Tuesday on the Web

Just another sunset for you here.  And then below, a quick shot of my new bento box!  George got it for me for Christmas and I'm just getting around to using it now.  The truth is, I love compartmentalization.  It is one of my great loves, and I'm not ashamed to admit it.  The fact that everything in that box has its own little room brings me joy - actual joy.  So I thought I'd share.  Now, on to the links!

On the Web

Every week I save my favorite links from around the internet and present them here on Tuesday.  Lots of linkage for you this week - and good stuff, too! My first two links this week are very near and dear to my heart.  In fact, I started composing an entire post entitled "Ode to Google" but figured it was too off-topic to be included in a blog supposedly about wedding and portrait photography (or at the very least, photography in general).  Instead, I wanted to share a link that changed my life.  I don't say that lightly.  If you are a Gmail user, you need to go here. If you are anything like me, you will be blown away by the description on that website of how to set up a fully-functioning Gmail database.  Since Google is kind enough to give us unlimited space, it makes a perfect dumping ground for everything and yes, I mean everything.  I could get into it, but it's unnecessary.  If your interest is piqued, please please please hit up that link.  And when the tears of gratitude and joy are cleared from your eyes, you can check out the follow-up as well. One more Gmail link - Other Inbox, a free web app, will do all manner of sorting and culling and organizing for your Gmail inbox so that you can get back to square one and start doing awesome things, like the two links above show you.  It's very useful for people like ::cough cough:: my husband, who never archives anything and who lets important emails get shoved on back down the endless pile in his inbox. Just in case you're feeling a little heavy in the pockets after all those holiday presents, here are the best charities in America. Free online yoga videos This is a cool list of places to get yoga instruction online. I'm a practitioner myself (okay, only for six months now but a solid six months) and I always look for good online yoga so I can do something in the hotel room.  I'm pretty sure yoga has helped a lot with my shoulder pain from sitting at a desk all day.  I'm definitely sure it's made me more flexible and strong.  As for stress-reduction or weight-loss... well, I guess the jury's still out on that one. Set up and get to know your new Android phone via Lifehacker I spent a great deal of my lazy week last week learning about my Android and all the neat stuff it can do.  If you have one of these and it's just sitting around taking phone calls, you should probably drop by this article. Mom, this is how you use Twitter I'm not a Twitterer (that's probably not even how you say it).  Maybe I should be, who knows?  But this excellent little article very clearly outlines how to use the service, if you don't know how and think you might like to. And now three strictly wedding and professional photography related: Tutera's tips for selecting a wedding photographer This excellent video tells it like it is.  He gives very good advice for brides looking for a wedding photographer.  When your day is over, all that will be left are memories and photographs! Have models and clients sign releases on your smartphone I found an amazing $10 app that lets you have people sign releases with their finger.  Looks brilliant *and* saves paper! Junebug's best of the best wedding photos of the year This astounding collection showcases some of my favorite photographers, and one from my must-have flickr group, Starting a Wedding Photography Business.  Every single one of these images is inspiring. sunset over washington dc my new bento box!

Happy birthday to Soren!

When I was sixteen, the only thing I wanted in the entire world was freedom - freedom to go where I wanted, when I wanted.  Freedom to get out, freedom to come back.  My extremely generous Uncle Lou and my mother and stepfather orchestrated the purchase of a car for me.  A brilliant car.  A car named Soren.  I am now 26 and he and I are headed into our eleventh year together. My car is worth almost nothing today were I to try and sell him.  I believe his Bluebook value is just a hair over $3k - if he's immaculate, and Soren is lots of things but immaculate is not one of them.  Worthless on the market or not, Soren is the very essence of car-ness to me.  I feel uncomfortable driving anything else.  I drive my car like an extension of my body and I always like to believe I know all his little sounds. Soren recently had some major (or so I thought) engine/transmission issues.  He wouldn't go above 45 without making a horrible stuttering noise and motion.  Needless to say, I flipped out.  But when I took it to the mechanic, I needed just $250 worth of troubleshooting to find the right spark plugs and wires and things to replace.  A tune up!  On a ten year old car!  The mechanic said Soren is still in really good shape and I should expect to be able to drive him for many years to come.  Oh, how I love my car. This love note has a point!  I wouldn't ordinarily spend an entire blog post talking about my car, but he had a rather significant birthday recently, and I thought I'd share.  I missed 150,000 miles by 10, but I stopped to take a picture anyway.  Better late than never.  So happy birthday to my good friend, the old man Soren.  May he and I drive many more miles together! 150,000 miles on my car

Ending 2010

new years eve self-portraitFor the past two years, I've closed out the year with a self-portrait and a few minutes of reflection on how my year has gone.  As far as I can tell, it all just keeps getting better. First off, I want to say thank you to all my amazing clients, and my friends, family and supporters who have been behind me 100% in my business and personal growth as a photographer.  You guys rock and I couldn't do any of this without the support from all my peeps, you know who you are! This was another big year for travel, though toned down a bit from 2009 (I barely made Silver preferred!).  In 2010, I visited Tampa, Orlando, Hampton and Norfolk, VA, Portland, ME, Houston, Chicago, New Orleans, Ocean City, Duluth and Superior, WI (those two links are some of my favorite images from the year), Dania Beach, FL, Winchester, VA, Galveston, New York, Orlando, and San Diego. On the agenda for 2011 are Naples and Ft. Myers, FL, possibly Colorado Springs, possibly Chicago again, Orlando again, Seattle, Las Vegas, and maybe, just maybe Hawaii.  Oh, and all the destination weddings you can book me for! George has a lot to do with 2010 being such an awesome year.  It was our first being married and - despite many naysayers - as far as I can tell, being married is totally awesome. He and I ate at lots and lots of amazing restaurants in 2010.  I'm blessed to be financially secure enough to go have a pricey dinner (or lunch - we ate at Brasserie Beck today) just about whenever I want.  Most would probably say we're throwing away our money, but food is something I value the heck out of.  It's good to eat. George started grad school.  We have yet to hear if he's got in to his school(s) of choice.  Which he does get into will have a major effect on the rest of our lives, and certainly the next five years. Also in 2010, we took up gardening and mostly failed, had a ridiculous two-week-long food and tourism extravaganza in Chicago, and solidified more than ever our mutual values.  It feels so good to want the same things. To everyone, everywhere: may you have a joyous, prosperous, healthy 2011.  It's about time to put on a cute dress and go hit the party.  So cheers and I'll see you guys in 2011!