My kind of Disneyland

To say that Emir and I spent a ridiculous amount of time at B&H's flagship store in Manhattan on Sunday, would be an embarrassing understatement. When I say ridiculous, I mean… We were there for over four hours. Trying to decide between Canon's G12 and S95, we stayed busy testing every conceivable camera body/camera bag combination we could come up with, trying to think of every imaginable shooting situation we might encounter while traveling, hanging out with friends, or just in daily life when I might not have have (nor want) my 5DmII with me. It was my first time seeing the store live and in person, and I'll admit… I was giddy. Emir laughed while I exhibited a child-like wonder that easily rivaled any kid's first visit to Disneyland, which is not as far fetched as you would think.

There were doormen, greeters and even drinks and snacks… all from staff who, in their matching green B&H vests, literally resembled little green elves, delivering holiday joy with three simple words, "Welcome to B&H!"

As we wandered our way through the entrance, the impressive signage made finding what we were looking for easier than spotting a costumed character in the Magic Kingdom. Over 235,000 different items, and I could get to what I was looking for in a matter of seconds. Unbelievable.

Eventually, the dreaded announcements began. "Ladies & gentlemen, B&H will be closing in 45 minutes." Followed by, "Ladies and gentlemen, B&H will be closing in 15 minutes." Finally, they started turning the lights off (literally) and we were forced to leave. We did have a Broadway show to catch, so I guess it was good that they kicked us out, or I'm sure we would've missed it.

As we made our way to the front door with our order ticket in hand, we were awe struck by the famed B&H over-head conveyor-belt system as it magically delivered items from the stock room to the check-out counter, just for us.

It seems silly to think that a 'super warehouse' of camera goods could be considered a 'featured attraction' in a city as jam packed with entertainment and cultural treasures as New York, but… it just is. Or, at least, it was... to me. :)

I spent a lot of time thinking about what makes them so different from the countless 'camera/computer/electronic' stores the line 5th Avenue and Broadway anywhere from 32nd to 48th Street. Why is B&H so monstrously huge, successful, and efficiently well-run, while other stores seem to struggle (despite the fact that one of them managed to get $35 out of me for a 4G SD card--arg!)?

Does it all stem from a single wise decision made waaaay back in the day when they first started? Is it related to personal connections and good negotiations that eventually lead to a loyal client base that exponentially expanded? Maybe it's just the unbeatable combination of great product knowledge, easy accessibility and a company culture that is reminiscent of everyone's mysterious and aloof uncle that you can't help but love.

The guys who answer the phones are hands-down my favorite. The way they say, "B&H, how can I help you?" in their thick New York accents with only faint interest but intense efficiency, makes me laugh every time I think of it. (I once got wrapped up into a long and detailed personal conversation with one of them, who I later ran into at an event in Kansas City… and he remembered me. By name.)

Might be worth taking the kids. Maybe you could convince them that it's Disney's Magic Kingdom of the northeast?

Java, Biking, and the Pitter Patter of my Keyboard

It's December 4th and I'm proud to say that all of my 2010 brides already have their wedding albums in their pretty little hands (with the exception of the most recent three whose books are in production and should be shipping soon!). Holiday orders are finished. Love shoot albums have all been sent out. I'm even ahead on remitting sales, payroll, and quarterly taxes! Back in September, I had the chance to share my wickedly awesome streamlined workflow philosophies with attendees of the WPPI Roadshow in Detroit, and I've spent all of 2010 happily executing everything I talked about in Motor City, making for a truly awesome year. (Hopefully I can offer the same class as a platform class at WPPI 2012... until then, I'll be teaching not one, but ***two*** master classes at the 2011's WPPI! Registration is open now, and while my first master class is already sold out, I'm told there's one seat left in the advanced one... who will get it??????)

The month of December was intentionally blocked out on my calendar to work on various projects (and ideally spend time with the nephews) and it's been busy so far! Here's a sneak peek of me hard at work on my biggest project of the moment... more details coming soon!

No Really.... Thank YOU!

Amidst the weekly grocery specials, industry trade mags and ever present Bed, Bath & Beyond coupons, our mail carrier often delivers joy. Yep. Pure joy, in the form of handwritten thank you notes-- directly to our mailbox. :) I'm not sure my clients realize what treasures I consider these all to be... but I save every single one of them. I spend much of my life capturing all the things that make the lives of my clients so darn special... and am always honored and incredibly happy for these little notes that let me know I got it right... that I made a difference.

That's what I'm here for. I am so grateful...

A Sweet Simple Sunday

It's Monday... and I can't wipe the smile off my face. I've been better and better at adding balance to my life, and this past weekend I was very aware of, and grateful for, how far I've come in that pursuit. Sunday morning found Emir by my side for a (hilly!) 12 mile run through the country-side on the north/east edge of the city. Marking the apex of our training for the Des Moines half-marathon, it was also our first run with the new hand-held water bottles we bought, and I was happily surprised to find out that I didn't mind having it in my hand, the water sloshing around, for the whole 2 hours of our run. Our usual routes through the city leave us dependent upon the often sparsely available water fountains, and obviously, there aren't any to be found out in the middle of the country side, so the water bottles were a must... and they worked like a charm!

After getting home and cleaning ourselves up, we rode our new bikes to our favorite Sunday lunch spot, the Green Gateau, for mozzarella baguette sandwiches (on wheat bread instead of the baguette.... even better!) and replenished our depleted calories by splitting some cheesecake for dessert. :)

With the satisfaction of a good meal in our tummies, we hopped on our bikes and headed over to Emir's brother's house to welcome the family home from 2 incredible weeks in Europe. Adis & Laura (and Laura's mom, Jolene) hung out in Barcelona for a few days before heading to Bosnia to introduce little Haris to Emir's grandparents, aunts/uncles and cousins. Seeing Haris chase pigeons in Sarajevo, walk hand-in hand with overseas cousins, and kick around a soccer ball with Dido Fehro (Emir's grandfather) in Doboj was an awe inspiring sight, representing so much of life's victories, hopes and celebrations in a single moment. Having been spread oceans apart by world events, I was inspired and moved to see so many generations moving forward together, with such life and promise. I felt fortunate to bear witness to such beauty and strength, and proud to share my life with such a loving, resilient and brave family.

Watching Haris with Emir's parents is also a treat. He adores them and makes them smile in a way that seems to make the world brighter. Just over 1 year old, Haris already understands and responds to both English and Bosnian... looking as equally at home here in Lincoln, as he does on the streets of Sarajevo.

Growing up in a bi-cultural family of my own... I have always felt extremely fortunate, touched by a special gift that I understand and appreciate more and more as I get older. I am tickled pink that the tradition continues with Emir's family... and can't wait to have kids of our own to share such  treasure with. :) Watching Adis, Laura & Haris is pure inspiration...

(These are some of their photos from the trip. The image in the bottom right is Haris walking through the house Emir grew up in, in Doboj... simply amazing...)

We spent the remainder of our Sunday evening with my family... chasing Cole around while keeping our  Sunday movie night tradition alive and well. All in all... a perfectly awesome Sunday. :)

Bring On the Harvest!

When you look at your calendar for the next six months, are you excited? Bored? Perhaps, even terrified? Fall is on our heels and besides being my very favorite season, it's also a time for reaping what you sow.

Among some of the 'seeds' I've planted in the past year (or longer), were some changes to my workflow and service offerings that are just now coming to fruition and have resulted in unprecedented efficiency and streamlineness (is that a word? Apparently not according to spell check...). My wedding clients have consistently gotten their proofs and albums back in what I'm pretty confident is a world record-setting turn around time while I somehow managed to achieve a bit more of a balanced life. I've enjoyed various public speaking opportunities, taken some great trips, and produced work that makes me proud (and makes clients happy). And on top of it all, I'm having an absolute ball (can you say "Dancing With the Stars!?")!

This coming year's harvest is poised to bring even more opportunity for adventure, fun, exciting work, great clients... and of course, learning opportunities! Over the next few months, I'm excited about so many things, not the least of which are...

September: I'll be sharing my wickedly rad workflow prowess with WPPI Roadstrip attendees in Detroit and, with a string of Friday weddings this month, I'll be celebrating a few Husker football Saturdays with the best of 'em! Some really amazing clients even surprised me with a pair of Husker tickets so that Emir could attend his first football game.... EVER! (How insanely cool is that!?) Also planning to finally complete an application/project for what will hopefully become a truly positive, life-changing travel/learning/work experience. Keeping my fingers crossed!

October: I get to dress up (and wear heels!) and head to Denver to attend one of my best friend's weddings as a guest (what to wear!?). Plus, Emir and I will have the honor of appearing in a photoshoot (with a piano!) by an über talented Texas based photographer while surrounded by the beauty of Nebraska's celebrated sandhills. AND... I'll be running my 2nd half-marathon in Des Moines with Emir and my sister (both of whom will be running their first half-marathon, and are already insanely fast and kicking my butt!).

November: Looking forward to diving into the book project I've had on the back burner for the past six years (it's time!). With my favorite publisher on board, I plan to really hit it out of the park and finally get started on the long overdue writing process!

December: Personal & business reboot time to finish up various projects and hopefully deep clean our closets/basement, etc... (somehow, spring cleaning becomes winter cleaning at our place... ha!) Planning some trips to celebrate the beauty of the season with Emir... not sure where we'll end up yet, but a good time is definitely on the agenda! Will certainly be spending some time in the kitchen cooking up a storm of holiday delights and if I get really brave... I may attempt to bust out my sewing machine again...

January: Hopping across the pond to present at SWPP in London. The InDesign revolution continues! We'll also be catching up with dear friends in Ireland and Whales before hopefully hoping a flight to Morocco for our first African adventure!

February: Bring on the fun of WPPI! I'll be heading back to Vegas for another year of sharing my heart with fellow photographers and helping them be at their best!

March: A yurting adventure with friends! Since first hearing this word back in 2008, I've been fascinated and can't wait for this trip lead by friend and outdoor professional (not to mention former kabloom groom) Jason!

On top of that, I have some really incredible weddings and portrait sessions coming up the rest of this year and into next year that I am stoked about!

Like I said... harvest time is my favorite time of the year. :) Now, I just need to get my hands on a few good caramel apples...

Principles: A Steal for $6

The sales associate had a chip on her shoulder the size of Mt. Everest. I mean, she redefined rudeness while practically escalating it to an art form. Yet, in an attempt to give her the benefit of the doubt, I entertained the possibility that maybe she was just having a bad day. Maybe she was dealing with unforeseen hardships or stress I can scarcely even imagine. Perhaps my sheer presence was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. But... I just can't swallow the excuses I tried to make for her. Principles aren't something you abandon on a whim in the name of a bad day.

After initially denying my request to return a small unused item, she grabbed the receipt out of my hand and rolled her eyes in a manner that was so emphatic and over exaggerated, she was deserving of an Oscar. "Well...." she huffed, "if $6 is that important to you... I guess I'll go ahead and process your return." Slamming the item down on the counter, she nodded to the other cashier behind the register to process my request. What?! She's deciding whether or not to honor store policy and return my item based on her perception of the value of its $6 retail price!?

In a dazzling display of self-restraint, I responded with a simple, "It's not about the $6, it's the principle." I had bought an item and was told I could return/exchange it (minus some other non-refundable items also included in my purchase). In an effort to simplify my life and keep unnecessary consumption at bay, I took advantage of being in the area and dropped in to return the needless item. Little did I know the event would be riddled with such drama.

After leaving the store, my self-restraint ran thin and I voiced an avalanche of pent up fury to Emir (bless his heart!) who patiently persuaded me to relax, convincing me not to return to the store with the few choice words I had for the two young ladies who were by this time, surely lamenting my sheer existence and having a gossip hay day.

Left to my own devices, I replayed the exchange over and over in my mind, escalating in fury at what seems to pass for 'customer service' these days. Does her boss know she treats customers this way? Or worse yet, was she the boss? How do businesses that operate this way manage to survive? In a world bursting at the seams with competition, the transparency of social media, and a sheer overabundance of options from competitors, having and abiding by principles is sometimes the only leverage you have.

I like to imagine that this young woman went home that night with a slightly altered perspective, even if she can't yet admit it. Maybe, just maybe, I taught her something. Even if it did cost the store a $6 sale...

Dancing With the Stars - Salsa Style!

So. Much. Fun! I was honored when asked to participate in the local fundraiser "Dancing With the Stars of Lincoln" for the Lincoln Midwest Ballet Company and knew it would be a blast, but I was shocked to discover just how truly incredible the night would be. In the traditional show-style scoring, I score the event a perfect 10! 10 for entertainment value, 10 for the joy of connecting with so many incredible and talented members of our local community, and 10 for the opportunity to give back & support something near and dear to my heart: the arts. :)

The sheer variety of performances was impressive in and of itself. There was jazz, tango, broadway style, swing, east coast swing, modern, hip hop, cha cha and of course.... salsa. :) Some performances were as funny as they were fun, while others were simply HOT. I mean... ye-ow!

The evening was hosted by the ever gracious and entertaining Ken Siemek from KOLN/KGIN who not only kept the evening flowing with clever quips and comic relief, but managed to correctly pronounce my name on multiple occasions! The three judges; Jan Bretz, Richard Bailey, and William Stephan were hilarious and as endearing and fun to watch as the dancers themselves. Bravo and many thanks to everyone who was in any way connected to this fun event... well done!

Here's the video of my performance with Nick Hernandez. Happily, I didn't fall on my face and managed to score one 10 and two 9's. Good times!

Quick shots of myself with dance partner Nick Hernandez before/after our performance.

Special thanks to Casey Kaufman at IS Salon for my wild punk/salsa do! This is the aftermath of when I got home and attempted to comb it out (with Emir's help). So fun! I wish my hair was this big everyday... that's some massive back-combing!

Down the Aisle: My Baby Bro!

I was eight years old the year our family of five became a family of six, and my new baby brother quickly became the center of my universe as I test drove my expanded role as 'big sis.' I remember teaching him how to count, studying the different colors... and the way he used to say 'lello' instead of pronouncing the 'y' in 'yellow.' I made him snacks, rocked him to sleep, took him for walks and... introduced him to the music of Michael Jackson.  :) One day in the elementary school cafeteria, while devouring my favorite PB&J sandwich, I was asked a question whose answer could easily have caused the downfall of an entire social structure... potentially forever banning me to a lifetime of eating alone at the table in the corner.

"Who's your best friend?" they asked. The 'cool' answer (the one that would keep some distance between me and the table in the corner) would have been to answer with the name of whomever was the popular kid in class at the moment. Of course, I've never been a person who cares for those sort of games... so my answer was an honest one. I confidently replied, "My little brother."

However 'uncool' that answer may have been... I didn't care. I meant it.

Well... that was 20+ years ago. Nick has had a new best friend for quite some time now... her name is Jamie, and the two of them got married yesterday. :)

In keeping with tradition, my incredible aunt Theresa made Jamie's dress along with this gorgeous, gorgeous bird-cage veil. Simply stunning.

Also keeping with family tradition, Nick & Jamie's wedding was held at the Pla Mor Ballroom where I captured this image of Jamie putting on her veil. I'm not sure if it's the vintage charm of the Pla Mor, of the elegant positioning of her hands... but I absolutely love this image, and I knew I would the very moment I clicked the shutter.

Wow. I'd like to introduce you all to my new sister-in-law! :)

All grown up now, Nick is truly a force to be reckoned with. He has managed to successfully juggle a relationship with Jamie along with being a father to Cole... all while busting his butt as a pre-med student who recently schooled the MCAT. I am insanely proud of him (which I tried to convey with a toast at the reception... but have only a vague recollection of the words that actually came out of my mouth).

I love this!

The humidity alone was enough to move someone to tears... but Jamie's tears here are happy ones. :)

Holy heck! I was hoping to capture more images of little Cole dressed up in his penguin suit (aka: tux), but the humidity was pretty unbearable. We sought shelter in the air-conditioning after only a brief moment... but not before I snagged this. Heart stopper! My mom calls Cole 'charmer,' and that... he is. :)

These may be the best ring shots of all time.... :) Love those little hands!

Nick's friend BJ is definitely part of the family. Cole knows him as 'Uncle Beej.'

My other little (but definitely grown up!) brother, Tony. We're excited to have Tony back in town, having recently moved home from Colorado. He and Nick are study buddies as they both continue to plow their ways through school. Such good guys.... I am one seriously fortunate gal, I tell ya!

Of course, I can't leave out my sister Gina. She and her husband Roy just moved to Iowa where they live with their son (my newphew!) Dominic. This photo is especially fun because Dom is wearing the little linen suit that Tony wore when he was little. Gotta love that!

Go ahead... see if you can look at this photo without getting a smile on your face!

My Doad (as we call him... rhymes with 'toad'). Isn't he cute? Here he gathers his thoughts in preparation for a toast to Nick & Jamie. I adore this shot... almost as much as I adore him! :)

Having become quite the master potter, my mom ambitiously made all the centerpieces! Each vase is unique... hand crafted with love. :) What fabulous wedding favors!

Here's two of my absolute favorite people in the whole entire world. Are they cute or what? I love watching them dance... always good for a photo opp. :)

Love you all!

Get Ready Lincoln... Yours Truly is Hitting the Dance Floor, Salsa Style!

Quick, quick, slow... Quick, quick, slow... around the dance floor Nick and I will go! My voicemail indicator was staring at me, as it usually does... letting me know I had a new message. It was late (the middle of the night), and I was curious. I dialed in and a few moments later, heard a woman's voice (the fabulous Deb Schulte) kindly telling me that I was invited to participate in this year's "Dancing With the Stars of Lincoln." I squealed with excitement and immediately began fantasizing about music/wardrobe. :) Needless to say, it was hard to go to bed after that! :)

A fundraiser for the Lincoln Midwest Ballet Company, it will be a night of great music, wonderful food, and pure entertainment... all with a good cause. The catch? I have about 3 weeks to finish learning and polishing our routine to hopefully avoid total humiliation on Aug. 20th. Yikes!!!

Other folks you may know that are participating incude Nancy Becker (LPS), Nancy Biggs (LPS), Gene Brake (Home Realty), Dave Hansen (Swanson Russell), Dr. Paula Harre (Harre Orthodontics), Brittany Jeffers (Channel 8), Amanda McGill (Nebraska Legislature), Corey McKeon (former Husker player), Gina Sherwood (B107), Dr. Jeff Tomjack (Women's Health Center), Terry Wagner (Sheriff), and my dear friend and crafty extraordinaire, Sarah McCurley (Emmy & Ivy).

The best part? You're invited!

Friday Aug 20, 2010 @ Embassy Suites Doors open at 6:30 (be there to snag the best seats!) Dinner & cash bar start at 7:00 pm, Dancing competition starts at 8:00 Tickets (including dinner): $75.00 per person ($850.00 for a corporate table of 10)

To get your tickets, contact Dr. Michael & Rita Dowd @ 402.421.2173 or Dale Miller @ 402.421.4639

Here are some heinously low-quality images (captured from low-res video stills) of myself and our choreographer Sean Siedhoff (Basically Ballroom). My awesome dance partner, Nick Hernandez was operating the camera (thanks Nick!). :) Next time, I look forward to capturing some imagery/footage with him in it! :)

Now... what to wear!?

ps: If you think you'll be in the audience, let me know! A gal performing a dance she learned at lightning speed can never have too many cheerleaders! :)

Runaway to: Seattle (and Canada!)

My 31st bday was getting closer and closer... and though I had made the decision months ago to keep my wedding calendar open that weekend, Emir and I still hadn't decided what we were going to do with it. And then one night... while screwing around on one of our techno gadgets, we decided that Seattle sounded good. Nebraska's humidity was wearing on us, and we both have friends to visit in the fabled rainy city, so... we booked our tickets and a couple weeks later, we found ourselves gearing up for an early (very. early.) flight. (Sorry love... I don't know what it is with me and the painfully early flights... seems like we're always having to wake up before 3am to make it on time!) We LOVE when we have the opportunity to travel with just our backpacks. No laptops. No roller bags. Just what we can carry on our backs... and all the freedom that comes with that. I thought it'd be fun to make a quick video about how we pack so much into such a small bag and make it work for weeks at a time (our first backpacking trip across Europe was 3 weeks and it was a piece of cake with these bags!)... but I kept forgetting (I blame the early morning flights!) and the next thing I knew, I was already home and had unpacked. Doh! Remind me for next time!

(For those of you wondering, yes... I still brought my camera. Two of them in fact. My big guns only captured a small handful of images included in this post... the rest were shot with my super ancient 'purse cam.')

After a crazy fast flight connection, Emir and I met up with his childhood friend, Dino, whom he hadn't seen since before he left Bosnia. Dino picked us up at the airport, gave us the royal European hospitality treatment (including Bosnian coffee and cevapi!), and took us for a drive around some great parts of the city. What a host! :)

Eventually, we ended up downtown where we thought we were going to rent a pair of bikes for the week... but that ended up not working out quite as intended, which was great... because we wandered over to the local farmer's market where we saw this incredible metal tree sculpture...

Caught this glimpse of Seattle's Space Needle...

Soaked up some sun...

and ate dinner and enjoyed the live band. Not bad for screwed up bike reservations! :)

After our farmer's market dinner, we headed to my friend Tamara's place to crash for the night. She's one of those fabulous friends that  you just can't get enough of (more from her family to come!). The next day was my bday, and Emir had plans for us! We took the bus back downtown and hung out at Seattle's food festival known as "Bite of Seattle." (Are you sensing the theme here? FOOD!) While enjoying the culinary delights of the festival in the park surrounding the Space Needle, we caught this hilarious photo and spent the rest of the trip laughing at it. It looks like a horrid Photoshop job... but alas... it was straight up captured like this. LOL!

Us... waiting for the bus.

Emir surprised me with reservations for lunch at the restaurant on top of the Space Needle. I wasn't quite sure what to expect. For one thing, I wasn't sure we were dressed appropriately... and I guess I was thinking it would be the same kind of cheesy tourist trap you encounter in places like the Rain Forrest Cafe or Planet Hollywood. However... I was very pleasantly surprised. Neigh, even impressed! (Well... after making it past all the Space Needle water globes and crystallized paper weights in the lobby...). Our meal was uh-maaaazing. My tummy is grumbling again just from thinking about it!

I don't know why, but I always assumed the top of the needle itself was what rotated... but actually, there's a track inside the needle that rotates within the restaurant (like all the guest tables are on a carousel). Kinda made my stomach turn at first (I'm a motion sickness wimp!), but... after the first few minutes, it was great, and I loved getting the 360-degree view of the city. And what great weather we had!

Of course, later, we ended up at Pike's Market. I couldn't get over all the fresh flowers... too bad my backpack didn't have a built in vase! How cool would that have been?

Ok... here's the purse cam pushing the limits of its hi-ISO technology from 2003. :) I love these large over-sized chess boards. Totally reminds me of both Puerto Rico and New Orleans. Interesting...

This street artist was a magician with charcoal!

We drank our weight in lattes on our trip! Here we are resting our feet while plotting our next java escapade when we noticed our sunburns... in Seattle of all places!

OK, super painful low-light/hi-ISO noise again... but look at this view from my friend's deck! That's Mt. Rainier. Let's just say I contemplated moving in with them... I couldn't get enough of this sight! :)

Phew! Back to well light situations the purse cam can handle!

One of my favorite countries of all 16+ that I've been to thus far... is Canada. It's an interesting cross of north America and Europe. Among the various provinces, British Columbia is especially close to my heart. During my beloved Up With People days, I spent nearly 2 months on Vancouver Island... and totally fell in love with the place. Emir had never been, so we caught the ferry up to Victoria from Seattle and spent 3 days in cool, but sunny Canada. I was in heaven!

We walked on our trip. A lot. Like I said, we were planning on a biking excursion... which didn't happen. But with only our backpacks... we had no problem walking. The hotel we stayed at in Victoria was called the English Inn & Resort. A charming English cottage nestled on 5 acres of gorgeous landscaping, we took advantage of the great weather and slept with our windows open, soaking up all the fresh cool air (the antithesis of Nebraska's nasty heat blanket that strangles you on a daily basis this time of year).

On top of our daily runs, we enjoyed walking the 3+ miles from our hotel to Victoria's downtown (which I'm told has the most restaurants in all of BC). We took the boardwalk along the harbor's edge and were treated to all kinds of gorgeous views.

Macro function on the purse-cam!

I think this is my favorite image from the whole trip. Courtesy of, you guessed it! The purse cam!

After talking with one of our waitresses, I became fascinated with the idea of living on the water. These houseboats are basically a platform (barge?), with a house built on top of it. It's not like a boat in the sense that it doesn't have a motor... so you'd have to tow it or have it towed... but then you just pay to 'dock' it wherever your heart desires. I had a host family once in Up With People who had lived on a house boat. It's times like these that make me wish I had paid more attention during those days of being a silly 18 year old.... *sigh*

Our final day in Victoria was spent finishing our books and drinking more coffee. :) During the trip I read Bart Yasso's "My Life on the Run" which was all kinds of inspiring. I was sad when I finished the book (it was truly that good!) so I capped it off with Seth Godin's "Tribes." Good (duh, it's Seth Godin!) but not worth keeping on my book shelf forever... so when we were done (Emir read it too), we passed it along to a young lady we met who wanted to read it. I hope when she's finished, she passes it on again. I love thinking that our book may have a traveling soul, crossing international boundaries. Besides, it was time for more coffee...

We finished it up with yet another meal at this awesome place we found (and later had recommended to us... after having already eaten there once), called Rebar.

That night, we caught a ferry back to Seattle, slept for a few hours, and caught a 6am flight back to Nebraska's humidity. It was there to great us with a familiar squeeze. :)