rus vanwestervelt

Extremely tired from a long day, but no shortage of excitement. . . .

It was good to see so many recent grads returning today to our advanced comp time slot (pd. 4A), talking about senior week and the trouble many found while in Ocean City. But I was most grateful for the help Amanda provided in helping me understand Photoshop a little more and introducing me to DeviantART. There’s a reason why this is so significant to me in the long run.

Now that Bellatrix is here, I’m able to resume my love for photography with seemingly no boundaries. In the past, though, I have been somewhat of a purist when it comes to my photos. I try to do all of my artistry through the lens when composing the shot. In a lot of ways, I feel like that gives me an advantage with my photography. Even in its rawest form, my photography (I would like to believe) is unique in that I capture life from my perspective, as I see it, through the lens. That is something I will never stop believing in nor stop practicing.

However, there is another artistic side of me that, in a totally different vein, loves to take existing, concrete artwork and add a unique and personal, abstract quality to it. This is entirely separate from the purist photography that I do. I do not digitally enhance my original photos to create something uniquely for my viewer that detracts from the subject. I believe those photo creations should stand on their own merit.

I enjoy working with the existing raw files to see if I can create another piece of artwork that is for an entirely different purpose, as well as audience. Until now, though, I haven’t had the tools or the knowledge to do that.

Granted, I barely have either of those things now, but Amanda has introduced me to both technique and audience to encourage me to finally realize that abstract/random artist within me, using my original photography. And, I feel like there is a genuine purpose for me doing this.

Like with my words in my writing, I want to evoke a strong response from my audience with my photo manipulations, and I want them to serve a strong purpose in communicating my beliefs about certain causes or issues. I struggled all afternoon (in the best of all ways, though) with how to use this new knowledge/audience to convey a need for hope and support for Lines of Love. How can I create a new piece of artwork that hits teens and their families in a strong, meaningful way and let them know the importance and power in love? How can I let them know that they are never alone, even in the seemingly darkest of moments? How can I let them know that, despite everything they believe in their hearts, hope and love await them, always, on the other side of those moments?

DeviantART is a website shared by artists who publish their creative works, whether they be illustrations, photos, digital, or a combination of several art forms. It’s free to join (with an option to upgrade to a higher-tiered membership with many more benefits), and it is quite addicting. Even if you are going to publish very little of your own work, the inspiration you gather from looking at and studying other artists’ works is priceless. As I scrolled through hundreds of original pieces (just scratching the surface of what has been published on this site), I kept asking myself the same question over and over: How did they do that? The artistic blends of various mediums is what strikes me the most, and learning the very beginning stages of Photoshop today introduces me to a world where I, as well, can communicate a little more clearly how I see the world.

A spinoff of this valuable session with Amanda was buying Dreamweaver CS3: The Missing Manual at Barnes and Noble. I was the very lucky recipient of some gift cards from my recent grads, and I used them wisely (I believe) on this bible for website development. Dreamweaver is part of the Adobe Creative Suite that includes InDesign (which I am very familiar with) and Photoshop and Illustrator; understanding how the four of these work together is, creatively, one of the most powerful tools anybody can have in the world of digital art and publication. Now that I have Bellatrix, it’s a little easier to understand why I am so excited for all of my creative loves–writing, photography, and art–to come together through the digital magic of Adobe’s Creative Suite package.

The websites you’ll see sooner than some of the digital creations, but I’m jumping in now, and I am excited to see what I emerge with in a few weeks. . . .

The night comes to a close as I have just returned from Starbucks to pick up some coffee for tomorrow morning. Yet, even something so seemingly benign as a trip through their drive-thru was not without adventure. When I pulled into the lot, I was rushed by police officers who were chasing–on foot–somebody that they had been looking for all evening. As the suspect ran past my Jeep, across York Road and into the darkness along Burke Avenue, followed by two officers who were sprinting after him, I felt both a rush and a fear that was awakening. How close we are to danger, at all times, yet in the guise of greater moments of tranquility and peace. We are never immune from the sudden rush of danger and the possibility of accident. We must never take this moment for granted. In those fleeting moments of the chase, I know that, a second or two earlier, and I could have been the target for a carjacking (which would not have been the first time).

I drove home from Starbucks with the radio off and the windows open, suddenly expecting to hear the sudden rush of footsteps behind me. I was alert, ready, prepared to defend. Prepared to act. Ready to respond.

Isn’t that the way we should pursue our lives with who we are? Allow our muses the chance to run, create, and be prepared for it in a moment’s notice?

I hope you all had a wonderful day….Storms on tap for tomorrow. . . . . :)

Another picture-heavy entry. I’ve daybooked a lot this weekend, and because I can’t easily put the pics in my daybook, I’m happy to include more of them here. :)

Madelyn had her third (and ultimately final) game in LaxSplash this morning at Hydes Field. Of all the LaxSplash fields, it looks like Hydes was hit the hardest from the rain. The fields were in fair shape, but the rest of the park was a muddy mess. No worries, though; it’s what makes it so memorable!

The Loch Raven Ladies lost this game after getting a good start. Their season may be over, but they played like real pros all weekend. We could not be more proud of them.

This particular game was extremely aggressive, and there’s some question about the ages of some of the girls on the Perry Hall team. This league does not require birth certificates for entry, but it sure would erase a lot of doubt from the parents and spectators if such a requirement were in place. Perhaps next year?

After the game, we had a couple of hours to cool down before heading to Full Moon Farms for Madelyn’s lesson, where she started cantering for the first time. :)

Finally, I end with this shot. This was my first attempt at Macro photography. I shot this while waiting for Madelyn to tack up for her lesson. Now, I know I have a lot to learn, as this leaf was still on the tree, the wind was blowing, and I wasn’t shooting with a tripod. Still, I am amazed at what this camera is able to do with all of those things going against me. I can’t wait to spend the time on an actual macro shoot with the tripod and in better circumstances.

Hope you all enjoyed your weekend!

A day devoted to Lacrosse….

Spent most of the day traveling to various lacrosse fields for LaxSplash. This is Madelyn’s first year participating in this tournament, and it has been a lot of fun for both the parents and for the girls. Game one was extremely exciting, and we beat a tough team from Ocean City by a score of 8-7. The skies had cleared enough for the game to begin on time, but the onslaught of rain from these past 5 days left the fields and surrounding areas extremely muddy. No worries…It was great to get the game in!

Here are a few shots of Game One. Madelyn is no. 4. . . .

This was the first score of the game…

Madelyn’s defender was a wee bit bigger than her!

As Madelyn commented on this photo, that’s why they call it lacrosse!

I got your back!

I love the intensity in her eyes in this photo…

The second game was played at the Timonium State Fairgrounds, which served as the main location for the event. The fields were in pretty bad shape, and they were much longer than the fields the girls have been playing on all year. Still, they put forth a solid effort in a close loss to Carroll Manor.

Another score for Loch Raven!

We followed the games with great snoballs from SnoAsis in Timonium before heading home to grill hot dogs and hamburgers for a late dinner…Wonderful day!

And the rains continue. . . .

But unlike most of my friends, this does not bother me. I have so many wonderful memories in the rain, and every time we have a stretch like this, I am afforded the chance to go a little deeper into each of them.

When I was young, my family owned a cabin in the woods in River Hills, PA. One of the best parts about going up there every weekend was sitting out on the front porch and listening to the storms roll in along the Susquehanna. My mom would tape the sounds of the storm, the echoing thunder across the water and sifted through the trees that surrounded our property, the rain-stick trickles of raindrops making their way down through the deciduous leaves and landing on the blanket of pine needles, rotting logs, and wildflowers. Because she was taping, we learned the precious gift of silence, enjoying the sounds without joining them. Long after we sold the cabin, Mom still listened to those tapes. I think they took her back to a place of peace as well.

And of course, rains like these remind me of hiking along the Appalachian Trail in the rain. There is a magic there, a sort of union between man and nature, when he lets go of the inconveniences of getting wet. (I still don’t know why we resist this as we do. Earlier this week, I was picking up some carry out food from Red Robin and there was a gentle rain. No downpour, no thunder and lightning. A family of 4 (the kids were well in their teens) were huddled under a small umbrella as they waited for the fifth in the party to bring the car to the curb. When the car pulled up, they ran the 7 feet and screamed the entire time as they rushed to get inside the car. The commotion was so comical that I stopped my walk back to my Jeep, stood there in the rain, and watched incredulously at this circus-like scene. After they drove off, I resumed my walk to my Jeep, and by the time I got in and turned the ignition, I had nothing more than a few drops to wipe from my glasses. Why such hype?)

Anyway, I saw Chelsea today in Jenn’s office. They were sipping tea and relaxing, and Chelsea and I shared a moment of how much we love the rain and cherish its brief visits (some may say this is a little more than a brief visit, and I don’t disagree; however, I don’t argue over its long stay, either). It’s always great to see and talk to her. Such a wonderful spirit. . . .

On another note, I am proud of one of my student/photographer/artists who placed 1st, 2nd, and received an honorable mention for her photography of downtown Ellicott City. She was recognized at a huge reception this evening, and I could not be more happy for her. Sami did the rare, rare thing and gave as much time to the business side of her photography as she did her art, and as a result, she was recognized for her talents and hard work. Way to go, Sami. You are well on your way to wonderful things. . . .

Onward to the weekend. Madelyn’s LaxSplash opener was cancelled today because of the rain. Two games on Saturday, and another on Sunday. . . .

I’ll see you on another field, brotha…. :)

I want to introduce you to somebody special who has served in such a meaningful way to the Lines of Love Foundation. (If you are on Facebook, you can find our group here; our website will be up next weekend.)

Lenore is a rising senior in Howard County and is responsible for the daily upkeep of the Lines of Love Facebook group page. She has worked hard at organizing our last two events, and she continues to be one of the Foundation’s most committed team members. I know Lenore’s going to be with the Lines team for many years to come, and I appreciate all of her selfless work that she’s already put into the Foundation. Thanks, Lenore, for making such a difference.

Kelsey, another rising senior, took this picture of Lenore today as we were working on the last issue of the school newspaper. Kelsey, our newsroom’s Managing Editor, was quite the profile pic photographer today. Here’s the pic she took of me:

It was a great day at school, especially in my classroom. Annie (yet another rising senior) has been working hard at getting our “spirit lights” back up around the room. I’ll see what kind of pictures I can take tomorrow (will require a change in lenses, though, which I don’t know if I’m ready to do yet!). It’s just a great place to be these days. I love teaching in that room!

Side note here. Did you hear that Harford County Public Schools are changing their lunch procedures for their students? They are moving to the debit card system, which my kids have right now in Baltimore County. What makes me upset, though, is that parents will now be able to track online exactly what their children buy each day. The county is praising this as a sure-fire way to make sure our children are making healthy choices, and it helps the school system track what they are selling on a daily basis.

I say it’s a sure-fire way to take away yet another freedom our children have. At this rate, they’ll have cameras strapped to their foreheads and microchips embedded into their ears, and we, as parents, will be critical of every step they take (every move they make, every breath they take…).

“What are you doing going down that hallway? That’s not the way to science! I know what you are going to do. You’re going to meet that boy again, aren’t you? You get your butt turned around RIGHT NOW or there’s no dessert for a MONTH!”

You think I’m exaggerating? Try this one:

“I looked at what you bought today at school. Two ice creams, a bag of chips, and a chocolate milk. What are you trying to do? Kill yourself with all that junk? Is this how my money is being thrown away? That’s it. Since you decided to pork it up at school on all that junk food, you’ll be eating nothing but bananas and my homemade stuffed green peppers for a WEEK!”

Now, what you can’t get from the printout is that Sandy’s mom likes to make two PBJs and not one, and so Sandy shared her sandwich with your daughter, which she ate with the chips and milk. The two ice creams? Jen’s hamster died this morning, and your daughter decided to buy her an ice cream to cheer her up.

Stuffed green peppers for a week. Ugh.

We’re stripping our kids’ freedom slowly but steadily. I know it’s just a lunch, and I know the counter argument has everything to do with eating healthy. But my goodness, what opportunities do our kids have left to be kids? We hover over them too much already out of necessity to protect them, and we must draw the line and reconsider the Big Brother approach when it comes to the non-essentials.

Let them be. Let them eat cake and ice cream when they can. Let them enjoy the here and now, and breathe a little without the world waiting to pounce on them. If we don’t give them that chance now, we’re going to regret the rebellions and the confusion that will come as they get older.

Finally, a day captured by Bellatrix :)

Little text today, as the pictures dominate. I want to first share a picture that I actually took yesterday. This was the very first picture taken with Bella. It is of my son, and he was in his usual form:

This was taken fresh out of the box, no fresh charge on the battery, no settings changed, nothing. Later, I learned that this was shot on the default ISO, so the shutter speed was super slow (I think this was a handheld 1/10th second, but with the lens vibration reduction feature, it allows you to get away with getting a handheld shot under 1/60th sec). The focus isn’t great, but Braeden’s expression makes up for it!

The second round of photos was shot this morning at our Class of 2013 orientation, where the eighth graders from our feeder schools visited for a few hours to learn about all of the opportunities in their freshmen year. We had performances by several groups; I captured two pictures of our senior dance troup and our choir:

This first picture was taken at ISO 1600 to avoid using the flash. One of the benefits of having a lens with a 2.8 aperture is it lets in a lot of natural light, even in low-light situations. This was cropped out of a much larger picture with dancers on the right. Still a little out of focus from a low shutter speed, but the VR makes it a satisfactory shot.

I wish you could have seen how low-light the conditions were. Yet, this camera does an amazing job of working with existing light; combined with the ISO 1600 and the VR feature, I was able to get this shot from about 60 feet away.

Later in the day, after school, I met with a fellow writer at our local haunt, the Bean Hollow. Steve allowed me to take a few pictures of him working on his next novel. I like this one the best, I think, though I wish I would have recomposed the shot so that he didn’t have a coffee roaster coming out of his head…I cropped the photo to make it less noticeable, but still…. I was trying to avoid some blue plastic bins that behind his right shoulder. Must always be mindful of even the most natural of backgrounds when composing through the lens!

Later in the night, we proudly attended Holland’s induction ceremony into the National Junior Honor Society. It’s such a sacred ritual, in my mind, and I was a little frustrated that so many things weren’t polished. The microphone was never checked, and as a result there were a half-dozen speakers, including students, who had to project to the entire audience. The lighting was awful, there was no air conditioning running before the ceremony (although they turned something on in the beginning of the ceremony which made it even more challenging to hear the speakers), and one of the candles would not light because of a short wick. I know these are all little things, but for a ceremony so important (the principal even noted that it was one of the highlights of the year to hold such an honorable event), I expected that they would have taken care of these small issues that can really take away from an otherwise celebratory night.

Anyway, I took this picture of Holland as she was lighting her candle. I was maybe 75-90 feet away, working in extremely low light, but I refused to use the flash. Once again, I traded sharp focus for natural lighting. Anything artificial would have compromised the evening’s sacred beauty….

So proud of Holland…She has worked so hard all year. I am not a big fan of the “This Looks Good To Colleges” attitude when it comes to such accolades; however, I am glad that there are organizations like NJHS that recognize the efforts Holland and other students put into their studies and her community service every year.

Hope you enjoyed your day!

Happy Birthday, Bellatrix…. :)

First, before I get into Bella’s arrival, let me clarify something that I wrote in yesterday’s post. Several readers have questioned my comment about people who use cameras in full program mode. In my post, I wrote:

“I don’t care how many computer chips and microsensors are embedded in the camera; if you can’t take it off Program mode and control the settings, you’re just another point-and-shoot hobbyist who takes all the credit for incredible photos that had nothing to do with you.“

I then followed with a general statement that I was not being “harsh.” While I believe that to be true, I also believe that I did a horrible job of communicating what I was really trying to say, which is this:

Photography is built on the very basic principles of light (phos) and perspective (graphis). In its most primitive meaning, it represents “drawing with light.” The more sophisticated cameras (like the one I just bought, as well as the fixed-lens point-and-shoots currently on the market) have computers within the camera to help the photographer determine the best combination of shutter speed and aperture setting to create the best picture. In the last 10 years, digital cameras have made us all look a little better as photographers.

My point that I was trying to make was this: photographers who, fifty years ago, were shooting amazing photos like the one I ran of Marilyn Monroe yesterday had no computer chips embedded in their cameras to take such stunning pictures. They relied on the basic principles of photography to “draw with light.” The best cameras in the world can do their best to draw with light as perfectly as possible; however, in my opinion, the serious photographer needs to return to the basics of photography and learn to override the computer programs to “draw with light” with intent. An understanding of the basics still matter. We cannot always rely on what the computer chips believe to be right; we have to take the cameras off of program mode and manipulate our photos by using the various brushes at our disposal. Only then will we be able to distinguish ourselves from all of the other photo enthusiasts who take advantage of the latest technological innovations in the field of photography.

My apologies if I offended. It was never my intent to do so. Sometimes, though, when we blog, we publish raw thoughts that are written in such a way to help us, the writers, understand and make meaning of our own thoughts.

Onward now, to Bellatrix!

A day on pins and needles, waiting for her to arrive. My wife tortured me all afternoon, sending me text message horror stories of UPS trucks “dropping” packages in the middle of the street, only to have them run over (and over and over) by innocent passers by….It was not an easy afternoon at all for me.

When I got home, though, there was still no package.

The UPS tracking was not specifying, either, that she was even on a truck to be delivered. Tracking indicated that it was still in the warehouse in Sparks, MD. My wife, who knows the behaviors of the major delivery services–FedEx, UPS, and others–a little too well, told me this probably meant that it didn’t make it on the truck and, in all likelihood, it would be delivered tomorrow.

I am not one to give up hope, but she knows what she is talking about when it comes to delivery services. I was pretty upset to hear her say this.

Just then, the sound of a delivery truck slowed to a stop outside our house, and I was delighted to see our front windows filled with chocolate brown; the UPS truck made it after all.

Not to look overly eager, I didn’t greet the UPS driver at the front of the truck; I resisted and met her at the bottom of the driveway. One quick signature on that heavy computer tablet, and the boxes were in my hand.

I sat them on the dining room table, a little nervous to open them. I remembered how my father opened his gifts on Christmas morning, peeling off the tape one piece at a time, savoring the moment as long as he possibly could. That’s how I felt, looking at those boxes. I wanted to make opening them as special as the taking that first picture.

The box with the camera was very heavy; the smaller box, with the Extreme 8gb card, felt like they had forgotten to put anything inside.

I couldn’t wait any longer, and I opened the boxes.

I did savor each moment. When I finally had the camera, the lens, and the Extreme card unpacked, I felt a little breathless.

All of the reading and the preparation I had done before this moment could not–did not–prepare me for how intimidating this camera is.

I remember when we first brought Holland home from the hospital. As parent newbies, we read the obligatory What To Expect When You Are Expecting book from cover to cover. We received advice from dozens of friends and family members from different generations. We created our philosophies of parenthood and solidified our foundation of what a “home” meant and how we would raise our children. Yet, with all of that training and preparation, nothing prepared us for the overwhelming feeling we both received a few days after she was born. When we brought her home, she was still sleeping in her infant car carrier. We sat her down on the living room carpet, and we sat on the couch in front of her. It was then that it hit us–the terror and the fear of becoming parents and taking care of this infant.

Now, in no way am I diminishing that moment by saying Bellatrix’s arrival was as significant as my own daughter’s; what I am saying, though, is that the same overwhelming feeling consumed me. No matter how much training and preparation I did in the previous weeks, all of that didn’t matter–at least at that moment when I first held her. I am sure that, as I continue to work with Bella in the coming days, a lot of what I learned in my reading will come back to me. But this is one intimidating creation, and I’m a little afraid to do much of anything but look at her in awe.

I took a few practice shots of my kids, but I can’t seem to download them easily on my Mac. That’s what I’ll be learning on Wednesday….As soon as I understand what’s different in downloading from the process I’ve been using with the D70s, I’ll start posting my pictures.

Finally, I end with this semi-related story. I shared a piece of writing (“Alice Flows”) with another writer today, and her feedback surprised me. It went against everything I had heard from all of my other critics, yet it spoke dearly to my heart and to my muse of who I am as a writer and as an artist. She reminded me that I needed to follow my own instincts as a writer and not worry so much about what everybody else thinks.

She is absolutely right. In my response to her, I wrote:

I think there comes a time for every artist where she just has to have faith in herself and say damn all feedback. If we try to emulate what everybody else is doing and conform our pieces to today’s readers, how will we ever grow as artists? How will we ever challenge others to follow their own muse?

I end with these words because I think it’s important for us to remember. As artists, we have to trust ourselves and what we believe in. We cannot listen too dearly to the advice of others who want us to be like everyone else.

There comes a time, Friends. There comes a time. . . .

Back to school. Just two more Mondays to go. . . .

Couldn’t be more proud of my yearbook team, pushing through to make a deadline of 80 pages in under two weeks. That’s a record for us, for sure. I’ve never had a team make all of their deadlines and avoid the dreaded summer work sessions, but it looks like this crew is going to do just that.

I noticed that LIFE Magazine (I had no idea that they were still in existence in ANY form) just released never-before-seen photos of Marilyn Monroe, shot in 1950. A few things: I am not obsessed with Marilyn’s life, though I think it would be an easy thing for me to get caught up in. And as I was looking at some of the photos just released, I noticed two things.

First, in these photos of her when she was just 24, there is still a sense of innocence, of trust, of belief in herself, in you, in me, in the world. There’s hope. There’s certainly love. Did that ever change? Some of the pictures that I have seen of her when she is older hint at an affected actress who abandoned that innocence, trust, and belief–but with regret. I could be way off on this, as I have never read any biography of her, even in the eighties when everyone was comparing Madonna to her.

Second, look at the quality of this photo, below. This portrait was taken nearly 60 years ago with equipment that is inferior in every way to the cyborg-ish creation I am receiving today. Yet, it reminds me that it never stops being about the basics: shutter speeds, apertures, lighting, and composition. I don’t care how many computer chips and microsensors are embedded in the camera; if you can’t take it off Program mode and control the settings, you’re just another point-and-shoot hobbyist who takes all the credit for incredible photos that had nothing to do with you.

I’m not being harsh here. Perspective is a big part of photography and it is what makes your art unique. I’ve seen plenty of award-winning photos taken by artists/photographers with point-and-shoots who know how to manipulate the camera. They understand the basics of photography, though, and make that point-and-shoot come alive.

We have a Sony Cybershot that we can’t stand. No matter what we try to do with it, the camera ends up taking pictures that are over- or underexposed. It’s supposed to make us look good as photogs; instead, it makes my Blackberry phone look like a Nikon CoolPix camera. In an effort to make it the everything camera for everybody, Sony created a middle-of-the-road point-and-shoot that leaves no room for the photographer.

In other words, it doesn’t believe that we have the ability to participate in the quality of the photo. That we know what we might be doing. That we have enough knowledge to manipulate the settings.

When Bellatrix arrives today, I will learn every aspect, every field, every option that is available. Yet, I find it absolutely hysterical that I keep in the back of my mind: Yeah…my goal is to someday shoot pictures like they used to take in 1950. . . .

We’ll see!

My night ended on Saturday looking up at the stars and the half-moon, thankful for a clear night (finally) where there was no threat of rain to be found. I was still in the Jeep, the top still down, and in my driveway. In about 8 hours, I would be heading to the gym for an early-morning workout.

It seemed safe to leave the top down. It was only 8 hours, after all. How quickly could an unpredictable rain storm move in? The forecast called for light rain south of Baltimore and in D.C., well enough away to make me feel secure in letting the Jeep enjoy a little midnight moon magic. My greatest fear was the temperature in the morning. Would I be able to make the drive in the Jeep in just 55-degree temps? Of course I will, I concluded. Builds character.

This morning, my character was built not by the cold temperatures, but by the sound of driving rain against my bedroom window. It was not yet 6, and we were in the midst of a downpour.

I threw on some clothes and headed outside. The Jeep, of course, was glistening, inside and out, from the rain. The street lamp cast a rare shine on the head rests, where water dripped quickly into the already-saturated bucket seats.

It is hard enough to put the top up alone; it was darn near impossible to do, slipping on the water-soaked plastic floormats and trying to lift an already-too-heavy top over my head.

I succeeded though, and within a few hours, the storm passed, the sun made a strong morning presence, and I removed the top once again to let the interior dry out. By mid-day, it was as if nothing had ever happened. An intense sun pulled the moisture from the seats, and when we headed to Full Moon Farm for Madelyn’s riding lesson, the only hint of the rain hit us when making sharp left turns. Apparently, the upper tracks and rails for the soft top still harbored a good amount of rainwater, which found its way on us on the left onto Old Gamber Road. . .

Not complaining, of course. A great day to be outside. Got these shots of the farm with my Blackberry when Braeden and I took a little nature walk, seeking out mushrooms and earthworms:

After Full Moon (Madelyn rode Dakota and had just a great lesson….posting is becoming a natural thing for her now–so effortless it seems!), we stopped at Dover Saddlery for a riding crop for M, and then at Ritz Camera for a filter and tripod for Bellatrix. After a final stop at Giorgios for some half-price pizza, we met Holland at the pool and stayed there until a little before 8, when they were closing for the night.

Really beginning to notice the effects of eating better and adding exercise into my routine. I know that I am not getting to the gym as often as I would like, but I expect that to pick up as we get closer to summer vacation.

How was your weekend?