Logo Vote-O

So, Mary Rosenbaum Photography is getting a new logo! Yay! I'm using a company who designed 4 different logo concepts for me - these are my favorites.

#1A)


#1B)


#2)



I can make unlimited changes to either one, so your vote can be contingent (e.g.#2 but make the circle bigger, etc., etc).

Also, I am the proud new owner of www.maryrosenbaum.com. Eventually my fabulous website will be there, but for now it just points to my photoblog. So when you are referring me to all of your friends, you can remember the maryrosenbaum.com address to pass on more easily than the longer blogspot address. And it rhymes . . . kind of.

Just say it to yourself . . . maryrosenbaum.com. Almost.

Kind of like logo vote-o.

A new haircut makes everything the past.

I love that quote. And how true. Have you broken up with a boyfriend lately? New haircut magically makes things better - at least a little.

I'm also hoping that the opposite is true - "New hair makes everything the past". At least, if all of yours has fallen out, it does. So that is why I've been growing my hair for about 2 years. I'm donating all of my hair to Locks Of Love - an organization that uses donated hair to make wigs for children with cancer. I have several friends that did this in college, though I never thought I would be able to stand having my hair so long!

So, the time finally arrived when my hair was long enough to cut off the minimum of 10 inches - ah! And, just for kicks, I decided to let Adam do the honors and do the first major chopping. Luckily, the girls were around to support and supervise - what a fun Monday night activity . . . chopping off Mary's hair in Chaundel's kitchen - does it get much better than that?

So here's the final shot before it gets cut - can you believe how long it is! Yikes!



Adam and Jaime helped section off my hair - we decided one big cut wasn't wise as my hair is so thick! Just before he started cutting, I got this really sick nauseous feeling. And yes, we used whatever scissors we found in Chaundel's kitchen drawer.



Ah! The first one is over! Here's Adam looking triumphant and me wiping tears from partial fear & partial laughter at Courtney R sitting on the couch with panic and hyperventalation as she watches it all go down. I wish we had a picture of her more than of me!


In the end, we cut my hair in a few sections and overall it turned out pretty terribly. Adam, and both Josh and Jaime W all took turns cutting! The front looks reasonable, though the back is a lot more questionable . . .


I was so afraid of cutting off too much that we didn't even it up at all - I definitely came to work the next day looking exactly like the photo above. So, it was quite an exciting adventure! We cut off LOTS of hair, and I was so glad that everyone was there for moral support!




Oh, and yes, I did have a REAL haircut scheduled for the following evening, so here's the end product. WHOA! Super short!

A photo

Here is a photo of people I love.


It was our last Monday night meeting to all be together before the Holladays leave us all so cruelly. Just kidding. We're so excited for their New York adventures and can't wait to see where they end up some day - we love you!

My 100

My skepticism of the blogging version of forwards has once again been proven wrong. When I first saw this "100 things about me" blog going around I thought it was ridiculous and way more information than anyone needed to know or share. But reading 100 items of volunteered information about my friends and family has turned out to be amazingly informative, entertaining, and heart-warming. So here's my go at it:

1) I get overwhelmed easily in all aspects of my life.
2) I don't like commitments.
3) I was captain of my high school cheerleading squad and in charge of making up all the dances.
4) I still ask Adam if he wants to make up dances with me. No luck. Yet.
5) I never considered that I might live in California one day.
6) My hair developed massive tangles as I child and my mom would attempt to brush them out for hours. I would cry until mom would give up and decide to cut them out instead.
7) I have never broken a bone.
8) My favorite foods are pizza and macaroni and cheese - yes, my taste buds might as well be in second grade.
9) I like feet.
10) I get my love of weddings, dishes, and baking from my mom.
11) I'm a Mac user and have considered putting the apple sticker on my car.
12) I'm blown away by all my friends have accomplished already - doctors, lawyers, teachers, moms. It's crazy.
13) I ran my first and maybe last half-marathon this year - it owned me.
14) I ask a lot of questions - this is usually because I love details about other people's lives but sometimes it's to avoid talking about myself.
15) Rachel Stinson is the only person I know who is as indecisive as me (this relates to #2).
16) I loved playing intramurals in college.
17) I dislike any movies with guns, violence, mean people, etc., etc.
18) I have walked out of or taken extremely long bathroom breaks in movies because of this, the most recent being MI3.
19) I spent a semester in London with Shannon when 9/11 happened. I think I was terrified everytime I got on the tube for the rest of my time there.
20) I grew up hunting doves every year with my dad.
21) I've been married for more than 9 months now.
22) Sometimes I feel sorry for other girls because they don't have Adam for a husband. I sincerely think he's the best one in the world.
23) I like board games a lot.
24) Making friends in California has been easier than I initially feared.
25) I am not afreaid to put a CD on "Repeat 1" if I find a song a like.
26) I wish I was Patty Griffin.
27) I am learning that many people have more secrets and are going through more hardships than they may be able to share.
28) Dark Chocolate is my favorite type of Sprinkles cupcake.
29) If I were going to college again, I would be a psych major all over again but also add a degree in graphic design.
30) When my sister and I were little, we used to have jumping contests after church on Sundays to see who could jump farthest over the Raggedy Ann and Andy run in our room.
31) I then grew up to direct a Stepsing show where we were all dressed like Raggedy Ann. And yes, I got to make up the dance.
32) I got a white Jeep Cherokee ("Zeek") for my 16th birthday that I drove until almost 2 years ago. Sometimes I still find myself walking towards white cherokees in parking lots.
33) I worked at McDonald's in Panama City, FL with Shannon for a summer while attending summer Beach Project.
34) I am very loyal and get very attached to people and places.
35) I miss Birmingham and my life there fiercely.
36) I loved college because of my incredible friends.
37) I worry about money more than I want or need to.
38) I like to be different.
39) I had a crush on Adam starting in 7th grade - all I knew was that boy who was Melissa's brother was cute.
40) I have mixed feelings about my high school experience.
41) By instinct, I have mentally tried to Photoshop things in real life. It doesn't work.
42) I feel personally responsible for quite a few additions to the blogging community.
43) Brushing my hair is my least favorite part of my day.
44) I wish I were a better cook and had more time to devote to it.
45) I already feel that I take the beach and mountains for granted and I've only lived here 16 months.
46) I'm definitely that girl who carries a camera around with her everywhere and makes her friends and family pose incessantly.
47) Sometimes I think the left side of my brain is rotting since my full-time job rarely employs it.
48) My favorite cars of my friends are Kelly's (former) Camaro and Callen's Mustang - they are legends.
49) I love love love surprises, though I have no particular desire to be surprised.
50) I consider myself a student of personalized license-plature. I love a good MRYSBLG.
51) I could never actually have a personalized license plate as I could never make the decision of what mine would be.
52) One of my favorite sayings from college is "Girls and boys can't be friends, except Mark and Emily".
53) I'm in Mark and Emily's wedding next month.
54) I feel guilty for lots of things that aren't my fault.
55) I photographed Tom Selleck's brother's wedding a few months ago. Tom was exactly as I expected.
56) I miss knowing Spanish well. I have, ironically, spoken very little since moving to CA.
57) I love going to a church that I love.
58) Callen was my first Verizon-to-Verizon friend, even before it was cool. I now have many friends who are IN.
59) I lost my voice just before my first date with Adam to see the movie Anastasia. It may have been the last quiet night of the rest of his life.
60) I think about food a lot.
61) I have a yearly pass to Disneyland and it has been way more fun than I initially thought.
62) We have a large star in our living room that I love and Adam hates.
63) The Office is my favorite TV show.
64) I'm looking forward to Veronica MArs Season 3 coming out on DVD.
65) I wish I saw my niece more often.
66) I can't wait until more of my friends are pregnant.
67) I love Diet Coke. Yes, I'm that girl. I have weened myself off somewhat since the marathon but I still crave it intensely.
68) I greatly dislike going to the dentist.
69) I have developed, ironically, a great love of spreadsheets and checklists. By nature, my organizational skills are a trainwreck, so the only explanation is that it is a learned coping mechanism.
70) Skim milk is best.
71) Lamby, as most of you know, is my stuffed lamb that I sleep with nightly who has been so abused.
72) Adam gave me Lamby when I had my wisdom teeth out after my senior year of high school, yet he laughs at how people disdain her.
73) I like snuggling with blankets.
74) I don't sleep with any covers - just the infamous Lamby and my XO blanket.
75) I miss thunderstorms.
76) I don't drink very much - I have to be reminded that my body actually needs liquids throughout the day. I could probably go a whole day with almost no beverages.
77) I got the lead roles in my 1st and 2nd grade plays and thought I was the stuff.
78) I worry about my kids going through the awkward stage.
79) I think I would like to be a high school teacher.
80) I love musicals.
81) I'm not assertive or aggresive.
82) Lauren's dream for a world using only the barter system makes me panic.
83) I love Jane Austen's works.
84) I worked at a camp in South Carolina for two of my college summers - I worked hard, had lots of fun, and made some great friendships. I miss those days, particularly during the summer.
85) I dislike when people make judgements and stereotype Southerners or Californians - I hear this a lot from each party about the other.
86) I love my Kitchen-Aid mixer though I rarely use it. I made Adam return and re-buy it 3 times before I finally decided on the perfect color.
87) I am not a good shopper - if I were infinitely wealthy I would definitely hire a personal shopper to assist me with my fashion sense and purchasing needs.
88) I don't know who I will vote for in the next Presidential election, though I believe its important to vote.
89) I've only realized the importance of politics over the past few years and think its incredibly important for people to take a personal interest in it even if they don't feel like its "their thing".
90) On the bus in fifth grade, a boy told me he got to second base and I gave him a high-5 because I thought he was talking about the Nintendo baseball game.
91) I like high-5's.
92) I'm having to stop myself from making every item in this list food-related.
93) I spent much of my single life trying to communicate to people that Lewis was my last name, not the second portion of a double name. When people would say, "Hi, Mary Lewis", I would respond with "Hi, Sarah Jones" - like, get it? Thats my first and last name, not a double name.
94) I love flip-flops, though I'm trying to wear them less as I know they are so bad for your feet.
95) I've had glasses/contacts since 3rd grade. I know, what a little nerd.
96) My favorite Babysitters Club character was Mary Ann - she was the nicest and prettiest and had a boyfriend.
97) I wish I had read all of those books I was supposed to read in high school.
98) I like summer nights.
99) My favorite Disney movie is Beauty and the Beast.
100) I like it when people comment on my blog (no pressure)!!

Anyone else up for a list of 100? Go for it!

HP6

Monday afternoon I finished HP6. I didn't think I would make it in time for the release of 7, but I cranked through the second half pretty quickly.

I've decided that 6 is officially my favorite for a variety of trite reasons (warning: vague plot references below):

1) Harry never faces Voldemort directly.
2) More romantic involvement between main characters.
3) Less people being mean to Harry throughout the book.
5) Lauren slipped and told me the big plot climax at the end so I was emotionally prepared for the loss.
4) A desire to read 7 sooner rather than later; after the other books I've needed to take a few months off before tackling the next one.

My favorite up to this point has been HP4, mainly due to reason 3 listed above.

My husband has been plotting about the best way to obtain HP7 - apparently there's strategy involved. He read a story about how when HP6 came out, some guy bought the book, skimmed the final chapter, and drove around shouting out who dies, thereby spoiling the book for all of the eager little witches and wizards in line to obtain their copies. So he's planning to use me as a pawn - sending me out to get the book first thing Saturday morning (he doesn't care if its spoiled for me), and refusing to have any contact with the outside world (internet, TV, leaving the house, etc.) until he's finished it. It's going to be a fun weekend.

Will you be reading HP7 this weekend?

Santa Barbara Day: Part 2

After the proposal, Adam and I went in to downtown Santa Barbara to spend a day exploring. We both really want to take advantage of the amazing area that we live in - there are so many cool cities, national parks, etc. within driving distance! So we were excited to have an excuse to head up there for the day and check one city off our list!

We started our afternoon with a stroll on the Santa Barbara pier and had lunch at a little local seafood restaurant at the end. We all know my passion for food, so I naturally photographed our plates. Crabcakes and fresh crab - yum!


After lunch we spent the rest of the day walking around State Street, visiting a couple of historical sites, driving around the ritzy community of Montecito, and ended with dinner on the Santa Barbara harbor. I'll do a photo highlight tour below! It was a long day but great time away together and we loved spending time in a new city!

Lunch on the pier - here's Adam gearing up for his crab. He's always a great sport about letting me take his picture - I love this one:

An alleyway near State St. I've grown to love the architecture out here, and Santa Barbara's buildings are particularly great:

The courthouse - super old and beautiful inside and out:
View from the top of the courthouse:

The Santa Barbara Mission:

The harbor where I dropped my lens cap in and Adam crawled down and got it! What a husband!

Santa Barbara Day: Part 1

Yes, I've fallen behind in my blogging - so here's catch up blog from a couple of weeks ago!

The day after we saw Callen and Mike, Adam and I woke up at the crack of dawn for an early morning drive up to Santa Barbara - about 3 hours away. After a lucky stumble upon a Chick-fil-a for breakfast, we finally ended at our destination - Carpinteria State Beach. Where? Yup - kind of random but all in good purpose as we were actually there for a photo shoot. It was such a fun morning as we got to hide out on the beach and document our friend Frank proposing to now-fiance Diane! I've ALWAYS wanted to do a shoot like this and so I was really excited. Frank and I plotted and planned - he had driven up to Santa Barbara and scouted the perfect place to pop the big question and drawn maps, etc. to lead Adam and I to his spot on the beach. Everything went exactly as planned, thankfully! Frank and Diane arrived and went for a romantic stroll along the beach:


Then he dropped down with the big question and a beautiful ring!


She was incredibly surprised, which, as you all know, I love surprises so I was probably more excited than she was! Of course, she was probably most surprised when Frank turned and pointed out the people in the trees taking photos and videoing the whole event!

Adam and I realized later that they would be able to hear our whole commentary since Adam was videoing the series of events. Their romantic video of the proposal is eclipsed by Adam and I going "Come on, Frank, just ask her!" and "oh, keep walking towards us - you're too far - no, wait - too far! Come back!" and they said their personal favorite was as Frank drops to his knee on the video Adam says "Atta boy, Frank!".

It was such a fun morning and such an honor to be a part of those special moments in their lives. Everything went great and was topped off by the fact that Diane randomly decided to wear the dress that she wore on their first date that day! What a fun coincidence! You can see a few more of their pictures here. Congrats to the newly-engageds!

Adam and I spent the rest of the day exploring Santa Barbara - more info to come about this soon!

Just when I thought . . .

. . . that life couldn't get any better, it does.

Callen, here's your B. (And everyone else, here's her blog.)

Oh Happy Day

She's in!! Read Shannon's new blog here.

If you don't have a hot pink B on your head, you should feel very left out . . . all the cool people are doing it.