only needs two quarters

How has the year started for you? I see all theses boot camp photos and gym shots and I hope it's working for you. What I don't see are the ones where you gave up carbs, or sweets. You don't have to explain I'm just speaking to myself. Keep it up I expect slimmer photos come June. What I'm trying to do myself is just eat earlier and sleep more. Getting more sleep I find out helps you be more energetic.

Have you ever had a wonderful day? No, I don't mean just four hours of the day being the best. I hadn't realized how bad my days are until I actually had a good one. My wonderful day was Friday, I'll explain...I didn't encounter any roughness or cursing at work and everything went smoothly, which never happiness. Got off work and had my car inspected and it passed with flying colors. I don't know if you had ever had the feeling of waiting to see if you car passes the EXAM and praying for your little revving engine to keep you on the road. So when the guy comes to you and tells you how much the inspection is your sigh of relief is really a thank you JESUS. I wanted to reward my car for passing so I went ahead and took it to get an oil change. Came home and a few short hours my father n law with Becky and Emma came over and fixed our shower. See how many more little blessings I'm talking about. After that they treated us to dinner. What more could I ask for. I like hanging out with them I think it's because after knowing them for so long I can actually act like myself around them. They even know the moment I'm about to cry when watching a sad movie. Enough about my wonderful day. I mean I know I wont get many of those days. Think about it, how many wonderful days have you had that didn't involve doing something spectacular?

There are small angels in disguise around us we just don't realize who they are because we don't take time to see. I spotted an angel Sunday. Someone I work with had two stuffed animals that he had just won from the claw machine (a glass see through big box that you put quarters in to have a big claw come down and try to win something inside). He saw me and was going to give me one but I said that's okay not really a big fan of stuffed animals. Two other people approached him and asked for them instead. He went ahead and gave them away. He said he wins them all the time. I asked who he gives them too, maybe he was going to give them to someone at home. He told me he gives them to the hospital for the children with cancer. So before he gave those two away I said well keep them don't give them away. He replied and said "that's okay I'll get more tomorrow". He let them accumulate once and ended up taking four trash bags of stuffed animals.  They put a big smile on those kid's faces. My view of this man changed and I told him he had a gift. He said "I never thought of it that way. Imagine fifty cents buying happiness to a child that has cancer. The small things in life that bring joy are priceless. We often see people and don't realize what they have offered this world. Here is an angel disguised as just a working man that doesn't bother anyone and just goes about his daily routine not realizing how many children he gets to make happy.

I ended bringing one of the two stuffed animals home anyways, to my stuffed animal lover. How you may ask? One of the lovely ladies that wanted one ended up with one that she couldn't quite give to her little nephew so she ended up
giving it to me. What ever it says on it is what I really mean with all my heart.  

I Love You

pay phone

Have I told you how not to break a pay phone? Wait do you know what a pay phone is? I've used them in my lifetime even checked them for quarters left in the slots before.

I'm trying to enjoy a break away from work but it's hard when you sit down and the couple next to you are speaking loudly. They have two little girls and an older little boy. He keeps his little sisters entertained as the adults are speaking. You can tell just by the boys reactions to his sisters that he has had to be an adult at times. Next thing you hear is the man getting loud and yelling at his lady. I'm going to say they are married just so that I can get some justification for myself. He then slams his fist on the table and I stop what I'm doing to look at them. I think everyone there practically froze to see what his problem was. At this point the lady gets embarrassed and immediately gets up. He blocks her from passing so she pushes her way through. Anger comes over me and my eyes won't stop drilling his back as he walks away. He leads the way then her and the children. As they walk out he continues to curse, using fowl language, towards everyone that just witnessed what he had done. I believe it to be over at this point.

As I continue to grasp what is going through my mind as to why things like this happen to women, or why they don't realize how bad it can be, I hear the boy yelling for his mommy. When they left the area I could hear along with others the boy calling for his mother and the two little girls start to cry. He had his hand around the lady's neck pinned up against the wall.  People started coming in and leaving yelling to call security. All they knew was to call security. I heard a big noise and the guy had let go and walked out leaving her there with the children.

When I got to her I saw him leave, she was okay but I immediately called 911. I figured I wanted him to pay so I just assumed to call them. When I dialed the number I had to pause because I was trying to fight back tears. So she asked me again "what is your emergency" I apologized and told her what had happened and told her what needed to be said. By this time the lady had left with her babies. When I got off the phone she had sent a signal to my phone when I didn't answer. That I learned that day. Learned that if I was really in danger and called 911 and was unable to speak that they would come to my aid regardless. When I got of the phone it told me to deactivate the signal.

I know you are probably wondering why I choked when I called 911, I guess it would be the children calling for their mommy. Picture a six year old, four year old, and three year old yelling mommy mommy mommy while they are crying knowing she is being harmed. Innocent bystanders to their parents not knowing how it affects the little ones. Not knowing that one day things will get really bad and wonder where there mommy is and why it may look like their father left them.  I use to think that things like this happen behind closed doors but I'm seeing it more out in the open. There has to be a way out.

A woman is a delicate being, why not treat her that way. A mother's love is like no other so why not protect her babies. Why is it so hard to get help? It's never easy but why not try? Take a minute to step outside yourself and look in and see if you like what you see.

My question, how do you break a pay phone? Remember that big noise? Picture a man letting the hand holding the neck of the mother of his children go, and knowing he is being watched. So instead of his wife he grabs the phone next to him and breaks it. That is how mad a mad man can get.

why change

This year has been a great one with the exception of the scares. We don't remember what all happened in these twelve months I mean there is so much to process.
All we can remember are the deaths of humans that society helped raise. I say society because, when parents don't raise their kids right and something happens in that persons life, it's always the fault of someone else. You don't ever hear the parent say" where did I go wrong" you just see riots.
Or when Ebola hit home. In our case it hit real close to home. I have sisters that work at Presbyterian and if you knew how close to home it was you'd see how lucky my family is.
Or how about the movie that was so controversial that it could have started a war. The interview will be in history books one day and that ten dollar movie ticket will be worth thousands of dollars. I haven't seen it yet but to think that a comedy could have started a battle is just preposterous.
How about all the people that decided to end their lives this year due to bulling or because of their inner demons.
And wondering how forty three students could go missing all at once in Mexico.
I'll be thinking of those not with us tonight.
I am thankful that I still have my family and that even though we had some scares I still have them with me.
I'll be thinking of our new family member Natalia whom my sister brought into this crazy world.
I'll think about how I allowed another furry animal to live with us.
I'll be thinking of my friends who lost loved ones this year.
I'll be thankful that my father was able to get back to work after being absent from it. Like seeing my teenage son get a job. don't judge, at my age that is how I see my parents. You too will feel the same.
I'll think about all the friendships lost and all the new ones that I have gained.
I'll thank God for the people in my life.

Even though I ended this year working and starting the new year back at it tomorrow I'll be grateful that it has allowed me a roof over my head and the ability to feed my furry babies, all seven of them.
I love an animal lover and for her I will be thankful.
When the ball hits the ground and we are counting down the seconds I'll thank God that she is still by my side loving me as I love her. Knowing that she takes me and all the crazy thoughts that go through my mind. Its been thirteen great years.
Even though we, still in two thousand fourteen, are unable to marry that doesn't mean that maybe next year it won't be different.
I'll thank her for introducing me to my second family, which that alone is such an amazing thought to know that not many can get along with their in laws.
I may not have all the riches in the world but I have a loving family and great friends that I'll be thinking of when we leave this year and enter the new one.
All these small images will go through my mind and hope that I have somehow captured these memories through photographs.
I'll think about all the opportunities I had this year and hope that next year they will double.
So while I have my red panties on and champagne in one hand and a Snickers in the other I'll say good bye two thousand fourteen its been nice knowing you and well, hello there two thousand fifteen!  Are you ready for me?
While some of us will be celebrating all the good this past year has brought us, others may not feel the same joy.
Then I'll think for a second or two after that and say that I will change then realize and shake my head to a big no. I'm half my lifetime and if I hadn't changed before, why in the world would I change now?
Did I mention I'll be thankful for being introduced to Cristela Alonzo on ABC, she's hilarious.
If you happen to stay home like us just breathe and take it all in but if you happen to be out be safe because you want to make it to the first day of 2015!

photo irony (will rap 4 weed)

I may not be good at it but I love to do it. I like to take pride in my photos. I'm still learning as I go. I've never really been good at anything but what I do love to do is taking a camera everywhere I go. I don't share a lot of my photos mainly for the criticism. I don't like to take the ones that you have to work for. I like taking the random ones. I had entered a photo on a small board for a gallery showing a while ago. I had help from my partner. Never thought something like a photo on a board would sell, but it did. Due to it being in the show I was able to enter another piece and this time it was an actual framed photo. It didn't sell. I'm going to be honest and say I don't mind when it doesn't get sold because I get a kick out of you seeing it. When the gallery owner found out that the photo didn't sell he told me not to stick with photography. He didn't really care for that (art). I mean anyone can take a photo, right? He made it seam easy as if anyone can do it.

This is what I do. I'm not the painter, the musician, or the professional photographer. I just do what I do. A few weeks ago there was another call to artists but this time to photographers. You would have three days to go down Deep Ellum and shoot a photo of anything happening that was going on in Deep Ellum this particular weekend. The topic was when you think of Deep Ellum, what comes to mind? Most of my time spent in Deep Ellum was day light walks. I wanted to see how different it was to capture a photo of Deep Ellum at night.  I found out about it on Thursday and on Saturday night we were roaming the streets with my camera. Had fun doing it, one of my favorite things to do in this world is walking and taking pictures. I had taken a few shots so I had to narrow it down to one photo and that alone was tough. Come Monday I had to drop it off. That same Thursday the viewing of the others photographers photos were to be displayed. We got there late and to my surprise my photo had already been sold. I picked the one with the young lady standing on a car holding two signs that read "will rap for weed" across from Trees (music venue). This is what I think about when I think of Deep Ellum. Deep Ellum to me is local music. Not necessary that she would rap for weed but the fact that music is the number one factor that describes Deep Ellum.

had the doors open so everyone could hear the music

check out that line at ten pm

slaughter haunted house friend

graffiti art even on the potty 

zombie hunters

What is now ironic to me is that the one man that didn't think photography was even an art, a form of expressing oneself just cut me a check for my photo. His words when he gave me the check were " you are now a professional photographer" you would think that that feeling of someone calling me a professional photographer would have made me feel good but it didn't. I've sold photos before and have sold them for charities but here was a man that didn't even know me that has told me to not stick with photography had now classified me as "professional" because he physically handed me money for doing it, photography.

I find in my life
many ironic things.

thousands to rest

Have you ever stepped foot to a home that houses thousands of soldiers?

 

When that day comes how will you handle the death of your loved one? There is no correct way. No lesson plan. No one else to handle it for you. We just have to handle it the best way that we can.

It will take time to heal but in the process try to live every step of the way. At least that is what I believe to be the best option there is. I don't speak from experience. I speak from watching others suffer the emptiness that they must feel.

You've heard about, tomorrow is not promised, but have you heard, the next few hours are not promised as well?

There was a loving wife that ate lunch with her husband every day except for the day he played golf with his buddies. Lunch is so simple but at times is just a way of saying I have to at least see you just to get through the next half of the day. He dropped her back off and when she arrived home she didn't imagined she wouldn't see his smiling face any more. He'd had his last lunch with her.

What happens though when it was just the wife and the husband. She now feels so alone. What do you say to her? How do you get her to move ahead and try to be strong?

Have you ever just sat down and written exactly what needs to be done in case of your absence. Don't do it just for your loving partner but for your children as well. It may sound silly to you but if I and my partner were to pass together at the same time, who'd look after our four legged babies? How would they understand what will become of them? Hoping they'd end up in a loving home. In the week ahead I encourage you to do just that, write or let someone know what you wish to be done. Death is scary but it shouldn't be something you are afraid to talk about. It will eventually happen.

Ended today helping a friend say goodbye to her husband. She doesn't know how she will go on. I tell her to be strong, take her time to heal, and that even though she thinks its over that it isn't. He was buried at the Dallas Ft. Worth National Cemetery today along with twelve others. Twelve other men and women now accompany his side. Think about it for a second.  In one day twelve families had to say goodbye to their loved ones. She wasn't alone in this cycle of life.

how safe is your baby egg

How does an egg carton come in handy in a baby shower? I love my sisters but throwing a baby shower is not easy. My sister is having her little girl pretty soon. You would think that food is the important part but it's not, having the guests entertained is what makes or breaks a baby shower. I always get picked to do the games. I don't mind just some pressure involved. Wanted to do some new games. So I did my research. I like for the ladies to get involved as a group. Don't want them to fall asleep on me. The traditional game is measuring the belly. I just spiced it up by tying all the long strands of paper to her body. Like a mommy walking mummified. I introduced them to the one where you make a baby over your head with your eyes closed out of play-doh. the mommy to be picks out the best looking baby. One of my favorites that I had them do is pass a carton of eggs around the room and have them pick one then pass the markers around and have them draw on the egg. The point is to make them individually their babies. They were to keep their babies with them at all times, care for it. At the end who ever still had their babies without a crack, won a prize. They got smart on me by putting them in their cleavage. The trick was whether they were boiled or not.

It was a bring your boyfriend, husband, and partner to the shower kind of shin ding. The women inside while the men played outside. That way the ladies enjoyed their margaritas and the men their beer. Did I mention that it was a Spanish baby shower. I for a second thought it wasn't going to work but it actually did.  Yes there was a mechanical bull. I ended leaving early so I never found out if they had the curiosity to wonder if the egg was breakable or if they won. I think this was intentional by me. It was a two to eleven pm baby shower. 

If you ever throw a baby shower try to involve all the ladies at the same time. I've been on the other end and well there is a difference. I know you've heard of musical chairs, but how about passing the dirty diaper. The competition was tough and the ladies really played rough for their prizes. They all wanted to be winners. It brings out their inner child. In the end it was actually a fun night.

matrix-y

Earlier last month at S4 (it's a dance club in Dallas on Cedar Springs Rd) there was a competition that I wanted to attend. The competition was to get participants to dress up as Lady Gaga for a chance to win a pair of tickets to her concert here in Dallas. It was quite interesting to see the outfits that the participants were to create. My goal was to attend and decide for myself the winner. Not enough people participated so two guys from the audience got asked to join. No, their outfits didn't qualify and I thought that they shouldn't win but it was okay to participate. As the hour neared to the end the stage grew with less Gaga's. The best winner did indeed win. Happy for him. I feel like the best Gaga's will be a guy, maybe because they really go (all out) to make their costumes.

the participants

But it all really boils down to this.......I took my camera. Who takes their camera to the dance club? This girl right here.  I didn't want to go with my big camera bag or a purse. It's not ordinary to go dancing while having a purse. So I tucked it under my pull over shirt but over my tank top. When it was time to snap the photos I took it out but when it was time to leave I hid it again. They allow camera's but I didn't want anyone to bump into it so I wanted to keep it close to me. On the way out I spotted someone very characteristic and wanted to snap a photo. It was going to be a quick one so I kept it hidden. My Heather opened the door and within seconds I moved aside my pull over and reached across my body to grab my camera. The movement I had done was like a person reaching out for their gun. This is when I realized what I had done. Outside the doors there stood two police officers that had seen what they thought was a black object to be reached like a gun. They looked at each other with huge eyes. The look on their faces was priceless. Well it seemed at the moment that it was. There, o crap stuff is fixing to go down, face finally changed to a sigh of relief and laughed while they looked at each other.

the person in white was the winner

the photo that I just had to take

I still took my photo and began to realize that if the police officers weren't as smart safe as they were I could have had a gun drawn on me and well I would have been highly upset. My life has it's moments but my photography life has its risks.

not a clear cellphone pic but maybe you can see where my camera is

I'll be more aware and less matrix-y.