Day 303 - We Will, We Will, Rock You

If you don't think things can change in an instant. If you are convinced that anger, hurt and darkness can be wiped away with one heartfelt "I'm sorry" then you clearly were not in my house last night.

My house has been restored, my world is officially unrocked. No, not unrocked, rerocked only better. Yeah, that's better.

I drop my jelly beans and stand up. I'm not ready to take the next step quite yet. I think I'll just stand here awhile and enjoy the view.

Peace ~

Today I'm grateful for:

rerocking. She rocks and he rocks and life rocks and God rocks. Yeah, I'm a bit over the top today. Remember that analogy I gave about the weight being lifted and the man floating away? Today I've joined him. Please to excuse me while I'm a tad over sweet. Blame it on all the jelly beans if you like.

anticipation. I know what's coming even if he don't. It's gonna rock.

simple dinners to prepare that look and taste like you worked your butt off. Shhhhhh, don't give away my secret. Let me bask in the praise.

gifts. I've been given a gift. One I've been keeping secret for some time now. My blog will be moving. I've been given my own domain. www.meagaingraphics.com is not yet open for business but soon will be. Stay tuned.

coffee. After 4 days of being caffeine free I didn't fall, I dove into a vat of coffee. Damn that stuff is good.

cleaning Pixies. She had a half a day of school yesterday and spent her off time cleaning my house. There are a few things I have to sneak and reclean, but over all she did amazing. She is awesome.

my redbird. Once again she's risen from the ashes of her own destruction. This time there's something different. I can't put my finger on it but she is changed from within. She has a very long road ahead of her, but I feel strongly that she will make it this time. I believe.

my mom's voice on the other end of the line. She lifted me up, took the jelly beans out of my hand and said "I love you Beth Ann" I soooo needed that. 

Rocking. Rock Band 3 is out and "All Hail Sally" will ride again. *makes an odd rock and roll hand gesture*   

Day 299 - Life is a Highway

Where you start a journey is as important as where you finish. More actually because where you start will determine what obstacles you face. Will you have to cross an ocean or a desert, climb a mountain, face nearly insurmountable obstacles just to get there?

I don't know what it was within me to convince God to bless me the way he has. I was not born in China, I have not had to see the hardships of this man or those like him. I could waste my life asking why but I choose instead to boggy on down the highway of life being grateful for where I began. The only obstacles I face are those of my own making. One day an obstacle will come that I cannot climb over, go around, or blast through. When that day comes I'll know I've reached my destination. Life is in the journey. I choose to roll down the windows, blast the music and booty dance my way on down the road.

Peace ~

Day 252 - The Athole Invasion

My day started before I even put my purse down. I walked into the office to a ringing phone. I answered it and I was ear to face with an owner who had an irate of epic proportion. She all out accused ME of stealing her money. I knew I was going to have to send this woman up the food chain right to boss 1. This only seemed to maker this woman more angry. I hung up and said "Athole! Athole! Athole!"

And the day only got worse from there. Every call, every walk in, every email was someone being an Athole! I talked with one vendor, who was himself an athole, and he said "Yeah, there seems to be something in the water today. Today is brought to you by the word "Rude" which I thought was rather whitty and not very Atholeish and I told him so.

By 10AM Julie was in my office. She looked a little distressed. If you knew Julie, you'd know that is very unJulie like. She was shaking her head and she just said "Oh the Rudeness today! I don't understand it!" This is when I called on the magic hot pink sharpie of charm and said "We can't let the Atholes win Julie. When they are mean and nasty we double the charm. Then, when they hang up we call them names, disparage their mothers and say things like "I bet your kid eats banana's with it's feet" to make ourselves feel better.

Then Lisa calls me. She got a disturbing email. Seems the atholes have crossed state lines. "Let it go Lisa. It seems the world has taken a handful of Athole! pills today or al qaeda has developed a new "Athole bomb" OR OR it's an Athole! invasion! Aliens have come to earth and invaded the bodies of normally nice and reasonable people turning them into Atholes! Either way, we can't let them win!"

By 2PM I was walking listlessly about my office looking shell shocked and muttering softly to myself "I will not be an athole, I will not become an athole, the atholes will not win"

They nearly got me too but they didn't win. Just before 3PM a vendor called to tell me he managed to do the impossible AND it was free of charge! I asked him about the "Athole invasion" and he said he felt it too. I told him that his call had stemmed the tide, that from here out the day would improve. He said "yeah! I'm with you! The Atholes will not win and my fax machine just got fixed! Things are looking up! Have a great day Beth!" "You too Dan!"

My last email of the day? A little old lady who was a mid-afternoon Athole email replied to my reply. Her email was in fact, one of the less atholey emails I got today, but she replied

"Dear Beth. I'm sorry if I was an Athole. I was confused and just wanted to understand. Thank  you so much for your reply. I will wait for Mussettes call. Have a nice night. Sincerely Pxx"

I printed it out and told Julie I wanted it framed. It ended my day on a kind and gentle note. That ONE email erased all the effects of the Athole! invasion. You, out there, on the other side of the glass, NEVER underestimate the power of your words. Are you an Athole or are you the Athole eraser?

Peace ~

Day 214 - What's at Your House?

My day sucked. I don't want to think about work so I went looking for cool stuff in my house. You'd be surprised what kind of cool stuff you can find when you go looking. Don't look in the usual places. Look beyond.

Today I'm grateful I got to be the Maintenance Superhero and not the IT Coordinator, Payroll Officer, Office Manager or HR Director. I'm grateful I could wash away the day by chasing gecko's in my back yard and watching hamsters dance in the tall grass. I'm grateful for two girls who said "Thank you for cooking me such a good dinner" and a man who is giving me the space and time for my gratefulness to work it's magic. As another of my family falls to "the current economy" I am reminded just how grateful I am to have not just a job but a job I love. One that may drive me insane at times, but one that also fulfils me, challenges me, and makes me go "Holy crap! It's 4PM already?" I'm grateful for silver fish with orange patches named Skittles that blows bubbles at me when he's hungry. I'm grateful for a man who holds my hand. I'm grateful for a God who has custom made a life perfect for me.

Yeah, I'm grateful, happy and at peace. Monday does not win this round.

Peace ~

What's in your house?

See what's in mine

Day 181 - Painting the Beach

A glimmer of light cannot truly be seen without much that is dark, and darkness cannot truly be felt without shadowy forms rising from the blackness.
~Anonymous~

Last evening my cousin and his family arrived. With their arrival my vacation was kicked up a notch. This is my first time meeting his daughter and let me tell you, she's a kindred spirit. She may be only 13 but she is an old soul. The more her father tells me about her and the more I listen to her jokes, her spot on accents, and feel her energy the more I can't wait to get to know her better. Yeah, my cousin and his wife are OK, but this child rocks.

We ended the evening with some light painting on the beach. Where my cousin let me play with is T1i *drools*. Wanna see?

Well, that's it for today. My cousins are waking up and I wanna go play.

Peace ~

Today I'm grateful for:

Day 166 - Signs

"Being, belief and reason are pure relations, which cannot be dealt with absolutely, and are not things but pure scholastic concepts, signs for understanding, not for worshipping, aids to awaken our attention, not to fetter it." ~Johann Georg Hamann~

Do you believe in signs? I do. Just yesterday I got a sign. It was about my other blog and my multimedia extravaganza. So yeah, I'd say I believe in signs. From my life's vantage point, I see clear signs that this season of my life is going to be the best yet.

Here's to wishing you the same

Peace ~

Today I'm grateful for:

Day 163 - Window Shopping

"You know that thing when you see someone cute and he smiles and your heart kind of goes like warm butter sliding down hot toast? Well that's what it's like when I see a store. Only it's better."
~Rebecca Bloomwood~ Confessions of a Shopaholic

 Meet Brutus

My 2002 Nikon Coolpix 5000

All the photos for this blog, my book and my life for the last 2 years have been a Collaborative effort. My vision and Brutus's capabilities have worked together to create images that still stun me. Every now and then I see one of my photos and go "Wow, did I really take that?" God gave me a gift and Brutus is my instrument of choice. I am not a great photographer but I am a good armature with a passion to improve. So what's all that mean? It means I'm currently drooling over new equipment! I'm new age window shopping.

Don't get me wrong, Brutus and I have been through a lot together and have a ways to go still. I'm just day dreaming with delusions of Ansel Adams . I'm about to take on a new project and would LOVE to have some new equipment. However, I'm prepared to take the journey with Brutus. He just needs a little TLC, a good cleaning, and a loving finger to push his shutter button.

For a Photographer, there is no better place to cyber window shop than this. 6 pieces of equipment make up my dream kit. They are:

3 of the 6 pieces - Canon EOS Rebel T1i Digital SLR Camera Kit w/18-55mm IS & 55-250mm IS Lens

Piece 4 - Off Camera Speedlight

Piece 5 - wireless remote trigger

Piece 6 - Camera Case

*whispers* Pssst...OK, one more. Check this out

So, for just under $1,500.00 I can have my dream rig. *sighs*

Looks like it's you and me Brutus. Lets see what kinda magic we can make.

Today I'm grateful for:

Day 161 - Called to 66

“The book to read is not the one which thinks for you, but the one which makes you think. No book in the world equals the Bible for that.”
~Nelle Harper Lee~

I'm short changing this blog a bit today. After all, I have to at least pretend to do some actual work. Can't let our local superhero get caught slacking now can we? I've started a new blog. This is the journey within the journey, within the journey I was hinting at yesterday. It's going to be a multimedia event of epic proportion! OK, well, it's gonna be me, reading the Bible for the very fist time, and doing it in my own way, with LOTS of help from my AWESOME community of believers. There's gonna be video interviews, my thoughts, my struggles, advice I received, emails from friends, and photographs I think best enhance a special verse/idea/lesson from each book. All 66 of them. Yeah, I told you it was epic.

My hope is to complete it in approximately 66 months. Some books will take only weeks, others a few months (I've been told, heck if I know) but in the end, I will have an interesting blog on "One woman's journey through the Bible" We will see what God has in store for me. Did I mention I've never read the Bible before? Yup, I'm a noob. I've read verses, I know stories, but I have never attempted to read it from cover to cover before now. Truth is, I was trying like heck to avoid it! Have you seen the stuff in Revelations? *shudders* But God had other plans and made it clear to me this is the path he wants me to take. So watch out boys and girls, this is gonna be a bumpy ride!

Wanna see? Hey, don't judge, I just got started.

Today I'm grateful for:

Day 148 - Dig a Little Deeper

“Sometimes, you have to bear down and just say you're not going to go down like that, ... Sometimes, you have to dig a little deeper.”

~Jason Gore~

Pawned by the Hamster

Again

Yesterday I was saying I had to dig a deep to reach my gratitude. Well today I have to dig a little deeper. I woke late, I spent a good 25 minutes excavating another of the hamsters colon cleanses (why must he bury his poo?), oh and while I was cleaning up his kennel he generated another gooey pile in front of the french doors, AND just as I was leaving the house I poked at what I though was a puked up dust bunny with my toe...Um, yeah, that was not puke. *sighs* The man said I would feel better by day 3. IT'S DAY 3 PEOPLE! I'm still a stuffy, crabby, pissy superhero with a limp cape and a dried up yellow sharpie.

Today I'm going to have to dig deeper still. But I assure you...one way or another....I got this.

Day 139 - Watch what you say

“Sticks and stones may break your bones when there's anger to impart. Spiteful words can hurt your feelings but silence breaks your heart."
~unknown~

Today I'm grateful for:

Day 134 - The List

and a little extra :)

“Two things I do value a lot, intimacy and the capacity for joy, didn't seem to be on anyone else's list. I felt like the stranger in a strange land, and decided I'd better not marry the natives.”
~Richard Bach~

Today I'm Grateful for:

Day 106 - I'm gonna make my world a better place

“Our inner strengths, experiences, and truths cannot be lost, destroyed, or taken away. Every person has an inborn worth and can contribute to the human community. We all can treat one another with dignity and respect, provide opportunities to grow toward our fullest lives and help one another discover and develop our unique gifts. We each deserve this and we all can extend it to others.”
~unknown~

Today I'm Grateful.

Today I'm grateful for the ability to make my world a better place. I will stop wallowing inward and start looking outward.

I am grateful for the absolute faith that Pastor Ken will beat my husband in a round of golf. He will marry my Garden Pixie to her Prince Charming. (SOMEDAY) I know this as surely as I know my name.

I am grateful for the Church prayer list. I type my prayer into a little box then hit send and it flies out into the universe where angels hold them tight to their hearts. Yesterday, this saved me.

I am grateful for sister kittens that hold me up, asspucker me, tell me like it is and threaten me with wood chippers.

I am grateful that Kelly made her choice.

I am grateful Jackson saved his Mommy's life.

I am grateful for Pixie cuddles that helped me hang on

I am grateful for the man who said "I will NEVER ask for good news again"

I am grateful for a solo and peaceful ride. Short as it was.

I am grateful for the knowledge that I am being neither tested nor punished but being blessed.

I am grateful I am still clean and sober.

I am grateful for 23 years with my favorite human. Have I mentioned how good he looks in chocolate brown?

I am grateful for God's whispers "You got this"

I am grateful for carpets that no longer resemble puppy peepee pads.

I am grateful that I have a BFF willing to indulge my paranoia.

I am grateful that I no longer sweat the small stuff. After Collect calls from jail and cancer scares, poo flinging just don't look so bad.

I am grateful for emails from Georgia. They just make me happy.

I am grateful for phone calls to Grandpa's out of the blue. I am so happy for Billy I could just cry.

I am grateful I know what I'm facing and thanks to the last 3 years, I'm prepared to face it.

Momma's Angels on a blessed day

 

Day 100 - Crawling St. Augusting

Do you wish to be great? Then begin by being. Do you desire to construct a vast and lofty fabric? Think first about the foundations of humility. The higher your structure is to be, the deeper must be its foundation.
~Saint Augustine ~

Today I'm grateful for:

an epic day of fun with the BFF. I am still astounded we didn't get lost. Not once!

someone who gets me and likes me anyway.

the man. Not many men would stay home and do the taxes so his wife could run away from home with her imaginary friend and the BFF.

being only mildly disappointed about 309 mediocre shots. The ones in my memory are insensately perfect.

God granting us the perfect weather and high quality sunshine. The photo disaster was purely user error. Given the prayer before I left the house, I'm going to go on the assumption that this is another lesson in humility and stay the course.

the Pixie art on my front window. She did an homage to our upcoming 23rd anniversary. If your good little stalkers I may let you see tomorrow.

a healthy butterfly garden. Unlike last years, I only managed to kill the seedlings by the mailbox. The rest of the garden grows quite nicely. My wife will never believe it.

a great day with great company.

the ability to walk up nearly 400 steps to the top of the lighthouse. I have photographic evidence to prove it.

a grateful heart.

Fruits of my labor

Day 95 - Another Day in Paradise

“A soulmate is someone who has locks that fit our keys, and keys to fit our locks. When we feel safe enough to open the locks, our truest selves step out and we can be completely and honestly who we are; we can be loved for who we are and not for who we’re pretending to be. Each unveils the best part of the other. No matter what else goes wrong around us, with that one person we’re safe in our own paradise. Our soulmate is someone who shares our deepest longings, our sense of direction. When we’re two balloons, and together our direction is up, chances are we’ve found the right person. Our soulmate is the one who makes life come to life.”
~Richard Bach~

Today I'm grateful for:

the above quote. It's sappy and a bit over the top but it's also right. Since I've dropped my defenses and lowered my walls, I no longer care about everything being equal or perfect or even fair, I just care about him being there.

my slice of paradise, the wild things and my favorite human. These are the main ingredients of my blessed life.

God. He made me this way. Blame him.

Mondays. Can you fathom, even for an instant, how incredible it is to not hate Mondays?

my superhero gig. What can I say, the freaks love me.

working out. When I work out I feel strong and it connects me to my inner Ms. Smooviesmove

channeling Ms. Smooviesmoove. Will her moves be magic?

no piles on Wilson.

another day in paradise.

Have you ever smelled fresh Orange Blossom?

That's what I believe heaven smells like all the time.

 

 

Day 13 - Me and My Shadow

One's home is like a delicious piece of pie you order in a restaurant on a country road one cozy evening - the best piece of pie you have ever eaten in your life - and can never find again. After you leave home, you may find yourself feeling homesick, even if you have a new home that has nicer wallpaper and a more efficient dishwasher than the home in which you grew up. ~Lemony Snicket

After a long day away from home I pulled into my driveway and just looked at my house. A long time ago it use to contain everything I loved. Now my love is spread far and wide but my home is still my center. From the outside it's really not all that. It's modest, some would even say "cute" but it is my slice of paradise. It rests within a neighborhood that is stable and quiet, at least most of the time. It's where I'm free to seek out winking cats and bubble gum cars. It's where I can crawl and find posing ducks and little girls that like pink bikes as much as I do. My home rests within a city that has embraced me and made me it's own. I, who have been around the world 3 times have found a place to call home and it is indeed paradise.



Today I'm grateful for:

the man's willingness to feed my imagination, the Pixie's ability to take it to the next level and the hamster that's the secret ingredient in an imagination pie.

American Idol. Dissin freaks is a fun family activity. *sings* "Pants on the ground, pants on the ground, you look like a fool with your pants on the ground"

tonight’s dinner. I am a domestic goddess.

Hush up vegans. It kicked ass.

my camera. It's changed the way I view the world and given me a healthier obsession.

my slice of paradise. Once I longed to return to the warmth and comfort of my parents house. Now I only long to return to my own. Huh....when did that happen.

knowing the true value of my "Modest" home. It's value is such that even Oprah can't afford it.

God seeking me out. I was not looking for him when he found me. I resist the urge to ask "why me?" and just say "Thank you"

knowing the secret for a happy life. I can't tell you what it is. You're going to have to figure it out for yourself.

the royal trio. Long may they torment their mother and delight their grandmother

********

Tonight's shot "Me and My shadow"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUcP5u5BOUw&feature=player_embedded

Day 7 - A View from a Hamster

The hamster had a GREAT morning and I'm taking all the credit. I blew off my work-out and gave HIM one instead. Given that he's a HamJack he needs LOTS AND LOTS of exercise. Given the current weather, he has gotten NONE. I believe this is why he's been so naughty lately. Soooo, I gave him an indoor work-out. My house has an open floor plan. You can run laps easy so that's what we did. We ran laps. Then we worked on "Sit" "Stay" "COME!" "Get it!" "Drop it" and "TREAT" He rocked the house dude. Seriously. For a sliver of hotdog this beasty will stand on his head and spit wooden nickels. When leaving the house this morning I commanded "Sit!" he sat "Stay" he stayed and I picked him up and put him in his transporter. I left him eating puppy chow and doing the hamster dance.

The work day? Meh, it was ok BUT, after work when opening my front door; what greeted me was so rockin good it made me forget about the day. As I walked up to my front door I could hear it. All Hail Sally was having a band practice at full volume and the Pixie was on the mic belting it out like she was giving a stadium concert and the man was whaling away at his axe. As I opened the door the full force of our HD, digital surround, Bose, rewired correctly, sound system hit me in the chest and washed over me like a tidal wave. At my feet was a hamster dancing for joy at my return home. On the counter sat the pants I ordered from Target, my speedflash remote cord and a card from Miss Marry containing hugs, OH and the disk I ordered from Disney Vacations. People, life in my slice of paradise is awesome to the max awesomeness. Don't be haten, get your own.

Today I'm grateful for:

grandbabies. I now have 3. I have not yet met Jackson but I know he's brilliant. After all, he's his Momma's son.

Dancing hamsters. Even when they're dancing on my back

remote speedflash cords. Now I can finally get my speedflash OFF my camera. The good thing about on camera flash? It forces you to learn how to shoot WITHOUT A FLASH.

blowing off a work-out. Screw it. I weighed in at 192.2 after working out for a solid week. One missed work-out is not gonna make a difference. I really have to come up with a better work out plan. My current plan is getting me nowhere.

fun on the floor. I spent 2 hours on the floor taking 105 photos. It was not exactly what I had in mind and most of the photos are unusable, but I had a blast. If you're gonna have track marks up your back, they may as well be hamster shaped. To see all the photos click here. Unedited of course :)

shifting to the left. It's the dancing hamster that did it.

Finishing the rewrite on the book. I miss Shel’s poems but I actually think it’s better. I know I love the new cover.

Being fluffy, flabby and free

God. Only God could think up the life I have. This may look like insanity to most but to me it's a blessing beyond measure.

So, this kinda thing is what I had in mind for this here shoot

But this kinda thing is what I got

Pawned by a hamster

And again...

Got some cool shadows though

The reflection in the dishwasher says it all

I shot in the raw format. OMD what a difference in quality!

I just plain love this one. My man is a Rock Star!