Bits&Pieces

We don't cotton to that sort of thing, 'round here

Awww yeah. You can't not have fun with these.

iPhone? iPhone? We don't need no stinkin' iPhone.

Not when we have facial hair. Tell 'em, Burt.

Do you know what this tells me?

This tells me that God answers my prayers selectively.

Maybe He doesn't want me to have that iPhone G3, but you can't tell me He doesn't want to prove to the world that the third time's a charm for Mr. Bret "Air Brushed to Death Freak Show" Michaels.

Amen.

(Thanks for the link, Beverly!)

Take me out

Aidan's fastpitch softball season is coming to an end. And I'm actually sad about this. Sad, because, I can be having the worst possible, hormonally-rage filled day ever, but once I'm settled into my brand new red Target chair with cupholder, watching the game unfold, somehow, all the crap just melts away.

It's not that I'm that big a fan of baseball; I just like seeing my kid out doing sporty stuff with other kids who like doing sporty stuff.

Of course, this one could sit for hours watching.

But this one also gets tired of the magical black image gathering device that's constantly trained on him.

Kid, get your hand OFF that lens if you want to see nine. I'm so not kidding.

But like I said, it's relaxing just to be at the game. For everyone. Even those who have to sit in the old school, piece o' shite chairs.

While I have no shots of my super comfy new Target chair (nor can I find a link to save my life) you're going to have to use your imagination and trust me. I am WAY more comfortable.

One of the things that amazes me though, is sitting back with a zoom lens, and watching my kid just be. And I look at her sometimes, and think: whose womb did she come from? Because it sure doesn't seem like mine at times. That skin. That face. I see no trace of my genetic material.

That just might be a lucky thing. Especially if she gets to dodge my particular brand of nutso.

So there you go. Snap shots of baseball, or variations there of. Let's have a song, shall we?

Thank you, Johnny Reznik.

p.s. My friend Margie thinks you're smokin' hot.

Now for some gratuitous T & A! (well, some "A" anyway)

If I had a butt like that, I would never NOT wear those jeans. Sigh. Did I mention I used to fit into his pants?

Spent some time this weekend editing photos from the past three months for my periodic Shutterfly upload. I use iPhoto to view and chronologically organize my photos as they come out the camera. But I keep a separate folder on my hard drive for all the photos I work on, and subsequently print or upload to print. It's certainly not as sexy as the photo above, but, it looks like this:

I usually get three months at a time, and then edit the photos, and upload. I'd like to get into the habit of doing it monthly, but i'd also like to be posting this blog post from a new shiny friggin' iPhone with ZERO trace of stomach overhang. My point: don't get too lofty in your plans.

(A little production note: I basically tweak every snapshot I take, even it it's just a slight contrast adjustment. I'm a big fan of the actions. I use Kubota Image Tools, and Totally Rad Actions, and a cool free set from The Pioneer Woman.) 

Once I upload, I move those folders into the "To Archive and Burn" folder, where I, you guessed it, archive and burn CDs. Then I move the folders into "Archived Images", which I also periodically back up. I also back up my iPhoto original photos as well, just in case of a catastrophic meltdown. I also back up my car when exiting parking spaces, for example, at Target. But now I'm just getting stupid.

The bottom line? I back up regularly. Because I would hate to lose shots like this:

Or yummy ones like this:

Or buddy shots, like this:

(That's one of my favorite neighbors, Jay. Remind me to post about the time he and I tried to record a song for National Scrapbooking Day.)

Here's to developing your own, super rad, perfectly fail-proof photo work flow.

Dr. Pavlov, ring that bell

Here's part of my dilemma:

1. I already HAVE a reliable, if slightly ancient and completely uncool cell phone.

2. Have you seen how expensive the AT&T Plans are? I'm presently on Verizon. Oh, Daddy's not going to like that one at all.

3. I will be in the office tomorrow morning, here in Utah. Nowhere near a store, which will be the only place you can buy them at first.

4. I don't even use the cell I have all that much.

5. Have you seen how expensive the AT&T Plans are?

I'm only thinking out loud here. That's how I reach all big decisions that I've already made.

The thing really is the financial aspect of the plan. Activation fees. Blah, blah, blah.

Part of me  (the part that Dan has carefully, and lovingly conditioned over the years) thinks, "An extra 100 bucks a month for a phone? or food?"

God, I hate being so friggin' practical.

__________________________________

In other news (no, really, Cathy? there's other news in the world than your whining for technology?), you can check out our new website, which has just launched into beta mode. I know a few of you had some questions. Keep checking back. We're working out any bugs!

new chairs, new websites, new diets

One, I got me a new chair. I know this might sound a little silly, but seriously? THIS IS THE MOST AWESOME THING THAT HAS EVER HAPPENED TO ME, EVER! If you were here, and you could sit in its overly cushy goodness, you would understand. The way it hugs my hindquarters is nothing short of miraculous. Hallelujah! Thank you, Office Max and thank you, Cathy's faulty impulse-buy-inhibition switch. It might work for an iPhone, but not for EVERYTHING!

Two, we've got a new website cooking up. Check back later today here for an entirely revamped online community of scrapbooking yummy-ness from CK Media .

And three, speaking of yummy-ness, or lack thereof, I'd like to thank blog reader Alli for giving me the hot tip on The Daily Plate, a free online healthy eating tool thingie that I'm now going to use in addition to exercise and, apparently, common sense, to get my body back to a manageable level of chub. I started on Saturday, and have thus far avoided massive amounts of potato chips and Sprite. I see a light at the end of the tunnel. BRING ON CALORIE COUNTING!

One more thing: I am looking for a good online recipe/calorie converter. I've found a few that are lame and buggy. Anyone have a hot tip?

Heading out to CK Media Central for meetings until Friday. Hope to post from the road. 

Kings of the World

So last night, I capped off a perfect 4th of July holiday weekend by making my annual visit to the ball park to catch a Saints game.

Usually, I drop the family off and then have three nice peaceful hours of quiet all to my self. Sigh. That's the real reason I'm such a huge fan of the game. But… last night I needed to see my Mini Fan in action.

As some of you may have read before, Cole took to following around the St. Paul Saints Super Fan around last year, copying his outfit and basically imitating everything he did. Turned out, Super Fan loves having a Mini Fan around, and so, the duo was born.

Last night was Super Fan night at the Saints, and Super Fan presented Cole with a brand spanking new Mini Fan matching shirt. In the past, Cole just wrote the words "Mini Fan" on a white tee with a Sharpie. But no more. He has never looked more official.

One of the great things about Saints' games is that the ball park is a "No Wave Zone". You are not allowed to do the Wave at a Saints game. Instead, you do the Roller Coaster with Super Fan. He comes around (with Mini in tow) and tells the crowd exactly how it's going to go down. Everyone lifts their hands in the air, then brings them down to their laps, and says, "CLICK!" Then, everyone follows Super Fan's lead as he says, "Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick." as if the roller coaster is making it's way up a really big assed hill. Then, at the top, Super and Mini Fans throw their hands up in the air to simulate the coaster on its way down, and the crowd follows.

But before the crowd is allowed to start, Super Fan asks Mini to measure the crowd to see if they're tall enough for the ride:

(Notice the tiny little yardstick Mini is holding? Nice.)

Then it looks a bit like this:

If Super and Mini lean to one side, so does the crowd.

They usually just do section by section, but last night, being Super Fan night, was special. Super and Mini went out to the field to lead the entire stadium in one ginormous roller coaster ride.

Followed by what is possibly my favorite part of Super and Mini's whole shtick: Mini Fan throws up after each ride.

I just couldn't be any prouder of the fact that I gave birth to the Mini Fan. Seriously.

Black Velvet Flashback

And no, I ain't talkin' 'bout what comes in the bottle, ladies.

First things first: I am taking today AND tomorrow off from work, and let me tell you, as I sit here, in my PJs, typing, with a brisk July morning temp of 49 (yes, you heard me) degrees, with a local time of 7:53 a.m., I am SO looking forward to this day. And the day 'morrow. And the 'morrows following, until Monday. (Saying 'morrow makes me feel like a turn of the century poet, or Ben Franklin.)

And one of the things I have planned for today is photo uploading and archiving. Uploads for May and June photos, and archiving for the the past 4 months. I love fresh photos, and I love knowing that my shots are relatively safe were my beloved Mac to up and meet its maker on me.

Last night, however, I was searching through iPhoto, which dates back to March 2004, when I got my first digital camera, and I was specifically looking for pictures of Dan, and came across this lovely, black velvet self portrait series. (I had a remote shutter tripper in my hand. Nice.)

There are more, but these few are definitely my favorite, especially the middle one where Dan creates a manly bicep using no trickery of any kind. I'm fairly certain I've posted the boob-grabbing one. Boob-grabbing is sort of a generalized, recurring theme in my life.

But the lighting was damned good! And these were taken with my old Nikon N80, and holy crap, I was thinner then. Granted, it was 2005. I was smoking like a fiend (oh, THAT old story), and yet, I can't help but think to myself the following thought:

Lose weight.

And see Dan? Today, he looks EXACTLY the same, possibly even better and with less love handle. His t-shirts fit him year after year after year. I know this because I fold them and put them away. He doesn't have a rotating closet of sizes like I do. He also didn't eat 24 popsicles yesterday. Or have those two Hershey bars that somehow found their way into my mouth.

What a difference 30 pounds doth make.

And so, all it takes, apparently, is a little black velvet flashback to refocus your efforts.

And so I say to this coming Saturday: I shall meet you with better health.

(Can't do it on the 'morrow. Too much drinking and meat ingestion is planned.)

Have a safe and happy Holiday weekend.

HOF Day 2

As I was saying, there are certain pages, that when I go back and look at them, I think: I could just do this, over and over and over, and I'd be good. I'd have things covered.

I think this was in an article once, for Simple, a three or four years ago? Maybe? Now, keep in mind: i don't prop my kids in front of black velvet anymore. Hard as it is for me to admit this now, it was overkill. I have to let them live in the real world. And in the real world, black velvet backgrounds don't magically appear. Sigh. I know. SUCH a bummer.

But really, one photo, and a handful of specific, random personality ticks. What more do I need?

One of these for each year. Now that would make a fun theme album. I think I will try and make one of these for "8". Because you know what? With this boy, 8 is Great.

And just like that, a title is born.

[fairly certain the fonts are Bell Gothic and Carpenter, for those who like to know that sort of thing.]

Hall of Fame

No, I'm not referring to this (in all of my 2002, soft-focus glory, when I thought I should go by "Cathryn" in magazine print, because it made me seem smarter somehow, until I realized that when I actually met people in real life, they could call me all the live long day by that name and I'd be like, "Do you mean me?"), but rather, my own personal Hall of Fame. I'm talking about layouts that over time, hold up. Layouts that when I see them, I think: I could do this page, and this design, over and over and over. They're that good.

Do you have those pages? The ones where you say, "I really AM good at this scrapbooking thing."

As I've been immersed in developing my class for Big Picture Scrapbooking (and in a few weeks, I'll have the specific details, cost, etc. ready to roll out, so check back for that), I've been spending much more time with all of these pages that are filling the binders of my life. And because it was so fun to share one yesterday, I'm doing it again today, even if it doesn't have the new layout smell.

Why? Because I like it.

(And for those of you who read my blog and think, "Get a dog already!" I appreciate that sort of enthusiasm, but really, I'm not physically or emotionally ready for that type of commitment. I'm so not kidding.)

But back to the page…I love this design, and the journaling approach. Anyone can do a page like this. You can dress it up more, but the basic design foundation is solid. I also love pulling photos from different points in time, as well. And let's face it: I was adorable, KISS t-shirt and all.

More Personal Hall of Fame entries later, gators.