Today is Rex's 30th Birthday!!

Because we are all freaks, a whole group of us got together to make Rex a unique birthday present. Based on Suzie and I's inability to unscramble random letters, we decided to torture Rex. So everyone made a letter and I sent them all to Rex to unscramble himself.

To see our message to Rex click here!

There is something about the day... I'm itching for a thunderstorm suddenly, I want to hear the rumble and feel it down my back. I know I won't get it... but I'm feeling it...

I just think its funny that about 3 photo bloggers posted new photos between 12:30 and 2am on a Saturday night. Home from whatever we are doing and its straight to the photos.

And what was I doing during that time span? working on photos for my next album and waiting for the blanket for the bed to dry. :)

Do you remember "the Move" - I remember "the Move" and right this moment I am remembering it even more.

Why am I choosing to remember "the Move" right now you might ask? Well it would be because we are moving again, and I am again on the hunt for movers.

Now, we aren't sure we are going to use movers yet, we might have them do it all, we might have them just do the furniture and we will do the boxes ourselves... or maybe we will just do it ourselves (my back doesn't like that idea). No matter what the verdict we are moving, its coming up quick and there are lots of decisions to make. I'm just a little afraid of having another mover's scandal.

Where are you moving Rachel? Oh yeah, well Kevin and I haven't talked about it too much yet, for escrow reasons we have been observing a kind of "quite period", however contingency period is almost up and I think we are about ready to talk about it. I will tell you all that Kevin has bought us the most amazing house, I'm in love!!! (With the house, I was already in love with Kevin before that!). We are in escrow, we should close on October 8th and then we will be moving about 8 minutes away to a new sanctuary in Sunnyvale. We won't be that far from Cy and Athena.

The house is really amazing, and I'll give you all the run-down soon... for now, I have one more mover to call tomorrow. This one is recommended which makes me feel better... lets just hope that they won't want to completely rob us blind.

*develops a nervous twitch*

Baking is not my strong suit!

I'm making some happy snicker doodles to cheer up some friends. The problem with baking is that you actually have to read the directions exactly. With cooking the recipe is kind of like a guideline, I can make some changes and make the food in my fashion.

With baking I have to do it just right. I guess I'm too distractible today.

First I started out making the snicker doodles but accidently started using the recipe next to it for ginger snaps.

-scrap that and start over-

Then I start the snicker doodles and read the measurements wrong, ended up doubling some of the ingredients by accident. oops... gotta double it all now.

Snicker doodles galore!!

Anything you want to tell me feel free!!

On the up side...

Kevin and I saw Sarah McLachlan Saturday night. It was exactly the kind of calming beautiful evening I needed.

We sat about 30 seats back at the Berkeley Greek Theatre. The evening was a little cool, but we had sweatshirts and a blanket. The night was beautiful and throughly enjoyed the stars and the sky above us. I only wish I were laying on a hill for this concert.

When I was in high school I used to go to concerts at the Finger Lakes Community Arts Center. I never bought actual seats, I always sat on the lawn. The nice thing at FLCC was that they let you bring a picnic. But the best part really was having a blanket and the sky above me. I could dance if I wanted to, or I could lay on my back and stare at the sky and let the music just rush over me like water.

Good music and a clear sky are two of the most wonderful things in life. I'm considering tickets to see Norah Jones and for that one I will get lawn seats. I don't need to sit in a chair. In fact I'm often against chairs. And I'm very much against being crowded into a little space. I don't need to see the artists face, yeah its quite cool to be up close, but what is really want is just to hear their voice and the instruments and let it all soak into my skin.

Last night (the 11th) was Kevin and I's 1.5 anniversary. Silly I know... but I'm a hopeless romantic. We had a beautiful evening. I picked up some food and we had a picnic at Google and watched the Space Station pass over us on its revolution. Then we drove down to Redwood city to catch site of a Iridium Flare. The flare was pretty cool.

On our way home we tried to find a coffeehouse that we could have a nice drink and play some card games at, but nothing stays open late anymore. Its very sad!!

Overall two nights in a row that were more relaxing than stressful.

I love my boyfriend! And I love life! Ups and downs and everything. :)

Anything you want to tell me feel free!!

I GOT TO SEE MADONNA IN CONCERT ON SUNDAY!

Wow was that a cool concert! I would almost say it was a Madonna circus - there were even cages and those upside down painted barrels that they have in the circus.

Madonna is amazing. It was great being able to hear her wonderful old songs with the skill of the voice she has developed since doing Evita. And that woman doesn't slack off - she is as skilled a dancer as she is a singer. I can't rave enough about this concert.

There was not a bit of downtime. Madonna took a couple of changing breaks but the musicians kept playing and her dancers and performers kept entertaining the entire time. There was even a moment of reminisce for Kevin as I as Madonna danced in a full kilt with bagpipe player. It was just like being back at CMU - except I have yet to see Madonna there.

Anyway, thats enough babble from me. All I have to say is WOW!!!! *grin*

Anything you want to tell me feel free!!

PhoenixFeather Photography is alive!

There isn't a lot of content there yet, but there is one major product that I'm really excited about. The very first PhoenixFeather product is my new Photography Club. Sign up and receive a 5x7 or 8x10 print every month for a year.

But what am I jabbering about, go look!! I think the pages are looking really good, and now that a couple pages have content I think the rest will start to come more quickly.

Also, having worked in a company that creates online database solutions (including ecommerce solutions) I was very surprised how easy Pay Pal made it for me to set up a shopping cart and such. I'm also very happy about their newish policy that a customer doesn't have to sign up to make a payment. So far, I am very pleased.

So now I need to get a client base going!!

Oh! I have set up a mailing list. Its on the photographic services page. Sign up for updates and specials.

Advertising-wise, I am going to do a few ads with Photo Friday, and I know that I need to do more stuff, but first I need the rest of the pages and products up. So anyone who wants to help me advertise (i.e. tell people about me, put a link on your site, etc.) I would be grateful.

Tell people to give your name when they purchase and I'll give you some kind of discount when you purchase. I will formalize that in the next week - I promise.

Okay, thats enough babbling from me for now. I'm just so excited!! Oh, and thank you to Heather Champ for letting me use the photo club idea.

*does a little "my business is open" dance*

So I got back from Los Vegas on Monday. Kevin and I had a great time with his mother and sister (Susie). We took a fabulous hike in Red Rock National Park (I'm planning the Valley of Fire for next trip - it was a hard choice).

We ate a few wonderful meals, saw Penn & Teller, visited The Venetian, Ceasar's Palace, Bellagio and Treasure Island. But it was always home to the Mirage for some late night black jack.

I left Vegas up about $300. That was enough to buy my new Nikon SB-800 flash!!! I can't wait till it comes... I'm giddy!

The weekend was wonderful, but its always nice to be home.

Pictures to follow!

Hey all! I'm going to Vegas. There are comments I am still planning to respond to, but I will do that when I get back.

I'm sure I'll have lots of desert and lights pictures!!!!

I have the pleasure of calling many talented people my friends. This post is about one, Matthew Ehlers.

Between college and grad school I did some over-hire and electrics work at Geva Theatre in Rochester. I met lots of cool people there a few of whom I'm still in touch with. This was where I met Matt. Matt was smart and funny and very cute. I had one of those school girl crushes on him (you know the ones you know will never happen, and if you thought they would they wouldn't be so appealing, but since it won't you just enjoy it).

Anyway, Matt is the short film writer, director, producer, etc. of Egg Works Productions. When I was working with him he showed me his first film The Alibi, and I attended a screening of his second film Lunch at the Rochester Film Festival. Soon after that I left for grad school but continued to get updates from Matt.

Matt's films are short, never more than a few minutes long, are simple, yet very creative and are incredibly funny!!! I really suggest you view those that are available online. They are really wonderful!

The links below will take you to a page where you can view the films
Lunch (3min 20sec) was excepted at the Sundance festival in 2002 and now screens on the Sundance Channel and HBO.
AutoBank (2min 25sec) was excepted at the Sundance festival in 2003 and is coming this summer to Comedy Central
and now:
Who's Your Daddy? (3min 17sec) is the his third offical selection from the Sundance Festival for this summer.

I have to say I'm proud to know him.

The last couple of days there has been a rant brewing in my head. So many news papers are now requiring that you sign up and log in every time you want to read one of their articles. Sorry guys, but I am not the only one who is getting more and more pissed about this. I don't really mind giving you some info about me, though with all the people who just make stuff up I don't know how accurate you can say the data you collected is. And if I'm a member of a site its because the site needs to be confidential, or its a place that I need to go to do some specific job - like when I log in here to write on my blog.

Last night I had this discussion with Kevin, Rick and Ammy. We know that these companies marketing departments have latched on to this idea and they aren't going to let go, but it doesn't really benefit them that much and they actually lose readership this way.

In the past my habits have followed a path of: Oh, I would like to read that - I have to sign in? - oh fine - then i read. Or: Oh, I would like to read that - I have to sign in? - yeah, maybe later.

It's annoying, I get frustrated and I move on in one fashion or another. Today the New York Times did it to me and it was the last straw. I signed up a while ago for their email list that gives me the headlines every day. And so I get my email and read the headlines. Most times I don't end up wanting to read the rest of the article. I did today though, so I clicked on the link in the email and low and behold... THE LOG IN PAGE!

They sent me an email, can't the email tell the page to check my old cookie and be done with it? I mean really, I'm coming from my email that they sent to me - I'm quite obviously already a member. Lets not put a requirement on how determined you are and how many places you have to remember which login combination for in order to be an informed citizen.

*sighs* This time I was annoyed enough not to log in and not to read.

Anyone want to tell me about the situation in Colorado where the bishop is denying religious rights to anyone who votes for a politician or policy that doesn't support the churches desires? (hee hee - this one is another rant all in its self!!)

This is a SPECIAL - for Cinco De Mayo - wallpaper.

Click link for desired wallpaper size, then right click and save image into your wallpaper directory: Sm: 1024 x 768 : Lg: 1280 x 1024 : More Wallpapers

This photo is part of an upcoming photo album, but I have released it early so that your computer get enjoy Cinco De Mayo too!!!

I got this meme from Blacksheep and thought I would fill it out too. Read at your own risk. ;)

A is for - Age: 25 (26 in a week)
B is for - Boyfriend/Girlfriend: I adore my boyfriend Kevin. And currently he is stuck living with me ;)
C is for - Career in Future: Something in Arts Management. Marketing & Design, Events Planning. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Someday way in the future I plan to build my own grounds for the arts: Complete with a tree house theatre.
D is for - Dead person you would like to meet: Jim Hensen or Dr. Seuss.
E is for - Essential item: I'm not sure if I have one, maybe water or something to drink with me all the time.
F is for - Favorite song at the moment: I don't have one "of the moment", however one of my favorites Rhiannon by Stevie Nicks.
G is for - Guy/Girls you've kissed: Kissed with a capitol K (as Blacksheep put it)? 11 I think, give or take a bit. I do however kiss my friends as well, its an expression of love in any form.
H is for - Hometown: East Bloomfield, NY is where I did most of my growing up, but I was born in Lexington, SC.
I is for - Instruments you play: Oboe, Clarinet, Flute, Sax, most any woodwind instrument if you give me a little bit to play with it. Though its been a long time dealing with any of them. I can also play the piano a little bit.
J is for - Job title: Photographer, Arts Manager to be.
K is for - Killed anyone? Nope...
L is for - Living places: Lexington, SC 1978-1979; I forget where, VA 1979-1982, Rochester, NY 1982-1983, E. Bloomfield, NY 1983-1996, Selinsgrove, PA 1996-2000, North Adams, MA, 2000, Pittsburgh, PA 2001-2003, Mountain View, CA 2003-present. Also some summer time in Hollis, NH and Beverly, MA in 1999.
M is for - Memory of the day: Waking Kevin this morning... *giggle* His stubbornness can be used for amusement.
N is for - Number of people you've slept with: 4
O is for - Overnight hospital stays: Not since that whole birth thing.
P is for - Phobias: Really flat wide open places.
Q is for - Quote you like: "I'd give my life to make everyone smile, I'd give my smile to make everyone free." - Miggetes
R is for - Relationship that lasted the longest: I was in a 3 year relationship in the past, my current one with Kevin is about 1 year, 5 months and going great.
S is for - Sexuality: heterosexual.
T is for - Time you wake up everyday: Somewhere between 8am and 11am. I've been getting better since moving to the west coast - my body is still on east coast time.
U is for - Unique trait(s): fun loving, honest, stubborn, ambitious. (I don't know that they are all that unique, but they are true). My only real unique trait (kind of) deals with poking my nose which is a forbidden act so you will never know.
V is for - Vegetable you love: Mushrooms
W is for - Worst habit: Nail biting - though I'm slowly breaking it.
X is for - X-rays you've had: dental, left wrist, left shoulder blade.
Y is for - Yummy food you make: I love to cook and try new things. People seem to really love my pulled pork though.
Z is for - Zodiac sign: Taurus.

So this is one of those beaming proud kind of bragging sort of posts. But its not just for me.

Some of you know that Kevin and I are taking online photography classes at BetterPhoto.com. I am really really enjoying the class and learning a lot. I don't think I can ever go back to the time when I didn't take my pictures manually.

This aside this class has a reward for those of us with a slightly competitive nature, such as Kevin and I. Picture Of The Week is a reward that singles out the top photos for that week. Kevin and I both received this recognition in our respective classes.


Coiled by Rachel

Spinning Your Wheels by Rachel

Net by Kevin

Announcing Random Pixel!! This is a Kevin project. Those of you who know him, know he has been working on this for years, or procrastinating this for year, whichever you prefer. And now its finally open for business.

It’s such a cool idea. He hands out disposable cameras and asks people to hand them around. Each camera has a name and once you pass it on, you can check in until your pictures return and are posted. Not all cameras return, but many do and its great fun to see what kind of pictures appear.

I really love this idea and I'm really proud of him for finally buckling down and getting the site active. Yay Kevin!

*rolls eyes and shares*

Bush reelection Chairman fondly recalls 2000 recount

Bush/Cheney '04 Chairman Marc Racicot was in Florida yesterday fondly recalling the 2000 Florida recount, saying, "to us what happened in Florida was a triumph in democracy. It wasn't a blemish." Chairman Racicot went on to say that the recount "showed the enduring resilience of this democracy and the discipline of the American people to be dedicated to the rule of law."

I was a staffer in Florida in 2000 and I thought I should remind Mr. Racicot how things really were. As I recall, thousands of minority voters were taken off the voter rolls by Katherine Harris as suspected felons. (I especially loved that on many occasions when Harris was needed during the recount, she was found at Governor Bush's mansion.)...

The 2000 recount, a 'triumph in democracy'? I don't think so Mr. Chairman, but nice try!

I might also point out we don't really live in a democracy, but rather a democratic republic... but I think thats the least of Chairmen Racicot's problems right now.

[Thanks to Kicking Ass for this post content]

My grandma emailed recently after reading some of my blog. I wanted to share what she has to say to get an outlook on demographics other than myself. I can only see the world and the government through my eyes and experiences which only amount to just over 25 years. So without further ado here is my cool Grandma K.

Grandma K: "Of course being an old person brain washed from way back, all I really pay attention to with great interest is Democrat and Republican. I do give notice to Liberal, Green party and whatever other party is out there, but they usually don't have the $$$ backing them so they don't have the chance of a snowball in you know where. TOO bad because this country could use a
dramatic change, but unlikely to happen because of the money and good-old
boys clubs. Well needless to say, I don't feel like voting anymore
because the Middle Class people are always left holding the bag. Pretty
soon there will be no middle class , just Very rich and very poor. Just
my opinion."

I knew just how tired I was of always feeling pushed around by the government, but if I'm tired of it all, I can't imagine how tired she must be. *sighs*

In some ways I can't believe I'm doing this since just a week ago I was on the other side of the table, but I've had the time to adjust and the rest of the world hasn't, so even though my little blog doesn't get too much traffic I'm going to say my peace to defend google.

Wired Magazine among other news distributors have moved from their reports of - Gmail would be cool if its not a April Fools Joke - to - Gmail is going to invade your privacy, run away run away!

In addition those same fears were recently brought up in the comments of a post on fury.com, and I felt the need to comment very simply because as a usability tester on this project I voiced these same fears directly to Google.

I didn't notice the ads right away when testing Gmail. Gmail ads look very much like a normal google site were the ads appear discretely along the side of the window; next to, but not in the content of your email.

When I did notice though I did a double take; there they were, these ads about hair dye down on the side of my window. In my email I was discussing dying my hair with a friend. How the $%*&&#! did they get there? I felt violated. But the thing is we get violated by the internet every day: yahoo and hotmail searches your incoming email to sort out spam and there are a million other examples. The difference here is the glaring reminder on the side of your window. To begin with it's a little freaky - kinda like that horror movie always checking your back feeling. BUT IT DOESN'T LAST!

I understand where anyone who is a bit freaked out is coming from, but also I think if I'm going to trust someone it's going to be Google. It took me a little bit, but I got over it. I had the added motivation that I really wanted to be able to use the product that I'm so very proud of Kevin for designing. I also had the added benefit of being able to tell the Google testers exactly why I felt violated. Regardless of that I think that the rest of the world will get over it too. Poor Kevin and Google are going to have to ride out the adjustment period (it happens with things that are different - I doubt everyone trusted cars - those odd motorized contraptions - when they first came out) just like they did with me and I'm sure other testers too; But I think in the end the world will realize its not the boogie man lurking in their closet, its just some friendly dust bunnies happily folding your socks for you.

(As a side note I just want to congratulate Kevin and Google on a job well done. And also give thanks to Zhaneel for for being willing to voice her concern; It really gave me a chance to respond to feelings I know that I just had.)

I trust Google and they value the trust the people have for them enough work very hard to keep it.

Props to Planned Parenthood for this one!! I have to say this is awesome! I really wish it was true. *sighs*

The White House's Irresponsible Choices

But I do have to comment on two things.

1. April Fools is prolly the best marketing technique there is. This type of thing totally grabs my attention. Without this one I may not have ever known about this issue.

2. What is with this administration just doing whatever it wants? And I think there are too many issues that aren't getting notice. Everyone is so hyped up over the 9/11 trials that we have heard almost nothing about the gay marriage amendment. And I for one had no idea about the "abstinence-only" initiative.

Maybe I haven't been trying hard enough to get informed, but then there are a lot of americans a lot less informed than I am.

I have already signed up online to help with the Kerry campaign, I don't know what I will do yet (not door to door or calls since I just can't mentally justify those things), but I'm going to do my part.

Kevin has great ideas for ways to inform the nation, I think I'm going to have to come up with my ideas as well. I really can't take this.

I want to live in the country in that spoof article, not the one I'm currently in.

I'm warning you now... this is a rant... just warning you!!!!

I am so so so angry!!! Some of you know that I have a possible health issue. It’s a possible issue with a non-cancerous breast lump. If you want the whole story read it here.

To continue the story, I knew that my insurance ran out on my birthday, May 1st. Since that was coming up fast Kevin and I got to work on making sure I was going to be covered all the way through. Now one of the downsides of my current insurance is that it won't cover anything preventative, only specialist/emergency issues while I'm not in the state of NY, which is the insurances origin.

So I call to find out what paperwork I need to deal with in order to transfer myself over to Kevin's insurance on my birthday. I get on the phone with them and they are all of a sudden telling me that they have made a mistake and they need to cut my insurance that day. No grace period, nothing.

So Kevin was wonderful, we scrambled, signed some papers at Google to start the process of getting me on his insurance. The only thing missing is the letter from my old insurance telling me the date that they stopped covering me. This allows the new insurance to retroactively pick me up from that day and I have continuous insurance.

The insurance company promised to fax a copy of the letter I needed. They said it would take them 3 days to get the letter together. After meeting with Google, the HR department asks if the letter can be faxed directly to them. I call back to find out if this is possible. Well the girl I had been talking to has left for the day. Well I just want to change the fax number, so I tell the guy this and he comes back telling me its illegal for them to fax this to me at all. He says he can mail it, or I can have the new insurance agency call them. Kevin and I decide that it will be easier to have it mailed.

That was Monday and I have been checking every day for the letter so I can get things going. I have an eye doctor appointment on Tuesday (I've been wearing the same contacts way longer than I should have) and my third breast exam this year is on March 31st.

I got the letter today. It’s a computer print out that the guy I talked to that day made from his computer screen. It lists my original end date, 05/01/04. It says NOTHING about the fact that they already dropped me from the insurance; it doesn't have the right end date on it, and it does me NO GOOD WHAT-SO-EVER!!!

I'm so angry right now. By the time the mail was delivered today, the insurance company was closed (east coast time). So now I'm stuck, waiting all weekend... further putting off this issue. While I can claim that I have insurance... I really don't and the whole issue is kind of shaky. I think I would be covered by Kevin's insurance - as in the insurance company would wait for everything to go through and then back pay the docs. But I see headaches for me in this situation.

Truly, I got this letter and wanted to cry and scream and stamp my feet. They have reduced me to a child having a tantrum. This whole unknown health issue is stressful enough to me without adding this crap on top of it all.

Anyway, thanks for letting me rant!! I might still go do some screaming or something. The insurance company will at least get an earful on Monday! *sighs*

NOTE: Later in the evening, after I had figured out how to get them to fax me the right letter on Monday, Kevin called me. He went to check his desk at work and a fax had arrived. Apparently the guy who insisted he mail the letter (and got it wrong) never bothered to tell the first girl I had talked to about this. So when she got the letter she faxed it to Kevin anyway. All in one day the insurance company messed things up completely and then fixed it, all without even knowing it. Don't you love with the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing!!! End Rant!

So its possible that there is still hope for good TV. Last night Kevin and I watched the re-aired pilot of the new show Wonderfalls. The show had been recommended to us as a must see for Joss fans. Apparently one of the main minds on the project also worked very closely with Joss (was supposed to take over guidance of Firefly for him among other things).

So we sat down, unsure what we were going to be watching. Much to my amazement, I still don't know what it was I watched, but I loved it. I haven't really laughed at a tv show like that since Buffy or my intro to Firefly.

I don't know if I could tell you exactly what its about. Their is a girl who works at Niagara Falls (One flaw: they claim to be on the American/New York side - However if you grew up only an hour and a half from the falls you can tell quite easily that they are on the Canadian side. I mean why would you want to tape on the American side, Canadian side has much better views) and is kind of depressed because her life isn't really going anywhere. She works in a gift shop, blah blah... that is till a deformed wax lion begins talking to her and telling her to do odd things.

That is really about all I could tell you about the show. It's hilarious and has promise and the second episode is on Fox tonight at 9pm. I recommend setting your TiVos, tape recorders or being in front of the tv tonight. I know it’s a Friday night, but this show may be worth it.

So I had my first goth club experience last night at the Death Guild 11th anniversary. It was an interesting and fun experience. I had fun dressing up and going out to do something I wouldn't normally do.

I'm not big into dancing by myself... or at least not while I'm out. If I'm out dancing I want it to be social. So I spent most of my time people watching which was really really fun. I got a few really great photos that you should check out on the In Pictures... side.

Its dark outside so you can't see my cool hair color or makeup, but here is me just before going into Death Guild.