http://www.scn.ucla.edu/pdf/Master-InPress-PsychSci.pdf
I found a post on a forum I visit scientists at UCLA believe photo’s of  and individual’s loved ones is a good way to decrease physical and psychological pain.

Strapless  gowns for brides have been widely popular for several years.   They are not however for the faint-hearted to wear successfully.  It has to fit properly and with proper foundation to support the bride throughout the day.  It is less than attractive for the bride  every few minutes to grab both sides of the bodice and give an upward yank.  It is the exact opposite of wearing a micro-mini and spending all your time tugging downward on it for fear your zip code is showing.

Because we all come in various shapes, sizes, and anywhere from “ok” to “more than enough” it is imperative to have someone great at alterations create the best fit for you.  Then either at the dressmakers or at home get in the gown of your dreams and dance wildly to prove to yourself you are not going to suddenly find yourself the center of attention for a couple of wrong reasons.  Stretch your arms over your head. Reach across a table.  Once you have proved you will not be popping out of the gown make up your mind there will be no two handed tugs throughout the day from you because you fear falling out.

While you are still in the gown have a few moments of “working” the dress.  What do I mean?  Find out what you can and can’t do in it, and then figure out how you can do these things looking every inch of the beautiful bride you will be that day.

There is nothing like a well planned seemingly relaxed woman walking down the aisle on her dad’s arm.  Shoulders back, flowers down so the design details of her wedding gown are visible, and her eyes fixed on the man she is about to marry.  It should be a calculated, regal, well timed walk letting the entire church know just how she has prepared herself to be presentd to the one she loves.  No matter how many times you see it, it will always be a touching moment to watch.

If you choose strapless you also should make the choice to wear to your best advantage.  Straps, caplets, and jackets can be created if it isn’t for you.  In closing……… work it, girl……. work it!  Don’t let it WORK you!

2009 very much could be depicted by the image in this post.  Bare trees hanging over a road that I was uncertain where it led.

I choose to count blessings for 2009 no matter how few or how small.  How about you?  Thinking about the good things that surround you?

My biggest blessing this year has been the people in my life both on the short term and the long term.  I am richer from meeting and knowing each person.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Get these two together and the one liners fly fast and furious,  lots of laughter, and both are just not real crazy about photos of themselves being taken.   So! The deal was a 15 minute session.  Nice! Easy!  Not very many lights and props.   Just Father and Son… that was the goal.  They didn’t have any recent photos of each other.

I adore them both!  “Like Father Like Son” is sort of obvious from the first image above.  There is so much more that make them easy to recognize as father and son.  It goes way much deeper than looks.

Two of my favorite fellas!!

What’s a mental health day readers might ask.   They are days where you go do anything and everything on a whim.  Wednesday was such a day.  I grabbed a friend and off we went.  Camera tucked in the car of course. The best way to describe my mood was with this image.

A gloomy cloudy dark dreary day with pond scum on the river?  Oh, man! Perfect!! It fit my mood perfectly.  I am a DIGS kind of person (Donna’s instant gratification syndrome) and since when did life ever  deliver the changes life has for us on our timetable?   I’ve a flair for the dramatic. So! Off I went.

The day included retail therapy purchasing, a new top, a moody colored scarf, pumpkin pie fudge, jelly bellies, typhoo tea,  a coffee/hot chocoalte mix, horseradish mustard, and mango butter.  Amazing things happen after a little retail therapy.

To add to my day of retail therapy  there was of course Lay’s Chips so I got my oil/salt fix.  The day and the evening was shared with a friend and we ended it with Mexican food and Blue Moon.

Funny, I forgot why I needed a mental health day after all that.  Oh, come on!   You know you have mental health days too.  <smile>   They work wonders in accepting the things you can’t change!!

My studio landlord is a realtor, and lately he has asked me to go get the images he needs to list homes with. Well, two of them lately had backyards with great stuff from Quint City Stone. Both of them I fell in love with. The houses were nice, but I could have just sat down and been totally at home in the back yards.

The listing agent is Jesse Hammes, ReMax, 563 579 0777.   Jesse is really a great guy, an excellent realtor with integrity, and I find that he is really a motivated force in downtown Davenport.  He has several restoration projects going on as well as being a realtor.

A little perspective on this 7 mile run most of it up hill.   There were over 18,000 registered participants.  When they announced the first runners were passing the half way point there were still people just passing the starting line.    I know better than 30 people that ran….. I didn’t spot even one of them.   It was a sea of people most with little to no maneuvering room.   This gentleman faced all the possibilities of someone bumping him or a crutch, maneuvering through the crowd, going up that hill…….

I don’t know him, but he inspires me to count my blessings and admire him.

Edited to add:

New trend?  Run the Bix before your wedding?   Those are some true friends that are with her.  That is not only going the extra mile it’s going the extra 7 miles.

why this door was hung.  It is between a restroom and an outside door on the far side of the kitchen.  It certainly won’t keep out bugs since they could buzz right through it.  That large of a hole in screening isn’t required for a breeze to pass through.  Perhaps strength to prevent being pushed in during the delivery process?  Perhaps it was what was on hand to make the door, and it was homemade?

Love those funky places to shoot.  So, Lexie is standing in the bathroom door.

The lovely blue wall is in the men’s room.

Lovely color in the kitchen!

My point in pointing these places throughout the building is that you don’t have to have totally beautiful settings to yield great photos.  We went to all the funky corners that are usually not viewed by the public.  Skellington Manor has all the upper floors under construction and getting the haunted floors ready for the public in the Fall.

Let me assure you the main floor is ready for a small to a fairly large event.  Skellington Manor… a wee bit different!

Every wedding I shoot has random shoe shots from guests and family.

These lil’ pink numbers belong to Lexie.

Why do we do this?  We want to see how much our bride notices the details of the day.