Happy Almost-Friday! 😀
1. J left yesterday and I’m pretty sure my home is cleaner than it’s ever been as a result. Not because he was a messy house guest, but because I literally spent 4 hours deep cleaning each and every nook and cranny of my condo in a feeble attempt to keep myself occupied. Nothing like tile cleaner fumes to make you high lift you up when you’re feeling down.
2. On the bright side, at least I can comfortably eat broccoli again 😆
3. I did a very stupid thing the other day… I let myself completely run out of bananas, and when I went to the store to buy more, all they had were slightly green ones. I was in desperate need of a fix so I bought a bunch and tried to eat one anyways. Omigosh… 😯 😯 😯 … I’m sorry, but no — those things are not made for human consumption. I need ’em to be brown and spotty.
4. I also need Emoji to be available for computers. I mean… how am I supposed to accurately express myself in comments and posts if I’m lacking the kissie, lovestruck, and laugh-till-I-cry smilies!? WordPress emoticons are the pits 😥 🙂 😀 😆 😡
5. Advent calendars are a cruel joke. I love the tradition and buy one every year, but what.is.up with the microscopic chocolate pieces?!? Eating the daily “treat” only sparks a massive chocolate craving, and while I would gladly polish off the entire calendar in one sitting, I’m pretty sure that would defeat the entire purpose…
6. It’s nice to be able to sit down and talk to you guys again. Breaks are nice and all, but pre-writing posts just feels awkward when you’re publishing a post in a different frame of mind than the one you were in when you were writing it #bloggingproblems.
7. Speaking of blogging problems, food photography will seriously be the death of me. Props, composition, winter lighting… argh! I’ve learned a lot in the last couple of months, but I still feel like I have a lot more to learn… especially since FoodGawker has shot me down on more than one occasion — I’m never quite sure what to expect when I open their e-mails…
8. That’s why I finally bought Pinch of Yum’s Tasty Food Photography e-book. I’ve heard so many great things about it, and while I’m only about 1/4 of the way through, I can say that it definitely lives up to the praise. Talk about learning things I didn’t even know I didn’t know. I can’t wait to start trying out some of the new tips and tricks I’ve picked up.
9. Oh, and in case you were wondering how I spend some of my daylight hours, here’s a behind-the-scenes look at what I’m working with 😉
Please note the empty Macbook box acting as a light reflector 😆
10. I wanted to run an idea past you guys… Random thought posts are among some of my favourite to write and read, and I’ve been thinking about starting up a Thinking Out Loud linkup on Thursdays. I haven’t quite worked out all the finer details yet (whether there’ll be a theme/question/task etc.), but I wanted to toss the idea out there and get your guys’ input on it first. So whatcha think? Would it be something you’d be interested in seeing/participating in?
. – . – . – .
Do you have an Advent calendar this year? What’s the theme? Frosty the Snowman for me.
If you’re a blogger, what do you find to be the most tedious part of blogging?
What do you think about the idea of a linkup?
I definitely do find cleaning therapeutic – especially after I’m done and I can see a visual difference!
In Australia we have Cadbury Advent Calendars which actually have whole freddo frogs in them (still quite small, but bigger than the regular advent chocolate – and the chocolate is better too!) so we always got those ones, but now that I’m gluten free and can’t eat cadbury chocolate, I guess I can just eat a piece of chocolate every day (which I always do without an excuse haha)
I find the most tedious part of blogging is sifting through the million and one photos I take for every post! That and photographing anything in winter – bleh!
Haha I’m the total opposite when it comes to bananas. The second I see spots they’re done! I also find cleaning very therapeutic. If I’m stressed I feel so much more accomplished when the house is clean!
I frequently find myself cleaning when I’m stressed or upset about something. I think it gives me something to feel like I can control. As for your food photos, I always think they look good!!
HOW has foodgawker shot you down!? Are they out of their minds? I think your photographs are some of the best out there to be honest. I can totally feel you on the banana thing. If I run out of bananas I have to get to the store or else my kitchen feels incomplete.
Ditto! Bananas, yogurt, oats, and almond butter are pretty much necessities for me. They’re also the only foods I’ll brave a blizzard to restock.
ohhhh no I cant do spotty bananas! Unless they are cooked in something I like them nice and GREEN haha
“I can eat broccoli again” HAHAHAH. I just died laughing. And green bananas are the WORST. It’s like starchy, gummy, BLECH in my mouth. (TWSS)
I LOVE CLEANING! It’s the best. Organizing closets, drawers, cupboards…I love it.
No Advent calendar for this girl. I’d eat the whole thing in one day!
I always look forward to your Thinking Out Loud posts so I think a link up is a great idea!
Have you ever tried to boil a green banana??? Apparently you can boil them whole and then mash them like potatoes! I think it’s a carribean thing. I’ve never tried it, but if you are really in need of a banana fix it may be worth a go…
I’ve never tried it, but I just looked it up on Google and now I’m intrigued. Definitely something to keep in mind if I ever run into the same problem again.
I kind of prefer slightly green-ish bananas, unless it’s for baking (or freezing)…
Am a bit of an obsessive cleaner, but not sure I’d say I find it therapeutic – it’s more of a compulsive thing. My favourite therapy (and way to de-stress) is baking. I like the feeling of making something with my hands, and then there’s of course the lovely scent of freshly baked things, and the fact that you get to eat something delicious at the end! 🙂
Haha love this! Those microscopic chocolates are just mean
Ha Tim is the deep cleaner in this house. I wish I was more active about it.
I’m glad you are enjoying some personal time to yourself now. I don’t like bananas at all but I can tolerate them when they are green (not so much brown or yellow..) now I just feel weird.
Oh my gosh green bananas are the WORST and when I need bananas and can only find those it is just awful! I feel your pain girl. Sometimes gas stations always have yellow ones on hand is something I’ve noticed! I actually just ate my last brown and yellow banana today and I fear my current batch will not be yellow enough by tomorrow for me to have one. Ugh! #bananaproblems
Also can really relate to pre-writing posts. It just is not the same as writing in the moment then publishing but since I have a full-time job I often find myself pre-writing on weekends!
So I always was like “how are her photos so beautiful” and now I see all the work you put into it, and I don’t feel so bad about my photos being so lame 😛
I would totally partake in that link up! Great idea!
Have you tried the brown paper bag method? All you do is stick your bananas in a bag along with an apple or tomato, close it up tightly, and leave it overnight. The apple/tomato emits some gas that ripens the banana faster. And if you need it quicker, you can bake your bananas to ripen them. Just arrange them on a baking sheet and bake until you see them starting to get spotty.
TOTALLY did a science fair project on that in elementary school! I tried to find out where a banana would ripen fastest. Brown paper bag won – I have forgotten my school learnings! I might put the banana in a bag when I get home tonight so its ready for tomorrow!
Not only would I love reading it, I would love linking up! I don’t do Thinking Out Loud Thursdays, but I think it would be seriously fun to do so!
So, I know you’ll appreciate this…Justin bought bananas for me last Saturday and when he bought them home they were super green. Well…it’s now Thursday and they’re still more green than yellow. What the heck!?! I haven’t had a banana since Saturday morning. Ahhh…going crazy over here!
Oh yes, I’d totally love a link-up like that! I love random posts too and I was thinking of doing more of them, so I’d definitely love to participate! 🙂
I always am impressed by your food photography… seeing your setup explains a lot lol! They look fantastic tho, always! And I would totally be in for a thinking out loud linkup some days! Count me in. 🙂
Cleaning can be incredibly therapeutic. My man knows if he comes home and I am doing a massive cleaning session that something is up!
I’ve been thinking about purchases that ebook as well – my food photography could definitely use some help. Let me know if it’s worth buying! And I totally know what you mean about the advent calender…that little piece of chocolate is such a tease. I need to upgrade and get one of the Lindt ones next year.
And wanna come deep-clean my apartment too? 😉 It could probably use it, but I’m definitely lacking the necessary motivation to do so.
And I already told you what I think about the link-up – I still think it’s a great idea!
I’m really loving the e-book so far! Not only does it teach you all the technical camera stuff (ISO, aperture, etc.), but it gives you lots of styling tips as well. And I’m not sure if it’s still on, but there was a code on Pinch of Yum that you could enter at checkout to get 50% off the book — making it less than $10.
I tend to pre-write a bunch of posts on Saturday mornings. I love going to a coffee shop and doing some writing. But it can lead to some awkward moments – especially if I change my mind on things or am in a different frame of mind! Usually I’ll read through the night before 🙂
My advent calendar is a total tease. My mom bought me one from Starbucks, but each day is filled with a little caramel. I don’t like caramels! Ugh… why not chocolate or something coffee-ish??? Hubby made fun of me for opening up future dates just so I could make sure they were all caramels and nothing to be excited about. haha
PS – Bananas should totally be freckled.
I can clean all day on a Saturday! It sounds lame, but tackling cleaning projects, with my iPod in is something I don’t mind doing. My roomie and I are subletting from two guys right now and the place was disgusting when we first moved in. A little elbow grease, and plenty of Tilex and bleach fixed that though!
I have an advent calendar and it is a Lindt one. It is teddy-bear themed! I highly recommend shelling out a bit of extra $$ for a Lindt calendar. (Mine was $9)
Loving your blog but sorry that your man left 🙁 Glad you had a nice visit with him though. LDR is truly the worst!
Last year I ate all the advent cakendar candy before the first week was over. Luckily there were things to do in it too which were more important haha but yah, if Noah was over he wouldn’t have been to happy with me!
😆 That’s why I have random backup chocolate bars to satisfy the craving that the Advent chocolate sparks.
I would really like to learn more about food photography. I’ll have to check out that book! I just bought a new lens for my camera and I could not be more excited. My old lens wouldn’t focus by itself and you always had to have the flash on… no good. Now, I’m in business!
I would definitely be down for linking up! Random thought posts are my favorite! 😀
I feel your pain with the winter lighting. Especially since I leave in the dark and come home in the dark. I need to find a solution to this considering it’s not going to resolve itself anytime soon!
I did a major cleaning yesterday too. There is always such a feeling of accomplishment when I finish. I usually dread doing it but once I get into the groove I find more and more things to clean.
Growing up we always had an Advent calendar but they were the picture kind. I didn’t even know the chocolate ones existed until one day, when I was about eight-years-old and at a friend’s house. She had a chocolate calendar and I was intrigued. I went home and told my mom about it, hoping she would take the hint and purchase one. I’ve yet to have one. Some years I would make one for my family, carefully drawing pictures in the appropriate spaces and placing another drawing over the top. This year my mom sent me a tiny Advent card/calendar in the mail. It is sweet with tiny windows upon a Christmas tree.
Yes to the linkup. It is through blogs I frequent that I discover blogs I wasn’t even aware of. Great idea!
I am totally a fan of a Thinking Out Loud Link Up on Thursdays. Somehow Thursdays are always the days I end up not blogging, in awe of a good story. But sharing tids and bids of thoughts might be a good way to fill them up.
Regarding the winter lightning and food gawker… duh, I also had no luck over the last weeks! Even with the food photography e-book … when it’s all day dark and cloudy outside, nothing helps. And some eats just won’t make it till the next day!
Ugh.. the worst is when you plan to photograph a recipe and it ends up being a cloudy day. Do you use any photo editing software? Post-processing makes a HUGE difference.
I do. But nothing helps when it’s really cloudy. I find when I lighten pictures too much they look artificial.
My whole life is filled with random thoughts, so I think that’s a great idea for a link- up! I would be here every week. 🙂 I need to be a stress cleaner! I think I am a stress exerciser. 🙂
I’m the worst at taking pictures of food. Granted I just started and didn’t have much direction or a decent camera so I’ll have to check out that book. And I think the Thursday link up would be great! 🙂
Hope you’re having a great week.
I totally want to learn more abput food photography as well. I might have a light box and a canon, but I don’t even know how to properly use it 🙂
Regarding advent calendars: I’m on my way to Zurich and i dare Sandro that he bought one for me meanwhile. I mean, how many OBVIOUS hints can you give?? Men…..
Linkup sounds great! Though I have to alternate days of my linkups meanwhile, cause there are so many – and sometimes I just love to write along without a special frame.
I am all in for the link up! For sure, I think it is a terrific idea. I always have random thoughts to share and would love to link on up!….I always clean as a way to clean my mind, fueng shui, and feel better. It is amazing though how quickly after I clean like a nut things are messy, out of place and dirty again ( I am a neat freak so my version of dirty is someone else’s version of crazy clean). I juts can’t rest with things out of place.
Are you insinuating you can comfortably eat broccoli again because broccoli gives you gas??? I am laughing so hard, I have the SAME problem!!! (if that is indeed your problem!)
That is indeed the problem 😆 😆
I didn’t use to like cleaning, but now I do. I can’t stand clutter or mess, it makes me nervous and all kinds of agitated. I live in a small apartment right now, but someday when I have my own house I know for sure that big rooms with high ceilings and lots and lots of space are gonna be a MUST for me. You’re very blessed to have your condo, I can tell by the pictures that it’s very nice.
For me, the most tedious part of blogging is definitely setting up for a photoshoot. I’m not the most artistic girl in the world and I wish I had more of an eye for decorations, prop-placement, and whatnot. However, I did purchase Pinch of Yums photography e-book myself, and I can say that it has helped me A LOT with my photos, especially in post-editing in Photoshop. I look forward to practicing more, and getting better through Lindsay’s help. It’s a worthy investment, trust me.
I’d love to participate in a link-up as well should you decide to organize one- so there’s one more person to add to your list 😉
<3
Hahaha- oh my – eating up the Advent calender in one sitting – you really have been hit by the chocobug! Yes, definitely find cleaning therapeutic!
Yes – love love love the idea of a thinking out loud linkup-it’s simply BRILLIANT!!!!
I have been wondering how you got your pictures so well lit AND just so well done…I thought maybe you had one of those light boxes…had no idea u were using an empty mac box! I have been wanting to get pinch of yum’s book too – specially since foodgawker hasn’t even accepted one of mine yet !
I have been up and blogging for about 6 months so far…so not really finding anything tedious about it – I struggle to reply on comments in a timely way – but, I don’t find it tedious – actually love it…but Im still in my “honeymoon” stage I guess 🙂
Definitely pick up the e-book if you’re looking for some great tips — it’s such a good resource! And I’m not sure if it’s still on, but Pinch of Yum had a 50% off code so you could pick up the book for under $10.
There are definitely times where I clean ridiculously. Last week I got in one of those moods and cleaned the house. However, the nooks and crannies definitely need cleaned out. Maybe one of these days.. can I add that to the “to do” over break list?! Haha Green bananas are the WORST!! Aaron likes them a little green, and I just can’t take it!
The pictures! I don’t have the habit of taking pictures of anything to begin with. I’m also using an iPhone 3Gs from 2009 that hasn’t been in a case for ages, so I’m pretty sure the lens is scratched up. I don’t have the patience for photography – I LOVE it, took a class in HS, developed our own film, etc – but I just would rather be doing other things.
Thankfully, I really enjoy the writing side! Maybe I can get Josh to do the pictures. 🙂
I used a piece of styrofoam as a light reflector! What type of tripod do you use? I’m in the market for one!
The one I have right now is the Rocketfish 65″ carbon fibre tripod (RF-TRP65C) and I really like it. It’s light, stable, and let’s me shoot from any angle.
I’d definitely be up for a link up 🙂 It kind of reminds me of Things I Love Thursdays, which I think are really cool too! I’m really hoping that when I move to my new place, I’ll have a better set up for photography. The lighting in my current place is kind of weird and not optimal for photography 🙁
Your food photography is still way fancier than mine will ever be considering I use an iPhone and they come out blurry 90% of the time 😉 that’s why you’re the photographer and not me though haha I like your random stream of consciousness posts and I certainly write my own versions of them often enough so I’m sure lots of people would do it!
Winter lighting is such a pain for food photography- some of my pictures have been coming out really badly. Love the use of the Mac box as a light reflector, great way to recycle 🙂
I seriously need to look into buying that too ! My food photography needs some help
There are SO many great tips in it — I definitely recommend checking it out! And I’m not sure if it’s still on, but there was a code on Pinch of Yum to get it at 50% off so it ends up being less than $10.