the laanba blog

Blah Blah Update

Blah blah haven't been blogging.  Blah blah work related stories.  Blah blah end of year around the corner.  Blah blah romantic heartbreak (what's new).  Blah blah getting back on track.  Blah blah. 

 

A Tableu

This morning I went to Rice University to take some photographs.  I ran across an interesting scene.  There was a hawk sitting on a building.  Flying around the hawk and zipping in and out of trees were smaller birds (sparrows?  I don't know... just little normal birds).  On the ground was a dead rabbit. The hawk sat on the edge of the building looking at the rabbit.  The small birds would swoop in and attack the hawk, litterally bump into him while screeching and then fly away.  The whole time I watched the hawk just sat there letting these little birds bully him and he didn't make a single sound and didn't move at all.  When I walked on the path past the rabbit he certainly gave me the evil eye.  I wish I could have sat out there all day watching the scene unfold. 

Heir of Novron

Heir of Novron by Michael J. Sullivan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Very satisfying end to a wonderful series. I love the characters of Royce and Hadrian and want to spend as much time as possible with them. I'm sad to see their stories end, but I will definitely be revisiting these tales again.

Time to Close

I think it is time to shutter my Flickr group.  I think I always knew when it would be time and it is time.   Participation has been dwindling and non-existent this month.  I know that people can make excuses about not having time, but the whole point of being in an assignment group is to carve out the time to participate.  Even if I had entries (and I am sure some will trickle in) I also think that the dwindling participation on Flickr is a factor.  It's just time. 

Now I need to decide some things.  I think I may start a general Houston group so that we have a good place to have discussions.  But I'm not sure everyone will move over.  I have considered turning AH into the general group, but I want to reserve the right to start the group up again at some future point and it would be hard to do that if it was turned into a general group.

I know I want to do something with Houston photography, but I also have to decide if I even want to do it through Flickr at all.  The logical current place would be Facebook, but I refuse to put my photos on Facebook so that's not going to work for me.  And I'm not sure what to do with the AH Twitter account.  Or maybe I just need to step away and not run anything for a while.  It would feel really weird for me, but it may be freeing as well.  

Decision, decisions.  

Sign In

I have been getting slammed with spam comments the last few weeks so I have changed authentification for commenters.  You will have to sign in with Twitter, Facebook , Typepad or if you click the more button you will get many more options.  I hate this!  I don't like having to sign in to leave a comment but I am hoping this will stop, or at least slow, the spam.

If not then this summer I will be moving this site to SquareSpace.  That makes me sad because I've been on Typepad for about 8 years and as you well know I hate change.  But I hate these spammy comments with nothing happening on Typepad's side more. 

My 40th

Two years ago I had one of the worst birthdays I have ever had.  I was sad and broken and very lonely. While driving around Texas trying to escape these demons I thought of my 40th birthday.  A milestone event.  In the frame of mind I was in I couldn't imagine it being anything but more than the same sad and lonely place that I was in but magnified because of the significance of the age.

I definitely couldn't imagine it being as great as it turned out to be.  Doing the Project Night Night goal was THE BEST decision I could have made.  It made the days before my birthday fun and interesting. I was targeting the day for positive happy reasons instead of sad and lonely ones.  My actual birthday itself turned out to be frustrating at work but it didn't really matter because the lead up was so great.

And birthday celebrations continued into the weekend.  If this is any indication of what my 40s is going to be like, then I can't wait. 

Retro

I decided to order up some Scarecrow and Mrs. King on my Netflix DVD account and I am having such a blast.  I loved this show and watched a lot of it while it was on.  I absolutely love the theme and spent many a day waving my hands in the air conducting my invisble orchestra.  I know every note of this and love the way her light and dance like theme contrasts with his full orchestra sound.  I've been having fun firing up the DVD player and going back to a simpler time in television.  And let's admit it.  Lee Stetson is dreamy. 

Night Night Post Script

40 for 40

On the 25th I will turn 40.  That's one of those big numbers that is supposed to have a lot of meaning in life.  If I let myself I could really dwell on where my life is and more likely where my life is not at this birthday milestone, but I don't feel like going down that inevitably negative path.  

Instead I am going to do something for somebody else and I invite you to join me.  Project Night Night is an organization that creates care packages (bags actually) for homeless children.  In each bag is a blanket, a stuffed animal and a book, things that are all  a comfort to anyone, but especially to a child that is already dealing with so much instability.

 Books are definitely an escape and comfort for me.  Some of my favorite books are the ones that I read in times of greatest turmoil.  They allowed me to escape from my personal struggles and fall into their world.  They gave my mind a break from its weary toil.  Many of these books have been read so much that their covers are falling off.  I know that many of you feel the same way about reading.

For my 40th birthday I would like to get 40 donations to Project Night Night.  If you would like to help me out there are two easy ways.

1.) Project Night Night Amazon Wish List
Just head over to the organization's Amazon Wish List and pick out a book (or two, or three!).  Add it to your cart and when you check out it will allow you to send the books directly to Project Night Night. I know a lot of you shop Amazon regularly and / or have Amazon Prime.  Some of the things on the list are only $5.  You can do it!

2.) Sponsor a Night Night Package
You can sponsor a whole care package for just $20.

If you do either of these things please let me know in the comments, by email, on Twitter or on Facebook.  I will be keeping track of all the donations here on this page.  Feel free to spread the word to friends, family and strangers alike.  The more the merrier and a life full of merry times is my 40th birthday wish. 

 

UPDATE: We did it!  Tonight's grand total topped 40!! Thank you so much to everyone who donated books and care packages to Project Night Night.  You can see the roll call in my comments of this post.  I can honestly say that I haven't had this much fun leading up to my birthday for a very long time.  The people who run Project Night Night know about our little project here and are grateful for your support.  I will be donating $40 worth of books to finish it off.  

Ok 40.  I'm ready.  Bring it. 

Tonight

In our school district the graduating seniors that are in the top 5% get to select a teacher that made an impact on them, a Dazzling Diamond.  Tonight there will be an awards ceremony to honor the students and teachers and I am honored to have been chosen from one of my former students.

This student and I have a lot of simliar personality traits but she is so much more accomplished and confident than I was at that age.  Or at this age.  Frankly I'm just hoping I don't trip and fall while walking across the stage.