The Eye of God

I saw this picture of the Helix nebula and instantly thought, "Hmmm, that looks like the eye of God." Apparently, everyone else thinks so, too! Isn't that beautiful!

"Nicknamed the Eye of God, the amazing object is actually a shell of gas and dust that has been blown off by a faint central star. Photo: ESO
The bright blue pupil and the white of the eye are fringed by flesh-coloured eyelids - but this eye is so big that it light takes two and a half years to cross from one side to the other.
The object is actually a shell of gas and dust that has been blown off by a faint central star. Our own solar system will meet a similar fate five billion years in the future.
It lies around 700 light-years away in the constellation of Aquarius, and can be dimly seen in small backyard telescopes by amateur astronomers who call it the Helix nebula. It covers an area of sky around a quarter the size of the full moon.
The photo was taken with a giant telescope at the European Southern Observatory, high on a mountaintop at La Silla in Chile. It is so detailed that a close-up reveals distant galaxies within the central eyeball. "

Sorry, I didn't save the url where I pulled the image and info...!

Portraiture

I can't wait to do some portraiture!

The Good Old Days

So I'm kind of telling on myself here (once again), but when I was on an all raw-food diet about 10 years ago, it really hyped up my brain chemistry. Seriously, I would be 'til 3 a.m. creating art on my computer. It's been a long time since I practiced the raw lifestyle and a short time since I practiced my photo editing/creative skills. So, I pulled out a tutorial and here's what it was:

I thought it turned out pretty groovy. It definitely gave me a good refresher. I can't wait to start playing around with more images (of someone other than myself!). Any takers?

Todd and Bryce

Seriously, just too cute!

Want Some Free Photography?

So I used to own a small commercial photography business attached to my web design/graphics business back in Virginia. This was before the days of digital cameras. I had a nice set of Contax cameras and lovely Zeiss lenses. They now sit collecting dust on a shelf somewhere. No since in shooting film cameras these days.

In this nutty economy, I have a need to bring in some income. So of course, the only thing I really want to do is photography. But to make any money, you have to shoot people (with the camera, I mean). So, I've been studying people pictures and posing and processing and such. Now I just need a good camera in my hands and an upgrade to my decrepit copy of PhotoShop.

I thought I would use our tax refund this year to buy a pro-grade camera and the few other necessities I would need to start a business. But, my medical and other bills had other ideas. (There goes the trip to Virginia, too...sorry old friends...maybe next year :o( I miss you!)

So now I'm asking the world at large to help a girl out. I know most of you are strapped, too, but if there's anyone reading this who can spare a dime, or a dollar, or heck, a thousand, I've put a handy dandy Donate button on the right sidebar of my bloggidy blog to help me gather funds to start my business up.

If you donate anything at all, I will mention you on my photography website (as soon as it's up). If you donate $3,000 (and live locally), I will give you free photo sessions for the rest of our lives. Yes, the rest of our lives! If you donate $1500, I will give you free photo sessions for the next 3 years. If you donate $100, I will deduct $100 from your first photo session and package. (Photo sessions include the sitting, processing, and digital copies for you to have printed as much as you like--for the $3000 and $1500 donation only).

Let the donating begin!

The Official Word on the Ankle

Today I was forced to admit that I will not be running the 10K at Two Sisters, One Heart this Saturday and I AM SO BUMMED.

I knew I screwed my ankle up pretty badly. It's been a week and the pain is still unreal, so today I broke down and went to a foot and ankle guy. (Dr. Newswander, in case you were curious).

After x-rays and an ultra-sound of my ankle, doc says I pulled a tendon pretty severely. He offered a cast, I said unnecessary. He wanted me to do physical therapy 2x per week, I said Not in the budget. He prescribed steroids, I'm afraid to take them. LOL; I'm the WORST patient ever! I AM taking the naproxen (440mgs, twice per day). At least there's that. And maybe I'll de-wuss enough to start taking the steroids in a couple days. We'll see.

Here's the WORST PART: doc says it'll be AT LEAST a MONTH before I can start running again. AT LEAST! A MONTH!

I'm speechless at how fantastic a job I did on my poor ankle. I should be arrested. Oh wait, I am.


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I'm Standing at a Crossroads.

And I'm not particularly fond of it.

I've stood here before, maybe not this exact intersection, but one remarkably familiar. There are important, weighty decisions to be made and I just don't want to make them. I contemplate just doing nothing and letting it all unravel on its own. Let Chaos Theory have a chance to prove itself. It's kind of like falling backward and hoping there's someone there to catch you, but you know there really isn't. You know the only one who can catch you is God. And so, you submit. But God, being a wise God, leaves you with choices still to be made on your own.

And so there I am, still standing at the crossroads.

Honk if you love sushi!


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Video Summary of Traditional Hashing

Warning: bare butts and a lewd name here and there, but not too bad.

Everything you ever wanted to know about hashing. Well, pretty much.



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Yes, I Jiggle While I Wiggle

As you may know (since I mention it every 5 minutes), I started running again on Jan. 1 after a 3-year + break. I haven't lost any weight yet (actually, I've gained a pound), but feel like I'm starting to tone up a little. Still, I have a spare tire around the middle, quite a significant one, actually. Remember that old commercial, "Can you pinch an inch?" Well, I can easily pinch 4.

So yesterday, I was out for a 4-mile run (which is still hard, even after running the 10K last Saturday), and as I ran, an amusing thought came to me.

It was this: After a few miles of running, my vanity goes out the window. And that struck me as hilarious and I almost had to laugh aloud.

The weather was perfect as I ran--sunny and warm. A lot of my neighbors and friends were outside as I ran...the Nortons, Krista, Adele, Greg, Russell, lot of kids, and even the Missionaries were strolling through the 'hood.

So for the first couple miles, as I would pass someone, I would suck my gut in out of embarassment, trying to hide the Jello-like jiggling going on around my midsection. (Vanity is so funny that way).

Then, once I hit that wall of pain around mile 3, all vanity flew out the window. My focus shifted from trying to look better, to trying to RUN better. The gut relaxed and jiggled freely in the breeze. I heard one neighbor say, sort of to himself, "That remind me: I need to check the tires on the truck." And a couple of kids ran alongside me and told me what they wanted for Christmas.

Hmmmm. Wonder what that was about.



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More on London's Run

Here's me and my girl Tiff, before the race. It was FREEZING; there was even frost on the grass. My nose was totally red.

Here's the link to the picture the pro photographer took about 30 seconds before the finish line (in other words, me looking like I'm quite in pain) http://sportshots.exposuremanager.com/p/900am_-_930am_lr_2009/0914_20090131091436_321222

Fun times! Next 10K is only 12 days away--Valentine's Day! Whoo hoo!

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