Concert Girl

Concerts. I love 'em. I remember going to concerts at least once a month when I was in Jr High. They were mostly small Christian band concerts but they were such a fun time for me. The first concert I ever went to was Amy Grant. Talk about old school! I used to fall slightly in love (as much as a 13 year old could love) with at least one of the band members (ha not Amy Grant). I had a phase where I would drool over drummers. Then there was that thing I had for bassists. Ahh... those days.

Well, I've managed to snag myself a lead guitarist and I think my 13 year old self would be pretty proud of her 23 year old self. ;)

Gone, too fast!

My beautiful flowers have decided that spending any more than 4 days on top of my television is just not worth the effort. I don't think it's fair. I will come to terms with it, but for the record - I'm not happy about it. I wish fake flowers were as enjoyable as real flowers. Maybe the magical thing about real flowers is their fleeting time with us. Perhaps they give us just enough time to enjoy their beauty, but not so much time as to become ordinary. Hmm..

Words

In a moment of rare inspiration and motivation, I've come up with a creative project that I am going to start (and finish!) It will probably take me months to complete, but will be well worth the time taken. The first step is to compile a list of 100 words. I would like these words to come from all sources, from anyone who wants to contribute. I'm keeping track in my book, along with the first name of the person who suggested it. Please, share your favorite words with me. They don't have to mean anything to anyone but you, and they don't have to make you sound smart, pompous, artsy, or silly. Whatever comes to mind.

Leave your word in a comment, text me if you know me, message me - somehow! Let's hear em!

Apples 2 Apples

lizr****7: im eating pineapple
for the vit C
me: that's good.. i had the most delicious apple
gala.. im a fan
lizr****7: im only a moderate fan of apples
me: there are varying degrees of apple fans, i agree
lizr****7: they use to give me the chills thinkin about them
i am actually getting them now
me: are you serious?
chills.. why
lizr****7: idk
me: like bad chills
are you frightened of apples?
lizr****7: the texture
lol no
my teeth dont like the texture

More Snow?

We got hammered again today in NW Ohio... I think it ended up being 5 or 6 inches? On top of all the snow that hasn't melted yet!? Yikes. My parent's driveway was barely passable, and my poor Dad was out there shoveling before I even got up this morning.

What I am beginning to realize and dislike very much is that snow days are over. Sylvania Schools have shut down at every sight of snow it seems like. And today, BGSU closed!! Insane. Do we have snow days outside of school? Sure, it's called Level 3 Snow Emergency and it means we're stuck at home for the duration. No sledding trips, no runs to the store for delicious snow day treats, no driving to the gym on the new-found free time, and certainly no shopping. Seriously? This is what we have to look forward to? Don't get me wrong, I'm all for a Level 3 - as long as I'm stocked up on movies, tasty treats, and pleasant company.

If you have been keeping up on this most delightful blog (ahem), I'm sure you are saying to yourself, "Now wasn't it just a couple weeks ago that Rachel exclaimed her love for this cold, frozen stuff? And what FINE photography she has, by the way." You are correct! I do love the stuff (and thanks for the compliment)! BUT, I don't get to enjoy it while wasting away behind the front desk or in front of a computer.

Sigh.


[More photoshop brush experimentation]

Experimenting

No photo today. Instead, you get a little peak at some of the Photoshop brushes I downloaded tonight. I was testing them out in PS, adding a new layer whenever the screen got too full, and turning off visibility of other layers as I went along. At the end of that process I wanted to see what it looked like with all of them turned on. This is the result. Spiffy eh?

Second wind?

I know I said (not too long ago) that I was feeling uninspired, but I guess I got a second wind. Eric bought me some flowers tonight just for "funzies" and partly because we have now been dating for 18 months. My room is very dark so I was playing around with underexposed photos in lightroom, and this was the result. Kinda modern, kinda saturated (ok, a lot saturated), and kinda fun.

NOW, I am pooped, and headed to bed.

Have you seen this deer?

10 deer in the backyard of my workplace today. Craziness. I'm quite sleepy and uninspired.

yawn.

Ramshackle is a good word.

I've definitely done a lot of driving in the nearly 8 years I have had my license. My mazda3 (affectionately dubbed Sammy C3) alone has put in over 70 thousand miles (and that's my 3rd car!) My freshman year of college saw a whole lot of I-75 from Toledo to Lexington. My last few years of college saw way too much of I-75 from BG to Toledo to BG to Toledo (and on and on). This summer I was 10 hours away, in Charlotte.

So I've seen Ohio. I've seen Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, West Virginia, the list goes on. In all of this driving, there is only one thing that trumps beautiful sunsets for me.

Barns. I love dilapidated, roof caved in, shattered windows, rusty, broken down barns. Something so awesome (can I say awesome without being laughed at?) happens when the lines and symmetry of old barns collapse into a heap of crisscrossed disarray. I used to wonder why the owners left the barns in such condition - but I wonder if maybe they see them the same way I do.

It's still cold in Toledo. C'mon MARCH!!

Chipped Ivories

I used to play the piano. I was pretty good too, but as soon as I graduated high school and entered college, it became a lot harder to keep up with it. It has always bothered me a little bit that I stopped playing, especially lately. Sometimes I just feel like I have no talents - and piano was definitely a talent for me. Today I sat down to my favorite piano in the world. Not a grand piano, or even a baby grand. This is an antique upright that has been in our family for years (as far as I know). The keys are chipped, cracked, and graying. But to me, it's real. I have played a little on newer pianos and the keys just feel so fake, so plastic. I'll take chips and cracks over that any day. Supposedly the piano officially belongs to my uncle, but I'm really hoping he's forgotten that so I can someday own my favorite piano in the world.

Who knows, maybe I'll really get started up again and be even better. Here's to trying!

Book Lover

This summer I was given the opportunity to travel to quite a few cities I had never been to before. They were all very short trips, and did not include much sight seeing. Baltimore was one place we had a lot of free time on our hands. I stumbled across the most amazing Barnes and Noble here and just had to take a quick shot of it. I know I normally don't explain why I took the photo I post, but I just wanted anyone who was a fellow book lover like me and happened to travel near Baltimore to get the chance to spend some time at this fabulous establishment.

I've decided to keep a document listing all of the books I read this year. I got the idea from another blog I stumbled across. This should be interesting, and perhaps the start of a new tradition for me.

Currently reading: Guilty Pleasure #2, New Moon - Stephenie Meyer (for the second time)

Happy Reading!

Oh Mr Sun, Sun, Mr Golden Sun

February is fast approaching, and for some reason, it is always the longest month for me. Actually, I know the reason. My birthday is in March, which makes February the mean and cruel month that leaves us with dirty snow, cold winds, little sun, and waiting.

March. Now we're talkin'. I'm not being biased here either - March is awesome. The days are starting to show signs of spring; the air has an excitement to it; and naturally, Rachel has a birthday. Ok, maybe a little bias... a little.

I'm looking forward to those July days where the sun stays up until 9 and we all get our fill of Vitamin D. Just get through February and it'll all be good.

Red means.. wait.

There's something about this one road in Toledo that just drives me crazy. And the worst part is, I have to take this road north for one of my jobs, and south for the other. Both ways - same problem. NOBODY goes the speed limit. I'm serious here. 35-40 in a 45 mph zone. This may not seem like a big deal and maybe it's not, but it really gets on my nerves. Tonight on my way home from work, following someone going 39 mph, I barely missed the green light for my turn. You see, I would have made it. Would have, had it not been for the curse of McCord Road.

I need patience.


Listening to: Hide and Seek - Imogen Heap

The Green... and purple... and orange...

On the corner of my desk I have this little dog. Surprisingly enough, I have not named him yet (but he's obviously a HE). His purpose is to keep my desk free of the change that, without fail, appears out of nowhere. Okay, it might possibly come from pockets and purses, but it seems to appear out of nowhere. Today he gently reminded me that I need to seriously consider what I spend my money on. The number one waste of money in my life is undoubtedly eating out. I'm not even talking mouth watering, stomach filling, waist line expanding, deliciousness that comes from restaurants. I'm just talking about that quick stop by Subway, or that salad from Kroger. It adds up, and I'm sick of it. Ahh, another thing to work on in my life.

So I guess that's what Chaz taught me today. Yep, I named him Chaz. Chaz the Change Hound. Whaddya think?

Sugar Coma

For some reason I broke down today and decided to partake in one of my life's little [guilty] pleasures... dessert. I've been pretty good lately about staying away from this weakness, which may be the reason I had the reaction I did today. Bouncing off the walls would be an understatement. Jumpy. Anxious. Giddy.

For about 20 minutes.

Then I crashed. My desk chair became the most comfortable, nap-inviting piece of office equipment I've ever sat in. Staying productive for the remaining part of my day became impossible. Needless to say, I won't be having a Little Debbie Valentine's day treat tomorrow.

oRbit

Today at work I was stuck in what I like to call the bat cave. It's the computer down the hall - away from everybody else. As I've mentioned before, I'm an extrovert... so this situation never makes for a happy Rachel. I got by with a little help from google talk, my iPod shuffle (Christmas present from Pa), and this mobile. It hangs behind the desk so I have to turn around to see it, but that's what breaks are for, right?

Notable song of the day: You Are Mine - Mute Math

Canon girl

I've always been a Canon girl. My first camera was the Rebel 35mm, then I got the digital rebel. I am in the process of purchasing a 5D, and I have this little guy too - the G9. Most of the photos you see on this blog will probably come from this camera because I absolutely love it. It fits in my purse, so I take it pretty much everywhere. Photography has changed for me lately. It's less of a science and more of an experiment. I don't wait for the perfect moment anymore.. I just shoot. Finally.

When I look at photography sites or blogs, I always wonder what their equipment is. So here's [some of] mine. Canon Girl, through and through.

BFF

A day full of friends is a good day for me. So today was a pretty good day.

Not Today Friday

" TEMPERATURES WILL ONCE AGAIN DROP INTO THE -5 TO -10 DEGREE RANGE TONIGHT AS HIGH PRESSURE REMAINS SETTLED ACROSS THE REGION. SOUTHWEST WINDS BETWEEN 5 AND 10 MPH WILL RESULT IN DANGEROUSLY COLD WIND CHILLS BETWEEN -15 AND -20 DEGREES. TEMPERATURES WILL QUICKLY RISE ABOVE ZERO TOMORROW MORNING AS WINDS INCREASE OUT OF THE SOUTH. "

I'd rather be flying.


*Not Today Friday because I did not shoot this today.

the Stache

Today I received this text message:
"the kroger deli girl kept callling me sir...it must be the mustach"

Eric's new latest thing is a mustache. Or... whatever you want to call it. He likes to pet it and name it and fertilize it. He will be the first to tell you that I'm not the biggest fan, so why not post it up here for all to see.

This is my boyfriend. And I love him.

Waiting

On my way home from work today I got stopped by a train. My phone was dead, my hands were frozen, the roads were bad... and here was this train - in my way. It has snowed pretty much all day at the point so as the train was flying by, the coolest thing happened. The snow flew up all around the tracks, giving the whole scene an eerie, movie-esque look. I was first in line at this stop, so I got a front row viewing.

I got home safely, my phone is charging, and my fingers are thawing. The boyfriend and I have some hangin out to do.

Over n Out

Moving Pictures

I just love going to movies when the theater is basically empty. There's just something I don't miss about the buzz of a packed, excited crowd. Tonight, I went to a movie with some friends of mine and we were 3 of about 9 people in the theater. The movie becomes larger than the theater, and you can lose yourself in it without people smacking their gum, checking their phones, getting bored, or filling the rest of us in on just what they thought about that last scene's hunky actor and who he was recently seen strolling through Hollywood with.

Ahhh yes. Empty theaters. Enjoy hump day tomorrow.

Hi Tops

In a quest to find snow-worthy boots at work for my size 9.5 feet, my boss pulled these little numbers out of her daughter's closet. We didn't think they were snow worthy but it definitely brightened up my afternoon.

Feet shown: mine.
Photo by: Lyndsey Gratop.

Sssnow? SsssYES!

If you live in the Northwest Ohio area, you know what I'm talking about - although you may not share my feelings on the topic. If you don't, let me tell ya... we got almost a foot of snow this weekend. It wasn't the kind of snow to just dump all at once - no definitely not that boring. This snow was consistent, prolonged, and absolutely beautiful. Sure, it's a pain to drive in and pretty cold and wet. I just have to say I loved every minute of it. This photo is from today, on my way to my car after work.

Love it!

New things

I've been feeling pretty down lately about a few things in my life. Rephrase: a few things about me. I have big plans, big ideas, but lack the follow through. Perhaps I'm thinking that if I make this public knowledge, I will be shamed enough to get started.

So here's to something new on this blog--something I meant to start in August.

Here's to learning every day something new--something challenging, or something trivial.

And here's to loving every minute of it.

Stay tuned.

-R