A haiku for today

Rain beating on roof.
Do I want to be awake?
Dang I like payday.

Day end already.
I want to go home and play.
Oh yeah and drink some.

Netflix in mailbox.
Pppfffttt to Grey's Anatomy.
Mark Wahlberg tonight!

Sunsilk is so fab

Oh the wars us ladies fight against our hair. We color it, straighten it, curl it, contort it into all sorts of fanciful designs, and then wonder why it has the texture of straw. I have found an affordable weapon against the damage we do to our tresses.

I recently got free samples from Sunsilk, from their "Straighten Up" collection. If you are not sure which product would best suit your hair, you can take a quiz and they will send you samples and coupons.




My hair is thick, long and wavy. During the work week, I usually put it back in a ponytail or up in a modified french twist. Today I am at work, and actually wearing my hair down, because it looks just that great. Also, the product smells really fresh and wonderful, but not like you have been hosed in scent.

Y'all know that I do not endorse products that I do not believe in, but this stuff is fab. Go get some!

Wedding observations

Dear Husband mostly photographs weddings. I present the following observations from recent weddings that we have shot:

1. Show up at your rehearsal on time. Dear Husband and I were at a recent rehearsal for the 5:30 start. The bride did not show up until an hour later, with no apologies given to the pastor, or anyone else patiently waiting. The groom showed up an hour and a half late, and was intoxicated to boot. I have never seen such disrespect for a wedding ceremony, the pastor, and most especially his bride. It was shocking.

2. Instead of the traditional guest book, which will get stuck in a box somewhere in a forgotten corner of your closet, consider having guests sign smooth river stones with a permanent marker. One recent wedding we shot in Virginia did this, and intended on placing the signed stones around a tree in their yard. If you choose not to expose the rocks to the elements, you could always arrange them in a pretty bowl as a fun decorative element in your house.

3. If you are planning an outdoor wedding, don't you dare boo-hoo about the weather. Summer outdoor weddings in Tennessee, or anywhere for that matter unless you live up near Canada, are going to be ass-hot. Brides - take this into consideration when you choose your dress. That princess dress with yards of Italian satin and layers of tulle may be super pretty, but it is also super heavy, and you will sweat. Think light, airy, and perhaps something made of silk. I feel particulary sorry for grooms and groomsmen at these events. Most often, they are in black rental tuxes, made out of a tragic non-breathable material with the woefully painful black rental shoes. At a recent east-coast wedding, set at a yacht club, the men had lightweight linen suits on, with light blue shirts, and (I think) tan or light brown shoes. They looked classy and were comfortable, and it showed in the pictures.

4. Favors can be expensive. Instead of chocolates, candles or those impossibly inedible jordan almonds, consider a donation to a favorite charity. At a wedding two weeks ago, the couple had pink rubber bracelets at each place setting with a tasteful card, saying that in lieu of favors, the couple had made a donation to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer fund. It thought that was a wonderful idea.

We have shot well over 2,000 weddings, and I have a ton of stories and tips, but those are the ones that stick out in my brain the most. :-)

Luciano e morto

Yes. Luciano has passed. I cannot begin to tell you how much his music is and was in my life. As a child, I clearly remember waking up to the smell on a weekend morning of garlic, onions, olive oil and other lovely spices simmering in a pot. That's what a weekend morning smells like in my childhood memories. My father would add tomatoes to that potion, and the huge pot of tomato sauce would slowly simmer on the stove all day on a Saturday, with a loaf of bread on the counter beside it. We would occasionally take a chunk of bread, dip it in the sauce, and enjoy. Eventually, that sauce would make it onto some pasta, or perhaps chicken parmesan, and Luciano's music would be playing in the background.

Or, whenever we would go to my Aunt Flavia's house (my father's sister), she would be playing Italian folk music, and there would invariably be some Luciano selections in there for good measure. We would sit around her huge dining room table in Queens, New York, the adults would be merry with wine, and it was just fun.

Yes....I know that lots of people are familiar with the older Pavarotti because of the popularity of the Three Tenors. But, if that is all you know of his voice, I encourage you to go to the library, or to your local music store, and get a CD of his earlier work. One of my favorite works of his is "Ah! Mes amis" from Donizetti's La Fille du Regiment. He is able to hit these high C's in close repitition. Absolutely beautiful, no cracking, effortless. Nessun Dorma is another favorite....oh and Una Furtiva Lagrima. Oh man....there are just too many. Start listening please.

Although he has mortally passed, his music will live on forever. Reposarsi nella pace Luciano.