Oh no. I look incredible.

 It's January 3rd, 2022, I have no real time to do a lengthy blog, but 2021 was a magnificent year for me, and I am truly grateful to be able to say as much. My oldest daughter is in my life again, something I am weepily thankful for every single day, my youngest is handling finding herself in the most wonderfully joyful way possible, Derek is happy in his wood shop, and I am reading for leisure again and hoping that I can keep up the pace. 

I wanted to dump out all of my favorite shots from this year, because I didn't do a lot of blogging. I still love blogging, but I don't need as much release. I used blogging as a bit of a crutch, and I've gotten much better at expressing myself over the last few years, so blogging is something that's fun to do, but not a necessity anymore. 

Anyway, I will not include real estate shoots I did this year, even though some of them were worthy of being on my end of the year favorites list. I'm just going to do shots I look of people this year, and maybe some places, even though, being fully honest, I have not fully edited my shots from my NOLA trip, or my NC trip. Yikes. 

Derek/I did take the lasts photo at the family reunion. While we have been EXCEPTIONALLY reluctant to participate in large gatherings like this one with the family, we made an exception, as everyone who attended was vaccinated, and most importantly, it was the very first time I got to see my oldest daughter since she was a little over a year and a half old. She's standing right between me and Derek, and she is the best addition to my life. Being able to be her mom in even the smallest measure is the most joyful thing, and I am thrilled by it every single day. 

I want to post stories about all of these photos, because there are definitely stories to tell with all of them. Hopefully I will come back here and edit them in the near future, but for now, there are my favorite (edited-ish) images from 2021. The ones I took on my cell phone will hopefully come another day, because there are a lot of great memories on my cell, too. 

Welcome to the Internet: NOLA full day four

 Alright, so. As days in a tourist city go, today (it isn't today anymore. It's now 2022. I am SO BEHIND) was fairly low key. 

We had another leisurely morning. I ate keto cereal while I finished my previous blog, and Derek and Laurel laid in bed for an hour before going to get some Chinese food. 

Readers, I ask you: If your partner/friend/parent texted you the message "maybe get some egg drop soup to go" while you were at a restaurant ordering food, would you assume that was a directive, or a literal "you choose, and if you choose no, that's fine" kind of scenario? Because I texted MY partner with "maybe get some egg drop soup to go" and when he responded, "we're getting everything to go", I assumed that was his way of saying yes, he was getting egg drop soup, and since everything was to go already, no special accommodations had to be made.

Imagine my displeasure when Derek returned sans egg drop soup for his long suffering me. First he said that since I only said "maybe get some egg drop soup" that I didn't actually want any. THEN he switched tactics and said he didn't really read the message and thought I only said "get everything to go". The moral of the story is, I didn't get any fucking soup. 12 hours later and I'm still bitter about it. 

After they had their food and I finished my blog, we drove to Cottage Magick and browsed around. I bought some locally made art for the studio:

And I bought my oldest daughter a couple of trinkets, as well. 

Laurel and I were vaguely disappointed with Cottage Magick, so we wandered over to Hex a few blocks away on Frenchman Street. We were equally disappointed in the offerings there (though Derek and I did find a lot of what I can only assume were self published titles on the shelves, and while we took a lot of photos of said works to giggle at and remember, I will not post them in here because I think that's in poor taste. Those people are doing work they are passionate about, they believe in themselves, and while I....a cold hearted cunt...may find their covers amusing and the subject matter absurd, I also think that making fun of people for having a dream and a passion and following it says more about my smallness than anything else). 

While walking to all of the occult-y shops in Nola, we happened upon a few antique stores (and one amazing store that sold local tchotchkes that I bought a mermaid business card holder at, and a copy of Craphound, volume 6, which has put me on the hunt for every other volume of Craphound there is, because I want it for my studio)

To be quite honest, it is July 22nd, a full month, to the day, after I started writing this blog. I get so busy, and so forgetful, and I push tasks out until I can no longer remember where it was I was in my progress. And that's kind of where we are now. Cut several months from July 22, 2021 to January 3rd, 2022, and I can no longer recall what we did this day. I will have one more NOLA full day recap, but only because I have so many photos of that day it's impossible to forget it. 

Here's hoping that my big trip this year (to Ithaca!!!!!!!!) gets the documentation it deserves. 

I'm pleased to have won the Dorothy Every Town Smurf Award For Excellence in Female Stuff

I leave for Chicago in the morning!  

Ask me if I have anything ready to go. 

I do not.

I'm trying to finish three photoshoots before I leave, I have two loads of laundry to do, I have to pack, I have to get my camera bag ready, I have to get a rental because after spending 3k on my car in the last month, I know have a bearing going bad, I have to shower and blow dry my hair, I have to wrangle my eyebrows, shave my legs, I have to make myself muffins so I have breakfast every day, I have to figure out where to eat in Chicago....I'm overwhelmed. 

BUT.

I am immensely looking forward to spending time in my luxurious digs at The Palmer House. 

And I don't know if I'm excited for these classes. I'm hoping to learn SOMETHING over the next week, but I think I would have benefitted more from this 7 years ago. 

I guess...here's to networking.

The best heart surgeon in New York

 I am so behind on my trip logs, and I was so busy in North Carolina with my oldest daughter that I didn't even get the chance to log the trip like I wanted to. I will finish those eventually, I just have a fuck ton of other things to do. 

I'm starting to prepare for my Chicago trip next month. I'll be staying at The Palmer House the week of the 9th, and I cannot get over the aesthetic of that hotel. I am traveling alone, and I am currently on the hunt for the most dramatic and modern film noir outfits I can find for having drinks at the lobby bar every single night, waiting like a predatory cat for my chance to have every single affair I can in a week long period. To any gentleman or ladies interested, I refuse to entertain anybody not dressed the part, as well. I have discussed this with Derek at length.

In October, I'll be heading back to North Carolina for a few shoots. Some paid, some unpaid, but I'll be there for a week and I'll be slammed the entire time. Between shoots, editing, and grad school, I don't know how I'll survive without at least 17 heart attacks.