Getting back into blogging

I decided to start this blog with a picture:



I created a 365 Photos blog for 2011 and I decided to mostly use my cell phone rather than stressing over using the Nikon D60. I want to make sure I don't get burned out on the project and am easily able to take a picture each day. It's been an interesting experience.

Robbie and I had a rather eventful day. I am no longer on my Houston project and am therefore working from home for the foreseeable future. This has its ups and its downs, since working from home takes a lot of motivations and can lead to a lot of frustration and boredom (at least in my experience). Anyway, today we took the dog to the vet because of goopy-eye syndrome (pink eye, we think). She did very well and we were proud pet-parents.

I have been struggling over whether or not to buy this book:

The book is "Encyclopedia for the Art and History of Tattoing" by Henk Schiffmacher. Basically one giant comprehensive encyclopedic bible of tattoos written by probably the most famous tattoo historian in the world. I finally caved in and bought it despite the $100 price tag because it seemed like an absolutely awesome addition to our home (especially the coffee table, I'm thinking).

Though I got my first tattoo at age 20 I've found myself even more excited about them of late, specifically with my lady tattoo I got in October. Tattoos to me (despite having only a few myself) feel "right." It feels like some sort of deep-seeded urge that I can't explain or justify, necessarily. I just love how they look, how I feel with them. It's hard to put into words, so I'm going to use this answer to a FAQ by might as rella that really struck me:

Are tattoos addictive?

I'm gonna say no. Not physically. In fact, I'd say not at all. I think that it's somewhere deep in human nature to get tattooed...like cavemen did it, and cultures around the world have been doing it forever, and we are just living in an extremely repressive society in that regard. I think the 'addictiveness' comes from getting a tattoo and realizing that it's not such a big deal. You just kind of cross the line, from not having tattoos to having one, and then why the hell not get more? Yeah, that's my weird answer to that question. Or maybe I'm wrong and people love endorphins and being totally cool or some shit. I'm no expert.

Other than these things life has been pretty boring. My husband is on vacation so it's been nice spending all our time together. He has started taking me to the gym with him and has served as my unpaid personal trainer. I feel amazing and I can't wait to go every day...an actual non-destructive thing on which I can focus my obsessive energy. Only problem is, he kicked my ass the last two days and I literally can't move today for pain. I'm hoping I get to go tomorrow but if I'm still sore I might just lay in bed.

Newest Tattoo

After getting the tattoo I talk about below (which turned out really well) I was motivated finally to go for an upper arm tattoo (a half-sleeve). This was a difficult decision to come to, as I have a corporate job that does not look kindly upon visible body modifications. However, I spoke to a few professional mentors, my husband, and most importantly, myself, and realized that this was the right decision at the right time.

Then came the design. I knew I wanted something in a vintage sort of style, perhaps war-related in some fashion. The idea of paratroopers came to mind, as my husband jumped out of airplanes in the Army. He spent 13 months in Iraq, during one of the most tumultuous times in the war and in what was at the time the most dangerous area in Iraq. I have a lot of pride in my husband and what he did, and I feel that it shaped both him and me, as well as our relationship and our marriage.

So I had the plane and the paratroopers, but I needed a way to tie it all together. A good friend of mine suggested poppies, a flower that is typically associated with World War I and, more recently, soldiers who are killed in action or just military service in general. I thought the red poppies would be a great pop of color, and initially thought that the tattoo would be predominantly grey, black, and red.

I gave my artist the following collage:

I wanted the plane to be a C-47, the plane that WWII paratroopers jumped out of, as sort of an homage to military members past (including my grandfather, who served as a doctor in World War II).

On the 28th I revisted my tattoo artist, who had come up with a design. I wish wish wish I had taken a picture of it, but I didn't want him to think I was "stealing" it or being obnoxious, so whoever reads this will just have to wait! :)

Anyway the design he created was even more amazing than I could've ever thought. Describing it can't really do it justice...basically, the perspective is looking up from a field of poppies to a plane overhead with paratroopers falling from the plane. My artist is super excited, as am I!

My first of maybe 3-4 sessions is next Saturday and I couldn't be happier. :)

Goodbye, 2010.

Well 2010 was a pretty big year in our home. I was gone for most of the year for work, we got married, Rob ended his sophomore year and began his junior, I worked my ass off in a project in Houston, got a tattoo (the one listed below - came out GREAT and was an extremely spiritual experience for me), celebrated holidays together, laughed, cried, and enjoyed life.

I would have to say that 2010 was one of the best years of my life, but 2011 can only get better. This year I'm working on getting into shape and loving my body, focusing on our marriage and making sure we're ready for whatever comes next, and becoming more positive about my life in general.

Also, I'm about a week away from getting my biggest and most awesome tattoo...a great start to a (hopefully) great year!

By the way, I started a new 365 Photos Blog at http://2011pictures.blogspot.com. Check it out!

Happy New Year all!

New Tattoo

I'm off to get my sixth tattoo today. Here was my inspiration:

I gave my artist the above picture and told him that I wanted him to draw his own version of it (perhaps a questionable idea, because he typically draws zombies and skulls, but what can I say, I trust him). There will be a kind of vintage banner below her name that says "The Stardust of a Song."

Meaning:

My grandparents were married 3 weeks before my grandfather left for World War II. They were separated for a year and a half before they were able to begin their life together. Rob and I, due to our own wartime separation, feel a real connection with my grandparents and the love they shared.

My grandparents both passed away within a year of each other, in 2009 and 2010. It was a huge loss for my family and we've all felt a little directionless since they passed.

So the vintage war-bride type tattoo is an homage to them and their love. Their song was "Stardust" performed by Hoagie Carmichael, which explains the lyrics that will appear below her head.

I'm definitely much more excited about this tattoo than I've been about any of my others, primarily because it's so meaningful, but also because it's my first color tattoo.

Do any of you (assuming anyone reads this) have tattoos, or are planning one?

Lotsa Bullets

I don’t have the energy or coherence to write an actual post, so perhaps some bullets will do:

- Rob and I celebrated one month of marital bliss yesterday. I can definitely say that being married feels “different” from being engaged and/or living together.

- I am very, very, very fortunate to be married to my best friend.

- When I look back on our relationship (almost 8 years together) I am floored by just how much we’ve gone through to get where we are. I almost lost him several times in Iraq, I spent three months in Russia, we spent the majority of four years apart but somehow still grew together…and now life just seems so freaking NORMAL. I think if the Me from three years ago was instantly transported to my life now (seeing Rob every day, or at least every week when I’m traveling, walking the dog, working) her head would explode with happiness. Seriously, Rob and I used to fantasize for HOURS about the life we’d lead post-Army and how happy we’d be. So far it pretty much meets expectations.

- I love my dog, but one thing that gets me down about remote work is having to walk her all day. I’m just not a person that can enjoy walks by myself, especially when my dog is getting into everything she shouldn’t get into (dead animals, feces, blackberries, cigarette butts, gum) and I have to yell at her every 3 feet. Plus it’s hot and boring and loud (we walk on an ATV trail that runs right next to the road) and I have to carry a giant electric fly swatter to kill the deer flies.

- Side note: I don’t consider myself a morbid person, but I get a real kick out of watching deer flies fry on my electric fly swatter. Seriously. I press the little button like 8 times just to “make sure” they’re dead, even when they’re just sparks by that point. Then I knock them off the racket and step on them.

- Gluten-free diet is going really well so far. I went through a phase where I was convinced that though two tests conclusively diagnosed celiac disease, I didn’t actually have celiac disease. So I ate rather carelessly (no outright cheating, just a ton of cross-contamination) and ended up getting really sick. So we’re back to strictly GF. I meet with my gastroenterologist tomorrow and hopefully he can answer some of my long-term questions (re: pregnancy, my future childrens’ risk of celiac, etc.).

- Someone very close to me is still battling cancer after more than a year, and I think she’s just about the most awesome person in the world with just about the most awesome attitude in the world. Girl’s my hero.

- I’ve been experiencing some interesting feelings re: children lately. One day I’ll desperately wish I was pregnant, the next I can’t imagine ever even having kids. We went to visit Rob’s professor the other evening for dinner and their twin 5-year-old girls were just. so. shrill. But they’re really freaking cute (and SMART – these kids know at least some advanced geological concepts and can write their names super-legibly! Not even in kindergarten yet!). I suppose it all changes once you actually HAVE kids (which we will do…someday).

- This post more or less flows in the same way as my thought processes.

Yet another venture.

So last year, an old friend from high school asked me to photograph her wedding. I accepted because it seemed reaaally far away...but last weekend, it came, and there I was. I was excruciatingly nervous and didn't know how it would turn out.

The night before, I had taken Rob to a Social Distortion concert for his birthday in Hartford, CT. I was careless with what I ate (had some cross-contaminated french fries) and got really sick in the middle of the concert. The next day (day of the wedding) I was shaky, dehydrated, and exhausted. And super, super nervous.

But...

It went really, really well actually! The pictures came out more beautiful than expected and the bride was *thrilled*. I even got an extra $25 on top of my extremely low price!

I had another wedding this weekend that I'm not sure went as well, but I'm still working on the pictures. My last for the season (maybe?) is on August 22.

Anyway this is an exciting new venture in our lives. Photography has long been something that I enjoy doing and, if I could make money doing it, would be a fabulous full-time job. I hope I have the talent, werewithal, and patience to make it happen...if it's supposed to happen. Sure would mean a lot more time at home, but still plenty of opportunities to travel!

Other than that, this weekend was uneventful.

New Chapter

I just went through and deleted all the wedding blogs from my list on the right, which I use in place of Google Reader to keep up on weddingy things. I started to realize that wedding blogs were just another source of frustration and anxiety and hey, I'm not planning a wedding anymore! So here we are with a new chapter free of wedding planning.

I am working remotely (from home) for two weeks, which is lovely but also stressful. I love spending time with my husband, but not being physically on site has its challenges.

Lately I've been evaluating my work situation and trying to figure out how constant travel makes me feel. Honestly I haven't come up with much; travel has become so normal to me now that my eyes sort of glaze over and I go through the motions like any good travel robot. How long I'll be able to do it remains to be seen.

This is a ramble-y post so I'll cut it short there.