Texas

Two things I have learned about Texas in the past week.
1. It is hot.
2. It rains a lot. (I'm like 30 miles from the coast)
As an additional note to number 1. usually it is even hot when it is raining.

On a less negative note (Texas and I aren't the best of friends today, I am expecting us to reconcile in the next week or so) it is pretty interesting out here. Victoria is full of old southern houses and Mexican restaurants and there are palm trees just scattered about, completely normal. So strange. I will hopefully have photos up soon but I haven't yet due to the hot and the rain and the mosquitoes (they are huge and vicious!) which are multiplying like crazy due to the hot and the rain.

Last night I shot my first high school football game. I'm pretty sure that I have figured out the three things that Texans love the most, in order:

1. Jesus (I mean, can you blame them?)
2. Texas (You don't mess with Texas)
3. High School Football

Funny story:
I'm gonna let you guess what happened at the game on Friday night. (Here's a hint: it was hot and it rained) Anyway I went into the press box at half-time which was packed due to the rain and I was looking for a place to sit so I could submit my deadline photos and this woman stopped me to inform me that I had mascara running all down my face. She was so concerned that she suggested that I stop what I was doing and pointed me to the bathroom so that I could fix it. She quickly learned that I ain't no southern belle. However, on a trying to fit in note, I have successfully used the word "y'all" seamlessly in a sentence on more than one occasion.

Today I saw that in the mitten y'all were complaining about the rain so I leave you with a shot from my first shoot under the Friday Night Lights:

What you have isn't rain...this is rain:

Funny Bracelets

So there are these new things that are really popular amongst the kids here in Kankakee. Rubber bands shaped like various things that you can wear as bracelets (when you take them off they go back to their cool shape.) and trade them with your friends. Or, in my case, make them make noises after a few beers. Anyway, I now own several rubber band bracelets shaped like dinosaurs, a shoe, a train and an elephant. The irony here is that I had intended to post this picture before my acquisition of said rubber bands.





This is three-year-old Holly Melant. Her mother, Andrea Melant, left, suffered an aneurysm and brain hemorrhage following routine oral surgery. She was declared a vegetable and given little hope to live. After a year in a nursing home her mother insisted that she take her home. Now she talks, eats, moves her limbs and can almost walk again. The guy on the right is one of Andrea's best friends and one of Holly's new guardians. I have more photos (obviously) that ran as a story. Maybe I'll post them. Anyway, I thought it was important that you know about the bracelet trend.

Whitney's Wedding

Alright, I meant to do this post about a month ago. When everything was fresh in people's minds and it would have really been appreciated. I, however, do not work that way. I am much more of a better late than never type of gal. Therefore I am going to justify this as people being able to look back and appreciate what was, for me, the best part of the summer.

I pulled out a few (ok, more than a few) photos that I really liked. However, in my infinite nerdy-ness everything is in the slideshow that I did make in a much more timely manner.

CLICK HERE!!

The Reason for the Celebration:


Couples coupling... My date wouldn't even let me sleep in the same tent. Haha






Hannah keeping it classy.



Jason taking over...If only you knew what the rest of this scene was...




Sunsets and golf courses.



Heels and Camera Gear



Lovely ladies in the parking lot.


That's our girl.



Texan Breffast.




I'm going to a wedding in August. I don't expect to have even half as good of a time. <3

Chicago

So I finally took the train into the city. I didn't stay nearly long enough but as it was I had to force myself to go back to the dorms in Kankakee. I can't believe the summer is almost over. I have lots that I could say but I am mainly just blogging to share this photo.



Jason the tourist.

Manteno Cruise Night

"...Why don't you go to night school in Manteno and learn a real trade."

There is no night school in Manteno for ultra-sound technicians seeking new professions. There is however a cruise night.

After driving to the wrong city (my assignment sheet said Momence) and waiting out the rain I finally got these shots which I love. This is pretty much straight from the camera. A big cloud rolled over and made everything this beautiful blue. It looks like a lit it even though I could probably never light anything this well.


I told the guy on the right that he looked like a Chicago gangster especially when he was walking around with a cigar earlier. He's actually from Miami and does street racing.




Rich Pawlak, of Manteno, left, and Erik Ottero, of Miami, Fla., talk next to a 1968 Chevelle after the rain stopped during Manteno Cruise Night Tuesday on Main Street. Pawlak started the cruise nights which are held every first and third Tuesday of the month through August.



The guy on the left has the bluest eyes I have ever seen although its probably the cloud.



Scott Eldridge, of Manteno, left, and Erik Ottero, of Miami, Fla., talk next to Eldridge's 1968 Chevelle after the rain stopped during Manteno Cruise Night Tuesday on Main Street.

Fun Days in Illinois

Illinois is hot. And then it rains. And then it is hot again. Saturday (before the little league game from Hell) I went to Clifton Fun Days outside of Kankakee.

I'm pretty sure that I hate shooting parades but I'm a sucker for a kid hanging his head out of a window. Always.




Camden Gerdes, 4, of Ashkum, sticks his head out the Askum fire truck that he was riding in the Luau Parade at Clifton Fun Days Saturday in Clifton. (07-10-10)




I saw this, had to shoot it and had to blog it. Sometimes I just can't help myself.




Does anyone else see something wrong with putting a little girl in this string of carts? (which was being pulled by a tractor...it was that kind of event.) If I ever have a daughter they are going to be so confused as to why mommy won't let them do things.

Internship

So this one time I decided to start religiously checking other people's blogs and decided that I should be less selfish and start updating my own. This would be easier if I had the internetz in my dorm. Oh well. Internship is good. More pics to come soon.

This photo makes me happy even though it is by no means perfect and, honestly, was an accident.




06-26-10 The Daily Journal/Angeli Wright
Members of the Bradley-Bourbonnais National team celebrate behind the Limestone pitcher after scoring a run to break a tie and win the game during the District 18 Little League All-Star Tournament Saturday at Beckman Park in Kankakee.