they call me a cultural curmudgeon...

Zak and Kellie's Wedding!

2010-07-29T19:15:00.000-07:00

So... It's been a while. And when I say a while, I mean over a year. I have totally fallen off the blog wagon, and the only reason I'm back is to post some photos of my fabulous friends who were just married Sunday. :)

Allow me to introduce... Zak and Kellie! I was so honored to be a part of their day. Zak and Casey were close friends from college, and the three of us would hang out whenever he was in town. So naturally, I was so excited to meet Kellie. And she. is. AMAZING.

The day began at Alex's Beauty Bar in Isla Vista, where Kellie and the girls spent the morning getting ready.

Kellie's bridesmaids had these gorgeous metallic sandals. Naturally, I am drawn to sparkly things, so... Picture!

Kellie's bouquet... with hydrangeas! My fav.

Zak and Kellie had a really amazing orthodox wedding at St. Athanasius in IV. It was only the second orthodox wedding I've ever shot, and I loved it. Everything was so infused with meaning and beautiful.

Loved this moment of Kellie and Zak exchanging looks as they circle the altar.

Driving from the church to the reception on the beach was definitely a lot of fun. Zak drove while Kellie sat in the backseat, apparently because she needed to stretch out. So I rode in the front, feeling a tad awkward. :) People kept asking why Kellie wasn't in the front seat! Here's my view...

Zak could not keep his eyes of his beautiful bride, however. I loved the glances he kept stealing in the rearview mirror. :)

The whole gang outside the reception!

Kellie and her fabulous gals...

Kellie and her mom getting kisses! Love this one.

When they arrived at the reception, everyone was so happy to see them.

First dance..

Love this moment with Zak and his mom during their dance...

And instead of a cake, they had a fruit tart, which was gorgeous and yummy.

How cute are they?

And their grand exit surrounded by bubbles!

Zak and Kellie, thank you so much for your friendship and for trusting me with your pictures. Your wedding was so beautiful and Case and I can't wait to share life with you when you return. Have a blast in Costa Rica!

hugs,
Lara

FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF MAWWIAGE!

2009-06-14T20:24:00.000-07:00

Today is a momentous day, because exactly one year ago, my husband Casey and I got married. :)

Yay, anniversaries! It's only our first one, but I think I like them. :)

We decided to celebrate yesterday and went out for the fanciest breakfast I've ever had...

Of course we needed a silly self portrait to begin the morning. I love that our self-portaits are always back focused. Note to self: GROW LONGER ARMS.

So we ended up at our favorite (and overpriced) breakfast place, Jeannine's on Figueroa. It's definitely our little treat to ourselves once every few months and we decided to get dressed up and get a late breakfast together to celebrate instead of doing the typical "going out to dinner" thing...

Case got some nice champagne to go with his breakfast and I got a Bellini (Champgne and peach nectar) to go with mine. SOOO yummy.

Omelet Capresse with basil, cherry tomatoes and goat cheese. It was definitely way too rich and I only finished half of it. But it's pretty, right?

Afterwards we walked around the little paseo outside and enjoyed the sunshine. Then off to the bookstore to read for a little while. It was so nice to not have anywhere to be...

After a day of laying around the house, watching movies, and going to see "UP" in 3D at the Arlington with our friend Kate (which was FABULOUS, by the way) we took the top layer of our cake out of the freezer to see if it was still intact... I was skeptical, but it actually tastes fine? If we die of food poisoning in the next week or so, you guys will know what happened. :)

Sigh. Such a great day. And now, I'm going to have to get all gushy, so all you others out there in blog land should tune out. This is my "barf alert" to you. :)

Case, I'm so glad I married you. You are my hero and my other half. I can't wait to spend all of our anniversaries together. I'm so privileged to be your wife, and I love you. <3

:)

Hannah and Ben engagement photos!!!

2009-04-29T11:22:00.000-07:00

Slowly easing into my morning because it's been a hectic last few days at work! We're really trying to pump out stories at Noozhawk, and so far, we're getting great feedback from the community and in our ad sales. It's been great, but I've lapsed in my blogging a bit.

Last weekend, I had the good fortune of being able to photograph one of my best friends, Hannah, and her fiance, Ben. Their wedding is in September, and although I'm not technically shooting it (although you can bet I'll have my camera there every second!) I'm excited because I'll be in her wedding as her maid of honor! It's hard to express how excited I am about getting all dolled up to stand next to my best friend while she gets married. Hannah was in my wedding last June, and it meant everything that she could fly out and be with me. :)

So... After we shot Michael and Carly's wedding, we drove back to Nashville for a shoot with them downtown before catching a flight back to California.

How gorgeous is Hannah? For reals.

I love you guys so much! Thanks for hanging out with us!!!

Michael and Carly's wedding!

2009-04-20T10:27:00.001-07:00

Just wanted to blog about our amazing weekend we spent photographing our friends Michael and Carly's wedding. It was an absolute blast and I was so honored to be a part of the festivities. Casey was in the wedding, but I got to tag along with the wedding party all weekend and photograph everything! Too fun.

Here they are in front of this giant train that was outside of the reception venue...

Seriously, how gorgeous is Carly?

Downtown Paducah has some really fun cobblestone streets and fun buildings, so we decided to take the girls down there for a few shots...

Michael seeing Carly for the first time... I was tearing up. He was so excited to see her!

The boys in the woods behind Carly's parents house...

They exchanged vows under this incredible arbor that Michael built. I was standing behind it so I got to see all the little moments the audience couldn't! I love this moment of the two of them taking communion.

Then the whole wedding party got on a trolley bound for the reception...

Carly and her sisters. Sooo photogenic. I love it.

Everyone sending them off with little ribbon sticks! So cute!

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Thank you so much, you two, for letting me part of your day! I am so honored!!! :D

2009-04-07T21:53:00.000-07:00

Just finished my assignments for the day, and am slowly winding down. I'm thinking it's time to work out and watch "Amazing Race." My old roommate and best friend used to joke about going on the show, racing around the world and hurtling towards the finish line and $1 million. But everyone that goes on the show always ends up having a communication breakdown with their partner, with all the crazy stress, and I wonder if I could actually handle it... Hmm. I will ponder this while I (try to) do situps.

Two other things on my mind.

- I am STOKED to shoot the wedding of two of my very best friends next week! Our friends, Michael and Carly, after years of long distance dating, and many conversations consoling both of them through the crazy lonliness that that begets, are finally getting married! Whoo! Casey and I are flying to Nashville next Thursday to be with them and I am so, so excited to shoot their big day. Man, what an honor. I hope I do a good job! PRESSURE'S ON! :D I can't wait, you two.

-I just realized that I need more pictures of my husband in my life. Since I work two jobs (that I LOVE, don't get me wrong) that involve photography, I sometimes really neglect to take fun pictures, for myself and of my family. I really treasure those, and I need to start shooting them more. I've noticed that a lot of photographers have trouble documenting their OWN lives, myself included. Note to self: work on this.

G'night, all!

Violet turns 90!

2009-04-05T16:12:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I had an opportunity I don't get too often, but when I do, I'm always excited. About a week ago, I had a lady send me an inquiry about shooting an event. Not unusual, but as she told me more, I knew it would be a special one. :) Turns out, her grandmother, Violet, was turning 90 and family from all over was flying in for a super fun birthday party!

Of course, not being one to turn down a party, I said "Absolutely!" And I'm so glad I did! Jana and her cousin, Lori, did a great job planning the whole event and it went without a hitch.

They were so welcoming and their family is amazing! I was so honored to be there shooting - with my own family living across the country, I know how important family pictures are. When you finally do get together, you want to save those memories forever.

So here we go... :)

When Violet first walked in, she was totally swamped with hugs and kisses!

Cousins Jana and Lori who did all the planning..

One of our big group shots. Love it.

This one might be one of my favorites. Violet was so cute.

Thanks so much guys for such a fun afternoon. :D

L

2009-03-20T11:35:00.000-07:00

This from last night's game and my good friend and old co-worker Dave Smith, who's following WKU out here in Portland. Here's the link to his fabulous slideshow.

SEE YOU SUNDAY, GONZAGA. Also, I've missed seeing my amorphous mascot.

2009-03-17T15:52:00.001-07:00

Packing up snacks and burning cd's for the car because I'm about to drive down to Beverly Hills for a writing conference. Yay! Fun times. If only I can survive the traffic... :/

2009-03-15T21:59:00.000-07:00

The MUni article is running tomorrow and has been posted. Check it out! Yay.

Great weekend. Definitely need to catch up on some sleep though... Meh.

2009-03-11T09:17:00.000-07:00

Great article from the Wired blog.....

Times Techie Envisions the Future of News
By Ryan Singel

Nick Bilton, an editor in the New York Times research and development lab, doesn't think much of newspaper. In fact, he doesn't even get the Sunday paper delivered to his house.

Thankfully for Bilton and his employer, he's bullish on news. It's just the paper he hates.

"Paper is dying, but it's just a device," Bilton told Wired.com ahead of his talk Tuesday at the O'Reilly Emerging Technology conference in San Jose, California. "Replacing it with pixels is a better experience."

Bilton, a youthful technologist who programs mashups in his free time, is charged with inventing the future for the Gray Lady in an era of troubled times for newspapers. Fewer people are subscribing, classified ads are decamping for the internet and online revenues aren't making up for lost print ads.

But Bilton envisions a world where news is freed from the confines of newsprint and becomes better.

He speaks of smart content, smart sensors, avatars reading the news to you from your television and even interactive newspaper boxes that print out a personalized paper and automagically orders your customary drink at a nearby Starbucks.

That means Bilton is thinking of a world where traditional news stories show up on little mobile screens, laptops, e-book readers and television screens.

"If I start reading something on my laptop, why should I see it on my phone if I've already read it?," Bilton asked, pointing to one of problems he wants to fix.

And what if the accelerometer and cell site data indicate he's going 60 mph? Well, then the Times mobile app on his cell phone should read the news aloud.

Ebooklongform That app might look something like the upcoming Adobe Air reader the group helped build for the Times-owned International Herald Tribune.

The reader gracefully re-lays out pages based on screen shape, uses Flash for video and interactive ads, and provides an option for a bird's-eye view of stories to let users browse the paper. That's perfect, Bilton said, for people using reading the news on 800-pixel-wide netbook screens.

In-depth reporting can get a second life being re-packaged as a standalone e-book. Stories can be made to work with networked televisions, letting people see video interviews, high-res pictures, map views and timelines. They could even read excerpts from or even buy books written by experts quoted in a story.

The Times is already adding notes to stories about how users can follow a story by sending a text message and soon will be adding computer-readable images called semacodes, as well.

Bilton's lab is working on a custom NYTimes application that will only show stories you're interested in and let you save videos for playback at home. It would allow you to use your phone as a TV remote control when at home.Customprintout

But don't all of those technology changes mean that newspapers will die?

Bilton thinks not, pointing out that in 1876 news accounts of the telephone predicted that concert halls and churches would be empty because of the new device, and a year later, predicted that the phonograph would kill the telephone and concerts, because people could choose when to listen.

"Newspapers and news organizations are not going anywhere," Bilton said.

Except onto your phone, e-book reader, laptop and maybe even your shower wall.

2009-03-10T23:30:00.000-07:00

YAY, TEAM!!!!

So proud. Last year, we made it to the Sweet Sixteen...

HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL!

Saturday morning...

2009-03-07T09:34:00.000-08:00

Gah. How much do I love this show? I decided to start watching disc three of season one while Case is out doing Viewpoints this morning. I think I love it so much because the underlying message of the show is that it's okay to be nerdy and that whenever you can supercede mere mortals with your crazy math knowledge to solve crimes, that's a good thing. I barely made it through highschool math (oh, the horror) but have great respect for those of us who are numerically nimble. Go nerds.

muni!

2009-03-06T13:36:00.000-08:00

Taking a break from my stories today for a quick blog post. It's been a busy Friday and an even busier week. A great one, but I'm definitely ready for a break.

Wanted to post some pictures of my shoot from last Saturday and my three hour hike on the Jesusita trail with the muni guys. Check them out, if you haven't already. They are fantastic guys and I'm hoping to have a story and a slideshow up next week of my images and interviews with them.

Here's Eyal, riding while balancing on this ledge thing.

And Dennis hopping from rock to rock on his uni.

The trail was so awesome. I'm trying to talk Case into going up there with me this weekend. Okay, I'm off to keep writing. Oh, and here's the slideshow from the amgen race that I said I would post, like a million weeks ago. Eesh.

Back from cycle land

2009-02-20T20:06:00.000-08:00

Just got in from the Amgen Tour of California Time Trials that came through Solvang today. I went with another photographer to shoot the event, which draws THOUSANDS of people out to see all these pro cyclists. I'm not super into cycling (make that not at all) but it was so fun to get out and shoot all day. I'll link to the slideshow I made for the website when it's posted. Also, shot Lance Armstrong, who had surprisingly little facial expression. Not a great shot, but hey, I was a little bit starstruck. He also did not do so well, and ended up placing 14th. Whoops.

Time to enjoy the bottle of wine they gave all the media (It's GOOD to live in wine country.) They hooked us up with some SWEET swag, including a cool messenger bag and handmade chocolates. We're staying in tonight to savor these goodies and catch up on our netflix. Whoo!

What's everyone up to for the weekend?

2009-02-16T21:35:00.000-08:00

I am such a delinquent blogger. I'm very ashamed. I always make fun of the people who never post, letting a month (or two) go between entries, and even complain "Why do they even have blogs???"

Well, after a week of being MIA, I come back to you, blog and loyal readers (aka my friends who still check this) with hat in hand to say - I'm sorry. I'm back now. Will you take me back and forgive me for being a slacker?

I hope you said yes. Because I actually have a (sortof) legitimate excuse. I started my new job a week and a half ago! YIPPEE! I am so in-heart with it. Everyday I get to wake up, search out some stories, go out and talk to people and come home and write (in my pajamas if I want to!) and I get to report on news for Santa Barbara County. I am not exaggerating when I say I am having a blast.

If you live in Santa Barbara, Noozhawk should be your source for local news. End of story. And not just because you guys are my biggest fans. :D

Sigh. So on top of landing an amazing job (THANK YOU, LORD) I had an amazing long weekend/Valentine's Day. Details and pictures later, I promise. And no more avoiding you, dear blog. <3

2009-02-06T08:38:00.000-08:00

It's a beautiful, chilly wet day here in SB. I can't get enough of this weather. My favorite thing in all the world is waking up in my warm covers and feeling crisp, rained-on air coming in through the open window adjacent to our bed. I wish it rained more here...

Saw Slumdog Millionaire last night, which was really amazing. It was incredibly gritty and the movie was basically a long, unflinching look at India's slums and the people that come out of that environment. It was pretty much right on in its portrayal of what it's like, as much as I can say that not having spent time in Mumbai, but I've spent a little time in the North (Delhi area) and many of the problems there are similar.

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Settling into my new job these last few days has been... interesting? I'm a little overwhelmed. Ha. I'm trying to get the hang of updating 3-4 times a day with different news stories, which is really rewarding when it's done, but I always feel like I'm running behind. I just need to establish a routine, I think. So far, this work has been GREAT and the people I'm working with are the best I could ask for. I'm pretty stoked. :)

I'm running out to a rummage sale really quick before I start on work for the day. I'm turning into a granny. Love it. Everyone have a great Friday!

2009-02-02T20:40:00.000-08:00

Back to the blog after a weekend of R&R. Caught up with my good friend Sarah Palm and helped her put the finishing touches on her apartment, which she turned back over to her landlord yesterday. Yet another friend who has moved away in the last month? It's a little bit uncanny how all my friends are leaving SB these days... :( She's moved back to the Bay area to live at home and go back to school and I'm excited for her. Just more than a little sad that I have one less friend to call up on the fly and go for a walk with... Meh.

Sorry about my last post. What a crummy day! I was bummed because I had a less-than-productive visit with my doctor. I've been having a lot of back pain, and she does an x-ray and then tells me, because of my health insurance, the only person that can see me for this type of thing is a NEUROSURGEON. Um? Last time I checked the word "neurosurgeon" connotes, ahem, SURGERY. Which I do NOT need. And to even to get in to see this guy I would have to do a CT scan, which involves having barium juice injected into my spinal column with a gigantic hypodermic needle, much like an epidural. To that that I say, "No, thank you." And so I return to popping ALEVE caplets by myself while googling spinal therapy exercises. Will I continue to self-medicate? Yep.

Since I've posted two negative things, I'm going to post two positive things. I'm listening to the "Slumdog Millionaire" soundtrack, which is AWESOME! Most of it is crazy techno with people singing in Hindi, which as you know, is right up my alley. I heart Bollywood. I've been dying to see this movie ever since I heard there was a dance scene at a Mumbai train station involving 1,000 dancers. Um. I'm amazed, and I haven't even seen it.

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Also, I had a piece run in the Independent this week! Fun! It's good to see my name in print again... :D

Which leads me to the big news... I HAVE A JOB! Yay!!! As of Wednesday, I'll be the newest reporter with Noozhawk, an online news source that covers Santa Barbara, Goleta and Carpinteria. I am so excited to be a part of the team. I start the day after tomorrow, so I will let everyone know how things go. I feel like it's a great move since Noozhawk is one of three companies in all of California that are doing what they're doing: Being a local newspaper, without paper, online. Imagine that! I feel like this is the model newspapers will wake up and realize is the only way journalism can survive in a new era, but only after they implode and file for bankruptcy. It feels like every day, I wake up and read about another newspaper casualty. Today I read that the LA Times company is about to give another 300 employees the axe. It's looking pretty scary out there, folks, and the industry has got to do something different to survive. Anyhoo, I feel pretty honored to be a part of the team. :)

Hearts!

2009-01-30T16:28:00.000-08:00

Yay! Case has a blog! Finally!

Also, not so much in the mood to post. Just got back from a depressing doctor's visit involving blood tests and x-rays. Don't worry, I'm not dying. Just... sad. I think I'll recover by taking a nap.

Meh. Weird day.

2009-01-28T13:24:00.001-08:00

Just found this interesting article from a great blog by Seth Godin...

When newspapers are gone, what will you miss?

Years and years after some pundits began predicting the end of newspapers, the newspapers themselves are finally realizing that it's over. Huge debt, high costs, declining subscription rates, plummeting ad base--will the last one out please turn off the lights.

On their way out, though, we're hearing a lot of, "you'll miss us when we're gone..." laments. I got to thinking about this. It's never good to watch people lose their livelihoods or have to move on to something new, even if it might be better. I respect and honor the hard work that so many people have put into newspapers along the way. If we make a list of newspaper attributes and features, which ones would you miss?

Woodpulp, printing presses, typesetting machines, delivery trucks, those stands on the street and the newsstand... I think we're okay without them.

The sports section? No, that's better online, and in no danger of going away, in fact, overwritten commentary by the masses is burgeoning.

The weather? Ditto. Comics are even better online, and I don't think we'll run out of those.

Book and theater and restaurant reviews? In fact, there are more of these online, often better, definitely more personal and relevant, and also in no danger of going away.

The full page ads for local department stores? The free standing inserts on Sunday? The supermarket coupons? Easily replaced.

How about the editorials and op eds? Again, I think we're not going to see opinion go away, in fact, the web amplifies the good stuff.

What's left is local news, investigative journalism and intelligent coverage of national news. Perhaps 2% of the cost of a typical paper. I worry about the quality of a democracy when the the state government or the local government can do what it wants without intelligent coverage. I worry about the abuse of power when the only thing a corrupt official needs to worry about is the TV news. I worry about the quality of legislation when there isn't a passionate, unbiased reporter there to explain it to us.

But then I see the in depth stories about the gowns to be worn to the inauguration or the selection of the White House dog and I wonder if newspapers are the most efficient way to do this anyway.

The web has excelled at breaking the world into the tiniest independent parts. We don't use this to support that online. Things support themselves. The food blog isn't a loss leader for the gardening blog. They're separate, usually run by separate people or organizations.

Punchline: if we really care about the investigation and the analysis, we'll pay for it one way or another. Maybe it's a public good, a non profit function. Maybe a philanthropist puts up money for prizes. Maybe the Woodward and Bernstein of 2017 make so much money from breaking a story that it leads to a whole new generation of journalists.

The reality is that this sort of journalism is relatively cheap (compared to everything else the newspaper had to do in order to bring it to us.) Newspapers took two cents of journalism and wrapped in ninety-eight cents of overhead and distraction. The magic of the web, the reason you should care about this even if you don't care about the news, is that when the marginal cost of something is free and when the time to deliver it is zero, the economics become magical. It's like 6 divided by zero. Infinity.

I'm not worried about how muckrakers will make a living. Tree farmers, on the other hand, need to find a new use for newsprint.

2009-01-26T21:44:00.000-08:00

Just in from a late night walk outside... We bundled up to brave the cold (50s?) I'm clearly practicing my layering for when the time comes to move to a colder, trendier city. I heard that Chicago got down to -30 the other day! Is this true? I admit, living in Southern California does shelter us from the extremes, but that just sounds nuts.

Also, we just finished catching up on "30 Rock" episodes. LOVE IT.

Also, my husband is yawning. I think he might be about to pass out... It's not even 10 p.m.? We are turning into GEEZERS! SDJFKSDFJGSDHG

Saturdays are for crafts

2009-01-24T17:16:00.000-08:00

Today I made this. I've been noticing we needed something to hold utensils by the stove in our kitchen, so I pulled the label off an empty oatmeal can and cut out little paper chrysanthemums (sp?) and pasted them on. Hooray for reduce, reuse.

I think it turned out well. We're about to scarf down some dinner and venture downtown to Border's. Maybe we'll run into Penelope Cruz? The film festival has turned downtown a little bit crazy... I hope we can find parking.

Also, I have exciting job news! I want to spill the beans so bad, but it's not for sure yet, so I don't want to jinx it. An update for sure on Monday, though... :)

2009-01-23T21:44:00.000-08:00

Case just made me watch "Hellboy" with him. UGH.

My husband is a fanboy.

Thankful list!

2009-01-21T10:20:00.000-08:00

Some days, I just wake up grateful. I'm more prone to smile, and think to myself "WOW, I have it really, really good." It just happens naturally. Other days, it's more work and I have to push past my (sometimes) grumple-guss tendencies.

Today is a thankful day:

7 things I am thankful for:
(in no specific order)

1) PODCASTS - Anyone who's ever worked from home or doesn't have tons of face-to-face interaction with people throughout their workday will know EXACTLY what I mean. With our house lacking a television (another thing I'm grateful for), having one of these going while I work is awesome. And free! Love it. Also, in this vein is Pandora. Gah, I love that thing.

2) HOMEMADE SALSA - With a bowl of this stuff and some corn chips, I am one happy camper. Case just started making our own since most of the stuff you buy just tastes kinda funky/over-processed. Throwing some together that's the perfect (spice) temperature and tastes completely fresh turns out to be super easy. I love it. Perhaps I'll post the recipe if there are any salsa-philes out there...

3) RIDING MY GIRL BIKE INSTEAD OF USING MY CAR - A small thing that is very rewarding to me. Deciding to run my errands on bike, getting everything done and arriving home revived, albeit sweaty, is awesome. Having the health to be able to do this is great, something I never take for granted.

4) MY AWESOME HUSBAND - Keep in mind, this list is NOT in order. I do not love my husband less than podcasts or salsa. :) Hah. But seriously, I am so unworthy of such a great spouse! Hugs in the morning before he leaves for work, sharing breakfast before the day starts... Sigh. He is a good, good thing. :)

5) THESE COCONUT THINGS WE MADE - This also pertains to my husband... He is a fantastic cook, and helped me make these chocolate dipped macaroon things. EXCELLENT! I snagged this recipe over at Domino (which I can also post if anyone wants it.) I'll just say that we'll definitely be serving these at our next dinner party...

6) THE ABILITY TO START OVER - Losing my "day job" over a month ago has been such a huge blessing in my life. Although I adored my co-workers, we worked for someone who has different values than I do, and it was such a bummer to feel compromised that way. The free time has left me with more time to write, build my business, freelance and focus on articles that interest me, and learn about things I've always wanted to. For example, I checked out a bunch of books from our library and am teaching myself how to change the oil in my car. Sort of a small thing, but it's something that empowers me and contributes to my own autonomy. It's been great to rediscover that I am NOT my job, something that's pretty contrary to the American psyche.

7) WATCHING MY FRIENDS START OVER - This one is bittersweet. Lately, it feels like all of our close friends are moving away from Santa Barbara. Most of the people we know are in their early 20s and in a really transitional stage of like, and unfortunately, Santa Barbara is a really hard place for young people to sustain a living. I'm grateful for the excitement and new beginnings that are in store for them. Friends have left or are leaving for Boston, Denver and San Francisco, and it's been hard not to feel a little left behind, like we should be moving on, too. But God's timing is perfect, and we'll move when things line up, and not before then. Besides, it's not like this is a terrible place to live... ;)

So there are a few that just popped into my head. This is a good exercise if your having a bleh-day, or even if you aren't. LIFE IS GOOD!!!

These guys rule

2009-01-16T09:15:00.000-08:00

I'm super pumped about this weekend because I'll be starting a multimedia project on the Santa Barbara Mountain Unicycling club. That's right... Mountain Unicycling. I, too, am terrified and fascinated at the prospect. I can't wait to see these guys in action and I'm hoping I can keep up with them. They hike a little ways into the mountains and then let er'rip on their unis on the way down. I'm hoping I won't turn into queen huff-n-puff with all my gear on my back.

Here's a photo from their website, sbuni.com. Crazy! I love it.

I'll post some of my own when I get back Sunday... If the project turns out, the Indy has expressed some interest in putting it up in their multimedia section, which would be sweet. I'll let you know if/when it's posted...

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Three day weekend for Case! (And me too, but somehow weekends don't really have the same appeal when you don't work 9-5) We're trying to figure out what we might do. The weather has been so gorgeous here (80s this week!) we might do a little camping... We'll see.

Happy Friday, everyone!

L

Dinner adventures...

2009-01-15T18:34:00.000-08:00

Today I decided I would embark on a little adventure. Casey usually does most of our cooking, with my prowess relegated to bread and dessert. Usually, I just stay out of the way during dinner time and let him do his thing. For dinner tonight, I decided to give him the night off since he has a rehearsal and take the brunt of the cooking on myself...

So I decided on a relatively simple pasta dish. How can you go wrong with that? I consulted a great little cook book we got for our wedding. Here I am wondering "is it true? Can, in fact, anyone cook?"

I am incredulous. Doubtful, I press on. But then I notice that the skill level of the recipe is noted as a "2." This bodes well for me.

Definitely my first recipe with baby broccoli (which is sweeter and more mild a flavor than normal broccoli) but it turned out quite well, I think.

Case was very complementary when he got home. Despite my creation of another mediocre pasta dish, he was gracious. I bought a modestly priced cab, lit a few tea lights, a mini-date night was made.

Successful!

Nice job, self. Maybe I will venture into the kitchen more often... :)

NEW SITE!!!!!!!

2009-01-15T18:21:00.000-08:00

Yay! My site is UP AND RUNNING!!! Woohoo! Take a look and let me know what you think... :D

www.laracooperphoto.com

PS. I designed it myself so let me know if any of the buttons aren't working. Haha.

So... many... PROJECTS...

2009-01-08T08:59:00.000-08:00

Sorry I've been underground for the last few days. I'm really pushing hard to have my new website up and running by tomorrow or this weekend at the latest. Yippee! Which means less blogging and more nose to the grindstone. I can wait to show everyone the work I've been up to.

I've also been busy with other things. Yesterday, I stopped by the Independent's budget meeting and met their staff (who are all fabulous) and talked with an editor there about doing some freelance work, which would be a lot of fun if it works out. I'm also thinking about doing some volunteer work up at Fairview Gardens, an organic farm right here in the city of Goleta, which could be AWESOME. I'll be interviewing for that tomorrow.

Fun times! God is so good to me. Sorry for such a lame post! I'm busy working, the results of which you will all hopefully be privy to soon... :)

2009-01-05T14:13:00.000-08:00

After many moons of travel, I don't have too many pictures of the great Christmas journey because I forsook my Nikon for my tiny point and shoot Canon, which for the most part, drives me nuts. It's just... sort of a piece of crap. But I did manage to catch a few gems with family I rarely see, which was great.

Case and I traveled to Oklahoma where my family lives and also my dear friend, Jennifer Hoppa. This was the first stop on our trip. Jen was my bff in high school and is just an all-round quality person. We brought her a crapload of cheese from Trader Joe's as her christmas gift, which was promptly devoured at her apartment...

From Oklahoma, we stopped at my grandmother's house in Starkville to see her side of the family, then on to Jackson, Tennessee to see my grandfather and my dad's side. My best friend Hannah picked me up from there and brought me to Nashville where we were for the last three days of our trip. There we stayed at her new house (which is ADORABLE) hung out with her fiancee (!)(yes, she has set a date and I am the maid of honor. SWEET!) We got to see so many of our old friends in Nashville. It's amazing how many of them have relocated and ended up there, including some of our Santa Barbara friends. It all just culminated into one crazy big New Year's celebration. It was so amazing to see my California friends meet my roommate from college, friends from Kentucky, etc. It was like worlds colliding in the best way possible.

A shout out to everyone we got to see! Thanks for being so amazing to us!

2009-01-05T14:10:00.000-08:00

Case bought me this teacup from Anthropologie as one of my christmas gifts and I'm kind of in love with it. I can never find ANYTHING with my name on it, so initials do just as well.

Christmas pictures on the way!

New year, new... office?

2009-01-05T09:49:00.000-08:00

After ten days of traveling, it's fantastic to be back in Santa Barbara. No matter how excellent the trip or how amazing the destination, I'm always relieved and excited to be home. I didn't use to think of myself as a homebody and still recoil at the accusation... but I sort of am one.

Today will be filled with blog posts! Yay! I meant all along my trip to update, but... Well. You know how the holidays are. We single-handedly saw dozens of friends and family members in three different states over our ten day journey, and being on the computer was the last thing on my mind. I have lots of trip pictures to update today, which I'll hopefully get to sometime today after lunch.

One of my new year's projects I'm tackling is getting organized, which leads inexorably to getting our home office in shape. Those who know me best know that I hate, hate, hate clutter. It just... stresses me out. I can't work or think until my workspace is clean. Technically, I could probably chalk it up to OCD, but I like to think it's a necessary evil when living in a small apartment.

So I'm browsing IKEA and Domino for ideas. I'd like to figure out how to make a storage unit like on of these work to store our papers and office knick knacks...

Also, blogger is moving really slow right now... Grrr.

On our way out of town....

2008-12-22T11:51:00.000-08:00

I am so wayyy behind on posting, so here I go...

Saturday night, Casey and I went to see Lit Moon's production of "A Christmas Carol" at Westmont. My dear friends Kate and Erin (who also played Scrooge? FABULOUS.) were in the production and Jim, who composed the music for the show, and his girlfriend, Anna, came out with us afterwards to Paradise, which is where the above pic was taken. Erin is my new friend I helped pack up a few weeks ago, and we were all celebrating her wonderful life and the things she'll do in a new city. She left Sunday, and though I'm sad to see her go (and my dwindling supply of girlfriends get even smaller) I'm excited to hear about her adventures. :)

We're leaving for Tulsa at 3 in the morning tonight! Eeesh. We're flying out of Burbank, which will hopefully be less crazy than LAX two days before Christmas. I'm expecting to be completely exhausted by the time we get there, but am nevertheless excited. Expect pictures. I've got a bunch of laundry and random errands to do before we leave, so I'll sign off now...

Christmas is coming!!! YIPPEE

2008-12-15T10:49:00.001-08:00

My dad just sent me this pic of my family back from a few months ago when we were all in town for my grandma's funeral. Worst circumstances ever, but it was SO wonderful to see everyone.

HOME FOR CHRISTMAS!!! YAY!

Free time? PSYCHE...

2008-12-12T09:56:00.000-08:00

The great thing about not having a job for a while is being able to do the things you've wanted to but have been unable to. A list of things I've done this week? Why sure...

-Volunteered to work at Fairview Gardens, an urban, organic farm here in town

-Took a giant box of food to the Foodbank. (Which everyone should do! They'll be accepting holiday donations until Dec. 31st...)

-Made a new kind of bread that turned out AMAZING. I used buttermilk? Which initially grossed me out, but I can remember both of my grandmothers cooking with it, so I kept on. Man, am I glad I did!

-Made Christmas presents for my mom and Casey's parents

-Bought a christmas tree at Art from Scrap for 50 cents and turned our apartment into a winter wonderland! Not really, but it definitely looks more festive now

-Hung out with friends on weeknights (!)

-Helped a new friend pack up her things for her move to Boston next week...

This last one was probably the most rewarding. Yesterday, I met my new friend Erin at her house and we jumped in my car to go dumpster dive downtown for some boxes. We found a dumpster full of clean, almost new boxes outside of Staples (thank you Lord!) and went back to her house to pack for the next few hours. I met her and reconnected this Fall and she is a keeper. :) We're still brand new at being friends, but yesterday was great. I watched her pack up her life and did the best I could to help set up boxes and wrap up breakables. She'll be moving to Boston in next week or so, and I'll be the first to admit that I'm living a little bit vicariously through her. Watching her throw things out, simplify her life and prepare for this big giant step of moving thousands of miles away makes me so excited because I remember how rewarding my own move out to California was last year. We sold most of my things in a garage sale, packed up the mini-van with what we could fit inside it and set off across the country. I love the adventure of moving and the challenge (and reward) of starting over, and the faith it conjures up. It takes a lot of guts to do that, a lot of bravery. I don't think she reads this blog, but I'm proud of you, Erin. The adventure is always worth it. :)

-------

I've got some random errands to take care of (Christmas presents!!!) but tonight is the Mercury Lounge's christmas party!!! If you're in town, come to Old Town around 7 and get free barbeque! Woot! I'm sure it'll be wimpy California barbeque (HA), but you know.. I LOVE this season!

I love you all, and I'm going to be better about blogging. I thought I would have so much time, but it's getting filled up, with GREAT things luckily. :)

Peace and joy!
L

Nice words from public comment on the Indy's site...

2008-12-05T09:20:00.000-08:00

"It's a sad day for Goleta when we lose not just the Voice, but the wonderful and professional journalists led by Jim Logan, who kept the Voice alive.

We wish Logan, Lannen, Cooper and all the rest a wonderful new adventure as they move on, leaving Wendy mired in the ashes from the conflagration she cannot or will not put out."

news-press, schmooze-press...

2008-12-03T21:46:00.000-08:00

Well, it happened. It's a good thing I just posted about getting back to basics, because that's what I'll be doing more of in the next few months.

Yes, folks. It's true. Today I lost my job. You can read about here, by my good friends at the Indy.

http://www.independent.com/news/2008/dec/03/wendy-mccaw-shuts-down-emgoleta-valley-voiceem/

I'm much too tired to post about it at this point, but basically the head of HR of the News-Press showed up today and told all three of us that the Valley Voice was being killed as a publication and told us to pack our stuff immediately and had security guards escort us out. Classy. Anyway, I'm feeling pretty upbeat about it, even though I'm bummed not to be covering the city anymore... It still feels a little bit surreal.

Anyhoo, more tomorrow, now that I'll have LOTS of time to be blogging... :)

Grace and Peace
L

Back from Berkeley World

2008-12-01T17:46:00.001-08:00

Hello friends. Sorry for the hiatus... We got back in from spending Thanksgiving week with Casey's brother and his new wife at their house in Berkeley, which was a BLAST. I got to run around in San Francisco for a day, reveling in the pace of life and the energy that exists in a big city, something I have missed greatly since moving to Santa Barbara... It was... Magical. We went to the Museum of Modern Art and enjoyed all the whimsical absurdity of art, then went to Golden Gate Park, with Thanksgiving leftovers in tow, for a picnic and a game of croquet. (Which was as hilarious as it sounds.)

I'm back at work today and learned this morning that not only are we in a recession, but we have been for a year. I kindof want to be like, "Yeah, no duh."

Although I'm not ready to jump on the bandwagon of doomsday-Peter Schiff types, I am ready to make the most of it. Maybe this is what we need to get back to what matters. Back to basics, so to speak.

This week, I spent time reveling in the simple things. Instead of going out, preparing a meal with my sister and brother-in-law in their new home. Staying in to drink wine and play board games with new friends. And it was one of the most memorable Thanksgivings I've ever had.

It may be a little bit hypocritical of me to proclaim calm to everyone since I don't have as much at stake as others do. I'm not retiring any time soon and I don't have oodles of money invested in a portfolio just yet. But I am a part of this economy, as a worker, and know that my job is as tenuous as ever. Everyday, I feel blessed to be employed and thankful to the Lord for meeting our needs.

Really seeing the natural beauty of where I live, riding my bike in the morning, laughing with my husband, cooking a great meal, talking on the phone with my parents... These are the things that bring calm to the storm for me. Also, watching every "Lost" episode in succession has great effect as a recession stress reliever. Netflix, be prepared. I will be updating my queue later.

Hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving like I did! Grace and peace. <3

ps. I'm also going to be launching a brand new photo website soon!!! Get excited... :D

A word on the Sabbath...

2008-11-23T15:23:00.000-08:00

Reading "Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art" by Madeleine L'Engle. SO GOOD. Here's an excerpt that jumped out at me today.

"We have to be braver than we think we can be, because God is constantly calling us to be more than we are, to see through the plastic sham to living breathing reality, and to break down our defenses of self protection in order to be free and receive and give love."

Pilates power

2008-11-20T18:12:00.000-08:00

Greetings, all. This post finds me sprawled out on our couch, feeling victorious for doing a half hour of body bending, back stretching neck cracking pilates. Oh yeah. I feel very... stretched. A girlfriend of mine teaches pilates at a school in town and gave me one of her "beginner" videos, which was actually pretty easy. Maybe I'm not in such terrible shape? Hmph. Yeah right. I'm going to be seeing one of her plays this weekend and she'll probably ask if I watched it, so I figured I should go for it. Maybe I only did it out of guilt, but I'm glad I did.

Yay. I feel accomplished. :D

Case is in the kitchen, making some sort of soybean concoction that smells... well. Really, really good, actually. I'm not sure he's cooked anything I haven't liked in the 6 months we've been married. I surely did luck out.

Tonight, I'm excited because I get to go out with my good friend Sarah and have girl time and hear about her amazing trip she just got back from. She's been in Europe for 11 days. JEALOUS.

Also, everyone reading this should know that today is "World Philosophy Day." Read this from the BBC. How much do I love the BBC? I wish I worked for them and then I could use words like "centre" and "nationalise."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7739493.stm

2008-11-16T21:28:00.000-08:00

I JUST GOT MY WEDDING PICTURES!!!!!

So happy!

Tea Fire sadness

2008-11-15T20:03:00.000-08:00

Above is a picture from the LA Times site of some of the damage that happened to Westmont's campus yesterday and today. The Tea Fire, which has claimed more than 1,500 acres and hundreds of homes in Montecito, is still burning, but it sounds like it's moving towards containment at this point. We've been house-sitting for a friend in San Roque, pretty close to an evacuation area, so we've been watching the fire pretty closely all weekend and talking with our friends and teachers we know up at the school.

The saddest part about the Westmont damage is that 15 or so families lost their homes in the faculty housing subdivision. Please pray the community would rally around them, welcome them into their homes like family, and help them start over in spite of what they lost in the fires.

We love you, Westmont!

2008-11-12T22:06:00.000-08:00

Also, the sunsets are getting prettier as we get closer and closer to winter!

a note from the bibliophile

2008-11-12T19:06:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, there's nothing like being at home by yourself, curling up on your couch with a cup of tea, and blogging to your hearts content. Case just left for an acting class, and I've been left at the apartment to my own devices. No meetings to go to, very little work and I completely intend to maximize my evening. Mainly by watching a movie and doing my nails. Wooo! I love being girly.

And sometimes, I think that my husband and I might be the nerdiest people on the planet. And not as in chic, cool nerdy. Not like Ellen Page-Michael Cera nerdy. Take out all of the cuteness and the cool obscurity, and you would have us. Example. Here is a conversation that my husband and I had while we were both at our respective places of employment yesterday:

C: I decided to organize our book shelf today. These are the categories I came up with:

Fiction-Poetry
Theatre-Plays
Theology
Old School Books
Useful Books

How does that look to you? Each category would have its own shelf/shelves, and (maybe) be in alphabetical order within that.

L: Oh. My. Gosh. You are SUCH a librarian. Martha (my co-worker) says you need to get out more.

C:Do you like the organizing system though?

P.S. jerk

------------

WHAT?! Who organizes their books at home by CATEGORY? I just... don't know how I feel about that. Also, to prove how much of I nerd I am (I can't just rail on C, because that wouldn't be fair. I must be EQUALLY disparaging.) I just found this calculator online that tells you how much your library saves you per year!

http://www.state.me.us/msl/services/calculator.htm

I check out about 10-15 books a month and probably about 5 or so movies, and it says that I save $900 a year by using the library! Wow!

But this is what I mean. Most 23 year old women do not sit around calculating how much they save by using the library. Sigh. I'm going to go and get a life now. Somehow...
----------

Also, sorry to leave the blog up on such a downer. This week has been really great and my friends and family have been so encouraging. I just needed some time to process and pray and I feel restored now. Thanks, friends. :)

Back to Mississippi...

2008-11-08T16:34:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the long hiatus in posting. My poor, emaciated little blog needs some attention! For real. This week has been such a whirlwind of emotion, I'm glad to finally be able to sit down and process...

After spending nearly a week fighting off the flu, I got a call Saturday night from my parents. They told me my grandmother had been found in her home that day and she'd suffered a stroke and was unconscious. She'd been taken to the local hospital and my parents would be driving to Mississippi, where she was, the next day. The news was a total surprise and I was really torn up by the news. We still had hope that she'd be alright and I waited over the weekend to hear from them.

When they arrived the next day, they called me and gave me an update on how bad the situation was. My grandmother had very little brain activity subsequent the stroke and was now on life support. The next morning when the whole family had arrived, my mom and her brother had to make the gut-wrenching decision to take her off of the life support. It was really rough for our whole family. So I scheduled a flight as soon as I could and have been hanging out with my family these last few days, trying to be helpful (but mostly getting in the way, I think) as we tried to go through some of her things at her house.

We've been so busy trying to make arrangements and get things done that I don't really feel like I've had time to process it. This year, I've lost two people I really cared about, both of my grandmothers, and these are really the first deaths in my life I've dealt with. And it's hard. I'm a pretty emotional person, (I prefer to think I have an "artistic temperament" :) and I've cried a lot for their losses.

Anyway, sorry to be a downer... Meh. Life really is good, and God has been good to my family to keep us all together during this craziness. Still, death isn't any less hard to deal with, even though I know my grandmother is in a better place altogether.

Prayers appreciated, my friends. Blessings to all of you. I'll update with more cheerful life events soon, I promise!

Happy Saturdays,
L

my body, the petri dish...

2008-10-29T10:44:00.000-07:00

Skipping work today, home with what I think might be a mini-version of the flu. Casey came home sick earlier this week after catching something that the whole cast came down with, and now I'm the lucky winner of some head-ache causing, body aching, fever inducing pathogen. Sigh.

As if that wasn't bad enough, I had a reaction last night to some medicine that I've had an allergy to in the past, but took anyway because it was a flu medicine with only a tiny amount of the ingredient in it. Bad idea. I definitely had a reaction to it and had a lot of trouble sleeping. Ugh! I'm such a sickie right now.

Sorry to be such a downer. I'll be sipping my mint tea and working on a couple stories today, and hopefully getting in a good nap or two. :)

A Sunday Update...

2008-10-26T15:40:00.000-07:00

So Casey's run of "Othello" and "Measure for Measure" at the Lit Moon Theater festival is finally over. After rehearsing non-stop for the past month, the show was a GIANT success. So proud! Charles Donelan at the Independent gave the cast a glowing review in this week's issue. Yay!

Here's the whole review, along with a killer picture of Casey's dress... HOTTIE! Ha! :D

http://www.independent.com/news/2008/oct/23/shakespeare-fest-kicks-center-stage/

I'm so happy for them. Even though I've been privy to some groundbreaking theater this past week, I'm excited to have my husband back for a while. :)

Last night, while Case did his last show, I got to spend some time with my girlfriends Sarah and Becca. We made indian food (by ourselves!) and then made a big pallette on the living room floor and watched "The Office," sleepover style. Fun times.

We picked up some winter herbs from Island Seed and Feed down in Old Town yesterday, where Matt Buckmaster hooked us up with all of these for free! How cool is that? He is the greatest guy and if you ever need any gardening advice, they are definitely the place to go. We're going to be putting these in our window box hopefully later today... Chives, parsley, oregano... Sounds like key ingredients to a nice, hearty winter stew, no?

Happy Sunday, y'all!

Return of the megabats...

2008-10-16T15:42:00.001-07:00

Wow, busy week! Phew. I feel like I always say that on here. The truth is, if you're in any kind of journalism at this point in an election year, your work life is crazy chaotic. It feels like there's about 1,234,568 different races going on locally, all of them at least marginally important, and that means our grossly understaffed little paper is working overtime.

I'm also jumping at the chance to do a story NOT election based, even if it is science-y and nerdy. I'm meeting with someone from UCSB who researches bat species here in Goleta. That's right, BATS. Apparently, Santa Barbara has 12 different native species! Wow. I'm trying to prepare some questions for her, because I know NOTHING about bats (Except that I'm mildly terrified of anything that flies frantically at night and screeches) and I found out there's a subgroup of them called "megabats," and there's one type in the Phillipines called a giant golden-crowned flying fox that can have a 5-foot wingspan! EEP! Seriously, google it. I'm going to have nightmares. Needless to say, this will be interesting...

Also, Case's "Othello" premiere is tonight!!!!! YAY! Here's the lineup with more info, if anyone is interested in coming! Yippee!

http://www.litmoon.com/lineup08.html

When you're married to a barista...

2008-10-14T18:41:00.000-07:00

How much will I miss having my husband write flattering adjectives on my morning drinks instead of my first name? A heckuva lot.

I am one lucky lady. Sorry, just had to gush. My husband really is the greatest. :)

Time for new HEROES! YES!

2008-10-13T15:40:00.000-07:00

Just got back from Ben and Mical's wedding up north. How beautiful is Mical?! Mical and Ben, I'm so glad I got to witness all of the events this weekend, and Mical, I'm glad you're a part of our family! :D

It was SO good to see all of our family, including Mark and Helen and Nancy, Casey's parents and sister, who live in Asia and flew back for the wedding. We love you guys and wish we could see you more...

I'm pretty exhausted from the trip and everything we did, but I've got a few hours to take a nap now. YAY, NAPS.

Case is rehearsing from 3:30 to 9:30 tonight. This week is crazy for him because of his opening of "Othello" and "Measure for Measure" Thursday. I'm going with some girlfriends for backup - moral support, you know. ;)

YAY!

2008-10-08T18:38:00.000-07:00

I am so excited, everyone! Case just came home from work and told me he's been offered a new job!!! Yay! He's been hunting around for something a bit more rewarding and will now be working at UCSB managing interlibrary loans! (Yes, it IS as nerdy as it sounds, but that's why we love him. :D)

I'm so proud of you!!!!

God is good. With all that's been going on in the last week, especially with the economy, it's such a reminder to trust. Pure trust. Every time I hear the dismal reports on NPR or look at the Times to see the Dow fall another several hundred points, I get so panicky. But taking a deep breath and trusting that something greater than our government is actually in control is what's gotten me by. God always provides for his kids! Praises.

Alright, well I've got an evening full of editing to do. Also, I've become addicted to this show called "Friday Night Lights." Has anyone ever seen it? It's on NBC's website and is GREAT. Add that to "Heroes" and I'd say they have a pretty good lineup. Nice, NBC. Nice.

Hugs! Thanks to all who prayed!

L

New wedding pics!

2008-10-06T23:06:00.000-07:00

Before I run off to bed, wanted to update with some new wedding pics I shot two Saturdays ago. I had an awesome time shooting with two of the best photographers I know, Chris and Katie Humphreys! They are so wonderful to work with and let me tag along to shoot some of Robin and Matt's wedding at the Montecito Country Club. The wedding was absolutely beautiful and so fun to witness.

Thanks Chris and Katie! I'm really pumped because we're off to Berkeley this weekend to shoot Casey's brother's wedding! I absolutely love them and can't wait to hang out with Ben and his fiance. Ben and Mical! I can't wait to see you, shoot with you and sleep on your floor! Ha! This WILL be a fun weekend...:)

G'night all!

Artiste and the Lavender Farm

2008-10-02T19:20:00.000-07:00

Hello, all! Since I'm so behind on posting... Here are some pics! Case and I escaped last Sunday to Santa Ynez where we stopped at a darling little winery, Artiste, where they only serve custom blends. It was so fun! We payed five bucks for each of us to have a little sip of six different wines (all of which were fabulous, except the port, but I'm not a huge fan of port anyway) and you can browse around their gallery and even do some painting and drawing yourself! It was so much fun.

We also discovered an organic lavender farm??? Who knew? Only in California. It was magical.

We got some great Italian food at Trattoria Grappolo, which is just down the street from Artiste. Quality times.

Man, oh man. It's been a long time since I posted! Much too long, indeed. Things have been so busy at my house, I'm glad I have a second to stop and breathe. Case has been rehearsing every night for "Othello," which he'll be performing in two weeks, which is exciting. And I've been doing a lot of work on the side as well. On top of that, we're gearing up for election year at the Voice. Our city council will have two seats open this fall, so I've been covering the candidates, on top of the regular meetings. Although I'm pretty apolitical (to put it mildly), I'm excited to help give our readers the information before the election. It's nice to be able to do that for them.

I'm off to have a mini-girls night with my friend Erin and Kate. Also, I have wedding pics to post. Soon to come...:)

Birthday eve UPDATE

2008-09-23T20:47:00.000-07:00

I am such a cliche right now.

-sweatpants
-freshly made cookies-n-cream milkshake (which is somehow lowfat? I'm suspicious.)
-newly arrived "HEROES" dvd from Netflix

Bliss, I tell you! Bliss.

<3

On the eve of my birthday, exhaustion.

2008-09-23T17:18:00.000-07:00

I feel like a busy little worker bee these days, buzzing around, running errands for this, writing a story for this. It's all so crazy these days! Wow. It's good to sit for a few minutes in the quiet of my little apartment. My kitchen timer is about to go off - I'm cooking artichoke ravioli for us! My own original recipe, from Trader Joe's, of course. Heh. I'm not much of a cook these days. My husband puts me to shame.

Tomorrow is my 23rd birthday! Yay! Go self. Do that birthday dance. *shake*

Also, I'm excited to post more images later this weekend. I'll be shooting a wedding in Montecito with Chris and Katie Humphreys that promises to be absolutely gorgeous. I can't wait! I'll be sure and post some favorites up here.

Back to my ravioli creation. Hope everyone is well!

L

Congrats Derek and Amy!

2008-09-17T20:22:00.001-07:00

Last weekend, I got the awesome privilege of shooting Derek and Amy's wedding in Franklin, Tennessee. It's a fun little town just outside of Nashville. And their wedding was soo much fun! Here's some pics...Sorry, there's lots of them. Hope you don't mind...:)

LOVED her dress!

Amy's sister, April, in the kitchen getting ready that morning..

Amy and April loosening up before the ceremony...

Amy had the coolest hair pin/veil thing. I loved it! Super classy.

After I hung out with the girls, it was off to shoot the boys at the Factory, the super cool, industrial building Amy and Derek had the ceremony and reception at.

The guys were looking sharp in their new chuck taylors..

How great are these guys? Total crack ups. I had to humor them.

One of Derek's twin brothers...

And then...the lady of the day arrived! Seriously, folks. Amy, you are GORGEOUS!

Group shots with April's son. How CUTE is he?

I loved this moment during the ceremony

They put the cutest little matchbooks in their favor bags..

Thanks so much, Derek and Amy for a great time and letting me share your day!

Back from da Southland!

2008-09-17T20:22:00.000-07:00

GREAT weekend in Nashville! Spent some time with my BFF Hannah from ye olde college days at Western. I love you Nan! Thanks for everything!!!

Taken by Ben after shooting Amy and Derek's wedding, which was FANTASTIC. I am updating pictures as we speak!

Heart.

New day, new play...

2008-09-09T16:37:00.000-07:00

Case and I are starting to work on our next play, still riding high on the success of his first show. This next play is also going to be "docu-comedy" in nature, and we've already started interviewing people, informally. The show's working title is "Afraid" and we'll be exploring people's fears, past and current, how they cope with their fears, fears they can't conquer, and the like. The first story we gleaned from another actress left us nearly in tears from laughing so hard. She told us about how when she was a child, she felt certain her mother's body was actually a zip up suit with a tiny man inside. She told us she imagined the tiny man looked like Joe Pesci, from "Home Alone."

We're also definitely doing a scene involving my best friend's childhood (Adult?) fear of Big Bird from "Sesame Street."

In other words, it should be nothing short of strange and hilarious.
I've been put in charge of set design (!) which I have NO IDEA how to do but am having fun knocking around things we could do.

I'm pulling out some Michel Gondry movies as inspiration, because I definitely think his humor and sense of scale will be perfect for dealing with what people fear.

Also, look how much different the "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" cover looks in Japanese? It looks much more magical than the American version. Typical.

The seasons are changing

2008-09-07T18:11:00.000-07:00

Walking through the farmer's market today made me finally realize that summer is finally over. In past weeks, the tables and booths have been overflowing with life changing peaches and incredible tomatoes, but now those are dwindling and are few and far between the cold weather vegetables like...Eggplant. Hmm. Not that I'm not an eggplant fan, but you can't exactly cut it up and put it with vanilla ice cream like a nice juicy peach. Sigh.

Last night was the closing night of CUTS, Casey's first show outside of the Westmont cocoon, and it was FANTASTIC. The crowd was so into all of the jokes, and was really involved through the whole show. It was a blast. I had so much fun. I decided not to take any pictures during the show to avoid being a distraction to the cast. There were already ENOUGH distractions...The lights went crazy during one of the most serious monologues in the show, where the character is talking about growing his hair out in a nazarite vow while his mother was dying with cancer. And then a woman got up and left right in the middle of the scene! That doesn't sound like a big deal, but the theater is TINY and it was really bothersome. Anyway, we sold out again, save for a handful of seats, and we may have actually turned a tiny profit on the show. Which in theater is crazy rare, I'm told. The cast was just excited to pay off the costs of the show, so we're blown away. God is so faithful to us.

Also, I think I may have found a kindred spirit last night and made a new friend. :) I am excited about that.

I'm also definitely being delinquent and skipping church right now. Not feeling so well, for some reason. You know that sluggish, fuzzy, tired feeling you get just before you get the flu or something? That's how I feel. :(

I'm obsessed with this band, the Silent Years. They're so fun. Check out their song "Black Hole." Really great.

http://www.myspace.com/thesilentyears

Love to everyone and thanks for all that came out to support the show! We are so grateful. :)

-L

2008-09-06T09:27:00.001-07:00

Eating pancakes with my husband, but wanted to update about "CUTS" opening night:

WE SOLD OUT!!!!!

I'd better see all of you at the show tonight! And you'd better get there early if you want a seat. Yes! *fist pump*

Random thoughts before the weekend...

2008-08-29T16:05:00.001-07:00

Just hanging out at work, excited about the start of the weekend. Here's what I have planned:

-Date night with Case tonight (maybe Hungry Cat or tapas at Milk and Honey? We'll see.)
-Sleep in
-Make some bread
-Finish reading "Selling the Invisible" (Thanks, Chris!)
-Work in my garden (aka hover around my window box on the patio and pick aphids off of my little tomato plant)

Exciting forecast, no? Work has been good (busy as always) this week, and I'm ready to turn my brain off and veg this weekend. Case has been rehearsing pretty much every night, leaving me all by my lonesome. So if any of my SB girlfriends want to hang out sometime, give me a hollllaaaa. No. Seriously. Do. :)

Other thoughts:

-"Metropolis," an old favorite that somehow got put in our Netflix queue, showed up at our doorstep this week. Fantastic. Nothing trumps the hilarity of silent films.

- John Mayer's "Live in Los Angeles" album is amazing these days. Thanks to Nan for giving it to me. :) I can't listen to it and not smile. What a fabulous musician, no two ways about it. I hate to cater to popular taste, but you know...It's a good album. I'm not snobby/indie enough to shun John Mayer. Never.

-Getting excited about flying to Nashville to shoot and hang out with Hannah, my best friend from college. We'll be launching a new business soon (!) and we're both super pumped about what's going on. More details on that as soon as I return from Tennessee. :D

Also in other random news, I just found out that our City Council members only get paid $363 a month for what they do. Unlike Goleta's water board (which has its own problems) which gets paid by the meeting, our councilmembers get a flat fee, no matter how much time they put in. Pretty amazing. I noticed this because they'll be talking Tuesday about a 5% increase in their pay, which would bring it up to a whopping $400 a month in December, after the local election here. Say what you will about motivations to run for local government, but they sure ain't in it for the money. Props to anybody that serves on a local level like that.

Over and out!

L

A short update before I crawl into bed...

2008-08-25T22:03:00.000-07:00

Just in from a three hour long Planning Commission meeting. Definitely not short by any means, but nothing compared to the last one, which was over five hours long. I kid you not. The topic of that marathon discussion was putting a Marriott on top of a Chumash midden that could possibly contain human remains, and two other plots near the site are actual Chumash cemetaries. (The Commission went ahead with it. Jerks.) Definitely important stuff but...eesh. It's tough to stay awake sometimes. Between the grumpy NIMBY people and city staff that want to develop every piece of open space left, I really don't side with either. I just do my best to take notes, listen to the important points, be fair, and not look at the wall clock too much.

Also, the benefit show at Red's was...interesting. That place is so, so crazy. They TRIPLE BOOKED the coffee shop our night. When we pulled up, a hardcore band was playing, and that's when I knew it couldn't be good. We asked the guy working what was up and he said this happens all the time there. So the other band showed up and we worked out a plan. They would play inside and we would take the parking lot. Of course, the sun was setting and there were no lights so...we pulled in Elise's amazing and aging Volvo and ran the show by the headlights the whole time. We gave new meaning to "the show must go on." Seriously. Everyone that came was a great sport about it, gave graciously, and we ended up raising over $150 for the show. :) God is good.

I sent out all of our CUTS press releases, and saw our calendar listings on the Independent's website and Noozhawk, so that's great. Also, all of the posters are up downtown, so keep your eyes open for those.

Time to go pass out. Hope everyone is doing well.

"CUTS" Benefit Show at Red's tonight!

2008-08-23T11:35:00.001-07:00

Packed Saturday with lots to do but I wanted to throw this out there for everyone, if you'll be in SB tonight.

The "CUTS" benefit show is tonight, raising money for the show that will run Sept. 5-6 at Center Stage! The days are getting closer and we still have money to raise! If you're in town, stop by tonight, grab a coffee and empty out all your pocket change into our donation jar!

Here's the info:

Elise Witek, Greg Wadsworth, and the CUTS CAST! Good music all around.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
8:00pm - 11:00pm

Red's Cafe
211 Helena Ave.
Santa Barbara, CA

Free entrance, donations accepted

2008-08-21T15:30:00.000-07:00

WE HAVE INTERNET AGAIN!!!!

I'm inexplicably happy.

I have to go edit for the rest of the day, two things, though:

*) My husband makes great curry.

*) Getting off work early is the best.

More later. It's good to be back. :D

2008-08-17T11:58:00.000-07:00

Also, being delinquent on the posting side, I have to catch you up on our adventures. Friday night, Case and I went to the Brooks Institute Cota Street Gallery to see an exhibit on the IV Riots, which I wrote a story on last week. The pictures are incredible and I really enjoyed interviewing the photographer, Joe Melchione.

You can see the online gallery here:

www.joemelchione.com

I was impressed with the Brooks Gallery also. I had never been there, but if you're in town or local, it's definitely a great way to spend an evening. It was really quiet on Friday and we really enjoyed being able to reflect on the prints.

Friday was also the opening of "Man on Wire" here in Santa Barbara (!!!) and it was FANTASTIC. I highly recommend it. It's the story of a french wire walker that tightropes the distance between the two world trade towers in the 70s. It was truly moving. They showed a montage at the beginning of old footage from the towers being built and it made me tear up hardcore. The film is so much more poignant because the towers are gone now. The movie feels like a true gift in light of all that's happened in the last ten years.

And we treated ourselves to chocolate mousse at Roy on Carrillo and walked around, taking in SB at night. Great night.

We're working pretty hard to get Case's show at Center Stage up and going. I just realized today how close September 5 (opening day) is! I'm so pumped. The cast is organizing a show with some of our friends who are musicians, and donations for the show will be taken at the door. It should be a lot of fun, so I'll post more details this week.

2008-08-17T11:52:00.000-07:00

Sitting in Starbucks, splurging on a vanilla latte before I hit the farmer's market outside. This is week two of no internet at the house, and it's verging on...making me completely crazy.

Want to look up an actor on IMDB? Nope.

Want to see how much dried garlic will substitute for fresh? Sorry.

Want to see how many golds Phelps is up to now? NO can do.

AHJHDFGJDHGFHDGF. Hopefully, Case (Ahem) will talk to our landlord and deal with that this week. Sorry about the posting.

Look! I made bread! :D

Summer time, and the living is easy...

2008-08-09T12:17:00.000-07:00

Taking it easy today, escaping to Coffee Cat downtown to update le blog and my website. I will have a few new pictures from Brooke and Micah's wedding posted up there soon, so that will be fun. Hopefully our internet will be fixed soon! :/

In the meantime, I will be happily fulfilled by a goat cheese and pesto crepe.

Had a lot of fun with a few friends for supper club. I'm really hoping that's a tradition we can keep up with. Every 2-3 weeks, we've been rotating houses with 3-4 friends and we each bring something and then another person is in charge of bringing ingredients for a main course, which we all cook together at the host's house. I can't even tell you how fun it is. Next time we have one, I'll definitely shoot some pictures. :)

After dinner, we ran down to Paseo Nuevo to watch "Bottle Shock," which was a hilarious and light-hearted look at how California became respected in the global marketplace as a premiere purveyor of wines back in the 70s. Alan Rickman is fantastic as a british sommelier in Paris who travels to California to explore the local viticulture. Very funny - a perfect summer date movie right now.

Also, off the subject, the New York Times has done a fantastic job with articles and multimedia explaining the scope of national and global debt. It's quite eye opening. I would encourage everyone to read it. How our government uses our tax dollars and how we manage our own money is more important than ever.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/07/20/business/20debt-trap.html

Happy Saturday, loves! I'm off to buy flowerpots at OSH! :D

2008-08-07T20:39:00.000-07:00

Here's a shot I took this morning to accompany an article I wrote about Goleta's increase in bicycle commuters. It probably won't run, but I liked it anyway. I'm glad the story is running after what feels like years of working on it, piece by piece.

As my lack of posting indicates, our internet is still down. LAME! It probably will be until we can get our landlord's friend to look at it on Saturday. So it's off to the library and the coffee shops for me. Looking at our bank statements yesterday, and a TON of our purchases this week are at coffee shops. I feel like I have to buy something whenever I take advantage of their free wi-fi, so I've had a litany of $2-$3 drink charges that I normally wouldn't. Grr. Come back, internet! We miss you on Evonshire Avenue...:(

Also, working on a story that might be good. Just kind of simmering on the back burner right now, but I'm making lists and planning some interviews for the future. It might even be a good multimedia, if I can get my act together...

Speaking of which, I'm in the market for some audio equipment if anyone is looking to sell. Case and I would like to get an audio recorder, cables, a couple of shotgun mics, and eventually some Protools and FinalCut going on. We're wanting a higher end recorder (a Marantz, in my dreams, or an Edirol or m-Audio would work just fine.) We need something that takes good interview sound but would also pick up some nice ambient for mixing. I'm wanting to move more into web journalism and want to start working on projects that phase out print altogether and Case wants something for interviews. Let me know if you guys have any advice on what's good.

Dream machine:

This is a boring post. Sorry about my lack of exciting life events...:/ Maybe this weekend will be more exciting...

Also...

2008-08-04T20:34:00.000-07:00

Checked on our vegetable window box outside before dinner, and it seems to be flourishing! I'm so excited. Our first tomatoes are coming through, basil, and some mint that I planted (and makes amazing tea) is coming along nicely...Too bad you can't smell through the internet. It's pretty awesome...

Monday, schmonday

2008-08-04T20:31:00.001-07:00

Does anyone want to go see "Man on Wire" with me? It looks absolutely
fantastic. If you haven't watched the trailer already, do. It opens
here in Santa Barbara next Friday, and I'll definitely be there,
popcorn in hand. And it got %100 on Rotten Tomatoes! Superb.

http://www.manonwire.com/

It's a slow, slow day following an even slower weekend. Not slow in a
bad way...just. Uneventful. Our internet has been down for a few days,
so we've been trapsing over to Goleta Coffee to update our blogs and
check up on email. Add a lack of internet to the no-tv zone that is
our apartment, and things are getting a little...dull. :) I'm such a
post-modern. Without a half-dozen stimuli buzzing around me, I get
antsy.

Also, just got an email from Amy, a bride whose wedding I'll be
shooting in September in Nashville. Not only am I super excited to
meet her and her fiance, Derek, I'll be staying with my college
roommate, super friend extraordinaire, and star designer, Hannah
Moody. *dances in chair* I can't wait!

Also, zinnias from the farmer's market! The view from my desk...

Happy Monday evening, everyone!
L

Cute clothing is the chink in my armor...

2008-08-01T15:58:00.000-07:00

Also, the stuff at Anthropologie right now is making my little heart beat with longing. Every time I walk by their window displays downtown, an audible sigh can be heard from moi. How cute is their stuff? Every season it gets better. Come on, Rachel! Hook me up at the Nashville store when I come out in September! Please? :)

Wishlist....

Fun weekend ahead. Most likely involving new books and laying on the beach with my love. Yay!

--

A clean, well-lighted place: Hungry Cat

2008-08-01T15:53:00.000-07:00

Listening to today's podcast from Slate Magazine, which has some interesting commentary on Starbucks and their "cannibalizing themselves to death" by cutting their stores in rural and smaller metropolitan markets. A side point was made by one of the editors that the store STILL charges for wireless internet, a long-time pet peeve of mine that is beyond comprehension. Starbucks used to be in cahoots with T-Mobile, locked into some sort of contractual agreement, and now it's recently signed on with Verizon, an equally large corporation, and continues with this tragic flaw. For me, it really cuts to the heart of their whole philosophy. While advertising their stores as a "community living room," they still have the audacity to charge the people that pay already outrageous prices for their coffee for internet as well. *End soapbox* Sorry. It's always chapped my hide. :)

So, on to other things. Last night we watched the kids for a while for Gretchen, and then decided to go to Hungry Cat, one of our favorite restaurants in SB, after our Fiesta plans fell through. I hear they also have one down in Hollywood we'll have to try next time we're in LA. We pretty much blew all the money we earned babysitting, which probably should've gone towards paying down the credit card, but we definitely deserved it. It's amazing how a dozen raw oysters on the half shell and some white wine can make things seem a lot brighter. We also had some local sea bass and their bread pudding with bittersweet chocolate for dessert, both of which were impeccable. I like how minimalist the ambiance is also - very east coast. And it's also SO refreshing when you can find a restaurant that is open until midnight here. They're like hidden treasures to me. Anyone who has ever lived in a small town knows what I mean. :) Good night, overall I think.

And then there were two (wheels, that is...)

2008-07-31T08:33:00.000-07:00

I've been working on a story for next week about the popularity of bicycle commuting in the wake of high fuel prices. As a recent convert, it's been a lot of fun to work on. I've been trying my best to ride everyday (as valiant as this sounds, consider that I live about a mile and a half away from work, benefit from the impeccable weather, and have virtually no incline on my way there) Baby steps, people! Baby steps.

I'm not sure I really understood what bicycling was all about until I moved to California. I moved here from Bowling Green, Kentucky, a perfect little southern town, with an infrastructure to match its residents: mostly farmers who drive large, diesel trucks. It's the culture and the way of life. Unfortunately, it left most of Bowling Green's residential streets like freeways - most of which didn't even have SIDEWALKS, much less bike paths. Someone told me that this is because much of BG's transport system was built in the 60s, when cars were "the way of the future." Needless to say, if I had tried to live a car-free lifestyle in Bowling Green, it would've been nearly impossible. Not impossible, but definitely dangerous.

So, when I came to California and heard about people living without cars, I was intrigued. But mostly skeptical. But after a few months of paying what seemed like a fortune then ($3.50 per gallon! Those were the days!), I wanted to branch out. Here, the bike lanes are plentiful, the weather gorgeous, and the drivers are at least semi-conscious of the fact that they might be sharing a lane with a scooter or bicycle. So, I moved closer to my work and bought a bike, which I love. It is truly humble. Purchased from a German exchange student at UCSB who was going home for the fall, I got a blue Huffy Superia (slightly rusty) for fifty dollars.

Eager to try out my new mode of transport, I hit the pavement. And it was grand. Knowing I was getting in shape, saving money, and helping preserve more of the world's resources was exhilirating. Dodging the cars and hefty buses drifting into the bike lane occasionally was also fun. I was riding high. And then a dark cloud settled over my morning trek. I began to notice that my little lane was being invaded by dudes on faster, lighter bikes with skinnier wheels than my Superia had. They had on funny spandex outfits, dark, ominous sunglasses hiding their gaze, and more gadgets than the Rescue Rangers. They seldom said hello as they passed, and left me in their wake, with my pathetic cadence, only to watch their gigantic calves pedal off into the sunset.

Usually, they look like this.

Frightening, I know. Many times after these encounters, I second guess myself. The self-loathing begins. "How are they pedaling so FAST? Maybe I should get some skinny tires too...I bet they think my bike is, like, super dumb...Maybe I if I got some lycra outfits..."

But these moments are rare, and usually followed by "Actually, that guy looks dumb anyway and probably takes himself too seriously."

So, for now, I'll keep pushing hard on my bike, the anti-gadget. It's rusty, but trusty, and I feel good when I can ride it. Oh, and I'm not knocking any of you who choose to spend your paycheck at Velo Pro. I'm just saying a tiny wave to the little guy sharing the lane goes a long way. After all, we're all huffing the same air and pedaling the same streets and doing the same world a lot of good when we don't use our cars, right? Right. Peace, my fellow riders. Anytime we've battled some belly bulge and put more cush in our cash flow, we're doing alright.

Oh, Tuesday...

2008-07-29T17:10:00.000-07:00

I bought this print today, on a whim. I really enjoy Laura Levine's work, and artist I discovered on 20*200, a blog which showcases work from up-and-coming artists and sells prints, starting at $20. Most of the work they put up is really neat looking, and I've been waiting to snag one I really like. What's most interesting to me is that whenever a new work is posted, most of the smaller prints, and many times the bigger ones, are sold within minutes! They go like hotcakes! It's a really interesting business model. Making something as lofty and cool as art accessible to tons of people and putting the proceed back towards the artists themselves. I'm definitely into that.

http://www.20x200.com/

In other news, I experienced my first earthquake today! I was sitting at my desk, working away, when my chair started sliding around. Before I could realize what it was, Martha says "Earthquake!" It was amazing. The whole earth just wobbles back and forth for a few seconds. It started to make me a little bit motion sick, but calmed down before anything too crazy happened. Fun times!

I'm a little bummed because I think that a trip I was planning to make with my love and a few of our friends has been shut down. My plan was to take tomorrow off and journey down to the Getty in LA, and get dinner there in the evening, but I think I have too much work to do to take off. I've written three stories today and needed to get five done, so I'm thinking it's not gonna happen. :/ Oh well.

Definitely going to try and go for a run after work since I wimped out and drove to work today instead of biking. BAD, self. Bad. Also, I just noticed that my vitamins have 200 MILLIGRAMS of caffeine in them? Eww? Something is terribly wrong with that.

Hope everyone is doing well! Merry Tuesday, friends!

2008-07-26T15:38:00.000-07:00

Case: Patty Griffin is coming to the Lobero in August. Early birthday present? Yes?

2008-07-26T15:23:00.000-07:00

Also. How great is Duffy??? I love her "Warwick Avenue" song. She's so much better than sketchy Amy Winehouse.

2008-07-26T15:15:00.000-07:00

Spending time with these guys tonight, just like old times! Case and I are babysitting for Gretchen for a few hours tonight and I'm really excited about seeing the kids again. I'm so glad I can still be in their lives even though I'm not their nanny anymore. Can't wait to see you guys!!! :D

Also, going to sephora to buy my mineral makeup. I'm only getting that one thing, and then I'm leaving. I'm on a mission...must...not...succumb to buying...more...products. Sephora is one of my all-time favorite stores. I could seriously spend hours in there, testing different samples, smelling all the perfumes, poring over the latest skin stuff. It's a little ridiculous. I am such a girl. So it's a test of my self control and my adherence to our budget when I go there. Sigh.

*gathers courage*

I'll be fine. Also, how great are Saturdays??? Really great, that's what I say.

2008-07-24T17:40:00.000-07:00

My husband put these on my desk a few days ago. *sigh* Aren't they pretty? This image is courtesy of virtually no post-processing, just taken with a Canon PowerShot with a really bad light leak that probably needs to be thrown away. :)

2008-07-23T17:22:00.000-07:00

Grabbing dinner and updating before I run out to a meeting.

Wanted to post some of these, because I think they were fun and a blast to roam around and shoot. They probably won't run because we've all but killed the story, but I was shooting an essay-type thing about our hilarious mod-prefab type architecture we have in Old Town. I got to have a little more fun in LightRoom than I would if we had just run them in the paper.

The Coldplay song, "Strawberry Swing," has been quite anthemic today as I work on my writing assignments. I'm glad I gave the new album a chance. I almost didn't because the radio here will not stop playing that confounded "Vida la Vida" song. Bleck. Rhyming scheme, Chris? Really? This song is a goodie, though.

Speaking of writing, it's been really great the past few weeks to hear people come up to me and my boss, Jim Logan, and tell us how much they love the Voice. It's really humbling. As much as I fear that no one reads us, the fact remains that we're really the only consistent coverage dedicated to Goleta. Other places do a great job as well, like my good friend Sonia at Noozhawk, and Ben over at the Indy, but we don't cover anything else and really try to focus on our community. And people really appreciate that. As many quirks as our little paper has (every paper has them), I'm honored to be working with the people I do and blessed to live in such an amazing community. :)

Also, we went to see "Dark Knight" last night and showed up ten minutes before showtime at the Camino Real theatre, only to find out ALL of the shows were sold out? What the heck? So I returned home and watched "Freaks and Geek" season three disk I snagged from Netflix, in which I was delighted to find an eight year old Shia Labeouf made a cameo as an injured school mascot. Amazing!

Check it out, Hannah. :)

Okay, that's all I got. Hope everyone is having a good afternoon!

ATTN: to my husband

2008-07-22T18:13:00.000-07:00

Can we please, please go see this tonight??????

WARNING: Nerdy Post Ahead...

2008-07-22T17:56:00.000-07:00

Made trip to the library for an assignment last night and arrived early, so I decided to peruse the shelves. I'm becoming a little bit of personal finance nerd lately and have been reading all I can about the things I'm most interested in, mostly paying off debt, saving and investing, and small business advice. In my quest to become more financially literate, I've picked up all the big names: Suze Orman, Dave Ramsey, etc. There are also a heap of books I've had recommended to me, either via blog or by a friend that I've heard some hype about and have been meaning to check out. One of those books is "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" by Robert Kiyosaki. After reading Trent's review of the book over at "The Simple Dollar," which is quickly becoming one of my favorite PF blogs, I decided to check it out. I'm already halfway through it, and I'm still on the fence. I can't decide if what he's saying is right on or if it's a gross oversimplification of how and why some people choose to work for a living.

Here's Trent's review:
http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/04/07/review-rich-dad-poor-dad/

Reading all these books about money is totally foreign to me, honestly, and if I spend too much time reading blogs or books like this, I start to feel a little...dirty. Haha. I want to be purposeful and a good steward of what I have, but thinking about it so much that it starts becoming my number one priority is what scares me about some of the books I've read. That having money is not a means to an end, but the end in itself, and so many of these books have some great advice, but completely lack biblical perspective, which treats money as just a thing. In that vein, I'm reading Dave Ramsey's "Total Money Makeover," which is pretty basic, but still has some good advice. (Mainly, I just like reading the sidebars about Mary and John Smith from Duluth that have had like, a gazillion dollars in debt, but are all paid off. Yeah! It gets me pumped to pay off my measly credit card.)

Here are some recommendations of books I'm a big fan of right now:

And some books on my list I think are worth looking into...

Feel free to comment and let me know if there are any other cool money books I should look into!

A few wedding pics

2008-07-22T17:22:00.000-07:00

So...I definitely have to post some wedding pictures from our wedding, which was over a month ago. Wow. That's crazy.

Props to my photographer the fabulous Sara Heinrichs, who drove down from San Luis Obispo to share our day at the Stow House in Goleta.

To view our full gallery(and more of her great work), go here:
http://www.saraheinrichs.com/

Here are a few of my favorites. Thanks, Sara! You did an amazing job! :D

Wedding on Butterfly Beach...

2008-07-20T13:25:00.000-07:00

Hello all! Wow, it's been awhile! After a month long hiatus from blogging, I think I'm finally ready to start up again. I took some time off to get married, get moved into our new house, and start a new life with my husband. Yes, life is grand. :) I'm finally feeling organized and wanted to present...Micah and Brooke! I had the honor of photographing their wedding last Saturday at Butterfly Beach here in Montecito and these two were a blast to work with. Here are a few favorites...

Thanks Brooke and Micah! You two are amazing and so photogenic. I can't wait for you to enjoy your images!

More updates later with OUR wedding pictures. :) We're off to the farmer's market to grab some veggies and do some grocery shopping.

Take care!

2008-06-07T13:24:00.000-07:00

Just got back from my pre-wedding day facial. Woot! Jude Johnson is absolutely the best aesthetician in Santa Barbara. It was grand. I'm at home now gulping down some fried rice before I go out to get my hair colored.

I feel ultra-girly today, and I like it. :)

I'm also heading over to DP to shoot the US men's water polo team playing Australia. I'm really pumped. I haven't shot any good sports in MONTHS and this is just what I need. I'm sure I'll return sunburned.

Okay, I'm off to Samy's to fix a lens snafu. They're usually pretty good about gettinq what I request right. I checked out a Nikon 70-200VR lens, and I opened the back this morning to discover they had given me a Canon instead. No good at all. So they graciously offered to exchange it.

Also, I just put some fresh garlic from Fairview Gardens in my stirfry, and it is...Amazing. Yay. My favorite organic farm.

Okay, everyone take care. :)

2008-06-03T22:14:00.000-07:00

Sitting at my new and beautiful kitchen table obtained from Craiglist, basking in the prudence of our purchase. Good job, self. I just finished covering a suprisingly tolerable city council meeting and have little energy to prepare a late dinner, so I'm resorting to sugary cereal. Here in the new apt., I only have plastic plates and silverware, and no pots and pans to prepare anything. So...cereal. Lots of cereal. I'm going to gain like a million pounds if I keep eating all these carbs.

Still getting used to the new place. When I'm here, I'm usually by myself, and I still haven't gotten used to all the strange noises of this place. Every home has its little groans that it makes, and this place usually ends up scaring the crud out of me. It gets REALLY windy here at night, for some reason. We're alot closer to the ocean than we used to be, so that probably has something to do with it.

Also, Case and I are trying something new. We've decided not to get a television (for right now, at least) and I'm kindof excited about that. I didn't watch a lot of tv anyway, and as much as I miss the background noise, am I really going to miss those "America's Next Top Model" reruns? No. I'm listening to BBC right now for my news and just got my NY Times breaking news update that Obama won the nomination. So I probably got that news faster than if I had been channelsurfing. You can stay informed and up on everything (sans tv) if you just think outside the box a little. And with so many shows being put online (ie, LOST) it makes things a lot easier. I'm hoping it will force us to read/talk more when we'd otherwise be sitting our butts not acknowledging each other.

So, we'll see how long that lasts. I promise I'll post pictures of our place when I get some time. You aren't missing much, except for my half-empty boxes and my sadly deflating-as-we-speak air mattress. Sigh.

I'm going to go try to fall asleep, in spite of the crazy coastal wind making my house sound creepy. Eep. I'll be hiding under my quilt.

I CAN'T WAIT ANOTHER 4 HOURS...

2008-05-29T17:13:00.000-07:00

LOST SEASON FINALE TONIGHT!!!!! I'VE WAITED 8 MONTHS FOR THIS!

Oh yeah. I'm a nerd. But I don't care. Long live Jack and Kate!

<3

Moving out Saturday...

2008-05-28T20:45:00.000-07:00

I'm going to miss this little tiny person who wasn't tall enough to reach the computer all the way. Sniff.

2008-05-23T19:57:00.001-07:00

Hanging out with the kids tonight. Maybe Case will come over and watch a movie later. I can't believe I only have a week til I move out...Holy cow. It's getting a little ridiculous. There are tons of boxes with my stuff and the occasional wedding gifts that have shown up (so in the midst of the madness, a wok, a mixing bowl, plates, etc.) as well as a table we just bought and four chairs, and a bookcase. I barely have room to move around. EEP.

I'm so excited to be in our new place. I'm really going to miss Gretchen and the kids though. I'm going to miss helping Dash with his spelling homework (my LOT in life, seriously. I get so excited when he gets the words right on his practice tests.) and reading Josephine books before bedtime. My favorite. :) Especially when she hugs me and says "I wish you were my sister." Sniff.

It's times like that that make me forget being woken up early in the morning by her tantrums and eating dinners with way too much ketchup involved. I'm going to miss their little chubby faces and grimy hands. Gretchen is in the process of interviewing a new nanny right now that she told me about. She sounds like a great fit for these guys. She's a nursing major at City College and should be home alot, which is something I couldn't really do as much. I really hope it works out. I love these kids alot.

Anyway, in other news, gas is $4.20 here. I just don't even look at the total when I fill up anymore. There's no point. I drove by a Chevron in Montecito this morning after I dropped Case off at work, and Diesel was over five dollars. Granted it WAS in Montecito, but still.

When does it end? I'm seriously considering parking the car for good. There's no way normal people can afford to drive the way they used to. Chris Humphreys and I were talking about it today, venting. Cities were just designed so poorly, making us dependent on lengthy daily commutes. I'm super pumped that I'll be a couple of miles from my work at my new job. I'll probably try and tune up my silly girl bike and try that for a while. Case will be farther, working in Montecito, but the scooter gets such good mileage anyway, we'll be okay.

Ugh. This economy is so, so frustrating. Sigh.

Well, I'm through being a downer. Excited about taking in a play this weekend at CenterStage, wearing a new sundress, washing my car (I'm a little bit obsessive about keeping it clean, sadly) and making cookies. Whoo. Hopefully I can update with some pics soon...

2008-05-19T21:21:00.000-07:00

Headshots with Case yesterday. Here is one of my favs. Heart.

quick post

2008-05-19T08:32:00.001-07:00

Sipping my coffee, catching up on the news and trying to fit in a quick blog before work. Just saw a replay of Hillary's speech at Western. I'm sure there were lots of PJ nerds there. I saw the media building in the background and it made my heart hurt. Sigh. I miss BG, and yet...I don't. It's very weird. I'm not making any sense.

Also, I ran this morning around the neighborhood at 6:30. Woo! I'm really excited. I just realized I have 26 DAYS to get in shape for my wedding dress. HOLY COW. So I've decided to put myself through a sort of self-imposed boot camp. I'm going to be waking up to run and do strength training every day before work. Ugh. Why do I procrastinate so? I'll let you know how it goes.

Okay, jetting off to work. Jim is going to Cabo on Wednesday, so we only have two days to put together the paper. Eesh. Lunch today with my writer friend, Sonia.

More later. Hope everyone is well and enjoying the weather!

2008-05-16T22:35:00.000-07:00

Made out like a bandit the other day on Etsy.com. I bought these fun hairpins and these earrings for the wedding and this C sculpture made out of wire for our favor table. Yay!

Yay! Good day

2008-05-16T22:16:00.001-07:00

So today Case and I got breakfast downtown and then made our way over to the courthouse to pick up...our marriage license! Woot. So exciting.

Outside the courthouse...

Filling out the application on the internet...No previous marriages to report. Haha.

And then...we have it!!! We're silly.

And then we decided to go up to the top floor and enjoy the view...

Good times. I'm fixing to crash hardcore...Going to a HUGE book sale at the public library first thing in the morning to scope out some sweeeet Carl Sandburg first editions. It's fun to dream. Hope everybody has a great weekend!

2008-05-12T07:25:00.000-07:00

Also, one of my projects this weekend has been collecting cool jars from thrift stores to use in our candy buffet at our wedding...

Some inspiration...Although ours probably won't look as cool...

2008-05-12T07:18:00.000-07:00

Wow. Premarital counseling session last night...the first one. It was intense, but really, really great. Everyone from my church is incredible.

I'm so thankful for Santa Barbara Community Church.

Up early, drinking Pike's Place blend from Starbuck's and listening to Album Leaf. It's drizzling and overcast here. It's amazing when it's like this, because it's hardly ever not sunshiney.

Good day, I can tell. :)

Getting my house in order...

2008-05-09T18:00:00.001-07:00

Hello all.

Man, today is CRAWLING by. Fridays are usually pretty quiet around here, but this is just ridiculous. Wow. I've been doing some work, but all of my assignments start next week and are of the general news nature (ie, Planning Commission) and a feature I'm working on tomorrow.

So this leaves me with time to idle around on the computer.

I've been thinking a lot today about personal finance. I know its not the most exciting of topics, but I've been reading a lot of blogs by people who are around my age and sort of in a similar place in life. I'm learning things gradually and am trying to educate myself about investing and retirement. As Case and I start to step
into consolidating our finances and incomes, we're starting to talk about goals that we both have and we what we need to do to achieve those. So, in typical "Type-A" fashion, I'm going to make a list.

COOPER'S FINANCE GOALS FOR 2008:

- OPEN AN IRA: I've been doing some research about which of these would be right for me. My company offers one, but they don't start matching contributions til I've been here a couple of years, and I'm not sure I want to deal with the rollover thing. Does anyone reading this have an IRA? Any thoughts on Traditional vs. Roth? I'm leaning towards the Roth - tax free withdrawals sound great - but need some advice.

- MAX IT OUT: My goal is to max out that IRA annually and make the $5,000 contribution. So, by this time next year, I'd like to have 5k in that portfolio. Big step! That means I'm going to have to sock away $381 a month, in addition to a little that I already have in my TD Ameritrade account. If Case and I can max out the IRA every year, we could have over $40,000 saved up by the time we're 30. Yippee!

- INCREASE NET WORTH: I did a net worth calculation yesterday, and let's just say it was a little...well...depressing. Haha. With car payments and the credit card debt I have, it definitely left something to be desired. I think that by saving and eventually, investing aggressively, this will become less and less of a problem.

- MAINTAIN MY EMERGENCY FUND: I am such a huge fan of this. I had heard financial people like Dave Ramsey and Suze Orman talk about the importance of this, but never really thought about it in my own life. I had a small fund stashed away, and after the sudden death of my grandmother this spring, had just enough to fly home the next day to be there for her funeral. It meant the WORLD to me to be there, but I never would have been able to do it had I not set some aside for stuff like that. That's what money is really for - to be able to do the things that matter. I'm going to try my best to keep it aside ONLY FOR EMERGENCIES (note to self: a sale at Sephora does NOT count as an emergency) and consist of at least $1,000.

- PAY OFF MY CREDIT CARD: The sooner this happens, the better. I'm on my way. :)

- CONSISTENTLY TITHE: Saved the most important for last. I'm so blessed to have grown up in a home where the importance of tithing was stressed. My parents are amazing believers and their faith left an impression on me - if you give to the Lord first, faithfully and joyfully, all your needs will be met. So definitely going to strive to keep that up.

So there are a few goals. It's definitely going to take some willpower on my part (I find it hard to pass up on a good deal and accessories are my downfall) but I think the Lord is showing me that I can glorify him by keeping money in perspective and living within my means.

Sorry this post was kind of lame and self centered. I'm kind of hoping that by posting this for all internet posterity, it'll be like me keeping myself accountable. We'll see...

quick update...

2008-05-02T20:50:00.000-07:00

HI everyone.

Updating this from beneath my covers in my room. I've been inside all day, trying to fend off some kind of stomach bug/flu thing. Not pretty. I won't go in to detail, but I'm sure you know what I mean when I say I don't feel so great. Had to miss Case's baccalaureate program tonight to stay home and sleep. I'm hoping I have enough strength to go to his commencement tomorrow.

I feel like a bad girlfriend. :( Sorry, Case.

Welp, I've been watching movies all day and drinking sprite and it hasn't been half bad. Jim was gracious enough to let me stay home from work today, and I feel like tomorrow, I'll be on the mend.

I'm starting to feel sleepy again...But! Wanted to update everybody with some important news! I THINK WE HAVE AN APARTMENT! I'm so incredibly excited. It's been such a ratrace here to find something affordable and yet NOT disgusting. The rental market here is SO competitive (Not enough rentals and most people can't afford to buy homes, what with a median home price in Goleta resting somewhere around $850,000) so we've been pretty discouraged lately. But we were so blessed when our friend Michael told us that one of Casey's stagecraft teachers was moving to Massachusetts at the end of the month. They are the sweetest family and let us stop by and...it's just what we're looking for. PRAISE GOD. And its a great deal and it's HUGE. I'm pumped.

We won't be able to move in until June 1st, which is cutting it kinda close with the wedding and all, but. I'm excited. :) Our first place!!!

Alright, this is really ridiculous. I don't even have the strength to blog at length. I'm going to go consume some more liquids. Thanks to everyone who prayed we would find a place!!!!

:)

2008-04-25T19:42:00.001-07:00

A few things:

-Etsy.com is my new favorite site. I'm determined to buy my wedding jewelry there and support handmade stuff from self-published artists. Woot.

-SPJ Narrative Writing Workshop tomorrow in San Jose! I'm pumped. Although I have to leave ungodly early in the morning, I'll pull in about 9:00 a.m. for a conference led by this amazing feature writer from the Oregonian. I'm excited to pick his brain.

-Appleseed Cast is bringing back memories from highschool right now. In a good way.

-The apartment hunt has had some good possibilities in the works. I'm looking at a few possibilities in the next fews weeks and my expectations are high. Yay! I can't wait til we get a place I can post pictures of on here.

-Editing right now. Adobe LightRoom is a gift from heaven. Seriously.

-I have my Jetta back from the shop! For those of you that don't know, my car was in a little accident a few weeks back, and the hood was crunched. But now it looks fabulous. Yes.

That's the update for now. Hope everyone is well. :)

2008-04-20T21:21:00.001-07:00

Today was Josephine's 6th birthday party. It was pure kindergarten anarchy. But altogether enjoyable.

We also had a jupiter jump in the front yard. Amazing.

Happy birthday, kiddo. :)

apt searching

2008-04-19T11:10:00.000-07:00

Well, after two weeks of apartment hunting, off and on, I can officially say...I'm over it. I'm tired of looking. This is probably my least favorite part of getting a new place. Moving in and fixing it up, imagining all the fun time to be had in your new place...That's the fun part. Compulsively checking Craigslist, scrimping for a security deposity, and haggling with landlords...not so much. Pray for us as we search for our first home.

Meh. Back to Craigslist. I'll post a real post tomorrow. :) Jo's birthday...

Back from Tulsa....

2008-04-14T20:48:00.000-07:00

So this weekend I flew home to Tulsa and went to a bridal shower that my mom and her friends threw for me. So fun. And Jen, my mom and my sis went to get our nails done. So good to be home with Jen and my family. Just a quick update before I go get some work done tonight. Hope everybody is well!!!!

2008-04-02T19:20:00.000-07:00

Watching the kids tonight, just hanging low. Jo is collaging a box (at my suggestion) to give to a boy in her class that she likes. Since all of my magazines are either girly (ie, Anthropologie, J. Crew, wedding mags, etc.) or non-visual (ie, the Economist , Columbia Journalism Review, etc) we tried our best to find some "boy things." I just checked on her, and so far collaged on the box, she has a dog, a basketball, a pair of oakleys, and a married couple kissing on the beach. Hmm. I tried to tell her not to be too obvious, play at least a little bit hard to get. Am I right? But alas, the poor kindergartner wears her heart on her sleeve. She continues to cut and paste.

Apartment searching has yielded no successful results so far. Probably for the best though because once I find a place, I'm going to want to spend a lot on furniture and do my best to make it cute. So it's better that I stay in my slave quarters for now. I'm also addicted to looking at this site (Thanks, Nan!) and scrolling through all the fun rooms. They have a really fun contest going where they give away money to the smallest, coolest apartments. Pretty neat. I can't wait to find a new place to decorate...

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com

I also just stumbled upon this awesome site. It's a simple budgeting program that you should definitely check out if you'd like to have a little more control over your paycheck (who doesn't?) It's great because its not excel (which I loathe) but it works in the same way. And its free.

http://pearbudget.com

Case's performance of CUTS is downtown tomorrow night. I'm so excited for him. Its a part of First Thursdays, which is an event on State Street where all the galleries and theatres have exhibits and performances open to the public. They'll be performing an abridged version of the play, and I'm super excited for community exposure and getting some more audience outside of Westmont. We're hoping some people involved in the local companies get to come out and watch. I'm hoping I can grab some pics of the cast on their closing night.

I think I'm going to go lovingly suggest to Jo that she forget about the boys for a while and watch Annie with me. Staging an intervention with musicals is usually effective when dealing with star-crossed kindergartners. Singing AND dancing? Perfect. Anything multi-sensory is the perfect kid amnesiac.

Goodnight, friends. Encourage your children not to fall in love too early and protect their hearts when they do.

<3

CUTS

2008-03-30T08:44:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!

Sorry its taken me so long to post! This week has been CRAZY, with Casey's senior project finally taking the stage on Wednesday and Friday nights!

CUTS! Here's Case with his amazing cast: Sarah Halford, Nolan Hamlin and Marie Ponce, with photos by the fabulous Cory Schooland. Thanks, Cory!

It was an incredible show and the Friday show had people sitting in the aisles! I'm super proud.