by Sarah | Sep 21, 2010 | All About Me, Photography
In the learning to love myself area, I thought this would be a great weekly meme to participate in. It’s called The Flip Side and it’s all about self portraits. Since I’m not a fan of the way I photograph, this will be very difficult for me. Hopefully doing it weekly will help me get over my own issues 🙂 So welcome to the Flip Side of Me…
The Eyes Have It
My first. I like it the most, because my eyes are one feature I like….
Plus I think that it’s neat that if you look close enough at the large photo you can see my camera’s reflection in my eye
Just a peek..
Taken at night, shows just a little more. Was just goofing off with the camera
Tripod Test
Um, just what it says.
**** Head on over to check out who else is flipping out:
by Sarah | Sep 19, 2010 | All About Denver, All About Family, All About Me, Photography, Weekly Winners
All taken w/ Canon Rebel XTi.
For week 9/12-9/18/10
Water Falls
Fish Swim
(Above is Nemo#1)
(and Pingu)
Fish can be replaced
Nemo#1 was “sick” and so flushed “Back to the sea” and so we have Nemo#2:
Hair Curls
Determination Wins
(He got 17th place this time! Moving up!!)
Teamwork is Everything
(The Team Won the Meet!)
Relaxation takes many forms…
At the Park:
With Friends
I Can Be Beautiful
(A lesson in progress, a piece at a time – this is my first piece)
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That’s it for this week. Head on over to Lotus‘ digs to check out other, more worthy entrants!!
by Sarah | Sep 18, 2010 | All About Denver, All About Kennedy, All About Me, All About Molly, Cystic Fibrosis
Day 06 – Something You Hope You Never Have To Do
My biggest fear day in and day out.
I hope I never, ever, have to bury one of my children.
I hope that Brandon, destined to drive in just a few years, finds and uses common sense. That he has the same instincts I did to never use drugs, to not drink until he’s older. That nothing happens to mar is bright future.
I hope that Riley far outlives and outshines me and her father. That none of her issues cause her problems. That she grows to be a proud and strong young woman.
Above all I hope for a cure.
That Angel never has to wait for a lung transplant to save her life. That she doesn’t have to live her days hooked to machines that force breath into her failing lungs. That they find a cure for even her unique a-typical form of this horrible disease.
I never want to bury ANY of my children.
Yet daily I wonder if I will have to.
I hope to the heavens that I won’t ever face that.
by Sarah | Sep 17, 2010 | All About Kennedy, All About Learning, All About Me, All About Molly, Crap, Random
On occasion the random bullet-filled post is fun. Guess what you get today? The virtual grab-bag of crap…I mean, the bullet-list…so much less defined than a bucket-list 😀
* Riley got sick this week. I called her school on Monday at 10:45AM. Told them her name, her teacher, that she was in PM kindergarten – and said she was sick & not coming in. 2 hours later the school called wondering where she was. SOOOO not working in their favor.
* On that note, I have a copy of a withdrawal letter for her drafted. It’s not set in stone, but we’re meeting w/ her teacher on Monday. Might be an ‘exit interview’ to get our ducks in a row. Informational “what is happening in class” and “this is what’s happening at home” type of meeting. Not sure which way the pendulum will swing after that.
*Our town had it’s street fair this past weekend. Somehow Angel managed to get a pingpong ball into a little fishbowl TWICE. So, “Pingu” and “Nemo” are the new pets around here (pictures to follow soon). If they survive the week I’m going to need to get them a real fish bowl. Right now they’re managing, but I don’t have any proper materials so the water is getting filthy fast. Changing it out daily is not on my list of good times.
* The new season of GLEE is this coming week! YAY. Fall shows make me happy. GLEE, ANTM, Bones and Big Bang Theory I’m anxious to see again (okay, ANTM is already on, YAY). I’ve started watching Hellcats (don’t judge)…and I’m really looking forward to No Ordinary Family, Sh*t my Dad Says, and Blue Bloods (hello Donnie Wahlberg *sigh* – and my NKOTB love goes on – again, don’t judge, you know you loved them too).
* Speaking of shows…oh, how disappointed I am in True Blood. Alan Ball really took the show WAY off course – and BORED THE CRAP out of me this season. When you fast forward through 3/4 of the finale because you don’t give a sh*t about any of the characters – you know it’s bad. Shame on you, Alan Ball. SHAME ON YOU.
* I’m knitting again.
* And (sort of) writing again…more like editing my book based on some feedback I got. Once again I have confirmation from all that have read that my first chapter is great – but I’m still not getting my foot in that door. Oh well, I have a partial out once again (slightly rewritten from what it was), and I’m waiting to send out more until another time. At this time of year I stop pressuring myself to write so much, because it doesn’t flow as easy for me and there’s too much going on.
* Because of JENNIFER, I’ve started watching LOST. Yes, I’m WAY behind the ball, but so is she…and she mentioned it being on Netflix instant-play (which I’d noticed too) and commented that because she was late in watching she had no one to watch with. So, now I’m just about through the first season (would be completely but illness sent me to bed EARLY)…and annoyed at how hooked I am. Simple curiosity has me glued to my screen.
* I have more reviews coming. This will not turn into a review site, but some offers look interesting and I’m taking them when I can. At least one will go on my other site because it’s for a book, but occasionally you’ll see them here too!
* Did you know that there is now LESS than 100 days until Christmas? At the time of this post there will be 98 days until Christmas. Hey, don’t shoot the messenger! It’s a simple fact. How much shopping do you have done? I have probably 1/3-1/2 done already.
* I’ll shut up now. More random posts in the future.
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It wasn’t intentional, but this fits into the theme, so I’m tying it to Friday Fragments:
by Sarah | Sep 15, 2010 | All About Me, Writing
Day 05 – Something You Hope to Do in Your Life
Picking just one thing isn’t as easy as it sounds. I have many things I hope to do. I hope to go on a cruise, to see all the sights this country has to offer, to watch my children graduate high school, college, get married…have my grandchildren.
Those are ‘normal’ hopes and goals. Ones most people think of, hope for. For something that is what I hope to do – it’s to see my name in print.
To be published. Paid to do something I love – write.
It has nothing to do with fame or fortune – but seeing one of my goals accomplished. A dream realized. I’ve been lucky enough to perform on stage, play a vocal lead (community theater or not, it’s still wonderful) – and that is one dream that’s been realized. A dream I loved and still love and hope to one day go back to…
But now.
Now is the time I am focused on my writing. I’ve been writing since high school. From drivel to serious works, poetry to prose. I enjoy it. I will keep doing it.
But my hope is to be published. It would mean so much to me. To have my characters brought to life for more than just my (wonderful) circle of friends (and readers, I love you ladies). To think I might inspire someone else to write as many of the books I’ve lost myself in over the years inspired me.
So that is what I hope to do in my life. Even if it takes me more years than it already has (that’s almost 4 years and counting of seriously trying to get published).
by Sarah | Sep 11, 2010 | All About Family, All About Me
I posted this last year at this time. I’m re-posting it. I am adding a little to it, but it will mostly remain the same.
I know what today is. I know what it means to our country. I remember every detail of 2001 in vivid detail…but since before 2001, this date has been difficult for me, for my family…in 1996 my family’s core was lost, the heart of us…my grandfather…so my post on 9/11 is for him. Oh, and at surface glance I hate this picture of me, but then I see the pure joy on my face dancing with my grandfather and aesthetics be damned, it’s my favorite picture.
It was his birthday. I was young and such a very short kid…and he was TALL. I remember watching him put our coats in the closet and staring up, up, up at him and asking, “How tall are you?” With his sparkling eyes and laugh he informed me that he was over 6′. My eyes grew wide, and all I could say was, “But you’re so close to the ceiling! If you have ANY more birthdays you’ll go right through!”
His chair sat by the front door and the minute he sat the race was on – who would get the privilege of sitting on his lap, carrying on as deep a conversation as a child was capable of. Who would get to play with his round pot belly, and listen to his laughter.
He worked for GM and he was proud of it, and so were we.
When I close my eyes I can still smell his pipe and see the pipe carousel on his dresser. I can smell the cigarettes that he and grandma smoked.
I remember that after he retired he would watch soap operas during lunch.
And I remember the weddings – when my cousin and I would trade off and share him for the dance. “Grampa” by the Judds.
I remember his smile.
I remember his belly.
I remember the strength that he always carried in his soul and body.
I remember the pain that shot through my heart at the word…”cancer”. Once it was uttered it was less than a year. 10 months.
I remember the first time I saw him in the hospital-and how I had to run from the room because it made me physically ill to see my big strong grandfather lying in a bed weak and hooked up to tubes.
I remember his fight.
I remember when it was acknowledged in our hearts that the time to fight was over.
I remember how he held on – hours past when we thought we would lose him – because he would not let go until he’d gotten to hear the good-bye of all of his grandchildren, and my brother had been in surgery for his shattered wrist. Half an hour after the final phone call, he was gone.
I remember the sound of the tennis balls scattering across the hallway when my professor’s assistant walked up asking if she knew where I was…and all I could do was run to my car to get home as soon as I could.
From there it’s a blur…a long car ride from NC to NY. The arrangements. The funeral home. The droves of people I didn’t know, but who all knew him, overflowing the room.
The pain has lessened, resorted to a memory. For the most part I remember the love, the good things, the joy. But on this day every year the pain comes back to the forefront.
This year the pain seems so much stronger – now that Grandma has gone to join him. Refreshed and renewed. Now they are together forever, but they will always be here in our hearts.
We love you still, and will always love you, Grampa.
