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Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Golden Kate



Fashion Blogger and HairStylist Kathleen Ritzel and I met one night at Sound Table over off Edgewood after exchanging info and continuously running into each other (even the underground tram @ the airport) we hooked up and did a collaborative shoot for the blog site The 2econdFloor. These were snapped inbetween shots for the blog.
I find them lovely!


Thursday, December 2, 2010

Double Dog Dare

If life were a pool... how would you treat it...
Would you cannonball, dive, or jump in or would you slowly make your way to the deep end... or would you even want to go to the deep end... Would you use a float, a noodle and are you wearing goggles?!?! Are there sharks and mermaids in this metaphoric pool of life?!?! Tell me or does it even matter?



If you follow in others footsteps you will never leave yours behind.
Dare to be different, Dare to take a risk & follow your adventure, Dare to be you...

Friday, November 26, 2010

Fortune Cookie

Everyone is the architect of his/her own destiny.

I can't get this out of my head since I came across this fortune... really it's not a fortune but a truth of life... So thank you fortune cookie of wisdom! I will continue to order bowls upon bowls of Thai coconut mushroom soup!

Doc Chey's!

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Huckleberry



A little grim and a little gray, Huckleberry and I went on an adventure to Sweetwater Creek State Park. Both tired, it took us a min to make our way but we made it and set out, hiking the blue to red trail. Along the way we came across a tree that had carvings in it. I took a few photos before Huckleberry flipped out a knife and chiseled in my name. As I walked, I started to remember all the adventures and backpacking/camping trips I had made, I felt one with nature and was continuously looking all around, up and down. We weren't that far out of the city but far enough that I felt like I was miles away from all the hussel and bussle. When we jumped the path and made our way down to the creek I felt at one point I was living in the Garden State movie as we yelled at the top of our lungs cursing the bs and the hoopla of our everyday lives. All I saw were trees, nature, water... and I felt at peace. This was an adventure that my soul was looking for. As I go about my busy bee life I will stop from time to time to reflect on what is around me, what I have and where I want to go and that way hopefully I will get to where I dream and with my sanity!

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Lolita

A soda-pop drinking, gum-snapping, overtly flirtatious teenager instills colt classic and inspires many including me. Finding my lovely friends glasses after spending the night I had a mini photo op in which I couldn't get the heart shaped glasses and dangerously underage tease out of my head. 
Heart photos


Lolita: You look one hundred percent better when I can't see you.


Humbert: I missed you. I missed you a lot. 
Lolita: Well I haven't missed you. 
In fact, I've been revoltingly unfaithful to you. But it doesn't matter, 
because you don't care about me anymore anyway. 
Humbert: What makes you think I don't care about you? 
Lolita: Well you haven't kissed me yet, have you?!

Monday, November 15, 2010

Shots!


Together we stand together we fall! 
Together we will have fun for all! 

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Tis the Season for the Nog!



As I walked through the local Kroger I came across the dairy section in which I stumbled into my favorite holiday treat... EGGNOG! I had been looking since the Halloween and Turkey day decorations went out on display and the Publix on Cheshire started carrying eggnog ice cream in late Sep. Usually I'm a Plain Jane when it comes to this stuff and I thought the stores were also but apparently this season they are pulling out all the stops! Move over nutmeg they now have Gingerbread, Cinnamon, Vanilla, Sugar Cookie and my new favorite... Pumpkin flavors! As the humid hot weather comes to an end and the leafs start to fall and change color I get to enjoy the rich taste of the holidays and at a great low price! Now all that's left to do is to crank up the fire place, grab a few blankets and get out the holiday classic movies while letting fall take over.

Friday, October 29, 2010

A long time coming...



Today we walked out of each other's lives...
We have no more ties...
A weight has been lifted...
A cloud has dissolved...
I am now free and will not look behind me.
It was a journey to say the least.

Fall of 2008 - Oct 29, 2010

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Sick...



Tired... Cold Dark Room, Restless
Teeth hurt, Pressure, Sweatshirt
Sneezing, Fans Blowing, Candle Flickering 
Box of Tissues, Mountain of Tissues
Kitty at my Feet
NyQuil, Sudafed, Needing a Neti Pot
Gel Mask, Soup, Pillows, Sleep.


Being sick... not in the cards yet it always finds a way in.


Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Inspiration


Red, White, Sepia Toned 
Heart Pounding
Barely Naked
Anything but Stale
Sleeped in sheets
Sun rising 
Early Morning
Breath Taking
Stillness
Nervousness
Life is Waiting
Beauty is all around us.

Friday, October 1, 2010

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Thrifting can bring Wisdom


Not all that glitters is gold...
But sometimes you get lucky!


While browsing the color coded racks at Lucky's I ran across this shirt. It made me think and realize all kinds of things that are presented to me in life. Some of the things I thought I really wanted are not what they seemed. They may have been good in that moment or at first glance but once deeper into it or faced with reality things become clear and some of the things turn out to be more than amazing... making footprints in our everlasting souls... I think this goes for a lot of things but seeing this just made me process it a tad more.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Itz-so-wee-zee


I guess a diamond ain't nothing but a rock with a name
I guess love ain't nuthin but emotion and game
- de la soul / itzsoweezee

For we ain't nothing close to lame
Hangin out, shooting photos and smokin hooka to stay sane
For we ain't nuthin but two souls lookin for life, love and fame.
-Me

Recently my friend Alice came back to the states from Jakarta to finish 
off her SCAD career! We've been hangin out shooting the shit and dealing 
with life's little issues that like to present themselves. Which is why we 
found ourselves out in Little 5 Points yesterday at this little hole in the wall
Greek restaurant and Hooka Bar. After filling our lungs and air with peach
infused tobacco we wandered up and down Euclid Ave. For me I have done
this what feels like a thousand times but for her it was the first and 
watching her absorbing the experience was pretty cool.

People and places make the moment.
Enjoy the one you're in.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Burned, Bruised and Broken... I'm taking a Break


Talk about a ruff week... I've been workin shifts at Dave's like it's going outta style, throwing subs together for the Emory fellows and officially joined the Dave's crew when my arm got caught in the oven. Two days later I was shooting an event at the Freight Depot in Underground ATL and fell through the stage mins after touching Nicki Minaj and seeing her custom made skin tight suit up close and personal. My camera bounced breaking the flash and my leg and muscle all messed up and when taking off my pants to see what happened, I watched the skin come right off where all the stitching was. The next day I had my car booted and reaching for the pan that my pizza was on burned my finger tips. So, needing a break from life I got a call from a friend asking me to come to Panama City to enjoy a beach condo... What did I say... When and I'm there!



Saturday, September 4, 2010

Carol St. and the LA Scene Red Eyed Hooker


Lovely people are beautiful.

Dinner dates with friends are more than needed from time to time... in fact I like to have weekly outings and frequent adventures! Specially when you get to dress up, drink champagne, eat exquisite tapas, sit and be merry while telling 3 sentence pass on stories! It's all in good fun and grand taste! 

The people who share these moments with me are my lovelies and I thank them for the company and the entertainment! 

The Story behind the Carol St. and the LA Scene Red Eyed Hooker:

As Friday came upon us I got a call from my lovely Jenni, we made plans to get dressed up and go out for dinner and drinks before splitting ways so I could go shoot and she could catch her friend's event. 

I met her at her place, she was getting dolled up and putting last min touches to herself as I strolled in. As she finished her self-called hooker makeup she sprayed her perfume which ended up right into her eye causing it to get irritated... not wanting to touch it because of unwanted smudging she let it water and sting causing her to get a red eye. 

On the car ride over she tried fixing it but being in the dark car she covered her eye in brown not the matching black that was on the other eye! haha So damn cute... I honestly couldn't tell but she insisted I take a photo so she, herself could see. 

We ended up sitting in a princess booth ordering kobe meatball filled with goat cheese, almond baked brie, garlic button shrooms and unbattered calamari along with a bottle of champagne. We sat talked and joked around 
taking photos, inhaling water vapor and enjoying each other till our favorite 
Asian K came and joined us!

Sunday, August 29, 2010

My Life According to the Red Hot Chill Peppers!


The other day I went over to some friends house and did a number of firsts! I had a long day and felt on the rocks but none the less said "F-this, I'm going to hangout and enjoy myself!" I'm so glad I did, from the British, Jersey, Latino accents we used while eating at Bruster's with (me: barefoot) and crazy stares to rockin out while kickin ass and taking names playing Rock Band with glasses and sequined headbands, I was taken back to a kid! I'm glad I have these types of people in my life. I like to roll with the flow and have retardo spells where I can be anyone and anything for a hot min and then return to reality and back to the grind. 

(To all the lovelies in my life, thank you for being you and for all the adventures each one of you brings!)



Anyway, after I played this Rock out game, I was and still am a bit obsessed! I seriously want to run over and jam on some more, bake another ziti and pig out!  It can get so intense and slap stick funny that keeps you coming back for more! So, since I myself don't own the game and didn't want to run to the Clairmont by myself to sing karaoke with the saggy baggy ol'e strippers I listened to old 90's music and did some web searching where I found this do-hopper and thought hey let me give it a whirl! 

Using only song names from ONE ARTIST, answer these questions. 

If you choose to do this try not to repeat a song title. It's a lot harder than you think! 

Repost as "my life according to (band name)

 

Pick your Artist:

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Are you a male or female:

Dr. Funkenstein

Describe yourself:

Suck My Kiss

How do you feel:

Falling Into Grace

Describe where you currently live:

Parallel Universe

If you could go anywhere, where would you go:

Behind The Sun

Your favorite form of transportation:

Aeroplane

Your best friend is:

Sexy Mexican Maid

You and your best friends are:

They’re Red-Hot

What's the weather like:

Storm In a Tea Cup

Favorite time of day:

One Hot Minute

If your life was a TV show, what would it be called:

Get Up and Jump

What is life to you:

Road Trippin’ 

Your last relationship:

Subterranean Homesick Blues

Your fear:?

This Velvet Glove

What is the best advice you have to give:

Give it Away

Thought for the Day:

True Men Don’t Kill Coyotes

How you would like to die:

Walkin’ On Down the Road

Your soul's present condition:

Universally Speaking

Your motto:

Taste the Pain

Friday, August 27, 2010

The Power of Life


Whenever someone close to me moves on or takes their last breath I look back on Peter Pan. Funny, maybe but what he said will stick with me forever.

 

“Never say goodbye, 

because goodbye means going away 

and going away means forgetting.”

 



Early Wed. morning the world lost an amazing soul. It’s crazy to think about people and how things can happen in a blink of an eye. A family man, a happy man, taken and for what?!

Durand R. left this earth but his spirit and grace will shine on. Once word spread of what happened the community pulled together and getting to witness this was somewhat majestic. You could tell that he was loved and that he will be missed.



Every time I saw him, he was open armed with a smile on his face and a hug to follow. You could tell he gave his whole heart and wanted nothing but the best for the people around him.

You could tell this because on Wed night not only the Traxx community but the community in general showed up to ER Lounge to pay respect and to have a drink to celebrate his life. Seeing that made me want to live life to the fullest, to reach out when possible and to love whenever the opportunity arises, in hopes that when my time comes I can have half the support that Durand has/had.



To the meaning of life…




Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Thanks Florence...


Over the past few weeks I don’t think I’ve really gotten to sit down and take a breath, let alone sleep or take in all the magic and speed bumps that keep happening around me. I have had the utmost pleasure and pulling out my hair situations with people who continuously are entering and exiting the revolving door known as My Life.


This is a gift, it comes with a price, who is the love and who is the knife?!

Florence & The Machine  (click to view music video)


(click for official webpage)


I find this set of lyrics to be dead on. Two weeks ago I heard them and couldn’t get enough of this Indie-rific band. She’s been on repeat both in my car, my computer and in my head! A mixture of Kate Nash and Feist making for one awesome singer and cd.

Anyway, I know I keep saying this and I probably will continue to, I want to do something great in life, do something, anything besides the norm or mundane I want to look back or have people stop and say “WOW” and I know to have that, I will have to go through things that aren’t always going to be easy (then again nothing is) but what I really mean is situations and people. I know that with everything I want to do there are going to be plenty of opportunities to be taken advantage of and have myself get screwed over… This I know because it has happened is happening and will most likely happen till the dinosaurs come back from extinction and eat all the hot mess people that make us want to burn bridges!

Now why is this even relevant, well like I’ve said I’ve been running like seconds don’t exist, I’ve been shooting photos like my life depends on it and yet I seem to be in a mist. The days are all combined together which is why I haven’t even gotten to post simple little pleasures of my life… things that excite me, motivate me and inspire me. As of last weekend I had accumulated over 3700 photos for 2 weeks worth of shooting. I feel a bit behind and am slowly starting to catch up. But in the since of it all I know this is what life is, this is going to be the “normal” go around if not more fused together and fast paced.

So, don’t get me wrong, I’m happy and excited life is happening the way it is even with the crazy curve balls it like to throw which is just another reason, I know I’m in for a ride because anything worth doing is not easy and questioning yourself happens more than we want to admit.


“The Dog Day’s are over.” 

Florence & The Machine  (click for Music video)


Friday, August 13, 2010

Seriously… AC is a must!


Dear AC Fairy,

If you happen to exist please visit my apartment off Piedmont. I’m hot and sweaty and not in a good way. 

I came home at 2:30am after photo/bar hoppin to a 90-95 degree apt. My roommates were in the living room with bright red faces, as they looked like they were going to melt away to the apt below. When I asked "why so hot?!" They responded by saying “I think the AC’s broken again.” Seriously, within the last 3 months we’ve called 5 times… fix it or get a new unit. Because, when you’re so hot that you have to live naked with a ceiling and 2 floor fans going, while spraying h20 over yourself as if you were a kid at Disney and laying on your bed with the comforter sticking to your body. Something needs to give. 

So, that being said, I really hope you can help me out and make my room an icicle, like I like it. I want to be cold and wearing pj pants not taking ice showers at 6am because I can’t sleep, let alone breath… 

(at least I got to edit photos).

 

Thanks for working your magic… Oh and Love your Face.

-Loren

Monday, August 9, 2010

Give'em your heart & they'll give you theirs.



A cat has no use for fancy cars... big homes or designer clothes.

  

A frayed string and kitty treats will do just fine.


A cat doesn't care if you're rich or poor...

clever or dull, adventurous or boring.

 

Give'em your heart and they'll give you theirs.

 

How many people can you say that about?


How many people can make you feel rare, pure and special?

 

How many people can make you feel...

Extraordinary.


(from the movie Marley and Me with a few word changes… aka. cat lingo!)





So the other day I was watching Marley and Me… Don’t ask, it was on in the background and needless to say I fell a victim to getting sucked into this heartfelt tale. I must say I got so attached to the story I started to cry like a little kid who tripped and took the skin right off their knees… This is a rarity for me… I mean first off I barely ever cry and then the films I’m suppose to cry in such as The Notebook, Precious and whatever the critics and public say, have had little affect to my tear ducts. But this… I don’t even know where to start.


See growing up I didn’t have a lot of friend… don’t get me wrong I did run around with the neighborhood gang but I was misunderstood for the most part and I spent most of my time in my imaginary world with my cat Bullwinkle (aka Bubby). We would go on adventures, play in makeshift forts, hangout by the river, sit on docks and go on walks… yes all those crazy things we did and some may say he was more like a dog than a cat. And even though my parents took care of his health and made sure his litter and food were paid for he was mine and I was his



I remember the day I got my bubby, it was New Years Eve 1993, I was 6 and had just dealt with the loss of my cat Mushy and a baby kitty named Cleo in which we only had for a day before dieing over digestion problems or that was from my understanding. Anyway, my Madre wanted a Maine Coon cat and found an ad in the paper. We drove to see the little fur ball and I instantly fell in love, even though my Madre thought another cat was cuter. Thank the lady, for she said it wasn’t for sale so, I got exactly what I wanted, the misfit kitten of the litter! I ended up riding the whole way home with him in my lap and then followed him as he searched all around his new kingdom taking to long making my little-self hungry… As he seemed to like my room the best my Madre let me eat lunch of a microwavable cheeseburger in my room (which was usually forbidden). I found it kind of ironic because 16 years later on the day he left this world I ate the same microwavable cheeseburger. He was my best friend, my snuggle buddy when I had none and so much more. I think of him often and when I do I have a grin on my face that stretches ear to ear! 

When you have an animal you go through everything together, they see you at your best and worst and never judge… just that unconditional love. And as life comes and goes the ones who make footprints on our hearts, being animals or people are the one who help sculpt us. There is no greater gift than them, their presence, and their ability to make you remember.


Forever in my heart, Forever my friend, Forever my Bubby.