Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #19: Nap Time

"What a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk at about three o'clock every afternoon, and then lay down on our blankets for a nap."

-Barbara Jordan, quoting Robert Fulghum, in 1987, at Middlebury College

EMPS #19: NAP TIME.

THIS ASSIGNMENT IS NOW CLOSED!
Does anything feel better then a nice refreshing nap in the middle of the day? It feels especially nice on a cold winter day, so, here is your photography assignment for this week. Photograph what NAP TIME means to you! Do you have a favorite place to take a quick NAP? Does someone who lives with you take NAPS? If so, photograph them, with their permission of course, NAPPING away. How about your pets? My cats love a good NAP, maybe yours does too. If so, photograph them in mid-snore. Where do you NAP? Couch, bed or recliner... it's all good! Show me where you NAP! This week it is all about NAP TIME.

Extra Credit: Show me a favorite blanket, comforter, afghan, throw or pillow that is essential to your NAP TIME routine!

**PLEASE READ**

You have until next Sunday evening, at 9:00 PM ET to get your photo, post it to your blog, journal, or website, and then comeback here and leave me the direct link. Remember folks, I cannot accept hyperlinks. You can leave a hyperlink in addition to your full link, but you must remember to also leave me the full link back to the entry that is specific to this week's photo shoot assignment! Also, please include a link back here so other folks can find the assignment and play along as well. :)

Linking List for EMPS #18: Watching The Clock. 12/29/2008

NOW CLOSED!

1. Em Dy

2. Sherrie

3. Karen

4. Suzanne

5. Jama

6. Terri

7. Liz

8. Judi

9. Vicki

10. Wammy

We saw some gorgeous time pieces this week! Thanks for participating everyone!

Go Be Photographers! See you next Monday with an all new Photo Shoot Assignment!

-Carly

2 Good 2 B True

"Laws control the lesser man... Right conduct controls the greater one."

-Mark Twain

As of January 1st, 2009, it is no longer lawful to text message while driving, here in California. Last July a law went into effect that said that you must use only a hands free method while talking on your cell phone, so I am assuming that the specifics of text messaging weren't written into the law concerning cell phone use, and that's why there was a delay in putting into place a law specifically concerning texting. But when you think about it, shouldn't that have been covered in the original law, under the words, HANDS FREE DEVICE ONLY? Strange. Very Strange. I saw on my local news, that the hands free law is being broken right and left anyway, because the fine doesn't really amount to much, and there is at least a bit of resistance to new law. I love the excuses folks have been coming up with, when stopped by a CHP officer...

1. My dog ate my Bluetooth.

2. I have an ear ache.

3. People look at me funny.

4. My mother is hard of hearing, and she can't hear me very well when I use this thing.

5. The battery isn't working.

6. I can't hear my stereo as well.

7. Honestly officer, I just lost my Bluetooth out my window, like 5 minutes ago!

8. Law? What law?

I like driving, and yes, sometimes I like talking on my cell phone, while I drive. That's why I bought the phone. I hated the fact that I had to go out and purchase a device that made the whole experience hands free, because I can actually talk, and drive at the same time, and it felt a lot like I was being punished in a way, for the actions of other's who couldn't. But I was a good girl, and I went along with the law, but sometimes it seems like I am the only Schmuck who does. Just the other day I counted 5 cars, with folks behind the wheel, talking on their cell phones, and texting, while driving and it was not hands free. What's a girl to do?

Well, I mind my own business and daydream about laws, regulations and or officialness I would like to see on the books...

1. There must be a major tax exemption for anyone who owns a pet! If you own two, then you get even more money back.

2. If you annoy the majority of people, in at least one national poll, then you have to go away. Not die mind you, just slink back into the woodwork from which you came. So long Joe The Plumber! Goodbye Sarah Palin. You're outta here George W. Bush! Oh yeah, that's right, you're outta here anyway! (SMILE)

3. No more 4 years for a president. National elections should be held once a year. You have one full week to cast your vote, with April 15th being the deadline.

4. You should be able to surrender your pet at a firehouse, or police station or pet hospital, no questions asked. Folks are living in dire times, and pets are being abandoned along with the houses being foreclosed on. It's tragic.

5. Every third Thursday of the month, everyone needs to just stop whatever they are doing at 1:00 PM, take a death cleansing breath, and just shut the hell up for 5 minutes!

6. Smoking comes with a license. The $10.00 cost of the license goes directly to the American Cancer Society. Hopefully it would inspire folks to try to quit, and actually help curb underage smoking. Doesn't it just break your heart when you see a kid of 14, or so, smoking?

7. Chocolate really does need to be the official national food! Dark chocolate is actually good for you!

8. One night a week should be Television Classics night on at least one network. All wonderful old classic shows. I Love Lucy, Burns & Allen, The Phil Silvers Show, Our Miss Brooks. There are a lot to choose from.


What do you think? Are my dream laws for the birds, or is there one there you like? What fantasy law would you like to see on the books for 2010? Would it be a fun law, or a serious one? Share your ideas with me.

-Carly
"Life Goes On"
Berkeley, California
April 20th, 2005
Mid-Morning

4 Movies In 4 Weeks #1: The Day The Earth Stood Still

"Most Horror movies are certainly that."

-Brendan Francis

Back in December my favorite store, Old Navy, had a special promotion, here how it worked. Be at the store when it opens, get into line, get a special bracelet, purchase $20.00 in store merchandise, receive 4 free movie tickets. I was needing a few more presents, and they had exactly what I needed. So, I got up really early on the day of the promotion, put on my 4 layers of clothing, and got myself down to the store bright and early. Actually, I left later then I was wanting to, so I was just sure I would be out of luck because of the long line that would surely have already formed.

Well, if you remember, I told you about it in a entry back in December. There really wasn't much of a line to worry about. It seems that the promise of movie tickets wasn't even enough to coax folks to spend this past holiday season. So, I did my $20.00 worth of shopping, purchasing 3 scarves for Sarah, and a pair of slippers for Alan, collected my book of tickets, and I was home before 9 AM. I was smiling all day long, because I was going to surprise Alan with the tickets when he got home that night. Silly me. It seems he had heard of the promotion also, and he needed a few things as well, so he went to a different Old Navy, in a different city, during his lunch hour. Imagine how surprised we BOTH were that evening, when we both pulled out our big surprise for each other. LOL.

Fast forward to the present time. We now have enough tickets to go on 4 dates in the month of January. We only have until January 31st to use the tickets, which was the downside of the promotion. Still, there are some movies that came out just before Christmas that Alan and I wanted to see, but for whatever reason time didn't allow for. One of those movies was the one we saw last night... "The Day The Earth Stood Still." We love the old classic, as you already know Alan and I are big fans of those old black and white gems. Who doesn't love a good horror movie? Although I have to admit, I am a big of a snob when it comes to remakes. I hate it when the original movie is changed too much. Sometimes it works out, but for the most part it always seems like a cheap effort in the end.

The new version of "The Day The Earth Stood Still" didn't even rise to that level! If you haven't gone to see it yet... don't bother. It is a waste of time. The editing was flawed, you could tell in different scenes that a green screen was being used. The new story had MAJOR flaws. The acting by everyone was stiff and boring, especially Kathy Bates, who played the Secretary of Defense. It is unusual to see that from her. It was as if she were just wanting to get the silly dialog over with and go home. It has been a long time since I saw a film that didn't contain at least one single clever moment, but last night that is exactly what happened. Nadda. The role played by John Cleese could have been phone in. By the time I left the theater I was wondering what Keanu Reeves and Jennifer Connolly had been thinking when they took on the roles? Bad acting. Bad editing. Bad directing. Bad movie.

Ho Hum.

I think I will just forget I saw it, and focus on next Friday and the next movie on my list.

Ho Hum.

So tell me, what upcoming movies are you looking forward to seeing?

Bride Wars
He's Just Not That Into You
Confessions Of A Shopaholic
Inkheart
Paul Blart: Mall Cop
The Unborn
Hotel For Dogs
New In Town

-Carly
"Buttered Popcorn"
Regal Movie Cinema
Dublin, California
January 2nd 2009
Afternoon

Different Sides Of One Rainbow

"Sometimes it's important to work for that pot of gold. But other times it's essential to take time off and to make sure that your most important decision in the day simply consists of choosing which color to slide down on the rainbow."

-Douglas Pagels

I was going through my archives yesterday, as I did my annual year end clean-up of my photo files, when I found this photo from spring of last year. I don't believe it made it to to Ellipsis, which seems like a shame, because I like the colors in this photo very much. Cosmos are such beautiful flowers, and during the spring and summer months, they can be found all around San Francisco, especially in Golden Gate Park. It is impossible to look at a cosmos in bloom, and not feel good inside! I think I will be adding some of these flowers to my garden again this year. I did roses only last year, but I want to do more with the flowers this year. Gardening is something I look forward to with great anticipation, especially during the cold winter days. It was cold yesterday, so I went looking through my files for a splash of color. Isn't it gorgeous?

Also yesterday, the cats and I had a tragic mishap with the camera. I took it out to give it a thorough first of the year cleaning, at the same time the kittens experienced a spike in activity. LOL. Needless to say, CRASH... BOOM... SWEAR WORD... my beloved digital camera is no more. :( Alan bought me that camera 5 years ago, and it hasn't been out of my hand ever since, so needless to say, I am a bit sad tonight. All is not lost, however, I do have a wonderful , wonderful, simply wonderful 35mm film camera which I love with my entire being, and in a pinch I also have Alan's digital camera, which takes much better macro shots then mine did, so all is not lost. In fact, it gives me a chance to take a look around and do some research into what kind of camera I will get to replace the one I just lost. Any suggestions?

The Face Of A Bad Kitty...
Dylan, January 1st, 2009

In the meantime, I will still be posting lots of new BAD KITTY photos, and I am paying a visit to the city sometime next week, which always provides me with inspiration. You can't go to San Francisco and not find something to photograph! I was just talking about the new opportunities I was looking forward to with new year, I just didn't think I would be meeting one on the first day of January, but who am I to question fate? The philosopher in me knows that when digital camera shutter door closes, another one opens. Maybe with interchangeable lens, 15MP, and accompanied by a new camera bag! In to each life a little rain must fall, but when the sun comes out there is usually a rainbow to enjoy... sometimes in digital color!

-Carly
"Pink Cosmos"
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, California
Spring, 2008
Afternoon

Happy New Year 2009!

"We will open the book. It's pages are blank. We are going to put words on the pages ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and it's first chapter is New Year's Day!"

-Edith Lovejoy Pierce

It's finally here... 2009! I am ready for the New Year, and all the wonderful opportunities waiting for me. People, places, things, it's all fresh and new, and I am ready to take it on! How about you? Is there anything in particular you are looking forward to in the coming year? Tell me what you think. Will 2009 be better then 2008? Do you have big plans in terms of how you will face the coming year? If you feel like sharing, please do so. I would love to know what you think. Look into your crystal ball, and tell what the New Year will be like. Good, Bad, or Otherwise.

From Our House To Yours... HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Love, Carly, Alan, Hendrix & Dylan

Happy New Year 2009
San Francisco, California
December, 2008
Early Evening