goodbye, summer!

...and good RIDDANCE! I'm so over summer. Tomorrow is the first day of Fall, and I couldn't be more excited. Except for the fact it will be in the 90's in Tennessee. But that's OK. I know that scarves, hoodies, and the holidays are soon approaching.

It's been forever since I blogged, honestly, because I've been focusing on other things in my life, such as:

• my photography business! www.meglangfordphoto.com is up and running! I've already had over 1000 views since it's official launch just a week or so ago! I'm also on facebook, which is way overdue, but super exciting! so go check everything out, blog friends! "like" me on facebook!
• WORK. with a capital "ugh". it's been so stressful. i've basically inherited another job on top of my job. the usual. now i just need to find a way to make the day have 48 hours in it instead of 24. :( I'm not going to harp too much on how shitty work has been lately, because i'm lucky to have a job and (barely) pay my bills.
• planning for CABO! My amazing mom is sending Cord and I to Los Cabos, Mexico the week after Thanksgiving. This is the December Island Trip that I usually go on with my mom and sister, but this year, the circumstances made it so Cord and I are getting to go. And I can't wait! All-inclusive, completely free, flights booked (that were also free!) and we'll be there for 6 days. I am so, so, SO, excited. My mom rocks. And I've never been on a beach trip with my man snack, so I'm super excited.
• Because of the upcoming vacation, the health train has been back on the tracks as well. i've been walking around the neighborhood quite a bit, and trying to eat super healthy. but we all know how difficult that is.

Well anyway, that's it that's all (as Willard Scott says). Check out the photo stuff, and have a fantastic last day of summer. :)

what's up.

Oh, what a month.

My cousin has been gone almost a month. I'm still not sure if it's completely hit me yet. I won't give too much detail out in the bloggisphere, but he was shot and killed. It was so tragic, so violent, so awful. We're still coping. We will be coping for quite some time. The horrible human beings who did this to him were charged with aggravated robbery and murder one. Hopefully, they'll be in jail forever, never able to do this to another family ever again.

I've been having nightmares ever since. There have been some other family health scares over the past month. My uncle (my cousin's dad) has actually been very sick and in the hospital having major surgery. My grandfather on my mom's side was in the hospital for a week with a failing epiglottis. He was breathing in food and water and got pneumonia from it.

Needless to say, it's been hard. Really hard. Between the nightmares, the stress and pain of losing a close relative, and the complete anxiety of every time the phone rings freaking out thinking that another tragedy has hit me, I'm exhausted. I keep a smile on my face because it's who I am, but I'm beat. Mentally, physically, emotionally beat.

It's been a very tough month.

So, what else...
I'm really liking my new place, although I've been in such a stress-fog that I haven't really taken the time to sit down and enjoy it. Photo stuff has been great, but busy, so the little bit of time I've had to sit, I've been editing. But pictures are my happy place and I love it. The photos I sold for the flood was a huge success! I was able to donate $350 to Hands on Nashville. They sent me a very sweet thank you letter. I was happy to be able to raise a bit of cash to send their way. They're doing such great things.

Cord and I are doing well. I see him, like, never... but I am so in heart with him still. Maybe that's the key? Never see each other and then the little time you do get to spend is valued so much more? We just booked a trip to Chicago for late July. I'm so, so, so excited. The last "vacation" we went on was in August of 2007 to Disney World. We were in such a different place then... we were kids, for sure. Hell, we're still kids! We're staying at the Dana Hotel and Spa downtown Chicago. His bro stayed there recently and said it was amazing. I'm super excited!

My Maryland trip over Memorial day was when we ended up having my cousin's funeral, so the trip was obviously not the trip we had planned for. I hope to get back to MD again this summer to get over to see everyone. I miss home so, so much.

Until next time...

featured!

photo of mine featured on a blog!! check it out!

madness.

march mustache madness at the office.

photos by moi, except the one of moi, taken by my colleague michael. enjoy!

enjoy.

makes me want to get the diana out.

new

www.meghannlangfordphotography.blogspot.com

visit? tell? 

oui, sil vous plait!

i'd love the support!!

to all five of you who read my blog (if that!) i'd love for you to possibly post a link to my new photography blog on your blog!

it's www.meghannlangfordphotography.blogspot.com.

still a work in progress, but i'm excited!!  i need to get current and get all of my new stuff up there, but tell a friend!

big thanks!

-m

are you kidding me?

this is a post i started almost two weeks ago.  since then, i became ill with the 10 day funk, got super busy at work, and really forgot all about blogging until tonight as i sit in my new "cuddle blanket."  i'll elaborate more on that later... :-)

First of all.... my dream last night (at this point is several weeks ago and I have forgotten most of it). I have blogged before about my teeth-related dreams. Last night might have been the mac daddy of teeth dreams. I dreamt that I was losing ALL of my teeth. Every single one. And I could feel them, taste the blood, feel them wiggle.... i could even feel my gums and the roots that were exposed. it was SO real. 

so, mostly what I can remember is that i ended up losing all of my teeth.  i was somewhere that i believe was work.. but Cord was there.... very blurry at this point two weeks later... but I ended up in my old dentist's office back in my hometown because i would obviously need some surgery.   (sidenote - my dentist who was an amazing man and a family friend was diagnosed with lou gherigs' disease several years ago, so the dentist's office that i went to in my youth is no longer...)  So, knowing that it was not going to be the same as it used to, I subconsciously made it in my dream a very trashy, pink-decored, big-haired-women-filled place.  They told me that a full set of veneers would run me about $500k.  I told them there was no way I would be able to take out a loan for that!! They said that it was my only option and that's how much they cost everywhere.

Then I woke up.  

But that left me thinking.... how much would you pay if you lost all of your teeth, and your only option to save them cost you half a million dollars?  Would you go toothless?  Or would you go into serious debt for most or all of your life,  so you could have teeth and live a normal life, even though your life really wouldn't be normal because you'd be in so much debt?? Hmm, I think I'd have to have my teeth? 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
I did not get this for valentine's day, but i think it's freaking hilarious.

http://www.sendapantygram.com/

I did, however, have an amazing v-day with the cordster.  After a nice morning of sleeping in (he worked while I slept) we met up at my place and exchanged gifts.   I got him a great little painting of the city of chicago (just what the map would look like...very cool) and he got me the most THOUGHTFUL, SWEET gift ever.  First off, he gave me a great necklace charm made from a piece of ancient ming dynasty pottery - one of a kind. I have one that i just love and found one online that i loved even better, and he got it for me!! he's a slick one.  The gift that made me cry like a little child cry baby is silly but really meant a lot. 

Before he gave it to me, he asked me what things we do all the time.  I said, "watch movies, talk, and cuddle."  Number three was the winner.  I am constantly telling him that I want cuddles.  It's literally my favorite thing to do.   So, he got me a little red fleece blanket that he had embroidered to say "cuddles"!!!!   i know this is super cheesy and fluffy and lovey, but damnit, i loved it.  i just thought that it was so heartfelt and it really meant a lot.  he said that whenever i want cuddles and he's not there, i will have them whenever i want them...  aaah, the cheese. anyway, yes, a great day of photo-taking around nashville and a fab dinner at sunset grille and a lot of cuddles at night.  a great v-day and 4 year celebration of us being together ;-)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

i worked today even though we had off.  somehow, i felt very unproductive.  i even put that i was there an hour less than i actually was because i was so distracted.  

they bought us mellow mushroom pizza. i had a piece of like super veggie. freaking fab.  then i had a veggie sub from subway for dinner.  a very veggie day. i can't seem to get enough of them lately. i'm a little fruited-out, but i'm all about the veggies, as long as they're prepared for me. i've been very lazy about preparing meals lately.  i need to get with the program. i also need to either start going to the y, or cancel my membership. i think i should go to the y.

does anyone have a CLUE how to be healthy and save money at the same time? i honestly think it's impossible.  i've really been working on my budgets since both of my roommates got engaged in the past month and i will be living solo as of june (insert mini freak out here!). but i'm actually pretty excited about it; just not sure how it will all work financially. i mean, i know i can do it, but i would probably have to live off of cheap, not healthy food.  maybe i'll have my dad come down and plant me a garden?  hmm. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

i got really creative yesterday and made some of what i'm calling "photo art"....  and i finally did something with my flickr account.  check it out.  be my friend or whatever. i don't know what i'm doing. :)  the "fun with color" are the new fun ones. enjoy.

ok, i'm blogged out.   fin.

yes we puede!!

Cord's friend John co-owns an indie label out in LA called vosotros (music for "you-all"). check it out. They are doing some amazing things.....

In celebration of the Inauguration, they had some of their musician friends put together a great compilation of some p.d. patriotic songs. Super fun! Click below and enjoy.

http://yeswepuede.com/ (puede = "can" in Spanish) - get it? ha...

Meanwhile, Cord had me take some photos of his studio last week and I just finished editing.... here are two of my favs. I love that place! It was so fun to photograph! .... shameless plug.. if you or anyone you know ever needs photos taken of anything (like a studio, home for sale, salon, anything?) just let me know! I'm el cheapo. ;-)

Gasoline Studios

diana pics

Post #3 of the day - no, i'm not bored...just excited about my first roll of 120mm Diana film!
Here are my favs.

no resolutions.

After the holiday pudge has packed on, my jeans are barely zip-able, and I feel like a whale, I have decided to get back on my health train. I had done pretty well up until Jamaica. By that trip, I ate whatever I wanted, and it totally got me back into my bad habits.... I'm not calling it a New Year's resolution, because we all know those never work. It's just continuing what I started a while back, and knowingly let slip during the holidays.

The holidays were fabulous... lots of rest and relaxation, lots of family (which I was very happy about) and LOTS of driving...ugh! But actually, the driving was not too bad this year - my sister helps the journeys go by pretty quickly! Lots of eating, and lots of wine.. mmm..... lots of my mom's from scratch bread (wowza) and oysters....and stuffing... I love Christmas. NYE was back in Nashville, very fun and very expensive-o. But worth it. I can be an old fart when I'm an old fart, right? I better get out and celebrate while I still feel like it! So yeah, great holiday. I need to put some pictures up on this dang thing!! Dang! Nothing better than the Atlantic Ocean in the dead of winter.... it's beautiful!

My favorite gift is a Diana F+ camera my mom got me!! LOVE! check it out... I'm getting my first roll developed soon so I will be posting some pics from that...if they turn out!! It's tricky!!

So, since I'm back on the health train, I might as well blog about fun things I find that are healthy and also enjoyable. I'm currently enjoying a winter delights (or something) salad. It came in a bag, and I really like it! It's mostly lettuce (butter lettuce, which I actually like!) and a little bit of almonds, dried somethings (some sort of berry) and then a little bit of bleu cheese crumbles (OMG!) in a white balsamic vinagrette. Tres yum. I'm pairing it with a healthy choice minestrone soup. Nice hearty, healthy winter meal! I also stocked up on Edamame at the grocery, so I'm back to that craze. We'll see how long it lasts. Something has to happen to these five pounds of hibernation-ready flab.

:)

CAPTURE MUSIC CITY!!

WELL, IT'S OFFICIAL!! I'M A PUBLISHED PHOTOGRAPHER!!

I could not be more excited!!!  

To those of you who don't have a clue what I'm talking about, I'll elaborate for ya.  Several months ago, I entered a photography competition called Capture Music City.  Put on by the Tennessean, it was a competition where locals (mostly amateurs or "side-jobbers" like myself) could upload their photos in and of Nashville to be voted on, in hopes of having their photos published in a coffee table book full of photos "capturing music city."

So I entered a few photos, and voted constantly, and asked my friends to help and vote for me, and I MADE IT IN THE BOOK!  Not only did I make it in the book, I got TWO photos in the book.  I am SHOCKED and so EXCITED!!   Out of over 22,000 photos submitted, 880 photographers competing, and over one MILLION votes, two of my photos were selected to be in the book of only about 200 photos.  This is such an amazing feeling!!  

It's crazy to think that just two years ago I took a cool picture and thought, "hmm, this is neat. Maybe I'll try and actually attempt to take a cool photograph!"  Now, after lots of practice, money invested in gear, and a passion that I have "developed" for photography (pun totally intended haha!!), I have the privilege of being voted and selected to be in an amazing photo book of Nashville.  This is such a huge deal for me.  So thank you to everyone who has supported me by voting for me, purchasing my photos, using me for your event, and also people who have just been there!!!  You have no idea how much you are appreciated!!!

You can check out my CMC photos that made it in the book here and here.   Enjoy!  And if you are looking for a great gift idea or book about Nashville, this one really is a great book!!!  I know you can get it at Davis-Kidd, but I'm not sure where else they're going to be selling it.  

Ok, that's all the blabbing I can do, but YAY!!! YAY!! hahaha!! YAY! :-)

back to earth

I'm back!

I realized that I've been MIA since my big 2-5. I don't understand where the hell the time is going, but it's going somewhere for sure. I guess I've just been busier now than ever....well, since college.

I have been super busy with photography stuff....booking shoots left and right. It's very exciting! I hope it all pans out. I still am not nearly confident enough to shoot a super serious wedding, and don't know if that's even the route I want to go...but I am really enjoying what I've been doing lately. Work has been friggin insane. It's our busiest time of the year and I want to scream. Today, luckily, we get to all scream. For ice cream! We're having an ice cream social. I went and bought all the stuff so I know what we're gonna be able to dig into, and let me tell you. I will be elbow-deep in some crushed oreos, gummy bears, and caramel sauce. And I will not weigh myself afterwards. Nope.

So, I don't know if I mentioned it in my bday blog, but my gift this year from the fam/bf was a wii. A wii and everything to go with it. holy nuts. I'm totally addicted. Cord and I have gotten really into wii fit. I am not joking when I say that it REALLY works. Not only are the physical excercies challenging but they're also fun! And somehow, the mental side of the wii fit really works. It guilt trips you a little if you gain wait, or if you don't workout for a couple days. It's awesome. Really motivating. It keeps score of your progress so you're always wanting to keep going to better your own score, and compete against other people's scores. Only Cord and I have stuff set up on mine, so it's really competitive and fun. He gets so mad when I beat him at things. It's funny, we're both definitely better at different things, which is nice. I like seeing him jog in place and do the warrior I pose. tres cute!

I'm exhausted. I need to start sleeping more.

My dad sent me some bday cash (very unexpected and most welcomed and needed) so I'm going to finally get a film camera. I've been wanting one for about 6 months and the time has finally come! I have been stalking the lomography website forever and I just can't decide which one to get. So today might just be the day I have to make a decision and suck it up and just get one! I'm also going to get a pair of rain boots with my bday money. I am so over wet jeans in the rain.

Now that school is back in session, all the brats park on the street by work, so I'm back to the garage and walking a few feet further (big woop, right). haha, big woop. Anyway, it often puddles up back there when it rains, so now I will able to walk through the puddles without the worry of wet jeans all day. can't wait.

I am feeling very inspired and creative today. Feeling a lot like that lately in general. It's nice.

happy friday to me.

anybody want some?

I'll pick you some up at Kroger next time I'm there, but only if you can tell me what the hell it is:

The weekend was good. Went by too fast, but I felt like I got a lot accomplished. I took my friends bridal portraits, my first time in a real life photography studio, and I was scared shitless. We took them here. If you know anyone who is looking to rent out a studio for a shoot, I highly suggest this place. I will post pics up of a few shots when I get them all pertied up. I am 90% moved in to the new home. I love it. It's a great place. I'm slowly coaxing the bf into hanging my blinds for me in my bedroom so I stop showing the neighbors all my goods. I realize that I am way too poor to be living in the neighborhood that I do. All I can say is, when you live three doors down from a country music star, and you drive by their house every day thinking, "nope, never gonna have a house like that..." it gets a little depressing. But screw it - I love my little rental. It's perfect for what I need right now. Except the crazy leak in the kitchen ceiling- which reminds me, I need to call the landlord.

My roomate got a puppy. His name is Cash. He's possibly the cutest thing I've ever seen (besides my own dog in MD of course). Here he is. He smiles:

me,

barely hanging on, but loving every minute of it.

Cord and I took some great pics this weekend. I've got them all over the place, so if you're my facebook or myspace friend, or are currently voting for me in capture music city, I apologize for the over-saturation of the meghann-photo market, but I just freaking love them.

tonight is tonight.

two blogs in one day. i'm so cool.

so, some exciting news. i was um, yea, well, ok, fuck it - i was googling myself tonight, and i found something very cool. my photos were featured in a blog!  the post is almost "mocking" Nashville as she lives in lovely San Francisco now  - so I understand her point of view.... but, the pics are obviously representative of our fab little city!!! check it out!!

also, this was my dinner. but it's also my life.

do you ever feel like the lone shell in a box of whole wheat penne?

gotta spend some time with me

Delish. Easy to cook. Literally, you pop it in the nuker for 1 minute. Open, and enjoy. *Make sure to listen though, it popped in my microwave today at work and I had to clean it up.
So, it's been a while since a bloggity blog. Mostly because I haven't had much to say. I hadn't even read anyone's blogs for a while. Today was nice to catch up.
Not much is going on, with the exception of the usual stress and the random lung attack I had two nights ago....yea, I had pleurisy. WTF?
I am totally obsessed with this website though. I entered my photos on it a few days ago and I've gotten some really great responses. Basically, it's a chance to get your photos of lovely music city published in a book and/or DVD! If you're feeling loving, go ahead and sign up and vote for my photos! To find mine, go to search, then type in MegLangford - and my photos should come up. I've been featured already in the "greatest photos" section, so there's a good chance I'll be featured! woo hoo! Some of my friends have already gotten on and voted, and I REALLY APPRECIATE IT! ;-)
anywho, ta ta for now....

pumpkins and pictures

So, I sold two photos last night on my etsy shop. I'm THRILLED! It's so exciting when a perfect stranger purchases your artwork. And, I have a friend from college who is purchasing a large panoramic photo as well - so I couldn't be happier! I wish I was selling a photo every day, but maybe some day.... :-) I need to set up a stand somewhere or something during a festival.....oh, thoughts....

I made these amazing muffins last night. I found the recipe on recipezaar - which if you are not aware of this site, it will change your world. Thanks to Emo Mul for turning me on to it! I was reading hungry girl and read that subbing pumpkin instead of oil/eggs is a much healthier alternative when baking.... so I "zaared" pumpkin muffins and came across this great recipe. I saw all the positive feedback so I had to attempt this. I followed the basic recipe, but used golden butter cake mix and added chocolate chips to some of the batter...so I had some regular and some not-so-healthy ones.... and I added allspice, nutmeg, and cinnamon. They're GREAT! A little sticky, but very moist (sorry Jess), and dense and satisfying. They'd be great in the fall/winter.... but I love those spices year round. I brought some in to work to share with my ladies...and got pretty good feedback. So I consider it a success.

Excited about the weather. Excited about drinking beer tonight! mmmm.....beer. Excited about sleeping in tomorrow. Excited about people buying my photos and eating my muffins.