Blue Door

Look at what I did! I've always been obsessed with making one item in a B&W photo since seeing the movie, "Schindler's List" and the girl in a little red coat. And I made my own in Flickr.

Two Wolves

One evening, an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between two 'wolves' inside us all.

One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf wins ?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

Editing Pictures

Like any newbie, I am spending WAY too much time taking pictures, editing pictures and playing with effects on flickr. This is one of my favorite results so far. (Sorry it's not any bigger, I'm dealing with the limitations of blogger, sigh.)

It's silk flowers streaming from the ceiling at the NYC Macy's Flower Show. I took it with my point and shot Sony Cyber-shot which has been my digital camera up until this last December (when I got my awesome SLR Nikon). I wasn't certain if I'd want to travel with my 'big' camera but once I was in NYC, I was pissed that I hadn't. But I still got some good shots. And after editing several of them, I'm really happy. I know the Nikon is 'better' but my little cyber-shot has given me some great pictures (including all the ones on this blog).

I need to show updates of my house and I will. I'm working on the kitchen right now and it's going to be a process so I'll show each stage.

What I Read...

It's been a while since I mentioned those who inspire and entertain me so I thought I'd recognize them today. Here are some of my daily clicks:

littlepurplecowphotography a local photographer who I recently met. She's unbelievably talented and she just won a national "Dream Assignment" photography contest.

Master Your Card after over dosing on finacial blogs last year, this is the only I still read. It's real, it's direct and it's unapologetic. I love it. And it reminds me to keep my spending in check.

Puttin' On the G.R.I.T.S. a southern girl with style. She looks like the country singer/American Idol contestant, Kelli Pickler to me. She's got boy stories (drama) which is always entertaining. And although she hasn't ever specifically said what she does, I'm pretty sure it's the same thing I do.

The Typing Makes Me Sounds Busy I think I was the last person to jump on this bandwagon but I've been laughing ever since. J-Money is a funny girl. And a talented writer.

cat ranch v2.0 a childhood friend's blog. I've always loved her dry sense of humor and it translates well as she describes building her first house. Plus her pictures are amazing.

Daddy Scratches the token male of the day. His stories of keeping his family of 4 moving through life crack me. And he calls his wife "Wonder Woman" which shows how much he loves and respects her. Based in Boston, I'd love to hear him say "wicked".

Daily Practice another photographer's blog. A daily practice is a exercise in mindfulness which showcases a new picture every day - beautiful and captivating.

Shutter Sisters a female photog group blog... daily practice and LPC are both members and this blog often leads me from site to site with inspiration and delight. I enjoy their interviews and profiles of artists as well as their "assignments". It's an open and accepting community for female photographers.

Brazen Careerist a great careerwoman blog who keeps it real, and I mean very real (ie. blog post about working women and oral sex). I love her. We have the same personality type and she acknowledges some truths about her life that resonate with my experiences. I feel like I have a new "sister-friend" who completely relates. In a totally non stalker scary way.

Anyone else see a pattern? Yes... I'm definitely into my new camera and learning all I can about it and gaining an even greater appreciation for others' talent. If you want to see what I've been capturing, here's a link to my photostream on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ifnothingelse/

Peeps

These are the best things EVER. I only want them at Easter. They've branched out to other holidays but I'm not buying it.

They complete my Easter Basket. Otherwise, the holiday isn't what it's supposed to be. Since I missed Easter this year, my chicks and bunnies were late to arrive. But for those who know my Easter Bunny, they know that she's usually running a little behind. Still the motto of better late than never holds true. And I'm enjoying my Peeps and all their Marshmellow goodness:)

My Town

"A little bit of Mayberry, a dash of 'Gone with the Wind' and a whole lot of Hazard County."

I don't know where I found that quote but I love it. It fits my little Georgia town perfectly. I'm sure it actually fits a lot of small southern towns. My little town is so great and the irony of my life is the things I love about this town are also the things I hate about it. Isn't that just dandy?

I love going places and always running into someone I know... I hate going places and always having to talk to everyone. One night, a big city friend of mine was with me at a restaurant and he watched in amazement as I literally greeted everyone in the room and introduced him to about half. Then he was shocked when our waiter greeted me by name and asked about my parents. I remember being amused at his surprise but my thoughts are more along the lines of "I grew up here and have lived here for five years of my adult life... what do you expect?"

In a town of about 15000* you're bound to run into the same people over and over again. Plus I work at my family's business so as I learned the hard way in high school, I may not recognize them but they know my daddy.

Another friend of mine grew up in Atlanta and moved out here to be closer to her parents and their farm about 7 years ago. She's like me and has lived in Athens and then moved back here a couple of times. She's met a lot of people and is very friendly and outgoing. But she still remains shocked everytime she meets someone new and then finds out that I already know them. And it's not that I know everyone well but between all the members of my family and my job, I'm bound to have run into them at least once before in my life.

Even one of my referral sources at the hospital asked me how I knew everyone... I had brought her lunch and we were sitting in the cafeteria. Multiple people stopped to speak to me and tell her to be sure to give me business, etc. It was funny because she's not the most outgoing person so by the end of the lunch, she was overwhelmed. And she asked how I knew everyone.

And my friends love to hear how my parents knew when I misbehaved in high school, usually before I had even done whatever it was that we were plotting. I'll never forget the night a friend of mine and I drove up in my driveway to find both of our dads standing there waiting on us. Fortunately we hadn't actually done anything wrong... my mom had just assumed we were up to no good. We definitely paused halfway and contemplated pulling back out into the street - our hearts were in our throats.

I guess it's just a novel idea to people who don't grow up in small towns but it's one of my favorite things about living here. In contrast, when I was NYC the other weekend, I spent the first day wondering where all those people came from and where they lived. I have gotten to the point of being slightly overwhelmed by crowds.

Of course, I get disgusted by the segregation, not being able to buy alcohol, the lack of open-mindness, the gossip, and all the other smallness of a small town. But I also get turned off by crazy traffic, honking horns, dirty streets and people pushing into me on the subway. You take the good with the bad in every situation.

I feel fortunate to know of other places, to travel and explore, knowing I have roots running deep and strong. A place which supports and comforts me as I go through life. Because this is HOME... it's a feeling I can't put into words without sounding cheesy. When I drive up 138 and the fields start getting larger and the roadside starts getting greener, I know I'm almost there. And I always sigh, knowing the trip's almost over and that I'm back where everyone knows my name (and will tell my daddy what I've been doing wrong!).

*Depends on who you talk to and where you define the boundaries.

My New Motto

"If someone asks you on an adventure, never refuse." - Amelia Earhart

I've always been open to possibilities and looking for the next adventure but I never put it so simply in words before. So when I read this quote I was struck by how simple and complete it is for my attitude.

While in NYC this weekend, I was telling a friend I didn't have a job I was passionate about and motivated for on an emotional level and she said you could, what's the gut answer when someone asks you about what you love. And it's travel.

Any suggestions on how to turn that into a career?

New York City!*

New York is the biggest collection of villages in the world.
- Alistair Cooke

I just returned from a go-go-go weekend in the city that never sleeps, NYC. From my wild cab ride into the city, to the Broadway play, to sitting in a cafe surrounded by three different languages, to the sight of taking off over the city of lights, I was in love. Cities have an energy not found in small town America... they take alot of energy and I am not fully recovered but I am in love.

I saw several friends and was a total tourist... I walked and walked until my feet were screaming and swollen. Then I walked some more. I window shopped on 5th Avenue, ate bagels and lox, watched street performers, had an outrageously priced dinner, danced until dawn, ate NY style pizza, walked through Times Square at midnight, viewed Macy's flower show, rode the subway and so much more.

It was so fun and it's so calming to be home again.

I went for a friend's bachelorette party, hence the dancing until dawn and outrageous dinners. I'm so glad I did. The bride to be is a friend from college and she's lived in London for the past eight years so the 20 or so girls there were from all over the world. Accomplished and intelligent ladies who were well read, well traveled and motivated to have a good time. It was a blast and I always walk away from these encounters in life more motivated to do something (anything) with my life.

Outside of the bachelorette party, I saw another frined from college and got to spend some great time with her. It was great to talk with her and catch up, see her life and find out how we had grown. Her sage advice and encouragement came at a needed time so I'm thankful for how everything went down.

I've always said I want to live in NYC at some point in my life... I think I've been putting it off in hopes I'll have more disposable income than I currently do. Everytime I go to the city, I come away with the desire to try it all... to act, to write, to work four jobs to be able to live in that amazing place. I love the passion eminating from the streets, the superiority complex shared by the citizens of that fair city, and the understanding shared by all that anything, and I mean ANYTHING is possible there. Because don't you know? "... if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere."

*In my mind, I'm saying that like the cowboys in the Pace Picante Salsa Commercial.

The Awful Waffle*

I had a textbook experience last night - a friend of mine and I went to have "Breakfast for Dinner" at the local Waffle House.



We were greeted by a wall-eyed waitress who had to have been smoking something good. She invited us to take a seat anywhere. We were the only customers at the moment so we had our pick of seating. Off to a nice start.

Then I notice the toddler playing in on of the other booths: a different waitress was hovering nearby so I assumed it was a mother and child with childcare issues.

We were greeted again by our section waitress, this one looked to be under the age of 30 but had no teeth. Instantly making her age a good 20 years. She was friendly enough and took our order with no problems. While we waited for our food, the next shift started coming in the restaurant.

First, a rather unkept man came in, shortly followed by a visably pregnant girl in sweatpants and no shoes. She wandered up to the counter and propped up against a stool. I really didn't pay her any attention until one of the waitresses asked her if they could help her. Her answer?

"I'm waiting on my baby's daddy. He went back there for his check." And she pointed to the back area of the Waffle. She laughed and then said, "He's my fiance**."

Then we were served our food. We had both ordered a side of grits***. They came swimming in a bowl of butter. My friend is a bit a of a health nut (kind of hard to do at WH) but neither of us could handle these grits. After we had given them back to the waitress, we were like, "DOH! We need a picture!" But we weren't going to risk asking for them back so that we could prove to others how much butter was in the bowl. More butter than grits. Let's just leave it at that.

The high waitress came by and said some incoherent stuff about grape jelly.

After eating our food**** sans grits, we were ready to pay. I was treating my friend since she had been helping me paint and all I had was my check card. The girl at the check out picks up the phone, listens and runs my card. It doesn't work. She does it again. Then she picks the phone back up and tries my card again. Then again. Then again. Then she yells in the direction of the back, "Get off the phone!"

I give her my card again to try it again and the phone rings. She answers and speaks to the person on the other end - her answers get shorter and shorter while her face gets redder and redder. Then she slams the phone down. And yells out, "You can get the phone, people playing damn prank calls on Waffle House!"

She starts trying to get the card machine to work again and as she's yanking my card through with a force unbelivable for her size, she's mumbling about the damn machine and piece of shit she works for and cheap ass SOBs. The card machine gods finally show us mercy and we're out of there.

It may have just been my friend and I but we couldn't stop laughing. It was the stereotypical experience I've ever had and it just seemed to keep coming.

Oh, I love my life.


*No Harm meant, I love Waffle House
**If you've never had the distinct pleasure of hearing a redneck say, "fiance" then you are missing out. I'll try to give you a good idea, it goes something like this: "Fe-Iannc-SAY" where they add an extra sylable on the middle sound. It's a treat.
***If you don't like grits or if you haven't tried them, then you should. They are yummy. Maybe just not at a WH.
****which was very good

Life's About Change

Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make new ending. - Maria Robinson

I love what I do, I really love what I do. I like my little corner of the business. And I'm good at it. I'm always trying to figure out how to do more of it and less of the other while becoming more independent from my family's business.

I love my family's business and what we do in the community. It's a retail based business with a healthcare twist so there's meaning behind our company besides "Spend! Spend! Spend!" However, it is a non-stop, have to be there, can't be gone very long business. Which makes me feel trapped and when I think of my future, I feel suffocated.

I remember a couple of years ago, I met a guy who said to me, "All I need is internet access and a cell phone and I can do my job from anywhere". I turned GREEN with envy. The freedom of that statement was SO appealing to me.

As I've gone along in life, working and building skills, exploring options and dreaming of a different life, I've been looking for a different path to take and a another way to make a living. I've talked to friends, friends of friends, random strangers, teachers, therapist, life coaches, mentors, parents, siblings, and boyfriends about my search. It's been an ongoing struggle and is constantly at the front of my mind.

BUT, today, it all changed. I was doing my job, talking to a sales rep as I arranged for a service for our business and she misunderstood my position within our business. As she explained what she thought I did, it was like a cartoon with a lightbulb above my head! I have a job idea. A way to combine my skills AND desires into my own business I could enjoy and grow. I was so excited and distracted about the idea that I blurted it to my mom when she asked if I had handled the service I was supposed to be ordering.

It's not a novel idea or anything new to the world, why I didn't think of it myself, I don't know but it seems perfect and I'm excited about figuring out how to make it work. Obviously more information will be forthcoming when I get more going but just know I'm brimming with possibilities.

Making Progress

Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam,

Be it ever so humble,

there's no place like home.

- John Howard Payne

Slowly but surely I'm making progress on my new home. I thought I'd have more time last week but with my internet already turned off at my old home but not hooked up at my new house, it's been a little like not having my left hand or something. I am really enjoying it and I'm excited to really make this place mine, have it reflect me and my personality.

Check out the pictures below.