I Forgot How to Use the Internet

Ok, that's not entirely true (this post's title, that is), but I'm definitely off my game. I sat down at my computer today, looked at my "Regulars" bookmark folder and realized there are (many) blogs I generally read daily that I'd not looked at in weeks, ones I'd completely forgot existed. Blerg. The mere fact that it's taken me until my second snow day this week to get around to writing a blog post is kind of nuts. Anyway, "kind of nuts" is an accurate description of things around here lately, so I guess I should just go with it.

I was browsing old photos yesterday when this one caught my eye. Maybe it's the fact that it's -1 degree(s?) right now (you should have seen the shade of neon pink my face was after walking the pups this morning) or maybe it's that this set of photos represents a different time in life, but I ache for this.

from a hike near evergreen, co this summer

In other news, this came into our life last week.

(poster downloaded here, can't remember who linked to it. printed at kinkos for $1.88)

It's been so lovely. A family in the 'burbs was selling it for what I considered a steal and I couldn't pass it up. It's been a struggle and a blessing to try to relearn songs I'd already spent so much time getting under my belt, to grow the confidence to sing quietly along, to know that my big voice will break through soon. And a distraction. It's a beautiful distraction.

We saw the Colorado Symphony and Colorado Symphony Chorus perform Mozart's Requiem (and other pieces) last weekend. I didn't want it to end and would love to witness it every day forever and ever and I think I'd cry every time. Highly recommended.

I photographed a beautiful wedding last weekend. I was so anxious and felt like I powered through all 8 hours on pure adrenaline, but it's over now and I don't think I failed (I don't even feel like I failed. I even feel like I earned my paycheck). The B&G are still on their honeymoon so I won't give too much away, but it looked something like this -

Incredible, see?

My friend Katie posts beautiful quotations on a regular basis. I think I'd like to do that more. Katie also shares my love for the incomparable Anne Lamott. I've been re-reading Traveling Mercies and have decided that my favorite essay in it is the one from which the title of the book comes. Here's my favorite paragraph (a flustered and infuriated woman who has had everything go wrong in her travel plans is complaining to a man on a train) -

It turned out that this man worked for the Dalai Lama. And he said--gently--that they believe when a lot of things start going wrong all at once, it is to protect something big and lovely that is trying to get itself born--and that this something needs for you to be distracted so that it can be born as perfectly as possible.

Here's to big and lovely, folks.