Another stroll through a meme in May . . .

Weird Facts About Myself The Rules:

Once you’ve been tagged, you have to write a blog with 10 weird, random, facts, habits or goals about yourself. At the end, choose 6 people to be tagged, list their names & why you tagged them. Don’t forget to leave them a comment saying “You’re it!” & to go read your blog. You cannot tag the person that tagged you, so since you’re not allowed to tag me back; let me know when you are done so I can go read YOUR weird/random/odd facts, habits and goals.



For me, I'm going through my photostream at flickr. Let's see what i come up with...



Some people think this is weird, but to photographers it's "the bomb". It's called bokeh and it's what you get when you shoot with your lens' aperture wide open. See that blur in the foreground and the background of the focused flowers? Yeah, that's bokeh and it's something cool to try to achieve which will result in "oohs" and "ahhs" from your photography friends (like me). :c) There are tons of "groups" at flickr just to showcase your "bokeh" photos. I'm one who has gotten addicted to it.

And here's another example of beautiful bokeh:





I loooove these green tea frapps from Starbucks. I tend to get these more than (frozen or iced) coffee on most days in the summer. And the color I'm in love with. For some odd reason funky colors of green have really grown on me lately. Isn't it snazzy? (This photo is from my photo shoots in Chicago when Jo and I took a break in air conditioning with some yummy chillers.)

This isn't so much weird, or maybe it is? But here are my necessities when going on long shoots (weddings included).



D200
cell phone
glasses
water
and Starbucks (usually it's coffee or sometimes something cold. Just has to have caffeine.)
and, a cool place to sit down and rest my tired feet for a bit before more shooting :c)

I take chances a lot with my camera.



That's me and that's me during a shoot in Chicago in WATER. You kinda have to take some chances when you want the perfect photo otherwise you miss perfect opportunities. This is about the only realm of my life where I take chances, but that's okay. :c)



I can't find anything weird to say about this one. (hehe) This is just a favorite picture of when my dear friend Jen and her daughter, Addy, came to visit us. I miss her.



Even with all the problems we had in this house and the money we spent and lost on it, I still really miss it.



If you've never been to Chicago, you should go. And make sure you see "the bean" in Millennium Park. This is the bean, well part of it, and our reflection in it. A couple hours later we would have gotten our picture taken with zillions of other faces in it, too. It's quite popular. What makes this weird is, I don't like how dirty it is! Usually (I believe) it is cleaned once or twice a day and obviously it hadn't been cleaned yet!

These pictures make me laugh. Again, not weird. I just need something to fill this spot and these two pictures are two of my favorites from May. Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Bob the Builder:




And, this isn't weird, either, but then again, maybe it is because it excites me. But remember my contest to win the free canvas? Well, my winner, Candi, she asked if she could buy one a bit larger. So I said YES! and gave her a canvas in a 20x24 (I think it was) at my cost --- so she walked away with an awesome deal-a-roo! She got the canvas up and here it is!

If you hop on over to her blog, you will see the before and after of the space where she put it. Isn't it awesome?! I'm so happy for her that she won because it really turned out so great and it just makes me smile seeing it up in her home. Congrats again, Candi :c) (I also gained a friend in all this! Cool, eh?!)



This is my new favorite shirt. I may be weird, but I love it. Hmmmmm...wonder why?


Okay, there we have. My list of 10 weird things (they aren't so much facts, but at least I played!). I am not tagging anyone. But please feel free to do it -- it's fun! (Thanks, AJ!)

Coffee coffee coffee coffee . . . mmmmm . . . coffee!

I was just thinking this morning, as I was about to pour myself a cup of this fabulous new coffee that Erin sent me for Christmas called Tim Hortons, how I think this one is my new favorite. But then I got in the shower and kept thinking about all the coffees that I like (because you know how you think in the shower -- it's my favorite time!), and many others then started running through my head. There are so many!


This Tim Hortons definitely ranks way up there, if not my favorite, right now. It's so incredibly smooth, yet strong, and not bitter tasting at all. I can only imagine how great all their fancy drinks are in their coffee shops up yonder there in Canada. I did roam the website and it said that there actually are 100-some stores located in the US now, but I'm betting most of them are in the high north. But, this means there is hope that we can start buying it here! If not, I have my Erin.


I think my other high-ranking favorite is Cafe Du Monde's coffee and chicory. I started loving this on my first trip to New Orleans many years ago. Since then I've been to New Orleans another handful of times, so it's always a daily ritual when there, and Neil has been many a times on business travel. He quickly learned to always bring me back a can or two. And coming this October, I get to go to Cafe Du Monde itself and buy some face-to-face from a Nawlins Cafe Du Monde employee! Yippeeee! This also means I get to munch on some beignets. Mmmmmmm....my tummy is growling! Cafe Du Monde is such a great coffee. It is a little on the bitter side, but it's a good bitter. It's really hard to explain it because the chicory gives it a taste that is unlike any other coffee I have ever had, but trust me, it's good.


Another favorite is Dunkin Donuts which you can now buy bagged in stores! I had driven by many stores over the years but never stopped. While driving by I would glance but then keep on going on to my usual Starbucks. New Orleans even has one steps away from Cafe Du Monde, so I never thought twice about going to that one down there. I mean, seriously, Cafe Du Monde rocks, and you can only go to an actual store in New Orleans itself. (Great business tactic, if you ask me.) Anyway, my mother-in-law, Martha, served it at our Christmas dinner, and I fell in love! I couldn't believe it was Dunkin Donuts when she told me. I had heard how great the coffee was, but honestly didn't want to believe it! (An old chain donut place suddenly serving amazing coffee?!?) But it's true. It's great. And next time I'm at the grocery store, I'm picking up a bag. Starbucks may be on it's way out in my house. (Maybe?)

(Check out the website. You can sign up in a contest to win coffee for a year!! Even if you don't like coffee, you can sign up and then give someone your winnings . . . let's say, Val??)

Another very favorite (I can't rank these, they're all so good, I can only call them favorites!) is illy coffee. It's hard to find here in central Illinois, but sometimes I'll find it in higher-end boutiques or stores that sell international foods. (I've found it at World Market before.) I have had it brewed in a cafe before in Chicago. It's located in the lower level of Marshall Field's near a place we stay in Chicago quite often, and much closer than Starbucks, so I prefer going there actually. And, I'm always hoping to see Oprah there. (I'm always on the lookout for her and because of that, I'm probably destined to never see her. {Sigh}) This cafe houses Oprah's "All-time Favorite Oatmeal Cookie" (that's really what it's called because it is her favorite!) and let me say, it's a splendid cookie and tastes even better with illy coffee. Illy is another one that is so smooth and you can just tell it's roasted and ground with special care. It's from Italy, but like I said, you can find it here, and if not, you can order it online. Mmmmmm...so yum it is!


You can't buy this kind in stores, but my favorite coffee shop to wander into is Espresso Royale. We have quite a few in Champaign and there are others throughout the US (just not many). Their coffee is so wonderfully smooth and yummy, too, and I love going into their stores to just sit and relax. It's where I did all my website designing for VWC Photography and so I've grown really fond of it. They have gizillions of different specialty coffees which are all fabulous. And my favorite part, you can sign up with them online and get frequent coupons. Every Wednesday is $1 Latte day, on ANY size! Oh my goodness, you can't beat that! So if you ever see one, don't drive by. Stop. Because it's so good and you won't be disappointed. Trust me.

This is the actual shop that I kinda lived in for 2 weeks. I sat over there by the window at the table near the red chair. Can't you picture me there?! I'd get about 3 refills on coffee throughout an evening. It was really fun, actually. I kinda miss the nice people who worked there!

Of course I love Starbucks. It will always hold a special place in my heart. And here in central Illinois, I go there quite often as a special treat when I am around one. I also buy it quite frequently. I never brew anything other than it, actually. But I have to shake my loyalty to them a bit because I really really do like Tim Hortons and the others that much. So move over, Starbucks, some new (and possibly better?) coffees are in town!

Do you drink coffee? What is your favorite? Please don't say Folgers, because if you do, you haven't tried any of the above. :c) Those of you who don't drink coffee, or even those who do, did you know that coffee is actually really good for you? Read about here. It's really interesting!

Okay, I'm off for the weekend! We're going out-of-town without kids and I cannot absolutely wait!!!! I'm a little nervous, but, once we're gone, I'll be okay. I always am (not that we do this often . . . I think this is just the 2nd time ever!). Everyone have a great weekend!

OH! And one very last thing. My friend, and fellow blogger, Corie, just found out yesterday what sex she is having! Go check it out and relish in the excitement with her!

Me and my Espresso Royale . . .


I, your very caffeinated friend, will see you Monday!!

Just for random fun . . . a meme

Michelle tagged me . . . and even though I've been tagged a half dozen times before for this same meme, I'm thinking I'll do it again but with some pieces of mindless information just for fun! (Thanks, Michelle!)

8 or 9 (very) random things about me . . .

1. I just recently purchased Oust for the first time and I'm now addicted
2. Also recently, I joined Facebook and since doing so, I have reconnected with tons of people who I haven't seen or talked to in 5, 7, 9, 13 years! I recommend exploring it if you haven't.
3. I got twenty catalogs in the mail Friday. Not joking either.
4. My dress that I ordered a short while back fits me perfectly. I do need a little booster in the bosom area (as I always do) but otherwise it's fits wonderfully and is really stunning.
5. The shoes I bought to go with the dress . . wayyy too small. I'm finally realizing that my shoe size really has gotten larger . . . I'm now a giant-sized 10.
6. One of my favorite secret (but not so secret anymore) indulgences are graham crackers dipped in a can of chocolate icing. Mmmmmmmmm. . .
7. In about 45 minutes I am going to be leaving (kidless) to D-town to meet with some clients to place their holiday orders. Starbucks will be seeing me in about 1 hour and 15 minutes from now . . . yippeeeeeee! ;c)
8. I love to garden. I love perennials especially. We have two huge hydrangeas here at the new house and they are extremely wilted. But it's been freezing at night, so I'm afraid to water them because then they will really be shocked. Anyone have any suggestions? Do I need to cut them to the ground? My mom said some plants need to keep their stems as protection through the winter. I should just look online but I thought I'd ask you all first . . . Erin, do you know?
9. Check out my flickr account. Lots and lots and lots of new pictures.