Faces that make me happy

There are certain faces in this world that make me smile. Actually there are several. Here are just a few:

I have a New Blog

I've decided that after several years of amateur photography, it's time I define my style. So I've decided that in order to do that I have to get my butt in gear and start shooting. Not that I haven't been shooting, as you can see from this blog, I've definitely got the "shutter bug." My problem is that I don't know what I want to do with it yet. Sometimes I think I would love to do weddings, but then I shoot a wedding and think, never again. Then I think I want to shoot kids, and well, you can imagine the rest.

So I've decided to post on my new blog, 365 days worth of photos and see where it takes me. I figured that I'd post the first day here, but for the rest of them? You'll have to check it out.

"Visions from a Fountain"

Wish me luck!

My Day Yesterday

I had a very odd day yesterday. It started out crap and ended up crap, but there was good stuff in between. How did my day start out crap you ask? A cold shower. Not a pretty thing. Yesterday was the opening concert of our season at work and it wasn't a good day for a cold shower. So I grabbed my clothes, my shampoo and conditioner, and all the necessary accoutrement's, called and left a message for my landlord, and headed for my parents to shower.

Lara & Mary heading up to the concert

I got to work about 15 minutes late and the workday went just fine. In fact, at our first concert of the 2007-2008, Andre Watts Plays Beethoven with the Utah Symphony, we had the most people in an opening classical series concert since I've been employed with the Ogden Symphony Ballet Association (it's usually a pretty hard sell). Unfortunately, I was in the ticket office too long to hear Andre Watts play Beethoven's 5th Piano Concerto.

View from the inside of a ticket office (yeah, it's kind of a prison).

So I wandered up to the roof of the Browning Center and took some photos.

The Northern Sky

The Western Sky

The Spaceship on the top of the Browning Center

So, once intermission came I went back to work pouring lemonade for the society big wigs who were just dying to meet Mr. Watts. That's what I call being a good Marketing Manager don't you? The intermission ended and I finally got to go in to the concert. Most people know this about me, but some don't, I'm a nerd when it comes to Classical Music. I absolutely love it! And I'm telling you, last night I wasn't disappointed. The Utah Symphony played Holst's The Planets and it was absolutely stunning.

How did my day end crappy? Still no hot water.

Grobanites are crazy!

Josh Groban, The Rave - a Film by Lara Deppe

You might think I'm kidding, but I actually went to a Josh Groban concert last night and had a great time! That boy has a golden voice.

The thing that was truly scary about that concert though? The "Grobanites!" Holy cow, these are some freaky women. If you look on Wikipedia, you'll see "Grobanites" defined as: "Grobanites are a group of Josh Groban's most radical, devoted fans. Grobanites come from all over the world and are male or female and of a wide range of ages. However, most Grobanites are female (might I add over 40)." Then you head over to thatjoshgrobanguy.com and you read this: "A "fan" sees Josh as a great singer, a Grobanite sees him as a great person who happens to have an amazing voice and a gift for creating beautiful music."

At first when my friend Lara joined friendsofjoshgroban.com or as she affectionately refers to it "f.o.j.g.", I wondered if the stories she told were true. Well, wonder no more ladies and gentlemen, they are. I spent the night last night in awe about how these women swoon of this boy.

All in all it was a great concert (though not the kind of rock concert I'm used to) and I definately consider myself a fan. And as freaky as the "Grobanites" are, they are women with very good hearts. They have raised more than a half of a million dollars for the Josh Groban Foundation that is fighting Aids in Africa and you all know how I feel about that. :-)

p.s. The video is from the concert when he is talking about the glow sticks and paper hearts in the audience (from the Grobanites), and making a joke about how his next tour is going to be a rave. Can you imagine? Josh Groban and the Grobanites at a Rave? I'd definitely pay to see it.

Watch this...

I think it's kinda creepy.

Random Odd Questions

Every once in a while odd questions pop in to my head and I'm always very curious to know what people think about my odd questions.

So, I've posted some of them (and trust me these are not anywhere near the strangest things I think about.) and I'm dying to know what you think! So leave a comment and answer your favorite.

1. Is the world ready for a Mormon in the White House?
   
2. What would happen if Britany Spears, Nicole Ritchie, Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan were banished to a desert island?
   
3. Is Snape good or not?
   
4. What would your life be like if you could go back in time and change one big regret?
   
5. Is there anyone in this world who grew up to be what they wanted to grow up to be?
   
6. Would you ever get a “cornea tattoo?” (Yes, there is such a thing, I just read about it.) And if you answer Yes, WHY???!!!
   
7. What are your thoughts on Global Warming?
8. Does anyone ever actually read this blog?
   
9. And finally (yes, we the last question is #9… this is random after all), if U2 didn’t exist, would life be worth living? Don't bother answering this one, I already know the answer is NO! :-)

And if you really are dying to find out who won the "competition" from the previous post... and I know you are :-) ... I had to call it a draw and say there wasn't a real winner, there were too many factors...and my Dad is a sore loser. :-) I'll write more on this another day.

Good Versus Evil - Harry & Voldemort? No, me & my Dad!

See? I told you I'm a big 'ole dork! As of this moment there are only 13 hours 51 minutes and 15 seconds until I can read the final book Harry Potter series. And then I am taking the next 4 days of my life off! ALL I am going to do is read (and maybe do some laundry). I might think about spending some time with my family, but that's a big old maybe. I really only need 2 days to read, but I'll need the next 2 to recover.

For the last month and a half or so, my Dad has been picking fights with me over who dies and who is evil and who isn't. While I won't say which side either of us is on, I will say that I can't WAIT to see who is right... and I really really want to be the one who is right. Because I'm telling you NOTHING in this world is worse than when my Dad gloats! He is the KING of Tease!

And Dad, if you are reading this (and you will be, because I'm calling you in just a minute), I have something just for you, Ecclesiastes 3:3 (you can read the first two verses to catch you up). SO THERE!

I'll keep you posted on the progress of competition (I promise, NO SPOILERS).

Happy Reading!

If you are in NYC...

You must see the revival of Les Miserables! Robert Hunt has taken over the role of Javert. I'm telling you, I've seen this guy in this role, and he is AMAZING!!!

I have actually seen Les Mis a couple of different times with a couple of different people playing this role, and I he is the best ever! When he sings "Stars" it will be like you've died and gone to heaven.

So, lets recap:

• If you are in New York, see Les Mis and make sure that Robert Hunt is playing Javert!

Got it? Good. And if you do make it to the show, wait for him at the stage door and tell him how great he is, he'll love it. And don't forget to tell him hi from Melissa, he is my friend after all.

...I love it when I can brag about my friends! Especially when they deserve it as much as Robert does. :-)

22 Days and Counting!

I can't even tell you how excited I am about this book coming out. The only thing is, I have serious reading problem. The problem is that when I find a book that I love I obsess over it and don't get ANYTHING else done until I have read it. I think that my record for a Harry Potter book is Book 6 that I finished reading on Sunday afternoon, the day after it was released. See what I mean? It's a problem!

A Beautiful Day

May 25, 2007, was a beautiful day! Not only did I lose a sister, I got to take the pictures. :-) Next stop Cali!

If you are interested in seeing more of these, go to my flickr page.

A Preview

I know you've been dying for it! :-)

Photo Fun with the Newlyweds...well, almost Newlyweds

Last weekend I got to spend some quality time with my sister Emily and her fiance Rob taking engagement photos. Yay Me! Actually we had a great time, though by the end of it we were exhausted. I just thought I'd post some of my favorites so that all three of you who read this blog could share in the fun.

Something more interesting

I was just reading the last post, and it was probably the lamest post I've ever written. So here's "OK Go" so you can forget what you just read. ...Except my Aunt's Blog, that's interesting. :-)

I've been inspired!

I just got an email from my Aunt announcing her new family blog, and she inspired me to post. I'm not sure about what yet, but that is the beauty of this blog...it's about nothing.

Maybe I'll start with the news that everyone wants to hear, there is a wedding in the near future...and it ISN'T mine. :-) The curse that has haunted the Seamons women has been broken and my sister Emily is getting married. It seems to be the only thing that anyone in my family can talk about, and I love it. Emily and Rob are as happy as can be and a far cuter couple than should be allowed.

See? Aren't they cute with their flower boxes?

The only other news in my boring life is that I got a new camera! And friends, that is happy news. I have been saving for over a year (in between fixing cars and all the other crap that has taken away from my savings). Finally that, along with my tax refund was enough. It's a Canon Digital Rebel XTi and it makes me HAPPY!

It's even cuter than the previous picture. I've done a couple of shoots with it, and oh my, it makes me a MUCH better photographer. And a much HAPPIER photographer. I'm not sure if I'll ever give up my Film SLR, but to be honest with you, I haven't even looked at it in the last month let alone picked it up. The DSLR on the other hand has been my constant companion.

It's a sad, sad life.

So that's me in a nutshell...Oh, wait! I'm taking Piano Lessons. That's something else that makes me happy. Although, my 5 year old nephew asked me the other day "why are you still taking piano lessons?" My answer? I didn't practice enough when I was his age and the practicing I did between then and now was wrong! So now, 50 years later (ok, not 50, but close) I have to re-learn everything. It's slow going, but I think it will be worth it in the end.

Now, that's me in a nutshell...except wait... This will be fun for the mormons in my life, I am now a Primary Chorister. Eeek!

Bono's message for World AIDS Day

He says all that needs to be said. And no, it isn't just because it's Bono. Go to joinred.com! No one has to die from this disease.

Don't Forget

There is an emergency in our world

• More than 1 billion people around the world live on less than $1 a day.
• A child dies every three seconds from AIDS and extreme poverty.
• Africa has been hit harder by the HIV/AIDS virus than any other region of the world.
• Sub-Saharan Africa is home to over 70% of the total world HIV-positive population.
• Over one billion people do not have access to clean water.

December 1st is World Aids Day. Don't Forget!

Election Day 2006

It's that time of year again... you know, the time of year when I get on a soap box and make sure all 2 of you who read this blog know where I stand. I can hear you thinking "damn, she's going to start spewing her liberal leftist ideas." Don't worry, I'm not so don't stop reading. What I do want to say is this: If you haven't already, and if it is at all possible...VOTE!

Vote Democratic. Vote Republican. Vote Libertarian. Vote Green. I don't really care which way you vote, just VOTE! Living in the state I live in (... I guess I should capitalize that. No, I won't because Utah is as much as a state of being as it is a State in the Union) sometimes I feel like my vote doesn't matter. Sometimes it feels like 99% of Utahans are registered republicans ... I know, it's only like 85% :-) ... but I definitely am in the minority.

My point is, my vote matters. Especially this year when I'm voting for State officials and propositions. This is when I can make a difference, and YOU can make a difference. We need officials in our government that will work for us. And that isn't going to happen if on election day we, as my friend Lara so eloquently put it, "sit on our butts and eat cheese."

So, again, if it isn't too late and you've run out of cheese, go to the High School, or the Library, or the Elementary School, or the City Offices, and VOTE!

Happy Election Day!

Phucket Thai

The funniest thing just happened to me about 20 minutes ago...and we're talking so funny that I just barely stopped crying I was laughing so hard. Loria (best friend/roommate/in Napoleon Dynamite), came home about 20 minutes ago and asked me a question. The question she asked wasn't so funny, it was the outcome that was the funny part. The question was, "Did you ever think of the name of that Thai place?"

BACK STORY:

In June, Loria and I drove to So. Cal. to see my sister Emily and my friend Robert (and Celine Dion on the Teacups). While we were there, Emily drove us past a Thai place in Long Beach called Phuckit Thai. And yes, I know it is spelled P-h-u-c-k-e-t, but for pronunciation purposes, we'll spell it Phuckit... and for those of you who are clueless, in this story we pronounce ph as f, and yes I know that it isn't actually the pronunciation.

CURRENT STORY:

That said, let's return to Loria's question which, in case you need a refresher, was "Did you ever think of the name of that Thai place?"

My reply to her question was "Hu?"

You see, 20 minutes before she originally asked her question, she called...someone... to ask, and I quote,

"What was the name of that Thai place your sister took us to in California? Phucking Thai or something?"

The reply she got to her question was a very bewildered "I don't know."

To which Loria answered,

"It's OK, I'll be home in a minute. See you soon." And she hung up. Only, the conversation (unfortunately for Loria) wasn't that short, she said the name of the restaurant several times.

Who is she called you are wondering? Well...

...it was my Mom.

...I love my friends.

***UPDATE***

It is now Friday morning, and I have spoken to my Mother. As it turns out, the person Loria was swearing at was not my Mom, it was my Dad.

...This story just keeps getting better and better.

The Crazy Grover Family Reunion

Last week I went to my favorite place on earth with about half of my favorite people on earth, the Grover Family Reunion. So for the one of you who reads this blog that isn't a member of my family, that's where the photos in the following posts (August 9) come from. For those of you who are family and aren't in these photos, WE MISSED YOU!

If you want to view these photos larger, just click on them and it will take you to a bigger file on the flickr.com website. I also have other photos from last week on flickr, you can click here to see those.

Enjoy!

The Whole Family