Mexico

These aren't new photos but this morning I am dreaming of a nice sunny vacation (where there is no humidity like here in Maryland).  I have always had a special place in my heart for the beach.  Since I am originally from a coastal area I spent my very early years on a beach and it has stuck with me.  I'm talking about Ocean City, MD not Mexico but still...any beach is good for me.  Some people have speculated that perhaps in a former life or something I was a sea critter.  Or maybe I just take after Bampy, my grandfather... who would take his beach chair up to the beach, slather baby oil all over his tan skin, and soak it up all day long. 

So here are just a few images from a trip to Mexico back in 2009.  Nothing intricate here, but that's what relaxing beach life is the opposite of.  Why do you think Jimmy Buffett writes all of his songs about this stuff?  People who are aware of my musical preferences know of my dislike for Jimmy Buffett but hey, that guy's got the right idea on how to live life.  Yeah.  Gotta give him props there at least. 

Under a hut

Peaceful morning

 

Self portrait.  I took this same photo in Ocean City, MD for my black and white 35mm film class as part of my "revisiting youth" theme for the final project.  For some reason I tend to take this type of shot in places I go to.  I believe it is because in my mind, I know that it is just this one moment I'll be exactly here.  Because you never could stand exactly in the same spot again.  and, maybe sometimes you wouldn't want to.  That's what memories are all about - remembering then, the journey getting you to where you are now and what lies ahead. 

Pretty deep sentiment to go along with a picture of my lower extremities.  Oh well, that's my thought process.    I've given fair warning in the past for random tangents so there you have it.  Yay Mexico!

It's been a wild ride. I wouldn't change a minute.

In honor of tomorrow's 311 show which I will be attending with some of my favorite people, I decided to use 311 as the theme for today's post. 

These images were taken last October for 311's Halloween show in Atlanta, GA which just so happened to be the theme for my first blog post ever.  You can expect more of this theme since this time next week I will be en route to Florida for yet another fun event - the 311 Pow Wow Festival.  This is the first camping music fest curated and headlined by 311.  I will be there with friends in tow, living the VIP life in the land of unity that is 311 fans!  I will not be blogging during that time of course, but I hope to be out capturing many wonderful memories through the lens of my trusty Nikon!

So here are just a few other images from that Halloween trip.  The show was twice as long as normal and everyone was in costume.  You should be able to guess immediately what theme our costumes were.  Since one of the photos is OF me I obviously did not take it.  I wasn't going to post the photos of us in costume because they aren't really my "artwork" but who cares?  It's my blog, I do what I want! 

This is a very random assortment of images.  But...I am a random kind of gal.  Isn't that random?  (if you get the reference there, you're awesome...and even if you don't get it, you're still awesome for taking the time to read my blog.  Thank you!) 

311 receipt

Out for a stroll in Atlanta

This place had the best burger.  We went two days in a row.

No Sioux City sarsaparilla here.  Just white russians.

I believe this was taken after I had just said, "he's a good man...and thorough."

Baltimore's Harbor East

No rhyme or reason for me choosing these few images for today.  I just like them!  These were taken in 2009 in Baltimore, specifically Harbor East.  The first image is of the Landmark Theatre's marquis.  I looked up and just had to snap it from this angle.  The second image is from inside a chic restaurant called Pazo, which was my first (and thus far only) tapas restaurant experience.  I would return!

...I just wouldn't order the classic martini containing a blue cheese stuffed olive. 
I loathe blue cheese. 
Why did I order a drink with a blue cheese stuffed olive garnish? 
Probably because it seemed like a good idea after I had already had oh, a few other cocktails prior to arriving at Pazo.  Oh well!  At least I'm up for trying new things, right?

Inspirational

Back in 2008 I came across this guy's blog -  http://www.mattlogelin.com/

The first night I started reading it, I sat there for 3 hours just reading and reading.  

The gist of his story?
Pregnant wife (Liz) goes on bed rest.
Baby Madeline comes via c-section.
24 hours later Liz passed away.  Pulmonary embolism.
Matt lost his wife and gained a newborn baby in the course of one day.
Devastating and miraculous all at once.

Maddy is now 3, Matt still keeps the blog, and this year he had a book published - Two Kisses for Maddy.  There was a book tour and he came to Gaithersburg, MD so of course I went.  He was the keynote speaker and I had a seat in the front with my friend Ben who agreed to come with me.  Then I had my book signed.  You can kind of see Madeline in the red shirt there in that last picture below where she is occupied at the book signing table. 

I highly recommend checking out Matt's blog and certainly buy a copy of this book!  I read the whole book in one morning.  It is truly inspirational and is a reminder to all of us that time spent on this earth is not to be taken for granted.

I would also like to mention that Matt's blog is not just inspirational, but humorous.  I have had many laughs reading his style of blogging and after awhile you really feel like you know him.  He also has kick ass taste in music and takes tons of photos (which often illustrate his blog writing). 

Artscape / Matisyahu Part 2

Matisyahu continued....

Baltimore's 30th Annual Artscape / Matisyahu

I should preface by stating that I had such a difficult time choosing which photos to use so I'm going to divide it up into a few different blog posts.  The bulk of the images consists of the main stage area which is where I was planted for Saturday night (last post) and Sunday also. 

I attached my zoom lens and was ready for action.

I only got one or two shots of the Pietasters set and the reason for that is because I was too busy taking in the crowd and photographing people.  In fact, I got busted by a few people who caught me taking their picture.  Oh well!  I normally try to be as discreet as possible because I so much prefer someone's true facial expression in that moment rather than if they know their picture is being taken. 

Artscape this year was definitely amazing, and Matisyahu's set delivered nothing short of just that.  Amazing.  In fact, I have never seen so much crowd surfing anywhere and I've been to a lot of shows in my lifetime thus far.  It was like the conveyor belt at the grocery store with humans on it.  They just kept being lifted up and shuffled down the sea of arms.  I will say that Matisyahu diving into the crowd himself and then at the end pulling people up onto the stage?  It was quite a sight. 

Stage dive in this post.  Pulling people up onto stage next post so......please stay tuned!

Part one....