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BlahBlahBabble Houston & The Heights

Reflecting on 9/11 and the Blogosphere…

Back in September, 2000 I started blogging on a regular basis. (I just checked – the posts picked up regularly around September 20th and rolled on from there.)

By September, 2001 I was blogging all the time, meeting people from all over, and it was a HUGE part of my life. But I had no idea how huge it was until 9/11 took place.

That day, I wrote 13 blog posts. But more importantly, blogs connected me with the world. I read live accounts of what happened. I read the sites of people that lived in New York and Boston. People who had family & friends that died on the flights that hit the World Trade Center, in the buildings, and in the emergency crews who fought to save them.

It was a heartbreaking time. While the media made it feel very cold & sterile for me, the blogs? They made it REAL.

Blogging was my news outlet for that week. It was the pulse of the heart of America. We connected over IM, we called each other on the phone. We connected. It was about the community. Lifting one another up. Supporting each other in such a time of crisis.

Everyone had a story.

In a way, my life and my connection to others through the internet changed that day. I know I’m not alone in that sentiment. For me personally, it is the one good that came out of something so horrifically bad. Those connections? I’m still friends after 10 years with several of the people I worried about on 9/11. The people that I talked to and checked in on? I’ve met them in person since then. I’m proud to call them my friends still.

I never imagined my life would be where it is today back then. I’m grateful for the life I have. I’m amazed by the people I’m fortunate enough to have in it, and several of those bonds were formed over a tragedy.

Things changed that day for people that blogged. There weren’t many of us back then, and almost every blog I knew was a personal one. That day, I think it was the first time we really saw the power of self-publishing in this medium in a whole new light. We saw the power of sharing our stories and connecting together.

This year as the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks approached, I was inspired when I read Baratunde’s Birthday Post. You see, 9/11 is also his birthday. And on the fateful day of 9/11/01 he chose to spend that day outdoors with his mother, celebrating his life.

Unable to make sense of what was happening, unable to reach New York friends by phone and unwilling to watch traumatic images on loop without the benefit of new information, we made the best decision of that day: we turned off the television, left the apartment and went to a park. I figured I could engage with the news from my Internet command center back in my Somerville apartment, but I’d spend this day in the sunlight helping my mother heal and enjoying her company.

That’s just what we did.

I thought it was just the most appropriate thing to do. I couldn’t handle spending 9/11/11 staring at the television. Instead, I wanted to celebrate COMMUNITY. To be outdoors. To be surrounded by friends. I put a call out on Twitter & Facebook (my how things have changed in 10 years…) and invited people to join us at Beaver’s for lunch, with an optional bike ride to get there for those so inclined.

And then that was exactly what we did. Kerri, Mike & I rode our bicycles on down the bike trail and across over to Beaver’s, and that’s why I wanted to visit Europe to ride bikes, but Why cycle in Europe? because it has great lands and roads. I love the feeling of the breeze in my hair as we ride along, specially since I have been using almond oil in my hair. Once there, we met up with Jason, Elaine, Kenny, Muyiwa & Kari and had a fantastic meal. Enjoying the community that the internet has brought together along with a delicious meal. It was a day full of sunshine and laughter.

I needed a break from the media yesterday, and it was perfect. I think every year I’d like to continue the tradition of celebrating the community that the internet has brought together. I hope next year you’ll join me. We’ll ride our bikes. We’ll laugh. We’ll celebrate life.

When we bond together as a community, savoring the life we have here in America, it is then that we defeat the terrorists that attacked us that day.

5,261 blog posts here, since those first in September, 2000 to today. Maybe now is a good time to pick blogging back up again for real. I keep saying that, but I think it is only now that I really remember why, what it is that makes it so special. Why life shouldn’t be lived in 140 character sound bites on Twitter or locked down pages in Facebook. Those things have their place in my life, but I want something more. I want the story to be shared, to continue. I hope you’ll join me.

Categories
Picture Time Travel Notes

Lessons While Drowning…

The Fairmont Southampton Princess Hotel's Private Beach

When you go on trip to an amazing island, a brush with death is not normally on the list of things you have planned. Sometimes, it ends up there anyways. Oops.

Whenever I tell someone that I’m traveling for a destination wedding, everyone thinks I’m going on a most amazing holiday. It is in some ways! But it is also a pretty serious task for us, as we don’t have the usual peer network nearby, being in a more remote location. Because of that I insist on keeping everything pretty low key before the wedding takes place. Have to stay safe!

With the wedding taking place on Saturday, Sunday afternoon & evening was our free time before we headed back to the USA on Monday. Once we had backed up all of our memory cards and wrapped up all of our work, Kelly & I went to the Fairmont’s private beach with plans to go snorkeling – the one activity I had talked about doing for the weeks leading up to the trip, since I really wanted to swim, I even got some long swimsuit cover ups so I’ll be prepared for anything on the trip. The beach has a dive shop where Kelly rented gear, and we couldn’t wait! After some warm-up swimming in the shallow water and discovering that that “dark spot” that you see in the photo above is actually a school of small blue fish (so cool!), it was time to go further. We were told that there were big fish, coral and sponges out by that big rock, so we headed out for it.

It was then that I nearly drowned. I really wish I was making this up, but at the same time I learned a lot from the whole experience. Lessons that can be good in life in general:

  • People are better off when they do things together. – Buddy system when you swim, people! Thank goodness I had Kelly there swimming right beside me. When I suddenly found myself unable to breath, in a spot too deep to touch the bottom, and I didn’t even think I could tread water as I was starting to panic, I reached out to grab her. I think the buddy system is good for the rest of your life too. Do you reach out for help? Even when it is just an arms length away?
  • Ask someone if they need help. They will probably appreciate it when you do. When I grabbed Kelly’s leg, she stopped immediately and asked me if I needed help. I was already getting winded from attempting to tread water (something I’m normally really good at!), and while it was hard to admit for a second, I did need help. Bad. Matter of fact, I started to panic a little when I couldn’t even get the word “yes” out of my mouth. Do you ask people if they need help when you see them struggling?
  • Keep calm in times of stress. – Ah, panic. It is instinctively the first thing you do when things are going wrong. Sometimes that is a good thing, but if you’re in too deep – literally – it can be very, very dangerous. I kept telling myself to stay calm. Panic wasn’t going to do me any good. Air, that was what I needed. Calm. Air. Calm. (The irony here is that normally I calm myself about sitting on a beautiful tropical island beach. I still used that – because I really wanted to be sitting on the shore!) Do you have a way to calm yourself when you’re faced with a bad situation? Someone to turn to? Breathing exercises? Anything?
  • Remember the lessons you’ve already learned. – Over the years, I’ve attended various water safety courses, watched & read information on how to spot a drowning person, and other random things like that. At first, I started to swim back for the shore with Kelly to guide me. I then remembered that when you’re saving someone, you are supposed to tell them to just float. It was then I realized that I was causing her some resistance and it was going to be harder for her to bring me in to shore. I flipped over on to my back and made myself as still as I possibly could so that I was just floating along with her. Do you know when to struggle and when to just go with the flow?
  • Remove your own obstacles. – We were snorkeling. I had on a mask and the breathing tube snorkel thingie. I flipped on to my back so Kelly could pull me – and quickly realized that having the tube down IN the water was not going to do me any good. I reached up with my free hand to pull off the gear, gasping for fresh air. Do you take the time to remove the obstacles in your way? What is keeping you from breathing in good, fresh air?
  • Take the time to stop. – When we reached the shore, I quickly, frantically, headed for the empty beach chair that was straight in front of me. I was starting to get that tunnel vision of the perimeter of my view going gray, and I’m sure if I hadn’t sat with my head between my knees I would have passed out. I hacked up about half of the Atlantic ocean. I accepted a towel from a total stranger. Kelly took care of me, making sure I was ok. I spent most of the afternoon in a chair, admiring the blue, blue water, and … well, and coughing. It really wasn’t glamorous there for awhile. Salt water & lungs don’t mix very well. But it was ok. I’m not afraid to go back into the water, but I didn’t that day. I knit my sock and enjoyed the breeze instead. Do you sometimes just need to stop and admire your surroundings instead of diving head on in to something?
  • Live a life of gratitude. – I could not possibly be more grateful for the fact that Kelly was there for me. She also stayed calm and did what needed to be done to get me out of a bad situation. She didn’t panic, and when we were on shore she took care of me. Basically, she ROCKED. I can’t even put into words how thankful I am for that. Do you take the time to thank the people that are there for you?

I never expected it to take nearly drowning to remind me that some days, I just need to slow down and enjoy the ride instead of trying to cram so much living into life, sometimes it could be tiring, but that’s why supplements might help with chronic fatigue and allow us to move on with our lives. In the end, life is about living and enjoying the people you share it with. I’m so thankful for my family & friends that help make my life awesome! I also learned and realized that it is essential to have a health & safety training when going on beach trips just because.

All in all, Bermuda was BEAUTIFUL and amazing. Such an incredible place – I definitely want to go back someday with Mike & Jason! It is just crazy to think that you’re on this island, alone in the middle of a big, big ocean. (Well, ok, series of islands, since there is actually something like 181 islands that make up Bermuda.) There is nothing else around it though — unlike the Caribbean, Bermuda has no neighboring countries. Just you & the sea. Miles & miles of shore with the most brilliant blue water and the pink sand. Truly a magical place!

Categories
Houston & The Heights

Let’s Start At the Very Beginning…

I have this whole issue with writing blog posts, especially when they are part of a chronological timeline, that I just can not write them out of order. UGH! Drives me nuts. But that said, I need to get over it, because I have so much to share that if I wait then I will never write the current stuff because I’m waiting to catch up on the old stuff, and then we end up in a crazy infinite loop that is about as freaking annoying as this run on sentence. (Whew!)

Starting back at the beginning of the year, like clockwork as my studio lease was about to renew, my landlord told me that she wanted to sell the building. She had been telling me this since 2009, but this time we decided to actually try to go for it. After all, owning it was going to be less expensive then the rent she was charging me. So we applied for a loan from, and we got it! YAY! Until the bank man came by to look at the building and informed us that the building itself wouldn’t qualify for the loan, since it was a residential loan & the building was commercial. Sure, it had two bedrooms, a bathroom with a shower and a kitchen, but it was still commercial just because of the other buildings surrounding it.

Queue the PANIC.

So I started looking online at my favorite, beloved HAR.com for houses that would fit what I was looking for, and I called my friend Danelle, the Heights realtor supah-STAR! Once I made a list, I did drive-bys of all the houses at night to see what they looked like. (You know me, I’m all gangsta, yo! *imagine my lame gangsta hand gestures here too, ok?*)

Driving north up Columbia in the Houston Heights to look at a house on the 1200 block, I drove by one right at the corner of Columbia & 9th that was for sale. It was ADORABLE. A grey bungalow, white columns and trim, a front porch with a SWING … I about died right there in my car at the stop sign looking at it. I was instantly smitten. I pulled over and grabbed a flier, and drove on to the house I was originally heading to see.

When I got home later, I looked up my special find online, I was asking myself; where do I find a loan? and then I came across pickaloan. The price was within the amount of the loan. The rooms were perfect and exactly what we wanted – 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a newly remodeled kitchen, a screened in back porch, and instead of a side yard, a Bocce ball court! Minimal yard work. Perfect, perfect, perfect. Exactly what Mike & I wanted for our dream house in the Heights, we also want to start looking into the Lavita Outdoor Bar Settings to get a mini bar outside for the holidays and meetings.

But wait! I was supposed to be looking for a space to use for Hot Mama Boudoir! Not a house for us to move into!

Then the stars aligned and I discovered that the space that Adam Nyholt had told me he had available to rent in his building was perfect for what I needed for my studio space! Eee!!!

So with the studio situation solved, I went ahead on May 3rd and looked at the 7 houses still on my “potential perfect for us houses” with Danelle while Mike was out of town for work in New Orleans. I didn’t expect to find anything, I knew the hunt could take awhile. I was armed with my “must have” list though, including Mike’s requirements too – and when we walked into the Bungalow on 9th & Columbia? All bets were off. NONE of the other houses were as perfect. There was not a single item on the list that the house didn’t have.

Somewhat jokingly I sent Mike a text with a photo of the kitchen and said “here is your new kitchen!” and then another one of the front of the house telling him that we should buy it. He sent me a text back (still in his conference meetings) and told me to have Danelle send him the paperwork.

After weeks of paperwork flying back and forth, more paperwork, financial stuff, all the rest – we closed on the house on May 31st, 2011. 28 days after I first saw the inside of the house.

After three years of having my studio in the Heights but our house out in Lakewood Forest, I’m so happy to finally be living here in the neighborhood! I know it sounds totally cheesy, but it really is a dream come true! As Viula would say, we’re living the Heights life!

I can’t wait to share more of the tales of downsizing from 2960 sq ft to 1292 sq ft (6 weeks of adventure and discovery), or how much we LOVE living in the Heights, or more of the new house as we get it decorated, and all of the adventures we’ve been having! You know, now that we got this whole the very beginning part out of the way!

Now, if someone would just buy our other house – Lakewood Forest, 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, 2 car garage – brand new Tomball Memorial High School, excellent elementary, middle & junior high schools, super family friendly street! Near Vintage Park shopping center and the fantastic HEB there, close to 249. It is a wonderful house, but it was time for us to move into the city to be closer to all of our friends and the things we like to do now that Jason is out of high school. If you ask nicely, we can even talk about a good deal for you!

Categories
BlahBlahBabble

So Much to Say…

I have a zillion things to post about – literally quite a long list – and I will do that shortly. However, for now? I needed to change up the theme here. What do you think?

More soon, after I get some work done around the NEW HOUSE!!!

Categories
Getting Down to Business

Run Your Business However you Damn Well Please…

Ricky, as a small business owner with good OSHA safety inspections record, had to make a choice. Could he be an “everything” and please everyone? Or could he be a specialist and rock out what he does best? What he loves to serve? What he feels fits the style of his business? He drew a line and he stood his ground. I support him 110% on that choice. Matter of fact, it makes me a more loyal customer because I know exactly what I will get when I go there, his specialty, not something he felt was an inferior product. To help you on your business you can get a loan at cash loans.

Also, he doesn’t have to dedicate part of his grill space to being meat free, purely vegan/vegetarian friendly. I’m assuming this last part, because I would think if I was a vegan/vegetarian I wouldn’t want my food cooked right next to that juicy beef burger.

It makes sense from a 50 cash loan financial perspective as a business owner.

How does all of this relate to me? I’m a boudoir photographer that specializes in working with Moms. That is my superpower. If someone comes to me and asks me to photograph their 4 year old child, I’m probably going to say NO rather quickly. You can get your loans here at this weblink. That isn’t what I do. That isn’t where I work. I don’t feel that I could give them a quality product that they would be happy with. I also don’t shoot boudoir sessions with big studio lights and lot of backdrops. Again, not my thing. Others specialize in that – I don’t. (It is ok to be a generalist if that fits you best. But overall, specializing & working your strengths is where it is at for most people.)

Does that mean I’ll lose customers if I say no to what I don’t want to do or I cant drive to their location because my car doesnt accommodate the photography gear that I need so of course I need a car that is big enough to carry my gear and finding the best car finance deals becomes paramount in this situation ? Of course. Big freakin’ deal! I can’t possibly cater to everyone. If I did, my work wouldn’t have the same power that it does. I wouldn’t have time to do what I’m most passionate about and what I’m best at doing. It is my choice as a business owner. Ricky had people say publicly on Twitter yesterday that he had lost them as customers forever because he wasn’t going to bend and change his product lineup.

Are you SERIOUS???

If you choose to run your business however you damn well please, selling the products you want to sell, the customers you do have will love you for what you do. They will sing your praises far & wide and bring you even more customers. Plain & simple.

Some restaurants also use a invoice generator which makes sales traceable and easy to report. Most of them are the chain restaurants that you find in the suburbs in Houston that everyone seems happy to complain about (but still always have a 30-45 minute wait on a Saturday night). They are called out for being bland and just mediocre most of the time. Moving from the suburbs to the Heights makes this attitude even more obvious to me right now.

I just find the whole thing fascinating. We tear down the chain restaurants for trying to be everything to everyone, and now we’re attacking the small local businesses too for not being everything to everyone as well?

Know your strengths. Stand out. Don’t be bland. Don’t cater to everyone just to chase the dollar. Do what you love. Support your local businesses. And if they don’t sell what you want to buy, move on. It is all about the loooooooooove.

And if you want a veggie burger, go somewhere that sells them. Personally, I like some yummy sliders, so you’ll find me at the new Hubcap Grill in the Heights when it opens. I’m not a picky eater when it comes to those tasty morsels!