tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49908040743288533532024-02-07T21:55:26.227-05:00Delightful Little MessA lot of pleasant chaos in a small package...Mehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04768152917016939317noreply@blogger.comBlogger141125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990804074328853353.post-61477368642212313382013-02-25T23:54:00.000-05:002013-02-25T23:54:18.380-05:00Self Portrait ChallengeAs with all things in my life at the moment, I only find I can give a little bit of time to something before being pulled away by something else. I try to devote myself to lit searches for background writing of my dissertation and get pulled off to start looking at prelim confirmation data and get pulled even further off when I start digging into determining why it doesn't match the original data... Then when I start to get it all slightly back to normal, I take our oldest cat to the vets (he's loosing weight) and find out he has hyperthyroid. Follow that up a few days later with our phone and internet going on the Fritz requiring me to stay home Monday and wait for the repairmen. All and all I need a little normal... And so I post this. A self photo I took when Paper Mama first put up the <a href="http://thepapermama.com/2013/02/self-portrait-challenge-giveaway.html">challenge</a>. =) A little bit of normal to me is balancing all this science with a little bit of artistic nature. And I find when I'm obsessing over science that I start to daydream by reading through artsy blogs such as http://thepapermama.com. I think I may start blogging again. Mabye turn her <a href="http://thepapermama.com/2013/01/52-weeks-of-drawings.html">52 weeks of drawings challenge</a> into a way to de-stress when I've got my nose too close to the science to see what I really need to be focused on.<br />
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Stressed. Too much to do, not enough time and running out of steam.</div>
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Working on…</div>
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Finishing my PhD dissertation. Aka lots of reading, data analysis, compilation and writing while still trying to run a household.</div>
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Anticipating…</div>
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Getting caught up and maybe graduating in May. Possibly also doing something nice for my 32nd birthday that falls on Easter this yr. Planned on defending my thesis around then but that would require a miracle &/or a time machine.</div>
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Listening to…</div>
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NPR. I've found streaming this is a good way to multitask and get a little bit or world news/interesting stories.</div>
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A desk full of sweets and an orange/black tea mix. =)</div>
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Wishing…</div>
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I had 3 of myself to tackle it all and succeed.</div>
Mehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04768152917016939317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990804074328853353.post-38371576632832891832012-08-05T21:16:00.000-04:002013-01-18T16:34:35.423-05:00Can you be their new forever home?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
****** 01/18/2013</div>
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After a friend mentioned seeing one of my kitty flyers still in the student lounge at school, I realized I need to update. And this will be the last. Misty is still with us. And doing well. She's not wanting to interact with our cats but loosing weight or at least chubb on her special diet. When her owner does find her way to be stable (Job, home, etc), she will be flying back to her and her daughter. While we did invest $1K into lil miss kitty, we can't keep her. She's not ours and while sweet to us, the plan to not keep her and separating her from them in the beginning has led to her hating our cats. They're interested in her but all she does is hiss and growl at them when they are anywhere within 3 feet of her so she is living separate from them as we can't have a cat fight on our hands. At any rate, she is happy in her little roost until she goes back to her family. </div>
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As for Lola, she was adopted but I haven't heard anything about how she has adjusted. I'll email but I'm assuming as I haven't heard anything that she is doing well. Let's hope. =)</div>
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****11/28/12 Sorry... it's been quite hectic between getting two cats better and dealing with a death in the family. I should have updated but was so behind on everything as life keeps mixing it up. </div>
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So Misty got her surgery. All 5 teeth came out perfectly and she had no complications. That was around 2 weeks ago(maybe more? The original vet couldn't do the surgery but Dr. Mulliken at the Big Easy got in the tools to do it there and help keep the costs down. I absolutely love TBEAH, Dr. Ruiz and her staff along with Dr. Mulliken who I think is a permanent addition to the team). Post surgery she was so drugged up and cute... kept trying to walk when her legs were slipping out from under her. Made me think of many a drunk co-ed I've seen stumbling along E.Carson st who really needed to sit the last bar out but just couldn't stop partying. At any rate, she's doing well and eating hard food again so her lil mouth seems to be healing nicely. She's still a hissy kitty towards our other cats but that's our fault as we kept her separated while she was sick to keep them from picking on her. That's now got her protecting the 3rd floor against them. But a little kitty calming spray and good stimuli like treats before meetings should help. Plus with any luck, her original owner will find employment and Misty could be reunited for Christmas. Otherwise we'll feed her the weight loss food and work on trimming the old girl down until she can be back with them. Both her and my boos are a 9 on the kitty obese scale. =( </div>
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As for Lola... I've been in contact with a woman from the shelter who posted better pictures of her. (Her original photo just looked so sad with her hiding in her litter pan.) I was given updates on Lola and how she was acting in the cat garage. She seemed to be ok. Not super friendly or happy with the cage but if given a lap, she was a happy little ball of purr. And guess what... She's been adopted! Yesterday! =) Fingers crossed Lola plays nice with her new 7yr old sibling and stays in her new forever home!</div>
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That's all for now. I'll update again if anything changes </div>
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****10/30/12 Kitty update: As far as I know, Lola still has yet to be adopted. I have checked the page every other day and still see her up there. But as she is in the main adoption area for cats now (I think it's the separate building that is just cats) I think she won't be as freaked out without Misty since she will no longer have barking dogs around her.</div>
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As for Misty, we took her to our vet last night for an exam of her mouth. The vet found 5 teeth that need pulled. One has a really bad abscess and the other 4 have cavities near gum level where the gum is starting to grow into the tooth. All and all it has to be really painful for her, which explains why she was grumbling after eating hard food or while trying to eat wet food with chunks. We're feeding her only pureed food now. Our vet gave her a convenience antibiotic shot that will last two weeks so it's one less thing I had to shove in her mouth and they also gave us liquid pain meds to put in her mouth twice a day. While the antibiotics and pain meds start to help her feel better, the vet is scheduling with the traveling dental vet who will come in to extract Misty's teeth. We were given the option of either having Dr. Showalter (Who I've heard from animal friends and WPHS is one of the city's best dental vets) come to the Big Easy for her or to take her to PVSEC for the best dental doc in the burgh that does xrays and beyond. While we want her on the mend and would love the best, the best would easily be over a $1,000 and we don't have that to spend on our own cats let alone a foster cat. Dr. S is the second to best and while he may not have the crazy x-rays, there's a good chance that he will be below 1k (Btw... If anyone wants to help us out with Misty's dental care, we won't turn anything away as we were expecting at most $400 assuming she'd have maybe one bad tooth. But with 5, who knows. One doc I called gave me an estimate of $100 a tooth when I was calling for cost of dental cleanings). Plus she'll be going back to a familiar vet's office and a shorter car ride. </div>
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Other than the bad teeth, Misty has been doing quite well. She's been warming up to us each day and has been ever so playful. She loves the krinkle ball from petco that we picked up for her and rolls around in her box when we give her pets. She even gave me a head bump on Sunday morning. She still is slow to venture far away from her box (a cardboard ABI box on it's side with a towel and fleece blanket in it) as it's her fort. But at times she's wandered down the stairs in search of us when we weren't around as we haven't let her out into our general cat population yet and probably won't until after she's on the mend while we are still trying to find her a home. </div>
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****10/25/12 I picked Misty up yesterday and have found a temporary solution for her. She is getting antibiotics for her gingivitis and we are checking around to find the most affordable dental treatment. If anyone knows of any, let me know. If her mouth is as bad as the ARL led on, this is going to be quite costly. And with all the other expenses we have this month (3 cats due for exams/vaccines plus I have a car inspection and at least 2 bald tires that need replaced), we are strapped for cash. We are also checking around to get her on a wait list for a shelter that won't turn her away due to the possible chronic gingivitis and age. The idea being that she can be foster in a home until adopted through the shelter as she doesn't do well in cages. She goes from loving cat to defensive. But for now, the big issue is getting her well. Then finding her a home. As for Lola, the ARL processed her and she is now adoptable. <a href="http://www.petango.com/Adopt/Cat-Domestic-Shorthair-Mix-17507230">Animal Details</a> If her status changes, I will update with that.</div>
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****10/24/12 10am: I checked our answering machine this morning as I hadn't noticed it blinking before now (It's mounted above my line of sight on the wall.). The ARL called Monday about Misty. She has severe gingivitis with bleeding gums. Because of her age and that, she can not be listed as adoptable. I called and left a message first thing this morning saying I'd take her back and not to put her down but I don't know how long they wait after contacting. If she is still alive, we can hold onto her temporarily but need someone willing to take care of her or adopt her. I assume as I haven't heard about Lola that she has been vetted and is now in the shelter. I'll update after they call me back or I call them at 11am.</div>
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****10/23/12 Here is the flyer for anyone who wants to post it around. Click for full size printable version click <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/violet6533/8117456551/">here</a> and click actions then view all sizes. Under view all sizes, the original is 8.5 by 11 in size. It can be downloaded or printed from there.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/violet6533/8117456551/" title="Misty and Lola Flyer copy by Delightful Little Mess, on Flickr"><img alt="Misty and Lola Flyer copy" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8189/8117456551_925a8e81da.jpg" width="386" /></a><br />
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**** 10/21/12 A neighbor mentioned to me that even though the kitties are in the ARL, that open door shelters utilize fosters to minimize the stress on a cat. Less stress means they will be less likely to get sick. If anyone is interested in serving as a foster for Misty and Lola while the shelter promotes them, information can be found here on their foster page. The ARL will provide all medical care free of charge and food/litter when they get donations.<br />
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http://www.animalrescue.org/foster-program</div>
I've also created a flyer with rip tags to post for promoting them for adoption. I'll figure out how to put downloadable copy on here for anyone interested in putting flyers up in their area (Vet, coffee shop, church bulletin board).<br />
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**** 10/19/12 7pm Misty and Lola were checked into the Animal Rescue League at around 4pm. They were allowed to keep a towel along with their butterfly and penguin toys. They weren't happy and neither was I... It's the worst feeling having to leave a good pet at a shelter even if they aren't your own. They are available for adoption now but may not end up on the website until next week and they may not be in the main cat area until then as well (I'm sure the ARL has screening to make sure cats that end up in the main population aren't harboring any illness). But they can be adopted tomorrow if someone is interested in giving them a good home. As you may not be able to find them yourself if they aren't out for view, all you need to do is ask for them using my name (Rebecca Marino). They will be able to pull them up and find them for you. Also I have their carriers, bowls, litterbox and food storage container. So any interested party can contact me and I can meet you when you go to get them with their supplies if you want. Currently the adoption is free and for Senior cats it has been free all summer. I've been told that they don't have any plans to discontinue it either. If they do, it is only $30 per cat and I will come out and pay for it. Please continue to spread the word for them to find a good home. They are oh so sweet and don't need to be in a shelter for the second time in their lives.<br />
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2pm <span id=".reactRoot[281].[1][2][1]{comment10151253411272279_25507495}..[1]..[1]..[0].[0][2]..[0]" style="background-color: #edeff4; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span id=".reactRoot[281].[1][2][1]{comment10151253411272279_25507495}..[1]..[1]..[0].[0][2]..[0].[0]">Update: Taking the kitties to the ARL this afternoon after 4pm. It will give them the best chance to get exposure with Saturday's free adoptions. And hopefully lola's purring and loving attitude will help. Sadly I was told that as they are on the edge</span></span><span id=".reactRoot[281].[1][2][1]{comment10151253411272279_25507495}..[1]..[1]..[0].[0][2]..[3]" style="background-color: #edeff4; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span id=".reactRoot[281].[1][2][1]{comment10151253411272279_25507495}..[1]..[1]..[0].[0][2]..[3]."><span id=".reactRoot[281].[1][2][1]{comment10151253411272279_25507495}..[1]..[1]..[0].[0][2]..[3]..[0]"> being of senior cat, that senior cats are less likely to get adopted at this time of year. And as long as they remain healthy, they won't be put down. But if they get an upper respiratory infection and they don't have the room to treat them then they put them down. Adoptions Sat are free and $30 after that. But I will pay their adoption fee if that is holding someone back from taking them. They are too sweet to end up being stuck in a shelter for so long that they get sick. <img alt="frown" class="emote_img" src="https://s-static.ak.facebook.com/images/blank.gif" style="background-image: url(https://s-static.ak.fbcdn.net/rsrc.php/v2/ym/x/JeLhH4gSUuu.png); background-position: -16px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; height: 16px; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: top; width: 16px;" title="=(" /></span></span></span><br />
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10/19/12 These girls are ever so sweet. Lola is a love bug. All purrs and rubbing. Misty is super shy but came out this morning when I cracked a can of wet food as a treat for their troubles. I'm currently trying to determine what will be best for them. Their story has been spread around but still no home or foster. We can't keep them but I hate taking them to the shelter as I swore when I started getting pets I'd never do that. Although I never agreed to taking responsibility for them and had them thrown onto me this week. While I think this free adoption weekend at the ARL will give them good face time with a potential new home and a lot of exposure, some friend are weary about it. If I take them after Sat, I believe the ARL still offers free adoptions on older cats. And at 8yrs old, that's them. If they are adopted directly through me, I'll contact the ARL to see what kind of low cost vaccinations they can give for them. Depending on the cost, I may even cover it as I want them placed in a forever home. I'll update again when we determine what will happen. Also they had a self cleaning littermaid but the foster didn't want it so the owner gave it away. Sorry about that. :(<br />
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****10/18/12 I picked the cats up but ARL closed before I could take them over. They are hiding in our basement now with food, water, toys, & litterbox. I will be taking them to the ARL sometime tomorrow. If you wish to rescue them and give them a loving home, please call me 412*687*3058. OR email at rsbosko[at]gmail[dot]com. They are ever so sweet. I was able to stick them into my carriers with no trouble and they barely meowed at all the whole ride home from Bridgeville to the city. FYI. The animal Rescue league is having an adoption special Saturday with free adoptions on all animals. These little girls once there will be chipped and updated on vaccines and could be yours for free. If you rescue them on saturday. They are ever so loving and would do well with a family with kids. They will also do well with other cats as they didn't hiss at mine when I first brought their carriers in. I think they may also do ok with dogs but that lola just didn't like the foster dog. He was a bit barky. At least when I went in, anytime I was around he would not stop barking even after sniffing my hand.<br />
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****10/18/12 <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">URGENT!!!! The foster who was going to take these cats to the ARL left her husband and the state yesterday. Her husband landed himself in jail and I need to go rescue the cats from the house. They NEED a home tonight or else I will have to take them to the ARL. I can not house them in my house as I'm at the city limit for animals. PLEASE help if you can. I'm out of options.</span><br />
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***10/15/12. The current foster situation is falling through and they need a new home. Doesn't matter if it's foster or a forever. If a forever, it may be best if it's dog free. Lola is having stress induced fur loss. She doesn't like the current foster's dog and won't leave the bedroom. It might just be she doesn't like him or that she doesn't like all dogs. Dunno. They will be taken to the ARL now by week's end or even as early as Weds (but let's hope for week's end and a forever home.)<br />
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~~~~~~8/23/12. Kitties are safe. A foster home has been found. =). They are willing to care for the kitties until Justine gets back on her feet. Yay for amazing fosters! ~~~~~<br />
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***Update 8/21/12 - Possible home for Lola appears to have fallen through as the person in interest is no longer returning calls or emails to Justine. Both still need home and have until Sat before ending up in a Shelter.***<br />
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***Update-8/17/12 - Still searching for a home for both kitties. There was interest in Lola but not the pair. They won't be separated until the 25th. If anyone could foster or just provide a temporary boarding house for both, that would be wonderful. Justine has some job prospects but won't know before she has to move before the big move. Her lease is up but current job runs out a few weeks after. The friend she is staying with after lease ends is highly allergic also so kitties can't come. But if someone could at the least shelter them until she leaves Pgh for good in mid-September (hopefully on her way to a new job), then she'd love to keep her kitties. If everything fails, then separating them in eminent and Misty will need a home. She's a lover and will keep your feet warm in the winter as she loves sleeping at the foot of the bed.***<br />
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***Update-8/12/12 - Justine moves on the 25th so the kitties need a home by then. This can be a forever home or a foster. If foster, I will still work to find them a home. I'm looking into Animal Friend's H2H this week. But that will take time. Please spread the word to all that you know.***<br />
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***Update-8/7/12 - I was wrong about the final destination of Justine's cross country trip. She is driving to Las Vegas and not Milwaukee, WI.***<br />
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A friend of mine who recently graduated is facing the end of her post graduate temp position at the end of the month (End of August) when the funding runs out. As she has yet to find something permanent with her degree and her lease ends then too, she's looking to move home with her daughter to her mom's and won't be able to take her two 8yr old cats. It's not that she doesn't want to take them but that her mother is allergic to cats. She had planned to take them to a no-kill shelter this weekend but I convinced her that we can find them a home. While no-kill shelters are good, they are becoming overcrowded and can't necessarily take in these girls. In addition to that the older the animal, the harder it is to get them adopted as everyone wants a cute young pet. So it is best to keep these little sweeties out of a shelter. <br />
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And that is why I ask, can you help us find a new forever home for Misty and Lola?<br />
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Below are specifics about the kitties from their current owner...<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i><b>Thanks for trying to help. The orange/ white is Lola and the dark gray is Misty. I believe Lola is a tailed Manx or also known as a Cabbit (cat rabbit) because she looks like she is hopping when she runs. Misty I believe is a Tabby. They were adopted from the Wisconsin humane society and are both spayed and microchipped. They are 8 yrs old and have been living together for 4 yrs. They are STRICTLY indoor cats and have not been around other animals. They are not up-to-date on vaccinations (3yrs) and that was when they were last tested for leukemia (neg). They have calm personalities and hate closed doors including the bathroom but they just stand their quietly until you come out. They are very good with a rough child. My daughter drags them around the house (literally) and they purr so loudly. They are very affectionate, especially Misty (who I also call my Cuddle Kitty). Misty will collapse like a house of cards as soon as you touch her. They will not scratch furniture as long as they have their own scratch post or box (I use a box on the floor). They are litterbox trained. Lola love to play with leafy greens (I know it is weird but I make a lot of salads). Misty like plastic (so you must be careful about small wrappings like those from bottles) and laser pointers. </b></i></span><br />
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Also their current owner will be traveling across country and if you are on her route to Las Vegas, NV, she could meet up with them and all of their belongings (litterbox, food dishes, toys, etc). <br />
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So can you help? Ask around please. See if anyone is looking to fill a hole in their heart with loving balls of fur. If you do know of someone or are the someone who would love these tame girls, please comment below with your contact info (Name, Email/phone, and anything else you would like to say). You can also email me at rsbosko@gmail.com and I will get you in contact with their current owner.<br />
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Thanks in advance! <br />
Becky<br />
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ps. We are in Pittsburgh, PA btw. But could transport them to surrounding states if needed. So anyone in NY, DC, Philly, Cleveland, etc... Also she will be traveling to Vegas so any city along the route is a possibility too. Local is preferred but as it draws closer to the end of the month, we will be in dire need of finding them a home to keep them out of a shelter.<br />
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PPS. Oh and for those of you who may grumble that you'd never get rid of your pets consider her circumstances. She graduated 7 months ago and has been submitting resumes/applications non-stop since then. She found a temp laboratory position 2 months back but for that 5 month period was living off her savings. She's now broke and once the funding for this position runs out, she has no job and no income. The only option is to move home to her mom's and her mom is allergic. She's asked family but none want the cats and even gave her grief when she told them that she was going to drive the cats to a no kill shelter in Ohio (the closest no-kill she could find that would take them). She's out of options and doesn't want two sweet kitties that her and her daughter love to face being put down. That's why we are reaching out via social media. They are great indoor cats, older so they won't be as annoying as young ones and they have each other so they won't be quite as needy as a single cat.Mehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04768152917016939317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990804074328853353.post-35880943334088754882012-04-28T21:14:00.000-04:002012-04-28T21:14:49.603-04:00Art All Night 2012Today and tomorrow is <a href="http://artallnight.com/">Art All Night</a> in Lawrenceville. =) This year's piece is "Le Poisson" ~ The Fish<br />
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It was one of my favorite works that I had in the 2009 Oil and Ink show. For those interested in this work, it's not for sale. =( But I do have others on display/sale at <a href="http://www.dangaserphotography.com/">Trinity Gallery</a> (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Trinity-Gallery/212818935447692">Facebook</a>) at 4747 Hatfield St. Here's a glimpse at them. =)<br />
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<br />Mehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04768152917016939317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990804074328853353.post-12645371609451632022011-11-13T19:29:00.001-05:002011-11-28T23:57:28.791-05:00The TreadleThree years back when my uncle passed away, that side of the family had to clean out his family (my grandmother's childhood) home. In doing so they found my great grandmother's treadle. Originally my aunt was going to take it but decided she didn't have room, so she offered it to me. Of course, I said yes. Who wouldn't say yes to an antique foot-powered sewing machine owned by their great grandmother? Sadly I let my Aunt put it in her storage space rather than taking it right then. Had I been more wise about rust, I could have saved myself a world of trouble by not letting it sit there for 3 years. But hindsight is 50/50.<br />
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At any rate, it's a 1920's Singer Red Eye Treadle model #66. =) Produced in a lot of 50, 000. Or so says the source I found this at during my intense internet search that I can't find again. </div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-collapse: collapse; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; font-family: Verdana, HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 15px; margin-top: 0px; table-layout: fixed;"><tbody>
<tr style="background-color: #efefef;"><td style="border-bottom-color: black; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: black; border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: black; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: black; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;">8456851</td><td style="border-bottom-color: black; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: black; border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: black; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: black; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;">8506850</td><td style="border-bottom-color: black; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: black; border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: black; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: black; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;">66</td><td style="border-bottom-color: black; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: black; border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: black; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: black; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;">50000</td><td style="border-bottom-color: black; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: black; border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: black; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: black; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; width: 132px;">November 3</td><td style="border-bottom-color: black; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: black; border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: black; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: black; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;">1920</td></tr>
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Knowing the model (or what I thought was the model before I realized there were numerous versions of the 66), I went about beginning to clean the machine head this weekend. I unscrewed the machine head from the frame. Took off all the face plates and proceeded to vacuum up the lint balls with the shop vac. Anything that remained I pulled out with forceps. Then I went on to soak the internal mechanics in liquid wrench (a penetrating oil). At first I applied it with the little hose adapter but then just started spraying away. I sprayed in each of the oiling holes and in all the panels until it was dripping into the disposable oil pan I picked up specifically for this. After everything got a good soak, I began scrubbing with an old toothbrush to loosen the old black grime (which I've been told is the remnants of old oil). As the toothbrush wasn't removing the oil, I then wiped those spots with clean cotton balls to pull the oil off. Had I been thinking, I would have used the old lab forceps I have to cotton ball further in. Or even grabbed a q-tip for those hard to reach places. But I was running low on light and didn't have the time to meander. Once again... hindsight for a future date of re-cleaning. After that I oiled everything up very liberally with sewing machine oil in all the holes and at all the joints such that it was dripping out of the machine. And I ran it for around a minute to get the oil into the joints. I also wiped the paint down will a bit of liquid sewing machine oil as well in the case that I got some liquid wrench on it.</div>
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As I haven't the time tonight to upload all the pictures for direct comparison (which I will do this week), I put them up on my flickr. --> http://www.flickr.com/photos/violet6533/collections/72157628200489587/</div>
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Once they are up on this blog, you will find them below this.</div>Mehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04768152917016939317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990804074328853353.post-42331042784896519432011-09-17T10:45:00.001-04:002011-09-17T10:45:41.489-04:00Moving without PetsI had originally intended on writing a post about our feelings of missing Scout and moments where we notice him gone. Or how a song can invoke such a feeling of sadness because it reminds you of that someone. For instance, I was listening to my Joy Ike playlist this week and her "city lights" song came on. This song originally made me think of a photograph I named city lights where Scout was looking out the window at winter towards the city and it's sparkling lights. I instantly began to cry in lab after realizing I'd never see him doing this again.<br />
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But sadly this isn't that post. It's more a post of anger and outrage at the less than dedicated pet owners. The ones who are moving and either don't try hard enough to find a place to allow pets or don't care enough to take them. I'm not referring to those going internationally or going into the milliatary. Those are slightly harder situations to take a pet. I'm talking of the ones that move domestically and then give their pets to a shelter. Or those who move in with someone who doesn't have a pet allergy but just doesn't like them so the pet goes.<br />
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I'm sorry but adopting an animal should be like adopting a kid. You assume all responsibility for that individual for as long as they live. You don't have to go overboard like we just did trying to save the life of that pet but there should be an understanding that there is NO Backsies. You should adopt the pet only if you are willing to keep that animal with you for the 10-20 years they will be alive. Giving an older animal to a shelter (aka anything that isn't a cute fluffy kitten) is a death sentence. People going to adopt, go for the kittens and puppies, not the older ones. So the older ones grow old in the shelter, get shelter shock, or are euthanized. Why? Because you didn't try hard enough. <br />
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So if you are considering picking up a cute kitty or puppy... Rethink it! Pretend you are looking to adopt a child. Are you ready for a commitment to that animal? If not, then don't. Someone else will love them. <br />
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And don't tell me it's the cost of food and all. We feed prescription food which is expensive. But back when I did meow mix, it was around $10 for a huge bag. That lasts one cat 4 months. And same with the cheaper litter. Plus vet visits use to be maybe once every 4 yrs when I had the cash. Doing the minimum needed for a happy cat is cheap. <br />
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I understand if you become allergic to your cat and have to give them up... But otherwise, Commit or don't get!<br />
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Ok... end of rant now.Mehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04768152917016939317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990804074328853353.post-2927175839685369282011-08-24T18:15:00.001-04:002011-08-24T18:21:15.291-04:00ScoutAs I write this, I feel so nauseated and sick. It's like this is all a really bad dream that I'm bound to awake from... that we need to awake from. We've been crying so much that my sinuses literally feel like they will pop. And any pain I'm feeling now, I know is ten times worse for my husband as it's his kitty who is in trouble. Our 2.5yr old human loving cat, Scout, is a very very very sick kitty. It began with him acting listless, weird, not eating and having mobility issues last night when we got home from DC so we took him to the vet this AM. After X-rays, blood panels and poking, we find that he has an enlarged spleen and very low hemoglobin levels. So low that he could be facing respiratory failure. We took him from our vets to the emergency vets down the street and the whole time I was thinking "Not again.... not another young one to acute illness.". Sadly my hopes did nothing... Scout has leukemia. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5308/5851631636_390156c8cf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5308/5851631636_390156c8cf.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Scout in his favorite place... damp grass.</span></i></div><br />
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He will be getting a blood transfusion which will allow us to pamper him for his final days to maybe even weeks depending on how many fully functioning red blood cells his body will make as the transfusion cells begin to die. We could try chemo but Josh doesn't want to put him through the pain of chemo. Plus we can't afford his current bill of $2500 (we're considering what can we sell off for his treatment... Anyone want to buy some art?) let alone chemo and more vet visits. So all we can do is hope for the best and to make him happy while he's with us. The poor lil guy doesn't deserve this. He had so much love to give and was such a great little kitty...Mehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04768152917016939317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990804074328853353.post-42751645340177072512011-08-12T15:12:00.002-04:002011-08-12T15:18:21.753-04:00Seen in a New WayMonths back, I bought my first Lensbaby lens to celebrate my 30th birthday. And just now I'm beginning to get it working the way I'd like it to. The shining example is the aperture accessory kit that I bought with the lens to give me bokeh (<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">the aesthetic quality of the blur</span>) in the shapes of the aperture disks. Up until a few days ago, I was disappointed with the results I was obtaining. I wasn't getting any shapes in my backgrounds or in my light sources at first... That is until I realize what I wanted depended on the field depth. The way to get some shapely bokeh is to have bokeh in the first place!<br />
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These first two photos are taken with my stock Canon Rebel Xsi lens to show the standard lens look. The next photos showcase the Lensbaby double glass optic in the composer lens body with the star aperture in place.<br />
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As you can see, the other plants in our yard give a nice blur with the lighter plants have star shaped bokeh. I also offset the point of focus to the side to capture only the flower and at one point just the stamen in focus.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6200/6027441535_b75147a066.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6200/6027441535_b75147a066.jpg" width="266" /></a><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6080/6027997976_5e78096cde.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6080/6027997976_5e78096cde.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6144/6027445031_d8daebf867.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6144/6027445031_d8daebf867.jpg" width="266" /></a> <a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6149/6027999738_092aa2baaa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6149/6027999738_092aa2baaa.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Then I decided to play a bit with the macro lens adapter I bought. Putting on the +10 first and then the +10 combined with the +4. I admit that it was quite a challenge to get a perfectly focused macro photo without a tripod. Plus it doesn't help that I'm still working on tweaking my diopter to work with the Lensbaby. I actually had to buy a dioptric adjustment lens to make my stock diopter more dynamic as I was maxing out the negative side of it to attempt to get focus. The only thing I'm not really fond of is having to use my camera in Aperture Priority mode as I can't select the exposure time. But as the Xsi doesn't allow me to indicate aperture size and the light meter ceases to function properly in manual with the Lensbaby attached, AP is better than a guessing game for exposure time. Despite that, in the end I'm loving the little bit that I have learned about using my Lensbaby and I can't wait to play with it more so that using it becomes natural like my canon stock lens.<br />
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Anyone else out there try a Lensbaby yet? Mehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04768152917016939317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990804074328853353.post-70287906723367839922011-06-14T16:00:00.063-04:002011-06-24T14:19:12.462-04:00The Best<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Voting to help me decide my best kitty photo has closed.... Here are the results</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Sleep with One Eye Open" 2</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>"You Killed my Saturday..." 10</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Winker" 1</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Hide and Seek" 1</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Gator Play" 1</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"You Killed my Saturday ..." will be entered in Paper Mama's contest! Thanks for all the help everyone here and on facebook!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/2504297/delightful-little-mess?claim=pdfkrrkyhve">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a><br />
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More recently, I've begun to want my photos to tell stories. When I first started to photograph, I was content on catching pretty objects, scenery, cats, etc. While that is all well and good, it tends to be more just a practice in catching the right layout, color, contrast... the right type of shot. Looking back at those photos, I find that they are of great quality but don't remind me of a moment. They don't evoke as much of an emotion as others. So hence my new desire to catch moments. Oddly enough this new desire has occurred before the most recent <a href="http://thepapermama.blogspot.com/2011/06/photo-competition-your-best-shot.html">Paper Mama challenge</a> to show off your "Best Shot" of your child or pet.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://thepapermama.blogspot.com/2011/06/photo-competition-your-best-shot.html"><img alt="The Paper Mama" height="120" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2256/5759793802_f808772429_o.jpg" width="160" /></a></div><br />
Two weeks ago, I considered this one of my best photos... <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2202/5748156309_c95e0fcdc7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2202/5748156309_c95e0fcdc7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">"Sleep With One Eye Open"</span></i></b></div><br />
The composition and the bokeh were awesome! Plus who doesn't love a little kitty with her head upside down. But it doesn't tell an entire story... Just a glamor shot of my little model cat. <i>(Yes, she does model often for me.)</i> Mind you, it does tell of a sleepy kitty being pestered but many cat shots tend to involve sleepy kittys as that is what they do best. =)<br />
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So I started to skim my flickr account to pull up some contenders for the Best Shot... At first I found this beauty of a moment. It's not a happy moment but it tells a story. A story that all pets hate... This shot was taken after bringing our 2nd oldest kitty, Squeakers, back from the vets. I'll give you a guess as to how he got his name... When afraid, he howls and cries... stick him in a cat carrier and it sounds like your taking a dying animal to the Vet. <i>(I've had Vet Techs come running thinking I was bringing in a true emergency... most think it was a cat run over by a car.) </i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4102/4803193355_5299db070e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4102/4803193355_5299db070e.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><b>"You killed my Saturday..."</b></span></i></div><br />
At any rate... This photo is named "You killed my Saturday..." because this particular Saturday was a sick Vet visit. Squeakers' visit was due to a bout of vomiting<i>(Not the normal, I over ate and then drank water which expanded my food making me sick that cats normally get. Rather he had the full on vomiting till it was just bile for a couple days. It was the type of sick kitty that screams something isn't right). </i>After being poked, given an xray and a general check up... The vet sent us home with the diagnosis of Squeakers having no blockage or severe ailment but most likely a case of the nerves<i> (Seeing that this cat has had idiopathic cystitis, vomiting due to anxiety isn't impossible)</i> to be treated with OTC Pepcid for an upset stomach. When home and release from his cage, he immediately ran full speed under the bed... staying there for HOURS! After checking on him for what seemed like the 13th time, I noticed the sun shining on my sad little kitty who was mad that I made him go to the Vet. And for those of you who didn't think animals could show facial expressions... I have to say he's putting on a good pout face here. ;)<br />
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The next photo was one taken a few weeks back. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2215/5748352865_d7ccc60676.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2215/5748352865_d7ccc60676.jpg" width="425" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">"The Winker"</span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The story behind "The Winker" is as follows... I had no desire to get up on that particular Sunday morning so I continued to lay sideways across the bed until I figured out what I wanted/needed to do. My husband decided to pester me and our 2nd youngest kitty Scout decided to join the fun on the bed. Out of sheer luck, the cat & the husband aligned in a such a way that I saw a perfect rare shot that could never be set up like that again. Slinking off the bed to not disturb the cat <i>(as you know they don't stay long when there is movement around)</i>, I ran to snag my camera. I slipped back across the bed with all the auto settings on so I could catch the moment before Scout ran off. Sadly, the autofocus went for the close face... my husband (<a href="http://flic.kr/p/9L1BiJ">Pre-Wink</a>). Switching to manual, I focused on the kitty who just as I clicked blinked his one eye. And Voila... The winker was born. </div><br />
The third photo was one taken shortly after we moved. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3336/4563036545_7a276274b5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3336/4563036545_7a276274b5.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">"Hide and Seek"</span></i></b></div><br />
Our youngest and littlest kitty out of the four, Alice, was playing on our cat tower behind the window curtain. She was cooing and mewing as she does to get attention. And the sunshine through the window was shining bright making her baby blue eyes sparkle. So I snagged my camera and began to line up a shot. Upon seeing she was being given attention and wondering what I had in my hand, she peaked forward to sniff and I caught this little gem called "Hide and Seek".<br />
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My final and fourth photo is still coming... See our OC (old kittycat - he's 11 yrs old), Roscoe, doesn't stick around much to be photographed. He's shy and afraid of most everything. He's a watcher and a looker. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1089/4607116948_22f0546b94.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1089/4607116948_22f0546b94.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">"Gator Play"</span></b></i></div><br />
Currently one of my favorite photos of him is where he's playing with his gator <i>(named "Gator Play")</i>. For some reason he loves to play with this plastic gator. It goes missing for years before I find where he hides it. This particular night, I had found the gator and pulled it out for him to play. As you can see, everything is in focus but Roscoe as he baps at his toy. While I love this photo because my 11 yr old cat is playing with his gator, I'm sure I can get a better shot of him... I just have to time it right. Hence why Roscoe's best is still to come.<br />
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So which one do you like the best for "The Best"? Posting is open until June 24th for paper mama so tell me which I ought to submit as I love them all! I'll give you until <s>Friday the 17th</s> Sunday the 19th to comment on your favorite photo that would be a good contender for this <a href="http://thepapermama.blogspot.com/2011/06/photo-competition-your-best-shot.html">Paper Mama contest</a>... it has prizes! eep!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><i>To view all the photos I've posted in the last few years, give a look at my flickr site -> <b><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/violet6533/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/violet6533/</a></b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>When you hit the gallery show photos, I'd suggest clicking on different sets as the show photos are MANY(hundreds...I think)!</i></div>Mehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04768152917016939317noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990804074328853353.post-89763110947161971302011-05-31T17:01:00.007-04:002011-06-01T00:15:23.172-04:00Best Face Photo from MaySo I'll keep this short and sweet as I have about a million things to do and don't want to do a thing. Today is a rather somber day for my husband, his family and I as we say goodbye to his grandma Dee. That tough old cookie, who was only given a short time to live last summer when diagnosed with bone cancer (her third and final battle with cancer), has left her pain and this world for a much better place. We're glad she proved the doctors wrong and made it to our wedding last September but are still wishing she didn't have to go so soon. She was only 82 years young... We like to think she's hanging out at the Isaly's (a local Pgh deli that her and the old folks hung out at) in the sky with all her friends who have passed before her. <br />
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In memory of grandma Dee, I'm posting my best face of the May for the <a href="http://www.iheartfaces.com/2011/05/peoples-choice-may/">"I Heart Faces" photography challenge</a>... one of our kitties. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.iheartfaces.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/I-Heart-Faces-button.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.iheartfaces.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/I-Heart-Faces-button.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><b>www.iheartfaces.com</b></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Grandma Dee loved animals, in particular pussycats! So it's only fitting to put up a kitty that we so wanted her to meet. She only got to meet 1 of our 4 furballs and we're sure had she met our little Alice, she would have fell in love.<br />
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This photo I call, "Sleep With One Eye Open"...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2202/5748156309_c95e0fcdc7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2202/5748156309_c95e0fcdc7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Photo taken with my newest toy... Lensbaby composer, double glass optic, f2.8 with +4 macro w/longer exposure</span></i><br />
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Now I must go off to do grown up things... like analyze data for an abstract due Thurs (I think 2 days from now), comfort my hubs, keep the household a float aka pets fed and watered, etc. I really don't want to be an adult right now...<br />
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ps. I know we need to comment on photos around ours. And I promise to do so. I just might not be able to for a day or so while we sort life out. But I had really really really wanted to post this photo when I saw the info for this week's contest in last weeks.<br />
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Oh and sorry it's not a human face.... But I don't think my husband would feel much like being photographed anytime soon... nor do I feel much like photographing. Plus as we don't have fur-less children yet, our cats are who I photograph as if they were children. Weird. yes I know. But they put up with me when my husband gets sick of posing... If it has to be a human face from may... then below would be it. "Yesterday's sorrow" taken yesterday when I was trying to cheer up after my last visit to see Dee.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fgD9hyzZdr0/TeVbFcltz5I/AAAAAAAABOc/w79rjimoHpg/s1600/IMG_9408.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fgD9hyzZdr0/TeVbFcltz5I/AAAAAAAABOc/w79rjimoHpg/s320/IMG_9408.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Or maybe even the "Winker"... When my husband, cats, and I were all happy and chipper.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Mehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04768152917016939317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990804074328853353.post-46334204269775891832011-03-15T13:54:00.001-04:002011-03-15T13:59:54.022-04:00Operation Layla... ps. Bake SaleAlso... I cooked 21 dozen pizzelles this weekend. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5011/5523262215_d74b82bef2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5011/5523262215_d74b82bef2.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5171/5523857474_ca3a455eb0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5171/5523857474_ca3a455eb0.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Of those, 9 dozen (1 doz Anise/Splenda, 5 doz Anise/Reg Sugar, & 2 doz Orange/Reg Sugar) will be auctioned off for the Operation Layla bake sale at http://operationlayla.wordpress.com/. See tomorrow if there will be 3 batches of these cookies or if all will be auctioned as a huge batch. One thing to note... these cookies stay fresh for a VERY long time! Ones I made over a year ago, the hubs was eating this weekend to make room for new cookies in his tin. He's determined they are the perfect solution for when the shit hits the fan as they contain protein (eggs), carbs (wheat flour) and Sugar. =)<br />
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Here's the dets for the bake sale auction from the site.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">*****************************************</span></span></strong></em></span></div><h2 class="entry-title" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; 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padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Permalink to Bake Sale Info">Bake Sale Info</a></h2><div class="entry-meta" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #888888; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, 'Nimbus Sans L', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="meta-prep meta-prep-author" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; 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background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a class="url fn n" href="http://operationlayla.wordpress.com/author/jesstagirl/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #888888; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="View all posts by Jessica Lynn">Jessica Lynn</a></span></div><div class="entry-content" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 12px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Are you as excited as we are for the #OperationLayla: Bake Sale? This Wednesday, you can feast your eyes on more than three dozen varieties of baked goods, and everyone knows that tasty treats have zero calories if it’s for a good cause, right?</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">So get your money ready, because tomorrow you’ll see items like Cinnamon Rum Caramel Sauce and Homemade Pancake Mix; Turducken Cookies (chocolate chip cookies stuffed with an Oreo!), Toffee Bacon Shortbread, and mouthwatering brownies, cookies, cakes, and pretty much everything in between! There will also be vegan and gluten free goodies and several items available for international shipping (just make sure to read each post for more specific details)!</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">You may be asking yourself how this online bake sale will work, so here are some need-to-know facts for the big day.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">First, every single cent raised from this sale will make a difference in not just Layla’s life, but possibly in so many more lives around the world. (<a href="http://operationlayla.wordpress.com/2011/03/13/what-48-hours-can-achieve/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #0066cc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">See how the money will be used</a>)</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The bake sale will open at <strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">8 am on Wednesday, March 16</strong>, and <strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">closes at 11 pm EST on Wednesday, March 16.</strong></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">On Wednesday morning, there will be a post opening the bake sale. <strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Each item will have a minimum bid of $15.</strong></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Each item up for bid will have its own post. <strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">To officially bid on an baked good, you must leave a comment on that particular post with at least a $1 (one dollar) raise in price. </strong>Think of this as an on-going auction. Readers will see the last price and have the option of raising it higher. <strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">All buyers have until 11 pm EST to submit their bid.</strong></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">All winners will be announced on Thursday, March 17.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Each winner will donate the specified winning amount through the<a href="http://operationlayla.wordpress.com/donate/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #0066cc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #993366; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">#OperationLayla PayPal button</span></a>.</strong> Once the donation goes through, I will email the baker the winner’s email address. It will then be the baker’s responsibility to get in touch with the winner to work out the specifics of sending the baked good(s).</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The winner has 24 hours to make the online donation.</strong> If, in that time frame, the donation is not made, the next highest bidder will be contacted.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Thank you very much for your generous contributions and support. We will try our best to moderate the comments throughout the day. If you would like to comment anonymously or have any questions or concerns, please email <strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #993366; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">OperationBakeSale@gmail.com.</span></strong></em></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #993366; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Happy bidding!</span></strong></em></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">*****************************************</span></span></strong></em></div></div>Mehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04768152917016939317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990804074328853353.post-10211095783087071002011-03-15T13:19:00.000-04:002011-03-15T13:19:23.276-04:00Operation LaylaWell... I was going to write something profound. Something absolutely dripping with grace. I planned on telling Layla's tale of scar pains after intro-ing from my current post surgery issues. Or even explaining how meds can cost a fortune to those who have no insurance <i>(When I let mine insurance lapse as a stupid stupid grad student, I had to pay $168 for antibiotics.)</i>. But lets face it, one thing I lack now a days and will for the next month is time. <i>(I'm writing this as I scarf down my lunch.)</i> So instead of being eloquent and artistic with my words, I'm going to be brief.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-j_PZPCY33Iw/TX-eEaPcR3I/AAAAAAAABOY/SBHDjSdQd90/s1600/Layla+is+cool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-j_PZPCY33Iw/TX-eEaPcR3I/AAAAAAAABOY/SBHDjSdQd90/s400/Layla+is+cool.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">http://wishfulfillmenteveryday.blogspot.com/p/about.html</span></div><br />
A dear friend to me, Layla, is pain... Intense pain associated with surgery she had a few years back. It's not getting better and the fates had conspired against her for the last several months throwing a monkey wrench in her motor of a chance to have insurance cover the surgery. Because of this, friends of her (blog buddies) have set out to raise the money to help fund her surgery with no help from insurance. Every little bit helps and there's a site set up to help all of us internet folk out here give a lil bit however we can. So follow the little Operation Layla link below to find out more about Layla, the cause and how you can help.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://operationlayla.wordpress.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #7f6000;">http://operationlayla.wordpress.com/</span></a></span></b></div><br />
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I'm also donating all the proceeds from sales at my Etsy shop to Layla as well. =)<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/DLMArts?ref=pr_shop_more">DLMarts - Operation Layla</a></span></b><br />
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</b>Mehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04768152917016939317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990804074328853353.post-90313184166262060062011-03-03T18:05:00.002-05:002011-04-23T12:19:39.390-04:00The Technicolor Basket of SunshineA few weekends ago, our original weekend plans were to enjoy a nice quiet one yet it was everything but that. This being that at around the same time the hubs discovered his truck had been broken into the night before, we also found out that one of his teenage cousins was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. So as he waited for the cops to arrived, I scurried up to Wildcard for some "Get Well Soon" gifts. I returned home with a container of colorful magnets (every teen needs magnets for their school locker) and two crochet critters by <a href="http://www.aliciakachmar.com/">Alicia Kachmar</a> (a Smore and a Deviled Egg). Upon visiting lil cous "H"... her and all the girls in the ward's sunroom were in love with the crochet critters. And after telling them that the lady who makes them began crocheting in the hospital when she was ill, that made them more excited about learning to make these lil cutsies. =) So I told H that if she wanted to learn to crochet, I get her all the essentials to start...<br />
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And that's just what I did... "H" if you happen to find this post before I give you your treat, don't read. =)<br />
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I purchased a few of the patterns she liked... The vegetables as she thought the Olive was the cutest and hats for your safety cones.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5099/5487382327_3ecee11151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5099/5487382327_3ecee11151.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Then I made a trip to Michael's with my Xmas gift cards and had an initial idea in my head of a few skeins of yarn, a crochet kit that contained a book and hook along with some embroidery floss that soon turned into a huge basket.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5218/5487966320_ab5f22ae05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5218/5487966320_ab5f22ae05.jpg" width="424" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>A bountiful basket to make any crochet lover giggle in delight... </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5177/5487378097_4ef641f9a5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5177/5487378097_4ef641f9a5.jpg" width="213" /></a><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5296/5487380339_8b6aed7b9c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5296/5487380339_8b6aed7b9c.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Diaper pins for keeping her work from unraveling when she's in between crochet moments plus tons of yarn and stuffing to make all the critters her heart desires.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5177/5487375893_e08759a13d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5177/5487375893_e08759a13d.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>All the little tools and bobbles she'll need to master <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amigurumi">amigurumi</a> (the art of making crochet critters).</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div>Mehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04768152917016939317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990804074328853353.post-3923867431324512092011-03-02T20:22:00.002-05:002011-03-02T20:43:05.607-05:00Kitties and Yarn...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Dunno why but kitties love yarn. But ours get all wide eyed any time I pull a ball out near them. =)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5291/5487989774_040af37a08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5291/5487989774_040af37a08.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>Mehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04768152917016939317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990804074328853353.post-4342105591567627582011-02-17T16:34:00.001-05:002011-02-17T16:50:57.166-05:00My Valentine[s]So in our house, I have 7 valentines... the 4 cats, the 2 ferrets and of course the hubs! While they all have their moments that annoy me to death (some of the cats pin me down in my sleep while others whine until they get wet food, the ferrets shake their cage and Josh sometimes snores like an old man), I couldn't see life without them. When I'm at my worst, their undying love and affection makes me smile. That is unless I'm queen PMS then it takes a good dose of chocolate. ;) So here's to my Valentines and the affection they bring me.<br />
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In the above photo: Josh and Alice (our youngest and only girl kitty... she's a feisty female princess kitten and she knows it) sharing a kitty hug as she won't let you hold her but shows her love with a head bump!<br />
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The reason for the above short and sweet post is the lovely paper mama and her photo contests. I'm using those as a reason to write more. Plus I just love her photo skills!<br />
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<a ="" href="http://thepapermama.blogspot.com/"><img ="" alt="The Paper Mama" height="150" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4103/5085242350_8096c64354.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
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And as always... the photo above is unedited and uncropped as this lil grad student doesn't have the time to edit plus is attempting to master her SLR before depending on photoshop to fix things. lol. =)Mehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04768152917016939317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990804074328853353.post-57793480612452300152011-02-13T20:59:00.001-05:002011-02-13T21:00:19.941-05:00Birthday Wants...So seeing as this year is one of those milestone years (I'm turning the big "3" "0" on the last day of March), I've decided to compose a list of things I want that I will indeed use. Oddly enough, they all have something to do with my SLR. ;)<br />
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The first is an <a href="http://www.epiphaniebags.com/">Epiphanie camera bag</a>. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cqbvNh_03LY/TVYgDT3Nh1I/AAAAAAAABOI/w6Cmms6H6CI/s1600/Ginger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cqbvNh_03LY/TVYgDT3Nh1I/AAAAAAAABOI/w6Cmms6H6CI/s320/Ginger.jpg" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9LDOFpsDMlz28Rv7U3bhskkKB-R5jaVX3AQF0KyyFFj9WwSblZQZabNpk-dCN5fiCizQ5bTuiFioKZJOG-_Ja3geSr42TruUSlVLZbJ3VGPpWekCD9_vjWshaVjxdZMeNnO69njcHqINO/s1600/Lola.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9LDOFpsDMlz28Rv7U3bhskkKB-R5jaVX3AQF0KyyFFj9WwSblZQZabNpk-dCN5fiCizQ5bTuiFioKZJOG-_Ja3geSr42TruUSlVLZbJ3VGPpWekCD9_vjWshaVjxdZMeNnO69njcHqINO/s320/Lola.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">I've been pining over these bags for almost a year now since I saw one online last spring. Originally I fell for the Ginger but now am leaning more towards a Lola as turning 30 has me wanting to attempt a lil trendiness before I get too old and wrinkled... ;) Plus as I love to take my camera everywhere but don't want to scream to the random thug on the street that I'm strapping a several hundred dollar SLR, a discrete yet protective bag is key. =)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">The second thing I desire is a remote for my camera. This way I can start perfecting self and staged portraits. An added bonus is that when the hubs and I play with sparklers outside, we don't have to take a dozen photos where half are me running back as it shoots of 10 in a row. </div><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">And the last thing I want (that I'm more likely to save up for than to expect as a gift) is a fisheye lens called the <a href="http://www.lensbaby.com/scout.php">Scout</a> from lensbaby. I love that their lenses are affordable and the bodies can be used with different lens inserts or the funky <a href="http://www.lensbaby.com/accessories-creative.php">aperture kit</a>. Plus eventually I'll get around to getting one of their bundles that comes with a swivel lens.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L3T_saFgF8s/TVYft4oFMeI/AAAAAAAABOA/X4a2SpxgCx8/s1600/lensbaby+scout2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L3T_saFgF8s/TVYft4oFMeI/AAAAAAAABOA/X4a2SpxgCx8/s320/lensbaby+scout2.jpg" width="260" /></a></div><br />
So what are all of you hoping to save up for in celebration of a milestone birthday?Mehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04768152917016939317noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990804074328853353.post-83296340080646891582011-02-10T22:22:00.002-05:002011-02-10T22:41:31.522-05:00Eeep... another photo contest!As it turns out I happened upon Paper Mama's site on the last day of a photo challenge that didn't require your children (furry or fleshy being) present in the photo... This being that this weeks challenge is a self portrait! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4103/5085242350_8096c64354.jpg" width="200" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://thepapermama.blogspot.com/">http://thepapermama.blogspot.com</a></div><br />
The self portrait I've chosen is one of the many I took after the hubs and I returned from getting his 30th birthday present... Cheesecake style pin-up photos of moi. <i>(For those of you unfamiliar with this style of retro pin-up, it's that of the 40's and 50's where the women were still sexy and beautiful without having to be naked. Showing a little garter & stocking with a smirk was all the rage.)</i> At any rate... as hubs and I are big fans of the photography, I searched high and low for a classy place that gave superb results as it originally was going to be a surprise for his second tour in Iraq. <i>(Luckily he was medically discharged before then and it turned into a 30th B-day present)</i>. We traveled out to Baltimore to the home of <a href="http://atomiccheesecakestudios.com/#home">Atomic Cheesecake Studios</a> where the wonderful Action Girl (aka Stacey B) did the most amazing job on hair, makeup and photography. I couldn't stop smiling as the whole experience made me feel empowered and beautiful. <i>(Not that the hubs doesn't tell me I'm a beauty every day but looking flawless and seeing his jaw drop in new ways was even more empowering than usual!)</i> After getting home I felt I couldn't just wash the makeup off without getting a few photographs of my own. The best one is the following self portrait in the bathroom mirror.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2693/4428796568_22d1caa18b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="500" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2693/4428796568_22d1caa18b.jpg" width="333" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/violet6533/4428796568/in/set-72157624040664358/">"Say Cheesecake!"</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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ps. Be sure to check out <a href="http://www.retrolovely.com/index.html">Retro Lovely</a>. It's a new retro pin-up magazine and one of the sexy scientist photos from my shoot was used in issue <a href="https://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=8074&id=103167073052129">#2</a> =)Mehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04768152917016939317noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990804074328853353.post-35248811087134785012010-12-16T22:55:00.001-05:002010-12-16T22:56:27.265-05:00Christmas ClawsSo there's this blog called paper mama, by a gal named Chelsey, that is just the cutest. She takes some wicked amazing photos and also seems to illustrate how you can take a not so fab photo and enhance it so it looks fab. Such that if you have bad lighting or colors, ways to adapt it so it looks like to planned to make it look the way it does. Or at least I think she has some posts of how she does the manipulation. I sorta got distracted when I saw she was running photo contests. And I suppose I'm rambling now. Long story short... I just found her blog and am slowly investigating it when I get the free time (aka sometime in April when I'm not doing DNA quantifications in the AM and RNA extractions in the PM.).<br />
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And now to the photo contest aspect... Each week she does a challenge and this is the current one.<br />
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<a href="http://thepapermama.blogspot.com/"><img alt="The Paper Mama" height="150" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4103/5085242350_8096c64354.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
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<b>This weeks challenge: Holiday colors.</b><br />
<b>The challenge: The challenge will be based around your children. Take or find a photo of your baby (or kid... or puppy... or kitty) wearing red and green... blue and white... or, whatever colors make you think of the upcoming holidays. Feel free to play around with photo editing programs! Have fun!</b><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFigxfG0zEmoJSyJtPpKYxBt4t0Oa1vStno6wHAxYDOhPhk84wszeAvlConSgDZigz7B2C1tbPk6bktpOSx00qrqaAElLVbOSAzE7gpFvlatKzdEB4ezTcrdU9pLucI0puq7rYdVhkPj0r/s1600/IMG_2916.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFigxfG0zEmoJSyJtPpKYxBt4t0Oa1vStno6wHAxYDOhPhk84wszeAvlConSgDZigz7B2C1tbPk6bktpOSx00qrqaAElLVbOSAzE7gpFvlatKzdEB4ezTcrdU9pLucI0puq7rYdVhkPj0r/s320/IMG_2916.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>As we lack kids, furballs are our babies... I went on a hunt for a kitty photo from last year. Sadly all of our Alice playing elf were a blur. What can I say but the little white one hates costumes. =(</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_659lJwPIwQw/TQrcgUtu5zI/AAAAAAAABNo/lvJA3MTrkdk/s1600/IMG_2805+christmas+claws.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_659lJwPIwQw/TQrcgUtu5zI/AAAAAAAABNo/lvJA3MTrkdk/s640/IMG_2805+christmas+claws.jpg" width="388" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>So I dug further and found this photo from Christmas day <i>(Either taken by myself or my hubs as when I'm not running a muck with the camera I hand it to him to document every moment)</i>. It's Christmas Claws! Her name is Zoey and she belongs to my stepmom who every year sticks the poor cat in some kind of Christmas garb. Amazingly enough Zoey has learned to remain composed while any of our 4 cats would be chewing the darn thing off. ;) </div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR-rkqci35fm33LCK-wDSbizXN2fid6t9QfdBMeSVJvhF_pqzsz1TVDK45im78E89sSuFx1_nOm0UGgbwJRQY0k1c8sUp-PIIhEFwC4uqNvq7KHzYQ5MIyXnE4Pic-ORVTh6l59sllFaO-/s1600/IMG_2866.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR-rkqci35fm33LCK-wDSbizXN2fid6t9QfdBMeSVJvhF_pqzsz1TVDK45im78E89sSuFx1_nOm0UGgbwJRQY0k1c8sUp-PIIhEFwC4uqNvq7KHzYQ5MIyXnE4Pic-ORVTh6l59sllFaO-/s400/IMG_2866.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>Also while digging for photos, I found this gem of last year's Christmas Twig that is still tied to our wall. The story behind the twig is that we lack the room for a full tree but wanted a tree anyway. Our friend who owns a local shop called <a href="http://www.wildcardpgh.com/">Wildcard</a> has used lighted twigs in the past as store decor so we went out in the snowy trail to find a good Twig. And hence our yearly tradition has begun of decorating the twig. Last year was beach themed flower lights... This year, you'll just have to wait and see. =)</div><div><br />
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</div><div>Be sure to check out Chelsey's blog, and the contest, and if this post lack coherent organization, forgive the mess as I've spent 9hrs in lab today where 7-8 straight was spending doing brain numbing work. ;)</div>Mehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04768152917016939317noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990804074328853353.post-68570344487230616422010-12-04T22:38:00.000-05:002010-12-04T22:38:27.889-05:00Christmas Cards in less than an hour!For me to craft anything in less than an hour is a miracle as I'm a constant over thinker. But at 2am in the morning and running on nothing, I managed to pull off a Christmas miracle. =)<br />
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See for the past few weeks I've seen others pointing out sites they want to get photo Christmas cards from and yet others have been asking for my addy for one. In all this, I've decided that it would be awesome to send out cards as I now have a reason to send them... I'm no longer a single soul sharing christmas joy but a married one. So the cards go out as a joint tiding of joy! Woot! <br />
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I began my hunt on Shutterfly.com as we have a gift card from the wedding there. But as all the flat cards I looked at were a minimum of 70 cents for the designs I liked. And they were enveloped! I wanted postcards...not regular cards. I don't care if it gets marked or tainted by the mail process. It gives it more flavor that way and cuts the postage down. <br />
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So I went back to my favorite friend gotprint.com. You download their photoshop template and work within the lines to ensure you fill the bleed areas but not with important items. It took me 30 minutes to go through our wedding photos (all 771 of them) and pick out my favorites for the card. I resized the images (1 for front and 1 for back), copied it into the template, added text (another 15 minutes of which font looks best) and then uploaded to the site. Well, uploaded after hubby approved of my work. ;) In all it took an hour and I made only 1 mistake on the final copy that might take you a bit to notice... let me know if you find it. ;) <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">The front!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">And it's behind!</div><br />
What do you think? I'm betting it's gonna look great with a glossy front and 2 sides in color!Mehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04768152917016939317noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990804074328853353.post-25083465053539004462010-11-18T16:00:00.006-05:002010-11-18T17:48:28.537-05:00Arsenal in Autumn<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">While aimlessly meandering around the world of blogs, I came across a fall photo contest by a military wife's on her blog titled <a href="http://gijoeswife.blogspot.com/2010/10/fall-foto-contest.html">GI Joe's Wife</a>.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
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<center><a href="http://gijoeswife.blogspot.com/2010/10/fall-foto-contest.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Fall Foto Contest" border="0" src="http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac218/MiraTucci/SarahButton-1.jpg" /></a></center><br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Sarah is currently living in Hawaii as her hubs is stationed there and wishing that she could enjoy more seasons than just 1 season of constant summer. As I take plenty of photos and had just recently taken some of my retired military hubs playing like a kid in the fall leaves, I decided I'd share some of my favs with all of you and the best one with Sarah! So here goes our Saturday adventure in Arsenal Park (Early on it was the site of the historic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegheny_Arsenal">Allegheny Aresenal</a>).</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">In the spirit of not altering any of my photos, these are all orginal, out of the camera, unphotoshopped pictures. =)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1291/5187178829_fcabc213b9_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1291/5187178829_fcabc213b9_b.jpg" width="425" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bug's View of Arsenal</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1031/5187176093_e1fda5788f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1031/5187176093_e1fda5788f.jpg" width="213" /></a><a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1036/5187777086_c41d7ffab5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1036/5187777086_c41d7ffab5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Where's Squirreldo?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1044/5187172467_3acd2e2598.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1044/5187172467_3acd2e2598.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4089/5187771274_7be29458af.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4089/5187771274_7be29458af.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Vibrant Tree</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4133/5187167677_71e8968396.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4133/5187167677_71e8968396.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Last Posey of the Season</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4153/5187773618_1574751ff3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4153/5187773618_1574751ff3.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4086/5187180089_6119648878.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4086/5187180089_6119648878.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Shades of Fall</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4092/5187170753_468847a2a5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4092/5187170753_468847a2a5.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Eternal Youth</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My personal fave is this one of the hubs running towards me through the pile of leaves... On the first take, he ran so fast that I got a picture of just leaves flying in my face (leaves + mold = not good for the allergic to nature aka me). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>I also managed to get this great shot of the flag in the park flapping in the wind. It's one of my favs too. <br />
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For all the photos we took that day feel free to visit my flickr album<br />
---> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/violet6533/sets/72157625418973176/with/5187782784/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/violet6533/sets/72157625418973176/with/5187782784/</a><br />
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ps. It's our two month wedding anni and soon (when I have the time) I'll start some recaps as I got our wedding photos yesterday!</div>Mehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04768152917016939317noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990804074328853353.post-65992272785626894712010-10-23T23:54:00.001-04:002010-10-23T23:55:28.037-04:00Pretty PosiesNot many brides, if any, can say that they picked their bouquet flowers the day before their wedding. But in my case... my very non traditional case... I can! <br />
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Near to exactly a day before our wedding I stopped by <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pittsburgh-PA/Mildreds-Daughters-Urban-Farm/292620266170">Mildred's Daughters Urban Farm</a> (the only farm zoned land in the city proper of Pittsburgh) to cut the flowers for the maids bouquets along with a few to use in mine. I would have picked the flowers the night before but seeing as how it had rained and cutting flowers wet leads to reduced vase life, we decided to follow Randa's (the farm co-owner) advice and go friday midday. I met with Joan, who does the garden's flower arrangements, around noon and we went to work cutting the Zinnias. She cut, I de-leafed and the chickens attempted to eat the leaves. Yep... Mildred's has their very own farm chickens. =) In the end we cut 60 flowers and a handful of other flowers filling over 1 tidy cat plastic container of water.<br />
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At that point, I went home and set off on making the bouquets. I soon found that I liked the simple look of 6 Zinnias and sorted them into colors sets. I put together 4 different colors for each of my 4 maids. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_659lJwPIwQw/TMOrgYR05kI/AAAAAAAABNY/9tpywM7P_34/s1600/IMG_7262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_659lJwPIwQw/TMOrgYR05kI/AAAAAAAABNY/9tpywM7P_34/s400/IMG_7262.JPG" width="266" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSoVTmjhs2CUHfySw9KLg0WyRXldq5ZzCbc2O0_27igmQMY6WuHtnuWknPjSCGJ_s1LCbwccArt66m7zSlhbRZuAoXLYy3dzz19kISbkGGywXv5Dwu3aTOC26RbeUsN0t5jC9JoeaRnfl5/s1600/IMG_7263.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSoVTmjhs2CUHfySw9KLg0WyRXldq5ZzCbc2O0_27igmQMY6WuHtnuWknPjSCGJ_s1LCbwccArt66m7zSlhbRZuAoXLYy3dzz19kISbkGGywXv5Dwu3aTOC26RbeUsN0t5jC9JoeaRnfl5/s400/IMG_7263.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br />
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Then after our rehearsal/dinner... my little sister and I set forth to make my massive Sunflower bouquet. Despite it being 11pm, she sat there and held the flowers in place as I wrapped them in tons of wire, floral tape, and brown satin ribbon. In less than 30 minutes we had my bouquet finished. Sadly I have no pre-wedding pictures... yet. I myself (yes.. I know that I'm usually a photo freak but I lacked the time and was so busy that night...) did not take any pre-wedding but I'm sure others did. ;)Mehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04768152917016939317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990804074328853353.post-62746891679371786292010-10-07T23:04:00.000-04:002010-10-07T23:04:16.274-04:00TeasersThe beginning of this week tried it's hardest to sour my spirit but amazingly enough I managed to remain calm and optimistic. See our wedding photographer/friend had a huge mishap on Sunday. As she was editing photos in lightroom, the program crashed and all the photos in it were deleted. Because lightroom doesn't create copies of the originals, it deleted the originals she was working on when it crashed... aka all of our wedding photos. And it didn't send them to the trash bin where they could easily be recovered. It bypassed the bin all together and sent them to the void. Kelly was in a panic as she had just emptied her memory card for a wedding and two family shoots that weekend so she had no copies. She also didn't back them up in any other fashion as she doesn't have the funds for an external hard drive nor did she have a spool of DVDs on hand (which I have promptly remedied by getting her a spool of 50 for a gift from Best HEll...um I mean Best Buy... this past weekend). <br />
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She was preparing for the worst while I was convincing her it would be ok. Yes this bride wasn't panicking but being scientific. It wasn't her computer that crashed but a program. So the hard drive should have been perfectly fine and she would just need software to recover the deleted files. Sure enough, after 6 hours of scanning we recovered 4 folders of thousands of JPEGs and transferred them onto one of my external drives. Recovered photos included our wedding, the other wedding, other shoots & any (and I mean ANY) picture that she happened to view on the net. From her early estimates, Kelly thinks that around 85% have been recovered but she won't know until she goes through all of them. And from what we saw, it appears that a variety of pictures from the entire day are still there. The few that were damaged can be cropped to hide the grey boxes and the ones deleted forever shouldn't be missed as she got several shots of each photo. =) <br />
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All in all, a possible disaster has been reversed and serves as an almost awful lesson for a new photographer that copies of originals are key. Which was one of the things I tried to remind Kelly as she kept fretting about the pictures. Amazingly enough I wasn't worried at all... I had the instant of panic and tightness in my chest when she first told me but then remembered the multiple times my labmate's hard drive(s) have died and he's recovered all his files. So I was quite hopeful that we could do the same with hers. After talking to my PI about the possibility of recovery, I was assured that we'd get at least some of the photos back so to see we got so many is a true blessing. Plus it doesn't hurt that we had a bunch of friends sending good vibes and prayers our way. ;) So.... in light of all the photographic chaos, I thought I'd share the initial 10 teasers our photographer shared a week back before the mishap. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_659lJwPIwQw/TK6JV4_U0uI/AAAAAAAABM4/0uTjux79aR8/s1600/Wedding6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_659lJwPIwQw/TK6JV4_U0uI/AAAAAAAABM4/0uTjux79aR8/s1600/Wedding6.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_659lJwPIwQw/TK6JYo9OA4I/AAAAAAAABM8/8IwMA8ef2OE/s1600/Wedding7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_659lJwPIwQw/TK6JYo9OA4I/AAAAAAAABM8/8IwMA8ef2OE/s400/Wedding7.jpg" width="265" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_659lJwPIwQw/TK6JZwgkiTI/AAAAAAAABNA/QA3at4SAw-4/s1600/Wedding8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_659lJwPIwQw/TK6JZwgkiTI/AAAAAAAABNA/QA3at4SAw-4/s400/Wedding8.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><br />
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</div>Mehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04768152917016939317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990804074328853353.post-27937153036778915782010-09-28T14:37:00.000-04:002010-09-28T14:37:06.279-04:00Be back soon...We got hitched on 9/18! It went by so quick and time continues to fly. Despite not taking a honeymoon, I've found myself busy in lab catching up on lab projects while working around our new rotational students. All this chaos and mayhem has led to no time to post updates.... and I sure do have many updates and recaps to post prior to departing from weddingland entries to the greener brighter side of things more me (Art & Science). To tide you over... Here's a wedding photo from our lovely photographer Kelly! And I promise to be back soon!<div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_659lJwPIwQw/TKI1vcRi_lI/AAAAAAAABMc/3xlV045QvME/s1600/Kelly+D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_659lJwPIwQw/TKI1vcRi_lI/AAAAAAAABMc/3xlV045QvME/s640/Kelly+D.jpg" width="424" /></a></div><div><br />
</div>Mehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04768152917016939317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990804074328853353.post-23632155453680917642010-09-09T14:31:00.000-04:002010-09-09T14:31:14.093-04:00Camel... Straw... Back...It's been a rough couple of weeks... By rough, I mean hell. Besides the normal wedding stress and school stress (Having to do a poster 2 days before the wedding... Posters stress me, as I usually go deer in headlights for them if I don't cram/practice beforehand. And with the wedding I don't have the privilege of practice this year.), I've been dealing with a shit-ton (newly made up word) more. <br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">A few weeks back, my mom had to put our family dog down. She didn't call me up to be there and I'm totally fine with that as it would be a mental image of sadness looming on me if she did. And even though I knew he was old and it was necessary as he had infections popping up despite being on meds that treated the others... It still saddened me that he had to be put down. That we had to give up on him.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Then the week after, a good friend of ours (whom I thought of as an adoptive artistic grandma) passed away. It was sudden and I hadn't seen her because of the wedding planning. I'm kicking myself for not visiting her and finding that every time I turn around there is something that reminds me of her making me wish I saw her before the shit hit the fan.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Top that off with the dire need of a break and looming piles of projects, I was a stressy mess this past weekend. Stressed yet still semi in control.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Then this week happened.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">We went to Erie on monday and nature once again proved she's not a friend of my sinuses. The mild sinus infection I had went into overdrive and I admitted I needed to go to my allergist for meds. Prior to my appointment, Josh gets a call telling him he has to be at Walter Reed in 2 days for his TDRL (Temporary Disability Retirement List) for his reeval. He's not allowed to miss this appointment and is only given two days notice. This determines if he's staying medically retired or if they decide he's fit to serve, they can recall him for the last few months of his contract he didn't serve when being medically discharged. Of course, we were booth pissed at the Army as we have tons to do. Him because they gave him 2 days notice... Me as I was loosing my slave labor for 2-3 days while he goes down. (The appointment is only 1 day but he can't drive down and back all at the same time. Plus I'm betting he's gonna have a nasty headache this afternoon and not be back till friday morn.) Both of us pissed that the Army will probably once again try to brush off the tbi headaches as just PTSD headaches. And that's so not what they are. What I need to do is to start going to appointments with him and telling them what we are really going through with his memory loss and headaches because a soft spoken, educated, good speaking individual gets looked at by face value as being perfectly fine and not ill. It's sad that you have to go in looking the part to be acknowledged as suffering. They train them to be soldiers who are emotionless and good at hiding pain then do know how to see when they are suffering. It's total bs. If he keeps getting the run around... we are so going to an investigative news source to get the story out there. Maybe it will help others being treated this way. End of army disgruntleness.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">So while we were being peeved about the Army, I was to have a dress fitting to pin the bustle (yes under 10 days and it hasn't been pinned yet.) and it was cancelled. My local seamstress who does this on the side was made to work late. Talk about being kicked while down. We settled on another date to do it but it's another day that I had a half a dozen other things to do.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">And the straw that made me cry at least 4 times today was going to fill my antibiotic script and finding out I DON'T have insurance. WTF! Turns out like last year, the GSR re-enrollment for insurance is relatively paperless. Aka. No paper packets in the mailbox at school. I forgot and defaulted to waiting for it to come. In the end, I failed to fill it out so my insurance was cancelled August 31st. Luckily I got it in now or else I would have no insurance for the next year. But despite missing that bullet, I found out that I had to pay out of pocket for my meds. Hello Credit Card that has been paying everything at the moment. Sadly the antibios for 2 weeks costs $168. Another WTF! Luckily again... possibly due to puffy red swollen face and near tear eyed some crazy pharmacy mojo was worked and it took the costs down again. Which I was thankful for despite the fact that they and I will both be putting in claims for all of this once my insurance is back. Sadly, this was the straw that I couldn't hold on my back and while trying to get it all cleared up in a two hour marathon of phone calls and faxes, I end up crying in front of or on the phone with 3-4 people. I'm choosing to blame it on hormones (everyone cries the week before mother nature), wedding stress and life stress when life decided to kick you while you're already on the mat crawling away.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I could use a cupcake right about now...</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">ps. promise the next post will be cheerful. So wanted to post about my new zoom lens but needed to vent this first before I cry on the seamstress tonight.</div>Mehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04768152917016939317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990804074328853353.post-77861553549115658642010-09-01T20:37:00.000-04:002010-09-01T20:37:15.751-04:00Bride BrainIf you don't know what I mean and are engaged, you'll find out when you get down to the almost 2 weeks point. =) It's the moment in time where there is so much coming at you so fast that you start to forget things. Well... most things that is. Unless it's written down, you end up forgetting for a day or two. Or completely forget all together. <div><br />
</div><div>For instance, if someone RSVPs via a route other than the ones you designated and you didn't take it down at the moment you saw it... when you finally go and start tallying names and RSVP #'s, you find yourself re-asking those for their response. Opps. =( </div><div><br />
</div><div>Or you find yourself constantly saying, "I need to order the usual steaks for my brother's birthday" but never sit down to do so. Then when you finally do, the delivery date ends up being 4 days past his b-day. Now he won't mind as he said you didn't have to order them this year with the wedding and all. But considering his recent grief over having to put his childhood dog to sleep, you wanted it to get there sooner than later. You wanted to cheer him up... with bacon wrapped filets and steaks! =/ </div><div><br />
</div><div>Or the fact that you totally forgot about all the little projects you didn't write down for the wedding. That with only a lil over 2 weeks to sit down and do those along with draft a poster for a competition two days before the wedding, there isn't much time to think or focus or sleep.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Top all this off with the sudden death of a dear friend, who despite being 95 and lived a full life, and you find yourself a mess. Not wanting to deal with anything and having the worst time remembering things. Not caring anymore about projects, wedding or school. And just wanting run away from it all for a bit. Not call of the wedding or anything. Just some time away... say a week tops. But even your 3 day weekend at the beach falls through. Considering a hurricane is rolling in. No sun, no surf, no salt water taffy. =( No evening out your slight farmers tan. No break away from things. Just looming projects and that brick wall your flying at 100 mph.</div><div><br />
</div><div>It's all quite saddening.</div><div><br />
</div><div>A case of severe bride brain complication by life drama.</div>Mehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04768152917016939317noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990804074328853353.post-32986508166740300752010-08-26T23:05:00.000-04:002010-08-26T23:05:29.057-04:00Tiffany's Style Shower Pt.1<div style="text-align: center;">Two weekends back my maids under the leadership of my baby sister threw me a bridal shower and it was so wonderful. They acquired the use of the clubhouse at my mom's boyfriend's apartment complex (And my mom's beau took care of the table and chair rentals... He's such a sweetie. I'm so giving him one of my favorite paintings.). The clubhouse was a fantastic setting for family and two of my school buddies who decided to make the trek up to Butler. My little sister even pulled a little bit of art by constructing the congrats banner herself. =)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/violet6533/4893845865/" title="IMG_6586 by violet6533, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6586" height="333" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4073/4893845865_8c1aa2d35b.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">As with all showers.... we started with food,</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/violet6533/4893757109/" title="IMG_6559 by violet6533, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6559" height="333" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4120/4893757109_5fe97638d8.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">a bridal game or two, the cake</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/violet6533/4894359282/" title="IMG_6562 by violet6533, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6562" height="333" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4078/4894359282_87a336a8cf.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">and then gift unwrapping. With the unwrapping there was joy,</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4121/4893820361_8555dde0b2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4121/4893820361_8555dde0b2.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4076/4894431636_bc285d24bb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4076/4894431636_bc285d24bb.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">surprise,</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/violet6533/4894388642/" title="IMG_6572 by violet6533, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6572" height="333" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4119/4894388642_957a7e283d.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">in some cases confusion,</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/violet6533/4893798563/" title="IMG_6573 by violet6533, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6573" height="333" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4115/4893798563_a868dc497d.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">and of course silliness with bows,</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/violet6533/4893777365/" title="IMG_6567 by violet6533, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6567" height="333" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4098/4893777365_0d4e18dda7.jpg" width="500" /></a></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/violet6533/4894448472/" title="IMG_6589 by violet6533, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6589" height="333" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4073/4894448472_0ed98e03cf.jpg" width="500" /></a></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Yes I do make a multitude of very expressive faces without even trying... The rest of the photos taken by my camera can be found on my flickr <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/violet6533/sets/72157624729726612/with/4894448472/">site</a>. In the end we got plenty of registry and non-registry items that are perfect for us. That is once we unbox and put away everything. =) </div><br />
Next... Part 2. The Bridal shower silliness!Mehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04768152917016939317noreply@blogger.com1