NPR StoryCorps

So I have these friends *JA* and *EWS* - friends from childhood, still friends. Been through a lot. And apparently, used to get in the worst fights... Listening to *JA* tell these stories over gmail chat, I was falling off my chair laughing. One thing led to another, and I've decided I want to get them together in a room with a recording device & a microphone. And send it into StoryCorps, and get their childhood fist fights logged into the Library of Congress. A La 'Ira Glass'. Should be a good time - their friendship just completely fascinates me, and I cannot believe how sister-like they are to this day (their familes are basically the same family now - siblings & all). I figure it might be used as fodder for when their kids hit the teenage years.

Have you heard of StoryCorps? This is by far the coolest thing I've heard of in quite some time. Aside from SunTubes. The idea that these two's fistfights over barbie shoes can be cataloged in the Library of Congress is extremely funny. When they are old, and deny they ever did such things, and the rest of us are too old to argue (or worse- gone), it'll be there. Permanently.

Winter Came!

It arrived, finally. It was negative 0.5 degrees this morning. Its now all the way up to 13 degrees. I haven't drank anything cold today.

Its funny what cold weather does to people, at least here in the Northeast. While I haven't been able to find time to do these house projects I've been wanting to do - like replacing the carpet in one room with a cork floor, and painting the room at the same time- suddenly, it seems like 'nesting' is THE most important thing I could do. Maybe its because its productive, yet I don't have to leave the house.

My version of nesting is a bit different. It involves pry bars and skinned knuckles... but to each his (or her) own. I've managed to remove all the carpet & padding, and almost all of the trim work. Now I can 1) patch the walls, 2) paint and then 2) put the flooring in. I hope to have a new room to play with by the end of the month. The yoga room, which will double as a studio of sorts. It should be a pretty neat space.

And in between bouts of the lovely creaky noise of forcing nails out of their proper place, I've had time to work, read, reflect, and learn to knit. I love winter just for weeks like this.

"ki" saw an add in the paper for the Harvard Extension School for a Master of Liberal Arts in Environmental Management. Ahh, the idea of going back to school. So terrifying, in a way, although I'm sure I'd love it.

Maybe this isn't such a bad idea... I'd have 5 years to complete the degree... 4 required courses (3 of which are online courses), 5 electives (there is a whole long list of them, half of them are online, but the electives I choose will determine a LOT about the direction my career takes, so I'm not sure that what I will want to do will be online), and a masters thesis (scary, but not too scary). I'm sure I can do this. I'm pretty sure I can get in, given my undergrad performance and my work experience (both are required).

Its funny. I used to say I wanted to work for a few years, and then go back and get my masters. Then I forgot about it. Then I didn't want to, and now, suddenly, its not scary, and its not impossible, and it makes sense. Luckily, the next information session isn't until June, so I don't have to rush it. I might have to put photography on hold for a little while, because I might want to keep working. Or not. does it really matter? If most of the classes are online, I might be just fine.

Maybe its just time. I'll sit on it for a little while and see what happens.

PMC Strikes Again

So, its January. The middle of January. Its finally snowing. So what did I do? I signed both "ki" and I up for a 192-mile, 2 day ride from Strubridge, MA to Provincetown, MA. In order to fund the Jimmy Fund. We are officially an additional $7,200 in debt (even if we cancel, we owe the money). If thats not impressive enough, consider this: the night we spend in the middle of the ride, we'll be sleeping in a tent, on the ground (sore muscles and all). But, because we are physically able, we feel that we have to.

Last year, we didn't sign up in time. We missed out, and were left with a 'one day' ride option. It was great, but this year we get to do the whole shebang. We've already done the hilliest part. Now we have much longer to train (in theory). Much longer to fundraise. Its time to get creative. Ideas welcome. Donations welcome. People to come and cheer and clap welcome.

We all need goals, right? How about curing cancer & helping the Jimmy Fund? thats a pretty heavy goal. The PMCs goal this year is 27 Million. Last year, they had reached their goal even before the ride started, and had to adjust to a new goal. I can't wait to see what happens this year.

Shoot Yourself Mag

So while I was in Hawaii, looking for something to read on that crazy long flight home, I came across a magazine that had this headline on the cover: "Shoot Yourself" and i thought ah-hah! this is perfect. A photo mag with a sense of humor. Out of all the magazines I bought, this one was by far the most entertaining. The magazine is called JPG, and its all about reader submitted photos.

While at first you might groan, this is the best part. Every month, they have different topics, and readers submit their shots to be printed. This month is "Street: Show the world as it is," "9-5: Photos of people on the job" and "Elegance: Beauty in the everyday"

It changes every month. There are 7 days left to submit photos for issue 9. If you become a member (free) you can upload up to 10 high quality pics a day. 72 dpi or a minimum of 2200 pixels tall or wide.

Warning: that website will suck you in... I need to get to work...

Wacky weather

I saw a robin today. Mid-January. high temp tomorrow is 19 degrees F. Winter finally shows up...and here is the robin, arriving just in time. that poor little guy is not going to make it.

and - oh- its flurry-ing out. for the first time here this winter that i've seen (although I've heard from a reliable source that is has actually snowed at my house- just not while i've been here).

such a crazy winter.

iTV

I cannot wait for iTV to get here next month. I am so sold on this idea. I'm sure they'll improve it and I'll have to upgrade in 2008, but thats a risk I'm willing to take.

My iPod just crashed. Its on the table, hooked up the receieve on the other side of the room, and its charging mechanism (my laptop) is over here... just think...I could 'beam' my itunes all the way over there :-) Thank god January is half over.

we all need priorities, right?

Yet another 2 month pass...

My excuse is the holidays. They just suck the life out of me. Spent Thanksgiving in Washington State (the only real snow I've seen this winter to date...), and Christmas & New Years on the North Shore of Oahu. Lots of long plane trips. It was good though.

Hit a flat spot in the shooting. Maybe its the lack of light & all the rain here in New England. I'm just kind of rolling along. A reactive type existence... someone pokes me, I move. Although I did manage to spend a whopping 2 hours in the gym today. I discovered the steam room - it came right after the hot tub and just before the sauna. It was a good day.

I did get some neat waterfall shots while in Washington... on film, which I've printed, and scanned while my old crappy scanner was on its last legs (I killed it...new & improved one should be here by next weekend). In the mean time, this is what I have so far:

So while in Washington, we went to a Japanese garden, as usual. The one we visited this year was called "Kubota Garden" in Seattle. It was cold. It was rainy. It was Seattle at Thanksgiving.

I was going to add another print here, but the photo button seems to be broken... maybe later...

The good news is that I have finally learned my lesson, and I am trying to scan all my 'keep-able' prints before I don anything else with them (like frame them and give them away)... its a lot easier to share that way. So when the technology stars are finally aligned, I'll be back to post some more... Although the Hawaii stuff isn't ready to go yet, as I've been really slow in the studio as of late.

In the mean time a few exciting highlights from our Washington trip:

• People in Seattle can't drive in the snow, even when they go looking for it on purpose.
• A chest freezer can hold an awful lot of whole salmon
• It takes a long time to smoke salmon...especially if your smoker is on the fritz
• Sake (or at least a couple of bottles of it) is best when shared with the in-laws...