Well hello there...
Wow. In 6 days it would have been an entire year since I posted. CRAZAY.

What has been going on? Well, I moved back to Colorado from Arizona as of May 1st, 2007. I had to move in May due to the fact that I wanted to maintain my Colorado residency for escuela. Glory be. Bad news: Duane had to fulfill his year obligation to the company he was working for. So long story short, Duane didn't move back to Colorado until August/September. Needless to say long-distance situations are difficult.

But we made it.

ANNNNND...we are getting hitched in June. I have spent the past 7 months planning this wedding (for reals this time-not kidding. We're talking DEPOSITS HAVE BEEN PLACED, people) and losing weight. I've dropped 40+ pounds since September, which actually sounds kind of lame. 32 of those pounds have been dropped since the end of November. Needless to say I got my butt in gear kind of late in the game.

So right now I am the lightest I have been in my entire adult life. I should be completely excited, but I know I have a ways to go before hitting my goal. April is going to be a key month, as I have all my fittings at the end of May (weddin dress comes in, undergarments have to be ordered, etc. ).

Hmm...oh yes! Going backward a bit, I was in a concentrated comp course over the summer which was a doosey. Never again. It was great to be back in school mode, but I had no time left to think or go to the bathroom.

I am now officially a cat-owner. We rescued Simone (10 month old Tortie longhair mix) from the Dumb Friends League here in Denver in February. She's a good cat, but likes to wake me up at 4:00am by chewing on my bedside lamp. Not cool. Doesn't she know it's from Ikea? Dang, I have to drive like 9 hours one way to get to the nearest one.

My Gram is in town this weekend from Nebraskie, so we'll be a brunchin this weekend. Tonight we're heading down to my rents' place for some Shabbat dinner action. I haven't seen the rentals in a few weeks, so it will be nice to have a mini family reunion.

BAD NEWS: I only worked out 3 days this week! Ugh. I had some serious dental work done on Tuesday (no pumping iron or 80 minute cardio sessions for me), and then yesterday we had a (thrice rescheduled) meeting with our main wedding vendor. Shabbat tonight trumps any voluntary sweating situations. Ah well. This weekend I will hit the gym with a vengeance. I really don't have a choice with a necessary 40 pound weight loss before June looming over my head.

ANYWHO...that's enough updating for now. TGIF, folk.

Coon's Age

Hola, peeps. It certainly has been a while, but I have been hella busy. The photog biz is mad, and Phoenix is...just...well, Phoenix.

Duane and I hit up the Salsa Challenge in Tempe Townlake this afternoon after I shot some senior portraits in Mesa. IT.WAS.AWESOME. But then again, I definitely have an "O" face for salsa. The margs were free flowing, and the event was starring my favorite condiment of all time.

I shot my first wedding on Friday, and it went swimmingly. The couple was so down to earth and casual that it made my job an absolute joy.

We also just got back from seeing "Reign Over Me," which was a great flick. HOWEVER, some old bitch sitting one seat over from us made AUDIBLE comments the entire time, like, "Say it!" OR "Oh, that's HORRIBLE!" I honestly had to hold back a bucket of "SHHH!!!!" Then she started violently crying at the end of the movie. It honestly ruined the experience.

Anyway, if you get a chance to see the flick...go see it. It makes you want to wander the streets of New York City and remodel your kitchen.

That BITCH

So my Bluetooth headset was recovered, thanks to my ever so cleverly designed signs I posted in the hallways. Never underestimate the power of clever signage...or the maintenance lady stealing your headset. EVS. I have it back, and I am going to dump a stream of alcohol on my ear gel for about 3 hours. YES.

So I've lost 17 pounds since the 3rd of January. Something to celebrate, I suppose. I'm not feeling/looking too different...but that won't come so soon.

I have very little patience these days...

"Valentine's Day is over-rated," so says my fiance. Wow. They really do give up on you once the ring is on the finger. But I guess I can't complain...we're going to a nice dinner...one that I have nothing to wear to. So we lead back to the weight loss issue. I absolutely refuse to buy any new clothing at this state. I'll have to find a brand new dress on the side of the street or dig something out of the depths that might work. MY LIFE IS ROMANCE.

I canceled my credit card with Capital One today...GOOD RIDDANCE. They are the McDonalds of the credit card world and not worth your time.

I need to do something with my hair...it is BORING. It seems odd that hair that takes quite a while to "do" essentially has a drabbish final effect. I'm longing for change, people. As soon as May-June rolls around, I may do something quite rash to my look...and the mere thought of that sends me.

Ah well.

I think I'm going to book a massage for myself this weekend. I need some hot stone therapy FO SHO.

Lazy Sunday

Not so lazy in fact. How about some news, then?

-I strained a tendon in my left foot because I FELL in the parking lot at work. No cardio for basically 2 weeks. SUCK! However, I am now back on track, so good news there. Duane and I have been working out at least 6 days a week, somedays doing a 4:30am and then a 7:00pm in the evening. In other news, my personal trainer is totally flaking out on me. I had my first session on the 3rd, and then had to cancel my second due to the ankle, but she hasn't returned my calls to reschedule.

-Have you heard of Amy Winehouse? You will LOVE her. Check out "I'm No Good" and "Rehab." You can find her on Myspace.

-I bought a fisheye camera, and I LOVE it.

-Work is slowing...they have been laying off quite a few people. I know I am not in danger of losing my job, but its been a bit more difficult trying to stay busy.

-It has been raining since Friday--just a gloomy, cold weekend.

This Bitch is BACK!

WHAT UP, ya'll. So I OFFICIALLY have a personal trainer starting today. O-MAZING. This could be the start of something GRAAAAAND.

I wish I felt more compelled to write about the initial experience, but I'm not feeling it. My tests revealed that my bicep strength is extremely kick ass, but who would want to admit to that? Just call me the STRONG ARM.

Kelly/Celia's birthday celebration is this weekend...should be sweet. I have a photo gig on Sunday morning. LOVELY. Wow, now that those two are in an accurate perspective, that does NOT sound like a good idea at all. OH WELL.

Headlines as of late:
Duane had to work a crap load this week...hoorah for the end of the month/year/holiday season.
Andrea has trouble finding shoes...visits 4 stores before finding a winner.
Andrea gets back in touch with Jon Bloom.
Andrea spends $89 at Target when she just went in just to buy a birthday card and some toothpaste.
The front screen of Andrea's "V" phone gets destroyed for some reason, robbing her of caller id and aesthetic value.
Andrea pays $14.40 for her dad's birthday card full of cash to arrive "next day" in Colorado, and the card is MIA.
TOP CHEF? WHERE DID YOU GO?
Aunt Flow comes back from nearly a year-long vacation.

Haven't blogged in ages, it seems. Time is flying. I'm doing a lot of shooting lately...the next two weekends booked. The extra cash is tres bien. Reading enough Ellroy to last weeks...we share similar obsessions.

New site: www.getoutstudios.com

12.1

Wow. I was just looking for a disc of images (of which I have yet to locate), but this search brought about the discovery of some photos from last summer. I looked extremely great.

Now?

I am 180 degrees different. This is shocking. I must change this.

Saw CRANKED tonight, and it was...well...cracked out a bit. It was what we expected--not too much, but highly entertaining. Amy Smart played a ridiculous role of a sleepy, dumb girlfriend who gets reamed in China Town. On the concrete. And. On a newspaper machine.

CLASSY.

Andrea gets a new camera... 

 

 

 

 

NEXT

School has been great. Dreams have come true with my new camera...an entrance into the professional world.

The VMA's completely sucked. I was utterly disappointed with Jack Black, which is SHOCKING.

Shopping today.

Get out of the house.

Mache

Woke up early this am to take advantage of a gi-normous sale. Post-shopping, we hit up Sambuddy's and a few bead stores. I was able to snag a BEAUTIFUL turquoise piece, which I am currently stylin.

Little Miss Sunshine = AWESOME. See it.

Roast Beef Odor

Work is going well. I have a new person, and she is certainly (and with great relief) what we call "good people."

IKEA adventures this past weekend. Thoroughly bamboozled. We also spent a great deal of time working on the house...hanging paintings, photographs, and re-arranging the furniture. They say that when you feel scattered and restless ... getting your house in order can help a great deal to improve your state of mind. I find this valid.

What else? Regular life is kicking in. I start school on the 21st. I greatly miss not having my family around.

RED.ROCKET.

Some dude held up our Safeway pharmacy --not for money--but for some random drug that is a crucial ingredient for meth, or what Phoenix likes to call "home cookin."

In Light of Recent Inconveniences...

My Jeep wouldn't start this morning. The battery is completely dead. My new battery was completely dead at 7:35am this morning, at 100 degrees. I started to cry.

David

So my dad and my brother got to do the whole "meet and greet" and private show shindig with David Gray tonight at Red Rocks. Please color me jealous. :)

Work is coming along.

I haven't been feeling well.

Conjugate like a Pro

Advisement tomorrow.

Woot.

Today I interviewed with a temp agency in the Biltmore, and I was literally there for 2.5 hours. I left the house at 8:30am, and the temperature had already reached a scorching 100 degrees.

I was a bit nervous for the testing, as I haven't taken a typing test since 7th grade, and my excel prowess leaves a bit to be desired. Although I didn't breathe during the entire duration of the exercise, I managed to pop out a 56wpm and and above average scores for my software knowledge. I know I type faster than a crummy 56 wpm.

Bitches.

Dancin Nuggets

Where we go we just don't know.

I'm moving back to Colorado within 1 year. Arizona may strictly be the geographical origin of Andrea's birth, but my soul lies in the Rockies.

Is this a Coor's commercial?

I interviewed with the Y people on Friday...it went well. I have since hurled a crap ton of resumes at another temp agency. Perhaps my luck will change now that Colorado is once again in my future.

I saw the signs, but I thought naught of their weight.

Hell, even my Jeep didn't want to come here.

Anyway...I was bitching away about insurance in my last post. This has since changed since I decided that I will be back in Colorado within 8-ish months. Since I will be back within a year, I can stay on my parental's insurance. Hallalujah.

Ever since we made this decision, my core has released loads of tension.

Pirates

We saw P.C. II on Friday, which was ab fab. LURVED it. I canna wait for next summer's installment.

Duane is sleepy. I'm the one that likes to sleep in late, therefore I am up and about long after he has mentally checked out. I'll be up into the night taking shots of Pepto to calm the storm within.

The ArtWalk is tres interesant, btw. I'm looking forward to the Snottsdale version.

Them's fightin words...

Because it couldn't possibly get worse, right?

Andrea needs Arizona auto insurance, as she is no longer in Colorado. My insurance is going to be 3 TIMES the amount I paid in Colorado. Yep.

I was supposed to get the new policy this morning, but the bicth I had to talk to for 2 hours yesterday couldn't come into the office today because her "car" broke down. I call wondering why she hasn't called me at the time we discussed yesterday, and also find out that she processed everything incorrectly. Turns out that the quote she gave me yesterday (already ungodly) isn't the correct number. She forgot to include the at-fault accident I had sliding down the icy hills of Colorado Springs, and now the RECEPTIONIST has to run a quote for me with the NEW, HIGHER rate.

I'm going to throw up. Really.

Addding onto this drama is the fact that I have an interview in an hour. Oh yes.

My insurance payment is going to be higher than my actual car payment.

I.want.to.scream.

I couldn't sleep last night. I woke up three times having to dry heave in the bathroom.