We Interrupt this Vacation...to Wish Christian Bon Voyage!

I am sorry that I was unable to write before today but I am now on Maui with free wireless and thrilled to dedicate today's picture to our interpid Christian.
Much luck and love follow you on your trip my friend!

The new beginning of this fern reminded me of his trip's beginning. I took this macro shot in an amazing rain forest at the top of Kilauea Iki.
Our trip has so far surpassed my wildest expectations. We saw LAVA from Kilauea making it's way into the sea (pictures to follow). I've been waiting since the 4th grade for that! The snorkeling has been awesome as well. We spent some time with an octopus (I love them!) and I had my first close encounter with a white tipped reef shark. When I first saw it, my heart dropped and I got really scared but then I calmed down and realized that at about 3.5-4 feet, I was bigger than he was and I would fight if I had to. Once I realized that I wasn't in danger, it was way cool. I have done my best free diving on this trip. I have gone down to about 20 feet and stayed for a while so I'm very proud.


I will try and post again tomorrow.
Aloha-
Robin

Aloha!

I took this photograph the last time I went to Maui so I though it would be a good shot to put up today. I have 3 more days until I leave. I'm going to be pretty busy until I leave and I don't know if I'll have much ready access while I'm away, so this may be Aloha for a while. I'll be gone until October 4th. I get back very late so doubt I'll have any new shots up until at least the next evening.
I got my Holga and my b & w film and I'm excited to try something new in the islands. I think it will be fun to try and shoot something different from my typical tropical holiday shots. I guess we'll have to see.
When I return, or if I'm able to post while I'm away, I'll make sure to visit my daily blog stops so at least my blogger gang friends will know I have something new.

I'll keep you all in my thoughts while I'm away. Take good care!

Mondo HUGE Hugs
from Robin
aka Puppatina

=:-)

Muir Woods Creek

I don't have any pictures that I'm happy with right now. I'm glad I'm going on vacation this weekend. I need to recharge. I'm feeling a bit depleted. Nothing appeals to me right now. I posted this picture because although it's just a run of the mill scene, the day was great. It was a day spent with one of my best friends Neener. It wasn't very long ago, maybe 2 years, but her life has totally changed.
She is married now and has a gorgeous little baby girl. I adore her family but I cherish the memory of days just the 2 of us spent camping or going places like Muir Woods. Neener is ultra-organized and actually keeps a book rating her camping trips. She rates things like location, activities, cleanliness, etc. Instead of rating with stars, Neener rates with ants. So cute! One time when we were camping, we decided to write a poem about our trip. We laughed so hard my face hurt. I wish I had it here to post but Neener is in Hawaii (warming it up for me!) so I can't get it. We had so much fun! I'm so lucky to have her for my friend.

So this picture is for Neener. Thanks Neener, for being my friend. I love you!

Reflections

I took this photo last December one night during San Jose's annual Christmas in the Park extravaganza. They bring in rides and such and I saw this ferris wheel reflection in an office building window. I can't remember the exposure length but it was long enough to catch the train go by as well. I like reflections.

This shot seemed fitting today as I reflect on the 7.5 weeks I have been on this job. I know I have complained about the boredom but I seem to have turned a corner. I kinda like it now. I have my own daily schedule. After checking my email which is mostly forwards from home, I visit my daily blogs (Phil, Sam, CB, Blaine, SARISARI Sid (not right now as I am scared to see fighting cock pix), Chantal, Faustina, Micki, Suby, Diya...) and a couple more. Then I read Salon. After I get caught up on my reading I listen to This American Life (thisamericanlife.org) which is so great and so fun and really demands your total attention. I listen to the archived programs and peruse the web. At lunchtime I put it in a DVD and watch that for a while. After lunch if I have my laptop I work on my PS lessons.
Then I generally work on my creative writing. I get a little antsy in the afternoon so I go for a little walk. I read for a while and then I go home.

And I get paid for it.

Here's my fear- Finally someone will have work for me and come into my office and ask for help and I'll be like, "Uhh. Excuse me. Can't you see I'm busy already???" as I work on my latest Photoshop creation.

We'll see.

Bye!
=:-]

Later that same day....I am so BORED!!!!!

Point Lobos

I took this at, you guessed it, Point Lobos. It's so beautiful there. It's located on the Monterey coast.
Deriving its name from the offshore rocks at Punta de los Lobos Marinos, Point of the Sea Wolves, where the sound of the sea lions carries inland, the reserve has often been called "the crown jewel of the State Park System." With good reason. The light there is so lovely and the trees and ocean together make for spectacular scenery. Go there if you ever get the opportunity. Most visitors just go to Carmel and Monterey and while I agree that you should visit both towns, Point Lobos is not to be missed.

I will post more of my self portrait series as I create them. I'm trying to really let them happen. I'm thinking of the different facets of my personality as I work on this series and also write a piece on my 'writing voice' for my creative writing class. Both projects call for self discovery in that I am determining how I want to be seen (literally) and heard (read). Usually I work from the inside out but now I'm flipping it. Fun stuff!

Thanks so much for visiting my blog. It means so much to me!
Hugs from Puppatina!

Self Portrait

When you're 46, it's hard not to avail yourself of a filter! ;-)

If you saw me in real life you'd realize how good this portrait is.
I look 25 in my dreams only but I love Samrath and Suby for their lies.
I took this in my room and the light is coming from the window. I decided to embark on a series of self portraits because I hate having my picture taken and because I am getting older. For me I hope this will help me to see that there is beauty in aging. If, like Chantal says, you can see my personality here, then I am succeeding!

The Good, the Bad and the Monday

I really like this picture because of the subjects. It’s my son and granddaughter sharing her 1st birthday cupcake. I miss them and I felt the need to show them off today. I wish I was with them right now.

When I woke up this morning I thought of a gazillion reasons to take the day off and only two reasons to come to work. So my work ethic and want of a paycheck won out and here I sit once again with nothing to do.

If I had my photos and PS here, well that would be a different story.

Hey, how about if I create templates so the part numbers are easier to pull.

I dunno. Why would ya wanna do that?

Well, I don’t have anything to do anyway and it would give you real search capability.

I dunno. Why would ya wanna do that?

Well, I am an analyst and I don’t have anything to do anyway and it would make everything consistent and searchable.

I dunno. Why would ya wanna do that?

Well, I am an analyst and I don’t have anything to do anyway and it would make everything consistent and searchable and the CMs would immediately know what value the parts are.

I dunno. Why would ya wanna do that?

Well, I am an analyst and I don’t have anything to do anyway and it would make everything consistent and searchable and the CMs would immediately know what value the parts are and you are paying me a nice chunk of money to be here, I MAY AS WELL TRY AND IMPROVE THINGS! SHEESH!

Holy Moley. It’s like being in the Marine Corps again but with a bigger paycheck. I’m used to working for teeny companies where “Efficiency” and “Speed” are the constant war cry. Here the watch words are “Waste” and “Nap”.
What’s a girl with a work ethic to do?

I am going to Hawaii on the 23rd returning on October 4th. If things haven’t changed but the time I come back, I need to start looking for another job.

And something else to complain about.

=:-}

A Yosemite Denizen

This coyote is so beautiful but the fact that I could even get close enough to take this picture makes me really angry. On this same Yosemite trip I went after someone who was feeding a coyote from his truck. I just hate that people sometimes don't *THINK* about the consequences of their actions. This is exactly why these lovely wild animals get hit by cars! Argh!!!! There are a few things that make me truly lose my mind and verbally attack people without any thought to my own safety and this is one of them. I really appreciate that my SO just lets me go. He doesn’t try and stop me, not that he could. If I see someone mistreating a child, a woman or an animal, my normally easygoing attitude melts away faster than the polar ice caps and I see Red and attack!

In the Yosemite of the 1960’s, you could drive your car to a parking lot and watch as the rangers fed the bears garbage. !!!!!!!! Can you believe how ignorant and self important we humans can be? I’m so happy we seem to be coming to our senses. Although I still worry that someday in the not too distant future, the whole planet will be a big giant clone of the United States.

Breathe Puppy breathe! Sorry. I got a bit carried away.

Okay. Taking a deep breath. R-e-l-a-x-i-n-g now.

There are so many people now doing amazing work to save our animals, our people and our planet. Be one of these people every chance you get and support them in every way you can.


Bye now!
=:-}

Yes. More Gerbera Daisies.

I did a vignette blur on this macro shot. Exposure:1/2 sec Aperture:f 3.2 ISO:100

I used to be really artistic. I used to draw and I did calligraphy all the time. Then I became a drafter for a living. I’m talking a looong time ago when drafters used to spread lead the old fashioned way: with a pencil. This was before computers could fit in the average home let alone in an office. You know, the dark ages. Anyway, once I started drawing for work, the last thing I wanted to do when I got home, was draw. As for the calligraphy, well that one’s pretty obvious. Most people have boatloads of fonts on their computers so really, what’s the point.
So years go by and I decide I want to try and reclaim my creativity. I open up our trusty adult education catalog and peruse the myriad possibilities. Hmmmm….plastic wreath making. Uh, no. Light catching crystal bead bangle bracelet making. Uh, no. Beginning drawing with charcoal. Okay. Now we’re getting somewhere. However, as I can not make it through the day without getting something on my clothes, this sounds dangerous so l look further. And then I see it. Photography. Beginning Photography. Hmmmm…...I never considered that before but heck! I like taking pictures. The rest as they say, is history.
I was hooked from the first day. I loved it! I didn’t understand it, but I loved it nonetheless. I accidentally took pictures I liked and that was good enough for me. The people in the class were, for the most part, kind of like a blog gang without the blog. They had been taking the class over and over and over for many semesters. They were basically a club. It was cool. They made me feel at home and this is important to me, as we all know by now. I actually met one of my best friends in the class. The lovely and waaaay talented Justyna: http://creativeartworks.cc/d_160_14.html . (And to those of you paying attention, yes she did steal my angel and yes, her composition is better). The teacher was one of those overgrown boy-men. A man with braces, hair hanging in his eyes and tons and tons of energy. I really liked him and his vibe. It seemed a safe place to learn. That is was. A little too safe actually. The teacher wanted his acolytes to love photography (and him) and as such, he couldn’t get a constructive sentence out of his mouth. Sometimes I could see him try. I would see his mouth form the word “Mediocre” but he just couldn’t spit it out. He would say, “This photograph…” and you’d see the battle begin in his face. Should he tell the truth? Tell someone that their photo was no better than the average snapshot and that “perhaps they might want to pay some modicum of attention in class”? He just didn’t have it in him. He said everything was great. There is something to be said for that. It certainly made me feel like a genius. At least while I was in his class.
I’m on my own now. And that’s where you all come in. That’s why I need your input and judgment and comments both good and bad. Tell me where you think my strengths are and my weaknesses as well. Tell me when I’ve gone too far. Or not far enough. That’s the only way we get better. Do keep in mind that I am taking a Photoshop class! Please don’t be like my sweet teacher. Spit it out!

In Honor of Samarth's Wacky Wednesday!

I took this with my macro. I liked it as is but when I was correcting it in curves, I went a bit nutso. I figured since it is Wacky Wednesday, it's o-kay!

Trumpet Vine

Yesterday at breakfast I walked under this beautiful trumpet vine. Luckily I had my camera in the car (SHOCK!). I didn't do anything to it. I liked it right out of the camera. I hope you like it as well.

The Last Barn in Downtown San Jose

I had to stand on park bench to look over the fence into someone's yard to take this.
Obviously I threw on a sepia filter.