ok, bonus post...

okay, so i have one more bonus pic... i can't help myself.
this is my amazing cat, chewie, leaping in the air to get his favorite toy - a milk ring.

please note the exquisite form, claws spread, and height... he's about 5 feet in the air. it's blurry, and no back flip like normal, but still damn good.

enjoy.

happy halloween!

here's a couple pics of me and V's now rotting pumpkins...



i f-in' love halloween.

the heat(er) is on.

So yeah, it has been awhile. I think my single reader was going to revolt if I didn't post anytime soon. heh.

What have I been doing that is more important than posting? Ugh... everything.

Multiple choice time. In the past twenty days I have been:
A. Working a lot. Not necessarily long days, but chocked full days.
B. Watching reruns of The Office
C. Golfing
D. Spending all of my free weekend time with V, and not doing anything that I should be doing. Like editing photos, and cleaning, and my DIY projects, and...
E. All of the above

Well, if you guess all of the above, you'd be correct. I've seen a ton of movies, including Sex Drive... Which was funny. A little too American Pie wannabe, but funny. (AND the new Twilight preview played during the previews. Score!) As well as a few rentals from the library, The Office DVDs, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (also a good one) and there's another movie I saw two weeks ago as well, but I can't remember which one... Oh! Flash of Genius. That must tell you how great that one was... Not worth the $10 movie ticket.

What else? I've also started up on some obsessions. They are seemingly unrelated, but as we travel through this adventure, you'll see how they relate...

First. Golf. Now, I've always liked hitting golf balls. I had an awesome vintage wooden set once (lost in the great barn fire of 05), and I used to hit them at my parents house up north into the woods. Good times. However, a recent trip to the driving range with V has reignited my need for golf. So much that I've forked over some cashola for a new set of clubs.

This brings us to club shopping two weekends ago. Tried some outlets (where a Coach Outlet was conveniently located... Yes, I bought another. But a little guy. So it doesn't count.), Dick's sporting goods, pro shops, etc... And discovered clubs are EXPENSIVE. Enter, Ebay.

Sigh.

Now is when the shit really hits the fan. I find the exact moderately nice set of clubs that I picked out at Dick's, on Ebay. Yes. I bid. I bid like a f-in' champ and win them. Uh oh. I am now on an "Ebay high". Next thing I know, I'm hunting around for vintage cameras. Obsession number two of the last week. I'm tearing up some Kodak Brownies now. I'll post pics when I receive my shipments... And I am obsessively checking for some new ones I need to cross off my list, including a Holga and Diana. They'll be mine soon. I am focused...

Also, last weekend, we finally went to the pumpkin patch. I didn't take any pictures, I was pretty bummed about it, but the pumpkin patch was great. I got a big carving pumpkin, and a couple cute gourds for "display". On top of that, apple cider, two cups of hot apple cider to go, carmel apples, a dozen fresh doughnuts, Jonagold apples (my fav), and some apple butter for a friend. We tore that place up...

V also took me actual, straight up golfing last weekend too (just 9 holes). It was excellent. I bought a cute little pink, green and white argyle collared shirt, and a white and green glove (helps my hand... golfing hurts). I'll be honest, I looked pretty cute and golferly... Most of my game was around 8-10, but I did manage to get par on one hole, and bogey on another. I realized after that game that at the driving range, I need to actually practice hitting balls with irons off the grass or pad, rather than teeing off with my big daddy driver... Although, really, what's more fun... Dilemma.

I've kind of lost the urge to type halfway through this post, but I was also going to mention how we've tried disc golfing a couple times, and about my plans for haunted houses and sushi making this weekend. Maybe we'll talk later...

Oh, and I've finally turned on my personal heater at work. I'm basking in the gloriousness of it now.

aftermath.

Well the birthday hoopla has worn off. I'm now just another year older.

However, I must say I had great birthday... 12 of us went out for dinner/drinks/arcade games at Lucky's in Novi (at the Fountain Walk). It was awesome that that many people showed up on a weeknight, and we had a great time! The older I get, the less fun birthdays are. I was thinking it was going to be a ho-hum birthday, but between my family coming down, dinner dates, chocolate at work and the surprise party, it turned out excellent.

I think next year will be depressing. 25? Ugh. Next thing I know it'll be 30 and I'll still be a crazy cat lady.

...On to important things. Like the Twilight books. I'm still obsessed, yes. I'll be finishing up Eclipse tonight (and by finishing I mean reading a couple hundred pages, ha), and starting on Breaking Dawn tomorrow. I am COUNTING DOWN UNTIL THE MOVIE. I cannot contain my excitement, I just really hope it's not a letdown. I tend to be disappointed in the novel-turned-movie situations. From what I've read, and let's just say I have read a lot about anything to do with Twilight, Stephanie Meyer (author) has a pretty tight grip on what's going down. Let's hope. Oh, let's hope.

Also, I have been obsessed with making my own things lately. Bread, butter, cheese. I have come to the point where I was like "Oh! I can make shit for so much cheaper and healthier if I just quit buy processed yuck from the store". I think I may be turning Amish. Just with electricity.


Alright, yet another nonsense post, but I'll include an ad... It's been awhile.

Bad Web Ad, Installment #6:
Erasing cellulite.

So this is how I spend my days at work. Erasing the cellulite off a thigh that looks to be covered in shingles. The disease.
Revolting. But look close, it works!

vampires and recycling.

So I have really been meaning to step up my game... And it hasn't happened yet. I had such a whirlwind of a weekend, and every second that I haven't been working, I have been reading the Twilight series. More to come on that...

Friday kicked off the start of what I like to refer to as my "birthday week". Spoiled? Yes, but it's a great improvement from when I was younger, exclaiming September as my birthday month. heh. Anyways, my mom, sister and Indy came down on Friday night to hang out with me for my birthday (it falls on Tuesday, not convenient). We enjoyed lounging around, gorging ourselves on chinese food and playing with Indy. Saturday was spent shopping (we never made it to the mall, though), and going to IKEA... and of course eating. We also had the most ridiculous cake ever made (by my sister and mom), which I will post a photo of eventually. They left late Saturday night, so I called it an early night and read.

Sunday was great, as I LOVE to put things together. My birthday present from my mom was anything I wanted from IKEA. I have been dying for a new bed, and in general to redecorate my room, so that is what I chose. This is what my bed looks like:



I shall be posting before/after pics in the coming months as I finish my room.

Later that night, V took me out for dinner at a great seafood restaurant downtown, and then went back to my apartment for some wine and present opening - I got an awesome sushi kit I can't wait to use!

So that wraps up the weekend. I'm excited for my actual birthday, as apparently there's some plans in the works.

Onto next topic of discussion. Recycling. I finally bought the bins from IKEA I have been wanting. I have been wanting to start recycling (yeah, yeah, I should have started years ago), and I am so excited to finally begin. I have an idea for a storage solution for them as well, as my apartment is too small for them to just hang out, and I don't want them outside. I'm doing a little closet mod, so we shall see how that works out.

I must admit, I'm a little scared by the drop-off place. I had no idea there were so many stipulations to what you can recycle and where. I'm definitely putting in some research time! These are my bins:



I'm stacking two 16 gallons bins for paper/plastic, then a smaller, 10 gallon bin for things I don't use as much of, such as glass or metal. I like these because they're simple, and easy to pick up and take to the recycle place. Also, my friend linked me to this interesting article this morning. Interesting stuff, if you're, well, interested.

This is getting long...

But on to my latest obsession in reading... The Twilight series. I had been hemming and hawing over reading the series, mainly because they are in the "teen" section at the library and Borders. That made me a little self conscious. However, upon discussing this with said friend from above, I learned that his wife was totally into the books. Like couldn't put them down obsessed. So I waited a month for my hold at the library, and got to reading Twilight... Complete with bright white and turquoise writing TEEN sticker on the spine.

I.
AM.
ADDICTED.

I read the books in about two nights. Can't put them down. Think about them all the time. Look at the movie coming out in November. Watch the trailers. Read interviews with the other. Look at all of the cast members for the movie. Search the internet for Twilight stuff. Look at magazine covers with the cast for the movie. Read about the new book, Midnight Sun that will be written from Edward's perspective. Get devastated that it was cancelled. Then get ecstatic that it's back on. Read the first chapter of it. Order the remaining books and wait patiently for them to be delivered (they're in Indiana right now). And most of all, want a vampire lover of my own. Sigh.

Read them if you haven't. So, so good.

caution hot beverage.

That's what my soy hot chocolate says. It wasn't that hot...

So my weekend was a great weekend, indeed. Had a great time at the Internalize/7AN final show on Friday night in Kzoo/Plainwell (kind of sad though, I miss "the old days" sometimes), spent the night on my favorite blue couch, spent the day with my favorite boys gorging ourselves at mongolian bbq and watching a couple movies (Dan in Real Life, (again), so good... and 30 Days of Night, ridiculous ending). Saturday evening I went to an adult arcade type place for a friend's b-day party (a lot of fun, my favorite was the trivia game), and Sunday was clean the house/grocery shop day, as well as dinner and a movie. We saw My Best Friend's Girl. It was amusing.

I am also coming down with a cold. I don't think it will escalate into a horrid sickness, but for the moment, I am not enjoying the constant tickle that requires me to drop halls every 5 minutes, and the ear hurting.

So, back to house cleaning. A couple random thoughts... Why is it that a person (me) could get the sudden impulse to take apart the vacuum and clean it? I was feeling a little crazy yesterday apparently. Also, how can a small apartment swallow into its depths certain items you NEED? I CANNOT find the replacement rolls for my lint brush... I had two, somewhere. AND I am hunting high and low for this f-ing rock I bought last summer on vacation in Put-In-Bay at the world's largest geod/winery tour (great combo, right?). I am so pissed, but it has nonetheless inspired me to ransack/clean one room each night this week. We'll see how it goes.

And as far as the rock, don't you judge me. I have a secret passion for rocks. You should see my collection from when I was like 9...

Anyways... This apparently is another nonsense post.

However, on another note though, I have been really inspired in the crafty sense lately. I feel a spurt of creativity coming on!

Oh, and here's a picture of my cute little nephew in his hat over Labor Day weekend... (I'm still working on wedding photos. I know.)

falling into a routine.

I realized today I am falling into a routine with my blogging, and it must be stopped. This post shall be about, yes, my weekend plans. I need to spice it up. I need to have more photos and perhaps some artsy stuff I'm working on or something.

I'll work on that.

So today I tried a new deli two doors down and it was impressive. By new, I mean been there forever, but the farthest I've been into it is five steps to steal plastic silverware. They have an extensive sandwich menu, including vegetarian delights and chopped liver sandwiches. Yum. They also have a delicious soup menu that included a VEGETARIAN corn chowder (a rare find), that I regrettably discovered after paying for my order. I will indeed be returning.

Other than that, nothing too exciting from this week. I'm festering some sort of sickness that is making my ears and throat hurt. Ugh. I'm still working on one book, Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk. I can't seem to finish it... Not really into it.

Last weekend was a blast. The wedding was just a good ole family no-nonsense time that was refreshing. I think people get too caught up in "does this green match that green" details, they forget a great wedding is made from getting to hang out with your crazy relatives, drunk friends and catching up with people you haven't seen in years. We made it through 4 of the 6 kegs, ate a lot of food and danced our asses off. At one point I remember looking over and realizing I was dancing with my two sisters, my mom, my nieces and my cousin (whom I haven't seen in at least 8 years), to something along the lines of "Baby Got Back" and just being extremely happy... And a little thankful for a crazy (and wet!) backyard wedding with big tents and dancing in our giant barn.

Besides all of the gloriousness of the hick reception above, the actual wedding was spectacular. We went to a very secluded beach in Arcadia on Lake Michigan. We walked a good half mile to the site, and were greeted by a bagpiper (same awesome one from my Grandma's funeral... he does a beautiful job. We've nicknamed him 7 Toes. Don't ask.) The weather broke just enough for the short ceremony, preformed by my brother's best friend (don't worry, it was legit... he got ordained for this reason). And I took some fabulous pictures... I have to do a little work on them (it was very overcast, hard for a consistent lighting), and perhaps I'll post a few samples. We also had a party bus to and from the ceremony back to the reception... That was a ride I'll never forget... :)

I just hope whenever I decide to get married, my wedding can be as carefree and family oriented as my brothers. I'm getting misty-eyed sentimental.

Enough wedding talk... That was a long tangent. I think I have definitely decided to start a little side business taking portraits and doing weddings, and maybe even a little design. Need to put all that portrait studio experience to use, and maybe make a few extra bucks. We'll see what develops...

And finally, this weekend I'm super excited for. Tonight we're heading back to Kalamazoo for our friend's bands last show. Tomorrow night, birthday party at a cool adult chuckie cheese like place, and perhaps some more kayaking on Sunday. Who knows... It'll be a beautiful weather weekend though!

some randoms.

So I feel like I need a good, hearty blog post. Yeah, I finally posted pictures last night from awhile ago... But let's catch up on the "now".

Project Runway last night. Was anyone else excited to see Terri go? Because I was. Sick of her 'tude, and she was a bit too full of herself for my taste. I was a bit sad to see the tan boy go, as he had started to grow on me like a bronzed tumor. I'll get over it. Now I'd just like to see Joe (who more often than not disgusts me with his designs) and Kenley. Now, don't get me wrong, I have a special place in my heart for Betty wannabes, but her emotional outbursts were getting a bit too much for my taste. Shut your mouth and listen, lady.

What else? Well this weekend is another venture up north, as my brother will be married on Saturday! Yay. I am going to be doing photography for the wedding, so I'm hopeful to get an actual photo portfolio website started... That way I can perhaps start a little side action photo stuff. We'll see.

Last weekend? Was perhaps in the category of excellence. Saturday was the good ole Saline fair, mini golf, sushi, a walk and a movie at home! It was a marathon date... Then Sunday we went kayaking for the first time... So fun! I am hooked and have even picked out a kayak to purchase when I actually have a home and income to waste. Night capped with a delicious chili dinner with everyone.

Books? Well, so glad you asked. I just finished a book called "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy. It took my about a day after completion to realize how good of a book it was. As I had finished it, I felt a little sad and just kind of... empty? But after I thought about it for awhile, and reevaluated the purpose of the book, I was pretty impressed. That said, this book is definitely not for everyone. It's about the journey a father and son take looking for an unknown salvation a few years after something catastrophic has happened to earth. The world is covered in ashes and there is no sunlight... There's "bad people" that will do anything to survive. Written in a different manner then I'm used to, it definitely left me enthralled with the connection between the father and son, and their will to survive...

Anyways, last thought. Have you seeeeeen Obama's website? As a designer, I think it is very impressive to see a Presidential candidate that puts some effort into good design. Especially on a website. Compared to McCain's, Obama's is just plain nicer to look at. Hats off to the Obama campaign for that one...

finally!

So, finally ready to upload some photos to the blog... I'm a little tired tonight, and trying to watch Project Runway, so this will be short and sweet folks.

First, a couple shots I took while a storm was rolling in. I love how the sun was still beaming behind me in these shots... it gives a really cool light quality to the storm coming in.




And next, some of my favorites from the Woodward Dream Cruise... From like a month ago. heh.

deaf.

So last night I went up to my favorite concert venue, The Machine Shop (in Flint), for the Nonpoint/Sevendust show.

I realized last night that I am getting too old for that shit.

Today has been rough. I can't hear well due to the ringing (or at all), so I feel like I'm yelling while talking to my co-workers and especially clients via phone. I am pretty sure my right ear has permanent damage. Every time the phone rings I feel like stabbing someone. My body is aching. And I still smell like stale cigarettes. (I showered at 1:30 this morning upon arriving home. It was that bad.) So I am hurting, cranky and tired...

Anyways... I've definitely uploaded all the new-ish photos from my xsi, I just have yet to post them. Don't expect any word from me until next week, as it's vacation time for me! So excited...

But before I say farewell, I will post up a delicious new bad web ad.

Installment #5:
"Obviously photoshopped in" giant badges and mystery hands.

Here's a play-by-play:

Cautiously, the mystery hand hovers, waiting for the signal.


BAM. The snatch.


Before Mr. Man can even blink, he's been stripped of his badge.


Why?

sloooow.

Today is going by extremely slow. I'd really like my four day week to speed up... I am anxious to get up north to see the fam!

I'm leaving on Thursday after work, in time for shopping festivities on Friday, and the rest of the weekend is just relaxing, camping out, boating, and plenty of food. I can't wait! It'll be nice to not have to work until Wednesday...

My goal for the shopping trip is to find an acceptable outfit for my brother's wedding on September 13th. I need to have something nice, but probably capris because I am the official wedding photographer... I suspect I wouldn't be a fan of wrangling a dress while trying to shoot. Also, the main excuse is going to be finding the little man (my nephew) a handsome outfit. He'll be 3 months, and what mini doesn't look adorable dressed up? Sigh...

And I realized I still haven't posted anything on my nephew... His name is Indiana, and I am in love with him. :)
Here's one of my favorites of him when he was about a week old (he's a mini, he came a bit early!):



I'll have to post more pics, as I've been meaning to. I'm doing his 3 month photo shoot when I go home this weekend, so I'm sure there will be more.

And, from babies to booze... I had an absolute blast this weekend! (Maybe that's why I still haven't posted about the dream cruise...) Friday night was a BBQ, Saturday was the bachelorette party in Windsor, and Sunday was the Wine & Food Fest at Meadowbrook.

The bachelorette party was so fun! We had a great dinner in Greektown, made it to our hotel by the river and first went to Caesar's for a bit of gambling. After that, we danced/drank the night away (with free drinks!). I took a few pics, but here's a nice, "beginning of the night so not too drunk and sweaty" picture with the bachelorette herself...

surprise!

I feel like throwing in a bad web ad today... Two seconds after I just posted.

So, bad web ad, installment #4:
Paris. Hilton. IQ.

This one strikes me as frighteningly amusing... It's a man-faced Paris Hilton dancing around with a detached ponytail. Sorry folks, no animation to offer on this one, but take my word, the detached ponytail MOVES.

procrastinate.

Procrastination is perhaps my greatest flaw. I have plenty of others, no shame in that, but procrastination is the one that always comes to bite me in the ass.

Just an observation.

And on that note, I have been procrastinating about blogging. I have been wanting to post about my last weekend, at the Woodward Dream Cruise, but have just been lazy upon getting home. I just need to upload the photos from the xsi to iphoto. No big deal, right? Well you'd think I was planning on rearranging my entire closet, or copying all of my random recipes onto matching little notecards that fit so nicely in their little box home... Both of which needs to be done.

Anyways, when I find the "energy" for the daunting task of uploading photos, I'll be posting about my time in and around the D.

Other than that, weeks been pretty damned boring. Works been slow, I've read three books, on the fourth now... Speaking of, one of which was Into the Wild. I saw the movie a few weeks ago, and loved it, so I got the book and yes, loved that too. There has always been a part of me that wished I had the guts to pack up and leave into the wilderness of Alaska, Montana, etc. I don't know why, but this movie/book really fascinated and affected me. It's a highly recommend on the Laura scale, if you were wondering...

Hm, what else... This weekend. Very excited for the weekend... I have a bachelorette extravaganza for a friend that I will be attending. IN CANADA. I love staying in hotels (idk why...), and I love a good night out with ladies for drinking and dancing. Plus I bought a hot little Nine West number last weekend. (On sale for $20, from $180. I'm f-in amazing.)

Gonna find me a sugar daddy!

weekend festivities.

So this little lady had quite an eventful weekend. I feel like I blinked on Friday at 5pm, and now it's Monday at 4:15. Minus some hazy recollections of a lot of beer and food, and an excellent date.

Beer olympics was a blast. I would post pictures, but I'd prefer not to embarrass myself. If we're friends on facebook, you can see them there. That's one place I have no shame... I competed in keg stands and tippy cup, and was a celebrity guest for our team during beer pong (as well as many, many others). We definitely didn't place first, but it was still excellent... Let's just say at beer olympics, everyone wins. If you catch my drift.

After the glorious festivities on Friday night, the boys and I went for a delicious breakfast and caught an early showing of Pineapple Express.

So. So. So funny. Good stoner movie with a plot, laughing to the point of tears and gratuitous violence. A real must see.

I drove back mid afternoon on Saturday (from Kzoo), and realized that every semi in North America was driving on 94 east. So horrible. Needless to say, I was a little behind and was running around trying to get ready for my date that night. Made it though, and we had Palio's (yum) and went to the movies. Unfortunately, because I've seen everything worth seeing, we resorted to The Mummy 3: Dragon blah blah blah. A definite don't see. Promising beginning, then one word. Yettis. All in all, good night though.

Then disaster. It all finally caught up to me as I laid my little head on the pillow for bedtime. I was sick.

Don't believe that after a diet of vegetables and soy that you can instantly go back to shoving pizza, beer, french toast, hash browns, wine, bread, and alfredo in your face and not eventually get sick. Lesson learned, friends. Lesson. Learned.

completion.

The end is near, my friends. I am officially done with my cleanse today.
Why today? Simple... Tonight is Beer Olympics. I can't be cleansing when I'm doing keg stands and playing tippy cup, clearly.

So overall, I feel really great after the cleanse. I've noticed this past work week I have been feeling a bit groggy (lasting effects from caffeine withdrawal), but I do plan on keeping up the decaf bit. I have made a decision regarding jumping into the land of vegans... aaaaaannnnndddd.... it's just not for me. I've thought a lot about it, but quite frankly, I just don't want to change. I like being a vegetarian (that eats some seafood and dairy). It is easy, fits my life, and I'm just plain used to it. Being a vegan is an admirable thing in my mind, but this lady likes her sushi, cheese, and coach purses.

As far as the sugar, gluten and caffeine, well, that was just apart of the cleanse. As I said, no more caffeine, and for gluten products, I will limit consumption (it's in a lot of vegetarian meat substitutes like veggie burgers, so hard to avoid entirely). Sugar? Ah, my first love. Well... Considering that my ass has shrunk some since this cleanse, I believe I will definitely be keeping my sugar consumption to a minimum.

So that concludes the cleanse. I'll probably do it 3-4 times a year, as recommended, but in the meantime, will be sure to enjoy the simpler pleasures in life, like real cream cheese on a bagel. And an egg. And cheese pizza. And real yogurt.

And the final wrap up... bad ad time.

Installment #3: Am I Fat?
I'm not quite sure how this quiz can tell you anymore than looking in a mirror... Regardless, there is something so wrong about this, it strikes me as hysterical. Has anyone actually ever taken this quiz?

it's a thursday.

I don't have much excitment to offer today... I'll just dive into the usual lately, my vegan "cleanse". Things are going quite well. Besides the fact I felt like a drug addict needing a fix the first couple days, everything else has been excellent. The caffeine withdrawals have really been the most difficult so far. I struggle a bit at night because I'm so used to having "a sweet" after dinner, but have curbed it with my savior, the pistachio. And a lot of water/tea/fruits. So yeah, going good... My body has a lot of energy, I sleep like a log at night, and for the first time in my life feel almost chipper waking up in the morning. My mind is still dragging, though... Residual affects from the caffeine, I think.

But that leaves me with "the after". I've been a vegetarian (that eats dairy and select seafood) for a long time, and would never change that. I'm wondering if I want to make the commitment of being a vegan?

For now, all I know is that I won't go back to caffeine, definitely decrease the amount of sugar I consume (and no more fake shit), and avoid gluten. The rest, we'll see... Especially since when this is over on the 8th, and I'm sitting down to a slice of cheese pizza and a beer! :)

day 1 1/2... still alive.

So, yes, I am still alive and kickin'. My brain feels like it's going to explode from lack of caffeine, but other than that, this vegan "cleanse" is going quite well. I officially started Sunday, and kicked it off Saturday night with a late night shopping trip to Whole Foods. It took me way longer than I had expected, as reading every single ingredient on labels is a bit time consuming. So many things have added gluten and sugar, so I have to be careful.

Yesterday I had a fruit and soy yogurt parfait for breakfast (yummy), a southwestern tofu wrap for lunch (it was okay...), and marinated and grilled portobellos over a "summery" quinoa (fantastic!). Sounds so much better than my normal everyday meals, and I really enjoyed cooking them. Especially the quinoa... I think I have found a new love.

I had an intense sugar/sweet craving last night, but curbed it with some pistachios. heh. And the caffeine. God, the caffeine is killing me. I took a nap yesterday not from lack of energy, but from headache. It's hitting me right now too, so we'll see how the rest of the day pans out. Overall though? I felt very... consistent yesterday. Didn't have tired spells after eating, didn't overstuff myself, and felt excellent when I rolled out of bed this morning...

Other than that nonsense, weekend was relaxing. Saw Step Brothers, which was pretty amusing. Went to the farmer's market, and really enjoyed it. I'll be buying my produce from there now, and breaking the habit of the nasties at Meijer... ugh.

So to wrap up, another bad web ad, installment #2:
Bad type, bad photoshop. No other words to explain... So hysterical.

Friday?

Aah. It is Friday.

The second half of the week was so ridiculously slow at work, I can't believe that trough the haze of random thoughts and trying to stay busy. I've actually made it to 4:45, Friday, with beer in hand. Which, by the way, makes Friday's even sweeter. Beer and bagel Fridays at work. Sigh... I love my job.

So, nothing really new. Just looking forward to the weekend... Tonight I'm just relaxing. Maybe a bike ride or a movie, or what the hell, both. Sometimes it's still odd for me to realize I now live by myself, but nights like tonight, with nothing but quiet, kind of make me appreciate it much more...

Anyways. So. Weekend plans... Tomorrow I'm looking forward to going out with a friend to see Step Brothers, and maybe (if the weather is nice) hanging out on the river and enjoying some paddle boats or kayaking. Should be fun. I also want to head to the farmer's market, which I hear is fabulous, and get some nice produce. I am actually going to be starting a 21-ish day "vegan cleanse" (sounds scarier than it is) on Sunday, so I need to stock up!

And before any judging happens, for the past 12 years I have been vegetarian that essentially eats like a vegan, minus dairy and fish. Those won't be hard for me to give up, but the real "cleanse" part comes from no processed foods and sugar or (gasp) alcohol. I am just trying it to see how my body reacts... If I feel "healthier", have more energy, sleep better, etc. I've been giving a lot of thought lately to Americans and their over-processed food, so we'll see if I have any drastic improvements! I'll keep you posted...

love.

Gig's up.

So I am a dirty liar... It only took me one post to get bored.

Kidding... I didn't get bored, just busy. Life has really been giving me a few 'f yous' lately, and the last thing I've been thinking about is blogging. We'll see where we go from here.

I always end up blogging at work, which sucks, because A) I should be working and B) none of the stuff I want to post is on this computer. So it'll have to wait... but I have some great stuff for show and tell.

One of the reasons I wanted to start blogging is basically a place for nonsense. I thought about a blog designated to only posting my design/photo work, inspiration, funny stuff, irritating stuff, etc... But figured, what the hell, let's just do it all. So, case in point, this post. (Lengthy intro, but gettin' to the good stuff.)

One thing I had wanted to do is start posting these horrid web ads I am coming across while... working. I had absentmindedly started saving them, and my collection is now huge. I find some sick sense of satisfaction finding these poorly designed, badly photoshopped, hysterical, and sometimes terrifying web ads.

So, yet another first, bad web banner installment #1:
Bad photoshop. Typical face product crap... these are everywhere!



So creepy... love the "dark circles".
And how they don't look like the same person.

Enjoy!

love.

the inaugural post.

So this is it, I have committed to the world of blogging.
I tend to have commitment issues for these types of things, but I have plenty of thoughts for posts, so I'll put it at 3 months until I'm bored. heh...

My first topic of choice? Water bottles. A couple months back, during my morning routine of watching The Today Show and scarfing some cereal, a bit aired about the harmful affects of BPAs (bisphenol A) and plastics, specifically in water bottles.

It scared the shit out of me.

The warning was enough to make me rethink my everyday usage of plastics, and spend some quality time at work researching claims of chemical leeching, and better alternatives to polycarbonate, or really any plastic, bottles. The story had mentioned plastics with the recycling numbers of 3, 6 and 7 were of concern... I don't want to get to into the specifics, for fear of relaying something incorrect, but there are many resources available on the studies if you're interested, and for a quick read/overview, you can go here.

So to sum it all up, I've begun overhauling my plastic use... So far:

• Got rid of all my water bottles labeled with 3, 6 or 7.

• Threw away my plastic tupperware. The tupperware I had didn't specify a number, but the taste of food in tupperware has always bugged me, so I figured, what the hell? I replaced with glass ones and I love them. Easy to clean, don't stain and they don't make my food have an odd taste! Only downside is they are heavier on the trek to work...

• Bought a new water bottle. I did a lot of research on safe bottles, and narrowed the option to Klean Kanteen and SIGG bottles. It basically came to the feel of the bottle in the store, even though I was a bit cautious of the liner SIGG uses. I took the time to read their testing results, and found nothing alarming.

So the designer in me chose the SIGG bottle, because let's be honest, I cannot resist a font reminiscent of the hand-drawn 60's genre... And I've been using it for 3 months now and love it. Light-weight, easy to clean and doesn't make my water taste at all peculiar after a day of it sitting. Here it is:

So that's it. My first post. And they won't all be so boring (alright, maybe they will), but this is something that has become rather important to me...

love.