Ten Things Thursday

1.  It is sooo good to blog again. Jesus, Mary and Patrick!  Apparently, some people go into obsessed stalker mode on my page to see if I've put up a new post.  You know who you are.....Uuuuhhheeeem (Jordan, Jess, Tina, Lindsey and many others!)  I just want thanks.  Thanks so much for wanting to read my random and crazy ramblings about nothing really in particular.  It means a lot. And I'll try to be a better blogger and never leave you again.

2.  My friend Rebecca told me about a new website that is all about healthy recipes: http://www.eatingwell.com/
She tried the Manicotti and said it was really good.  Just a little FYI for ya on this Tooty Fruity Thursday.

3.  So all the supervisor's and managers at my lovely place of employment have been taking a 4 week long Leadership Seminar. It's 4 hours long, once a week and it goes over how to be a good leader, or a better leader (for some of us).  Great, right?  Ya, not a bad idea.  I'm learning new ways to hold back my absolute livid anger at certain piss-ant machines that I work with....when I'm around my employees....because APPARENTLY it's not good to slam your foot into the side of a steel table because you're so freaking mad you could spew flaming nails out of your eye sockets, around the people that you lead.  Nor is it good to look like your head is going to pop like a water filled balloon because all the blood has left your extremities and traveled up to your face therefore scaring the Be-Jesus out of some poor 20 year old painter that thinks I'm some sort of Supervisor Goddess (ok, I may have added the Goddess part)....all due to, again, the devil machines that I'm for SURE were manufactured in Satin's outhouse as my personal torture device.  Yes, Leadership Seminars for emotional outburst training is a GREAT idea.

4.  On the leadership subject, I took a personality test on this site called the Jung Typology Test and it stated that I'm a 'Protector', basically with introvert tendencies,only when not drinking of course (OK, I might have added that too), and that I would NOT make a good leader.  Basically suggesting that any leadership role for me is not a good idea.  Well, pretty much failed on that suggestion. Listen here Jung: I'm a damn good leader! At least I pretend I am and that's good enough for me. If I happen to 'lead' people the wrong direction, it's probably because I'm slightly ditzy with a horrible memory.  I probably forgot where we were going in the first place.

5.  Bet y'all are wondering what my 'Big News' is huh?  Are you just pissing your pants because you're so excited? No?  Oh, don't lie.  Well, it's coming up, so hold your horses.

6.  I have eaten like crap for a full week now.  I also have not exercised. I have not gained, or lossed (I was totally surprised at this), any weight.  WHY BODY? WHY? Why do you confuse me so?  If I eat stellartastic for one whole month and force my large pooper out of bed at the ass crack of dawn to pound my tootsies on pavement, in the freaking dark, with semi-large animals jumping out to scare the piss right out of me, then come back and torture myself with lunges and sand bag lunatic interval training, I still don't lose or gain a freaking ounce.  Either way, I'm pretty sure I'm going to stay at 153 for the rest of my naturally coo-coo life. UGH! I guess I need to have the mentality that healthy eating and exercise are good for my body and mind and that I'm a better person because I try to be healthy.  And blah, blah, blah.  It's still a crock.  Oh well. Come here, Better Mentality, I guess I'll try you on for size for a while.  See if you fit.

7.  Look at this sexy nephew of mine:

Just chillin' by the pool.  Havin' a lazy day.  Tryin' to be a player.  Keep away girls, he's not old enough to date.

8.  I straight up do not want to work today. AT. ALL.  I want to play on the computer and design fun posters and signs and crap.  But, alas, I have to send out raging emails and design 1332 instrument dials for stupid airline companies. Wow, that was a lot of whining. ok stopping now.

9.  My new feathers and leather bracelet:

Badass, right?

10.  Ok, it's time. What you've all been waiting for......The Big News. It's really not earth shattering or anything, but I'm just so excited I had to share.

And I'm not pregnant.....Mom.

A picture I took has been chosen to be one of the 16 finalists in a professional photography contest!

I entered the above picture 'No Boundaries' into the Gordan Parks International Photography Contest many months ago, not expecting anything. But I was chosen!! The theme was “FREEDOM,” WAS THE THEME OF ALL OF HIS WORK, PARKS SAID, “NOT ALLOWING ANYONE TO
SET BOUNDARIES, CUTTING LOOSE THE IMAGINATION AND THEN MAKING THE NEW HORIZONS.” Gordon Parks was a very influential photographer, from Kansas, who was the first African-American photojournalist to work for LIFE Magazine.  Freedom to me meant having no boundaries, no fences, nothing holding me back.  I immediately knew I had to enter in my buffalo picture.  And thank God I did! 

I wish I could show you the other 15 finalists pictures, but they haven't been released yet. Most of them are from other countries, showing people from Bangladesh and other third world countries.  Other finalists put in pictures of US solders coming home from war injured or family grieving for their son or daughter that didn't come back. All of them very good.

I'm the only wildlife photographer amongst the group and I'm the only one from Kansas. 

I'm just so elated that I could shoot rainbows out my butt!  It's a HUGE honor to be a finalist, hell, to even be considered to be a finalist!  The judging will be sometime in the next month or two, the ceremony is Oct 7th & 8th, which I plan on attending and possibly sitting on a discussion panel to talk about my photography.  I will definitely let you all know how it goes.

That's it. That's all.  Sorry it wasn't something like I've figured out to make fat free and calorie free mint chocolate chip ice cream or anything. Because that would definitely be earth shattering.

Anyway. Hope y'all have a fabulous Thursday!