Take my picture

Every once in awhile I go on different photographer sites I admire. I look through their array of photos and feel inspired by the beauty they have captured. The pure essence of the moment or the raw emotion in someones face. I feel a sense of awe for those that cannot only see the shot but capture the artistic side of it as well. If you are wondering what I mean take a look at this site: www.amphoto.com.

So out of curiosity I googled (surprised? not!) photographers in my area. Not only was I sadly disappointed by the sites I visited but shocked by the lack of talent and depth of perception these so called photographers have. I am sorry, but I have taken some pretty pictures but I would by no means call myself a photographer. I am beginning to think anyone who can point a camera and click a button is now calling themselves a photographer. Maybe if I buy a big expensive camera which I do not know how to use half the buttons, then I can call myself a photographer. This is like saying that if I read an accounting book then BAM I must be an accountant. I guess I should have given up those years in university and just opened a book.

Then there are the people out there who are making a living on being a photographer who started learning the art and developing it, but over time have lost the passion for it and now just take some pictures. The place I have seen this the most is in wedding photos and billboards. So if you are going to take a picture of the bride getting ready, the last thing she is going to want to see when looking through the pictures is all of the hair products lined up on the desk. The scary thing is that they were more in focus than the bride. Or how about having a 10 foot high picture of a hand that needs a serious waxing. eww. It is like no one has ever heard of Photoshop or waxing. I am still haunted by this image.

I have taken some pictures, for which I am proud to display in our home and I would like to be able to say they were that way when I took them. But after some photoshop work and some cropping, they look much better. Then there are the pictures I have taken; which took me quite a few takes to get right only because I was fearful of what my peers would say had I taken awful pictures. Something about working with a lot of designers can make you feel this way. Would I say I was a photographer? No...I am barely an intermediate picture taker.

So the next time you are planning on paying money for a picture or to hire a photographer for the big day think to yourself...is this person lucky with their shots or do they evoke an emotion in you? Because let's face it..you can get lucky anywhere but emotion usually comes at a price!

All photos are the property and sole ownership of jjs and shall not be used for any other purpose than this blog site.

A little Poem

'Twas two weeks before Christmas and all through the house,
Decorating had begun, despite my damn spouse.
The outside light were all hung and handled with care,
With only two trips to Walmart to fix and repair.

The pets were nestled all sung in OUR bed,
While we went off shopping, much to our dread.
With Ma and Pa on their way home from Florida you see,
Christmas wont be the same without Uncle C.


When out on the street there arose such a clatter,
Reno sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window hew flew like a flash,
Barking like crazy, his nose to the glass.

Out in the yard he saw tracks in the snow,
Who left them there? He liked to know.
When what to his wondering eyes should appear,
But the cat from next door, with a look of fear.

He gave out a howl and the cat ran away,
His job was complete now, it was time to play.
While back at the mall, the shoppers all came,
In droves by the dozens calling each one by name.

Now get back here Jimmy and try this on Jane,
With kids running everywhere we must be insane.
Grab the cards while you can and to the liquor store too,
Now off to the cashier and the lines to get threw.

When we looked at the parking lot, we wished we could fly
Brian let out a curse and shook his fist to the sky.
So off to our spot where all the "car stalkers" flew
With our last minute packages and happy we were threw.

The in a twinkling, I exclaimed with a glee,
Let's have an open house but we need a tree.
So off to the Carl's lot we went with a bound,
To find a tall skinny tree like no one else in town.

Carl was dressed all in plaid from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all covered in balsam and goop.
With a chainsaw he had flung on his back,
He was ready to perfect with one simple hack.

My eyes began to twinkle and I thought how dear
To have everyone home for once in five years.
So back to the house we started to go,
Just as dusk appeared and so did the snow.

Around the house I flew, while gritting my teeth,
Going like mad, I threw up the wreath.
Started the baking with no time to rest,
Planning the menu to serve all our guests.

I spoke not a word but continued my work
Decorating and cleaning like I was berserk.
I finished my tasks and sank in the chair
I still had to shower and tame my wild hair.

But with a glass full of wine, I looked all around
Our house was full of love for which I was proud.
Twinkling lights and the house ready for show,
With contented animals, my heart was aglow.

I got up from my seat and gave out a sigh,
The house looked like Christmas and now I know why,
It is the spirit of the season that we do what me might,
So Merry Christmas to all, but let's party tonight!

Deck the Crazies

Every year the decorations for Christmas seem to come out earlier and earlier. It seems wrong that "deck the halls" is playing while I am picking out a pumpkin for Halloween. I realize stores are feeling the pinch this year with sales down (not that you would know it from driving past the mall on Saturday) but come on.

I drove past an apartment building last week only to see three Christmas trees up in the windows and lit! That must be where all the Christmas crazies live I thought..but they are everywhere. I think people should stick to the unwritten rules of Christmas decorating.

Rule 1: Stores are allowed to decorate for Christmas by November 1st but are not allowed to play merry Christmas music until after November 11. By the time Christmas comes I don't care where the hell frosty goes or if it was upon a midnight clear.

Rule 2: You can shop for Christmas whenever you want but do not even think about Christmas decorating until after November 11th. After this you are allowed to think, plan or what ever you crazies can come up with but you are not allowed to DO anything until the last week of November and then on DEC 1st and only DEC 1st can you turn on the light and deck the halls to your merry contentment.

I think that is pretty simple..two rules~

I remember in the good ole days when I used to get off the school bus on Dec 1st and run in the house to see which ornament my mother had hung up. More often than not it was this gold danglely ball that she always stuck in the direct path of my father. It wasn't Christmas unless I saw that tacky ball swing. Scary thing is I saw those balls last year at a design store and they were call "vintage"...ahh how we find nice names for expensive tacky!

I have a friend (you know who you are) who likes to have a Tacky Little Christmas with all of the decorations and novelties right down to the reindeer socks and pajama top with a snowman on it (that she wears in public). Everywhere you go in her house there is a little "something" waiting to surprise you and she thoroughly gets delighted in wearing and placing these "decorations" around her house...she doesn't even do it JUST to piss me off. I guess though if it hadn't been for my mother I am not so sure I would have any Christmas spirit in me at all. As none of the men in my life want to even acknowledge the "over commercialized" holiday. It is amazing how love will make you climb on top of a slanted roof, slide down next to the icicles only to put up lights for four weeks. One year we went away before Christmas and didn't come back until two days before so I couldn't be bothered to put up any decorations. I have never seen people so horrified at my lack of Christmas spirit.

It is not that I lack Christmas spirit it is just the opposite, but this doesn't mean I have to show to the public that I can out do them. I went to Florida one year and they start decorating in November..grrr..but boy do they go crazy. I think this is where all the Christmas crazies go to retire. One man decorated his front yard with cotton batten and then strung lights up and down it so it would look like twinkling snow..to take it one step further he gave you 3D glasses to see the lights in option 1) Angels 2) Snowflakes..and he was one of the more mild decorators. Some streets are all done up, and would hate to be the person who decides not decorate as much that year..you probably get your house bombed with candy canes and coal!

Instead, I like the more simplified version of Christmas. I do like white lights on the front of the house with a floral arrangement on the front step. I like the smell of a fresh tree and the twinkling of the crystal snowflakes and shiny bulbs on it. I like spending time with friends and families and the parties that go along with the season. I laugh when everyone complains they have eaten too much and and will diet in the new year. I enjoy finding just the right gift and card for everyone and like to wrap gifts up instead of throwing them in a bag. I must admit I am sad to take it all down as the house looks so bare afterwards and as the snow flies and hibernation begins I do think back to days of Christmas past....but my memories start at DEC 1st!

For the love of...SHOES!

I think a person's shoes says a lot about their style or lack there of. I have suffered many a day with blisters just because the shoe looked good with the outfit. The older I have gotten the more I have learned there are still very pretty shoes which ARE comfortable and then I leave the "half hour shoes" for their special occasions.

Stiletto heels were discovered in a tomb of tebas in Old Egypt dated from 1000 BC (yes I googled it) and we have never looked back. There is something about the way a heel and pointy toe makes your leg look. Speaking from the owner of cankles(calves that merge into ankles without separation), if I don't have a heel on I have just added 20lbs to my ankles. The epitome of shoes, in my opinion, are Manolo Blahniks. He took a stiletto and made them art...mind you this art starts at about $400 but you could hang it on your wall and it is cheaper than a Monet!

I still will not forget the day Leanne(her name has not been changed as the shame shall continue) asked me "Jimmy Who?". I have watched the TV show "What not to Wear" where they have to convince women to try on a pair of heels and once they do they are sold forever. Now if they could only do an intervention on teenagers who think that clomping around in a heel looks good. I guess they should look in a mirror before walking out as they look like they are about to teeter over at any moment or they are playing dress up in their mother's closet. Mind you I have never tried to push them over but it could become a new sport.

While heels are my favorite I do give props to flats and sneakers unless you are wearing sneakers with your skirt(I don't care if it is comfortable...JAN)but do have a problem with crocs. Granted I do own a pair, given to me by my Uncle as a joke and I use them to take the dog out to pee in the backyard. In my opinion they are no more comfortable than my slippers so I am not sure what the fascination is with them besides an ugly sense of fashion. There are much cuter sneakers out there which are just as comfortable.

I must admit my sometimes inappropriate foot ware has caused a huge sigh of frustration from my husband when he suggests going for a walk along the waterfront after having dinner. Which causes me to sheepishly look down at my feet and gauge whether or not I will be able to walk the duration without ending in hobbling pain or to suck it up and apologize to my feet later. I have also aerated many a lawn while getting pictures taken I have sunken about 2-4"; but this has not down trodden my outlook every time I put on a new pair of heels. There is just something about strutting around like a peacock in my new pair of shoes that makes my day turn brighter.

Some of my favorites..note purple one has aeration marks:)

Survey Me

There are lots of different surveys out there. Every time you open a magazine it is asking you to take a quiz or survey to figure out if you and your mate are compatible, what your IQ is, what type of personality you have, etc. I have to admit I have filled out more of these than I care to admit. Which in my mind is surprising as I already know that my husband and I are compatible, I am a little OCD (quiet Sam) and I don't think anyone needs to know if I love hugs or kisses more.

Recently, I have been on the job hunt and have done surveys to tell me if I have taken the correct career path (I have) and then a couple of IQ ones which tell me I am smart....like I didn't know this one...no, I have not taken one to tell me if I am self-absorbed....I don't need a survey for that!

Today I was asked by a potential employer to take a survey based upon my management style and was a little surprised how a simple survey was correct. There is more, but I will save you the full detail and just provide the summary.
"Summary:

You are very thoughtful about what is right and fair for the people with whom you interact. Your communication style is highly persuasive and articulate. You are inclined to show an unselfish concern for the welfare of others which, when recognized, offers you a sense of accomplishment. At times you place ideals before practical considerations. You show strong devotion to the principles in which you believe. A great deal of action and variety in your environment appeals to you."

I guess I am not so self-absorbed after all...maybe I do need to take a survey:) I wish there were other surveys out there that could tell me other things like: what I want for dinner, where have all the good TV shows gone, is the design of the bathroom going to cause my husband to tear his hair out...you know..useful stuff. I do not need to know which Simpson's character I am most like, what my body type is or how long I will live.

So I guess, Like others I will have to wait for life's little surprises instead of awaiting the next survey to tell me how wonderful I truly am....after all that's what parents are for! Love you mom and dad:)

Where..oh where has all of the service gone?

I am never more angry shopping than when I walk into a store and not one person acknowledges you. The other week I went in search of a pair of jeans. This in itself was a depressing feat but off I went to inflict torture on myself. My goal was to search high and low and I didn't care how much they cost as long as they looked good. So off I went to a local shopping district where the stores are lined up and ready to hit. I went into three well known brand stores (Mexx, Calvin and Tommy) and out of these three stores I did not get greeted by one person. Not a nod, smile or even a simple "Hi".

I am not asking to be greeted like Blockbuster where you make a game of dodging the staff nor do I want to be hovered over like a furniture salesperson; but a simple acknowledgment would do. I must admit that this lack of customer service is becoming a trend. You would think that in a declining market stores would be pushing customer service to try to gain loyalty but I guess I am off this mark. Mind you, each of these stores I walked into had young ladies (I use this term loosely) behind the counter who seemed more interested in talking with each other about last nights events...and one of the stores the sales person was more interested in her book.

I would like to blame all of this on the X-generation but it is not so. I have gone into high end stores with older salesperson and until I literally dropped my purse and tried something on in the middle of the store (It was a blazer people I am not committing indecent exposure) before the salesperson moved away from the steam machine to acknowledge me. Once I even had a $300 dress in my hand and had to go search for a salesperson to let me into the dressing room. When I discovered I was the only person on the floor and the salesperson had abandoned me for her friend downstairs I put the dress back and went to another store who was more than willing to help me.

This has made a difference in my shopping habits as well. If I am looking for something specific I will go to particular stores I know do well with customer service(Laura, Tweed and Hickory and Samuel & Co.) and if not then I go some place where I can wander the aisle to browse without being bothered but can easily find a staff member to help and there is always someone stationed at the dressing room. ( I love Winners). Occasionally I have ventured to other stores as mentioned above and been sadly disappointed.

Retail is not the only place I have noticed the disappearing trend as I have been to some restaurants where I have waited for 20mins to get my drink order.

Now I also must let you know that I have been on the other side of this as well. I once worked in a retail store where we were to offer our name and assistance within the first three minutes and never let a customer carry anything, offer to put it in the dressing room. (I still shop at this store and the rule has not changed) BUT once I did forget a client in the dressing room until she came out and bought something.

I have also worked in a restaurant where I openly admit I was a horrible waitress and apologize to anyone who was ever my customer. I was always surprised when they left a tip as I was that bad. One time I waited on a couple who only had an appetizer and left me a $10 tip. I thought they had left the $10 there accidentally (again horrible waitress) so I caught up to them to give it back (I may have been horrible but I was honest) and she told me that she is used to people treating them differently as her husband was deaf and his speaking voice is not always clear so she was very pleased that I didn't treat him or her any differently. What I didn't tell you is that I didn't even notice he was deaf!

So while many of us have off days and not always on our game I believe we should lobby for the return of customer service. Then maybe I would pay $100 for a pair of jeans where the sales assistant makes a commission off of me and provides assistance instead of ignoring me. Soap box closed!

Feel the burn

In life there are many things you would like to "fix". Whether it be your weight or getting your husband to aim his dirty undies a little closer to the laundry basket. I have decided the latter is a life long project so I have decided my weight would be an easier task. But here is a little secret that makes this process harder...I HATE EXERCISE. There I said it, no matter how taboo it may be. I just don't get how people get up at the crack of dawn to go workout or go for a jog. They keep talking about the rush of endorphins you feel, but the only thing I feel is the need for a shower and my head examined.

Yet here I sit ready to go off to yoga. Some may say it is for relaxing the mind, body and soul, but I actually joined (along with my husband) to see the pure torture in his eyes as they try to bend and manipulate his body into forms it is not accustomed to. As usual though, the joke is on me as the intro class is all about strength and your core. The only core I have see in years is the one of an apple.

We have also decided that the weight bench at home is not a dust collector and my husband devised a workout plan which we have been doing for about a month now. Do I feel better and more energized? No, but now I do not have to rationalize eating another square as you know "I did work out today".

Let me also say that this is not my first adventure in working out. I have done a variety of exercises and discovered I like the ones that I don't consider exercise. Go figure. I like rowing, Kayaking, taking the dog for a walk and frolicking in the waves. unfortunately though, I am a fair weather girl. Should there be the slight chance of rain or chill in the air and I am OUT!

There are also lots of things in the world to discourage you from this weight loss goal. Like candy at the checkouts at the grocery store, air brushed models, hereditary and already fit friends. I was not blessed with the most desirable genes. It seems I was given a mishmash of all of the unwanted parts from my family. I did not get my mother's thin thighs and ample chest...no I got my grandmother's thick ankles and abundant hips and butt. JLo ain't got nothin' on me. So I am fighting a battle from the beginning...plus there are days when I just plain feel lazy and nothing is going to make me get up off of the couch.

A couple of years ago my husband got the bright idea we needed a new bathroom scale (speaking from the man who runs around the block and looses 5 lbs..urgh!) Now most people would go out and buy a run of the mill scale...but oh no we needed one to tell us how fat we were...like I needed help in this category. The day it arrived my husband hopped on it after filling in his height, activity level and age...only for the scale to tell him that at 6' and 174lbs ...he was obese. There was no way I was going near that evil piece of machinery unless it was with a sledge hammer.

So here I sit, breathing in and out and still able to see my toes in plain view so I would say I am doing OK. I may never be a 10 ...more like a 6 maybe 7...but I am OK with being a "C" student!