0 to 60 in 3 Days

What can I say about the Susan G. Komen 3 day this year that I haven’t already said? It’s an amazing three days and each year it grabs my heart and holds on with all it’s might. As a good friend said, “the Seattle 3 day owns her heart”, I couldn’t say it better myself.

Team Wraspir finished and had a lot of celebrating to do.  The team raised over $17,000 for the cure.  One small, little team of 3 walkers and one Queen Walker Stalker managed $17,000!  Truly amazing.  Their $17K was a small drop in the bucket to the $6,000,000 that was raised overall. But that small drop will make a big difference.

2200 walkers took to the street on Friday morning.  The air was crisp, and the sun was trying with all it's might to poke through the clouds.  It ultimately did and made most of Friday a good day.  We did have some rain later in the afternoon, which was annoying!

Saturday was a gorgeous day in the Seattle area.  I'm willing to bet some walkers may think it was almost too warm.   The best part of the sunnier day was it gave more of an opportunity to see some of the crazy outfits that show up at the 3 Day.  And this year, people got creative.

Sunday was rainy for most the morning. Rainy and miserable!  But it didn't stop Team Wraspir. They whipped out their ponchos and marched on. In fact the rain didn't seem to bother any of the walkers.  As I stood in a covered doorway taking pictures in the University district I was amazed - though I shouldn't have been - at just how happy the walkers seemed.  I mean it was day 3 and the rain was coming down. But it didn't seem to phase them one bit.  And that's why I love the 3 Day!

At the end of the event, I can’t say Team Wraspir made it through unscathed – well except Seattle SIL since she was skipping on day 2 and 3 – sicko! BigBro has a plethora of blisters! Blueberry also had blisters. And I, Queen Walker Stalker had a blister!  A sympathy blister...

Closing ceremonies was moving as always. They've changed up how its done and changed the speech. I didn't think they could make that speech any more moving and touching, but they found a way.  The emotion of seeing a sea of white followed by a sea of pink (Survivors) really does get the old tear ducts working. 

So the team is resting, putting their feet up (hopefully) and is making plans for next years event.  They raised the bar this year by raising so much money and will have to bring out the new fund raising ideas to beat that goal! They can do it. 

As for the Queen Walker Stalker...I too am making plans for next year.  I have more pink this year than any other year and will have to find a way to out-do myself next year. But I too will continue to be a part of this amazing event. The people, the spirit, the passion, and the emotion is addicting and I can't imagine my life without it.  So until next year, XOXO.  Walk on all you Pink Warriors. You're the greatest!

PS - I do have about 800 photos of the event still to go through.  I'll be posting them on Flickr hopefully this weekend.

Day Zero

I cannot believe it's upon us, yet here I am the day before remembering the years past. I cry a little.  I smile a lot. And my heart grows ten times...

I speak of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer 3Day of course.  It starts tomorrow. TOMORROW. Where has the time gone?  Last thing I remember I was offering to make cookies for fund raising.  Which I did, and I made a nice little sum for SGK too. Thank you everyone who donated! And ate my cookies! And who complimented the cookies appropriately...even when some of the white chocolate was less than perfect! They still tasted good didn't they?

And who could forget the crazy, and successful, fund raising BigBro did this year.  Two years ago when I walked in the 3Day the idea was planted in our minds....and as all good bad fund raisers we did nothing. Until this year when BigBro decided to give it a try.  Thousands of dollars has been raised by BigBro standing and "panhandling" for the cure.  He's had comments tossed his way with money...and he was even flashed!  Still, it was an extremely successful fund raising...and he even talked my Seattle SIL into joining his insanity.

And so here we are. Our monies raised, our pink stuff pulled out, our maps in hand, our cameras charged...our hearts, souls (or soles), our energy, our love, our compassion, and our heartache are all ready to stamp out breast cancer forever and find a cure. 

As for me, the non walker, but Queen Walker Stalker, not only is all my pink ready, but I have purchased copious amounts of Kleenex...I'm assuming this year with my emotions being somewhat unchecked by lack of estrogen in my system, that I may, perhaps, cry a wee bit more.  I'm just sayin'...I may.  God knows I'll cry at opening ceremonies...and as I drive past the walkers carrying signs, and as I cheer walkers into camp, and so on and so on...I'll be a blubbering mess all weekend. And I can't wait!

And if you're in the Seattle/Everett area this weekend and want to cheer on some amazing people...come join me at a cheering station.

Cheering Stations
Public cheering stations are a great way to show your support along the route to encourage walkers and let them know that you are with them every step of the way. Seeing familiar faces cheering them on can provide that extra burst of energy that gets them to take that next step or go the next mile. Create banners, hold up signs, bring some music and make some noise - anything to make them smile, get energized and keep walking.

Friday, September 24
8:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Red Robin - 21215 Bothell-Everett Highway
Bothell, WA 98201

12:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Silver Lake Shopping Center
112th St. SE and 19th Ave. SE
Everett, WA 98208

Saturday, September 25
8:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Jackson Elementary
3700 Federal Ave.
Everett, WA 98201

11:45 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Fluke Corporation
9028 Evergreen Way
Everett, WA 98204

Sunday, September 26
10:45 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Cal Anderson Park
1635 11th Ave.
Seattle, WA 98122

And then if that's not enough, come join me at closing ceremonies.  It'll change your life.  We'll be at the Seattle center, somewhere around the Key Arena or Victory tunnel, between 1 and 4. Then closing ceremonies around 4pm. 

I'll try to blog each day, but it's unlikely...I'll be tired from all that cheering!

Give me a little Attitude

Before I step onto my soap box, I must first remove the cat from his resting place so I can type with more ease. 

Sheesh!

Right, so the soap box.

I’m a self aware person. I like to look inwards and seek answers from my past to help shape my future.  Good or bad, I find that there are very specific life lessons that has, to this day, helped me to become the woman I am today.

When I look at that woman, I find that I’m okay with who she is.  Could she afford to save more money? Of course. Could you lose a little bit of weight? Definitely.

But by and large, I like who I am. 

I’ve had a great many successes in my life and just as many, if not more, failures.  A quote I have over my desk at home reads, “If you’ve never failed, you’ve never lived.” 

But it’s about those successes I want to focus on. Not to blow wind in my sails, or sound egotistical, but rather how do I perceive that I got to those successes.

Overwhelmingly, I would say, by my attitude.

And I don’t mean “double snap in a Z” attitude. I mean my mental state of mind.

I wrote a blog recently about how I’d bet on myself every time.  And what gets me to that point is that I believe 100% in myself.  Sometimes. Most of the times.

Recently I started a photography business.  Anyone I’ve mentioned it to that knows me says, without blinking, ”You’ll be great at it.” And I usually agree with them, at least outwardly.

Inwardly (is that a word?) I’m doubting.  I can’t possibly do this.

Yes I can.

No I can’t.

YES, I CAN…

Um, NO, I cannot.

And the conversation between the committee goes on. Eventually the “Yes You Can” wins.

And for a moment I believe I can. All seems right in the world, and I am, without a doubt, making the right choice.

Then the doubting Thomas comes back.

“What are you thinking? What makes you think YOU can do this?” And on and on it goes. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

Thankfully, I have this little tool to help me. Well, it’s not a tool so much as a big rock with words typed on it.

Attitude is Everything!

This rock has been with me for – well – a long time.  The person who gave it to me, once was very important to me, and in fact, I was sure I was going to marry. That person? He’s moved on.  He probably doesn’t even think of me ever anymore.  We were friends.  We were volleyball partners.  And somehow he managed to show me that Attitude is Everything.

I, like many people (I almost said women/girls, but I suspect boys/men have the same issues at times) struggled with self esteem.  It often tries to get the best of me, but I’ve learned what it’s ugly mug looks like and it has no business in my mind. 
When playing doubles volleyball, my partner, Hickey, would often tell me when I was sure the other team would crush us, he’d always remind me that the mind of a warrior is way more impressive than the brawn.  That and my killer sneaky slice shot I had.  What? I was short, I had to have other volleyball skills to play with the big dogs. 

Still, Hickey was constantly reminding me as we played, about attitude and how to bring that attitude to the volleyball court.  He gave me the rock.  He had no idea at the time, and probably still doesn’t, how much that rock as helped shape my life.

I can look at times in my life where I was the under dog, where I never should have even been where I was, yet I believed I should be. And in the end, it was that attitude that pushed me forward.

In the end of the 9^th grade, I knew I was moving schools to the “rival” across town. I knew they had a bad rifle team. I knew I was better. I tried out for captain and got it.

Egotistical? Maybe.  But I knew that my skills could help push that rifle team forward and perhaps win a few trophies.  

In 1986 my parents came to me and said we were moving to Saudi Arabia. I had the choice to stay in Washington and live with my oldest brother or go to a boarding school the Boeing company was going to pay for.  Leaving meant leaving all my new friends behind.  Starting new.  But I knew I could do it. How could I not? I had moved so many times in my life, what was one more move?

In 2005 I started taking project management classes.  I wasn’t the smartest person in the room (and frequently still aren’t), but I pushed through the classes. Then taking the Project Management Professional test was presented in front of me. Back then it was a big deal. It was a tough test.  Several smart people I knew didn’t pass it.  And yet, I figured, why not?  I studied –hard- and I passed it. 
Now I realize that those three examples I played a major role in succeeding at the goal.  But it was the knowledge that if I worked at it and tried hard, I could succeed.  And there in lies the lesson.

Attitude is only 80% of it. The other 20% is work. Hard work. 

And so while the voice of doubt will still crop up and tempt me to not even try, I hold to the words on that lovely rock given to me by someone who came into my life for a specific purpose. 

If I believe I can and if I put the required effort in for it, there’s no reason I can’t accomplish my goal.

Of course with the help of PhotoShop I can take good photos...yes I CAN!

And as if the world is speaking to me...I posted this blog and received this video. 

A whole lotta celebration going on...

I think I'll do a work back, play by play account of my weekend.  First let me open with this:

and this...

That would be my kitchen AFTER Sunday Dinner.  Which hopefully shows it was a GREAT Sunday Dinner.  I should start judging Sunday dinners on a Kitchen Messy Scale (or KMS).  The messier the kitchen the better time had by all.

If you look at the first photo again, you'll see six wine bottles. SIX..(one's hiding behind another) and I had already thrown 2 away.  One of those bottles is about three quarters full still, the rest...EMPTY!   Perhaps my math is off, but that could be what contributed greatly to the KMS.

Sunday Dinner guests consisted of: Blueberry (of course), PhotoGirl and the Yank, The Ducks, The Not So Newlyweds and Baby J, And a pair of Husky Fans - who happen to be some pretty fun folks! 

Missing in this photo is me, I'm behind the camera, and Mr. Newlywed...he's busy chasing down Baby J somewhere. Busy little guy that Baby J. Cute as a button, and full of smiles. Loved the deep fried ravioli.  I have another fan.

Dinner was fantastic, if  I do say so myself. I made my Spaghetti Bolognese.  Well it's not "mine" per se, I borrowed it from my husband Tyler Florence. I made it Saturday and let it sit in the fridge for 24 hours...making it THE BEST Bolognese of all time.  Rave reviews all around.  All the recipes are here.

We had Olive Cheese bread and a salad with it. Finishing off the meal with Mini Brownie bites. These were courtesy of Pioneer Woman.  I just can't stop making her recipes.  I'm slowly, but surely cooking my way through her blog and cookbook.   It's like Julie and Julia except I'm Jenn and she's Ree...Blueberry didn't believe I made them. I don't know why she wouldn't believe me...I mean...just because I've not been a baker and really don't want to be one.  Mrs. Duck saw the recipe for the Olive Cheese bread on the refrigerator and secretly wished we were having it...she told me later...and was then so happy when I pulled it out of the oven. She not only got the recipe, she promises to cook it, and she got the left over bread. One happy customer!

Aside from all the gloriousness of Sunday dinner I also practiced some people shooting at a 1 year old birthday party.  And by "people shooting" I mean photography so don't go dialing 9-1-1 and all.  Baby T turns one and her mom asked if I wanted to come to a baby birthday party to practice.  I won't bore you with all the photos, but I will share this one because I so love it.

That's Baby T and Max.  So dang cute....

After slicing my thumb open while making guacamole, I got down to business shooting as many baby photos as I could.  They're tough little buggers. They won't hold still.  But I had fun and I learned a lot. Now I have about a hundred photos to sort through, manipulate and see if I can actually do this photographer thing. 

Saturday night got a bit more mellow, a bit more nostalgic.  I remembered it was Sept 11th. 

I got suckered into the History channel coverage of the attacks.  They had so many different views and spins on that day that I sat, riveted, annoyed, frustrated, sad, and anxious as I watched the events of that tragic day unfold again, and again.  The way the history channel had covered all angles just had me gripped. I couldn't even conceive moving away from the stories.  I remembered, as thousands of us did, exactly where I was and what I was doing.  I turned on the TV in time to see the second plane hit.  I was stunned. Shocked. Sad. And very much afraid.

I found myself getting very anxious and stressed as I was watching one of the shows called 102 minutes or something like that.  I found myself screaming at the TV, wanting to warn the firemen to NOT go into the building.  Watching helplessly as the heroes walked, determined to save lives, into a building I knew would fall in 10 minutes.  They, of course, had no way of knowing. And I'm willing to bet even if they did, many of them would have trudged on ahead. 

I was frozen. I couldn't move away from the TV.  And I wondered why, and it was in reading another blog today that it finally hit me.  The blogger had in fact been "gripped" by the shows, and determined that they were so gripped because they did, perhaps, forget about it and needed to remember.

And I don't mean that I had forgotten, because how could you. But what I had forgotten was all the range of emotions that spilled forth from that tragic event.  Shock. Stun.  Fear. Sadness.  Pride. Anxiety. More fear. More anxiety.  More pride.  All of it, somehow had been stored safely in the caverns of my brain. 

I'm glad I watched it. I'm glad I got a chance to feel the stress, sadness, and overwhelming pride in the behavior of Americans that followed 9-11.  And I can't believe it's been almost 10 years. I'm sure many families feel every single second of those almost 10 years - and for them, I spent a couple of moments in silence. 

I think all that emotion greatly contributed to the mind splitting head ache I had too.

Freeze Frame

Wow that was fast. In a blink of an eye the weekend came and went.  I’m now scratching my head trying to figure out if I did all the things I wasn’t planning on doing anyhow.

Um, wait…what?

Never mind.

Here it is Wednesday – or at least it will be when blogger posts this blog.  I found the “post on a future date” feature…me likely! You may not cuz that means I can write all I want…store it…and post later.  *insert evil laugh

Now where was I? Oh yes, what of the non items did I complete this past weekend?

Coffee was had…in copious quantities (is that a double positive?) The BF got one helluva work out this weekend.   I think, though, I might have to do some maintenance on the old guy.  I vaguely remember reading that at some point you should clean it out…so I guess I’d better figure out how to do just that.

I spent WAY too much time messing with PSE this weekend. OMG I’m addicted.  Someday soon – I know you’re holding your breath – I’ll post some before and after photos.  If I’ve learned nothing else with all this fussing about with PSE its that subtle changes are the way to go.  You can, most certainly, be artistic and make dramatic changes that all but change the photos…and I did. But I suspect for the purpose of the photography business and that of taking photos of people, subtle changes are going to be better.

While on the subject of photos, I finally got all the Alaska cruise photos posted. I know, right? You’ve been sitting there waiting, twiddling your thumbs, unable to sleep, and frustrated because MY Alaska photos aren’t posted. How rude of me! And I’m so sorry!

Cruise Food

Scenery Around Glacier Bay

The Glaciers of Glacier Bay - You’ll notice quite a few black and whites in this set.  I couldn’t help it. I was channeling Ansel Adams.

Juneau - Again, with some of the forest shots here, I totally got carried away – in a good way I think – with some PSE actions I’ve found and are now addicted to. In particular I love the forest shot that opens this album. 

Juneau also has the Mendenhall Glacier photos.   There’s one photo that has a little red arrow on it…or it might be pink…either way…it’s pointing out some sea kayakers…it helps give some perspective of how large this piece of ice is.

Sitka is next. Nothing overly exciting in Sitka. I did do some fun PSE adjustments with some flowers!  And I only said like once, "Hey I can see Russia from here!" Okay...maybe twice.

And last, Ketchikan. 

There! Satisfied. Sheesh. You all are so pushy.

Not really, but it was fun to say.

Right, I was telling you all the things I didn’t do this weekend.

What I did do was get sucked into the marathon on Hoarders.  Oh my loving God…that show! I feel horrible for these people who clearly have a clinical issue which causes them to hoard…but Oh. My. God!  It totally makes me want to clean.  So I cleaned. The kitchen got a much needed spring cleaning after I wasted 4 hours watching Hoarders. If you haven’t seen it, I warn you, it’s not for the faint of heart or the squeamish.  I mean one episode, this lady’s house was so bad, that as they were cleaning it they found TWO dead cats in the house.  TWO! How do you not know you have a dead cat in your house? Let alone two.  But alas, I did feel a bit of sadness for these folks, because I can’t imagine how they must struggle with it.

Okay, I’ve made you suffer long enough for this post.  Oh! You weren’t “suffering”? Excellent, then I can continue to write more and have it post at a later date.

Weekend Predictions

I was just about to ask a friend what they were doing this weekend. Before I asked, I thought, “Gosh, he might ask me. I should come up with something.” And then it hit me, I had nothing to come up with. I have three glorious empty days stretched out in front of me.  How will I spend my time? Well, I’m glad you asked.

I’ll start with coffee each morning. The boyfriend has felt neglected since I was gone for a week on vacation. So a cup or two might be in order each day.

Then I’ll wonder upstairs and turn on the computer. Chances are high I’ll have to reboot it a couple of times to get it working properly.  There’s something about a laptop that’s had to have windows re-installed that makes it suck the life out of you.  Since the dreaded virus is early August (I think it was August) the computer hasn’t been working the same.  So I suspect Saturday morning will be filled with a few shall we say expletives.

After cussing out the computer, I’ll likely check email and Facebook. I’ll attempt, and fail, at posting something witting on FB.

I have several hundred photos to still go through for Alaska.  I have found a website that has free PSE actions that I’ll be downloading and playing with. So watch out! There may be some bizarreness on the way.

Side note: I’ve come to terms, I think, with the fact that what I believe is cool in a photo may not be cool by other people.  I think most my photography fans are used to seeing just okay photos from me and are now WOW’d and don’t know what to think of the new direction my photography is taking.  No one has actually said, “wow” that I know of, I’m only assuming they’re saying it in their noggins.

Right, so where was I? Oh yes, I was about to tell you all the nothing I would be doing this weekend.

Sometime during the photo editing, the big black beast of burden will hop up and lay across my arms…numbing them to the point where I’ll have to take a break. It’s his ploy. He assumes if I take a break I’ll feed him. Hah. Like I would…Okay so I do.

I’ll spend the rest of Saturday pondering things to do, intending on doing a lot of things, and will ultimately end the day with a good home cooked meal. I’ll likely pick up a book and read some…or watch a little TV. 

I will, however, have to clean the kitchen.  I read this article today that something like 90% of household kitchens wouldn’t pass the restaurant health code!  I need to clean my kitchen!

Sunday – will be much like Saturday. Only it’s Sunday. I may – weather report pending – even go for a *gasp* walk! I will do laundry and do some more laundry. I most likely will clean the bathrooms too…I need a maid!

Monday – well, it won’t be any different either.

Wow, you’re still here? I was sure I’d bore the dickens out of you (where did that phrase come from anyhow?) and you will have fallen asleep and drooling on yourself.  But alas, you’re still reading! Weirdos!

Waxing philosophical...

As many of you know, or don’t know but now will, I’ve not been a fan of Photoshop.  It was my, somewhat arrogant, opinion that a “real” photographer should shoot to get the best photo they should and call it a day. Just like the old days with that stuff called film (Side note: if you’re reading this and you’re too young to even know what “film” is – go away.).  I still think a photographer should shoot for the best shot, but I've adjusted my way of thinking a bit.

Through the years I’ve always felt somewhat inadequate with regards to my photos versus the photos I see in the Photography magazines.  I liken it to teen girls looking at models and wondering why they don’t look that good in a swimsuit…yah, just like that.  Now, logically I knew, and still know, that those photos are 1) shot by some of the greatest photographers of all time and 2) are touched up. I knew that. I know that. And still I compare.

So launching this new business has forced me to come to grips with Photoshop, or Photoshop Elements, and as such, I have been dallying a bit with it.  I am no longer afraid of PSE or afraid of using it to enhance, boost, improve, tweak, modify, adjust, improve my photos. I’m not afraid of it one bit. In fact, I’m almost the opposite now. I’m obsessed with it.

Photoshop often makes the difference between a so-so Jenn photo and a good Jenn Photo. I’ve discovered PSE can add drama, contrast, clarity, personality, mood—qualities that many highly skilled photographers are able to impart simply by clicking the shutter, but that I have to work a little harder for.

I've also learned that you can go too far with PSE. I won't share those photos with you though. Just trust me that you can go too far...in a fun way of course.

Here are just a couple of examples I played with yesterday and how wonderful PSE made the photos. I do realize these are slightly over the top, but I’m trying to make a point here.
Meet Lady Baltimore. She’s beautiful isn’t she? I introduced her to you when I was in Juneau.  She's a rehabilitated Eagle (every time I say that I think of an alcoholic Eagle...and them getting caught for a F.U.I. - Flying Under the Influence).  This is a series of before and after photos - as if you couldn't figure that out.

Original

What a beautiful difference don't ya think? Like I said, I know it's a bit over the top, but as I stare at the photos I'm shocked at what a difference a couple of run actions can do for a photo.  They are way more dramatic and artsy.  It gets rid of all the "gunk" in the back and really allows the viewer to focus (pardon the pun) on the subject.