Things I packed at 2am

- 2 laptops
- 3 cameras
- 1 Blythe w/outfits
- Clothes that are probably inappropriately warm for Texas
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Sent from my T-Mobile Sidekick®

Rosy and Roby

I needed a creativity break on Sunday. I think passersby thought I was crazy, sitting in the grass and playing with robots.



Rosy and Roby
Originally uploaded by Serena McClain

Every breath you take

Do you know that moment when you first get what one of those common sayings actually means? I experienced such a moment earlier this year with "is your brain getting enough oxygen?" I knew the phrase denoted crazy or something to that effect. I guess I just never considered the science behind the phrase. Over the past year, however, I have gotten to experience it through a loved one. It seems like every couple of months my grandmother gets hit with something that keeps her brain from getting enough oxygen. They only way we sometimes know she's sick is that she starts talking crazy. I have so much more to say about this and my grandmother and what this last year has been like, but I just can't find the words to express everything that has happened and that I feel. Maybe some day soon.

Stranger than fiction

I saw a man on the metro today who's picture I wanted to take. He was wearing a homemade Obama shirt and a handpainted cap that said 'Vote 2008'. Neither the shirt or the cap were particularly beautiful (nor was the dude). Seeing him just evoked emotion in me. I could sense his hope and excitement in this election, and I was moved by this. I wanted to somehow capture it...capture him. Unfortunately, the most I did was have this conversation in my mind. I worried that other people on the metro would hear me ask and think me weird. I worried it was too early in the morning to be so forward. I worried my little camera made me look like a poser.

I'm envious of the project Hula Seventy is undertaking and how she is forcing herself outside of her comfort zone. I often pass people I would like to photograph but usually only resort to trying to sneak a photo in. How will I ever move any closer to visual anthropology if I can't even do this simple thing? This summer I'm challenging myself to photographing at least one stranger who catches my eye.

Curiously strong

This weekend I purchased a raspberry mint body wash by C.O. Bigelow. It came with the following warning:

"For more "sensitive" body parts we recommend a quick wash and rinse because of the invigorating sensation peppermint has on skin."

Like any good consumer, I studiously avoided my sensitive parts. However, body wash has a tendency to migrate in the shower, and before long I realized my sensitive parts were feeling a bit different...kind of like they had partaken of an altoid.

Note: Follow directions. Haha.

Whore

While I was at work on Friday, I realized I was a whore. Not just your standard issue whore, mind you. I'm a specialized whore.

You see, our resident internet guru at work sent around a survey on Friday that got at how "out there" we are on the internet. As I answered the questions and thought about my internet presence, it was then I realized I am an internet whore. Basically, if people from my past were to ever wonder where I am now or what kinds of things I am up to, all they have to do is Google my name.

Where, pray tell, am I?

here
Flickr
Twitter
Blipfoto
YouTube
Facebook (through no fault of my own...I resist this site constantly and only have one because a friend created the page for me.)
MySpace (ditto...never there.)
del.icio.us
American Rivers' blog
secret blog (yeah...right...like I'm linking to that.)

I'm sure there are people more out there than me, but I definitely feel like I do my part to contribute to the great interweb. Should I be worried? I know people worry about overexposure, being so public with their lives, etc. I guess that just isn't me. I like having an outlet for my thoughts and creativity. Some of these sites give me this. They have also given me the opportunity to meet some truly intriguing people. So, yeah, sue me. I'm an internet whore.

Are you a whore?

Around the way

I ran errands via foot this morning and found myself getting really annoyed at the suburban landscape. Don't get me wrong, this isn't the first time. I usually get annoyed at the beigeness of it all, but today I was annoyed at all of the crap in my way. I figure the walk from the bank to my house is about 2-3 miles, but with all of the buildings and construction in my way and searching out a sidewalk, it probably came to 4 miles. So...I got annoyed and forged my own path.

















There is new construction everywhere. In the past few years, all the forested areas have become apartment buildings and townhouses and stores.




































I decided to screw the "trail" and cut through the urban landscape. Did you know urban hiking includes cutting through parking garages and over grassy mounds. I got some weird looks, but screw them. This is my urban landscape, but I'll be damned if anyone is going to keep me from forging my own path ;-)























These are some of the urban landscapes I forged. Haha. If you feel bad for me, just think of the poor geese.

Cinema queen

It's over! We officially premiered tonight at the AFI Silver Theater in Silver Spring. It was awesome. I don't know about my fellow compatriots, but it felt so good to see the film on screen and know that, not only were we not the worst, we were one of the best in our group. So.Much.Fun.

Will we doing Richmond? Hells yes.