Texas Blue Lime Productions

Many of you will remember our Bryan neighbors, Paul & Victoria Springer. They used to be as into Hallowe’en as we were so on the years when our parties would sync up, we’d all wander to their party and their guests would all wander over to our’s. They had the keg of beer, we had queso and kitty litter cake. Win-win and much fun. Paul spent a couple of years teaching at West Point while Victoria finished some courses and started her research. Eventually, she moved up there with him and then they re-located to Alabama.

Well, Paul wrote a book and it’s currently in pre-sales and scheduled for a March release.

America's Captives: Treatment of POWs from the Revolutionary War to the War on Terror by Paul J. Springer

Congratulations, Paul!!!

Last week’s #ATXplanecrash hit close to home, literally. It occurred just a couple of “highway” blocks south of where we live. I was home, never heard a boom, and didn’t see any smoke.

Twitter was our source for information. I learned of it first, there (just like I did of Michael Jackson’s death) and Re-Tweeted significant information so that our friends would see it, too.

It was a bit surreal and resurrected tragedies in my life—the Paris tornado (1982), Hurricane Andrew (1992), Aggie Bonfire (1999), and yes, the 9/11/01 terrorist attacks—only on a much smaller scale. The day’s news blurbs via Twitter and local network streaming were even a little reminiscent of the Columbine tragedy.

Tomorrow night, our friends—@kimhollenshead, @laniar, and @bennrosales—are hosing a Candlelight Vigil in memory and honor of those affected. True to the open-minded and welcoming style of Austin, it’s a secular not-quite-”Kumbaya”-but-with-that-spirit event that is designed only to bring the community together in the aftermath of a tragedy. If you are in Austin, please join us:

#ATXplanecrash site
Candlelight Vigil
25-Feb-2010
6:15pm
BYO candles
across 183 in the Gateway Lawn

Wow. What a week it has been! And it’s just Thursday.

1. Tuesday was our (mine and Beth’s) little Taste of Dream Dinners party. As You Wish provided updated headshots/avatars to those in attendance. Another friend, Victoria sold her necklaces. It was small, but valuable for each of us involved. I have been too slow at getting those images processed.
2. Wednesday, I was “it” at my monthly Brainstormers group. I presented a problem: how to market to school-age kids, Tweens, and teens and their parents. Through a process that adheres to the rules of Brainstorming, I was literally bouncing up and down at all the fabulous ideas. I can’t wait to implement some of them. I was also happy to see that my brainstorming topic was one that could apply to a lot of the members of the group.
3. Thursday morning I had an interview for a great job—-I’ve kept my job search a bit on the down-low, I’ve had enough bad bosses/jobs thankyouverymuch [1]—-as an Education Coordinator…but as it turns out, it has a 75% travel time. I could easily be gone Monday-Friday for three weeks of every month. If I get an offer from them, we will have to consider it very carefully.
4. Thursday all day, As You Wish was the Groupon.com deal of the day for Austin. As of this writing, I have 90 portrait sessions from new clients for the Austin area! And, my business name has been in front of 44,000+ Austin members today. In addition, I also got a new Senior Ambassador, and I sold a Womb-to-Bloom portrait series that includes a maternity session, newborn session, 3-6-9 month sessions, and a first birthday session complete with balloons and CAKE! (Maybe #3 isn’t so important, after all…?). Whew! Late in the day, I learned that a potential bride and a close friend were on the list of those who purchased Groupons. Thank you, both. You “warm the cockles of my cockles”. [2] Ack! I just checked again and it’s up to 95!!

There have been several other happy moments this week: I was selected to serve on two committees for the Nuptial Essentials Association of Wedding Professionals; I’m going to be working with great folks on both of those! And, my new friend, Hilarie, gave me some excellent feedback on a challenging aspect of my website, which I took to heart and applied fully. Just a few days later, I was able to return the favor to her in the form of reviewing her “audition” piece for a graphic design job. She was pleased with the feedback and genuinely considered my thoughts. She and I are on to something, here… There were others, too. It’s been a week of amazing moments.

When will my world stop spinning? I can only handle this adrenaline rush for a little while longer. At the same time, it sure is a spinning a web of happiness; a web that I know will catch me when I fall.

“If my friends could see me, now!” Oh wait; you can! You just did!

Oh, and BTW, adrenaline and/or sheer excitement is an easy fix for a caffeine dependency. I’ve barely had any today and have hardly noticed. How do I get THAT side effect more often

Happy Weekend, everyone!

Here is a texting conversation between me, and let’s say, someone named Charlie:

Jan 12 8:07am CHARLIE: Eww my finger stinks. What should I do?

Jan 12 8:08am ME: Ask someone else to smell it.

Jan 12 8:09am CHARLIE: Is that a paid service?

Jan 12 8:10am ME: Kinda. They will either smell it or pull it. They will not wash it though.

Jan 12 8:12am CHARLIE: Hmmm well maybe i should ask your mom then?

Jan 12 8:14am ME: Sure…oh wait, your mom just rolled over in bed and said she would take care of it. Once she is through with her business though.

Jan 12 8:16am CHARLIE: What are you doing still in bed?

Jan 12 8:16am ME: That is kind of personal. You should ask your mom.
Jan 12 8:18am ME: Are you off today or just waisting tax payers maoney?

Jan 12 8:24am CHARLIE: I’m pulling into work, which if you are going to be my new daddy, you should be doing too and not lounging around in bed!

Jan 12 8:26am ME: I have been at work since you started all this. I expect a super father’s day gift this year….

Jan 12 8:26am CHARLIE: Ass
Jan 12 8:28am CHARLIE: So ill see you at rosa’s around 11:45?

Jan 12 8:29am ME: So, you started with smelly finger and end with ass. I think you have answered your own question. Yeah, we will be at Rosa, but closer to noon.

So, there ends another successful word exchange using modern technology.

There were some rough years (2006-2008)

2009 had some sadness, too

the harassment continues…can you believe it? (for those who’ve lost count: 2005 was the beginning)

Daddy’s golf tournament was diluted to the point that his name was removed. “Larry Salter & Harold Morrison Prairiland Academic Trust Foundation Memorial Golf Tournament” is just too much to fit onto a t-shirt.

We said goodbye to Sosta in December. Her suffering was one of the hardest things either of us has ever endured.

…and we finally saw some light and goodness

We went camping on what started out to be a gorgeous weekend and turned out to be one of the coldest of the season…and LOVED every minute of it

Lori worked for our wedding florist (Nan’s Blossom Shop) and learned so much about the floral industry on their biggest holiday

We held/hosted/sponsored the last BV QueSt GAYla….and went out with a bang and then some

Lori attended SxSWi and met a great group of non-profit professionals who work to better technology for those with physical impairments…and then came home to find a new/surprise 24″ iMac that Emil secretly ordered

Lori was honored to photograph the wedding of the younger brother-in-law of a dear friend

Lori served as a Wrangler for Texas Photography School, another honor to respect and treasure

We enjoyed the annual Luza Family Camping Trip for Easter weekend

Lori was selected to be the lead photographer for the wedding of another photographer’s daughter (…there seems to be a pattern here!)

We planned, hosted, & executed the 2nd annual (or at least let’s hope it is) “Neighborwoods Garage Sale” in the Westwood, Shirewood, Rosewood, & Rockwood neighborhoods in Bryan

Emil got a new job with the Travis County Clerk

We moved to Austin

We live at Riata “resort”

Lori was privileged, One. More. Time., to photograph the wedding of the daughter of a campus “celebrity”

We found the Austin Child Free organization

We joined Dream Dinners

We sold our house in Bryan, with the help of a great Realtor®, to a great guy…making the whole process easier

Emil made some fabulous friends at work, including a Longhorn with whom he can trade light/fun/gentle/silly practical jokes

Lori found the local alumni group for the University of Miami, a Crochet/Knitting group that is “off the hook” (pun intended), and her local Zeta sisters

We found a couple of board game groups and now play Settlers of Catan every month or so

Lori had the great privilege and honor to host a portrait session for two former students (yep, they met in the same organization) and their 2 children

Lori was selected to be a Wrangler for the Texas School of Professional Photography for 2010

Lori found time to resurrect her listening of KeithAndTheGirl.com (NSFW: not safe for work!)

Lori’s allergies (though worse in the summer) were greatly improved in the fall and controllable with a tincture and some light meds (so far) in the winter

Lori found—after months of looking for the right fit—some amazing business (and friend!) contacts through Weenie’s Warriors (#AWTWX on Twitter), Nuptial Essentials Association of Wedding Professionals, Austin IBA (@ibuyaustin on Twitter), Austin NBX, #roundrockjelly, & NW Austin Brainstormers

Emil (& Lori) ran into a student worker-turned-friend (from his job at the Memorial Student Center at Texas A&M) at an Aggie football watch party

Emil joined an online Dungeons & Dragons group (because his original live group got kicked out of their play place for a brief while and sought online options) and still gets to play with his good friends in “Bryan Station”

Emil planned an amazing mini-vacay for us to Fredericksburg; we stayed at an isolated cabin, rode our bikes, had massages, and even hiked to the summit of Enchanted Rock

Lori photographed her first true newborn: 7 days old!

Lori found out her Wrangler assignment for Texas School and is honored to be working with Robert Lloyd

Lori donated some portrait sessions to charity and photographed some kids for their Christmas cards and another family for Christmas gifts for grandma and had the “good problem” of being very busy near the holidays

Emil took Lori on a movie date (a first in a very long time) and, since we were in an adult theater, armed with break times from runpee.com, able to order food/drink, and close to restrooms, she stopped hating theater movies

We had the most relaxing Christmas we’ve had in several years, in spite of the additional travel to make all the rounds

The last night of 2009 brought a Blue Moon (once every 2.5 years), on New Year’s Eve (once every 19 years), that was also a Lunar Eclipse for Europe, Asia, and Africa

Our New Year’s Eve was legendary thanks to Emil finding a wonderful Italian restaurant and a fabulous fundraiser party to benefit The Blue Theater and Shrewd Productions

2010 has rolled in with a new spirit and energy that is indescribable

Happy New Year, everyone

When we bought our car, we left a $500 check so they could order it. Once the car arrived and we officially made the purchase, they were supposed to process the check with all the final paperwork. They didn’t but said they would issue us a check. We didn’t notice that we never got it. [1] We got a letter from them saying we’d never cashed the check. They are right on top of it.

But their communication is like that of the dinosaur age.

• The letter is a form, written in all caps, with the date, our name, and the check number, date, and amount written in by hand.
• The only communication option (except for the website with no staff directory) is a phone number, answered by a human, with a 4 digit extension. While the receptionist has a sweet voice and is happy to connect me to x4510, it would be easier/faster for her and me if I could just type that myself.
• The woman who process these things is very busy and (surprise) always on the phone. So, all I get when I call is her voice mail. I have my phone set up to give preference to voice mail, too. Even when I changed it for her, I didn’t hear it ring in the next room. Luckily, she knows how to use voice mail correctly. [2] But, since we can’t reach one another, we are still “playing voice mail tag”.

Had this been handled by email, instead, it would have been a quick exchange and then done. Just the time saved to “log” into voicemail for each group of calls and listen to the message(s) would be worth it.

I don’t know why some industries (and car sales certainly seem to be one of them) are still so old-fashioned when it comes to technology. Don’t they use email in their personal lives? Don’t all their friends/family use email (and facebook and twitter)? Don’t they wonder why their jobs are still making such heavy use of an older technology?

…maybe this is why their industry is suffering in spite of more people in our country and the desire/”need” for more cars?

[1] Prior to the sale of the house, we’d have been calling every day to see where that money was. But, since the house sold and our budget could breathe again, it was a lot less important. Plus, I know that deep down we trust the dealership. And, we were right to do so.
[2] “Hi this is Sally from Scion. Please call me at 512.555.1111.” is not the correct way to use voice mail. I don’t usually return those calls. It is important to state the purpose of the call and mention any deadlines or urgencies. Our dealership contact confirmed my mailing address via the message and even said something like, “I think this must be right since that’s where I sent the letter.” I guess since she uses the phone so much, she knows the right way to do it.

Purrrrrl loves her “woobies” when it’s cold outside.

On our 3rd day of Christmas, we

• woke up early enough to get on the road before most traffic
• left Paris at 9:30 and and made it to Austin by 2pm
• settled in and had our own Christmas exchange and then relaxed for the rest of the evening

This is a great holiday themed add that is meant to deter drinking and driving.

Don't drive if you're tipsy, buzzed, or Blitzen.