hen mom texted me yesterday and informed me you were admitted for minor surgery, my heart lurched in my chest. The doctors unexpectedly admitted you at your appointment. Just that morning I texted to ask your year of birth. I filled my passport application and I needed that information, Dad. Did I tell you I love you? I checked my phone. Yes, I did. But I should have called. I should have said I Love You with my voice.
Mom tells me something about the C4 and C5 vertebrae and that's where the doctors are working. I should have said I Love You with my voice.
I called you last night and you recounted the breeze that opened your hospital gown just before anesthesia was administered. We laughed. I offered to pick up Zoe from choir practice, but you knew I was simply looking for an excuse to go home. To sit next to you at the kitchen counter. I bring you home a burrito with an extra side of salsa, just the way you like. You complain about messiness of the kitchen--blaming mom--but we both know your strewn coffee cup is just as guilty as hers. We laugh. I make tea. We talk. I rub your bald head like a crystal ball just before I leave and I secretly hope your smarts rub off on me.
Dad, I went home last night to say I Love You. With my voice.
ometimes he drives by it reeeeeeal slow. And then back again slowly to park in our garage. Our house is illuminated with Christmas lights this time of year with thanks to JD. Last year we didn't put up lights because he boycotted in light of the debacle the previous year. Yeah. That was the year I got all Griswold Christmas on him and begged him to cover--no, drench--our house in lights. He spent the entire day on the roof, second story, in between trees to ensure he didn't have to hear me ask for more lights on that bald patch by the kitchen window.
When sunset arrived, we walked outside, turned on the lights and it felt like a Hallmark commercial. A few hours later, our sprinklers turned on and blew an open fuse, resulting in 90% of our lights to not work. And we couldn't fix it. It felt like a Hallmark commercial set to heavy metal music.
This year JD rigged extension cords to avoid another outage, but I can't figure why. He decided to take a minimalist approach to lights this year. As in JUST OUR BUSHES. Who does that?! We have what I refer to as the Almost-Just-Kidding-Tricked-You-Didn't-I Christmas lights.
Last week, while walking the dog at night, I saw our house in the distance. And our illuminated bushes. JD read my thoughts, asked me to look down the entire street, and see if there was a house more decorated than ours. Ever the optimist he turned to me and said, You see?! Our bushes are the best decorated bushes on the block!
Cue the Hallmark music and let's get into another installment of Kisses and Disses...
This week's DISSES go to...
*The Tourist. Wow, that movie was painful. When a high speed chase is done in a boat moving 12 miles per hour, you know the rest of the film is going to be brutal.
*Almost-Just-Kidding-Tricked-You-Didn't-I Christmas lights.
*The Line at the Post Office. I actually read a few chapters of a book waiting to send a package. I should've brought my own chair.
This week's KISSES go to...
*Online Christmas Shopping. I can't believe I waited this long to indulge. It's renewed my Christmas cheer, because, really, is there anything better than shopping in pajamas and slippers?!
*New Passport Photos. I needed to renew my passport and I was terribly excited. My last photo looked like a mug shot. Not simply because it was upclose and unflattering, but I looked like a hard core Mexican gangster. I am beyond serious.
*Having the Most Decorated Bushes on the Block. (and a cute husband who rigs extension cords!)
Happy Thursday!
I Rest My Case
12.15.10
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JD: Can you please rinse out the bowl after you eat cereal?
Me: I don't know what you're talking about.
JD: You never rinse your bowl...
Me: But I don't use a bowl...I use A MUG. Big difference. Huge. And you shouldn't use the word 'never'...
JD: Jasmine, please don't start.
Me: But I might get confused in the future if, say, I eat cereal from my mug and then don't feel like washing it because it's not a bowl.
This conversation just happened. And it made me feel very legal-ish. I wanted to add Your Honor somewhere in the conversation, but I left it out because that's just weird. I mean, who was I even talking to? I, apparently, thought I sounded so Law&Order...and got carried away with myself. Next thing you know, I'll be asking Elliott Gould for evidence.
This morning I woke a watched a portion of the creativeLIVE rewatch that aired the wedding photography course I taught a couple months ago. It was the first time I had seen any portion of course. I turned to JD every couple minutes and asked, I did not just say that, did I?!? Uhhh, wow. Thank you for still being my friend. I annoyed myself, so how many of you stayed with me during the five-day is beyond my comprehension, but appreciated nevertheless.
creativeLIVE has been rebroadcasting free portions of various online courses, but they're also offering all the courses for a year-end sale. Included are many amazing instructors so if you're interested in video, studio lighting, children's photography, experimental portraiture, or finding your vision, definitely take a look at what's available.
The best part of this story is that whist having the conversation with JD, he rinsed the mug (See how easy this is?!) and placed it in the dishwasher.
I REST MY CASE.
Shooting Star : High Iso + Photographing at f/1.2
12.14.10
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O
kay. So I woke up this morning with the insatiable urge to be a rapper. Like, slay lyrics with the best of them. And then tonight, after a truly thug life day, I'd be all, Ice Cube-ish and say, Today was a good day. Well, I put this out on Twitter... then people challenged me to actually rap. So then I did. In 140 characters. And--boy oh boy--I should definitely stick with this photography thing.
If you came here via the link on Twitter, so sorry. This video most likely won't change your life, but since you're here, grab a frosty beverage and join me for the first ever video FAQ post, a new blog series we're calling Shooting Star. Holler. Or, if I wanted to be all Lil John, Whaaaaat YEAH!
I'm so gangsta.
Yes, of course, this video needs a lot of work and every time I watch it, I cringe. No, really, my toes curl when I hear my voice blabbing on. Ugh. But at least it's a start. And who knows what's in store. If this was a one-time thing, then great! If not, we'll hopefully get better in time.
Today was a good day
Speaking in Brisbane, Australia
12.13.10
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W
hen I first got the email from Joel Strickland, I thought I misread it. Or he sent it to the wrong person. Luckily, he also cc'd JD on the email and he was downstairs reading at the same time. I checked my calendar before I joined JD on the couch. Next thing we know, we're booking flights to Brisbane, Australia. And, yes, it happened just like that. My life? IT'S RANDOM.
I've been asked to speak at the Australian Institute of Professional Photography's Hair of the Dog Conference. I'll be giving the keynote on Monday, February 7, 2011 and I'd be honored to meet you there.
As I've said many times before, Australia holds a special place in my heart, a dreamworld of sorts. It's a country that's captivated my childhood dreams and to go in a professional capacity is, literally, beyond my wildest dreams. JD and I taught in Sydney earlier this year, so I revisited some of the photos I took and found this little photo taken at Manly Beach...
I suspect I didn't edit it before because it looks like we're mad at each other. We're not. The photo is a composite of two photographs since we didn't get very many photos of us together. If I remember correctly, it was a lonnnnnnng day, we just finished dinner (Thai), waited in line for Ben&Jerry's ice cream, and walked along the ocean at night. And look at the blue shopping bag...if that doesn't scream TOURIST, I don't know what does.
Dear Australia, please get your blue plastic bags ready...I'm coming back!
