Saturday, June 30, 2012

Oh well, better luck next time

Last night was the second game of what was suppose to be a double elimination All Star series, and of course we lost. We were playing against a year round premier select team, which I think is bullshit, but hey, they don't ask me what I think. We lost the game, but I would have to say, our team played a lot better than they did the night before, and they actually scored a few runs. The team we were playing has a record of scoring 20+ points on teams within the first 2 innings. We were able to hold them at 13. I know, that doesn't sound good, but for them being a premier team, and having the record they have, they should have been able to play much better then they were, and they were playing great.

Anyway, like I said, this was suppose to be a double elimination, meaning we lose 2 games and we are done...well, come to find out, you actually play at least 3 games, meaning we have 1 more game tonight, if it doesn't rain, and this game is pretty much for nothing. No matter how hard these boys get out there and play, and if they happen to win, they do not get to advance. Win or Lose, I have enjoyed watching Dawson play baseball this year. He has improved so much since last year, and though I know he still has a lot of learning to do, he did great. This was the last year he could play little league, and so if he decides to play next year, it will be pony league. I hear that is a lot different than little league. We shall see though. Have to see how well he does with school, and plus he is wanting to play football in school this coming year.

Friday, June 29, 2012

TGIF

Dawson had his first All Star game yesterday and it did not turn out so well. They were run ruled in the 4th inning with a score of 11-1. It did not take long for the sadness to set in. He told me on our way home that it was his fault the they lost seeing how he missed a play. My reply to that was "Hellllllo, you missed one play, they were already 10 runs a head of yall, and with nobody on your team hitting the ball really, there was no way in hell that you would have ever caught up with the other team." You would have thought that I just kicked him in the knee, with the way that he looked at me when I said that. Oh well. The All Stars is a double elimination and so they play again tonight and if they do not win, then they are finished. I am praying these boys bring their game tonight and win.

After the game the kids will go to their dads house for the weekend, and I am not real sure what we will be doing. Talked about going to some place called Katz Deli, but seeing that the game is at 8, and could possibly take 2 hours to play, and this deli place is in Houston, I don't know if we will really be going there or not.

We have also talked about going to the beach. Well, me and Cindy have. Not sure if Bob and Ronnie are on board with that or not. lol. I do know that we need to not be spending too much money, as I just booked our first family vacation....that means without any grownups. lol. I am excited about this and can not wait. We only have a couple of weeks until the adventure begins. YAY.

I haven't really taken any pictures since my class the other day, other than a few yesterday of Dawson in his All Star uniform, and I really would like to. The problem is that my own kids are not very photogenic, and it drives me insane. Keigan tries to be. She tries to pose herself in all these silly little poses. It's cute, but it does not make for good pictures. lol. As soon as either one of my kids see a camera pointed in their direction, they either start making silly faces, or they get these really fake, cheesy smiles. Ugh. Goofballs I tell ya. Since I took my class on Monday, I have had 17 people ask me about taking pictures, but nobody has set up a time yet. In the mean time I have tried to come up with some packages kind of, seeing as people are asking me about that, but of course, I have not had any real luck. Well, I kind of have, but I just keep talking myself down, and basically trying to sale my self short. "Oh my pictures and time are not worth that" kind of stuff. We are our toughest critics.


When we take out little vacation, I will try to take some pictures of the kids. I hope they work with me!

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

I loved my class

Well, I went to my private one on one lesson yesterday, and I LOVED it. I got a lot of information, and I will keep practicing with what I was given.

The owner of the studio that I went to even told me that for being a beginner, shooting in the automatic/action mode that I have been shooting in, and knowing nothing about ISO and Apeture, that I my photos are amazing, and that I have a natural eye for this. That was the best compliment. Of course I have heard that photos were great, many times, but me being me, usually just marked it off as "they are a friend, of course they are going to say my photo look good" but even still, it ALWAYS feels good to have compliments.

I am super excited about my new path....

Sunday, June 24, 2012

It's almost Monday!!!!

Tomorrow is Monday and I am so excited. I am so ready to go take this private photography lesson! I have had more than just a couple of people ask me about taking pictures for them and it makes me feel so good. I know I can take some good pictures, sometimes, but I honestly am so critical of myself most of the time, that I never would have thought that this many people would want me taking their family pictures. lol. I am not even a real photographer...yet. Or am I? Who is to say that I am or not? I guess myself? I dunno.

Anyway, I hope people keep wanting me to take their pictures, and I hope one day (soon) that I will actually consider myself to be a photographer, and that I will eventually quit selling myself short. That I will reach a point that I am not scared or worried to tell someone a direct price for X amount of shots/prints or whatever.

Until tomorrow.......

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Today WAS the day

Today was one of the days that I have been impatiently awaiting!!!!!

Today was the Pasadena Livestock Show and Rodeos 3rd Annual SteakOff, and I had such a great time. I have wanted to join a rodeo committee for a very long time, and last year, when I finally did it, I could not believe that I had waited so long to actually do it. I am even more happy that I chose to get in on a brand new committee/event, and I plan on doing it every year from here on out, as long as they will have me. I met some great people, and they all know how to have a good time.
This is a tailgate party for the most part. Yes, some cook teams have the big flashy pits, and all that, but that does not mean they are going to win. I means they are about to have a good time, and that they have the hopes of showing others a good time as well.
The first year of this event, there were 5 cook teams. The second year (when I joined) there were 13. This year, there were 17 teams! It is growing!!! Next year, I personally hope to see at least 30 teams.
These teams come out and set up early the morning of the event, pay the $100 dollar entry fee for the steak, and $25 dollars per dessert, cook their steak that they will turn in to be judged, cook lots of other food, for their group and anybody else that comes to their tent, many of them serve drinks (mostly beer and mixed drinks or shots) and nobody is a stranger. It seems that everybody welcomes everybody, and that is good. I mean, we are all there to have fun right?
Once the judging is complete and awards are handed out, almost everybody gives their cash prize right back to the event, which goes to scholarships for area high school students during the rodeo.
This is something that you just have to be there to really see and understand. I LOVE IT!


With all of that being said, I am worn out, and so ready to go to bed. I will write more later (but probably not about steakoff haha)

Friday, June 22, 2012

E-Gossip

This will probably be pretty random, but I guess that is me. I am a random kinda girl. I have a lot going on, meaning I have a lot to do, and I am doing what? Sitting on my ass in front of this computer, looking at e-gossip (facebook) and reading blogs.

I was informed tonight at the boys baseball practice that I need to bring (tomorrow) his original birth certificate, and 3 other forms of proof of where we live, but they need to be dated at the latest, Feb. 2012. Hello, who the hell keeps their old bills that long? Not me. So now, what I should be doing is finding all of this shit, and getting it ready seeing as it has to be handed over tomorrow, and of course looking for it tomorrow would just be a pain in the ass. I have other things I want to do tomorrow. Like go take some pictures. Duh. All of this for the boy to play (what will probably only be 2 games) in the All-Stars. Yeah,  I know, real supportive sounding, but hey, just keeping it real. lol.

I have been suppose to be making a grocery list all day, and going shopping, but umm, that did not happen either. I know, I am such a slacker. You really have NO CLUE. Some days I feel like I have the energy of a 3 year old, and others I feel like an 80 year old, 400 pound, worthless human. Mostly the latter of the two. Ugh, the bad thing is I just turned 34. That in itself scares the hell out of me, but that is whole different story.

The hubs left work this morning and I did not even know he was going to work, so when I woke up and could not find him, I was kind of in a panic. Crazy. Here it is 11:37 at night and he is still at work. I hate when he works all day and all night, and hate it even more when he works all day, all night, and all day the next day. Yes, he does work like that sometimes. He does these things though so that I am able to stay home with the kids. I don't work, but I give you my word, it is not because I do not apply at places. I do. Almost every place wants you to apply online. I do that, and then I wait. I know that life would be easier at times if I had a job, but at the same time, the hubs does not want me to work every single weekend. I do thank God every single day for blessing me with such a great man. He never bitches about money. He could give a shit less. If there is 20 dollars in the bank, and  I want something, he will tell me to go over draft the bank just so I can get whatever it is that I want. Well, needless to say, I do NOT do this. He works, tells me what to pay, when to pay it, and how much to pay. That is about the extent of me spending money usually. Now, I do have to have my dollar fountain Dr. Pepper at least 2 times a week. He is the shopper, he is the spender, and I don't bitch. He is the one that works, and makes the money, and so after all, it is his to do with what he wants. Shh, don't tell him I said that. lol. He gets mad at me for saying shit like that. He tells me that the reason he works the way he does is so that I can do what I want, and buy things...maybe he says that because he knows I am not a shopper? lol

I also need to really deep clean this house! I have moaned and groaned about it for a while, but I have not done anything about it. It really has been one thing after the next though. Excuses are like assholes though, and everybody has them, so I guess I need to just bite the bullet and get with it. I came home tonight from baseball practice and the two little rat dogs had gotten the trash down...off of the top of the deep freezer and had that shit everywhere! Coffee grinds, ashes, and everything else. I have no clue how the hell they did it. I also have to move some other stuff around. We have an island in the kitchen and they keep getting up on it and getting into stuff. Knocking drinks over, into the floor, or they get on the damn dinning table and knock drinks over. Mind you, I do not have a desk, so my lap top and my brand new computer are both on the dinning room table. I could freaking kill these dogs. With that being said, I want a big dog! I will have a big dog come Christmas or income tax time. lol.

So in a few minutes it will be midnight, meaning it will be Friday, meaning I have a mandatory SteakOff meeting tomorrow night at 7 and I am excited. The SteakOff is Saturday and I can't wait. This is the 3rd year for this event, and it is part of the Pasadena Livestock Show and Rodeo. This is my second year on the committee and I will be doing it as long as they have the event. I love it! The SteakOff is pretty much a tailgate event. You cook a steak (ribeye) and the best one wins $500 dollars. A scholarship is awarded to a child during rodeo. I just LOVE IT!

Depending on how I feel Sunday, we are suppose to go to the park with some friends, and then.....it will be MONDAY, and  I can not wait! Monday is when I will be taking my private 2 hour photography lesson!!!! YAY!

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Blah blah blah

I have absolutely NOTHING to really write about, but I am bored to death. The hubs is home, and one kid. I have a ton of shit I could be doing, but ugh, who wants to do house work everyday? NOT this girl!

I would rather be on a cruise somewhere. The Bahamas sound fantastic. Maybe one day, if only in my dreams.

I could go to the beach, but it's kinda late in the day for that, and my beach friends are at work.

Wish I had a job.

This nasty weather needs to hurry up and move out. Friday evening I have a meeting for the SteakOff Committee, and then the actual SteakOff is Saturday. I'm pretty excited about this event. This is the 3rd year for the event, and the 2nd year I have been on the committee. It is for the Pasadena Rodeo, and it is basically a tailgate party, and the team that cooks the best steak wins 500 dollars! Exciting huh? I think so...

Other than that, there is not a lot going on, other than baseball practice for the boy. I think his games start next week, and if they lose 2 games, they are out. If they win 4 games, then they advance to  the next round. Can they win  the games needed? Yes. Will they? probably not. lol. I know, that sounds horrible, but I am only telling the truth.

Guess I will start saving my pennies too, so that we can plan a mini vacay with our beach friends. We are wanting to go float the river. New Braunfels, or Garner, either one will be fine with us. We shall see how it all goes......

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Is it Monday yet?

I talked to the people today at the photography school and I was about to set up my appointment for my private 2 hour lesson and Monday can not get here fast enough. I honestly can not think of ever being more excited about something. To be honest, if it hadn't been storming most of the day so far, I probably would have ventured off to Houston just to see the place, and make sure I knew where I was going, but I actually have a pretty good idea of how to get there. I hope. lol. This is when I wish I had a Garmin. Oh well. I will find it, and I will be there, and I will have fun, and learn as much as I can. The lady seems really nice, and eager to teach a wannabe like me. I will be taking lots of notes, and then I am sure I will be bugging the crap out of my friend to let me use her ever so photogenic daughters, along with my kids too of course. I am sure the boy will just be thrilled. NOT!

I will be taking the class just in time for All-Star games to start too, so we will see how that works out. I am sure I will be posting more pictures.


Saturday, June 16, 2012

more...















Some of my photos

















My dreams WILL come true!

Yesterday I received a private message on FaceBook from an old school friend asking me what my email address was, and said she had something she needed to share with me. She is about to move to move to Japan, and I just figured she came across something from way back in the day, while packing up, and boy was I wrong!

See, I met Becky when she moved to Texas from California when we were in the 5th grade. Although we both took different paths later in life, we still have always managed to stay in some sort of contact. Becky took photography classes in high school, and I was a photo subject of hers when I was like 16 (many years ago) and I quit high school. She went on to become a Longhorn at the University of Texas in Austin, and she was going to be a profession photo journalist, I think, I don't really remember exactly what her major was. Either way, I have always thought back to that day when I was the main subject of her photos, and how much fun we had, or I had. lol. I remember going to a few different places with her to take pictures of different sorts.

Through the years I have given thought here and there about wanting to be a photographer, but of course I never could afford a nice camera, or the classes to learn the proper technique. I mean hell, you have to have classes to be "professional" right? WRONG! After much reading, I have figured out that there is NOTHING written ANYWHERE, that says you have to have formal training to be a professional photographer. You have to have passion, is what I have figured out. Desire. Want.


I remember the exact moment when I decided that someday, someway, I would somehow, make my dreams come true and become a photographer. It was at Becky's moms house, in the bathroom. Strange I know, but we were in there looking at a picture that Becky had taken at her apartments in Austin (because she never moved back home after college) of a bunch of toilets! Hmm, putting that into words in black and white really sounds funny, but it is the truth. The apartments were doing some remodeling or something and had all these toilets out in the court yard and she seen a great photo op in them. I wish I had a copy of the picture. I fell in love with it and thought it was the coolest thing that I had ever seen. To me, it was a picture that you would see in a home furnishing store or something, and people would buy the hell out of it. I know I would. I love it that much.

Well, I got up this morning and I checked my email because my phone was alerting me that I had 4 new messages, and Becky had sent me a gift certificate for a 2 hour, one on one lesson, photo class. They will help me with whatever I want them to. I was crying like a baby when I read it, and as I was reading the email to the Hubs, I got all choked up again. There is no-way-in-the-world that I will ever be able to repay her for this, or that she could possibly understand how much it means to me, but this is the start to making my dreams come true!

"Tara,

I am so excited that you have gotten so interested in photography! I wanted to help you on your journey, so I found a photo studio in Houston that offers classes and one-on-one lessons. This gift certificate is for a two hour, one-on-one class that will be tailor made for whatever you want. When you call to schedule your class, you should be able to specify with them what you want to spend the time on. I hope you will be able to find a couple of hours for yourself to go! I have been trying to think of a way I could help (beyond what little advice I have been able to give!) and I would repay my teachers poorly if I didn't do something to help someone else. You take beautiful pictures and I think you have real talent with a camera. I hope you will be able to find as much satisfaction and enjoyment in photography as I have. Enjoy the class and be sure to let me know how it goes! As far as I know, there isn't a time limit on it. The contact information is on the gift certificate. The company is called Everyday Photo Class and is located in Houston...not sure exactly where, but Google maps should be able to help on that front.

Becky"
 
 
 Like I said, I will never be able to repay her, but I will PAY IT FORWARD, and I will help someone else in this exact same manner. 

Becky, 
Thank you, a million times over, and please know that I will take this class, and I will hold on to every thing that I learn. You are my reasoning for doing this, and I hope that some day I can be as good as you! 
Love Always, Tara!
 
 

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Who allows their CHILD to be 17 and living under a bridge?

Ugh. I am beyond fucking disgusted! I have a friend, who's name I will not mention, has allowed her 17 year old daughter to go live under a bridge, with her boyfriend, at least until the 1st of July!?!? The following is a history of said friend.

I met this girl in 1992 when I was forced to move from my hometown and go to a new school. She thought I was weird (which I probably was) but after a day or so, we became best friends. She was a senior, I a freshman. She had a boyfriend who was (and probably for the most part still is) an idiot looser. This guy was way older than she was, had a criminal record a mile long, had no real job, no desire to have a real job, was controlling, and wasn't even a little bit good looking! Her mother did not like this boyfriend at all, and to be honest with you, nobody really did. He was dragging her down. She wanted to go to college and become a nurse, and make something of her life. She was the only one of 4 kids to graduate high school. Instead, this is what happen. She wasn't "allowed" to go to her senior prom, because the boyfriend was in jail (for the umptenth time) and was not having any part of her going. Shortly after graduation the boyfriend was let out of the county jail (after I can't remember how long) and she soon became pregnant. She applied for government assistance, and started her life of sorrow, regret, or whatever you want to call it. The boyfriend would not maintain any kind of real work. He demolished her car, which left her pregnant, and in search of a job, and therefore walking anywhere she needed to go. He would go out and cheat on her, and hit her, and was in and out of jail.
When the baby was 3 months old, my friends mom had had enough of all the bullshit, and for selfish reasons, called and had the boyfriend arrested on probation violations. He was sentenced to 20 years in the Texas Department of Corrections. For a couple of years my friend was "hopelessly devoted" to this fucktard.
After I quit high school myself, I went and got a job and was working and helping her take care of her baby. Meaning, I would buy stuff for the baby that she could not afford. Her and the baby were welcomed into my family. My mom did the same stuff for the two of them, that she did for me.
Then one day my friend and I went to a carnival looking for another friend from high school that supposedly had married into the family (owners) of the carnival. Well, we did not find that old friend right off the bat, but my friend started talking to one of the ride guys, and by the time that carnival left town, she was going with them! By this time, the child was now 3, and had been put on Ritalin for ADD (because basically she was a 2, almost 3 year old and had no discipline) Soon after she hit the road with the carnival, I would go and pick up the kid so that I could know she was being taken care of properly. They were sleeping in a big truck (that pulled the ride that  the new boyfriend operated) or they would sleep in carnival rides, ticket booths, game trailers, and every once in a while, motels. This is no life for a child! Damn sure not a child who supposedly has medical needs, and has to be seen by a doctor and psychiatrist every month! Anyway, I would pick the child up for weeks at a time, and would never hear from my friend until they were getting closer to town and she would want me to bring the child to her. This went on for I guess a year, maybe a little longer.
She ended up pregnant again, lost that baby, and then ended up pregnant again. She went through at least half of her pregnancy without being seen by a doctor, and then one night they (her and the boyfriend) decided to come home, like nothing. Fast forward a few years, I got married and had a baby of my own, she marries the carnival guy (after they have the new baby, and she is pregnant with a 3rd child) and the pattern is the same as with the first childs father, with the exception that this new guy, her husband, would work! He always worked. Seldom without a job, and they had their own place, but from time to time would live with her mom and stepdad. He smoked pot, was known to smoke crack, and he too had a criminal record. He cheated on her and actually had a child with another woman, around the same time that the 3rd child was born. Talk about Jerry Springer! But, he worked and help take care of the kids!
Fast forward a few more years,  I don't remember the reason, other than my friend and her mom simply could not handle the first born child, and she got in the way of the two new kids (because her, the husband and the 2 new kids were a family, but the first born child's father was still in prison) anyway, the first born came to live with me and my now 2 kids. My friend was just about to sign over guardianship to me, and I was going to raise the child. My friends mom became mad at something, and so they jerked the girl out of my home, and then shortly after that, my friend and all 3 of her kids came to live with me for a couple of years. All this time, my friend has been government assistance, (since she became pregnant with the first child, but she did lose her benefits while she was out with the carnival) and now the oldest was I think 11 or 12. I don't remember. After they moved out of my house, she moved in to public housing, and was working, trying to take care of her kids the best she could. Her dad had died some years before, her mom had moved to Alabama, and her brother and sisters all lived far away. She had nobody at this time. She and I were no longer friends at this point. In the next few years would only talk to each other here and there. I talked to her when her mom died, and she came to my moms funeral some months later. She was with some young, punk, piece of shit, control freak at the time I was going through a divorce, and he did not like me, so she was not allowed to talk to me much, unless they needed something of course.
Fast forward again, to the present....my friend met some guy at a motel (that she was forced to move to because her kids keep getting her kicked out of everywhere she lives) and they immediatly got a place of their own. He is an alcoholic, and doesn't like her kids. They split up for a while. He had the lights shut off at the trailer they were living in, which left her with 3 kids with no lights. No way to wash  them clothes for school, or anything. Yet now she has decided she wants to be with him now and they are back together but she has kicked the older daughter out, (which by this time is 17 and knows everything and was allowed to drop out of high school 4 weeks before she graduated) and she is living under a bridge with her boyfriend. The middle child went far away to her aunts house, and the youngest with the new boyfriend's WIFE and their kids!

What the fuck is wrong with people?!?!?!

Friday, June 8, 2012

Groundhog Day?

I swear I feel as though today is just a repeat of yesterday! Maybe not as much to do, but the same shit to do, none the less.

Yesterday was spent cleaning. Everything except for the master bedroom and bathroom. Unfortunately, I'm still not working on those rooms today either. Instead, I am cleaning the kitchen, and possibly washing some more clothes. Seems as though everybody wants to have clean clothes, and of course the ones they want cleaned are not in the 10 loads I have already done this week. I think everybody in this house needs 7 pairs of pants, 7 underwear, 7 pairs of socks, 7 pairs of shorts, and 14 shirts. Period. Again, I am not bitching, simply because I am blessed enough to be able to stay home, and I guess in reality, it's my own fault...to an extent. Plus, the hubs worked yesterday until 3 and he cooked dinner last night. Fried chicken. Yum.

In our kitchen we have an island. I love the island. It is what really made me want to move here. Now, the island  has become my worst nightmare. Just like a fucking coffee table, or night stand, or dresser, or end table, or dinning room table or....you get the point. It collects everything. When you walk in the front door you go right to the island and set everything. Phones, kindles, chargers, ear buds, nuts, bolts, screws, change, and whatever else you may have in your hands, lunchbox, and pockets. Well, maybe not so much the pockets because that shit usually comes out in the washer, unless it is a crayon, and then it comes out in the dryer.

Anyway, being as that K and I cleaned up really well yesterday, and the island was clean and clear, (except for my John Deere stuff that belongs there) I told the hubs he should just plug the electric skillet up on the island and cook there. Great idea! More room to work, ya know? So he does just that. Plugs the skillet up, gets the glass pan that we use when we roll stuff in flour. Fills it with flour, seasons the flour, seasons the chicken, gets a cookie sheet out and lines it with paper towels, (for the cooked chicken) and he proceeds to cook. I cooked the mashed potatoes. That was hard work I tell ya. (we had instant)

We eat dinner, he puts the leftovers in bowls and puts them in the fridge. He is weird. He likes cold fried chicken, and takes it for lunch. Around 10 last night, the hubs asks me to wash him some pants for work. I gave him a hard time about it, because it was 10 o'clock, but I was just messing with him. I knew he was about to go to bed, and he ALWAYS wants me to go to bed at the same time, and I was not sleepy. I get a load of jeans started in the wash, and he goes to bed. I'm watching some tv, waiting for the dryer to finish so I can put the jeans in the dryer. After I do all of that, I take a look at the kitchen and think to myself, "What the hell? I'll clean it up tomorrow, it won't be a big deal." I notice there is a chicken leg bone on the cookie sheet and I put it in the trash, and push the chairs in around the dinner table, move the extra chair that K drags around the kitchen so that she can reach things, and that the hubs sometimes sits in while he is cooking. When I say I moved it, I mean I moved it away from the island, and away from the little table that is in front of the island.

Here is what I am bitching about. Apparently, at some point, someone let the dogs out of D's room, moved the chair back closer to the island, and when I got up this morning and walked into the kitchen, all I could see was greasy paw prints all over the counter top to the island! Really? I guess I let that set my mood for the day. Maybe. I dunno yet. I do know that I am so sick of these little piss ant dogs that my kids have, that I could just punt them out the damn door, most of the time. I am just thankful that I thought to throw the damn chicken bone away. Ugh.

So, now I guess I will get off of here and get busy on the kitchen, and then maybe take the kids to the pool, and then later start getting stuff ready to go to the beach tomorrow with our friends!

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Just not feeling it....

I have so much shit I need to be doing, and yet I simply don't feel like doing any of it. Being the responsible adult (haha) that I am though, I have managed to wash all of the dishes, take the stove apart, and clean it. The little "burner liners" are soaking, trying to get some of that "oh-shit-it's-boiling-over-oh-well-I'll-clean-it-up-later-but-forgot-and-now-every-time-you-cook-the-burner-smokes-and-sometimes-even-catches-on-fire" shit out of them. Yes, I am aware that is horribly disgusting, but in my defense, I am not the only one that cooks, but I am usually the only one that cleans the stove, and with all my other stuff that I should be doing, but usually don't get done because I am usually sitting on my big fat ass, in front of this damn life sucking computer. Anyway, back to my accomplishments of the day...(with the help of K) the carpet has been vacuumed, trash picked up, counters cleaned, both kids bedrooms cleaned, and I have slowly been working on the laundry. No, that's a lie. I haven't done any laundry today.

The hubs worked until midnight last night, and then had to get back up at 5:30 this morning be back at work. He just got home. Worked until 3, but gets paid until 5. Yay for that! I went on a job interview this past Monday, and it went pretty good. The strangest interview I think I have ever been on, but all in all it was still pretty good. I have not heard anything back from them yet, but I don't really expect to until maybe next week. Even then, I think it will be for what the call a "working" interview. Work for them a week and see if they like me kinda thing. We shall see. I need a job. I want a job, but to be honest, I have mixed feelings about this particular one. It's a long story, and whole different posting in its self. Maybe one day I will post about it. In the mean time, I am really giving serious thought to taking some classes at the local community college. We refer to it as Harvard On The Hill, or Pelly Tech. I would like to take the phlebotomy course, and the pharmacy tech course, and at some point, some photography classes, and editing classes. Seems like a lot when I put in writing. Hmm.

Keep On Keepin On

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Everybody wants something for nothing

I was talking with a friend earlier on FaceBook who has been taking pictures for a while, and trying to get her photography business up and running, and somethings were mentioned that made me start thinking. I mean, I have already thought about these things many times before, but...

She has quit taking pictures, and removed her photography page from FaceBook because people are not taking her serious for one thing, and they are stealing her photos. She would post a few photos from different sessions, and instead of paying her, and ordering pictures, they just took it upon themselves to copy them and go on about their business.

Do people feel like this is alright because she is not a "professional" photographer? Well, who the hell decides if someone is a "professional" or not? She takes great pictures, and in turn is taking time away from her family to take these pictures for people, and this is how they pay her?

Well, guess what?!? I have been a licensed "professional" hair stylist for like 10+ years or something like that, and though I do not work in a salon any more, that does not make me any less of a stylist. I still keep up with my license, and that requires x amount of continuing education hours every time you renew. By the time it is all said and done, it can cost close to $200 dollars to renew that license. People still want haircuts for free, color for free, hi-lites for free, etc. Hello people, a TRIM is the same thing as a HAIRCUT. You still go through all the same motions, it still takes the same amount of time, you are just not taking off as much length. For some people, I do not mind doing something here and there for free, but I will not do it all the time. Sorry.

This also brings me back to the photography stuff. Yes, this is a hobby passion of mine, but I do want it to be a business, and I am not going to take pictures for free for everybody. If I ask you to let me take pictures, then I do not expect you to pay me anything, but if you are asking me to take pictures for you, then YES, I expect to be compensated for my time and other efforts, unless otherwise discussed. Do I know a starting rate? No, but I would say that if I am traveling somewhere to take pictures for you, and we are "out and about" for a couple of hours, and I am going to put the pictures on a disk for you, then I would say at least $100 dollars is a fair price. Of course this is depending on how far I have to travel. If it is something local, then I would say maybe $50. I can also let you proof the photos, and order "professional" prints.

It's AMERICA people, and it is 2012. Stop trying to get something for nothing and appreciate the things that people are willing to do, even if it is as little (in some peoples eyes) as spending a little time away from their own family, to try to help you in whatever way, in this situation, haircuts and pictures.


Ok, I am done.

A new blog

So after much though, I have decided to make a new blog. I don't really know my reasoning behind this, but whatever. I may still try to keep up with BOTH, but I am not going to promise anything.

Yesterday (Tuesday) was the last day of school for the kiddos. D will be going to the 7th grade (I'm pretty sure anyway) and K will be going to the 4th grade. They sure do grow up fast. Wonder were the time has gone? Hmm. Oh well. Guess we can't dwell on it. It is was it is....LIFE.

Today marks 4 years since my mom passed away. She wanted nothing more than to see K start Kindergarten, but sadly she missed it by a couple of months. She would be so proud of both kids. D takes all Pre-AP classes and is in the GATE program. Gifted And Talented Education. K...she could give a shit less about being in all of that extra stuff, but she still makes good grades. I hope she keeps that up. She is so much like me, it is scary, but I hope she always puts school first and does her best.

If you follow on my other blog, please follow here too. Like I said, I will try to keep up with both, but I can't promise anything. A lot has taken place in the last month, and I have not posted about any of it. I will start now.

Memorial weekend we went camping. We had a good time and was surrounded by family. Wish we did that more often. I have such great memories of doing stuff like that as a child, and I just feel like my kids are missing out. Both kids were grounded, so of course we had to hear some whining when all the other kids were riding 4 wheelers, but it wasn't too bad. The worst part was just the crappy attitude that D has about just about anything you tell him. I have come to the conclusion that I do not like 12 year old boys, and there should be some kind of free boot camp school that you can send them. Ugh. It comes and goes though. He is a whole different post. K whined a little, but not too much. She found a way to occupy her time. We were in Moscow at Pops place and he has ponds. He is in the process of redoing the biggest of them, and it was empty and lined with a couple of old swimming pools. Do you see where this is going? Yeah, the girls decided to make a slip-n-slide in the pond. They had a ball.

We came home from camping on Sunday, and started getting the house back in order. Monday we sold the Hubs' truck and went looking for an old clunker for the Hubs to drive to and from work. Well, needless to say all of the clunker lots were closed for the holiday, and the Hubs is a persistent man, so we went to the bigger places. I guess it was a moment of "what if tomorrow never comes, and I will have had this money and did nothing with it" kind of things. I don't know. Anyway, we ended up getting a Ford Edge, and so now he drives the car, and I drive the SUV. I absolutely LOVE it! It is not a brand new car, and I am good with that. The best part about buying it, and it being used, is that for some reason the dealer left all the paper work from the previous owner/driver in the car. I was able to get in touch with her and get the code to the key less entry pad. Yay. Otherwise it is like $150 dollars to go the dealership and get the code. Isn't that a bit ridiculous?

This past weekend we went to Galveston. First time I have been down there and actually played in the nasty water in probably 15 years. We went with some great friends, and had a great time. It was an all day event, as we had plans to leave the house by 8. That did not happen, but it doesn't matter. We still got there by noon and we did not leave until dark, and like I said, we had a great time. If it doesn't rain this weekend we will be back at the beach Saturday. I'm pretty sure anyway.


I got a text from D's baseball coach last night asking if he would like to play in the All-Stars. Of course he wants to play! They were going to have practice today, but per Little League rules, they are not allowed to practice more than 2 weeks before the first game. Stupid! They want D to work on playing 1st base instead of 3rd, which is where he played during the regular season. We shall see how this all works out.