2008/12/31

Happy 2009!

DaGoddess @ 21:50

Here’s wishing everyone a very successful and happy new year!

May your resolutions be few.

May you realize your dreams.

And please send all your spare change my way.

(The last one was from Little Dude. He’s no fool.)

2008/12/30

The Path

DaGoddess @ 13:43

The Path

For Thursday.

In the Park on Saturday

DaGoddess @ 13:33

Ivy Envy

There was a little curl

Patty and I went out on a treasure hunt Saturday. We were looking at the park through a new photographer’s eye and trying to figure out how to teach someone to see what makes a picture a photograph. What it comes down to is details. The big picture is sometimes very pretty, but not always compelling. But the details, well, those are really what catch your eye in the first place and are often what turn a picture into a photograph.

So there you have it. In a nutshell. And without the bigger picture for comparison. I know, I suck when I do that, but Patty was the one who took the “big picture”. I was just there for moral support and the walk. And the photos. And the friendship. Oh, and the fresh air.

PROMPTuesday #36 – In Which I Return To The Fold

DaGoddess @ 00:06

There’s a photo of a man on a bus. Deb’s done her thinking thing once again and has asked us to come up with a story or a poem or something about him. There’s a song, too. I’m not listening to the song. I’m boycotting songs today for some reason.

Anyhow, here are the PROMPT rules and my story follows.

  • Try to write your entry in 10 minutes. This encourages top-of-mind, primal thinking before the ego and judgmental brain kick in. Just set a timer, make your kid count to 600 slowly, whatever. It’s an honor system. And I trust you.
  • Aim for 250 words or less.
  • Please have fun. Don’t put pressure on yourself. Together, let’s rediscover the simple joy in the writing process.
  • Post your submission in the comments OR post in your blog and leave a link to your blog in the comments

I see him sitting there, unaware of me and my musings. I realize I could say something. I could. I could attempt to engage him in conversation, but I don’t. Somehow, I get the feeling he’s not a talker. You can usually tell who’s a talker and who’s not just by the set of their jaw. He’s not a talker.

My head fills with things I want to say to him, were I to try to break the ice. You know how that is: a list of things that will remain unsaid. Later, long after I’m off that bus and warming myself in the steam of the hot shower, I wonder if he’s still awake, or even if he’s still alive. I imagine the worst. You know, that he was severely depressed and just waiting for someone to break the silence and turn his world around. What if, really, he’d been depressed and my words could have saved his life? Suddenly, I go from crazy woman musing in her shower to accomplice to suicide. The water turns cold and I realize I haven’t moved in 20 minutes, stunned by my overactive imagination.

And this, this is why I turn my head away sometimes. Why I put up that wall and seem indifferent. The imagined fate of one man can bring my world to a screeching halt in mere moments. I have a hard enough time handling my own life. I can’t worry over his or any other stranger’s life as I sit on the bus. I have to focus. Focus. Focus. Focus. And then I remember that we’re all in this together, aren’t we? If we don’t occasionally worry about one another, what’s the point? What really separates me from strangers on a bus? So I worry, but I also try to be a little more proactive. I’ll at least make the effort to say hello. If someone’s not a talker, they don’t have to answer. They don’t even need to make eye contact. But I’ll try and I’ll feel a little better knowing that maybe at least one person will hear a friendly voice on a bus full of strangers and maybe not feel so alone in this great big world.

2008/12/29

The Secret Garden

DaGoddess @ 20:33

I went for a walk with my friend Patty on Saturday. It started out in our favorite local park and somehow we ended up in the most enchanted garden in the world. Expect to see plenty of photos from this place in the near future.

The Queen from below

Sssenor Snake - the forgotten one

Steps Detail

More Steps Detail

Graphite Portrait Giveaway

DaGoddess @ 20:22

Leanne at Intricate Art is starting a weekly giveaway. She does the most beautiful graphite portraits. Now, she’ll be sharing the theme for the week on Mondays and you’ll have until Friday to submit a link to a photo and story from which she’ll choose.

I’ve submitted my photo of Hoss this week. And, while I know encouraging others to enter reduces my chances of winning, but I really think everyone should know about Leanne and her gorgeous work.

Do You Want To Play A Game?

DaGoddess @ 15:15

This is going to sound rather silly, or perhaps not so much. But here’s the thing. It’s a bit like a scavenger hunt.

The thing is, if you’re willing to play, items would have to be sent to me via the mail. What kind of items? Small things. Silly things.

Preliminary list:

I need plastic, foamy, Scrabble or other letters that will fit inside a 9″x4″ space.
Numbers of the same sort will work.
marbles
Rhinestones
fake brass knuckles
Miniature games or game boxes (empty is fine)
plastic butts
plastic penises
plastic bones
boxes of pins and/or nails
a tiny palm tree and a mini beach ball and maybe little sunglasses
little arrows of all sorts
mini musical instruments

And what will this get you? With your help, I can create some — hopefully — unique art. So, you’d be responsible for helping me create this art. Kind of like lost and found art. I’m lost, and you’d be the finders. If all goes accordingly, you would be given credit for your contributions.

Interested in playing? If so, leave a comment with a valid email address (in the appropriate email space in the comment section) and I will get in touch with you.

Psst, Are You Watching Discovery Channel Right Now?

DaGoddess @ 15:08

Deadliest Catch is on. It’s been on all day long.

Go! Run! Do not hesitated!

2008/12/28

Christmas Outtakes

DaGoddess @ 04:00

Try as I might to get what I thought would be easy portraits done on Christmas, I only got a few. And not all of those were sharp nor were some what I was looking for. Still, I did get a few shots and here they are:

The Teenagers

The girl child and her boyfriend. He was very sweet and sat still. She couldn’t sit still to save her life. Granted, it was a bit darker when she sat and I’d changed settings, so it wasn’t entirely her fault. I need to shoot her again. She looked so pretty on Christmas day. Not that she’s not pretty the rest of the time, but, well…you know.

J and J together again

Next up, my younger sister and her husband. This was the major score of the whole day. I can’t remember the last time I saw both of them in the same place at the same time. Needless to say, I was thrilled over this photographic coup.

Special note on that background: I wanted something dark and my sister suggested a towel from the bathroom. I grabbed one and had LD or Mojo standing behind each person as I was shooting (except photos of LD and then it was just the wall). Little did I know that everyone would be wearing exactly the right thing to go with that particular backdrop.

The rest of these photos speak for themselves. What can I say? The kid is a willing model and he knows how to have fun.

Sweet Santa Boy

Super Happy Santa

Santa Went Bad on Us

2008/12/27

Insert “Head”er Here

DaGoddess @ 19:22

letter head
dead head
red head
white head
black head
copper head
bare head
jar head
hot head
cooler head
diamond head
head wind
head banger
head band
bull headed
pig headed
lemon head
head phones
hammer head
nail head
Mr. Potato Head
head shot
head lights
head to toe
head to head
heads up
head hunter
skin head
egg head
pill head
bed head
Edith Head
head start
head games
headway
head strong
hard headed
light headed
meat head
gear head
head cheese and cheese head
doll head
head for numbers
head for money
pin head
match head
jug head
trail head
beach head
drum head
bone head
dick head
butt head and head butt
head land
mic head
head board
pot head
crack head
towel head
sore head
fore head
fat head
shit head
head line
bobble head
bubble head
head nurse
head lice
head waiter
figure head
mast head
head rest
head shop
head case

I need more “head”. Gimme more “head”, please.

Seriously.

2008/12/26

A Little Holiday Silliness and Cookies

DaGoddess @ 16:48

Jolly Roger

Why is Roger Jolly? Because he wears a Santa hat!

Cookies

How many of you are so sick of cookies right now that you’d just as soon cut off an arm as to see another, let alone eat one?

Raspberry Chocolate Linzer Cookies

Well, you have to look at these. The first set of cookies were ones that Little Dude helped make by using an old screw-type cookie press my mom has. Then, he helped dip them in chocolate and added sprinkles.

The last set of cookies: LD did most of the powdered sugar sprinkling, spread the chocolate layer (on the majority, although I did a few, too), and then I had the fun job of adding the raspberry jam. LD then placed all the tops on the cookies. It took a long time, but it was well worth it. It was the first time my mom, my son, and I did cookies together. Seems like it should have happened sooner, but it didn’t, for whatever reason. Anyhow, we had fun and that’s all that matters. There was also Scrabble and Yahtzee that had to be played. And so they were. In a way, we had as much fun preparing for Christmas as we did on Christmas day.

One of my favorite photos, for no reason other than its absolute non-essentialness (if that’s even a word) is:

After the sprinkles

I have a few photos from Christmas to upload and edit. Not many. I was trying to get as many portraits done of my family as possible. Didn’t get many, but the ones I did get were the ones that would normally not have happened. Once I get some of those done, I’ll share.

Thanks to for helping me get to upload images again!

2008/12/25

Just Call Me Lili Von Shtupp

DaGoddess @ 22:51

I’m so tired.

Since when did Christmas become so exhausting?

I was ready to head to bed at 5pm.

Maybe it’s the rain. Or maybe it’s because I’m old. My dad says it’s because I’m old. (Thank you, Dad)

Sigh. I’m tiwed. So vewy tiwed.

Happy Holidays To All!

DaGoddess @ 04:00

May all your dreams and wishes come true. May love and laughter light your way. And may the voices of loved ones far away be heard, if only for a few moments so that you can say “I love you”. And may those who are no longer with us physically be close to us in spirit.

Happy Holidays from DG & LD

2008/12/24

Hey, WordPress!

DaGoddess @ 21:41

Yeah, you. In the corner.

WordPress 2.7 or whoever you are.

You’re sucking the life out of me. And the fun out of blogging!

Seriously, if you think suddenly making it impossible for me to upload photos is going to make me update to the new 2.7 version, you’re dead wrong.

I will get you, my pretties. And you’re little dog, too.

I Go Out Walkin’

DaGoddess @ 21:12

Little Dude and I went out for a walk today. All the way down to Walmart. I’d taken my pain meds just before we left. I had a couple things I simply had to pick up and I didn’t want to wait until the roommate woke up — I never know when that’ll be anyway.

The walk was rather nice. There was just enough of a chill in the air to make it feel wintry. Because of my brace, I opted to hold my coat over the walker as we progressed on our journey. Once at Walmart, we went about our business. When done, we waited for the ex to finish his shift so I could get a ride home. There was no way I could make the walk back, not with the few packages I had, nor with the bit of pain that was starting. LD helped carry the bags into the apartment, gave me a big hug and kiss, and left for his dad’s house. By this time it had started to sprinkle. We’re due a big storm soon. We’ll see.

I’m off to wrap a couple little gifts and then to watch a movie or two.

Tomorrow will be one of those days. We’ll get LD from his dad’s in the early afternoon, head over to my sister’s, enjoy a nice dinner and family time, and then perhaps, if the rain’s held off, go look at Christmas lights. My brother-in-law has said I can borrow his tripod tomorrow so I can do a few portraits whilst we’re gathered. I really want to see if I can get THE shots of my mom, my dad, both kids, maybe even my sisters. Anyone willing to sit, I want to photograph. I have an idea in my head of what I want to do…a little project, if you will. To go with something I started many years ago. Funny how that came back to mind while I was on my walk today, talking with LD.

I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting older, my parents getting older, the kids getting older, or all of the above, but I feel like I have to do this now before it’s too late.

Or maybe it’s because LD’s also shown an interest in doing this. I want to imbue in him a sense of tradition or rather to begin a tradition that he can carry on as he grows older. Maybe he and my daughter can both do this — document our family better than we’ve done the last couple of years. I never want them to forget those who love them, those who have always been there for them. Be it through photos or videos or stories or a combination thereof, I want them to have memories backed up by something more substantial. Solid proof that they come from people who love them.

I guess I should just go back to wrapping gifts and watching TV (I gave up on the movie idea for now). Too much thinking has hurt my poor little brain.