The day after Aurilion arrived we drove around a bit, got semi-lost trying to find the recycling place and picked up my lapis lazuli ring from the jewelers (where I was getting it sized). I told zir about its significance and the significance of my other rings (which I have yet to post about ;-p). We were planning on going to laughter yoga but ze felt that would be too much at that moment (it was so intense just being together) so instead we went to dinner at the coffeehouse and then to the park! We saw ducklings! (which I had never seen in real life) I showed zir the twin tree which had comforted me on a day I felt crazy, and ze felt the sweet energy of it. We both gave it kisses ;-) Then we met another tree which was quite amazing and I got zir to pose with it.



( photos! )

Later that evening we watched Playing By Heart, which was an incredible experience because our hearts were so open to each other and I could feel zir reactions so clearly! Also, ze strongly empathized with so many of the characters (who are all dear to my heart) and I saw them with new eyes. I felt like I was seeing it for the first time, only better. That movie means so much to me. ♥ I LOVE seeing it with people when they see it for the first time.

Aurilion arrives in 14 hours! holy fuck! and I haven't slept yet! I wanted to get this posted because I'll have a billion more to share once ze arrives!

These are from April 26th, when Nimajn and I went on a drive so that I could take in all the greeeeeeeeeeeeenery. As ze drove I snapped photos furiously and got positively high from all the delicious greens... I find it so deeply nourishing to gaze at them, and somehow my gaze is intensified through a camera lens. I can't describe exactly what it means to me to see the trees alight with emerald and peridot and a million other verdant jewels... so I'll have to show you my gleeful face. ;-)

this also matches my current mood at the fact that I will SEE AURILION IN 14 HOURS:



( a bunch of me )



( (mostly blurry) greenery )

Day before yesterday I was up for 29 hours, then I went to sleep for about 19 hours. My schedule is so insane because I have SO MUCH going on, emotionally. I haven't been able to catch up mentally, which is why I haven't been able to write about it in any real way. Now thanks to many many dreams last night, I feel emotionally caught up but there is a new development that makes me uncertain all over again, and I am waiting to see what happens before I pour it all out. Sorry for the crypticness, I think you'll understand when I finally make that megapost.

I've been communicating so much lately (phone, IM, email) -- more in the past two weeks than in the rest of this year combined. It feels really good, like a dam broke and all of this connection is flowing into and through me. So many possibilities, so much hope, so much newness.

I also seem to be changing shape; I think from a combination of using the HealthRider and just using so much emotional energy that my body is burning more fuel. The best thing is that I'm starting to feel muscles in my midsection, legs, and arms (on the inside, not the outside). I feel so much stronger, so fast! It feels good.

You know the amazing artist I posted about a while back, Willow Jenkinson? She is framing and sending me Devotion to the Matron as a gift! I loved it so much I wanted to buy it, but she offered it as a gift and I wasn't about to say no. The COLORS! The FACES! It's absolutely my favorite of her pieces so far. AND I GET TO OWN IT. THE ORIGINAL. It's going in my sanctuary ♥

I might be meeting Ava in two weeks. I'm trying not to get excited until the tickets are bought but -- I'm excited anyway, can't help it!

Also, I've been meaning to post about this for a long time -- I met Kimberley (darkpool), Jason (thesaj), and Aranatha (babythyme) at the end of February! Kimberley is one of my oldest LJ friends -- I 'met' her in April, 2004. About a year later I LJ-met Jason, and a year after that they got married, and about a year after that, Aranatha was born. (okay, enough timelining) They came into Atlanta for a conference and gave me the opportunity to finally meet them!

I was surprised on meeting Kimberley because her writing style can come across as formal and reserved, but in person she's SO bubbly! I know that if we lived close we'd spend a lot of time together. And I'd spend a lot of time babysitting too, because Aranatha is absolutely the most adorable child EVER. She was so HAPPY, smiling and cooing all the time! I could not stop grinning because she just radiated the most pure joy I've ever seen! I wanted to go move in with Kimberley and Jason and be their nanny, haha. And Jason was so outspoken and free -- I found it very interesting to listen to him rant about this and that, and rant along with him *giggles* Poor Nimajneb (my partner, I'm spelling his name that way nowadays for reasons I'll explain later) was a little overwhelmed by 1) new people 2) new places, and 3) loud conversation!

( the adventure of meeting them, and photos! )

Happy April 1st -- don't let anyone fool you today, heh. (don't think I've ever attempted an April Fool's joke, doubt I ever will -- even if I tried it would fail miserably because I can't lie worth a damn)

So. I was going to take more photos to go along with this, but I have been on a nocturnal schedule which makes taking photos difficult (am natural-light obsessed). I have some belated thank-yous for birthday gifts! In the order they arrived:

jenniology sent me an AMAZING painting of two Egyptian women/goddesses! One in green with a lotus circlet, and one in red with the sundisk and horns on her head (Isis or Hathor?). It's on papyrus! so I'm keeping it wrapped up until I get a good frame for it. Jenny, this is SUCH an amazing gift! Nothing thrills me more than being given original art, especially by the artist hirself! ♥ Thank you a million times! And thank you for the sweet card.

kmiotutsie gave me a stained glass star, which is... WOW so amazing! I have it hanging on the wall in my living room right now, but soon it is going in my sanctuary ♥ that I DO have photos of. ( five photos! ) & she also got me a crystal pendant which is really awesome because I had been craving one. I'm not sure what I want it for yet... not just for wearing, I might make it into a pendulum. Thank you so much Firekat! You rock! You know me so well. :D

cynosis sent me a wonderful mix CD with a long hand-written note! including the important parts of lyrics. I have only listened to a few songs so far but I am LOVING what I've heard. (holy crap, the song "Nara" is thrilling me down to my bones, wow, shivers) And the note means a LOT because I LOVE having samples of people's handwriting. It's like a little piece of you, a little expression of your individuality. Thank you Cynosis!

mme_furiosa sent me a postcard from Sri Lanka!!! How cool is that? It's from a Moken village, where a once nomadic people now lives. She chose it because she and I both have gypsy spirits ♥ Thanks Francesca!

In other news, I got a HealthRider for myself from craigslist for $35, haha! My parents had one when I was a teen, and I used to listen to music and use it and go into an absolute trance. It is FUN, no I'm totally not kidding. It is like a combination swing and see-saw and it totally brings out my little kid self! I love it! They should have named it the FunRider -- but then all the people who want to punish their bodies rather than enjoy them wouldn't have gotten it, heh. It's so fun! I'm really wishing I could take it to Glasgow with me so that I could share it with Hannah. Ben likes it too :D

I made armandii an earring set recently and couldn't resist taking photos in them (don't worry, I always clean them after). The jewelry pieces I make are my babies, I have such a hard time letting them go! ;-) Oh, and I started an etsy account -- don't have much up yet, but I'm planning on making a bunch of simple earrings because I think they'll sell better. This time I want to keep trying until it works. I made two pairs today, though they didn't turn out simple at all -- one took the better part of two hours and the other took one. *rolls eyes at self*

I have discovered Burt's Bees lip shimmer and my friends, I actually like it! I'm collecting all the colors :D I've always hated lip color because it tastes nasty and feels goopy on my lips, but this actually feels like lip gloss, very light, and tastes peppermint YUM! I usually blot, but I wanted intense colors here.



( no nudity, gasp faint )

I need an updated selfportraiture icon (new camera, longer hair) but I need another person and another camera for that, argh!

I just found the most amazing, beautiful, inspiring thing ever!


Laughter yoga! and I found a group that meets NEAR ME (in a place I've probably driven by thousands of times) and is free! it's on Wednesdays so I have to wait a whole week but WOW YAY EXCITEMENT!!! *dances, bounces excitedly* And I'm so eager to meet the sort of people who would go! :D ((find one near you!))

I laugh a lot. I don't know if that comes across in my LJ because I'm not speaking it, but if you have met me in person I think you would definitely see me as a very laughing, giggling person. I don't just laugh at things that are funny to me; I laugh out of joy, I laugh out of shock, I laugh when I make mistakes, and I laugh when something is just so bad it's ridiculous. I think I laugh probably as much as a child, if not more. Laughter is part of my language. I have a very loud laugh (sometimes it actually hurts my ears when I'm facing the computer and it gets bounced back to me) which I almost never restrain, even though it often earns me odd (and annoyed!) looks. I giggle more often than I laugh, though -- most of my conversations are sprinkled with giggles.

I see laughter as a spiritual thing -- to me, it's like the rippling echo of a person's spirit. I feel like a person's laugh expresses a lot, and when people laugh I often feel a deep surge of love for them. Smiles are nice, but laughter is glorious. When someone laughs I feel like they have sent off this wave of positive energy, and it absolutely lights me up. I often laugh in response, even if they're far away (like in a store). Because of all of this, I am profoundly curious about how this laughter yoga affects people. In another interview, the founder mentioned that he used to be very serious, and laughed as he said it -- you could see the effect it had on him! *beams*

And I love how a lot of the exercises are touching -- linking arms, laying in a heap, etc. It's like a cuddle party but even better! :D OMG CAN'T CONTAIN EXCITEMENT!!!


amused by life!

also, happy belated birthday fionavere and happy birthday thesaj and sylvanfae! Hope it was/is fantastic! I'm so glad you all exist. ;D

this is THE MOST HILARIOUS succession of photos I've seen in a very long time! I can't stop giggling. It begs for lolcaptioning! I'll leave that to you clever people.

( clever Maiya )

ETA: okay, maybe it's just funny to me. ;-)

I've been meaning to share this since I took it in early January! It's not my favorite shoot (still getting used to using the timer, and don't have much space!) but I like it a good bit.

( nudity )

I've felt so blocked for the past week! I think it may be because I was on a weird schedule (for me) -- going to bed at like 7 or 8 pm and getting up 12 hours later. (I'm actually able to write now since it's past midnight. I am a daughter of the Night!) and I am frustrated because I've been trying to reply to comments but I keep stalling out, and I don't want to get more behind! I know you would forgive me but it bothers me to leave comments unacknowledged.

anyway. I went and applied for the passport, which was so much easier than I thought it would be. I felt very brave, driving to a new place all alone and handling it all without too much stressing out. I talked to strangers comfortably as I waited in line, and then chatted with the (friendly!) lady who handled my application. Yay me! *applauds self*

I've also been decorating myself more -- I went and bought a ton of scarves from goodwill to use as head & hip scarves, and I've been buying makeup here and there. I found this amazing shimmery sheer shadow that works PERFECTLY for my under-eye decoration. I have very thin skin under my eyes and no matter how much sleep I get or how healthy I am, I always have purple there. I used to try to hide it with concealer, but since I no longer believe in concealer I have accepted my purple shadows as part of my face and decorate them instead of trying to hide them. They're now one of my favorite features! With shimmery shadow to highlight them, they make me look quite fey. ( see? )

Also! Hannah's last package finally showed up yesterday so we got on the phone and had a present-opening festival (her b-day is 8 days from mine). We both took photos of our presents 'cause we're like that XD.

( presents from hannahface )

She loved the presents I got her too :D I got her something glow-in-the-dark too, and toys, and a CD, heh -- theme? ;-) We're such wild little children. Every day that passes I get a little more excited about seeing her again. And Nick-n-Kate-n-Meliae! eeeeeeee!!! *hyperhophop*

I want to post about my spirituality -- I keep wanting to, mentally composing entries, and then not doing it. I don't know why! Maybe because I don't fit into any one religion (or even two) so sharing it publicly might make me feel more aware of my aloneness? Maybe because there is just so MUCH and I don't know where to start? I dunno. But that's one of my goals so I hope to get started soon. if you'd be interested, please let me know because I think that would help to motivate me (thanks ever so much a_singularity for your questions! they gave me a good head start on a post).

I made up a little flyer and posted it on the church bulletin board, hoping to find more people around and maybe start a weekly get-together to discuss our similarities/differences/new-thoughts. I've had one person contact me so far, I responded but haven't heard back yet. Hope this works out better than meetup! ;-)

I realized I have a ton of jewelry photos I haven't shared from as far back as last August, so here goes. I so miss that heat!



( close-ups of my jewelry! )



( the self-portraits I took in them )

I'm always up for a new commission, so check out the different designs and let me know if you want to order something!

Friday I spent the day with SabR -- so much fun! We went shopping in downtown Athens and I looked at a lot of glass art, but the really lovely pieces were just too expensive and the decently priced stuff was nice but not in any of my colors. :-p So at the Native American store I picked up a green jasper egg (which had an amazing forest energy) and an opalite star for my altar, and a small thing for one of my Aquarian friends' birthday. ;-)

The strangest thing happened there -- Ashley just happened to come into the shop at the same time that we were there! For those of you who haven't been on my flist long, Ashley and SabR have negative history and pretty much hate each other. When Ashley called me over, I made awkward conversation with her (the tension between them was palpable) and then told her that I was there with SabR, which ended the conversation. I've never experienced that before and I would not care to experience it again! And it makes me wish humans were a little less civilized because I would much prefer open fighting to polite hatred. I'm not the sort of person who tries to break up a fight between adults (or equally matched children) because while it may not be the best way to resolve conflict, it's better than the alternative, in my mind. The police might not agree, heh.

Anyway, after that was over we went to see The Tree That Owns Itself (which is actually the scion of the original tree) and were disappointed at how young it was. (but I want to go back and see it again in the summer) The Magnolia across the street was HUGE and amazing, so we took more photos of that.

SabR took me to one of her favorite Mexican restaurants, which I liked (to my surprise, as I am very picky) and then we went back to her place and watched Prince of Egypt (which she had never seen! wtf!) and Knocked Up, which wasn't as bad as I had expected from everything people had said. ( ranting about the movie ) Oh, and Paul Rudd was BRILLIANT in that film. He's one of the handful of actors I wish I could meet.



( photos of SabR, me, trees, and Athens )

I've been friends with quite a few cats over my life -- Kanika is in a class all to herself. She's definitely the least affectionate cat I've ever met. Every single time you go to pet her, she has to sniff out your intentions first. Those few occasions when she doesn't immediately run off, she only tolerates one or two strokes before she threatens to bite you -- and you BETTER pay attention. She only rubs against you when she wants something, and if you make the mistake of thinking she's being cuddly, she looks at you as if you are unbearably stupid and resists your advances. Very rarely she will be in a lovey mood and come sit with me (in between the keyboard and me, of course) and THEN if I try to put her down she will bite me! crazy cat. She does seem to react with concern and cuddles when I'm really upset, but it only lasts about a minute, heh.

BUT she's also the most clever animal I've ever known. We lock her in the bathroom when she's being annoying, so she figured out how to unlatch the door and get out! Nowadays we have to put a brick in front of it if we want to keep her in more than a minute (she can still get out but it takes longer). She knows it is okay to use claws with Ben, so she does, but she never, ever uses them on me. If her litter box is dirty, she will get my attention by tearing around maniacally, and then darting for the box as soon as I look at her. (I'm always impressed that she's so good at communicating with me, so it always works) She plays tag (which I've never known any other animal to play, and she even taps you!) and fetch (much better than any dog I've known, since she will FIND it if it disappears from her line of sight), and with Ben she 'plays' attack. She also plays her own version of soccer by herself which is SO cute -- she bats the ball from paw to paw, tosses it in the air, and dumps it in the 'goal' (which is usually Ben's shoes).

Her favorite toy EVER is this fluffy sparkly pink puffball, which I find hilariously ironic because her personality is such a hardass. She doesn't seem to see the irony though, heh. She loves to play fetch with it and often drops it on the desk when I'm on the computer -- if I don't throw it she will toss it right on the keyboard or bump it against my mouse hand. So I fling it over my shoulder to get it out of the way and she goes tearing after it with this adorably excited chirrup.



( a video of Kanika playing fetch! and several photos )

also, go link me to your wishlist if you haven't already! I mean it! I'll throw 'Nika on you if you don't! (if you don't have one at least tell me a few things that would be on it if you did)

( reflections on my pages-long 'identity' post )

LJ idol has been such an adventure already! There are 156 contestants (I pity the mods for having to work out a voting system on that) and nearly HALF of them posted their response to this week's topic ('my favorite childhood memory') in the FIRST DAY! Crazy. I thought all creative people were procrastinators, heh. And I am anxious to get mine done because 1) I want to read others' entries and I'm not letting myself until mine is written, and 2) I want to be read! and 3) I have a good idea of how I want to compose my entry.

BTW, do any of you compose entries in your head when you're not even at the computer? Often -- I'd say the majority of the time -- my posts have been written and re-written in my head before I ever sit to type. (I'm such an LJ addict. and perfectionist.)

My participation in this thing is odd 'cause I don't believe in one-on-one competition (as opposed to team competition), ESPECIALLY in the realm of art. I think the only way to really judge art is to judge how much of hirself the artist poured in, and there's no way to accurately measure that. So I'm trying to ignore the judging/voting aspect, but I want to stay in, so I still want alla y'all to vote for me, heh. *giggles* And there are so many amazing writers -- I have no idea how anyone would manage to vote. There were at LEAST 20 posts that I admired/enjoyed very much, and pretty much equally. I expect to be eliminated fairly early, but I plan to continue posting on the topics and voting.



( just three this time )

A few weeks ago I was at Ben's fam's house for his/elya's birthday party, and after the festivities died down I happened to go in the garage for something and saw RAINBOWS from the glass in the garage windows -- so I took a million photos. I cannot resist rainbows -- they are still magic to me. *love sparkle glitter beauty* and also, queer pride yes! :D I need to make myself some rainbow jewelry.

The song doesn't really have to do with the photos, artistically, but it just seemed to fit so I used the lyrics as captions. ;-)

( video: Rainbowarriors by CocoRosie )

of all the white horses...
In these times of evil spirits
Of material thugs and mischief
Fear Saint Noni's wisdom
And his love for rainbow spirits
Jealous of their faithful heart-bond
And their dancing and their laughing
Made at last a league against them
To molest them and destroy them
Saint Noni wise and heart-strong
Often said to Rainbowarrior
"O my brother do not leave me!
Lest the evil spirits harm you!"



( the photos! )

The ones with me in them aren't as great as the others, 'cause I couldn't see what I was shooting, of course. :-p I took about 600 photos this trip (well, Ben took some of them) so I'm breaking them into several posts. I took some portrait-style photos of lil sis and mom which turned out AMAZING and I can't wait to share them, next. And after that, a clothed shoot of me and a nude one. and maybe a text post about the trip somewhere in there...



( me & lil sis, lil sis & mom, mom & me )

one of the first photos taken with my NEW Sony Cybershot DSC-W80!!! I loooooooooooove her!

( me and Spydra -- and raving about her awesome features! )

About a year ago, I stopped going to Liberty because of an argument I had with the pastor. After a week or two, the co-pastors of the service I went to sent me a card saying they missed me, and then two weeks after that, sent me a plant (along with another card). I was very touched by the fact that they noticed my absence and went to such trouble to reach out to me (and I wondered if pastor Beth had told them, since she was around during the argument). I kept the plant, and it slowly became symbolic for me. It seemed to wax and wane according to the health of my spirit (probably because when I was spiritually low I never remembered to water it). So now I think of it as my 'spirituality plant.'

I had been meaning to re-pot it for ages, and finally got the pot and soil day before yesterday. In the bottom of the pot you're supposed to put stones or something to allow for better drainage, so I looked around for something to put in and saw these five stones that someone in my support group (from 2 years ago) had given me, with words on them -- 'peace,' 'you are beautiful' -- etc. They seemed ridiculously appropriate so I put them in along with some glass beads that I probably wouldn't use. When I tapped the plant loose from its old pot, there was almost no soil left! it was all roots! and they were so thick! I have no idea how that plant managed to stay so healthy with no nutrients. Loosening the roots took strong pulls because they were so tangled. I've replanted quite a bit thanks to my mom, but I've never seen roots so hard to separate.

It all seemed very symbolic of me -- I've outgrown my old 'pot' and have been living in too small a world, for so long that my roots have gotten tangled up with each other and I have run out of nutrients. By exploring new churches, making renewed effort with friends, and starting this women's group, I'm untangling and stretching out my roots to be nourished again. You should see how happy that plant looks in its new pot!


( me and my spirituality plant )

Saturday we had planned to go to the Etowah Indian Mounds, but we didn't get much sleep the morning before and Hannah didn't have the energy to go, so Nimajneb and I went without her, and it was absolutely incredible. I believe it was meant to be that way, because if she had gone, I would have been very caught up in spending time with her and wouldn't have experienced it the same way (and she needed the sleep). I also feel like being with her this past week was a kind of catalyst for us both and we wouldn't have experienced it as deeply had she not been here.

We sat and listened to a man talk about the history of the major Native American tribes (including how some were matriarchal) and play a beautiful song on the flute, and then a group of Native Americans taught us about the different types of dance, and demonstrated... the music went straight to my blood and filled me up... ohhh I love drums. (and I learned that I prefer the deeper, southern style of singing rather than the higher northern style)



( photos of the drumming and dancing )

Afterward, I sat on the edge of the 'borrow pit' and gazed at the massive tree growing from the bed of it -- how old the pit must be to have such an Elder growing there! -- and Nimajneb spoke with the flute player. Nimajneb's part Seminole but has never really explored his heritage -- I was so thrilled that he spoke so openly about it, and thrilled that he wanted to buy the CD of flute music. It's such a huge step in openness -- I can't even express how amazed I am, how happy. I've felt like he had this amazing present, but he never even took the wrapping off -- and I would have opened it as soon as my baby hands could manage it, and worn it like a crown ever after. Even though it's not something I can share, I know it's such a big part of who he is, and I am so excited that he is finally opening up to it. I think this was a exuviating experience for him -- no, I know it. He's letting me post photos of him without him having to approve them first!

( photo )

Then we walked to the largest mound, and up the many shallow steps... and I lost my breath, partly because I'm out of shape and partly because I was overwhelmed by the spirit of the place. I was immediately drawn to a massive tree on the side of the mound, my God/dess, it was so amazing -- I have tears in my eyes at the memory. I sat near and spoke quietly to it as Nimajneb walked away around the edge of the mound, and just drank in its presence... when Nimajneb came back I said that I wished I could touch it, and so he insisted on helping me down to it (I have a fear of heights and not much faith in my own balance). When I touched its bark, I felt such a strong rush of warmth! I've had only one experience even remotely like it, and that was 8 years ago... this was such a profoundly spiritual experience; I feel like it confirms my connection with trees. I can't put it into words, it was so amazing -- in that one second, everything shifted. I feel like everything I believe became more real, more alive. (and I realized that I've never met a tree as old as that one -- all the trees I have met have been young) Nimajneb took some photos of the moment (which I am so grateful for), and then helped me back up to the top.

We wandered around and I saw several more amazing trees (including one with a faery house!), but none like that one. I feel like I left a little piece of my heart with it, and I can feel the tug of that connection. ♥ How can life be so amazing? (God/dess, I love you, thank you for this life, thank you for the beauty and the love you put in everything ♥ ♥ ♥) And there was a river nearby! Such an amazing, incredible, fascinating place -- I felt honored to walk the ground there. I definitely must go back (and next time I must wear sunscreen).



( many lovely photos )

Right now, things are good with Hannah and I, but it has been a really hard battle -- it's like we have been tearing down walls that built themselves through distance and infrequent communication. We've had so many 'big conversations' this week -- really the same conversation, just digging into deeper levels each time. But the times between 'digging' are so magical, full of light and joy and laughter. We've taken so many insane videos *rolls eyes* (but because we are nudists most of them won't be hostable! ack!) and nearly 2,000 photos. (soon, my dears, sooooooon)

I've also been a terrible friend lately (including before Hannah got here), canceling plans with Kazi and Brian three times and canceling on SabR and Leslie too... I really feel dreadful about it. I abhor not keeping my word, and that's what I did... Kazi/Brian/SabR and I had a long chat about it a few nights ago and I think they're willing to forgive me but ugh, I can't get it out of my mind. And I hate that my various irrational fears have made it seem as if I don't want to see them, when I really deeply miss them. (and I wanted to meet Leslie) Also, FYI to LJ friends, please forgive my lack of commenting during the visit -- I'll still be reading but probably won't comment, and I may miss stuff. If there are any posts you'd especially like my input on, leave me the link and I will do my very best to respond as soon as possible.

I didn't realize how low on energy I am until this week -- things that would have been so easy for me are so hard now. Resting and connecting with Hannah helps, though, and I feel like my energy is slowly increasing.

because the icon and subject are depressed, but for the past day I've been happy:


(photo by Hannah)

life is beautiful ♥

so far we haven't kept many of our plans :-p but it's so delightfully nourishing just to be together. It's been so wonderful and exhausting (I had forgotten how we intensify each other!)... and the more we re-connect, the more magical everything becomes. *deep, contented sigh*

(have soooo many photos (and videos!) to post but must get Hannah & Ben's approval for ones with them. *makes faces*)

since Hannah's going to BE HERE in 13 hours (!!!) I'm going to post a bunch of recent stuff to clear the way for new stuff. I'm quite proud of some of these self-portraits.



( leafshadow portraits )



( tree honor )



( 'The Kaylene' in Berries for roina_arwen )



( four from two days ago )

It's times like this, when Hannah has posted something sooooooo incredible, that I wish that 1) she had a public journal or 2) all of you were mutual friends with her. *sigh* She hasn't even logged on today so I could ask her if I could quote her! *grr!* Anyway, she wrote about her thoughts/feelings on openness, honesty, and soulfriendship, and how our soulfriendship has changed her life. It was deeply inspiring and thrilling to read. ♥ (hopefully she'll let me share some quotes)

for now, I'll share some photos from the first visit (tryin' to get caught up before the new ones in FIVE DAYS MY FRIENDS!!!)



( at the coffeehouse, on the green couch ;-) )

We're both such analytical, philosophical types that I think most people don't have any idea of the utter silliness we create together. And the crudity! We're not above poopy jokes. Ben and Hannah tricked me into naming a pile of photos 'burny bumhole' (because I thought it was just going to be the folder) and as I watched with horror, imagining the work of individually renaming EACH ONE (I'd never had an occasion to rename multiple things, so didn't know it was possible), they doubled over with laughter. 'Burny bumhole' was a phrase oft repeated after that -- oh, and it came from Hannah's insane addiction to jalapeños. *shakes head*

When she's here this time, we'll have more time (last time she was here for 17 days, this time she's here for 51, exactly THREE TIMES the length of time!) so I'm hoping we can manage to post fairly often, if just to reduce the amount of photos we'll have to go through later (simple math says 18,000 photos, but I have become much more of a shutterbug since then, oh dear). ;-) and we will take more videos this time! and ones with clothes on so we can share them! Being nudists, that will be a sacrifice but it is one we are willing to make :D We already have plans to do a dancing one together, to share in our LJs and on curvygirls. ;-)