An Answer to the Riddle

Well, kinda.  Several of y'all inquired as to my profession and what the heck I am doing.  Can't really tell you what I do because of security reasons.  You know, if I tell ya, I'll have to kill ya stuff.  :-) 

However, part of my job is teaching defensive tactics to others.  I am getting my national certification right now.  Thus all the bruises.  I'm sure that answers all your questions, right?

But guess what....two days and I'll be home!  Yippee!!

A Riddle

What's black, blue and sore all over?

Me! 

Well, I was really sore last week.  Not so much now.  But I'm still black and blue.  There's too many bruises to count.  Kinda like connect the dots on my body.  And I've bled several times.  But it's always been the same spot.  You ever get carpet burn on your elbow.  That's what I have.  And I keep reopening it.  This evening I was bleeding thru my bandaid and onto the equipment.  Good times!

I added more marks today.  I was punching without gloves.  Now my knuckles are real pretty.  I sound like a real bad a$$, huh!  Really, I'm not.

It's all down hill from here.  I'll be home before you know it!  The husband is going to wonder what I've been up to when he sees me!

Photography Woes

Can you explain to me why people are turds?  Really? Can ya?  Let me explain my rant.

My photography domain recently expired.  Well, right as I was coming to SC, it expired.  I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do with my site, whether I would leave it as a blog or make it an actual website.  Stupid me didn't even imagine someone else BUYING my domain name. 

Can you believe that?  I went to check on it and found out that it was taken.  So now when you go to crazymphotography.com, it's a generic photography search site.  UGH, I was soooooo mad!  It just infuriates me.  I know the person behind it is just out for money.  But I don't play those games.  Even though all my stuff is printed with that web address.  I will NOT allow them to take advantage of me.

So it looks like I will be changing my web address to crazymphotography.net.  I'm gonna wait till I get back home to deal with it all.  I'll have to buy new business cards.  And take care of all my other crap that has it printed on it.  What a pain!

On a brighter note, I sold almost three times as much stuff at the craft gallery last month after my move to the bigger space.  I'm real excited.  I hope it keeps up.  Fingers crossed.

Plus, while I've been gone, the husband has been trying to get me photography gigs.  He called the other night to tell me that a stock contractor had put out a request for recommendations on a photographer for a bull futurity on a rodeo web board.  The first response listed... ME!  Can you believe it!  So the husband contacted the contractor.  They said they thought a photographer had been found for the event but would like me to come to the ranch and take pictures of their cattle if I was interested.  How cool is that!

And guess what!!!!  Only 5 days till I get to go home!!!  I can't wait.

I received this from the hubby today.

The husband said Diesel was being so good.  According to the husband, he sat there begging to have his picture taken for momma.  I miss my fam.

Close Encounters

This morning myself and two co-workers went to a local park.  It is only about a 1/4 of a mile down from the hotel.  We walked and it was such a nice park.  And it was so good to get out of the "city" and into some country. 
In the park, they have paddle boats.  We decided it would be fun to go out on one so off we went.  



We saw several turtles.  This one was really posing for me.


But then, we came across this!



Are you kiddin' me?!  There is an alligator in the paddle boat area.  At this time, I'm thinkin' there's not but about 6 inches of boat between me and the water.  This was the closest I've ever been to an alligator.  And I can tell ya, don't really want to get close again.

We asked the park people about it.  They said as long as you didn't bother it, it wouldn't bother you.  Really!  That's all you can tell me.  We were really surprised they don't move it due to liability issues.  Guess it's no big deal to SC peeps.

I'm Always the Odd Ball

Training is going well.  I'm black, blue and sore all over.  Sounds like it's going well, huh!  I enjoy going to training.  I always get to meet interesting people from all over the nation.  But it always makes me feel kinda like an odd ball.  You ever experience that?  The people are great but they have no concept of my "real" life outside of work.  I mention I live on a small ranch and raise buckin' bulls, I get REALLY surprised looks.  And it wouldn't be the buckin' bull part.  Just that I have cattle is so intriguing to people.  Are there just not many country people anymore?

Then there's the "hey, let's go out and have some drinks."  This is another situation where I stick out like a sore thumb.  I don't mind hanging out with new people.  But the only thing I have in common with them is work.  And I am not a night owl.  I like to go to bed early.  Plus, I'd rather be hanging out with the husband if truth be told.  So I'm not good company.  Oh, and I don't drink.  It's not like I can't be around people drinking or anything, but that just doesn't seem like a good time to me.  Do I sound like a prude?  I do, huh!  My idea of fun is playing with the dogs or watching calves play or taking photographs.  Really, I'm an introvert.  It wears me out to hang out with a large group.  Usually, the husband is the social one and I can sit quietly.

Here is where I've spent every evening after training...

It may seem unsocial to some.  I hang out in my room, talkin' to the husband on the phone and cruisin' the internet.  The last two evenings, I've walked to local restaraunts and ate supper by myself. 

But you know what, I may be the odd ball but I don't know anyone else who's spouse has sent them a cute note like this...(well, couldn't get the picture of the note to upload so here's what it said.)

"Hey, Hope all is well.  The dogs send their love.  Hugs, kisses and slobbers.  I love ya and miss ya tons!"

I wouldn't change my "real" life for anything!

Bikini Challenge-On the Road

Can I just say how proud  I am of myself?  Is that wrong of me?  Well, let me tell ya why.  I have done so well with my eating.  Yep, I'm patting myself on the back.  Just can't help it.  I am making good food choices even though I'm at a place where I eat in a big cafeteria type dining hall.  Pretty much anything and everything you could think to eat and as much as you want.  For breakfast, I am eating scrambled eggs for protein and plain oatmeal.  Lunch and supper is a salad and chicken breast.  Yesterday, I was hungry for something sweet after I got back in my room.  I'm still sugar free so I ate a banana.  I'm dedicated to this challenge.  Finally reached that point where it's easy to make the right decision and not be so tempted with crap.  I will let myself have "bad" stuff on occasion but I don't sit and obsess about it anymore.

As for exercise, my training is taking care of most of that this week.  My leg was still hurting from the race so I quit doing everything middle of last week.  But with training, I gotta do what I gotta do.  But get this....I was doing kicking drills this morning with my hurt leg.  I kicked the pad and felt a big POP in my leg.  I thought holy crap, I really did it now.  It was immediate pain.  But I continued with the drills.  Then I realized my leg didn't hurt AT ALL!  No more pain.  I could jump, walk down stairs, jog, everything without pain!  So what the heck?  What in the world did I have out of whack?  The pop was at the back of my leg right above my heel, right where your achilles would be.  But you can't dislocate an achilles tendon, can you?  So wierd.  And it felt so good, I went to the gym and used the elliptical.  Can you believe it!

It's been a good week all around.  I weighed in on Saturday before I left and the scale continues to go down.  Two thumbs up!!

I'm Back Online!

The husband did mail out my power cord this morning.  Love you honey!  But I couldn't wait, so I borrowed a co-worker's for the night.  Luckily, I have a co-worker here that has the same laptop.  When I asked for it, she asked if I was going to do work.  I laughed and said "NO blog!"  She said she figured as much. 

Not really much to report.  I haven't been able to take any pictures.  We are very limited on what we can take pictures of at my training.  Pretty much nothing.  And I leave the hotel at 6:15 in the morning and return after 6 in the evening.  Then I take a shower, apply bengay to my leg and lay in the room.

So, I'm hoping this weekend when I'm out messin' around, I can get some pictures.  I was here about 3 years ago and I love downtown.  So many beautiful things to take pictures of.  Plus the weather is beautiful.  In the mid 80s right now.

But I can't not leave y'all with without something.  I had this bluebonnet pic laying around from Saturday.  Thought I'd post it.  I could use some reminders of home.

Oops! See comment

Gettin' on a Jet Plane

I will be tomorrow, bright and early.  Trying to get everything packed today.  Haven't been able to stay on task, maybe because I'm not real excited about going on the trip.  Before I left, I wanted to wish everyone a wonderful Easter Sunday.

I also stopped on the way home from the store this afternoon and took a few bluebonnet pics.  The wildflowers are coming out in force this year.  Must be all the rain.  I guess it was good for something!




I'll try posting from South Carolina.  I'm takin' my lil camera and my laptop.  Maybe I will have time to take a few pics along the way.

It's All About Attitude