Reaching the tricens. (291-300)

291

Amish country is truly beautiful.

292

I tried to get my mom to go on the carousel with me. No dice. (To be fair, it was on the fourth floor of a building. Hazard, maybe?)

293

One of my frustrations with each of my cameras is that they don't take night photos or moon shots well. Still pretty, though.

294

Fun angle in front of the OMS buildings.

295

This is Gracie. She and I got acquainted as I was cat/house-sitting for a couple on campus. She's a bit of a minx. Reminded me of my own kitty.

296

Fall begins to move in.

297

Self-portrait in bauble.

298

But isn't it a little early for Christmas, you ask? I suppose it is. But not when you're working on a super-secret project in the office.

299

Took a slight break to visit a park nearby with the department. I quite enjoyed it.

300

I do intend to finish this little project. I'm having a hard time coming up with new photos, though. You may end up with two weeks worth of jewelry. Who knows?

Is "plague" stretching things a bit?

I do not like being sick.

I try not to advertize that fact.

This might be surprising to people who have been reading my last few Facebook posts.

 

I started to feel ill on Friday, but by Saturday, it was evident this was not going away. Also, one of my favorite poems.

 

Beth wrote a poem. Not for me specifically, but it was still lovely.

 

 

I don't know why no one liked this. I thought it was a legitimate request.

 

Less than articulate.

 

That comment got a lot of interesting comments. And Emily was awesome.

 

Couldn't have come at a better time.

 

That was this morning. I needed to eat so I could take meds before I went to work. But everything I eat now tastes like medicine. It's disgusting.

So yeah, I'm fairly vocal about it. But I try to be funny-vocal instead of the whiny-vocal that I really feel. There's nothing I want more than to curl up next to my mother and whimper pathetically as she pets my hair and tells me everything will be okay.

This is difficult from 150 miles away.

It's impossible when you belatedly remember that your mother has gone to Pennsylvania for the weekend.

So yeah. I muddled my way through. Theoretically, I caught up on the CBS shows I hadn't had a chance to begin. Don't ask me what happened in any of them, though. I really couldn't say.

And today, I'm back to work.

Yippee.

Amish Town USA (281-290)

281

Sunrise in Amish country.

282

283

I think I could do an entire study on silhouettes.

284

This guy is a real acrobat. I swear he did a triple salchow the other day.

285

If fair food isn't awesome, what is?

286

287

I was tempted to buy this chandelier, despite not having a place to put it.

288

One giant log in the middle of a four-story building.

289

Very cool idea. I wish I were crafty.

290

Oh, the Amish again.

A Mighty Rushing Wind

I like windy days.

A lot.

Sunday was incredibly windy, with gusts up to 50 mph apparently. It was glorious. There was just a hint of ice in the air that made it sharp and refreshing. I let my hair down, took off my shoes, pulled on a shawl and went for a walk. The wind whipped my hair around and threatened to take my shawl, and the earth felt so clean and fresh underneath my feet. I just walked and twirled and there wasn't any room for bad thoughts because there was just the wind and me and we were the only two things in that moment. It was too loud to even think, and I knew in that moment that everything would be okay.

I wish I could preserve that moment forever in my heart, and when the days get too rainy, too dark, too MUCH, I could just go there and be safe.

Distractions

Things are crazy.

New machines.

Secret Christmas project.

I feel thin, sort of stretched, like butter over too much bread.

And now I'm distracted.

Flotsam and Jetsam (271-280)

271

                                    

Who doesn't like pottery?

272

 

I want this clock in my house. 

 

273

For some reason, I really, really liked this place. Enough to drive past three times to get a decent photo.
 

274

Yes, I take photos in random graveyards. I believe we've addressed this before.
 

275

276

277

One of the coolest Coke bottles I've found. The Amish were hiding it.

278

His feet suddenly seem really large.
 

279

Walk like an Egyptian, baby. (Or scoot. He has no legs.)

280

It looks like the shadow of a giant bamboo plant. I swear it's not.

Four people came to my sixteenth birthday party.

Am I still bitter?

Why would I be?



And if you're asking why this is important, well...

That would be telling.




But you could check the time.

Do you know how hard it is to take photos of fireworks? (261-270)

Depends on the camera, really. I waited until I heard the pop! of it igniting, then took the shot. Most of the time, the shutter clicked as the rocket exploded.

Most of the time.

Still, I need to practice more night shooting because it brings a whole different dynamic.

261

Kinda looks like a ship. But no, it's just the shoreline across the bay.

262

263

264

265

My favorite fireworks are the weeping willows. There's usually only two or three per show, but I love the slow fizzle as they burn out.

266

Finales make shooting fireworks really easy. Point and shoot. And shoot. And shoot.

267

Yes, okay, I did not take this photo. But it's still awesome. I hugged a bear, people!

268

A gift left on our balcony. That last day with all the fog made the spiderwebs look really neat. It's a good thing those trees were there for contrast, though.

269

Another cool lighting effect.

270

Okay, I've taken several shots like this. You really need to be there in person to get the full effect, but one of my favorite parts of printing letters is seeing the patterns they make when folded.

I'm working on catching up. I was counting on Turkey to pad the numbers. Now I need to find something else.

Oh Friday, how I love thee...

 

Desktop at the end of my week.

 

Desktop after I put everything where it belongs.

 

 

 

 

 

Still too many folders. I went six deep today to get what I needed.

Driving

I'm going to start posting some more daily happenings. Because I realized I only post when it's about deep issues or photos.

Last Thursday, I had to drive up to my parent's home in Huntington because I was attending a women's conference that weekend.

Now, I don't really like to drive in cities. I can't drive at all at night because I can't see anything. Literally. Night blindness like you wouldn't believe.

But during the day, I'm okay until I get on a major highway. Or downtown.

To get to Huntington from Greenwood, there's really only one way that makes sense - take 465 to 69 and head north. Getting to 465 presents a few options, and getting to H-town from 69 also presents a few options, but the in between section always stays the same.

The problem comes when you get off 465 onto 69. There has been construction for months now on 69, and it will only get worse once they actually start building more of 69 down to Evansville. But 465 narrows once you pass the exit for 69 (exit 37), so everyone goes nuts trying to figure out which lane they should be in.

So I already don't like it.

Last Thursday, I was on 465, just chilling and trying not to speed past semis, when I see a sign that says there's an accident at mile 36.8 - right after exit 37, which I need to take. There was no way I was going to deal with that.

So I did the only other thing I really knew to do that would get me where I was going. I took the Pendleton Pike exit and headed north.

Except I really didn't know how far to go before heading west to pick up 69.

So I pulled off and looked at the map on my iPhone. The map that had been updated recently. The map that told me I was in the middle of a field.

I decided to just keep going north because I knew I'd hit a road I recognized sooner or later. And I did. I cut across on 67 and planned to get on 69 after putting $5 worth of gas in my car and getting lunch at the McDonald's.

Except the exit was blocked. One of those wide-load semis was crossing the bridge, and the police had blocked all traffic. I sat for about fifteen minutes watching this thing make the turn, then sat for another fifteen minuts waiting for the traffic to clear.

In all, it took me 2 hours and 40 minutes to get to Huntington, a drive that normally takes about 2 hours.

I hate hate hate driving by myself.

Heads Up!

Some people have received an invitation, but I'm never sure how things overlap.

I'm having a supporter event at OMS on October 14 from 3:30 to around 6ish.

It's a chance to learn more about OMS, my ministry and have some yummy dessert.

All are welcome. If you have questions, please contact me. If you are coming, please contact me.

That is all.

Eeek!

It's been nearly a month since I last posted something.
I'm so far behind!

In everything, really - my photo project, my work projects, life in general...

Can someone stop the world from turning for just a few hours?