(as I told him to cover his mouth).
Sent from my iPhone
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
Hungarian memories are bittersweet
Cherry blossoms that covered the road I walked with my dear friend as she told me about her mothers illness and the problems in her marriage. I scooped them up and put them in a book because they were so glorious as they blew and frolicked in the wind, like a pink fall of snow brushing against the cobbled Hungarian street.
Her mother, an equally kind and generous woman, passed away and her marriage ended.
Thursday, February 05, 2009
A visit to the Queen Creek Olive Mill for Blake Makes Food Chain
So, here it is, my final version of my trip to the olive mill.
I sent an email asking if I could go there and do a film when I first heard I would be getting a camera and I did not hear back... I figured that they either did not get my email (think spam folder) or they were just to busy to reply. But I figured that this is some publicity and no one would ever say no to something like this... even in home video format!
I have been to this place once before and was so impressed by the facility... it has a great place for kids to run and play, it is outdoors, it has a restaurant and a store... it is my favorite kind of place to visit.
That and I love olive oil, a lot!
To say that I was not nervous would be an out and out lie... but I have made a promise to myself that these are the kind of challenges I would totally take on! After all, I don't want to be an old lady and end up saying "why didn't I do that video for olive oil"? If that happened, well, that would make me sad...
So, when Blake of BlakeMakes issued his invite to join the FoodChain... I had to say yes! I have loved his amazing ideas, he makes the most awesome dulce de leche (though I have been tempted to send him some of mine). He loves food, and has incredible and enviable marketing skills... I am a fan!
So, the camera arrived and I had to go out the next day and film as it would have been my only opportunity to do so for over a week.
Lesson learned though; do NOT drink a whole carafe of coffee (even if you are nervous) before going out to film with a hand held camera. Not to forget to mention that you should not drink that much coffee the first time you are using said camera! (that is a warning that I am a bit shaky in my filming).
In the end though, I had fun and have become addicted to the thought of doing this! What a marvelous thing technology is.. and for those considering buying the iFlip all I can say is GO FOR IT! it is an awesome and easy videoing machine!
So, from my Arizona home to yours, wherever it may be, I present my shaky, slightly informative and interesting tour of the Queen Creek Olive Mill!
A visit to the Queen Creek Olive Mill for Blake Makes Food Chain from Blair Necessities on Vimeo.
I sent an email asking if I could go there and do a film when I first heard I would be getting a camera and I did not hear back... I figured that they either did not get my email (think spam folder) or they were just to busy to reply. But I figured that this is some publicity and no one would ever say no to something like this... even in home video format!
I have been to this place once before and was so impressed by the facility... it has a great place for kids to run and play, it is outdoors, it has a restaurant and a store... it is my favorite kind of place to visit.
That and I love olive oil, a lot!
To say that I was not nervous would be an out and out lie... but I have made a promise to myself that these are the kind of challenges I would totally take on! After all, I don't want to be an old lady and end up saying "why didn't I do that video for olive oil"? If that happened, well, that would make me sad...
So, when Blake of BlakeMakes issued his invite to join the FoodChain... I had to say yes! I have loved his amazing ideas, he makes the most awesome dulce de leche (though I have been tempted to send him some of mine). He loves food, and has incredible and enviable marketing skills... I am a fan!
So, the camera arrived and I had to go out the next day and film as it would have been my only opportunity to do so for over a week.
Lesson learned though; do NOT drink a whole carafe of coffee (even if you are nervous) before going out to film with a hand held camera. Not to forget to mention that you should not drink that much coffee the first time you are using said camera! (that is a warning that I am a bit shaky in my filming).
In the end though, I had fun and have become addicted to the thought of doing this! What a marvelous thing technology is.. and for those considering buying the iFlip all I can say is GO FOR IT! it is an awesome and easy videoing machine!
So, from my Arizona home to yours, wherever it may be, I present my shaky, slightly informative and interesting tour of the Queen Creek Olive Mill!
A visit to the Queen Creek Olive Mill for Blake Makes Food Chain from Blair Necessities on Vimeo.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
Food Chain for BlakeMakes.com
Blake Killian of Blake Makes has had the most awesome idea of a food chain. I have been a follower since almost his very first post and have reviewed products for him... so, in the spirit of things, I signed up to help out with this project.
Last Monday, I was told my camera would be in the mail and to let him know when it arrived. By Friday I had yet to get it so I dropped him a note letting him know it had not arrived! Lo and behold, the minute I sent it my doorbell rang and there stood a delivery person with the sweet little box in hand! Isn't that how so many things in life work?
I immediately emailed him and let him know it had arrived. It was just too funny, If I had nt been so worried that it had gotten lost and waited until the next day, I could have avoided worrying him about it! Sorry about that Blake!
One of our tasks is to post about getting the box so look at these pictures; it was so very exciting and so very intimidating since I had no idea what I was getting myself into...
I had to repeatedly tell my son he could not pop the bubble wrap...
I sure like handsome packaging...
O. M. G!!!!!!!!!! I got the black one!!! I am not sure why I was so excited about this, it is so pretty though!
And look at how pretty it is...
And the powers of USB never cease to amaze me.
And here is the back.... wow.
And here is my teaser... here is the iFlip in the field!
I can't wait to show you what I did!
Blake was so on top of things that it was almost like he anticipated when I would have a question and he would show up in an email or in Google talk! I am so very impressed with this effort and I am thrilled I get to watch it all in leisure with my part behind me! Thanks for allowing me to be a part of this! I can't wait to see what other folks will do!
Last Monday, I was told my camera would be in the mail and to let him know when it arrived. By Friday I had yet to get it so I dropped him a note letting him know it had not arrived! Lo and behold, the minute I sent it my doorbell rang and there stood a delivery person with the sweet little box in hand! Isn't that how so many things in life work?
I immediately emailed him and let him know it had arrived. It was just too funny, If I had nt been so worried that it had gotten lost and waited until the next day, I could have avoided worrying him about it! Sorry about that Blake!
One of our tasks is to post about getting the box so look at these pictures; it was so very exciting and so very intimidating since I had no idea what I was getting myself into...
I had to repeatedly tell my son he could not pop the bubble wrap...
I sure like handsome packaging...
O. M. G!!!!!!!!!! I got the black one!!! I am not sure why I was so excited about this, it is so pretty though!
And look at how pretty it is...
And the powers of USB never cease to amaze me.
And here is the back.... wow.
And here is my teaser... here is the iFlip in the field!
I can't wait to show you what I did!
Blake was so on top of things that it was almost like he anticipated when I would have a question and he would show up in an email or in Google talk! I am so very impressed with this effort and I am thrilled I get to watch it all in leisure with my part behind me! Thanks for allowing me to be a part of this! I can't wait to see what other folks will do!
Operation Civil Disobediance, redux
For reasons that are hard to explain but are probably mainly related to ancestor worship, one of the two churches I I go to is the church in town that my family helped found (they were missionaries here before AZ was even a state) (I also go to Mass on Sundays, but that is a whole 'nother story).
The church is Presbyterian and has always served snacks after service and before Sunday school classes.
One of the members works with the homeless and many folks that attend service come through her efforts.
I think it can go without saying that the homeless attendees partook of the snacks, and did not attend Sunday School but most did, in fact, attend service.
I myself partook of snacks, and did not go to Sunday school (two church services is enough in my mind, plus I tend to ask questions that rock peoples world and have found it much better to leave those who have a better time with the concept of faith to do what they need to, while my skepticism on many of those things is probably best done in my own head or with others who can understand the root of my questions)...
anyway, (religious matters are so hard to write about)
The pastor and some of the elders decided that snacks were no longer going to be served to them, as the snack would be moved to those going to Sunday school only. Now, you may not know this but Presbyterians are really democratic and actually have voting sessions about certain issues affecting the congregation... so there is a spirit of a democratic process that, in my opinion, was skipped.
So, I went out and bought snacks and served them during the social time, without asking. The selfish side of me also did this because the social time was important to me, it was a chance to talk to the fellow parishioners in a friendly way, to reconnect and to catch up (I have only been going back about a year).
It was a bit controversial, the pastor is never present at the social time so I feel like he made a choice that may have been based on the complaints of a few. During my sponsored snack time, everyone ate working, with a home, members as well as the homeless...
and as I did this that verse from Mathew chapter 25 (I think it is 40) about doing to the least of God's brethren is to do it to him...
Act 2, was doing it again this Sunday. There is a whole bunch more stuff going on here, a real dislike for our downtown homeless population... it all just sorta makes me sick to my stomach. I am waiting for the repercussions and based on what I have seen, I don't think they will be pretty and I am worried that I may have picked the wrong battle.
The church often appears to be dying, what with the loss of denominations as having any import and some choices that I think will cause churches to suffer in the long run. But, who am I to speak, I have a global relationship with a higher power, I think extremism in anything (communism, capitalism, Christianity, ad infinitum) is a problem and I have always supported the idea of organized religion; even those whose ideas I strongly disagree with... but this, my simple act of feeding people, is about all of us being equal.
The church is Presbyterian and has always served snacks after service and before Sunday school classes.
One of the members works with the homeless and many folks that attend service come through her efforts.
I think it can go without saying that the homeless attendees partook of the snacks, and did not attend Sunday School but most did, in fact, attend service.
I myself partook of snacks, and did not go to Sunday school (two church services is enough in my mind, plus I tend to ask questions that rock peoples world and have found it much better to leave those who have a better time with the concept of faith to do what they need to, while my skepticism on many of those things is probably best done in my own head or with others who can understand the root of my questions)...
anyway, (religious matters are so hard to write about)
The pastor and some of the elders decided that snacks were no longer going to be served to them, as the snack would be moved to those going to Sunday school only. Now, you may not know this but Presbyterians are really democratic and actually have voting sessions about certain issues affecting the congregation... so there is a spirit of a democratic process that, in my opinion, was skipped.
So, I went out and bought snacks and served them during the social time, without asking. The selfish side of me also did this because the social time was important to me, it was a chance to talk to the fellow parishioners in a friendly way, to reconnect and to catch up (I have only been going back about a year).
It was a bit controversial, the pastor is never present at the social time so I feel like he made a choice that may have been based on the complaints of a few. During my sponsored snack time, everyone ate working, with a home, members as well as the homeless...
and as I did this that verse from Mathew chapter 25 (I think it is 40) about doing to the least of God's brethren is to do it to him...
Act 2, was doing it again this Sunday. There is a whole bunch more stuff going on here, a real dislike for our downtown homeless population... it all just sorta makes me sick to my stomach. I am waiting for the repercussions and based on what I have seen, I don't think they will be pretty and I am worried that I may have picked the wrong battle.
The church often appears to be dying, what with the loss of denominations as having any import and some choices that I think will cause churches to suffer in the long run. But, who am I to speak, I have a global relationship with a higher power, I think extremism in anything (communism, capitalism, Christianity, ad infinitum) is a problem and I have always supported the idea of organized religion; even those whose ideas I strongly disagree with... but this, my simple act of feeding people, is about all of us being equal.
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