in which i answer questions

All the Wine did this fun interview thinger, and I wanted to play! She sent me some questions and my answers are below. If you want to play too, comment saying so and I’ll come up with some questions for you! Here are the official rules:

1. leave me a comment saying you want to be interviewed.
2. I’ll email you five questions, of my determination not yours!
3. You update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

And here are my questions and answers:

1. You’ve won a walk-on role on your favorite television show and you get to suggest the new character you play. Which show and what type of character?

Well, both of my favorite shows are no longer on the air and I don’t really watch tv anymore, so I don’t know if that would be possible. But, for the sake of the question, let’s pretend that they are doing one more show, just for me! In that case, it would definitely be Gilmore Girls. Since at the end of the show, Rory was heading out to be a campaign reporter, I would most likely enter as a photographer on the campaign trail, and we would obviously become best friends. And then she would bring me back to Stars Hollow to meet all the crazies, and I would never leave because it would just be too cool.

2. If you could only eat three things for the rest of your life, what would they be?

That is difficult. I really like food, so I’m not sure I could pick. I’m just going to go with the first three things that popped into my head: chocolate m&ms, apples and cheese. Yummy separate, yummy together. Good choices, I think. Note that I’m a lazy cooker, so I obviously chose foods that you don’t need to prepare!

3. How would you describe your personal style?

Oh, man. I have no idea. For the most part, I’m a jeans and t-shirts kinda gal. I like sneakers and ballet flats, but not high heels. I’m happy to dress up when the occassion calls for it. I shop mostly at GAP and Target. I guess, if I had to label it, I would say my style is comfortable, casual and simple.

4. If you had a time machine, what historical event or time would you go back to witness?

I’d like to head back to Renaissance-era Italy. Maybe make friends with da Vinci or Michelangelo or Botticelli. Just to see all of that amazing art come into being (and not crackling and peeling and behind glass cages) would be pretty freaking awesome.

5. If you could live anywhere besides Arizona, where would you live and why do you say so?

Italy! When I lived there for my study abroad program, I simply fell in love. The people, the places, the way of life… it’s just everything I wish my life could be. Plus, I am Italian, and a big part of me is drawn to the idea of bringing my family back to Italy.

Thanks for the awesome questions! Comment if you want to play!!

in which i ponder the ‘m’ word

That’s right, people. Marriage. It’s very difficult to work in the wedding industry (I’m a wedding photographer) and not think about marriage, weddings and love.

Last weekend, I witnessed quite possibly the most beautiful love I have ever seen. I worked a wedding for a couple (we’ll call them A+A) who have been together for something like six years. And they are still mentally, emotionally, totally in love with each other. The kind of love that is not only visible, but palpable. You could feel it when they were together, and you felt happier just being in their presence. They have the kind of love that reaffirms in your mind that true love exists; the kind of love that you feel priviledged to be a witness to.

A+A chose to see each other before the ceremony. I was with him, waiting in a covered walkway for her to arrive. He got more and more excited with every passing moment. Every time he heard footsteps, he lit up. “Is that her? Is she coming?” When my answer was finally “yes”, when he knew that she was finally standing behind him… tears came to his eyes and his smile threatened to split his face. He took deep, calming breaths and blinked rapidly to stop the flow of tears. When he turned around, and saw her in her wedding gown… it was one of those moments that you swear time stands still. Both of their faces exploded into the most beautiful combination of joy and tears. They hugged for a solid five minutes; the entire time, he was whispering “I love you. You’re my best friend. You’re beautiful. I love you.” Over and over again.

For the remainder of the day, they were glowing. They were the definition of a happy, excited couple on their wedding day. Neither of them made it through their vows without having to choke out a few words around their tears.

It was pure magic.

As for me… I can’t imagine myself married. When I attempt to imagine my future, I can see a career… I can see a home… I can even see kids… but I can’t see myself being married. I don’t know why, but it’s just unfathomable to me. And it’s not as though I’ve never been in a serious relationship, so I can’t imagine that kind of love. J and I had the kind of relationship that would usually lead to marriage. People would ask me, “Do you think you’ll marry him?” I would always say, “Oh… I don’t know. We’re not really thinking about that right now.” But in my head, I was thinking, “No.” But that isn’t a response you give when someone asks you if you’re going to marry your very-serious-live-together boyfriend.

And it’s not as though I am (or was) surrounded by broken marriages. My parents have been married for almost 27 years. My sister and her husband are incredibly happily married. All of my grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins were and are happily married. I have one close girlfriend getting married soon, and three others in very serious relationships which I wouldn’t be surprised to see develop into marriages.

I simply can’t see me getting married. I can’t see myself planning a wedding, having a ceremony, and then being married. And that doesn’t really make me sad. I’ve always been equally happy being single and being in a relationship. Being single doesn’t make me lonely or depressed. I don’t spend much time wondering when I will be in a relationship again.

But every once in a while, I witness a relationship like A+A. And I can’t help but think, I want that.

in which it is already 2009

Umm… hi. I simply can’t believe that it is 2009 already. Where did 2008 go? I feel like I was just starting to hit a groove with 2008, and it’s been ripped out from under me! Hopefully, the groove will continue in 2009.

My New Year’s Eve was incredibly uneventful. In fact, I was in bed, asleep by 9:45pm. I didn’t have any plans, and I was tired… so there ya go. I actually worked half the day today, before exploring the recently opened Metro with J — we hit up Target and Taco Bell… really classy, right?

And so now it’s 2009. And now comes the time of resolutions. I typically suck at resolutions. I kind of pick a few of the classics — eat healthier, work out more, keep in better touch with friends — but never really make any progress with them.

So instead, here are some things that I say I will do, and what I hope actually happens!

I will finish my grad school applications this weekend.
I hope I get in!

I will eat more fresh fruits & vegetables and real meals.
I hope I can resist the ease of frozen pizza and Taco Bell!

I will make a valiant attempt to lose my belly and tone up.
I hope I can survive CardioMax!

I will write old-fashioned letters to friends instead of emails.
I hope they enjoy them as much as I will!

I will maintain a daily planner and fill it with inspiration as well as tasks.
I hope it turns out as pretty as I am imagining it!

I will start taking out my camera more often.
I hope I can get inspired more often!

I will save more money.
I hope I can save more money!

I will read more.
I hope I pick inspiring, interesting and fun books!

What do you plan on doing this year? How do you hope it all turns out?

in which i discuss freckles

I have hundreds and hundreds of freckles. Possibly thousands. They cover my face, pepper my arms and sprinkle across my legs.

And tonight, while using my magnify-mirror to pluck my eyebrows*, I discovered I even have freckles on my lips. Which made me insanely happy. I love being covered in freckles. They have always been something that has made me unique: I know very few people who freckle as much as I do.

So I’m currently rejoicing in my freckly lips. And yes, this post has absolutely no point. Give me a break… it’s almost 3am.

*I was, indeed, plucking my eyebrows at two o’clock in the morning. I’m getting ready to go home for Thanksgiving, and have a lot to get done before my flight tomorrow afternoon. Plucking my eyebrows so my mother doesn’t make caterpillar comments was high on the list. And is now done!