photobooth friday.

I know, I know...posted on a saturday. anyway, what I love about this strip:

1. the fact that candis is in it!!! (center - surprised me with a visit from chicago for my birthday). she is my favorite part about graduate school at notre dame. most definitely.

2. that carrie is in it with all of her natural photobooth loveliness!!! (far right - great friend of ours from humboldt who now lives in san francisco. also surprised me with a visit for my birthday).

3. that it reminds me of my birthday week-end with these surprise guests and more (hanging outside the photobooth drinking coffee drinks and talking all about interesting things in life).

remembering my birthday week-end just warms my heart and soul.

happy february photobooth friday!

loving this month's challenge posted here so I decided to participate with a birthday card from my aunt sue. she is mom to cousin kim who was born 4 days after I was and who I remained inseparable from for the greater part of my childhood. I'm going to have to tell some of our stories on le blog one of these days...we had some doozeys. OH...p.s. this was my first solo photobooth...I had to sit on my knees in order to be in the frame...haha. happy friday and I hope everyone had a sweet sweet valentines day yesterday!

bokeh.

one of the things that I've really enjoyed since beginning all of this blogging and flickring madness is that I'm learning more about photography. there are a few flickr groups that I frequent (well, there are a number that I frequent but two that are relevant today), !bokeh! and bokeh wednesday. I didn't even know what bokeh meant until I joined flickr, but, found that it's actually pretty interesting and makes me like the photographs even more. I have found bokeh much easier to capture when lights are in the mix, but, I'll make my way to other forms of it one of these times. I've had a few unsuccessful attempts (but, I haven't really been trying too hard either).

per wikipedia: Bokeh (from the Japanese boke ぼけ, "blur") is a photographic term referring to the appearance of out-of-focus areas in an image produced by a camera lens.[1] Different lens bokeh produces different aesthetic qualities in out-of-focus backgrounds, which are often used to reduce distractions and emphasize the primary subject. The effect itself is the circle of confusion, an image of the aperture convolved by the image itself.

a little life inspiration.

lively up yourself - bob marley

I came across a website today of a work colleague of mine that warmed my heart with inspiration and I couldn't wait to share, zoomuganda.org. this same work colleague coordinated a portland visit from the children of uganda in 2006, which, I was so fortunate to experience. if you ever get a chance to see these children perform, I highly highly recommend it. it moved me in ways that I never imagined and will never forget. it sounds like they are working on a 2008 tour.

self portrait challenge.

this month's self portrait challenge is blue. I'm having some kind of block right now (mental, emotional...I don't know) but wanted to post something this evening. It helps me to feel in touch. anyway, I made a few s.p. attempts this week-end and think this is a good time to share.

I'm unsure about how I feel about this last one, but, want to share nonetheless. it's reeeeally close up.

lastly, I love this recent post by smosch.

green line.

this month marks the 31st portland international film festival. I made a stop by the photobooth yesterday, grabbed a coffee and read through the newspaper insert. a few of the flicks that caught my eye:

xxy (argentina)

a gentle breeze in the village (japan)

flight of the red balloon (taiwan)

my brother is an only child (italy)

priceless (france)

no definite plans to see any of these...yet.

for now, I am exhausted in a really good way. I went to practice yesterday and today down at yoga pearl, had some tasty vegan food (the soft serve was chocolate mint) and am feeling tired in all of my muscles. this afternoon I have thank you cards to write, a little laundry to do and one of my favorite movies to watch. yes, it's definitely a day for the royal tenenbaums. I just loooooove it with all of its matter o factedness.

waiting patiently.

I'm waiting patiently like these little fliers on this window sill. see, greg gave me the best birthday gift ever - a big 'ol surprise 30th birthday party. I just loved it with all of my heart...am still on surprise party high really and have been so excited to tell all about it. our portland friends were all together (something we've been wanting to do for a while) AND friends came from across the country -- candis and joe from chicago, jeff from cincinnati, carrrie and ciccio from san francisco, my mom from montana. the party took place at the newly renovated grand central bowl in se portland...very swanky cool place and was just so full of love and laughs. all of these people all together to celebrate my birthday...I was so touched. my mom took so many wonderful pictures and is going to download and send my way (why I'm waiting patiently).

oh and btw...if you're in portland you should head down to stumptown on sw 3rd...they have a great display of artwork and magazines.

it's official...this girl is 30!

so...with that I'm going to say farewell to my 20's! 20's you have been sweet and will forever hold a dear place in my heart, but the 30's have arrived and there's a lot to do because I have a feeling they're going to be fabulous. xxxxo!