brooklyn

Wrapping Paper and Stuff Like That

When I was a little munchkin my grandparents used to wrap the gifts for me and my siblings in the funnies (comics section) from the newspaper since my parents didn't get the paper...that way we'd unwrap the gifts AND have funnies to read...it was killer...

...I love wrapping presents...especially at my parents house. My mom has a huge chest of drawers full of ribbon and tissue paper and a giant plastic bin of wrapping paper. I love making presents look beautiful...making each one look like a little work of art...I try to wrap them so that there are little clues to what is inside. This year I had most of the gifts shipped to my parents house so I didn't have to haul them through the airport -- this means that I have to wrap everything in one night when I get there. This may be a bit of a challenge if I plan on keeping up my standard of artsy wrapping from years past.



Snowboarding

S took me along on the first snowboarding trip of the season. My first impression when we got to Stratton Mountain on Saturday morning was...OMG...I didn't know that they made mountains that big and with that much snow. My second thought was that regardless of how much fun I had had the one time I'd been snowboarding before (in Jersey...not exactly the same scale) was not going to be anything like this and that I very well might die. I could see the top of the mountain. I think S was just amused that I kept gasping about how much snow there was...come to find out, Vermont is known for not having "that much snow" -- which is probably true compared to the best snowboarding destinations in the world...but when the only thing you have to compare it to is the downhill ice skating that they pass off as ski slopes in North Carolina...well, it is a lot more impressive than it is to the jaded boarders that I was staying with (who board in all the fancy places.) Me, I was just THRILLED. In fact, despite having a very bruised ass (still!) and a sore neck from a few face plant falls...the musles that hurt the most on Monday were the ones in my face from the Perma-Grin I had all weekend...you can see it in this pictures...



S and me mid-way down the mountain on Saturday....



My view from mid-way down the mountain on Sunday...



...at the risk...or for the benefit...of sounding completely crass... I quickly came to realize that looking down and seeing a snowy slope down between my legs was second only to seeing S's head. The best thing? Seeing both within 24 hours.

Geez. I even made myself blush with that one.

I haven't had that much fun with my clothes on in ages. And I get to go back and do it all again over New Years!

Yea for New Tattoos!

Go ask hollygolightly about her new tattoos! Their wicked...

End of The Year Thoughts on SG Land

A lot has changed around the site since I first got involved a few months ago...what hasn't changed is that I'm still meeting really great, thoughtful, creative people.

I'll never forget that geckogirl let me crash in her guestroom when I went to Atlanta to find an apartment even though she had never met me before.

I'll never forget that luna took me under his wing and got me into the elusive SGNY group and introduced me around.

I'll never ever ever forget running around naked in the subway with Idjiit and tmronin.

I'll never forget meeting PhotoRico at my going away soiree.

Of course, I'll never forget the_shine for showing me around Scotland...or Battles or TheNonStopDancer...

tmronin will always be my hero for turning me PINK and for answering more camera/lens related questions than anyone deserves out of anyone...

I couldn't imagine never having met jessikaa (who --lucky girl -- was in on my lucky pink shoot) or hollygolightly who always makes me smile.

I will never forget how surprised and thrilled (THRILLED!) I was to get my very own Twinkie original scarf in the mail out of the blue one day this fall...smooches!

I'm always happy to hear from HyperMediocracy and I can't wait to get to know illstabyou better -- that one is fun and smart and always so sweet!

I've hiked through the woods with Llona.

I can't wait to meet Bunny one day. She's always going to be one of my favorite SGs!

Have exchanged more plans with itburns than you can imagine and still haven't managed to have that drink...thanks to his superstar lawyer career and all those pesky court dates.

I got to help out with a shoot for the beautiful Carmen.

I'm happy that I got to hangout with Krrn when she was getting her first big tattoo! Now that is special!

I'm lucky enough to have had homemade cookies offered to me by Mle and NewYorkMatt.

And Nefaria is about the only thing that could make me want to go to LA again...I miss that gal...

I could go on and on...there have been so many great experiences. Change is always a bit rocky, but so long as I'm still meeting fantastic new people who bring this much bounce to my day and let me share in so many great experiences...it's just good stuff. I've learned so much from the photography group -- it has saved my ass in a number of occasions and I owe my renewed obsession with Rupert and photography to the site and the photography group. I'm constantly bouncing in and out of the models group and the makeup group...I'm convinced that I didn't have to shave off my hair a few months ago because of tips from the ladies in the hair and makeup group! Oh...a bald Brooklyn would just be scary...! I've gotten hundreds of letters in the last two months thanks to the pen pals group...and I'm getting more and more recipes from the cooking groups. Yea!