Tuesday, November 30, 2010

What's on Charity's Camera? Ed.2



That is Right!!!!! Check it out I just chopped off 10 inches of my hair!!!!! I know it was a lot. I have to keep reminding myself it will grow out. It is definitely more bouncy and voluminous. I will have to get used to it for sure!! My hair hasn't been this short since 2001!!!! I know right? I think I was due for a change anyway!! Warm weather here I come!!!





This is a photo I took of my hubby. Here he is saying, "I am not impressed." He wasn't very happy. I warned him it was going on the blog, but I don't think he remembers me actually taking the picture.



This is in the car. I wanted a picture of my monkey because he was being silly, but he just wanted me to take pictures of the Zhu Zhu pets!



"Blanket" goes with us everywhere. This time Wal-Mart!



The first snow of the season. I know exciting. Not very much of it and it is gone already, but the kids were excited to see some. All I have to say is I am thankful I will be in hot weather very soon!



Well in case you missed me we have been dealing with the flu in our house and it has definitely be the worst!!! Two weeks of back and forth. I am still sniffling. Although I did make it back to the gym today! Someone fabulous brought me soup and when that was gone I had to go and get my soup. This is a fish broth soup that sounded like it would be good, but when you are sick nothing tastes right. I think I ate maybe a quarter of it. Definitely not as good as the homemade stuff made with love!

Check out the linky party on Jessica's website!

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

What's on Charity's phone?



Date night at the hockey game. Opening night against Montreal. We won! Oh yeah!
I know this is an old one, but since this is everything I had on my phone some will be old!


So my inspiration for trying to make more interesting and funny posts has started a linky Tuesday requiring me to take more photos with my phone. This week I actually have to admit I didn't get around to taking many, but I did take some. I started crocheting this week. I know who picks up that kind of hobby in their twenties. (So sad I only get to say that for a few more months!) I am weird, but it is fun. I made this fabulous hat for my monkey and decided to also make one for a little guy I know as well.






I am not a fabulous pro at it for sure. I am self taught and still working out the kinks, but I won some patterns from innerhooker on LMM's website. I know it is funny because I usually don't win things. Honestly. I am having fun. I finished the owl hat for McKayla yesterday. I guess I will post pics of it another time. I am just excited I have cute patterns to make great gifts for people! Handmade gifts haven't gone out of style have they?



Anything better than a baby who couldn't make it upstairs for nap time? I was calling him to come upstairs and he wasn't answering. I came down to discover this!
I recognize that this is old too, but as I stated above it was on ma phone!

Yesterday McKayla had to come home from school because she was sick. I really don't think it is serious, but she stayed home today as well just to be safe. Apparently I have become a weak mother and am allowing the excuse of "my tummy hurts with only a slight fever" be enough to keep her home. I guess other mommies should be happy about it. Plus, I should believe her because she actually loves school.



She couldn't have some big test thing or presentation she is trying to get out of, right?



Meanwhile Maddox is truly worried.

So I know it sucks, but that is all I have on my phone. I hope I find more interesting things for next week. So if you want to link up got to Jessica's Page after you create your own What's on _______ phone? and link up!

Friday, November 12, 2010

Flashback Friday: Tokyo

So if you have ever been to Japan you will know how the people reflect what it is like. Cute,
little,
genius,
yummy (I haven't actually tried a Japanese person, but I am assuming if I was a cannibal the would be?),
bold,
beautiful,
smart,
navigators ( I say this one because seriously have no clue how people know their way around Tokyo. The postmen probably are rocket scientists. Our address had no street names just a bunch of numbers. I thought I was a good navigator until I went there. Maybe next time I should take a course on understanding Tokyo streets before I go. We would get maps of how to get to a job with things like turn right at the McDonald's and a left at the 7Eleven. I know craziness!),
proud,
expensive,
accepting.



Okay I know I could really go on. They are such a wonderful people. The culture is amazing. I love it! Anyway I was contracted for 2 months and I had an amazing roommate, Kelly, from where? Canada! Winnipeg to be exact. We had the best apartment, I think anyway. We were in Roppongi. Which is actually their party district. It might not have been like Kabukicho, which I never went to, but there were definitely some shady things going on. I know!! I still thought it was the best. I guess if it was in a nicer area it would have been better. We had a separate room from the living room and even a separate kitchen which was rare. Most of the model apartments were one room that had a kitchen and a bed with a separate bathroom. I remember the landlady was really strict on recycling she would get so upset with us if we didn't clean and smash and separate.

Everything was so expensive. I seriously think the people must be great at frugal spending or basically have to work until they physically just can't because cost of living is so high. Kelly loved to buy these gigantic apples the size of a small melon to eat. I actually refused because I was sure they were steroid injected alien fruit that probably wasn't good for me. They were 500 yen a piece which is equal to 5$ U.S. I pretty much lived off of 7 Eleven. I know! Not really where you think you can get good food, but they had these awesome rice balls called onigiri that were covered in seaweed for 100 yen. Which was 1$ U.S. I actually now make them for my kids lunches they are super easy and yummy and can be filled with almost anything.

Nightlife was fun. I won't lie and say I never went out because I did. I was a good girl though I never drank alcohol or smoked. One time at The Lex we ran into Barenaked Ladies! I now crazy! They didn't go to the VIP area they were just dancing on the dance floor with us. Ed Robertson made up a rap about me. It was really funny. It had things about being from Oklahoma so you can imagine the funniness that came out. They ended up inviting us to their concert they were having in some nightclub the next night. Did we go? YES!! We even got backstage passes. It was so much fun. There were a lot of Canadians there. Some people were even waving flags. I didn't stay long after because I think I had a busy day the next day, but some of the other girls stayed.


Journal entry.

Everyone told me that Tokyo was the best city to start in Asia for work because it was so safe and clean. I had already been to Singapore and couldn't imagine anything safer or cleaner than that. After going I realized the people that say that are either Japanese or have never been to Singapore. The first week I was there from my apartment window I saw a cab driver get punched in the face and stiffed. The perps just ran away. Not cool. Of course like I said before I was in the red light district. So probably not the best place for me to judge. As far as clean goes. The people are very clean but the streets and subway not so much. And you could buy beer and cigarettes from vending machines. I won't go into all of the other kinds of vending machines out there, but I am sure you can guess.

Into the second week I learned if I was walking in my neighborhood at night to walk fast, keep my head down, and keep nodding no when strangers asked you things. Oh and never window shop not even in the day. In fact ignore the windows. (only in Roppongi other places were okay)


I wish you could see the writing better here, but it is a log of the different things I did. Castings. Jobs. Expenses.

Shopping. Speaking of shopping so much fun. The fashion is incredible. Most of it I would say I couldn't pull off. I think the Japanese have there own sense of style. They way they are bold with there fashion is amazing. Harajuku is incredible. I think that you can get overstimulated with colors and lights and people and certain parts of Tokyo are like that. I wish I was amazing and took more pictures, but these links will have to do. Shibuya is amazing. You don't believe it until you see it. And the train? When you get in you think it couldn't get any more crowded and the another 10 people get "shoved" in literally and then they push until the doors can close. Not fun. I hated that! I don't like people all up in my face and touching where they shouldn't be touching. I learned not to wear skirts. Ginza was the place I wish I could have gone crazy. All of the designer brands were there. I have also learned from a good friend that there are certain brands that have a special collection only sold in Japan. Which doesn't surprise me seeing as how the Japanese there are so fashionable. I definitely felt inspired there. There is a also a district where you can buy all of those fabulous Japanese electronics that are out eons before they get released to the U.S.

Photobucket
The only tear sheet I ever got from Tokyo. I never got to see anything else I did.



Here is a polaroid I got from a bridal job I did.

Cherry Blossom Festival Is definitely "the" time to go. I was there for the very end but the trees were still in bloom. It was so beautiful. I don't remember exactly where, but I think it was a park or a cemetery with trees lining both sides of the street. It was breathtaking. We were always in the van so we never really got to get out to take pictures. I wish I can remember where it was.

The rain was crazy there. Like giants were pouring buckets upon buckets of water on me. It was like typhoons with the wind. The rain came down sideways. You couldn't even use an umbrella because they would just break from the wind. So many occasions I got soaked from head to toe. I was definitely envious of people who had raincoats and rain boots. I never in my life ever had a need for them. I am happy to say now I do own a raincoat and rain boots. So now I can be prepared.


My actual tickets.

Donavan actually came to visit for a week while I was there. We got to go to Tokyo Disneyland! Definitely not Disney World, but at least it wasn't very crowded!



I want to go back. I said it. I know, but it is true. I had a blast and it was definitely an adventure different from any trip I had ever taken before. I actually got driven to most of my castings! Which seeing as how complicated their roads were was probably safer than having 20 girls roaming the streets of Tokyo lost!

I know this post was super long and I apologize, but there was so much to say about Japan. I recommend it to everyone. Oh and the outer cities aren't as crazy as Tokyo, but I kind of liked all the craziness. Would I if I brought my three kids there? Probably not. They would so easily be lost in the sea of almost 13 million people. (that's right 13 million stacked on top of each in TOKYO!)

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Embrace the Camera: Remembrance Day/ Veteran's Day Edition





My dad such a handsome man.




My dad on the right receiving an award.



My dad is in the middle. I think he had a great smile. He definitely loved to smile. I remember he used to ask us how we were and if we said "okay" or "fine" he would say, "You can't be (okay or fine) I want to hear you say you are bursting with enthusiasm!"

So being in Canada today is Remembrance Day. Me. I have been thinking about all of those families who have lost someone the love who was serving for our freedom. I am American so today is Veteran's Day in the U.S. I actually like the sound of Remembrance Day better. I like that there are special assemblies on this day. I like that people around the world are observing it.



For those who don't know my dad served in the U.S. Army for 26 years. He joined The National Guard when he was seventeen. (I know!! He lied and said he was eighteen)On January 20, 1960 he took the oath of enlistment in the Regular Army of the United States. He retired the end of February 1983. I was always really proud to state that my dad served our country and fought for my freedom and rights that I have today. I remember one time talking to him about how I wanted to become a Marine when I grew up. I think I was like 9 at the time. He didn't discourage me, but he did tell me how hard it was going to be. I think he knew it was just a phase and there was no way I would join. I think he was probably pretty happy when I decided to enter a very different kind of career. Looking back I don't think I would have been very good at it. I don't think I have that kind of strength or courage to do what needs to be done. Especially when it comes to raising a family and having to leave them behind. My heart and prayers go out to all of the families who are currently without their loved one trying to survive and stay strong to support them.



So today I have some pics of my dad with McKayla. The first one is the day she came home from the hospital. I love this one because I can see how proud he is to be a grandfather for the I think 19th time. I don't think that ever got old for him. I was pregnant with Maddox when my father passed away. I actually had just found out it was going to be another boy. When I look at Maddox sometimes I can feel my father smiling at me telling me I did good. Because that is what he always said when I had my babies.

This next photo of McKayla with my dad she is wearing the princess costume he got for her. I think she liked being his little princess. That summer was a fun one for us we went camping and believe it or not my kids can still remember details about that trip which is amazing considering McKayla wasn't even 3 yet. Wow makes me think about what one of my friends said about McKayla she has a fantastic memory if it something she wants to remember. If it isn't she forgets very easily.






I don't know why I don't have a lot of photos of Marcus with my dad. I think he was always busy playing, but I am sure I have some I just couldn't find any. Mom got any? I know that my kids are going to love these pictures with their papa. Because I do.

So this post is dedicated to my dad. I love you and I love how you taught me to be strong and proud of where I came from. I learned compassion and forgiveness through you and you are still teaching me today. Thank you.

Old photos of dad I have courtesy of my wonderful sister Stephanie.

Friday, November 5, 2010

Flashback Friday: Wisma

So this week I decided it was time for another video. This time a TVC for Wisma Atria. (a shopping mall in Singapore) This one I remember very clearly being a night shoot. I am really not sure why considering it was shot in a studio, but maybe that is when scheduling worked out for everyone. The title of the project was Hynotia which was a villian in Marvel's Iron Man t.v. show. Hypnotia is described as telepathic hypnosis. So I guess that means this video comes with a disclaimer.

Viewers watching may experience light-headedness, nausea, headaches, memory loss, blackouts, and disorientation. Please be advised.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Embrace the Camera: November 4, 2010





So this week we have been lucky to have a guest in town with us. So time to blog hasn't been in the cards, but I had to squeeze in a photo with my boys. We got Toy Story 3 this week because my monkey is obsessed with Woody and Buzz. Need less to say he has been glued to the t.v. He keeps wanting to watch it and nap time, eating time, picking up his siblings, or going absolutely anywhere that doesn't have it on is terrible. He has been...well...moody today especially! So the first pic is him still glued to his Buzz trying to save the day again.





Marcus actually smiled for me. I think that just made my day! When you have a wet, cold day like today be sure to snuggle into your goodnesses (yes that is a word I just made up) and enjoy the evening.