Rice porridge for the sick

I walked in the door and saw my poor honey still lying in bed. I’m pretty sure this is the same position he was in when I left the house 6 hours ago. Did he move at all?

He’s been home sick all day. It could be food poisoning or it could be the flu. Either way, his mom said he’s made multiple trips to the bathroom today. I hope it’s not the flu. I can’t afford to catch anything. I have a wedding to shoot in a week!

I was about to crawl into bed with him when he opened his eyes and mumbled, “I’m hungry,” then went right back to sleep. He must be REALLY sick. He never asks me for food when he’s sick. He normally just stumbles into the kitchen and fixes something for himself. I was ecstatic! He never lets me take care of him. I ran in the kitchen to look for something and came up with... nothing.

His mom offered to make some lugao, which is pretty much just boiled rice, but he wanted something with more flavor so we settled on “arroz caldo”. It’s just a different version of rice porridge made with chicken and flavored with garlic, ginger, fish sauce, calamansi, then garnished with fried garlic and scallions.

Generations of Americans have spooned chicken soup to their sick kids; Asians feed them congee (rice porridge). Different countries have different version of course, but it all starts with a base of boiled rice. Thais have “kao tom” or “jok”, but personally, I prefer Randy’s mom’s arroz caldo.

The rest of the family was pretty happy too. It’s the perfect food this cold and rainy night.

Strawberry Farms - location scouting

I’m shooting a wedding next Friday. Yes, me. I’m just as shocked as you are! Normally, I avoid shooting weddings like the plague, but Colleen asked me and I couldn’t say no.

I’ve pulled together a team of amazing photographers to help me shoot this wedding. Joining me will be Fizzah Raza, Brent Matsuno, and Sam Bowers. Maybe I can even convince John Halligan to take some pictures. Between all of our different styles and the multiple angles of coverage, I’m sure Paige and Alan will get photos they love!

We went to scout the wedding location today, Strawberry Farms Golf Course in Irvine. Near the entrance to the pro shop we saw a table with wedding albums and couldn’t resist taking a peak at what other photographers had done with the location. It turned into an impromptu critique session. Out of the half dozen albums, we found two that we really liked and two that we really didn’t.

Moving on we, looked at the ceremony and reception site. We lamented on how places weren’t designed to be photogenic. Things and places that look good in real life don’t necessarily lend itself to being perfect backdrops. No matter, we’re pros, we’ll work something out. It started raining while we walked around, and we considered what we would do if it rained on the wedding day. Backup plans for this kind of stuff is a must!

Anyhow, I couldn't resist a little Charlie's Angles action and thank goodness my friends are hams. I’m excited. I can’t wait for this wedding. Rumor has it, the bride’s mother is planning on getting me plastered. ☺

Shore House Gang No More?

For about five years now a certain group of friends and I have been going to Shore House in Long Beach for dinner after the Photo Department closes. It was the only decent place to eat open after 10:00pm. Don’t even go there with Denny’s.

We haven’t been there in about six months because we’ve all either been too busy with our own lives or just too lazy to meet up. We’ve all had some major changes in our lives since then so we decided to meet up. John now has a driver’s license and a car, Chris is having a baby (we didn’t see that one coming), Matt and Kari have decided to split up, Krista got back together with her boyfriend, and I’m getting ready to get rid of my house in Vegas. I guess we aren’t the same people we were six months ago.

When we all arrived at Shore House the place was dark. WTF? We peaked in through the windows. Our usual table was gone, replaced by a row of booths. Were they closed for remodeling? We decided to see if there was a note on the door explaining why it closed. Health code violations. Damn.

What happened to us? Not only have we changed, the place we’ve called our own for years is now gone. When it does reopen it’s not going to be “our” Shore House anymore. We headed over to Harbor house and talked about the changes in our lives and where we are now. We talked about ridiculous things and some sentimental ones. This was us. Even if we weren’t the same person, we were the same group of friends. We still enjoy each other’s company and talk about anything and everything.

I guess this begins a new era in friendship and we’ll have to find a new place to call our own, but I’m looking forward to this. Despite the changes, we are moving forward and that’s a good thing.

Learning New Things

When I first started using foundation I used my fingers to put it on. It took forever, was hard to get even, and it got my hands dirty. Then, I discovered sponges. It went on faster and it was easier to get even coverage.

This morning I tried using a brush for the first time. I could see the brush strokes. I thought, “This isn’t good,” so I kept trying to blend it figuring I could always use the sponge to even it out later. When the foundation started to dry a little, I found I couldn’t really use a brushing motion anymore because it would just tug and streak more. I started using a patting motion. The lines went away immediately. I ended up with this flawless, glowing skin in less than a few minutes. My makeup has never looked this great. I’m in love! I may never use a sponge again!

It’s occurred to me that certain types of foundation and ways of applying it may work really well on me, but it might not work so well with other people. People have different skin types, textures, and degrees of uneven skin tone. One may need more coverage than another. I also tend to use a lot of pressure when applying makeup, I know what I can take. I may have to be gentler with someone else and that would change the technique.

I’m overwhelmed by this makeup thing and I’m grateful for this feeling. Sometimes I forget what it feels like to have to learn something new. It’s one thing trying to remember the anxiety I felt 10 years ago doing something new verses feeling the anxiety today. It helps me empathize with the students I work with more. I have more patience. I’m better with them because I know how they feel.

Mondays are Great

Some people hate Mondays. It means the weekend is over and you have to go back to work. As for me, I like Mondays. Mondays feel like a fresh start and I get to go to work and see my friends.

Today was an especially good Monday. John came in shortly after I arrived at work with a big green bag (my favorite color). It was an early birthday gift. He’s been telling me about it for a few weeks now. The only hint I got was that it was something I’ve wanted for a long time, but have forgotten that I wanted it. What the hell was that?

I pulled out two boxes carefully wrapped in teal colored tissue. They were the kind of boxes you put clothing into. I knew what it was before I opened it. He’s been telling me he was going to get this thing for me for my birthday for nearly as long as I’ve known him. I opened the box. A blue lab coat with lots of pockets. It was exactly what I wanted! He even got me a second one as a spare.

I’ve ruined cute outfit after cute outfit for years because of chemical spills on my clothes, so I resorted to wearing nothing but jeans and a plain black t-shit for the last four weeks. He said this was part of his plan to let me wear nice clothes to work again. I’m thrilled!

Around 3pm I started getting hungry. I went down for our usual 4pm drink run and was startled half to death by my friend Colleen who snuck up on me. She told me had Anita made some chocolate chip banana bread. Anita is a fantastic cook and I can’t resist anything she makes. Oh God, it was good. It was sweet and moist and had the perfect balance of banana and chocolate. This was the perfect thing to tide me over until John went out to pick up dinner.

Could this day get any better? Apparently, yes!

Just as John was about to leave Sam showed up with a container full of home made chicken. Delicious!

To top off my day Laura, the Verg, and Randy stopped by to visit me for a while.

Mondays are great.

Shopping

After class Krista and I went to the mall. She shopped for boots while I played with my cell phone. Then she shopped for more boots while I played with my cell phone some more.

I gotta say, I haven't minded sitting around waiting ever since I got my iPhone. Getting my oil changed? No problem. DMV? No problem. I have Twitter, Facebook, and a multitude of camera apps at my disposal.

Anyhow, we ended up at a Forever 21. As we looked around for accessories it hit me, I'm too old to shop in this store. When did that happen? It used to be one of my favorite stores. Apparently you can't be 21 forever. At some point you do get too old and too fat for certain fashions. I just didn't think it would happen this soon. I did find one top that I liked. A crocheted top with colored stripes. It was so "me", but before I knew it, I felt Krista dragging me away.

"Friends don't let friends buy rainbows. Especially crocheted rainbows." was all she said.

Damn.

Makeup Class: Day 3

I woke up this morning wishing I could go back to sleep. I wanted this class to be over so I could have my Sundays back already. I miss sleepeing in. Unfortunately, skipping class was not an option.

Today we finished our lecture on corrective makeup and contouring, then we got to put makeup on each other. Krista went first and, man, her hands were cold. Very cold. I haven’t had someone put makeup on me since my senior prom and to be honest, it felt a little weird. I had gotten used to my makeup being applied and looking a certain way and it was hard adjusting to seeing it different than how I put it on. It made me feel uncomfortable even though I could tell, objectively, it looked pretty good.

Soon it was my turn to put makeup on Krista. It was hard adjusting to using her makeup, her brushes, and putting things on her face instead of mine. I was nervous and in a constant state of paranoia that I was patting on the foundation too roughly. I was so afraid I was going to poke her in the eye, I glued on the lashes way too far from her lash line. It wasn’t pretty, literally.

I need more practice and thankfully my family and friends are willing to let me practice on them. I’m going to practice on everyone who’s willing to let me. Does anyone else want to volunteer? Please. 

Foundation (the makeup kind)

I’ve spent the last week researching makeup foundation. At this point, I’d consider myself obsessed. I want to know what types of foundation there are, the pros and cons of using each type, as well as the best ways to apply each one.

If you’re makeup illiterate like me foundation is used to smooth out your face and cover up spots or uneven skin tone.

From what I’ve gathered these are the main types of foundation.

1. tinted moisturizers

2. mousses/whipped foundation

3. liquid foundation

4. cream foundation

5. liquid/cream to powder foundation

6. mineral powders

I haven’t figured out what the pros and cons of each are yet. I’ve only used cream and liquid foundations myself. I prefer to use the liquid stuff because it’s easier to apply and feels lighter on my skin than cream, but it doesn’t cover as well as the cream.

It took me years to find the right color for my skin tone. I would go to the store and buy something I thought was the right color, but when I tried it home, it just wasn’t quite right. I gave up after a few tries because I was sick and tired of spending money on something I couldn’t use. Sure, I could have gone to the makeup counter at any department store, but I was just too afraid. I didn’t know what a good brand was and I didn’t want to spend money on something I was afraid wasn’t going to work for me again.

Then, one day, I walked by the makeup aisle and L’Oreal had a line of makeup called True Match. Next to the foundations was this clear plastic card with different colors printed on it. You were supposed to hold it up to your skin and the one that disappeared was the right color for you. Okay, I’ll bite. I’ll give this a shot. Lo and behold, it worked! I could have sworn I heard angels singing. N4, that’s my color.

When I went to buy the Ben Nye makeup for class Beverly Crain of Charisma Costume pulled out pallets and pallets of color. She picked out a few she thought were the right color for me and had me try them. We found my perfect match. I was ecstatic! The stuff covers brilliantly, but I couldn’t wear it every day. It just feels too heavy on my skin. I was far too aware I was wearing makeup.

I also didn’t know how to apply the foundation for a while. I used to use my fingers, but then I saw someone use those little triangle wedge sponges so I decided to try it. I love it. The makeup went on so much quicker and smoother. I recently learned some people use a brush to apply foundation, so I guess I’ll try that tomorrow and see how I like it. I don’t really know what brush works best, but I know you aren’t supposed to use those big fluffy ones. Luckily, one of the brushes in the set I bought actually says “foundation” on it. I guess I’ll start with that one.

My goal is to try all the different types of foundation, try different application methods with each and see which one I like better. I’ll keep you guys posted.

Benjamen Lanning

My friend Rita gave birth to a baby boy today. Benjamen Hayden Lanning weighed in at 9 lbs. 13 oz.

Last year when Rita gave birth to her third son, Jacob, I asked her if I could take pictures… from the business end. Amazingly she said yes. Unfortunately I missed the birth by minutes.

This time I made sure to get there as early as I could. The epidural was in full effect. She wasn’t screaming in pain like you see on TV or cursing her husband for doing this to her.

She seemed to be just fine and dandy except for the fact the epidural seemed to work a little too well.

We expected she would deliver around noon, but the doctor came in and said she was ready just after 11:00 A.M. Things moved quickly. The baby started crowning at 11:14 and by 11:16 Benjamin was all the way out and crying like a champ. I was ecstatic! I seemed to be more excited than Rita and her husband, but then again, this was my first time.

I’ve got to admit, the clock started ticking a little for me. I thought of running home to Randy and get to baby making, but luckily that feeling wore off by the time I got home. I’m still not ready for a baby of my own, although over the past few year I’ve become less opposed to the idea.

Thank you Rita and Nate for letting me share this experience with you. I’m honored and congratulations! I’ll drop the pictures off soon.

Alone, but not lonely.

There are two parties going on right now, but I’m sitting at home all alone.

Wait… before you start feeling sorry for me, I want you to know that this is a good thing – a GREAT thing.

I’m not saying I want to be alone all the time, I'm just hardly ever alone.

I can imagine that most people don’t feel the same way I do, they get plenty of time by themselves and can’t imagine why I look forward to time by myself even when I could be spending it with friends and family. Switch places with me and you might understand.

I’ll be editing some images tonight and singing out loud while I do it.

Revamp

This Christmas I bought SmugMug accounts for my friends Krista and John. I thought it would be a great way to share their pictures and videos online. I love my account so much, I figured they would love it too.

Note: If you want your own SmugMug account, use referral code: t8xH4xVqA0D1k to save $5 on your yearly subscription.

Anyhow, after seeing Krista work with her SmugMug account for a few days, customizing it, and uploading photos, I figured it was time for me to work on my online presence too. I’m revamping EVERYTHING this winter break and hopefully by the new year, you’ll see a new unified look to everything.

Check back to see how things are going. 

Blog promise

I'm giving myself incentive to blog more. I've just made a bet/promise with my friend Joey to post to our blogs at least once a week by 11:59pm on sunday night. The person who doesn't do this must buy the other person lunch during the week. It looks like Joey is going to be buying a lot of meals - aren't ya Joey?

business cards

i'm obsessed with business cards.

please tell me i'm not the only who feels a burning hatred for moo cards.

Moving Furniture

I’m a photographer, but you’d hardly know it from looking at my blog. The pictures on it are barely more than snap shots rather than carefully crafted images.

I made the decision a while ago that not everything I shoot has to be something ready to be published in a magazine. Sometimes life’s little moments don’t have the perfect lighting or the perfect background. That’s okay. I’d rather capture the moment no matter how crappy the lighting or the setting than let it slip by undocumented.

Arnold Newman once said, “Photography is 1% inspiration and 99% moving furniture” and I’d rather not move furniture all the time.

It's not supposed to be this hot in September

It was freakin’ hot today. 106 degrees. That’s hot for any time of year in this area, let alone mid September.

Actually, I spent most of the day in bed. I woke up around 9:00am to use the restroom and decided that more sleep was in order. At 4:00pm I decided I had been in bed for long enough and needed to get my day started. By 4:30pm the temperature had only dropped two degrees. After being outside for less than half an hour, the heat got to me. I felt drained. I decided to go back to bed and wait for the temperature to cool down even more.

By 7:00pm I was out of bed again. Krista called. The photo department at Cal State Fullerton is apparently pretty small. Vergil called. He was in the area and wanted ice cream. YES!

Coldstone or Rite Aid? I hadn’t had Thrifty’s ice cream in decades and the thought of those odd cylinder shaped scoops made me nostalgic for some. Randy decided some ice cream was a good idea too and of to Rite Aid we went.

Three scoops: pistachio, Mint Chip, and Black Cherry. Not only was it cold and refreshing, it was also breakfast.

When we got back, we talked about going to Thailand next year. I pulled out a home movie from when I went back to Thailand in 1999 and forced Vergil to watch it. Evil, I know. One should never impose home videos on friends, at least not on the ones you like.

I know things in Thailand have changed. I have family and friends I haven’t seen in over a decade. Who knows if they’ll want to hang out with someone they haven’t seen in 15 years, even if we occasionally have contact on Facebook. Oh well, it’ll all work out; it’ll all be good.

Race for the Arts - Year 2

Off to the races… again. I had such a good time two years ago; it was time to go back. This time the Millers and the Fultons decided to attend, along with some other friends from the Fine Arts Division. Yes, it was going to be a fun night.

Each fall for the past 15 years, the Cypress College Patrons of the Arts holds a charity event at the Vessels Club at the Los Alamitos Race Course. We dine on good food, have drinks, and put some money down on the ponies. The money raised during the event goes to scholarships for some very deserving students in the Fine Arts Division.

Dinner was served at 6:30. Actually, it was a buffet, so I served myself. Anyhow it was all very good. Chicken, beef, potatoes, salad and rolls - as much as I wanted to eat and all very delicious. I went back for seconds, something I soon regretted. That darn horseradish sauce was just too good. It had just the right amount of kick to it. Dessert: apple cobbler with ice cream.

In addition to dinner there was a "opportunity drawing" for prize baskets.

Randy and I had our eyes on the vodka. Of course. Although Bob here actually won that prize he gave it to Randy. Maybe Randy’s sad face played a small role in scoring the vodka, but I think Bob is just a nice guy, the kind you need to restore your faith in humanity every now and then. People are generous.

Randy won the next drawing, a nice tea set. He gave that to Bob, who seemed more than pleased to receive it. And yes, a friendship was born.

I’m normally not the gambling type, but a dollar or two on each race definitely made things more interesting. Sometimes I would bet on what the experts suggested, other times just because I couldn’t resist the name. How could I pass up on a horse named Pixel Perfect?

I won some, but lost more. I wasn’t the only one. Greg managed to empty his wallet too. I wish I could say I felt bad for him, but I can’t. What can I say? Misery loves company.

Hopefully I’ll see you there next year. It is for a good cause after all.

Nanna's Beach Birthday

It was my niece Nanna’s birthday so the family decided to spend the afternoon at Seal Beach. Despite living less than half an hour from the ocean and actually seeing it quite often, I rarely spend time on the sand. I think I can count the number of times on one hand. Okay, it’s more than that, but not by much.

I’m a California girl, but not the type that likes to lie out under the sun. The last time I did that I ended up so burnt the tan didn’t fade for nearly a year. And no, that’s not exaggeration for once.

These days a trip to the beach is an ordeal complete with nearly an entire tube of sun block, umbrellas, towels, books, and of course plenty of snacks. Parking is another trail, that is if I could find any. It’s just too much work for a day meant for relaxing.

Since provisions were provided for by the family and parking appeared quite magically as we entered the lot, the afternoon was rather relaxing. Randy’s mom made her famous bacon spaghetti and Jojit brought enough Vietnamese sandwiches for everyone. I ate more than I should have, with no consideration for my weight loss goal at all. It was worth it. I had to leave early, before the birthday cake, but that’s okay. I shouldn’t be eating more anyway.

Nanna, I hope you had a happy birthday and your birthday wish came true.

Sisig Tacos

By now, if you live anywhere in the Greater Los Angeles area, you’ve heard of the Korean taco truck phenomenon that is Koji. Food trucks, or roach coaches as some prefer, aren’t new, but the last few years have seen the spawn of a new crop of gourmet food trucks. No longer are food trucks selling just tacos and burritos, they now peddle everything from ice cream and cupcakes to Thai food and falafels.

Southern California is said to be a melting pot of culture and it’s evident in the innovative mixing of cuisine. Greg Bumatay and Marc Weisberg, both phenomenal wedding photographers in their own right have now joined forces to bring you sisig tacos, a delightful fusion of Filipino and Mexican fair. Look for it on a truck near you.

Seriously though, neither are thinking of starting a food based business any time soon. This is just dinner at the Cypress College Photography Department. Greg, our Wedding and Event Photography instructor suggested this meal after last week’s discussion of the emergence of Filipino taco trucks.

Now, I’d tell you where we ordered the sisig and hand made tortillas from, however, we’re saving that as our own little secret. All I can tell you is that it’s brilliant and if you want some, you’re going to have to sign up for classes in the Photo Department.

We’re planning on having this for dinner a few more times this semester. If you’re a student in the Photo Department come join us for dinner on Wednesday night. Follow the photo department on Twitter at @cypressphoto or me at @pinlux to find out when our next sisig taco night is. You don’t want to miss this.

P.S. Thanks Brent for picking this stuff up for us.

"About Me"

I’ve been a business owner since last year. Conventional wisdom dictates that a business should have a web site and web sites, generally, have an “about” section.

I’ve been struggling since the day I registered my domain name to write an “About Me” page. I don’t know what to write. Do I write in the first person or the third? Do I talk about my years (or lack thereof) of experience? How about personal interests?

Jeff Jochum talks about Being Authentic on his site, Startup Strategy and Lawrence Chan talks about promoting transparency in his blog post 7 Ways To Have An Awesome About Page…
And Yes, It’s Important. I get what they’re saying, I really do. Because of my personality, it’s something I probably would have done anyway, with or without their advice. The problem is that their advice is so good everyone and their mother is doing it now. It’s no longer unique.

I’ve been perusing the bio pages of prominent photographers and a few of my favorite celebrities to see what they have said. I read the same thing over and over: EVERY photographer is now PASSIONATE about capturing images of YOUR day, nearly every photographer seems to be a foodie, and a darn good number of them loves God and goes to church. Good for them, but how do I compete with that?

What professional in their right mind would say they would do nothing but the best? Of course, that’s a given… I hope. “I’ll do a so-so job on your [insert project here]”. It just doesn’t have the same pizazz.

My philosophy, when it comes to my online presence (personally or professionally), is to be truthful with what I post. Like all human beings, I have skeletons in my closet and I choose not to share them online. My well-meaning friends warn me quite frequently to be cautious about what I choose to share… what if my boss reads it? What if a client does? I’m very aware of what I share online. I self censor what I write so much my posts just end up pathetically mundane.

Conventional wisdom dictates that you should avoid discussing religion and politics like the plague and for the most part, I do. I don’t want to alienate myself from potential friends, business partners, or clients.

Roughly 76% of people living in America are Christians. And here goes nothing… I’m not. There, I said it. Luckily, only about 11 people read my blog (and that number may be pushing it) so I’m not very worried. It’s something I’ve wanted to say for a very long time, but was too afraid to because I didn’t want people to think I was a bad person.

I went to a Christian school for 12 years (pre-school through 8th grade). It was a Quaker school no less. Tack on another 4 years of Catholic school after that and I’d like to think I have a pretty fair understanding of what Christianity is about. I won’t go into the reasons why I’m not a Christian, suffice to say it’s just not for me.

I was a “Christian” until I was in the 10th grade, but not because I believed in God or loved God, although at times I tried to convince myself I did. In hindsight, I know I said I was one because my “friends” told me I was an evil person if I wasn’t one and that I would go to hell. What kind of sick person tells a child that? It wasn’t for the love of God that I became a “Christian”; it was the fear of persecution.

Today, I don’t associate myself with any organized religion. Today, I’m okay with what people will think of me when it comes to this, come what may.

I still don’t know what to write for my about page.

Laboring on Labor Day

Labor Day. No work. No school. I’m still not sure why they call it Labor Day rather than Non-Labor Day.

At least part of my day was spent laboring. I had a list of errands to run and The Verg agreed to do it with me. He was either really bored or a really good friend. Maybe a little of both.

When I was done with all of my errands we went to Sam’s Club to grab some pizza and I decided to do some shopping. It’s amazing how a handful of $7.00 items can still add up to over $130 by the time I walked out the door. I now have a supply of soap to last me for the rest of 2010 and over 21,000 calories worth of candy. For good measure, I bought two bottles of multi-vitamins – gummy multi-vitamins.

I’ve been involved in the photography industry for over 10 years and I’ve seen enough wedding photos, portraits, and pictures of flowers to last me the rest of my life. If I see another picture of a makeup artist applying lipstick on a bride I may cry. After snapping the picture of Verg pushing a shopping cart it occurred to me that we photograph the major moments in our lives - birthdays, weddings, and vacations - but we rarely take time to take pictures of the little things we do from day to day, like grocery shopping. When was the last time you saw a picture of someone doing laundry, washing dishes, cleaning out the gutters, or vacuuming? Okay, so I shoot that kind of stuff, but I can’t remember the last time I saw a non-commercial photograph of those everyday chores.

Anyhow, after Randy got home from work (he had some laboring to do too) we went to Chili’s to have dinner with John and Krista. Ever since Krista started school at Cal State Fullerton we haven’t had much time together. A week without Krista is just too long, especially since I’m used to seeing her 6 times a week. There was a point in time I saw her more than I saw Randy.

Krista, John, Verg, and I don’t have much time to socialize anymore. Between work, school, and conflicting schedules we only have a few free hours in our week (month?) to get together.

Speaking of school, I better get back to doing homework. I’ve got a paper to write for my Art History class. This time I’m a time traveling Egyptian. Last week I was a Sumerian traveler. The week before that: a caveman cave painter. Yeah… I know….