Kate

We're nearly done with the year, and with 350-some entries under my belt I haven't written about one of the most positive things in my life. Kate. I mean, I've written about things about her; her photo career, her fashion sense, her family, but I've never written about just her.

Kate has been one of the greatest things to come into my life. She brings out more good in me than I ever knew was there. She's opened up places in my heart that had been dark for a long time. She's made me see just what a relationship can be. Open and fun, without reservation or hesitation. She's given me a broader understanding and experience of love than I've ever had before. She's helped bring me out of myself, and I've become a more social person as a result. She's made me see that jealousy and distrust are not inevitable parts of a long term relationship, as was previously my experience (it wasn't on my end of the relationship, but it only takes one to spoil the group.) She's shown me that trust, while it's something that's earned, must also be given, and I feel like we've both done that for each other.

But more than anything, she's brought me happiness. And in a world where more things seem to go wrong than right, having at least your basic happiness taken care of is worth its weight in gold.

And that's why I wrote this entry. To lock my happiness in.

And that's why I'm getting down on one knee and saying...

Trust and Confidence

It's so sweet when someone uses one of my photos to present as their profile pic on Facebook. Both my friends Kate and Libby both did that this week. It's a true compliment. I feel I might really be becoming a good photographer, not great, but good. Which is wonderful. I love feeling confident about something and feeling that my client's can trust me to get the job done. I think I'm doing this entry to pump myself up for the party in NY tonight. Here are the pictures of Kate and Libby that they used.

Proud of You, Kate

Just a quick entry to put out into the ether how proud I am of Kate. Since leaving Renegade she's done a lot of soul-searching, much of which you all have been privy to in her entries. It's been a difficult trek, one that still poses challenges, but one that Kate's stuck through. In the process she's started her own wedding and event photography business, taken on a part time job photographing newborns, is beginning to foray into network marketing with Arbonne cosmetics, and has registered successfully to be a substitute teacher in Baltimore County (Baltimore City is next.) And on top of all that she's now studying for the Praxis exam so that she can begin training as an elementary ed or special ed teacher. That's a LOT of stuff! But she's handling it in spades.

I'm proud of you, Sweetie. Keep kickin' ass (and taking photographs of it in makeup, and then instructing it on how to avoid getting its ass kicked again.)

Kate Comes Home

What can I say? I'm on vacation. These next few posts will probably be shorties. But this is a pretty great positive.

Kate gets home today! I was gone all weekend, and by the time I got home Monday afternoon Kate had already left for New York. But our five days apart ends in under an hour. I'll be picking her up from the bus station around 5:15. I missed you, Sweetie. Welcome home.

Goodmorning Sunshine!

Getting up early to accomplish your daily goals is the way to go. Of course I haven't achieved this goal yet this week or even last week. Starting tomorrow I am getting up at 8am, no questions asked. Jason, can you make sure this starts happening. I know it's not in your nature to enforce the laws, but I need you to start by helping me with this one request. If I'd just get up at 8am I could do my blog, eat breakfast, and start working out- all before 9am. If I get warn out sometime in the middle of the day, I won't feel bad about taking a short nap since I've already been so productive. I must start being more motivated, especially since I'm trying to be a independent contractor. Getting into a work grove would be great. Make it happen, Kate!!

The Power of Retail Therapy

I'm not one to push consumerism.  Spending money just to spend money is frivolous and wasteful.  But spending small amounts of money on yourself when you need a little boost is great! Down in the dumps?  Boss been kicking you in the teeth again?  Your 401k balance retreating faster than the polar ice caps?  Go buy yourself something you want.  Not need.  Want.

Really.  Nothing big.  I might buy a book, or some socks...or a book.  Getting something new always seems to recharge me.  But I keep it small.  Retail therapy only works if you don't go into debt in the process.  That brings with it a whole raft of new worries, more purchases, and eventually pitches you into a downward spiral which ends with you living on the street, panhandling for socks and books and feeling even worse than you did before.

Just keep your purchases small and sporadic, and you'll be surprised at how much lighter you'll feel.  Let's take Kate as an example.  She's having a rough day and needs a little pick-me-up.  She could sit on a therapists couch for an hour and part with $150.00 plus change for the meter, or she can go to Urban Outfitters and spend $15.00 on a new hat.  It's the same hour, but it costs 10 times less and she has a new hat when she's finished.  You won't get a hat from a therapist.  That's a guarantee.

Or a book.  And after last week, a new book is exactly what I need.  I think I know what I'm doing tomorrow afternoon.  

Feeding Seagulls Isn't Just for the Beach

Ever been to Five Guys?  Best burger I've had in a long time.  Fresh, right off the grill, served up with a literal mountain of french fries.  Interestingly though, this isn't the focus of this entry. Hamburgers will probably come up at some point though.

No, I mention Five Guys only because Kate and I met our friend Alicia for lunch there today.  Near the end of the meal Alicia says, "Okay, I want to do something, and you guys have to do it with me" or something very close to that.  I was intrigued.  What else, after eating the best burger you'd had in years, could be left to do?

Turns out Alicia, whose always had a thing for feeding animals apparently, wanted to buy a loaf of bread at K-Mart and go feed the seagulls that hang out in the hundreds around North Point Plaza.  We did, and we had a blast.  By the end, we'd probably collected a mob of 70 or 80 birds, which would take off occasionally, at the threat of a coming car, and then return in a virtual blitzkrieg.  A lot of times the gulls would sort of hover in front of you, right over your head, and pick lobbed pieces of bread right out of the air.

Near the end I pitched a full half a piece of bread into the throng.  A bunch of gulls started fighting over it immediately, pretty viciously.  One of them finally won out and took off, the entire piece of bread in its maw.  The others, not taking defeat easily, launched after him, and the aerial acrobatics the ensued during the high speed chase were worth the entire experience.

They say seagulls are the rats of the sky...they may be, but feeding them is far more enjoyable than I'd imagine feeding their terrestrial cousins.

And to cap off the day, no one got pooped on!