Week 13: vol 2, Wedding Bells...

Newlyweds are like puppy dogs. They're playful and cute. People tend to give a collective sigh as they say, "arn't they adorable!" But soon, very very soon, it wears off. Soon, they are chewing on your furniture, nipping at your heels and peeing on your carpet. Yes, they're cute, but a little goes a long way!

Which leads me to my weekend activities. To me, photography is the ultimate creative outlet. It's not just taking the images, but with technology today, the editing process alone is an art. It is one of my passions and this past weekend I got to put those creative juices to work. The only problem is, the job was a wedding.

Weddings are a different beast altogether. It's incredibly stressful trying to get all of the pictures taken, in a limited amount of time, with a seemingly unlimited number of people involved. And while most photography is creative, inevitably, every bride wants the "stand and smile" with every single distant relative in attendance. So, part of every wedding job is really a study of effiency. How quickly can I transition from Aunt Sally and the bride to the cranky little ringbearer who is crying in his tux, to the group of groomsmen too cool to give me a little smile? That part of the job is where I earn my paycheck.

The part that I really enjoy, however, is capturing the moments that just happen. I love watching the bride and groom and taking pictures of them as they soak up the bliss of their day. By the end of most wedding shoots, my feet hurt, I have a headache and I can't wait to be out of there. But, still, I can't help but feel that tug of sentimentality as the preacher reads the vows, and the couple exhange looks so full of hope and love. I have to say, sometimes I do feel sorry for them. Because on this day, this beautiful, fragrant, frosting-filled day, most of these couples are just tip-toeing into their own warm ocean of bliss, and have yet to feel that cold, hard massive wave of reality send them their first monster-sized splash. It's not that I'm a cynic. It's just that most couples I photograph, are young love-birds and haven't ridden the ups and downs of life yet. In a way that makes me happy for them too I guess. They still have the whole ride ahead of them.

I suppose it's just best if they put that teary-eyed smile on, buckle up to enjoy the ride!

Week 13: Vol 1, Always

Who knew, in one instant, 2 pink lines could flood your heart with joy? It was somthing I had wanted for so long. I remember that feeling, it was exciting, scary and magical really. I had such joy knowing I was carrying my parent's first grandchild. I had such joy looking at nursery furniture and itty bitty baby clothes. I bought a beautiful baby quilt- neutral of course because I didn't want to find out what I was having. I wanted that anticipation, was it a boy or girl? I started reading "the books." You know, What to Expect When You are Expecting, and the like. I faithfully took my prenatal vitamins and I counted the days for that first big ultrasound, hoping to see that little black and white profile. I printed off a calendar, alternating pink and blue pages, marking every major milestone- appointments, trimesters and of course, the due date, December 15th!

That was 3 years ago and I remember the day that despair filled my heart. I remember it clearly. I called my mom- I was sobbing at that point. I managed to utter, "I'm pregnant. But it's not going to work out, not this time." I couldn't bring myself to say anything more concise, more real. I remember the comments that well-meaning friends and family would say, and how I hated hearing it: "At least you weren't attached to the baby yet," "You can always have another one," "At least you know everything works," "This is actually a blessing," "It's nature's way of taking care of problems..."

I read something that sums it up nicely.

"My home and heart are full of happy, noisy, funny memories, enough to mull over for a lifetime. But with my treasured box of few tangible reminders (sympathy cards, hospital records, and even a faded pregnancy test) I remember--I will always remember--my few short weeks as that little baby's mother.
And I smile."

8 months later I got 2 more pink lines. I didn't let myself fully experience the joy. There was no homemade calendar. No pink and blue pages. I was cautious. I worried. But ultimately, life has a way of working out. Even when things are at their worst- God comes through. If my first pregnancy had worked out, I wouldn't have my little Gracie Bean and I can't imagine life without her. Sometimes it's hard to know the "why." Sometimes you just have to have faith.

One lesson life has taught me, is to NEVER take life, love, or happiness for granted. I try to live every day being thankful for my daughter, my husband, my family and my life. Between class, work and home renovation I have been stressed lately. But, all it takes is a reminder, an anniversary of something tragic, to remember how fragile life is and keep everything in perspective. I am the luckiest mother, daughter, wife, sister, aunt and granddaughter alive!!

Q: What piece of advice do you try to live by?

Week 12: Vol 2. Drum roll puhleeeeease....

I can't believe it's only been 4 weeks since we bought the new house. The amount of time (and money) spent on renovation is staggering. I have been bombarded from friends and family to post some before/after pictures of the new place. I am reluctant to post pictures because it is by no means complete yet. We did do all new paint, flooring, trim, outlets, doors and hardware. But, we still need curtains, light fixtures and all of those little decorative things that make it look and feel like home. Regardless, you asked and you shall receive. Wait no more...

Old living room. (I know you can't tell in the picture but this was an old, musty, yellowed, shag carpet!)

New living room

Old family room

New family room- I almost didn't post this because it's not quite done. I HATE the gold hanging lights by fireplace- they will be going sooner rather than later. As you can see our shelves remain pretty bare as well!

New family room- other side

Old dining room

Old dining room- larger view

New dining room- still need to add the baseboard trim (will do white colonial like the rest of the house) and paint the corner built-ins white.

Old front door/entry foyer

New front door/entry area (there is still a haze on the tile- apparently you have to wash this stuff like 400 times to get it all off!!)

I guess that is it for now. The bedrooms also got paint, carpet, trim, doors and outlets. But as of right now they are still "in transition" with boxes, etc. So, that will be another day. We haven't touched the bathrooms yet. We haven't begun finishing the basement yet either, but plan to start soon.

I'd like to share some words of wisdom- things I've picked up in the past 4 weeks between moving and renovating a house. If any of you have such plans in the near future, consider this consulting free of charge!!

10) It’s all fun and games until someone gets shot with a nail gun.
9) You should seriously think about vacuuming under your couch and in the cushions once in awhile.
8) When you are tiling with thin-set (mortar), it dries WAY faster than you think
7) FYI: Thin set dries on your tools, even when submerged in a bucket of water.
6) Bigger house means ALL maintenance items cost way more than they used to
5) Be very careful about what state of dress (or undress) you are in at all times when you don’t have curtains.
4) When you are sawing and you hear a loud, screeching, whiny noise- it’s best to stop and check things out.
3) Plan ahead. Don’t wait for moving day to peek in the dishwasher or washing machine. Wet laundry and dirty dishes suck.
2) First- you pull out the old carpet. Then you pull out the old pad. It’s a stinky, sweaty, dusty, heavy job. But THEN, and here’s the kicker, you have to pull out 4,000 itty bitty staples that held it all together. Yeah, it stinks big time.
1) Home Depot sucks

And in the spirit of DoYouQ, my question to you today:

Q: If you could renovate or change one thing about your home, what would it be?

Week 12: Vol 1, "If I Could Turn back Time"

OK, first of all- if the title didn't inspire you to belt out Cher's, "If I Could Turn Back Time" right now, you have some serious issues. Anywho, moving on...

In Ray Bradbury's "A Sound of Thunder," characters are able to travel back in time. Now, wouldn't that be amazing? From Bill and Ted (who do indeed have a fan site...go figure) to a planet ruled by apes, hundreds of songs, stories and movies have captured our imagination in the name of time travel.
If I could turn back time, this would be the time to do it. As many of you know, I work at a fine institution of higher education. My heart bleeds for the tragedies on two campuses this week. Virginia Tech lost 33 people in a horrific shoot out, and right here in Iowa, Grinnell realized the loss of a student that has been missing for 7 months. The impact of such events is wide spread. In my 10 years at Simpson College, we have lost students, I suppose about 1 per year. Just this January, one of our students who was a leader on campus- smart, outgoing, athletic- got in a horrible car accident. She was lucky to survive- but lived in a coma for several months and finally awoke to extensive physical injuries and brain damage. She was finally moved from ICU to a full time facility that works to rehabilitate those with severe head injuries. Professors, students and the entire community have come together to help her and her family any way possible. There is a void on campus where she used to be. I can't imagine that feeling times 33. I wish I could go back in time and stop the tragedy that has led us to this- a day where we have to worry not about international attacks, but attacks from those closest to us.

Here is my question today:

Q: What song or type of music can instantly change your mood? A: Bach's Cannon in D puts me in a melancholy mood- grieving for those I have lost. The day I lost my best friend in a car accident I listened to that song over and over. That feeling is forever etched in my memory when I hear the haunting chords.

But, to finish on a lighter note- I will also tell you that anything by George Straight makes me want to two-step, Bob Seiger's Chances Are reminds me of my wedding day and virtually any Abba song can make me want to bust a move!

Week 11: vol 2, A Rockin' Rod Stewart

If this guy can become a rock star........


Before I go any further- let me just say, "Rod! Why? I mean, a Tankini? It's like Where's Waldo meets Calvin Klein underwear model.....only...NOT! It's a good thing you have a voice like an angel..."

So, in my last post I talked about how to be a rock star. Take an idea, have some confidence, and jump in with both feet! You can't be wishy washy or unsure. Well, sure enough, a real rock star only reinforced my opinion! This weekend I saw Rod Stewart, fully coiffed, at the Wells Fargo Arena. This guy is amazing. I mean, first of all, he is in his 60's! The man moves like he is in his 30's! In a 2 1/2 hour concert- he never quit moving. And I am telling you, he had moves like I have NEVER seen. Lunges, kicks, twirls, jerks, bobs, you name it. He reminded me of when I am jamming to some ABBA while I clean around the house. Just doing crazy, free moves to the music- something where if anyone actually saw me I would want to throw myself off of a cliff because instead of "dance moves" and I am sure I look more like a goldfish who accidentally jumped out of his tank and is squirming and jerking to get back in as soon as possible. Not pretty folks- not pretty AT ALL! But the thing is, instead of looking dorky- he looked great and had thousands of people on their feet!

Here is this pretty homely guy- crooked nose, big chin, hair like a rooster, wearing a Captain Crunch-style jacket and he has legions of fans just fixated on his every move. Women were screaming his name. Men were pumping their fists. Why the adoration for such a goofy looking fellow? I'll tell you- it's his rock star attitude! No amount of awkward moves, glittery jackets or sparkly shoes can diminish his star power. Now it helps that he has a voice like melted butter (that's a good thing). And if you haven't heard his latest albums- The Great American Songbook- you are way missing out! But ultimately, it's his total confidence in his performance that makes it so effective. Best concert I have seen in awhile! Thanks to my dear husband for surprising me with tickets. I guess he's a keeper after all!

Q. If you could see anyone in concert, who would it be?

My answer is Garth Brooks. Back in his touring days he used do an all out production for his shows. Plus, he has so many #1 hits, you can't help but to know every song.

Week 11: Vol 1: Be a Rock Star!!!

Well, this week in class we had costume night (yes, I did say costume night...) and we each had to wear a costume and then explain why we chose it and how it relates to one of Von Oech's 4 roles of creativity. I chose to be a Spartan (you know- SNL- Will Ferrell, Cheri O'Terri).

I dressed up, went to class, and proceeded to CHEER in front of the class. I almost chickened out. Because, you know, if you are going to do something crazy, you can't do it halfway because then you just look like an idiot. You have to buy into the idea and then jump in with both feet. I really pushed the limits of my comfort zone- dressed up, cheered, kicked, clapped, lunged and basically made a fool of myself! But, in the end, it was probably worth it. I guess I can say I was the only one that cheered and ultimately the class voted on their favorite presentation and I won first prize- signed copies of two awesome books. Now, if the class had been allowed to vote for the prof, trust me, he would have won. I mean, pink bunny suit on a man that is 6'3"- how could you not vote for that! But beyond winning, it was really good to challenge myself, and overcome that urge to avoid risk.

Another new thing I tried recently was a game. I am telling you what folks, if you haven't tried this game- rush out to your closest Best Buy, throw down that credit card and bring it home with you today. You WILL NOT regret it! Two words: Guitar Hero. This game is such a blast, the first night I played it for 6 hours straight. By the end of the night, my vision was fuzzy and I was seriously concerned that I had done permanent damage a la Carpel Tunnel. If you love classic rock or just love to have a rockin' good time- this is the next game for you!

I don't care if you are 6 or 60- taking a risk on a project, going for the glory in a presentation, or strumming your way to victory in a video game can definitely convert you into an instant ROCK STAR!

Week 10: Vol 2. Do you Q?

Do you Q, oh Do you Q?
It's crazy fun, it's just brand new!
On a plane or in a shoe....
It's the newest whoop-dee-do!

If you need a thing-a-ma-goo,
And I am sure you really do,
Just call up Mitch, oh that's who,
Do get yourself a Do You Q!


Ok, for those of you that are completely confused right now, let me clarify. "Do You Q?"is my newest class project. Talk about fun! Something about it just reminds me of Dr. Suess. Every time I mention it, I just can't help but to bust out some Suess-style vocab! OK, honestly, it's a game, created right here in Central Iowa. The premise is that it gets people asking each other open ended questions in the name of developing relationships and having fun! The real strength of the game, (ok, first of all, there is no winner and loser so is it really a game???) is the packaging. And by packaging, I don't mean the impossibly thick, industrial strength plastic that is vacuum sealed around every gadget I buy these days. Nor do I mean the gajillion metal twisty ties like those wrapped around every square inch of new toy that I buy for my daughter. Honestly, where do they think the Cabbage Patch Kid is going that it needs to be encased in premium grade steal wires in the isles of Walmart? Does anyone else think this is just nutty? Anywho, the packaging I am referring to here, is the overall presentation of this product. This game is presented in an interactive way. Websites, blogs, radio interviews and contests are just some of the ways that it gets presented to the public. It's done creatively and professionally and I believe the groundwork is there for this game to really take off!

I really look forward to working with this local business owner. His enthusiasm is contagious and it will be a fun ride! In the meantime, I have a "Q-style" question for all of my viewers. This semester is coming to an end, which leads me to the ultimate question, "Do I continue this blog or not?" By responding to my question, you are letting me know, that yes, in fact, somebody in cyberspace has at one point, accidentally stumbled onto my blog! OK, on with the question. It's not deep or serious so have some fun!

Q: You have won a million dollars. You can't keep it or give it to friends/family or charity. We are talking one million, no guilt, no strings attached dollars that you HAVE to spend in one week. What do you buy?

Week 10, Vol 1: Pony up

Football players: they get smacked around a bit by other football players.

Soccer-I suppose they get roughed up now and again, maybe get a grass stain or two.

Hockey-OK, they take the occasional puck to the face or get body chucked into the wall. I guess they're pretty tough.

But if you EVER wondered which athletes were crazy- I mean, rocking back and forth, glossy eyed, eat your shampoo and rub jello in your hair, certifiably CRAZY- it has to be bull riders. These crazy, CRAZY fellows- intentionally get on the back of 2,000 pounds of angry raw hide and try to hold on for dear life. In the case that they get chucked into the air, which is most of the time, they have to scramble for their life as soon as they hit the dirt, in hopes that the bull, who is hopping mad, doesn't land a big angry hoof right on their skull (or arm, or rib, or any other delicate parts!)

Another local business, right out of Truro, Iowa, US Rodeo Supply, spoke to our class last night. Again, it is the job of certain class members to work with the company to come up with creative (cheap) advertising solutions. The firm is owned by 2 brothers, one who specializes on the "brains" of the operation, and the other, a bull rider himself (I didn't see any jello in his hair), who works the field, going to rodeos, and also handcrafts items. After doing just basic research, it seems they have some great things going. They are a professional operation and they have their name out there. By out there, I mean, in the blogosphere, on Ebay, Flickr, YouTube and more. It was interesting hearing their case and I look forward to hearing some solutions my classmates come up with.

Week 9, Vol 2, Buzz Buzz Buzz.......

The buzz of Spring is in the air! Insects, sunshine, flowers and rain. Another Buzz is catching my attention as well. A local business owner introduced the class to DSM Buzz, a company that promotes buying local goods and services. In the wake of my Home Depot disaster, this whole local, mom and pop-shop, thing is sounding pretty darn good!

My group will be presenting business solutions to DSM Buzz, so I cannot give too much away. But, ultimately, the idea behind the business is that you buy a card for $10 and get perks at local shops. The strength of the program is that a lot of people WANT to help local businesses and spend their dollars in their own community. I know I do. Heck, Indianola opened a new family owned bakery a few months ago and I frequented the place. It had nothing to do with the mouth-watering cookies, bars, pies and rolls they sold. Please, give me some credit. I was merely helping out a local food joint. Sadly, they have gone out of business already, forcing me to re-evaluate my dietary needs.

If you have a minute, check out the company. In meantime, I'll be working with my group to crank out some awesome solutions for this local business owner!

Week 9, Vol 1: Make Mine Wine

This week in class, we had a guest speaker, Barb Rasko, publisher of Make Mine Wine Magazine. As a class, we were assigned groups and our presenters (local business owners) spoke to the class about their business. Our goal is to creatively come up with solutions to assist them in accomplishing their goals. Now, I can't give anything away here but I will share some thoughts with all of you.

First of all, this is a really cool looking magazine and I encourage readers of this blog to check it out. It is a very professional operation, straight out of Indianola, Iowa! I think Barb is on the right track. I really like that she has a business blog. I like her fun story features, great for those that aren't sophisticated wine drinkers. But, my first impression is that it is still a little stuffy. I'd really like to see her embrace some creative ideas and have a little more fun with the magazine. Now, if I were $90,000 in debt after starting my own magazine, perhaps I'd be reluctant to embrace too much fun, but I think if you are going after the casual wine drinker, it's a good strategy. I also think a Q and A section with write-ins from readers would be a big hit. I'm not totally sold on the name of the magazine. It's a bit of a mouthful and I don't really get it. Overall I think Barb is on to a good thing. My group won't get the opportunity to work with Barb, but I look forward to hearing the solutions the other groups come up with!

Week 8: vol 2, Customer Service

Customer service is really important to me right now because in the past week I have experienced the best of it and the worst of it.

Let me just start off by saying, I know accidents happen. Lordy, I have an 18 month-old, so accidents are a DAILY occurrence in our household. It's either a graham cracker accidentally smashed into the carpet, a sippy cup accidentally thrown across the room, leaking all over, a bowl of soup accidentally dumped on your own head (yes that actually happened), or at Christmas is was the accidental opening of everyone elses presents. There is always some ornery little thing followed by the tell-tale, sing-song, baby-voiced "Uh-oh."

Well Home Depot made a major Uh-oh this week. Only it wasn't spilled milk and it sure as heck wasn't cute. As you all know by now, we are in the midst of major house renovation. One major component was new carpet. To make a long story short Home Depot lost my carpet. There was no apology. No back up plan. No reimbursement. On three occasions either my husband or I took off work to meet the elusive carpet installer, only to be stood up. We would then proceed to call the "Expediter" (can your job title honestly be the exact opposite of what you do???) at Home Depot who would then inform us, "Uh-oh, I guess your carpet didn't make it in again." In the end, they made sure to blame it on the trucking company. "Well, Ms. Peck, I hope you realize that it was lost by the trucking company, not Home Depot." Well, let me tell you something. I paid my check to Home Depot. I paid my check to the company that advertises "We Can Help." I paid my check to the huge, international chain in hopes that they would be reliable and I got burned. They can run their business as they please, hire who they want, outsource what they want. But the bottom line is I paid them, I chose them, and they and theirs screwed up.

Now, imagine a house with no carpet, razor sharp tac strip on all perimeters, and a curious 18-month old just itching to be let loose. Also, imagine a moving truck coming to move all of your worldly possessions into said house in no less than 48 hours. OK, this story needs a hero, quick!!!

In comes Mendards to save the day! Nothing short of my knight in shining armor, "Anthony-flooring specialist," called all of the central Iowa Menards to track down enough in-stock carpet to fix us up. He also helped me track down an installer to get our carpet in the very next day. He was kind, funny and went above and beyond to help me out. So I'm tellin' you all- Anthony at South Des Moines Mendards will fix you right up with all of your flooring needs! Our last piece of carpet went in at 8:30 AM Friday morning and our movers arrived at 9:00, cargo in hand.

How does this relate to creativity you ask? Well, I'm not sure. But one thing I have noticed (and yes, this is a stretch to tie it all together) in my experience is that many of the contractors I know are not very reliable. Many individuals whose jobs require them to build things, create new things- construction crews, tilers, painters, tree trimmers, tend to seem unreliable. They don't return calls. They show up late, if at all. Could it be that all creative types are simply inconsiderate? Perhaps, LOL. But, more likely, it is that these right-brained individuals just need some help in the planning, organizing and follow through.