Love Writes a Letter and Sends It to Hate

     I absolutely hate when I remember I've seen something but I can't really remember where I've seen it and only vaguely recall what it looks like.  I normally only remember that it was awesome and that it is vital to something I'm trying to explain/do.  This causes me to search google, my inbox (if applicable), and all my bookmarks--which are numerous and are not saved in any certain order or fashion.  Then there is the obligatory getting distracted from the true task at hand and surfing the internet's pretty pictures for hours on end.  And I normally never find what I'm looking for anyway.
     I absolutely love finding a surplus of really cute clothes on the sale rack.  Especially clothes that can become essential pieces in someone's wardrobe. I usually pick out tons of items to try and narrow down based on what looks good--and what I probably already have at least one of in my closet.  Trying on isn't necessarily my favorite part, but the new items I can mix in with what I already have is definitely hard to beat.

Title: "The Ballad of Love and Hate" by The Avett Brothers

A Mind's Will to Play

     I'm having a hard time staying focused on one thing.  I'm not sure why--not enough sleep, too much sleep, not enough inspiration, too much inspiration--right now, reasons are like a million to one.  What I do know is that I feel like I have a trillion things started and zero patience to finish anything.  Seriously, the only thing I've been productive on in the past two weeks is Jewel Mania--I've over halfway beaten it, I think.
     I didn't even finish this post when I first started it (because I realized it was time for my Five Things, instead of a ranty post).  However, since I started this post I have gotten a few more things accomplished.  I'm about 70% done with my client workflow setup.  I know things aren't going to be perfect at the very beginning, you can't start where you want to end up.  But I do want to have a legit workflow (and everything else) set up before I begin things.  I'm working on doing it the best I can now, getting it done and then potentially tweaking it along the way.
     I've also been contemplating picking back up my original 365 self-portraits--in a more relaxed manner.  To be constantly thinking about taking more photos of life as it speeds by should be something everyone wants to do.  I don't want to feel forced to take photos, like I'm failing at something if I don't take one every day because then it become a chore.  But I do enjoy documenting life, setting up a tripod every now and again and taking photographs of myself.  I always have.

Title: "Diamonds" by Ben Howard

Take the Time You Need

Five Things I'm Thankful For This Week:

Playtime with the pups when home alone

Photoshoots with a girl who enjoys the lighter side of life

Projects with yarn that might have evolved from crochet to knitting

(photo credit)

Parties with lovely ladies and spring clothes

Plans to restart old resolutions and finish what's been started
(I don't really have a picture of that... since it's all in my head)


Title: "Take the Time" by Manurey
(starts at 0:56)

'Cause I Gotta Have Faith

     I'm coming to you a few hours late--more like 6 but who's really counting?  I'm starting to feel better (did I mention that I have a bad sinus infection) and today is my first time taking pictures with my new photography outlook, so I'm super nervous.  I'm just taking pictures of a family friend, but she's being my trial run on pretty much everything I want to offer.  My nervousness means I want to do everything, but photography.  My mind is racing with everything I should have been doing this week, but put off because I was "resting." Crippling self-doubt is starting to take hold.  I know this stuff.  I've literally been dreaming about posing since I left Texas, but I know my mind will blank once put on the spot.  Plus what if the makeup artist goes overboard (like we all tend to do in the South)--I should already have a full Pintrest board of makeup ideas.
     I guess it's time to suck it up and pull myself together.  I've got this or at the very least I'm going to have a model who is going to be decked out in jewelry and awesome clothes even if the posing isn't out of this world.

Title: "Faith" by George Michael

I Need All the Joy You Bring

     Happy Valentine's Day!  Have you told that special someone that you love them?  Probably.  But telling your family and friends (whom you love) is important too.  Life is short, I try to remember to tell the special people in my life that I love them (whether it's a best friend, my parents, or other family members), but I usually forget.  Valentine's Day is just a little nudge of a reminder (okay, maybe a big nudge).  Being that I'm single this Valentine's Day (like every other V-Day, except one), my friends are my special someone's.  I'm headed down to Oxford today for the weekend.  On my way down I shall be working on the playlist for this month.  It already has a title:  "The Single Girl's Valentine's Day Mix."  It was supposed to be the playlist which the ladies and I celebrated Valentine's Day Weekend because it shouldn't matter that we don't have significant others (but we live in the South and we're getting matronly).  Anyway, it's looking like the weekend might turn out a little differently than I imagined.  It's probably for the best.  

     I think it's extremely interesting how some music is created.  The following video is one of those where I'm watching with curiosity.  Please teach me how to do that.  You'll be seeing this song on the upcoming mix.  

Title: "Holdin' On" by Flume

There's No In-Between

    Today I took a much needed break from everything and went shopping.  It didn't feel like a marathon shopping trip that normally takes place when you combine Mom, myself, and the simple fact that we haven't shopped in about a month (or two or three).  What was going to be a simple trip around Southaven, running to return things to Dillard's, picking up framed items from Nebco, and a Target trip turned into a jaunt to Free People and Anthropologie, who just happen to be conveniently located right next door to each other.  We also stopped by a pet grooming store, where I came to the final conclusion that I am going to have to get Oscar groomed (super sad).  How do you pick a groomer?  Dad is pretty convinced that PetSmart/Petco should be in the running while Mom and I are firmly against it.  I really hate the idea that I'm going to have to cut all his hair, but if I don't it will just keep growing until he looks like this:

(Photo Credit for Photo 1 and Photo 2)

And personally, I think Oscar will be so much more happy when he can see and without a literal mop of hair.  (Plus, I don't think his owners, aka me, would really like to manually separate each cord so they don't get matted together.  I am just not that patient.)  So, I'm on the look out for a really awesome groomer.  If you know of one, please let me know.  I'm looking for someone a little artistic because my poor puppy dog is not just going to get shaved and be done with it.  He's going to get hair cuts.

     On an entirely different note, tomorrow the ladies of my church are headed to a weekend long retreat to further commune with God.  A few ladies from the church are giving their testimonies, including my Mother, who warned me this morning that there will be weeping involved.  I can only imagine what she will be talking about but just thinking about her speaking brings tears to my eyes, so who knows what actually hearing her talk will be like.  I'm really looking forward to this weekend.  All of the women in the church are wonderful ladies and I can't wait to get to know them better.  However, it will mean that I will probably be absent from the blog again for a good while (all weekend and even Monday).  Before my hiatus, I had decided that I was going to take Sunday off from blogging, which means I'll really only be missing two posts (Saturday and Monday).  I hope you enjoy your weekend, I know I will mine!

Title: "This Head I Hold" by Electric Guest

You Just Can't Win, Just Can't Lose

     It has been over a week since I've posted anything, hasn't it?  It feels like it has been a year.  Since I got back from the photography workshop I've been non-stop trying to rebrand, revamp, and completely redo my whole photography business.   My basic photography skills have gotten better plus I know like ten hundred more things than I did before I went.  I'm not even sure that I would have been able to stumble into some of this knowledge.
     These past two weeks I have been designing, writing, designing, editing, designing, sleeping, and did I mention designing?  I finally gathered most everything together to sit down with Mom today just to talk things through and get her opinion on it and especially so she could proofread, which if you read this blog regularly you know that's one of my least favorite things to do.  I think we discussed things for at least 2-3 hours and I'm still thinking of other items I should add to my to-do list.  So yeah, I've basically been under a rock over here putting together my own amazingly awesome boutique senior photography business.  I'll definitely let you know when everything is up on the internet for public consumption.
     In other news, physical therapy is mostly a hit-or-miss thing right now, mostly misses but I've only been 5 times and I'm so over expecting a miracle cure.  Been there, done that, you didn't miss much.  But from what I've learned at the physical therapist is that I'm hypermobile. All that basically means is that my joints move more than they should (as in being double jointed).  So there's that.
     I'm posting a music video because of the way they made it, so I'm posting the final result and the behind the scenes.  The final video was created with just one 18 second take... how crazy is that?  Anyway, you have to watch BOTH videos!

Title: "Havoc" by While You Slept