I need to learn my place.

The importance of being self-important

Originally uploaded by Annie Ominous

Happy Easter from Neurotic Mess, Inc.

Thoughts from that day where a certain group of people wear green and get tossed

Better late than never, yes?

I was going to start this post with a big ol' Minnie Pearl "howdeee!" to the month of March when it occurred to me that the tempestuous third month is two-thirds gone. Where did the time go?

The Day of the Potato Eaters has passed. I survived another year of bagpipers and intoxicated Irish-Americans slurring in brutalized brogue. KT has been playing bass for Jon Conover and they played a great show at Kelly's in Sandwich to the delight of its drunk denizens.

St. Patrick's Day is always a freak show if one chooses to venture out for the evening. That Guy was there. You know the one: non-threatening yet moderately douchy in appearance with a haircut last seen on Jared Leto circa 1993. That Guy had a creepy "is he drunk or maybe a bit touched" aura about him. He seemed pleasant enough but didn't quite grasp the concept of personal space as he kept inching closer to me on the banquette I had the misfortune of sharing with him. He asked me no less than four times if I attended his grade-school (no...) and then peppered me with a slew of unrelated, yet mildly personal questions that crescendoed into a long discussion of an Aurora teenager that was shot to death almost 15 years ago. All I could do was smile, nod, frown and say, "Yeah, that awful." Though the place was stocked with inebriated weirdos and misguided micks, it was a good time.

KT ran into this nice, half-crocked married couple whom he knew when he played in another band. They were elated to see him and told him that earlier in the day they had been singing some of his songs. Suddenly they started belting out their rendition of a song he wrote fifteen years ago. KT appeared to be simultaneously flattered and terrified while I was highly amused and more than a little proud. While it's great to see that people care about things he created, I am looking forward to him getting out more of the stuff he has been working on the last few years and what is going to happen next.

There's more to say, but I'll save it for later.

Annie O

Ode to a Sheep on a Mid-Winter's Day

Smiling Sheep
Originally uploaded by Annie Ominous

I don't really have much to say at the moment, but I hate that nothing has moved on this page in quite sometime. So I leave you with the picture of what appears to be a rather contented sheep.

And technically this is not an ode. I suppose if I were so inclined and wanted to explore my poetic side I could ruminate (aren't I clever) on the gentle dignity that is (are?) sheep.

I wish there were separate words to differentiate between sheep and sheep. Drives me batty.

To all the sheep, deer and fish in the world suffering an identity crises, I'm here for you and I understand.

Ann O

Day 21

Day 21
Originally uploaded by Annie Ominous

Work has been crazy...M has a nasty cold...the weather is terrible...but I have striped socks!

I think I'm going to go to the library this weekend to start researching the house and to get some Photoshop books.

I made my legs green. Small steps.

"And when I marry Poseidon, I will be Queen of all the Oceans"

"And when I marry Poseidon, I will be Queen of all the Oceans"
Originally uploaded by Annie Ominous

Photography, more specifically, the 365 Days project at Flickr has been an all encompassing thing as of late. Discipline has never been my strong suit. Truth be known, I've always been a quitter. I'm 17 days in and a few of them have been a chore to complete. But I feel pretty good about this.

I'm proud to say that a photo I posted this week was in Explore, which apparently is an honor in the world o'Flickr. It's been viewed over a thousand times and I never knew that being seen would feel so rewarding. If you have some time, check out Explore. There are so many interesting and creative people sharing their work.

It seems silly to care about something like this, but I do. I spent years hiding the things I care about and never sharing things that were meaningful to me. I've always been afraid that something I felt good about would fall flat.

My senior year in high school I took a Fashion Merchandising class (don't ask me how I ended up there, or what in the hell I was supposed to learn) and the final project was producing a segment of the annual high school fashion show. I chose a "Gothic" theme and it went over swimmingly. It helped that my first models were an S&M collar & leash themed pair. I don't think my instructor quite knew what to expect after that and she subsequently hid under her seat. I ended the sequence with my interpretation of wedding attire and had a bride in grape-colored crushed velvet and a groom wearing fishnets and a kilt we convinced his sweet, unsuspecting grandmother to make.

Ten years ago at my Midwestern high-school this was mildly scandalous and one of the only things I've ever done that I have been proud to claim. It seems ridiculous to even talk about something so far removed and unimportant, but it meant something to me.

I took guitar lessons for years and never let anyone hear me. Granted, I didn't practice worth a shit, but I was so afraid of not being good. The thing is, there has never been anything I've cared enough about to really practice. Photography has been the closest thing.

I got a 110 camera when I was 9 or 10. We were inseparable. I am fortunate enough to have shared the company of a few friend for 20+ years and they will tell you that I violated them regularly with my lens. The best part is that I have wonderfully embarrassing pictures of said friends from decades before.

During my nine year stint at junior college I took a couple of photography classes. Being in a darkroom is addictive and wonderful and I hope to someday have one of my own. Though the lure of digital photography has finally taken hold. I didn't appreciate the medium until I was able to get a DSLR and enough patience to learn how to use it. Holy good God is it an amazing tool! I am Captivated and in Love.

The best part of all this is that I feel inspired and free to work without fear of backlash or criticism. I was able to post semi-nude photographs this week (hey, they are ART) and not worry about being called a whore. It's a wonderful thing. I have someone who supports me and kindly tolerates my insecurities and flat-out crazies. Other than the fact that he's bitching about my clackity-clack-clack on the keyboard, he's swell and life is groovy.

I finally feel like I have a voice I want someone to hear.

The Many Joys of Google

Someone in Berlin found this blog via Google.

This is what he was looking for. I am frightened and amused.