A storm of epic proportions?

That's what they said on the news last night. So far all we've seen here in A-town is a blustery north wind and a bit of mist. AAAAAAAAACK! Run for the hills! Just don't run north, because that's where all of the bad weather is. Blizzards and talk of 2 feet of snow up in the panhandle.

Everybody seems shocked at this wintry weather so late in the spring. Hellooooo, we always have a cold snap around Easter. It's just a few weeks early.

But enough about the weather.

I'm going to be a very busy girl in the next few months. I've got a trip to Houston coming up, with the possibility of doing several photo shoots while I am there. More experience, new photos in new places, AND seeing my friends. I'm pumped. Throw in a family reunion in east Texas, and then two friends getting married in May, and then a pregnancy shoot and maybe a family shoot in May/June. Yippee! I'm tired. Hehe.

Last night I spent a good two hours throwing on the wheel at McMurry. When I first walked in, I just didn't feel like I had any creative juices flowing, but decided (since my favorite wheel was open) that I'd go ahead and do some throwing. I ended up with 10 bowls (I threw 12, but two died very sad deaths-one at my own hands, and the other Jud knocked off the table). I'm hoping I have at least one uniform-ish set in there, possibly two. We shall see. I may make an appearance at Artwalk in May, depending on what kind of work I have finished. I'd really like to do some fun photos mounted in fun ways, have some good pots, and some jewelry. Hopefully the creative bug will stick around for awhile.

the Itch

I've got it. I just don't know what I'll do with it. Is it a change of venue, or (she wonders excitedly) an entire change of scenery? I suppose that is yet to be determined.

But I've got it. And it isn't going away.

Could it be that several of my close friends are going on fantastic trips--China, Germany, Guatemala, Ireland--and they aren't taking me? Or maybe it's my recent great weekends away from Abilene. There ARE other cities I could be happy living in.

Whatever it is...I'm excited about the possibilities.

On another note, it seriously cracks me up when people walk by and check themselves out in our mirrored windows. Helloooo, I can totally see you!

A Happy St. Pat's to Skid Row...

Father Maurice Chase spent his 90th birthday doling out money in LA's Skid Row, which he says is "the place that makes me the happiest...I just love it."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29754452/

*I had no idea that msnbc had a 'Giving' section in their U.S. News category. Too cool.

Carol & James webshow

Do a little dance…

It worked! It's raining! All the dancing paid off! That or all the praying. Perhaps a combination of both? : ) Wait, were you thinking I was talking about something else? Hehe.

Today is Wednesday, and sometimes on Wednesdays I go with Steve on his Meals on Wheels route. What a wonderful organization! They bless so many people, and that includes the people who help deliver meals (me!). Seeing the joy on their faces when they open the door, engaging in a little small talk (It sure is cold out here! How've you been feeling? How are the kids?) and then moving on to the next home. For some of these folks, this is their only interaction during the day. Just to share a piece of their lives for a few moments definitely blesses my day, and hopefully theirs too.

As soon as lunch was over, it started to rain. A steady, calm, soaking rain. That is exactly what we need! With so many wildfires in the past few weeks, this is truly a blessing. It may turn to snow/sleet as the temp drops. I wish I had some firewood!

So it looks like today has been full of blessings. I'm curious to see what the rest of it will bring. I get to drive out to Clyde after work to fix a computer. Hopefully the roads aren't icing over yet…

Spin kicks and stir crazy.

Last night I almost skipped my martial arts class. I get off work at 5, and the class doesn't start until 7:15. I almost always enjoy the class, it's just a matter of not wanting to get up and go somewhere after being home for awhile. I need to find something to do besides go home and sit on the couch. Anyway, I decided that I needed to go, and I haven't missed a class in three weeks, I'm on a roll!

Last night after doing our standard warm-up (which usually involves 50 jumping jacks and then lots of stretching), we partnered up to work on spin kicks. Spin kicks are my least favorite because I get really dizzy after 5 or 6 of them. I can usually switch sides and make myself un-dizzy, but it's hard (which means I need more practice). Anyway, we partner up and the instructor tells us to do 50 spin kicks. On each leg. That's 100 spin kicks. Holy crap. After all of those spin kicks, I was seriously nauseous. For the rest of class. We ended up doing a lot more kicks (more spin kicks! Ugh!) and some front rolls, all of which made the nausea even worse. To end class, thankfully, we did some weapons training (which did not involve spinning around). I love weapons training.

On another note, I was told yesterday that I spend too much time on the internet, and I'm no longer allowed to do anything on the web unless it is work related (ordering supplies, sending packages, etc.). While I understand that thinking (to a degree), I do NOT have enough work to do to fill up the day. So…either give me more work to do, or allow me to read a book or something. Otherwise, I will go crazy. CRAZY! Putting iTunes on shuffle and playing Name That Tune will only occupy me for so long.

This is just further confirmation that I need a new job, one that challenges me and uses all of my skills and abilities. And preferably one that doesn't require me to answer the phone 500 times a day.

The future Lesters

This weekend I had the wonderful privilege of shooting an engagement session for my friends Carol and James. They recently got engaged, and are getting married in May. Despite the crazy wind, we managed to get some fun photos in some meaningful places around Abilene.

Congrats you two!

Boooo.

Warning: spoiler ahead! If you haven't watched the season finale of the Bachelor yet, don't read this.

So, I've been watching the Bachelor. Usually with shows like this, I can take 'em or leave 'em. BUT. If I watch the first episode, I'm hooked. I have to watch it every week. My favorite, from the beginning, has been Melissa. She's spunky and cute and genuine. And she was a Dallas Cowboy's cheerleader for pete's sake. Pick her! Love her! Marry her!

And he did! But then two months later he changed his mind. Which is fine. Sad, but fine. If you realize that you honestly don't love her, and there's another girl that you can't stop thinking about, then yes. You should break it off. For her sake as well as yours. But did you have to bring her on national television just to humiliate her and break her heart? And then, after all of that, did you have to fawn all over Molly, hold her hand, and kiss her??!?!? Abso-freakin-lutely NOT.

I was SO hoping that Molly would have enough class to say: 'You know what, Jason? You broke up with Melissa 10 whole minutes ago. I'll give you my number and we can go have coffee and talk about it. But lets not piss off all of America right now by making out on TV.'

UGH! I was SO mad. It took me an hour to get to sleep last night.

I'm still mad.