Monday, November 19, 2007

lonely day

For reasons I'm not going to get into, today is one of those really sad days. Sometimes life is going pretty well, and then it crashes in around you without warning and you are left feeling a little lost and left behind. So I decided I needed to post something funny. Unfortunately, I can't be funny and sad at the same time. But luckily, my sister sent me a poem by this guy that she heard at a fundraiser dinner.
"Never use the word suddenly just to create tension." -- Writing Fiction

Tension
By Billy Collins

Suddenly, you were planting some yellow petunias
outside in the garden,
and suddenly I was in the study
looking up the word oligarchy for the thirty-seventh time.

When suddenly, without warning,
you planted the last petunia flat,
and I suddenly closed the dictionary
now that I was reminded of that vile form of governance.

A moment later, we found ourselves
standing suddenly in the kitchen
where you suddenly opened a can of cat food
and I just as suddenly watched you doing that.

I observed a window of leafy activity
and, beyond that, a bird perched on the edge
of the stone birdbath
when suddenly you announced you were leaving

to pick up a few things at the market
and I stunned you by impulsively
pointing out that we were getting low on butter
and another case of wine would not be a bad idea.

Who could tell what the next moment would hold?
Another drip from the faucet?
Another little spasm of the hand?
Would the painting of a bowl of pears continue

to hang on the wall from that nail?
Would the heavy anthologies remain on their shelves?
Would the stove hold its position?
Suddenly, it was anyone's guess.

The sun rose even higher.
The state capitals remained motionless on the wall map
when suddenly I found myself lying on a couch
where I closed my eyes and without any warning

began to picture the Andes, of all places,
and a path that led over the mountain to another country
with strange customs and eye-catching hats
suddenly fringed with little coloful, dangling balls.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Halloween pictures

I'm posting these a lot later than I would have liked, but here are some photos from Halloween. If anyone wants the original image, let me know.
We get to dress up at work:
Apparently, this is how a prom queen from 1976 likes to pose:

These are the pictures I took for my Photography as Art class from Bryan Niven. I tried to get a cool Halloween look - I think they turned out just okay.

Before trick or treating at my brother's house (Me, my sister Jeana, and my nieces and nephews)


I did the makeup to turn my nephew into the grim reaper

Halloween party

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Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Turkey turkey dee and turkey turkey dap, I love to eat the turkey and then take a nap . . .

Ahhhhh . . . Turkey time. I'm not going to lie, it's one of my favorite days. For all of you that have to eat your turkey without my Grandma's sage stuffing, I give you my sympathies. This is a recipe that has never been written down. My mom knows it by heart and this year I am going to learn to make it. It is amazing stuff - unbelievable. I have never had it's equal. It IS Thanksgiving! We've never allowed any other kind of stuffing near our house on Thanksgiving day. It is truly a delightful experience (my in-laws agree that my mom's stuffing is the best - don't tell their moms!). I seriously can't wait - how great is it that we have a holiday centered around food?

Of course I also like that it's a time to be grateful. So here is a list of things I am grateful for:

1. Turkey.
2. Stuffing.
3. Mashed potatoes (so creamy).
4. Yams.
5. Lay's Original Potato Chips with Clam Dip.
6. Pumpkin Pie with real whipped cream.