2009/01/18

Funny Ad

DaGoddess @ 14:21

I was looking at my site and noticed that Google came up with a doozy of an ad. It was for personal injury. I started laughing. Gallows humor, I guess.

Y’see, yesterday I spent the day trying to recover from doing too much the day before. Too much walking or carrying too much. Something like that. But then I realized late last night what day it was.

The 4th anniversary of my back injury. Talk about timing!

And then today, to see that ad…too much! Of course, it was four years ago today that I really started to feel the pain. I’d come home from work, popped some more Tylenol, took a hot shower, crawled into bed, and tried to sleep. Sleep was poor. When it was time to get for work again, I was still in a lot of pain, but I figured more Tylenol and another hot shower would do the trick. It loosened me up a bit, but not enough. Still, I had to go to work. Couldn’t call in sick, there wasn’t enough time for them to find anyone to fill in for me. So, in I went. Except, when I was getting in my car, I realized just how much I was hurting. Spasms wracked my entire back and I almost passed out from the pain. I pushed on, got to work, told my supervisor how bad things were, and was told to fill out the necessary paperwork and hang in there until 11pm or midnight, when an on call person could come in and take my place. Well, that didn’t happen because the charge nurse — a woman with a very twisted personality — decided to call off the on call nurse. By 5am (it was the 19th at this point), I couldn’t hold back the tears I hurt so much. By 6:30am, they were wheeling me down to the Emergency Dept. And so the journey had begun.

But look at me now! It’s been both a trying and an enlightening four years. There’s been a lot of interesting things that have come my way during this time. I’ve lost some things along the way (including my job and my hopes of ever nursing in a hospital again), but I’ve also discovered quite a bit — about myself, my family, my friends, and the world — too. “You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both, and there you have”…the facts of my life.

God does have a sense of humor, doesn’t He? So do I. And that, along with good people (like you!) is what got me through it. I’m not done yet, but think I see a silver lining in those clouds.

Pretty

DaGoddess @ 11:00

Pretty purple flowers on my walk

2009/01/17

The Shed

DaGoddess @ 21:20

Ernie's hat

Ernie's workbench

Ernie's Shed

Delicious Peanuts

The Shed

All That Glitters

DaGoddess @ 20:30

Sometimes all that glitters really is gold.

And this time, it happens to be 24k.

talented Leanne chose my story and photo of Mojo as this week’s graphite portrait winner. The story? I know I’ve shared it here before, but here it is again:

Gotta share a story about Mojo that truly captures her unique brand of wackiness. You see, she was born that way and ’round about the time she was 14 or 15 months old, her sense of humor was already apparent. One Saturday morning — far too early, of course, I’d heard her stirring in her room and went in to get her. I changed her, grabbed her a cup of juice, and I brought her into bed with me. She took her usual few sips of juice, handed me her sippy cup, and curled up like she was ready to go back to sleep. I put the cup on the old drafting table next to the bed and curled myself around my sweet little child. A couple minutes of fidgeting later, she said, “dink, Mommy, dink!” which meant she wanted her drink. While I rolled over and reached for it, she was busy stealing my pillow. As I rolled back with the drink, I felt the absence of said pillow, and looked at her. She was lying on top of the pillow, very still, covers pulled up tight under her chin, eyes closed pretending to sleep. There was even an attempt at “snoring” for my benefit. And slowly, the impish grin spread across her face and the giggling started. Yes, my young toddler was a prankster! There was no way I could sleep after that. In fact, we got up to grab breakfast and play silly games the rest of the morning, after which I spent at least two hours calling family and regaling them with Mo’s latest clever plot to make me laugh.

She’s sixteen now and very much still a goofball who loves playing jokes on family and friends. They’re never malicious, always done in the name of fun. Thankfully, after scaring us with her New Year’s adventures, she’s okay and will be back to pranking us in due time.

And about that “adventure”: when I talked to Mojo the other day, she was still feeling pretty rough. Most worrisome were the memory and concentration issues. Because she was let out of the hospital so quickly, I doubted it was related to the concussion, but more likely a result of the meds she’s been taking. But still, it worried me. So when I talked with my brother-in-law yesterday, he said she’s doing much better and the real test of how well she’s doing is by her humor. Sound familiar? It’s coming back. Some of it is very sarcastic, which is a wonderful sign.

It feels right that Leanne’s doing this portrait right around the same time I’m hearing this great news. It’s all glittery tonight.

Contented sigh.

2009/01/16

Catching Up

DaGoddess @ 20:47

Once upon a time, like, three days ago, I took some photos. I’m just now getting around uploading them. Silly me. It’s just been crazy around here. (Or at least, just “in here”.)

Big ol' clump of mushrooms

A pretty little sunset

Graphic Pine

I decided on a more graphic, bold black and white on the last one because that’s how I’d envisioned it in the first place. It just seemed to be begging for it. And there it is. Still working to catch up on other photos. So much to do, so little time.

Updated: Had to switch out the pine image. Can you guess why?

Can’t Trust This

DaGoddess @ 12:52

Sung to the tune of “Can’t Touch This”.

My eyes are playing weird tricks on me lately. I see the word ennui (which is totally one of my favorite words and has been since I was 8), and I automatically read it as emu. Turns out, the Fug Girls should have substituted the word emu for what they were describing, which was hideous outfit Anne Hathaway was wearing. She looked very much indeed like an emu, and I should know, what with having worked with them (yes, really!) in the past.

I can’t trust my eyes anymore. Or can I?

While out on my walk this morning, I spotted the most beautiful black lab who was wandering about sans collar or a clue. Very close to a busy street. Good pup that she was (BIG puppy), she came when called. My friend and I walked up to every door along the street looking for the owner. Neither of us have a place to keep a dog, but we figured we’d hold on to her and 1) call animal control and/or 2) post flyers with her picture (of course I took photos! Those will come later as I’m really not even supposed to be blogging but showering so I can get some very big things done) and hope that people would call. One very nice neighbor, who has two dogs, and who was out talking with another neighbor, offered to hang onto the pup so we could go make flyers, etc. He was also willing to run the dog down to the rather enormous animal clinic down the street to see if she was chipped. All that ended up being for naught when we caught sight of a woman pulling out of her driveway (way down at the end of the street), looking left and right, etc. We waved to her and asked if she was looking for a black lab. She was. Mom and dog baby were reunited. The dog’s name was Kelly, by the way.

Anyhow, so my eyes can’t be too bad if they recognized a lost dog as a lost dog and not an abandoned one.

Also, I found, via Fred, the perfect organization tool for my friend Patty’s photography business. That’s where I’m off to after my shower. Or rather, where I’m returning to after my shower. We’re on a roll today. And we must make hay while the sun shines.

I think there was something else I was going to share, but it turns out I can’t trust my memory to recall what it was. I know I owe a few emails to several people. They’re coming. Promise. Just gotta go “work”.

Ta for now!

2009/01/15

The Other Green

DaGoddess @ 01:00

I have Coraline's eyesI’m an so jealous I wasn’t chosen to receive one of the handmade boxes for Coraline.

I’m green with envy. Practically rotting from the inside out.

Once upon a time, the ex and I went to see Nightmare Before Christmas and we both declared it perfect. Jack and his friends eventually made their way into Christmas stockings and such. LD is now a fan, too. I think he’s a fan for two reasons: 1) he loves things a little “off” (like his mama), and 2) he’s a wiz at stop-motion animation (last year’s Lego Star Wars production with his friend Charlie was a hit at school).

Coraline is sure to be just as wonderful and creepy. At least, I hope so. From the teeny tiny knitted sweaters and gloves, to the magical gardens, and the blog, oh yes. I’m hooked.

H/t: Susskins.

2009/01/14

Flippin’ the Bird is Bad For You

DaGoddess @ 21:49

First, our episode was on again. There’s a reason Two & a Half Men won an award on Sunday or whenever the hell it was. Between this ep, the Ben Franklin ep, Alan’s satellite dish incident, and Squab, I’ve spent more time laughing because of this show than many others. And I end up not even caring that Charlie Sheen (who once dated a friend of mine — no, she wasn’t a paid date) is a raving lunatic.

Second, since you brought it on your website and since I responded, I have to share it here: The Little Dude has figured out how to get out of school without having much wrong with him. Two days in a row, he’s managed to get out of school early with a sore finger. Yes, a sore finger. I told him to stop flipping everyone off and it wouldn’t hurt so much, but that advice fell on deaf ears.

That’s not really why his finger’s sore, but he thought it was hysterical when I typed it in a comment on the Vod’s site. I’m so glad this kid has a great sense of humor. Makes living with him so much easier. Especially when he’s gassy or mega hyper.

We went out for a walk this evening. Once the sun goes down, it gets right chilly. So we bundled up (him more than me because I know I’ll get hot in a couple minutes) and headed out. Ran into the neighbor who gave the kid a ride to school. He was coming to make sure I knew he couldn’t do the ride thing in the morning, which I was. Mentally, I was cursing Cox Cable for making the neighbor start Thursdays early because I’d now have to attempt driving again. Sigh. It’s gonna hurt. I don’t like when it hurts. Anyhow, the walk was good. Funny, too. LD starts off with the Ramones, which we both sing. Then he ends up going to the Marine Corps Hymn and a variety of other tunes. Thankfully, I knew all the tunes he picked.

Finally, he gets out of the shower and goes to grab something. Turns out it some gum. What? What the hell? It’s 8pm and he’s reaching for gum? I think not! I make him hand it over to me. Then he says something about us splitting it. I take a bite out of this hunk of gum and ask if he got it from the petrified gum forest because it’s rock hard. “That type of gum is always like that,” he says. “Bullshit,” I say. Double sigh.

I’ve retaped the splint on his finger (ring finger, right hand). I’ve bribed him with junk food (Cheetos) to stay off the computer so I can get some photo editing done (he just read this and caught on, protesting vehemently, to which I replied, “bullshit”), and will soon, all too soon, have to say goodnight to him.

At least I’ll have Top Chef to keep me company.

Okay, enough of that. Gotta get to work. I have much to do.

Green

DaGoddess @ 02:41

Not from yesterday, but rather from the same ” walking distance” set.

Bright and Green

It’s bright. It’s green. It was taken after LD and I got back from the hospital after seeing Mojo on the Fourth. Maybe I like it so much because it reflected the hopefulness I felt following the visit. I dunno. But there it is.

Yesterday’s Gone

DaGoddess @ 01:22

And I’m really glad.

First, Little Dude hurt himself at school playing basketball. Three calls back and forth with school and the ex and he was dropped off here. I’m sure the finger is fine, but it hurt just enough that he couldn’t focus on anything other than the pain of the basketball jamming into it. I know how that can be. There’s no swelling and it bends relatively easily (except when LD says, “Stop! It hurts!”), so no trip to the doc for now.

The roommate was sound asleep and couldn’t be awakened this afternoon and we couldn’t get to the store, right? We needed food. So I decide that the doctor’s “if you want to try driving, okay” statement was timely and it was out the door, into the car. Except getting in kind of hurt (there are issues with the seat) and getting out hurt even more, especially when people don’t park in their own damn spaces properly. Plus, I can’t really turn to look behind when backing up. We can chalk this up to tried and not ready just yet.

Later, when the roommate got up, he was in such a foul mood that I really didn’t want to talk to him. His voice kept getting louder and louder and I was sore and tired and it didn’t sit well with me. I mumbled something about him going to sit in his cave and being a bear far far away from me. Sigh.

The only good news I got all day was when I called to check in on Mojo. She had a check up with her doc today. She said the bloodwork showed her liver function was heading back toward the normal range (YAY!!!) and she was happy about that. I am, too. She’s complaining of still being sore, tired, and having a rough time with concentrating/confusion. That’s all part of the recovery process and some of the meds. I hate not being there with her, but she’s in capable hands and the phone calls are reassuring. Mo did get to go to the store on Saturday with her aunt, the grocery with my mom on Sunday, and she had dinner at her boyfriend’s house last night. Like me, she’s finding that going out and doing a little something isn’t always easy, often tiring, but in the long run, it does help pass the time and makes the next trip out a little easier. Slow and steady.

Other than having LD here and hearing MJ’s progress, I’m really happy that yesterday’s history.

I’m off to bed. Again. Maybe I’ll be able to stay asleep for a while this time.

And maybe when I wake up in the morning (as opposed to being awake at midnight), I’ll be inspired to upload the few photos I took with LD yesterday afternoon.

2009/01/13

PROMPTuesday #38 – Fear Not My Awesomeness

DaGoddess @ 06:10

I have been asked, nay, challenged(!) to share my private awesome thoughts with you. cunning Deb has dared me to reveal my secrets. I’m totally down with that.

Rules? You want rules? Fine!

this week’s PROMPTuesday asks that you post about your favorite — or “most awesome” things. What do you love? What can’t you live without? What do you like to watch on TV? What are your favorite websites? What do you use on your hair? (This last one is a requirement.)

I promise to include the hair stuff, Deb.

  • One of the more awesome people I’ve actually met through blogging is our PROMPT hostess her own bad self. Yes, Deb. We had lunch at a restaurant at University Town Center, although the name of it escapes me at the moment. Hey, in my defense, it was like six and a half years ago. What I found so amazing and awesome about her was her sense of humor and her determination to become a published novelist. This woman is a goldmine when it comes to stories. One of these days, I’m going to challenge her to stop dithering and collect some of her blog posts, expand them a bit, and then submit them to a publisher. Whether it’s poop sticks, the Rock, Toots & Booger, a tangled flag, a scary stalker, hypochondria, or a sweet neighbor, there is something warm and genuine and inherently captivating in her words. Plus, she’s really pretty and isn’t all stuck up about it. She is one of three people I would like to call upon to speak at my funeral because I’m pretty sure she’d make people laugh and cry and then tilt their heads in a bewildered manner. Which is totally what I want. I want her to paint me in a way they’ve never imagined me. I’m positive she could convince even my family that I was tall, thin, movie star gorgeous, and the funniest (okay, SECOND funniest — Deb would be #1) woman on earth.
  • Awesomeness comes in the form of my Canon EF 35-135mm f/4-5.6 US lens. I use it for just about everything these days. Portraits, scenery, whatever. It’s the perfect “in between” lens. If I need anything longer, I haul out my Canon 70-300mm DO. However, with the 35-135 on hand, those situations are rare. I’m really happy with it and consider it to be one of the wisest purchases I ever made. Big thanks go to my brother-in-law for giving me a good deal on it.
  • Morgan Freeman is awesome. I’m not a big starstruck groupie type of person. I joke about crushing hard on Craig Ferguson (have you seen and heard the man? I know! He’s delightful and yummy! And, yes, he’s awesome, too), but the simple fact is, I’m really kind of not so awed by most Hollywood types. Morgan Freeman, though, he’s different. I mean, he’s played God in a couple of movies and he’s pretty convincing in that role. He also exudes a sense of supreme dignity and earthiness that most people lack. He’s one of the three I’d want to eulogize me. (Deb, make sure you keep this list close at hand, okay? I’ll tell you who the third one is privately, because that one’s a surprise.)
  • Deadliest Catch is awesome. Little Dude on the Cornelia Marie website is even more awesome. But the ultimate in awesomeness is that Captain Phil is in the wheelhouse again, at least for opilio season. Woo hoo!
  • I have a Goody “Privado” hairbrush that they no longer make that’s so awesome I won’t throw it away even though the grip on the handle is trying to secede from the rest of the brush. Honest. I’ve tried other brushes that look similar enough, but they don’t come close to how this one feels on my hair.
  • L’Oreal has the Out of Bed Texturizer that rocks my hair like no other gel. This is awesomeness squared!
  • I have an awesome surgeon, but then again, you already knew that, didn’t you?
  • My children are awesome. More awesome than yours, too. I say this with great confidence and with my tongue only slightly in cheek. Both are funny, smart, considerate, creative, and rather good looking. Plus, they’re nice to hang around (well, my daughter, whenever I get the chance). They’re good kids and I’m very blessed.
  • I have some really awesome blog pals I’ve yet to meet. Without naming all, because I’d surely forget some and I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, let’s just say the list includes Pam, Temple, Jan, a Wolf, two Debbies, a kidney patient, a punk, rebels of all kinds, moms, dads, people of every hue, sexual preference, geographic location, religious beliefs, political affiliation, and an wide assortment of other interesting characters.
  • I have had a blast working with Soldiers’ Angels. They’re awesome, as is what they do for the military and all the military families.
  • Boobie-Thon is awesome! And I’m very proud to have been working with them since its inception. Equally awesome are the people who donated and helped us raise almost $10k in 2008.
  • My black and white faux wrap dress is beyond awesome! I love that dress.
  • There are three pairs of the most awesome shoes in my house. A pair of sandals (I actually bought two pair because I figured by the time the first pair wore out, the shoes would be either sold out or discontinued), a pair of brown espadrilles, and a pair of cute black pumps. All are comfortable, attractive, and mine.
  • My parents are awesome. Each brings something special to the table. They love me. I love them. They love my kids. The kids love them. And we’re at that stage in life now where, yes, they’re still mom and dad, but they’re also my friends. I didn’t always comprehend what they were doing when I was growing up, yet I’ve learned so much from them and come to understand the lessons they were teaching me along the way as I’ve aged and entered the parenting game myself. Best part? I just recently told them both, in no uncertain terms, “Thank you” for teaching me so well.
  • This image is awesome, if I do say so myself. It gave me the confidence to try only about a million more techniques I’d always been afraid to try.
  • Charlie is awesome. Charlie is my camera. Also awesome? All of you who helped make him a reality for me. In fact, it was a certain Wolf who blogged about my camera fund that led to Jan and I becoming friends. And it was after I got the camera that I fell in with a really good group of people, one of which I have become great friends and for whom I work on occasion.
  • My life, when I’m not being crabby and ungrateful or constipated, is truly awesome at times. In fact, I dare say it’s awesome more often than I could have ever dreamed as a child, or even just a few years ago. I have met legends and other very talented artists, and have been able to introduce them to my son. I have had the great privilege of interviewing some of them, too. As has Little Dude!
  • Really, though, it all keeps coming back to my friends and my kids, my parents and some of the other people I’ve encountered as I’ve taken steps to broaden my world over the last few years that make me feel like my life is awesome.

So, there you have it. My awesomeness is nothing to fear. My guess is that you have a lot of it in your life, too. You must, cuz you, at the very least, know me. All kidding aside, I’m sure if you think about it, you’ll discover awesome-osity beyond your wildest expectations.

Red, White, & Blue

DaGoddess @ 03:26

The Red Leaf Against a Blue Sky

White Rocks

Blue

And I Thought to Myself

DaGoddess @ 00:28

This is Me…yeah.

“Photographers” go to school to study photography because you can’t tell if a photo is good just by looking at it. — Merkley???

One of the things I’ve given up (starting now, this moment, this year) is doubting myself or what I enjoy when it comes to me and my camera. Oh yes, I’ve had those moments of doubt and I let cloaked “constructive” criticisms bother me. No longer, though.

I bring this up because I’m working on an “artist’s” statement for my revamped photography site. And because I need to remind myself from time to time. We all need to remind ourselves that what we like is what we like — we don’t need to justify it, and we need to remind ourselves of our own value, our place in this world. Sometimes we tend to dimish ourselves, or allow others to do so, because we lack the balls or mammaries to declare “hey, I like it because I like it! I am who I am because that’s who I am!” So there.

2009/01/12

Take Me Home — A Very Late PROMPTuesday Entry

DaGoddess @ 00:20

I found book I mentioned earlier!

I thought I remembered the title, and I was pretty damn near right.

Take Me Home by Dare Wright

Take Me Home by Dare Wright was a staple of my childhood. It was my sister’s book, but I got it once she outgrew it. I was always painfully sad over the thought that the doll was left sitting in the woods. It seemed so real to me because we had the same sort of woods right out behind our house. And I had a doll. Yes, yes, I did. It could happen, I thought.

Every time I went into the woods, I looked for lost dolls and other toys. No toy would ever be left to feel unwanted as long as I was on duty! Because, you know, it just wouldn’t do to have any toy feel unloved. They were living, breathing creatures, just as I was. Seriously. I thought this. I remember being as young as two and thinking this. I had a very dramatic and active imagination back then. What? You expected something different from me?

Yes, even as a very small child I would lose myself in the magic of books and my own little blonde head. Oh, the places I went as a kid. All I had to do was grab a book and find a quiet corner and I was off in my own world.

Making this even more magical: Dare Wright grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, like me (at least until I was seven). And she loved all manner of artistic pursuits. Just like me. Especially photography. Again…need I say it? Of course, our lives were very different, but it seemed there must have been some magic there.

It also seems to me that we, at one time, possessed other books by Wright. There was a whole collection. For me, though, Take Me Home was the one that mesmerized me and the one I remember to this day.

I guess I can also call this my default catch up entry for PROMPTuesday #37. I can, can’t I, Deb?

2009/01/11

Before and After

DaGoddess @ 22:49

Before the shoot:

Wine Rack from the Block

The above was the first photo today. The pagoda-like wine rack was found on the sidewalk a couple of apartment complexes down. It was sitting there with a basket and an old kerosene heater. The rack spoke to me. Begged me to rescue it. So I did. I’m a sucker for quirky objects that plead.

After:

Spooky leaf

This spooky sort of leaf was the last shot of the day. I loved discovering this little face amongst the hundreds of thousands of leaves scattered about the grounds in the park. Oddly, it reminds me of a book my older sister used to have. It was about a doll that got lost in the forest. Go figure.