Through the Lens

The End

2010-09-21T23:03:00.000-07:00

I have blogged each day in one complete year. 365 posts. Beginning September 22, 2009, I started this little blog adventure because I knew that I liked photography. I decided that I was going to blog everyday to show people my interest in the things all around me and my slightly eccentric perspective on life. Beyond anything else, I think the bottom line is that I did it. And quite honestly, I can't believe that I did it. Does time really move that fast? Am I really still in Tucson? Do I really take that many photographs (almost 5900 since I got this camera in May 2009). Is this blog really over?

The short answer is yes. It boggles my mind. It doesn't take a lot to get me all worked up and confused, but seriously, it is hard to believe that this blog has taken me through a complete year. I think that it was one of the only constants in my life over the last 365 days. The only thing I knew everyday when I woke up was that I needed to grab my camera and blog something.

I really learned a lot. Through the Lens has been a reminder to myself that putting your mind to something can really bring about results. Because I had this notion in my head that I was going to blog everyday, and I worked to make that happen, I showed myself once again that goals can be accomplished. Sometimes I lose sight of that... okay, often times I lose sight of that. But it has been fun to hear people ask me, "Are you still blogging?" It's been fun to reply, "Sure am."

I'm not the same photographer I once was. I'm definitely a harsher critic of my own work. I think that helps me keep learning and finding exactly what I like and what my style is, but it has been a frustration. Those moments when you take a good photograph and say, "Holy crap! That's a good one!" You know, when you just can't help but love that photo? Yeah, those are way fewer and much farther between. But I think I cherish those photos even more because I was able to find something, take a picture of it, and even please myself, which isn't very easy to do anymore. But it has been a fun adventure trying to capture new things in different ways and keeping this blog fresh.

The bottom line is that I still really enjoy photography. I think I'll take a little break from it just so that the next time I pick up a camera it can be a special experience. I love to pick up my camera and document things. This blog is evidence of that. But it'll be all the more exciting to get a photograph that I am truly proud of once I've taken a step back from the camera. This is the end of this artistic adventure. I know the future holds a lot more in terms of photographic potential. I look forward to those moments. I'll keep you posted on when I have those experiences. For now all I have left to say is thanks. Thanks for looking at my photographs as I try to call myself and "artist." Thanks for your kind words and encouragement. Thanks for inspiring me to be a real photographer.

A special thanks goes to my friend, Kendle. This blog wouldn't exist without your suggestion to post the daily experiences in my life. It has been a great ride, and I'm glad you've been here to share this with me.

Enjoy my photos from downtown Tucson. I went there today and thought it was a fun place to photograph a few things as a last post here on Through the Lens.

Afternoon

2010-09-20T22:29:00.000-07:00

Today everything was looking really awesome as the sun was sinking lower in the sky. I still really love the Mexican bird of paradise (particularly this post).

What Are Crepes?

2010-09-19T18:00:00.000-07:00

This is a fun tree called Crepe mertle (or Crape myrtle), also known as Lagerstroemia is super cool. I love it. What are crepes, anyway?

Land Speed Record

2010-09-18T17:48:00.000-07:00

This one time (I think it was Easter time...) my family made a stop at a Scottsdale car dealership. This was no ordinary car dealership. It sold high-end automobiles like Aston Martins (ohhh) and Bentleys (ahhh). Well it also sold one other thing... the fastest production car ever. Said car, the Bugatti Veyron, goes a staggering 253 miles per hour, costing well over $1,000,000! That's a lot of zeros on the end of that price... Crazy right?

Well my family just so happened to stop at that same dealership and see another Bugatti Veyron. This one differed only slightly from the previous one (maroon v. green) but was equally as impressive.

If it weren't so outlandish I think I'd be in love. I'm just a bit more understated than that... usually. Check out this awesome video from one of my favorite shows, Top Gear, when one of the hosts takes the Bugatti to its top speed.

Home is Where the Heart Is

2010-09-17T17:41:00.000-07:00

Once again we made the trek to the greater Phoenix area to see some family. Once again, Picacho Peak made for really wonderful scenery in the early evening light as the sun sank lower on the horizon. I really like Arizona for a lot of reasons. A lot of people have a hard time appreciating the beauty in the desert. Maybe it's because I was raised here, maybe it's because my dad's a landscaper, but I have really come to like the desert. It offers some of the most amazing things. I like lush, green places too. Someday I'll live in a lush, green place. But no matter where I go, the desert will always be home to me.

Also, happy birthday Macki! You're the best. :)

Tempered

2010-09-16T17:37:00.000-07:00

I don't know if I've blogged my front door before. If I have, I don't remember. My whole life is jumbled up in this blog and it's hard to keep track of things sometime. Anyway, my front door is positively fantastic. I really do love everything about it.

Genes

2010-09-15T17:32:00.000-07:00

I've referenced my nostalgia before. I think it's a disease or something. Nevertheless, I think I see where I get it from. Here is a stack of magazines, church, car, etc., that we haven't parted with. Why? I dunno. I blame the gene pool I was born into. Lol.

Leafing Out

2010-09-14T17:25:00.000-07:00

Rustic

2010-09-13T21:53:00.000-07:00

We had the concrete stained on our front porch. It isn't really the right color... at all. But whatever, because it's still pretty cool. I like that it isn't just one big slab of concrete all colored the same, but rather has shades and highlights to make it more dynamic and interesting.

Prescription

2010-09-12T21:43:00.000-07:00

So there I am getting read for bed... I look down and see my glasses looking all types of cool in the dark room, illuminated by the reading light on my nightstand. I mean, it was after 12 midnight when I took this picture, which makes it technically Sunday, which means this is totally legitimate. It also makes it probably the photo I too the latest at night for this blog. Just sayin.

Rotors

2010-09-11T15:34:00.000-07:00

Hank and I did a little car shopping today, which really just means Hank since he's got a job and can afford the cool stuff. But I was present to give the Zac stamp of approval. No deal, but lots of good ideas. I even drove a beautiful new truck. Anyway, at the Chevy dealer there was a gorgeous Corvette ZR1. It was only the second one I had ever seen and I definitely am in love.

Recognize

2010-09-10T22:37:00.000-07:00

Holy crap. So, we put together the dance right? Yeah, well it looked so dang good! It was slow to get moving but all dances are so it was pretty normal. By 9ish things were really great. People were loving it, and there were a number of really really good costumes, including mine and Nicole's. I got to wear my dad's old Air Force coat, which I thought was really cool. Nicole found a nurse's outfit that was seriously perfect. We were looking great!

The highlight of the night was when we stopped dancing and everyone stopped to acknowledge the giant American flag that we hung on the wall. We read a poem called I Am Your Flag that is positively amazing. So great. After, we all said the Pledge of Allegiance. It was so powerful to have group of young people salute our flag and acknowledge our dedication to this country and the things that it stands for. It is such a wonderful blessing to live here. More and more I am recognizing that America is truly a place like no other. Despite the riffraff, this country is inspired of God. There is no other place that can make that claim.

Star and Stripes

2010-09-09T15:41:00.000-07:00

We're setting up for this big YSA dance at the institute, right? Well, we hung this freaking giant flag (30' x 50') and it's so cool! I love America.

Rays

2010-09-08T17:46:00.001-07:00

Nature really is one of the best things to make a stupid day a whole lot better.

Adios, Amigo

2010-09-07T17:41:00.000-07:00

I feel like this was the last of the beautiful summer sunsets that I've been enjoying. I really love fall, but there are just some things that a Tucson summer has got that nothing can replace, and sunsets are one of them. See you next time.

It's Funtastick!

2010-09-06T17:36:00.000-07:00

The family was in town for Labor Day weekend. I positively love my family. We're so funny. Is that a little bit egotistical? Well, I don't think I care, because there's no sense in denying fact, and it's true that we're just plain funny. Also, I got a new phone with a pretty good camera (3.2 megapixels), so now I can take photographs on the go, even if I don't have my camera!

Our group of friends went to Funtasticks to finish off the weekend. We had a great time. I particularly enjoyed lazer tag (which I came in 3rd. Oh yes!). Poor Hank took a golf ball to the... well... you know, that region. He was a good sport about it, even if he almost died.

Here are some photos from the fun car ride over there.

Suspense

2010-09-05T22:38:00.000-07:00

I bought some suspenders. I've wanted suspenders for ages. Well, I put them on today with my snazzy black slacks and awesome black tie. It wasn't meant to be. They're repackaged and ready to be returned. Sad day. Don't make fun of what a dork I am.

Armchair

2010-09-04T14:58:00.000-07:00

Underwater Basket Weaving

2010-09-03T14:52:00.000-07:00

We remodeled our house a long time ago. We started like six years ago and have been pretty much done for a few years now. Well, apparently we weren't really done, because I come home and my parents had picked up some shtuff from Pier 1. This basket is giant, and it think it's crazy cool.

Leaving

2010-09-02T14:45:00.000-07:00

We have this really cool tropical looking plant in the front yard. It's grown to be giant and doesn't really fit underneath our porch anymore. We're sad that it will soon have to leave since it's so cool, but really... it just can't grow any more or it might pull the roof off our house. I mean, not really pull the roof off, but it just can't stay there. We'll miss you, fun plant.

Fall

2010-09-01T17:55:00.000-07:00

Trucking

2010-08-31T17:50:00.000-07:00

Searching

2010-08-30T17:46:00.000-07:00

So, for FHE we had a photo scavenger hunt. I didn't take any photos. Can you believe it? What I did take photographs of is the foosball table. Haha.

Unrequitted

2010-08-29T15:36:00.000-07:00

I will always love this little cactus. Always.

To Be Continued

2010-08-28T15:32:00.000-07:00

This one time I went up Mount Lemmon for a service project. Our friend Sean has a beautiful camera and let me fiddle around with it. He's going to email me the photos so I can blog them! Stay tuned for some awesome pictures of 8/28. :)

--

Okay, okay. My blog is over now (today is 09/21/10) but I have these pictures in an email somewhere! If life weren't so crazy I'd definitely already have these posted. I will soon! :)

Mockery

2010-08-27T15:27:00.000-07:00

So, this one time I took a photo of a book cover. That book, Catching Fire, was number two in a series... Well I've been reading number three, Mockingjay, and I just freaking love the covers of these books (it's actually blue with a silver bird, but I thought the black and white was a cool look). It's totally consuming my life, and that is fine by me.

Scarlet Woman

2010-08-26T19:00:00.000-07:00

I haven't the slightest clue what this plant is. All I know is that it has some of the coolest blossoms I've ever seen.

On an unrelated note, I am officially down to less than 30 days left with the blog. I'm a little sad. I feel like after this I won't have any reason to take photographs anymore (even though I know I will always have reason to photograph). It's been a really great year. I'm sure I'll write a big mushy post when that day actually arrives. Until then...

Yuck-uh

2010-08-25T17:34:00.000-07:00

Bright Spot

2010-08-24T07:41:00.000-07:00

Day number two of class was excellent for basically one reason... It rained. It hailed. The streets flooded. I got drenched. :) It was really exciting to walk around and drive around in the rain. It was a really great little pick-me-up in the afternoon. The only downside to the rain was that it took me forever to get home. 25 miles per hour is a little slow, don't you think? That's how fast most of my commute was.

Back to School

2010-08-23T07:38:00.000-07:00

Here we go again. School. Blast. Oh well, things are going to be okay, as much as I don't really look forward to the reading and studying.

That Time of Year

2010-08-22T16:06:00.000-07:00

Today has been good and bad for a lot of reasons. Bad mostly because school starts tomorrow. Tomorrow. Not cool. But I had a grand time at church today, which made me happy. I was glad to be there, and things went well enough. Another sad thing is that I found a dead butterfly on a chair on our front porch. After mourning his death for a moment or two I photographed him. I thought it would be a little morbid if I photographed his whole body, so I stuck with his awesome wings. There are two there, just one on top of the other. The other photos are of a neat little agave my dad put on top of the two pillars in our entry way, and the mexican bird of paradise that are all blooming right now. These photos made me really happy. They don't exactly balance out my frustration with school starting tomorrow, but I'm sure everything will be fine. It always is.

Bored

2010-08-21T15:46:00.000-07:00

Today has been very very slow. I was pretty excited to see our bat-faced cuphea is blooming. I've missed it (see here for previous encounters with the fun little bugger). Also, my dad planted a creeping fig in the front, and it'd be way cool if it ended up covering a wall. I love vines. Anyway, I'm just wishing I had more to do.

Churn

2010-08-20T15:34:00.000-07:00

We had a ward shin-dig and we made ice cream. It was seriously excellent and I take complete credit for its awesomeness... Kidding. Pahaha. But it was fun to learn how to make it and I am actually very impressed that it all worked out considering no one really knew exactly what to do.

P.s. The photo of the dirty dishes is courtesy of Hank.

Freak

2010-08-19T16:56:00.000-07:00

Life is crazy. I repeat: crazy. My to-do list continues to be my to-don't list just because all of it sucks. I had to add this to the bottom to keep myself from jumping off a bridge or something. Or at least having a minor breakdown. Whatever.

Televisions Anonymous

2010-08-18T07:36:00.000-07:00

You know when you get something new and you really love it? You know how you love it so much that you just really want to use it? Yeah, that happened with our new tv. I fell asleep gandering at 50 inches of excellence. The thing is, I woke up at 4:45 this morning and couldn't go back to sleep. You know what I did instead? I went on a run! The weather was awesome. Running in the early morning hours is way better than the afternoon/early evening time I normally go. I hadn't seen a sunrise in ages!

(not art. don't care.)

Flat Screen

2010-08-17T07:27:00.000-07:00

Today we got a beautiful new television installed by the one and only Geek Squad. After having several issues with them and their service, it's finally all put together! The thing of it is, we now have about a zillion remotes, and if the handy-dandy universal remote we bought ever goes out we'll be in big trouble. Haha. We also signed up for Netflix, which was really fun, except I let Mom have the number two spot in the queue and she hasn't watched her movie. I have spot number four reserved for something I've wanted to watch for a long time (The Lovely Bones, FYI), but I can't watch it if we don't go through movies two and three first! But that's okay, we'll get the hang of it. Haha.

Rat Pellets

2010-08-16T16:51:00.000-07:00

We've got this really fun pellet gun to kill various destructive animals (aka pack rats). My whole family was in the yard this weekend trying to finish off this monster that has been living in our yard. Today, as I put away the pellets I thought it'd be fun to photograph. It was. :)

Fall Cleaning

2010-08-15T15:28:00.000-07:00

Today I gave a talk in church. It went well, and everyone has been really nice to compliment me all day about it, which I find funny since everything I said wasn't nearly as elegant as what I had actually written on the paper. But, I figure it's better this way because it was more natural for me to just say what I wanted to say to everyone instead of reading my talk word for word.

I got home and cleaned my room. Several things happen simultaneously when I clean my room. First, I get really happy. I like feeling productive and seeing that things are cleaner because I worked at it. Second, I love my room even more. I have a really cool room. It's the simple truth about that. It's even more cool when it looks like its ready for a magazine photo shoot (it's never actually that clean, but I'm getting there...). Third, because of a combination of the first two, I want to spend time in my room, even though I don't know that I really have anything to actually do in there.

Without further ado, I present today's photos. Zac's room = Zac. These photos sum me up and all of the feelings I described above.

I'm hanging out in my room. Also, I got a new shirt yesterday. I love it. I obviously go on a lot of dates with a cute face like that, eh?

On a completely random note, I bought an 8GB Memory Stick. It can hold 1600 photos. Worth every penny.

Gang Banger

2010-08-14T16:33:00.000-07:00

Today my family stumbled upon a Camaro club at Udall. We had a grand old time visiting with all of the car owners. I even ran into David Fastje, which was kind of funny. Mostly because I corrected him... Anyway, I love them and want one. Someday...

Bang

2010-08-13T21:56:00.000-07:00

Nicole, Hank, and I went shooting today. It was freaking fun. That's all.

Oh-Debt

2010-08-12T20:14:00.000-07:00

My dad is taking care of a house down the street. The couple who live there have some really fascinating little plants. Most of them are actually kind of weird, and the lighting wasn't very great so I didn't photograph anything too outlandish. My favorite plant she has is the cactus I photographed. It doesn't look that special, but my dad doesn't even know its name, so it's obviously a little bit off the beaten path. Anyway, enjoy these shots, courtesy of the Odette family.

Slats

2010-08-11T17:02:00.000-07:00

It just recently occurred to me that I'm coming up on my one year mark with this blog. I'm running out of material, and fast. Everyday is a struggle to find something I haven't photographed, something new, a different perspective on something, a better angle at which to capture an object. It's frustrating. But, it has been really rewarding and the response has been so exciting. There have been several people who have stumbled upon my blog via Facebook and then will tell me how much they enjoy it. That makes me so happy to hear. I'm trying, my blog followers. Just keep holding on through the end of September. I'll end this blog then, but you'll have 365 posts to revisit once this has come full circle. Thanks for supporting me in this fun little project! It's really taught me what I like/don't like, how to take photos, how to use my camera, and most of all, expanded my horizons as a photographer. If you have suggestions of something/someplace to shoot, let me know!

Clay Friend

2010-08-10T16:52:00.000-07:00

Remember way back when Kendle gave me a chia-head? I named him Steve and photographed his little bald head. Well... that was Christmas time. Steve was banished to hibernation in his box in my bedroom. I kept wanting to get his little seedy hairs growing but life gets busy. When it isn't busy, you never think to do the things you always say you'll do when you aren't busy! At any rate, I started Steve's little hairs a-growin' last week and they're growing like crazy! He looks like he has a receding hairline though because the seeds on the top of his head don't get constant moisture like the lower ones do. I love him anyway. Steve cries tears of joy for his life and growing hair.

Aged

2010-08-09T16:26:00.000-07:00

Kendle, this is what a giant Pedilanthus macrocarpus looks like (aka euphorbia, aka "lady slipper"). It's awesomely tall, crazy thick, and looks really great because of the extra moisture we've had lately. You need one in your yard once you guys finish it up. :)

Creation

2010-08-08T15:54:00.000-07:00

Nature still boggles my mind. The intricacies of nature and how everything fits together is something that I cannot comprehend creating, but I am so glad that someone put it all together. Thank you, God, for this fantastic earth that I am blessed to enjoy. Seriously.

Pops

2010-08-07T10:00:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty sure I've said this before, but I'm convinced my dad can do anything. I come home from work the other day and BAM there's a fountain in our backyard. It's lovely and that's all there is to it.

Birthday Girl

2010-08-06T09:40:00.000-07:00

A lot happened today. For starters, for Kendle's birthday I photographed some white spider mums. We had talked about this project a long time ago and I thought it was the perfect time to surprise her with a collection of photographs I had taken. I had to have one last round at a mum before I gave her the flowers at her little birthday get together. [photos 1 through 4]

Next, I helped Hank take some photographs (which I really hope turned out okay. I don't mind going out there again if they weren't very good...). At any rate, I took a few photos while I was on my way to the church, there, and on my way back. The desert was looking so good yesterday in the late afternoon sunlight. [photos 5 through 8]

Then I went to Kendle's party! We had a grand time. We are a funny batch of people, let me tell you. [photos 9 and 10]

Kendle, let me tell you, I have wanted to blog your mum photographs so badly. The thing of it was, it would totally ruin your birthday present. Without further ado, here is my favorite photo that I took of the mums for your birthday project. (It's separate from the actual blog post because I took this on Wednesday.) :)

Weave

2010-08-05T16:26:00.000-07:00

We got these chairs a while back. They sit on a fun rug on our front porch. We never use them. I repeat: never. Yesterday, I walk out the front door and there are my cute parents chit-chatting on the chairs in our trendy front yard! It inspired me to photograph them today. I love my family.

Spider Veins

2010-08-04T16:23:00.000-07:00

Brotherly Love

2010-08-03T19:05:00.000-07:00

Kyle went to El Salvador for his mission. While he was there, he met an old man that carved names and things into driftwood. For my birthday, Kyle sent me a hammerhead shark with my name etched in the side. In hindsight, I ought to have taken a photo of my actual name that is carved in the side of this shark, but I hadn't thought much about that when I took these earlier. Thanks, Kyle. I love my shark.

Also, this is not in honor of Shark Week on Discovery Channel. People talk about Shark Week every year, and every year I don't give a crap. My shark's awesomeness is completely independent of the television programming people are obsessing over. LOL.

Fish Hooks

2010-08-02T15:55:00.001-07:00

Sacred Grove

2010-08-01T15:53:00.000-07:00

A grove in the Tucson desert.

Roosevelt

2010-07-31T15:02:00.000-07:00

We had a grand time at Lake Roosevelt for U2's annual lake trip. I am more tan (can you believe it?), more sore, and more upset that school is nearing now that I'm home and back from the fun trip. But, if it's any consolation, I got to take a few fun photos from my friend Hank's camera while we were out there.

Refresh

2010-07-30T07:00:00.001-07:00

It rained really hard yesterday, and things are looking wonderful today. Hopefully there is more rain to come (though not over Lake Roosevelt).

Card Shark

2010-07-29T06:58:00.000-07:00

I love games. A lot.

Time Bomb

2010-07-28T06:57:00.000-07:00

Drip Drop

2010-07-27T06:54:00.000-07:00

Rain rain rain rain rain. Thank the heavens!

Hibernation

2010-07-26T06:52:00.000-07:00

We've had this orchid for ages. Seriously, years. Well, it's finally blooming again, and it's way cool. The even cooler thing? It hasn't bloomed for a long time, so we're enjoying the fun little flowers.

Spitting

2010-07-25T23:25:00.000-07:00

It rained today for like four minutes. It's a shame it didn't rain a smidge more, but the temperature dropped and was beautiful. So beautiful, in fact, that I went for a run. Awesome, right? Right.

Father Tom

2010-07-24T19:50:00.000-07:00

We "stay-cationed" this weekend at La Paloma for my dad's birthday. He's so awesome. He's the first to jump up to help, and the last to complain. I admire him a lot, and I think he really enjoyed the family hanging out over the last couple of days. Oh, and those shoes are my dad's. Haha.

Shove Off

2010-07-23T19:47:00.000-07:00

My life's new motto. Thanks, Kendle. :)

Wardrobe

2010-07-22T19:00:00.000-07:00

Don't you just love putting on some of your favorite clothes, feeling really good about the way you look? Yeah, today was one of those days.

Moved

2010-07-21T17:19:00.000-07:00

Today we were all really good people because we went to help move someone. It was something that we were not particularly excited to do. We each sacrificed something in participating in the move. Ultimately, we helped someone, and her relief was apparent. While we didn't necessarily feel good when we left, we really did enjoy each other's company and the awesome scenery. P.S. Thanks for posting this pictures on FB, Katie, so I could blog it!

Wired Up

2010-07-20T17:20:00.000-07:00

Kendle, remember that one time when we were eating in my backyard with all of those people? Well, we were sitting there, and you said, "Hey, there is a pack rat over there..." Haha. Well it kept coming out of the drain there, so my dad wired over all of the drains in the backyard.

ZJB

2010-07-19T17:16:00.000-07:00

Brown is the New Black

2010-07-18T17:07:00.000-07:00

This is my... get this... 300th post! Can you believe that? I'm having a hard time believing I've blogged this much of my One Year Project already. Fun right?

Threads

2010-07-17T16:14:00.000-07:00

I got three pairs of shoes for my birthday. I'm in love. And sound like a girl, but it doesn't matter. Looking good is a priority, you know? As Big Mike puts it on Chuck, "In order to get your head right, you've got to get your threads right." That definitely includes shoes.

Lines

2010-07-16T16:07:00.000-07:00

Summer Life

2010-07-15T16:05:00.000-07:00

Rungs

2010-07-14T16:01:00.000-07:00

Cuppin' Cakes

2010-07-13T15:59:00.000-07:00

For my birthday I got Rainbow Chip cupcakes. The thing of it is, my mom didn't have enough time to frost them, so they sat unfrosted for a while. Well, I too the initiative and was actually kind of proud that they didn't turn out too ridiculously hideous. Haha.

Birthday Boy

2010-07-12T16:08:00.000-07:00

Today is my birthday. It has been really great so far - no work, no school, I played some racquetball, and now am just relaxing. The thing of it is... my present are just chilling on the counter, and I'm seriously bummed that I can't open them. It's so tempting! But I'll leave them there to enjoy them later with my family.

Black Keys

2010-07-11T15:59:00.000-07:00

I want to be a piano pro someday.

Sleepy

2010-07-10T21:09:00.000-07:00

Today, I took the sheets off my bed. I proceeded to go to lunch with my parents. When I got home, Max had taken it upon himself to take a nap on my bed. It made me laugh and warmed my heart.

Do You Have the Time?

2010-07-09T21:05:00.000-07:00

Time keeps ticking... Also, I own too many watches and need to adjust the date.

Quite a Racket

2010-07-08T21:03:00.000-07:00

Racquetball was so dang FUN today. Playing again on Monday? I think yes.

Fan Blades

2010-07-07T23:15:00.000-07:00

I don't know why, but palms are always so cool to me.

Summer Lovin'

2010-07-06T22:42:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year... the time of big clouds, cool sunsets, late nights, laughter, and overall light-heartedness. Summer lovin', had me a blast...

Gratitude

2010-07-05T23:32:00.000-07:00

My post yesterday did America absolutely no justice. I really appreciate this country for the many opportunities that are so unique to citizens of the United States. While the other 364 days of the year I have the chance to take these things for granted, the 4th of July is one time that I need to vocalize my gratitude. Here is a (very) condensed list of things that I am so lucky and blessed to have as a result of this great nation. Enjoy photos following the list that accompany my excellent morning with my family and also coincide with some things that I am thankful for.

I value the chance I have to get an education. Not that an education is properly mandated by the US government, but America has a respectable education system that has created a reasonably intelligent populace. I love that I don't have to wonder if I could finish high school. It was always right there for me.
This is going to sound weird, but as I have been reading Harry Potter, there is this wretched journalist that adheres to no journalistic values. I appreciate that I can say all the things that I want, but that the government understands that there are boundaries. The government tries (in general) to minimize overall restrictions on people but honestly has my best interests at heart. Always.
The general freedoms this country affords me occasionally boggle my mind. I can go to whatever church I want. I can own a gun or two. I can not go to whatever church I want. While the remaining freedoms escape me at this point in time, the overarching message here is that I love America. I can't imagine living anywhere else and know that it is a true blessing to be a citizen of this nation.

My cute, redneck family. :)

Independence Day

2010-07-04T10:28:00.000-07:00

I love America. It's the truth. No place is quite like our country, and we couldn't be more blessed to live here. Sadly, I don't have any patriotic photos to share, but I did make some cookies this morning (with a lot of help from the family). I suppose family time is patriotic, and that's what we've been doing all weekend, so I think I'm good!

In Remebrance

2010-07-03T10:20:00.000-07:00

Another funeral flower. I still really like mums.

Charity

2010-07-02T16:28:00.000-07:00

My parents are such good people. A man died that we knew last week and today was the funeral. Though burdened with other things to do with their lives, they took the time to arrange all of the flowers for the tables at the funeral. They looked wonderful, and reminded me that while life may seem to be busy, we owe it to ourselves and others to take a look around every once in a while. This was a drastic circumstance, but there are always things we can do to help the people around us.

I suppose this impending funeral was what had me thinking about my uncle two days ago. Reference that post to see what I'm talking about.

Laces

2010-07-01T00:33:00.000-07:00

Lineage

2010-06-30T00:18:00.000-07:00

John Baker was my uncle. As a semi-professional race car driver (in addition to his successful shipping company that was his primary focus), he traveled all around the western United States. His family and mine had been tight for a long time because of how often we were able to get together and enjoy each others company. A freak accident not unlike Dale Earnhardt's took John's life in June of 2002. We don't visit his grave. We don't mope around on the anniversary. Honestly, he probably prefers it that way. I took this photo to admire the new picture frame I bought at Ikea without giving much though to the frame's content, but as I sit here I think about the photograph that resides in that frame on my desk. It's a photo of John in his race car. He died doing what he loved. I hope I can say the same when that day comes for me - that I chase the things that make me happy. My middle name comes from him, and if that commonality links us in any way I hope that it gives me the perseverance, ambition, and passion that he had. Nothing he did in life was a joke - everything was all-out, full-bore, and to-the-limit. Is it only the good that die young? Maybe not only the good, but John fell into that category, and certainly had enough to live for before the accident that took his life. We remember him fondly, and the day that we will meet again will be one of great excitement.

Rest in peace, John.

Colored Leaves

2010-06-29T17:24:00.000-07:00

I've really felt uninspired the last few days, and today was a really nice change. These three plants all came from the same big old pot we've got. The last one is definitely called Coleus, though I think the previous photos are also in the Coleus family. Anyway, I just really enjoyed taking these, uploading these, and now posting these. Not that I haven't taken fun photos lately (yesterday's does crack me up), but I've just felt really down on the whole photography thing. Fingers crossed that's over now. :)

Potted

2010-06-28T17:07:00.000-07:00

For ten years I have been pretty much obsessed with the Harry Potter series. Though the series is over, my love for the seven books has definitely not faded. If anything, it has only grown fonder as I can pick apart the details of the plot and the characters as they progress. Well, for the last few weeks I've been rereading books 4 through 7. I started number 7 today and can hardly wait to read it. I don't know that I could ever really choose a favorite book from the franchise, but number seven is certainly not my least favorite, that's for dang sure.

Quilted

2010-06-27T17:04:00.000-07:00

My mom has been working on this quilt for a while, and sure enough, it is nearly done! Way to be, Mom!

Blinded By the Light

2010-06-26T17:00:00.000-07:00

We have these wicked blinds in the living room. I love them. The end.

Classic

2010-06-25T17:14:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty much a new person after I've had all of my hair lopped off. I love it. Oh, and Mexico Ray-Bans are a win.

Daily

2010-06-24T17:07:00.000-07:00

I'm a journalism major for several reasons. One is definitely the fact that I love unfolding a new newspaper in the morning.

Walls

2010-06-23T17:04:00.000-07:00

I have really fun things on each of the four walls in my room. I've actually showcased all but one, I think, which you can see {here}. I can't quite decide which wall is my favorite because they each have something specific to them that I freaking love, but this wall was feeling good at this particular moment.

Passionate

2010-06-22T17:50:00.000-07:00

The passion vine blooms every summer and I never fail to be completely amazed by its awesomeness.

Easy Living

2010-06-21T17:47:00.000-07:00

I like summer. A lot.

Enamored

2010-06-20T17:41:00.000-07:00

It's just one of my quirks, and a lot of other people too. I buy something that I really like and devote all of my attention to it. The thing of it is though, I run out of things to do/discover with that object but keep trying, just so that I can spend some time with my recent purchase. I am officially debuting the new watch I purchased at Fossil the other day. Oh, and the tin that it came in. Oh, and I'm trying to take more pictures of people, but there aren't a lot of people around my house, so self-modeling will be more frequent on the blog. Haha.

Verde Valley

2010-06-19T18:16:00.000-07:00

We traveled the road to Camp Verde to visit my awesome Granddaddy for day-before-but-practically-Father's-Day festivities. My camera died before I even got photos of family, which was sad, but I got some fun stuff still.

Fossilization

2010-06-18T22:43:00.000-07:00

Today I got paid. I was really really excited about it, to say the least. I don't know anyone on earth who doesn't like payday. Well, I had to run a few errands, aka find a Father's Day present (which is on Sunday, FYI, it sure snuck up on me!), and amidst all of that I happened to stop in at the Fossil store in Park Mall. I genuinely went in there because I had a question about my watch. The pin in the link seems to have broken, and they guy said he may or may not be able to fix it in the store without having to send it off. The next thing I know, I'm browsing watches and end up walking out of the store with $100 less in my bank account and a snazzy new watch and second band (to mix it up, you know?). Want to know something funny? Yeah, I already own two Fossil watches. This makes three. I just love it so much. At any rate, you get to choose a tin that houses your watch for safe transport, and the guy who sold me the watch was kind of funny... he asked me to choose a tin, and as I browsed he goes:

"Yeah, there aren't any manly tins..."

Sure enough, there aren't any overtly man-oriented tins, but I thought this one suited me fine. I really liked all of the snazzy little illustrations on the side (particularly the one of the camera), so it's all good. No photos of the actual watch today, I'm still struggling internally if I'm willing to officially part with the $100. I'm famous for buying something I love but don't actually need, and then returning it because I like the thought of having that money back in my bank account. Well, we'll see if that rings true, because I really love this watch!

Older Generations

2010-06-17T20:49:00.000-07:00

I still love this plant's marks from the previous level's impressions as it grew and unfolded.

Cool Beans

2010-06-16T20:34:00.000-07:00

Summer is a time that is full of fun and lighthearted abandonment. Beyond those lovely things, it's also a time for reproduction. The mesquite trees are growing their fancy bean pods and soon enough they'll be yellow and falling off the trees. Why is that such a big deal, you ask? Well, they get everywhere. The cover up everything. These bean pods are easily one of my father's most hated nuisances provided by nature. They're interesting to look at in various stages of development, but not so interesting when I get to pick them up.

Starched

2010-06-15T20:24:00.000-07:00

I had my dress clothes dry cleaned. Twenty three dollars later and I've got some nicely shined up clothes. The interesting thing? Yeah, they weren't actually dirty. I figured they ought to be cleaned since it had been a while though. Better clean than not, I guess. I love the addition of the plastic sleeve over my suit coat. It adds some interest, some mystique to the drab of the gray.

Over Achiever

2010-06-14T23:10:00.000-07:00

I won't lie... I don't do a lot of dishes. We use the dishwasher for just about everything, and while I am very good at emptying it, loading it is generally taken care of by someone else. Today, I did dishes. Both by hand, and a quick rinse to be loaded into the dishwasher. Be proud of me.