degrees shy of a 100 and I will be outside, shooting a kid's birthday party ... wish me luck. 

In the mean time... I'll leave you with a comparison photo.. 

I posted this horribly photoshopped picture last October... (notice the lame "dooce effect" blur?)

And today, that walkway looks like this....

Cuckoo

Something you might not know about me....I hate birds. I really hate them. I don't like birds as pets, I don't like geese at the park, I hate roosters, and I sure as hell don't like pigeons nesting on our roof!

I hope they are paying rent, because we have quite the flock of pigeons taking up residency. Everytime I walk outside, as soon as reach the edge of the roof, pigeons start frantically flapping their wings to get the hell out of my way. Which, yes, I appreciate.... but come on .. heart attack vs. stepping around a pigeon? I'd rather walk around, thank you. But no, they insist on scaring the hell out of me everytime. Seriously, each time this has happened, I end up getting spooked, letting out a loud gasp, laughing and finally exclaiming, "Mother Effing Pigeons!"

No amount of startling before hand will scare them off... I have to actually walk over to them and as soon as I am with in 5 steps... Flap flap flap flap flap... in a bazillion different directions, flying only inches from my face and head.

That isn't all. When we are sleeping at night, we hear them outside our window ... "hhooo..hhooo" or however you spell that pigeon sound. Over and over again... it is enough to drive me crazy!

So, short of tossing alka-seltzer on the roof or shooting them with a bee-bee gun... any suggestions? Because I'm not complaining to the apartment people about this.. I'm not Cathy Complainer... well, unless you ask my husband.

Exposaroonie Photo Challenge: Rule of Thirds

I entered my pictures for this week's challenge ... rule of thirds! Wanna know I submitted?

Remember those pictures I took of my dogs when my new lens arrived on Friday? There was this one picture that I really loved, but it wasn't sharp enough for me to use...

Last night, I was looking back through my pictures from Friday night and saw this one ....



There it was ... my challenge submission!


Good Boy Thor.... Good Boy!




Have you submitted your picture for this

Update from China

So I got an email from one of my old students in China this evening, in response to my email after the earthquake...