Best Week.

I have had such a productive and friend-filled week. 

I'm such a lucky kid.

And with Halloween this weekend, I can't ask for much more. 

I don't have much to say, because I'm too busy smiling.

Today, I hausfrau'd.

I made grilled cheese and chicken noodle soup for the sick kid for lunch, went to the bank and the grocery store, got foods and anti-sick supplies, and now I'm making an early dinner: pork chops, alfredo & shells, and mushrooms.

Hold your applause, this domestication may not last.

... but then again, it just might.

This Life

I am charmed, I need to say that first and foremost. 

My NYC trip was amazing. I'll be as brief as possible:

Jill & I left Tuesday morning & we were there much earlier than anticipated. Got great parking and settled into Tony's before he had to leave for class, and he got us on our way to Times Square, where we stood in line at the TCKTS booth for only about an hour altogether. We got ourselves 50% off excellent seat tickets (um row 7 anyone?) for American Idiot, and found a grill for lunch. I was having an anxiety attack about a multitude of things, but my burger settled me. We killed some more time on a beautiful day turning cold, and took a picture before the show. We were the 2nd and 3rd people in line, mainly because we had nothing better to do before the show started.

It was amazing. The energy was excellent, the song mastery was beautiful and hard all at the same time, and then I fell in love this one character's shoes. They were the boots of my dreams. I had a mission from that moment on for the rest of the week to find *those* boots.

After, we grabbed at pizza at John's which was right next door - I hadn't been there since high school. Headed back to Tony's and ultimately called it a night when Michael got out of work. Popped in Hedwig and the Angry Inch and passed out in a cuddle puddle on the pull out couch.

The next morning, Jill and I accompanied Mike to bagels at Ess-A-Bagel for breakfast, and then ventured to his apartment. In between, we had an excellent "faggot moment" where a construction worker yelled at another guy, then saw Mike, and promptly apologized. His apartment is cute & doesn't seem to be in an overly shitty location. His roommate's dog peed on me immediately. I seem to have that effect on dogs. Jill got a whole new wardrobe from Mike, and we made our way to the MoMA when Mike left for work. 

I adore the MoMA. It is thusfar my favorite place on the entire planet (and I've had a fair amount of travel that I can [for now] say that). Yoko Ono had an interactive piece and we caught a movie. All in all, a perfect day in a museum. I couldn't have asked for more (ok, I would have preferred if we were let in with our teas, but I suppose I understand.)

We grabbed Five Guys burgers for dinner and realized it was getting much too cold out, so we headed to Tony's campus, picked up his keys, and let ourselves into the apartment. A movie = nap time until the boys got home, and then the tequila happened. Ok, only to me, everyone else drank slightly less lighter-fluid flavored beverages. We went out to Picantes for their pitcher of margarita (aka pitcher of tequila with thismuch marg mix) & danced & toasted and made merry. I fell on the way home. I still blame the hole I fell in, but Jill would have you believe otherwise. 

Thursday was sleeping off an earned hangover, and I dragged all day with a migraine. Miss Manning joined us for the day, and even though it rained all day, we had success with Mike getting lunch at BlockHeads (mmm Mexican.) &  finding *the boots* of my dreams, right on budget and everything.

Giving up on the rain, and my wicked headache, we found ourselves back at Mike's, and me passed out by 730. Once they woke me up, my migraine had subsided just into a dullroar of a headache. Headed back Uptown, got Tony some juice, Mike a candybar, and Jill some Popeyes. Then we were on our way out to VIG27 for the Meaner Harder Leather burlesque show. I can't say enough good about it, it was such a stellar show. I've never seen such a good show in such a tiny venue. Stunning, for sure. 

Friday was spent getting lunch with Tony at a Halal truck (something I've never done before), and from the one claiming to be the best in the whole city. Can't go wrong there with some chicken and rice. Ohmygosh yum. 

Mike got trapped at work so we couldn't say goodbye, wicked bummer. Jill & I navigated our way home, and I only dropped one harsh curse at the traffic while she was on the phone with her boss....

Now I'm in Manlius, working on my website and optimizing photos and hangin with the pets. 

I have crazyexciting news, but I'm going to hold off on sharing for a bit - stay tuned!

I don't even know where to start

I intend a full update tomorrow on the crazyamazing week in NYC - in the meantime, I am falling in love all over again with the movie Cry Baby.  Terrible acting, beautiful time period.

And today is the last day I overindulge in ... mostly anything.

Grocery shopping tomorrow for some healthy stuff, and not going over budget. 

Gotta start watching the cash flow a little closer, and minimize my life a little.

Work Day

Dear Best Bagels In Town, 

Thank you for allowing me to use your dining area as my personal editing office all day while I waited on two cars to get inspected and oil-changed across the street. Your egg and cheese on a bagel for breakfast was delicious, and your soup bread bowl for lunch was more than filling.

I successfully got entirely caught up on all of my photo editing thanks to your outlets. 

See you next time the car needs mainenance,

Shanna

Dear Paladino,

Good job. Your speech yesterday successfully put any voter on the fence with a gay family member, friend, or just with good old fashioned equality and humanist values in line to vote for Cuomo. Take your bigoted narrow minded and hateful views, and vamoos. New York doesn't need you.

No love, and feel free to rot, 

Shanna.

I Love

... Laid back Sundays.

Today I attended a less than thrilling wine tasting benefit, painted my nails shiny silver, edited baby pictures and oh yeah died my hair a color I've never gone before:

Best defined as "as close to black as brown gets" with violet undertones (that I can't see yet, so I think she was lying).

She also gave me an a-symmetrical cut. Did I ask for it? No. Did she do it on purpose? Probably not. 

Again, less than thrilled, so let's just pretend it was cut that way for style.

(This is my disapproving duck face.)

I'm going to waste my night in my warm bed (I've been frozen for 3 days. I know it's only 7pm. Don't judge me.) & peruse a whole mess of fantastic new tumblrs I stumbled upon.

Yesterday I

- edited senior yearbook photos, emailed them, and made a follow up call to the school

- Shot 2 new seniors

- made 3 different bank deposits

- went grocery shopping (followed by waiting in line for 15 minutes. ridiculous.)

- attempted to visit EDropp at work & had the worst iced coffee ever.

- did the dishes, 2 loads of laundry, and folded said laundry

- made a salad and home made chex mix (which is beyond delish.)

- downloaded, LightRoom edited, and made proof sheets of the 2 new seniors

- and still managed to have a nice dinner with my family and get to bed at a decent hour

because today is just as full, but a bit more on the casual side. 

Rescheduled shoot with baby Harper in an hour,

hair appointment and a wine tasting tomorrow should round my weekend out just delightfully.

Hope everyone elses' weekend is busy and happy and allows for weather enjoyment as well.

=)

Love Letters to my Life

Can I just say - I am exhausted.

Dear Immune System,
I recognize the weather has been touchy and inconsistent, and in general, much chillier as of late, and that the clothes I choose tend to be useless against keeping me warm. I recognize I don't sleep enough. I am also well aware that I am not drinking enough water, but can you please just settle for a vanilla chai or warm cider IV drip instead? I am not feeling 100%, but I don't feel sickly yet, so there's no time to slow down. Please keep up the relatively good work with my poor self-preservation skills and get me through the next few months of tough work.
Sincerely,
Shanna's Acute Sense of Approaching Deadlines.

Dear Headache I've Had On and Off For Three Days Now,
I have work to do that requires my eyes be open, so hurry up and stop making me sooo sensitive to the light. I already want to nap all day as it is, so knock it off.
Thank you kindly,
Shanna's Professional Side.

Dear CV Seniors I Photographed Saturday,
Thank you for being an insanely good looking couple, and a lot of fun to work with. Also, thank you for not trying to haggle my prices or my professionalism. It would be just the best ever if you'd get back to me sooner with your yearbook photo choices so that I don't run out of time to get them to your yearbook editor.
Thanks for being awesome so far,
Cheers,
Shanna McKay Photography.

Dear Vista Print,
Thank you for shipping my order "early!". I'm aware that there is an "I take full responsability for typos" disclaimer before I order, but it would be really cool if you'd just get SpellCheck. I miss being at school where one of my roommates would have caught the typo before I ordered. Thanks for printing my misspelled gift certificates so promptly.
Not so lovingly (even though it's my fault),
Shanna McKay Photography c/o No Second Reader Assistant.

Dear Toby,
You are already so sincerely missed. Such a good fluff, someone upstairs must have needed a good snugglebuddy and just couldn't wait anymore. I appreciate your passing before I was left alone in this country with you, as I wouldn't have known what to do with myself, let alone you. However, I'm completely disheartened that you've left such a wonderful family without an important member. Hope you're happy and pain-free, where ever you are.
Love and belly-rubs,
The House Sitter.

and finally,

Dear Rylee Faith,
Welcome. I'm so happy to finally meet you. You've got all your fingers and toes, and you couldn't have more excited parents if you tried. You've got every opportunity to have an amazing life, with all the love and support you've been born into. I'm sorry we've made this planet, with all of it's eco-destroying disasters and broken governments, into a bit of a 1984 caricature, but I promise that my generation is going to do its best to put it back together for people like you. I hope you grow up to be open minded, smile a lot, and take care of your mommy and daddy. I'll help, as often as I possibly can, to be sure you do.
All my loving Little One,
Cousin (but want to be called something cooler) Shanna.

It's been a crazy week already.
Life just keeps happening.
This is certainly going to be an Autumn for the history books. 

Accountant

Whew. The last 48 hours have been refreshing. I don't know if it's the neon pink on my freshly pedicured tonenails or all the rain we got yesterday that just makes me feel renewed. Hello October, I've missed you all year. This is hands down my December, my yearly start over, Halloween is my New Years. I always feel refreshed (isn't spring supposed to do that? oh well, I've never been average).

Anyway, yesterday I took the day off because Jer and the baby had doctor appointments and we are going to reschedule the newborn shoot. I enjoyed the rainy afternoon getting a mani/pedi with my mama (first pedi ever... don't really think I'll be needing another one too soon - I just don't like people touching me much... although she did a fabulous job), and finishing up all of my mailing for the recent shoots. 

Today I met with the accountant I've been in contact with, and we talked for almost a full 2 hours; we talked business, where I start, how much my tax % should be / what I should be putting away in savings for tax season, how she thinks I have a good niche product and an unfulfilled market, where to pursue more clientele & shooting locations, how being cute and polite isn't a strong marketing plan but to never take it for granted as a tool, and generally that she thinks I'm doing a-ok. She doesn't think I have any reason to think otherwise. 

This, obviously, makes me nervous.

I love when people believe in my plans, I just get... worried sometimes. Like I'm going to let them down or something.

Worries aside, it was a really good first meeting, and she just told me to keep things in order and get ahold of her closer to tax season, and call whenever I have a question. Sounds like a plan.

In non-biddness related news, my best best best friend got engaged this morning <3 I couldn't be happier and I'll be meeting her and the beau out for drinks this evening to celebrate!!

This weekend is going to be a whirlwind. I needed the few days to myself to sort of gather and steady, but hold on to your hats, there's no stopping me now.