A clip show is an episode of a television series that consists primarily of excerpts from previous episodes. Most clip shows feature the format of a frame story in which cast members recall past events from past installments of the show, depicted with a clip of the event presented as a flashback. Especially in the animation field, clip shows are also known as cheaters.

This is our clip show… and this still isn’t everything that we’ve photographed in the past few months, just some of what we haven’t blogged about yet.

Thank you.

Our good friend JennyMac has an a cuter-than-cute son that we photographed last fall.  See?

I know.  The cuteness.  Oh, the cuteness.  He’s even more adorable in person, especially when he busts out with The Eagles or some Springsteen.  This kid has got some serious talent.  And he’s ONLY THREE!

Anyways, JennyMac also has an awesome blog that has three very important blog-reading qualities: 1. It gets updated super regularly.  More than LeahAndMark.com.  Almost daily, in fact.  2. It runs the gamut from laugh-out-loud, splatter my coffee on my monitor hilarity to grab-the-tissues, cry into my coffee tenderness.  3. It has awesome recipes.

Ok, that third item might not be what everyone is looking for in a blog.  But that’s just because you haven’t seen or tasted JennyMac’s recipes.  Since I am her in-real-life friend, too, I have had the supreme pleasure of tasting her creations.  So I already knew that the recipes she posted would be fantastic.  I am not a great chef.  I am hesitant to buy a bunch of ingredients and try a new recipe if I’m not sure it’s going to come out.  Thankfully, JennyMac spells it all out for folks like me.  I’ve made some super fancy and delicious things that I never thought I’d be able to make.

Anyhow, this post is not just about singing JennyMac’s praises.  It’s about this really cool thing she did with one of our photos.  LOOK!

It’s ART!  That will hang on her wall!  Courtesy of the folks at Modern Bird Studios.  So, if you have awesome photos that you think would make fantastic art, hit ‘em up.  And if you want a discount, check out JennyMac’s blog: Let’s Have a Cocktail.  Oh, and if you DON’T have amazing, art-worthy photos… well, you know who to call.  Actually, email.  Definitely email.  Thanks.

Have yourselves a fantastic day, y’hear?

We get a lot of questions about our photos. How do you take them? Where is the light? What type of camera do you use?

Sadly, people don’t realize that when they ask us a photography question, they’re in for an excited stream of consciousness flow where we tell them everything we can in the span of 2 minutes.

We have a light here! And Here! And over there! We had to slow the shutter speed down to 1/30th and f/1.8 because man, the light in there sucked. Oh, and I had to use a tracking maneuver + the McNally kung fu grip because they kept moving AND it was dark in there!

So yeah. You could say we like making photos. A lot. Times Infinity.

But we can’t keep what we know to ourselves ’cause that’s no fun and we want our friends (you!) to have as much fun as we do.

So we’re starting Email by LeahAndMark.com – it’s our weekly email where we send out tips and tricks and other ideas. Basically – things that are rolling around in our heads that somehow help us make our photos – and that we would otherwise keep to ourselves for fear of embarrassment. I mean really – there’s a huge section in my head devoted just to DIY photography gear made from parts of things from IKEA. If you’ve ever thought that your gear was pretty low-tech and even ghetto – I’m pretty sure that I’ve made and USED something way, way worse – in public, and for an event. Trust me. Very few things stop me from trying/doing whatever I think it takes to get the photo I have in my head.

Those were just a few of the sessions we photographed during our 10 hour photo shoot last Tuesday while we were in Phoenix.

Even from this short video you can tell that our setup isn’t fancy. We have some $10 flashes from ebay (they pretty much have two settings – On and Off), an umbrella, and then models who’ll struggle through my not so great posing ideas until we get to something pretty awesome. Couple that with some know-how-to-use-my-camera stuff and you’re pretty set.

Of course – that’s all gear talk.

You probably don’t have ‘gear’. You might not even have a DSLR. It doesn’t matter – because according to the stats office, something like 98% of DSLR owners never get off the automatic setting.

Automatic is where mediocre lives and if you’re using it – it’s one of the reasons why your photos aren’t exciting.

And Leah and I are all about making photos that we find exciting.

Honestly? Our learning curve was pretty steep. It wasn’t until last year that we seriously picked up our cameras and ever since then we’ve been running. Hard. We know a lot and there’s still so much to learn. We’d like you to sign up for our weekly Email so we can give you a few of the things we’ve picked up, and throw some random ideas at you – because we’re ALL ABOUT IDEAS – and we’re even more all about fun ideas.

Our first email will go out this coming Monday, March 22nd. Although we’ll continue to post pictures and stories to our blog – our Email will tell you how we really made the photo, what we were thinking – but more importantly, some methods you can actually use – no matter what camera you have.

Sign up and be our friend!

I’m adopted.  I’ve recently decided to find out more information about my adoption and my birthparents.  I’ve already received some information from my case file about my birthmother, and was surprised (oddly enough) to discover she was right around my height and weight, with brown eyes and brown hair.

It’s strange to think there might be someone, somewhere, walking around with my same features.  I’ve never really looked like anyone in my family, and I was always ok with that – in fact, it’s hard for me to imagine looking a lot like someone else.  And I don’t know if I actually do look like her, or if we just happen to have a similar build and hair color.  But having this information makes her seem more real… there really is someone out there who gave birth to me, and I have no idea who she is.

But as I begin this search process, it’s so important to me that my parents – the ones who raised me and the ones I live just around the corner from and the ones I love so very much – that they know I’m ok and that they know how much I love them.  I’m fine, regardless of the outcome or what new information I discover.  And the reason I’m fine is because I’ve grown up with such a great family.  I don’t feel incomplete.  I don’t feel I’ve missed out on anything.  And even if it turns out I’m a genetic carbon copy of someone else, there are still so many parts of quirky, awesome me that are this way because I was raised by them.  The love my parents gave me is such a huge part of me.

Also, I can’t stop listening to this song, and I think everyone should hear it.  Even if you’re not adopted.

Love Like You – Juliana Finch

I was born at the tail end of summer and
I was born without a father or mother and
had to find my own way

Upstream like Moses in a basket
I found this palace without even askin
And I’ve been lucky since that day

Even though I always knew I was different
I still got treated like a baby sister
And forced to play basketball

I think you worry that I don’t feel complete
But I got everything I ever needed
And you’re the reason for it all

But do you think I’m wandering
Do you think I’m lost, do you?
Searching for some long lost roots

Yeah I know she’s out there
A woman with my eyes and my hair
A man who smiles the way I do
But I love like you

I haven’t always done what I oughta
Been twice the prodigal daughter
But I think we’re turning out ok

You did the best that you possibly could have
And it was better than anyone else would have
So all  I’m really tryin to say is

Do you think I’m wandering
And do you think I’m lost, do you?
Searching for some long lost roots

Yeah I know she’s out there
A woman with my eyes and my hair
A man who smiles exactly like I do

Yeah I know she’s out there
A woman with my voice and my hair
But I love like you

You can listen to Love Like You and more of Juliana Finch’s music here: http://julianafinch.com/music.html

The closer and closer I get to being an Official Social Worker (May 2010!), license and membership card and all (hence the Official-ness), the more I think about how I’m going to actualize the important Social Work Values I believe in: social justice, economic justice, and healthy communities filled with empowered, connected people.  I believe we can have this kind of world.  But how do we get there?  And what do I want MY role to be in this?  What is my dream career?  I want to connect people with happiness.  All the truly happy people I have met are naturally inclined to live in ways that promote compassion, justice, balance, healthiness, and joy.

So, if the world has more happy people, that’s one big step towards my Ideal World.  And it sounds like a really fun job.  Because it starts with me being happy.  Which I am.  Sometimes I need to re-center and de-stress, but I’ve found over the past several years that it becomes quicker and easier to get happy… mostly because I recognize that I am the most authentic and true to myself when I am happy.  I am quicker to forgive, to laugh, to be present with others.  I don’t want to MAKE other people happy.  I want to create opportunities for fun, for joy, for dreaming big, for connecting… I want to support others in making and taking time for the things that make them happy… I want to encourage and celebrate with those that have found happier possibilities in the face of trying times.

People often tell me how happy/excited/enthusiastic I seem.  I’ve always joked that I have more serotonin that most.  Maybe that’s true, maybe it’s not.  I am definitely not happy all the time, and I was especially UNhappy a couple of years ago when I was working a job I really disliked and let it affect all aspects of my life and I was a bummer to be around.  So I know what it’s like to be bummed all the time, to feel like nothing’s working out, and to feel little motivation to DO anything or be with anyone.  It sucks, big time.  The color went out of my life.  And I was mad at myself, because I “knew better”  and I knew I needed to be more positive, but I just couldn’t seem to get there, to think those happy thoughts.  I don’t EVER want to be miserable like that again.  I made a semi-major life change and went back to school.  And that led to lots of other, smaller changes that further increased my happiness until I got back to my “normal” happy self.

I’ve posted about happiness before, so maybe some of this is redundant, but I still want to share.  Because I firmly believe it is so, so important to be happy.  It makes everything else in life so much better!  So here’s Leah’s How To Be Happy Guide.  Nothing revolutionary, all stuff you’ve heard before, I’m sure.  But it’s what works for me.  So I’m partially posting this as a reminder to myself.

1. Do things you like.  Pretty easy, huh?  Okay, so you’re broke.  Doing happy things doesn’t have to cost money!  Think simple. Too busy to have any time for yourself?  MAKE time.  Do you want to be happy or not?  Happiness isn’t gonna show up on your doorstep one day.  If you WANT to be happy, you have to rearrange your schedule a little bit.  Start with five minutes.  Heck, start with ONE minute.

2. Reframe, Reframe, Reframe. Cheesy self-help/psychotherapy advice.  But you know what?  It works!  I do this when waiting for the train starts to irk me.  When I start to think, “Ugh, this train always takes forever and what if I am late and I don’t have time to waste on waiting”  I catch myself and change it to, “Wow, I’ve had a really busy week and it’s nice to have some extra downtime just to be. I don’t have to do ANYTHING right now except breathe.”  And it makes the waiting seem like a nice respite period instead of a boring, unwanted waste of time.  (Okay, I know it’s cheesy. But it works for me.)

3. Spend time with happy people. In fact, spend MORE time with happy people than with negative people.  Which is not to say you should ignore/cut out of your life friends who are going through a sad/depressed/angry time.  But too much negativity is toxic. We all know people who refuse to focus on anything good.  Those are the kinds of folks to watch out for.  If you have a circle of cynical, down-on-everything friends, it’s probably time for some new mates.  Spending time with happy people who are doing things they love and who are passionate about something…anything!…is uplifting, inspiring, and good for the soul.  Happiness nourishes happiness.  Misery drains it.  Seek out the happy folks.

4. Feed your body, mind, and spirit. Eat amazing, yummy, nutritious food.  Soak up some sunshine and fresh air.  Keep your mind active by always learning something new.  Explore your beliefs, ask the age-old questions, find answers that resonate with you.  Have really long talks with Reiki masters, Zen masters, Pagan priestesses, Protestant pastors, Radical Rabbis, whatever calls out to you.  Get quiet.  Get loud.  Dance.  Live, laugh, love… and all that jazz.

5. Actively choose happiness. What does that mean?  Well, it’s a couple different things.  Obviously, if there are painful, upsetting things happening, don’t just say “Whatever!  I’m happy!  This doesn’t affect me!”  Always acknowledge your emotions honestly.  Feel them.  But recognize that you can ALSO feel happiness, and in the middle of terrible, hurtful times, you can still set aside some time to enjoy something happy.  Read a favorite poem.  Eat a favorite dish.  Hug your pets.  You probably won’t feel overwhelmingly joyful, but at least you are allowing yourself to enjoy something, to let some goodness into the bad.  Happiness can come in the form of comfort.  Comfort yourself regularly!

Choosing happiness also means choosing a schedule and/or lifestyle that allows you to experience happiness.  This means knowing your limits.  If you know you have to work for 40 hours a week, do errands/chores for 7 hours a week, and sleep for 56 hours a week, then figure out how many hours you have left and how many of those you can spend doing something that makes you happy.  And say no to everything that cuts into that time.  [This is very important - especially for you nurturers, people pleasers, and do-gooders out there.] You HAVE to make time for yourself and the things you genuinely want to do, no matter how trivial those things seem to others, or how many things you could be doing to help/please other people during that time. It’s okay to be happy instead of being helpful.  In fact, you’ll be a better helper/nurturer if you are happy first.  So make time for happiness and then make time for everything else.

6. Always be working toward a new goal. What makes you super happy today might not bring you the same amount of joy in a few months.  Boredom, redundancy, stagnation… those aren’t happy.  Keep your life exciting by always having a fun, fulfilling goal on the horizon.  A camping trip, a fancy meal, a party.  The planning itself is half the fun.  The goal can be as simple or as elaborate as you want, as long as you are committed to making it happen and both the planning and the actualization get you enthused and energized.  Bored people are depressing.  People with awesome plans are exciting.  Their enthusiasm is often contagious.  Be an exciting person.  Have a plan.  Have something that you are looking forward to.  Then make it happen and share it with others.  And start planning something new.

So, there’s my quick lil guide to being happy.  It’s worked for me, it’s worked for Mark.  Additions to the guide are welcome.  How do you get/stay happy?

So here we are, just a hop-skip-and-a-jump away (literally) from Sandy Springs, the neighborhood of my adolescence.  Yes, we moved Outside The Perimeter of Atlanta, aka OTP.  We used to make fun of folks who lived OTP.  So far away from all the cool, non-chain stores, restaurants, and the like.  Not able to walk or bike anywhere.  But then we rarely took advantage of all that stuff.  I almost got ran over riding my bike a number of times, Mark hated walking places, we couldn’t go out that often because of our busy schedules and our tiny budget.  And then our friends moved up here, and my parents and brother and grandma live up here, and we’re really not that far away from our ITP friends, either. 

 I really like our new place, except for the kitchen which is nowhere near large enough to place/store/display all of our awesome food prepping/serving/dining wedding gifts.  And the bedroom is really small, too, but I’m thinking that’s a GOOD thing because it will force us to put our clothes away.  And at least we have a walk-in closet.  And a super huge bathroom that I loooove.  And a lil balcony.  So it’s good!  Oh, and we also have washer/dryer hook-ups that are…. get this, people… INDOORS, in the SAME room, and on the SAME level that we live on.  Big deal, you think?  Trust me, if you have spent the past 4+ years without that luxury, it is a big deal.  In Phoenix, our washer and dryer were outside.  I thought that was the strangest thing EVER.  Do I really want to be pulling clothes out of a dryer in 115 degree heat?  Nooooooooo!  Plus, the dryer didn’t actually work, so Mark rigged a hair dryer through the back of it to blow hot air on our clothes and I was convinced that we would catch our clothes on fire or electrocute ourselves in the rare Arizona rain showers or something.  Never happened, thankfully, but I never really stopped worrying about that.

And then our first Atlanta place had a washer on the top floor where we lived, but to get to the dryer we had to run outside and down a flight of stairs and it rains much more often in Atlanta than it does in Phoenix, so sometimes our freshly dryed clothes would get wet. Or we’d leave ‘em down there and forget about them for a day.

And our most recent place had a washer and dryer side-by-side and indoors, which was indeed an improvement, but they were down in the garage, so we were always hauling laundry up and down stairs.  Totally not the end of the world, but our current place is still an improvement that I will gladly celebrate.  I’m much less likely to fall down the stairs now, or drop the laundry basket and send our clothes flying. 

Anna testing our Comfy Sack

The chore of unpacking is going slowly… I am easily distracted, so I’ll start on the kitchen, but then I run over to check my email, and then start unpacking in the office, and then I head to the bedroom to check on my napping cats, and start unpacking in there, and then remember the kitchen that I left half-finished, so I go back in there.  And then I’m surrounded by empty boxes, so I have to stop and break them down.  And then I’m hungry, and I need to go fluff my Comfy Sack.  Which, by the way, is the most awesome, comfortable sofa-lounge-y piece of furniture ever and you are all welcome to come over and experience it’s supreme comfy-ness.  Once I get everything unpacked.

Back to work.

James'n'Terry

Happy 8 years!!  We love you guys.  Go celebrate!

So we’re here – and you know, everything has worked out great except for the part where during our first swim in the Gulf yesterday, I lost my wedding ring. Yeah. I know. Sucks. Everything else? Awesome.

My underwater camera casing/bag has held up. We arrived with no problems – and the instructions provided to us by VacationExpress.com were exact and true. Jill – thank you. We got to the hotel with no stress – and what a hotel. This place is really all out. We’re at the Royal Playa Del Carmen – and we got a nice ‘honeymoon’ package with our own private/special checkin/concierge. Champagne and cool face towels immediately when we arrived. That was nice.

But ya know what’s even better? Swine Flu discounts. Seriously, two of the things we wanted to do (dinner on the beach, and then massage package on the beach) are now half-priced because of the swine-flu and what we presume must have been lower occupancy. So no stress about having to pay for that now.

Tomorrow? Chitchen Itza, swimming in some cenotes (underground caves/rivers) and visiting some small town to eat at. We signed up with a small tour group (van size instead of bus) and they’ll be taking us around all day and feeding us.

I will admit… this is all kind of weird. As much as I like having unlimited alcoholic drinks and food… the club med jimmy buffet atmosphere is weird to me. Granted, this hotel is several steps above that because of how nice/elegant it is… but by looking at some of the people here… (like the ones that were on our flight) – yeah… they’re obnoxiously annoying – but I suppose that’s what tourists are everywhere, especially American ones… of course those are the ones I’ve observed.

Um. Yeah. Here we go.

Hey we’re here.

I am typing this by candlelight… well, on my phone – but we only have 1 flashlight and 15 tea lights to illuminate our apartment – which would be more than enough if we didnt need to get things done.

Leah has a paper to work on, and I have some projects that i need to make progress with, but no. we’re stuck without.

and while there is that wholw camping fun factor, now is not the time… blah, i just wanna get online. see how desperate i am? im blogging from my phone.

still. i cant help but feel like i could have made more of tonite and the lack of electricity. kind of like i focused too much on what i couldnt do, instead of discovering something cool… or um, hanging out with my cats in the dark.

although, with all thesw candles it is kind od like being in a dark monastery. i will now proceed to meditate on being awesome. goodnight.

I don’t really regret too many things, and the things that I do regret aren’t serious anyways – most of the time I’m just too stubborn to regret any of my decisions – and I don’t second guess myself often, accepting the consequences… but of course, it’s more about me being stubborn than thinking that I’m making the right decision. I just… after a long time of worrying about making decisions, I decided to stop worrying and just go with it – with everything… however, while we’re on the subject of regrets, serious or not – here’s mine.

I regret not knowing what the heck I was doing with my camera and the camcorder during our trip in China last year. Sure, the point-and-shoot Canon I had with me basically took care of everything and all I had to do was get close to a good composition – so I’m generally happy with all of the photos… but any of the recorded video? It’s barely useable. Although I suppose I got a lot of mileage out of what was worth seeing…

But count it as part of our learning process here at LeahAndMark.com ! ha… we’re even actually talking in front of the camera now. So that’s really my only regret – the part where I sucked at filming our trip.

It’s kind of a downer when we think about how it’s April 2009 – which means that it’s been a year since we went to China…. and it’s been a year since we’ve left the country. Lots of our friends/acquaintances seem to get to travel a lot more often than we do… and deep down I don’t like that about them (okay, not really that deep down.)

But at least we’ll be down in Mexico in 2 months. Seriously! That’s something to look forward to isn’t it? And believe me, as much as I’m looking forward to the resort… I’m also looking forward to our daytrip excursions into town and the um, ruins, and the forest and the beach… and I’m sure that there’s tons of touristy people that are going to be around us – but whatever, it’s not the US – and ya know… traveling outside of the country it just feels like traveling more than when you stay within US borders…

And ya know… we DID blog a lot during our 23 days away last year. I mean… I think I counted somewhere near 20 entries. That’s a lot of consistent travel blogging + we even posted video. Man. Just think how it will be on our next month-long trip now that I actually know what I’m doing (somewhat)… But that’s all quite some time from now.

[Start HERE - Start at the bottom - it's all of our entries during the trip.] (sorry about the videos not loading – I have to re-do them since Fliggo.com sucks now.)

So until then… I have to find things here and now to post, to video, to capture and to experience… but more importantly… to find some sort of different perspective that is if anything, interesting to me…

But really… just like most of us… I’m trying to find some excitement and not feel like I’m stuck here, treading water.

And you know… for anyone out there with some extra money to burn, if you ever want us to go backpacking with you across a continent, staying in hostels and not having anything but a loose plan of where you want to go next… let us know – because we’re the ones always trying to get somewhat lost so that we can find more the interesting, stuff that’s not a landmark or sight, but just ended up being a moment that we otherwise would not have had…

Blah, I have to work tomorrow… but it’s looking up.

Posted this to my facebook a few days ago – but I’m out of any other material right now so it’s getting posted here also.

I’m just been having trouble making anything – aside from the fact that we haven’t really left the apartment too often lately (except for food from Willy’s – those burritos are so good.) I’ve taken more than enough video of general random things from every single excursion we’ve taken, whether dinner or lunch with friends or just a trip to the store. I mean – how many music video montages can I make? 50. Apparently I can make at least 50 – because that’s how many I’ve made.

Oh. So I finished a screenplay for a short film. I’ve let it digest in my head for a while and new bits and pieces are continually coming up and it’s slowly growing from 8 minutes to roughly 20 now – and that’s cool I suppose. Still. Taking the baby steps that we’re taking – it should be interesting. But clearly, this is my new current side project until my next one – and even then, I’m hoping to carry out this one since it’s taken up considerable space in my head for a few months now.

Picking up a green screen today for testing and checking out the feasibility of some of our special fx shots – I know! ha, our short film will actually have special effects + gallons of blood. I know, you’re probably already thinking about how awesome this is all going to be. Way Awesome.

We’re gonna shoot scenes for a trailer first – since we’ll be able to knock that out in a day – and then maybe if that comes out well enough – some other people will want to join in on the project. So we’ll see how that trailer goes.

Hey, less than 60 days until we get married. Crazy.Awesome.

Arizona

Nepal

India

Sky

Water

Earth

Me + Travel = Happiness

This time last year I was working 5 days a week at a job I didn’t like.  The whole environment of that workplace was steeped in negativity, and it was a daily struggle to keep my energy up.  I was bored and fairly close to miserable.

This year, I am insanely busy, which I sometimes complain about.  But I’m certainly not bored.  I’m back to my happy self, the energized and passionate me that I love, and I look forward to the days and weeks ahead.  Because they’re all different, and they’re generally filled with people, ideas, and problems to be solved.

Last year, Mark and I both worked full-time.  We saved a bunch for our China trip, I invested in a retirement fund, we donated to several charities, and we ate out a lot.  A LOT.  Now Mark pays most of our bills out of his solo full-time income.  I manage to cover my insurance, food, school supplies, transportation costs, and our phones.  That’s it.  I can sometimes put away $50 or so into my savings account, but it’s temporary savings…meaning I’m saving it up for a short while with a specific expense in mind to spend it on.  We still go out to eat, but now it’s more like once per week, instead of 9 times.   We are by no means in dire straits.  We live comfortably, albeit modestly.  I still have hot running water, food, clothes, and a roof over my head, which puts me ahead of a large percentage of the world’s population.

But the truth is that Mark and I live paycheck to paycheck, and if anything huge were to happen, we couldn’t financially weather the storm…not without help from our parents, at least. If Mark hadn’t qualified for unemployment benefits when he lost his last job, we would have been in a very tight spot.  No way could we have paid rent each month, let alone most of our other bills.  Still, we always have the safety net of our parents.  Not that we want to depend on them, but worst-case, we have other people who have access to more resources and who would be willing to help us out.

Ultimately, I am way happier now than I was last year.  Anytime I start feeling like I don’t want to go to class or write another paper, I realize I could be spending day after monotonous day in a windowless office staring at a computer screen.  And I quickly snap out of the funk and find renewed appreciation in my broke but fulfilling life. I have a hard-working, creative, crazy-as-me partner, I have the two most adorable cats ever, and I have awesome friends and family who would (and have) help(ed) us out whenever we need it.

My life feels more full and satisfying now than ever before, and I am sooooo thankful that Mark is able to pay the bills so I can pursue my Master’s degree.  Almost thankful enough to let him name our kids “Rox.”

Almost.  Doesn’t mean I will.

Since I’ve had some down time before my next and final class begins – I’ve started to really play around with my little pocket cam – the Kodak Zi6. It’s HD and it’s great for daylight stuff – but even then, it’s still video and doesn’t look like film. So I’m testing out lighting schemes and post settings to see how close I can get it to look like film + whatever else I wanna do to it stylistically (you know, to distract from the not-film aspect.) Because there are a lot of pretty awful movies out there – especially in the horror genre.

And I have the story – in my head – (which is the lame excuse most of us give when what we’re really saying is that I’m not serious about this – yet) – so on my list of goals is to bang out this script and get it to a point where I can show it to Leah. Because ya know, it’s gonna have both of us – because in our heads we’re awesome actors (Well, I’ll edit us to look great at least.) Actually – we both have quite a bit of acting instruction and practice – of course, I guess that hasn’t done anything for many people out there. Still. We’re awesome.

Valentines Day Road Trip – Zi6 from LeahAndMark.com on Vimeo.

As if there was any other way to do this – we went on a Road Trip. Not just a drive to get to some city or ’sight’ on the other side of the state – no, we went on a road trip – and we went on the best kind. The kind where there is no point other than the trip itself. Because when you start and finish at your own house, all of the in-between is even more special.

After leaving Atlanta, and driving up north on GA400 – the first main stop is Dahlonega – sure you can just take the highway straight up, but the better choice is to turn off somewhere and find yourself on a more rural route. Because there are no houses or farms when you take the straight shot and you’re definitely not going to pass the ghost town of Auraria, Ga.

And passed it we did – because there’s only about 3.4 buildings left standing of this old mining town and we must’ve blinked – because all of a sudden we were at the end of Auraria Rd. and there is no turning back on a road trip like this – you just keep going no matter what. Turning back means too much planning, too much thought, and not enough impulse. If you truly missed a stop, then chances are good that you weren’t meant to stop there and something better is coming up – but make sure you pay attention – or you might just miss everything worth finding.

Of course good music is a requirement. You can leave it up to radio-chance and just run with the constant search – but a different choice would be to throw five or six new albums onto your mp3 player, play on shuffle – and go. So that the serendipitous song that plays at the right moment when you’re driving through a farm littered valley just as the sun burst through the clouds – actually has a chance of surprising you in the way few things can these days.

One of the best differences between road trips here in Georgia compared to the ones we would take in Arizona are the Boiled Peanuts. Any road trip here requires that at some point you stop a roadside shack and buy fresh hot bag of boiled peanuts. A shack is good, but if you run across a parked truck where an old man stands next to a propane tank, a 5 gallon pot and a soup can ladle – then find your cash and buy a bag. We kept passing sign after sign of ‘Hot Boiled Peanuts!’ – until we randomly stopped and to our surprise we found a freakin CAULDRON of BOILED PEANUTS.

Some of our shuffle music playlist:

• Ryan Adams – Easy Tiger
• Dar Williams – Beauty of the Rain
• Brandi Carlile – Brandi Carlile
• KT Tunstall – Drastic Fantastic
• Avett Brothers – The Second Gleam

Happy Valentines Day.

Ben & Laura from LeahAndMark.com on Vimeo.

A proper post will be done later! We had a great weekend – the problem is that our weekends seem to be as busy as our weeks so then we’re left with… just working on everything all the time – which I’m sure you know is just a recipe for… awesomeness. Sorta.

The video? Our friends Ben & Laura (we’re actually using the same photographer, and the same caterer – hey, it’s better than just picking someone out of a listing right?)

Still. It’s Monday. I know. You are so happy.

It’s Friday!  Hooo-rah!  Above is a crazy band I saw in Lille, France when I visited my cousin there back in 2006.  Sometimes I picture them following me around, like my own personal CrazyFrenchBand.  Like, when I get some really good news, I picture them popping out and making some joyful noise.  I think everyone should have their own band.  It’s a great pick-me-up.

I also dance a lot.  Whenever I hear music.  It’s like…this weird thing I can’t control.  I just have to dance.  Sometimes when my band plays, I start dancing even if  no one else can hear the music.  I’m sure lots of people think I’m slightly off.  Oh well.  At least I’m happy.  And dancing.

I also sometimes picture Chairman Mao in my head.  I’m not sure why.

I forgot to wish everyone a Happy New Year (Lunar-time)!  It’s the year of the Earth Ox.  You can read more about that here: http://www.earthyfamily.com/year-of-ox.htm

Xin nian kuai le!  Or, if you speak Cantonese, Kung hei fat choi!  (See, Cantonese is TOTALLY different from Mandarin.  I do not speak the Cantonese. But I have friends who do.)

This post is neither insightful nor particularly cohesive.  I am distracted.  If I can get through most of my work this weekend, you might see another post outta me.  But I’m not making any promises!  Mark is much more consistent in the posting arena.  But if you ever start to miss me, there are 40 or so videos of me being a dork for your viewing pleasure.  Thanks, Mark.

]]> http://leahandmark.com/2009/02/06/bands-and-mao-and-oxen-oh-my/feed/ 0 http://leahandmark.com/2009/02/05/wake-up/ http://leahandmark.com/2009/02/05/wake-up/#comments Thu, 05 Feb 2009 12:13:08 +0000 mark http://leahandmark.com/?p=452

NAU Graduation from LeahAndMark.com on Vimeo.

This is my brother graduating from Northern Arizona University – last year – with his degree in Physics.

It’s Thursday. I’m tired. Leah’s tired. I don’t like waiting for the weekends – I wish the work week was more… more.

Still. For those of you out there that are our friend and are without employment right now – we hope for the best. Because you’re awesome.

Tomorrow.