Californiaaaaa

November 16, 2009

“San Diego.  Mmmm, drink it in.  It always goes down smooth.”

(Let’s just be honest: I’ll be quoting Anchorman the entire time I’m here.)

 

I would say I’m a fairly independent individual.  I am not afraid to do my own thing, spend time by myself, go to the movies or to lunch/dinner by myself and (gasp!) use a public restroom without a gang of girlfriends accompanying me.  I can take care of myself by myself.  I’m not afraid to fly and/or travel by myself.  Hell, I traveled to Chicago and navigated my way through the West side via train/walking on my own.  (Hey, it was my first time traveling on my own.  Period.  I don’t know why I was so headstrong to take a train to an interview (dumb), but it didn’t turn out TOO bad.   They offered me the job.  I refused.  That’s another post altogether.)

I actually require “me” time in order to function…well, in order to feel like…me.  I’m an introvert through and through and used to the entire living-inside-my-own-head thing.  I’m used to being with myself and dealing with myself, worries and neuroses all.

Why do I feel so alone right now?  It could be because I’m doing something new, something I’m not used to.  I’m taking a jump.  Maybe it’s nerves and the weight of everything from this past year weighing down on me.  Maybe it’s a combo platter.  I don’t know.

Either way, I look forward to running tomorrow morning.  Getting back to the routine.  After that, who knows?  …And that’s what makes me anxious.

First, let’s start out with a fun picture to grab your attention.  I present to you…

BEARFORCE!

BEARFORCE!

A “man band” (not boy band) bringing the bear heat and thumping beats to a dance floor near you.  No, I’m not kidding.  See more here.

There are some days when all I feel like I’m doing is just surviving.  I’m pretty much miserable, whiny and apathetic and doing what I can to make it through the day.

And then there are days like today.  Even sitting by my dad, sleeping in his lounge chair in the hospital room, I’ve experienced moments of hope.  Brief glimpses into what the future might be and what I can do for myself, and it makes me feel surprisingly…happy.  Strange?  Yes.  (Ironically enough, my dad must have some funny stuff in his dreams.  He’s been smiling and laughing the past minute or so.)

But something’s gotta happen, and something WILL happen.  I just don’t know how/when/where.

So as you’ve probably figured out by now that I like to take pictures.  But I also like having goals.  If I don’t set goals, I usually end up spinning my wheels and/or not getting anything at all accomplished and/or quit because I’m so impatient.  Anywho, I’ve decided I need photo projects.  But I need to go out and find something….NEW.  I don’t do well with trying to make people pose.  I also don’t do well with just going out and taking pictures of random things.  I want to make something out of nothing, but I have to have a something in mind first.  Make sense?  I didn’t think so.

My left and right brain tendencies are fairly balanced, which also makes for a fairly confused, indecisive and frustrating existence.  Practicality doesn’t harmonize with impulsiveness, disorganization doesn’t mesh with attention to detail and being overly analytical and uptight doesn’t make sense when I want to be creative and laidback.  Whenever I try to get the creative juices flowing, so to speak, I end up feeling like I’m just coming across as… weird.

So I’ll try to make all of this into an experiment.  I’ll post whatever bits of ideas pop into my head (because I honestly never have FULL ideas), and maybe someday I’ll be able to generate a complete concept.  And go from there…

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New photos, people!  I’ll post a few, but check out my Flickr account for more.

(Hint: Look on the right-hand side of my blog.)

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Pedaling Your Way to Hell

August 21, 2009

bike

Squirrel Photobomb!

August 18, 2009

From Buzzfeed.com

1. Crasher Squirrel’s Humble Beginning

In this now infamous photo, taken by Melissa Brandts, Crasher Squirrel hopped in front of the camera just as the timer was going off. It was the beginning of something BIG.

  • 2. Family Portraits

    Pretty soon after that, BuzzFeed reader Colin M. and our friends at Urlesque made the amazing simultaneous discovery that Crasher Squirrel had been showing up in quite a number of seemingly innocuous family portraits. A meme was born…

  • [class photo discovered by Lin P]
  • [ruining a perfectly good snapshot of the leaning tower of pisa. discover by Pawel S.]
  • 3. Paparazzi Shots

    Apparently not content with interrupting people’s family portraits and vacation photos, Crasher Squirrel decided it was time to go high profile. Before long, he was appearing in celebrity snapshots and paparazzi pics. Here he is with his best friend Vladimir Putin.

  • [hangin' with heidi and spencer. discovery by gammaworx]
  • [lurking in the background of a once-happy family.]
  • [he even crashed the beer summit! discovery by julie b.]
  • 4. Crasher Squirrel Throughout History

    It soon became clear that Crasher Squirrel – or one of his ancestors – had been interposing himself where he wasn’t wanted for decades. BuzzFeed’s archivists and historians started discovering Crasher Squirrel in some of the most famous historical photos of our time, including this shot of the faked moon-landing.

  • [just before the beatles walked out. discovery by christopher h]
  • [you won't have crasher squirrel to kick around anymore! discovery by sue]
  • [celebrating the end of the war. discovery by linda m]
  • [crasher squirrel is nothing if not a patriot. discovery by accessall]
  • 5. Famous Artworks

    Crasher Squirrel has even been seen accidentally painted in to early versions of famous art works! Here he is at the Last Supper!

  • [birth of squirrel. discovery by beck]
  • [ruining a gormley exhibit. discovery by pat ronising.]
  • [look very closely. discovery by pat ronising.]
  • 6. The Story Continues …

    Once people started seeing Crasher Squirrel in classic paintings, they began to see him as an objet d’art in his own right. The important new field of Crasher Squirrel art was born

  • [andy-warhol-ized, by rex conrad]
  • [crasher squirrel, the movie. discovered by james chutter]
  • [system error, aug. 2009, by jeff l]
  • [esquirrel magazine, april, 1968]
  • 7. Where Will He Turn Up Next?

    Only time will tell where Crasher Squirrel will turn up next. But we predict big things for him. Big things. Thanks to all of BuzzFeed’s readers for making Crasher Squirrel an Internet superstar!!! Create your own Crasher Squirrel here or by using the photo editor below!

  • –Two months later–

    I’ve decided to write a blog.  O yeah, hei!

    All is…well, honestly…all is still frustrating and craptastic on the Missy Front.  Not to complain, but I’m going to EFFING complain.

    Some things are going great.  The financial situation is much better, I have a job, my health, friends and family.  I’ve been running 20+ miles for the last (almost) three months.  The cinnamon roll I had for breakfast was delicious.  I can confidently say I still hate Funyuns.  KiKi is no longer throwing up after every meal.  I’m starting to feel like I’m taking control of myself and my life.

    But some things are driving me up the wall.

    Much like the previous few posts I’ve written in regards to self doubt and fear, the biggest personal issue I’ve come across is I’m afraid I will never have a profession.  No, really.  Anything.  I don’t have a “trade.”  I don’t have a specialty.  I don’t have a given/proven skill set.  In my quest to try a little bit of everything and move to and from as many projects as I can I’ve come back with nothing.  I feel like a jack-of-very little out of several-trades.

    My current methodology = Do as much as possible without focusing and/or paying attention to anything at all.

    I know a lot of recent and semi-recent college grads have kind of fallen into the same category; they’re still trying to find their niche, still trying to find out what they want to do.  I know I’m not the only one.  But I’ve worked for years out of college and still don’t know what I’m good at or what I enjoy.  Pick the wrong college major?  You betcha.  *gun shot *peuw peuw*  *wink*

    The question is “Now what?”  Yeah, I…don’t know the answer.  A change has gotta come.

    In other news, Creed has returned.

    Dear God, Help Us.

    Dear God, Help Us.

    Your Cute Dose

    June 9, 2009

    I make this noise every time I think about work.

    We Like Traverse

    June 8, 2009

    Pringle: A Chip

    June 2, 2009

    Taken from BestWeekEver

    pringles

    Pringles. That strangely addictive dried potato pasty substance that manages to embed itself in every nook and cavity your teeth have to offer. That odd snack food that, when arranged properly, can turn any shmo into a hilariously “r”tarded duck face. That delicate treat that, when crushed, sprinkled with water and microwaved, would likely turn into deliciously buttery mashed potatoes. We’ve spent many a day munching away on pringle after pringle, many an evening breaking furniture when we realize that the delicious snack we’ve been looking forward all day ends up being three tennis balls, and many an overnight clutching our sides in agony as we discover that “Olestra” is an ancient greek word meaning “D-Rhea Attack From Hell”. But throughout this long and varied personal history with Pringles, we never once stopped, looked at it, and though: “WTF IS IT?” Well wonder no longer, world. Because English Lord Justice Robin Jacob has ruled: It’s a chip, mothuhf**kuh!

    The Lord Justice Hath Ruled: Pringles Are Potato Chips Britain’s Supreme Court of Judicature has answered a question that has long puzzled late-night dorm-room snackers: What, exactly, is a Pringle? With citations ranging from Baroness Hale of Richmond to Oliver Wendell Holmes, Lord Justice Robin Jacob concluded that, legally, it is a potato chip. Procter & Gamble, in what could be considered a plea for strict construction, argued that Pringles — which are about 40 percent potato flour, but also contain corn, rice and wheat — should not be considered potato chips or “similar products.” Rather, they are “savory snacks.” He was even more dismissive of Procter & Gamble’s argument that to be taxable a product must contain enough potato to have the quality of “potatoness.” This “Aristotelian question” of whether a product has the “essence of potato,” he insisted, simply cannot be answered.

    So, there you have it America = Pringles is, in fact, a chip. One that you can make “Pringies Soup” out of. Next week? British courts will debate the veracity of the following statement: “Are Doritos Extreme Enough?” We’ll keep you posted.