Today is Cherri's birthday. I called her up while I was driving downtown to sing to her in my oh-so-fabulous personal style. She loved it. (She has to say that because she's related to me.)

And why was I driving downtown? Stacey and I went on a photo junket. It was so much fun. I could shoot downtown all day long. We went to an industrial area, to some bridges, to the river, to some run down area on the east side. It was fun fun fun. This is truly my favorite part of photography. I like being out there, seeing things in small squares. It forces me to look at things differently. To look at parts as well as wholes. To slow down. To be more observant. To pay more attention.

Mary had a stroke of brilliance. She suggested that the reason I may be feeling a seasonal depression this early (usually when I have it, it doesn't hit until after the end of Daylight Savings Time at the very earliest) is all the time I've been spending in the dark room. It never occurred to me but I'm putting in approximately 8-12 hours per week in the dark. Those are hours that I would normally be in a lighted room or by a daylit window. That's *got* to be it. I need to get some light therapy. I read somewhere (I can't remember where or if it was credible) that a lot of people use tanning beds in the winter to combat SAD. I can see the appeal of that. Lying in a warm, bright bed while listening to music? What's not to like about that? But I wonder if it actually works. Anyone out there know for sure?

Stacey and I decided to nix the Treasures of India theme for our Festival of the Trees tree this year. We were concerned that it might be too controversial to use Hindu imagery (elephants, etc.) on a Christmas tree. It was hard to give up the theme, though, because we found the most incredible ornaments with bright, vivid colors--fuschia, orange, gold, rich deep blue, purple, teal, deep pear green. I love those ornaments--it makes me want to abandon my music tree and start fresh with this India idea but it would be prohibitively expensive--the balls were anywhere from $3 to $10 each. Instead, we're doing a Lord of the Rings tree. It will have rich jewel-tone colors--deep royal purple, plummy purple, fuschia and teal accented with gold. We found some very beautiful ornaments that will work--we're going with a sort of royal, medieval, fantasy sort of thing. I think it will be great. I just wish we could figure out how to work some of that pear green in. It's so pretty. ::sigh:: Anyone know where I can get some wizard stuff?

Well, since I'm going to be teaching a lesson on flag etiquette to some young girls tomorrow, I'd better write up some notes so I don't forget anything.

--L