Where The Wind Comes Sweeping Down the Plain

Tomorrow I am taking my two days off of work as a mini vacation. Me, the girls and Kitten's mom are going to drive to Tulsa, Oklahoma for an over-nighter. I'm actually pretty excited about the whole thing, to tell the truth. We don't take a lot of time off in the summer. Its usually the busy season at work, and we have our vacation in November normally. But a day or two out of town is always nice.

Now, I know Tulsa doesn't sound like a very exotic place to go, so why did we choose it? Because we're geeks. One of the museums in Tulsa is showing an exhibit of artifacts that belonged to George Washington. I'm always interested in history of any sort, and much to my shame, I'm shakier on American history than I am on just about any other kind. Ancient history I have down. I know more about the Tudor dynasty than any president the US has ever had. So this excursion will be both interesting and fun for me. I think I'll learn a lot while we're there. And I've never had a road trip with Kitten's mom and she's a pretty interesting lady. It should be a good time.

Kitten has looked up a couple of lady oriented bars in the neighborhood, and there's some good eating nearby. On our second day we're going to take in an art museum, so I think I'll be culturally richer after this little excursion. We are, of course, not doing anything outside. I plan on spending the rest of my free time in the hotel pool, which is indoors. I can hardly imagine it, but its hotter in Oklahoma than it is in Missouri, which is saying something since we hit 100 degrees today. But the forecast for tomorrow says it will be 105 without the heat index, so indoors it is. We may do a bit of walking, but not much, I can tell you, in that heat. I packed light, lots of light skirts and a dress that barely hits my knees, but I still don't want to be outside for too long. I like warm, but I hate hot.

Sakura is going to be sweet and hang out at the house for the next two days to watch our furry kids and make sure they don't have any wild parties or anything. So I've got nothing to worry about on that score. Work, surely, will make it without me. I'm not too worried there.

I plan on picking up something to bring back for Flyguy and Sakura as a surprise. Well, Sakura reads here, so maybe he won't be too stunned, but it will be nice all the same. I was figuring while we were down there that I might run into some sort of interesting art thing, maybe a photography thing Flyguy might like. He's into that sort of stuff. He's planning on coming to see me Wednesday night when we come back. I'm looking forward to it, I haven't seen him as much lately as I would like. And I want him to know he's my favorite fellow.

Speaking of fellows, we've got a new one at work that I quite like. Actually, everyone likes him. He's smart, he's funny, he's hardworking and he talks more than me, so he's easy to get to know. The girls are all sorts of in a fever over him because he's good looking. Frankly, he's not my type, but I like that he reads, and has good taste in movies. He likes to be outdoors and he's both a dog and a cat person. We're planning on having a Christmas in August party soon (rather like our Thanksgiving in February we had) and he's already been invited. The guys at work all have a huge man crush on him. He makes his own beer, works as a welder by day and in general is all things good and manly in their eyes. I get a kick out of it.

Yesterday when he got off there was a whole flock of guys crowded around him after he changed so he could have a beer. It was amusing as hell. Turns out he ended up spending the evening with one of our cooks and his girlfriend as their house, so it looks like he's in all the way around. I'm going to call him Mannie, by the way. So when I chat about him, that's who I'm talking about. I was teasing him today about how he's all the rage at Casa right now. He was laughing about it. He mentioned he might just post his number next to the schedule and see what happens, since I allege at least half the staff has a crush on him. It made me like him even more.

What I think is strange is the similarities between him and Flyguy. If I weren't suspicious that Flyguy is a little jealous of him, I would say they would get along well. But then, maybe he's just jealous because this guy is so similar to him in interest. Or maybe he's as good at spotting the new staff crush as I am. There's never any telling. But when I went to tell him goodbye last Saturday I sat next to him and said I was leaving, but not without telling my favorite fellow goodbye, and he casually glanced behind him at Mannie, who was at the bar getting a drink and said drily "Well, he's right there..." Apparently the store isn't big enough for the two of them...I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, and rather told him that I meant him, of course, he's always going to be my favorite fellow...

Still, if Flyguy can get over his hangups, I'm certain they'd get along. They do share a lot of hobbies, I know because I talk about Flyguy to everyone, including Mannie. Ah, well. I'd chalk it up to feminine rivalry...

Either way, I'll be interested to see how everything plays out. It is what it is, etc, etc...Life, for certain, won't be boring for the next week or so. Especially now that I have another person to chat to and be silly with. I like new friends. I always like new friends, who doesn't? Its likely I will post all the man drama here, because to me, its endlessly amusing. Women are meant to be the ones who are like this, but I've found the men can be just as bad. Indeed, the guys at Casa B are almost all as high maintenance as the women, if not more so.

Give me a day, or two, and I'll be back with lots of photos, history and interesting tidbits for you, I am sure. The next two days are the start of an adventure, if only a mini one.

Find something new and exciting to love. I know I am...
I'm headed west. Where are you headed?
AGxx

I'll Be Your Number One With a Bullet

So everyone who knows me knows that I'm a little bit vain. Okay, a lot bit vain. One of my favorite things to do, especially in the summer when its nice (or scorching hot) outside is to run around and take pictures. Usually of my and my sweeties and my friends.

I recently had the idea that it would be a lot of fun to do some pictures inspired by the "trash the dress" wedding photo trend and wear an evening gown, or some other fantastic outfit, and go get messy and take pictures in it in the more urban areas of my city. Or go take pictures in the really rural part of my city. Either way, I like the idea of juxtaposing something fantastic or whimsical or formal with something that is not inherently those things.

I asked Flyguy to help me out because he's a really talented photographer. Well, I've seen a lot of the stuff he does and I really love it. I like the way he looks at the world, and when I look at his photos I notice he sees things differently than I do. Its part of what makes me love him.

So last night we went out and did a trial run with my digital camera (well, he brought his camera too, but he was shooting black and white film, so I won't see the results of that for a while) and we traipsed around the downtown and had a good time. Well, I had a great time because not only was he satisfying my vanity by taking my picture, but I haven't gotten to see him lately, so having him for company was spectacular. We left at about six in the evening, and we got home about nine. I'll mention, the later hour was ostensibly to make sure it was cool enough outside. It was still over ninety the whole time.

Anyway, we got a lot of fun stuff on film. Also, he was a total hero for me. He didn't seem to notice at all the strange looks he was getting while we walked around. I don't blame people for staring, a guy in street clothes running around with a woman in a white evening gown in the middle of a warehouse district is rather odd.

So, I thought I would share a few of the pictures he took so you could see them (and me) and tell me what you think.

 This one is actually maybe a baseball's throw from my house. Its at an old train overpass, and I love the greenery that grows all over the old wooden beams. I was surprised when Flyguy chose this angle as opposed to showing more of the beam work. I suppose you can figure out that I let him make the decisions, now that I see what he was aiming for. I should never second guess him.

 I love this photo. I will say this, it was a bit of a hike up those rocks to the top, and I was dodging broken glass most of the time. Flyguy, though, was balancing halfway down the hill braced on a baby tree. So I shouldn't complain. The picture is pretty cool too.

I should also note the heels I wore I selected for comfort. I have blisters everywhere today. The day was rougher on them, though, I ended up breaking the straps off them before the night was out. Made for a long and interesting limp home, though.

Incidentally, Kitten bought those heels for me when we went on our honeymoon, three years ago. So they lasted a good long while, as far as heels go- especially when you consider how rough I am on my shoes.

 The rock idea was all Flyguys. I like it. He did express a wish my dress had more movement. I've made a mental note to buy a dress with a train next time.

Flyguy noted later when we were looking at the pictures that it would be a matter of nothing to cut the dress off and make it short. He's probably right, although before I do that, I think I want to cover the whole thing in mud.

My aunt Dancer was on facebook and saw these and was exclaiming over me trashing such a pretty dress. I imagine you might be thinking the same thing. No worries. I only paid $20 for it. So if I do eventually ruin it...well, it wasn't expensive. Even if it was- is the dress or the photos less beautiful because of the price? I think not.

 I love this photo like you wouldn't believe. For some reason, it really strikes me as a portrait more than a snapshot. If there were ever a photo taken of me that expressed how I feel sometimes, this would be it. I think its telling that my burgeoning sunburn is starting to show, and it seems appropriate somehow. 

 This is one of Flyguy's favorites. I am not sure why. Although, I will admit, I never would have thought that faded ass boring graffiti would stand out so much in the photo. I really like that it does. This is somewhere under one of the underpasses in my town. It gets me giggling, there's a huge no trespassing sign at the entrance to this tunnel. I'm pretty strait laced, so I made Flyguy promise that he's bail me out if we got arrested for trespassing. He reassured me that he's down there all the time and no one cares. Of course he is...

 This photo was such a relief to me, because by this time my feet hurt and the water was cold and it was ninety degrees. I was looking forward to this part anyway, because I wanted to see what the dress would do wet.

Also, that's my natural hair color in the sunlight. Anyone who tells me I don't have red in my hair from here on out will be referred to this picture.

 Flyguy's foot makes a cameo in this pic. We got some interesting looks doing these. I feel like Ophelia when I look at this picture.

There were some kids (well, teenagers) at this park and one of them said something to Flyguy. He told me later that he asked how his porn shoot was going. Flyguy said good. Then the kid asked why he didn't have me take off my clothes. Flyguy just gave him one of his enigmatic smiles. Its part of why I like him. I would have mouthed off.

I was rather amused by the girls in the park who kept giving me looks like I was in some sort of fairy tale. One asked me before I got wet if I was going to get into the water. When I told her yes, she grinned really big. I noticed she stuck around to watch me get into the waterfall. It was funny to me, especially how she was sighing, like she was seeing something special.

I like this photo because it looks really old fashioned. Also, my hair is drying out and is all sorts of messy and curly. I like that. Its how I normally look.

This field is behind a warehouse near my home, and I didn't even think about it as a spot for pictures. It looks like a bunch of overgrown weeds to me. Again, I defer to Flyguy's opinion of how to take photos from here on out.

Kitten really likes this picture too. She's says I look pretty in it.

So...there you have it. Another post completely dedicated to me being really, really vain. I did think it was interesting, because it rather gave me a chance to see how someone else looks at me, and looks at everything around me. I'll be interested to see how the black and whites come out, and I'll be interested to see what we do with future photo playtimes. We've got an outfit all lined up for Kitten for the next go around. I'll like to see some pictures of us together. Oscelot has to pick out an outfit too.

Be warned, you might see more of these in the future.

Have a good day everyone. Find something beautiful and love it.

AGxx