Warm blessings to you.

I hadn't planned on blogging this holiday weekend, as it's full of family time and the like, but I was overwhelmed today by the generosity of friends and coworkers and I'm not talking about gifts. I am talking about generosity in their actions, words, spirits, kindness. I wish we could all be like that EVERYDAY. I am striving to continue in that vein throughout the next year. Had my review today. went well. I had no doubts about my cs skills, my rapport with people, and my manner. The product knowledge was what I was worried with an even that got good reviews, so I have a few things to work on but all around a good performance appraisal.

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We have no fireplace at my familial home nor at my own home and it is missed. Many a Christmas the homefires were burning, but there's really no call for it down here in Florida. I hope my loved ones in Maryland, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Kentucky, Utah and Pucciville are utilizing theirs. The snow looked horrendous when I was watching it on tele this afternoon. Stay safe I pray.

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We've opened up stockings and a present, which is our tradition on Christmas eve. It's 1:22 a.m. now Christmas day, not a creature is stirring not even a mouse (I can assure you if a mouse was stirring, so would be everyone else in this house, because I would be on a chair screaming till someone came out and got it out of the house). Mine was my new planner for the New Year. I love walking into Boxing day with the new year and some of it's possibilities and special dates and appointments and concerts already filled in.

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This is the time of full hearts, tummies and heads. So blessed am I. I know this. I hope you recognize your blessings when you have them and do what you need to to be a blessing in other people's lives. Merry Christmas y'all.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYONE, oh and Congress gets a slice of it's own fat...

Can't begin to tell you how busy this past week has been. The holidays fast approaching, a party I planned, photos edited and sent out to subjects, holiday cards sent out, shopping, cooking, running on little sleep, but all well worth it. It's been a great week. Next few weeks will be even better as baby girl comes home from uni on Wednesday and my father gets into town next Sunday and then of course, it will be Christmas :) !

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THIS JUST IN: A TASTE OF THEIR OWN MEDICINE (Well, of their own food really, but who's arguing?) Congress will get a school lunch next week when the USDA will serve them chicken fajita strips, sliced ham and canned green beans, the same products the agency gives schools across the country. This makes me happy. School lunches lack in taste, and nutrition and always have. I packed Chel's lunch more than 3/4 of her school years (including high school)

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Many plans afoot for the New Year, especially now that more options are open to me than before, line items on the life list are getting crossed off faster than ever, the weekend in Miami is a no go what with scheduling conflicts, but Sari, Carl and the rest of us will get it together soon enough. April 2010 is the reunion, and that's fun. All I can say is that some little cafes in Miraflores are going to be packed to the gills come April :)

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Today is Sunday, waking up when I want to, breakky with the fam, leisurely reading the paper, I have friends who can literally on a moment's notice make up a meal plan for their family that includes breakfast lunches and dinners for a week. I STILL haven't had dinner yet from last night. I am a great grocery shopper, but couldn't tell you what I am having for lunch today, much less dinner on Friday. I am in awe of these planning goddesses and aspire to be more like them in the new year. ORGANIZATION is the key people, the key! Off to be Brilliant Brilliant :)

Link Love, Stolen 26

I just read a really interesting post at http://www.bripblap.com/ .. Wealth Work and Life Success The Brip Blap blog -- about quitting soda. I am a Diet Coke fiend and am having the absolute worst time at trying to even cut down much less quit it all together, so this was a good read and inspiration for my resolutions. I am trying to break up with all soda (and as I don't care for lemony-lime drinks like Sprite or Sierra Mist, Diet Coke is my one arch enemy) in the New Year, so I will refer back to this post again I am sure. I love the blog anyway, but this hit home for me.
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Things have been so very busy, I feel bad that I haven't been blogging as much as I would like. I promise that I will do better. Come the New Year, the house wifi and computers etc. will be all sorted out and I will be able to do posts at 2 a.m. if the mood comes over me, alas, right now, that option isn't available to me unless I move in here, my parents house, and that, my friends isn't going to happen. Bear with me.
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http://myparentswereawesome.tumblr.com/ While giving link love, I thought I'd bring this one up. Photos of your parents are priceless and fun when you look at them, now think if we all were able to look at them as well. "Dude! Your parents WERE indeed awesome!"
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Today-more holiday shopping, cards finished up so I can mail them on Monday, bank deposits, bookstore, laundry and trying to keep dry. We got hit with some serious rain and lightning the last few days. Chel is in the lightning capital of Florida (I think it might be the Lightning capital of the USA- Lakeland, FL) AND she has been sick and achy the last week and a half so the storm didn't help her out at all either. I know we need the rain, but come on, I think we've cleared the deficit now. I suppose I shouldn't complain as there are friends up north, who are shivering the night away as it's already snowing.
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http://www.myspace.com/anthonyraneri -- "Ballad of Bill The Saint" on Ant's player. Quite possibly the best I have ever heard him. yes, it's Ant from Bayside. I know, you were surprised weren't you?
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Stole this from Frugal Dreamer http://www.frugaldreamer.com/
Last Movie I Saw In A Movie Theater? I'm seeing Boondock Saints on Sunday, so I'll go with that one, but I know it was "Fantastic Fox" or something like that with George Clooney in it.
What Book Are You Reading? Been WAY to busy to read books, but was able to get through The Goddess Guide - Gisele Scanlon http://www.amazon.com/Goddess-Guide-Gisele-Scanlon/dp/0061434957 I can flip through a magazine quickly and read blogs like there's no tomorrow but haven't read a book in a while.
Favorite Board Game? Monopoly
Favorite Magazine? I read WAY to many, but I do love Lucky, Vanity Fair, Allure and First the best.
Favorite Smells? French Vanilla Candles from White Barn Candle Company - alas they are no more, so now just french vanilla candles.
Favorite Sounds? Good live music, Soundtracks to films I love, my daughter's laugh
Worst Feeling In The World? When I have to say no to my daughter
First Thing You Think of When You Wake? I hope it’s not raining! ( Stole that one from Frugal dreamer as well ;))
Favorite Fast Food Place? McDonald's
Future Child’s Name? Boy: Liam Girl: Evelyn (Evie)
Finish This Statement—“If I Had a Lot of Money,” I'd buy you a green dress... (Barenaked Ladies... - "If I had a million dollars") - No really, I would give 2/5 to my parents, 1/5 to my sister,1/5 to Chelsea and put the rest in a savings account so I will have something to live on when I am old and grey :)
Do You Drive Fast? For the sake of honesty in this blog, I'll go with yes.
Do You Sleep With a Stuffed Animal? No
Storms—cool or scary? It depends, am I outside in them, either in the car or physically outside, the WAY NO!. If I am inside (and hopefully all my loved ones are as well..) and preferably in bed, then MOST Definitely.
What Was Your First Car? Chevy Malibu my father handed down to me.
Favorite Drink? Diet Coke. preferably from a fountain soda machine
Finish This Statement—“If I Had the Time, I Would…” Take more photos
Do You Eat the Stems on Broccoli? That's pretty much the only reason why I eat broccoli.
If You could Dye your Hair Any Other Color, What Would It Be? This makes me laugh as I have been dying my hair since I was 13, so I'll go with the light brown with blond highlights that I usually dye my hair now with.
Favorite Sport to Watch? I don't usually watch sports anymore, but if I was back into it, Baseball, Tennis, College Basketball (GO DUKE, GONZAGA and FLORIDA SOUTHERN!)
What’s Under Your Bed? NO IDEA, I'm not going under there to look either... no, really, dust bunnies I think.
Would You Like to Be Born As Yourself Again? Only if was allowed to know what I know now and be able to make some changes in decisions.
Morning Person or Night Owl? HOOT HOOT - Night Owl ALL THE WAY.
Over Easy or Sunny Side Up? I can only eat eggs scrambled well.
Favorite Place to Relax? In bed, with piles of notebooks and magazines and books, and catalogs surrounding me.
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor? I quite like Mint Choc chip, but I do love Haagen Daas Strawberry
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My mothers house is all decorated. My sister deserves all the credit. Not only are all my mother's Santas up, the tree is done, some of the presents are wrapped and on the living room coffee table anxiously waiting their turn to be put under the tree, (we don't put them under the tree till much later as they have to be arranged as we all take turns opening one by one, youngest to oldest and we don't want all the presents for one person all in one corner of the tree skirt-- it's all very complicated, but it's tradition and it works for us, so...) I'm so excited, Christmas, for me by far, is the best holiday ever! I hope everyone is having fun with their holiday traditions and celebrations. Have a brilliant brilliant tomorrow!
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In which I recap (the no tryptophan episode)

Because my family is pretty unconventional anyway, and my father is not actually in the state this holiday, my mother, sister, my daughter and I decided what better way to spend Thanksgiving Lunner (early dinner, late lunch) at Earl of Sandwich in Downtown Disney and then heading over to AMC Pleasure Island to see "Fantastic Mr. Fox" (mom and I) and "Pirate Radio" (L and Chel). Highly disappointed with "Fantastic Mr. Fox". Was happy to see that the rat was Willem Dafoe though :) Pirate Radio, apparently was a BRILLIANT movie as per my sister, we'll probably see it together soon. I am also ecstatic because we finally get Boondock Saints here in FL. It is at Universal, so it'll be a little drive but worth it, and because I'm going to see it oh, 2 or 15 times, a nice theatre to see it in is a bonus.

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Maybe it's just me, but some of the people "singing" at the Macy's parade and their songs are just noise, right?

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I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it.

--Alice Walker
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Went and bought a phone. Chel and I went together on a Verizon family plan as it seems the majority of her friends have Verizon and so she gets free calls to them. I didn't care one way or another as long as I can call people, have people call me and text capabilities. As soon as I have it set up, I'll send out the number to those who need it.

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As The Black Friday is nearing it's end, I went the whole day without buying anything but a soda. Yay me? I must say I TOTALLY missed being able to go out with my mom and sister and shop. I'll have to sort that out for next year.

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It's a little less than 4 weeks till Christmas - I'm nowhere near done. I do have the holiday card envelopes addressed, so there's a starting point. We have a Secret Santa at work I am participating in, I have to buy for a little one (my 2nd cousin Fiona- now 5 years old, the youngest on my mother's side) which I haven't done in yonks and can't begin to imagine what to get her, and various and other sundry things I need to do. I need to do double time this next pay period.

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Finding myself increasingly frustrated over the lack of Internet and working computer at my house. Am using Dad's computer until I get everything sorted out as far as high speed and a new computer at mine, which I hope will be sometime, end of December, early January, it's ridiculously hard to keep up with the blogs I love and the coupons and the email and fb etc. and still make it home at a decent hour.

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Lots to do, a photoshoot tomorrow for family friends, getting my house ready for the holidays, laundry, and studying for what will be the worst quiz ever on Monday morning. Man did I earn this weekend.

Manly men, Link Love, HOLIDAYS

Well, People Magazine has decided that Johnny Depp is the sexiest man alive in 2009. Clearly, they made a major mistake, because as you and I both know, Clive Owen, he of the gorgeous eyes on your left here, is the clear choice for such a title. I'm just saying. You know who I think is a doll and who's blog is just too too fun? He's a married man, so I will refrain from saying he's a cutie to boot, oh wait, messed that up... go to http://dadsdish.blogspot.com/ Disney, bowling shirts, fedoras, kids, memorabilia, kitsch, you name it, he's got it. Good stuff!

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Photo: Brendan Lynch, Flickr
This? Quite Possibly the best thing on the planet. Eggo's make for a quick breakfast and they are so yummy! I can eat Eggo's anytime anywhere. Syrup, butter or just syrup by itself. I'm going to try it with peanut butter, so I can get some protein in the morning.

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Speaking of food, the birthday party for Gerard went well, we had sandwiches, chips, brownies and cookies that I baked, and a decadent cake that Yves made. He's the owner of Swan City Bakery in Lakeland, FL http://swancitybakery.com/ His cheesecake is to die for apparently, I myself don't care for cheesecake, but that's what everyone else was gushing about. The chocolate decadence cake was what I was all about. So if y'all are local and you want some yummies for a party, he'll deliver. Which I may very well do, now that Chel is at school and I am left to baking on my own and was not as happy with the results.

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Started holiday cards last night, it was fun. If you haven't already given me the addy and you'd like a card, you can email me here at liveandcreatelight@gmail.com and I'll get one out to you, otherwise, the rest of you, expect one soon :) It's now starting to feel like the Holidays are here, Black Friday ads are leaking, I see decorations up in stores, prices are being slashed everywhere, invitations to parties are being given out, I LOVE THE HOLIDAYS! I should clarify that statement. I LOVE THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING THROUGH JANUARY 2ND! I'm getting excited to see everybody back home and presents and calling everybody, and the tree and the ornaments. Hi, I'm Collette and I'm a big Christmas fangrrrrl. Aren't you glad you decided to follow the blog? Have a brilliant brilliant.

The Key to it all.

Hello you gorgeous key, you! Not only do you represent my coveted piece of jewelry for the next year, you also symbolize the key to doors that are opening for the first time in a few years. Due to the new job and circumstances in other parts of my life changed or in the process of changing, doors that have been closed are now open. Yes, this key will be mine this year or by my birthday next. It means far too much for it not to be. I cannot begin to tell you how nice it is for me to sit down her for the first time in a week and blog. To read email and be able to answer it, to read my friends blogs, to hop on twitter and see what's been happening. Ok, so it's 9:10 p.m. on a Friday night, but you know what? I'll take it. The house is quiet, I've had dinner, spent some time with the family and now? Now it's me time. Tonight, it was so freeing for me to delete the old business myspace and all email addresses attached to it. I have kept the rebranded business myspace page(see sidebar if you care to see the page with some of my work) and the email attached to that, but eliminating the other page helped out so much with time management as well as moving on to the next chapter of where the business is heading. I suppose the key is also to a door where I am heading. That is a good thing.

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The "life list", which is what I have decided to rename my bucket list (I don't like that term) has had a few check marks completed in the last two weeks, so that's exciting. Still have so much to do, on average a woman lives to be what, 90? Gotta get movin' on that list ;)

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Edwin McCain is coming to town again December 28th. House of Blues. I've shot his show before, so this time it will be nice to just sit and enjoy and listen as opposed to being worried about the lighting or having to adjust exposures, etc. It's a Monday night, I'm off and I'm going. It's another thing that is starting the New Year off right for me, I'm going to more shows, more plays, more exhibitions. I stopped going out and doing it for various and sundry reasons and now, really other than exorbitant ticket prices, I'm not seeing anything stopping me this year from seeing/doing/hearing what I want.

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It's official, there is a day for everything and November 15 is Clean Out Your Fridge Day. I did not know that. Good to know. I pretty much did it last week, but I'll see if there's any drips, etc that needed cleaning up.

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Some of the Christmas presents I ordered have started trickling in. I'm tempted to buy some wrapping paper at the end of the week and just start wrapping stuff as it comes in. One less thing to do the week of Christmas, especially as I get NO days off that week, including Christmas (I work 12-9), so maybe getting a head start is what I should be doing. Starting to address the holiday cards now.

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WOW, I feel like I just threw up all this pent up stuff all over the blog. I know I will make the time to sit and enjoy the silence more often. Man did I miss this.

Light, Christmas, Free Popcorn tin baby!

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"You will fear the darkness only to the extent that you yourself are not providing light." Marianne Williamson

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The Birthday Party shoot at Pulse the other night was fruitful, lots of good shots of the birthday girl and her friends. It was great to be doing it again. Uploading the final product later today.

Today is final Tuition paydate on Fall Semester. Good thing Spring semester isn't due till Jan 1st. Sorority dues, a new key card/id, and the tuition all in one month hit hard. This should be so much easier to anticipate. Also, I'll know the amount I need for August 2010 for tuition and dues and can budget accordingly now. It's a pain not knowing what to expect and then getting bit in the butt. -- ETA --- Tuition paid, lump stuck in my throat for the last three months - gone.

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Did you know it's 7 weeks till Christmas? Insane right? Have you all started shopping? I picked up two movies yesterday (Julia and Julie for my mother and Star Trek for my father), and have been picking up things here and there when I can, but wow, only 7 weeks. I don't think we will put up a tree at L's and my house because we are at my mother's house pretty much the whole week of Christmas anyway, so that's one less stressor. I always like to keep with tradition but with work, I don't yet know what my schedule will be that day. have to play it by ear. I do know though, that I never miss "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" --the REAL ONE, THE ANIMATED ONE, NOT the awful Jim Carrey one, and "A Charlie Brown Christmas". Those are a constant. L asked me what I am getting myself for Christmas. I hadn't thought about it really, I had one thing in mind, but can't justify the amount it would cost just yet, so I think a spa treatment of some sort would be my present to myself. How about you?

TRADITION!!! and small steps

Tradition! At my house the holidays are taken very seriously but not in the religious sort of way. I hate to say it like that, but it's true. We don't go crazy on birthdays or anniversaries, but Christmas is another ballgame altogether. I think it stems back from the fact that my father was 1 of 7 children, and the oldest. He had three sisters and 3 brothers all younger than him and Christmas morning wasn't the most homey family time for him, it was a mad dash to the tree and people just tearing the crap out of wrapping paper en masse. That and the fact that he loves to surprise his girls. That would be my mother, his wife of 43 years, my sister, my daughter and myself. So Christmas morning, even when we think the festivities are over, the last gift unwrapped, he has something else up his sleeve. Last year we got him good, because we were the ones who had the very last pressie, which of course was for him, after he thought he did. I can't begin to show you photos of our tree on Christmas morning because I would be embarrassed at the among of pressies under the tree, but I justify this in my head because we don't go crazy at any other time of year and it's only the 5 of us.

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One of our traditions is that after October 1st, no one is allowed to buy any media (Cd's, books, movies, anything like that) or any non-essentials. You can buy socks and groceries obviously, but other than that NO BUYING FOR ONESELF after October 1st. Another of our traditions is that we are allowed to open up our stockings and 1 pressie from under the tree and we can pick that pressie, but the other people have a veto power they can use on our choice, so we may have to pick another. Usually, the pressie is something like a book to read the night before Christmas morning, new Filofax inserts, something to keep us busy and not thinking about the morning fun still to come. Me, I am CHRISTMAS crazy, I want to get everyone everything on their list and see their faces, it's much more fun for me that way. I used to be such a terrible snoop when I was little. When I was in 4th grade, I found where my parents hid the pressies, and was so bold as to unwrap some of the Barbies I got that year and actually play with them in my room until I got caught. needless to say, I didn't have Barbies under the tree Christmas morning, and I never saw those particular ones again, so... lesson learned.

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Another tradition we have is around food. We almost always have Lasagna on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning there is and has always been Cinnamon Rolls, not just any, they have to be Grands Cinnamon Rolls. Now, mind you, I am allergic to cinnamon, my uvula, you know the little thing in the back of your throat that hangs down, swells up like a freaking golf ball and I can't breathe if I ingest too much, so I am only allowed to have like 2 cinnamon rolls and even then, only after I have had my Benadryl. Then we normally have proper dinner, with the full dining room experience to end the day. I am voting for no Thanksgiving dinner at home this year, as my father will not be here - he's still on contract work in VA, AND no Christmas day dinner at home, it'd be nice to go somewhere and have something different. I also don't like turkey with all the trimmings so that is where my vote comes from primarily, that and the fact that my mom hates to cook and clean up after.

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In the vein of goals and small steps taking towards them, I got a call yesterday from a friend who is having a surprise birthday party for his girlfriend at a downtown club that I used to frequent quite often. He is the Lighting and Sound Manager there, so I guess he was able to get a great deal on getting private VIP room/space and he wants me to photograph the party. This is a no brainer. He is a good friend, a good guy and I'm glad to see him happy with this woman, he deserves it. I also will be able to see some other old friends who work at the club, and hey, I'm not about to get tipsy on the job, but a nosh on is going to happen for sure. I miss photographing people, events, etc, so this is another pop in the can for the business goals. YAY!

Oh What a week it was

Wow, it seems like I've been away much longer than a week, but my what a week it was! Started Holiday shopping. I am a crazy woman when it comes to Christmas. It is my fave holiday and it is imperative to me to have my family around on Christmas morning. If I have to work Christmas later in the day that's fine, but don't even try and mess with my Christmas morning. My mother is the most difficult person to shop for.

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That child (Chelsea) came home from school, we went shopping, saw Toy Story 1&2 which we both laughed so hard through and thoroughly enjoyed, and a lovely period piece called Bright Star about the poet Keats. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. Chels loves Keats so for her it was brilliant. I love this photo. It was at the Renaissance Faire in Maryland. It's one of the largest fairs in the country and we loved going there each season. She must have been in 5th or 6th grade here.

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I got three, yes count them, three job calls. I won't jinx it by talking about them now, but I was ecstatic that I got the calls. Interviews scheduled for this coming week.

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My mother is due to come home end of month. YAY! Her freelance contract is up. BOO! My father will be home for Christmas and then he returns back to VA for his contract. Chelsea leaves for school tomorrow night, will be back for Thanksgiving. This is Chelsea's graduation in June of this year. My dad is so proud, he's about to pop! I think it's fun to see the way they interact with her as opposed to the way they did with myself and my sister. It's just so different. I guess it's true what they say "When you have your own children you'll understand..."

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It's a beautiful day here. After having such horrid heat for October, 93, but feels like 100 with the heat index, this morning called for a high of 75. Tomorrow the high is 70-72. Now THIS is my kind of weather. I still miss the colors of Fall back up north, but I don't miss the freezing cold, snow or ice. That said, I can't stand the heat here or up north so.. I know, there's no pleasing me :)

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If you do NOTHING else this week, you must watch The Big Bang Theory. Why? Because Wil Wheaton is going to be guest starring on it. Need more coaxing? here: http://wilwheaton.typepad.com/wwdnbackup/2009/10/hey-look-its-the-promo-for-my-episode-of-the-big-bang-theory.html I love his wit and this show anyway so for me, it's Cake :) In fact, you need to watch all the shows on CBS' Monday night lineup. It's so worth it!

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Off to try and make up the next week's shopping list, which I think will be much different than last weeks as it will not have "Chelsea food" on it. I might see the laundry room later tonight, but I'm not counting on it :) and last but not least, today's installment of THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW SO YOU CAN SLEEP TONIGHT : Chris Pine (James T. Kirk from the newest Star Trek) is working his way up to playing another icon, novelist Tom Clancy's heroic Jack Ryan.According to Variety, Pine is in early negotiations with Paramount to reboot a series that kicked off in 1990, with Alec Baldwin playing the CIA operative in 'The Hunt for Red October.' I leave you with that.