Yeah, yeah, yeah. Youve heard it all before. I whine and complain how bad I am at blogging. Yadda yadda yadda. Something about how nutso life is. Blah blah blah.
Well, heres a quick promise. A resolution of sorts. Ive already started posting on Flickr. Ive already started tweeting more. I am setting a weekly alarm to post a new image and blog post! Yuppers. Yesiree Bob! This is the start o somethin big I tells ya!
At least it best be. ;D
Wow. LOL
I was all ready to write a great big inspirational post. Although I’ve been kicked down and had to drop to part-time studies, I have some hope. I made the Dean’s List. I’m only about 30-40ish lbs away from my weight goal. I’m truly working on a better me. How I’m geared up and ready to get started. The business is registered. I’m gathering my gear. I’m reading up. The website is coming along.
Then, I find out that Tom DeLonge of Angels & Airwaves (formerly Blink182) sent out a link to their new album 24 hours earlier than the planned release. o_O I’m in as close to heaven as I could be, considering I’m sitting at my computer. I’m not sure I can describe to you how I feel. I know when I try to describe synesthetic responses to Rob, he kinda glazes over on me. Hmmm, I should do a post on that sometime. Anyway, especially with AVA, I just kind of transcend. So, yeah, my head is a bit cloudy at the moment. I’ll have to come back to this later.
Here, though are a couple of the pics from the boys shoot in the school studio. I have a tonne more, but having issues with my jpgs corrupting for some reason coming out of Ps. I dunno. But like I said, right now… must stop typing… losing thoughts. LOL By the by, the second image is the one I handed in for my first assignment for Photographic Techniques 2. Not sure what’s up with that beveled edge there, though. WordPress is dropping that in for some odd reason and I can’t get it out right now. I got 92% on it. Pretty good, I guess. Meh… Ohhhh and yeah, it is split lighting! Ask my prof if you really don’t believe, she saw! 
Oh and pssssst . . . for a sneak preview of what the new site is gonna look like check out my DA journal, here. . . http://a-fire-within.deviantart.com/
Inspiration for the day: “Compassion has no limits. Kindness has no enemies.”
Soooo, needless to say. I am the worlds worst blogger… No, no, no. Please, I beg you, no need for applause! Im blushing already! Go on now… Okay, well just a little.
And this is why I hate blogging. I just wrote another 4 paragraphs and saved and its wiped. Gahhhhhh.
Shortish synopsis. Even though I dont do well Im doing something right to reach the search spiders. Traffic isnt terrible all things considered and yesterday I deleted over 70 spam comments. Thats in less than month since the last time I logged on. Ummm wow. Imagine once I start applying myself… Which should be soon. I just have to get over several things… Lol including myself and several preconceptions!
Business is registered, equipment ordered, website being rebuilt and paraphernalia being designed. Take a deep breath and hang on. The ride is just getting started.
I know, I know. I’m a terrible blogger! Tsk, tsk, shame and all that.
So the holiday break was long and tedious. I hate breaks. I go insane. I need to keep busy, and while I was running after the kids and taking care of stuff here at home, that’s not exactly the kind of busy I’m thinking of!
I was lucky to help out in painting a new white backdrop in the school studio, straightening out the cage and such. That was fun! It looks a million times better and I can’t wait for further exciting changes.
Made some awesome new friends.
Hmmm, what else. Had a mini breakdown with all the stress between life and the real world, lol. I’ve stepped, I believe (I hope) wisely, down to part-time studies at school. I’m focusing on the skill based courses, taking only Photographic Techniques 2 and Digital Imaging Techniques 2 this term. Trust me, I’m not slacking, I’m grabbing a whole lot and tackling it at once.
I know, this is kind of disjoint. What can I say. I’ve been on an insomniac run again. Not much in the way of manic either. LOL Now that would be enjoyable ;D Plus, I’m just dead beat at this point. I think I need to make a resolution to post more bloggy thingies.
I hope you all had a wonderful holidays!
Tradition
Be sick that is. And I am. Sick. Icky. Yicky. S-I-C-K, sick! So far, it seems to just be a head cold. I left school a bit early today though and came home and crashed on the couch. Napped for a good bit and completely lost time to finish my contact sheet assignment that is due tomorrow morning! o_O EEK! Luckily, I’ve got enough photos taken to fill the spots, I’m just missing one of the requirements. So, partial marks are better than no marks. At least in my weakened state that’s what I’m telling myself.
Anywho…. Got this portrait of my classmate Winter to share. LOL Her reaction when she first saw it (as I’m told) was “EEEWWWW”. I personally think she’s beautiful and has nothing to worry about, but I can relate. I hate seeing any picture taken of me. It’s a bit out of focus. I was having issues with my manual shutter speed, which was later fixed. One of those a-ha moments, I tell you. Or you know, more like… D’OH!
I guess that’s all I’ve got for now, guys. My contact sheet is dry and I can package it up for the a.m. and hit the hay. Man, I’m tired. See ya!
I am! I am! I am! 
No, not that cute sarcastic little cartoon rabbit… ummmmmm, okay, well maybe I am sometimes. 
Today though I am simply a bubbly, bouncy, happy, woohoo kinda gal.
This week has been pretty good so far. No major disasters. Wait a sec. This is me now knocking on wood, cause YA KNOW… now that I’ve gone and said it, there’ll be a phone call or something. *rolleyes* Started kind of slowly, but we’re picking up steam. I got my online Science quiz straightened out and got a 10/10 on that. WOOT! Soooooo, if I can judge by the answers given, I should be sitting at a 28-29% in that course, which is sweet! Also handed in my first comm assignment and photographic techniques assignment. Guess we’ll see how those go. I’ve got things crossed which I didn’t know I had!
Tuesday was weigh in day at Dr. Poon’s Metabolic Diet Clinic. I see Dr. R. Barsoum at the Richmond Hill location, she’s tough but fair. After being away for 3.5 weeks, I was very apprehensive. After FIL passed, I wasn’t all that cautious about my food choices, in particular my salt intake. Good news is though, I lost 7.6lbs of fat, 6.2lbs overall! 
I’m happy with that. I know I put on that water weight, but I also realize why I did. I can fix this. That puts my weight loss at over 47lbs in 12 weeks!!!! o_O Is that insane or what? All just with changing my way of thinking about food and what I actually eat. I’ve set a mini-goal with the Dr which I’ll hopefully be able to meet within a month. Then I’ll be able to move on to Phase 2 of the plan and get exercising and add a few more food items back into rotation (yay dairy!).
Last night I started really playing around with Ps for the first time on the Mac. Can we say LOVE?!!!! No hangs, no crashing, no freezing, no slowing down! No problems whatsoever! Wanna see what I did? Huh? Wanna? OH BTW, Jen & Caitlin – I was told this looks like an album cover and you guys look awesome!
Vertigo Dreams
K, so I’m really excited, but you know, doesn’t take much. Simple mind and all. I know, there are areas probably a bit too dark, and Caitlin wasn’t too impressed how blownout and pale she looks (I tried to explain I was going for that). I love it though. Simply because it got me working into manipulations again. I didn’t really know how much I missed it until now. I love the feel, the grunge, the tone. See, I’m all giddy again! If you could look through your computer at me, you would actually see me standing, typing and bouncing at the same time. (ooooooohhhh, we got a live one here!) PLUS!!!! It has taken me ages to try and come up with one that even sort of has the feel of the old Vertigo covers, tarot or graphic novel stuff. I heartDave McKean.
That leads us to today. Was up way too early for sane folk. Got parking, sat around and shot some pics of the sun rising over the back lot by res. Could be neat. I’ll have to look at them. Then had an awesome class where my Prof Peter and classmate Jason helped unravel a few more mysteries of my camera for me. I’ve got to get to the point where I don’t feel like I’m wasting this amazing equipment I have. Perhaps I’m on my way. I just got a bit of a hand slap for not wearing my glasses all the time. :S I’m sure there is a huge line of people who would love to shake Peter’s hand if this is what finally gets me to wear them full time!
Where does that leave me? Well, I’ve got a paper to finish writing up for tomorrow and a couple of pictures to get out and take. Make dinner, do laundry and all that other stuff that doesn’t just go away. In the meantime, I’m going to try and hang on to this feeling as much as I can. I almost feel like I can do all of this and it will all work out. So don’t mind me as I hop away. TTYL.
Near Inglis Falls
Zombie Carolyn…. neeeeeedddd ssllllleeeeeeepppppppppp. okay. I’m not a brain lovin’ member of the Undead… yet. But I’m sure if I turned on my webcam for you all right now, you would see I wasn’t far off. Dosed up on melatonin, Advil cold & sinus, herbal tea, have read, have watched vids, have played games, blah blah blah, yakety schmakety. Short answer… I don’t think I’ve slept in ohhhhh 4 or 5 days now.
Funny thing, I’m not on a manic kick. Last time I was on an insomniac run like this, I was bouncing off the walls and laughing like everyone was Eddie Murphey from the Raw days. WHEW! Now did I just date myself or what?! Could be worse… could have asked you all if you remembered Dave Allen! Quite the opposite, though. I’m not the best, lately. Mark it up to stress, or lack of sleep, lack of confidence or whatever. I’ve just plain been freaking out.
Rob’s working days all weekend. Hopefully the boys and I will have some down time. Maybe some parks, housework, groceries, homework. *shrug*. I would really like to watch Forbidden Kingdom or Hot Fuzz. Just in the mood for either one of those again. I think Rob’s got them both at work though. Should get him to check. Nothing like a bit of Go-Go-Jackie-Chan & Kick-Butt-Jet-Li pairing or good ol’ Simon Pegg for some warm fuzzies.
Oh well, let’s see what I can dig up now. Hmmm. I know I didn’t get any of my summer stuff done. 
Downer. I know. Le sigh. I think I did have a fav from the Inglis Falls day that I held back that I can share though. Okay, well, after fighting with Wordpress and being to tired to fight any more. One is above the post and one is below.
Still have so many photos to go through though. Indian Falls was life changing, honestly. I really want to be able to dedicate the time to it, properly. I’ll probably have to go back next summer when I can do things properly. Till next time… sleep tight.
Inglis Falls
That’s right, folks! I’m on Skype! Look me up, carolyn_macpherson and look at my loverly id photo below. LOL Totally straight out of my cell phone camera. :p Hey it’s awesome and I thank my program counselor so much for turning me on to it. As he said, “to help save my mental health”. And hey!!! It’s totally free Skype-2-Skype for instant messaging, moods (like facebook status or tweets) and calls and video calls! HOW SWEET?!!!! …. ok.. enough of me sounding like the scary shamwow man…. enter scary avatar of me instead….
yup... that would be I
So, hop to, peeps! I wanna chat! :p
Yes… I did it! I survived the first week of college. The house is a disaster. We haven’t really eaten. But Rob has kept up with the laundry (yay). The kids have gotten to school (yay). And somehow, I’ve managed to get out the door (yay.. wait… um… no… that’s a yay too… I guess).
LOL I was going to post a photo of me looking all tired and depressed. Actually, Ewan took a pretty good one, but you know. They’re out at karate right now and I’m expecting a friend any minute. That’s my story at least! A little compassion needed over some scrapbooking on her part, blank staring on mine. Wait, no… she’s more likely to kick my ass into gear! LOL What are good friends for?!
School is pretty daunting! I can’t say I’m not excited, because I really am! Especially for some of the photo projects. I’m just really not sure how life is going to work around it all. I wake up every morning with my mantra of, “I can’t do this” as my kids and husband shove me out the door. As Billy Murray said in “What About Bob?”, baby steps…. right? I just don’t have a bomb strapped to my chest. *evil pinky to lip* Or do I? muwahahahahaha Perhaps I’ll be the reason the school is doing a lockdown drill next week. *Disclaimer: In no way is Carolyn Macpherson liable for any real or threatened bomb attempt anywhere near or or on Georgian College campus, residence or properties. Seriously folks, that shit is messed up!!!
Anywho. I haven’t shot anything since my FIL’s funeral last week. Everytime I view them I get kinda teary. Don’t know how I’ll ever get around to editing them. I know my MIL is kinda getting antsy for them… ugh… Maybe on Sunday.
Okay, so now I’ll be taking bets on who thinks I’ll last the second week. Remember, Friday is the last day to opt out without any financial losses!
Well, to start off. There’s no way I’m getting my photo challenge done. Aren’t I a crap?! Hopefully I’ll have some time here and there after I jump right on into things to still fix up some of my summer pics. Especially on my brand new LEGAL copy of Photoshop Creative Suite 4! I swear, I’m a kid in a digital candy store! WHOOHOO! Let’s hear it for plug-ins!
Why didn’t I have all that lovely time I thought I would, you ask? Between running to very informative workshops at Georgian College, getting the rest of my gear and books (btw, I LOOOOOVE my new flash… even if it isn’t the one I really wanted, lol… hmmm and how am I gonna get me some Gary Fong diffusers…), getting the kids food, clothes, shoes, etc for their back to school… my Father-In-Law passed away. He had fought a hard battle with lung, then brain cancer and finally succumbed early on Wednesday morning. The kids are pretty devestated and Rob is as well. Just, think it will take until everything is quiet again for him to really grieve.
In the meantime…. I’ve had my arm sorta, kinda, twisted to go for the Tattered Angels design team call. Okay, okay, well you all know me better than that. It really didn’t take all that much. I mean come on!!! Check out all those gorgeous colours and chipboard! www.mytatteredangels.com Oh my. Now I’ve done it and drooled all over my keyboard. *blush* But seriously! Have you ever played with Glimmermist? No?! Wha??!! Put down your mouse and run to your local LSS and BUY SOME!!!! It is absolutely amazing stuff and I’d jump at the chance to help design for Tattered Angels!
So here are the pretties I’m submitting as my portfolio to the lovely ladies of Tattered Angels. Hope you guys like ‘em! Leave some love or constructive criticism (or icky yucky plain ol’ criticism if you absolutely feel the need). You know I appreciate hearing from y’all!
All Images and Text © Carolyn Macpherson, 2010
