Don't stop believin'

Cold Winter Evening

beckyann — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 07:54:00 +0000

Taking up space on the Internet

beckyann — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 16:46:43 +0000

I am on a 34 day photo streak, with at least one picture each day. That is enough of a challenge to remember, so now here’s a twist: my new mission is to take a picture of something new every day. So to get it out of the way now, here’s a photo of my cat.

Shoop kitty likes to shoop.

Pictures are even more fun when you’re sharing them.

Upward and onward toward December!

There is nothing better than a comfy kitty

beckyann — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 02:10:28 +0000

Jackasses of the Dream Cruise

beckyann — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 07:05:27 +0000

I’ve been to 13 of the 14 annual Woodward Dream Cruise events, which is the world’s largest one day classic car show event. Each year brings a crowd of over a million people, some who travel from around the globe to attend. It’s always a fun event but there were a couple of things that grated on me this year. So I present to you:

The Jackasses of the 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise

Up first, is this man: Mr. sportscoat-clad, sunglasses-adjusting, hair-gelled Mustang Man.

It’s not enough for this guy to have a Bullit parked in the middle of Mustang Alley. (Did you notice his license plate?) No, while he stands double layered in temperatures reaching the mid-80′s, he has his door open and stereo blaring “Steve McQueen” by Sheryl Crow. On repeat. Way to earn attention, jackass – even the negative kind.

The second thing to hit a nerve is the Magic Bag’s marquee. Each Dream Cruise has been accompanied with some snotty message on the marquee that conveys the idea that this one day event wrecks havoc on the revenue of local businesses, like this sign in 2005:

While I personally believe that this theory is pure crap and that any business that truly takes that hard of a hit on Dream Cruise day needs to rethink their game plan, it’s become almost of a game for me. “What message did they put up this year to make them think they’re better than everyone else?” I was pretty upset by what I found this year:

Not only is the marquee void of anything scathing, but it’s advertising an after party catering to the very people the Magic Bag has shunned for more than a decade! Apparently they realized that this event that is supposedly so harmful to the area actually boosts the local economy and they decided to cash in. I always thought the marquee statements were obnoxious and unnecessary but I at least learned to appreciate the consistency. But apparently 2008 brought in a new way of thinkng: “What can we do to cash in on this? Bitching about it isn’t paying off for us.” Hope that income helped soothe your guilty consciences, jackasses.

But finally, I have a bone to pick with a certain targeted audience: those groups of people who infiltrate large gatherings such as the Dream Cruise to spread the word about their views about which I couldn’t possibly give two shits and would prefer not to see or hear.

When I attend the Woodward Dream Cruise, I expect to see hicks in lawnchairs, idiots with souped up – but by no means “classic” – vehicles, and lots of people who are dressed up like it’s a clown school reunion. But these are things I can accept and embrace. However, anything that has to do with the choices I can make regarding my reproductive rights or what deity I choose to slaughter a lamb for should not enter the realm of wonder that is my favorite classic car show. Not only is it a tasteless and poorly thought out decision to display such graphic images at what is heavily marketed as a family-friendly function, but it truthfully only makes me wantto get an abortion to spite the jackasses that would believe this is a good idea. This is not the appropriate venue to be bringing in such high charged issues and only a fool who would not be embarrassed by such an outrageous act of disrespect toward every person attending the Dream Cruise would be dumb enough to believe that it’s a good idea or that anyone would take it seriously.

So good game, jackasses. I salute your asinine abilities to piss me off. Do us all a favor and leave the metro Detroit area for next year’s Woodward Dream Cruise.

And as an added bonus, a clip from the action, taken from the backseat of a very comfortable Corvair.

Vote: Oak Park, Michigan – August 5, 2008

beckyann — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 02:42:34 +0000

I went to my old middle school to vote today and was silently amazed at how things have changed over the years.

Vote here

Election line

School

Stairway up

U Suck

Hallways

Park

Hoopless

Bench

Bleachers

Baseball diamond

Harassing the Internet

beckyann — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 03:43:29 +0000

Today, I purchased a web cam. Do not expect me to take off my clothes. If I am not wearing certain articles of clothing, you can rest assured that the camera won’t be panned out far enough for you to tell anyway. I’m not that thrilled with the quality but it was only $30 so I shouldn’t have expected much out of it. It’s too bad I am so shy.

My cat is ill and it bothers me. I don’t think it’s serious but at the same time, it’s the first time in the two years I’ve had her that she’s been so lethargic. She won’t talk to me and she keeps coughing like there’s a hairball stuck in her throat. She’s been hiding in corners and under furniture. I gave her some butter to help coax things along if she’s just trying to hack something up but so far, no results.

And, just to make this a trilogy of videos, this is how I make bread. Do you want to make a bread with me?

Hazel Park, Michigan – July 09, 2008

beckyann — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 07:20:57 +0000

Dasies at sunset

Kevin is not happy with my constant photographing

The old stomping grounds

‘

Waiting patiently for ice cream

Crash! Bang! Boom!

beckyann — Wed, 07 May 2008 22:51:16 +0000

I was up early this morning and I was struck by a mood to be productive. So I opened up the windows and doors through the apartment to let the fresh air in while I cleaned and did laundry. I got a few bags of garbage out early enough for the trucks and did three loads of overdue laundry. I decided to even take a shower, which I probably desperately needed.

The other day I took my brother to Jo-Ann Fabrics and he helped me pick out fabrics to use as backdrops for portrait shoots. They’re nothing fancy but we had fun with them. I noticed though that the creases where the fabrics were folded stood out in the pictures and, well, that just won’t do. So I threw them in the shower and took them outside to dry. I had an extra long sheet of poinsettias that I pinned to the front balcony and while doing so noticed the wind picking up and the sky clouding over. So I took the other sheets to the back balcony and quickly secured them so they’d dry before it started raining. And while back there, I heard two loud cracks, as if a dysfunctional edger was getting the best of its operator.

In actuality, the tree in the front lawn of the house next door had two large branches topple over from the wind and land about 40 feet away from my car.

Hardly a close call, but if I had parked farther back, it would have been an issue. My car has needed towing twice in the last five weeks, I really would prefer it stay on the road for a while longer. Thankfully instead of making insurance claims, I spent the afternoon folding clothes and cooking up a delicious butternut squash with plenty of butter and brown sugar. That made for a delicious meal while I watched the city workers scratch their heads and wonder how they’re going to move gigantic branches out of the street.