[ website launch ]

I actually finished! And a whole hour and forty minutes before the deadline. That's what ten straight hours of working on GoLive & Photoshop will get you!


Check it out!

[ website preview ]

For a little peek at what the new website will look like, head over to my other blog. I have three days until the (self-imposed) deadline, and I'm working all day today and most of the day tomorrow.

Oy!

[ 029. Design business cards for 5GG. ]

Check!

And not only desiiigned, but printed and in my hands! That's right, I (finally) had business cards printed for FiveGoodGoats. Oh joy, oh joy.

Two glorious stacks of 100 business cards each.

I did two separate business cards: one for fine art photography, and one for portraiture. I did take pictures of the fronts that actually SHOWED the fronts, but they sucked, and I don't really have time to do a redo, because I'm already late starting work today and I have a lot to do.

The back of the portraiture card. My phone number is down at the bottom, but I don't want any random people calling me, so I blurred it.

The back of the fine art card, with a bonus picture. Again with the phone number.


So yay! And just in time too... the Ladies who Launch event is Tuesday! Now I just need to get the website up and running by Monday!

[ more goals ]

A few more goals added to the 101 in 1001 list.

032. Get the new FiveGoodGoats.com up and running by October 1, 2007.
033. Create a file system for my books and movies.
034. Create nameplates for both my books and movies.
035. For every book I read in English, read one in Italian.
036. Start shooting one roll of film or 50 digital images every week.
037. Go hiking once a week with Jesse.
038. Visit Rachel in LA.
039. Get all my negatives scanned (or scan them myself if I get a scanner soon).

Hopefully giving myself a concrete deadline for my website, I'll get it done!

[ tlaquepaque ]

In between our hike and driving up to Oak Creek Canyon, Sandy & Ed took us to Tlaquepaque, this beautiful area of Sedona. Stuart has actually shot a bunch of weddings there, so I've edited images of the area, so it was really cool to see it in person.

We had an amazing lunch there, and then walked around. It was so nice out, and so beautiful.


For some reason, one store was selling seashells. Strange, considering we're in the middle of the desert. Pretty, though.


There was a section of sculptures that moved in the wind. So pretty.


Lovely door, with lovely light, and a lovely chair. Lovely.


Another door. Apparently the builders modeled the whole area after a market in Mexico City. It looked pretty awesome to me.


More fabulous buildings.


And last, but not least, an awesome sculpture of a rock climber. Reminded me of Dustin.


Excellent day trip. We'll definitely be going back to hike and explore some more.

[ sedona ]

Jesse and I spent a glorious day in Sedona yesterday with Sandy and Ed. I took a gazillion pictures, split between digital and film. Once I get the film back (I shot with three of my fun cameras: fish eye, 4 lens & 8 lens), I'll get some of those up too, but I don't know if the rolls are finished yet. Anyway... here are my favorite pictures from the day:


Driving up. The weather was beauuuutiful:


We went hiking with Sandy and Ed. We did the Cathedral Rock hike, although we didn't do the whole thing, because we started to get really really hungry. The hike wasn't too strenuous, but since I'm not used to the altitude, it was a little hard to breathe after a while. I survived though!

First view of the trail:


Cathedral Rock in the far far distance:


Jesse, Sandy & Ed walking the trail:


Big, gnarly tree:


Other amazing landscapes. I forget the name of these formations. I think the one on the right is called the Two Sisters:


The trail we were walking was called Templeton Trail. Every once in a while there were some really neat, weathered signs:


Getting closer:


Sandy told us these are called Century Trees. They only bloom once before they die, and it takes 25 years. She didn't know why it was called a Century Tree, when it only lives for 25 years, not 100:


Fun shadows and the crazy leafy spikey plants. Sandy and Ed told us that usually these aren't nearly as abundant or bloomed as they have been lately, but Sedona's been getting a ton of rain lately:


The actual spikey, leafy plants:


Jesse, taking a picture. He always sneaks pictures of me taking pictures, so I got him back:


After the Cathedral Rock hike, we went to Tlaquepaque. I'm going to put those pictures in another post, just to keep everything separate.

After Tlaquepaque, we drove up to the top of Oak Creek Canyon, so we could look down at the landscape. And it was hiiiiiigh. You could see the roads winding around the mountains:


A better view of the canyon:


I was apparently really into taking pictures of the signage:


After Oak Creek Canyon, we headed back down into town, and then Jesse and I headed back to the Valley. We got stuck in insane traffic, because there was an accident at New River, and traffic was backed up something like 30 or 40 miles. It took us three and a half hours to get home (compared to the one and a half hours to get there). But we did get to see a pretty sunset:


The mountains looked really cool, all misty and layered. So very pretty:


It was a really good day, although today I'm a bit sore from all the walking we did!

[ off to sedona ]

It's so very very early. Jesse & I are heading up to Sedona for the day to explore, hike if the weather is good, and visit with his exGrandma. And so, I leave you with this picture of the beautiful Arizona sky. Love it.


PS. If you haven't been watching the Women's World Cup, you should start! Quarterfinals are Wednesday (Germany v Norway) and Thursday (USA v either Brazil or Australia, whoever wins the game that's on right now). We've been watching almost every game (recording them actually, as they're on at 1:00 am and 5:00 am here). It's AWWWESOME.

[ 101 in 1001 update ]

I just looked back over my 101 in 1001 list, and I realized I've actually accomplished a couple of them. Or will in the near future. Here we go:

003. Travel to Las Vegas
Jesse and I are going with my parents for a couple days between Christmas and New Years.

007. Learn to cook new and exciting things
Jesse & I have been pretty good about this lately. Meals we've had recently: lettuce wraps with tofu, vegetables and hoisin sauce; portabello burgers made with baked portabellos; falafel burgers made from scratch; lentil and tomato pitas. Go us!

010. Finally finish printing photos from college for my photo book
I actually did this over a month ago, but forgot it was on my list!

017. Start recycling regularly
I don't know if you can call it "regularly," but Jesse & I have been recycling all our plastic bottles, cardboard boxes and newspapers.

023. Wear my jewelry more often. Own tons, don't wear it nearly enough.
I've been wearing jewelry almost everyday. I'm quite proud of myself.

027. Customize my Ikea furniture to really make it mine.
I upholstered the headboard, which I did post about, but forgot to mention that it was on the list.

031. Take advantage of cheap Southwest flights, especially to really close places: day trip!
Jesse & I are thinking of taking a day trip to LA in November on the one weekend I don't have to work. If his sister will let us stay with her, it may be a weekend trip. $49 flights, each way!

Aaaaand, I may have figured out a way to complete:
025. Go back to Italy.
But I'm not going into details yet, because I don't want to jinx it. I'll just say it would be an extended period of time, not just a week or two.


Anyone have any ideas for some things to add to my list? I'm hopelessly far away from 101. I only have 31 at the moment. I need SEVENTY more.

[ i am, in fact, still around ]

It has been a whiiile. I don't really know why I haven't posted in over a week. Call it laziness. Call it lack of things to post about.

Here's a quick overview of what I've been up to over the past week or so: work, relax, work, sleep, eat. You know, the typical, boring day-to-day life.

I did start my pilates class... Wednesday nights for eight weeks. It's pretty hard, but I'm enjoying it. The other people in the class are all ages, and are nice to talk to.

Other than work, and sometimes including work, I've had very very little motivation to do anything. And that's annoying the crap out of me. There are so many things I could be doing, so many things I could be learning, books I could be reading, photographs I could be taking, things I could be making.

My lack of motivation and interest in doing stuff is pissing me off. I've been getting out of bed way later than I would like, so I then have to rush to get ready. Mondays and Fridays, I've been delaying starting work, so I always have to work later than I'd like in order to get everything done. And after five full days of looking at the computer, I have absolutely no desire to keep looking at it to work on my website (which I have fully planned, and almost all the images ready, I just haven't sat down and put it together), or put together promo work for me. There was a family in front of me at the bank the other day that I could have easily given a promo card to, but of course, I've yet to make them.

I've become lazy. And I hate it. I hate that part of myself that gives in to the temptation to just sit on the couch and watch television.

I look at all these blogs and websites of other people doing what I want to do: creating, exploring, living life to it's fullest. And it makes me angry that I can't seem to find the energy or desire to do that myself.

I need something or someone to light a fire under my ass.

Takers?

[ so accomplished ]

This weekend, I made some wall art and upholstered our headboard! I felt so crafty and worthy of the HGTV shows I watch while working from home.

The new headboard:

Close-up of the fabric used:

New furniture arrangement, and stuff on the walls:

Close-up of the fabric on the walls:


We think we're going to puzzle out some way to make the fabric on the walls function as photo frames. Not sure how, but it'd probably be really cool.

[ arizona has the best skies ]

I've been a lot of places - New Zealand, Italy, Paris, London - and I can honestly say I have never seen skies as beautiful as the ones in Arizona. Almost everyday, the sky is just breath-taking.

Driving home from work one day.

Driving to the airport in the early AM.

Also driving to the airport.

[ 101 in 1001 update ]

I added a few more goals to my 101 in 1001 list. Man, is it hard to think of long term goals! Here are the newbies:

024. Increase my fluency in Italian - reading, writing, speaking & listening.
025. Go back to Italy.
026. Learn to make jewelry.
027. Customize my Ikea furniture to really make it mine.
028. Create a portfolio book: a real, bound book.
029. Design business cards for 5GG.
030. Really explore Phoenix: make it my city, not just where I live.
031. Take advantage of cheap Southwest flights, especially to really close places: day trip!

[ labor day vaca ]

Well, I'm a little late, but here's the report on Labor Day weekend.

Jesse and I literally had to travel allllll day to get to Raleigh: our flight took off at 8:45 am and landed at around 4:00 pm. Crazy crazy. But we finally got there. My mom and dad were at the airport, and it was really good to see them. They were so excited to see both of us (especially since my dad knew Jesse wanted to watch Lord of the Rings on the big screen). We went home, and ate AMAZING salmon and black eyed peas and salad. My mom is such a better cook than we are. Then, my dad, Jesse and I watched LOTR on the big screen. My dad was thrilled (my mother hates those movies).

On Sunday, Jesse and I went over to my sister's house to see the new decorating they did (mostly paint, some rearranging, some new furniture), and to meet their cat, Abby. Then we went back to my parents house and hung out until Kelly and Aaron got there from South Carolina. Yay! We went to get Moe's for lunch (my favorite Mexican place back east), and then just hung out for the rest of the day. My mom, Sarah, Kelly & I went to Vanity, a jewelry store that I always get coupons for, but am never in town to use them. Jason, Aaron, Jesse and my dad played pool. That night we went out for dinner at a really yummy restaurant, but I can't remember what it's called. They had really good food though, and not too expensive.

Monday, we just hung out, because Jesse and I had to head to the airport for a 4:00 pm flight. We did go out to lunch at this little Asian place, where we took the following, gloriously cheesy picture:


After that, we went back to the house, packed, and left. It was really good to see everyone, and I know my mom was really excited that I came home, because now the next time we'll see each other is Christmas (when we're going to VEGAS! WOOT!). Good times, good times.

Since then, I've just been working. We're crazy busy at Stuart's, and I have a crapload of work to do for Brenda today and tomorrow. But! Jesse and I are going to First Friday tonight, and we might be going swing dancing with Stuart and Katie tomorrow night. And I'm going to hopefully be buying some fun stuff to work on decorating our apartment to make it more us, not so Ikea.

Until we meet again......

[ so freaking early ]

Why, oh why is it only 6:00 am, and I've already been up for almost an hour?

Because Jesse & I are getting ready to drive to the airport to fly back East for Labor Day Weekend! Yay! We're going to see my family in Raleigh, and two of our friends are going to come up from South Carolina to hang out for a (seriously, for one single) day.

Annoying thing about time differences: we leave at 8:45 am, and don't get into Raleigh until 3:45 pm.

Whoooooole day gone.