New blog dedicated solo to art, photos and design

Hope to see you there...

http://allthingsdtcgraphix.blogspot.com/

My Ham

Taking photos at my stepson Rick's wedding and this is what I got every time Autumn saw me. She was like, Hi Grandma- see me? Take my picture like you ALWAYS do. I think she's gotten used to being photographed!

Mini Vaca

Autumn talking to her new friend

Such a happy girl

My girls

Just got back from a mini vacation to Gatlinburg with my girls. I haven't been there in 30 years. God, when did I get so old? Last time I was there was on a senior trip with Lori, Sharon and Sharon's sister- whose name I can't remember for the life of me. Good times then, good times now. I truly treasured the time I spent with Steph and Autumn. My daughter is such a great mom. It's neat seeing how much her daughter loves her, and she loves her daughter. Autumn is such a good baby- what a blessing to everyone. She said momma for the first time while we were there. I wish I could have gotten it on video. It was so cool.
I was surprised at what a tourist trap Gatlinburg was. I guess I shouldn't have been. There's not a whole lot to do there except shop. I should rephrase that- there's not a whole lot to do there when you have a 7 month old along except shop. I'm not a shopper- in fact, I'm one of those rare women that hate to shop. But overall it was an awesome trip, just spending the time with my girls.
Until next time...

Letters to God, day 1

2 Peter 1:8
For if these things are yours and abound, you will neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our lord Jesus Christ.
- Faith
- Virtue
- Knowledge
- Self control
- Perserverance
- Godliness
- Kindness
- Love

This is about re-finding my faith. relearning to believe. Learning how to get back into a real relationship with God, and with myself. Finding myself and relearning to dream. Not letting darkness rule me and my life. Finding hope. Believing once again in the power of prayer and how it can and does change lives. Learning that I matter to God and that I should matter to myself. Learning to not be afraid.
Lord, I know you're there. I just need help remembering that.

Today's affirmation- I matter. To God, to my family and to me.

and to my girly! Love this face.

Winter...

Yuck. I need spring. I need the renewal- in so many things. The tree in my neighbor's yard after the ice storm. Loved being forced to stay inside and relax. Not easy for me, but I was too afraid to get out on the road with my new Soul. Rocking the Soul, lol. It has a totally useless feature that I love- the speakers light up to the music. Useless, and probably cost more than I want to know, but hey- it's all good. Love my new car. One little highlight in this dreary gray winter.
Til next time- whenever that is...

Seek Justice, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly With My God

This was my motto for yesterday. It might just well be my motto for today also. My place of employment has been challenging lately- well, for quite a while now- to say the least. The negativity in that place is overwhelming. It sucks the life out of you/me. I have a hard time dealing with it. I'm trying not to get sucked into it. I just don't understand how people can be so negative. It's just not worth it. White Castle's (Premium Cincy food, lol)  used to put a saying on their packages, something about how many muscles it takes to frown verses smile. I don't remember the number, but it was a whole lot more to frown than smile. I would imagine that the same principle applies to negativity- that it's easier on a person to be positive than negative.

So, I'm just trying to get thru it. I'm praying the job market loosens up and something breaks. Until then...

The only way we'll ever stand
Is on our knees with lifted hands
Make us courageous
Lord, make us courageous

Seek justice
Love mercy
Walk humbly with your God

In the war of the mind
I will make my stand
In the battle of the heart
And the battle of the hand

More Lights-a happy thing!

Until next time...

2012

It seems so strange to be writing 2012. Guess I never thought I'd see this...for a long time I had some strange idea I would die in 30's. Not sure why. Probably some strange half wish of mine. I've spent lots of time in my life contemplating or at least giving some thought to suicide. I'm kinda glad I never made it that far along that path...at least today anyway. Perhaps that thought will come my way again, who knows. Sometimes life just gets to be too painful. But today's good- and tomorrow holds promise. And God loves me even when I don't love myself. And I'm a coward- I really don't like pain, so I guess I would never really hurt myself. Besides, my kids still need me even though they are grown, and Autumn deserves a chance to know and love her grandma as much as her grandma loves her.

Yeap, I said grandma- another thing I never really thought would be or wanted to be a grandma. Boy, was I wrong. That little girl has me wrapped around both her little fingers. And I'm ok with that. It amazes me- the depth of love I feel for her. She's just perfect. Steph and Mike have really been blessed- she's such a good baby. Only cries when she's hungry or wet, and has slept through the night since she was a month old. They better stop while they are ahead, lol. The next one will be a terror. Here is she- my girly. That's the look she tends to give me any time I break out my camera. Which, I will admit is alot- like every time I see her. I can't help it- they grow up so fast, and I feel like I've forgotten so much of my own kids lives, I don't want to forget a minute of hers. Besides, she's so darn pretty.

My Girly

Speaking of photos- I signed up for a advanced class thru MSJ. One good thing about graduating from there- you can audit classes for 50.00- UC wants full the amount to audit. So, I'm looking forward to that. So, hopefully I will learn lots of new techniques to use in shooting her, and other things. I really want to get a new lens- first a AF-S Nikkor 28-300mm, then perhaps something a little more specialized. Not sure what that looks like right now but I can dream...

So, the grandbaby, photo classes and hopefully lots of photo taking, and other things to look forward to, I plan on trying to reconnect with this, to journal, share and post photos. Hopefully it will work.

I tried taking some photos of Christmas lights- I didn't realize how hard it was to do. A learning experience for sure...
Until next time...Happy 2012.

Ranting about Micromanagement and other things

From the Cincinnati Zoo- I understand how he feels.

Ever wonder what motivates some people? I do. I guess I really wonder why some people- not mentioning any names here or places that would be identifiable-have the insane urge to control EVERYTHING. Yeap, caps. I do mean EVERYTHING.

Case in point... I left something- a note to myself- on my desk Friday (at that place I work which shall remain nameless)- just a reminder of how I needed to do something for future reference. Nothing big- just one of those little notes one writes oneself as a reminder. You know, in shorthand that you understand. It's like when I go to the grocery. A typical list might look like
1. h2o
2. pt- (paper towels)
3.tp- (toilet paper)
and so on. You get the idea.
Ok, so my grip, rant, issue...
I came in Monday to find my note- which had things crossed out and rewritten in other shorthand- not my shorthand, mind you- but someone else's shorthand.  Really??? Really!!! They had nothing better to do than edit my notes- my personal notes that were STRICTLY A REMINDER TO MYSELF???!!!

It totally blew me away. I was amazed at the extreme level of micro management that occurs on all too often a basis. I was more than a little upset- can you tell? But I'm good now. I think. Well at least until the next issue comes up.

Next rant- I saw on the library's website that they are pushing Chaney's bio- who really wants to read that???  Just wondering. To me that would be worse than reading Bush's. Well, George W's anyway. George H's might not be too bad- as long as I don't have to agree with his politics.

And finally- I saw an article today that discussed Dumbledore being gay. Really? I've read all the books at least twice and have not picked up on that. Why does he have to be anything other than a wise wizard?

til next time...Oh, I guess I really have dropped the ball on this website's intent. Oh well...that's a whole other post...

Living the Dream

Just haven't figured out whose yet- lol. It's been a busy summer. Vacation, travel,  lots of house projects and my first full grandchild on the way. It's a girl!!! Woo hoo.

Um, I'm not old enough to be a full grandma. Oh well, I guess that's life. When I picture a grandma I remember Grandma Flynn, and how she was a little round thing that baked cookies, didn't work and well, I'm not sure what she did with her time when I wasn't around. She was a cute little thing- round as a watermelon, and gray as a rock. Always had an apron on, and fresh baked cookies in the cookie jar. Well, that's not me. Breaking a paradigm here. I was up on a 6 foot ladder finishing drywall not more than a half hour ago. And I was jamming to AC/DC. Somehow that image just doesn't fit with my picture of a grandma. Oh well, I guess Autumn will learn to love me as I am, and not as I "should" be. Instead of cookies it will be frappacinos from Starbucks. Instead of playing the piano we'll be painting anything and everything. Instead of only seeing her at holidays we'll be hanging all the time. Instead of Glenn Miller- who I love btw, it will be anything from AC/DC to Casting Crowns or the Boston Pops, and everything in between, well except rap- haven't ever developed a fondness for that.

I went to Florida last month with my "better" half- that really depends on what day of the week it is, lol. Florida in June is nice, right? Not- it rained every day- and not just a little bit. We're talking all day rain- for 5 of the 8 days we were there. Not good. I got up every day at 5 just to try and get some good snaps of the sunrise. Didn't manage to do that. But here are a couple that I took. More later. I've only got 2500 photos to go thru...

Sunrise-probably the best I saw

Ohio River

Recent photos from the flooding. I usually park on the landing right near this sign.

And this is the walkway along the top of Serpentine wall. Pretty wild.

The (Coming) End of the Road

Things I will miss about the church in Dayton:

1. Time with RW
2. Working with RW
3. the people
4. The garden
5. Baking
6. Potlucks

Things I won't miss:
1. The drive
2. The politics
3. Doing the bulletin EVERY WEEK
4. Negative comments and criticism about the above item- hey- I do it for free, week in and week out. Somebody else can step up and take the crap
5. The music- old dead people tunes DO NOT appeal to me
6. Being labeled the secretary- nothing wrong with being a secretary, but if that's what I am, well, where's the paycheck?
7. Labels- I get to be a CHRISTIAN again- no labels!!!!
8. Feeling like it's a job and not church

To Grow Up We Must Go Deeper

HI! Long time no write. It's been a busy season, and well, I've been hibernating.  Kinda, sorta. Really just trying to deal with the daily stuff that gets thrown my way, and some other stuff that is just once in a lifetime stuff- hopefully. In other words, too down to write, and too paralyzed to do much of anything. But that's gonna change...I'm gonna make it change.

So, here we are. 2011. I know, a little late on that observation. I started a bible study last week at Crossroads- Go Deeper. One of the premises for tonight's session was that we have to grow up to grow deeper. Which makes tons of sense. We can't remain babies when there is work that needs to be done by adults. We can't grow closer to who God wants us to be if we don't dig inside ourselves and figure out just who that is. Part of growing deeper for me right now means facing the fears and other crap head on. I wish someone could tell me what that looks like. But then- I wouldn't be digging deeper, would I? Someone would be telling me what I "need"- and I don't think that will work.

So, going deeper means...
-trusting more- which is so hard for me- I don't trust much in life except death and taxes...
-listening more- oh what a hard one for me that is. Too many years of doing it my way.

That's a start.

Love,
tc

on the photos- I haven't had the energy -too down- to do anything. Which really sucks. I got a tripod for Christmas and haven't even opened it yet. But here's one I like...

Fall

Practicing two things- 1. alone time -time to think and figure out life. Wonder if this is what a mid life crisis looks  like? Not so much fun but needed.   2. Depth of field- having fun with this.

More Vegas

The view from our suite

                                                                        And looking the other way

more later...

Vegas,Baby

Some photos from a recent vacation. It was my first time to Vegas. What a trip! It's wild out there. I can't get over how BIG everything is. And how everyone (but me, lol) seemed to walk around with a alcoholic drink in their hands- at all hours of the day. There was so much to see- and not enough time to see it. Oh well, there's always next time.

I enjoyed walking around and seeing all the sights and people- I am a big people watcher. And I loved the pool- once I got over the fact that it was on the 22 floor of the hotel- I'm kinda, sorta afraid of heights. I loved just about everything I saw- the lights, the shows, everything. It did teach me that I need a tripod. I must have walked miles and miles every day. In fact- I walked so much (in flip flops) that a week after I came back I had to go to the doctor- my feet and legs were still swollen. Seems that spraining my ankle as I got off the plane in Vegas and then walking on it all week-(think tough Irish stock) did nothing to help the situtaion. I now have muscle and tissue damage to my left leg. Oh well, at least it wasn't the deep vein thrombosis the doctor first thought it was- so it was worth it. Memo to self...get rid of the flip flops.

I thought about deleting the photo at right but decided I like how it looks. 

 

More later...

6-29-10

It's a perfect summer day out- every day should be this beautiful.

But the beauty doesn't overcome my sadness.

Today would have been Lori's 47th birthday.

When did I get so old.

I wish she could get old with me.

I miss her. Some days more than others. I can go days without thinking about her, and then something will remind me of some event, big or small, that she shared with me. And I miss her all over again.

I thought it would get easier as time passed, and in some ways I guess it does. I no longer pick up my phone to call her and share some silly tidbit of daily life with her. In fact, I don't remember her phone number anymore.  That makes me sad.

I would have traded places with her. I really would have. I thought about that over this past weekend, as I observed my twins in their stepbrother's wedding, and thought of how grown up they are, and how proud of them I am. And how proud of them she would have been- she helped raise them too.

And then I thought of her babies and how they were too young when she died to really remember her. I would have gladly traded places with her if it had meant she would have been able to raise her children. My kids are grown, and while they would miss me, they have all those memories of growing up with me.

Her kids don't, and won't.

It doesn't seem fair.

And it makes me sad.

Happy birthday Lori, wherever you are. I hope your spirit is happy and know that your are without pain. That's something.

The flowers are for you...

Another trip to DC

Just got back from our annual trip to DC. I am such a dork- I love that place. I had a blast with the new camera. Hopefully I will get some photos posted over the next few days. This is one of my favorite- just for the blue of the sky.

We had great weather- sunny and 80 most of the time. Can't beat that. We must have walked at least 20 miles a day- and my feet hurt enough to show it. There was a exhibition on the mall while we were there- public and armed services. It was really cool to be able to see, (and get in) the various equipment that is being used by the military to fight the war, from helicopters to humvees. The only down side to it was the protestors that forced it to close early. While I totally support people's right to free speech, and am not in total agreement (at all) with the reasons for this war, I do believe that the troops there deserve our support. They are doing there jobs. For people to mock, threaten and do other things to the service men and women is totally unacceptable.

While I was there I heard from my oldest son. Thank God! He's alive and well, and in...Iraq. Which does not thrill me at all. Seems he got a hair up his rear to take a job with some construction company that is rebuilding over there. I don't get it. But it's not my life. I will give him this, he checks in every few days to let me know he's ok, and sends me a text every now and then. Wonder how much that costs?- To call and text from over there? Seems so far away.

Until later...
blessings and love,
tc

A Beautiful Spring Day

HI! What a great day in Cincinnati. Wish it could be this perfect all year along, but then we would get complacent about it, wouldn't we? Let me tell you how great this camera is. Love it! Went down to Ault Park today- I think it was Ault- the one by Lunken Airport. Played around with the camera and lens. Fun times!

I decided that I want to do a study of lines- pleasing my graphic designer side here, so here are some of them...

I loved the contrast of this.

and this... I loved the texture of the tree- I'm sure that it's diseased, which is sad- but the bark was peeling, and created this incredible texture, and it "fit" with my lines.

The neatest thing about this camera- the ability to take as many photos as I like and then delete what I don't like and doesn't work. Pretty darn cool. More to come...

Blessings,
tc

And so it begins...

Here's one of the first photos with my new toy. Not sure if you can see it, but there's a cardinal sitting in the tree. It's right outside my bedroom window, and this bird loves to start singing bright and early in the morning. This just doesn't do her justice- she was so bright against the cloudy sky. Oh well, photoshop can fix that eventually.
Here's the very first one taken with the camera- one of my favorite subjects- Madi- she thought she was going to get something. Little did she know...

Where Did March Go?

Where has this month gone? I was reading over my only post for this month, and was a little surprised to see that well, I only managed to post once, and two, not much has changed since that post. I still miss my son. I still worry about him. I still dream about him and wonder how he's doing. I emailed him the other day, but I haven't heard back from him. I wish I could say prayer is getting me thru this, but it's not working to well for me right now. Having a faith crisis or something like that.

Oh well- wanna hear the good news? I finally got my DSLR-- woo hoo!! Now if I could get some time to play with it. We're headed to DC in a few weeks, so that will be good practice. I can't wait to take photos of the monuments and use my wide angle lense! So cool.

More later. Maybe. Who knows...