YAY!

After my last post, whining and boohoooing all about, I made my first etsy sale! Holy jebus! So excited. I probably scared my first customer with my enthusiasm.

This lovely woman bought 4 whole photos from me, which was such a shock and such an amazingly proud moment. She chose 4 peacock photos, so now I know there are those peacock enthusiasts out there like me. =)

AND! I’ve figured out the abandoned house photo views mystery. I figured somehow it must have ended up on the front page of etsy, but then I’d think “you’re nuts, how would that happen”. Well, it did. At 3am on October 31st. And how do I know this you ask? I found an AWESOME website called craftcult.com which shows you etsy stats, good ones. All the hearts you have, for what, from who, when. Plus it tells you if your stuff ever ended up on the front page, and how! I knew I was in a treasury on the 28th, but I had no idea it ended up there. So that was pretty thrilling.

Now I just have to figure out this whole packaging etc thing out, I think the prints should be in from the pro photo lab tomorrow or the next day. But I’m looking forward to figuring it out, and hoping that sale wasn’t just a fluke. (I’ll probably be back here boohooing again next month, lol)

In other news, I’ve been commissioned for some of my soap/bath products for the 2nd and 3rd time ever(my mother doesn’t in fact count, though technically she’d be the 2nd but since she ignores my prices and just throws money at me, shes not a REAL customer.) My best friend and her mother in law, who’s adorable, both ordered some sugar scrubs/whipped shea butter creams to use for holiday gifts. I’ve been working on my new labels, so I’m thrilled to be able to get crafty with a purpose, and not just a purpose, a CASH purpose, which always makes it even more fun!!

My mother has been drilling into my head since birth that she wants homemade presents. So I guess this is how I’ve ended up so crafty.  And I think soap and bath stuff makes great gifts, because who doesn’t need to be clean? Everyone uses soap! Even my dad. Though I think he draws the line at stuff that’s too frou frou and  prefers spicy smelling soap.

Dime a dozen, for reals.

So I started my etsy shop. It’s been about 2 weeks maybe? And clearly I don’t expect miracles, but I’m starting to think my first assumption was right.

Photographers are a dime a dozen.

Yes, call me a pessimist. Or a realist. 

And I’m really confused as to why my most popular photo(with the most views and people who have favorited it) is a picture of an abandoned house. I kinda threw that in as a long shot, and people are nuts about it, nuts in the way that they like it, but dont purchase it. Makes me want to drive around searching out derelict properties. Which actually sounds kinda fun 😉

I’ve browsed and posted in the forums. Posted new things every few days. Did a “showcase”.  Maybe this is really just a pipe dream.

It’s time.

I’ve been running around graveyards for a long time,  since I was 14. Something about them is both creepy and calming to me. I know, not surprising being I love Halloween and October. Most of the time when scampering around headstones, I’ve had a camera in my hand.

I remember the very first time(I was 15 or so at the time) I forced my dad to pull over in a snowstorm in heavy traffic and went wading thru snow up to my knees & higher to get some awesome shots of angel statue headstones with snow on them. He had gotten his work to lend me a nikon SLR that I used for awhile until I got my very own one Christmas. When I got back in the car he looked at me with crazy eyes, but later he saw what I was seeing when I printed the roll.  My extended family still refers to these pictures, though I have no idea where they are now.

Well, this brings me to now. This past weekend, we went to SOWA(south end open market).  I have no idea why I  just heard about it, but it looked awesome, so I went with my boyfriend and one of our friends. It’s free — including the parking. Which is almost unheard of in the heart of any city.

The market was really fun, but also raised major jealousy issues for me. Seeing the people selling their photographs and homemade soap made me want to deck someone. These people took the time and initiative to get out there with their stuff. I’m pretty much just a scaredy cat, and can’t imagine anyone wanting to buy my pictures or soapy creations.

But it started a spark in my head of wanting to get out there just a little. And the easiest way to probably start without spending too much dough – so far about $2.50 – would be etsy. So I bit the bullet and started an etsy shop. I’d considered soap, but I worry about shipping it and also the headaches that could come with people using your stuff on their skin(I have visions of lawsuits, I’m a paranoid person), so I’m going the photo route, since not much can go wrong with that.

My shop can be found here:

AubreyElizabethPhoto.etsy.com

You might wonder how I started talking about graveyards and here is this huge pop of color and happiness. This was taken in a cemetery near my house. I tend to go really crazy high contrast and colorful. Or dark and creepy. You’ll see if you visit my etsy shop. 😉

Maybe eventually I can graduate into fairs and markets. My dad used to sell his woodwork at craft fairs when I was a kid, and I loved it. But it’s a lot of work and commitment, so I guess we’ll see how the etsy stuff goes. Wish me luck!

When I think about you, flowers grow out of my grave

I’m so excited it’s October, and here’s just a beginning list on why:

1. It’s my birthday month
2. It’s finally reallllly fall(I HATE summer)
3. It’s the month of Halloween. Ok, so I put up my decorations in August, but thats expected of me.
4. Work is no longer full force bonkers(May-Sept is my busy season)

But beyond that, It’s the month when I don’t have to feel weird about listening to Dead Man’s Bones on heavy rotation. In any other month of the year, you might get weird sidelong glances and know there’s hidden thoughts of “she’s off her rocker creepy”. But not in October! I can send my boyfriend texts that say “when I think about you, flowers grow out of my grave!” and while he might find that a little disturbing, I have to remind him that it’s the ultimate in terms of sweet nothings and he should be flattered.

So I randomly stumbled onto Dead Man’s Bones a few years ago(Ok, so I was mildly stalking Ryan Gosling online, but I like to keep that to myself), and they finally put out a real album last year: IN OCTOBER! we all know it’s the coolest month of the year….

What I really love about this band is that it’s spooky music, but it doesn’t really have to be limited to this lovely month of All Hallows Eve. It’s real music that feels authentic, dark, catchy and has such an air of talent and passion for all things eerie. It feels like coming home.

But then of course something tragic happened. It was my birthday, and I was having a lazy, kinda hormone induced trip of a day. I was at the peak of being ready for instant misery as far as the calendar goes, you ladies know what I’m talking about.

And I’m sitting there and all of a sudden I discover — Dead Man’s Bones is playing right down the street in about an hour and it’s completely sold out.

I will never forgive myself for not knowing that was coming up and buying myself some tickets – or at least alerting my sweetiepants that he should be setting this up as my birthday activity.

About an hour after I discovered the show that I couldn’t attend, I crawled into a hole and pretended I didn’t exist for the rest of the night (and whined on Facebook about how my life was ending).  Yes, I’m overly dramatic! I’m an only child, it’s practically a written rule.

But this post is more to SHARE my love of Dead Man’s Bones with you!! The album is easily buyable on Amazon.com and you can find hordes of video on YouTube.  Join in October happiness and make it even better by listening to awesome songs about zombies and graveyards and werewolves. Really.

This is the official site:  http://www.deadmansbones.net

Buy the album:  http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Mans-Bones/dp/B002LEZ5RQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1286029257&sr=8-2

Color me jaded by Pete Yorn

I was just watching Pete Yorn on Ellen that I DVR’d. I used to reallllllly love Pete Yorn about 8 years ago, and it’s nice to see he’s still around! His first two albums are still among my favorites, though I haven’t really kept on top of his current work.

I got into Pete Yorn in college when I was working as a college marketing rep for Sony/Columbia/Epic. We always got new, upcoming artists to work on, and his debut album was one of them. The fact that his promo pic made all us college girls swoon didn’t hurt either. =)

One day I got a phone call from my bosses in NYC — someone who was supposed to accompany Pete Yorn for the day in Boston had someone else to take care of I.E. someone bigger and more important. And of course, I was on that like white on rice. I tried to play it down like it was no big deal, but I could hear my bosses in the background making fun of me with high-pitched girly voices going “ohh he’s soooooo cuteeee”

Of course I decided I had to clean my car like nobody’s business and while I was doing that, I missed my weekly conference call. I couldn’t tell them I had forgotten about it because I was cleaning my car for Pete Yorn. That would just be admitting too much.

So the day arrived. I met up with him down at Emerson’s radio station, he played a few songs live, and I got to sit in on it, which was pretty amazing. Like having a private concert just for me. Yea, I’m surprised I can even remember it, my excitement should have stolen away my memory and just become a fuzzy dream.

Later, I had to bring him down to the venue he was playing. I was really excited about this part. Pete Yorn was getting in MY car. Sadly, it didn’t go as I had hoped.  He took along his bandmate Walter, and they both sat in the back seat like I was their chauffeur and sat there texting on their two-ways the whole time. He didn’t say more than a sentence to me, even though I tried to engage him in every day conversation.

My college girl heart got crushed. I dropped them off, got a quick wave and thank you. But that was it. My heart got a band-aid later when he remembered I was the one who spent 1/2 the day waiting on him to cater to his whims.

He signed a poster to me that said “thanks for the ride”. I felt squared away and like I could let go that he’d given me the cold shoulder all day. I finally realized  — I’m an employee. A fly on the wall. My only use to them is to get them from point A to B safely and on time.

 

He and Nelly Furtado taught me that important lesson. She looked at me like a squashed bug instead of a fan when I met her backstage after a show. I wasn’t there in any official capacity, at the time I just loved her music and had been really excited to meet her. It was shortly after the release of her 1st album and her small club tour show had been really amazing. And to be clear here — I never had unrealistic expectations with any artist or musician. All I ever wanted was some eye contact and a “hey, how ya doin” or “thanks for comin”.

 So after those two, I no longer wanted these people to be nice to me, or cared if they acknowledged my existence.  I always knew they were people too(duh) and that they had to put on an appreciative facade allllllll day, and it was probably exhausting. But I learned to lower my expectations and no longer got excited to meet someone who’s music I liked. I didn’t want pictures or autographs any longer. Meeting your favorite musician would probably lead to massive disappointment. These were the years I became jaded.

To brighten this whole depressing thing, here’s the funny part of the story:

 My dad always thought this position at Sony Music was an internship, which rubbed me the wrong way. I wanted him to realize it was a real job that I got paid for(meager though it was, it had perks).  He didn’t ever really appear to understand why I loved it so much, and always seemed secretly convinced that someone was gonna take advantage of his poor innocent naive daughter(who, me??). 

So anyway, my parents came to visit me in Boston and my walls were just covered in posters and autographs and pictures at the time. Of course, this Pete Yorn one was prominently placed because I was proud I’d been entrusted with him for a day(I blocked out the rest).

So my dad is perusing the wall…and sees Thanks for the RIDE — and immediately looks at me with bug eyes and says “what does this mean!??! RIDE?!” yea, we share this dirty mind quality. I had to calmly explain that it means exactly what it says. He got in my car, and I drove him somewhere. You wouldn’t believe the look of sheer relief spread across his face. You could tell for just a moment there my dad wondered if I may be whoring myself out for work. Just a moment.

Later, when he started utilizing my Sony discount he became happier & more understanding of my job. 😉

It’s been an awesome week

You wanna know why? I got some super awesome vine stuff, and I had a very successful yard sale day today(going to them, not hosting one).

This week I got a fantastic Magellan GPS, and while I’ve always been very loyal to Garmin, I think it’s time for a switch. The screen is bigger, it’s louder and quite a bit cuter then my Garmin Nuvi. So nuvi is now up for sale(and has been sold!)!

I also got Rosetta Stone level 1 Spanish and some photo software. I am a language idiot, so we’ll see how far I get with my level one spanish. I’m guessing I’ll retain it for about a month, then it’ll be like I never saw it. But so far it’s going really well and I’m having fun. I just have a shitty memory.

I also picked DDF Revolve 400x Micro-polishing system , which is kick-ass!!! I love sanding my face off, and then moisturizing it. I don’t care what kind of beauty product it is, it’s just a fascination of mine.

The reviews for all of these have been posted on Amazon.com under A. Boston. I love them all, though I still don’t think Rosetta Stone is REALLY sinking in. I was doing a few lessons of it with my boyfriend sitting behind me reading a book. He said I sound like a cartoon attempting to speak spanish. Not good. Then he made me laugh so hard that I failed that unit of the level. NICE.

So on to the real deal — the real reason for my post. I got found something super amazing at a yard sale today. I got some usual cool finds like a side table, some canisters. But you know now and then you just find that treasure? Today was one of those days.

When they first caught my eye, I was creeped out. Then I only liked one of them…but figured a set is probably smart to stick with. I couldn’t stop looking at them, so I bought them.

"Ballerina with flower"

"Ballerina with shoe"

Now I’m kinda obsessed with them.

I googled the artist Maio and found these to be worth at least 5 times what I paid( 7 dollars for both!) I have my eye on another set, but don’t know if they’re entirely appropriate for a bedroom — those creepy big eyes staring at you in the middle of the night aren’t ideal. 😉

sunglasses = true love

 I was trying on Ray-Bans in Nordstrom last week, I admit it. I confess…

 I’ve been coveting a pair for a few months now, but couldn’t really justify the price.  So I’m in the mall with my mother and we’re on our way to the car — seriously, we are 5 feet from the front door to the parking garage — and there they are. It’s like the display is shining and glowing, it just calls to me.  Not locked up in a glass case either,  so you can try them on without bothering someone(or having some salesperson hovering over you telling you how awesome you look despite whether you really do or not)…and who better than MY mother for a real honest opinion?

Lucky for me, she seems to like Ray-Bans. When I was obsessed with my Chanel sunglasses years ago, she was baffled and mortified by the brand and cost. She still doesn’t get it. But for some reason, she could justify the classic RBs.

I’ve been staring at them online. I wanted some wayfarers and aviators. But since I have a cheapy pair of aviators, I figured I’d start with the other style. The question is, classic or new? 52mm or 55mm? color?

Of course in Nordstrom, I had no idea of this whole 52/55 business. but the New Wayfarers in black were just made for me. We feel big love for each other… I always have the strongest love affairs with inanimate objects.

But back to my mother. She has it in her head that the most expensive version of anything is ALWAYS the best. Should you get the cheaper model lawn mower and then it breaks and costs you an arm and a leg to fix? Well, it’s the universe telling you that you should have gotten the better, more expensive model. THAT model wouldn’t have broken. Because it was a $1000. more. It’s more RELIABLE.

So she becomes fixated on my picking the polarized version. I’m thinking “really?? do I need polarized?” — I have a bit of my mom’s sickness(expensive is better). So I leave my true love there in the little spinny sunglass case. Staring longingly at it as a trudge out that front door. I feel my little heart shatter. I could maybe justify a $119. price tag,  but the polarized black new wayfarer Ray-Bans cost $169….plus evil tax? nope.

So as per usual, I go home and O-B-S-E-S-S. My BFF feeds my obsession by telling me I deserve them, they’re so cute, they’d be so perfect on me(she’s a good BFF like that).  I start poking around online(yes, this means on Amazon.com). And you will not believe what I find.

Black, New Wayfarer Polarized sunglasses: COST: $111.00

Shut up. It’s a hoax. Someone fucked up something. This cannot be true. So this is all fine and dandy, but it’s offering me 52mm only. What the fedge is that?! I read some people say it’s best for their 3-year-old. I ignore them. I order them. I sign up for a free trial of PRIME. Two days, and they will be mine.

They came yesterday as  I was in a flurry running out the front door to Ikea to redesign my home office. The idea of the home office being shiny and fabulous kind of took away that usual rush of something at the front door. but our love is steadily growing, moment by moment.

Meet my love:

Update October ’10: I later got the “small” aviators in 52mm and learned the hard way what all this mm business is about. I had put them carelessly on my amazon.com wishlist, and my boyfriend’s lovely mom found them and bought them for my birthday.

We all know this amazing sunglass luck doesn’t strike twice right? These aviators were built for a 2 year old. They were just way too small. and I finally learned the mm sizes is the LENS size, not the width across your face. DUH. yes, I still duh at myself sometimes. So I had to coerce the 3rd party seller to let me return them with no 15% restocking fee. Returning gifts always gives me extreme guilt, but I’m hoping to put the amazon.com credit towards the correct pair. Without trying them on(though I did, but I have no idea which ones specifically looked so amazing) I’m guessing the regular size aviators in the 55mm or 58mm will work best. =)

 BUT FIRST! there is a rue la la sale today at 11, so maybe the perfect pair will be on there even cheaper! woo! T0 be cont’d…

Yea, I’m crafty

I was coveting nook sleeves online, which were around $40 bucks. I know that I am obsessing and going accessory nuts, so I came up with a solution. Make my own. The photo above is my finished product!

I somehow even managed to make a little front pocket to hold my nook cord andddd….

line it in a purple-blue-y color. I’m shocked it came together.

I even put a friggin’ zipper in it!

Ok, so I’m expressing some awe over my own creation. Thats because usually, when I manufacter some psychotic idea in my head, it never comes out looking like I pictured it. But this is the closest I’ve ever come to my own vision. Besides the fact that it’s a tad bit snug. whoops.

 Now..I want to make MORE! but only have one nook.  argh.

A little slice of heaven..oh, and netgalley.com

NetGalley.com is the  small piece o heaven I discovered today(the Slice is further down). ok, so I read about it on a forum. But it still felt like a discovery!!! But before I tell you all about that…….

Now that I’m so addicted to my Nook ereader, I’m of course addicted to collecting ebooks. I’ve done pretty well  if I do say so myself. I’m just starting the Sookie Stackhouse books. For those who live under a rock, these are the books the True Blood HBO series is based on.

I just recently rewatched Season 1 and 2 with my boyfriend(who in my opinion, was late to the True Blood party), and loved it even more the second time.  And since I’m out of new episodes till next Sunday, it was time to start the books. Now usually, I find awesome books way before anyone has considered making whatever book into a movie or TV show, but for this, I fucked up. So I have to do it after the fact, which ruins part of the joy of reading(you know, using your imagination)…since my head lets me only picture Anna Paquin as Sookie and so on.

Oh, and to digress for another moment: I hate to be a 15-year-old squealing girl(since I’m nearly double that age now) but holy hot hell has anyone seen the new character, Alcide, played by Joe Manganiello? I nearly had a heart attack! This guy, we’re just going to call him my new TV boyfriend. I almost asked my real boyfriend to leave the room when this 6’5 piece of delicious meat entered the screen. A true SLICE of heaven.

Anyway, sorry about that True Blood rave —

Back to Netgalley.com! This is a site where you can request from the publishers Advanced Reader’s copies, but not the stupid paper kind I usually have…they’re in ebooks form! Holy Moses! So excited.

So the premise of this site is this:

“Net Galley is free for librarians, booksellers and reviewers, etc. The publishers pay to have books put up on the site. You request a book and see if the publisher deems your request worthy and if so, give you their viewing options. They include a kindle edition or DRM protected PDF. You are under no obligation to review the books you request, though publishers would like you to notify them if you do post a review.”

Well, see there? that to me equals pure awesomeness. I’ve put in a few requests and we’ll see if this netgalley.com is all it’s cracked up to be for this little reviewer.

Bad, Bad Vonage: My cancellation tale

This is my old friend Vonage. We were ok friends for over 4 years. Recently, we had to break up though. As I mentioned before, I made the switch to Ooma. But for years I’ve told people about Vonage, and how much cheaper it was.  Well, no more! Now,  I will tell people how shitty Vonage is.

The service wasn’t perfect, but it worked fine for me. Until the weird little taxes kept creeping up.  I HATE weird little taxes on bills, and this was just the last straw. I called them and asked very politely if there was anything they’d like to do to keep me from switching from Vonage to Ooma. They said no….and not very nicely I might add. I did not feel like they appreciated my business in the least!

So….here I am with Ooma, and thrilled with my choice. But here is my big beef.

When you signed up for Vonage, they nickle and dime you….oh, you’re starting today, mid month. We’re going to pro-rate it. You don’t have to pay the full month, but you do have to pay for eacccch day you use the service. Well fine. Seemed fair to me.

When you call to CANCEL Vonage they don’t follow that motto of paying for the service you receive. I literally, got charged on July 21st for the period of 7/21-8/20. But of course, they scheduled my number porting to Ooma for just ONE day after that. So the porting was complete on the 22nd. When I called to cancel, they don’t want to refund you that almost full month you will not be having service. They wouldn’t pro-rate it and refund me for the other 28 days I don’t have Vonage. Nope. They’re keeping it. No ifs, ands or buts about it.

But apparently they’re doing me a FAVOR by not charging me their 39.99 cancellation fee? I wanted to punch this woman in the face. I just had to keep repeating to myself “this customer service rep is not VONAGE, don’t treat her badly, she didn’t make the rules!”

She proceeds…. ” So sorry you don’t want us anymore,may we offer you your current set up for $12.50 instead of 24.99 to stay with Vonage?”

REALLY?!  I calmly tell this heavily accented woman probably working in some Caribbean island or South American place that I called and asked for a “deal” like 2 months ago!! And Vonage called my bluff.

Now, because they didn’t treat me like the loyal customer I was for 4 years, I’m going to tell the world about Vonage and their shittyness.

the end.