That Rumbles My Master Plan

     I feel like a broken record and who really wants to listen to a broken record?  So in case you're wondering why I've been skipping blogging so much, I'm saving you from myself.  I'm working on becoming not such a broken record, I promise.  I'm also working on a fun January playlist that I'm hoping to have ready by next week so be on the look out for that.
     Until then I'm keeping up with my daily photography projects which you can follow on Flickr.  (I'm also working on this blog as a whole, which hopefully you'll see in the weeks to come.)

An outtake from this latest Project Life photo

Title: "Show Me the Way" by Richard Allan II

(song actually starts around 2:00)

I've Been Away So Long

     I know I've been a little AWOL these past few days, but I thought I might take a small break.  Plus by the time I've been thinking about blogging I already feel too horrible to even think about doing anything but going straight to bed.  However, I couldn't miss a "Five Things" posting, even if it is a day late.  These posts are so important to me because it's easy to get caught up in the negatives and though I try to think positively on a day to day basis. Saying things like "at least I don't have hives" can only get me so far, particularly because I'm a little superstitious about those things and I'm not 100% sure they aren't going to come back.  Which makes these posts just as important as Thanksgiving.  We all need to take a little time to think about how we've been blessed and as much as I sometimes don't want to, counting my blessings every week helps remind me to look on the bright side of life and remember to be thankful for God's little blessings.

5 things I'm thankful for this week:

Babysitting sleeping children

Mostly because it means I get to catch up on my "Family Friendly" movies without any shame

Successfully keeping up with both of my 365 photo projects

You can follow my progress on Flickr (I also have a Flickr feed in the sidebar)

Being able to take the weekend off

I had a pretty wonderful staycation this weekend

(P.S. I promise I'm not strangling Oscar and he's enjoying being loved on)

(Photo Credit)

Ole Miss conquered their bowl game

And we're supposedly getting some extremely awesome recruits for next year's season

(Photo Credit)

My internship is almost done

I'm definitely ready to close the whole "working for free" chapter of my life... If only I could figure out what I wanted to do next

Title: "Keep You Right" by Blind Pilots

You're Gon' Find Your Way, Find Your Way to Be

5 things I'm thankful for this week:

I've been productive!

I'm working on being a little more professional in on and around this blog/

First step, a working manifesto (that I probably will display somewhere on here).

Next step, a new site map.

 My first attempt at gloves that have designated fingers!

Of course, there are things I would probably change if I made them a second time, but I love them.

I can't wait to wear these to work so my fingers won't be cold.

However, by the time I'm done with the other hand, my internship will probably be finished.

I know CODE!

Well, let's just say I have a somewhat working knowledge now.

I can get by with what I know (and I can teach myself anything else I need to know... which means I probably will a few repetitive tags or what not, but it will get the job done).

I learned HTML code so that I could put together a sidebar for my book club's blog, I'm rather proud.

It's almost time to start a new 365 project!

As I stated before, I think I'm going to do 2 separate photo-a-day challenges.

This is the prompt for the second challenge. 

I'm already starting to contemplate what I could photograph.

Of all the Christmas gifts I received, my favorite Christmas memory/present was Skyping and Facetime with my Sister and Brother-in-Law.

We waited to open our presents from each other until we communicating.

It was a very surreal moment watching MM and Greg open their presents from us and made me really appreciate the technology that we have.

While I would have loved to be in Hawaii again this Christmas--because let's face it, who wouldn't want to be in Hawaii over Mississippi?--I'm glad Mary Margaret and Greg got to have their own special Christmas (alone for the first time).

Title: "Up Up Up" by Givers

We All Change in Our Own Pretty Ways

     I can't believe this week's vacation is almost over.  It feels like it just started.  I had so much I needed to get done this week.  I'm not quite sure why, but I definitely had expended a good bit of energy before the holidays leaving me feeling not so great Christmas Eve and I feel as though I still haven't quite caught back up on my rest.  I guess it's just a feeling I'm going to have to learn to live with.  There is just a fine line between me being tired and feeling completely ill, I just have to figure out how to balance everything.  I'm super frustrated because I feel as though I never will find that balance.
     I've been thinking about the new year and I know I want to take on a 365 photo-a-day challenge.  I'm debating on how I want to tackle this challenge, whether I'm a bigger fan of the self-portrait challenge or a specific topic each day.  It has occurred to me that I might want to do both, which then only leaves the question of where am I going to keep these photographs?  I've downloaded 2 different applications but we'll see if I like them.  I could always use Flickr or Instagram (I know I'll try and upload at least once a week to Instagram), just so you guys can follow along.  I'll post some on here as well, but not all of them.
     365 days of self-portraits interests me the most because of the challenge of originality it presents.  Looking back through my pictures, I do have a good many self-portraits throughout the years.  None of them particularly creative and all of them pretty embarrassing.  I'm sharing them with you now so I can go ahead and move past the comfort zone of my bathroom location, equally boring bathroom shots, and using iPhone applications to make a regular photograph seem better and more artistic than it really is.  So I guess this is a challenge to myself:  to step out of my comfort zone and become a better photographer and model.  But don't expect to see my face in every photograph because a self-portrait doesn't always have to taken from the most obvious of angles.

Titles: "Our Own Pretty Ways" by First Aid Kit

Decorations of Red

     It's tradition in my family to make a Red Velvet Cake during the Christmas holidays.  Either it's for the Peterson-Cox family get together that usually happens before Christmas or my dad's birthday on New Year's Eve.  This year was no exception.  My parents made one for Christmas and after assembling the layers, these little guys were left out.

Title: "Blue Christmas" by A Fine Frenzy

You Won't Know If You Don't Try

Images from the Free People store in the Saddle Creek shopping center in Germantown, TN.

Title: "Taste It" by Jake Bugg

I'm Going Back Up Again

Title: "Yer Spring" by Hey Rosetta!

We Gun Down Werewolves Wherever We Go

     Sunday, I wrote and wrote and wrote and I'm super glad I did.  I wrote past my designated page numbers (and I was almost a whole day behind).  So yesterday, I was already done with my goal.  However, by the time you read this I'm going to be in the hole five pages.  It's not a lot, but that's the thing with daily goals, you might surpass one day, but then as soon as midnight rolls around you're having to catch back up.  I have to keep reminding myself this because I know I'm that person that gets excited about being ahead and then fiddles around and falls extremely far behind.  It will be interesting to see how well I can keep up with my story.  I'll keep you updated.  

    At your local Office Depot, people.  Because no class president's campaign is complete without blinking lights.  Super glad I never knew about this... Many of my own class project posters would be covered with this stuff.

Title: "Young Blood" by Norah Jones

I've Been Worryin' That We All, Live Our Lives, in the Confines of Fear

     When did it become lady bug season?  All of a sudden there were tons of lady bugs on my window today.  Man, time flies (that and I thought lady bugs only came out in the spring).  And before you say anything, I know that instead of two lady bugs there should be three to make it more appealing to your eyes.  But have you tried to direct a lady bug?  They don't listen very well.
     On a completely separate note, this song has been my theme song.  I love this guy, but I even more love the theme behind it all.  I keep playing it over and over to remind me to challenge myself (and that fear is normal, but we move past it).

Title: "The Fear" by Ben Howard

Everybody's Watching You Now... What Happens Next

     This weekend I found a new Invisible Children video that has made me believe in the movement.  When the Kony 2012 movement first began this year, I was one of the many critics of not only this video, but my generation in general.  There have been so many political Facebook statuses that I think it should almost be illegal to talk about politics on Facebook.  Everyone in my generation posts things that usually aren't well thought out and if they are thought out, other people are too eager to put down ideas and not in a creative criticism way, but in a harsh rude way.  (Plus I bought into the idea that my generation thinks they are actually doing something when you press the "like" or "share" button.  That doesn't really get anything accomplished except spreading the word.  Real people have to get out in the real world and do things to make a difference.  I guess I'm still buying into the idea that people are getting a fulfillment out of doing things on Facebook, instead of in the "real" world. But that's neither here nor there.)  What does matter is that my mind might be changed just a little with this new video Invisible Children has produced.  However, they do something different in this video than I think they've done in the past.  At the end is a call to activism, instead of just informing people they are trying to get something accomplished.  Personally, who ever thought of this forward movement really understands one way social media is driving the world (and is taking advantage of it).
     While I can't make it to Washington, D.C. in November, I will share this video so maybe someone else who sees it can.  And I have to tell you, if we can't end up rising to this challenge (as a generation) we will be confirming all of the terrible things analysts and news anchors have ever said about us. I dare you to not have a tear trickling down your cheek as you watch this.  I did.

And because I'm still trying my hardest to take a photo-a-day, it's amazing what you find in a desk that's only been yours for a month (or so).

Title: "Dare You to Move" by Jayesslee (originally by Switchfoot)

A Look and a Glance

Title: "Reception Depection" by Young Maverick

I Can Almost See the Sky

     Off to Hawaii we go!  Well, we are leaving for the airport at 6:30 which means I should already be asleep.  So we shall be up before the sun, right?  I don't know.

Title: "Angel" by Matt Nathanson

I Love the Nights

     I'm exhausted and completely ready for bed.  Today has been long.

Title: "Night and Day" by Sarah Blasko

Just to See What Is

     Not much excitement here today.  The little puppy's perimeter shock collar came in today.  We didn't have the little white flags to create a border so I'm planning on training him when we get back from Alabama.  I gave the puppies corn on the cob as treats (they loved it) right before they started play fighting.  I love how Oscar fights (he's like a little furry snapping turtle).

 Title: "Lotus Flower" by Radiohead

Your Love is Alive

Five things for which I'm grateful (a week's reflection) 3rd week of April edition (April 16-22, 2012):

This little mischievous teddy bear of a puppy named Oscar "Butterball"

The fact that my biggest worry between Jack and Oscar is over who gets what bone

These ladies, most of whom I'm hoping to get to know better in the future, and all of the ladies from Christ Presbyterian

That I'm old enough to be a part of the women ministry and see God working through the generations

God's providence and grace

(not quite sure how to show this in a picture)

Title:  "I Can See Your Love" by Leeland

Hoping This Is Just a Phase

            Ahhhh! It almost happened again today! I almost forgot to post. I wish I could say that I've been extremely busy today.   Just like I wish that I could actually answer the question "so what are you doing these days?" Not that I don't love what I'm doing now or that I could honestly be doing anything more than I am.  But it is always a little embarrassing when I have to answer that I live at home with no job.  Then again maybe that's just my hang up.  
           I want to be successful.  I want to be awe-inspiring.  I want people to want to work with me.  
          And I know that I definitely do judge people by what they do, it's who you are.  I stay at home, dabble in photography, knit, and piddle in a thousand other little projects.  (Or to be a little more truthful, I come up with the random ideas--like brewing my own beer--research, get confused by all the technical language, pin a couple of pictures of that idea carried out, talk about it with my parents, get really excited, and then move on to another idea.)  It's my process.  So just a normal day to me I feel like I'm doing something, I feel like I'm being a productive member of society.
          But when that question pops up, I freeze and think back on what I've really been doing... sitting at a computer most all day/laying in bed (my desk is completely covered with paper... another thing I'm working on).  And when I think about my days, I have to answer that I'm not doing too much... just being home.  (Which I mean if someone really wanted to judge I don't exactly have the energy to have an actual job and have a migraine everyday... I mean I have to pick one or the other.) But I know that if I had heard that, I would judge.  (I would definitely be thinking...) So you graduated college a semester early why? 
           Maybe it makes sense to other people why I don't have a job and I'm living at home.  The job market is tough.  Before I graduated college I never really thought much past graduation.  I just always assumed it would be easy for me to find a job (a dead-end one or one in the photography field).  My migraines never even came into the picture, and sometimes when I think about getting a job they still don't.  Some call me a dreamer but I think I'm just more of a romantic.

Title from "The Only One" by The Black Keys

Photo of the Day: 2 August 2011

I've been working on my "inspiration" notebook.
I love looking back through it.

Photo of the Day: 1 August 2011

Mary Morris and I made these for a project we're working on.
They turned out so good.
Can't wait for the rest of the project.

Photo of the Day: 31 July 2011

I've been watching Charmed on Netflix.
More like I've been suffering through the first couple of seasons so I could see the evolution of Cole.
Finally he showed, aren't they just adorable on the phone?

Photo of the Day: 30 July 2011

Mom and I went shoe shopping.
I became a kid again when I totally wore these out of the store.
They were like walking on air.