Today I had planned to post one of those fun photo-an-hour posts. I spent the day yesterday making sure to snap a photo with my iPhone every hour. Today I downloaded the pictures off my phone and was super disappointed to discover that most of the photos were hazy and blah-looking. Apparently there was a smudge on my iPhone lens all day and I didn’t notice it. ARGH.
(Mom’s crazy dog and terrible back-lighting for the win!!)
I guess it’s a good reminder, though: things don’t always turn out how you expect, and very rarely are they as “picture perfect” as the photos you see on blogs suggest. The important take-away is that imperfection is okay.
Perhaps I’ll try again another day … and remember to clean my lens before I start!
Today’s #JANphotoaday topic was “What’s In Your Bag”. I thought I’d post it here too with the details of all my junk…
1. A notebook for ideas/planning/whatever.
2. A Laurel Denise 2012 planner (which I love).
3. My old Flip HD camera. I don’t really know why I carry this anymore, as I never use it.
4. Business card holder with my Proper Dog Media cards.
5. Favorite sunglasses.
6. Assorted pens, pencils and markers — a writing utensil for every mood!
7. Aquaphor for my almost-healed tattoo.
8. Gift card for AC Moore from my brother-in-law.
9. Wallet.
10. Gussy pouch full of lip gloss, bobby pins, etc.
11. Two checkbooks — personal and business accounts.
12. Key-card for work.
13. My iPhone 4S with
The bag itself is actually a Namaste Cali Laguna knitting bag. I used to carry a much smaller purse and I still switch off to it on weekends or when I go out. But this is the bag I carry most of the time so I can have my planner and notepad close at hand!
This was my first Monday back to work since the week before Thanksgiving, I believe. (I had vacation time to burn before the end of 2011, so I’d taken every Monday off through the end of the year!) It felt weird to be back at my desk, but I also felt extra-productive today.
I had the best weekend … on Saturday I went to a bridal expo with my mom (more about that on Wedding Wednesday) and tried on a few gowns. I didn’t find “THE” gown, but I did see some very pretty ones.
Sunday I went to a new church and actually really liked it. (*Gasp* I know – ME – church!? Sorry if this makes me responsible for bringing on the end of the world in 2012. Heh.)
Is anyone else doing #JANphotoaday? I’ve been posting mine to Instagram/Twitter. I started on Day 5 but I’m thinking I’m going to backtrack and post the days that I missed. Here are some recent snapshots for that:
And yes, I am aware I look just like my mother. ;)
P.S. If you want to follow me on Instagram, my username is mandi224 and if you’re not following me on Twitter – well – where the heck have you been!? I’m @mandi there.
At the end of last year, I was doing a lot of reading but then the holiday season crept up and I didn’t have enough time. Now I have a backlog of books that I’ve either purchased or had loaned to me, and I need to get caught up! Here’s what’s on the shelf (and Kindle) awaiting my attention:
Creative, Inc.
by Meg Mateo Ilasco and Joy Deangdeelert Cho
I bought this book after I saw some high praise for it on some fellow bloggers’ sites. I finished reading it last weekend but I really want to go back through it and make some notes.
The Sookie Stackhouse Companion
by Charlaine Harris
Another guilty-pleasure for me has been the Charlaine Harris series that the TV show True Blood was based on. My mom loaned me her copy of this book. If you’re like me, you read the books over a long period of time and then watched the TV show, and the storylines are all muddled together — this book recaps everything and also contains a new novella. I need to get this read so I can return it to my mother!
Steve Jobs
by Walter Isaacson
I’m not typically a biography-reader, and though I love my Apple products, I don’t necessarily worship at the altar of Steve Jobs like some people do. However, I heard great things about this book and was happy to receive a copy from my hunny as a Christmas gift. I started reading it while waiting at the dentist office on Monday (I know, I know – shouldn’t have started another book) and now I’m completely sucked into it. I actually can’t wait to finish this because it’s THAT interesting. (To me, anyway.)
Ruthless (Pretty Little Liars, Book #10)
by Sara Shepard
Young-adult ficition, I know. (Shut up.) I got hopelessly sucked into the TV series during the first season and devoured the series of books. (They’re super-fast reads.) This latest book came out December 6th and has been waiting on my Kindle for me to read it. Now that the TV series started up for the 3rd season, I’m all the more interested in getting back to this series.
All Wound Up: The Yarn Harlot Writes for a Spin
by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee
I love Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. She writes hilarious and heartwarming knitting essays. (Yes, you read that correctly.) This was another book that I pre-ordered and have been slowly reading through. This book seems to have a slightly different tone than her past books — a little less laugh-out-loud humorous — so I think it’s been slowing me down a little because it’s not what I typically expect. (Don’t get me wrong though, it is still well worth the read if you’re a knitter or fiber-artist!)
Room: A Novel
by Emma Donoghue
I downloaded the sample chapter of this on my Kindle last year and read it. It was unique (written from a child’s perspective) and really fantastic, but at the same time a little upsetting. (Read the synopsis to see what I mean.) I had to digest what I read and think about whether it was too upsetting to want to finish. In the end, I decided that it was too fascinating to pass up.
Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
by Stieg Larsson
This one has been on my Kindle since last year too. I started reading it and found myself really struggling to keep the characters’ names strait (Does anyone else have the issue that if they can’t pronounce the name, they can’t remember it? Maybe it’s just me.) and as a result, I got really lost in the plot. Since then I’ve talked to a few friends who said they experienced the same issue with the characters/plot but they said if you push through the first 30-50 pages, it gets MUCH better. So I really want to go back and read this.
Damned
by Chuck Palahniuk
I’ve only read one Chuck Palahniuk book before (can’t remember which, but I remember I liked it) and for some reason this one appealed to me.
It’s been sitting quietly on my Amazon wishlist waiting for me to finish some of these other books! (Ha!)
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
by Ransom Riggs
I was browsing the new paperbacks section at Barnes and Noble when I spotted this book. Something about the cover really, really caught my eye and piqued my curiousity.
This is another one that’s on my wishlist to read some time soon as well.
What’s on YOUR to-read list?
Do you prefer reading on an e-reader/tablet or from a good ol’ paperback?
