Looking Back.

As I’ve been getting busier over the last few days, it’s easy to let things slip away. But, all it takes is a quiet moment looking at some honeymoon pictures and it takes me back to a very happy place. 🙂

Amazing that something as simple as a photograph can immediately take you back to a specific moment and place in time. Looking back, I feel extremely fortunate that my wife and I had the ability to travel to French Polynesia for our honeymoon. It was such an amazing time spending two uninterrupted weeks with Keziah.

Life is short people. Work is a means to an end. Not to say you shouldn’t take it seriously, but you shouldn’t put your life on hold for work. Before you know it, all you have is stories about work and that’s all you’re focused on.

Leave the office back at the office and embrace life with your family – they’re all you’ve got, and you only have so much time with them before they’re gone. There’ll always be another job, but you only have one family. Don’t look back and regret not acknowledging that fact.

LOST

5 days left folks.

Though I’ve been insanely busy lately with a number of “über-secret” projects, I haven’t lost (no pun intended) sight of the fact that the single greatest show on the small screen returns this Thursday.

Can I get a “wha’,” “wha’?”

If you haven’t been a loyal fan, or maybe you’re slow to the draw, I’ve posted a link to the right to the “Lost in 8:15” clip, so you can catch up.

Am I Smarter Than a 5th Grader?

I guess we’ll find out, as I’m sending in my application this weekend to the Fox-televised show that airs Thursdays on Fox. With $1,000,000 up for grabs, and a very good chance at walking away with at least $25,000, this is one application I’m anxious to get in the mail system!

Naturally, I’ve thought of over a dozen things to spend the money on. Most high on the list: school. Completing my education, receiving my associates and bachelor degrees are something that I’d really like to expedite accomplishing. And, the prospect of some monetary help sounds fan-tas-tic to me!

I’ve made it a point to submit my finished application by the end of the weekend, otherwise I fear I’ll just procrastinate further. 🙂

Also, in an attempt to further keep in touch with friends, I’m going to really try to reconnect with a few friends this weekend too. 😀

In bed early tonight, 12am! Feeling like I’m at least starting to cut into a regular sleep pattern!

A Trip to Canada?

I got an email inquiring if I could shoot incognito in Canada this upcoming February from a guy who’s proposing to his wife.

I’m excited to learn more as I believe this would be a very fun and interesting shoot! During my downtime, whenever that is, I’d like to start marketing my photography more. Initially, printing a few pictures to carry around in my camera bag might be a good, inexpensive way to market opportunistically when I’m out in public. There have been several occasions where people come up and ask me what kind of camera I’m using. I never anticipated I’d get that much attention from one camera, but people definitely seem to be drawn to it.

Speaking of photos, I have to look into why our wedding photos aren’t able to be shared via Snapfish. I’ve received a few emails from friends and family who said they weren’t able to view them anymore.

Weird.

Add that to my list – which is more manageable but ever-growing.

Happy Hump Day 🙂

An Interesting Night

Funny how things can change so rapidly. Case in point, I was all set to sit down tonight and finish up my work for my BUS-104 class, then I heard a lot of fire trucks right outside my home-office window.

Not thinking too much about it at first, I started to type out a sentence before I was interrupted again by more fire trucks.

Ok, now this was getting interesting.

I got up and went to look out my bedroom window only to find about 5 engines gathering just down the street. Cue adrenaline.

Grab camera.
Grab coat.
Flee out door.

To me, it’s incredible just how many fireman show up in such a short amount of time. Blows my mind. I have an uncle in Florida who’s been a fireman for quite awhile. Maybe he’ll comment on these photos.

Send me your thoughts as well!

Full Swing and Some New Music

I’m starting to develop a groove in my new business classes – and getting a rush from it too!

(Or at least, that’s how I feel today!) 🙂

School work needs an iTunes playlist, just like any other activity like working out, or relaxing. So, I went in search of some new music. I stumbled on these two artists, Colbie Caillat and Sara Bareilles.

You’ve heard Colbie’s song, “Bubbly” on the radio no doubt. A shame really, cause her whole album is pretty spot on.

I posted a link to it over on the right-side of my blog. It’s definitely worth checking out as is Sara Bareilles’ album, “Little Voice.”

Anyway, I’m a week ahead in my classes. I only have to write a few answers to some questions about the film “Pay It Forward” and how it relates to social responsibility. And there’s another assignment for my Entrepreneurial Studies class revolving around the Small Business Administration web site.

Oh, and I’ve posted my wedding pictures on the “Photos” page for those who snub Snapfish and other online photo sharing sites.

Overall – feeling pretty good 🙂 Gonna hop in bed at 10:30pm.

All Caught Up

Well, just as this post’s title implies I am all caught up on a number of things that have been plaguing me for sometime.

The baseboard trim from last April that I started in the kitchen hallway was finally installed today, along with the two brand-new living room windows purchased back in December.

Naturally, all this means is that I know have room on my list of “To-Dos” to add more items to it. 🙂

With school starting this week (on Tuesday officially) I devised a regular schedule of 1-hour per class on MWF, with TTh being assigned for homework and other written assignments. Saturday’s will be designated as a free day where I can relax and spend time with my wife. I feel it’s important that she not feel overlooked while I focus on my studies. Sundays, being historically relaxed days anyway, will be either as school-work days or project days or for whatever comes around.

Now that a majority of the house projects have wrapped up – I’d like to focus on organizing some things around the house. Hopefully this will help keep things running smooth during the times when my time is limited.

The biggest organizational chore right now is the garage. Filled with a bunch of left over appliances from the sale of the City House, it’s a bit of a blight right now. So, if you know anyone looking to buy a gas stove, refrigerator, electric fireplace, or a Wagner paint roller, let me know! 😀

Other than that the basement could use a once-over, but I can’t complain. The house looks great. Finances are in order and I’m ready to start school! I actually have been writing a lot of posts to the discussions in both classes, and I started reading earlier tonight out of one classes’ textbooks. My goal is to stay about a week ahead so I have plenty of time to respond to emergencies etc.

On the whole, this weekend was probably the best in a long time, especially today beginning with a wonderful breakfast at Riki’s 🙂 Culminating in a relaxing evening of self-education whilst enjoying a cup of Williams Sonoma Peppermint Hot Chocolate. (If you haven’t, then you must.)

In trying to regulate myself to better sleeping habits, I’m off to bed at 12:33am.

Friday the 18th.

Just doesn’t have that same ring to it, does it?

Well, I learned yesterday that one of my online classes has already started! Strange, as I failed to receive an email alerting me to that fact.

Oh well, no matter – I’m geared up and ready to learn 🙂

I’ve made several posts on the discussion board so far and I have to say, it’s been fun and challenging at the same time. I can definitely feel that I’m using more parts of my brain – dusting off some of the cobwebs that have formed there over my period of inactivity, shall we say.

I’ve been able to tie up a lot of the loose ends I’ve been mentioning throughout the past month. And, that’s excellent as it will permit me to focus more on my studies with fewer distractions.

My next big step is to work out a regular schedule and fall into a routine over the next 4 months. One thing I’m planning on working on, and really need to, is a more disciplined sleep schedule. I’m sort of all over the place right now. 11pm. 2:30am. Napping at 6pm, wide awake at 1am. This is one of my [many] downfalls, and I need to develop more of a pattern as I move into my 4 months of school.

I feel energized tonight so maybe I’ll check out some more of my business class before heading to bed.

Overall – I feel pretty good about this weekend and I’m ready to tackle some projects head on! 😀

Ignoring the Truth; Glorifying the Lie

Humans are ironic creatures.

I was going to write about this last night, as it was fresh in my mind; however, I encountered some technical issues with my web site. Anyway, I digress…

Last night, while dining alone at P.F. Changs, I made some observations about people – in general. Overall, I’d postulate that humans tend to ignore what is absolute and glorify that which is spurious.

Example: Diners eating their meals last night glorify the notion that the surroundings and dining experience at Changs are authentic, or at least inspired by authentic Asian couture. Though, I’d venture to claim that 95% to 98% of the patrons had never set foot in China to attribute their assertion. Thus, blindly accepting the environment as “authentic” or at least rooted in authenticity. Going so far as stating, “This restaurant is great! It really makes me feel like I’m actually in Asia.”

Conversely, we continue to challenge that which has already been proven to be fact.

I suspect we are programmed with this propensity when we are born.

Days are getting shorter…

I had an idea this morning for a new web site, I’m going to start working on it in my spare time (which is few and far between).

In the need to set a goal for myself, I’ve set my eyes on 6 months to have a beta site fully operational. As I start to allocate more time to my studies, I’ll have less time to focus on my pet projects, so I feel 6 months is justifiable.

Anyone who maintains a daily blog will tell you how much work it is to keep up with writing every day. I feel thine pains. 🙂

However, I’ve found you just have to keep at it. It’s like a marathon. Some days, you feel like you have your second wind and you could write another 5 miles! On other days, it’s an uphill climb at a 45º pitch for 80 miles.

But, persevere through it, make it up the mountain, look back at the work you’ve done and it’s all worthwhile. 😀

Off to bed at 11:56pm.