“Self-preservation is the first law of nature.” ~Samuel Butler

Okay...

So, tonight I'm cleaning up my desktop.  I've spent the past couple of days moving the furniture in my room around (yes, it took TWO days...don't judge) and I have a brand new place for my computer.  I can actually sit in a real chair with my legs under the table and work!  Well, my work these days is going to predominately consist of me searching relentlessly for a new job. 

You have no idea...

I think I have a few stray photos sitting around that I want to post before the end of the month.  I have decided to give myself a challenge for the month of October.  I really, REALLY liked how my photos turned out for my 5 Day Black & White Photo Challenge, so I decided to make the whole month nothing but B&W.

We'll see.

Today, Pappy, Mara and I were running errands and I managed to take a few photos.  I need to get back to my old practice of carrying my camera - on my shoulder.  Oh, Chuck goes EVERYWHERE with me, but not always where he is readily available.  I am going to pledge to make as many photographs as I can this month and post the majority on here (for everyone else to enjoy).

Well, without much further ado, here are my stragglers....

The FIFTH Element (of my challenge)....

Ta-Da......

I did it!  FIVE whole days in a row!! 

Dork. 

It's been a long, crappy week.  This little guy cheered me up at lunch this afternoon.  Isn't he cute?

Thank you for checking out my Photo Challenge.  This was fun!

“When Angry, Count to FOUR. When Very Angry, Swear.” ~Twain

Ok....

Two Little Monkeys
Jumping On the Bed,
One Fell Off
And Hit His Head,
Mama Called the Doctor
And the Doctor Said,
"No More Monkeys
Jumping On the Bed".

Day 4 of the Challenge....

Since I haven't been out of the house for a few days, I took a portrait of two of my bed-mates - Jimmy and Muffin-Top.

I love my monkeys....

We THREE Kings of Oreos Are...

Day 3 of the Black & White Challenge...

So this is actually getting me off my tushie to look around for something interesting.  I've been walking around with blinders, again.  Not good.

If you know me at all, you know I am a teensy bit obsessed with balls - or as a professor advised - "spheres".

Balls.

TWO Can be as Bad as One, It's the Loneliest Number Since the Number One

Okay....here's day 2 of the Challenge.  This is kinda cheating, though.  I took this photo a week or so ago when I stopped for breakfast goodies.

 (I work weird hours, so I didn't really go out anywhere today.  I'll do better tomorrow.)

ONE is the Loneliest Number That You'll Ever Do.....

So...

Today I was challenged, by Ms. Colleen Marie, to take a Black & White Photo a Day for 5 days.  Good thing Mara, Chuck and I were out antiquing this morning...

Let the games begin...

Let it Be......

Hey...

One of the perks (maybe the only one) of working nights is getting to see spectacular light shows on my drive home.  I have several shots from the past week I want to share. 

Nothing else...just the sunrises...

Open your eyes to the world around you...beauty everywhere.

Promise.

There's a Bad Moon on the Rise.....

So...

Not much going on today.  We moved some more stuff out of my house into storage this weekend.  For some odd reason, Pappy was amazed when he counted 43 totes (so far).  We haven't even made a dent.  I have stuff.  Lots of stuff.

Mara and I had lunch at the Olive Garden on Beechmont Avenue on Saturday.  Words of advice?  DO NOT EAT THERE.  EVER.  I promise you, the smell reminded me of a nasty, smelly nursing home/daycare dumpster.  The odor of urine was so overpowering it was hard to breathe.  I even saw one couple be seated just to promptly get up and leave.  It was that bad.  Really.  Mara and I ate our salads and a teeny part of the entrees before begging for boxes so we could vacate the premises.  Holy crap, it was bad.

Sunday, a coworker sent me a link to an article I had also just read.  It seems another one of the associates at work was arrested this past weekend.  That makes three in the past two weeks.
One for murder , one for selling drugs and having sex with a 15 year old and, this one, for attempting to rob a McDonald's (where he was a previous employee) with a machete....a MACHETE.  I'd say someone needs to come up with a new vetting process.

Must mean it's a full moon.  Good thing Chuck and I were out and about this morning, huh?

I've never really been successful at photographing the moon.  These are pretty cool, though, eh?

(For you, Dionna)

“The morning pouring everywhere, its golden glory on the air.” ~Longfellow

Hey now....

This past week we've had some super foggy mornings.

One of the benefits of getting off work just as the sun comes up is being the recipient of Mary Sunshine's beautiful face.

This morning, the fog was thick as pea soup.

 
There is this cool little Lutheran Cemetery not too far from work that I stop by every once a while...it's good for a few "sunrise/headstone" shots.  This morning was no exception.

After I shot my requisite allotment, I was messing around in the cemetery when I drove past the church's little jungle-gym.

Now, everybody knows I am absolutely (AB-SO-LUTE-LY) petrified of spiders, right?  Although...I am morbidly obsessed with spider webs, especially ones that are covered in the morning's dew. (What better photo-op than a glistening, lacy web, eh? Brrrrr....)

When I pulled up on the fenced in children's area, I could see a rather large funnel web at the far end.  Of course I am going to stop for this one!  As I pulled out of the cemetery and turned into the parking lot, something caught my eye...

An enormous web that stretched from the branches of a large tree to the ground.  Oh my!  Of course I'm going to get a shot or two (or 50) of that one.  As I entered the fenced area, I could see a multitude of small webs immersed in the chain link.  I very carefully made my way around the jungle-gym, as I could see an assortment of gauzy structures.  Holy crap, some of the webs were gorgeous.  The ability of a spider to create a formation of that magnitude and complexity in the span of a day (I have experienced this, unfortunately), completely blows my mind.  Here are a few to peruse....

 

And then there are these...

When I first saw these webs with the sun highlighting the dewdrops, I was struck at the resemblance to a certain diamond choker in one of Mara's favorite Musicals...

See?  Beauty surrounds us...at all times.  You just have to open your eyes and look.