it's time!  i'm hoping to have a contest each week, or so. since this is the kickoff, i thought i'd have 2 - one for the 'creative' types and one for the 'i just want to guess' types.

For the creative types:

this contest is "NAME MY BLOG"!  all you creative types, put your thinking caps on!  the name of my blog comes from the fact that we use Canon equipment, exclusively.  i'm looking for a new title!  i see lots of really adorable names for blogs and i want one.  so send your ideas to: busybeecontests@gmail.com (in the subject put: idea!)

The the i just want to guess types:

DSW recently had a huge shoe sale... How many pairs of shoes did i buy?  (sorry, those of you that KNOW this answer are eligible for 1 guess only - i know who you are.)   everyone else, send your guesses to busybeecontests@gmail.com (in the subject put: shoes!  one guess per email, please)

RULES:  i don't know that we really need 'rules', but here's stuff you will want to know...
1 - you can send as many ideas as you want.  i'll choose the new name for my blog based on what i like, and you'll see the winning title (and possibly a different looking blog, if i find time for a re-design.)  HOWEVER, only one idea or guess per entry!! (i've got to be able to keep it straight)
2 - you will need to include your name and email address in your entry so i can contact you if you win!
3 - only entries received at busybeecontests@gmail.com will be considered (i've got to keep it straight somehow)
4 - for the guesses, i'll choose the winner from all the correct guesses - and you can guess and enter as many times as you like - but let's not get carried away, or i won't put this rule here again, k?
5 - please ask any questions by going to the 'comments' area in my blog, and i'll answer them there.
6 - contest begins now and will end at midnight 1.15.08 - so that gives you a week.  i'll announce the winner next wednesday sometime and put a new contest up!

PRIZES: 
if you name my blog, you will win the honor of seeing your winning name on my blog! (oh, and $25 gift card to Amazon or Starbucks - your choice.)
if you guess how many pairs of shoes, and i draw your entry, you will win a $10 gift card to Starbucks or iTunes - your choice, again!

that's it!  i hope to see lots of good ideas!! good luck!

it just occurred to me as i was finishing up a few albums that i never posted the latest release that was a while ago!  it was janel+alexander's book - and i LOVE this book!  first off, this is the most fun couple i think we have had the pleasure of working with.  they were up for anything and we did more on their wedding day than most people would squeeze into a full blown fashion session.  we stopped at railroad tracks and janel climbed a hill side in heels to get to the tracks (some of my favorite shots, ever, are of janel on the tracks and in the field next to the tracks)... we went to a beautiful farm and a huge storm blew in (but it didn't dampen anyone's spirits) and then a delightful reception that went on and on with dancing duels and running with lighting in the rain. 

keep in mind as you check out their album preview that we had a LOT of time.  janel and alexander had a few HOURS between their wedding and reception.  their wedding was early in the day, and the places we stopped at were very close by each other.  this is important to realize. JUST A TIP... if you want lots of wonderful, creative, artistic photographs, you need to plan, prepare and leave enough time for travel and actually taking them. 

and to see their preview, just click HERE, or on the adorable photo below.  (adjust your speakers.)

more albums are coming!  and so is the contest.  i will announce all the details on wednesday.

~ciao!

while i listened to the Steelers lose  , i read a lot from this great little book that i picked up. 

you know i LOVE my iPod. 

i never really used the 'You Tube' button, but i realized that you can find TONS of little clips for all kinds of things that interest you.  i even found snippets from Dr. Pausch's lecture. 

i also went shopping from my ipod and got a few new albums.  people tell me that they like the music on our website.  well, this is how i find it... i sit and just snoop through iTunes.  so here's a little list of stuff that you might like and if you NEED an iPod, i made a shop-able slideshow for you!... So here you go!! SHOP!!!  if yuo see something you want or need, just click and get it!

i'm  ready for my first contest!  i'm awarding actual prizes, so come back to try to win something cool and (sort of) valuable. 

Now that the writers strike is in full swing, i'm SURE you are hating tv. Sooo,

Watch this...

then, read this...  .  wow.

do you read?  i've never considered myself to be a 'reader'.  i read specifications all day at work - they look like this...  not really page turners.

and i am into reading 'how to' books, like, 'how to wire your home', 'how to install a bathroom', and 'how to do anything you need to do in Photoshop'.  of course i find myself reading about business, and law and accounting (for tax purposes), and a lot of my reading has moved to reading websites... as everything is online.

in fact, to tell you the truth, after years of reading 'hardy boys mysteries' as a child,  i never read a complete book - not just to read it.  the first book i read as an adult was after watching the movie, "one true thing". (i love meryl streep) i thought the movie was fantastic - a tear jerker and a real shocker at the end - i had to read the book. (see my favorites to the right to get your own copy, or the movie.)  then i started to read all kinds of books just to read them.  'house of sand and fog', 'white oleander' and a lot of  others from oprah's book list.  i think the reason i don't read is partially because i don't know WHAT to read.  i don't want to waste time reading something i don't really like, and have you been to a bookstore or a library??  where do you start?? they say not to judge a book by it's cover, but i do!! i don't know how else to choose!

anyway, if you are not a 'reader' and don't read because you don't know what to read, and you want to try it - since the tv writers are on strike and bad tv just got worse - pull the plug and go get "IN COLD BLOOD".  capote's style is absolutely incredible.  i'll bet you will not want to put it down.  AND if you watch the movie first, i guarantee you will want to buy the book. 

I've added a little store !!  see my favorite stuff over there at the top right?  if you see something that you like, just click the link and get it for yourself!  so easy.  i love easy.

i have been going bananas for the last couple of weeks.  so much stuff going on!  i have a bunch of albums that are about to be released... so excited to show them to you... and a new project i've been working on (on the side of the side).  it's top secret right now, but in a few more weeks i'll make an announcement.   i've also sent quite a few albums to print and some have been delivered and making lots of tweaks for clients so that their books can go to print!  so busy, busy, busy.  it's all good.

this is my birthday month and i have already splurged.  because of my friends (and fellow photographers) matt and sarah antonino, i've invested in the coolest timesaver i've ever bought... i've been justifying my purchase for the last 12 hours.  since it IS my birthday month, and i didn't take a vacation, and my car is almost paid for, and i don't spend a lot of money on other things like booze and fashion (although, i'm trying to be more fashionable), i decided to treat myself on something the antonino's recommended...

watching this thing chase xander around the house, and seeing him confused and barking at it was almost worth the $300 price tag.  the fact that i was completely disgusted by what it picked up made me pretty sure i've made a great investment.  it's a ROOMBA!!  the one i got is the 530 model.  it's adorable how it goes back to it's dock to charge up.  everything you need comes in the box, except the batteries for the 'virtual walls'.  there are 2 and they each take 2 "D" batteries.  but you don't need them for the roomba to work.  you do need to let it charge up when you first get it, so plan on letting it charge for a full day.  (maximize that battery life)

i wonder why we do that?  why do we feel the need to justify wanting something?  i do it way too much.  i just wanted this thing.  i think it's awesome!     yes, it was pricey.  but life is too short!

i will be taking some photos of the fun ~ ciao!

I came across this video on GMA's news videos.  It was about this great professor - who happens to be in Pittsburgh!  There was only a snippet of a very long lencture, so I found the entire lecture...

Randy Pausch

i will warn you that it's quite long - about an hour and 20 minutes - but it's so worth watching.  puts a whole new perspective on the question "what would you do if you only had 6 months to live?"  the best part of the lecture (imho) comes about an hour in - Randy's lessons learned are really great.  How to live your life...

Thank you, Randy. 

ENJOY 2008 and beyond!