shutterboo

It has been one of those weeks, my friends.  And I couldn’t be happier that the work week is winding down in a matter of hours.

I started the week working hand in hand with our marketing analyst (hi JWingo!) and creating a [what I call ] massive quarterly report.  And I thought I’d be done on Wednesday since that’s when our review was.  I thought wrong.  Because I’m having to add some “handy” information before we publish it.  And it makes [some] sense to add it.

But my brain ain’t so happy about it.  It’s fried.  Who knew Power Point charts could warp your mind and make you lose sense of time.

My eyes have turned to JELL-O.  As they have scoured over 30,000+ lines of data necessary to create two pie charts.  I’d hate pie charts if they didn’t make me think of dessert.  But they do.  So I like them OK.

So while my brain and eyes have been in work mode, the rest of me is in auto-pilot.  And to keep myself from being distracted (which was a fail as I took self-portraits with Paco today) I have not used the kahuna this week.  Sad, isn’t it?

But I did manage to make two three four really good dinners this week.  And to go to bed really early (I didn’t think I’d pass out at 8:30p).  Get some grocery shopping done.  I actually emptied and refilled the dishwasher (this is a feat in and of itself).  Took out the trash.  Watched 10 reruns of Bones.  And I finished my ribbed-for-her-pleasure hat.

But I have no proof for the internet that I did these things.  You just have to take my word for it.

My goal this weekend is to not only take the most awesome “yellow” photo ever, but to completely unwind.  I’m thinking hot coffee and crosswords in the morning, some light chores in the afternoon and letting loose at night.  This will be easy Saturday night because I’ve got Joe’s Older Than Dirt on my dance card.  And a Little Skipper to celebrate with.  And Sunday?  Well, I don’t plan on leaving my pajamas.  A plan for the gods.

I just go with the flow.

I don’t know what it is about mis tres amigas, but they make me happy.  We could be buried up to our necks in the Mohave Desert and we’d still find something to laugh about.  It would probably be Little Skipper’s hair.  But I digress, they make it worth while.  They make it a good.  They make me want more.

The four of us are all so different.  But still the same.  It’s weird.  And I can’t explain it.

But I don’t question it.  I just go with the flow.

I consider myself very blessed to have the friends that I have.  All of them.  The ones I played with as a child.  The ones I befriended in school.  The ones I drank beer with in college.  The ones I’ve met as an adult.  These strangers on the interweb.  All wonderful people.  And they all have something in common: they put up with yours truly.  Like I said, I’m blessed.

And since I realize this, how wonderful these people are for listening to my lame jokes, smiling when I point the kahuna in their face, being there when I just need to get away/talk/cry/eat something incredibly bad for me,  I do try to tell them how much they mean to me.

Each one of them as left an impression on my heart.  The hubs leaving the biggest.

So today, I encourage you to tell a friend what they mean to you.  You may not realize how much kind words can make a difference to them.  And to you.  Don’t question it – just go with the flow.

My intentions of starting the Weekly Photo Challenge was to push myself – to dust off the cobwebs and get the wheels turning.  Since I was new to blogging and to flickr, I didn’t know about all of the other groups flickr had to offer.  So I made a list of subjects, added the group, asked some friends to play along and opened it to the internet.  Why not, right?

So the list of 52 was born.  Most subjects were chosen because I wanted to see how the mundane could be made creative.  Others were chosen to be humorous.  Lingerie was one of them.

Now the question became do I keep on with the idea that I was going to be humorous?  Or do I travel yet again out of my comfort zone and try something new?  I did something new.  And I sexed up shutterboo in the process.

Here is my lingerie:

I cannot even  begin to tell you how much fun this was.  Or how awesome the people in my life are because when I want a model, someone usually volunteers.  Even for my crazy ideas of taking off clothes and moving lamps around rooms.  And in case you were wondering, this is not the sexiest photo I took of my anonymous model.  But I’m not sure if I’ll be sharing those.  I haven’t made up my mind yet.

I’ve had this idea in my head for weeks now.  I even have a diagram in my notebook of how I thought it should look.  And it worked.  The best part is that my friend liked all of the photos I took which makes me even happier.  I told her we’d have to get her nekkid more often.  And don’t worry; no hippos were harmed in the making of this photo.

Next week’s challenge is “yellow.”  I love me some color challenges!  Don’t forget to check out the flickr pool’s photos or click on the challenger roll to see everyone else’s photos.  I’m dying to see everyone else’s take on lingerie.

Way  back in December, I entered a giveaway.  A kitchen-things giveaway.  Sounded like a good idea to me.  And luck would have it, my name was drawn.  How ’bout them apples?  So a few weeks ago, I receive a package in the mail.

The hubs immediately accused me of shopping on eBay.  I hadn’t.  He just goes around accusing me of stuff all the livelong day.  But it wasn’t anything I’d gotten from the interweb. It was my prize from Wendi at Bon Appetit Hon.

And inside was a  microplane.  I’ve never owned a microplane but I’ve always wanted to microplane things.  My goal was to get my kitchen as messy as possible and whip out my microplane to grate some cheese or chocolate or lemon zest and photograph myself doing it.  But everything that I’ve made lately has not required said microplane.  Unless it doubles as a can opener.

But I will.  Cross my heart.  Hope to die.  Stick a needle in my eye.  I will photograph myself with that sword-like kitchen tool.

But I couldn’t wait any longer, I had to tell you what else was in that box.

Like any savvy business woman, she included her card.  And a hand-written note.  I love getting letters in the mail [that don't involve collection agencies].  I had pen pals as a child and that feeling of getting a special note with a stamp on has never died.

You’re probably wondering what that white box was.  That, my friends, was a piece of the North East.  I opened it and inside were about 10 little crab-shaped chocolates.  I immediately knew they were the Old Bay crabs Wendi had talked about on her blog.  And then I consumed them.  So I have no pictures.  So sorry.

Thank you, Hon, for having a fun giveaway.  And thank you for your kind words and honest-to-goodness lovely little crabs.  I pinky promise – when I use that microplane, credit will be given where credit is due.

I love my nieces and nephew.  I love being around them.  I love playing with them.  I love joking with them.  I love photographing them.  I love them.  I also love the fact that my Big Bro lets me bombard his house for full days just to spend time with them.

On the last visit, my nephew wasn’t there as he had better things to do.  My oldest niece would not let me photograph her at all.  I thought I’d sneak a few in while she gobbled down her turkey fries but she’s too fast.  That left the Monkey and the Elf.  I’m fine with that.  They’re cute enough.

I won’t bore you with the inner workings of my family – it interests me but strangers don’t care.  I know that you’re polite enough to read it, but you don’t care.  But let me share this one tiny little moment with these girls.

The Elf, who is a little over two, does not like to share.  Anything.  She isn’t very bratty about it [when I'm around] but sharing is not her prerogative.  So when she was tired of hanging around my neck, she reached for her mom.  And I instinctively grabbed another kiddo to fill the void.  Who happened to be the Monkey.  She’d let me hug on her for days.  But the Elf would have none of this.  She wanted her sister.  So she stole her.

You cannot see me, but the Monkey is looking at me on the left.  The Elf is looking at my sister-inlaw and laughing.  If she could speak good english she’d be saying “Haha!  That Aunt Brooke is a weenie!  I’ve conquered her because I now have the Monkey!  Elf one, Aunt Brooke zero!”

Thief.  But they all look so happy.  Hmph.

DAd took that photo.  Of course, that only happened after I reminded him he has to look through the viewfinder and take off the lens cap.  And then he almost dropped it so I had to yell “Put the strap around your neck!”  I know… I question the idea he was a wedding photographer myself.

But how can I stay angry?  I can’t.  Because stuff like this happens.

Melts my heart.  And this, Internet, is why I love them.  And why I took the camera away from DAd.

I’m a giver.  I love giving or sharing something with someone and them get a kick out of it.  So of course, I love surprises.  The idea of shocking someone.  Blowing off their socks.  Or in this case, blowing out some candles.

You know when you want to surprise someone but are worried it won’t work out?  That was me – I am not a ninja.

I was constantly concerned about being caught red-handed or forgetting to leave a name off an e-mail.

Or that someone would accidently spill the beans.  Or I’d accidently spill the cake on the sidewalk.

But then it worked - the three of us pulled it off.  And that someone was surprised.

She didn’t think her friends were smart enough to leave her off an e-mail.  And are a little too talkative.  And clumsy.  But we are smart enough.  We are birthday surprise ninjas.  And even though we were about 10 days early, it’s never to early for celebrations.  And cake.

Hope you loved your birthday surprise as much as I did, Little Skipper.

I miss the sunshine.  I miss dry skies.  I miss dry sidewalks.

We had a little teaser last Friday and Saturday – I wore a light jacket and dusted off my sunglasses.  But then Sunday came along and had to ruin the good thing we had going.  Boo Sunday.

But you know what I really miss?   Rush hour traffic with folks that actually know how to drive a vehicle.

Now, I’m not a professional driver by any means of the definition.  But I haven’t been in a wreck for almost 10 years so I’m going to go out on a limb and say I’m a good driver.  But the people I share the road with to and from work?  I’m beginning to question their common sense behind the wheel.

I really believe that December was “Drive Without Using a Blinker” month.  I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I was cut off.  In intersections.  Where it’s illegal to switch lanes.  What gives?  But January is proving to be just as much of an obstacle course.

Did you know that the lines on the road are there for us to stay in between?  Not to cross over on a whim when surrounded by 20 other boxes of metal with wheels?  Just yesterday, a SUV completely crossed over into my lane when taking a sharp right turn.  Even with driving uber slow.  And with those little dashed lines showing him where to go.  So I honked.  And then he swerved all like “WTF!  Where did that come from?  What’s going on?”  Idiot.

And you know those big yellow arrows they put on lanes that are only supposed to turn?  And if you’re not in that lane, you don’t get to turn?  That’s apparently just a recommendation because last week a fella turned his little 4-wheel drive right in front of my car to make a left even though I had waited my turn like a good little driver.  I’m sure he has that “my truck is bigger than your Honda” mentality.  Asshole.

This morning, Miss Lexus at McDonalds felt the need to pull out in front me and proceed to drive 15 miles under the speed limit.  UNDER THE SPEED LIMIT.  AT 8AM.  WHEN EVERYONE IS GOING TO WORK.  I know she wasn’t paying attention.  Probably making out with her McMuffin and oblivious to the line of cars behind her flashing their lights.  Moron.

I let the Lexus get to me.  Even after I told myself it’s not her fault the McMuffin is irresistable.  But when I tried to get away,  she cut me off.  Rephrase: She cut me off slowly.  And so I screamed at the top of my lungs, managed to get back in the lane I was originally in and braked for a red light.  And I watched Miss Lexus make out with her breakfast over my right shoulder.  Bitch.

I think I might just take to the skies instead of the roads.  Or buy a ton of Kentucky Driver Handbooks and start chucking them at people when they drive like retards.

I treated myself.  To a new purse.  I got it in the mail yesterday.  I love it.

I’m not into fancy bags – I have one Coach purse but I’m afraid of ruining it.  And I love my Harvey’s Seatbelt bag but it’s more of a spring/summer purse.  For the most part, I carry over-the-shoulder bags that are comfortable.  The purse I had been carrying has seen better days – days without stretched out material, stains and white paint stuck to it.  That’s what happens when you go to Home Depot as often as we do.  So I shopped for replacement.

And shopped.  And shopped.  And shopped.  I felt like Goldilocks.  This one is too little.  This one costs too much.  But there was one that was just right for this gal.  And I found it on Etsy at Christy Studio.

Perfect size.  Perfect color.  Perfect style.  Perfect material.  Handmade.  Triple stitched.  One of a kind.  Beautiful fabric on the inside.  Pockets galore.  I’m in love.

I don’t shop on Etsy too often – I think it’s somewhat hard to sort through the thousands of sellers and millions of products but when I do find something, I get excited.  Like this purse.  I’m excited about this purse.  And I’m already breaking it in.  Thank you, Christy.

Seriously, could this slim jim get any prettier?  I don’t think so.

I love impromptu mini-photoshoots at work.  It makes my media world so much more fun.

Thank you, AmyHasBangs, for letting me stick my 50mm IN YO FACE.

Too early for ICP?  Never.

You know when you get an idea and you try your hardest to create this idea in the real world?  And then it doesn’t work?  I hate that.  But luckily, my subject this week is beautiful – and has very beautiful eyes – so I’m not too worried that my idea didn’t work out.

Here is my eyes:

Gorgeous, no?  Nicole is another co-worker who is willing to lend me random body parts for photographing.  And her eyes are so pretty.  We tried a few things – different angles, different props – but the blue scarf just made her eyes pop.  Love those eyes.

I believe I’m becoming addicted to photographing faces.  It’s always been challenging to find something I like but I feel like I keep getting lucky lately.  I really think the 50mm f/1.8 lens has helped me move around the subject more.  And of course, I love me some bokeh.  That fixed position lens really makes you workout your brain more in terms of composition.

For next week, the challenge is “lingerie.”  Now… I made this list not thinking about the consequences but please keep it clean.  I’m OK with “sexy” but I don’t want to see nudity.  As in no nips, folks.  The flickr group has a “safe” setting so don’t go buck wild on me.  And don’t forget to check out the flickr pool’s photos or click on the challenger roll – there are some fabulous  “eyes”!