Still Thankful

OK, ok, I know it's been a little while since Thanksgiving. However I am at last ready to blog about it. Thanksgiving and the few days before were wonderful! I was blessed to celebrate in St. George with some of my extended family. I got to spend time with my mom and dad’s parents, my great aunt and uncle, and my mom’s sister and family. There was much fun game playing, delicious food, and some slightly out of hand napkin folding. I loved it!

(A sample of some of Sydney and my fine work)

Then if this was not enough, the day after Thanksgiving two of my good friends from school, Nick and Stephanie came down and we left on a weekend whirlwind trip to California. I don’t even know how to express how great it was. I just have to sum it up as simply AMAZING!

Our log (which Nick claims is not funny anymore) included items such as our gas tank overflowing and running down the side of the car, Steph getting hit on by multiple strange men/promising to return for them some day, and much more. The real highlights though were probably all of Saturday: going to the beach with our wonderful hosts

where there were swings on the beach! So great!

Where we "gifted mussels back to the sea" (Nick is making his wish)

And where a local fisherman insisted that I pose with his buddy's pole so it looked like I caught a fish. After the beach it was on to eating tasty Thai food,

visiting the Getty Museum,

and of course going to see Wicked!! I think all three of us agree that we need to travel together again very soon. It was like I said, AMAZING!

Golden

I just got back from THE MOST AMAZING weekend! However, I am too tired tonight to do it any justice through blogging. So I am posting this picture from a couple of weeks ago instead. I found it tonight while I was looking for something else and decided I that I like it. It has that pretty golden light that I love so much.

Smiley-Cam

How cool is this pinhole camera? I think I need to make one! Although that means I will need access to a darkroom to develop the film. I guess it will just have to wait, but still SO AMAZING!!

clipped from mail.google.com Take Photos From Inside Your Mouth … with the Smiley-Cam! There’s nothing like a big “Say cheese!” to bring out the pearly whites. But all this talk of grinning reminds us of one of our life-long curiosities — what about our teeth’s perspective? What it’s like looking out from inside our mouths? At long last, we’ve found an answer: the Smiley-Cam! Pinhole photography enthusiast Justin Quinnell has perfected the art of using bite-size pinhole cameras to get those difficult but illuminating inside-your-mouth-looking-out perspective shots. Even better, Justin’s selling his pinhole ’smiley-cam’ cameras for cheap. Finally, you can turn the tables on Uncle Herman the next time he shouts, “Say cheese!” The Smiley-Cam — The In-Mouth Pinhole Camera Check out Justin Quinnel’s Smiley-Cam pics or get your own from Justin for $23 bucks.

Local Art

Today I had a day off and decided to go exploring. As I wandered, I came across several acts of vandalism that intrigued me. Naturally I documented them. Then before I knew it, I had given myself a series assignment. When I got home I was playing around with some actions in Photoshop that I have never actually used, and decided that this Lomoize look was kind of fun. I don't know though...what do you think? More fun than properly exposed non saturated color?

Confused

I think the weather here is confused. I had the day off yesterday and decided to go take fall photos in the cottonwood canyons. However, after getting out of the car it started to SNOW! Not yet! It's not even Halloween! Regardless of what I thought, it continued to snow. So after taking some pictures I got to test out the 4 wheel drive on the Rav.

Yee Haw!

Monday was a big day at work, the boss' birthday. Everyone was required to dress up - hence my adorable pigtails. There was lunch and cake, cowboy poetry, hysterical songs, superimposed pin the tail posters, and yes even a mechanical bull. I bet you are all considering quitting your current jobs to work where I do now...

Alive

Today I spent the day in downtown Salt Lake with my friend Stephanie. We had delicious lunch in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, snuck into a choir practice, went to the Clark Planetarium, and even got lost on some trucker road. Needless to say, I had a really fun time! While Stephanie and I were out she mentioned that I had not posted anything on here recently. So here I am now to say that I am in fact, still alive. The Utah drivers have not gotten me yet. I have been blessed since my last post to have done everything I listed as needing to do. I bought a vehicle. I found a place other than the church history museum to live – which I must say was a good suggestion, so thanks whomever it was that suggested it :), and I am liking my new job more and more.

While Stephanie and I were in the planetarium today I feel like I learned so much!! We got to watch a super cool 3D IMAX too. I left with this desire to google everything when I got home. You can all call me a nerd if you want, but this is for you Stephanie. Answers to some of our most pressing questions:

Q: What is the average age of a star?

A: “Many stars are between 1 billion and 10 billion years old. Some stars may even be close to 13.7 billion years old — the observed age of the universe. The oldest star yet discovered, HE 1523-0901, is an estimated 13.2 billion years old.” - Wikipedia

Q: Which parts of the space shuttle actually make it back to the earth, and which parts fall off where?

A: A yummy way to learn or if you prefer a slightly more advanced explanation

Q: Is Pluto techincally still considered by scientists to be a planet?

A: The word is "no" as of August 2006. However, for New Mexico, the fight for Pluto is not over. Yay! You fight! I don't know how kids will remember the planet names now...My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine... Nine what? I guess maybe, Just Served Us Nothing...?!!?!

Q: 3D movies are the best!! how exactly do they work?

A: “The technique usually involves filming two images simultaneously, with two cameras positioned side by side, generally facing each other and filming at a 90 degree angle via mirrors, in perfect synchronization and with identical technical characteristics. When viewed in such a way that each eye sees its photographed counterpart, the viewer's visual cortex will interpret the pair of images as a single three-dimensional image. Modern computer technology also allows for the production of 3D films without dual cameras.” - Wikipedia