I Digress.

My Inspiration for Today

2012-01-24T17:44:00.001Z

Sixty Seconds of 'YES!'

If this video doesn't make you want to pack a bag and show up at the airport ready to jump on just about any flight...well, you're just not watching it correctly. :)

Wordless Wednesday 12

2011-10-12T10:09:00.001+01:00

Where's Waldo?

For more Wordless good stuff, go here for mine or here for everybody else's.

The Best Web on the Web

2011-10-10T15:41:00.001+01:00

Spider (and cake!) in a Jar

I just found the coolest Halloween treat at a fabulous new-to-me blog called i am baker. Check out the above photo. How cute...I mean, spooky...is that?! Seriously...whether you like spiders or not, ya gotta admit that this is a great twist on the old 'Cake in a Jar' thing. The chocolate web on the top looks amazing, and seems to be surprisingly easy to make. Visit i am baker for all the instructions and helpful step-by-step photos of the process. You can tell her I sent ya!

I am totally making these...even if I am already a little creeped out!

Pssstt! If you're into the creepy crawly stuff, you might also like her Centipede cake (below). Personally, I'm pretty sure that the Devil himself set centipedes upon this earth to torture ME personally, so I won't be making this one. But if you're into that sort of thing, have at it! Just don't invite me over for it, k?

Bleehhh! I get heebie jeebies just looking at it!

Why Some Animals Eat Their Young

2011-09-02T16:20:00.003+01:00

She's sitting there, across the table from us, lying. Lying right to our faces. And we KNOW she's lying. We know she's lying, she knows she's lying, but she clearly doesn't know that we know she's lying. She sits there, telling some outlandish story because the more detailed and complicated it is, the more likely it is to be true, right? She weaves her fairy tale story, twisting and turning and spinning this intricate explanation for where she was, who she was with, what they did, and what the weather was like when they were there doing whatever it was that they supposedly did. And it's all bullshit. And we KNOW it's bullshit. And I find myself sitting there, looking at her feeding us these lines, nervous but working hard to cover her nerves with the false strength of deception and I just keep thinking...'stew'.

credit: cheezburger.com

A Rosa Rubignosa by Any Other Appellation

2011-08-26T12:50:00.000+01:00

Credit: nuffy.net

Phoebe Buffay had Regina Phalange. Lorelai Gilmore had Squeegy Beckinheim. Clark Kent had...oh, something I can't seem to remember right now. Jennifer Garner liked 'em so much she had a whole collection of them. No, I'm not talking about favorite facialists. I'm talking aliases, people!

Credit: AllTheTests.com

And I have a new one. A new alias, a Super Secret Fake Name. (It's not really a secret at all, but I like the sound of that whole phrase together.) And I am quite pleased with it.

I've had others. Last year I gave gangster names to the whole family. LoML was SweetieBoy Smithers. The Girl was Dollface Malone. I can't remember The Kid's name because he didn't really use it, but I did call him 'Keith' a lot. I was and am CrazyLegs McGee. But times change and identities must be altered to protect the...well, me. And it is with this in mind that I get to share with you my newest Super Secret Fake Name!

I'd like to say it came to me in a dream. Or maybe a mysteriously accurate tea leaf reading. But that would be a lie. Here's how it happened: LoML and I were watching Fox News the other night. Don't judge; we watch it for a laugh! But there was a short segment that featured a girl named--no joke--Vanesha Cashdollar. She was talking about volunteer opportunities abroad, but I wasn't listening. I had stars in my eyes as I marvelled at the wonder of her name. Vanesha. Cashdollar. I don't know what she did in a former life to deserve a name like that, but as far as I was concerned, she'd struck gold. Or cash. Or dollars.

I'd like to be clear: I'm not trying to offend anybody. Vanesha, if you or any member of the Cashdollar family are reading this, please don't be mad at me. I just can't help it. I LOVE your name! And please remember, as I appropriate it for my own use, that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. So I'm swagger jackin'.

Don't worry, I'm giving it my own spin. Sort of. I figure a girl named Vanesha must have an interesting life story. So MY Vanesha is a young widow. She came from humble beginnings, but met the man of her dreams at Princeton where she studied Interpretive Dance with a minor in Women's Studies. She married up, but her husband died in a tragic water-skiing accident two years later. She is, of course, a Thoroughly Modern Women, so she hyphenated when she married.

She is...

Vanesha Louise Moneypenny-Cashdollar.

I suspect her next marriage will be to one Buck Goldengoose. Or Bill Franklinclams. Benjamin Quidworth? Oh, the possibilities!

Aaahhhh!

2011-05-10T20:04:00.000+01:00

I can't stop laughing at this! Seriously...I watch it over and over and laugh out loud every single time. It makes me want to make a big yummy sandwich...and not give it to my dog. ;)

Wordless Wednesday 11

2011-03-08T22:12:00.002Z

Peekaboo

For more Wordless good stuff, go here for mine or here for everybody else's.

Newsflash

2011-03-05T00:20:00.001Z

I'm not perfect.

More on this late-breaking news to come....

Book Review: Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven by Susan Jane Gilman

2010-06-15T14:56:00.003+01:00

From the back cover:

In 1986, Susan Jane Gilman and a classmate embarked on a bold trek around the globe starting in the People's Republic of China. At that point, China had been open to independent backpackers for roughly ten minutes. Armed only with the collected works of Nietzsche and Linda Goodman's Love Signs, the two friends plunged into the dusty streets of Shanghai. Unsurprisingly, they quickly found themselves in over their heads--hungry, disoriented, stripped of everything familiar, and under constant government surveillance. Soon, they began to unravel--one physically, the other psychologically. As their journey became increasingly harrowing, they found themselves facing crises that Susan didn't think they'd survive. But by summoning strengths she never knew she had--and with help from unexpected friends--the two travelers found their way out of a Chinese heart of darkness.

When I picked this book up I expected it to be about the travel adventures of two young women, freshly graduated from Brown University and ready to take on the world. What I found...well, it wasn't quite as simple as that. Susie and Claire, the two main characters, certainly begin their journey thinking they are "young and brilliant", the "leaders of tomorrow", and particularly as feminists they feel empowered to do what might seem impossible. Working both for and against them was an epic naivete so profound it could only have been the product of an Ivy League education. Gilman herself acknowledges this: "Like most grandiose ideas, ours had begun stupidly." But instead of realizing they were about to bite off waaaay more than they could chew, they are excited by the perceived challenges that await them, and they even entertain romantic notions of joining the ranks of the history's great explorers. "All we'd thought was: Hey, let's be Odysseus. Let's be Byron. Let's be Don Quixote, Huck Finn, and Jack Kerouac all rolled into one--except with lip gloss. Let's conquer the f*cking world."

They soon find themselves living the reality of traveling in an undeveloped Communist country where they don't speak the language and very few people speak theirs. The language barrier is deeper than sheer linguistics; the two quickly find that they don't fully comprehend the extent to which political ideology can permeate a culture and personal life, and they are shocked and often distraught to find concepts like privacy and personal space are as foreign to their Chinese hosts as the two tall and gangly Westerners themselves are. This was the sort of culture clash I expected to read in this book. But as interesting as that is, it really only serves as the backdrop for what begins to happen to Susie, and especially to Claire, and for the changes that occur between them, and it is these changes that truly make this book fascinating. The psychological and physical pressures of their adventure affect each of them quite differently, and the result is a page-turner of a book.

I won't give away the surprise to the plot, but I will say this: When Brianne from Hachette Book Group first offered to send me two books to review, I was much more interested in the other one. In fact, I only requested Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven as almost an afterthought. But when the package with both books arrived, I picked up this book and read the first page. That was all it took--I was hooked! I rarely put it down over the next few days as I read it, and didn't even pick the other book up until I'd finished reading this great memoir. I really enjoyed it; it was easy to read, very entertaining and I just couldn't wait to see how it ended!

You might enjoy Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven, too! It's available in bookstores now, or you can order it online at Amazon.com or your favorite online bookseller. Thanks so much to Brianne from Hachette Book Group for giving me the opportunity to review this great book!

Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven
By Susan Jane Gilman
ISBN: 9780446696937
Published by: GRAND CENTRAL PUBLISHING

Is This a Urinal?

2010-05-31T14:32:00.001+01:00

Saw this on Wossy the other night (aka, Jonathon Ross) and LoML and I laughed about it for the rest of the night. The unfortunate thing is that the guy is American. Ah well...you can't hide the morons forever. Eventually they come out of the Port-a-Potty.

Macro Monday 1

2010-05-31T07:00:00.007+01:00

Ever Wanna Bee on TV?

I've been playing around with a little macro photography lately. Dude...macro is HARD! Or maybe it's just me. Not sure, but I can't seem to adjust the focal area to get the whole bee in focus. Surely that's possible?! Anybody have any ideas? Please remember that I don't speak camera completely fluently yet. :)

Found this guy on my Sky remote and was grateful for his cooperation while I took several shots of him. Ehh...who am I kidding? I took about a hundred shots of him, most of which are crap. Like I said, macro is hard!

Constructive criticism would be very much appreciated!

For more Macro Monday fun, go here. Lisa's Chaos is an amazing photoblog...take a look and enjoy!

Eurovision Song Contest 2010

2010-05-30T01:13:00.008+01:00

My Second Eurovision!

Last year, only a few weeks after I moved to Ireland, I got to experience my very first Eurovision Song Contest. Many, if not most, of my American readers probably have no idea what that means, and I had no clue before last May either. It's an annual competition among European countries, each of which enters a single act to represent it. Each participating country then assigns a certain number of points to the songs they like best, and these are totalled to determine the winner. Imagine if American Idol were an Olympic event...that's sort of what Eurovision is. (Something I learned last year: ABBA actually got their start as Eurovision contestants in 1974 with "Waterloo"!)

Anyway, I got to enjoy my second Eurovision this past week. We watched the semi-finals on Tuesday and Thursday, and the final was on tonight. Most of the acts are cheesy beyond belief! The songs are totally cornball, and there seems to be a separate competition to see who can do the most with smoke, flames and wind machines. Last year treadmills were popular, too. A lot of the songs are sweeping, sappy ballads...blech. But still...I love it! (Judge me all you want...I KNOW I have excellent taste in music, but even a five-star chef enjoys a Big Mac once in a while. Not that I know any five-star chefs to ask. But I'm sure there must be at least one out there confident enough in his or her skills to admit they like the McJunk on occasion.)

Ireland has had great success in Eurovision historically, and actually holds the record for the most wins with seven. We made the final this year, but didn't do that well in the final standings. Personally, I found Ireland's entry this year rather sleepy and boring. A few years ago, though, it was anything but. It seems Ireland pissed off the rest of the continent by sending Dustin the Turkey as their 2008 Eurovision representative, and the very first puppet to ever grace the Eurovision stage as a contestant. I think that's hilarious, but I guess nobody else got the joke; he didn't make it past the semi-final stage. (You can see his performance in the 2008 semi-finals here.)

This year's contest was full of mostly rather forgettable songs. There were a couple that stood out for me, though. Tom Dice represented Belgium, singing "Me and My Guitar". It was great! You can see it here. I also loved Germany's contribution. Nineteen-year-old Lena Meyer-Landrut became the second German ever to win the competition with her song "Satellite". It's definitely a catchy tune, and it has earned Lena dubious comparisons to Lily Allen and Kate Nash. You can check it out here, but be warned: It WILL stick in your head like gum to the bottom of your shoe!

My favorite part of the whole evening, though, without a doubt was the great interval act with Madcon. They are Norwegian (a fact that somehow escaped my notice until tonight), and the event was held in Oslo since Alexander Rybak won last year with "Fairytale". They performed with a flash mob that danced across Europe to Madcon's "Glow". It was a great event that must have been ridiculous to try to organize, but it came off really well. I'm a HUGE fan of the flash mob thing anyway...though I can never decide if I'd rather be part of one or a gobsmacked onlooker. Anyway, we got to see Madcon et al dancing in Oslo, Reykjavik, Dublin, Dusseldorf, Vilnius, Ljubljana, and Gothenburg mob-style, along with families in their living rooms in countries across Europe, including Poland, Slovenia, Estonia, Israel, Portugal, Albania, Serbia, Switzerland and others. It was brilliant, well-organized and really well-executed. You can see it below; it's definitely worth watching!

Funny Video: Tickle Kitty

2010-05-24T21:14:00.004+01:00

Okay, this video has me in stitches tonight. I was actually looking for a different but similar video. No luck there, but I found this one and it cracks me up every time I see it! Enjoy this--it's short, sweet and super funny!

Weekend Stuff

2010-05-23T22:31:00.005+01:00

The weather has been beautifully and unusually hot here in Dublin this weekend, but things haven't been so great at our house. Nothing terrible, just frustration at nearly every turn. For example, the hose to our shower in the main bath sprang a leak this past week. The coils seemed to come loose or something. Kinda weird. Anyway, it drastically reduced water pressure so we had to replace it. We bought a new one at Ireland's version of Home Depot, B&Q, where we told that the one we eventually chose was UNIVERSAL. We, in our hardware naivete, understood that to mean that it would fit any shower system, any shower head holder bracket thingy. Funnily enough (or not), we had just bought a new UNIVERSAL shower head bracket a couple of months ago that really didn't fit our existing shower head. The purpose of that had been to make it easier for me to adjust the height of the shower head. It didn't work out, but we just left it on the pole and continued using the old one. So now we have two supposedly UNIVERSAL shower head bracket holder thingies and a new UNIVERSAL shower head and hose, and none of them fit together. So my obvious question is "If these are all supposed to be UNIVERSAL, WHICH UNIVERSE are we talking about?!"

~~~~

Sky News Headline: WAR CRIMES PROSECUTORS SEEK TO SUBPOENA SUPERMODEL NAOMI CAMPBELL

LoML: 'War crimes prosecutors??'

H!: Well, by all accounts, she IS a bitch!

~~~~

The Girl has been grounded this past week for crimes against humanity. Oh, all right, it was for drinking and lying and having a generally Very Bad Attitude. But her maturity in accepting her punishment, almost to the point of enforcing it herself, has been remarkable. In fact, she just headed off to bed a little while ago, about five minutes earlier than her 'while you're grounded' bedtime of 10pm. After she left the room, all smiles and kisses and 'see you in the morning's, LoML just shook his head in disbelief and asked me, "Did that really just happen?" It's not so unusual for her these days, though, which is sooooo great! She's a champ when it comes to taking her lumps, and handles it far better than I ever did, I think. And this particular grounding was pretty harsh. No TV, no computer, no iPod, no phone, no going anywhere but school, walk your dog every day, clean your room and pick up your stuff before bed, etc. She even had an opportunity to go to the beach with her mother today, but she chose to stay home and be grounded. (WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH THE GIRL?!) She'll be ungrounded tomorrow evening, so we'll see how things go when she's FREE at last!

~~~~

Here's something kinda funny I found at in which a girl reads. Enjoy!
(Because my template pushes content to the left, you might want to click on the video to watch it at YouTube. 'Cause I don't feel like figuring out the HTML to resize it. So there.)

~~~~

'Til next time I feel like it....

Wordless Wednesday 10

2010-05-19T10:45:00.002+01:00

First Communion

For more Wordless good stuff, go here for mine or here for everybody else's.

Winners!

2010-05-18T15:11:00.001+01:00

Yo...Dawg...That Was Hot!

Yay...we have winners! Check it out...two winners were drawn for the giveaways that ended last week. They have both confirmed and will be enjoying their prizes very soon!

The winner of the Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion is...

Joanne J., who said:

Tweet http://twitter.com/joannej1982/status/12881354169

And the winner of the Beverage CADDi is...

Still Blonde after all these YEARS, who said:

I follow you on Google Friend connect #2

Congratulations to both of you!!

If you didn't win this time, please stay tuned for some exciting NEW giveaways starting soon!

Skywatch Friday 1

2010-05-08T00:00:00.003+01:00

Maynooth Sky

I have never had a chance to play in the weekly Skywatch Friday meme, but I realized tonight--with less than an hour to spare--that I still had time to get these posted for today...yay! I just shot these photos a few hours ago while sitting on a street in Maynooth waiting for LoML to come out of a shop. It was actually quite a lovely day, but the clouds were doing some interesting things in the sky, and I had my camera on (of course), so I took advantage of the situation. This is what I got.

I don't know why, but I just liked this kind of silly shot of a pigeon in a tree. I think it sort of looks almost solarized, but it's a natural solarization. The only post-production work I did was to resize it. I just love pictures that allow me to get lost in a crazy pattern like this!

For more Skywatch Friday, check out mine...wait, this is my first time playing! Okay, then...check out everybody else's right here!

Post-it Note Tuesday 6

2010-05-04T07:00:00.001+01:00

For more sticky goodness, go here for mine, and here for everybody else's.

What Up Wit Da Girl

2010-04-28T15:45:00.005+01:00

(Or, Gimme an E! Gimme a Y! Gimme a J! Gimme a...oh, forget it. Maybe We Should Just Spell 'Volcano'.)

Eyjafjallajokull.

They say:
“Ay-yah-FYAH’-plah-yer-kuh-duhl”.

I say:
Stupid stinkin' volcano.

The Girl should still be in the United States right now. She's not. That damned volcano in Iceland, the name of which nobody can pronounce, has really messed things up.

To give a little background, The Girl is part of a cheerleading team. Now, cheerleading isn't a very typically Irish thing to do; in fact, she is part of the only cheerleading group in the country. Since it's not something that has any history or standing here, they have been struggling to get some recognition and support--financial and otherwise--for what they do. So, in an effort to prove the legitimacy of their sport, last year Team Ireland started working hard to raise money to fund a trip to compete in the 2010 International Cheer Union World Championship competition in Orlando, Florida. That's right, Disney World. Traveling anywhere is always exciting when you're fifteen, but going to America is HUGE. And Disney World?! You can imagine how excited she's been--for months.

Photo from Daily World Buzz

But that stupid volcano on Eyjafjallajokull had to blow its top. And it had to spew its ash all over the place, obstructing all air traffic and making flights in or out of Ireland (along with most of the rest of Europe) impossible. (It should be obvious that anything with a name like Eyjafjallajokull has to be bad news, right?) And while I know that hundreds of thousands of people experienced some disruption to their lives due to the stupid thing, I saw how crushed The Girl and all her cheering friends were. I know there were many, many people who were in a hurry to get to important meetings, vacations, weddings, funerals or even to just get home. I know it was difficult and an absolute mess for everybody else. But this is the story *I* know, so I'm telling it. This was, for some of these kids, the chance of a lifetime. To have it snatched away from them for such a bizarre and really kind of surreal reason has been...well, at the risk of using such a strong word, simply devastating.

What still shocks me is that the only part of the entire trip that is refundable is the airfare. I suppose I can understand the hotel they'd booked having a non-refundable reservations policy, but Disney World?? Really? For a bunch of kids, an extracurricular activity sort of group of kids who were coming to Disney World to compete in a wholesome and healthful physical sporting activity?! That surely isn't what I'd expect from the Happiest Place on Earth. This doesn't come to me directly from Disney World itself, but rather through The Girl from her coaches who organized the trip. My personal feeling is that the issue should be pursued to see if any arrangements can be made, especially since, as I understand it, admission tickets to Disney parks are good forever [anybody know if that's true?], and the group is planning to try again next year.

Anyway, it is an all-around bummer, and that's why I wrote a strongly worded Post-it Note to Eyjafjallajokull the other day. To her credit, and to our delight, however, The Girl has taken it fairly well. She was very, very bummed, of course, but some of her disappointment has been eased by a trip the whole group took this past weekend to a waterpark in Cork. She's taking it on the chin, getting on with things and looking forward to next year.

And really, isn't that the kind of optimism you'd expect from any self-respecting cheerleader, anyway?

The Girl is in the front row, second from the right.

Wordless Wednesday 9

2010-04-28T07:00:00.004+01:00

Lost Ball

(Just for fun--solarized and swirled!)

For more Wordless good stuff, go here for mine or here for everybody else's.

Post-it Note Tuesday 5

2010-04-27T14:09:00.001+01:00

For more sticky goodness, go here for mine, and here for everybody else's.

Wordless Wednesday 8

2010-04-21T18:42:00.004+01:00

Parade of Characters 2

(better late than never?)

Beverage CADDi Review and Giveaway

2010-04-21T10:48:00.001+01:00

Everybody who wishes they had more hands, raise...er...whatever you've got.

If you don't have as many hands as this guy, read on.

I've always wanted more hands so I could wear more rings. But that's not what this post is about. It's about a really cool new product called the CADDi!

The Beverage CADDi is one of those products that you don't know you need until you start using it. It does exactly what its name implies; it allows you to carry a beverage. Not impressed yet? You will be. The CADDi was developed as a solution to a problem we all have: too much stuff to carry and not enough hands to carry it all...comfortably, at least. It allows you to carry books, boxes, or bags along with your favorite hot or cold beverage without spilling or hurting your wrist. You only need one finger to carry your drink with the CADDi!

Dublin is a walking city. On any given day you can see hundreds of people on the sidewalks, rushing to get to work, class or the next great sale. Most of these people are carrying bags of some sort, and a lot of them carry a drink, as well. Many are struggling to manage it all. Now that I've used one, I can't help seeing these people trying to juggle everything on and in their hands without thinking 'If only they knew about CADDi!'

I have to admit, when the package containing my Beverage CADDi arrived in the mail I wondered if this little gadget could really do what it claimed. It arrived in a flat envelope, and it just seemed too simple to actually work. I was, however, very eager to put it to the test, and I immediately dropped an empty plastic cup into it.   It's super easy to use! You literally just slip the little vinyl holder over the bottom of your cup, slide it up to the top or as far as it needs to go to get a firm grip, then pull the strings up and slide them over your finger. And it really did work! But I still wasn't convinced. After all, I had only been using an empty cup. So I tried something more daring; I filled the cup with water! Okay, the weight of the liquid didn't seem to affect CADDi's ability to keep a grip on things. If anything, it seemed to grab onto the cup even more tightly. Still, all this was happening while I sat at the kitchen table, not moving, not carrying a gazillion things. So I started carrying my cup--with no lid!--around the kitchen, CADDi on my finger, picking things up and moving all around the place, almost trying to get my drink to spill. It didn't.

Then I tried something really crazy.

I remembered something from science class years ago about centrifugal force, and how water won't fall out of a swinging bucket because of the inertial effects associated with rotation. But surely that wouldn't work here, would it? Could the CADDi keep my drink in its proper receptacle even while it's upside-down above my head?! Surely it would spill! I took a deep breath and gave it a go, swinging my CADDi-cradled drink in a full circle at my side...around and around and around.

It didn't spill a drop!

Ain't science cool?! Now, I don't recommend you go around swinging your coffee all over the place, but you know...it's nice to know you could, innit?

'Kay, then. Back to more practical matters. The CADDi really does grip your cup. It's designed to fit most standard to-go cups that you would get at your local coffee shop, but will fit virtually any standard tapered cup with a lip at the top, with or without a lid. I actually even tried it on a glass tumbler with no lip, and it held onto it just fine. You can carry all your shopping bags, purse and totes, books, or whatever else you need to take with you, and have your drink swinging from one little finger at your side.

See the CADDi in action here:

And it's not just about carrying stuff. The CADDi lets you text, talk on the phone, hold your dog's leash, or hold your honey's hand, all while keeping your drink safe and sound and at your side. And the CADDi is convenient to carry when not in use, too! It folds flat, and can be easily tucked into a purse, briefcase, diaper bag or even a wallet. It makes a great gift, and was recently featured on the Rachael Ray Show as one of the Top 20 Gifts of the Year! You can purchase one for only $5.50, or skip the doughnuts and buy a dozen of them for your coworkers for $32.40. That's only $2.70 each! And it comes in a whole range of designs, all very cute. I received the Quotes design, and I love it!

If your organization is looking for a unique and useful promotional gift, look no further. The CADDi is totally customizable with your group's name and logo. You can learn more about these options here.

I truly am impressed with the CADDi. It is usually the simplest ideas that are the best, and this is no exception. I think it ticks all the right boxes--it's cute, simple to use and carry, affordable, and it really works! There's only one tiny reservation I have about this product, and that is that I don't think it would appeal to men quite as much as to women. But then, men don't usually carry as much as we multi-tasking women, do they? ;)

You can buy your CADDi at www.getthecaddi.com, and remember to order an extra one as a great gift to have on hand! Trust me...once you've used the CADDi, you'll wonder how you ever lived without it!

Barb from CADDi has generously offered to give one of my readers his or her very own CADDi in the design of the winner's choice! All you have to do is enter below.

Mandatory Entry:
Visit the CADDi website, then come back here and leave a comment telling me which design you would choose if you were to win.

*The Mandatory Entry must be done before subsequent Bonus Entries.*

Bonus Entries:
(You can do as many or as few of the following as you like, just be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry.)

~Follow I Digress. via Blogger or Google Friend Connect, and tell me in a comment that you are following. (2 entries)

~Become a follower of Beverage CADDi blog. Leave a comment telling me how you follow. (1 entry)

~Follow CADDi on Twitter, and tell me your Twitter id. (1 entry)

~Tweet about this giveaway, and leave a link to that tweet. (1 entry)
(You can right click on the part under your tweet that says how long ago you tweeted, select 'Copy Link Location', then paste the link here in a comment.)
You can tweet once a day for the duration of the contest.
You can use the following tweet:

Win a Beverage CADDi from I Digress. http://tinyurl.com/y8357x7 @hybroanglid! Ends 5/12.

~Follow ME on Twitter, and tell me your Twitter id. (1 entry)

~Grab my brand-spankin'-new button! Leave a comment telling me where I can find it. (3 entries!)

~Enter my Skin MD Natural giveaway here. (1 entry)

~Subscribe to my blog's RSS feed in a reader. (2 entries)

Please make sure you leave separate comments for each entry, including separate comments for multiple-entry activities. Please also make sure your email address is either included in your comment or easily accessed through your profile so I can let you know if you win!

Contest is open WORLDWIDE! Ends May 12th, 2010 at 10:00pm GMT.

Winner will be selected using Random.org (which was created here in Dublin...cool little fact for ya!) and will be contacted by email. If prize is not claimed within 72 hours, a new winner will be drawn from other entries.

Disclosure: I was given a sample of this product for review purposes. I received no monetary compensation, and the thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are mine.

Skin MD Natural Review and Giveaway

2010-04-21T10:23:00.034+01:00

Silky. Smooth.

Those are the words I would use to describe the feel of Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion.

Those are NOT words I used to use to describe my hands.

In fact, if you'd met me in person a few weeks ago you might have noticed me hesitating to shake your hand. I have been self-conscious about the condition of my hands for years. I carry hand lotion absolutely everywhere I go, and I use it liberally. As wheelchair pushers, my hands suffer abuse most folks' hands can't imagine. Dust and dirt, friction and contact with rubber tires, road salt in the winter, even certain medications I take...they all just suck the moisture right out of my skin. At their worst, my hands crack and split. I keep hand lotion in my office, at my desk, beside my bed, in the living room, in the kitchen, in the bathroom and even in the car. I use it like crazy! I have even tried covering my hands with Vaseline or some other goopy concoction and wearing gloves to bed. All these things have helped for a short while, but the effect has always been...er...skin deep.

That's why I'm figuratively jumping for joy about Skin MD Natural!

If you've been around the blogosphere a bit you've probably heard of this product. I know I kept seeing reviews for it and it all sounded really good. I couldn't wait to try it!

My wish came true a few weeks ago when I received a bottle of this amazing stuff to review. I was so excited; I opened the box immediately and gave it a go. Wow! I liked it right away. Skin MD Natural isn't thick and heavy like so many other lotions and creams. It is so light...almost watery...and it absorbs into the skin so quickly! No applying lotion then waiting for a few minutes to touch anything while my hands dry. My skin just soaked it right up! And I can't even describe how wonderful it feels! It just glides onto my hands. It's actually a pleasure to use!

I've used lotions in the past that felt good going on. The real test of this stuff would be whether or not there was a noticeable improvement in my hands later, a few hours after using it. And guess what? There was! It even lasted through several hand washings! And here's where Skin MD Natural really stands apart from the other products out there. Skin MD Natural is a Shielding Lotion. It actually forms a protective barrier between your skin and environmental moisture-suckers. And you can really feel the difference! Some other lotions might cover the surface of your skin, and might eventually be absorbed by your skin, but the moisture doesn't last. They need to be reapplied frequently--and they might even make your skin worse! That's right...according to Dr. Lisa Benest, a board-certified dermatologist, "most moisturizers on the market actually increase the trans-epidermal water loss." Sheesh! If only I'd known! But the protective barrier of Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion reduces the amount of water loss, AND it actually enables your skin to moisturize itself more efficiently!

But wait...there's more! Skin MD Natural uses all natural ingredients. Aloe vera is widely known to soothe inflammation and encourage healing, Arnica montana helps prevent bruising and other damage, chamomile is anti-inflammatory and antiseptic, and Vitamin E is an anti-oxidant that protects the structural integrity of skin cells.

Recently The Girl developed a mysterious rash over her chest, neck and face. We tried to figure out what was causing it, but couldn't identify the culprit. In the meantime, she was crazy itchy! I suggested she try some Skin MD Natural. We were both impressed. The Shielding Lotion calmed her rash so she wasn't scratching all the time, and over the course of about four days (she applied it once each day), it has completely disappeared!

She's not the only one who's benefited from Skin MD's healing effects. It's great for all kinds of skin conditions! Skin MD Natural can help heal or reduce itching and irritation associated with eczema, psoriasis, contact dermatitis, latex sensitivity, and allergies, as well as occasional scratches and other skin damage. It's also a great weapon in your beauty arsenal! Skin MD Natural can be used everywhere! It's great for your face because it's non-comedogenic, which means it won't clog pores! I've been using mine as a facial moisturizer. It feels so silky on my skin! I use it alone or under my makeup, and I think it works well as a primer, too. My makeup lasts throughout the day, and my face doesn't feel oily or shiny. And I really think my skin has a more youthful appearance since I've been using it.

Overall, this stuff is wonderful. I do have a couple of caveats, though. Firstly, while Skin MD Natural definitely DID increase the moisture in my hands, and I did notice a cumulative improvement in my skin's condition over several days of use, the efficacy of the stuff seemed to plateau after about a week, at least on my hands. They are far better than they ever were before using this product, but I guess I'd hoped for a bit more. I still have problem hands. The problem is just a lot smaller now. The second concern I have with this product is the price. It costs $18 for a four-ounce bottle ($25 for the SPF 15 formulation). I find that a bit steep. I'm not saying it's not worth it; it actually is. But just because something is worth its price doesn't mean I can afford it. I think I will ask for a bottle or two for every birthday, Mother's Day and Christmas! On the other hand, for use on either the occasional rash or other irritation, or as a facial moisturizer, it's quite affordable. If, however, you want to use it as an all-over moisturizer, it's a bit expensive.

Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion is a pretty amazing product! It can be used all over--hands, face and body. It is unscented and made from completely natural ingredients. It uses NO ANIMAL PRODUCTS and IS NOT TESTED ON ANIMALS (other than humans, of course!). And it can be purchased at most major drugstore chains and many grocery stores. You can even purchase it online--WORLDWIDE!! That is a major plus for me! If you've been thinking about trying it, go for it! You'll be pleasantly surprised at how great this stuff is, and you might just find a product you can't live without.

You can buy Skin MD Natural online here, or you can WIN a full-size bottle right HERE!

Mandatory Entry:
Visit Skin MD Natural, then come back here and leave a comment telling me something you learned there, and why you want to try it!

*The Mandatory Entry must be done before subsequent Bonus Entries.*

Bonus Entries:
(You can do as many or as few of the following as you like, just be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry.)

~Follow I Digress. via Blogger or Google Friend Connect, and tell me in a comment that you are following. (2 entries)

~Follow Skin MD Natural on Twitter, and tell me your Twitter id. (1 entry)

~Tweet about this giveaway, and leave a link to that tweet. (1 entry)
(You can right click on the part under your tweet that says how long ago you tweeted, select 'Copy Link Location', then paste the link here in a comment.)
You can tweet once a day for the duration of the contest.
You can use the following tweet:

Win Skin MD Natural from I Digress. http://tinyurl.com/y6w8a6x @hybroanglid! Ends 5/12.

~Follow ME on Twitter, and tell me your Twitter id. (1 entry)

~Check out the Skin MD Natural Store Locator and tell me where you can or would purchase it. (1 entry)

~ Grab my brand-spankin'-new button! Leave a comment telling me where I can find it. (3 entries!)

~Enter my CADDi giveaway here. (1 entry)

~Subscribe to my blog's RSS feed in a reader. (2 entries)

Please make sure you leave separate comments for each entry, including separate comments for multiple-entry activities. Please also make sure your email address is either included in your comment or easily accessed through your profile so I can let you know if you win!

Contest is open WORLDWIDE! Ends May 12th, 2010 at 10:00pm GMT.

Winner will be selected using Random.org (which was created here in Dublin...cool little fact for ya!) and will be contacted by email. If prize is not claimed within 72 hours, a new winner will be drawn from other entries.

Disclosure: I was given a sample of this product for review purposes. I received no monetary compensation, and the thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are mine.

And the Winner Is....

2010-04-07T22:15:00.000+01:00

Congratulations to Lee-Ann! She is the winner of the Putumayo Presents Rhythm & Blues cd! Thank you to everybody who entered. Stay tuned for some more great giveaways coming up soon!

Wordless Wednesday 7

2010-03-31T07:00:00.002+01:00

PARADE OF CHARACTERS

For more Wordless good stuff, go here for mine or here for everybody else's.

Post-it Note Tuesday 4

2010-03-30T07:00:00.002+01:00

Dublin St. Patrick's Festival

2010-03-29T22:17:00.029+01:00

Ahhh! It's been a long couple of weeks, but I am finally ready to post some of the photos I took during Dublin's 15th Annual St. Patrick's Festival. That's right, it's more than just a parade; it's a whole week of fun! We only participated in a few of the official activities (and maybe a couple of unofficial ones), but I shot more than 1400 photos during those events alone. Whew! My shutter finger felt like it was about to fall off! Okay, not really, but I wouldn't have been too surprised if it had done.

Our fun began with the St. Patrick's Festival Treasure Hunt. LoML, The Girl and I set out early on a Saturday morning to join in the fun of a treasure hunt. We first signed in at Dublin City Hall where we were given a map and a list of destinations. Each spot was in a different building around town, and held the answer to a clue or question on our list. The objective was to visit each location, get the clue we were looking for, get a stamp to prove we'd been there (and hadn't just googled the answer), and move on to the next place until we had all the answers we needed and could return to City Hall. Teams could be groups of no more than four people, which I found odd. The event was publicized as family event, but surely there are TONS of families with more than four members--particularly in Ireland! Anyway, the other rules were that participating teams were not allowed to use vehicles to visit the Treasure Hunt locations, and all answer sheets had to be returned to City Hall by 5pm to qualify for one of the great prizes they were offering.

So off we went! As we made our way to the first stop on our hunt, we saw many interesting old buildings that line the streets in Dublin. I'm not at all into architecture, but even I can appreciate a beautiful old church or other eye-catching structures.

We saw a few other fantastic sights too. There were musicians, face painters, street performers and buskers.

We visited the Irish Museum of Modern Art, which is housed in the old Royal Hospital. It's a beautiful building with a stunning cobblestone courtyard, and is one of my favorite places in the city.

We checked out a bit of art at the museum, then had a little artwork done on our faces...

...and bonded as a family.

We headed to Heuston Station for our next stop...

...crossed the James Joyce Bridge...

...and headed for Smithfield.

From there we went to Parnell Square, and to the National Gallery at Merrion Square before heading back toward the center of town.

Are you exhausted yet? We sure were! We wandered around for a while longer, trying to complete our mission, but we had already been walking for six hours (!!), so we called it a day. We didn't complete the treasure hunt, but we did enjoy a street fair near Merrion Square that evening. I have to say, while the Treasure Hunt itself was a great idea, and we did have fun, I was surprised at the lack of wheelchair accessibility in all but a few of the locations we were required to visit. I had to wait out on the street at most of our stops. I do wish the organizers of this event had taken that into consideration, and while they may not have been able to make all the locations accessible, perhaps they could have at least included a notice in their publicity for the event. I hope to see this aspect of the event changed for next year.

I'll post more throughout the week, including some shots from the street fair. Stay tuned because I have some GREAT shots from the St. Patrick's Day Parade! You won't want to miss them, so please check back later this week!

Ms. CrankyPants in a Skirt

2010-03-25T07:00:00.006Z

CrankyPants

Just a teaser...pics and post coming soon! ;)

Wordless Wednesday 6

2010-03-24T07:00:00.003Z

Um...Untitled?

For more Wordless good stuff, go here for mine or here for everybody else's.

Post-it Note Tuesday 3

2010-03-23T11:56:00.002Z

Putumayo Presents Rhythm & Blues Review and Giveaway

2010-03-21T19:47:00.002Z

Here's something you probably don't know about me: I used to work for one of the world's largest sellers of books, music and coffee. I really loved working there, and for many reasons, but one of them was the fact that I got to hear new music as soon as it hit the shelves. Every Tuesday we'd get a new lineup of that week's new releases, and we would listen to those CDs for the next week throughout the store. Sometimes that wasn't fully appreciated. I love Norah Jones, for example, but if I had to hear the opening chords to "Sunrise" again, I think I'd scream. No...I know I would. Anyway, more often, it was great to get to hear stuff that I wouldn't ordinarily think to buy for myself. This is how my love affair with Putumayo World Music began.

One amazing perk of working for one of the world's largest sellers of books, music and coffee (come on...surely you know who I'm talking about by now, right?!) was that, as employees, we had first dibs at a lot of promotional items. Often these included items that nobody really wanted, and they sat unclaimed for weeks. Putumayo CDs were NOT included in that group! They were ALWAYS one of the most popular employee side benefits any time they became available. I became especially skilled at determining when they would go up for grabs, and would arrive for work early so I could snag them before somebody beat me to it. I loved them so much that I also bought several of the great compilations, and I now boast a fair collection of Putumayo music, most of which I still listen to a LOT. I have African Party, African Groove, Asian Lounge, Samba Bossa Nova, Christmas Around the World, Latin Groove, A Family Christmas, Cafe Cubano, Dreamland, African Dreamland, Latin Playground, and World Playground. Oh yeah. I love Putumayo, and there are still several other collections I would love to have.

But enough about what I want. Now it's YOUR turn to get what I want! If you've already heard Putumayo's latest release, Putumayo Presents Rhythm & Blues, I'm sure you want to get your hands on a copy of it, and if you haven't heard it, you should enter to win it now! (Really, I hope you'll enter either way. This is some GREAT music!) The Rhythm & Blues collection features several really amazing artists and absolutely irresistible songs. A few of my favorites include "Put Me Down Easy" by Catherine Russell, "100 Days, 100 Nights" by Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings, and "River is Waiting" by Irma Thomas with Henry Butler. There's even a fantastic cover version of "Wang Dang Doodle" by Sam Moore, Keb' Mo' and Angie Stone! Many of the tracks on this album are strikingly reminiscent of old soul standards by Otis Redding, The Four Tops and others. And let me tell ya...this album will get you dancing! It's one of those CDs that don't sound 'new' when you first hear it, but are more like your favorite comfy jeans. It feels like you know this music already, and you can't help but try to sing along, even if you don't know the words. Or maybe that's just me.

I am so excited to be able to offer a copy of Putumayo Presents Rhythm & Blues to one lucky reader as my Very First Giveaway! Whoo-hoo...way to get it rollin'! Big THANKS to Putumayo and Eric at E1 Music Canada for this opportunity!

Now onto the good stuff....Here's how you can win a copy for yourself:

Mandatory Entry:
Visit Putumayo World Music, then come back here and leave a comment telling me another great collection you would love to have!
*The Mandatory Entry must be done before subsequent Bonus Entries.*

Bonus Entries:
(You can do as many or as few of the following as you like, just be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry.)

~Follow I Digress. via Blogger or Google Friend Connect, and tell me in a comment that you are following. (1 entry)

~Become a fan of Putumayo on Facebook, and tell me you are in a comment. (1 entry)

~Follow Putumayo on Twitter, and tell me your Twitter id. (1 entry)

~Tweet about this giveaway, and leave a link to that tweet. (1 entry)
(You can right click on the part under your tweet that says how long ago you tweeted, select 'Copy Link Location', then paste the link here in a comment.)

~Follow ME on Twitter, and tell me your Twitter id. (1 entry)

~Suggest a new collection you'd love to see Putumayo release (genre or general music style). Tell me about it in a comment. (2 entries; please leave 2 comments.)

~I love April Fool's Day! Tell me about the best prank you ever pulled, or one in which YOU were the victim; make me laugh! (3 entries; please leave 3 comments. Second and third comments can simply refer to the first in which you describe the prank.)

Please make sure you leave separate comments for each entry, including separate comments for multiple-entry activities. Please also make sure your email address is either included in your comment or easily accessed through your profile so I can let you know if you win!

Contest is open to U.S. and Canada only. Ends April 4th, 2010 at 10:00pm GMT.

Winner will be selected using Random.org (which was created here in Dublin...cool little fact for ya!) and will be contacted by email. If prize is not claimed within 72 hours, a new winner will be drawn from other entries.

Disclosure: I was given a copy of this product for review purposes. I received no monetary compensation, and the thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are mine.

Wordless Wednesday 5

2010-03-10T12:28:00.006Z

Wind in Her Hair

For more Wordless good stuff, go here for mine or here for everybody else's.

Foot Notes...ba-da-bump.

2010-03-09T10:04:00.007Z

Michael Foot died last week. You probably don't care because, unless you live in the UK or follow EU politics, you probably haven't heard of him. He was 96 when he died, so while news of his death may be sad, it certainly isn't the tragic news of a life cut short. So why do I care enough to even mention him here? I'll tell ya.

I've heard Foot's name a few times on Sky News since I moved to Ireland, but I never knew much about him. However, I *first* heard his name years ago in relation to a 'funny headlines' discussion somewhere online. Some of the things I learned about Michael Foot last week in media coverage of his life helped give context to what is possibly the finest headline ever written. He was a British Labour MP back in the 50s and became Leader of the Opposition in 1980. Foot was also known to be a passionate supporter of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, and in the early '80s he became the Chair of a group whose mission was to 'ban the bomb'. Thus came The Times' sheer headline brilliance:

FOOT HEADS ARMS BODY

Incidentally, Foot was also a journalist. I should hope he appreciated the genius of some Times editor who had to brilliance to state the obvious in big bold letters.

R.I.P., Michael Foot. You may be gone, but your name will not be forgotten.

Wordless Wednesday 4

2010-03-03T15:22:00.005Z

Something Told Us We Weren't

Welcome in This Neighborhood

Post-it Note Tuesday 2

2010-03-02T20:27:00.015Z

Wordless Wednesday 3

2010-02-24T12:39:00.004Z

Beyond Dunluce

Post-it Note Tuesday 1

2010-02-23T07:00:00.007Z

Pic of the Shoot

2010-02-18T20:02:00.016Z

Lonely Footpath

Wordless Wednesday 2

2010-02-17T12:03:00.008Z

Phoenix Park Cross

We All Fall Down

2010-02-12T23:08:00.027Z

...right??

Something weird happened last weekend. I still couldn't tell you exactly how or why it happened, but it created one of the biggest messes I've ever had to clean up. Yep...this is that kind of story!

So...it was Sunday afternoon. We'd spent it fairly lazily, reading the paper and puttering about, half-heartedly getting ready to go visit The Girl (more about that in an upcoming post) later that evening. LoML's sister S dropped by for a short visit. The three of us came into the kitchen and had tea and coffee and about an hour and a half of some good chat. At some point--and I still don't know what I did!--I must have sort of leaned over behind me, possibly to open the kitchen door to let out Jack, our crazy Lab. Whatever I did must have thrown me off balance, and before I knew it I was falling backwards!

The fall happened in slow motion; I was sure I fell for at least a minute or two! Okay, not really, but it sure seemed like it. I could see it all happening, and expected to feel the wall behind me against my head, and I kind of braced myself for it. But I didn't hit the wall. This might sound like a good thing, but it wasn't. Instead, my wheelchair just kept going backwards while my eyes got bigger and bigger as I realized I was goin' DOWN! (I suppose this is why so many wheelchairs are equipped with anti-tip bars...but I'm a rebel and can't be arsed.) Anyway, down I went. I hit the floor, front casters left upright, spinning in the air.

That's when the real excitement occurred.

As I was falling I saw my feet come up in front of me. Might have been funny, and kind of is now, if I hadn't seen the inevitable consequence of their trajectory. There they were, my feet, right in front of my face, taunting me. Then, as if in a fit of rage, they grabbed the edge of the kitchen table underneath which they usually sat so docile and obedient. This was their chance! They grabbed the edge of the table and overturned it with a magnificent sweep before they followed through on their path and landed, sort of dangling over my chair a couple of feet off the floor. The table flipped up on its far two legs and teetered there for a moment...then fell. It fell over on its side, the temporary imbalance proving too much for its weakened and wobbly legs. It fell to the floor with a loud and resounding THUMP!...which was followed by a glassy CRASH!...which was followed by another sickening CRASH! All of which was followed by a beat of silence...and then a small voice from the girl stuck in an overturned wheelchair on the floor: "I'm sorry!"

The table had had three coffee mugs on it. These were now smashed to pieces on the floor. Coffee and tea dripped from the kitchen cabinets and puddled on the floor. I had been burning a yummy-smelling candle in a jar; it sat beside another unlit candle at the end of the table. These were both now in bits on the floor, melted wax flung up at the walls like some weird monochrome Pumpkin Pie Spice piece by Jackson Pollock. A few plates and glasses had been on the table, and they too joined the rubble on the floor, landing in several more pieces than they'd had when they began to fall. Miscellaneous papers, a basket with pens and a few coins, remote controls, an iPod and two mobile phones...all on the floor. And on top of all of that...the glass table top. Yeah...you read that right. The glass top of the table slid off after everything else had been thrown overboard, sealing the fate of anything that had survived the initial fall. It brought the greatest crash yet, one that I could feel under my back as it rumbled through the floor.

And then silence.

After a moment of disbelief and sheer gobsmackedness (yeah, yeah, not a word...who cares?), LoML and Sister S scrambled to help me up. I was fine, not hurt in any way, only a bit shaken. Likewise, they were both fine. But we had a huge--and I mean HUGE!!--mess to clean up...ugh! It was as if a meteorite had crashed through the ceiling and landed right smack dab in the middle of the kitchen, taking out anything in its path. All of this due to one small moment when I lost my balance!

We did eventually manage to get nearly all of the glass and tea and coffee and candle wax and broken bits of cookery and everything else swept up. There were a few casualties, yes; two of the mugs that were broken were favorites that I'd had since my college days, and held some sentimental value. But considering the scale of the carnage we were lucky it was only a few dishes and candleholders that were lost--and, of course, the glass table top. It took a while to get the wax and dried coffee and soda off of everything, and I am still finding tiny shards of glass when I sweep. I expect we'll find it for weeks, maybe months, to come.

I must say, as destruction goes, it was pretty impressive. I mean, really magnificent! I am perversely sort of proud of the degree of devastation rendered at the hands of...er...my toes.

Anyway, this was a long way of introducing something on my to-do list: shop for new furniture! We weren't wild about the table we had in the kitchen, and had planned on buying a new one at some point anyway. While the table itself survived the fall, the top didn't, and its already wobbly legs won't take much more abuse. So we are in the market for some new kitchen furniture. Now, I can't sit on a barstool. They are just too high for me, and they provide endless frustration for me in bars and pubs. But I wish I could. I like the look of them. I would love to put a breakfast nook with a couple of stools in our sunroom. In fact, I've already found some really fabulous stools here !

Allbarstools.com has a great selection of...well...barstools! There's no trickery here; it's all in the name! They have a wide range of styles and heights, and have barstools for every budget. From the very affordable American Heritage Classic 24" Counter Stool and the ubiqitous style of the Wildon Home Alvadore 29" Bar Stool, both seen below...

The American Heritage Classic 24" Counter Stool is

priced very affordably at $30.95.

The Wildon Home Alvadore 29" Bar Stool

in Natural finish.

...to the sleek and polished design of the customizable Emeco Kong Counter Stool, there is truly something for everybody here. Well...except for me. Ahem.

The Emeco Kong Counter Stool with Arms is made with an amazing
one-piece construction process and has no connections in its design!

I like the simplicity of this 24" Saddle Stool in Espresso. It has three coats of an espresso chemveer catalyzed lacquer to give it this extra durable and beautiful finish.

This 2 Day 25" Winemaster's Stave Bench is made from

recently retired oak wine barrel staves.

Whatever your decorating style, you are sure to find something here you like. In fact, you'll probably find one or two or nine or eleven things you love! Go check it out now, and happy shopping!

I'm off to find some anti-tip bars. Grrr.

Wordless Wednesday 1

2010-02-10T07:00:00.007Z

What I've Been Doing

Pic of the Shoot

2010-02-09T11:38:00.017Z

Moon Tree

This was just a quick shot I took a week ago when the moon was full. I think the guy who sits in his upstairs apartment watching tv may have thought I was stalking him. He watched me go outside with my camera, set up the tripod and take a couple of shots...directly over the roof of his apartment. I'm just glad he didn't decide to give me another full moon to photograph...if ya know what I mean!

Fab Photo Giveaway

2010-02-03T17:37:00.008Z

Okay, so I just discovered a really great Etsy shop called riotjane. Jane (not her real name--that's Bethany) takes pictures. Really cool pictures. Then she prints them. Then she sells them. And sometimes she gives them away! Well, okay, I don't know how often that happens, but I do know it's happening RIGHT NOW! Wanna get in on it? Head on over to YellowGoat, a sweet little blog a few doors down. You'll find all kinds of cuteness, like jewelry (oh yeah!), fun ideas and a whole bunch o' other purty things. Really...go there. Now! You can thank me later.

Free Wallet...WOW!!

2010-01-11T15:55:00.007Z

I just requested my free wallet from EastPak. You can get yours, too. And guess what? It's worldwide! Right on...doesn't get any better than that, does it?!

Get yours here!

Pic of the Shoot

2010-01-09T21:26:00.011Z

Here are a couple of my first sorta maybe decentish shots with my new camera. No, I didn't use any creative settings for them, only cool lenses. :) Please feel free to offer support and/or criticism...anything that will help me improve. (On the other hand, there's no need to be a jerk about it. I'm learning!) I will continue to post what I feel is the best shot from each day's shooting. Sometimes it will be a boring example of some technique I've learned, other days it might be cute photo or just something I like to look at. I am, after all, the boss around here...so I'll decide. :)

New Year, New Camera...What Now?

2010-01-09T20:14:00.005Z

So. I received an amazing DSLR camera for Christmas this year, given to me by the Love of My Life (who will be referred to from this point on as 'LoML'). I was and am absolutely delighted; I have ALWAYS wanted to 'be able to take a good picture', as LoML reminded me. And really, when I thought about it, I realized that photography has always been an unnamed yet lifelong passion for me...sort of. I mean, I got my first camera as a gift when I was five years old. It was a Mickey Mouse camera, with Mickey's face on the front of it. It took crap pictures (or maybe it was me?), but that didn't stop me from using up roll after roll of that old 110 film, saving my allowance to pay for processing, then proudly showing my blurry printed images of Something Red and I Think I See a Face There to anybody who'd look.

As I grew up my parents took note of my budding talent (ha!) as a photographer and every two or three years surprised me with a camera for Christmas or my birthday. My picture-taking abilities improved a bit which each successive camera, and by the time I got my first digital (another Christmas gift from Mom and Dad), I had scores of photos--some organized, labeled and neatly filed in a photo box, others lying stray in boxes of keepsakes and mementos...and a few lucky ones actually had frames! It was soon after my move to digital that I began to commit the Cardinal Sin of Digital Photography: I stopped printing. Photos filled memory cards and hard drives and never saw the light of day. Vacations were forgotten, funny moments were captured but never released. By the time I got to my third digital camera my life in pictures was...well, not really *in* any pictures. So much for a thousand words.

So LoML got me my first digital SLR, complete with four lenses and a fancy-schmancy padded backpack for all my photographic accessories. Really, this camera is amazing! I knew right away that it is much smarter than I am...and I was intimidated. I had no idea what to do with the various settings and buttons and dials, let alone a macro or telephoto lens. I couldn't even figure out how to turn it on! As I said, I was delighted...but I was also terrified. What do I do now??

Well, it's been a couple of weeks and I can proudly say I know how to turn the camera on and off. I have even been messing around with a few of the doodads, the beautiful bells and wonderful whistles. It's a fantastic camera, and I feel some sense of responsibility to become a bit closer to being the photographer it deserves. Hence, my New Year's Resolution:

"I hereby resolve to learn how to use my new Canon 50D, its lenses and its features,
and to become the photographer my camera wants me to be. Or die trying."

Okay, that last part might be a bit dramatic, but I think it shows how committed I am to this undertaking. To that end, I have started this blog as a place not only for my thoughts and many opinions, but also for my images. Even if my pictures never enjoy fame and popularity in printed format (though I am hereby committing to printing as well), this blog will allow them to enjoy...well, anonymity and obscurity, most likely. I will, however, use this as a place to sort of track my improvement as I acquire greater skills and understanding of photographic terms and techniques.

So there.
xx

In the Beginning...

2010-01-09T20:00:00.000Z

...there was the Blog. Actually, that's not true. This Blog is only about four minutes old, but content for it is fighting like groupies at a 'General Admission' show for a front row seat. My mind has been swimming with myriad things for years. It is only now that I am undertaking the huge task of trying to get *some* of them down on paper...er...screen. So here we go...you with me??