Engaged ... to be married!!!

I knew it was coming.  I was there when Tim bought the ring we picked out (what a fun time that was!).  I told him he had to wait a year, and that landmark had come and gone.  I then told him to not make me wait too long ... so I knew it was coming.  Yet, somehow, he managed to surprise me!

Tim had asked Michelle to make a date with me to get together at the Brew Pub.  As I turned the corner to walk down to the Brew Pub, Tim was standing on the steps.  I was shocked to see him.  That shock quickly turned to pure excitement.  I knew what was going to happen next.  He proceeded to take me to a bench outside the pub, next to the lovely garden (it was a beautiful night - in the upper 40s), and tell me what a wonderful woman I am.  The specifics of what he said have left my mind completely and Tim doesn't remember what he said either.  Finally, he got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife.  The rest of the night was a blur of happiness.

Film Photography

Ahhhhh!  Tim got me a film camera and macro lens for my birthday.  I'm so excited to begin taking film pictures.  I'm especially excited to use the macro lens since I love to take extreme close-ups of things.  It's been so long since I loaded film ... Tim and I had quite a time trying to get it the film to advance/load correctly.  

Jamie, my brother's girlfriend, took a photography class this past semester.  She got me interested in taking film photos as well as digital photos.  I'm excited to learn how to develop my own photos in the distant future.  I'm just going to have to take a trip out to Kansas to visit Jamie and use her father's dark room ;)

I've been told by Tim's father, who is into photography as well, that when I develop my pictures I should develop them as slides.  Apparently, slides will scan better if I want to "digitize" them.

This should be a fun learning experience!

New Year 2012

"Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you find you a better person."  ~Benjamin Franklin

I personally love the tradition of making New Year's resolutions.  I don't think I've ever completed resolutions 100%, but I find striving to try something new is a worthy and fulfilling (whether completed or not) pursuit.

2011 Recap

Last year, my resolutions were to bake my own bread, take up photography, and paint something for my apartment.  I did bake bread - a new one per month from January through June.  Then summer hit full force and my bread baking habit ended - who wants to have their oven on when it's 85 outside.  So, although not 100% completed, my resolution has developed into a hobby I will continue with every winter - fresh baked bread is the perfect cold weather comfort food.  I also took photographs.  I have taken 264 to this date, so I did not quite make the goal of 365 pictures within a single year .... but, I plan on finishing the 365 project within the next few weeks.  This was my favorite resolution and definitely a hobby I will continue to pursue.  My last resolution was my true "failure".  I did not paint anything for my apartment.  I did enlarge a few of my pictures and hung them on my walls.  I'll just have to roll this resolution over for 2012.

Resolution 1 - Paint something for my apartment

This is a carry-over from last year ... hopefully I'll do a better job of it this year.  

Resolution 2 - Switch to cash-only

I am excited to make the switch to going cash-only.  This resolution is not quite so exciting, but definitely a challenge that is worthwhile.  My brother and sister-in-law have gone cash-only for the past year.  My sister just made the change in September.  They all rave about it as being a great way to save money.

Resolution 3 - Dance more often

Last year I went dancing twice a week - Wednesday and Thursday night.  That has slowly dwindled down to only once in a while.  A combination of gas prices increasing and my energy levels not being infinite led to a sharp decline in my drives down to Harrisburg for salsa, bachata, merengue, and cha-cha.  I'm sure I won't go twice a week, but I'd like to go at least once a month.  I really miss it!

Paint brush photo from http://www.flickr.com/photos/61577651@N00/291470015/.

Cash photo from http://www.flickr.com/photos/21174434@N08/3027251691/