sixtynine. september 21, 2010. "not breakfast."

i was talking to a couple people the other day about how i can't eat anything for breakfast that requires assembly. and cereal fits into that category. because i have to pour things into a bowl. i'm just too tired at 6am for all that. but i love cereal. so this week i decided to have cereal for dinner. and this is my favorite kind. of all the kinds of cereal...this is the one i declare "winner."

sixtyeight. september 20, 2010. "chuckie."

this is not a book that promotes suicide, or violence of any kind.

it is pretty great, though. my 2nd favorite modern author = chuck klosterman. my first is jonathan safran foer. my favorite of

all

time

is c.s. lewis.

sixtyseven. september 19, 2010. "the end of an era."

i was "ok" with it hanging there, but she wanted to kill it. seemed almost giddy about it. so i absolutely let her. now i feel giddy.

"the egg sac is going to die too." - courtney
"the WHAT?!!?" - me.

it was a lot like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAe-tgLTlJY

sixtysix. september 18, 2010. "italia."

i think the only agenda of this evening was "eat pizza", and the rest was just relaxing conversation and pleasant company.

sixtyfive. september 17, 2010. "liquefied bliss."

i've been taking less medicine these days. i'm becoming one of those people who likes to keep it natural. but not being able to sleep...that's where i draw the line. bottoms up.

i just noticed how weird that label is. it lists three symptoms, and then "cherry flavor." one of these things is not like the other.

and that did not taste like cherries. let's be real.

sixtyfour. september 16, 2010. "overtime."

this was the pile of work i brought back with me today. took me 3 hours to complete. i would like to skip friday. i want saturday.

sixtythree. september 15, 2010. "real."

i baby-sat for someone tonight, and took a picture of her bowl of food that she grew in her backyard. i can't even tell you how badly i want to eat that okra.

that's kind of a risk involved with knowing me, these days. if you don't want me to take pictures of your things, try to be less interesting.

sixtytwo. september 14, 2010. "sad apple."

this is from my classroom. my boss bought us some back-to-school decorations. which included a set of emotional apples. and a lot of worms. we're supposed to put the child's worm on the sad apple if he is bad that day, on the yellow neutral apple if they're "eh, not so bad", and on the green happy apple if they are good little children. i think that's pretty weird, so i don't do that.

sixtyone. september 13, 2010. "whats lying around."

time ran out today. had to take a picture. felt uninspired. but...if you make something black and white, it's art automatically...right? that's the rule?

sixty. september 12, 2010. "sixteen."

(series: the book i just finished).

i'm in a competition with myself to read more books than i read last year. i read 30 last year. i need 15 more. i want to win.

fiftynine. september 11, 2010. "how we live."

i suppose i could have found a flag billowing in the wind somewhere to take a picture of today.

i picked an outdoor movie at the end of summer.

fiftyeight. september 10, 2010. "life."

my roommate is engaged! it's great news. they're both such kind and lovely people.

fun facts:

last summer i had a flat tire, and discovered it in the middle of my day at work. i called a friend who was unemployed to see if she could help me figure it out at that time of day, but she had a job interview. she called this other guy who was also unemployed at the time, and i had only really met him the night before. we didn't know each other. at all. but he drove all the way out to my job (a 20 or so minute drive), and tried to help me change my tire. a stranger.

a few days later i learned he was moving, so i decided i wanted to help him out. i was so thankful for his help. i noticed he had some frank lloyd wright posters hanging around, which just so happens to be my sister's favorite architect. at one point we were sitting around waiting for lunch or something, and i told my friend "this guy is so nice. and he likes frank lloyd wright. if my sister lived here, i would make them date." she chuckled.

a week or so later, a group of friends gathered for a picnic. i drove with the friend who chuckled, where she informed me that she wasn't going to let my sister have this nice guy. she preferred to keep him for herself, and was hoping he'd ask her out. which he did a month or so later.

i love the progression of this story. she ended up being my roommate months later. which i had no idea was going to happen. they ended up falling in love, and now they're getting married. it's so weird how tiny events like a stranger changing your tire, or driving to a picnic, end up coming together in such a delightful way.

just a few days ago he killed one of the spiders who has been making my life unpleasant. let's not leave that out of the story. he offered to whack the big one, but i don't want him to die. so we'll just leave it for now. but seriously y'all. don't use the front door.

fiftyseven. september 9, 2010. "history."

this is the church i found myself in this evening. i met a nice woman who grew up on a dairy farm in switzerland, and i never would have known that about her if i hadn't had to suffer through an awkward training exercise. what do you know.

fiftysix. september 8, 2010. "shelob."

this is one of the spiders who has made my house its lair.

a few years ago i lived in a different place, and we also had a spider this size living on our door. it was brown. spotted. we named it "charlotte" to make ourselves feel better.

but i'm just going to go ahead and call this one by its proper name. shelob. indirect servant of sauron. obstacle to all who travel through mordor to mount doom. "...bloated and grown fat with endless brooding on her feasts, weaving webs of shadow; for all living things are her food, and her vomit darkness."

if you knock on my front door, i will not be answering. that door stays shut. just go home.

fiftyfive. september 7, 2010. "gray."

gray is used in the united states. grey is used in the UK.

i googled that.

this picture was taken right before i saw the giant spider hanging on my front door. tomorrow i may or may not work up the courage to get a good picture of it. i kind of feel sick even thinking about that right now. obviously i didn't muster up that courage today, because this is not a picture of a spider. getting closer to it is just...i don't know. if i can do that.

it is, however, kind of a marvelous looking spider. evil though it may be.

the internet says it is "just" a "harmless" garden spider, "protecting" our house from other bugs.

doubtful, says i.

fiftyfour. september 6, 2010. "labor day."

goodbye summer. goodbye watermelon.

goodbye soul-crushing heat.

fiftythree. september 5, 2010. "banned."

(series: the book i just finished).

"Trout, incidentally, had written a book about a money tree. It had twenty-dollar bills for leaves. Its flowers were government bonds. Its fruit was diamonds. It attracted human beings who killed each other around the roots and made very good fertilizer."

fiftytwo. september 4, 2010. "go marching in."

i went to musician's corner again today. music in the park. one of the acts started playing "when the saints", and then left the stage and started a little parade through the crowd. i'm not sure if they meant for people to follow them, but people did.

fiftyone. september 3, 2010. "dunder-mifflin, this is pam."

had to wear a bandana to sit through some seminars today. it makes less sense with more information, so just go with it. and that...is the sock puppet i had to make.

fifty. september 2, 2010. "rats."

there's a lot of background info that goes with this picture.

my church is part of a group of churches that are working together to create change in our community. different denominations. different theological beliefs. it's fabulous.

last summer, our first step was to take walks around the neighborhood and make notes about things that need to change. piles of trash. broken things. abandoned vehicles. problems with roads. a list was compiled.

in september or october of last year, we had our first meeting together. the list had been given to city officials who could make changes. they came to the meeting, and let us know how they would address those issues.

a few months later, small groups at the churches met to come up with three issues that we feel are big issues in our community. not just piles of trash or broken things, but major issues.

then all the churches came together again for another meeting, and we combined all of that to come up with the top 3 issues that this organization will work towards changing. the results: education, crime/safety, and community development. each person signed up for a team they want to work on.

tonight we met again, and divided into our groups. i felt like we had very fruitful conversation about what exactly it is that we want this organization to do, and how that's going to play out. instead of saying "education is a problem", that was broken up into specific issues that can be addressed. so now each team is going to spend time meeting and researching these issues, and figuring out who is in charge. i really appreciated that one of the people in charge took a moment to say "you could actually spend the next year just doing research." i love that realistic approach. being an idealistic group isn't going to get anything done.

i also love looking back at the past year. a few months go by and i think "what's going on with this? we haven't met in forever." but tonight i could actually see the progress. we couldn't have had tonight's meeting without the "insignificant" ones of the past year. we couldn't have jumped in where we did tonight. these small steps we're taking are actually moving toward something. and it's exciting.

so it's my photo of the day.

fortynine. september 1, 2010. "back in the saddle."

i went for a joggish type running adventure today for the first time since the incident that made my bursa explode. that's on my knee, for all you out there who don't know much about such things. there's still a little bit of fluid on it, but it's been a month. i decided today was the day to risk causing further injury. today, when my throat is sore, and it's 90 degrees outside, and my mind is full. but it went fine! my knee did not fall off. there was no pain. i'm very excited about this.

fortyeight. august 31, 2010. "tea time."

i met a friend tonight for tea. we didn't actually have tea, though. just pleasant and refreshing conversation. also, she has cool candles.

fortyseven. august 30, 2010. "pasta!"

(series: what's in my colander?)

it's fun to try and find new ways to take the same picture.

this picture is actually rotated wrong...i don't know why. i never rotated it to take it. it's right on facebook. but it's supposed to be one rotation counter-clockwise. humph.

fortysix. august 29, 2010. "curly hair is neat."

my head of hair needed a trim. so i grabbed some scissors from my desk and got one. cost: zero dollars. time spent: about 3 minutes. voila.

fortyfive. august 28, 2010. "the rhythm got them."

i went to musician's corner today. i only saw a couple artists (plus surprise guest drew holcomb!!), but the last one i saw was a swing-ish type band. these people got up and started dancing. i thought it was nice.

fortyfour. august 27, 2010. "birthday time."

not mine.

we spent the evening outside, in this very-unlike-august weather. so it was dark. and i don't like using a flash. cool candles, though.

fortythree. august 26, 2010. "mouse tongs."

you don't want to know.

you probably don't want to eat any salads i prepare, either.

fortytwo. august 25, 2010. "chico."

i don't know why i named my guitar chico, ok. i was 18. i haven't played it in soooo long. don't think i'm one of those nashville people who sits around plucking their guitar, writing secret songs. if i wrote music...can you imagine what those songs would be about? ha! ugh. i know what they would be about, but you have no idea. i don't remember what i wanted to say about this beautiful guitar, that still smells like a forest when i open the case. you need to come get a whiff of it. and it sounds really pretty. you know, when it's in tune. which it's not. of course, my secret songs sound better out of tune anyway.

fortyone. august 24, 2010. "laundry day."

(series: the mundane)

i'm basically just starting this series, so that if i am not feeling creative one day...i can take a picture of my toothbrush and have it appear artsy.

forty. august 23, 2010. "strawberries!"

(series: what's in my colander?)

i'm a on a blueberry kick. but when i went to the store i was shocked, SHOCKED, to discover that they had NO blueberries. shocked and appalled.

strawberries are good too.

thirtynine. august 22, 2010. "foolishness."

i saw this in one of the airports i flew through today. a giant hot dog, with "not actual size" written across it. REALLY? i think it's absurd that they have to label it that way, because someone might actually sue them for "false avertising" or something. what kind of person would really expect a hot dog four times the size of a human being to not only exist, but also to cost just four dollars? nobody. that's why it's ridiculous. if you see a billboard with people on it, does anyone think "wow, someone took a picture of some GIANTS! look how big those people are!" no. you know that's not the actual size. advertising for food shouldn't have to be different. seriously america...why have you made this kind of labeling necessary?

and that is the kind of thing that goes through my head when i'm sitting around in an airport, passing time.

thirtyeight A and B.

i had to pick two photos for today, because two major things happened.

august 21, 2010.

"Baby C."


i got to meet my niece makenna for the first time!!! i held her all day. i told her not to pay attention to anyone calling themselves "auntie em" or "aunt lala", because "aunt allison" is the only one that matters. especially because she has a real name.

and

"70th Anniversary"


the family gathered with strangers from all over the country to celebrate my grandparents 70th anniversary! seventy. years. seriously! this is real. its so hard to believe. it's fantastic. i'm so proud that this is my heritage.

thirtyseven. august 20, 2010. "right where i left her."

i went to oklahoma to visit family for a big event. this is my grandma. sitting in her chair. telling us crazy stories about drunk pigs, and all the men she rejected in favor of my grandpa. 90% of what she says in that chair is nonsensical, but if you tune out...you miss some amazing stories.

thirtysix. august 19, 2010. "we are still nashville."

got an e-mail about volunteers needed to throw some sand bags around by the river. it might flood again tonight. i have a picture of it creeping up where it shouldn't be, but i don't want that to be my photo of the day.

these bags were filled by prisoners, and they came to help us stack them. there was a break at one point while we waited for more bags to arrive. everyone wandered to the river to watch it flow. but the prisoners were called back to their bus, away from us. the free people. i was sad that all they could do was stare as we did whatever we wanted. i'm so glad my sins don't have jail sentences. my pride can do more damage than a robbery.

am i philosophizing OUTLOUD?

thirtyfive. august 18, 2010. "what i'm staring at."

i looked at the clock at 9pm, and realized i forgot to take a picture today. oops. i'm going to lose all my credibility as an amateur photographer who has no plans to pursue a career in photography, in any capacity. i can't have that.

i went black and white. bam. here's what i got. my desk.

thirtyfour. august 17, 2010. "H is for Homework."

brought a bit of work back to my house today.

working on a new area of the wall. letter of the week. color of the week. shape of the week. number of the week.

i'm trying to make the letters cute. you can see the G in there. all i could think of for G was "grass" and "gecko." so, that's what happened to the G.

thirtythree. august 16, 2010. "humpty dumpty 2.0."

i don't let my Bible leave the house much these days. i'm afraid i'll lose part of it. last night it fell off my dresser. actually, just the last 7 or 8 books did.

i don't want a new one, ok. this one has been with me since i was 13. i shopped around. i was charmed by the reformation study Bible and the ESV study Bible. they have really neat maps. and commentary.

but i like this one. i just have to be careful with it.

there was one time at Bible study when the leader asked someone to read from 1 Peter, and i had to say "i don't, uh, have that in my Bible."

i found it a few days later, though. it had somehow found its way to the middle of James.

thirtytwo. august 15, 2010. "the librarian."

i've been doing this for a MONTH! and still having fun. that's a good sign. 11 more to go.

this is my lovely friend cindy. she is moving away from nashville to become a librarian. i'm incredibly jealous. and sad that she won't be here anymore. she's always cheerful, always smiling, always funny and fun to be around. intelligent, thoughtful, and just...a lovely person. i'm so glad i know her.

she throws the best parties. the best. last halloween she had a reformation day party. because october 31st is the day martin luther nailed his famous 95 theses to the door. so for her party she put together a powerpoint presentation of the fathers of the reformation, and we nailed our own theses for the modern church to...her door. and sang a hymn that luther wrote, and watched the movie "luther."

if that's not a good time, i don't know what is.

you will be missed!!

thirtyone. august 14, 2010. "tomato art fest."

today was the annual tomato art fest! it's really, really hot. but really, really fun. there are stages set up with bands playing. food vendors. free entry into an art gallery. art booths, jewelry booths, artisans of all kinds.

including...bookfool.

oh boy.

i found four books for $3.75 total. homer's "iliad", "animal farm" and "the road to wigan pier" by george orwell, and "slaughterhouse-five" by kurt vonnegut.

excitement.

the band shown here is "coal train railroad." it's jazz for kids!

thirty. august 13, 2010. "something like nostalgia."

the irony of taking a picture of photo albums is not lost on me.

this week of supertones remembering made me remember some other things. a look through some pictures was required.

twentynine. august 12, 2010. "existential crisis time."

this is a terrible picture. i know. but of something wonderful! i got a random invite to go to an observatory tonight. i wasn't going to be the jerk who took a picture using my flash in an observatory. but squint...there's big telescope in there. offering a glimpse into our universe. and beyond.

we looked at a binary system. or something like that. it's two stars that orbit each other. isn't that cute.

science is neat.

i was also thinking about how interesting it is that telescopes have been around for so long, but haven't changed much. the earliest inventions were truly the best. like electricity. and the wheel.

twentyeight. august 11, 2010. "resorbing."

just trying to find a good use for my running shoes.

grrr.

i am considering stabbing myself in the knee. whats the most harm i could really do?

26 and 27.

twenty-six. august 9, 2010. "blueberries!"
(series: what's in my colander?)

i don't even like this picture. it was taken in a hurry for 2 reasons. 1) battery was almost dead. 2) i was going to bed.

but don't be confused. i love me some blueberries.



twenty-seven. august 10, 2010. "oi."

in light of recent events, i decided to reminisce my heart out. here is my supertones collection. it includes: two pillows made out of t-shirts that i wore out. WORE OUT. 8 albums, including a lesser known "any given day." made by the drummer. a mouse pad. still in use. and an afghan my mom made for me in high school. she asked me what colors, and obviously i picked neon orange, blue, and grey.

what it excludes:

a sweatshirt. posters and buttons in a box upstairs. autographs in scrapbooks. ticket stubs. pictures from shows. etc.

twentyfive. august 8, 2010. "sunday."

the motorcycle isn't mine. my quarter-life crisis is more likely to manifest itself in the form of body piercings or a shaved head. but i've made it past 26 without the desire for either. what am i even talking about?

this is a picture of what my sundays look like. it's where i go to church. i blacked out part of the name of school. for all my legions of stalkers. if i had let paranoia run its full course, i would have blacked the whole name out. but part of the charm of this picture, and building, is the cool lettering. so, you can track me down because you know it's a school. it's just going to take a bit longer, because you don't know what school.

twentyfour. august 7, 2010. "it's nothing personal."