Fast Balls and Black Eyes

I took a picture of myself just minutes ago ...

Bet you're wondering how I got my shiner ...

Once Upon a Time ... (don't all good stories start like that?)

We were playing fastball last night .... in Lacombe ....

We were winning ... 4th inning rolls around and ....

Some huge gigantic girl cracks a line drive right up the first base line ... I step in front to stop it - it lands in my glove - and I turn around to tag out the runner ... she runs back in hurry - a flurry of elbows fly around - and while I am tagging her out - she throws an elbow into my face - my glasses shatter - blood starts to drip from my face ...the shiner forms ... but I got the runner out - HUGE DOUBLE PLAY to end the inning ....

Seriously Shawna?  You sound like a heck of a first base lady ....

OKAY!  so that is not how it happened ... but the real story is only slightly more embarrassing to tell today than it was for people to witness it yesterday ...

We WERE playing fastball last night ....

We WERE in Lacombe ... and

We WERE winning ....

the 4th inning DID roll around ....

and that is where the truth ends ...

I was heading in to play ... I sat the first three innings - psyching myself up for my debut at first base ...

 I like to play first base ... in slo-pitch ... there are no bunts.  there are no steals.  I just stand there and catch.  No Big deal. The boys are nice to me.  They throw right to my glove.

Fastball first base.  Very Different. 

But I was gonna try ... not much of an in-fielder am I ... but I was determined to find my spot on the team ... I thought maybe a back-up 1-bagger was it.

I headed out - with the reassurance that Pat would tell where to go and how to get there should I need the assistance.  and boy - did I need the assistance.

We were warming up ... yep - that's the embarrassing part.  Warming up.  There were no bats involved.  No line-drives.  no runners.  No opposition even on the field yet. 

I am throwing to my base-mates. they are throwing back.  we are having a good time ... until I throw to this girl ....

She looks fierce huh?  She catches my wimpy grounder - and whips it back at my glove. 

And this is even more embarrassing.  It was a perfect throw.  right to where I was holding glove.  In fact.  I got cocky.  I thought for sure it was in my glove.  I was already throwing it ... in my head ...

In reality - I likely took my eye off the ball (I was getting too cocky ... KARMA ... you suck!) and ...

WHAM! 

There went my sunglasses - shattered into at least two pieces ...

and my dignity - lying all over the lacombe ball diamond.

To make matters worse ... that fierce girl up there ... chucking the ball at my face ... my COUSIN!  my own flesh and blood ...

In her defence - she handled it exactly the way I wanted her too ... she left me alone ... turned around and threw out the first batter.  That's the way to do it Goo.  Proud of you.  Represent.

Off I went.  hanging my head in shame ... well not exactly hanging it - if I tilted my head that way - the blood that was GUSHING from my baseball seam cut would have been all over my Mango Tango Jersey.  can't have that.  Doc. Lee Fixed me up ... fabric super-sticky band-aid and all ....

And my ball team continued to OWN the field ....

And We WON! 

I like to think it's because of the small contribution I made.  I mean - I did throw three very wimpy grounders in a fourth inning warm-up round ... come on folks ... a contribution is a contribution ...

As for my injury ... my pride hurts the most ... seriously ... everytime I have to tell the story ... a get a litle sympathy look ... and then a full out laugh ... and sometimes ... a standing ovation complete with a slow clap ...

someday Karma .... I will get you ... !

Peace Out!

HI Ho ...A Ranching we will go...

I must admit.  I feel a bit like the Pioneer Woman when I was out on the Ranch this past weekend.  While I don't LIVE on a ranch ... I grew up on a moderately ranchy - mixed farm .. where cows were BY FAR my favorite thing about it! So --- I like to go back home every spring and fall - and pretend - for just a short little time ... that I am a rancher. 

Nothing more hilarious that Ree Drummonds vivid and witty accounts of ranchlife.  Go to the link above ... you'll get a kick out her - I promise.  Not a day goes by that I don't read about Ree's life ... and secretly wish I had a little (read: HUGE) ranch .. except for the 4 AM part ... oooo ... that is UGLY!

Back to the story at hand.  This weekend was working CALVES...down at the Wallace Ranch in Endiang ... that's right ... I said Endiang ...

Mother Nature was totally PMS'ing .... I mean ... she was pissed.  She was a full-blown emotional wreck .. blowing, crying, shivering, pouring, howling ... and that was just in the morning!

I have a  confession to make.  We don't have any horses.  We never have had any horses.  Well .. besides Ellie ... where I learned to ride ... she never went faster than a slow walk.   I sold her after a year.   Not fast enough.  And I didn't like the added chores.  HEy ... at least I'm honest.

So, I like to refer to ourselves as MODERN ranchers.  You know ... with the steel equipment.  The electric branding irons. The quads. The TIPPING table.  Nope - no wrestling for us!  Taking advantage of modern conveniences ... that's what I'l tell Ree Drummond when she asks anyways :)

This is the calf chute.  It Tips.  It Rocks. It's Yellow.

The "Uh Oh" Table.  You guessed.  How can I go a whole calf post without mentioning what acutally happens.  :(  Bye Bye Gonads.  This is where my Uncle Randy - a highly skilled castration machine - cuts out the manhood from almost all the little boy calves.  You'll thank him tonight when you're eating that juicy steak.  Thoes don't happen with Gonads.  I'll explain later.

I'll give you 10 bucks if you guess what this does.

This is Dean-o.  He is the new kid on the block ... in the family kind of sense.  Only because my momma - or a relative thereof ... did not give birth to him ..

He and my handsome husband were responsible for bringing the calves into the chute ... and loading it up ... and holding them there.  Holding them there.  Easier said than done.  They both have some pretty brag-worthy bruises to proves that holding calves in a chute - easier said than done.

This is where the magic happens.  OR at the very least - baby boy calves lose their manhood .... Let's get this show on the road!

Calves go in ....

Calves Get Tipped ...

And Snipped ....

And Recorded...

And then we break ... for sodas ...

Whle we break .... this little dude/dudette awaits her fate in the tipping chute ...

And a momma surveys the crowd ... making sure her little one is behaving!

And this little first time momma is traumatized by the whole damn thing .... and very skeptical of the girl with a camera ...

Alas ... we finish with good time ... and we aren't too worse for wear ... there is one tiny little problem left ....

How to dispose of the "gonads" ...

The boys ... they like to throw them at people in some kind of sick game of "Tag" ...

Or they hang them from "city folks" tailpipes ...

Or ... they eat them!!!

Note: No actual gonads were eaten in the taking of these photos!!

Check these "cowboys" out ... they have been frineds for years ... don't judge ... but doesn' the one on the left look a little off to you??  Ahhh .. who am I kidding ... I am related to one, married to another ... and living with the third ... so I am likely as "off" for loving all three of them!

And with that folks ... a hard days work ... capped off ... by you guessed it ... more sodas ...

And the boss-man surveys the work and says .... "job well done my boys ... job well done ...now how to get my paws on those gonads ..."

Just another spring on the Wallace Ranch ... the Wallace MODERN Ranch that is :) 

The New Kid on the Block ....

No Mel.  Its not the band.

I may or may not have a sister-in-lw who saw the New Kids on the Block in concert ... RECENTLY.  But I am not judging.

The New Kid ....

Aren't you beautiful ??  and I am so so in love!  I know - we only met last night. 

But your beautiful focussing system;

your HD video;

your insanely high ISO capabilities;

your super cool grip;

your new menu style;

you are perfect through and through!

Oh how I hope to capture so many love stories with you!  And the best part is ... my acutations (see yesterdays post!) are all reset - shutter happy again!

So besides myself and my beautiful new friend ... Can you guess what I took my first pictures of?

...

If you guessed ... the Weiners ... you are ..... Correct!  Look at my lovelies :)

Guess which one DOES NOT like the camera ....

Too bad little one ... momma's got a new toy - and you're the only models I could find at 6:30 this morning!!  Besides - I feed you - so smile :)

Got fastball tonight  -3rd game ... still no hits for me ... but check out this fielding stance ...

Let's all pray for a hit tonight ... seriously ... if I don't hit a fastball soon - I am gonna start to get a complex.... everyone cross their fingers ... of course - I shall update you tomorrow ... as my teammates can attest too - there won't be a dull moments when Shawna tries to pretend she has coordination and athletic skill

Toodles Internet!

When Good Days and Bad Days collide ...

You get Shawna. on Saturday.

I was re-commiting myself to taking more pictures ... of lots of things ... of our life ... you see Internet ... before I became a "photographer" (that still sounds kinda funny) We took lots of pictures - of us doing regular everyday things ... but now ... I have this tendancy to judge whether things are "worthy enough" of an actuation -

That is a fancy word I learned for clicking the shutter ... minor detail.  makes me feel smart.

and then more often than not - I don't snap the picture.  So my commitment was to take more pictures ... starting with what promised to be a hilarious venture with my Neighbors ... Broc and Avery.

Saturday afternoon, I hauled out all the supplies; rakes, shovels, hoses, seeds, gloves, watering cans, wheel barrow, hoe and most of all - Broc and Avery!  We were all ready to PLANT MY GARDEN! I ran into the house to get my camera - this event was being documented!  I ran outside - took one picture - and received this nasty message on my screen.

Err 99 - camera can not take picture.

What!??  This must be a mistake. 

Click.

Err 99.

Click.  Err 99.  Change Battery.  Click. Err 99.  Change Lens. Click. Err 99. Change CF Card. Click. Err 99. SERIOUSLY!  not a good time Canon.

I have loved you for so long Canon.  You have never let me down.  Until Today.  I am mad.

Don't let it ruin your day Shawna.  Okay.  I go outside - and we proceed to plant.

It was indeed - awesome. 

We got muddy; We got wet; we got the garden planted.  Complete with a toothy grin from my little man Broc - "I am a gardner right?  This is what gardneers do all day - right?" Right Broc.  All day they plant three rows of peas, one row of  red onions; half a row of carrots and two squash plants. and they have three waterfights in the middle.  and they do it barefoot. yep.  This is what gardeners do all day Broc.

Avery got bored about mid-first row - and took the weiners for a walk - then played with them in the shade for the remainder of planting time.  According to Broc - not a gardener. 

Then we spent the rest of the afternoon sitting on the grass; playing walkie-talkie on the telephone; until I had to go home and get ready for the big trip to Hanna.

Bad Day.  Camera broke.  Lots of Jobs coming up. 

Good Day.  Broc and Avery.  My Garden.  Sunshine.  My dream house.

yep.  Good Day.

And new camera for Shawna on Monday Eve.  Thinking about the new Canon 7D.  with video. 

and no photos today ... :(

Spring ... and other Benson Life Happenings ...

Happy Spring ... FINALLY!

Everyone in the house is so happy to be welcoming Spring this week!  Its beautiful outside - and for the first time this year - we have been able to partake in some "spring" activities!

Last weekend, however, was a different story!  It was cold as hell in Linda Hall this weekend - where the Benson's decided tp play our first Ball Tourney of the year! 

I was pumped!

We donned our ball gear - and played some CHILLY games of ball - I mean - teeth chattering, can't use our good bats, huddling for warmth kind of chilly ... the kind where, if it had not been the FIRST time out, or the fact that I needed intense practice - I would have packed 'er up and headed home!

We ended up losing the B Final - not bad for the first time out ...

But the real story lies in what happened OUTSIDE the ball fields .... in the Hall - to be exact!  Linda Hall folks put on an EPIC dance .. featuring music from my favorite band ... TRADESMEN! Aside from the fact that we all needed to copious amount of booze to keep us warm ... we were the life of the party ... after a race around the dance floor, a couple of rowdy games of Social-bles, a pant-trading episode and a few games of Paper - Rock - Scissors thrown in for good measure ... Pretty much the best time ... ever.  We danced, and laughed, and drank, and PRS'd until 4:30 AM!  Good thing we parked by the dugouts ... even though we were less than 4 feet away from where we had to play the next morning ... we still managed to be LATE!  Yep - that could only happen to the steamin' beavs :)

Well - since I don't have any pictures this time around ( camera bettery issue ??!!) I am going to end this post with a lsit of things that are happeneing in and around the Benson's as of late ... all the updated on - in due time friends :)

1. Dean-o moved back in.  He brought Rock Band.  Evenings are now dedicated to learning and mastering the "Beatles" which - I must say ... we are beyond fantastic at!!

2. Dee-Jay was sick last week - but her one leap bound from the kennel to the back door  and her constant attempt to keep Dean off the phone with his girlfriend (DJ was so there first!)- signifies a full recovery - Yeah Dee-Jay! Woody - he is the same stud muffin he always has been ... cute as ever!  We are attempting to install a underground "shock fence" in the near future - stay tuned for that episode ....

3. Darren is playing slo-pitch - 3 nights a week ... two of these night co-oincide with Shawna's newest sporting venture ... LADIES FASTBALL!  it totally rocks - and I can't wait to show you pictures of our awesome adventures!

4. Our yard and house rock.  I wake up everyday - thankful for being in our Dream House in Erskine ... but the yard work is intense - two hours of lawn-mowing on Dean's behalf last night -- and that didn't include the sweeping !!  Garden is going in on Saturday .... Yeah for Fresh Veggies!

Okay - that is about it for now ....

FAIL!

Yep - I did it.  totally. completely. utterly.

I failed.  I feel awful.  I feel like a complete fraud.  I feel like nothing I say now will hold any water ... but I thought I would say it anyway. I failed.

I thought I could do it.  I thought I could take a picture everyday for an entire year.  Darren told me it was a stupid goal.  I'd never acheive it.  He was right.  (on a sidenote ... has anyone every completed one of these 365 projects??)

So.  I am abandoning the concept.  Ly life has changed so much since that happened.  Many more important things to talk about than my pictures ... don't be discouraged, I'll still write about my pictures ... but it's not the focus anymore ....

I shall explain later ... I have so much to talk about - its gonna take a few days to air it all out ... but it will be worth it ... stick with me ... if my word still means anything to you ...

Shawna

Project 365 - Day 2!

Well - I have many hobbies -- and often they intersect!  I love to scrapbook - and make cards ... And since I have card club tomorrow - I spent most of the evening crafting this beauty .... which I will share with my card making group tomorrow night!  Enjoy ... Day 2!

f/5.6, 1/50 sec., ISO 640 - OCF

Project 365 - Day 1

Okay - so - this is harder than it looks!  Its day 1 - and I am already almost out of time ... Here I am ... at 11:33 pm ... posting my first days picture ... Between working, curling and cooking ... no time for photo taking ... so ... I'll admit it - I was going to cheat ... until Darren came home .... and he told me that cheating was not an option ... (on a side note ... part of the reason I love him .. he pushes me - even when I don't want to be pushed....) so we were standing in the kitchen, eating our new fave snack (parmesan garlic Triscuits dipped in Herb and Garlic Cream hHeese .... YUM-O!) and looking at our fabulous christmas present from Mr. and Mrs. B ... a most fabulous wall clock ... and I pulled the Emergency flashlight out of the kitchen JUNK drawer ... here is what I got .....

1/50 sec, f/4.0, ISO 640, External Light Source (LED Flashlight)

We call our dream place here in Erskine - the Benson Estate ... hence the name on the clock ...  I know that Darren will love this first picture --- because he loves this clock ... and he held my flashlight for me!!  He actually admitted to me today that he was excited for my project - so we can go and try out some really cool stuff together ... so ... Here's to learning more about light and more about my husband!!

S. Benson .... Over and Out!

I want to be a photographer ....

I WANT to be a photographer ...

It's so hard right now ... my life is pulling me in a thousand different directions; I have a zillion things going on in my head ... but the one thought that passes through my mind just about every waking hour ... is how badly I want to make a living as a photographer ... For me ... that means many things ..

...Building my Biz ... excellent customer service, spontaneous capture, perfect passion and a rockin' bis partner is only half the equation .... The other half ... lies in my ability ...

While I believe I am good at it ... I am not the BEST at taking photos ... an I need to be ... I need to step outside my box ... be uncomfortable every time ... Push the limits ... and only then ... can I find perfection ...

I have been thinking alot about how to get there ... and I have come up with the solution ... Project 365 ... you've heard about it before ... a picture/photo shoot EVERY DAY for an entire year ... yep .... I'm gonna do it ... It will give me an opportunity to push myself to new and crazy situations ... the focus of my photos will be two fold - document my awesomely insane and somewhat boring life and push myself into photographic bliss ... challenge my thoughts, try new things and finally get the balls to be a full time photog ...

Now many of you know me all to well - I bet you are already tkaing bets with your sig. other about how long I will last .... well ... I am here to prove you wrong ... I WANT this .... I NEED this .... and I WILL succeed ... So

Here we go.... Day 1 ... tomorrow !

WHOA! Blogging Bad Girl!

Yep - that's me!

I often say to random people - "I should blogthis!" and it is usually met with enthusiasm for my so-called passion for blogging. Darren and I recently moved into a new house - more on that later, and while we were doing it - the famous "I should blog this" line came up. It wasn't met with enthusiasm this time. My wonderful brother-in-law, who has the ability to point out the obvious, said to me "oh the one you never update?"

I say "Yeah - I should really get on that"

He says "Or - maybe just forget about it?"

I didn't even have words! I am not forgetting about blogging! I love to share my life, my stories, my families stories, my photos and just about anything else - so I will not let it go! However - for whatever it means - I wll try hard - really really hard - to update my blog more often! Maybe if I did actually update - my words would hold substance. And if I actually did as I say - maybe I'd have some followers?? We'll my friends! Its easy for me to say ... So I can hear my mom in the back of my head ...

"Stop talking about it and just do it!"

And so I shall ...

Where Have I Been!

I cannot believe that it is almost the end of February - and what is even more horrific - is the fact that I have not updated my blog in a MONTH! I feel a great deal of shame! I LOVE blogging and I feel like I let me pretty site down! Well -I'm back - and committed to updating things a bit more regularily - after all - it was a new years resolution!!!

So for the first post back - I will just briefly update you on the happenings in the Benson household:

Darren:

Is enjoying his job immensely! I recently thanked his boss for making him much better to live with - and it is so true - the happier someone is at work - the happier they are at home - so right now - we are living the good life! Darren is playing hockey about two nights a week, and working on the bathroom on other nights...its coming along (more on that a bit later!)

Shawna:

Is busy at work - and since Darren is working late most nights - also busy coming up with healthy recipes and good food for us to eat - not to mention walking the dog, shovelling the sidewalk, cleaning the house.....basically just holding down the fort! I have been getting some scrapbooking in my new room - and curling on tuesdays - (which I must say - I am getting way better at!)

DeeJay:

Is doing marvelous! We are heading to the Dog Park everyday that she can see over the snow - and working on her listening and coming when called skills - I thought she was a bit of a bad dog - but turns out she listens better than almost all other dogs at the dog park - too bad for her she is such a sucker for cheese!

Fresh Photography:

Tricia hopefully returned from Maui today! She had been gone for two weeks for a friend's wedding - and I missed her! We are almost booked up for the summer - which is a good thing! we are working on our business plan and trade show display for April - so look ofr more exciting things to come with fresh in the near future!

Bathroom Renos:

Well - OUR TOILET WORKS! and we have some drywall up - so that is a very good start! We are going to be purchasing cabinets this weekend in edmonton and hopefully finish drywalling this weekend! It is really starting to look like a real room and a real bathroom - and the only thing we argue about daily in the tile....but soon -we must come to a decision!

Weight Loss Challenge:

Well - we are on week five - and weigh in on Monday has shown that Darren is down about 10 pounds and I am down about 11 - so we have really evened out! (However - if you ask me - I have lost more percentage of body weight than he has - but that's just me making myself a winner!)

Okay - that's enough of an update for now! I recently turned 26 - so now I am feeling old and a bit guilty for not having children yet....so.... (nope not pregnant...) we might be getting another dog!!! (Yes - this is an children avoidance tactic!) but Iwill keep you posted!

"The Weigh In"

Darren and I have both started the journey to "lower BMI land"! Yesterday was our first weigh in...yes - jut like on TV - we have a weekly weigh in in which we both compare our weight loss and then gloat....Here are the results:

Darren: -0.6
Shawna: -2.4

Shawna wins week1 !!! You may wonder what i have won - well nothing - except to prove to myself that I can do it ...it's based largely on the amount and kinds of food I was eating - the minute I became disciplined about my eating habits - was when I started losing weight - at 2 lbs in the first week...I am impressed - all those highly educated nutritionists actually know something!! I'll give them this one.....

Darren is struggling with the eating healthy thing - partially becuase its his new job....He recently switched jobs from RBC to being Sales Manager at a Dodge dealership in Stettler. It was a really great move - and maybe I'll explain why in another post - but let's focus on the weight loss goals.... His dealership his having a massive indoor sale offsite - and for extended hours - so he is working 12 hour days and although the dealership provides them with food - it all comes from the many fast food restaurants around....so he has had to resist the temptation of KFC, the Tim Horton's doughnuts, the burgers, the baking and the pop....but he is not doing bad considering everyone else around him is eating constantly! Good on you D-Train!

Along with the eating healthy - I had decided that in the winter - there is nothing worse than getting up in the morning and heading to gym - when its dark, and cold and depressing.... so I brought the gym to Shawna! I managed to get myself a Nintendo WiiFit (the procedure should also be saved for another post) and just last night Darren set up our new (to us) elliptical trainer! Although we briefly exercised on the elliptical - we have realized that combining"24" and an elliptical will result in skinnier Benson's! I have curling this evening - but I cannot wait to hop on!

And that's it - so the score is Shawna - 1; Darren - 0 - stay tuned until next Monday for the next Weigh-In!!

New Years Resolutions

We all Make them - and few keep them!

Well, I am tempted to make this years New Year's Resolution "not to make any more New Year's Resolutions" I need this kind of motivation to make me feel guilty enough to at least try to complete some life bettering tasks.... So below are my three New Year's Resolutions:

1. Lose 20 pounds

• This is a joint effort with Darren; we have put up a pretty hefty reward up for the first person to lose the "newlywed 20"...we weighed in this morning... although I know my willpower stinks (especially when it comes to chocolate and jalepeno and cheddar chips) I think i can do this ... exercise and eating right - that should not be hard..... Yeah right....We will document our progress here - for you all to see (I will recount the first weigh-in in another post)...which leads me to my next resolution:

2. Keep the blog up to date

• I want people to rely on our blog ot keep themselves up to date; to interact with the Benson's - in a way that our website sparked many people to track our wedding - so here - is the new "Home of the Benson's" Photos, random comments and general life updates will be posted here for all to see and enjoy.... so no more complaints about the wedding website! Hope to see many of you following our haphazard life! and the third resolution partly relates to the keeping of memories:

3. Scrapbook more!

• I love to srapbook - and that might be a bit of an understatement - the accomplishment and pride I feel when I finish a project makes me so giddy its hard to explain! And since my reorganization of the scrapbooking room - and the realizationthat I have begun many projects - I will be working hard to make sure that I finish them - and scrapbook with a renewed excitement that can only come from receiving the coolest paper rack ever.... (If you scrapboked - you'd understand)

So that its - Shawna's News Years Resolutions! Maybe Darren will post his for us all to see later today.....

The Migraine

Well - It's official...

I have joined the Migraine Club! Only my entry into it was somewhat scary!!

At work yesterday - I was feeling a little weird.... then my vision started blurring - my left arm went tingly and then numb - and to top it all off - my face started twitching and losing feeling!! Now - for those who have suffered throught the first aid course - you know that most of those are sign of a STROKE! I panicked!

A million things went through my head - most of which started with...I am too young to have a stroke.... SO I called Darren... and he came to me rescue! He patiently drove me into the emergency room in Red Deer - waited there for 3 hours with me while al kinds of sick and injured people passed us into the ER, read crappy magazines and listened to alot of puking....I OWE HIM HUGE!

When I got in to see the Doc - I was a bit scared.... but he ws very calming, reassuring and told me it was just a migraine... and that people react differently to migraine's..some people puke, somepeople lose vision and some people get weird nervous system reactions...(that was me!)

Since it was my first migraine - He let it slide - but any more and I may have to get some more treatment....until then - This danm headache won't go away!!

Okay - enough about me! Peace Out!

Blogging is Hard....

to remember to do!

I wanted to update this blog weekly - if not daily!

Oh well - now I will have a New Years Resolution!

In the meantime - here's a little tidbit about my newest venture....

As many of you know...I do love taking pictures - my over-filled harddrive on my computer is certainly an indication of that! I was lucky enough to get a really great camera in April of this year and my pictures have started to take a turn for the better! I try to practice weekly...with different subjects...and lately I have been improving quite a bit.

At the time that I was buying a camera - my new found friend in Stettler, Tricia, and I had a "boat" night at BP"s and put into motion our plan to become Stettler's newest photographers!! There, in BP's - surrounding by blaring music and more than one carafe... fresh. photography was born!

Well - 4 weddings later, a few baby and maternity photo sessions and some families - we are offically a business - with products, suppliers, a bank account, GST number, Business number and soon an accountant! We think our photos are different, edgy, contemporary, journalistic and different. I have taken on the motto: If you want a regular photo, with a regular backdrop and cheap prices - head over to sears - we can't and won't do that! So far so good......

We, however, know there is much to learn on our journey to excellence...so we've decided to enlist in education....ahh yes - learning....

I enrolled early on in teh New York Institue of Photography.... and am only on Unit two...but working hard on finding some subjects to take photos of - the only problem is - things aren't very nice-looking in the winter (especially when there is no snow...) ... but I have made a pact that I will work on it every week....and I have an idea for my latest assignment...hopefully it will work...I will try tonight and keep you posted!

Tricia and I have started the Excellence in Photographic Communication course at the end of October - I think we only have three classes left - but it has been quite the experience - We have both had a light bulb go off inside our head...and suddenly - WE GET IT! I have noticed an improvement in my pictures since the "Manual Only" pledge and have been excited that I am finally understanding the technical side of it....now its just a matter of putting it all together!

It is time for us to move forward - this may require a bit of risk on our part - but no pain - no gain.... and I know I am willing to work my butt off for this one.... so I am throwing caution to the wind...and come what may... (okay - bad cliches...but you get the point!)...

Just for interestes sake...here is one my latest photos for the "At Work" presentation I am working on at my "other" job (and it will be featured on their christmas cards this year!).....

Halloween

I hate Halloween.

There are several reasons.

1. I hated dressing up - I am not creative - nor do I feel comfortable pretending to be something I am not...for some this is fun - for me TORTURE!
2. Going trick or treating was somewhat embarrassing....begging for candy; having to sing to get a chocolate bar and getting all kinds of guesses as to "what you are" and none of them getting it right!
3. In Endiang, and for the most part Canada, it was always damn COLD!
4. And the biggest reason I hate Halloween - I AM AFRAID OF THE DARK! That's right - truly afraid of what I can't see....and even more afraid of what might be lurking there - to have an entire holiday dedicated to things lurking in the dark creeps me out. period.

Having said that - I am not against giving out Candy to little ones who still enjoy the holiday - its true - you won't catch me dressing up or sneaking around cemeteries, but you will find me at home - with all my lights on - happily handing out Candy.... but only if Darren isn't home!

Darren, or the "Halloween Grinch", doesn't think that buying candy to hand out to strangers is very good investment. Thanks Banker. He'd rather turn off the lights and hide out in the basement with our newest Wii game. Last year, our first Halloween together, we went to the farm for supper - and turned off the lights at our home...so this year I expected some elaborate ploy to get us out of the house to avoid the candy free-for-all.

But ahh.... Hunting season opens tomorrow! Darren will be off in the woods all weekend - leaving me free to hand out Candy at will. I snuck out last night and bought Halloween Candy...and I admit - its expensive... but for the first Halloween ever - I get to decide...

MAKE THEM SING OR NOT?