I Met The Bloggess (Pt 2) #Furiously Happy

This was my Facebook status a few days ago...

Anyone who knows me knows that I can't leave the house without a lot of stuff. And the amount of stuff I need to carry tends to be in direct proportion to the amount of stress I am or have recently been under.

Between not knowing what is going to happen with the house, starting a new job, having a load of Celebrant work to do, and coming to NYC this week (I am not comfortable in city environments), this is what I needed to bring with me to the Blog World Expo today.

Now many people have benefited from "the bag" in all it's forms over the years. My sister likes to play "What's not in Crissy's purse." Over the years. I have pulled out such things as electrical tape, safety pins, USB cables, hair clips... the list goes on.

Today was a milestone for the Bag. I had a chance to see Jenny Lawson,  The Bloggess, again. Yesterday, I had her sign my friend Cindy's book. (Read Cindy's blog, she's also very funny!)   Today I asked The Bloggess to sign mine, but they didn't have pens out for her yet. So, from the bag, I produced a black Sharpie, which I gave her.

So now my bag has come to the aid of a personal hero of mine and I am (as she says) furiously happy!

I hope to write more about this week later when I am caught up with work and better rested. Suffice to say I have had a good time and I'm thrilled to have a signed copy of her book, Let's Pretend This Never Happened--which you should all read because it is HILARIOUS!

52 Weeks of Photos, Week 1 Summer/Winter

Last year I participated in a photo challenge--52 Weeks of Photos on AltDotLife. At the beginning of the 52 weeks, a list of topics (one for each week) was posted. Each week participants would submit their photos and then vote on their favorites. I even won a few times.


Well, it's starting up again--this time without the voting. Last time I didn't manage to participate every week. This time, it's my goal to submit a photo for every week.


This week's topic is Summer/Winter (depending on the participant's hemisphere). I've been carrying cameras with me all week. (Okay that's not unusual.)

Here are the photos I considered for submission this week:

This one is in NYC just outside Port Authority Bus Terminal. I had to go into the city to meet with clients and it was a lovely day, but really this was my "just in case I don't get a chance to take any pictures" picture.

©Cristina Kollet 2011

Paul and I were invited to our niece's pool party. Paul is an AquaWookie by nature and so I couldn't pass up these rare photos of him in his native environment.

©Cristina Kollet 2011

©Cristina Kollet 2011

©Cristina Kollet 2011

©Cristina Kollet 2011

I love this picture of birds taking off next to the pool. But I think it's too abstract for anyone who wasn't there.

©Cristina Kollet 2011

 Nothing says Summer like ice cream! (But the background doesn't make this a great picture.)

©Cristina Kollet 2011

This shot was good in theory but the composition and focus don't come close to what was in my head.

©Cristina Kollet 2011

This is my new favorite picture of the two of us. It was one of those rare times when I managed to hold the camera just right. My friend Julia is a master of the arm-extended self portrait. I usually get the top of our heads or maybe someone's ear.

This is the picture I'll be posting for Week 1. We've had a very nice few days and this is how I want to remember the summer.

©Cristina Kollet 2011