how i see it

GoooOOOOoooooal!

2011-08-31T09:46:00.000-07:00

the other day I had the pleasure of photographing my good friend's baby, Liliana.

now, Liliana is part of a soccer family. her cousins play soccer and her mom is in to it because her dad is an avid fan... he coaches, plays, and has accumulated toys and outfits for Liliana that represent his favorite team.

so of course, soccer made it in to our shoot!

but "don't worry" her dad says to me afterward... "I'm not going to pressure Liliana in to doing anything she doesn't want to do". well dad... it looks like you don't have to pressure her at all. she is all over it!

I give you... Liliana... future futbol star!

Houston doesn't have a problem

2011-08-13T17:32:00.000-07:00

revisiting customers is awesomely awesome. despite how short the meeting may be, it's like an entire catch-up conversation AND a photo shoot at the same time. like I said, awesomely awesome.

since their wedding last summer, and their family shoot in December, Rochelle and Kevin now have a son, Houston. they were so kind and patient on the day of our shoot... I was able to finish the morning training for my upcoming triathlon and then race on over to their place right after - thanks guys!!

of course, Houston has the Converse kicks... from his dad, as well as his mom's eyes. ; )

my sneak peek for you... Houston!

hail, lightening, and a wedding!

2011-08-13T16:42:00.000-07:00

not too long ago I had the pleasure of attending my husband's cousin's wedding.

which just so happened to be in Copenhagen Denmark. and I have to say, those Danes have a very unique way of celebrating a marriage!

it was an intimate wedding of less than 60 people... in a cottage off a secluded highway somewhere near the water. Sweden was in the distance. lawns were long, open, green, and decorated with clusters of trees. it was humid and hot - making an ice cold beer a beverage of choice.

after a short, sweet, and chairless danish / jewish ceremony we were served cake and champagne. and then appetizers and alcohol. and then dinner. 4 courses of it. the food was amazing. the company was entertaining. the evening was hearty. we sat at the table for about 5 hours. between dinner courses there were toasts - lengthy and heartfelt ones requiring projectors, handouts, instruments... it was quite an experience. the night ended with a record rain storm for the area: 6 inches of rain in 2 hours... accompanied by thunder, lightening, and hail.

memorable... to say the least!

while I was not the photographer for the evening, I did snap some shots prior to the ceremony and throughout the evening.

Congratulations Jenn & Rasmus!!

zzzzZZZ

2011-07-07T10:03:00.000-07:00

so I'm sitting down, minding my biznatch, and thinking of my friend that just got married last weekend - she looked so beautiful - and about this other wedding I will be attending next weekend, and a different wedding I am working at in 2 months, and yet another friend's wedding happening that same month when I realize - there are 5 different kinds of tissue in this airplane bathroom!!! FIVE!

that's just nutso.

tissue for the toilet,

tissue for my butt,

tissue for my hands,

tissue for my nose,

and - well - tissue for the ladies.

maybe I am in the wrong business. I mean, that still leaves lots of other body parts without the tissues they rightfully deserve.

I digress.

after all that tissue pondering, I now sit in a perfectly fitted chair and desk for my height, in a nautical themed unair-conditioned (but really should have installed that) hotel overlooking the Sydhavnen in Copenhagen, Denmark.

and now, after traveling all this way, I know what I would sound like with a mouthful of marbles: I'd be speaking Danish.

out of all the languages I passed through during my last European voyage, Danish was the most difficult - and that holds true for me still. maybe it's because locals think I'm local so they speak to me in Danish... while I stand there too dumbfounded to even feign a nod and a "yah". they don't seem to mind so much though. I simply respond with "uhhh - eng elsk?" to which they giggle (because frankly I'm just stupid), repeat in english, and then I compliment them on their watch. done.

since I'm currently lacking the brain power to string together beautiful sentences for your amusement, please settle for simple statements that sum up the Copenhagen experience thus far.

breezy

Queen Margrethe

boat shoes

outdoors

blonde braids

beach soccer

expensive

construction

cobblestone

stripes

camels with matching guns*

in other news...

...I don't care if you did nothing but stand there in the bathroom stall. WASH YOUR HANDS AFTER, you nasty

McNasty.

...Air Canada finally considers itself International at SFO. dummies.

...mexican food - not so good in Denmark. also? not so mexican.

...what was the first thing I did upon reaching my hotel on ~almost~ the opposite side of the world?

*just checking to see if you were paying attention.

"Mae espera - voce corta seu proprio cabelo?"

2011-05-09T14:06:00.000-07:00

there is nothing that can make a Monday feel like a weekend...

*except for (maybe) a gigantic pearl tea at 2pm. with that obnoxious-sized straw, it not only reminds me of napping on my front lawn in the sun with the perfect infrequent breeze that prevents me from sweating while wearing short shorts and a wife-beater...

but also of being a kid sitting on the front porch sipping a Big Gulp while my dad and I take a break from pulling weeds.

stickers protrude out of our socks and the double-laces of my purple high tops. pieces of a dandelion are stuck on dad's mustache. a weed-wacker runs in the distance somewhere. the phone rings inside and mom answers in english but proceeds in portuguese... must be grandma. our springer spaniel, Clover, after snatching some figs from the tree rushes over wagging her nub of a tail - oblivious to the inconvenience of heat; sweat; as well as the feel-good of lemonade and a cool breeze.

oh summer.

I never really thought I was one of those crazies that preferred it but - I realize now how much my brain misses it.

in other news...

...there is absolutely nothing wrong with using such words as Beautiful, Stunning, Amazing - no one can take them the wrong way. so, say them.

...summer dresses would be more fun to buy if the stores would remember to remove the security devices. jerks.

...riding in my 2nd Tour de Cure in just 4 weeks! want to make a donation?

http://main.diabetes.org/goto/KathleenLindenmuth

...Dear Black & Decker, I curse you. Hugs, me.

that reminds me - I need more band-aids.

2011-03-26T18:58:00.000-07:00

there is nothing like 15 days of straight rain to remind me of the indoor boredom I experienced as a sunburned kid wearing scabby knees and dirty shoes. swings would squeak with exhaustion and no pocket would return home unsandy from the park. I never ended a game of tag as being 'it'... nor did I leave not bleeding. soccer, tennis, basketballs were never caught flat as they were all kicked, thrown, and bounced more than they wished to be.

being outside, on the ground, in the dirt, kicking things, feeling the sun, squinting, rolling up sleeves...

was.

amazeballs.

but these days? being outside results in hail bruises, a wind-stricken face, and a feeling similar to running through a waterfall.

I guess it is allowing me more than plenty of time to drink in my cave while watching Jackass 3D, Winter's Bone, The Bourne Supremacy (for the 8th time - and still awesome), A Cinderella Story (yes, awful), The Box (even worse), MacGruber (couldn't finish it), the madness of March, and Top Gear (no complaints there).

if only the tv pushed out enough rays to give me a tan, this wouldn't be so bad.

oh sun and youth. how I miss thee.

in other news...

...happy Holi to my Indian pals. if I was okay with strangers smothering their color-filled hands all over my face, I would be celebrating with you!

...my friend's laptop recently hit him in the face and scratched his glasses. the revolt has begun - you have been warned.

...got a "Kathleeeeen.. ? Youuur coffee is ALMOST ready" warning announcement while at Peet's the other day. good way to get me to take two steps forward... turn red... and then take two steps back. douchebags.

...Words with Friends phone app has very quickly turned to Words with Enemies.

...skydiving before reaching age 30 won't happen thanks to the weather. but I was lucky enough to witness other crazies doing it while I was racing cars recently.

The Evolution of Unicorns

2011-02-23T16:04:00.000-08:00

evolved.

it is what we did to look less like the hairier ape-ish creatures that sauntered around yesterday.

it is also what happened to unicorns between approximately 1984 and 2011.

let me explain...

do you remember ever receiving something from your parents, or grandparents... that - as a 5 year old - you thought was so amazingly amazing that you wore it every day; showed all your friends (who thought it was equally rad); wore it to the playground; dance recitals; gymnastic tryouts (that you didn't make but at least you looked good); a walk to 7-11 with dad; soccer practice (even though you were required to remove them during play); and 6-piece chicken McNugget Happy Meal dates?

well - I do.

I loved those unicorn earrings that my Papa got me. I loved them so much that he got me another pair the following year. a unicorn t-shirt the year after that. a unicorn necklace after that. unicorn folders for school. unicorn beach towels. unicorn coloring books. unicorn magnets. unicorn stickers on my scooter. unicorn stickers on everything.

SWEATpants.

with unicorns on them.

until eventually - on my 20th birthday - I told Papa I preferred money.

now I get fake money with President Unicorn heads printed on them. good one old man.

the point of the moral of the story of the evolution is that... the best time to be in to something is when it's OUT (but - be sure to obtain proof that you were in to it before it was cool. otherwise you just end up writing crap like this to explain to no one about your obsession with unicorns that you then grew out of and are now wishing you had some leftover memorabilia of in your parents' basement).

sigh.

in other news...

...I witnessed a mom accidentally drop her toddler's pacifier in the Safeway parking lot the other day. she cleaned it by putting it in her own mouth. I then proceeded to barf.

...Easter candy is now available at the grocery stores. I continue to buy purple Peeps even though I have perfectly good marshmallows and sugar in my cabinets at home. in my defense, it's the bright colors that get me.

...Girl Scout cookies are being delivered this week. g dammit.

two thousand and ten

2011-01-31T21:50:00.000-08:00

wow. February? where did YOU come from.

2010 went by like a very low-flying plane... you freeze - mouth agape - remember the dumbest memory you have on the top of your brain (like sucking up a row of skittles off the dining room table like an addict and almost choking), and hold your breath as it eerily passes over you going much much faster than it looks like its going. and then lands at the airport nearby that you forgot about.

at least - that's what happens to me.

I'm not saying 2010 landed at a nearby airport. I guess I'm saying... it was thrilling, scarey, humorous, lovely, angry, and then... somewhat of a relief. maybe.

2010. in 3,000 words or less.

. welcomed the new year Jersey Shore style .

. went to a party as Lady Gaga. was it a costume party? no .

. gave indoor soccer another kick .

. had an enormous amount of caffeine .

. jumped for joy when one of my besty's got engaged .

. had important decisions to make .

. *Biebered... everyone .

. like I said. everyone .

. raised money for Diabetes in the Tour de Cure ride .

. completed a duathlon .

. meandered in India .

. learned that... you can only plan parts of your life. the rest? you need to spend living .

. swung .

. watched my best friend experience the happiest day of her life .

. saw Lady Gaga .

. loitered in Europe .

. experienced football in Seattle .

. performed an epic Top Gun musical for Halloween at work .

. cried at a good friend's wedding .

. took wedding photos for a close friend. and then drank. and danced. a lot .

. made an awesomely ugly sweater .

I'm exhausted.

so what did you do? what is your numero uno item that 2010 brought you? best submission (according to yours truly) gets a high 5.

in other news...

...baby, it's cold outside. but - not for long

...* Biebered. verb. (bee - burr - ed) refers to the action of surprising someone with the amazing face of current hip hop star Justin Bieber. is usually accompanied by a gasp and then the sudden appearance of Kathleen Lindenmuth.

Thomas, with a side of Stella

2010-12-17T00:29:00.000-08:00

during one of my most recent shoots, I couldn't help but notice a member of the family begging for attention. so while I had an awesome time taking pictures of my friend from grade school's newborn baby, I took some minutes to entertain her little friend Stella too.

I give you... Thomas.

...with a hint of Stella.

Reece's Pieces

2010-12-09T23:54:00.000-08:00

last weekend can be summed up in 3 phrases (I tried to do it in 3 'words' for dramatic effect but just couldn't make it happen)...

camera-dancing.

sugar with a blue dress on.

Reece's pieces.

the camera-dancing comes from all the jigs I was performing while working my friend's wedding... awesomeness. who knew one could do the robot while working? now I know - I can.

sugar with a blue dress on? see post below featuring Isabella's feet in the air - the best thing I could ask for from a sugar overdose!

Reece's pieces? sneak peek below...

Boardwalk . Brisk . Bologne

2010-12-09T23:28:00.000-08:00

there's something about the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk when it's empty that feels oddly... stunning. sort of like that feeling of being Josh Baskin and finding a magic wish machine at the fairground. it's hard to describe...

but I was lucky enough to have my 2nd shoot there a couple of weeks ago. despite the threatening weather, everything worked out. sure, we may have had to rainy run back to our cars but we only had to fight off wind and chill for the gig itself for a short while before happily surrendering and rushing back to our heated vehicles.

in other news...

...bologne. tastes gross. looks gross. and WHY is it spelled that way? makes no sense. balowney.

Sneak Peek: Isabella & Sugar

2010-12-06T00:17:00.000-08:00

do you remember being watched by someone other than your parents when you were a kid? they would have a party to attend, or errands to run, or a yearly anniversary dinner at that same old seafood restaurant to go to... and so you would spend time with the grandparents... remember?

I do.

I also remember the caramel filled milk chocolate bears my Nana would give me when I visited. and the frozen year-old Reese's Peanut Butter cups my Ava would give me (old? yes. good? yes.). oooh and the Peppermints Papa hid... and the butterscotch suckers Avo had.

mmm.

well I think Isabella's grandparents loaded her up on candy before her photo shoot today -because my trusty Canon did not offer a shutter speed fast enough to capture those sugar-twitching muscles.

when she wasn't jumping on the bed, she was tossing around tree ornaments, and running around wearing her head band like Lt. Commander La Forge from Star Trek.

needless to say, her energy resulted in some pretty cute snaps... and I am so happy her parents invited me back to photograph her for this 4th time now already! oh how time flies...

Sneak Peek: Sarah & Saul

2010-12-05T22:21:00.000-08:00

this is going to be the shortest yet sweetest blog post from me to date.

sure - I always exaggerate. ya ya. roll your eyes. but trust me.

sneak peek of my friend's wedding... I present to you Sarah & Saul.

the end. (see? I told you.)

is she doing... the ROBOT?

2010-12-05T16:08:00.000-08:00

why hello - YOU are looking quite dapper today.

please disregard my torn pantalones, smeared eye liner, and hair that resembles that of a next belonging to a bachelor bird. I have been too busy for all of 2010 to pay attention to such things. if only we unfairly judged one another by our preferred songs instead of our appearance... I don't know about you but my playlist says way more about me than my closet (or, it at least says BETTER things).

but I digress.

I had a gig months ago that I never shared - I assumed everyone was solely interested in babies, families,engagements, and weddings. but I do more than that.

the work I did 2 summers ago for Piacere in San Carlos spread word to Newpark Mall in Newark. while it may not be as an elaborate story or layout as Piacere, Mediterranean Gyro and Kabob Wraps needs photos too! so I made a trip out there, withstood the heat from the kitchen, worked through a very minor language barrier, took 4 bags of food home upon the owner's demand, raced through the post processing in order to complete the photos for them within their schedule and BAM... I give you Mediterranean Gyro and Kabob Wraps.

that's how we DO.

in other news...

...3 shoots in 2 days? planned it. did it. survived.

...sometimes it's good to drink freely and dance unabashedly - even if it's at a friend's wedding that you've been hired to photograph.

...sometimes it's never good to be hungover the next day - especially if you have two photo shoots to run.

swingy mood

2010-11-29T21:36:00.000-08:00

foow.

is woof spelled backwards.

26 days till Christmas. but - who's counting. not me! I just did it right now to make it seem like I was.

so did you cash in on Black Friday? avoid getting trampled? travel to WalMart with mace in your pocket and Mase in your stereo? finally get Sleeping Beauty on DVD - restored, recolored, remastered, recast for just $1.99? sure - it's in Japanese but YOU are a multitasker: entertaining and educating at the SAME TIME.

you hero you.

me? I am not your heroic sidekick - I withdraw from society on Black Friday. the Black in my Black Friday stands for how dark I can make my blanket tent. it is my way of saving you all from being trampled by these powerful cankles of mine.

in other news...

...127 Hours conquered. and no - I didn't pass out.

...the best thing to do when it is 34 degrees at 7:30am? run a 10k in a ridiculous costume of course. where 'the claw' makes it's awful appearance yet again.

...think I couldn't possibly fit another linkage in this blog? think again.

the life of the party

2010-11-21T16:30:00.000-08:00

oh man. is Thanksgiving really in 3 days?

well - have you figured out what you're putting in that turkey cavity yet? I have. and it's not a duck. or a chicken.

my menu? why - I thought you would never ask!

Lucky Marta

was the one that got away... from Foster Farms and hitchhiked her way to the Organics farm - while eating nothing but hormone and antibiotic-free vegetarian food of course. At Organics, Lucky Marta was the life of the party; the pick of the litter; the sharpest tool in the shed - which is why she was picked for you to eat tonight. Gracias Marta.

Fruit of the Bean

is to casserole what Fruit of the Loom is to underwear - comfortably awesome. But this isn’t casserole - at least our guest chef doesn’t think it is. Good thing most of us have all our toes - because we’ll have to stay on them.

Sweet & Candied Papas

straight from Papa himself. For all you animal tendon lovers out there - you won’t find any in this recipe!

Cinnamon Sticks & Cranberry Stones

won’t hurt you - but all that butter will. So use this fresh cranberry and orange marmalade magical mixture instead.

The Mash

is not just a monster dance that was a graveyard smash. It’s also a bowl of potatoes flavored with some of the finest ingredients in the world that your chef traveled far and wide to collect (1.1 miles to Safeway).

Oven In

...a stuffing that wasn’t brought to you by Stove Top. Your chef spent nights in the dark basement pairing ingredients that wouldn’t blow your taste buds right off your face. Brace yourself.

Let’s Feta

...a creation brought to you buy a guest chef. Some lettuce, feta cheese, dressing, and then she danced it to the table for a stylistic toss. It’s Fet-ABulous!

Pump It Up-Kin Pie

Imagine a flying unicorn. So majestic... isn’t it? Ok now, forget that. Imagine a Pumpkin Pie. Now - pump it up. That’s what this is.

still don't know what I am making? ya me neither. but at least now I have a menu to throw on the table and distract everyone while I conjure up a mess of a buffet.

in other news...

...it's really cold outside. so cold, I have resorted to wearing my $2 slippers I got from Rite-Aid in Napa. ah... the warmest bargain ever.

...oooh running in the brisk rain.. how you bring back fresh cut green grass memories of soccer and mud and frozen fingers and dirt and gasping for air and breathing out fog. I love you.

...what's in YOUR zombie survival kit? yes - I said zombie survival kit. get with the times SON. the new apocalypse features the living dead. o_O

Rochelle & Kevin

2010-11-10T23:08:00.000-08:00

today I ran ~ almost ~ as fast as I could down a hill. almost because, it was a busy street. and really - who wants to fall in front of that many people? not me.

but that half-risk I took made me forget about everything else. it may just have been for a couple minutes but - no matter. a couple minutes of free. blank. nothing is wrong. hard. difficult. complicated. there are no lists of obligations. things to complete. to-do's. priorities. deadlines.

and then I hit my uphill. my indoors. my desk. time to chug along with a clean palette.

I am behind on a lot these days. so in an attempt to make more things like a fast downhill, let me tell you a story.

I met Rochelle and Kevin at a coffee shop in Aptos - I guess I really met Rochelle at her sister's wedding in the summer of '10 but didn't get to talking very much.

anyway...

they were so amazingly adorable over coffee. when one would leave the table to order food or fetch some more napkins, the other would secretly fill me in on something he / she didn't want the other to hear. I learned that Kevin was a perfectionist and that he really really loved converse. I also learned that Rochelle was all about family - she loves her daughters, her sisters, her mom and everyone that Kevin was bringing in to the mix. they were both so giggley-excited about their upcoming wedding... it was a little contagious.

when their day finally arrived, I couldn't be more happy to meet the entire family... and of course, Rochelle's two girls - who walked her arm-in-arm down the aisle and gave her away to Kevin. so.. SO cute.

so congratulations Rochelle and Kevin - your wedding day was a beautiful one! and may you have happy days for the rest of your years!!

are there sharks in this ocean?

2010-10-11T00:42:00.000-07:00

Kathleen's Redonkulously* Unintelligable* Observations and Hypothesis' continued...

I really wonder if under every seat on a plane, there is a life vest.

sure - they say there is. they demonstrate how to use it... put your head through HERE, pull THESE, blow HERE, have a note on the ceiling reminding me of where it is (you know, for when I panic while crashing over the Pacific and I look up to pray and see LIFE VEST UNDER YOUR SEAT), and a wonderfully colorful comic instruction showing mom, dad, child, and infant having a gay ol' time putting them on (it's either that or these instructions are for how to do the hokey pokey - it's hard to tell).

the point is, every airline appears to have invested decent $ in to convincing us of a water-landing survival thanks to these magical life vests (with water-activated light even - so I can see the sharks better). but we all know deep-down that unless you're on a TV show spanning 6 seasons on ABC with Matthew Fox that life vest will be as useful as that space pen you bought from Brookstone. so after spending all that money on the instructions, cartoons, and demonstrations I suspect there was nothing left over in the bank to actually purchase the vests themselves.

in other news...

...next week? the secret behind pretzels and peanuts and why all airlines insist on keeping their popularity afloat.

...week after that? something about football and most likely an explanation of why I like Mark Sanchez despite my disdain and Strong to Quite Strong dislike for Rex f*cking Ryan.

...and then after that? what do you think this is - a 10 day weather forecast? now finish your peanuts and iron your t-shirt - it's going to be 87 degrees in Cupertino.

* not a word

* also not a word

say CHEESE

2010-09-16T11:30:00.000-07:00

well, France was fast. and other than having the worst bed I have (not) slept in on this entire trip, it also had the best pub I have been to on this trip. as well as a supah cohl Cathedral of Notre Dame. and a wonderfully amazing night city scape.

as we drove in to France, we could not help but notice how often we drove through pockets of... stank. after determining it wasn't either of us nor a problem with our car, we accredited it to the big trucks we were passing and the cheese they must be delivering.
and during our dinners in Strasbourg we saw (and smelled... again) where the cheese ended up.
now, I love cheese... and pretty much anything dairy really. but a little part of me throws up a lot when simply thinking of all that cheese being consumed in such a small area.
*gag.
swallow.

and onward I march.

so we exited Strasbourg France faster than Moses out of Israel... 'cause you know, he didn't have a car. and even if he did, he surely wouldn't have hit pockets of autobahn at speeds of 185 kilometers per hour.
and now we come full circle back to Zurich Switzerland - where the Starbucks is twice as much as in California and the endless river is clouded with swans.

tonight we begin the strategic packing of the luggage and then cross our fingers and hope it arrives in San Francisco with us. if only I had a larger purse to stuff all of my designer jeans in JUST in case. : \

in other news...
...an inexpensive dinner for 2 in Zurich cost us $70 USD. what. the. hell.
...hello front desk? yes you had mentioned the mini bar was free but, I only see a coke, a beer, and a bag of M&M's. oh - the beer was a mistake? it's $13? thanks.
...yes I exaggerate. but not by much.
...leftover photos from 3 weeks, 10 hotels, 3 languages, 6 countries, and 10 cities below. free souvenir to anyone who can guess the correct city for at least 3 photos. and I didn't say GOOD souvenir.

french. I don't get it.

2010-09-15T14:17:00.000-07:00

of the 2 nights I have spent in France I have had Italian food twice, Belgium beverages four times and French fries?
neh. nein. and not ever.

which is sort of the opposite issue I had in Bruges. where soup - for my non-speaking english, german, french throat - was non-existent after 2pm but fries with 99 different sauces was as common as a Ford with a gun rack in Texas.
oh Bruges... and your airy wafles (served only at certain cafes between the hours of 2:15 and 4:30 in the afternoon). you make everything so beautifully complicated but in the end, I still like you. the 48 hour beer festival that I missed 24 hours of thanks to me sleeping in the hotel due to my sickness was a dream come true (once I was awake from my sick napping).

I spent a majority of my time tapping my toes at the Trappist beer booth waiting for people to get out of my American female way.
and after snatching up as many cardboard beer coasters as possible, I ran off with my friends to have the bestest half a roasted chicken that I have ever had and that wasn't because of all the beer I had beforehand either. it. was. GOOD.
exit Bruges, Belgium. arrive Strasburg, France...
where all the stores close at 6 and restaurants don't open for dinner until 7 which leaves exactly 1 hour for happiness.
a Rochefort at pub number 1 and a Cuvee at pub number 2 can only be answered by a vegetarian pizza for dinner.

in other news...
...so many churches so little time.
...am I the only one that sees an issue with a jewish man leaving a contribution for a catholic cathedral?
...4 weeks of no-gyming means at least 8 weeks of gyming to get back in shape. : |
...olympic triathlon = 0.9 mile swim; 26 mile bike; 6.2 mile run. hmmmm.

spreck ou eng els?

2010-09-09T13:45:00.000-07:00

woof.
Germany made me sick. literally.

after we missed out on the morning BMW factory tour in Munich, we (well, I) did some more shopping amongst the lunch crowd before racing off to Stuttgart. and man - there is nothing there.

ok ok. Porsche is there. and maybe Mercedes. but seriously - I can only take 5 hours of car history and facts and strolling about aimlessly. plus, Stuttgart is where we made the mistake of falling asleep with the window ajar. hence no voice 2 days later. secretly I think my traveling companion is a little happy about this.

after Stuttgart was Koln. which proved to be equally... uneventful. the Kolner Dom was uber cool though (claims to have the bones from the 3 wise men... riiiight) but our hotel room smelled of old invisible trash and we were stuck eating dinner at McDonald's where we dodged the stinky homeless people like pacmen from ghosts. sigh.

but hey - I now have new boots and Laserkraft 3D on MTV... in Amsterdammit!! not bad.

thus far since parading in to Amsterdam we have visited a pub (a real one... with lots of rapist - I mean - trappist beer), went to the photography Museum called FOAM, walked through the Heineken brewery and sent a video of us singing in dutch to 2 lovely companions of ours, saw two women working in the red light district (and not successfully), and bought a tram ticket to get on the metro. oops.

other than being slightly chaotic and confusing, Amsterdam is also dirty.
and I'm not just referring to the windows either. the ground.. the garbage.. the canals. ok - I guess garbage is always dirty no matter where you are. but it is especially dirty here.. I can just tell. reminds me of certain San Franciscan corners that I avoid. if Amsterdam was void of everything that makes it Amsterdammish, it would be absolutely beautiful... but then it wouldn't be uniquely entertaining.

tomorrow? Breda.

in other news...
...kids have tantrums in Europe too. but they're not as annoying since I can't understand them. high 5.
...the dutch take bicycling very extremely hardcorely seriously. SO very extremely hardcorely seriously that they get their own red and green lights at every intersection.
...Dear Casey & Laura, pop art and Dave Matthews look-a-like below. enjoy! xo
...I love it when photos accidentally make me look like I'm peeing like a man.

care for another sugar cube? now let's scuttlebutt.

2010-09-05T12:24:00.000-07:00

dinner was served on a table carrying a crying gerbera daisy - its face frowning at the ground despite the yum lasagne mit kase and Table Mountain Sauvignon Blanc I presented to it.
fine. be sad. but keep it to yourself... stupid daisy.

maybe the walls within the Residenz Museum would have cheered the gerbera up. we toured the socks off of the Museum and Treasury today with audio guides in hand... but the place is so large, and so full of information that I eventually just started holding my guide up to my ear with nothing playing while I breezed through room after room.

it really was... too much. but worth the money.

coming in at #3... ?
seeing the amount of damage World War II caused to the building.
the areas where repairs have been made were either extremely noticeable or pointed out by the museum. at one point Nick looked at me and said "wow. Hitler really f-ed up"

#2...
the amount of gold everywhere.
whether it be the inlay on the walls, or within the desk made of marble, or the bed frame that was never even slept in but simply there for showing off. everywhere.

#1...
the hall of rooms that were used for welcoming guests.
there is a room for an initial greeting, which connects to a room used for standing and socializing, which connects to a room for sitting and light banter, then another for tea and scuttlebutt, then another for... sigh. it goes on and on. I had no idea there were so many steps involved for greeting visitors - no wonder my friends leave my parties so early - I have no tea and scuttlebutt room!

after walking through 90+ rooms in the museum and disguising me sitting in all the chairs to rest my old legs as me being so intrigued by the paintings on the walls, I was gerbera-daisy-sad to discover all the clothing shops in Munich are closed on Sundays. instead of working, the locals were busy throwing frisbees, walking dogs, playing the guitar, sleeping, drinking beer, riding bicycles, and surfing in the Englischer Garden by the university.
super cool ja??

all we need is a walk-through of the BMW factory in the morning and then BAM... Munchen ist getan.

in other news...
...I miss my dog.
...only 1 request from my readers? really?!

munchens and ponchos. but not munchens IN ponchos.

2010-09-04T14:02:00.000-07:00

Munchen no longer brings thoughts of little kids and small adults to my mind. hooray for that.
because frankly, those kinds of munchens make me uncomfortable. sometimes.
rather - as of now - Munchen makes me think of BMW and that awesome 1987 bitte nicht beruhren red M3 in their museum, the tastey yoghurt mit muesli and honey I had for breakfast, the 1972 Olympics and the fact that Olympians stayed in this very same hotel, the uber-easy subway system that spits me out in to the German-heavy city center, and a 5 person street band drawing an audience of 63.5 people (there was 1 munchen).
with the exception of one saleswoman being entirely rude to me in a shoe store, iheartMunchen.

the BMW Welt, Museum, and factory are just 10 minutes of slow-walking-because-my-feet-hurt-so-damn-bad away. after about 2 hours of loitering about the BMW Welt building we realized we were not in the actual museum (trust me - it's an easy thing to overlook) so once we had seen far too many new BMW customers be united with their new vehicle fresh from the factory across the strasse, we headed to the museum.
and let me tell you, there is absolutely no way for me to put that place in to words... so I am hoping my photos will do it for me.

what I can say though is how interesting I found the motorcycle history to be. if you recall, BMWs were the main motorcycles used by the Germany army (duh)... and then? nazis. but the word "nazi" wasn't mentioned ONCE. sure, I understand why they wouldn't want to but, it's history. and I think the word is a little desensitized anyway since it is spray-painted on so many walls over here.
after explaining that BMW was forced to make a motorcycle specifically for army use, they shut down the factory - then the time-line didn't pick up until after the war was over. whew.
in addition, when BMW decided to change up their motorcycles and create something ..lighter.. they did so by switching to aluminum and magnesium components... whereas their competitors simply used their same old materials but drilled a bunch of holes in them. : |

I guess if I really wanted to lose some weight I could just chop off my cankle.

in summary, the BMW experience showcased technology and history in art form.
super.

in other news...
...to go back and buy that M-series hat or not to go back and buy that M-series hat. that is the question.
..."I don't know if I can get it all in but - I can get some of it in." - Nick when trying to take a photo of the BMW Welt building with the 50mm lens.
...maybe I should have taken the fluorescent orange MARRIOT'S GREAT AMERICA poncho that my dad had offered me because this clear one I borrowed from him instead looks like a giant condom. which makes me look like a...
: |

The Sound of Pillows...

2010-09-03T09:57:00.000-07:00

walk through a castle? CHECK.
see a 2-story McDonalds? CHECK.
drink a red bull in the very place where it comes from? CHECK.
eat red curry thai chicken at the restaurant in the BMW museum / factory? CHECK.

it has been an eventful day... and at the end of it, I land in - what appears to be - a bed the size of an olympic pool at the Four Points hotel in Munich Germany.
honestly, I cannot wait to sleep. so I apologize ahead of time for my brief synopsis of what the day brought ('or should I say braut).

wait... what was that you said? you challenge me to a RUN-ON SENTENCE DUEL????!!!

WELL, how could I possibly turn that down after the early start that I had this morning so that I could start our drive off to Salzburg Austria where all the tour buses accumulate and clog up the museum and everything-else-that's-interesting drain with their camera straps, audio head-sets, and obnoxious guide that requests all 84 of them cross the same bridge at the same time that we have to (doh!) in order to get to the most awesomest Festung Hohensalzburg ever that showcased so many torture devices it made me timid to remain in what clearly looked to be a psychotic little town (or at least used to be) before The Sound of Music decided to shoot in their hills - which we didn't visit since I don't believe in twirling in the mountains so freely like that, at least not on an empty stomach, which I then filled with bread and a salat with pesto pumpkin seeds, balsamic dressing, and sheep's milk cheese (I am pretty positive that may have been the best salat ever. and 'pretty positive' for me is something I never say) which then gave me enough fuel to hit the gas pedal and drive another couple of hours without falling asleep to Munich Germany, then walk briskly through Olympic Park and then leisurely to my room where these wonderful down-feather pillows - when turned upside-down then right-side-up whisper my name (like those little tins that moo).

good run-on ja? now where's my medal.

in other news...
...what Munich built for the 1972 Olympics is amazing - architecture ahead of its time.
...castles are far too claustrophobic for my anxiety's taste. thank goodness I toured one finally - I will now retract my bid from that one in Los Gatos I was looking at.
...another plus to walking miles upon miles every day? buying NEW SHOES when my current ones fall apart. yeeeeeeaah buddy.

showering: a waste of time no matter where you are

2010-09-02T12:01:00.000-07:00

now that I have finally figured out what day it is... happy Thursday!

to all my California friends: the day is almost over and then, just one more before you can start your crazy weekend plans. but really, I don't think Friday even qualifies as a day. it should really just be called 'Fri'.
I know you all concur therefore... moving along.

after a restless night of sleep for me, I got up to do some necessary laundry in the sink... and then strung the clothes up on a line through the living / bedroom. I am sure the housekeeping crew appreciated all the striped socks and undies on display - and they didn't even leave a tip.
we ran downstairs to grab a quick bite and then headed downtown to catch a Nordkette up to the Austrian Alps.
while the tram was highly decorated with Australian and Japanese tourists exchanging broken HELLO's in each other's languages, there were also some hard-core local slalom bikers joining in on the ride. when there is no snow on the mountain, bike jumps and trails and structures are available and... I am pretty sure you need to be high on not one - but several - different things in order to attempt these trails. good thing drug-infested Zurich is just around the corner!

I digress...
after tramming up 5500 feet in 20 minutes the view was... amazeballs - and it just kept getting better as we hiked the rest of the few feet up to the vista. which is - evidently - the Ibex's most favorite location to lay a poo (photo below. photo NOT of the poo, rather just the Ibex). fortunately we did not see a single Ibex in person (I don't like things with horns. unless it's a unicorn)... instead we were stuck with just the poo on our shoes as evidence that they had been there (and been there recently). thank you Ibex.

we grabbed some very authentic and yum lunch while on the mountain and then I fell asleep back at the hotel... dreaming of picking out a Lady Gaga costume for Halloween and then eventually deciding everything was way too riskay for me to wear and then I woke up, ate some chocolate, ate some salad, sipped a coffee, The End.

in other news...
...showering - it sucks whether I am at home or on holiday.
...sauerkraut is way better in Austria and is entirely different from what I remember my dad purchasing at the hockey game in 1993 when I first tried it.
...you know you are in a wiener-heavy city when the ketchup packets they produce are big enough for one whole wiener. Austrians = so smart.
...to my friend Marisa (the only person to throw a request my way): I give you the closest thing I could find to an Austrian knitted item below. it was in the window of a kindergarten.

check bitte!

2010-09-01T14:35:00.000-07:00

ooh Tuesday. no, Wednesday. NO - TUESday. I don't know.
whatever day it is, it has been long.

after a croissant and a latte at a place called Hot Pasta (?) we said Auf Wiedersehen to Zurich and partook in some "loud speaking" at one another in the car while trying to follow road laws and directions from a GPS and Blackberry that refused to talk to any and all satellites in the world until... finally... we were on the highway.
destination: Innsbruck Austria.

the scenery changed immediately from clean bustling city streets to large open hills of green sprinkled with bell-wearing skinny cows. I really expected to see a blonde woman with double braids selling fresh butter on the side of the road but evidently all of them were busy - must be butter-churning season.

I took a stab at driving after we admired all the nutella at the gas station and man - 120 kph is deceivingly, very much-so... NOT FAST. and with all the fixed radar guns and cameras on the road, you do not want to push the limit (I am pretty sure I will have a few tickets in the mail when I get home).
5 (or 10) Gran Turismo-like tunnels later - at a blazing speed of 65 mph - and... destination reached.

Innsbruck is far more touristy than I would have liked - all the old couples wearing matching leiderhosen with price tags still attached and large groups of tour-attendees all wearing matching tacky neck-bandanas make me want to scurry back to my room BUT - the view of the Alps just isn't the same from there.
I am surrounded by snow-tipped lush mountains and incredibly humbled. to think - just last week there I was in my California mole-hole for 29 years completely satisfied with Yosemite - convinced I was lucky to be living so close to it. HMPH.
there's bigger beauty in the world.
and with better strudels too.

tomorrow we take a Nordkette (tram) up the mountain to Seegrube, meander around like we're on holiday and then locate a restaurant that offers a better dinner than the open-faced turkey "burger" I had tonight - complete with 2 pineapple circles and 2 cherries.
and yes - they looked just like boobs.

in other news...
...when receiving amazing strudel with powdered sugar, do not look down and breathe out in awe.
...the McDonald's here really DOES have a Hamburger Royale on the menu. it also is furnished like the nice section in Ikea (*obscure and generally vague photo included below).
...photo / adventure requests? submit them and maybe I'll make them happen. maybe.

yoghurt mit fruchten. danka.

2010-08-31T12:57:00.000-07:00

bicycles, designer jeans, and Thai food.
that is the answer to: What 3 things will Kathleen remember forever about Zurich Switzerland?
after sitting through a flight in which my neighbor pooped her pants and my neighbor's neighbor barfed 4 times while landing, I find myself in Zurich - where Seattle meets San Francisco meets Manhattan.
*neighbors were 6 months and 3 years old but seriously, I don't care - that was really disgusting and should have been avoided.

Zurich has the cleanliness of Seattle, the city and art of San Francisco, and the fashion of Manhattan. combine all that with stunning German-speaking people and a few snowy mountains in the background and BAM - I give you Zurich.

if you have a shopping addiction, don't come here. I visited 2 H+M's and a store that had more designer jeans and the most-excellent white button shirts I have ever seen before I forbid myself to walk in to any more clothing shops. some other interesting tidbits? how about the fact that Zurich has no stop signs; the St. Peter's church which holds the oldest clock tower in all of Europe; and the Lindt chocolate factory which offered me a smell that made me think I was in an oven with a dozen cookies - minus the burning sensation.

tomorrow morning we leave Zurich and drive our rented Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback (they were out of BMWs) to Austria. and after 12 hours of walking today... I couldn't be happier to sit my butt down in a car for an extended period of time tomorrow.

in other news...
...horizontal stripes are "in". I get it - thank you pirate / sailor society of Swizterland.
...saw a single rainbow today while cruising to the Lindt factory through Lake Zurich - it was so bright and vivid.
...the Indian buffet I had dinner at - while being pretty good - thinks naan is a giant baked tortilla chip. nein. definitely NEIN
....shiza. time for bed.

to toes!

2010-08-27T23:43:00.000-07:00

feet are funny little things. we walk, stand, run, use them all day. they reveal nerves, move to music, march around, get dressed up, take us places, and - my personal favorite - have toes that wiggle me to sleep. yet despite all the rough things they go through, the meeting of that one little toe and the corner of the bed post? tragic.

how can these things trek so hard but hurt so much?

well, if I could just make a toast... to toes! and the the feet that grew them. may they carry me swiftly across bridges, softly through waters, and soundly in my sleep.

it's... aLIVE

2010-08-10T00:11:00.000-07:00

sometimes I am just too tired to make sense.

thus, I deny myself permission to blog and instead grant myself permission to fall in love with my personalized soundtracks.

therefore I present to you, jumbled lyrics from my latest 19 track musical frankenstein.

*high tens to anyone that can ‘name that song’… for at least 3.

..................................................

I know that we are young

and I know that you may love me

but I wish I lived in the golden age

giving it up on the broadway stage

flying away from reality

whatever happened to gravity

You don't want to hurt me

but see how deep the bullet lies

You left me in the dark

in the shadow of your heart

I want a man by my side

not a boy who runs and hides

i cant tell you what it really is i can only tell you what it feels like

I feel like I can’t miss

I know you want me to fall

Jumping out the window

Letting everything go

I bring it to the light, Its only right

She say she want whatever she like

She say she gonna bring her friend

You smashed a plate over my head

then I set fire to our bed

where are you my friend so true

how come my love gone make you blue

my heart thump not from being nervous

sometimes i think i was made on purpose

dry my eyes so you wont know

dry my eyes so i wont show

shock me like an electric eel

you'll feel the need. there is no way to return.

turn me on with your electric feel

My life is one big rhyme, I try to scheme through it

so tell me when my sigh's over

you're the reason why i'm closed

to auto-focus!

2010-08-05T16:32:00.000-07:00

to have a challenge is to have a purpose.

sometimes 'according to plan' evolves in to 'flying by the seat of your pants'. and honestly - I mean - who doesn't like flying? if I recall correctly (which I always do), I used to spend lots of money every summer to let disgruntled gum-smacking vest-wearing teenagers strap me down in metal containers and press a button that would then shoot me through spirals and loopty-loops - the most exhilarating moments being those fractions of seconds where my body felt negative weight... my well-practiced shoulder straps and buckles being the only things touching me and keeping me alive.

over-used plastic and metal: don't fail me now.

and then - when the moving and the rush is over - and the body realizes it is still functioning, it takes me to the end of the line again. a lemming lining up for another feeling.

oh you endless thrills of summers passed. if only you weren't accompanied by all the shirtless, nipple-pierced, over-tattooed, and overweight men that waited in line around me.

in other news...

...Lady Gaga concert days away. time to get crafty - with an outfit.

...Europe trip weeks away. time to get crafty - with a wardrobe.

...best friend's wedding days past. yay for Amy and Bobby! boo for the only picture of me delivering my toast.

madam this. madam that.

2010-07-01T05:41:00.000-07:00

despite my disapproval, the days have been starting and ending. how dare they.
and sleep? that has become a luxury that seems to be very much out of my price range. now if only coffee were free...

surely I must be exaggerating right? 'PSH' to you. let me explain...
second duathlon DONE. I completed my run / bike / run race and felt pretty good about it overall. what a difference 2 years makes.
Tour de Cure ride DONE. thanks to my friends and family I raised almost $800 for diabetes and rode in my first 30 mile road bike ride.
best friend's bridal shower DONE. it went off with only a few hiccups... but I did my absolute best for it and I can only hope she enjoyed herself.
trip to India for work IN PROGRESS. it was cancelled after I had gone through all the time and effort to get everything in order. and then it was reinstated. hmph. either way, I am currently in Bangalore enjoying lots of spicey food, exotic fruits, delicious coffee, and special treatment.
all that in the span of 1 month.

personal qualms and accomplishments aside... India has been quite an amazing trip. maybe I am having such a good experience because so many people prepared me for a bad one, maybe it's because I am naive....
either way, the kindness here is amazing. I am being called madam 3 times in one sentence... or sometimes Ms. Kathleen. all the hotel employees somehow remember me - they know how I prefer coffee to tea and how I like it prepared; that I had scrambled eggs one day for breakfast but have switched to cereal and fruit since then; that I bought a sari; that my room number is 609; that I have been to the pool only once; and that I walk to work. I love that there is an older Indian guy with the biggest mustache I have ever seen that opens the door for me every morning and evening with a smile on his face that gives me the illusion that I am a good person. I love that when I ask someone for something for a headache, they run all over - despite me saying it's OK - trying to find what I want and eventually breaks in to an employee's personal kit and hands me a VICKS vapor pill and is so proud of himself. I love that my coworkers insist on carrying everything for me - despite me saying no - from room to room until eventually I am holding nothing but the sunglasses on my face. I love that when I get in to the elevator with the women on my team, I look around to see all of them staring up at me with smiles on their faces. Everyone has just been so wonderful despite me trying to stop them and they have made being on the opposite side of the world ...away from every person, place, thing, and belief that I know... a very welcoming experience.

in other news...
...World Cup excitement - I get it. but tell me, how do some of the most insanely fit athletes in the world get hurt so badly without even being touched?
...using the hotel gym in India sounded like a wonderful idea. until I realized it was a sauna and gym combined.
..."Hi yes, pool boy. Can I get a glass of wine?" "Yes madam. Red or White?" :
...oh 27 hour journey back home, why must you be so daunting.
...the word 'madam' is not only used to address a woman of refinement, but also a woman who is charge of a brothel.

what and why

2010-06-10T11:16:00.000-07:00

put your hands up in the ayyaar. wave them like you don't caayyyaarre.

ok now smack yourself in the face and get back to work. how dare you waste precious work time doing such shenanigans.

work has been... rough these past couple of months. my brain has been pulled here and there and up and down and this and that and what and why. the work week has been redefined. it now includes long lunches to make up for the late nights as well as a weekly happy hour.

had I known - 3 months ago - that life would be like this right now I probably would not have signed up for back-to-back weekend races. luckily, my legs are as delusional as my mind and allowed me to successfully complete my 2nd duathlon last weekend. the 30 mile Tour de Cure road bike ride that is happening in 3 days however may have a different ending.

at least I raised money for a good cause.

in other news...

...being surrounded by a city of vacant cubicles provides me with ample air space to paint my nails at work

...being surrounded by a city of vacant cubicles is.. sad

...office pranks are the best - and my company's Standards of Business Conduct agrees with me

...is being told I am a Richard-Simmons kind of weird a good thing? HECK YES.

how to...

2010-06-05T00:48:00.000-07:00

and time passes...

and I know you must be wondering.. why is the word 'colon' both a body part and a punctuation?

well, that I do not know - BUT, for those wondering what Kathleen has been doing for all these months... you are in luck. I have been learning.

learning how to:

* properly balance a pillow over my ear so that I cannot hear my bed partner snore

* disguise my stink after a 2 hour workout so that I can return to my office minus dirty stares

* prank my coworkers

* dress

* avoid last place in go karting challenges

* snooze an alarm. 8 times in a row

* defy death

* dance in the car while driving in cruise control

* draw dinosaurs

* consume ginormous amounts of caffeine while maintaining a consistent heart rate

* deal with rejection

* day drink

* drunk speed walk

* make long lists of words beginning with the letter 'd'

time to update my resume with all of my new qualifications.

during my blog 'time off' I ALSO had the awesomest pleasure of taking some engagment photos for a close friend of mine. small sneak peek included.

in other news...

...when wearing see-through shorts, be sure to wear bright - and preferrably patterned - underwear

...I am pretty good at making the most annoying sound in the world. unfortunately.

...my dog barking at the sprinklers every other night at 2am has a direct correlation to the speed in which my sleeping pill container empties.

...Romeo, you owe me 30 bucks.

dusty jay pegs

2010-04-08T14:14:00.000-07:00

my email accounts have blown up with messages that I do not have time to sort through, I haven’t actually cooked something to eat in I don’t know how long, my DVR is full of episodes of so many shows that I don’t even know what is actually ON anymore, and where are my gym shorts? probably under the bed. I’ll find them next month.

so I took some time this evening to organize my emails – and I ended up finding some unique and obscure photos that had been sent to me within just the past couple of weeks. take a gander. I find it somewhat amusing – maybe you will too. and if you do not? I do not apologize – it just would not be the Cobra Commander way.

In other news…
…I never realized how crucial the sun is in my life. my cousins recently asked me if I changed my last name to Cullen.
…where are all the padded bicycle seats? my parts need one desperately.
…no more Peeps for a whole year? I guess I will just have to start dipping my own marshmallows in to sugar then. hm.
…a friendly pat to anyone who can guess which photos were taken with an iPhone and which were taken with a BlackBerry.

it's the Queen's knees

2010-04-05T15:50:00.001-07:00

if you're going to India put your hands UP.
if you got a hematoma put your hands UP.
if you're jumping out of a plane put your hands UP.
if you're knees always hurt put your... thumbs down.

needless to say, my hands are up and my thumbs are down. I will be taking a work and photo excursion to India in June; indoor soccer has made it back on to my activity list; skydiving will finally happen; age is conquering me; another trip to Napa is in order; my first sleepover in Alameda will be for my 2nd duathlon race; 30 miles of roads in Palo Alto will be met by my bicycle tires - and hopefully not my FACE; Europe will become a memory instead of just roads and buildings I see in movies; Pink Umbrella Productions is expanding to music videos; and my photography business is hitting its first official 'season'.

life is moving along and what can I do in the meantime? drink coffee, sweat it out, attend happy hour, and breathe.

in other news...
...taking showers and pumping gas are still on my WASTEFUL THINGS TO DO list.
...sometimes things that I love, should be free.
...sometimes things that I hate, should be really expensive. just to make me feel better about myself.
...sometimes one should just build a miniature lego castle and reside in it for the afternoon. even if the toy store tries to kick you out. they have no right. you're taking the lego castle for a test battle. with a test moat. and a test dragon. where's my sword? someone find me my sword. I deem myself Queen of the Latifah's. call me Queeny Perv. go fetch the Queen! oh wait - here I am.
...photo courtesy of Admiral Audie. who is the only person insisting on calling me Snookie. seriously Admiral, it is in no way accurate - you should just stick to Perv.

Dearest LauraJean,

2010-02-11T15:31:00.000-08:00

in the interest of addressing some questions one of my many, several million beloved fans has asked of me, I am revisiting a few references from my 02.08.2010 post.
(plus, answering questions inflates my ego. and we all know it's big. but I am shooting for ginormous)
(TWSS)*

so, where exactly was I headed with some of my doodles I found worthy of jotting down in to the ee cummings style notepad-to-go?

BUTTONS BUSTING
friends take other friends out to Santana Row in San Jose for the first time and inform them to dress up so we can pretend we are rich and can afford all the cashmere pillows and silk tube tops the ritzy stores want to keep on our couches and in our closets. upon arriving and taking our first few catwalk-im-too-sexy-and-rich steps down the row, a button falls off from one of our jackets and we all stop and stare as it sadly rolls in circles until stopping on the expensive cement in front of Coach.

SOCKS IN POCKET
derived from same story and location as above. while sauntering around in our normal rich fashion, a friend discovers a pair of socks in her jacket pocket. 2 things: oops. and, why?

in other news...
...never eat anything the size of your face
...does dreaming about exercise COUNT as exercise?
...10k race in 39 hours.

*TWSS = Thats What She Said

feats and defeats

2010-02-08T16:02:00.000-08:00

what have youuuuu done in the past 4 weeks? making history books I'm sure.
let me tell you what my busy body has accomplished since my last post.

end of thought.

it all started out so full of hope.
my trek in to the Japanese stationary store resulted in an ee cummings-inspired notepad (but with high-tech spring-loaded flap that I am positive did not exist in his time). I proclaimed....
(please think in God-like - or MLK - voice:)

This will be...
the beginning of a new age.
With spring-loaded notepad in hand
I will write laws
name mountains (without having to climb them first)
be knighted
meet the Queen
give the Quen a successful makeover
climb scarey-big beanstalks
confront the last living Tyronnosaurus Rex
teach her how to sit, roll over, and heel
and soar on eagle's wings (me, not the dinosaur).

but then I forgot my notepad at a friend's house for a week.
sails without wind digress.

therefore, let me simply share my intentions for you to judge.
they are vague. they are scribbly. they make me feel deceivingly famous.

where is my paparazzi?

in other news...
...want to know where I was going with any of these? comment and I will reply. maybe.
...think you got a shout-out in some of my notes? call it correctly and earn a low-five!
...without tangent thoughts, nothing would get
...who dat!

making it good

2010-01-10T22:35:00.000-08:00

there are very few things that make me stop moving. stop breathing. stop thinking.
.. earthquakes.
.. and hummingbirds.

I prefer the hummingbirds. since the chance of death is much lower.

the last (1, 2..) three times I have seen these flying instruments, it has been < dramatic pause > sort of surreal. I have the tendency to move A to Z in life with focus and large blindspots. so when I say I see hummingbirds... truthfully..?.. they see me.

they zip in to my line of sight and freeze where I stare. like they were just flying along, minding their own business when all of a sudden
<<... GASP! ITS A KATHLEEN! WOW. COOL. LET ME STARE AT HER FOR A LITTLE WHILE BEFORE I MOVE ALONG ...>>>

to me - it almost feels like a sort of 'last breath' experience. this is it - make it good.

in other news...
...alka seltzer used to taste better. at least, I think it did.
...there was a crow convention in front of my house at 4pm. I never want to see that again.
...I think I have a new addiction.

EXP 01092010

2010-01-09T21:36:00.000-08:00

all things expire.

the daily California earthquakes are reminding me of that. they are also reminding me that I should stock up on water, canned goods, batteries, and fashionable clothing. because, I want to at least slowly die in style.
but what would be worse than dying in an apocalyptic world wearing granny panties, a striped turtleneck, and that old pair of american eagle jeans that are slightly too short and no longer complimenting?
my Zen batteries running out of juice.
(for all you iPod's, a Zen is a mp3 player that is far superior)

death to tunes?! without my Hot Chip, my Santogold, my Air, my XX, my Dirty Projectors, my Lykke Li, my Karen Oh...

I mean, that is simply too many roles of fame for me to take over for my own amusement. let us be realistic. I can only assume - at most - 3 musical personas at any point in time. even if that point in time is the END of time and microphones are no longer in existence.

< * if I sing in a Magic Mic device that has no battery juice remaining, will I still make noise? >

I digress.

the earth is shaking. and my instinct tells me to freeze and quit breathing every time it happens. I am pretty sure this is the wrong thing to do. but, I will stick to my instinct...
and hope there isn't a quake that is over 2 minutes long.

in other news...
...Dear Justin Beiber, you want to give your girl everything she needs? How about a protractor, 5 folders, a magnetic mirror for her locker, and a bookmark. (but it's ok, I still like you)
...stress zits are 0% fun and 100% stressful.. thus turning in to a never ending cycle
...new unrealistic 2010 goal? be in a Lady Gaga music video

2009's belongings

2009-12-29T21:02:00.000-08:00

thank you 2009.

it was a fun year. but days wouldn't be worth the breath if the page wasn't flipped.

thus I flip it - and I flip it good.

...a round of applause for '09...

Flight of the Conchords show in Oakland

my nose next to very strange face paintings

friends that got engaged (finally!)

my cousin in another musical

oddly phallic things
cooking experiments

restored photos of my Nana

a picture of me getting locked in a porta' potty that resembles the restored photo of my Nana. a 30th birthday in Las Vegas
my best friend got engaged a hard core Halloween performance a very cold trip to Tennessee new camera equipment28th birthday in Napa
a bachelorette party in Las Vegas
pinatas
and several other events that are necessary to keep stored away in a private place.

in other news...

...I am celebrating the last seconds of 2009 in Tahoe. I am leaving in approximately 12 hours. 9 of which I want to sleep through. and I have not packed one itty bitty thing.

...note for 2010: less procrastination. not NONE. just LESS.

Christmas in my life

2009-12-26T11:39:00.000-08:00

a belated Merry Christmas to all my blog readers!! I hope you had a fantastic holiday. I managed to keep myself busy with my day job while simultaneously eating the cheese dip I made for all the parties I attended. normally that would qualify as part of a vacation's luxuries however, let me just tell you - I can't wait to get back to the office to help regulate my body.

average time I find myself heading to bed? 2am

average time I find myself waking up? 9am (or 12pm - but that was only once!)

average number of times I have been to the gym during the break? once.

9-6 schedule... please come back soon!

my family had the very usual holiday. my mom bit off more than she could chew with an elaborate menu and thus, overcooked the meat. my dad has more mood swings that a room full of PMSing high schoolers. and I rushed around desperately trying to keep wine glasses full (or at least just mine).

but no one can deny how fun it is to unwrap mysteries. everyone seemed to enjoy what I got them... which makes me super happy because I felt very uncreative this year with my gift-giving. and I love all of my gifts! thank you family and friends : )

and now that Christmas 2009 is over, we move swiftly in to 2010.

what are you doing for the New Year?

we will be in Tahoe with a large group of people... bodies strewn about the cabin... people rotating in and out of beds and on floors... multiple trips up the mountain... crossing my figners in hopes that none of my bones will be broken afterward. however you end up celebrating 2010, have fun! but please be wise.

in other news, wearing pajamas all day...

...saves water used in doing laundry

...makes one very white since you can't leave the house

...has given me ample time to discover and become addicted to new music

...is creating quite the coffee withdrawal. can someone drop off a tall soy latte at my front door please?

I present to you, my drunken family Christmas photos:

I(heart)CA

2009-12-06T15:11:00.000-08:00

I survived Tennessee.
now where's my bumper sticker?

I was expecting a small town featuring antiques, beef jerky, cigars, homemade candies, hikes, trees and leaves. but I saw traffic, Ripley's Believe It or Not wax museums (several), go karting, miniature golfing, half-off ziplining (after sitting through an hour of time share information), pancake houses, white people, and swastikas.
I don't think I will be back for a while.

thank goodness I will be home for Christmas. living in a city that has just elected an asian, gay 26 year old male. where grocery stores aren't referred to as "Food City". I can find prosciutto and dried figs. hikes are driving minutes away from me. and alcohol is more conveniently priced.
I love home.

in other news...
...December... love the weather, dislike the stress.
...a tall chai tea at 7pm will keep me awake for approximately 12 hours.
...being so sore from a workout that it takes 1 minute 30 seconds just to sit on a toilet is still 'good' right?
...I challenge you to a game of horseshoes... and present to you, Tennessee (*look for hidden alligator):

David & Kristen... continued

2009-11-22T23:42:00.000-08:00

my husband is packing movies for our Thanksgiving trip to Tennessee... Thao Nguyen is singing at my face at midnight... I don't have to go to work for another week... and another engagement session is officially complete - thank you card written and sealed.

it feels good to take deep breaths.

here are some snaps from David and Kristen's engagement shoot in Santa Cruz...
enjoy!

lil' Crissy

2009-11-15T16:56:00.000-08:00

today was one of those brisk November Northern California days that you just don't want your baby outside for very long. which is why we made this session short and sweet with a touch of sassy.

sneak peek of the Ong family!

Amy & Bobby... continued

2009-11-15T16:28:00.000-08:00

today I got to talk to my second mom (my best friend's mom) about the engagement photos I did for her daughter.. and she grew an honest smile and said she loved them. that is why I am addicted to photography. honest smiles. when I have handed over my finished products people are truthfully happy - and it shows.

here are some of my favorites from my shoot with Amy & Bobby.

thank goodness

2009-11-12T15:31:00.000-08:00

sometimes life seems rough.

but then I read about a woman being attacked by a chimpanzee and losing her eyes, I hear how close my friend was to death in Afghanistan, I attend my friend's aunt's funeral, and I hear about another friend's coworker who got in a road cycling accident and is now in a coma.

and I realize I'm ok. and I need to be more thankful for my life, my loved ones, my liked ones, the air I breathe, the surroundings I see and the feelings I feel.
so I guess it's appropriate timing for Thanksgiving to roll around.

on that note, it has been a busy Thanksgiving month. two very important engagement sessions followed by a family and a wedding... both of which have yet to arrive. throw in some inquiries and friendly surprises and wow... I am very thankful.

in addition, I am almost done with a personal project of mine. one which no one took any guesses at in a blog I posted previously (thus, no free hugs were handed out). today is the one month 'due date' I gave myself to try and complete it by but I still have another hour or so to chuck in to it before it is done. still, I am happy with making a scarf in a month and a day.

in other news...
...goodbye queen, hello king. our bed is now an island. I'm pretty sure it made google maps.
...two weeks from now I will be in Tennessee. holy crow.
...what are YOU thankful for? yes, you.

David & Kristen

2009-11-09T22:07:00.000-08:00

baby it's cold outside.
just the way I like it Mr. Martin.

the creeping cold, the brisk bed sheets, the shock of crisp air in my lungs... I heart it all. throw in some stunning weather at the beach and you get drool.

my fellow ping pong player, bejeweled opponent, sake bombing friend and coworker of mine for around 4 years now asked me to take his and his fiance's engagement photos months ago and I have been so excited since then! we finally found some time 2 weekends ago and had some amazing air, color, and sun combos at the Boardwalk in Santa Cruz

here is just a sneak peak...

Amy & Bobby

2009-10-25T20:52:00.000-07:00

at the end of yet another too-short weekend, I had the pleasure of taking engagement photos for my besty... I won't be taking her wedding photos because I will be the matron of honor! so instead I took the pre-wedding snaps.

it was a casual and fun shoot and I cannot WAIT until their wedding day. I'm already nervous about my speech but it's the happiest nervousness I've ever felt.

Amy & Bobby - congratulations! here is a sneak peek...

muggy with a chance of celebrity

2009-10-18T11:14:00.000-07:00

there is such a thing as too much beer. my head keeps reminding me of that this morning.

the Thao Nguyen concert my husband and I attended last night was really special. The Crepe Place is a very intimate venue... pretty much to the point of NOT being a venue. the restaurant was still open for diners throughout the band-play so people were squeezing through the crowd and getting a free snip-it of ear happiness while doing so. the place was muggy hot. I couldn't see Thao from where I was until she would whip her head around and pieces of hair would fly around a foot above her and in to my line of sight. but she sounded most excellent, and there was no line for the bathroom. those two things alone made for a very well-spent $10.
the running in to her outside while she's recovering from the show in private was an added bonus.

in other news...
...every day is a good day for a waffle.
...hiccups at 2:30am are a major inconvenience.
...next concert? Heartless Bastards and Wolfmother at the Fox Theatre.

everything is right

2009-10-17T11:21:00.000-07:00

sipping a caramel soy latte in a very shhh coffee shop watching passers-by create shadows that warp the reflections off of the floor...

it's going to be a good day.

I'm pretty sure I'm having a more pleasant experience right now than my husband is next door.. at the spa.. getting a deep tissue massage. that - to me - just doesn't sound right. my deep tissues are deep for a reason - to be protected from sharp corners (like table edges that send my elbows in to 'funny bone' mode) and people who want me to pay them for a rub.

how is YOUR Saturday going? what are YOUR plans for the day? are YOU sipping an uber yum coffee as well?

after this stellar relaxation experience I am off to Santa Cruz to scout out hidden love spots. off-the-path photo oasis'. romantic corners not normally seen. it's time to broaden my location shot list to be able to provide customers like you with even more beautiful places to stand, sit, smile, run, and laugh as I smack your amazing mug on my camera's memory database over and over again. it's time.

then we will be heading over to The Crepe Place for an intimate instrument occasion with Thao Nguyen. $15 at the door. begins at 9pm. can't wait.

so as Michael Stipe tells me now that sometimes, everything is wrong...
I say sometimes, everything is right.

in other news...
...the only thing I miss about high school? seeing my friends every day.
...The Coffee Grounds in downtown Saratoga.. come visit. the foam is amazing.

cheeky family of 3 please!

2009-10-14T22:59:00.001-07:00

do you ever have one of those days where, you just have so many different directions to go that you end up not going anywhere?
it started off that way for me. until the indecisiveness got annoying and I had to get started somewhere. too much work, too many hobbies, too many goals. when happiness depends on an overwhelming list accomplishments, it's time to open a bottle of Gulden Draak and procrastinate.

tonight, after putting my dues in at two different gyms, I met with some new friends of mine. I decided to add a hobby to my ever-growing list.. it's something involving a hook, a skein, and patience. free hug to whoever gets it right.

while everyone's mulling over that puzzle, please enjoy the following snaps. I met with some coworkers and their cheeky daughter a couple of weeks ago... and wow. what a fun play date. I mean really, I think I gave myself 10 new face wrinkles with all the faces I was making at this little ham - I just love her!
more snaps coming soon...

in other news...
...shots of jaegermeister aren't as easy to take as they were 4 years ago.
...an 800 number called me on my work line this morning and after I answered, she asked me if she could speak with my mom or dad. CLICK!
...who out there went to their 10 year high school reunion? ok now, who out there went to the alumni BBQ and football game the night before the reunion that cost $65 less?

Paul & Gina

2009-10-11T22:15:00.000-07:00

I was finally able to get through a batch of photos and cross them off my list! bad news? I still have another set to finish... one thing at a time though!

Paul & Gina
engagement session... accompanied by Lil' Kenny!

turning 30 is not for me... yet.

2009-10-08T12:58:00.001-07:00

hello you.

it has been a while.

the last two weeks have been spent working my tail off at my day job and preparing for my husband's 30th birthday bash.. which is now in the past. the 20's are over for him. I still have 1.5 years left though.

we spent last weekend in Las Vegas with a handful of special friends... gambling, spa'ing, cirque de soleil'ing, and drinking. and the recovery from it all has been rough - but worth it.

in the midst of treating my mind and body like mud recently, I have a good number of photos begging for my attention on my hard drive at home. knowing they are waiting for me makes finding gym time difficult but sweating is the only thing that makes me truely proud of myself these days. therefore photo work will be saved for the PM.

in other news...

...what smells of cinnamon and dust? Michael's.

...what smells of smoke and money? Casinos.

...what smells? My shoes.

monarch season is approaching

2009-09-27T11:48:00.000-07:00

sneak a peek of...

Gina and Paul's engagement session + toddler pictures! snapped at Natural Bridges.

more to come...

gong GOOOONG

2009-09-18T10:40:00.000-07:00

my alarm didn't snooze this morning. I was pressing the button with my eyes still sealed shut thinking 'why is this not working. it always works. I don't want to have to open my eyes for this.' but the peaceful CHI GONG alarm sound continued to gooooooong
GOOOOOONG
GOOOOOOOOONG.

then Nick woke me up. because apparently me snoozing my alarm was just a dream. while it GOOOOOONGed away at me from my night stand.

what a great way to start a low brain power day. since that moment, I have proceeded to 1) fall hook, line, sinker, and 'batted' to death on deck for a joke; 2) spent 20 minutes shopping for a BOGO 50% off that didn't even apply to what I was debating purchasing (immediately emptied my online BAG once I realized that); and 3) thought my friends and I were gossiping about someone else than who they were really gossiping about.

it is days like these that make me feel my age. I should buy beer later in hopes that I get carded.

speaking of my AGE, I took a trip to Target today during lunch. started in the teen (mossimo) section.. slowly migrating to the middle age (mossimo and merona) section.. then to mature(merona). all of a sudden, 3 young teenage girls run in front of me gossiping loudly until one interrupts proclaiming "GUYS! this is NOT the teen section!".

yes. that is correct. not the cool teen section any longer.

in other news...
...always check yourself out in the mirror before leaving home for work.
...tight white shirts are see-through even when dry.
...I wonder what it would be like to swim in a pool full of Diet Hansen's Tangerine and Lime soda. with ice.

baby smilies

2009-09-17T23:18:00.000-07:00

baby pictures are complete. cross that off the list!

this girl makes me smile. I cannot help but to just fall back in my chair and make an AW sound every time I see a photo of her. which is probably why it took a while for me to finish the set.

enjoy!

conditional

2009-09-16T16:07:00.000-07:00

on a very necessary personal basis (it is healthy to rant every now and again)…

I called a friendship off a while ago because, it appeared to be a relationship with fine print.

WILL BE YOUR FRIEND

*until you need me for something

and now it has been more than a year.. the entire time me hoping she would contact me because she missed me. apologize. we become uber friends again. attend stellar concerts together. ride our bikes early in the morning when no one else is willing to wake up. and be - simply - incomprehensibly rad.

but apparently that hope is preposterously outrageous and idiotic.

shame on me for even going there.

in other news...
…2 more days to finish baby photos. time to stop procrastinating!
…7 more days to finish American Liver Foundation photos. time to procrastinate some more.
…NFL has begun. which means hiking has begun as well – want to hike on Sunday mornings? contact me.
…too much candy can make your hair and eyeballs hurt.

3.. 2.. 1.. zero patience

2009-09-06T00:47:00.000-07:00

I was going to wait. but I couldn't. sleep was inevitable without working on just one of the snaps I did today. then one led to two. which led to three. which led to this post.

too adorable for patience.

Ray & Trinity

2009-08-30T17:19:00.000-07:00

my eyes are burning today. if I swam with my eyes open in a pool full of Visine, would that fix the problem? if so, I imagine it would create others. I'll stick to the eye dropper for now.

this past Friday I paid San Francisco a visit with camera in tow. Ray and Trinity were getting married in City Hall followed by a reception at the B of A building (52nd floor!). while waiting for the ceremony at City Hall to begin, I had some free time to loiter in front of the Mayor's office but alas, no Gavin sighting. maybe next time.

I had so much fun taking their photos - they are just two 'goofpeas' in a pod (instead of goofballs). the ceremony was very intimate.. only about 10 people. and the reception had maybe 35 or so which made documenting the event feel more like attending a family member's celebration. and there is nothing wrong with that!
in fact, I loved shooting their wedding so much that I finished all of their photos within 48 hours. this proves that 1. I do not sleep and / or 2. I have no life and / or 3. I had nothing else to do since my husband has been drafting for one of his fantasy football leagues for hours now.
I think it is a bit of all of the above.

in other news...
...I cannot wait for Monday. for once.
...ocho cinco - I think I like him now.

Piacere = at pleasure

2009-08-27T13:36:00.000-07:00

eating fancy food is one of my most favorite things to do. so when I decided to visit a restaurant client last week I was elated with the dinner options. everything was... fancy pants. both my husbands' gnocchi and my chicken were amazing and the chef paid me a visit with some dessert in hand. everything was uber yummy and I highly recommend you visit the restaurant when in the mood for some fancy food.
pen in hand?... Piacere in downtown San Carlos. there is a farmers market every Thursday and the chef will cook you dinner with your market findings! cute place with a lively bar scene accompanied by a quaint and quieter dining area. you will be pleased.

tomorrow morning I am headed off to San Francisco for another wedding... this time at City Hall. usually there is a struggle with time - there isn't enough of it! but I believe we will have the opposite issue tomorrow. there seems to be quite a number of hours allocated to taking pictures and changing locations - which is awesome! but it will turn in to a long tiresome day very quickly.
note to self: stock up on Lara Bars. it's the new miracle food.

in other news...
...CNN reported today how odd it is that people are just standing around watching Ted Kennedy's car drive alone down the highway.
...I would like to report today how odd it is that CNN watched Ted Kennedy's car drive alone down the highway.
...Inglourious Basterds. in theatres now.

heads will roll and fall asleep on my pillow

2009-08-24T15:25:00.000-07:00

it feels like a flu. minus fever and cough. or maybe it's something else. I slept almost all weekend. forcing myself to clean yesterday morning... my back and the couch were like magnets I struggled to keep apart. I finally gave in to the bed around 2pm and stayed there for hours. zero motivation to move.

bring on Monday.

Pink Umbrella Productions had their screening in the 48hr Film Project in downtown San Jose last Thursday. it was a tart experience this time around. we pulled the 'Holiday' genre which I wonder... is it really a genre?? 48 hours of brainstorming, writing, shooting, frustrating, irritating, driving, editing, creating, rewriting, and fixing later and I give you, Solvent.

we all have our fingers crossed on being nominated for best music... or cinematography but, that is about it. come back for more info at a later date.

in the still frames world, I have two shoots coming up.. a wedding in San Francisco on Friday quickly followed up by additional photos on Saturday. and a family shoot on Sunday with the cutest little 1 year old! she has got the sweetest little cheeks ever and I cannot wait to slap my shutter at her : )

in other news...

...my best friend is engaged! say hello to her maid of honor!

...District 9 has kept my mind for over a week. please return it so that I can move on with my life!!!

...grappa is, as of right now, my least favorite alcoholic drink. ever.

...clear puffy sleeves are in... only one day a year. October 31st. but if you're uber awesome? any day of the week.

clappity clap clap

2009-08-10T10:06:00.000-07:00

round of applause from myself, for myself. for being awake right now. being at work deserves another self applaud.

I made myself a victim of my own calendar again. too many events within 3 days that pull me in different directions. from a street dance event with family Friday night, to a 15 hour photo gig on Saturday, to actor auditions and dinner party on Sunday....

I am pooped.

this week is going to be a fight between photo work, and working out - which do I want to do after a 9 hour day at a desk job? I have 4 days to figure that out before jumping in to....

drum roll please....

another 48hr Film Project!

that's right friends (or should I say strangers that read this since hardly any friends do) the Pink Umbrella Productions crew will be pulling from a hat again Friday evening and working feverishly for 48 hours to complete a short film. it will be a weekend + hours of work - hours of sleep. stock up on zzzzz's now.

in other news...

...getting hit on by three different drunk men in one night is not a compliment.

...is a clean shirt that has yellow armpit stains really clean?

...for TrueBlood fans everywhere: Jason Stackhouse grew a brain cell.

are all afghans from afghanistan?

2009-08-06T15:50:00.000-07:00

top reasons to not leave the expensive new camera in the living room while not in use:

1. my dad might come over and throw a ball that will hit it and break it in half (like he did to my 1st dance trophy when I was a kid)

2. a friend might be holding a bag with a pipe in it that will cut a hole in to the bag and plop out and break the viewfinder (like what happened last weekend to a good bottle of wine on the wine rack)

3. another friend might just lean up next to it and accidentally push it over and break it (like what happened with my most favorite wine glass from a winery during a dinner party)

top reasons to leave the expensive new camera in the living room while not in use:

1. the gardener across the street might back his truck in to my vehicle and drive away instead of stopping (like what happened to my dad when I was a kid and since we had a baseball bat handy instead of a camera he jogged shoeless and shirtless down the street with a bat in his hand. with no successful ending.)

2. a chance to possibly catch that drunk guy - who walks his scarey looking pit bull every early evening - doing something illegal.

3. if those 3 wild parrots roaming the neighborhood land on my lawn, I got 'em.

4. my dog, my afghan, and good lighting.

an apple a day is less than a chocolate chip a day

2009-08-03T13:49:00.000-07:00

today is unlike any other day. it is a day that will never happen again. Monday. August. the 3rd. year 2009.

maybe if I look at it that way, it will get better.

months ago my husband vowed to lose some weight. it was difficult for him to get in to the cardio habit again so in order to help motivate him I pointed out he is turning 30 this year... and he should work toward that.

well, he has been doing amazing. while I sit and let my brain (and bags of chocolate chips) get the best of me. so that's it. I am drawing the line... with ink instead of pencil this time. mark the calendar because today, the day like no other, is the day I give up pessimism and chocolate chips.

wedding news!

Lisa and Matt's wedding this past weekend was so cute and intimate. there was a lot of hustle and bustle to get everything ready in time, but the weather and the people were just lovely and everything turned out perfect : ) they seem like such the ambitious couple that is more than ready to embrace married life... and I can't wait to share my photos with them...

as soon as I finish working on the 600+ photos that I took - yikes!

in other news...

...forgetting that chocolate chips exist would be easier if apples were more amazing

...I think I like helping other people exercise more than I like helping myself

...someone told me recently I look very similar to their baby..... "she's got such a chubby face!". oh. ok.

shhh... I'm walkin' here

2009-07-31T13:15:00.000-07:00

a friend's, sister's friend is getting married tomorrow and I cannot wait to show up with camera equipment in hand(s) to document the special day! seeing my wedding photos for the first time was such an exciting experience...

my wedding day had flown by so quickly - and that makes me really cherish the photos that I have from it. I will keep that in mind as I document Lisa and Matt's wedding tomorrow and will share with you as soon as they are complete!

in other news...
...I gave myself bangs last night. and yes, they are straight this time.
...getting afghans my Nana made 30 years ago from my Papa in the mail is really.. nice. I love them! and I love her.
...please don't blow snot rockets in a gym. especially if you're sitting next to me in the spinning class, blowing them in my direction, and smelling like sweaty semin.
...I have a new love for loud shoes.

lots of lots

2009-07-30T14:41:00.000-07:00

my nerves are as frayed at the ends as the hairs on my head.
summer has officially exploded. the next time I have available to breathe isn't until... Saturday August 22nd. if my lungs were larger this might be a little easier.
while I am really excited about all the opportunities that have presented themselves to me, the weather is very overwhelming with a slight chance of panic attack and sudden weight loss. good thing I have spent the past couple months beefing up my beef.

inhale, exhale. and repeat.

on top of that, my husband is turning 30 in October and we are going to Vegas baby! I am looking forward to winning another $5 on slots so I can buy myself half of a margarita.

until then, I will be spending my time mulling over past shoots and areas that need improvement... feel free to offer me your thoughts!

in other news...

...my house is a mess and is scheduled to remain that way until November 2009

..."cumulative" should not be abbreviated to "cum."

...if this photography thing doesn't work out, my next dream is to be in a rap video.

where do I begin...

2009-07-15T10:29:00.000-07:00

wow is it hot. for anyone located within approximately a 30 mile radius of where I am at, you are hot. I guarantee it.

so did anyone watch Obama's pitch last night? I didn't. baseball just isn't on my radar. but I did hear all the hubbub about his casual wardrobe and banter amongst the players. and honestly, who DOESN'T wear a jacket, jeans, and tennis shoes to a ball game? even Mrs. Beckham dresses down for such an event.

TrueBlood watchers: things are getting interesting. for those of you who DVR things and may not necessarily be 100% caught up, I won't give anything away but my goodness how could they kill off Sookie so early? just kidding.

personal beef: I agree that the Twilight series is poorly written yet adolescently addicting but, for once, can someone please turn this sort of book in to an equally awful movie that at least has decent effects? their depiction of a wolf in New Moon looks worse than a taxidermied fox being tossed around in a forest.

in other news (which is all this post seems to be anyway)...

...Canon 40d is now in my grasp. watch out world.

...another bachelorette party? here's hoping there's an obscene cake involved.

...the only thing worst than a sunburnt scalp is a peeling scalp. gross.

...Discmen won an award! the ceremony will be in San Francisco Tuesday July 21st at Joey & Eddie's 6:30pm.

this watermark is makin' me hungry

2009-07-08T16:28:00.000-07:00

finally finally finally.

update to-do list...
...cross off create watermark
...add relax

thousands of grains of salt

2009-07-07T15:32:00.000-07:00

I tend to be inspired by a lot of things. hurt by more things. and intimidated by most things.
at times, crawling in to a unseen dark corner seems to be the best option... minutes later, I want to build something new and poetic and become universely famous. and on days where neither one of those options will do, 'why bother' and 'whatever' become my closest friends. chaos.
my poor husband never knows what the day is going to be like.

besides that too-much-information bit, things of the external nature have been a blizzard. the trip to Los Angeles was ho-hum but still required the attention a 'weekend trip' requires... packing, trips to the airport, and buying crap to prove we were there. I finally completed my event photos last week but ran out of time to deliver them due to a trip to Las Vegas over this past weekend... which was a little too indulgent considering all of my personal to-do items awaiting me elsewhere. by the time I return from these frequent whirlwinds, I am too exhausted to tie off all the loose ends I had so ambitiously created.
Kathleen... always running behind. figuratively and literally speaking.

the to-do list...
...crossing Bouchon off
...crossing a Cirque de Soleil off
...adding eat less
...adding run more
...adding get over things immediately

how to read in Los Angeles

cherries in Las Vegas

my personal ant farm

wake up. got outta bed. dragged a comb across my head.

2009-06-17T10:29:00.000-07:00

I am in dire need of something early.

my dog has been waking me up with either his snoring, restlessness, need to pee, or body heat for about two weeks now.. and it's always at an uncomfortable early. the kind of early where you could accept the fact that you are awake and do something good for yourself (like a workout of some sort) or continue to lay there awake with eyes closed for the next couple of hours.
I tend to chose the later.
so screw it. I will accept his invitation to be awake tomorrow and do something with it.

my husband and I are leaving for LA in a couple of days for the LA film festival. we are really looking forward to laying out at the pool at the W with cocktails in hand... not to mention our dinner at Michael Mina's XIV Saturday night. where else can you find a $110 Japanese A5 Strip Loin on the menu?

in other news...
...water does not make me feel full. people who say that it will are bonkers.
...finding hidden music on my pc that I thought did not successfully download months ago is.. AAWWESOME
...late night snacking has been kicked in the budd.. by me.
...mid-day snacking has yet to be rid of.

easy does it

2009-06-16T13:08:00.000-07:00

my EASY button has been overworked recently.

it isn't a real EASY button... but rather a homemade one - which makes it more special - made from a push button light. as much as I keep turning it on and off, on and off, on and off, nothing gets easier. in fact, I get a little thumb cramp so I guess that makes things harder.

the screening in San Francisco last night for my crew's film Discmen was optimistic! people laughed evenly throughout the entire 6 minutes of which I found myself slightly sweaty with heart racing. but at least they enjoyed themselves.

my photo shoots for the month of June are coming to an end... I have one more next week that involves a long drive, delicious food and some wine. but the two I had deadlines for are now complete and done! the new investment in the 85mm lens is treating me well thus far. I couldn't be happier with the clarity and the blur it provided me for the family shots I took this past weekend. it was a great location accompanied by a happy baby!

in other news...
...I am still overdue for a shower. please keep your distance.
...San Francisco smells of urine. ew.
...why is it so hard to just say no to coffee???

I believe anyone can change

2009-06-15T11:00:00.000-07:00

don't you hate being overdue for a shower? I find it creates a very uncomfortable feeling. even if you are just slightly overdue - overdue is overdue. I still feel like a homeless bum that happens to be wearing decent clothing.

in just a couple of hours, my husband, some friends, and I will all be in San Francisco viewing our most recent short film on the big screen. and for the first time since beginning our masterpiece, I am flippin' nervous. after several 'mini' screenings amongst coworkers, friends, and family all was well.. until just a couple of days ago when I found myself sitting with aunt and uncle nearby, as they sat quietly wearing confused smiles... confused smiles that said "I don't get this, but I'm going to support my niece in everything she does no matter how odd or strange".
sigh.

wish us luck!!

busy bee

2009-06-11T13:58:00.000-07:00

despite how much today feels like Monday, it is Thursday. I guess that is a good, as well as a bad thing.

summer seems to be officially beginning for a majority of the people I know. of course, the majority of the people I know all work within the school system so we define our summers just a little differently. I am excited about the few weekend trips my husband and I have heading our way but Monday through Friday our lives remain the same.

our most recent outing to Big Sur was amazing! a little cloudy yes, but Big Sur is a coastal park - not cloudy would have meant something drastically wrong. the Riverside cabin we stayed in was intimate and adorable... the Big Sur Bakery & Restaurant was all the homey-hippiness I wished for plus the happiness of a Belgium beer offering. now that just can't be beat!

our 9 mile Andrew Molera loop hike was astounding. the evolution from ugly trail, to river crossing, to beach rocks, to wildflower galore, to overgrown wildflower galore, to something resembling Haleakala in Maui, to the most amazing vista looking both north and south down the coast... w o w.

I could have done without the rattlesnake cameo... as well as that tick that had me in a death grip but... minor details.

Mountain View will be graced with my presence tomorrow - I will be running to Chez TJ to capture one last photo to add to the American Liver Foundation collection that I am currently busying myself with and then that project will be complete.

with another shoot scheduled on Saturday, I will have a lot of photo work ahead of me!
bring it.

in other news...
...48 hr film project in San Francisco has been conquered! I belong to Pink Umbrella Pictures and our film will be screened at the Roxie Monday, June 15th at 7pm.
...to runbikerun or not to runbikerun? I lean to runbikerun.
...do you have a goal for this summer? tell me about it...

don't think. know.

2009-05-22T13:04:00.000-07:00

how do 3 weeks go by in a blink of an eye? that just doesn't seem right.

every evening I fight the departure of the sun... seems like before I know it, it is midnight and I need sleep. yet when someone asks me how my day was, or what I did last week, I would tell you it was dull. it was boring. and I don't remember it.

breathe.

in a couple of minutes I will be off to the gym at work.. the toughest part of my day aside from dragging my tired ass out of bed this morning. yummy burgers for dinner with my husband... and then a whirlwind of a weekend involving photo prep, winery adventure, San Francisco graduation, film meeting, birthday party, Berkeley concert. I am tired already. I hope to fit in some couch-sitting with a bottle (yes bottle) of wine... or pool-dipping with a mojito disguised as water so I don't get kicked out.

one can only hope.

in other news...

...Kris Allen. really? I bet he becomes good friends with John Mayer, Ben Harper, Jack Johnson, Jacob Dylan.. or any other artist who he sounds like.

...too much leg press weight + too many repetitions = back and spine bruises with an unrelated but inevitable fear of getting older.

...hellooo... I'm Cat Deiley.. and this is... so you THINK you can dance!!

eyes and minds

2009-05-18T10:20:00.000-07:00

dream tracking entry #1

an old friend from grade school - who I have not seen since running in to her at the gym 2.5 years ago - was showing me her route to get home in some foreign place. it involved a train and a bus and I was thoroughly enjoying the adventure and catching up with such a pleasant person from my past.

in the midst of switching from train to bus I saw another friend... one that I no longer speak to. as we stood at the same bus stop avoiding one another from 10 ft away, my anger at her built up and, after short deliberation, I convinced myself that she deserved to hear me. so I whipped around and stood in front of the small patient bus crowd and said...

I was a genuine friend.. anything for you I would have done

I cried with you, celebrated with you, did nothing and everything with you

and in return you walked away.

in return, you said no.

in return, you said sorry.

in return, you acted like you never knew me.

and as the small patient bus crowd accepted me with surprisingly sane eyes and understanding minds, she turned around and walked away like she never knew me. I watched her get smaller and smaller all the while making excuses in my mind... maybe she just realized she missed her bus. maybe she's thirsty and is walking to a cafe. maaaaybeeee she was never there.

in other news...

...4 cups of coffee should fix this restless sleeping and dreaming problem

...oooh why not make it 5

...ok. time to reorganize the entire house

...oh heck, why not build a new one

...oh look, my running shoes! let me go on a quick run

...work work work, laundry, rose pruning, wall washing

...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

6 packs in 4 places

2009-05-14T12:53:00.000-07:00

Big Sur.

Los Angeles.

Las Vegas.

Lake Tahoe.

all 4 in less than 3 months. which I initially thought sounded like much less time than what it reads as. nonetheless, an exciting 3 months. an anniversary, a film festival, a bachelorette, and a wedding.

sounds like a summer blockbuster.

only better.

in between the flying and driving, I am looking forward to the cycling. it has been a long time since I hit the trails and roads instead of the gym and frankly, I am a little scared to leave my routine. at the gym I know I can run, leg press, single leg squat, wall sit, ab crunch, and butt blast my way through 60 minutes non-stop and be sore for days. those machines and tools have my body groves engraved in them somewhere...

but the trails and the roads? they can promise me only one kind of workout. can I be mentally satisfied with this? only one way to find out.

in other news...

...So You Think You Can Dance? bring it on.

...6 pack 6 pack 6 pack 6 pack. maybe with enough focus it will happen.

...does anyone remember when Biggest Loser contestants were HAPPY with losing weight even if they didn't win? sigh.

Sur Big

2009-05-11T13:13:00.000-07:00

a new day a new plan.

Nick and I have scheduled a trip down to Big Sur at the end of the month... we are going on marriage year #2! who else could put up with my psychotic rants, mis-pronounced words, constant need for glasses of random liquids from the kitchen, and super woman strength? no one. he is special.

other than hiking and enjoying the amazingness of Big Sur, we plan on eating at the Big Sur Bakery & Restaurant which I cannot wait for! their somewhat disorganized and homey-feeling website has my expectations raised for a down-to-earth fancy feast.
and check out this hike... how can you say no to that??
with the weather improving weekend after weekend, Big Sur should be peaking by the time we get there!

speaking of weather, it allowed me to do another photo shoot this past weekend. I visited the Rose Garden with family in tow... the sun was sunny, breeze breezey, and roses rosey. we could not have asked for a better day OR better company!

in other news....
..one should not reward oneself from refraining from dairy successfully by eating everything non-dairy in site
...roses shouldn't be given foodie names unless we are allowed to eat them
...don't chew gum if you are getting your picture taken

meatballs and mass

2009-05-05T15:56:00.000-07:00

holy meatballs it's May.

mm meatballs.

speaking of food, my husband and I had a delicious dinner the other day - not meatballs but, full of yum nonetheless. threw some asparagus in the oven with evoo, salt, pepper, and a few wrapped in a narrow slice of prosciutto... as well as a whole baby portobella painted with the same seasonings. meanwhile, I whipped up a dijon / lemon / evoo dressing for a spinach salad and BAM. a quick dinner that tasted superb.

and it just gets better...

I made us a pizza the other night with half carmelized onion & pear, and half portobella mushroom and prosciutto. need I say more?

the weather has been a big zap in my creative flow recently. it is either windy, rainy, or cold when I have shoots scheduled... and perfect weather when people already have plans. I managed to sneak a few at my cousin's recent First Communion celebration but I went in to the event with different expectations so it doesn't feel 'real' to me.

I have 2 shoots scheduled for the next 2 weekends... hopefully the weather will be nice to me.

in other news...

...it is possible to do sprints on a treadmill without flying off

...day 2 of 'absolutely no dairy whatsoever' is going smoothly

...day 2 of my new 'picking at everything' habit is filling the dairy void but causing some pain

grab your cup, and sip

2009-05-01T13:28:00.000-07:00

I had a quesadilla for lunch. it was loaded with cheese. damn this lactose intolerance.

after a recent bout with TMJ my diet has adapted even tighter restrictions. the lactose intolerance requires me to leave any and all forms of dairy behind... even a teaspoonful. any itty bit throws my stomach in to turmoil. TMJ cut out ice-chewing, gum-chewing, and any sort of meat gnawing that I might feel like doing.

well today, today I live my life to fullest - beginning with a quesadilla for lunch. maybe I'll treat myself to a dollop of sour cream as a snack later. a slice of pizza for dinner. chocolate for dessert. ah yes, I dream.

my photography business is slowly launching. slowly but surely. and correctly. I feel that the past couple of months have allowed me to build a solid portfolio... different faces, different places. once my website is perfected and published, endless possibilities!

in other news...
...club soda should not be mistaken for water.
...7 more months until the next holiday that will introduce decent chocolates in to my world again. 7 months is a long time.
...after two years, my dog is now officially a dog. 'fetch' is finally part of his listening vocabulary that functions properly.
...my husband recently asked me how one wears a cup. last time I checked, the only goods I have that require a cup also require a tea bag and hot water. so I say, "On one's hand honey".

holy crow!

2009-04-07T13:24:00.000-07:00

last week while feverishly chopping a red onion, a bit of juice flew up and landed on that little piece of horizontal skin between eye lash and eye ball. slowly leaking itself in to my tear ducts.
last weekend while reading a book in the sun on my front lawn with my dog and curious neighbors wondering if I was high, something flew up my nose.
5 minutes ago while excitedly sipping my crystal light fruit punch like a 5 year old, a droplet of it flew out as I pulled the glass away from my face and landed in my eye.

what the f.

besides all the crap flying in to my face as of late, things have been moving along steadily. American Idol is very, very slowly coming to an end. Biggest Loser is bringing me to tears on a weekly basis. Jack Bauer was exposed and is feeling the effects but madam President seems to now be on the right track. and Nick has finally figured out I have been going to the tanning salon.
game over.

in other news...
...April showers bring May flowers. not April THUNDERSTORMS.
...the Twlight series is as addicting as a big bag of kettle corn on a summer day when you have had nothing to eat and it's 6pm already and dental floss is readily available. and no, it doesn't matter how old you are.
...Tijuana time is not the same as Pacific time. that would explain the mall opening an hour 'late' on Sunday.

dairy, wine, and rides

2009-03-30T10:24:00.000-07:00

it's official. my stomach is lactose intolerant. damn.

I hosted a dinner this weekend featuring my beloved Honeycomb Rigatoni and a new crostini appetizer recipe (with a few adjustments I think it can become a personal fave). the combinations of goat, parmesan, ricotta cheeses, and creme fraiche made my stomach churn until 4am. as much as I love cheese and a wonderful vanilla bean ice cream, it is just not worth it.

in addition to the cheese decorated food, my friends hopped on by with a white wine sangria that was superbly delish. fresh squeezed limes, oranges, and strawberries mixed with wine and ginger ale = happiness.

in other news...
...Great America seems to be attracting the same white trash today that it did in 1996. some things never change.
...1.5 seconds is my high-pitch scream time limit. my panic requires I breathe and shut my yap immediately afterward.
...I do not like experiencing earthquakes from the 2nd floor of a 3rd floor building with exits that are very far away. pansy.

planner planning plans

2009-03-19T09:47:00.000-07:00

nothing beats the excitement that plans bring.

last week I determined the name. this week? the logo is my task to tackle. call me a slow mover. I am going to do this right the first and only time.

in addition to those plans... I am hosting a dinner that is just around the corner. serving the lovely Honeycomb Rigatoni and an exciting new appetizer that I have yet to choose. we are talking Martha Stewart magazine dinner presentation! featuring sangrias, flower pots, two elated dogs jumping in the yard, spring candles, sunshine... all followed by a home cooked meal.
getcho pawpcorn ready! or dinner attire I guess.

and again, in addition to those plans... Napa awaits me. finally. trip after trip I have added more wineries and restaurants to my list to visit because I ran out of time and stomach space for them the first time around. well, here I come Hess and Silver Oak and Martini House and there's nothing you can do about it... except maybe relocate or close that day.

in other news...
...Iron Chef America anyone? I shook the hand of the man who beat Bobby Flay with the secret ingredient... CABBAGE!
...what do I hate more than spending money on lunch every day because I didn't pack my own? packing one and then forgetting it on the table at home where it will go bad by the time I get back.
...if Biggest Loser contestants can run a half marathon, surely I can. right?

what if what?

2009-03-12T10:54:00.000-07:00

what a strange time this is. this last week has been a small roller coaster ride. I was not looking forward to working on the Live Band photos I took last week for fear I would be disappointed with them once I viewed the finer details. I loaded them prior to running off to my Expecting Parents shoot... risking being entirely unmotivated and melancholy afterward but, they turned out ok.
then other thoughts took over.
what am I doing?
I should cancel the shoot.
this is going to be awkward.
I think I am socially retarded.
what if I get lost and am late and they think I don't want to do it?
what if the lighting is too harsh?
what if my battery dies even though I made sure it was charged?
what if
what if
what if

what if I go and they are awesome people that seem to really like me and I really like them and the lighting is perfect and I am really happy with the results?

in other news...
...new diet alert: chocolate chocolate chocolate. it is not working yet.
...spending time with a loved one in front of the tv is not spending time with a loved one.
...despite the sun, jacket still required.

hip hip

2009-03-06T10:14:00.000-08:00

when was the last time YOU got home past 2am on a work night?

despite my dehydrated brain and eye bags, I can proudly state 'yesterday'.

again, I forgot the essential ear plugs for a punk concert but, what's another couple hours of noise blasting to my drums eh? after some test shots of my Nick-muse in the dark corners we were able to adjust some settings to my liking and wham-bam I am happy.

photos posted shortly.

tomorrow brings on the bare belly... and I cannot wait! for weeks now I have been crossing my fingers for some sun on March 7th... please please please, just a moment of sun. after going through spells of hail and downpour and gusty winds I thought for sure the luck in the crossing of my fingers had departed forever but hold the phone like you just don't care - the sun is out with no rain in the air! HOO HAA

in other news...

...two cheers for successfully arriving at my San Francisco destination and achieving free celebrity street parking!

...hip hip

...hooray

...if applied to my stomach, my back, and my forehead, will deodorant stop my profuse sweating during a workout? need to test this one.

...where have all my workout pants gone? I think they are hiding from my butt... as my socks are from my feet.

hail today, sun tomorrow

2009-03-05T15:19:00.000-08:00

ice is my favorite.

in my efforts to cut down on the tooth-darkening coffee poison, I passed on the temptation this morning... only to grab some in the early afternoon. what can I say. it is like drinking at a party that's uncomfortable. you cannot stop sipping. I need something to sip.

is everyone aware of the upcoming daylight savings time? I do not even care that I will be losing an hour. in the long run, I am gaining sun. this leads to so many after work festivities that I am just so joyous about. my hill run at the nearby preserve. the mountain bike route my buddy keeps asking me to do with him. the dog park with my Romeo. a tan.

A TAN.

amazing. my skin is starting to look green.. nothing a little vitamin K can't solve.

I have renewed my love of http://www.mapmyrun.com/ thanks in part to the handy new GOALS they propose for healthy and fit-inspired individuals. want to quit smoking? drink less? bike more miles? track your progress here and get support from other members. not to mention, win a little 'trophy' picture. it will never make it to your mantle but it is a trophy nonetheless.

my goals? drink less. work out more. 4 days in to it and I have had 0 drinks, and 3 workouts. awesome.

in other news...

...home-made dog biscuits, while being superbly delicious to your furry friends, also make them itchy (or so I suspect)

...new-found inspiration: RUNRUNRUNRUNRUN

...in very small doses, San Francisco isn't all that bad. but it is still dirty. and the bottom of my shoes just don't deserve that.

...adding to my list of mixes that don't mix: beer, cider, sake, champagne.

that sweat doesn't belong to me

2009-02-17T11:40:00.000-08:00

another 10k over and done. and I can actually say that the training was FUN. that's right. fun. I am going to miss it but, maybe my running buddy and I can continue the training despite the lack of an upcoming race.

until then, I look forward to continuing my singing while treadmill running at the gym.

tomorrow evening has taken a turn. rather than sweating it out with all the other peeps on machines while ignoring one another, San Francisco will be blessed with my presence. more information later.

in other news...
...happy birthday romeo! you are 2 now. that makes you a 24 year old bachelor. oh gawd.
...when one looks greenish pale in certain lighting, it is time to get a tan.
...for the last time, wipe your nasty sweat off of exercise machines before you leave them for me!

B A N A N A S

2009-02-11T14:41:00.000-08:00

if you were at all wondering, the American Bison and the American Buffalo are essentially the same thing.

crossing that off my 'things I think I may know but am not sure of' list now.

my body visited yet another gym class last night. this class by far, uses the most amount of equipment out of all the others. a stepper, the steps, a mat, 2 sets of hand weights, and a bar with weights. just the fight for space and supplies is enough to make me change my mind and leave but, I never do. the women slam their shit around, cut in front of you, invade space, throw dirty looks... it is a small gym riot really. like a scene out of a western where someone (me) eventually shoots their gun off in to the ceiling to stop the chaos and yells something like "what the ef! get in line! this shit is bananas."

speaking of bananas, I will need one tomorrow morning prior to my non-race. non-race means I was too cheap to pay to run in it (frankly, I should be getting paid to run) and I will be starting an hour early.

no more race jitters. no more elbowing. no more listening to other people's silly conversations.

here I go!

the weekends

2009-02-09T10:21:00.000-08:00

some good news waking from the weekend...
3 of my photos will be used in the upcoming Setoff Constructive Instability CD! I am really excited and I think the guys made some excellent choices. thank you for making my week!

some good news heading in to future weekends...
there is a possibility I may have my first pregnant shoot coming up. this is going to be a tricky one as some of my most favorite pregnant pictures are riskay and that will not fly until I have had some practice. but the special part of this is it is the couple's first baby... so I know they will be extra giddy and happy with the newness of it all.
time for me to study up!

in other news...
...Pink Berry is as good as the hype proclaims.
...one should not have to wait an hour for a table at a restaurant that has picnic print tablecloths (ahem, Maggiano's)
...Valentine's Day. whether you got a date or not, it is a load of crappy crap-poop.