Random things......

I planned on driving up to Ann Arbor to spend some time walking around the campus of the University of Michigan shooting photographs. My plans are now canceled. It is raining. The weather is supposed to change to thunderstorms later this afternoon. I don't want to be out shooting in the rain and possibly a thunderstorm. In a couple of weeks, I'll have another opportunity to shoot up in Ann Arbor. I'm meeting a blogging friend and we are going to shoot together. It should be fun.

A couple of days ago I got asked to help a photography buddy to shoot a wedding. I would be his second wedding photographer for the day. The last time I shot a wedding was for a friend back in 2004. It was fun, but a long day. I hope to help him shoot a couple of weddings this year. I hope to better develop my skills, because who knows where this could lead me?

Tonight if you are in the Adrian area there is a reception at The Lenawee Council for the Visual Arts gallery at 112 West Maumee Street for the show "Taking Back Our Lives" from 5pm-8pm. The work is done by survivors of sexual assault within our community. Come down and enjoy the Starbucks coffee, food, and some guest speakers.

Photo is from the 2004 wedding that I shot of my friend Angie and Lance. The photo was taken at The Toledo Museum of Art.

Taking Back Our Lives gallery show at the LCVA - Adrian, MI

A reception for "Taking Back Our Lives" on March 31, 2006 from 5pm-8pm at the Lenawee Council for the Visual Arts Gallery in Adrian, MI. The work in this show is done by survivors of sexual assault within our community. This show is a first for our area, and is proving to be a wonderful connection for the L.C.V.A. and our community. There will be an alcohol free reception with Starbucks coffee, food, and some very interesting guest speakers.

Gallery Address: 112 West Maumee Adrian, MI 49221

Phone: 517-265-4403

Reception info by Isabelle Von Sturm-Day

Books read in 2006

The Constant Gardener, John Le Carre
The American Way of Death Revisited, Jessica Mitford
Shopgirl, Steve Martin
The City of Falling Angels, John Berendt
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, John Berendt
Portrait of Myself, Margaret Bourke-White
The Last Days of Marilyn Monroe, Donald H. Wolfe
Marilyn: The Last Take, Peter Harry Brown and Patte B. Barham
The Many Lives of Marilyn Monroe, Sarah Churchwell
Cary Grant: The Lonely Heart, Charles Higham and Roy Moseley

Didn't finish: Mr. Capone: The Real and Complete Story of Al Capone, Robert J. Schoenberg
Currently Reading: Shutterbabe, Deborah Copaken Kogan

I tried so hard to finish Mr. Capone: The Real and Complete Story. While reading I couldn't concentrate on what I just read and or my eyelids would be get heavy and I would fall asleep. I guess Mr. Capone and I weren't a good match. The book I'm currently reading again, Shutterbabe, is about a woman photojournalist and her life traveling on assignments. I know I'll be able to read this book quickly again because I'm a photographer and it is a good book. Once I finish this book, I hope to find a new book to read. If you have any suggestions leave me a comment.

Random things...... and AOSEPT

My husband went to the eye doctor today for an exam and to get new contacts. He came home with a bag full of AOSEPT Clean Care. He said the eye doctor had a cupboard full of them. The doctor said the AOSEPT Clean Care will be back on shelves in April. Awesome.

Today was my first day back to work since vacation. Last night I crawled into bed after The Sopranos and just tossed and turned. I had a very hard time going to sleep. After sleeping what felt like ten minutes I woke up at 3:30 am. My alarm was set to 4:20 am. I couldn't get back to sleep. Every ten minutes I would check the alarm clock to see what time it was. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore and got out of bed at 4:10 am. I don't know why I always do that? I haven't ever slept through my alarm. I can't stand it when I wake up before my alarm.

Friday I received a piece of mail from GM talking about their March Madness sale. Before I bought my 2004 Grand Prix GT last June, I was looking at a 2005 Pontiac G6. I didn't get the G6 because they didn't have the color that I wanted, Metallic Orange. The car dealership had a Metallic Orange Grand Prix on the lot, so I bought that one. Today, my husband and I went to the car dealership to find out about the March Madness sale and possibly get me an 2006 Pontiac G6 Metallic Orange car. The salesman asked me the routine questions, I gave him answers. I told him I didn't want to pay higher then the payments I'm making now. He said he was going to look through the numbers. He came back and said that I couldn't get a new G6 without paying higher then what I'm paying now. Some sale. He didn't even try to work with me or see what he could do, numberwise. It didn't seem like he was even trying that hard and that he didn't want to try to sell me a car. So my husband and I walked out of the dealership and back to my pretty 2004 Metallic Orange Grand Prix GT. I'll stick with this car for a couple more years and when I'm ready to get a new car, I won't go back to that salesman.

Photo is of my 2004 Grand Prix GT, Metallic Orange.

Cemetery morning

This morning in Adrian it was sunny. For the past week I've been hoping for a sunny morning, never got one until today. I figured I'd better not waste the sun. I grabbed my Nikon D100 and my new favorite toy camera the Holga 120. I hopped into my car and headed for my favorite place in Lenawee County: Oakwood Cemetery.

Being early, I didn't expect to see people in the cemetery, besides workers. Driving down the paths to the back of the cemetery, I saw some workers talking. I passed them and headed to my favorite statue in the whole cemetery. When I got to the beautiful statue, I left my D100 in the car. I grabbed my Holga. I have enough pictures of her with my D100, I wanted to see how my beautiful lady will turn out on 120 film and black and white! Now I have to wait for the results, since it is film.

After photographing the statue, I got back in my car and drove over one of many mausoleums that are in the cemetery. I shot with my D100 and Holga. After the mausoleums, I got in my car and parked it near the fence that lines the cemetery. Shot some of the fence and another statue that was nearby.

I decided my work was done at Oakwood Cemetery. I drove my car down the road to two other cemeteries and took only a few pictures of a line of trees serving as a fence between St. Joseph Cemetery (not sure) and St. John's Lutheran Cemetery. The way that the sun was falling on the trees was beautiful. Not seeing anything else interesting to shoot, I drove home. It was nice to shoot the cemeteries in the morning, with the sun still rising. Usually I don't make it to the cemeteries until mid-morning or afternoon. I guess I'm really happy to be out shooting. And later today I will have another opportunity to shoot.

My husband and I are driving up to Ann Arbor today. I was in Ann Arbor on Wednesday, but it was cloudy and very cold, sort of a blah day. So far today it is sunny and warmer. My husband and I haven't been to Ann Arbor together since 1999. We plan to walk around downtown. I hope I can get him to drive to University of Michigan's campus so I can take pictures with a blue sky, which was missing when I drove up Wednesday. Ann Arbor is 35 miles north of my house and I just don't get there very much, yes it's sad. We already have our dinner location picked: Mongolian Barbeque. I'm excited. I've been craving it all week.

Vacation

For the past week, I've been on vacation. It has been so nice to finally have some free time to let me do the things that I've been wanting to do. Like staying up late watching TV or reading a book, sleeping in late and shooting (taking photos) every day. The last time I think I was out photographing for myself the entire week is last August when I was last on vacation. Sure, I photograph things at work, but this is different. This is what I find interesting.

The pictures that I posted are one that I took Wednesday up at Forest Hill Cemetery in Ann Arbor and the other that I took at Hidden Lake Gardens in Tipton. I plan to post more on my photo blog DCO's Photo Gallery next week when I 'm back to work and don't have so much free time so shoot on my own.

Random things......

Last night I watched the season finale of The Shield, and it was very good. I was wondering how the show would tie up the loose ends with Curtis "Lem" Lemansky (Kenneth Johnson) on the run. Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis) arranges for Lem to meet up at a certain time and place to get him out of the country and to set up a new life in Mexico. Lem meets up with Shane Vendrell (Walton Goggins) and Shane tells Lem to follow him to the meeting point. Once they get there, Lem asks where Vic and Ronnie Gardocki (David Rees Snell) are. Shane tells him they both had someone tailing them and they were probably still trying to shake them. Shane goes on to tell Lem that his wife is pregnant and then says he has some food for him. Shane goes back to his truck to get a sandwich to give to Lem. Not only does Lem get a sandwich, but a grenade that he picked up at a bust earlier in the day. The grenade explodes and kills Lem. Once Lem is dead, Shane goes to the meet with Vic and Ronnie. It is passed midnight and Lem still hasn't met with The Strike Team. Finally they receive word that an officer is down. Vic, Shane and Ronnie go to the scene and find Lem dead in his car. Vic fights with Lt. Jon Kavanaugh (Forest Whitaker) after Kavanaugh says to him, "Are you happy now?" After Vic and Kavanaugh's fight gets broken up, Vic leaves with Ronnie and Shane and vows to kill whoever did that to Lem. Next season should be very interesting. How is Vic going to handle it when he finds out Shane killed Lem? Is next season the last? Can't wait to find out.

Over on my photo blog DCO's Photo Gallery I'm posting photos of the Senior Ballet Elite class at Encore Dance Studio. I'll be posting them in parts like before. I've got many photos to share.

And, last but not least. While in Ann Arbor this morning, I stopped by Big George's and bought a Holga camera for $22.99. It is a plastic toy camera and I will be using it the first time tomorrow when I visit Hidden Lake Gardens in Tipton, MI. It will give me a chance to try out the soft focusing, double exposure and light leaks.

Photo Credits: www.fxnetworks.com and www.big-georges.com

Michigan State women going to the Sweet Sixteen

The time is here and it's March Madness. Everyone filled out brackets in the office, besides me. Most people are excited to watch the tournament. I like to watch it too, but I really like to watch the women's tournament. The women play just as hard as the men, but they are always overlooked. But that is nothing new.

Last night the Michigan State Spartans beat Kentucky Wildcats 67-63 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. MSU will play the winner of Tuesday's Duke-Southern California game in Bridgeport, Conn., on Sunday, March 28.

I really started following MSU last year because the best player I've ever seen, Tiffanie Shives from Lansing Christian decided she was going to continue her career at Michigan State. Tiffanie was the 2005 Michigan Miss Basketball as a senior, averaging 25.1 points, 8.0 assists, 5.2 steals and 4.4 rebounds. She led Lansing Christian to a 26-1 record and the 2005 Class D state championship as a senior. Tiffanie set the state's career 3-point basket record with 311, and ranks second with 653 career assists and seventh with 2,283 career points and 441 steals. I'm telling you this girl can play.

This year at MSU, her role has been different. She doesn't get to play that much. She is only a freshman and some seniors, Lindsay Bowen and Liz Shimek will graduate this year. Hopefully, Tiffanie will be able to play more next season. But only time will tell.

TOP PHOTO: Senior Lindsay Bowen looking to set up the offense.

BOTTOM PHOTO: Courtney Davidson celebrating on the bench. Behind her is Tiffanie Shives. (I added her name, it is above her.)

Photo Credits: msuspartans.collegesports.com

Michelle Martis' Gallery Show at Siena Heights University - Adrian, MI

Michelle Martis
My perspective of Italy
March 21 to March 26, 2006

Siena Heights University
Klemm Gallery - Studio Angelico
1247 East Siena Heights Drive
Adrian, MI 49221
www.sienahts.edu/~Art/.com
1-800-521-0009 Ext. 7860

Gallery Hours:
Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Sunday, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Oral Defense:
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Noon, Klemm Gallery

Reception:
Sunday, March 26, 2006
1 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Finally! After seven months.....

The first week of August 2005, was my last vacation. After seven months, yes a long seven months, I'm on vacation again. Most of my co-workers asked me if I was going anywhere special. Yes, my house. My husband doesn't have enough hours to take the entire week off, so I'm just staying around town.

My goal for this vacation is to photograph a lot, for myself. Last night, after The Sopranos and Big Love on HBO, I got dressed headed to work to pick up a tripod that my co-worker left for me and I started my final photo project for New York Institute of Photography. The NYIP is basically for people who don't know too much about photography and the program helps them improve their skills. I actually don't need the class, I already have my BA in Art (Photography) from Siena Heights University. I'm in the class for fun and I hoped it would get me outside shooting more on my free time.

My first stop on the night shooting tour was the Old Lenawee County Courthouse in Adrian. I set up the tripod and took some pictures. The outcome was ok, not super. Not really satisfied on what I just shot, I put the tripod and camera in my car and headed off to Siena Heights University. When I got there, the parking lot at the Fieldhouse was empty. Which was good, no distracting cars that would get in the way. While getting the equipment out of the car, I saw a guy walking across the street. Suddenly he was walking towards me. I was thinking, I could either sit in my car until he was gone, or just hit him upside the head with the heavy tripod if he should attack me. The guy cut across the parking lot towards the fieldhouse and just stared at me. I finally realized that the guy was a Siena Security officer, not an attacker. After getting my gear, I walked across the street and set up the tripod. I took pictures of the Fieldhouse. Those sucked, so I deleted them and turned the tripod around and took pictures of Sacred Heart Hall. Those turned out well, but I felt I needed to try to shoot another lit up building. I put my stuff in the car and headed towards Bixby Medical Center.

I shoot at Bixby for a half hour or so, not really getting what I want. Then I realize that I'm hungry. I ate dinner around 6 pm, and now it was 12:30 am. What I really wanted was tacos, I followed all of the other hungry people in town to one place: Taco Bell. Driving through town, I picked up my camera and starting taking pictures while driving. I held the camera beside me and just held down the shutter. It made for some interesting pictures. I pull into Taco Bell behind another car and see the lineup, it was long. I waited in the drive-thru for 20 minutes and I finally got my three crunchy tacos and headed for home. I eat them standing up in my kitchen, to lazy to actually sit down at the table.

After the midnight dinner, I said goodnight to the dogs, checked my email and got into bed at 1:30 am. Because of work I go to bed on weeknights at 9 pm and get up at 4 am. It felt so nice to stay up late like I used to before my full time job. Now I have an entire week to stay up late and sleep in. It is going to be a good week.

The drive back from Kalamazoo

Yesterday afternoon I drove 115 miles from Adrian to Kalamazoo to photograph the Class D State Semifinal Volleyball match at Western Michigan University between Lenawee Christian and Leland. The drive time I believe took longer then the match itself, but it is always nice to shoot a semifinal in any sport. Now I had to drive back to Adrian, in rush hour traffic.

While 45 minutes away from home, up near Jackson I was behind a car that couldn't keep a constant speed. First we were going 50, 55, 62, 55, 50. Pick a speed and stay with it. I stayed behind the car because in two miles I had the chance to get around them in the passing lanes. When we hit the passing lanes, the car ahead of me starts going 60. I didn't want to be stuck behind them again, so I passed the car doing 67, granted the speed limit is 55. Driving by the slow car, I noticed a white police car in the coming toward me in the other lane on the other side of the road. He was blocked in by heavy traffic, so I knew he couldn't turn and come back and get me. Or could he? When the police car got side by side with me, he turned on his driver side alley light on the light bar and flashed it at me. I didn't know what that meant, so I contined on towards Adrian with the wonderful cruise control set on 62 miles per hour.

After downloading my pictures at the office I went home. My husband who is a deputy sheriff, was at home waiting for me to start dinner. Sitting down to eat, I asked him about the cop who flashed an alley light at me. I asked why he did that. My husband said he probably had me on radar speeding (which I was) and he could have pulled me over. My husband says he does that when he is in the patrol car to let people know to slow down.

For that I just want to say thank you Mr. Cop for continuing on your way. I just wanted to get back home after driving for 230 miles roundtrip and working 11.5 hours. Thank you for not making my day longer.

The Volleyball Journey Ends - Kalamazoo, MI

TOP PHOTO: Lenawee Christian's Allison Budd hits the ball over the hands of Leland's Alisha Glass.

MIDDLE PHOTO: Lenawee Christian assistant coach Sue Howard, Ashley Arquette, Darcy Squires, and head coach Jeff Champion in the final moments before losing in the Class D State Semifinal to Leland.

BOTTOM PHOTO: Lenawee Christian's Brittney Wright upset after losing to Leland 25-13, 25-15, 25-16 in the Class D State Semifinal at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo.

Starting Point gallery show - Adrian, MI

Starting Point

Vaughn Mikhael Hurlbut

March 14-19 2006

Klemm Gallery

Studio Angelico

Siena Heights University

1247 East Siena Heights Drive

Adrian, Michigan 49221

(517) 264-7860 or (800) 521-0009 Ext. 7860

Gallery Hours are:

9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday

and 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday

Oral Defense

Thursday, March 16th

12 p.m.

Go see this show if you're in the area. The work is beautiful!

102 and counting

Yesterday, I ran 3 miles. Big deal, huh? Three miles isn't that much, why should I be writing about it. Those 3 miles are important to me because with those wimpy 3 miles I passed the century mark on miles run up until March 13. I know a 100 miles might not seem like a lot to people who run often. It is to me. I run only 3 times a week, the other days, I work of course. I'm proud of myself. It feels good to get to 100 miles this early in the year. My new year's resolution was to run 365 miles this year. I hope I run 400.

Miles run totals up until March 13 since 2004. Before 2004, I didn't keep track of my mileage.
2004: 58.7
2005: 84.1
2006: 102

Random things......

"But we are a family. And even in this fucked up age that means something. So we are going to deal with this like a family." - Tony Soprano

What a surprise ending! While Tony was making dinner for Uncle Junior, Uncle Junior found a gun and shoots Tony in the stomach. After shooting Tony, Uncle Junior throws the gun under his bed and hides in his closet. Meanwhile Tony downstairs bleeding and reaches the phone in the kitchen to call 911. Should be a good episode next week.

I'm kind of interested in HBO's new show Big Love. I wanted to tape it last night after The Sopranos, but didn't. Tonight I'll get my chance to tape it, it is replaying on HBO2 at 9 pm.


Over the weekend my husband and I attended one of his co-workers wedding and reception. It was the best reception that I have ever been to. All of his co-workers were sitting together at three large tables. I never laughed so much in my life. Anyhoo. A couple of hours after the reception started, one of my husband's co-workers arrives with his wife. His wife and I are practically wearing the same outfit! We both had on a blue dress shirt, black cami, and black pants. I avoided standing next to her so I wouldn't hear, "You two are wearing the same outfit." I'm just glad I was at the reception first.

Photo credit: www.hbo.com/sopranos/ and www.hbo.com/biglove/

Books read in 2006

The Constant Gardener, John Le Carre
The American Way of Death Revisited, Jessica Mitford
Shopgirl, Steve Martin
The City of Falling Angels, John Berendt
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, John Berendt
Portrait of Myself, Margaret Bourke-White
The Last Days of Marilyn Monroe, Donald H. Wolfe
Marilyn: The Last Take, Peter Harry Brown and Patte B. Barham
The Many Lives of Marilyn Monroe, Sarah Churchwell
Cary Grant: The Lonely Heart, Charles Higham and Roy Moseley

Currently reading: Mr. Capone: The Real and Complete Story of Al Capone, Robert J. Schoenberg
Up Next: Stieglitz, Sue Davidson Lowe
On Hold: Rest in Peace: A Cultural History of Death and the Funeral Home in Twentieth Century America, Gary Laderman - currently on backorder.

The waiting game ends

After waiting for almost two years, one of the best shows returns Sunday at 9 pm on HBO, The Sopranos.

This season is the last for Tony and the gang. Why do great shows on HBO end after 5 or 6 seasons like Sex and the City and Six Feet Under? Anyhoo, I hope this season was worth the wait. According to this, it is.

See you Sunday Tony.

Photo Credit: www.hbo.com/sopranos/

A little bit of Runway, A little bit of ANTM

Chloe Dao won Project Runway Season 2. I was disappointed that Santino didn't win Season 2. Oh well, I was happy with his collection. I wrote yesterday that I didn't understand Chloe's collection and I still don't after seeing it. The outfits with the big puffy sleeves, I just don't see someone from the Midwest wearing that. Maybe women in New York, LA or Houston wear that, but I don't think I'll see that look sprout up in Michigan.

Besides watching Project Runway this morning, I watched the new season of America's Next Top Model. The first episode they always have 32 girls fly out to meet Tyra. After meeting her then the 32 gets cut down to 20, then finally 13. A girl, I think named Dani from Texas, was just saying things without thinking. What she was saying made her come off as a racist, but I don't think she really is one. Hello, treat everyone the same, no matter the race, religion or background. She didn't make it to the final 13.

Even though Cycle 6 just started I like Nnenna and Sara. Right now I'm not liking Jade so much. She is a diva already. This should be a interesting season.



Finally, is this a picture of Tim Gunn and Andre's date at Red Lobster? Thank you Santino.



Photo Credits: www.bravotv.com and www.upn.com

The beginning and the ending

Tonight is the night I will definitely need the VCR. Besides photographing a District boys basketball doubleheader in Morenci, I have to tape another doubleheader of sorts. Today marks the beginning of America's Next Top Model: Cycle 6 and the season finale of Project Runway.

On America's Next Top Model, we start with 12 new girls. I'm sure sometime during the season we will see a catfight between some of the girls, it always seems to happen. Anyhoo, during the two-hour premiere the ladies have their first photo shoot and they will be bald.

On Project Runway, the season finale will be the runway shows of Santino, Daniel V, and Chloe from Olympus Fashion Week. So far, I love Santino's designs. Chloe's, I don't understand and Daniel V.'s, very bland. I know that Santino didn't do very well with some of the challenges, but the dresses that were shown on last week's show, were very beautiful. Give Santino enough time and he can create a stunning outfit. If you couldn't tell, I want Santino to win.

Random things......

This morning while getting ready for work, I grabbed a white t-shirt to wear under my sweater. Unfolding it, my sock that has been missing for a week fell from the shirt. I was so happy to find that sock, the pair is complete. Now, only to find my husband's missing green dress socks.

Last night I covered two boys basketball district games in Morenci. The first basketball game of the night was Sand Creek versus Whiteford, I photographed only the first half. After getting a slice of pizza and a water during halftime, I sat with the reporter in the bleachers. During the third quarter, someone sitting behind me was tugging my ponytail. Not knowing who was doing that I turned around. To my surprise it was an older woman. She kept tugging my ponytail and said, "Your hair color is pretty and mine used to be like that." I just smiled to be nice. Then the woman tugs on my ponytail again. The woman says, "My hair was that color a long time ago." Again, I just smiled at the woman. Why do people feel the need to tug on my hair? Yes, its long. Yes, I have red hair. Yes, it has natural curl. I don't mind if people tell me that they love my hair color. I don't mind if they say I have such long hair. But if and when you tell me that, please don't tug my ponytail.

Finally, after working today until 11:30 am, I have the rest of the day off! I usually don't get too many nights off, so I will be using my time wisely. Things to do today: Do some homework, read a book, run 4 miles and hang out with my husband who also has today off. Outside, it is sunny and above 40 degrees. Today might be the day for my first run outside for 2006.

The sock mystery

Last week while folding the laundry, I discovered one of my socks was missing. I thought that maybe it was stuck inside a piece of clothing, nothing to worry about. I was hoping it would turn up when I did the next batch of laundry. It never did.

Yesterday while putting the clothes into the washer, I remember seeing my husband's green dress socks. After the wash was done, I remember putting those green dress socks into the dryer. Once the dryer was finished, I started folding the clothes. I folded pants, t-shirts, shorts and socks. I noticed that there was nothing else to fold. No green socks in sight. I checked the trash by the washer. Nothing. I looked between the washer and dryer. Only dust bunnies. I checked the washer again, it was empty. I remember getting the socks out of the washer. I took the folded clothes upstairs to the dining room table and started going through the bulky items to see if the socks were stuck inside. No green socks. I put the clothes away with the help of my husband, I looked through the clothes again. No sign of the green socks.

What is going on here? Last week, it was one of my socks. Yesterday it is a pair of my husband's socks. Is the dryer eating them? Is there a sock monster stealing them? I hope to find an answer before more socks disappear.

Books read in 2006

The Constant Gardener, John Le Carre
The American Way of Death Revisited, Jessica Mitford
Shopgirl, Steve Martin
The City of Falling Angels, John Berendt
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, John Berendt
Portrait of Myself, Margaret Bourke-White
The Last Days of Marilyn Monroe, Donald H. Wolfe
Marilyn: The Last Take, Peter Harry Brown and Patte B. Barham
The Many Lives of Marilyn Monroe, Sarah Churchwell

Currently Reading: Cary Grant: The Lonely Heart, Charles Higham and Roy Moseley
Next Up: Mr. Capone: The Real and Complete Story of Al Capone, Robert J. Schoenberg
On Hold: Rest in Peace: A Cultural History of Death and the Funeral Home in Twentieth Century America, Gary Laderman - currently on backorder.

FOIA, Marilyn and the FBI

I'm currently reading The Many Lives of Marilyn Monroe by Sarah Churchwell. While reading Churchwell, she had a footnote about documents. The footnote said that Marilyn Monroe's FBI papers were on the FBI's website under the Freedom of Information Privacy Act. While covering for the weekend photo tech who was on assignment, passing the time, I found the documents and started reading them. Or tried to read what was left that hasn't been blacked out with a marker.

The FBI - Freedom of Information Privacy Act website has a Famous Persons Listing, such as Frank Sinatra, JFK, John Wayne, RFK and Henry Ford. It is an interesting website, I know I will go back to it.

SOURCE: Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The document posted is from the FBI. The pages on the website (97 pages) are articles, pictures, documents about Marilyn Monroe's alleged affairs and circumstances surrounding her death.

Almost to the end of Season 2

Yesterday I watched Project Runway on tape. It was part one of the season finale. When Santino, Daniel V. and Chloe came back to New York, Tim Gunn looked at the final 12 outfits. I agreed with Tim's comments on Santino's, he did have some beautiful dresses. I also agreed with Tim about Daniel V's collection. He didn't have much to say about it, either do I. I really didn't like his handbags. They looked like that they were made in woodshop class. Chloe's collection, I didn't understand the poofy outfits. I guess I have to see them on a person before I make my call.

Can't wait to see the runway show next week.

Photo credit: Getty Images

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday is the start of Lent. Today, I was supposed to fast and whatever I ate the entire day had to equal one meal. I thought I could get through the day with no problem. This is how it went.

At work this morning, I drank my breakfast: water (4 cups). When I came home at 11:30 am, I was so hungry. In my Fat Tuesday post yesterday I said that I would stay away from the Little Caesar's leftovers, but I didn't. I got the box out of the refrigerator and tore the pepperoni's off a slice. Cold pizza never tasted so good. That really made me full. After going to Ash Wednesday mass, I came home and woke my husband up around 1:30 pm. He got dressed and asked me where I wanted to go for lunch. I told him I really couldn't eat much today, so I would go and watch him eat. We got in his car and he drove to Subway. I couldn't resist. I was hungry. I got a six inch tuna sub. It was so good and filling.

To make up for the fact that I ate more then I should have, I didn't eat dinner. I had to photograph two district volleyball games and that forced me to miss dinner with my husband. Since I haven't eaten since 2 pm this afternoon, I'm hungry. I know when I get up for work tomorrow, I will be looking for something to eat right away to make the stomach pains go away.