Writing Hiatus

I'm not going on one. I guess I was just on hiatus without even realizing it. It wasn't on purpose...I just haven't had much free time.
I haven't even writen my morning pages.
I killed my streak.
That's ok, though. I'll just start again.

This weekend was out of control.

By far the biggest in Elaine Palladino Photography history.

I had two engagements shoots and one boudoir shoot.

I also have a maybe wedding this Saturday.

It's all exciting and new and, I won't lie, a bit overwhelming.

Especially because I'm still working full-tiime.

I have so many pictures from this weekend that I want to share, as well as pictures from my friends wedding that I finally got around to editing. All will be revealed this week. I swear it.

Here is my weekend in polaroids:

Gratitude

Some of you were confused by my previous post, which I just deleted (I didn't want the bad juju to sully my turf.) Scott went so far as to text me last night, "What's up with your HS facebook blog post?" It was all just a little poopiness on my part and the need to vent.

I won't lie, it's been a tough week. And, as always, I have let outside forces affect how I feel and my level of stress. This obviously needs to stop. In the middle of all that, though, I was able to find a silver lining. Right before I went to bed I wrote my morning pages (they were moved to night pages because I could just not get up early enough this week). I tried to find the things I was grateful for despite the tears and the aggravation. Here is my entry:

Thursday, November 5, 2009  Day 150*

Another day that started with so much promise and, despite a dicey middle, ended up with so much more. It was not quite what I pictured my day to be but it's fine, it's bearable because at the end of the day, when I can barely keep my head up from the stress headache, I can crawl into bed with him and will it all away. And while I'm cozy and safe and loved, I can think of all the good things that did happen and all those things I'm grateful for:

- The smile and wave from the janitor at 6:30 in the morning. The fact that he kept smiling even as he rolled his cart away. Thanking the universe for genuine people. 
- The way my students crowd around my desk before the bell rings trying to tell me this, that or the other.
- How one of my old students has found a love a reading to rival my own. He's on his fourth book in two weeks and has the ladies lined around the block.
- Flowers on my desk.
- Agreeing that Corona flip flops are a tad white trash.
- The ability to vent to a friend.
- The healing powers of my mom's hugs.
- Yani helping me grade, hearing me out, siding with me--always.
- Fixing my dad a sandwich.
- My grandmother's voice.
- Knowing tomorrow's Friday, thank the heavens.
- The sound of the door when he walks in.
- Home.

*How many days straight I've written my morning pages. TOP THAT!

~

And with that, a picture:

The road looks like the ocean!

Allow me a moment

Grubby, germy students: 2

Elaine and her immune system: 0

This is the second time this year that I've had to stay home because of some bug or another. Crap. I hate it. I hate feeling like crap. I hate looking like crap. I hate having to run out of my first period so that I can get acquainted with one of the toilets in the girl's bathroom. I'm feeling better and so am making my way to school this wonderful Friday morning. Crap.

Here are a couple of things that I realized during my week with the germs:

1. Apollo 13 is a great movie. I mean, seriously, a great movie. From Ed Harris' beautiful white vest to the part where they make the geeky science guys figure out how to fit the square filter into the round one. I just have to say that I will follow Tom Hanks anywhere, especially in that movie. He was just amazing. I love his voice, too. That's why in The Simpsons Movie, they had him talk about the "new" Grand Canyon that was going to take the place of Springfield. I mean, I'd buy anything he's selling. Any day.

2. Eff, Marley and Me. I hate that movie. There is absolutely no reason for a movie like that to be made. Why did I just fall in love with  that dog only to see him (spoiler alert) die in the end? Here I was, sick on the couch, having just woke up and I see that it's on. Oh, this is good. I never got to see it, I tell myself. Fast foward an hour later when I'm bawling on said couch. Screw. That. It hits a little too close to home when you've got a dog nearing her 12th year, who is having some health issues. I huged Akira for a while. She was confused.

3. When I'm sick and disoriented, I walk into things. Big things. I walked into a door and have a nice bruise to capture the moment. I also walked into the world's biggest desk and almost tumbled over it. That was a nice, embarrassing keepsake.

4. I was a little bummed for no particular reason on Tuesday when I was heading to work. Maybe it's the stress of the 1,000 different things I'm trying to do all at once. All I know is that I was just not having it. That was until Scandal's "The Warrior" came on my ipod. Remember when I was talking about what defines awesome? Well, this video falls under that category and then some:

Forget my bee costume (to be revealed soon), I should have gotten an idea from this video. People are dressed as God-knows-what and it's seven kinds of awesome. I'll tell you, I definately was "shootin' at the walls of heartache," Tuesday. It was a great day and all because I heard that song.

Anyone feeling sick lately? Thoughts. Comments. Now! (or whenever you damn well please)

Random Thought Friday

* Can I just tell you I cried yesterday watching Jim and Pam get married? (Scott, stop rolling your eyes) The whole episode was hilarious but the last ten minutes or so did me in. Especially the very last part where Jim said:

“I bought those boat tickets the day I saw that YouTube video. I knew we’d need a back up plan. The boat was actually Plan C. The church was Plan B. And Plan A was marrying her a long, long time ago. Pretty much the day I met her.”

Give Me My Remote has a great recap of the whole episode here. Also, because who doesn't love Jim Halpert in his underwear?:

~

* Text conversation I had with Scott today (I do NOT text and drive!):
   
    Elaine: Does it make me fat that I just drove through a KFC for a soda and two biscuits?
    Scott: Ha. No. I ate two breakfasts yesterday.
    Elaine: No AC in my car. Stuck in traffic. Hottest day ever. Awesome.
    Scott: Get out, rip off the lone hupcap and fan yourself with it.
    Elaine: I really drive around with one hubcap. I feel so ghetto.
    Elaine: I got a free extra biscuit!
    Scott: Three?
    Elaine: No, five. I ordered four because it was two for $.99 and I felt bad just charging two bucks. If I eat all five I will jump off my balcony.
   
* Erin Brockavich is stirring up some shiz in West Palm Beach! I hope that I never live near a "cancer cluster." Thanks NPR, for freaking us out while you keep us informed. 

* Thanks to the lack of air conditioning in the hoopty I drive and the atrocious heat, I looked like I was rockin' some dreads this afternoon. Great.

* Just looked up the definition for Hoopty. From Urban Dictionary: Basically, a piece of shit car. Yup, about sums it up.

* Why do people like Two and a Half Men? Is it funny? I just don't get it. It's like the No. 1 sitcom in America. Look at this picture. Is there something I'm just not getting?

* Is it normal to crack yourself up? I mean, I seriously laugh at my own jokes.

* So while I was toasting in my car on my way home stuffing my face with KFC biscuits (I only ate one!), this girl was driving next to me on a yellow Vespa. She looked super cute with her long blond hair, white shorts and nice legs. I gave a little fist pump, though, when I drove past her and noticed she had an ugly nose. Is that mean? I'm a hater, right? Don't you hate finding out that you kind of suck?


*Just got these texts from my bro-in-law AJ:
 

"I just witnessed the most amazing police escape ever. Cops & pedestrians are on road adjacent to the highway. Dude gets away & runs across highway frogger style"

"I realize now that if I left work 14 seconds earlier I probably would have clipped this Houdini during his daring escape going 65 mph."

* There is nothing like coming home to a nice, steamy pile of poo. Our puppy is still having her senior moments, but we found out from the vet that it's just her knee that's messed up. Now we just have to fix it. Anyone know how?

I haven't posted a picture of the day recently so here is my return to all things normal. This picture was taken last Sunday during my first engagement photo shoot. This is my friend Nuria and her fiance Anthony cracking up. It's my favorite of the entire session:

And On the Second Day They Napped

Seriously, Tuesday and I already had to take a nap. When do I qualify for Medicare? I'm 27, but I feel like it's going to happen sooner rather than later. My mom is probably shaking her head now.

Youth is certainly wasted on the young.

Delightful

This was the first weekend in I can't remember how long where I felt like I actually relaxed. Maybe it was the fact that today was a teacher planning day. Even though I had to go to work, I didn't have to mold young minds. Or warp them.

I spent Friday afternoon and Saturday morning baking sugar cookies in the shape of underwear. I did this, not for my own amusement, but for that of my great friend Lissette and her bridal shower. I went to that Saturday night. Sunday I met Mike and our buddy Chris at this bar called Mike's (funny) that is down the street from us. We then went to see my parents where we ran into horses (more on that later). A visit to Target, a Publix sub, an episode of The Vampire Diaries and a good book capped off my weekend. It may not seem like much but it was exactly what the doctor ordered.

I'm going to try to carry this relaxed mood through the week, although today sort of stressed me out. It's going to be a busy one: Metallica (!) Thursday, The Killers Saturday and a photo session Sunday (my first engagement shoot). Because this post seems lame to me, apparently I've lost my gift with words, I'm going to let some of the pictures I took this weekend speak for themselves:

And Where Have You Been?

I could say that's what you're asking but my two readers know where I've been. Still, here's where I was while I was MIA these few days:

-Hanging out with these guys Sunday and Monday. I even called in sick to work, which is something I NEVER do. I watched The Ref, Little Women, Sense & Sensibility and all the Top Chef episodes that I missed.

-Celebrating my awesome cousin's birthday at Texas de Brazil. I ate more red meat than I ever have in my life. This is him getting his bowl on:

We were also lucky to capture this jem of an outfit. He's not wearing his closet; he's just spectacularly tacky. In case you are wondering, his shirt says, "Urban Couture." Seriously.

- At work for 14 hours yesterday. We had Open House. I swear to you I spent 12 of those hours talking.

-Going to every Barnes & Noble and Borders in Miami and Ft. Lauderdale to find this book. Can you believe no one (NO ONE) has it? I've got to get it from the internets.

-Looking like this lady. I can't tell you the amount of essays I had to read this week. I felt like it would never end. It really hasn't ended; I'm just choosing to ignore it right now.

I also managed to take this picture:

It's not often that you get to take a picture of a cool looking crescent moon. It came out brighter than it really looked but that's what you get when you try to take pictures of the night sky in a city.

~

Random Thought Tuesday

Today was a day for random thoughts and in honor of this holiday, so to speak, I'm going to list some of them here:

-I looked like Christina Hendricks from Mad Men today minus the big boobs, red hair and general sexiness. So maybe I didn't look like her. It's just that I wore an old fashioned dress like they do on the show.

-There is an inordinate amount of pay-by-the-hour "executive" hotels on my way to work. Should I be concerned?

-I actually said this in my class today,"You cannot out-attitude me honey so how about you calm down."

-I really love weddings. I mean, I LOVE weddings and the fact that there is a slight possibility that I might get to be THE photographer at a wedding in Spain in a CASTLE, has me spinning in circles. I am twirling!

-I didn't watch the VMAs but the kids were all about them today. I did watch the New Moon trailer (it's rockstar) and the video of Kanye West being a douche (they've removed it from the internets). Why you gotta be frontin' man?

-Watched half of Braveheart with Mike today. We do this all the time. Because on weeknights we have to go to bed early, it'll take us something like three days to watch one movie. It's nice, though; you have something to look forward to.

-Very proud of myself for NOT buying a book at Target. I had one in my hand and told the cashier that I didn't want it. That's like a crack addict saying "No, thanks" to his dealer.

-Why do cashiers look at you funny when you say that you have your own bags? Did they not get the memo from Al Gore that we need to recycle and save the planet? Just scan the groceries buddy and I'll do the rest.

-The new Harry Potter park is going to make me hyperventilate, I'm so excited. Check out the details here.

-Wiggs over at The Beholder, is holding a contest to name the book she's writing with her mom. I'm borderline obsessed with both her blog and her mother's books. To top it all off, the winning title and two random entries will each win KitchenAid Stand Mixers--basically the Holy Grail of kitchen appliances. I loathe anyone who owns one but only because I want one. I hate because I covet.

-Links make me happy. That's why I include them whenever I can. You don't want to miss the link to Al Gore. Clink on links, they are the pink words that take you to awesomeness. Oh, and reading comments really makes my day.

-That is all.

Got any random thoughts you want to include here? Leave 'em in the comments.

~

Today's Picture of the Day is rather Goodfellas-ish. The fella on the left is my bro-in-law Andrew then you've got Lisco, our buddy and neighbor Z, and Alberto with the glasses. I took this at Mike's buddy Adam's wedding. I snapped this after these strapping young men finally got the car parked correctly after a couple of tries. Z hates this picture because he's looking down. We all know you're handsome, we don't need to see your face.

Bad Genetics

I've spent the past two days making time with a box of tissues and doses of Robitussin. Yesterday was the worst. I was in a Borders and I was just getting progressively worse. I kept having to blow my nose and was catching looks from all the other patrons. I swear I felt like I was a character straight out of the movie Outbreak. I was the Motaba virus. People probably thought I had the swine flu. But I don't...I promise.

I'm starting to think that my buddy Scott is right and I might have bad genetics. Two weekends straight of being sick is just not right. My mom's reaction,"It doesn't come from my side."

I think I figured it out, though. I spent the better part of the summer in my apartment reading and writing. I didn't venture out much except on the weekends. Now I'm stuck in a classroom full of gruby kids who barely wash their hands. My immune system is getting it's ass handed to it. Gotta pump that vitamin C!

Oh, and did the weather gods not get the memo that it's Labor Day weekend? It's been torrential most of the week here and it doesn't look like it's letting up any time soon. I just hope it's sunny tomorrow for my BBQ with the fam. When I asked my dad what he was making he offered this menu: "Ribs...corn on the cob...Chivo." That's goat for all you non-spanish speakers. He won't actually serve goat. I promise you. I just think it's funny how whenever I ask what we're eating, he tells me were eating goat. Dads--you gotta love them.

And so it begins...

I'm starting this blog as a way to share my pictures and writings with my friends and family. I don't know what will come of it but it'll be a nice place to send people to if they want to know whatever it is that I do. I have no aspirations for this site other than to make things look pretty and share the occasional random thought.

The name of this site comes from what I call this collection of poems that I wrote while I was in college. They were all about being torn between two places. I’m not nearly that torn now—I’ve got other crap to worry about, but I do consider myself somewhere in the middle of this tropical home (the beach, the sun, the warmth) and this City home that will always be home in one way or another.

This is kind of serious sounding, isn't it? I'm not nearly like that so I'll just say that the next post is about how my dog craps in the house.