Perfume Shopping

Image by Auntie P via Flickr

I was bored the other day while waiting to pick someone up at the airport and spent my time at the fragrance counter trying to pick out a new perfume. There are soooo many out there! I used to have a signature scent called Tuscany and just loved it. But I out grew it and need to find something more updated. I love scents that are a little bit floral with a touch of citrus and a light undertone of musk. That's a hard combo to find! However, I have found a great spot online to shop for perfumes! Online perfume! Tons of great perfumes there for both men and women. Old lines, new ones and lots in between. Should be able to find what I need there for sure! One thing I hate is being limited to one company at the counter. But I haven't felt limited at SCENT! Hopefully this site will help me find just what I am looking for.

Re-worked Website

Hey all! I just finished an update to my business website. Would you do me the honor of checking it out and giving me your opinion please? Wild Rose Images

Tacky Wedding Announcements / Invitations

This spring and summer we have been inundated with wedding invitations from very cute, adoring couples. They all contain lovely pictures, beautiful script and sweet messages of a happy future together. I love the creativeness of them but invitations get less formal every year. I've been shocked by some of the things I've read in ones sent to us, weddings I've worked and some winners posted online. Tucked inside you might find little notes that say things like:

"Please Donate to Our Dream Honeymoon Instead of Gifts", I'm sure there are nice resorts closer than a Safari through Kenya.
"Please Include Gift Receipts with Gifts", cause we might think it's cheap and ugly and want the cash more!
"Money Tree/Wishing Well at Guest Register", we're trying to be subtle but all we really want is your bank account!
"Help us buy the bride a piano! Sshhh! It's a surprise!", wow! that's a major money grab!
"No Boxed Gifts" (just cash...hint, hint),
"No Gifts Please. Envelopes Accepted", and they better be stuffed with the green, baby!
"Our House has Already Been Made Into a Home but the Bride Will Pass Her Boot Around After the Ceremony", No explanation necessary! But a boot?!?! Really?!?! On your wedding day???
"Target is Our Favorite Store. Gift Cards Appreciated", ya, we just don't trust your gift buying skills.....your taste stinks and we don't want it in our house!
"We are Dedicated to a Life of Simplicity and Therefore Request Gifts be Monetary to Help Pay Our Student Loan Debt". (honeymoon is in Hawaii and if you have to announce you live simply well then, Honey, you ain't doin' it)
"We've Found Each Other. Oh What Luck! There's a Family Dinner. Just Remember, it's POTLUCK!" If you need help with a wedding just ask your family and friends but not on the invitation itself. A little forethought is all we're asking.
and one lovely phrase I read today...
"No gifts. Minimum donation $100" apparently not an uncommon request in the northeastern states. (they threw a six figure wedding)

My all time favorite tacky behavior at weddings? The Dollar Dance!! Guests pay the Bride and Groom for a turn on the dance floor, tucking bills into hands, pockets and pinning to the gown. I don't know about you but I can't be hired as a private dancer for anybody! You could end up dancing with a major Creeper!

Come on people! Miss Manners must be gobsmacked when she hears of these. If you check any wedding etiquette book or website it will tell you that even including your registry information is viewed as extremely rude. This is just so TACKY!! A wedding is supposed to be an occasion celebrated with your loved ones not a pick pocket session. People want to give you gifts when you marry. Honestly we do. However a direct plea for money is truly unseemly. Let your mother or mother-in-law to-be and your bridesmaids quietly pass the word about your registry or what your monetary needs are. Your family and friends will almost certainly ask just because they love you and want to give what you desire. Don't make them feel like they have to pay a cover charge to offer their congratulations on your blissful union.

Oh Where, Oh Where have my little friends gone?

Image via Wikipedia

Summer vacations must be in full swing because the blog posting has dried up and withered to a stand still. Are you out there anywhere? I sure hope all y'all are having a bang up time whatever you are doing. I, on the other hand am not having a vacation this year. I get to spend my summer working but at least I am learning new skills and making some cash. Nothing wrong with that, eh? It looks like both of my supervisors are moving on so I might try for their positions and make even more moola. I think I might try to squeeze in a quick trip down to Utah to see the daughter and do some shopping so maybe that will count as a holiday.
In 2 weeks we are going to have an onslaught of visitors. For the first time in many years, my brothers and sisters and their children will be gathering together. I can't even remember the las time we had a full family event. Mom and Dad are really looking forward to this event and who can blame them? Seriously though, I think it has been at least 10 yrs.

Image by holisticgeek via Flickr

Wow! Time really flies doesn't it? Well, with this many people showing up, Mom and I are going to have to get some serious baking done and cassoroles in the freezer. I can't imagine where we will put everyone either. Hope the kids like tents cause this is a small house. LOL! I'm sure they will love it!

A SAD DAY FOR BIOGRAPHY ENTHUSIATS

Cover of Angela's Ashes

I learned this afternoon that one of my favorite authors had passed away after a fight with Melanoma and Meningitis. Frank McCourt was an amazing author!!! He authored 3 books about his life but the most famous was, "ANGELA'S ASHES". He grew up beyond dirt poor in desperate circumstances during the 1930's. He had an undeniable gift for story telling and used it well to describe his growing up years. Thanks Frank, for all the times I have reread your books and through my imagination lived in your world. I can't wait to talk to you on the other side. In the mean time have a good rest and think up some new stories to tell me when I get there.

What were you thinking??

Image via CrunchBase

We all have days when we hate our jobs and I'll fully acknowledge that mine gets the best of me on a regular basis. However, announcing to the world that you are quitting via Facebook may not be the best strategy. Today I noticed a fellow employee's Facebook status complaining about her poor treatment and declaring how the company would suffer without her now. Uhhh.... you haven't even turned in your resignation and yet you are boldly pitching this news into the world where not only your associates, but your boss can read it? Not what I would call strategic career planning. I know many of use use these social networking sites like a generation before used land lines to communicate. Unfortunately, there is no privacy online. If you post it be prepared for anyone in the world to know about it and be prepared for the consequences. Let's hope the places she seeks a post don't have the smarts to background check on Facebook 'cause she just placed a big ol' "UNRELIABLE" sign on her back. Future employers will just see a woman who is disloyal and indescrete. Complaining is one thing but hostile public announcements of resignation can be career enders.

Better do this while I'm still awake.........hardy har har

The clock on my dresser says it's past midnight again. I haven't been able to sleep properly in ages. All night long my mind races through things I should have done, things I wish I could do, why it should be different, how to be better as a mom, an employee, as a photographer. I have yet to find a way to shut off the gears that spin continuously. Work has been a complete island of stress. More and more gets dumped on my plate. The equipment I am supposed to work with is faulty causing me to often have to repeat work I have just done. I am frustrated beyond measure. I'm sure the lack of sleep is contributing to this but how do you make it stop when it just causes me to worry more and have less emotional reserve for the tough days?
I wanted to enter a photo for a gallery showing in August but haven't had the time or the creativity to complete it. I have to be honest.....I hate working for other people!!!! It drives me crazy to have to cow-tow to others demands. I am not used to being under someone's supervision. It really chafes!!! Last week I got sick and took a day off. While gone, the merchandizing manager worked the inventory ordering for the day. YIKES! What a mess he made!!!!! I had to spend half the next day calling vendors and cancelling orders for things we don't even carry. I was so irked with him that the instant I ran into him I gave him a good telling off. "Don't you ever touch my orders again"!! He was shocked but when I explained the mess he had made he agreed not to try to "help" anymore. Thank goodness. Today, the mobile computer that I use ran out of battery within an hour. By 10am I had gone through 4 uncharged carts. I was so disheartened. I am becoming embittered about my job. Hmmph! Anybody know where the money tree grows?

I never expected this

Our family reunion is coming up and we have to get the family campground ready. My dad and Uncle went up to the cabin to build a new outhouse. A new non-stinky, composting kind. They happened to forget to take the bedding up so I thought I would do the thoughtful thing and take it up for whoever wanted to use the cabin next. As I came down the hill to the campground I saw something that made me pull up short and start to hyperventilate. My uncle, the nasty, creepy molester kind, was there with my dad and other men working up there. I just stood there for a few minutes not knowing what to do. The old farm truck I had driven up had broken down and I had no real way to escape. This disgusting man has molested so many people it is hard to keep track. He spent 10 yrs in a prison in Arizona for what he did to a grandaughter. He is now not allowed within 100 metres of children. My dad finally saw me and called to me to come down and join them. My answer? NO!!!!!! I just couldn't go anywhere near that man. Talk about a panic! I went down to the creek to try and stay out of his way. Then I stayed as far away as I could for the next hour or so till I could get a ride out of there. I couldn't look at where he was. I definitely couldn't look at his face. What an afternoon. I never, ever wanted to see him again. Now, don't get me wrong here. I have no concrete memories of him molesting me and I purposely don't think about times with him so that if there are memories I won't have to know about it. What we do know is that he molested kids who were babysat at their house, and I was babysat there. We do know that as an 18 month old child I ran away from his house when he was babysitting me. The found me blocks away. Why would I run as a toddler? Well, I won't accuse him of anything but I panic whenever I even think about him getting near me. I avoid contact with him like the plague. Normally the family doesn't have contact with him at all. We never let him come to the reunions but they didn't think that anyone else would be coming up so they let his son bring him to get him out of the house. He is an old man and I guess they felt sorry for him. So now they know that they have to give me warning too before he is allowed up there again.

Ya I'd post but...........

I'm too lazy, too tired, too blah.

Stampede!!!

Image via Wikipedia

Can you believe that this is the first time in my life that I have gone to the Stampede?!?! I now know what a wasted experience the first 38.8 yrs have been. LOL! We had so much fun. Did so many things. Saw some amazing events and animals. But best of all, we did it as a family. One word of caution though..... it's wicked expensive. Also, be prepared for any kind of weather. We got caught in a rain storm and had to scramble and buy ponchos and hats in a hurry. But that's ok 'cause now I have a an awesome new black cowboy hat!
I got a little camera happy too and will post some pics on Wild Rose Images.

I was so suprised this afternoon to find out that I have another book cover!

The picture below the banner is mine. I am thrilled to death!!! I love being published and I love seeing the final result. The title is "Leaning on the Wind: Under the Spell of the Great Chinook" by Sid Marty. It's available on borders.com if you're interested. I also wanted to say to all of you, thank you! You've been so supportive of my photographic efforts. When I get discouraged and want to throw in the towel I get some wonderful comment from a kind friend with just enough oomph to move me on to the next project. I love you for it!!!!