Phobia WHAT?

I think I may have mentioned once or twice before that I LOVE my  job.  I get to meet amazing clients, work with amazing vendors, and I have a fabulous boss.  Oh yeah... I am the boss of me.  Is it conceited if I believe in my own fabulousness?!  I'm never sure of that line between confidence and conceit.  :)

So, one of todays' "jobs" was to go check out a venue in Old Town that was hosting an open house.  I was invited by the ever-delightful Kate Capshaw of Resolusean Photography and Events.  We were treated to a delicious glass of sangria, some delightful little amuse bouches (I'm pretty sure that isn't meant to be pluralized) and some lovely mood music provided by a flamenco guitarist.  We shook some hands, met some lovely ladies from the Convention Center and then decided to make our way back to our vehicles.  But... our stomachs got the better of us so we decided to take another hour for ourselves and have lunch together.  Did I mention I have the BEST job in the world?

As is likely typical of all professionals, conversation centered around our work - things we've been working on with REVOweddings, upcoming weddings, previous Bridal Shows, etc.  And then somehow (I honestly don't know how we made the jump in conversation) we started talking about our phobias.  Ridiculous things that make us squirm.  She shared hers, I shared mine.  She upped the ante, and I called her hand.  It was awesome.  While I'm in no position to share her phobias, giggle-inducing as they may be, I am more than willing to share my most irrational fear under the presumption that you won't use it against me.  You won't, right?  Excellent, that's what I thought.  You wouldn't mock me; this information shall forever remain here, safe and sound, in my blog, never to be mentioned again (immortalized forever in cyberspace).

GRASSHOPPERS!!!

Allow me to set the stage.  I'm 24 (totally, like, an adult, like...) walking down the street with a vastly more mature colleague (she's about 45, has three or four kids) who I'm enjoying hanging with in our communal adult-ness (you're getting the sarcasm here, I presume).  I'm strutting down the road, lamenting my fear of grasshoppers to this woman and lo and behold BOOM! - the biggest grasshopper I have ever seen leaps in to my path and lands on my left breast-pocket.  I can picture it's beady eyes, and those little pincer-like feet clawing at my face.  Weird, right?  So I (literally, much to my utter dismay) scream like a dog who's tail has just been stepped on, and go running down the street flailing my arms as though the world is coming to an end.  Not my most adult moment, I'll admit, but the action seemed justified at the time.

I mean seriously... if you saw THIS mere INCHES from your face, wouldn't you run too?  *nodding, knowingly*  Yep! That's what I thought! (I don't even like having these pictures up on the blog... it creeps me out!)

So I'm baring my soul to Kate, sharing this story with a girl who I both respect and admire, and what does this wonderful woman say to me?  Ahem... I'll see if I can get the inflection correct here...

"Are you sure you didn't just imagine it?"

"Yeah, I'm sure."  *big sigh*

Flash forward an hour later.  My mind is sharpened by all of the delicious food I hoovered during lunch (oh yes, food makes me sharper, not dull-minded like you regular mortals) and I'm on high alert for these attack-hoppers that I know are out there to get me.  As I'm pulling in to my driveway I see THE BIGGEST FRIGGIN' BEETLE I'VE EVER SEEN crawling along the front of my house.  "Oh, it's not that big", you say?  I beg to differ - I could see it from the bottom of my driveway and could identify that it's a beetle.  It's well over an inch and a half long.  What, you don't believe me?  Check it... I've got proof!  Either this is the biggest beetle ever (or at least the biggest that this humble *snicker* Canadian has ever seen) or the smallest clovers you've ever seen!

P.S. It fell from the house in to the garden as I tried to take a picture.  I was hoping I could get a picture of it next to the hose mount so you could see how big it is.

So... wanna tell me what your fears are?  I showed you mine... time to show me yours!

Alright, peace out. I gotta get back to my work.  My boss is starting to get naggy!

142 Days...

I find networking to be an amazing tool.  I know I'm reiterating an obvious fact but its something I had never really considered doing until I became a Wedding Planner.  When I worked for a large corporation I had a cubicle that I worked in, a boss who told me what to do, how to do it, and who to do it for.  The people whom I produced countless pieces of work for were faceless names to me.  Now, I'm my own boss.  If I don't have work, it's my own fault.  And the best way to get more business: networking!

Which brings me to today's story.  Through a network of colleagues, I met Royal Fraser, acupuncturist extraordinaire.  When we were talking about my business as a Wedding Planner he asked if I was open to same sex marriages.  With California being the hotbed of debate regarding LGBT marriages, I was impressed that he'd ask so openly.  My answer, of course, is yes, I'm open to all!  (I stole that terminology from Bethel of Ceremonies by Bethel).  So, Royal told me about Béla, a photographer here in San Diego who started this amazing project entitled "142 Days of Equality".  

I have now had the opportunity to "meet" Béla (all via email and Facebook, of course) and to learn more about his project.  I am meeting him this weekend in person and am quite excited.  I was so moved by this project that I had to share it with you all!  Please take a look at "142 Days of Equality" and see if it doesn't move you to feel something too!  I also encourage those of you who support this Equality movement to reach out to Béla and get to know him.  He's incredible and has such an amazing message to share.

I know that not all of you reading this share my belief that we are all equal, regardless of our sexual orientation, and I accept that.  I can't change your mind and you can't change mine.  I just had to put this out there to see if I can't help you find a way to see that marriage is a commitment to another human being, not another human being of the opposite gender.

Please share this message of love and hope - "142 Days of Equality" may mean a lifetime of Equality!!!

Wish Upon a Wedding

Wow... it's been a long time since I've made the time to write here.  I think this is something worth sharing though.  Check out Wish Upon a Wedding.  Maybe You can make someone's Wedding Wish come true!!!

I can't wait until they come to San Diego - I'll be signing up right away!!!

I'm a Pro Photog!

Hee hee... did I push any buttons right there?  Are you twitching a little bit?

I have some amazing relationships with some equally amazing photographers here in San Diego.  We often lament the creation of "photography businesses" by Joe/Jane with a Camera - folks who think that they can buy a decent camera and become wedding photographers.  I've discovered that if I'm in the mood to bug my favorite photographers I can tell them that I'm also a pro-photog because not only do I have my very own camera, but it's pink!  And I'll shoot the entire wedding for $200.  Um... not so much.

Here's the reality.  I was handed a Nikon D700 to "play" with by Nick Lamb.  These first three shots had no flash.  And the first two I was really dumb and tried to take a picture with the light behind my subject.  Not so smart.

So then I thought, okay, lets put the light behind ME instead.  Turns out I have a lot of really bad lighting in my house so I still end up with a lousy picture (not because of Nicky... because of the lighting and, oh yeah, I'm a terrible photographer)!

Then Nicky gave me the flash, a longer lens and some actual directions (like the focus button or something?) and I got one great shot.  At least I think its great.  I'm sure for you pro's out there its nothing special but it makes me excited that I got at least one decent shot!

Check out this handsome devil!  The background is blurry (er... out of focus? what's the technical term here?) and everything - almost like I know that I'm doing.  Except not so much 'cuz the camera was really heavy, I was really nervous and I just happened to click the button at the right moment.

Thanks to stopping by to see how good a photographer I'm not (and apparently how bad I am at grammar)!  Just so you all know: I have a huge amount of respect for all of my photographer friends.  I love photos, I love having my photo taken, but I know I'll never be a pro photog.  A good camera doesn't equal good skill.  Skills = good skills.

Alright, my rant is over.  Peace out!

Oh, and Nick said I had to include these words which really mean nothing to me but since he sent the photos to me from his camera he doesn't want to take credit for the bad images.  I don't blame him!

"SHOTS TAKEN IN RAW only editing was RESAVING files as JPGS. ALL SHOTS IN CAMERA. "

Okay now, really, peace out!

I'm exhausted!

No, not really, actually. 

Yesterday I had planned (and even Facebooked, much to my embarassment) to go for a hike with the hubband, my pooch, my girl Gemma and her hubby, Josh.  We got up. We got dressed.  We picked them up.  We grabbed coffee and a bagel - you know, a nice light meal before a hike - and then it all went down hill.  It was cold!

Okay, I understand that cold is relative.  My friends and family back home are shaking their head and rolling their eyes at my new idea of "cold".  To me (now, that I live in sunny SoCal) cold is anything that requires more than a long sleeved t-shirt.  Am I a wimp?  Probably but I like it this way so :P

We endured the cold winds and eventual rain for about 20 minutes while we ate our bagels.  We clibmed an ardurous incline of 6" (there was a curb on the way to the deli) and an exhausitng 60 yards to and from the vehicle.  We were whipped so we took a few hours to rest and watch Land of the Lost.

All in all a successful day.  I won't even speak of the horrors that Superbowl XLIV wrought on my book wracked body! 

Peace out!

I love... Monster Trucks

Over the past couple of days, due in large to some inspiration from some of the amazing Wedding vendors I work with, I've been taking stock of who I am, what I love, what I represent, and what I believe.  Some pretty deep thoughts have come from it and I'm attacking 2010 with a new zeal... albeit a month later than I would have liked.

With that said, I'd like to share another "Love" with you.  Monster Trucks.  Oh yeah, you read me... Monster. Trucks.  Loud. Smelly. Crazy, flippy, rough and tumble, make your boots shake and your stomach quiver Monster Trucks. 

For those of you doubters our there who think it's a 'hick' pass time, or for gun-toting rednecks... well, you're kind of right!  And I guess I'm one of them at heart!  There are plenty of jacked up trucks with lift kits and gun racks in the parking lot, accompanied by the almost mandatory pile of Pilsner beer cans and cigarette butts.  You'll see the odd "gentleman" (I use the term very loosely here) relieving himself of all of his imbibed liquids behind his big ol' truck when he thinks no one is watching, and perhaps a Camo jacket or two (thousand), BUT! Don't knock it 'til you try it.  Think of it as a mini-Halloween.  Pull out your nastiest, ripped jeans (not the ones that are in style this year, the ones that you paint and mow the lawn in), your multi-pocket vests and your Dad's old trucker hats and head on down to the Monster Jam.  Seriously.  If you don't have a good time I'll eat my words but I LOVE 'EM!

Take a gander at these here pictures and tell me you're not just a little bit interested...

It keeps this crazy Canuck family happy!  I hope to see you there next January with your mitts, toques (that's Canadian for "beanie") and your open minds at Qualcomm Stadium to see whether Monster Mutt can finally beat Grave Digger (though the odds are pretty slim...)

Oh, and don't forget your earplugs!

 

I love... new shoes!

So I think its come to light that I'm a bit of a geek.  For example, I recently met with a photographer, Kevin Mudd of Cool Cake Photography, who found out that I'm a fan of Monster Trucks.  Yep, my geek was showing that day.  Here's my disclaimer: I tell my Wedding associates that they enter my personal blog "at their own risk".  I'm not responsible for what they learn about me from this page.  My Wedding Blog is professional and "safe".  My personal blog... not so much.

So here's today's geek moment: my new shoes.  You may have seen my fabulous boots on my headshots profile with La Vida Creations Photography on their blog.  But here are my newest additions to my family:

My question to you is: what are they?  Pumps? Heels? Stiletto's?  I don't know the official definition and my girlfriend Gemma and I are at odds.  What's your opinion?

Another disclaimer: I'm not a photographer!  Just enjoy the shoes for what they are and ignore the poor photography skills!