We're Baaack

A few highlights from our trip to D.C. and Maryland.

Leaving on a Jet Plane

I know I haven't been posting much lately. Haven't really been out taking pictures much either. We've been busy preparing for a trip.
Not sure I'll be posting while I'm gone. We leave for the airport at 4:00am Wednesday morning, and flying to Maryland for Thanksgiving. Hayley's excited because we'll be landing at Washington National, and will be seeing the sights as we drive through D.C. With at least a 2-hour layover in Detroit (in each direction -- to Maryland and back), I'm wishing I had a laptop!
Won't be home until Sunday, but I'm sure I'll have plenty of photos to post then. So Happy Turkey Day (even though we are having chicken)!

80 Reasons to Have a Portable Snowman

80) It's cool.
79) It won't hurt you.
78) It's yours...'til it melts.
77) Just 'cause.
76) It would jump off of a building for you.
75) It's hopelessly hopeful.
74) It's innocent.
73) It's guilty.
72) It's innocent UNTIL proven guilty.
71) It's vegetarian.
70) It's vegan.
69) It likes dairy products.
68) You can make it look pretty.
67) You can make it look ugly.
66) You can make it look pretty ugly.
65) You can make it fly.
64) You can think about it.
63) You can jump with it.
62) You can fix it when it's broken.
61) It's insane.
60) It's there to have and to hold.
59) You can dance with it.
58) You can sing to it.
57) It'll be your homie.
56) You can gaze at the stars with it.
55) It likes animals.
54) You can bring it to work. If you work outdoors in the winter...or in an icebox.
53) You can put it inside a tire.
52) It can hide pretty well.
51) You can play tetherball with it.
50) It's pure random FUN!
49) It's creative and artistic.
48) It does dangerous stunts.
47) It's small. (And did we mention portable?)
46) You can eat chips with it.
45) It's magical.
44) It's kid-friendly and mother-approved.
43) It's safe.
42) You can share it.
41) It's easier to draw than your cat.
40) It's respectful.
39) You can take it on the bus. * Not recommended for long bus trips.
38) You can take it to school. But probably not a good idea. And definitely don't leave it in your locker.
37) You can write about it.
36) You can READ ALL ABOUT IT.
35) It's multicultural.
34) It's saintly.
33) It's your personal treasure.
32) It fits in the palm of your hand. (Remember, it's portable.)
31) It can talk to trees and plants.
30) It's family-friendly.
29) It's eco-friendly.
28) It won't hold a grudge.
27) It'll be a willing model for your portraits.
26) It's better than a video game or action figure.
25) It likes you and you like it.
24) You can cry with it.
23) It'll be your BFF.
22) It can sit on your head.
21) You can talk to it.
20) You can laugh at it.
19) You can laugh with it.
18) You can be as random as you'd like with it, and it won't judge you.
17) You can play with it.
16) It makes you giggle with delight.
15) It cheers you up when you're down.
14) It's a weapon of mass destruction. Sort of. Well, it COULD be!
13) You can throw it at your most obnoxious neighbor.
12) It's so loveable and hug-able.
11) It'll play four-square with you.
10) It's always up for a game of tennis.
9) It's a fun gift for all.
8) You can put it in a tree.
7) It doesn't make sense.
6) It brings people together.
5) It's unisex -- and one size fits all.
4) It's random.
3) We'll have fun, fun, fun...'til the snowman melts away.
2) It's cute and portable. Just like those little dogs you can put in your purse. Except maybe you don't want to put it in your purse 'cause it'll melt and make a huge mess. Okay, maybe you don't want to put it in your purse. But it's still cute and portable!

And last but not least, the number one reason to have a portable snowman:
IT'S A PORTABLE SNOWMAN. WHAT BETTER REASON IS THERE?!

Army of Women

I received an email today from my friend, Nancy, who is a breast cancer survivor. She sent me -- and others -- a link to the Army of Women website, a collaboration between Dr. Susan Love and the Avon Foundation, asking us to sign up to be a part of the breast cancer research efforts.
As most of my friends and family know, I don't usually get involved in this sort of thing. Not because I don't care, but because I prefer to remain in my own little world of solitude. Just posting this on my blog is a huge step for me. I just don't like putting myself "out there" for the world to see. But because Nancy has been my dearest friend -- and the one person I truly admire -- for close to 25 years, I decided to join the Army of Women...simply because she rarely asks anything of me, and IS a very dear friend.
I'm not going to tell you that you should join. I don't like it when anyone tells me what I should or should not do, and believe it is definitely a personal choice. But if you would like to participate, please visit the Army of Women website for more information.

Welcome, Seth - Teen Couple (Update)

For those following my (infrequent) updates on Crystalyn and Carl, the teen couple I tried photographing during pregnancy, they are now officially teen parents of a beautiful baby boy. Unfortunately, because Hayley and I have both recently been ill, we were not able to witness Seth's birth. Both mom and son are home and doing well, as are dad and grandma. As soon as I feel it's safe enough to visit them without making any of them sick as well, I will take LOTS of pictures.

New Toy for My New Toy

Received my Sigma 70-300mm f4-5.6 DG Macro lens today. Of course, I had to go out and play with it. So, again before torekimi asks (I'm one step ahead of ya, T. heh heh), here is what it can do:

My Newest (and NEW) Toy

In response to Sarala's question regarding why I've not been posting:

Ummm....'cause I just didn't feel like it.....(Is that good enough reason? No? Damn. I thought not.) Actually, that WAS the reason for a while. Until I got my newest toy (which, by the way, IS actually NEW, not used) -- a Nikon D40 w/ the AF-S DX Zoom - Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G EDII lens (THANKS, HENK!). (Why can't they just call it a "General Purpose Lens 18-55mm One-Billionth-and-Something"? C'mon peoples - make it easier on us beginners, will ya?) Then, of course, I just got plain ol' busy with my playin' around with it. (The camera. Not Henk. Sheesh! Git yer minds outta da gutters.)

And, before torekimi settles herself in long enough to poke her nose into other peoples' blogs and start making demands, here's what it can do:

(Oops. Clicked on the "upload photos" link twice, erasing the 3 links I pasted in, so all you get is this one photo. Check out my Flickr and Aminus3 links for more.)

Just don't you go thinkin' I'll have more to say though. But I'll try to AT LEAST give a little update on what my next newest new toy can do. I'd tell ya what it is, but then I'd have to look it up online and do the copy/paste thing, and THEN shoot you. But I will tell you that it's some sort of Sigma 70-300mm telephoto lens with macro capabilities (Ooo....Aaaah...Ooooh). Of course, that's assuming I ever return to the computer once I've received it.