Well, friends, we made it through another week! And this was a particularly memorable week–one of my closest friends in Omaha gave birthday to a big, beautiful baby boy yesterday. I’m especially giddy this morning because I get to meet him today, and his parents asked me if I would take his first “professional” portraits next week. What an honor! I’ve been doing my research on newborn photography, learning the best positions for the baby and what equipment I’ll need. But if you have any experience photographing newborns, I’d love your suggestions.
On another note, do you enjoy these weekly round-ups? I know I don’t do them every week, and I’m debating whether to continue with them. I come across so much great content on the web every day that I want to share with you, but I’m wondering if these types of posts disrupt the “flow” of my blog. (Does my blog even have a flow?) I’d love to hear your thoughts, so please leave your comments below. Or email me if you prefer: pj at somewhereinmiddleamerica dot com.
And now, the list:
From honey-colored waves or a bleach-blond pixie, Michelle Williams can do no wrong with her hair.
Am I jealous that this talented photographer is only 19? You bet! (via Creature Comforts)
I have never been to Maine, but I would go just for a McLobster.
These book clocks are so brilliant. One would look terrific in my living room. (via A Merry Mishap)
Free downloads for fellow list-making lovers. (via Elizabeth Anne Designs Living)
I’m in the mood for A Little Romance.
When was the last time you had a really good cry?
Have you ever seen anything as darling as this embroidered cake? (PS: Happy birth day, Spencer!) (via Oh Happy Day)
Knitting takes too long; I need to learn how to crochet. (via Design*Sponge)
Again, please let me know what you think about this weekly series (or any of my posts). I’m in the process of considering a blog revamp and could use your good advice.
Friday night I stayed in, ordered a pizza and watched “Paper Heart” on Netflix. Never heard of it? Here’s what the New York Times said about the film in 2009:
An unconvincing mash-up of the real and the fake, “Paper Heart” wavers between identities to no clear purpose and to its considerable creative detriment. The clumsy premise follows Ms. Yi and a director (named Nick Jasenovec but played by Jake Johnson) as they solicit love stories from a variety of regular Americans, most of whom are delightful and none of whom appears to be in on the movie’s meta-joke. Rather these segments, cherry-picked to enhance a loosely predetermined narrative (by Ms. Yi and Mr. Jasenovec), serve chiefly as props for a scripted romance between the leading lady and the actor Michael Cera, an attachment so tentative and pathologically gawky that it’s almost painful to watch.
The problem I had with “Paper Heart” is that it had me convinced. I actually believed it was a documentary about love and that Yi and Cera met and fell in like/love during filming. It wasn’t until the credits, when I saw that the director was played by an actor, that I had any idea that the movie wasn’t totally, 100% real.
I smiled throughout the film, watching the awkward Yi warm up to the idea of dating the slightly-less-awkward Cera, and now I feel foolish upon learning that Yi and Cera were already a couple when “Paper Heart” was made.
The NYT also claims that Yi was playing a fictional version of herself. Well, that’s not very documentary-ish, is it? Makes you wonder what else about “Paper Heart” was made up.
Perhaps I wouldn’t feel so let down by the film if I had known going into it that it was half-documentary, half-scripted. But I didn’t, so I feel like my time was wasted believing in something that wasn’t real to begin with.
Did you see “Paper Heart?”
(image via NPR)
I didn’t realize how emotionally exhausted I was yesterday until about an hour before I was supposed to meet friends to see Sunshine Cleaning. Being so tired, I decided it was best to reschedule our plans for another night. I’m glad I did because thetiniestspark told me via Twitter that while the movie was great, it was very emotional — and I probably wouldn’t have been strong enough to get through an emotional film yesterday.
For the most part, the day felt completely normal. As usual, I sat on the couch in the living room with my laptop, the TV set to NBC and the dog lounging at the front door. It wasn’t until late afternoon that I started feeling anxious for my husband. Realizing that we wouldn’t be making dinner and watching Dancing with the Stars: The Results together created a pit of sadness in my stomach. Then I worried, “What on Earth am I going to make myself for dinner? Cereal?”
J, hurry home. My diet {and my heart} suffers when you’re not here.
(image source)
This card made me smile because I have a simple rule about eating popcorn at the movies: I wait until the feature starts before I start munching. Absolutely no snacking during the previews. Why? Because otherwise it’d be finished before the opening credits! My friends are very familiar with my rule, as I make them follow it if they see a movie with me. I’m a evil person, I know.
Tonight I’m meeting up with some of my girlfriends to see “Sunshine Cleaning.” Surprisingly, it’s playing at two theaters in Omaha. I wasn’t even sure if it was going to find its way out here. How cute does it look?
(via treasuring)
It’s Friday the 13th — again. What are you doing to celebrate this spooky day? I’m thinking of a totally cheesy date night with J: dinner at a Chinese buffet and a viewing of Twilight at the cheap movie theater. He missed out on the movie when it premiered because he was deployed, and I figure it’s totally appropriate to watch a movie about vampires on Friday the 13th. Plus it will probably cost less to see it again at the second-run theater (including popcorn!) than to buy the DVD when it comes out at 12:01 AM on March 21st.
When J gets out of the military, I’d love to see him grow his hair out like Robert Pattinson. Messy bedhead on a guy is so sexy, don’t you think?
(image source)
