Only pretty ring time

I know I'm jinxing myself by saying this, but it's so nice and spring-like outside right now! I'm beginning to feel the slothy hibernation of winter subside and the jazzy activity of spring begin. Already I feel much more active and cheerful. I've started the annual Run-around-without-a-coat-on parade. I've had yearnings to -- get this -- go to the gym. Fresh vegetables have found their way into my fridge and my freezer is devoid of starchy heavy foods.

In short, I'm happy the seasons have turned and we're (mostly) putting winter behind us, even if it was a pretty mild one.

Some things:

• Vindication. Thanks to some vocal people and management finally catching a clue, Skirtgate has been completely and officially resolved. Thank you guys for being completely supportive and wonderful.
  
  
• It's almost St. Patrick's Day! St. Patrick's Day on a Monday kind of blows, but whatever. I'm looking for a party that night. Who's up for one?
  
  
• Photography, photography, photography. Uh, I've been doing a lot of it lately. Some noteworthy stuff:
  
  
  Furthering my position as crazy cat spinster lady, I took a bunch of pictures of Dill one night after catching the end of a Henri Cartier-Bresson documentary. I got all inspired and the only subject at hand was Dill, so we had a bit of a photo shoot. More are here.
  
  
  
  My company held their annual Chinese New Year Lunch and asked me to take photos. I had a lot of fun doing it. The above portrait is of my coworker Emma, who organizes the lunch every year. What started as 11 people in a tiny room has now (10 years later!) become a good portion of the company taking over the entire restaurant. More photos from that day are here.
  
  
  
  Kelly and I went to the St. Patrick's Day Parade on Sunday and I took about a million pictures. Bonus! Men in kilts! More are here.
  
  
• Operation: Get Published Along the same lines, I've begun posting more of my photos over at JPG Magazine. I had submitted photos to themes over there twice and felt very intimidated by the other "amateurs" over there. Not to mention I wasn't accepted for publication either time. But going through the latest issue and looking at some of the bios of the photographers, I realized that a great number of the contributers really were amateur and felt sort of silly about all of my intimidation. So I stopped worrying about if my photos fit in "themes" and just began posting photos to build my profile. Oh my goodness! The response I've gotten has been very gratifying. So many nice comments from really talented photographers (ones who have been published) and I'm getting "favorited" a lot. So I'm going to continue posting my best photos over there and if one should happen to fit a theme of publication, then so be it.
  
  
• Oh Fortuna... On Saturday, the Doc and Dr. McCormick took me to the orchestra as a thank you for helping with the Folk Art Exhibit and with one of the Doc's papers. We heard Camina Burana, and wow. It's a piece I've heard a thousand times before, but nothing compares to it live. If it comes to an orchestra near you make an effort to go, because it was nothing short of incredible.
  
  
• While we're talking about Doc... Fuck you, Health Insurance Company. I fucking hate you and your ass face. You suck. Stop being such douchenozzles.
  
  
• Catholic Pagan Unitarian Peace Mission Quaker Tomorrow night is Ostara and I am really looking forward to it. I'm ready to dance the winter away.
  
  
• One last picture This time of the Face of Boe, Jim and Stephanie's cat, who, yes is named after a Doctor Who character. Shut up. She's awesome and cute and I may kidnap her one day. Shh, don't tell Jim and Stephanie.