The following comments are NO reflection on your pictures...Carolyn

With my disclaimer in place...(the following "rant" has nothing to do with the pictures posted). My husband turned 50 this year. He's so pleased that I announced it here. (By the way, I am MUCH younger than he is) In any case, nearing a half decade makes you pause and consider all the things you have done in your life and all the things still to do. You may consider taking the opportunity to make a list of things that you would like to accomplish BEFORE you kick the "bucket". However, in my usual fashion I would rather consider my "un-Bucket List". These are things that I will gladly forgo before the end of my life. 1) Giving up chocolate. 2) Running a marathon, seriously. THe only reason to run is if you are being chased. And then you should only run if you don't want to be caught, otherwise walking is sufficient. 3) Run for political office. Who needs the scrutiny? I'm too honest. I will tell you where the bodies are buried and who is in my closet. 4) Hike Mt. Everest. I have similiar feelings about hiking as I do about running. 5) Be called grandma. I do have grandchildren, but at their birth I offered their parents 2 options. I would consider grandma only if it was preceded by "sexy" otherwise they could call me "duchess". Duchess stuck, I wonder, does that mean I'm not sexy? In any case, don't be shy. Tell me what is on your "un-bucket list".

In defense of PDA

So the current hot topic at area junior highs is "public display of affection" and they are totally against it. I'm not in favor of teenagers "sucking face" while leaning against their lockers. However, the definition of PDA includes hugging and high fives. I can almost appreciate the hugging, because next it leads to sucking face, right? However hugging will be tolerated if say the basketball team has just won the state championship, what? EIther let the kids hug or don't. Hugging only permitted at sports events seems like a double standard right? I geuss I yearn for a simpler time when hugging wasn't offensive between two willing and consenting persons. Now as for high fives, really? I've never wanted to "suck face" with anyone following a high five. High fives just don't put me in that kind of mood. So what do you think?

In another year....

I do alot of repeat business. I watch braces go on. I watch braces come off. It's very satisfying to get that repeat business. It means it wasn't such a terrible experiance the first time around and you don't mind trying it out again. Taylor and Abby refused regular school pictures this year. They wanted me to take their pictures, instead. Thanks, Taylor and Abby I hope you like them, and should we plan for next year?

grAtitude with the big "A"

THis being November I'm thinking of all the many blessings that are mine. I have running water and when I flip the switch the lights go on and I don't need to know anything about electricity. I have my health and everyone in my extended family is healthy as well. Really and truly it doesn't get any better than this. Family is so important. I'm nearing the empty nest portion of my life when things should slow down and your commitments should be fewer (or so I've been told) but my life is even fuller with new opportunities to be important in someone's life. The tapestry that we weave is a complex series of threads and knots that bind many generations together. The things that mean the most to another person may not be the things you think about the most but the things that you do the most. Make a memory with someone today!!!

An investment vs. a fee....

In checking out the competition my eyes have been opened as to what photograpy can cost. Yikes! I heard of "friend discounts" that are well above my fee schedule. So here goes, I charge a different fee per service based on how many heads I may have to swap, how much editing I may have to do and what finished product you desire. For example, for family photography my fee that includes the CD and copyright release begins at $50. What does $50 include? Up to 3 persons, for each additional person add $10. So do the math. Back to school pictures? $50 minimum that includes up to 2. This includes multiple poses and up to one clothing change. Senior portrait package for high school seniors is $60 this includes the CD etc. 2 clothing changes and 2-3 collage pictures with your school and class of graduation written on for enclosure with your announcements. I will add a location fee of $20 if it is outside my "normal" shooting area. And large extended family groupings start at $150 an hour and I will shoot all the groups, individuals that I can in the amount of time that you choose. Reasonable? yes?

Why do they pretend that "pressure" isn't painful?

In an effort to keep my pictures current, I have decided that there is not much more in the way of good photographic advice that I can give. In order to get good pictures, you have to have good pictures taken, be relaxed, wear comfortable clothes and have fun. That being said, I am puzzled by health care professionals that tell you to expect a little "pressure" when what they really mean is they are about to purposely do something that will cause you pain. Today, I replaced my temporary crown with a permanent one. Yeah, you can see where I am going with this already can't you? So when my dental professional (who does a very good job and who I like very much-consider that the fine print) forced a foreign object up to my gum line (my crown) and pressed with all of his might into the top of my head. It felt like he was using the sole of his combat boots to grind it into my head, but no (I looked) he was only applying "pressure". Look, pressure is what turns coal into diamonds so it is not a little thing. Looking back, the only other health care professional that ever reported pain as pressure was my OB/GYN. It went something like this... "you will feel a little pressure as the head is delivered." Really, sherlock? As a I pass an infant the size of a virginia ham through an opening the size of a small orange I may feel some "pressure". Interesting that I have never had a female health care professional describe pain as pressure, don't you think?