24. Stripes

There are actually 24 stripes in this photo.

Fashion was my first thought when reading today's photo-a-day challenge, of course.  Stripes are difficult to wear as a female with super short hair, especially bold horizontal stripes.  The two sweaters at the sides are sleeveless with cowl necks, two feminine details; the dark sweater second from the left is a 3/4 sleeve belted cardigan, again two feminine details.  Coincidentally, the sweater with the tan stripe is a simple tank style with thicker straps and is somewhat boxy in fit which is not very feminine, I have never worn it.  I have tried it on with various skinny jeans, capris, boots and heels yet have never been pleased.  The weight and feel of the cashmere blend is quite luxe so I hold out hope that I will eventually make it work.



2013.01.24.
[Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM]

21. What you do

Today was my first day off work since enduring a nasty cold and ignoring household chores for the past week.  Less medicated and more motivated, I had a long list to tackle.  I allowed junk mail, cardboard boxes, receipts and tea mugs rest in unsuitable places.  Knowing our rental company practices unannounced bi-annual inspections was incentive enough to at least make the place presentable, and if I worked to make the house nice why shouldn't I be presentable as well?

As an early birthday gift my Mom sent me an incredible gift box from her favorite coffee shop, Espresso Elevado.  Due to extreme sinus congestion I had not had any coffee drink for over a week, why waste deliciousness on a muted palette?  Since I can once again taste I used my french press to brew an incredible cup of Ethiopian Sidamo light roast coffee and it was divine, especially with the lemon biscotti from The Biscotti Bar, included in the gift box.

I was ready to begin my day of housework... almost.  The pair of Summertime Moonbeams by John Fluevog that I had so fortunately found have gone unworn.  Sacrebleu!  The only answer was to wear them.  Today.  So the subject of my photo-a-day, "What I do", is what I did -- housework in Fluevogs.

Clearing the kitchen table
Recycling/shredding junk mail
Breaking down boxes
Recycling packing material
Five loads of laundry
Changing bedding
Sweeping the kitchen floor
Scooping the litter box
Hosing out the garbage can
Taking out the trash and recycling
Hand-washing fragile glassware
Scrubbing the hallway bathroom
Vacuuming the entire house

All this and some incidentals were performed while wearing my gorgeous and comfortable Fluevogs.  I may not have put on makeup or deodorant (oops) but I wore fabulous footwear.

Oh yeah, I also got my much-anticipated rental lens this morning, the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM.


2013.01.21.
[Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM]

15. An ordinary moment

Lousy cold, lousy photo.

Waiting for water to boil.
Too tired, too medicated to set anything up, what you see is what you get.

2013.01.15.
[Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM]

14. Something yellow

After receiving my late-in-the-season flu vaccine I began experiencing cold-like symptoms and, afraid of reducing the vaccine's effectiveness, I did not begin an Oscillicocum regimen.  Now I am in full-on head cold discomfort -- severe nasal congestion and horrid sinus pressure.

Last night it became evident that store brand DayQuil was not going to cut it and the only other medicine I had to supplement was store brand TheraFlu and store brand Sudafed.  Don't judge me, but I topped off that pill cocktail with a sleep aid for a fitful night of light sleep knowing that I would have to brave a shopping trip the next morning.

Doing something I never do, I left without makeup, my hair in it's natural, fuzzy state, braced myself for the 37 degree cold and icy wind and headed to Walmart.  First stop, pharmacy for pseudoephedrine, the only decongestant worth taking I believe.  I paid for it, immediately took one and quickly gathered the other items on my mental list such as Puffs Plus with Lotion (the four pack), nighttime cold medicine, nasal spray and zinc.  I do not handle colds well.  Finally at the front of the store, I spotted the rotisserie chickens and got the first one of the day fresh off the spit.  Time to go home and make soup.

I pulled an 8-cup container of homemade chicken stock from the freezer and began melting it in a medium sauce pan while starting water for noodles in a larger pot.  I used about 6 oz. of whole wheat, wide noodles.  While the noodles cooked I began pulling thigh meat off the chicken in small pieces, saving the white meat for something else and the bones for stock.  Before the noodles were fully cooked I scooped them into the heated stock, adding some pasta water to thin the richness a bit, then added the chicken pieces and let it simmer for about 20 minutes.

Voila!  Homemade cold relief.  Had I been feeling better I would have added celery, onions, carrots and some extra garlic, but I wanted simple.  Had I been bedridden and unable to get to the store I would have simply warmed up the stock and sipped it alone.  This is exactly why I always try to keep stock in the freezer.  With this new rotisserie chicken I will begin the process again.  When I am feeling better.

With a sneeze and a sniffle, I bid adieu.


2013.01.14.
[Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM]

11. Water

Or what my brother would describe as "dirty water".

Knowing the side affects of the flu mist vaccine, waking up this morning (well before my alarm) with a sore throat was no surprise.  I opted for hot oatmeal instead of my usual cold cereal as to avoid dairy, whether that is beneficial or not I am unsure, and made hot black tea instead of my usual espresso or americano as I prefer it as a warm carrier for honey and lemon.   After two mugs and two acetaminophen my throat is soothed and I am again prepared to proceed with my afternoon pre-work ritual for another closing shift.  Today is a new moon which can make for a challenging night, something most service industry workers know well.



2013.01.11.
[Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM]

10. One o’clock

On this particular day at this exact time I took a minute (literally) to take a photograph.  I was getting myself together for a 1:30 pm closing shift and noticed the time just as I was selecting my shoes.  My phone and iPod are usually set on the bed like this while I am dressing and I check the time frequently to ensure I am on schedule.



2013.01.10.
[Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM]

08. Something Beginning with 'T'

Time.

For the first time in months I have two consecutive days off work with no obligations to fulfill or any real plans.  My camera has sat unused since the 27th of December, as has my creativity.  My job has drained me completely, or as Brandi Carlile more eloquently states, "...my soul was worn right through."

Two days of cold, Texas rain is appropriate.

2013.01.08.
Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS II

16. something you made.

Happiness.

Exactly one thousand days after bringing home my beloved Summertime Fillmore sandals from John Fluevog they have found a sister.

On an warm, early spring day three years ago I spent the day in Seattle with my camera.  I came home with many, many photos, a bouquet of flowers from Pike St. Market and my Summertime Fillmores.  I paid full price (ouch) but have never regretted it because "cost-per-wear makes them practically free." (#6, in the middle, that's me.)  I chose the Antracite color, a grey-ish inky purple, and found they work with most of my wardrobe.  Throughout the years of regular wear and compliments from strangers I often thought about the other color they came in, pink rose (which is really tan) and commented frequently that if they were closed-toe I'd wear them year-round.

Apparently I have earned some good shoe Karma because after cruising resale sites for years without much hope of ever finding them at a reasonable cost in good condition, I recently found a pair through the FlueMarket and made contact with the seller.  She was fundraising for a puppy's medical care so it was a win-win all around. The shoes arrived the other day in beautiful condition and fit just like my originals.  Around this same time I also stumbled on a pair of Summertime Moonbeams that I didn't even know existed -- a closed-toe cousin of the Fillmore!  They were in my size, black, excellent condition and well-priced.  Fluevog shoes are designed in families and I'm bring them home to roost.

I finally had time today to photograph them today, though my flash batteries died before I grouped them for a family shot.  When it's charged again I'll get creative.

2012.12.16.  [Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM]

13. lights

On December 13th "lights" refers to Christmas lights, even if I struggle to think otherwise.

Big city lights.
Headlights.
Highlights.
Christmas lights.
Damn.

As family grows further and time in retail grows longer my Christmas spirit fades.  The little tree-in-a-box that lives in storage came out of hiding this year only because it may be in long term storage next Christmas and it desperately needed pruning.

Bought on clearance post-holiday 2006, it was a small, manageable, pre-lit tree at a bargain price and since we didn't have one I thought it appropriate.  Each year it seemed that more lights stopped working until a few years ago only about 25% still lit up.  Then due to pure Scrooge-ness I stopped using it.

Earlier this week I frothed up a spiced eggnog and rum (or two.  or three.)  and meticulously untwined, untwisted and snipped out the entire lighting system on the tree.  An hour (and one Top Gear) later it was beautiful in it's nakedness.  Of course I immediately began to restring new lights on it only to discover the strand of warm white LED lights only covered the top half.  So I have a bottomless-lit tree and carry no guilt about leaving it that way.

This evening, while relishing a perfectly medium-rare-done steak and an accompanying Cabernet Sauvignon, I looked up and saw lights.  First before me was the Christmas tree in it's simplistic state and beyond was the new lamp that I love but carries a disappointing back story.  Next to the tree is a torchiere lamp common to my dwellings.  To quote someone dear and very near, "Torchiere: French for piece of shit lamp."  I never denied it.

2012.12.13.  [Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM]

10. under

Under where?

2012.12.10.  [Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM]

This was not my original concept for "under", by the way, this was.  But the result was too unlike what I envisioned and while I was lying on my office floor day dreaming in the afternoon sunlight the kitty joined me.  He, however, took the opportunity to groom and my camera was within arm's reach therefore I documented it.  Sorry, kitty.

8. someone you love

The someone I love within viewfinder range is quite private and not entirely enthusiastic in front of a camera.  This results in very few photos and rare public publishing.

Sometimes I can capture a portrait, other times a candid.  After that I rely on the "passive" portrait (to coin a phrase), which is any type of indirect candid photo.

2012.11.20.  [Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM]

7. stars

Straddled between a hard, urban center and it's suburban sprawl was the Community Thrift Store.  Able to attract quality merchandise as well as questionable clientele, it was my absolute favorite store during my high school years.

My parents provided us with the basics but any supplements, such as fashions and trinkets, we acquired on our own.  Being a fashion follower from a young age that meant working as soon as I could, starting with delivering newspapers when I was thirteen (back when kids still brought them door-to-door).  It also meant a series of part-time, low-wage jobs, affording me very little discretionary income.  This lead me down the path road to thrift stores.

Community Thrift Store was my favorite by far, with the most competitive prices on surprisingly good items with fast turnover and ever-changing selection.  I can look around my house and see numerous treasures bought on the cheap.

One infamous find was the Aquarius glass I discovered lost in a sea of nondescript and tacky glassware.  I instantly knew that it's design would be my first tattoo.  At the time I was maybe 16 and didn't even have my driver's license; I knew a tattoo was not in my foreseeable future but that glass was my hope and inspiration.

Fast-forward about 5 years and I am sitting in some crappy, college house-apartment meticulously tracing the goddess-esque water bearer on thin paper in front of a shade-less incandescent lamp.  In my wallet is a wad of hard-earned, convenience store-working money set aside for my very first tattoo.

I have no regrets about the design or location given my circumstances at the time.  If I did it again now it would be larger, more detailed and in bold color as the original design, but I am 15 years older, wiser and more financially stable.  I long to expand the original design and may have an incredible opportunity if the future unfolds as planned.  (But when does that really happen.)

Today's Photo A Day topic is "stars".  Without waiting until dark and literally taking a photo of the heavenly stars, I looked around my office because I knew there was some item with stars that would tell a story.  Then I saw the carefully wrapped glass sitting quietly on my book shelves.  Incorporated in the art work are tiny white stars.

I still have the original glass purchased so long ago, the tall one on the right; I have carefully moved it all this time.  For a number of years it was stored without access and nostalgia was tugging at my memory.  With thanks to eBay I was able to find not only an identical pint-sized glass but also a tumbler with the same design.  They are both copy-written 1976 (my birth year) but only the larger size is branded with the Arby's logo, suggesting it was a promotional item back when fast food restaurants actually gave out decent and usable collector items.

2012.12.07.  [Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM]

I'll toss in a freebie photo for fun.  This is my sister and I in front of the store's original location around 2003. It has since moved as I have since moved.  I never visited their new location and have never found another thrift store quite as fantastic.

That's me on the right.

6. from your country

About once a month I indulge in fast food, rotating through some major restaurant chains such as Burger King, Wendy's and Jack in the Box, my favorite.  Occasionally I'l try a regional or local place like Mooyah's which is quite good.  It all depends on what I'm craving or where I have coupons.

Usually I simply want a cheeseburger combo meal with fries and a drink.  My favorites are the Sirloin Burger and Jumbo Jack at Jack in the Box and the Whopper at Burger King, all with cheese (of course) and no pickles (too overpowering).  If a new burger is featured that looks good I'll often try it; Burger King had a series of BBQ burgers this past summer and one was absolutely incredible!  I love love love traditional french fries and my favorite is usually Wendy's though Sonic's tater tots are delicious too.  Drinking soda is a rarity for me, I usually choose unsweetened iced tea but sometimes a Dr. Pepper is in order.

The theme is this Photo A Day is "From where you live/your country:  Take a photo of something from your country – a flag, something unique, a traditional dish, or something a little bit more common."  Fast Food chains are ubiquitous worldwide, but I instantly knew this was a perfect opportunity to indulge in a guilty pleasure while satisfying the requirements.

I love Jack in the Box tacos!  They are unlike any taco I have ever had.  A traditional taco shell is filled with the taco meat (a seasoned combination of beef and texturized vegetable protein) and is then deep fried (God bless America).  Then a slice of American cheese, shredded lettuce and taco sauce are added.  That's it.  I found a You Tube video of the process.  This deliciousness is easily attainable at 2 for a dollar only in certain parts of these fine United States of America!



2012.12.06.
[Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM]

3. something you held

2012.12.03.
[Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM]

22. grateful

The time surrounding Thanksgiving is very busy and tiring for me, as my day job in retail management keeps me running (literally) up to 12 hours a day this time of year.  On Thanksgiving day I am simply grateful for a day off.

This year I decided to cook a Thanksgiving meal for the first time on my own.  As good fortune winked my way a couple-friend of ours found an airline flight deal and came down to visit.  In hindsight I now know that a rookie Thanksgiving-day-meal-cooker should always have a veteran by their side.  As a team we successfully pulled it off.

Turkey:  I ordered a fresh heritage turkey, the farm recommended cooking it like this, Heritage Turkey Recipe.  The almost ten-pound turkey fit in my large Pyrex dish so I was not forced to purchase a roasting pan.  (I love Pyrex, another post altogether.)  I also successfully made gravy last minute without a recipe, I remembered the method for roux and tried to follow it as best as I could remember.

[Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM]

Stuffing:  Since the turkey farm recommends not stuffing a heritage turkey I tried this Ciabatta Stuffing with Chestnuts and Pancetta Recipe which was incredible.  I am not sure if I will ever try another stuffing recipe and will likely make it again throughout the year.

Mashed Potatoes:  no recipe needed, of course.  I used redskin potatoes (leaving the skins on) and roughly mashed them (leaving good chunks) with real butter, sour cream, milk, salt and white pepper.  I love rustic mashed potatoes and white pepper blends much better than black.

Vegetable: I've never liked traditional green been casserole, but a number of years ago my newest sister-in-law made Alton Brown's Best Ever Green Bean Casserole and it really was the best ever.  His recipes are notoriously laborious and this one indeed had a number of steps but ended up wonderful.  The leftovers only re-heated well for a couple days though so it's best to consume quickly.

Pie: Thank you Whole Foods for a delicious pecan pie, a.k.a. "candy in a crust" -- I enjoy the art of cooking more than the science of baking.

[Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM]

Wine: lots.  Due to my work schedule I could not enjoy a glass of wine with each dish as I was hoping.  I did open a dry Riesling, a Beaujolais Nouveau (of course) and something else I don't remember.  In hindsight I should have taken some tasting notes.

The day was not without it's snafus of course.  I left the thermometer in the turkey only to find out an hour later that it was not a leave-in thermometer.  Then as I was basting the turkey I tapped the end of the glass baster against the side of the Pyrex dish and the tip broke off.

[Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM]

As a whole, Thanksgiving Day this year was fantastic -- a day spent with friends being grateful for what we have and, more importantly, who we have.

16. the view from your window

What I see when I'm sitting at my computer, not looking at the monitor:

About an hour later, while gazing through the window I saw the sun just setting behind the houses and took my camera out to photograph this:

2012.11.16.

[Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS UD]

15. in your bag

On the 15th I drove down to my nearest metropolitan area and visited the closest locations of two stores I don't get to very often, Whole Foods Market and World Market.  I make this trip about once a month, it aids in maintaining my sanity while living in a small (by my standards) town.  My excuse was Thanksgiving preparation, but any reason would suffice really.

I keep a running list of Whole Foods items so when I get there I can keep focus, otherwise my pocketbook suffers dearly.  Generally there are always a number of bulk food items needing replenishment in my pantry, this time they included botanical (naturally caffeine-free) tea and salt and pepper for my grinders.  Bulk herbs and spices are very well-priced at Whole Foods so when my small jars empty I refill them from there -- I love it!  I have discovered many styles of spices I never knew existed and I love experimenting with them, one being Spanish sweet paprika and Chipotle chili pepper powder.

Coarse salt and peppercorns were a priority because my grinders emptied a couple weeks ago and I was using my backup McCormick grinders I had saved from when we moved and hadn't received our household goods yet.  I selected pink Himalayan salt and a smoked peppercorn blend.  Honestly, I have no idea the difference between those and conventional table salt and pepper but I will soon learn.

For the photo of the (yester)day I am showing you what's in my bag, my spice bag.

2012.11.16.
[Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM]

13. where you slept

A cold front slipped in bringing last night's temperature below 30 degrees.  I spread the blanket over the bed and set up the space heater just in case.

2012.11.13
[Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM]

9. small

Keeping the original intent of this blog, today's photo from yesterday's challenge displays a creative example of a small change making a big difference.

For the past 6 years I have worked for the same company which requires it's employees to wear name badges on a company-issued lanyard.  As I am very active at work this lanyard is constantly flapping around getting caught on objects and is a general nuisance.  The standard clip that attaches the name badge is the worst offender due to the metal tabs you pinch together to open it (I have no idea what the technical term is).  After years of frustration I finally had the idea to do something about it.  I changed the clip --  a super simple solution that I embarrassingly never thought of previously, of course neither had any other of my co-workers.

During November and December we wear holiday lanyards so I had to switch that clip as well, which is the  one photographed.  I also adjusted it's length by taking apart the safety release, trimming the fabric and putting it back together.

My photo of the day shows my replacement clip attached to the lanyard next to the original one removed.  I did some rough cloning to remove the company name.  I am proud of my easy fixes and it makes a significant difference in my daily performance.

2012.11.10

[Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM]

8. something you do everyday

Eat.

This evening I enjoyed the best grilled cheese sandwich ever.  "Enjoyed" is an understatement; it was divine.

When visiting friends in San Francisco we drove into the Sonoma Valley to the tasting room at Gloria Ferrer Winery where we tried their Blanc de Blanc Carneros Sparkling Wine.  I am very, very particular with Chardonnay and this selection earned my firm approval.  Because Spec's truly cares for my well-being, I am able to find this wine here in the depths of central Texas and I purchased a bottle this evening.

Am I the only one who makes a dinner selection based on wine preference?  Good.

Rudi's Organic Bakery makes a Rosemary and Olive Oil Bread that is incredible!  Due to blind luck I am able to find it here and buy it periodically.  Grilled cheese sandwiches seemed a reasonable pairing with the Blanc de Blanc so I assembled them -- 1 1/2 pieces each of muenster and provolone cheeses and 4 or so thin slices of black forest ham on the rosemary bread which I (real) buttered on both outside pieces and pan-grilled until crispy.  Sometimes it really is only a few select ingredients that compose delicious combinations.

2012.11.08
[Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM]