classification show and tell

My classification show and tell is my Weight Watchers point finder...its this nifty little piece of cardboard that you can use to calculate the points value in any food. You have to have the nutritional information in order to use it, but you line up the number of grams of fiber in the food, with the number of calories and the number of fat grams. Basically, the more fiber something has, the less points it generally has, since the fiber boosts the nutritional value...its a pretty nifty tool and when I first started WW I used it EVERY time I went to the grocery store to figure out healthier options. My sister does WW online and doesn't have the handy tool, but does have access to a points finder online, and more recipes. But we share our info, so its all good. Between the two of us we have lost a total of 80 pounds since January of 2005. And its great since we keep each other motivated to be healthy for ourselves, each other and our families.

cool stuff

Every so often, I photograph stuff for the UB Post and let me say that most of it is boring stuff. But this morning I got to see the inside of the Recher theatre (on York Rd in Towson) and the UB Driving Range in Mt. Washington. Can I just say how MUCH I wanted to just hang out and hit while at the range?! Not to mention all the cuties that were there too! If anyone golfs and wants to practice, just let me know and I am there. It is $5, $7 and $9 for a bucket and it was pretty empty, like no lines...So, anyone up for some golf?

4 weeks left

So I don't know about anyone else but I am having severe cabin fever and am SOOOOO looking forward to May 21st. This year has been so long and stressful and I am just waiting on pins and needles to get to the summer. I just want it to be here already. It doesn't help that the weather (aside from this past weekend) has been great and I just want to be outside all day. I took a 15 minute break outside this afternoon and it was fabulous. I love the spring! And just want to get to May and have a week where I don't have an assignment due...

show and tell - blogs

Last week, I found a blog that I really liked on Photoblogs.org. Check them out, their photos are fabulous. The one I liked the best was Digital Peace.

There was another called Mute.

Enjoy.

I got a ride in the Bubble car!

Ok...so I don't have a photo yet, but I (along with Meghan!) got to take a ride in the bubble car yesterday at the block party! My friend Jason is a cop on campus and we were hanging out and talking and I mentioned the bubble car...he said the guy who owned it was a student at UB and we went to find him and Jason asked him to give me a ride around town. What fun! We had our friend Stacey take our picture, but I don't have it yet to post it for you all to see, but the whole time we were driving around, I kept giggling and turning to say to Meghan, "I can't believe we're in the bubble car!" It was fun...and I guess the guy charges it somewhere downtown each day and gives Baltimore city tours and such. You can rent the bubble car and he even had a 'lover's' package where you get a bottle of wine or champagne and get a personal driving tour of downtown. I bet he makes a good living with it, since I know how excited I was to go for a ride! I'll post a photo later...what fun!

Easter fun

I went to DC after class on Saturday to spend the Easter holiday with my family. It was a much needed break. I got there around 5p and we colored easter eggs with the girls. They are almost 17 months and it was fun! I got to take lots of pictures of them coloring the eggs, banging them on the table, crushing them through the cookie rack where they were drying, and giving them to Jasmine, my dog. At one point I looked over and saw Jasmine running off to the corner with a hot pink egg in her mouth! It was a really funny sight. After rescuing the pink egg, I peeled it and between that one and the other obliterated eggs, I think she ate about 7 eggs! They're good for her coat, right?!?!?

We ordered Indian food (yum!) and then before I knew it, it was midnight. Easter Sunday I was woken up at 7a by the girls and my sister so we could go to an egg hunt in their neighborhood. They were too young to hunt, but we met alot of their neighbors. Then we went to mass at 10a and met a wonderful old Spanish woman, who I had just told my sister reminded me of my Tia Cari (aunt). But, she has twin granddaughters. Its amazing to me how many people actually have twins. And walking around town with them just generates so much attention. My niece Emmalina had fallen asleep in the car on the way to mass, so when I picked her up, she stayed sleeping throughout mass and it was the BEST feeling in the world! I love holding sleeping babies. After mass we went for coffee, hung out for a bit, then decided to go to brunch. That was delicious. Then we went to the national cathedral and ran around in the gardens and I took a bunch of photos and video for my sister.

It was all in all, a really great day with my family and I wish I could see them every weekend. They remind me that there is life out there outside of school, and sometimes it is hard to remember that since I spend every waking moment pretty much on campus working, in classes, or working on homework and projects. I wish I had my old life back, and all my free time. It has been a rough adjustment after 12 years of working to come back to school and all of a sudden change my focus and my energy. But I keep telling myself I am almost halfway done. And before you know it, it will be May of next year and GRADUATION!

More UB Identity

Ok. So last night, again, I saw the projection on the side of the Student Center and the Lyric. It's kind of cool, but those big faces are a little bit scary...And now today,they are putting up all of the light post flags. All very cool I guess, but I think its interesting that we changed our logo, our 'look', and everything, but decided to stick with the same campaign really, but just different colors and pictures of new people. So, today, when you are on campus, take a look and see what you think...Maybe you won't even notice the change, except for me mentioning it.

cause and effect

My show and tell for cause and effect, which I guess is not the same kind of cause and effect as some of the social issues other people brought in, is two postcards left on my car for the same bar, on the same day. They appear magically on my window every Thursday and are always trying to entice me to go to Baja Beach Club down at Power Plant...but, I have yet to WANT to go, nor do I feel inclined to go after recieving these postcards. I will not be including the back sides of these postcards, as they are R rated.

I guess this 'ad campaign' (if you could call it that) does have an effect on some people, maybe all the 18-21 year olds that live in my complex. But I can honestly say, nothing about it intrigues me, and nothing about it encourages me to go.

UB Identity

So last night when I was coming out of the gym, there were these HUGE spotlights set up on Gordon Plaza. I thought possibly they were 'testing' them out for the opening dedication. OH NO! It was a MUCH bigger deal. Since the R Kelly concert was last night at the Lyric, there was a ton of traffic on our little campus, as people arrived to search for parking. Did anyone else see what they projected on the SIDE of the Lyric?! It was a calendar of the week's events with the dedication of the building, the band performance, the president's breakfast etc. Then, the image changed and it was an ad campaign (did I mention it was on the side of the new student center too?!) saying "Knowledge that Works" and pics of some of our students. It was CRAZY! And then I had a huge thought....how can we start a campaign to get the U to run movies on the side of the Lyric...like how they do in Little Italy..Wouldn't that be soooo cool? Everyone could bring lawn chairs and see second-run movies...Back in Undergrad we had something similar called "Top of the Park" and they would run movies on the side of a parking garage. It was great, and of course the movies were free, but all the vendors that came made money. Student organizations could set up booths to make money. So, I guess I am starting the petition to run movies on the buildings of our campus!

my neices

PHOTOS WERE REMOVED...Sorry!
When I went to DC for the cherry blossoms, I also got to see my twin neices. They are 16 months old this month and just the cutest. I know I am biased since they are mine, but I do think they are too cute, so wanted to share some photos. They had gone to the cherry blossom festival in the morning and my sister took lots of photos of them...I totally love being so close to them and enjoy seeing them grow and learn. When we left to go see the blossoms, my one neice started crying, like she knew I was leaving and didn't want her Titi to go. Its just awesome to see them and interact with them. I wish I could see them EVERY weekend! I babysit occasionally, which is fun, but A LOT of work! Especially now that they are walking.
Their names are Miranda (she has light blond hair) and Emmalina (who has more hair!).

typography and definitions

My example for typography was Bembo's Zoo and I hope you have a chance to check it out. Its amazing! And considering that I am having SUCH a difficult time in my Flash class, it makes me want to really get it so I can create such creative flash presentations...

Some definitions I found humorous were:

kissing - The act of two people getting so close together that they actually can't see each other's faults.

Vuja De - The feeling that you haven't been here before.

buffet - A French word that means "Get up and get it yourself."

optimist - a girl who regards a bulge as a curve.

egocentric - a person who believes he is everything you know you are.

Cherry Blossom Festival

I was able to get away for a few hours on Saturday afternoon to go to DC with Megan to visit the Cherry Blossom festival. We also got to visit my sister, brother-in-law and twin neices. More on them later. I have been to see the Cherry Blossoms in years past, but I think this year takes the cake for how many photos I took! It was WONDERFUL going with someone who is just as excited about stopping and taking photos as I am. I am a photographing fiend and love being able to stroll and take whatever picture captures my eye. Enjoy some photos of the blossoms!