Working on a project

I'm off work today and I had glorious plans to get the house sparkling clean, all the laundry done, and a gourmet meal on the table by the time my dear Timmy (who went back to work today after a four day weekend) trotted through the door after a long hard day of work.

The time on my DVR tells me it is currently 7:20 p.m. and I have not accomplished a single. solitary. thing. (unless you count the shows I've managed to clear off of the aforementioned DVR, in an effort to get it ready to be traded in to the evil comcast people before it becomes unusable). The day has passed me by, and while I didn't get done what I had planned, I have to admit that I am a little happy with the tasks I did accomplish for the day.

My day started with a call from my mother-in-law with a request to get over there as soon as possible and do a photo shoot of her. I guess, as she says, someone from her high school has been going around and getting "now" photos of everyone in her graduating class and is apparently making a yearbook of everyone and how they look now. So, I was recruited to attempt the impossible. She wanted me to make her "not look fat". A task that is nearly impossible given her current girth (she has lost a lot of weight in the last few months, just not enough to make for an easy side to capture). Now, I don't have a whole lot of room to talk because I'm not some skinny mini myself. Luckily for me, I don't have the years and the wrinkles on my skin to go along with my not so perfect body. Getting old is a bitch, I tell you.

Anyway, I ended up spending a good three hours over there, trying to capture her skinny side. After many clicks and snaps and different angles I think we both walked away from the shoot content with the outcome. She was happy with "some" of the photos I had taken, and I, happy with knowing my body could still bend in ways I haven't done in years, all in order to capture that perfect angle.

After the impromptu photo shoot, I went home to start the processing fun that goes along with any photo shoot. Highlighting certain areas, while smudging up others, all in an effort to make her look as best as possible. After the work was done, I promptly sent off about eighteen photos of her that I think she will be happy with. Giving her optimal footage to choose from for her upcoming yearbook. (I find the whole yearbook story a little shady, personally I think she just wanted the photos to send to her new Internet friend, Brad, but that's another post for another time.)

After that task was complete, I let my creative side get the best of me and jumped head on into another project I am currently working on. A project, which easily went from an easy task to an obsession over the course of two hours today.

Bumpo is graduating from pre-k next Monday and as such, we've been desperately thinking of something unique and special to give his awesome teacher whom he's spent the last nine months with. A teacher that, has truly become a part of our family. I love this woman as if she were my own mother. She's kind and, more importantly, she's a constant reminder that there really are people out there in the world who truly love what they do and go out of their way to make a difference in the lives of children, a woman who has made such a profound impact on my own dear Bumpo's life. I hope to be in contact with her long after Bumpo graduates this year.

Sorry, did it again, went off on a tangent instead of sticking to the point. The other project. So, anyway, Bumpo and I decided on doing a DVD for Mrs. Nicki as a thank-you gift. This DVD will have photos taken by me throughout the year of all the kids during field trips, class parties, and even a few from birthday parties held throughout the year. Those photos will be put into a slide show, with a kids graduation song playing in the background, onto the DVD. I also have a lot of miscellaneous clips of the children throughout the year that I plan on adding as well. And, to wrap it up, I'm planning on video taping each child in the next few days, saying something nice about Mrs. Nicki to add to the end.

Have I mentioned how freakin' much I love this mac? Without it, this whole idea would be so much more difficult. However, because I have this handy dandy little computer at my disposal, I've had a good time today trying out different layouts, all with the simple click of a few buttons. I can't wait to see my finished product.