Results tagged "Photography"

((Huge Sigh))

There she is. Taking my picture again.

Can’t a dog just take a nap around here without interruption? I mean — I already wag my tail around these kids that she allows to stay in the house, can’t I just have one moment of peace? I know, I know. She’s all happy and proud because the vet said that I lost nine pounds. As if that’s anything to be surprised about… My last appointment was 6 months ago — What? Doesn’t she know that unlike a certain 3 year old around here, I listen?!

And she’s happy like ALL THE TIME.

Remember when she worked in an office? How whack was that? All the screaming over the telephone about press proofs and color matches…UGH – and the money. I mean it smells nice but I never did get the point. I did all I could by laying my head on her lap to calm the crazy down. But now. Taking my picture again. Hopefully this time she won’t go and post it all over the internet like she did last winter when I was “fat”. Hasn’t anyone ever heard of a “winter coat”.

And yes. I get that she loves me…. Despite the fact that she moved my dogbed four inches to the left…. Not the one in the TV room, the other one that I sometimes remove the stuffing from. Because, if that “new one” is going to scream about absolutely nothing, can’t I let out a little frustration every once in a while?

But I’m not some pathetic character dog that enjoys social media and internet attention. Because. I’m stout, stoic, and if being eleven years old hasn’t taught anyone around here anything — I’m in charge.. And I’m not going to stand for all of this laughing and playing around all the time. Don’t people know how to control themselves? Just the other day that 3 year old had a water pistol and thought it would be fun to test it out on me. And you know what? I let him. And I smiled the whole time. Dammit.

All I want is for everyone to behave. And bacon. I’d really like some — Did she ever think of that?

When she’s so irresistible.. and I can’t stand myself. Running around. Where is my camera. I need a camera. SOMEONE TAKE OUR PICTURE. But we are alone. If I could only swing my arm around my body and then up high and balanced from the ceiling while looking through the viewfinder to make sure that I don’t snap a shot of my elbow instead of the cuteness that is now sleeping on my chest. While I balance carefully to capture the deliciousness of tranquility… and how I stop to wonder  — how fast can I share this moment with the world.

I took this picture the day before Josephine was born. I remember thinking that I was all wrong about this baby coming earlier than predicted… I even muttered that she was right on for the target date — May 23rd. A few short hours later I was in labor… a few even shorter minutes later, she was here. Now she’s gurgling in a baby “soother” next to me while I type.

Since then, things have become more and more clear despite the rather chaotic scene that surrounds me. But when I say “clear” I have to admit that I’m focused almost entirely on the smallest of small…. Like details that I missed or couldn’t grasp in a pregnancy haze. For example, we had been talking for weeks about finally adding the missing leaf to our kitchen table — so as to allow dining comfort for our growing family and the host of guests that have already been penciled in for the upcoming months. And I know — this is way beyond boring. I mean WHY am I blogging about this? Who cares — and more importantly — WHY ARE YOU READING THIS? But the point isn’t about how small the universe becomes when there is an infant in the room… it’s about how much bigger all of the small things seem to be. While we tried and tried to pull apart the table so as to accommodate the missing leaf, our frustrations grew and grew. Why hadn’t we ever attempted this before? We paid for a big table — were we EVER going to get to use it? The whole thing was beginning to feel like a ShamWOW! commercial when suddenly, whilst I was dozing off for a few minutes in the wee hours, I remembered the latches underneath the table. Unhook them and let the growth begin. In our haste and impatience we had cursed the table to no end when really — all we had to do was look underneath. Life, my friends, should never be so difficult.

I know this will come as a shock to most of you, but despite appearances, I do not know everything.

I know… But while your busy picking yourself up off the floor, let me make sure to credit the photography above to the New York Times… The New York Times Sunday Travel Section, to be exact — the May 9th edition to be even more complete…An article by Tony Perrottet entitled The Besieged And the Beautiful…  And to be all OBSCENE about it, the photograph was taken by David Yoder for the New York Times. Which was founded and is published in New York City. And if that isn’t a copyright credit given fairly, I DON’T KNOW WHAT IS. Oh, and just to be clear, I did not get the permission of any of the parties mentioned above to use this image… but it is detrimental to the point of this post and therefore caution has been thrown to the wind. Let’s just see them chew on that little infringement for a few… being a graphic artist I could throw my Graphic Artist Guild Handbook at anyone’s head. But knowing that by using this image LAWS ARE BEING BROKEN, I can only hope that everyone understands that this is nothing more than A COMPLIMENT. 

Because since May 9th — After reading about Châteaux de Lastours I am completely obsessed. I know, I know… whatevs on southwestern France and PERILOUS CRAGS, but really! Would you LOOK AT THIS PLACE? Talk about giving Rapunzel a run for the German border… #1 – Why did I not know about this place #2 – Why did I not know anything about the history of this place and #3 – WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME? Because I know that you knew all about it… I know that you saw this in the Sunday Times a few weekends ago and thought to yourself… Huh – I bet that RY doesn’t know ANYTHING ABOUT THIS. Right? And then you went back to living your life KNOWING that you were keeping this FROM ME. Giggling furiously all-the-while. But hey… I may not have known, but I am NOT WITHOUT RESOURCES! Let’s just hope that I get to finish this post before the copyright police start breaking down my door. 

It all started 800+ years ago. A little known grouping of zealous CATHARS took to these defensive ridges in an attempt to hide away from — you guessed it… THE CATHOLICS. Boo Hiss, Hiss Booooo… But wait. This was around 1208 — when EVERYONE was Catholic and those that weren’t were totally suspect…. BECAUSE THEY WERE DIFFERENT. Not to mention that the world was still totally flat and no one had anything better to do than… TORTURE VALIANT HERETICS. Things are totally different today…right? I mean, I’m Catholic… and so while I know that I need to feel guilt ALL THE TIME, I also know that in order to live a politically correct and happy life I need to allow everyone to BE whomever and whatever they want. Even Stage Moms.

But back in good ol’ 1208 it was not okay to worship two Gods — one good and one evil. It was not okay to build fortresses on THE CLIFFS OF INSANITY. It was NOT okay to believe that some king of the world known as REX MUNDI created the earth and that all things about life were inherently evil. It was okay, however, for the Pope to get all worked up and offended… suggesting that everyone go “KILL THEM ALL…”, resulting in the slaughter of some 15,000 or so Cathars hiding out in fabulous towers and then NOT feel bad about it. I mean would you just LOOK at how far we’ve come as a society?!?! I mean today we even let our teenagers DRINK VAMPIRE BLOOD.

But I’ve gotten away from de Lastours. Today, the whole area of onslaught and DEMISE is a fabulous get-away tucked ever so isolated into the winding hills and vineyards of the French landscape. AND, it isn’t all that hard to get to… train it from Paris to Avignon and then rent a car… DUDES, there is even a MEDIEVAL SPA located in some vamped out (I would imagine) castle ruin where Cathars used to mull about plotting their next hiding place. HOW AWESOME IS THAT? So, in short, I am making a plan. Someday… in the next five years — before I turn 40, I will travel to this place. I will go and soak in the tourist attractions of hundreds of years old bad blood history… And this isn’t some giant HERE ME NOW AND SEE YOU NEVER pitch that isn’t ever going to happen (ahem.. MARTHA). I am throwing down the proverbial guillotine and saving my pennies for this once in a lifetime JOURNEY. And… wait, wait… here it is… WHO WANTS TO JOIN ME? 

Can you find me?

1. Find me in this picture.
2. Name the city that I am in.
3. Guesstimate the closest year this picture was taken.
4. Guess as many times as you would like.
5. If you answer correctly, I will interview you for an upcoming For The Birds “Bird Watcher Profile” post.
6. Then I will promote the hell out of your story for a week.
7. All about you. 
8. I am no joke about promotion. 
9. Game ends with the right answers.
10. If you were with me when this photo was taken, you can’t play.
11. Mom, Dad… You can’t play either.

Photography by Photog Melanie Zobian

Meanwhile, I’m guesting over at Guest Bird Robin’s blog.. I like her, she’s spunky.