husband + puppies = awesome

I love my husband.... he's so supportive, and cute, and strong... and... well, just look at these photos!  It makes you like him a bit more, right? [smile].

-maike rinaye-

ps: see more here, or eventually here :)
pps: he did tell me not to put these on the internet [which I didn't actually agree to], so don't rat me out, k!

"Eliminate physical clutter. More importantly, eliminate spiritual clutter." ~Terri Guillemets

To most of you, this is just a bottle.  A tiny bottle.  Maybe you can see that it's a victoria secret body wash... it was nice, but I'm so excited to say that it is empty.

I know, sorta bizarre, right.  Why should I post a picture of an EMPTY bottle... dumb.

But it's not.  I've sort of been on a journey the past few years about learning to simplify, and to live and be happy with the things that I already have and more over the EXPERIENCES I get to have, because I'm conscious about how I'm spending my hard earned dough [and consequently, how I'm paying off debt].

So one way I have been doing this, is through products [sometimes it's not about buying new things, but more about better using the things you have].

Ya'all, I have SO MANY bathroom products.  How does it even happen!  My husband [okay, and whatever, he's a dude, so he automatically has less stuff, but still], he has a toothbrush, tooth paste, shampoo, body wash and mouth wash... that's it.

Me?... well, there's not enough blogspace to write every bathroom product I have, but even if we just look in the shower, I have a straight hair shampoo and a straight hair conditioner, then I have some other shampoo, and curly hair conditioner, shaving shower gel, soap bar, face wash, and two other things of small shower gel... well, now only 1 [smile].

But that's not including products I have in the cabinets or under the sink.  Ugg.

It's so much!  And I've spent some time wondering how I got this way.  It's not necessarily that I go and buy a new bottle of lotion, gel, shower stuff, or hair product every time I go to the store [I don't, I swear], but it's more that I have accumulated these items and don't use the majority of them.  For whatever reason [sale, buy something get something free, get it as a gift, etc], I get stuck with these things that aren't part of my daily routine.  And then they sit.

I've had this little bottle of shower gel in my possession for years.  Literally.  And that's ridiculous.

So, in an effort to simplify, and live a better, less cluttered, cleaner life; I'm trying to use all these items up, and then having the self control not to buy any more, 'cause there are certain things I use, and there are certain things I don't.  And I know what they are, I just need to be disciplined in that and not suckered into believing that my life will mimic that of a beach goddess if I buy the coconut smelling shower gel.  Or I'll automatically be so much happier if I have this special shampoo.

Simplification.  You would think that living simpler would also be easier.  And maybe some day it will.  Until then, here's one bottle toward using/giving away all the rest of my random products that I've had for way too long.

-maike rinaye-

ps: Don't know if you all have ever heard of this, but I'm going to attempt [when my current bottles of shampoo and conditioner run out], to shampoo my hair with the suggested baking soda and apple cider vinegar solutions instead.  I'll try to let you know how it goes [but I also probably have a good month left of my current shampoo and conditioner :)].

pps: Also, I've been encouraged by this blog post about simple living: http://www.younghouselove.com/2012/05/the-simple-life-2/

"Ch..Ch..Ch... Changes..."

I have a secret love for Biggest Loser. Which really, I think, comes from a love of seeing transformation; in myself, in others, in the earth, in businesses, etc.

Which is why I choose this image this week. Winter is transforming to Spring! Hallelujah!

And so many other things are transitioning too.

I've watched more of the Biggest Loser this week, because Ronald has been out of town for a few days, AND, because I no longer have a day job. That's right, me and framing = no longer happening. And I am SO happy right now.

The frame place I was working at has had a lot of ups and downs between its employees for a while now, but with the new ownership, I wasn't re-hired. Simple as that. And I seriously, could not be any more thankful. If this would have happened six months ago I would have been freaking out about bills, and what I was going to do, and everything. And although I know there are things that I'll need to get together, and try harder at etc... I'm not freaking out. I am so happy that I don't have to work weekends, and that I don't have to freakin fight for a day off, only to feel guilty about it later. And I'm happy for the little things too, like being able to wear my nose ring again :).

So changes. The people on the Biggest Loser are inspirational. In more than just losing weight. They're inspirational because they found something they don't like about themselves and something they can make better, and they are choosing to go out there and do it. And to fight towards the end that they see ahead!

For me, in this transitional period of life, I have a few goals.
1. Eat healthier/garden/make better meals
2. Work REALLY hard at photography :); I have both the professional portraiture website up [www.mrinaye.com], and I also have an etsy site with my awesome assistant Ashley [http://www.etsy.com/shop/MRinayeModish]
3. Make time for people/ladies/fellowship
4. Make time for God

Are you guys working on any goals right now?

-maike rinaye-

PS: the last episode I watched was the Newman's Own Episode... holy crap, I had no idea they were such a wickedly awesome company! Look what they did :).

"And I gave to you my ugly brown coat, You made it pretty when you put it on...

....Warmth in the early morning chill my girl
Warmth in the early April"

This weeks choice is from HB:

I have been thinking about what to write about the Avett Brothers, for FOR.EV.ER!

Okay, so not quite that long, but even before we started this blog challenge, I had thought about trying to write something about some of their lyrics [they have such great, inspiring, sweet, awesome lyrics].

But here's the thing, with the Avetts, there are so many different directions I can go! I can talk about my first concert [I'm pretty sure it was Jars of Clay, with an opening act from The W's]. Or I can talk about inspirational stuff, and where my life is now, and how I need to hear and believe some of those inspirational words [see Avetts song Head Full of Doubt: "When nothing is owed or deserved or expected, And your life doesn't change by the man that's elected, If you're loved by someone, you're never rejected, Decide what to be and go be it"], or I can talk about the moments that I sort of feel like I share with the Avetts.... which is what I've settled on.... for tonight anyway.

The first Avetts song I ever heard was January Wedding. I.fell.in.love... partially, because when I heard it, I was also falling in love at the same time. For a very short period [maybe a total of two minutes], I even considered January as a possible month to get married in... but then I remembered January... icky January. When things are ugly outside unless the snow is covering it all up, in which case it's COLD... and you're just left waiting for freaking February, March and half of April to pass to see the sun again!

But back to the story! Ronald's [now husband, but I'm pretty sure nothing at the time] friends were singing January Wedding one night when they were all drunk [that's what they "do" when it reaches a certain time of the night and they've had enough alcohol to liven their spirits]. And it was just great. All the drunk boys singing, "And she was sick like Audrey Hepburn, when I met her"... [what does that even mean?! No one knows!], this sweet hillbilly-ish song [smile]. Even better, when we did get married in October, some very awesome friends of ours re-wrote the song and then had our entire friend group sing it to us at our sing-a-long the night before we got hitched.

Another strong memory I have, is Ronald belting out Colorshow. This isn't what I would call one of their most popular songs; but it's his FAVORITE [even though, he doesn't admit to having "favorites"]. He loves how loud he can sing/scream it, and how passionate it is. At first, I was like, "this is a bizarre song, and it's just scream yelling, I don't think I like it". But it's funny how things change when one of your close people loves something, right? [*for those of you who have never heard Ronald belt this out, we need to arrange this sometime].

Lastly, the first time I saw the Avetts in concert was when I bought tickets for Ronald and I's first anniversary. It was a Thursday night, and we had to drive an hour and a half in the rain, but when we got there, there performance was more stage presence than I have EVER seen of any other band. Even though I didn't know every song, I couldn't help being absolutely fascinated by their sheer passion for music [PLEASE, check out how bad ass the cellist is!].

So really, looking back at these memories, and the things that I tie into the Avetts, perhaps I love them so much, because they remind me of my own love.

"And always remember, there was nothing worth sharing
Like the love that let us share our name."

*maike rinaye*

ps: yes, I just spent the last hour adding you tube clips all over this blog post... I LOVE their music [sigh]... so great...

pps: they will be in Indianapolis, on September 30, 2012. Anyone want to go?

Blog Club....

It's sort of like a book club... well, in that it's a club :).... other than that maybe it's not really like a book club.

In any case, I'm not great with words, or summarizing things [shrug]. BUT I can link to others in the club who are great at those things, and can explain this blog challenge much better than I can.

So here they are:

Jenkins

HB

Megan

Whitney G

Liz

Aimee

Whitney M

-maike rinaye-

Dadadadadadadada.... dadaism

This painting makes me think of Modern Art.

Which makes me think of Tom Parker.

Which makes me think of Dada.

Which makes me scratch my head and think, "what?"

Which is perhaps exactly what they wanted.

"I'm really optimistic in the mornings." -Kary Mullis

Award for MORNINGS!

Goes to my little dog :). When I wake up, he's so happy to see I'm awake, and just that perfect mix of cuddly, lovey, and excited.

-maike rinaye-

ps: I'm not really a writer, but I think I can probably handle short and sweet, maybe a few long/more meaningful posts in there too.

pps: I'm going to eventually finish the damn alphabet drawings... so close.

U... Umbrella

*mrp*

T... troll

And I'm back! Better late than never [rolls eyes] :). And with a troll, which Ronald rescued from the basement for me ["a troll? like something you find under a bridge", "no, like one of those little guys with crazy hair and a gem in their belly button"].

*mrp*

ps: Troll drawing, actual Troll... and Bentley :)

S... is for Santa...

So instead of drawing a Santa today, I'm going to tell a story :).

My brother, sister and I growing up were believers. My parents never let Santa outshine Jesus, but we did believe in Santa.

Christmas started the first weekend of December [NOT Thanksgiving weekend], when we would head out to the woods an hour and a half away or so, and do the first Christmasey thing of the year: find a tree to cut down. Of course this tree was VERY much like a Charlie Brown Christmas Tree, but we never knew any better [no one actually ever made fun of it until we moved to Missouri and one of my friends was looking at photographs of years past].

Then on December 6th we would leave our shoes out our front door for when St. Nicholas dropped by. I'm not sure what other people got when St. Nicholas came [I did now that not everyone got a visit from St. Nicholas], but we received [in our shoes :)], a piece of fruit, a toothbrush and a special tooth paste.

Unlike some people, I don't remember when exactly I stopped believing there was a Santa. But on Christmas, I might have been 5 or 6 [?], and I woke up in the middle of the night, with bad dreams or something. So like most kids do with this problem, I wandered out to the family area to find my parents to fix the problem.

I remember walking down our LONG long hallway, and out to find my Dad at the dinning room table maybe drinking coffee. I went up to him, rubbing my eyes, trying to tell him about my dream, and asking where Mom was, and he pointed behind me and said, "Look Maike, look who's here", and so I turned around, and sure enough... there was Santa. Who I looked up at shocked, somewhat still asleep, and a bit confused toward [he did, after all, come from our front door not the chimney]. He took my hand and led me back to bed.

I don't remember much after that, if we woke up the siblings, or not, but it is just a fun memory. Especially because at some point after that, I realized that the person who had dressed up as Santa... was my Mother :).

-maike rinaye-

PS: I think I should also try to re-do the blog-the-abc's-in-a-month during a slow month... maybe February :).

R... Ronald

Sorta :)

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Q... Quote

A favorite quote, from William Shakespeare, As You Like It.

"All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. As, first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.
And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lined,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side,
His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything."

*mrp*

ps: this is also a small attempt at me catching up a bit :)... I might not make it to Z before the end of the month..

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P... Peacock

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O... Owl

Ronald thinks it looks sad... I think something about the eyes.

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N... Na'vi

It's not great, but it's something :)

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M... Mermaid

I think her tail should probably be longer... But it was short in the original too (here).

*following the completion of this sketch:
ronald: I think there needs to be more boob.
maike: I showed more than in the origional...
ronald: where's her nipple?
maike: it's there.
ronald: woah, that's a weird thought, a nippless boob. I don't like it.

-mrp-

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L... Lady, inspired by Man Ray

It's like a younger, slightly skinnier version of Man Rays.

Also, because this is what I was singing to get myself ready to draw her:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3q80A3a188

Lastly, I'm pretty proud of her face... hence the close up :)

-mrp-

PS: we decided Ronald should be doing this blog challenge as well... except with learning new songs [he said that "if it was me, I would record the song, and then make it play with this post"]... so next time :).

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K... Klingon

Maike: I drew a klingon, look.
Ronald: You drew a famous klingon.
Maike: Ya, I tried to find a girl klingon, but the only image I found was too small.
Ronald: You should have asked....I could have found one.
Maike: You have special klingon searching abilities?
Ronald: [ignoring Maike], There's only one cute girl klingon. Warf dated her for a while... they have a kid together... named Alexander..

**You know you live with a trekkie when.

*mrp*

ps: searching for "klingon" with google images, brings up some creepy shit, like THIS CAT... and THIS RANDOM DUDE....

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J... Jabberwocky

Its safe to say, I will most likely never be,an animator :).

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I... Ipod

Still not quite right w/the face...

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