God lives in San Diego!

Look him up in the Hilton hotel directory:

Ok, maybe one of those weeks.

One of those days.

Benjamin Butler

Benjamin Butler’s oils seem simple at first glance, but when one realizes that one remains transfixed, the simplicity becomes deceptive. The greens, blues and browns of Nineteen Trees, and their textures, work so deliciously and effectively together that it looks almost too easy. However, the composition combines with just the right amount of abstraction to lead to success.

Who needs a Semper Augustus?

Tulips have always been my favorite flower, but lately I've been really into finding beautiful photos of them. I think the photo below is absolutely gorgeous. I wish I could find even a nice fake bouquet for my desk but there seems to be a lack of popularity of the flower here in the desert... must be that whole "lack of water" thing... details, details...


I'll add more as I find them. Some of the colors are stunning!

Leave It Be...

"The past is the only dead thing that smells sweet."
-Cyril Connolly

"Each has his past shut in him like the leaves of a book known to him by heart and his friends can only read the title."
-Virginia Woolf

"Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future."
-Paul Boese

"History is the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon."
-Napoleon

"The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly."
-Buddha

"Their time past, pulled down cracked and flung to the fire go up in a roar All recognition lost, burnt clean clean in the flame, the green dispersed, a living red, flame red, red as blood wakes on the ash-- William Carlos Williams, Burning the Christmas Greens, lines 1-6

"And, oh, how blessed is it thus to meet! To feel that vanished years have not estranged us, distance has not diminished love, that we are to each other even as we parted; to feel again the fond kiss, to hear once more the accents of a voice which to us has been for years so still,--a voice that brings with it the gush of memory! Past days flit before us; feelings, thoughts, hopes, we deemed were dead, all rise again, summoned by that secret witchery, the well-remembered though long silent voice. Let years, long, lingering, saddening years drag on their chain, let youth have given place to manhood, manhood to age, still will it be the same--the voice we once have loved, and deemed to us for ever still--oh, time, and grief, and blighted hope will be forgotten, and youth, in its undimmed and joyous beauty, its glow of generous feelings, its bright anticipations, all, all again be ours."
-Grace Aguilar, 1859

Amanda's Bridal Shower

The pretty (and quite tasty) cake


The bride with her bridesmaids


So cute!


Me and Mandalyn aka Bridezilla (jk Manda love you!)


Hey if the groom gets to do it at the wedding, the best friend gets to do it at the bridal shower!


Guess which bridesmaid bought her the cuffs?


I think Amanda needs a bigger glass of wine...

Fail Harder

Wieden + Kennedy 12, an experimental advertising school run by Portland ad agency W+K, is responsible for buying out all available clear push pins on the west coast of the US. Over 100,000 thumbtacks were used over 351 hours to create a wall mural that spells out Fail Harder, a message that underlines the importance of failure during the creative process. Is it art? Not necessarily, but the message is a valuable one. Plus, the mural is modern, contemporary and shows off a great medium.

Can't wait til July 21!

Pirates

Sooo good... but I must warn you... sooo LONG...

Casey's Lion Cut

She just looks thrilled, doesn't she? She actually doesn't mind it and I know she's much cooler in these 100+ degree temperatures!
See, Mom? She wasn't fat -- she was fluffy!

Jay Leno

Taking my aunt and uncle to see him tonight!

Wedding Season

Ok, no one else is allowed to get married this year! Let me back up though, before I begin...

This week has been about reunions. I've gotten back in touch with one of my best friends from high school, Kari, who was spending the week an hour away in Laughlin and is coming to stay with me tonight. I have not seen her in almost 5 years so I can't wait.

Kari and I got to talking about our old friends, and revealed to me that Tim and Erin are getting married in November in Hawaii! Odd that Kari does not talk to either of them and she knows this, yet I am very good friends with Tim and had no clue! So of course I called him on it -- he sputtered his disbelief and swore he had mentioned it on my birthday (something I think I would remember!) before apologizing that he hadn't told me. I'm very happy for them and wish them the best. I might take them to dinner next weekend when I come home.

So for just this year that makes -- Amanda, Erin, Tim, Josh, and Christy! I think we've reached our quota for the year, people.

Progress!

I have funally unpacked my last box of clothes! This is a good thing, except one of my favorite pieces of clothing and a pair of my favorite shoes are still missing. I hope I didn't send a wrong box with my mom to goodwill...

Our sofa and armoire got delivered yesterday, that's the last of the furniture until we buy a table to replace the old one.

Things I love about this house:

1. When pulling into the garage, I do not have to decide whether it's me or my passenger who, when getting out, gets to hold their breath and squeeze between the door and the wall.

2. I do not have to spend all my time in my room -- there are other places in the house for me to keep tv's and computers!

3. My shoes and purses have their own closet. I am not proud of this.

4. Two words: water pressure.

5. There is enough counter space in the bathroom for me to get ready on one side, and for my cat to... well, see below..

Then again, I guess she liked the bathrooms in the old house too...

She's a unique one, I know.

Not a good race at Daytona this weekend -- both Jeff and Jimmie crasehd during the closing laps!

Now that it's July, the craziness really starts... Kara's birthday/family reunion is next weekend, then I'm driving to California for Amanda's bridal shower, and then two weeks later I'm flying out there again for her bachelorette party in San Diego... this month is going to fly by! I can't believe it's only 4 months til her wedding!

JDM