New Rule

A new rule was made in our house today. If you go into the kitchen you have to wash five dishes. Partially it's because neither of us want to wash dishes today. Partially it might serve to keep us out of the kitchen when we are feeling snacky. I initially said it as a joke and to weasel out of having to wash all of today's dishes...but then we both realized it wasn't a bad rule. Now we just have to remember to keep to it. 

So far first to break was Mario. I might luck out though because it sounds like he's going to wash more than five...plus the man can't wash dishes without washing the stove. I have no idea why but I will never ever complain about it. It's a hic in his OCD. I love OCD!

Days I Shouldn't be in Public

Do you ever have those days that start off so good and then take a downward spiral? Last Thursday was one of those wonderful days! It started off really well. We had been shooting a few days that week, but this was the easiest of the days. There was really only one shoot and it was at an easy house in a nice neighborhood...mucho better than our questionable Watts neighborhoods from the day before. The shoot itself was really nice and mellow in a nice house, and had all the time in the world. There weren't any shoots after it, so I took the opportunity to show my friend/assistant how to photograph interiors. I'm excited about it really. She picked up on it and did really well! I didn't have to fight with the already established style of another photographer. With a little more practice, I think she'll do really well!

Between the shoot and teaching her a few photography skills, I was in a great great mood. It was a beautiful day and with our work finished, our next destination was sushi lunch! Of course, we headed to our favorite sushi restaurant. We drove through the beautiful hills. There were lots of puffy clouds and blue skies. When I say the day was beautiful, I mean it!

We were just turning on to the street where our sushi is, when we came to a stop. There were just two cars ahead of us, but we weren't going anywhere. As I looked ahead, I could see the problem. Someone had been hit by a car. Judging by the reactions of everyone there, it didn't look major. However, the poor lady was still under the rear end of the car. We assume that the driver missed the parking garage entrance and backed up into her...I really hope so because, otherwise that would mean he drove all the way over her.

The police and EMTs weren't there yet and now a**holes were flying around the corner almost hitting us sitting there. So my awesome friend Colleen hopped out of the car with her red purse and started directing traffic! That allowed all of us to back up and get out of the way of the police and fire department. We decided I'd head around the block to the other garage entrance and we'd meet at the restaurant in a few minutes. Easy peasy right?

I cruised around the block and headed for the other garage entrance. I recognized a few of the cars from behind me at the other end of the street. I was trying to figure out what was going on though. It seemed all three drivers in the cars ahead of me were idiots. The first car pulled up to the arm and was confused as to what to do next. So the attendant, had to stop checking out the exiting cars to come over and hit the button for the entering car to go. Then the next car pulled all the way forward...so far forward that they missed the button for the ticket booth also. Except they decided that they should back up...which was not going to happen because the next car had pulled right up on their ass.

As I sat there trying to figure out what the hell they were doing, I could still see the accident. I was hoping that the lady was alright. It seemed pretty low key. Hopefully the poor guy had just bumped her and knocked her over and there wasn't any breaks or anything more serious. I felt for the guy. He sat next to her the whole time I was watching.

Finally, the car in front of me pulled up the arm...and way past the button for the ticket booth also...you've got to be kidding me! Did she not see what was happening with the other three cars?! She tried backing up with no success and then finally got out of her car and walked back to get the ticket. She pulled forward and finally it was my turn. I pulled through and was just about to head down the ramp when I heard yelling.

I stopped and turned around to see the garage attendant yelling and running at my car. Then it hit me. I was one of those idiots! The lady in front of me had gotten her ticket and when the arm went up, I followed her right through! I didn't push the button for a ticket, I just cruised through like an idiot! The attendant was yelling at me and asking me what was wrong with me. He said the arm had almost hit my car and now I was stuck in the garage because I couldn't get a ticket now. It seemed a little dramatic, but yeah I was an idiot. I usually don't embarrass that easily, but I felt like such an ass! I'm not sure how I had gone from watching them and judging their inability to figure out how to get the ticket...to completely blowing through and not even taking a ticket!

All I could think was that I had been looking at the accident and just blanked out. So dumb. I explained to the attendant that I was a dumb ass and he warmed up fast. He told me to park and come back up for a ticket. Apparently after he got his public humiliation out, he realized it wasn't deliberate. Turns out I wouldn't be forever stuck in the garage, he signed over a new ticket and I headed over for sushi.

However, Colleen wasn't there. I message her and she was STILL directing traffic with one of the cops! She showed up a few minutes later and much sushi was consumed. Sushi did make up for my idiocy...at least it tasted wonderful and I was back to happy.

A Blog, a Website, and a Weirdo

I know it was weird that the first blog I posted of the year was a Christmas blog. However, I haven't finished my website yet...because of my lack of knowledge of  building websites...minor details really. For that reason, I've decided that it's not 2013 yet. Yup. Full denial over here. I want to really get into my clean slate January, but I can't cause I'm still dealing with my website crap from December. That damn website is now holding my business back and my personal life.

However, there is a plan in place and I will have my site up this weekend some time.  Lets blame it on work, family drama, and just random shit. The random shit is my fault really. I decided to look back over my hard drive for more images and ended up adding an additional 100+ images as portfolio options. I can't make life easy for myself...cause that would be too easy.

Anyway, next week 2013 will commence and part of 2013 commencing means more blogging. I've been missing it and I have some venting that needs to take place and many more stories about Mario that need to be told. Like the why I keep waking up and taking these photos...

Different nights, same weirdo, who doesn't know how to wear headphones. When I showed him the top photo he was excited that he'd finally found a way to sleep without his glasses falling off...why he feels the need to fall asleep with his glasses on, is a whole different story.

Anyway, happy new year!

Christmas Memories

It's interesting how traditions change and are adapted. I barely remember Christmas's when my parents were married. However, the Christmases after my parents separated hold the traditions and memories that I love most.

After my parents separated, we would spend Christmas eve with my father and his family. It was a pretty full house, my aunt, uncle, dad, cousins, second cousins, grandma and anyone else who was around. It was always a special time. We always loved spending time together. There were always lots of hugs, talking, lots of stories and a ton of laughing. The women folk would spend the afternoon making bierocks for dinner (think German empanadas). A very important tradition with our family. After dinner we'd roll out into the living room to watch a little television and relax a little before opening our gifts...essentially torturing the younger kids. Eventually we'd open our gifts from each other and just have a good time. The night would end with mom picking us up late for midnight mass.

Christmas day was just my mom, sister and me. We'd open our gifts from each other and Santa. It's funny how Santa had the same terrible handwriting that mom had. After the living room was a complete mess and breakfast was eaten either at our house or our neighbors across the street (our other family), we'd get in the car and drive. We'd always start in San Francisco and end up in Carmel. The long drive down the coast was always beautiful and quiet. When we got to Carmel, we'd walk around the village a bit and check out the shops. Then we'd drive around looking at all the different amazing homes and choose which we wanted to live in when we were rich and famous. We always ended up at the beach. That's where it seemed everyone would eventually end up for an Christmas evening walk. Some Christmases would be warm, some would be cold, some would be rainy...we'd take it any way we got it. We'd always end up a little more sandy and wet than we intended to, but everyone was happy and content just walking on the beach. Eventually, we'd head back to the car to watch the sun set. We'd cuddle up and eat a bunch of random and yummy stuff mom had picked up. Smoked salmon, meats, cheese, crackers, salad. We'd just sit there passing around food, giggling, and watching the sun go down. The sun would set and it would grow dark, we'd be full, sleepy and ready to head home. It's my mom, sister and my favorite Christmas tradition.

I love the long standing family traditions of Christmas eve with my dad's side of the family. I love even more how Christmas with my mom contrasted with it. I think some people thought it was sad that it was just the three of us for Christmas, but we loved it. We made it ours. We had tradition and we also learned how to make a our new traditions. I wouldn't trade those years for anything.

Now that we my sister and I are married, Christmas traditions have changed again. I'm sure there are more versions to come.

Dog Lump

Part of owning a tiny dog with no body fat...or body mass for that matter, is keeping her warm. Every night she crawls into bed, under the covers and cuddles up with one of us....mostly me. She does this all year round. The dog can not be warm enough. No matter how over heated you are, she needs to be warmer.

Not only does she cuddle up to us, she becomes "one" with us. I know...sounds weird.  However, no matter where you move, she moves with you. She's like a little shadow...no a leech! A tiny leech! That little dog somehow rolls and scoots with us. No matter where you roll, she's there stuck to you! It's a little maddening at times, but for the most part, we've gotten used to it.

She's so small, that she's almost imperceptible underneath the blankets. The cats routinely step on her, getting her "evil" growl. The "bitch get off of me!" growl...that sounds more like a muffle mouse sneeze. Other than the growl, you'd never really know she's under the covers.

Most mornings, Mario is up first. He'll shower, come back into the bedroom to dress, and then get back in bed to hang out with me a bit and talk before he goes to work. Usually he'll locate the little dog lump in the bed, pet her and try coaxing her awake. Which is getting harder and harder to do now that it's getting colder out.

This morning when I woke up though, he had a funny look on his face. When I asked him what was wrong, he said he had a blog for me. Ooh mama loves a good blog! He said he had come back to bed and was cuddling with the dog, talking to her through the covers, and giving her kisses like normal...until about ten minutes in he saw another part of the bed move, and realized the dog was on the other side of me. Tula popped out from underneath the blankets and it was only then that he realized that he had been cuddling and kissing my foot through the blanket the entire time!

Now that's starting the day off right! I couldn't stop laughing...yes that makes for a good blog! Of course Tula climbed right back under the blankets and went back to bed.

It's That Time Of Year

That time of year when I start getting excited about starting off the New Year! It didn't even really occur to me that it was coming up, until I realized what I was doing. Organizing shit. I'm not even finished dealing with Christmas stuff!

It started a few weeks ago while doing laundry, I found myself reorganizing mine and Mario's dresser. It came out of no where. Then bam! Dressers looked good and everything fit in them again. It happened again the next week. I decided to start my end of year business tax paperwork early! Why? I have no idea. However, I just have a few updates and I'm ready for taxes. Then last week again. It was midnight and Mario and I had just gotten home...and I started organizing the hall linen closet. I have no idea what started it or even how long it took, but next thing I knew the entire closet was straightened up, rearranged, and there was more space. Then I moved on to the bathroom cabinet and baskets for organizing. I was excited about the closet and bathroom cabinet though, because those two chores had been on my to-do list for so long it was making crazy. However, I was so inspired that I moved on to the medicine cabinet and the two cabinets above the toilet. Why shouldn't I be organizing band-aids and medicine at 2 am?

The only problem...this whole New Years nesting, reorganizing craziness that I do every year...is happening sooner and sooner! I should be relaxing and working through December  My plate has been full with work more work than usual, a new website, and being the go to girl for all the family photos...why am I adding to my plate already full plate?

Because it makes me stinking happy! Lame, I know! There's more on my list though. Our awful bedroom closet has been calling my name for months! I've been fantasizing about fixing that shit up! It's a mess! I have big plans when I get a chance...I'm hoping January will bring some time for me to work on it. Especially if I get all this organizing crap finished like I am! However, then there are all the photos that I need to organize into photo albums, the family photos that need to be scanned, a ton and a half of negatives that need to be scanned, oh and the garage that really needs a picking through...ok I'm a little less excited about organizing  the garage, but it will awesome to be able to park in it again and not run over crap!

My Personal Trainer

A few months back Mario and I purchased a treadmill. It took the better part of a day to wrestle that bitch down the hall and into the bedroom...but we eventually got her in there. Over the last few months my relationship with the treadmill has been similar. I wrestled with it at first but, now it's there. And now my feelings for the treadmill changed from extreme dislike to slight enjoyment. I actually find myself being drawn to it a bit now.

When I started it was torture. The treadmill is well placed next to a tv for distraction, but it's really no help. You're going no where and there really isn't anything on television to distract me enough to make the walking any easier or more fun. It was pretty painfully boring really.

However, I have a new obsession. This new obsession is getting me through treadmill time. You guessed it...youtube makeup tutorials. Yeah, I can watch these non stop. Good tutorials of course. These are the perfect distraction for me on the treadmill! What's even better is that I can attach my ipad to the speakers on the treadmill and blast those crazy tutorials non stop! 

I usually make a deal with myself to watch 5 or 6 tutorials. No stopping until a tutorial is completely finished, even if I've already hit an hour. Sometimes I'll crank up the incline for one full tutorial or I'll run while the tutorial buffers to a point. It's worked out really well for me, because I love those tutorials and am willing to pay the price to watch them.

The only thing working against me is our damn wireless internet. One day I decided to put the treadmill on the highest incline for one full tutorial. I ended ended up on that incline for 40 minutes because I refused to give in to the slow internet...I was determined to watch that whole tutorial! My body hurt the next day. Earlier this week I ended up on the treadmill for nearly an hour and 20 minutes just because the internet was being a jerk and decided that I didn't really need to see the second half of the tutorial on Smoky Sparkle Crystal Party Eyes...but I didn't give up! I needed to know where those Sparkle Crystals went on those eyes! This is important shit after all. 

Somehow the internet has become my personal trainer against my will. You are stubborn internet, but I am just as stubborn. Challenge accepted internet, challenge accepted!

Christmas Vacation

One of my all time favorite movies is Christmas Vacation. It's so brilliant and awful, that I quote it all year long. It makes me happy. I have a soft spot in my heart for all of the Vacation series...but Christmas Vacation is it for me. I watch it while I wrap presents. I nap to it on the weekend. I quote it endlessly.

When Mario and I met, he had never seen it. I was completely shocked. This man is a movie buff. Name a movie and he'll quote from it. Old or obscure...he probably knows it. But he hadn't seen this Christmas family favorite!

First thing I did was pull out my copy and put it in the dvd player. He fell asleep. I seriously had to consider whether this relationship would go any where. I wasn't sure that I could be with someone who couldn't at least appreciate this movie a little.

Fast forward  six years and he knows it front to back. I say "Let's get around these egg timers" and the man cracks up. He says "Lets burn some dust" and I reply "Eat my road grit liver lips!" So, yesterday as we were instant messaging while he was at work, the conversation automatically turned into Christmas Vacation quotes and it warmed the cockles of my heart.

Me..."I need to find a safe spot for the three photo albums Uncle Chet let me borrow"

Mario..."I have a safe spot for them"

Me..."Bend over and I'll show you"

Mario..."You've got a lot of nerve talking to me like that Griswold"

Me..."I wasn't talking to you"

Mario..."cue the chain saw"

Me..."And to think you hadn't even seen the movie when we first met"

Mario..."I know my quotes now!"

Me..."I think it makes our marriage that much stronger honey."

Mario..."aww...me too sweets"

Cheesy, I know...but it makes me happy...no matter how cheesy slap schtick it really is. It just makes Christmas for me.

A.D.D. Blogging

1. Last night a commercial came on for dictation software and Mario asked if that would be helpful for my blogging. I told him that would be great. I could talk as I work on my photos! Brilliant! Then it occurred to me, that I'm my mother's daughter and all you would see is long rambling blogs peppered with curses, snorts and laughing. Maybe it would rock...most likely it would show you how true the ADD blogging is...oh sparkles!

2. I absolutely love seeing my family for Thanksgiving. What I love most is that down to earth, no bullshit opinions of my Uncle Chet. I went up to northern CA with a few things I wanted to ask his opinion on. I came home with lots of great advice and so much to think about.

3. I've gone crazy and to decided I'm putting a new website up for my business by the new year. I'm so ashamed of my site as is...I can't stand it! New yea,r new look! Hold me to it people!

4. My Uterus just sent Mario a text message asking him to bring home desert after work. My Uterus will be very upset if it doesn't get desert...the rest of me will be ok with it.

5. When ever an infomercial comes on and they say "Don't be fooled by...blah blah blah..." I have to say "Don't be fooled by the rocks that I got...I'm still Jenny from the block". In the same voice as the announcer of course.

6. We changed the locks in our apartment last weekend. I forgot to tell our cleaning lady. So, today when she tried to show up and couldn't get in, she decided that was our way of telling her we didn't want her working for us any more. She called me pissed off and I couldn't help but laugh. I told her I wasn't that much of a chicken shit and that I'd make her a new key...Mario didn't have a key yet either.

Christmas Treats

I recently found out that you aren't supposed to flush cat litter down the toilet. Maybe you already knew this...I did not. Most boxes say flush-able after all. I was a little bummed. It's so easy to throw that shit right down the crapper and move on. One easy step! I even almost pretended that I didn't hear this new information, but the nice girl at the pet store mentioned the poor sea otters. Damn cute sea otters. Lucky for them, the guilt overrode the lazy part of me and now I put the unmentionables in little bags and deposit them in our trash, instead of flushing it.

This has been in practice for at least a few months. Mario does his part and empties the litter box before he leaves in the morning. I'm usually stuck with the rest of the day. So, as I was running around trying to clean up a bit yesterday, I got a little side tracked and put the little bag on the entertainment unit next to the mail.

It was completely forgotten until later that evening when Mario came home. I was just headed down the hall, when he started to talk to me. I turned around and started answering his question, but couldn't concentrate...because I was watching Mario play with this little white bag on the entertainment unit. He was holding one of the little fun size candy bar shaped "gifts" in the bag. He gave a light squeeze...rolled it around...and then looked up at me confused.

Me..."What are you doing?"
Mario..."What are these?"
Me..."cat shit, babe"
Mario..."Oh my god!" jumping backwards as if he'd been attacked "OH MY GOD!"
Me..."What did you think it was?"
Mario..."I thought someone had given us some candy! I was trying to figure out what it was without breaking into the bag!"
Me laughing..."Babe, it's the same white bag you fill up with poop every morning...what looked different about it?"
Mario..."I don't know...oh my god!"

I love that he empties the litter box every day and yet he was completely grossed out by this fondling through the bag. Maybe he had already imagined himself eating one of these morsels?