I'm back!

So, I've received some fairly blatant subtle hints that people want to know what I'm going to be doing now that I've finished Project 365. After taking a little over a week off from blogging (it was necessary, even if it felt a little strange), I'm ready to direct everyone over to my other blog. I've had this blog since 2008 but took a break from it over the last year to work on Project 365. I can't promise that I will post every day (well, I can promise that I won't), but I'll try to keep everyone updated about what I'm doing on a fairly regular basis.

Tonight I wrote a little bit about my trip to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center last weekend, and I posted a few pictures too. Enjoy!

March 31st - The Last One

I thought it would be nice to take a picture of both Sammy and myself for my last Project 365 picture. However, Sammy, the cat who loves to get on the dining room table anytime he can, didn't want to jump up there for me. So I picked him up. I think this photo sums up our relationship quite well.

And just like that, my year-long project is complete. It's hard to believe the project began a year ago with Air Force One and ends with me back in Texas. It's been an exciting journey, and I'm thankful that so many of you have taken it with me.

Some of you may be wondering what I'll do next. Well, I do know that I won't be carrying my camera around with me for at least a week. :) I am planning to post a few more things here, and then I'll let everyone know my plans.

Thanks again!

March 30th - Old Reliable

As Project 365 winds down, I thought it was appropriate to celebrate the camera that allowed me to work on this project in the first place: my trusty Canon Powershot. It may not be as cool as my new Canon Rebel T2i, but it is still the camera I carried around with me for almost 365 days. It's going to feel strange in the coming weeks to not feel that weight in my purse and to know that if the perfect picture opportunity takes place, I'll have nothing but my cell phone camera.

March 29th - Pretty Peacock

I've found a nice spot for my new pillow.

March 28th - Happy or Sad?

The new marker/magnetic boards at work reminded me of this commercial.

March 27th - Little Lion

This photo was just too funny not to post. I was folding laundry - he decided to do this. He is Sammy, hear him roar!

March 26th - Dolly?

Today I drove out to Warrenton to shop with Mom and her friends. It was a lot of fun to see everyone and look at all of the different booths. One of the most disturbing strangest things we saw was a bowl full of doll heads. Considering that dolls in general sometimes freak me out, I was only slightly amused. At least it made for a good picture. :)

March 25th - Movie Night

After spending the last few weekends away from home, it was nice to stay in tonight, order pizza, and watch The Thorn Birds.

March 24th - Beautiful Day

I think I actually said "Oh my gosh!" out loud when I saw the sunrise this morning. (And this photo definitely does not do this gorgeous sunrise justice. It was even more beautiful once I made it to work, and the sun was fully shining.)

March 23rd - Spring Promenade

How wonderful it is to see all the trees budding outside of work!

March 22nd - Little Foot

A cut-out foot a little boy gave me at church a few weeks ago.

March 21st - Stare Down

DON'T leave Sammy home alone two weekends in a row.

March 20th - Bluebonnets

I've been waiting to take this picture since I moved back to Texas in July. Fall in New England may be magical, but wildflowers, especially bluebonnets, make spring in Texas the best.

March 19th - And they call the thing rodeo

Today Paul and I went to the Houston Rodeo. We had a lot of fun looking at the different farm animals (especially the babies) and exploring the carnival area. After we left there, we went to the Menil Collection to look at the art (some of it was, um, interesting) and walk around the grounds. Later today, we picked Esther up from the airport and went to Dessert Gallery (yum!).

March 18th - Peanuts

This afternoon I drove over to Houston to spend the weekend with Paul. The trip was quite interesting to say the least. Right outside of Bastrop, traffic backed up on 71 because of a fire. I detoured and made it to 290, where I was stopped by a train passing through Giddings. (Luckily, I was able to take this picture of the Lee County peanuts while I was waiting - pretty funny for a girl who does not like peanut butter.) Once I worked my way through Houston traffic, I made it to Paul's apartment after 6. I was so happy to see him and have him make me a wonderful dinner!

March 17th - Hole in the Wall

This is the current view from my desk at work. Our office is expanding into the space next door, and the connection is right next to my desk. I'm the only one in my little corner now. :(

March 16th - A summer haircut, I suppose?

So, remember this pretty cool picture from a couple weeks ago? This morning I noticed that the little palm trees around the office building had all been cut. The result was not nearly as pretty.

March 15th - Beware the Ides of March

Isn't it wonderful that two of the coolest holidays on the calendar occur back to back in March?

March 14th - The Sounds of Youth

In the midst of all our cleaning this weekend, I found some of my childhood CDs. It was quite exciting to listen to a few of them on my drive back to Austin.

March 13th - Sunday at the Farm

Today I spent an afternoon at the farm for the first time in a very long time. We drove out there after church and picked up Chicken Express along the way. After we finished lunch, I took some pictures (and swung on the rope swing!) while Mom and Dad repaired a few of the birdhouses around the cabin. The pictures of the cows was one of my favorites. (You can see the line where the pasture burned earlier this year.)

March 12th - Me & my shadow

It was so nice to spend the whole day at home! We had homemade biscuits this morning, Dad and I worked on taxes this afternoon, we all watched the Texas-Kansas game this evening, and Mom made a wonderful dinner tonight. During one of our breaks from working on taxes, I took a few pictures outside, including this one.

March 11th - Home for the Weekend

I can't remember the last time I've spent a weekend in Henderson just to spend a weekend in Henderson. I drove home after work this afternoon and arrived a little after six. After eating at Francisco's (yum!), the parents and I watched the Longhorns beat the Aggies for the third time this year. It's also been exciting to see all the work that's been done on the house over the last few weeks (no more brown carpet)!

March 10th - Sweet Baby James

So apparently Sammy is a fan of James Taylor.

March 9th - Matching Set

I'm happy to announce that I have now transferred all my scrapbooks into matching albums. Don't they look pretty?

March 8th - Signs of Spring

I'm so excited to see trees budding all around Austin. It's quite a change from spring in New England, which often didn't arrive until the end of April.

March 7th - Hmm

I tried to do a math problem tonight. I think I would have easily been able to figure it out 10 years ago, but I was definitely puzzled this evening.

I guess I'll have to try again tomorrow.

March 6th - Time for Bed, Part II

Why does Sammy always refuse to let me make up my bed? He must think we're playing a game. (He's the bump under the sheets.)

March 5th - Time for Bed

(In other words, I forgot to take a picture all day until I got in bed tonight.)

March 4th - Run for the Border(s)

The Borders at The Domain is closing. *Tear*

March 3rd - Have a Cupcake

So in my mind, working on a project no one had ever done before (that resulted in five successful days of calling, I might add) deserves a cupcake.

Of course, I think cupcakes are the answer to many of life's difficult tasks anyway.

Get ready to enjoy, Austin team!

March 2nd - Monochromatic

I took this picture on the way out of work this evening.

March 1st - Skydiving

So, there was a skydiver outside of work this evening.

February 28th - Jar of Buttons

I decided to put all the extra buttons I've been collecting into one jar. I didn't have nearly as many as I thought I had.

February 27th - Jane Eyre

I'm rereading Jane Eyre in anticipation of the new movie coming out next month.

February 26th - Austin skyline from Mopac

Today I decided to drive over to Barton Creek to do some shopping. On the way back, I stopped at Mangia for a late lunch/early dinner and then decided to shop and take pictures at Eliers Park and Deep Eddy Pool. I took the walking trail down to the Mopac footbridge and snapped this picture of downtown from underneath Mopac.

February 25th - One Year

In some ways, today is the one-year anniversary of Project 365.

No, I didn't begin the project until April 1, 2010, but February 25 is important because that's when all the changes that happened this past year were set in motion. On February 25, 2010, I was laid off from my job at the museum. It can be hard to actually write or say those words - laid off - because it feels like failure. The thing is, I feel happy and blessed about the changes that have occurred in my life over the last year. I'm happy to be back in Texas, happy to be closer to my family, happy to be working at a job that I enjoy so much more than my last one.

And I'm also happy that I began this project a little over a month later and have almost completed it. At first it was something for me to do each day so I wouldn't be bored or feel too sorry for myself. It later became a way for me to share a little piece of my life each day with friends and family. I feel honored to know that others have begun similar projects.

One year. It can change everything.

February 24th - Office Ghost

Every office needs one, right? This sheet has been hanging in one of the trees outside of the office for as long as I can remember.

February 23rd - iPod

What I'll be waking up to tomorrow.

February 22nd - Boxed in

What is it about cats and boxes?

February 21st - Presidents' Day

The parking lot is a lot emptier on a Monday holiday.

February 20th - My Heart Will Go On

Back in late 1997/early 1998, I loved Titanic. I think I saw the movie twice in theaters (this paled in comparison to some girls) and got excited every time Celine Dion's My Heart Will Go On came on the radio, especially the version that featured dialogue from the movie. And then my feelings changed. Perhaps it was the fact that My Heart Will Go On was overplayed on the radio or that James Cameron was just so cocky. Anyway, it was a complete 180 from December/January to March of that year.

Titanic was on TV this evening, which made me think of all this. I caught it halfway through and still couldn't managed to pay attention until the end.

February 19th - Photo Walk

Today I had the chance the take a photo walk around my apartment complex with my new camera (yes, I finally got a DSLR using credit card points). At first I didn't think there would be too many things to take pictures of since the area around the complex is rather plain, but I enjoyed taking pictures around the pool area. The picture above is a detail of a mosaic. It was so nice around the pool that I brought my book back and read until it got too dark.

February 18th - Little details

A few more decorations from my apartment.

February 17th - Rise

In lieu of a picture today, I scanned in the postcard they gave us at the end of the movie Rise. The movie was about the 1961 U.S. figure skating team who died in a plane crash on the way to the World Championships. I thought the movie was well done, and the personal stories were quite moving.

February 16th - Dear Abby

Dear Abby,

I have a problem that I'm a little bit embarrassed to tell you about. I think my cat (I'll call him "Simon") scratched me while I was sleeping last night. (Please see picture above.) This isn't the first time he's attacked me. What should I do?

Sincerely,
Anxious and Abused in Austin

Dear Anxious and Abused,


I must admit that I've never heard of a situation quite like yours. Your cat Simon appears to have some aggression issues. I suggest group therapy or obedience training. Or perhaps relocation to a new home.


Sincerely,
Abby

February 15th - Traffic jam

I had to drive down Parmer today to get to CVS. I'm so thankful this isn't my usual commute; it was bumper-to-bumper traffic the entire way there (but smooth sailing on the way back).

February 14th - Loverly sunset

The sky was beautiful this evening after work.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

February 13th - And then there was one...

A few months ago, I thought it would be nice to add cork board squares to my office. Sammy, unfortunately, had other ideas. In spite of nailing the squares to the wall, Sammy has pulled three of the four squares off.

This is not as bad as spilling water on the computer, but seriously...this cat is in need of some major obedience training.

February 12th - Texas Basketball

Unlike our football team, the Texas basketball team is having an amazing season so far. The whole family went to see the Texas-Baylor game this afternoon. In spite of some tense moments in the second half, the Longhorns won, 69-60. Hook 'em, Horns!

February 11th - Work of Heart

Nothing says love quite like a heart-shaped pizza. I was happy to share it with Paul and Esther tonight.

February 10th - Blessing

Words to live by this Thursday (from a magnet on my refrigerator)