Monthly Archives: March 2013

Weekly Photo Challenge: A “birth” Day in My Life

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This weeks photo challenge was: A day in my life.  I’m going to actually expand it by a half day and make it a day and a half in my life.  It was my birthday yesterday so I feel that this expansion is merited.

A friend who works with digital photography created this for me for my birthday.

A friend who works with digital photography created this for me for my birthday.

I’ve been studying diligently now for over a month and making great progress.  I have been overdosing on Nepali language because when I went through the Spanish program I did NOT do so well and had to spend about 2 years being teased about my lack of ability in language.  I’ve decided that this is NOT going to happen this time.  What this has meant for me is about 5 hours straight of class time only to come home and spend between 3-5 more hours studying, creating flashcards, reviewing an electronic flashcard set I created, reading Nepali newspapers and on and on. I’ve been posting notes on walls, in notebooks and on my computer. I’m loving it, but it has been exhausting and has left little time for anything else.  I do mean.. anything..

Food word wall in kitchen
months and day wall with xmas present calendar from daughter.
food names on fridge
Verbs and question words
food word question wall
mirrored word wall jobs random words
Family words wall
Student book
Work sheet
Nepali Dictionary.. duh
different page of student book

My birthday was on Saturday so I decided that on Friday I would ride my bike to school which would allow me to get some fresh outdoor, brand new spring like weather outdoorness.  It was a brilliant idea.  Got to school and felt great.  Full of energy and enthusiasm.  By the time I got home.. it was a little bit of a different story.

Getting to school

Getting to school

Getting home from school

Getting home from school

My very good friend Marcia decided that enough was enough and even though I wasn’t very keen on celebrating my birthday, I needed a break.  She believes that birthdays are to be huge events that are celebrated to extremes.  I am the opposite.  I feel birthdays are days you should do what you want to do and pamper yourself or not.  Because I have been loving learning the language, my plan was to just stay home and study.  Her plan involved a gigantic dinner with friends around to celebrate the passing of yet another year. We made a compromise.  We went to a nice dinner on Friday night and then spent most of Saturday afternoon shopping, drinking some wine and eating some cheese.  All in all, it was a lovely day.  She was right.  I did need that break.  I hope you enjoy.

Friday night meal at Epic in Pentagon City
Wine shop for awesome wine
great service and good food
Union Station Stop
Name of the company
before the tasting
Cheese with the reds was delicious
Red wine flight and cheese sample
Sparkly reds
lovely cheese plate
Menu at market
Subway map of DC
Lambrusco.. first wine I got drunk on and let me say it’s improved in 30 years.
great server
Butcher shop we got awesome meats at

New to The Daily Post? Whether you’re a beginner or a professional, you’re invited to get involved in our Weekly Photo Challenge to help you meet your blogging goals and give you another way to take part in Post a Day / Post a Week. Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography.

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iPhoneography Monday: Night Photography

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I realize it is Tuesday but I loved this photo challenge. I loved it largely because I am NOT a night-time person.  I am often teased by friends because I like to be in my home and in my pajamas by about 7pm.  I would agree that it is a sad thing, however, I have been this way since I was a child.  While my sisters would fight bed-time, I would get my jammies on, go around give kisses and hugs and head for bed.

Another reason I loved this challenge was because most of my night time photos do not turn out very well.  My iphone photos are worse.  HOWEVER, I do have a few night-time photos I have taken over the past couple of months that I do like.  Despite the fact they did not turn out clear or perfect, I still like them.  I was super amazed with how well other’s iPhone photos turn out.. and not just turn out but are quite amazing.  I hope you enjoy.

Iphone 5 in bar in New York while cousins husband jams with friends.
Close up of my favorite tree with iphone 5 editing.
Back of cabs with friends. Iphone 5.
Iphone 5 photo of grandson watching football.
Beautiful sister taken at hotel bar on iphone 5 and edited on phone.
Peace sign on street. iPhone 5.
my favorite tree during night with snow in back ground. Street light gives it great reflection.
Visiting Maryland with friend. iphone 5
Baltimore Maryland on a random street.
Random street in New York taken from open backed cab with iphone 5
New York 2 blocks from times square. Edited on my iphone 5.
This was right as night was setting during my Amtrak trip from Washington State to New York. Iphone 5 edited with random program.
Friends drinking in quiet bar at night taken with iPhone 5.

Check out Sally’s version of the Challenger Choice here: iPhoneography Monday: Abstract and Polly’s version here:iPhoneography Monday: Portraits.

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SUNDAY POST : Sentimental Value

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Ohhhhh Jake.. This week’s Sunday Post theme really touched me.  I will start by saying I’m not a very sentimental person.  At least as far as material things go. I’m very sentimental about close friends and definitely sentimental about my kids and grandkids.  Other than that.. not so much.

I can’t begin to say how many things I have lost due to theft, travel damage or just inattention.  I think these losses are some of the reasons I don’t hold many things physically or even in a sentimental position in my heart or head.  I do believe I posted a picture of one of my most recent total losses in a prior post.

Having said that.  I do have few objects that have managed to stand the test of my times.

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You can see my diary there.  I was given that diary in 1977.  I wrote in it for about 5 days straight and like most 10 year olds forgot about more than I remembered it.  I have now been writing in this diary about once-eight times a year, depending on the year.  Yup, about 36 years.  It’s so funny to go back and read some of what I wrote.  It appears I spent most of my life as a whining hypochondriac.  I read my first few entries to my daughter and she laughed for about 3 days.  If you have read any of my past blog entries, you might not believe me.  But here is proof.

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I know, It’s a little embarrassing but at the same time, so funny.. AND I was only about 10. Still, “knee joints and pains in my neck” at 10???  I think we should be able to look back and laugh at ourselves for some of our ways of thinking and acting.

In the first photo there is a small container of marbles that a friend sent me to go along with an un-usable board game.  When I say board game, I mean a real “board” that he fashioned out of a real tree.  Unfortunately the board did not make it to me whole but I’ve kept the marbles.  The other container once held my very first grown-up watch. It now holds some precious stones that I carry around with me for some reason.

You will lastly note in the first photo a tin container.  I’ve carried this container around for about 20 years.  It always has some random objects, papers, photos in it.  Most of it not important to anyone but me.  The photos I have in this container are held in a tiny envelope.  They are photos of me as a child and one random photo of my youngest daughter.  I love to pull these photos out on occasion and just chuckle at how they used to make me feel and how I feel now as I look at them.

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Thanks Jake for that very fun and precious walk down memory lane.  Now off to my studies.  Enjoy.

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Travel theme: नेपली Time

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Ailsa from “Where’s My Backpack” posted an awesome theme once again this week. Her travel theme is Time.  Considering I am always running out of time and actually behind schedule as I write this, I thought it would be fitting to post a photo of the time I am studying from the country I will be going to in the very near future.  Now if I can only remember how to say the phrase and the numbers.

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Time in a bottle – This link is actually better as it shows a video of Jim Croce with his kid.  Love it.

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