Friday, August 31, 2007

These are the things you see...

when minutia is your middle name.






Thursday, August 23, 2007

Love Bugs (I do!)

I've been jittery. Job hunting isn't fun when you're a perfectionist-in-denial. I always wonder what I could have done differently. I've been spoiled. Every job I've applied for... I've gotten, except for teaching jobs. I got that first job over more popular kids - the coveted library page position. I knew the Dewey Decimal system cold by the time I was 10 so it seemed natural. I was always discouraged from being a librarian, so I never pursued the MLS ("You think she's a hermit now? What's gonna happen to her if she becomes a librarian? She might as well be a nun!"). Then I got the rockin' record store job (not a great idea finance-wise, but it sure was fun). Teaching jobs are hard to come by - I applied for at least 65.



And yesterday, as a graduation gift, I got a neat macro converter. The main part is really a portrait lens that also works excellent in low light. So now I have this awesome 3-in-1 combo lens. It just ROCKS. Here's a stab at taking a few macros of a lucky dead cicada I found this morning on campus. As you can see, the focusing is tricky and I'll need a lot of practice.


Smile!


Smooch!

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Monarch

Found this in the grass at the gym and brought it home for Laris.

Note to self: Do not get down on wet grass/mud puddle for insect photo shoots in Ann Taylor shorts. They just don't make 'em for that.

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

The Garbage Can Queen and Sap on a Log

Here's a little friend who was camped out on my garbage can.


And here's the sap on the dead tree. It proves to me that I really do need to wait for the light if I'm to find any interesting subjects in my stark backyard. I stood motionless as the sun set and took 27 exposures. It makes me smile. Not bad for not having a true macro lens. I considered cropping more, but I really don't care about any pro rules.


Ah, it's 1pm and the daily lawnmower brigade has begun its round. Don't these people have jobs?! ;-)

Sunday, August 19, 2007

The First Day of School...

Who doesn't feel a little weepy on their only child's first day of school?

Me: Are you ready for the big day?
Her: Of course, silly!


Me: Are you sure you want to do this?
Her: OK already, let's go!


And waited for the bus...




She smiled and waved from her seat the whole way around the corner. Can I breathe now? We raced inside to the back window to make sure they made it to the next stop.


At the end of the day it was business as usual, looking for bugs in the backyard and overwatering the plants.


I survived.

Friday, August 10, 2007

Conversations With Youth: Age 5.25

Me: Look - outside there's a big black cat with gold eyes on our porch.
Her: Be careful! Get away from there. What if it's that panther!!!

Me: So, what do you think God looks like anyway?
Her: He's big and wears gray shorts with holes in them. He's kinda bald on top with hair on the sides. And has tattoos all over his face. He also smokes a pipe and has a hatchet.
(Apparently she's getting God mixed up with Quequeg from Moby Dick.)


Me: Look - the driveway workers are here. Wait a second... they're eating lunch and lying around on our lawn. What are they doing?!
Her: Maybe they just came by for lunch. That's a nice shady spot they have.