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Friday 5

It's that time again! I feel a bit lame (ok, super lame) that the only time I update my blog lately is for the Friday 5's, but you know what? At least THAT is making me update! Currently, it's better than nothing, right? RIGHT?

1.  Bacon.  That's right, bacon.

yup, I love it. I have self-control issues, especially when it comes to bacon. I cannot turn it down. I know I am going to eat far more than is necessary. I know I am going to end up with a belly ache. I know that after it is all said and done I am going to declare that at any moment I am going to collapse into a grease induced death. And yet, I still love you bacon!

2.  Attitude.  I have a bad attitude. I envy the people that prance around with their glasses half full. My glass isn't even half empty, it's only filled to about a quarter. This is a tiring attitude to have. It wears on me. Especially when things are legitamitely going not so good, it makes it feel that much worse. SO- I am going in for an attitude adjustment. I need to have a better outlook on things. I need to be the one that is prancing around singing about how my glass is half FULL of chocolate milk!

3.  Mtv.  Let me just put this out there and be done with it. I have a sick addiction to Mtv reality tv. It is gross and I feel my brain cells dying as I watch it, yet I cannot look away. Real World? LOVE. IT. Every. Single. Season is exactly the same. There is an annoying guy. Someone with a drinking problem. A bitch. The girl that is not the girl you would take home to your parents. They will fight. They will throw things. Naughty things will happen in the hot tub. Still...I have to watch. And my favorite guilty pleasure? The Real World/Road Rules Challenge. It is like watching reality tv on crack. The drama! The scandal! The backstabbing! I need help people. Serious help!

4.  Happy Packages.  I love getting mail. I take a strange joy in going to the mailbox, even though I know that there is nothing more than a magazing and bills waiting for me. But every now and then, a happy little package will be waiting, with my name on it! Recently, I recieved such a package. Anyone that knows me knows that I adore random, so this package made my heart sing. The contents? A little stuffed monkey, a candle, and some chili mix packages. YAY!!!

5.  Blogging.  Can we just talk about blogging for a moment? I find it to be such a chore! I hate that! I used to loooooove blogging, but I think the issue has occured because when I started REALLY doing photography, the blog was more geared towards "business" and my crazy passion for photography....now I am in a weird limbo of not being in business, and having a serious argument with my photography and love for it, and suddenly I am not sure what direction this little blog should go in. I think it is having an identity crisis and I am not sure how to deal with that. While I don't want to bore anyone (is anyone out there?!) with my life and all it's trials and tribulations, I am really left with not much else to write about. It leaves me with the ultimate question...to blog, or not to blog?

PugCake

Sometimes, I tell my puggy that I am going to slather her with frosting and cover her with sprinkles and then eat her up like a cupcake because I love her so much. This illicits weird looks from the husband. He does not think that threatening to eat something up is a good way to show your love. I disagree. I even have the pugface wearing a cupcake collar to prove it. So you can imagine my delight when I saw the preview for Where The Wild Things Are and heard the following quote...."I'll eat you up, I love you so." I knew I wasn't alone!

I love her so much I cannot stand it. She breaks my heart on a regular basis with her silly sweetness. It amazes me that after having her for three years, she still surprises us by coming out of her shell more and more. There are days that I am sad that I never knew her as a puppy. Days I wonder how she would have turned out if we had her from the very start. Days that I want to strangle all of her previous owners for the neglect and most likely abuse. But most days, I just love her so much I want to eat her up like a cupcake ♥

Friday 5

I think I need to find more things to blog about before this place fills up with 5's! Until that happens though....it is time for another Friday 5! You're excited, I can feel it. Don't deny the excitement.

1. Martha & Her Apps.  I love Martha (for those not in the know, I lovingly refer to my iPhone as Martha). I love her to bits and pieces. It is not even like I do super important things with her, nope, it is all fun and games. Is there any love better than a fun love? I think not! I get excited about apps. The options! SO. MANY. OPTIONS. My faves? Photo apps, of course. Needless to say, I was super excited to find that PhotoShop came out with a FREE app! Woot. I love this thing. Here is a quick snap I took of Miss Stinkerbell lounging:

before:
 

and after a little Photoshop App loving...

2.  Fluffernutters.  Do I need to say more? well, ok, apparently I do, because people question me on this all the time! Fluffernutters are the glorious result of taking two pieces of unsuspecting bread, slathering one piece with fabulous Fluff and the other with peanut butter. Culinary delight ensues.

3.  Exercising.  Because it bears repeating. I think I die a little each time I work out. Really. True story.

4.  Weird.  I am a weird doggy mom. I am the one that overwhelms my vet with the most random of concerns.

me: ummmm, there is a weird smell coming from my Pug's nose.
vet: hmmmm, ummmm, huh?
me: yup, go on and smell it. When she breathes out of her nose, the air is stinky.
vet: hmmmm, ummmm, huh?

5.  Shoe Shopping.  I would like to know what happened to fabulous shoes? I am sure they used to exist. I cannot find a pair of decent shoes for the life of me. WHY people? WHYYYYYYY? I am in serious need of some closed-toe shoes for my trip up to NH next month, and unless I find something I am going to be rocking my non-fashion sense with my penny loafers and blue docs. sigh.

 
 

* Super Sale!! *

* this post will remain on the top of the blog for a time. please scroll down for more current posts! Thanks *

I am currently offering a FANTASTIC sale on my Bare Sessions!!!

First off....let me address the question mark hovering over your head...A Bare Session is a boudior session. It is a complete and total celebration of your beauty as a woman.

Boudior is a popular session type for brides who want to give a gift to their new husbands. BUT- these sessions should not be had by brides alone! ALL woman deserve to have a Bare Session. Give it as a gift to your husband, whether you have been married one year or eleven. Or better yet...give yourself the gift!

These sessions are such a fabulous way to remind yourself of your beauty. Absolutely every single woman should treat herself to this session! I promise you, you will not regret it and you will wonder why you didn't do it sooner!

I am offering a wonderful sale- the $125 session fee will be waived, as well as a discount on your print order. *you must be willing to sign a release to allow use of images by Kulik Photography*

 

Contact me for further details, and don't forget to pass this on to your friends!!

email: kulikphotography@gmail.com

Just So You Know....

Friday 5

Well...it seems the bad blogger bug has hit me again and I am severly slacking over here. In the meantime, it is time for another Friday 5....you're excited, I know it!

Let's get to it....

1.  Glee. Can we just talk about this show for a moment? Please? It is amazing! It is one part comedy, one part musical, and one part drama. You mix that all up, and you have an amazing show! It is like nothing else out there right now.

2.  Websites. I'm getting a new one! I parted ways with my old one because, well, I am technologically challenged, to say the least. We were not a good match, there was some emotional abuse involved, and I got strong and stood up for myself and kicked it to the curb. However....that left me with no web presence other than this sad little blog. And while I am not (was not- we'll get to that in a minute) officially "in business" it made it difficult to pass out cards with a website on them that didn't exist. No more! I ordered a new website yesterday. Theoretically it is dummy-proof. Here's hoping that is true! So hopefully in the next month or so I will have awebsite up and running :)

3.  Change.  Ah, sweet change. Here's a little fact about me. The fear of change cripples me. It gives me anxiety and causes excessive sweating. I. Don't. Do. Change. But apparently, change does me. I am being laid off from my day job. I am slightly freaking out. Ok, that's a lie. I am MAJORLY freaking out. Florida and jobs...well, let's just say they are not good friends currently. However, I have an incredible boss and I have been given two months' notice. Yay for that. So I will be pounding the pavement. Knocking on doors. And I will be trying with all of my might not to pass out from the hyperventilating. *this also means that my photography will slowly be trying to take a front burner again. A girl's gotta eat ;)

4.  Yankee Candles.  I was once told that Wal-Mart candles are just as good as Yankees. Gasp! Not. True! I LOVE Yankee Candles....espcially their holiday candles. Autumn Leaves....an absolute favorite!!! I can't wait to break out the Christmas tree candles. I just want to roll around in the yummy smells!

5. Exercise.  Who loves exercising? Not me!!!! But I'm doing it anyways. sigh. I don't want to. I hate it. But I am doing it...and feeling better about myself with each workout. However...I got a little crazy one day and did something stupid. I ordered a workout program for my elliptical machine by Jillian Michaels. I am nervous people. Have you seen her on Biggest Loser? She scares me. A lot. But I need someone to scare the fat out of me, so here's hoping she can do it!!

Another Friday 5 signing off...thanks for visiting and have a great weekend! 

Friday 5

Ready for another installment of Friday 5? Is it a little bit frightening that I am consistant enough that I have done this for two weeks in a row? Confession? I SO create these prior to Friday! I'm busted! Otherwise, at approximately 9pm on Friday night I would be trying to figure out what I was forgetting.

Let's get to the randomness that is me....

1. Magazines. I have a revelation....I am a complete and total magazine whore. It is a bit of a sickness, really. I have more subscriptions than I can keep up with. I have a schizophrenic array of subscriptions. Case in point: Girly: Vogue (a photographer's best friend), Elle, Marie Claire. Dog Lover: The Modern Dog, Bark (favorite!!). Older Than My Age: Woman's Day, Good Housekeeping, Better Homes and Gardens. Photographer: Professional Photographers of America (technically, I just cancelled this one, but I am listing it anyways, because I am already going through withdrawals and I neeeeeed it back!), Digital Photo Pro, Rangefinder. Nerdy: Time. I Love My Husband: Outdoor Life, Florida Fishing something or another, Playboy (seriously people, the articles are great!). Yup- I have a problem.

2. Dave Fans. I know, I know. You are all tired of all my Dave talk. And I get it, really I do. But I still need to give the Dave Fans their much deserved spot on a Friday 5 because they really are incredible fans. Why? They give you stuff! Wanting nothing in exchange! It is the most amazing thing. I have a handful of friends on Facebook that are technically strangers to me. I know nothing about them other than that they, too, are crazy Dave fans. I have had two such fans hook. me. UP. with awesome downloads. Downloads I would have never been able to get my hands on otherwise. Downloads I didn't even know existed! And why did they share their awesomeness with me? Because that's what Dave fans do. LOVE THEM!

3. Rambling. Did you ever notice how much I ramble? Obviously, if you come here often, you must notice it. I don't do it on purpose. I actually give myself a talking to before I sit down to write entries here, letting myself know that it is ok to shut the hell up. To let the photos do the talking. To give people a rest from my crazy drama. And then I ramble anyways. Sorry 'bout that!

4. Rachel Zoe. Do you watch this show on Bravo? You have to! I loooove this show, but there always seems to be a "scheduling conflict" with my tivo, and other shows trump this one (because, yup, I'm a tv whore too). I finally stumbled upon this gem again! I do not tend to like women that are dramatic...but Rachel Zoe is dramatic in the most fashionable way. She says "I die!" over everything, and on one pair of shoes had this to say: "I would eat these shoes for breakfast, lunch and dinner." Love. This. Show.

5. Blogs. I love blogs. I looooove google reader to keep all of my blogs in one handy spot. One blog that never fails to cheer me up? Cake Wrecks. This blog is a fantastic place to see just how horribly wrong a birthday cake can go. And trust me....they can go way past horrible! I suspect this is what really keeps me out of the kitchen....I fear my creations would end up on this site!

Friday 5....signing off! Have a randomly fantastic weekend! 

Snaptastic

Two quick snapshots of my girls...

(in case you are wondering where my boy is, he was too busy licking his paws to be bothered by the camera)

My puppers keep me company while I work out (yes, there is something incredibly wrong with me that I willing choose to work out on the lanai, in the wretched Florida heat....honestly, while she won't admit to it, I think my mom dropped me when I was a baby). They were looking especially cute today, so I ran in to grab the camera. These would have been in focus if not for my face radiating too much heat and fogging up the viewfinder. Sigh. Photographers....any solution to that one?! 

A Long Road

I love seeing progress of any kind. It is so easy to get caught in ruts, and forget that while we may be feeling stagnant, we still need to appreciate the road we have been on. No surprise here- I am in a total photographic rut. I am in a frustrating place where I doubt every ounce of my talent. Actually, I doubt I have talent. Disclaimer- I do not say that to invite you to my pity party or to elict a response for you to tell me I *do* have talent. I am just stating that that is where my mind currently resides- in a place of ick. Most days I haaaaaate my camera with a passion. I hate that I ever picked it up. Because if I never developed this passion, I would not be stuck hating that I lost that passion. Blah. <-- that sums it up :) But enough whining. If I keep this up, I will drive my three blog readers away! lol.

I am still getting my external harddrive organized. I know, I know. It seems like I have been saying that for a looooooong time. Actually, I have been saying it for a long time. It is a chore I am awesomely talented in avoiding. But I have exciting news....I can FINALLY say I can see the end of the tunnel! Woo! And while getting closer and closer to the bottom of the barrel, I am finding photos from when I first got my digital slr. I see these photos and say awwwwww! I was so cute with how great I thought these photos were!

Case in point:

I thought this shot was so fantastical. Like, blow my mind, give me a blue ribbon right now a-MA-zing!

And then I took this one about nine months later...and thought WOW! Look at my progression!

Now, technicall, this is not horrid. And I HAD progressed and was finally shooting manually, which was such a proud moment for me. But blue-ribbon worthy? I think not!

And then I look at what I am doing today,

I have travelled a long road, and I need to allow myself to bask in that. I need to pat myself on the back. I still have a very long way to go, and hope I never reach the finish line, because if that day comes, the fun stops. The challenge stops. I still rember the day I got my macro lens *otherwise known as my baby and the lens that is on my camera 95% of the time* and I cried. Yes folks, I cried. I was SO frustrated with the lens and with knowing exactly what I wanted to produce with it, and not knowing how. I struggled with that lens and thought that I had just wasted a nice chunk of money on a lens I was not smart enough to conquer. And then, I conquered it. I fell in love with it. That lens, the lens that made me so upset, is what opened my eyes to the world around me. To the details in our world that we usually pass right by. That lens is what made me realize that this thing is more than just a hobby. It is more than just a way to make money. It is an extension of who I am. I need to stop denying that. I need to stop ignoring that. Photography is simply a part of me. Whether I make a business out of it, or allow it to stay in the background of my life, I am a photographer. A large part of who I am would be missing and incomplete if I did not have a camera as an extension of my heart.

Weird Places and Froggy Faces

I am in a weird place right now....both with photography and life in general. I struggle so much with what I want to do with this photography thing. I know I love it. I know I need it. When I try to put it aside, to let it take a backseat, I feel the longing for it. I cannot ignore it. I am just not sure what to do with that. For so many reasons, I have made the decision that I simply cannot focus on pursuing it further at this time in my life....but at the same time, I long to pursue it. To make more of it. To make more of me out of it. I struggle with finding my priorities. with setting goals. with following through. with setting my anxieties aside to make this thing into something bigger.

In the meantime I am in the process of making HUGE decisions in my life. Decisions I do not feel capable of making. Decisions that scare the living bejesus out of me and have dropped me to my knees and caused many tears to flow. I am in a weird place right now. A place that I am not in the slightest bit comfortable with being in. I don't want to be in this place, but I know I have no choice. I willingly created this space.

Why am I telling you all of this? I don't know. I need to get it out of my system I suppose. This is where I go to get things out of my system. Lately, I have avoided my blog because basically, I have never been a pretender. If things are not going well, I cannot pretend otherwise. My life is currently occupied full time by these weird places. I don't know how to not share that...yet I can't fully share it.

And with that note....let's end this with a froggy face to cheer things up a little.