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https://www.instagram.com/p/C9bIF01P2Gd_rwL9AGB1SA2MWvDbLBIMsLvL_Q0/?igsh=cmRhdjZlbnFlb2dk

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Merry Christmas from Ft. Collins, CO

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Luis Sahuc was a freelance photographer and French Quarter preservationist, living and working on Jackson Square.

In 1995 Louis opened PHOTO WORKS and began showing an on-going body of work that preserved the architecture and uniqueness of life in the French Quarter.

When I began to blossom as a photographer, I took a trip to Nola and met Louis at his gallery. He was a generous mentor to many younger photographers. His top tip? Throw away the lens cap. “You’ll surely miss a good one if it’s on,” he’d say.

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#reallove https://www.instagram.com/p/CNRJ58WFlTqhQKTGZj1_V4-5hASYJlUOHF2khc0/?igshid=8775d1mdz7bw

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Jae seemed unusually happy about the possibility of a random bee swarm in the desert. I, am understandably confused. #roadtrip #thelmaandlouise (at Painted Desert National Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/CNHARCkFdOq5tmMyAdqezvJX5Kuehh8S_0I9Y00/?igshid=15id4v8av19kf

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Enunciation is key.

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Japanese horror has a unique way of making a ringing telephone inside the cavity of a sliced open pregnant woman “not so bad.”

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The Hotel Parq Central in Albuquerque. This historic landmark was originally built in 1926. The hotel is framed by beautiful Italian-inspired architecture.

A one-time psychiatric hospital and continued cultural icon in the area, the Hotel Parq Central has decades of history, with many reports of the paranormal throughout the years.

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Seek Your Inner Kobudai & Other Tales of Badass Fish.

Last night I watched Planet Earth’s “Blue Fish II.” If what I saw was accurate (let’s be honest, Sir David Attenborough is nothing if not accurate), then female fish are feminists and are winning at life.  I’ts not ALL female fish, although I was impressed at how many species’ females’ were ruling their worlds.  

So, there is this fish, the Asian Sheepshead Wrasse a/k/a/ Kobudai, who’s females can turn into males.  This particular female fish turned into a male after a couple of months and then challenged an older, larger male fish that had been sexually harassing the other females.  She kicked his ass then mated with the females assuring that her her seed would live on. And she didn’t just “grow” a different sex organ, she turned completely into a male with a huge bulbous chin and head. Mind you, not all of the females choose to become males.  I would party with this chick.

As I was watching, I was texting with my friend Jennifer who was a delighted as I at this level of badassery. We were both struck with the interesting parallel between this fish and the ability of women to be self-sufficient.  She suggested I make this the subject of my next blog. Thus, you can thank her if you enjoy it.

In "Self-Reliance," philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson argues that “polite society has an adverse effect on one's personal growth. Self-sufficiency, he writes, gives one the freedom to discover one's true self and attain true independence.” (https://emersoncentral.com/texts/essays-first-series/self-reliance/)  Who do you think of when you think of “self-reliance”? I immediately think of women I know. It turns out that the public at large is in agreement and credits females with the ability to balance many different scenarios both professionally and personally.  (PS this is why we make superior leaders.)

As a single mother, I can tell you that I have become incredibly self-sufficient.  Are there tasks and chores around the house that wish I had “someone other than me” to do? Definitely.  However, with the exception of electrical work and advanced repairs including gas, I have done most household chores and repairs on my own. I have replaced a toilet (and seal), I maintain my swamp cooler, repaired a dishwasher, painted all of the rooms, trim my trees, etc. I attempted to replace my garbage disposal but that was a shit show. I am also the main exterminator of any creepy crawlies. Anything I don’t already know how to do,  I YouTube it.

Now, while I didn’t impregnate myself, I did raised my sons with very little assistance.  I didn’t have an ex-husband who came over to help with household chores or maintenance.  He was pretty busy helping a stripper with her “household maintenance.” That’s another blog altogether.  He didn’t “give” me the house we lived in.  I had to qualify for the financing in order to “buy” it from him.  I also didn’t have a dad or other family members to help me. 

The point is, I didn’t need anyone else - not really.  Neither do you.  It’s great to have support but you can do it all.  You probably already are. 

If I could have turned into a male and kicked my ex-husband’s ass after I’d raised my sons and impregnated his harem I would have (except for the stripper). Since, we haven’t quite evolved into that yet, I’ll just keep being a badass.

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Balloon Fiesta Day 1 Breakfast. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Waffles with a Sour Cream Pecan Lavender topping. #mybreakfast #pumpkinwaffle https://www.instagram.com/p/BomQjDjHGtG/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=sp2yzlt00kvf

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Dog mornings. #dogsinbed #dalmationsofinstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/Bol-QTIH-So/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=aesp6s0hc1dt

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Me at 12am on October 1st:

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Broken Glass. #railyardsmarketabq (at Rail Yards Market ABQ) https://www.instagram.com/p/BoFY21CHVBI/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=7pmfhdopfxqg

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“9 out of 10 things in my room make me think of him.”

Me Thinking of Him

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“About all you can do in life is be who you are. Some people will love you for you. Most will love you for what you can do for them, and some won’t like you at all.”

— Rita Mae Brown (via coral)

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“Ladies and gentlemen of the class of ‘97: Wear sunscreen. If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice now. Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Oh, never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they’ve faded. But trust me, in 20 years, you’ll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked. You are not as fat as you imagine. Don’t worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4 p.m. on some idle Tuesday.”

— Mary Schmich (via coral)