My Town Shoot Out - Main Street / Favorite Shop

I am back in the swing of Friday Shoot Outs, at the urging of Bloggy Friends - Thanks to you for getting me off my butt!

This week's Theme is courtesy of NanU of Have genes will travel.
"Favorite shop, well, show us what you like about it. Inside, outside. Maybe some people who work there and what they sell or do.

Also I thought it would be fun to show us a shot of your main street."

Check out the other participants here and here.

Yesterday I took a day to myself, took my camera and headed to my other adopted home town, Santa Cruz, CA. I lived there for 4 years, nearly 25 years ago, and it holds a very special place in my heart. I spent most of my time at the water, which will show up on Tuesday. However, I did also walk the Pacific Mall, and found some interesting sights:

Lanterns at a cafe:

Buskers - this was quite original: 

 This group had a hula hooper with them:

 Love this sculpture:

 The Clock Tower:

 A shot down the street, standing near the clock tower:

 Opposite end of the street, on the side of the retro sneaker store - and yes, the lens flare was intentional:

Hope you all have a happy weekend!

Thoughtful Thursday - Give Thanks While You Can

This week all of my bloggy buddies have been posting their thanksgivings. I would like to do the same. Today is a day to set aside pettiness and just be grateful.

Today (and really every day) I am grateful for my two adorable and insane children, my well meaning husband, my crazy as loons family, my delightful friends, being a vegetarian, knowing who I really am, the goodness of humanity, the funny pages, laughter, the sound smell and feel of the ocean, my viceral reaction to lima beans (they'll kill you, you know).

OK, in all seriousness, I am thankful for all of the above, and for my life. For as much bitching as I do, I am very fortunate.

Happy Sunday Morning

This is the first thing I heard upon waking:

Thoughtful Thursday

I have had this on my mind today, inspired by THIS POST.

How do you live your life? Do you have a split life? One that works the corporate slave machine, and another that lives in the land of faeries and majik? Do you live but one life, compartmentalizing it all into neat and tidy boxes? Do you have different personas to your work/family/friends? I like to think that I am the same person to all in my life, but I know that is not completely true. I hold secrets from various sections of my life. Some of those are for self preservation (or so I tell myself), and some are just for less hassle and scrutiny. Lately I've felt a bit too tipped toward the mundane, and too far from the majik in life. I am going to take a day next week to try and find that place again, that child like wonder and awe. I will try to leave behind my cynicism and doubt and just recapture what I know to be true. This will bring me closer to the universe, and closer to my higher self. You may be reading about it here, or it may still be shifting for me, only time will tell.

My love to you all for continued good health and happiness!

Music Monday Weekend Wrap Up

This song has been in HEAVY rotation in my brain and ipod all weekend!!!


Let's do a rundown of the weekend shall we?

Friday - worked in the morning, and on meetings :-P Then worked in the classroom with 4th and 5th graders on One Point Perspective. They did really well, but it is interesting to see what they get hung up on, mostly it was translating a three dimentional space onto a two dimentional medium. We took them out to the lanes on the blacktop and brought a ball so that they could witness that things look smaller when they are further away from the viewer, and two parallel lines look like they will converge on a single point. Then we did a step by step for one point perspective, leading them though the terms and the drawings. I think I'll go get some t-squares or speed squares before we move to two point perspective, so as not to completely blow their minds. After that, we will move to negative space, and then to still life in various mediums. OK, enough on my geeky artsy teachery stuff... Had a Happy Hour Playdate with only one of my friends and her kids, and it was totally cool. I made the drinks way too stiff, but still good, and we got to hang out and decompress, which rocked!

Saturday - was planning a mellow day, watching soccer games of a couple of nephews and hair cuts for The Dude and The Boys, and then laundry and cleaning house. Ended up out of the house ALL DAY, talking S off of a cliff when confronted with the reality that has been in place for years, but only newly revealed to her. It wasn't all sunshine and roses, and it will take her a while to unlearn the behaviors that pull her into the drama she doesn't need. She needs lifelines, and I am one of those, and happy to help in any way I can.
This is her theme song right now:


Sunday - worked a 3 hour shift at the snack shack, and then laundry and cleaning, washing the dogs, and grocery shopping. Also talked to M, who had a hundred questions about yesterday. Emotionally drained from the whole thing and having to navigate through the pain and hurt and anger to actual tools useful in interactions with the very people who have hurt you.

Thoughtful Thursday - Veteran's Day

I took this photo. I walked two military cemeteries during half a year in order to record their beauty. What I found was complete sadness at such loss of life. The person in this photo is a bugler. His name is Mark. He came out this day, as he had on many other occasions, to honor his fellow service men and women. I heard from his family only months later that he suffered from Alzheimer's and they wondered why my card, e-mail and copy of a model release was in his possession. I sent them the book where this photo appears, and a note of gratitude.
I thank all of our service people, and although I am staunchly opposed to war, I am grateful to all men and women who serve. I hope that someday soon gay people are allowed to openly serve as well.

Please keep these folks in you thoughts, prayers, and positive vibes this week:
Liz - my friend and a kick-ass grandma (literally - she just attained her 3rd degree black belt). Her father is having brain surgery today. Send positive an healing thoughts her way.
The Hunter Family - a local family who lost their father last weekend after a week on life support, following an off-road accident. Also for the little girl who caused the accident, that she may never know what effect her actions caused.
S - is going through a particularly rough patch. Send your vibes for her path to smooth out, and her confidence to return. She and her kids deserve so much better than they have had to endure.
KP - Is in the middle of making a decision on her relationship with R. Send her the calming energy she needs to have clarity in her decisions.
Audrey (CN) - my bloggy friend is still in treatment and bouncing back to her positive self.
Audrey (US) - Sending positive thoughts that all of the tests for her cancer continue to show no evidence!

My love to you all for continued good health and happiness!

Tableau Tuesday 11/9/2010

These were taken after dropping off The Youngest at the Birthday Party on Friday.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Music Monday Weekend Wrap Up

First off a song:


And the weekend went like this:

Friday - The Boys had a half day off of school, end of Trimester Teacher Workday. The Youngest was at a fellow 2nd Grader's Birthday Party - at the movies, followed by pizza, and had fun, while The Oldest hung out at home and watched a glut of TV. Friday Night was fairly quiet with little whinning, and The Dude studying Microbiology.

Saturday - Got up early and went grocery shopping, as we were out of laundry soap and dryer sheets, two necessities for laundry on the weekend. Got home, unloaded and put away said groceries and left again to shop for a friend's 50th party later that night. Ended up going in with another friend on a gift basket and items for a fondue (chocolate fountain) tray. Got home and didn't even enter the house. Immediately left for the final game of The Youngest's soccer season. He played goalie for a quarter, stopping all but one goal, and scored three himself, including the season ending goal! It was a great season, and all the boys on the team had fun. Signed The Youngest up for Little Leaugue on the way out of The Sports Park, and went directly to the End Of Season Pizza Party, where there was pizza, cupcakes and trophies. One of the Jr. Coaches wrote very nice words about all the players, and everyone had fun. Came home, picked and cut up apples and went to the 50th party which was fun and a little wild, while The Dude took The Boys to a Jr. High production of Grease. The daughter of friends was in the chorus and they loved it. I got home before they did and went directly to bed (well, after a LARGE glass of water, Tums and Motrin)...

Sunday - it was the end of Daylight Savings Time, and we all slept in a bit. Ended up cleaning out the lint tube on the dryer, and did laundry all day. Also processed about 500 photos and listened to The Boys watch, and then re-enact Grease Lightning. All. Day. Long..... They did take a break mid day to tell me their Christmas wish lists - oh joy!

Happy Monday all!

Music Monday - On Thursday Evening

I have a stomach ache - likely brought on by too much crappy Halloween candy today. I was doing great not even going near it until today. Now I have this song going through my head...

still crazy

another crazy week with Halloween, and elections tomorrow, I may get the chance to post something Wednesday???