five things, october 26 edition

1. I think I am ridiculously proud of my husband and my son this week. We had Callum's first-term conferences yesterday, and suffice it to say, they went really well. Neel too, has had some good news this week, which I will reveal in the fullness of time, but basically I look like a complete loser next to these two. I couldn't be happier.

2. I think I've had another good week and done some things of which I'm pretty proud. I'll have some studio stuff to show you soon, but in the meantime, isn't this picture of my friend Catherine beautiful? She and I had a blogging brain storm session, and as soon as she showed up in that gorgeous turquoise top, I knew I had to photograph her holding a pomegranate!

3. I think getting out with my girlfriends is turning into a weekly thing. I like it. More, still? Yes please.

4. I think we've been watching the weather a lot around here. I imagine all of my east coast friends are as well. I'm stocking up on groceries today (finally getting into my Friday grocery store rhythm!) and we're pretty well stocked otherwise. May double check water and batteries and I'm sure Neel will pull the cars deep into the driveway. I'm a total weather junkie, and I've been watching this storm since earlier this week. Neel (after years of this) has finally learned to trust me about these things, but Sandy is baffling everyone. We'll know more today. Tropical Strom watches and warnings are expected any time now.

5. I think I can't believe that Neel and I are celebrating our 17th wedding anniversary on Sunday. Seventeen! And who knew that "generator" was the traditional 17th anniversary present. How romantic! We had plans for Saturday night already, so we're planning on celebrating next weekend. Nothing fancy this year. Because really every day is a celebration. Corny, I know, but there you are. So, in summation, we'll be hunkering down for our anniversary. How will you be celebrating?

five things, october 19 edition

1. I think I can't take much more of election season over here. On the one hand it's pretty fun to watch it all unfold. Callum is passionately interested in politics, and Neel and I are glad to see that. I'd say we've inspired it to some extent. We want him to be civic minded and interested and involved in his country and community. I'm watching the polls the debates and volunteering and getting mad at the tv. All the things you're supposed to do during an election cycle, but I'm not sure how much more my heart can take. Annie had asked if I'd write a political post, and I do have pictures from a rally we attended a few weeks back, but ummm, ahhh....politics. That's a hot mess, man. I'm not sure I want to open up that kettle of fishies. What I will say, passionately and unequivocally, is that I care very much about voting. As a woman, I especially care about voting. There are women (and men) who worked hard for me to have this right and some even died for me to slide into that booth. There are still people, men and women, who don't have this opportunity and who long for it. But why am I going on and on? This video says it much better than I can. Obama, Romney, Green Party, Purple Party, even though I can't really say that I don't care who you vote for, really? I mostly care that you just go and vote.

2. I think I'm still working on my three words. How are you coming along? I tried to convince someone yesterday that given the fact that she'd told us about three words and I'd seen that video suggesting five words, I should really get eight words, but she wasn't buying it.

3. I think I may just have to own this food photographer bit. What's holding me back? Yeah, I don't know. Do I think it means I can photograph anything else ever? I don't think so. Does it mean that this is my only niche or that I can't take other jobs? Not necessarily. But is it what I get really jazzed about, feel instinctively the most comfortable with, dare I say it, the most turned on by? It might be time to just own that and roll with it people.

4. I think I'm really tired. Neel is having about one of the craziest months of his career (am I calling that about right, babe?), Callum is hitting the books hard and the track hard, and well, he's 13. He hits life hard! I'm feeling like I'm juggling about a bajillion things at once, and while they're all pretty awesome, we're all pretty beat. Oh, and we have to paint the bathroom this weekend.

5. I think, despite all of that fatigue (election and otherwise) this was the only picture I could have picked to represent this week. It's a product shot I did for Selma's, and I love these holiday bowls. I've had a spectacularly wonderful week. Scuffs toe, beams and blushes. There are some details to unfold in coming weeks, and nothing is that big a deal, just lots of little bits of wonderful that added up to feeling energized and filled with joy. Lunch with a friend who is also a client (You've seen her macarons here, have you not?) has me excited and energized beyond belief and other meetings have my creative spirit humming. I've rarely been home; my house is a wreck, and my studio barely functioning, but I pulled seven splinters out of my finger and thumb all by myself so clearly I am a rockstar. And today I get more bread.