Changes

For now, I am changing Sundays to helpful hints.

This week:Cider Vinegar
My brother in law got me started on this, and I can't say it's been easy. I have only tried it once. He told me that if I took shots of cider vinegar it would keep bugs away in the summer. It gets in your blood stream and the bugs smell it so they stay away. It really works. He was bite free last year. The bugs love me so I really need to get on it. I just wanted to share for those of you who get eaten alive in the summer as well. It's tough to stomach, but I have started with 1/2 shots a day. I am willing to forgo the taste to avoid those nickel sized mosquito bites. Here is a link to check out some more things cider helps with. It's awesome for acid reflux, constipation, blood thinning, and more! And...it's pretty all natural.

http://www.professorshouse.com/family/health/benefits-apple-cider-vinegar.aspx

Home baked goodness-Comfort Food

I have been on a comfort food kick lately. It seemed odd to me to be roasting potatoes and carrots in spring, but it was well worth it. So here is a little comfort food special for you all.

Recipe:
2 tbsp lemon juice
4 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/8 tsp pepper
6 small red potatoes (we added carrots also)

mix all ingredients except potatoes
cut potatoes in quarters
place in baking pan and cover with sauce
Bake at 450 for 40 min

Corn on the Cob:
Boil corn for 10 min or so and sprinkle with seasoned salt

Sesame Broccoli

Steam Broccoli 10 oz or so
Mix in saucepan or skillet:
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp cider vinegar (we subbed sherry)

Cook on medium until sugar is dissolved
Pour over drained broccoli and sprinkle sesame seeds!

Birthday List

Well my birthday is in less than two weeks so I find it appropriate on Wishlist Wednesday to make a birthday list.

• Shower curtain, rug, and new towels for my bathroom. 
• Camping and Hiking trip with Zach, Lindsay and Daniel
• Bookshelves
• Manicure, Pedicure, and Haircut
• New Sandals
• Dinner at home with my family
• Jewelry- there are some really cool rings and earrings at work
• Cheesecake!!!
• Books-I would love for everyone to give me a copy of a book that means something to them or was just a great read 
• Music- same idea as the books

I suppose that is a decent enough list.

Although I would love for anyone and everyone to take money and donate to the American Cancer Society. That would mean more to me than trinkets.

Out West

I really want to visit the Southwest. I have only driven through AZ and NM, but I would love to visit. I want to see the Grand Canyon, the Pueblo sites, the deserts, the sunsets, the colors, the warmth. The southwest seems like such an awesome place, and I think it is way under estimated. It's a photographer's dream to see all the natural rock formations and the smooth sand of the dunes in the deserts. Plus, there is so much to do for an outdoorsy person like myself. So maybe one day I will trek out that way and stay for a while.I want to taste real Mexican food, and take in the fresh smell of Jasmine.

Lets talk...

...about serendipity. I haven't really had the desire to touch my camera much since graduation. I would take it out when we did touristy things or went hiking, but I haven't felt like looking at the thing. All of a sudden things started happening. I was asked to photograph some engagements and a wedding. I did the engagement shoot and had a blast. The wedding was yesterday and it couldn't have been more fun or glorious. Last week, I get a phone call from a girl I went to high school with and she wants me to photograph her family. I was also asked to shoot some skyline photos of Nashville and possibly another engagement shoot. It's so odd that all of a sudden I am getting asked to do all this, and so great that I am actually enjoying doing it. On top of all that, it comes at the perfect time when I could use a bit more cash. So, it's funny how things work out.

Which leads me to talk about my Sunday topic. I actually enjoy photography again. I love hearing people talk about my work, which may be egotistical, but it's true. I love picking up my camera knowing that I know what I am doing more than jo blo who just bought a big lens. I have a small simple camera, but I feel that I am able to utilize it more than someone with a million settings. I feel like I have an eye for things. I just noticed in the last couple weeks that I missed photography. I got a surge of excitement  to apply for more photojournalist positions. Zach even looked at me and said, "It's so great to see you excited to pick up your camera. You aren't dreading it anymore." So anyhow, all this serendipity in my life led to me actually remembering something that makes me extremely happy, which is rather serendipitous.

Photo of the Week

I am working on an engagement shoot of my friends Taylor and Tori. This was one of the most fun shoots I have done. It was so great to see a couple so much in love and so excited about getting married. Their wedding is on Saturday which I will also be photographing. I will post more pictures of their engagement later, but for now here is one of my favorites.

Job Wishing

I may have mentioned before about how I wish I knew what I wanted to do with my life. This is a very true statement and something I have really been battling with on a daily basis. I space out a lot now, and during those times I am thinking of all the things I want to do, how I can get there, how I don't have money to get there, if I'm even sure about wanting to get there. Let me lay this out for you...before you get all sappy and trying to give me encouragement and advice, I really just need to get this off my chest. I don't really want suggestions about what to do with my career or lack thereof. I don't want to hear the sentiments about me being successful and a great person and that all things will fall into place. I just want to bitch for a minute or ten. And I know I need to list things I have accomplished to make myself feel better so I will.

Things I HAVE done.

Graduated high school and college with honors

Gotten a breast reduction

Ran a half marathon

Been to China

Lived on my own for the past 7 months

Fallen in love again

Become an aunt...not on my own accord obviously

...and that's all I can think of for now.

What I am mostly upset about is the fact that I have been out of college for a year and still have not found a job I am interested in. I don't even think I want to do what I actually studied. I don't know what I want to do though. Everything I am interested in takes years of school and lots of money. I have too many interests to be happy in one career. I wake up every morning and have my breakfast and tea, and then maybe work out. I hang out with Zach or Christina when I can..or when they are free. I'm bored for the majority of my day. I read more than I ever have. And as much free time as I have I am not motivated to do anything for most of the day. I work on Tues Thurs and Sun which is just part of the motions now.

I ran into an old friend of mine the other day. There were 4 of us all together talking.....three of them are going out of the country for a year. I wasn't part of that three. I felt awful. I feel so stupid for have wasting time in college. I mean great...I have a degree that hasn't gotten me anything. I didn't even get my job based on that. I had open availability so I was an instant hire.

Most days I wake up and am not sure what for. I sleep till eleven a lot which is not like me at all. I used to always wake up at nine and accomplish so much before noon even hit. Granted nowadays I stay up till like two. My most recent accomplishment was organizing my spice rack and finishing all seasons of Desperate Housewives. I don't have much that I am passionate about anymore. Well I do, but I can't get paid for those things. I don't know what I think measures success...is it happiness? Is it money? Is it wisdom? Is it love? Is it anything?

Anyway, sorry for the long blog that probably depressed a few people. Thanks for listening if you did.

Traveling Water

As many of you may know, there has been extensive flooding in the Nashville area. Along the Cumberland River towns have been covered. My hometown lies right next to the river and also by one of the tributaries. Needless to say, many people in my hometown have lost everything. I plan on traveling back up to Carthage at some point this week to help out. These people are neighbors of mine, not matter how crude, dirty, sweet, country, old, young, they are. I feel a duty to help out, even for a town that I used to hate. It gains a charm when you leave, and part of me will always be there. If anyone would like to help out, let me know and we can go help people sort through their things.

Saved By Her Enemy

This is my latest read, written by a war journalist. It's a true story about his adventures covering the Iraqi war and crossing paths with an Iraqi girl named Rafraf. The story starts off with two different people telling two different stories. Eventually these two people will cross paths. Rafraf was raised in a traditional Iraqi home. I learned more about what the people there think of the war, and how life really is there. I wasn't expecting to find out about bodies being burned alive in car bombs. Rafraf became a translator for NBC and eventually met Don, the reporter. After a struggle of some time she was able to come to the US and live with Don and his family. She eventually had a very successful and exciting life away from the tragedy of Iraq. The book is worth the read, and an easy read for that matter. A true story written like a novel. Rafraf eventually overcame her forced religious values and found what she truly believed. It's truly inspiring hearing about a girl escaping a prison-like government, but even more inspiring is the way the people she met were actually good Christian people who weren't forcing her into a faith she knew nothing about.