What did the rug say to the floor?

I'm just going to bust out and say it... I don't have anything to say.

So it's list time again.

1. Against Me! I thought about it and thought about it and really... it's not able to be summed up in a blog. I saw them two weekends ago and still have a certain amount of euphoria clouding me. And I'm supremely happy about that.

I met new -- and entirely temporary -- friends at that show. A group of guys (and a couple girls) struck up conversation with me at the bar and we spent most of the evening hanging out, sipping beer, and talking about music and the movie Independence Day. It was easily a far better time than I would have had if I hadn't made any friends.

2. I've had a handful of people offer to help me get my foot in the door with TOEFL & international schools. In fact, the sister of my co-worker returned last night from China and she said you don't even need a teaching degree -- just certification with TOEFL. She told her brother -- my co-worker -- that in China, where she's teaching, there's a teacher who's contract ends in June. Essentially she said if I passed my TOEFL exam I could be teaching in China in two months. WTF! I'm pretty sure it'll take longer to get my passport!

To think I could be living in a foreign country, teaching English by next year really blows my mind. I never expected that to be the case. And that brings me to the question what would I do with L&B? As much as it blows my mind that I could live in a foreign country, I cannot wrap my mind around leaving my girls behind. I wouldn't even think of it.

Which brings me back to the original plan of staying here, getting a teaching degree, and sticking within the states for awhile. And by 'awhile,' I morbidly mean until L& B kick the bucket, which will, in all honesty, probably destroy me.

3. I'm set up to photograph a married/pregnant couple this weekend for a small fee. I'm looking forward to it, but really feel like I haven't quite done all my research. I've never done belly shots, or pregnancy pictures. The closest thing I've done to this is engagement photos; which in no way involved a belly -- just a couple. I can do it though. He's someone I know from high school, so it should set up to be a totally comfortable experience. Yay for fluffing my portfolio.

And, a friend asked me about photographing her wedding on 10.10.10. While it is far away, it's nice to make plans. I told her yes already. Friends are important to me.

And, I have my flight for the August NH wedding booked. I'm flying up on Friday and flying back on Monday. Both morning flights. I'm pretty sure Jones & Isiac are picking me up from the airport -- I look forward to that. It's been too long since the three of us were spent any significant quality time together. And this'll be Isiac's last single days. Not that I'm complaining, I love his future wife; she's perfect and totally amazing. But nothing's ever going to be like it once was. Just seems fitting that they'll be picking me up. And from what the blushing bride says, Jones will probably be taking me back to the airport; Isiac'll be married on his honeymoon by then I hope, so he'll be preoccupied.

If I end up counting on Jones, I won't help but think about that time he drove from California to New Hampshire and attempted to pick me up from the airport in Manchester, only to forget to calculate one time zone and be waaaay off track. I love telling that story because as much as I love some of my friends that were currently in New Hampshire, it baffles me that it took something like three hours for them to tell me they couldn't come get me when Jonesy was totally attempting to drive literally across the country to pick me up. Becky saved my day though, and came to pick me up when my other friend flaked; I won't name him. And it turned out to be a superb bonding experience for she and I.

One last thing about photography. My co-worker, the one with the sister who teaches in China (which is by no means where I want to be), also is an avid supporter of my photography business. He has a small collection of original pieces hanging in his house already and, just this morning, asked for three more. It's awesome really. He also has five or six custom desktops for his laptop of mine. Makes me feel quite like a successful photographer.

4. The 365 Photography Project is going on without me and it's kind of starting to hurt. I can't figure out why I'm in such a slump these days. Is there really nothing to photograph?! I've been out on several bike rides and never once seen anything worth photographing?! WTF? It's a project I started as a new year's resolution and I just can't keep it going. But Christina and Mat Ryan, and a couple other friends are successfully posting their photographs regularly. I admire it and do aim to get back involved. I just haven't felt motivated at all. Maybe next year I'll successfully update daily for all 365 days.

5. L&B have been venturing out in the yard without leashes the past couple days. It makes me feel good, but paranoid at the same time. I live between two highly traveled roads and the thought of seeing one my dogs hit or get hit by a car terrifies me. And yes, we have a fence. But fences haven't always stopped them in the past. And they're not used to boundaries -- what growing up for almost 8 years on six acres with no rules and NO roads -- they develop habits. I can't blame them. But it's taking time and patience for them to learn they aren't allowed near the gates. And they need to stay within my vision range while they're off their leashes. They're figuring it out. And honestly, I don't think they'd necessarily run from me, but if they saw a squirrel, which will undoubtedly one day happen, they will run for it.

6. Last item: Karolyn's wedding. I went on Saturday. Karo is JM's sister. She's a very dear friend of mine and I love her and Russ to pieces. It was, I initially thought, going to be quite an awkward experience. But I realized shortly after arriving that I pretty much had the upper hand. Everyone actually did want me there. It was nice. And all the hype I'd built up in my head about how awkward it would be to be JM's ex-girlfriend and be at his sister's wedding was truly just hype.

The fact is, his family loves me. He does too, but that's not the issue I'm discussing. His family loves me. I like to consider them part of my family and I'm glad I didn't miss the most important day of Karo's life thus far. She looked radiant and breathtakingly beautiful. I can't even fairly put it into words. Just classy and gorgeous. And we had so much fun at the reception. I danced more than I think I ever have and I felt so at home with her and all her friends. Some day maybe I'll get around to writing an entire entry about Karo and how much she means to me and what she's kind of taught me over the past three years. She deserves that, but it's not happening to night. It's officially 1130 and I really need to be in bed. You're lucky I wrote this much. I'm feeling very uninspired lately.