Sadness and joy

So, I was just going to pop on here real quick to say why I've been missing. I wanted to tell a bit about being awol, really. And complain about how busy I am, and how sad I've been lately, and how I sliced up my wrist with glass by accident when rushing around after a long bout of procrastination (I look suicidal!).

But I first decided to read a few blogs. And I came across the Faultners page. The link was previously broken, and so I've never seen it until now. And then I felt stupid for feeling like complaining about stupid things when I looked at their photos. I'll link to her blog, and you can read if you'd like, at This heart broken. Here are a few photos of their journey taken from their website. It won't let me post all, but here are some that made it.

The Meatrix

This is for Sarah! (its a video!)

A cool informative site my friend played for me yesterday as we were talking about the evils and dangers of corporate food!

MC Topping

Short, fast, and loud. ish. Effortless movie reviews by D

So, I’ve realized I watch a lot of movies. So I thought maybe I'd sort them out in my head by, well, sorting them out. Lightly, without much effort. Because I’m lazy, really.

So I recently watched The Squid and the Whale, which I had fairly low expectations of, mostly I think because somebody told me it sucked. My roomie asked if it was a shotgun movie. “A what?” “You know, the kind of movie that, when you finishing watching it, you need a shotgun next to you because its so depressing it makes you want to blow your brains out?” Or, the kind I normally watch, I guess is what she meant. And, being in the whole ‘season of suck’, I can assuredly say, no, I don’t think this is a shotgun movie. Though it is a bit depressing.

In a low effort nutshell, its about a family of 2 kids, both attached to a different parent, and 2 parents, both with a lifetime of accumulated idiosyncrasies, and well, issues. For example, I like to make fun of pretentious bastard writers (I happen to know one pretty well, I might add). So the Dad, Jeff Daniels, was pretty satisfying. The parents are both screwed up, and use their kids to feel less lonely, prove points, and put their issues on them, and the kids try to deal with it. The film is deeply detailed in the feelings of individual, defining moments in one’s life, and how those small things seem to have lasting effects on who you are and how you cope, and how that in turn shapes the rest of your relationships.

The movie was kind of sad, but hopeful in a way. It seems very realistic in the sense of moments and feelings, and the sum of life. But when you realize through all their mess, they are still lovable, you stop shouting at them, and begin to feel a little sad for you and everyone you know like that, and still love them nonetheless. And then you have hope for change, that maybe we can overcome the sum of our parts.

Ha Ha

blog lovers

Allllmost the last of my camping adventure photos.

My little sister finally works up the courage to jump, after everyone has left. And she just decides to pull a sweet flip, and land it perfectly. Rock on, Lue.

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These are the 'sand dunes' we hiked forever to find?

The hill of Kayla's fears really was much bigger than it appears in this photo

At the bottome of the hills of our hike, I ventured down into this strange area cut off from the rest of the beach (by myself...ooh). I found the most odd plant life, as well as..sediment, sewage, salt, whatever formations creating a sort of river within the plants, trailing off into a drift wood river. hmm. can anyone tell me what this stuff is?

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What is this stuff??

log jam

I think I'd like to go for a swim

Notice tiny bird footprints lower left

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formations of the log river

strange beach grass plant..stuff

who is that hottie?

Ok, so I'm still working on my photo journalism skills. I got way too scared to take this guys photo while he was actually staring us down (see: checking us out), so i snuck a pick while he was jamming away. He was walking through the parking lot of the beach with his buddy rocking out to Madonna's lucky star on his boombox--and yes, they were 2 large Mexican men.

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When I read crappy books, I get distracted by my camera. I won't say what book I'm photographing instead of reading.

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our 5 minutes of reading between incredible amounts of girl talk. Wait, if I'm reading, who is taking this photo? Maybe I didn't even get past the 2nd page...

almost sunset

ok

Kayla

Our secret reading and snacking fort--girls only. I even built a little wooden wall to keep the wind out.

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As I'm stuck on here on a Saturday morning...

This nice article popped up

Do you have this disease?






p.s.--for all my local friends inquiring of my new bar mistress hours, they are every Friday and Saturday 2-10, which is when the bar closes. So come see me!! Thanks for stopping by Topping!!!

Lovely camping photos, #3! I told you they'd be here soon! This one is by Kayla, who came up to visit me next for 2 days and a night. We had great fun, swimming in the lake nobody else would (i feel kinda itchy), making gourmet dinners, and eating my perfect smore secret recipe.

Kayla makes a steak dinner over a fire! alllll by herself (cough)!

rrrrr

kaylasgonnakillya (thats a football reference?)

sleeping

around the fire

I'm like Batman

idea by kayla, photo by me!

by kayla? maybe?

This is dreamy to me. I always wanted to live some place like this; beautiful rolling fields, a little forest in the middle, right up to the ocean....sigh... Instead, Kayla and I hiked through these fields, up on these steep ridges to get to some supposed "sand dunes" to jump off of. Kayla learned that she is afraid of heights! But we finally made it, and found my cousin's who were already flipping down the dunes (pics next post). THere was some strange and beautiful terrain along the way

Farmer!

By Kayla, idea by D