Gooseberried

On my way

I took this picture from my plane window while we were flying just outside of Phoenix when finally, all the city buildings ended and the land became just land.  Phoenix is like one gigantic grid when looking at it from above.  Small blocks look like squares which then look like bigger squares surrounding those squares and so on.  Then all of a sudden, the buildings stop and there's nothing to look at besides a vast amount of land.  It's insane to me how much open space is left in Arizona and yet, so many people live here already. 

This picture reminds me of dreams- the dreams I have where I'm flying and there's no better feeling in the world. 

Accepting our differences

As I sit in the Barnes and Noble cafe with my 6 foot 6 inch boyfriend, him with his books- The Encyclopedia of Earth, Trees and Forests, and Animal Life and me with mine- Vogue, Marie Claire, Dogs in Arizona, and Acrylic Painting for Beginners, I begin to realize just how different the two of us are.  The only similarity we had in that moment just by looking at us was our drinks.  We both had mochas, mine hot, his cold.  It seems that this notion, that is the difference we have between the two of us, has been brought to my attention a lot recently. 

There are many attributes besides the obvious, our drastic difference in height, diet and lifestyle, that by comparison are counter opposites.  The one that sticks out the most to me recently has been our complete difference in communication which is, of course, normal but nonetheless frustrating.  Pop culture would have us all believe that men are from Mars and women are from Venus and the more I think about it, the more I believe in this statement.  This seems obvious.  But the challenge still remains despite how easily accepted the statement may be.

When one attempts to successfully engage in a relationship with another, it is inevitable that the two will discover frustration with the things their partner does but doesn't understand.  When I bring up something that has been bothering me, he shrugs it off as if it isn't a big deal which leaves me feeling like he is undermining me.  He doesn't get why I would bring up such ridiculous, nothing things and feels I'm being over dramatic.  I know this type of scenario will always be hard for us.

But when I look at this picture, I can't help but to smile and appreciate all the things that make the two of us different.  Our differences have helped me learn things I wouldn't have otherwise encountered and they have also helped me to grow as a person despite how frustrating that can sometimes be.  It's fun to compare ourselves sometimes even if it is just our pinkies or the books we read while sitting in front of the fireplace at Barnes and Noble.

Because I missed Sunday

I'm doing X-Ray Sunday today.  But this time, I didn't take the photos.

My friend, Cori, did. 

It was weird to be in front of the camera when, more often than not, I'm the one behind it.  My friend Cori is pretty into photography as well and I think she might even minor in it currently.  She was assigned to do an outdoor photo shoot using props in one of her classes this semester and she asked 6-6 and I to participate.  So, we decided that because we both love music and because music is the catalyst for discovering the spark we had between us, we would use musical props. 

The drumsticks actually belong to 6-6 and so does the guitar.  You've seen it before.  I can play the guitar but I will have you know that I most certainly CANNOT play the drums.  I've only been able to master one beat and let's just say, it ain't good.  That would be why I look so awkward holding the sticks in the above picture.

There's nothing awkward about this hunk though.  This is just pure cutie cute.

And this is just pure absurdity.

Slow down and listen

I've been living alone since July of this year and prior to that, hadn't lived alone since 2006.  I forgot how much I enjoyed it especially now that I have a sweet little doggie to keep me company.  Despite my liking of my own independence, I often find myself distracting the silence that can arise from being on your own.  Whether it be plugging in my iPod for some music or watching videos on the internet or even putting on the TV which is always my last resort, lately I've been making sure that Bowie and I aren't the only noise makers in the house.  This is unusual behavior for me because my whole life I always enjoyed being on my own.  In fact, when I lived by myself before, I didn't need a distraction from any silence because I had my own imagination.  So, I'm not entirely sure what has made me so fearful now. 

My method of distraction recently has been Seinfield.  A friend lent me a couple of the seasons which I usually put on 'play all' straight after my arrival from work.  I don't just sit there watching it and do nothing else.  I just have it on as a background noise while I teach Bowie tricks, do the dishes, write, etc.  The show is used as noise to distract me from how quiet things can be.

The other night I hopped in the shower with the show still on it's 'play all' feature.  At the moment I turned the water off, there was absolute silence.  I went out into the living room area and saw that Seinfield had played through all the episodes on disc 2 and was now back on the main menu screen.  There was no 'play all' to play anymore and therefore, it was silent. 

At that point I remembered how nice it can be to have no noise around you at all.  I was stopped in my tracks remembering that a lack of noise can be a good thing.  I didn't need to have the TV on anymore to turn me away from my own imagination.  I think that it is easy to forget how comforting moments of silent solitude can be especially when we live in such a busy buzzing world today.  So, I challenge you the next time you're home to sit in silence and do something you like. Read, do a crossword puzzle, bake with no music, no media.  Maybe just the noise of your crazy neighbors or of your dog chewing a rawhide.  Remember that there are other noises out there that should be heard and while we continue to play over them with man-made distractions, we'll never learn to appreciate them.

Try it.    

Yellow tires

A few months ago, I did a photo shoot of my friend, Ryland and his self-owned shop on the east side of Flagstaff.  He goes to school full-time but on the side he owns his own business where he does things like lifts trucks and uh, stuff like that.  I'm not really sure of the terminology but I think it's what they call making them more bad ass or something.  I've never really been into that sort of thing but I found it interesting.

This is one of my favorite photos from the shoot.  I'm not sure why, but I found these two lonely tires sitting in the corner to be so vulnerable.  The bright yellow stripes and the lighting pops out at me and adds even more to the emotions I find in this picture.

It's getting cold here and pretty soon, it'll be nice to have tires like these in the snow.  Maybe I should get my 1989 Oldsmobile Cutlass Cierra lifted.  That'd be hot.     

Red

6-6 and I went camping in Sedona a couple of weekends ago along with Bowie of course.  I think that this picture depicts just how red Sedona is.  The dirt is red, the rocks are red, even the sun seems red.  It is a really unique area and if you're ever in Arizona, the town is definitely worth visiting. 

Eye See You

I took this photo when I went to Heber with 6-6.  I never really followed up with that trip even after I wrote about how nervous I was to have 6-6 meet my parents.  Everything went well, just so you know.  6-6 loved my parents and they loved him. 

This picture is when we went to the Mogollon Rim which, as I've mentioned before, has the largest Ponderosa Pine forest in the nation.  It was a nice day outside, but what I love most about this photo is how there is a reflection of me and the sky behind me in 6-6's eye. 

Beautiful.

I heart Arizona

Arizona is one of my dearest and most important loves. 

Simply put, I've been in love with Arizona my whole life.  The state is amazing and incredibly unique.  Want to see a desert?  We've got it.  Want to see one of the biggest cities in the US?  We've got it.  Want to learn about Native American tribes and cultural?  We'll show you.  Want to see one of the seven wonders of the world?  We've got that too.  We also have a town (Sedona) made entirely of rocks that are redder than in the picture above.  Oh and Flagstaff is a gigantic forest with Humphrey's Peak (over 12,000 ft. in elevation) as it's neighbor.  Where I am from, there lies the largest Ponderosa Pine forest in the nation.  Plus, there are legendary sunsets and sunrises in this state.

I could go on, but your best bet is to visit.

I will never tire of this amazing place.  I feel lucky to live where I do.    

For some of you it's already Monday

If tomorrow I found out that I inherited lots and lots of money:

-I would pay off all outstanding debts.

-Give a huge chunk of it to my parents.

-Next up, family members. 

-Then, I would distribute certain arranged portions of it to my friends.  The friends that have been there for years get more than those whom I've only known for several months.

-Purchase a vehicle of some sort.  Nothing fancy.  Probably a small SUV.

-Clothes, clothes, clothes!

-Going along with the previously mentioned, I would award myself and a friend a shopping spree in Paris.

-Buy a flat in London.  Again, nothing fancy.  Something that I could call home when I visit.

-Travel

Just dreaming.

My hot boyfriend

Simply put.

P.S.  He's actually a drummer.  A good one.  But right now, he's learning himself to play guitar.