Noms

Today was the day! The 83rd Oscar nominations were announced today. Go check them out at www.oscars.org.

Coffee Shops

I work at a coffee shop, but I still love every minute of coming in as a customer. I love all coffee shops really. I love the atmosphere, the peace, the quiet, the people. I love how I can come in and just lose myself in a book. I can literally hide behind my computer occasionally looking up to say hello to someone I know. I just get lost in my own little world. I can escape from pretty much anything and just engross myself in books or photo projects. Yes, hmmmmm, coffee shops. I plan on finding a new one in a new city sometime soon.

Buying and Working

Well I didn't get to post yesterday, but as far as my "things I want" goes, a new computer is at the top of that list. I may have said it before, but I plan on getting a macbook pro.

Since that seems to be out of the question, I did a little retail therapy today. I finally purchased some new black flats, a new purple purse, a bathmat, and a really cute skirt. So that is my news for this week and here are some photos of the things I bought today. The skirt is hard to see, but it's so adorable. Everything I bought today was on clearance!!

For my projects update:

I received the first photo book for the Woodards. It turned out wonderfully, and she loved it. So now I have to start on the rest of those. I got a little pushed back on Christina and Justin's engagements, but I plan on having them done by this weekend. I will be editing while watching Grey's Anatomy tonight. And since we all love this man:

...that's all.

The American President

A movie of great lines that was nominated for Original Score in 1995. It is funny to me how this movie is really current even though it is only 15 years old. The topics at hand are still going on, like global warming. The fashion....not so much...but then again blazers and pleated pants are making a comeback. Anyhow, the movie was great. I had always seen bits and pieces of it, but never the whole thing. My first thoughts were that Michael Douglas never ages and Charlie Sheen looks just like his dad, who also doesn't age. Michael J Fox was wonderful and spunky as always. If you haven't seen the movie, rent it. It's a great little romantic comedy, but also very political.



"In this country it is not only permissible to question our leaders, it is our responsibility."

Things I love

I love natural products, and I started eliminating chemicals from my apartment. I don't like they way they smell or clean. It just seems harmful to me. So I started using a vinegar solution. It is just a spray bottle with half water and half white vinegar. I use just a bit of lemon juice to reduce the strong smell. It cleans just as much and the smell is not all chemically. I love that it is safe for me and anyone who comes over, especially my nephews.

Back to Sporadics

Well, my internet is no more, so posting will occur when possible. I will continue to try to update on the regular things. Since I missed Friday I will let you guys know what it was I organized. Sounds fun, eh?

I went to my sister's house this weekend. She and her husband own sheep, and the sheep were all having their lambs this week. Needless to say, with two boys and 11 sheep running around it was a hectic week for them. So on my days off I went to help them out. Zach and I had her make a list of what she needed done and we got to it. Zach organized the bookshelf in the boys room and then moved the old bookshelf into the closet for their clothes. I did laundry and washed windows. I dusted and removed clutter. We did a few more things, but it felt good knowing that we helped them out. They never get the chance to get anything done, but since they were out taking care of the lambs it was easy and fun to surprise them with all we did. Here's to more organizing!

Projects

Here is my weekly update on projects:

Finished the first photo book for the Woodard family and am about to start on the second. Photos are chosen for the book.

First photo shoot for the 50's shoot is done. I did mostly film, but took some digital shots for kicks and updates online. Here are some sneaks of that one.

Lastly...Christina and Justin's engagements. I am going to get done with these before next week's update. That is my goal anyhow. Just a tough shoot to edit. I have everything ready to go except the motivation.

There are some shoes

Since this is buying day...well things I want to buy day...I find it appropriate to speak of shoes. There are few pairs that I want to buy this year. I am sure more will be added at a later date.




These are high up on the list. Cute party shoe but classy enough to wear out more often. Open toe for summer but not strappy so they are suitable for winter.





I also need a pair of black boots with no heel. I want these Coach boots, but I would NEVER spend this much money. I love the look though.

I will also need some new running shoes. I love my current pair but they are getting pretty worn down. I really just want the same pair again. Maybe in a new color.

I could definitely use some new black flats. Mine are pretty worn down from wearing them to work. I like the pointy toe on this one!

And lastly, I just want a good pair of slip on moccasins that I can wear out to get groceries in or go to the mall in. I love slip on shoes. I can't find a picture of the pair I want, but you can imagine. I want some either yellow or with a flower embroidered on the front.

Well enough about shoes that I don't necessarily need.

Movie Time

I watched quite a few movies this week, but I want to talk about Brothers. I watched Brothers with Zach this week and it was not what I expected at all. I thought it was going to be about two brothers who both love the same girl. When one goes off to war and is presumably dead I assumed the other stole the wife. When the hubby comes home alive there is a dispute over it all. Well I was SOOOO wrong about that.

Here is the deal....this movie deals with a very pressing issue in our military--PTSD. The basic premise is that one brother goes off to war and is pronounced dead. As the viewer we know he is really alive. We see the other brother stepping up and becoming a more prominent member of the family. He takes care of his sister in law and her kids. He mans up. Nothing happens except a kiss between the wife and him. They eventually find out that the husband is alive and ok and coming home. Once he returns home he has a hard time adapting. He has fits of rage and at one point tries to kill himself. He also continuously accuses his wife and brother of cheating. All the while wanting to be back in the war.

I really enjoyed this film because it was so important to what is going on. Our military does not have enough doctors to help our soldiers. I read about it all the time, and it saddens me what goes on when our soldiers come home. This movie really puts it in your face. Rent it today..it really is worth it.

SNOW!

For things I love this week is SNOW! It actually snowed a significant amount here this week. What I love sooo much about snow is not necessarily the feel or the beauty of it. I love the SOUND of snow. It's like a vacuum. It's so silent and makes everything still. It makes everything brighter and cleaner. I can just watch the snow fall and listen to the silence of it for hours. It is like everything else that I am stressed about just disappears. And now, it is snowing again. If it would just stay like this all winter I would be a happy girl.

Organize this

In an attempt to better organize my life as 2011 has called for, I started with cleaning out some clothes. Here is a tip you have probably heard. If you haven't worn it in 6 months...get rid of it. So I did...for the most part. Earlier this year I went through my closet and got rid of everything that was old, too big, or just ugly. Now I make it a regular thing. Yes, my closet looks bare, but now I know what I NEED to purchase. So often, I thought I had enough clothes but could never find anything to wear. Well it turned out I hated most of my clothes. Now I have clothes I love and continue to build on that wardrobe. It makes sense to rid all of the things that just take up space. Now I just need to find reasons to wear my cute clothes. I mean, most of the time I am just in work clothes or gym clothes or pajamas. I also organized my closet by style and color. It makes it so much easier to find something that way and so much easier to get rid of things as well. Hope you can take my advice and get rid of that old sweater that you are keeping just because you got it on sale.

Happy Cleaning!

Thursday already forgotten

Ok so of course I forgot to post yesterday...and it's ironic because my post on Thursdays is going to be about ongoing projects...like this blog. For today I will list my projects and the status they are in so I can update about them each week. Maybe this will hold me accountable for them.

• this blog...writing everyday or close to...I am doing well so far and obviously you can see the status of that by reading it. 
• decorating my bathroom: I am still deciding on the shower curtain. I am trying to figure out if I will want to keep that for a while. I don't want to purchase something and then throw it away a year later. 
• Photo projects: family albums for the Woodard's, Christina and Justin's engagement photos, and my 1950s shoot. I have one out of 3 albums done for the Woodard's, halfway done editing the engagements, and still looking for inspiration and models for the 1950s shoot. 
• reading through a huge stack of books
• making enough money to buy a new computer, a new car, and glasses!

So I think that is it for now. Look for the updates every Thursday!

Echo

Wednesdays will hopefully work out to be things I plan on buying/need. It sounds materialistic and it is. There are just some things I plan on saving money for or using gift cards on. I for some reason feel the need to share this with the blogger world. Who knows, maybe you guys can help my find a better deal. For this week I am looking to spend a gift card that I have. I have not decorated my bathroom since I moved into this apartment over a year ago. I have a clear shower curtain and a towel down on the floor for a bath mat. Needless to say, I think it is time to do something. I found this shower curtain in my Real Simple magazine and looked it up online. I am quite smitten with all the things from this site but particularly love this shower curtain. Here is the curtain and the link to the website.

http://www.echodesign.com

Movies

I have made it a thing to watch Oscar movies the last few years. I print off the list and then watch the movies that were up for nominations. I actually have a book of the first 80 years of the Academy Awards. Film is becoming more and more important to me, just seeing the way it truly influences people.

So I have been watching the 2009 nominations. I am almost done, despite the documentaries, which will be impossible to find. I got an awesome deal at the movie store this week and rented 5 movies. So far I have watched The Princess and the Frog and Invictus. I still have Nine and The Messenger. I also rented Brothers which will probably be nominated for one this year.

 The Princess and the Frog was so cute. I love Disney movies and this one was like the old classics. What was so neat about it was that it was set in the US. It was in New Orleans and sort of modern. I loved the graphics and design, and the music was endearing.

Invictus was based on a true story. I can't say I watched this movie intently, but I did love the way it showed a country uniting over sports. Rugby no less. It was inspiring to see how people really can achieve things together. My favorite line from the movie, "I can't see how a man can spend 15 years in prison and come out ready to forgive the same people who put him in there." Needless to say, I plan on reading more about Nelson Mandela.

Hopefully from now on I will be able to write about movies on Tuesdays.

The Last Round of Gifts

For the last few days of Christmas I got Zach these gifts. He LOVES honey bourbon, so I am letting him indulge in his favorite kind.

He didn't have any photos of us in his apartment and he wanted some so I put together a collage.




















I gave him a voucher to go to the humane society. We can go anytime to walk the dogs. We can't afford our own so we can at least give some love to the ones who don't have a home.

Lastly, I bought him some cologne. Kind of a boring gift but we both really like the scent.

So there it is, 25 days of Christmas!!! A little easier than I thought it would be.

Things I love

So in an attempt to blog more...and yes I will finish the final round of Zach's gifts posts...I want to create a theme again. Well, maybe. I am gonna test this out. In honor of a new year, new organization, and clean slates I want to start this all again.

So for today and hopefully every Monday after I will be able to post a thing I love. This week: LAUNDRY!

I love doing laundry. There is just something about the warmth of your clothes coming out clean. I have just switched detergents in the last few months. I can't believe it has taken me 7 years to find the one. I absolutely love Arm and Hammer detergent. It smells like fresh laundry. It isn't flowery or  mountain air like at all. Just clean laundry. Paired with some summer air or Bounce fabric softeners, I am just in heaven doing laundry. And of course, with it being arm and hammer it is a little bit more trustworthy on the chemical side of things. Of course, it's still a detergent so there are still chemicals in it. I suppose this blog is more about arm and hammer than actual laundry, but I will say that my desire to laundry has increased since finding this detergent. If you feel like you are constantly getting disappointed by your boring old detergent, switch to arm and hammer.

For the love of clean clothes,

Virginia