I absolutely adore the rain, but I would love to be able to go out tomorrow and practice with the camera some more. I feel like there is so much to learn and that I don't have enough time to do so. Its not like I am going to be a professional photographer tomorrow, although it would be nice! Brian and I went out last weekend to William B. Umstead state park to hike the Company Mill Trail. It ended up being a 4 mile hike, but it was really nice, very pretty and there were alot of neat things to take pictures of. And I was able to get some practice in. I am slowly learning the settings. I don't have to ask Brian now every time I need to change something. Sadly he read the manual and has a friend at work who gives him tips and he knows quite a bit more than me. Its funny, but since getting the new camera he is almost just as interested as I am about photography now. Its a nice hobby for us to share. Anyways I wanted to post a few pictures from the hike this weekend. The first is one of the little frogs we found hopping across the trail, the second is a picture of some of the trail, the third is a pictures of the creek that runs along some of the trail and the 4th is a picture of a strange mushroom/fungus we found. I have no idea what it is.
Thanks to Hurricane Bill, storm clouds rolled into this area yesterday. They were so beautiful. I'd give almost anything to live in a place where it stormed frequently. I unfortunately didn't have any of my camera's with me but Brian had his iphone and so I used that to take pictures with. They turned out pretty well. iphones do pretty nice pictures considering they are cell phones.!! The storm didn't last nearly long enough. We were inside of Petsmart when it started raining I was holding the most adorable orange male kitten. He was so lovable. And no, I didn't bring him home. I am guessing since we live in a apartment that two cats is enough for now.
In other news Alicia had her baby on August 20th! Ava Belle. I talked to her hours after the birth and would have never known she had just had a baby. She was very alert, not tired, excited, happy. It was nice. This is something she has been wanting for many years now and its great that she finally got it. Little Ava is definitely going to have Alicia's nose and looks like her lips too. She has dark hair now but I am thinking it will change a little as she gets older. So congrats to her and Bill on their growing family!! I can't wait to meet her on Labor Day weekend.
We arrived at Amos' Southend in Charlotte, NC at around 3:15 yesterday. After waiting in line for about a hour and 15 minutes we got to go into the meet and greet with the band. It seemed to happen so fast, but it was still memorable. I wish I could have been a little less nervous. I had the t-shirt on that I made that I posted about previously. J. Loren (the lead singer) walked right up to see and said "Let me see." and then grabbed my shirt and was looking at it and them immediately asked "Can I sign it?". I can't tell you how I managed to get the word yes out, but I did. Now I can never wash that shirt and I plan on actually framing it. They gave all of us posters and then signed them for us. It was such an amazing opportunity. Something I will never forget. After the meet and greet we went back outside where we waited in line for 2 more hours before being let into the venue for the show. Hurt played last so we watched Tunnels of Holland, Adelita's Way and Sick Puppies. But I was barely paying attention to the other bands because I was so excited and anxious to see Hurt perform. Sick Puppies however was very entertaining. Eventually the first three bands had played their set and I could feel myself getting more and more excited as I watched the stage being set up for Hurt. What an amazing performance, from beginning to end. I only wish they would have played more. We have been to alot of shows this summer, all of which I have blogged about. Cold, Nin Inch Nails, Tool, Tori Amos. And still I think that Hurt did the best job. The band members are so incredibly nice and down to earth. And you can tell through the entire performance that J. Loren really appreciates his fan. Watching him smile from time to time at the crowd would warm my heart. He even went out into the crowd for a bit, standing on the barrier between the stage and the fans. The fans were holding on to his legs while he never missed a beat while he was singing. He let one lucky fan sing a few lyrics to one of his songs. I had actually spoke to this guy outside, he had seen me go into the meet and greet and was asking me if I knew anything about the setlist. And he told me it was the first time he had ever seen them live. So I know for him that was a very memorable moment in his life. One he won't soon forget. I have a video of one full length song, my favorite song, Danse Russe. I will post it here. I hope you enjoy it. Hurt is such an amazing band, everyone should give them a listen!!
Tomorrow is the last scheduled concert we have to go to this summer. Its kind of sad. Its been a really good summer for concerts. Thats for sure. In the last year I have went to more shows than I had in my life prior. They've all been amazing, Smashing Pumpkins, Cold, The Killer and The Star, Nine Inch Nails, Tool, Tori Amos....but even with all those big names the one I have been looking most forward to since I was able to get the tickets is HURT! I cannot wait to see them live tomorrow. I have been continuously listening to their three albums, Vol. One, Vol. II and Goodbye To The Machine for the last two weeks. I think it would be safe to say that I know every song on those albums pretty well now. I will be happy to see any of them performed but there are a few I am hoping to hear above the rest. Such as Danse Russe, Rapture, Assurance, Dreams Away. Also, I joined their street team about 6 months ago or so and for the month of August they chose 5 street team members per performance to meet them before the show. I am one of the lucky few. Luck didn't have much to do with it seeing as how only four of us RSVPed for the show. But none-the-less I am so excited and just a little bit nervous. I have never had a one on one meeting with anyone famous before. Hopefully I don't say or do anything too stupid. But then again, that would be classic for me. I didn't have a HURT t-shirt and the only way for me to get one is to buy one at the show, so I made one for the street team. I will be wearing it tomorrow. Its been hanging in my closet for a week. Its the first time I did anything like this so there are a few mistakes, but I think it turned out pretty good considering. It you aren't listening to HURT yet you seriously need to be! They are amazing!
This weekend has been pretty nice. And alot better than last weekend since I spent most of it sick. We didn't really do much , stayed inside since it was close to 100 all weekend. I really hate the heat. HATE IT. I'd love to live somewhere much cooler than this. I keep saying Alaska, but everyone thinks I'm crazy and that I would change my mind once I got there. I think they are wrong.
I went to Border's today and bought a bunch of reference books on birds, plants and butterflies/moths like a big geek. I actually got them so I can easily identify the things I take pictures of. I think in a few weeks I will buy the one on spiders and other insects. But I only wanted to spend so much money on the books. Anyways, they are really helpful. Already identified several things on my flickr page.
Work tomorrow. Not looking forward to it. Atleast I get to see HURT on Saturday. I am so excited. I just got the email last week that confirmed I get to meet them before the show. AND I get to bring the Canon Rebel! I can't wait!!!
As I posted before we went to see Tool on July 29th. I had originally taken the day off of work on the 30th, knowing we wouldn't be home until the wee hours of the morning and that I would be exhausted afterward. I had planned to go into work for a few hours on Thursday evening. But on Thursday evening I started feeling very ill. I thought it was from the leftover lasagna I ate. I pretty much laid in bed the rest of the day and night. I got up Friday morning still feeling bad but knew that calling in was not a option. So I went to work all the while knowing I wasn't going to make it the whole day. I managed to work 3 hours before going home. And then I came home and slept for four hours. I still didn't feel great when I got up and thought I was going to have to skip seeing Tori Amos last night. But about 6pm I started feeling somewhat better, not like I was dying anymore. And decided I better go, who knows when I might get the chance to see her again. And I made it through the whole show and only feel somewhat bad today. My stomach still pretty much hates me but my mind is grateful for the amazing performance that was Tori Amos last night. She is so amazing. I knew she was talented but I had no idea how talented until last night. GREAT SHOW! Also her opening band was called One Eskimo. They were really really good. They are from England and I highly suggest you give them a listen. I don't think you will be disappointed!!
We went to see Tool last night, it was the first time that Brian and I had ever seen them. It was absolutely amazing. And one of the first shows that I have left without a headache. Of all the concerts I have been to this one was definitely the best visually. The lasers, lights, screens behind the band and on the walls were just amazing!! Sadly cameras were not allowed in, I thought about sneaking one in but I'm glad I changed my mind because they had metal detectors at the door and I would have never made it through with the camera. Even as well concealed as I would have had it. Oh well, I have the memories in my head and one small cell phone picture!
I used to be really anal about updating my online journals and blogs. In fact I have had a livejournal account since 2003 and I have updated several times a week since first opening the account. Back then you could only have a livejournal account by someone sending you a invite or by paying for it. Now its free and anyone can have one. But lately I am lucky if I update it once a month. I have an xanga account to, but rarely ever update it. And then there is this. Probably my favorite of the three but I can't convince others to create accounts here. Anyways, I have been practicing with the new camera some. Trying to go out on the weekends and just take a bunch of pictures. I am slowly (very slowly) learning what to do and what not to do. I'm very impatient by nature and so that makes it frustrating sometimes. A guy that Brian works with who does some photography on the side wants us to go out with him sometime and he is going to teach me some things. Should be fun. I love doing stuff like that! Anyways, the pictures I have posted with this entry are from the NC Museum of Art, they have 164 acres with trails and all kinds of sculptures. I want to explore it all but it was just WAY too hot yesterday to do that!
This past weekend my brother Todd got married. And since I now have a professional camera I got to be their photographer. I would have been even without the new camera, but it sure helped things. I had a fun time and think I did ok considering this was my first time shooting a wedding, first time shooting people with the new camera period. And also only my 2nd venture out to play with since buying it. It was only a small wedding, so having me instead of someone that actually paid wasn't so bad. I am happy for them and I wish them many many many years of happiness!!
We went in to WV this weekend to visit our families. It was a very rushed trip because at first we had decided we were not going in. Then we decided we were. So we weren't even in WV for a full 48 hours. haha. But it was nice to get to visit with everyone and I got to meet a bunch of people in Brian's family and may possibly be going to Florida to visit them again in November. I have never been farther south than Myrtle Beach, so that would be something new for me. But I was happy to see my mom and take a ride in my step-dad's $250 1976 Chevy truck, which I renamed The Redneck Truck Ride. We took it down what was a man made path through the woods, not suitable for the truck at speeds that were not suitable for the path. It was kind of scary, but I survived and now have one more redneck tale from the woods to share. haha. And in other big news we bought a new camera on Sunday. I don't have any pictures from it yet to share. But we got a Canon Rebel XSi! I am so so so excited to go play with it this weekend. You have no idea what having a professional camera means to me.
My mom's black lab, Pepper, has been really sick for a few weeks. Throwing up and just laying around. She stayed several days at their local vet, they couldn't find anything wrong with her, gave her meds and sent her home. She was home for maybe 2 days and started throwing up again. My mom said six times in one day. She took her back to their local vet and they wanted to keep her overnight again. Her pancreas was running a temperature of 105.6. They called my mom and told her they were sending her to the Veterinary college in VA because they couldn't figure out what was wrong with her. She was there over night on Saturday night. They called my mom about 3pm yesterday and told her that she had kidney failure and there was nothing that they would be able to do for her. So in the end it was decided to just put her to sleep rather than make her suffer. Then the doctor asked my mom if they could do a autopsy to see exactly what caused the kidney failure. The doctor thinks it was either from Lymes Disease (which she would have got from ticks) or possibly from drinking stagnate(sp?) water. So in the meantime mom is also having the water tested at their farm. Because if it was in the water humans can suffer from it too. The college isn't going to charge her for the autopsy since it will be a learning experience for the school and students. Its really sad though she had had Pepper for about 5+ years. And my mom and step-dad went absolutely no where without the dog and my mom also used Pepper as her running partner. She was crying yesterday telling me she probably wouldn't get another one because she didn't want to go through this again. And it was funny how you got so attached to a animal. But then she said Gary said having Pepper around was good protection and he thought they would get another one. I mean not replace Pepper, but I see no reason in not getting another dog. Especially if they decide to get one from the animal shelter. Saving another life would be worth it. Its going to be really strange going to their house this weekend and Pepper not being there. Sad. I really hate it for my mom. I know what it feels like to lose a animal. Especially to a disease. So anyways....here is a picture of me and Pepper about 4 years ago. She was such a great dog. We will miss you Pepper!
I crossed something off of my "things to do before I die" list. I actually have several concerts on that list and I will be marking atleast three of those things off by the end of next month. As everyone knows I went to see Nine Inch Nails live in concert on Friday night. It was my first time ever actually seeing Trent Reznor live in the 13+ years that I have been a fan of him. It was so amazing! Everything I thought it would be and more. I think my favorite parts of the show was listening to everyone singing along with Hurt and Head Like A Hole. The crowd was singing both of those songs so loud you could barely hear Trent through the speakers. It was so awesome!!!! And to think that may have quite possibly been my last chance to see him live. This was his "Wave Goodbye" tour and he is supposedly going to be done after this. I personally think he will still release little albums here and there for free download and all that. But he may be done with touring live. Which I honestly don't blame him. He has had a good run, lots of fan, if he wants to quit that and just live his life then I say so be it! I am still in awe of seeing him live! I loved it!
Anyone who knows me knows that I hate bees!! I am absolutely terrified of them. I always have been and I guess at this point always be. But today Brian took me to Historic Yates Mill County Park, after I found it online, to take some pictures. I have a bunch on my flickr page for those that can view that. But this picture with the bumble bee and the purple flower is probably one of my favorites from the day. He cooperated with me much better than the butterflies did. The park its self was not really huge or anything, but it was really nice. And out of all the places I have been around here so far it was the closest thing to resemble something from West Virginia. Especially considering it was kind of cool outside today instead of being in the 90s. All is all it was a nice time and I am happy to have some new pictures to share!
I'm fully back to the real world now that vacation is done and over with. Its a depressing feeling. But I do have alot of things to look forward to. On June 12th I will be seeing Nine Inch Nails live, so so so excited. I have only waited for 13 years!!! And then on July 29th I will be seeing Tool live, also a big event. Tool is Brian's favorite band but I really like them too. Scott is coming with us so that should be a lot of fun. I really hope I will be able to bring my camera in! And then hopefully (will know next Friday) I will be seeing Tori Amos on July 31st. The only way I won't be going is if the tickets sell out in the first hour or something. That sounds outlandish maybe. But we got our tickets for Tool in the first 30 minutes of them being on sale and half the arena was already sold out. And I checked a little early today, 24 hours after they went on sale, and the entire arena is almost sold out!! Wow. I am excited about all the live music! This evening Brian and I sat out on the back deck watching the sunset. I must have taken like 40 photos of it. It just kept changing and getting better and better. So this is one of the pictures I really liked. I cannot believe how many amazing sunsets I get to watch from our back deck. Its so nice.
They haven't really told anyone yet or atleast they have not posted it on their myspace or facebook pages which is the way most of the world shares news these days. But I am going to make them a public post here anyways. As of Monday my brother Todd and his girlfriend Heather are engaged. And actually planning to get married sometime this summer. His proposal was not what I expected from my little brother. But apparently he had had the ring for some time. Picked it out himself and everything. Anyways he got a dozen roses and lined them down the hallway from their bedroom. Heather was sleeping. And then he called Heather to come out there. When Heather came out and walked down the hallway them my brother was waiting at the end and asked her. They were talking about getting married this summer while we were at the beach, but I had no idea he had already gotten her a ring. But anyways....he did. And right now they are looking at July 18th. I guess I need to get ready for that.
I am home from the beach and missing it already. Its funny you are always glad to be home but part of you would still love to be on vacation. I am definitely not ready to go back to work tomorrow. I went into work for 3 hours last night because I wasn't able to do the whole 13.5 last Sunday night. I tried. I was there for 10 hours. But working at that place in the middle of the night is REALLY creepy. By the end of the shift I was feeling very sick and I ended up staying awake a grand total of 36 hours before Sunday was over with. It definitely wasn't easy. But anyways....for now I will post a picture of my brother Todd and his girlfriend Heather. They came down on Thursday so I got to spend some time with them. It was nice because I probably won't get to see everybody again until maybe Christmas. Thats the hardest part about living far away from your family.
Our second day on the beach and I got to watch some amazing storm clouds rolling out to sea. I took quite a few pictures but I am going to share my favorite on here. We are having a great time. I already have a sunburn to show for it. haha. Todd and Heather (my brother and his girlfriend) are going to come down on Thursday. I am glad. Its nice to be able to spend time with all my family like this since I don't see them often anymore. I might post some more this week with my favorite shots so I don't have to post a ton at once. Check out my flickr.com page if you are on my friends lists there. I have been uploading pictures there almost daily so I can keep my memory card empty for more.
In about 18 hours I should be at the beach or atleast really really close! And I will be able to do exactly what this picture depicts. One of my favorite things to do on the beach is just sit there with my feet in the sand. I managed to stay up until a little after 4am last night, so all in all almost 24 hours. Which lets me know I should easily be able to make it tonight. I got up just a little while ago and plan on laying back down at 5pm and trying to sleep til maybe 10pm. We will see. Otherwise I will take two energy drinks to work with me in hopes that that will keep me up. I don't think staying up is going to be the problem. I think the problem is going to be me looking at the clock and thinking "ok I have this many more hours". Anyways, this time tomorrow I will only have 2 hours left at work. Here is too hoping it goes by fast! And my next update shall come to you from Oak Island NC.
Its getting closer and closer but I can swear to you this has been one of the longest weeks in my life. Today will be my last 8 hour shift but then I have that big 13 1/2 hour one starting at midnight tomorrow night. I keep hoping something will happen and I won't have to work it. But I guess thats not going to happen. Anyways, every year when my mom goes to the beach her goal is to find as many big conch shells as possible. And then takes them all to her farm and puts them around all her plants. This picture (one of my favorites I have taken of her) captures her in shell hunting mode perfectly. When you go down to the end of the island these shells are just rolling in the waves. You have to be fast though or they get swept back out to sea. One year my mom would boil the poor little sea creatures inside to get the shells but then last year I was making her throw the live ones back. haha. I'm not some psycho animal activist but I do believe everything should get its chance at life. So she threw them back for me. We will see how she does this year.And here is a picture of two of the BIG shells we found at the beach in 2006. I am not sure where they are now. Packed up and stored somewhere....its something I left in WV when I got the divorce because I knew I wouldn't have room for stuff like that here for awhile. And still won't until we eventually buy a house. Brian is currently being saved from all my little collections.
I am going to share a picture today that anyone who has access to my flickr account and/or myspace page has seen. Its a picture of a bunch of birds sitting on a little wooden wall type thing at Kure Beach NC. Kure Beach is two beaches up from where we will be staying but less than a two hour drive from where I live. Which makes its nice. I haven't really taken advantage of living so close to the ocean like I should have. Brian and I did decide to drive out there in February. It was raining, kinda cold. But it was nice. No one was on the beach at all except some surfers and I found my first shark's tooth after only being on the beach for about 30 minutes. I will also share that picture. I only have to wake up early one more day! Thats a great feeling. But then tomorrow night I am going to try to stay up all night and get all of our clothes washed, everything packed and try to prep myself to sleep all day Saturday so that maybe going into work at midnight won't be so hard. We are also going to see the Star Trek movie, I'm not really a fan or anything but Brian is and he is really excited to see it. I figure that should take up a few hours of the night anyways!
My favorite walkway in the world is the one that leads right to the beach. So today's shot is one of the path from the steps of our beach house, across the dune and to the beach!! We are not staying at that same beach house this year, for the last probably 4 years or so my mom and step-dad have rented that same house. This year however we all chose to get one closer to the end of the island because thats where all the "good shells" are. The outside of the house isn't that impressive....maybe with my super photographer skills I can make it look that way, but I seriously doubt it. But its roomy, very nice in the inside and at the end of the island. So it should be really nice. Not that I care that much, I will just be happy to get away for awhile. Its only Wednesday though and I feel like this week is dragging. And I think what makes it worse is knowing I am working that 13 hours shift on Sunday night. I will be listening to a audiobook that I hope makes the time pass quickly. Duma Key by Stephen King. Yea thats right I am going to listen to a Stephen King book about the beach right before I go to the beach. Should make it interesting!
Today's picture is one of a tiny little crab I found running along the shore. Of course I turned into a 8 year old and had to catch him, if only for the picture. I have a little obsession with marine life of all forms. For a few years I even said I was going to go to school to be a marine biologist. But that didn't happen. I have had four major career plans in my lifetime, none of which I ended up actually going for. They were Veterinarian, Marine Biologist, Geologist and Photographer. Out of the four the last one is probably the most likely, but I am still very interested in the others as well.
Anyways I have changed my working plans for this weekend. I am now going in at Midnight and working to 1pm. Doubt this will make anything easier, but atleast I will get out of there a little earlier and therefore to the beach earlier! I hope the shift is not horrible!!! I will be there completely alone so the hardest thing is just going to be staying awake.
I hate that its Monday, because I don't do Mondays...or mornings for that matter. But atleast I am one day closer to being at the beach. With that being said I thought today's picture(s) would be from my 2007 Oak Island beach trip of a sail boat way out in the ocean and then up-close. Everything about the scenery of the beach/ocean is so peaceful and relaxing that I honestly can't see how anyone wouldn't enjoy it. I mean take me for instance, I prefer cold, rainy, snowy days to hot ones. Although I live in a place where its warm and sunny about 80% of the time. I still cannot wait to be at the beach, laying in the sun, listening to the waves, spending time with my family. Its going to be great!
I thought I would post one picture a day for the next 7 days of past beach trips to get myself in the right mind set for my 13 hour shift on Saturday night/Sunday morning. This is a picture of a Lipton tea bag in a seashell sitting on the railing of the porch of our beach house. Every morning for as long as I can remember my mom has had a cup of hot tea with honey in it. I drink it too except I put splenda in mine and I don't do it every morning. I do it at random times and typically only when its cold outside or unless I am just really in the mood for it. But for my mom that morning cup of hot tea is equal to most people's cup of hot coffee. My mom actually had me take this picture...she gets a child like excitement when she is at the beach. She loves it. And its quite contagious. Thats the one part of my mom's personality that I definitely inherited. I have a child like excitement in me too. Like when I see snow, when I see the waves in the ocean, when I step on the sand.....I guess thats a good thing to inherit. Keeps me young at heart :)
Only 8 more days til we will be at the beach. It kinda feels like its never going to get here but at the same time this weekend seems to be going by WAY too quickly. I have to work 13 hours before I can leave for the beach though. So I am going into work at 1am on Sunday morning/Saturday night, however you want to look at it. And staying til 2pm maybe 2:30pm. So every place I have ever worked at in the past you started the new year with a certain amount of time off you could take. Well at Labcorp we get so much time put into our personal leave bank (PLB) per week. So anyways I missed two days because it snowed, I took two days at my birthday, other days here and there. Needless to say I am about 18 hours negative right now. I cannot be more than 40 hours negative at any given time. So with that being said I have to work those 13 hours on the same week as I am on vacation so that I won't go over 40. Its pretty lame. Especially considering I still have like 60 hours or so coming to me this year after I take the 40 out. I tried to cut some kind of deal, like not being paid for some of my vacation time, it was shot down. Like working over time gradually and not being paid for it or adding it to my vacation. But human resources wasn't going for it. So I just hope I can make it those 13 hours. I will have plenty of work to do but I have never worked an all night shift. Especially not one starting at 1am. So Goodluck to me! I just have to remind myself it will all be worth it in the end. And with that I have attached a picture of my mom at the beach in 2007 enjoying her vacation.
For the last 15 years I have had a little obsession with Nine Inch Nails, more importantly Trent Reznor. I have said for years that I was going to see them live, I had to see them live. Just once. There were times when he came close enough to where I lived that I could have went but I could never find anyone to go with me. Well next month he is going to be in Charlotte, NC. And guess what? I bought two tickets for Brian and I!!!!! I am so excited! I cannot wait! And for your viewing pleasure one newish picture of Trent and then one of my favorites of him.
Only 13 more days til I will be sitting on the beach....infact in two weeks, a few hours from this very moment I will be there. Its been the only thing keeping me sane at work. The very fact that I know in two weeks I will be at the beach for a week. A nice stress free vacation with people I care about. Only 10 more working days!!! Next weekend Brian is working so that he will have enough vacation saved up to go the entire week. I hate that he has to work but I am supposed to do the March or Dimes March for Babies walk that weekend with people from work. I actually should have posted this link a long time ago to try to raise money, but much like everything else in my life I slacked off. Anyways if you would like to donate money to my team at work for March of Dimes this is my personal page, if you donate it sponsors me.... Donate to March For Babies here I am going to go post the link on facebook and myspace too...maybe I will raise a little haha. :)
About a year or so ago Brian sent me a link in AIM chat to listen to a band called Katatonia. Over the years Brian has sent me thousands of links of songs to listen to. Some I didn't like at all, most I liked a little and some I down right loved. He sent me a song called In the White by Katatonia. I fell in love with it. But I didn't do much research on the band or listen to any of their other stuff until I moved here. But then it was just in his car and usually I was too busy talking (I do that alot) to really pay attention. So I knew I liked atleast three of their songs pretty well and about a week ago I put one of their albums on my ipod so I could listen at work. And now I am just absolutely inlove with their music. I love the lead singers style. He looks nothing like he sounds, not to me anyways. Their music is slightly haunting and their lyrics...well you would just have to listen. Thats my current music kick....I plan to plug my ipod in as soon as I get in my car and listen to them on my way to work and then some more while I am at work.
In other random news....my throat REALLY hurts, I have been on the verge of getting sick for days now. I wish it would either just go away or get me really sick so I atleast have a reason to stay home and in bed. Also, thanks to a video on Otep's blog I now want a pet Lemur badly!
Only 26 more days until my vacation starts. So 27 days and I will be at the beach for a week soaking up the sun and relaxing as much as possible. I cannot wait!!! We will luckily still have internet access there and I am taking my laptop so maybe you will see some updates with pictures here and there. It will be the first vacation for Brian and I! And the first time I have seen my mom since Christmas. Its hard not being able to just hang out with her anytime I want. But atleast I am lucky enough to be able to spend a week with her and several other relatives in May. I am so excited!! Here are some pictures of Oak Island NC where we will be vacationing in May and where I have vacationed several times in the past! One of my favorite places :) First one is my mom and step-dad walking on the beach at sunset looking for shells and then another taken from our beach house in 2007. We won't be staying in that beach house this year but one farther down the beach and one that doesn't have houses on either side of it :)
As of Thursday night I am now the owner of a Honda Fit Sport! When I moved down here a year ago I said I was going to get one. I am so glad, its so much better than my old car that I had had for 8 years! Its nice to actually want to drive everywhere again. Brian's parent's are here for the weekend. They are currently napping. They got here at like 7am this morning and his dad had been up for something like 20 hours. I guess we will be doing some shopping this evening and probably going out to eat somewhere. Its going to be a busy weekend, I am already looking forward to sleep next weekend!!
I am kind of strange in the fact that I typically will not order food out anywhere until I have seen what it looks like. You'd probably never guess it from my weight but I am extremely picky. So I created an album on my flickr site just for pictures of food. I have only started heavily adding pictures in the last week....everything else has been random. But its pretty neat. I am hoping over this weekend with Brian's parent's visiting us that maybe I can add quite a few new pictures to the album. I hope to one day have hundreds of pictures in that album....for now I think its only around 30. Anyways here is a picture from one of my favorite entrees at On The Border, its the Southwest Chicken Tacos. Taken with Brian's iphone.
**** I wasn't always. I started playing World of Warcraft just so I could talk to Brian more. Apparently 8 hours a day just wasn't enough. And to my surprise I actually enjoyed it. So much so that I have been playing for a year and 3 months at this point. Its actually fun and a great thing to do when you are bored. But anyways I thought I would share some pictures of my WoW characters. First is Kerris, my hunter, I just recently created her a few weeks ago so she is only level 22. Second is Amaryliss, my paladin, this was my first and ONLY character for a very long time she is currently level 70 because I haven't found the will to take her to 80. Third is Twylight, my shaman, I am not sure why I created her...I was just bored and felt like playing something different for a little while, this is why she is only level 16. Fourth is Roserlyn, my rogue, she is a very fun character to play but I haven't touched her in awhile. I also did not pick her name it was one of the random names....now I wish I could change it without paying, she is level 26. And last but not least is Zoedia, my death knight, she is currently sitting at level 74. When the new expansion came out anyone who had atleast a level 55 character could create a death knight which started at level 55. She is incredibly fun to play and can do the most destruction of any character I have. So thats my little moment in geekdom and on that note I am off to play Kerris a little while before bed.
I'm originally from southern West Virginia but moved to the Raleigh, NC area in April 2008. The mountains of WV will always hold part of my heart, its a very beautiful place. But unfortunately there isn't much opportunity there to grow as a person. I love live music and photography and try to get in as much of both as I can. This blog is just basically little inserts from my life. I like to share my pictures as much as possible and hope others will enjoy them as much as I do!
re the rain, but I would love to be able to go out tomorrow and practice with the camera some more. I feel like there is so much to learn and that I don't have enough time to do so. Its not like I am going to be a professional photographer tomorrow, although it would be nice! Brian and I went
out last weekend to William B. Umstead state park to hike the Company Mill Trail. It ended up being a 4 mile hike, but it was really nice, very pretty and there were alot of neat things to take pictures of. And I was able to get some practice in. I am 
slowly learning the settings. I don't have to ask Brian now every time I need to change something. Sadly he read the manual and has a friend at work who gives him tips and he knows quite a bit more than me. Its funny, but since getting the new camera he is almost just as interested as I am about photography now. Its a nice hobby for us to share. Anyways I wanted to post a few pictures from 
the hike this weekend. The first is one of the little frogs we found hopping across the trail, the second is a picture of some of the trail, the third is a pictures of the creek that runs along some of the trail and the 4th is a picture of a strange mushroom/fungus we found. I have no idea what it is.
