Westboro Baptist Church

Few things in life make me get REALLY, REALLY angry. Very, very rarely do I ever feel wells of hate boiling up inside me.  But reading the newspaper this morning, I started to feel that seldom felt feeling of sticky anger towards the following organization. I'm one of those fighters that feels angry for a bit, stews for another little bit then, goes to the drawing board, sketches out my strategic game plan, and then works toward anything I can do to offer a solution. When fighting time actually comes, I am back to my happy self, because I have learned that happy warriors fight best.

But right this moment, I'm in the angry bit. If you haven't seen the article yet. Read it all here.

Camera Envy

I own about ten cameras. Not too bad. Three Nikons. One Canon. An old Russian Lubitel. A Lomo. A Holga. And a few other weird ones.


However, none of them compare with this new little find. I want it. Badly. It's about $350-500 dollars depending. So, probably can't get it until next summer. It is a Contax 2G and has a Carl Zeiss lens (which means pure buttery goodness in each shot). If any of you see one of these at a thrift store (known to happen). Please, please, please buy it and I will love you forever. I will also pay you back. Let's all help each other's dreams come true. Deal? Deal.

Pillows. A slightly boring post.

I have taken great delight (i.e. I'm totallyfreakingobsessedandneedhelpplease) in scouring every store I go into for the most random and beautiful and AFFORDABLE throw pillows I can find. So far I have bought three. This completes my living room. All in white.

I got this one from Pottery Barn:

I got it in White.

This is one I got at Pier One. It's fuzzy and totally different from what I usually go for:

Here is one I bought today at Urban Outfitters.

I got it in White.

I didn't buy this one of the Garden Gnomes, though I seriously debated about it (seems I want a gnome wherever I go lately!)

I'm keeping the ones for the living room all in whites. However, my cottage kitchen bench needs about three to five pillows in various shades of yellow. If you have any ideas....or if you make pillows....please contact me.

Thank you. You can all roll your eyes now :)

My Brother's Jacket

When I moved to Portugal in April, it was decided that we would all be back in Switzerland for winter this year, so I left my winter clothes there. A down filled black coat that I have had for five years, and it's still as warm as the day I got it. Scarves that were purchased from people. I try not to buy scarves from a department store if I can help it, I just like the character of the ones that get sold by those who had some part in the making of them. Never too bright, but soft yarns of white, linen, blues, and grays. Gloves that I got from Ocktoberfest....the cool kind with flaps that would make it easy to smoke if I wanted to. Cozy sweaters, warm socks with stripes. And some very, very fashionable boots that I were a gift from people who paid much more for them than I ever would...but boots in Switzerland in winter are a must....whole outfits are planned around such things.

Those belongings are now all sitting in the storage of my old boss's home. Never to be returned. It's ok. I'm over it. I've lost a lot this year and material possessions are high on that list. But, already, it's colder in Utah than I ever remember it being, maybe that's because I'm wearing a horrific sweater from Old Navy that does nothing to cut the chill. Maybe I'm getting old and my skin is wearing thin? Maybe I just don't enjoy freezing one bit and I feel I shouldn't have to anymore?

Rebuying all of those things is not an option, and, have you priced coats lately? I'm one of those people that buys something really nice, but then I wear it for about 10 years (no, kidding, my favorite lounge shirt is one I bought in high school many, many years ago). So, I went home to my parents to raid the closets there and see what I could make due with until I can afford a coat (which will probably be during the sales in April :)

I found a nice, cozy, parka. Too big, but it smells like my brother. It is my brother's. So many of his things, just hanging there. It has been about a year since I have physically touched my brother. I've seen him through the sad visitors screen only once in that amount of time too. Yet, putting his jacket on each day now, I find myself having some very weird J.J. Abrams-esque moments with my brother--almost like I know what he is thinking, feeling, doing, and trying at the moment I wear the jacket. I get a little carried away, and it's not like the jacket is the Ring of Mordor or anything, but it has definitely weighed me down with more than the several ounces that it weighs. It's an interesting feeling, and maybe I'm a masochist, or maybe I just miss my brother so much that I don't mind feeling some of his pain, or maybe I just think that maybe if I'm feeling it too he won't have to feel as much....whatever the reason, I keep wearing that damn jacket.

Owl

If any of you are in doubt of what the perfect housewarming gift could be to give a beloved friend...well, doubt no more. 


It's this little treasure "These old hopes and fears" by Kelcey Loomer. You can see her shop on etsy. I hope this isn't gone before I can afford it. 

Posing....

Last Saturday, while at Sam Weller's book store listening to David Sedaris, a very eccentric older lady approached me. She had on a leopard print faux fur coat. She had bleached, bleached blond hair that seemed unruly in a pretty awesome way. Where it looks like you didn't have to put any effort into it, and you probably didn't, but others try to replicate it with a LOT of effort. And she had red, red lips. Which I dig. And she had some cat-framed glasses. Which I also dig. 


In fact, I just thought she looked amazing and different. A lady that lives life on her own time fame and with her own rules. I noticed her the second I walked into the book store. Because of all of the aboved mentioned reasons. 


Imagine my surprise, as I was browsing through some used Beatrix Potter books for my niece for Christmas, that I looked up and she was standing right beside me. She looked at me, smiled, and said in a thick Russian accent:


 "I have something for you. Read it. Read it and then let me know."


And then she walked away.


Interesting. I opened up the folded piece of paper and saw a freshly written note:

Aw. Sweet. The rest of the note contained some information on her art. Now, I know she might give these to any tall blond that she sees. But that's ok by me. I just love that she went around and asked people to be part of her art. I often see people I want to photograph, but I get nervous to just take one of them without their permission (people can be paranoid that way), and then I get nervous to ask them too. So, I'm thinking of doing something similar. Just give them my card and tell them I'd LOVE to photograph them if they are willing. Flattering? Weird? I'm on the fence still. 

K & K

This is Krisanne. She is one of the easiest people to photograph I have ever photographed. She got dolled up (via my sister) in vintage and modern looks to go out in the FREEZING weather with me and indulge my desire to photograph her. She's into art. She recently was teaching Art in Mexico and she loves colors. She's pretty colorful too. She's tiny and has big eyes. Deadly combination, I hear. You can see the whole shoot here. And you can read her awesome blog here. Seriously. How glad am I that this girl is now living in Utah now!

This is KaRyn. She is one of the  most talented people I know. She's a musician and she's also busy saving the world. I love her. We met in Korea when we taught English at the Sha-Sha summer camp. She is putting on a concert in January. If you're around, let me know, you can come with me. Also, she has one of the most amazingly brilliant personalities ever. And it shows. In every photo. You can see more of her photo shoot here. And you can read her witty blog here.