Sears Portrait Phenomenon

As many of you know, I've worked for Sears Portrait Studio for 10 years. I have recently decided to cut ties with their actual company CPI corps. For the most part CPI has taken good care of me, especially the vacation hours I've accumulated over the years. However, because of my newer job as an ASL interpreter I have decided that my time can best be spent doing that at the educational level and the Video Relay Service that I'm also involved in.

Taking photos of families, babies, grads and anything else you can think of has brought me great joy for the last decade; with joy also comes pain. The industry of photos is so sales driven that it's become too much. I was born to do sales. I really am amazing at it...although I never worked for commission. I believe in passion and when I'm passionate about something, it tends to be contagious, hence... people will buy. But the corporate world was never satisfied. I can't tell you the amount of times prices went up on the same product...no quality change, just the price...simply because they could.

The new company I work for has so many perks, I feel well taken care of. Sears on the other hand (and I mean CPI...we really aren't involved with sears at all except for the location.) has very little appreciation they show....except for the once a year fiscal number crunching whether or not we beat our sales and sittings from the previous year. The cycle works out so that you want to just BARELY beat your sales from the previous year so that you can guarantee your position the next year. IT's Ridiculous...not to mention the stress the bigger bosses put on their managers to make it happen. Soliciting patrons in the store.....come in for a free 8x10...and then do whatever you can to get them to buy more. It's uncomfortable and exhausting. and i'm fed up with it.

I could go on and on....but I will ju st say that I'veenjoyed most of the time that I worked there...obviously....because I believe if you don't like your job, than you shouldn't do it....so that is why I have finally decided to really stop it this time. I'm unhappy there....THE PEOPLE I WORKED with are fabulous. That is really the reason I stayed on for so long. It just finally became too much, and God has given me abilities and opportunities to take care of finances elsewhere.

I told a few of my customers whom I've worked with since there babies were born that if they were to ever see my face in the obituaries that I'd like everyone to bring photos that i've taken and make a mosaic to me...sort of like Mr. Holland's Opus...you know, the smiles and tears that I've captured over the years....It's been amazing to be intimately involved with so many people by taking photos of their babies and Great grand parents...etc...but...just because the CPI/Sears chapter of my life is closed doesn't mean anyone could EVER pry my camera from my ..........hands (I was almost going to quote Charelton Heston...but it sounded too morbid.).

...THAT will never happen.
as always.
thanks for reading.

main reason for blogging??? come to an end?

Hey there. My two dear friends Rebecca and Elizabeth (Little Lod and the Queen) have recently come home from their 6 months abroad. They were the main reason that I started blogging.

However, I really enjoy it now...whether anyone else checks this or not..I think it'll be fun to reflect and look back on my year...because of what I blogged on.

However, I'm still lazy at this because I like to add photos, but because of my time/what I choose to do with my time while I'm around my computer at home.....I don't typically choose to blog.

So...I could just type and let you know what's been going on...but that sounds sort of boring...is it better just not to write at all?

MY BIRTHDAY WEEKEND/week was/is this past 4 day/holiday weekend.

So a little clarification to that back slash chaos. As most of you know, I not only have the one fabulous day that I (and my twin) was born....I enjoy an entire week of festivities. This week kicked off with "my girls" coming on on

THURSDAY. That evening was spent looking at 2000 photos ranging from stray cats in Egypt, to a Nile Cruise, various Obliesques...(sp..i'm sure is wrong...sorry ladies.)...The pyramids...and on and on and on...(Yes, I WANTED to see all 8000 that night, but there just wasn't enough time in the day.)...
therefore, we continued it to

FRIDAY after I got off of work.(we made it through Ireland England Some France, and Spain...and ate at Greek Souvlaki..my favorite place to eat ever!!

SATURDAY was a hair trim, a meeting, and then Christmas Tree tear down at my parents home...then we were swept up to Snowbird for an amazing ...(what's that really amazing cut of steak...prime rib???)...that, with lobster bernaise on top...(my fav.) as usual mom and dad spoil my tastebuds like crazy...topped with a fine JakesCreek Merlot..
that was nice..and a bit later, a purple saki...that was fun too

um...then..SUNDAY.: church, and then we had a fun January birthday/welcome home/congrats party for daniel moore for getting his EMT certification. It was fun...(there are 4+ people that have birthdays on the 17, 19, 16, 18...and everyother day...

it's was a blast...we try to do the birthday thing every year...it's just fun celebrating birth with friends and family.
we played mafia, ate, hung out....friends are fabulous.

MONDAY: the big day. Jake left in the morning to go SHOPPING for me..smiles.
I dropped off my photo order at sears..(my complimentary photo package from Christmas...)MY LAST ONE EVER because i quite sears a few weeks ago!!! that could have been it's own blog.
I know this is getting long, but you all know how wordy I can be...

So I went home and opened this cool gift Jake got me...I had my eye on almost one year ago, and I never expected to get it because he didn't think it looked all that cool, its a Think Fun game...sort of mind puzzles, if you aren't familiar with them...this one is called Rush Hour. YOu have cars and trucks on this grid, and there are cadrs that tell you how to set up the traffic scenerio, and then you have to move the cards round until you can get the reed car free from the tgraffic jam...it can be a little elementary, but I find it challenging, plus I think people that w come over might enjoy it. something fun to have on the cofffee table..we like to entertain our guests.

anyhoo, the majority of the birthday was spent with Elizabeth, rebecca and Jake..and my phone...TONS of poeple texting and calling and leaving messages...that was a blast.
so we saw Bedtime stories at teh movie theater, then grabbed cafe rio/chipotle...then ran home to blockbuster and rented The Happening.

THe Happening: That movie....wow...I had heard it was M. N. Shamalans first rated R.. and that Wahlberg wasn't convincing as a timid school teacher. That's all I had heard....needless to say...it was very graphic....lots of dead bodies...and how they were killed...I don't want to say too much just in case someone would EVER want to watch this...but...that mans imagination, is morbid...Yes, that statement comes from a woman who occasionally takes pictures of roadkill..that movie was morbid.

Then jake and i did our bowling league...we are in 2nd place and played against the #1 team..we tied 2 and 2, but that was better than losing 4! we were really happy..
THEN
TUESDAY: (off school cause of teachers doing grades...) MOVIE:yes man/SHOPPINGkohls /Lunch la luna (so delicious) with my bestest friend Shara, then MORE pics with the queen and lod (this time..i think..Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Holland, Croatia, Slovenia... and we got to drink BOBA TEA...another fav..then arts group..

only to get home and play one more game of Settlers of Catan on my fav website...what an end to a beautiful week.....and then I check the mail and i get a gift from my Mary...(mom in law..but i hate using those words...)...and now i get to go to joannes wearing very warm socks and buy some fun yarn/paint, or whatever i want.
I"M SO BLESSED!!
Thanks to all for making my life wonderful and
blessed, and I hope you all receive Joy back from me when you are in my presence because you know I do with you...(hope that came out as sweet as i meant it.)

I know this is long, but i hope you've read it.

until later...hopefully not too much later..

Freedom

E-vin, jake and my's church has started an Art Group. We are beyond excited to share the gifts and talents that God has given us with others in our community. But mostly we love putting our hands to something to bless God and to give Him all the glory. Our first event happened on the Sunday morning just before we flew out to Minneapolis. The Presence of God and the Joy in my heart that morning were immeasureable. I think mostly it hit me during worship, which was done accustically off the stage with a couple guitars and a Djimbe...it was music for the soul. I wanted to post a few pieces of art that various people in our congregation put together for our expression of Freedom. One talented friend of ours wrote a 20 minute drama for the occassion and asked Jake to act in it...(I got to do a voice over. that was fun.) I don't have snaps of everything that contributed to our first art event, but here's a preview.
Enjoy..and Praise God in everything because He is the reason we have Freedom in the first place!This is part of the drama...jake's character struggles with addiction while his friend encourages him to get some counseling, Jake's character chooses to refuse freedom

My amazing friend Susanna choreographed a dance to a song. she's wonderful.

The woman who painted this had never attempted art before. God came through in many ways for her. You never know until you try eh?

This is the ASL sign for Freedom. I thought it came together nicely.

This one speaks for itself. I'll try to add a video, but last time no luck.
oh well. guess the stills will have to do.

Tradition!!!

Beignette day started on Dec. 2, 20005 after Elizabeth, Rebecca and I returned home from our fun trip to New Orleans. We decided that Cafe Dumont was not the only place that could offer Beignette's and Cafe au Lait. So...in honor of our 3rd annual Beignette day....here are some photos. (side note...Dec 2nd is also Josh Craner berfday, and John and Betty's anniversary...31 years and counting..how awesome...) anyhoo..this year due to the girls being abroad, we held Beignette day on Nov 30th instead, and had the other half of Prosphatos to stand in...and Daniel, Jake, John and Betty. It was a blast...as you can see. (the the 4 of us "youngins" played Settlers of Catan...and I won...as Betty predicted...yeah for me.)

getting older

I realize more and more each time I am around a mixed group of people, that I just don't have as much patience for most teens as I used to.

I love games...but I like focused people. It's like when you go bowling..i'm there to bowl...so when it flashes your name...you should bowl right?

well I find that I have been losing my patience with the younger crowd that we hang out with..anyhoo. no more time to write...
just thought i'd mention.

The truth is...

Last night we had game night. It was a blast...We drank lots of Mountain Dew and Pepsi...and some water....ate candy...(cause all the carrots were eaten last nigh)t....and played games....cause that's what we do best.
We played Apples to Apples...i wound up with Addictive...fits eh?
Jake had Cold and Peaceful....he doesn't think he's cold, but maybe a little aloof.
then we played a few games of Mafia...then Encore...it's a fun song game. You are given a word and broken into two teams. Each team has to sing at least 6 words of a song containing that word, then the game goes back and forth until one team can't think anymore. Last night we had words like Beach, She, Over, and That. Sometimes your brain just gets stuck...but it was fun.

Then we played more Mafiea. While hanging with wonderful friends, I realized how much we miss our TRAVELING FRIENDS, Elizabeth and REBECCA...so I took advantage of the moment and snapped a pic. as you can see we are most sorrowful without you lovely ladies.

Then we played something called "4 on a couch" and we forgot all about our sadness....JUST KIDDING...and that wasn't even funny.
The boys wound up winning...but it was a blast, I definitely think it's something we'll be adding to our bag-o-fun-games.
FOR anyone reading whom didn't come to game night...ask us about it ...and you can come over next time!!! cause it's fun fun fun.
Thanks for all the friends that did come...It's an honor to know such wonderful peeps.
and as always...thanks for reading.

pictures are uploaded!

Our bowling league team...The Mafia...aka Clint and Michelle Mason...and us....(yes, that's jake's ball.)