September Photo Challenge Days 12 - 15

Day 12: Together
This past July my husband and I packed up some luggage and our dog and made a road trip from Atlanta (where we live now) to Boston (where we used to live). One of our stops along the way was just outside of DC. It was here that we spent time together with one of my dearest college friends and his wife and their son (and one on the way!) Our dog, Fenway, was quickly inaugurated as

their dog, Keeper's BFF. While there we visited the Dogfish Head Alehouse. And while *there* I had an amazing version of black and tan! Dogfish 90 Minute IPA and Chicory Stout. Yep. Definitely a good choice. While *there* I also scored this awesome magenta Dogfish Head pint glass! So tonight my husband and I recreated this in my special glass. 90 Minute and Chicory, together at last, remembering time together with some amazing friends!

Day 13: Table
....with a view. On the back porch. (Also the only table not covered in junk!)

 

Day 14: Favorite
My favorite couple on their wedding day (exactly 49 years ago)

 

 

Day 15: First thing you see
She usually doesn't make a noise. Just stares at me until I open my eyes.

September Photo a Day: 9 through 11

Hero.

Day 11: Hero

On this somber day I chose to represent "Hero" with the symbol of my nation. Anyone who has represented the United States to protect its citizens from harm - firefighters, policemen and every US veteran (especially my husband and my brother as well as my father and all 7 of my uncles and finally, many friends.) Thank you for being our heroes. RIP to those who lost their lives on September 11.

 

Day 10: Black and White

Met up with a friend in Buckhead today.

 

 

Big Lots!

 

Day 9: Something you do most weekends

Most weekends we enjoy a lot of down time and usually go out to eat once, maybe twice. We typically watch a LOT of sports - this past weekend's highlights included our friends' 6-year-old's first ballgame of the season (they won!) and our favorite football team's first game (they won! Go Patriots!) But really, just about every weekend the grocery shopping is done and I get to go here (is it weird that Big Lots is one of my favorite stores?)

September Photo Challenge Days 4-8

A little package from home.

Day 5: Bright

I just logged another 4-mile run in these, my black Saucony's with the bright pink swish.

Day 6: Every Day

A coffee a day keeps the headache away (and the sleepiness and the major crankitude.)

Day 7: Natural

It's only natural that as soon as we got to the pool to lay out, this cloud planted itself in front of the sun.
(For about 30 minutes!)

Day 8: At Night

On the back porch at night with the shutter speed set to 'manual' and the flashlight setting on my iPhone.

If you look closely you can see my (ghost-ish and kinda creepy) face by the 'g' which proved to be a difficult letter to write backwards with a flashlight!

40 Minutes of "Unplugged"

My days consists of traveling to the nearest Starbucks or Barnes and Noble to sit, research and write.

On a recent visit to Barnes and Noble in Cumming, Georgia, I nestled myself at a table on the far side of the store (away from the noise at the cafe) and started a small experiment.

I was considering a few marketing-related quotes from some well-known people from history - Mark Twain and Albert Einstein, for example. And I considered what the world was like when they said things like "Many a small thing has been made large by the right kind of advertising." That was Mr. Clemens. And "Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow." Said Genius Einstein.

Ok, fine, that last quote isn't directly related to marketing but it certainly can be applied! And it's at least a kinder sentiment than "There's a sucker born every minute." P.T. Barnum did *not* say this, by the way.

I considered the lack of "noise" that was in the world when these men occupied it and, we can't deny, changed it forever. Then I thought about my "noise."

On a daily basis my email inbox is saturated with daily notifications of the latest sale, new product or job opportunity. My iPhone is an endless source of Tweets, Facebook posts and texts. (And low and behold, a phone call once in awhile!) I have an app for every one of my needs. Need a recipe? Got 4 apps for that. Not sure about going to the pool? Check the weather app. Want a good laugh? Well click on the Sir Charles Barkley quote app! (Random sample: "My family got all over me because they said Bush is only for the rich people. Then I reminded them 'Hey, I'm rich.'" Classic Barkley!) Heard there was an accident on 400? Check the traffic app (actually, it's safe to just assume there's been an accident). And so the experiment was born:

 40 Days Minutes of Unplugged

Surrounded by books and cards and gift items I decided to turn my electronics off. Computer - check. Nano - check. iPhone...oh dear. Ok. Wait, gotta look one last time...right, for real now - check.

I lasted 2 minutes before I checked the weather. Yes, it's true, rather than look out the window I did a quick check of the radar on the app. OK for real now. Close it and turn it off.

After that first little slip I was ok. I quickly started into a state of journaling. By hand. This isn't so bad! I love writing and I'm an expert at 'stream of conscious!' But then a few minutes went by and the distractions were relentless!

I don't know about you but I'm not sure I would have survived the Pioneer Days. Oh I know what you're thinking - if I didn't know any different it wouldn't be that bad. True. But I'm just saying that the lingering quiet is deafening and the idea of cleaning my clothes with ice cold creek water and a rock doesn't sound good to me.

I start to feel out of touch 12 minutes into this. I'm haunted by what my Facebook friends might be up to!

As the time ticks by I keep on journaling.

Then: more distractions. Some crazy kid started clanging a mini-gong in the book-end section. Over and over! I was about to come up with a clever plan to scare the juice out of her when her grandpa finally shouted what I was thinking: "ENOUGH!"

Stupid gong!!

Why is this so hard!? Why am I suddenly SUPER aware of the squeaky sound that girl in the card aisle's shoes are making? Also, I have no idea what is trending on Twitter!

My eyes are actually feeling rested, which is nice. I'm enjoying looking at things that are not backlit....so that's good.

Practicing this focusing, I spotted a series of cards nearby. They all have kitschy sayings that are supposed to encourage or launch someone into success. For example: "dance. love. sing. live." and "You are so much sunshine to the square inch!" (What?) And "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you've imagined." (Horribly flawed theory - if for no other reason than life is completely unpredictable!)

I desperately want to check my email. I also want to tell that screaming child on the other side of the store to snap out of it!

Water. I need water! I chug some of my overpriced bottled water and look out of the window. It's still raining (didn't even need the app!)

That's when I did it. With only 8 minutes to go I broke down and checked my email on my phone. Nothing. Now I feel shame. Look back out the window. It's still raining. It's like God is crying tears of disappointment in me.

It's only been about 35 minutes and I realize I should have look at the time when this started... I resign to watching some bad drivers fight over a parking spot as kids, who are home from school enter the store...they're about to disrupt the peace.

I count down the seconds to the noise. Hoping they head to the cafe...

40 minutes is up! I instantly hop on the phone to check news headlines. Because that is reality. It's true. I'm hooked. I need help. My name is Katrina and I can't function without my iPhone.

September Photo a Day Challenge

I've started again! Here are days 1-3

Me times three...or maybe more!

Me and my dad, retro and recent.

Off there, far away in the distance, is whatever my dog, Fenway, is growling at...I think it's some PVC piping that has been there for over 2 years.

August Photo Challenge Day 22: Home

Most of the time when I refer to "home" I'm talking about where I currently live here in Georgia. Often I refer to Boston, where I spent nearly 15 years. And sometimes, I'm referring to where I grew up: New Jersey.

There are many things that remind me of home. Smells (lilacs drenched our back yard with their perfume every spring,  steam heat invokes cold winter mornings, pot roast had a way of filling our house for Sunday dinner), and foods (pizza! bagels!) are the top of the list. There is one food about which I had completely forgotten....

I was grocery shopping in GA recently when THIS little gem caught my eye. If you're from New Jersey or spent any significant time there you know what this is. It brought be right back to my childhood home.

I'm not certain how many times I've ordered a "Taylor Ham, Egg and Cheese on a bagel" at a diner (Tiffany Diner, or Dakota Diner were the usual suspects) but I can tell you I haven't had one since I lived there (which was 1994). I cannot wait to sink my teeth into one this weekend. Now if only there were decent bagels here.

How about you? What reminds you of home?

August Photo Challenge Day 21: Cool

A cool and refreshing post-workout, Blueberry-Blackberry-Banana Smoothie for breakfast.