169/365

Madeline, my friends' cat, greeting the guests for New Years' Eve Dinner. I've cat-sat over the years with her, and she NEVER hangs around for more than a couple of minutes for affection and attention, but apparently she was locked up at the vets over Christmas, so she was being particularly warm and lovey on this occasion.

They also just moved to Pasadena, and we discovered during dinner, they live on the route the floats go by to park up the night before the Rose Parade. So we got a mini parade during dinner, then walked up the road afterwards to see some of the floats up close:

168/365 A Christmas VIDEO!

I bought a tripod and decided to walk around the neighborhood and take photos of all the Christmas Lights.
I can't upload it on youtube or photobucket because of the music I used - bloody copyright infringement! Like the Decca Records Orchestra is gonna want 5p every time this is played?!

167/365

Removed.

166/365

Mom preparing breakfast on Christmas morning (blintzes, tater tots, sausages and poached eggs)...
And Dad, doing his favorite Southern California lifestyle activity: FRESH ORANGE JUICE!


(my dad drove straight from Chicago to Orange County the day he finished; he said he always dreamed of living in a place where he could reach out the back door, grab some oranges, and make fresh orange juice. And so he does!)

165/365

Merry Christmas (Eve)!
Cheating because I love this series... of mom and dad waiting patiently while I figure out the right exposure settings on my camera (no, I still haven't read the manual!).











The final result/s:



NOT terribly flattering of me or my brother, but... still a fairly nice family photo.

164/365 Christmas cookies

Before:

And after:

163/365

Finally finished decorating the Christmas Tree!

162/365

Is there a theme I'm not aware of?

Anyhooo... I'm now experimenting mixing portraits/self-portraits with other... things.

Any opinions either way?  This one: ?

or this one: ?

161/365

Part of the fake tree I had to throw away - cuz I broke it. :(

(it had those fiber light thingies that change from a disk underneath, and as I was trying to straighten the tree... *POP*SNAP*

No crackle.

Bummer.

160/365 More KIDS

... and on Fridays. 
These girls are particularly amazing, as not only did they all insist on auditioning like a professional actor (who would ASK for that?!), but they all LOVE MY CLASS - and today, they STAYED to help - with the smaller kids, and rehearse MORE!
I keep thinking someone's playing a joke... and this is what I have to remember when I'm sitting in traffic on the way home thinking I need to find another job, closer to home.
This one is my particular favorite (as a photograph):

Whatever their parents are doing (along with their regular teachers), I am impressed and thankful!

159/365 My kids

Okay, not really mine, but from 3-5 on Thursdays, they are.Two of my first graders, working out a big dance number for our show in January. They are awesome.

158/365 Cookie Baking Day with the Tall Gal Pals

What. A. Load. of. Fun.

And Fat.(tening things)  

And how cute is my apron??
Suzanne (the other amazon in this photo), made it for me! She even BEDAZZLED it with li'l Swarovskis!!
Lurv my tall gal pals.

Happy Hughlidays

Oh, the things I do with my time.

The original:

My take:

157/ 365

156/365

Boy yoy yoy I've been distracted lately... or uninspired... or just lazy.   Which is so weird considering how much I really do love taking pictures!  Ridicumous.

155/365 ENTRY WAY

154 - ENTRY WAYS... sort of.

Out shooting headshots (yay! getting paid!) with Claire, we saw a fenced area with a sign saying "DO NOT FEED THE ANIMALS" - in between shops at a strip mall. Weird. Peering through the fence, this is what we saw:
And just to show off, my favorite shot out of her headshots:

153/365

I was in the fourth row at the movie theater for a screening of "Seven Pounds" - Will Smith's new movie, with Rosario Dawson (and Woody Harrelson, whose role is just... so great), and afterwards, Will and Rosario came in for Q&A, which was fantastic. It's so nice to hear *stars* talk about the craft itself - the artistic side of acting.



These are SO CRAP because I not only took them with my phone (which is normally okay), but with new contact lenses which are so strong for far-sight, I have to wear reading glasses if I want to be able to see up close! I've not done that... yet... so I could just make out that I had the framing right before I took it - AND had to take it fast, as it had been stated NO photos or recording devices (then I saw half a dozen people taking photos, so yes, I jumped aboard).

I am IN LOVE with Rosario Dawson now - in a straight-girl-strong-admiration-want-to-be-like-her sorta way.
Her performance in this film is just lovely.

152/365 - COLOURS

Blue, blue and blue.
I like to call it Venetian Blue.
My new curtains! Finally!

151/365 - The Christmas Clock

Indeed. It plays a carol every hour. I was going to toss it when I moved in, but much like the bird clock, which also used to annoy me, they both now make me smile and think of my aunt whenever they go off. And it's always fun to see the reaction when someone's over.

150/365 - COLOURS

The side of the water pitcher (hand painted in Ravello).

149/365 - COLOURS

Original floor tiles in the guest bathroom (my grandma liked green).

Hughvember ends, Hughcember begins

148/365 - It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas!

A neighbor's house.
And just for fun, since the fog's rolled in, my eerie looking street:

147/365 - SIGNS

FINALLY, I have some things up on the walls (since they've been repainted with a special type of plaster paint, and no, I've never used a drill before, so the drapery guy came round and helped/taught me how to put things up properly (in the olden days I'd take a hammer and nail and hope for the best; no longer!)
This is one of my favorite pieces, that sadly looks like it may need replacing - the chips at the bottom are from 'normal' wear and tear, but the crack in the upper right is thanks to the international movers :(.
It's one of my favorite pieces, as I acquired it on a trip in New England several years ago and I first learned about the pineapple as a symbol and it's meaning, and I love the idea.
I got this tile at one of the "Newport Mansions" in Rhode Island - I can't remember which one.

146/365

Had an extremely lazy day aside from helping clean up and then going to see Australia with mom and dad.

145/365 - HAPPY THANKSGIVING

My contribution.

144/365 - SIGNS

An hour getting to the hair stylist, nearly 2 to get home! (usually 45 min. each way).
Took this as I was leaving her house (she does hair out of her house), as I felt my day was indeed, already at an end, as most of it would be taken up by traffic. Sadly, I was right.

143/365 - SIGNS...

...that a storm's a comin'!

142/365 - SIGNS

Soooo nice to have good healthcare again!!!

141/365 more Happiness... or Hughness... or Hughpiness.

Oh, such happiness.

I was at the movies all day - Milk and Quantum Solace.  BOTH are great!

140/365

Just trying to get home...  not happy.