I was just wondering if you notice the artworks you walk past?  Do you actually look at them?

I was walking around the corridors of this building today and noticed the painting on a wall next to the bathroom. I walk past it often, yet today I looked at it properly for the first time.

I wondered how the artist would feel about seeing his original piece of art, that he poured hours and hours of his life into, on a wall in a passage next to a toilet.

It’s an odd place for a painting, and not a place that people would naturally stop and look at something.

Paintings in corporate offices that are placed in meeting rooms and in waiting areas etc make sense to me.  If I’m bored in a meeting, I do tend to study the paintings… they fascinate me.

The number of unappreciated pieces of artwork that exists in corporate offices around the globe saddens me.

Do you actually notice them?

Sleepy Jane posed a question on her blog:  What, for you, would be a really great day?

My great day would include:

• being able to sleep in late and not have to clean the kitchen from the doggy doo’s
• kids not fighting once
• going shopping for a new Macbook and new wardrobe without having to worry about budget
• having lunch with friends at a nice adult food restaurant with a fabulous play area with fantastic service and a brilliant kids menu too (now that’s a mystical place… there isn’t a place like that in JHB especially with the service!)
• taking photos of friends and family without them running away
• going to bed early without having to edit said photos

I can dream…

Just a couple of random thoughts…

1.  It’s my birthday on Saturday!!  Apparently I’ve been keeping this too quiet… but I have actually sneakily even got a page up called STUFF that lists all the things I want.  I know… completely selfish and presumptious

2.  Really, really loving the Macbook Pro I’m trying out.  Really really wish I had the money to buy one.  I know that would be an excessively expensive exercise though because it would mean that I would HAVE to also get an iPhone and an iPad (cos I played with one today too and it’s freaking awesome!)

3.  Have decided that after looking at the photos I posted with Connor leading Kitara on a lead that we must look so funny at the park, no wonder some people are giving us a wide berth!  At times I feel like I’m herding cats.

4.  I’m really really sad that I’ve had to turn down a photowalk in the Gautrain tunnel because of the amount of work I have at the moment.  It’s a once in a lifetime thing… but hey… I have to earn a living!

5.  I hate that my skin gets so dry in winter.  And my hands are starting to look old.  I don’t like that!

6.  I felt like I was in a time warp today.  My hairdresser has moved to another salon.  Woah, it was ultra different to the places I normally go to.  The one hairdresser next to me was actually knitting a scarf while she waited for a client! The certificates on the wall (who even shows those anymore) were dated 1982!   On the bright side though, I got the same haircut, still funky, and it was cheap!  You think it would be rude if I took my camera along next time? I can imagine the photos I’d be able to take there!

7.  Really trying to cut down on the number of exclamation marks I use!

I love watching people at events, and doing the photography at events allows me to see and hear things that I would ordinarily not notice.

Because I’m looking for interesting photos all the time, I look for interactions between people and sometimes you get to see the funniest and strangest and sometimes creepy things too.

On Sunday, there was a girl that didn’t know who Liz Hurley was, when one of the speakers referred to her.  That made me smile.

Interactions at tables are always interesting to see and often I get relationships wrong because of the way people look and relate to each other, and sometimes it’s downright embarrassing.

When you’re next at an event take a walk around the periphery of the hall and watch people interact, while they’re watching speeches or some kind of act… you’ll be amazed at what you see.

This blog meme is going around… and I’ve been nominated by Boobah’s Mom and Gina and Megan and Camilla

And now I have to blurt out 7 random facts about me that you don’t already know… tricky considering the amount of time I spend blogging!
1. I’ve started following more style bloggers recently… in an attempt to keep up to date because I don’t have time for magazines anymore
2. I’m really enjoying learning how to do UX Design and as someone who has been a Business Analyst for so many years and designing functionally, this way of designing sites and systems is just WOW… all of a sudden there’s a real reason behind where a button must go… and it’s not about how cool it looks.
3. I wish I had time to do yoga
4. We last had family photos taken 3 years ago… and I’ve only got one photo of Connor on the walls… and it breaks my heart when he tries to spot himself in the photos… I just don’t have the energy to trawl through all the photos I’ve taken and print the nice ones. I need to organise a family photoshoot for ourselves!
5. I desperately want to redecorate my house, and redo some of the rooms completely
6. I haven’t worn high heels in ages… have decided to only wear flats from now on… my feet don’t hurt anymore
7. I want a new car again. LOL! I suppose for those who know me well, this doesn’t come as a surprise, I’ve had my car for 18 mths… and that’s a lifetime in car years for me… I want the new Hyundai ix35

I’m going to forego nominating… if you want to do it be my guest

Now, you would think I would blog about the kids with that title, but no, it’s the dogs.

Kimo, to be exact. He’s trying to assert himself as alpha male… or at least higher in the ranks than me. Kimo accepts that Lance is alpha, but with me it’s a battle.

Take Wednesday morning for example…

I got up at my usual 5:30am, to sort the mess in the kitchen out (they sleep there and are still not fully potty trained). Then I make lunch for Bradley, and breakfast for the dogs, before making tea for the clan.

Only this week the breakfast part has been a struggle with the two of them. As I put the food down, Kimo runs to the bowls and refuses to let Kitara eat at all. She tries to sneak in and get a few mouthfuls, but he barks and then pushes her away. It’s a power thing I’m sure.

So, I step in, and seperate them. I put Kimo outside with his bowl, and left Kitara inside. Normally that works, but not that particular morning.
They both stopped eating and sat on either side of the security gate whining and howling and licking each other through the bars ** insert emoticon with rolling eyes**

So I opened the gate… and it started again.

So I stepped in again. This time, I took Kitara outside, and kept Kimo inside and locked the gate. He went ballistic. Ran all around the house trying to get out the other doors (and the windows which he’s discovered he can climb through). And refused to eat.

Once she’d eaten, I opened the gates and all the other doors too.

My word, he got cross then!!

First he goes to the lounge and climbs onto the coffee table and gets paper off it… and then saunters past me with it in his mouth.

Then… to top it off…while I’m making the tea in the kitchen… he goes to the dining room and poos!! Twice!! And then walks outside!

What a freaking fabulous way to start the day!

That’s right… you read that right… after 37 years of existance I can positively attest to have been stuck in a lift (or elevator for my US readers).

And let me tell you, it was not a pleasant experience!

It happened about half an hour ago, and the cappucino that I’m busy drinking has managed to stop my shaking… and the fact that I’ve blasted someone at facilities (and they’re going to fix it apparently, and I spoke to the person in charge of the people who are supposed to respond to the lift bell and they’re going to sort that out too).

So now that I’m calmer, this is what happened…

I parked in the bowels of the earth, so I took a lift in a parking garage to get to the ground floor.

The lift had started moving from -2 to the Ground floor, when the lights went out and the lift stopped.

That’s right… THE LIGHTS WENT OUT!!  I was alone in the lift.  Used the light from my cell phone to find the emergency button.  Rang the bell… no answer.  Then the lift started dropping, it wasn’t fast though so I was still calm.

Then I tried to use my cell, but there’s no reception.  So I tried to tweet, but not even enough reception for that.

I’m really not sure how long I was in there in the dark… ringing the bell endlessly with no response, but couldn’t have been for longer than 10 minutes.

Suddenly the lights come on, but still the buttons wouldn’t work.  Then the lift dropped again.  Then finally the lift started working again, and I was on -3 but the door wouldn’t open… and then it let me press G again, and went to where I was supposed to go.

I think I need wine actually! This coffee isn’t really doing much.

Got a wedding tomorrow!! This bride contacted me in August last year to book the date

So, not going to be interacting much tonight… I’m preparing for this. Getting inspired, charging batteries and cleaning CF cards and lenses.  Packing my I-files from the workshop.  I couldn’t get anyone to second shoot with me… but it’ll be fine

In fact, I’ve completely got this organised, and have got loads of ideas from other photographers that do it alone.

Wish me luck!!

Edited:  Not too sure why I blogged this actually.  I get nervous before every single big event… and I’ve done plenty events.  I think it’s because this is the first wedding that I’ve got no backup at all.

Female2Female’s bloggy challenge today is about Blessings. I was actually going to moan about Joburg Water on my blog today… but counting my blessings is just so much nicer

Todays blog challenge is about the blessings we have in our lives. The challenge is to list as many things as you can that you are blessed with!

I count myself as blessed because:

• I have kids who make me smile every day
• I have dogs who have made the kids play outside for longer stretches and watch less TV
• My “new” job allows me to work from home every now and then
• I can use a camera and make people smile
• I can buy clothes for the kids to keep them warm.  I got a SMS from Hannah this morning asking for help to get the kids winter uniforms and clothes… she’s struggling… not sure how to help her yet
• My parents are just down the road from my house, and they’re awesome!
• My husband wakes up at night for the kids so I can sleep through now
• I get to meet the most awesome people with my photography, and go to events that I would never normally go to.
• I get to capture memories… and that’s so so very important

I’m so very tired of being My Nice Guy

But, I’m not sure if I have the strength for the fight that’s coming when I stop.

What I do know for sure, is that this cannot carry on indefinitely