An Honor Just To Be Recognized

I hardly ever talk about work, but...

Yesterday, I went to a very large meeting attended by most of the people with whom I work. In front of these people - 100 people or so - I was presented an award. I didn't know about it ahead of time so I'm sure I had that deer in the headlights look you see on people when their cocaine labs get attacked by the police in the dead of night. But I was stunned and thrilled to be recognized with a nice pat on the back for a job well done. It was, quite sincerely, awesome.

As my mom used to say (constantly - what was up with that?), you can't judge a book by its cover. There are lots of things you just can't presume about a person by just noticing them at the office or outside. Everyone has secrets. And secret abilities. Like me for example. I bet you didn't know that:

I was a quite a little dancer back in school. I even joined a team and we took part in a variety of dance competitions around the place. I'm afraid after that it was all down hill!

I judged a Dumb Charades competition for one of the annual college events.

I'd make the perfect spy. Nobody ever suspects me of anything. I've sometimes used this to my advantage.

I am able to see all sides of an issue or argument, which sometimes makes decision-making difficult for me. It's the curse of being born under the astrological sign of Libra.

I can remember crazy things I talked about with other people that are truly irrelevant.

When I didn't eat out all the time, I could remember everything I ate AND what you ate and where/when we ate it.

If my oldest and closest friend were to stop me on the street and ask me to run away with him, I would go because I know he’d treat his girl like treasure.

Well, not to brag or anything, but I am consistently and overwhelmingly 100% correct, all of the time. It's crazy. And it confounds people.


If you’ve been a regular around here you’ve no doubt that I have a deep love for the guys who make up Lifehouse. I also believe they’re one of the most under appreciated bands of all time. I mean honestly, their last four albums were out of this world brilliant. So it was great today when I got started with work and one of the advertisements I got to review was that of Lifehouse’s new album ‘Smoke and Mirrors’. On this latest effort the music is fascinating and diverse. There seem to be layers upon layers that can only truly be appreciated after repeat listening (I try to digest all of my new music acquisitions in this manner). For those of you whom are curious, the title track – ‘Halfway Gone’ can be found below. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.
I’m going to be blogging about Lifehouse for a month straight. Also, if you like what you’re reading/seeing/hearing feel free to leave a comment on my blog. Every comment will be much appreciated.

Abigail, Abby, Abbymonster, Aolem, Lemlem (muh muh muh lem!), Princess Lem, Lemska –

And yesterday she turned three. How did this happen? I know that minutes flowed into hours which were carried by a swift tide into days and, in turn, years but these three years seem to have hurried much too quickly. And she is no longer a baby. Instead, a little girl who walks and runs and talks and repeats everything and grabs the prettiest things from my dressing table. Sometimes, I want nothing more than to be with her, even if that means having to play her crazy games.

I'm enclosed by toys of different Disney characters (I recognize Ariel, the Little Mermaid… well not really little anymore with the size of those knockers). Abigail, my niece while having her breakfast (donuts) on her birthday morning told her mum how she wished she’d look like one of her favourite female cartoon characters. I'm only somewhat appalled. I mean, the way Disney depicts princesses doesn't exactly make them look like missile engineers. They're over-sentimental, fall in love at the drop of a hat and get on any random idiot - uh-erm - magic carpet. It's like their whole celluloid way of life is geared wholly towards landing a prince. And that's not right.

In spite of awful role-models and near-lethal amounts of sugar, Abigail’s small birthday party restricted to just family, was fun. Just keep your fingers crossed that we have the same luck on her huge party sometime during next week...when friends, family and kids descend upon our house. Send good vibes. And if you don't hear from me soon, send help.

Abigail, you are adorable, special, smart and funny and I am proud to be your aunt. I'd appreciate it if you'd sleep a little later than 7:00 am and, maybe, not pound on my door when you think it's time for me to wake up (that's cruel). But you’re cute so you can get away with it.

For some reason the other day, I kept replaying the song 'Diamonds are Forever' over and over again in my head. Thankfully the internet still exists and I was able to find a version of this track which has become one of my all time favorite songs since Shirley Bassey’s original, which was the James Bond theme in the movie ‘Goldfinger’. Arctic Monkeys never fails to impress and this track is no different. Included below is one of the finest reworking of a song. This cover is not to be missed.

My thought process when I buy a wallet: "Would Wonder Woman be able to save the day with this held in her hand?" The answer is generally no, but in my head there are buzzers going off screaming a big yes.

I really, really do not like wallet/purse/clutch shopping. None of them appeal to me. Brands don't do it for me, most of them have some kind of chunky metal flower or poop-shaped thing involved, and those – I don’t get. Did I miss out on some feminine training growing up or something? I don't know, I guess I'm just a practical girl. I'm drawn to simple and functional stuff and nothing too loud.

If you think about it, a woman's purse/wallet reveals the kind of person she is. Right? Next time you're out, look around. It's kind of interesting. Anyway, since my wallet before plainly fell apart, I've received a weird looking thing my mother insists me on carrying now.
Then we argued over which one of us got to keep it. She reminded me that she was too old to carry off pink. I don't know if she even thought of me while buying it. I suspect not. And then she frowned all day upon my lack of style.

In today’s casual news, I got a haircut. Just a short crop. You know what I mean. The type of haircut that will look charmingly devilish with sunglasses and the appropriate amount of uninterrupted attitude to match. I needed something new, radical and feisty for the summer.


Sometimes I forget how totally kick ass the eighties were. Let’s face it, I was only eight years old when the nineties body slammed the eighties into the past, but there were some good times to be had as a youngster in the eighties, like Genesis and Phil Collins. And listening to his music now brings all the yummy goodness right back to the front. Listen to this track (one of my favourite Phil Collin tracks growing up) ‘In the Air Tonight’ and you’ll be pleasantly thrilled with the drum-heavy explosive bursts, thundering chorus and a general sense of nostalgia. Nostalgia never sounded so good.

Trust me, this track is a good enough song that you should impulsively listen to it from the player below and enjoy it over this holiday weekend. Cheers.

At home, is where I am these days, since I’ve taken a week off work. I live in my worn-out PJ’s, carrying my camera with me from room to room. I sleep on a bed of books and scraps of paper with titles of albums and tracks written on them.
My work table is a moving train that I sit on during the day as I travel through space towards people and music.
The seat I’m on is my whole world.

I have layers of thoughts and spanking new ideas. I have skin so thin that you can melt away with a small number of preferred words. My heart beats out music through my blood vessels and I imagine it will one day mix with photography in a beautiful canvas in my favorite colors…

I think of not complicating my life but I fail in heartbeat.

So starts iced tea season. Once again, we have made the impressive leap from a really hot summer last year directly into hottest summer this year with almost no cold of which to speak. Nothing says "You're in for six months of misery, buddy!" quite like B’lore City in 35-degree heat and rising. Good times, indeed.
I’ve never listened to Stereophonics before. I don’t know why but I guess the band’s name just didn’t do it for me. This will teach me to never assume things before I’ve pressed play. The other day, I followed a friend’s recommendation and I haven’t been able to dump this track from my brain since.

I love the jazz ambience in ‘Maybe Tomorrow’. It sets the perfect subdued mood and lets the music float you along like it was meant to.

By for now - see you soon!

*waving*

The first time I saw my dad’s old point-and-shoot camera and articulated my interest in taking pictures. It sounded something like mammydaaaaadymammydaaaaady can I take pictures puh-leeeeeeeeazzzzzz? And after much hesitation and some detailed training, my father finally handed it to me. But I ignored all instruction, scurried around the house taking shots of everything no matter how unexciting. The kitchen sink, my G.I. Joe line of action figures (my cousin and I would set up some pretty epic GI Joe battles in our living room), my room, my fingers which regularly got in the way of the camera itself, of course not to forget, naked people in the bath tub.

As far back as I can remember my interest in photography was spurred on by my dad. When I was a kid my dad was always with the camera enduringly attached to his face. That, of course, got me thinking about what else I got from him and what’s entirely my own.

Characteristics I got from my dad.

- Interest. Before the internet my dad always bought Encyclopedias and just many books relating to general knowledge. He had no idea what he’d ever do with that knowledge but he always figured it might come in handy sometimes.

- Ingenuity. He loves to write, sing, take photos and read. Without these things, I'm quite sure he’d fade away.

- Intellect. He might not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I’d like to think he’s quite smart.

- Impetus. I always refer to myself as an idler - but I'm a pretty driven person. Sometimes to a blunder.

- Silliness. 'Nuff said.

Characteristics, all my own

- Being a Perfectionist. With that whole impetus thing comes the element that I'm more than a little hard on myself. I seek flawlessness and strike myself out when I’m not able to be flawless.

- Mood. I've not been exactly hush-hush when I've gone through moments of melancholy and apprehension.

- Attentiveness. I like to multitask. But in reality I don't multitask very well. Because my concentration sucks.

- Patience. I'm an instant gratification kinda girl. Fortitude aint my strong suit.

- Irrational. No surprise but I'm a little coo- coo about things.

I will freely admit that when this track was given to me by a friend I clearly grunted “oh no, not another sad and depressing tune by Snow Patrol.” Thankfully I was wrong in presuming that this band was going to produce another similar sounding song. They’ve found a way to incorporate the extravagant with the forlorn and yet make this track something to sing along to. Featuring Martha Wainwright this one is brilliant.

"Set The Fire To The Third Bar" is worth a listen (and if you choose to play this track you simply must listen to it till the very end).