These faces are happy!

These faces are happy.  Do you want to know why?

These faces have just discovered that the $700 camera, that minutes ago was bouncing down the 5 freeway still works.  It's a Christmas miracle!!

Here is the scoop:  some idiot (named Nicole) left her camera ON THE TOP OF HER CAR (!!!!) and merrily drove away to take pictures at the beach.  Now I could go on and on about how dumb I am, but I have decided to be nice to myself.  It could happen to anyone, and besides- that camera is truly just stuff.  Nothing is eternal but our relationship with God.

I am getting on the freeway and something begins to rumble around on the roof.  One glance in the rear view mirror and there it is- my beloved Canon rolling out of my life, narrowly dodging Firestone's and Goodyear's.  I turn to Amber and choke out, "That was my camera.  It's gone."

I feel numb.  I rely on that camera.  Nicoracle Photography is nothing with out my camera!  And besides, how could I be so stupid?   At the same time, there is a sense of peace.  All things happen for a reason, and if I lose my camera at least I can be thankful that I've never lost a limb and I have plenty of great friends and family to commiserate with.

"We have to go back!"  Amber exclaims.  By that time we are already coming up on the next exit.  "There's no point.  It's too late, I am sure it is in pieces by now.  Anyway it is not important.  All that is important is that we are safe and I am not about to go running across the freeway to pick up a mangled hunk of metal."  The voice from the passenger seat persists and finally I oblige, feeling hopeless.

I loop back to our original on ramp and this time take it slow, looking for debris.  To my utter shock my camera is sitting pretty, perfectly on the traffic line between lanes.  I park on the shoulder and turn to Amber.  "Stay here.  Don't get out of the car for anything.  Even if I get run over and die.  DON'T GET OUT OF THE CAR!" 

The on-ramp lane (that I need to cross) is sparsely trafficked, but in the next lane cars are passing at full speed just inches from my camera.  I picture me bending down to pick it up and my head being smashed by some sedan and rolling down the freeway just as my camera had done minutes earlier.  "I'll cut my losses and get out of here.  It's not worth taking my life into my hands."  Before I can turn to head back to the car another car passes, but this time the door to the memory card blows open and I am reminded that my memory card may still be usable, even if the camera is not.  

I stare at the camera.

The camera stares at me.

Finally I see an opening in traffic that looks long enough for me to run out and pick it up.  I am going for it!

My mind is a blur and the next thing I know I am running back to the car, camera in hand!!  Amber is clapping and screaming.  The President hands me an award for my bravery and determination.  OK, well maybe the celebration didn't go that far.

I sit safely in the driver seat of my car and take that first fateful picture.  It works!!  Unbelievable!  The second picture is a bust.  The automatic focus is not working, but the camera seems to be working in manual mode.  Wow.  I had been thinking of switching to nikon, but if my Canon can take a beating like that and make it through, then I am loyal for life!

Here are some more of the pictures we took that fateful day, on my limping, but strong, camera...

Merry Christmas

Hello friends and family!  Merry Christmas to you all.  As I had some time to myself last night I was pondering the meaning of Christmas.  The meaning at worst is to fork over all of your cash and add a heaping pile of debt to your credit cards so you can fill your house and your life with more meaningless junk, and at best the meaning is to spend time with family and friends.

Is anything else thinking that there must be something more there?  Did you know that there are more suicides and clinical cases of depression etc. during the holidays than any other time of the year?  No matter what shiny, happy spin you put on it that stuff will never be enough to fill our deepest longings.  Possessions will eventually lose their appeal or wear out, people will let you down... no earthly thing will ever be enough to fulfill us as humans who have been given the Spirit of God.

Something in us longs for the eternal.  For a love that is deeper than what can be found on earth.  

As I was thinking about the birth of Christ one word came to mind... hope.  The social, economic and moral situation at the time of Jesus' birth was similar to the world we are living in today.  Then God sent His son, a savior for the world.  A bridge between the darkness of a sin filled and empty world and the one true and living God.  

This, of course, has been a Karaoke filled Christmas and as I was singing the words to an old favorite song I was reminded why I like it so much.  I think this song written by Placide Cappeau de Roquemaure in 1847 perfectly describes the meaning of Christmas.

O Holy Night

O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining, 
It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth. 
Long lay the world in sin and error pining. 
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth. 
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices, 
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn. 
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices! 
O night divine, the night when Christ was born; 
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine! 
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine! 

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming, 
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand. 
O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming, 
Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land. 
The King of kings lay thus lowly manger; 
In all our trials born to be our friends. 
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger, 
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend! 
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend! 

Truly He taught us to love one another, 
His law is love and His gospel is peace. 
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother. 
And in his name all oppression shall cease. 
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we, 
With all our hearts we praise His holy name. 
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we, 
His power and glory ever more proclaim! 
His power and glory ever more proclaim!

A Whale's Tale

When I moved into my apartment my neighbors were coincidentally moving out. I ended up giving them my boxes as I unpacked them so they could use them in their move.

One way or another one of my boxes that they had packed ended up left in our shared garage. Two months later it hadn't moved so I decided it was time to investigate.

It seems the neighbors were proud owners and displayers of the most hideous collection of mermaid paraphernalia I have ever seen. My morning was filled with gasps, "I'm embarrased for you" sighs, and nervous laughter as I pulled bubble wrapped parcel after bubble wrapped parcel out of the Treasure Chest (aka my discarded box).

Behold, the head baton twirler of the parade of undersea junk.

Isn't she proud?

At this point you might be wondering what the fate of the mermaids was. Most everything ended up back in the box, left on the sidewalk waiting for someone who would cherish them just as much as their original owner had. However, the vixen above was given as a gift to the one person who could truly appreciate her inner beauty, April Dona.

April loved her and left her. Left her in the parking structure at the Santa Ana Art District to be exact.

By the time we got back from lunch at the lovely Gypsy Lounge she was gone. Here are a few more pics of the art district.

In the pipe...

Sorry for the neglect... there are lots of good things coming your way including pics of Swami April and E-Bob, plus an e-Christmas card from yours truly.

26 Candles

I think the trick or treating geriatric band aid only lasted so long because my 26th birthday rolled around on the first and I am ready to order some pastel sweats from Blair catalogue and an electric scooter. Luckily my friend decorated my desk at work to help me swallow that horse pill.

Celebrating 25 Years of Trick or Treating

Well, maybe not 25 consecutive years of trick or treating. Let's just say, "Here's to a 25 year old going trick or treating." :)

Ever since I turned 25 I have felt so old. Now I know what Dan Dau meant when he constantly reminded me how old he was. SO, I figured I would take matters into my own hands. I had an epiphany on my way to Karaoke night, Friday the 31st. You are only as old as you feel, so I decided to embrace my youthful free spiritedness and go trick or treating! To add to what some might call "the humiliation" I went alone, wearing a costume comprise solely of items I found in my trunk (and yes, I did happen to have a princess tiara, tutu and child's umbrella in my trunk).

I ended up having a really great time! No one hassled me about my age. I helped make sure that didn't happen by shading my face with the umbrella and then stepping off the porch so I would look a little shorter.

After hitting up my neighborhood I met up with my cousin and her friends for part deux. We ended the night after being surrounded by a swarm of 8-10 year olds on their minibikes who didn't believe that we were 9.

Here is the motley crew...

I didn't do it!

I didn't update my blog in almost two months. In the words of Buster Bluth, "I'M A MONSTER!!!"

Here's to two months worth of blogging in one night!

Thanksgiving in Big Bear

For the last two years I have shared Thanksgiving with my Aunt and Uncle's family in Big Bear. Its always a fabulous time of games, picture taking, and of course Karaoke! This year was "plus snow." Here are a few pics for my dear readers.


The Family



Eric

Nicoracle

God's Beautiful Tree

Two Ladies Walking

Stacie and her camera

That's Me!

Renee and her little snowman

Paul plus tree

Paul hearts Renee

Self Explanatory