Springing Forward

I love the fact that our clocks get to spring forward an extra hour. It means one extra hour of daylight for me! One extra hour to spend looking at the world behind my camera lens. Here are a few things we saw today...











This pics makes me think of our Dancing Queen...she is still singing.

All in a day's work....

Work has been monopolizing my time and energies this week. The last couple of nights I was just too tired to post anything. Work has been grueling....I come home and I cannot do one more thing. It got me thinking about the things that I have done all for the sake of a job and the paycheck that came with it. My husband and I spent a little time sharing our worst work experiences.

Here are a few highlights....

When I worked at Sam's club as a demo girl and had to try and sell scented markers for the day.

Taking a photo from a bucket truck in 90 degree weather.

When I worked at a Urology office and had to schedule a testicular ultrasound for a young teenage boy, who was with his mom, and the girl at the hospital scheduling the ultrasound didn't know the meaning of the word testicular.....can you say awkward?

Being asked to clean up the women's restroom after someone got sick. Obviously, if you know me ...this didn't go down.

When working at a real estate office calling people early on Saturday mornings, waking them up to tell them someone was in their driveway right now, and would like to see their house, could they?

Paul was a post man. You can image his surprise when some very large individual answered the door to get their mail naked. Yikes!

Working at the hotel might have held the majority of my worsts! Locking people out of their rooms for not paying, stopping a suicide in process, cleaning up what could have been a crime scene, over flowing toilets, leaks, irate guest when reservations were lost or not booked at all, and a creepy old man who asked to be my sugar daddy.

Having to obtain the newest "Titliest" golf ball before it was even out for purchase. I felt like the girl in the movie "The Devil Wears Prada", and she had to get the newest copy of Harry Potter. She did it...and so did I, cuz I am awesome like that.

While working for an ear, nose and throat specialist, I had the revolting job of emptying and cleaning the containers hidden under the sink that were connected to the tubes used to clean out patients ears. I know gross right, but someone has to do it.

Working for a boss that wanted me to be her daughter. It was extreme. She cried when I gave my notice, then proceeded to hug me for a very few uncomfortable moments while she cried some more.

Commission is a nightmare, trying to fight for my sales when I sold shoes in a department store. At one particular register stand off a co-worker who was in the process of stealing my sale started throwing shoes out of anger.

Seeing a patient being told they have cancer.

Playing referee instead of photographer while taking family photos at weddings, not all families get along so well.

I've seen things in x-rays that authors would use for inspiration.

At one point I was vasectomy queen, scheduling, giving instructions, answering questions and fielding recovery calls from patients. I really hated scheduling vasectomies!

Oh, there are more but I think I would like to remain employed. I've had to invest some money into retail therapy this week, just to remind me why I work. Oh well, if I got through all of the above then there is nothing I can't handle.

So what about you? Worst work experience? I would love to hear!!

Wearing Mommy's Glasses

Mastering the Monkey Bars

Having a Laugh Together

Gavin and Grammy having a laugh together!

Right now I am reading Chris Bucher's Black & White Photography, click here if you want to see. While I am reading my friends book I am only going to post black and white images until my reading and lessons from the book are completed.

So for a little while there is going to be less blogging while I focus on taking more pics, which was the entire idea behind this blog to begin with!

Good Morning

This morning we awoke to the errie sounds of hundreds of birds in our backyard. It was so loud and intense you would have thought there was running water rushing outside our bedroom window. It reminded me of the movie the birds.

I know this pic only shows a few birds...but I liked it the best.

An adieu to my old sofa…

I image that this is how some feel about parting with a good car, or moving out of a home. The emotion is a mixture of bitter sweet nostalgia, along with a rush of memories before saying goodbye. The countless hours we have spent together. All the many places we have dwelled. Your cushions have be christened by food, vomit, pee from Gavin’s 1st grade friend, blue gator aid that I could never get out, an apple core that rotted before found (thanks you Gavin), and buckets of tears during my divorce.



Together we’ve watched loads of movies, read countless books, and made visitors comfortable. You’ve kept me contented when I was sick, not to mention helped me relax during my pregnancies. You’ve been quiet solace while my husband snored. You’ve never shared with anyone the things I eat after mid-night, or the amount of wine I have consumed.


You even survived the night I dive bombed you because the swat team raided the neighbor’s house. Or in that same apartment dried out from the flood of the over-flowing washing machine. And the jumping, climbing, sprawling, plopping and yes even sex. There were times that I over-washed you because of cases of pink-eye or head lice the kids brought home.



Our pets were never allowed be privy to your awesomeness, however I know you let them sneak a few naps in when we were not around. Even when you suffered the scratches or snags on your once white fabric from mischievous felines, you kept their rendezvous with you secret.



I am sure you didn’t always appreciate the times we tore you apart looking for valuables such as remote controls, money, pacifiers, camera lens caps, keys and super heroes, all of which you hid very well!



In my single mom years when I would get scared of things that went bump in the night, for some reason I always felt better resting on you in the glow of the television, than I did my own bed. I never understood this as you were always placed close by any door in which someone could get to me much quicker, than if I had locked myself up in my own bed room. Either way you were my safe haven.







For nearly fifteen years we have spent time together every single day, except when I went on vacation or slept over at someone’s house. I could always count on the fact that I could rest my aching bones, and worried mind on you every evening when I arrived home.



We’ve watched history unfold together. I can recall the anxious days we watched the towers collapse over and over on the news. We saw royalty wed in the wee small hours of the morning. Watched presidents come and go, viewed natural disaster go down, sports games, and American Idol. Together we witnessed it all.



That old saying, “to be a fly on the wall,” makes me think of you. Who would want to be a fly? I would choose to be one of your brightly colored pillows. You’ve watched the family pets come and go. Only you probably know the secrets about the house we felt was haunted. You were there when I brought my new babies home from the hospital. The arguments you have witness have been countless, and I am sure at times painful to hear. You were there at all the big good-byes and important hellos. The sad fact is aside from my immediate family you have been in my life for longer than most any person I know.


I cannot image another sofa to be half as wonderful as you. A sofa that will not only endure the physical stress we will demand of it, but I wonder, will the next one be around to witness as many marvels and milestones in my life as you have? I know that I will miss you, and will look back and think in fondness “That was a really great sofa!”

1997-2012






Awesome photos by LaRysa Orman of Image Photography.