I know that the fact that Pandora exists isn't a news flash or anything, but I just wanted to comment on how much I love Pandora.  Especially, lately on the Ray LaMontagne "station".  While I work, I've been putting my headphones on and listening to it on my iPhone.  When one song ends and the next starts I get that "ooohh, I love this song" excitement.  And since the songs are played randomly, there isn't the predictablility of listening to a CD.  It's also such a great way to discover new music.  The sight of me dancing in my chair sometimes would probably be at least mildly amusing if there was anyone here to watch me.  Not to mention the fact that sometimes I just happen to break out into song, and since I'm wearing headphones, there is not any real music to muffle the noise coming out of my mouth. Thank God for the unconditional love of animals, and thank God that they are the only one's ever in here to hear me! Right now, Josh Rouse is playing, this is the first I've heard from him, but I like it.

Since I hate posts without photos, here's some music related pics taken with my iPhone at the My Morning Jacket concert.  I tried to post them a while back when my wireless was acting up and it wouldn't work.  If you have followed my blog at all, you know that they are one of my all time favs.  If you haven't, well then you know now don't you. ;)

Happy Saturday!!!!!

Have you ever loved a band, listened to their album obsessively, and then when you see them live, you say to yourself, "What is this crap?".  I have.  A lot of bands don't sound as good live as they do on their albums.  That is in NO WAY the case with My Morning Jacket.   Who woulda ever thunk it...but could they possibly sound even better live?!  Oh yeah baby, they do!  If you don't believe me ask my sister Heidi.  She really dislikes going and seeing live music (yeah, she's crazy, but that's another post).  She came with us to the show because she does like MMJ, and we were all going so she didn't want to be left out.  Heidi smiled, the WHOLE time.  It was awesome!  During the show she could be heard saying things like "I actually like hearing all the songs, even the one's I don't know" and "I can't believe how awesome his voice is!" and the best one "I love his voice so much, I want to make out with him even though I don't think that he is probably that cute!". (Sorry Michael, I'm sure she wouldn't REALLY make out with him.)   If you have not yet heard My Morning Jacket, please, go now, check them out...they rock!  And if you decide you like them, please go see them live, please, you will not regret it.   Here's some pics that I took when we went to see them at The Filmore.  I grabbed Heidi and we pushed our way up to the front.  I haven't done that in many, many years.  I'm at the age where I'm just as happy to stand back, somewhere in the center, where the sound it the best.  That's old age for you, good sound over the excitement of trying to touch the lead singer, oh well.  We did get close this time.  

Here's the pics (correction: 1 picture) straight from the iPhone, no editing...

Luckily (see below) this one was my favorite anyway

Here's a link to My Morning Jacket's website

*Side note #1:  Tim brought home an acoustic CD by Jim James (lead singer of MMJ) and just when I thought I couldn't love them anymore, OMG!  I'm one of those annoying people who can listen to the same CD over and over and over again when I get really hooked.  This is one of those CD's.  

***Side note #2 is a plea for help!:  I have been trying to post this since Tuesday!  I feel like I am losing my mind!  Something is up with my blog and the administrative pages are loading SOO slow, they're basically not loading.  This post had a bunch of pics I was going to include, but I can't get them on here.  This is soo frustrating!  If anyone has any suggestions, please, please, help me out.

Here's what I've tried: 

I've looked through all my folders and can't find anything unusual .

I've tried turning off each of my plugins, didn't change anything.

I've installed a Security plugin that looks for things wrong, no luck there either.

Tommy is the youngest of the four of us. The baby. While all of us are smart and talented, he really blows us all away. T-toe Brown, as we sometimes call him, has so much artistic talent in so many different ways it's amazing that it can all fit into one package like that. He can draw and paint, and do it well. He is hilarious and cracks us up all the time. Recently we told him what a great storyteller he is and he thought we were crazy, but he is. He can entertain and captivate an audience like nobody's business. Did I mention he's funny? So funny. And he is an amazing musician. Self taught. He sings, and writes his own music. Truly amazing.

If you want to check out some of his songs go to his myspace page Lee Jr

He's also the drummer in Cowboy Messiah

I took some pics of him randomly at our BBQ a while back and thought I'd share some. The first two also include my wonderful, lovable, hug-able, cuz, Ryan. (My family is fantastic. I am very lucky!)

Lauri, my youngest sister, emailed me the other day from where she is doing research to inquire about the pics of our "family band". I had forgotten all about them! Anyone who knows us knows that me and my three siblings can get a little nutty sometimes. We were all at Heidi's house a couple of weeks ago. Tommy (our baby brother) has a new, very old, very cool accordion. However, no one knows how to play it, that didn't stop us all from trying though! Next thing you know everyone is trying to play all the different instruments that Tommy owns. The spit that must have been swapped by those who tried to play the horn...Eww!

Lately I have been having an internal struggle that I am going to share with you right now. I have always been a huge fan of straight, pure photography, basically images that are unedited save color correction, sharpening etc. The stuff you would do in a dark room. Henri Cartier Bresson is one of my biggest inspirations and favorite photographers. He never even cropped out of camera. Henri Cartier Bresson at Magnum Photos

On the other hand, I have also become a huge fan of using textures and editing photos to make them look old etc. Everything you read recommends that a photographer pick a style and stay with it. Trying to choose only one way just isn't me. So for now, this indecision is my style. It probably represents me better anyway. A little tradition with a little crazy creativity thrown in.

There's more to come, but here's a preview of the band

Not the most creative title of a blog, I know. I'm feeling exceptionally exhausted and just don't have it in me to be creative. Instead I guess to the point will have to do, so "some pics" it is.
I know it's been quite a while since I've blogged. This semester is finally done, and I have been trying to catch up on all the fun things I had been missing while studying so hard. You know, things like scrubbing the toilet and a million loads of laundry! It seems never ending! I have however started working on finishing this project for Dominic. For some reason it seems to be taking me longer than anything I have ever done! The work flow just doesn't seem to be flowing! I have a few ideas as to why, but I won't get into that yet, lets see how they turn out first. Here are a few I worked on today. The rest to follow soon, very soon!

I can't decide if I like this one better with the color or b&w. What do you guys think?

I did a post awhile back with a pic of the amazing Ryan White recording in a church. Well, on the same day some of his friends also recorded in the church and I shot some pics for them also. I am in the process of processing them and here are just a few. I am embarrassed to admit it, but I do not know the name of their band! I will post it, as soon as I know it! I promise! (So bad, that is so bad!)